CDO authorities advise early cemetery visits to beat the heat

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines — With tens of thousands expected to flock to usually congested cemeteries, local authorities here have laid down strict guidelines for this year’s “Undas” or “Kalag-Kalag” observance, banning overnight stays, liquor, and smoking while urging the public to dodge the peak daytime heat.

Visiting hours across all private and public cemeteries in the city will be strictly limited from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. to maintain order.

City officials are implementing tighter crowd control measures to manage older public cemeteries that reflect decades of severe congestion and fragmented record-keeping. The Bulua Public Cemetery currently squeezes more than 10,000 graves into a three-hectare property, while the Carmen Public Cemetery holds roughly 5,000 interments within a compact two-hectare lot.

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To prevent untoward incidents in these packed spaces, authorities have prohibited bladed weapons, firearms, playing cards, sound systems, and karaoke machines. Cleanliness will be strictly enforced, and smoking, vaping, and e-cigarettes are completely banned inside the premises.

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READ: Undas 2026: Passengers flock to terminals; cemeteries begin to draw crowds

With rising temperatures, the city is advising the public to monitor the state weather bureau’s advisory on the day’s heat index and avoid cemetery visits between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

READ: Undas 2026: Over 30,000 passengers flock to ports amid travel rush – PCG

Special rules are in place for the city’s largest burial ground, the 19.8-hectare Bolonsiri Public Cemetery in Barangay Camaman-an. Recently redeveloped into the City Memorial Park, the site holds an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 remains, tens of thousands of which were recently exhumed and transferred to a centralized ossuary.

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Visitors to the City Memorial Park are explicitly prohibited from bringing matches and lighters. Littering is also strictly banned, with violators facing immediate fines through an Ordinance Violation Receipt.

To help visitors cope with the heat across the sprawling grounds, the city has set up free water refilling stations inside the park and is urging residents to bring their own tumblers. Free rides using city hall vehicles will also be available from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on November 1 and 2. /cb