MINORS and senior citizens in Cebu City might have to skip visiting their deceased loved ones for the All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day this year.
This, after Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella ordered that age restrictions for minors and senior citizens will still be enforced during cemetery visits.
In an executive order he issued on Sept. 25, 2020, under Section 2 (F), individuals who are 60 years old and above and 21 years old and below, as well as pregnant women and those with comorbidities, are prohibited from visiting cemeteries, memorial parks and columbaries.
The public can visit the public and private cemeteries in Cebu City starting Sept. 26 to 28 and from Nov. 5 to15, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
From October 29 to November 4, all public and private cemeteries, memorial parks and columbaries in Cebu City will be temporarily closed pursuant to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) resolution.
The management of cemeteries have to ensure that the number of persons allowed inside should not exceed 30 percent of their total capacity.
This policy is to ensure that social distancing is being implemented inside the cemetery.
Health protocol will be implemented during the cemetery visits such as wearing of masks and face shields, social distancing and prohibition of mass gathering, said Labella.
The public also have to bring their City-issued quarantine passes, company identification card (ID) for those who are working in establishment and industries allowed to operate and official IDs for authorized persons outside of residence (Apor).
They are allowed to stay inside the cemetery for one hour only, said Labella.
Bringing of food, drinks and liquor is also strictly prohibited.
Selling of candles, flowers and other complements is prohibited inside the cemetery from Sept. 26 to Nov. 15.
Labella emphasized that those individuals whose livelihood is to clean the gravestones are still allowed to render their services.
The management of cemeteries needs to designate parking areas since it is prohibited for the visitors to park their vehicles inside the cemetery premises.
Holy masses are allowed inside the cemetery, but only the priest, acolytes and technical staff for livestreaming are allowed to enter.
Appropriate actions will be imposed on those who violate the protocol which include not allowing the violator to enter the cemetery or imposing City Ordinance No. 2566 or An Ordinance Penalizing any Violation in Relation to the Implementation of General/Enhanced Community Quarantine in Cebu City During Public Health Crisis.(JJL)