THE Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 has raised its alert status to a heightened level as of Wednesday, Oct. 29, in preparation for the observance of Kalag-kalag 2025 (All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days).
The security measures, which also include coordinated traffic and safety plans by local governments and port authorities, are in response to the expected mass movement of people visiting cemeteries and traveling for the long holiday weekend.
Police mobilization
PRO 7 is operating under full alert and is deploying approximately 1,600 police personnel to 364 locations, including 275 churches, transport terminals and major tourist destinations across the region.
Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan, director of PRO 7, said the security plan has been expanded to cover all aspects of public safety, including visibility, traffic management and crowd control.
“Our approach goes beyond police presence. It’s about collaboration, preparedness and ensuring that every aspect of public safety, from cemeteries and churches to transport terminals and tourist sites, is covered,” Maranan said.
The police have coordinated with local government units and other security sectors to ensure a quick response to any incident and instructed all personnel to remain on standby for immediate deployment. The deployment of police personnel started as early as Monday, Oct. 27, in some areas, such as Lapu-Lapu City.
Metro Cebu prepares for traffic surge
Local governments in Metro Cebu have announced rerouting, parking and safety measures effective from Thursday, Oct. 30, to Sunday, Nov. 2.
In Cebu City, the City Transportation Office (CTO) is implementing rerouting schemes, parking rules and lane restrictions near eight public and private cemeteries.
CTO head Raquel Arce noted that provincial buses from Talisay must use the innermost lane along N. Bacalso Ave. Southbound V-hire units are prohibited from using N. Bacalso Ave. and must take an alternate route via Leon Kilat, Sanciangko, C. Padilla and the South Road Properties (SRP).
Major adjustments include:
Queen City Memorial Gardens: A. Soriano Ave. will be closed to public utility vehicles but open to private vehicles for drop-off and parking.
Carreta Cemetery: General Maxilom Ave. remains open, but parking is prohibited.
Calamba Cemetery (V. Rama): Lucio Drive will be closed from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2.
Arce reminded vendors to stay on sidewalks and urged the public to cooperate with traffic enforcers.
Mayors in other cities led inspection teams to assess cemetery readiness. Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano, who inspected his city’s cemeteries on Monday, focused on ensuring clear access and exit points, especially for emergency vehicles.
“We will allow vendors, but they should not block the roads or access routes for vehicles especially emergency vehicles. We want to make sure that entrance and exit points remain clear so people can move safely,” Ouano said.
He emphasized that the main focus of the inspection was to identify exit points and ensure that precautionary measures are in place for public safety.
Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Ma. Cynthia “Cindi” Chan also conducted an inspection on Tuesday, Oct. 28, and reported that the Lapu-Lapu City Public Cemetery and Humay-Humay Catholic Cemetery were clean and in order.
Chan said police personnel have been deployed since Monday to ensure a peaceful celebration.
CPA warns vs ticket scalpers
The Cebu Port Authority (CPA) is bracing for an expected surge of over 350,000 travelers across Cebu ports and has warned the public against ticket scalpers.
The CPA has activated “Oplan Biyaheng Ayos: Undas 2025” from Oct. 30 to Nov. 4, implementing 24/7 security and a stricter “No Ticket, No ID, No Entry” policy. Explosive and narcotics detection dogs will also be deployed.
CPA General Manager Francisco Comendador III urged passengers to book tickets early through official outlets.
“Ayaw mo pailad aning mga ticket scalpers nga nagpalibot sa atong mga pantalan. (Don’t be deceived by ticket scalpers loitering around our ports). They are just waiting for their next victims,” Comendador said, reminding the public to use legitimate online platforms or authorized ticketing offices.
Authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant, cooperate with security personnel and immediately report any suspicious activities. / with reports from CAV, DPC and ABC