SAFE. People clean the tombs of their departed loved ones at the Sibalom Public Cemetery in Sibalom, Antique on Thursday (Oct. 26, 2023). Antique Provincial Police Office information officer John Mark Gonzaga said they would deploy personnel to secure 52 cemeteries in the province during “Undas.” (PNA photo by Annabel Consuelo J. Petinglay)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – Police assistance desks (PADs) will be available in 52 public and private cemeteries in the 18 municipalities of Antique to ensure the safety of the public who will visit their departed loved ones this “Undas.”
Antique Provincial Police Office (APPO) information officer, John Mark Gonzaga, said the PADs would operate on Oct. 31 or the early morning of Nov. 1, depending on their chiefs of police.
However, municipal police stations have already deployed personnel on foot patrols to secure those who visit early to do cleanup.
The PADs, right at the entrance of the cemeteries, will serve as information and coordination centers for other government agencies.
"Police personnel assigned at the PADs are there to readily provide information and assistance to the public," Gonzaga said.
He said the police would coordinate with such government agencies as the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office for emergency assistance.
Gonzaga asked parents to orient their children about the PADs and pin name tags on their children with emergency contact numbers for easy identification in case they get lost.
Aside from bladed weapons, alcoholic drinks, and sound systems, bringing card games for gambling purposes inside cemeteries is prohibited.
“We would like to remind the public that gambling inside the cemetery is being prohibited,” he said.
They should not also post photos of their family pictures visiting the cemetery to avoid lawless elements barging into their homes. (PNA)
