The government’s preparations for a peaceful and orderly observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls Day are already in place, Malacañang said on Tuesday.

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is also preparing for the four-day weekend, and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) already lifted the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP) for authorized public utility provincial buses as part of its preparations.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), meanwhile, advised the public to bring umbrellas even as it expects generally good weather until Friday.

In a press briefing, Palace deputy spokesman Abigail Valte said that government agencies have already started doing the necessary preparations for the long weekend.

These agencies include the MMDA, the Philippine Coast Guard, the Department of Transportation and Communications, the Land Transportation Office, the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Valte said that the MMDA already made preparations in anticipation for the large volume of people leaving Manila to visit the provinces. She added that a contingency force would be deployed to ensure the passengers’ safety and the adequacy of transportation alternatives.
She also said that the PNP has already beefed up police visibility in cemeteries, churches and other public places.

“Nakahanda naman ho ‘yung mga preparasyon natin, lalo ho doon sa mga lugar na madalas pinupuntahan ho talaga ng tao sa ganitong panahon. Nakaalerto na ho ang NCRPO [National Capital Region Police Office] para siguraduhing wala hong untoward incident na mangyayari habang nasa sementeryo po at naglilinis ng mga puntod ‘yung ating mga kababayan,” Valte said.

First aid
The PRC will provide first aid and ambulances services in major cemeteries and memorial parks this weekend.

It will also set up welfare desks to facilitate the tracing of missing persons and other welfare needs of the public, especially the elderly, children and people with disabilities.

PRC Chairman Richard Gordon directed all Red Cross personnel to be alert.

“We have to ensure that everyone is safe and can access to emergency response in case of any untoward incident,” said Gordon, a former senator.

Two hundred sixty three first aid and welfare stations will be set up in 137 cemeteries nationwide and will manned by more than 1300 Red Cross staff and volunteers from 38 chapters.

Huge increase
In lifting the UVVRP, MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino took into consideration the expected huge increase in the number of commuters who will be traveling to the provinces by ensuring that there would be enough public utility buses to serve them.

The decision also came amid ongoing major road and bridge repairs being undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the provinces of Quezon and Nueva Vizcaya.

Tolentino said that the suspension of the UVVRP for provincial buses is part of his agency’s contingency plans for the holiday.

The UVVRP, however, will remain in effect for private vehicles and other public utility vehicles.

Scattered rains
Pagasa forecaster Bernie de Leon said that no tropical cyclone is expected until Friday.

A low-pressure area, however, is expected to be formed between the eastern Visayas and Mindanao either today or tomorrow and will bring scattered rains to these areas.|}

But the weather disturbance has a “slim chance” of intensifying into a tropical depression, de Leon said.

Except for possible light passing rains, Metro Manila, Southern and Central Luzon, as well as the rest of the Visayas, will be generally sunny or have partly cloudy skies until Friday. Northern Luzon, on the other hand, will experience occasional light to moderate rains due to the effects of the northeast monsoon.

With reports from Jing Villamente and Ritchie A. Horario