REMEMBERING OUR DEARLY DEPARTED IN THE TIME OF PANDEMIC

ALL Saints Day or Undasis one of the busiest and most festive times of the year in the Philippines. Aside from Christmas, All Saints Day, which is observed every first of November, is one holiday that Filipino families look forward to each year. This is because aside from the usual long break from school and work that it entails, Undas also means reuniting with relatives we haven’t seen in a while, and a chance to catch up with them.

The practice of commemorating our departed loved ones on All Saints Day by visiting their grave to offer flowers and prayers is a tradition that we have been observing for generations.People would start trooping to the cemeteries and memorial parksas early as October 30 for the instant family reunion that would often extend until All Souls Day on November 2. After saying a prayer for the repose of the souls of the departed, the living would usually have a picnic, sharing food that they brought with them or bought from the stalls found within the memorial park, while exchanging stories and reminiscing about their loved ones that are no longer with them. Being a predominantly Catholic nation, Holy Masses are also usually held at the memorial parks on All Saints Day, followed by the blessing of the graves.

But this year, the observance of Undas will be very different. There will be no picnics and no gathering of huge crowds at the cemeteries and memorial parks on November 1 and 2. There will be no celebrations of the Holy Mass, and no overnight stays at the grave of our dearly departed. In fact, public cemeteries and memorial parks will be closed to the public on these days, as mandated by the government. This is what the Covid-19 pandemic has done to one of our cherished annual family traditions.

Through the years, Eternal Gardens has maintained the solemnity of All Saints and All Souls Days for park visitors who spend these special holidays at the grave of their departed loved ones. The management of all Eternal Gardens memorial parks ensure the smooth flow of people and vehicle traffic at the parks during this season, and maintain the peace and order with the help of their respective local governments. All of these are in keeping with the policy set by Eternal Gardens founder Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua when he established the company in 1976. These are also some of the things that set Eternal Gardens memorial parks apart from public cemeteries, which are usually chaotic and disorganized during this time of the year.

Since Eternal Gardens parks will be closed on All Saints and All Souls Days this year, the management has anticipated the early arrival of park visitors who would still want to pay their respects to their dearly departed by going to their grave. Thus, Eternal Gardens has put in place extra measures, such as mandatory wearing of face masks and face shields, and observance of physical distancing at all times, to ensure the safety and health of all park goers during this Undas Season.

The company has also released a set of guidelines through their website and Facebook Page to help people plan their visit to the park. And to make sure that all safety and health protocols are properly implemented, the branches of Eternal Gardens in Baesa, Caloocan City, and in the Cities of Dagupan, Biñan, Batangas (Balagtas and Concepcion), Lipa, Naga, Cabanatuan, Santa Rosa, Cagayan de Oro, and Cabuyao, have sought the help of their local barangay governments for the deployment of additional security personnel at the parks.

This unprecedented pandemic may have changed the way we commemorate our departed loved ones on All Saints Day, but it will never stop us from honoring their memory and celebrating their life on these special days. And no matter how we observe Undas, Eternal Gardens will always ensure the safety of all park visitors, and the solemnity of the occasion for the Filipino faithful.