BANGA, South Cotabato: Several graves at the Banga Public Cemetery remain submerged in floodwaters on Sunday following several days of rain, posing a challenge to families preparing to clean and tidy the burial sites of their loved ones ahead of Undas.
Some parts of the cemetery have also become muddy and difficult to walk through, making it harder for visitors to reach the graves.
Nestor Muyco, a resident of Barangay Reyes, said the flooding had added to the workload of families who need to clean the graves before visiting their departed loved ones to observe Undas, the annual observance of All Saints’ Day on Nov 1 and All Souls’ Day on Nov 2, when families honour and remember their deceased loved ones.
He said the problem recurs whenever it rains because the cemetery sits on low-lying ground that was once swampy, making it prone to flooding.
Muyco said families would return in the coming days to remove the standing water around the graves and clean the area again.
They also plan to put up a barrier at the cemetery entrance to keep floodwaters from flowing into the burial grounds.
Meanwhile, vendors have started setting up temporary stalls around the cemetery to sell candles and flowers as Undas approaches.
Some workers have also begun accepting orders from families who want to have the tombstones of their loved ones repaired or cleaned before the annual cemetery visits.
With Undas drawing near, families are expected to flock to cemeteries to clean graves, offer flowers and light candles in memory of their loved ones.
But for those with graves in flood-prone parts of the Banga cemetery, draining the water and cleaning the muddy surroundings remain among the tasks to be completed before the observance. - Inquirer/ANN
