Visitors brave flooded cemetery in Dagupan to honor departed loved ones

Despite flooding in parts of Dagupan City’s Roman Catholic Cemetery, many visitors still arrived on Friday, November 1, 2024, to pay respects to their loved ones.

Some graves remained submerged, but this did not deter families from visiting.

"Masyadong malalim na doon sa amin, tapos sobrang maputik at mabaho na yung putik," Sarah Jean Garcia, a visitor, said.

(The water is too deep on our part, and it's very muddy and the smell is pretty bad.)

"Okay lang naman, basta madalaw ko sila... okay lang kahit ganito yung sitwasyon, at least nakadalaw," Venus Reyes, another visitor, added.

(I guess it's okay, as long as I can visit them... it's alright despite the situation, at least we were able to visit.)

Alexis Velasquez, another visitor, said floods are frequent in the area, “Talagang bahain talaga dito sa sementeryo... high tide lang, ulan lang, baha na dito.

(The cemetery really gets flooded... even with the high tide, rain, it floods.)

To help visitors, vendors rented out boots for navigating the muddy, flood-prone areas.

"Baha kasi baka maputik, baka madulas pa sila. Baka matusok ng mga bubog kaya nagpaparenta kami pansamantala," Sherwin Doot, who was renting out boots, said.

(It can get muddy, people might slip. They might get hurt by shattered glass so we rent out these boots.)

Authorities in the cemetery have enforced strict rules, including bans on alcohol, bladed tools, and loud sound systems.

"Mahigpit nating pinagbabawal sa loob yung mga alak, bladed weapon na rason nila na panglinis sa puntod, [at] 'yung maiingay na sound system," PLT Jesus Gerard Manaois from the Dagupan City Police said.

(We strictly prohibit liquor, bladed weapons people claim they would use for cleaning graves and noisy sound systems.)

Over 5,000 people were expected to visit the cemetery on November 1, with security continuing until Saturday, November 2. —GMA Regional TV News