A long queue of passengers at a bus terminal in the District of Jaro, Iloilo City was observed late afternoon on October 31, 2024, as several workers took advantage of a Malacañang declaration on half-day work to travel early to their hometowns.

Some students who waited for their turn to get on the bus said they are on school break.

The horde of bus passengers was noticeable beginning at past 11 a.m.

Buddies Wenah and Mairi, for example, are on a hurry to go home to the town of Barotac Viejo.

“Uuwi ako sa loved ones, bibili pa kami ng bulaklak,” Wenah said.

“Meron kaming activities sa bayan ng Barotac Viejo. Meron kaming haunted houses at bibisita rin,” Mairi shared.

On the eve of the observance of All Saints Day, thousands of passengers arrived at the terminal.

According to the management, they have already adjusted the intervals in the trips of bus units. What used to be a 15-minute waiting time has been adjusted to five minutes so the bus can depart immediately.

There are at least 302 bus units at the terminal serving the riding public. For long-distance trips, the first trip starts at 4 a.m. while the last trip is at 7:30 p.m. For short distances such as trips to Barotac Viejo and Passi City, the last trip is at 9:30 p.m. As for trips bound for Caticlan in Malay town, Province of Aklan, the last trip is at 4 p.m.

“Expected na namin na tuwing Undas, nagvo-volume. So pinaghahandaan namin ng unit ang aming interval, close interval, magdikit upang hindi ma-stuck ang pasahero,” according to Edgar Casamayo, operations manager of the bus terminal.

At the Jaro Catholic Cemetery, several visitors have come to visit their loved ones ahead of schedule to avoid the crowd. Police personnel deployed in the vicinity of the cemetery are also on alert.

As traffic jams are expected with the higher volume of people in the area, enforcers have been deployed to manage the flow of traffic at the cemetery.

Meanwhile, police personnel are implementing strict security measures at 14 cemeteries in Bacolod City.

At least 250 policemen were deployed at checkpoints, road closures, and help desks to avoid the entry of contraband in cemeteries.

“Sa ngayon mayroon tayong follow-up and the owners of the private cemetery were invited para mapag-usapan ang security preparations,” Colonel Joeresty Coronica, director of  Bacolod City Police Office, said.

Residents were also reminded to double check before leaving the house to avoid fire and theft incidents.

Moreover, flower vendors are back at trading their wares by the roadside in the vicinity of a private cemetery in Barangay Alijis. These vendors are said to be from the flower farms on the highlands of Murcia town in the Province of Negros Occidental.