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Filipinos visit the departed to honor All Saints' Day, locally known as Undas. The first of November spell cemeteries packed with people paying visits to relatives, friends and even celebrities who have passed on. A tradition taken from colonial rule, Filipinos widely honor Undas to this day. Due to popular participation, Undas remains to be one of the more interesting calendar dates of the year.
On the days preceding Undas, some Filipinos celebrate the more American tradition of Halloween. Kids and adults alike dress up in costumes, ranging from scary to funny. Malls and other commercial establishments ride the hype and hold events like trick-or-treat, scarefests, and costume contests. Families take advantage of the break to spend time together.
Still, most Filipinos choose to go the traditional route of flocking to cemeteries to honor the dead. Each year, government agencies prepare for the increased flow of foot and vehicular traffic leading to the cemeteries.
This picture slideshow is composed of pictures taken from various places around the Philippines: Indang Catholic Cemetery, Manila North Cemetery, Angono Public Cemetery, Fairview Terraces Mall, Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina, St. Francis of Assisi Memorial Park in Gen.Trias, Cavite, Garden of the Divine Word Columbarium in Quezon City, Manila Memorial Park Cemetery in Paranaque, Paraiso Cemetery, Loyola Gardens Antipolo, and Guinobatan Catholic Cemetery in Albay
Write-up by Aki Merced and Mia Rodriguez
