Sixty-one truckloads of garbage have been collected from the Manila North Cemetery and Manila South Cemetery since the day before the eve of All Saints’ Day, information from the Manila Department of Public Services (MPDS) showed.

Thirty-five truckloads were collected from Manila North Cemetery while another 26 truckloads were collected from Manila South Cemetery from October 30 up to 2 p.m. Friday, All Souls’ Day, based on the MPDS report that was released through the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

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READ: Over 2M visit Metro Manila cemeteries on All Saints’ Day

Edison Nebrija, commander of the Task Force Special Operations of the MMDA, lamented the huge piles of trash gathered in the cemeteries, and called on the public to refrain from littering.

“Pakiusap namin na ‘kalat niyo, bitbit niyo’ para po makabawas sa basura sa sementeryo,” he told INQUIRER.net in a text message. “Maging responsableng indibidwal sa pagtatapon ng ating basura.”

(Our plea is for the public to bring their trash with them to lessen the garbage in the cemetery. They should be responsible individuals in discarding their trash.)

“Sana po ma-segregate rin para makatulong sa pagbabawas ng mga basurang itatapon sa mga landfill,” he said.

(I hope it can also be segregated to lessen the amount of garbage to be dumped in the landfill.)

According to Nebrija, many of the collected garbage from cemeteries include food packaging since food stalls were also allowed inside the cemeteries.

Earlier, the EcoWaste Coalition has blasted the “brazen violation of the Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act” inside the cemeteries.

READ: EcoWaste hits ‘brazen’ littering inside cemeteries

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The group said littering is “totally disrespectful” to the dead, and contradicts the purpose of All Saints’ Day, which was the designated occasion to honor the departed. /kga

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