As October draws to a close, Filipinos prepare for one of the country’s busiest and most emotional holidays. Roads fill up, candles sell out, and families begin their annual journeys home. The twin observances of Undas and Halloween have long shaped this unique time of year, when reflection meets revelry and the living gather to honor those who came before them.
A national movement for Undas and Halloween
Government agencies are already bracing for millions of travelers. The Department of the Interior and Local Government has reminded all local governments to maintain peace and order in cemeteries and transport hubs. The Philippine National Police’s Highway Patrol Group has stationed more than 1,500 officers across the country, while the Philippine Red Cross is deploying 2,200 first-aid workers in 314 sites. In Davao City, almost 1,200 personnel will be spread out over 53 cemeteries and memorial parks to keep crowds safe.
In Metro Manila, special rules are in place: no alcohol, no loud music, no pets, and no overnight stays. Visitors are urged to arrive early, carry water, and respect both the departed and the people maintaining the grounds. Local governments have also released cemetery hours — Caloocan, for instance, will open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. through November 1, while Quezon City has advised motorists to avoid main roads near major burial grounds.
When play turns to prayer
The Filipino calendar makes room for both the fun and the faithful. October 31 brings the lighter side of Undas and Halloween, with trick-or-treats in malls, costume contests, and music events from Makati to Cebu. Heritage and eco-tourism sites have joined the season as well: on October 31, Fort Santiago in Intramuros, Manila, will host a Filipiniana Night where guests can come in traditional attire for lantern walks, art workshops, and storytelling. Meanwhile, the Masungi Georeserve in Baras, Rizal, has opened a special nighttime trail from October 26 to November 2, offering visitors a moonlit hike through limestone formations to reflect on nature and memory.
Families with children often join these city events before heading out for their provincial hometowns. By November 1, the atmosphere changes. Families arrive at cemeteries with flowers, candles, and home-cooked food. Many spend the day or even the night at their relatives’ tombs, sharing stories, praying, or quietly enjoying each other’s company. The contrast is striking: the same people who dressed as ghosts or superheroes a day earlier now light candles in remembrance.
Culture, faith, and family
Though Western in origin, Halloween found an easy home in the Philippines because of the country’s sense of community. Filipinos celebrate in groups — whether in a party hall, a heritage site, or beside a grave. Undas itself is older than Spanish Catholicism; pre-colonial Filipinos already practiced ancestor veneration. The Christian All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days simply reshaped those customs, turning them into the family reunions seen today.
What makes Undas remarkable is its warmth. Cemeteries become places of laughter as much as prayer, where children play around gravestones and vendors sell street food. In the Philippines, honoring the dead has never been about silence but about keeping connections alive.
The heart of the season
For all the traffic and crowded bus terminals, these two days remind Filipinos what matters: family, faith, and memory. Whether lighting candles in the province, joining Filipiniana Night in Intramuros, or walking the Masungi trail under the moon, people express the same instinct — to gather and remember.
This year’s observance of Undas and Halloween is more than a long weekend. It’s a moment when an entire nation pauses, not to mourn, but to celebrate life, both past and present.
As October draws to a close, Filipinos prepare for one of the country’s busiest and most emotional holidays. Roads fill up, candles sell out, and families begin their annual journeys home. The twin observances of Undas and Halloween have long shaped this unique time of year, when reflection meets revelry and the living gather to honor those who came before them.
A national movement for Undas and Halloween
Government agencies are already bracing for millions of travelers. The Department of the Interior and Local Government has reminded all local governments to maintain peace and order in cemeteries and transport hubs. The Philippine National Police’s Highway Patrol Group has stationed more than 1,500 officers across the country, while the Philippine Red Cross is deploying 2,200 first-aid workers in 314 sites. In Davao City, almost 1,200 personnel will be spread out over 53 cemeteries and memorial parks to keep crowds safe.
In Metro Manila, special rules are in place: no alcohol, no loud music, no pets, and no overnight stays. Visitors are urged to arrive early, carry water, and respect both the departed and the people maintaining the grounds. Local governments have also released cemetery hours: Caloocan, for instance, will open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. through November 1, while Quezon City has advised motorists to avoid main roads near major burial grounds.
When play turns to prayer
The Filipino calendar makes room for both the fun and the faithful. October 31 brings the lighter side of Undas and Halloween, with trick-or-treats in malls, costume contests, and music events from Makati to Cebu. Heritage sites are joining in too: Fort Santiago in Intramuros will host a Filipiniana Night where guests can come in traditional attire for lantern walks, carving workshops, and storytelling sessions. For those seeking something more reflective, the Masungi Georeserve in Rizal has opened its rare nighttime trail: a moonlit hike meant to connect visitors with nature and quiet remembrance before Undas.
Families with children often join these city events before heading out for their provincial hometowns. By November 1, the atmosphere changes. Families arrive at cemeteries with flowers, candles, and home-cooked food. Many spend the day or even the night at their relatives’ tombs, sharing stories, praying, or quietly enjoying each other’s company. The contrast is striking: the same people who dressed as ghosts or superheroes a day earlier now light candles in remembrance.
Culture, faith, and family
Though Western in origin, Halloween found an easy home in the Philippines because of the country’s sense of community. Filipinos celebrate in groups, whether in a party hall, a lantern-lit heritage site, or beside a grave. Undas itself is older than Spanish Catholicism; pre-colonial Filipinos already practiced ancestor veneration. The Christian All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days simply reshaped those customs, turning them into the family reunions seen today.
What makes Undas remarkable is its warmth. Cemeteries become places of laughter as much as prayer, where children play around gravestones and vendors sell street food. In the Philippines, honoring the dead has never been about silence but about keeping connections alive.
The heart of the season
For all the traffic and crowded bus terminals, these two days remind Filipinos what matters: family, faith, and memory. Whether lighting candles in the province, joining Filipiniana Night in the city, or walking the Masungi trail under the moon, people express the same instinct: to gather and remember.
This year’s observance of Undas and Halloween is more than a long weekend. It’s a moment when an entire nation pauses, not to mourn, but to celebrate life, both past and present.
