CALAMBA CITY, Laguna — A lot of stories have been written and read about “All Souls’ Day” — there are articles that scare the readers and others provide important information why people across the world have fixed a date to observe it.
Whatever it is, in the Philippines, this day falls on November 1st, is specially set for the departed. The living as well play a vital role in remembering, commemorating and observing the death of their departed loved ones by visiting the graves, cleaning and adorning them with flowers and candles, all as gestures of respect, gratitude and love.
Others who also believe that “All Souls’ Day” is a day when our departed “visit” the place of their origin and from a distance, watch and mingle with the family members as they bring and partake food at the cemetery.
The yearly tradition slowly but surely has changed, as many Filipinos sometimes prefer not to go to the cemetery because of the monstrous traffic and rains that usually flood pathways in cemeteries every November 1st.
The families also shrugged off the services of the funeral parlors because of exorbitant fees. They instead opt to have the remains of their loved ones cremated with the ashes secured in beautifully crafted urns and, subsequently, either interred in a columbarium or in hallowed place in their homes.
This new trend, previously objected by the Catholic Church hierarchy, makes it easier and practical for the living to greet their departed and offer a daily prayer, candles and flowers.
There are those who believe that the souls of the departed linger freely only during November 1st.
But this belief was contradicted by a police investigator citing particular hair-raising sightings involving a middle-aged mother and her daughter who both perished in a tragic train accident in Calamba City.
Senior Police Officer 1 (SPO1) Ernesto Reyes, a member of the Calamba City Police rescue team who responded at that time, recalled the fatal accident took place almost five years ago.
A silver Altis Toyota sedan, driven then by a young girl with her mother as passenger, was hit by a south-bound train as it attempted to cross the railroad tracks of the Philippine National Railways (PNR), between Chipeco Avenue and Bacnotan Road in Calamba City.
“Talagang wasak ang kotse na animo’y isang papel na nilamutak. Matapos naming alisin ang mag-ina ay hinatak naman ang kanilang kotse upang maibsan ang mahabang traffic na dinulot ng aksidente. Inilagay ito sa isang slot ng parking area sa loob ng Calamba City Hall. Mayroong ilaw ang poste sa kinalagyan ng sasakyan,” Reyes said.
(The car was heavily damaged, crumpled like paper. Shortly after retrieving the bodies, the car was towed to the compound of the Calamba City Hall and placed in the parking area. A lighted post provided a clearer view of the vehicle at night time.)
Since then during heavy rains at night, he said two souls, presumably those of the mother and daughter, linger around the car seemingly watching and checking out its inner most part, the police told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
“Nakakataas ng balahibo pag nakikita ang pagikot-ikot ng dalawang kaluluwa sa paligid ng kotseng yun,” he said. (Seeing the two souls slowly walking around the car was indeed hair-raising.)
Reyes said the car was towed by the insurance company two years ago, giving them total peace of mind since then. However, the victims’ family members are still waiting for the outcome of the court case filed and being heard in one of the regional courts in Calamba City.
Rightly so, it is not only during November 1st that we, the living, could encounter the unexpected “visit” of our departed loved ones.
Many believe that even at the wee hours of the night or at any given time of the day, our “visitors” come either as a butterfly or one can smell the scent of their favorite perfume, merely to let us feel their presence and possibly request for something that they need, including prayers. (Lulu R. Principe/PNA)
