‘We overlooked it’: Angono mayor owes public more than an apology

RIZAL, Philippines - Families came to honor their dead. They should not have had to struggle through passageways squeezed by vendor stalls positioned almost against tombs.

The complaints at Angono Municipal Cemetery expose a basic failure of local governance: officials overlooked the space people needed to reach their loved ones’ graves.

Mayor Gerardo Calderon apologized and promised to address the problem next year. But “we overlooked it” is an admission of failed oversight, not a sufficient explanation. Who approved the vendor locations? Who inspected the grounds? Why did visitors have to complain before the problem was acknowledged?

These are questions the municipal government should answer.

Vendors need livelihoods, but assigning suitable selling areas is the government’s responsibility. Visitors and vendors alike deserve clear rules and competent management. Leaving them to compete for limited space reflects poor planning.

A promise for next year offers little comfort to those inconvenienced this year.

Accountability requires more than an apology: it requires an explanation, corrective action, and a clear plan to keep cemetery pathways accessible.

Respect for the dead includes consideration for the living who visit them. Angono’s leaders owe their constituents both and competent governance should never have to wait until next year.