Sagada urges visitors to respect indigenous death rituals during All Souls' season

MANILA, Philippines — Sagada's municipal tourism office has issued a reminder to both residents and visitors to approach the town's cemetery observances with reverence and cultural sensitivity during the All Saints' and All Souls' Days celebration.

The appeal focuses on "panag-apoy," a long-standing indigenous practice central to how Sagada's clans commemorate their deceased. Tourism officials emphasized that visitors should respect these time-honored rituals and allow families to conduct their remembrance ceremonies without interference or disruption.

Thousands of tourists typically converge on Sagada's cemeteries on November 1 and 2 each year, drawn by the unique cultural practices and the town's distinctive burial customs, including hanging coffins on cliff faces. While tourism brings economic benefits to the remote Mountain Province municipality, local officials have grown concerned about ensuring that commercial interests do not overshadow the spiritual and familial significance of the observance.

The tourism office stressed that guests should maintain appropriate distance during family rituals and refrain from photographing or documenting ceremonies without explicit permission. Officials aim to balance the influx of visitors with the need to preserve the integrity of Sagada's indigenous funeral traditions and protect the solemnity of the occasion for grieving families.