With UNDAS and the feast of "All Saints Day" coming after the turn of the week on November 1, many home owners are planning on leaving home and heading out of town.
But, whether one is spending the holidays in cemeteries or just plain backpacking, the annual event will surely send tens of thousands of Metro Manila residents to the provinces, leaving their homes unattended behind.
The two lead government agencies that will be working 24/7 for the yearly event are the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). Both said they are ready, dubbing the event as "OPLAN KALULUWA 2014."
But are you ready for UNDAS?
Here are some tips from HowStuffWorks.com to help you review your home safety checklist before you head on to your vacation.
CONSIDER A HOUSE SITTER. The best way to make sure your house is safe while you're gone is to have someone you trust still living in it. He/She may be a close relative or a trusted kasambahay. Somebody has to move in temporarily and water the plants, feed the pets and pick up the newspapers.
STOP NEWSPAPER DELIVERY. A pile of yellowing newspapers on the doorstep is a movie cliché for a home that's unoccupied. Stopping the newspaper when you leave town for a while is an easy detail to forget and one that will make you a sure target. If you're still reading newsprint, make sure you stop service when you leave on vacation.
HAVE YOUR NEIGHBOR WATCH OVER YOUR HOUSE. Even if you stop newspaper delivery, there are still some gotchas that can make it obvious that you're not around. How about those fliers that peddlers leave on your gate. Have someone in the area check your house periodically, whether it's a neighbor or relative.
MAKE YOUR HOME LOOK LIVED IN. An occupied home looks lived in. Lights go on and off, and cars come and go. When you're away, everything stops. To help create the illusion that the residence is still occupied, invest in timers that turn on the interior lights for a few hours every evening.
LOCK UP. Locking your home makes it less attractive to opportunistic burglars. If you don't make it easy, there's a better chance that when you get home, your house will be in the same condition as when you left it.
DON'T "SOCIAL MEDIA" YOUR TRIP. Show some caution when you talk about your trip. Your Facebook page isn't the best place to announce that you'll be away from home for the weekend. Make sure that your children are discreet, too. The less information you put out there, the less likely it is to reach the wrong ears and eyes.
PULL THE PLUG ON ALL ELECTRONICS. Disconnecting the power to some of your electronics, like your desktop computer, coffee pot and television can save you money while you're gone and eliminate the worry that you've accidentally left them on by mistake.
INSTALL EXTRA SECURITY FEATURES. Installing a home security system, a door alarm, CCTVs, or even just exterior lights that run on timers is a good way to beef up security and make your house safer whether you're around or not. These can make your residence less attractive to opportunistic thieves.
ANY COMMENTS?
Feel free to share your reactions and comments down below.