Eastern Visayas suspends work, classes to remember 'Yolanda'
2024-Nov-07 17:55
IN REMEMBRANCE. A man lights a candle in a mass grave site in Tacloban City in this undated photo. Several local government units in Eastern Visayas suspended work in the government and classes on Friday (Nov. 8, 2024) to commemorate the 11th anniversary of Super Typhoon Yolanda which killed thousands in 2013. (PNA/Tacloban City government)
TACLOBAN CITY – Several local government units in Eastern Visayas canceled work in the government and classes on Friday (Nov. 8) to commemorate the 11th anniversary of Super Typhoon Yolanda which flattened communities and took many lives in 2013.
Mayors signed executive orders on Wednesday and Thursday suspending work and classes to allow residents to participate in locally initiated commemorative activities.
Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez said the suspension is necessary for the residents to solemnly commemorate the catastrophe that killed more than 2,000 people in the city.
"The city of Tacloban recognizes the profound impact of the catastrophic event on the lives of our citizens and solemnly commemorates the 10th anniversary of Typhoon Yolanda," he said in his directive.
Orders on work and class suspension were also issued in the towns of Palo, Tanauan, Calubian, Barugo, Tunga, Babatngon, Jaro, Tabontabon, Mahaplag, Carigara, Abuyog, Mahaplag, Villaba, Leyte, Tolosa, Matag-ob, Dagami, Sta. Fe, Merida, Macarthur in Leyte province.
Other areas with the same order are the towns of Hernani, Guiuan, and Salcedo in Eastern Samar; Sta. Rita and Marabut in Samar; Maasin City and Sogod in Southern Leyte.
Mayors issued executive orders pending the approval of a proposed law declaring every Nov. 8 as a holiday in the six provinces of Eastern Visayas.
On Nov. 4, 2019, the House of Representatives approved House Bill 4960 declaring every Nov. 8 as "Yolanda Commemoration Day" in the region.
A separate bill filed in 2017 is still pending in the Senate.
Meanwhile, the city government here has lined up several activities for the 11th year commemoration. Among these are the Holy Masses at the shipwreck in Anibong district and the mass grave at the Holy Cross in Basper village.
There will be wreath laying, the blessing of the mass grave, service caravan in one of the relocation sites in Suhi village, the blessing of Yolanda marker, and candle lighting ceremonies.
Yolanda made its first landfall over Guiuan town on Nov. 8 at a time when many residents were sleeping. On the same day, it made six landfalls.
The official "Yolanda" death count was 6,300 with 5,902 recorded in the Eastern Visayas region, and the rest in the nearby areas of Western and Central Visayas regions. (PNA)