TACLOBAN CITY — The city government here has declared a suspension of classes and work in the government on Friday to commemorate the 6th anniversary of Super Typhoon Yolanda.
Mayor Alfred Romualdez issued the declaration on Wednesday to allow government officials and residents to participate in commemorative activities.
The city government expects an influx of people from different places and organizations that may cause overcrowding, traffic jam, and inconvenience to the public.
“To mitigate the inconveniences, it is deemed expedient to temporarily suspend classes in all school levels and work in all government offices in Tacloban for the general welfare of the city and its inhabitants,” the Executive Order reads.
Anniversary activities will start with a Mass on Thursday night at a shipwreck in Anibong village. There will be a wreath-laying and candle-lighting ceremony. Anibong village is the most devastated community when “Yolanda” made landfall where four ships ran aground.
On Friday, there will be a Mass, wreath-laying, a blessing of the marker, and graves at the Holy Cross Cemetery in Basper village. The mass grave is for the 2,273 people who perished during the typhoon in this city.
The commemorative program will be held at 3 p.m. at the Tacloban City Convention Center with key officials attending.
After the program, there will a lighting of Astrodome memorial flame, wreath-laying, a blessing of a marker, simultaneous ringing of church bells, and a candle-lighting ceremony.
There will be separate commemorative programs in neighboring areas hit by “Yolanda’s” storm surges, such as the towns of Palo and Tanauan in Leyte. Local government units also suspended classes and work in the government in these towns.
Most regional and provincial offices of national government agencies are located in Tacloban, the regional capital, and the Government Center in Palo town.
Super Typhoon Yolanda, which struck central Philippines on Nov. 8, 2013, was one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded, killing at least 6,300 people in the country. Tacloban City is considered as the typhoon’s ground zero. (PNA)
