By David Vera
Several local government units in Eastern Visayas, including Tacloban, announced the suspension of work and classes on November 8, 2024, to mark the 11th anniversary of Super Typhoon Yolanda. The decision was made to allow residents to participate in solemn activities commemorating the disaster, which claimed thousands of lives across the region in 2013.
Among the activities organized for the day are Holy Masses, wreath-laying ceremonies, and blessings at significant locations, including the shipwreck in Anibong and a mass grave site in Basper village. These events will provide the community with a chance to reflect on the devastating impact of Yolanda.
The region continues to honor the memory of the typhoon’s victims with these activities, which are supported by local authorities across Leyte, Samar, and Eastern Samar. Other towns in the region, including Guiuan and Maasin, are also organizing their own events for the day of remembrance.
A proposed bill, which aims to declare November 8 as “Yolanda Commemoration Day” across the region, is still awaiting approval in the Senate. The tragic aftermath of Yolanda, which resulted in an official death toll of 6, 300 people, remains etched in the collective memory of Eastern Visayas.