By Miriam G. Desacada
Tacloban City–President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM) will most probably attend this year’s 10th Yolanda commemoration in Tacloban City on November 8 (Wednesday).
City Tourism Office acting head Malu Tabao said the city government expects PBBM also to unveil a city project marker and attend a noontime Mass at the Tacloban North Memorial Park in Brgy. Old Kawayan.
Incidentally, this Park, which will have a viewing deck for the iconic San Juanico Bridge, is part of the 13.8-hectare eco-tourism area in the northern barangay of the city, said Tabao.
She said the President attended previous commemoration rites and this annual event, which is now on its milestone year. is probably more significant for him not to miss.
Tabao, who described the 10th Yolanda commemoration as a “celebration of life and thanksgiving,” said preparations for several activities have been underway in coordination with the Department of Tourism, the Office of Civil Defense, and Tingog party-list, among other stakeholders.
Various non-government organizations that helped the city’s recovery phase, in the aftermath of Yolanda, have been invited to the planned “Pasasalamat (Thanksgiving) Concert,” which will carry a barrio fiesta theme, Tabao told the local media.
She also said that among the activities set for the Yolanda commemoration are the “Handa Pilipinas” exhibits, which will be separately held in the city by the Department of Science and Technology and the Resiliency Forum of the Office of Civil Defense, from November 3 to 6.
On November 7, after a Mass at the Anibong Shipwreck Memorial, there will be groundbreaking ceremonies for three housing projects by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and another for the Tourist Rest Area Program of the Department of Tourism.
Tabao further said that, on November 8, the traditional morning mass at the Holy Cross Memorial Mass grave of Yolanda victims at Brgy. Basper, will be attended by city government officials led by City Mayor Alfred Romualdez.
By nighttime, a citywide lighting of candles will be capped with a candlelight memorial rite at the Yolanda marker built in the past at the city’s Astrodome grounds, Tabao added. —Miriam G. Desacada