On January 14-16, in Tacloban, Leyte: Classes, work suspended for papal visit

CEBU, Philippines - Classes at all levels in public and private schools and work in government institutions in Tacloban City and Leyte province will be suspended on January 14 through16, in anticipation of the volume of people that will be trooping to the capital city for the visit of Pope Francis.

Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez issued his first executive order for this year, declaring the suspension of classes and work in all government offices, "except for those involved in the maintenance of peace and order, disaster risk management, health and sanitation, and traffic management."

Romualdez added that suspension of work in private establishments, however "will be under the discretion of the employers of such entities."

Leyte Vice Governor Carlo Loreto also said the Provincial Board has approved a declaration of special non-working holiday around the province, from January 15 to 17, to allow the people to see the pope and attend the Papal Mass.

The Palo municipal government, for its part, also declared suspension of classes on January 15-16 and a liquor ban as among the security measures for the papal visit, while Mayor Edward Codilla of Ormoc City, which is a component city and not under the jurisdiction of the provincial government, has yet to issue a similar declaration.

Romualdez said the suspension of classes was done upon recommendation of the Tacloban City School Board as well as the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

The mayor, in his executive order, stated that the most of the schools in Tacloban will be used to house pilgrims coming from different parts of the country as well as of the world. Vice Mayor Jerry Yaokasin said the holiday declaration was also due to the re-routing of traffic, especially from the airport through the papal motorcade up to Palo town.

In an earlier press briefing for the papal visit, Palo Archbishop John Forrosuelo Du was agreeable to the declaration of non-working holiday to provide the faithful or pilgrims to witness and participate in the activities of the papal visit.

The Pope will be at the Pope Francis Center for the Poor on January 17 after his Mass at the Tacloban Airport, then will have luncheon at the Archbishop's Residence in Palo with 30 survivors of Yolanda and the earthquake in Bohol. Finally the pope and his Vatican entourage will go to the Cathedral of Our Lord of Transfiguration, also in Palo, where the Mass grave of those who died in Yolanda is located. (FREEMAN)