1st year commemoration prayers, protests staged in Yolanda-hit Tacloban

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines – Close to an estimated 5,000 Yolanda survivors chanted, sang and even crying as they joined the commemorative walk at about 5 a.m. yesterday around this city to mark the 1st anniversary of Yolanda devastation, which claimed the lives of thousands of people here and the region on November 8, last year.

Sirens wailed and church bells were simultaneously pealing around the city, while the survivors, led by Mayor Alfred Romualdez, holding white balloons and lighted candles, mournfully walked from the Balyuan Tower at the city's coast, through Magsaysay Boulevard and the city streets up to the City Hall grounds.

"We join this commemorative walk to remember our loved ones who perished during Yolanda," said Nenita Babeda from Quarry district whose son Jose, a 42-year-old security guard died during the super typhoon's onslaught.

Romualdez, while thanking the humanitarian aids extended by international organizations, among others, said: "Now is the time for us to rise and work for the future of our children," connoting that he and his constituents have to move on.

The mayor also said the anniversary of Yolanda must be meaningful, "for the next generations to remember," as he later led in the rites at the Holy Cross Memorial Park in Barangay Basper, where nearly 3,000 unidentified dead were buried in a 2-hectare mass grave.

The memorial services at the cemetery started at 10 a.m. with a Holy Mass, blessing of the mass grave, candle lighting an offering of flowers was officiated by Palo Archbishop John Du, simultaneous with similar Masses and rites in all other churches around Eastern Visayas.

Father Amadeo Alvero, director of the Archdiocese's Social Communications, said, "Archbishop Du wanted the day to be a spiritual celebration to help us remember those who died from Yolanda, while having an avenue for thanksgiving and rekindling of hope in one another. This day is a remembrance of prayer and thanksgiving."

Other personalities who attended the rites at Basper were Ilocos Norte Representative Imelda Marcos, a Leyteño, her son Senator Bongbong Marcos, and Cavite 2nd district Rep. Lani Mercado.

After noontime, hundreds of people, most of them fishermen, staged protest action by walking around the city streets, demanding for government response to their needs and accusing government officials of inaction.

The protesters, some covered with mud to dramatize their plight, later burned a nine-foot effigy of President Aquino saying the president never cared for the Yolanda victims and had instead been politicking against local officials not allied with his political party.

In neighboring town of Palo, Mayor Matin Petilla led the inauguration of the Yolanda Memorial tower, near the mass grave at the San Joaquin church, which was also blessed by Archbishop Du.