Majority of classes in Tacloban public schools suspended
By Marivic A. Alcober
Tacloban City (2 November) -- Once again the Filipino people celebrated All Souls Day on November 1 and is currently celebrating All Saints Day, today, November 2. As the usual practice, the whole family goes to the cemetery to clean, beautify, and pray for their departed love ones.
To give the Filipinos time to pay their respects to members of the family and friends who passed away, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared November 1 as a national holiday, while November 2 which is All Souls Day was not declared as a holiday; hence regular classes are observed in public elementary schools.
However, classes in some elementary schools here in Tacloban have to be suspended due to the absence of a great number of pupils. The faculty members went to school with the intention of holding classes only to find out that they only have a couple of pupils, hence they were forced to suspend their classes. Speculations have it that said pupils went with their parents to visit their departed love ones at the cemetery to light candles and offer prayers as the usual Filipino practice.
As expected, a few day before All Souls Day flowers can be bought at a minimal price, but a day before and during said date flowers and candles most especially those that were sold at the cemetery were already very expensive. (PIA) [top]
