MANILA — Some towns and cities in Samar and Leyte, including Tacloban, have declared a suspension of classes and work on Tuesday, Nov. 8, to commemorate the 9th anniversary of Super Typhoon Yolanda.

In separate executive orders, Mayors Alfred Romualdez, Ed Ong, Remedios Petilla, and Percival Ortillo Jr. suspended classes in all levels and work in government offices in Tacloban City, Carigara, and Palo in Leyte, as well as in Marabut town in Samar.

Romualdez said in his order that a "series of activities" will be done in the Tacloban to commemorate Yolanda "as a way to recognize the lessons that ought to be learned from the experiences" of the super typhoon that struck the city on Nov. 8, 2013.

• THROWBACK: How 'Yolanda' battered Tacloban in 2013

The suspension of classes and work is also meant to "pay homage to the people that suffered, and those that survived the catastrophe, as well as to highlight the resilience of the people of Tacloban City," Romualdez' order read.

Tacloban, along with other areas in Leyte and Samar, was among the places that bore the brunt of Yolanda (international name: Haiyan).

Tuesday will mark nine years since the strongest typhoon on record hit the country and killed more than 6,000 people.

Residents in Leyte and Samar are expected to hold Masses and visit the graves of their loved ones who perished in the typhoon.

• Why super typhoon Yolanda was so deadly

The Diocese of Borongan called on the faithful to "continue to pray for deliverance from all calamities, both natural and man-made, and other vagaries of weather."

"Many of the calamities we face are related to climate change and global warming as pointed out by scientists and experts. We must hear the poor cry of our planet for common action to save our common home," Borongan Bishop Most Rev. Crispin Varquez wrote in his circular.

"For this to happen, we must heed Pope Francis' call for ecological conversion. We must move away from the sins of environmental abuse and neglect to show that we are truly returning to the Lord and we truly care for one another."

He noted that nine years on, the threats and challenges from Yolanda remain and may again happen.

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"But what we have are the lessons of the past, something we have learned, and by all means we have to sustain - continue educating ourselves, our young ones especially for they will be the ones who will bear the consequences of our decisions and actions of today," Varquez said.

"We thank individuals, groups, and organizations who helped us rise and recover, and never forget them in our prayers... We pray for our loved ones who died during and shortly after Yolanda's wrath. We continually entrust them to God's mercy in our Masses. We also remember the lives that were spared that they may find comfort and strength in God to rebuild and move forward in their lives," he added.

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