TACLOBAN CITY — A once-plain wall in Barangay 43-B Quarry District, this city, has been transformed into a vibrant symbol of unity, as more than 150 participants from various sectors joined the two-day “Pintahang Pagkakaisa” community mural initiative on March 28–29, 2026.
The activity brought together representatives from civil society groups, government agencies, youth organizations, and uniformed personnel, highlighting the growing role of collaborative, community-based efforts in promoting social cohesion and civic pride in Tacloban City.
Spearheaded by Amare Et Caritas, a youth-led organization based in Palo, Leyte that advocates for community-driven initiatives aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, the mural project was conducted in partnership with the Philippine Army–Task Group Tacloban and other stakeholders.
Jon Ivan Torreros, president of Amare Et Caritas, said the initiative aims to promote unity and strengthen Filipino identity through art, while turning public spaces into platforms that reflect shared advocacies.
“We conducted this activity because we want to express our advocacies through art, unify nation-building forces such as government agencies, uniformed personnel, youth, and civil society groups, and transform the entire wall stretch into a potential tourism site,” he said.
Torreros added that the project also highlights the country’s deep-rooted artistic tradition, noting that Filipinos have long used art as a form of expression even before the colonial period.
Beyond mural painting, participants also conducted a general clean-up of the site on March 28, followed by a CLAYWALK (Clean-As-You-Walk) activity from the Old Leyte Capitol to the mural site on March 29, emphasizing environmental responsibility and collective community action.
The event concluded with a formal program, where stakeholders expressed support for the initiative and its upcoming second phase. Participants also received certificates and took part in a symbolic unity painting through handprints on the mural wall.
Organizers said work on the mural will continue in the coming days, as volunteer artists finalize details in preparation for the next phase of the project.
(GRAYDELLE JANZY S. CAHAYAG, LNU STUDENT INTERN)
