Students, teachers to line streets to meet Robredo casket

Relatives, supporters and friends flock to the Archbishop’s Palace in Naga City to pay their last respect to the late Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo during the public viewing on Thursday (August 23). Malacañang is preparing for a state funeral for the former DILG Chief. His remains will lie in state in Malacañan Palace on Friday (August 24) until Sunday morning (August 26). Photo by Ryan Lim / Malacañang Photo Bureau

MANILA, Philippines—Students and teachers from public schools in Pasay City and Manila were expected to line up the streets and wave yellow flags by way of giving honor to the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, who arrived  in Manila Friday morning.

Luz Almeda, Department of Education National Capital Region director, said she issued a memo on Thursday to public schools along the route of the funeral procession to let their students and faculty join in the welcome “on a voluntary basis.”

Robredo’s remains will be taken from the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City to Malacañang Palace for a two-night wake.

“All schools near the route are requested to queue along the streets and wave yellow flags as a sign of respect,” Almeda said in an interview Friday morning.

She said her last encounter with Robredo was during the inspection of schools damaged by the  flooding caused by  monsoon rains two weeks ago.

Robredo perished in a plane crash last Saturday off Masbate along with the two pilots of a plane that was to have flown him from Cebu to Naga, his hometown, for a weekend with his family.

Almeda said the students, from high school or Grade 5 and 6, and their teachers will return to their classes after the funeral procession has passed.