The newly painted monument honoring the victims of Typhoon Yolanda in Leyte has sparked mixed reactions online.
Located in Tanauan, Leyte, the monument—called “Surge of Hope”—was built to remember the lives lost during the devastating floods caused by Yolanda in 2013.
Originally white and yellow, the shrine was repainted with bright colors on July 6, 2025. Many netizens criticized the change, saying it ruined the memorial’s solemn meaning.
Some reactions included:
“Did they turn it into a playground?”
“It’s colorful, but it lost its meaning!”
“The color choices are insensitive. It’s like celebrating the deaths.”
“What kind of bad taste is this?!”
“Literal ‘rainbow after the rain’ vibes. So annoying.”
“Whoever thought of this deserves negative points in heaven.”
The Surge of Hope was funded by Smart Communications and Granix Distributions Inc. of Procter & Gamble. It features two spiral-shaped columns representing the height of the storm surge, human figures symbolizing the victims, and birds representing hope after the tragedy.
