Did you know that there are at least 23,000 college students and 43,000 elementary and secondary students in Tacloban City ? That's a total of 66,000 students. Since the population of the city is about 190,000, then the student population comprises one-third of the city's population.

These data were released recently by the National Statistical Coordination Board.

What do these figures imply?

For business, this means establishments catering to students will flourish in the city and can expand or contract based on whether there are classes or students are on vacation.

For parents, regionwide, this means Tacloban City is a strong choice for the educational development of their children particularly those seeking college education.

For the local government units, this means facilities are needed to serve the student population. Also, some problems could arise due to the large number of students such as those on peace and order, health, and housing which would require legislation and the implementation of projects for education and the youth.

Now that the role of Tacloban City as a trade center seems to be declining due to the reduced operations in the Port of Tacloban , the role of the city as a prime educational center in the Visayas can be brought into the foreground and should become a central theme in the city's development.

With education as focus, many policies and projects can be put in place.

Tacloban as an education center? It seems to be the best bet for its future growth.