TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte - Muslim communities here came together on Friday afternoon as they opened the doors to the first mosque built in this Catholic-majority city.

Local officials led by Vice Mayor Jerry "Sambo" Yaokasin and S/Supt. Rolando Bade joined members of the Turkiye Diyanet Foundation, which donated P22-million for the building, in the inauguration of the Tacloban Mosque in Brgy. 69, district of Anibong.

According to the city's official website, 94.52 percent of its population are Catholics while 0.12 percent of the population are Muslims.

National Commission on Muslim Filipinos Central Visayas Director Malo Manonggiring said more than 1,000 Muslim brothers and sisters in Tacloban will now be able to use the mosque.

He said the entire Muslim community across the Visayas region was saddened by what happened in Mindanao especially in Marawi City where more than 60,000 people were displaced, most of them innocent Muslim civilians.

"Labis po kaming nalulungkot sa nangyayari ngayon sa Mindanao lalo sa Marawi kung saan karamihan sa mga inosente nating kasamahan na Muslim ang nadamay sa kaguluhan," Manonggiring said in an interview.

Muslim communities in Tacloban, under the leadership of Manonggiring, said they will give their support to local officials, national police and military and help in maintaining peace and order in the City, especially now there is already a Mosque where Muslims can worship.