Lynda & Willard on the ‘Papal experience’

Pope Francis already left the country, but so many great stories about how he has touched the lives of Filipinos and revitalized their faith during his five-day visit keep coming in.

These are stories of joy and celebration from those who had a personal encounter with him and stories that reflect how his message of mercy and compassion resonated with us, which ABS-CBN aimed to bring to all Filipinos via its multi-platform coverage of the papal visit on free and cable TV, radio, online and mobile.

When the late Pope John Paul II visited the Philippines twice in 1981 and 1995, people relied on television, radio and print for news about his visit and activities. This time, when Pope Francis came to the country, people had more access to information.

While at home, I watched news coverage of the Pope on ABS-CBN. While on the road, I tuned in to DZMM Radyo Patrol 630 or watched the live coverage on iWantv using my ABS-CBNmobile phone. Throughout the day, @ANCalerts news feeds kept me updated.

Kapamilya Day talks to ABS-CBN Vatican media correspondent Lynda Jumilla and reporter Willard Cheng about the daunting but thrilling task of bringing the Pope closer to the people and how they, as journalists, will take these experiences with them in their job.

How was it covering Pope Francis?

Lynda: “Awe-inspiring, on so many levels. I am in awe of his determination to be a good shepherd by looking after all his sheep — going to them if need be, just as he did with the victims of Typhoon Yolanda. I am also in awe of his boundless energy — at 78, with a portion of his right lung already removed, his leg sometimes giving him trouble, he still performs many of his apostolic works to visit the sick, homeless, needy. And don’t forget he still does long motorcades and waves to the crowd the whole time without putting down his arms. Finally, I am in awe of how people react to him — they are reduced to tears of joy, comforted by his mere words, prayers or blessings, are exalted by his presence.”

Willard: “Given the magnitude of the event, it was easy to be overwhelmed by the coverage. But I knew I was there primarily as a journalist and I had a job to do. His message at the University of Sto. Tomas, delivered in his lingua franca, was most inspiring. As a journalist, I ingested each word of his speeches, making sure that the message and its context were not lost or misrepresented in my report.”

How did you prepare for the coverage?

Lynda: “I read a lot! His biography, his interviews, articles about him, his position on issues, the reforms he has introduced in the Vatican, his advisers and allies and the people around him, criticisms against him and of course, everything about the papacy, the Holy See and Roman Catholicism. I also had some spiritual preparation from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).”

Willard: “I made sure I was up for the job, ready to give the viewers a coverage that wouldn’t dumb them down, but instead make them better understand the importance of the Papal visit. I read up about the papacy of Francis, the transition from Benedict and brushed up my knowledge of the papacy, the Vatican and its structures, and the issues confronting the Church today. I went as far back as the papacies of Paul VI and John Paul II. I tried to know Francis more by reading and re-reading articles and biographies about him, and some of his books and writings.”

Has the Papal coverage had an impact on you as a journalist? How?

Lynda: “Seeing Pope Francis give time, energy, comfort, attention and inspiration to Filipinos, and seeing all those Filipinos affirm their faith despite their sufferings have given me a deep insight on how Catholicism has become a lifeline, something to hold on to for the vast majority of our people.”

Willard: “I’ve covered huge gatherings in the past but nothing compared to the tens of thousands of passionate Filipinos who attended the Papal events here. His message penetrating the heart and like the rest of the crowd, I was moved. They lay the challenge to remain composed but not necessarily dispassionate, to remain focused on the task.”

What are the most memorable things that happened in your coverage of the Pope?

Lynda: “When I saw him up close for the first time; his facial expression when he said, ‘Beautiful, it’s beautiful’ after I gave him the drawing that my kids did to welcome him to the Philippines; and when we the Pinoys in the flight were each granted a short one-on-one audience with him.”

Willard: “Covering the Pope’s arrival and the thrill of seeing him for the first time, being part of the audience in Malacañang that received an apostolic blessing and that moment when the popemobile passed by the spot where I and a handful of well-wishers were positioned. I shouted, ‘Papa Francesco,’ and to our surprise, he turned to us and smiled. That was one eye contact I would never forget. A friend captured that moment for me in a video.”

What details about the Pope flight would Filipinos be surprised to know?

Lynda: “Shortly after take-off, he went to the media (back) section of the plane to personally welcome the VAMP (Vatican Accredited Media Personnel) covering his voyage. On the way back to Rome, he also personally thanked the media for covering his trip and gave some tokens to ‘materialize’ (as he put it) his thanks. For this trip, he gave us a rosary with his coat of arms and commemorative coins/medallion on the Sri Lanka and Philippine trips. He also ate the same food as the rest of the passengers in the Papal flight.”

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned as the reporters who covered the Pope’s visit?

Lynda: “It’s not a new lesson I’ve learned; rather it’s something I’ve always known and affirmed by this experience: Do your homework.”

Willard: “I didn’t rely on stock knowledge. I tried to expand it. I didn’t settle with press kits and advisories on Papal events. I dissected them, improved on them with my own research. I took to heart the challenge of our news boss, Ging Reyes, for us not to shortchange the viewers with a superficial coverage. They deserve better.”

(Watch the documentary Ang Mabuting Pastol:  Pope Francis sa Pilipinas with Lynda Jumilla on www.iWantv.com.ph on your computers, tablets, or smartphones. Catch up on the extensive documentaries on Pope Francis by getting an ABS-CBNmobile SIM and download the iWantv app.)

Willard Cheng (center) with his colleague Gigi Grande, cameramen and crew at the Villamor Air Base during the Papal visit