Pope, Noy may discuss graft fight

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino is ready to tackle the administration’s efforts to stamp out corruption and uplift the poor when he meets with Pope Francis during the pontiff’s visit in the middle of this month, Malacañang said yesterday.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said that while it would be speculative to talk about the issues that Aquino and the pope would discuss, administration officials were aware of the pope’s advocacies, most especially his concern for the poor.

He said the pope had spoken out strongly against corruption even in one of the institutions under the Vatican’s supervision.

In his message for the New Year, the Pope condemned administrators and criminals in Rome who allegedly pocketed public funds meant to help poor migrants, saying the eternal city needed a “spiritual and moral renewal.”

His defense of the poor has become a trademark of his papacy.

The pope is also strongly against unbridled capitalism as it deprives the less fortunate of opportunities and makes more people poor.

“On the other hand, our government is focusing on the aspect of inclusive growth; how the poor can be included in the flow of prosperity or progress. Those probably are the similar themes,” Coloma said.

As leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Coloma said the pope is expected to exhort the faithful to be in solidarity with the poor.

He said Aquino’s being a product of a Jesuit institution should explain the ease with which the President relates to the advocacies of the pope, who is himself a Jesuit.

“Products of the Jesuit system of education have a strong orientation to serve their fellowmen or being persons for others. That can also be one of the themes of their discussion,” Coloma said.

Coloma said the nation is witness to Aquino’s readiness to discuss pressing social and economic issues even with world leaders.

Coloma also said they are in the thick of preparations for the coming papal visit.

“Even during Christmas and New Year holidays the preparations were continuing,” he said.

He said possible threats and other contingencies were being addressed to ensure the safety of Francis during his five-day visit.

Concrete barriers

Meanwhile, some 23,000 “anti-ober the bakod” concrete barricades would line the route to be taken by the papal convoy around Metro Manila, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said yesterday.

DPWH-National Capital Region (NCR) director Reynaldo Tagudando said the black and white painted concrete barriers would be set up in Rizal Park and along Roxas Boulevard, Kalaw Avenue, Ma. Orosa Street and on EDSA extension all the way to the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

Tagudando said that they would also be putting concrete barriers at the back of the Manila Cathedral.

Pope Francis is scheduled to hold an open air mass at Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park on Jan. 18 after a meeting with the youth and leaders of other religions at University of Santo Tomas.

He would also celebrate mass for the bishops and the religious community in the morning of Jan. 16 at the Manila Cathedral before proceeding to SM Mall of Asia for the Meeting with the Families.

“In our experience during the papal visit (of then Pope John Paul II) in 1995, there were many people who blocked the papal route. These concrete barriers would be 1.25 meters high since we would put grills on top. This is to make sure that people would not be able to climb over these barriers and obstruct the papal route,” Tagudando said.

Authorities would also be using orange-colored plastic barricades to help maintain order in areas in the papal itinerary.

Not all of the concrete barriers were owned by the DPWH, Tagudando said.

“Some of them were borrowed from our district offices in the NCR as well at the Region 4-A, the North Luzon Expressway and the South Luzon Expressway,” he said. – With Evelyn Macairan