Leyte ready to welcome Pope Francis

CEBU, Philippines - While an overcast sky with the threat of rain hovered over Leyte, due to tropical storm Amang, the people of Eastern Visayas braced for the arrival of Pope Francis in Tacloban City for the papal mass at the airport this morning, among other scheduled stops at nearby Palo town.

Yesterday, pilgrims from Mindanao and other parts of the Visayas started camping out at the airport, and packed foods and water for use in today’s event. Most places in downtown Tacloban were closed, except for sidewalk vendors, making the city like a deserted place, although the people were upbeat of the coming of the pope to Leyte.

Security forces officials said they are all prepared to make the papal visit a success, in terms of security and safety. Pilgrims saw policemen lining up the road sides, each a meter apart from the other, through the slated route of the papal motorcade, from the airport to the Archbishop Residence in Palo.

In the case of threat of bad weather, Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla said he directed all the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils in the province to be on a 24-hour operation and be on alert with their emergency response teams ready for any eventuality.

Leyte is now under Signal No.1 including the provinces of Northern Samar, Southern Leyte, Eastern Samar and other provinces in Bicol, prompting Petilla to advise all the mayors to be ready to evacuate their constituents in case the weather becomes worse.

In Ormoc City, hundreds of passengers going to sail to Cebu City for the Sinulog Festival, have been stranded, as the Coast Guard did not allow the vessels to travel due to the storm Amang.

Father Alvin Nicolasora, pastor of the St. Jose Maria Escriva Mission Station at Barangay Apitong in Tacloban City, who is in charge of the altar for the papal mass, said the faithful should give serious thought to the pope’s visit and understand the necessity of security measures.

“Pope Francis’s coming is a visit for the victims of typhoon Yolanda or of the earthquake in Bohol. He comes to bring mercy and compassion of God because we have been struck by a terrifying experience. We have to be disciplined and orderly” in welcoming the pope to Leyte, siad Nicolasora.

Bishop Julito Cortes, of the Diocese of Dumaguete, said he started a prayer, provided by the CBCP Liturgy Committee for the Papal Visit, for the safe travel of the pope. “Let us pray that the visit of the pope with us be a spirit-filled experience of the Church and a joyful encounter between the shepherd and the flock, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” said Cortes.

Police “harassment”?

Religious sisters from the Sisters’ Association in Mindanao, who traveled to Leyte for the papal visit, meanwhile alleged that the Tanauan town Police yesterday harassed them on their way to a candle lighting and liturgical activity in Tacloban for the safe travel and arrival of the pope today.

Noeme Degala, SAMIN executive director, told reporters that Tanauan policemen stopped and held them for at least 5 hours, peppered them with questions and even suspected of being members of the New People’s Army hiding in nun’s clothes.

The SAMIN nuns tried to convince the police of the true nature of their travel to Leyte, showing their IDs and documents that proved their coordination with the Palo Archdiocese. They were later released, but said they are now studying to file countercharges against the policemen.

Vatican guards take over security

Ensuring the safety of Pope Francis and his 32-man entourage, the entire Gonzagahaus (Archbishop’s Residence) and its compound, nestling atop Bukid Tabor in Barangay Arado of Palo town, are now under the tight watch of the Vatican guards.

Not even the Presidential Security Group members could gain access, and as of yesterday, only a specific number of resident priests, nuns and househelps were allowed to stay at the Gonzagahaus to ensure the safety of the pope, who will be arriving today to bless the Vatican-funded residence.

A police source told The Freeman that, during the luncheon here with the 30 survivors of Yolanda and the earthquake of Bohol, only the pope, Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle and Palo Archbishop John Du will be at the dining hall of Gonzagahaus. Two Vatican-based media might be allowed there but only to document the occasion.

The entourage of Pope Francis will dine at the second floor of the Gonzagahaus, while the collaborators—including those who have shared their “harvest” with the Church—as well as the househelp and the staff of the Archbishop’s Residence and the Chancery will be at the ground floor.

Militants in Panay welcome pope

Members of militant organizations from the provinces of Capiz, Aklan and Iloilo have gathered at the Jaro Cathedral in Jaro District of Iloilo City and held a program to welcome the pope.

The groups, headed by Reylan Vergara of Panay Alliance-Karapatan, released white balloons and doves, saying they were one with the pope in the struggle for victims of injustice and extrajudicial killings.

Vergara also said political detainees wrote their message of sufferings to Pope Francis and sent this to the Karapatan National Office in Manila last week. They were asking for the pope’s clemency. — with reports from Edgar Allan Vilbar, Imelda Quijano Magbutay, Judy Flores Partlow, and May Joven (FREEMAN)