LESS than a week before Pope Francis’s visit to the Philippines, excitement and faithful anticipation have spread among Filipinos, not only in the Philippines but around the world. Grateful for the prayers the new leader of the Catholic Church has offered for Filipinos amid all the challenges and disasters our kababayans have faced especially in the last few years, a warm welcome awaits him from a people who draws its strength from faith and prayers.
I was privileged to be part of the ABS-CBN news team that covered the papal visit of Pope John Paul II 20 years ago, but in this age of social media, the love and reverence for Pope Francis is even more palpable.
As if the daily news updates are not enough, the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has even launched the official Papal visit app to bring the Pope even closer to Filipinos, especially to the younger generation. The app features photos of Pope Francis and his schedule during his stay in the Philippines, and can be downloaded on smartphones and tablets.
Pope Francis mementos are now selling fast in stores and online, thanks to Pinoys who want to personalize and immortalize this chapter in Philippine history.
Visit to typhoon victims
As The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast Balitang America reported, Pope Francis will arrive in the Philippines from Sri Lanka on the afternoon of January 15.
On Friday, January 16 the Pontiff will pay a courtesy call on President Benigno S. Aquino III in Malacañang. He will also celebrate mass at the Manila Cathedral, and then hold a dialogue with families at the Mall of Asia Arena in the afternoon.
On Saturday, January 17, Pope Francis will be in Leyte all day to meet with survivors of super typhoon Yolanda. According to Cardinal Tagle, the Pope’s sympathy with the typhoon survivors is the very reason this papal visit is considered unique.
Balitang America further reported on Sunday, January 18 — the Pope last full day in the country — an inter-religious ceremony and meeting with the youth will be held at the University of Santo Tomas in the morning. In the afternoon, the much-awaited mass in Luneta, where millions are expected to attend.
On Monday, January 19, Pope Francis flies back to Rome.
Manila Archbishop Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle said: “The pastoral visit of Pope Francis will surely bring much blessing to all of us, especially the poor, the survivor of calamities – both natural and human-caused – and the victims of different types of injustice.”
“With Pope Francis’ pastoral visit, God’s mercy and compassion will embrace all Filipinos,” Cardinal Tagle enthused.
Protecting the Pope’s safety
But more than the stagecraft and the pageantry, the most important concern of the Philippine government in this visit of the Vatican’s head of state is to make sure the Pope and his entourage will be safe during his stay in the country from January 15-19.
It will forever be etched in history how in November 1970, the first Pope to visit the country —Pope Paul VI— escaped an assassination attempt in Manila, when a Bolivian artist tried to stab him at the airport.
As ABS-CBN News reported, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Gregorio Catapang Jr. called the visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines “the biggest security nightmare,” as they finalize plans to make sure that the leader of the Catholic church will be safe while in the country.
Catapang said the AFP has been conducting “war-gaming” to test all possible scenarios that could play out during the papal visit.
This is how Catapang described the strategy as chronicled by ABS-CBN News:
Aside from securing the routes that Pope Francis will be taking from the ground, the AFP will also be giving aerial security to make sure that the Pope is also protected from above.
The AFP will also be securing the buildings along the papal routes.
“Di ba marami doong high-rise buildings? Kailangan lalagyan mo rin ng tao yon. The devil is in the details kumbaga,” said Catapang.
Approximately 6,000 to 7,000 soldiers and 5,000 reservists will be deployed to ensure the Pope’s safety.
But the AFP and the Department of National Defense (DND) said they see no imminent threat on the Pope.
Catapang, meanwhile, asked the public not to attempt to go near the Pope or try to touch or embrace him, as this would create a commotion in the crowd of millions expected to arrive.
“As of now, wala talagang threat na namo-monitor kami,” he said.
“Ang biggest worry namin is yung people surge kay Pope. Kung masilayan lang sana si Pope matuwa na tayo. Not all of us can go near the Pope,” he said.
Catapang said one of the scenarios they are preparing for is a possible attack by people claiming to be in support of the Islamic State. But he said there is no direct threat as of the moment.
Pope’s gift to Filipinos
Many kababayans believe the prayers of Pope Francis had a lot to do with typhoon Ruby sparing the country from devastation in the scale of super typhoon Yolanda in 2013.
On Balitang America, kababayan Orville Tuca from San Jose, Calif., who has family in the Tacloban area, said, “We thank the Santo Papa because I think he prayed so hard for us that the typhoon should spare us.”
Like Tuca, Filipinos in America with roots from Tacloban and Leyte roots faithfully believe that the biggest help will come when Pope Francis visits their typhoon-ravaged provinces.
As Balitang America further reported, many Fil-Ams believe that Pope Francis, “who is known for his humility – from reaching out to the poor, to dining with the workers – will make the effort to see the least fortunate while in the Philippines.”
“The Pope is really a people’s person, so for me, it’s much better he’s there to see it, at least makita nya,” kababayan Kim Malate said on Balitang America. “I know Philippines is so blessed. It’s perfect timing.”
Perfect timing indeed for Filipinos to be touched by this Pope, whose message of humility, inclusive love, compassion and mercy, has inspired many Catholics, who have lost faith in the Church, to start believing and praying again.
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Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
