Cebu victims not dining with Pope?

CEBU, Philippines -  Are the super typhoon Yolanda victims from Cebu no longer in the list of Visayas calamity survivors set to dine with Pope Francis next month?

Local Catholic Church officials have not given clear answers on the matter.

Cebu delegation overall in-charge and archdiocesan vicar general Monsignor Danilo Sanico said the national committee on the Papal visit only asked them to provide representatives to the mass in the Tacloban airport on January 17, 2015 and Quirino Grandstand in Manila the following day.

“Cebu’s only role is to send representatives. There have been no instructions on participation in the banquet with the Pope,” Sanico said.

Palo, Leyte archdiocese spokesman Fr. Amadeo Alvero said only 33 people will dine with the Pope inside dining hall of the archdiocesan compound in Leyte. These are the 30 earthquake and super typhoon Yolanda survivors plus the top Catholic officials led by Pope Francis, Manila archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle and host Palo archbishop John Du.

“There will be no other people allowed inside the room except for RTVM (Radio Television Malacañang) cameraman and photographer who will only be allowed briefly to take photos and videos. Perhaps some robotic cameras will be used. The room is very small. It cannot accommodate a lot of people,” Alvero said.

Of the 30 calamity survivors to share intimate interaction with the Pope are five typhoon survivors from diocese of Borongan (Eastern Samar), five from diocese of Calbayog (Samar), 15 from the Palo archdiocese (covering Ormoc, Palompon, Mahaplag, Tacloban).

He, however, did not confirm nor deny the exclusion of super typhoon Yolanda survivors from northern Cebu.

“Based on recent coordination with the national committee for the Papal visit, there is no communication on Cebu joining the lunch with the Pope. I cannot say whether they are really included or not,” Alvero added.

Cebu archbishop Jose Palma, in a December 15 media interview, said he did not know if names have been submitted for the Cebu delegation to the lunch with the Pope and instead referred reporters to Sanico.

With or without representatives to the lunch with the Pope, Sanico revealed 1,000 Cebuanos composed of priests and lay workers will be sent to Tacloban for the mass at the airport.

Sanico is set to submit names to the national organizing committee before the month ends.

Ten priests will be given the chance to concelebrate with the Pope at the Quirino Grandstand. Sanico said he is one of the concelebrants but could not confirm Palma’s attendance yet.

Palo Archdiocese and Tacloban City in Eastern Visayas suffered the most when super typhoon Yolanda, considered the strongest in recorded history, struck November 8, 2013 leaving at least 6,000 confirmed dead and causing billions in damage.

Northern Cebu was also affected by the same super typhoon after it made landfall in Daanbantayan town.

A month earlier, Bohol Province was hit by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake that destroyed many of the prized heritage churches mostly made of coral stones.   –with Bryner L. Diaz/BRP (FREEMAN)