‘Expect traffic jams during pope’s visit in Leyte’

MANILA, Philippines - Massive traffic jams are expected in Palo, Leyte as thousands would join the activities for Pope Francis when he visits the areas devastated by Super Typhoon Yolanda on Jan. 17, 2015.

Monsignor Rex Ramirez, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Palo, yesterday advised those joining the papal activities to prepare for the long walk.

Ramirez said they are anticipating a large number of participants from the Eastern Visayas region.

CBCPNews, the official news service provider of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), said the crowd would most likely take over the city’s San Jose district and nearby town of Palo.

Pope Francis is scheduled to celebrate mass at the Tacloban airport before proceeding to Palo to have lunch with selected typhoon survivors and victims of the earthquake in Bohol.

The CBCP set up a designated area for the elderly and persons with disabilities (PWDs) for the Eucharistic celebration.

“Other senior citizens may stay at the Pope Francis Center at the grounds of the Archbishop’s Residence in Barangay Arado (Palo) where a live feed of the papal mass can be viewed,” Ramirez said.

According to Fr. Gilbert Urbina, liturgist of the Archdiocese of Palo, the mass would be in Latin but the readings and responsorial psalm will be read in the local dialect.

While the gospel would be read in English, the prayers of the faithful would be in Hiligaynon, English and Cebuano languages.

Meanwhile, Fr. Jaime Marquez urged the Department of Tourism to look into reports that some hotels near the Quirino Grandstand where Pope Francis is scheduled to hold mass have raised their room rates.