Hugs, kisses and a rosary from pope

MANILA, Philippines - He is perhaps the first state visitor to arrive in a bantam car – a navy blue Volkswagen instead of a black limousine, whose door he opened himself. He is unabashedly biased towards babies, young children and the sick – he will wave off protocol and make the rest wait to kiss them, pray for them, smile at them.

And so it was when Pope Francis descended upon Malacañang for an official call on President Aquino and a general audience with senior government officials at the Palace’s Rizal Hall. Only after stopping to greet a nun, two babies and several children did he make time for “business.” Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima was among the fathers who carried his baby to the pope, who cuddled the child briefly.

After his speech at Rizal Hall, in which he called for government leaders to be “outstanding in honesty and integrity,” Pope Francis  approached two women in wheelchairs who were in the audience – Maur Aquino Lichauco, the sister of the President’s father Benigno Aquino Jr., and Passy Cojuangco Teopaco, the late President Corazon Aquino’s youngest sister. He gave the latter a white rosary and prayed over her.

Teopaco was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago, and is still valiantly fighting the disease. Now undergoing radiation treatment, she has lost her hair but not her will to live.

“I feel happy, hopeful,” she told us after the pope held her hand and blessed her. So many people who witnessed the pope pray over Teopaco were in tears, including her niece Kris Aquino. Kris’ mother died of colon cancer five years ago.

“She is tired but smiling. She is blessed,” says Celda Teopaco-Santos, Teopaco’s daughter. Her sister Rina accompanied their mother from St. Luke’s Hospital in Bonifacio Global City to Malacañang.

Earlier, guests were served a Spartan breakfast of lugaw (rice porridge) and pan de sal sandwiches, “upon strict orders from the top,” says caterer Gaita Fores. She didn’t say if the top meant all the way to the top of the Vatican!

The pope alighted about 200 meters from the Palace and was met by President Aquino, who walked the red carpet with him through the Palace lawns, stopping only to greet the nun and several babies and children. His eyes were twinkling throughout his walk, his hand perpetually in a wave.

He had a glass of water upon entering the Palace, where there was a life-sized poster of himself at the chapel to the right. He had a 15-minute private meeting with President Aquino before he entered the Rizal Hall for the general audience.

The backdrop to the stage was a mural of white paper doves and baby blue raffia fashioned into cloud formations.

The guests at the audience, composed of the diplomatic corps, government officials, top businessmen, civil society and professionals, were never as enthusiastic as they were during the pope’s visit, several taking to their feet to take his photo.

He gave his much anticipated blessing at the end, prompting many ladies in attendance to raise their bags – some of them bursting with rosaries.