Pope Francis gets a taste of ‘people power’ at Palace

MANILA, Philippines - Filipinos from all walks of life trooped to Malacañang yesterday to have a glimpse of Francis, the people’s pope, and gave him another taste of “people power” on the second day of his visit to the country.

For 48-year-old Mhel Catada, who came all the way from San Jose del Monte in Bulacan to be with some members of her family living near the Palace so they could all take a chance to see the pope, the mere sight of the pontiff waving his hand and smiling from his car was more than enough to make her burst into tears.

“I feel blessed. I never expected to see him this close and with his face fronting me and waving at the people on this side,” Catada said, wiping her tears with a handkerchief.

Her daughter also became teary-eyed when she said her mother suffered a stroke and wanted to be blessed by the pontiff for healing.

It was the same for the family of 28-year-old Hector Javier, who could neither walk nor talk and is wheelchair-bound, being born with symmetrical hydrocephalus, which caused his brain to be compressed with water.

But Javier’s father Antonio said his son could recognize Francis and had in fact seen the late Pope John Paul II as well.

Antonio said he and his family only had a glimpse of the pope while he was alighting from his Volkswagen Touran to attend arrival honors at the Kalayaan grounds of the Palace.

Asked if they were disappointed for failing to see the pope, Antonio said no because it was enough to be there to feel blessed.

Antonio said he managed to get a special pass for his son because he had been working for 28 years at the Malacañang motorpool, the Palace department in charge of government vehicle repair and maintenance.

“Hector saw him. He saw him stand on the platform and he cried a bit,” Antonio said.

Like the Catada family, they woke up early and traveled in the wee hours of the morning from Cainta, Rizal just to see the pope.

The Catada family was on J.P. Laurel Street in front of the New Executive Building to wait for the pope’s mobile while the Javiers were inside Palace grounds when reporters chanced upon them.

The pope’s convoy arrived late at the Palace due to the many people who waited on the streets to greet the pontiff as he traveled from the Apostolic Nunciature to Malacañang.

Inside the Kalayaan grounds, the people called out the pope’s name and waved Philippine and Vatican City flags.

But since the ceremony was short and they could not see the pope, they just enjoyed the grounds for picture-taking, including on the red carpet that was no longer used for the march.

Those invited to the Palace event were from different sectors with only two senators present – Ralph Recto and Senate President Franklin Drilon.

Eleven members of the House of Representatives were led by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Majority Leader Mandaluyong City Rep. Neptali Gonzales II.

Once-in-a-lifetime experience

In other parts of Manila, rain showers did not dampen the spirits of crowds who waited for several hours yesterday just to get a glimpse of Pope Francis.

Armed with umbrellas, towels and cameras, thousands lined the route of the pontiff’s convoy to experience what has been dubbed as “the Francis effect.”

After seeing on the widescreen that the mass in Manila Cathedral had ended, people in Luneta ran toward the barricades in anticipation of the passing motorcade.

The crowds moved from one lane to another, hoping to get a good view of the pope who is in the Philippines for a five-day visit. Policemen were firm but polite in reminding the crowds not to block the path of the papal convoy.

Rain showers started about 12:45 p.m., prompting well-wishers to bring out their umbrella or cover their heads with handkerchiefs or towels. Others who did not bring umbrellas or towels just covered their heads with their hands.

The weather bureau earlier reported that parts of Luzon, including Metro Manila, and the Visayas may experience rains due to Tropical Storm Amang.

Pope Francis’ convoy arrived in Luneta at around 1 p.m., drawing cheers and screams. The pope smiled and waved from inside his car, whose windows were kept open. Since the convoy was moving fast, each well-wisher only saw the pope for about two seconds.

It was joy enough, however, for the spectators, many of whom traveled from far-flung provinces, to be blessed by the leader of the Catholic church. – With Alexis Romero