Only a few more days until Pope Francis makes his first trip to the Philippines, and the largely Catholic nation is preparing for it in full force. Officials are are ramping up security as the charismatic Argentine pontiff is expected to draw an estimated 6 million people to events during his 5-day visit, possibly rivaling the 5-million-strong crowd of Pope John Paul IIs visit in 1995. Francis itinerary from January 15 to 19 will include a courtesy call in Malacañang and meetings with priests, the youth, families, and consecrated persons during his 4 days in the capital, Manila. He will also spend one day in the province of Leyte to meet with survivors of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) and the 2013 earthquake in the Visayas. While some of the gatherings are limited to pre-selected attendees, there are several events that will give the public a glimpse of the Roman Catholic leader. Rappler has compiled this list of frequently asked questions and answers from the weekly press briefings of the official papal visit committee. Which events are open to the public? Some of these events are limited to pre-selected attendees, but the public may still go to the venues and watch via screens that will be set up outside. January 16 (Friday) 11:15 am – Holy Mass at the Manila Cathedral with 2,000 bishops, priests, and consecrated persons. Only those with IDs will be allowed to enter the cathedral, but the public can watch the event through screens outside. Tents with seats will be set up outside the cathedral. January 17 (Saturday) 10 am – Mass at the Tacloban Airport grounds. Up to 160,000 people may be accommodated; big screens will also be set up for the public. January 18 (Sunday) 10:30 am – Meeting with the youth at the University of Santo Tomas. This is open to the public, but the UST football field and grandstand will be designated to around 24,000 youth delegates only. 3:30 pm – Mass at the Rizal Park. Open to the public. Do we need tickets to attend the events? No tickets are issued, sold, or given away. The papal visit committee warns the public against those claiming to sell tickets to the events. To get a better chance of having a glimpse of the Pope, the public is advised to come early to the venues and get a good spot. How can we get passes for the meeting with the youth in UST? The meeting with families at Mall of Asia? The meeting with Yolanda survivors in Leyte? Only pre-selected representatives will be allowed to participate in these events. They will be chosen by their respective dioceses. In an FAQ video, the papal visit committee suggests contacting the local parish or diocese for more information. For more details on the meeting with the youth at UST, call the UST Office of Public Affairs at (02) 731-3544. Will Pope Francis stop for photos along his motorcade? Its possible. During his visit, the Pope will be riding an open, non-bulletproof popemobile to represent the ideal image of a vulnerable, open, and accessible Church. This will allow Francis to step off the vehicle if he chooses. In his other trips, the Pope was known to make unscheduled stops during his motorcades to chat and be with the crowds. Can I get close to Pope Francis? With tight security and screening from the Philippine National Police, the Presidential Security Group, and the Vaticans own Swiss Guards, its unlikely. Will there be work during Pope Francis visit? January 15, 16, and 19 have been declared special (non-working) days in the National Capital Region. Are merchandise bearing the papal visit logo legal? While the official logo is copyrighted, independent sellers are not prohibited from creating their own designs and integrating elements of the papal visit, such as the theme and image of the Pope, in items that can be sold to commemorate the event. Where can I monitor updates? Visit Rapplers #PopeFrancisPH microsite for the latest stories, images, conversations, and perspective pieces on the Popes visit to the Philippines. An official papal visit app (papalvisitph) is also available on iOS and Android. The app links to the Popes Twitter account (@pontifex) and official websites. It also features news updates and the Popes Philippine itinerary, a photo gallery, the National Prayer for the Papal Visit, and a prayer wall for petitions. Im flying in to the Philippines in January. When will flight arrivals be suspended? Local and foreign air carriers have suspended the arrival of flights in the Philippines on these dates: January 15: no flight arrivals from 2 pm to 7 pm January 19: no flight arrivals from 6 am to 10:30 am What airport roads will be closed? The following roads will be closed: January 15: Sales Avenue, Andrews Avenue, and Domestic Road (3 pm to 7 pm) January 19: Sales Avenue, Andrews Avenue, and Domestic Road (7 am to 10 am) On these dates, Ninoy Aquino International Airport can only be accessed through South Superhighway, Bicutan, Sucat, and Alabang roads. Im going to Manila for the Popes visit. Where can I stay? Check out this list of hotels near key areas such as the Manila Cathedral, Mall of Asia, University of Santo Tomas, and Rizal Park. Where can we send donations for the papal visit? Check donations should be made payable to RCAM-Papal Visit. Cash donations are accepted through these accounts: BPI: Current Account 0051-0556-75 Security Bank: Savings Account 0061-015085-001 Donors are advised to inform the papal visit finance committee at (02) 527-2995 or email finance.papalvisit@yahoo.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 22:03:16 +0000
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