Aquino creates committee on papal visit

Pope Francis. AP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–President Benigno Aquino III has ordered the creation of a committee that will coordinate preparations for Pope Francis’ visit in January 2015.

In Memorandum Circular No. 72, Aquino created Papal Visit 2015-National Organizing Committee (PV-NOC).

“As instructed by President Aquino, all heads of the different government departments, local governments as well as the private sectors are encouraged to participate and coordinate all efforts to make sure that the visit of His Holiness in our country next year will be well organized and peaceful,” Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. said in a statement on Friday.

The committee will be chaired by Ochoa, and vice-chaired by the Foreign Affairs Secretary. Among the members are the Secretaries of the Departments of National Defense, Interior and Local Government, Public Works and Highways, Health, Transportation and Communications, Tourism, the Presidential Communications Operations Office, Armed Forces Chief of Staff, National Police Chief, and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman.

It will coordinate the efforts of the public and private sectors, including the central committee of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, which will lead the religious and civil plans of the visit.

Pope Francis is set to visit the victims of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” in Leyte and of the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Bohol.

RELATED STORY

PH peacekeepers new mission: Secure Pope Francis, APEC 2015