Pope urged: Spend more time in Leyte

Pope Francis. AP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–A Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) official is appealing to Pope Francis to spend more time with the people affected by Super Typhoon “Yolanda” during his visit to the Philippines next year.

“The intention of the Pope in coming here is really to meet the survivors of the disaster. If he really wants to do that, then I think one day is not enough,” said Fr. Edwin Gariguez, executive director of the CBCP-National Secretariat for Social Action Justice and Peace (CBCP-NASSA).

I’m just wondering why he would be spending only one day there (Leyte) and the rest of his stay will be spent in Manila. I hope… whoever was making the itinerary for his visit, they let him spend more time with the victims,” he added, stressing that he was only voicing out the sentiments of the affected residents who are very eager to see the pope.

Pope Francis, who is scheduled to visit the Philippines from Jan. 15 to 19, wants to meet with survivors of Yolanda, the strongest typhoon to ever hit land, which devastated Tacloban and much of Eastern Visayas on Nov. 8, 2013.

The Vatican is expected to announce his complete itinerary by the end of the year.

Archbishop John Du of Palo earlier said that based on the present schedule, the Holy Father will visit Leyte on Jan. 17 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. He also said that only Manila and Leyte are in the Holy Father’s itinerary for now.

Du said the Archdiocese of Palo, which has ecclesiastical jurisdiction over Leyte and Samar, was now busy preparing for the six-and-a-half-hour papal visit.

“I’m not trying to interfere with their plans, but I hope they consider the requests of the victims looking forward to meet the Pope. I hope he gets to visit other places, aside from Leyte, that were also affected by the typhoon,” said Gariguez.

“The people in Manila have all the time and the means to go to Rome to see the Pope as compared to these people who lost almost everything when the disaster struck. The victims are in Leyte and Samar, not in Manila,” he added.

“I’m not saying the Pope should not go to Manila. All I’m saying is that we’re hoping, we’re appealing, that he gets to spend more time with the victims,” he said.