January 18, 2015 3:07pm
President Benigno Aquino III on Sunday joined millions of
Filipinos at the Quirino Grandstand to hear the Holy Mass to be officiated by
Pope Francis.
A GMA News live video showed a heavily escorted Aquino, who was
wearing a black jacket, walking towards the designated area for officials.
The concluding Mass is the third event in Pope Francis Philippine
visit participated by Aquino III. The President welcomed the Roman Catholic
leader at the Villamor Airbase last Thursday.
Interviewed on their way to the Mass of
Mercy and Compassion at the Quirino Grandstand yesterday afternoon, former
President Fidel V. Ramos compared the January 18, 2015 crowds to the mammoth
attendance during the Pope John Paul II’s January 12-16, 1995 Manila visit for
the 10th World Youth Day.
Ramos described the Papal Visit as “very
joyous, participated in by millions of our people not just here in Metro Manila”
but all over the country.
“Here, I would estimate that the crowds
over the 3-day period of activities… could have been as big as the crowd during
the late Pope’s final Mass on the fourth day of his Manila visit here on January
15, 1995 for the 10th World Youth Day,” he said.
He was referring to the crowds that
jammed Roxas Boulevard on Saturday midnight and Sunday morning, from the Baclaran
District, Cultural Center of the Philippines complex all the way to Bonifacio
Drive in Intramuros, and those on streets crossing the boulevard, such as Padre
Burgos, T.M. Kalaw, UN Avenue, Padre Faura and Quirino Avenue.
Mr. Aquino III was also appreciative of
the congratulatory messages sent by foreign governments, either in writing or
relayed by special envoys.
On Saturday, he said several world
leaders sent written messages of congratulations to the Pope on his state visit
and apostolic journey to the Philippines, among them Presidents Barack Obama of
the United States, Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation, Michael D. Higgins
of Ireland, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey, Mamnoon Hussain of Pakistan, János
Áder of Hungary, Tammam Salam of Lebanon and Raúl Castro of Cuba.
From
Barack
In a letter to Mr. Aquino III dated January
17, 2015, Obama said he was pleased that the Philippine Visit of Pope Francis were
being complemented by events throughout the United States which highlighted the
significance of the contributions of Filipino-Americans to America’s heritage.
“I know this Papal Visit is of special
significance to you as it comes just before you [Aquino III] leave office on
June 30, 2016,” Obama said.
He said that since Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo
first laid out his vision of an independent Philippines on June 12, 1898, the
country “has grown into a respected, active, and valued member of the Family of
Nations.”
“We can take pride in the close bonds
forged between our two countries over the past century,” Obama said. “We have
stood together in war, in peace, and in our effort to ensure that the world's
people increasingly share the fruits of democracy, respect for basic human
rights, and economic prosperity.”
He said the Philippines’ economic
resilience, strong democratic institutions and determination to take advantage
of the opportunities presented by globalization demonstrate clearly the
country's achievements and potential.
Obama added that he was confident the
strong friendship between the American and the Filipino people would continue
to flourish in coming years.
Big
boost
Aside from the congratulatory messages
from foreign governments, Mr. Aquino III also cited the extensive media
coverage and public interest in the Papal Visit activities.
“All of that combined has given a great
boost to the Philippines in terms of its attractiveness as a nation after 116
years of challenges, crises, calamities, revolutions, wars, coups d’etat and
all the other difficulties of developing countries,” he told reporters
yesterday.
“And so we can expect a lot of goodwill
and material investment, economic interest and commercial expansion in the
Philippines,” he said.
His administration is particularly
hopeful of some economic gains from the Papal Visit as the country continues to
endure the effects of the 1997 Asian currency turmoil, 2005 “Hello, Garci”
scandal and the July 2013 Priority Development Assistance Fund scam alleged
misuse by several members of the Congress of the Philippines of their Priority
Development Assistance Fund (PDAF, popularly called “pork barrel”), a lump-sum
discretionary fund granted to each member of Congress for spending on priority
development projects of the Philippine government, mostly on the local level.
Mr. Aquino III said the Papal Visit also
thrust the Philippines into the world stage as a model for democracy that
evolved through self-determination and people's struggle.
“We're showing that we have proven
democracy and sustainable development can go hand in hand,” he said.
He believes there has been a tremendous
boost in the people's self-confidence and optimism in the future.
Into
the next administration
And this early, he urged the government,
police and the people to start preparing “for the Pope’s visit in Cebu, Bohol
and Leyte next year for the 51st International Eucharistic Congess
on January 23 to February 3,” and the 25th year of World Youth Day
in the country and second time to host the religious event in January 2020.
He called on the nation to look toward
the future under the leadership of his successor, Jejomar C. Binay or Manuel A.
Roxas, II, and the country's second century and the third decade.
“With the friendship and support of all
the nations… I am certain that the world will see that the best is yet to come,”
the President said.
New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand,
Vietnam and Laos--all Philippine partners in the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations or the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation--sent deputy prime ministers
to the Papal Visit.
Among the guests were Foreign Ministers
Ali Alatas of Indonesia and Ahmad Badawi of Malaysia.
At least 36 governments sent special
envoys, excluding their resident ambassadors.
International organizations such as the
United Nations and its various offices, World Bank-International Monetary Fund
and the International Committee of the Red Cross were also represented.
During the Pope's courtesy call, Aquino openly lambasted Filipino clergy critical of his administration.—Andreo Calonzo/NB, GMA News
