Palo archbishop checks papal Mass site preparations

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines – Palo Archbishop John F. Du gave assurances preparations on the ground will be completed in time for Pope Francis’ visit to Leyte on January 17. (WATCH: #PopeFrancisPH in Leyte: What to expect)

Du went to the Tacloban Airport Saturday morning, January 10, to make sure the Tacloban airport is ready for the pope’s arrival and open Mass.

Mass site

Upon arrival, Pope Francis will lead a Mass that is expected to attract about 160,000 people. Big screens will be set up for the public.

Construction of the makeshift stage where the Pope will say Mass is ongoing. 

Although the runway is now fully operational, workers are rushing to finish other parts of the airport damaged by typhoons Haiyan in 2013 and Hagupit in December 2014. 

Papal motorcade

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is also repairing the roads the papal motorcade will pass enroute to the nearby town of Palo. 

Barricades painted white are yet to be installed in the different portions of the motorcade route.

In Palo, the Pope will have lunch with typhoon victims, open the Pope Francis Center for the Poor, and meet priests, nuns, and lay people. 

Security

Meanwhile, the first batch of security personnel from the Philippine National Police-Regional Public Safety Battalion (PNP-RSBP) arrived in Tacloban Airport via a C-130 plane early Saturday morning.

Police Senior Superintendent Clifford Gairanod said PNP dispatched to Leyte 122 out of 400 cops from Central Visayas to help maintain security and order before and during the papal visit. – Rappler.com

Derek Alviola is a MovePH citizen journalist from Leyte covering the visit of Pope Francis to the province. Join the “People’s Coverage of the People’s Pope” #PopeFrancisPH.