LEYTE, Philippines – Winds tore down a streamer for Pope Francis outside the Archbishop’s Residence in Palo, Leyte, as a storm dampens the pontiff’s visit here.

The province of Leyte, which Francis is set to visit, is under Storm Warning Signal No. 2, according to the Philippines’ state weather bureau.

Many of them lined up as early as 5 am. Some worried especially for their children. Requesting the guards to let them in, one of them yelled, “‘Yung bata, yung bata!” (The child, the child!)
Because of Tropical Storm Amang (Mekkhala), the Pope is arriving around an hour earlier in Leyte. The plane carrying the Pope and his contingent took off from Villamor Airbase at shortly past 7:30 am.

Ironically, the Pope is coming to Leyte to comfort survivors of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) as well as the magnitude-7.2 earthquake in the Visayas in 2013.Outside the Palo Archbishop’s Residence, around 200 Leyte residents in plastic, transparent raincoats lined up to enter the venue of the Pope’s event.

The Pope was originally scheduled to arrive at 9:30 am. – Rappler.com