14 Filipino journalists join Papal Flight

MANILA - The Committee on Information and Media of the Papal Visit is organizing the accreditation of media personnel that will cover the Papal events.  The Accreditation Committee is doing everything in its power to accommodate all media applicants in the spirit of fairness although we do have to acknowledge space limitations in the locations except in Luneta where the Holy Father will preside in the Holy Eucharist.

The media office will also set up its Media centers in Diamond Hotel for the Vatican Press and the its accredited media personnel totaling to about 80 participants.  The Diamond Hotel, where the Media briefings will be held every evening starting January 15, can accommodate 250 participants.  The Main resource person will be Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J. the official Vatican spokesperson.

But there is secondary Press Center located in Manila Hotel Tent City where it can accommodate 3,000 participants.  There will be an interactive facility connecting these two hotels so that the journalists can freely interact with Fr. Lombardi and ask questions.

REGARDING THE VAMP

The Holy See Press Office organized a media group consisting of media representatives from all over the world to accompany the Holy Father Pope Francis cover the Papal events in Sri Lanka and the Philippines.

Known as the Vatican Accredited Media Personnel or VAMP, it is tasked to cover the papal visit at restricted and advantage points and to be with the Holy Father in the Papal Plane as he journeys from Rome to Sri Lanka to the Philippines and back to Rome. 

They will create pools on rotation basis in areas of restricted access.

They shall also be with the Holy Father as he conducts press briefings while inside the plane.

The Holy See Press Office has included in its official list fourteen Filipino journalists.  These come from the our four Filipino broadcast TV Stations, the Radio-TV Malacañang, Radio Veritas, CBCP Media and one from UCAN News.

The names of the fourteen Filipino journalists are as follows:

	NAME	SURNAME	PRESS ORGANIZATION	WORK
1	Nino	MANALO	9TV	CAMERAMAN
2	Ana Patricia Hontiveros	PAGKALINAWAN	9TV	REPORTER
3	Lynda Jumilla	ABALOS	ABS CBN NEWS	REPORTER
4	Ariel	FULGADO	ABS CBN NEWS	CAMERAMAN
5	Cicero Roy	LAGARDE	CBCP NEWS	REPORTER
6	Kara Patria	DAVID	GMA NETWORK	REPORTER
7	Melchor	QUINTOS	GMA NETWORK	CAMERAMAN
8	Joselito	ZULUETA	PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER	REPORTER
9	Marco Paolo	BOMBASE	PHILIPPINES POOL TV	CAMERAMAN
10	Wilfred Delgado	HERRERA	PHILIPPINES POOL TV	EDITOR
11	Gregory Ramon	GASTON	RADYO VERITAS	REPORTER
12	Arvin	RILLERA	TV5 NETWORK INC.	CAMERAMAN
13	Jhemmylrut	TENG	TV5 NETWORK INC.	REPORTER
14	Jose Adrias	TORRES	UCAN NEWS	REPORTER

There are a total of 80 VAMP including the 72 international press organizations, 7 Vatican Press Organizations, and 1 overall coordinator. (Report by Fr. Joselito Jopson)

Pope Francis to make courtesy call to Phl President

MANILA - The Holy Father Pope Francis will make a courtesy call to Philippine President Benigno Aquino III at the Malacañang Palace on January 16, 2015 starting 9:15 in the morning.

Not only is the Pope’s visit an apostolic visit; his visit to the Philippines is also a state visit, as he is the head of the Vatican which is regarded as the smallest internationally recognized independent state but at the same time the main Episcopal see of more than 1.2 billion Catholics from all over the globe.

The courtesy call will be highlighted by the singing of the two national anthems and hoisting of the flags of the two countries, the introduction of the Philippine delegation to the Holy Father by the President of the Philippines and the introduction of the papal delegation by the Holy Father to President P-Noy.

The members of Pangkat Kawayan will fill the air with Filipino music while the Holy Father and President proceed to the Reception Hall for the signing of the Official Guest book.  They will proceed to the Music Room for the official courtesy call and viewing of gifts.

The immediate members of the President’s family are also expected to be introduced to the Holy Father and greet him.

Pope Francis and President Aquino will both deliver their remarks in the Ceremonial Hall for the general audience with Senior Government officials and members of the diplomatic corps and members of the Senate and House of Representatives.

Then the Holy Father will take his leave and board the vehicle going to the Manila Cathedral where he will meet with the bishops, clergy, and religious of the Philippines. (Report by Fr. Joselito Jopson)

Gentle Reminders for the Papal Visit 2015

Press statement for the Encounter of Pope Francis with the Youth at UST

Official statement of Paranaque Bishop Jess Mercado on the Papal Visit 2015

Official statement of Bishop Jess on behalf of the people of Paranaque and the rest of the Philippines in welcoming the Holy Father

Statement for the media

Dear friends,

I cannot be present with you this morning because we priests of the Diocese of Parañaque are offering a special Mass for our brother priests and esteemed lay leaders who have passed away in 2014. They have spent their lives for God and for country. We owe them our thanks and our prayers. We are also having our Advent recollection in preparation for the 2015 Year of the Poor. Our theme is “Pamayanan ng mga abá, bayang pinagpala”.

Nevertheless, i am happy to send this greeting to you. We shall be welcoming the Holy Father at dusk on January 15next year. Despite the gathering darkness, we plan to brighten the night with the warmth of our love. Pope Francis, as the successor of St. Peter and Vicar of Christ, speaks not only for Jesus, but especially in behalf of the poor. When he disembarks from the plane, 1200 young men and women will greet him with vibrant music and dance. Two children will offer him flowers. They will be orphans who have come to know God as our Father through the love and care of selfless men and women.

We are still working on other details. We shall share them with you so that you can share our excitement, because Pope Francis has brought us together: man and women of faith, men and women of government. We thank God for the good will with which we work together. We are confident that, after the Pope’s plane has left on January 19, after the red carpet has been rolled up, after the last light bulb has been switched off, we shall sleep soundly with the hope that Filipinos can forge a nation of mercy and compassion through a life of integrity: personal integrity, integrity in the family, integrity in work and in politics, integrity in communities of faith, promoting the integrity of creation.

God bless you all!

+ Jesse E. Mercado

Chairman, Arrival-Departure Committee

Press Briefing, Dec. 2, 2014