Palo Archbishop Updates Local Media on Papal Visit

Palo, Leyte – This Year of the Poor espouses the true meaning of Christmas.

This was the Christmas message of Archbishop John Du of the Archdiocese of Palo which he read to media people during the papal visit update, Monday, December 22.

A weekly press conference is done every Monday to update the local media on the run-on to the papal visit to the Province of Leyte particularly Tacloban City and the town of Palo, the two hardest hit areas devastated by typhoon Yolanda.

As guest in the weekly press conference, Archbishop Du proceeded to update the local media through answers to the questions posed by the media to the papal visit scheduled January 17, 2014.

Archbishop Du informed that the Pope will be taking lunch with 30 survivors of calamities from Bohol and parts of Eastern Visayas.

It was learned that of the 30 survivors 5 will come from Bohol; 5 from Borongan in Eastern Samar; 5 from Calbayog in Samar and 15 from Tacloban, Palo, Tolosa and Tanauan, all are in Leyte.

It was further learned that the criteria for the selection of the 30 survivors chosen to eat with the Holy Father included a totally destroyed dwelling, loss of lives of the family involved and the suffering of the survivors during the pre and post Yolanda scenario.

Luis Cardinal Tagle and Archbishop Du will also be part of the invited who will lunch with the Pope.

The number of bishops will be from 10-15 to say mass with the Pope at the airport at 10:30 in the morning of his arrival.

The bishops will come from the eleven dioceses of Palo, Borongan, Calbayog, Maasin, Cebu, Capiz, Jaro, Palawan, Tagbilaran and from Panay island. (ajc/PIA-8)