President Benigno S. Aquino III led the send-off ceremony for Pope
Francis, who left for Rome on Monday (Jan. 19) after a five-day state
and apostolic visit to the country.
Joining the President at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City were
Catholic bishops and Cabinet officials, among them Cabinet Secretary
Jose Rene Almendras, Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla, Science and
Technology Secretary Mario Montejo, Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez,
Environment Secretary Ramon Paje, Communication Secretary Herminio
Coloma, Jr., Agrarian Reform Secretary Virgilio de los Reyes, and Social
Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman.
Pope Francis left at about 10:12 a.m. via Philippine Airlines Flight PR 8010.
Some 400 street children under the care of the social welfare department
and other foundations performed as part of the send-off ceremony.
Pope Francis' visit to the Philippines was the second leg of his Asian tour that also covered Sri Lanka.
His grand mass on Sunday at the Quirino Grandstand drew a record crowd
of 6 million despite the stormy weather, breaking a 1995 record when 5
million attended a similar event led by Pope John Paul II in the same
venue.
Prior to the mass on Sunday, Pope Francis met with youths at the University of Sto. Tomas.
The highlight of the pope's visit to the Philippines was his meeting
with survivors of Typhoon Yolanda last year, which killed thousands of
people and destroyed communities and livelihood. (PCOO News Release)
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