Welcome 2015 Special Issue on Happy New Year! Pope Francis’ PH Visit JANUARY 2015 Vol. 4 No. 1 January is month of the Santo Niño THANK YOU, LOLO KIKO! FOR BRAVING STORMY WEATHER IN TACLOBAN FOR CONSOLING YOLANDA SURVIVORS FOR REMINDING PRES. PINOY ON CORRUPTION FOR INSPIRING HOPE ON FILIPINOS Like the historic promise of Gen. approaching the Leyte capital from Douglas MacArthur to return and the west instead of from the east. finally landing in Leyte, Pope Francis But the Pope has to cut short his made a similar vow to land in the Leyte schedules and had to leave same spot in Palo, Leyte to fulfill his hours early to avoid flying head on vow to visit and sympathize with the against the storm and returned safe- victims and survivors of typhoon ly to Manila. Yolanda. A rented private executive jet carry- Braving a strong incoming storm in ing some members of President the Visayas, His Holiness went on Aquino’s cabinet were not as lucky with a scheduled flight fraught with as it met an accident at the airport, risk, landed safely in Tacloban air- skidding off the runway on its take- port in time to say mass before thou- off on the return to Manila. sands of adoring Taclobenos and Pope Francis is shown with the orphans of Tulay ng Kabataan Foundation in Manila other Filipino pilgrims. The Leyte trip was the denouement of a passionate plot of a 5-day It was about Filipinos who were vic- He said it was his wish to personally The pilot of the Philippine Airlines “pastoral visit” of the popular and tims and survivors of Yolanda that convey his “mercy and compassion”. airbus plane had to change his flight the purpose of the Pope’s visit to the humble pontiff known as the Peo- Maraming salamat po, Lolo Kiko! route to avoid the swirling storm ple’s Pope to the Philippines. Philippines became a reality. Pope Francis: Filipinos' Feast of the joy is genuine NAZARENE by Lynda Jumilla (REPRINTED from ABS-CBN News) draws a ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT – At “A people that knows how to suffer, the end of his five-day apostolic and a people capable of rising up,” HUGE crowd voyage to the Philippines, Pope said the Pope, speaking to journal- Francis described Filipinos as hav- ists on Philippine Airlines flight ing joy that is genuine, enthusiasm 8010 from Manila to Rome. that is not fake, actions that are Francis said the most moving mo- from the heart – despite all their suffering. (Continued on page 8) Pnoy whines against clergy in front of Pope See related story President Noynoy Aquino's wel- But he attacked the same members on Page 6 come speech at Malacan ang slam- of the Catholic clergy who opposed ming the clergy drew a lot of flak for some of his administration’s moves its "tactless diplomacy" and lack of and programs.. respect in front of a state visitor, Most reactions said his speech was Pope tells Pnoy: STOP CORRUPTION Pope Francis. out of place, inappropriate given The president talked at length on that his visitor was the head of the his family's sacrifices and persecu- world's catholic clergy. tion at the hands of the dictator Former senator Kit Tatad gives his Marcos wherein he narrated the Serrrrrr…. insights on the president's speech. courage of some members of the sabi ni Pope itigil church in fighting martial rule. See page 3 na ang corruption ‘Wag kang maingay… WAVES News stand behind freedom of expression for Kailangan pa namin our late brothers in Paris, France ang DAP “Je suis Charlie” IN SOLIDARITY January 2015 2 Waves Filipinos Making News January 2015 3 Waves Filipinos Making News Manila Feedback Thank you, Pope Francis; Why “LOLO KIKO”? Goodbye, B.S. Aquino 3rd! Filipino ambassador believes Pope Francis visit will have a ’huge impact’ By Francisco S. Tatad (Reprinted from Manila Times) Pope Francis’s impact on the Aquino’s speech the real Filipinos defied all our high- offense est expectations. On the other Yet, this was only a minor hand, President B. S. Aquino offense. Aquino’s real and 3rd’s performance as host of unforgivable offense was his the state-portion of the “welcome speech” for the Pope’s four-day apostolic and Pope. My knowledge of the state visit exceeded our worst English language has not fears. equipped me with the right The 78-year-old pilgrim Pope word to adequately describe renewed our spirits and took that speech. The least one our hearts away while Aquino could say is that it was done made us puke for his ill- in very bad taste. disguised boorishness and From the Holy Father to the lack of state manners. Today, members of the diplomatic as we thank and say goodbye corps and of the Cabinet, the to the Pope, we also bid Aqui- expression on everyone’s face no goodbye and good rid- was one of disbelief. Nothing dance. as unpresidential has been Worse than any typhoon heard from any Filipino presi- dent before. It was offensive Francis came to share the beyond measure, and I felt love of Christ with the poor, personally violated as I lis- and the victims of recent ca- tened to it. I felt as though I lamities. This was dramatized were being literally stepped most vividly in his emotion- upon in my face as I lay help- wrenching meeting with the less on the pavement. victims of last year’s super typhoon Haiyan /Yolanda in Putting the Pope on defen- Tacloban and Palo, Leyte on sive Saturday. The speech contained none of The advent of a new typhoon, the usual amenities, and which brought rains to East- started off with a pointed ern Visayas, threatened to statement that was meant to ruin the visit. But the real dis- put the Church and the Pope Mercedes Arrastia Tuason, Pope Francis. On a personal basis, let me aster that menaced the whole on the defensive. This is what event was something worse it said: the Philippines’ ambassador tell you an anecdote which than any typhoon–Aquino to the Holy See, told CNA’s The simplicity, humility and clearly illustrates Pope “Colonialism was brought to himself. He was the real ca- Antonio Gonsalves in a Jan. compassion of Pope Francis Francis’ charism of connect- our shores, partly by the ef- lamity. 15 interview she expects gives him an immediate ing with people. In a private forts of the conquistadores, Pope Francis’ visit this week nearness to people, and so audience with a group of Aquino ‘kisses’ the Pope’s and partly through the efforts to her nation “will make a he is able to connect in a Filipinos, he said: "I like the ring of the Church. When the cler- very personal manner to gy in that period was asked huge impact on the Filipino way the Filipinos take care Upon the Pope’s arrival, Aqui- everyone. By his manner of how they justified the injus- people,” and explained why of their elderly. You keep no stunned everyone when being, he gives us an exam- tices committed during the Pope Francis is known there them in your homes and you he bowed to kiss the Pope’s ple of how we, the laity and colonization of the Philip- as “Lolo Kiko.” take care of them your- ring–something which faith- pines, they responded by say- the rest of the ecclesial com- selves. You call them ful Catholics do as a sign of ing, the Kingdom of God is not The visit of Pope Francis munity, can go to the pe- ’lolo’ (which comes from the respect and reverence . The of this earth.” will be a major, historic ripheries to bring the Gos- Spanish term "abuelo" or next day, members of the event in the Philippines. His pel. This has been his inces- grandfather." Someone in Cabinet all kissed the papal Four hundred years of coloni- presence is certainly a much sant message right from the the group said: "In the Phil- ring during Pope Francis’s al history was being carica- needed booster shot that very beginning of his pontif- ippines, we call those whose call at Malacan ang. tured in one short paragraph will make a huge impact on icate. “Mercy and Compas- bereft of any scholarship. name is Francesco -- Kiko." As head of state receiving the the Filipino people. It will sion” is the core of his mes- True, the Spanish sword ac- Pope laughed and said: "And Pope in his capacity as head touch their spirits in a deep- sage, which reflects in the companied the Cross in Chris- so I am Lolo Kiko." From of the Vatican city-state, ly profound way. In a way, theme logo that highlights tianizing Filipinos. But who that moment on, Pope Fran- Aquino was expected to simp- we have become calloused Pope Francis’ visit to the specifically asked “the clergy cis to us is “Lolo Kiko,” for in ly to shake the Pope’s hand, in that period” to “justify the and have lost the sense of Philippines. the native Tagalog language as protocol requires. But we injustices” committed against what is a serious offense the word “lolo” means looked at this hand-kissing I am truly grateful, and so the natives? And who in the against moral principles, gaffe as a “gesture of solidari- are the rest of the Filipino grandfather, and “Kiko,” a clergy was asked to do so? and in part the country is ty” with the Catholic majority people, for the pastoral care nickname for Filipinos Who exactly said, “the King- besieged with confusion who constitute 85 percent of and concern that Pope Fran- named Francisco.