REPORTING THE PAPAL VISIT: Transmitting charisma, faith and spirituality

On July 29 last year, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) made official the dates for the visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines, less than five months away on Jan. 15 to 19, 2015.

Pope Francis is the third pope to visit Asia’s largest Roman Catholic country. Pope Paul VI visited the Philippines in 1970, Pope John Paul II, now Saint John Paul II, in 1981 and 1995.

Pope Francis flew to the Philippines on January 15. On board the special flight of the Sri Lankan Airlines accompanied by 71 members of the Vatican Accredited Media Personnel (VAMP), including 14 Filipino journalists.

The Center for Media Freedom & Responsibility (CMFR) monitored Manila broadsheets Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Philippine Star, and Manila Bulletin and television news programs ABS-CBN 2’s TV Patrol, GMA-7’s 24 Oras, 9TV’s Network News, and TV5’s Aksyon from January 1 to January 19.

Waiting for the Pope

Cardinal Mario Bergoglio of Argentina was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on Dec. 17, 1936 in Buenos Aires. On June 3, 1997 he was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Buenos Aires and succeeded Cardinal Antonio Quarracino on Feb. 28, 1998. He was not best known among the papabili when the papal conclave gathered to elect a new head of the Roman Catholic Church after the unprecedented resignation of then Pope Benedict in February 2013. The papacy had always been regarded as a position for life and his sudden departure from the seat of authority received media attention from around the world.

With Catholics numbering 1.2 billion globally, the election of a new pope has always been a major news event. In February 2013, there seemed more than the usual media attention and excitement surrounding a process which could take days or even weeks. Both CNN and the BBC inserted analysis and interviews into their coverage with information about the tradition, the sequestered cardinals, the signal of white smoke from the Vatican chimney to announce the gathering of a majority behind one man. ABS-CBN 2 and GMA-7 sent star anchors to report from the Vatican.

While descended from Europeans, Mario Bergoglio grew up in Latin America and was among the small number of prelates from the New World — Asia, Africa and Latin America — religious leaders who could bring about deep changes in the outlook of the Vatican. Pope Francis presented a new face to the faithful, stepping out dressed only in the simple white vestments, refusing the red shoes that caught the attention of fashion observers when Benedict was shod by Prada. He decided to continue to live in the simple quarters he had occupied as a visiting cardinal at th e Domus Sanctae Marthae (Santa Marta Hotel). When giving his blessing to the waiting faithful outside, he asked them to pray for him.

Since his election, Pope Francis gained the kind of global media following reserved mostly for the biggest stars in the sky of entertainment. He might even have exceeded the celebrity status of some of these personalities. As spiritual leader, he attracted Catholics who admitted having fallen away. Others who were not Catholics and even those who did not have belong to any religion proclaimed admiration for the man. Clearly, Catholic Filipinos were avid pope-watchers, hooked and tuned in on the media coverage from the period of preparation.

Presuming more than the ordinary curiosity for news and given the exceeding fervor of interest of Filipino Catholics in this pope, the challenge to the country’s media was no longer to draw and keep an audience. Rather, the challenge called media to level up and provide meaningful coverage that had both scope and substance.

As the date approached, the press cast a wide net to capture everything that could be of interest, that could provide color and human interest, from presentation of musicals about the life of the pope to a variety of folk art and crafts rendering his image, a litany of testimonies and witnessing from ardent believers, and details, details and more details about the plans and preparations of government agencies, church committees, lay groups. At some point, one wished for the arrival date to come more quickly for a reason other than eagerness to see the pope, but to silence the talking heads and perhaps to restrain the excessive effort to establish the connection of the subject or the topic to the public.

The media verged on killing the genuine anticipation for the event with an overload of talk.

But perhaps, it was not all media’s fault. Most of the time, the quality of content provided informs not only content but also the style of reporting. In terms of hard information about the visit, there was little to be had until this had final approval and the process of confirmation was not clarified. The local authorities, church and government have themselves may have erred for trying to share as much information when the plans had yet to get final approval of Vatican, meaning, the Pope himself.

Hard News

The media started their daily reporting about the pope and his trip to Asia on November 14 when the CBCP held its first briefing of a series of meetings to provide information about the planning and preparation for the papal visit. Because the visit was both a papal and state visit, the government was represented by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. and Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr.

From then on, the CBCP and the government became the media’s primary sources of information for the period. This should have included information covering the key areas involved in such a huge event: Security, Schedule/Itinerary, Programs/Events, Liturgy, Protocol and Arrangements for Arrival/Departure, other logistical matters such as food and accommodations.

Majority of the reports about the papal visit from November 14 to January 14 were on the preparations being made by the government and church authorities in the Philippines. The media asked questions about plans which of course could not be definite until final approval by the Vatican. Neither could security matters be discussed, for obvious reasons.

This did not stop the CBCP from holding 10 media briefings from November 14 to January 12, lasting about an hour. These featured many talking heads from the Church, including lay groups; and the authority or role of each speaker was not always well established.

Television news programs started to add special segments with information on dates, aspects of security, logistics and other ancillary activities (TV Patrol, Thank You sa Malasakit; 24 Oras, Ang People’s Pope sa Pilipinas; Aksyon, #DearPopeFrancis; and, Network News, Pope Francis in the Philippines a Spiritual Journey) on November 14.

Three days before the papal visit (January 12), Aksyon dedicated 80.17 percent of their average airtime for reports about the visit. TV Patrol dedicated 73.58 percent; Network News dedicated 66.33 percent; and 24 Oras dedicated 64.65 percent of their total running time.

Itinerary and Protocol

In the CBCP’s media briefing on November 14, Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle revealed the official itinerary of Pope Francis during his visit — the estimated time of arrival, the meetings that the Pope would have, when the Pope would celebrate Mass, and his scheduled departure.

In later press briefings, the media asked about the language that the Pope would use in his speeches and in saying Mass, the people invited to the Pope’s Mass at the Manila Cathedral, and the estimated attendance for the Mass at the Quirino Grandstand.

The media also informed the public about the schedule of road closures and alternate routes during the papal visit courtesy of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). Media noted the dry run conducted by the MMDA which closed the roadways in the city from Villamor Airbase in Pasay to the Apostolic Nunciature in Manila.

The papal visit was essentially pastoral in purpose but the Pope was also a visiting head of state. On September 30, Aquino had signed Memorandum Circular No. 72 which directed the creation of a Papal Visit National Organizing Committee (PV-NOC). Executive Secretary Ochoa headed the committee. Secretaries of the different government departments were members of the PV-NOC.

As in all papal visits, the Papal Nunciature was where the Pope would stay — and this was reported by the media, quoting retired Lingayen Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz in early December. There was little said about the office and residence of the Papal Nuncio which has been home of every serving head of mission since 1902.

Security preparations

As early as January 10, the Armed Forces of the Philippines had been placed on red alert to “ensure that no enemies of the state can take advantage of the country’s preparations and excitement for the papal visit.” (“Military on red alert for Pope’s visit,” Bulletin, http://www.mb.com.ph/military-on-red-alert-for-popes-visit/)

Reports said some 25,000 policemen, 7,000 soldiers, and 5,000 reservists had been assigned to secure Pope Francis during his visit to the country. Other security details such as deployment of signal jammers in the areas the Pope would visit and a ban on carrying backpacks and umbrellas during the mass at the Quirino Grandstand were also reported.

The media emphasized the difficulties of securing the Pope, describing it as much “more challenging” than securing United States President Barack Obama who visited the country last April. Pope Francis is known to “spring surprises and break security protocols” to meet people, the media quoted authorities in their reports.

The Pope had also said that he wanted an “open-sided, non-bullet proof, non-air conditioned” “Pope mobile,” adding to the concerns about the visit’s being the “greatest security nightmare” that the Philippines can have this year.

In interviews and press briefings, President Benigno S. Aquino III said the government was preparing for worst-case scenarios during the Pope’s visit, including a stampede and a terrorist attack. The government also shared its contingency plans in case the initial security plan did not work.

Logistics

Because so many people would be in the metropolis, the MMDA played a most important role in the preparation. Traffic routes had to be mapped out, and strict time and motion studies served as the basis of the actual itinerary. These matters were not fully discussed during the briefings.

The decision to declare a four-day holiday in Manila from January 15 to 19 to ease the congestion that makes such a hardship of transport around the city even without a major event had been announced by Malacañang on December 23.

The media covered the preparation of concrete barricades which were lined up along the papal route. Aside from the 23,000 pieces of concrete barricades, the policemen who were assigned to secure the Pope also served as part of the human barricade during the papal visit. Another human barricade was formed by thousands of volunteers composed of parishioners, civil society, members of religious sectors, students, barangay officials, and barangay police officers to further secure the Pope from the crowd.

The increasingly uncertain weather complicated the plans. As the date of the visit neared, weather reports said the low-pressure area approaching the country had become a storm and was expected to hit the Eastern Visayas on January 17, when Pope Francis was scheduled to celebrate Mass in Tacloban.

Subsequent reports carried an interview with Palo Archbishop John Du, who said the “visit will continue even if the Pope is soaked with rains while riding the Pope mobile.” Archbishop Du was a member of the papal visit finance committee.

As an alternate plan, Church leaders in Leyte reportedly proposed to move the events in Tacloban and Palo to Sunday (January 18) and hold the events in Metro Manila on Saturday (January 17). Reports also quoted authorities saying the Pope’s flight may be diverted to Mactan Cebu International Airport in case of “foul weather.”

The media also did reports on the number of priests expected to concelebrate Mass with the Pope at the Manila Cathedral and Quirino Grandstand, the number of choir and orchestra members, the number of lay ministers who were going to help out in the Mass, the number of LED screens that were set up, and the number of journalists who were granted credentials to the papal visit coverage, among others.

Potential cost of the visit was also discussed. Catholic Church leaders according to reports were seeking to hold the level of expenses at PHP70 million.

Events and Programs

The schedule of the Pope included his arrival at the Villamor Airbase on January 15 followed by a motorcade to the Apostolic Nunciature; the welcome ceremony in Malacañang, the courtesy visit to the President, meeting with authorities and diplomatic corps, speech by Pope Francis, Holy Mass with the religious at the Manila Cathedral, and meeting with families at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena on January 16; concelebrated Mass at the Tacloban airport, lunch with Yolanda survivors at the Archbishop’s Residence in Palo, blessing of the Pope Francis Center for the Poor, and meeting with the religious at the Palo Cathedral on January 17; and meeting with the youth and different religious leaders at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) and concluding Mass at the Quirino Grandstand on January 18.

The Pope was expected to meet with typhoon Yolanda and Bohol earthquake survivors, hence the reports on the “search” for those invited to attend the papal lunch in Leyte.

The media did ask about the selection process which determined who would get the invitations to be able to sit at the papal events. Reports said the pre-selected representatives were chosen by their respective dioceses. The Mass at the Tacloban Airport and Quirino Grandstand were open to the public and were on a first come first serve basis.

Soft News

While the majority of the reports about the papal visit were focused on the preparations, there were also a number of stories that featured other collateral activities, including the special stamps issued by the Philippine Postal Corporation to commemorate the first visit to the country of Pope Francis; Jamie Rivera and the story behind “We are all God’s Children,” the official theme song of the papal visit, other souvenirs and collectibles, among these, “pope biscuits.”

The menu of lunch with Pope in Leyte, the preparation of the choir members who would sing in Pope Francis’ masses, the list and language of the songs and the hymns for the papal masses, the barricades that were put up in the areas where the pope was going to celebrate mass were also among the themes reported by the media.

The Star interviewed four Filipinos who work for Pope Francis in the Vatican, with all of them saying that “serving the Pope is a blessing beyond compare.” (“4 Pinoys working for Pope Francis,” Star, http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2015/01/11/1411693/4-pinoys-working-pope-francis)

TV Patrol on January 12 interviewed Filipinos in Rome about their encounter with the Pope and their hope for his visit in the Philippines. The news program on January 13 also interviewed a member of the Presidential Security Group who shared how his team provided security during Pope John Paul’s visit in 1995.

A January 11 report from the Bulletin interviewed Cebuanos who had met the late Pope John Paul II and how meeting him affected their lives. (“Cebuanos recall the impact of their Papal encounters,” Bulletin, http://www.mb.com.ph/cebuanos-recall-the-impact-of-their-papal-encounters/)

The special segments featured ordinary people from different sectors who shared their experiences in meeting the pope prior to his visit.

Among the most featured persons was a teen with cerebral palsy from Bicol. He was one of the lucky few to hear the mass of Pope Francis at the MOA Arena on January 16. The reports highlighted the cross-stitch he had done with his feet of the Maria Dolorosa (Our Lady of Sorrows), his personal gift for the Pope.

There were also a few background stories. The Star on January 8 wrote about “The Swiss Guard’s living history,” giving the readers background on the Pope’s soldiers, their skills and tasks, and their “history and their role as modern-day guardians and as a Vatican institution.” (Star, http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2015/01/08/1410643/papal-swiss-guards-living-history)

The Inquirer on January 12 explained “Why Popes have special attachment to UST.” The report said it has been a “tradition” for popes to visit a “pontifical” university like UST. It added that UST is under the supervision of the Apostolic See and its title as pontifical university was bestowed by Pope Leo XIII in 1902.

Aksyon partnered with PLDT My Home DSL for its segment “Buhay ng Papa” where they featured an animation of trivia about the life of Pope Francis. The segment noted facts about Father Bergoglio before and after he became Pope Francis.

Welcoming Pope Francis

In the coverage of the visit itself, television took the lead. This is the kind of mammoth event that holds up its unique and unparalleled capacity to place the person in the place, in the midst of the crowds, participating while staying at home.

It remains the only medium that can transmit the force of personality and the connection a famous person makes with the throng. The coverage achieved this, keeping the audience as close to the subject as possible. Shots showed the warmth of the smile, the raised hands and the emotional reach of his figure as he turned from one side to the other, to see the crowds as well as to be seen by his ardent followers from both sides of the road.

The quick movement from one camera to another placed the viewer always in the best spot, providing the close-up view of the visage, as he waited seated through the plane window until it was time for him to emerge from the plane, as the wind blew away his skullcap when he stepped out of the plane, the instant recognition of and warm long abrazo for Cardinal Tagle, and the tired stoop of a man who had traveled such a distance at 78.

The viewer at home caught moments of anxious exchange  during the program at the UST as Msgr. Mark Gerald Milles who usually stood at the Pope’s side came in from off-stage to whisper something to the Pope and the Pope’s monosyllabic response, inaudible but clear, “Si!”  We saw better than perhaps the people from farther away from the stage how Pope Francis prompted the interpreter with his hands so that he could speed up the translation of his words. Perhaps, the viewer was also able to appreciate the greater intensity with which he spoke in Spanish and his more restrained and less engaged use of English.

The audience at home saw the gifts and pieces of paper given and handed to the security standing on the sides of the moving Pope mobile, the images of the Sto. Niño held up along with the infants raised by parents from the crowd for his blessing and his kiss.

From January 15 to 19, all of the three broadsheets’ front page reports were on the Pope, his Asian trip or related stories. Both the Inquirer and the Star’s banner headlines were about Archbishop Socrates Villegas’ call on the people to welcome Pope Francis “with all our hearts, with all our minds, and with wide open arms.” The media had already followed his engagements in Sri Lanka. Video insets of the live coverage were running on screen in the entire span of the news programs. Reports said that the pope’s visit in Sri Lanka is in line with the canonization of Sri Lanka’s first saint, Blessed Joseph Vaz. The reports also pointed out that the pope’s visit was focused on the post-war reconciliation after the end of the brutal civil war in the country in 2009.

As the public waited for Pope Francis to arrive at the Villamor Airbase, the broadcast media talked about what was happening on the ground, the dance rehearsals of the children welcoming the pope, the excitement of the public, the President Aquino and other dignitaries taking their positions on the reception line.

The media provided blow by blow accounts of the pope’s arrival, from his departure from Sri Lanka to his departure for Rome.

Reports in the press repeated what TV viewers saw during live coverage of the pope’s visit. What Pope Francis said in his speeches and masses, the “little Swiss guards,” the launch of a limited edition papal coins, Aquino’s customary gift for the pope, what the Pope did in Tacloban, where he visited, his lunch with Yolanda survivors, the closed vehicle that he used, the one million transparent raincoats distributed to and worn by pilgrims in Palo, the pilot who took control of Shepherd One to and from Tacloban City amid stormy weather.

The media also reminded the public about the schedule of road closures and alternate routes during the papal visit and provided maps and infographics.

From Street to Studio

According to the CBCP, 3,000 media members received accreditations to cover the visit, and organizations assigned their personnel to spots along the papal route, in the crowd or from some vantage point apart from the crowds.

The television news channels did full coverage of the papal visit, devoting time and video footage of every single event of his visit, excluding only his time at the Nunciature and the duration of his flight to and from Tacloban.

The reports on camera were efficient, noting location in relation to where the pope was and the people at home felt they were moving right along with the Pope mobile itself. The media also captured the accounts of pilgrims as they waited on the streets, the length of their wait, the distance they traveled, how they provided for food and shelter during their wait.

It was hit-or-miss when it came to the inevitable chit-chat that reporters or anchors resort to fill dead air time, or when they were overcome by their own enthusiasm or fervor.

Noli de Castro on January 15 reported live from the Apostolic Nunciature where the Pope stayed in Manila during his visit. Upon the Pope’s arrival, the news anchor joined the people calling the Pope, “Lolo Kiko!”

On January 18, GMA-7’s Joseph Morong could not contain his excitement when he saw the Pope during his concluding mass at the Quirino Grandstand. He joined the people cheering for the pope while reporting. Jessica Soho told him, “Kalma lang (Stay calm).”

Perhaps, it could not be helped, given the length of coverage, for the commentary and exchange among anchors and reporters to dip into triviality and banal remarks.

Korina Sanchez said “. . .mukha talaga siyang aparisyon na lumulutang sa kalye kahit saan siya magpunta. . .siya po ay makikita pa rin sa kaniyang puting puting damit (he really looks like an apparition floating on the streets wherever he went. . .you’ll see him wearing pure white).” She was commenting on the lighting of the Pope mobile that carried Pope Francis from the Villamor Airbase to the Apostolic Nunciature.

The comparison of the Pope to a “rock star” echoed in the various media commentary.

On GMA-7’s morning live coverage on January 19, Mike Enriquez asked Arnold Clavio to buy him two Pope Francis shirts. Clavio told them how much the shirts cost to which Mel Tiangco replied: “Kahit 500 pesos pa ‘yan basta na-bless ni Pope (Even if it costs PHP 500 as long as the Pope blessed it).”

Among others, Aksyon and Network News stood out for having greater restraint and calm in their commentary and other annotations. Network News reporters managed to provide information about substantial matters during the papal motorcade.

Menchu Macapagal, who reported live from Pasay on January 15, was able to discuss the interrupted mobile signal interruptions. She said that she received messages from her mobile service provider that signals will be down in areas including Makati, Pasay and Manila — basically areas where the Pope will be staying.

Coverage switched to studio talk between events. Television news channels invited resource persons mostly priests and people from the Roman Catholic sectors to their studios and were aired from January 15 to 19 during the live coverage of the papal visit.

Ron Cruz on ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) notably picked up the Pope’s off-text remark during his homily at the Cathedral and led the discussion of the insight: “if we take out the poor from the Gospel, there is little left”. . .which was the heart of not only of his homily but perhaps, reflected the core of his own spirituality.

From the written copy: “But the Gospel is also a summons to conversion, to an examination of our consciences, as individuals and as a people. As the Bishops of the Philippines have rightly taught, the Church in the Philippines is called to acknowledge and combat the causes of the deeply rooted inequality and injustice which mar the face of Filipino society, plainly contradicting the teaching of Christ. The Gospel calls individual Christians to live lives of honesty, integrity and concern for the common good. But it also calls Christian communities to create ‘circles of integrity,’ networks of solidarity which can expand to embrace and transform society by their prophetic witness. The poor. . .The poor are at the center of the Gospel, are at the heart of the Gospel. If we take away the poor from the Gospel, we cannot understand the whole message of Jesus Christ.”

Personal experience

Some journalists became the subjects of their own reports as well.

On January 12, Kara David of GMA-7 reported an update from Rome. The reporter said that the Pope had asked for prayers for his eight day visit in Asia. David also shared her experience in the Vatican as she waited for the Pope to appear in the Basilica’s windows to greet the people. David noted that everybody was “emotional.”

On the same date, TV Patrol featured a special titled “Covering the Pope.” The special featured Korina Sanchez who shared her experience in covering papal events.

Lynda Jumilla of ABS-CBN 2 and Carla Lim of TV5 also shared their experience on the papal plane where they had a brief encounter with the Pope. Jumilla said in her report that she was “awed” by the Pope’s presence. She said she gave him a drawing that her kids have created. Lim shared that during her moment with the Pope, she gave him a letter from a co-worker’s sick child.

Jiggy Manicad of GMA-7 reported in 24 Oras’ January 17 coverage about his own encounter with the Pope. The report showed a video of himself trying to get near the pope to give him a gift. He said he gave Pope Francis a letter which contained his prayers for the country and messages of gratitude. Manicad said he was inspired by Pope Francis’ faith.

Some reporters also took “selfies” of their encounters with the Pope.

Newspapers’ special coverage

The Bulletin published a special supplement about the Pope throughout the duration of the papal visit in the country. It provided “interesting facts about Pope Francis,” quotable quotes by the pope, what prominent people say about him, and personal accounts of people who have met him.

The Inquirer also published in a special supplement with a background story about papal visits since 1970 and Pope Francis’ moments that became viral in social media while the Star in its Features page published “messages from Filipinos from all walks of life.” The Star and Inquirer published their special supplement on the Pope on January 15.

The media noted that in most of Pope Francis’ speeches and homilies, he opted to speak in Spanish and disregarded his prepared text to “speak from the heart.”

The homilies and speeches were aired live on television, but were not published in print.

Missing the Point

In all, media may have missed the point and meaning of it all. While each pope is called the Vicar of Christ, not all popes are the same, their charisma draws from different sources, their character, personality, spirituality.

The extensive coverage drew more from the people’s preparation to welcome him; but lacked the input from other sources to help Filipinos truly understand this pope and the qualities peculiar to his leadership that has heralded possibilities for transformation even without any indication of changing doctrine.

There has been much written about this papacy and the two years that Mario Bergoglio has been Pope Francis. These resources may not be too easy to incorporate into the kind of programming that local television is used to doing when reporting celebrity events — but there should have been more effort to ground the exercise with insights and ideas of others who have spent time to understand this Pope, his spirituality and the issues confronting the Catholic Church.

As forceful as his charisma may be, the transformative effect does not just happen. It also calls for the faithful to learn and glean from others so they too can move beyond the magic of the moment to work as well on moving toward real transformation.

Outstanding exceptions were the following:

Toward this, the three newspapers did well to provide a reading list for those who wanted to know more about the Pope.

ANC also aired and replayed a documentary produced by Rome Reports called “Francis: The People’s Pope.” With sub-titles in Filipino, the film helped Filipinos to understand the political complexity that shaped his responses in Argentina and the spiritual journey of Mario Bergoglio.

GMA-7 also aired a documentary produced by the Knights of Columbus in Rome on December 14 called “Francis: The Pope from the New World.” Soho translated and narrated the film in Filipino.

The media picked up the tone set by this Pope who said he would not spend time with the high and mighty, except as obliged by protocol, that he wanted  primarily to be with those who lost everything after Yolanda to join him at the table for a meal.

And yet, some of the events belied this as the selection of those who were able to get tickets and given special sections were not entirely reflective of the pope’s preference to see and to meet with the poor and the struggling among his flock. Some events could have been planned differently. The audience with the families at the MOA did not seem to be as inclusive as the Pope would have wanted. To whom did the clergy give the precious tickets that would have gained them admission? It was easy to see that the preference was given to the “not so poor.” Even the selected representatives of the oversees-Filipino-workers (OFWs) families, the street children and young leaders seemed dressed in their best, which seemed almost too well dressed for a pope like Francis.

Incorporation of Social Media

News media organizations incorporated social media in their reporting and enhanced the sense of participation for everyone online, at home or out in the streets.

They used several hashtags to aggregate comments and experiences on the papal visit from the public. TV5 used #DearPopeFrancis; GMA-7, #BlessedbythePope, #PapalVisitPH, #PopeFrancisPH; ABS-CBN-2, #PopeTYSM, #PopeFrancisPH; and 9TV, #PopeFrancisPH.

Aside from reports on the papal coverage, Aksyon in its special segment #DearPopeFrancis included featured messages from Twitter. The program also had a special segment where they featured the people and their stories behind the best #DearPopeFrancis tweets.

Network News coverage included featured messages and photos from people on their experiences and hopes during the Pope’s five-day visit. They utilized all the social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

For the most part, the tweets were simply expressions of personal feeling:

“Hindi man kita nasilayan n(an)g mas matagal sa malapitan kakaiba pa rin yung naramdaman ko at naging experience ko sa ‘yo (I may not have seen you up close up long enough, but I felt your presence, I value the experience). Thank You, Pope Francis! Continue praying for us and for our country. Hanggang (sa) muli (until the next time).” –Riza Fariñas, Facebook

“Waited four hours, But it was all worth it. Everyone around was shouting while I stood there speechless and can’t believe that the Pope’s just in front of me smiling gracefully. Oh that genuine and heart melting smile such a meaningful experience. All for the Glory of God.” –Greanne Ballesta, Facebook

“I’m not a Catholic but I’m blessed by your humility by compassion. God bless you. I love those who love Jesus. #PopeFrancisPH.” – Carl Cuyugan-Watt, Twitter

For CMFR, the standout tweet from Deo Landicho: “Will the PH be a different country after this. . .”

What Next?

On January 18, Pia Hontiveros’ exchange with John Allen touched on the substance of what has been dubbed, “The Pope Francis effect.” Most of those who experienced the visit through television felt it just as much, the sense of goodness, like a soft afterglow that comes after a brilliant sunset.

But echoing Deo Landicho’s tweet (above): Filipino Catholics should be urged to think of some lasting impact of such a visit. What happens next? What permanent imprint will the visit have on our lives?

Television caught this in the exchange between Network News anchor Hontiveros and Vatican journalist John Allen. Allen has been watching and reporting on Pope Francis and his papacy.

The question should have probably been asked by Allen with Hontiveros giving the answer. However, it was articulated well enough, leading the public toward more thought and contemplation and perhaps action that would change lives and lessen the burden of the poor, the kind of difference that would give meaning to the public adulation of Pope Francis.

PIA HONTIVEROS: “Of course we need to go beyond the trip, and you know there are some people who say, okay good we have a really successful visit by Pope Francis when we showed him real grand Filipino welcome but what’s going to happen afterwards? So what is it for you, what is it that, that you think we need to do as a country, as a church?”

JOHN ALLEN: “I think the litmus test is this, the official motto of this visit was mercy and compassion. Like the test is a year from now, two years from now, five years from now, will the Philippines be a more merciful and a more compassionate society because they had internalized the message that Pope Francis delivered to them. They’ve owned the challenge that he laid before them and they put it into action. The thing is, you know, that’s not a choice that Pope Francis can make for the Philippines. That’s a choice that the Philippines have to make for themselves. So you ask me, is this going to last? My question would be, are you going to make it last?”

If it doesn’t last, then to most Filipinos, Pope Francis is just another “rock star.” Photos by Lito Ocampo