SEEING POPE FRANCIS IN PERSON

"SIR TELEPHONE CALL FROM OA-3, PLEASE ADVISE ALL OFFICERS TO PROCEED AT 250TH PAW." 

This is the text message I received at around 1313H (1:13pm) of Saturday (17 January 2015) while waiting for instruction in my room inside VILLAMOR AIR BASE (VAB)...

It was a GREAT PRIVILEGE to see the POPE...not a call of DUTY...with this UNIFORM...

Certainly, the most welcome text message that I ever received...it was a call of duty for us to proceed to a particular place of assembly in a specific time and required uniform or attire, but this time it was notably and remarkably more of a PRIVILEGE...indeed a GREAT PRIVILEGE...

It was an URGENT type of message. At first, I was wondering why that very early for us to proceed to the area where POPE FRANCIS was expected to arrive later in the afternoon. I don't have a television set yet in my room so I was not updated of the new development, wherein the POPE has to go back to Manila because of bad weather condition in Tacloban. I hurriedly changed to uniform and proceeded to the said area. I just walked and was able to avail of the E-car going to the registration area near the PAF museum. Actually, it was my first time to see the pope in person because I was not included in the detail for the JTF POPE. Early morning of Saturday, those who don't have direct participation to the departure of the POPE going to TACLOBAN were directed to report at the VAB GRANDSTAND for assembly and accounting purposes. We missed the opportunity to see the POPE that morning. So, that lucky Saturday afternoon I was destined to see the POPE in person during HIS arrival from TACLOBAN.

While at the registration area, I met a PMA classmate, assigned in the Army. We never met in person for a very long time. If my memory served me right, the last time we incidentally met was at the SMART-ARANETA COLISEUM several years ago after watching a PBA game. 

We, together with my PMA classmate and is son and people, were ferried by the E-CAR to the waiting area for another process to be able to enter the area of arrival of the POPE. While proceeding to the area, I met many familiar faces along the way. One of them was a classmate at AIM, now a congressman, together with his wife.  

When I was already in the actual area of arrival, I also met several individuals. Two of them were my students from the Philippine Air Force Officer Candidate School (PAFOCS). One from Class PAFROPP Class 2009, the other one is from POTC Class 2010. That day, I was not only destined to see HIS HOLINESS in person, but also persons whom I met before in the important stages of my JOURNEY in LIFE.

The view of the approaching PAL aircraft ferrying the POPE caused the people to shout. The area was filled by an ambiance of extreme excitement and overwhelming joy. When the aircraft finally stopped, everyone readied their cameras and cellphones to take pictures and videos of the POPE. I also prepared my cellphone to take a video of that remarkable moment in my JOURNEY IN LIFE. The first time in my life that I would be able to see a POPE in person.

When the POPE finally came out, as I started to take a video, the atmosphere was full of shouting and uncontrollable excitement. It was indeed a festive mood for everyone. As HIS HOLINESS took his steps going down from the aircraft, I continuously and almost everyone took video of that historic moment in our lives.

The mere presence of the POPE without even uttering a word was already a great blessing.  

TO BE CONTINUED...