POPE FRANCIS TACLOBAN VISIT
Speaker Romualdez leads commemoration of pontiff’s historic 2015 trip to Yolanda-ravaged city
TACLOBAN CITY – Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez yesterday led public officials and the people of Tacloban in attending a solemn Mass at the new Daniel Z. Romualdez (DZR) Airport Tarmac which marks the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ historic 2015 visit in this city.
The Holy Mass – held in the same area where Pope Francis once stood in the rain to offer comfort to a grieving nation – was officiated by Msgr. Ramon Stephen Aguilos as the main celebrant, joined by Rev. Fr. Mark Ivo Velasquez, Rev. Fr. Paulino Cabahit Jr., Rev. Fr. Engelbert Tiu, Rev. Fr. Goldie Kenn Zabala, Rev. Fr. Aldwin Roy Cabelin Nartea, and Rev. Fr. Michael Kirby Lauron as co-celebrants.
The Mass was held to pay tribute to the pontiff who gave the people of Eastern Visayas not only hope but the strength to rise from the devastation of Super Typhoon Yolanda.
Yesterday’s solemn Mass coincided with the funeral of Pope Francis. His final resting place is the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.
The commemoration , entitled “Paghinumdom: A Tribute of Gratitude,” is the way of the Taclobanons in thanking Pope Francis for showing his compassion to the Filipinos who were affected by Yolanda.
“He stood with us—not just as a Pope, but as a father to the suffering. His presence gave us strength to rise. He gave us the courage to begin again. When we felt forgotten, he remembered. When we were broken, he came to bless the brokenness. That is something no people ever forget,” Romualdez said.
Attendees emphasized that the Mass is not only an occasion for mourning, but a tribute to a spiritual leader who walked with the suffering, led with humility, and offered the world a powerful example of mercy.
As the Catholic Church laid Pope Francis to rest yesterday, the people of Eastern Visayas marked this 10th anniversary with hearts full of remembrance—and a promise never to forget the man who brought light to their darkest hour.
The ceremony that started 2:30 p.m. at the New Daniel Z. Romualdez (DZR) Airport Tarmac served as both a remembrance and thanksgiving for His Holiness, who brought compassion and comfort when the region needed it most.
The tribute drew Church leaders, local officials, Yolanda survivors, and residents, many of whom braved storm-like conditions 10 years ago just to see the Pope, who had insisted on pushing through with his visit despite the inclement weather.
Pope Francis visited and led a Mass in this city on January 17, 2015.
“Ten years ago, Pope Francis did not just visit us: he stood with us, shoulder to shoulder, heart to heart. His presence was a comfort to our grief, a spark to our resilience and a reminder that even in the darkest storms, the light of compassion can shine through,” Romualdez said.
“Hindi po kailanman mababayaran ng salita o panahon ang ginawa ng Santo Papa para sa mga taga-Tacloban at buong Eastern Visayas. Ang kanyang pagyakap sa ating lungkot ay nagsilbing paalala ng pagmamahal ng Diyos sa mga nawalan at nasalanta ng bagyo,” the House leader added.
The Speaker also reflected on the historic image of the Pope celebrating Mass under stormy skies in a yellow raincoat, a moment that became emblematic of solidarity between the Church and the suffering Filipino people.
“That yellow raincoat became our banner of faith. We saw in him not a distant leader, but a loving father: present, soaked in our sorrow, and filled with love,” Romualdez expressed.
The tribute was not only an act of remembrance but also an expression of thanksgiving. Eastern Visayans, Speaker Romualdez said, have rebuilt not just infrastructure but the very spirit of their communities since Yolanda, inspired in part by the Pope’s words and presence.
“Hindi lang siya nakiramay. Pumunta siya, nakiiyak at nakisama sa paghihirap ng mga taga-Tacloban City at buong Eastern Visayas. Hindi lang po ito pag-alala, ito ay pasasalamat. Isang dekada na ang lumipas, pero sariwa pa rin sa alaala namin ang pagmamahal na kanyang ipinadama. Kaya ngayong araw na ito, sinasabi naming muli: Damo nga salamat, Pope Francis,” Speaker Romualdez who attended the Mass officiated by Pope Francis 10 years ago said.
“We honor not only the man who came to comfort us, but the spirit he awakened in us: A spirit of unity, of resilience, and of boundless hope,” Speaker Romualdez said.
“In Tacloban, we don’t just remember the Pope: we carry him in our hearts. His visit was brief, but the impact was eternal,” the House leader said.
“Let us live the message he left with us: To care for the forgotten, to comfort the afflicted and to serve with humility and love,” said Speaker Romualdez.
The local government of Tacloban City, church leaders, and residents from nearby places joined in the Mass.
