CAAP issues no-fly zone during papal visit

MANILA, Philippines - The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) yesterday issued guidelines on the use of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and the Daniel Z. Romualdez airport in Tacloban City during the visit of Pope Francis next month.

In a notice to airmen (NOTAM), CAAP said that on Jan. 15 NAIA primary runway 06/24 and secondary runway 13/31 would be closed for all arriving flights, while departing flights would be allowed to operate from 2 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.

A no-fly zone would be implemented and no-air traffic would be accommodated at the NAIA from 5:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. as Pope Francis is scheduled to arrive at 5:45 p.m.

Philippine Airlines is the official carrier of Pope Francis during his pastoral visit. PAL will fly the pontiff to Tacloban City in Leyte in the morning of Jan. 17.

CAAP said the Tacloban airport would be closed to all air traffic from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Jan. 17, except aircraft that carries the papal entourage. NAIA runways would be closed from 7:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. and from 5:45 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.

Only aircraft departing from 6 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. would be allowed at the NAIA on Jan. 19.

A no-fly zone would also be in effect on Jan. 19 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. as the pope is scheduled to leave for Rome.

Noy: Pope is an ‘inspiration’

President Aquino will meet with Pope Francis on Jan. 16, a day after the pontiff’s arrival from Sri Lanka, the first leg of his Asian trip.

Anticipating his meeting with the pope less than a month from now, Aquino said yesterday the pontiff is a realistic leader serving as an “inspiration” to him.

He told participants of the Youth Summit 2014 in Quezon City that the pope is restoring the concept of being a pastor to his flock.

The President said he would most likely listen more than talking and offering advice to someone older like the pope. But Aquino said he is willing to discuss the state of the Catholic Church in the country and the steps necessary to have the “Kingdom of God” on earth.

Pope to meet 24,000 youth in UST

About 24,000 selected youth from different parts of the country will have the chance to meet Pope Francis at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) on Jan. 18, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said yesterday.

CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on Youth (ECY) executive secretary Fr. Conegundo Garganta said the youth’s meeting with the pope would take place at the UST sports field.

The event will start at 7 a.m. but the actual encounter with the pontiff begins at 10:30 a.m.

The UST sports field would be divided into four quadrants to be allocated for different youth organizations including the Archdiocese of Manila, the CBCP-ECY and the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines.

Each group would have 6,000 youth representatives and they would have an assigned gate when they enter UST.

The CBCP-ECY delegation will be composed of representatives from the 86 dioceses, the Federation of National Youth Organization and other youth organizations.

Garganta said other people would be allowed to occupy the area outside the perimeter of the field. UST students were also tapped to act as human barricade.

Garganta said the CBCP-ECY prefers to limit the age of their delegates to 18 years old. “They could bring 13 years old, but there is no guarantee that the elder would be allowed to accompany the minor,” he said.

There will be songs, videotaped testimonies and video presentations during the youth’s encounter with the pope. There will also be prayer petitions in different languages and dialects, including English, Tagalog and Cebuano.

Pope Francis will be welcomed by CBCP-ECY chairman Bishop Leopoldo Jaucian of Bangued, Abra and two children. In one segment, three selected children would ask the Holy Father questions.

Going to UST, the pontifical university in the country, has become one of the traditions of visiting popes.

Outside the school’s main building is a marker commemorating the arrival of Pope Paul VI on Nov. 28, 1970. He was said to have spoken to half a million students, teachers and laymen from the UST grandstand while addressing the Asian Bishops’ Meeting at the auditorium of the medicine building.

Saint Pope John Paul II visited the UST twice, on Feb. 18, 1981 and on Jan. 13, 1995. – With Aurea Calica, Evelyn Macairan, Rudy Santos