Fan-atic (II)

The fact that many are still recovering from a lingering Papal hangover provides a license to continue reminiscing about his visit.  In this regard, let me relate the story of my 81-year-old mother which probably resonates with your own and that of people you know.  She asked me and my eldest sister to make arrangements so that she can view the Pope.  In 1970, 1981 and 1995, she had patiently lined up along the streets of Metro Manila to catch a glimpse of Popes Paul VI and John Paul II. It was therefore imperative that she see Francis as well. Fortunately, I was able to secure tickets to the event at UST last Sunday. Unfortunately, we underestimated the traffic and misjudged the crowd.  By 7 a.m., Espana, starting from the Welcome rotunda, was already closed and one needed to walk several kilometers to get to the venue. Unable to walk that far, my mother decided that we should just pick a spot along Governor Forbes Street (now Lacson Avenue) where the papal entourage was supposed to pass.

Considering that his UST appointment was scheduled at 9:45, the estimated time of arrival of the papal convoy was 9:30.  It was 7:15 and the crowd was beginning to grow.  We found a so-so place near a canal that was already three person deep but it was the best we could find. Given the more than two-hour wait, my sister looked around for a chair where my mother could sit.  She noticed a small boy assisted by his father standing on one.  Appealing to emotion (and commercial sense), she tried to convince the father to rent out the chair. The latter just smiled and politely declined. Undeterred, she entered a nearby upholstery shop and asked the owner if he would be willing to lease one of his chairs for an elderly woman. The man not only agreed to lend a chair but also refused to take any compensation for it. That good samaritan turned out to be Rene Boy Preselda of RCP Auto Interior and General Upholstery located along Lacson Avenue.  

The idea of standing for two hours made me feel angsty. Fortunately, the sky was overcast (but no rain) and the weather was comfortably cool. When the thought of complaining entered my head, I immediately focused on those who stood in line for hours (some even camped out overnight) amidst the sun and/or the rain.  I started counting my blessings instead.    

The crowd began to thicken.  There were a few false alarms as motorcycle-escorted vehicles would zoom towards UST, which would first generate excitement but would then turn into disappointment. Since my mother no longer had a clear view, she unexpectedly did a “Zacchaeus.”  In the Bible, the latter is a tax collector who wanted to see Jesus who was passing through Jericho.  Since he was short and could not see through the crowd, Zacchaeus climbed up a sycamore-fig tree to view Him.  

My mother did not climb any tree but with the help of her yaya, she forced her arthritic legs to stand up on the chair.  Some in the crowd were amazed while others were aghast. My sister and I were scared %#@*. I was already contemplating Plan B in case we needed to rush her to the emergency room. Yet she was dead set in catching a glimpse of Francis. Later on she remarked that she felt like Zacchaeus and the biblical foolish virgin rolled into one.  

At around 9:33, the papal convoy began to arrive. Unfortunately, it was traveling at a relatively fast pace.  Worse, the Pope was riding the Volkswagen sedan rather than the pope mobile. It was a good thing he was seated on the right passenger seat and his window was rolled down. We were standing at the right side of the road and my mother caught a split second glimpse of him. The Pope supposedly smiled at her and she smiled back — that momentary connection made her day and cemented a fan-atical admiration for the man. My sister and I did not get to catch the Pope but seeing our mother content was enough. I left the street thinking that these random acts of faith together with the millions of similar acts make our country special.

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Confusingly amusing: I found the report that Manila street kids were “forcibly removed and hidden” during the five-day Papal visit as confusingly amusing. This Pope is different.  Before he arrived, it was widely reported that he had expressed a preference to meet not with the rich and the mighty but with the poor and the lowly. So this is probably why he broke protocol after the mass at Manila Cathedral as he exited through a side door and walked towards the ANAK-Tnk home where over 300 street children awaited him. So if this report about the disappearance of street kids is true, it is as if we did not want to show our “best foot forward” to a guest who views the world from a different perspective. 

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Phone blues: Many suffered mobile telephone signal issues during the Papal visit. We were belatedly told that this service interruption happened upon instructions of the National Telecommunications Commission. The question is whether consumers can obtain compensation for the momentary lack of service and the inconvenience it caused? On the one hand, can the carriers claim the governmental directive as force majeure? They were willing and able to provide the service but were told not to. On the other hand, were the phone companies unjustly enriched by the situation? This is a matter that our consumer advocates and protectors should look into.  

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Greetings: Nuptial best wishes to nephew Noel Sibal and Bambi Cuerra. Their wedding coincides with the birth anniversary of Noel’s maternal grandmother — Belen Bautista Bernardo.

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“The proud man counts his newspaper clippings,

the humble man his blessings.”

   – Cardinal Fulton Sheen

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Email: [email protected]