Pope Francis arrives at Villamor Airbase; expected to leave for Tacloban

MANILA, Philippines—Pope Francis has arrived at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City ready to leave for a one-day trip to Tacloban City.

The Pope left the Papal Nunciature in Malate Manila at around 7 a.m. and arrived at the Villamor Airbase at 7:12 a.m., riding a closed vehicle instead of the popemobile.

Despite the bad weather affecting the Visayas due to Tropical Storm “Amang” (international name: Mekkhala), the Pope is expected to through with his one-day visit to Tacloban and Palo towns in Leyte, which was flattened by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) in 2013.
Upon arrival at the Daniel Romualdez Airport in Tacloban, His Holiness will say a mass then will proceed to Palo town to bless the Pope Francis Center. He will also visit a mass grave in Palo Catherdal for those who died during the onslaught of Yolanda.

The Pope will also meet typhoon survivors and will have a lunch with some of them before he returns to Manila late Saturday afternoon.

His Holiness will hold a mass at Luneta on Sunday, which is expected to draw millions of people.