Tag Archives: Manila

POPE FRANCIS TO FILIPINO PRIESTS: ‘GIVE UP YOUR WORLDLY POSSESSIONS, INCLUDING SMART PHONES’

January 16, 2015 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Pope Francis today celebrated his first mass in his 5-day visit to the Philippines. Attendance was limited to bishops, priests and clergy. (Public masses will be held at the Tacloban Airport and Rizal Park in Manila later this weekend.)

As the pope entered the church for the processional, hundreds of clicks and flashes greeted him, all coming from smart phones of priests and clergy in attendance.

During his homily, Francis admonished the crowd to give up worldy possessions, in accordance with their priestly vows. “Yes, and that would include your smart phones,” the pontiff said.

There was a eerie silence inside the church that one could almost hear a pin drop.

Asked whether he will heed the Pope’s advice, one of those in attendance, Father Damaso de la Cruz told The Adobo Chronicles, “Absolutely. But first I will have to download the photos I took of the Holy Father into my laptop computer.”

Food, International, Religion

POPE ASKS FOR BALUT FOR FIRST DINNER IN THE PHILIPPINES

January 15, 2015 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – It is no secret that Pope Francis, since being chosen leader of the Roman Catholic Church, has chosen a life of simplicity, giving up the papal limousine in favor of an old, used Fiat and opting to live in an apartment in the Vatican where he dines with other clergy and seminarians.

Continuing this simple living, the Pope tonight refused the Kobe beef served for his first dinner at the Apostolic Nunciature where he will be staying during his Manila visit.

Instead, he asked for a piece of balut, that lowly but delicious boiled duck embryo peddled in the streets of the metropolis and a favorite food of poor people.

“I came here in solidarity with the poor and disadvantaged, so I want to eat as they eat,” the Pope said in Latin.

The pope apparently liked it so much, he asked for a second serving.

Viva il Papa! Long Live the Balut!

Business, International, Religion, The Media, Travel

POPE FRANCIS’ PHILIPPINES VISIT : VATICAN DEMANDS THAT PEPSI TAKE DOWN ADVERTISING OR PAY UP

January 11, 2015 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

THE VATICAN, Italy (The Adobo Chronicles) – Big corporations, small businesses and politicians usually pay big bucks to feature celebrities in their advertising campaigns, or to have famous people endorse their products or services.

The visit to the Philippines next week is no exception to the mad rush among companies to promote their products. In the last month or so, billboards, tarpaulin signs and posters have sprung all over Manila’s crowded streets, lining the paths that will be traversed by the Pope’s motorcade.

But there is one tarp sign that The Vatican is not happy about. It is a sign welcoming the Pope featuring Francis’ image alongside the commercial logo of Pepsi Cola. In addition, the sign also bears the name of a local public official, the chairman of a local Barangay (political district).

The Adobo Chronicles has learned that The Vatican has sent a letter to the Manila headquarters of Pepsi to pay One Million Pesos for every single one of these tarp signs. The money, according to a Vatican official, will be donated by Pope Francis to the victims of last year’s typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda). The Pontiff is scheduled to visit Tacloban to spend time with the victims and their families.

In addition, citing the separation of church and state, asked Pepsi to remove the name of the local official from thhe advertising.

“If Pepsi refuses to pay up, we demand that all the signs be taken down immediately,” The Vatican said.