Pope Francis to meet PNoy, sisters at Malacañang

With his visit both apostolic and state in nature, Pope Francis will have Malacañang as the first official stop of his five-day stay in the Philippines.

The Pope is expected at Malacañang on January 16, 9:15 a.m., for a courtesy call to President Benigno Aquino III, said Fr. Joselito Jopson, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) episcopal commission on social communications.

Aquino will also be present when Pope Francis arrives at Villamor Airbase on the afternoon of January 15, he added.

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said, "This is not an ordinary meeting between two heads of state."

Aside from being the head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis is regarded as a visiting head of state, a function he serves for Vatican City, the "smallest internationally-recognized independent state" in the world.

Courtesy call

The visit to Malacañang, which is expected to last until 10:45 a.m., will begin with the singing of the national anthems and hoisting of the flags of the two states.

Aquino will introduce his delegation to the Pope, who in turn will do the same, before they head to the Reception Hall for the signing of the official guestbook.

The official courtesy call will follow suit at the Malacañang's Music Room, where Aquino's immediate family -- among them his sisters -- "are expected to be introduced to the Holy Father," Jopson said.

Both heads of state will deliver remarks at the ceremonial hall "for the general audience" that includes senior government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, and members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, he added.

According to Coloma, they do not have "a pre-determined guestlist" yet, though a reception line to welcome a visiting head of state usually includes Cabinet officials.

“I am not able to disclose now who will be there and who will not be there,” Coloma said. “That will be decided upon by the President.”

'Opportunity to exchange views'

While it is a short opportunity to speak, Usec. Rafael Seguis of the Department of Foreign Affairs said the courtesy call "provides [the President] with the opportunity to exchange views on domestic and international matters."

Church officials said they do not know the Pope's talking points during the courtesy call.

For his part, Coloma said he is not sure if Aquino has started working on his speech for the event.

"The President usually decides on what he says to a visiting head of state based on his own feelings and sentiments," he said.

"Ang batid lang po natin tuwing magsasalita ang Pangulo ay laging from the heart, at nais niyang maging tagapagsalita para sa saloobin ng mga Pilipino, so siguro ganoon ang magiging laman ng kaniyang talumpati," Coloma added. —KBK/NB, GMA News