Pope holds private and fruitful talks with Ramos<\/p>\n
MANILA (Reuter): Pope John Paul II and Philippine President
\nFidel Ramos yesterday sought through personal contact to heal a
\nrift between state and church in Asia's only Catholic country.<\/p>\n
The two met for a one-on-one chat at the presidential palace
\non the second day of the Pope's visit to the Philippines before
\nthe 74-year-old John Paul held religious services for youth
\nleaders attending World Youth Day celebrations.<\/p>\n
"I briefed the Holy Father on the social reform agenda of the
\ngovernment and my commitment to implement social reforms hand-in-
\nhand with the continuing economic progress of the country...,"
\nRamos said in a statement.<\/p>\n
He described the talks as fruitful, but did not say whether
\nthey had discussed in detail the government's support of birth
\ncontrol, the issue that has brought Ramos into conflict with the
\nchurch.<\/p>\n
Ramos, the country's first Protestant leader, has been
\nbitterly attacked in recent months by Jaime Cardinal Sin, the
\narchbishop of Manila and the country's most vocal cleric, over
\nhis support for birth control and what the prelate sees as the
\npresident's dictatorial tendencies.<\/p>\n
Notably absent from the palace was Health Secretary Juan
\nFlavier, who, as the architect of the government's birth-control
\nprogram, has attracted the greatest ire of the church.<\/p>\n
Most other senior government figures were at the palace but
\nFlavier told the Philippine News Agency he had been too busy to
\nattend as he had been inspecting medical support services for the
\npapal visit.<\/p>\n
The Pope's schedule was unaffected by a hunt by security
\nforces for a group of Moslem militants suspected of preparing an
\nattack on him.<\/p>\n
Senior security sources said agents were trying to track down
\nAbdul Mahmood Abdul Karim, an electronics expert, and his
\nFilipino girlfriend.<\/p>\n
They claimed Karim, a 26-year-old man of Palestinian
\nextraction but carrying a Pakistani passport, was the leader of a
\n23-person gang that has slipped into the country.<\/p>\n
The Philippine government has confirmed that two men have been
\narrested on suspicion of posing a threat to the Pope but declined
\nto comment further on security grounds.<\/p>\n
"All in all it has been very satisfactory," said Defense
\nSecretary Renato de Villa when asked about security.<\/p>\n
He said security preparations were satisfactory although more
\npolice may have to be drafted into the capital to control the
\nhuge crowds.<\/p>\n
Ignoring the threats, the Pope traveled through the streets in
\nan armored "popemobile" to an ecstatic welcome from people living
\nin the heart of the city.<\/p>\n
They waved yellow and white flags and erupted into cheers and
\nshouts each time he waved from the glass-sided vehicle.<\/p>\n
Before leaving the Apostolic Nunciature where he is staying,
\nthe Pope came onto the balcony of the green and white building to
\nbless the crowd, a storekeeper said.<\/p>\n
"Seeing him so close was a gift from God," said Lina Estella,
\n67, who traveled from Zambales, north of Manila, to see the Pope
\nfor the second time. She also saw him during his first papal
\nvisit to Manila in 1981.<\/p>\n
The main part of the Pope's day was devoted to the 10th World
\nYouth Day celebrations.<\/p>\n
He celebrated mass at the University of Santo Tomas for the
\nleaders of the tens of thousands of young foreigners and
\nFilipinos gathered in Manila for the Youth Day.<\/p>\n
He told them "enormous tasks lie before the youth of the
\nworld, especially before the Catholic youth of the Philippines,
\nof Asia and the Far East, on the eve of the third millennium."<\/p>\n
The Pope is due to celebrate the climax of the Youth Day
\ncelebrations tomorrow before leaving the next day for Papua New
\nGuinea. He then goes on to Australia and Sri Lanka.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pope-holds-private-and-fruitful-talks-with-ramos-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}