In an unfortunate reminder of what drew him to the Philippines in the first place, an approaching storm forced Pope Francis yesterday to cut short his much-awaited visit to the typhoon-devastated province of Leyte. Powerful winds of Tropical Storm Amang also toppled scaffolding, which fatally struck a woman who had flown to Leyte from Manila to see the pope. The winds also forced down a private jet carrying several Cabinet members, with the aircraft skidding to a stop in the mud. His shortened visit to Leyte should reinforce Pope Francis’ resolve to give a moral dimension to the fight against the adverse consequences of environmental degradation and natural calamities.

Bacasmas, E. E. (2015, January 18). Confronting climate change. The Philippine Star, p. 12.