Marcos, FL to attend Pope's funeral

President Marcos and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos are set to fly to the Vatican to attend the funeral of Pope Francis, Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro confirmed on Wednesday, April 23.

- By ARGYLL CYRUS GEDUCOS and ELLALYN DE VERA-RUIZ

Marcos will join other world leaders who will attend the Pope's funeral on Saturday, 10 a.m., at St. Peter's Square.

They include Argentina's President Javier Milei, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, and Prime Minister Bart De Wever of Belgium, Prince William and Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Great Britain, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and first lady Janja Lula da Silva of Brazil, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Council President Antonio Costa, and Parliament President Roberta Metsola of the European Union, President Jose Ramos-Horta and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Bendito Freitas of East Timor, President Emmanuel Macron of France, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, President Tamas Sulyok of Hungary, President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy, President Edgars Rinkevics of Latvia, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, President Andrzej Duda of Poland, Romania's Interim President Ilie Bolojan, King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain, President Karin Keller-Sutter of Switzerland, President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy of Ukraine, and US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.

'Best pope in my lifetime'

Marcos, leader of the largest Roman Catholic nation in Asia, described Pope Francis as "the best pope in my lifetime." "Ibang klase si Pope Francis (Pope Francis is different). That's really sad.

I love this Pope. The best Pope in my lifetime, as far as I'm concerned," he said.

Marcos described the Pope's passing as a "profoundly sad day." "A man of profound faith and humility, Pope Francis led not only with wisdom but with a heart open to all, especially the poor and the forgotten," he said.

"It is a profoundly sad day," he added.

According to Marcos, Pope Francis taught humanity to extend kindness and care to one another.