Pope Francis receives the President of the Philippines
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Friday received the President of the Philippines, Benigno S. Aquino III, who subsequently met with the Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who was accompanied by the Under-Secretary for Relations with States, Msgr. Antoine Camilleri.
A statement from the Holy See Press Office called the talks “cordial,” and said they focused on the dialogue among the different parts of Philippine society, as well as the contribution of the Catholic Church in the life of the country.
The statement said particular attention was given to the state of the peace process in the Mindanao – located in the south of the country – with hope being expressed that the commitment of the parties can guarantee a stable and lasting peace in the region.
Furthermore, there was an exchange of views on the international and regional situation, especially in reference to the issue of climate change and the COP21 Conference currently taking place in Paris.