Manila, Philippines - Pope Francis, the leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics, has arrived in the Philippines for a five-day trip, seen as an effort to reinforce church membership, and highlight the issue of climate change as he meets victims of Typhoon Haiyan that killed thousands in the country in 2013.
Francis, 78, arrived in the capital Manila on Thursday afternoon amid unprecedented security preparations. An estimated 37,000 police and military personnel have been deployed in areas he is expected to visit.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino III and leaders of the Catholic church met Francis at the airport. The country's president, a Catholic himself, greeted Francis with a kiss on the hand.
"After a long wait, Pope Francis is finally here," Cardinal Luis Tagle, the top Catholic cleric in the Philippines, said in a video statement. "Despite his age, he came all the way here just to be with us."
The last time a pope visited the Philippines was in 1995, during the time of Pope John Paul II.
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