Pinoys line route from nunciature to UST, sea of people forming at Luneta

Published January 18, 2015 5:25am

Filipinos before dawn Sunday started lining the route from the Apostolic Nunciature in Manila to the University of Santo Tomas for Pope Francis' encounter with the youth.

Also, people started making their way to the Luneta for the Pope's concluding Mass there in the afternoon.

As these developed, Tropical Storm Amang maintained its strength and will likely bring occasional rain and gusty winds to Metro Manila Sunday morning during a scheduled encounter with Pope Francis at the University of Santo Tomas campus. Public Storm Warning Signal No. 1 was hoisted over Metro Manila.

Near the University of Santo Tomas along España Boulevard, radio dzBB's Nimfa Ravelo reported Filipinos waited patiently outside the campus gates even if the crowd had already swelled.

People filled the path from Quirino Avenue to UST, as shown in photos by dzBB's Luisito Santos.

Puno na ng mga tao ang kalsadang daraanan ni Pope Francis sa Quirino Avenue patungong UST. | via @luisitosantos03 pic.twitter.com/GFYSnAJwRn

— GMA News (@gmanews) January 17, 2015

The Pope is to head for UST in the morning for encounters with representatives of different religions and with the youth.

In the afternoon, he heads to the Quirino Grandstand at the Luneta for the concluding Mass of his Philippine visit.

Radio dzBB's Rowena Salvacion reported roads leading to Rizal Park were closed to traffic before dawn as Filipinos started trooping to the area.

By 4 a.m., T.M. Kalaw Street was already full of people, mostly from provinces.

At least 400 members of the military's Reserve Command were deployed to the area. — Joel Locsin/ELR, GMA News

Tags: papalvisit2015, popefrancis