TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — For Jenita Aguilar, a mother from Tacloban, Pope Francis’s 2015 visit to their storm-ravaged city was more than a historic moment — it was the beginning of healing from the most painful chapter of her life.
In the crowd gathered under pouring rain, Jenita reached out as the Pope passed. He didn’t speak to her. He didn’t know her. But his simple gesture — a fleeting touch — changed everything.
“Hinawakan ko siya… parang bliness niya kami. Nag-smile siya,” Jenita recalled tearfully in an interview.
A Storm, A Loss, and a Crisis of Faith
Jenita’s grief runs deep. On November 8, 2013, Super Typhoon Yolanda swept through Tacloban’s coastal barangay San Jose. The storm surge was swift and merciless. Her seven-year-old son, Rujin, was swept away from his uncle’s arms. His body was never recovered.
“Parang hindi ka makahinga. Ang sakit, sobra,” she said.
In the aftermath, Jenita and her family endured the devastation — makeshift shelters, unbearable heat, and the haunting absence of a lost child.
She stopped praying. She distanced herself from church. Her faith, like her home, was shattered.
“Nagtatampo ako sa Diyos… nagtanim ako ng galit,” she confessed.
A Papal Visit, a Moment of Grace
More than a year later, Pope Francis visited Tacloban. For many, it was a symbolic gesture. For Jenita, it was a personal turning point.
His quiet blessing — a smile, a touch — brought a sense of peace that had eluded her since Yolanda.
It was a reminder that in the depths of despair, there can still be hope. That even in silence, comfort can come.