Pope Francis (left), House Speaker Martin Romualdez (Facebook, PPAB)

House Speaker Martin Romualdez gave a poignant goodbye to Pope Francis on Monday, April 21 following the latter's passing.

"It is with a heavy heart that I join the world in mourning the passing of Pope Francis, whom we in Leyte—and across the Philippines—lovingly called 'Lolo Kiko'," Romualdez said in a statement on Monday afternoon.

To Filipinos--and especially to Tacloban City residents--Pope Francis holds a special place in their hearts.

"To us, he was more than a Pope. He was a father, a friend, a guiding light in times of darkness.," Romualdez, Leyte's 1st district congressman, said of the late Vatican leader.

"I will never forget how he came to Tacloban in the aftermath of Typhoon "Yolanda", when our people were suffering beyond words," he recalled.

"He braved the storm, stood with us in the rain, and spoke not just as a leader of the Church, but as someone who truly felt our pain. His presence alone gave us strength. His words reminded us that even in loss, we were not alone. That God had not abandoned us," the Speaker said.

Amid a heavy downpour, Pope Francis held a mass before thousands of Yolanda survivors in Tacloban, Leyte on Jan. 17, 2015. This was a little over a year after the super typhoon brought the county’s central islands to its knees.

Through an interpreter, Pope Francis said in his homily: "When I saw from Rome that catastrophe, I felt that I had to be here. And on those very days I decided to come here. I'm here to be with you. A little bit late, I have to say, but I'm here."

"I've come to tell you that Jesus is Lord, and he never lets us down," he told the mass-goers as many of them wept.

Romualdez added: "That was who Pope Francis was—someone who saw beyond titles, beyond barriers. He reached out to the poor, the sick, the forgotten, and gave them a voice. He reminded us that true power lies in service, and that faith is not just about rituals, but about love in action."

"The world has lost a great man. But the kindness, the wisdom, and the deep compassion he shared with us will never fade. Lolo Kiko may have left this earth, but his spirit will live on in every heart he touched," the Speaker said.

"Rest now, Holy Father. You have done more than enough. Thank you for loving us. Thank you for believing in us. We will carry your light forward," Romualdez further said.

Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez (left) greets Pope Francis when the Pontiff--lovingly called by many Filipinos as “Lolo Kiko”---arrived in Tacloban City on Jan. 17, 2015. (File Photo)

'His presence alone was the message'

Assistant Majority Leader Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre further gave context to the importance of the mass held by Pope Francis in the country.

"For me—and for many of us in Eastern Visayas and the Philippines—there is one moment that will forever be etched in our hearts. That grey, stormy day in January 2015, when he came to Tacloban," he said.

"We were still grieving, still trying to rebuild our lives after the devastation of Super Typhoon Yolanda. The skies were dark, the winds fierce, the pain still fresh. And yet, he came. Soaked by the rain, unbothered by the storm, he stood with us in the middle of our suffering," recounted Acidre.

"He didn’t give a long speech. He didn’t need to. His presence alone was the message. His tears were a prayer. His embrace, a blessing," said the ranking congressman.

"That day, he was not just the Pope. He was a father who came to comfort his children. A shepherd who did not hesitate to walk through the storm. A man of God who stood in solidarity with a people trying to find hope again. And that is how we will remember Pope Francis," he further said.