President Marcos got to have short exchanges with United States President Donald Trump and former US president Joseph Biden as they attended Pope Francis' wake at the Vatican on Saturday, April 26.

In photos shared by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), Marcos was seen having a conversation with the two US leaders at St. Peter's Square following the funeral mass.

Meanwhile, an X video uploaded by GMA Integrated News showed President Marcos and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos exchanging pleasantries with former president Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden.

The PCO has yet to release information as to what the leaders talked about during their chance encounter.

The President arrived at the Vatican for the Pope's Funeral on Friday, April 25. Pope Francis died on April 21 after suffering a stroke and cardiac arrest. He was 81.

In an interview with GMA Integrated News, the First Lady, who joined the Chief Executive on this trip, said she felt she was "blessed by God" when she met the "humble and kind" pontiff.

Meanwhile, the chance meeting with Trump on Saturday came months after President Marcos expressed his willingness to talk to him about the 17-percent reciprocal tariff the US imposed on the Philippines.

'Voice for the voiceless' 

Marcos described Pope Francis as the "voice of the voiceless."

"Isang taos-pusong pagpupugay mula sa sambayanang Pilipino para sa isang Santo Papa na kumalinga at nagbigay-tinig sa mga hindi napapakinggan (A heartfelt tribute from the Filipino people to a Pope who cared for and gave voice to the unheard)," he wrote on Facebook.

The President said he attended the funeral as a heartfelt gesture of respect.

"Dumalo ako sa libing ni Pope Francis bilang pagtanaw ng taos-pusong paggalang — mula sa isang bayang matatag sa pananampalataya, para sa isang Santo Papa na humaplos sa puso ng milyon-milyon (I attended the funeral of Pope Francis as a heartfelt gesture of respect — from a nation steadfast in faith, for a Pope who touched the hearts of millions)," he said.

"Nakiisa ako, hindi lang bilang Pangulo, kundi bilang isang Pilipino — dala ang dasal at pag-asa ng bawat kababayan nating nais sanang makadalo at makapagpasalamat (I joined not only as a President, but as a Filipino — carrying the prayers and hopes of every fellow citizen who would have wanted to attend and give thanks)," he added.

Photographs accompanying his statement showed President Marcos solemnly standing among other dignitaries inside St. Peter’s Basilica.

Another image depicted pallbearers carrying the coffin of Pope Francis, with a large crowd of mourners gathered in solemn prayer.

Break from cursing

In deference to the late Pope Francis, Vice President Sara Duterte took a break from cursing and instead, offered prayers for the Pontiff during a recent campaign rally in Sta. Ana, Manila.

“Kaya hindi ako magmumura ngayon. Gagamitan ko po kayo ng pagdarasal (I will not say bad words today. I will use prayers on you instead),” she told the crowd during Manila mayoralty candidate Isko Moreno’s campaign sortie on Saturday night.

“Unahin po natin ang pagdarasal sa kaluluwa ni Pope Francis dahil namatay po ang ating pope at kailangan natin magdasal (Let us first pray for the soul of Pope Francis because our pope died and we need to pray),” Duterte said.

“Lord, we pray for the eternal repose of the soul of our beloved Pope Francis. May you grant him eternal rest beside you, oh Lord. Amen,” Duterte prayed.

“Hindi po ako magmumura. Magdadasal po ako ngayon gabi (I will not curse. I will pray tonight),” she emphasized.

The Vice President was true to her promise not to spew expletives but did not spare Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante from insults.

In back-to-back campaigns on Thursday and Friday, Duterte also attacked Manila 2nd District Rep. Rolando Valeriano and Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua, respectively.

That yellow raincoat

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte - House Speaker Martin Romualdez paid one final tribute to the late Pope Francis during a thanksgiving mass for the Pontiff, who made a historic visit to the province 10 years ago in the aftermath of the super typhoon "Yolanda" tragedy.

“Pope Francis gave us more than hope. He showed the world how to lead with compassion. He stood with us—not just as a Pope, but as a father to the suffering. His presence gave us strength to rise," he said.

“He gave us the courage to begin again. When we felt forgotten, he remembered. When we were broken, he came to bless the brokenness. That is something no people ever forget,” he said of the Vatican leader, who passed away on Easter Monday. 

Romualdez said the people’s lives were forever changed by the Pope’s visit on Jan 17, 2015. 

“Ten years ago, Pope Francis did not just visit us: he stood with us, shoulder to shoulder, heart to heart. His presence was a comfort to our grief, a spark to our resilience and a reminder that even in the darkest storms, the light of compassion can shine through,” the Speaker said.

He said that no words nor passage of time can ever match the Pope’s gesture toward residents of Tacloban and of the entire Eastern Visayas. 

The Speaker also reflected on the historic image of the Pope celebrating mass at the New Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport tarmac here under stormy skies in a yellow raincoat. 

He said the moment became emblematic of solidarity between the Church and the suffering Filipino people.

“That yellow raincoat became our banner of faith. We saw in him not a distant leader, but a loving father: present, soaked in our sorrow, and filled with love,” Romualdez said. (With reports from Raymund Antonio and Ellson Quismorio)