A locally-made Popemobile. Photo courtesy of Maru Almazora MANILA (UPDATED) — Crafted with care and precision, one of the Popemobiles created for Pope Francis’ 2015 visit to the Philippines sprung from a “secret family project” by an automotive business.

And thanks to the late pope’s affection towards the vehicle, an identical Popemobile was sent all the way to the Vatican. 

“I don't know what the words were, but he said he likes the Popemobile and he wants to take it with him to Rome. So you know, we didn't expect that because it was enough for us, more than enough that we were able to have an audience with him in UST and giving him the Popemobile then. So being able to take it to him to Rome was such an honor," Popemobile manufacturer and designer Maru Almazora told ABS-CBN News. 

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Almazora added they wanted to make two versions of the vehicle in hopes of keeping one as "remembrance and now relic for the Filipino people."

CREATING THE POPEMOBILE 

The creation of the Popemobile took about two and a half months, according to Almazora. She added this was used for three days, one of which was the Pope's arrival. 

"They just told us Pope Francis wanted it to be open because if you could see in his previous motorcades, he would shake hands with the people. He would carry children. He would pray over his audience. So he really wanted to reach out to the people because that's how he is," she said, adding: "The design was based on really looking through Google and all the photos and videos so that we see his movements around the Popemobile, how he goes around, how he holds onto the railing." 

According to Almazora, the entire process resulted in a heartwarming comment from the late pope who said, "Beautiful Popemobile, thank you. Please pray for me."

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Almazora also received a medal in the Philippines and Vatican City following the creation of the Popemobile.

ADDITION OF IMAGE OF VIRGIN MARY 

An image of the Virgin Mary at the back of Pope Francis' chair in the Popemobile. Photo courtesy of Maru Almazora

But Almazora shared her hunch over what made the vehicle truly special to Pope Francis-- an image of the Virgin Mary expertly tucked at the back of his chair. 

"That was the evening before the Pope's arrival. That morning, PSG calls and says, 'Please do one more final cleaning, and we will do one more final safety sweep.' So, I was thinking, okay, this is my chance to be able to put Mama Mary on the back of his seat. And then I didn't want to ask anybody anymore if I could do it because I was so sure I couldn't. They would tell me, 'No, you can't. It's been finalized,'" she said. 

But later on, she printed out ten images of Mary and secretly placed the image on the Popemobile. 

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"I was like looking back after all of this, like him bringing the Popemobile to Rome, I realized that, oh, you know what? You know what he likes the most? It is not the caning, the rattan, it is not whatever it is in the Popemobile. It is Mama Mary. As he enters his Popemobile, he is greeted by her. And in all his journeys, she is with her," Almazora said.

POPEMOBILE ON DISPLAY IN MAKATI 

Another Popemobile, this time modeled after the traditional jeepney, is on display for the public to see. 

"Ito signifies yung pagiging Pilipino. ‘Di ba? Dahil ang ating mode of transportation ay jeep. Kaya ito talaga yung karapat-dapat na makita at mag-pay ng last respect kung hindi ba tayo nakapunta," Joyce Turla Sanchez, one of the people who visited the Popemobile, said.

The vehicle was also used during the papal visit. It will be at the Sanctuario de San Antonio Parish in Makati until May 4.