Manila (AsiaNews) - Catholic Filipino students have organized a week of prayer at which young people of other religious faiths are also participating, in preparation for the speech that President Arroyo will deliver next July 28, on the "state of the nation". The initiative, entitled "Week of prayer and action", began on July 21 and will conclude on the 26th; prayer gatherings and afternoon Masses are scheduled in various schools of the diocese of Manila.

The students, without distinction of class or religious creed, want to sensitize politicians on the most important issues: the economy, development, peace, and defense of life. "We want to walk together", emphasizes Biyaya Quizon, chairperson of the Student Christian Movement of the Philippines, "to make a strong statement on the real conditions of the nation, giving voice to religious movements that are fighting poverty and the crisis affecting a large segment of the population".

Last Friday, more than 2,000 students marched through the streets of the capital, asking the government to reject the proposed "pro-abortion" law, and to defend "the supreme value of life from the moment of conception", denouncing government policies aimed "at family planning", which they define as "immoral".

The spokesperson of the Catholic students also denounces the government's move to focus on family policy in order to cover up the true problems of the country, including the economic crisis, the lack of food for all, and the proposed law to eliminate the value-added tax on oil production, entirely for the benefit of business. The proposal of the young people is supported by the Filipino bishops, who invite the faithful to pray that "the economic crisis" may end, and that there may be "sufficient food for all".