Santosh Digal

Locals fear a military rescue operation after a state of emergency is declared. The government stresses it will do “whatever” it takes to free the International Red Cross workers.

The deadline set for the beheading of one of the three hostages held by the kidnappers for over two months has passed. The government reaffirms that the army will not withdraw because it would pit the island into ‘anarchy’. Benedict XVI appeals for the volunteers release and a ‘peaceful solution’. Muslims and Christians pray for their liberation.

Almost 12,000 people permanently lost their job from October 2008 to March 2009; another 39,000 lost it temporarily; and 59,000 are on flexible work arrangements. For the Philippines’ Labour undersecretary the crisis is already bottoming out with the economy starting to pick up in June of this year.

The global financial crisis and domestic economic weakness have caused a collapse in employment levels. The manufacturing sector has been hardest hit: 122,000 jobs were lost in January of 2009. more than 10 million Filipinos are jobless, or are looking for a better job.

Senators say they will extent terms of land reform for five more years. Poor farmers will benefit from the measure. About 1.3 million hectares have not yet been assigned, 440,000 in Mindanao alone. Bishops demand all land be available for redistribution to farmers.

The churches of the country are crowded with faithful. They are praying for a job, for a successful interview, to pass an exam at the university. Recent estimates show 300,000 unemployed in the first six months of 2009.

Women hold 47 per cent of senior management positions in the Philippines, which now has more than 2.8 million women managers. However, men still make more money for the same job. In Japan only 7 per cent of management positions are filled by women.

There have already been numerous requests to go to Israel during Benedict XVI's visit. The Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila has reached an agreement with the Israeli embassy. A special plan has been prepared to facilitate travel for the pilgrims, who will leave from Manila.

The Catholic Church calls for "moral pressure" on members of parliament, so that the norm may benefit poor farmers in the country. Doubts concerning members of the president's family, whose land is not included in the CARP.

The cardinal calls upon the faithful to offer their fasting and abstinence on behalf of malnourished children. A donation "will go a long way." Caritas Manila has initiated a project that has helped more than 24,000 minors in two years.

Fr. Jugadora stresses that the community on the island is fruitful, and continues to be a sign of hope. He explains that more than economic prosperity must be considered, because the needs of the faithful have changed. The religious belongs to the Mission Society of the Philippines, present in Taiwan since 1989.

The law guarantees the distribution of land to poor farmers in the country, but expired last December. The Catholic Church is calling for it to be extended another 10 years. The archbishop of Cagayan de Oro denounces a conflict of interest among members of parliament.