Santosh Digal

From October 22-24, a humanitarian mission will be conducted in the autonomous Muslim region, ravaged by the war between the government army and the rebels of the MILF. The objective is to bring food, medicine, and aid to the more than 528,000 refugees hosted in 123 camps in the region.

The missionary, who was the pastor of Tabawan for 20 years, was killed last January 15 during a kidnapping attempt. In the past, he had received threats from fundamentalists, because of his work for the disadvantaged and for the promotion of interreligious dialogue. The arrest was made by a navy unit.

In a flier distributed to all Church offices, the Catholic Women’s League expresses solidarity with the bishops in their "battle against the approval of the law on reproductive health." A delegation will participate in parliamentary sessions, while demonstrations are on the rise in the country.

The Filipino president has appointed Archbishop Quevedo as head of the task force that will manage reconstruction of the Mindanao River basin. Two weeks of constant rain in September devastated the area; the government has set aside 655,000 dollars for emergency operations.

Bishops’ Conference calls on her to veto Reproductive Health bill if it is approved by Congress. Bill proponents and opponents in legislature claim to be near quorum to get a vote. Church reiterates its view that “abortion is murder.”

Widespread graft and corruption in public administration and government reach top in the world. Bishops urge the faithful to uphold “Christian values” and promote “morality, integrity and honesty” for the good of the country.

The testimony of a Christian-Muslim couple able to overcome mistrust and misunderstanding. The spouses have undertaken concrete projects, a sign of hope for lasting peace. Their two daughters are being raised according to the principles of the two faiths.

The goal is to hand out five million Bibles for free or at a token price by 2013. The imitative is part of a five-year Bible study plan and is inspired by the Synod of Bishops set to meet this Sunday in Rome.

Moved by Saint John Bosco’s charisma, Father Evangelista has welcomed almost 600 children into the centre he founded where they can live and study. Ordained by Pope Paul VI, he said he wants to offer street kids “full dignity” and ensure their reintegration into mainstream society.

The bishops denounce government policies that encourage workers to move abroad: migration is causing a crisis for the institution of the family, because of deep wounds for the children, who feel an overall sense of "abandonment". There are about 10 million Filipino workers abroad.

Bishops complain about prison overcrowding and long trials. They want rehabilitation programmes and a more efficient justice system for prisoners. Caritas Manila helps inmates and their families.

The nation’s bishops’ conference sees a growing number of congressmen and women opposing the proposed reproductive health bull. The bishops’ fight gets backing from university students who urge the government to “invest in schools and education, not contraceptives.”