Santosh Digal

The director of the Water and Sanitation Program of East Asia and the Pacific said this was due to a lack of coordination among government agencies as well as the absence of political will.

Presidency calls a meeting to find ways to counter organ trafficking. Senator criticises national policies that protect foreigners and treat Filipinos as organ suppliers.

A caravan is organized in Manila for next week to raise awareness among people that only 25 centavos per day are needed to save children from malnutrition.

A “Covenant for Life” is signed. It calls on candidates in the May 14 elections to give priority to life and family and offers them support.

The head of the of the Catholic Bishops Conference said the invitation of President Arroyo was turned down because there was no point in meeting just to promise to be honest. Honesty should be put into practice not flaunted.

The prelates urge the nation to conduct an honest election. Otherwise, the population will lose faith in its rulers. The faithful are encouraged to take part in the process to give the vote credibility.

Three-day meeting begins today bringing together all of the country’s prelates. The next local elections, anti-poverty and anti-gambling programmes are on the discussion table.

Siay parish priest, Fr Jun Baguio, confirms the information. He says he met Fr Lucio Bola who disappeared on December 30. He is now in hiding in a safe place.

Cagayan de Oro mayor, who is involved in the case, is “almost certain” of it. He excludes the missionary might be in the hands of the New People’s Army. Instead he suggests that the past of the priest’s family might provide some clues.

Provincial authorities publicly thank Mgr Morelos, archbishop for 11 years in provincial capital, for his efforts in favour of peace between Christians and Muslims. Meanwhile a violent reaction is expected from Islamic guerrillas if claims that their leader is dead prove accurate.

Police, authorities and Catholic Church intensify search operations to find Father Bola, who disappeared nine days ago in Mindanao. According to prevailing theory, he is the victim of a settlement of scores after he got in an argument with a neighbour known to be involved in drug trafficking.

The feast, a manifestation of popular devotion that has lasted for more than four centuries, started with a prayer vigil led by the president of the bishops’ conference. Tomorrow there will be the traditional procession of the statue and a lottery: the winner will deliver a copy of the statue to the Pope.