Philippines

The NYD is underway centred on the theme "Youth Empowerment for Nation Building". Local families are hosting young people from all Philippine dioceses and 22 Catholic organisations. This is a first step towards WYD Seoul 2027. Meanwhile, in today's Consistory, Leo XIV announced that Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis will be proclaimed saints on 7 September, Peter to Rot on 19 October, Missionary Day.

The president of the Philippine Bishops' Conference has taken a stance on the start of proceedings for the impeachment of the vice-president and daughter of Rodrigo Duterte, which after several postponements linked to the clash with the Marcos clan is set for tomorrow. The cardinal: 'Although impeachment is by nature a political process, it is not exempt from the moral demands of truth, justice and accountability'.

The Commission on Elections has set deadlines for the first legislative elections in Mindanao’s autonomous region. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front is calling for the vote not to be postponed any further. The removal of Sulu from the autonomous region’s territory is not going without glitches, and the risk of fraud related to registration is raising questions.

Launched in 1975 as a Lenten gesture, over the years it has become an ongoing form of support for the activities of the 85 social action centres of the Philippine Church. And to mark the anniversary, Caritas has launched a campaign to engage one million Filipinos in a monthly donation. Bishop of Kidapawan Msgr Bagaforo: "Seed of hope and compassion".

Fe Mantuhac Barino, a Catholic laywoman linked to the Charismatic Renewal, is behind a programme created in 2016 (when Duterte was president) that offers drug addicts and their families a way to take back their lives. Over the years, more than a thousand people have participated,” she said, adding that “Only God can make these changes.”

The Filipino president has announced a "cabinet reshuffle" to "adjust our actions to the expectations of the people." The failure to elect five out of eleven candidates for Senate seats, crucial in the battle against the "Duterte clan," weighs heavily. The goal is to revitalise the administration’s initiatives to overcome poverty, inadequate public services, and limited opportunities for young people.

After 2,454 days unjustly behind bars, the former senator and minister of Justice is back in Congress, in the House of Representatives this time. With the opposition party, Mamamayang Liberal (ML), she will challenge the political oligarchies of the Duterte and Marcos clans. For the families of the victims of the war on drugs, she represents hope for justice. Hers is “A fragile mandate that carries the weight of people’s hopes”.

Population growth has put pressure on the school system. The Department of Education plans to spend almost US$ 80 million to create new teaching positions. However, according to official statistics, 11 per cent of children and young people up to the age of 14 do not go to school due to household poverty. At present, 60 per cent of the 77.3 million Filipinos of working age are employed.

The priest is one of the few who knows the Filipino Sign Language. His choice goes back to a meeting with a group of deaf people during the papal visit in 2015. Ministering the sacraments, starting with confession, represents a challenge. Working with Setsunan University in Osaka has been a success.

Almost 70 million voters cast their ballot in midterm elections for Congress and local government. The outgoing majority in Congress should consolidate its hold. Local elections are a mixed bag with differences and divisions, with local coalition building the name of the game.

The religious family to which the new pontiff belonged, and which he led as Prior General for 12 years, has a long history of missionary presence on the Asian continent, beginning with the Basilica of Santo Niño in Cebu. Fellow Augustinians in India and Indonesia describe him as "a deeply spiritual man, capable of truly listening." His coat of arms features a phrase from Augustine and the order's emblem: a burning heart pierced by an arrow above a book.

Since December, Sister Liza Ruedas, a nun of the Daughters of Charity, has launched an awareness campaign ahead of the midterm elections scheduled for May 12. The goal is to increase “awareness and participation in political change.” The Catholic Church of the Philippines has consecrated itself to Divine Mercy in the face of the "serious challenges" facing both the country and the world.