Philippines

Francis picked the archbishop emeritus of Manila as pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelisation. The 67-year-old Philippine cardinal has been one of the foremost figures of Asian Catholicism for more than 20 years. A brilliant preacher for years, he has commented on the Gospel every week in a very popular TV programme. For him, “The Church is renewed in her identity when she is missionary, that is, when she bears witness to the Kingdom of God in dialogue with cultures, religions”.

Archbishop of Manila since 2021, Card José Fuerte Advincula is one of the main supporters of a missionary magisterium. At 73, he is in line with the synodal vision of Pope Francis. A strong promoter of inclusion, of listening to varied groups like women, LGBTQ+ people and workers, he supports education as a way to social redemption. He is open to the pastoral challenges of the present, such as the proposed divorce law in the Philippines.

The Philippine Islamic Burial Law fills a regulatory gap that has been a source of tensions with Christians. In compliance with Islamic religious precepts, burial can take place within 24 hours, while violations will be sanctioned with jail time or fines. This success for the Muslim religious minority has sparked reactions among some Catholics.

The 65-year-old bishop of Kalookan is one of three Filipino cardinals in the conclave. As a priest, bishop, and then cardinal he always showed a missionary attention for the downtrodden. He was the strongest voice against former President Duterte's "war on drugs" and promoted rehabilitation programmes for drug addicts. He warns against looking at the conclave as a horse race, highlighting the sacredness of the election of a pontiff.

The Philippines Church and its people pay homage to Pope Francis. Cardinal David remembers him as a pastor among the faithful who chose “the dusty roads to the peripheries." Cardinal Advincula remembers his 2015 visit as a "moment of grace". President Marcos declared three days of national mourning. In offering its condolences, Silsilah, the movement for Islamic-Christian dialogue in Mindanao, says that we must “build together a human fraternity as Pope Francis reminds us to do”.

In Malaysia, the "journey of the Cross" has begun, set to end next year at the Pastoral Convention. In Negombo, young people and children put on a play centred on the Lamentations with local traditions and customs. Tens of thousands take part in a pilgrimage in Zamboanga to remember the sufferings of Jesus. In Labuan Bajo, the bishop brought the Way of the Cross among inmates.

In the diocese of Dipolog, in the south of the country, Chrisma Bangaoil and a group of volunteers have already built 12 small churches in the most isolated mountain areas. ‘We are not just building buildings; we are building faith in these outlying areas’.

As the mid-term elections of 12th May approach, a group including former judges and bishops has appealed to the Supreme Court - “the last bastion of democracy” - for intervention against the division of public offices among clans. The ban is in the 1987 Constitution, but Congress has never legislated. The petitioners: ‘An anti-dynasty law must be passed’. The Marcos and Duterte families are the tip of the iceberg of a system.

The former Minister of Justice was unjustly detained for 2,454 days for her opposition to the former president's drug war methods. The families of the victims had hoped for a mandate from the International Criminal Court. Today Duterte supporters are rallying to mark his 80th birthday. In The Hague, his trial’s preliminary hearing is set for 23 September. Speaking in Rome at the conference for the 150th anniversary of the Congregation of the Divine Word, de Lima urged those who tolerated and favoured killings to seek healing.

Established by the FABC, the commission is tasked with facilitating collaboration among Asian Churches to translate the path indicated by Pope Francis in their own context. It includes religious and lay people who took part in the Synod in Rome.

The former president was flown overnight to be arraigned before the International Criminal Court for “crimes against humanity”. His lawyers, family members and supporters tried to stop his departure. The trial risks further widening the gap between the Duterte and Marcos families ahead of May elections.

The International Criminal Court's arrest warrant has been executed against the former president, accused of crimes against humanity for his controversial war on drugs, in which up to 30,000 people are presumed to have died from extrajudicial killings. The local Church has called on the government to cooperate with international justice to end widespread impunity.