ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Catholic Foundation helps destitute parents face expenses of baptism parties and schooling to guarantee children a more dignified life

Monday, 17 September 2007

Manila (Agenzia Fides) - Poverty prevents the parents of 10 million children in the Philippines, the largest Catholic country in Asia, from having their children baptised, according to Hulog ng Langit Foundation (Sent from Heaven Foundation), a local Catholic NGO started in 2005 and which, among other activities, collects money to help destitute families afford the expenses of a Baptism.
The man who started the foundation Mark Jimenez Crespo, explains that very poor parents are often too ashamed of their dire poverty to ask for baptism and the fact that they cannot pay for a Baptismal party for the family and friends. This is also very often the reason why slum children do not go to schools and grow up without any social, cultural and religious education: Hulog ng Langit Foundation operates also in this field paying school expenses for the poorest children.
Recently in Manila a community celebration of Baptism was organised and over 8,500 infants received the first of all the Sacraments. An estimated 20,000 children have received Christian baptism thanks to the Hulog ng Langit Foundation and Caritas Manila.
According to government figures at least 30% of the population lived below the poverty line in 2003 and the figure has since increased. The Foundation intends to continue its campaign in other parts of the country including the Island of Mindanao, where there is a large Muslim community.
Another area where the Foundation is active is to prevent children from the evil of prostitution of minors which in the Philippines is still often encouraged by family members or friends. According to recent surveys undertaken by human rights associations at least 100,000 children in the Philippines are involved in the racket of prostitution. Very often family members justify this exploitation explaining that the money serves to help the family survive. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 17/9/2007 righe 25 parole 259)


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