Prayers by Country, Today’s Prayer

Philippines 1
March 4th

“My darling; my beautiful Philippines, come with me”

The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.(Song of Songs 2:13,NIV).”

》 Country Profile

Continent | Southeast Asia
Population | 114.6 million
Area | 300,000㎢ ; includes about 700 inhabited islands among a total of roughly 7,250 islands
Capital City | Manila (14.4 million people)
People Groups | Total 202 groups Tagalog 28%, Cebuano/Visayan 20.6%, Ilocano 9%, Hiligaynon 7.5%
Unreached People Groups | 30 (5% of the population)
Offical Language(s) | Filipino (Tagalog), English
Total Languages | 181
Bible Translations | Completed 32, New Testament 84, Partial 18
Religion | Christian 91% (Protestant 10%, Catholic 74.1%), Muslim 4.9%, Ethnic religion 3.2%, Non-religious 0.7% Evangelical 14% (15 million people)

》 About Philippines

Before Spanish colonization, various indigenous tribes lived in the Philippine islands. In 1521, Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan reached the islands, marking the start of Spain’s colonial rule. The country was named after King Philip II of Spain (Felipe II). From 1565, the Philippines remained a Spanish colony for over 330 years. After the Spanish-American War in 1898, the Treaty of Paris transferred control of the Philippines to the United States. During U.S. colonization, education, infrastructure, and public administration brought significant change. However, during World War II in 1942, the Philippines was invaded by Japan. After the war, in 1946, the country declared independence and became the Republic of the Philippines. In the early years of independence, the Philippines faced political instability and economic difficulties. In 1965, Ferdinand Marcos became president, and in 1972, he declared a state of emergency and established a military dictatorship. As a result, political opposition was repressed, and human rights violations and corruption became rampant. Although there was some economic development, it was overshadowed by extreme corruption and inequality. In 1986, the People Power Revolution ended Marcos’ dictatorship and democracy was restored. In the southern Philippines, the government has reached separate agreements with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). However, the New People’s Army, a communist rebel group, continues to show resistance. In 2017, the Philippine military launched an assault to ISIS-affiliated groups within the country. The Philippines, a presidential republic, is now led by Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who became president in 2022.

In 2018, the Philippines’ economy’s GDP comprised 60% from the service sector, 31% from manufacturing, and 9.3% from agriculture, forestry, and fishing. The agricultural sector includes the export of coconuts, bananas, and pineapples. The Philippines is one of the top four countries in the world for overseas labor exports, with 10% of its population working abroad.. Their remittances make up 9.7% of the country’s GDP, significantly impacting the economy. However, more than 20% of the population lives in poverty, and in some southern regions, this figure reaches 75%. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 caused many overseas workers to return home, and remittances were expected to drop by as much as 40%. Philippines’ GDP per capita is approximately $3,906

》 Scripture Focus

Song of Songs 2:1-4,10-13(NIV)
1. I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.
2. Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the young women.
3. Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my beloved among the young men. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste.
4. Let him lead me to the banquet hall, and let his banner over me be love.
10. My beloved spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me.
11. See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.
12. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.
13. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.”

》 Prayer Points

1. The capital city of Manila, has a population of 13.9 million, which makes up one-eighth of the entire population of the Philippines. The wealthy upper class, who control much of the nation’s finances, live in their own exclusive areas within the city. Meanwhile, millions of urban poor reside in slums and restricted areas, which are extremely vulnerable to natural disasters, poor hygiene, and safety risks. For instance, in 2009, a storm completely destroyed some slum areas within the city. Many of these residents survive by scavenging in the enormous garbage dumps around the city. Some organizations, like the National Urban Poor Coalition, work to serve these communities. Both the rich and the poor need the true treasure, Jesus Christ. Let us pray that the Filipino church will lead both groups to the Lord, restoring them to be the beloved bride of Christ.

2. Urgent prayer is needed for the next generation in the Philippines. They face serious exposure to teenage pregnancy, incest, and production of pornography. According to the Commission on Population and Development(CPD; formerly known as POPCOM), about 500 teenagers become pregnant every day. Due to issues like pregnancy and early marriage, 57% of female students drop out of school. Furthermore, the International Justice Mission (IJM) reports that two-thirds of the children appearing in Filipino pornography are forced into it by their own biological parents or relatives. Cases of incest are also alarmingly frequent, with the Department of Education reporting 400-500 cases annually, mostly involving victims aged 14-17, and some even younger than five. Let’s pray for God to save the next generation from these hidden sins and raise them as holy and blameless children in His love.

3.The major export of the Philippines is people. Filipinos are rich in skills but work opportunities are few, even for university graduates. Over 8.1 million live abroad. Of those, over four million work in Asia, the Middle East and Europe, often as nurses, engineers, seamen, domestic servants, nannies and menial workers. Many go to difficult and “closed” countries to be witnesses for Christ, and some suffer much for the gospel. Pray that all Christians may shine for Him. Pray that the unconverted may hear the gospel; especially pray for the 245,000 Filipino seamen scattered around the world (the largest number from any nation).
Let’s pray that they respond to the Lord’s call, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me.,” Let us pray that they rise up as the church, walking with Him forever.

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