After Sri Lanka, Pope Francis arrived Thursday in the Philippines, a beacon of Catholicism in Asia and the world, with no less than 80 million members, or 80% of the population. The visit, which will last five days, was placed under high security. A huge crowd is expected in Manila, the capital. Many Filipinos want to enjoy the Pope's visit to alert him to the problems of poverty, which affect a significant portion of the population.
'' We know that the Pope has strong positions on social issues. And this is a major issue in the Philippines today, says this activist. We are faced with massive poverty and violations of human rights. ''
The fight against oppression and corruption. This is also the message from farmers. They began a hunger strike to demand the return of thousands of hectares of land. "We hope that the Pope will hear our call to reclaim our land that was seized during the Marcos era, '' says the farmer.
The Pope will travel Saturday in Tacloban on Leyte Island, which had been hit hard in November 2013 by the typhoon Haiyan. About 10,000 deaths and tens of thousands of victims. More than a year after the disaster, many people live in the greatest poverty. The Pope's visit represents for them a hope.
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