Violence continues to plague the southern islands of the Philippines.  Although Basilan is a relatively prosperous province, it has seen a fair share of violence from Islamic insurgents. At least 11 people, including a one-year-old baby, were killed and several others were hurt when an armed group believed to be composed of members of the [...]

As a non-profit organization, Philippine Aid Society cannot endorse any politician or political party, nor do I know enough about the candidates to form an educated opinion, but the election of a pro-life president is important for the Philippines.  The spiritual poverty caused by the ‘culture of death’ is far worse than financial poverty.  I pray that [...]

Anti-government violence continues to plague the province of Mindanao and worsens the poverty in the Philippines. Four soldiers were recently killed in Agusan del Sur by communist rebels. DAVAO CITY – (UPDATE 3) At least four soldiers, including a junior officer, were killed when communist rebels set off a landmine in Veruela, Agusan del Sur, [...]

A recent survey found that a full 33 percent of Filipinos (Pinoys) expect their quality of life to improve over the next six months. The SWS said only 12 percent “expect it to get worse,” resulting in a Net Personal Optimism – or the difference of Optimists over Pessimists – score of +21. The Personal [...]

Luzon is the main island in the Philippines.  Just months after typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng flooded the central area of Luzon, the northern region is facing severe drought conditions.  This can have a major impact on poor rural families who depend on crops for their livelihood. MANILA , Philippines—While rainmakers are having trouble finding clouds [...]

Corruption, especially in the government, is a leading cause of the poverty in the Philippines.  A recent study found that government corruption continues to be a serious problem. Businesses think corruption remains prevalent in the country, with little progress in recent years, although certain transactions with various government agencies have shown improvement, the Social Weather [...]