Mission Church: Fundamental Baptist Church Field: Hubisan, Sagay, Negros Occidental, Philippines Marital Status: Married
	Partner: Rick Martin, Pastor of Iloilo Baptist Church, Iloilo City, Philippines

Republic of the Philippines

The Republic of the Philippines, in the western Pacific Ocean, comprising the Philippine Islands and forming part of the Malay Archipelago, is an island grouping that extends southward to include Indonesia and Malaysia. The Philippines includes more than 7,100 islands, but most of the land area is shared among the 11 largest islands. The terrain is mountainous and includes many active volcanoes. Manila, located on east central Luzon Island, is the national capital and largest city.

The people of the Philippines are called Filipinos. Most Filipinos are of Malay descent. Filipinos of mixed descent (through various combinations of Malay, Chinese, and Spanish intermarriage) have traditionally formed the country’s elite in business and politics. Nearly 83 million people live in the Philippines. The population is growing by about 2 percent a year, giving the Philippines one of the world’s highest population-growth rates. The republic has one of the highest population-growth rates in the world. About 40 percent of the population lives in poverty while a wealthy minority holds most political power. The official languages are English and Filipino (formerly spelled Pilipino), which is based on the indigenous Tagalog language. More than 80 other indigenous languages and dialects are also spoken.

Filipinos are generally divided along linguistic, geographic, and religious lines. Different linguistic groups developed as a result of the original settlement patterns. As the Malayan peoples spread throughout the archipelago, they dispersed into separate groups that each developed a distinct vernacular, or regional language. About 84 percent of all Filipinos are Roman Catholic, about 5 percent are Muslims, and the remainder are Buddhists, animists, or nonbelievers.

Family relationships are the basic building block of Philippine society. Each Filipino is at the center of a large circle of relatives, usually extending to third cousins. In rural areas the barangays (villages) contain sitios, or clusters of households, of an extended family. The social support provided by these close-knit communities is reflected in the absence of such institutions as retirement homes and orphanages. In Philippine villages, houses are traditionally constructed of bamboo and nipa palm thatching and raised above the ground on poles. Simple wooden houses with galvanized iron roofs are also common. Except in the remotest areas, rural houses are equipped with electricity and indoor plumbing. More services and modern facilities are available in towns and cities. The influence of Western culture is more evident in urban areas, where lifestyles tend to be more modern.

Farming, fishing, and forestry are the primary occupations in rural areas. Many of the rural poor are employed as tenant farmers and landless agricultural workers. Most urban residents are employed in the service sector or in manufacturing. There is a growing middle class of government employees, teachers, and small-business owners. The Philippine diet usually consists of boiled rice or ground corn, vegetables, fresh or salted fish, and fruits. The unit of currency is the Philippine peso, which is divided into 100 centavos (51.60 pesos equal U.S.$1; 2002 average).

Pilot American missionaries, with established works, are training nationals in the ministry of the Gospel. National missionaries are sent out by the hundreds each year to win souls in cities, towns, and villages. Thousands are saved each year as Bible-believing preachers tell Filipinos of the love of Christ.

Global Church Planters desires to financially help these national missionaries (we call them Pioneers) start thousands of churches in the Philippines.