Philippines

A. Introduction

The Republic of the Philippines consists of 7,107 islands. It is situated in South East Asia and has a tropical climate. It is in an active earthquake zone and has numerous volcanoes. The country is also affected by around 20 typhoons each year, most of which occur between June and December. The largest island is Luzon in the north and Mindanao in the south. The archipelago was named in honor of Prince Philip II of Spain. Spain retained possession of the islands for more than 300 years (1565 – 1898). The Treaty of Paris ceded the Philippines to the United States of America in 1898 after the Spanish-America War. The Philippines was invaded by the Japanese troops during the Second World War. After the War, independence was achieved in 1946. It has a population of 108 million. The people speak numerous regional languages. However, the official languages are Tagalog and English.

B. Religion

The Philippines is an officially secular state, although Christianity is the dominant faith.

Census data from 2010 found that:

a. 80.58% of the population are Roman Catholics

b. Protestant was at 10.8%

c. Islam at 5.57%

d. 2% Filipino of Chinese descent practice Buddhism

e. Other religions 1.05%

C. The development of the True Jesus Church

1. History：

In the first half of 1983, a pastor of another Christian denomination read the English publication of True Jesus Church, “Words of Life”. After reading the publication he tried to contact the office of International Assembly in Singapore and he requested preachers to be sent to the Philippines to expound the truth to him and others. 26 people received baptism and True Jesus Church was established in the Philippines. The church in Mansilingan was established on June 26, 1983. In Pagadian, the church was established on July 11, 1987 and the church in Manila was established on October 7, 1990.

2. Present situation：

True Jesus Church is established at：

a. Luzon Island in Northern Region (1 church and 4 family service points with a total of 350 members).

b. Visayas in Central Region (2 churches, 1 family service point with a total of 241 members).

c. Mindanao in Southern Region (8 churches, 6 prayer houses and 9 family service points with a total of 1,132 members).

D. Preparation before visiting churches in the Philippines

1. If you plan to stay no longer than 30 days and you have a return ticket, there is no need for a visa.

2. The currency of the Philippines is the Philippines Peso (PHP). You may only bring up to PH 50,000 into the Philippines without prior authorization from the Philippines Central Bank.

3. Bring along personal clothing and toiletries, which include toothbrush, toothpaste, torchlight, and simple medications like analgesics, antipyretics and antidiarrheal. Apart from Manila and Mansilingan Church, accommodation is not available in other places.

4. Travel notice: Dengue fever is endemic. Avoid mosquito bites especially at dawn and dusk.

E. Travel Warnings

1. Martial law is in place across the whole Mindanao Island until December 31st, 2019. It is essential to monitor media reporting and follow instructions of local authorities. Security presence is more visible in Western and Central Mindanao, the Sulu Archipelago.

2. Street crimes remain a concern in urban areas throughout the country.

3. The Philippines ferry and passenger boat network has a poor record of maritime safety. Be cautious when considering travel by inter-island ferries and avoid overcrowded boats.