Have faith in God – Duterte

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte yesterday called on Christian Filipinos to have faith in God and in one another as they strive for a brighter future.

In his Easter Sunday message, Duterte said Filipinos have remained strong and resilient in the face of challenges over the past few years because of their strong belief in salvation promised by Jesus Christ.

“The fulfillment of the Resurrection of the Lord therefore gives us hope and courage to never falter no matter how overwhelming the odds seemingly are,” Duterte said.

“May this occasion give us much reason to thank the Almighty and have faith – in each other and in the Lord – so that we may stand brave and united in our journey as a people. Let us be hopeful of better days ahead even as we continue to work hard for the brighter and more prosperous future that we aspire for ourselves and for future generations,” he added.

Easter, which commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, is the most important celebration in Christianity, the faith of a majority of Filipinos.

For her part, Vice President Leni Robredo called on Filipinos to follow in the footsteps of Christ by helping the poor.

Being one with Catholics in celebrating Easter, she highlighted the Resurrection as the “heart of the Gospel,” saying in Filipino: “May we also remember the path that Jesus had to take towards this day – His sacrifice and the courage He had to bare in facing even death.”

Robredo said that in following Jesus, true Christians must “wholly give oneself especially for those on the fringes of society.”

Meanwhile, Speaker Lord Allan Velasco called on the nation, especially the 67 million voters, to seek guidance from God as the May 9 presidential elections draws nearer.

In his Easter message, Velasco said: “Let us seek God’s guidance in order for us to make the right decision to vote for leaders who genuinely care for the country and will effectively lead us on the path to recovery.”

“Let us pray that the will of God and the Filipino people will truly reflect the outcome of the forthcoming elections. May the miracle of Christ’s resurrection fill our hearts with love, hope and joy,” he added.