Philippines Finland - 17th most generous country in the world

It would appear that Filipinos have taken to heart the words of that classic Christmas carol that goes, "at magmula ngayon, kahit hindi Pasko ay magbigayan."

According to the World Giving Index 2012 by British organization Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), the Philippines is the 17th most generous country out of 146 countries included in the study, with a world giving index score of 45 percent.

The World Giving Index ranked countries based on three "giving behaviors:" donating money to a charity, volunteering time for an organization, and helping strangers.

Top 20 countries in the World Giving Index, with score and participation in giving behaviours

1. Australia
2. Ireland
3. Canada
4. New Zealand
5. United States of America
6. Netherlands
7. Indonesia
8. United Kingdom
9. Paraguay
10. Denmark
11. Liberia
12. Iran
13. Turkmenistan
14. Qatar
15. Sri Lanka
16. Trinidad and Tobago
17. Finland & The Philippines
18. Hong Kong
19. Oman

The Philippines shared the ranking with Finland, who also had a score of 45 percent.,

Meanwhile Australia was ranked the most generous country with a score of 60 percent. Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and the United States rounded out the top five most generous, all ranking high in terms of donating money.

Filipinos, meanwhile, got a relatively low score of only 32 percent when it came to money donations, but ranked fifth overall in terms of volunteering, with a score of 44 percent. This score is the highest of any other country in Southeast Asia. As for helping strangers, Filipinos got a score of 58 percent.

The CAF report said that the country's world giving score has exceeded its five-year average. However, it also said that there was a general decline in charitable acts in recent years, noting a decrease in participation in all three giving behaviors all over the world.

"According to our report, hundreds of millions fewer people have helped others than was the case last year," said CAF Chief Executive John Low in the report's foreword.,

"This has inevitably resulted in a dramatic reduction in charitable support for millions of vulnerable people the world over," he added.

The World Giving Index 2012 was compiled using data collected throughout 2011 and surveyed over 155,000 people. Countries featured in the World Giving Index in previous years that were not surveyed in 2011 do not feature in the 2012 Index.

Fieldwork was conducted by the market research firm, Gallup.

This is the third edition of the World Giving Index (http://is.gd/qWkuxU)

GMA News

Continue reading

Sad Christmas: How Muslims Murdered & Behead family -Christian Elders in Mindanao

Muslim Rebels killing Christian Elders and family in Mindanao and beheading some, a process of ousting Christian Settlers in Mindanao for the "Bangsamoro Semi-autonomous Region" . Reported December 24, 2012

How Filipino Rebels Murdered Church Elder's Family

It's disheartening to note how Filipino Christians in Muslim rebels dominated area of the island Mindanao of the Philippines are being persecuted daily, with the recent murder of a church elder's family and burning of homes.

This indication is contained in a news report by the Release International (www.releaseinternational.org) a United Kingdom based Christian charity adding that one bishop related how he had evacuated his village when news came of an imminent raid by rebels.

Quoting Manila Standard Today, it noted that villagers hid behind rocks by the coast as they watched 300 rebels invade by boat from other islands. On their return to the village, however, they found that a family of five, that of a church elder, had not managed to escape and had been brutally murdered, including their baby. Homes and other property had been burned.

"This is happening against a backdrop of political negotiations between the Filipino Government and rebels about the creation of a new semi-autonomous region "the Bangsamoro". A preliminary peace accord was signed in October to agree the formation of the Bangsamoro region in 2016 – and Filipino media report that a final accord could be signed by the end of the year," the report added.

It continued: "Christians fear this will only cause persecution to intensify. Rebels are operating as if Islamic law is already in force. Christians fear they will be driven out of the area altogether."

According to the report, attacks on their property are common and several churches have been stoned or burned down and that there have even been reports of Christians being beheaded. ( read more here http://is.gd/ElJmvP)

Ground Report 

Continue reading