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June 3, 2021 – In support of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s call for national prayer, Education Chief Leonor Magtolis Briones joined other key government officials and religious groups to pray for the recovery and healing of the Philippines from the COVID-19 pandemic in virtual interfaith events on May 29 and 30.

During “The Whole Nation: Pray as One, Heal as One Interfaith Prayer Meeting” on Sunday, Pres. Duterte requested direction and divine guidance as the country faces challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Secretary Briones, in her prayer, asked to strengthen and protect the Filipino people, including government leaders, who face difficult decisions in this time of great uncertainty and threats.

“Heavenly Father, source of all wisdom and knowledge and discernment, we come before you to share and to lay at your feet the challenges which we face in the education sector,” the education chief said.

“May you continually teach us to follow in the footsteps of your son Jesus Christ, who was the greatest teacher of all. May you continually remind us that our mandate, our mission, our instructions is to train a child in the way he should go so that when he is old he will not turn from it,” she added.

The Fellowship of Christians in Government, Inc. (FOCIG), on the other hand, gathered the cabinet leaders and other government officials for one-hour fasting and prayer on Saturday in preparation for the national interfaith event.

“We pray for the education sector whom You have always been very kind and accommodating to our teachers. We thank You for leading the way, being the greatest teacher of all on how we should look at our functions,” Briones said.

“We are tasked with a noble assignment, with a noble order that we should raise our children according to Your presets, according to Your life, and we should teach them to grow in wisdom, and strength, and in favor of God and men,” she continued.

Organized by the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Religious Affairs, the national interfaith prayer meeting last Sunday was attended by Dr. Grepor Butch Belgica, Philippine Medical Association President Benito Atienza, Philippine Airlines Inc. President and COO Gilbert Santa Maria, former Supreme Court Justice Ruben Reyes, Brig. Gen. Raul Cino, Brig. Gen. Jason Ortizo, and Senate President Vicente Sotto III, among others.

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