Masking the problem
The Philippines is known as Asia’s largest Catholic nation. In January 2015 Pope Francis conducted a five-day visit the Philippines themed “Mercy and Compassion”. The last time a pope visited was when Pope John Paul II did in 1994. The visit was further made controversial when “some 2,000 activists gathered in Manila to greet the pope by unfurling banners highlighting some of the issues that affect the nation's poor, such as hunger, landlessness and injustice”.