(9 Apr 1998) Tagalog/Nat

A 45 year-old man who has been evicted from his home nailed himself to a cross in the Phillipino capital on Thursday in a desperate attempt to get the government to help the poor and homeless.

The protest took place near the Presidential palace in Manila.

Mario Galvez's re enactment of the crucifixion comes a day before Phillipinos celebrate the Christian Good Friday festival by holding a mock mass crucifixion.

Four-inch nails were hammered through the feet and hands of Mario Galvez, as part of protest to mark the plight of the poor.

It was held near the presidential palace in Manila on Wednesday.

Mock crucifixions had been an annual Easter event in the Philippines for years, but most are held on Good Friday.

Christians believe Good Friday marks the day Jesus Christ was crucified - or nailed to a cross.

Those who have themselves nailed to a cross in the Philippines usually do so to seek divine intervention on curing sick relatives, or as penance for past sins.

But for Galvez, it is to ask God to soften the hearts of the people in the government of President Fidel Ramos.

Galvez was one of thousands of squatters evicted from government property in suburban Quezon City to give way for a railway project.

They are demanding to be re housed.

For 20 minutes, Galvez stood nailed to a cross as some of his fellow protesters held other wooden crosses.

It was done to symbolize the suffering brought to them by the demolitions and their demand for government to give them a resettlement area.

SOUNDBITE: (Tagalog)
"This is a sacrifice I'm doing for all of us poor people, and I pray to God that hopefully our beloved President and the other government officials will
listen to us."
SUPER CAPTION: Mario Galvez

At least 15 men and a woman plan to be nailed on to crosses in the reenactment of Jesus' death on Good Friday.

Thousands of visitors head to Central Luzon, north of Manila, each year to witness the rituals.

It has now been turned into a festival with vendors selling commemorative T-shirts, beer, liquor and snacks.

In most cases, participants remain on the crosses for only several minutes.

The Roman Catholic hierarchy doesn't approve the rituals in Asia's only predominantly Catholic country.

But the events are so popular that whatever steps the Church takes to discourage people from carrying out the act makes little difference.

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