The M.I. Philippines in Davao made a one week 4 Barangay Mission tour. These 4 Barangays Are just North-North-West to East-Southeast of St. Joseph’s Priory.  Members of 2 different Praesidia of the Legion of Mary cooperated in order to visit the Knights of these Barangays and encourage them to make the renewal of their Consecration to Mary and to rekindle their devotion to their basic M.I. duties. It may be remarked that in a Catholic country like the Philippines, Catholics are easily inspired to move towards Mary initially — it’s instinctive — but perseverance, especially after the novelty of a new thing wears off, is another, more laborious story.

Despite this fact of human nature pulling down, Legionnaires, who are also, of course, MIs, were able to Consecrate two Barangays to Our Lady, renew the Consecration of one previously consecrated Barangay, renew 4 Knights who had joined the MI in the past years, gather 99 new Knights to Our Lady’s army and enroll 212 people in the Confraternity of the Holy Scapular.

Meanwhile, as Barangays represent the lowest level of government, and the one closest to the people, the Sanggunian is the governing body uniting the areas Councilors, who work towards legislation under the guidance and chairmanship of the City’s Vice Mayor. In 2016 Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, son of the current President, presided over the Consecration of the City of Davao to Our Lady. In 2018, this Consecration was renewed by the representative of the Vice Mayor, namely Attorney Avincula. This year, on the 21^st of January, the Vice Mayor is Sebastian Duterte, also son of the President, but as he was replacing the Mayor in the City Hall, Legionaries of Mary were able to organize a renewal of the Consecration of the City by the good offices of Councilor Pilar Braga with the help of the Speaker of the House Quintain. At the end of the official session, Speaker Quintain invited Councilors to assist at the renewal of the Consecration of the City to the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title of Our Lady of Fatima. Meanwhile, in Manila, the famous Sogie bill — aiming to promote more and more LGBT rights in society — had been tabled. However, the LGBT movement will not take defeat likely, and so on the Philippine front it is all the more important to insert evermore, the gentle but powerful influence of the “Queen of Victories”.