With the intense poverty affecting many members of the Padada Branch in the Digos Philippines District, branch president Allan Kong Pace knew he needed to help members become self-reliant.

During the latter part of 1990, he divided the land surrounding the rural meetinghouse into garden plots and assigned them to needy families.Other work projects were started such as selling lechon (spit-roasted pork) in the local market, and washing and bleaching flour sacks to sew into aprons, pillow cases and dresses to sell at market. Members also learned the art of weaving baskets and have sold about 14,000 to markets in the United States.

Through the efforts of Pres. Pace, the number of active Church members in the branch, located in Mindanao, has gone from 46 to nearly 200.

Like Pres. Pace, many leaders throughout the Philippines have caught the vision of teaching members self-reliance, as well as improving employment opportunities through the Church's Philippines Welfare Services Department.

The Church employment program, administered through the Church welfare system in the Philippines as a model program, helps lift Filipino saints from poverty to greater self-sufficiency, according to Elder L. Lionel Kendrick of the Seventy and president of the Philippines/Micronesia Area.

In turn, when a member becomes self-sufficient through gainful employment, he develops a sense of self-worth. Soon his spirituality and that of his family increases and he finds time to magnify his calling in the Church, Elder Kendrick explained.

It's important to take care of temporal as well as spiritual needs of members because "caring for the temporal is essential and evolves to the spiritual," added Elder Durrel A. Woolsey of the Seventy and second counselor in the Philippines/Micronesia area presidency. Elder Woolsey oversees the employment program for the area presidency.

It is estimated that more than 15 percent of members in the Philippines are unemployed, slightly higher than the national average, according to Fred Dimaya, area welfare services manager. More than that may be underemployed. The annual per capita income in the Philippines is equivalent to $731 in U.S. currency.

Filipino members are also more likely to be poor than non-members, he added. Because proselyting is difficult among the more affluent Filipinos (they live within walled compounds) the majority of converts come from less affluent, humble circumstances.

But members' opportunities to improve their employment is greater than non-members because of Church resources, such as the Church employment program.

"I think this program is an inspired answer to one of our biggest challenges, unemployment or underemployment," Elder Kendrick remarked. "Our goal is for missionary couples to train the local people so when the couples leave, the members will be self-reliant and be trained in skills.

"Through this program, we are practicing the principles of welfare through self-reliance," he said. "I think we have made significant progress. Through job seminars we have trained more than 800 people."

The program was implemented in 1990 when full-time missionary couples were called to work in the employment program. The program was introduced to stake and district presidencies and the couples were assigned to various areas. Two couples serve in Manila, one couple serves in Davao and another couple serves in Cebu.

The missionary couples met with local leaders to determine how the employment program could best be adapted in that particular area. Once the program was fully implemented and functioning, it was extended to other areas. Thirty-one stakes and districts are currently in varying phases of implementation of the program.

The employment program includes three objectives, according to Elder William Aton, a full-time missionary serving as employment service coordinator: 1. To help members find gainful employment by collecting and quickly sharing job information from members and others in the community. 2. To provide counseling and opportunities for those in need of vocational or employment upgrading or rehabilitation. 3. To teach parents through quorums how to counsel family members regarding employment matters and to teach individuals how to plan their careers.

Members who participate in the program are trained in preparing resumes, job interview training and coaching, and in job networking.

An important aspect of the employment program is to develop an inventory of jobs that are available, and expeditiously match up those jobs with a qualified member seeking employment, Elder Woolsey explained.

Seventy-five percent of jobs are never advertised, but are filled through what is known as the "Hidden Job Market," he continued. In these cases, the employer first asks his employees and acquaintances if they know of someone to fill a particular job vacancy. If the job is not filled, the employer will usually advertise the job through an agency.

Elder Woolsey added: "Job networking starts with each job candidate developing a personal network by listing everyone he knows that can help him including his family, friends, prior employers, business associates, club members and the ward or branch employment specialist.

"Everyone he meets should become a part of his network. Networking, together with direct contact with the employer, has proved to be the most productive method of finding and getting a job," he said.

The intent of the employment program is to help members learn of a job opening as early as possible, and to be referred to the employer and be better prepared for the interview, Elder Aton explained.

Vivian de Jesus, instructor of a job skills course at the Manila Institute of Religion, shared success stories from her class. She said all 10 graduates of her first class in 1991 have secured the job of their choice and attribute much of their success to what they learned in the class. There were 630 job placements in 1991 as a result of the training.

Use of "Job Search - the Inside Track," a Church job search and interview training program videotape with workbooks, has also been a success in the Philippines, Elder Woolsey said.

Members can increase their chances of getting a job by as much as 400 percent just by completing the course, which has been distributed in every stake and district in the Philippines, Elder Aton explained.

Church leaders also emphasize daily prayer, living the commandments and paying an honest tithe to help in the job search.

"Tithing will strengthen the people financially, temporally and spiritually," remarked Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone of the Seventy, first counselor in the Philippines/Micronesia Area presidency.

"Probably the single greatest test in the Philippines is tithing," he said in a 1991 address to Filipino members. "It takes a great deal of faith to pay 10 percent to the Lord when you do not have enough money to buy food or to feed your family. As we have heard so often, we do not pay tithing with money, we pay it with faith. Truly the Lord does bless us temporally as we pay our tithes and offerings."

He counseled members who are underemployed to think constantly about ways to improve their circumstances. "Pray and ask God to inspire you to think productive and inspired thoughts. Think of ways you can fill a need in business, in the community and in private business."

The closure of two United States military bases, Clark Air Base and the Subic Bay Naval Base, have already had a negative impact on unemployment rates among Filipino members and non-members, Elder Kendrick added. But the Church employment program has been geared up to help members in relocation or in a change of employment as closures have occurred.

With natural disasters being part of life in the Philippines, together with the political unrest that plagues the country, Filipinos also find it challenging to maintain adequate living conditions.

"But the people are resilient," Elder Woolsey commented. He spoke of an experience he had while presiding at a stake conference in Cebu shortly after a typhoon had hit the area.

"Tears came to my eyes as members sang with great sincerity and faith `Because I Have Been Given Much.' I knew in so many cases they did not have a `roof's safe shelter over head.'

"Members recognize the truths of the gospel. They are gaining the vision that membership will eventually lead them out of poverty and deprivation." - Sheridan R. Sheffield