Politicians in at least two provinces and in Manila have begun raising funds to finance projects initiated by the Catholic Church.

Governor Emmylou Talino-Mendoza of North Cotabato province today announced that she will start a fund drive for the construction of a church in front of the province’s capitol building.

In the province of Aklan, the local government is allocating 30 million pesos (US$714,285) for the improvement of a highway named after the late Jaime Cardinal Sin, archbishop of Manila.

In the capital, three bishops received utility vehicles bought from money raised by election lawyer Romulo Macalintal and former Manila mayor Lito Atienza.

Macalintal and Atienza were able to raise 2.7 million pesos in about two months to buy vehicles for the bishops.

Talino-Mendoza said the provincial government hopes to raise 600,000 pesos to assist in the building of the church.

“We cannot give directly to the Church because that is not allowed under the Constitution, with the separation of the Church and the state,” Talino-Mendoza said.

Engineer Victor Fernandez of Aklan province, meanwhile, said the government needs funds to rehabilitate the Cardinal Sin Avenue.

“We wanted to beautify the avenue to commemorate the life and work of the late cardinal,” he said. Part of the improvement is the rehabilitation of the sea wall in Tambak village in New Washington town, the birthplace of Cardinal Sin.

The original sea wall, which was destroyed by soil erosion, was built through the efforts of the late cardinal.

In Manila, meanwhile, Macalintal said his group already bought four pick-up trucks with the money they raised, while television host Willie Revillame donated 100,000 pesos, a van and another pick-up truck.

The group launched the fund drive last July to provide utility vehicles for seven prelates who were criticized for receiving vehicles from the state-run Charity Sweepstakes Office.

“The drive was a success and we thank everyone for their help. Catholics from all walks of life ― from the rich to the poor — responded to our call,” Macalintal said.