$65 Baptism?

MANILA (Reuters Life!) - A Filipino ex-convict has sponsored a baptism ceremony for some 5,000 impoverished children, saying he wanted to offer them the chance of heaven.

Former lawmaker Mark Jimenez, who was jailed in the United States for tax evasion and illegal contributions to a Bill Clinton election campaign, also gave the children free clothes and shoes as well as paying for transportation and a reception.

"All I wanted is for them to have a chance, because the investment of the devil is so plentiful," the businessman told Reuters. "You see all the advertisement that is dangerous, but we don't have anything that relates to heaven."

Many poor Filipinos living on around 360 pesos ($7.8) a day in this predominantly Catholic country are unable to afford a private baptism, which costs around 3,000 pesos ($65).

What the heck is a "private baptism" and just who is charging 3,000 pesos for one? Surely not the Catholic Church in the Philippines. For $65 dollars would they be using inmported bottled Holy Water?