Joshua Bennett
The Philippines is one of two countries in Asia with a substantial Catholic population, the other being East Timor. It has the third-largest Catholic population in the world, with 80% of Filipinos identifying as Catholic. Catholicism was first introduced to the Philippines by Spanish soldiers, missionaries and settlers in the 16th century, and it served as the country's state religion during the Spanish colonial period. The Catholic Church in the Philippines is involved in education at all levels and has founded and sponsored many schools, colleges and universities. It also has great influence on society and politics, although this has waned in recent years.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of the population that is Catholic | 78.8% (2020), 80% (2023) or 85 million people (2020) |
| Catholic population worldwide ranking | 3rd |
| Predominant religion | Yes |
| Largest denomination of Christianity | Yes |
| Level of government restrictions on religion | Low |
| Social hostilities involving religion | Moderate |
| Influence on society and politics | High |
| Involvement in education | Sponsors hundreds of schools, colleges and universities |
| Views on social issues | Conservative, in line with Catholic Church teachings |
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What You'll Learn
- Catholicism is the predominant religion in the Philippines
- The Catholic Church has great influence on Philippine society and politics
- Filipinos' views on social issues are often in line with Catholic Church teachings
- The Catholic Church is involved in education at all levels in the Philippines
- The Catholic Church in the Philippines is part of the worldwide Catholic Church
Catholicism is the predominant religion in the Philippines
Christianity, through Catholicism, was first brought to the Philippine islands by Spanish soldiers, missionaries, and settlers in the early 16th century. It served as the country's state religion during the Spanish colonial period, and the Catholic Church continues to hold great influence in Philippine society and politics today. The Church is involved in education at all levels, founding and sponsoring schools, colleges, and internationally recognised universities.
The Catholic Church in the Philippines has strongly opposed certain legislation, such as the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, which was nonetheless signed into law by President Benigno Aquino III. The Church has also been critical of extrajudicial killings during the Duterte administration's war on drugs.
Catholicism in the Philippines takes various forms, including traditional orthodoxy, Folk Catholicism, and Charismatic Catholicism. Folk Catholicism, also known as Filipino folk Christianity, combines Christian monotheism and dogma with indigenous animism. This may manifest in practices such as seeking religious blessings for rice seeds before planting or placing a bamboo cross in a rice field to prevent insect damage.
While the Philippines is a secular state with freedom of religion, the Catholic clergy remains a source of moral influence, especially during elections, and political candidates court the support of religious leaders.
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The Catholic Church has great influence on Philippine society and politics
The Philippines is one of the two nations in Asia with a substantial Catholic population, the other being East Timor. In 2020, 78.8% of the population (or 85,645,362 people) identified as Catholic, making it the predominant religion and the largest Christian denomination in the country. The following year, this number rose to 80% or 89 million people. The Philippines is the third-largest Catholic population in the world, after Brazil and Mexico.
Catholicism was first introduced to the Philippines in the early 16th century by Spanish soldiers, missionaries and settlers. It served as the country's state religion during the Spanish colonial period. The Catholic Church has founded and continues to sponsor hundreds of primary and secondary schools, colleges, and internationally known universities in the Philippines. The Jesuits' Ateneo de Manila University and the Dominican University of Santo Tomas are listed in the "World's Best Colleges and Universities" rankings. More than 1,500 Catholic schools in the Philippines are members of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP).
However, the influence of the Catholic Church in the Philippines has been waning. During the Duterte administration, the Church was critical of extrajudicial killings during the war on drugs, but its efforts to rally public support against the administration were largely ineffective due to Duterte's popularity. The American colonial government's establishment of a policy of separation of church and state also contributed to the decline of the Church's influence. Today, the Philippines is a secular state that guarantees religious freedom in its constitution.
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Filipinos' views on social issues are often in line with Catholic Church teachings
The Philippines is a secular state that guarantees freedom of religion. However, it is also one of the two nations in Asia with a substantial Catholic population, the other being East Timor. In 2020, 78.8% of the population, or 85,645,362 people, identified as Roman Catholic. Another estimate puts the figure at 80.2% of the population, or 89 million people, in 2023. This makes the Philippines the country with the third-largest Catholic population in the world, after Brazil and Mexico.
Catholicism was first introduced to the Philippines by Spanish soldiers, missionaries, and settlers in the early 16th century. It served as the country's state religion during the Spanish colonial period. The Catholic Church in the Philippines is involved in education at all levels, from primary schools to universities. The Church also has a strong influence on the country's society and politics. Political candidates often seek the support of the clergy and religious leaders.
Many Filipinos have conservative views on social issues that align with Catholic Church teachings. For example, 67% of Filipinos believe that getting a divorce is morally unacceptable, and 93% view abortion as immoral. These figures are significantly higher than those of Americans, among whom only 22% believe that divorce is morally unacceptable. The Catholic Church in the Philippines strongly opposed the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, commonly known as the RH Bill. Despite the bill's popularity among the public, the Church's opposition to it was seen as a sign of its waning moral and political influence.
In addition to its influence on social issues, the Catholic Church in the Philippines has also been vocal about its opposition to extrajudicial killings during the war on drugs under the Duterte administration. However, its efforts to rally public support against the administration's policies were less effective due to Duterte's popularity and the high trust of the Filipino people in him.
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The Catholic Church is involved in education at all levels in the Philippines
Other Catholic educational institutions in the Philippines include the Notre Dame institution system in Mindanao, the Rogationist College in Silang, Cavite, and the Divine Word and Saint Louis school systems in Luzon. More than 1,500 Catholic schools across the Philippines are members of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), the country's national association of Catholic schools. The Jesuit Ateneo de Manila University, La Salle Brothers De La Salle University, and the Dominican University of Santo Tomas are listed in the "World's Best Colleges and Universities" in the Times Higher Education-QS World University Rankings.
The Catholic Church's involvement in education in the Philippines extends beyond the operation of schools and universities. The Church's evangelizing mission, grounded in the mystery of the Holy Trinity, is to preach and teach. Catholic Education institutions are expected to think with the Church ('sentire cum ecclesia') and be at the service of the universal and local Church. Catholic Education is seen as transformative, announcing the good news and denouncing that which is not life-giving. It is expected to form people with a passion for the Church and enable the educational community to see the world as charged with the power of God.
The Catholic Church has had a significant influence on Philippine society and politics. Political candidates court the clergy and religious leaders for support, particularly during elections. The Church has strongly opposed certain issues, such as the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, and has been critical of extrajudicial killings during the war on drugs. While the Philippines is now a secular state with freedom of religion, the Church remains a source of moral influence in the country.
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The Catholic Church in the Philippines is part of the worldwide Catholic Church
Catholicism was first brought to the Philippines by Spanish soldiers, missionaries, and settlers in the early 16th century. It served as the country's state religion during the Spanish colonial period, and today, the Philippines is the third-largest Catholic country in the world, after Brazil and Mexico. In 2020, 78.8% of the population (or 85,645,362 people) were Catholic, and this rose to 80% in 2023, or 85- 89 million people.
The Catholic Church in the Philippines is deeply involved in education, founding and sponsoring schools, colleges, and universities. It also has a strong influence on society and politics, with political candidates courting the clergy for support. The Church has taken a stand on various social issues, such as opposing the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, and criticising extrajudicial killings during the Duterte administration's war on drugs.
The Catholic faith in the Philippines has evolved over the years, with a range of practices from traditional orthodoxy to Folk Catholicism and Charismatic Catholicism. Some Filipino folk Christianity combines Christian monotheism with indigenous animism, resulting in practices such as seeking blessings for rice seeds before planting or placing bamboo crosses in rice fields.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the Philippines is not the most Catholic country. While Catholicism is the predominant religion in the Philippines, with around 80% of the population identifying as Catholic, the country with the largest Catholic population is Brazil, followed by Mexico.
The predominant religion in the Philippines is Christianity, with Catholicism being the largest denomination. However, there are also sizeable minorities adhering to Islam, Dharmic religions, and indigenous Philippine folk religions.
The Catholic Church has a significant influence on Philippine society and politics. It is involved in education at all levels and has founded and continues to sponsor many schools and universities. The Church also has a strong influence on social issues, with many Filipinos holding conservative views that align with Catholic teachings.
