Religion in the Philippines

The Philippines is a country where many different beliefs and religions exist together. The most common religion is Christianity, with many people belonging to the Catholic Church. Besides Christianity, there are also communities that follow Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, and indigenous Philippine folk religions such as Anitism.

The country is officially secular, meaning the government does not favor any particular religion. Its constitution protects the right of everyone to practice their own religion freely, known as freedom of religion.

Before Spanish missionaries arrived, the many groups of people living in what is now the Philippines had their own traditional ways of believing and worshipping. Today, these rich and varied beliefs continue to shape the culture and daily life of the Philippines.

Overview

Most people in the Philippines practice Christianity. In 2020, about 91.5% of the population identified as Christian, with the majority belonging to the Catholic Church. Other Christian groups include Protestantism, Iglesia ni Cristo, Seventh-day Adventist Church, and others.

Besides Christianity, other religions are also practiced. Around 2% follow traditional Indigenous Philippine folk religions, known as Anitism or Bathalism. Small communities practice Buddhism, Taoism, Chinese folk religion, Sikhism, and Hinduism. Only a tiny fraction, about 0.04%, report having no religion. Islam is the second-largest religion, with about 6.4% of the population, mainly living in parts of Mindanao, Palawan, and the Sulu Archipelago, known as the Bangsamoro or Moro region. Most Muslim Filipinos follow Sunni Islam according to the Shafi'i school.

Freedom of religion

The Philippines guarantees freedom of religion. This means that people can practice any religion they choose without the government stopping them. The country's Constitution says that no law can favor one religion over another or stop people from practicing their beliefs. In 2024, an organization called Freedom House gave the Philippines the highest score for allowing religious freedom.

Demographics

The Philippine Statistics Authority shared in February 2023 that, from the 2020 count, most people in the Philippines, about 78.81%, are Catholics. Around 10.8% to 11% are Protestants, and about 6.42% are Muslims.

Christianity

Main article: Christianity in the Philippines

See also: List of Christian denominations in the Philippines

Christianity came to the Philippines with the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. In 1543, Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos named the islands Las Islas Filipinas for Philip II of Spain. Missionary work during Spanish and American rule helped make the Philippines one of the first and now two mainly Christian countries in East Asia, with about 88.66% of people following this faith.

Catholicism

Main article: Catholic Church in the Philippines

Catholicism is the largest Christian group in the Philippines, making up 78.8% of the population. It was the official religion during Spanish rule, helped by Spanish efforts and local language use. Some old traditions mixed with the new faith. The Catholic Church still plays a big role in daily life and politics, like supporting peaceful protests in 1986 that ended a tough government time. Important holidays include Christmas, Holy Week, and days to honor saints and ancestors each November.

Philippine Independent Church

The Philippine Independent Church split from Catholicism in 1902 because of unfair treatment by Spanish priests. It is also called the Aglipayan Church after its first leader, Gregorio Aglipay. It allows women priests and does not require priests to remain unmarried. It has around 1.4% of the population and many followers in northern Luzon and some parts of Visayas.

Iglesia ni Cristo

Iglesia ni Cristo is the largest locally started Christian group, making up about 2.6% of the population. It was registered in 1914 by Felix Y. Manalo, who said he was restoring an old church. The group is known for big events and community help but has also faced some problems and protests.

Jehovah's Witnesses

Jehovah’s Witnesses started in the United States and came to the Philippines later. They are known for visiting doors and giving out free magazines. They believe in one God, Jehovah, and do not believe in the Trinity. They also do not take part in some national events or have blood operations. In 2020, there were about 457,245 members.

Seventh-day Adventist Church

The Seventh-day Adventist Church began in the Philippines in 1905. It teaches that Saturday is the holy day of rest and that Jesus will return soon. Known as Sabadístas, there were 862,725 members in 2020. The church also runs many schools and universities.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints started in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War in 1898. By 2026, membership grew to 905,082, and there were 14 temples either open, being built, or planned.

Other Abrahamic religions

Islam

Main article: Islam in the Philippines

Islam came to the Philippines in the 1300s through traders and missionaries from places like the Persian Gulf and South India. By the 1400s, Muslim groups had set up sultanates in parts of Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago, such as the Sultanate of Sulu and the Maguindanao Sultanate. Some Muslim leaders in the Manila area also ruled before the Spanish arrived.

When the Spanish came in 1565, they worked to spread Christianity and reduce Muslim influence. This led to long conflicts known as the Moro Wars. Even so, Muslim communities in Mindanao and Sulu kept much of their way of life until the late 1800s. Today, most Muslims in the Philippines follow Sunni Islam, and they make up a small but important part of the country's population, mainly living in Mindanao and nearby islands.

Baháʼí Faith

Main article: Baháʼí Faith in the Philippines

The Baháʼí Faith began in the Philippines in 1921. Over the years, the community grew quickly, especially in the 1960s. By 1980, there were around 64,000 Baháʼís in the country. Today, the Philippines is one of the places with a large Baháʼí population.

Judaism

Further information: History of the Jews in the Philippines

Some Jews came to the Philippines in the 1590s to escape harsh treatments in Europe. Today, the Jewish community is small, with only about 100 to 300 people, mostly living in Metro Manila. The country's only synagogue, Beth Yaacov, is located in Makati. Other Jews in the country are usually temporary residents, such as diplomats or business people.

Dharmic religions

Buddhism

Main article: Buddhism in the Philippines

There aren’t many written records about Buddhism in the Philippines from long ago. But we know it was there from the 9th century because of old objects and a few mentions in other countries’ histories. These clues show that different areas in the Philippines were not all one country back then. Some of these old objects show a style from a place called Vajrayana.

Words in Philippine languages that come from Buddhism also give us hints. The early Philippine areas may have been part of a big trading empire called Srivijaya, which helped bring Buddhism to the islands.

According to the 2020 count, about 39,158 people in the Philippines practice Buddhism. Some believe it’s even more, around 2% of the population. Most Buddhist Filipinos have roots in China or Japan. There are famous Buddhist temples like Seng Guan Temple in Manila and Lon Wa Buddhist Temple in Mindanao.

Hinduism

Main article: Hinduism in the Philippines

Big empires like Srivijaya and Majapahit, located in what are now Malaysia and Indonesia, brought Hinduism and Buddhism to the Philippines. Old statues of Hindu and Buddhist gods found in the Philippines date back many years.

The islands were influenced by traders from Tamil people, Gujarati people, and Indonesia. Evidence of ancient spiritual ideas from India includes a valuable gold statue called the Agusan goddess, found in Mindanao in 1917.

Today, Hinduism in the Philippines is mostly practiced by people with Indian roots and Indian visitors living there. There are temples for Sikhism too, sometimes near Hindu temples. Two well-known temples are in Paco, Manila. Other temples exist in Cebu City, Baguio, and Davao City.

Indigenous religions

Main article: Indigenous Philippine folk religions

Further information: Anito, Deities of Philippine mythology, and Religion in pre-colonial Philippines

The Indigenous Philippine folk religions are the original beliefs of the people of the Philippines. These religions have many different stories and ideas, mostly from times before Spain ruled the islands. Some of these beliefs were changed by Hinduism and Buddhism, but many Filipinos still follow these old ways today, both in cities and in the countryside.

These religions talk about heaven, hell, and the soul. They explain the world through the lives of gods, goddesses, heroes, and other special beings. These stories are usually told by community leaders or shamans and elders. Even today, many groups in the Philippines still practice their own unique religions, though other religions sometimes try to change their ways of life.

The 2020 census found that about 0.23% of people in the Philippines follow these Indigenous religions. This number has grown since the 2010 census, which recorded 0.19% adherence.

Irreligion

Main article: Irreligion in the Philippines

Only a very small part of the people in the Philippines do not follow any religion. According to the 2020 Census, fewer than 0.1% of the population reported having no religious beliefs.

Groups like the Philippine Atheists and Agnostics Society work to help people understand different ideas about atheism and agnosticism. They have held events to share their views and support others. However, as of 2021, this group is not very active anymore.

Perception of religion during the COVID-19 pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a survey in 2020 showed that fewer people in the Philippines felt religion was very important in their lives. Before the pandemic, in late 2019, 83 percent of adults said religion was important, but by 2020, this dropped to 73 percent.

Among Christians, especially Catholics, the feeling that religion was important fell from 84 percent to 71 percent. One group, called Iglesia ni Cristo, saw an increase, going from 69 percent to 88 percent. For Muslims, the change was very small, dropping just a little from 94 percent to 93 percent. The area of Mindanao had the highest number of people who still felt religion was important, at 88 percent, while Visayas had the lowest at 64 percent.

Religion and politics

Further information: Freedom of religion in the Philippines

The Philippines has rules that keep religion and government separate. This means that leaders cannot favor one religion over others, and people are free to practice any religion they choose. Everyone has the right to vote without pressure from religious groups.

Sometimes, religious leaders talk about who to vote for, which can be tricky. In 2004, some people said this was not fair because it could influence votes. But in 2026, during a big religious event in Manila called the Black Nazarene procession, some people also used the chance to speak out against corruption in the government. This showed how religion and public matters sometimes come together in the Philippines.