RELIGION

IN THE
PHILIPPINES
Prepared by: Joan Leorna
Religion in the Philippines

 Is marked by a majority of people being of the

Christian faith (90%), which include Catholics, Iglesia ni
Cristo, Aglipayans, Protestants. There are also a
significant minority of Muslims (5%), as well as
Buddhists, Hindus, Agnostics and Animists.

 It is central not as an abstract belief system, but rather

as a host of experiences rituals and adjurations that
provide continuity in life, communal cohesion and moral
purpose for existence.
 ANCIENT INDIGENOUS BELIEFS

 During pre-colonial times, a form of animism was widely

practiced in the Philippines.

 Today, the Philippines is mostly Catholic and Christian,

and only a handful of the indigenous tribes continue to
practice the old traditions.

 These are a collection of beliefs and cultural mores

anchored more or less in the idea that the world is
inhabited by spirits and supernatural entities, both good
and bad, and that respect be accorded to them through
nature worship. These spirits all around nature are
known as "diwatas", showing cultural relationship with
Hinduism (Devatas).
Some worship specific deities:

 such as the Tagalog supreme deity, Bathala, and his

children Adlaw,Mayari, and Tala, or the Visayan deity Kan-
Laon, while others practice Ancestor worship (anitos).

Variations of animistic practices occur in different

ethnic groups.

 Magic, chants and prayers are often key features.

 Its practitioners were highly respected (and some feared)
in the community, as they were healers, midwives (hilot),
shamans, witches and warlocks (mangkukulam),
priests/priestesses (babaylan/katalonan), tribal historians
and wizened elders that provided the spiritual and
traditional life of the community.
In the Visayan regions, shamanistic and animistic beliefs in
witchcraft (barang) and mythical creatures like aswang
(vampires), duwende (dwarves), and bakonawa (a gigantic
sea serpent), may exist in some indigenous peoples alongside
more mainstream Christian and Islamic faiths. 
CHRISTIANITY

Christianity arrived in the Philippines with the landing of

Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. In the late 16th century, the
archipelago was claimed for Spain and named it after its
king. Missionary activity during the country's colonial rule
by Spain and the United States led the transformation of
the Philippines into the first and then, along with East
Timor, one of two predominantly Christian nations in
East Asia, with approximately 92.5% of the population
belonging to the Christian faith.
CATHOLICISM

Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion and the

largest Christian denomination, with estimates of
approximately 80% of the population belonging to this faith
in the Philippines.
The country has a significant Spanish Catholic tradition, and
Spanish style Catholicism is embedded in the culture, which
was acquired from priests or friars. This is shown in
traditions such as Misa de Gallo, Black Nazarene procession,
Santo Niño Festivals (Santo Niño de Cebu, Ati-Atihan and
others) and Aguinaldo procession, where large crowds
gather, honoring their patron saint or saints. Processions and
fiestas are conducted during feast days of the patron saints
of various barrios or barangays.
IGLESIA NI CRISTO

Iglesia ni Cristo (English: Church of Christ, Spanish: Iglesia

de Cristo) is the largest entirely indigenous-initiated religious
organization in the Philippines.( Felix Y. Manalo officially
registered the church with the Philippine Government on
July 27, 1914 and because of this, most publications refer to
him as the founder of the church. Felix Manalo claimed that
he was restoring the church of Christ that was lost for 2,000
years. He died on April 12, 1963, aged 76.
The Iglesia ni Cristo

 is widely regarded as very influential due to their ability

to deliver votes through block voting during elections
which is unique to the church due to their doctrine on
unity and a practice that cannot be found outside INC.
The primary purpose of the Church is to worship the
almighty God based on his teachings as taught by Jesus
Christ and as recorded in the bible. The church’s major
activities include worship service, missionary works, and
edification.
 According to the March 2012 issue of PASUGO Magazine
(p. 24).the Demographics of the Iglesia ni Cristo then was
composed of 112 countries and 7 territories comprising 120
races. The majority of INC members are Filipino ex-
Catholics, while most non-Filipino members converted prior
to marrying Iglesia ni Cristo people. The earliest non-
Filipino converts were American soldiers stationed in the
Philippines.
JESUS MIRACLE CRUSADE INTERNATIONAL
MINISTRY

 The Jesus Miracle Crusade International Ministry

(acronym as JMCIM) is an Apostolic Pentecostal
religious group from the Philippines which believes
particularly in the promotion of miracles and faith in
God for healing. JMCIM is founded by Evangelist Wilde
E. Almeda in February 14, 1975.
The JMCIM Apostolic doctrine

 believes in three manifestations in one GOD: as God the

Father in creation, as Son of God in redemption, and as
Spirit of God in regeneration.

 They also adhere to the Pentecostal formulation of

baptism, whereby believers are baptized in the name of
Jesus Christ, commonly referred to as Jesus-name
baptism, rather than using the Trinitarian formula, and
promote Pentecostal standards of Holiness in
conversation, appearance, and way of thinking.

 The church also follows the Pentecostal worship practices

of spending many hours in worship and singing praises
to God.
MEMBERS CHURCH OF GOD INTERNATIONAL

 Members Church of God International is a

nontrinitarian religious organization colloquially known
through its television program, Ang Dating Daan
(English for the "The Old Path"). This group is an
offshoot of Nicholas Perez's Iglesia ng Diyos kay Kristo
Hesus Haligi at Suhay ng Katotohanan (Church of God
in Christ Jesus, Pillar and Support of the Truth).
 The church does not claim to be part of the restorationist
movement but shows characteristics of such.

 They accept the divinity of Christ but reject the doctrine of

Trinity.

 They also reject various doctrines fundamental for

mainstream Christianity and more notably, the Roman
Catholic Church. Thousands of local chapters are scattered
throughout the Philippines and abroad because of
increasing number of membership through mass baptisms.
The church is known for their "Bible Expositions", where
guests and members are given a chance to ask any biblical
question to the Presiding Minister of the church, Eliseo
Soriano directly from the Bible. Since 2005, Eliseo Soriano
went outside the Philippines to host Bible Expositions around
the world. The Church has growing congregations in South
America, particularly Brazil. Ang Dating Daan now airs in 73
countries worldwide including United States, Latin America,
Papua New Guinea, Portugal (as "O Caminho Antigo"), Spain
(as "El Camino Antiguo"), India, South Africa, Saipan and
Canada.
PROTESTANTISM

 Protestantism arrived in the Philippines with the coming of

the Americans at the turn of the 20th century. In 1898,
Spain lost the Philippines to the United States. After a
bitter fight for independence against its new occupiers,
Filipinos surrendered and were again colonized. The
arrival of Protestant American missionaries soon followed.
Protestant church organizations established in the
Philippines during the 20th century include the following:
Protestant church organizations established in the
Philippines during the 20th century include the
following:

• Association of Fundamental Baptist Churches in the

Philippines
• Baptist Bible Fellowship in the Philippines (Baptist)
• Bread of Life Ministries International (Evangelical)
• Cathedral of Praise (Pentecostal)
• Christ's Commission Fellowship (Evangelical)
• Christ Living Epistle Ministries Inc. (Full
Gospel/Pentecostal)
• Christian and Missionary Alliance Churches of the
Philippines
• Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee)
• Church of the Foursquare Gospel in the Philippines (Full
Gospel/Pentecostal)
• Jesus Miracle Crusade International Ministry Full Gospel
• Church of the Nazarene (Holiness movement)
• Citi church Cebu (Pentecostal)
• Conservative Baptist Association of the Philippines
(Baptist)
• Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches (Baptist)
• Day by Day Christian Ministries (Evangelical)
• Episcopal Church in the Philippines (Anglican)
• Every Nation Churches and Ministries (Pentecostal)
• Greenhills Christian Fellowship (Conservative Baptist)
• Heartland Covenant Church (formerly Jesus Cares
Ministries)
• Iglesia Evangelica Metodista en las Islas Filipinas
• Iglesia Evangelica Unida de Cristo
• Jesus Is Lord Church (Pentecostal)
• Jesus the Anointed One Church (Pentecostal)
• Lutheran Church in the Philippines (Lutheran)
• Luzon Convention of Southern Baptists (Baptist)
• Mindanao and Visayas Convention of Southern Baptists
• New Life Christian Center (Pentecostal)
• Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th Watch)
• Philippine Evangelical Holiness Churches
• Philippines General Council of the Assemblies of God
• Presbyterian Church of the Philippines
• Redeeming Grace Christian Centre
• Tabernacle of Faith International Church
• TEAM Ministries international
• The Blessed Word International Church (Evangelical)
• The United Methodist Church (Methodist)
• Union Church Manila
• Union Espiritista Cristiana de Filipinas
• United Church of Christ in the Philippines
(Congregationalist, Presbyterian, Disciples, United
Brethren, Methodist).
• United Evangelical Church of the Philippines
• Victory Christian Fellowship (Evangelical)
• Word for the World Christian Fellowship (Evangelical)
• Word of Life World Mission Church (Pentecostal)
• His Life City Church (Pentecostal)
LATTER DAY SAINTS

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS

Church) in the Philippines was founded during the Spanish-
American War in 1898. Two men from Utah who were
members of the United States artillery battery, and who
were also set apart as missionaries by the Church before
they left the United States, preached while stationed in the
Philippines.
Missionary work picked up after World War II, and in 1961
the Church was officially registered in the Philippines.[24]
In 1969, the Church had spread to eight major islands and
had the highest number of baptisms of any area in the
Church. A temple was built in 1984 which located in
Quezon City and another in Cebu City, completed in 2010.
The Manila Missionary Training Center was established in
1983. Membership in 1984 was 76,000 and 237,000 in
1990.[citation needed] Membership was 675,000 in 2013.
ISLAM

 The Muslim population of the Philippines is estimated at

between 5% to 9%,according to 2010 year report by
International Religious Freedom Report,2010 . Islam is the
oldest recorded monotheistic religion in the Philippines. Islam
reached the Philippines in the 14th century with the arrival of
Muslim traders from the Persian Gulf, Southern India, and
their followers from several sultanate governments in
Maritime Southeast Asia. Islam's predominance reached all
the way to the shores of Manila Bay, home to several Muslim
kingdoms. During the Spanish conquest, Islam reached a
rapid decline as the predominant monotheistic faith in the
Philippines as a result of the introducing of Roman
Catholicism by Spanish missionaries. Only the southern
Filipino tribes resisted Spanish rule and conversions to
Roman Catholicism.
JUDAISM

 Even since the 1590s some Jews fleeing from The

Inquisition were recorded to have come to the Philippines.
As of 2005, Filipino Jews number at the very most 500
people. As of 2011, Metro Manila boasts the largest Jewish
community in the Philippines, which consists of roughly
100 families. The country's only synagogue, Beth Yaacov,
is located in Makati. There are, of course, other Jews
elsewhere in the country, but these are obviously fewer
and almost all transients, either diplomats or business
envoys, and their existence is almost totally unknown in
mainstream society. There are a few Israelis in Manila
recruiting caregivers for Israel, some work in call centers,
businessmen and a few other executives. A number are
converts to Judaism.
HINDUISM

 Today Hinduism is largely confined to the Indian

Filipinos and the expatriate Indian community.
Theravada and Vajrayana Buddhism, which are very
close to Hinduism, are practiced by Tibetans, Sri
Lankan, Burmese and Thai nationals. There are Hindu
temples in Manila, as well as in the provinces. There
are temples also for Sikhism, sometimes located near
Hindu temples. The two Paco temples are well known,
comprising a Hindu temple and a Sikh temple.
Hinduism and Vajrayana Buddhism

 has existed in the Philippines for centuries. A great deal of

Philippine mythology is derived from Hindu mythology.
Hinduism arrived when the Hindu religion and culture arrive
from India by southern Indians to Southeast Asia from the
4th centuries to the 14th century.[39] The Srivijaya Empire
and Majapahit Empire on what is now Malaysia and
Indonesia, introduced Hinduism and Buddhism to the island
[40] Statues of Hindu-Buddhist gods have been found in th
Philippines.
BUDDHISM

 Many Filipino customs have strong Buddhist influences.

Buddhism in the Philippines is growing fast, mainly
because of increasing immigration to the country.
Buddhism is largely confined to the Filipino Chinese,
Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Korean, Thai, and Vietnamese
communities though local adherents are on the rise. There
are temples in Manila, Davao, and Cebu, and other places.
Several schools of Buddhism are present in the Philippines
– Mahayana, Vajrayana, Theravada, as well as groups
such as Soka Gakkai International.
THANK YOU
FOR
LISTENING!