Philippine Catholic Church
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

, native_name_lang = , image = Front view of The Cathedral in Intramuros, Manila.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , alt = , caption = Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Concepcion , abbreviation = , type = National polity , main_classification = Catholic , orientation = Christianity , scripture = Bible , theology =
Catholic theology Catholic theology is the understanding of Catholic doctrine or teachings, and results from the studies of theologians. It is based on canonical scripture, and sacred tradition, as interpreted authoritatively by the magisterium of the Catholic ...
, polity = , governance =
Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines; ceb, Hugpong sa mga Obispo nga Katoliko sa Pilipinas; bcl, Komperensya kan mga Obispo Katoliko kan Pilipinas; hil, Komperensya sang mga Obispo Katoliko sang Pilipinas; ilo, Kumperensya ti ...
, structure = , leader_title = Pope , leader_name = , leader_title1 = President , leader_name1 = Pablo Virgilio S. David , leader_title2 = Apostolic Nuncio , leader_name2 = Charles John Brown , leader_title3 = , leader_name3 = , fellowships_type = , fellowships = , fellowships_type1 = , fellowships1 = , division_type = , division = , division_type1 = , division1 = , division_type2 = , division2 = , division_type3 = , division3 = , associations = , area = Philippines , language = Latin, Filipino, Native Philippine regional languages, English, Spanish , headquarters = Intramuros, Manila , origin_link = , founder = , founded_date = March 17, 1521 , founded_place = Spanish East Indies, Spanish Empire , separated_from = , parent = , merger = , absorbed = , separations = Apostolic Catholic Church (1992) , branched_from = Catholic Church in Spain , merged_into = , defunct = , congregations_type = , congregations = , members = 85,470,000 , number_of_followers = , ministers_type = , ministers = , missionaries = , churches = , hospitals = , nursing_homes = , aid = , primary_schools = , secondary_schools = , tax_status = , tertiary = , other_names = , publications = , website = , , slogan = , logo = , footnotes = The Catholic Church in the Philippines or the Filipino Catholic Church ( fil, Simbahang Katoliko sa Pilipinas) is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual direction of the Pope and the
Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines; ceb, Hugpong sa mga Obispo nga Katoliko sa Pilipinas; bcl, Komperensya kan mga Obispo Katoliko kan Pilipinas; hil, Komperensya sang mga Obispo Katoliko sang Pilipinas; ilo, Kumperensya ti ...
(CBCP). The Philippines is one of the two nations in Asia having a substantial portion of the population professing the Catholic faith, along with East Timor, and has the third largest Catholic population in the world after Brazil and Mexico. The episcopal conference responsible in governing the faith is the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines. Christianity was first brought to the Philippine islands by Spanish missionaries and settlers, who arrived in waves beginning in the early 16th century in Cebu. Compared to the
Spanish colonial period Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
, when Christianity was recognized as the
state religion A state religion (also called religious state or official religion) is a religion or creed officially endorsed by a sovereign state. A state with an official religion (also known as confessional state), while not secular state, secular, is not n ...
, the faith today is practiced in the context of a
secular state A secular state is an idea pertaining to secularity, whereby a State (polity), state is or purports to be officially neutral in matters of religion, supporting neither religion nor irreligion. A secular state claims to treat all its citizens ...
. In 2015, it was estimated that 84 million Filipinos, or roughly 82.9% to 85% of the population, profess the Catholic faith.


History


Spanish Era

Starting in the 16th century Spanish explorers and settlers arrived in the Philippines with two major goals: to participate in the spice trade which was previously dominated by Portugal, and to evangelize to nearby civilizations, such as China. While many historians claim that the first Mass in the islands was held on Easter Sunday of 1521 on a small island near the present day Bukidnon Province, the exact location is disputed. A verified Mass was held at the island-port of Mazaua on Easter Sunday, March 31, 1521, as recorded by the
Venetian Venetian often means from or related to: * Venice, a city in Italy * Veneto, a region of Italy * Republic of Venice (697–1797), a historical nation in that area Venetian and the like may also refer to: * Venetian language, a Romance language s ...
diarist Antonio Pigafetta, who travelled to the islands in 1521 on the Spanish expedition led by Ferdinand Magellan. Later, the Legazpi expedition of 1565 that was organized from Mexico City marked the beginning of the Hispanisation of the Philippines, beginning with Cebu."Cebu—Cradle of the Philippine Church and Seat of Far-East Christianity." International Eucharistic Congress 2016, December 4, 2014, accessed December 4, 2014, http://iec2016.ph/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Cebu%E2%80%94Cradle-of-the-Philippine-Church-and-Seat-of-Far-East-Christianity.pdf This expedition was an effort to occupy the islands with as little conflict as possible, ordered by Phillip II. Lieutenant Legazpi set up colonies in an effort to make peace with the natives and achieve swift conquest. Christianity expanded from Cebu when the remaining Spanish missionaries were forced westwards due to conflict with the Portuguese, and laid the foundations of the Christian community in the Panay between around 1560 to 1571. A year later the second batch of missionaries reached Cebu. The island became the ecclesiastical "seat" and the center for evangelization. Missionary Fray Alfonso Jimenez traveled into the Camarines region through the islands of Masbate, Leyte, Samar, and Burias and centered the church on Naga City. He was named the first apostle of the region. By 1571 Fray Herrera, who was assigned as chaplain of Legazpi, advanced further north from Panay and founded the local Church community in Manila. Herrera travelled further in the Espiritu Santo and shipwrecked in Catanduanes, where he died attempting to convert the natives. In 1572, the Spaniards led by Juan de Salcedo marched north from Manila with the second batch of Augustinian missionaries and pioneered the evangelization in the
Ilocos Ilocos Region ( ilo, Rehion/Deppaar ti Ilocos; pag, Sagor na Baybay na Luzon/Rehiyon Uno; tl, Rehiyon ng Ilocos) is an administrative region of the Philippines, designated as Region I, occupying the northwestern section of Luzon and part of ...
(starting with Vigan) and the Cagayan regions. Under the ''encomienda'' system, Filipinos had to pay tribute to the ''encomendero'' of the area, and in return the ''encomendero'' taught them the Christian faith and protected them from enemies. Although Spain had used this system in America, it did not work as effectively in the Philippines, and the missionaries were not as successful in converting the natives as they had hoped. In 1579, Bishop Salazar and clergymen were outraged because the ''encomenderos'' had abused their powers. Although the natives were resistant, they could not organize into a unified resistance towards the Spaniards, partly due to geography, ethno- linguistic differences.


Cultural impact

The Spaniards were disapproving of the lifestyle they observed in the natives. They blamed the influence of the Devil and desired to "liberate the natives from their evil ways". Over time, geographical limitations had shifted the natives into '' barangays'', small kinship units consisting of about 30 to 100 families. Each barangay had a mutable caste system, with any sub-classes varying from one barangay to the next. Generally, patriarchal lords and kings were called datus and rajas, while the '' mahárlika'' were the knight-like freedmen and the '' timawa'' were freedmen. The ''
alipin The ''alipin'' refers to the lowest social class among the various cultures of the Philippines before the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th and 17th centuries. In the Visayan languages, the equivalent social classes were known as the ''oripun'' ...
'' or servile class were dependent on the upper classes, an arrangement regarded as slavery by the Spaniards. Intermarriage between the ''timawa'' and the ''alipin'' was permitted, which created a more or less flexible system of privileges and labor services. The Spaniards attempted to suppress this class system based on their interpretation that the dependent, servile class was an oppressed group. They failed at completely abolishing the system, but instead eventually worked to use it to their own advantage. Religion and marriage were also issues that the Spanish missionaries wanted to reform. Polygyny was not uncommon, but was mostly confined to wealthier chieftains. Divorce and remarriage were also common as long as the reasons were justified. Accepted reasons for divorce included illness, infertility, or finding better potential to take as a spouse. The missionaries also disagreed with the practices of paying dowries, the " bride price" where the groom paid his father-in-law in gold, and "bride-service", in which the groom performed manual labor for the bride's family, a custom which persisted until the late 20th century. Missionaries disapproved of these because they felt bride-price was an act of selling one's daughter, and labor services in the household of the father allowed premarital sex between the bride and groom, which contradicted Christian beliefs. Pre-conquest, the natives had followed a variety of monotheistic and polytheistic faiths, often localized forms of Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam or Tantrism mixed with Animism. '' Bathala'' (Tagalog – Central Luzon) or ''Laon'' (Visayan) was the ultimate creator deity above subordinate gods and goddesses. Natives Filipinos also worshiped nature and venerated the spirits of their ancestors, whom they propitiated with sacrifices. There was ritualistic drinking and many rituals aimed to cure certain illnesses. Magic and superstition were also practiced. The Spaniards saw themselves as liberating the natives from sinful practices and showing them the correct path to God. In 1599, negotiation began between a number of lords and their freemen and the Spaniards. The native rulers agreed to submit to the rule of the Castilian king and convert to Christianity, and allow missionaries to spread the faith. In return, the Spaniards agreed to protect the natives from their enemies, mostly Japanese, Chinese, and Muslim pirates.


Difficulties

Several factors slowed the Spaniards' attempts to spread Christianity throughout the archipelago. The low number of missionaries on the island made it difficult to reach all the people and harder to convert them. This was also due to the fact that the route to the Philippines was a rigorous journey, and some clergy fell ill or waited years for an opportunity to travel there. For others, the climate difference once they arrived was unbearable. Other missionaries desired to go to Japan or China instead and some who remained were more interested in mercantilism. The Spaniards also came into conflict with the Chinese population in the Philippines. The Chinese had set up shops in the Parian (or bazaar) during the 1580s to trade silk and other goods for Mexican silver. The Spaniards anticipated revolts from the Chinese and were constantly suspicious of them. The Spanish government was highly dependent on the influx of silver from Mexico and Peru, since it supported the government in Manila, to continue the Christianization of the archipelago. The most difficult challenges for the missionaries were the dispersion of the Filipinos and the wide variety of languages and dialects. The geographical isolation forced the Filipino population into numerous small villages, and every other province supported a different language. Furthermore, frequent privateering from Japanese Wokou pirates and slave-raiding by Muslims blocked Spanish attempts to Christianize the archipelago, and to offset the disruption of continuous warfare with them, the Spanish militarized the local populations, importing soldiers from Latin America, and constructed networks of fortresses across the islands. As the Spanish and their local allies were in a state of constant war against pirates and slavers, the Philippines became a drain on the Vice-royalty of New Spain in Mexico City, which paid to maintaining control of Las Islas Filipinas in lieu of the Spanish crown.


Religious orders

The Philippines is home to many of the world's major religious congregations, these include the Redemptorists,
Augustinians Augustinians are members of Christian religious orders that follow the Rule of Saint Augustine, written in about 400 AD by Augustine of Hippo. There are two distinct types of Augustinians in Catholic religious orders dating back to the 12th–13 ...
, Recollects, Jesuits, Dominicans,
Benedictines , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...
, Franciscans, Carmelites, Divine Word Missionaries, De La Salle Christian Brothers, Salesians of Don Bosco, the indigenous Religious of the Virgin Mary, and Clerics Regular of St. Paul are known as Barnabites. During the Spanish colonial period, the five earliest regular orders assigned to Christianize the natives were the
Augustinian Augustinian may refer to: *Augustinians, members of religious orders following the Rule of St Augustine *Augustinianism, the teachings of Augustine of Hippo and his intellectual heirs *Someone who follows Augustine of Hippo * Canons Regular of Sain ...
s, who came with Legazpi, the Discalced Franciscans (1578), the Jesuits (1581), the Dominican friars (1587) and the Augustinian Recollects (simply called the Recoletos, 1606). In 1594, all had agreed to cover a specific area of the archipelago to deal with the vast dispersion of the natives. The Augustinians and Franciscans mainly covered the Tagalog country while the Jesuits had a small area. The Dominicans encompassed the Parian. The provinces of Pampanga and Ilocos were assigned to the Augustinians. The province of
Camarines Ambos Camarines ( es, ambos, meaning "both"; commonly known as Camarines), officially the Province of Ambos Camarines, was a historical province in the Philippines found on the northern end of the Bicol Peninsula. It now exists as two separate ...
went to the Franciscans. The Augustinians and Jesuits were also assigned the
Visayan Islands The Visayas ( ), or the Visayan Islands (Visayan: ''Kabisay-an'', ; tl, Kabisayaan ), are one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Luzon and Mindanao. Located in the central part of the archipelago, it ...
. The Christian conquest had not reached Mindanao due to a highly resistant Muslim community that existed pre-conquest. The task of the Spanish missionaries, however, was far from complete. By the seventeenth century, the Spaniards had created about 20 large villages and almost completely transformed the native lifestyle. For their Christian efforts, the Spaniards justified their actions by claiming that the small villages were a sign of barbarism and only bigger, more compact communities allowed for a richer understanding of Christianity. The Filipinos faced much coercion; the Spaniards knew little of native rituals. The layout of these villages was in gridiron form that allowed for easier navigation and more order. They were also spread far enough to allow for one cabecera or capital parish, and small visita chapels located throughout the villages in which clergy only stayed temporarily for Mass, rituals, or nuptials. The Philippines served as a base for sending
missions Mission (from Latin ''missio'' "the act of sending out") may refer to: Organised activities Religion * Christian mission, an organized effort to spread Christianity *Mission (LDS Church), an administrative area of The Church of Jesus Christ of ...
to other Asian and Pacific countries such as China, Japan,
Formosa Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is an island country located in East Asia. The main island of Taiwan, formerly known in the Western political circles, press and literature as Formosa, makes up 99% of the land area of the territorie ...
, Indochina, and Siam.


Indigenous resistance

The Filipinos to an extent resisted Christianisation because they felt an agricultural obligation and connection with their rice fields: large villages took away their resources and they feared the compact environment. This also took away from the encomienda system that depended on land, therefore, the encomenderos lost tributes. However, the missionaries continued their proselytising efforts, one strategy being targeting noble children. These scions of now-tributary monarchs and rulers were subjected to intense education in religious doctrine and the Spanish language, with the theory that they in turn could convert their elders, and eventually the nobleman's subjects. Despite the progress of the Spaniards, it took many years for the natives to truly grasp key concepts of Christianity. In Catholicism, four main sacraments attracted the natives but only for ritualistic reasons, and they did not fully alter their lifestyle as the Spaniards had hoped. Baptism was believed to simply cure ailments, while Matrimony was a concept many natives could not understand and thus they violated the sanctity of monogamy. They were, however, allowed to keep the tradition of dowry, which was accepted into law; "bride-price" and "bride-service" were practiced by natives despite labels of heresy. Confession was required of everyone once a year, and the clergy used the ''confessionario'', a bilingual text aid, to help natives understand the rite's meaning and what they had to confess. Locals were initially apprehensive, but gradually used the rite to excuse excesses throughout the year. Communion was given out selectively, for this was one of the most important sacraments that the missionaries did not want to risk having the natives violate. To help their cause, evangelism was done in the native language. The ''
Doctrina Christiana The ''Doctrina Christiana'' ( eng, Christian Doctrine) was an early book on the catechism of the Catholic Church, written in 1593 by Fray Juan de Plasencia, and is believed to be one of the earliest printed books in the Philippines. Title Sp ...
'' is a book of catechism, the alphabet, and basic prayers in Tagalog (both in the Latin alphabet and
Baybayin (, ''pre-kudlít'': , ''virama-krus-kudlít'': , ''virama-pamudpod'': ; also formerly commonly incorrectly known as alibata) is a Philippine script. The script is an abugida belonging to the family of the Brahmic scripts. Geographically, it ...
) and Spanish published in the 16th century.


American period: 1898–1946

When the Spanish clergy were driven out in 1898, there were so few indigenous clergy that the Catholic Church in the Philippines was in imminent danger of complete ruin. Under American administration, the situation was saved and the proper training of Filipino clergy was undertaken. In 1906,
Jorge Barlin Jorge Barlin (April 23, 1850 – September 4, 1909) also known as Jorge Barlin Imperial, Jorge Alfonso Imperial Barlin and Jorge Barlin e Imperial following Spanish naming customs, was the first Filipino consecrated a bishop in the Roman Catholic ...
was consecrated as the Bishop of Nueva Caceres, making him the first Filipino bishop of the Catholic Church. During the sovereignty of the United States, the American government implemented the separation of church and state, which reduced the significant political power exerted by the Church, which led to the establishment of other faiths (particularly Protestantism) within the country. A provision of the 1935 Philippine Constitution mimicked the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and added the sentences: "''The exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall be forever allowed. No religious test shall be required for the exercise of civil political rights.''" But the Philippine experience has shown that this theoretical ''wall of separation'' has been crossed several times by secular authorities. It was during the American Period when new religious orders arrived in the Philippines. The Spanish friars fled by the hundreds and left parishes without pastors. This prompted Bishops to ask for non-Spanish Religious Congregations to set up foundations in the Philippines and help augment the lack of pastors.


1946–present

When the Philippines was placed under Martial Law by dictator
Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martial ...
, relations between Church and State changed dramatically, as some bishops expressly and openly opposed Martial Law. The turning point came in 1986 when the CBCP President then-Archbishop of Cebu Ricardo Cardinal Vidal appealed to the Filipinos and the bishops against the government and the fraudulent result of the snap election; with him was then-Archbishop of Manila Jaimé Cardinal Sin, who broadcast over Church-owned Radio Veritas a call for people to support anti-regime rebels. The people's response became what is now known as the People Power Revolution, which ousted Marcos. Church and State today maintain generally cordial relations despite differing opinions over specific issues. With the guarantee of religious freedom in the Philippines, the Catholic clergy subsequently remained in the political background as a source of moral influence, especially during elections. Political candidates continue to court the clergy and religious leaders for support. In the 21st century, Catholic practice ranges from traditional orthodoxy, to Folk Catholicism and
Charismatic Catholicism The Catholic Charismatic Renewal is a movement within the Catholic Church that is part of the wider charismatic movement across historic Christian churches. The Renewal has been described as a "current of grace". It began in 1967 when Cath ...
. Of the roughly 84 million Filipino Catholics today, 37 percent are estimated to hear Mass regularly, 29 percent consider themselves very religious, and less than 10 percent ever think of leaving the church. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, in response to the prohibition of mass gatherings during the "enhanced community quarantine" throughout Luzon, the CBCP through its President, Archbishop
Romulo Valles Romulo Geolina Valles, D.D. (born July 10, 1951), is the current archbishop of the Archdiocese of Davao in Davao City, on the island of Mindanao, Philippines and the president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines since Decem ...
, said that the celebration of the
Eucharist The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instit ...
, other liturgical services and spiritual activities from every diocese under their jurisdiction have to be broadcast live through the internet, television or radio. All activities for the
Lent Lent ( la, Quadragesima, 'Fortieth') is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke ...
en season are also cancelled. Earlier during the Metro Manila partial lockdown, the Archdiocese of Manila through its Apostolic Administrator, Bishop Broderick Pabillo, already cancelled the celebration of the Holy Mass and dispensed the faithful from attending it.


Internal movements


Catholic Charismatic Renewal

A number of Catholic Charismatic Renewal movements emerged ''vis-a-vis'' the ''Born-again'' movement during the 70s. The charismatic movement offered ''In-the-Spirit'' seminars in the early days, which have now evolved and have different names; they focus on the charismatic gifts of the
Holy Spirit In Judaism, the Holy Spirit is the divine force, quality, and influence of God over the Universe or over his creatures. In Nicene Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is the third person of the Trinity. In Islam, the Holy Spirit acts as ...
. Some of the charismatic movements were the Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon, Assumption Prayer Group,
Couples for Christ The Couples for Christ (CFC) is an international Catholic lay ecclesial movement whose goal is to renew and strengthen Christian values. It is one of 123 International Associations of the Faithful. The organization is linked to the Vatican thr ...
, the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals,
El Shaddai El Shaddai ( ''ʾĒl Šadday''; ) or just Shaddai is one of the names of the God of Israel. ''El Shaddai'' is conventionally translated into English as ''God Almighty'' (''Deus Omnipotens'' in Latin, الله عز وجل Allāh 'azzawajal in Ara ...
, Elim Communities, Kerygma, the Light of Jesus Family, Shalom, and Soldiers of Christ.


Neocatechumenal Way

The Catholic Church's Neocatechumenal Way in the Philippines has been established for more than 40 years. Membership in the Philippines now exceeds 35,000 persons in more than 1000 communities, with concentrations in Manila and Iloilo province. A neocatechumenal diocesan seminary, Redemptoris Mater, is located in Parañaque, while many
families in mission The Families in Mission are Catholic families coming from the Neocatechumenal Way that offer themselves voluntarily and freely, leaving their homes, work and friends to go in mission in the World according to the needs of the Catholic Church, wher ...
are all over the islands. The Way has been mostly concentrated on evangelization initiatives under the authority of the local bishops.


Papal visits

* Pope Paul VI (1970) was the target of an assassination attempt at Manila International Airport in the Philippines in 1970.Apostle Endangered
. ''Time'', December 7, 1970. Retrieved April 13, 2007.
The assailant, a Bolivian surrealist painter named
Benjamín Mendoza y Amor Flores Benjamín Mendoza y Amor Flores (March 31, 1933 – 2014)
. ''Time ...
, lunged toward Pope Paul with a
kris The kris, or ''keris'' in the Indonesian language, is an asymmetrical dagger with distinctive blade-patterning achieved through alternating laminations of iron and nickelous iron (''pamor''). Of Javanese origin, the kris is famous for its disti ...
, but was subdued. * Pope John Paul II (1981 and 1995) returned for World Youth Day 1995 which was reported to have an attendance of around five million Filipino and foreign people in Rizal Park. * Pope Francis (
2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
) visited the country on January 15–19, 2015, and was invited by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle to return for the International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu in 2016. At the Mass at Manila's Quirino Grandstand inside Rizal Park on Sunday, January 18, 2015. the attendance was pegged at about six to seven million worshippers, making the event the highest number ever recorded in papal history according to Fr.
Federico Lombardi Federico Lombardi, S.J. (born 29 August 1942) is an Italian Catholic priest and the former director of the Holy See Press Office. He succeeded Joaquín Navarro-Valls and was succeeded by Greg Burke. Lombardi also serves as the postulator for t ...
, director of the Vatican Press Office.


Education

The Catholic Church is involved in education at all levels. It has founded and continues to sponsor hundreds of secondary and primary schools as well as a number of colleges and internationally known universities. The
Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...
Ateneo de Manila University,
La Salle Brothers french: Frères des Écoles Chrétiennes , image = Signum Fidei.jpg , image_size = 175px , caption = , abbreviation = FSC , nickname = Lasallians , named_after = , formation ...
De La Salle University De La Salle University ( fil, Pamantasang De La Salle or Unibersidad ng De La Salle), also referred to as DLSU, De La Salle or La Salle, is a private university, private, Catholic Church, Catholic coeducational research university run by the I ...
, 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. Other prominent educational institutions in the country are Ateneo de Manila University,
St. Scholastica's College Manila Saint Scholastica's College, also referred to by its acronym SSC or colloquially St. Scho is a private Catholic basic and higher education institution for women founded and managed by the Congregation of the Missionary Benedictine Sisters of T ...
, Angeles University Foundation, Holy Angel University, Vincentian's
Adamson University Adamson University ( fil, links=no, Pamantasang Adamson) also referred to by its acronym AdU is a private, Catholic coeducational basic and higher education institution run by the Congregation of the Mission in Manila, Philippines. The univers ...
, Colegio de San Juan de Letran,
University of San Carlos The University of San Carlos, also referred to by its acronym USC or colloquially shortened to San Carlos, is a private, Catholic, research, coeducational basic and higher education institution administered by the Philippine Southern Province ...
,
University of San Jose – Recoletos A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
,
San Beda University es, Universidad de San Beda , image = San Beda University seal.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = University Seal , latin_name = Universitas Sancti Bedæ , former_names ...
,
Saint Louis University Saint Louis University (SLU) is a private Jesuit research university with campuses in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, and Madrid, Spain. Founded in 1818 by Louis William Valentine DuBourg, it is the oldest university west of the Mississip ...
, Saint Mary's University,
St. Paul University System The St. Paul University System is a network of Catholic higher education institutions in the Philippines run by the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres (SPC). The System was officially awarded accreditation on March 10, 2004. Administered by the (SPC) ...
,
Canossa School Canossa ( Reggiano: ) is a ''comune'' and castle town in the Province of Reggio Emilia, Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy. It is where Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV did penance in 1077 and stood three days bare-headed in the snow to reverse his exco ...
, San Pedro College, San Sebastian College – Recoletos de Manila, Ateneo de Davao University, Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan,
University of St. La Salle The University of St. La Salle (USLS) is a Roman Catholic Church, Catholic private university, private research university run by the De La Salle Brothers Philippines, De La Salle Brothers, located in La Salle Avenue, Bacolod, Negros Occidental, ...
, University of the Immaculate Conception, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame of Marbel University, Notre Dame of Dadiangas University, Salesians of Don Bosco in the Philippines, Saint Mary's Academy of Nagcarlan, Sanctuario de San Antonio Children's Learning Center, and the
University of San Agustin The University of San Agustin – Iloilo, also referred to by its acronym (USAI or as San Ag), is a private, Roman Catholic, research, coeducational, non-profit basic and higher education institution run by the Augustinian Province of Santo Ni ...
, La Consolacion College, Universidad de Santa Isabel,
Ateneo de Naga University , mottoeng = ''First, the Kingdom of God'' , type = Private Roman Catholic Research Non-profit Coeducational Basic and Higher education institution , established = , founder = Society of ...
, University of Santo Tomas - Legazpi.


Political influence

The Catholic Church wields great influence on Philippine society and politics. Then- Archbishop of Cebu Ricardo Cardinal Vidal and then- Archbishop of Manila Jaime Cardinal Sin were influential during the People Power Revolution of 1986 against dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos. The Cebu Archbishop, who was president of the
Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines; ceb, Hugpong sa mga Obispo nga Katoliko sa Pilipinas; bcl, Komperensya kan mga Obispo Katoliko kan Pilipinas; hil, Komperensya sang mga Obispo Katoliko sang Pilipinas; ilo, Kumperensya ti ...
at that time, led the rest of the Philippine bishops and made a joint declaration against Marcos and the results of the snap election, while the Manila Archbishop appealed to the public via radio to march along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue in support of rebel forces. Some seven million people responded in what became known as the 1986 People Power Revolution, which lasted from February 22–25. The
non-violent revolution A nonviolent revolution is a revolution conducted primarily by unarmed civilians using tactics of civil resistance, including various forms of nonviolent protest, to bring about the departure of governments seen as entrenched and authoritari ...
drove Marcos out of power and into exile in Hawaii. In 1989, President Corazon Aquino asked Cardinal Vidal to convince General Jose Comendador, who was sympathetic to the rebel forces fighting her government, to peacefully surrender. Cardinal Vidal's efforts averted what could have been a bloody coup. In October 2000, Cardinal Sin expressed his dismay over the allegations of corruption against President Joseph Estrada. His call sparked the second EDSA Revolution, dubbed as "
EDSA Dos The Second EDSA Revolution, also known as the Second People Power Revolution, EDSA 2001, or EDSA II (pronounced ''EDSA Two'' or ''EDSA Dos''), was a political protest from January 17–20, 2001, which peacefully overthrew the government of Jose ...
". Cardinal Vidal personally asked Estrada to step down, to which he agreed at around 12:20 p.m. of January 20, 2001, after five continuous days of protest at the EDSA Shrine, and various parts of the Philippines and the world. Estrada's Vice-President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, succeeded him and was sworn in on the terrace of the Shrine in front of Cardinal Sin. On the death of Pope John Paul II in 2005, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared three days of national mourning and was one of many dignitaries at his funeral in Vatican City. Political turmoil in the Philippines widened the rift between the State and the Church. Arroyo's press secretary Ignacio Bunye called the bishops and priests who attended an anti-Arroyo protest as hypocrites and "people who hide their true plans". In 2017, a USA Today reporter remarked that the Church reached its political peak in 1986 when it was instrumental in replacing the Marcos dictatorship. The Church in the Philippines strongly opposed the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, commonly known as the
RH Bill The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, also known as the Reproductive Health Law or RH Law, and officially designated as Republic Act No. 10354, is a Philippine law that provided universal access to methods on contracept ...
. The country's populace – 80% of which self-identify as Catholic – was deeply divided in its opinions over the issue.Dentsu Communication Institute Inc., Research Centre Japan (2006)
/ref> Members of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) vehemently denounced and repeatedly attempted to block President Benigno Aquino III's plan to push for the passage of the reproductive health bill. The bill, which was popular among the public, was signed into law by Aquino, and was seen as a point of waning moral and political influence of the Catholic Church in the country. During the
Duterte administration Rodrigo Duterte became the 16th President of the Philippines on June 30, 2016, succeeding Benigno Aquino III. He was the first president from Mindanao, the first president to have worked in all three branches of government, and the oldest t ...
, the Church in the Philippines has been vocally critical of extrajudicial killings taking place during the war on drugs, in what the Church sees as the administration's approval of the bloodshed. Efforts by the Church to rally public support against the administration's war on drugs were less effective due to Duterte's popularity and high trust rating. Some churches reportedly offered sanctuary to those who fear death due to the drug war violence. During the 2022 presidential elections campaign, the church supported and endorsed the candidacy of vice president Leni Robredo in an effort to prevent
Bongbong Marcos Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr. ( , , ; born September 13, 1957), commonly referred to by the initials PBBM or BBM, is a Filipino politician who is the 17th and current president of the Philippines. He previously served as a senat ...
, son of dictator
Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martial ...
, from winning the election. Robredo won in 18 of the 86 dioceses in the country.


Marian devotion

The Philippines has shown a strong devotion to Mary, evidenced by her patronage of various towns and locales nationwide. Particularly, there are pilgrimage sites where each town venerates a specific title of Mary. With Spanish regalia, indigenous miracle stories, and Asian facial features, Filipino Catholics have created hybridized, localized images, the popular devotions to which have been recognized by various Popes. Filipino Marian images with an established devotion have generally received a Canonical Coronation, with the icon's principal shrine being customarily elevated to the status of minor basilica. Below are some pilgrimage sites and the year they received a canonical blessing: * Our Lady of the Abandoned (''Nuestra Señora de los Desamparadós'') Marikina – 2005 * Our Lady of La Leche (''Nuestra Señora de la Leche Y Buen Parto'') Diocese of Imus, Silang, Cavite *
Our Lady of Aranzazu Our Lady of Aránzazu (''Nuestra Señora de Aránzazu'') is a Roman Catholic title of the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated in San Mateo, Rizal, Philippines. The image is widely known due to claims of miraculous healing and flood safety ...
(''Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu'') San Mateo, Rizal – 2017 * Our Lady of ''Bigláng Awà'' (''Nuestra Señora del Pronto Socorro'') Boac, Marinduque – 1978 *
Our Lady of Caysasay Our Lady of Caysasay ( es, Nuestra Señora de Caysasay) is a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Caysasay in Taal, Batangas in the Philippines. The image, which depicts the Immaculate Conceptio ...
(''Nuestra Señora de Caysásay'') Taal, Batangas – 1954 *
Our Lady of Charity Our Lady of Charity, also known as Our Lady of El Cobre, ''Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del Cobre'' or "la Vírgen de la Caridad", is a popular Marian title of the Blessed Virgin Mary known in many Catholic countries. Several known Marian images ...
(''Nuestra Señora de Caridad'') –
Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Charity The Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Charity (Spanish: ''Basilica Menor de Nuestra Señora de la Caridad''), better known as Agoo Basilica, is a Roman Catholic minor basilica in Agoo, La Union, the Philippines dedicated to Our Lady of Charity. It is ...
** Bantay, Ilocos Sur – 1956 ** Agoo,
La Union La Union (), officially the Province of La Union ( ilo, Probinsia ti La Union; Kankanaey'': Probinsyan di La Union;'' Ibaloi'': Probinsya ne La Union;'' pag, Luyag/Probinsia na La Union; Tagalog'': Lalawigan ng La Union),'' is a province in th ...
– 1971 *
Our Lady of the Assumption The Assumption of Mary is one of the four Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Pope Pius XII defined it in 1950 in his apostolic constitution ''Munificentissimus Deus'' as follows: We proclaim and define it to be a dogma revealed by Go ...
(''Nuestra Señora dela Asuncion'')
Santa Maria Church The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption ''(Nuestra Señora de la Asunción)'', commonly known as the Santa Maria Church is the parish church of Santa Maria in Ilocos Sur province, Philippines. The church was designated as a UNESCO World Herita ...
,
Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur Santa Maria, officially the Municipality of Santa Maria ( ilo, Ili ti Santa Maria; fil, Bayan ng Santa Maria), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 30,006 pe ...
* Our Lady of Consolation (''Nuestra Señora de Consolación y Correa'') San Agustin Church, Intramuros, City of Manila * Our Lady of the Divine Shepherdess (''La Virgen Divina Pastora'') Gapan, Nueva Ecija – 1964 * * Our Lady of Namacpacan (''Nuestra Señora de Namacpacan'') Luna, La Union – 1959 *
Our Lady of Buen Suceso (Parañaque) Our Lady of the Good Event (Spanish: ''Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso'') is a Catholic Marian title in Spanish-speaking countries. It is often mistranslated as "Our Lady of Good Success" due to the superficial similarity between the Spanish word ...
(''Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso de Parañaque'')
Parañaque Parañaque, officially the City of Parañaque ( fil, Lungsod ng Parañaque, ), is a first class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Metro Manila, National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to t ...
– 2005 * Our Lady of Guadalupe (''Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe'') Pagsanjan, Laguna * Our Lady of Guadalupe of Cebu (''Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Cebú'') Cebu City – 2006 * Our Lady of Guidance (''Nuestra Señora de Guia'') Ermita, City of Manila – 1955 * Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception of Pasig (''Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculada Concepción de Pasig'') Pasig – 2008 * Our Lady of Immaculate Conception (''Nuestra Señora de La Inmaculada Concepción de Malabón'') Malabon – 1986 * Our Lady of Immaculate Conception (''Virgen Inmaculada Concepción de Malolos'') Malolos, Bulacan – 2012 * Our Lady of La Naval (''Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario de la Naval de Manila'') Quezon City – 1907 * Our Lady of Lourdes (''Nuestra Señora de Lourdes'') Quezon City – 1951 * Our Lady of Manaoag (''Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario de Manáoag'')
Manaoag, Pangasinan Manaoag, officially the Municipality of Manaoag ( pag, Baley na Manaoag; ilo, Ili ti Manaoag; tgl, Bayan ng Manaoag), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 76 ...
– 1926 *
Our Lady of Orani The Our Lady of the Rosary of Orani, or simply Our Lady of Orani, refers to the reputed Marian apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in both the towns of Orani and Samal in Bataan, as well as the image associated with the event. The image The ...
(''Nuestra Señora del Santo Rosario de Orani'') – Orani, Bataan * Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage (''Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje'')
Antipolo, Rizal Antipolo, officially known as the City of Antipolo ( fil, Lungsod ng Antipolo), is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Rizal, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 887,399 people. It is the mo ...
– 1926 * Our Lady of Peñafráncia of Naga (''Nuestra Señora de Peñafráncia de Naga'') Naga City, Camarines Sur – 1924 * Our Lady of Peñafráncia of Manila (''Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Río Pásig'') Paco, City of Manila – 1985 *
Our Lady of Piat Our Lady of Piat (Spanish: ''Nuestra Señora de Piat or Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario de la Visitación de Piat'') is a 16th-century Roman Catholic icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary enshrined in a minor basilca situated in Piat, Cagayan, ...
(''Nuestra Señora de Píat'') Piat, Cagayan – 1954 *
Our Lady of the Pillar Our Lady of the Pillar ( es, Nuestra Señora del Pilar) is the name given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the context of the traditional belief that Mary, while living in Jerusalem, supernaturally appeared to the Apostle James the Greater in AD 4 ...
(''Nuestra Señora la Virgen del Pilar'') Zamboanga City – 1960 * Our Lady of the Pillar of Imus (''Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Imus'') Imus, Cavite – 2012 * Our Lady of the Pillar of Manila (''Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Manila'') Santa Cruz, Manila – 2017 * Our Lady of the Rule (''Nuestra Señora de la Regla'')
Opon, Cebu Lapu-Lapu City, officially the City of Lapu-Lapu ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Lapu-Lapu; fil, Lungsod ng Lapu-Lapu), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
– 1954 * Our Lady of Solitude of Vaga Gate (''Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga'') Cavite City * Our Lady of Sorrows of ''Turúmba'' (''Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Turúmba'')
Pakil, Laguna Pakil, officially the Municipality of Pakil ( tgl, Bayan ng Pakil), is a 5th class municipality in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 23,495 people. Its land area consists of two non-con ...
*
Our Lady of the Candles Our or OUR may refer to: * The possessive form of " we" * Our (river), in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany * Our, Belgium, a village in Belgium * Our, Jura, a commune in France * Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), a government utility regulat ...
(''Nuestra Señora de la Candelária'')
Jaro, Iloilo City Jaro (; ) is a district of Iloilo City in the Philippine province of Iloilo on Panay Island in the Western Visayas region. It is the largest in terms of area and population of Iloilo City's seven districts, with 130,700 people in the 2020 census ...
* Our Mother of Perpetual Help (''Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro'') Baclaran,
Parañaque Parañaque, officially the City of Parañaque ( fil, Lungsod ng Parañaque, ), is a first class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Metro Manila, National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to t ...
*
Our Lady of Salvation Our Lady of Salvation ( es, Nuestra Señora de Salvación), also known as Our Lady of Light, is a Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The devotion to Our Lady of Salvation is based on a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary that was first venera ...
(''Nuestra Señora de la Salvación'') Joroan, Tiwi, Albay * Our Lady of Mercy (''Nuestra Señora dela Merced'') Novaliches, Quezon City * Our Lady of Soterraña de Nieva, currently under the ownership of Imelda Marcos * Virgen de los Remedios de Pampanga (Indu Ning Capaldanan) Archdiocese Of San Fernando Pampanga * Our Lady of Hope of Palo (''Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza'')
Archdiocese of Palo The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Palo is a large administrative diocese of the Catholic Church in the town of Palo in Leyte province, Philippines. It was formed as a diocese on the 28th of November, 1937, and became an archdiocese in 1982, with C ...
, Palo, Leyte * Our Lady of the Rose de Macati ("Nuestra Señora de la Rosa de Macati") Archdiocese of Manila, Poblacion, Makati


Religious observances

Catholic holy days, such as Christmas and
Good Friday Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday (also Hol ...
, are observed as national
holidays A holiday is a day set aside by Norm (social), custom or by law on which normal activities, especially business or work including school, are suspended or reduced. Generally, holidays are intended to allow individuals to celebrate or commemorate ...
, with local saints' days being observed as holidays in different towns and cities. The Hispanic-influenced custom of holding fiestas in honor of patron saints have become an integral part of Filipino culture, as it allows for communal celebration while serving as a celebration of the town's existence. A nationwide fiesta occurs on the third Sunday of January, on the country-specific Feast of the Santo Niño de Cebú. Major festivals include the
Sinulog Festival The Sinulog-Santo Niño Festival is an annual cultural and religious festival held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City and is the centre of the Santo Niño Catholic celebrations in the Philippines. The festival is considered to be the fi ...
in Cebu City, the Ati-Atihan in Kalibo, Aklan, and the Dinagyang in Iloilo City. With regard to most
holy days of obligation In the Catholic Church, holy days of obligation are days on which the faithful are expected to attend Mass, and engage in rest from work and recreation (id est, they are to refrain from engaging in work or activities that hinder the worship owed t ...
, the
Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines; ceb, Hugpong sa mga Obispo nga Katoliko sa Pilipinas; bcl, Komperensya kan mga Obispo Katoliko kan Pilipinas; hil, Komperensya sang mga Obispo Katoliko sang Pilipinas; ilo, Kumperensya ti ...
(CBCP) granted dispensation for all the faithful who cannot attend Masses on these days, except for the following yuletide observances: *
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, also called Immaculate Conception Day, celebrates the sinless lifespan and Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary on 8 December, nine months before the feast of the Nativity of Mary, celeb ...
on December 8, *Christmas Day *
Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God The Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God is a feast day of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the aspect of her motherhood of Jesus Christ, whom she had circumcised on the eighth day after his birth according to Levitical Law. Christians see h ...
on January 1 In 2001, the CBCP also approved a reform in the liturgical calendar, which added to its list of obligatory memorials the Feasts of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Maximilian Kolbe, Rita of Cascia,
Ezequiel Moreno Ezequiel is a given name. Notable people with the name include: People * Ezequiel Adamovsky (born 1971), Argentine historian and political activist * Ezequiel Alejo Carboni (born 1979), is an Argentine midfielder *Ezequiel Andreoli (born 1978), ...
and many others.


Missionary activities

The Philippines has been active in sending Catholic missionaries around the world and has been a training center for foreign priests and nuns. To spread the Christian religion and the teachings of Jesus Christ, missionaries enter local communities. Depending on where a missionary or group of missionaries are travelling, their work will vary (international or local communities).


Filipino diaspora

Overseas Filipino An overseas Filipino ( fil, Pilipino sa ibayong-dagat) is a person of full or partial Filipino origin—i.e., people who trace back their ancestry to the Philippines but living or residing outside the country. This term generally applies to b ...
s have spread Filipino culture worldwide, bringing Filipino Catholicism with them. Filipinos have established two shrines in the Chicago Metropolitan Area: one at St. Wenceslaus Church dedicated to Santo Niño de Cebú and another at St. Hedwig's with its statue to Our Lady of Manaoag. The Filipino community in the Archdiocese of New York has the
San Lorenzo Ruiz Chapel (New York City) The Chapel of San Lorenzo Ruiz was a Roman Catholic chapel in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, located at 378 Broome Street between Mulberry and Mott Streets in the Nolita neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. The chapel was es ...
for its apostolate.


Ecclesiastical territories

The Catholic Church in the Philippines is organized into 72 dioceses in 16 Ecclesiastical Provinces, as well as 7 Apostolic Vicariates and a Military Ordinariate.


Dioceses

* Caceres ** Daet ** Legazpi ** Libmanan ** Masbate ** Sorsogon ** Virac *
Cagayan de Oro Cagayan ( ), officially the Province of Cagayan ( ilo, Probinsia ti Cagayan; ibg, Provinsiya na Cagayan; itv, Provinsiya ya Cagayan; fil, Lalawigan ng Cagayan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Cagayan Valley region, covering ...
** Butuan **
Malaybalay Malaybalay, officially the City of Malaybalay ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Malaybalay; Bukid language, Bukid and Higaonon language, Higaonon: ''Bánuwa ta Malaybaláy''; fil, Lungsod ng Malaybalay), is a 1st class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classificat ...
** Surigao ** Tandag * Capiz ** Kalibo ** Romblon * Cebu ** Dumaguete ** Maasin **
Tagbilaran Tagbilaran, officially the City of Tagbilaran ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Tagbilaran), is a 3rd class component city and capital of the province of Bohol, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 104,976 people. Encompassing a la ...
** Talibon *
Cotabato Cotabato or North Cotabato ( hil, Aminhan Cotabato; ceb, Amihanang Cotabato; Maguindanaon: ''Pangutaran Kutawatu'', Jawi: ڤڠوترن كوتاواتو; fil, Hilagang Cotabato), officially the Province of Cotabato, is a landlocked province in ...
**
Kidapawan Kidapawan, officially the City of Kidapawan ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Kidapawan; hil, Dakbanwa sang Kidapawan; Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Kidapawan'', Jawi: كوتا نو كيدڤاوان; Obo Monuvu: ''Ingod to Kidapawan''), is a 3rd class component c ...
** Marbel * Davao **
Digos Digos, officially the City of Digos ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Digos; fil, Lungsod ng Digos), is a 2nd class component city and capital of the province of Davao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 188,376 people. ...
** Mati ** Tagum * Jaro **
Bacolod Bacolod, officially the City of Bacolod (; hil, Dakbanwa/Syudad sang Bacolod; fil, Lungsod ng Bacolod), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the region of Western Visayas, Philippines. It is the capital of the province of Negros Occidenta ...
** Kabankalan ** San Carlos ** San Jose de Antique * Lingayen–Dagupan ** Alaminos ** Cabanatuan ** San Fernando de La Union ** San Jose in Nueva Ecija ** Urdaneta *
Lipa Lipa or LIPA (Cyrillic: Липа) may refer to: Acronym *Liquid Isopropyl alcohol *League for Independent Political Action, a former American progressive political organization *Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, a performing arts school in ...
**
Boac British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) was the British state-owned airline created in 1939 by the merger of Imperial Airways and British Airways Ltd. It continued operating overseas services throughout World War II. After the passi ...
** Gumaca ** Lucena ** Prelature of Infanta * Manila ** Antipolo ** Cubao ** Imus ** Kalookan ** Malolos ** Novaliches **
Parañaque Parañaque, officially the City of Parañaque ( fil, Lungsod ng Parañaque, ), is a first class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Metro Manila, National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to t ...
** Pasig ** San Pablo * Nueva Segovia ** Baguio ** Bangued ** Laoag *
Ozamiz Ozamiz, officially the City of Ozamiz ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Ozamiz; fil, Lungsod ng Ozamiz), is a 3rd class component city in the province of Misamis Occidental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 140,334 people. A ...
** Dipolog ** Iligan ** Pagadian ** Prelature of Marawi * Palo **
Borongan Borongan, officially the City of Borongan ( Waray: ''Siyudad han Borongan''; fil, Lungsod ng Borongan), is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Eastern Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
**
Calbayog Calbayog, officially the City of Calbayog ( war, Siyudad han Calbayog; fil, Lungsod ng Calbayog), is a 1st class component city in the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 186,960 people. It lies ...
** Catarman **
Naval A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...
*
San Fernando San Fernando may refer to: People *Ferdinand III of Castile (c. 1200–1252), called ''San Fernando'' (Spanish) or ''Saint Ferdinand'', King of Castile, León, and Galicia Places Argentina *San Fernando de la Buena Vista, city of Greater Buenos ...
** Balanga ** Iba ** Tarlac * Tuguegarao ** Ilagan ** Bayombong **
Prelature of Batanes The Territorial Prelature of Batanes (in la, Praelatura Territorialis Batanensis) is a Latin rite pre-diocesan, non-missionary jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church. It is a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the Roman Catholic Arch ...
* Zamboanga ** Ipil ** Prelature of Isabela


Apostolic vicariates

* Bontoc-Lagawe * Calapan * Jolo *
Puerto Princesa Puerto Princesa, officially the City of Puerto Princesa (Cuyonon: ''Siyudad i'ang Puerto Princesa''; fil, Lungsod ng Puerto Princesa), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Mimaropa region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, ...
* San Jose de Mindoro *
Tabuk Tabuk may refer to: *Tabuk, Kalinga, the capital city of Kalinga province of the Philippines *Tabuk Province, a province of Saudi Arabia **Tabuk, Saudi Arabia Tabuk ( ar, تَبُوْك '), also spelled ''Tabouk'', is the capital city of the Tab ...
* Taytay


Ordinariates

*
Military Ordinariate of the Philippines The Military Ordinariate of the Philippines is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or military ordinariate of the Catholic Church in the Philippines serving the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, and the Phil ...


See also

*
Christmas customs in the Philippines Christmas in the Philippines ( fil, Pasko sa Pilipinas) is one of the biggest holidays in the country. The Philippines, one of the two predominantly Catholic countries in Asia (the other one being East Timor), celebrates the world's longest C ...
* Culture of the Philippines *
Hispanic culture in The Philippines The Spanish influence on Filipino culture has been profound, having originated from the Spanish East Indies. A variety of aspects of the customs and traditions in the Philippines today can be traced back to this influence. Background Spanish ...
* List of Catholic dioceses in the Philippines *
List of Filipino Saints, Blesseds, and Servants of God This is a list of Filipino saints, beati, venerables, and Servants of God recognized by the Catholic Church. The majority of these men and women of religious life were born, died, or lived within the Philippines. Ferdinand Magellan's expedition ...
* Separation of church and state in the Philippines


References


Bibliography

*


Further reading

*


External links


Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines
;''This article incorporates material from the U.S. Library of Congress and is available to the general public.''

* ttp://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/data/countryPH.htm The Catholic Church in the Philippines— GCatholic.org
Catholic News from the Philippines
— LiCAS.news {{DEFAULTSORT:Catholic Church in the Philippines Philippines