INDIGENOUS RELIGION
The nature of religion in the pre-colonial Philippines is often unclear. Religions present
include animism, indigenous religious beliefs and mythologies such as Anito and influences
from Hinduism and Buddhism. The earliest pieces of evidence that exist are archaeological finds
including Hindu–Buddhist gold statues. The earliest written evidence comes from the Laguna
Copperplate Inscription, dated to around 900 CE, which uses the Buddhist–Hindu lunar calendar.
With the arrival of Islam in the 14th century, the older religions gradually disappeared, and after
the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 Christianity, specifically Roman Catholicism, became
the dominant religion. However, some of the indigenous peoples of the Philippines continue to
practice animism today, and many of the traditions in Anito have survived in the form of Folk
Catholicism.
Animism and folk religion
Animism was widely practiced in the pre-colonial Philippines. Today, only a handful of
the indigenous tribes continue to practice the old traditions. The term animism encompasses 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 must be
accorded to them through worship. These nature spirits are known as "diwatas", related
to Hindu 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. Others practice ancestor worship.
Animistic practices vary between different ethnic groups. Magic, chants and prayers are often
key features. Its practitioners were highly respected (and sometimes 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) Similarly to
Naga, may exist in some indigenous peoples alongside more mainstream Christian and Islamic
faiths.
Anito
Anito is a collective name for the pre-Hispanic belief system in the Philippines. It is also used to
refer to spirits, including the household deities, deceased ancestors, nature-
spirits, nymphs and diwatas (dryads). Ancient Filipinos kept statues to represent these spirits, ask
guidance and protection. Elders, ancestors and the environment were all highly respected.
Although Anito survives to the present day, it has for the most part been Christianized and
incorporated into Folk Catholicism.
,Folk healers
During the pre-Hispanic period, babaylan were shamans and spiritual leaders
and mananambal were medicine men. At the onset of the colonial era, the suppression of
the babaylans and the native Filipino religion gave rise to the albularyo. By exchanging the
native prayers and spells with Catholic oraciones and Christian prayers, the albularyo was able
to syncretize the ancient mode of healing with the new religion.
RELIGION IN THE PHILIPPINES
Religions: Catholic 82.9 percent (Roman Catholic 80.9 percent,Aglipayan 2 percent), Muslim 5
percent, Evangelical 2.8 percent, Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3 percent, other Christian 4.5 percent, other
1.8 percent, unspecified 0.6 percent, none 0.1 percent (2000 census).
Filipino Catholicism is a fusion of Catholicism brought by the Spanish and local animist and
traditional beliefs, particularly a belief that deceased ancestors and land spirts influence the lives
of the living. The character of Filipino Catholicism and religious practices vary a great deal from
region to region. Among the local animist practices incorporated into Filipino Catholicism are
offerings made to volcano spirits and the goddess of the seas. Catholics living in urban areas tend
to be more liberal and Westernized than those living in the countryside. Philippines is the one
Asian country where Confucianism and Buddhism have had little influence. The history of
religion is mainly a leap from animism to Catholic Christianity. Confucianism and Buddhism
have been practiced almost exclusively by the small ethnic Chinese community, most of whom
are Christians. Nearly all the Muslims are Sunnis. The number of evangelical Protestants is rising
quickly.
About 9.5 percent of the Christian population of the Philippines is non-Catholic. These include
Protestants (5.4 percent) and the Philippine Independent Church (2.6 percent) and Iglesia ni
Cristo (2.3 percent), which some consider Protestant sects. Protestants include Presbyterians,
Methodists and evangelicals. Some regard the Philippine Independent Church, and Philippine
Church of Christ as Protestant. Protestant missionaries arrived in 1901 and followed the Catholic
example of establishing hospitals, clinics, and private schools. The Church of the Latter Day
Saints (Mormons) is currently the most active missionary group.
History of Religion in the Philippines
Historically, the Filipinos have embraced two of the great religions of the world - Islam and
Christianity. Islam was introduced during the 14th century shortly after the expansion of Arab
commercial ventures in Southeast Asia. Today, it is limited to the southern region of the country.
Christianity was introduced as early as the 16th century with the coming of Ferdinand Magellan
in 1521. Protestantism was introduced by the first Presbyterian and Methodist missionaries who
arrived with the American soldiers in 1899. [Source: Philippines Department of Tourism]
Two Filipino independent churches were organized at the turn of the century and are
prominent today. These are the Aglipay (Philippine Independent Church) and the Iglesia Ni
Kristo (Church of Christ) founded in 1902 and 1914, respectively. Recently the Aglipay signed
a covenant with the Anglican Church. The Iglesia ni Kristo has expanded its membership
considerably. Its
, churches, with their unique towering architecture, are landmarks in almost all important towns,
provincial capitals, and major cities.
Chinese religion, Buddhism and animism have also had roles in the development of religion in
the Philippines and important to some groups of people. Dr. Jose Florante J. Leyson wrote in
the Encyclopedia of Sexuality: “Taoism was introduced to the Filipinos by Chinese merchants
during the tenth century. Taoism has both a philosophical and a religious tradition. As the
traditional Chinese population has aged, Taoist temples are increasingly seen only in few major
cities where they serve as tourist attractions, not religious symbols and sites. As octogenarian
males are dying and their religion is fading away, modern Chinese males are being Westernized
or practice a more popular religious persuasion.
Buddhism was probably first introduced to the Philippines during the eighteenth century from
India through the Malaysian peninsula and China. Chinese Buddhism, based on the Mahayana
(Great Vehicle, Wide Path) school of India, was handed down from generation to generation by
both Chinese traders and immigrants. This form of Buddhism is very similar to Taoism. More
recently, Buddhism has become more of a social ceremonial practice rather than a religion, and
its temples have become a tourist curiosity. The “fat-bellied” Buddha statue is a symbol of the
family’s wealth and fertility that bedecked a Chinese house’s foyer or living room. |~|
Nature worship, the traditional indigenous religion of the Philippines, has been practiced from
prehistoric times by the aboriginal Aetas, Negritos, Ifugaos, Igorots, and the hill people. Their
constant struggle with the forces of nature for their survival has led to a closer relationship with
their ancestors and the elements of nature. This form of religion has little if any systematic
doctrine. However, there is one basic characteristic: the belief in the spirits of their ancestors who
influence the living in every conceivable sphere of life and apply rewards and sanctions where
appropriate. These religions also have lesser gods and deities with different powers related to
physical health and fertility. The majority of tribal peoples believe that the first woman came
from the “split” of the bamboo node, a kind of a tropical, tall, and slender palm with sequenced
“nodes” in the trunk.
Islam is practiced by 5 percent of the population, with the majority residing on Mindanao at the
southwestern tip of the archipelago. Islam reached the Jolo and Zulu Islands in the Philippines, a
century before the Spanish colonialists arrived, through Arab and Persian merchants arriving
from the Malayan peninsula. Despite the fact that the Philippine government legally approves
only monogamy, local Muslims, known as “Moros,” are allowed to have several wives provided
they can afford them.
Augustinians Establish Themselves in the Philippines
David Gutierrez wrote in the History of the Order of St. Augustine: “In the Order of St.
Augustine in the 16th century, it was the Augustinian Province of Castile that aggressively
moved and participated in the missionary activity of the Church. In the year 1527, when Juan
Gallego was elected as Provincial of the said circumscription, he took the initiative to promote
missionary activity. For this reason he was also known as the creator of the missionary ideal in
the Order. Though he was tasked to lead the first Augustinian missionary to Mexico, he was not
able to carry this out for he died in 1534. “After some time of studies and application to obtain
the necessary permission, seven religious men (Augustinians) were appointed to initiate this new
The nature of religion in the pre-colonial Philippines is often unclear. Religions present
include animism, indigenous religious beliefs and mythologies such as Anito and influences
from Hinduism and Buddhism. The earliest pieces of evidence that exist are archaeological finds
including Hindu–Buddhist gold statues. The earliest written evidence comes from the Laguna
Copperplate Inscription, dated to around 900 CE, which uses the Buddhist–Hindu lunar calendar.
With the arrival of Islam in the 14th century, the older religions gradually disappeared, and after
the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 Christianity, specifically Roman Catholicism, became
the dominant religion. However, some of the indigenous peoples of the Philippines continue to
practice animism today, and many of the traditions in Anito have survived in the form of Folk
Catholicism.
Animism and folk religion
Animism was widely practiced in the pre-colonial Philippines. Today, only a handful of
the indigenous tribes continue to practice the old traditions. The term animism encompasses 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 must be
accorded to them through worship. These nature spirits are known as "diwatas", related
to Hindu 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. Others practice ancestor worship.
Animistic practices vary between different ethnic groups. Magic, chants and prayers are often
key features. Its practitioners were highly respected (and sometimes 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) Similarly to
Naga, may exist in some indigenous peoples alongside more mainstream Christian and Islamic
faiths.
Anito
Anito is a collective name for the pre-Hispanic belief system in the Philippines. It is also used to
refer to spirits, including the household deities, deceased ancestors, nature-
spirits, nymphs and diwatas (dryads). Ancient Filipinos kept statues to represent these spirits, ask
guidance and protection. Elders, ancestors and the environment were all highly respected.
Although Anito survives to the present day, it has for the most part been Christianized and
incorporated into Folk Catholicism.
,Folk healers
During the pre-Hispanic period, babaylan were shamans and spiritual leaders
and mananambal were medicine men. At the onset of the colonial era, the suppression of
the babaylans and the native Filipino religion gave rise to the albularyo. By exchanging the
native prayers and spells with Catholic oraciones and Christian prayers, the albularyo was able
to syncretize the ancient mode of healing with the new religion.
RELIGION IN THE PHILIPPINES
Religions: Catholic 82.9 percent (Roman Catholic 80.9 percent,Aglipayan 2 percent), Muslim 5
percent, Evangelical 2.8 percent, Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3 percent, other Christian 4.5 percent, other
1.8 percent, unspecified 0.6 percent, none 0.1 percent (2000 census).
Filipino Catholicism is a fusion of Catholicism brought by the Spanish and local animist and
traditional beliefs, particularly a belief that deceased ancestors and land spirts influence the lives
of the living. The character of Filipino Catholicism and religious practices vary a great deal from
region to region. Among the local animist practices incorporated into Filipino Catholicism are
offerings made to volcano spirits and the goddess of the seas. Catholics living in urban areas tend
to be more liberal and Westernized than those living in the countryside. Philippines is the one
Asian country where Confucianism and Buddhism have had little influence. The history of
religion is mainly a leap from animism to Catholic Christianity. Confucianism and Buddhism
have been practiced almost exclusively by the small ethnic Chinese community, most of whom
are Christians. Nearly all the Muslims are Sunnis. The number of evangelical Protestants is rising
quickly.
About 9.5 percent of the Christian population of the Philippines is non-Catholic. These include
Protestants (5.4 percent) and the Philippine Independent Church (2.6 percent) and Iglesia ni
Cristo (2.3 percent), which some consider Protestant sects. Protestants include Presbyterians,
Methodists and evangelicals. Some regard the Philippine Independent Church, and Philippine
Church of Christ as Protestant. Protestant missionaries arrived in 1901 and followed the Catholic
example of establishing hospitals, clinics, and private schools. The Church of the Latter Day
Saints (Mormons) is currently the most active missionary group.
History of Religion in the Philippines
Historically, the Filipinos have embraced two of the great religions of the world - Islam and
Christianity. Islam was introduced during the 14th century shortly after the expansion of Arab
commercial ventures in Southeast Asia. Today, it is limited to the southern region of the country.
Christianity was introduced as early as the 16th century with the coming of Ferdinand Magellan
in 1521. Protestantism was introduced by the first Presbyterian and Methodist missionaries who
arrived with the American soldiers in 1899. [Source: Philippines Department of Tourism]
Two Filipino independent churches were organized at the turn of the century and are
prominent today. These are the Aglipay (Philippine Independent Church) and the Iglesia Ni
Kristo (Church of Christ) founded in 1902 and 1914, respectively. Recently the Aglipay signed
a covenant with the Anglican Church. The Iglesia ni Kristo has expanded its membership
considerably. Its
, churches, with their unique towering architecture, are landmarks in almost all important towns,
provincial capitals, and major cities.
Chinese religion, Buddhism and animism have also had roles in the development of religion in
the Philippines and important to some groups of people. Dr. Jose Florante J. Leyson wrote in
the Encyclopedia of Sexuality: “Taoism was introduced to the Filipinos by Chinese merchants
during the tenth century. Taoism has both a philosophical and a religious tradition. As the
traditional Chinese population has aged, Taoist temples are increasingly seen only in few major
cities where they serve as tourist attractions, not religious symbols and sites. As octogenarian
males are dying and their religion is fading away, modern Chinese males are being Westernized
or practice a more popular religious persuasion.
Buddhism was probably first introduced to the Philippines during the eighteenth century from
India through the Malaysian peninsula and China. Chinese Buddhism, based on the Mahayana
(Great Vehicle, Wide Path) school of India, was handed down from generation to generation by
both Chinese traders and immigrants. This form of Buddhism is very similar to Taoism. More
recently, Buddhism has become more of a social ceremonial practice rather than a religion, and
its temples have become a tourist curiosity. The “fat-bellied” Buddha statue is a symbol of the
family’s wealth and fertility that bedecked a Chinese house’s foyer or living room. |~|
Nature worship, the traditional indigenous religion of the Philippines, has been practiced from
prehistoric times by the aboriginal Aetas, Negritos, Ifugaos, Igorots, and the hill people. Their
constant struggle with the forces of nature for their survival has led to a closer relationship with
their ancestors and the elements of nature. This form of religion has little if any systematic
doctrine. However, there is one basic characteristic: the belief in the spirits of their ancestors who
influence the living in every conceivable sphere of life and apply rewards and sanctions where
appropriate. These religions also have lesser gods and deities with different powers related to
physical health and fertility. The majority of tribal peoples believe that the first woman came
from the “split” of the bamboo node, a kind of a tropical, tall, and slender palm with sequenced
“nodes” in the trunk.
Islam is practiced by 5 percent of the population, with the majority residing on Mindanao at the
southwestern tip of the archipelago. Islam reached the Jolo and Zulu Islands in the Philippines, a
century before the Spanish colonialists arrived, through Arab and Persian merchants arriving
from the Malayan peninsula. Despite the fact that the Philippine government legally approves
only monogamy, local Muslims, known as “Moros,” are allowed to have several wives provided
they can afford them.
Augustinians Establish Themselves in the Philippines
David Gutierrez wrote in the History of the Order of St. Augustine: “In the Order of St.
Augustine in the 16th century, it was the Augustinian Province of Castile that aggressively
moved and participated in the missionary activity of the Church. In the year 1527, when Juan
Gallego was elected as Provincial of the said circumscription, he took the initiative to promote
missionary activity. For this reason he was also known as the creator of the missionary ideal in
the Order. Though he was tasked to lead the first Augustinian missionary to Mexico, he was not
able to carry this out for he died in 1534. “After some time of studies and application to obtain
the necessary permission, seven religious men (Augustinians) were appointed to initiate this new
