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Christianity is the predominant religion in the Philippines, [1] with the Catholic Church being its largest denomination. Sizeable minorities adhering to Islam, Dharmic religions (Buddhism and Hinduism), and indigenous Philippine folk religions (Anito or Anitism) are also present.
The major religion in the Philippines is Roman Catholic Christianity, followed by Islam and other types of Christianity. In the Philippines, all religions are protected by the law, and no one religious belief is given priority over any other.
The Philippines proudly boasts to be the only Christian nation in Asia. More than 86 percent of the population is Roman Catholic, 6 percent belong to various nationalized Christian cults, and another 2 percent belong to well over 100 Protestant denominations.
Domestically established denominations include the Philippine Independent Church (Aglipayan), the Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ), and the Members Church of God International. Christianity is the majority religion among indigenous peoples.
The Philippines is unique among its neighbours in the South East Asian region in that the majority of Filipinos identify as Christian (92.5%). More specifically, 82.9% of the population identify as Catholic, 2.8% identify as Evangelical Christian, 2.3% identify as Iglesia ni Kristo and 4.5% identify with some other Christian denomination.
The Philippines are known as the biggest Christian Catholic country of Asia. Though, its multicultural history brought also other religions, like Islam and those of Chinese heritage. Pre-colonial indigenous religions and traditions can still be observed.
The Spanish colonial administration, recognizing the strategic importance of religion in consolidating their authority, institutionalized Catholicism as the official religion of the Philippines.
In the Philippines, the top 5 religions are Christianity, Islam, Indigenous Philippine folk religions, Buddhism, and Taoism/Chinese folk religion. Christianity is the most widespread, followed by Islam, showcasing the nation’s religious diversity.
Legal Status of Religion: The Constitution of the Philippines continues to reflect influence from the American colonial period, when authorities eager to reduce the power of Catholic friars mandated separation of church and state while guaranteeing freedom of religion.
It is, for example, the second most-populous Asian country (following India) with English as an official language and one of only two predominantly Roman Catholic countries in Asia (the other being East Timor).