The Philippines has a wide variety of religious traditions. Before the Spanish arrived, they were pretty much a melting pot; they had all kinds of religions scattered throughout the islands. But post-colonization changed that story. Now, it is estimated that 90% of the country's population identifies themselves as Christian, a majority of those who are Catholic. 

Colonization changed the Phillippines' traditions because when Spanish Colonizers arrived, they brought with them Christian and, more specifically, Catholic missionaries where it was their job to spread the Catholic faith. This was the first time in the Phillippines that people arrived and were intentionally spreading a certain religion. They gained a massive footprint when the King and Queen of Cebu and their subjects embraced the Catholic faith during a Sunday Mass. One account says that Spanish presidents baptized up to eight hundred Cebuanos that day. Within twenty-five years of the first major conversion, about a quarter of a million Filipinos converted to Christianity. 

Something to note about the religion in the Phillippines post-colonization is that they are a very religious country. Over 90% of the Population identifies with a religious group. Also, the power religion has on the overall impact of the Phillippines. For example, the Catholic Churches have historically played a significant role in shaping the country's education system, Healthcare, and social services. 

Religious Festivals 

This is a video from the Dinagyang Festival in 2024, the group you are watching won best costume. There are many more Religious Festivals in the Philippines. I wanted to highlight some of my favorite ones!