Religion

Upon observation, I would say the people of the Philippines are religious.     From some reading before going to the Philippines, I knew the  Spanish had arrived as early as 1513.   So it makes sense that in books and encyclopedias one will find Roman Catholic listed as largest among religious groups, then Protestants, then Muslims, then Buddhists,  Taoists, animists and others.

I saw Catholic Churches and chapels, Church of Christ, Baptist, United Methodist, Jehovah Witness, Mormon, Christian and Missionary Alliance, 7th Day Adventists, Inglesia ni Cristo, Muslim mosque, and Pentecostal.    I believe strict Jews would have difficulty in the Philippines due to the vast amount of pork in nearly all meals.......well, Muslims should have difficulty as well.

Anyway, based upon the years with SE Asians in the US, I wondered about animism.   I learned that the ancient people of the Philippines believed that the world was ruled by powerful spirits that manifested in nature.  I don't doubt that there are Filipinos that still worship rocks, trees, animals, and yes, ancestors, and perform rituals.

Based upon observation over the years in the US with SE Asians,  I know that in the US it is   easy for animistic people to continue on in their beliefs but under the "accepted" guise of a US religion.  The Roman Catholic faith is especially easy for animists to adopt the worship of Mary, the Child Jesus, the saints along with worshiping their ancestors or spirits.   Venerating saints for prayers answered for a good harvest or for children or for rain fits right in with venerating the spirits of nature or the rain god.     I could see where rituals of the Christian faith--like baptism--could be very similar to their own rituals for healing or worship.

So I am thinking that while the Spaniards imposed Christianity upon the indigenous people, I doubt they fully accepted the foreign religion.  It would be better to see it as a Christianizing of the animistic practices rather than a Christianizing of a people.    So even in the Sinulog that sort of represents Christianity coming to the people it is more a devotion to Santa Nino (child Jesus) or to Virgin Mary, acknowledging the latter as a shield against foreign invasion or as a protector during travel  and even as a fertility goddess.

The Spanish missionaries tried to completely destroy indigenous symbols and practices (like slavery and polygamy) other European Catholic practices they introduced blended with the indigenous ritual practices.   The friar may have acted about biblical stories to teach the people, but Filipinos today act out the passion of Christ during Holy Week.   

I must mention the Inglesia ni Cristo.    I saw their church buildings a lot--and many quite large with tall spires reaching to the skies.  Sikipedia says it  "is a Christian denomination religion that originated in the Philippines in 1914 under founder Felix Manalo, who become the first executive minister....         In 2000, the Philippine census by the National Statistics Office found that 2.3 percent of the population in the Philippines are affiliated with the Iglesia ni Cristo, making it the third largest religious denomination in the Philippines after the Roman Catholic Church (80.9%) and Islam (5.0%), respectively.  The Iglesia ni Cristo proclaims itself to be the one true church and claims that it is the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus and that all other Christian churches, including the Roman Catholic Church, are apostates. ......According to the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, the establishment of the Philippine Independent Church or the Aglipayan Church was his major turning point but Manalo remained uninterested since its doctrines were mainly Catholic.....He started seeking through various denominations....then associated himself with atheist and agnostic peers.^[8][24] On November 1913, Manalo secluded himself with religious literature and unused notebooks in a friend's house in Pasay, instructing everyone in the house not to disturb him. He emerged from seclusion three days later with his new-found doctrines.
  main temple built 1984
The Iglesia ni Cristo believes in the absolute oneness of God the Father who is the Creator and is the only true God. They believe this is the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Apostles. Thus, the INC rejects the trinity as a heresy....   The church believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the mediator between God the Father and humanity, and was created by God the Father. God sanctified him to be without sin, and bestowed him the titles "Lord" and "Son of God". The church sees Jesus as God's highest creation, and denies his divinity.:      So says  Wikipedia.     

One must also consider myths and legends and even ancient amulets or talismans that shape Filipino beliefs.   I see the Filipinos looking to religion for strength in times of trouble and attribute their accomplishments to divine guidance--someone or something more powerful than themselves.

So very important to present the truth of the Gospel.  The fact that Jesus is "the Way, the Truth, and the Life".  Religion falls so far short of the relationship possible with God through the person of Jesus Christ.