Filipino People - Religion

Religion

Most Filipinos are Christians, with most belonging to Roman Catholicism. About eighty percent of the total Filipino population follows the Roman Catholic faith. Historically, the ancient Filipinos held animistic religions, Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims could also be found in the Philippines. The Spanish arrival converted a vast majority of the Filipinos to Roman Catholicism. There are also large groups of Protestants and members of independent Philippine churches such as the Iglesia ni Cristo. Five to ten percent of Filipinos follow Islam. Islam in the Philippines is mostly concentrated in southwestern Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago. The Filipino Muslims call themselves the Moros, which is a Spanish word that refers to the Moors, a Muslim empire that had once ruled Spain. Although the Filipino Moros and Arab Moors have no cultural connection, other than following Islam. Indigenous groups like the Aeta are Animists. There is a small minority in Manila practicing Buddhism. These are mostly the ethnic Chinese and Chinese-Filipinos living in Metro Manila.