Pew: Philippines remains one of the world’s most religious countries, overwhelmingly Catholic

The Philippines remains one of the world’s most religious countries, with nearly all adults identifying with a faith, almost nine in 10 saying religion is very important in their lives, and daily prayer rates among the highest recorded in recent global surveys, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis. 

A spring 2026 Pew survey found that 92% of Filipino adults identify as Christian, including 76% who are Catholic and 12% who are Protestant. The Catholic share is slightly lower than in the mid-2010s but has remained relatively stable in recent years. Pew noted that the Philippines is home to the world’s third-largest Catholic population, after Brazil and Mexico. 

Pew’s 2024 survey found that 99% of Filipino adults say they believe in God, including 99% of Catholics and 100% of Protestants. Seventy-nine percent of Filipino adults said they pray daily, ranking the Philippines among the highest of the 36 countries Pew surveyed that year, after Indonesia (95%) and Kenya (84%). 

Filipino Catholics also expressed strong support for Pope Leo XIV. Seventy-nine percent said they have a favorable view of the Holy Father, including 43% who said they view him very favorably. Catholics under 50 were more likely than older Catholics to express a favorable opinion of Pope Leo. 

The analysis also found differences between Filipino Catholics and Protestants. Most Filipino adults said the Bible should have at least some influence on national laws — 81% of Catholics and 87% of Protestants — but Protestants were more likely than Catholics to say biblical teaching should prevail when it conflicts with the will of the people. Among those who said the Bible should influence laws, 63% of Protestants said the Bible should have more influence on the country’s laws than the will of the people, compared with 31% of Catholics.