22/06/2026
The Philippines remains one of the most religious countries in the world. Yet what strikes me is not simply the strength of belief, but the possibility of pluralism within a deeply fundamentalist society.
Recent World Values Survey data shows that 62% of Filipinos agree that โthe only acceptable religion is my religionโโhigher than many Western countries, but lower than several neighboring nations. The challenge for the future is not less faith, but deeper faith: spirituality confident enough to encounter difference without fear.
In my research with Filipino organizers, I found that transformation often happens through relationships. People work across religious traditions, political differences, and social divides because communities face common struggles and shared hopes. Pluralism is not the absence of conviction. It is the practice of remaining in relationship despite conviction.
Perhaps the task before us is not choosing between faith and diversity, but learning how faith can become a bridge rather than a boundary.
- Dr. Joseph Santos-Lyons
