Written by: Tara Tulshyan
Visual by: Basia Lesniewska
The Philippines is a predominantly catholic nation; roughly 86 percent of the population is Roman Catholic (“Religion in the Philippines”). Catholicism also plays a large role in Filipino culture and heritage, due to the fact the nation was once a Spanish colony. The Spaniards brought catholicism into the country. Throughout the nation’s history, religion and government had been and still remain intertwined, and thus religion has a great deal of influence on Filipino society, even now. In schools, religion plays a large part in students' lives, in which it is a mandatory subject in most schools. Furthermore, in some areas of the Philippines, institutions centered on Catholicism and other christian denominations are common, however these could result in a learning gap between those in religious schools compared to those who are not.
“According to the Catholic Educators Association of the Philippines (CEAP), which is the educational network of the Catholic Church, the total number of Catholic schools in the country in 2003 was grouped into: 596 pre-elementary schools, 592 elementary schools, 1,070 high schools, 240 colleges, and 101 graduate schools” ( Gutiérrez, Angelina L. ) This large number of specialized religion schools results in the increase power of the church as well. “The church, hence, has a voice in the nation’s governance, despite the constitutional separation of the church and the state” (Gutiérrez, Angelina L.). The church also can submit petitions, ratifications to the government and induce change such as the ability to modify and submit new laws. Therefore, the church has a large influence on Filipino society, however, the church also has a very strict set of ideals, which are then taught to some students Catholic schools.
While religion is a large determining factor in the lives of many of the students, this type of school also has some considerable limitations. For example, students are discouraged from exploring beyond what is taught in the classroom, because what is taught is a little stricter and more controlled than regular school, since it is grounded in scripture. This results in students having slimmer options and choices later on, beyond school, because their school doesn’t offer much variety. For example, their schools may not prioritize other subjects such as Math and English, which are skills necessary for the future. Since these other basic skills are not being developed as much, these children may lack in these important cognitive and analytical fields, which could greatly impact their career choices later on. This could result in a gap between those who attend these institutions and those who attend regular school, thus hurting those in religious-centered institutions. Furthermore, students may have fewer chances to make friends outside of school, since they may not have inter-school festivals or sporting events, this can lead to a sense of detachment from the majority society later on.While there are positives and negatives to both options, it is ultimately the individual family’s choice, and where their beliefs lie.
Works Cited
Gutiérrez, Angelina L. V. “Catholic Schools in the Philippines: Beacons of Hope in Asia.” SpringerLink, Springer, Dordrecht, 1 Jan. 1970, link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4020-5776-2_37.
“Religion in the Philippines.” Asia Society, asiasociety.org/education/religion-philippines#:~:text=The Philippines proudly boasts to,well over 100 Protestant denominations.
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