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Overview of religious freedom in the Philippines
Freedom of religion in the Philippines is guaranteed by the Constitution of the Philippines. In 2022, Freedom House scored the country 4 out of 4 for religious freedom.

Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States in 1898. By the end of February 1902, American forces had defeated the Philippine forces seeking to establish an independent Philippine republic. The Philippine Organic Act of 1902 provided, among other things, "That no law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, and that the free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed." Historian Schumacher cites that William Howard Taft, the head of the Second Philippine Commission and the first civil Governor General of the Philippine Islands, was very much aware of the need to defuse anti friar feeling throughout the Islands. He requested the Spanish friars be given leave of their parish posts. Many of the friars left voluntarily, and were replaced by native Filipino priests in the lower ranks and American bishops comprising the episcopacy. Negotiations also began for the compulsory sale of vast Church holdings. Although the sale was affected by pressure from influential sectors like some bishops and certain delegates, it achieved Taft's goal of sequestering all lands owned by the Catholic Church, something that the ill fated Philippine Republic had failed to achieve. After taking the land, Taft intended to redistribute the land. This not only reduced the financial position of the Catholic Church, but also diminished the influential clout it had during the Spanish colonial period. American jurisprudence reintroduced separation of church and state, relying on the First Amendment and the metaphor of Thomas Jefferson on the wall of separation between church and state
(10), but the Philippine experience has shown that this theoretical wall of separation has been crossed several times by secular authorities. Schumacher states that in 1906, the Supreme Court of the Philippines intervened in the issue of parish ownership by returning assets seized by the Philippine Independent Church during the Revolution, while certain charitable organizations managed or influenced by the Catholic Church were either returned or sequestered.

With the guarantee of religious freedom in the Philippines, the Catholic clergy subsequently remained in the political background as a source of moral influence for many voters during elections until today. Political candidates generally court the clergy for support, although this does not guarantee victory for a candidate. The Philippines was placed under martial law by President Ferdinand Marcos and relations changed dramatically, as some bishops opposed the martial law.

A new constitution was ratified in 1973 which included the separation of church and state clause, signaling a new development in the body of law on religious affairs. Joaquin Bernas, a Filipino Jesuit specializing in constitutional law, acknowledges that there were complex issues that were brought to court and numerous attempts to use the separation of Church and State against the Catholic Church, but he defends the statement, saying that the fact that he [Marcos] tried to do it does not deny the validity of the separation of church and state. Sharia District Courts (SDCs) and Sharia Circuit Courts (SCCs) were created in 1977 through Presidential Decree 1083, which is also known as the Code of Muslim Personal Laws. Islamic law only applies to civil cases involving all Muslims nationwide. Cases are handled in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and a couple of Mindanao provinces that are not part of ARMM by both sharia district and circuit courts, organised into five sharia districts. Outside these areas, sharia related cases are processed in civil courts under a session from the five sharia districts. All other cases, including criminal ones, are dealt with by local civil courts. The Catholic Church was instrumental in winning support for Corazon Aquino who replaced Marcos as president with Cardinal Sin calling for support. Aquino then initiated a new constitutional commission to frame a new charter again for the country. It is noted that Roman Catholic religious and clergy like Christine Tan, R. G. S., a nun, Joaquin Bernas, S. J., and Bishop Teodoro C. Bacani became part of the 1986 Constitutional Commission and left their mark on the promulgation of the charter and its numerous provisions on the Church and state.

The CBCP was embroiled in a controversy in 2011 over millions of pesos in donations from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) at the behest of then president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. According to a Commission on Audit report in 2009, some bishops received donations for the purchase of vehicles from the PCSO. Critics claim the donations was given to ensure Church support for Arroyo, who was then buffeted by scandals and repeated threats of impeachment.