Editing Politics of the Philippines (section)

===Catholic Church===
{{See also|Catholic Church in the Philippines}}
[[File:Protests against RH Bill at EDSA 20120804 (06) - Flickr.jpg|thumb|Protests against the [[Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012|Reproductive Health Act of 2012]] (RH Bill)]]

The influence of the Church in civil society dates back to the Spanish era, when the Church exercised considerable secular power.<ref name="Hedman2005"/>{{rp|16, 25}} Despite the [[separation of Church and State]] that was [[Freedom of religion in the Philippines|established]] under American rule, the Church retained social influence among both elites and the wider population and a desire to promote its global values within the country.<ref name="Hedman2005"/>{{rp|32–34}} The Church provides a unifying moral framework that transcends class lines, linking the rich with the poor.<ref name="Rodan">{{cite book |last1=Rodan |first1=Garry |last2=Hughes |first2=Caroline |title=The Politics of Accountability in Southeast Asia: The Dominance of Moral Ideologies |date=2014 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-870353-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v34fAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA117}}</ref>{{rp|118}}<ref name="Wataru"/>{{rp|42, 87}}

National structures were established shortly after independence,<ref name="Hedman2005"/>{{rp|50}} and the Church became directly involved in elections, both through its administrative hierarchy and through the actions of individual clergy.<ref name="Hedman2005"/>{{rp|50–51}} The politicization of the Church increased after the [[Second Vatican Council]], in great part due to the activism of Catholic youth.<ref name="Hedman2005"/>{{rp|75–77}} Another factor was the increasing filipinization of the Church following independence.<ref name="Hedman2005"/>{{rp|85}} The Church did not initially strongly oppose Marcos<ref name="Hedman2005"/>{{rp|87}} and agreed with his anti-communist stance. However, internal opposition grew over the course of the martial law era.<ref name="Abinales2005"/>{{rp|220}}

Public political opposition from individual clergy members eventually shifted the opinion of the Church hierarchy, who supported the candidacy of [[Corazon Aquino]] and the subsequent [[People Power Revolution]].<ref name="Abinales2005"/>{{rp|223–224}} Due to these events, the Church began to see itself as a "guardian of democracy".<ref name="DeinlaThompson"/>{{rp|45}} Later, the Church was one of the institutions that became opposed to the Presidency of Joseph Estrada.<ref name="Abinales2005"/>{{rp|275}}

[[Religious order (Catholic)|Religious order]]s, such as the [[Society of Jesus]] and [[Opus Dei]], run private educational establishments for law, medicine, and business.<ref name="Hedman2005"/>{{rp|34}} The Church is active in social and economic development, in ways not always in alignment with the desire of state authorities.<ref name="Hedman2005"/>{{rp|75}} It has organized to assist in anti-corruption efforts.<ref name="Rodan"/>{{rp|125, 145}} The Church maintains strong influence on the topic of family, notably through its support of large family size and its opposition to [[birth control]].<ref name="Abinales2005"/>{{rp|295–296}} Catholic influence led to the removal of [[Divorce law by country#Philippines|divorce laws]] following independence.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Reyes |first1=Deogracias T. |title=History of Divorce Legislation in the Philippines since 1900 |journal=Philippine Studies |date=June 1953 |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=50–52 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/42718998 |publisher=Ateneo de Manila University|jstor=42718998 }}</ref>

The political influence of the Church has decreased in the 21st century, following [[Catholic Church sexual abuse cases by country#Philippines|sexual abuse revelations]] and the death of the prominent Cardinal [[Jaime Sin]].<ref name="DeinlaThompson"/>{{rp|45–46}} A symbolic moment for Church influence was the passing of the [[Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012|Reproductive Health Act of 2012]] by the [[Presidency of Benigno Aquino III|Benigno Aquino administration]]. This law aimed to make contraception and family planning more accessible, a topic which had faced long-standing Church opposition. Public opinion was thought to be in favor of the law.<ref>{{cite news |title=Power of the Catholic Church slipping in Philippines |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2013/0306/Power-of-the-Catholic-Church-slipping-in-Philippines |access-date=13 May 2021 |work=[[The Christian Science Monitor]] |date=6 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130307075323/https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2013/0306/Power-of-the-Catholic-Church-slipping-in-Philippines |archive-date=7 March 2013}}</ref> The [[Presidency of Rodrigo Duterte|Rodrigo Duterte administration]] has also clashed with the Church,<ref>{{Cite news |first=Thomas |last=Maresca |title=Catholic Church dissents on Duterte's drug war |url= https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/04/25/duterte-roman-catholic-church-philippines/100461312/ |work= USA Today |pages= 4B |date= 29 April 2017 |access-date= 13 May 2017 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170425200229/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/04/25/duterte-roman-catholic-church-philippines/100461312/ |archivedate=25 April 2017 |quote=}}</ref> with Duterte at times directly positioning himself against the Church.<ref name="DeinlaIntroduction"/>{{rp|26}}<ref name="DeinlaThompson"/>{{rp|46}} While Duterte himself is not in favor of a divorce law, proposals to legalize divorce gained significant support in Congress [[17th Congress of the Philippines|following his election]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/03/20/1798661/legalizing-divorce-philippines-what-you-need-know |title=Legalizing divorce in the Philippines: What you need to know |last=Patag |first=Kristine Joy |work=PhilStar |date=March 20, 2018 |access-date=May 13, 2021}}</ref> with one bill being passed by the House of Representatives before rejection by the Senate.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/2/5/House-panel-OKs-divorce.html |title=House panel OKs bills legalizing divorce |last1=Dimatulac |first1=Crissy |last2=Jalea |first2=Glee |work=CNN Philippines |date=February 5, 2020 |access-date=May 13, 2021 |archive-date=May 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513150753/https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/2/5/House-panel-OKs-divorce.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The measure was reintroduced in the [[18th Congress of the Philippines|next session of Congress]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/02/09/1991591/proposed-divorce-law-wont-be-easy-way-out-marriage |title='Proposed divorce law won't be easy way out of marriage' |last=Punay |first=Edu |work=PhilStar |date=February 9, 2020 |access-date=May 13, 2021}}</ref> During the [[2022 Philippine presidential election|2022 presidential elections campaign]], the Church endorsed the candidacy of vice president [[Leni Robredo]] to prevent [[Bongbong Marcos]], son of dictator [[Ferdinand Marcos]], from winning the election. Robredo, who won in 18 of the 86 dioceses in the country,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Saludes |first1=Mark |title=Catholic nation? The Filipino Church rethinks its role in politics. |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2022/0629/Catholic-nation-The-Filipino-Church-rethinks-its-role-in-politics |work=[[Christian Science Monitor]] |date=29 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220629165724/https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2022/0629/Catholic-nation-The-Filipino-Church-rethinks-its-role-in-politics |archive-date=29 June 2022}}</ref> lost the presidential race in a landslide.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Buan |first1=Lian |title=36 years after ousting Marcos, Filipinos elect son as president |url=https://www.rappler.com/nation/elections/ferdinand-bongbong-marcos-jr-wins-president-philippines-may-2022/ |access-date=December 27, 2023 |work=[[Rappler]] |date=May 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220509211847/https://www.rappler.com/nation/elections/ferdinand-bongbong-marcos-jr-wins-president-philippines-may-2022/ |archive-date=May 9, 2022}}</ref>