Helen Flores (The Philippine Star)

Eight in 10 Filipinos consider religion as a “very important” part of their lives, according to the latest survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS). 

The poll, taken from Dec. 13 to 16, 2019, found 83 percent of adult Filipinos saying religion is “very important” in their lives, seven percent say it is “somewhat important,” three percent “not very important,” and 19 percent claiming “not at all important.”

The latest figure of 83 percent surpassed the previous record of 82 percent in December 2016, the SWS said.

The proportion of those who consider religion as very important rose among the Catholics, up to 84 percent in December last year from 68 percent in June 2019 and 78 percent in September 2019. 

It also rose among “other Christians,” from 68 percent in June 2019 to 78 percent in September and December 2019.

SWS defines other Christians as Christians other than Catholics and Iglesia ni Cristo. 

It remained highest among Muslims, hardly moving from 93 percent in June 2019 to 94 percent in September and December 2019.

However, it fell among the Iglesia ni Cristo, down from 82 percent in June 2019 to 79 percent in September 2019 and 69 percent in December 2019.

The survey also found 45 percent of Filipinos saying they attend religious services weekly, 32 percent monthly, and 22 percent occasionally. 

The remaining 0.7 percent said they “never” attend religious services, the SWS said. 

Since 2013, only minorities of adult Filipinos attend religious services weekly, ranging from 43 percent to 47 percent in annual averages, the pollster said.

The December 2019 poll showed the proportion of those who attend religious services weekly was highest among Muslims at 97 percent, followed by Iglesia ni Cristo at 78 percent, other Christians at 62 percent, and Catholics at 39 percent.

“In the 80 SWS surveys on attendance at religious services from 1991 to 2019, weekly attendance at religious services has always been slightly lower among Catholics than adult Filipinos in general,” the SWS noted. 

The SWS December 2019 survey used face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults, 18 years old and above, nationwide.