The Influence of the Protestant Church in Philippine Governance under the administration of Rodrigo Duterte (2016-2022)

Abstract

The Philippines, a predominantly Christian nation, has a longstanding history of the religion’s influence. The crown and the cross, once united, were declared to be separate when the republic were formed in the 20th century. This did not stop both parties from interacting and interfering with each other, especially now that the discourse of human rights have become critical. As Rodrigo Duterte, regarded as a different president from the past ones, has pushed the country into secularization in a way that disregards the typical notion of morality, Christians called it a moral decay. With only a few scholars writing about the Protestant Christians’ relationship with the Duterte administration, this study aims to document their response on the Duterte’s way of governance in sum, along with some controversial bills filed in Congress. This research also aims to document their perception on Protestant representation and influence in government, interviewing a politician and three professors – all active in their churches. The results showed a divided response to 1) their perception of the Philippines under Duterte, 2) Duterte’s way of governance, and 3) their opinion on gender-based issues like the Anti-Discrimination Bill and Divorce, and a unified one regarding religious involvement in politics. The results also showed that their support or criticism in the first three topics discussed depended on their interpretation of the Bible.