The Philippines has produced nine cardinals.
The population of Catholics in the Philippines constitutes the country's largest religious denomination, as well as one of the largest Catholic populations among countries of the world. The Catholic faith was introduced to the Philippines by Spanish colonists in the sixteenth century. Some 400 years later, in 1960, Rufino J. Santos, the Archbishop of Manila, became the first Filipino cardinal. Since then, a total of nine Filipinos have been raised to the rank of cardinal.
On May 1, 2020, Luis Antonio G. Tagle, Pro-Prefect for the Section of First Evangelization of the Dicastery for Evangelization, was promoted to the rank of cardinal-bishop. He is the first Filipino to hold the highest rank of a cardinal in the Catholic Church.[1]
Currently there are two active Filipino cardinals, Luis Antonio Tagle, current Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, and Jose Advincula, current Archbishop of Manila.
On October 6, 2024, Pope Francis named Pablo Virgilio David, Bishop of Kalookan, as the tenth Filipino Cardinal. He will be elevated to the College of Cardinals in a consistory on December 8, 2024.
| No. | Cardinal | Metropolitan see / dicastery | Created to the Cardinalate | Titular church | Conclaves participated | Coat of arms | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manila | March 31, 1960 by John XXIII[2] | Cardinal Priest of S. Maria ai Monti | ||||
| 2 | April 28, 1969 by Paul VI[3] | Cardinal Priest of Sacro Cuore di Gesù agonizzante a Vitinia | August 1978 October 1978 | ||||
| 3 | Manila | May 24, 1976 by Paul VI[4] | Cardinal Priest of S. Maria ai Monti | ||||
| 4 | Cebu | May 25, 1985 by John Paul II[5] | Cardinal Priest of Ss. Pietro e Paolo a Via Ostiense | ||||
| 5 | Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy | June 6, 1991 by John Paul II[6] | Cardinal Deacon of S. Pio V a Villa Carpegna | ||||
| 6 | Manila | March 24, 2006 by Benedict XVI[7] | Cardinal Priest of Santissimo Nome di Maria in Via Latina | ||||
| 7 | Manila (2012–2020) Pro-Prefect for the Section of First Evangelization of the Dicastery for Evangelization (2022–present) | November 24, 2012, by Benedict XVI[8] Elevated as Cardinal-Bishop on May 1, 2020 by Francis | Cardinal Bishop of San Felice da Cantalice a Centocelle[9] [10] [11] | 2013 | |||
| 8 | Cotabato | 22 February 2014 by Francis[12] | Cardinal Priest of Santa Maria Regina Mundi a Torre Spaccata | ||||
| 9. | Capiz (November 2020–June 2021) Manila (June 2021–present) | November 28, 2020 by Francis[13] | Cardinal Priest of San Vigilio | ||||
| 10. | Kalookan | To be created on December 8, 2024 by Francis[14] |