An Overview of Manila

The capital city of the Philippines with a population of over 16 million, Manila is a teeming metropolis marked by examples of colonial architecture. It is also a city of many striking contrasts. Glass and steel skyscrapers stand alongside the concrete images of heroes past. Sleek cars drive past horse-drawn carriages. Ancestral churches are a stone’s throw away from the poshest of shopping malls. A city plunging head on towards the 21st century. Today, Manila is a fast growing metropolis. Apart from the original Intramuros, 8 cities and 9 municipalities were developed and annexed for the new Metro Manila (source).

Religion in the Philippines

Historically, the Filipinos have embraced two of the great religions of the world – Islam and Christianity. Islam was introduced during the 14th century shortly after the expansion of Arab commercial ventures in Southeast Asia. Today, it is limited to the southern region of the country.

Christianity was introduced as early as the 16th century with the coming of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 while Protestantism was introduced by the first Presbyterian and Methodist missionaries who arrived with the American soldiers in 1899.

Two Filipino independent churches were organized at the turn of the century and are prominent today. These are the Aglipay (Philippine Independent Church) and the Iglesia Ni Kristo (Church of Christ). Its churches, with their unique towering architecture, are landmarks in almost all important towns, provincial capitals, and major cities.

Would you pray that God would send laborers to this city and country to lift His name high?