The Philippines has produced ten 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 ten 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.
On October 6, 2024, Pope Francis named Pablo Virgilio David, Bishop of Kalookan, as the tenth Filipino Cardinal. He was elevated to the College of Cardinals in a consistory on December 8, 2024. He is the first Filipino cardinal who is not a metropolitan archbishop at the time of the announcement.
There are currently five living Filipino Cardinals, three of whom are electors: Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization; Jose Advincula, current Archbishop of Manila; and Pablo Virgilio David, current Bishop of Kalookan. They participated in the 2025 papal conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV, marking the first time in history that three Filipino cardinal-electors participated in a papal conclave. There are two other living Cardinals over the age of 80: Gaudencio Rosales, Archbishop-Emeritus of Manila; and Orlando Quevedo, Archbishop-Emeritus of Cotabato.
List of Filipino cardinals No.CardinalEpiscopal see / Dicastery Consistory / Created CardinalTitular designation Conclaves participated Coat of arms1 ManilaMarch 31, 1960 by St. John XXIIICardinal-Priest of S. Maria ai Monti1963 2 Cebu April 28, 1969 by St. Paul VI Cardinal-Priest of Sacro Cuore di Gesù agonizzante a VitiniaAugust 1978 October 19783ManilaMay 24, 1976 by St. Paul VI Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria ai Monti4CebuMay 25, 1985 by St. John Paul II Cardinal-Priest of Ss. Pietro e Paolo a Via Ostiense2005 5Prefect of the Congregation for the ClergyCreated as Cardinal-Deacon on June 6, 1991 by St. John Paul IIElevated as Cardinal-Priest on February 26, 2002 by St. John Paul II Cardinal-Deacon of S. Pio V a Villa Carpegna(1991–2002)Cardinal-Priest of S. Pio V a Villa Carpegna (pro hac vice)(2002–2012)6ManilaMarch 24, 2006 by Benedict XVI Cardinal-Priest of Santissimo Nome di Maria in Via Latina7 Manila(2012–2020) Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (2019–2022)Pro-Prefect for the Section of First Evangelization of the Dicastery for Evangelization (2022–present) November 24, 2012 by Benedict XVI Elevated as Cardinal-Bishop on May 1, 2020 by Francis Cardinal-Priest of San Felice da Cantalice a Centocelle (2012–2020)Cardinal-Bishop of San Felice da Cantalice a Centocelle (pro hac vice)(2020–2025)Cardinal-Bishop of Albano(since 2025)2013, 20258CotabatoFebruary 22, 2014by Francis Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria Regina Mundi a Torre Spaccata9.Capiz (2020–2021) Manila (2021–present)November 28, 2020 by FrancisCardinal-Priest of San Vigilio202510. KalookanDecember 7, 2024 by FrancisCardinal-Priest of Trasfigurazione di Nostro Signore Gesù Cristo
List by age No.CardinalDate of BirthDate of Death Age1 August 10, 1932 Batangas City2 March 17, 1920Pandan, CatanduanesMarch 9, 2012 Manila91 years, 359 days3March 11, 1939Laoag City4 February 6, 1931Mogpog, MarinduqueOctober 18, 2017Cebu5August 31, 1928New Washington, AklanJune 21, 2005San Juan City6September 18, 1906Calbayog, SamarJune 2, 1983Cebu7March 30, 1952 Dumalag, Capiz8 June 21, 1957Manila9Pablo Virgilio Siongco DavidMarch 2, 1959 Betis, Guagua, Pampanga10 August 26, 1908Guagua, PampangaSeptember 3, 1973 Manila
Timeline of living cardinals
From To Number of living cardinals-TotalChange March 28, 1960 (Rufino J. Santos elevated to cardinal) April 28, 1969 (Julio Rosales elevated to cardinal) 1 cardinal (Cardinal Santos)11 April 28, 1969 (Julio Rosales elevated to Cardinal) September 3, 1973 (Death of Cardinal Santos) 2 cardinals (Cardinal Santos & Cardinal J. Rosales)21 September 3, 1973 (Death of Cardinal Santos) May 24, 1976 (Jaime Sin elevated to Cardinal) 1 cardinal (Cardinal J. Rosales)11 May 24, 1976 (Jaime Sin elevated to Cardinal) June 2, 1983 (Death of Cardinal J. Rosales) 2 cardinals (Cardinal J. Rosales & Cardinal Sin)21 June 2, 1983 (Death of Cardinal J. Rosales) May 25, 1985 (Ricardo Vidal elevated to Cardinal) 1 cardinal (Cardinal Sin)11 May 25, 1985 (Ricardo Vidal elevated to Cardinal) June 28, 1991 (Jose Sanchez elevated to Cardinal) 2 cardinals (Cardinal Sin & Cardinal Vidal)21 June 28, 1991 (Jose Tomas Sanchez elevated to Cardinal) June 21, 2005 (Death of Cardinal Sin) 3 cardinals (Cardinals Sin, Vidal & Sanchez)31 June 21, 2005 (Death of Cardinal Sin) March 24, 2006 (Gaudencio Rosales elevated to Cardinal) 2 cardinals (Cardinals Vidal & Sanchez)21 March 24, 2006 (Gaudencio Rosales elevated to Cardinal) March 9, 2012 (Death of Cardinal Sanchez) 3 cardinals (Cardinals Vidal, Sanchez & G. Rosales)31 March 9, 2012 (Death of Cardinal Sanchez) November 24, 2012 (Luis Antonio Tagle elevated to Cardinal) 2 cardinals (Cardinals Vidal & G. Rosales)21 November 24, 2012 (Luis Antonio Tagle elevated to Cardinal) February 22, 2014 (Orlando Quevedo elevated to Cardinal) 3 cardinals (Cardinals Vidal, G. Rosales & Tagle)31 February 22, 2014 (Orlando Quevedo elevated to Cardinal) October 18, 2017 (Death of Cardinal Vidal) 4 cardinals (Cardinals Vidal, G. Rosales, Tagle & Quevedo)41 October 18, 2017 (Death of Cardinal Vidal) November 28, 2020 (Jose Advincula elevated to Cardinal) 3 cardinals (Cardinals G. Rosales, Tagle & Quevedo)31 November 28, 2020 (Jose Advincula elevated to Cardinal) December 7, 2024 (Pablo Virgilio David elevated to Cardinal) 4 cardinals (Cardinals G. Rosales, Tagle, Quevedo & Advincula)41December 7, 2024 (Pablo Virgilio David elevated to Cardinal)Present5 cardinals (Cardinals G. Rosales, Tagle, Quevedo, Advincula, David)51
Participation of Filipino Cardinals per Conclave As of May 2025, seven out of ten Filipino Cardinals have participated in a conclave to elect a Pope. +Filipino Cardinal Electors per Conclave since 1963ConclavePrevious PopeElected PopeParticipating CardinalsNumber of CardinalsRef.1963 conclaveJohn XXIIIPaul VIRufino Santos1August 1978 conclavePaul VIJohn Paul IJulio Rosales Jaime Sin2October 1978 conclaveJohn Paul IJohn Paul IIJulio Rosales Jaime Sin22005 conclaveJohn Paul IIBenedict XVIRicardo Vidal12013 conclaveBenedict XVIFrancisLuis Antonio Tagle12025 conclaveFrancisLeo XIVLuis Antonio Tagle Jose Advincula
Pablo Virgilio David3 Three Filipino Cardinals never participated in a conclave, as they were 80 years old before an eventual sede vacante.
Jose Tomas Sanchez, who was made cardinal in 1991, turned 80 on March 17, 2000, preventing him from participating in the 2005 conclave. He died in 2012. Gaudencio Rosales, who was made cardinal in 2006, turned 80 on August 10, 2012, six months before the Resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, preventing him from participating in the conclaves 2013 and 2025. Orlando Quevedo, who was made cardinal in 2014, turned 80 on March 11, 2019, preventing him from participating in the 2025 conclave.
See also List of Roman Catholic dioceses in the Philippines Catholic Church hierarchy Catholic Church in the Philippines
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