Philippines. Economic and Social Activities of a Religious Institute: The Example of the Diocese of Butuan

Abstract

In the study, the authors consider the territorial and administrative structure of the Philippine’s Roman Catholic Church (RCC) and the factors of its transformation at the present stage in the context of the importance of the religious institution in the economic and social life of society. The purpose of a comprehensive study is to identify the economic, social, territorial and institutional aspects of the RCC’s activities in the Philippines and to identify the areas on which it has a significant impact. The model of relations between the RCC and the state in the Philippines is not typical for the Asia-Pacific region. This fact allows the authors stating that the experience of their implementation may be relevant for solving issues related to the formation and development of the confessional space of Russian regions, including the Far East, in social and economic aspects. For an objective characterization of the elements of the confessional space in the presented study the mathematical and statistical tools were used. By analyzing the available data published in English, the main directions of the project activities of non-profit Catholic organizations in the field of economic and social development of the country were identified. The authors reveal that the RCC actively implements activities in the field of social responsibility at the regional and local levels by allocating its own funds, labor resources, providing for the use of its buildings for religious and other purposes for organizing and holding socially significant events, in many ways contra-typing state functions. Finally, the authors conclude that the RCC in the Philippines is an influential institution that plays a significant role in various areas of the country’s economy and contains prospects for expanding the field of its activities in the mentioned direction