Philippine Independent Church

The Filipino historian Teodoro Agoncillo has described the Philippine Independent Church as "the only living and tangible result of the Philippine Revolution". Despite not being in full communion with the Catholic Church, the Philippine Independent Church universally maintains and adheres to the core set of beliefs and practices of broader catholicity. ==History==

Gregorio Aglipay and the Philippine Revolution Gregorio Aglipay was an activist and Latin Catholic priest from Ilocos Norte, who would later be excommunicated by then Archbishop of Manila, Bernardino Nozaleda, for "usurpation of ecclesiastical jurisdiction" by joining Emilio Aguinaldo's libertarian movement and suspicion in possibly fomenting schism with the Pope (then Pope Leo XIII) in 1899 at the height of the Philippine–American War. During the earlier Philippine Revolution, Aglipay and his former college schoolmate and fellow anti-friar Isabelo de los Reyes (also known as Don Belong), an ilustrado author, journalist, and labour activist who was in exile in Spain at the time, acted to reform the Filipino Catholic clergy which was then dominated and controlled by Spanish friars ("frailocracy") as Catholicism was the state religion at the time of the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines. At the time, the vast majority of native Filipino priests were already prohibited from administering a parish since 1870 and served only as coadjutors or just assistants to the Spanish friars. Native priests were also denied consecration to the episcopacy. Then-President Emilio Aguinaldo persuaded Aglipay to head the native Filipino clergy by appointing him military vicar general of the Philippine Revolution in 1898, wishing to overthrow the spiritual power of the Spanish friar-bishops. Aglipay was a member of the Malolos Congress, the lone member coming from the religious sector, although he also represented his home province, as well. He was also the convener of the Filipino Ecclesiastical Council (Paniqui Assembly) on October 23, 1899, months following his excommunication, in response to the manifesto of former Prime Minister Apolinario Mabini, who first came up with the idea of urging the Filipino clergy to organize a "Filipino national church" as inspired by the secularization movement, but not necessarily a schism from Rome. The assembly was attended by 28 native Filipino priests, thus, the short-lived national church was materialized. However, it was disestablished in 1901 following the dissolution of the First Philippine Republic. The new church faced opposition from the colonial government, which sought to maintain the status quo. The new church rejected the spiritual authority and infallibility of the Pope and abolished the celibacy requirement for priests, allowing them to marry. At that time, even before Aglipay joined the movement, all of its clergy were former Catholic priests, mostly from Ilocos, with some of whom became the church's first ever nominated and elected bishops by its earliest batch of clergy and laity who mostly belong to various political parties in Manila. Among the first elected bishops was former Latin Catholic priest and vicar forane Pedro Brillantes. The elected bishops then formed the church's first Supreme Council of Bishops. De los Reyes also formed an Executive Committee for the church from the staff of the Unión Obrera Democrática Filipina who drafted the church's early first two Fundamental Epistles, which were later approved by the Supreme Council of Bishops. The elected bishops were then consecrated by the other priests as justified in accordance with the Fundamental Epistles. The first ever bishop to be consecrated in the IFI was Pedro Brillantes, whose consecration took place on October 20, 1902, and proclaimed Bacarra, Ilocos Norte as his episcopal seat. All of the former Latin Catholic clergy who joined the movement were later declared excommunicated by the Catholic Church. should be the founding head, or Obispo Maximo (Supreme Bishop), of the church which was unanimously agreed by the members present in the proclamation. De los Reyes' desire to form a new church was conceptualized upon his repatriation to the Philippines from Spain in 1901 after his talks in 1899 with Giuseppe Francica-Nava de Bontifè, then the Apostolic Nuncio to Spain, to request the Holy See in looking into the conditions of the Philippines had failed. By then, the country had changed from Spanish rule to American. Although the American concept of separation of church and state was introduced in the Philippine Constitution of 1899, Spanish friars were still in control of the parishes all throughout the country, and de los Reyes feared that American clergy would sooner or later replace the Spanish, instead of native Filipinos. Along with the American colonization was the arrival of the American Protestant missionaries in the Philippines starting in 1901. De los Reyes envisioned the new church as a significant move towards Filipino sovereignty, not just politically but also spiritually. On October 1, 1902, Aglipay headed the signatories, approval, and promulgation of the very first and short-lived temporary Constitution of the . Subsequently, Aglipay also formally signed the third up to the sixth and last Fundamental Epistles. In late 1902, the church opened a seminary which was later renamed Seminario Central de Mabini in 1917 (predecessor of present-day Aglipay Central Theological Seminary), named after Apolinario Mabini, at Nancamaliran West, Urdaneta, Pangasinan. With its nationwide campaign, the IFI was able to gain roughly three to five million followers all over the country on its first year of separation from the Catholic Church. All of which are former Catholics, including priests. ) in Tondo, Manila which was established in 1905. It was heavily destroyed during the Second World War in 1945. It was later replaced by the National Cathedral of the Holy Child in Ermita, Manila. Immediately after accepting the post, Aglipay demanded both then Governor-General William Howard Taft and Catholic Church authorities to turn-over the church buildings to him on September 27, 1902, starting with the Manila Cathedral, but got rejected. A five-year campaign resulted in the acquisition of nearly one-half of Catholic church properties in the country by Aglipay's followers. However, in 1906, the then-conservative Supreme Court of the Philippines ruled that all property that had been occupied by Aglipay's followers had to be returned to the Catholic Church. The Supreme Court of the United States upheld the decision in 1909. The Aglipayan Church was then forced to move to makeshift quarters, with only a handful of followers able to retain the occupied buildings. Developing early theology On October 28, 1903, the IFI adopted the Doctrina y Reglas Constitucionales (DRC), which replaced the Fundamental Epistles as the doctrinal foundation and governing rules of the Church, with slight revisions in 1918 and 1940. The Jesuit historian John N. Schumacher contended that Morayta and other non-Filipino Masons and secular laymen pushed Aglipay and de los Reyes towards schism from the Catholic Church because of their resentment towards the activities of Catholic religious orders in the Philippines, rather than any simple admiration and encouragement for Filipino nationalism. " ("Virgin of Balintawak" or "Our Lady of Balintawak"), an icon of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente which is believed to be a Marian apparition during the Philippine Revolution. It depicts an indigenous Virgin Mary, as the mother of a struggling nation dressed in traditional Filipina dress, with her Son, the Divine Infant, attired as a Katipunero''. From 1902 to 1907, the Church was Trinitarian and largely followed Catholic forms of worship. Oficio Divino (1906), and subsequently the novena, Pagsisiyam sa Birhen sa Balintawak (1925), as well as its English translation, Novenary of the Motherland (1926). However, a significant number of the Church's population refused to accept the new Unitarian theology, and continued to profess Trinitarianism. De los Reyes held the position of Honorary Bishop until his death on October 10, 1938. There were claims that he allegedly recanted and returned to the Catholic Church two years before his death. However, his son, Isabelo de los Reyes Jr., who later became Supreme Bishop, vehemently denied the claims. Before being elected, Fonacier initially committed to steer the IFI back to Trinitarism, however during his tenure, his theological and doctrinal stance was evidently still leaning towards his predecessor's Unitarian beliefs. On January 21, 1946, Fonacier was ousted from his position after a unanimous decree by the church's Supreme Council of Bishops due to controversies regarding certain decisions he imposed, which were deemed allegedly unconstitutional. A schism developed at the tail-end of Fonacier's term, and the Unitarian faction, which included bishop Juan V. Jamias (Aglipay's brother-in-law and brother of Aglipay's wife Pilar Jamias), left the church, claiming the right to the name and possession of church properties. Gerardo Bayaca served as interim supreme bishop until he was succeeded by Isabelo de los Reyes Jr. Under Isabelo Jr.'s leadership, the church's affiliation with revolutionary movements were severed and abrogated, coupled with his pursuit for ecumenism. On August 4, 1947, a year after the granting of full independence of the Philippines from the United States, the IFI General Assembly under Isabelo Jr. petitioned the House of Bishops of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, one of the member churches of the Anglican Communion, to bestow the IFI with valid apostolic succession. The Catholic Church started consecrating Filipinos in 1906, correspondingly as enticement for the rest of the Filipino clergy not to affiliate with the movement. Before his death, first supreme bishop Gregorio Aglipay had previously sought bestowal of apostolic succession from other denominations abroad for years, but failed due to his Unitarian theological beliefs and past revolutionary activities. Historically, IFI Bishops prior to the bestowal of apostolic succession were generally addressed and referenced only as "Monsignors" and their "bishop" consecration and designation only served as a title or position as high-ranking clergy whose roles were to head certain dioceses. The House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America then granted the IFI petition during their meeting in November 1947. On April 7, 1948, at the Episcopal Pro-Cathedral of Saint Luke in Manila, the Trinitarian IFI had its bishops, namely: de los Reyes Jr., Manuel Aguilar, and Gerardo Bayaca (third supreme bishop), reconsecrated and bestowed upon the historic apostolic succession from the Anglican line by the Episcopal Church in the United States of America led by then Missionary Bishop Norman S. Binsted, acting for the Presiding Bishop, and assisted by fellow Episcopal Church bishops Robert F. Wilner and Harry S. Kennedy, thus formally reaffirming Trinitarianism. Former President Emilio Aguinaldo acted as a sponsor for the three IFI bishops. The Trinitarian IFI then sued the Unitarian faction for sole rights to the name and property of the original IFI. Consequently, the IFI officially published The Filipino Missal and The Filipino Ritual in 1961, replacing the Oficio Divino which was first published in 1906. The church later signed a concordat of full communion with the Church of England in October 1963, the Scottish Episcopal Church in December 1963, Fonacier and Jamias's group, on the other hand, remained Unitarian, and eventually became known as the "Independent Church of Filipino Christians" (ICFC) which would later become a member of the International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF). However, they would soon fragment into other minor groups. In the late 1960s, the church youth sector had begun criticizing the complacency of church leaders especially about making a clear stand regarding the semi-feudal and semi-colonial conditions of the Philippine society. As a result, Supreme Bishop de los Reyes Jr. recognized the youth's clamor to reclaim the church's nationalist heritage by allowing the organization of the first ever National Youth Assembly in 1969, marking the beginning of youth activism and reawakening of revolutionary nationalism, while still asserting their role to promote ecumenism. located along Taft Avenue in Ermita, Manila. On October 10, 1971, the 33rd death anniversary of Isabelo de los Reyes Sr., his son and then-supreme bishop Isabelo Jr. died of a heart attack, aged 71, while officiating a mass in the María Clara Christ Church in Santa Cruz, Manila. He was buried at the María Clara Christ Church on October 17 after having lain in state for one full week at the Iglesia Filipina Independiente National Cathedral which he had built in Taft Avenue, Manila. De los Reyes was succeeded in office by the church's then-general secretary, Macario V. Ga. In 1973, the first reunification attempt between the IFI and ICFC was initiated during the administrations of Macario V. Ga (IFI's fifth supreme bishop) and Vicente K. Pasetes (ICFC's supreme bishop at that time). Although Santiago Fonacier, who served as ICFC consultant and bishop emeritus already at the time, was not physically part of the whole negotiation due to old age, he was represented by his son Anos J. Fonacier, a lawyer and entrepreneur. The said reunification attempt failed when the majority of the ICFC clergy, including Fonacier's legal counsel and son-in-law Rizalino R. Pablo, did not conform to the agreement of reconciliation due to their firm adherence to their Unitarian beliefs. In 1974, Pasetes finally reconciled with the IFI and brought with him four other ICFC bishops and a fair number of priests to the IFI fold which culminated in a memorandum of agreement that was signed between IFI's Ga and Pasetes himself. However, a segment of ICFC clergy refused to recognize the agreement. With the return of Pasetes to IFI, the remaining ICFC clergy elected a new ICFC supreme bishop in 1975. In the latter half of the 1990s, Ga voluntarily reconciled with the IFI, which led to the signing of a memorandum of agreement that paved the way for the mass return of a fair number of congregation and clergy in the Ilocos Norte and Cotabato areas. On February 17, 1997, the IFI also signed a concordat of full communion with the then newly-autonomous Episcopal Church in the Philippines (ECP). Present day activities IFI congregations are also found throughout the Philippine diaspora in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Asia and the Pacific Islands. The World Council of Churches and the church itself recorded to have a number of roughly 6 to 7 million adherents. According to some sources, the church is the second-largest single Trinitarian Christian denomination in the Philippines, after the Catholic Church (some 80.2% of the population), comprising about 6.7% of the total population of the Philippines. By contrast, the 2010, 2015, and 2020 Philippine Census recorded only 916,639; 756,225; and 1,458,992 members in the country, respectively, or about 1% of the population. Unlike the Catholic Church and several other Christian denominations, the church does not discourage its members from joining Freemasonry. Some of the members of the church, like the founders de los Reyes and Aglipay, are political activists, often involved in progressive groups and advocating nationalism, anti-imperialism, social justice, democracy, labor rights, as well as opposing extrajudicial killings. They have often been victims of enforced disappearances and been branded as leftists by the government for being aligned with progressive groups, specifically after Alberto Ramento, the ninth supreme bishop, was killed in 2006 for being an anti-government critic. The church then created the "Ramento Project for Rights Defenders" (RPRD), the IFI's human rights advocacy and service arm for South–Central Luzon, in Ramento's honor. The church also has another development institution called the "Visayas-Mindanao Regional Office for Development" (VIMROD). As per the 1947 Declaration of Faith and Articles of Religion (DFAR), the church itself claims to be "not an ally with any particular school of political thought or with any political party, asserting that its members are politically free". Contrary to popular belief, the rule on the separation of church and state in the Philippines does not necessarily mean that the IFI Church is prohibited in human rights advocacies. ==Doctrine and practice==

Worship and liturgy The main Sunday liturgy is the Eucharist or the Holy Mass, which is spoken and celebrated in the vernacular. The Eucharistic liturgy of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente resembles that of the Roman Missal, with elements taken from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, such as the Collect for Purity, the positioning of the Sign of Peace before the Offertory, the Eucharistic Prayers, and the Prayer of Humble Access. Just like the Catholic Church, the IFI Church does the sign of the cross in left to right motion. The church professes both the Apostles' Creed and Nicene Creed, but uses the latter most of the time. The church also believes and administers the seven sacraments. The IFI Church declares that the Four Marks of the Church ("one, holy, catholic, and apostolic") is present within their church, thus claiming to be an independent jurisdiction of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. Orders of service and ceremonies are contained in The Filipino Ritual and The Filipino Missal. Although not officially accepted by the church's biblical canon, the seven deuterocanonical books are regarded by the IFI as "worthy of veneration and source of wisdom". The church does not adhere to sola scriptura. The church generally affirms the authority of both Scripture and Tradition and believes that faith and reason are equal. Clergy celebrants are assisted by young male and female altar servers (locally referred as "sacristan") and acolytes. The church does not have a prescribed dress code for mass attendees but encourages everyone to dress appropriately. The church also does not hold a moral prohibition on clergy members wearing piercings and tattoos. Aglipayans strongly adhere in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and communion is distributed under both kinds through intinction. However, they are non-committal in belief regarding transubstantiation, consubstantiation, and sacramental union. Aglipayans maintain that the belief in the real presence does not imply a claim to know how Jesus Christ is present in the Eucharistic species (the consecrated bread and wine) and is left to mystery. Moreover, belief in the real presence does not imply belief that the consecrated Eucharistic species cease to be bread and wine. Church members are also taught that the Eucharistic species do not necessarily change into the actual body and blood of Christ only during consecration but Christ's body and blood become really present and are really given in the entire Eucharistic liturgy. Furthermore, Aglipayans believe that one receives the body and blood of Christ by faith, asserting instead that Christ is present in the Eucharist in a "heavenly and spiritual manner". Nonetheless, Aglipayans have never formally questioned the theological doctrine of transubstantiation, consubstantiation, and sacramental union. The IFI Church places a strong emphasis on the participation of the laity in worship, liturgy, and policy-making. Laypeople are often involved in leading prayers, reading scripture, and serving as Eucharistic ministers. The Iglesia Filipina Independiente views their history of liberation from the Catholic Church during the colonial era in the Philippines as comparable to that of the story of Exodus which can be found in the religious book of the same name in the Bible. Additionally, some Eastern Orthodox churches also affirms the validity of Anglican orders. The Old Catholic Church subsequently began co-consecrating bishops of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente after a full communion was established between the two churches on their own right on September 21, 1965, therefore, the IFI also traces their succession from the Old Catholic lineage. According to the principle of ex opere operato, certain ordinations of and by Old Catholic bishops are still recognised as being valid and has never been formally questioned by the Holy See. Unlike the Catholic Church and most Anglican churches, the Iglesia Filipina Independiente currently does not have nuns or religious sisters. Some members of the Women of the Philippine Independent Church (WOPIC) in certain dioceses wear veils and religious habits similar to that of the religious sisters, during mass, as a "sign of reverence". During Lenten season, a group of WOPIC members in certain dioceses called nobisyas (literally translated to novice in English) render 40-day church services as their pamamanata (act of penance) and wear veil as "an honorable way to imitate Mary, mother of Jesus", same thing with the seven women "dolorosas". The IFI used to have nuns when the Episcopal Sisters of St. Anne in Mindanao and the Episcopal Sisters of Mary the Virgin in Luzon accepted IFI women into their religious orders for sisterhood training in the 1960s. The IFI sisters later established their own order: the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus in the 1970s, having their base at the Episcopalian St. Andrew's Theological Seminary, and unlike its priests wherein clerical celibacy is optional, the IFI nuns adhere to the vow of chastity in celibacy; as well as the other traditional vows of poverty and obedience. However, due to insufficient institutional patronage, the congregation eventually disbanded, with some of them joining back to the Episcopalian sisters in Luzon. In the liturgical calendar of the IFI, the Monday after All Saints' Day is designated as "Commemoration Day for the Martyrs and Confessors of the IFI". Contraception Aglipayan bishops joined public demonstrations in support of the Reproductive Health Bill, a legislation advocating for contraception and sex education to reduce the rate of abortion and control rapid population growth that the Catholic Church and several other Christian denominations objected to on moral grounds. Stance on abortion Although supportive of the Reproductive Health Bill, the Iglesia Filipina Independiente strongly opposes non-"medically necessary" induced abortion. This apology statement's groundwork first came up in 2014, when a gay member articulated during the church plenary his query about the church's plans for sexual minorities. This led to discussions among the newly-elected set of national youth officers, led by an openly gay president and a lesbian executive vice-president, which would later be succeeded by another openly gay president. The church's position on LGBTQ+ persons was approved by the Supreme Council of Bishops and officially adopted by the entire church in February 2017. On February 24, 2023, the church ordained Wylard "Wowa" Ledama, a trans woman and registered nurse-turned-seminarian, to the diaconate as the church's and country's first ordained trans clergy. She was assigned at the National Cathedral. This move by the church was met with mixed reactions from other denominations. Views on divorce Although no official statement yet from the Church as a whole, a number of church officials, especially those from Mindanao, expressed openness to the passage of the Divorce Bill in the Philippines. However, they clarified that it should not be misconstrued as a disregard to the "sanctity of marriage", but as a matter of practicality. They further stated that while they believe that couples are duty-bound to keep their marriage vows, divorce may be used as a last resort, when psychological and incompatibility problems make it difficult for both partners to live together. According to the officials, the IFI's stance on the controversial subject stems from its teachings that emphasize the "people's rights for freedom, dignity, and integrity, which also means encouraging the society to be responsive to the realities of time and to recognize that there have been unions that were wrong". They further clarified that the church will still "guide" couples on not resorting to divorce, if possible. A number of church officials also urged Congress to probe the red-tagging incidents and conduct an impartial investigation. ==Organization==

, the incumbent Supreme Bishop since 2023 The Iglesia Filipina Independiente is an episcopally-led, synodically-governed church. The General Assembly is the highest policy-making body while the Executive Commission is the highest policy-making body in the absence of the General Assembly. The church leadership is autocephalous and is led by the Supreme Bishop, similar to a presiding bishop in other denominations. The Supreme Bishop heads the Executive Commission. Aside from the previously disputed Iglesia Catolica Filipina Independiente, or Philippine Independent Catholic Church in its English translation, other legally recognized names in which the denomination may alternatively be known are: Iglesia Catolica Apostolica Filipina Independiente or Philippine Independent Catholic Apostolic Church, Iglesia Aglipayana or Aglipayan Church, Iglesia Catolica Aglipayana or Aglipayan Catholic Church, and Iglesia Independiente Aglipayana or Aglipayan Independent Church. All aforementioned names are duly registered in the Securities and Exchange Commission with SEC Registration No. PW-611, as a religious corporation sole, originally incorporated in 1904 at the Department of Commerce during the Insular Government of the Philippine Islands period and got registered at the SEC in 1936, which was the same year when the SEC was created. The names , Philippine Independent Church, and Aglipayan Church are much more commonly used. == Notable churches ==

Owing to its roots in the Catholic tradition, the structure of the church buildings, as well as the outstation chapels, of the Philippine Independent Church do not differ significantly from Catholic church buildings in the Philippines. The church is made largely of bare concrete and wood and has been noted for having a suspended block with sloping trapezoidal walls and textured with horizontal grooves all throughout, suspended with a triangular block. María Clara Parish Church Named after the main heroine in Rizal's , the María Clara Parish Church (formerly the María Clara Christ Church) in Santa Cruz, Manila, was originally built as a wooden structure in 1923 before it was expanded and rebuilt as a concrete structure in the 1950s. When the original national cathedral of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente in Tondo was destroyed during World War II, the María Clara Parish Church became the temporary office of the supreme bishop before relocating in 1969 to the present-day Cathedral of the Holy Child. The original statue of the Virgin of Balintawak is housed in the María Clara Parish Church. While the administration of the parish is under the Diocese of Greater Manila Area, the physical property and church building itself is owned by the de los Reyes family. The current resident and parish bishop of the church is semi-retired bishop Gregorio de los Reyes, son of Isabelo Jr. and grandson of Isabelo Sr. ==Seminaries==

The Aglipay Central Theological Seminary (ACTS) in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan is the regional seminary of the church serving the North-Central and South-Central Luzon Dioceses. ACTS offers Bachelor of Theology and Divinity programs for members who aspire to enter the ordained ministry. These are four-year study programs with curriculum focusing on biblical, theological, historical, and pastoral studies, with reference to parish management and development, and cultural and social context. The St. Paul's Theological Seminary (SPTS) in Jordan, Guimaras is the regional seminary of the Church serving the Visayas and Mindanao Dioceses. The St. Andrew's Theological Seminary (SATS) in Quezon City is run by the Episcopal Church in the Philippines, serving both its church and the Iglesia Filipina Independiente. Another seminary is planned to be established at Cabadbaran City in Mindanao. ==Relationship with other Christian denominations==

Churches in communion . The church enjoys full communion with the Protestant Anglican Communion and the Episcopal Church in the United States since September 22, 1961. Other churches the IFI is in full communion with include (mostly members of the Anglican Communion): the Church of England, the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Union of Utrecht, the Episcopal Church in the Philippines, the Church in the Province of the West Indies, the Church of the Province of Central Africa, the Church of the Province of West Africa, the Anglican Church of Kenya, the Anglican Church of Tanzania, the Church of North India, the Church of South India, the Church of Pakistan, the Church of the Province of Myanmar, the Church of Ceylon (extra-provincial), the Nippon Sei Ko Kai, the Church of Ireland, the Lusitanian Catholic Apostolic Evangelical Church (extra-provincial), the Anglican Church of Canada, the Church of Uganda, the Anglican Church of Rwanda, the Anglican Church of Burundi, the Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church (extra-provincial), the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, the Old Catholic Church of Austria, the Old Catholic Church of the Czech Republic, the Old Catholic Church of Germany, the Old Catholic Church of the Netherlands, the Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland, the Polish National Catholic Church of America, the Old Catholic Church of Croatia, the Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil, and the Church of Sweden. (CBCP) during the signing of their mutual agreement and recognition amidst their diversity, as part of celebrating 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines in 2021, held at the IFI National Cathedral. Seen in the photo is then-Supreme Bishop Rhee Timbang presenting the IFI's liturgical book to CBCP representatives. The second joint statement, on the other hand, is an expression of mutual recognition by both churches, emphasizing the "mutual recognition of baptisms" between the IFI and the Catholic Church. The Trinitarian baptismal formula of the IFI has already been recognized by the Catholic Church in its list of validly administered baptisms by other Christian churches. Then-IFI Supreme Bishop Rhee Timbang gave a copy of the IFI's liturgical book and directory to CBCP Secretary-General Msgr. Bernardo Pantin during the liturgical launching of the two documents at the IFI National Cathedral. Further, the IFI accepts baptized individuals from the Catholic Church who wanted to join their church without the requirement of performing another baptism from their end. They are being accepted through the IFI Rite of Reception officiated by the bishop or in his/her absence, by the priest or deacon, after a necessary catechism course to be taken. Other ecumenical relations The IFI is a member of inter-church associations such as the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), Council of Churches of East Asia (CCEA), United Society Partners in the Gospel (USPG), and the World Council of Churches (WCC). The church maintains ecumenical ties with other denominations who are also conciliar members of the aforementioned organizations, such as the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) which is an IFI covenant church partner ("partnership covenant"). ==Notable members==

, the proclaimer of independence of the Philippine Independent Church Supreme bishops • Gregorio Aglipay – first supreme bishop of the church and vicar-general of the Revolutionary Government from 1898 to 1899. The only cleric-delegate present during the creation of the Malolos Constitution. • Alberto Ramento – ninth supreme Bishop of the IFI; assassinated in 2006 for being a government critic and an active campaigner against human rights violations in the Philippines. • Ephraim Fajutagana – twelfth supreme bishop of the IFI from 2011 to 2017 and former chairperson of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines. • Rhee Timbang – thirteenth supreme bishop of the IFI from 2017 to 2023. • Joel Porlares – fourteenth and current supreme bishop of the IFI since 2023. Church officials • Fernando Buyser – IFI bishop and former head of the Supreme Council of Bishops. Also popularly known as a prolific figure in Cebuano literature; best known as the inventor of the Cebuano sonnet form called sonanoy. • Don Isabelo de los Reyes, Sr. – also known as Don Belong; a prominent Filipino politician, writer, and labour activist in the 19th and 20th centuries. He proclaimed the establishment of the IFI. He is often called the "Father of Filipino Socialism" for his writings and activism with labour unions, most notably the Unión Obrera Democrática Filipina. He was also the first to translate the Bible in Ilocano. He was a lay leader and the de facto principal theologian of the IFI during its early years. He became an Honorary Bishop in 1929, while his son, Isabelo Jr., would later become supreme bishop in 1946. • Gardeopatra Quijano – dentist, educator, and feminist writer. National President of the Women of the Philippine Independent Church (WOPIC) (1975–1977). Daughter of IFI Bishop Juan P. Quijano. Bureaucrats • Felipe Buencamino, Sr. – lawyer; co-writer of the Malolos Constitution and Secretary of Foreign Relations of the First Philippine Republic. One of the first and pioneering members of the IFI during its inception. • Alexander Gesmundo – jurist; 27th and incumbent Chief Justice of the Philippines since 2021. • Hilaria del Rosario de Aguinaldo – first wife of the first Philippine President, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo; officially considered as the first-ever First Lady of the Philippines from March 1897 – April 1901. • Cesar Virata – fourth Prime Minister of the Philippines (1981–1986) under the Interim Batasang Pambansa and the Regular Batasang Pambansa. One of the Philippines' business leaders and leading technocrats, he served as Finance Minister from 1970 during the Marcos dictatorship to becoming prime minister in 1981. He concurrently was finance minister throughout the 1980s. He is the grandnephew of the first Philippine president, Emilio Aguinaldo. Literary artisans • Hermenegildo Cruz – writer, who later became a member of the Philippine Assembly. A prominent member of Unión Obrera Democrática Filipina and one of the first and pioneering members of the IFI during its inception. • José Garvida Flores – patriot, prolific Ilokano writer and playwright from Bangui, Ilocos Norte. Composed "Filipinas, Nadayag a Filipinas", which is sung during services of the IFI. • Rafael Palma – prominent writer, bureaucrat, and lawyer-turned-politician from Manila; fourth President of the University of the Philippines. • Pascual H. Poblete – writer and linguist, remarkably noted as the first translator of José Rizal's novel Noli Me Tangere into the Tagalog language. A prominent member of Unión Obrera Democrática Filipina and one of the first and pioneering members of the IFI during its inception. • Lope K. Santos – playwright, writer, poet, politician, and nationalist. Born in Pasig and raised in Pandacan, Manila, he introduced the now-obsolete Abakada Tagalog spelling reform in 1940. Also known by the moniker, the "Father of the Filipino Grammar". • Ladislao Diwa – one of the co-founders and high-ranking officials of the Katipunan from Cavite City; later became part of the revolutionary army when he joined the revolutionary troops in Cavite during the Philippine Revolution. • Leandro Fullon – a revolutionary general who fought during both the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine–American War. Appointed as commanding general of all Filipino forces in the Visayas and became the liberator of Antique province. Later established and became the first Filipino governor of the Revolutionary Provincial Government of Antique. • Mariano Noriel – a revolutionary general who fought during both the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine–American War. He led Filipino advance troops before the American army landed in Intramuros in 1898. He was the first president of the laymen organization of the IFI in Bacoor, Cavite. • Paciano Rizal – a revolutionary general, appointed as brigadier general, during both the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine–American War; led the Battle of Calamba in Laguna. He was one of the foremost advocates of the establishment of IFI in Biñan, Laguna sometime in 1903 to 1904 after his retirement; popularly known as the older brother of José Rizal. Physicians • Dominador Gómez – nationalist and medical doctor, who later became a labor leader, writer, and a member of the Philippine Assembly. A prominent member of Unión Obrera Democrática Filipina and one of the first and pioneering members of the IFI during its inception. • Nicolas Buendia – assemblyman of Bulacan's first district from 1935 to 1941, 8th Governor of Bulacan, and senator from 1941 to 1946. One of the first and pioneering members of the IFI during its inception. • Rhodora Cadiao – provincial Governor of Antique (2015 to 2025). • Daniel Fernando – incumbent provincial Governor of Bulacan (2019 to present) and film/television actor. • Mariano Marcos – lawyer, Japanese collaborator, and politician from Ilocos Norte. A Congressman from 1925 to 1931. He is best known for being the father of former president and dictator Ferdinand Marcos. • Salvacion Z. Perez – former governor of Antique from 2001 to 2010; daughter of former Associate Justice Calixto Zaldivar. • Gedeon G. Quijano – former governor of Misamis Occidental and physician. The longest-serving governor in the history of the province. Son of IFI Bishop Juan P. Quijano. • Calixto Zaldivar – former representative of the Lone District of Antique (1934–1935), former provincial Governor of Antique (1951–1955), and former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court (1964–1974). Also a former president of the National Lay Organization of the IFI. Former members Supreme bishops • Santiago Fonacier – second supreme bishop of the IFI from 1940 to 1946 who seceded and formed the offshoot Independent Church of Filipino Christians (ICFC); also served as Member of the Philippine Assembly from Ilocos Norte's 1st district from 1912 to 1916 and senator of the 1st senatorial district from 1919 to 1925. Presidents • Emilio Aguinaldo – first President of the Philippines. With his influence, together with other Caviteño revolutionary generals and officers, the IFI gained a stronghold in Cavite. His cousin, Baldomero, was the president of Comité de Caballeros (Gentlemen's Committee) of the IFI in Kawit; while his youngest sister Felicidad, his wife Hilaria del Rosario, and his mother Trinidad Famy were officers of the Comisión de Damas (Women's Commission) of the church. Subsequently reverted to Catholicism in old age. Lawyers • Ferdinand Topacio – renowned lawyer known for his controversial high-profile cases involving clients who are high-ranking government officials and celebrities. Born and raised Aglipayan, but subsequently converted to Iglesia ni Cristo in middle age. Other politicians • Juan Ponce Enrile – politician, bureaucrat, and lawyer, known for being a multi-termed senator; assemblyman of Cagayan from 1984 to 1986; assemblyman of Region II from 1978 to 1984; member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Cagayan's 1st district (1992–1995); 37th Secretary of Justice; 15th Minister of National Defense; 26th President of the Senate of the Philippines; and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel from 2022 until his death in 2025. Baptized and raised Aglipayan, but converted to Catholicism at age 20. • Bayani Fernando – former congress representative, former mayor of Marikina, and former chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. Later converted to Catholicism. ==See also==