The Ilocano of Philippines

The Ilocano of Philippines, numbering approximately 10,680,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are described as an Austronesian people of northwestern Luzon whose homeland centers on the Ilocos region and whose history is marked by migration, trade, and settlement across much of the northern Philippines while maintaining a distinct Ilocano identity They are an Indigenous people, with Ilocano as their ethnic/kinship group and are in the Filipino, Central people cluster of the Malay Peoples. They mostly adhere to Roman Catholicism and Iloko is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash: Ilocano

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Malay Peoples
Country: Philippines
People Cluster: Filipino, Central
Primary Language(s): Iloko (ilo)
Primary Religion(s): Roman Catholicism
Population: 10,680,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): No Longer Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): 2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
People Group ID: PG007684
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Pray for the Ilocano of Philippines

Join others around the world in praying for the lost to be saved, the gospel to advance, the global Church to grow, and for laborers to be sent out and sustained in the harvest.

Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Roman Catholicism
Religious Affiliation: Christianity

60%
%
Roman Catholicism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Iloko
Language Family: Austronesian

100%
%
Ilocano Speakers

Media Resources in Iloko:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Bible Resources in Iloko:

Bible Name (Translation)VideoAudioText
Revised Ilokano Popular Version✓✓✓

1 entry

Or check out the Iloko bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: No longer Unreached

The Ilocano are No Longer Unreached, which means there are more than 2% evangelical Christian populations and there are churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. There is still more to be done among them.

Next steps for the Ilocano:
Empower local believers to begin praying for their own people
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting
Encourage local leaders to being leading church planting strategy and looking for Unreached and Unengaged groups nearby

Pray specifically for the Ilocano of Philippines

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
readRomans 1:19

Pray that God will use testimony of creation to cause those who do not yet know the gospel to long for truth and a relationship with the Author of life.

I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
readPsalm 34:4

Pray for each who becomes a child of God to share the hope of eternity with family and friends.

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
read2 Corinthians 6:14

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ and want to marry, they will be led to other believers and enter into godly marriages.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
read2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Pray that as people hear and believe the gospel, they will serve others in Jesus' name, and the lost will have an opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel.

Ilocano Across Countries (ROP3 - 103997) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

4 people groups

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

Peoplegroups.org relies on updates from the field and other organizations for much of our data, so if you have any updates, please contact us. We use various international naming standards. For a list of these standards and fields, visit our Data Standards section.

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