You’ve seen the headlines. You’ve probably seen the TikToks and the frantic Facebook posts from your Titas in Manila. There was this massive buzz, a real electric feeling in the air, that 2025 was finally going to be the year. The year we’d see a Pinoy sitting on the Chair of St. Peter.
So, let’s get the big question out of the way immediately. Is the new pope Filipino? The short answer is no.
On May 8, 2025, after the passing of Pope Francis, the white smoke billowed, and the world met Pope Leo XIV. He isn't Filipino; he’s actually the first-ever American pope. Born Robert Francis Prevost, he’s a Chicago native who spent decades as a missionary in Peru and later headed the Vatican’s powerful Dicastery for Bishops.
Why Everyone Thought a Filipino Pope Was Next
It wasn’t just wishful thinking. Honestly, the "Tagle for Pope" hype was backed by serious Vatican experts. Cardinal Luis Antonio "Chito" Tagle was the name on everyone’s lips. Some called him the "Asian Francis" because of his infectious laugh, his habit of crying with the poor, and his knack for explaining complex theology in a way that makes sense to a regular person.
The Philippines is a Catholic powerhouse. We’re talking about roughly 85 million Catholics. That’s a massive chunk of the global Church. For a long time, the Vatican has been looking toward the "Global South"—Africa, Latin America, and Asia—because that’s where the Church is actually growing.
The Cardinals in the Running
It wasn’t just Tagle, though. There were actually three Filipino cardinals in that 2025 conclave:
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- Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle: The heavyweight. He’s the Pro-Prefect for the Dicastery for Evangelization. Basically, he's the Church’s chief missionary.
- Cardinal Jose Advincula: The Archbishop of Manila. He’s known for being low-key and grassroots-focused.
- Cardinal Pablo Virgilio "Ambo" David: The Bishop of Kalookan and President of the CBCP. He’s a fearless guy who stood up against extrajudicial killings back home.
During the days leading up to the vote, Tagle was consistently ranked in the top three favorites by Vaticanistas. Even the betting markets (yes, people bet on popes) had him as a frontrunner. But when the dust settled, the cardinals went with Prevost.
The Current Role of Filipino Cardinals in 2026
Even though we don’t have a Filipino pope, the influence of the Philippines in the Vatican is higher than it has ever been in history.
Take a look at what happened right after the election. One of Pope Leo XIV's first major moves was appointing Cardinal Tagle as the Cardinal Bishop of Albano. That might sound like a weird, technical title, but it's a big deal. Albano is one of the "suburbicarian" dioceses near Rome. Traditionally, these titles are reserved for the highest-ranking cardinals who advise the Pope directly.
Interestingly, Albano was the exact title Robert Prevost held before he became Pope Leo XIV. By giving it to Tagle, the new Pope basically sent a signal: "I trust this guy, and he’s staying right by my side."
A Seat at the Table
As of January 2026, Cardinal Tagle is still serving as the Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization. He’s effectively the "Number Two" or "Number Three" person in the entire Vatican hierarchy. When Pope Leo XIV convened an extraordinary consistory in early January 2026, Tagle and Cardinal David were right there in the thick of it, helping shape the Church’s direction for the next decade.
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The "Almost" Filipino Pope: What Went Wrong?
Why didn't Tagle win? Politics in the Vatican are kind of like Succession but with more incense and Latin.
Some analysts think the cardinals weren't ready for another "Francis-style" leader. Tagle is very aligned with the late Pope Francis’s progressive, mercy-first approach. There was a group of more conservative cardinals who wanted a "manager"—someone with a legal background to clean up the Vatican’s messy bureaucracy.
Pope Leo XIV (Prevost) fit that bill. He’s a canon lawyer. He knows where the bodies are buried, so to speak. Tagle is a pastor and a theologian; Prevost is an administrator. In the end, the College of Cardinals decided the Church needed an administrator to navigate the post-Francis era.
What’s Next for the Philippine Church?
If you’re disappointed that there isn’t a Filipino pope, don’t be. The "Pinoy touch" is everywhere in Rome right now.
We are currently in the middle of a special Franciscan Jubilee Year (celebrating the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi’s death). Throughout 2026, you’ll see Filipino clergy leading major events. Just this past week, on January 17, 2026, Cardinal Tagle was back in the Philippines for the episcopal ordination of Bishop Samuel Agcaracar in Tagaytay. He told the new bishop that being a leader isn't a "promotion"—it’s a mission.
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That’s the Filipino brand of Catholicism. It’s humble. It’s missionary. It’s not about the fancy hat.
Real Actions You Can Take
- Stop the Spread of Fake News: If you see a video claiming a Filipino was "just elected" pope, check the date. The last conclave was May 2025.
- Follow the CBCP News: For the most accurate updates on what our cardinals are doing in Rome, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is the gold standard.
- Watch the 2027 World Youth Day: It’s happening in Seoul, South Korea. This will be the next massive moment for Asian Catholicism, and you can bet Cardinal Tagle and Pope Leo XIV will be the stars of the show.
The dream of a Filipino pope isn't dead; it’s just on hold. Tagle is only 68. In "pope years," that’s basically being a teenager. He’s got plenty of time, and his influence in the Leonine papacy is only growing. For now, we have a very American Pope who has spent half his life in the mission fields—which, ironically, makes him more like a Filipino priest than anyone expected.
The Vatican is changing. It's becoming less European every single day. Whether the next pope is Filipino, African, or another American, the "Center of Gravity" has shifted. And the Philippines is right at the heart of that shift.
Keep an eye on the news out of the Vatican this year as Pope Leo XIV starts making his own appointments. He’s expected to name a new Prefect for the Dicastery for Bishops soon—a role he used to hold. Who he picks for that job will tell us everything we need to know about the future of the Church and if a Filipino might finally take the top spot in the next conclave.