People group profile · PG007806
The Waray-Waray of the Philippines
The Waray-Waray of the Philippines, numbering about 3,915,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic community of the Philippines.
They are an indigenous people in the Filipino, Central people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Folk Catholicism, and they primarily speak Waray (Philippines).

Fast facts
- Country
- Philippines
- Population
- 3,915,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Filipino, Central
- Primary language
- Waray (Philippines) (war)
- Primary religion
- Folk Catholicism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Expanding Unreached People Group
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Waray-Waray are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Waray-Waray
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Folk Catholicism · Christianity
50% adherents
Primary language
Waray (Philippines) · Austronesian family
100% speak Waray (Philippines)
Gospel resources in Waray (Philippines)
- Bible available, published 1984
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Waray-Waray)
Bibles
- Popular Version · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Waray-Waray
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
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