A senior Catholic bishop in the Philippines has called on Christians and Muslims to deepen cooperation for peace as Lent and Ramadan are set to begin on the same day (18th February 2026).

Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan City said the overlapping observance was an invitation for the two faith communities to “walk together in faith”. He has urged for prayer, fasting and concrete action for peace.

In a statement reported by local Philippine media on Saturday, the bishop said: “In these sacred seasons, Muslims and Christians enter a time of prayer, fasting, repentance, and generosity. We turn our hearts to the Merciful. We learn again to see one another as brothers and sisters.”

Bishop Jose, who’s also the chair of the commission on inter-religious dialogue of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said the shared timing of Ramadan and Lent came “in a world marked by violence and division” and called believers to “not only to pray for peace, but to live it and work for it”.

Citing Pope Francis, Bagaforo said humans are “created to live together, not against one another. No one is meant to be excluded. No one is meant to be left behind”.

He called on Christian and Muslim communities and civil society to work together to care for the poor, protect creation and respond to the “wounds” of the world.

Christianity has remained the majority faith in the Philippines, with 92.7 million recorded in 2025, according to World Population Review.