The Abaknon Sama of Philippines

The Abaknon Sama of Philippines, numbering approximately 33,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an indigenous Sama-Bajaw people centered on Capul Island in Northern Samar, whose Inabaknon language distinguishes them from neighboring Visayan-speaking peoples. They mostly adhere to Roman Catholicism and Inabaknon is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2025). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Abaknon Sama

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Malay Peoples
Country: Philippines
People Cluster: Filipino, Central
Primary Language(s): Inabaknon (abx)
Primary Religion(s): Roman Catholicism
Population: 33,500
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG007605
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Pray for the Abaknon Sama of Philippines

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Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Roman Catholicism
Religious Affiliation: Christianity

64%
%
Roman Catholicism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Inabaknon
Language Family: Austronesian

100%
%
Inabaknon Speakers

Media Resources in Inabaknon:

Films:

No film resources are listed for this language.

Bible Resources in Inabaknon:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Or check out the Inabaknon bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Abaknon Sama are Engaged yet Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations but there are sustained efforts at establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Next steps for the Abaknon Sama:
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

Pray specifically for the Abaknon Sama of Philippines

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
readIsaiah 53:6

Pray that those who have wandered far from God will be drawn back to Him, recognizing their need for a Savior and finding forgiveness and new life in Christ.

Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, "the kingdom of God has come near to you."
readLuke 10:8-9

Pray that the lost will receive messengers of the gospel with joy, turn from their sins, and be healed.

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
readActs 2:42

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will devote themselves to God's Word, to fellowship with each other, and to prayer.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
readRomans 1:16

Pray that God will raise up sons and daughters who, like Paul, will be bold to share the gospel across cultural barriers so that many might receive salvation.

Abaknon Sama Across Countries (ROP3 - 100006) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

1 people group

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

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