Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Philippines shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Philippines offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Philippines at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Philippines? Wrong! If the Philippines is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Philippines then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Philippines? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Philippines and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Philippines wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Philippines then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Philippines site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Philippines, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Philippines, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
{{Infobox Country or territory|native_name =
Republika ng Pilipinas|conventional_long_name = Republic of the Philippines|common_name = the Philippines|image_flag = Flag of the Philippines.svg|image_coat = Coat_of_Arms_of_the_Philippines.svg|national_motto =
Maka-Diyos, Makatao, Makakalikasan, at Makabansa(
English language: "For God, People, Nature, and Country")|image_map = Map_of_Philippines.PNG|national_anthem =
Lupang Hinirang "Chosen Land"] (Tagalog language), English language|regional_languages = Bikol language,
Cebuano language,
Ilokano language,
Hiligaynon language,
Kapampangan language,
Pangasinan language,
Waray-Waray language.{{cite web|url=http://www.gov.ph/aboutphil/general.asp|title=General information|publisher=Government of the Philippines|accessdate=2007-10-01-->
{{cite web|url=http://www.gov.ph|title=Official Website|publisher=Government of the Philippines|accessdate=2007-10-01-->|demonym = Demographics of the Philippines,
Filipino people|capital =
Manila Presidential system Constitutional republic
republic|leader_name1 = [Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo|leader_name2 = [Noli de Castro|leader_name3 = [Manny Villar|leader_title4 = Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives|leader_name4 = José de Venecia, Jr.|leader_name5 = [Reynato Puno-->|area_rank = 72nd|area_magnitude = 1 E11|percent_water = 0.61%{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rp.html|title=World Factbook — Philippines|CIA|accessdate=2007-09-27--> (1,830 km² water : 300,000 km² land; 0.61% water)|population_estimate = 88,706,300|population_estimate_year = 2007|population_estimate_rank = 12th|population_census = 76,504,077|population_census_year = 2000|population_density_km2 = 276|population_density_sq_mi = 715 |sovereignty_note = from
Spain from
United States|established_date1 = [June 12 1898|established_date2 = [March 24 1934|established_date3 = [February 2
1987 (International )
[Philippine peso (Filipino )|currency_code = PHP|time_zone = Philippine Standard Time|utc_offset = +8|time_zone_DST =|utc_offset_DST =|cctld = .ph and [Arabic language are promoted on an optional and voluntary basis.|footnote2 = Philippine Census 2007 Population Projection (medium assumption)-->
The
Philippines (Filipino language:
Pilipinas), officially the
Republic of the Philippines (
Republika ng Pilipinas;
RP), is an
island nation located in
Southeast Asia, with Manila as its capital city. The Philippine Archipelago comprises 7,107 islands in the western
Pacific Ocean. The Philippines is the world's 12th most populous country, World Development Indicators database, World Bank, 14 September 2007 with a population of 88 million.{{cite web], 2006 (GDP) of over [United States dollar116 billion. World Development Indicators database, World Bank, 1 July 2007
Filipino peoples are mostly of
Austronesian people descent, but there are significant Chinese, American, Spanish, and Arab minorities.{{cite web|url=http://www.tourism.gov.ph/discover/people.asp|title=WOW Philippines — People|publisher=tourism.gov.ph|accessdate=2007-09-26-->{{Citation|url=http://web.kssp.upd.edu.ph/linguistics/plc2006/papers/FullPapers/I-2_Solheim.pdf|title=Origins of Filipinos and their Languages|format=pdf|publication-place=9th Philippine Linguistics Congress|month=January|year=2006|publisher=Department of Linguistics, University of the Philippines|accessdate=2007-09-26--> There are more than 11 million
overseas Filipinos worldwide, about 11% of the total population of the Philippines.
The Philippines became a
Spain colony in the 16th century, and then a United States colony after the Spanish-American War and the
Philippine-American War. The Philippines has many affinities with the Western world, derived mainly from the cultures of Spain, Latin America, and the United States. Roman Catholic Church became the predominant religion, although the pre-Hispanic indigenous religious practices and Islam continue to flourish. The two official languages of the Philippines are
Filipino language, which is based on
Tagalog language, and English language.
History
Archeology and paleontology discoveries show that
Homo sapiens existed in
Palawan circa 50,000 BC. The Negritos, an Australo-Melanesian people, arrived in the Philippines at least 30,000 years ago.{{cite web] peoples, the ancestors of most Filipinos, settled in the Philippines about 2,500 BC.
The Philippines had cultural and trade relations with India, China, and Islamic merchants as early as the 9th century before the arrival of the Europeans in the 16th century.
At the service of Spain, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his crew were the first Europeans to arrive in the archipelago in March 1521. Magellan was later killed in battle by indigenous warriors in Mactan Island on account of political conflicts with
Lapu-Lapu. The beginnings of colonization started to take form when King Philip II of Spain (after whom the Philippines was named) ordered a successive expedition. The
conquistador,
Miguel López de Legazpi arrived from Mexico in 1565 and formed the first Spanish settlements in Cebu. In 1571 he established Manila as the capital of the new Spanish colony.Kurlansky, Mark. 1999.
The Basque History of the World. Walker & Company, New York. ISBN 0-8027-1349-1, p. 64
Roman Catholic missionaries converted most of the inhabitants of the lowland regions to Roman Catholicism. Many mountainous peoples never had any contact with the western world until the American era. In the next 333 years, the Spanish military Philippine revolts against Spain and numerous attempts by the British, Chinese, Dutch, French, Japanese, and Portuguese to take over the Philippines. The most significant loss for Spain was the temporary occupation of the capital, Manila, by the British East India Company during the Seven Years' War. The Philippines was ruled as a territory of New Spain from 1565 to 1821, before it was administered directly from Spain. The
Manila Galleon which linked Manila to Acapulco, Mexico traveled once or twice a year, beginning in the late 16th century.
A propaganda movement, which included Philippine nationalist José Rizal, then a student studying in Spain, soon developed on the Spanish mainland. This was done in order to inform the government of the injustices of the administration in the Philippines as well as the abuses of the friars. In the 1880s and the 1890s, the propagandists clamored for political and social reforms, which included demands for greater representation in
Spain. Unable to gain the reforms, Rizal returned to the country, and pushed for the reforms locally. Rizal was subsequently arrested, tried, and executed for treason on
December 30, 1896. Earlier that year, the
Katipunan, led by
Andrés Bonifacio, already started a revolution, which was eventually continued by Emilio Aguinaldo, who established a revolutionary government, although the Spanish governor general
Fernando Primo de Rivera proclaimed the revolution over in May 17, 1897.
The
Spanish-American War began in
Cuba in 1898 and soon reached the Philippines when Commodore George Dewey defeated the Spanish squadron at
Battle of Manila Bay. Aguinaldo declared the independence of the Philippines on June 12,
1898, and was proclaimed head of state. As a result of its defeat in the War, Spain ceded the Philippines, together with
Cuba (made an independent country, the US in charge of foreign affairs),
Guam and Puerto Rico to the United States. In 1899 the
First Philippine Republic was proclaimed in
Malolos, Bulacan but was later dissolved by the US forces, leading to the
Philippine-American War between the United States and the Philippine revolutionaries, which continued the violence of the previous years. The US proclaimed the war ended when Aguinaldo was captured by American troops on March 23,
1901, but the Phillipine Insurrection continued until 1913 claiming the lives of over a million Filipinos {{cite web|url=http://www.selvesandothers.org/article9315.html|title=U.S. Genocide in the Philippines: A Case of Guilt, Shame, or Amnesia?|author=E. San Juan, Jr. in 1935, which provided for more self-governance. Plans for increasing independence over the next decade were interrupted during [World War II when Imperial Japan
Battle of the Philippines (1941-42) and occupied the islands. After the Japanese were defeated in 1945, the Philippines was granted independence from the United States on
July 4,
1946.{{cite web] was, then, the elected president. Barred from seeking a third term, Marcos declared martial law on September 21, 1972 and ruled the country by
decree. Marcos extended both his power and tenure by force. His authoritarian rule became marred with unmitigated, pervasive corruption, cronyism and despotism.
Upon returning from exile, opposition leader
Benigno Aquino, Jr. was assassinated on August 21, 1983. In January 1986, Marcos allowed for a Philippine presidential election, 1986, after large protests. The election was believed to be fraudulent, and resulted in a standoff between military mutineers and the military loyalists. Protesters supported the mutineers, and were accompanied by resignations of prominent cabinet officials.
Corazon Aquino, the widow of
Benigno Aquino, Jr., was the recognized winner of the snap election. She took over government, and called for a constitutional convention to draft a new constitution, after the
1986 EDSA Revolution. Marcos, his family and some of his allies fled to Hawaii.
The return of democracy and government reforms after the events of 1986 was hampered by massive national debt, government corruption, coup attempts, a communist insurgency, and a Muslim separatist movement. The economy improved during the administration of
Fidel V. Ramos, who was elected in 1992. However, the economic improvements were negated at the onset of the East Asian financial crisis in 1997. The 2001 EDSA Revolution led to the downfall of the following president, Joseph Estrada. The current administration of president
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has been hounded by allegations of corruption and
Hello Garci scandal. Due to these allegations the current administration has had to suppress several attempted coups, the most recent taking place in Manila during March of 2006.
Politics and government
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin: 1em; padding: 1em; width: 240px; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%; clear: right"
| style="padding-left: 1em;" |
Flag| Flag of the Philippines|-| style="padding-left: 1em;" |
Anthem| "
Lupang Hinirang"]", "
Bayan Ko"]|-| style="padding-left: 1em;" |
Dance|
Cariñosa]|-| style="padding-left: 1em;" |
Bird|
Philippine Eagle (Bangus)|-| style="padding-left: 1em;" | Flower| [Jasminum sambac (
Sampaguita)|-| style="padding-left: 1em;" |
Tree|
Angsana (
Narra)] (
Anahaw)|-| style="padding-left: 1em;" |
Fruit| Mango|-| style="padding-left: 1em;" |
House| [Nipa hut and [Baro't saya|-align=right|colspan=2| Source|}The Philippines has a [Presidential system, Unitary state (with some modification; there is
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao autonomous area largely free from the national government) form of government, where the President of the Philippines functions as both head of state and head of government, and is commander-in-chief of the
Armed Forces of the Philippines. The president is elected by popular vote to a six-year term, during which they appoint and preside over the
cabinet.
The
bicameral Congress of the Philippines is composed of a
Senate of the Philippines, serving as the upper house whose members are elected nationally to a six-year term, and a
House of Representatives of the Philippines serving as the
lower house whose members are elected to a three-year term and are elected from Legislative districts of the Philippines and through sectoral representation.
The judiciary power is vested in the Supreme Court of the Philippines, composed of a
Chief Justice of the Philippines as its presiding officer and fourteen associate justices, all appointed by the President from nominations submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council.
Attempts to amend the constitution to either a federal government, unicameral or parliamentary government form of government have repeatedly failed since the Fidel Ramos.
The Philippines is a founding and active member of the
United Nations since its inception on October 24, 1945 and is a founding member of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The Philippines is also a member of the
East Asia Summit (EAS), an active player in the
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Latin Union, and a member of the
Group of 24. The country is a
major non-NATO ally of the U.S. but also a member of the
Non-Aligned Movement.
The Philippines is involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoal. It also claims the Malaysian state of
Sabah, as it was once part of the Sultanate of Sulu. Philippines' Claim to Sabah
Administrative divisions
The Philippines is divided into three island groups :
Luzon, Visayas, and
Mindanao. These are divided into
Regions of the Philippines,
Provinces of the Philippines, Cities of the Philippines, Municipalities of the Philippines, and 41,994
barangays.
On July 24, 2006, the
State of the Nation Address (Philippines) of
President of the Philippines Arroyo announced the proposal to create five economic
Super regions of the Philippines to concentrate on the economic strengths in a specific area.
{|class="wikitable"|-! Region !! Designation !! Government center|-|
Ilocos Region ], La Union || Region II || [Tuguegarao City,
Cagayan || Region III || [San Fernando City, Pampanga,
Pampanga¹ ² || Region IV-A || [Calamba City,
Laguna (province)|-| MIMARO
¹ ² ³ || Region IV-B ||
Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro || Region V || [Legazpi City, Albay
³ || Region VI || [Iloilo City || Region VII || [Cebu City || Region VIII || [Tacloban City, Leyte || Region IX || [Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur || Region X || [Cagayan de Oro City || Region XI || [Davao City
¹ || Region XII || [Koronadal City, South Cotabato || Region XIII || [Butuan City || ARMM || [Cotabato City || CAR || [Baguio City || NCR || [Manilas, containing the names of the constituent provinces or cities (see [Acronyms in the Philippines).
² These regions formed the former
Southern Tagalog region, or Region IV.
³ Palawan was moved from Region IV-B as known as MIMAROPA to Region VI. From November 2005, Region IV-B would be called MIMARO, decreased from five to four provinces and Region VI increased from six to seven provinces.
Geography
, Philippines' tallest mountain.The Philippines constitutes an archipelago of 7,107 islands with a total land area of approximately 300,000 square kilometers (116,000 square mile). It lies between 116° 40' and 126° 34' E. longitude, and 4° 40' and 21° 10' N. latitude, and borders the
Philippine Sea on the east, on the
South China Sea the west, and the
Celebes Sea on the south. The island of Borneo lies a few hundred kilometers southwest and
Taiwan directly north. The Moluccas and Sulawesi are to the south, and
Palau is to the east beyond the Philippine Sea.
The islands are commonly divided into three island groups:
Luzon (Regions I to V, NCR and CAR), Visayas (VI to VIII), and
Mindanao (IX to XIII and ARMM). The busy port of
Manila, on
Luzon, is the national
capital and second largest city after its suburb Quezon City.
The local climate is hot, humid, and tropical. The average yearly temperature is around 26.5 °
Celsius (79.7 °
Fahrenheit). There are three recognized seasons:
Tag-init or
Tag-araw (the hot season or summer from March to May),
Tag-ulan (the rainy season from June to November), and
Taglamig (the cold season from December to February). The southwest
monsoon (May-October) is known as the "habagat" and the dry winds of the northeast monsoon (November-April) as the "amihan". Climate of the Philippines . Accessed September 30, 2006 The country itself is undergoing desertification in place like Sorsogon, Baguio, Davao and the Sierra Madre mountain range.
Most of the mountainous islands used to be covered in
tropical rainforest and are volcanic in origin. The highest point is
Mount Apo on Mindanao at 2,954 metres (9,692 ft). There are many active
volcanos such as Mayon Volcano,
Mount Pinatubo, and
Taal Volcano. The country also lies within the
typhoon belt of the Western Pacific and about 19 typhoons strike per year.
Lying on the northwestern fringes of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activities. Some 20
earthquakes are registered daily in the Philippines, though most are too weak to be felt. The last great earthquake was the 1990 Luzon earthquake. The 1990 Baguio City Earthquake . Accessed October 3,2006
The longest river is the Cagayan River of northern Luzon. Manila Bay is connected to the
Laguna de Bay by means of the
Pasig River.
Subic Bay, the Davao Gulf and the Moro Gulf are some of the important bays. Transversing the
San Juanico Strait is the
San Juanico Bridge, that connects the islands of
Samar (island) and
Leyte (island). Leyte is Famous For... . Accessed September 30,2006
Economy
central business district.The Philippines is a newly industrialized country with an agricultural base, light industry, and service-sector economy. It has been listed in "Next Eleven" economies. The Philippines has one of the most vibrant business process outsourcing (BPO) industries in Asia, including
Fortune 500 companies. As India gets too costly, BPOs turn to Philippines . Accessed October 2, 2006
The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis affected the Philippine economy tremendously, making the
Philippine peso fall significantly from 26 pesos to a dollar prior to the crisis, then 40 pesos to a dollar at the end of it. Low foreign fund inflows and its agriculture-based economy catapulted the country to grow 3% in 1999 and 4% in 2000. Hampered by political uncertainties in 2000, the peso weakened even further, trading at 55 pesos to a dollar at the lowest.
By 2004, the Philippine economy experienced a 6% growth after the
East Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s. President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo pledged to turn the country into a First World state by 2020. In 2005, the Philippine peso was dubbed as Asia's best-performing currency. Philippines
CIA World Factbook. Accessed August 23, 2006In 2006, the Philippine economy expanded at a rate of 5.4%, higher than of the previous year. The government plans to accelerate the country's Gross Domestic Product growth by 7% in 2007, 8% in 2008 and 9% by 2009, also known as the
7, 8, 9 project. Philippines Aims to Boost Growth by 2009 Accessed February 22, 2007
Strategies for streamlining the economy include improvements of infrastructure, more efficient tax systems to bolster government revenues, furthering deregulation and privatization of the economy, and increasing trade integration within the region and across the world. Large Swiss Firm offers to invest in Philippines . Accessed January 27,2007 RP ready for Global Trade . Accessed February 17,2007 Business Park.On November 1, 2005, a newly expanded value added tax (E-VAT) law was instituted as a measure to bridle the rising foreign debt and to improve government services such as education, health care, social security, and transportation. The Philippines' economic prosperity also depends in large part on how well its two biggest trading partners' economies perform: the U.S. and Japan. Economy: Philippines' Exports and Imports Partners
The Philippines still remains highly reliant on remittances by
Overseas Filipinos. In 2006, the country received $12.8 billion, a 20% increase from the previous year. The government estimated that $14 billion would be remitted to the Philippines in 2007. Filipino workers sent home $12.8 billion in '06 Accessed February 17, 2007 {{cite news] and India have emerged as major economic competitors, siphoning away investors who would otherwise have invested in the Philippines, particularly telecommunication companies. Regional development is also somewhat uneven, with the main island
Luzon and Metro Manila gaining most of the new economic growth at the expense of the other regions. Beyond Imperial Manila Accessed July 25, 2006
The Philippines is a member of the
Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, the
International Monetary Fund, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the
World Trade Organization (WTO), the
Colombo Plan, and the
Group of 77, among others International Organization Participation
In the second quarter of 2007, the Philippine economy grew as much as 7.5% and was the fastest for more than 2 decades. So far, the economy has grown 7.3% this year.
Demographics
The Philippines is the world's 12th most populous country, with a population of over 85 million as of 2005. Philippine Census 2005 Population Projection Roughly two-thirds reside on the island of
Luzon.
Manila, the capital, is the eleventh most populous metropolitan area in the world. The literacy rate was 92.5% in 2003, United Nations Human Development Report 2005, p.259 and about equal for males and females. CIA World Factbook - Updated July 20 2006 Life expectancy is 69.91 years, with 72.28 years for females and 66.44 years for males. Population growth per year is about 1.92%, with 26.3 births per 1,000 people. In the 100 years since the 1903 Census, the population has grown by a factor of eleven. This represents a much faster rate of growth than other countries in the region (Indonesia has grown fivefold over the same period).
Ethnic groups
Filipinos are descended from the various Austronesian people-speaking migrants who arrived in successive waves over a thousand years ago from
Taiwan, genetically most closely related to the
Ami people tribe.Capelli et al, A Predominantly Indigenous Paternal Heritage for the Austronesian-Speaking Peoples of Insular Southeast Asia and Oceania, Table 1 The
Malayo-Polynesian languages peoples, a branch of Austronesian languages, migrated to the Philippines and brought their knowledge of rice agriculture and ocean-sailing technology. Filipinos to this day are composed of various Malayo-Polynesian languages ethnic groups, including but not limited to the
Visayans, the
Tagalog people, the
Ilocano people, the
Moro people, the
Kapampangan people, the Bicolano people, the
Pangasinan people, the Igorot, the Lumad, the
Mangyan, the Ibanag people, the Chabacano, the
Bajau, the
Ivatan, and the Ethnic Groups of Palawan. The
Negritos, including the Aetas and the
Ati (ethnic group), are considered as the aboriginal inhabitants of the Philippines though they are estimated to be fewer than 30,000 people (0.03%).
Filipinos of Filipino Chinese descent, who had been settling in the Philippines since pre-colonization, currently forms the largest non-Austronesian ethnic group, claiming about 2% of the population.{{cite web|url=http://www.ocac.gov.tw/english/public/public.asp?selno=1163&no=1163&level=B|title=The Ranking of Ethnic Chinese Population|publisher=Overseas Compatriate Affairs Commission, R.O.C. (Taiwan)|accessdate=2007-09-26--> Other significant minorities, ranked according to population, include Filipinos of Spanish descent, British Filipino,
Filipinos of American descent, Filipinos of Japanese descent,
Filipinos of Indian descent,
Koreans in the Philippines,
Filipinos of Arab descent and Indonesians.
Throughout the country's history, various ethnic groups as well as immigrants and colonizers have intermarried, producing
Filipino mestizos. These mestizos, apart from being of mixed indigenous Austronesian and European ancestry, can be descended from any
ethnic group foreign forebearers. The Philippines has the world's largest Eurasian population.
Languages
groups of the Philippines. More than 180 languages and dialects are spoken in the archipelago, almost all of them belonging to the
Borneo-Philippines languages group of the Malayo-Polynesian languages branch of the
Austronesian languages.
According to the Constitution of the Philippines,
Filipino language and
English language are both the official languages. Many Filipinos understand, write and speak English, Filipino and their respective regional languages.
Filipino language is the
de facto standardized version of Tagalog language and one of the nation's official languages. English, the other official language, is widely used as a
lingua franca throughout the country.
Twelve major regional languages are the auxiliary official languages of their respective regions, each with over one million speakers: Tagalog language, Cebuano language, Ilokano language,
Hiligaynon language, Waray-Waray language, Kapampangan language,
Bikol language,
Pangasinan language.
Kinaray-a language,
Maranao language, Maguindanao language and Tausug language.
English was imposed by Americans during the U.S. intervention and colonization of the archipelago. English is used in education, churches, religious affairs, print and broadcast media, and business, though the number of people who use it as a second language far outnumber those who speak it as a first language. Still, English is the preferred medium for textbooks and instruction for secondary and tertiary levels. Movies and TV programs in English are not subtitled but many films and TV programs are produced in Tagalog. English is the sole language of the law courts. Written and spoken competence in English among the majority of poor Filipinos has been decreasing in recent years due to the abandonment of English for primary education.{{cite news|url=http://www.pathfinder.com/asiaweek/99/0730/cs6.html|title=Mother Tongue-tied —Asia's schools get caught up in the language|publisher=Asiaweek.com|accessdate=2007-09-25-->
The
Lan-nang variant of
Min Nan Identification of the varieties of Chinese is widely spoken by the country's Chinese minority.
Due to its close proximity as a neighboring Southeast Asian nation,
Indonesian language (and some other
Malay language variants) is also spoken in the Philippines, particularly southern regions. As with
Filipino language, the
Indonesian language and Malay language languages are also members of the
Malayo-Polynesian languages branch of the Austronesian languages and represent major languages of Southeast Asia.
Spanish language in the Philippines was the original official language of the country for more than three centuries, but was used mainly by the educated
ilustrados (or self taught natives, including
José Rizal) and the Spanish colonial authorities. Spanish was the language of the
Philippine Revolution, and the 1899 Malolos Constitution proclaimed it as the official language. Following the American occupation of the Philippines, its use declined after 1940. Currently, only a few Filipino Mestizo of Spanish or Hispanic origin speak it as their first language, although a few others use it together with Tagalog and English.
Both
Spanish language and
Arabic language are used as auxiliary languages in the Philippines. The use of Arabic is prevalent among
Filipino Muslims and taught in
madrasah (Muslim) schools.
Religion
The Philippines is one of only two majority Roman Catholic countries in Asia (the other being
East Timor). About 94% of Filipinos are Christians, where 81% belong to the
Roman Catholic Church, 2% composed of Protestant denominations and 11% either to the
Philippine Independent Church (Aglipayan), Iglesia ni Cristo and others. PHILIPPINES: ADDITIONAL THREE PERSONS PER MINUTE National Statistics Office Accessed November 27, 2006 While Christianity is a major force in the culture of the Filipinos, indigenous traditions and rituals still influence religious practice.
Approximately 5% of Filipinos are Muslims, and are locally known as "Moros", having been dubbed this by the Spanish due to their sharing Islam with the
Moors of North Africa. They primarily settle in parts of
Mindanao,
Palawan and the
Sulu archipelago, but are now found in most urban areas of the country. Most lowland Muslim Filipinos practice normative Islam, although the practices of some Mindanao's hill tribe Muslims reflect a fusion with animism. There are also small populations of
Buddhism in the Philippines, Hinduism in the Philippines,
Sikhs, and animists, which, along with other non-Christians and non-Muslims, collectively comprise 5% of the population .
Culture
scuplture.Filipino culture is a fusion of pre-Hispanic indigenous
Austronesian people civilizations of the Philippines mixed with Hispanic culture and
Culture of the United States of America cultures. It has also been influenced by
Chinese culture and
Muslim culture cultures.
The Hispanic influences in Filipino culture are largely derived from the
culture of Spain Culture of Mexico as a result of over three centuries of
Spain colonial rule through Mexico City. These Hispanic influences are most evident in
literature, folk music,
folk dance, language,
food, art and
religion, such as Roman Catholic Church religious festivals.
Filipino people hold major festivities known as barrio
Festivals to commemorate their patron saints. One of the most visible Hispanic legacy, is the prevalence of Catálogo Alfabético de Apellidos. This peculiarity, unique among the people of Asia, came as a result of a colonial decree for the systematic distribution of family names and implementation of the
Spanish naming customs on the inhabitants of the Philippines. A Spanish name and surname among the majority of Filipinos does not always denote of Spanish ancestry. Only about 1% to 2% of the population (mostly Filipinos of Spanish and Mexican origin) would qualify as Hispanic by ancestry.
There are also significant amounts of Spanish influence in the country, such as names of countless streets, towns and provinces, which are named in Spanish.
Spanish architecture also made a major imprint in the Philippines. This can be seen especially in the country's churches, government buildings and universities. Many Hispanic style houses and buildings are being preserved, like the Spanish colonial town in
Vigan City, for protection and conservation.
Kalesa is a horse-driven carriage introduced by the Spaniards and was a major mode of transportation during the colonial times. It is still being used today.
Cuisine of the Philippines is also heavily influenced by Mexican and Spanish cuisine.
The
China influences in Filipino culture are most evident in Filipino cuisine. The prevalence of noodles, known locally as
mami, is a testament to Chinese cuisine. Other Chinese influences include linguistic borrowings and the occasional Chinese derived surnames.
The use of English language in the Philippines is contemporaneous and is America's visible legacy. The most commonly played sports in the Philippines are
basketball and
billiards. There is also a wide influence of
Pop culture, such as the love of fast-food and Film; many street corners boast fast-food outlets. Aside from the American commercial giants such as McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Burger King,
KFC, and Shakey's Pizza, local fast-food chains have also sprung up, including Goldilocks Bakeshop, Jollibee,
Greenwich Pizza (acquired by Jolibee in 1994{{Citation] (acquired by Jolibee in 2000). Modern day Filipinos also listen to contemporary American music and watch American movies. However, Original Pilipino Music (also known as OPM) and Cinema in the Philippines are also widely appreciated.
Filipinos honor national heroes whose works and deeds contributed to the shaping of the Filipino nation.
{{Infobox Country or territory|native_name =
Republika ng Pilipinas|conventional_long_name = Republic of the Philippines|common_name = the Philippines|image_flag = Flag of the Philippines.svg|image_coat = Coat_of_Arms_of_the_Philippines.svg|national_motto =
Maka-Diyos, Makatao, Makakalikasan, at Makabansa(English language: "For God, People, Nature, and Country")|image_map = Map_of_Philippines.PNG|national_anthem =
Lupang Hinirang "Chosen Land"] (
Tagalog language),
English language|regional_languages =
Bikol language,
Cebuano language, Ilokano language, Hiligaynon language,
Kapampangan language, Pangasinan language,
Waray-Waray language.{{cite web|url=http://www.gov.ph/aboutphil/general.asp|title=General information|publisher=Government of the Philippines|accessdate=2007-10-01-->
{{cite web|url=http://www.gov.ph|title=Official Website|publisher=Government of the Philippines|accessdate=2007-10-01-->|demonym =
Demographics of the Philippines,
Filipino people|capital =
Manila Presidential system Constitutional republic
republic|leader_name1 = [Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo|leader_name2 = [Noli de Castro|leader_name3 = [Manny Villar|leader_title4 =
Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives|leader_name4 =
José de Venecia, Jr.|leader_name5 = [Reynato Puno-->|area_rank = 72nd|area_magnitude = 1 E11|percent_water = 0.61%{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rp.html|title=World Factbook — Philippines|CIA|accessdate=2007-09-27--> (1,830 km² water : 300,000 km² land; 0.61% water)|population_estimate = 88,706,300|population_estimate_year = 2007|population_estimate_rank = 12th|population_census = 76,504,077|population_census_year = 2000|population_density_km2 = 276|population_density_sq_mi = 715 |sovereignty_note = from
Spain from United States|established_date1 = [June 12 1898|established_date2 = [March 24
1934|established_date3 = [February 2 1987 (International )
[Philippine peso (Filipino )|currency_code = PHP|time_zone = Philippine Standard Time|utc_offset = +8|time_zone_DST =|utc_offset_DST =|cctld = .ph and [Arabic language are promoted on an optional and voluntary basis.|footnote2 = Philippine Census 2007 Population Projection (medium assumption)-->
The
Philippines (Filipino language:
Pilipinas), officially the
Republic of the Philippines (
Republika ng Pilipinas;
RP), is an
island nation located in
Southeast Asia, with Manila as its capital city. The Philippine Archipelago comprises 7,107 islands in the western
Pacific Ocean. The Philippines is the world's 12th most populous country, World Development Indicators database, World Bank, 14 September 2007 with a population of 88 million.{{cite web],
2006 (GDP) of over [United States dollar116 billion. World Development Indicators database, World Bank, 1 July 2007
Filipino peoples are mostly of Austronesian people descent, but there are significant Chinese, American, Spanish, and Arab minorities.{{cite web|url=http://www.tourism.gov.ph/discover/people.asp|title=WOW Philippines — People|publisher=tourism.gov.ph|accessdate=2007-09-26-->{{Citation|url=http://web.kssp.upd.edu.ph/linguistics/plc2006/papers/FullPapers/I-2_Solheim.pdf|title=Origins of Filipinos and their Languages|format=pdf|publication-place=9th Philippine Linguistics Congress|month=January|year=2006|publisher=Department of Linguistics, University of the Philippines|accessdate=2007-09-26--> There are more than 11 million
overseas Filipinos worldwide, about 11% of the total population of the Philippines.
The Philippines became a
Spain colony in the 16th century, and then a
United States colony after the Spanish-American War and the
Philippine-American War. The Philippines has many affinities with the Western world, derived mainly from the cultures of Spain, Latin America, and the United States.
Roman Catholic Church became the predominant religion, although the pre-Hispanic indigenous religious practices and Islam continue to flourish. The two official languages of the Philippines are
Filipino language, which is based on Tagalog language, and English language.
History
Archeology and paleontology discoveries show that
Homo sapiens existed in
Palawan circa 50,000 BC. The Negritos, an Australo-Melanesian people, arrived in the Philippines at least 30,000 years ago.{{cite web] peoples, the ancestors of most Filipinos, settled in the Philippines about 2,500 BC.
The Philippines had cultural and trade relations with India, China, and Islamic merchants as early as the 9th century before the arrival of the Europeans in the 16th century.
At the service of Spain, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his crew were the first Europeans to arrive in the archipelago in March 1521. Magellan was later killed in battle by indigenous warriors in Mactan Island on account of political conflicts with Lapu-Lapu. The beginnings of colonization started to take form when King
Philip II of Spain (after whom the Philippines was named) ordered a successive expedition. The conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi arrived from Mexico in 1565 and formed the first Spanish settlements in Cebu. In 1571 he established Manila as the capital of the new Spanish colony.Kurlansky, Mark. 1999.
The Basque History of the World. Walker & Company, New York. ISBN 0-8027-1349-1, p. 64
Roman Catholic missionaries converted most of the inhabitants of the lowland regions to Roman Catholicism. Many mountainous peoples never had any contact with the western world until the American era. In the next 333 years, the Spanish military
Philippine revolts against Spain and numerous attempts by the British, Chinese, Dutch, French, Japanese, and Portuguese to take over the Philippines. The most significant loss for Spain was the temporary occupation of the capital, Manila, by the British East India Company during the Seven Years' War. The Philippines was ruled as a territory of
New Spain from 1565 to 1821, before it was administered directly from Spain. The Manila Galleon which linked Manila to Acapulco,
Mexico traveled once or twice a year, beginning in the late 16th century.
A propaganda movement, which included Philippine nationalist José Rizal, then a student studying in Spain, soon developed on the Spanish mainland. This was done in order to inform the government of the injustices of the administration in the Philippines as well as the abuses of the friars. In the 1880s and the 1890s, the propagandists clamored for political and social reforms, which included demands for greater representation in
Spain. Unable to gain the reforms, Rizal returned to the country, and pushed for the reforms locally. Rizal was subsequently arrested, tried, and executed for
treason on
December 30, 1896. Earlier that year, the Katipunan, led by Andrés Bonifacio, already started a revolution, which was eventually continued by
Emilio Aguinaldo, who established a revolutionary government, although the Spanish governor general
Fernando Primo de Rivera proclaimed the revolution over in
May 17,
1897.
The Spanish-American War began in
Cuba in 1898 and soon reached the Philippines when Commodore
George Dewey defeated the Spanish squadron at
Battle of Manila Bay. Aguinaldo declared the independence of the Philippines on
June 12, 1898, and was proclaimed head of state. As a result of its defeat in the War, Spain ceded the Philippines, together with
Cuba (made an independent country, the US in charge of foreign affairs), Guam and
Puerto Rico to the United States. In 1899 the First Philippine Republic was proclaimed in Malolos, Bulacan but was later dissolved by the US forces, leading to the
Philippine-American War between the United States and the Philippine revolutionaries, which continued the violence of the previous years. The US proclaimed the war ended when Aguinaldo was captured by American troops on March 23,
1901, but the
Phillipine Insurrection continued until 1913 claiming the lives of over a million Filipinos {{cite web|url=http://www.selvesandothers.org/article9315.html|title=U.S. Genocide in the Philippines: A Case of Guilt, Shame, or Amnesia?|author=E. San Juan, Jr. in 1935, which provided for more self-governance. Plans for increasing independence over the next decade were interrupted during [World War II when
Imperial Japan Battle of the Philippines (1941-42) and occupied the islands. After the Japanese were defeated in 1945, the Philippines was granted independence from the United States on
July 4, 1946.{{cite web] was, then, the elected president. Barred from seeking a third term, Marcos declared martial law on
September 21,
1972 and ruled the country by
decree. Marcos extended both his power and tenure by force. His authoritarian rule became marred with unmitigated, pervasive corruption, cronyism and despotism.
Upon returning from exile, opposition leader Benigno Aquino, Jr. was assassinated on August 21, 1983. In January 1986, Marcos allowed for a Philippine presidential election, 1986, after large protests. The election was believed to be fraudulent, and resulted in a standoff between military mutineers and the military loyalists. Protesters supported the mutineers, and were accompanied by resignations of prominent cabinet officials.
Corazon Aquino, the widow of
Benigno Aquino, Jr., was the recognized winner of the snap election. She took over government, and called for a constitutional convention to draft a new constitution, after the 1986 EDSA Revolution. Marcos, his family and some of his allies fled to Hawaii.
The return of democracy and government reforms after the events of 1986 was hampered by massive national debt, government corruption, coup attempts, a communist insurgency, and a Muslim separatist movement. The economy improved during the administration of Fidel V. Ramos, who was elected in 1992. However, the economic improvements were negated at the onset of the East Asian financial crisis in 1997. The
2001 EDSA Revolution led to the downfall of the following president, Joseph Estrada. The current administration of president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has been hounded by allegations of corruption and Hello Garci scandal. Due to these allegations the current administration has had to suppress several attempted coups, the most recent taking place in Manila during March of 2006.
Politics and government
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin: 1em; padding: 1em; width: 240px; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%; clear: right"
| style="padding-left: 1em;" |
Flag| Flag of the Philippines|-| style="padding-left: 1em;" |
Anthem| "
Lupang Hinirang"]", "
Bayan Ko"]|-| style="padding-left: 1em;" |
Dance|
Cariñosa]|-| style="padding-left: 1em;" |
Bird| Philippine Eagle (
Bangus)|-| style="padding-left: 1em;" |
Flower| [Jasminum sambac (
Sampaguita)|-| style="padding-left: 1em;" |
Tree|
Angsana (
Narra)] (
Anahaw)|-| style="padding-left: 1em;" |
Fruit|
Mango|-| style="padding-left: 1em;" | House| [Nipa hut and [Baro't saya|-align=right|colspan=2| Source|}The Philippines has a [Presidential system,
Unitary state (with some modification; there is
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao autonomous area largely free from the national government) form of government, where the
President of the Philippines functions as both
head of state and
head of government, and is
commander-in-chief of the
Armed Forces of the Philippines. The president is elected by popular vote to a six-year term, during which they appoint and preside over the
cabinet.
The bicameral Congress of the Philippines is composed of a
Senate of the Philippines, serving as the upper house whose members are elected nationally to a six-year term, and a House of Representatives of the Philippines serving as the lower house whose members are elected to a three-year term and are elected from Legislative districts of the Philippines and through sectoral representation.
The judiciary power is vested in the Supreme Court of the Philippines, composed of a Chief Justice of the Philippines as its presiding officer and fourteen associate justices, all appointed by the President from nominations submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council.
Attempts to amend the constitution to either a
federal government, unicameral or parliamentary government form of government have repeatedly failed since the
Fidel Ramos.
The Philippines is a founding and active member of the
United Nations since its inception on October 24,
1945 and is a founding member of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The Philippines is also a member of the East Asia Summit (EAS), an active player in the
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Latin Union, and a member of the Group of 24. The country is a
major non-NATO ally of the U.S. but also a member of the Non-Aligned Movement.
The Philippines is involved in complex dispute over the
Spratly Islands and
Scarborough Shoal. It also claims the Malaysian state of Sabah, as it was once part of the Sultanate of Sulu. Philippines' Claim to Sabah
Administrative divisions
The Philippines is divided into three island groups :
Luzon,
Visayas, and
Mindanao. These are divided into Regions of the Philippines, Provinces of the Philippines,
Cities of the Philippines,
Municipalities of the Philippines, and 41,994
barangays.
On July 24,
2006, the
State of the Nation Address (Philippines) of
President of the Philippines Arroyo announced the proposal to create five economic Super regions of the Philippines to concentrate on the economic strengths in a specific area.
{|class="wikitable"|-! Region !! Designation !! Government center|-|
Ilocos Region ], La Union || Region II || [Tuguegarao City,
Cagayan || Region III || [San Fernando City, Pampanga, Pampanga
¹ ² || Region IV-A || [Calamba City,
Laguna (province)|-|
MIMARO¹ ² ³ || Region IV-B ||
Calapan City,
Oriental Mindoro || Region V || [Legazpi City, Albay
³ || Region VI || [Iloilo City || Region VII || [Cebu City || Region VIII || [Tacloban City, Leyte || Region IX || [Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur || Region X || [Cagayan de Oro City || Region XI || [Davao City
¹ || Region XII || [Koronadal City, South Cotabato || Region XIII || [Butuan City || ARMM || [Cotabato City || CAR || [Baguio City || NCR || [Manilas, containing the names of the constituent provinces or cities (see [Acronyms in the Philippines).
² These regions formed the former
Southern Tagalog region, or Region IV.
³ Palawan was moved from Region IV-B as known as MIMAROPA to Region VI. From November 2005, Region IV-B would be called MIMARO, decreased from five to four provinces and Region VI increased from six to seven provinces.
Geography
, Philippines' tallest mountain.The Philippines constitutes an
archipelago of 7,107 islands with a total land area of approximately 300,000 square kilometers (116,000 square mile). It lies between 116° 40' and 126° 34' E. longitude, and 4° 40' and 21° 10' N. latitude, and borders the Philippine Sea on the east, on the South China Sea the west, and the
Celebes Sea on the south. The island of
Borneo lies a few hundred kilometers southwest and Taiwan directly north. The
Moluccas and
Sulawesi are to the south, and
Palau is to the east beyond the Philippine Sea.
The islands are commonly divided into three island groups:
Luzon (Regions I to V, NCR and CAR),
Visayas (VI to VIII), and
Mindanao (IX to XIII and ARMM). The busy port of
Manila, on Luzon, is the national capital and second largest
city after its suburb Quezon City.
The local climate is hot, humid, and
tropical. The average yearly temperature is around 26.5 °Celsius (79.7 °
Fahrenheit). There are three recognized seasons:
Tag-init or
Tag-araw (the hot season or summer from March to May),
Tag-ulan (the rainy season from June to November), and
Taglamig (the cold season from December to February). The southwest
monsoon (May-October) is known as the "habagat" and the dry winds of the northeast monsoon (November-April) as the "amihan". Climate of the Philippines . Accessed September 30, 2006 The country itself is undergoing desertification in place like Sorsogon, Baguio, Davao and the Sierra Madre mountain range.
Most of the mountainous islands used to be covered in tropical rainforest and are volcanic in origin. The highest point is
Mount Apo on Mindanao at 2,954 metres (9,692 ft). There are many active
volcanos such as
Mayon Volcano, Mount Pinatubo, and Taal Volcano. The country also lies within the
typhoon belt of the Western Pacific and about 19 typhoons strike per year.
Lying on the northwestern fringes of the
Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activities. Some 20 earthquakes are registered daily in the Philippines, though most are too weak to be felt. The last great earthquake was the
1990 Luzon earthquake. The 1990 Baguio City Earthquake . Accessed October 3,2006
The longest river is the
Cagayan River of northern Luzon. Manila Bay is connected to the
Laguna de Bay by means of the Pasig River. Subic Bay, the Davao Gulf and the
Moro Gulf are some of the important bays. Transversing the
San Juanico Strait is the San Juanico Bridge, that connects the islands of
Samar (island) and
Leyte (island). Leyte is Famous For... . Accessed September 30,2006
Economy
central business district.The Philippines is a
newly industrialized country with an agricultural base, light industry, and service-sector economy. It has been listed in "
Next Eleven" economies. The Philippines has one of the most vibrant
business process outsourcing (BPO) industries in Asia, including Fortune 500 companies. As India gets too costly, BPOs turn to Philippines . Accessed October 2, 2006
The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis affected the Philippine economy tremendously, making the
Philippine peso fall significantly from 26 pesos to a dollar prior to the crisis, then 40 pesos to a dollar at the end of it. Low foreign fund inflows and its agriculture-based economy catapulted the country to grow 3% in 1999 and 4% in 2000. Hampered by political uncertainties in 2000, the peso weakened even further, trading at 55 pesos to a dollar at the lowest.
By 2004, the Philippine economy experienced a 6% growth after the East Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s. President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo pledged to turn the country into a First World state by 2020. In 2005, the
Philippine peso was dubbed as Asia's best-performing currency. Philippines
CIA World Factbook. Accessed August 23, 2006In 2006, the Philippine economy expanded at a rate of 5.4%, higher than of the previous year. The government plans to accelerate the country's
Gross Domestic Product growth by 7% in 2007, 8% in 2008 and 9% by 2009, also known as the
7, 8, 9 project. Philippines Aims to Boost Growth by 2009 Accessed February 22, 2007
Strategies for streamlining the economy include improvements of infrastructure, more efficient tax systems to bolster government revenues, furthering deregulation and
privatization of the economy, and increasing trade integration within the region and across the world. Large Swiss Firm offers to invest in Philippines . Accessed January 27,2007 RP ready for Global Trade . Accessed February 17,2007 Business Park.On November 1, 2005, a newly expanded
value added tax (E-VAT) law was instituted as a measure to bridle the rising foreign debt and to improve government services such as education, health care, social security, and transportation. The Philippines' economic prosperity also depends in large part on how well its two biggest trading partners' economies perform: the U.S. and Japan. Economy: Philippines' Exports and Imports Partners
The Philippines still remains highly reliant on remittances by
Overseas Filipinos. In 2006, the country received $12.8 billion, a 20% increase from the previous year. The government estimated that $14 billion would be remitted to the Philippines in 2007. Filipino workers sent home $12.8 billion in '06 Accessed February 17, 2007 {{cite news] and India have emerged as major economic competitors, siphoning away investors who would otherwise have invested in the Philippines, particularly telecommunication companies. Regional development is also somewhat uneven, with the main island Luzon and
Metro Manila gaining most of the new economic growth at the expense of the other regions. Beyond Imperial Manila Accessed July 25, 2006
The Philippines is a member of the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the
World Trade Organization (WTO), the
Colombo Plan, and the Group of 77, among others International Organization Participation
In the second quarter of 2007, the Philippine economy grew as much as 7.5% and was the fastest for more than 2 decades. So far, the economy has grown 7.3% this year.
Demographics
The Philippines is the world's 12th most populous country, with a population of over 85 million as of 2005. Philippine Census 2005 Population Projection Roughly two-thirds reside on the island of Luzon.
Manila, the capital, is the eleventh most populous metropolitan area in the world. The literacy rate was 92.5% in 2003, United Nations Human Development Report 2005, p.259 and about equal for males and females. CIA World Factbook - Updated July 20 2006 Life expectancy is 69.91 years, with 72.28 years for females and 66.44 years for males. Population growth per year is about 1.92%, with 26.3 births per 1,000 people. In the 100 years since the 1903 Census, the population has grown by a factor of eleven. This represents a much faster rate of growth than other countries in the region (
Indonesia has grown fivefold over the same period).
Ethnic groups
Filipinos are descended from the various
Austronesian people-speaking
migrants who arrived in successive waves over a thousand years ago from
Taiwan, genetically most closely related to the Ami people tribe.Capelli et al, A Predominantly Indigenous Paternal Heritage for the Austronesian-Speaking Peoples of Insular Southeast Asia and Oceania, Table 1 The
Malayo-Polynesian languages peoples, a branch of Austronesian languages, migrated to the Philippines and brought their knowledge of rice agriculture and ocean-sailing technology. Filipinos to this day are composed of various Malayo-Polynesian languages ethnic groups, including but not limited to the
Visayans, the Tagalog people, the
Ilocano people, the
Moro people, the Kapampangan people, the Bicolano people, the
Pangasinan people, the Igorot, the
Lumad, the
Mangyan, the
Ibanag people, the
Chabacano, the
Bajau, the
Ivatan, and the Ethnic Groups of Palawan. The
Negritos, including the Aetas and the
Ati (ethnic group), are considered as the aboriginal inhabitants of the Philippines though they are estimated to be fewer than 30,000 people (0.03%).
Filipinos of
Filipino Chinese descent, who had been settling in the Philippines since pre-colonization, currently forms the largest non-Austronesian ethnic group, claiming about 2% of the population.{{cite web|url=http://www.ocac.gov.tw/english/public/public.asp?selno=1163&no=1163&level=B|title=The Ranking of Ethnic Chinese Population|publisher=Overseas Compatriate Affairs Commission, R.O.C. (Taiwan)|accessdate=2007-09-26--> Other significant minorities, ranked according to population, include Filipinos of Spanish descent, British Filipino, Filipinos of American descent,
Filipinos of Japanese descent,
Filipinos of Indian descent, Koreans in the Philippines,
Filipinos of Arab descent and Indonesians.
Throughout the country's history, various ethnic groups as well as immigrants and colonizers have intermarried, producing Filipino mestizos. These mestizos, apart from being of mixed indigenous Austronesian and European ancestry, can be descended from any
ethnic group foreign forebearers. The Philippines has the world's largest Eurasian population.
Languages
groups of the Philippines. More than 180 languages and dialects are spoken in the archipelago, almost all of them belonging to the Borneo-Philippines languages group of the Malayo-Polynesian languages branch of the Austronesian languages.
According to the
Constitution of the Philippines,
Filipino language and
English language are both the official languages. Many Filipinos understand, write and speak English, Filipino and their respective regional languages.
Filipino language is the
de facto standardized version of
Tagalog language and one of the nation's official languages. English, the other official language, is widely used as a
lingua franca throughout the country.
Twelve major regional languages are the auxiliary official languages of their respective regions, each with over one million speakers:
Tagalog language,
Cebuano language,
Ilokano language,
Hiligaynon language, Waray-Waray language, Kapampangan language, Bikol language,
Pangasinan language. Kinaray-a language,
Maranao language,
Maguindanao language and
Tausug language.
English was imposed by Americans during the U.S. intervention and colonization of the archipelago. English is used in education, churches, religious affairs, print and broadcast media, and business, though the number of people who use it as a second language far outnumber those who speak it as a first language. Still, English is the preferred medium for textbooks and instruction for secondary and tertiary levels. Movies and TV programs in English are not subtitled but many films and TV programs are produced in Tagalog. English is the sole language of the law courts. Written and spoken competence in English among the majority of poor Filipinos has been decreasing in recent years due to the abandonment of English for primary education.{{cite news|url=http://www.pathfinder.com/asiaweek/99/0730/cs6.html|title=Mother Tongue-tied —Asia's schools get caught up in the language|publisher=Asiaweek.com|accessdate=2007-09-25-->
The
Lan-nang variant of
Min Nan Identification of the varieties of Chinese is widely spoken by the country's Chinese minority.
Due to its close proximity as a neighboring
Southeast Asian nation,
Indonesian language (and some other Malay language variants) is also spoken in the Philippines, particularly southern regions. As with Filipino language, the
Indonesian language and Malay language languages are also members of the
Malayo-Polynesian languages branch of the Austronesian languages and represent major languages of Southeast Asia.
Spanish language in the Philippines was the original official language of the country for more than three centuries, but was used mainly by the educated
ilustrados (or self taught natives, including José Rizal) and the Spanish colonial authorities. Spanish was the language of the
Philippine Revolution, and the 1899 Malolos Constitution proclaimed it as the official language. Following the American occupation of the Philippines, its use declined after 1940. Currently, only a few Filipino Mestizo of Spanish or Hispanic origin speak it as their first language, although a few others use it together with Tagalog and English.
Both Spanish language and
Arabic language are used as auxiliary languages in the Philippines. The use of Arabic is prevalent among Filipino Muslims and taught in
madrasah (Muslim) schools.
Religion
The Philippines is one of only two majority Roman Catholic countries in Asia (the other being
East Timor). About 94% of Filipinos are Christians, where 81% belong to the
Roman Catholic Church, 2% composed of Protestant denominations and 11% either to the
Philippine Independent Church (Aglipayan), Iglesia ni Cristo and others. PHILIPPINES: ADDITIONAL THREE PERSONS PER MINUTE National Statistics Office Accessed November 27, 2006 While Christianity is a major force in the culture of the Filipinos, indigenous traditions and rituals still influence religious practice.
Approximately 5% of Filipinos are Muslims, and are locally known as "Moros", having been dubbed this by the Spanish due to their sharing Islam with the
Moors of North Africa. They primarily settle in parts of
Mindanao,
Palawan and the Sulu archipelago, but are now found in most urban areas of the country. Most lowland Muslim Filipinos practice normative Islam, although the practices of some Mindanao's hill tribe Muslims reflect a fusion with animism. There are also small populations of Buddhism in the Philippines, Hinduism in the Philippines,
Sikhs, and animists, which, along with other non-Christians and non-Muslims, collectively comprise 5% of the population .
Culture
scuplture.Filipino culture is a fusion of pre-Hispanic indigenous
Austronesian people civilizations of the Philippines mixed with Hispanic culture and Culture of the United States of America cultures. It has also been influenced by
Chinese culture and
Muslim culture cultures.
The Hispanic influences in Filipino culture are largely derived from the
culture of Spain Culture of Mexico as a result of over three centuries of
Spain colonial rule through
Mexico City. These Hispanic influences are most evident in
literature, folk music, folk dance, language,
food,
art and religion, such as Roman Catholic Church religious festivals.
Filipino people hold major festivities known as barrio Festivals to commemorate their patron saints. One of the most visible Hispanic legacy, is the prevalence of Catálogo Alfabético de Apellidos. This peculiarity, unique among the people of Asia, came as a result of a colonial decree for the systematic distribution of family names and implementation of the
Spanish naming customs on the inhabitants of the Philippines. A Spanish name and surname among the majority of Filipinos does not always denote of Spanish ancestry. Only about 1% to 2% of the population (mostly Filipinos of Spanish and Mexican origin) would qualify as Hispanic by ancestry.
There are also significant amounts of Spanish influence in the country, such as names of countless streets, towns and provinces, which are named in Spanish. Spanish architecture also made a major imprint in the Philippines. This can be seen especially in the country's churches, government buildings and universities. Many Hispanic style houses and buildings are being preserved, like the Spanish colonial town in
Vigan City, for protection and conservation.
Kalesa is a horse-driven carriage introduced by the Spaniards and was a major mode of transportation during the colonial times. It is still being used today. Cuisine of the Philippines is also heavily influenced by Mexican and Spanish cuisine.
The China influences in Filipino culture are most evident in Filipino cuisine. The prevalence of noodles, known locally as
mami, is a testament to Chinese cuisine. Other Chinese influences include linguistic borrowings and the occasional Chinese derived surnames.
The use of English language in the Philippines is contemporaneous and is America's visible legacy. The most commonly played sports in the Philippines are
basketball and billiards. There is also a wide influence of Pop culture, such as the love of fast-food and Film; many street corners boast fast-food outlets. Aside from the American commercial giants such as McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Burger King,
KFC, and Shakey's Pizza, local fast-food chains have also sprung up, including
Goldilocks Bakeshop,
Jollibee,
Greenwich Pizza (acquired by Jolibee in 1994{{Citation] (acquired by Jolibee in 2000). Modern day Filipinos also listen to contemporary American music and watch American movies. However, Original Pilipino Music (also known as OPM) and
Cinema in the Philippines are also widely appreciated.
Filipinos honor national heroes whose works and deeds contributed to the shaping of the Filipino nation.
WOW PHILIPPINES
Entertainment and Culture Metro Manila is the centre of entertainment and cultural activities. The premier venue for the performing arts, the Cultural Centre of the Philippines ...
WOW PHILIPPINES
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Philippines - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Philippines (Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (Republika ng Pilipinas; RP), is an archipelagic country located in Southeast Asia with ...
BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Country profiles | Country profile: The ...
Key facts, figures and dates ... More than 7,000 islands make up the Philippines, but the bulk of its fast-growing population lives on just 11 of them.
BBC News | ASIA-PACIFIC | In pictures: Philippines crucifixions
At least 21 people are nailed to crosses in the Philippines in a re-enactment of Good Friday which is discouraged by the Roman Catholic Church. ... Millions of people in the mainly ...
UK in the Philippines - the British Embassy in Manila
This is the homepage of the British Embassy in Manila Philippines' website. ... News: Queen's honours. A British charity founder who called public attention and support for ...
Property For Sale in Philippines | Find Properties | Buy Real Estate
Search for, find and buy property for sale in Philippines with TheMoveChannel.com, an overseas property and international real estate portal.
Philippines Post
Philippines News and analysis on current events, Philippines business, finance, economy, sports and more. Searchable news in 44 languages from WorldNews Network and Archive ...
Philippines Post
Philippines News and analysis on current events, Philippines business, finance, economy, sports and more. Searchable news in 44 languages from WorldNews Network and Archive ...
Philippines Times
Philippines News and analysis on current news, Philippines business, finance, economy, sports and more. Searchable news in 44 languages from WorldNews Network and Archive ...
