Philippines

This article is about the country in Southeast Asia. For the town in the Netherlands, see Philippine (Netherlands).

Republic of the Philippines Republika ng Pilipinas
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Maka-Diyos, Maka-Tao, Makakalikasan, at Makabansa ("For God, People, Nature, and Country")
Anthem: Lupang Hinirang ("Chosen Land")
Location of Philippines (green) in ASEAN (dark grey)  –  [Legend]
Capital	Manila
Largest city	Quezon City
Official languages	Filipino (Tagalog) , English
Recognised regional languages	Bikol, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Ilokano, Kapampangan, Kinaray-a, Maguindanao, Maranao, Pangasinan, Tausug, Waray-Waray
National language	Filipino
Demonym(s)	Filipino or Pinoy
Government	Unitary presidential constitutional republic
• President	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
• Vice President	Noli de Castro
• Senate President	Juan Ponce Enrile
• House Speaker	Prospero C. Nograles
• Supreme Court Chief Justice	Reynato Puno
Independence  from Spain1 from United States
• Established	April 27, 1565
• Declared	June 12, 1898
• Self-government	March 24, 1934
• Recognized	July 4, 1946
• Current constitution	February 2, 1987
Area
• Total	300,000 km2 (120,000 sq mi) (72nd)
• Water (%)	0.61%
Population
• 2009 estimate	91,983,000 (12th)
• 2007 census	88,574,614
• Density	306.6/km2 (794.1/sq mi) (44th)
GDP (PPP)	2008 estimate
• Total	$317.964 billion (36th)
• Per capita	$3,515 (123rd)
GDP (nominal)	2008 estimate
• Total	$166.909 billion (47th)
• Per capita	$1,845 (121st)
Gini (2006)	45.8
HDI (2007)	0.751  (105th)
Currency	Peso (Filipino: piso ) (PHP)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+0 (not observed)
Drives on	right
Calling code	+63
ISO 3166 code	PH
Internet TLD	.ph
Philippine revolutionaries declared independence from Spain on June 12, 1898, but the Spanish claim of sovereignty was passed from Spain to the United States in the Treaty of Paris. This led to the Philippine-American War. Rankings above were taken from associated Wikipedia pages as of December 2007 and may be based on data or data sources other than those appearing here.

The Philippines (Filipino: Pilipinas [pɪlɪˈpinɐs]) officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. To its west across the South China Sea is Vietnam. The Sulu Sea to the southwest separates it from the island of Borneo and to the south the Celebes Sea from other islands of Indonesia. It is bounded on the east by the Philippine Sea. An archipelago comprising 7,107 islands, the Philippines has the 5th longest coastline in the world. The islands are categorized broadly into three main geographical divisions: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The capital city is Manila.

With an estimated population of about 92,000,000 people, the Philippines is the world's 12th most populous country. It is estimated that there are about 11,000,000 overseas Filipinos worldwide, equivalent to about 11% of the total population of the Philippines. Multiple ethnicities and cultures are found throughout the islands. Ecologically, the Philippines with its tropical climate is one of the most diverse countries in the world.

Its national economy is the 47th largest in the world, with an estimated 2008 gross domestic product (GDP nominal) of over US$ 166.9 billion (nominal). Primary exports include semiconductors and electronic products, transport equipment, garments, copper products, petroleum products, coconut oil, and fruits. Major trading partners include China, Japan, the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia. Its unit of currency is the Philippine peso (PHP).

In ancient times the archipelago was populated by successive waves of Austronesian peoples who brought with them influences from Malay, Hindu, and Islamic cultures. Trade introduced Chinese cultural influences. The arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 marked the beginning of an era of Spanish interest and eventually dominance. The Philippines became the Asian hub of the Manila-Acapulco galleon treasure fleet. Christianity became widespread and there was a brief British occupation. As the 19th century gave way to the 20th, there followed in quick succession the short-lived Philippine Revolution, the Spanish-American War, and the Philippine-American War. In the aftermath, the United States replaced Spain as the dominant power. Aside from the period of Japanese occupation, the United States retained sovereignty over the islands until the end of World War II when the Philippines gained independence. The United States bequeathed to the Philippines the English language and its democratic presidential system of government. Since independence the Philippines has had an often tumultuous experience with democracy, with popular "People Power" movements overthrowing a dictatorship in one instance but also underlining the institutional weaknesses of its constitutional republic in others.

Etymology

Main article: Name of the Philippines

The name Philippines was derived from King Philip II of Spain in the 16th century. Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos used the name Las Islas Filipinas, in honor of the Prince of Asturias (Spain) during his expedition to the islands, originally referring to the islands of Leyte and Samar. Despite the presence of other names, the name Filipinas was chosen as the name of the archipelago.

The official name of the Philippines changed throughout the course of its history. During the Philippine Revolution, it was officially called República Filipina or the Philippine Republic. From the period of the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War, until the Commonwealth period, American colonial authorities referred to the country as the Philippine Islands, a translation of the original Spanish name. It was during the American period that the name Philippines began to appear, a name that has become its common name. The official name of the country is now Republic of the Philippines.

History

Main article: History of the Philippines

Incipience

A Pre-Classical indigenous Ifugao village.

The earliest archeological evidence for man in the archipelago is the 40,000-year-old Tabon Man of Palawan and the Angono Petroglyphs in Rizal, both of whom appear to suggest the presence of human settlement prior to the arrival of the Negritos and Austronesian speaking people.

The Negritos were early settlers and they were followed by speakers of the Malayo-Polynesian languages, a branch of the Austronesian languages, who began to arrive in successive waves beginning about 4000 B.C.E, displacing the earlier arrivals.

A Bontoc warrior (circa 1908). This central eastern Cordillera group formerly practiced headhunting.

During 2205 to 2106 B.C.E., the Ifugao fled their ancestral homeland in mainland Asia and migrated to the Cordilleras. Thereafter, they established a plutocratic society and built the Banaue Rice Terraces on the highland regions of central Luzon.

By 1000 B.C.E. the inhabitants of the Philippine archipelago had developed into four distinct kinds of peoples: tribal groups, such as the Aetas, Hanunoo, Ilongots and the Mangyan who depended on hunter-gathering and were concentrated in forests; warrior societies, such as the Isneg and Kalingas who practiced social ranking and ritualized warfare and roamed the plains; the petty plutocracy of the Ifugao Cordillera Highlanders, who occupied the mountain ranges of Luzon; and the harbor principalities of the estuarine civilizations that grew along rivers and seashores while participating in trans-island maritime trade.

Around 300–700 C.E. the seafaring peoples of the islands traveling in balangays began to trade with the Indianized kingdoms in the Malay Archipelago and the nearby East Asian principalities, adopting influences from both Buddhism and Hinduism.

Classical Epoch

File:Lci.gif

The Laguna Copperplate Inscription: The oldest known legal document from the Dynasty of Tondo.

In the years leading up to 1000 C.E., there were already several maritime societies existing in the islands but there was no unifying political state encompassing the entire Philippine archipelago. Instead, the region was dotted by numerous semi-autonomous barangays (settlements ranging is size from villages to city-states) under the sovereignty of competing thalassocracies ruled by datus, rajahs or sultans or by upland agricultural societies ruled by "petty plutocrats". States such as the Kingdom of Maynila and Namayan, the Dynasty of Tondo, the Confederation of Madyaas, the rajahnates of Butuan and Cebu and the sultanates of Maguindanao and Sulu existed alongside the highland societies of the Ifugao and Mangyan. Some of these regions were part of the Malayan empires of Srivijaya, Majapahit and Brunei.

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A golden statuette of the Hindu-Buddhist goddess "Kinari" found in an archeological dig in Esperanza, Agusan del Sur.

In the year 900 the Dynasty of Tondo centered in Manila Bay flourished via an active trade with Chinese sea traders in the area. Later serving as a smuggling nexus after the Chinese imposed restrictions on their foreign trade. During this time, the lord-minister Jayadewa presented a document of debt forgiveness to Lady Angkatan and her brother Bukah, the children of Namwaran. This is described in the Philippine's oldest known document the Laguna Copperplate Inscription.

A page from the Boxer Codex showing pre-Hispanic Philippine royalty. Left, is a general from the Rajahnate of Butuan and to the right is a princess of the Tondo dynasty.

By year 1011 Rajah Sri Bata Shaja, the monarch of the Indianized Rajahnate of Butuan, a maritime-state famous for its goldwork sent a trade envoy under ambassador Likan-shieh to the Chinese Imperial Court demanding equal diplomatic status with other states. The request being approved, it opened up direct commercial links with the Rajahnate of Butuan and the Chinese Empire thereby diminishing the monopoly on Chinese trade previously enjoyed by their rivals the Dynasty of Tondo and the Champa civilization. Evidence of the existence of this rajahnate is given by the Butuan Silver Paleograph.

During the 11th century several exiled datus of the collapsing empire of Srivijaya led by Datu Puti led a mass migration to the central islands of the Philippines, fleeing from Rajah Makatunao of the island of Borneo. Upon reaching the island of Panay and purchasing the island from Negrito chieftain Marikudo, they established a confederation of polities and named it the Confederation of Madyaas centered in Aklan and they settled the surrounding islands of the Visayas. This confederation reached its peak under Datu Padojinog. During his reign the confederations' hegemony extended over most of the islands of Visayas. Its people consistently made piratical attacks against Chinese imperial shipping.

Around 1225, the Country of Mai, a Sinified pre-Hispanic Philippine island-state centered in Mindoro, flourished as an entrepot, this attracted traders & shipping from the Kingdom of Ryukyu to the Yamato Empire. Chao Ju-kua, a superintendent of maritime trade in Fukien province, China; wrote a book entitled Chu Fan Chih (an account of various barbarians) which described trade with this classical Philippine state.

The flag of the Sulu sultanate.

In 1380, Karim ul' Makdum and Shari'ful Hashem Syed Abu Bakr, an Arab trader born in Johore, arrived in Sulu from Malacca and established the Sultanate of Sulu. This sultanate eventually gained great wealth due to its manufacture of fine pearls. At the end of the 15th century, Shariff Mohammed Kabungsuwan of Johor introduced Islam in the island of Mindanao and he subsequently married Parmisuli, a princess from Mindanao, and established the Sultanate of Maguindanao. By the 16th century, Islam had spread to other parts of the Visayas and Luzon.

During the reign of Sultan Bolkiah in 1485 to 1521, the Sultanate of Brunei decided to break the Dynasty of Tondo's monopoly in the China trade by attacking Tondo and establishing the state of Selurong (now Manila) as a Bruneian satellite-state. A new dynasty under the Islamized Rajah Salalila was also established to challenge the House of Lakandula in Tondo. Islam was further strengthened by the arrival to the Philippines of traders and proselytizers from Malaysia and Indonesia. The multiple states competing over the limited territory and people of the islands simplified Spanish colonization by allowing its conquistadors to effectively employ a strategy of divide and conquer for rapid conquest.

Colonial Era

In 1521, Portuguese-born Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan arrived in Samar and Leyte and claimed the islands for Spain but was killed by a militia from Mactan island ruled by the datu Lapu-Lapu. The survivors of the expedition, however, returned to Spain and served as the impetus for the further discovery and conquest of the Philippine Islands.

File:LapulapuSqualluto.jpg

A statue of Datu Lapu-Lapu, a chieftain in Mactan island who led a group of warriors that killed Ferdinand Magellan on April 27, 1521. He is now regarded as the first Filipino hero.

Colonization began when Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi, arrived from Mexico in 1565 and formed the first European settlements in Cebu. In 1571, the Spanish occupied the kingdoms of Maynila and Tondo and established Manila as the capital of the Spanish East Indies. Spanish power was further consolidated after Miguel López de Legazpi's conquest of the Confederation of Madya-as, his subjugation of Rajah Tupas the King of Cebu and Juan de Salcedo's ransacking of the Chinese warlord Limahong's pirate kingdom in Pangasinan. This grab for power eventually culminated with the mass murder and exile of the royal families of the Dynasty of Tondo and the Kingdom of Maynila when the Tondo Conspiracy of 1587-1588 failed in which a planned grand alliance with the Japanese admiral Gayo, Butuan's last rajah and Brunei's Sultan Bolkieh, would have restored the old aristocracy. Its failure resulted in the hanging of Agustín de Legazpi (great grandson of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and the initiator of the plot) and the execution of Magat Salamat (the crown-prince of Tondo).

In the following years, the colony was governed as a territory of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, centered in Mexico, from 1565 to 1821 and administered directly from Spain from 1821 to 1898. Subsequently, the Aztec and Mayan mercenaries López de Legazpi brought with him eventually settled in Mexico, Pampanga where traces of Aztec and Mayan influence can still be proven by the many chico plantations in the area (chico is a fruit indigenous only to Mexico) and also by the name of the province itself.

The chico (sapodilla) is a popular fruit eaten in the Philippines. Originally, indigenous only to Aztec America; it was introduced to the country by Mexican immigrants.

The fragmented nature of the islands made it easy for Spanish colonization. The Spanish then attempted to bring political unification to the Philippine archipelago via the conquest of the various states but they were unable to subjugate the sultanates of Mindanao and the tribes and highland plutocracy of the Ifugao of Northern Luzon. The Spanish introduced elements of western civilization such as the code of law, western printing and the Gregorian calendar alongside new food resources such as maize, pineapple and chocolate from Latin America. From 1565 to 1821, the Philippines was governed from Mexico City via the Royal Audiencia of Manila, before it was administered directly from Madrid after the Mexican revolution. The Manila Galleons which linked Manila to Acapulco traveled once or twice a year between the 16th and 19th centuries. The Spanish military fought off various indigenous revolts and several external colonial challenges, especially from the British, Chinese pirates, Dutch, and Portuguese. Roman Catholic missionaries converted most of the lowland inhabitants to Christianity and founded schools, universities, and hospitals. In 1863 a Spanish decree introduced education, establishing public schooling in Spanish.

During the British occupation of 1762–1764 brought about by the Seven Years' War, General William Draper lead an army of British soldiers and Indian sepoy mercenaries against the combined Malay reserve and Chinese auxiliary forces of the Mexican-born acting Governor-General, Archbishop Manuel Rojo del Rio y Vieyra. In the process, the British liberated Sultan Azim ud-Din I of Sulu from imprisonment in Manila and supported the Vigan rebellion of the female revolutionary leader, Gabriela Silang. The warfare caused the destruction of Manila and the theft of important historical and legal documents. Nevertheless, Spanish sovereignty in the islands was returned to the new Governor designate, Brigadier Don Francisco de la Torre who arrived with dispatches from both the Spanish king and the British king following the signing of the Treaty of Paris (1763).

The Spanish eventually opened Philippine ports to world trade. Wealth increased and many filipinos, criollos and mestizos became rich. The numbers of Spanish and Latino settlers swelled, this secularized churches and government positions traditionally held by the peninsulares. The ideals of the French Revolution also began to spread through the islands; fanned by disgust over the enslavery of the local Malays, the abusive taxation levied against the principalia and sangley class and the desire of Criollos (Philippine-born Spaniards and Latinos) for democracy. Criollo insurgency resulted in the Novales mutiny, and the revolt in Cavite El Viejo in 1872 that would lead to the Philippine Revolution.

A map found on board the Na SA de Covadonga, after it was taken by Commodore Anson in 1743, showing the route of the Manila-Acapulco galleon sailing through the Philippine Islands.

An ideology of a revolution grew after colonial authorities executed three progressive secular priests, Mariano Gómez, José Burgos and Jacinto Zamora (known as Gomburza), who were accused of rebellion, in 1872. This would inspire a propaganda movement in Spain, organized by José Rizal, Marcelo H. del Pilar and Mariano Ponce, lobbying for political reforms in the Philippines. The movement produced a newspaper, La Solidaridad. Rizal, who wrote the novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, returned to the Philippines and established the organization La Liga Filipina which also called for reforms. He was exiled to Dapitan, where he met Josephine Bracken. He was executed on December 30, 1896, on charges of rebellion.

Andrés Bonifacio, meanwhile, established the secret society called the Katipunan, a society affiliated with the order of the freemasons, in 1892, which sought independence from Spain through armed revolt. Bonifacio and the Katipunan started the Philippine Revolution in 1896. A faction of the Katipunan, the Magdalo of Cavite province, eventually came to challenge Bonifacio's position as the leader of the revolution. Emilio Aguinaldo took over from Bonifacio (who was executed afterwards in one of the most infamous, tragic, and contentious incidents in Philippine history) and formed the Republic of Biak-na-Bato in 1897. A ceasefire was agreed at the Treaty of Biak-na-Bato, which led to the revolutionary leaders to depart for Hong Kong, in exile, officially ending the revolution on May 17, 1897, though rebel activities continued regardless of the treaty.

The Spanish-American War began in Cuba in 1898 and reached the Philippines after the United States invaded the islands and fought Spain in the Battle of Manila Bay. Aguinaldo collaborated with the United States, returned from exile and declared Philippine independence from Spain in Kawit, Cavite on June 12, 1898, and established the República Filipina or the Philippine Republic in Malolos, Bulacan the following year after Spain's defeat. Meanwhile, Spain ceded the islands together with Cuba, Puerto Rico and Guam, to the United States for $20 million during the Treaty of Paris. This led to the Philippine-American War, during which, Aguinaldo was captured on March 23, 1901. The war (along with the Moro Rebellion), continued until 1913. At least 34,000 Filipinos lost their lives as a direct result of the war and at least 200,000 may have died as a result of the cholera epidemic at the war's end. After two interim governing commissions, the Philippine Insular Government was established in the July, 1902 by the Philippine Organic Act, restoring civilian government after the Philippine-American War.

File:Manuel Quezon inauguration.JPG

Former politician, Manuel L. Quezon in his inauguration as President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines during the American period.

As a result of the 1916 Jones Law and the subsequent 1934 Tydings-McDuffie Act, the Philippines became a Commonwealth. The Commonwealth was officially inaugurated in November 15, 1935. Manuel L. Quezon was elected as president in 1935, with the task of preparing the country for sovereignty. During his term numerous tasks regarding agrarian reform were initiated, including the populating of Mindanao, an area considered as part of the hinterlands at the time. He also faced several challenges from leftist groups, such as the Sakdalista. Apart from this, his projects also included the establishments of a new capital and the formation of a unifying National Language.

Efforts to prepare the country for independence were hampered by the Japanese invasion during World War II. Despite an effort to defend the country in Bataan and Corregidor, the country was occupied. A puppet government nominally headed by José P. Laurel was formed and was presented as ostensibly running the country. Numerous war crimes were committed during the years of the occupation, such as those suffered by comfort women and the Bataan Death March. In exile, Quezon continued representing the Commonwealth in forums such as the Pacific War Council and the United Nations until his death in 1943. The islands were liberated in 1944–1945, beginning in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, where General Douglas MacArthur led the Allied Forces and the United States Military (U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps) and escorted Sergio Osmeña, Quezon's successor, back to the country. The liberation ended after the Battle of Manila, which killed around 100,000 people, bringing the death toll for the country to an estimated one million dead. On July 4, 1946, in the ruined Philippine capital, the United States granted the Philippines its independence from colonial rule but it still maintained the Clark Air Base and the Subic Naval Base and impressed the ratification of the Bell Trade Act that in exchange for war rebuilding funds granted the United States and Americans special economic privileges in the country that were unreciprocated and abused.

Contemporary Period

After the World War II, the Philippines faced the plague of political instability. Since 1946, remnants of the Hukbalahap communist rebel army continued to roam the rural regions, disgruntled after the government had rejected their contribution during World War II. Attempts at reconciliation were established by former President Ramón Magsaysay.

File:Edsa shrine.jpg

A statue of the Virgin Mary was built on the EDSA Shrine, after the People Power Revolution.

In 1962 Carlos P. Garcia was elected president. He was followed by Diosdado Macapagal, the 9th president of the Philippines and the first Philippine president with royal lineage tracing back to Rajah Lakandula. The 1960s was a period of economic growth for the Philippines, which developed into one of the wealthiest in Asia. Ferdinand Marcos then became president and barred from seeking a third term, he declared martial law on September 23, 1972.

File:Medal from the Order of Lakandula.jpg

A merit medal from the Order of Lakandula. A high-honor awarded by the Philippine Republic. The order was initiated by the Macapagal Presidential Family, descendants of the Tondo Dyansty's last king, Rajah Lakandula.

Using the crises of political conflicts, the tension of the Cold War, a rising Communist rebellion, an Islamic insurgency and with military support from the USA as justifications; he governed by decree (Oppression), along with his wife Imelda Marcos. After being exiled, opposition leader Benigno Aquino, Jr. (Marcos' chief rival) was assassinated at the Manila International Airport (also called the Ninoy Aquino International Airport) on August 21, 1983.

After the assasination, the People Power Revolution occurred. The people gathered and protested in EDSA, instigated by the Archbishop of Manila, Jaime Cardinal Sin, who was opposed to the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. The People Power Revolution shocked the whole world by being the first non-violent revolution caught on camera. The video footage of Nuns and children stopping war tanks using only their bodies in fervent prayer sent a powerful political message of transcendence which reverberated across the globe. Consequently, this served as an inspiration for the spread of more non-violent revolutions across the world and freeing it from the grip of the Soviet Communists and American Imperialists when the peoples oppressed by the puppet-regimes supported by the two Cold War Superpowers followed suit and threw off their own dictators in similar non-violent revolutions. Eventually this caused the end of Communist rule in Eastern Europe and the removal of US supported autocrats in Latin-America. The democratic movement eventually culminating with the fall of the Berlin Wall.

After losing the subsequent election to Corazón Aquino, the widow of Benigno Aquino and the symbol of the People Power Revolution, who became the first female president of the Philippines and the first female president in Asia; Ferdinand Marcos, a CIA supported dictator and his allies departed to Hawaii in exile aboard American military helicopters.

The return of democracy and government reforms after the events of 1986 were hampered by an IMF induced national debt, government corruption, coup attempts, a Communist insurgency and an Islamic separatist organization. Nevertheless, US Military Bases in the Philippines (The largest ever built) were shutdown and converted to Freeport Zones. Furthermore, 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.

Due to his popularity among the poor and uneducated by being a movie actor, Joseph Ejercito Estrada was elected president. The 2001 EDSA Revolution however, led to his downfall when he was found guilty of fraud and plunder.

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo took leadership in 2001 following the controversial EDSA 2 revolution and the impeachment of the Estrada government. She is contextually; a democratically elected Queen by being a daughter of a former Head of State, Diosdado Macapagal and by being a long lost descendant of Rajah Lakandula the last reigning King of the Tondo Dynasty through Don Juan Macapagal, an ancestor. Her legitimacy is furthermore cemented by having gained power by orchestrating a revolution. The Macapagal branch of the Tondo Royal family, survived the persecution of the ages by changing their surname from "Lakandula" to "Macapagal". This makes the EDSA 2 revolution the only revolution in modern history, to have resurrected an ancient but lost royal dynasty.

The presidency of Arroyo was marred by a handful of political difficulties. Terrorism in the south began to fester and move up north while an unruly military began plotting coup attempts in the capital, Manila. Several natural disasters also posed a challenge along with political controversies popping-up here and there. Yet, despite the bleak situation, positive instances did occur. The economy continued to grow and stabilize, the strongest in over twenty years, despite a financial crisis, while relations with neighboring countries continued to prosper. Two democratic elections were also held at this time.

In 2007, the World Bank has declared the Philippines a "Newly industrialized country" while the prestigious Goldman Sachs Group has predicted that the Philippines will be one of the Next Eleven economies which will shape world trade. Their prophesies proved true during the onset of the Late-2000s recession when the whole world fell victim to the economic devastation wrought by Subprime Banking mess resulting in every industrialized country having a negative growth rate. Something which the Philippines defied by predicting a positive GDP growth rate during the 2008 fiscal year. However, Corazon C. Aquino, heroine of people power, died on August 2009. Immediately, plans are underway to declare her a saint.

Politics and government

Main articles: Politics of the Philippines, President of the Philippines, and Constitution of the Philippines

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the current President of the Philippines.

File:Malacanang palace view.jpg

The Malacañang Palace is the official residence of the President of the Philippines

The Philippines has a presidential, unitary form of government (with some modification, there is one autonomous region largely free from the national government), where the President functions as both head of state and head of government and is commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The president is elected by popular vote to a single six-year term, during which time she or he appoints and presides over the cabinet.

The bicameral Congress is composed of a Senate, serving as the upper house, with members elected to a six-year term, and a House of Representatives, serving as the lower house, with members elected to a three-year term. They are elected from both legislative districts and through sectoral representation.

The judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court, composed of a Chief Justice as its presiding officer and fourteen associate justices, all appointed by the Philippine President from nominations submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council.

There have been attempts to change the government to a federal, unicameral or parliamentary government beginning in the term of Ramos up to the present administration.

Security and defense

Main articles: Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police

The BRP Rajah Humabon (PF-11) is the current flagship, and largest warship of the Armed Forces of the Philippines

Philippine defense is handled by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, which is modeled after the United States armed forces and is composed of three branches: the Air Force, the Army, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). Civilian security is handled by Philippine National Police under the DILG. In metropolitan areas, groups like the MMDA are in charge local issues, such as traffic.

In the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the largest separatist organizations, the Moro National Liberation Front and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, are actively engaging the government, seeking more rights and better autonomy for their people. Militant organizations, such as the New People's Army and the Abu Sayyaf Group, have been roaming the provinces, however their presence has decreased in recent years due to successful security provided by the Philippine government.

The Philippines has been an ally of the United States since World War II. It has supported American policies during the Cold War, and has participated in the Korean and Vietnam wars as a result of the country's involvement with SEATO, a group that includes Australia, France, New Zealand, Pakistan, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States. After the start of the War on Terror, there has been additional support from the United States military. The country is currently working with the United States, through a visiting forces agreement, with the intention of ending the insurgency in the country. The Philippines also has a military agreement with Australia. Other important military allies include Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom and Vietnam.

International relations

Main article: Foreign relations of the Philippines

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The Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C., United States.

The Philippines' international relations is focused on its ideals of democracy, peace and trade with other nations, as well as the well-being of the 11 million Overseas Filipinos living outside the country. It has aligned itself with several nations around the world including its Southeast Asian and Asia-Pacific neighbors, the United States, the Middle East, the Vatican and other countries.

As a founding and active member of the United Nations, the Philippines has been elected several times into the Security Council. Carlos P. Romulo was a former President of the United Nations General Assembly. The country is also an active participant in the Human Rights Council as well as in peacekeeping missions, particularly in East Timor. Aside from the United Nations, the country is also a founding and active member of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) with the intention of strengthening relations with its Southeast Asian neighbors and promoting economic and cultural growth between member states. It has hosted several summits and is an active contributor to the direction and policies of the bloc. The current relations it enjoys with other Southeast Asian states is in contrast with its relations with them before the 1970s when it was at war with Vietnam and was heavily disputing Sabah with Malaysia, although misunderstandings between these states continue to exist due to the Spratly Islands.

The Philippines values its relations with the United States, and has actively supported most of the other's policies with regards to foreign affairs As a Major non-NATO ally, the country supported the United States during the Cold War and the War on Terror. It has also committed itself to promote the American ideals of democracy. Despite this history of goodwill, controversy continues to exist between the relations of the two nations, with varying issues such as the Philippine-American War, the Bell Trade Act, the presence of U.S. military bases in Subic Bay and Clark, and the Visiting Forces Agreement. Japan is also treated as an ally due to the Official Development Assistance given to the people, although historical tensions exist due to the plight of comfort women.

Relations with Spain, Europe and Latin America remained positive due to shared interests. Despite the threat of violence (such as domestic abuse and war) on Overseas Filipino Workers, particularly on domestic workers, relations with Middle Eastern countries (including Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) continue to be friendly as proven by the continuous employment of more than two million Overseas Filipinos living there. Recent foreign policy has been mostly about economic relations with its Southeast Asian and Asia-Pacific neighbors.

The Philippines is a member of the East Asia Summit (EAS), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Latin Union, the Group of 24 and the Non-Aligned Movement. It is also seeking to strengthen relations with Islamic countries by campaigning for observer status in the Organization of Islamic Conference.

Administrative divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of the Philippines

Provinces and regions of the Philippines.

The Philippines is divided into three island groups: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. These are divided into 17 regions, 80 provinces, 120 cities, 1,511 municipalities and 42,008 barangays. In addition, the Section 2 of Republic Act No. 5446 asserts that the country has acquired islands from Sabah formerly (North Borneo).

Region	Designation	Regional center
Ilocos Region	Region I	San Fernando, La Union
Cagayan Valley	Region II	Tuguegarao, Cagayan
Central Luzon	Region III	San Fernando, Pampanga
CALABARZON	Region IV-A	Calamba City, Laguna
MIMAROPA	Region IV-B	Calapan, Oriental Mindoro
Bicol Region	Region V	Legazpi, Albay
Western Visayas	Region VI	Iloilo City
Central Visayas	Region VII	Cebu City
Eastern Visayas	Region VIII	Tacloban
Zamboanga Peninsula	Region IX	Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur
Northern Mindanao	Region X	Cagayan de Oro City
Davao Region	Region XI	Davao City
SOCCSKSARGEN	Region XII	Koronadal, South Cotabato
Caraga	Region XIII	Butuan
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao	ARMM	Cotabato City
Cordillera Administrative Region	CAR	Baguio
National Capital Region	NCR	Manila

Geography

Main article: Geography of the Philippines

Mount Apo in Mindanao.

Chocolate Hills in Bohol.

The Philippines constitutes an archipelago of 7,107 islands with a total land area of approximately 300,000 square kilometres (116,000 square miles). It is located between 116° 40', and 126° 34' E. longitude and 4° 40' and 21° 10' N. latitude and borders the Philippine Sea on the east, the South China Sea on the west, and the Celebes Sea on the south. The island of Borneo is located a few hundred kilometres southwest and Taiwan is located directly to the north. The Moluccas and Sulawesi are located to the south-southwest and Palau is located to the east of the islands.

Mayon Volcano in Luzon.

Most of the mountainous islands were covered in tropical rainforest and are volcanic in origin. The highest mountain is Mount Apo, located in Mindanao measuring at 2,954 metres (9,692 ft) above sea level. There are many active volcanos such as the Mayon Volcano, Mount Pinatubo and Taal Volcano. The islands are also located within the typhoon belt of the Western Pacific, and approximately 19 typhoons strike per year.

Located on the northwestern fringes of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines have experienced frequent seismic and volcanic activities. Around 20 earthquakes are registered daily, though most are too weak to be felt. The last major earthquake was the 1990 Luzon earthquake.

The longest river is the Cagayan River in northern Luzon. Manila Bay is connected to Laguna de Bay by means of the Pasig River. Subic Bay, the Davao Gulf and the Moro Gulf are some of the important bays. Traversing the San Juanico Strait is the San Juanico Bridge that connects the islands of Samar, and Leyte.

Natural resources

Main article: Ecoregions in the Philippines

The Philippine Eagle is a bird of prey found in the rainforests of the islands.

The Philippines has abundant natural resources in areas such as agriculture, natural beauty and minerals. It has fertile lands, diverse flora and fauna, extensive coastlines and rich mineral deposits.

Endemic species include the tamaraw of Mindoro and the tarsier of Bohol. The Philippines lacks predators, with the exception of snakes, such as pythons and cobras, and birds of prey, such as the national bird, known as the Philippine eagle. Other native animals include the palm civet cat, the Mouse deer, the Visayan warty pig, and several species of bats.

Rainforests boast an array of flora, including several types of orchids and rafflesia. The narra is considered as the most important type of hardwood while banyan trees or the balete. The islands' major crops include rice, corn, sugarcane, coconut, abaca, and tobacco. Rice is the most important source of food along with corn. The coconut, mango, watermelon and other native fruits are important contributors to the nation's income.

Due to the volcanic nature of the islands, mineral deposits are abundant. This also allows the Philippines to become a powerhouse with regards to geothermal energy. A notable example of the volcanic features of the islands include the Benham Plateau to the east, a region active in tectonic subduction.

The Philippine territorial waters encompass as much as 1.67 million square kilometres, producing a unique and diverse marine life, an important part of the Coral Triangle. There are 2,400 fish species. Other marine products include corals, pearls, crabs and seaweeds. The rain forests offer prime habitat for more than 530 species of birds, some 800 species of orchids, and some 8,500 species of flowering plants.

Deforestation is acute in Southeast Asia, the second of the world's great biodiversity hot spots. The forest cover of the Philippines declined from 70% of the country's total land area in 1900 to about 18.3% in 1999.

Climate

Main article: Climate of the Philippines

The Philippines has a tropical climate and is usually hot and humid. The average yearly temperature is around 26.5°C (79.7°F). 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 "Tag-lamig" (the cold season from December to February). The southwest monsoon (from May to October) is known as the "Habagat" and the dry winds of the northeast monsoon (from November to April) as the "Amihan". The coolest month is January, and the warmest is May. Both temperature and humidity levels reach the maximum in April and May. Manila and most of the lowland areas are hot and dusty from March to May. Even at this period, the temperatures rarely rise above 37°C and sea-level temperatures rarely fall below 27°C. Annual rainfall measures as much as 5,000 millimeters in the mountainous east coast section but less than 1,000 millimetres in some of the sheltered valleys. Sitting astride the typhoon belt, most of the islands experience annual torrential rains and thunderstorms from July to October.

Economy

Main article: Economy of the Philippines

The skyline of Ortigas Center in the foreground with Makati City in the background on the left.

The Philippines is a newly industrialized country, with an economy anchored on agriculture but with substantial contributions from manufacturing, mining, remittances from overseas Filipinos and service industries such as tourism, and business process outsourcing. Goldman Sachs includes the country in its list of the "Next Eleven" economies.

The Makati City skyline

In the 1960s, the country was regarded as the second wealthiest in Asia, next to Japan. However, the leadership of Ferdinand Marcos proved disastrous, by transforming the market economy into a centrally planned economy. The country suffered from slow economic growth and bouts of economic recession. Only in the 1990s with a program of economic liberalization did the economy begin to recover.

File:Monument To Immortality.jpg

The Philippine Stock Exchange with the statue of martyred Filipino opposition leader during the Marcos dictatorship, Benigno S. Aquino, Jr.

The Asian Financial Crisis affected the economy to an extent, resulting in a lingering decline of the value of the peso and falls in the stock market, although the extent to which it was affected was not as severe as that of its Asian neighbors. This is largely due to the fiscal conservatism of the government partly as a result of decades of monitoring and fiscal supervision from the International Monetary Fund, in comparison to the massive spending of its neighbors on the rapid acceleration of economic growth. By 2004, the economy experienced six percent growth in gross domestic product and 7.3% in 2007.

The Philippine economy is heavily reliant on remittances as a source of foreign currency, surpassing foreign direct investment. China and India have emerged as major economic competitors, siphoning away investors who would otherwise have invested their businesses, particularly telecommunication companies. Regional development is also somewhat uneven, with Luzon, and Metro Manila in particular gaining most of the new economic growth at the expense of the other regions, although the government has taken steps to distribute economic growth by promoting investment in other areas of the country.

The Philippines is a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It is also a member of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Colombo Plan and the G-77 and other International organization. The daily income for 45% of the population of the Philippines is less than US$ 2.

Demographics

Main articles: Demographics of the Philippines, Filipino people, and Overseas Filipino

Population growth of the Philippines.

Map of the dominant ethnicities of the Philippines by province.

The first official census in the Philippines was carried out in 1878. As of December 31, 1877, the country's population was recorded at 5,567,685 persons. By 2009, the Philippines has become the world's 12th most populous nation, with a population of over 92 million. An estimated figure of half of the population resides on the island of Luzon. Manila, the capital city, is the eleventh most populous metropolitan area in the world. The population of Greater Manila Area is around 20 million. Life expectancy is 71.09 years, with 74.15 years for females and 68.17 years for males. Population growth rate between 1995 to 2000 was 3.21% but has decreased to an estimated 1.95% for the 2005 to 2010 period.

There are about 11 million Filipinos outside the Philippines. Since the liberalization of United States immigration laws in 1965, the number of people in the United States having Filipino ancestry had grown substantially to 3.1 million according to the 2007 United States census. According to the US Census Bureau, immigrants from the Philippines made up the second largest group after Mexico. Some 2 million Filipinos work in the Middle East, with nearly a million in Saudi Arabia alone.

Ethnicity

Main article: Ethnic groups of the Philippines

Filipinos belong to several Asian ethnic groups, grouped within the Malay or Malayo-Polynesian speaking people, who speak Austronesian languages. They originated from a population of Taiwanese aborigines, that migrated to the Philippines thousands of years ago from Taiwan, and brought with them knowledge of agriculture and ocean-sailing technology. Various people of different races and nationalities have intermarried with various indigenous ethnic groups. Their descendants are known as mestizos. The official population of all types of mixed blood individuals living in the country remain unknown. The islands are composed of a multitude of different ethnic groups and cultures. These include non-tribal peoples such as the Visayan, the Tagalog, comprising about one-fifth of the country’s total population, the Ilocano, the Moro, the Kapampangan, the Bicolano, the Pangasinense, the Ibanag and the Ivatan. Indigenous peoples are also present including the Igorot, the Lumad, the Mangyan, the Badjao, and the tribes of Palawan. Negritos, such as the Aeta and the Ati, are considered the aboriginal inhabitants of the islands and are estimated to number around 300,000 people (0.3%). Migrant ethnic groups who have settled in the country from elsewhere include Chinese, Spanish, Americans, Arabs, British, Europeans, Indonesians, Japanese, Koreans, and South Asians. Chinese Filipinos number about 2 million.

Cities

The figure below shows the top twenty largest cities in the Philippines.

Largest cities in the Philippines 2020 Philippine census of population and housing
	Rank	Name	Region	Pop.	Rank	Name	Region	Pop.
Quezon City Manila	1	Quezon City	National Capital Region	2,960,048	11	Valenzuela	National Capital Region	714,978	Davao City Caloocan
	2	Manila	National Capital Region	1,846,513	12	Dasmariñas	Calabarzon	703,141
	3	Davao City	Davao Region	1,776,949	13	General Santos	Soccsksargen	697,315
	4	Caloocan	National Capital Region	1,661,584	14	Parañaque	National Capital Region	689,992
	5	Taguig	National Capital Region	1,261,738	15	Bacoor	Calabarzon	664,625
	6	Zamboanga City	Zamboanga Peninsula	977,234	16	San Jose del Monte	Central Luzon	651,813
	7	Cebu City	Central Visayas	964,169	17	Las Piñas	National Capital Region	606,293
	8	Antipolo	Calabarzon	887,399	18	Bacolod	Negros Island Region	600,783
	9	Pasig	National Capital Region	803,159	19	Muntinlupa	National Capital Region	543,445
	10	Cagayan de Oro	Northern Mindanao	728,402	20	Calamba	Calabarzon	539,671

Language

Native Languages (2000)
Tagalog	22 million
Cebuano	20 million
Ilokano	7.7 million
Hiligaynon	7 million
Waray-Waray	3.1 million
Kapampangan	2.9 million
Bicol Central	2.5 million
Chavacano creoles	2.5 million
Pangasinan	2.4 million
Bicol Albay	1.2 million
Maranao	1.2 million
Maguindanao	1.1 million
Kinaray-A	1.1 million
Tausug	1 million
Surigaonon	0.6 million
Masbateño	0.5 million
Aklanon	0.5 million
Ibanag	0.3 million

Main article: Languages of the Philippines

Over 180 native languages and dialects are spoken in the Philippines. They are part of the Borneo-Philippines group of the Malayo-Polynesian languages, which is itself a branch of the Austronesian language family.

According to the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Filipino and English are the official languages. Filipino is a de facto version of Tagalog, spoken mainly in Metro Manila and other urban regions. Both Tagalog and English are used in government, education, print, broadcast media and business. Major languages recognized in the constitution include Bicolano, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Kapampangan, Pangasinan, Tagalog and Waray-Waray. Spanish and Arabic are recognized as voluntary and optional languages.

Other languages such as Aklanon, Boholano, Chavacano, Zamboangueño, Cuyonon, Ifugao, Itbayat, Ivatan, Kalinga, Kamayo, Kankana-ey, Kinaray-a, Maguindanao, Maranao, Masbatenyo, Romblomanon, Surigaonon, Tausug, Yakan and several Visayan languages are dominant in their respective provinces.

Religion

Main article: Religion in the Philippines

The Basilica Minore de San Sebastián is a Catholic church that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Philippines is one of two predominantly Roman Catholic countries in Asia, the other being East Timor. It is composed of several diocese and archdiocese. More than 90% of the population are Christians. About 80% belong to the Roman Catholic Church while the remaining 10% belong to other Christian denominations, such as the Philippine Independent Church, Iglesia ni Cristo, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Seventh-day Adventist Church, United Church of Christ and the Orthodox Church.

Several Baroque churches are included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the San Agustín Church in Manila, the Paoay Church in Ilocos Norte, the Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (Santa María) Church in Ilocos Sur, the Santo Tomás de Villanueva Church in Iloilo and the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño in Cebu.

Between 5% to 10% of the population are Muslim, most of whom live in parts of Mindanao, Palawan and the Sulu Archipelago, an area known as Bangsamoro or the Moro region. Some have migrated into urban and rural areas in different parts of the country. Most Muslim Filipinos practice Shafi'i, a form of Sunni Islam, while other tribal groups such as the Bajau, practice a form mixed with Animism.

Philippine traditional religions are still practiced by many aboriginal and tribal groups, often syncretized with Christianity and Islam. Animism, Folk religion and Shamanism remain present as undercurrents of mainstream religion, through the albularyo, the babaylan and the manghihilot. Meanwhile, Buddhism, Taoism and Chinese folk religion, are dominant in Chinese communities.

Those belonging to the Bahá'í Faith, Hinduism, Judaism, or those with other spiritual beliefs, and those with no religion form the remaining minority.

Education

Main article: Education in the Philippines

File:UST Main Bldg Facade.jpg

The University of Santo Tomas, founded in 1611 is one of the Philippines' oldest universities.

Education in the Philippines is mostly Westernized, based on the American education system. Philippine DepEd reports a functional literacy rate of 84.1% for 2003. Other agencies are much more optimistic. Literacy is about equal for males and females. Spending for education composes 2.5% of the GDP. There were 42,152 elementary schools and 8,455 high schools registered with DepEd for school year 2006–2007. Classes start in June and end in March. The majority of colleges and universities follow a semester calendar from June to October and November to March. There are a number of foreign schools with study programs. The general pattern of formal education follows six stages:

• Preschool
• Elementary school
• High school
• Post-secondary education
• Graduate education
• Adult education

The Department of Education (DepEd), formerly (DECS), covers elementary, secondary, and non-formal education, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) administers the post-secondary, middle-level education training and development, while the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) supervises the college as well as graduate academic programs and degrees as well as regulate standards in higher education.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Main article: Transportation in the Philippines

Jeepneys were originally made from U.S. military jeeps left over from World War II.

In spite of the mountainous terrain, approximately 14 percent of the 158,810 kilometres (98,110 miles) of roads in the Philippines are paved. Buses, jeepneys, taxis, tricycles and motorcycles are available when getting around the major cities and towns. In 2007, there are about 5.53 million registered motor vehicles and an average annual registration rate of 4.55%.

Train service is provided by the Strong Republic Transit System, which unified the three main railway networks that provide service of different areas of Metro Manila, and parts of Luzon, that includes the Manila Light Rail Transit System (LRT), the Manila Metro Rail Transit System (MRT) and the Philippine National Railways (PNR).

File:PAL 747&320.jpg

Philippine Airlines is the first commercial airline in Asia.

Seaports can be found throughout the islands. The busiest seaports are Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, Davao, Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga, which are parts of the 3,219 kilometre of waterways and seaports. Passenger ships and other sea vessels such as Superferry, Negros Navigation and Sulpicio Lines serves Manila, with links to various cities and towns. In 2003, the 919-kilometres Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH) was established and this is an integrated set of highway segments and ferry routes covering 17 cities.

Rivers, such as the Pasig River and Marikina River, have air-conditioned commuter ferries run by the Pasig River Ferry Service, connecting their numerous tributaries in Manila, Makati City, Mandaluyong City, Pasig City and Marikina City.

There are 262 airports in the country, 75 of which have runways. The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is the main airport. Other important airports include the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, Mactan-Cebu International Airport and Francisco Bangoy International Airport. Philippine Airlines, Asia's oldest commercial airline still operating under its original name and Cebu Pacific, the leading domestic airline, are the major airlines serving most domestic and international destinations.

Communications

Main articles: Communications in the Philippines, Internet in the Philippines, and Social networking in the Philippines

The Philippines has one of the most sophisticated cellular phone industries in the world and one of the highest concentrations of users. Telecommunications are dominated by the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company, which is also the largest company in the country. Globe Telecom, Smart Communications and Sun Cellular on the other hand, are three of its largest cellular service providers.

There are an estimated 41,000,000 cellular phone users, the reason that the Philippines has been named as the "Texting Capital of the World", and the ownership rate is increasing. Text messaging has fostered a culture of quick greetings, and forwarded jokes among the Filipinos. Out of this growing number of avid texters, 5,500,000 of them use their cellular phones as virtual wallets, making it a leader among developing nations in providing financial transactions over cellular networks. In 2007, The nation sent an average of 1 billion SMS messages per day.

There are approximately 381 AM and 628 FM radio stations and 250 national and 1,501 cable television stations. Internet penetration in the Philippines has reached around 24.5% of the population representing about 24 million people or 2.9% of all internet users in Asia. Social networking and MMORPGs, are among the most frequent internet activities.

Culture and society

An Ifugao (Malayo-Polynesian) sculpture.

An Ifugao house in the traditional Pre-Classical style.

Islamic instruments of gongs and a drum that make up the Philippine kulintang ensemble, an example of pre-Hispanic musical tradition.

Main articles: Culture of the Philippines, Literature of the Philippines, Music of the Philippines, and Original Pilipino Music

Philippine culture is a combination of Eastern and Western cultures. The Philippines shares many aspects with other Asian countries, with traditional Malay culture being its prime heritage, yet it also displays significant amount of Spanish, and American influences. These Hispanic influences are evident in literature, folk music, folk dance, language, food, art, and religion.

Traditional festivities known as barrio fiestas (district festivals) to commemorate the feast days of patron saints are common. The Moriones Festival and Sinulog Festival are a couple of the most well-known. These community celebrations are times for feasting, music, and dancing. Some traditions, however, are changing or gradually being forgotten due to modernization. The Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company has been lauded for preserving many of the various traditional folk dances found throughout the Philippines. They are famed for their iconic performances of Philippine dances such as the tinikling and singkil that both feature the use of clashing bamboo poles.

One of the most visible Hispanic legacies is the prevalence of Spanish surnames and names among Filipinos. This peculiarity, unique among the people of Asia, came as a result of a colonial decree, the Clavería edict, for the systematic distribution of family names and implementation of the Spanish naming system on the population. A Spanish name and surname among the majority of Filipinos does not always denote Spanish ancestry. The majority of street names, towns and provinces are in Spanish. Spanish architecture made somewhat of an imprint in the Philippines, but many buildings bearing that influence were demolished during World War II. The remaining influences can be seen in the country's churches, government buildings, and universities. Many Hispanic-styled houses and buildings are preserved, like the towns in Vigan among others.

The use of the English language in the Philippines is the United States' most visible legacy. It has contributed to the influence of American pop cultural trends. This is seen in Filipinos' love of fast food, film and music. Fast food outlets are found on many street corners. American global fast food chain stalwarts have entered the market like McDonald's, those of Yum! Brands, Starbucks, and Burger King among others. However, local fast food chains have emerged, and successfully compete against their foreign rivals including Goldilocks and most notably Jollibee the leading fast food chain in the country. Modern day Filipinos also listen and watch contemporary European and American music and film. However, Original Pilipino Music (also known as OPM) and local films are also appreciated.

Cuisine

Main article: Filipino cuisine

The Halo-halo is a dessert made of ice, milk, various fruits and ice cream.

Filipino cuisine has evolved over several centuries from its Malayo-Polynesian origins to become a mixed cuisine with many Hispanic, Chinese, American, and other Asian influences. These influences have been adapted to local ingredients and the Filipino palate to create distinctively Filipino dishes.

Dishes range from the very simple, like a meal of fried salted fish and rice, to the highly elaborate, such as the paellas and cocidos created for fiestas. Popular dishes include lechón, adobo, sinigang, kare-kare, tapa, crispy pata, pancit, lumpia, and halo-halo.

Unlike many of their Asian counterparts, Filipinos do not eat with chopsticks. They use western cutlery. However, possibly due to rice being the primary staple food and the popularity of a large number of stews or broth based main dishes in Filipino cuisine, the main pairing of utensils seen at the Filipino dining table is that of spoon and fork, not knife and fork. The traditional way of eating with the hands known as kamayan is seen more often in less urbanized areas.

Mythology and literature

Main articles: Philippine literature and Philippine mythology

Philippine mythology has been handed down through Philippine folk literature, which is the traditional oral literature of the Filipino people. This refers to a wide range of material due to the ethnic mix of the Philippines. Each unique ethnic group has its own stories and myths to tell. Nonetheless, Hindu and Spanish influence can be detected in many cases. Many of the myths are creation stories or stories about supernatural creatures, such as the Aswang (Vampire), the Diwata (Fairy), and Nature. The most recognized Philippine mythologies include the Ibong Adarna, Bernardo Carpio, Lam-Ang and Urduja.

In Philippine literature, Francisco Balagtas the writer of Florante at Laura is recognized as one of the Philippines' preeminent writers. José Rizal wrote Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not), and El Filibusterismo (The Reign of Greed) in which he depicted the abuses of Spanish rule in his work and is considered a national hero for inspiring other Philippine revolutionaries to seek independence. Fernando María Guerrero is a noted poet. In more recent times, works such as Dekada '70 and Bayan Ko (My Country), have received national recognition for illustrating the martial law period of the 1970s and the pre-colonial period. Contemporary literature has mostly been focused on humor and everyday life, such as the works of Bob Ong.

Media

Main articles: Cinema of the Philippines, Television in the Philippines, and Philippine drama

Philippine media uses mainly Filipino (a de facto version of Tagalog) and English. Other Philippine languages, including various Visayan languages are also used in the media. Radio is currently the most accessible type of media due to the remoteness of certain rural locations and most local languages are broadcasted in this format.

The entertainment industry is vibrant with scandals and issues among celebrities, which are written in most broadsheets and tabloids. Drama and fantasy shows are anticipated in major television networks such as ABS-CBN, GMA Network and TV5, so are Latin telenovelas, Asianovelas and anime. Daytime television is dominated by game shows, variety shows, and talk shows such as Eat Bulaga, Game KNB? and Wowowee. Philippine cinema is also appreciated, but has faced competition from American and European films. Despite this, critically praised directors and actors remain active, including Mike de Leon, Lino Brocka, Judy Ann Santos, Vilma Santos and Nora Aunor (known for her role in Himala, the most critically acclaimed film in the nation).

Sports and recreation

Main article: Sports in the Philippines

A sepak takraw ball made out of rattan. Also used for the national sport sipa.

File:Purefoodsvsredbullgamefour.jpg

A professional basketball game being played between the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants and Barako Bull Energy Boosters.

Various sports are played in the Philippines including basketball, boxing, volleyball, badminton, billiards, football (soccer), ten-pin bowling and sipa.

Basketball is played at both amateur and professional levels and is considered to be the most popular sport in the Philippines. In almost every corner of the cities, there is a basketball court as it is the favorite recreational activity by Filipinos.

Basketball, boxing, billiards, soccer, horse racing, chess and ten-pin bowling are the most watched sports. Philippine sports have produced several sports heroes, such as Francisco Guilledo, Flash Elorde, and Manny Pacquiao in boxing, Paulino Alcántara in football (soccer), Carlos Loyzaga, Robert Jaworski and Ramon Fernandez in basketball, Efren Reyes in billiards, Eugene Torre in chess, and Rafael Nepomuceno in bowling. Motocross, figure skating, cycling and mountaineering have become popular.

Traditional Filipino sports are popular, among the youth, primarily as children's games, such as luksung baka, patintero, piko, and tumbang preso. Sungka, while not as popular as it once was, is still viewed as a significant part of the traditional native Filipino games. Card games are popular during festivities, with some, including pusoy and tong-its, being used as a form of illegal gambling. Mahjong is played in some Filipino communities. The yo-yo a popular toy with roots in the Philippines was introduced internationally by Pedro Flores with its name from the Ilokano language.

Arnis and eskrima are Filipino martial arts.

Gallery

Panoramic view of the Banaue Rice Terraces.

See also

Main article: Outline of the Philippines

• List of Philippines-related topics

External links

Government

• Official website of the Philippine Government – Portal to governmental sites
• Chief of State and Cabinet Members

General information

• BBC Country Profile on the Philippines
• "Philippines". The World Factbook (2024 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency.
• Philippines from the United States Department of State includes Background Notes, Country Study and major report
• Philippines at UCB Libraries GovPubs
• Template:Dmoz
• Wikimedia Atlas of Philippines
• Philippines, an external wiki
• See Action For Economic Reforms to know about economic and social issues in the Philippines

Maps

• WikiSatellite view of Philippines at WikiMapia

Other

• Washington Post's: How the Philippines Sees America
• Philippines Daily Photos
• Origins of the Filipinos and Their Languages by Wilhelm G. Solheim II (PDF)
• History of the Philippine Islands in many volumes, from Project Gutenberg (and indexed under Emma Helen Blair, the general editor)
• WikiAnswers: Q&A about the Philippines
• Asia Philippines PHOTOS
• USAID country health statistical report : Philippines (May 2008)
• Template:Wikitravel
• WOW Philippines Tourism Ad
• Around Philippines PHOTOS

Wikimedia

• Wikimedia Philippines