Geography
The Republic of the
Philippines lies north of the equator, at approximately the 25th
degree of latitude. It is composed of 7,107 islands, comprising a total area
of 296,912 square kilometers, approximately the size of the state of Arizona
only the islands are spread over a larger territory. It is bounded by the
China Sea to the west, the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Celebes Sea to the
south, and the Balintang Channel to the north. The Philippines’ largest
cities are Manila, Quezon City, Davao, and Cebu. The Philippines can be
roughly divided into three main islands: Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.
Luzon is the largest and most populous island in the archipelago. Metro
Manila, which is home to over ten million Filipinos, is located there. With
its strategic marine location, Manila contains one of the best harbors in the
Philippines and is considered the most logical location for the national
government and the center of commerce. Quezon City is the capital of the
Philippines and Baguio City is the officially designated summer capital. One
of the largest and most contemporary city networks in Asia, Metro Manila
contains ten cities: Coloocan, Las Pinas, Makati, Malabon, Manila, Muntinlupa,
Paranaque, Pasay, Quezon, and San Juan.
Mountain ranges separate provinces both inland and along the coasts. The
Cordillera mountain ranges run through Luzon, demonstrating sharp contrast
with the green foothills and coastal plains.
Many islands are
mountainous and there is potential for volcanic and earthquake activity
throughout the country. In 1991,
Mt. Pinatubo, dormant for 600 years, erupted violently and buried
entire villages, destroyed agricultural lands and schools, and almost
completely covered U.S. Clark Air Base with lava and ash. Global weather
patterns were affected by this eruption throughout 1993.
The Philippines has one
of the worst killer volcanoes in the world, the Taal Volcano. Geologists call
this volcano “Small but Terrible” because it has already killed thousands of
inhabitants. The Philippines is included in the Pacific Ring of Fire. In
fact, the Philippines has more than 200 volcanoes although only 21 are still
considered active.
Climate
The Philippines’ climate is composed of a rainy season and a dry season. The
rainy season spans from June through October. Strong winds from the Pacific
Ocean and the China Sea bring heavy rain to the country almost daily which can
cause severe flooding. The strongest rains occur in the central and western
parts of the country. Rainy season is also known as typhoon season bringing
as many as 15 typhoons to the country each year. Typhoons, usually
originating out of the Pacific Ocean, contain destructive winds and torrential
rains. As typhoons make landfall and move across the country, they can
destroy crops and sink boats.
Starting in either December or January, skies usually become clear and the dry
season begins. Temperatures become extremely hot, usually by April or May, and
the people become anxious again for rain. Mindanao is the only island in the
country that has even rainfall throughout the year. The lowlands are
consistently hot and humid throughout the year. In contrast, the mountains
can be quite cool, particularly at night.
Population
The Philippines has a population of over 80 million people. Its population
growth rate has been estimated at 2.71 per annum, the highest growth rate in
Asia. The population can be divided into three religious groups: Christians,
Muslims, and indigenous Animists. Over 90 percent of the population is
Christian, the majority of which are farmers and fishermen. The Tagalogs are
a group who live in southern and central Luzon. Visayan speaking groups
predominate in the Central Philippines. Migrants from Luzon and the Visayas
have established settlements in Mindanao.
Muslim
Filipinos sometimes called Moros, live in Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago.
Other Muslims such as the Tausog, Samal, Maguindanao, and the Maranao live
either by the sea or on the flood plains. The indigenous Animists inhabit the
less accessible parts of the country and are made up of several groups. There
are the sturdy groups of the Cordillera Mountains, such as the Ifugao and
Kalinga; the reserved group called Aeta, who live in the mountains and seaside
caves; and the T’boli, who live in the Mindanao fields; the Mangyan from
Mindoro.
Apart
from the indigenous people, very few Filipinos can claim pure ethnic descent.
Most have inherited Chinese, Indian, Spanish, and Japanese genes from their
ancestors. Intermarriages are common, and the offspring of these marriages
are called mestizos.
The Philippines has a rich cultural heritage.
Although Philippine culture displays an Asian character, it also reveals a
strikingly western appearance. A high percentage of Filipinos speak English,
embrace Christianity, and vote for a democratic government. They are
naturally friendly, hospitable, and united despite their diverse origins from
77 ethno-linguistic groups.
Government
The Republic of the
Philippines has 76 provinces, which are divided into municipalities. The
central government is led by the president. Congress consists of a 200-seat
House of Representatives and a 24-seat Senate. Most government offices are in
Quezon City, the capital named after Manuel Quezon, the first president of the
country when it became a U.S. commonwealth in 1935. The voting age is 15 for
local elections and 18 for national elections. There are two major political
parties, the Liberal and the Nationalista.
Economy
The Philippines’ economy is based on agriculture, which employs 45 percent of
the labor force and accounts for about one-third of all exports. The most
important crops include rice, corn, coconut, sugar cane, abaca, and tobacco.
In addition to agricultural products, the country exports electronics,
clothing, minerals, and chemicals. Despite problems, the economy began to show
strong growth by 1994. Tax and investment reforms are attracting investment.
The currency is the Philippine peso (P). Even with literacy at 94.6 percent,
the country is unable to sustain steady economic growth and cannot generate
enough jobs.
History
The Republic of the Philippines was not the nation as we
know today for most of its history. The Philippines’ history is the story of
the gradual blending of the original island people merging their way of life
with foreign people and ideas that arrived on their soil. Chinese merchants
linked the islanders into a broader network of people and introduced more
intricate ways of doing business. Arabs introduced the islanders to the
Muslim religion during the 14th century. Spanish explorers
colonized, converted, and brought Catholicism to the Philippines over four
centuries ago. In 1898, as a defeat in the Spanish-American War, Spain ceded
control of the Philippines to the U.S. The Philippine-American war followed
shortly as the Filipinos fought desperately for their independence. This
bloody war lasted for two years. The Americans changed the Philippines and
extended colonialism for over 40 years, but introduced constitutional
democracy. The Commonwealth of the Philippines, under Filipino President
Manuel L. Quezon, was established in 1935. On December 8, 1941, Japan bombed
Manila and World War II came to the Islands. A subsequent Japanese occupation
proved to be very harsh.
In October 1944, General Douglas MacArthur liberated the Philippines from
Japanese rule. The Philippines gained independence on July 4, 1946. Manuel
Roxas was the first President. Following
independence, the Philippine relationship with the United States remained
complex. Many citizens wanted the Philippines to be a state of the United
States, but others felt that the U.S. already dominated too much in the
country. Independence has been difficult but the state of the current republic
is etched with courage, heroism, persistence, and patience. The outcome is
the modern Republic of the Philippines and the proud people that we see today.
Religion
The
Filipinos have embraced two of the great religions of the world – Islam and
Christianity. Islam was introduced during the 14th century,
shortly after the expansion of Arab commercial ventures in Southeast Asia.
Foreigners who intend to go to the southern region of the Philippines should
realize that they are in the Muslim region of the country. The Spaniards
introduced Christianity in 1521. Since then, the country has been
predominately Catholic. The Protestant religion has existed in the country
since 1899.
Locally, two Filipino independent churches were organized at the turn of
the 20th century. These are the Aglipayans and the Iglesia ni
Cristo. Recently, the Aglipayans signed a covenant with the Anglican Church
as one. The Iglesia ni Cristo has expanded its membership considerably. In
fact, the Iglesia ni Cristo Church with its towering architecture, is a
prodigious sight in most major cities, towns, and provincial capitals of the
country.
Customs
Folk Customs
In general, the Filipinos are a cordial people. Westerners may prefer to get
straight to the point, but Filipinos enjoy small talk and refreshments prior
to getting down to business. Establishing personal relationships and the
right atmosphere for negotiations is important. Filipinos generally seek
group consensus in making any final decisions, with the biggest influence
coming from older generation. People place a lot of value in their
self-esteem or amor propio, and get intimidated when criticized in
front of other people. The preferred way to deal with people is to point out
their mistakes in private and close cheerfully by inquiring about the family.
Marriage
Individual Filipinos choose their marriage partners, but with family
approval. The first step to a wedding is a formal proposal initiated by a
go-between, a mutual relative of both families. A party is usually held to
which relatives, sponsors, and a few friends are invited. Traditionally, the
groom’s family shoulders the wedding expenses. The wedding is conducted in a
church, and a reception immediately follows. The first music piece is meant
for the bride and groom, and relatives of both parties pin peso notes on the
couple. The paper notes pinned on the outfits of the bride and groom are
eventually collected and added to wedding gifts, to signal the beginning of
married life. Marriage is viewed as a permanent contract – an inviolable
social institution.
Birth
Birth is normally a much-awaited event in the family as they speculate on the
baby’s gender and name. Uncles, aunts, and parents all help to derive a
baby’s name. Most women in rural areas give birth at home aided by a
midwife. The first religious ritual for the baby born into a Catholic family
is baptism. Sponsors are contacted as godparents who become counselors and
take over the upbringing of the child should parents lose their ability to do
so. The parents will raise the baby with love and tender care. Emotional
support and affectionate touching are abundant as the child grows.
Dating and Courtship
A well-bred young lady from the city may show disinterest when a man woos her
with flowers and chocolates and may even ignore him to test his sincerity. In
the province, a young man may serenade a young woman by singing beneath a
window on a moonlit night. When everything is right between the man and woman
and they decide they are ready, they will tell their family and friends about
their romance and begin a courtship. Courting a young lady is to court her
family as well. Modern romance allows solo dating, but a young lady may bring
a chaperone to dinner or dance dates. Premarital sex is not acceptable during
the period of courtship and both parties are expected to behave well in
public.
Music
Music is an important part of everyday life in the Philippines. Filipinos
sing in the bathroom, the kitchen, in work areas, and even while stuck in
traffic. Children learn to play the guitar, piano, violin or other musical
instruments at an early age. Contemporary music may sound western, yet it
remains Filipino at heart in its romantic tunes, sentimentality, or mellow
mood.
Family
The family is the basic social institution
and is made up of a father, a mother, children, and the relatives of the
father and the mother. The family values shared by all Filipinos bridge their
many differences. Maintaining close family ties is the foundation to the
values of the culture. Loyalty is a highly placed, fundamental value.
Authority within the family is vested not only in the father and mother, but
grandparents as well. The father takes care of the financial needs of the
family, while the mother takes care of the children, plans the meals, and
organizes the chores of each family member.
TRANSPORTATION AND
COMMUNICATION
Many middle class
Filipinos own cars, but others rely on public transportation. Metro Manila has
numerous buses, taxis, and jeepneys. A jeepney is a highly decorated
type of mini-bus built on the frame of old U.S. military jeeps. They travel on
relatively fixed routes and stop when waved at or atop at the sidewalk. They
carry 10-20 passengers for a fare. Passengers tap or pound on the roof when
they want to stop. Traffic is heavy and driving habits are aggressive. Rural
roads are poorly paved or undeveloped and often rely on a motorcycle version
of the jeepney. Travel by foot, bicycle, motorcycle, and on animals is also
common. A domestic airline, ferries and boats provide inter-island
transportation. Although communications infrastructure is generally good,
services to rural regions and between islands are not very extensive.
Middle-class homes usually have phones or cellular phones if service is
available in the areas.
EDUCATION
Education is highly
valued in the Philippines. Young children can attend kindergarten at age five
and preschool before that. Nearly all children spend six years in the
elementary school. A few schools have a seventh year of elementary education.
There are no middle schools and usually after the 6th grade, 4 years of high
school follow. Graduation is typically at age 16-17. After high school, many
go on to college or vocational training. Government usually does not provide
financial aid or any educational grants. Parents sacrifice their farms or
other assets just to send their children to college. After finishing a career,
they expect their older child to be employed to help the next child’s
educational expenses and so on. These efforts result in national literacy rate
of 94 percent.
HEALTH
Medical service in Manila
is generally good. Rural areas have a health unit but it may lack supplies. In
1995, a new law established a universal health insurance paid for mostly on
the basis of taxation and other government funds. Before, insurance was
difficult to afford and unemployed people and tenant farmers had health
insurance problems. A person needing surgery needed a down payment before an
operation would begin, especially in privately owned hospitals. Government
sponsors free vaccinations for children.
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Famous Natives
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Dr. Jose P. Rizal
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Dr. Jose Rizal is the greatest hero of the Philippines. He was born in
Calamba, Laguna on June 19, 1861. He studied medicine at the University
of Santo Tomas and pursued studies at various universities in Europe. It
was while in Europe that he wrote two novels, “Noli Me Tangere” and “El
Filibusterismo”. These novels exposed the cruelties of Spaniards against
the Filipinos. The Spaniards accused Jose Rizal of inciting rebellion
against Spanish rulers. He was imprisoned as a result of these
accusations and was killed by firing squad at Bagumbayan Field on December
30, 1896.
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Apolinario Mabini
Apolinario Mabini was named “The Brain of the Revolution” because he
helped frame the Malolos Constitution. He was arrested twice by the
Americans and exiled to Guam for criticizing the US government. He
refused to take the oath of allegiance to the American flag. He became
ill and eventually was paralyzed. Despite his paralysis, he continued to
work brilliantly and became known as “The Sublime Paralytic.”
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Antonio Luna
A Commander-in-Chief of the Philippine Armed Forces, he was the chief
supporter of the Philippine Revolution.
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Gregorio Del Pilar
He served first as a soldier and rose to the rank of
Colonel. He was appointed General during the Filipino-American War. He
was killed in action by the Americans, but gained great admiration for his
bravery. Even the Americans called him an officer and a gentleman.
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