PHILLIPINE CULTURE

THE REPUBLIC OF PHILLIPINES WAS NAMED TO HONOR KING PHILLIP OF SPAIN IN 1543.  THE PHILLIPINE ISLANDS WAS THE NAMED BEFORE INDEPENDENCE.  PHILIPINES WAS THE NAME BEFORE INDEPENDENCE.  PHILLIPINES HAS 7,107 ISLANDS  WITH 111,830 SQUARE MILES LOCATED NEAR SOUTHEAST ASIA.  2000 OF IT'S ISLANDS ARE INHABITED.  THE PHILLIPINES IS OVER 1000 MILES LONG AND 650 MILES WIDE.  VIETNAM AND CHINA ARE THE MAINLAND OF ASIA.

THEIR ISLANDS ARE VOLCANIC WITH ONE ERUPTION IN 2000.  IN 1`991 1000'S OF PEOPLE WERE DISPLACED FROM THEIR LANDS.  THEY HAVE  THE SIERRA MADRAS ON THE EASTERN COAST.  AND THE CORDILLERAS IN THE CENTER.  THEIR TALLESTMOUNTAIN IS 9700' TO MT, APO. 

THE WEATHER IS HOT BECAUSE OF THE COUNTRY'S CLOSENESS TO THE EQUATOR .  THEY HAVE MONSOON RAINS FROM JULY TO DECEMBER.  SOME OF THE TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW 30 DEGREES IN WINTER.

ESTIMATED POPULATION IN JULY 2000 AND 81 MILLION .  THERE LIFE EXPECTANCY IS 67 YEARS.  THEIR LANGUAGE IS 67 YEARS.  THEIR LANGUAGE IS FILIPINO BASED ON OTHER NATIVE LANGUAGES.  THEY HAVE MORE.   THEY HAVE 70 TO 80 DIALECTS THAT ARE DERIVED FROM MALAY LANGUAGE.  THEY HAVE THE 2ND LARGEST EAGLE IN THE WORLD AS A NATIONAL BIRD.  THEIR HERO IS DIRECTOR JOSE RIZAL.  THEIR FLAG CEREMONIES TAKE PLACE ONCE A WEEK AT OFFICES AND SCHOOLS.

EARLY FOLKS ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE REACHED THE AREA OVER LAND BRIDGES THAT CONNECT THE ISLANDS TO MALYSIA AND CHINA.  THE NEGRITOS ARRIVED 25,00 0YEARS AGO, THEN CAME IMMIGRANTS FROM INDO CHINA BRONZE AND COPPER.  THEY DEVELOPED AGRICULTURE AND INTRODUCED CARIBOU OR WATER BUFFALO.  THE MUSLIM INFLUENCE SPREAD AS FAR NORTH AS LUZON WHEN MAGELLAN ARRIVED IN 1521 TO CLAIM PHILLIPINES FOR SPAIN.  MAGELLAN WAS KILLED BY A LOCAL CHIEF WHO REFUSED CHRISTIANITY.

IN 1572 THE ROMAN CATHOLIC BEGAN CHRISTIANIZING THE POPULACE.  THE SPANISH GOVERNED SOME AREAS. THROUGH A TREATY WITH A SULTAN.  THEY DID NOT WANT OTHER REGIONS.   THIS OCCUPATION BY SPAIN AND CATHOLICISM WERE THE FIRST STEPS IN CREATING   A NEW IDENTITY.  BY MID 1800'S THE PHILLIPINOS BECAME INTERESTED IN GAINING INDEPENDANCE.  THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR OF 1896 AND DEFEAT OF THE SPANISH FLEET IN MANILA BAYLED TO THE FILIPINO LEADER TO DECLARE INDEPENDENCE FOR SPAIN.   IN 1902 THE U.S. PAID 20 MILLION TO THE SPANISH FOR THE PHILLIPINES UNDER THE TREATY OF PARIS.  TAFT BECAME THE GOVERNOR.  BY 1933 THE ISLANDS WERE GIVEN COMMONWEALTH STATUS BY 1933.  AFTER 12 YEARS THE US RETAINED RIGHTS TO MILITARY BASES.   AFTER A JAPANESE WAR THE US CAME TO HELP AND THE PHILLIPINES WERE BECAME AS INDEPENDANT NATION IN 1946.

BY 1991 THE U.S. MILITARY LEFT FILIPINOS IDENTITY UNTIL THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD OF THE 19TH CENTURY.  UNTIL MID 1800'S THE WORD FILIPINO  DID NOT REFER TO NATIONAL PEOPLE.  95% ARE FROM  MALAY ANCESTRY.  THE MAJORITY OF THOSE SIXTY ETHNIC GROUPS LIVE IN THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN LUZON.

THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE ISLANDS SHOW SPANISH INFLUENCE.
 THEY BUILT BRICK CHURCHES DURING THE COLONIAL ERA.  THE FILIPINO PEOPLE BUILT THEM DURING THE 17TH CENTURY.  THE FILIPINO LIVE WITH THEIR EXTENDED FAMILIES.  AREAS OF MANILLA WERE DESTROYED DURING WORLD WAR II.   
 
THEIR TRADITIONAL HOUSES IN RURAL AREAS ARE NIPA HUTS CONSTRUCTED OF BAMBOO AND ROOFED WITH LEAVES FROM PALM TREES OR CORRUGATED METAL.  CINDER BLOCKS ARE THE MOST COMMONLY BUILDING MATERIALS USED.  THEY HAVE OPEN AIR KITCHENS FOR FOOD PREPARATION.  SOME HAVE ENCLOSED KITCHENS. 

THEY EAT STEAMED RICE AS THE BASES OF THEIR DIET.THEY STEAMED RICE AS THE BASES OF THEIR DIET.  THE HARVEST THREE CROPS OF RICE A YEAR FOR THEIR POPULATION.   THE GOVERNMENT KEEPS RICE SUPPLEMENTS.    THEY EAT FISH AND SHELLFISH DAILY.  FISH AND CHICKEN ARE FRIED.  PEOPLE ARE BECOMING  MORE HEALTH CONSCIOUS.  THEIR FOOD IS NOT SPICY. ALL FOOD IS COOKED AND THEN ALLOWED TO GET COLD BEFORE  EATEN.  RICE IS COOKED FIRST  AND IT IS ACCEPTABLE TO EAT FOOD WITH ONE'S HANDS  EVEN AT A RESTAURANT.  AND AT HOME.  THEY EAT MANY SWEET FOODS.  THEY EAT CHICKEN WITH LENTILS FOR DINNER.  THEY LIKE PORK.  THEY EAT MANY FRUITS AND GREEN BEANS AND VEGETABLES ARE COMMON. THEY EAT SWEET POTATO CALLED CAMOTE AND MAKE A SALAD OR SOUP.  UBE IS A BLAND BRIGHT POTATO AND IT IS IN CAKES AND DESSERTS.  THEY MAKE A FISH SAUCE. TO ADD TO DISHES. 

THEY DO EAT AT FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS.  THEY TYPICALLYROAST A PIG UNTIL THE SKIN FORMS A HARD BROWN CRUST.  THEY TYPICALLY  FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS.  THEY STICKY RICE WITH COCONUT  MILK  AND SUGAR CANE SYRUP WRAPPED IN BANANA LEAVES THE MEN DRINK GIN AND BEER.

FORTY PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED IN AGRICULTURE., FORESTRY, AND FISHING. CONSTRUCTION, AND MINING.  FIFTY PERCENT  OF THE FOLKF LIVE BELOW THE POVERTY LLINE!  THE DROUGHT PERIOD OF THE EL NINO WEATHER CYCLE HAS REDUCED AGRICULTURE POSITIONS.  PEOPLE VOLUNTEER AS HEALTHCARE FIELDS IN HOPES OF BEING CHOSEN TO WORK.  IN THIS FIELD.  FOLKS WORK 7 DAYS A WEEK TO IMPROVE THEIR LIFESTYLE.  MANY WORK OUTSIDE OF THE PHILLIPINES IN THE GOVERNMENT.

FORTY SIX PERCENT OF THE LAND CONSISTS OF FORESTS.  THERE IS LEGAL LEGAL AND ILLEGAL LOGGING.  THEY HAVE ONGOING DEBATES TO CLEAR LAND FOR  PASTURE.   THEIR CLEARING TECHNIQUE IS SLASH AND BURN.    IT IS DESTROYING TIMBER , OUTNUMBERING ENDANGERING PLANTS AND ANIMALS.

THEIR BIG CITIES HAVE DAILY MARKETS.  THEY TRADE USING A BARTER SYSTEM.  SUKAI RELATIONSHIPS ARE ESTIMATED SO THE SAME SO THE SAME VENDOR IS BY THE CONSUMER.  THEY ALSO HAVE MANY SHOPS.  THEY TRADE RICE , BANANAS, CASHEWS, PINEAPPLE, MANGOES, COCONUT, TO NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES.  THEIR TRADE PARTNERS ARE THE U.S.,  EUROPE, UNION AND JAPAN .  THE RICE FIELDS ARE INTENSIVE LABOR  CROPS. SUCH AS TOBACCO, CORN, AND SUGARCANE DEMAND FULL FAMILY PARTICIPATE.

THESE FOLKS LIKE WATCHING  BASKET BALL AND PLAYING IT IN SCHOOL.  THEY LIKE WATCHING PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL. COCKFIGHTS ARE POPULAR.  THEY PLAY A CHINESE GAMES.

SOME OF WERE GRASS OR TENTS COVERED HUTS IN HISTORIC TIMES.  THEY HAVE ILLEGAL DRUGS EXPORTED.

THEY LIVE AT AN AVERAGE OF 67 YEARS.  THEY HAVE MASSIVE STORMS THAT SWEEP PEOPLE AWAY. VEGETABLES GROW ON TERRACED FIELDS IN THESE VOLCANIC ISLANDS. THEIR WEDDINGS ARE SIMPLE.  THEY DO NOT HAVE ARRANGED MARRIAGES.  WOMEN BELIEVE THAT IF THEY MARRY A WEALTHY MAN IT WILL GAURANTEE HAPPINESS.  THEY LIVE WITH EXTENDED KIN AND HAVE A VARITY OF FAMILY TO CARE FOR THEIR EXTENDED CHILDREN.  PEOPLE HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF BELONGING TO A PLACE