#ivatan

Stonehouses

Philippines 🇵🇭

Basic facts

Official name: Republic of the Philippines/Republika ng Pilipinas (English/Filipino)

Capital city: Manila

Population: 115.3 million (2023)

Demonym: Filipino

Type of government: unitary presidential republic

Head of state and government: Bongbong Marcos (President)

Gross domestic product (purchasing power parity): $1.39 trillion (2024)

Gini coefficient of wealth inequality: 41.2% (medium) (2021)

Human Development Index: 0.710 (high) (2022)

Currency: Philippine peso (PHP)

Fun fact: It is home to the world’s longest snake.

Etymology

The country’s name comes from Philip II of Castile, who was Prince of Asturias at the time of their discovery by the Europeans.

Geography

The Philippines is located in Southeast Asia, south of Taiwan and north of Indonesia, and is surrounded by the South China Sea and the Philippine Sea.

There are four main climates: tropical rainforest in the east and south, tropical monsoon, dry-winter tropical savanna, and monsoon-influenced subtropical highland in the west. Temperatures range from 20 °C (68 °F) in winter to 31 °C (87.8 °F) in spring. The average annual temperature is 25.7 °C (78.2 °F).

The country is divided into eighteen regions (rehiyon), which are further divided into 82 provinces (probinsiya). The largest cities in the Philippines are Quezon City, Manila, Davao City, Caloocan, and Taguig.

History

3000 BCE: Austronesian migration

2000 BCE-1000 CE: Philippine jade culture

900-1589: Kingdom of Tondo

971-1339: Ma-i

1001-1597: Rajahnate of Butuan

1175-1571: Namayan

1200-1569: Confederation of Madja-as

1225-1576: Ming dynasty

1280-1405: Lupah Sug

1292-1527: Majapahit

1350-1905: Sultanate of Buayan

1363-1906: Sultanate of Brunei

1400-1565: Rajahnate of Cebu

1457-1915: Sultanate of Sulu

1486-1950: Sultanate of Ternate

1500-1571: Maynila

1515-1926: Sultanate of Maguindanao

1565-1567: Dagami Revolt

1565-1898: Viceroyalty of New Spain; Spanish-Moro conflict

1574: Lakandula and Sulayman Revolt

1585: Pampanga Revolt

1587-1588: Tondo Conspiracy

1589: Cagayan and Dingras Revolts Against the Tribute

1596: Magalat Revolt

1601: Igorot Revolt

1603: Sangley Rebellion

1607: Caquenga’s Revolt

1616-1904: Confederate States of Lanao

1621-1622: Bankaw Revolt; Tamblot uprising

1625: Itneg Revolt

1643: Ladia Revolt

1649-1650: Sumuroy Revolt

1660-1661: Malong Revolt; Maniago Revolt

1661: Almazan Revolt

1662: Chinese Revolt

1663: Panay Revolt

1681-1683: Zambal Revolt

1744-1829: Dagohoy Rebellion

1745-1746: Agrarian Revolt

1762-1763: Silang Revolt

1762-1764: British occupation; Palaris Revolt

1807: Basi Revolt

1823: Novales Revolt

1828: Palmero Conspiracy

1840-1841: Pule Revolt

1843: Tayabas Regiment Revolt

1872: Cavite Mutiny

1896-1899: Philippine Revolution

1898-1901: Republic of Negros

1898-1902: Military Government of the Philippine Islands

1899-1902: Philippine-American War

1902-1935: Insular Government of the Philippine Islands

1935-1941: Commonwealth of the Philippines

1941-1945: Japanese occupation

1945-1972: Third Philippine Republic

1962-present: North Borneo dispute

1968-2019: Moro conflict

1972-1981: martial law

1981-1986: Fourth Philippine Republic

1986: People Power Revolution

1986-present: Fifth Philippine Republic

2010: Manila hostage crisis

2016-2022: Philippine Drug War

Economy

The Philippines mainly imports from China, Indonesia, and Japan and exports to the United States, Japan, and China. Its top exports are electronic integrated circuits, coconut oil, and bananas.

It has copper, gold, nickel, and silver reserves. Services represent 62.3% of the GDP, followed by industry (29.1%) and agriculture (8.6%).

The Philippines is a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Demographics

The Tagalog people are the largest ethnic group (26%), followed by the Visayans (14.3%), Ilocan (8%), Cebuano (8%), Hiligaynon (7.9%), Bicolano (6.5%), and Waray (3.8%). The main religion is Christianity, practiced by 85.3% of the population, 78.8% of which is Catholic.

It has a negative net migration rate and a fertility rate of 1.9 children per woman. 54% of the population lives in urban areas. Life expectancy is 72.6 years and the median age is 25.7 years. The literacy rate is 97%.

Languages

The official languages of the country are English and Filipino, which is a standardized version of Tagalog. Nineteen others are regional languages: Aklanon (spoken natively by 0.4% of the population), Bikol (3.9%), Cebuano (22.5%), Chavacano (0.6%), Hiligaynon (7.3%), Ibanag (0.2%), Ilocano (7.1%), Ivatan (0.02%), Kapampangan (2.4%), Kinaray-a (0.9%), Maguindanaon (1.4%), Maranao (1%), Pangasinan (1.3%), Sambal (0.06%), Surigaonon (0.4%), Tagalog (39.9%), Tausūg (1%), Waray (2.6%), and Yakan (0.09%).

Culture

Spanish and USAmerican influences are very present in Filipino culture. Pakikisama, which means “to get along with other people”, is a key value in the Philippines.

Men traditionally wear an embroidered shirt (barong) and loose-fitting pants. Women wear a narrow dress with butterfly sleeves (terno) or a blouse (baro) and a tight skirt (saya).

Indigenous men wear a wraparound skirt (sarong), a band on their chest, and a headpiece. Women wear a blouse (silup), a wraparound skirt (tapis), cross bands (pilaked), and a headband (dalisdis).

Architecture

Traditional houses in the Philippines are built on stilts and made of wood and reef and have thatched roofs.

Cuisine

The Filipino diet is based on fish, meat, rice, and vegetables. Typical dishes include binakol (chicken soup in coconut water with vegetables), biko (a cake made of brown sugar, coconut milk, and sticky rice and topped with syrup), kaldereta (meat stewed in tomato sauce and liver paste), pancit luglug (noodles with chorizo, hard-boiled eggs, and shrimp), and pinakbet (vegetables with shrimp).

Holidays and festivals

Like other Christian and Muslim countries, the Philippines celebrates Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Black Saturday, All Saints’ Day, All Souls’ Day, Immaculate Conception, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha. It also commemorates New Year’s Day, Chinese New Year, Labor Day, and New Year’s Eve.

Specific Filipino holidays include EDSA Revolution Anniversary on February 25, Day of Valor on April 9, Independence Day on June 12, Ninoy Aquino Day on August 23, National Heroes Day on August 26, Bonifacio Day on November 30, and Rizal Day on December 30.

EDSA Revolution Anniversary

Other celebrations include the Peñafrancia Festival, which features a fluvial parade; Sinulog, which honors the Holy Child with dance and music, and Zamboanga La Hermosa Festival, which revolves around boat races and parades.

Zamboanga La Hermosa Festival

Landmarks

There are six UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Baroque Churches of the Philippines, Historic City of Vigan, Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary, Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Rice Terraces of the Philippines Cordilleras, and Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park.

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park

Other landmarks include the Santo Niño Basilica, the Chocolate Hills, Fort Santiago, the Ruins, and the Tabon Caves.

Ruins

Famous people

Alex Eala - tennis player

Bella Poarch - singer

Clint Ramos - costume designer

Cristeta Comerford - chef

Efren Reyes - pool player

Hidilyn Díaz - weightlifter

Jake Zyrus - singer

Manny Jacinto - actor

Manny Pacquiao - boxer and politician

Pia Wurtzbach - actress and model

Bella Poarch