Philippines
Republika ng Pilipinas Republic of the Philippines | |
|---|---|
| Motto: Maka-Diyos, Makatao, Makakalikasan, at Makabansa (Filipino: For God, People, Nature, and Country) | |
| Anthem: Lupang Hinirang (Chosen Land) | |
 | |
| Capital | Manila |
| Largest city | Quezon City (population) Davao City (area) |
| Official languages | Filipino (derived from Tagalog), English[1] |
| Government | Unitary-presidential |
| Independence | |
• Water (%) | 0.6% |
| Population | |
• July 2005 estimate | 83,054,000 (13th) |
• 2000 census | 76,504,077 |
| GDP (PPP) | 2005 estimate |
• Total | $451.3 billion (27th) |
• Per capita | $4,923 (102th) |
| HDI (2003) | 0.758 high (84th) |
| Currency | Philippine peso (piso) (PHP) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (PST) |
• Summer (DST) | not in use |
| Calling code | 63 |
| ISO 3166 code | PH |
| Internet TLD | .ph |
The Philippines (Filipino: Pilipinas), officially the Republic of the Philippines (Filipino: Republika ng Pilipinas), is an island nation in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital. It lies 1,210 kilometres (750 mi) from mainland Asia and comprises 7,107 islands called the Philippine Archipelago, approximately 700 of which are inhabited.
The Philippine identity is a coalescence of european Spanish with mainstreet USA, creating a distinctive sense of wholeness amongst an obviously oriental sphere of influence. The Philippines is one of the two predominantly Roman Catholic countries in Asia[2] and is among the most Westernized. Its modern culture, a unique blend of East and West, was most heavily influenced by Spain and the United States, as the Philippine Islands were a Spanish colony for more than 350 years and an American colony for almost 50 years. While still a mostly agricultural economy, the Philippines is also an important destination for outsourcing and is an exporter of electronics and labor — remittances from overseas Filipinos form a significant portion of the gross national product.
The country's name originated with Ruy López de Villalobos naming the islands of Samar and Leyte, Las Islas Filipinas after King Philip II of Spain during his failed expedition in 1543. The archipelago was known under various names such as Spanish East Indies, New Castille (Nueva Castilla) and the St. Lazarus Islands (Islas de San Lázaro). Ultimately, the name Filipinas came to refer to the entire archipelago.
History
Archeological and paleontological evidence suggests that Homo sapiens existed in Palawan about 50,000 years ago. These inhabitants are called Tabon Man. During the Iron Age, Austronesian-speakers came from South China and Taiwan via land bridges and settled in the Philippines. Ethnic Chinese merchants arrived in the 8th century. The Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan, sailing for the Spanish kings, first set foot in the archipelago in 1521. He became friendly with most of the local chieftains and converted them to Roman Catholicism. However, not everyone was converted. Magellan was killed and the Spaniards were defeated by Lapu-Lapu, one of the chieftains who was protecting the right of their local religion. One of Magellan's ships, the Victoria, returned to Spain and brought news about the new land. On April 27, 1565, the Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi and 500 armed soldiers came to Cebu Island and established the first Spanish settlement on the islands. Roman Catholic missionaries marched with soldiers from island to island, in search of native people. The Spaniards soon established churches and forts, while searching for gold and spices. Roman Catholicism was introduced and embraced by the majority. Sporadic rebellions occurred from tribal groups in the highlands of north Luzon and coastal regions, due to harsh punishments, taxes and other wrongdoings. The Muslims maintained resistance in the southern islands of Mindanao. The Spanish military fought off Chinese pirates, and Japanese, Portuguese, Dutch and British forces, all of whom also had an interest in the Philippines.
New Spain (through Mexico) ruled the Philippines until Mexican independence. A burgeoning Manila Galleon or the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade began in the late 16th century. Spanish rule on the Philippines was briefly interrupted in 1762, when British troops invaded and occupied the islands as a result of Spain's entry into the Seven Years' War. The Treaty of Paris in 1763 restored Spanish rule and the British left in 1764. The brief British occupation weakened Spain's grip on power. In 1781, Governor-General José Basco y Vargas established the Economic Society of Friends of the Country. The Philippines by this time was administered directly from Spain. Developments in and out of the country helped to bring new ideas to the Philippines. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 cut travel time to Spain. This prompted the rise of the ilustrados, the enlightened Filipino upper class, since many young Filipinos were able to study in Europe.
Enlightened by the Propaganda Movement to the injustices of the Spanish colonial government and the "frailocracy", they originally clamored for adequate representation to the Spanish Cortes and later for independence. José Rizal, the most celebrated intellectual and radical illustrado of the era, wrote the novels Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not) and El Filibusterismo (The Filibuster), both now required academic reading at Filipino secondary schools. The Katipunan, ("Kataas-taasang Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga anak ng Inang Bayan") was founded by Andrés Bonifacio as its Supremo (leader). It was a secret society whose sole purpose was that of overthrowing Spanish rule in the Philippines. The confession of a Katipunero led to the Philippine Revolution (1896–1898). Rizal was implicated in the outbreak of the revolution and executed for treason (see sedition) in 1896. The Katipunan split into two groups, Magdiwang led by Andrés Bonifacio and Magdalo led by Emilio Aguinaldo. Conflict between the two revolutionaries culminated in Aguinaldo having Bonifacio likewise executed for treason. The revolution ended in a truce with the Pact of Biak na Bato and the revolutionaries were exiled to Hong Kong.
The Spanish-American war began in 1898 after the battleship Maine, sent to Cuba in connection with an attempt to arrange a peaceful resolution between Cuban independence ambitions and Spanish colonialism, was sunk in Havana harbor. After Commodore George Dewey defeated the Spanish squadron at Manila, Aguinaldo was invited and returned to the Philippines on May 19, 1898, in the hope he would rally Filipinos against the Spanish colonial government. Five days later he proclaimed himself dictator. On June 12, 1898 Aguinaldo declared the independence of the Philippines in Kawit, Cavite. Simultaneously, a German squadron under Admiral Diedrichs arrived in Manila and declared that if the United States did not seize the Philippines as a colonial possession, Germany would. Since Spain and the U.S. ignored the Filipino representative, Felipe Agoncillo, during their negotiations in the Treaty of Paris, the Battle for Manila between Spain and the U.S. was perceived by some to be an attempt to exclude the Filipinos from the eventual occupation of Manila.. Although there was substantial domestic opposition, especially by the American Anti-Imperialist League, the McKinley administration decided neither to return the Philippines to Spain, nor to allow Germany to annex the Philippines. Therefore, in addition to Guam and Puerto Rico, Spain was forced in the negotiations to hand over the Philippines to the U.S. in exchange for US$20,000,000.00, which the U.S. later claimed to be a "gift" to Spain. The first Philippine Republic rebelled against the U.S. occupation, resulting in the Philippine-American War (also known in contemporary U.S. government documents and popularly ever since by some Americans as the Philippine Insurrection) (1899–1913).
The islands slowly came under overall U.S. control and were organized as a United States territory. In 1935, their status was upgraded to that of an American Commonwealth, and plans were made to grant the islands independence in the next decade. Independence for the Philippines was finally granted on July 4, 1946, even after Japan invaded and occupied the islands during World War II, causing some to call for a delay in the granting of independence, which call was nonetheless discounted by a majority of American and Filipino politicians alike.
Since 1946, the Philippines has faced some economic and political instability. The restive Hukbalahaps (column of the town fighting against Japan or in Filipino HUKbong ng BAyan LAban sa HAPon, guerrillas who fought against the Japanese during World War II), turned Communist in ideology. They won the support of many peasants with promises of land reform. They clandestinely organized and mounted anti-government campaigns of sedition and open hostilities against government forces, and conducted terrorist activities, including kidnappings, massacres, assassinations, rapes and extortion. They threatened the countryside, and subsequently the capital, Quezon City, and Manila in the 1950s. The threat was eventually broken when Huk supremo (leader) Luis Taruc surrendered to the young reporter Benigno Aquino Jr. (later elected as Senator), and Secretary of Defense Ramón Magsaysay, who later became a popular and effective President, but was tragically killed in an airplane crash on March 16, 1957 during his term.
The late 1960s and early 1970s saw the rise of student activism and anti-American demonstrations. A constitutional convention composed of elected delegates drafted a new constitution for the purpose of being the replacement to the American-approved 1935 Commonwealth constitution once there was referendum ratifying it as such. This period was marred by civil unrest and exposés on corruption until martial law was declared on September 21, 1972. The new constitution was subsequently enforced through somewhat questionable means, as the propriety of its ratification was challenged in the Supreme Court. This culminated in the resignation of Chief Justice Roberto Concepcion. The situation appeared to ebb until later years when the authoritarian regime of President Ferdinand Marcos, who had originally been popularly elected but subsequently extended both his power and his tenure by extralegal means, became marred with unmitigated, pervasive corruption and despotism, and public outcry and dissidence resurged to new highs.
In the People Power Revolution of 1986, Marcos and his family were exiled to Hawaii, as Corazon Aquino, widow of assassinated Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr., assumed the reins of government in the aftermath of a hotly contested snap election. Following this revolution, in 1987 the current Constitution of the Philippines was adopted. While some cite a return to democracy and governmental reform in the post-Marcos era, government corruption, continuing civil unrest and the activity of communist insurgency and Muslim separatist movements continue to hamper economic productivity in the country. The current presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has been marred by political instability and allegations of election rigging and corruption.
Politics and government
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| Flag | National Flag (Pambansang Watawat) |
| Anthem | Lupang Hinirang |
| Song | Pilipinas Kong Mahal |
| Dance | Cariñosa |
| Animal | Tamaraw |
| Bird | Philippine Eagle |
| Flower | Arabian Jasmine (Sampaguita) |
| Tree | Angsana (Narra) |
| Leaf | Anahaw |
| Fruit | Mango |
| Sport | Sipa |
| Costume | Barong and Baro't saya |
| Hero | José P. Rizal |
The government of the Philippines is organized as a presidential-unitary republic, where the President functions as head of state, the head of government, and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The president is elected by popular vote to a 6-year term, during which he or she appoints and presides over the cabinet of secretaries.
The bicameral Congress comprises the Senate and the House of Representatives; members of the former are elected at large and those of the latter by geographical district. The 24 senators serve 6-year terms, with half retiring every three years, while the House of Representatives comprises 250 members serving 3-year terms.
The judicial branch of government is headed by the Supreme Court, with a Chief Justice as its head and 14 Associate Justices, all appointed by the President from nominations submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council. Other courts include the Court of Appeals, the Regional Trial Courts and the Metropolitan Trial Courts.
As of June 2006 President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is hoping to get agreement to amend the constitution to a unicameral federal, parliamentary system similar to the German constitution. The country would be split into “states” with each one having a local legislature responsibility for certain functions. Included in the amendments are plans to remove/ease the current ban on foreign ownership of property, land and commercial organizations in the Philippines. Plans have been announced to decentralize government by moving departments from Manila to the provinces, such as the Department of Tourism to Cebu City, the Department of Foreign Affairs to Angeles City, and the Department of Agrarian Reform to Iloilo City.
The Philippines is a founding and active member of the United Nations since its inception on October 24 1945 and is a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The Philippines is also a member of the East Asia Summit (EAS)), an active player in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Latin Union and a member of the Group of 24. The country is a major non-NATO ally of the U.S., but also a member of the Non-Aligned Movement.
The Philippines, along with the nation of Malta, is one of two nations in the world where all civil marriages are for life, because civil divorce is banned.
The Philippines is currently in a dispute with Taiwan, China, Vietnam and Malaysia over the oil- and natural gas-rich Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoal, and with Malaysia over Sabah. The Sultan of Sulu, who received Sabah as a gift in 1703 having helped the Sultan of Brunei defeat a rebellion, has given the Philippine Government power to reclaim his lost territory. To this day, the Sultan of Sulu's family receives "rental" payments for Sabah from the Malaysian government.
Administrative divisions
The Philippines is divided into a hierarchy of local government units (LGUs) with the 79 provinces as the primary unit. Provinces are further subdivided into cities and municipalities, which are in turn composed of barangays. The barangay is the smallest local government unit.
The Philippines is divided into 17 regions with all provinces grouped into one of 16 regions for administrative convenience. The National Capital Region however, is divided into four special districts.
Most government offices establish regional offices to serve the constituent provinces. The regions themselves do not possess a separate local government, with the exception of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Regions
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¹ Names are capitalized because they are acronyms, containing the names of the constituent provinces or cities (see Acronyms in the Philippines).
² These regions formed the former Southern Tagalog region, or Region IV.
³ Palawan is moved from Region IV-B as known as MIMAROPA to Region VI. Starting November 2005, Region IV-B will be called MIMARO, decreased from 5 to 4 and Region VI are increased from 7 to 8.
Geography
The Philippines constitutes an archipelago of 7,107 islands with a total land area of approximately 300,000 square kilometres (116,000 sq. mi). It lies between 116° 40' and 126° 34' E. longitude, and 4° 40' and 21° 10' N. latitude, and borders the Philippine Sea on the east, on the South China Sea the west, and the Celebes Sea on the south. The island of Borneo lies a few hundred kilometers southwest and Taiwan directly north. The Moluccas and Sulawesi are to the south, and Palau is to the east beyond the Philippine Sea.
The islands are commonly divided into three island groups: Luzon (Regions I to V, NCR & CAR), Visayas (VI to VIII), and Mindanao (IX to XIII & ARMM). The busy port of Manila, on Luzon, is the national capital and second largest city after its suburb Quezon City.
The local climate is hot, humid, and tropical. The average yearly temperature is around 26.5°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 Taglamig (the cold season from December to February). The southwest monsoon (May-October) is known as the "habagat" and the dry winds of the northeast monsoon (November-April) as the "amihan".
Most of the mountainous islands used to be covered in tropical rainforest and are volcanic in origin. The highest point is Mount Apo on Mindanao at 2,954 metres (9,692 ft). There are many active volcanos such as Mayon Volcano, Mount Pinatubo, and Taal Volcano. The country also lies within the typhoon belt of the Western Pacific and about 19 typhoons strike per year.
Lying on the northwestern fringes of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activities. Some 20 earthquakes are registered daily in the Philippines, though most are too weak to be felt.
Economy
Though once the richest country in Asia after Japan, the Philippines has gradually become one of the poorest in the region since gaining independence in 1946. As a result of reduced demand for Philippine products, the United States pullout, and increased corruption, the economy declined even further in the early 1980's. An estimated 10% of the GNP was lost to corruption and crony capitalism during this period. The economic recovery since has been significant, but slow compared to other East Asian countries. The Philippines currently ranks 118th out of 178 countries by GDP per capita.
The economy of the Philippines especially suffered during the height of the Asian financial crisis of 1998. This was worsened by rising prices, inflation, and poor weather. Economic growth fell from 5% in 1997 to 0.6% in 1998, but recovered to about 3% in 1999 and 4% in 2000 and, by 2004, to over 6% per year. The government has promised to continue its economic reforms to help match the pace of development in the newly industrialised countries (NICs) of East Asia. Efforts to improve the economy are hampered, however, by a public debt comprising about 77% of the GDP. In fact, budget allocation for servicing of debt in the Philippines is higher than the budget for education and defense combined. Income inequality also remains a serious problem in the country.
The government's strategy for an economic revamp includes improving infrastructure, overhauling the tax system to bolster government revenues, furthering deregulation and privatisation of the economy, and increasing trade integration with the region. On November 1, 2005, a newly expanded value added tax (E-VAT) law was instituted as a measure to cut the rising foreign debt and to improve government services such as education, health, social welfare, and road construction. Prospects for the future of the Philippines also depend heavily on the economic performance of the two major trading partners, the US and Japan, and a more accountable administration and consistent government policies.
The Philippines remains a mainly agricultural developing country, but light industry and services have made considerable inroads. In recent years, numerous call centers and business process outsourcing (BPO) firms have migrated to the Philippines, generating thousands of jobs and improving their services with many clients, including Fortune 500 companies. The Philippines has one of the most vibrant BPO industries in Asia.
The Philippines is a member of the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and other international economic associations, such as the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Colombo Plan, and the G-77. In 2005, the Philippine peso was hailed by Forbes magazine as Asia's best performing currency.
Demographics
The Philippines is the world's twelfth most populous country, with a population of over 85 million as of 2005[3]. Roughly two-thirds reside on the island of Luzon. Manila, the capital, is the eleventh most populous metropolitan area in the world. The education system is efficient and based on the US curriculum. The literacy rate is 95.9%, one of the highest in Asia, and about equal for males and females. Life expectancy is 69.91 years, with 72.28 years for females and 66.44 years for males. Population growth per year is about 1.92%, with 26.3 births per 1,000 people. In the 100 years since the 1903 Census, the population has grown by a factor of eleven.
The people of the Philippines are called Filipinos. According to government statistics and genetic studies, the majority of Filipinos are descended from the various Austronesian-speaking migrants who arrived in successive waves over a thousand years ago from Taiwan, with most also possessing variable southern Chinese admixture from groups that also sporadically settled the islands throughout its pre-history, giving rise to the "ethnic Filipino". These "ethnic Filipinos" are divided into twelve major ethnolinguistic groups, the three most numerous being the Tagalogs, Cebuanos, and the Ilocanos. The Negritos or Aetas, also known as the aboriginal inhabitants of the Philippines, were largely displaced by the invading Austronesian-speaking migrants, and are today thought to number less than 30,000 people (0.03%).
Filipino mestizos, or persons of mixed "ethnic Filipino" and other ancestry (not counting admixture already contributed during the pre-history formation of the population) form a tiny but economically and politically important minority. A recent genetic study by Stanford University indicates that 3.6% of the population has at least some European ancestry.[4]
The three largest foreign minorities are the ethnic Chinese, the Americans, and the South Asians. The remaining foreign population consists of other smaller but important groups, including Spaniards, other Europeans, Arabs, Indonesians, Koreans, Japanese, and other Asians. The Philippines is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in Asia because of the vast number of native ethnolinguistic groups.
Language
More than 170 languages are spoken in the country, almost all of them belonging to the Western Malayo-Polynesian language group of the Austronesian language family. The Filipino language is a standardized dialect based on Tagalog that incorporates common words from other Philippine languages. According to the 1987 Constitution, Filipino and English are both the official languages. The twelve major regional languages are auxiliary languages of their respective regions, each with over one million speakers: Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilokano, Hiligaynon, Waray-Waray, Bikol, Kapampangan, Pangasinan, Kinaray-a, Maranao, Maguindanao, and Tausug.
The use of Spanish in the Philippines has declined since American rule but the Spanish language has historical and cultural significance in the Philippines, a legacy of centuries of Spanish colonization. It ceased to be an official language in 1973 and ceased to be part of the college curriculum in 1987 but is perceived as the language of the elite. According to the 1990 census, there are 2,658 Spanish speakers and 292,630 speakers of Chavacano, a Spanish-based creole language. Thousands of Spanish loanwords have been adopted into Philippine languages, and there are around 13 million Spanish documents in the Philippine archives. Courts of law still recognize documents written in Spanish. However, the common consensus is that Spanish is no longer a living and working language in the Philippines.
Religion
The Philippines is the third-largest Roman Catholic country, the 13th-largest Protestant country, the 40th-largest Muslim country, the 17th-largest Hindu country, and the 17th-largest Buddhist country. About 92% of all Filipinos are Christians: 80% belong to the Roman Catholic Church while yet another 3% belong to the Old-Catholic Philippine Independent Church, and the other 9% belong to various Protestant denominations. Although Christianity is a major force in the culture of the Filipinos, some people still practice local traditions and rituals.
The Roman Catholic Church exerts considerable influence in both governmental and non-governmental affairs, despite a constitutional provision for the separation of Church and State. The Philippines currently has three cardinals, Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, Jose Cardinal Sanchez and Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales. The late Jaime Cardinal Sin was a leading spiritual leader in the country and was an active participant in People Power I and People Power II. He died on June 21, 2005. Cardinal Vidal is the archbishop of Cebu. Cardinal Sanchez is the former Prefect of Congregation of the Clergy, Roman Curia. Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales serves as the archbishop of Manila. The most famous cathedral is the huge Manila Cathedral.
Intramuros is currently the seat of the Archdiocese of Manila Among the numerous Protestant and other Christian denominations are Seventh-day Adventists, Church of Christ, United Church of Christ in the Philippines, United Methodist, the Episcopal Church in the Philippines, Assemblies of God, the United Pentecostal Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), and Philippine (American or Southern Affiliated) Baptist denominations. In addition, there are two churches established by local religious leaders: the Philippine Independent Church (Iglesia Filipina Independiente) or "Aglipayan" and the Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ). Also, a majority of indigenous peoples, estimated to number between 12 and 16 million, reportedly are Christian. However, many indigenous groups mix elements of their native religions with Christian beliefs and practices.
The Philippine Independent Church was the religious arm of the revolution against Spain. While the revolutionary government under Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo confiscated all of the friar haciendas and other properties of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines, the Aglipayans were allowed by the revolutionary government to take over the Roman Catholic parishes and churches. When the U.S. occupied the Philippines, however, the friar haciendas were returned to the Roman Catholic Church and were eventually purchased by the Insular Government set up by the U.S. The parishes and churches taken over by the Aglipayans were returned to the Roman Catholic Church.
Approximately 5% of Filipinos are Muslim and Islam has been present in the Philippines longer than Christianity. It was only with the Spanish conquest that the Christianity became the dominant religion. Most lowland Muslim Filipinos practice normative Islam, although the practices of some Mindanao's hill tribe Muslims reflect a fusion with Animism. The Muslims have resisted conquest and conversion for centuries by the Spanish, Americans, and now the Philippine government. Various Muslim groups have been waging a decades-long militant campaign against the Philippine government for political self-determination.
Culture
The foundation of Filipino culture is based primarily on the cultural traditions of the various regional indigenous groups of the Philippines, including the Tagalogs, Ilokanos, Visayans, Bikolanos, and others. It has, however, also been greatly influenced by Chinese, Hispanic, and American cultures, and others to a lesser degree. The Hispanic influences in Filipino culture are largely derived from the culture of Mexico and the culture of Spain as a result of their over three centuries of colonial rule. These Hispanic influences are most visible in the form of customs and practices related to the Catholic church, especially in religious festivals. Every year, Filipinos from around the country hold major festivities known as Barrio Fiesta which commemorate the patron saints of the towns, villages and regional districts. The festival season is celebrated with church ceremonies, street parades in honor of the patron saints, fireworks, beauty and dance contests, and cockfighting tournaments. The most obvious Hispanic legacy, however, is the prevalence of Spanish surnames among Filipinos. This peculiarity, unique among the people of Asia, came as a result of a colonial decree for the systematic distribution of family names and implementation of the Spanish naming system on the inhabitants of the Philippines.
The Chinese influences in Filipino culture are most evident in Filipino cuisine, which it has totally penetrated. The prevalence of noodles, known locally as mami, as well as other foods like meat dishes are a testament of the Chinese. Other Chinese influences include linguistic borrowings and the occasional Chinese derived surnames.
American cultural influence in the Philippines is relatively recent, dating from just over a century. The widespread use of English is America's most obvious legacy. The most common and arguably the national sport in the Philippines is basketball. There is also the emulation of other American cultural trends, such as the love of fast-food. In the Philippines, many corners have fast-food outlets, and aside from the American giants like McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Burger King, KFC, native fast-food chains have also been sprung up including Jollibee, Greenwich Pizza, Tropical Hut, Ihawan, and Chowking. Filipinos also listen to the latest American music, dance to American steps, watch American movies, and idolize American actors and actresses. Native moral codes, respect of family, veneration of elders, and friendliness, all remain intact.
Filipinos honor national heroes whose works and deeds contributed to the shaping of Filipino nationalism. José Rizal is the most celebrated ilustrado, a visionary whose writings created a national identity and awareness. His novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, required readings for Filipino students, provide vignettes of colonial life under the Spanish rule. They give a sense of Filipino identity and historical continuity. Andrés Bonifacio founded the pro-independence Katipunan movement that helped end Spanish rule. Disputes exist about whether he, not Rizal, should be the national hero. Ninoy Aquino is highly revered as the martyr of the People Power revolution.
See also
References
- ^ Under the 1987 Constitution, the national language is Filipino and the official languages are Filipino and English. The regional languages Cebuano, Ilokano, Hiligaynon, Bikol, Waray-Waray, Kapampangan, Pangasinan, Kinaray-a, Maranao, Maguindanao, Tausug are the auxiliary official languages in their respective regions. Spanish and Arabic are to be promoted on a voluntary and optional basis.
- ^ The other is East Timor.
- ^ National Statistics Office — Population Projections
- ^ Capelli, Cristian (2001). "A Predominantly Indigenous Paternal Heritage for the Austronesian-Speaking Peoples of Insular Southeast Asia and Oceania" (PDF). Am. J. Hum. Genet. 68: 432–443.
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- PSE: Philippine Stock Exchange. URL accessed March 29th, 2006.
External links
Definitions from Wiktionary
Media from Commons
News from Wikinews
Quotations from Wikiquote
Texts from Wikisource
Textbooks from Wikibooks
Resources from Wikiversity
Maps
- Official
- Official website of the Philippine Government - Gateway to governmental sites
- Supreme Court of the Philippines
- Senate of the Philippines
- Department of Foreign Affairs
- WOW Philippines! - Department of Tourism Official website
- Visit the Philippines! : Full length travel video
- Department of Trade and Industry
- Commission on Information and Communications Technology
- Other
- Template:Wikitravel
- Philippines, an external wiki
- BBC Country Profile on the Philippines
- U.S. Country Studies: Philippines
- Philippine Directory
- Uncommon Travel Photography - Various pictures by Peace Corps volunteers in the Philippines
- Lahing Bayani
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