History of the Philippines:
From a long history of Western colonial rule, interspersed with visits by merchants and traders, the 7,107 islands of the Philippines today have evolved into a unique combination of East and West, both in appearance and culture. Today considered the third largest English-speaking country in the world, the country has a rich history that combines Asian, European and American influences.
The Filipinos had a rich culture and traded with the Chinese and Japanese before the historic event, Spanish colonization in 1521 altered the destiny of the island country. The Spanish colonization, being a strong denominator in the history of the Philippines, brought with it the construction of Intramuros, a “Walled City” made up of European buildings and churches, replicated in different parts of the archipelago. Then a series of political rebellions continued for 350 years, at the end of which, in 1898, the Filipinos managed to gain their independence. It is worth mentioning here that this for the nation was promoted by pro-independence leaders such as José Rizal and Emilio Aguinaldo.
1898 became a landmark year in Philippine history as in this year; The Philippines became the first and only colony of the United States. However, the United States refused to recognize any Philippine right to self-rule. As a result, Aguinaldo declared war on the United States for denying them independence on February 4, 1899. After the Philippine-American War, the United States brought widespread education to the islands. The Filipinos fought alongside the Americans during World War II, particularly in the famous Battle of Bataan and Corregidor that delayed the Japanese advance and saved Australia. They then waged a guerrilla war against the Japanese from 1941 to 1945. However, the country was able to regain its independence in 1946. In this way, freedom-loving Filipinos waged two bloodless and peaceful revolutions against perceived corrupt regimes, resulting in the vibrant democracy of the Philippines today. Today, there are as many as 12 national English-language newspapers, 7 national TV stations, hundreds of cable TV stations, and 2,000 radio stations in the Philippines, ensuring democracy is restored in the country.
Philippine economy:
Based on the agricultural industry, the Philippines has gradually evolved into one of the fastest growing economies in all of Southeast Asia. The service sector in the Philippines is growing at a steady pace, keeping pace with the country’s phenomenal productivity in agriculture and industry.
Primarily an agricultural region producing copra, corn, hemp, rice, sugar, and tobacco, the land of the Philippines was also noted for mining activities, as investigations have found that the islands’ mountains contain substantial amounts of chromium, copper, gold, iron, lead, manganese, and silver. Fishing, centered around Manila Bay and the Sulu Archipelago, has been another important occupation, especially for the tribesmen scattered throughout the archipelago. However, the prospects for fishing as an industry like agriculture and mining in the Philippines are quite bleak, due to expensive funds and equipment. Important sectors of the Philippine economy, apart from agriculture, mining, and fishing, include food processing, textiles and clothing, and electronics and auto parts.
While most of the Philippines’ industries are concentrated in the urban areas around Metro Manila, natural gas resources have recently been discovered off the islands of Palawan, sure to add to the country’s significant coal, hydroelectric and geothermal power reserves.
Basically an agricultural economy with trade, commerce and industry contributing to its growth and development, agriculture with the primary crops “palay” and “maize” and also minor crops such as root crops, vegetables and fruits, as well as cattle and pig farming are considered among the other main economic activities. In addition, the country’s oranges and mangoes are now important crops that are exported fresh to Asian countries.
The Philippines was less affected by the 1998 Asian financial crisis than its neighboring Southeast Asian countries like Singapore, Malaysia, etc. This was possible because there were annual remittances of $7-8 billion from workers abroad. In addition, here before the crisis there was no sustained increase in asset prices or external indebtedness. Thus, from a fall of 0.6% in 1998, GDP expanded by 2.4% in 1999 and 4.4% in 2000. However, at the end of 2001, the country showed an economic recession in the face of the global economic slowdown, but soon recovered in successive years, as GDP growth accelerated to 4.3% in 2002, 4.7% in 2003 and around 6% in 2004, reflecting the continued resilience of the service sector and greatly improved exports and agricultural production.
Despite all these facts and figures, the Philippines’ high annual population growth rate and unequal income distribution, higher oil prices, higher interest rates on dollar loans, and higher inflation prove to be solid obstacles to its continued economic progress. With this in mind, the government has to take a path of higher and sustained growth to make appreciable progress of the economy.
Philippines Culture/Religion:
A true mix of cultures where east meets west, the Philippines has taken on a cultural character with a bit of all cultures together. Geographically and culturally divided into regions, each regional group of Filipinos is recognizable by distinct traits and dialects. The hardy and frugal llocanos of the north, the industrious Tagalogs of the central plains, the carefree Visayans of the central islands, and the colorful tribesmen and religious Muslims of Mindanao all speak different dialects. In this way, the Philippines has more than 111 spoken dialects, due to the subdivisions of these basic regional and cultural groups. Home to Malay Indonesians as well as some Chinese and Spanish elements, the country has been famous for its “Bayanihan” or spirit of kinship, camaraderie and hospitality that Filipinos are said to inherit from their ancestors. The influence of the Chinese has incorporated into them the concept of close family relationships, while the characteristic piety comes from the Spanish who introduced Christianity in the 16th century. Considered among the English-dominant Orientals, they have Filipino as their official national language, while English is considered the unofficial language of the country. In fact, the Philippines is currently the third largest English-speaking country in the world.
An integral part of Filipino culture, “fiesta” is a cultural hallmark of the Philippines. The culture of the Filipinos dictates that thick or thin, come what may, the party must go on. Every city and neighborhood has at least one local festival of its own (usually celebrating the feast of its patron saint), there is always a fiesta somewhere in the country. The most pompous and elaborate among them all is Christmas, a season that fun-loving Filipinos celebrate with all the pomp and pomp one can imagine.
Speaking of religion, Filipinos have historically embraced two of the world’s great religions: Islam and Christianity. Introduced during the 14th century, shortly after the expansion of Arab trading companies into Southeast Asia, Islam in the Philippines today is confined to the southern region of the country. On the other hand, Christianity, which was introduced in the 16th century with the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, is still a predominant religion in the country with a large part of Catholics (82.9%) and a small number of Protestants (5.4%). Protestantism was introduced into Philippine history much later (1889) by the first Presbyterian and Methodist missionaries who arrived in the country with American soldiers.
The churches of the Philippines, with their unique imposing architecture, are landmarks in almost all major towns, provincial capitals, and major cities. Importantly, two of the most prominent Philippine independent churches were organized at the turn of the century, namely the ‘Aglipay Independent Church’ (founded in 1902) and the Iglesia Ni Kristo’ or ‘Church of Christ’ (founded in 1914). Although Aglipay recently signed an agreement with the Anglican Church, Iglesia ni Kristo has considerably expanded its membership.
Philippines Travel/Tourism:
With exotic beach destinations in the Philippines like Boracay, Pagudpud, Mactan Island, Panglao, Camiguin and more, with rare and exotic marine life adorned with flora and fauna, with an exciting range of water sports ranging from scuba diving and snorkeling to sea kayaking and white water rafting, the Philippines, along with its other neighboring countries in Southeast Asia, turns out to be a treasure trove for foreign tourists. In fact, the islands of the Philippines are said to be the most sought after wedding destination where the traditional meets the exotic, the modern meets the mythical, and above all, east meets west.
Overseas tourists from all over the world compete with each other to experience fabulous wedding packages at Shangri-la’s Mactan Island resorts. The Pansukian Tropical Resorts, on the other hand, are sought after every year with their offers of enchanting honeymoon packages. And why not, for 7,107 islands, a coastline twice the length of the United States, the warm crystal blue waters of both the China Sea and the Pacific Ocean, long white sandy beaches and a variety of marine life would be tempting enough for anyone in the world!
The Philippines can also boast a fascinating fauna with a wide variety of endangered Philippine endemic animals, including 108 African animals, Philippine man-eating crocodiles and the endangered “dugong” or sea cow. The country can also boast spectacular marine life as the Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park of the Philippines is teeming with coral species, coral genera, seagrass species, great marine life, dolphins, sea turtles; and sea birds. “Central Philippine Bird Island” is a critical stopover for up to 50,000 migratory waterbirds that fly annually along the East Asian flyway. Talking about the distinctive beauty of the flora, there is the Ninoy Aquino Park and Wildlife Nature Center in Quezon Avenue, Philippines, which has around 38 species of trees and shrubs, representing 2443 trees commonly found in Philippine forests.
In addition, the idyllic settings of the Philippines make it a notable golf destination for the elite and the high-end public. Endowed with unique golf enclaves, from lush valleys to mountaintops, spas or just within urban landscapes, the Philippines can boast of being the ideal location for some of the world’s most prestigious local and international tournaments. These include the Johnnie Walker Classic, the World Amateur Golf Championship, the World Cup, the Asian PGA, and the Philippine Open. With all these attributes and much more, the country may very well be the beach capital of Asia in the truest sense of the term.