CULTURES-FILIPINO

Background
It was Magellan in 1521 who put the Philippine archipelago on the map of the world. Magellan was called the "rediscoverer" of the Philippines. The archipelago, named Felipinas for Spain's Philip II, was composed of 7,107 islands and islets spanning 1854 kilometers from north to south. The Philippines stretched from China to the north and the Indonesian archipelago to the south. Y'ami is the northern most tip of the country while Sibutu is the southernmost tip. The Philippines strategic location makes it an ideal location for commerce. Maila and Cebu are premiere centers of trade in the region. To the east is the vast Pacific Ocean and beyond, the New World. To the west is Indo China including Cambodia and Thailand. To the southwest is Malaysia. There are three major geographical groups in the country: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Spanish colonizers succeeded in introducing Christianity in Luzon and Visayas, but failed in Mindanao where Moslems would not accept the Spanish efforts. Spain ruled the Philippines from the 16th century to the 19th century, but was marked with a series of revolts. When three Filipino priests were executed for nationalist activities, a group of reformist formed the Propaganda Movement that would later pave the way for the Philippine Revolution. Jose Rizal, a young doctor-writer, was executed by Spanish officials for criticizing Spanish rule. He was later recognized as Asia's first nationalist. The Philippine Revolution began on August 29, 1896 and independence was officially proclaimed on June 12, 1898. Political independence from the US was officially proclaimed in 1946.

The country is a blend of cultures. It is mostly Malay with some Chinese, American, Spanish, and Arab blood. Because of the visits with merchants and traders, a unique blend of east and west has emerged. The Filipino character is a combination of all the cultures put together. The spirit of kinship and camaraderie is said to be taken from Malay forefathers while the close family relations are said to be inherited from the Chinese. The piousness is said to come from the Spaniards. Another characteristic of the Filipino people is how important hospitality is to the. In fact their hospitality is legendary in Southeast Asia.

Immigration

United States and Filipino Immigrants History
Prepared by Dr. Juanita Santos Nacu

Education
Literacy rate in the Philippines has been very high for some time and according to the most recent figures in 2003 it has reached approximately 96% which is up from 82.6% just thirty years ago. As with many societies, there is a direct relationship between literacy rate and socioeconomic status. Students that come from families living below the poverty line often do not attend school beyond the elementary level. However, the government has introduced higher education assistance for families to send their children to college. Under this "socialized tuition" system, tuition fees vary according to wealth.

Language
The national Language is Filipino, which is based on the language of Tagalog. There are several dialects spoken in every region. English is used throughout the country as well as Hokkien, Cantonese, and Mandarin. Currently the Philippines is the third-largest English speaking country in the world. USEFUL PHRASES * Please - Pah-kee * Thank you - Sahlah-mat * Hello - Kuh-moos-tah * Good bye - Paalam-na po * Today - Nga-yohn * Tomorrow - Boo-kaas * Yes - Ooh * No - Hin-dee * One - Ee-sah * Two - Dalawa * Three - Taht-loh * Do you speak English? - Mah-roo nohng ho kay-yong mahg-Ing-glehs?

Religion
83% Roman Catholic, 9% Protestant, 5% Muslim, 3% Buddhist and Other.

Ethnic Groups
91.5% Christian Malay, 4% Muslim Malay, 1.5% Chinese, 3% other.

Resources
Bilingual Education Office California State Department of Education. (1986). Handbook for Teaching Pilipino-Speaking Students. Sacramento, CA: California State Department of Education.

U.S. Library of Congress. Philippines. Retrieved July 5, 2004 from http://countrystudies.us/philippines/