Philippines

This article is about the country in Southeast Asia. For the town in the Netherlands, see Philippine (Netherlands).

Republic of the Philippines Republika ng Pilipinas
Flag Coat of arms of the Philippines Coat of arms
Motto: "Maka-Diyos, Maka-Tao, Makakalikasan, at Makabansa" English: "For God, People, Nature, and Country"
Anthem: "Lupang Hinirang" (English: "Chosen Land")
Capital	Manila
Largest city	Quezon City
Official languages	Filipino, English
Recognised regional languages	Bikol, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Kapampangan, Pangasinan, Tagalog, and Waray-Waray
National language	Filipino
Ethnic groups	Aeta · Ati · Bajau · Bicolano · Ibanag · Igorot · Ilocano · Ivatan · Kapampangan · Lumad · Mangyan · Moro · Palawan tribes · Pangasinan· Sambal · Tagalog · Visayans · Chinese · European · Spanish · American · Mestizo · Chavacano · Zamboangueño
Demonym(s)	Filipino, Pinoy
Government	Unitary presidential constitutional republic
• President	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
• Vice President	Noli de Castro
Independence  from Spain from United States
• Established	April 27, 1565
• Declared	June 12, 1898
• Recognition	July 4, 1946
• Current constitution	February 2, 1987
Area
• Total	300,000 km2 (120,000 sq mi) (72nd)
• Water (%)	0.61%
Population
• 2008 estimate	90.5 million (12th)
• 2007 census	88,574,614
• Density	295/km2 (764.0/sq mi) (32nd)
GDP (PPP)	2007 estimate
• Total	$319.773 billion (37th)
• Per capita	$3,539.448 (122nd)
GDP (nominal)	2007 estimate
• Total	$172.348 billion (46th)
• Per capita	$1,907.659 (119th)
Gini (2015)	45.8
HDI (2007/2008)	0.771  (90th)
Currency	Peso (Filipino: peso ) (PHP)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PHT)
Driving side	right
Calling code	63
ISO 3166 code	PH
Internet TLD	.ph
Spanish, and Arabic are recognized as auxiliary languages in the Philippine Constitution. Rankings above were taken from associated Wikipedia pages as of December, 2007, and may be based on data or data sources other than those appearing here.

The Philippines, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is an island country located in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city. It comprises 7,107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean.

The Philippines is the world's 12th most populous country with a population of about 90 million people. Its national economy is the 46th largest in the world with an estimated 2008 gross domestic product (GDP) of over US$154.073 billion. There are more than 11 million overseas Filipinos worldwide, about 11% of the total population of the Philippines.

A former colony of Spain, and the United States, the Philippines is one of two predominantly Roman Catholic countries in Asia-Pacific, the other being East Timor. Multiple ethnicities and cultures are found throughout the islands; there are also followers of Islam, and other religions. Ecologically, the Philippines is among one of the most megadiverse countries in the world.

Etymology

The name Philippines was derived from King Philip II of Spain in the 16th century. Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos used the name Las Islas Filipinas (The Philippine Islands) in honour of the Prince of Spain during his expedition to the Philippines, originally referring to the islands of Leyte, and Samar. The name itself is Greek, and can be traced to the name of the father of Alexander the Great, Philipp II of Macedon,Greek: Φίλιππος — φίλος philos (meaning beloved, loving); ίππος hippos (meaning horse). Despite the presence of other names, the name Filipinas (Philippines) was eventually adopted as the name of the entire archipelago.

History

Main article: History of the Philippines

Prehistory

Banaue Rice Terraces, part of the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, are an indigenous man-made structures which dates back 2,000 to 6,000 years ago, and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Archeological, and paleontological discoveries show that humans existed in Palawan around 30,000 to 50,000 BC. The aboriginal people of the Philippine Islands, the Negritos, are an Australo-Melanesian people who arrived in the Philippines at least 30,000 years ago. The Austronesian (Malayo Polynesian) people, originated from populations of Taiwanese aborigines that migrated from mainland Asia approximately 6000 years ago, who settled in the islands, and eventually migrated to Indonesia, Malaysia, and soon after, to the Polynesian islands, and Madagascar.

The Islands were known as Lusung Dao to the Chinese, Suvarnadvipa to the Hindus, Zabag to the Arabs, and Persians and Chryse to the Greeks which means island of gold, as described by the geographer Ptolemy. The Philippine Islands had cultural ties with Malaysia, Indonesia, and India during ancient times, as proven by the extent of Tantric, and Hindu-Buddhist influence in the area. There were also trade relations with China, and other neighboring countries as early as the 5th century.

A pre-Hispanic indigenous village.

Islam was brought to the Philippines by traders, and proselytizers from Malaysia, Indonesia and Arabia. By the 13th century, Islam was established in the Sulu Archipelago and spread to Mindanao the Visayas and Luzon by 1565. Muslim converts established Islamic communities, and there were several states ruled by Datus, Rajahs, or Sultans.

However, there was still no unified political state that encompassed the archipelago now known as the the Philippines and the area was ruled by competing thalassocracies like the Confederacy of Namayan the Dynasty of Tondo the Butuan Rajahnate, and the sultanates of Maguindanao and Sulu some of which were under the suzerainty of the larger Malayan empires of Srivijaya, Majapahit and the Brunei Sultanate.

Colonial period

When the Spaniards arrived in the 16th century, the majority of the estimated 500,000 people in the islands lived in independent settlements.

In the service of Spain, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, and his crew started their voyage on September 20, 1519. Magellan sighted Samar on March 17, 1521, on the next day, they reached Homonhon. They reached the island of Mazaua on March 28, 1521 where the first mass in the Philippines was celebrated on March 31, 1521. Magellan arrived at Cebu on April 7, 1521, befriending Rajah Humabon, and converting his family, and other nearby islanders to Christianity. However, Magellan would later be killed in the Battle of Mactan by native warriors led by Rajah Lapu-Lapu, a rival of Rajah Humabon.

File:Viganspanishhouses.jpg

Hispanic town of Vigan.

Colonization started to take form when Philip II of Spain ordered successive expeditions. Miguel López de Legazpi arrived from Mexico in 1565, and formed the first Spanish settlements in Cebu. In 1571, he established Manila as the capital of the Spanish East Indies.

Spanish rule brought political unification to an archipelago of previously independent islands, and communities which later became the Philippines, and introduced elements of western civilization such as the code of law, printing and the Gregorian calendar. The Philippines was ruled as a territory of the Viceroyalty of New Spain from 1565 to 1821, and administered as a province of Spain from 1821 to 1898. During that time numerous towns were founded, infrastructures built, new crops and livestock introduced, and trade flourished. The Manila Galleon which linked Manila to Acapulco carried silk, spices, ivory and porcelain to the Americas, and silver from Mexico on the return voyage to the Philippines. The Spanish military fought off various indigenous revolts, and several external threats, especially from the British, Chinese pirates, Dutch, and Portuguese. Roman Catholic missionaries converted most of the inhabitants to Christianity, and founded numerous schools, universities and hospitals. In 1863 a Spanish decree introduced public education, creating free public schooling in Spanish.

File:B155.jpg

A 19th-century photograph of leaders of the Propaganda Movement: José Rizal, Marcelo del Pilar, and Mariano Ponce.

The Propaganda Movement, which included Philippine nationalist José Rizal, then a student studying in Spain, developed on the Spanish mainland. The propagandists clamored for political, and social reforms, which included demands for greater representation in Spain. Unable to gain the reforms, Rizal returned to the Philippines, and pushed for the reforms. Rizal was arrested, tried, and executed for treason on December 30, 1896. Earlier that year, the Katipunan, led by Andrés Bonifacio, had already started the Philippine Revolution, which was eventually continued by Emilio Aguinaldo, who established a revolutionary government, although the Spanish governor general Fernando Primo de Rivera proclaimed the revolution over in May 17, 1897.

The Spanish-American War began in Cuba in 1898, and soon reached the Philippines when Commodore George Dewey defeated the Spanish squadron at the Manila Bay. Aguinaldo declared the independence of the Philippines on June 12, 1898, and was proclaimed head of state. As a result of its defeat, Spain ceded the Philippines, together with Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Guam to the United States during the Treaty of Paris in 1898. In 1899 the First Philippine Republic was proclaimed in Malolos, Bulacan, but was later dissolved by the US Army, leading to the Philippine-American War between the United States, and the Philippines, which continued the violence of the previous years. The United States proclaimed the war ended when Aguinaldo was captured by American soldiers on March 23, 1901, but the struggle continued until 1913 claiming almost a million lives. The country's status as a territory changed when it became the Commonwealth of the Philippines in 1935. Plans for independence over the next decade were interrupted by World War II when Japan invaded, and occupied the islands. American and Philippine troops drove Japan from the Philippines in 1944. The Philippines was granted independence from the United States on July 4, 1946.

Contemporary era

File:Manuel Quezon inauguration.JPG

Former Philippine president Manuel L. Quezon, in his inauguration during the American period.

Since 1946, the newly independent Philippine state has faced political instability. The late 1960s, and early 1970s saw the Philippine economy developed to be one of the wealthiest in Asia. Ferdinand Marcos was, then, the elected president. Barred from seeking a third term, Marcos declared martial law on September 21, 1972, under the guise of increased political instability and resurgent Communist and Muslim insurgencies, and ruled the country by decree.

Upon returning from exile in the United States, opposition leader Benigno Aquino, Jr., was assassinated on August 21, 1983. In January 1986, Marcos allowed for a snap election, after large protests. Corazon Aquino, the widow of Benigno Aquino, Jr., was the recognized winner of the election. She took over the Philippine government, and called for a constitutional convention to draft a new constitution, after the People Power Revolution. Marcos, his family, and his allies fled to Hawaii.

The return of democracy, and government reforms after the events of 1986 were hampered by national debt, government corruption, coup attempts, a communist insurgency, and an Islamic separatist movement. The Philippine economy improved during the administration of Fidel V. Ramos, who was elected in 1992. However, the economic improvements were negated at the onset of the East Asian financial crisis in 1997. The 2001 EDSA Revolution led to the downfall of the following president, Joseph Ejercito Estrada. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo took Philippine leadership in 2001 following the impeachment of the Estrada government.

Geography

Main article: Geography of the Philippines

Mount Apo in Mindanao.

Chocolate Hills in Bohol.

The Philippines constitutes an archipelago of 7,107 islands with a total land area of approximately 300,000 square kilometers (116,000 square mile). It is located between 116° 40' and 126° 34' E. longitude, and 4° 40', and 21° 10' N. latitude, and borders the Philippine Sea on the east, the South China Sea on the west, and the Celebes Sea on the south. The island of Borneo is located a few hundred kilometers southwest, and Taiwan directly north. The Moluccas, and Sulawesi are to the south-southwest, 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 and CAR), Visayas (VI to VIII), and Mindanao (IX to XIII and ARMM). The busy port of Manila, on Luzon, is the national capital, and second largest city after its suburb Quezon City.

Mayon Volcano in Luzon.

Most of the mountainous islands used to be covered in tropical rainforest, and are volcanic in origin. The highest mountain is Mount Apo located in Mindanao measuring at 2,954 metres (9,692 ft) above sea level. There are many active volcanos such as Mayon Volcano, Mount Pinatubo, and Taal Volcano. The country also located within the typhoon belt of the Western Pacific and approximately 19 typhoons strike per year.

Located on the northwestern fringes of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippine Islands experiences frequent seismic, and volcanic activities. Some 20 earthquakes are registered daily in the Philippines, though most are too weak to be felt. The last great earthquake was the 1990 Luzon earthquake.

The longest river is the Cagayan River in northern Luzon. Manila Bay is connected to Laguna de Bay by means of the Pasig River. Subic Bay, the Davao Gulf, and the Moro Gulf are some of the important bays. Transversing the San Juanico Strait is the San Juanico Bridge (considered a point of vital national infrastructure and capacity), that connects the islands of Samar and Leyte.

Climate

Main article: Climate of the Philippines

The limestone islands of El Nido, Palawan.

The Philippines has a tropical marine climate and is usually 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 "Tag-lamig" (the cold season from December to February). The southwest monsoon (from May to October) is known as the "Habagat", and the dry winds of the northeast monsoon (from November to April) as the "Amihan". The coolest month is January and the warmest is May. Both temperature and humidity levels reach the maximum in April and May. Manila and most of the lowland areas are hot and dusty from March to May. Even at this time, however, temperatures rarely rise above 37° C. Mean annual sea-level temperatures rarely fall below 27° C. Annual rainfall measures as much as 5,000 millimeters in the mountainous east coast section of the country, but less than 1,000 millimeters in some of the sheltered valleys. Sitting astride the typhoon belt, most of the country experiences an annual onslaught of torrential rains and thunderstorms from July to October.

Economy

Main article: Economy of the Philippines

Skyline of Ortigas Center in the foreground with Makati in the background on the left.

Makati City is the main central business metropolitan of Manila.

Ortigas Center Business District.

The Philippines is a newly industrialized country with an economy anchored on agriculture but with substantial contributions from manufacturing, mining, remittances from overseas Filipinos, and service industries such as tourism, and increasingly, business process outsourcing. The Philippines is listed in the roster of the "Next Eleven" economies.

Historically, the Philippine economy has largely been anchored on the Manila galleon during the Spanish period, and bilateral trade with the United States during the American period. Pro-Filipino economic policies were first implemented during the tenure of Carlos P. Garcia with the "Filipino First" policy. By the 1960s, the Philippine economy was regarded as the second largest in Asia, next to Japan. However, the leardership of Ferdinand Marcos would prove disastrous to the Philippine economy, sliding the country into severe economic recession, only to recover in the 1990s with a program of economic liberalization, and the breaking of Marcos era monopolies and the system of cronyism under Fidel V. Ramos.

File:Keppel and innove.jpg

Cebu City Business Park.

File:Monument To Immortality.jpg

The Philippine Stock Exchange.

The Asian Financial Crisis affected the Philippine economy to an extent, resulting in a lingering decline of the value of the Philippine peso, and falls in the stock market, although the extent to which it was affected was not as severe as that of its Asian neighbors. This is largely due to the fiscal conservatism of the Philippine government partly as a result of decades of monitoring, and fiscal supervision from the International Monetary Fund, in comparison to the massive spending of its neighbors on the rapid acceleration of economic growth. By 2004, the Philippine economy experienced six percent growth in gross domestic product, and 7.3% in 2007, in line with the "7, 8, 9" project of the government to accelerate GDP growth by 2009.

In a bid to further strengthen the Philippine economy, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo pledged to make the Philippines a developed country by 2020. As part of this goal, she instituted five economic "super regions" to concentrate on the economic strengths of various regions of the good Philippines, as well as the implementation of tax reforms, continued privatization of state assets, and the building-up of infrastructure in various areas of the Philippines.

The Philippine economy is heavily reliant on remittances as a source of foreign currency, surpassing even foreign direct investment. China, and India have emerged as major economic competitors, siphoning away investors who would otherwise have invested in the Philippines, particularly telecommunications companies. Regional development is also somewhat uneven, with Luzon, and Metro Manila in particular gaining most of the new economic growth at the expense of the other regions, although the government has taken steps to distribute economic growth by promoting investment in other areas of the Philippine Islands.

The Philippine Islands is a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It is also a member of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Colombo Plan, and the G-77, among others.

Politics and government

Main article: Politics of the Philippines

See also: Foreign relations of the Philippines, President of the Philippines, and Constitution of the Philippines

Further information: [[:Armed Forces of the Philippines]]

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the current President of the Philippines.

File:Malacanang palace view.jpg

Malacañan Palace, the official residence for the President of the Philippines.

The Philippines has a presidential, unitary form of government (with some modification; there is one autonomous region largely free from the national government), where the President functions as both head of state, and head of government, and is commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The president is elected by popular vote to a single six year term, during which time she or he appoints and presides over the cabinet.

The bicameral Congress is composed of a Senate, serving as the upper house whose members are elected nationally to a six year term, and a House of Representatives serving as the lower house whose members are elected to a three year term, and are elected from both legislative districts, and through sectoral representation.

The judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court, composed of a Chief Justice as its presiding officer and fourteen associate justices, all appointed by the President from nominations submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council. Attempts to amend the constitution to either a federal, unicameral or parliamentary form of government have been satisfactory since the Ramos administration.

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 United States, but also a member of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Administrative divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of the Philippines

Provinces, and regions of the Philippines.

The Philippines is divided into three island groups: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. These are divided into 17 regions, 81 provinces, 136 cities, 1,494 municipalities, and 41,995 barangays or barrios. In addition, the Section 2 of Republic Act No. 5446 asserts that the Philippines has acquired dominion, and sovereignty over Sabah, North Borneo.

Region	Designation	Capital
Ilocos Region	Region I	San Fernando, La Union
Cagayan Valley	Region II	Tuguegarao, Cagayan
Central Luzon	Region III	San Fernando, Pampanga
CALABARZON¹ ²	Region IV-A	Calamba, Laguna
MIMAROPA¹ ² ³	Region IV-B	Calapan, Oriental Mindoro
Bicol Region	Region V	Legazpi, Albay
Western Visayas	Region VI	Iloilo City
Central Visayas	Region VII	Cebu City
Eastern Visayas	Region VIII	Tacloban
Zamboanga Peninsula	Region IX	Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur
Northern Mindanao	Region X	Cagayan de Oro
Davao Region	Region XI	Davao City
SOCCSKSARGEN¹	Region XII	Koronodal, South Cotabato
Caraga	Region XIII	Butuan
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao	ARMM	Cotabato City
Cordillera Administrative Region	CAR	Baguio
National Capital Region	NCR	Manila

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 was moved from Region IV-B as known as MIMAROPA to Region VI. But after a few months, Palawan was moved back to Region IV-B due to the Palaweños wish.

Demographics

Population growth of the Philippines.

Main articles: Demographics of the Philippines, Filipino people, and Overseas Filipino

The Philippines is the world's 12th most populous country, with a population of over 90 million as of 2008. As of 2007, 8% of Filipinos are living abroad as migrant laborers. Roughly half of the country's population resides on the island of Luzon. Manila, the capital, is the eleventh most populous metropolitan area in the world. The literacy rate was 92.6% in 2003, and about equal for males and females. Life expectancy is 71.23 years, with 73.6 years for females and 69.8 years for males. Population growth rate in 1995-2000 is 3.21% but then dramatically fell to 1.59% for 2005-2010.

Ethnic groups

Main article: Ethnic groups of the Philippines

Map of the dominant ethnicities of the Philippines by province.

The majority of Philippine nationals are descended from the Austronesian (Malayo Polynesian) people who settled in over a thousand years ago from southern Taiwan, genetically most closely related to the Ami tribe. The Malayo Polynesian-speaking peoples, a branch of the Austronesian-speaking peoples, migrated to the Philippines, and brought their knowledge of agriculture, and ocean-sailing technology. Filipinos to this day are composed of various Malayo Polynesian ethnic groups, including the Visayans, the Tagalog, the Ilocano, the Moro, the Kapampangan, the Bicolano, the Pangasinense, the Igorot, the Lumad, the Mangyan, the Ibanag, the Badjao, the Ivatan, and the Palawan tribes. The Negritos, including the Aetas and the Ati, are considered as the aboriginal inhabitants of the Philippines though they are estimated to be fewer than 30,000 people (0.03%).

Filipinos of Chinese descent currently form the largest non-Austronesian ethnic group, forming 1.5% of the population. followed by Filipinos of Spanish descent. Other significant minorities include American, British, European, Japanese, Asian Indian, Korean, Arab, Indonesian, and other ethnic groups.

Throughout Philippine history, various people of different races and nationalities have intermarried and inter-bred with the majority Austronesian population.

These people are called Mestizos.

It is estimated that 20% of the Philippine population are Chinese-Filipino mestizos. 3.6% are European-Filipino mestizos from both American and Spanish colonization. 5% are Indian-Filipino mestizos from the era of Indianized Kingdoms and 2% are Arab-Filipino mestizos, descendants of the Philippine Sultanates. There is also a considerable Latino-Filipino mestizo presence in the Philippines dating from the times of the Galleon Trade but the percentage of which, relative to the main population is still unknown. Latino-Filipino mestizos also have African, Native American or Hispanic descent.

Languages

Main article: Languages of the Philippines

Map of the dominant ethnolinguistic groups of the Philippines.

According to the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Filipino, and English are the official languages. About 180 languages and dialects are also spoken in the islands, almost all of them belonging to the Borneo-Philippines group of the Malayo-Polynesian language branch of the Austronesian language family.

Filipino is the de facto standard version of Tagalog, spoken mainly in Metro Manila, and other urban regions. Both Tagalog, and English are used in government, education, print and broadcast media, and business.

Other major regional languages include Bikol, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Waray-Waray, Kapampangan, Pangasinan, Kinaray-a, Maranao, Maguindanao, Tausug, and Chavacano.

Other languages include Spanish, and Arabic which are recognized as auxiliary languages in the Philippine Constitution. The use of Spanish is prevalent among Hispanic mestizos; and Arabic are used by Filipino muslims, and taught in madrasah (Muslim) schools.

Religion

Main article: Religion in the Philippines

Basilica Minore de San Sebastián, Manila.

The Philippines is one of two countries in Asia, and the Asia-Pacific region with Roman Catholic majorities; the other being East Timor. The Philippines is separated into different archdioceses, and dioceses. About 90% of Filipinos identify themselves as Christians, with 81% belonging to the Roman Catholic Church.5% are composed of Protestant denominations, and 10% either to the Philippine Independent Church, Iglesia ni Cristo, and among others.

Religion in the Philippines
religion			percent
Christianity			90%
Islam			5%
Others			5%

The Philippines is also well-known for its Baroque churches. They are a part of the long list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These churches include the San Agustín Church in Intramuros, Manila; Paoay Church in Paoay, Ilocos Norte; Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (Santa María) Church in Santa María, Ilocos Sur; and the Santo Tomás de Villanueva Church in Iloilo.

Approximately 5% of Filipinos are Muslims.They primarily settle in parts of Mindanao, Palawan, and the Sulu archipelago, but are now found in most urban areas of the country. Most lowland Muslim Filipinos practice Islam, although the practices of some Mindanao's highland Muslim populations reflect a mixture with Animism. There are also small populations of Buddhists, Bahá'í, Hindus, Sikhs, and animists, which, along with other non-Christians, non-Muslims, and those with no religion, collectively comprise 2.5% of the population.

Education

Main article: Education in the Philippines

File:UST Main Bldg Facade.jpg

University of Santo Tomas, Manila.

The formal education in the Philippines is patterned after the American system, with English as the medium of instruction. Schools are classified into public (government) or private (non-government).

The general pattern of formal education follows five stages:

• Pre-primary level - nursery and kindergarten offered in most private schools;
• Primary level - six years of basic education;
• Secondary level - four years of high school education;
• College level - usually takes four, sometimes five and in some cases as in medical and law schools, as long as eight years; and,
• Graduate level - additional two or more years of schooling.

Classes in Philippine schools start in June and end in March. Majority of colleges and universities follow the semestral calendar from June-October and November-March. There are a number of foreign schools with study programs similar to those of the mother country. Education in the Philippines has undergone several stages of development from the colonial period to the present. In meeting the needs of the society, education serves as focus of priorities of the leadership at certain epochs.

At present, the Philippines adopts a trifocal education system as mandated by country's existing laws. The Department of Education (DepEd) covers elementary, secondary and nonformal education. The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) administers the post-secondary, middle-level manpower training and development while the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) supervises the college as well as graduate academic programs and degrees as well as regulate standards in higher education.

League tables

File:Oblationdiliman.jpg

The U.P. Oblation, the symbol of academic freedom in the Philippines.

Academic rankings in the Philippines are conducted by the Professional Regulation Commission and the Commission on Higher Education, and this is based on the average passing rates in all courses of all Philippine colleges and universities in the board tests. In the last rankings, the University of the Philippines, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, and Mindanao State University are the only three government-run universities that made it to the top ten list of the best-performing schools in the country, while the rest are private colleges and universities.

Internationally, the Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, the University of the Philippines, and the University of Santo Tomas are the only Philippine universities that had been included in league tables and surveys such as in the now-defunct Asiaweek university rankings (which last ranked universities in 1999 and 2000),, and the THES-QS World University Rankings in 2005, 2006, and 2008. In the 2007 THES-QS rankings, only UP and the Ateneo remained in the THES-QS rankings' top 500. In 2008, Ateneo, La Salle, UST and UP once again placed in the rankings, with the Ateneo ranked 254th in the world, UP at 276th while the University of Santo Tomas, and De La Salle University both placed in the Top 401-500 category Ateneo and UP were also ranked among the top 100 universities worldwide in the field of the arts and humanities. In 2006, the University of the Philippines, through its University President Emerlinda Román, has expressed that it does not want to participate in the THES Ranking, but was included in 2007 with an incomplete academic profile. The THES-QS rankings are mainly based on peer review survey, while the Asiaweek rankings were measured on the university's endowment and resources.

There are other university rankings based on different methodologies and criteria. In the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities by a Spanish research body, which measures a university’s Internet presence and the volume of research output freely accessible online, has UP and La Salle dominating other local universities. On the other hand, in the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Academic Ranking of World Universities, which is based on Nobel Prize winners, Fields medals for mathematicians, highly cited researchers, or articles in Nature or Science; and, the École des Mines de Paris rankings, which is according to the number of alumni who are the CEOs of the Fortune 500 companies, do not have Philippine universities in the top 500.

Culture

Main articles: Culture of the Philippines, Literature of the Philippines, and Music of the Philippines

An Ifugao (Malayo-Polynesian) sculpture.

Philippine culture is a fusion of pre-Hispanic Austronesian (Malayo Polynesian) civilizations mixed with Hispanic, and American. It has also been influenced by Chinese, Arab, and Indian cultures. As with many cultures, music (which includes traditional music) and leisure activities are an important aspect of Philippine society.

The Hispanic influences in Philippine culture are derived from the culture of Spain. These Hispanic influences are most evident in literature, folk music, folk dance, language, food, art, and religion. Spanish settlers introduced Iberian-Mexican customs, traditions, and cuisines. Philippine cuisine is a mixture of Eastern, and Western dishes.

Philippine tradition exhibits festivities known as barrio fiestas (district festivals) to commemorate their patron saints. One of the most visible Hispanic legacies is the prevalence of Spanish surnames, and names among Filipinos. This peculiarity, unique among the people of Asia, came as a result of a colonial decree, the Clavería edict, for the systematic distribution of family names, and implementation of the Spanish naming system on the inhabitants of the Philippine Islands. A Spanish name, and surname among the majority of Filipinos does not always denote Spanish ancestry.

Islamic instruments of gongs, and a drum that make up the Philippine kulintang ensemble, an example of pre-Hispanic musical tradition present in southern Philippines.

The majority of street names, towns, and provinces are in Spanish. Spanish architecture made a significant imprint in the Philippine Islands. This can be seen in the country's churches, government buildings, and universities. Many Hispanic houses, and buildings are preserved, like the towns in Vigan, and among others. The kalesas, horse-driven carriages, were a mode of transportation during the Spanish period. they are still being used today.

The use of English language in the Philippines is contemporaneous, and is the United States visible legacy. The most commonly played sports in the Philippines are basketball, and billiards. There is also a wide influence of American Pop cultural trends, such as the love of fast-food, and films; many street corners exhibits fast-food outlets. Aside from the American commercial giants such as McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Burger King, KFC, Starbucks, and Shakey's Pizza, local fast-food chains have also sprung up, including Goldilocks, Jollibee, Greenwich Pizza (acquired by Jollibee in 1994), and Chowking (acquired by Jollibee in 2000). Modern day Filipinos also listen, and watch contemporary European, and American music, and film. However, Original Pilipino Music (also known as OPM), and Philippine films are also appreciated.

Media

Further information: [[:Cinema of the Philippines, Television in the Philippines, Internet in the Philippines, Social networking in the Philippines, and Philippine drama]]

Philippine media is primarily based on Filipino (a de facto standard version of Tagalog) and English (particulary in cable television). Other Philippine languages, including various Visayan languages, are also used in the media. Radio is currently the most accessible type of media due to the remoteness of certain rural locations, and most Philippine languages are broadcasted in this format. The show business industry is vibrant with scandals and issues among Philippine celebrities acting as the staple of headlines in broadsheets and tabloids. Drama, and fantasy shows are anticipated in major television networks such as GMA Network, ABS-CBN, and TV5, so are Latin telenovelas, Korean dramas, and anime. Daytime televison is dominated by game shows, variety shows, and talk shows such as Eat Bulaga, and Game KNB?. Philippine cinema, is also appreciated, but have faced competition from American and European films. Despite this, critically praised directors and actors remain active, including Mike de Leon, Lino Brocka, Judy Anne Santos, Vilma Santos, and Nora Aunor (notable for her role in Himala, the most critically acclaimed film in the Philippine Entertainment industry). The Internet has gained popularity in recent years including Social networking, and MMORPGs, which are the most frequent internet activities and has lead a local-based company Level Up! Games to emerge in the industry and already has branches in India and Brazil.

Sports

Further information: [[:Sports in the Philippines]]

Various sports are also enjoyed, including boxing, basketball, volleyball, badminton, billiards, football (soccer), and ten-pin bowling being popular games in the country.

Transportation and Communications

Further information: [[:Transportation in the Philippines]] and [[:Communications in the Philippines]]

See also

• List of Philippine-related topics
• Wettest-known tropical cyclones in the Philippines

External links

Government

• Official website of the Philippine Government - Portal to governmental sites
• Chief of State and Cabinet Members

General information

• BBC Country Profile on the Philippines
• "Philippines". The World Factbook (2024 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency.
• Philippines from the United States Department of State includes Background Notes, Country Study and major report
• Philippines at UCB Libraries GovPubs
• Philippines at Curlie
• Wikimedia Atlas of Philippines
• Philippines, an external wiki

Maps

• WikiSatellite view of Philippines at WikiMapia

Other

• Washington Post's: How the Philippines Sees America
• Philippines Daily Photos
• Origins of the Filipinos and Their Languages by Wilhelm G. Solheim II (PDF)
• History of the Philippine Islands in many volumes, from Project Gutenberg (and indexed under Emma Helen Blair, the general editor)
• WikiAnswers: Q&A about the Philippines
• USAID country health statistical report : Philippines (May 2008)
• Template:Wikitravel
• WOW Philippines Tourism Ad
• Around Philippines PHOTOS

Wikipedia

• Tagalog Wikipedia