Philippines
| Republic of the Philippines Republika ng Pilipinas | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||
| Motto: "Maka-Diyos, Maka-Tao, Makakalikasan, at Makabansa" English: "For God, People, Nature, and Country" [1] | ||||||
| Anthem: "Lupang Hinirang" (English: "Chosen Land") | ||||||
 | ||||||
| Capital | Manila 14°35′N 121°0′E / 14.583, 121 | |||||
| Largest city | Quezon City | |||||
| Official languages | Filipino, and English | |||||
| Recognised regional languages | Bikol, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Kapampangan, Pangasinan, Tagalog, and Waray-Waray [2] | |||||
| 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 · Chabacano · Zamboangueño | |||||
| Demonym | 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 | ||||
| - | Self-government | March 24, 1934 | ||||
| - | Independence recognized | July 4, 1946 | ||||
| - | Current constitution | February 2, 1987 | ||||
| Area | ||||||
| - | Total | 300,000 km2 [3](72nd) 115,831 sq mi | ||||
| - | Water (%) | 0.61%[3] | ||||
| Population | ||||||
| - | 2008 estimate | 90.5 million[4] (12th) | ||||
| - | 2007 census | 88,574,614 [5] | ||||
| - | Density | 295/km2 (32nd) 765/sq mi | ||||
| GDP (PPP) | 2007 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $319.773 billion[6] (37th) | ||||
| - | Per capita | $3,539.448[6] (122nd) | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | 2007 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $172.348 billion[6] (46th) | ||||
| - | Per capita | $1,907.659[6] (119th) | ||||
| Gini (2015) | 45.8[3] (medium) | |||||
| HDI (2007/2008) | ▲ 0.771[7] (medium) (90th) | |||||
| Currency | Peso (Filipino: piso  ) (PHP) | |||||
| Time zone | PHT (UTC+8) | |||||
| Drives on the | right | |||||
| Internet TLD | .ph | |||||
| Calling code | 63 | |||||
| 1 | Spanish, and Arabic are recognized as auxiliary languages in the Philippine Constitution. | |||||
| 2 | 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 (Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, Filipino: Republika ng Pilipinas), is an island country located in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city. The Philippines comprises 7,107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean, sharing maritime borders with Indonesia, Malaysia, Palau, the People's Republic of China, and Vietnam. The Philippines is the world's 12th most populous country with a population of 90 million people.[4][6] Its national economy is the 46th largest in the world with an estimated 2008 gross domestic product (GDP) of over US$154.073 billion.[6] There are more than 11 million overseas Filipinos worldwide, about 11% of the total population of the Philippines. It is a multi-ethnic country. Ecologically, The Philippines is considered to be among 17 of the most megadiverse countries in the world.[8]
Before the arrival of Europeans in 1521,[9] the Philippines was settled by Austronesian (Malayo Polynesian) peoples. The Philippines became a Spanish colony in the 16th century, as an extension of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. The Philippines were ceded to the United States in 1898 at the conclusion of the Spanish-American War. A Commonwealth was established in 1935, which allowed some self-governance. The United States granted the Philippines independence on July 4, 1946. Martial law was declared in 1972, which led to the insurgencies of the New People's Army, and the Moro National Liberation Front. Liberal parties led the People Power Revolution of 1986, which would bring the Philippines back to democracy.[3]
The Philippines is one of two predominantly Roman Catholic countries in Asia-Pacific, the other being East Timor. Pre-Hispanic indigenous rituals still exist; and there are also followers of Islam.[10] Spanish was an official language of the Philippines until 1987. Since then, the two official languages are Filipino, and English.[3]
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.[11] Despite the presence of other names, the name Filipinas (Philippines) was eventually adopted as the name of the entire archipelago.
Contents1 History
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History
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.[12]
The Islands were known as Lusung Dao to the Chinese, Suvarnadvipa to the Hindus, Zabag to the Arabs, and Persians,[13] and Chryse to the Greeks which means island of gold, as described by the geographer Ptolemy.[14] 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,[15] and trade relations with southern China, and other neighboring countries as early as the 5th century.[16]
Islam was brought to the Philippines by traders, and proselytizers from Malaysia, Indonesia and Arabia.[17] 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 states ruled by Datus, Rajahs, or Sultans. 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.[18] Magellan arrived at Cebu on April 7, 1521, befriending Rajah Humabon, and converting his family, and other nearby islanders to Christianity.[18] However, Magellan would later be killed in the Battle of Mactan by native warriors led by Rajah Lapu-Lapu, a rival of Rajah Humabon.
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. [19]
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.[20] 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.[21]
The Propaganda Movement, which included Philippine nationalist José Rizal, then a student studying in Spain, soon 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 a 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.[22]
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 US proclaimed the war ended when Aguinaldo was captured by American troops on March 23, 1901, but the struggle continued until 1913 claiming almost a million lives.[23][24] The country's status as a territory changed when it became the Commonwealth of the Philippines in 1935, which provided self-governance. Plans for independence over the next decade were interrupted during World War II when Japan invaded, and occupied the islands. After the Japanese were defeated in 1945, and control returned to the Philippine, and American forces in the Liberation of the Philippine Islands from 1944 to 1945, the Philippines was granted independence from the United States on July 4, 1946.[3]
Since 1946, the newly independent Philippine state has faced political instability. The late 1960s and early 1970s saw economic development that was second in Asia, next to Japan. 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.[25]
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 a Islamic separatist movement. The Philippine economy improved during the administration of Fidel V. Ramos, who was elected in 1992.[26] 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 Estrada. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo took Philippine leadership in 2001 following the impeachment of the Estrada government.
Tourism
The Philippines constitutes an archipelago of 7,107 islands with a total land area of approximately 300,000 square kilometers (116,000 sq mi). 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.[2]
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.[2]
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 "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".[27]
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.[28]
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.[29]
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.[30]
Economy
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.[10][31] 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.[26]
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.[26] By 2004, the Philippine economy experienced six percent growth in gross domestic product, and 7.3% in 2007,[32] in line with the "7, 8, 9" project of the government to accelerate GDP growth by 2009.[33]
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.
Despite the growing economy, the Philippines will have to address several chronic tasks in the future. Strategies for streamlining the economy include improvements of infrastructure, more efficient tax systems to bolster government revenues, furthering deregulation and privatization of the economy, and increasing trade integration within the region, and across the world.[34][35] The Philippine economy is also 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,[36] 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.[37]
Politics and government
- See also: Foreign relations of the Philippines, President of the Philippines, and Constitution of the Philippines
- Further information: Armed Forces 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.[2]
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.[2]
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.[2] Attempts to amend the constitution to either a federal, unicameral or parliamentary form of government have been satisfactory since the Ramos administration. [38]
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.[2]
Administrative divisions
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.[39] In addition, the Section 2 of Republic Act No. 5446 asserts that the Philippines has acquired dominion, and sovereignty over Sabah, North Borneo.[40]
| Region | Designation | Capital |
|---|---|---|
| Ilocos Region | Region I | San Fernando City, La Union |
| Cagayan Valley | Region II | Tuguegarao City, Cagayan |
| Central Luzon | Region III | City of San Fernando, Pampanga |
| CALABARZON¹ ² | Region IV-A | Calamba City, Laguna |
| MIMAROPA¹ ² ³ | Region IV-B | Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro |
| Bicol Region | Region V | Legazpi City, Albay |
| Western Visayas | Region VI | Iloilo City, Iloilo |
| Central Visayas | Region VII | Cebu City, Cebu |
| Eastern Visayas | Region VIII | Tacloban City, Leyte |
| Zamboanga Peninsula | Region IX | Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur |
| Northern Mindanao | Region X | Cagayan De Oro City, Misamis Oriental |
| Davao Region | Region XI | Davao City, Davao del Sur |
| SOCCSKSARGEN¹ | Region XII | Koronadal City, South Cotabato |
| Caraga | Region XIII | Butuan City, Agusan del Norte |
| Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao | ARMM | Cotabato City, Maguindanao |
| Cordillera Administrative Region | CAR | Baguio City, Benguet |
| 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
The Philippines is the world's 12th most populous country, with a population of over 90 million as of 2008.[4][6] 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,[41][42] and about equal for males and females.[3] 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
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.[43] 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.[44] followed by Filipinos of Spanish descent. Other significant minorities include American, British, European, Japanese, Asian Indian, Korean, Arab, Indonesian, and other ethnic groups.
Throughout the country's history, various ethnic groups as well as immigrants and colonizers have intermarried with the native population, producing Filipino mestizos. These mestizos, apart from being of mixed Malayo Polynesian, and European ancestry, can be descended from any ethnic foreign forebears. The official percentage of Filipinos with foreign ancestry is unknown since there are no credible sources for the percentage of Philippine mestizos residing in the Philippines. The number of Filipino mestizos that reside outside the Philippines is also unknown. However, due to major historical factors, such as the Spanish colonization, the American occupation, and Chinese immigration after World War II, most Filipino mestizos that reside in the Philippines are now of Spanish, American, European, Chinese, and other foreign descent.
Languages
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 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
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 dioceses of which the Archdiocese of Manila is the main primacy. About 90% of Filipinos identify themselves as Christians, with 81% belonging to the Roman Catholic Church. 2% are composed of Protestant denominations, and 11% either to the Philippine Independent Church, Iglesia ni Cristo, and others.[45]
| Philippines religiosity | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| religion | percent | |||
| Christianity | 90% | |||
| Islam | 5% | |||
| Others | 5% | |||
The Philippines is also well-known for its Baroque-style churches. They are a part of the long list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These churches are: 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,[45] and are locally known as Moros, having been dubbed this by the Spaniards due to their sharing Islam with the Moors of North Africa. 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.[42]
Education
The Philippines has ten years of basic education. The Philippine educational system does not have the Grade Eight level, and only a few schools in the Philippines have Grade Seven. The current Education Secretary, Jesli Lapuz, has stated that a plan has been developed to add one or two years to basic education in the Philippines. Some parents disagree with this because they feel that it would just add more expenses to their already limited budgets. The government of the Philippines also does not give enough financial assistance to the Department of Education, which makes funding for every Philippine student quite small compared to neighboring countries. In 2005, the Philippines just spent about US$138 per pupil, compared to US$1,582 in Singapore, US$3,728 in Japan, and US$852 in Thailand.
Education in the Philippines is similar to that of the United States. The school year in the Philippines starts in June, and ends in March, with a two-month summer break in April and May, a one-week semestral break (the last week of October), and a week or two during the Christmas holidays.
Elementary school
The Philippine elementary school consists of six levels, with some schools adding an additional level seven. The levels are grouped into two elementary subdivisions, which includes the first three levels, and Intermediate-level, which includes the last three levels.
Elementary education in the Philippines covers a wide curriculum. The core subjects (major subjects) include Mathematics, Sciences, English, Filipino, and Makabayan (Social Studies, Livelihood Education, Values). Other subjects include Music, Arts, and Physical Education. Starting at the third level, Science becomes an integral part of the core subjects. On December, 2007, Philippine president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo announced that Spanish is to make a return as a mandatory subject in all Philippine schools, and re-instated as an official language starting in 2008.[46][47] In private schools, the subjects include Mathematics, English, Science, Social Studies, Basic Computer, Filipino, Music, Arts and Technology, Home Economics, Health, Physical Education, and in Catholic schools, Religion or Christian Living. International schools, and Chinese schools have additional subjects, especially in their language, and culture.
The teaching medium in the vast majority of all local schools is English, and Filipino, and is used in Philippine subjects. Outside of Manila, other languages such as Cebuano, Bicolano, and Waray, are also used in the teaching of Philippine subjects. International schools generally use English in all subjects. Chinese schools add two language subjects, such as Min Nan Chinese, and Mandarin Chinese. Private colleges, and schools exhibits Spanish in their curriculum system. Meanwhile, Arabic is used in Islamic schools. All elementary students generally graduate with a knowledge of two or three languages.
Elementary students traditionally sit for the National Elementary Achievement Test (NEAT) administered by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS). It was intended as a measure of a school's competence, and not as a predictor of student aptitude or success in Secondary school. Hence, the scores obtained by the student in the NEAT is not used as a basis in his or her admission into Secondary school. During 2004, when DECS was officially converted into the Department of Education (DepEd), and also, as a result of some reorganization, the NEAT was abolished. As of 2006, only private schools have entrance examinations for Secondary school.
The National Elementary Achievement Test (NEAT) was changed to National Achievement Test (NAT) by the Department of Education (DepEd). Both the public, and private elementary schools take their examinations to measure a school's competency.
Secondary school
Secondary education in the Philippines consists of four levels. Secondary schooling is compartmentalized, meaning, each level focuses on a particular theme or content.
The first year of secondary school includes five core subjects, namely, Algebra I, Integrated Science, English I, Filipino I, and Philippine History I. The second year of High school includes Algebra II, Biology, English II, Filipino II, and Asian History. The third year of secondary school includes Geometry, Chemistry, American Literature, Filipino III, World History, and Geography, and the fourth year of High school has Calculus, Trigonometry, Physics, World Literature, Filipino IV, and Economics. Other minor subjects include Health, Advanced Computer, Music, Arts, Technology and Home Economics, and Physical Education.
Reputable colleges and universities
The Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University-Manila, the University of the Philippines, and the University of Santo Tomas are the only Philippine universities that had been included in league tables such as the now-defunct Asiaweek university rankings (which last ranked universities in 1999 and 2000),[48][49], and the THES-QS World University Rankings in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008.[50] In the 2007 THES-QS rankings, only UP and the Ateneo remained in the THES-QS rankings' top 500.[51][52] 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[53] Ateneo and UP were also ranked among the top 100 universities worldwide in the field of the arts and humanities.[54]
On the other hand, the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Academic Ranking of World Universities does not have Philippine universities in the top 500. 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.[55]
Other reputable universities include Silliman University in Dumaguete, University of San Carlos in Cebu City, Adamson University, Centro Escolar University, Far Eastern University, New Era University, Our Lady of Fatima University, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), Philippine Normal University, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, the Philippine Women's University (PWU), the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P), and the University of the East in Metro Manila, Saint Louis University and the University of the Cordilleras, both in Baguio City, Bulacan State University in Bulacan, De La Salle University-Dasmariñas in Cavite, Bicol University in Legazpi City, Central Philippine University, and University of San Agustin in Iloilo City, University of St. La Salle in Bacolod City,University of Southeastern Philippines, the Ateneo de Davao University, Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Mindanao State University, Holy Angel University in Pampanga, and Xavier University (Cagayan de Oro) in Mindanao. Other reputable colleges include Colegio de San Juan de Letran, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Mapúa Institute of Technology, and San Beda College. Noteworthy women's colleges include Assumption College (Philippines), Miriam College, and St. Scholastica's College.
Culture
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.[10]
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.[10] Spanish colonialists introduced Iberian, and Mexican dishes, such as arroz valenciana, to those of the Mexican cuisines (adobo preparation is the only exception as Philippine adobo is made with soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns unlike the tomato, corn, avocado, and potato in Mexican adobo). Philippine cuisine is a mixture of Asian, Oceanian, European, and American 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.
Many of street names, towns, and provinces are in Spanish. Spanish architecture also made an significant imprint in the Philippine Islands. This can be seen in the country's churches, government buildings, and universities. Many Hispanic style houses, and buildings are being preserved, like the town in Vigan City, for protection, and conservation. The kalesa is a horse-driven carriage were a major mode of transportation during the colonial period. It is still being used today.
The use of English language in the Philippines is contemporaneous, and is America's 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),[56] and Chowking (acquired by Jollibee in 2000).[56] Modern day Filipinos also listen to contemporary American music, and watch American movies. However, Original Pilipino Music (also known as OPM), and Philippine movies are also widely appreciated.
Various sports are also enjoyed, including boxing, basketball, badminton, billiards, football (soccer), and ten-pin bowling being popular games in the country.
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