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Philippine
People
The
Filipino is basically of Malay stock with a
sprinkling of Chinese, American, Spanish, and Arab
blood. The Philippines has a population of 76.5
million as of May 2000, and it is hard to
distinguish accurately the lines between stocks.
From a long history of Western colonial rule,
interspersed with the visits of merchants and
traders, evolved a people of a unique blend of east
and west, both in appearance and
culture.
The
Filipino character is actually a little bit of all
the cultures put together. The bayanihan or spirit
of kinship and camaraderie that Filipinos are
famous for is said to be taken from Malay
forefathers. The close family relations are said to
have been inherited from the Chinese. The piousness
comes from the Spaniards who introduced
Christianity in the 16th century. Hospitality is a
common denominator in the Filipino character and
this is what distinguishes the Filipino. Filipinos
are probably one of the few, if not the only,
English-proficient Oriental people today. Pilipino
is the official national language, with English
considered as the country's unofficial
one.
The
Filipinos are divided geographically and culturally
into regions, and each regional group is
recognizable by distinct traits and dialects - the
sturdy and frugal llocanos of the north, the
industrious Tagalogs of the central plains, the
carefree Visayans from the central islands, and the
colorful tribesmen and religious Moslems of
Mindanao. Tribal communities can be found scattered
across the archipelago. The Philippines has more
than 111 dialects spoken, owing to the subdivisions
of these basic regional and cultural
groups.
The
country is marked by a true blend of cultures;
truly in the Philippines, East meets West. The
background of the people is Indonesian and Malay.
There are Chinese and Spanish elements as well. The
history of American rule and contact with merchants
and traders culminated in a unique blend of East
and West, both in the appearance and culture of the
Filipinos, or people of the Philippines.
Hospitality,
a trait displayed by every Filipino, makes these
people legendary in Southeast Asia. Seldom can you
find such hospitable people who enjoy the company
of their Western visitors. Perhaps due to their
long association with Spain, Filipinos are
emotional and passionate about life in a way that
seems more Latin than Asian.
The
Spaniards introduced Christianity (the Roman
Catholic faith) and succeeded in converting the
overwhelming majority of Filipinos. At least 83% of
the total population belongs to the Roman Catholic
faith.
The
American occupation was responsible for teaching
the Filipino people the English language. The
Philippines is currently the third-largest English
speaking country in the world.
Related
Articles About the Republic of the
Philippines:
courtesy
of the Official Websites of the Philippine
Department of Tourism
please visit www.wowphilippines.com.ph and
www.tourism.gov.ph for more information
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