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GeographyThe Philippine archipelago
is geographically located between latitude 4023'N and 21025'N and
longitude 1160E and 1270E. It is composed of 7,107 islands, with
a land area of 299,764 sq.kilometers. Its length measures 1,850
kilometers, starting from the point near the southern tip of Taiwan
and ending close to northern Borneo. Its breadth is about 965 kilometers.
The Philippine coastline adds up to 17,500 km. Three prominent
bodies of water surround the archipelago: the Pacific Ocean on
the east, the South China Sea on the west and north, and the Celebes
Sea on the south. This position accounts for much of the variations
in geographic, climatic and vegetational conditions in the country.
The topography of the bigger islands - particularly Luzon and
Mindanao - is characterized by alluvial plains, narrow valleys,
rolling hills and high mountains. The highest mountains are found
in Mindanao and Luzon, with the altitudes varying from 1,790 to
3,144 meters. Most of the smaller islands are mountainous in the
interior, surrounded by narrow strips of discontinuous flat lowlands
which constitute the coastal rims. The shorelines of both large
and small islands are irregular.
The Philippines' fertile land accounts for the more than 900 species
of orchids representing 100 genera that have been found. The sampaguita
is the national flower. Among the country's fauna are some endangered
species like the Philippine Eagle, the tarsier, and the mouse deer.
Metro Manila is strategically located in the middle of Luzon,
on the eastern coast of Manila Bay and at the mouth of the Pasig
River, sprawled over an area of 626 sq.km. Manila sits in the middle
of a swampy deltaic plain formed by accumulated sedimentary deposits
from the Pasig River and other streams.
The city is between the bay to the west, the highlands to the
east, and Laguna de Bay to the southeast. Most of its densely populated
areas are found along the Pasig River running across the metropolis
dividing it into two sections - the north and the south. |
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HistoryBefore the Spanish conquistadores
came, a thriving community flourished on the banks of the Pasig
River. It was called "Maynilad", after the nilad plant
whose star-shaped flowers clustered in abundance along the low-lying
river banks.
The lord of the riverside kingdom was Raha Sulayman who held court
on the south side of the river while his uncle, Lakandula, ruled
on the north side. The Spaniards were set on conquering this community.
After the savage Battle of Bangkusay, where they overtook the natives
with their awesome firepower, the Spaniards conquered Manila. In
this Battle, Sulayman was killed.
Realizing its strategic position as a trading center and military
outpost, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, head of the Spanish expedition,
promptly declared Manila the capital of the new colonies won by
Spain. On June 24, 1571, Manila was declared the capital of the
entire achipelago. Delighted by this conquest, the King of Spain
awarded the city a coat of arms and the grandiose title: "The
Noble and Ever Loyal City". Soon, Manila became a replica
of a European medieval city. There were churches, palaces and city
halls built in the Spanish baroque style. Work began on building
a wall around the city to keep the pirates and Moros at bay. It
took 150 years to finish this wall. The end result was an astounding
eight foot-thick, three mile-long wall, with two forts and a bastion,
370 guns in place, manned by a force of 5,000 men and 10,000 reserves.
This walled city became known as Intramuros.
Beautiful as it was, Intramuros stood as a perfect illustration
of the discrimination at that time against the natives called Indios.
Although it was built by Indio workers and Chinese artisans, Intramuros
was meant only for the clergy and the Spanish nobility. The natives
could not enter except to work as servants. Outside the walls,
in the arabales or suburbs, lived the Jndios, the Chinese and other
foreigners. The diversity of trade and culture in the suburbs made
it alive and interesting. Tondo, Binondo, Sta. Cruz and Quiapo
bustled with commerce. These places were home to the merchants,
carpenters, blacksmiths, carriage makers, masons and other artisans.
Over the centuries, the Spanish rule was occasionally threatened
by attacks from the sea and by internal uprisings. The Chinese,
Dutch, and British all tried to lay siege on Manila but were unsuccessful.
But the 1880's saw the birth of a reform movement led by Marcelo
H. Del Pilar, Lopez Jaena and Jose Rizal (the national hero). This
reform movement ultimately led to a revolution and by 1898, the
days of the Castilian rule were numbered. The most lasting legacy
of the Spanish rule was the Catholic religion which makes the Philippines
the only Christian nation in Asia.
But as soon as the Spaniards left, the Americans took over. 1902
was the beginning of the American era, a period characterized by
the expansion of public education, advances in health care and
the introduction of democratic government. The outbreak of war
in the Pacific in 1941 disrupted American rule. Manila was declared
an open city and the Americans withdrew their defenses. For three
years, Manila was occupied by the Japanese imperial forces. Life
at that time was made difficult by strict Japanese military rule.
When the American troops entered Manila to liberate it, they had
to bomb the city to dislodge the tenacious Japanese. Manila was
devastated.
On July 4, 1946, a year after the end of the war, the Philippine
flag was hoisted signalling the recognition of Philippine independence. |
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PeopleThe 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.
Some 80 percent of the population is Catholic, Spain's lasting
legacy. About 15 percent is Moslem and these people can be found
basically in Mindanao. The rest of the population is made up mostly
of smaller Christian denominations and Buddhist.
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 people 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 80% 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. |
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Religion Historically, the Filipinos
have embraced two of the great religions of the world - Islam and
Christianity. Islam was introduced during the 14th century shortly
after the expansion of Arab commercial ventures in Southeast Asia.
Today, it is limited to the southern region of the country.
Christianity was introduced as early as the 16th century with
the coming of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521.
Protestantism was introduced by the first Presbyterian and Methodist
missionaries who arrived with the American soldiers in 1899.
Two Filipino independent churches were organized at the turn of
the century and are prominent today. These are the Aglipay (Philippine
Independent Church) and the Iglesia Ni Kristo (Church of Christ)
founded in 1902 and 1914, respectively. Recently the Aglipay signed
a covenant with the Anglican Church. The Iglesia ni Kristo has
expanded its membership considerably. Its churches, with their
unique towering architecture are landmarks in almost all important
towns, provincial capitals and major cities. |
