Philippines Culture

• The Philippines is rich in natural resources, scenic locales, and friendly smiles
• The Philippines is known as the Pearl of the Orient or Pearl of the Orient Seas
• The official name of the Philippines is Republic of the Philippines (Republika ng Pilipinas)
• The national anthem of the Philippines is Lupang Hinirang
• The national costume for men in the Philippines is Barong Tagalog and for women it is Baro at Saya (Filipiniana)
• The capital city of the Philippines is Manila
• The time zone of the Philippines is GMT +8 hours
• The flag carrier of the Philippines is Philippine Airlines
• The motto of the Philippines is "Maka-Diyos, Maka-tao, Makakalikasan, at Makabansa" (For God, People, Nature, and Country)
• The two official languages in the Philippines are Filipino and English
• Filipino, based on Tagalog, is the national language of the Philippines
• There are eight major dialects spoken by the majority of Filipinos: Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Kapampangan, and Pangasinense, with more than 120 others
• Filipino is used as the language of communication among ethnic groups in the Philippines
• English is widely used and is the medium of instruction in higher education in the Philippines
• The Philippines is considered one of the largest English-speaking countries in the world
• The official currency of the Philippines is the Philippine Peso (Sign: ₱; code: PHP)
• 100 centavos or sentimos make up one peso in the Philippines
• Foreign currency can be exchanged at hotels, large department stores, banks, and authorized money-changing shops in the Philippines
• Most large stores, restaurants, hotels, and resorts in the Philippines accept major credit cards
• Personal checks drawn on foreign banks are generally not accepted in the Philippines
• The Filipinos are of Malay stock with influences from Chinese, American, Spanish, and Arab blood
• The Filipino character is a blend of east and west cultures
• The Bayanihan spirit of kinship and camaraderie is a characteristic of Filipinos
• The strong family ties of Filipinos are said to have been influenced by the Chinese
• The religiousness of Filipinos comes from the Spaniards who introduced Christianity in the 16th century
• Filipinos are known for their hospitality and are one of the few English-proficient Asian people
• Filipinos are divided geographically and culturally into regions with distinct traits and dialects
• The Filipinos have embraced two of the world's great religions: Islam and Christianity
• Christianity was introduced to the Philippines in the 16th century with the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521
• Protestantism was introduced in 1899 by the first Presbyterian and Methodist missionaries who arrived with American soldiers
• Two prominent Filipino independent churches are the Aglipay (Philippine Independent Church) and the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ), founded in 1902 and 1914 respectively
• The Iglesia ni Cristo has significantly expanded its membership and its churches serve as landmarks in important towns, provincial capitals, and major cities
• The Philippines is an archipelago in southeastern Asia, comprising 7,641 islands as of July 2022
• The country is divided into three main island groups: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao
• The highest point in the Philippines is Mount Apo in Mindanao, at 2,954 meters above sea level, while the lowest point is the Galathea Depth in the Philippine Trench, which is 10,540 meters below sea level
• The Philippines has a tropical climate with pleasant weather all year round
• The dry season is from January to May, the cool season is from November to February, and the hot and dry season is from March to May
• The rainy season is from June to October, with typhoons occurring between July and September
• The average temperature in the Philippines is 78°F/25°C, with an average humidity of 77%
• The Philippines is home to a diverse range of plant and animal species, including hundreds of species of orchids, mammals, and birds