All About The Philippines: Culture, Food, Facts, and Travel Destinations

As part of my 2-year blogging celebration, I thought it will be a great idea to share some facts about my home country, the Philippines. So far, all of my posts on this blog is from my beautiful country, Philippines. Now, let’s know some facts about it.

All About The Philippines

Officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. It is situated in the western Pacific Ocean. Consists of about 7,641 islands that are categorized broadly under three main geographical divisions from north to south: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Language

Filipino, or commonly known as Tagalog, is our national language. But the most interesting part of our country is we have more than a hundred dialects while there are 8 major dialects spoken by the majority of the Filipinos. These are Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense. Furthermore, we have two official languages — Filipino and English. English is also widely used here and we are required to learn it at an early age because it is used in higher education.

Therefore, you can definitely expect that Filipinos can speak at least 2-3 languages. I can speak Tagalog, Cebuano/Bisaya, and English.

Flag

Currency

The currency in the Philippines is the Peso (PhP) and the Centavo. 100 centavos = P1.

• Coin denominations: 5, 10, 25, and 50 centavos, P1, P5, and P10.
• Bill denominations: 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1, 000 pesos.

Timezone

Our Local time is GMT +8 hours.

Electricity

220 volts a/c is the common standard.

Weather

Philippines have a tropical maritime climate. It means the weather is generally hot and quite humid. We only experience three seasons: a hot dry summer between March and May (known as tag-init), a wet season between June and November (tag-ulan), and a cooler dry season between December and February (tag-lamig).

Culture & Tradition

We Filipinos have various cultural influences mainly because of the previous colonization. Our old traditional culture has been retained despite all these influences and can be seen in our way of life and our own beliefs.

For us Filipinos, traditions are very important especially at home and in our family.

I did my own research. As a result, I’ve listed down some things that I find interesting about us, Filipinos.

Family First.

We take pride in our family. Everyone is treated as a family member, from our immediate family down to the fourth or fifth generation. We make time for family reunions and gatherings as well.

Hospitable and Respectful.

Hospitality is a trait displayed by every Filipino. And at an early age, we were taught how to be respectful. One of the ways to show respect is using the simple catchphrases, po and opo, at the end of our sentences when addressing someone especially the elders. And part of our culture is what we called “pagmamano”. Pagmamano is done by asking and raising the back of the hand of our elder to our forehead as a sign of respect.

Resilient.

The Philippines have experienced so many calamities and catastrophes. But in times like this, we Filipinos always manage to smile and rise above the challenges. We pick ourselves up even if it’s tough.

Religious.

Majority of the Filipinos are Christians and we are proud to be the only Christian nation in Asia. Since the Spaniards introduced Christianity (the Roman Catholic faith) to us, 86% of the population is Roman Catholic. So when you visit Filipino houses, you will find brazen images of crosses and other religious paraphernalia. We have religious festivals like Sinulog. And it’s no surprise that most Filipinos go to church every Sunday, or sometimes even twice or more in a week. My mom goes to church at least twice a week and they have bible reading twice a week too. 🙂

Love to Eat.

Even though it is not obviously seen in our petite bodies, we Filipinos are huge eaters. We can’t go a day without including rice in our meals. Yes, rice is rice!  Aside from the traditional breakfast, lunch, and dinner, we manage to squeeze in a little meal in between, too. I’d say our regular eating schedule would be morning, mid-morning, lunch, afternoon (merienda) and dinner. Oh, and we do love going to buffets and unli-rice! And during fiestas, we open our doors to people to eat at our house. Yes, even if that means having a stranger or your friends bringing their friends. haha!

Love to Party.

Yes, we love to hold celebrations and fiestas. Cebu has its Sinulog Festival, Davao has its Kadayawan Festival, and Iloilo has its Dinagyang Festival. And in celebrations like birthdays and holidays, Filipinos just love to sing, karaoke is a common thing! Sing your hearts out even if you’re off tune. It’s the best recreation we do while spending some quality time with our families or friends, singing or belting out new and old songs.

Longest Christmas Celebration. 

Filipinos have the longest Christmas celebrations — ever! We get excited when its “ber-months”, which starts in September and ends in December. As early as September, you can hear Christmas songs and jingles played everywhere in the Philippines…from malls to restaurants to even on the street. The mood becomes festive, malls stock up Christmas decorations, people start doing their Christmas lists, and everyone is in good spirits. You will see many establishments and houses start decorating. Oh, I just love Christmas! It’s my favorite time of the year. 🙂

Best Travel Destinations in the Philippines

Wondering what are the best places to visit in the Philippines? Whether you’re a history buff or a sun-kissed beach bum, you will find your bliss and will spark your innate sense of wanderlust here. With 7,641 islands to choose from, I’ve listed down my 5 best destinations in this tropical hub.

• Palawan – One of the most popular destinations in the Philippines and for good reason. The whole island boasts of rainforests, majestic mountains, karst cliffs, primitive caves, and virgin beaches.
• Boracay – A small island in the central Philippines, known for its resorts and white sand beaches. Experience the best sunset!
• Batanes – This remote wonderland is famous for its natural beauty and distinct landscapes. Also, you will find lofty cliffs, rolling hills, boulder-lined shoes, deep canyons, and countless sturdy and historic stone houses.
• Cebu – The traveler’s fantasy of a tropical island getaway. Enjoy the pleasantly warm weather, pristine beaches, crystalline waters, and luxurious resorts. Cebu has so many islands to explore such as Camotes, Bantayan, and Malapascua islands.
• Vigan – Considered the old world city and the country’s first and only UNESCO World Heritage city. Enjoy a throwback adventure as Vigan is a breathing reminder of what was once a royal city.

Reference

You can learn more about the Philippines here:

• tourism.gov.ph
• gov.ph

I hope you enjoyed learning about my dear country, the Philippines. Therefore, if you have any facts, fave travel destinations, and traditions to share, please leave a comment below. Would love to hear from you!