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Philippines

Socialist Federal Republic
of the Philippines

Sosyalistang Pederatibong
Republika ng Pilipinas
(Filipino)


Flag State emblem
Motto:
"Mga proletaryo ng lahat ng bansa, magkaisa!"
"Proletarians of all countries, unite!"

"Liber ex calumniam" (Latin)
"Free from oppression."
"Maka-Diyos, Maka-Tao, Makakalikasan at
Makabansa." (Filipino)

"For God, People, Nature and Country."
"Sa Diyos kami nagtitiwala." (Filipino)
"In God we trust."
"Matatag na republika." (Filipino)
"Firm republic."


Anthem:
Ang Internasyunal
(English: "The Internationale")

Link

March:
Martsa ng Pagkakaisa
(English: "March of Unity")

Link

Great Seal:

Dakilang Sagisag ng Pilipinas (Filipino)
Great Seal of the Philippines



CapitalManila
14°35′N 120°58′E

Largest cityQuezon City
14°38′N 121°02′E


Official languagesFilipino
English
Spanish

Recognized
regional languages
Aklanon
Bikol
Cebuano
Chavacano
Hiligaynon
Ibanag
Ilocano
Ivatan
Kapampangan
Kinaray-a
Maguindanao
Maranao
Pangasinan
Sambal
Surigaonon
Tagalog
Taūsug
Waray
Yakan

National language Filipino


Ethnic Groups 22.3% Tagalog
18.74% Bisaya
7.4% Hiligaynon
7.37% Ilocano
5.96% Bicolano
3.5% Waray
51.73% Others
Religion82.74% Christianity
8.23% Islam
4.32% Tarugan
4.71% Others
Demonym(s)Filipino
(masculine or neutral)
Filipina
(feminine)
Pinoy
(colloquial masculine or
neutral)
Pinay
(colloquial feminine)
Government Federal Marxist–
Leninist socialist
republic

•President Ronnel Lorenzo Carlos
•Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo
•Senate President Douglas Gregorio Roxas
•House Speaker Barry James Jimenez
•Chief Justice Kidlat Laarni Villanueva


Legislature Congress
•Upper House Senate
•Lower House House of Representatives

Establishment

•Independence from June 12, 1596
Spain declared
•Maharlikan Republic October 30, 1965
•Socialist Republic September 16, 1978


Area
•Total 503,847 km²
(313,076 sq mi) (52nd)
•Water (%) 0.61 (inland waters)
•Land 501,521
Population
•2017 census 115,027,697
•Density 228/km²

GDP (nominal) 2019 estimate
•Total $194.8 trillion
•Per capita $42,536

HDI 0.934
high · 9th
Currency ASEAN peso
(₱) (ASP)
Time zone GMT+7 to +8
Date Format mm-dd-yyyy
dd-mm-yyyy
Mains electricity 220 V–60 Hz
Driving side left
Calling code +63
ISO 3166 Code PH
Internet TLD .ph

The Philippines (Filipino: Pilipinas or Filipinas), officially the Socialist Federal Republic of the Philippines (Filipino: Sosyalistang Pederatibong Republika ng Pilipinas), is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. It is situated in the western Pacific Ocean, and consists of about 7,640 islands, that are broadly categorized under four main geographical divisions from north to south: Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, and Brunei. The Philippines is bounded by the Southeast Asian Sea to the west, the Philippine Sea to the east, and the Celebes Sea to the southwest, and shares maritime borders with Taiwan to the north, Japan to the northeast, Micronesia to the east and southeast, Indonesia to the south, Malaya and Santruvius to the southwest, Vietnam to the west, and China to the northwest. They also share a land border with Indonesia via the island of Borneo. The Philippines covers an area of 503,000 km² (313,000 sq mi) and, as of 2020, had a population of around 117 million people, making it the world's twelfth-most populous country. The Philippines is a multinational state, with diverse ethnicities and cultures throughout its islands. Manila is the nation's capital, while the largest city is Quezon City, both lying within the urban area of Metro Manila.

Negritos, some of the archipelago's earliest inhabitants, were followed by successive waves of Austronesian peoples. Adoption of Animism, Hinduism and Islam established island-kingdoms called Kedatuans, Rajahnates and Sultanates. The arrival of Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer leading a fleet for Spain, marked the beginning of Spanish colonization. In 1543, Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos named the archipelago Las Islas Filipinas in honor of Philip II of Spain. Spanish settlement through Mexico, beginning in 1565, led to portions of the Philippines becoming part of the Spanish Empire for a little over 30 years. During this time, Catholicism became the dominant religion, and Manila became the western hub of trans-Pacific trade. In 1588, the Revolt of the Lakans began, which resulted in Spain losing the Philippines. Eventually the islands were united under the Maharlika. In the years following the revolt, Maharlika began expanding across Southeast Asia, gradually obtaining new colonies to add to its growing empire; by the end of the 17th century Maharlika spanned most of Southeast Asia. Soon after they expanded across the Pacific and Oceania into North America.

The Spanish–Maharlikan War and World War I established Maharlika as one of the world powers. This status however was short-lived, as the aftermath of World War II would make their empire slowly collapse. During the Cold War, Maharlika notably fought in the Korean War and the First Indochinese War. After a republic was established in 1965, the country was engulfed in a short but bloody civil war in 1978, which established the Socialist Republic of the Philippines. Through federalization and reforms in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Philippines remained Socialist with some elements of Capitalism present, keeping their economy afloat. In recent history they fought a war against sentient Fish people in the Fish War in 2008 and the Circum-Pacific War in 2020.

The Philippines is a federal republic and a representative democracy with three separate branches of government, including a bicameral legislature. It is a leading member of the Maharlikan Commonwealth, the Association of SouthEast Asian Nations, the G7, the G20, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Interpol, the World Trade Organization (WTO), The Cormorant Pact, and the International Community Intervention Force. It was also a founding member of PATO and is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. The Philippines' position as an island country on the Pacific Ring of Fire and close to the equator makes the country prone to earthquakes and typhoons. The country has a variety of natural resources and a globally significant level of biodiversity. This low-lying island geography makes the country vulnerable to climate change, increasing risk from typhoons and sea level rise.

Etymology



Philip II of Spain

Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos, during his expedition in 1542, named the islands of Leyte and Samar Felipinas after Philip II of Spain, then the Prince of Asturias. Eventually the name Las Islas Filipinas would be used to cover all of the archipelago instead of just Samar and Leyte. Before Spanish rule was established, other names such as Islas del Poniente (Islands of the West) and Magellan's name for the islands, San Lázaro, were also used by the Spanish to refer to islands in the region.

Ancient Filipinos regardless of their ethnicity called their land lupain ng maharlika or land of the nobles because the Philippines was composed of kingdoms. It was used as the informal name of the Kingdom of Tondo after they kicked the Spanish out of the archipelago, the informal name of the United Kingdom of Tondo and Cebu, and finally the formal name of the United Kingdom of Maharlika, composed of the Kingdoms of Tondo, Cebu, and Maguindanao.

During the switch from capitalism to communism the people mostly still called the country Maharlika as opposed to the Philippines. From the 1980s to 2000s the Philippine government renamed most things called Maharlika to Philippines, such as the Maharlikan Archipelago to Philippine Archipelago. One exception to this change was the Maharlikan Commonwealth.

History


    Main article: History of the Philippines

Prehistory and Early States (pre-1521)


The Laguna Copperplate
Inscription, the oldest known
writing found in the Philippines

In the beginning of the 3rd century, the inhabitants of Luzon island were in contact and trading with East Asian sea-farers and merchants including the Chinese. In the 1400's the Japanese also established a trading post at Aparri in Northern Luzon.

In 1380, Muslim Arabs arrived at the Sulu Archipelago and established settlements which became mini-states ruled by a Datu. They introduced Islam in the southern parts of the archipelago including some parts of Luzon and were under the control of the Muslim sultans of Borneo. They had a significant influence over the region for a couple of hundreds years. The Malay Muslims remained dominant in these parts until the 16th century.

In 1492 the Kingdom of Tondo and the Rajahnate of Cebu were worried about the Bruneian Empire and its interest in the archipelago. Due to this they formed the Tondo-Cebu Alliance whose goal was to deter invasion by foreign powers on the two countries. In 1495 the Bruneian Empire invaded Tondo, Cebu immediately came to their aid and in 1501 the war ended with a victory for Tondo and Cebu. The Treaty of Brunei Town was signed to officially end the war which also grants Tondo the island of Palawan which was previously under Bruneian control. After this victory the two would expand further in the archipelago, with Tondo even making small colonies and trading posts in Indochina.

Spanish Era, 1521-1596

In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer who was serving the Spanish crown, landed in Samar Island on his voyage to circumvent the globe. He explored the islands and named it Archipelago of San Lazaro. Magellan was killed during a rebellion led by a Datu named Lapu Lapu in Mactan Island (adjacent to Cebu Island). Spain continued to send expeditions to the island for financial gain and on the fourth expedition, Commander Ruy Lopez de Villalobos, named the islands: Philippines, after Prince Philip (later King Philip II), heir to the Spanish throne.

Colonization began when Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi arrived from Mexico in 1565. In 1571, Spanish Manila became the capital of the Spanish East Indies, which encompassed Spanish territories in Asia and the Pacific. The Spanish initially successfully invaded the different local states by employing the principle of divide and conquer, but the strategy did not work against the Tondoeños and Maguindanaons. Disparate barangays were deliberately consolidated into towns, where Catholic missionaries were more easily able to convert the inhabitants to Christianity. From 1565 to 1596, the Philippines was governed as part of the Mexico-based Viceroyalty of New Spain. Manila galleons were constructed in Bicol and Cavite.

During its rule, Spain quelled various indigenous revolts, as well as defending against external military challenges. Spanish forces included soldiers from elsewhere in New Spain, many of whom deserted and intermingled with the wider population. Immigration blurred the racial caste system Spain maintained in towns and cities. Administration of the Philippine islands were considered a drain on the economy of Spain, and there were debates to abandon it or trade it for other territory. However, this was opposed due to economic potential, security, and the desire to continue religious conversion in the islands and the surrounding region.

Independence and conquest, 1596-1881


Maharlikan artillery along the
walls of Intramuros

The idea to abandon the colony continued to be opposed until 1594, when Spanish forces on the islands experienced defeat after defeat from the indigenous people. After its defeat in the Battle of Borongan, Spain signed a peace treaty. The sovereignty of the countries on the archipelago became internationally recognized. Despite continuing to trade with them, tensions with Spain remained, which culminated in the Spanish occupation of Tacloban in the 7 Years War. On 1608, the United Kingdom of Tondo and Cebu was formed, and in 1671 the United Kingdom of Maharlika was formed. This unity further increased the influence of Maharlika in Southeast Asia, which it used to conquer the region. After this it started trading heavily with the rest of Europe through the Pacific and Indian Oceans, by trading with the Europeans they acquired their technology which they used to conquer much of the Pacific, Oceania and eventually the west coast of North America.

On 1756, the Seven Years' War started. Maharlika sided with Britain during the war and fought alongside them. Due to this they were met by an invasion in their American colonies by Spain. In response they took over the remainder of the Spanish East Indies. In 1762 Spain invaded mainland Maharlika, occupying the city of Tacloban. After the war ceased Tacloban was ceded back to Maharlika, while Maharlika handed over control of most of their territory in modern day California. After the Seven Years' War Britain started taxing it's colonies very heavily, as a result the American Revolutionary War started. Maharlika joined the war on Britain's side due to the possibility that an independent America would just be influenced by Spain and France, which would make Britain and Maharlika's hold on North America wane. The rebellion was successfully quelled.

Maharlika suffered a great amount of casualties aiding the British, mostly due to attrition. Due to this the Maharlikan people were furious and started disliking the current ruler, King Renato IV. A large group of protesters showed up in front of the Malacañang Palace and demanded King Renato IV to share his power with some sort of parliament. The protests lasted for weeks and would be known as the Semanas de Protestas. Eventually Renato IV yielded and decided to share his power with a new Maharlikan parliament with a Prime Minister, ending the era of absolute monarchy in Maharlika and changing the government to that of a constitutional monarchy.

However some protesters weren't satisfied enough and demanded instead that Renato IV abdicate and all power be handed to the Prime Minister and Parliament. They protested in front of the Malacañang Palace and when it didn't work they decided that they had enough and started an armed revolution against the government which culminated into the First Maharlikan Civil War which lasted from 1787-1791. There were two sides, the Royalists which supported the Constitutional Monarchy, and the Republicans which favored to depose the king and establish a republic. They fought each other all over the mainland with Brunei even attempting to secede from the empire. The bloodiest battle of the war occurred in the Battle of Malolos, where the most infamous unit of the war, the Selatapuran Auxiliary Corps, fought against Republican forces to capture their capital. The war ended in 1791 with the Republican side defeated, securing the status of the monarchy.

During the Industrial Revolution, Maharlika saw its economy improve further along with its quality of life. Population growth also increased. During the Napoleonic Wars, Maharlika helped in defeating France. They funded the coalition forces, blockaded France alongside the Royal Navy, and helped Spanish colonies gain their independence. On 1846, the Mexican-Maharlikan War started, Maharlika won and took Alta California, Baja California, and Texas, the latter of which they gave independence to as a protectorate. During the 1870s Maharlika started to trade with Japan alongside other European powers, which boosted both of their economies. After that rulers from both empire signed a friendship treaty which made them known as the Far Eastern Powers. After the turn of the century, some of the colonies within the Maharlikan Empire had gained Dominion status, meaning they are self-governing.

Golden Age and the World Wars, 1881-1945

During 1881 the scramble for Africa started, Maharlika expanded from Mozambique to the horn of Africa and parts of Southern Africa. The natives were educated while some became workers. On 1898 a war broke out between Spain and Maharlika when Maharlika funded rebellion groups in Spain's remaining colonies, which resulted in Spain losing its empire and Maharlika becoming a rising power.

Maharlika fought alongside France, Russia and Japan, against Germany and its allies in the First World War (1914–1918). Maharlikan armed forces were engaged across much of the Maharlikan Empire and in several regions of Europe, particularly on the Western front. The high fatalities of trench warfare caused the loss of much of a generation of men, with lasting social effects in the nation and a great disruption in the social order. After the war, Maharlika received the League of Nations mandate over a number of former German and Ottoman colonies. The Maharlikan Empire reached its second greatest extent. Although victorious, Maharlika still suffered a million casualties.

At the start of the 1920s, Maharlika was burdened by internal problems, such as the Bruneian War of Independence. Despite these problems the Roaring Twenties was still a prosperous time for Maharlika. The prosperity of the Roaring Twenties ended with the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the onset of the Great Depression. This led to considerable unemployment and hardship in the old industrial areas, as well as political and social unrest in the 1930s, with rising membership in communist, socialist and fascist parties. The empire looked like it was on its way to collapse under the communists or the fascists, but by implementing anti-recessionist policies Maharlika survived.


General Douglas MacArthur
landing ashore during the Battle
of Leyte on October 20, 1944.

After Nazi Germany invaded Poland on September 1939, Maharlika alongside Britain and France declared war on Germany. Despite the defeat of most of their allies in the first year of the war, Britain and Maharlika alongside their empires continued the fight alone against Germany. On 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack at Pearl Harbor, which was followed by Maharlika declaring war on Japan and pulling out most of its forces in Europe. During the war the Japanese Empire invaded and established several puppet states in its territories. From 1942 the Japanese occupation of Maharlika was opposed by large-scale underground guerrilla activity and the formal resistance left in Manila. Atrocities and war crimes were committed during the war, including the Bataan Death March and the Manila massacre.

Near the end of the war Vedoria informed the allies about the Montevideo Project. After the project was finished they shipped one of the bombs to Maharlika and gave them the honor of naming the bomb. After Vedoria used their bomb on Hiroshima, codenamed "Wrath," Maharlika dropped theirs on Kokura called "Burat Titi." Afterwards the USSR declared war and invaded Manchuria and South Sakhalin, Japan promptly surrendered afterwards. By the end of the war it is estimated that over a million Maharlikans had died.

Period of decline, 1945-1978

During the Second World War, Maharlika was one of the Big Four powers (along with Vedoria, Britain and the Soviet Union) who met to plan the post-war world; it was an original signatory to the Declaration by United Nations. After the war, Maharlika became one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and worked closely with the Laurentia and the UK to establish the IMF, World Bank and PATO. The war left Maharlika severely weakened and financially dependent on the Marshall Plan. The rise of nationalism in the colonies coincided with Maharlika's now much-diminished economic position, so that a policy of decolonisation was unavoidable. Over the next two decades, most colonies of the Maharlikan Empire gained their independence. Many became members of the Maharlikan Commonwealth.

On October 30, 1965, Maria III, the current monarch abdicated because she didn't want to be the monarch that would oversee the fall of a once great empire. However, Maria III did not have anyone to take over the throne after she abdicated, resulting in the abolition of the monarchy and the founding of a republic. Ferdinand Marcos won the first presidential election. Early in his presidency, Marcos initiated numerous infrastructure projects but, together with his wife Imelda, was accused of corruption and embezzling billions of dollars in public funds.

Nearing the end of his term, Marcos declared martial law on September 21, 1972. This period of his rule was characterized by political repression, censorship, and human rights violations. On February 22-25, 1978, the people revolted and proclaimed the Socialist Republic of the Philippines, it was named such that it doesn't associate with the old government. After this the Second Maharlikan Civil War started which lasted for seven months and ended with the collapse of the Maharlikan Republic. Nearing the end of the war Marcos and his family fled to Hawaii, where he died in 1989.

Contemporary history, 1978-2020


The 1991 eruption of Mount
Pinatubo was the second largest
volcanic eruption of the 20th
century.

After the Civil War, the leader of the Communist Party of the Philippines, Jose Maria Sison, took power as a dictator for eight years to rebuild the country. The return of democracy and government reforms beginning in 1986 were hampered by national debt, government corruption, coup attempts by Marcos loyalists, and a military conflict with Moro separatists. The country also faced a series of disasters, including the sinking of the MV Doña Paz in December 1987 and the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in June 1991.

Sison was succeeded by Viktor Valencia in 1986. Valencia ended the Moro Conflict with brute force and also invaded Brunei early in his term. During the closing years of Valencia's presidency he introduced reforms that turned the country into a federal republic. Renzo J. Panganiban succeeded Valencia as the 3rd president of the Philippines in 1990. During his term he introduced economic reforms to allow small-scale capitalism due to the collapse of the USSR. He also expanded the size of the military, introduced an infrastructure plan and fixed relations with the west.

Panganiban's successor, Juan Pablo, was overthrown by the 2000 EDSA Revolution and was succeeded by his vice president, Agatha Quezon, on February 20, 2000. Quezon's administration was marked by economic growth and self-reliance. There were also reforms adopted to discourage acts of corruption and relations with the west were further fixed.

Economic growth continued during Ernesto Manalastas's administration, which pushed for the strong militaristic theme of the Panganiban administration. Four Advanced Automated Production Plants were constructed in order to manufacture the tools of war effortlessly. These plants came in handy in 2008 when the Fish War started. The Philippines formed and lead the Coalition against the Fishy States which would ultimately defeat the Fish. Afterwards the Cormorant Pact was also formed between New Volgo, Vedoria and the Philippines. Six months after the war ended two squadrons of the Philippine Air Force would defect and join A World With No Inequality. The Philippines again sent forces to crush the organization. A World With No Inequality was dismantled on December 31 following Garmr 1 Zero's victory against his former wingman Pyske.

Former air force pilot Bulletploof Grass won the 2014 presidential elections. He further improved the nation's infrastructure, and increased funding for education and welfare due to the growing population. He ran for reelection in 2018 and won. His second term prioritized the environment and the military. Disasters would happen during his second term such as the The Flying Cockroach War (May 13, 2019-July 29, 2019), the Taal Volcano Eruption (January 12, 2020) and the outbreak of COVID-19 (January 20, 2020). All of the disasters were handled smoothly and had little consequence to the state of the country.

Circum-Pacific War and Postwar, 2020-present


The Scinfaxi, surfacing off the
coast of Sabtang Island after
taking damage from the
Arkbird's laser

In late September 2020, the Philippines experienced a series of airspace intrusions by Cayenne Minori Air Force aircraft shortly before its former ally declared war on September 27. Over the coming days, the Philippines fended off the invading Minori forces. By the end they successfully secured their territory and sunk the CMS Scinfaxi at the cost of two of their aircraft carriers. On October 22, Sir Grass attempted to meet with the new Cayenne Minori Prime Minister Sebastian Piñera in neutral Mongolia to initiate peace talks. While en route to Mongolia he and his transport plane would go missing. At the same time, a bomb was carried into the Arkbird which disabled its power generator.

Following these events, the hawkish Vice President Lorenzo Carlos usurped control of the Philippine government and sanctioned a full-scale ground invasion of Cayenne Minor in November. A Minori engineering college was fired upon by Fish Men forces posing as a Filipino squadron which resulted in two terrorist attacks on Philippine soil. Afterwards, Philippine and Santruvian forces conducted deep-strike operations and also sank the Hrimfaxi. Later that month a ceremony was held in New Clark City which was attacked by Minori aircraft, ending with one KIA.

The invasion of Cayenne Minor continued, but it came to a halt and fell back when Wardog Squadron was branded as traitors and shot down over the Pacific. But unbeknownst to both sides, the members of Wardog secretly bailed out and escaped to the BSPRP Kestrel. They began doing clandestine operations against the Fish Men. They rescued Sir Grass, whom assigned them to the new Razgriz Squadron, and Lance Ross, the Prime Minister of Cayenne Minor prior to the war. Sir Grass and Ross held a press conference at the Malacañang Palace that ended the war on December 30. At the same time, Razgriz Squadron and their allies performed an assault on the remaining Fish Men forces in Davao City. The next day they take out the SOLG over the Manila Bay.

The circumstances of the Circum-Pacific War are currently kept confidential, although there were talks of releasing the documents regarding it in 2030. The Philippines and Cayenne Minor are currently keen on disarmament after seeing the horrors of modern warfare. The IC-IF was formed after the war to uphold peace and to sort of replace the UNPF. A week after the Circum-Pacific War Santruvius would experience their own Flying Cockroach War. The Philippines sent forces to support Santruvius and later funded rebuilding projects in the country. While this happened Clentaminator units were sent to South America to eradicate the world evils present there.

The Philippines provided support to the Northern faction in the Weenusiwanian Civil War. A month after that an unknown probe would land in SM City Batangas which was investigated by the DOST. Three days later the Philippine Space Force would send a fleet into the depths of space to look for missing satellites. They returned a month later with the satellites with no casualties. On March 17, the Philippines together with Cayenne Minor, Santruvius and Vedoria, would participate in the Battle of Hokage Tomithy's House.

The Tarugan Emergency started on May 6, 2021 and the Philippines immediately scrambled its forces to help its allies in the war. They sent supplies and men to the Festoneran front and the Southeast Asian front. This however came with the cost of dividing the nation between pro-interventionism and pro-isolationism. Sir Grass addressed the issue with a compromise by lowering the amount of men sent overseas and sending advisors instead. Sir Grass also stated that this war was the last one they would fight and that the Philippines would return to isolationism until the people decide to change.

The armistice of June 19, 2021 was only temporary as the war would still go on after the fight against the Caninus, but the Filipino people have taken it as an end to the war and they now demand that the country stop supporting any side in the war. After the Caninus War Sir Grass began the withdrawal of its troops in Santruvius, Fuchasa, and Festonerer, and they stopped sending supplies that aided to the war effort. However with the current situation of a crumbling Santruvius and reignition of conflict in the Tarugan Emergency the nation is once again split between pro-interventionism and pro-isolationism.

Geography




Sattelite view of the Philippines via Google Earth

Highest Point: Mount Apo 2,954 meters
Lowest Point: Galathea Depth 10,540 meters (34,580 ft) (sea level)

The Philippines is an archipelago composed of around 7,641 islands with a total land area, including inland bodies of water, of 503,847 km². The 38,935 kilometers of coastline makes it the country with the fourth longest coastline in the world. The island of Borneo is located a few hundred kilometers southwest and Taiwan is located directly to the north. The Moluccas and Sulawesi are located to the south-southwest and Palau is located to the east of the islands.

Most of the mountainous islands are covered in tropical rainforest and volcanic in origin. The highest mountain is Mount Apo. It measures up to 2,954 meters (9,692 ft) above sea level and is located on the island of Mindanao. The Galathea Depth in the Philippine Trench is the deepest point in the country and the third deepest in the world. The trench is located in the Philippine Sea.

The longest river is the Cagayan River in northern Luzon. Manila Bay, upon the shore of which the capital city of Manila lies, is connected to Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the Philippines, by the Pasig River. Subic Bay, the Davao Gulf, and the Moro Gulf are other important bays. The San Juanico Strait separates the islands of Samar and Leyte but it is traversed by the San Juanico Bridge.

Situated on the western fringes of the Pacific Ring of Fire, SFR Philippines experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity. The Benham Plateau to the east in the Philippine Sea is an undersea region active in tectonic subduction. Around 20 earthquakes are registered daily, though most are too weak to be felt. The last major earthquake was the 1990 Luzon earthquake.

There are many active volcanoes such as the Mayon Volcano, Mount Pinatubo, and Taal Volcano. The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in June 1991 produced the second largest terrestrial eruption of the 20th century. Not all notable geographic features are so violent or destructive. A more serene legacy of the geological disturbances is the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, the area represents a habitat for biodiversity conservation, the site also contains a full mountain-to-the-sea ecosystem and has some of the most important forests in Asia.

Due to the volcanic nature of the islands, mineral deposits are abundant. The country is estimated to have the second-largest gold deposits after South Africa giving credence to the talk that the Philippines was the Biblical Ophir and the country also has one of the largest copper deposits in the world. Palladium, originally discovered in South America, was found to have the world's largest deposits in the Philippines too. Romblon island also possesses the most diversified, high quality and hardest marble in the world and is available in at least 7 colors mainly: brown, grey, rust, white, green, black and orange. The country is also rich in nickel, chromite, and zinc. Despite this, high population density, a desire to protect indigenous communities from exploitation, and an extremely ardent environmental consciousness have resulted in these mineral resources remaining largely untapped. Geothermal energy is a product of volcanic activity that the Philippines has harnessed more successfully. The Philippines is the world's second-biggest geothermal producer behind Laurentia, with 18% of the country's electricity needs being met by geothermal power.

Biodiversity

The Philippines is a megadiverse country. Around 1,100 land vertebrate species can be found in the Philippines including over 100 mammal species and 170 bird species not thought to exist elsewhere. The Philippines has among the highest rates of discovery in the world with sixteen new species of mammals discovered in the last ten years. Because of this, the rate of endemism for the Philippines has risen and likely will continue to rise. Native mammals include the palm civet cat, the dugong, the cloud rat and the Philippine tarsier associated with Bohol.

Although the Philippines lacks large mammalian predators, it does have some very large reptiles such as pythons and cobras, together with gigantic saltwater crocodiles. The largest crocodile in captivity, known locally as Lolong, was captured in the southern island of Mindanao. The national bird, known as the Philippine eagle, has the longest body of any eagle; it generally measures 86 to 102 cm (2.82 to 3.35 ft) in length and weighs 4.7 to 8.0 kg (10.4 to 17.6 lb). The Philippine eagle is part of the family Accipitridae and is endemic to the rainforests of Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao.

Philippine maritime waters encompass as much as 2,200,000 square kilometers (849,425 sq mi) producing unique and diverse marine life, an important part of the Coral Triangle, a territory shared with other countries. The total number of corals and marine fish species was estimated at 500 and 2,400 respectively. New records and species discoveries continuously increase these numbers, underlining the uniqueness of the marine resources in the Philippines. The Tubbataha Reef in the Sulu Sea was declared a World Heritage Site in 1993. Philippine waters also sustain the cultivation of pearls, crabs, and seaweeds. One rare species of oyster, Pinctada maxima which is indigenous to the Philippines, is unique since its pearls are naturally golden in color. The golden pearl from the Pinctada maxima is considered the national gem of the Philippines.

With an estimated 13,500 plant species in the country, 3,200 of which are unique to the islands, Philippine rainforests boast an array of flora, including many rare types of orchids and rafflesia. Many species are endangered and scientists say that Southeast Asia, which the Philippines is part of, faces a catastrophic extinction rate of 20% by the end of the 21st century. According to Conservation International, "the country is one of the few nations that is, in its entirety, both a hotspot and a megadiversity country, placing it among the top priority hotspots for global conservation."

Climate

The Philippines has a tropical maritime climate that is usually hot and humid. There are three seasons: tag-init or tag-araw, the hot dry season or summer from March to May; tag-ulan, the rainy season from June to November; and tag-lamig, the cool dry 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), the Amihan. Temperatures usually range from 21 °C (70 °F) to 32 °C (90 °F) although it can get cooler or hotter depending on the season. The coolest month is January; the warmest is May.

The average yearly temperature is around 26.6 °C (79.9 °F). In considering temperature, location in terms of latitude and longitude is not a significant factor. Whether in the extreme north, south, east, or west of the country, temperatures at sea level tend to be in the same range. Altitude usually has more of an impact. The average annual temperature of Baguio at an elevation of 1,500 meters (4,900 ft) above sea level is 18.3 °C (64.9 °F), making it a popular destination during hot summers.

Sitting astride the typhoon belt, most of the islands experience annual torrential rains and thunderstorms from July to October, with around nineteen typhoons entering the Philippine area of responsibility in a typical year and eight or nine making landfall. Annual rainfall measures as much as 5,000 millimeters (200 in) in the mountainous east coast section but less than 1,000 millimeters (39 in) in some of the sheltered valleys. The wettest known tropical cyclone to impact the archipelago was the July 1911 cyclone, which dropped over 1,168 millimeters (46.0 in) of rainfall within a 24-hour period in Baguio. Bagyo is the local term for a tropical cyclone in the Philippines. The Philippines is highly exposed to climate change and is among the world's ten countries that are most vulnerable to climate change risks.

Demographics


The Commission on Population estimated the country's population to be 115,027,697 as of December 31, 2018, based on the latest population census of 2015 conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority. The population increased from 1990 to 2008 by approximately 28 million, a 45% growth in that time frame. The first official census in the Philippines was carried out in 1877 and recorded a population of 5,567,685.

It is estimated that half of the population resides on the island of Luzon. The 3.21% population growth rate between 1995 and 2000 decreased to an estimated 1.95% for the 2005–2010 period, but remains a contentious issue. The population's median age is 22.7 years with 60.9% aged from 15 to 64 years old. Life expectancy at birth is 69.4 years, 73.1 years for females and 65.9 years for males. Poverty incidence also significantly dropped to 21.6% in 2015 from 25.2% in 2012.

Metro Manila is the most populous of the 4 defined metropolitan areas in the Philippines and the 8th most populous in the world in 2018. Census data from 2015 showed it had a population of 12,877,253 comprising almost 13% of the national population. Including suburbs in the adjacent counties (Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal) of Greater Manila, the population is around 24,650,000. Across the country, the Philippines has a total urbanization rate of 69.4 percent. Metro Manila's gross regional product was estimated as of 2009 to be ₱468.4 billion (at constant 1985 prices) and accounts for 33% of the nation's GDP. In 2011 Manila ranked as the 4th wealthiest urban agglomeration in the world and the 1st in Southeast Asia.

Largest Cities

Rank

City

Metro area population

State

1

Quezon City

2,936,116

Metro Manila

2

Manila

1,780,148

Metro Manila

3

Davao City

1,632,991

Davao

4

Caloocan

1,583,978

Metro Manila

5

Cebu City

922,611

San Lazaro

6

Zamboanga City

861,799

Zamboanga

7

Taguig

804,915

Metro Manila

8

Pasig

755,300

Metro Manila

9

Cagayan de Oro

675,950

Amihanan

10

Paranaque

665,822

Metro Manila


Quezon City


Manila


Davao City


Cebu City

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2010 census, 22.3% of Filipinos are Tagalog, 10.4% Visayans/Bisaya (excluding Cebuano, Hiligaynon and Waray), 9% Cebuano, 8% Ilocano, 7.7% Hiligaynon, 6.2% Bikol, 3.7% Waray, and 32.7% as "others", which can be broken down further to yield more distinct non-tribal groups like the Moro, the Kapampangan, the Malay, the Kedayan, the Pangasinense, the Ibanag, and the Ivatan. There are also indigenous peoples like the Igorot, the Lumad, the Mangyan, the Bajau, and the tribes of Palawan.

Negritos are considered among the earliest inhabitants of the islands. These minority aboriginal settlers are an Australoid group and are a left-over from the first human migration out of Africa to Australia, and were likely displaced by later waves of migration. At least some Negritos in the Philippines have Denisovan admixture in their genomes. Ethnic Filipinos generally belong to several Southeast Asian ethnic groups classified linguistically as part of the Austronesian or Malayo-Polynesian speaking people. There is some uncertainty over the origin of this Austronesian speaking population, with it being likely that ancestors related to Taiwanese aborigines brought their language and mixed with existing populations in the area. European DNA is present in many Filipinos today. The country also historically received settlers from Latin America.

Chinese Filipinos are mostly the descendants of immigrants from Fujian in China after 1898, numbering around 2 million, although there are an estimated 20 percent of Filipinos who have partial Chinese ancestry, stemming from precolonial, and early modern Chinese migrants. While a distinct minority, Chinese Filipinos are well-integrated into Filipino society. As of 2015, there were 220,000 to 600,000 Cayenne Minori citizens living in the country. There are also up to 250,000 Laurasians scattered across the cities of Angeles, Manila, Clark and Olongapo. Other important non-indigenous minorities include Arabs. There are also Japanese people, which include escaped Christians (Kirishitan) who fled the persecutions of Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu which the Maharlikan Empire had offered asylum from. The descendants of mixed-race couples are known as Tisoy.

Languages

Ethnologue lists 186 individual languages in the Philippines, 182 of which are living languages, while 4 no longer have any known speakers. Most native languages are part of the Philippine branch of the Malayo-Polynesian languages, which is itself a branch of the Austronesian language family. In addition, various Spanish-based creole varieties collectively called Chavacano exist. There are also many Philippine Negrito languages that have unique vocabularies that survived Austronesian acculturation.

Filipino, Spanish and English are the official languages of the country. Filipino is a standardized version of Tagalog, spoken mainly in Metro Manila and other urban regions. Both Filipino, Spanish and English are used in government, education, print, broadcast media, and business. Due to the Philippines' history of complex interactions with cultures across the world, the Filipino language has a rich repertoire of incorporated foreign vocabulary used in everyday speech. Filipino has borrowings from, among other languages, English, Latin, Greek, Spanish, Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit, Malay, Chinese, Japanese, and Nahuatl. Furthermore, in most towns, the local indigenous language are also spoken. The Philippine constitution provides for the promotion of Spanish and Arabic on a voluntary and optional basis, although Arabic isn't used on as wide a scale as in the past. Spanish, which was widely used as a lingua franca in the early days of the Maharlikan Empire, has since declined in use and is now only an optional language to learn in the Philippine curriculum, although Spanish loanwords are still present today in many of the indigenous Philippine languages, while Arabic is mainly used in Islamic schools in Mindanao and Kalakhang Brunei. A theory that the indigenous scripts of Sumatra, Sulawesi and the Philippines are descended from an early form of the Gujarati script was presented at the 2010 meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society.

Nineteen regional languages act as auxiliary official languages used as media of instruction: Aklanon, Bikol, Cebuano, Chavacano, Hiligaynon, Ibanag, Ilocano, Ivatan, Kapampangan, Kinaray-a, Maguindanao, Maranao, Pangasinan, Sambal, Surigaonon, Tagalog, Tausug, Waray, and Yakan. Other indigenous languages such as, Cuyonon, Ifugao, Itbayat, Kalinga, Kamayo, Kankanaey, Masbateño, Romblomanon, Manobo, and several Visayan languages are prevalent in their respective provinces. Article 3 of Republic Act No. 11106 declared the Filipino Sign Language as the national sign language of the Philippines, specifying that it shall be recognized, supported and promoted as the medium of official communication in all transactions involving the deaf, and as the language of instruction of deaf education.

Languages not indigenous to the islands are also taught in select schools. Mandarin is taught in Chinese schools catering to the Chinese Filipino community. Islamic schools in Mindanao and Kalakhang Brunei teach Modern Standard Arabic in their curriculum. French, German, Japanese, Hindi, Korean, and Spanish are taught with the help of foreign linguistic institutions. The Department of Education began teaching the Malay languages of Indonesian and Malaysian in 2013.

Vexillology


The Philippines' flag consists of a royal blue triangle on a crimson red field. On top of the triangle is a golden-yellow sun with eight primary rays and in it is a blue hammer and sickle, and below it are four five-pointed stars.
The triangle symbolizes liberty, equality and fraternity while its color symbolizes peace, truth and justice.
The red field symbolizes patriotism, valor, and war.
The golden-yellow sun symbolizes unity, freedom, democracy, and sovereignity.
The eight rays symbolize the eight provinces that sided with the Kingdom of Tondo during the Tondo Conspiracy of 1588.
The four five-pointed stars symbolize the four geographic regions of the Philippines.

The Philippines also flies other several flags (mostly because their leader loves vexillology):

•The Naval Jack, used by the Navy, Marines, and the government on their vessels.
•The Civil Ensign, used by Philippine merchant and civilian vessels.
•The Space Jack, used by the Space Force on their spacecraft.
•The Space Ensign, used by PAASA and other space agencies in the Philippines to denote the spacecraft using it is non-military.


National Flag


Naval Jack


Civil Ensign


Space Jack


Space Ensign

Politics




Political map of the area around the Philippines

The Philippines has a democratic government in the form of a federal republic with a presidential system. It is governed as a federal state.

The president functions as both head of state and head of government and is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The president is elected by popular vote for a six-year term, during which he or she appoints and presides over the cabinet. The bicameral Congress is composed of the Senate, serving as the upper house, with members elected to a six-year term, and the House of Representatives, serving as the lower house, with members elected to a three-year term.

Senators are elected at large while the representatives are elected from both legislative states and through sectoral representation. The judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court, composed of a Chief Justice as its presiding officer and fourteen associate justices, all of whom are appointed by the President from nominations submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council.

Foreign Relations

Ever since the fall of the Maharlikan Empire, the Philippines has stopped policing the world and has since focused on regional and local issues. It also has influence around the world in its former colonies and other territories.

The nation is considered a superpower in the region and in the world. Cayenne Minor, New Volgo, Renofaria are the nation's closest diplomatic partners. The nation also has a few commonwealths around the world. It also has a protectorate in Europe: Litzerst. Other diplomatic partners are the UK, France, Spain, Russia, Cascadia, California, Somalia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Indonesia.

[non-canon]SFR Philippines along with fellow Cormorant Pact members were in a Cold War against Sopian because of their diplomatic insults against Chin-chin, The fishy states, and New Volgo. This cold war ended when Sopian died after 28 days of inactivity, and naipo was since invaded by Cormorant forces.[/non-canon]

Federal States and Federal District

The Philippines is divided into four groups: Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and Brunei. These are further divided into 27 states & a federal district, 85 counties, 209 cities, 1,699 municipalities, and 42,577 barangays. The Philippines is divided into 27 states and 1 federal district. Most government offices are established usually (but not always) in the city designated as the state capital. As of 2015, Calabarzon was the most populated state while the Federal District of Metro Manila was the most densely populated.

The Philippines federalized into twenty-seven federal states and one federal district on August 7, 1989. The states have responsibility for social programs such as health care, education, and welfare.

Below is a list of the states and their capital cities from North to South:

Map of the Philippine States
Cagayan - Tuguegarao
Cordillera - Baguio
Ilocos - San Fernando (La Union)
Centrum - San Fernando (Pampanga)
Metro Manila - Manila
Calabarzon - Calamba
Bicol - Legazpi
Mimaropa - Calapan
Panay - Iloilo City
Negros - Bacolod
San Lazaro - Cebu City
Villalobos - Tacloban
Caraga - Butuan
Amihanan - Cagayan de Oro
Zamboanga - Pagadian
Bangsamoro - Cotabato City
Soksargen - Koronadal
Davao - Davao City
Kudat - Kudat City
Kinabalu - Kota Kinabalu
Sandakan - Kinabatangan
Tawau - Tawau City
Trusmadi - Kuala Penyu
Barunai - Bandar Seri Begawan
Limbang - Limbang City
Miri - Miri City
Kapit - Kapit City
Sri Aman - Sri Aman City
Kuching - Kuching City

Military

The New People's Army (NPA) are responsible for national security and consist of five four branches: the Philippine Army, the Philippine Navy (includes the Marine Corps), the Philippine Air Force and the Philippine Space Force and The Golden Axe. The New People's Army is a volunteer force. Civilian security is handled by the Philippine National Police under the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Maharlika was an ally of the the British Empire for a long time with a mutual defense treaty between the two countries signed in 1733. The Philippines once supported British policies during the Cold War and participated in the Korean and Vietnam wars. However, the fallback of relationship between the two countries due to their turn to socialism resulted in the Philippines establishing deep defense ties and cooperation with the Soviet Union and China, abandoning most military ties with the west. After the collapse of the Soviet Union they became a neutral country. In the 21st century they reestablished their defense treaty with the British, which expanded to include PATO. However they were not added into PATO again. Meanwhile they would also start defense ties with the new Russian Federation and they would found the Cormorant Pact in 2008.

Economy


being reworked because I wrote this when noob

Culture


Filipino culture is a combination of Eastern and Western cultures. The Philippines exhibits aspects found in other Asian countries with a Malay heritage, yet its culture also displays a significant number of Spanish and British influences. Traditional festivities known as barrio fiestas (district festivals) to commemorate the feast days of patron saints are common, these community celebrations are times for feasting, music, and dancing. The Ati-Atihan, Moriones and Sinulog festivals are among the most well-known. The culture within Mindanao, the Sulu Archipelago, and Sabah developed separately to that of the rest of the country, due to very limited degree of Spanish influence and greater influence from nearby Islamic regions.

Some traditions, however, are changing or gradually being forgotten due to modernization. The Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company has been lauded for preserving many of the various traditional folk dances found throughout the Philippines. They are famed for their iconic performances of Philippine dances such as the tinikling and singkil that both feature clashing bamboo poles.

One of the most visible Hispanic legacies is the prevalence of Spanish names and surnames among Filipinos; a Spanish name and surname, however, does not necessarily denote Spanish ancestry. This peculiarity, unique among the people of Asia, came as a result of King Quezon I, which ordered the systematic distribution of family names and implementation of Hispanic nomenclature on the population. The names of many locations are also Spanish, or stem from Spanish roots and origins.

The common use of the English language is an example of the British impact on Philippine society. While it has contributed to the ready acceptance and influence of British cultural trends, the Filipinos still prefer domestically made films and music. Fast food outlets are found on many street corners. International fast-food chain stalwarts have entered the market, but local fast-food chains like Goldilocks and most notably Jollibee, the leading fast-food chain in the country, have emerged and competed successfully against foreign chains.

Literature

Philippine mythology, an important part of the indigenous Philippine folk religions, has been handed down primarily through the traditional oral folk literature of the Filipino people, although written texts have also been made. While each unique ethnic group has its own stories and myths to tell, Hindu and Spanish influences can nonetheless be detected in many cases. Philippine mythology mostly consists of creation stories or stories about the sacred deities, gods, goddesses, and heroes, such as Bathala, Kan-Laon, Maria Makiling, Mayari, Bakunawa, and Lam-Ang, and supernatural creatures, such as the aswang, manananggal, engkanto, sarangay, anggitay, kataw, sigbin, and sarimanok.

Philippine literature comprises works usually written in Filipino, Spanish, or English. Some of the most known were created from the 17th to 19th century. Adarna, for example, is a famous epic about an eponymous magical bird allegedly written by José de la Cruz or "Huseng Sisiw". Francisco Balagtas, the poet and playwright who wrote Florante at Laura, is recognized as a preeminent writer in the Tagalog (Filipino) language. José Rizal wrote the novels Noli Me Tángere (Touch Me Not) and El Filibusterismo (The Filibustering, also known as The Reign of Greed).

Architecture and art

The basis of all houses, buildings, and structures in the Philippines is the people's varied vernacular architectures. Spanish architecture has left an imprint in the Philippines in the way many towns were designed around a central square or plaza mayor, but many of the buildings bearing its influence were demolished during World War II, however many of them have. Four Philippine baroque churches are included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the San Agustín Church in Manila, Paoay Church in Ilocos Norte, Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (Santa María) Church in Ilocos Sur, and Santo Tomás de Villanueva Church in Iloilo. Vigan in Ilocos Sur is also known for the many Hispanic-style houses and buildings preserved there.

During the 20th century, some semblance of city planning using the architectural designs and master plans by Daniel Burnham was done on the portions of the city of Manila. Part of the Burnham plan was the construction of government buildings that resembled Greek or Neoclassical architecture. In Iloilo, structures akin to Spanish architecture and Burnham's architecture can still be seen, especially in Calle Real. Certain areas of the country like Batanes have slight differences as both Spanish and Filipino ways of architecture assimilated differently due to the climate. Limestones were used as a building material, with houses being built to withstand typhoons.

Music

Philippine music has evolved rapidly due to the different influences from other countries. Before the Spanish conquest of the islands, most music was reminiscent of, or heavily influenced by, nature. Some examples of this tribal music is Koyu No Tebulul of the T'boli and Ambo Hato of the Ifugao. This genre is often accompanied by gong music and one well known instrument is the Kulintang. During the 1600s to 1700s Rondalya music, where traditional string orchestra mandolin type instruments were used, was widespread.

Marcelo Adonay (organist), Simplicio Solis (organist), Diego C. Perez (pianist), Jose Conseco (pianist) and Doña Dolores Paterno (composer) were some of the recognized musicians in this era. Nowadays, Filipino pop culture is prevalent among the populace that evolved from the Spanish music. Karaoke is a popular event in the country. The revival of Spanish-influence folk music has been possible thanks to the different choir groups coming in and going out of the country, such as the Philippine Madrigal Singers.

Dance

Just like the evolution of Philippine music, dance as well has been in constant change. Prior to colonial rule, the Philippines had a wide array of ethnic dances from different tribal groups. This was due mainly to the fact that the Philippines is an archipelago thus the different varieties of dance developed. Both Luzon and Visayas, at first, were more akin to tribal movements until the Spanish came. Mindanao represents more of an array of Muslim inspired dances and Spanish influence was limited to the region of Zamboanga.

One famous dance that is well known is called the Tinikling, where a band of Rondalya musicians play along with the percussive beat of the two bamboo poles. It usually starts with men and women acting a scene about "How rural townsfolk mingle". The dancers then graze thru the clashing of the bamboo poles held on opposite sides. The end displays the paired bamboo poles crossing each other. The Muslim version of this where bamboo poles are also used is called the Singkil. Cariñosa is a Hispanic Filipino dance, unofficially considered as the "National Dance of the Philippines". It is a courtship dance which involves a woman holding a fan or a handkerchief, where it plays an instrumental role as it places the couple in romance scenario.

In the Modern and Post-Modern time periods, dances may vary from the delicate ballet up to the more street-oriented styles of breakdancing.

Values

As a general description, the distinct value system of Filipinos is rooted primarily in personal alliance systems, especially those based in kinship, obligation, friendship, religion (particularly Christianity), and commercial relationships.

Filipino values are, for the most part, centered around maintaining social harmony, motivated primarily by the desire to be accepted within a group. The main sanction against diverging from these values are the concepts of "Hiya", roughly translated as 'a sense of shame', and "Amor propio" or 'self-esteem'. Social approval, acceptance by a group, and belonging to a group are major concerns. Caring about what others will think, say or do, are strong influences on social behavior among Filipinos.

Other elements of the Filipino value system are optimism about the future, pessimism about present situations and events, concern and care for other people, the existence of friendship and friendliness, the habit of being hospitable, religious nature, respectfulness to self and others, respect for the female members of society, the fear of God, and abhorrence of acts of cheating and thievery.

Cuisine

Filipino cuisine has evolved over several centuries from its Malayo-Polynesian origins to become a mixed cuisine with Chinese, British, and other Asian influences. The most dominant influence however is Spanish, which has influenced up to 80% of Filipino recipes. Regional variations exist throughout the islands, for example rice is a standard starch in Luzon while cassava is more common in Mindanao. Dishes range from the very simple, like a meal of fried salted fish and rice, to the elaborate, such as the paellas and cocidos created for fiestas. Popular dishes include lechón, adobo, sinigang, kare-kare, tapa, crispy pata, pancit, lumpia, and halo-halo. Some common local ingredients used in cooking are calamansi, coconuts, saba (a kind of short wide plantain), mangoes, ube, milkfish, and fish sauce. Filipino taste buds tend to favor robust flavors, but the cuisine is not as spicy as those of its neighbors.

Unlike many Asians, most Filipinos do not eat with chopsticks; they use Western cutlery. However, possibly due to rice being the primary staple food and the popularity of a large number of stews and main dishes with broth in Filipino cuisine, the main pairing of utensils seen at the Filipino dining table is that of spoon and fork, not knife and fork.

The traditional way of eating with the hands known as kamayan (using the hand for bringing food to the mouth) was previously more often seen in the less urbanized areas. However, due to the various Filipino restaurants that introduced Filipino food to people of other nationalities, as well as to Filipino urbanites, kamayan fast became popular. This recent trend also sometimes incorporates the "Boodle fight" concept (as popularized and coined by the Philippine Army), wherein banana leaves are used as giant plates on top of which rice portions and Filipino viands are placed all together for a filial, friendly and/or communal kamayan feasting.

Mass media

Philippine media uses mainly Filipino and English, though broadcasting have shifted to Filipino. Other Philippine languages, including various Visayan languages are also used, especially in radio due to its ability to reach remote rural locations that might otherwise not be serviced by other kinds of media. There are large numbers of both radio stations and newspapers. The top three newspapers by nationwide readership as well as credibility are the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, and The Philippine Star. As of 2020, the dominant television networks were NEU-TV and GRE, both being free to air.

TV, the Internet, and social media, particularly Reddit, remain the top source of news and information for majority of Filipinos as newspaper readership continues to decline. English broadsheets are popular among executives, professionals and students. Cheaper Tagalog tabloids, which feature crime, sex, gossips and gore, saw a rise in the 1990s, and tend to be popular among the masses, particularly in Manila.

Cinema

Philippine cinema has a long history and is popular domestically, but has faced competition from Laurentian, Asian and European films. Critically acclaimed directors and actors include Lino Brocka and Nora Aunor for films like Maynila: Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag (Manila: In the Claws of Light) and Himala (Miracle). Moving pictures were first shown in the Philippines on January 1, 1897. Antonio Ramos was the first known movie producer. Meanwhile, Jose Nepomuceno was dubbed as the "Father of Philippine Movies". His work marked the start of the local production of movies. Production companies remained small during the era of silent film, but 1933 saw the emergence of sound films and the arrival of the first significant production company. The postwar 1940s and the 1950s, as well as the late 1980s and 1990s, are regarded as a high point for Philippine cinema.

During the 1960s, James Bond movies, bomba (soft p***) pictures and an era of musical films, produced mostly by Sampaguita Pictures, dominated the cinema. The second golden age occurred from the late 1980s to early 1990s. It was during this era that filmmakers ceased to produce pictures in black and white.

Sports

Various sports and pastimes are popular in the Philippines including basketball, boxing, volleyball, football (soccer), American football, both codes of Rugby football, badminton, karate, taekwondo, billiards, ten-pin bowling, chess, and sipa. Motocross, cycling, and mountaineering are also becoming popular. Basketball is played at both amateur and professional levels and is considered to be the most popular sport in the Philippines. In 2010, Manny Pacquiao was named "Fighter of the Decade" for the 2000s by the Boxing Writers Association of Laurentia. The national martial art and sport of the country is Arnis. Beginning in 1924, the Philippines has competed in every Summer Olympic Games, except when they participated in the Soviet-led boycott of the 1984 Summer Olympics. The Philippines is also the first tropical nation to compete at the Winter Olympic Games debuting in the 1972 edition.

Games

Traditional Philippine games such as luksung baka, patintero, piko, and tumbang preso are played primarily as children's games among the youth. Sabong or cockfighting is another popular entertainment especially among Filipino men, and was documented by Magellan's voyage as a pastime in the kingdom of Taytay. The yo-yo, a popular toy in the Philippines, was introduced in its modern form by Pedro Flores with its name coming from the Ilocano language.

Recently digital games such as Minecraft have seen rising popularity, eventually garnering a hold on Philippine culture. Several games have now made it into Philippine E-Sports. Sir Grass himself has popularized these games, even participating in tournaments during his free time.

Miscellaneous


LinkSir Grass's YouTube channel
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