Overview of the Culture in the Philippines

Andy Kristian Gorgonio, Billy Redick, Reece Camacho

The Philippines is a country rich in culture, history, economy, and government. The Philippines is filled with culture, practices, and ways of respect that some westerners may find odd and weird. The history of Philippines is filled with occupations, freedom, facts, etc. The economy of Philippines once successful until the Filipino Downfall in the 60's. Before the late 15 Century had no real religion except for the Visayans until the Spanish when the brought the Spanish Inquisition. The Government was complicated from Visayan Kingdom Era (Visayan is the Major Tribe which was similar to the Eastern Government System like Chine (China at the Time), Kingdom of Korea [Gyeorgary Era], and Empire of Japan), to Spanish Philippines, to Republic of Philippines, to American Territory of Philippines, to Japanese State of Philippines, to Republic of Philippines. The Philippines is filled with amazing information.

In the Philippines, we have many stories and signs of respect to offer. The Philippines has few folk tale stories with lessons, White Street Lady is completely covered in white drapes standing on the side of a road and if you don't stop for her, you will see red eyes right before you die, lesson, be kind, Duende or Filipino Version of leprechaun, give him food and in a few days you'll find his pot of gold,lesson, be nice and you'll be rewarded, and lastly, Filipino Version of Mermaid, it will be the most beautiful person you've ever seen, but come to close and she'll pull you into the water and drown you until you die, she will then eat your remains, lesson, don't get caught up will lust and beauty, it will consume you, (In this Case, Literally). We also have our ways to show respect such as "Blessing Elders", Praying before eating, and taking off your shoes before entering a house. During eating, we eat like a normal American except for the fact we eat rice in every meal. Culture is an important and vital thing in an average Filipino and a Filipino Identity.

The economy of the Philippines is a quite disappointing story. Once the Philipines freed itself in 1945, right after (WW2) was the wealthiest country in all of Asia. Korea was rebuilding from the Japanese and a crisis is brewing between Communist North and Capitalist South, China is going through a civil war, and Japan was rebuilding from the war and paying for the war to the allies, the others are still colonies or going through a independence war (Indochina[Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos], British Raj [India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar/Burma], British Malay[Malaysia], Dutch Indonesian [Indonesia]. It continued to prosper becoming the first Asian Nation to have a public International Airport and invented many things and prospered until the end of Marcas' Reign in the 70's. Now people say Marcus was a dictator but that's not true, after him corruption went through the roof crashing  the industries and then Singapore, China, S. Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan quickly took its place and continued to fight until the 4 remaining formed the Four Asian Tigers, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore. However a man similar to Marcus named Deturte, some experts say with him, Corruption has gone down by a huge margin and soon join the Asian Tigers.

The Filipino Government changed many times especially in the past 100 years. It started before the Spaniards, the biggest tribe was the Visayan Kingdom(Visayan is the Major Tribe which was similar to the Eastern Government System like Chine [China at the Time], Kingdom of Korea [Gyeorgary Era], and Empire of Japan) Philippines became the Spanish Colony of Philippines. Then after an independence war which Created the Republic of Philippines the Philippines was quickly surprised when their previous ally ,US, said that they were part of the US and had the Philippine-American War which made the Philippines a US Territory this made the Republic of the Philippines into the American Territory of the Philippines. The US promised to release the Philippines in 1940 but was delayed to a little thing called World War 2. In 1945 after the war the Philippines was independent again as a Democratic Nation.

The Philippines is a beautiful, independent, and free nation. We mustn't forget our culture for that is where we came from, no matter what the culture.  May Pearl of the East live in prosperity and freedom til' the end of time like how it has been. The country is filled with rich culture and history.