THE STUDY OF PHILIPINE’S CULTURE

Introduction

The visitor to Metro Manila commonly sees the Philippines as the most westernized of Asian countries and in many ways, it is. But there is also a rich underlay of Malay culture beneath the patina of Spanish and American heritage. National cultural life is a happy marriage of many influences, as the indigenous Malay culture is assimilated and adapted to different strains in a practice typical of Malay temperament. An upsurge of Philippine nationalism stimulated a desire to preserve the ancient heritage without restricting its openness to foreign artistic influence.

The Philippines is an archipelago of 7,107 islands. It stretches from the south of China to the northern tip of Borneo. The country has over a hundred ethnic groups and a mixture of foreign influences which have molded a unique Filipino culture.

Before the Spanish explorers came, Indo-Malays and Chinese merchants had settled here. In 1521, the Spaniards, led by Ferdinand Magellan, discovered the islands. The Spanish conquistadores established a colonial government in Cebu in 1565. They transferred the seat of government to Manila in 1571 and proceeded to colonize the country. The Filipinos resisted and waged Asia's first nationalist revolution in 1896. On June 12, 1898, Emilio Aguinaldo declared the Philippines independent from Spain and proclaimed himself president. After ruling for 333 years, the Spaniards finally left in 1898 and were replaced by the Americans who stayed for 48 years. On July 4, 1946, the Americans recognized Philippine independence.

The Philippines is the third largest English-speaking country in the world. The country is divided into three geographical areas: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. It has 17 regions, 80 provinces, 122 cities, 1,512 municipalities, and 42,025 barangays

Ethnic Make-up: 

Christian Malay 91.5%, Muslim Malay 4%, Chinese 1.5%, other 3% 

Religions: 

Roman Catholic 83%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 5%, Buddhist and other 3%

Culture of Philippine

The Filipinos does not come out into the world just as they are now today. The Philippine is not a pure cultured country and neither the Filipinos’ blood that runs within their veins pure – for just like the intermarriage of different cultures into the fabric of Philippines culture so also the Filipino is a product of the marriage of different races who conquer the archipelago- nor their dominant beliefs and traditions today is a pure culture of their own.

Mixed culture

Philippine culture is a mixed conglomeration of different culture taken from and influenced by those who conquest it since the beginning of its arousal from the beds of the Pacific Ocean.

Historically, it was said that the first inhabitants who settled on the Philippine archipelago are the Negritos and their fellow Australoid Sakai race who migrated from the South Asia during the Pleistocene Era who cross the soil bridge toward the Philippine archipelago whose culture become the first Philippine culture ever recorded in the Philippine history. However, their cultures have not become the dominant culture of Filipinos today but somehow have some traces of it like fishing. But the most influential race that migrated into the Philippine archipelago that marks a great impact on the Philippine culture today and that shape the Filipinos today are the Malay race.

The Malay race (Modern day culture)

The Malay race are said to be the second group who inhabited the country who come from Taiwan or Formosa then. They are called Austronesian or Malayo-Polynesian people. They have a more advance culture than the Negritos. For they are highly civilized race that has brought and shape the Philippine literature, Philippine art, and the Philippine government today altered only by the culture of the Spaniards and American conquerors who conquest the Philippines whom these conquerors have injected and intermixed on it. Thus, this conglomerated culture has now become the modern day culture of the Filipinos today. One of the culture that mostly influence the Filipino today from both Malay, Spaniards and Americans, that affects predominantly the Philippine literature and Philippine art is Malay’s native and Islam beliefs and the Spaniards and Americans Roman Catholicism beliefs or the catholic Christianity. For most of the writings of the Filipino writers and authors today, have either a reflection or vestiges of their Islam and Malay philosophy or catholic Christian beliefs, as well as the art of their wrings and the designs of their books.

Languages in the Philippines

Filipino (formerly Pilipino) is based on Tagalog and is the official language of the Philippines.  In spite of being the national language, only about 55 percent of Filipinos speak the language. In addition to Filipino are about 111 distinct indigenous languages and dialects, of which only about 10 are important regionally. 

English is generally used for educational, governmental and commercial purposes and is widely understood since it is the medium of instruction in schools.  The Philippines are the third largest group of English speaking people in the world, after the United States and the United Kingdom.

Since English is widely spoken in the Philippines, it is common to hear Filipinos use a mixture English and Filipino words or phrases, known as "Taglish" (a mixture of English and Tagalog), in their everyday conversations. A steadily dwindling minority still speak Spanish, which had at one time been an official language. 

Filipino Society & Culture

Filipino Family Values

The family is the centre of the social structure and includes the nuclear family, aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins and honorary relations such as godparents, sponsors, and close family friends. People get strength and stability from their family. As such, many children have several godparents. Concern for the extended family is seen in the patronage provided to family members when they seek employment. It is common for members of the same family to work for the same company. In fact, many collective bargaining agreements state that preferential hiring will be given to family members.

Filipino Concept of Shame

Hiya is shame and is a motivating factor behind behavior. It is a sense of social propriety and conforming to societal norms of behavior. Filipinos believe they must live up to the accepted standards of behavior and if they fail to do so they bring shame not only upon themselves, but also upon their family. One indication of this might be a willingness to spend more than they can afford on a party rather than be shamed by their economic circumstances. If someone is publicly embarrassed, criticized, or does not live up to expectations, they feel shame and lose self-esteem.

Meeting Etiquette

• Initial greetings are formal and follow a set protocol of greeting the eldest or most important person first.
• A handshake, with a welcoming smile, is the standard greeting.

Gift Giving Etiquette

• If you are invited to a Filipino home for dinner bring sweets or flowers to the hosts.
• If you give flowers, avoid chrysanthemums and white lilies.
• You may send a fruit basket after the event as a thank you but not before or at the event, as it could be interpreted as meaning you do not think that the host will provide sufficient hospitality.

Dining Etiquette

• It is best to arrive 15 to 30 minutes later than invited for a large party.
• Never refer to your host's wife as the hostess. This has a different meaning in the Philippines.
• Dress well. Appearances matter and you will be judged on how you dress.
• Compliment the hostess on the house.
• Send a handwritten thank you note to the hosts in the week following the dinner or party. It shows you have class.

Table manners

• Wait to be asked several times before moving into the dining room or helping yourself to food.
• Wait to be told where to sit. There may be a seating plan.
• Do not start eating until the host invites you to do so.
• Meals are often served family- style or are buffets where you serve yourself.
• A fork and spoon are the typical eating utensils.
• Hold the fork in the left hand and use it to guide food to the spoon in your right hand.
• Whether you should leave some food on your plate or finish everything is a matter of personal preference rather than culture-driven.

Conclusion

The transformation of local cultures in the Philippines and the Pacific presents a range of historical and theoretical issues. The lasting impact of Spanish rule in the Philippines was a religious transformation which had a vital impact on local cultures as well as on the growth of national culture over the past fifty years. It was only in Mindanao and in the presence of Islam that limitations occurred on the spatial spread of Catholic influence throughout the archipelago. To a certain extent local social institutions were modified, but in the transformation from Spain to the United States and to nationhood, Philippine culture was maintained both in terms of interpersonal relationships and cultural institutions. The American presence left its legacy in a widespread public education system, which had both positive and negative influences.