Filipino History & Culture
The Philippines is an archipelago of 7,107 islands and islets. The biggest islands are Luzon, with a land area of 40,530 square miles; Mindanao, 36,670 square miles; Palawan, 5,749.86 square miles; Negros, 5,278.55 square miles; and Samar, 5,183.59 square miles. She has a rugged land mass and, similarly, she has an irregular coastline, which is twice as long as that of the continental U.S.A. This irregularity has resulted in numerous fine harbors and landlocked straights that can accommodate large ships. They can also be a refuge of ships in distress during stormy weather.
The land surface is 115,800 square miles (300,000 square kilometers). Land forms include hills, plains, valleys, and mountains. Her mountain ranges, which are volcanic in origin, are drained by small river systems. There are seven major mountain ranges. The largest and longest is Sierra Madre, which faces the Pacific Ocean on the eastern coast of Luzon. The highest peak is Mt. Apo, a volcano in Davao del Sur Province. It has an elevation of 9,691.60 feet.
The three major geographical groups in the country are Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Luzon comprises the northern portion of the archipelago. The Visayan region has about 6,000 islands including Leyte, Cebu, Samar, and Bohol. Mindanao is the second largest land and encompasses about 400 small islands.
These islands are divided into provinces, which are run like states in the United States. Each province is ruled by a governor, a vice governor, and members of the provincial board. Each province is composed of cities, towns, and barrios.
There are more than 65 cultural minorities, similar to the Indian tribes in the United States, who live in reservations and in the mountains. They include the Muslim groups, which are comprised of the Maranao, the Samal, the Maguindanao, the Tausug, etc. They live in the Sulu Archipelago and southern Mindanao.
There are also the so-called upland tribal groups who live in the mountain regions of the country, such as in the Mountain Province of Luzon. In northern Luzon, the other ethnic groups include the Bontoc, the Kalinga, the Ifugao, the Kankanay, the Ibaloi, the Isneg, the Ilongot, the Tinguian, and the Gadang.
The religious divisions are as so: Roman Catholic 81%, Evangelical 3%, Iglesia Ni Kristo 2%, Aglipayan 2%, Other Christians 5%, Islam 5%.
There are several volcanos in the Philippines. These have been one of the natural causes of destruction to life and property for centuries. At least 10 are considered active. The most famous are Iraya on Batanes Island; Taal in Batangas; Banahaw in Quezon; Mayon in Albay; and Hibok-Hibok on the Camiguin Islands; Makaturing in Lanao; Apo in Davao, and Mt. Pinatubo in Zambales.The Philippines lies within the Pacific seismic belt, which is why she experiences severe earthquakes.
The weather in the Philippines is tropical, the country having only two seasons, the dry and rainy seasons. It’s usually hot from April to July. The dry season is between November and June and the rainy season is between July and October. Filipinos consider December, January, and February as the cool months. But they may not be considered as winter without snow as in the United States; maybe it’s milder or like spring or fall.
“I love You! Iniibig Kita!” Yes, “I love you” is said in about 87 dialects or languages in the Philippines. These include Tagalog, Kapampangan, Ilocano, Cebuano, Pangasinanian, Bicolano, Hiligaynon, Chabacano, and the different dialects spoken by other ethnic groups such as Muslims and cultural minorities. Tagalog is the national language of the Philippines.
Ferdinand Magellan, the Portuguese navigator in the service of Spain, explored the Philippines in 1521. Twenty-one years later, a Spanish exploration party named the group of islands in honor of Prince Philip, who was later to become Philip II of Spain. Spain retained possession of the islands for the next 350 years.
The Philippines were ceded to the U.S. in 1899 by the Treaty of Paris after the Spanish-American War. Meanwhile, the Filipinos, led by Emilio Aguinaldo, had declared their independence. They initiated guerrilla warfare against U.S. troops that persisted until Aguinaldo’s capture in 1901. By 1902, peace was established except among the Islamic Moros on the southern island of Mindanao.
The first U.S. civilian governor-general was William Howard Taft (1901–1904). The Jones Law (1916) established a Philippine legislature composed of an elective Senate and House of Representatives. The Tydings-McDuffie Act (1934) provided for a transitional period until 1946, at which time the Philippines would become completely independent. Under a constitution approved by the people of the Philippines in 1935, the Commonwealth of the Philippines came into being with Manuel Quezon y Molina as president.
On Dec. 8, 1941, the islands were invaded by Japanese troops. Following the fall of Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s forces at Bataan and Corregidor, Quezon instituted a government-in-exile that he headed until his death in 1944. He was succeeded by Vice President Sergio Osmeña. U.S. forces under MacArthur reinvaded the Philippines in Oct. 1944 and, after the liberation of Manila in Feb. 1945, Osmeña reestablished the government. The Philippines achieved full independence on July 4, 1946. Manuel A. Roxas y Acuña was elected its first president.
FILIPINO CUISINE:
In 1521 Fedinand Magellan reached the island of Samar and claimed the entire archipelago for Spain. Forty-four years later when Philip II became king of Spain colonial rule was established that lasted about three centuries. Following the Spanish American War the United States got control of the Philippines in the Treaty of Paris of 1898. By the End of WWW II, the Philippines became independent. Spanish and Asian influences can both be found in their cooking styles.
Adobo
1 cup vinegar
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, sliced
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 pounds of chicken or pork (large pieces or hacked small)
2 tablespoons oil 3 medium potatoes, cubed
Variation: Some Latin countries have an almost identical recipe, except they add the optional ingredients: red wine, hot sauce, and brown sugar. These are not traditional additions in the Philippines.
You can use either your favorite chicken pieces (thighs and legs are frequently used) or “hack” one whole chicken. Hacking refers to cutting a whole chicken into small pieces with the bone still in. Leaving the bone in the pieces helps to retain moisture and shape. You do not want to make this dish with boneless chicken. Chicken may be sustituted with pork.
Saute garlic and onions. Then add meat and all other ingredients, except potatoes. Bring to boil. Lower the heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Add potatoes and cook another 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Serve the meat and the sauce over white rice.
