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Philippines

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Asian Countries;
Countries

   SOS Children works in Philippines. For more information see SOS
   Children in Philippines
   Republika ng Pilipinas
   Republic of the Philippines

   Flag of the Philippines Coat of arms of the Philippines
   Flag                    Coat of arms
   Motto: Maka-Diyos, Makatao, Makakalikasan, at Makabansa
   ( Filipino: "For God, People, Nature, and Country")
   Anthem: Lupang Hinirang ("Chosen Land")
   Location of the Philippines
   Capital Manila
   14°35′N 121°0′E
   Largest city Quezon City
   Official languages Filipino and English*
   Government Unitary presidential republic
    - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
    - Vice President Noli de Castro
   Independence from Spain and the U.S.
    - Declared June 12, 1898
    - Self-government November 15, 1935
    - Recognized July 4, 1946
    - Current constitution February 2, 1987
   Area
    - Total 300,000 km² ( 72nd)
   115,831 sq mi
    - Water (%) 0.6
   Population
    - July 2005 estimate 85,236,913 ( 13th)
    - 2000 census 76,504,077
    - Density 276/km² ( 42nd)
   715/sq mi
   GDP ( PPP) 2005 estimate
    - Total $453 billion ( 25th)
    - Per capita $4,923 ( 102nd)
   GDP (nominal) 2005 estimate
    - Total $98,731 billion ( 51st)
    - Per capita $1,168 ( 120th)
   HDI  (2003) 0.758 (medium) ( 84th)
   Currency Philippine peso (piso) ( PHP)
   Time zone PST ( UTC+8)
   Internet TLD .ph
   Calling code +63
   * Cebuano, Ilokano, Hiligaynon, Bikol, Waray-Waray, Kapampangan,
   Pangasinan, Kinaray-a, Maranao, Maguindanao, Tagalog, Tausug are the
   auxiliary official languages in their respective regions. Spanish and
   Arabic are promoted on an optional and voluntary basis.

   The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas), officially the Republic of the
   Philippines (Republika ng Pilipinas), is an island nation located in
   the Malay Archipelago in Southeast Asia, with Manila as its capital. It
   comprises 7,107 islands called the Philippine Archipelago, with a total
   land area of approximately 300,000 square kilometers or 116,000 square
   miles, making it the 72nd largest country by area.

   Modern day Filipinos are mostly of Austronesian stock, although there
   are a number of Filipinos with Spanish, Chinese, American, and Arab
   ancestry.

   The country was named "Las Islas Filipinas" (Phillip's Islands) by Ruy
   López de Villalobos after King Philip II of Spain. Spanish colonial
   rule began in 1565 and lasted for about three centuries until the
   Philippine Revolution of 1896. The United States gained possession of
   the Philippines after the Spanish-American War in 1898 and ruled the
   country for about five decades. Philippine culture has many affinities
   with the West. Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion, and
   Filipino is an official language, along with English.

History

   Archeological and paleontological evidence suggests that Homo sapiens
   existed in Palawan about 50,000 BCE. The Aetas are thought to have
   arrived in the Philippines more than 30,000 BCE through land bridges,
   possibly from China or the Andaman islands.

   The ancestors of the vast majority of the Filipino people, the
   Austronesians from Taiwan, settled northern Luzon around 2500 BC. They
   spread to the rest of the Philippines and later colonized most of
   Maritime Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific Islands. Muslim,
   Chinese and Indian traders made contact with the Philippines during the
   course of the next thousand years until the arrival of the Europeans.

   Sailing for the Spanish, the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and
   his crew were the first Europeans to arrive in the archipelago in 1521.
   Magellan was killed by indigenous warriors in Mactan Island while being
   involved with political conflicts with Lapu-Lapu. Miguel López de
   Legazpi arrived in 1565 and formed the first Spanish settlements, and
   paved the way for colonization. Roman Catholic missionaries converted
   most of the inhabitants. In the next 333 years, the Spanish military
   fought off various local indigenous revolts and various external
   colonial challenges. Such challenges came from the British, Chinese,
   Dutch, French, Japanese, and Portuguese. The most significant loss for
   Spain was the temporary occupation of the capital, Manila, by the
   British during the Seven Years' War. The Philippines was ruled as a
   territory of New Spain from 1565 to 1821, before it was administered
   directly from Spain. The Manila Galleon which linked Manila to
   Acapulco, Mexico travelled once or twice a year, beginning in the late
   16th century. The Philippines opened itself to world trade on September
   6, 1834.

   A propaganda movement began in the Spanish mainland, which included
   José Rizal. This was done in order to inform the government of the
   injustices of the administration in the Philippines as well as the
   abuses of the friars. In the 1880s and the 1890s, the propagandists
   clamored for political and social reforms, which included demands for
   greater representation in Spain. Unable to gain the reforms, Rizal
   returned to the country, and pushed for the reforms locally. Rizal was
   subsequently arrested, tried, and executed for treason on December 30,
   1896. Earlier that year, the Katipunan, led by Andrés Bonifacio,
   already started a revolution, which was eventually continued by Emilio
   Aguinaldo, who established a revolutionary government, although the
   Spanish governor general Fernando Primo de Rivera proclaimed the
   revolution over in May 17, 1897.

   The Spanish-American War began in Cuba in 1895 and soon reached the
   Philippines in 1898 when Commodore George Dewey defeated the Spanish
   squadron at the Manila Bay. Aguinaldo declared the independence of the
   Philippines on June 12, 1898, and was proclaimed head of state. As a
   result of its defeat in the War, Spain ceded the Philippines, together
   with Cuba, Guam and Puerto Rico to the United States. By 1899, the
   Philippine-American War ensued between the United States and the
   Philippine revolutionaries, which continued the violence of the
   previous years. The US proclaimed the war ended when Aguinaldo was
   captured by American troops on March 23, 1901, but the struggle
   continued until 1913. The country's status as a colony was turned into
   that of a commonwealth in 1935, which provided for more
   self-governance. Plans for independence in the next decade were
   underway, although this was briefly interrupted by the Pacific War when
   Japan occupied the country. The Philippines achieved independence from
   America on July 4, 1946.

   Since 1946, the newly independent Philippine state has faced economic
   and political instability and various rebel groups. The late 1960s and
   early 1970s saw the rise of student activism and civil unrest.
   Ferdinand Marcos was, then, the elected president. Barred from seeking
   a third term, Marcos declared martial law on September 21, 1972 and
   ruled the country by decree. Marcos extended both his power and tenure
   by force. His authoritarian rule became marred with unmitigated,
   pervasive corruption, cronyism and despotism.

   Opposition leader Benigno Aquino, Jr. was assassinated on August 21,
   1983 upon returning from exile. In January 1986, Marcos allowed for a
   "snap" election, after large protests. The election was believed to be
   fraudulent, and resulted in a standoff between military mutineers and
   the military loyalists. Protesters supported the mutineers, and was
   accompanied by resignations of prominent cabinet officials. Corazon
   Aquino, the wife of Benigno Aquino, Jr., was the recognized winner of
   the snap election. She took over government, and drafted a new
   constitution, after the 1986 EDSA Revolution. Marcos, his family and
   some of his allies were exiled to Hawaii.

   The return of democracy and government reforms after the events of 1986
   was hampered by massive national debt, government corruption, coup
   attempts, a communist insurgency, and a Muslim separatist movement. The
   economy improved during the administration of Fidel V. Ramos, who was
   elected in 1992. However, the economic improvements were negated at the
   onset of the East Asian financial crisis in 1997. The 2001 EDSA
   Revolution led to the downfall of the following president, Joseph
   Estrada. The current administration of president Gloria
   Macapagal-Arroyo has been hounded by allegations of corruption and
   election rigging.

Politics and government

   CAPTION: National symbols of the Philippines

   Flag           National Flag
   Anthem         Lupang Hinirang
   Patriotic Song Pilipinas Kong Mahal
   Gem            South Sea pearls
   Dance          Cariñosa
   Animal         Carabao
   Bird           Philippine Eagle
   Fish           Milkfish (Bangus)
   Flower         Arabian Jasmine (Sampaguita)
   Tree           Angsana (Narra)
   Leaf           Fan palm (Anahaw)
   Fruit          Mango
   Sport          Sipa
   Costume        Barong and Baro't saya
   Hero           José Rizal

   The government of the Philippines is organized as a presidential-
   unitary republic, where the President functions as head of state, the
   head of government, and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The
   president is elected by popular vote to a 6-year term, during which he
   or she appoints and presides over the cabinet of secretaries.

   The bicameral Congress comprises the Senate and the House of
   Representatives; members of the former are elected at large and those
   of the latter by geographical district. The 24 senators serve 6-year
   terms, with half retiring every three years, while the House of
   Representatives comprises 250 members serving 3-year terms.

   The judicial branch of government is headed by the Supreme Court, with
   a Chief Justice as its head and 14 associate justices, all appointed by
   the President from nominations submitted by the Judicial and Bar
   Council. Other courts include the Court of Appeals, the Regional Trial
   Courts and the Metropolitan Trial Courts.

   As of June 2006, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is hoping to get
   agreement to amend the constitution to a unicameral parliament under a
   federal setting similar to the German constitution. The country would
   be split into "states" with each one having a local legislature
   responsible for certain functions. Included in the amendments are plans
   to remove/ease the current ban on foreign ownership of property, land
   and commercial organizations in the Philippines. Plans have been
   announced to decentralize government by moving departments from Manila
   to the provinces, such as the Department of Tourism to Cebu City, the
   Department of Foreign Affairs to Angeles City, and the Department of
   Agrarian Reform to Iloilo City.

   The Philippines is a founding and active member of the United Nations
   since its inception on October 24, 1945 and is a founding member of the
   Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

   The Philippines is also a member of the East Asia Summit (EAS), an
   active player in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the
   Latin Union and a member of the Group of 24. The country is a major
   non-NATO ally of the U.S., but also a member of the Non-Aligned
   Movement.

   The Philippines, along with the nation of Malta, is one of only two
   nations in the world where all civil marriages are for life, because
   civil divorce (for violations coming after the marriage) is banned,
   although annulment (for violations before the marriage, although it may
   manifest itself after the solemnization) is permitted.

   The Philippines is currently in a dispute with Taiwan, China, Vietnam
   and Malaysia over the oil- and natural gas-rich Spratly Islands and
   Scarborough Shoal, and with Malaysia over Sabah. The Sultan of Sulu,
   who received Sabah as a gift in 1703 having helped the Sultan of Brunei
   defeat a rebellion, has given the Philippine Government power to
   reclaim his lost territory. To this day, the Sultan of Sulu's family
   receives "rental" payments for Sabah from the Malaysian government.

Administrative divisions

   Provinces and regions of the Philippines
   Enlarge
   Provinces and regions of the Philippines

   The Philippines is divided into three geographical areas: Luzon,
   Visayas, and Mindanao. It has 17 regions, 80 provinces, 117 cities,
   1,501 municipalities, and 41,982 barangays.

   Most government offices establish regional offices to serve the
   constituent provinces. The regions themselves do not possess a separate
   local government, with the exception of the Autonomous Region in Muslim
   Mindanao.

   On July 24, 2006, the State of the Nation Address of President Arroyo
   announced the proposal to create 5 economic super regions in order to
   concentrate on the economic strengths in a specific area.
                  Region                Designation  Government centre
   Ilocos Region                        Region I    San Fernando City
   Cagayan Valley Region                Region II   Tuguegarao City
   Central Luzon Region                 Region III  City of San Fernando
   CALABARZON Region¹ ²                 Region IV-A Calamba City
   MIMARO Region¹ ² ³                   Region IV-B Calapan City
   Bicol Region                         Region V    Legazpi City
   Western Visayas Region³              Region VI   Iloilo City
   Central Visayas Region               Region VII  Cebu City
   Eastern Visayas Region               Region VIII Tacloban City
   Zamboanga Peninsula Region           Region IX   Pagadian City
   Northern Mindanao Region             Region X    Cagayan de Oro City
   Davao Region                         Region XI   Davao City
   SOCCSKSARGEN Region¹                 Region XII  Koronadal City
   Caraga Region                        Region XIII Butuan City
   Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao ARMM        Cotabato City
   Cordillera Administrative Region     CAR         Baguio City
   National Capital Region              NCR         Manila

   ¹ Names are capitalized because they are acronyms, containing the names
   of the constituent provinces or cities (see Acronyms in the
   Philippines).
   ² These regions formed the former Southern Tagalog region, or Region
   IV.
   ³ Palawan was moved from Region IV-B as known as MIMAROPA to Region VI.
   From November 2005, Region IV-B would be called MIMARO, decreased from
   5 to 4 provinces and Region VI are increased from 7 to 8 provinces.

Geography

   Geography of the Philippines
   Enlarge
   Geography of the Philippines

   The Philippines constitutes an archipelago of 7,107 islands with a
   total land area of approximately 300,000 square kilometres (116,000
   sq. mi). It lies between 116° 40' and 126° 34' E. longitude, and 4° 40'
   and 21° 10' N. latitude, and borders the Philippine Sea on the east, on
   the South China Sea the west, and the Celebes Sea on the south. The
   island of Borneo lies a few hundred kilometers southwest and Taiwan
   directly north. The Moluccas and Sulawesi are to the south, and Palau
   is to the east beyond the Philippine Sea.

   The islands are commonly divided into three island groups: Luzon
   (Regions I to V, NCR and CAR), Visayas (VI to VIII), and Mindanao (IX
   to XIII and ARMM). The busy port of Manila, on Luzon, is the national
   capital and second largest city after its suburb Quezon City.

   The local climate is hot, humid, and tropical. The average yearly
   temperature is around 26.5° C (79.7° F). There are three recognized
   seasons: Tag-init or Tag-araw (the hot season or summer from March to
   May), Tag-ulan (the rainy season from June to November), and Taglamig
   (the cold season from December to February). The southwest monsoon
   (May-October) is known as the "habagat" and the dry winds of the
   northeast monsoon (November-April) as the "amihan". The country itself
   is udergoing desertification in place like Sorsogon, Baguio, Davao and
   the Sierra Madre mountain range.

   Most of the mountainous islands used to be covered in tropical
   rainforest and are volcanic in origin. The highest point is Mount Apo
   on Mindanao at 2,954 metres (9,692 ft). There are many active volcanos
   such as Mayon Volcano, Mount Pinatubo, and Taal Volcano. The country
   also lies within the typhoon belt of the Western Pacific and about 19
   typhoons strike per year.

   Lying on the northwestern fringes of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the
   Philippines experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activities. Some
   20 earthquakes are registered daily in the Philippines, though most are
   too weak to be felt. The last great earthquake was the 1990 Luzon
   earthquake.

   The longest river is the Cagayan River of northern Luzon. The nearly
   circular Manila Bay, is connected to the Laguna de Bay by means of the
   Pasig River. Subic Bay, the Davao Gulf and the Moro Gulf are some of
   the important bays. Transversing the San Juanico Strait is the San
   Juanico Bridge, that connects the islands of Samar and Leyte.

Economy

   San Miguel Avenue in Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong - Pasig City Boundary
   Enlarge
   San Miguel Avenue in Ortigas Centre, Mandaluyong - Pasig City Boundary
   Cebu City Business Park
   Enlarge
   Cebu City Business Park

   The Philippines is a developing country with an agricultural base,
   light industry, and service-sector economy. The Philippines has one of
   the most vibrant business process outsourcing (BPO) industries in Asia.
   Numerous call centers and BPO firms have infused momentum into the
   Philippine market, generating thousands of jobs, including Fortune 500
   companies.

   The resiliency of the Philippine economy due to low foreign inflows and
   an agriculture-based economy allowed it to snap back from international
   crises as evidenced by 3% growth in 1999 and accelerated to 4% in 2000.
   By 2004, the Philippine economy catapulted to over 6% growth after the
   East Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s. President Gloria
   Macapagal-Arroyo pledged to turn the country into a First World state
   by 2020.

   Government initiatives are designed to match the pace of development in
   the newly industrialized countries (NICs) of East Asia. Economic
   strategies are implemented to manage a public debt comprising 93% of
   the GDP. This priority manifests as a budget allocation set higher than
   the budget for education and defense combined. The Philippine middle
   class is essential to economic prosperity. Although proportionately
   smaller, the Philippine middle class is scheduled to grow.

   Strategies for streamlining the economy include improvements of
   infrastructure, more efficient tax systems to bolster government
   revenues, furthering deregulation and privatization of the economy, and
   increasing trade integration within the region and across the world.

   On November 1, 2005, a newly expanded value added tax (E-VAT) law was
   instituted as a measure to bridle the rising foreign debt and to
   improve government services such as education, healthcare, social
   security, and transportation. As of 2006, The Philippines' economic
   prosperity also depends in large part on how well its two biggest
   trading partners' economies perform: the U.S. and Japan.

   The Philippines is a member of the Asian Development Bank, World Bank,
   International Monetary Fund, and other international economic
   associations, such as the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the
   World Trade Organization (WTO), the Colombo Plan, and the G-77.

   In 2005, the Philippine peso was said to be Asia's best-performing
   currency. The Philippines' 1st quarter GDP growth was within the
   government's programmed growth of 5.5% buoyed by the rebound of the
   agriculture sector and a strong service sector performance however, the
   economy is still vulnerable to high world oil prices and political
   instability. There are few promising developments though: one is the
   strong fiscal performance that the government has put in place; another
   is the mining boom, which will help generate additional revenues and
   additional jobs but may permanently damage the environment. The
   country’s export rose by more than 15% in January-April this year,
   while investments increased by $2 billion over that of the same
   four-month period last year.

   Despite the growing economy, the Philippines will have to address
   several chronic problems in the future. Income inequality remains
   persistent; about 30 million people lived on less than $2 per day in
   2005. China and India have emerged as major economic competitors,
   siphoning away investors who would otherwise have invested in the
   Philippines, particularly telecom companies. Regional development is
   also somewhat uneven, with the main island Luzon and Metro Manila
   gaining most of the new economic growth at the expense of the other
   regions.

   The Philippines is a significant source of migrant workers; as of 2004,
   the Philippine government has estimated that there are over 8 million
   Overseas Filipinos while independent estimates by various Philippine
   civic organizations estimate the number at 11 million. Overseas
   Filipinos sent home a record $10.7 billion in 2005. The Filipino
   diaspora is present in 190 nations worldwide.

Demographics

   Population growth of the Philippines.
   Enlarge
   Population growth of the Philippines.

   The Philippines is the world's 13th most populous country, with a
   population of over 85 million as of 2005. Roughly two-thirds reside on
   the island of Luzon. Manila, the capital, is the eleventh most populous
   metropolitan area in the world. The literacy rate was 92.5% in 2003,
   and about equal for males and females. Life expectancy is 69.91 years,
   with 72.28 years for females and 66.44 years for males. Population
   growth per year is about 1.92%, with 26.3 births per 1,000 people. In
   the 100 years since the 1903 Census, the population has grown by a
   factor of eleven. This represents a much faster rate of growth than
   other countries in the region (Indonesia has grown five-fold over the
   same period).

Ethnic groups

   The people of the Philippines are called Filipinos. Most Filipinos are
   descended from the various Austronesian-speaking migrants who arrived
   in successive waves over a thousand years ago from Southeast Asia.
   These ethnic Filipinos are divided into various ethnolinguistic groups,
   the three most numerous being the Bisaya, Tagalogs, and the Ilocanos.
   They are genetically most closely related to the Taiwanese aborigines.
   The Negritos or Aetas are the aboriginal inhabitants of the
   Philippines, and number less than 30,000 people (0.03%). Filipinos of
   Chinese descent, who had been settling in the Philippines since
   pre-Hispanic times, currently forms the largest non-Austronesian ethnic
   group, claiming about 2% of the population. Other significant
   minorities include Americans, South Asians, Europeans (particularly
   Spaniards and Basques), and Koreans. There are also numerous Arabs and
   Indonesians in the country, especially in Mindanao. According to a
   Stanford University small-sample study, about 3.65% Filipinos are
   partly of Spanish, Mexican, European, or American ancestries.

Languages

   More than 170 languages are spoken in the country, almost all of them
   belonging to the Western Malayo-Polynesian language group of the
   Austronesian language family. According to the 1987 Constitution,
   Filipino, heavily based on Tagalog, and English are both the official
   languages. The twelve major regional languages are the auxiliary
   official languages of their respective regions, each with over one
   million speakers: Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilokano, Hiligaynon, Waray-Waray,
   Bikol, Kapampangan, Pangasinan. Kinaray-a, Maranao, Maguindanao and
   Tausug. English is used by some Filipinos as their first language,
   particularly those belonging to the upper echelons of society.

   The Lan-nang-oe variant of Min Nan Chinese dialect is widely spoken by
   the country's Chinese minority

   The use of Spanish in the Philippines as the original official language
   of the country for more than three centuries, has significantly
   declined. Currently, only a few Spanish Mestizo families speak it as
   their first language, though many others use it together with Tagalog
   and English. Both Spanish and Arabic are used as auxiliary languages in
   the Philippines. The use of Arabic is prevalent among the Filipino
   Muslims. It is taught in madrasah (Muslim) schools.

Religion

   The Philippines is the fifth-largest Christian nation, after the United
   States, Brazil, Mexico, and Russia. About 90% of all Filipinos are
   Christians: 81% belong to the Roman Catholic Church, about 5% belong to
   various Protestant, and another 4% from local Christian groups.
   Although Christianity is a major force in the culture of the Filipinos,
   indigenous traditions and rituals still affect religious practice.

   Approximately 5% of Filipinos are Muslim. They primarily live in parts
   of Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago. Most lowland Muslim Filipinos
   practice normative Islam, although the practices of some Mindanao's
   hill tribe Muslims reflect a fusion with animism. The Muslims have
   resisted conquest and conversion for centuries by the Spanish and the
   Americans. Various Muslim groups have been waging a decades-long armed
   campaign against the Philippine government for political
   self-determination.

   There are also small populations of Buddhists, Hindus, and Jews, which
   collectively comprise 5% of the population.

Culture

   A Philippine Jeepney
   Enlarge
   A Philippine Jeepney

   Filipino culture is largely a fusion of the indigenous traditions of
   the Philippines, with the Hispanic and American cultures. It has also
   been significantly influenced by Chinese, Indonesian and Indian
   cultures.

   The Hispanic influences in Filipino culture are largely derived from
   the culture of Spain as a result of over three centuries of Spanish
   colonial rule through Mexico City. These Hispanic influences are most
   evident in Roman Catholic Church religious festivals. Filipinos hold
   major festivities known as barrio fiestas to commemorate their patron
   saints. The most visible Hispanic legacy, is the prevalence of Spanish
   surnames among Filipinos. This peculiarity, unique among the people of
   Asia, came as a result of a colonial decree for the systematic
   distribution of family names and implementation of the Spanish naming
   system on the inhabitants of the Philippines. A Spanish surname in the
   Philippines doesn't necessarily denote Hispanic heritage. But there are
   many other traces of Spanish culture in the country, such as names of
   countless streets, towns and provinces, which are also named in
   Spanish. Filipino cuisine is also heavily influenced by Spanish
   cuisine.

   The Chinese influences in Filipino culture are most evident in Filipino
   cuisine. The prevalence of noodles, known locally as mami, are a
   testament of the Chinese cuisine. Other Chinese influences include
   linguistic borrowings and the occasional Chinese derived surnames.

   The use of English language in the Philippines is contemporaneous and
   is America's visible legacy. The most commonly played sport in the
   Philippines is basketball. There is also a wide "imitation" of American
   cultural trends, such as the love of fast-food; many street corners
   boast fast-food outlets. Aside from the American commercial giants such
   as McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Burger King, and KFC, local fast-food chains
   have also sprung up, including Goldilocks, Jollibee, Greenwich Pizza,
   and Chowking. Modern day Filipinos also listen to contemporary American
   music and watch American movies.

   In spite of this, native moral codes, respect of family, veneration of
   elders, and friendliness, all remain intact. Filipinos honour national
   heroes whose works and deeds contributed to the shaping of the Filipino
   nation. José Rizal is the most celebrated ilustrado, a Spanish-speaking
   reformist visionary whose writings contributed greatly in nurturing a
   sense of national identity and awareness. His novels Noli Me Tangere
   and El Filibusterismo originally written in Spanish, are required
   readings for Filipino students, and provide vignettes of colonial life
   under the Spanish rule. They give a sense of Filipino identity and
   historical continuity. Ninoy Aquino, the charismatic leader against the
   Marcos dictatorship, is a highly revered martyr of the People Power
   revolution.

   As with many cultures, music and leisure activities are an important
   aspect of the Filipino society. Various sports are also enjoyed,
   including boxing, basketball, badminton and billiards being popular
   games in the country.

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