Not long ago, I traveled to the Philippines for a while. I would like to share with you some of what I have seen and felt in the Philippines through this article. I hope it makes you understand. The most authentic Filipino.
1.The Philippines is the second largest archipelagic country in the world, consisting of 7,107 islands, of which just over 2,000 are inhabited. The islands of the Philippines are divided into three main groups: Luzon, Bisaya, and Mindanao. With a coastline of 36,289 km, the Philippines is the fifth longest in the world.
2. The Philippines has experienced many foreign dominations and influences in its history, and is a diverse country. From the 16th to the 19th centuries, the Philippines was colonized by Spain and adopted the Spanish language, religion, and culture. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Philippines was invaded by the United States and Japan, and was subjected to political, economic, and educational reforms in the United States, as well as military and violent oppression by Japan. These foreign powers have completely changed the country. Since then, the Philippines has become a mixed-race, Western-minded country in Asia.
3. The Philippines used to be one of the most advanced countries in Asia and enjoyed the reputation of "Pearl of the Orient". After World War II, with the support of the United States, the Philippines established a democratic system, developed industry and agriculture, and improved the living standards of its people. The Philippines is also the first country in Asia to join the United Nations and participates in a number of international affairs. However, this boom did not last long. Due to political corruption, social unrest, economic crisis, etc., the Philippines is gradually lagging behind other Asian countries.
4.The Philippines is a culturally rich country with many languages and ethnicities. The official languages of the Philippines are Filipino and English, but there are about 180 other local languages such as Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, etc. The major ethnic groups in the Philippines include the Visayas, Tagalogs, Ilocanos, Bicors, etc. , there are also some ethnic minorities such as Sulu, Manila, Ifugao, etc.
5. The Philippines is a large country with a large population growth rate. This has to do with the religious beliefs of Filipinos, as most Filipinos are Catholics who oppose contraception and abortion, believing that fertility is a gift from God. As a result, Filipinos will do whatever it takes to have children, making the population of the Philippines more than 100 million. According to statistics, the median age of the Filipino population is only 23 years old, which is much lower than that of other countries.
6. The Philippines is a country that relies on overseas workers and has a large expatriate population. Due to the low level of employment opportunities and income in the Philippines, many Filipinos choose to work abroad or immigrate in search of better living conditions. Among them, many Filipino women are specially trained as nannies and then work as nannies or housekeepers around the world. These overseas workers have brought a lot of foreign exchange earnings to the Philippines and established friendly relations with other countries.
7. The gap between the rich and the poor in the Philippines is very serious, and the social contrast is strong. In Manila, the capital of the Philippines, you can see two extreme scenes: on the one hand, luxurious high-rises, fashionable shopping malls, and wealthy elites;On the other hand, there are luxurious high-rise buildings, fashionable shopping malls, and wealthy elites. On the other side are the filthy slums, crowded streets, and the poor at the bottom.
8. Filipino boxing champion Pacquiao is a national hero of the Philippines with countless fans and supporters. Pacquiao is the only boxer in the world to have won eight divisional world boxing titles. He is known for his quick speed, great strength, and tenacious fighting spirit. Pacquiao was not only an excellent athlete, but also a successful politician, businessman, and philanthropist. He also runs his own company and club that provides employment and education opportunities for Filipinos.
9. Filipino Chinese are an important part of Philippine society with a long history and influence. Filipino Chinese are mainly from Jinjiang City, Fujian Province. They are known as "Jinjiang people" in the Philippines. The Jinjiang people first came to the Philippines during the Ming Dynasty to engage in ** and commercial activities. Later, they gradually integrated into Philippine society, intermarried and interacted with local people, and made important contributions and status in the economic, political, cultural and other fields of the Philippines.
10. A large number of Japanese cars can be seen on the streets of the Philippines. Japanese cars are popular in the Philippines because they** are affordable, reliable, and easy to repair. Filipinos love to drive off-road vehicles or SUVs because these vehicles can adapt to the country's complex terrain and climate. Many Japanese cars are used cars imported from Japan or South Korea because of the savings in duties and fees. In addition to cars, motorcycles are also a common means of transportation for Filipinos.
11. The Philippines is located at the junction of the Eurasian plate, the Philippine Sea plate and the Pacific plate, which occurs frequently. About 2,000** earthquakes occur in the Philippines each year, most of which are microtremes, but there are also some strong earthquakes. The strongest earthquake in the history of the Philippines occurred on August 16, 1976, with a magnitude of 8Level 1, which killed about 8,000 people.
12.The Philippines is the country with the most shopping malls in the world and has a thriving shopping culture. There are about 2,000 shopping malls in the Philippines, some of which are among the largest in the world. For example, SM City Mall in Manila is the third largest shopping mall in the world, covering an area of 42 hectares with more than 1,000 stores and 500 restaurants. Shopping malls in the Philippines are not only places to shop, but also places to socialize, entertain, and relax.
13. The Christmas holiday in the Philippines is the longest holiday in the world, and the Christmas atmosphere is strong. Christmas celebrations in the Philippines begin in September and continue until the end of January. During this time, Filipinos decorate homes, streets, and public places, place Christmas trees, lanterns, and lanterns, sing Christmas songs, and participate in various activities and ceremonies such as midnight mass, exchange of gifts, family meals, etc.
14.The Philippines has a strong beauty pageant culture and is one of the countries with the most beauty queens in the world. Filipinos' passion for beauty pageants dates back to the Spanish colonial period, when the Spaniards held several beauty contests in the Philippines to showcase the charm and elegance of Filipino women. Nowadays, beauty pageants are very popular in the Philippines. There are a variety of beauty pageants from the national to the local level, from the professional level to the amateur level. Filipinos have also achieved brilliant results in international beauty pageants such as Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss International, etc.
15.The Philippines is the only country in the world other than the Vatican that does not allow divorce. This is because the Philippines is a predominantly Catholic country, and Catholics believe that marriage is sacred and cannot be dissolved. Filipinos have only two options if they want to end their marriage: one is to apply for annulment of the marriage, and the other is to apply for separation.
16.The Philippines is located in the Pacific Volcanic Belt and is a volcanically active country. There are 23 active volcanoes in the Philippines, the most famous of which are Mayon, Taal and Mayon. Mayon Volcano is known as the "perfect cone-shaped volcano" because of its symmetrical cone and near-circular caliber. Taal Volcano is the smallest active volcano in the world and is located on an island in the lake. Mount Mayon is one of the most active volcanoes in the Philippines. In 1991, the largest volcanic eruption in history occurred.
17. The price level of the Philippines is between the first and second-tier cities in China. In the Philippines, daily necessities such as vegetables, fruits, and water and electricity are relatively expensive, while seafood, tropical fruits, real estate, etc., are relatively cheap. For example, an egg is about 17 yuan a piece, 7 yuan per kilogram of rice, 30 yuan per kilogram of pork, the starting price of a taxi is 5-6 yuan, and hotel accommodation is generally 200-300 yuan per night.
18.Many Filipinos are hostile and unfriendly to the Chinese, mainly because of the South China Sea dispute. At the same time, they are also influenced by the United States and other Western countries, and have a negative view of China's politics, economy, and influence. However, there are also many sober-minded Filipinos who see China's contribution to the Philippines in terms of investment, aid, and cooperation, and are interested in China's development and future.
Generally speaking, the living conditions in the Philippines are similar to those in China's second- and third-tier cities, and there is nothing particularly memorable. Of course, if you're particularly interested in this country, you might as well check it out for yourself!