Growing in Strength of our Culture

EMERGING CULTURE

According to Merriem Webster, emerging means newly created or noticed and growing in strength or popularity: becoming widely known or established. In the Philippines, there are a lot to share on this one.

Rendering the Department of Tourism’s information, the Philippines is the third largest English speaking country in the world. It has a rich history combining Asian, European, and American influences. Prior to Spanish colonization in 1521, the Filipinos had a rich culture and were trading with the Chinese and the Japanese. Spain's colonization brought about the construction of Intramuros in 1571, a "Walled City" comprised of European buildings and churches, replicated in different parts of the archipelago. In 1898, after 350 years and 300 rebellions, the Filipinos, with leaders like Jose Rizal and Emilio Aguinaldo, succeeded in winning their independence.

Based on statistics and facts got, as an archipelago composed of 7,641 islands, the Philippines offers a range of attractions such as the white sand beaches of Boracay, shopping centers of Metro Manila, surfing spots in Siargao, rice terraces of Ifugao, Mayon Volcano in Albay, diving sites of Palawan, heritage houses in Vigan, and the cultural attractions of Cebu, Davao and Manila.

The pictures are not owned by me. I give credit to the owners.

The island of Luzon is considered the political and economic center of the Philippines. The economy of Luzon is centered in Metro Manila, the national capital region. Manila was ranked 11th most attractive city for American shoppers out of 25 Asia Pacific cities by a Global Blue survey in 2012. Shopping malls can be found around the metropolis, especially in the business and financial districts of Makati, Ortigas and Bonifacio Global City. Despite the rise of modern shopping malls, traditional Filipino shopping centers such as flea markets and bazaars still remain around the metropolis. Nightlife is also one of the attractions in Manila, plenty of world-class bars and clubs are found across like Valkyrie Nightclub, Revel Nightclub & Lounge, Chaos Manila, The Palace Pool Club, and Privé Luxury Club.

The Visayas, the central island group of the Philippines, is the heart of the country's biodiversity. The most popular beach destination in Visayas is Boracay: the island is popular for its pure white sand beaches and has been a favorite island destination for local and foreign visitors. In 2012, Boracay received the "best island" award from the international travel magazine Travel + Leisure. Aside from its white sand beaches, Boracay is also a popular destination for relaxation, tranquility and an exciting nightlife.

Mindanao, the southernmost island of the Philippines, is known for its mountain ranges; it is one of the best climbing destinations in the Philippines. Mindanao is home to the country's highest mountain, Mount Apo. On average, it takes two days to reach the summit. The mountain has a wide range of flora and fauna, including over 272 bird species, 111 of which are endemic to the area, including the national bird, the Philippine eagle. Mount Apo has become a popular hiking destination for mountain climbers.

According to the article 10 interesting facts about the Philippines by an ESL teacher, Filipinos and their culture are enormously influenced by the United States’ (US) culture. The U.S. heavily influenced the land with U.S. culture and language during its rule over the Philippines from 1898 to 1946. Many westerns will feel at home when visiting the Philippines.

The Philippines comprises of 7,107 islands and hundreds of volcanoes. Manila, Cebu, Angles City and all other big and small cities in the country are essentially islands, surrounded by water.

Filipinos are extremely fond of texting through cell phones. This has earned the country the title of being “the text capital of the world”. On average, everyday around 450 million SMS are sent by 35 million registered subscribers in the country

The Philippines is not only a popular tourist destination for westerns and Asians, it’s also a place where many from the other countries retire to. The country is exceptionally open to foreigners and many of them end up marrying into local families. This is seen in different places in the Philippines.

One interesting fact about the Philippines is English is not only one of the official languages in the Philippines, most people speak English in the country. In cities and semi-urban areas, one will rarely have a problem of not being able to communicate to locals. Almost everyone, young or old, speaks fairly good English in the Philippines. Furthermore, there are lots of dialects that surely enrich the Philippine culture like Ilocano, Cebuano and Kapampangan that strengthen our culture.