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MEET THE FILIPINOS

EXUBERANCE, HOSPITALITY AND DEFERENCE

Undoubtedly one of the world’s friendliest peoples, Filipinos are renowned for their warm hospitality. The Philippines is probably Asia’s most Westernized nation, largely as the result of more than three centuries of Spanish and American rule; people wear Western clothes, speak English and practice Catholicism. But underneath this Western veneer, age-old traditions are still very much alive.

Filipinos are known to be exceptionally friendly and approachable. Don’t be intimidated or offended if a stranger quizzes you about your personal life. Filipinos are often intrigued by foreigners and don’t feel shy about asking personal questions. They are a gentle, kind-hearted people who do not respond well to shouting or anger, and find it difficult to say “no”. “Yes” can variously mean “yes”, “no” or “maybe”. This can cause much frustration among Westerners, although it is simply the result of Filipinos’ innate desire to please those around them. They dislike broaching awkward subjects for fear of losing face. Failure to be sensitive, disagreeing with others and getting angry in public can cause hiya, or deep shame.

One of the most admirable qualities of Filipinos is their ability to always smile and be positive in the face of calamity. Filipinos show their respect by using the Tagalog honorific “po” (“sir” or “mam”) when addressing others. “Po” is often added at the end of sentences when speaking to someone who is older or of higher social rank.

A group of Filipino children pose for a photo.

The Ifugao people of the Cordilleras.

“Cowgirls” line up during a rodeo festival featuring cattle wrestling as part of the 103rd Anniversary and Alumni Homecoming of Central Mindanao University in Musuan.

Street performers pose in traditional dress at Manila’s annual Aliwan Fiesta, which showcases the country’s Filipino cultures and heritage.

Asia’s Bastion of Christianity

Home to 86 million Christians, the Philippines is the fifth largest Christian country in the world and is Asia’s only Catholic nation along with East Timor. Following the Spanish conquest of the archipelago in the 16th century, Catholic missionaries spread Christianity throughout the islands. In the tribal heartland of the Cordilleras ethnic groups avoided Spanish annexation largely thanks to their remote location. Over time the faithful integrated pre-Hispanic beliefs with Catholic rites and rituals, resulting in a syncretic religion known as Folk Catholicism. A good example of this practice includes venerating saints that are not recognized by the Catholic Church, and praying to animist spirits for abundant harvests.

Processions, fiestas and Catholic rites like All Saints Day, Holy Week and Christmas are rigorously observed and are official public holidays. In recent years, new Catholic movements such as El Shaddai, along with Protestant movements, including Jesus Lord Church and Iglesia ni Cristo, have spread across the country.

Manila’s Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, colloquially known as Quiapo Church, houses the Black Nazarene, an ebony statue of Jesus Christ believed to be miraculous.

Filipino families attend Mass at the Santo Niño Parish Church in Tacloban City, Leyte Island.

A statue of Jesus Christ outside Baguio City’s rose-colored Our Lady of the Atonement Cathedral.

Men and women light votive candles in an act of prayer.

Cebu’s Sinulog Festival is held in honor of the Santo Niño, or Baby Jesus, with a grand parade featuring boisterous celebrations and vibrant costumes.

A young man paints a street mural in Manila, said to be the world’s longest peace mural spanning 2.35 miles (3.77km).

Customs and traditions vary widely across the archipelago. Life in the frenetic capital differs hugely from village life, where houses are traditionally constructed of nipa (palm tree). In Batanes, a cluster of islands to the far north that forms the remotest province of the country, houses are built of stone to withstand the destructive force of typhoons. The Spanish influence on Philippine architecture is evident in provincial areas, where colonial plazas dominated by Spanish brick churches lie at the heart of most towns. Over 80 percent of Filipinos are devout Roman Catholics, while Sunni Islam is practiced in Mindanao.

The Cordillera Mountains in northern Luzon form the tribal heartland of the country, with dozens of ethnic groups maintaining age-old traditions and beliefs. More and more youngsters are migrating from rural areas to the cities because of better job prospects and an improved quality of life, with less and less young people willing to work in agriculture.

Filipino families are close-knit, with extended families often living together. It is not unusual for single aunts, uncles and grandparents to live with other family members, and nephews and nieces are often referred to as one’s own children. Families always gather together to celebrate important holidays, birthdays and anniversaries, with Sundays usually a time for extended families to meet.

A dancer at Cebu’s Sinulog Festival carries a figurine of the Santo Niño, or Baby Jesus.

Miss Philippines 2013 joins the annual Santacruzan, also known as Flores de Mayo, a religious festival and beauty pageant.

Two men enjoy a game of chess as a young woman plays the violin in Burnham Park, Baguio City.

The Filipino diaspora is one of the largest in the world, with around a million Filipinos leaving the country every year to work abroad as nurses, engineers, teachers and domestic helpers. Remittances pour in, helping keep the country afloat, with many families relying on their relatives abroad to support them.

The country has two official languages: Filipino and English. The former, based on the Tagalog dialect from Luzon, is used to communicate among ethnic groups. Foreign words have been adapted into Filipino over time, and it’s not uncommon to hear English or Spanish words sprinkled in everyday speech. There are seven other languages that are widely used in the archipelago, including Cebuano and Bicolano, along with over 176 local dialects. As a result of American colonization, American English is taught in schools and is the preferred language for print and broadcast media, business, movies, courts and government administration. The majority of Filipinos are bilingual, and can read, write and speak fluently in English.

A driver and his passengers on a habal habal, a motorbike with seats extended sideways, often used as a taxi service in areas with steep, narrow roads.

Filipino children pose for a photo outside a sari-sari convenience store.

A fisherman returns from a successful early-morning fishing trip.

Blood Sport

Sabong, or cockfighting, has a long history in the country. It had been a part of daily life long before the Spaniards arrived in the Philippines in 1521. It is today a favorite national pastime, and is commercially one of the biggest industries in the country. With over 2,500 cockfighting pits in the Philippines, the sport kills 30 million roosters every year. Birds are bred to fight from a young age, with trainers helping develop and strengthen the muscles on their wings. During fights roosters wear sharp, dagger-like knives on their limbs in order to maim and kill their opponent. In the arena all are equal: millionaires mingle with common folk, and losing is not taken lightly—seeing one’s rooster die in battle is seen as a loss of one’s manhood.

Cockfights are the country’s most popular sport, drawing in huge crowds.