Filipino Culture: What you should know about the Philippines
Filipino Culture: What you should know about the Philippines
The Philippines is a country in South East Asia that many people around the world are talking about. Why? There are many different places to visit there. To this day, more and more celebrities and prominent people are turning out to be Filipino as well. This being said, more and more people are getting interested in getting to know the country. Alternatively, there are many people who are willing to go there for a visit or spend a vacation as well. Well, if you are one of these people just read on and get to know more about the Philippines, the Filipino people, and the Filipino culture.
The Philippines is composed of 7,107 islands. They are an archipelago, meaning they are composed of many big and small islands. Officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, the Philippines has a total land area of 300,000 square kilometers and total territorial waters of 2,229,438 square kilometers. As small as the country is, you will be able to find many different cultures and heritage because of the fact that they are an archipelago. Also, because they were colonized by many different nations, the Filipino people have gone to be one of the most adaptable of them all. As a matter of fact, there are around 80 ethno linguistic groups in the Philippines – and these are just the major ones. Indeed, when going to the Philippines, anyone will be able to enjoy the many different kinds of culture and heritage that will be presented to them.
The Philippine national anthem is called Lupang Hinirang, wherein Lupang means land and hinirang means chosen (Chosen Land). The anthem was composed during the era where the Filipino people are fighting for their country. Hence the anthem Lupang Hinirang depicts the love of the Filipino people to their homeland. It is written there how courageous the Filipino people are and how they will defend their beloved land. It expresses how beautiful the country is as well. The last couple of lines summarize how the Filipino people see their country – that it is worth dying for.
As small as the country is, there is a recorded total population of 92.34M in 2010. The Philippines is actually one of the most populous countries around the world. Also, the Filipino people are known to be one of the friendliest and the most hospitable. Ask anyone who has been to the Philippines and you will get to hear how awesome the Filipino people are. Truly, anyone who visits the Philippines will get to see how great the country is and how nice the people are.
There are some people who are asking if it’s difficult to process papers to visit the Philippines. The answer is no. Anyone coming from The US, Asia, and Europe can visit the Philippines without a formal visa for 21 days or less. As long as you have a passport and a return ticket to your homeland or any other destination outside of the country, you will be able to go in the Philippines. However, should you decide to stay longer, then just go to the Bureau of Immigration in the Philippines or Philippine consulate in your country to get your papers ready and you will be able to do so.
There are many people who are planning to go to the Philippines for a visit. There are many who plan to spend their vacation there. No matter what your purpose is, you will surely be able to have the time of your life if you go to the Philippines. This is the main reason why more and more people are going there.