Posts Tagged ‘philippines’

First in the Philippines

Changes in a country are inevitable because of a demand for improvement and economic progress, and this change is what we called “firsts”.

So what’s new in the Philippines this 21^st century that marks first? I can say so far there are three, namely:

1. The First Automated National Election. In the history of Philippine National election, the election 2010 is the very first Philippine National Election to use a high technology that automatically canvass votes and transmit results from an election precinct into Philippines’ National Board of Canvassers, electronically.

This high-tech automated machine is what is called the PCOS Machine or Precinct Count Optical Scan machine produced by Smartmatic. Inc which has won the bidding among other bidders to provide a high-tech automated machine for Philippines’ 2010 National Election.

The Philippines’ first automated national election was held successfully though there are handfuls of electoral protests that complain electronic cheating.

2. The First Nine year-term Philippine President. Who will know that former 14^th Philippine President Ms. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will spend a nine year term in her presidency successfully though there are many attempts to disempower her and destabilized her administration? In addition to that, she is a woman and not a man, is that inspiring for women out there? Who says boys are the only ones who can beat the hardest odds?

She too exemplifies woman power aside from late ex-Philippine president Corazon Aquino.

3. The First Pilipino boxer to be recognized as the World’s Boxing Champ. Who says a poor Pilipino underdog boxer could not arise beyond the rings of boxing arena and idolized by many in the world as the “world’s boxing champ” and become instant multi-millionaire?

Yes, who is the one today who doesn’t know Manny Pacquio?

Truly, this is the first time the Philippines have been put into pedestal in the name of boxing sports.

In the Philippines

CLIMATE CHANGE:  The Catastrophic Phenomena
By:  Charlemagne P. Adriano

Planet Earth is slowly dying.  Its imminent demise is brought about by climate change, a phenomena of global magnitude.  The destruction of the ozone layer has caused this change in modern climate; and it has caused a devastating effect the world over.  The polar ice caps is slowly melting and is bound to trigger a worldwide innundation.  Hundreds o thousands of kangaroos died in Australia.  Flash floods killed thousands of people in Indonesia, and just recently, in the Philippines, where for the first time, the country has experienced a country-wide floodings.  Tthe Amazon Rriver is drying up that resuts in massive fish kills.  Tsunamis have nearly destroyed Malaysia and Maldives, and many extinct volcanoes are becoming active again.

If we, the people of the earth, would not do something about it, then we are seeing the last generation.  It is the time we unite together and come up with solutions to stop this deluge.  We should set aside political bickerings, and misunderstanding among countries, and focus our attention on this one problem that brings our world to a deterioting scale. We should stop ravishing Mother Nature because we are already feeling its scourge.  We should do away with toxic chemicals that destroy the ozone.  We should recycle our garbage instead of dumping it in vacant lots or in rivers.  Polluted rivers should be rehabilitated.  And its time too, to change our lifestyle.  Its time that we go organic.  It doesn’t only ensure us of a healthy lifestyles, but we also help in preserving the ozone by not using chemicals in spraying vegetables and fruit-bearing trees and in feeding livestocks.

I believe that there is still hope for our world.  If we could only band together, and do our share, we can still save our planet from the destructive effect of climate change.

MT ARAYAT: The Mystic and Majestic Mountain

Mt. Arayat is a 2000 ft. looming land mass that stands majestically against a stark-blue horizon in myhome province of Pampanga. It is known for its beauty as well as for its mystery.  Legend has it, that Mariang Sinukuan, the local goddess of nature, lives in the interior of the forest.  She is very beautiful as well as kind-hearted.  She is generous in giving gifts to the local folks, and she helps lost travellers find their way out of the mountain.  But she also punishes those who ravish nature.  Many inhabitants of the mountain see her bathing in the river on a clear moonlight.  Sometimes, she is seen prominading the hills and glens.

But aside from the legend, Mt. Arayat is often visited by local and foreign tourists.  The mountain is very beautiful.  A trek to its summit is a delightful adventure.  You can view the skyline of the whole province.  On its top, one can commune with nature to his heart’s content.  The many colorful florals and faunas, the chirping birds atop the branches on sun-drenched, emerald-green, trees, the swaying grass that dances in rhythm with the gentle breeze are a sight to behold.  The tranquil forest and the serene mountain lake send bliss to solitude.  So, if you want to escape the hussles and bussels of city life, Mt. Arayat is the place to be.  In this mountain, you can have everything that nature has to offer.

The goverment has also seen the potential of the mountain.  Plans are in the offing to develop it as a nature tourist spot.  To plant floras of export quality that will generate income and create jobs for the locals.  It will also be developed into a wildlife sanctuary.  If plans push through, Mt. Arayat will gain prominence as one of the foremost tourist destination in the Philippines.

Philippine literature is vast, informative and entertaining. It is the literature associated with the Philippines and includes the legends of pre-historical and colonial legacy of the Philippines. These are written in both indigenous and Hispanic languages.
Most of the notable literary works of the Philippines were written during the Spanish period. Philippine literature is written in Spanish, Filipino (Tagalog), English and other native Philippine languages.
Compared to other Asian nations, the Philippines have very few artifacts that show proofs or evidences of Philippine literature or writings.

A script called Baybayin was used in Luzon when Spaniards settled in the islands in 1521. Also indigenous people in Manila and among other native groups in the Philippines wrote on bamboo and specially prepared Arecaceae palm leaves, using knives and pointed sticks as pens.

They were using the primitive Tagalog script which has basic symbols. That is easy to write and understand. Modern Filipino literature are award winning. Some literary works are being studied in schools and is part of the learning curriculum. Also some literary works have television, theater and movie adaptations.

Notable Philippine Literary Works:
ï    Biag Ni Lam-ang
ï    Doctrina Christiana
ï    El Filibusterismo
ï    Florante at Laura
ï    Ibong Adarna
ï    Noli Me Tangere
ï    Dekada ë70

There are a lot of types of dances in the Philippines. As varied as the people here so are the dances.
Philippine dances are expression of many things. They can be expression of grace, love, creativity, religion, culture, spiritual beliefs and festivities.
Philippine dances are categorized ranging from geographic location; societal functions dance influences and time periods. That’s how they are categorized.

Geographic locations, presents dances in the Philippines that are often categorized in ethnic or geographic location. This Localization is often presented in the following categories:
ï    Dances of the Cordillera Mountains (Igor)
ï    Dances of Taga-Ummah (Muslim)
ï    Dances of the Traditionalists (Lumad)
ï    Dances of the Low-Land Western Christians

Societal function, are other less common presentation of the Philippine dances that have been through their categorization as societal functions.
Philippine dances are unique as they not only convey the artistry of movement but these movements are often associated to a life function such as occasions like weddings, the mimicking of certain animal  movements or sounds through dance and even warding off evil spirits.
This type of dances are can be looked at or categorized as:
ï    Ritualistic Dances
ï    Mimetic Dances
ï    Life-Cycle Dances

Dance influences are another presentation of dances through the influences of the Spanish and Americans. They are as follows:
ï    Southeast Asian Influence
ï    Mainland Asian Influence
ï    Spanish Influences
ï    American Influences

Time periods, also has something to do with the dances in the Philippines. It varies on which time period it came from. As culture is constantly evolving, dances often change along with it. Categories are:
ï    Pre-colonial
ï    Spanish Colonial
ï    American Period
ï    Modern and Post Modern

The climate of the Philippines is a tropical wet maritime climate dominated by a rainy season, dry season and a cool season that dominates on November to mid-February.
The summer monsoon in the Philippines brings heavy rains from May to October. The so-called winter monsoons bring cooler and drier air from December to February.

Certain places like Manila and most lowland areas are hot and dusty from March to May. Monsoon rains although hard and drenching are not normally associated with high waves and strong winds. The reason why the Philippines have a slightly bizarre climate is because it is geographically located at the typhoon belt and the country suffers an annual onslaught and dangerous storms from July to October.
An average of 6 to 7 tropical cyclones hit the Philippines per year. Some are very strong causing vast devastations some are not.

There are 4 categorizations of typhoons in the Philippines according to PAGASA.
1.    Tropical Depressions
2.    Tropical Storms
3.    Typhoons
4.    Super Typhoons

In 1991 tropical storm Thelma, killed thousands of people from itís resultant flooding, in 2006 tropical storm Milenyo did the same and recently last September of 2009 typhoon Ondoy did the very same.

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The Philippines has abundant source of natural resources in areas such as agriculture, natural beauty and minerals.
The Philippines has fertile lands, diverse flora and fauna, extensive coastlines and rich mineral deposits. Thereís a wide variety of vegetation, different varieties of fruit bearing trees and fishes and seafood. Filipinos living in rural areas rely on mostly natural resources. They eat and cultivate their own plants and vegetables because it is easy to do so with fertile lands.

Endemic species in the Philippines includes the Tamaraw (Bubalus Mindorensis) or also known as Mindoro Dwarf Buffalo which is classified as critically endangered. And the Tarsier (Haplorrhine Primates), which are local sensations, that tourists from all over the world are very much interested with.

The Philippines lack of predators with the exception of snakes. Because lions, tigers and the likes are can only be found in zoos. Snakes such as pythons, cobras and birds of prey such as the national bird known as the Philippine Eagle, are found in some parts of the Philippines. Other native animals include the Palm Civet Cat, the Mouse Deer, the Visayan Warty Pig and several species of bats.

Philippine rainforests boasts an array of flora including several types of orchids and rafflesia as (giant flowers).
Among the trees in the Philippines, the Narra tree is considered to be the most important type of hardwood while the Banyan Trees or ìBaleteî are situated in most areas.

The Philippines major crops includes rice, corn, sugarcane, abaca (kind of hemp), and tobacco. Among all these rice is the most important source of food along with corn.
Coconuts, mangoes, watermelons and other native fruits are important contributors to the nation’s income.

Due to the volcanic nature of the islandsí, mineral deposits are abundant and rich and it also allows the Philippines to become a powerhouse with regards to geothermal energy. The Philippine territorial waters encompass as much as 1.67 million KM. Producing unique and diverse marine life. The Philippines marine products include pearls, corals, crabs and seaweeds.

 

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There are 2 specifications of holidays in the Philippines. The holidays that are observed nationwide and the holidays that are only observed locally or per place or region.
When thereís a nationwide holiday, there are no classes for students of all levels, banks and government offices are all closed. If a nationwide holiday falls on a weekend, the president of the Philippines have powers to move the date closer to a weekend to make it a long weekend.

Here’s a complete list of Nationwide Holidays in the Philippines:
1.    January 1 – New Yearís Day
2.    Varies – Chinese New Year
3.    February 25 – People Power Revolution Day
4.    Varies – Maundy Thursday
5.    Varies – Good Friday
6.    Sunday – Easter Sunday
7.    April 9 – Bataan and Corregidor Day (Day of Valor)
8.    May 1 – Labor Day
9.    June 12 – Independence Day
10.    July 27 – Iglesia ni Cristo Day (New Holiday)
11.    August 21 – Ninoy Aquino Day
12.    Last Monday of August – National Heroesí Day
13.    October 31 – Day of the Dead
14.    November 1 – All Saintsí Day
15.    November 2 – All Soulsí Day
16.    Varies – Eidul Fitr (end of Ramadan)
17.    November 30 – Bonifacio Day
18.    December 25 – Christmas Day
19.    December 30 – Rizal Day
20.    December 31 – Last Day of the Year

Local holidays, are only observed at the specific place where the holiday is coined. Most of these local holidays are dates when a city or town is liberated or founded or made into a city. Like Foundation days, local festivities and festivals, also included are birthdays of saints and some former presidents of the Philippines, which the holiday is only observed in their respective home towns.

Religion in the Philippines is spiritual beliefs practiced by Philippine citizens. Religion holds a central place in the life of the majority of Filipinos.
Religion in the Philippines includes Jewish, Catholics, Muslims, Buddhists, Protestants and animists.

Christianity and Islam have been super imposed on ancient traditions and acculturated. Animism in the other hand lacks better terminology can be used to describe the indigenous spiritual traditions practiced by people in the Philippines during pre-colonial times. Judaism as of 2005 the number of Jews at the very most is 500.
Buddhism in the Philippines is largely confined to the Filipino-Chinese, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Korean and Vietnamese communities.
Several Schools of Buddhism in the Philippines:
ï    Mahayana
ï    Vajrayana
ï    Theravada Buddhist

Christianity arrived in the Philippines with the landing of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. Roman Catholicism in the Philippines is the predominant religion and the largest Christian denomination estimately to have 81-85% of the population.

Orthodox Church
Orthodoxy has been continuously in the Philippines for more than 200 years. Protestantism arrived in the Philippines with the coming of the Americans at the turn of 20th century.
Islam reached the Philippines in the 14th century with the arrival of the Malaysí and Javanese merchants and Arab merchants from Malaysia and Indonesia although the spreading of Islam in the Philippines is due to the strength of Muslim India. Hinduism also existed in the Philippines for centuries. Atheism and Agnosticism also has small percentages in the population.

The Philippines has a very colorful culture and history. IT was invaded by other countries quite a few times. The Philippines being an archipelago is also rich in natural resources.

Being invaded by different countries, the Philippines don’t have an identity of its own. But once the country got it’s independence it is able to have its own identity and have changed the country’s national symbols accordingly. The national symbols are mainly composed and consist of things that represent Philippine traditions and ideals and convey the principles of sovereignty and national solidarity.

The official national symbols of the Philippines are as follows:
•The flag of the Philippines, the flag’s colors, design and structure are cannot be changed.

•The coat of arms of the Philippines also can’t be re-designed or changed.

•Lupang Hinirang, the Philippine national anthem cannot be re-arranged in any way.

•Sampaguita (Jasminum Sambac) is the national flower of the Philippines. It’s a small, white, fragrant flower. It symbolizes simplicity and purity.

•Narra (Pterocarpus), the national tree of the Philippines. It is chosen to be a national symbol, because of the tree’s durability, strength and sturdiness.

•Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi), is the country’s national bird. It is considered to be critically endangered. Species of this kind in the Philippines are tagged with a micro chip to protect them. People who are caught or traced to hunt and eat them will be put in jail as a punishment.

There are also some unofficial symbols of the Philippines but nevertheless they are recognized by the Philippine government.
They are as follows:

•Cariñosa or Tinikling as the national dance. Symbolizes being graceful.

•Carabao (water buffalo) is the national animal. Because it, being a hardworking animal. It symbolizes industriousness and hardworking.

•Bangus (milk fish), is considered to be the Philippines’ national fish. It symbolizes versatileness. Because this fish can be cooked in many ways.

•Mango is the national fruit. Because it is said that the mango variety in the Philippines is the sweetest variety in the whole world.

•Barong and Baro’t Saya- the Philippine national costume or garb for male and female.

•“Bayan Ko” and “Pilipinas Kong Mahal” are the national songs.

•Arnis and Sipa, as the national sports (games).

•Anahaw (Livistona rotundifolia), the national plant. Because of its usefulness, can be used as a fan, hat or umbrella. Symbolizes the Filipino’s being resourceful.

Official or unofficial, these symbols can tell a story or describe or give preview on how Filipino people are and like.