Portal:Philippines

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Welcome to the Philippines Portal / Maligayang pagdating sa Portal ng Pilipinas

The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. In the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of 7,641 islands, with a total area of 300,000 square kilometers, which are broadly categorized in three main geographical divisions from north to south: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The Philippines is bounded by the South China Sea to the west, the Philippine Sea to the east, and the Celebes Sea to the south. It shares maritime borders with Taiwan to the north, Japan to the northeast, Palau to the east and southeast, Indonesia to the south, Malaysia to the southwest, Vietnam to the west, and China to the northwest. It is the world's twelfth-most-populous country, with diverse ethnicities and cultures. Manila is the country's capital, and its most populated city is Quezon City. Both are within Metro Manila.

Negritos, the archipelago's earliest inhabitants, were followed by waves of Austronesian peoples. The adoption of Animism, Hinduism with Buddhist influence, and Islam established island-kingdoms ruled by datus, rajas, and sultans. Overseas trade with neighbors such as the late Tang or Song empire brought Sinitic-speaking Sangley / "Langlang" merchants to the archipelago, which would gradually settle in and intermix. The arrival of Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer leading a fleet for Castile, marked the beginning of Spanish colonization. In 1543, Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos named the archipelago Las Islas Filipinas in honor of King Philip II of Castile. Spanish colonization via New Spain, beginning in 1565, led to the Philippines becoming ruled by the Crown of Castile, as part of the Spanish Empire, for more than 300 years. Catholic Christianity became the dominant religion, and Manila became the western hub of trans-Pacific trade. Hispanic immigrants from Latin America and Iberia would also selectively colonize. The Philippine Revolution began in 1896, and became entwined with the 1898 Spanish–American War. Spain ceded the territory to the United States, and Filipino revolutionaries declared the First Philippine Republic. The ensuing Philippine–American War ended with the United States controlling the territory until the Japanese invasion of the islands during World War II. After the United States retook the Philippines from the Japanese, the Philippines became independent in 1946. The country has had a tumultuous experience with democracy, which included the overthrow of a decades-long dictatorship in a nonviolent revolution.

The Philippines is an emerging market and a newly industrialized country, whose economy is transitioning from being agricultural to service- and manufacturing-centered. It is a founding member of the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, ASEAN, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, and the East Asia Summit; it is a member of the Non-Aligned Movement and a major non-NATO ally of the United States. Its location as an island country on the Pacific Ring of Fire and close to the equator makes it prone to earthquakes and typhoons. The Philippines has a variety of natural resources and a globally-significant level of biodiversity. (Full article...)

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Flag of the Hukbalahap (from 1950)

The Hukbong Bayan Laban sa Hapon (lit. 'People's Army Against Japan'), better known by the acronym Hukbalahap, was a Filipino communist guerrilla movement formed by the farmers of Central Luzon. They were originally formed to fight the Japanese, but extended their fight into a rebellion against the Philippine government, known as the Hukbalahap Rebellion, in 1946. It was put down through a series of reforms and military victories by Defense Secretary, and later President, Ramon Magsaysay.

A monument dedicated to the Huks in Cabiao, Nueva Ecija, was constructed to honor their actions during World War II. (Full article...)

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... that Regine Velasquez, a Filipino singer and actress, was the first Asian artist to stage a solo concert at the Carnegie Hall in New York City?
... that Michael Barredo campaigned for Filipino athletes competing in disabled sports to receive government incentives?
... that around a fifth of all Filipinos served by the Philippine consulate in Barcelona protested its closure on Facebook?
... that while Philippine Spanish has been described as an endangered language, a new generation of speakers has emerged?
... that Judy Ann Santos received the Box Office Queen award for starring in Isusumbong Kita sa Tatay Ko, the first Filipino film to earn 100 million pesos at the box office?
... that the Philippine embassy in Berlin was once purportedly located above a supermarket, with frankfurters visible from the windows?
... that the Filipino fraternity Alpha Phi Beta has been involved in instances of violence, including getting mauled by rival fraternities, such as Sigma Rho?
... that the continuing influence of the Catholic Church in the politics of the Philippines means that the country lacks a divorce law?

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Image 1A map of the Philippines showing the location of all the regions and provinces
Image 2A selection of dishes found in Filipino cuisine
Image 3A leaning belfry of St. Andrew Church, in Bacarra town, province of Ilocos Norte
Image 4The Bangui Wind Farm is a wind farm in Bangui, Ilocos Norte, Philippines
Image 5Picture of a Carabao in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, Philippines
Image 6A view of Barlas Island, Honda Bay, Palawan, Philippines
Image 7A view at Francisco Bangoy International Airport, 2019
Image 8Shipping on the Pasig River, 1899
Image 9Banaue, Philippines: A man of the fugao tribe in traditional costume
Image 10Banaue, Philippines: a view of Banaue Municipal Town
Image 11A skyline view of Manila

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Go to the Tambayan (Philippine WikiProject) and help out with articles.

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If you are a Filipino, consider adding Category:Filipino Wikipedians to your userpage.

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Ramon del Fierro Magsaysay (August 31, 1907 – March 17, 1957) was a Filipino statesman who served as the seventh President of the Philippines, from December 30, 1953, until his death in an aircraft disaster on March 17, 1957. An automobile mechanic by profession, Magsaysay was appointed military governor of Zambales after his outstanding service as a guerrilla leader during the Pacific War. He then served two terms as Liberal Party congressman for Zambales's at-large district before being appointed Secretary of National Defense by President Elpidio Quirino. He was elected president under the banner of the Nacionalista Party. He was the youngest to be elected as president, and second youngest to be president (after Emilio Aguinaldo). He was the first Philippine president born in the 20th century and the first to be born after the Spanish colonial era. (Full article...)

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General images

The following are images from various Philippines-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Kalesa, a traditional Philippine urban transportation, in front of Manila Cathedral entrance (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 2Filipina in traditional attire (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 3Original image of the Santo Niño de Cebú. (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 4Bahay na bato, a traditional Filipino house (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 5Harana (serenade) (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 6The University of Santo Tomas, located in Manila, was established in 1611. (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 7Dominant ethnic groups by province. (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 8Old Senate Hall with Estilo Tampinco style of carving and ornamentation (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 9Museum Agrifina Circle (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 10Filipino traditional dance at a festival (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 11Loboc Church in Bohol (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 12Tortoise-shell and silver Salakot (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 13The MassKara Festival of Bacolod. (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 14Cockfight (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 15Noli Me Tángere (novel) (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 16The Kutkut art from Samar (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 17A Tboli woman weaving t'nalak from South Cotabato. (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 18Parol (Christmas lanterns) being sold during the Christmas season (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 19Flores de Mayo (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 20Vega Ancestral House, Misamis Oriental (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 21Mila del Sol starred in one of the earliest Filipino movies, Giliw Ko (1939), along with Fernando Poe Sr. (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 22The Sinulog Festival is held to commemorate the Santo Niño (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 23Vigan City in Ilocos Sur (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 24Letras y figuras painting by Jose Honorato Lozano (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 25An Itneg shaman offering pigs to anito spirits, 1922 (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 26Carabao is a major symbol of Filipinos hard labor. And is known to be the "Filipino farmer's bestfriend". (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 27Good Friday observance in Pampanga (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 28Aguinaldo Shrine in Cavite (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 29A grandmaster of Arnis. (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 30Sungka, a traditional Filipino game. (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 31A PBA game at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 32Villa Escudero exhibit depicting 19th century Filipino family in traditional attire (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 33Pahiyas Festival in Lucban Quezon (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 34Paoay Church in Ilocos Norte (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 35A performer depicting a babaylan (shaman) (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 36Pineapple fiber is used to create traditional Philippine garments. (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 37Manny Pacquiao, the only 8-division world boxing champion in history. (from Culture of the Philippines)

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In the news

11 April 2024 –: A Robinson R22 helicopter owned by the Philippine Air Force crashes near a public market in Cavite City, Philippines, killing both pilots. (AFP via Barron's)
3 April 2024 – China–Philippines relations, Territorial disputes in the South China Sea: The Philippines says that it will respond to any Chinese attempts to interfere with its resupply of troops in the South China Sea. (Reuters)
22 March 2024 – Moro conflict: The Philippines announces that Islamic terrorist group Abu Sayyaf has been "fully dismantled", bringing an end to the decades-long jihadist insurgency. Twenty members of the group remain in Sulu and Basilan provinces, and negotiations are ongoing for their surrender. (Atlas News) (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
21 March 2024 –: Filipino former legislator Arnolfo Teves Jr. is arrested in Dili, East Timor, after being placed in the Interpol Red Notice in connection with his role in the 2023 massacre in Negros Oriental, Philippines. (AFP via Barron's)

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More did you know - show different entries

... that during the construction of the Manila Film Center (pictured), its scaffolding collapsed, where at least 169 workers fell and were buried under quick-drying wet cement?
... that several karaoke bars in the Philippines had banned the song "My Way" due to the deaths attributed to it?
... that Filipino men and women engage in a form of courtship that is far more subdued and indirect compared to Western cultures?
... that Rafael de Izquierdo was the Governor-General of the Philippines during the 1872 Cavite mutiny which led to the execution of the martyrs Gomburza?