Philippines

Republic of the Philippines Republika ng Pilipinas (Filipino)
Flag Coat of arms[a]
Motto:  Ethnic groups (2020[6])		26.0% Tagalog 14.3% Bisaya 8.0% Ilocano 8.0% Cebuano 7.9% Ilonggo 6.5% Bicolano 20.3% other
Religion (2020)[7]	85.3% Christianity 78.8% Catholicism[d] 6.5% other Christian 6.4% Islam 8.2% other
Demonym(s)	Filipino (neutral) Filipina (feminine) Pinoy (colloquial neutral) Pinay (colloquial feminine) Philippine (adjective for certain common nouns)
presidential republic
• President	Bongbong Marcos
• Vice President	Sara Duterte (Powers & duties suspended)
• Senate President	Francis Escudero
• House Speaker	Martin Romualdez
• Chief Justice	Alexander Gesmundo
Legislature	Congress
• Upper house	Senate
• Lower house	House of Representatives
Independence  from Spain and the United States
• Declaration	June 12, 1898
• Cession	April 11, 1899
• Self-government	November 15, 1935
• Recognized	July 4, 1946
• Constitution	February 2, 1987
Area
• Total	300,000[8][9][e] km2 (120,000 sq mi) (72nd)
• Water (%)	0.61[10] (inland waters)
Population
• 2024 estimate	114,163,719[11] (12th)
• 2020 census	109,035,343[12]
• Density	363.45/km2 (941.3/sq mi) (36th)
GDP (PPP)	2025 estimate
• Total	$1.477 trillion[13]
• Per capita	$12,913[13]
GDP (nominal)	2025 estimate
• Total	$507,670 billion[13]
• Per capita	$4,439[13]
Gini (2021)	40.2[14] medium inequality
HDI (2022)	0.710[15] high (113th)
Currency	Philippine peso (₱) (PHP)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PhST)
Calling code	+63
ISO 3166 code	PH
Internet TLD	.ph

The Philippines,^[f] officially the Republic of the Philippines,^[g] is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. In the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of 7,641 islands, with a total area of roughly 300,000 square kilometers, which are broadly categorized in three main geographical divisions from north to south: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. With a population of over 110 million, it is the world's twelfth-most-populous country.

The Philippines is bounded by the

During his 1542 expedition, Spanish explorer

During the Philippine Revolution, the Malolos Congress proclaimed it the República Filipina (the Philippine Republic).^[20] American colonial authorities referred to the country as the Philippine Islands (a translation of the Spanish name).^[21] The United States began changing its nomenclature from "the Philippine Islands" to "the Philippines" in the Philippine Autonomy Act and the Jones Law.^[22] The official title "Republic of the Philippines" was included in the 1935 constitution as the name of the future independent state,^[23] and in all succeeding constitutional revisions.^[24][25]

There is

The earliest known surviving written record in the Philippines is the 900 AD

Unification and colonization by the

During its rule, Spain nearly bankrupted its treasury quelling indigenous revolts^{[75]: 111–122} and defending against external military attacks,^{[79]: 1077 [80]} including Moro piracy,^[81] a 17th-century war against the Dutch, 18th-century British occupation of Manila, and conflict with Muslims in the south.^{[82]: 4 [undue weight? – discuss]}

Administration of the Philippines was considered a drain on the economy of New Spain,^[79]: 1077 and abandoning it or trading it for other territory was debated. This course of action was opposed because of the islands' economic potential, security, and the desire to continue religious conversion in the region.^{[54]: 7–8 [83]} The colony survived on an annual subsidy from the Spanish crown^[79]: 1077 averaging 250,000 pesos,^[54]: 8 usually paid as 75 tons of silver bullion from the Americas.^[84] British forces occupied Manila from 1762 to 1764 during the Seven Years' War, and Spanish rule was restored with the 1763 Treaty of Paris.^{[62]: 81–83} The Spanish considered their war with the Muslims in Southeast Asia an extension of the Reconquista.^[85][86] The Spanish–Moro conflict lasted for several hundred years; Spain conquered portions of Mindanao and Jolo during the last quarter of the 19th century,^[87] and the Muslim Moro in the Sultanate of Sulu acknowledged Spanish sovereignty.^[88][89]

Philippine ports opened to world trade during the 19th century, and Filipino society began to change.

Revolutionary sentiment grew in 1872 after 200 locally recruited colonial troops and laborers alongside three activist Catholic priests were executed on questionable grounds.^[94][95] This inspired the Propaganda Movement, organized by Marcelo H. del Pilar, José Rizal, Graciano López Jaena, and Mariano Ponce, which advocated political reform in the Philippines.^[96] Rizal was executed on December 30, 1896, for rebellion, and his death radicalized many who had been loyal to Spain.^[97] Attempts at reform met with resistance; Andrés Bonifacio founded the Katipunan secret society, which sought independence from Spain through armed revolt, in 1892.^[75]: 137

The Katipunan Cry of Pugad Lawin began the Philippine Revolution in 1896.^[98] Internal disputes led to the Tejeros Convention, at which Bonifacio lost his position and Emilio Aguinaldo was elected the new leader of the revolution.^{[99]: 145–147} The 1897 Pact of Biak-na-Bato resulted in the Hong Kong Junta government in exile. The Spanish–American War began the following year, and reached the Philippines; Aguinaldo returned, resumed the revolution, and declared independence from Spain on June 12, 1898.^[100]: 26 In December 1898, the islands were ceded by Spain to the United States with Puerto Rico and Guam after the Spanish–American War.^[101][102]

The First Philippine Republic was promulgated on January 21, 1899.^[103] Lack of recognition by the United States led to an outbreak of hostilities that, after refusal by the U.S. on-scene military commander of a cease-fire proposal and a declaration of war by the nascent Republic,^[h] escalated into the Philippine–American War.^{[104][105][106][107]}

The war resulted in the deaths of 250,000 to 1 million civilians, primarily due to famine and disease.^[108] Many Filipinos were transported by the Americans to concentration camps, where thousands died.^[109][110] After the fall of the First Philippine Republic in 1902, an American civilian government was established with the Philippine Organic Act.^[111] American forces continued to secure and extend their control of the islands, suppressing an attempted extension of the Philippine Republic,^{[99]: 200–202 [108]} securing the Sultanate of Sulu,^[112][113] establishing control of interior mountainous areas which had resisted Spanish conquest,^[114] and encouraging large-scale resettlement of Christians in once-predominantly-Muslim Mindanao.^[115][116]

Cultural developments in the Philippines strengthened a national identity,

Efforts at post-war reconstruction and ending the

In 1965, Macapagal lost the presidential election to Ferdinand Marcos. Early in his presidency, Marcos began infrastructure projects funded mostly by foreign loans; this improved the economy, and contributed to his reelection in 1969.^{[144]: 58 [145]} Near the end of his last constitutionally-permitted term, Marcos declared martial law on September 21, 1972^[146] using the specter of communism^{[147][148][149]} and began to rule by decree;^[150] the period was characterized by political repression, censorship, and human rights violations.^[151][152] Monopolies controlled by Marcos's cronies were established in key industries,^{[153][154][155]} including logging^[156] and broadcasting;^[59]: 120 a sugar monopoly led to a famine on the island of Negros.^[157] With his wife, Imelda, Marcos was accused of corruption and embezzling billions of dollars of public funds.^[158][159] Marcos's heavy borrowing early in his presidency resulted in economic crashes, exacerbated by an early 1980s recession where the economy contracted by 7.3 percent annually in 1984 and 1985.^{[160]: 212 [161]}

On August 21, 1983, opposition leader Benigno Aquino Jr. (Marcos's chief rival) was assassinated on the tarmac at Manila International Airport.^[162] Marcos called a snap presidential election in 1986^[163] which proclaimed him the winner, but the results were widely regarded as fraudulent.^[164] The resulting protests led to the People Power Revolution,^[165][166] which forced Marcos and his allies to flee to Hawaii. Aquino's widow, Corazon, was installed as president^[165] and a new constitution was promulgated.^[167]

Growing public frustration with post-EDSA governance led to the 2016 election^[187] of populist Rodrigo Duterte,^[188][189] whose presidency saw the decline of liberalism in the country albeit largely retaining liberal economic policies.^[190][191] Among Duterte's priorities was aggressively increasing infrastructure spending to spur economic growth;^[192][193] the enactment of the Bangsamoro Organic Law;^[194] an intensified crackdown on crime and communist insurgencies;^[195] and an anti-drug campaign that reduced drug proliferation^[196] but that has also led to extrajudicial killings.^[197][198] In early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic reached the Philippines,^[199][200] necessitating nationwide lockdowns that caused a brief but severe economic recession.^[201][202] Under a promise of continuing Duterte's policies,^[191] Marcos's son, Bongbong Marcos, ran with Duterte's daughter, Sara, and won the 2022 election.^[203] Marcos's renewal of a pro-US foreign policy, however, has been viewed as a reversal of Duterte's cordiality with China, and territorial disputes in the South China Sea have since escalated.^[204]

The Philippines is an

Its highest mountain is Mount Apo on Mindanao, with an altitude of 2,954 meters (9,692 ft) above sea level.^[10] The Philippines' longest river is the Cagayan River in northern Luzon, which flows for about 520 kilometers (320 mi).^[219] Manila Bay, on which is the capital city of Manila,^[220] is connected to Laguna de Bay^[221] (the country's largest lake) by the Pasig River.^[222]

On the western fringes of the Pacific

The country has valuable[229] mineral deposits as a result of its complex geologic structure and high level of seismic activity.^[230][231] It is thought to have the world's second-largest gold deposits (after South Africa), large copper deposits,^[232] and the world's largest deposits of palladium.^[233] The country's gold production in 2015 is 21 metric tonnes.^[234] Other minerals include chromium, nickel, molybdenum, platinum, and zinc.^[235] However, poor management and law enforcement, opposition from indigenous communities, and past environmental damage have left these resources largely untapped.^[232][236]

The Philippines is a megadiverse country,^[238][239] with some of the world's highest rates of discovery and endemism (67 percent).^[240][241] With an estimated 13,500 plant species in the country (3,500 of which are endemic),^[242] Philippine rain forests have an array of flora:^[243][244] about 3,500 species of trees,^[245] 8,000 flowering plant species, 1,100 ferns, and 998 orchid species^[246] have been identified.^[247] The Philippines has 167 terrestrial mammals (102 endemic species), 235 reptiles (160 endemic species), 99 amphibians (74 endemic species), 686 birds (224 endemic species),^[248] and over 20,000 insect species.^[247]

As an important part of the Coral Triangle ecoregion,^[249][250] Philippine waters have unique, diverse marine life^[251] and the world's greatest diversity of shore-fish species.^[252] The country has over 3,200 fish species (121 endemic).^[253] Philippine waters sustain the cultivation of fish, crustaceans, oysters, and seaweeds.^[254][255]

Eight major types of forests are distributed throughout the Philippines:

The Philippines is a priority hotspot for biodiversity conservation;^[264][238] it has more than 200 protected areas,^[265] which was expanded to 7,790,000 hectares (30,100 sq mi) as of 2023^[update].^[266] Three sites in the Philippines have been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List: the Tubbataha Reef in the Sulu Sea,^[267] the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River,^[268] and the Mount Hamiguitan Wildlife Sanctuary.^[269]

The Philippines has a tropical maritime climate which is usually hot and humid. There are three seasons: a hot dry season from March to May, a rainy season from June to November, and a cool dry season from December to February.^[270] The southwest monsoon (known as the habagat) lasts from May to October, and the northeast monsoon (amihan) lasts from November to April.^{[271]: 24–25} The coolest month is January, and the warmest is May. Temperatures at sea level across the Philippines tend to be in the same range, regardless of latitude; average annual temperature is around 26.6 °C (79.9 °F) but is 18.3 °C (64.9 °F) in Baguio, 1,500 meters (4,900 ft) above sea level.^[272] The country's average humidity is 82 percent.^{[271]: 24–25} Annual rainfall is as high as 5,000 millimeters (200 in) on the mountainous east coast, but less than 1,000 millimeters (39 in) in some sheltered valleys.^[270]

The

The Philippines has a democratic government, a constitutional republic with a presidential system.^[279] The president is head of state and head of government,^[280] and is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.^[279] The president is elected through direct election by the citizens of the Philippines for a six-year term.^[281] The president appoints and presides over the cabinet and officials of various national government agencies and institutions.^{[282]: 213–214} The bicameral Congress is composed of the Senate (the upper house, with members elected to a six-year term) and the House of Representatives, the lower house, with members elected to a three-year term.^[283]

Senators are elected at-large,^[283] and representatives are elected from legislative districts and party lists.^{[282]: 162–163} Judicial authority is vested in the Supreme Court, composed of a chief justice and fourteen associate justices,^[284] who are appointed by the president from nominations submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council.^[279]

A

During the 1990s, the Philippines began to seek economic liberalization and free trade^{[310]: 7–8} to help spur foreign direct investment.^[311] It is a member of the World Trade Organization^[310]: 8 and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.^[312] The Philippines entered into the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement in 2010^[313] and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership free trade agreement (FTA) in 2023.^[314][315] Through ASEAN, the Philippines has signed FTAs with China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.^[310]: 15 The country has bilateral FTAs with Japan, South Korea,^[316] and four European states: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.^{[310]: 9–10, 15}

The Philippines has a long relationship with the United States, involving economics, security, and interpersonal relations.^[317] The Philippines' location serves an important role in the United States' island chain strategy in the West Pacific;^[318][319] a Mutual Defense Treaty between the two countries was signed in 1951, and was supplemented with the 1999 Visiting Forces Agreement and the 2016 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.^[320] The country supported American policies during the Cold War and participated in the Korean and Vietnam wars.^[321][322] In 2003, the Philippines was designated a major non-NATO ally.^[323] Under President Duterte, ties with the United States weakened in favor of improved relations with China and Russia.^{[324][325][326]} The Philippines relies heavily on the United States for its external defense;^[183]: 11 the U.S. has made regular assurances to defend the Philippines,^[327] including the South China Sea.^[328]

Since 1975, the Philippines has valued its relations with China^[329]—its top trading partner,^[330] and cooperates significantly with the country.^[331][324] Japan is the biggest bilateral contributor of official development assistance to the Philippines;^[332][333] although some tension exists because of World War II, much animosity has faded.^[82]: 93 Historical and cultural ties continue to affect relations with Spain.^[334][335] Relations with Middle Eastern countries are shaped by the high number of Filipinos working in those countries,^[336] and by issues related to the Muslim minority in the Philippines;^[337] concerns have been raised about domestic abuse and war affecting the approximately 2.5 million overseas Filipino workers in the region.^[338][339]

The Philippines

China has rejected new Philippine maritime laws aimed at strengthening sovereignty in the South China Sea, stating they infringe on Chinese territorial claims and vowing to defend its interests in contested areas.[346]

The volunteer Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) consist of three branches: the Philippine Air Force, the Philippine Army, and the Philippine Navy.^[347][348] Civilian security is handled by the Philippine National Police under the Department of the Interior and Local Government.^[349] The AFP had a total manpower of around 280,000 as of 2022^[update], of which 130,000 were active military personnel, 100,000 were reserves, and 50,000 were paramilitaries.^[350]

In 2023, US$477 million (1.4 percent of GDP) was spent on the Philippine military.^[351][352] Most of the country's defense spending is on the Philippine Army, which leads operations against internal threats such as communist and Muslim separatist insurgencies; its preoccupation with internal security contributed to the decline of Philippine naval capability which began during the 1970s.^[353] A military modernization program began in 1995^[354] and expanded in 2012 to build a more capable defense system.^[355]

The Philippines has long struggled against

The Philippines is divided into 18 regions, 82 provinces, 146 cities, 1,488 municipalities, and 42,036 barangays.^[370] Regions other than Bangsamoro are divided for administrative convenience.^[371] Calabarzon was the region with the greatest population as of 2020^[update], and the National Capital Region (NCR) was the most densely populated.^[372]

The Philippines is a unitary state, with the exception of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM),^[373] although there have been steps towards decentralization;^[374][375] a 1991 law devolved some powers to local governments.^[376]

The Philippine economy is the world's

With an average annual growth rate of six to seven percent since around 2010, the Philippines has emerged as one of the world's fastest-growing economies,^[392] driven primarily by its increasing reliance on the service sector.^[393] Regional development is uneven, however, with Manila (in particular) gaining most of the new economic growth.^[394][395] Remittances from overseas Filipinos contribute significantly to the country's economy;^[396][393] they reached a record US$37.20 billion in 2023, accounting for 8.5 percent of GDP.^[397] The Philippines is the world's primary business process outsourcing (BPO) center.^[398][399] About 1.3 million Filipinos work in the BPO sector, primarily in customer service.^[400]

The Philippines has one of the largest agricultural-research systems in Asia, despite relatively low spending on agricultural research and development.^[401][402] The country has developed new varieties of crops, including rice,^[403][404] coconuts,^[405] and bananas.^[406] Research organizations include the Philippine Rice Research Institute^[407] and the International Rice Research Institute.^[408]

The Philippine Space Agency maintains the country's space program,^[409][410] and the country bought its first satellite in 1996.^[411] Diwata-1, its first micro-satellite, was launched on the United States' Cygnus spacecraft in 2016.^[412]

The Philippines has a high concentration of cellular-phone users,^[413] and a high level of mobile commerce.^[414] Text messaging is a popular form of communication, and the nation sent an average of one billion SMS messages per day in 2007.^[415] The Philippine telecommunications industry had been dominated by the PLDT-Globe Telecom duopoly for more than two decades,^[416] and the 2021 entry of Dito Telecommunity improved the country's telecommunications service.^[417]

The Philippines is a popular retirement destination for foreigners because of its climate and low cost of living.^[418] The country's main tourist attractions are its numerous beaches;^{[58]: 109 [419]} the Philippines is also a top destination for diving enthusiasts.^[420][421] Tourist spots include Boracay, called the best island in the world by Travel + Leisure in 2012;^[422] Coron and El Nido in Palawan; Cebu; Siargao, and Bohol.^[423]

Tourism contributed 5.2 percent to the Philippine GDP in 2021 (lower than 12.7 percent in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic),^[424] and provided 5.7 million jobs in 2019.^[425] The Philippines attracted 5.45 million international visitors in 2023, 30 percent lower than the 8.26 million record in pre-pandemic 2019; most tourists came from South Korea (26.4 percent), United States (16.5 percent), Japan (5.6 percent), Australia (4.89 percent), and China (4.84 percent).^[426]

The Philippines had 90 national government-owned airports as of 2022^[update], of which eight are international.^[443] Ninoy Aquino International Airport, formerly known as Manila International Airport, has the greatest number of passengers.^[443] The 2017 air domestic market was dominated by Philippine Airlines, the country's flag carrier and Asia's oldest commercial airline,^[444][445] and Cebu Pacific (the country's leading low-cost carrier).^[446][447]

A variety of boats are used throughout the Philippines;^[448] most are double-outrigger vessels known as banca^[449] or bangka.^[450] Modern ships use plywood instead of logs, and motor engines instead of sails;^[449] they are used for fishing and inter-island travel.^[450] The Philippines has over 1,800 seaports;^[451] of these, the principal seaports of Manila (the country's chief, and busiest, port),^[452] Batangas, Subic Bay, Cebu, Iloilo, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, General Santos, and Zamboanga are part of the ASEAN Transport Network.^[453][454]

The Philippines had a total installed power capacity of 26,882 MW in 2021; 43 percent was generated from coal, 14 percent from oil, 14 percent hydropower, 12 percent from natural gas, and seven percent from geothermal sources.^[455] It is the world's third-biggest geothermal-energy producer, behind the United States and Indonesia.^[456] The country's largest dam is the 1.2-kilometer-long (0.75 mi) San Roque Dam on the Agno River in Pangasinan.^[457] The Malampaya gas field, discovered in the early 1990s off the coast of Palawan, reduced the Philippines' reliance on imported oil; it provides about 40 percent of Luzon's energy requirements, and 30 percent of the country's energy needs.^{[209]: 347 [458]}

The Philippines has three

Water supply and sanitation outside Metro Manila is provided by the government through local water districts in cities or towns.^{[466][467][468]} Metro Manila is served by Manila Water and Maynilad Water Services. Except for shallow wells for domestic use, groundwater users are required to obtain a permit from the National Water Resources Board.^[467] In 2022, the total water withdrawals increased to 91 billion cubic meters (3.2×10^¹² cu ft) from 89 billion cubic meters (3.1×10^¹² cu ft) in 2021 and the total expenditures on water were amounted to ₱144.81 billion.^[469]

Most sewage in the Philippines flows into septic tanks.^[467] In 2015, the Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation noted that 74 percent of the Philippine population had access to improved sanitation and "good progress" had been made between 1990 and 2015.^[470] Ninety-six percent of Filipino households had an improved source of drinking water and 92 percent of households had sanitary toilet facilities as of 2016^[update]; connections of toilet facilities to appropriate sewerage systems remain largely insufficient, however, especially in rural and urban poor communities.^[471]: 46

As of May 1, 2020, the Philippines had a population of 109,035,343.

v t e Largest cities in the Philippines 2020 Philippine census of population and housing
	Rank	Name	Region	Pop.	Rank	Name	Region	Pop.
Quezon City Manila	1	Quezon City	National Capital Region	2,960,048	11	Valenzuela	National Capital Region	714,978	Davao City Caloocan
	2	Manila	National Capital Region	1,846,513	12	Dasmariñas	Calabarzon	703,141
	3	Davao City	Davao Region	1,776,949	13	General Santos	Soccsksargen	697,315
	4	Caloocan	National Capital Region	1,661,584	14	Parañaque	National Capital Region	689,992
	5	Taguig	National Capital Region	1,261,738	15	Bacoor	Calabarzon	664,625
	6	Zamboanga City	Zamboanga Peninsula	977,234	16	San Jose del Monte	Central Luzon	651,813
	7	Cebu City	Central Visayas	964,169	17	Las Piñas	National Capital Region	606,293
	8	Antipolo	Calabarzon	887,399	18	Bacolod	Negros Island Region	600,783
	9	Pasig	National Capital Region	803,159	19	Muntinlupa	National Capital Region	543,445
	10	Cagayan de Oro	Northern Mindanao	728,402	20	Calamba	Calabarzon	539,671

Ethnicity

The country has substantial ethnic diversity, due to foreign influence and the archipelago's division by water and topography.^[280] According to the 2020 census, the Philippines' largest ethnic groups were Tagalog (26.0 percent), Visayans [excluding the Cebuano, Hiligaynon, and Waray] (14.3 percent), Ilocano and Cebuano (both eight percent), Hiligaynon (7.9 percent), Bikol (6.5 percent), and Waray (3.8 percent).^[6] The country's indigenous peoples consisted of 110 enthnolinguistic groups,^[482] with a combined population of 15.56 million, in 2020;^[6] they include the Igorot, Lumad, Mangyan, and the indigenous peoples of Palawan.^[483]

Negritos are thought to be among the islands' earliest inhabitants.^[82]: 35 These minority aboriginal settlers are an Australoid group, a remnant of the first human migration from Africa to Australia who were probably displaced by later waves of migration.^[484] Some Philippine Negritos have a Denisovan admixture in their genome.^[485][486] Ethnic Filipinos generally belong to several Southeast Asian ethnic groups, classified linguistically as Austronesians speaking Malayo-Polynesian languages.^[487] The Austronesian population's origin is uncertain, but relatives of Taiwanese aborigines probably brought their language and mixed with the region's existing population.^[488][489] The Lumad and Sama-Bajau ethnic groups have an ancestral affinity with the Austroasiatic- and Mlabri-speaking Htin peoples of mainland Southeast Asia. Westward expansion from Papua New Guinea to eastern Indonesia and Mindanao has been detected in the Blaan people and the Sangir language.^[490]

Immigrants arrived in the Philippines from elsewhere in the Spanish Empire, especially

Filipino and English are the country's official languages.^[5] Filipino, a standardized version of Tagalog, is spoken primarily in Metro Manila.^[513] Filipino and English are used in government, education, print, broadcast media, and business, often with a third local language;^[514] code-switching between English and other local languages, notably Tagalog, is common.^[515] The Philippine constitution provides for Spanish and Arabic on a voluntary, optional basis.^[5] Spanish, a widely used lingua franca during the late nineteenth century, has declined greatly in use,^[516][517] although Spanish loanwords are still present in Philippine languages.^{[518][519][520]} Arabic is primarily taught in Mindanao Islamic schools.^[521]

The top languages generally spoken at home as of 2020^[update] are Tagalog,

Binisaya, Hiligaynon, Ilocano, Cebuano, and Bikol.^[522] Nineteen regional languages are auxiliary official languages as media of instruction:^[4]

• Aklanon
• Bikol
• Cebuano
• Chavacano
• Hiligaynon
• Ibanag
• Ilocano
• Ivatan
• Kapampangan
• Kinaray-a
• Maguindanao
• Maranao
• Pangasinan
• Sambal
• Surigaonon
• Tagalog
• Tausug
• Waray
• Yakan

Other indigenous languages, including

Visayan languages, are used in their respective provinces.^[487] Filipino Sign Language is the national sign language, and the language of deaf education.^[523]

Religion

Main article: Religion in the Philippines

Although the Philippines is a secular state with freedom of religion, an overwhelming majority of Filipinos consider religion very important^[524] and irreligion is very low.^{[525][526][527]} Christianity is the dominant religion^[528][529] followed by about 89 percent of the population.^[530] The country had the world's third-largest Roman Catholic population as of 2013^[update], and was Asia's largest Christian nation.^[531] Census data from 2020 found that 78.8 percent of the population professed Roman Catholicism;^[d] other Christian denominations include Iglesia ni Cristo, the Philippine Independent Church, and Seventh-day Adventism.^[532] Protestants made up about 5% to 7% of the population in 2010.^[533][534] The Philippines sends many Christian missionaries around the world, and is a training center for foreign priests and nuns.^[535][536]

Islam is the country's second-largest religion, with 6.4 percent of the population in the 2020 census.^[532] Most Muslims live in Mindanao and nearby islands,^[529] and most adhere to the Shafi'i school of Sunni Islam.^[537]

About 0.2 percent of the population follow indigenous religions,^[532] whose practices and folk beliefs are often syncretized with Christianity and Islam.^{[223]: 29–30 [538]} Buddhism is practiced by about 0.04% of the population,^[532] primarily by Filipinos of Chinese descent.^[539]

Health

Main article: Health in the Philippines

Health care in the Philippines is provided by the national and local governments, although private payments account for most healthcare spending.^{[471]: 25–27 [540]} Per-capita health expenditure in 2022 was ₱10,059.49 and health expenditures were 5.5 percent of the country's GDP.^[541] The 2023 budget allocation for healthcare was ₱334.9 billion.^[542] The 2019 enactment of the Universal Health Care Act by President Duterte facilitated the automatic enrollment of all Filipinos in the national health insurance program.^[543][544] Since 2018, Malasakit Centers (one-stop shops) have been set up in several government-operated hospitals to provide medical and financial assistance to indigent patients.^[545]

Average life expectancy in the Philippines as of 2023^[update] is 70.48 years (66.97 years for males, and 74.15 years for females).

Communicable diseases are correlated with natural disasters, primarily floods.^[547] One million Filipinos have active tuberculosis, the fourth highest global prevalence rate.^[548]

The Philippines has 1,387 hospitals, 33 percent of which are government-run; 23,281 barangay health stations, 2,592 rural health units, 2,411 birthing homes, and 659 infirmaries provide primary care throughout the country.^[549] Since 1967, the Philippines had become the largest global supplier of nurses;^[550] seventy percent of nursing graduates go overseas to work, causing problems in retaining skilled practitioners.^[551]

Education

Main article: Education in the Philippines

Further information: Higher education in the Philippines

Primary and secondary schooling in the Philippines consists of six years of elementary period, four years of junior high school, and two years of senior high school.^[553] Public education, provided by the government, is free at the elementary and secondary levels and at most public higher-education institutions.^[554][555] Science high schools for talented students were established in 1963.^[556] The government provides technical-vocational training and development through the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.^[557] In 2004, the government began offering alternative education to out-of-school children, youth, and adults to improve literacy;^[558][559] madaris were mainstreamed in 16 regions that year, primarily in Mindanao Muslim areas under the Department of Education.^[560] Catholic schools, which number more than 1,500,^[561] and higher education institutions are an integral part of the educational system.^[562]

The Philippines has 1,975 higher education institutions as of 2019^[update], of which 246 are public and 1,729 are private.^[563] Public universities are non-sectarian, and are primarily classified as state-administered or local government-funded.^[564][565] The national university is the eight-school University of the Philippines (UP) system.^[566] The country's top-ranked universities are the University of the Philippines Diliman, Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, and University of Santo Tomas.^{[567][568][569]}

In 2019^[update], the Philippines had a basic

public libraries affiliated with the National Library of the Philippines.^[572]

Culture

Main article: Culture of the Philippines

The Philippines has significant cultural diversity, reinforced by the country's fragmented geography.

Igorots have preserved their precolonial customs and traditions by resisting the Spanish.^[575][576] A national identity emerged during the 19th century, however, with shared national symbols and cultural and historical touchstones.^[573]

Hispanic legacies include the dominance of Catholicism^{[59]: 5 [574]} and the prevalence of Spanish names and surnames, which resulted from an 1849 edict ordering the systematic distribution of family names and the implementation of Spanish naming customs;^{[209]: 75 [58]: 237} the names of many locations also have Spanish origins.^[577] American influence on modern Filipino culture^[280] is evident in the use of English^[578]: 12 and Filipino consumption of fast food and American films and music.^[574]

Virgin Mary held in May.^[586] The country's Christmas season begins as early as September 1,^[587]: 149 and Holy Week is a solemn religious observance for its Christian population.^{[588][587]: 149}

 

Values

Further information: Filipino values and Filipino psychology

Filipino

values are rooted primarily in personal alliances based in kinship, obligation, friendship, religion (particularly Christianity), and commerce.^[82]: 41 They center around social harmony through pakikisama,^[589]: 74 motivated primarily by the desire for acceptance by a group.^{[590][591][578]: 47} Reciprocity through utang na loob (a debt of gratitude) is a significant Filipino cultural trait, and an internalized debt can never be fully repaid.^{[589]: 76 [592]} The main sanction for divergence from these values are the concepts of hiya (shame)^[593] and loss of amor propio (self-esteem).^[591]

The family is central to Philippine society; norms such as loyalty, maintaining close relationships and care for elderly parents are ingrained in Philippine society.[594]^[595] Respect for authority and the elderly is valued, and is shown with gestures such as mano and the honorifics po and opo and kuya (older brother) or ate (older sister).^[596][597] Other Filipino values are optimism about the future, pessimism about the present, concern about other people, friendship and friendliness, hospitality, religiosity, respect for oneself and others (particularly women), and integrity.^[598]

Art and architecture

Main articles: Arts in the Philippines and Architecture of the Philippines

Philippine art combines indigenous folk art, east-Asian and

Classical traditions.^{[599][600][601]} During the Spanish colonial period, art was used to spread Catholicism mainly through paintings and sculptures. The first recorded sculptor in the Philippines is Juan de los Santos (1590 –1660) known for making retablos.^[602] In 1821, Damian Domingo, the father of Filipino paintings, opened the Academia de Dibujo art school in Binondo.^[602][603] Other artists during Spanish colonial rule included painters such as Josef Luciano Dans, Jose Honorato Lozano, Mariano Asuncion^[604] and sculptors such as Isabelo Tampinco and Crispulo Hocson.^[602] Artist whose works drew attention to the Philippines are Juan Luna and Félix Resurrección Hidalgo.^[605] Fernando Amorsolo dominated Philippine paintings during the American colonial period, popular for his pastoral scenes of Philippine countryside.^[606][607] Victorio Edades known as the father of Modern Philippine Art, popularized Modernism in the Philippines in 1920s and 1930s.^[608]

Traditional Philippine architecture has two main models: the indigenous bahay kubo and the bahay na bato, which developed under Spanish rule.^{[209]: 438–444} Some regions, such as Batanes, differ slightly due to climate; limestone was used as a building material, and houses were built to withstand typhoons.^[610][611]

Spanish architecture left an imprint in town designs around a central square or plaza mayor, but many of its buildings were damaged or destroyed during World War II.^[612][49] Several Philippine churches adapted baroque architecture to withstand earthquakes, leading to the development of Earthquake Baroque;^[613][614] four baroque churches have been listed as a collective UNESCO World Heritage Site.^[609] Spanish colonial fortifications (fuerzas) in several parts of the Philippines were primarily designed by missionary architects and built by Filipino stonemasons.^[615] Vigan, in Ilocos Sur, is known for its Hispanic-style houses and buildings.^[616]

American rule introduced new architectural styles in the construction of government buildings and

Gabaldon school buildings began,^[618] and some city planning using architectural designs and master plans by Daniel Burnham was done in portions of Manila and Baguio.^[619][620] Part of the Burnham plan was the construction of government buildings reminiscent of Greek or Neoclassical architecture.^[617][614] Buildings from the Spanish and American periods can be seen in Iloilo, especially in Calle Real.^[621]

Music and dance

Main articles: Music of the Philippines and Dance in the Philippines

There are two types of Philippine

Singkil, which include the rhythmic clapping of bamboo poles.^[625][626] Present-day dances vary from delicate ballet^[627] to street-oriented breakdancing.^[628][629]

Filipino hip-hop, which originated in 1979, entered the mainstream in 1990.^{[635][633]: 38–41} Karaoke is also popular.^[636] From 2010 to 2020, Pinoy pop (P-pop) was influenced by K-pop and J-pop.^[637]

Locally produced theatrical drama became established during the late 1870s. Spanish influence around that time introduced zarzuela plays (with music)^[638] and comedias, with dance. The plays became popular throughout the country,^{[623]: 69–70} and were written in a number of local languages.^[638] American influence introduced vaudeville and ballet.^{[623]: 69–70} Realistic theatre became dominant during the 20th century, with plays focusing on contemporary political and social issues.^[638]

Literature

Main article: Philippine literature

Philippine literature consists of works usually written in Filipino, Spanish, or English. Some of the earliest well-known works were created from the 17th to the 19th centuries.^[639] They include Ibong Adarna, an epic about an eponymous magical bird,^[640] and Florante at Laura by Tagalog author Francisco Balagtas.^[641][642] José Rizal wrote the novels Noli Me Tángere and El filibusterismo,^[643] both of which depict the injustices of Spanish colonial rule.^[644]

Folk literature was relatively unaffected by colonial influence until the 19th century due to Spanish indifference. Most printed literary works during Spanish colonial rule were religious in nature, although Filipino elites who later learned Spanish wrote nationalistic literature.^{[223]: 59–62} The American arrival began Filipino literary use of English^{[223]: 65–66} and influenced the development of the Philippine comics industry that flourished from the 1920s through the 1970s.^[645][646] In the late 1960s, during the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos, Philippine literature was influenced by political activism; many poets began using Tagalog, in keeping with the country's oral traditions.^{[223]: 69–71}

Lam-ang,^[649] and the Sarimanok.^{[223]: 61 [650]} The country has a number of folk epics.^[651] Wealthy families could preserve transcriptions of the epics as family heirlooms, particularly in Mindanao; the Maranao-language Darangen is an example.^[652]

Media

Main articles: Mass media in the Philippines and Cinema of the Philippines

Philippine media primarily uses Filipino and English, although

ABS-CBN and GMA, are also seen in several other countries.^[660][661]

Local film-making began in 1919 with the release of the first Filipino-produced feature film: Dalagang Bukid (A Girl from the Country), directed by Jose Nepomuceno.^{[117][118]: 8} Production companies remained small during the silent film era, but sound films and larger productions emerged in 1933. The postwar 1940s to the early 1960s are considered a high point for Philippine cinema. The 1962–1971 decade saw a decline in quality films, although the commercial film industry expanded until the 1980s.^[117] Critically acclaimed Philippine films include Himala (Miracle) and Oro, Plata, Mata (Gold, Silver, Death), both released in 1982.^[662][663] Since the turn of the 21st century, the country's film industry has struggled to compete with larger-budget foreign films^[664] (particularly Hollywood films).^[665][666] Art films have thrived, however, and several indie films have been successful domestically and abroad.^{[667][668][669]}

The Philippines has a large number of radio stations and newspapers.^[658] English broadsheets are popular among executives, professionals and students.^{[121]: 233–251} Less-expensive Tagalog tabloids, which grew during the 1990s, are popular (particularly in Manila);^[670] however, overall newspaper readership is declining in favor of online news.^[656][671] The top three newspapers, by nationwide readership and credibility,^[121]: 233 are the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, and The Philippine Star.^[672][673] Although freedom of the press is protected by the constitution,^[674] the country was listed as the seventh-most-dangerous country for journalists in 2022 by the Committee to Protect Journalists due to 13 unsolved murders of journalists.^[675]

The Philippine population are the world's top Internet users.^[676] In early 2021, 67 percent of Filipinos (73.91 million) had Internet access; the overwhelming majority used smartphones.^[677]

Cuisine

Main article: Filipino cuisine

From its Malayo-Polynesian origins, traditional Philippine cuisine has evolved since the 16th century. It was primarily influenced by Hispanic,

Unlike other East or Southeast Asian countries, most Filipinos do not eat with chopsticks; they use spoons and forks.^[696] Traditional eating with the fingers^[697] (known as kamayan) had been used in less urbanized areas,^{[698]: 266–268, 277} but has been popularized with the introduction of Filipino food to foreigners and city residents.^[699][700]

The men's national football team has participated in one Asian Cup.^[709] The women's national football team qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, their first World Cup, in January 2022.^[710] The Philippines has participated in every Summer Olympic Games since 1924, except when they supported the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics.^[711][712] It was the first tropical nation to compete at the Winter Olympic Games, debuting in 1972.^[713][714] In 2021, the Philippines received its first-ever Olympic gold medal with weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz's victory in Tokyo.^[715]

• Outline of the Philippines