The Philippines

The People and Land

True or False. The Philippines is a sovereign state located in the western Pacific Ocean, consisting of 7,107 islands that are divided as:

Luzon

Visayas

Mindanao

The Philippines is the 12th most populated country in the world, with a population of more than 103 million people (2012 estimate).

The capital of the Philippines, Manila, has a population of over 11 million people.

Tagalog28%

Cebuano13%

Ilocano9%

Bisaya8%

Hiligaynon7%

Bikol6%

Waray3%

Others25%

2000 Census of PI“Others” include non-tribal groups like the Moro, Kapampangan, Pangasinense, Ibanag, and Ivatan. There are also indigenous peoples like the Igorot, Lumad, Mangyan, Baiau, and Palawan tribes.

The Philippine people, or Filipinos, generally belong to several Asian ethnic groups including Taiwanese, Chinese, Malay, Japanese, and Arabs. In time, Indians, Spaniards, and Americans arrived, as well as other European peoples. Intermarriage between groups is obvious in major cities and urban areas.

The official languages of the Philippines are Filipino and English. Filipino is a version of Tagalog that is spoken mainly in Metro Manila and other urban regions.

Regional languages, such as Bicolano, Cebuano, Ilocano, Pangasinan, Waray-Waray, are recognized as auxiliary official languages.

Filipino and English are used in government, education, print, broadcast media, and business.

In 2011, the estimated GDP was $216 billion. Their primary exports include semiconductors, garments, copper products, and fruits.

The Philippines major trading partners include the United States, Japan, China, South Korea, Hong King, Germany, and Thailand.

Philippines

United States

Japan

China

South KoreaHong Kong

Germany

Thailand

PresidentHead of State and

GovernmentCommander-in-Chief

6-year term

SenateUpper House6-year term

House of Representatives

Lower House3-year term

The Philippines has a democratic government with a presidential system and a constitutional republic.

The Philippines has a Supreme Court, composed of a Chief Justice who serves as the presiding officer and fourteen associate justices.

All members of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President from nominations submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council.

Incumbent Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno

The Philippines is home to a diverse variety of birds, plants, animals and sea creatures, due in part to its rainforests and extensive coastlines.

Philippine Eagle

Dugong

Animals common to the Philippines include the Visayan spotted deer, Visayan warty pig, Philippine flying lemur, and several species of bats.

Flying Lemur

Samal Island Bat Cave

Warty PigSpotted Deer

There is an estimated 13,500 plant species in the Philippines, with 3,200 species unique to the islands.

Weather in the Philippines is usually hot and humid. Generally, there are three seasons: the hot dry season from March to May; the rainy season from June to November; and the cool dry season from December to February.

Temperatures range from 70° to 90°F. The coolest month is January and the warmest is May.

Most of the Philippine islands experience annual heavy rains and thunderstorms from July to October. Approximately 19 typhoons enter the area in a typical year, with eight or nine typhoons making landfall.

Extension Activity:

Work in groups of 3-4 and research Philippine customs, foods, traditions, and religion.

Create one to two ppt slides to include in this set. Include group member names on the lower left corner of the slides.

Be careful to text and avoid crowding images on slide(s).

Choose a group speaker to present the slides to the class.