Portal:Philippines

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

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 roughly 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. Extensive overseas trade with neighbors such as the late Tang or Song empire brought Chinese people to the archipelago as well, which would also gradually settle in and intermix over the centuries.

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 Anti-Japanese Army'), 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 Angeline Quinto has recorded songs for at least 35 films and television soundtracks in the Philippines?
... that the Counterintelligence Group was disbanded because the unit was deemed successful in the "neutralization and prosecution of scalawags" in the Armed Forces of the Philippines?
... that the sound for the film A Rustling of Leaves: Inside the Philippine Revolution was recorded using a Walkman?
... that at the Ryukyu Arc, the Philippine Sea Plate is subducting under the Eurasian Plate at 5 to 7 cm (2.0 to 2.8 in) per year?
... that foreign nationals wishing to gain Philippine citizenship need to demonstrate proficiency in English or Spanish as well as a Philippine language?
... that the Filipino musician No Rome took his stage name from people doubting his career choice?
... that Dolly de Leon was the first Filipino to be nominated for a Golden Globe or a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress?
... that SB19 became the first Filipino group to appear on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart, with "Gento"?

Selected picture

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

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Things you can do

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

You can join one or more of the various task forces within the WikiProject.

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

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Arroyo in 2006

Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal-Arroyo (Tagalog: [ˈɡloɾja makapaˈɡal ʔaˈɾojo]; born April 5, 1947), often referred to as PGMA or GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician who served as the 14th president of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010. She is the longest-serving president since Ferdinand Marcos. Before her presidency, she was the 10th vice president of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001 under President Joseph Estrada, becoming the first female vice president. She was also a senator from 1992 to 1998. After her presidency, she was elected as the representative of Pampanga's 2nd district in 2010 and continues to serve in this role. She also served as the speaker of the House from 2018 to 2019, and as deputy speaker from 2016 to 2017 and 2022 to 2023. Alongside former president Sergio Osmeña, she is one of only two Filipinos to hold at least three of the four highest offices: vice president, president, and house speaker.

Arroyo is the first president to succeed the presidency as the child of a previous president; her father was Diosdado Macapagal, the country's ninth president from 1961 to 1965. She studied economics at Georgetown University in the United States, where she became friends with her classmate and future U.S. president Bill Clinton. She then became a professor of economics at the Ateneo de Manila University, where her eventual successor, President Benigno Aquino III, was one of her students. She entered government in 1987 as assistant secretary and undersecretary of the Department of Trade and Industry under President Corazon Aquino, Benigno's mother. (Full article...)

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General images

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

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

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In the news

23 November 2024 –: Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte claims to have spoken with a contract killer to _target President Bongbong Marcos, his wife Liza and House Speaker Martin Romualdez in the event of her assassination, which the administration deemed an "active threat" against the government. (ABS-CBN)
22 November 2024 – New People's Army rebellion: Eight New People's Army guerrillas are killed after two separate encounters since yesterday by the Philippine Army in Candoni, Negros Occidental. (The Philippine Star)
20 November 2024 – Capital punishment in Indonesia: Philippine President Bongbong Marcos confirms the return of Mary Jane Veloso to the Philippines following 14 years on death row in Indonesia, after the Indonesian government implemented a policy for the repatriation of foreign prisoners. (South China Morning Post)
17 November 2024 – 2024 Pacific typhoon season: Typhoon Man-yi makes landfall in the Philippines as a Category 4 super typhoon, three days after Typhoon Usagi struck the country and becoming the sixth consecutive storm to affect Luzon in the past month. At least eight people are killed. (Al Jazeera) (BBC News)
13 November 2024 – International Criminal Court investigation in the Philippines, Philippine drug war: The Philippines says it is bound help the International Criminal Court if the international court seek custody of former President Rodrigo Duterte through Interpol over alleged crimes against humanity committed during the Philippine drug war. (AP)

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More did you know - show different entries

...that Rafael Buenaventura, once-governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and one of the world’s top central bankers, was largely responsible for removing the Philippines from an FATF black list?
...that the De La Salle University-Manila College of Engineering was established in 1947 with the aim of providing young men with knowledge of science and technology to help rehabilitate the Philippines, which had been devastated during World War II?
...that the Judicial and Bar Council of the Philippines recommends appointees to the country's courts, without the "advice and consent" of the Commission on Appointments?
...that although Negros Occidental has the most chartered cities in the Philippines, many of those cities merely resemble medium-sized towns?