What is Philippine Culture?
The Philippines is a country in Southeast Asia. The country was subject to centuries of colonialism, having been under the rule of the Spanish, the British, the Americans and the Japanese. Because of this the Philippines is an amalgamation of many different cultures, which makes it unique’”and many say an anomaly’”as an Asian nation.
The Philippines is a deeply religious Catholic Christian country, a result of having been Catholicized by the Spanish in the 16th century. Yet, despite being a religious nation, its people have managed to stay superstitious, stemming from its ancient animistic beliefs.
In terms of language, the official language Tagalog has a generous dose of Spanish words. And because of the American occupation during the first world war, English has been adapted as a second language and is used in the Philippine education system and is the official business language.
Filipinos are known to be always smiling and as a gentle people. They are also known to have a strong sense of family kinship, and will go to any length to uphold the family, as evident with the massive exodus of overseas workers who are in virtual familial isolation, who work to be able to send money back to their families.
Filipinos are also famous for their hospitality, and will treat visitors with the utmost reverence, especially those who come from big cities and other countries. During many fiestas or town festivals, households would cook big batches of food and open their homes up to any stranger for a feast.