HISTORY - LOCATION - CLIMATE - CULTURE

The history of Philippines is as interesting as the country itself. The rich and unique history of Philippines mainly shows the Asian, European, and American influences. Though, the Negritos were the earliest inhabitants of the Philippines islands, its history can be traced only after the Spanish advent in the early 16th century AD.

Ferdinand Magellan, the famous Portuguese navigator, landed on the islands in 1521, and named the region after Philip II of Spain. Later, the tribes were converted to Christianity, and today Philippines is the only southeast Asian country with Christian majority. In 1565, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi established the first Spanish settlement in Cebu and later captured Manila in 1571, defeating a Muslim king. The Filipino, who are freedom-loving people, waged hundreds of war against Spanish rule and finally succeeded in 1896. It was possible only due to active support from the United States, which took control of the islands in 1898.

Soon, the Filipino rose against the American occupation, resulting into the Philippine-American War, and a constitution was drawn up in 1935, giving the Philippines power of internal self-governance. During World War II (1939-45), Filipinos fought alongside Americans, and the country was occupied by the Japanese between 1942 and 1945. After the defeat of Japan in 1945, the United States granted it complete independence in 1946. From 1946 to 1965, the country saw a number of presidents coming and going, until Ferdinand Marcos won the presidential elections in 1965. His two consecutive terms ended in 1972, but Marcos instituted martial law and suppressed all political opposition.

Various revolutionary organizations and parties were formed to oppose the Marcos regime. The turning point for the regime came after the assassination of Benigno Aquino upon his return from exile in 1983. Public opinion rallied behind his widow, Corazon Aquino in a massive campaign of demonstrations and non-violent protest, popularly known as 'People Power'. When US decided to withdraw his backing from Marcos, he fled the country in February 1986, and took shelter in Hawaiian Island and died there in September 1989. In 1991, Fidel Ramos became the president of Philippines and ruled it until May 1998, when the Asian financial crisis hit the Philippines badly. In 1998 presidential elections, Joseph Estrada, a popular film star and the president of the newly formed LMP party (Laban ng Masang Pilipino), won the poll by a comfortable margin. In a Supreme Court ruling of January 2001, he was thrown out of office and replaced by his deputy, Gloria Arroyo. Arroyo was re-elected in May 2004.

Philippines is an archipelago nation in the South Eastern Asia between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam. The country lies between 116° 40' and 126° 34' E longitude, and 4° 40' and 21° 10' N. latitude. It is surrounded by by the Philippine Sea from the east, by the South China Sea on the west, and by the Celebes Sea on the south.

The Philippine archipelago is made up of 7,107 lovely islands, covering a total area of 300,000 sq km including the land area of 299,764 sq km. Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao form the main island groups of the Philippines. Its terrain consists of mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands. Philippines standard time is GMT + 8 hours.

The Philippines has a rich cultural heritage, dating back to hundreds of years. Philippines had been a popular Spanish colony since16th century until American occupation in 1896. During this period, the unique native culture of Philippines was greatly adulterated by Spanish and American influences. Its tribal inhabitants were converted to Christianity and it dramatically affected their animistic beliefs, rituals and practices. The Philippines is the only Christian majority country in Asia. After hundreds of years of foreign occupation, Philippines now represent a mixed culture, which is a fascinating blend of traditions and modernity.

The languages, cuisines and festivals of Philippines are the most fascinating features of the Philippine culture. Though, Filipino (Tagalog) is the national language of the country, English is widely spoken and understood. In addition, there are over 80 different dialects in the Philippines. The cuisines of Philippines have Chinese, Spanish, American, and Malay influences. Filipinos are also fond of French, Italian, Middle Eastern, Thai and Vietnamese cuisines. The most famous and widely enjoyed dish in the Philippines is lechon (roasted whole pig), which is especially prepared for fiestas and family celebrations like parties and marriages. Festivals are the most important aspect of the unique culture of Philippines. Filipinos are fun loving and vibrant people who love to celebrate a number of colorful festivals all round the year. In fact, fiesta has become the part and parcel of Filipino culture. Christmas is the biggest and most celebrated festival in the Philippines.

Philippines has a tropical marine climate with three distinct seasons. These include wet and rainy season (June-October), the cool and dry season (November-February) and the hot and dry season (March-May).

While the summer southwest monsoon (June-October) brings heavy rains to most part of the country, the winter northeast monsoon (November to April) brings a cool and dry weather. Manila and other lowland areas are hot and dusty from March to June, when temperatures normally rise up to 37°C (99°F). Evenings are normally cool and pleasant throughout the year. The best time to visit the Philippines is from December to May when the weather is pleasant and cool and the typhoons are rare. Light cotton clothing is ideal most of the year and must during the hot and dry months from March to May