Portal:Philippines

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

The 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 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. Overseas trade with neighbors such as the late Tang or Song empire brought Sinitic-speaking Sangley / "Langlang" merchants to the archipelago, which would gradually settle in and intermix. 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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"Operation Big Bird" (Filipino: Oplan Big Bird) was the attempt of the Philippine Government during the presidency of Corazon Aquino to recover the alleged US$7.5 billion of hidden accounts and assets of President Ferdinand Marcos and his family in the Swiss banks. Conceived by Philippine banker Michael de Guzman, it commenced shortly after Marcos was forced into asylum in the United States. Initially, Operation Big Bird did not recover any money with two differing reports by Representative Victorio Chaves and Senator Jovito Salonga. Chaves laid the blame upon Salonga, Solicitor-General Sedfrey Ordoñez and the Swiss bank lawyers. Salonga countered that Ordoñez had prevented the Philippine government from losing a large sum of money. Evidence suggests that de Guzman acted in good faith on behalf of the new government but that a double cross may have been present. (Full article...)

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... that the Commission on Elections was allowed to tabulate the results of the 2002 Puerto Princesa mayoral recall election but could not declare a winner right away?
... that the Philippine embassy in Berlin was once purportedly located above a supermarket, with frankfurters visible from the windows?
... that the sound for the film A Rustling of Leaves: Inside the Philippine Revolution was recorded using a Walkman?
... that Judy Ann Santos received the Box Office Queen award for starring in Isusumbong Kita sa Tatay Ko, the first Filipino film to earn 100 million pesos at the box office?
... that Ploning and Mindanao, films starring Judy Ann Santos, were the Philippine submissions for Best International Feature Film at the 81st and 93rd Academy Awards, respectively?
... that Michael Barredo campaigned for Filipino athletes competing in disabled sports to receive government incentives?
... that the Chicago Police Department regularly cited vehicles of the Philippine consulate general in Chicago for parking in a no-parking zone, causing a diplomatic incident?
... that the chancery of the Philippine consulate general in Honolulu was bought with donations?

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

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Francis Michael Durango Magalona (October 4, 1964 – March 6, 2009), also known as Francis M., was a Filipino rapper, singer, songwriter, television personality, actor, and entrepreneur. He is regarded as an influential figure in Pinoy hip hop.

Magalona was a son of actors Pancho Magalona and Tita Duran. He started as a breakdancer and appeared in the teen comedy film Bagets 2 (1984) and the variety show That's Entertainment (1987) while building his rap career. (Full article...)

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General images

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

Image 1Manny Pacquiao, the only 8-division world boxing champion in history. (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 2Paoay Church in Ilocos Norte (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 3Old Senate Hall with Estilo Tampinco style of carving and ornamentation (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 4Harana (serenade) (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 5Letras y figuras painting by Jose Honorato Lozano (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 6A performer depicting a babaylan (shaman) (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 7Pahiyas Festival in Lucban Quezon (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 8Pineapple fiber is used to create traditional Philippine garments. (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 9Parol (Christmas lanterns) being sold during the Christmas season (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 10Tortoise-shell and silver Salakot (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 11Bahay na bato, a traditional Filipino house (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 12Flores de Mayo (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 13An Itneg shaman offering pigs to anito spirits, 1922 (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 14Aguinaldo Shrine in Cavite (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 15Sungka, a traditional Filipino game. (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 16Villa Escudero exhibit depicting 19th century Filipino family in traditional attire (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 17Kalesa, a traditional Philippine urban transportation, in front of Manila Cathedral entrance (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 18A grandmaster of Arnis. (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 19Original image of the Santo Niño de Cebú. (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 20The Sinulog Festival is held to commemorate the Santo Niño (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 21The MassKara Festival of Bacolod. (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 22Carabao is a major symbol of Filipinos hard labor. And is known to be the "Filipino farmer's bestfriend". (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 23Noli Me Tángere (novel) (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 24Good Friday observance in Pampanga (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 25The University of Santo Tomas, located in Manila, was established in 1611. (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 26Vigan City in Ilocos Sur (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 27A PBA game at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 28The Kutkut art from Samar (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 29A Tboli woman weaving t'nalak from South Cotabato. (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 30Filipina in traditional attire (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 31Museum Agrifina Circle (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 32Mila del Sol starred in one of the earliest Filipino movies, Giliw Ko (1939), along with Fernando Poe Sr. (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 33Vega Ancestral House, Misamis Oriental (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 34Cockfight (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 35Loboc Church in Bohol (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 36Dominant ethnic groups by province. (from Culture of the Philippines)
Image 37Filipino traditional dance at a festival (from Culture of the Philippines)

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In the news

30 April 2024 – China–Philippines relations: China's coast guard expels a Philippine Coast Guard ship and another vessel from the waters near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. (Reuters)
29 April 2024 – ISIL insurgency in the Philippines: Five Dawla Islamiya militants are killed and three soldiers are wounded during two shootouts in Munai, Lanao del Norte, Philippines. The military were hunting the group's leader, Nasser Daud, who however escaped from the scene. (MindaNews)
28 April 2024 –: The Philippines announces that it will close all schools on Monday and Tuesday, due to an extreme heat wave currently affecting the country. (The Straits Times)
26 April 2024 – Moro conflict: The Philippine Army announces that it has killed Nawapi Abdulsaid, an Abu Sayyaf militant, during a shootout two days ago in Hadji Mohammad Ajul, Basilan, Philippines. Abdulsaid was involved in fifteen beheadings as well as in attacks against security forces. (AP)
22 April 2024 – Moro conflict: Twelve Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters militants are killed and seven soldiers are wounded during a shootout in Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur, Philippines. (AP)

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More did you know - show different entries

...that Paskuhan Village in San Fernando City, Pampanga, is the only existing Christmas theme park in Asia and the third of its kind in the world?
...that Carlos P. Romulo is the first Asian to both win the Pulitzer Prize and be president of the United Nations General Assembly, although in separate years?
...that Philippine Airlines is Asia's first airline?
...that Camiguin has the distinction of having more volcanoes per square kilometer than any other island on Earth?