A CULTURAL INVESTIGATION

AROUND THE WORLD – THE

PHILIPPINES
LET US CONDUCT A CULTURAL AND TRADITIONAL INVESTIGATION OF THE PHILIPINES
 Cultural
elements are
what makes
every country its
CULTURAL ELEMENTS own distinctive
part. Let’s look at
several cultural
rudiments from
the Philippines.
 HISTORICAL
ELEMENTS
Flag – Nation history – Languages – Practiced
religions - Maps
The Flag

◦ The Philippine flag dates back to 1896, during the

Philippine Revolution against the Spaniards.

◦ During the early days of the Revolution, the flag being

used to represent the Philippines were mostly created
by the Katipuneros (an anti Filipino Spanish group)

◦ Initially the flag had two distinct versions. One which

had letters K.K.K arranged in a row, whereas the other
one featured the same letter but in the form of an
equilateral triangle.

◦ Later, the number of letter on the flag reduced to one.

Another version of this flag featured the Tagalog letter
“K” and placed within the figure of a sun with eight rays.
The “K” was there to represent the Katipunan.

◦ The cloth of the flag used was red in colour to symbolise

the revolutionary character of the Katipuneros’.
The Flag (cont.)

◦ During the second phase of the Revolution

period, former president, General Emilio
Aguinaldo thought of having a new flag for the
country.

◦ With his help and other revolutionary leader

deigned the new and current Philippines flag.

◦ The new Philippines flag was handsewn by a

group led by Marcela Marino Agoncillo – wife of
the first diplomat, Felipe Agoncillo.

◦ Every year, from May 28th to June 12th the

display of the Philippine flag is symbolic to the
struggles and sacrifices that were faced by
Filipino hero’s, who chose to fight for
independence and freedom.
The Filipino Flag

◦ The sun symbolises liberty and eight rays

represent the eight provinces that revolted
against Spain.

◦ From the current flag, the three stars stand for

the three big islands of the Philippines, Luzon,
Visayas, and Mindanao.

◦ White represents hope for equality, while the

blue stripes stand for peace, justice, and truth.
The red stripe is a symbol for patriotism and
courage.

◦ However, when the red and blue stripes have

been interchanged, this implies that the country
is at war.
The Mother
Languages
◦ During colonial rule, Spanish was the official language of the
islands. Spanish remained the lingua franca even after the United
States territory was ceded in the 19th century.

◦ Under US occupation in 1901, English became the main language of

the public school system.

◦ The Constitution of 1935 established both English and Spanish as

the official languages of the Philippines.

◦ The Congress voted Tagalog as the official language in 1937.

◦ Tagalog became known as Pilipino in 1959.

◦ The Constitution was amended in 1937naming Pilipino and English

the official languages of the country. At the time, Congress decided
to that a new national language, called Filipino should be
developed.

◦ Again, when the Constitution was amended, in 1987,Filipino and

English became the two co-official languages of the country.
English was mainly used to print publication, such as magazines
and newspapers.
Religious Beliefs in
the Philippines
◦ Roman Catholicism is the largest religion in the Philippines. This
religion was first introduced by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand
Magellan in the early 1500s. Today, a large majority, (around 80
percent) of the population practice Roman Catholic Christianity.
◦ Evangelical Protestantism was introduced to the Philippines by
American missionaries after the Spanish-American War between
the late 18th and 19th century.
◦ After Catholicism and Christianity, Islam is the third largest
religious group in the Philippines. For about a century, Islam
existed before the spread of Christianity.
◦ Islam first spread to countries such as India through foreign trade
from Simunul Island in the Philippines.
◦ Cleric-Karim ul' Makhdoom built the first mosque in the country,
which today, is the oldest mosque in present civilization of the
Philippines.
 DAILY
ROUTINES

Family life – Daily meal

routine – Etiquette -
Relationships
 ◦ Households often include extended family.
◦ The average rural family has about three children, while
the urban families tend to be smaller.
◦ Close familial relationships exceed one’s genetic
orientation or blood relationships to incorporate distant
Family life relatives, neighbors or friends.
◦ it is common to hear people refer to distant relatives or
non-relatives with familial terms such as ‘tita’ (aunt), ‘tito’
(uncle), ‘lola’ (grandmother) and ‘lolo’ (grandfather). One
instance is when a grandchild refers to their grandparent’s
friend or cousin as lola or lolo.
◦ The nuclear Filipino family is the core family unit.
Daily meal
routines
◦ Eating is treated like a social affair: Rarely will you
see Filipino families eating at different times of the
day. “This is because mealtime is supposed to bring
families together. This is a time for people to talk,
interact with each other, and discuss their days”
(Escalaro, 2017).
◦ Eat three bif meals and smaller ones in between:
Filipino families eat so much in one day. A regular
Filipino breakfast consist of rice, eggs, and bacon. The
Filipino’s like to eat small snacks, called meriendas,
are eaten between those big meals.

◦ There is no meal without rice: Meals in the Philippines are

usually and always served with rice, with several viands on the
dinner table.
 Basic Etiqette

◦ A handshake with a welcoming smile is the standard greeting.

◦ Close female friends may hug or kiss when they meet.
◦ You may send a fruit basket as a thank you after an event, not before or during as this may imply to the host that they are not sufficient in
providing.
◦ Gifts are not opened when received.
◦ It is best to arrive 15 to 30 minutes later than the actual time for an event.
◦ Wait to be told where to sit, there may be a seating plan.
◦ Never refer to the host’s wife as the hostess. This has a different meaning in the Philippines.
◦ If you choose to leave some food on your plate or finish everything is a matter of personal preference.
◦ It is crucial to dress modestly. You will be judged based on your appearance.
◦ A fork and spoon aree the basic eating utensils.
 THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE
Major holidays – Living conditions – Clothing – Cultural heritage – Sports amd
Attractions – Social Problems
Major holidays
The Philippines is mostly a Catholic nation so many of the annual festivals such as the Mariones Holy Week are
related to important events on the religious calendar. There are several celebrations with roots in pagan times,
such as the Ati-Atihan festival which preserves costumes and rituals that have been modified over time to
reflect more recent Christian beliefs. Experiencing Philippines holidays are a first-hand look into their diverse
culture and harried past.

◦ Festival of the Black Nazarene

◦ Ati-Atihan

◦ Sinulog Festival

◦ Dinagyang Festival

◦ Panagbenga Festival
Living conditions
◦ An estimated 21.6 percent of the Philippines
population live in poverty as of late 2015.

◦ Being a nation living close to islands, the

Philippines are also at risk of natural disasters
and environmental threats, such as flooding,
tropical storms, earthquakes, etc.
Heritage
◦ The cultural heritage of the Philippine is a blend of
of traditional Filipino and Spanish Catholic
traditions.

◦ Influenced from America and other parts of Asia.

◦ Filipino’s are family oriented and often religious.

◦ They also have an appreciation for art, music,

fashion, and food.

◦ The Filipino’s are very hospitable people – they

enjoy doing many activates and family rituals
together, such as signing, dancing, and eating.
Sports and
Attractions
◦ Several sports introduced by the Americans in the early 20th century enjoy great popularity in
the Philippines.

◦ Basketball is particularly a well-known sport , with amateur games in

neighborhoods games throughout the Philippines. National teams also play in the
country for the World Basketball Championships, for example.

◦ Tennis, golf, and various aquatic sports such as diving, and windsurfing are widely
practiced.

◦ Filipinos have excelled in various martial arts sports, like boxing, tae kwon doe, and
wushu, while local Filipino martial arts traditions have experienced a resurgence
since the end of the 20th century. The Phillippnes have taken several medals in
martial arts in the Southeast Asian Games and Asian.

◦ The Philippines has participated in the Summer Olympic Games since 1924 and in the Winter
Games since 1972. Filipino athletes generally have been most successful in swimming, boxing,
and track and field events.
Social Problems
in the Philippines
◦ In the Philippines, only about 30 percent of school
children complete their education. The Philippine
government is making the end of poverty one of their
many goals to accomplish by 2022.

◦ Philippines are one of the countries that utilizes child

laborer. They have not yet outlawed the use of child labor.

◦ The country has strict law involving the incarceration of

children. With the costs of food increasing and the number
of children suffering from malnourishment, many are
turning to a life of drug-related crimes to make ends meet.
These children are often caught and punished severely at
the hands of the Philippines’ criminal justice system.

◦ The government is implementing a long-term solution to

tackle the poverty conditions people are facing. The plan
is set to reduce poverty to at least 15 percent by the year
2022. The strategy is set to focus on creating new and
higher-paying jobs, prioritize health care and help the
poverty situation on Mindanao to open up valuable
resources.
 OTHER TOPICS TO
CONSIDER
Throughout the next few slides, let us take a brief look at the Philippines and their eating patterns, meal
preparations, etiquette and manners, and food preparation responsibilities. In this section, we are more
specifically looking at the food and culture contributions made to the Filipino culture.
 EATING
PATTERNS

Let us investigate upon the eating

patterns observed by the Philippines.
Eating habits in
the Philippines
◦ Pork dominates the Philippine cuisine: “Lechon”
(pork) is the star of the dish at any dinner party.

◦ Filipino’s tend to eat their meals in one course.

There is no separation in meals; appetizers, and
main meals. When you order, your dishes are
brought out to you at the same time.

◦ Filipino’s love Merienda or “snacks in between”. In

the Philippines, there are usually two merienda’s.
One in the late morning, and the other one in the
afternoon.
 ETIQUETTE
AND
MANNERS
Let us investigate upon the etiquettes and
manners within the Philippines.
 Etiquette and manners in the Philippines

◦ Wrap gifts elegantly, as presentation is important. Many countries as we know, have specific color restrictions
when gifting. As for the Philippines, there are none.
◦ Gifts are not to be opened when you receive them.
◦ Send a handwritten thank you note a week following an event or function. This shows the host that you have
class.
◦ Wait several times to be asked before moving into the dining room or helping yourself to food.
◦ Do not start eating until the host invites you to.
◦ Meals are often served by family or like a buffet style self serve.
◦ Hold your fork in the left hand and use it to guide your food to the spoon in your right hand.
◦ Wait until you’re told to sit. There may be a seating plan.
 FOOD
PREPARATION
RESPONSIBILITIES
How keen are the Filipino people when it
comes to preparing food?
A Filipino diet

◦ A typical Filipin diet revolves mainly around local foods, emphasizing vegetables, pork, seafood, rice
and noodles. Filipinos are also very familiar with Western foods, especially fast foods, and the diet of
most today is a mixture of all these influences. Westerners familiar with Spanish-influenced cuisine
will recognize the Latin-based menudo-type stews, the Cuban-style pork dishes, the tapa-like
appetizers, but all with native ingredients of Asian and Polynesian origin. On top of this, add the
American hamburger, and other types of fast food (which, in all fairness, are found most everywhere
around the world), and you have a sense of Filipino cooking.

◦ The nutritional icon for the Philippines is the six-sided diamond star which divided into six groups; 1)
leafy green and yellow vegetables; 2) citrus fruits, tomatoes, cabbage and other vitamin-C-rich fruits
and vegetables; 3) succulent vegetables and fruits; 4) milk, cheese, butter, and other fat-rich foods; 5)
meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dried beans, mungo and other sources of protein; and 6) rice and other grains.
The message conveyed by the star is that food from each group should be consumed. The Philippines
guidelines also advise drinking milk everyday, getting enough protein and savoring meals.

◦ Filipinos love rice. A meal is not a meal without rice. Rice is commonly eaten for breakfast. Seafood is
very common everywhere, as are preserved vegetables and rice dishes, mixed often with coconut pork.
and chicken. Restaurants representing various Asian cuisines abound in Manila. There are a few unique
Philippine dishes that you will probably be encouraged to try: one of them is balut, which is a cooked
egg with a half-developed chick or duckling inside. Winged beans, from the Philippines, can be
steamed, stir fried or used in dips.

◦ Three crops a year are harvested to provide enough rice for the population, and the government keeps
surpluses stored for times of drought. Salt water and freshwater of fish and shellfish are eaten daily,
served either fresh or salted. Fish, chicken and pork are usually fried, although people are becoming
more health-conscious and often choose alternative methods of cooking. Garlic is added to food
because it is considered healthful. Filipino food is not spicy. All food is cooked on gas burners or wood
or charcoal fires and is allowed to get cold before it is eaten. Rice is cooked first, since it takes longer.
When it is ready, rice will be placed on the table while the next items of the meal are prepared and
served.
The Basics of Philippine Cuisine
There are no special skills required. If you can prepare American dishes, you can prepare the food of the
Philippines. In fact, most of the dishes that follow are either sauteed or stewed. Other dishes are boiled, braised
or fried. Baked dishes are rare, which is perfectly sensible for a tropical cuisine.

• adobo – cooked in vinegar, soy sauce and garlic

• guisado – sauteed

• sinigang – boiled with a sour fruit or vegetable

• paksiw – cooked in vinegar and garlic

• estofado – prepared with a burnt-sugar sauce

• ginataan – cooked in coconut milk

• rellanado – stuffed

• sarciado – a sauce
CELEBRATIONS
AND
TRADITIONAL
FOODS
How do people in the Philippines prepare
for cultural celebrations?
Celebratory Foods in the Philippines
◦ Guests are often treated as family.

◦ Japanese, Chinese, Indian, and other cuisines have influenced Filipino cooking.

◦ The central ingredient in any Filipino menu is steamed white rice, the leftovers of which are combined with herbs and
sauces and recycled to subsequent meals.

◦ Corn, noodles and bread also figure prominently in the Filipino diet because of their adaptability to different styles of
cooking.

◦ Among the most popular are marinated meats in adobo sauce; Dininding, a traditional dish combining vegetables and
seafood; Laksa, a melting pot of shrimp, pork and vegetables; Kari-Kari, or boiled oxtail; and Estofado, a deep-fried
meat dish served with potatoes. For dessert, save room for flan, sweetened rice cakes, ambrosia salads and caramel
custards.

◦ Salty fish sauce, coconut cream, lemongrass, adobo sauce, soy sauce, spicy barbecue sauce, sweet and sour, miso
tomato, bagoong -- which is dried shrimp paste -- and Filipino vinegar are typically put on the table for dipping meats
and vegetables as well as dribbling over rice. These are mixed and matched with ginger, garlic, onions, peppers, limes
and cilantro. Broth made from vegetables or chicken is often provided as well.
 APA Works Cited

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philippines/#:~:text=As%20of%20late%202015%2C%20it,living%20conditions%20in%20the%20country.

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 APA Works Cited (2)

◦ R. (2020, September 11). 10 Interesting Facts You Need To Know About Food in The Philippines. Retrieved January 19, 2021, from https://www.authenticfoodquest.com/10-facts-food-in-the-philippine

◦ A. (2020, December 04). The Basics of Philippine Cooking. Retrieved January 19, 2021, from https://asian-recipe.com/the-basics-of-philippine-cooking-4357

◦ Hays, J. (n.d.). FOOD AND THE PHILIPPINES: DIET, EATING CUSTOMS AND COOKING FOR THE U.S. PRESIDENT. Retrieved January 19, 2021, from http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-
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◦ Kusineras, Kaye Banez of The. “The Role of Food in Filipino Culture.” Canadian Filipino Net, 28 Feb. 2019, www.canadianfilipino.net/sections/culture/the-role-of-food-in-filipino-culture

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