Summary of the topic Region 5 and 6 and the country China.

Region V Geographically, Bicol Region is located in the southernmost tip of Luzon, which lies
at 123 to 126 degrees longitude and 12 to 14 degrees latitude or generally at the mid-section of
the country. It has a total land area of 17,362 square kilometers representing 5.67% share of the
Philippines in terms of land area. The region is the gateway of Luzon to the Visayas and
Mindanao and is within the international seas, hence, the gateway to the Pacific. Located in the
heart of the industrialized countries, the place would serve as a jumping board for market and
business in the Pacific Rim, Europe, and the United States. Bicol is accessible by land from
Manila and the rest of Luzon thru the Maharlika and Quirino Highways. From the Visayas and
Mindanao islands, it can be reached via the Matnog ferry terminal. Manila is about 10 hours
away from Legaspi City. It is serviced by major bus lines traversing the Manila-Bicol route.
Bicol Region is composed of four contiguous provinces: Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines
Norte, and Sorsogon; two island provinces of Catanduanes and Masbate; and seven cities
namely, Legazpi, Naga, Iriga, Tabaco, Ligao, Sorsogon, and Masbate. The Bicol Region has an
array of cultural sites that showcase its rich history. Originally descended from incomers from
China, the inhabitants of Bicol often mix Chinese, Arab and Spanish ancestry, and most are
devout Catholics. Bicol is also famed for its spicy food, which is based largely on coconut and
chillies – as evidenced in the likes of gulay na lada or Bicol Express (pork and local chillies
cooked in coconut cream). Other dishes not to miss are laing (taro leaves with meat or seafood in
coconut milk, spiced with chilli, lemongrass and more) and local specialities featuring local pili
nuts.

Region VI or Western Visayas is composed of the four provinces of Panay, the

Guimaras Island and the western portion of the island of Negros and its outlying islands. Its
boundaries are the Visayan Sea on the east, the Cuyo East Pass on the west, the Sibuyan Sea and
Romblon on the north and the Cagayan Islandon the southwest. Western Visayas has a total land
area of 20,223.2 sq. kms. and covers six provinces: Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Negros
Occidental and Guimaras. The region has sixteen cities namely: Bacolod, Bago, Cadiz,
Escalante, Himamaylan, Kabankalan, Passi, La Carlota, Roxas, Sagay, San Carlos, Silay Sipalay,
Talisay, Victorias with Iloilo City as the regional capital.Its topography is characterized by
relatively wide stretches of coastal lowlands with rugged hills and mountains in the interior.

CULTURAL GROUPS
The region’s ethnolinguistic people are called Panay-Hiligaynons (Ilonggos, Aklanons,
Capiceños, Antiqueños, and Negrenses).
INDUSTRIES
The major economic activities of the region are farming, sugar, rice and corn milling, fishing,
mining and trading. Forward and backward integration in production, processing or marketing
are good areas for investment. Other important industries include livestock and poultry raising
and cottage industries such as rattan craft, food preservation, ceramics and confectionery
manufacturing.The region has a competitive advantage in the production of seaweeds, mangoes,
pineapple, banana and cashew.
China, Chinese (Pinyin) Zhonghua or (Wade-Giles romanization) Chung-hua, also spelled
(Pinyin) Zhongguo or (Wade-Giles romanization) Chung-kuo, officially People’s Republic of
China or Chinese (Pinyin) Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo or (Wade-Giles
romanization) Chung-hua Jen-min Kung-ho-kuo, country of East Asia. It is the largest of all
Asian countries and has the largest population of any country in the world. Occupying nearly the
entire East Asian landmass, it covers approximately one-fourteenth of the land area of Earth.
Among the major countries of the world, China is surpassed in area by only Russia and Canada,
and it is almost as large as the whole of Europe.

Chinese culture is one of the world’s oldest cultures, tracing back to thousands of years ago.
Important components of Chinese culture includes ceramics, architecture, music, literature,
martial arts, cuisine, visual arts, philosophy and religion.

Religion-Confucianism and Taoism, later joined by Buddhism, constitute the “three teachings”
that historically have shaped Chinese culture. There are no clear boundaries between these
intertwined religious systems, which don’t claim to be exclusive, and elements of each enrich
popular or folk religion. Folk or popular religion, the most widespread system of beliefs and
practices has evolved and adapted since at least Shang and Zhou dynasties. During the period
fundamental elements of a theology and spiritual explanation for the nature of the universe
emerged. Basically, it consists in allegiance to the “shen”, a character that signifies a variety of
gods and immortals, who can be deities of the natural environment of ancestral principles of
human groups, concepts of civility, cultural heroes, many of whom feature in Chinese mythology
and history. Recent surveys estimated that some 80% of Han Chinese practice some kind of
Chinese folk religion and Taoism; 10-16% are Buddhists; 3-4% are Christians; and 1-2% are
Muslims.
 
Chinese Medicine-Traditional Chinese medicine is built on a foundation of more than 2,500
years of Chinese medical practices that includes various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture,
massage, exercise and dietary therapy.  Its philosophy is based on Yinyangism,(the combination
of Five Phases theory with Yin-Yang theory) which was later absorbed by Daoism. In general,
disease is perceived as a disharmony or imbalance in the functions or interactions of yin, yang,
meridians etc. between the human body and the environment. Therapy is based on which
“pattern of disharmony” can be identified. Today Traditional Chinese medicine is widely used in
China and is becoming increasingly prevalent in Europe and North America.
Chinese Family-Family has been a key component in society for thousands of years in China.
Today, many aspects of Chinese life can be tied to honoring one’s parents or ancestors. Because
of the focus on family, it is common for Chinese, even when fully grown with children of their
own, to have many living generations of a family living under the same roof.
Chinese family structure has traditionally been rigid and hierarchical. Many parents and
grandparents now still expect their children/grandchildren to do as they are told.
Now many Chinese families face challenges and contradictions to the old way of life that
threaten its traditional stability. Many young workers have been drawn to bigger cities in the
more prosperous regions in China to find better jobs with higher salaries. The young workers
tend to send part of their salary to their parents who may still reside in small towns with much
lower salaries. However, as they reaches 30 years old they face increasing pressure from their
parents to marry and move back to their hometown.

Chinese Food-The history of Chinese food in China stretches back for thousands of years and
has changed from period to period in each region according to climate, imperial fashions, and
local preferences.
The “Eight Cuisines” of China are Anhui, Cantonese, Fujian, Hunan, Jiangsu, Shandong,
Sichuan, and Zhejiang cuisines. These styles are distinctive from one another due to factors such
as availability of resources, climate, geography, history, cooking techniques and lifestyle. For
example, Jiangsu cuisine favours cooking techniques such as braising and stewing, while
Sichuan cuisine employs baking. Hairy crab is a highly sought-after local delicacy in Shanghai,
as it can be found in lakes within the region. Peking duck and dim-sum are other popular dishes
well know outside of China.