CHAPTER 1

THE PHILIPPINES AND ITS PEOPLE

How come Filipinos have such varied physical features? Such diversed
economic activities? Observers say, one’s geography (e.g., archipelagic and
tropical) can help shape not only a people’s physical appearance but also
their economy, character traits, history and development.

The Philippines is a tropical and archipelagic country found in Southeast

Asia. Endowed with rich natural resources and a warm, hospitable people, it
has its own share of political and economic challenges to meet.

GEOGRAPHY

The Philippines is an archipelago lying southeast of the coast of the

mainland of Asia. It is located a little above the equator and thus, belongs to
the northern hemisphere. Of approximately 7,107 islands and islets that
compose the Archipelago, some 4,000 have no names. Luzon, Mindanao,
Negros, Samar, Palawan, Panay, Mindoro, Leyte, Cebu and Bohol are the
ten biggest islands. The total land area, excluding the bodies of water
surrounded by land, such as Laguna de Bay, Taal Lake, Lake Lanao, and
many more like these, is 300,000 square kilometers. The northernmost
island of Luzon is just 100 kilometers away from the island of Taiwan,
formerly called Formosa. North and west of the archipelago lies the South
China Sea; to the east is the Pacific Ocean; and to the south are the Celebes
Sea and the waters of Borneo.

The coastline of the Philippines is irregular and stretches for about 36,289
kilometers, about twice as long as the coastline of the United States,
excluding that of Alaska and Hawaii. In a note verbale submitted by the

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Philippine government to the United Nations on March 7, 1955, the
Philippines is defined as “a mid-ocean archipelagic state.”

Thus, “All waters around, between and connecting different islands belonging
to the Philippine Archipelago, irrespective of their width or dimensions, are
necessary appurtenances of its land territory, forming an integral part of the
national or inland waters, subject to the exclusive sovereignty of the
Philippines.” Because of the irregular coastline, the country abounds in good
harbors, landlocked straits, and hundreds of rivers, bays and lakes. Manila
Bay, which has an area of a little less than 2,000 square kilometers and a
circumference of about 190 kilometers, is considered one of the finest natural
harbors in the world. The Philippine Deep, which is found east of the
Philippines near Samar and Leyte, is considered as one of the deepest sea
trenches in the world.

A look at the physical map of the Philippines shows that it is mountainous.

There are numerous peaks from north to south, of which Mount Apo in
Mindanao is the highest, standing at approximately 2,954 meters high. The
northern and eastern parts of Luzon have rugged mountains which are
volcanic in origin. There are three large mountain ranges in Luzon. They are
the Western Caraballo Mountain Range, the Sierra Madre Mountain Range
and the Caraballo de Baler. Western Caraballo runs from north to south and
divides itself into the Central Cordillera and the Northern Cordillera. It
crosses the provinces of northern Luzon, west of the Cagayan River. The
Sierra Madre begins at the town of Baler in the eastern part of Quezon
Province and crosses the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela and Quezon. It is
the longest continuous mountain range in the Philippines. The third
mountain range, the Caraballo de baler, begins from the town of Baler and
ends in the Strait of San Bernardino. This mountain range includes Mayon
Volcano in Albay and Bulusan Volcano in Sorsogon.

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Outside of these big mountain ranges are the small mountain ranges of
Zambales and the Tagaytay Ridge. The Zambales Range begins at Cape
Bolinao, follows the coast of the China Sea and ends in the Bataan
Peninsula. The Tagaytay Ridge crosses the provinces of Cavite and
Batangas. Mount Makiling in Laguna and Taal Volcano are parts of the
Tagaytay Ridge. Mindoro, Panay and Negros have small mountain ranges.
The highest peaks in these parts are Mount Halcon in Mindoro and Kanlaon
Volcano in Negros. Leyte and Samar are not as mountainous as the
provinces mentioned above.

Mindanao, on the other hand, has four distinct mountain ranges. They are
the Eastern Mountain Range, which begins at Surigao and follows the Pacific
coast; the Central-Eastern Mountain Range which begins at Butuan and
extends south to Agusan on the East and to Pulangui on the west; the
Central-Western Range, which begins at Mount Apo, follows the boundary of
Cotabato, and ends in the Zamboanga Peninsula; and the Western Range
which begins west of Iligan Bay and ends on the shores of Basilan Strait.

VOLCANOES AND EARTHQUAKES

There are many volcanoes in the Philippines whose eruptions caused much
damage to lives and property. Twenty-six of the volcanoes are considered
active, while the rest are supposed to be dormant or “sleeping.” The most
famous of these active volcanoes are Iraya in Batanes; Taal in Batangas;
Banahaw in Quezon; Mayon in Albay; Bulusan in Sorsogon; Hibok-hibok in
Camiguin Island; and Makaturing in Lanao. Mayon and Taal are the most
active of these volcanoes. They have erupted for no less than twenty-five
times. Mayon is famous over the world for its perfect cone shape, while Taal
is famous for being the smallest volcano in the world. In 1966, Taal volcano
erupted, which led to the resettlement of the people of Volcano Island to
other places.

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The Philippines is within what is called the seismic belt, that is, it lies in the
path of earthquakes. Manila and many parts of Luzon experienced several
earthquakes over the years including that of 1863, which caused the
destruction of many residential houses and government buildings and the
death of the famous priest, Father Pedro Pelaez in the Manila Cathedral; that
of 1937, which destroyed, partially, or completely, many big buildings in
Manila; that of 1968, when many buildings were partially destroyed while an
apartment building was completely destroyed resulting in the death of
hundreds of people; and that of 1990, which registered 7.8 on the Richter
Scale, killing and injuring thousands of people and damaging about 20,000
square kilometers of densely populated areas in Luzon.

CLIMATE

The Philippines has a tropical and maritime climate which is tempered by

the breeze from the Pacific Ocean on the east and China Sea on the west.
Based on rainfall and temperature, there are two major seasons: the dry
season which extends from December to May, and the wet season which
extends from June to November. The period from late November to February
is usually cool. May is often the hottest month of the year, while January is
the coldest. Even so, the climate in general is healthful. Miguel Lopez de
Legazpi, the first governor-general of the Philippines, describing it to the King
of Spain, “This country [the Philippines] is salubrious and has a good
climate…”

Generally, typhoons have influenced the climate and weather of the country.
These typhoons may be classified into “remarkable” and “ordinary.” The
former have destroyed millions of pesos worth of crops and property.
Typhoons and tropical cyclones most frequently enter the Philippine area of
responsibility (PAR) during the months of July to October. Some of the worst
typhoons that ever struck the country include Uring in November 1991,

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Rosing in October 1995, Reming in November 2006, Ondoy in September
2009, Pepeng in October 2009 and Yolanda in November 2013.

NATURAL RESOURCES

Nature has given the Philippines rich soil and plenty of natural resources.
The rich valleys and fertile plains are planted to crops such as rice, corn,
coconuts, sugar cane, bananas, pineapples and varieties of vegetables. The
country has enough water resource for electricity; food such as fish,
seaweeds, sea shells, as well as pearls for jewelry. There is an abundant
supply of minerals like gold, copper, silver, lead, zinc, nickel, manganese and
chromium, as well as non-metallic minerals like salt, clay, coal, sulphur,
asbestos, limestones, gravel and gypsum. Gum resins and lumber can be
obtained from the country’s vast forests.

The Philippines also has oil. Called “black gold”, its discovery at
Malampalaya, Palawan has encouraged foreign and Filipino firms to drill
wells for oil. Its commercial exploration will greatly improve the country’s
economy. However, despite this natural abundance, conservationists and
civil society have expressed concern over the depletion of forests, abuse and
misuse of land resources and threats to marine and coastal ecosystems. A
significant response by the Department of Environmental and Natural
Resources (DENR) was its lobby for Congress to pass the National
Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Bill in 1992. Now called R.A.
7586, the law is premised on the concept of the involvement of local
communities in biodiversity conservation and habitat management. Thus,
indigenous peoples living in the protected areas are given responsibility over
their territories and sustainable livelihood alternatives. Other laws that protect
our environment include the Philippine Clear Air Act of 1999, the Ecological
Solid Waste Management of 2000, and the Clear Water Act of 2004.

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ECONOMY

Rice is the main crop of the country and is cultivated in large quantities in
Central Luzon, Western Visayas and Mindanao. Its production, however,
remains insufficient due to several factors. First, destructive typhoons and
floods often destroy thousands upon thousands of rice lands leading to
government importation of rice. Second, the agricultural sector remains
backward despite government effort to modernize it through the introduction
of programs like the “Masagana 99” technique in the sixties and the
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program in recent years; the use of
“miracle rice varieties”; the use of fertilizers and pesticides to increase rice
production, which puts a toll not only on poor farmers, who oftentimes cannot
afford them, but also on the environment, particularly on the quality of the
soil. Third, the production shift to sources of biofuels such as jathropa and
other cash crops, which command higher prices in the market, has also
affected rice production in no small way. Fourth, the massive conversion of
farmlands for residential and commercial use has also contributed to low rice
productivity, not to mention the lost of farm labor.

The major Philippine products for export include coconut oil, fresh bananas,
pineapples, sugar, gum resins and abaca, among others. Among the
country’s growing industries are mining, lumber, metal, woodcraft, furniture,
and petroleum. The Philippines is also among the world’s supplier of
semiconductors and manufactured goods like ignition wiring sets and other
wiring sets used in vehicles, aircrafts and ships; cathodes of refined copper;
and microprocessors. Clothing and clothing accessories are also produced in
the country. The United States of America remains our top market for exports
followed by Japan, Hong Kong, and the People’s Republic of China. Other
big markets of Philippine products are the Netherlands, Germany, Singapore,
Malaysia, Republic of South Korea and Taiwan (National Statistics Office,
2007).

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Population

Based on the latest figures from the National Statistics Office (2008-2009),
the Philippines has one of the fastest-growing population with a birth rate of
26.42 births/1000. Life expectancy stands at 67.89 years for men and 73.85
years for women. There are approximately 100 million Filipinos today as
projected by the NSO. Concentrated in the more urbanized sections of the
country, 84% of the population is functionally literate. As of 2009, an estimate
of 35 million Filipinos is employed. Thirty-four percent of employed Filipinos
are engaged in agriculture (hunting, forestry, and fishing); 15% work in the
industry sector (mining and quarrying, manufacturing, electricity, gas and
water and construction); while 51% are employed in the service sector
(wholesale and retail trade, repair of vehicles, household goods; hotels and
restaurant; transport, storage, and communication; financial, real estate,
renting and business activities; education, health and social work, etc.).
These figures raise the question whether the country is truly on its way
towards industrialization or not.

The majority of the Filipinos belong to the Austronesian ethnic group. Due
to the early trade contacts and subsequent colonization by the Spaniards
and later by the Americans, Filipinos today are a mixture of races. The
offspring of a native Filipino and a foreigner, whether Chinese, Spaniard,
American is called mestizo. With the phenomenal growth of Filipinos working
overseas (OFWs) the mestizo group has expanded to include Arabs,
Japanese, Koreans and Europeans. There are around 170 spoken
languages with almost of all of them belonging to the Austronesian language
family. Among the major languages are Bicolane, Bisaya, Cebuano,
Chabacano, Hiligaynon/Ilonggo, Ilocano, Kapampangan, Maguindanaon,
Maranao, Pangasinense, Tagalog, Tausug and Waray. Filipino is the
national language with Filipino and English as the official languages of the
country.

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Government

The Philippines is a Constitutional Republic with three co-equal branches:

the executive, legislative and judiciary. The executive branch, headed by the
President and the Vice President, administers the functions of the
government through the cabinet that is made up of departments and headed
by department secretaries. The legislative branch, which is responsible for
enacting bills into law, is composed of the Senate (Upper House) and the
House of Representatives (Lower House), led by the Senate President and
the Speaker of the House, respectively. The judiciary consists of the system
of courts with the Supreme Court as the highest court in the land and headed
by the Chief Justice.

For administrative purposes, the Philippines is subdivided into regions and

provinces except for Metropolitan Manila. Each province is headed by a
governor and has its own legislative body called Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
The provinces, in turn, are composed of cities and municipalities. Cities and
municipalities are further divided into barangays. A barangay is the smallest
political unit of the country and headed by a barangay captain.

The country has undergone five constitutional changes since the Malolos
Constitution of 1899, which set up the First Filipino Republic with Emilio F.
Aguinaldo as president. These constitutions are:

1. The 1935 constitution, which served as the basis for the transition
Commonwealth government with Manuel L. Quezon as president
followed by Sergio S. Osmena;
2. The 1943 Constitution of the Japanese-sponsored government which
recognized the Second Republic under President Jose P. Laurel;
3. The 1935 Constitution, which set up the Third Republic under President
Manuel A. Roxas, followed by Elpidio R. Quirino, Ramon F.

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 Magsaysay, Carlos P. Garcia, Diosdado P. Macapagal and Ferdinand
E. Marcos (for his first term);
4. The 1973 Constitution that extended the term of President Marcos
beyond the provision of the 1935 Constitution, and set up the fourth
republic; and
5. The 1987 Constitution during the presidency of Corazon C. Aquino (as
the president of the Fifth Republic), to that of Fidel V. Ramos, the short
lived administration of Joseph E. Estrada and that of Gloria Macapagal-
Arroyo.

FILIPINO TRAITS AND VALUES

The Filipino people have many common traits. Perhaps the most important
trait of the Filipinos is their hospitality. They welcome visitors, whether
Filipinos or non-Filipinos, with open arms and warm hearts. Visitors are given
the best in the house and they would go to the extent of incurring debts to
make their visitors contented, happy and comfortable. Filipino hospitality is
unequaled and known the world over.

Filipinos maintain close family ties. The family is the unit of society and
consists, at least until very recent times, of the parents, the grandparents and
the children. The head of the family is the father, but it is really the mother
who governs. The mother does a lot of things for the family: she is the first
teacher of the children; she is the treasurer of the home, the accountant, the
censor, the laundrywoman and the cook. Thus, in many Filipino families,
even the father calls the wife “Mama” or “Mommy”. He dutifully hands over
his salary or earnings to the wife, who in case of the father’s illness, works to
support the whole family.

Present-day women’s rights advocates in the country, however, call this

“double-burden.” The problem of the family is not the problem of the parents

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alone; it is all the problem of all the adult members of the family. If Juana,
one of the children, wants to continue her studies, say in high school, the
older brothers and sisters help the parents in sending her to school. If she
finds employment, she in turn helps her parents, brothers, and sisters to
send the younger children to school. Thus, cooperative work within the family
circle is not uncommon.

Respect for the elders is one of the best Filipino traits. Filipino parents
exercise moral influence over their children. The latter obey their parents
willingly and help them in their work. The younger men and women do not,
as a rule, disturb their elders when the latter are talking or conversing with
other people. Even among strangers, respect is shown by slightly bowing the
head or by using some words of respect. The Tagalog po is commonly used
by almost everybody to show respect even to a younger man (or woman) if
the latter is a stranger.

The Filipino is sentimental. This sentimentalism is shown in many ways. For

example, someone from the province pays his friend from another province a
visit. The visiting friend brings along with him gifts for the host’s family. These
gifts are called pasalubong. When it is time to go, the friend may feel deeply
sad to depart from the friend’s house. Kindness is never forgotten. The friend
who is left behind also feels sad and gives the departing friend some pabaon
like food or anything to give to the departing friend’s family. Leaving home for
another country or even for places within the Philippines is usually
accompanied by much crying and silent tearful goodbyes.

Filipinos as a people have several values. Values are those aspects in life
that include customs, traditions, etc., which the people regard as necessary
and important in their dealings with one another. One of these values is
pakikisama, or sense of togetherness or comradeship. Pakikisama refers to
doing somebody a good deed, such as helping a relative or neighbor build a

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house without asking for compensation, or helping someone look for a job,
and so on. If one does these, he/she is said to be mabuting makisama. If one
does the opposite, he/she is said to be masamang makisama. Pakikisama
does not mean doing crooked or dishonest things in order to look good to
others. Pakikisama is a positive value and means doing somebody a good
turn or being helpful without ulterior motive.

Utang na loob or debt of gratitude is another famous Filipino value. A

person who receives favor from another, whether this person is a friend or a
stranger, is expected to pay this debt of gratitude by returning the favor in the
same measure, if not, more. A friend who fails to return a favor is called
walang utang na loob or an ingrate. People who lack utang na loob are
disliked or avoided.

Hiya or kahihiyan is another Filipino value. It means sense of shame. To the

Filipino, just like other Asian people hiya is something that a person must
possess to a high degree. A person without hiya is called walang hiya or
shameless. Because of this value, a Filipino would sometimes do something
foolish in order to save face. Thus, because of hiya, a poor Filipino peasant
will contract debt or borrow money from relatives, neighbors or friends in
order to have a feast for the baptism of a son or daughter. On other
occasions, many Filipinos borrow money to spend on food and other things
to celebrate a town fiesta at the expense of the family budget. Out of shame
or hiya, they do not want neighbors to think that they cannot afford to spend
for the event.

STUDY GUIDE:

1. Using a graphic organizer such as one below, list the products found in
your province. Indicate which of these are exported to foreign countries

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 and which among these are imported from other countries or obtained
from other parts of the Philippines.

Name of Province: _____________________________

Population: ___________________________________

Kinds of products Exported to Imported/Obtained from

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Etc.

2. Look at the map of the Philippines and that of the United States.
Compare their coastlines. What do you think is the advantage of the
Philippines over continental United States in this respect? What do you
think are the disadvantages of being an archipelagic country in the
tropics?
3. In your opinion, which among the reasons cited in the chapter on why
the Philippines imports rice from foreign countries, can easily be
remedied? Explain your answer.
4. Do you agree that the Philippines is not yet an industrialized country?
Explain your answer.
5. Does having around 170 languages pose an obstacle in unifying the
Filipinos? Provide evidence and data for your arguments.
6. Which among the five promulgated constitutions were under foreign
domination? Which were not under foreign domination and hence
expected to be more democratic? Justify your answer.

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 7. In your opinion, given the archipelagic character of the Philippines, is
the present unitary and presidential system of government suited to its
geographic characteristic? Explain your answer.
8. Filipinos have values. From your observation or experience, which
among the following values: (a) hiya, (b) utang na loob and (c)
pakikisama involve a lot of grey areas or issues. Explain your answer.
9. How would you describe your physical characteristics – are you a
native Filipino or a mestizo? If you are a mestizo, what type of mestizo/
mestiza are you?

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:

1. What are the major exports of the Philippines today? Which among
these are the major earners?
2. How many typhoons usually visit the country? Which among these
were the most destructive and when did they occur?
3. Consult a physical map of the Philippines. Reread the first section of
the chapter that describes the physical characteristics of the
Philippines. Identify the geographic features mentioned in this chapter.
Draw a sketch of your province and indicate in your drawing the
following: (a) the mountains, (b) the rivers, and (c) the valleys or plains.
(You may ask help from your parents or local authorities).
4. Draw a blank map of the Philippines on a sheet of bond paper. Identify
the name of the major islands in the country. On the same map,
indicate the location of the major mountain ranges in the Philippines.
5. Make a portrait of yourself, capturing the features of a Pinoy. Use
colorful materials and art paper. Post the portrait on the classroom
walls for viewing, comments and appreciation.

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