Portal:Philippines

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 roughly 300,000 square kilometers, which are broadly categorized in three main geographical divisions from north to south: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. With a population of over 110 million, it is the world's twelfth-most-populous country.

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 has diverse ethnicities and a rich culture. 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. Extensive overseas trade with neighbors such as the late Tang or Song empire brought Chinese people to the archipelago as well, which would also gradually settle in and intermix over the centuries. The arrival of the explorer Ferdinand Magellan 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. Catholicism 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. Since then, the country notably experienced a period of martial law from 1972 to 1981 under the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos and his subsequent overthrow by the People Power Revolution in 1986. Since returning to democracy, the constitution of the Fifth Republic was enacted in 1987, and the country has been governed as a unitary presidential republic. However, the country continues to struggle with issues such as inequality and endemic corruption.

The Philippines is an emerging market and a developing and newly industrialized country, whose economy is transitioning from being agricultural to service- and manufacturing-centered. 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. The country is part of multiple international organizations and forums. (Full article...)

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The Legazpi-Sikatuna Blood Compact, or Sandugo (Spanish: Pacto de Sangre), was a blood compact, performed on the island of Bohol in the Philippines, between the Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna, chieftain of Bohol, on March 16, 1565, to seal their friendship following tribal tradition. This is considered the first treaty of friendship between the Spaniards and Filipinos. Sandugo is a Visayan word meaning "one blood".

The Sandugo is depicted on both the provincial flag and the official seal of the government of Bohol. It also features the image of the blood compact. The top of the seal explains the history behind the Sandugo event, the fleet and the location where the Spaniards anchored, and the place where the treaty was conducted. (Full article...)

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... that foreign nationals wishing to gain Philippine citizenship need to demonstrate proficiency in English or Spanish as well as a Philippine language?
... that while Philippine Spanish has been described as an endangered language, a new generation of speakers has emerged?
... that the writings of José Rizal, a prominent contributor to liberalism in the Philippines, were adopted by both Philippine independence fighters and American colonial authorities?
... that Angeline Quinto has recorded songs for at least 35 films and television soundtracks in the Philippines?
... that Dolly de Leon was the first Filipino to be nominated for a Golden Globe or a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress?
... that the Filipino musician No Rome took his stage name from people doubting his career choice?
... that SB19 became the first Filipino group to appear on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart, with "Gento"?
... that abused Overseas Filipino Workers accused the former chargé d'affaires of the Philippine embassy in Damascus of neglecting them while he was regularly partying with handsome Syrians?

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

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Edgar Sinco Romero, NA (July 7, 1924 – May 28, 2013), commonly known as Eddie Romero, was a Filipino film director, film producer and screenwriter. (Full article...)

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General images

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

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

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In the news

23 March 2025 – 2025 WTA Tour: In tennis, Alexandra Eala becomes the first Filipino player to defeat a top-10 opponent since the WTA rankings began in 1975, after winning in the third round of the Women's singles tournament at the Miami Open against world No. 5 Madison Keys. (The Athletic)
11 March 2025 – International Criminal Court investigation in the Philippines, Philippine drug war: Arrest of Rodrigo Duterte; Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte is arrested by the Philippine National Police through the Interpol at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila after being served an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court upon arriving from Hong Kong. Duterte was later transferred and later extradited to The Hague, Netherlands on a chartered flight by the Philippine government. (The New York Times)
7 March 2025 – Canada–Philippines relations: Canada and the Philippines conclude negotiations on a visiting forces agreement. (Reuters)

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More did you know - show different entries

...that José Rizal was a polyglot who mastered 22 languages including Catalan, Chinese, English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Japanese, Latin, Malay, Sanskrit, Spanish, Tagalog, and other Philippine languages?
...that Enrique of Malacca (aka Henry the Black), the interpreter of Ferdinand Magellan, may be historically significant as the first person to circumnavigate the world?
...that Malacañang Palace comes from a Tagalog phrase May lakan diyan, which means "there is a rich man there" for it was once the home of a wealthy Spanish merchant before it hosted the nation's chief executive?