Culture and Tourism

Culture

The Philippines is a culture in which East meets West. The Filipino people have a distinct Asian
background, with a strong Western tradition. The modern Filipino culture developed through influence
from Chinease traders, Spanish conquistadors, and American rulers. Filipino people tend to be very
hospitable, especially to Western visitors (1). Because of their strong ties to Spanish culture, Filipinos are
emotional and passionate about life in a way that seems more Latin than Asian (1). This is easily seen in
the works of comporary artists such as Rody Herrera in his painting Unahan Sa Duluhan.

The family is the basic and most important aspect of Filipino culture. Divorce is prohibited and
annulments are rare (2). The family is the safety net for indivuduals, especially older people, during
difficult economic times. Children will often stay with their parents into adulthood, only leaving when
they get married (2). Political and business ties are often influenced by family relationships (2).

Two traits that many foreign visitors often have a difficult time understanding are Pakikisama and Utang
na Loob. Pakikisama roughly means "getting along" and requires individuals overlook slight
improprieties or indiscretions for the sake of preserving peace within the family, personal, or business
relationship. Utang na Loob refers to the custom of paying back one favor with another (2). These traits
emphasize the importance that Filipino people place on maintaining pleasant interpersonal relationships
and puting the needs of the group ahead of the individual.

More than 80% of the population of the Philippines is Roman Catholic. Fiestas in honor of the patron
saint of a town are quite common. Criticism of the Catholic church is not taken lightly - and should be
avoided (2).

In the Philippines, people greet each other with a handshake. A smile or raised eyebrows can mean
"Hello" or "Yes". Someone can be summoned with a downward wave of the hand (3).

Tourism
Anyone with a valid passport (from a country in which the Philippines has diplomatic relations) may
enter the Philippines for up to 21 days without a visa. All travelers should keep in mind, however, that is
costs P500 to leave the country.

The Philippines has much to offer tourists and sight-seerers: mountains, beaches, caves, and markets
filled with exotic goods. Hotels range in price from about $50.00 per night to several hundred dollars per
night. A tax of 15% is added to the cost of each room.

Language

In the Philippines, there are about 76 to 78 major language groups, with more than 500 dialects.

For more than 300 years, Spanish was the official language in the country under Spanish rule. 60% of the
population spoke Spanish as either a first, second or third language in the early 20th century. But after
the American occupation in the early 1900’s, the use of Spanish began to decline. In 1935, the
Constitution of the Philippines named English and Spanish the official languages. In 1939, the Tagalog
language was named the national language. It was renamed “Pilipino” in 1959 and finally “Filipino” in
1973. The present Constitution names Filipino and English as joint official languages.

Food

adobo pagkaing pilipino

The food culture in the Philippines is very different from that of the Western’s culture. Filipinos are big
eaters and love to eat rice. Rice is a food staple in every Filipino’s meal every day. It’s quite impossible to
see a Filipino who doesn’t eat rice, unless that person is on a strict diet. In fact, there are many
restaurants who even offer “unlimited rice”. That’s how huge Filipinos’ love for rice is.

Filipinos also have a regular eating schedule: morning (breakfast), mid-morning (snacks), noon (lunch),
afternoon (snacks), and evening (dinner). So if you’re a certified foodie, you will be delighted by the food
culture in the Philippines as there are so many foods, both original and adapted from other countries,
that you can enjoy. The best way to make the most of food Filipino culture is to be adventurous (with
caution) when it comes to dishes.

The foreign influences also played a huge role in the food culture in the Philippines. Some popular
Filipino foods influenced by other nations are paella, morcon, burges, pies, noodles, samgyupsal, and
more. While the proudly-Pinoy food you can try are adobo, sinigang na baboy, lechon, and halo-halo.
Must-try Filipino food

Adobo

Siningang na baboy

Lechon

Sisig

Balut

Isaw

Sorbetes

Halo-halo

Puto bumbong

Bibingka

Read also:

A Taste of Filipino Food: 10 Pinoy Dishes That Will Have You Drooling

13 Irresistible Street Food in the Philippines That Will Give You

Filipino Culture

The Filipino culture has varied influences from previous colonizations, deriving mainly from the culture
of Spain and America. You can easily notice it from the architecture to the cultural beliefs in the
Philippines. Despite all of these foreign influences, the old Asian Filipino culture has been retained and
are clearly seen in their way of life, cultural beliefs in the Philippines, Filipino customs and traditions.
Wherever you go, the Filipino culture and values are very evident and have largely been appreciated and
even applauded in many parts of the world.