1.

UNIT 2 ASSIGNMENT- WRITING A SHORT CULTURAL GUIDE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Draft a short cultural guide for a group of international students who are planning to visit your
country for a month. Include some information related to the following words below. Please answer
with up to 1000 – 1500 words, not characters (correction to the instruction given in the MOOC
assignment).

Mabuhay, welcome to the Philippines!

We are an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia consisting of about 7,641 islands. These
islands are divided into three main divisions from North to South, namely Luzon, Visayas, and
Mindanao. From Luzon, you can find our densely populated capital city, Manila (Caruncho, 2018).
Here is where most international flights come and go, where you may be first arriving if you were to
consider visiting the Philippines. From the Visayas, you may find our famous island of white beaches,
Boracay. It is deemed to be one of the best islands in the world according to The World’s Best
Awards survey 2020 (Clemence, 2020). And of course, from Mindanao, you may taste the "king of
fruits," the durian fruit. Because of such rich natural resources and biodiversity, Mindanao is rendered
as the "Land of Promise" (Abad, 2016). The most popular time to visit the Philippines is when rainfall
is least expected, from November to April (Philippines: Weather & When To Go, 2020). Upon arrival,
you may notice that it is usually hot and humid since the Philippines mainly has a tropical climate.

Our country's history started with migrants from the Asian mainland settling in the archipelago
(Mijares, 2006). Various tribes flourished across different regions with their customs and traditions to
practice until large coastal settlements had emerged as trading centers and became the focal
point of societal changes (Landa, 2001). Trades from neighboring countries like China and India
caused the quick spread of foreign cultures (Glover, Bellwood, Bellwood, & Glover, 2004). An
example of this is the growth of Indian linguistic terms and religious practices during the 10th century
(Jocano, 2012). Along with these changes came the emergence of social structures, which brought
communities in either unity or division. It was until three countries invaded the nation, namely Spain,
America, and Japan. Although the Americans introduced English and Japanese advanced military
government, Spanish colonization impacted the Philippines the most. For more than 300 years, the
Spaniards successfully invaded the different local states bringing most of what is now the Philippines
into a single unified administration (Llobet, 2015). Our country was under its regime for over 300
years. With their influence, our nation carries hints of Spanish cuisine, culture, and Christianity until
today (Miclat, 2000). Spanish terms like "¿cómo está?" and "pan de sal" were also adapted to our
Filipino language, translating to "kamusta" and "pandesal" (Luna, 2014). During their colonization,
Philippine ethnic groups revolted in pursuit of protecting their native lifestyle. The Igorots from the
mountains of the Cordillera region were one of those (Scott, 1974). The Spaniards were determined
to convert these mountaineers into Christianity yet failed due to their strong forces and defense. Up
to now, the indigenous Cordilleran culture is actively preserved and observed by the Igorot
descendants.

Despite a long history of colonization, the Philippines today continues to thrive as one
independent nation. As a democratic state, the sovereignty of the country resides in the people
and for the people. We are a republic with a presidential form of government wherein the president
is the head of state and head of the government (Rose-Ackerman, Desierto, & Volosin, 2011).
Recent commitments of governmental initiatives of the country paved the way to its rapid
economic growth. The country is now regarded as one of the Tiger Cub Economies of Asia with
Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam (Heng & Niblock, 2014). Such a title was coined to refer
to Southeast Asia's developing countries. These countries follow the economic growth of the original
four Tigers of Asia (Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, and Hong Kong.) According to the International
Monetary Fund 2020, the Philippines is the 29th largest economy by nominal GDP in the world (The
World Bank in the Philippines, 2020). The country is competitive due to its young workforce, where
the median age of the total population is 23.4 (Rastogi, 2013). With the growing labor force, the
Philippines is also ranked 16th in terms of closing the gender gap, according to the Global
GenderGap Report 2020 of the World Economic Forum (Paris, 2019). With less gender disparity in
work environments, there is the availability of numerous jobs open for everyone. Work opportunities
from the major industries of the country are mostly offered, such as manufacturing and agribusiness.
The Philippines also is one of the most attractive pharmaceutical markets in the Asia-Pacific region
(Bajpai, 2019). It may become apparent that when negotiating business here, we may expect
things to be done in what we are familiar with. But with the advent of the improving intercultural
awareness, younger generations of Filipinos are more open-minded (Katz, 2010). Meanwhile,
Philippine education systems are undergoing significant transitions in recent years to achieve better
quality learning. The country offers basic education, higher education, and technical and
vocational education and training. The Philippine Department of Education extended compulsory
schooling from 10 years to 13 years for basic education (Implementing Rules and Regulations of the
Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, 2013). The reason being is for the nation's learning systems
to be at par with other international academic institutions. Alternative learning systems are also
being further developed to provide skills-based training opportunities to out-of-school children
(Parrocha, 2021).

Behind all of this history and achievements, what makes the Philippines is the Filipinos. We, Filipinos,
are described to be family-centered (Goyala, 2019). As a part of the Asian community and culture,
we learned from the very start how to value family. We have a prolific tradition of respect for the
adults and elderly, which we show through our "pagmamano" (Diep, 2019). “Pagmamano” is an
honored gesture done by bowing down toward the person or the elder and taking his or her hand
and pressing it on the forehead. This is usually performed by asking "Mano po" which translates to
“Can I have your blessing?” Filipinos are also known to be hospitable. According to Kyra Ong (2013),
Filipinos have this tradition of treating their guests to a feast or a grand celebration. We offer a
variety of local goods and produce that says many things about our regions. Even our famous
Filipino dish "Tinola" has many different versions depending on where you may be in the country
(Alvarez, 2016). Giving "pasalubongs" is also our tradition here. "Pasalubong" is our term for souvenirs
as we appreciate others also experiencing and acknowledging different cultures (Caballar, 2017).

The Philippines cannot be fully defined through words alone. It is by experiencing it that one
can understand its hidden beauty. Though not perfect, our country continues to strive hard to
become the proud nation we can be. Witness the rich heritage of the pearl of the orient. Meet the
friendliest smiles of the Filipinos. Taste and see the varieties of our delightful delicacies. Choose to
discover more. Choose the Philippines.

Resources
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