Peopling of the Philippines:

It is commonly known that despite minute differences, the various

subcultures present in the Philippines are all still founded on the same
principles and values that we collectively call the Philippine culture.
Regardless of variance, neither one of these subcultures can be
considered less "Filipino" than the other; each can stand independently,
and vet all are unified.
This Philippine dynamic of independent cultures stemming from a
core culture is a microcosm of a more expansive cultural evolution
throughout parts of Southeast Asia. This larger phenomenon is referred
to as the Austronesian expansion.
According to Custodio and Dalisay (1998), the Austronesian
influence is one that spans the bottom half of present Southeast Asia and
a portion of the Pacific Ocean. This area is composed of major
landmasses such as the Philippine islands and Madagascar, and smaller
islands in the Pacific such as Guam and Hawaii. From this, the origin of
Austronesian culture is debated to have come from either South China
and Taiwan, spreading southwestward, or from the islands of Southeast
Asia, spreading outward.
As mentioned, the Philippines is included in the countries that have
been influenced by the Austronesians. This influence is highlighted by
comparing certain aspects of the Philippine culture with that of
neighboring countries that also show Austronesian influence. The most
prominent aspects of culture that show this are language, fashion and
belief systems.

Language —

Examining the many languages present in the Philippine culture

and comparing these to languages of neighboring countries highlights
similarities. For example, the number five is translated into 'pitú' in the
Filipino language Cebuano, which strikes a resemblance with the
Javanese translation 'pitu' and Malagasy equivalent 'fito' (Blust, 2018).
This is only one example among the wide array of similarities between
the members of the Austronesian language family. Such resemblances
shows that, despite being independent languages in the modern era, the
Austronesian languages are founded on a singular core language.

Fashion —

The way indigenous people from Austronesian countries dress also

serves as a point of comparison. From the very patterns of their clothing
and the method of weaving these shows the presence of a common
influence. Namely, Austronesian ancestors weave their clothing using a
device called the backstrap loom. This device functions by strapping one
end to a stable post and the other end to the back of the weaver. The
colorful textiles produced by the countries whose ancestors used this
Austronesian method have similar patterns, pointing towards a common
artistic influence (Monteras, 2010). Similarities in Austronesian clothing
also include accessories. For instance, the 'lingling-o' is a symbol of fertility often worn in the
form of a necklace. Such an accessory was
found not only in the Philippines, but also neighboring islands Taiwan and Vietnam (Monteras,
2010).
Aside from clothing, body modification is also common and of the same form in these
countries. Tattooing, body piercing and teeth filing
are all forms of body modification that are common in most Austronesian
countries (Watts et al., 2015).
Belief Systems —

A majority of the countries influenced by the Austronesians have

ancestors that were polytheistic or believed in multiple gods. These gods varied from powerful
creators to ancestral spirits that roam their lands.
Examples of indigenous tribes that have a belief system that focuses on the existence of
multiple gods are the Kalinga tribe from the Philippines and the Kelabit tribe from Brunei. On
the other hand, the Tawi-tawi tribe from the Philippines and the Karo tribe from Indonesia
highlight the presence of ancestral spirits in their belief systems (Watts et al., 2015).
These beliefs also seep into the daily lives of Austronesian countries. For instance, the
Austronesian concept of the underworld, earthly realm and the upper world is the reason
behind the construction
and layout of traditional houses wherein there are rooms beneath the
ground for animals, rooms level to the ground for humans, and shrines for worship at the
topmost level (Monteras, 2010).

Conclusion —

Given the similarities of neighboring countries in terms of language, fashion and belief
systems, among others, the Austronesian influence on the Philippine culture is undeniable.
This is also the primary
reason for our strong relations between other countries. All of this goes
to show that the culture of the Philippines is part of an ever-growing and ever-evolving set of
cultures, founded on the more expansive culture of
the Austronesians.
This, however, does not mean that what is "Filipino" is not truly
Filipino. Outside influence does not mean that a culture is impure or that
the Filipino identity is tarnished. The fluidity of a nation to accept other
influences is what allows a nation to mold their true identity. Despite
being similar to other Austronesian countries, each nation is able to
make cultural influences their own so that they stand independent from
one another. Yet, no matter how independent, each country is woven from
the same thread of the Austronesian, thus creating unity.