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PHILIPPINE CULTURE AND HERITAGE

Understanding the Filipino Culture

The term Filipinos collectively refer to the ethnically diverse people of the Philippines. Most of the population’s
ancestors were of Malay descent and came from the mainland of Southeast Asia, now Indonesia. Contemporary
Filipino society consists of numerous culturally and linguistically distinct ethnic groups. Of these, the most
significant groups are the Cebuano of the Visayan Islands and the Tagalog of Luzon, forming about one-fifth of the
country’s population. Other significant groups include the Hiligaynon (Ilongo) of the Visayan islands of Panay and
Negros and the Ilocano of northern Luzon, each comprising roughly one-tenth of the population. The Bicol (Bikol)
of the Bicol Peninsula and Waray-Waray of Samar and Leyte in the Visayas jointly comprise another one-tenth.
The Kapampangans (Pampango) of south-central Luzon and Filipino mestizos each make up small percentages of
the population.
The remainder of the Philippine population comprises many smaller groups of indigenous and immigrant peoples.
The indigenous people of the islands are the Negritos, a term referring collectively to various peoples of small
stature and dark skin, including the Aeta, Ita, and Agta. These communities constitute only a tiny percentage of
the population (Cullinane, 2022).
Kapwa, a shared inner self, rests at the core of Filipino values. A person who treats another as their kapwa has a
common sense of identity and consciousness with that other person. At the individual and community levels,
strong prominence is placed on social acceptance and keeping social harmony. Social behavior is influenced by
social approval and caring about what others think, say, or do. Below are some common traits and values Filipinos
are known for (Outsource Accelerator, 2022).
• The Family – Filipinos are known to have strong family ties. Therefore, seeing different generations
or multiple families living in one house is normal. The family is at the center of Filipino society. Children
are not likely to leave their parents’ house until they get married. Even after then, many couples stay
with or close to their or their spouse’s parents. Also, they are expected to care for their elderly instead
of sending them to a retirement home. The importance that most Filipinos put into caring for one’s
family can also be seen in why caregivers and nurses from the country working abroad provide their
patients and clients with great care.
• Humor and Positivity – Some traits of every Filipino are optimism, humor, and positivity. Filipinos
enjoy festivities and celebrations. The country has a lengthy list of national holidays, and provinces
and cities have local holidays. But, they still find quality time for their families to celebrate birthdays,
Christmas holidays, and other instances. Concurrently, community members are encouraged to look
at the brighter side of things in challenging situations. The tendency for finding the good in the bad
can be tracked to the country’s location, lying in the path of typhoons and sitting along the Pacific
Ring of Fire. In a place where natural calamities are common, humor and positivity work as a survival
mechanism, much like how some children laugh to conceal their embarrassment after slipping or
falling.
• Flexibility and Adaptability – Bahala na, translated to “whatever happens, happens,” is a familiar
phrase used in the country. It is possibly the most representative of how Filipinos value adaptability
and quick thinking. The expression embodies one’s belief in a higher power and submitting one’s fate
to uncontrolled elements. People using the term bahala na do not see anything wrong with it, as it is
a positive encouragement that allows them to face their problems. Those who consider it a negative
Filipino trait view it as a way to excuse one from responsibility for their actions.

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• Faith and Religion – In Filipino culture, spirituality is deeply embedded. The Catholic Church’s opinions
still affect the passing of some laws, most towns still celebrate fiestas to honor their patron saints,
and several regular non-working national holidays are devoted to commemorating various religious
activities and events. To many Filipinos, religion helps form their values and principles, which up to
this day, still play a big part in society and everyday lives.
• Filipino Hospitality – Filipinos can be expected to warmly welcome their guests regardless of where
they come from, how well they know them, and why they’re visiting someone’s home. That is what
makes a Filipino naturally hospitable. The hosts typically provide their guests with food and
entertainment and a tour around the local destinations if there is a time. Before visitors leave, they
are even offered to take home pasalubong or souvenirs such as delicacies and local sweets.
Filipinos also possess the following positive traits aside from the ones mentioned:
• Respect for the elderly – Filipinos highly respect their elderly, including their parents. Young adults
practice taking their elders’ hands and saying “mano po” to show respect when they arrive at their
homes.
• Industrious attitude – Another one of the outstanding characteristics of Filipinos is their being
resourceful and hardworking. They are determined to finish their goals despite limited resources and
challenging circumstances.
• Generosity – Filipinos are naturally generous and helpful people. They give as much as possible and
help family members — and even strangers — when needed. It is seen through the country's
abundance of charity drives and foundations, especially when calamities arise.
Cultural Heritage Tourism in the Philippines
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics,
2009 UNESCO Framework for Cultural Statistics, cultural heritage includes artifacts, monuments, a group of
buildings and sites, and museums that have a variety of values, including symbolic, historical, artistic, aesthetic,
ethnological, or anthropological, scientific, and social significance. It includes tangible and intangible cultural
heritage. Tangible cultural heritage consists of buildings, landscapes, books, works of art, and artifacts. In contrast,
intangible cultural heritage includes folklore, traditions, language, and knowledge. Preserving cultural heritage
keeps cultural practices and identities alive in people's memory as a part of what has shaped every person and
nation. These two (2) cultural heritages are often deeply intertwined, and they cannot be fully separated and often
work in partnership.
Tangible Cultural Heritage
It is a physical artifact, monument, or collection of objects produced, maintained, and transmitted
intergenerationally in a society. Below are the world heritage sites in the Philippines as listed by the Department
of Tourism (DOT):
• Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park – It is a natural wonder in Palawan province. Its
geological features are distinctive, and the Subterranean River is considered one of the longest
worldwide. It is among the few in the world that flows out into the sea from an inland source and has
been the focus of much curiosity and scientific investigation. The vast rainforest of the park is the
home of different endemic and threatened species of flora and fauna. The mouse deer, Calamian
deer, Palawan bearcat, porcupines, skunks, wild pigs, flying squirrels, rats, bats, and monkeys are
among the animals that inhabit the park. Cave-inhabiting forms of reptiles, birds, and mammals
dominate the animals. All these are endemic to Palawan; they exist nowhere else on earth.

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• Banaue Rice Terraces – The Rice Terraces of the Cordilleras in the Ifugao province are one of the most
outstanding places among the world heritage sites in the Philippines. Lying high in the Cordillera
Mountain Range, their setting cannot be duplicated anywhere in the country's lowland tropical
landscape and the world. The site is where terraces are sliced into mountain slopes with steep
contours. Their presence in the Cordillera connects man with nature, and the unparalleled view shows
how man has shaped the landscape to grow rice. The absolute majesty of the terraces communicates
uniqueness and strength, wherein most Filipinos regard it as their most significant national symbol.
• The Historic City of Vigan in Ilocos Sur – Vigan was established in the 16th century and is the best-
well-preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia. During the height of the Spanish
colonial era in the 18th and 19th centuries, Vigan or Ciudad Fernandina de Vigan was the third most
important city after Manila and Cebu. It was the center of Spanish colonial power in northern Luzon.
The range of buildings along the plazas and streets reveals the town's story. Large and imposing
buildings evoke religious or political power. Grand homes speak of wealth, while others speak of more
modest means. The architectural ensemble shows that Vigan was the region's political, economic,
religious, and artistic center. The town is a living testament to the Spanish colonial era, a place that
exerts a strong cultural influence on the modern Philippine nation. More importantly, the architecture
of Vigan relates to the story of the Filipinos, of how their constant exposure to foreign influences
endowed them with the ability to adapt foreign ideas and combine them into a style that is uniquely
their own.
• Baroque Churches of the Philippines – These are four (4) Roman Catholic churches constructed
between the 16th and 18th centuries during the Spanish period. These churches are San Agustin Church
in Intramuros, Manila, Nuestra Señora de la Asunción in Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur, Saint Augustine
Church (Paoay Church) in Paoay, Ilocos Norte, and Santo Tomas de Villanueva Church (Miagao
Church) in Miagao, Iloilo. Their distinctive architectural style is a reinterpretation of European
Baroque by Chinese and Philippine artisans. Their squat, enormous appearance, which illustrates a
fortress/protective-like character in response to pirates, marauders, and the geologic conditions of a
country prone to seismic activities, are the common and specific attributes of the churches. The
Baroque churches indicate excellent site planning principles following the Ley de las Indias (Laws of
the Indies) enacted by Philip II in 1563 for all newly discovered settlements within Spanish colonial
territories.
• Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park – It lies in the middle of the Sulu Sea and includes the Tubbataha and
Jessie Beazley Reefs. It is home to a wide diversity of marine life. Whales, sharks, dolphins, turtles,
and Napoleon wrasse are the key species found here. The reef ecosystems support more than 360
species of coral and nearly 700 species of fish. The reserve also protects one of the region's few
remaining colonies of breeding seabirds.
• Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary – It forms a mountain ridge along the Pujada Peninsula
in the southeastern part of the Eastern Mindanao Biodiversity Corridor. It provides critical habitat for
a range of plant and animal species. It provides a haven to a host of globally endangered and endemic
flora and fauna species, eight (8) of which are found nowhere else except Mount Hamiguitan,
including critically threatened trees, plants, and the iconic Philippine Eagle and cockatoo.

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Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)

UNESCO defined ICH to include “traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed on to
our descendants, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge, and
practices concerning nature and the universe or the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts.”
Below are some intangible cultural heritage documented in the Philippines (Vivas, 2021):
• Buklog ritual of the Subanen of Zamboanga Peninsula – Inscribe in the List of Intangible Cultural
Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding by UNESCO in December 2019, the Buklog is the most
sophisticated and largest among the rituals of the Subanen people of the Zamboanga Peninsula in
western Mindanao. It is held to appease and show gratitude to the spirits for several reasons, such as
recovery from sickness or calamity, a bountiful harvest or acknowledgment of a new leader. It lasts
several days with various attendant rituals. The most distinctive feature is a tall structure with a highly
flexible platform, serving as a sacred and social space for rituals and community dance. Such a ritual
system is the most powerful cultural symbol of the Subanen’s individual and collective identity and
the greatest uniting force of the community.
• Piña handloom weaving of the Aklanon of Panay Island – Piña has been woven by the Aklanon in the
province of Aklan, Western Visayas. It is made from pineapple leaf fibers and woven using a handloom.
The whole procedure has remained almost unchanged since it began. Piña is deemed the finest among
handwoven textiles. Filipinos took pride in the textile because of its quality, relative rarity, and value.
It is used in fashion and finery and passed down as heirlooms. Piña can only be produced through
conventional means, which can be tiresome, thus the decreasing number of practitioners.
• Igal, the traditional dance of the Sama people of Tawi-Tawi – For different occasions and reasons
and with many variants, the Sama people of Tawi-Tawi perform the Igal, their traditional dance. It is
a shared heritage among the Sama and other people in the western Mindanao area, where it is called
Pamansak in Yakan and Pangalay in Tausug. All the names mean “dance.” The Igal is distinguished by
graceful movements, mostly imitating natural motions such as birds' flight and sea waves. The dance
is also known for the use of finger extensions called janggay.
• Lepa and other watercraft and boat-building practices of the Sama people of Tawi-Tawi – The Sama
people of Tawi-Tawi are also famous for making boats, of which the lepa is the most common. It is
used for fishing and traveling and also serves as a house for an entire family, who may have various
boats, from small to big, used for various purposes. Constructing these boats is passed on from father
to son and from the elders to the younger generation.
• Feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia of Naga City, Bicol Region – The centuries-old image of Nuestra
Señora de Peñafrancia (Our Lady of Peñafrancia) is the subject of solid devotion in the Philippines,
particularly in Bicol, where she is considered as the region’s patroness and the Queen of Bicol. Every
September, millions of devotees flock to Naga City, where she is enshrined in a basilica in a reverence
marked by prayers, masses, and fluvial processions.
• Using mud as a mordant in the traditional dyeing process of the Ifugao of Northern Luzon – For
centuries, the Ifugao, one of the indigenous groups in Cordillera, has been weaving textiles by hand,
using the back-strap loom like many weaving villages in the country, and the pedal loom. The textiles
are dyed using the ikat technique and natural dyes obtained from plants and mud, which also act as
a mordant, an ingredient to repair the colors on the materials, to make them more vivid, or to create
a unique shade. The most fitting iron-rich mud is collected in particular areas in the rice paddies or

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ponds with their hands and put in buckets, all performed with calmness and reverence as they believe
that spirits reside there.
• Traslacion of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo, Manila – The Black Nazarene is among the images of
Jesus Christ that inspires intense adoration among the dominantly Catholic Filipinos. The Traslacion is
a reenactment of the transport of the Black Nazarene’s replica image from Intramuros to Quiapo
Church in 1787. The original statue was initially brought to the Philippines by the Augustinian
Recollects in 1606. Since then, every year on January 9, the Traslacion is held annually to
commemorate the Black Nazarene’s first journey to its current home, the Quiapo Church. It attracts
millions of devotees who pray to and honor the Black Nazarene image, try to touch it, and help carry
it to its destination.
• Mask making for the Moryonan Lenten tradition of Marinduque. The unique feature of the Lenten
penitential rite in Marinduque is wearing moryon masks. Moryonan is a week-long religious practice
participated by local penitents wearing full Roman soldier costumes with wooden masks under the
sun's heat. The moryon masks are sculpted from wood and designed by traditional artisans who
learned the craft from their elders. There are less than 10 moryon mask-makers in Marinduque, all
concentrated in Mogpog, where the most conventional form of the moryonan is still practiced.
Festivals
Other intangible cultural heritage may include festivals, a great way to see and experience authentic culture. Most
of the celebrations in the Philippines are traditionally rooted in Christianity. Being under Spanish colonial rule for
hundreds of years has largely shaped the country’s festival scene – from commemorating the life of Saints to
honoring baby Jesus. These festivals were influential in spreading Christianity. Several festivals are held to
commemorate significant historical events or honor seasons, such as harvest seasons or pay tribute to the
survivors of a tragic earthquake.
Contrary to what one might believe, most Philippine festivals are not peaceful and meditative. They are often
celebrated with frenzied dancing, loud music, feasts, outrageous costumes, and alcohol. The following are some
of the famous festivals in the Philippines (Lagandaon, 2022):
• Sinulog Festival – This festival is held in Cebu City every 3rd week of January and is among the largest
festivals in the country. The infamous celebration is held to honor the Sto. Niño (the Holy Child Jesus),
the city's patron saint. It features a dance ritual that indicates the Filipino’s pagan past and its
conversion to Christianity. Parade participants dress in multi-colored costumes and dance to
trumpets, drums, and native gongs. Streets are lined from end to end with food and souvenir vendors
and onlookers raring for a glimpse of the spectacular performances.
• Dinagyang Festival – This festival is held in Iloilo City every 4th Sunday of January. “Dinagyang” is an
Ilonggo term for merrymaking or revelry. Following its name, the festival is one of the country's
biggest world-class festivals, hosting various events. The celebration commemorates the Santo Niño
or the Holy Child Jesus and the arrival of Malay (any member of an ethnic group of the Malay
Peninsula) settlers in the city. The most famous event is the Dagyang Tribes Dance Competition. It is
where Ilonggo tribes are covered in body paint, present a tableau of folkloric scenarios, and go on
parade throughout the city while donning props, dancing, and wearing extremely embellished
costumes.
• Masskara Festival – Every October in Bacolod City, this festival is attended by millions of people
worldwide. The festival is a monthlong of non-stop street-dancing, drinking, and merrymaking. It
began in 1980 during an agricultural crisis as a means of escapism to lift the local’s spirits and bring

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back the smiles on their faces. Masskara, which translates to “many faces,” is developed from the
Filipino word mascara, meaning mask. During the festival, performers, dancers, and onlookers are
encouraged to wear a smiling mask (a sign of Bacolod being the “City of Smiles”).
• Ati-Atihan Festival – Every January, this festival is celebrated in Kalibo, Aklan. It is the Philippines’
oldest festival, “The Mother of all Philippine Festivals.” As the country’s first festival, it is said to have
inspired most Philippine festivals, including the Dinagyang and Sinulog. The festival has been
celebrated for over 800 years in honor of the Holy Child Jesus. Ati-Atihan came from the Ati-people:
short, dark-skinned, and frizzy-haired. It is helpful to mention that while the festival is pagan in origin,
the Spaniards turned the celebration into a Christian event. This festival is a week-long event of street
parties and dancing competitions.
• Pahiyas Festival – In the province of Quezon, this festival is a harvest celebration held every May. The
word “Pahiyas” means to decorate, and the festival’s goal is to see which house in the community is
best adorned with farm crops like fruits, vegetables, and kiping (a type of wafer made with rice and
food coloring). The festival traces back to the 15th century when farmers would present their crops at
the church to honor St. Isidore the Laborer, their patron saint. The priest would then bless the harvest
to thank the Lord for providing them. As time passed, and for convenience’s sake, farmers decided to
display their harvests at their houses instead so the priest could visit and bless their crops.
• Panagbenga Festival is a yearly flower festival celebrated every February, lasting over a month and
taking place in Baguio City, Philippines. “Panagbenga” comes from a Kankanaey term meaning
“season of blooming.” This festival reflects the history, traditions, and values of Baguio and the
Cordilleras (Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc., 2022). It showcases floral float parades, street and
native dances, and food streets.
• Moriones Festival – This is held during Holy Week every April in Marinduque. This festival is a yearly
religious event to remember the life of St. Longinus – a centurion who pierced Jesus with a spear as
he was hanging on the cross. According to the Bible, Longinus’ faltering sight was healed when some
of Jesus’ blood spilled into his eyes. This miracle urged him to convert, causing him to leave the army
and serve as a monk in Cappadocia. The festival’s name came from the word “morion” – the helmet
of Roman soldiers. The Moriones is a week-long event to re-enact the search for Longinus and the
“Passion of the Christ.” Men wear masks, Roman armor with breastplates, vibrantly colored tunics,
imperial helmets, and spears.
• Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival – This is one of the most anticipated festivals in Tacloban every June. It
was first celebrated in 1987 to showcase the tattooed tribespeople of Samar and Leyte called the
Pintados. It is one of the most colorful cultural-religious festivals in the country and draws travelers
to Tacloban. The festival features lots of street dancing where participants wear vibrant costumes and
ornate body paint resembling the armor used by tribal warriors.
• Giant Lantern Festival – It is held every December in San Fernando, Pampanga, the Christmas Capital
of the Philippines. It is one of the biggest Christmas-themed festivals in the country. For over a
hundred years, the city has been holding the Giant Lantern Festival, which traces its roots to the
Christmas tradition called lubena (a nightly procession of hand-carried lanterns held during the nine-
day masses leading up to Christmas Day). The participants are encouraged to craft giant Christmas
lanterns. Residents volunteer to contribute to its creation, from the design to sourcing materials and
providing labor. As the years went by, the lanterns became more extensive and intricate. Once all
lanterns are finished, they are paraded around each barrio on Christmas Eve.

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References:
Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc. (2022). About Panagbenga. https://www.panagbengaflowerfestival.com/
Cullinane, G. (2022, December 9). Philippines. In Britannica. Retrieved December 14, 2022, from
https://www.britannica.com/place/Philippines/Plant-and-animal-life
Department of Tourism. (n.d.). Top world heritage. Retrieved December 21, 2022, from
http://www.tourism.gov.ph/top_heritage.aspx
Department of Tourism Philippines. (n.d.). Dinagyang Festival. https://philippines.travel/events/dinagyang-
festival
Lagandaon, J. (2022, October 12). 10 Best festivals in the Philippines | most celebrated festivals.
https://viatravelers.com/festivals-in-the-philippines/
Osorno, R., Bajao, G., & Buslon, V. (2021). Philippine Culture & Tourism Geography. Wiseman’s Books Trading, Inc.
Outsource Accelerator. (2022, April 11). Understanding Filipino traits, values, and culture. In Outsource
Accelerator. Retrieved December 14, 2022, from https://www.outsourceaccelerator.com/articles/filipino-
traits-and-values/
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, (2009). 2009 UNESCO framework for cultural statistic. [PDF]. Retrieved December
21, 2022, from http://uis.unesco.org/sites/default/files/documents/unesco-framework-for-cultural-
statistics-2009-en_0.pdf
UNESCO World Heritage Centre. (n.d.). Baroque Churches of the Philippines. https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/677
UNESCO World Heritage Centre. (n.d.). Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary.
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1403
UNESCO World Heritage Centre. (n.d.). Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park. https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/653
Vivas, J. (2021, March 6). 10 documentaries on Philippine intangible cultural heritage. Manila Bulletin. Retrieved
December 22, 2022, from https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/06/10-documentaries-on-philippine-intangible-
cultural-heritage/
What is cultural heritage? (n.d.). In IGI Global. Retrieved December 21, 2022, from https://www.igi-
global.com/dictionary/espaa-verde/6392

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