EDUCATIONALPROFILEOFTHEPHILIPPINES.pdfVIP

EDUCATIONAL PROFILE OF THE PHILIPPINES AND BEST PRACTICES IN FILIPINO SCHOOLS AND CLASSROOMS Ms. Alethea M. Florido Garinger High School Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools I. Background Profile of the Philippines and the Filipino Culture The Philippines is an archipelago of 7,107 islands. It stretches from the south of China to the northern tip of Borneo. The country has over a hundred ethnic groups and a mixture of foreign influences which have molded a unique Filipino culture. It is the third largest English-speaking country in the world. The country is divided into three geographic areas: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. It has 14 regions, 73 provinces and 60 cities. The capital is Manila. The Filipino is basically of Malay stock with a sprinkling of Chinese, American, Spanish, and Arab blood. The Philippines has a population of 76.5 million as of May 2000, and it is hard to distinguish accurately the lines between stocks. From a long history of Western colonial rule, interspersed with the visits of merchants and traders, evolved a people of a unique blend of east and west, both in appearance and culture. The Filipino character is actually a little bit of all the cultures put together. The bayanihan or spirit of kinship and camaraderie that Filipinos are famous for is said to be taken from Malay forefathers. The close family relations are said to have been inherited from the Chinese. The piousness comes from the Spaniards who introduced Christianity in the 16th century. Hospitality is a common denominator in the Filipino character and this is what distinguishes the Filipino. Filipinos are probably one of the few, if not the only, English-proficient Oriental people today. Pilipino is the official national language, with English considered as the countrys