INTRODUCTION: THE PHILIPPINES

Spanish and American influence over four centuries has made this intriguing archipelago Asia’s
unexpected treasure.
         They lie like lovely gems atop Asia’s continental shelf in the western Pacific, these 7,107 islands with fluid names like Luzon, Mindoro, Palawan and Sulu. This tropical archipelago is a sprawl of half-drowned mountains, part of a great cordillera extending along the earthquake-prone Ring of Fire from Japan south to Indonesia.

Relaxing by southern waterfalls.

Chris Stowers/Apa Pub lications

       The Philippines is the only predominantly Christian nation in Asia and has always been the odd man out. The legacy of the Spanish and Americans has been overlaid on to the far older Malay/Bornean society, and together they give the Philippines a unique, almost Latin American, flavour. Even in matters of food, it seems out of place. Instead of fiery curries or spicy grilled meats, Filipino cuisine tends to be a sedate mixture of an ascetic atoll diet, combining elements of Chinese imagination and Spanish conservatism

A paradise beach on Bohol in the Visayas.

Chris Stowers/Apa Pub lications

Gigantic, sprawling Manila is the starting point for most journeys. The traveller leaving Europe or North America for the first time might find the megalopolis intimidating in its chaos and frantic energy. It is an old city, with a history that lingers in its architecture: Malacañang Palace, the inner city of Intramuros, the statues and boulevards.

     North of Manila are the lofty highlands of Baguio, Ifugao and beyond. These are serene lands of cascading rice terraces. Further south, surrounded by warm tropical seas, are the Visayas, an ever-changing group of islands for travellers to explore. Here lies Cebu, the gateway to the area and a booming second city of the country, and the beautiful beach resort of Boracay. Further west, Palawan is known for its remote jungles, fine beaches and superb diving.

     Despite the many hardships they have endured in their checkered past, most recently the devastating effects of Typhoon Haiyan, the Filipinos have kept their equanimity, knowing that life is all about adapting to change. They are a friendly lot, as you’ll discover when you experience the archipelago’s many attractions, ranging from unspoilt beaches and serene countryside to exciting nightlife.

PEOPLE AND CULTURE

From Christian fervour to ancestral worship, and from clans to mountain tribes, the richness of

Filipino culture creates one of Asia’s most vibrant societies.

     Filipinos are generally descended from a proto-Malay stock, preceded only by nomadic aborigines who crossed land bridges from mainland Asia before these were submerged to isolate the archipelago. Those early Philippine inhabitants intermarried into Chinese settlements and later with the Spanish during their 333-year period of colonization. Many present-day Filipinos, or Pinoys as they call themselves, are of mixed heritage, known as Spanish mestizo. It’s unclear how many of these people live in the Philippines today: estimates range from 3.5 million to 36 million.

        Filipinos have a justifiable reputation as one of the most hospitable people in the world. Clans are the rule of survival, and are both the main strength and source of corruption in Filipino society. They operate as custodians of common experiences (many old families religiously keep family trees), and as the memory of geographical and racial origins. Clans also act as disciplinary mechanisms, employment agencies and informal social security systems.

      Conversation often starts with questions about family, a topic that allows both sides to go into detail about parents, siblings, children, and their global whereabouts. Filipinos generally know a bit about world geography as a family member has probably worked abroad. Since there are no major ongoing feuds with foreign governments (China is on the watch list from 2012, however), Filipinos harbour little suspicion toward foreign visitors, though cannot hide their pride in having thrown off
colonial rule.

      Direct confrontation is generally avoided. When forced to deliver a negative message, Filipinos are fond of emissaries and indirect allusions, out of respect for the sensitivity of the other party. Strong and fixed eye contact between males is considered aggressive. Eyebrows raised with a smile are a silent ‘hello’ or ‘yes’ to a question. One might be pointed toward a direction with pursed lips. Polite language and gentle conversation are ever important, even during inevitable disputes between
travellers and local merchants. If foreign guests are invited to a Filipino home, they should give special acknowledgment to elders.