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1[[quoteright:330:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Philippines_map_7720.gif]]
2[[caption-width-right:330: [=TV=]Troping: More fun in the Philippines.]]
3
4The Philippines ('''Filipino:''' ''Pilipinas''), officially known as the Republic of the Philippines ('''Filipino:''' ''Republika ng Pilipinas''), is a Southeast Asian country with an amalgamation of Malay[[labelnote:*]]thus indirectly, Indian as well[[/labelnote]], Chinese, Spanish and American roots and cultures on the western end of the Pacific Ocean.
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6Made up of 7,641 islands (divided between Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao regions), the Philippines is the fourth-largest Asian Anglophone country, most of its population having Austronesian roots. The capital is UsefulNotes/{{Manila}} (which is actually a combination of 17 cities and towns, all centered around the eponymous Spanish-era city). Owing to its position at the crossroads of several foreign trade routes, the country has earned a vast diversity of cultures and religions, of which Christianity predominates, a legacy of [[UsefulNotes/SpanishConquestOfThePhilippines over 300 years]] under the Spanish Empire and 40 under the UsefulNotes/UnitedStates (in fact, the Philippines is both the largest Christian-majority country and has the highest Christian population in Asia, with only [[UsefulNotes/TimorLeste East Timor]] and UsefulNotes/{{Armenia}} having a higher proportion of Christians), with Islam a distant second and Buddhists, animists and others filling the gaps.
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8Classified as one of the developing nations of the world, the Philippines has been experiencing political instability, poverty, and a population growing at an extremely fast rate. On the other hand, it is one of the world's most bountiful countries in terms of flora and fauna, has many urbanized cities with progressive socioeconomic growth, has deep, rich cultures of both ancient and contemporary, and both ''Time'' and ''Reader's Digest'' discussed survey results indicating that Filipinos are happier in comparison to people of developed countries.
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10It is well-known that besides a booming export market and local corporate businesses, the Philippines' economy heavily relies on foreign remittances from overseas workers. That's right, one of the country's biggest exports is its people, who make up a major proportion of overseas workers from all over the world. It helps that most of these workers speak fluent English, a mark of the nation's past as a colony of the United States and ongoing complex relationship with that country.
11
12!!Names and terms
13
14While the country is the Philippines, "Filipino" refers to the people/nationality, culture and national language. The feminine form "Filipina" is also used for female Filipinos as it was originally a gendered noun imported from Spanish - though the national language itself is otherwise gender-neutral, so using "Filipino" for females is perfectly normal if not more common these days. In the Tagalog language which became the basis of the national language, this became "Pilipino" etc., and bitter debates were held over using P or F back in the day. "Pilipino" is still colloquially used, but "Filipino" is the current official spelling[[note]]as defined by the Constitutions of [[NewerThanTheyThink 1987, and earlier, 1973]]; previously, the national language was named "Pilipino" in the 1950s, and even earlier it was just "the national language" in the 1930s - but it was always understood to be based on Tagalog, to the chagrin of non-Tagalogs[[/note]] and definitely the one to use in English. Whatever you do, don't spell it "Philippino". The adjective form is most commonly "Filipino" as well, but "Philippine" is also used in English typically for institutions (i.e. Philippine government, not "Filipino government") and historical events (i.e. Philippine Revolution, not "Filipino Revolution") which can feel somewhat arbitrary.
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16A common informal equivalent for "Filipino" is "Pinoy" and the feminine form is "Pinay", after an old style of nicknaming which shortens names and inserts ''-y'' or ''-oy'', particularly for names ending in O for men and A for women.[[note]]For instance, Alejandro may become Andoy, Candida may become Diday, and Salvador may become Doy. Though Andoy and Diday could be Anding and Diding instead, following another style of nicknaming which uses '''-ing''.[[/note]] Filipinos of Chinese descent may thus be informally called "Chinoy"/"Chinay"[[note]]Or Tsinoy/Tsinay depending on the orthography used, due to the "Filipino vs. Tagalog" language war[[/note]], short for "Chinese Pinoy" etc. though the terms could instead derive directly from Spanish ''chino'' plus the aforementioned nicknaming convention. Supporting the latter, "tisoy"/"tisay" is short for ''mestizo''/''mestiza'', but it's only used as a descriptive term for Pinoys who "look white" (more on this later) without the cultural connotation that "Chinoy" and "Pinoy" itself carries.
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18People of Filipino descent in other countries have coined or received other terms like "Filo" (Australia, New Zealand) or "Flip" (United States) which are bound to invite confusion, bemusement and ridicule when used among homegrown Pinoys. Similarly, "Filipinx", a gender-inclusive imitation of "Latinx" (which itself is divisive among Latino people) is used by a few people of Filipino descent abroad, but this caused a minor uproar online when homegrown Pinoys discovered it, as they see it as unnecessary and presumptive because "Filipino" and thus "Pinoy" are often gender-neutral in context already (just like "Latino"), "Pinxy" would look and sound hilarious and "Chinxy" accidentally racist, and because they have [[FirstWorldProblems much, much bigger fish to fry than this]].
19
20An older term for the country from American colonial days is the "Philippine Islands", ultimately from Spanish "Las Islas Filipinas". Hence the acronym for the country among the World War II generation and older is "PI", which also happens to be short for a certain well-known Filipino profanity. Then the acronym was "RP" until the 2010s, when it was changed to "PH".
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22!!History
23
24The islands were settled as early as 67,000 years ago, evidenced by the metatarsal of a man found in Cagayan valley in 2007. The earliest settlement routes, however, remain contested between Borneo and Taiwan. By the first millennium CE, the various isolated communities of the islands evolved into important trade posts attracting various merchants from as far as India and China, and by the 1300s Islam made its headway, starting with the Sulu Islands to the southwest and reaching as far as Manila.
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26The classical period of precolonial Philippine history—technically, "pre-Philippine history", as the name is obviously of colonial origin, named for King Philip II of Spain—is known largely from third-party accounts from elsewhere in East and Southeast Asia, but the oldest concrete artifact of a proto-Philippine provenance is the Literature/LagunaCopperplateInscription,
27 [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laguna_Copperplate_Inscription a record of a royal debt pardon]] dated, luckily very specifically, to 900 CE. It definitively demonstrated that culturally advanced and loosely organised kingdoms were thriving in the area for at least a millennium before the colonial period. Although the islands had few, if any, traces of the great centralised kingdoms in most of the rest of Southeast Asia, they were occupied by several small, functionally independent, royal city-states, generally established along riverbanks or coastal areas, known as ''barangays'' (roughly, "villages", but named after the clan boats common in the region, called ''balangay''; the term survives today as the country's smallest political unit). Their leaders had various titles, including ''Datu'', ''Rajah'', or ''Lakan'', all of which mean some variant of "monarch". The leaders of the largest kingdoms were either styled ''Rajah'' (from the Indian influence) or ''Sultan'' (especially after the Islamic influx; this is still true for hereditary rulers in Mindanao, for example). The more notable examples of precolonial kingdoms include Cebu (originally ''Sugbu''), Butuan, Tondo (originally ''Tundo'', the kingdom that issued the debt pardon inscribed on the Laguna Copperplate, above), and Manila (originally ''Maynila'', also formerly named ''Seludong''), as well as the more organised Sultanates of Sulu and Maguindanao in the south. They paid tribute to larger centres of civilisation in the region, such as Imperial China or the Majapahit Empire in modern-day {{UsefulNotes/Indonesia}}. Some pre-Philippine kingdoms earned quite a reputation for quality items and fairness in trade that the Chinese, for instance, made them preferential trading partners over the likes of {{UsefulNotes/Japan}}.
28
29Amidst this background Portuguese conquistador Ferdinand Magellan managed to find the islands in 1521 and claimed them on behalf of the Kingdom of Spain. Magellan would never live to see his fleet complete the world's first circumnavigation, however -- he was killed in Cebu in a skirmish with a defending ''datu'' (tribal leader), Lapu-lapu, opposing another ''datu'' aligned with Magellan. After a long hiatus, Spanish colonization began in earnest in 1565 from Cebu under Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, before conquering Panay and finally Manila in 1571, where they established the capital of the Spanish East Indies, which also includes what is now UsefulNotes/{{Guam}}, the UsefulNotes/{{Federated States of Micronesia}}, the UsefulNotes/{{Northern Mariana Islands}} and UsefulNotes/{{Palau}}. It was also part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain with UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}}, during which time Manila and Acapulco became the ports-of-call for galleon fleets which brought migrants, food and missionaries, thus contributing to the Philippines' Latin American flavor. Chinese people, who had predated the Europeans in the area, also continued to immigrate, thrive and intermarry with the natives under Spanish rule despite intermittent persecutions. The first [[FriendlyLocalChinatown "Chinatown"]] in history was established in Manila in 1581, relocating all its Chinese immigrants to one place within cannon range from the Spanish walls; the area of Manila "within the walls" or ''Intramuros'', later dubbed "the Walled City", was the site of the Spanish administration proper. However, the Philippines also saw many a threat from within (local insurgents and Muslim warlords in Mindanao) and without (Chinese pirates and fellow colonists from the Netherlands and Portugal), including a three-year occupation by the British as a SpinOff of the UsefulNotes/SevenYearsWar (1762-1764).
30
31---> (For further details, see ''UsefulNotes/SpanishConquestOfThePhilippines'').
32
33After Mexico declared independence in 1821, Madrid directly took control of the Spanish East Indies, opening up Manila to international trade, bringing in a wave of immigrants from Latin America and mainland Spain, while wealthy individuals from mixed backgrounds - indigenous Filipinos, called ''indios'' ("Indians"), people of mixed native and Spanish and/or Chinese descent, called ''mestizos'' (the singular is literally "mixed" in Spanish; naturally, Spanish mestizos were socially ranked higher than Chinese ones) and pure Spaniards born in the Islands, called ''insulares'' (''Filipino'' was then properly applied only to them; also analogous to ''criollo'' or "creole" in Latin America) were given the opportunity to study abroad, some of which bringing home with them liberal ideals, which sometimes aroused the suspicion of the ''peninsulare'' (Spain-born pure Spanish) leaders, who were understandably wary due to their association with {{UsefulNotes/Napoleon|Bonaparte}}'s exploits decades ago. Things came to a head after a failed mutiny of ''insulares'' in Cavite led to the execution of three indigenous priests on false charges of inciting the mutiny, leading to the establishment of the Propaganda Movement, a group of émigrés - who first dubbed themselves ''indios bravos'' and finally reclaimed the name ''Filipino'' - lobbying for awareness, political representation, and government and societal reforms.
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35That, too, met with resistance from Madrid, and by the time one of the movement's leaders, doctor and novelist José Rizal, was executed on December 30, 1896, calls for reform had already given way to those for armed revolt. The Philippine Revolution, led by Andres Bonifacio and the ''Katipunan'' secret society (whose full acronym[[note]]short for "Kataas-taasang, Kagalang-galang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan", Supreme and Venerable Society of the Sons of the People[[/note]] was KKK, [[UsefulNotes/KuKluxKlan no relation to the American one]]) broke out in August 1896. Bonifacio's position would be challenged by the Cavite-based Magdalo faction of the Katipunan, led by landlord Emilio Aguinaldo, who later took over in 1897 but was driven into exile in Hong Kong that same year.
36
37During this time the UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar broke out, and the Philippines became one such theater. The Americans recruited Aguinaldo to their side. He then returned to the Philippines backed by US forces in May 1898, declared independence on June 12, and founded what is today considered the "first" Republic a year later. However, the Spanish government surrendered to the Americans alone and handed over the Philippines to the US with the Treaty of Paris with zero involvement from the Filipinos. The US was in its [[UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny international expansionist]] phase, as was happening in Cuba. War erupted again as the Filipinos fought the Americans in a conflict called the Philippine Insurrection or the Philippine-American War. That officially ended in 1902 after Aguinaldo was captured, though pockets of resistance remained for a decade afterwards. At the same time, the Americans also pacified the Muslim south, which had never been fully conquered by the Spanish and had mostly remained apart from the Philippine Revolution, in a conflict dubbed the Moro Rebellion.
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39By the mid-1910s the situation had relatively calmed down, during which the Islands experienced a cultural renaissance, and some nationalists elected into the legislature began submitting multiple proposals for Washington to lay down a groundwork for future independence, culminating in the establishment of the Philippine Commonwealth (more formally, the Commonwealth of the Philippines) in 1935, with senator Manuel L. Quezon at the presidential seat, which aimed to prepare the Philippines for self-rule in 1945.
40
41...Then [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Pearl Harbor happened]]. Ten hours after the attacks, the Japanese turned to the Philippines. Manila was declared an "open city" to prevent destruction, but American and Filipino forces staggered on until they were finally overwhelmed at Corregidor Island and Bataan peninsula, while UsefulNotes/DouglasMacArthur, leader of the United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE), was forced to flee to UsefulNotes/{{Australia}} on orders from President UsefulNotes/FranklinDRoosevelt, but not before famously making a promise to return. In the meantime Japan set up [[PuppetState a puppet government]] under [[TheQuisling Jose Laurel]], to which most Filipinos, appalled by the abuses of the Japanese forces, responded with guerrilla resistance that effectively controlled 60% of the islands, stalling assimilation into the Japanese Empire long enough to make [=MacArthur's=] return easier -- but not that much, as Japan used the islands as their final line of defense to Japan, leading to the largest naval battle in the world over Leyte Gulf, which saw a decisive American victory, and brutal urban warfare in Manila which saw thousands of deaths.[[note]]Of all the cities damaged in World War II, only Warsaw and Stalingrad suffered more.[[/note]] After war's end, the United States finally fulfilled its promise on July 4, 1946 (a year late to the original plan).
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43Throughout the early UsefulNotes/ColdWar era the Philippines had to contend with the Hukbalahap or Huks ("Hukbong Bayan Laban sa Hapon", National/People's Army Against the Japanese, later "Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan", People's Liberation Army), Communist rebels originally formed during World War II. They were finally pacified under the moderate Ramon Magsaysay in the 1950s. Under his successor, Carlos Garcia, the government also adopted a "Filipino First" economic policy which favored local businesses. Fundamental issues like a reliance on agricultural commodities and slow industrialization dampened economic growth toward the end of the decade, while agrarian issues like land reform continued to be a source of peasant grievances. The latter issue was a key point on the agenda of Garcia's successor, Diosdado Macapagal, but saw limited success.
44
45In 1965 senator UsefulNotes/FerdinandMarcos took power, and while his first term (the 1935 Constitution allowed for two four-year terms) was marked with massive infrastructural growth, his second term came with a mounting CultOfPersonality, and mounting public outrage, including an increase in student activism, over his and his wife Imelda's excesses and increasing charges of corruption. This time also saw the rebirth of the communist insurgency with the New People's Army (NPA) after a new Communist Party was founded, and the start of the modern Muslim insurgency with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), who appropriated the old Spanish label ''Moro'' (Moor).
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47With the unrest as a pretext, Marcos declared Martial Law in 1972, and would remain in power for 14 more years. Martial Law, until its official abolishing in 1981 (most likely to appease Pope John Paul II, who was visiting at the time, and not much changed afterward), was marked with censorship, curtailing of civil liberties, state control of the media, and silencing all opposition, with its most prominent victim being senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr., who as early as 1968 warned of Marcos shoring up funds for the military. The communist and Muslim insurgencies actually grew stronger. And while the country's economy grew, it did so on the back of heavy borrowing from banks and loans from foreign governments, which soon came crashing down due to mismanagement and cronyism.
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49The breaking point came on August 21, 1983, when Aquino, coming home from self-imposed exile in Boston, was shot dead at the tarmac of Manila International Airport (now named Ninoy Aquino International Airport in his honor). This event reignited displays of public dissatisfaction with Marcos, to which he, under pressure from the USA, responded with a snap election which pitted him against Aquino's widow, Corazon, popularly known as "Cory". While official canvassers declared Marcos the winner, independent sources and external observers, including then US senator (and later Secretary of State) John F. Kerry, cried foul. Meanwhile, Marcos's declining health had led to questions about succession, and politicians and the military alike were divided among themselves. In February 1986, a planned coup d'etat was exposed, and the plotters and their sympathizers - including the Defense Minister, Juan Ponce Enrile, and the Armed Forces Vice Chief of Staff, Fidel Ramos - holed up in Camp Crame and Camp Aguinaldo along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (popularly known as EDSA), declaring their withdrawal of support from Marcos. This led to a massive nonviolent protest against Marcos, as civilians flocked to EDSA to block oncoming government forces. Marcos and his family were forced to flee to Hawaii after the rest of the military defected wholesale, allowing Aquino to take over. The event was known as the EDSA or "People Power" revolution.
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51While popular at her debut and still widely beloved to this day for not being Marcos, Corazon Aquino's reign had its share of controversy. From 1986 to 1989 she endured several coup d'etats by much the same military elements who had plotted against Marcos for reasons like her peaceful overtures toward the rebels. Cronyism continued to be a problem, as did the inflating national debt. Long-standing US military bases from the Cold War, Clark Air Base in Pampanga and Subic Naval Base in Zambales, were closed in 1991 and 1992 after the government didn't renew their lease due to questions of sovereignty (the titanic eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, one of the most powerful in history also helped).
52
53Cory's successor Fidel Ramos took over in 1992. During his term, the Philippines enjoyed some economic growth as part of the "tiger economies" of Asia until the Asian financial crisis of 1997. Times were also more politically stable, as Ramos also went through peace talks with rebels and decriminalized the Communist Party. But he had less success with attempts at land reform and charter change, due to Marcos's legacy and his own military background (serving Marcos and Cory). The Muslim insurgency also continued, with the leading forces now being the more radical groups Moro ''Islamic'' Liberation Front (MILF - hence ''[[MrsRobinson that]]'' [[StacysMom acronym]] is no laughing matter for Filipinos[[note]]Pronounced as "Em Eye El Ef" instead of "Milf"[[/note]]) and later the Abu Sayyaf, which was branded as a terrorist group by the UN - after the MNLF had largely agreed to peace.
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55Ramos's vice president Joseph Ejercito Estrada, known as "Erap" (derived from "pare", in turn from "compadre", loosely "buddy"), became president in 1998 after a landslide victory. A movie star before entering politics, Erap appealed to the lower classes or "masses." His term had similar policies to Ramos's but had to contend with economy problems, rising hostilities against the MILF and Abu Sayyaf, and allegations of corruption. The last bit eventually got Estrada impeached, and the resulting trial sparked another round of "People Power" at EDSA in 2001. After the military withdrew support, Estrada vacated the presidential residence and his vice president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was sworn in.
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57While the economy improved during her terms at least on paper, Macapagal-Arroyo proved to be the most controversial and unpopular president since Marcos due to issues like allegations about corruption, cheating in the next presidential elections where she won her own term, and increases in human rights abuses. Despite sparking many rallies calling for her resignation, the military didn't pull out support as they had with Marcos and Estrada (so that many think "People Power" as a government-changer became a DiscreditedMeme, though the idea [[CyclicTrope has started to come in vogue again]] in response to the Duterte administration's actions), and she remained in power until 2010 when Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III was elected president.
58
59Elected largely on goodwill based on his parents' legacy and bearing a similar earnest (if untested) public face like Cory in particular, Noynoy Aquino is best known for accelerating the country's economic growth under his watch. His administration also pushed for the case that rendered Chinese claims over the South China Sea invalid, which was ruled in the Philippines' favor by the UN in 2016 after his term ended the same year. While it may be "too soon" to call, opinions vary about whether his performance was BoringButPractical, SoOkayItsAverage or worse (or better).
60
61Rodrigo Duterte was elected in 2016 after a tumultuous campaign where he started as the dark-horse candidate and led by a margin of over 5 million votes. Immediately prior, he was mayor of Davao City and extremely controversial for his [[WellIntentionedExtremist tough stance against crime]], particularly the drug trade (a personal BerserkButton of his), with his encouragement of {{Cowboy Cop}}s and death squads and allegedly going VigilanteMan himself at times. Hence, incidents of police and extralegal killings have skyrocketed ever since he assumed office. This has earned him the [[RedBaron nickname]] "ComicBook/ThePunisher" by Time Magazine. He's also notorious for [[SirSwearsALot his potty mouth]] and his jokes which CrossesTheLineTwice leading to comparisons with Creator/DonaldTrump. He is also often slammed for his foreign policy, which so far consists of less reliance with long-time ally US and tilting towards China (which Filipinos perceive as an enemy), a complete 180-degree shift from the previous president's actions. All of these make him a [[BaseBreakingCharacter really polarizing figure]], with his policies and strong pronouncements driving the country into a huge schism within the Filipino society. After finishing his term, he still remains popular among the people despite the issues and controversies that he and his government had faced due to his supporters' rampant use of social media to bolster his image and to attack all of his opponents. His so-called legacy was his infrastructure projects which his supporters had been projecting amidst the inflation, rising commodities, corruption, and a bloody string of human rights violations brought by his intense red-tagging of critics and the failed war on drugs.
62
63The current president is Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., the son of the late dictator, who came back from exile. Upon his return, he and his loyal supporters worked to slowly rehabilitate his family's image to the masses. Taking advantage of the public's dissatisfaction with Noynoy Aquino's term, Marcos Jr. used his family name to present himself as a better alternative, reinforcing the belief that his father's time was a "golden age". Just like Duterte, his supporters used social media to cultivate his own CultOfPersonality and at the same time, create black propaganda against the opposition. Eventually, all of these earned him 31 million votes in 2022, putting the Marcoses back in power and rendering all the sacrifices and struggles of those who fought against the Martial Law and those who had participated in the EDSA Revolution seemingly AllForNothing. However, unlike Duterte who inherited a growing economy from the Noynoy administration, Marcos Jr. has to contend with the post UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic era along with other issues that Duterte left for him, so time will tell how long he manages to retain support.
64
65!!Government and Politics
66The Philippines adheres to a Republican form of government heavily modeled after that of the United States, mostly due to the fact that the Philippines was an American Colony -- later Commonwealth -- for almost half a century. [[labelnote:*]] While the Philippines spent a way longer three centuries under Spain, the Spanish colonial policy of excluding Filipinos from participating in politics meant that the Spanish system of government never really took hold in the Filipino collective political consciousness.[[/labelnote]] Like in the US, it is composed of three parts: The Executive, the Legislative, and the Judiciary.
67
68!!!The Executive
69
70The Executive branch is led by the President of the Philippines (Filipino: ''Ang Presidente ng Pilipinas''), who is both the Head of State and the Head of Government, and wields a significant amount of power: He sets the official government policy, appoints his ministers, military officials and Supreme Court justices, enters treaties with foreign governments, approves all transactions done in behalf of the National Government, and serves as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and the National Police. He is assisted in running the country by his Cabinet, composed of the Executive Secretary (the President's official assistant), the Secretaries (Ministers) of the different Executive Departments, the Secretaries of the Presidential Communications Group (includes the President's official spokesperson, the President's research staff and the media relations bureau), the heads of different Cabinet-level agencies, and the President's advisers on various affairs like politics, the economy, and national security. The President is not eligible for re-election once his his six-year term expires, but can run again for the same position as long as he is not the incumbent.
71
72Next in the line of succession is the Vice-President (Filipino: ''Bise-Presidente'') which has inherited all the connotations of uselessness of its U.S. counterpart, except it is even more blown up in proportion: The Vice-President of the Philippines technically has no other job than wait for the President to drop dead or be declared insane (unlike the Vice-President of the United States, who at least is officially the President of the Senate) [[labelnote:*]] The Philippines is not alone in that regard: the Vice-Presidents of Indonesia and Taiwan (Republic of China) also do not prescribe powers for their Vice-Presidents [[/labelnote]]. However, Presidents, as a gesture of courtesy, traditionally appoint their Vice-Presidents into Cabinet-level positions depending on the Vice-Presidents's party affiliation: If the Veep comes from the same party as the President, he will be made in charge of prominent Departments like that of the Interior or Foreign Affairs, but if he comes from an opposing party, he will be assigned to relatively unimportant roles, usually managing the Housing bureau. Vice-Presidents may seek re-election once.
73
74!!!The Legislature
75
76The Congress of the Philippines is a bicameral legislature, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate is composed of twenty-four members serving six-year terms, staggered in such a way that half of the seats are up for election every three years. Its duties, functions and powers are heavily modeled after the United States Senate, however, unlike the U.S., however, Senators do not represent the individual provinces, rather, the entire country is considered their constituency (thus, Filipinos vote for twelve Senators at-large every election day), and the body functions more akin to a collegial deliberative body of sorts instead of a forum representing different provinces. Also, the Senate elects its own presiding officer, who is second in the Presidential line of succession after the Vice-President. Senators may seek re-election once, for a maximum of twelve years in the Senate, after which they often take advantage of the national exposure they have gained throughout their term to seek either the Vice-Presidency or the Presidency itself.
77
78Meanwhile, the House of Representatives is composed of approximately three hundred members who either represent legislative districts (based on population density, urban areas may get as many as six districts while sparsely populated provinces may be represented by a lone district) or party-lists (political organizations who represent -- or at least claim to do so -- certain sectors in society such as farmers, fisherfolk, teacher, and the youth). Members serve for three years and may seek re-election twice in a row, for a maximum of nine consecutive years in Congress before one becomes ineligible. The House is presided over by the Speaker, who is third and last in the Presidential line of succession.
79
80While the two houses are considered co-equal and perform the same function -- to draft proposed laws --, both houses wield specific powers exclusive to them: The Senate has the exclusive power to ratify treaties and international agreement entered to by the President, investigate charges of graft and corruption (called "the Blue Ribbon Powers" in popular parlance) and to try and convict impeached public officials. Meanwhile, the Lower House wields the so-called "power of the purse" (that is to say, all bills regarding taxation and appropriation of public funds must originate from the House) and the power to impeach public officials (after which the Senate convenes as an impeachment court to try said official).
81
82!!!The Judiciary
83
84Led by the fifteen-member Supreme Court (Filipino: ''Korte Suprema''), whose members, called "Justices" (Filipino: ''Mahistrado'') are appointed by the President and serve as the court of last resort and final authority in the interpretation of laws, especially the Constitution. Members either sit ''en banc'' (all fifteen justices present on the bench) or in committees of three, five or seven, depending on the gravity and complexity of the case they are adjudicating. The Supreme Court is presided over by the Chief Justice (Filipino: ''Punong Mahistrado''), whose only responsibility is preside over the court and represent it in external matters, as the Justices are considered co-equal in principle. Justices are mandated to retire from the court upon reaching 70 years of age.
85
86Under the Supreme Court is a vast and complex system of local and special courts which form the hierarchical structure of the Philippine Judicial System. The Local Courts (composed of Circuit, District, Municipal, and Regional Trail Courts) serve as the "Courts of First Instance", where most legal cases involving private citizens are tried and decided. On the other hand, the Special Courts include the Court of Appeals, which retry previously adjudicated cases and decide whether to uphold the previous ruling or overturn it, the Court of Tax Appeals, where all cases relating tax fraud are heard, the ''Sandiganbayan'' or People's Advocate Court, which decided on cases involving graft and corruption committed by government officials, the Office of the Ombudsman (not a court ''per se'', but a special office) which serves as the prosecution arm of the ''Sandiganbayan'', and the Sharia Court, which hears all cases involving Islamic Law, and whose jurisdiction only extends to Muslims.
87
88!!!Local Governance
89
90For the purpose of easier administration (and also attributable to the fact that individual communities already flourished on their own before the Philippines became a sovereign nation), the Philippines is subdivided into Provinces (Spanish: ''Provincia'', Filipino: ''Lalawigan'' or ''Probinsya''), which in turn are subdivided into Cities (Spanish: ''Ciudad'', Filipino: ''Lungsod'' or ''Siyudad'') and Municipalities (Spanish: ''Pueblo'', Filipino: ''Bayan'' or ''Munisipyo''), which in turn are subdivided into Barangays (alt)
91Being a unitary state with a strong central government, the powers and functions of the Local Government Units (shortened to [=LGUs=]) are often restricted to (1) implementing the National Laws, (2) issuing permits for various purposes, (3) traffic control and (4) collecting trash.
92
93!!Religion
94
95The Philippines in modern times is predominantly Roman Catholic. Filipino Catholics historically have had a love-hate relationship with the Church -- while in the 19th century many were dissatisfied with religious orders who also served in government, and some were into outright anticlerical, today the Church holds a powerful influence, so don't expect Western-style liberalism to take hold rapidly: both divorce among non-Muslims and abortion are taboo. They also have a mix of conservative and liberal views, especially with regards to their openness to and tolerance of homosexuality (which were found to predate Spanish rule). More recently with the Reproductive Health law, the love-hate dynamic has once again resurfaced. Nevertheless, papal visits usually garner near-universal positive reception -- Pope (now Saint) John Paul II's 1995 visit to Manila for World Youth Day attracted 5 million people during its closing mass, setting a record for the largest papal gathering in a single day in history... which the Filipinos themselves broke exactly twenty years later for Pope Francis' closing mass at the climax of his five-day state visit, clocking in at 6.7 million.
96
97As a notable aside due to the predominantly Catholic population of the country, the Philippines is one of the countries that celebrates the Christmas season the longest. Decorations and planning for the actual holiday itself take place as early as September 1 (although it is not uncommon to hear Christmas music being played the month prior), and celebrations themselves can last until well into January. In December itself, the season is capped off by a series of masses called ''Simbang Gabi'', which occur from December 16 until 24. The season is celebrated similarly to how Western countries follow it, having a very strong focus on family gatherings.
98
99About 5% of the population is Muslim, mostly concentrated in Mindanao. Many of their leaders are involved in an on-and-off insurgency against the government, where today's insurgents may be tomorrow's government officials, and rebellion is alternately secular nationalist or Islamist.
100
101Another minority are the various Protestant groups. Some, like the Aglipayans, are homegrown denominations in the vein of the Anglican movement, while others descended from the various sects introduced by American missionaries during the early 20th century. Aside from these, especially in the provinces are the Rizalistas (people who venerate Jose Rizal as a prophet), and the myriad of hybrid Animist-Catholic practices often known as Folk Catholicism.
102
103There are also non-Protestant Christian organizations in the country, like the Iglesia ni Cristo, who are known for their large size, "neo-gothic" architecture, and habit of bloc-voting.
104
105!!The People
106
107The Filipinos are a nation divided along regional lines of the Tagalogs, Ilocanos, Bicolanos, Cebuanos and many others, as well as hundreds of indigenous peoples. There are thousands of Chinese Filipinos and Eurasians due to their colonial past. As a result of being at the crossroads of globalization for centuries up to the present, the Philippines has a considerable number of [[AmbiguouslyBrown mestizos]] as well. Filipinos of mostly or wholly Malayo-Polynesian descent still '''greatly''' outnumber ''mestizos,'' but this is not very well-represented in the media. Networks tend to prefer their entertainers ''mestizo,'' and the existence of "showbiz dynasties" (as in the case of Creator/DanielPadilla, who belongs to the eminent Padilla clan of ''mestizos'') don't help one bit. Colorism is a tremendous problem, and whitening products are normalized. That said, times are changing, and younger generations of Filipinos are beginning to appreciate darker skin more and more. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7qJvKcay9k These shifting paradigms have caused big names in the lucrative whitening product industry to scramble and make serious gaffes.]]
108
109Being one of the largest Anglophone Asian countries, Koreans and mainland Chinese often go to the Philippines to learn English. Factors for this is that compared to learning English elsewhere, it's cheaper and there is less racism to be faced. It is worth mentioning that Henry Sy and Lucio Tan, two of most successful business tycoons of the Philippines, are of Chinese heritage.
110
111Most Catholic Filipinos have Spanish surnames. Often this goes with Spanish first names as well, and during Spanish rule, Catholic baptism made this mandatory. Chinese Filipinos have surnames of Chinese origin (e.g. "Cojuangco", Corazon Aquino's maiden name). American rule introduced English names. Of course, names with indigenous roots still exist. Today, Filipino names are often composed of a personal name, the mother's maiden surname (usually becoming the middle initial, notably averted by the previous President who uses ''S.'' after ''Benigno Simeon'') and the father's surname; people may have two or even more personal names so this all makes for [[OverlyLongName Overly Long Names]].
112
113[[http://www.crvp.org/book/series03/iii-7/chapter_iv.htm The strengths and weaknesses of a Filipino character]] were highlighted back in 1992 which gives an insight of Filipino society today.
114
115!!Immigration
116
117A large number of Filipinos work and settle abroad. Owing to lack of job opportunities, underpayment, or both, the Filipino diaspora is to be found wherever money is to be made, encompassing every profession: attorneys, teachers, doctors, nurses, domestic servants, you name it. Most overseas Filipinos go to either North America (particularly the West Coast), where on average they make even more than other groups of Americans do, or the Middle East, where many take menial labor that pays more than a professional career back home.
118
119Whether as immigrants or as seasonal workers, much of the diaspora's money goes back home -- ''balikbayan'' ("returning home") boxes filled with goods from overseas are common and even among many first-generation immigrants, there is often a desire to retire in the Old Country after the kids have "left the nest".
120
121Domestically, the country is also home to large and prominent Chinese communities, with many (legally or otherwise) coming from Fujian, China. The oldest of these are Binondo and Tondo in Manila.[[note]]In fact, Binondo is considered the oldest established Chinatown in the world, first set up in 1594.[[/note]] There are also smaller communities of Indians, Japanese and Koreans in major cities, the latter having grown in recent years. Western expatriates meanwhile tend to gravitate towards Manila.
122
123!!Media
124
125Perhaps one of the most well-known genres of Philippine media are noontime variety shows, a little similar to other Asian variety shows, and {{Soap Opera}}s, similar to ''telenovelas''. In the early 2000s, fantasy-themed television shows were on a upsurge, though their popularity faltered as the decade went on. In addition, there has been a rise in popularity of Taiwanese and Korean dramas (dubbed in Filipino).
126
127Over the years, the Philippines's most popular genres in cinema have been romance, action, comedy, and horror. Icons of the screen include Creator/FernandoPoeJr, dubbed "Da King" of Philippine movies (in the spirit of [[Creator/JohnWayne John "The Duke" Wayne]]) and star of many action films, famed for his gunplay, sideburns and rapid-fire punches, and Dolphy (Rodolfo Quizon), dubbed the "Comedy King", who adroitly mixed [[SadClown Sad Clowning]] and {{Slapstick}}, his movies (and TV shows) developing a tendency for {{Dramedy}}.
128
129During the peak of the Philippine film industry during TheSixties to TheEighties, the country mass-produced English-language BMovie films primarily for export, led by those of international film legends Eddie Romero and Bobby Suarez, and these have a classic cult following in various countries such as the USA, Finland, Germany and Japan. Films with a more serious tone and socially relevant subjects used to be created by directors like Creator/LinoBrocka and Ishmael Bernal. Currently, the local film industry is in a slump regarding its overall quality, but independent films are gaining more and more notice, especially among the youth.
130
131The Philippines' comic book (or ''komiks'') scene, largely influenced by American comic books, is one of the oldest book industries in Southeast Asia. It got its start with comics appearing in magazines, which were later compiled and expanded into their own comic books. An early success was ''Kenkoy'' created by Tony Velasquez in 1929, a SliceOfLife series about man-about-town Francisco "Kenkoy" Harabas. To this day, ''kenkoy'' means something like "dork" in Filipino parlance. In TheThirties, Francisco and Pedrito Reyes created ''Kulafu'', a series about a Franchise/{{Tarzan}}-type character who still survives today as the mascot and brand name for a tonic wine. In TheForties and [[TheFifties Fifties]], Francisco Coching created several series which were promptly adapted for movies, setting a pattern. His best-known character today is the plucky Pedro Penduko, better known through movie and TV adaptations that change him from a regular guy with a MaybeMagicMaybeMundane charm-amulet to a more traditional fantasy hero with magic powers.
132
133By TheSeventies, the local comic book industry was one of the best-organized comic book industries in the world. During that time, both Creator/MarvelComics and Creator/DCComics started importing Filipino artists. Tony de Zuñiga (aka Tony [=DeZuniga=]), co-creator of ''ComicBook/JonahHex'', and Nestor Redondo, co-creator of local heroine ''ComicBook/{{Darna}}'', were the first to move. They were followed by Alfredo Alcala, Alex Niño, Ernie Chan (aka Ernie Chua), Celso "Sonny" Trinidad and others. These artists worked in various genres as pencillers, inkers or both - not only on superheroes but also western, war, horror and sword-and-sorcery titles such as DC's ''House of Mystery'' and ''House of Secrets'' and Marvel's ''[[Franchise/ConanTheBarbarian Savage Sword of Conan]]''. However, by 1985, about a third of upcoming artists were working for Marvel and DC, which naturally weakened the local comic book industry to near-irrelevancy in the 1990s.
134
135Despite this, Filipino talent continued to influence comics in the 1990s and beyond. Whilce Portacio was one of a group of Marvel artists who started Creator/ImageComics, and prior to that he co-created the ''ComicBook/XMen'' character Bishop, who was originally intended to be Filipino before Marvel decided he should be black. More recent and current examples working for the major publishers include Francis Manapul, Carlo Pagulayan, Leinil Francis Yu and Gerry Alanguilan; the last two drew and inked the Superman origin story ''ComicBook/SupermanBirthright''.
136
137In recent decades, independent comics have risen in prominence, like the supernatural horror-based ''ComicBook/{{Trese}}'' by Budjette Tan, and the FunnyAnimal-based ''ComicBook/{{Elmer}}'' by Gerry Alanguilan. The latter, about chickens who gain human intelligence, has won multiple international awards. (Quite apart from all this, Alanguilan himself reached MemeticMolester status after [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhuYIr1J1zc a video of him goofing off]] went viral worldwide.)
138
139Meanwhile, newspaper comics or comics appearing in magazines never suffered a financial decline like local comic books, over the years these have included ''ComicStrip/PugadBaboy'' (Nest of Pigs) by Pol Medina Jr. and ''Beerkada'' by Lyndon Gregorio. In the past, two comics creators in these formats were declared National Artists: the extremely prolific Larry Alcala (no relation to Alfredo), who created ''[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Slice Of Life]]'', ''Kalabog en Bosyo'', and many other titles over many decades, and Nonoy Marcelo, known for ''Ikabod'', a satirical strip with a cast of mice.
140
141Besides the aforementioned, one of the most well-known Filipino comics characters is the superheroine ''ComicBook/{{Darna}}'' created in 1950 by writer Mars Ravelo and artist Nestor Redondo, the latter of whom later drew for Marvel and DC. A cross between Franchise/WonderWoman and [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]], she has inspired many movies and television series. In recent years, she received an AffectionateParody in the indie comic ''Ang Kagila-gilalas na Pakikipagsapalaran ni Zsazsa Zaturnnah'' (The Amazing Adventures of Zsazsa Zaturnnah) by Carlo Vergara, about a CampGay man who turns into a woman, replete with [[GayAesop social commentary.]] Another famous character based on comics is the Panday (Blacksmith) created by writer Carlo Caparas (later a film director notorious for his RippedFromTheHeadlines true-crime massacre films) and artist Steve Gan in 1980. The Panday, real name Flavio, fights supernatural and fantastic evil with a magic sword. Like Darna, the Panday has appeared in several films and TV shows, but unlike Darna he is overwhelmingly associated with Fernando Poe Jr. who first portrayed him in movies he also directed (under a pseudonym).
142
143The Philippines is also known for being "an entire nation of {{Otaku}}" due to the pervasive infiltration of Anime into its culture, to the point that the anime ''Anime/VoltesV'' was adopted as a national symbol due to how the Marcos regime tried to ban them thus provoking anger amongst the Filipino population. Despite how the Filipinos acknowledged the war crimes did by UsefulNotes/ImperialJapan upon them, they recognized that the Japanese have, for the most part, changed and repented, and to this day the Philippines remained as one of their most ardent allies and consumers of Japanese culture, and a part of why the Filipinos are critical towards the People's Republic of China (not Hong Kong or Taiwan) was because of the Chinese censorship against Japanese culture, among other things. In the early 2000s, the Japanese {{Manga}} style became popular in the Philippines as expected since anime was already popular, but this too gradually waned. In the mid-2000s, both Japanese manga and old-school US comics-influenced comic books gained popularity anew, the latter was thanks to local television adaptations. While more recently, homegrown Japanese-style light novels have also become popular, many of which were originally posted on the Internet with some even adapted for TV.
144
145Since TheSixties and TheSeventies, anime has grown in popularity across the country. Despite the [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII unpleasantries]], Filipinos have always been fond of both the traditional and pop culture of Japan. After Martial Law, anime had a regular schedule in local TV channels. The 2000s saw the appearance of two main anime stations: local Hero TV (which tends to use Filipino dubs) and Animax Southeast Asia (which use either English-dubbed or subtitled works).
146
147Among the dominant media companies in the country are Creator/{{ABSCBN}} and Creator/{{GMA|Network}}, both of which control most of local TV and radio stations, as well as publications and overseas outlets. The rivalry between the two goes back from their humble beginnings, though with the recent entry of [[TakeAThirdOption TV5]] as a major competitor, the situation has slightly changed.
148
149[[AC:Animation Studios in the Philippines:]]
150* Creator/FilCartoons
151* Creator/KennedyCartoons (While based in Canada, they have a Filipino office.)
152* Creator/PhilippineAnimationStudioInc
153* Creator/ToonCity
154* Creator/TopDraw
155
156!!Food
157
158Filipino food boasts a wide variety of Southeast Asian vegetable crops, fruits and nuts, and as for the cuisine, it's a mix of indigenous, Spanish, Chinese, and Indian influences.
159For Westerners, it is also home to [[ForeignQueasine some of the most unsettling delicacies]], such as balut, which is aborted duck egg, and in some regions, dog meat. This reputation is something the Philippines shares with other Asian countries, since "exotic" dishes are often subjective. Of course, not all Filipino dishes are unpalatable to Western tastes: adobo, sinigang, lumpia, and many more are distinctive but still easily enjoyed by the uninitiated. Anthony Bourdain himself says that ''lechon'' (Filipino-style roasted piglet) [[http://blog.travelchannel.com/anthony-bourdain/read/hierarchy-of-pork/ is the best pork dish he's ever had]].
160
161The Philippines is also perhaps the only country where [=McDonald's=] is not the top fast-food franchise; the title goes to Jollibee, a local fast-food chain in the vein of [=McDonald's=] with a strong marketing scheme aimed at children. In efforts to compete with Jollibee, major players in the local fast-food industry all serve some combination of rice, fried chicken meals, and spaghetti — including Filipino branches of [=McDonald's=] and [=KFC=]. This fact, astonishing to Westerners but a simple expectation in the Philippines, was even the punchline of a joke in ''Series/{{Superstore}}''. Gravy is also a prime moneymaker in the robust industry of Philippine fast food; it's another item expected to be on the menu in the biggest fast-food chains, hence [=KFC=]'s lack of monopoly over fried chicken and gravy indulgence in the country.
162
163Another well known company is San Miguel Brewery, Inc. It's one of Southeast Asia's most well known beer brands.
164
165!!Climate
166
167The Philippines is a very tropical country; expect to be exposed to temperatures constantly above 20°C and up to 32°C, and humidity levels above 60%, making for a particularly sticky experience. The only major place where you can expect temperatures to drop to single-digit Celsius is the mountainous Baguio City; other than that, wearing anything heavier than a shirt for casual wear is not recommended. Because of the generally-hot climate, many buildings in the Philippines are constantly air-conditioned, sometimes to the point of being too cold for comfort; it's not uncommon to walk into a restaurant and see a tall AC unit keeping customers (and staff) from melting.
168
169The traditional concept of seasons does not exist; there is a "wet season" from June through November where it rains down ''hard'', and a dry, relatively rain-less season for the rest of the year. It does get cooler during the early parts of the dry season, but not by much. During the rainy season, children can be seen stepping out and using the rain to take a shower.
170
171The Philippines is also under the typhoon belt and is the most exposed country to experience tropical cyclones (typhoons or ''bagyo'' in Tagalog) every year. Usually, 19 tropical cyclones or storms enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) in a typical year and of these usually 6 to 9 make landfall. It is also common during rainy season that there would be landslides and flash floods.
172
173The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) are in charge of giving local names (initially, they're given female names ending in "ng" though that changed in 2000, where they're also given male names and the "ng" part is removed) to the typhoons that entered the PAR and giving out public storm signal warnings. When typhoon has caused [[TheDreaded at least 1 billion pesos in damage and/or have caused at least 300 deaths]] within the Philippines, its [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast name]] is retired from the typhoon list and another name would be used in the next cycle. As of 2014, Typhoon Haiyan (local name: Yolanda) is considered the deadliest typhoon to make landfall, resulting in 35.5 billion pesos of damages and 6,241 lives lost. Additionally, Haiyan is considered to be the most globally-known typhoon in history.
174
175!!Sports
176
177A running joke is that Filipinos prefer sports starting with the letter B: Boxing, Baseball, Bowling, Billiards, and of course, Basketball. A well known Asian sport is cockfighting.
178
179UsefulNotes/{{Basketball}} is a legacy of the Americans. Almost every city, town and village has a basketball court (or at least a makeshift half-court where there's available space), complete with annual tournaments. The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is the most prestigious league, with a season split into three "conferences" (not the North American sense of geographic groupings of teams, but instead separate tournaments that all involve the same teams) and with teams named after corporate sponsors. College basketball is overseen by amateur sports leagues, most prominent of which are the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA), the oldest in the Philippines (not related to the American NCAA), and the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP), which hosts college basketball's longest-running rivalry -- that between the Blue Eagles of Ateneo de Manila University and the Green Archers of De La Salle University, hailing from their NCAA days.
180
181The Philippines used to be one of the powerhouse teams in Asian basketball, but has suffered a decline by the 1970s and eventually haven't qualified for the world championships or the Olympics since 1985. But after 28 long years, Gilas Pilipinas men's basketball team defeated their arch-rivals from UsefulNotes/SouthKorea [[GameBreakingInjury despite losing their naturalized center]] to qualify for the 2014 [=FIBA=] World Cup of Basketball in Spain. There they played competitively against the best teams in the world despite failing to qualify for the next round, losing to World #5 Greece by 12 points; to Croatia, World #3 Argentina, and Puerto Rico by ''only 4 points or less'', and beating Senegal in overtime to win their first Basketball World Cup game in 40 years. The Philippines lost to China for hosting rights for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, and later, the one outright Asian slot for the 2016 Rio Olympics. However, they did get to host one of the Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in July 2016, where they fell short against the mighty teams from France and New Zealand.
182
183Those into boxing may remember the 1975 contest between UsefulNotes/MuhammadAli and Joe Frazier in the "Thrilla in Manila". Nowadays Philippine sports news buzz with the name of Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, the first boxer to hold eight belts at once, as well as Nonito Donaire, a rising bantamweight star.
184
185Since 2010, football experienced a sudden surge in popularity after the national team, dubbed the "Azkals" ("Street Dogs"), scored unprecedented victories, including champion team Vietnam. They had a respectable finish at the Suzuki Cup, losing to Indonesia at the semifinals. Owing to this surge of interest, the Philippine Football League (PFL) was organized, where prospective players for the Azkals are tested. The Azkals have recently bowed of contention in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers after losses to Uzbekistan, Bahrain and Yemen, all on the road. The women's national team was initially less successful, but managed to enter the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup and in a surprise match, the Filipinas beat host New Zealand 1-0 in a historic upset before being eliminated in the group stage.
186
187Baseball is also a popular but re-emerging sport in the Philippines. It was first introduced by the Americans in 1898 just right after the colonization of the islands. The country had won its first championship title in the first Asian Baseball Championship in 1954 and the popularity of the sport lasted until 1970s when it was dethroned by basketball. It took three decades to regain the popularity of the sport but it became true in 2005 when the sport became part of the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) and the Philippines became known as the baseball powerhouse in the Southeast Asian region. Nowadays, baseball became a popular sport in the country and many of the Filipino youth have an interest of joining. Due to this, many public and private elementary and high schools have a youth baseball team, as with amateur baseball teams now in the upswing in almost every corner of the country.
188
189!!Languages
190
191The Philippines has ''at least'' 120 separate languages. One of the two ''official'' languages is Filipino, a derivative of Tagalog, the lingua franca of Manila and its surrounding provinces. Although the linguistic term "Filipino" specifically refers to this standardized iteration of Tagalog intended for nationwide use, calling it such is often a BerserkButton for speakers of minority languages. This is especially in the wake of minority language speakers, such as Visayans, fighting to get their languages recognized as more than just mere dialects, as incorrectly classified within the pages of colonial American literature. Tagalog speakers also have a long history of demonstrating prejudice against minority language speakers; for instance, Visayans and their languages (including Cebuano, Waray, Kinaray-a, Ilonggo/Hiligaynon, etc.[[note]]One reason why Tagalog was chosen as the basis for the national language was that it truly only had different dialects instead of being a family of related languages. Also, Manila, the capital and nexus of commerce and culture in the country, is in a Tagalog-speaking region.[[/note]]) which are composed of generally harder sounds, have an undeserved reputation over in Luzon for being "uneducated" or "crass." In Philippine films and TV, it's rather difficult to find a Bisaya character who isn't shown as ditzy [[PluckyComicRelief comic relief]], and most maid characters shown tend to be Bisaya in origin.
192
193A Filipino could be bilingual, with English being the second language, or trilingual, knowing Filipino, English, and his/her native language. For instance, someone from Manila will generally speak both Filipino and English, while a person from Baguio may be trilingual, speaking English, Filipino, and Ilokano. It is not uncommon for a Filipino to be fluent in two or more languages.
194
195It is also common for Filipinos to switch between languages in colloquial conversation, sometimes ''in the same sentence''. Philippine English, meanwhile, is sprinkled with borrowings from Spanish (eg. ''Doctora'' for female doctors), Filipino {{Verbal Tic}}s (it's not that uncommon to add "po" out of respect) and repurposed terms (eg. "traffic" being synonymous with "gridlock" or "armalite" for assault rifles). But while not everyone can speak English on the other hand (the language historically being more associated with the upper classes), most nonetheless can ''understand'' it.
196
197That said, if you're Filipino yourself, it's (obviously) preferred to speak one of the Philippine languages around other Filipinos while in the country rather than English, even in public when you're not speaking with your family. While those of Western background are naturally not expected to know the native tongue and can get by on English easily, Filipinos who can't speak their own native tongue will stick out very quickly. This can cause problems for Filipinos who grew up in a foreign English-speaking country (often due to being the children of Filipinos who work overseas) and therefore may have lost Filipino fluency or never even learned to speak it due to English being a higher-priority language. Ditto for most of the middle/upper-class educated folk who end up adopting English as their primary tongue first.
198
199Thanks to the country's American colonial past, fluency in English was revered as a perceived marker of superior intelligence for a long time. Naturally, not being fluent in English or speaking it poorly was thus taken as a marker of poor intelligence or at least poor education, and people from the the more rural parts of the country were stereotyped as such. Their broken English was thus termed "carabao English" from the carabaos or Asian water buffaloes indispensable to agrarian life found in the rural regions. Ironically, some of these people likely had grandparents or great-grandparents who spoke ''excellent'' English due to being taught directly under the colonial system, sometimes by actual American teachers, so the issue was/is more with inequalities within society at large than the capabilities of the people themselves.
200
201On the flip side, the disparaging term "conyo" or "konyo" has been around for a long time. The term arose sometime in the post-colonial years and derives from the Spanish "coño," with the [[SarcasmMode lovely]] meaning of...[[note]][[CountryMatters cunt]][[/note]]. As evidenced by its origin, it originally referred to said conyos' stereotypical manner of speaking, peppered with foreign curses. More generally, it's a term disparaging the upper class and ''especially'' the upper crust rich kids who are most likely to be fluent in English, and in the past Spanish. Conyos are thus supposed to be a kind of snob who look down on the local cultures and try to act like other nationalities, usually American nowadays.
202
203This is, of course, the unfortunate consequence of the country chronically getting colonized. Substandard ability to speak the native tongue/s, but high fluency in English, and thus tending to mix them in supposedly grating ways (most notoriously, using "make" with Filipino verbs, as in "make tusok-tusok the fishball" instead of "skewer" or "tusukin/itusok") are traits that are seen as pronounced symptoms of being a modern conyo, especially coupled together in one person. It's not applied to Westerners, and only very rarely applied to the Filipino diaspora; rather, it's a slight against the self-hatred that's ''extremely'' rife among Filipino citizens, even more so than those of its neighboring countries, and a mark of the underlying social class tensions. As mentioned, such tensions are hardly new. One can imagine that the Spaniards' [[https://www.dandc.eu/en/article/anti-democratic-legacy-spanish-and-us-colonialism-philippines active efforts to stifle the spread of the Spanish language among natives]], to preserve it as the language of colonizers and the local elites, as well as get away with further exploitation[[note]](because most documents were written in Spanish, but a lack of literacy in Spanish was rampant)[[/note]], had something to do with it.
204
205Despite the influence of Spanish on both Philippine English and native tongues, the country is unique among most of Spain's former colonies in that the language itself has largely fallen out of use. This is in a sense a far cry from the late 19th-early 20th centuries (and even under American rule for a time), when Spanish was considered an official language; even as late as TheFifties and TheSixties, there were still publications and contracts printed in Spanish. Historians have lamented that this means the vast majority of Filipinos are thus removed to at least one degree from their history, since they cannot read historical documents and stuff like Jose Rizal's novels without relying on translations, or translations of translations, etc. On the other hand, it continues to be spoken through a creole language called Chavacano[[note]]Its syntactical basis is the Visayan tongue of Cebuano, the most widely spoken minority language in the Philippines.[[/note]], which is spoken in and around the Zamboanga Peninsula in Mindanao. That said, interest in Spanish has seen a resurgence, in part due to a global demand for the language as well as continuing ties to both Spain and Latin America.
206
207An additional bit of trivia is that a number of modern and colloquial Filipino terms are of relatively recent vintage, dating back to the American period[[note]]That said, many of these terms were derived from classical Tagalog rather than made entirely out of thin air.[[/note]], although many of the Spanish words they were meant to replace remain as frequently used. Examples include ''pangulo'' (literally "serving as the head") for ''presidente'', ''pamahalaan'' for ''govierno/gobiyerno'' and ''silid'' for ''cuarto/kwarto'' (room, akin to English "quarters"). Other examples have not caught on as well for being perceived as hilarious, like ''salumpuwit'', literally "butt-catcher", in place of ''silya'' (from Spanish ''silla'', chair); a more sensible Filipino synonym is ''upuan'' ("place to sit/thing to be sat on").
208
209The English word "boondock" (as in ''Film/TheBoondockSaints'') is derived from the Tagalog word for mountain, ''bundok''. The English word "dugong" was originally a Visayan word.
210
211!!Education
212
213While based on modified variants of the American system, the state of education in the country varies ''considerably,'' ranging from fairly up-to-date academies to more prevalent shoddily maintained and funded public schools, especially in the less developed parts of the cities, and in rural areas, where school funds are most dire.
214
215Four of the Philippines' most prestigious universities are all located in metropolitan Manila: secular, state-funded University of the Philippines, which has gained a reputation for [[StrawmanU harboring activists of all stripes]]; Dominican-run University of Santo Tomas (the oldest running university in Asia, dating back about ''400 years''), Jesuit-run Ateneo de Manila University, founded in 1859 and ''alma mater'' of Jose Rizal; and Lasallian-run De La Salle University, the oldest American-era Catholic college in the country.
216
217
218!!Famous Filipinos (and people of Filipino descent):
219[[foldercontrol]]
220[[folder:Media]]
221See FilipinoMedia for the list of entertainment-based creators (visual artists, actors, musicians, etc.)
222[[/folder]]
223[[folder:Presidents]]
224* '''Emilio Aguinaldo''' (1899–1901), the official first president of the Philippines and a powerful landlord in his native Cavite province (where some of his descendants hold some local power to this day). Surrendered to the Americans in 1901, ran in the 1935 elections (lost to Manuel Quezon, who was one of his lieutenants), and died in February 1964, [[LongRunners outliving most presidents]]. Also often implicated as the mastermind (or the one bearing ultimate responsibility) behind Andres Bonifacio's and Antonio Luna's deaths, which was used against him in the 1935 elections. Unless the constitution gets amended to lower the minimum age required to run for president (currently at least 40 years old), his record as the youngest to sit on the office will never be surpassed.
225* '''Manuel Quezon''' (1935–1944), the first president of the Philippine Commonwealth, under whose administration the Philippines would have been granted independence were if not for UsefulNotes/WorldWarTwo. He also suffered an untimely death during the war and was succeeded by his vice president, Sergio Osmeña. He is the namesake for [[{{UsefulNotes/Manila}} Quezon City]] and the Quezon province.
226* '''Jose Laurel''' (1943–1945), [[PuppetKing president of the Japanese puppet state]] during World War II. Later founded Lyceum of the Philippines University in Intramuros shortly before his death. He was also the first ex-president to successfully run for a lower post (as a senator in 1953), though he wasn't recognized as a former head of state until Macapagal's tenure.
227* '''Sergio Osmeña''' (1944–1946), Quezon's successor and the last president under American rule. His descendants are known politicians in Cebu, including a three senators, a former governor and a former mayor of the eponymous city. The country joined the UN under his administration.
228* '''Manuel Roxas''' (1946–1948), first president of the fully-independent Republic after America legally granted the nation independence on July 4th, 1946. Independence was supposed to be granted in 1945 were it not for UsefulNotes/WorldWarII and the Japanese invasion of 1942-1945. Possibly one of the most blatantly [[TheQuisling pro-American]] presidents in a country that's already overwhelmingly pro-American; it would not be a far cry to say that the country remained a U.S. colony in some ways with Roxas at the helm.
229* '''Elpidio Quirino''' (1948–1953), successor to Roxas after his untimely death on 1948 and the first president to be on the receiving end of an impeachment attempt. A province was named after him in 1966.
230* '''Ramon Magsaysay''' (1953–1957), third President of the fully-independent Republic who backed America during the UsefulNotes/ColdWar. [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure A popular president known for his humility and facilitating the peaceful disbandment of the Hukbalahap guerrillas of central Luzon]] during TheFifties, [[TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth he met a tragic end in a plane crash in Cebu]].
231* '''Carlos Garcia''' (1957–1961), another vice-president who succeeded a deceased sitting head of state, best known for his austerity and "Filipino First" policies, placing preference on local businessmen over foreign ones. His ascension to the presidency led his fellow Boholanos to add a star to their flag to represent him. Later became head of the Marcos-era constitutional convention in 1971 but died 13 days later, being replaced by...
232* '''Diosdado Macapagal''' (1961–1965), best remembered for his land reform policies and changing the date of independence from July 4 to June 12. Also the only vice-president to have never been appointed to a cabinet post. His daughter, Gloria, would [[GenerationXerox ascend to the presidency after Joseph Estrada's ouster in 2001.]]
233* '''UsefulNotes/FerdinandMarcos''' (1965–1986), the President who for good and/or ill made the deepest mark on the nation within the last half-century. Notorious for his dictatorial regime and imposing martial law during TheSeventies, causing much unrest & casualties among citizens all throughout the country. Booted out of office after 21 years through the "[[VelvetRevolution People Power Revolution]]" of 1986 and died in exile in Hawaii. Was continuously president for so long that a whole generation, the "Marcos babies", grew up under him. [[AHeroToHisHometown He is still popular and revered in his home province of Ilocos Norte]], where his body is preserved at a mausoleum in his hometown. Has been attempted to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes' Cemetery) twice, exciting loyalists and frustrating nearly everyone else. Before entering politics, he first became a nationwide celebrity as a law student when he was arrested for the murder of his father's political opponent. He was convicted but appealed to the Supreme Court and passed the bar exams with flying colors as a prisoner. He then served as his own defense lawyer and was acquitted.[[note]]The presiding judge at the trial was former president Jose Laurel. Marcos later repaid the favor by never going after his son Salvador aka Doy, later Cory's vice president, when he had other political opponents imprisoned.[[/note]] After World War II, he presented himself as a decorated war hero whose many medals included three from the US, one personally awarded on Bataan by [[UsefulNotes/DouglasMacArthur Gen. MacArthur]]. He also claimed to have led the guerrilla group ''Maharlika'' (named after the ancient Tagalog warrior class). Later, various investigations by American and Philippine officials alike debunked his wartime claims: while he had been in the army, he never saw combat, he was never at Bataan, his resistance unit never existed, the US had never awarded him any medals and the Philippine medals he did have were thus of dubious merit.[[note]]If all his medals were authentic, he would have had more than ''Creator/AudieMurphy''... so, nope.[[/note]]
234* '''Corazon "Cory" Aquino''' (1986–1992), Benigno Jr.'s widow and later the first female President, having been swept into power after the "People Power Revolution" which sparked a host of other "color" revolutions across the world throughout the next decade. Survived at least 7 coups during her term and oversaw the closure of US bases in the country. Like pretty much all major Filipino politicians, she was a scion of a family of landlords and businessmen, the Cojuangcos. Her cousin Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco was in contrast a close friend and staunch ally of Marcos. The Cojuangcos also own the huge Hacienda Luisita plantation, and Cory was criticized for not touching it despite promoting land reform.
235* '''Fidel Ramos''' (1992–1998), former general, Corazon Aquino's chief-of-staff, her elected successor, and the first Protestant (Methodist) president of the predominantly Catholic nation. Noted for deregulation of industries and his hands-on approach to the economy, but later hit by the Asian economic crisis at the twilight of his term. Also remembered for his cigars, jumping for joy at EDSA after getting a (premature) report that Marcos had left (which he dutifully re-enacted at anniversary celebrations) and his many trips to other countries to broker agreements, leading to jokes about him being the greatest Filipino tourist since Jose Rizal (who did some globetrekking himself). Through his mother's side, Marcos's first cousin once removed.
236* '''Joseph Ejercito "Erap" Estrada''' (1998–2001), former film actor, Fernando Poe Jr.'s best friend, Macapagal-Arroyo's predecessor as president, previously longtime mayor of San Juan, and former mayor of Manila. Ejercito is his original surname, while Estrada is his StageName which he adopted in real life. His movie roles were often similar to Poe Jr.'s, as he played a streetwise [[KnightInShiningArmor champion of the poor and oppressed]]. In real life he has a BigFun image, was TheCasanova in his younger days, and also got a reputation for [[{{Malaproper}} mangling English]][[note]]likely exaggerated since he's from a well-to-do family and went to excellent schools, though he never finished college[[/note]] which he has embraced, giving rise to so-called "Erap jokes". While popular amongst the lower classes, revelations of his gambling habits and other graft/corruption scandals booted him out of office in 2001. He was subsequently convicted, but pardoned by Macapagal-Arroyo and has [[CriticProof recovered his popularity since then]]. In fact, he [[PopularityPolynomial placed second against Benigno Aquino III]] when he ran again in 2010. Two of his sons [[GenerationXerox also hold political power]] -- Jose "Jinggoy" as a senator, and Joseph Victor "JV" as congressman for their native (and their father's adopted hometown) San Juan City suburb of Manila and eventually a senator as well. Jinggoy, like his father, is also an actor.
237* '''Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo''' (2001–2010), most recently the House Speaker representing her native Pampanga province who endured a tumultuous nine-year presidency ever since taking over from Joseph Estrada after a nonviolent revolution in 2001. She [[GenerationXerox is a former presidential child, being born from Diosdado Macapagal]]. Popular at the start due to riding the EDSA II hype, but left office wildly unpopular due to various corruption and human rights scandals, and later arrested on plunder charges. After years in hospital arrest, she was acquitted by the Supreme Court in 2016 due to insufficient evidence, but this is popularly suspected to be due to mismanagement. The shortest President to date, leading to requisite jokes and visual gags about her height. Also has a prominent [[DistinguishingMark facial mole]] like her father.
238* '''Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III''' (2010–2016), the [[GenerationXerox son of Ninoy and Cory]], themselves noted political figures. Survived an assassination attempt during one of the coup attempts against his mother. Quiet and unassuming compared to his vivacious younger sister Kris, an actress and TV personality. He was the only bachelor to have served as President, though he did date a bit while in office. Also resembled a [[WesternAnimation/{{Minions}} Minion]].
239* '''Rodrigo Duterte''' (2016-2022), the first president hailing from the Mindanao region as well as the only one besides Aguinaldo to jump from Mayor to President in one stroke. During his term as mayor of Davao City, he supposedly managed to [[TheExtremistWasRight turn it into one of the most crime-free, affluent and highly progressive cities in the country]], and based his successful campaign on that, though it's been repeatedly questioned by mainstream investigators and journalists due to the country's rampant cases of [[VigilanteExecution extrajudicial]] and [[KillerCop police]] killings under his administration. Other than that, he's better known for being [[SirSwearsalot the president with a potty mouth]] as well as making numerous jokes and banters that CrossesTheLineTwice.
240* '''Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.''' (2022-present), the current president of the country and the third presidential child to assume office (after Noynoy and Gloria). The son of the late dictator, he and his family spent the last few decades since their return from exile rehabilitating their public image for their return to politics. He managed to win the 2022 presidential race in a LandslideElection, much to the frustration and disappointment of many Filipinos ([[NeverBeHurtAgain especially survivors and critics of the Martial Law era]]) who don't want another Marcos to lead the country.
241[[/folder]]
242
243[[folder:Historical (Deceased)]]
244* José Rizal, the chief national hero was a reformist during the Spanish colonial period. His criticism of the corruption within church and state, expressed through his satirical novels ''Literature/NoliMeTangere'' and ''Literature/ElFilibusterismo'' (now mandatory secondary-school literature), helped inspire the Philippine Revolution and led to his execution at age 35.
245[[/index]]
246* Andrés Bonifacio, founder and leader of the Katipunan, the largest LaResistance movement during the Philippine Revolution against the Spaniards. Similar to Rizal's fate, he was unjustly captured and executed at age 33 - but [[EtTuBrute by his own side]] due to a rivalry with Aguinaldo, which is considered quite the OldShame in Philippine history to this day. Several Filipino historians continuously debate with each other about [[WhatCouldHaveBeen considering him the true first President.]]
247* Apolinario Mabini, President Aguinaldo's [[GeniusCripple polio-ridden]] political philosopher and advisor. He was famously quiet and introverted, came from a relatively very poor background, and remarkably attained a superior education in law, philosophy and political science practically equal to his well-travelled ''ilustrado'' contemporaries, but ''without once ever leaving the colony'' (except for his exile in Guam ''after'' the Americans invaded both that island and the Philippines). Was long a posthumous victim of nasty rumours that a venereal disease caused his affliction—rumours that were apparently spread by some in Aguinaldo's circle.
248* Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., former provincial governor, senator, and Marcos's ArchEnemy during the martial law period, whose assassination at Manila International Airport (which now bears his name) on August 21, 1983 uncorked public resentment towards Marcos, leading to the "People Power Revolution".
249* Jaime Cardinal Sin, 30th Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila, famous for helping spark the "People Power Revolution" through a church-owned radio station - by calling on civilians to block EDSA against Marcos's troops - as well as a man with a curious sense of humor regarding the unfortunate combination of his surname and title.[[note]]"Sin" is a Chinese surname, derived from "Xin".[[/note]]
250* Lapu-Lapu, [[DaChief datu]] of Mactan Island in modern-day Cebu province, who led the force that defeated and killed Ferdinand Magellan, delaying Spanish expeditions to the islands for the next 40 years. Retroactively considered the first Filipino hero.
251* Diego Silang, leader of an anti-Spanish rebellion in the Ilocos area in the 1760s, who once collaborated with the British during their brief invasion of the Philippines. After his assassination [[EtTuBrute by a close friend]], his widow Gabriela continued the desperate struggle until she too was captured and executed (and in her honor, a Filipino feminist organization is named after her).
252* Sultan Muhammad Dipatuan Kudarat, [[DaChief Muslim chieftain]] who successfully fended off Spanish incursions into Mindanao throughout his reign.
253* The Luna brothers, [[SiblingYinYang Juan and Antonio]], associates of Rizal who are notorious for their [[HairTriggerTemper hot tempers]]. Juan was a painter who reportedly shot and killed his wife and mother-in-law out of jealousy (and was only acquitted of murder because of racism; as a "Malay", his BerserkerRage was ruled to be InTheBlood), while Antonio became a military man with a dash of GeniusBruiser. It's a lesser-known fact that he was also a successful scientist who finished doctor's degrees in bacteriology and pharmacy in Europe. He quarreled with José Rizal over a LoveTriangle and Emilio Aguinaldo over government policy, causing the latter to have him killed - another OldShame for historians.
254* Marcelo H. del Pilar, a fellow reformist and associate of Rizal. Considered an icon of Philippine journalism due to being the editor of the newspaper La Solidaridad which the reformists used as their mouthpiece.
255* Graciano Lopez Jaena, another of Rizal and Del Pilar's reformist associates and the founder and first editor of La Solidaridad.
256* Trinidad Pardo de Tavera, another of their reformist associates who descended from a particularly aristocratic Portuguese-Spanish clan, the Pardo de Taveras. Later served as a government official for both Aguinaldo and the Americans. Also known as an early scholar of Filipino social sciences and as Juan Luna's brother-in-law.
257* Gregorio del Pilar, one of Aguinaldo's generals and relative of Marcelo. Called the "boy general" due to his youth and allegedly [[TheCasanova a hit with the ladies,]] he died at age 24 fighting the Americans at his LastStand at Tirad Pass.
258* Emilio Jacinto, Bonifacio's right-hand-man in the Katipunan and known for his writings for the organization. Later a general in the Revolution, though he and others refused to join Aguinaldo. Died of illness even younger than Gregorio.
259* Gregoria de Jesus, the spouse of Bonifacio who also joined the Katipunan and led its women's chapter. She took charge of its documents, keeping them hidden (sometimes on her person), and also fought in battles. Often considered a proto-feminist figure like Gabriela Silang.
260* Mariano Gómez, José Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora ([=GomBurZa=]), three Filipino priests whose execution on 17 February 1872 due to false charges of instigating a failed mutiny in Fort San Felipe (modern-day Cavite City, Cavite) 28 days earlier slowly uncorked resentment against Spanish authorities. While they had nothing to do with the mutiny, friars infuriated by their advocacy of liberal reforms benefiting native priests and their criticism of corruption within the Church jumped on the chance to get rid of them.
261* Isabelo de los Reyes, politician and founder of the Philippine Independent Church ("Aglipayans"), the Philippine counterpart to the Church of England.
262* Gregorio Aglipay, Isabelo's associate, dissident Roman Catholic priest and the first bishop of the Philippine Independent Church, after whom the church was given its nickname.
263* Lorenzo Ruiz, Filipino-Chinese altar boy turned calligrapher from Manila, who joined a Spanish missionary fleet to Japan ([[IOweYouMyLife after the missionaries cleared him of accusations of murder]]), where he was imprisoned, tortured and ultimately executed in Nagasaki in 1637, [[DefiantToTheEnd unwilling to recant his faith to the very end]]. He was also proclaimed the first Filipino saint on October 18, 1987, by Pope John Paul II.
264* Pedro Calungsod, catechist from Cebu and member of a Spanish mission to Guam, where [[HarmfulToMinors he was killed at the tender age of 17]] alongside his companions after getting fatally involved in the power struggles of the local tribes. Canonized as the Philippines' second saint by Pope Benedict XVI in October 2012.
265* Carlos Rómulo, diplomat, co-founder of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, and the President of the Fourth Session of United Nations General Assembly in 1949. Cast the tie-breaking vote that led to the creation of modern Israel. Also remembered by Filipinos as both a fervent patriot and citizen of the world.
266* [[Creator/FernandoPoeJr Fernando Poe Jr.]], action star famous for films starring him as [[KnightInShiningArmor the champion of the downtrodden]] and a badass, later CoolOldGuy extraordinaire. Also known for his [[HotBloodedSideburns sideburns]] and RapidFireFisticuffs. He ran for the presidency in 2004 unencumbered by things like "qualifications for office" or "actually having an agenda", and ''very'' narrowly lost to Gloria Magacapal-Arroyo, who was widely suspected of cheating. Suddenly died months after his loss, which resulted in a public outpouring of grief rivaling Ninoy Aquino's death.
267* [[Creator/{{Dolphy}} Rodolfo "Dolphy" Quizon, Sr.]], comedian-actor and the epitome of the Philippine CoolOldGuy, known for [[LongRunner his career spanning six decades]] and [[KavorkaMan siring many children from several partners]].
268* Leonardo "Nardong Putik" Manecio, gangster from Cavite province [[FamedInStory famed in folktales]] for his [[{{Invisibility}} ability]] to elude authorities and fellow hoodlumns alike with a [[AmuletOfConcentratedAwesome charm]]. He met his end at a MexicanStandoff with provincial cops led by Epimaco Velasco, who would later become governor of said province.
269* Nicasio "Asiong" Salonga, sanitation inspector by day, mob boss by night, and the face of the {{Gangsterland}} reputation of his native Tondo suburb in Manila during TheFifties. Decades after his death in a gang-related violence at the young age of 27, his life has since been romanticized in several movies as a WellIntentionedExtremist who works JustLikeRobinHood.
270* Lino Brocka, openly StraightGay activist and film director of over forty films, some of which would garner local and international recognition and awards.
271* Jesse Robredo, long-serving mayor of Naga City in the Bicol region, whose decades of [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure humility and transparent governance]], culminating in becoming Internal and Local Government secretary, was tragically cut short by a plane crash on August 18, 2012.
272* Music/FrancisMagalona, award-winning rapper and artist famous for his songs tackling [[ConsciousHipHop social issues]] and patriotism.
273* Gabriel "Flash" Elorde, boxing Super Featherweight champion during TheSixties.
274* Renato Corona, Chief Justice from 2010-2012, infamous for being the first head magistrate to be impeached by a congressional court for charges of betrayal of public trust and understatement of financial liabilities. That he was a last-minute appointee by Arroyo weeks before she had to step down didn't help his image before Aquino and the public.
275* Miriam Defensor-Santiago, HotBlooded [[LongRunner long-running]] senator, former International Court of Justice judgem and [[TheAce Harvard graduate]], famous for [[IronLady taking control of proceedings whenever she talks]] and being quite the InsufferableGenius (though not without some sense of humor). Often hailed as one of the best presidents the country never had due to her [[{{Understatement}} immense background and qualifications]], having ran thrice in 1992, 1998, and 2016.
276* Henry Sy, SelfMadeMan, immigrant from Fujian, richest man in the Philippines worth an estimate of $18.3B at the time of his death, and founder of SM Investments Corporation, a MegaCorp covering banks (such as Banco de Oro, the nation's largest banking institution), real estate and the SM Malls chain, which were his original investment.
277* Eddie Garcia, Poe Jr.'s friend and fellow action star and a versatile actor who can play protagonist or antagonist roles, but was well known either way as a LargeHam DeadpanSnarker extraordinaire.
278* Ramon Revilla, former movie star and senator, who followed his close friend Estrada into politics at the height of his popularity. He was also known for [[ThePornomancer having fathered 72 children from 16 women]].
279* Alfredo Lim, former police general and long-serving mayor of Manila, famous for his strict anti-crime platform (of which he sometimes personally handles), which earned him [[RedBaron the nickname]] "Film/DirtyHarry".
280* Eliseo "Eli" Soriano, founder and leader of the Members of the Church of God International, an independent Christian sect famous for his live sermons on the TV show ''Ang Dating Daan'' ("The Ancient Ways").
281* Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco, Jr., a maternal second-degree uncle of President Aquino III and chairman of San Miguel Corporation, Southeast Asia's largest food, beverage and packing company.
282* Jose Maria Sison, writer, chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines, and founder of left-wing youth group Kabataang Makabayan [[note]]KM, or Patriotic Youth in Filipino[[/note]] during TheSixties. Had been in exile in Netherlands since the first Aquino administration until his death in 2022. He was also a professor of former president Rodrigo Duterte and uncle of former senator Leila De Lima.
283[[/folder]]
284
285[[folder:Political]]
286* Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo, former Vice president and widow of former DILG secretary Jesse Robredo. Before narrowly winning the 2016 vice-presidential elections, she represented the third district of Camarines Sur in the Congress. Attempted to run for president in the 2022 elections, only to lose to Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., the same political rival she won against for the vice presidency six years ago.
287* Manuel "Manny" Villar, self-proclaimed SelfMadeMan, tycoon and senator who boasts of a RagsToRiches background. The richest man in the Philippines as of 2019. His wife, Cynthia, is currently a senator, while his son Mark was public works secretary under Duterte.
288* Jejomar Binay, former Vice-President, famous for his decades of serving his native Makati City suburb in Metro Manila as mayor and developing it into the national economic center. His family [[GenerationXerox has since made a name for themselves within the city]], with his son Jejomar Erwin formerly a mayor and daughter Mar-Len Abigail as mayor. Another daughter of his, Nancy, is currently a senator.
289* Manuel "Mar" Roxas II, grandson of President [[DeadGuyJunior Manuel Roxas]], TheLancer to President Aquino ([[GenerationXerox his father, Gerry, also served as the Lancer to Aquino's father Ninoy, while Aquino's grandfather Igno also served as the Lancer to President Roxas, Mar's grandfather]]), former Senator, Trade and Industry secretary, and Interior and Local Government secretary.
290* Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr., [[GenerationXerox son of Ramon Sr.]] who followed his father's footsteps both as actor and senator.
291* Edward Hagedorn, former logger turned environmentalist and long-serving mayor of Puerto Princesa City, capital of the island-province of Palawan, under whose tenure the city turned from a rural backwater to a booming tourist destination.
292* Juan Ponce Enrile, former Senate President and a [[LongRunners long-running nonagenarian politician]]. Once part of Marcos' inner circle, he became one of the principal figures behind the EDSA Revolution, alongside Aquino and Ramos.
293* Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan, soldier turned politician. Long associated with Enrile, he cultivated a dashing image as a leading figure in the coup plots and attempts against Marcos (he was at EDSA) and Cory. Ramos granted him amnesty and he ran for the Senate and has served multiple terms over the years. After being jailed for plotting against Macapagal-Arroyo, he won another Senate term while in prison, was released, and served in the Senate until being appointed as Information and Communications Technology secretary in 2018.
294* Imelda Romualdez Marcos, former beauty queen, widow of President Ferdinand Marcos and congresswoman representing her husband's native (and her adopted) Ilocos Norte province, infamous for [[AllWomenLoveShoes her collection of thousands of pairs of shoes]].
295* Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., son of the elder Marcos and senator. Was targeted for assassination during the aborted coup that led to the first EDSA. Like the rest of the Marcos family, maintains that President Marcos did right by the country and has declined to give apologies for the past or has only given [[BackhandedApology non-apologies]] at best. Ran as vice president in the 2016 elections, gained a following among young voters and lost by a mere 200,000 votes, causing many among the older generations to wonder if the nation has AesopAmnesia or has been brainwashed by social media propaganda. Elected President in 2022 and takes office on June 30.
296* Maria Imelda Josefa "Imee" R. Marcos, eldest daughter of President Marcos, former governor of Ilocos Norte and currently a senator. Dissed [[Music/TheBeatles The Beatles]] during their first and only visit to the country after they were perceived to have snubbed the First Family by failing to turn up at the presidential mansion.[[note]]They were harassed at the airport as a consequence.[[/note]] Was married but now separated from athlete and businessman Tommy Manotoc, and one of her sons is model Borgy Manotoc.[[note]]Who once got in an altercation with a Pardo de Tavera scion at a nightclub. Roots run deep here.[[/note]]
297* Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, the former chief of the country's police force who is now a senator known for his [[TheTysonZone bizarre media antics]], being bald, and his [[{{Wrestling/DwayneJohnson}} The Rock-like physique]], which partially lends to his nickname. [[note]]The other reason is due to where he was raised: Barangay Bato. Also, "bato" means [[BilingualBonus rock in Filipino.]][[/note]]
298* Leila de Lima, former human rights chairperson, justice secretary, and former senator. Oversaw the raids in the national penitentiary that uncovered the lavish lifestyles of high-profile inmates and later on became one of [[ArchEnemy Duterte's staunchest critics]]. She was later imprisoned for 6 years over an alleged controversy over the drug trade at Bilibid, which human rights organizations believe to be politically motivated. In addition, her imprisonment caused the US Senate to pass a resolution condemning her detention (and possibly invoking the Magnitsky Act against those responsible for the process). In November 2023, she was granted release on bail.
299* Richard "[[ADickInName Dick]]" Gordon, former senator and chairman of the local Red Cross whose main claim to fame is his transformation of the former US Navy base in Subic into one of the region's investment hubs. Formerly mayor of Olongapo during TheEighties, tourism secretary in the early 2000s, and also ran for president in 2010. Like Cardinal Sin, he also has a curious sense of humor regarding [[DoubleEntendre his nickname]] being meme fodder, which in 2016, he and his campaign team [[AscendedMeme used to hilarious effect]].
300* Antonio "Sonny" Trillanes IV, a retired Navy officer known for his principal involvement in two coups against the Arroyo regime. First gained a senatorial seat in 2007 ''while in jail'' and finished his two senatorial terms in 2019. Also known for being the person named behind the ScareCampaign ads against Duterte at the tail-end of the 2016 campaign period; late in his senatorial stint, he became the other principal ArchEnemy of Duterte in the upper house.
301* Janet Lim-Napoles, a businesswoman linked as the mastermind behind the pork barrel [[note]]Formally known as the Priority Development Assistance Fund, it is given to senators and congressmen to fund projects to their constituents without going through budgeting processes.[[/note]] scam, which led to the abolition of such funds in 2013 after triggering a Senate investigation and widespread protests.
302* Grace Poe-Llamanzares, senator and adopted daughter of the late Fernando Poe, Jr. First rose to politics when she was appointed chair of the country's MediaWatchdog and later topped the senatorial race in 2013 on a platform to continue her (adoptive) father's legacy. Ran for president in 2016 amid controversy over her citizenship. [[note]]The Supreme Court affirmed on March 2016 that she is natural-born. The issue stemmed over her renunciation of her Filipino citizenship in 2001, shortly before the country allowed dual citizenship, and her eventual re-acquisition of it five years later.[[/note]]
303* Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and his sister Pia, children of the late Rene Cayetano, [[GenerationXerox who was also a senator]].
304* Victor Ma. Regis "Vico" Sotto, a young mayor from Pasig City known for his progressive policies (widely seen as the {{Foil}} to Duterte) and toppling the Eusebio dynasty which had control of the city for 27 years. He is the son of Vic Sotto and the nephew of the current senate president Tito Sotto (see Media folder).
305* Francisco "Isko" Moreno Domagoso, another young-ish mayor from Manila known for his streetwise image and social media savvy. Originally an actor, he joined politics in the late 90s as a councilor for his hometown and later as vice-mayor under both Alfredo Lim and Joseph Estrada. Vying to run for president in the 2022 elections.
306* Jose Manuel "Chel" Diokno, human rights lawyer and chairman of the Free Legal Assistance Group, which provides ''pro bono'' services to marginalized sectors of the society.
307* Former senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, another [[LongRunners long-running]] public official who was previously vice mayor of Quezon City, and has been on the Senate since 1992 (except for the 2004-2010 period). Infamously plagiarized a series of speeches, including that of UsefulNotes/RobertFKennedy in his arguments against the Reproductive Health bill (now passed into law) in the early 2010s. Also the [[GenerationXerox grandson of a former senator]] who went by the same name.
308[[/folder]]
309
310[[folder:Business]]
311* Lucio Tan, another immigrant from Fujian, second-richest man in the Philippines, and CEO of LT Group, which includes Philippine Airlines, the nation's largest (and flagship) airliner.
312* John Gokongwei, yet another Fujian immigrant, third-richest man in the Philippines, and CEO of JG Summit Holdings, which includes Cebu Pacific, the Philippies' second-largest airliner, and Robinsons Malls chain, the closest competition to Sy's SM Malls.
313* Fernando Zobel de Ayala, scion of a German-Spanish clan and current CEO of Ayala Land, another MegaCorp covering real estate, Bank of the Philippine Islands (the oldest in the nation at over 160 years) and the high-end Ayala Malls chain.
314* Manuel V. Pangilinan, chairman of the Philippine Long Distance Company (PLDT), the nation's largest telecommunications provider and owner of several other companies, making him perhaps the richest non-Chinese-blooded Filipino.
315* George Ty, Filipino-Chinese tycoon and founder of Metrobank, the Philippines' second-largest banking institution.
316* Cesar Purisima, president of Land Bank of the Philippines, the largest state-owned bank catering to agricultural workers, and Finance secretary during the younger Aquino's administration.
317* Andrew Tan, another Fujian immigrant and current leader of Alliance Global Group Inc. (AGI), which includes the Megaworld real estate company, Emperador Distillers, maker of one of the world's best-known brandies, and Golden Arches, a franchise owner of [=McDonalds=] in the Philippines.
318* Tony Tan Caktiong, President and CEO of Jollibee, the Philippines' largest fastfood chain.
319* Loida Nicolas-Lewis, widow of African-American billionaire Reginald Lewis.
320* Ramon Ang, president, CEO and vice-chairman of San Miguel Corporation.
321[[/folder]]
322
323[[folder:Sports]]
324See FilipinoMedia for the list of sports creators.
325[[/folder]]
326
327!!The Philippines and their People in Fiction:
328
329[[foldercontrol]]
330
331[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
332* An Alternate Philippines is part of the Unified States of Arkansas in ''Literature/TheSagaOfTanyaTheEvil'', As one of the most important strategic nations and key passages to Asia, The Unified States maintains the stability and presence in this nation. Due to continuous war against the locals for independence, [[spoiler: Tasha is sent to deal with the local government. The Unified states give free education and prepare local citizens to become morally and ethically literate to support the Arkansan lineage in the entire Nation. The Unified States Navy also has a large amount of long-ranged and heavy-barreled battleships Stationed in the Philippines.]]
333* The Philippines is the setting of one mission in ''Manga/BlackLagoon''. Specifically, it's in Mindanao Island, and unsurprisingly, Lagoon ends up contending with an Islamic terrorist group. Though in a twist, this organization is not native to the Philippines; they're a Palestinian organization on their own mission in the region (the manga named them as [[UsefulNotes/ArabIsraeliConflict Hezbollah]], the anime used a fictional group).
334* A Filipina bar hostess named Eileen is one of Hei's apartment neighbors in ''Anime/DarkerThanBlack''.
335* ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'':
336** In ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing'', Quatre's mercenary group is called ''The Maganac Corps'', which is based on ''"mag-anak"''. The nearest direct translation would be "family". Hence, the Maganac Corps is probably composed of pilots who are all related to each other by blood or marriage, a cross between BadassFamily and BadassArmy.
337** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gnd711d5GJQ There was a passing reference to a battleship named]] [[http://gundam.wikia.com/wiki/Agamemnon-class_carrier#Trivia "Magsaysay"]] in Episode 48 of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEED''.
338** Sven Cal Bayan, TheHero of the ONA [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDCE73Stargazer Gundam SEED Destiny Stargazer]] is suspected to be Filipino; his surname is based on the Filipino word for 'town' or 'country'.
339** Kiki Rosita of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamThe08thMSTeam'' is also probably Filipina as well, given the setting is South East Asia. Well that and her alleged unfortunate name.
340** ''Literature/MobileSuitGundamHathawaysFlash'' (the 1st movie) is set in Davao, complete with ProductPlacement of Jollibee.
341* ''Anime/KnightHunters'': Kritiker agents are trained in central Luzon. [[AllThereInTheManual Seriously]].
342* ''Manga/MPDPsycho'': Two chapters in volume 7 are set in real-life locations in the Philippines - and the characters even speak in (very polite) correct Tagalog!
343** In ''Manga/TheKurosagiCorpseDeliveryService'', sharing the same writer as ''MPD Psycho'', a character that crossed over from the latter also claims, "I can even speak Tagalog, boy."
344* The Philippines is a part of the Chinese Federation in ''Anime/CodeGeass''.
345** Chapter 15 of the manga, ''Code Geass: Renya of the Dark'', features Renya and his group, arriving at the Philippines and meeting two Filipino rebels, Esteban and Karim. Also, similar to the country's actual history, the Philippines is under the control of Nova Hispania.
346* Malcolm Gedoh and Eleki Battery from ''Manga/HajimeNoIppo'' are the Philippines Featherweight National Champion and Junior Lightweight Champion respectively. Miyata's rival, the former OPBF Interim Featherweight Champion Randy Boy Junior and his father, Randy Boy Senior, are also from the Philippines. Antonio Guevara, the third boxer to beat main protagonist Ippo Makunouchi [[spoiler: and into retirement at that]], is also Filipino.
347* Maria Taro Sekiutsu from ''Manga/SayonaraZetsubouSensei'' is implied to be from the Philippines.
348* The Philippines [[http://hetalia.kitawiki.net/index.php?title=Philippines himself]] appears in Hetalia, portrayed as a fun guy and a SelfieFiend. Prior to that, the Philippines is a popular OriginalCharacter in ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' fandom. Sadly, this has brought ''loads'' of wank, [[http://fail-fandomanon.livejournal.com/19768.html?thread=86769720#t86769720 as explained here.]]
349* ''Anime/MarvelAnimeBlade'' has the Philippines as a backdrop in two episodes and featured the local versions of [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampires]] from Filipino folklore.
350* ''Literature/FateZero'': Emiya Kiritsugu's early childhood started in the Alimango Island, which is located in Negros Occidental, where he made friends with a Filipino girl named Shirley, who is also his father's assistant. [[CuriosityIsACrapshoot Unfortunately]], [[spoiler: Shirley turned into a Dead Apostle and the rest of the villagers became Ghouls, no thanks to Kiritsugu's father's experiment. Then, the Church Executors and Mages from the Mages Association arrived to wipe out any trace of the outbreak. This is also where Kiritsugu's StartOfDarkness began when he killed his father.]]
351* The Philippines-based beer brand San Miguel Pale Pilsen appears in ''Anime/GhostInTheShell1995''.
352* In the manga ''Manga/BloodyMonday'', Fujimaru's friend Hide has a stepmother and stepbrother who are both Filipino. And the stepbrother calls him, "Kuya". [[spoiler: But it turns out that the stepmother and her brother are members of a terrorist cult who are responsible for the Bloody Monday incident. Oh, and stepmother presumably kills Hide's dad.]]
353* In the 2013 film [[{{Manga/Cyborg009}} 009 Re:Cyborg]], the target of the undetected nuclear missiles that would have ended humanity was the Philippine Islands, for whatever reason. 003 zooms in on Western Visayas at first, then over to Luzon and the NCR in particular. Luckily they manage to detonate the missiles in orbit (thanks guys!) and save the day.
354* ''Manga/PrivateActress'' has Mariko Soriarno, a gorgeous prospect actress who is the daughter of a Japanese man and his Filipina mistress. She goes to Japan following the example of actress [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby_Moreno Ruby Moreno]], who managed to become very popular there; few after her arrival, she meets TheProtagonist Shiho and they become fast friends.
355* In ''Literature/ACertainMagicalIndex'', Misaka-10090 infiltrated the Humanity's Wisdom Headquarters in Davao City during the Gemstone Incident.
356* In ''Anime/{{Charlotte}}'', Yuu was in Manila searching for a kid named Angelo.
357* [[MasterPoisoner Sucy Mambabarang]] of ''Franchise/LittleWitchAcademia'' is implied to be from the Philippines, as her surname Mambabarang is the Cebuano word for "[[BlackMage dark sorcerer]]", and her witch's broom is immediately recognizable as the local ''walis tambo'' (broom made from soft reeds).
358* In the ''Anime/HighSchoolFleet'' movie, a character named Susan "Sue" Reyes joins and aids the crew of the Harekaze to find her father after being unwittingly recruited by pirates.
359* ''Anime/JapanSinks'' features a Filipina character, Mari Mutoh, who is from Cebu and is the mother of the show's protagonists, Ayumu and Go, making them half-Filipino half-Japanese. The Philippines is also mentioned as one of the countries being hit by a big earthquake.
360[[/folder]]
361
362[[folder:Comics]]
363* ComicBook/{{Darna}}, probably the most famous {{superhero}} from local comics or ''komiks''. Has appeared in many movies and TV series.
364* Grail of {{Creator/Wildstorm}} comics.
365* Matt Fraction attempted to make a Philippines-based superhero team, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_Division the Triumph Division]], in ComicBook/IronMan. Most would contest that he didn't do much research.
366* The international indy cult-favorites ''Wasted'', ''ComicBook/{{Elmer}}'' and ''ComicBook/{{Trese}}''.
367* An issue of ComicBook/PowerGirl had the titular hero save an area of the Philippines from a massive tidal wave. It was even revealed that [[http://i44.tinypic.com/1o17bb.jpg she knows how to speak (bad) Tagalog]].
368* Sentry [[http://pics.livejournal.com/ficticons/pic/0008prt4 visited]] the Philippines during Marvel's ComicBook/DarkReign to save people when Mt. Pinatubo (which caused the 2nd largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century) became active again.
369* Filipino-American artist Whilce Portacio intended ''ComicBook/XMen'' character Bishop to be Filipino, but the higher ups decided that his lineage be of Aboriginal-Australian origin.
370* And when Whilce got to do his own book, ''Wetworks'', he took the opportunity to put in a number of Filipino shout-outs, like at least one character exclaiming "Susmaryosep!" (a Filipino shortening of the classic Western exclamation "Jesus Mary Joseph") and having Filipina celebrity Regine Velasquez portrayed as a reporter. The Vampire Nation is said to be inspired by the Philippine mythological creature, the ''aswang''.
371* Leinel Francis Yu has also taken some opportunities to put in some Filipino shoutouts, like in his work with writer Creator/MarkWaid, ''ComicBook/SupermanBirthright'', where the popular Philipine fast-food chain ''Chowking'' can be seen on one scene and where Franchise/{{Superman}} mentions the Filipinos as one of his inspirations for his costume.
372* And speaking of Creator/MarkWaid, at one or two points in his career he had a curious frequency of Filipino shoutouts, like the ones in ''Superman: Birthright''. In his ''Franchise/TheFlash'' story ''ComicBook/TheReturnOfBarryAllen'' Linda was wearing a World War II jacket with a Philippine flag on it, and another popular Philippine fastfood chain, ''Jollibee'', could be seen in one panel. And in ''ComicBook/KingdomCome'', at the part where [[spoiler:Franchise/{{Superman}} starts to bring the whole United Nations building down on the people inside it, one of his would-be victims seems to be Filipino; [[BlindIdiotTranslation spelling and grammar issues]] aside, he calls Superman a "''sira'' (broken) ''ulo'' (head)," a Filipino term for crazy, who is about to kill (''papatayin'').]]
373* In the ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' graphic novel, Bella does a web search on vampires; one of the search results is for "danag", a vampire from Filipino folklore.
374* The graphic novel ''ComicBook/{{Skyworld}}'' makes considerable use of Filipino mythology in its plot, detailing the (brutal) results of TheMasquerade breaking down in the Philippines.
375* ''ComicStrip/PugadBaboy'' is a local comic strip that's gained popularity in the country since the late 1980s.
376* Wilson Tortosa, artist for ''Webcomic/BanzaiGirl'', ''Franchise/TombRaider'', and the re-launched ''[[Anime/ScienceNinjaTeamGatchaman Gatchaman]]/[[Anime/BattleOfThePlanets Battle of the Planets]]'' comics, is from the Philippines.
377* ''Comicbook/Earth2'' changed the nationality of Commander Steel to Filipino with the new name Captain Steel.
378* The Rebirth issue of ''Comicbook/WonderWoman'' features the titular superheroine fighting Darkseid [[http://pop.inquirer.net/2018/01/wonder-woman-justice-league-dc-comics-metro-manila/ all over the streets of Manila]].
379** The second issue of ''Wonder Woman: Agent of Peace'' shows Diana saving a group of kids in a school from a flood due to a tropical depression hitting the Bicol region. She later saves the rest of the townspeople and receives thanks from the local doctor until she hears a news report that Lois Lane's plane crashed on the Himalayas.
380* ''[[Comicbook/AgentsOfAtlas New Agents of Atlas]]'' introduces a new set of Asian or Asian-American superheroes where one of them is Filipina named Pearl Pangan a.k.a Wave whose powers are [[MakingASplash controlling water]].
381[[/folder]]
382
383[[folder:FanFic]]
384* Creator/MonicaGilbeyBieber is part-Filipino.
385[[/folder]]
386
387[[folder:Film]]
388* If you slow down some of the alien languages in ''Franchise/StarWars'', some bits are actually Filipino; specifically the language of the Ewoks, "Ewokese".
389* Creator/WesAnderson's ''Film/TheLifeAquaticWithSteveZissou'' features Filipino pirates.
390* In ''Film/AnOfficerAndAGentleman'', Zack Mayo grew up in the Philippines with his father.
391* The Philippines was portrayed as a nation racked by terrorism in ''Film/ActofValor'' in which a car bomb placed in an ice-creame truck kills the U.S. Ambassador, his son, and other school children. This film was slammed by Filipinos at home and abroad for portraying Filipinos as a stereotypical terrorist.
392* ''Film/TheBourneSeries''
393** Eskrima was chosen to be the protagonist's choice of martial arts.
394** ''The Bourne Legacy'' was shot in Manila, Philippines, most notably along Taft Avenue and along Escolta. Palawan is also featured at the end of the movie.
395* ''Film/{{Constantine}}''. The possessed girl and her family are Filipinos. This is evident when the possessed screams "Papatayin natin silang lahat!" (We will kill them all!) at Keanu Reeves's face.
396* ''Film/{{DeepGold}}: Shot both in Cebu and Palawan and coincidentally set in Cebu and Leyte.
397* ''Film/{{Platoon}}'' is shot in Laguna.
398** Ditto for ''Film/ApocalypseNow''.
399* ''They Call Her Cleopatra Wong'' much of the movie takes place in Manila and was in fact directed by a legendary Filipino English-language b-movie director. The movie and it's director, international film legend Bobby Suarez, are said to be have been a major influences/inspirations on Creator/QuentinTarantino (specifically his own ''Film/KillBill'' was inspired by Cleopatra Wong).
400* A Filipino chef is seen cursing at Mason as he is escaping the hotel in ''Film/TheRock''.
401* In ''Film/BigFish'', the "Vietnamese" ventriloquist was speaking [[BilingualBonus in Tagalog]].
402* The Filipina maid in the movie ''Film/HerAlibi''.
403* In ''Problem Child 3'', Big Ben can be seen trying to call a Filipina girl long distance.
404* In ''The Hunt for Eagle One'' where it was set in Mindanao, a group of US Marines are sent to rescue captured a US Marine and a Filipino Captain while stopping a group of Al-Qaeda-backed local rebels from launching biological weapons.
405* The magical box from the 2003 live-action film version of "The Cat in the Hat" (with Mike Myers) has a label which clearly states that it was "Made in the Philippines".
406* There have been three movies about the life of Lorenzo Ruiz. The first one (''Rorentsu o Ruisu no shōgai'') was made in Japan, [[{{Irony}} the place where he died.]]
407** Similarly, there have been movies and plays about [[http://www.rappler.com/entertainment/14524-calungsod-in-media Pedro Calungsod]]. There were even ''dolls'' based on him!
408* In ''Film/PacificRim'', Manila was the second place to be attacked by the {{Kaiju}}, Hundun, a year after K-Day. Though it's unknown how Hundun got killed (probably due to the use of nuclear weapons), its excrement contaminated the city and its remains were used and analyzed by Newton Geiszler.
409** [[http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/cradle_song/6056266/102795/102795_original.png Side materials]] revealed that another Kaiju named "MN-19" attacked Manila again five years later. But this time, it was defeated by the Horizon Brave, Gipsy Danger and Striker Eureka. Three years later, another Kaiju named "Taurax" attacked the northern part of Mindanao but got defeated by the Striker Eureka.
410* The film of the Japanese drama/thriller series ''Mozu'' features a fictional country named "Peman," which is a fictional take on the Philippines. Several scenes were shot in various places across Metro Manila, including parts of Paco, Taguig, and Manila.
411* The 2014 ''Film/{{Godzilla| 2014}}'' reboot opens in the Philippines in 1999, with scientists finding the remains of kaiju.
412* Dan Inosanto plays a Filipino Eskrima master named Pasqual in Bruce Lee's ''Film/GameOfDeath''
413* ''Film/FiercePeople'' features at least 10 minutes of an "Iskanani" shaman speaking Tagalog.
414* ''Film/OnTheJob'': A 2013 Filipino crime thriller film starring Joel Torre, Piolo Pascual, Gerald Anderson and Joey Marquez.
415* ''Film/HeneralLuna'' puts a spotlight on the Philippine-American War.
416* The [[http://www.warof1996.com/ viral website]] for ''Film/IndependenceDayResurgence'' shows that Manila was one of the 108 cities devastated by the aliens during the "[[Film/IndependenceDay War of 1996]]."
417* ''Film/LondonHasFallen'': The beginning of the movie is voice-overs of news reports detailing terrorist attacks in the Philippines, including the [[RealLife Real Life]] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zamboanga_City_crisis 2013 Zamboanga City siege]] and the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamasapano_clash January 2015 incident that killed 44 Special Action Force commandos]]. Apparently, it appears that the BigBad arms the rogue separatists in the South.
418* 1943 DuelingMovies ''So Proudly We Hail'' and ''Film/CryHavoc'' both center on Army nurses involved in the doomed defense of Bataan in 1942.
419* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:
420** The ''Spider Man'' films has Peter's best friend, Ned Leeds who is Filipino (or at least Filipino descent) as he is played by Filipino-American Creator/JacobBatalon. ''[[Film/SpiderManNoWayHome No Way Home]]'' confirms this with his Filipino lola having a brief, Tagalog-speaking appearance.
421** The last scene from ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' where Thanos emerges from a hut and watches the sunset in satisfaction [[spoiler:after destroying half of the universe's population, including majority of the superheroes]] was shot at the [[http://entertainment.inquirer.net/271911/where-in-the-philippines-was-a-scene-from-avengers-infinity-war-shot the Banaue Rice Terraces]]. However that scene was set [[https://www.cnet.com/news/avengers-infinity-war-where-does-thanos-go-at-the-end/ in an unnamed alien planet]] rather than the Philippines according to [[WordOfSaintPaul Kelly Port, visual effects supervisor]].
422* The climax of ''Film/Uncharted2022'' is set in the Philippines.
423* The plot of ''Film/{{Plane}}'' is that a commercial airliner flying from Singapore to Hawaii is struck by lightning mid-flight and has to make an emergency landing in the Philippines. Unfortunately for them, they land on the island of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jolo Jolo]], where the passengers and crew become targets of local militants.
424* The 2022 film, ''Film/{{Tar}}'' tells about a renowned conductor who is accused of sexual misconduct and towards the end of the film, flees to the Philippines, [[spoiler:conducting the ''Franchise/MonsterHunter'' soundtrack in a fan convention]]. However, [[CaliforniaDoubling the scene was shot in Thailand.]] The director wanted to shoot in the Philippines but he wasn't able to due to strict COVID-19 restrictions.
425* ''Film/TriangleOfSadness'' features a Filipina cleaning manager named Abigail (played by Dolly De Leon) who is stranded with a bunch of white rich people, after their luxury yacht capsized during a storm. Abigail is the only one who has survival skills but she dominates over these rich people when they asked for food.
426[[/folder]]
427
428[[folder:Literature]]
429* In Mitch Albom's "The Five People You Meet In Heaven", one scene in Eddie's past takes place in the Philippines. [[spoiler:The little girl that died in the fire when Eddie and his team burned down the village went on to become his fifth and final person.]]
430* Alex Garland's "The Tesseract" is set in the Philippines.
431* The hero of the novel ''Literature/StarshipTroopers'' is Filipino (Juan "Johnnie" Rico), but he gets a RaceLift in adaptations (where he's just Johnny Rico). Starships named after Presidents Aguinaldo and Magsaysay are also mentioned.
432* ''Literature/{{Ilustrado}}'' is a novel set in a fictional version of the Philippines.
433* In Paolo Coelho's "Eleven Minutes" (Onze Minutos) the protagonist, Maria, meets a Filipina named Nyah, who teaches her the tricks of Maria's new-found trade. [[spoiler: Specifically this: Nyah, a veteran prostitute, teaches neophyte Maria that faking an orgasm is the best way to ensure loyalty from Maria's clients]].
434* Creator/DaleBrown's "Sky Masters" is set in the Philippines where the Chinese are planning to invade the country, and the Americans have to stop them by limited means to avoid all out war. It should be noted the Dale's portrayal of the Philippine government and that of the Chinese are quite inaccurate.
435* In Creator/DanBrown's sixth novel, ''Literature/{{Inferno|2013}}'', Sienna Brooks' backstory took place in Manila, where she used to do charity work but nearly got raped. Apparently, the novel's description of Manila, which is described as "gates of hell", [[UnfortunateImplications wasn't taken very well]] [[http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/309521/lifestyle/literature/in-dan-brown-s-inferno-a-rape-in-manila-called-gates-of-hell by some Filipinos]] despite [[RealityIsUnrealistic some truth]] in it. But again, Dan Brown is notoriously known for FalselyAdvertisedAccuracy.
436* Kevin Kwan's ''Literature/CrazyRichAsians'' books have some Filipino characters in minor roles such as the nannies of Teo and Cheng families and in ''China Rich Girlfriend'', the socialites Evangeline de Ayala and Diego San Antonio. The third and final book, ''Rich People Problems'', has some scenes set in Manila and Palawan; [[spoiler:Astrid Leong and Charlie Wu spend a romantic getaway on a Palawan beach]].
437* Phillip K. Dick's ''Literature/TheManInTheHighCastle'' has the Philippines under the Japanese Empire.
438* Mentioned in Robert Conroy's ''Red Inferno: 1945'' where numerous U.S. Marine units stationed there as part of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines_Campaign_(1944%E2%80%931945) Liberation of the Philippines (1944-1945)]] have been transferred to Europe to fight the Soviet threat.
439* The Philippines was invaded by China in Eric L. Harry's ''Literature/{{Invasion}}''. One character mentions about the "Rape of Manila" in the flashback chapters.
440* ''Literature/TheCrocodileGod'' is a work-in-progress about Haik, the [[CharacterTitle title's native Tagalog sea-god,]] who is masquerading as a Fil-Australian as he reconnects with his [[ReincarnationRomance reincarnated Fil-American wife Mirasol.]] [[TheIllegal He's been mistaken for an undocumented immigrant]] and in addition to running from ICE, he's struggling to deal with centuries of trauma from the DeathOfTheOldGods (one of whom was his unborn daughter). The story is a patchwork of semi-fictional {{Mythopoeia}} with a heavily Polynesian slant, often through his and Mirasol's past-life flashbacks. In-story, Haik is a folk-memory of Paikea the Whale-Rider from New Zealand, but later chapters reveal he's also [[DecompositeCharacter one of the Tagalog counterparts]] to Maui.
441* ''Literature/InCryptid'': A minor connection; in the prologue of the second book, Verity kills a [[Myth/PhilippineMythology manananggal]] in a hospital.
442[[/folder]]
443
444[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
445* There are lots of [[PhilippineSeries live-action television series]] from the Philippines. They are often called teleserye or fantaserye if the show involves supernatural elements.
446* It is mentioned in ''Series/DoctorWho'' that the Philippines becomes a major superpower... in the fifth millennium.
447* Series/TheGreenHornet's sidekick Kato was originally supposed to be a Filipino, but got a RaceLift in the other incarnations.
448* The second to the last episode of Season 4 of ''Series/BurnNotice'' had a plot to blame killings on a Filipino separatist group. Michael Weston objects to building a bomb from the separatist group's plans, since he did not speak Tagalog.
449* The two-part season-ender of Season 3 of ''Series/{{NCIS}}'' featured a Filipino Islamic terrorist and suicide bomber.
450* In the ''Series/NCISLosAngeles'' episode "[=LD50=]", the NCIS LA unit under G. Callen arrest an Abu Sayyaf terrorist who entered America under a fake name. During the interrogation, NCIS psychologist Nate Getz questioned the alleged terrorist with his participation in [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SuperFerry_14 SupperFerry 14 bombing attack]].
451* That infamous [[http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration/2007/10/filipinoa-outra.html incident]] involving ''Series/DesperateHousewives''.
452** ''Series/OneTreeHill'' also featured a character making a similarly derogatory remark (without calling out a specific profession), which didn't reach the same level of infamy.
453---> '''Keith:''' (''on seeing Lucas's arm with an infected tattoo'') Where'd you get that? Some back-alley in the Philippines?
454* The Philippines was mentioned as a place to earn money by gambling on drinking games on ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' Season 3 Episode 21.
455* The original ''Series/HawaiiFiveO'' occasionally had scenes set in the Philippines...[[CaliforniaDoubling which were more often than not shot in Hawaii]].
456** Interestingly there is some justification, considering the number of Filipinos settled in Hawaii even at the time the show was being made. The part about them seemingly speaking Spanish though...
457* The obscure [[TheNineties 1990s]] {{Creator/NBC}} {{Sitcom}} ''Series/CafeAmericain'' included in its main cast a dictator's wife named Madame Ybarra, based [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed quite closely]] on Imelda Marcos, Ferdinand's widow. Since Madame Ybarra is said to be from the Orient, and has a Spanish last name yet was played by an Asian actress and has a somewhat stereotypical Asian-ish accent, it's safe to say she was meant to be Filipino in-universe.
458* In ''Series/TheSopranos'', Tony Soprano once extorted (violently) a Filipino-owned laundromat.
459* [[Creator/LaurenceFishburne Dr. Raymond Langston]] of ''Series/{{CSI}}'' describes an ''aswang''.
460* One episode of ''Series/WithoutATrace'' features a Filipino nanny who went missing along with the child whom she's taking care of.
461* ''Series/{{Survivor}}'' held their seasons in the country for the fourth straight (25-28) time starting with ''Survivor: Philippines''. The funny thing is, the Filipinos themselves have made [[MultinationalShows a licensed version of Survivor]] (four times, the last two being a CelebrityEdition) before with that name.
462* The TV miniseries, ''Human Trafficking'', has Manila as its setting where a 12-year-old American tourist was abducted in the streets. However, the place is actually Bangkok and with a dose of CaliforniaDoubling (e.g.: Philippine flags draped around the water boats and background characters wearing Salakot, the traditional hat with the pointed end on the top). Of course, this is one of the big [[ArtisticLicenseGeography inaccuracies]] the TV miniseries has ever had despite its realistic take on the subject matter.
463* ''Series/CombatHospital'' has Dr. Simon Hill treating a half-Afghan, half-Filipino patient who was injured in a bombing at a wedding. When Simon learned about the patient's nationality, he starts speaking to him in Tagalog, which sounds, to the Filipino viewers, either gibberish or some undiscovered native dialect. [[BreakingTheFourthWall Even the patient doesn't understand what he's saying.]]
464* The Filipino fantasy-drama series ''{{Series/Indio}}'' takes place amidst the backdrop of Spanish colonization and [[EndOfAnAge subsequent decline of the old ways]]. Also notable for showing [[ShownTheirWork an accurate picture of what life during the initial years of colonial rule was like from both sides]].
465* ''Series/LostGirl'', which has featured a large variety of mythological creatures across various cultures, has featured the ''aswang'' (as Fae that prey mainly on diseased corpses) and the ''tikbalang'' (described as a forest creature that would lead travelers astray).
466* ''Series/{{Grimm}}'' has Portland City cop Drew Wu, a Chinese-Filipino migrant to the U.S., ( who serves as the series' regular DeadpanSnarker and ButtMonkey ) temporarily GoMadFromTheRevelation of TheMasquerade (in an episode featuring the Tiktik variant of the Filipino mythological monster Aswang). He later decides it was AllJustADream ( in a symbolic version of KilledToUpholdTheMasquerade, his friends Nick and Hank deliberately lie to him ) in order to return to normal and get himself finally discharged from voluntary confinement at a mental asylum. However, the third season's cliffhanger finale brutally forces him to realize it was RealAfterAll when accidentally discovers Truble's notebook at Nick's house during an investigation.
467* Appears in two episodes in ''Series/LastResort''.
468* ''Series/CrazyExGirlfriend'' features Josh Chan, a Filipino-American. One episode has Rebecca learning Tagalog and cooking ''dinuguan'' (pork cooked in pig's blood) to take to Thanksgiving with his family. (It helps that both the actor who plays Josh, Vincent Rodriguez III, and one of the staff writers, Rene Gube, are both Filipino-American.)
469* ''Series/TheManInTheHighCastle'': The Philippines is part of the Japanese Empire in an alternate timeline where the Axis Power won World War II. [[spoiler: The Germans planned to attack Manila with a nuclear strike should war with the Japanese break out.]]
470** Alternate John Smith fought in the Philippines, specifically during the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Mindanao Battle of Mindanao]].
471* ''Series/SEALTeam's'' third episode involves the rescue of American hostages in the South China Sea who have been captured by [[RuthlessModernPirates Filipino pirates.]] The series returns to the Philippines in the second season for a three-month deployment involving Bravo Team training Filipino special forces.
472* The short-lived Creator/{{NBC}} series ''Series/Powerless2017'''s main protagonist, Emily Locke, played by Creator/VanessaHudgens, is canonically half-Filipino, as brought up in an episode dealing with accidental racist jokes (in real life she does have Filipino ancestry, among others).
473* On ''Series/MadamSecretary'', starring Creator/TeaLeoni as the U.S. Secretary of State, one episode featured a state visit from a brash, tough-talking Philippine president named Datu Andrade … which, as followers of current events might guess, is (down to the name) a thinly-veiled {{Expy}} of (since 2016) President Rodrigo Duterte. Naturally, Philippine government spokespersons filed a complaint, something a bit of a tradition in a country known to take very real offence at ill portrayals in foreign media.
474* ''Series/TheAssassinationOfGianniVersace'', the second series in the ''Series/AmericanCrimeStory'' anthology, focuses on the life of Filipino-American SerialKiller Andrew Cunanan, and his murder of the titular fashion mogul. Towards the end of the series, Cunanan travels to the Philippines itself to [[CallingTheOldManOut confront his father Modesto]] at his decrepit bungalow in Baliuag, Bulacan.
475* The first episode of ''Series/{{Westworld}}'' Season 3 shows Bernard going to a port in Rizal, Palawan where he requests a fisherman to bring him to the titular park which is located in the South China Sea. Apparently, the fisherman speaks in Mandarin which is somehow a reflection on what the current geopolitical situation would be like in 2058.
476* ''Series/{{Superstore}}'' has Mateo Liwanag, an openly gay Filipino sales associate at the Cloud 9 Store portrayed by Filipino-American actor Nico Santos. One episode has him participate in a protest against Rodrigo Duterte in order to apply for asylum.
477* ''Series/{{Squid Game}}'': Episode 2 of Season 1 reveals that Dyeok-Su owes money to a group of Filipino gangsters after losing money in a casino in the Philippines. The Filipino gangsters soon show up to to confront him but he escapes to return to the games.
478** [[https://squid-game.fandom.com/wiki/Player_276 Player 276]], another Pakistani character, is actually played by a Filipino named [[https://squid-game.fandom.com/wiki/Christian_Lagahit Christian Lagahit]].
479* ''Series/TheCleaningLady'': Thony and her family are originally from the Philippines, before they came to the US for Thony's son's medical treatment and stayed as undocumented aliens after their visas expired before he could get better. One Season 2 episode sees Thony secretly taken back to Manilla by mob boss Robert Kamdar in order to help him set up a drug smuggling pipeline thanks to her old contacts.
480[[/folder]]
481
482[[folder:Music]]
483* Music/TheBlackEyedPeas: The rapper apl.de.ap is of Filipino descent. He even starred in his own music video ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evfc0dj1RgA Mama Filipina]]'' in honor of his Filipina mother.
484* Music/{{Enya}}'s song, ''Orinoco Flow'' mentions Cebu in one line.
485* Music/BritneySpears would sneak away to this country, taking pictures of her rear, and other pieces of her.
486* Ryan Ross and Jon Walker's post-Music/PanicAtTheDisco band, The Young Veins, have a song ("Heart of Mine") where the singer (Walker) briefly name-drops traveling to the Philippines.
487* In Music/CheapTrick's "Surrender", the narrator's father says that "before we married, Mommy served in the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_Army_Corps WACs]] in the Philippines."
488* The rapper EZ Mil (real name: Ezekiel Miller) was born in Olongapo to an American father and a Filipina mother. He produced the song ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT0py5LBMLk Panalo]]'' (English: Victory) which has been used to promote the famous boxer Manny Pacquiao. He also [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJSbt6cPbmA appeared in the Wish USA bus]].
489[[/folder]]
490
491[[folder:Video Games]]
492* ''VideoGame/BeachInvasion1945Pacific'': The Fall of the Philippines, set on Corregidor and nearby Fort Drum in early 1942, is the setting for the Philippines map. Here, the USAFFE forces defend against the invasion forces of the Imperial Japanese Army.
493* The Philippines in VideoGame/Cyberpunk2077 is briefly mentioned by Johhny Silverhand as the place Kerry went to "find" himself.
494* The Philippines is a setting in ''VideoGame/FrontMission3''''. Many characters from this series include a La Resistance leader whose name is a ShoutOut to former President Joseph Estrada, and Pham Luis, a RichBitch mecha pilot who is clearly an Asuka Langley Soryu {{Expy}}.
495* José Rizal is an unlockable character (with a rocket launcher) in the first ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonor''.
496** The second mission of ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonorRisingSun'' is set in Calumpit, Bulacan.
497** The Philippines is the setting for two missions in ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonorWarfighter'', where the narrator [[spoiler:who happens to be a part of the Abu Sayyaf Group]] speaks Tausug, the language of the province of Sulu in the Southern Philippines.
498* Talim in ''VideoGame/SoulCalibur'' hails from the Philippines.
499* The NPC quest giver named [[https://deadisland.wikia.com/wiki/Mongina Mongina]] in ''VideoGame/DeadIsland'' is stated to be Filipino.
500* [[SpeakingSimlish Simlish]] from ''VideoGame/TheSims'' series actually contains elements of Tagalog.
501* ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'':
502** The ''Landfall'' trailer for ''VideoGame/{{Halo 3}}'' points to a Filipino ''colony'' on Mars called Katagalugan, with settlements like "New Manila" and "New Legaspi".
503** ''Videogame/DeadOrAlive's'' canon foreigner from ''Halo'', Nicole-458, is allegedly a Filipina, because she was born in New Legaspi and likes the Filipino dessert called Halo-Halo, according to her official background profile.
504** The Covenant name of the Grunts is "Unggoy", which in Tagalog literally means "monkey".
505** The Hunter bosses in ''VideoGame/Halo5Guardians'' Warzone have Tagalog names like "Magsanggalang" and "Nakagagalit".
506* The [=PS1=] game ''Nuclear Strike'' has a bonus mission set in the Philippines.
507* In Daiteikoku, the Philippines is obviously a territory under [[UsefulNotes/TheUnitedStates Republic of Gamerica]], named as Manila 2000. There is also one admiral whose name is Lala Manie, who left to defend the territory after the same man left with the same [[IShallReturn words]].
508* ''VisualNovel/{{Sampaguita}}'', the 3rd game of the ''VisualNovel/{{Yarudora}}'' series, has the Phillipines as a crucial theme. A good number of characters of this game are Filipinos, including the main heroine, Maria Santos; part of the storyline, both in flashbacks and in the present, takes place in the Philippines; and the game's title itself is the name of the national flower of the Philippines, though it is given the meaning of "a promise of eternal love between two people", in order to become the symbol of Maria and the Main Protagonist's love.
509* [[http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090109035218/cnc/images/thumb/3/32/Yellow_Zones.png/620px-Yellow_Zones.png This map]] from ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer: Tiberium Wars'' shows the Philippines is a yellow zone. Oh well, it could have been worse.
510* If you choose to have your main base located in Asia in ''VideoGame/XCOMEnemyUnknown'', the icon for the base itself is located in Northern Luzon, seemingly in Baguio. Despite this, Filipino soldiers are not available for recruitment in-game.
511* The backstory of ''VisualNovel/HatofulBoyfriend'' has the Philippines as the country where [[UpliftedAnimal newly uplifted birds]] first declared independence. One of the major characters in the game is a Luzon Bleeding-Heart, a dove native to the country and repeatedly referred to as Filipino. He has a human-style portrait which [[{{Mukokuseki}} doesn't really look that different]] from those of his Japanese or French-Japanese classmates.
512* In ''VideoGame/BrokenSwordTheShadowOfTheTemplars'', Nico mentions that there was a Filipina au pair who witnessed the murder of her Italian employer. Also, one of George's items is said to be made in Manila.
513* ''[[VideoGame/{{Tekken}} Tekken Tag Tournament 2]]'' features a stage that takes place in the Philippines. In [[{{Characters/Tekken7}} Tekken 7]], Josie Rizal is introduced and fights using [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaw-Yan Yaw-Yan]]. In real life, Filipinos are known for their love of the series, being a commonly played game in both arcades and consoles.
514* The Philippines is one of the countries seen to be part of the [[UsefulNotes/NorthKoreanswithNodongs Greater Korean Republic]] in ''VideoGame/{{Homefront}}''. It is unknown if the country joined willingly or was intimidated to joining the union.
515* In this [[http://images.rtsguru.com/articles/images/4000/3355/metagame_2.jpg map]] shows the country in ''VideoGame/EndOfNations'', with a map scenario. Other images shows that they are under the [[LaResistance Liberation Front]] for sometime...
516* The first few levels in ''VideoGame/SniperGhostWarrior 2'' take place in the Philippines (in the Bicol region, specifically, judging by the satellite imagery in the first cutscene) and one of the [=HVTs=] for the operation is a "shot caller" for Abu Sayyaf.
517* The South Pacific levels of ''VideoGame/TombRaiderIII'' take place in the Philippines judging by the location of the marker on the map, on a seemingly fictional island in the Sulu Sea.
518* Mentioned at least thrice in the ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' series.
519** ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoLibertyCityStories'': Several pedestrians may say "Manila or Bangkok?", referring to the capital cities of the Philippines and UsefulNotes/{{Thailand}}, respectively.
520** ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCityStories'': Lance Vance says "I'm the black killa from Manila." referring to the nation's capital.
521** ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'':[[http://gta.wikia.com/wiki/Michael_Graves Michael Graves]], a candidate for the gubernatorial elections in the State of Liberty, is said to have spent $400,000 of senatorial campaign funds on a vacation home in the Philippines.
522* In ''VideoGame/RagnarokOnline'', Philippines is represented by the village of ''Port Malaya''. The game also has some monsters based on Philippine folklore like the Tikbalang, Tiyanak, and Mananangal.
523* ''VideoGame/BattlestationsPacific'' has three levels that take place in Philippine waters, two of which cover the Battle of Leyte Gulf, with the third involving a submarine and flying boat operating in the Visayas region.
524* ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyWorldAtWar'': The multiplayer map [[https://callofduty.wikia.com/wiki/Battery Battery]] is set in [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Drum_(Philippines) Fort Drum a.k.a. El Fraile Island]] in Manila Bay.
525* ''VideoGame/IndianaJonesAndTheInfernalMachine'' has a set of levels in Palawan, where one of the parts of the Infernal Machine is located.
526* In ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamOrigins'' Bruce can partake in an EasterEgg consisting of a series of conversations, concerning Alfred and a particularly large and carnivorous bat taking residence in the Dark Knight's base of operations. In one of the discussions, Batman mentions that the Philippines is home to one of the largest bats in the whole world. Alfred then wonders how did it end up all the way to Gotham, specifically in the caves below Wayne Manor.
527[[/folder]]
528
529
530[[folder:Theatre]]
531* ''Theatre/TheSultanOfSulu'', written by American playwright George Ade in 1902, during the thick of the Philippine-American War, is about, well, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin the Sultan of Sulu]]. His sovereign rule and polygamous ways come under threat from American soldiers and schoolteachers [[WhiteMansBurden attempting to "civilise" him and his people]].
532[[/folder]]
533
534[[folder:Webcomics]]
535* ''Webcomic/MagIsa'': This comic has a [[http://mag-isa.thecomicseries.com/comics/pl/119176 Filipino main character as well as other characters who are Filipino]]. In one chapter, there is a scene that talks about the [[http://mag-isa.thecomicseries.com/comics/pl/119499 communist and islamic insurgency in the Philippines]]. And don't forget that the name of this comic is Tagalog for "to be alone."
536* Jason from ''Webcomic/{{Multiplex}}'' is part-Filipino and so is the webcomic's author Gordon [=McAlpin=].
537* As is Malaya from Webcomic/{{Shortpacked}} as revealed in the [[http://www.multiplexcomic.com/strip/672 Multiplex crossover]]. Her name is a Filipino word meaning ''Free''.
538* Vinson Ngo, a.k.a Creator/{{Bleedman}}, creator of ''Webcomic/PowerpuffGirlsDoujinshi'' and ''Webcomic/GrimTalesFromDownBelow'', plus his original work ''Webcomic/SugarBits''.
539* ''Webcomic/BanzaiGirl'' is set in the Philippines, and Jinky faces monsters in Philippine folklore.
540* ''Webcomic/LibrengKomiks'' is a free webcomic.
541[[/folder]]
542
543[[folder:Web Original]]
544* In the alternate history ''Literature/NineteenEightyThreeDoomsday'', The Philippines is one of the pre-doomsday nations to survive the [[WorldWarIII nuclear war of 1983]]. During the war, three sites of the Philippines were hit by Soviet nuclear weapons, all which were [[UsefulNotes/YanksWithTanks US military bases]]: Clark Air Base in Pampanga, Subic Naval Base in Zambales, and Camp John Hay in Baguio City, Benguet. Following Doomsday, the country was plunged into crisis, as the affected provinces and nearby provinces were evacuated. Two years later, Chinese refugees arrived further complicating the situation. Ferdinand Marcos was disposed in a [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything peaceful coup]] in 1987. The country was rediscovered by an ANZC recon team in November 1996. The following year, the Philippines took control of Sabah.
545* ''WebVideo/BedtimeStoriesYoutubeChannel'' has an episode covering the Aswang, focusing on alleged sightings and attack taking place in Central and Northern Luzon between 2013 and 2014.
546[[/folder]]
547
548[[folder:Western Animation]]
549* ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'': The crew confirmed that the ContrastingReplacementCharacter Stella is a Filipina and making the first time a Nicktoon featuring Filipino representation, since the show is already popular in the Philippines.
550%%* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': The [[https://simpsons.wikia.com/wiki/Philippines country]] is mentioned at least four times in the series. %%ZCE
551* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': Steven's friend Lars Barriga is at least half Filipino and even references the ube cake that he makes in one episode an old family recipe.
552* ''WesternAnimation/{{Trese}}'', based on the comic of the same name, is set in Manila and uses an UrbanFantasy setting based on Myth/FilipinoMythology.
553* ''WesternAnimation/TheWildThornberrys'': The episode [[https://wildthornberrys.wikia.com/wiki/Bogged_Down Bogged Down]] was set in the Philippines in which the Thornberries attempt to find an Angler Fish.
554* The ''WesternAnimation/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers'' episode "The Coral Killer" features the team travelling to an island in the Philippines after Hoggish Greedly convinced the inhabitants to use dynamites in their fishing which resulted in the damage of several coral reefs.
555* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Fangface}}'' episode "A Goofy Bungle in The Filipino Jungle", the main characters try to stop Zeno after hypnotizing a tribe of Filipino cavemen.
556* It's heavily implied that Lieutenant (j.g.) Samanthan Rutherford from ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekLowerDecks'' is Filipino, especially when it's revealed that he once built a racing ship called the ''Sampaguita'' (the national flower of the Philippines).
557
558[[/folder]]
559
560[[folder:Other]]
561
562* The ''Pacific Rim Sourcebook'' for ''TabletopGame/Cyberpunk2020'' lists the "New Philippines" as one of the many countries in the Far East. To put it simply, [[CrapsackWorld it]] [[WretchedHive is]] [[FromBadToWorse a]] '''hellhole'''. The conditions in the cities are terrible, the islands of Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan have been ''completely'' overrun by [[TheFundamentalist Muslim Rebels]], the island of Negros is under De Facto [[OneNationUnderCopyright Corpo control]], the north is overrun by the [[DirtyCommunists New People's Army]] and criminals and punks all over the world go to Manila, which has since become a WretchedHive.
563
564* Stand-up comedian Rex Navarrete, a Filipino-American, always makes references to Filipino culture. His most famous skit is arguably [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An79RrJJYD0 Maritess vs. The]] ''{{WesternAnimation/Superfriends}}'', which explores the perspective of a Filipina house servant in the minding and tending of superheroes.
565[[/folder]]
566
567!! See also:
568* FilipinoMedia
569* Myth/PhilippineMythology
570----
571[[AC:The Filipino flag]]
572[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flag_of_the_philippines.png]]
573->The upper blue stripe symbolizes peace and justice, while the lower red stripe represents patriotism and sacrifice. At the hoist side is the white equilateral triangle of fraternity; near its vertices are three yellow stars, which stand for Luzon, the Visayas islands and Mindanao, surrounding the sun of freedom, whose eight rays honor the first eight provinces to take up arms against Spain during the Philippine Revolution -- Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Manila, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga and Tarlac. The flag is also unique in that it can be turned into a war ensign by simply reversing the flag, such that the red stripe flies above the blue one.
574----
575[[AC:Coat of arms of the Philippines]]
576[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/coat_of_arms_of_the_philippines_7.png]]
577->The coat of arms was adopted on July 3, 1946. The coat of arms contains a shield with the national flag (for reasons above). It also contains the bald eagle and the lion on the blue and red respectively (to represent the country's colonial past with the United States and Spain respectively) and a ribbon with the country's full name in Filipino.
578----
579[[AC:The Filipino national anthem]]
580->Bayang magiliw,
581->Perlas ng silanganan,
582->Alab ng puso
583->Sa dibdib mo’y buhay.
584
585->Lupang hinirang,
586->Duyan ka ng magiting,
587->Sa manlulupig
588->Di ka pasisiil.
589
590->Sa dagat at bundok,
591->Sa simoy at sa langit mong bughaw,
592->May dilag ang tula
593->At awit sa paglayang minamahal.
594
595->Ang kislap ng watawat mo’y
596->Tagumpay na nagniningning;
597->Ang bituin at araw niya,
598->Kailan pa ma’y di magdidilim.
599
600->Lupa ng araw, ng luwalhati’t pagsinta,
601->Buhay ay langit sa piling mo;
602->Aming ligaya na ‘pag may mang-aapi,
603->Ang mamatay nang dahil sa iyo.
604
605--
606
607->Land of the morning,
608->Child of the sun returning,
609->With fervor burning
610->Thee do our souls adore.
611
612->Land dear and holy,
613->Cradle of noble heroes,
614->Ne’er shall invaders
615->Trample thy sacred shores.
616
617->Ever within thy skies and through thy clouds,
618->And o’er thy hills and seas,
619->Do we behold the radiance, feel the throb
620->Of glorious liberty.
621
622->Thy banner dear to all our hearts,
623->Its sun and stars alight,
624->Oh, never shall its shining fields
625->Be dimmed by tyrant’s might!
626
627->Beautiful land of love, o land of light,
628->In thine embrace ‘tis rapture to lie,
629->But it is glory ever, when thou art wronged,
630->For us, thy sons to suffer and die.
631----
632[[AC:Government]]
633* Unitary presidential constitutional republic
634** President: Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.
635** Vice President: Sara Duterte
636** Senate President: Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri
637** House Speaker: Martin Romualdez
638** Chief Justice: Alexander Gesmundo
639----
640[[AC:Miscellaneous]]
641* '''Capitals:''' Manila (de jure), Metro Manila (de facto)
642* '''Largest city:''' Quezon City
643* '''Population:''' 106,651,394
644* '''Area:''' 300,000 km
645 (120,000 sq mi) (72nd)
646* '''Currency''': Philippine peso (₱) (PHP)
647* '''ISO-3166-1 Code:''' PH
648* '''Country calling code:''' 63
649* '''Highest point:''' Mount Apo (2954 m/9,692 ft) (68th)
650* '''Lowest points:''' Philippine Sea (10,540 m/34,580 ft) (-) and West Philippine Sea[[note]]As the Filipinos called the sea[[/note]]/South China Sea (5,559 m/8,946 ft) (-)

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