The Philippines: Facts

Facts and Statistics

Reference: http://www.retire-asia.com/philintro.shtml 

Population: 107,668,231 (2014 est.)

Religions: Roman Catholic 83%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 5%, Buddhist and other 3%

Languages in the Philippines

Filipino is based on Tagalog and is the official language of the Philippines. However, only about 55 percent of Filipinos speak the language. There are about 111 distinct indigenous languages and dialects although only about 10 are used regularly in the region.

English is generally used for educational, governmental and commercial purposes and is widely understood since it is the medium of instruction in schools. 

Since English is widely spoken in the Philippines, it is common to hear Filipinos use a mixture English and Filipino words or phrases, known as "Taglish" (a mixture of English and Tagalog), in their everyday conversations. Spanish has been an official language in history, it is still used by some people

Family values

• The family is the centre of the social structure and includes the nuclear family, aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins and honorary relations such as godparents, sponsors, and close family friends.
• People get strength and stability from their family. As such, many children have several godparents.
• Concern for the extended family is seen in the patronage provided to family members when they seek employment.
• It is common for members of the same family to work for the same company.

Next post I will give you some tips on etiquette and its importance in the region

Love,Exploring Asia Team x
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