Category Archives: Culture

Culture

Popular aspects of Filipino Culture you need to be aware of

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For most, experiencing the culture of the society you grew up in becomes a little like the adage of a fish experiencing the feeling of water. The way of life that seems completely normal to you may seem quirky or unusual to those from different cultural backgrounds.

The Philippines is no exception to this phenomenon. Although, Filipino youth are still exposed to external modern day cultural influences through mass media, many still hang on to long held cultural beliefs and traditions which are passed down through their parents and relatives.

The Philippines as a nation has also endured a long history of foreign occupation, strong trade relations, and also welcoming migrants from its surrounding neighbours. All of this has had an impact on the modern day culture of the Philippines.

A large part of what the Philippines is today is due to the Malay influence in the region, coupled with the long history of Spanish occupation. Trade relationships with the Chinese, Indians, and some Arabs nations also resulted in significant cultural exchange. With many aspects of language and culture being adopted by Filipinos, including various aspects of the Hindu, and Islamic belief systems.

Now we will focus in on some prominent shared habits, and traditions in the Philippines. We will have a look at what makes them a unique nation within South East Asia, and we’ll be offering advice to help visitors better integrate into the community.

Close family ties amongst Filipino families

After spending time in the Philippines, it quickly becomes apparent that family comes first. It’s easy to see the obligation felt by Filipinos to contribute to the success of their loved ones. Due to decades of mismanagement, it has become difficult for average Filipinos to get ahead in life on their own terms.

Due to this spirit of self-sacrifice, older family members will often help younger relatives with their school and college fees. On the other hand, younger family members will give their older parents and relatives money for living expenses and medication, and will almost always look after them into their old age.

Helping family is not just limited to your siblings and parents. Whether you’re an Aunt, Uncle, Cousin, or even second cousin, it doesn’t matter, you will be looked after because you’re family.

Respect for the elderly comes from this respect for the family unit

From a young age, Filipinos are taught the gesture of “Mano Po”. When first greeting an elder, you take their hand and raise it to your forehead. It is a means of showing respect to those older than you, and asking for their blessing. 

This attitude toward elders carries on throughout life. Retirement homes and villages aren’t as prevalent as they are in western societies. In fact for some people the concept of sending away the elderly is unheard of. Many take it upon themselves to support and look after their parents, and elderly relatives throughout their old age.

The nationwide karaoke obsession

On a different note, Karaoke is a past-time which is now ingrained in the Filipino DNA. The country has a passion for singing that has swept across the nation. Whether it be a party, family gathering, or another social event, there will always be a karaoke machine in use.

I can’t emphasise enough how common it is to come across someone in the country with a breathtaking singing voice. I believe the obsession with karaoke has a lot to do with this. But you don’t need to be a pro to join in, there is no judgement, just pick up the microphone and have some fun.

Karaoke machines are also relatively inexpensive, and widely available. This makes it an accessible social activity, which brings people together to bond and have some fun. There’s something entertaining about watching your friends and family enjoy some good food and alcohol, while belting out some classic songs.

Click here to read more about the karaoke culture of the Philippines!

 

“Utang na loob” the debt of gratitude

This next concept5 of Filipino cultures ties back to the Filipinos propensity to care for their elderly parents. It’s showing a debt of gratitude. You recognise how much someone has helped you, so you feel an obligation to return the favour.

This is often pointed at as a source of rampant corruption in the country. Politicians are regularly accused of vote buying, they will hand out money to their constituents, in which the assumption is they will return the favour by voting for them.

Although this does happen, it should not cloud the spirit of “utang na loob”. This helps build strong communities around the country, as the citizens hold this culture of helping others, and performing acts of reciprocity.

Filipinos take their religious convictions seriously

A high proportion of Filipinos identify as Christians, the majority of the population being Roman Catholic. Catholicism was introduced to the Philippines by Spanish colonisers in the 16th century, and it has since been deeply ingrained in Filipino culture and traditions. Many Filipino Catholics are deeply religious and actively participate in religious practices such as attending mass, praying the rosary, and observing religious holidays and festivals.

In addition to Catholicism, there are also significant numbers of Protestants, Muslims, and Buddhists in the Philippines. Protestantism was introduced during the American colonial period, while Islam has been present in the Philippines for centuries and is primarily concentrated in the southern islands. Buddhism has also been present in the Philippines for many years, and there is a growing interest in the practice amongst Filipinos.

Click here to read about Cebus Taoist Temple, a testament to the countries religious diversity

There are also many indigenous religious practices in the Philippines, often referred to as “animism,” which involve the worship of natural and ancestral spirits. These practices are typically integrated with other religious beliefs and are particularly prevalent in rural areas.

To see the religious devotion that runs through the country on display, you can attend any of the annual festivals held in the nation’s capitals. Sinulog, or the Feast of the Black Nazarene, are perfect examples where millions of Filipinos take to the streets to observe these religious festivals.

Filipinos show resilience in the face of many difficult circumstances

This is a common joke amongst Filipinos, you haven’t to be tolerant and push through to maintain your sanity. On a daily basis they deal with the effects of incompetent self-serving politicians, frequent natural calamities such as earthquakes and typhoons, difficulty finding work to cover their living expenses, amongst many other things.

Despite all this, they maintain a friendly, positive attitude. They still have a positive outlook for the future, with many Filipinos rising above the circumstances and achieving great things.

Many Filipinos have become very adaptable and strong people due to their circumstances. This means many are more likely to take action and deal with their situation. These traits have made OFWs a desirable class, employers know Filipinos are adaptable, hardworking people which make them ideal employees.

 

Culture

The most iconic paintings of the Philippines

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Artists can accomplish a great deal through the medium of painting. Expressing their feelings, communicating ideas, even igniting social change. The possibilities seem endless. A country’s culture, and history can be seen reflected in these works of art.

The Philippines has been home to many gifted and famous artists. Their paintings are unlike those found anywhere else. They can be appreciated on a purely aesthetic level. But on another level, they reveal aspects of Philippine culture and history that have influenced modern life. They become a window into the life and culture of our ancestors. Here we will look at some of the countries greatest artists and their artwork..

1. “Granadean Arabesque” by Jose Tanig Joya (1958)

The “Granadean Arabesque,” is a staple of the Philippine art world, created by the well-known Filipino painter and Artist Jose Joya. This is an example of horizontal Philippine abstract art on a large scale, standing at 305 cm by 118 cm. It features a variety of yellow tones, sweeping brushstrokes, and an impasto medium made with sand.

Joya was a pioneer in developing modern Filipino paintings and art in the Philippines, and this masterwork exemplifies the breadth and depth of her talent as a mixed-media artist.

Joya was instrumental in the Philippines debut at the world’s longest-running international cultural exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia. This is a prestigious place for visual art and the worldwide avant-garde to showcase their works. In 1964, the Granadean Arabesque was one of the works of Joya on display to represent the country.

Granadean Arabesque is undoubtedly one of the most well-known paintings to come out of the Philippines.

2. “La Laguna Estigia” by Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo (1887)

It is generally agreed that Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo was one of the most significant painters to emerge from the Philippines in the latter half of the 19th century. La Laguna Estigia, often known as The River Styx or just The Styx, is a Greco-Roman piece inspired by Dante Alighieri’s epic poem “Inferno,” written in the 14th century.

The poem “Inferno” is about a voyage through hell, and hell is portrayed in the poem as having nine concentric circles, each of which represents a different level of depravity and wickedness.

The putrid waters of the river Styx serve as the setting for the fifth and last level of Hell, which is referred to as the Circle of Wrath. This artwork by Hidalgo depicts a darker and more cryptic rendition of the poem “Divine Comedy” by Dante Alighieri.

The painting is one half of a pair, the other being titled “La barca de Aqueronte,” and both were created simultaneously. During the National Exhibition of the Philippines in Madrid in 1887, it was awarded the silver medal.

3. “Planting Rice” by Fernando Amorsolo (1949)

The entrance of American colonists sparked a fresh wave of nationalism in Philippine society, which may be seen most clearly in the work of Fernando Amorsolo.  The period’s artwork centred on depictions of traditional folk settings as a vehicle for expressing an idealised feeling of nationhood.

Amorsolo presented motifs which portrayed sights common to the Philippines. This included depictions of Filipinos taking part in common hobbies and customs, as well as partaking in work such as farming activities.

In hindsight, some historians have concluded that Amorsolo’s paintings mirrored the people’s yearning to escape from a complicated reality into simplicity. In contrast, others have claimed that his paintings depicted an idealised picture of life during those times.

4. “Spoliarium” by Juan Luna (1884)

Juan Luna’s oil on canvas painting Spoliarium offers a glimpse into the history of Rome and the horrific effects of the gladiator bouts it depicts. The painting’s subject matter centres on the realities behind the battles between gladiators.

The picture shows Roman troops dragging dying gladiators away from the arena. The phrase “Spoliarium” is a Latin word that refers to the location of the Roman Colosseum that was used to discard the bodies of slain gladiators.

Luna created a distinction between the two sides of the painting by depicting individuals on the left side who are excitedly awaiting the battles and people on the right side of the painting lamenting the death of a fallen gladiator.

THe gladiators seem somewhat exposed and unheroic. As the painting depicts the men without their uniforms and weapons in a scene of hopelessness.

It is currently on exhibit in the Philippine National Museum of Fine Arts in Manila, Philippines, where it holds the title of the largest painting in the Philippines.

At the Exposición Nacional de Bellas Artes held in Madrid in 1884, Juan Luna’s painting was awarded the first gold medal he had received for his work. The painting is often credited as being the largest painting in the Philippines.

There is no question that Spoliarium is the most well-known painting ever created by a Filipino artist.

5. “Madonna Of the Slums” by Vicente Manansala (1950)

Vicente Manansala’s masterpiece, “Madonna of the Slums,” was a pivotal work that significantly contributed to developing the Modernist movement in the Philippines.

It focuses on the transition from rural to urban settings. In it, Vicente portrays a mother and her child who recently relocated from the countryside to the city. The story is about the transition from rural to urban settings.

Manansala’s work aimed at enhancing and fostering the national culture, social environment, native identity, and native sensibility. It was noted that his paintings managed to capture both the urban and rural settings inside a single composition.

The painting highlights the uncertainty and anxiety of the time. The Philippines had recently exited the war, and experienced liberation from Japanese occupation. Filipinos were experiencing rampant insecurity in their lives as they moved toward full independence.

The background of this painting demonstrates his method known as “Transparent Cubism,” in which he layers different colours and shapes on top of one another.

Nevertheless, the artwork focuses on the mother cradling her kid to her chest with much affection. The “Madonna of the Slum now resides in The National Museum Collection of the Philippines.

6. “The Musicians” by Vicente Manansala (1973)

Manansala was one of the pioneering abstract artists to emerge from the Philippine art scene. It is also said that Vicente Manansala was responsible for bridging the gap between the metropolis and the suburbs, as well as between rural and cosmopolitan modes of life.

He achieved this by illustrating scenes of contemporary life in the Philippines in an abstract manner. This was a breath of fresh air in the countries traditional art scene.

His artwork references the arrival of American culture by depicting a nation amid change. Manansala masterfully utilises the cubist form, while still respecting the true to life form of the subjects he was painting.

This gives his painting a visually appealing feel. The bright colours and geometric shapes bring life to the academic style of painting common in the Philippines at the time.

7. “Mother Natures Bounty Harvest” by Victorio Edades (1935)

According to historical accounts, Victorio Edades is considered the “father” of modern Philippine art. After completing his education in the United States, he returned home and immediately began developing an innovative approach to the study of art.

His piece “Mother Nature’s Bounty Harvest” was actually a collaboration with Carlos “Botong” Francisco and Galo B. Ocampo. The trio became a force, fuelling the growth of mural painting in the Philippines.

The trio began modernising the Philippines with their public murals. At first, the public did not appreciate this new form of modern art. It was a step away from the traditional style of formulaic, academic art found in the country.

Of the many murals painted by the trio, “Mother Nature’s Bounty Harvest” is one of the few to survive. The painting highlights the relationship Filipinos have with the land, and the joy they receive from the abundance of produce nature affords to them.

8. “The Parisian Life” by Juan Luna (1892)

This impressionist masterwork of Juan Luna was created during his stay in Paris, France. The painting is known as Interior d’un Cafi which literally translates to “Inside a Café”. In contrast to his prior works, “Parisian Life” avoids the intense and dramatic topics he covered during his life as a revolutionary activist.

The painting portrays a “fleeting moment of regular life” that occurred during the author’s time living in Paris in the 1890s. The central figure is an adult female figure wearing a lavender frock. She radiates a feeling of relaxation as she leans back on a bench with a glass of beer in front of her.

But on closer inspection, you will notice three seated on the left-hand side of the painting.

These men were a depiction of three historical figures of the Philippines. Juan Luna himself, as well as Jose Rizal and Ariston Bautista Lin. This foreshadows Luna’s future movements shortly after completing his “Parisian Life” painting. Luna left Paris for the Philippines, he rejoined Rizal and Bautista there to resume his role in the Philippine revolution against Spanish colonialism.

9. “Yellow Confetti” by Benedicto Reyes Cabrera (1984)

The uprising of the everyday FIlipino and the downfall of the dictatorship as a result of the EDSA People Power Revolution in 1986 are two significant events that altered the path of Philippine history

Benedicto Cabrera or BenCab was working amid the uproar. Through his controversial piece of art titled “Yellow Confetti,” he managed to embody the civic resistance of Filipinos at the time.

The painting portrays the anger felt by Filipino protesters at the time, as well as the unity of the common Filipino, uniting together to fight for a common cause.

10. “Gathering of Heroes” by Juanito Torres (2017)

Juanito Torres, a modern Filipino artist, is responsible for creating another staple of Philippine art, called “The Gathering of Heroes.”

It is said that the composition of this iconic piece mirrored the structure of an X-Men comic book cover. The painting though, is packed with heroes who have lived and died for the country.

The painting features Andres Bonifacio, Melchora Aquino, Jose Rizal, Antonio Luna, Emilio Jacinto, Emilio Aguinaldo. Many of those figures were instrumental in the Philippine revolutionary movement of the 19th century.

Culture

These common Philippine plants could kill you!

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Our planet is a hub for an overwhelming variety of living organisms. The diversity across the globe can be overwhelming to comprehend. Within this immense variety of plant life are some very useful compounds. These are utilised to treat disease and optimise general wellbeing.

Unfortunately, not all plants are beneficial for us.

I’m sure you know there are plenty of plants which can be extremely harmful to humans and animals. Today we are going to have a look at some of the plants that you need to look out for while travelling throughout the Philippines.

Buta-Buta – Also known as the Blinding Tree

Excoecaria agallocha

The name Buta comes from the Malay word meaning blind, which says a lot about the tree. Buta-buta is a tough plant that thrives throughout the mangroves of the Australasian region. The plant has a long history of use with the natives of the region. This includes using different extracts in traditional medicine and using wood for fuel and lumber.

But it isn’t the only thing that makes this plant famous. The tree produces a hot, milky liquid that is highly toxic. A few drops can cause your skin to blister. If any comes into contact with your eye, you may be subject to temporary blindness. As a result of this property, the plant is used in the manufacture of fish poison.

Buta-Buta, formally known as Excoecaria agallocha has a milky sap which excuses from the plant when you remove bark or break the leaves and branches. This sap is known to be highly toxic.

Talumpunay Tree

Datura metel Linn

The Talumpunay tree, also known as the Cachubong is a beautiful plant which has a notable trumpet like flower. The plant is found worldwide, more commonly known as the Thorn Apple. The beautiful flowers make the plant ideal for gardens throughout its native region in North America.

Now, you may be wondering how this plant made it to our list?

Well, it is well known that the flower of this plant will produce hallucinogenic properties when consumed. It was so commonly used that the PDEA released a statement warning of the dangers of consumption of the Cachubong. The plant is now found throughout the Philippines due to the popularity of the plant.

Although, consumption is not recommended, as there have been several deaths in North America linked to the plant. Our recommendation is to keep the plant exclusively for your garden.

The Talumpunay Tree holds a wide variety of common names, it is commonly used for its narcotic effects, some communities in China mix it in their teas.

Dumb Cane/ Leopard Lilly

Dieffenbachia

The Dumb Cane, is a relatively benign plant compared to others. The Brazilian native is found across the globe as a staple houseplant, especially in the Philippines. Now, this plant would be completely fine, if it wasn’t for a little thing called calcium oxalate.

These calcium oxalates form needle-like structures called “raphides” which may be found throughout the plant. If the plant is accidentally eaten or simply mishandled, these crystals are released into the individuals’ system. This has the potential to produce severe discomfort and excruciating swelling of the mouth.

The juice of the plants was employed as poison in native Amazonian arrows because of its toxicity. This is because severe exposure can be detrimental to the victim, leading to breathing difficulties, loss of speech amongst other things.

Visit our page to learn more about the vibrant culture of the Philippines

The Dumb cane is an extremely common houseplant throughout the Philippines. It often becomes a problem when the plant is eaten by pets.

Rosary Pea

Abrus precatorius

The Rosary Pea, also known as the Jequirity Bean, is a herbaceous flowering plant in the bean family Fabaceae. It is a slender climber with long, pinnate-leafleted leaves that twines around trees, shrubs, and hedges. The plant is prominent in SEA nations such as Thailand and the Philippines but is found widely throughout Asia and Australia.

Its seeds are brilliant red with a single black spot, making them easy to recognise. These seeds have been used for percussion instruments, as well as for jewellery. It’s also worth noting that those same seeds are highly toxic If the seed were to be well chewed and ingested it can be fatal, this is due to a protein in the plant called abrin.

It’s so dangerous that as little as half a microgram may kill an adult human. People have died from pricking their fingers on the tip of drill bits used to drill holes in the seeds; thus, even utilising the seeds as beads should be carried out with caution.

The seeds of the Rosary Pea are highly toxic for humans. Although, if the hard shell of the seed is left intact, the seed may pass directly through the individual’s gastrointestinal tract without causing any harm.

Castor Oil plants

Ricinus communis Linn

Known locally as Tangan-tangan the plant is utilised to treat various ailments through usage of the multipurpose Castor oil. The plant is now booming in Nueva Ecija, and its surrounds, its multiple uses makes it a valuable plant in the communities.

Despite the plants utility, it still is one of the more dangerous plants found in the Philippines.

The seeds of the plant have a bright red appearance, which make them quite attractive. They are also found in a capsule like structure similar to many other edible beans. Because of this, there is a propensity for people to try and eat the beans.

The problem is, they are so poisonous that just 4-5 seeds are enough to kill a fully grown adult. This is due to the presence of ricin, a poison present throughout the plant. Ricin is a carbohydrate binding protein, known as a lectin. It begins to inhibit cells from producing the proteins they need, which then causes them to die.

After eating the seeds, you may experience a burning feeling in the throat and tongue. This is often followed by diarrhoea and vomiting. The poisoning itself can not be treated, so medical professionals typically work to offset some of the symptoms, although poisoning frequently leads to the death of the victim.

Find out more about one of the most important plants in the Philippines

Wolfsbane

Aconitum Lycoctonum

Wolfsbane is a very visually appealing plant, which is common in the due to it assumed health benefits. You can find many people selling it online as a homeopathic or herbal medicine. Some people also grow it to use as a root vegetable, such as a group on the Qinling Mountains of China.

This plant which is found in the mountainous areas of the Philippines is widely known to be poisonous. All parts of the plant, especially the roots contain toxic substances, the most dangerous being Aconitine. This means before the plant is used for any implied health benefits, it needs to be treated to rid it of any toxins.

The Ainu tribe of Japan has utilised this poison on the points of their arrows. This was quite effective, as the symptoms of poisoning usually occur quite rapidly.

Now, I’m assuming you are wondering how a flowering plant received such a unique name like Wolfsbane? Well, it’s because the plant’s venom was formerly used to kill wolves, and panthers. Raw meat used as bait was often lacedwith Wolfsbane in order to catch wild animals. In the past.

Learn more about personal safety in the Philippines

Wolfsbane, also known as Monkshood, is often referenced in fictional stories as a weapon to use against Werewolves.

Taiwan/ Chinese Yew

Taxus sumatrana

This is one of many varieties of Yew found predominately throughout the Asian region. Online, you can find the plants for sale throughout the Philippines, although the plant mostly thrives in the mountainous regions of the country.

The small evergreen adds an interesting look to the garden, which makes it very popular. Despite this is one of the most deadly plants on the planet right now. At one point, people even thought sleeping under the tree was dangerous.

Like other plants listed here, this tree has also been used as a wartime poison, and for hunting animals. The main source of danger comes from the tree’s cardio toxic taxine alkaloids. These substances remain in the plant year round, even dried parts of the tree can still contain the alkaloids.

Due to the fast onset of symptoms after ingestion, often the first sign of toxicosis from the plant is the death of the victim. Due to the danger of the plant, and difficulty of treatment, it is recommended to keep the plant out of the reach of any pets and livestock.

Belladonna

Atropa belladonna

The Belladonna is known for its contradicting applications. The plant itself is known for being toxic, yet since ancient times the Belladonna has had medicinal applications. The name “Belladonna” or “Beautiful Women” comes from its Italian roots. Women would use droppers to add an extract from the plant to their eyes which would dilate their pupils, which was believed to make them more attractive.

Even though the extracts from the plant re widely used in the medical industry, the Belladonna is still a strong contender for the list.

Ingestion of a small portion of the berries, or leaves, are enough to be fatal for a human. The entire plant is toxic, but the berries are particularly hazardous, as many people, especially children, assume most berries are safe to eat. So, it is again recommended keeping this plant out of reach of animals.

Trompeta/ Angels Trumpet

Datura Arborea

The Trompeta is a new addition to the Philippines, the beautiful, drooping flowers make it hard to turn down. It is most commonly seen around Baguio in the ornamental gardens throughout the city, but can also been found in the lowlands.

Like other Datura on this list, this plant is a potent hallucinogenic, as well as being highly toxic. Despite the potency many shamans warn inexperienced individuals about experimenting with the plant. 

The plant contains several alkaloids including atropine, hyoscyamine, hyoscine (scopolamine) and meteloidine. Poisoning can come from ingesting any of these alkaloids, which are at their strongest in the seeds and leaves. The smallest dose of these alkaloids is enough to be fatal to a small child.

The Angel’s Trumpet is often sought after due to its hallucinogenic effects, although it is a risk, as many people have been taken to hospital after being poisoned by the plant.

Pong-pong Tree

Cerbera

The Pong-pong Tree is found throughout the ASEAN region. The tall evergreen has been utilised by native groups in the region in an assortment of ways. The wood was used to produce charcoal, used to make gunpowder by the Thais. Oil pressed from the seeds was used to fuel lamps. The plant oil also had medicinal uses including treating itches, rheumatism, the common cold, it also worked as an insect repellent. 

Now, the part we’re all here for is found in the seeds.

The seeds of the fruit are extremely toxic, to the point that the tree is sometimes referred to as the suicide tree. The killer compound in the seed is called cerberin. This is a  digoxin-type cardenolide and cardiac glycoside toxin that blocks the calcium ion channels in heart muscle. This causes a disruption to the heart beat, often to the point where it becomes fatal.

The cerberin is also difficult to find during autopsies, the taste is also quite easily masked. This makes cerberin poisoning a common means of death in many murder, and suicide cases. The state of Kerala, India even recorded over 500 cerberin related deaths between 1989 – 1999.

Read more about a long-standing territorial dispute between the Philippines and one of its neighbours.

 

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Culture

Best dog breeds for your home in the Philippines

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Are you looking for a dog to live in the Philippines with you? The Philippines is a hot country, with temperatures ranging from 70 to 90 degrees fahrenheit year round. This means that many dogs bred to survive in cold weather won’t do well in the Philippines. Instead, you’ll want to find a dog that is tolerant of hot weather.

In this article, we’re going to take a look at ten wonderful dog breeds that make perfect family companions, and will thrive in the hot, humid climate of the Philippines.

Golden Retriever

The Golden Retriever is one of the most classic dog breeds out there. These gentle giants are so calm and trainable that they’re commonly used as therapy and service dogs. Golden Retrievers do require daily exercise and a large, fenced-in yard where they can stretch their legs, but after a long day of playing and working hard, these giant teddy bears love to cuddle with you on the couch!

Golden Retrievers are all-around family dogs that get along perfectly well with children and other dogs. Golden Retrievers also have a puppy-like love of play well into their adult years, and remind their owners of the joys of youth.

Despite their long, silky coat, Golden Retrievers are surprisingly heat tolerant, and thrive in the hot temperatures of the Philippines.

Chihuahua

The Chihuahua is a toy dog breed that is famous for its love of heat, which means that the warm climate of the Philippines is perfect for this breed! Due to their small size, they also work well in small apartments, although they do require daily walks. No matter how small the breed, however, every single dog needs to be properly trained at a young age. Without training, the Chihuahua’s huge personality will soon rule your entire household!

These tiny dogs don’t do well in families with young children, as they are fragile and can be easily injured. They also need their personal space to be well-respected, and if they are harassed or teased, they can become aggressive out of self-defense. So long as they are treated kindly, however, these dogs love to cuddle with their owners.

Pug

Pugs are one of the most popular dog breeds in the Philippines. These adorable, compact dogs are famous for their flat, wrinkly faces and short, curly tails. They are also very low maintenance dogs, and they prefer cuddling and watching TV with their owners to going on long walks around the neighborhood.

Pugs are also brachycephalic, which means that their faces and airways are shorter and more constricted than normal dogs. This results in their adorable flat faces, but it does come with a few problems. The distinctive snuffling is caused by their flattened airways, and they have a much more difficult time breathing than other breeds. This means that they can’t be outside during hot days, and they shouldn’t be exercised too vigorously.

Despite a few extra health problems, pugs are still one of the most popular dog breeds out there. They’re famous for their adaptable, easygoing nature. They’re also famously calm, peaceful creatures that get along well with everyone.

Bichon Frise

The Bichon Frise is a wonderful choice for novice pet owners. These small, easygoing dogs are also perfect for apartment-dwellers, as they can thrive in small living spaces, provided they are given enough exercise. This is a highly affectionate breed that loves to play, but is also known for cuddling up on the couch after a long day.

The Bichon Frise is a highly intelligent dog that is easy to train. They do require plenty of playtime and exercise, or else they can become destructive. Daily walks and a session or two of playtime every day should be enough to keep this dog happy.

This happy, go-lucky dog breed also makes a wonderful family companion. Not only do they get along great with other dogs, but they are also good playmates for children. Overall, this is a loving and affectionate dog breed that can fit right in to just about any home!

Shih Tzu

The Shih Tzu is an ancient dog breed that was first developed in China centuries ago. These little dogs were bred for emperors and nobility, and they were prized for their long, silky fur and sweet temperament. Even though the Shih Tzu isn’t just for royalty these days, its noble origins are still apparent in its confident bearing and long, luxurious coat.

When it comes to grooming, you’ll need to make sure to give it a good brush a couple times a week. Thankfully, though, the Shih Tzu is a low shedding dog, so you can enjoy its beautiful fur without any of the hassle.

Shih Tzus are lap dogs through and through. They’re one of the most affectionate dog breeds out there, preferring long cuddle sessions to lots of exercise. This is also a surprisingly mischievous dog breed that loves to entertain and play tricks on their owners. The Shih Tzu is best for owners with a sense of humor who can appreciate this breed’s adorable antics.

Rat Terrier

The Rat Terrier was bred to be an expert at hunting down rats and other vermin. As a result, these dogs have a high prey drive, and don’t do well in families with small pets like rodents or birds. They also have the classic terrier attitude, and need lots of firm training, or else they can end up ruling the household! This means they might not be the best choice for novice pet owners.

Despite their stubborn nature, Rat Terriers are highly affectionate, and get along famously with their family members, including children and other dogs. This is a compact, sturdy dog that makes a great playmate for children and can withstand a decent amount of roughhousing. They need plenty of stimulation to keep from getting bored, so lots of playtime and exercise is a must for this breed!

Border Collie

The Border Collie is believed to be one of the most intelligent dog breeds in the world. These herding dogs are highly trainable, but like all herding dogs, they need to feel like they’ve worked hard in order to be truly satisfied. As such, it’s important to give them jobs to do, like agility training or teaching them tricks. They are also a wonderful choice if you want a competitive dog who will do well in obedience or agility competitions.

Despite their hard-working nature, the Border Collie always makes time for family, and they get along great with children and other dogs, as well. They are also very hardy dogs that can withstand heat well, making them a favorite in the Philippines.

Beagle

The Beagle is a classic hunting dog with a famous black, tan, and brown coat. This dog has an adorable expression and large, pleading eyes. They are also described as being funny and merry. These dogs have a great sense of humor, and will endlessly entertain you with their silly antics.

Because they were also bred as hunting dogs, however, Beagles know when it’s time to play and when it’s time to work. They were originally bred to hunt in groups, so they do best with other dogs. Otherwise, they can suffer from loneliness.

Beagles are athletic, energetic dogs that need lots of exercise and playtime. They do well in a family with children who can give them lots of playtime, or in an outdoorsy family that enjoys long walks, hiking, and camping.

Poodle

With their luxurious, thick fur, you might not think that the Poodle is a particularly heat tolerant breed. However, these graceful yet athletic dogs can withstand hot temperatures well, which makes them an excellent choice for dog owners in the Philippines.

Famous for their fluffy coats, a lot of people mistake poodles for being snooty and pampered pets. In reality, however, this is an intelligent, trainable breed that excels in athletics such as agility courses. These dogs also come in three different sizes: Standard, miniature, and toy, so you can bring home a dog that will fit right into your home!

While the poodle’s beautiful coat does require daily grooming, they are a low shedding dog. They require daily exercise, and do best with a large, fenced-in yard that they can run around in. While they’re not recommended for couch potatoes, poodles make wonderful family companions, and are a popular choice in the Philippines.

Chow Chow

The Chow Chow is a dignified dog known for its intelligence and focus. They are highly protective of their family members, and tend to be wary around strangers, which means they make excellent watchdogs. They take their job as protectors very seriously, and while they are loyal and affectionate to their owners, they are aloof around others.

However, the Chow Chow is better for more experienced owners, who can train them properly from a young age and make sure they’re well socialized. Despite their intelligence, they can be a bit stubborn, so they require patient owners who can provide firm training.

 

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Culture

Panagbenga Festival: The annual spectacle in Baguio

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Everything begins with an idea. To turn an idea into reality, a person must have full confidence in the idea. They must also convince the wider community to believe in the idea as much as they do. The Panagbenga festival of Baguio City was once just an idea, brewing in the mind of Atty. Damaso E. Bangaoet, Jr. This festival was a vision of Atty. Bangaouet, as a means to revitalise, and also showcase the local community to the rest of the nation.
 
Before we get into it, we need to understand the context which brought about this idea.
 
The setting of this story begins in the mountain city of Baguio. Found in the northern region of Luzon, one of the prominent islands of the Philippines. Baguio was established by the United States as a hill station. This is a settlement established high in the mountains as a means to escape the summer heat engulfing the rest of the country.
 
This is why Baguio is widely known across the nation as the summer capital of the Philippines. Its year-round cool weather provides a refuge from the usual high humidity felt across the Philippines.
 
Baguio was established at the site of the indigenous Ibaloi village known as Kafagway. Meaning, unlike many other cities in the Philippines, the establishment of Baguio had no influence from the previous Spanish colonisers. Despite attempts to enter the region, the Spanish hadn’t managed to establish a city on the site.
 
This means Baguio did not have its own “FIesta” or festival celebrations, unlike many of the other cities of Spanish origin across the nation. As Baguio was non-existent during the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines, it never received any sort of patron saint and was not privy to the annual feast day celebrations carried out to honour these patron saints.
The youth parading their costumes during one of the street parades.

The Panagbenga Festival proposal

To put Baguio on the map something spectacular needed to happen. Visitors did not have a good reason to come to Baguio. There was a small flow of people making the journey to see relatives studying at the Philippine Military Academy. Besides this, there were very few visitors, especially during the early part of the year. Which meant local businesses would continue to suffer unless some drastic action occurred.
 
Like many other prominent Philippine cities, Baguio needed its own annual celebration. Though there were some small obstacles the city had to overcome before this could happen..
 
Baguios charter day anniversary fell on September 1. This unfortunately happens to be within the rainy season. So, it’s difficult to confidently plan outdoor events that are common during these celebrations. The whole event, which takes many months of planning could easily be ruined by bad weather.
 
This is where Atty. Damaso E. Bangaoet entered the picture. In 1995 Atty. Bangaoet proposed that the city should host an annual flower festival in February each year. This idea was proposed to the directors of the John Hay Poro Point Development Corporation, of which Atty. Bangaoet was the firms vice president.
 
The Board, led by the Bases Conversion Development Authority Chairman Victor A. Lim and the JPDC President Rogello L. Singson approved the project immediately. The idea was then relayed to other sectors of the community who were all very receptive to the idea. Since this famous meeting Atty. Bangaoet has since been known as the father of the Panagbenga or Baguio Flower Festival.

The Panagbenga Festival is born

 
As of February 1996, the Panagbenga Festival begun. The name, as suggested by activist Ike Picpican was of Kankanaey origin meaning “season of blooming”. The festival became an integral part of boosting the popularity of the region as well as revitalising the local community. The region was recovering from the devastation of the 1990 Luzon earthquake. This hit the region at a magnitude of .7.7, destroying property and infrastructure throughout the region.
 
the festival became a means for the community to move on from the devastation, and showcase the local flower industry as well as various other local wares. The region had been stagnant leading up to the mid-90s. Even peak seasons such as Christmas, and Holy Week still failed to bring any significant tourism to the region. So the people in the region were very open to new ways to revitalise the region.
 
The festival began to fill the void in tourism numbers during that early period of the year. The economic slump occurring between the Christmas season and Holy Week slowly becoming less of an issue. The festival began to attract more economic activity to the region during that previously quiet period. 
 
The festival did experience many growing pains; as you would expect when organising an event of that scale. Individual organisers would often organise events at the same time as other events. This would cause internal squabbles between residents who were in charge of these events. They would now have to battle to get the attention of attendees.
 
There have been other incidents where heavy rain has struck during the festivities. There have been some instances where students continued to perform during the rain, even after officials and other students had chosen not to attend the festival due to the conditions. This was not a good look for the Mayor and other officials who chose to continue with the parades. This lead to several officials suffering during subsequent elections.

What to expect at the Panagbenga Festival

The festival was almost an instantaneous hit, from the very beginning the festival drew large audiences as well as attracting large media coverage across the country.
 
In the early days, the festival was a 10-day celebration, spanning from the beginning of one weekend through to the end of the following weekend. This would begin with the ceremonies celebrating the launch of the festival, followed by “Session road in bloom”. This prominent road is closed to traffic during the week so locals can display their wares to the public.
 
Then on the final weekend, the Grand Parades would take place, this is when Baguios local flower industry is put on full display. Due to the popularity of the festival, the schedule soon blew out to be two weeks long, then three. Even now the festival has grown to encompass the entire month of February.
 
So what can we expect at the festival today?
 
Despite the growing schedule the core events still remain somewhat the same.  The parades have grown to consist of different floats covered with flowers, as well as street dancing and band competitions. These parades remain the staple events of the festival. The musicians and dancers have uniforms which are also covered in flowers, the dancing is inspired by the Bendian, an Ibaloi dance of celebration which originated from the Cordilleras.
 
The primary parades during the festival are the Grand Street Parade as well as the Grand Float Parade. During the Grand Street Parade, locals take to the streets of Baguio. Audiences come dressed in colourful costumes, and traditional clothes inspired by the tribes of the region. The Grand Float Parade is the star of the festival, this draws in audiences from across the world. Dozens of flower-covered floats move through the streets of Baguio, the floats are all themed in a manner to showcase the beauty of the region.
 
Session road in bloom to this day continues to be a part of the festival. It continues to present a prime opportunity for the local community to showcase their goods. The whole festival also receives a grand finale, this takes place at the Baguio Athletic Bowl near Burnham Park. Here the Panagbenga festival is finalised with a stunning fireworks display.
 
Some events had been discontinued since the earlier days of the festival. One of Atty. Bangaoet’s ideas were to encourage the development of small parks and gardens throughout the barangays of Baguio, through the Baraguays Community Garden competition. Although the competition has since been discontinued, many local organisations have begun to run similar activities throughout the month of festivities.

Now for some words of advice

 
This is mostly for those unfamiliar with the festivals of this nature held across the Philippines. The streets can become highly congested with pedestrians, as well as a large majority of streets being closed. Due to these factors, it is not recommended to try driving to the different parts of the festival. If you are planning on attending the festival it is recommended to book your accommodation early in a practical location, allowing you to walk instead.
 
It is also recommended that you bring comfortable clothes, and supplies like snacks and water. You’ll be doing a lot of walking through the busy streets, which may leave you feeling dehydrated. A lot of the stores will also be very crowded, so it is better to come prepared ahead of time.
 
As always it is a good idea to be mindful of your belongings. Only bring with you what you need, and keep any of your bags or backpacks where you can see them. You do not want to become a target of opportunists taking advantage of the crowded streets.
 
Also, Baguio is now a tourist hot spot for a reason. There is so much to see and do in the region, so why not book a few extra days to see a few other tourist attractions while you are there. A lot of the attractions are easy to access and are within close proximity to each other, so a lot can be achieved within a short amount of time in Baguio.

Culture

Show me the money: The prevalence of poverty in the Philippines

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More than a quarter of the entire Philippines population lives in poverty. That’s right, 26.5% of Filipinos lack the income to simply meet their most basic needs.

There are several reasons behind this, such as rapid population growth, inaccessibility to credit, poor social infrastructure, and the stagnation of rural productivity.

Even though the state has made great progress in developing the country, a significant percentage of Filipinos are still struggling with their day to day realities. They often run small informal businesses, selling food and other goods out on the streets. Despite their hardship, they are still rarely acknowledged by the state, but still, work tirelessly to earn a living. 

So, let’s now have a look at the main causes of poverty in the Philippines.

Public schools are notoriously inefficient when it comes to educating children. The overcrowded classrooms, coupled with a lack of resources almost guarantees students will not reach their potential.

Education must improve!

Education is often linked to social mobility across generations.

An individuals education allows them to increase their earnings across their lifetime. This then allows them to invest more in their children’s education. In a basic sense, this creates a cycle of upward social mobility.

So how does the Philippines compare to others when it comes to the quality of education?

Well, it’s getting better, but it is still not where it should be. Over the years the Philippines has been rising different ranking systems when it comes to education. Although it still finds itself too close to the bottom, especially when you compare it to the scores of ASEAN nations. 

Investing in future generations

When compared to the neighbouring countries such as Singapore, Japan, and Thailand. The Philippines tends to lag behind not just in the quality of education, but also the financial resources injected into the sector.

The Philippine government does make a conscious effort to allocate a high proportion of its budget to education. But what is being allocated still does not measure up to the investments into education made by other ASEAN countries.

The Philippine government instigated the formation of higher education task force to evaluate the performance of college graduates in various professional board examinations. They found that too many graduates were performing poorly and that many universities and colleges in the country lacked legitimacy when it came to their quality of education.

So where are we now?

Well, the Philippines is currently stuck in a system where those who have access to more wealth are able to enrol in the more exclusive schools and receive a quality education.  While the others are left behind, especially those needing to enrol in the subpar public schooling system.

Although elementary schooling is mandatory, the task force found that many Filipinos of the relevant age group regularly skip the school program. This is due to lack of schools in their locality, education being offered in non-native languages only or financial difficulties.

(Many Filipinos resort to informal means of employment such as selling goods out on the street. Photo by Romeo Ranoco/Reuters)

Rampant Unemployment

This may not come as a surprise to many readers but, the Philippine labour market is short of well-paying jobs.

Which means for many – even highly qualified – Filipinos, working a low-paying job is the only option. This again hinders their social mobility as their salary is enough to just cover basic needs.

Some household’s incomes are so low that it becomes quite disturbing. Some may make only P50-P100, barely enough to meet their daily needs leaving them with little to save for things such as their children’s education.

There is a need for the government to make growth more comprehensive. To make it easy for Filipinos to attain higher and stable income via productive employment.

Off late, the Philippine government has instigated several measures to combat poverty in the country, such as the extension of monthly cash grants to families living in absolute poverty. This has significantly reduced the cases of children dropping out of schools.

Also, these funds have made it possible for parents to access health care services, especially the elderly. It’s now over a decade since the program was launched. Other programs include entrepreneurial income, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), remittance from local and international sources, and more.

For instance, the 4Ps program is estimated to have helped 25% of Filipinos to graduate from dire poverty through its monthly cash grants.

It is not uncommon for Filipino politicians such as Joseph Estrada to engage in unscrupulous activities. Exploiting the country for their own financial gain.

Rampant Corruption

Corruption in the Philippines is pervasive. Filipinos know it’s there, and they are tired of it.

The government is often being tainted by corrupt individuals whose objective is to enrich themselves, their families, and close allies during their tenure.

They endeavour to have their close allies succeed them in their respective positions during elections, as this will impede them from facing corruption charges.

This is a situation Filipinos have seen manifest itself ad nauseam, within all levels of government. Corruption on a local level is as widespread as corruption on a national level.

An example of this is seen with government tenders. They are often awarded illegally without following the set legal procedures. To stand a chance to win a tender, you have to bribe the government officials; otherwise, the tender will be awarded to someone else. This comes into the public domain when various bidders went to the media houses and claimed that there were lots of anomalies involved in awarding government tenders.

Since the tenders are not awarded on merits, the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer. Misappropriation of funds has denied Filipinos access to quality education, appropriate infrastructure, among other poverty problems.

Manila is one of the world’s most densely populated cities with a population density of 42,857 people per square kilometre or 111,002 people per square mile.

The problem of overpopulation

The rapid growth of the population in the Philippines coupled with a less than robust economy is a prime breeding ground for poverty.

Many Filipinos flock to urban centres like Manila, hoping to find opportunities to improve their situations. But the majority walk into a city with an oversupplied labour force and very unaffordable housing in comparison to the provinces.

Many make the journey to cities like Manila, hoping to enjoy better living conditions – this dream is often shortlived.

The local governments often struggle to provide even the most basic levels of health care, schooling, water/power supplies, and sanitization. These public services are just not enough to meet the growing demand in areas suffering from overpopulation.

Lack of planning, and providing opportunities in rural areas have contributed to this issue. If opportunities for meaningful employment were available outside of urban centres, there would be no need to make the pilgrimage to the countries more prominent cities.

Religion is one of the major reasons why the poorest families have more children than they can manage. As the Philippines is a majority Catholic country, many of the members are inclined to refuse to use contraception. 

This means many Filipino families become larger than what the income of the family can effectively handle. Though steps are being taken to educate and assist families in planning for the future.

Inequality in Income Distribution

The Philippines has been labelled a “rising tiger” by some institutions. The country continues to become increasingly prosperous in certain regions, while others seem to have been left behind.

This is because the Philippines has an income distribution issue.

The wealthiest segment of society seems to exclusively benefit from this increased prosperity. This leaves the rest of the population still struggling to even cover the cost of the most basic needs.

Since the 1980s the country has made a noticeable improvement and shown bu the countries growing middle class. But there is yet to be any sort of significant change in the living standards of the majority of Filipino families.

Many politicians prefer to serve the business interests of prominent families, over the people they were elected to serve. This creates a cycle of well-connected families and politicians mutually benefitting each other. 

The politicians maintain their power while those prom intent families grow their wealth through the hoarding of government contracts. Leaving what’s left to trickle down to the not so well connected.

A country plagued by natural calamities

Natural disasters are so frequent it has almost become a way of life in the Philippines.

The country is situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire. This is a zone circling the Pacific Ocean, known for its frequent and intense volcanic activity as a direct result of plate tectonics.

Due to its position, the Philippines is also subject to frequent earthquakes, strong typhoons, flooding, and tidal waves or storm surges. In recent years the country has been devastated by several of these events. 

This includes the landing of the massive typhoon Yolanda. This flattened many cities, and killed countless people during the initial event, and then a storm surges which also cost many people their lives. In recent years there has also been the eruption of the Taal, and Mayon volcanoes which shutdown many cities leaving people homeless for a period of time. 

These natural disasters are not taken lightly. They are very hazardous to human life, they often cause millions of dollars in property damage, and are often very difficult to avoid with evacuations.

The Philippine government still has a lot of work to do in creating the proper infrastructure to mitigate the effects of natural disasters leaving larges parts of the population vulnerable.

Floods are still common on city streets. The infrastructure in place in cities like Manila is still not enough to handle the volume of water the typhoons bring each season. This flooding leaves families homeless, struggling to raise funds to build new or repair their homes.

The agricultural sector is also often heavily affected by these events. Strong winds and flooding can easily damage crops, leaving farmers without an income for that season.

Even though most of the Philippians depend heavily on agriculture, these farmers often have very little support, leaving a large number of them living in poverty.

A shortage of affordable housing

Although this is not directly a cause of poverty in the country, it is still a chronic issue faced by many Filipinos.

Limited employment opportunities have left many Filipinos unable to afford proper housing. When there is no affordable housing, often, the only other option is for families to live out on the streets.

Most people in this group survive on an average of $1.25 a day, making it almost impossible to get out of poverty and find cost-effective housing for their families. The high cost of housing leaves them with little money to save and spend on their basic needs. The government has done little to help persons languishing in extreme poverty to get out of it.

This tends to create a cycle of poverty as children prioritise begging on the streets to make money for the family. Meaning a lot of them miss out on receiving an education. This is why the situation needs an intervention to prevent that cycle from repeating itself.

Child Labour

Due to extreme levels of poverty in the Philippines, most parents encourage their children to drop out of school to help them to raise money to cater to their families.

The Philippines is one of the prominent countries in the world plagued by the practice. Children undertaking hazardous, menial work instead of proceeding with their education is the beginning of poverty now and into the future.

The government should adopt measures to curb this behaviour; otherwise, poverty will continue to be a chronic issue within the nation. According to labour relations, only persons aged 18 years and above should be allowed to work in any industry.

Yet, some people still tolerate it. Underage workers are still found working in factories and farms. Some families even have children working as full-time domestic workers in their homes.

Addressing the social issues holding the nation back

There are many reasons why many citizens of the Philippines still seem to be suffering. Although I have summarised some of the major cause, the issue is still very deep and complex.

Regardless of this, we do know all of these issues do need to be addressed. There are many intelligent, sincere individuals and organisations who are willing to help the country to make this progress.

It is not on the citizens to find these organisations and support them however you can, whether it may be voting for pro-active politicians or donating to NGOs who are carrying out effective work in the area.

Culture

Surprising Filipino inventions and discoveries

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As I’m sure you all know FIlipinos love to sing. This national obsession has lead to many talented Filipinos leaving their mark on the music industry. In fact, many Filipinos seem to excel at creative pursuits in general.

The country is home to a thriving movie industry, the local production houses regularly are regularly producing international quality films, using local talent.

When it comes to Filipino talent, it is not just limited to the Arts.

Did you know that Filipino scientists and innovators are actually behind some of the world’s greatest inventions too?

But, before we begin, I want to cover the use of the word “invention”. Most inventions in modern times can be better described as innovation. These are products or concepts built on top of a series of other innovations.

But by keeping to a strict definition of “invention” we would not be able to recognise the creativity and hard work of some special Filipinos.

We still want to recognise these innovations.

So…

From medicine to technology, farming and board games, here are just some of the best Filipino inventions!

Karaoke!

Karaoke is very popular across the world, especially in South-East Asia. But, do you know where it originated from?

That’s right, it also is a Filipino invention. More accurately, it was first patented by a Filipino.

In 1974, president of Trebel Music Corporation Roberto del Rosario invented a clever system that displayed lyrics while the instrumentals of a song were playing. The result? A great way to sing along to your favourite song alone, or in a group setting.

It’s important to know the first karaoke machines were actually developed by the Japanese – specifically the Japanese musician Daisuke Inoue in Kobe, Japan, in 1971.

The problem was Inoue did not patent his original system. Which left Robert del Rosario free to create his own.

Roberto del Rosario does own the patent for the concept. To this day, it is probably the Filipino invention that has seen the most international success.

The Single Chip Graphical User Interface Accelerator

This one is a mouthful. The single-chip graphical user interface (GUI) accelerator is a chip device that helped make operating computers a lot easier.

The technology helped move PC operating systems from the era of the text based command systems, such as MS-DOS to the kind of operating systems we experience today.

Its inventor, Philippines-born Diosdao Banato wanted to create a device that would make computers operate faster, and more efficiently. Which he certainly delivered on this goal!

The technology behind Banato’s chip is still used to this date in personal computers and heavier devices, where it still functions to make our technology more efficient.

Fe Del Mundo was impacted by her exposure to various medical condition affecting children in the provinces. This led her to choose paediatrics as her specialisation while in medical school.

The Bamboo Incubator

Dr. Fe Del Mundo was not only the first woman recognised as a “National Scientist” in the Philippines, she also established a famous paediatric hospital, and pioneered the world’s first bamboo incubator.

Due to a lack of electricity at the time, the traditional incubator was not practical to use in rural communities within the provinces of the Philippines.

To address this issue, Dr. Fe Del Mundo developed a bamboo incubator which was heated by a cushion of hot water bottles lining a bamboo basket, covered by a hood which fed a supply of oxygen into the incubator.

With her bamboo incubator, Dr Fe del Mundo created a great alternative that could be mass-produced—and helped to keep thousands of babies alive!

The Fluorescent Light Tube – It’s a Myth!

When you turn on the light in a classroom or conference room, you may not be paying much attention to the lightbulb you are using. But if it is a fluorescent light tube, one of the most popular types of bulbs in community spaces, then you are staring straight at a Filipino invention!

Or at least a lot of people think this. But, truth is, this is just a myth.

It is quite common to see this included on lists of Filipino inventions, and it is even said to be found in Filipino textbooks, but the fact is it is simply not true.

The concept of the Fluorescent Light was theorised decades before the supposed inventor Agapito Flores was even born. In addition, when the patent for the first prototype was issued, Flores was only 4 years old.

Quink Ink

Before ball-point pens became popular, people used to write largely with fountain pens. Although they were beautiful and elegant, there were also a couple of serious problems with them…

For example, the ink took a long time to dry which meant it would spread out or smudge. Overtime, it would clog the pen opening, meaning you had to regularly clean the tip. The ink was also known to fade so much you couldn’t see the writing after only a few years.

All of that was of course before a Filipino inventor by the name of Francisco Quisumbing came along and invented the perfect alternative to traditional ink – Quink Ink.

His project developed with Parker Pens, dried quickly, didn’t clog pens, did not fade or smudge, and it was even water-resistant! If you are still using a fountain pen to this day and are not experiencing any problems with it, chances are that the technology behind the ink you’re using was inspired by this brilliant Filipino invention. Pretty cool!

The Lunar Rover

Sure, Americans were the first to set foot on the moon. But what did they use to explore the surface of it? The Moon Buggy, a lunar rover partially invented by Eduardo San Juan, a mechanical engineer who studied at Mapua Institute of Technology.

His work even won him a nomination as one of the Ten Outstanding Men awards, in the field of science and technology. To this date, the articulated wheel system that he devised is recognized world-wide and is still used to navigate surfaces with heavy crevices. Another win for the Filipino team!

Rescue 72

The Philippines are sadly prone to floods and other natural disasters. Due to this persistent threat they have some of the best technology in order to deal with it.

Danvic Briones, who invented a kit of life-saving tools for natural emergencies is a Filipino scientist who was inspired by the disaster brought by. As statistics at the time indicated, it could take up to 72 hours for victims of natural disasters to be rescued.

With that in mind, Briones invented a kit containing water, first aid material, snacks and other essential items that was meant to keep a person alive for 72 hours. We thank him for many lives saved with the Rescue 72.

The Videophone

Before we FaceTimed our loved ones, there was… the video phone. This technology worked a lot like a telephone, but included a camera which allowed the person you were talking to could see your face, operating in the same vein as the modern day web camera.

Its amazing to think of how the videophone was invented as early as 1955!

The phone operated using similar technology used to broadcast live TV streams at the time. Its inventor, Gregorio Zara from Lipa City, referred to it as the “Photophone”. Needless to say, he would be glad to see how well his invention has travelled so far, and become common practice throughout the world.

Conversion of plastic waste to fuel

Plastic waste has become an extremely hot topic over recent years. Our modern lives have become so over reliant on plastics, with the majority of consumer products using it in some manner. This has led to the issue of what to do with these plastics once they have left the hands of the consumer.

One Filipino inventor from Bacolod, Jayme Navarro believes he has the answer.

His innovative idea came from his work on turning plastic waste back into its original form. He uses a process called “pyrolysis” in which the material is heated until it begins to boil. The vapours are captured and then distilled down into their different forms.

This liquid that is captured is identical to fuel. Navarro believes the value comes from the low production cost, as plastic trash is readily available, and the processing of the material is quite simple. 

Filipinos may not be the best-known for their innovative science…but they were actually the brains behind some inventions and products we couldn’t imagine our worlds without! From music to medicine to mechanical engineering, there is a lot to be proud of when it comes to Filipino inventions, and we are sure this trend is nowhere near the end, so expect the list to keep on growing over the coming years.

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Culture

Cockfighting in the Philippines: The billion dollar industry and national obsession

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The spectacle of fighting animals has long been a part of human history. From bullfighting all the way down to cockfighting, the fighting has existed across many cultures in some form. In many countries, however, animal fighting, particularly cockfighting has been banned due to its violent and cruel nature. Despite this controversial standing, for many, it’s still seen as a competition just like any other

In the Philippines, cockfighting has climbed to a whole new level. Cockfighting in the Philippines is a booming Billion-Dollar Industry that has not only captured the heart of the entire nation, but also the world at large.

Popularly known as Sabong, cockfighting isn’t just legal in the Philippines (yes, that’s right, cockfighting in the Philippines is totally legal), it’s also a national obsession. The popular cockfighting competition takes place in approximately 2500 dedicated stadiums across the country where an estimated 30 million roosters are killed each year. Much to the dismay of animal rights organizations in the country, who continue to oppose the practice.

But this has not dampened the spirits of the fans. Watching the sport is more or else seen in a similar vein as watching football during the weekend. But who can blame them? Watching things/people fight has a certain gravity to it.

Sabong – A 6000 year old tradition

Sabong is more than just entertainment. The sport is considered as a very important culture to the Philippines people. Cockfighting in the country dates back 6000-years ago, which could have a played a big role in its legalization. In fact, the sport is considered to be the country’s national sport, second to basketball.



Cockfighting is a billion-dollar industry in the Philippines

Sounds too hard to believe, right? Well, beyond the cultural and other traditional aspects, cockfighting has become a lucrative sport. As of now, cockfighting in the Philippines is estimated to be worth billions of dollars. It’s an industry that generates astonishingly massive revenue.

There is a lot of money to be made on bets. In other countries like America and Europe, bets are made on football games, horse races, car races, and even soccer games. In the Philippines, the majority of bets are made on cockfights. The only difference is bets are made by word of mouth and through precise hand signals—there are no betting counters or any tickets sold.

Bets usually range from 10 to 100 dollars for the spectators sitting in the cheap seats and from 1000 to 10000 dollars to the VIP bleachers seated next to the ring. Betting is an integral part of the process, many Filipinos regularly bet on fights hoping to attain an extra income.

Besides the betting, selling gamecocks is a multimillion business. Americans travel all the way to the Philippines to sell their fighting roosters. It’s quite a lucrative business since, according to The United Gamefowl Breeders in the US, a good number of its members raise hundreds of gamecocks where they make around 1000 dollars or up to 2500 dollars for a single rooster.

Clearly, it’s a game that has attracted loads and loads of investors, which has, in turn, contributed to a boost in the country’s economy.

The roosters’ eligibility for participation

To participate in the competition, the cocks must be properly trained by their owners. The training usually involves teaching the rooster proper fighting skills. The owner must also feed the roosters with a strong, healthy diet, especially one that contains vitamins, and supplements. Vaccines and antibiotics are incorporated as part of the roosters’ growth life.

After a fight, the owners often slip cayenne pepper up the roosters’ anuses in a bid to revive them. However, most cock owners are resorting to faster and more effective methods of reviving their birds like steroids and other energy enhancing drugs.

The World Slasher Cup Cockfighting Super Bowl

The World Slasher Cup is the cockfighting Super Bowl, which is basically a 5-7 day series of about 648 cockfighting matches that are held in downtown Quezon City, Manila. Famed as the coliseum where Joe Frazier battled it out with Muhammad Ali, the 20,000-seat arena now hosts thousands of cockfighting fanatics.

The stadium features several screens which broadcast the fight. Inside the ring are two referees with the fighting cocks. As the game continues, thousands of spectators become increasingly immersed in the spectacle.

The fighting roosters are extremely aggressive. Each fighter is brought inside the ring and “touches gloves” with the opponent. They are then taken to the corners of the ring. The first whistle blow by the referee signals the start of the first round. As the spectators cheer on, the roosters jump on each other with their sharp claws, this is soon followed by clouds of feathers flying through the air.

Bringing excitement to the cockpit

To make the fights much faster and more aggressive, the roosters are fitted with sharp 3-inch blades that are generally attached to their left legs. The main purpose of the sharp blades is to strike the opponent and then finish the job with their beaks. The trainers often train their birds to attack with their legs and feet first before making the final, killer blow. Besides making the fights faster and aggressive, the blades are attached to make the matches “more interesting and fun for the trainers/owners and gamblers.”

To make the bird even more aggressive before the fight, the trainers often spit on the cock’s head in order to anger it before going into the fight. During the fight, the more powerful and aggressive bird will forcefully rip away some of its opponent’s features. If the blade doesn’t do extensive damage on the opponent, the opponent will live to fight another round.

Right before the second round, the fighters only get a 15 seconds recovery period. The short recovery time is often given to leave no chance for the injured birds to regain their strength. If one bird is severely injured, it will only take a few blows to kill them during the subsequent round, making the fights even faster and more fun.

When the fight comes to an end, bets are exchanged as the spectators cheer on. Most fights take approximately 15 minutes. The fast-paced matches are accompanied by noise from the spectators, which can be deafening.

The wrap-up

While some consider cockfighting as a “disgusting and outdated practice”, it’s a popular sport and past-time fun activity for the people of the Philippines. Considering cockfighting is a billion-dollar industry, most have hailed it as a great source of revenue for the country. Watching the game can be disturbing for some, it still maintains massive support from a large sector of the population.

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Culture

Mambabatok: Tattoo tradition in the Philippines

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Throughout history, women have relied on various techniques to amplify their beauty. Before the age of lipsticks and eyeliners, there were ancient beauty techniques women would adopt in pursuit of boosting their allure.

In the Philippines, there is a tradition that has been practised by women for many years. This is popularly referred to as “batok” meaning the art of tattooing your body with tribal designs using bamboo stick and thorn.

Batok is believed to have been practised for about one thousand years. Usually, Filipino women who have reached the right age are allowed to get tribal designs to enhance their beauty. But this art of beauty is not just left to women. Men that have proved themselves worthy enough to get the mark of beauty are allowed to participate in the mambabatok tradition.

Hence, you should not be surprised to find that the majority of men with these ancient tattoos are Kalinga warriors or headhunters. Kalinga warriors have marks and traditional designs that represent the battles they fought with their tribe’s enemies.

While batok is used to enhance the beauty of women, men that choose to decorate their bodies with these ancient marks are seen as brave and courageous people in the society. Therefore, a Kalinga warrior who is heavily marked with these ancient tattoos commands a lot of respect and could make his enemies tremble in fear.

The people who put these ancient marks on the bodies of men and women are referred to as mambabatoks. The main challenge facing this ancient practice is that the original mambabatoks have died. That leaves the thousand-year-old practice in danger of being lost forever.

The legendary Mambabatok from Kalinga

The good news is that there is one mambabatok who is still alive and despite her old age, she is still practising this ancient art. Meet the legendary mambabatok from Kalinga, Apo Whang-Od.  For more than seventy years, Apo Whang-Od has been tattooing women and headhunters in the region of Kalinga. This elderly woman was born in 1918 and is considered to be the last mambabatok still living.

Whang-Od has tribal tattoos covering her chest and arms and it is her father who taught her this ancient art of tattooing the body with ink and thorns. While she was still young, Whang-Od used to tattoo her friends, including herself, for practice. However, some tattoos on her body were done by her late father.

After the death of her husband following a logging accident, Apo Whang-Od dedicated her life to practice batok. Almost hitting the centurion mark, the remaining mambabatok of Kalinga is still doing what she does best. Her days start with a morning routine of taking coffee before she goes outside to feed her chickens. Later, you will find her seated outside her home tattooing locals, visitors and even foreigners.

Whang-Od’s ancient marks feature Baybayinand tribal patterns. Her tattoos cover the arms, back and chest and most of them symbolize bravery and nature like ferns, stars, steps, rice bundles, centipedes and python scales.

Receiving a tattoo from Whang-Od

Before she tattoos her guests, Whang-Od’s begins by removing her tattooing tools, which includes a bamboo stick, orange thorn needle, a short stick, and a coconut mixing bowl. Afterwards, she gets soot from her fireplace, which she mixes with water to create ink inside the coconut mixing bowl. She then dips a blade of grass into the ink to create a pattern on your skin.

After drawing the pattern, Apo Whang-Od begins her tattooing session. She dips the orange thorn needle into the ink and follows the pattern she drew before with a blade of grass. This is done by using a short bamboo stick with the orange thorn needle.

She keeps following the same pattern until the whole ink is absorbed from the needle. In case the tattoo design is small, it might take her half an hour to complete. However, if the tattoo design is large, it might take between two and three hours to complete.

It is painful to prick your skin using a thorn so that you can get an ancient tattoo. This is because the thorn is not smooth like a needle, which adds to the amount of pain you will experience. However, the overall benefit of beauty outweighs the pain you will experience when you get a tattoo from mambabatok.

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Culture

First exposure to the infamous Metro Manila traffic

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Traffic.

For residents of Manila, this is a topic discussed as frequently as the weather.

This is because Manila has some of the worst levels of traffic on earth. With the growth of the middle class has also come the growth of the number of cars on the road. Unfortunately, planning and development within the city haven’t seen the same growth.

Manila has gotten to a point where It isn’t uncommon to hear of people renting dorms near their work just to avoid the long commute times. While some celebrities have gone as far as taking helicopters to work to avoid being stuck in traffic for long periods of time.

I vividly remember my first time visiting the city. We were going out one evening as we were meeting friends in Makati. At that point, I didn’t know the city well, so I sat back and let everyone else make the plans.

It wasn’t long before we were in a taxi on the way to Makati. We were all excited about going out to see Manilas nightlife for the first time. We were all in the back of the taxi – loudly talking over each other.

Now the taxi had taken us onto a highway, but I hadn’t been paying attention. Later, I felt like we had been moving really slowly for a while. After checking the time, I realised we had been in the back of the taxi for 2 hours!

It turns out we had left at the same time most of Manilas residents return home from school or work. The peak hour traffic was a nightmare, thankfully I had my friends there to keep me company.

After what seemed like a lifetime, we finally made it to our destination. In the end, the commute was almost 3 hours! Which adds up to quite a large bill for the taxi. But the rest of the evening was very memorable, to say the least…

The following days’ Revelations

Understandably, I woke up late into the following day. At this point, I still knew nothing about Manila. We had travelled around a fair bit the previous evening but because it was nighttime nothing really stood out.

Once I had dragged myself out of bed, I went into the kitchen where everyone had gathered. The plan was to begin our day at Makati as my brother needed to visit an embassy there, we would then go and enjoy more recreational activities after.

We all walked together out onto the main street to find ourselves a taxi. At this point, I was ready for another long day stuck in the back of a car. Which I didn’t really mind as I was still new to Manila, so I would just sit in the back staring out the window at everything.

Now, where we were heading was roughly a few minutes walk away from where we were the previous evening. So I had it set in my mind that we were going to be stuck on the road for a long time.

But, no more than 20 minutes after getting into the taxi, we had arrived! That’s when it hit me – the previous evening we had spent 3 hours on a route which would normally take no more than 20 minutes within normal traffic conditions.

I could not believe it, if I had realised how close it was the previous evening I would have been a lot more frustrated than what I was. So it was probably better to come to the realisation later on.

Moral of the story – If you want to travel around Manila, pick your commute times wisely, or maybe just walk.