Information About Philippines - Part Two
Info taken from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Demographics
Over 95% of the population is ethnically Malay, descendants
of immigrants from the Indonesian archipelago, and the most significant
ethnic minority group are the Chinese, who have played an important
role in commerce since the 9th century. Mestizos, those of mixed race,
form a tiny but economically and politically important minority. Small
communities of expatriates and Negrito forest tribes that inhabitants
the more remote areas of Mindanao constitute the remainder.
The people of the Philippines are known as Filipinos.
Throughout the colonial era the term "Filipino" originally
referred to the Spanish and Spanish-mestizo minority. The definition,
however, was later changed to include the entire population of the
Philippines regardless of ethnic origin. Philippines is the most ethnically
diverse country in Asia.
Ethnic Groups
Malays, they form the bulk
of the population and number around 80 million, accounting for 95%
of the population. Many live in poverty but many are also in the middle
class, they are the workers of the nation. They are the descendants
of the early Malay and Indonesian immigrants who settled in the islands
before the Spaniards came; at that time, they already had their own
civilization and culture and were known to be very hospitable and
friendly towards foreigners - but were also known for their fierceness
in battle and sensitivity to insults (although a great number still
live traditional lifestyles in the mountains and rural areas). The
most numerous of these are the Tagalog, the Visayan and the Ilocano.
Most speak tribal languages and/or Filipino (based on Tagalog), and
the other major languages, again Visayan and Ilocano.
Chinese, most are successful
and prosperous business people. They form part of both the upper and
middle classes. Their primary languages are English, Chinese and Filipino.
They number around 1.5 million.
Mestizos, they form a
tiny but economically and politically important minority. The combined
number of all types of mestizos constitute no more than 2% of the
entire Filipino population. Mestizos are categorized as follows:
Spanish-mestizo,
a combination of ethnic Malay with either Spanish, Basque, Mexican
or other European. These Eurasians often display Caucasian traits
- usually light skinned, taller than the majority Malay-stock, aquiline
noses and/or light hair. They constitute the great majority of the
upper class and are endogamous, rarely intermingling with those outside
their group. They engage in politics or are high-ranking executives
of commerce and industry as well as vast landowners, a remnant of
the country's colonial past. An almost equally large number are members
of the entertainment industry, which they have saturated disproportionately.
The biased favouritism responsible for their overwhelming presence
in film and television is deeply-rooted on established Filipino "ideals
of beauty", determined on white standards stemming from Spanish
and American colonial concepts [see Colonial Mentality]. Spanish-mestizos
speak Filipino, though English is their primary language. Some have
preserved Spanish as the spoken language of the home. They number
around 1 million. (Note, there are approx 10,000 pure Spaniards who
chose to remain in the Philippines after American invasion. They are
usually classified together with the Mestizos as well)
Chinese-mestizo,
a combination of ethnic Malay and Chinese. They are usually light
skinned and quite mainland-Mongoloid in appearance, with highly epicanthic
eyes. The Chinese and Chinese mestizo community, much like their brethren
in Southeast Asia, control a significant portion of the country's
economy (60-70% in the Philippines). Their presence in the country
pre-dates the Spanish and Arab incursions, trading and intermingling
with the native population. As the Chinese mestizo community grew
and prospered, often in enclaves such as Binondo, Manila or sections
of Vigan, Ilocos Sur, the Spanish target them for expulsion or other
discriminatory practices. They were a merchant class and today predominates
in the business and financial sector. Their primary languages are
English, Hokkien Chinese and Filipino. They number just over 1 million.
Japanese-mestizo,
a combination of ethnic Malay with Japanese or Okinawan. Many are
the decendants of the Japanese Catholics who fled Japan in early 17th
century. Famous Japanese Cathlics who fled Japan are Dom Justo Takayama,
Juan Tokuan Naito, and Julia Naito. Japanse Mestizos lived in harmony
with other fellow Filipinos until the Japanese invasion of the Philippines.
Many Japanese Mestizos were killed after World War II. Because of
discrimination encountered, some fled to the mountains after World
War II while many others changed their names in the attempts to assimilate.
Some have completely lost their Japanese identity and others yet have
"returned" to the homeland of their forebears, Japan. Most
speak tribal languages and Filipino. Many are members of the lower
class. There are believed to be between 100,000 and 200,000 Japanese-mestizos
in the country, but no accurate figure is currently available.
American-mestizo,
the offspring of ethnic Malay mothers and American GI fathers. Amerasians
can be found in the upper class, but many amongst the middle and lower
classes. Many American fathers (Caucasian, Latino or African) abandoned
their children upon completion of military service and subsequent
withdrawal of US forces. A good number are offspring of prostitution
that grows around American bases. Much like Spanish-mestizos, some
with Caucasian ancestry have succesfully pursued careers in the entertainment
industry. The combined number of American-mestizos and unmixed Americans
is thought to be between 30,000 and 50,000. Most speak Filipino and
English.
Caucasian, they are mostly
recent immigrants from US, Canada, and other European countries who
settled because of economic opportunities. Many are successful and
are in the upper class. They number about 50,000.
Indonesians, Most are either
illegal immigrants or refugees or students. There are approximately
35,000 Indonesians.
East Indians, they are
mostly merchants and belong primarily to the middle class. There are
approximately 30,000 East Indians. Most speak Filipino and Punjabi
or Sindhi.
Negritos, Aeta are the negroid
pre-Malay inhabitants of the Philippines, closely related to
the Papuans. They are also known as the Aborigines of the Philippines.
They are the poorest and most disadvantaged segment of the Filipino
population. Their numbers have been decreasing rapidly. They are thought
to number between 20,000 and 30,000. Most speak their tribal languages
and have little or no understanding of Filipino. The government has
sponsored educational programmes as well as encouraging school attendance,
though many of them still enounter difficulties.
Koreans and Japanese, they
are mostly recent immigrants who settled because of the economic opportunities.
Many are in upper class because of their success in their business.
Many Japanese have Filipino wives. They number about 30,000.
Arabs. They are mostly
the decendants of the missionaries who came to the Philippines to
spread Islam. They number 21,000. Most speak Filipino and Arabic.
Most live in Mindanao and Manila.
