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Philippines Lifestyle and Culture

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Family structure

In the Philippines, the family structure is rather unique in a fast-paced economy which is not entirely limited to the immediate family as observed in a number of countries, particularly in the 21st Century. Life in the Philippines generally revolves around the extended family, including parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins (up to several times removed), and other relatives.

For Catholic families, godparents; those to whom care of children is entrusted should the parents die or otherwise be incapacitated, also figure prominently in the kinship network.

Members of extended families typically gather for major life events such as baptisms and confirmations (for Catholic Filipinos), circumcisions (for Muslim Filipinos), and marriages, as well as for major religious and other national holidays.

Among the religious holidays officially observed in the Philippines are Christmas and Easter, as well as Eid al- Fitr, which marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

Dress code

The cultural diversity is further embodied through the varied dress codes that are observed from both men and women in and around the Philippines. There are garments that are unique to particular groups and regions. The malong is a colorful woven tube of cloth that can be worn in a variety of ways by both men and women, is characteristic of Muslim communities in Mindanao.

In the urban areas, many men wear an intricately embroidered shirt, the barong, for casual and formal events. On special occasions, urban women may wear the terno, a long dress characterized by broad “butterfly” sleeves that rise slightly at the shoulders and extend about to the elbow. Many of the smaller ethnic groups have characteristic attire for events of special cultural significance.

The Arts

Early Spanish chroniclers testified that the Filipinos carved the images of their anitos (gods and goddesses) and ancestors in wood. They also played a variety of musical instruments, including end-blown flutes, nose flutes, jew’s harps, gongs, drums, and lutes, among others. Various seasonal celebrations (e.g., harvest) and life rituals (e.g., courtship and marriage) called for certain instrumental music, songs, and dances.

The Philippines has produced a handful of internationally acclaimed films, including Himala (1982), which recounts the adventures of a young miracle worker; Oro, Plata, Mata (1982), the story of two noble families on the island of Negros during World War II; and Small Voices (2002), the tale of a teacher in an impoverished rural community who, through music, inspires her students to shed their cynicism.

Despite its successes, the film industry in the Philippines has remained small, its growth hindered by escalating production costs, high taxes, uncontrolled piracy of videotapes and CDs, and the popularity of foreign films over local productions.

"Taiwan is  a great country with a rich culture" - Mat from Germany

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