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How to Learn the Filipino Language in Effective, Fun Ways?

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  The Philippines is an archipelagic country comprising more than seven thousand islands scattered all over the country. During low tide, the number of islands is higher as some of the islets are submerged in seawater during high tide. With this kind of topography, traveling from one island to another requires a boat or any form of seacraft to be able to reach their destination.  Diverse Culture  Aside from being an archipelagic country, the Philippines is also culturally-diverse which is the assimilation of different cultures from the colonizers. Each of the three colonizers brought with them their culture and had been embraced by the Filipinos. Aside from cultural diversity, the country also has thousands of different dialects spread across the country.  The Waray is spoken by Filipinos who live in Samar and parts of Leyte, Cebuano is spoken by people in Bohol, Cebu, and Negros Oriental, Ilonggo spoken by the people of Ilo-Ilo and the island of Panay, and Kapampang...

How do Filipinos preserve their culture and traditions?

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  It is said that culture is the mirror of a country. Being able to know a country’s culture is also like knowing its people and their traits. In a country, a culture, whether desirable or not, is preserved by its people not only because it is a good culture but because it has become part of their daily life and has been passed on from the old generation to the new generation.  In the Philippines, for instance, the Filipinos have been able to preserve most of their culture in different ways. Admittedly, there are a few Filipino cultures that are not worth preserving and should have not been passed on from the old generation to the new generation because of their perceived negative connotation to the Filipinos.  Some of the Philippine Cultures Still Practice Today  Bayanihan (community cooperation)  It refers to a collective community effort in helping one another particularly during and after a disaster. It is during the times of hardships and suffering where th...

Hospitality and Generosity: The Two Inseparable Virtues of the Filipinos

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Oftentimes, a country would be known for its culture, natural beauty like stunning scenery, pristine beaches, culture, foods, and of course a country would also be known by the traits of its people..  The Filipinos, for example, are easily identified by their innate virtues like their being kind, resilient, hardworking, and they’re being happy people. Aside from the aforementioned, the Filipinos are also known for their distinctly tasty foods, pristine beaches, stunning landscape, and their hospitable people.  Although, the Filipinos are not perfect people; they also have their own weaknesses and undesirable traits inherited from their ancestors such as the Ninjas-Cogon, a particular trait of the Filipinos which is only good at the beginning but later fizzles out like cogon grass in which the fire shines brightly at the beginning but fades after a few seconds. Ironically, another trait of the Filipinos is to laugh at their own mistake, and of course, the infamous one-time mill...

Banana: The Popular, Favorite Fruit of the Filipinos

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Despite being a small country, the Philippines pride itself as one of the top producers and exporters of high-quality fruits in Southeast Asia. Tons of  Philippine fruits including bananas are exported yearly to different countries all over the world particularly in the country of Japan.  Among the so many fruits grown and produced in the country, the bananas are popular among Filipinos because of their affordability, availability, and of course, they are also preferred for their rich potassium.    Affordability One of the reasons why Filipinos buy bananas is because of their affordability.  In the Philippines, a banana can be bought for as low as P7 to as high as P15  pesos depending on the size, quality, and seller. Bananas priced even cheaper if bought at the farms and if bought in bulk.  Different Varieties of Banana In the Philippines, there are several varieties of bananas that are grown and produced. Some of these varieties are still color green...

Paninilbihan (Servitude): A Traditional Filipino Courtship Custom

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 Another traditional courtship custom that used to be popular among Filipino men for its unique, marriage-like setup is ‘ Paninilbihan’ or servitude in the English language. Paninilbihan is just one of the many traditional Filipino courtship customs which used to be observed and practiced by Filipino suitors to help them win Filipina women’s hearts and at the same time to prove their sincerity and patience to the women they are trying to woo.  In this particular courtship tradition, the suitor stays in the house of a woman he is courting for a particular period of time. Throughout the Paninilbihan period, the man would do various farm and household chores while being observed by both the woman he is courting and her parents. The duration of Paninilbihan (Servitude) may vary depending on the suitor and the parents of the woman. The Paninilbihan is a perfect opportunity for both the woman’s family and her suitor if they could get along with one another based on the relationship ...

Love letter - a traditional Filipino courtship custom

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                                                         Scouse Smurf/Flickr In its simplest term, courtship is defined as a romantic relationship between two people. A courtship comes in many forms depending on a person’s established courtship customs. Traditionally, it would be men who would initiate and pursue courtship with women. There's no standard way or method of courting a woman but only established informal traditional courtship customs.  Despite the modernity of life brought about by digital technology, courtship has not lost its appeal among the younger generation. It is still observed and practiced regardless of culture, socioeconomic, and nationality. Though courtship customs differ from country to country. Men of different cultures have different ways of courting a woman.  Filipinos have their own indirect, romantic way...

Knowing the 4 wild fruits in the Philippines

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Not too many people know that the Philippines are abundant not only with tasty, tropical fruit trees but also with wild fruit trees.  Ironically, most of these wild fruits are not found in the wild but are found and grown in densely populated residential areas such as in the backyard and even along the roads. And contrary to the popular belief, most of these fruits can be eaten without having to worry about fruit poisoning.  These wild fruits are favorite among Filipino children because aside from the excitement of racing to get these fruits, they are also good to satisfy a hungry stomach.  Below are just some of the wild fruits found in the Philippines:  Aratiles/cherry trees Aratiles are fruit-bearing wild trees found mostly in residential areas. Its fruits are favorite for birds and children alike. Its fruits’ color differs depending on the ripeness of the fruits.  Aratiles fruits are very small, soft, and sweet. Ripe fruits are colored pink and turn re...