一、基本情况 Background Information

【1】旅游殿堂。菲律宾的旅游口号是：更多乐趣尽在菲律宾 ！菲律宾群岛由超过7千个岛屿组成，可分为吕宋岛、米沙鄢群島和棉兰老岛三大岛群。每年多达十几个台风带来暴雨和风暴，时不时遭受地震。其气候环境造就了丰富的自然资源与生物多样性，因此也为发达的旅游业提供了基本条件, 造就了世界顶级潜水的殿堂，每年吸引发烧友和旅行者前来体验。【1】 Paradise for travelers. Inbound travelers may be impressed with the slogan:

“IT’S MORE FUN IN PHLILIPPINES”. The unique features of the geology of the country can be depicted by the more than seven thousand islands, divided into  Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The islands are usually stricken by more than a dozen typhoons which bring torrential rains and thunderstorms each year, and even some earthquakes. The climate endows it with abundant natural resources and some of the world's greatest biodiversity, thus making the tourism boom possible. The world classical paradise for diving and snorkeling is therefore capable of attracting hundreds of thousands of divers and travelers.

【2】人口构成。2015年的人口普查显示总人口超过1亿，是东南亚第二个人口多的国家。估计超过一半的人口居住在吕宋岛, 其中大马尼拉市人口最多，有超过1150万人。据测算年龄结构显示年轻人居多，比例为：0-14 岁占总人口的34.1%，15-64 岁占比 61.7%。菲律宾语和英语都是官方语言。菲律宾语是以他加禄语(Tagalog、Tagalogs)为基础的。菲律宾华人几乎遍布全菲各地。据统计，目前在菲律宾人口的华人约有百万，其中先祖来自福建闽南（泉州、漳州、厦门）为主。

【2】Demography. The census in 2015 indicated that the total population in the Philippines exceeded 100 million, being the second most populous country in the ASEAN group. It is estimated that half of the population resides on the island of Luzon, with the capital Manila having a population of over 11.5 million. The data also indicates the age structure as follows: aged 0-14 comprises 14.1%; and aged 15-64 comprises 61.7%. The official languages of the country are Filipino and English and Filipino is a standardized version of Tagalog. The Chinese descendants are virtually everywhere in the country, amounting to more than one million. Most of them may have ancestors coming from the southern part of the Fujian Province in China, namely Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, and Xiamen.

 

【3】乐队和歌手。在东盟各国、香港、甚至今天的中国境内，往往你在酒店和大型活动场所看到的英语歌手、乐队有不少来自菲律宾。他们发挥其歌唱和英语技巧，载歌载舞、惟妙惟肖地演唱欧美明星的歌曲。

【3】Bands & Singers. In the ASEAN countries, Hong Kong, or even  China, the singers and bands performing English songs in hotels or events are actually from the Philippines. Their exceptional singing and dancing skills as well as their proficiency in English make them top performers of Western pop songs. 

【4】没有离婚。葡萄牙探险家麦哲伦当时为西班牙君主效力探险，1519年－1521年率领船队首次环航地球，在菲律賓宿务死于与当地部族的冲突中。此后，天主教从西班牙传入，五百年来一直对菲律宾的政治和社会产生巨大影响。目前，天主教徒占菲律宾人口超过80%，也使他成为东盟各国里唯一的天主教国家。受天主教教义的影响，民众离婚率比较低也是可以理解了。

【4】No divorce. In his expedition, on behalf of the Spanish monarch, the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan made his first circumnavigation of the Earth in 1519-1521 and died in a conflict with the local tribes in Cebu; his legacy, however, led to the introduction of Roman Catholicism in the Philippines. For the past 500 years, the Roman Catholic Church has had an enormous impact in political and social aspects in the Philippines. For example, at present, more than 80% of the population profess Catholicism, thus making it the only Catholic country in the ASEAN group. It is therefore understandable that, under the influence of the Catholic doctrine, the local people have a very low rate of divorce.

【5】美国的影响力。美国在当地留下了英文的主导地位以及民众对西方文化的认同，其中有两个标志最容易观察得到：电视上面满是NBA的赛事，以及大街上比比皆是的吉普尼。吉普尼最初是从美军在二战后留下的吉普汽车改造制成的，现在是菲律宾国最流行的公共交通工具。它们以其拥挤的座位和花俏的装饰而闻名，这也使它们成为菲国文化与艺术的主要标志，甚至获得“道路之王”的美名。

【5】American  influence. The dominance of English (American English) and the absorption of Western culture by local people have left two major prominent traces: NBA (National Basketball Association), which is televised in almost every screen; and Jeepney, the modified Jeeps left behind by the American troops after World War II, which have now become the most popular commuting vehicle, being even hailed as the “King of the Road” and being well-known for the crowded appearance and flashy decoration – a true cultural and artistic icon.