The House of the Philippines is a place to learn about the history, culture and people of the Philippines.  

Author Series
Filipino authors, musicians, psychologists, and TV chefs give presentations, in monthly events.

Workshops
Hands-on learning experience on Filipino crafts such as the Christmas parol (traditional Philippine lantern) and art and ancient alphabet classes, given monthly.

For more information, visit the House of the Philippines website.

Lawn Program:
The yearly lawn program is held on June 12th each year, or the date that is closest to that day. It is a National Holiday -- the Independence Day.  The Philippine Islands were liberated from Spain in 1898 on that day.

The entertainment consists of dancing by a Philippine dance group, singing by choral groups and performances by community celebrities.

Typical Foods served are pancit (noodles with meat and vegetables), lumpia (beef or vegetable rolled in a flour wrap), adobo (pork or chicken prepared in vinegar and soy sauce) and leche flan (custard).

Food Fairs:
For the Ethnic Food Fair and the December Holidays the menu is the same or similar to that of the Lawn Program.

Foods served on Sundays:
Lumpia, dried mangos and rice cakes.

One or two members welcome school children on certain Fridays. They inform the children about the history and culture of the Philippines and also of Filipino-Americans. They show maps, and explain the ancient Philippine alphabet, costumes and art.

Geography:
The Philippines is located in Southeast Asia, surrounded by the China Sea to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Sea of Celebes to the South.  The country is made up of 7000 Islands, only 400 are inhabited and 93% are less than one square mile. Manila, the capital, is located in Luzon, the largest island.

About 90% of the population is living on just eleven islands.

There are twenty volcanoes on the islands, of which twelve are more or less active.  Located in the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions periodically occur.

The climate is mild and tropical in Manila. The average rainfall is 75 inches, average temperatures range from 78 to 90 degree F. and 77% humidity.

History:
After 30,000 years of pre-historic habitation from Borneo, Sumatra and Malaya, Ferdinand Magellan, a Spanish explorer landed there in 1521. He named the islands “Las Filipinas” in honor of Prince Philip (later Philip II) of Spain. Revolts against Spain began in 1896.  After about 350 years as a Spanish colony, independence from Spain was declared on June 12, 1898.      

In 1942 General Douglas McArthur was ordered out of the Philippines and proclaimed his famous words “I shall return”.  He fulfilled that promise in 1944 to liberate the Philippines from Japanese occupation.

Cultural Notes:
The Philippines is an example of a mixture of cultures due to its “East meets West” history.   From Indonesia and Malay to Chinese and Spanish, followed by American influence, a diverse blend has become a truly unique Philippine culture today.

Christianity was introduced to the Islands in the 16th Century and the country is predominantly Christian. Islam is practised in the southermost island of Mindanao

The Philippines is one of few or maybe the only English proficient Asian country, Filipino and English are official languages, plus over a hundred native languages. The word boondocks is derived from the Tagalog word “bundok” which means “mountains”. It was used by the American soldiers in the 1900’s, it referred to remote and wild places.

The people of the Philippines are legendary for their hospitality in Southeast Asia. Visitors from all over the world will experience a warm and friendly acceptance.

The House of the Philippines is continually working with various community groups to develop educational and cultural programs to showcase Philippine culture and history through music dance and cottage displays.

Land Area: 300,000 sq km                               
Population:  91,077,287 (July 2007 est.)
Capital City: Manila                                        
Language:  Filipino (official; based on Tagalog) and English (official); eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinan
Religion:  Roman Catholic 80.9%, Muslim 5%, Evangelical 2.8%, Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3%, Aglipayan 2%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% (2000 census)
Form of Government: republic
Economy: The Philippines was less severely affected by the Asian financial crisis of 1998 than its neighbors, aided in part by its high level of annual remittances from overseas workers, no sustained runup in asset prices, and more moderate debt, prior to the crisis. Average GDP growth accelerated to about 5% between 2002 and 2006 reflecting the continued resilience of the service sector, and improved exports and agricultural output. Nonetheless, it will take a higher, sustained growth path to make appreciable progress in the alleviation of poverty given the Philippines' high annual population growth rate and unequal distribution of income.
Export: semiconductors and electronic products, transport equipment, garments, copper products, petroleum products, coconut oil, fruits

Source: The World Factbook - Philippines