The Philippines is made up of 7107 islands, with a population around 100 million. Tagalog was made the national language of the Philippines in 1937 and was given the title Pilipino and later Filipino to make it a more acceptable language for the whole of the Filipino people. Now for anyone travelling to the Philippines the first time, they might do a little research and find Filipino language books, and before you know it, learn a little of the language. While it is true that Filipino/Tagalog is taught in all schools in the Philippines, it is only the 1st language for about 25 million people, who in the majority live in the north of the Philippines around Manila.

Additional 25 million people living in central and south speak a little Cebuano / Bisaya. Another 11 million speak Hiligaynon / Illongo, and a Waray-Waray 3,400,000 say, etc. ….

Now you might be thinking that speaking Filipino might serve you well everywhere in the Philippines, because for example you can order food, and ask questions, however you won`t understand the locals because they will be speaking their own dialects. If like me you are married to a Filipina, you career can even be able to understand the in-laws.

Research well, and think about where you will be visiting most often. For instance for me the Central region otherwise known as the Visayas means my knowledge of Cebuano serves me exceedingly well. I understand a lot of the local speech on the main islands of Cebu, Leyte, Bohol and many more places. Of course each area has slight dialects, but they are easier to overcome than entirely various languages.

To give a real idea of the intensity in learning to speak to all Filipino`s, you would have to learn more than 20 languages that are not necessarily interchangeable. You will find words that are the same from one language to another, but even the grammar is different for most of these languages. You will also find that the Cebuano language is where many other languages came from, for example Hiligaynon and Waray-Waray but they have many different words now, and the way words are pronounced have also changed.

So, here are the main languages you can expect to hear: Aklanon, Bicolano, Boholano, Cebuano, Cuyonon, Hiligaynon, Ifugao, Ilocano, Itbayat, Ivatan, Kalinga, Kamayo, Kankana-ey, Kinaray-a, Kapampangan, Maguindanao, Maranao, Masbatenyo, Pangasin, Romblomanon, Surigaonon, Tagalog, Tausug, Waray-Waray, Yakan. Most of these language have over 100,000 native speakers, so they are not incidental by any means.

The culture of the Philippines is based mainly on the various native religious groups, which have different cultural backgrounds and traditions. The culture of the Philippines is greatly influenced by the Chinese and American cultures as well as those of other countries. The Hispanic influence on the Filipino culture is the result of the Mexican and Spanish cultures as a result of colonial rule.

Every year the citizens of the Philippines host major festivities that are known as the Barrio Fiesta. This fiesta honors all the patron saints of different towns, villages, and regional districts and is celebrated by ceremonies that are held in the church followed by street parades in honor of the saints. There are various contests that include dancing and singing, and cockfight tournaments before the grand finale of the fireworks.

The Chinese also influence the Filipino culture to a large extent, and this is clearly evident in the Filipino cuisines. The locals here have termed the famous Chinese noodles as Mami. Other dishes like meat and other foodstuffs also reflect the influence of the Chinese cuisine. The influence of the Chinese culture in the Philippines is reflected in the fact that citizens occasionally use Chinese surnames, and some are proficient in speaking the language as well.

Over a century ago, the American culture began having a relative influence on the Philippines. The frequent use of the English language in the Philippines is due to the American culture influence. The American culture has also increased the demand for fast food and its chains have spread all over the Philippines. Filipinos have also started listening to the latest American music, taken to watching American movies, dancing to the American tunes, and also started fancying Hollywood actors. The basic principal of the Filipino people is to follow their moral values and to respect their elders and family members. These qualities help them grow into better human beings and have a friendly and pleasing personality.