The
Philippine
traditions
and culture
are unique
and
influenced
by it's
colonization
history.
Because the
people of
the
Philippines
were
colonized by
Spain for
over 300
years, there
was a
significant
infiltration
of the
original
culture by
Spanish
traditions,
ways of life
and
government.
After the
Americans
conquered
the country
from Spain,
the culture
became even
more diluted
by the
American
heritage.
During World
War II,
Japanese
troops
invaded the
country and
brought
along their
own
culture.The
original
people of
the
Philippines
are Asians
by heritage.
The fusion
of these
cultures
therefore
makes the
Philippines
a mixed
society with
very unique
costumes and
traditions.
The islands
were freed
by the by
U.S. forces
and the
Republic of
the
Philippines
was
established
in 1946.
Filipino
(formerly
known as
Pilipino) is
the official
language of
the
Philippines,
along with
English.
Most of the
newspapers
are
published in
Tagalog
(standardized
as
Filipino).