Top 10 amazing facts about the Philippines

Historical facts about the Philippines

The Philippines has a long and varied history from the first Negritos people through to Spanish and US colonial rule, and then onto independence in 1946. It’s a history marked by trade, agriculture, battles, poverty, inequality and much political upheaval.

Today the Philippines is still poor, but life is improving. Since 2010, the Philippine economy has grown at about 6% a year. So, there’s a great deal to be optimistic about.

1. Negritos: The area's earliest inhabitants

The first people of the Philippines were the Negritos - who were Filipino indigenous peoples with a hunter-gatherer background, including the Agta, Aeta, Ati, Ata and Batak peoples. They represent the most ancient civilization in the country, dating back more than 50,000 years ago.

2. Spain ruled the Philippines for over 300 years

In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan sailed across the Pacific. He landed in the Philippines and claimed the islands for Spain. However, Spain didn’t really gain a foothold in the Philippines until 1565 when Miguel Lopez de Legazpi led an expedition and built a fort in Cebu. Later, in 1571 the Spaniards landed in Luzon. Here they built the city of Intramuros (later named Manila), which became the capital of the Philippines.

The Philippines is named after King Philip II of Spain (1556-1598), and it was his friars accompanying the conquistadores, who converted the Filipinos to Catholicism.Life under the Spanish continued until in 1762, when the British captured Manila, which they held for two years, but handed back in 1764 under the terms of the Treaty of Paris. Following a war in 1898, Spain ceded its rule to the USA.

Filipino cultural facts

The Philippines has a very distinct culture, which if you ever plan to visit is well worth getting to know. From a ‘family comes first’ mindset to a real love of food - there’s so much to admire about this rich and varied culture. Let’s look at a couple of interesting facts about Philippine culture.

3. Christmas starts in August

We all love Christmas. But the Filipinos really, really love it. So much so that Christmas tunes can be heard playing there as early as August. The holiday season then really kicks off by September, reaching its peak in December during Christmastide, and finishes within the week after New Year's Day. However, festivities could last until the third Sunday of January, the feast day of the Santo Niño de Cebú. For more insight into festive tradition and food, read our interesting article Christmas in the Philippines.

4. A family-first society

Family life is prized above all else in the Philippines, and households often include extended family. The average rural family has about three children, while urban families tend to be smaller.

Children are expected to complete their education, though some are also expected to work for their family. After marriage, children often continue to live with their parents. And while they’re disciplined by both their mother and father, it’s the mother’s advice that’s taken especially seriously.  Adult children also see it as their responsibility to care for their ageing parents.

Facts about tourism in the Philippines

It’s no wonder that the Philippines is a top tourist destination and getting more popular by the year. This archipelago is blessed with stretches of pristine white sandy beaches, surrounded by crystal clear waters. Several of the islands and beaches, like Boracay, Palawan and Siargao, have been consistently named as the best in the world by major travel publications.

But there’s more to the Philippines than just being an idyllic tropical destination. It’s also home to world-renowned natural wonders like an underground river and rice terraces, incredible diving spots rich in biodiversity, unique cuisine, and vibrant festivals that showcase its colourful culture. The people also make it such a welcoming destination -  the friendly locals are regarded as some of the happiest in the world.

5. Tourism’s contribution to the GDP

Tourism is very important to the Filipino economy. In fact, it contributed 6.2% to the Philippines' GDP in 2022. According to the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA) inbound tourism expenditure saw a growth from 27.63 billion pesos in 2021 to 368.67 billion pesos in 2022.

6. Cebu: Queen City of the South

Cebu, which is located in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines, is affectionately known as the ‘Queen City of the South’. And it’s no wonder. It’s a charming tropical holiday destination with beautiful beaches, stunning waterfalls, and famous Lapu Lapu city.

It has a vibrant lifestyle, modern infrastructure, unique culture, and Spanish colonial heritage. Plus, there’s so much to do from canyoneering at Kawasan Falls to discovering the marine biodiversity on Sumilon Island.

Facts about a growing economy

It’s exciting times for the Philippine economy as it transitions from one based in agriculture to one based more on services and manufacturing. It’s experienced significant economic growth and transformation in recent years. Its major sectors are still agriculture, along with electronics, tourism, automotive, and aerospace - all of which are helping the Philippine economy to grow.

7. One of the most dynamic economies in the East Asia Pacific region

The Philippines is an emerging economic market. As a newly industrialised market, it’s one of the most dynamic in the Asia-Pacific region. In 2023, the Philippine economy is estimated to be at ₱224.56 trillion ($440.9 billion), making it the world's 36th largest by nominal GDP and 15th largest in Asia, according to the IMF. With an average annual growth rate of around 6 percent starting from 2010, the country has emerged as one of the fastest-growing economies in the region.

8. 24% of the Filipino workforce work in agriculture

Figures for the Statista Research Department show that agriculture accounted for 24.2 percent of the total employment share in the Philippines in 2021. Since 2018, the share of agriculture to total employment has been around 24 percent.

Geographical facts about the Philippines

The Philippines is an archipelago, or string of over 7,000 islands, in southeastern Asia between the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. It’s divided into three key geographical areas. Luzon is the large island to the north and home to the capital city, Manila. Mindanao is the large island to the south. And the Visayas are the group of islands lying between them in the middle. The Philippine flag has three stars on it to symbolise these three sections of the country.

9. The second largest archipelago in the world

The Philippines is the second largest archipelago in the world and is made up of 7,107 islands located in the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea, and the Luzon Strait.  The largest archipelago in the world is the Malay Archipelago, between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and contains more than 25,000 islands in Southeast Asia.

10. The fifth largest coastline in the world

Being surrounded by the Philippine, South China, Celebes, and Sulu Seas as well as the Luzon strait means that the Philippines has 36,289 kilometres (22,540 miles) of coastline. In fact, the country has the fifth largest coastline of any country in the world.

It’s a coastline that includes natural harbours, beautiful coves, and spectacular sandy white beaches. Its most popular beaches include such as White Beach, Long Beach, Nacpan Beach, and Sandira Beach. And at these stunning beaches you can freedive, scuba dive, surf, wakeboard, or kitesurf - or just lie back and soak up the sun!

Send money to the Philippines with WorldRemit

Perhaps one of the most interesting facts about the Philippines is just how easy it is to send money there with WorldRemit. If you need to send money back to family and friends, we offer an excellent, low-cost, online money transfer service; one that allows you to send fast and secure transfers in a variety of ways.

But why not sign up to WorldRemit, and make a money transfer today?

If you want to know even more about the Philippines, don’t miss these articles - Philippines Independence Day and a fascinating look at how we helped customers Build Dreams in the Philippines.

The contents of this blog post do not constitute legal or financial advice and are provided for general information purposes only. If you require specific legal and / or financial advice you should contact a specialist lawyer or financial advisor. Information true at time of publishing.