The Philippines

## The People's Republic of the PhilippinesAng Republikang Bayan ng Pilipinas

**The Philippines** (Filipino: Ang Pilipinas - /ˈʔaŋ ˈfɪlɪpiːnz/), officially **the People's Republic of the Philippines** is a communist country in southeast Asia in the western Pacific, sharing a land border with no nation but sharing maritime borders with the Laughing Empire, Taiwan, the Oceanic Union, Purpland, Japan and Palau. It houses roughly 7,641 islands which are categorized into Luzon (north), Visayas (middle) and Mindanao (south). It is surrounded by the South China Sea to the west, Philippine Sea to the east and the Celebes Sea in the southwest.

## Etymology

The Philippines takes its name from Philip II, who was king of Spain during the Spanish colonization of the islands in the 16th century. Because it was under Spanish rule for 333 years and under U.S. tutelage for a further 48 years, the Philippines has many cultural affinities with the West.

## Geography

The Philippines is an archipelago, or string of over 7,100 islands, in southeastern Asia between the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The two largest islands, Luzon and Mindanao, make up for two-thirds of the total land area. Only about one third of the islands are inhabited. This makes it the fifth largest island country in the world.

Eleven islands make up 95 percent of the Philippine landmass, and two of these — Luzon and Mindanao — measure 105,000 square kilometers (40,541 sq mi) and 95,000 square kilometers (36,680 sq mi), respectively. They, together with the cluster of islands in Visayas in between them, represent the three principal regions of the archipelago that are identified by the three stars on the Philippine flag.

The Philippines is broken up in many islands by the sea. This gives it the fifth longest coastline of 36,289 kilometers (22,549 mi) in the world. The Exclusive economic zone of the Philippines covers 2,263,816 km2 (874,064 sq mi), 200 nautical miles (370 km) from its shores. It is located between 116° 40', and 126° 34' E longitude and 4° 40' and 21° 10' N latitude and is bordered by the Philippine Sea to the east, the South China Sea to the west, and the Celebes Sea to the south.

## Climate

The Philippines has a humid equatorial climate characterized by high temperatures and heavy rainfall. Average annual rainfall is approximately 2,348 millimeters (mm), but this varies geographically, from 960 mm in southeast Mindanao to over 4,050 mm in central Luzon.

Temperatures are generally high, particularly in the valleys and plains, averaging 27°C throughout the year. Humidity levels are high, averaging around 82% due to the warm moist trade winds that flow through the archipelago, as well as sea surface temperatures, a rich and vibrant vegetative cover and abundant rainfall. Rainfall is governed by the southwest monsoons in the summer months, and by the northeast monsoon and tropical cyclones in the winter. Convective rainfall is common due to the country’s mountainous terrain, interspersed with narrow coastal plains.

The Philippines also experiences strong periodic droughts that are linked to the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The Philippines’ hottest months are April and May, with the coldest months experienced during December, January and February. The mean annual temperature is 27.1°C, with a relatively low seasonal temperature variation of approximately 3°C. There is minimal spatial variation in temperatures across the country. Where temperature differences do exist, such as in Baguio City where the daily mean temperature is 19.6°C, elevation is significant factor.

There is geographical variation in the distribution of precipitation: during June to September heavy rainfall is concentrated to the west of the country, whereas between October and March, heavy rainfall is predominantly found in the country’s eastern regions.

## Nature

The islands are home to many species of flowering plants and ferns, including hundreds of species of orchids. Tall grasses have replaced the forests, which have disappeared due to logging, mining, and development.

The Philippines are inhabited by more than 200 species of mammals, including monkeys, squirrels, lemurs, mice, pangolins, chevrotains, mongooses, civet cats, and red and brown deer, among others.

The binturong, or Asian bear cat, was once prominent, but now this furry mammal is vulnerable. The tamaraw, a species of small water buffalo found only on Mindoro, is critically endanger

Hundreds of species of birds live in the Philippines, either for all or part of the year, including peacocks, pheasants, doves, parrots, kingfishers, sunbirds, tailorbirds, weaverbirds, and hornbills. The endangered Philippine eagle, which eats monkeys, is barely surviving deforestation.

## People & Culture

Filipinos are predominantly of Malay descent, frequently with Chinese and sometimes American or Spanish ancestry.

Many Filipinos have Spanish names because of a 19th-century Spanish decree that required them to use Spanish surnames, or last names. Parents often name their children after the saint whose feast day was on the day of their birth.

## Religion

The Philippines proudly boasts to be the only Christian nation in Asia. More than 86 percent of the population is Roman Catholic, 6 percent belong to various nationalized Christian cults, and another 2 percent belong to well over 100 Protestant denominations. In addition to the Christian majority, there is a vigorous 4 percent Muslim minority, concentrated on the southern islands of Mindanao, Sulu, and Palawan. Scattered in isolated mountainous regions, the remaining 2 percent follow non-Western, indigenous beliefs and practices. The Chinese minority, although statistically insignificant, has been culturally influential in coloring Filipino Catholicism with many of the beliefs and practices of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.

The pre-Hispanic belief system of Filipinos consisted of a pantheon of gods, spirits, creatures, and men that guarded the streams, fields, trees, mountains, forests, and houses. Bathala, who created earth and man, was superior to these other gods and spirits. Regular sacrifices and prayers were offered to placate these deities and spirits; some of which were benevolent, some malevolent. Wood and metal images represented ancestral spirits, and no distinction was made between the spirits and their physical symbol. Reward or punishment after death was dependent upon behavior in this life.

Upon this indigenous religious base two foreign religions were introduced: Islam and Christianity; and a process of cultural adaptation and synthesis began that is still evolving. Spain introduced Christianity to the Philippines in 1565 with the arrival of Miguel Lopez de Legaspi. Earlier, beginning in 1350, Islam had been spreading northward from Indonesia into the Philippine archipelago. By the time the Spanish arrived in the 16th century, Islam was firmly established on Mindanao and Sulu and had outposts on Cebu and Luzon. At the time of the Spanish arrival, the Muslim areas had the highest and most politically integrated culture on the islands and, given more time, would probably have unified the entire archipelago. Carrying on their historical tradition of expelling the Jews and Moros [Moors] from Spain (a commitment to eliminating any non-Christians), Legaspi quickly dispersed the Muslims from Luzon and the Visayan islands and began the process of Christianization. Dominance over the Muslims on Mindanao and Sulu, however, was never achieved during three centuries of Spanish rule. During American rule in the first half of this century the Muslims were never totally pacified during the so-called "Moro Wars." Since independence, particularly in the last decade, there has been resistance by large segments of the Muslim population to national integration. Many feel, with just cause, that integration amounts to cultural and psychological genocide. For over 10 years the Moro National Liberation Front has been waging a war of secession against the Marcos government before finally being extinguished by the new Communist Republic during the Invasion of Mindanao.

## Government

Filipinos elect their president. The president is the head of state and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and serves a six-year term. The current president is Soviet\_Mercenary.

The economy is based on agriculture, light industry, and services. The country produces bananas, rice, **potatoes**, coconuts, corn, fish, mangos, pineapples, sugarcane, pork, and beef.

## History

The Spanish first landed in the Philippines in 1521. The name Philippines comes from Philip II who was the king of Spain during the 16th century when the country became a Spanish colony.

The Philippines was granted to the Americans in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. In 1935 the Philippines became self-governing, but their independence was delayed by World War II and the invasion of Japanese troops.

The islands were liberated by American forces in 1944-45, and the Republic of the Philippines was proclaimed in 1946, with a government patterned on that of America.

In 1965 Ferdinand Marcos was elected president. He declared martial law in 1972, which lasted until 1981. After 20 years of rule, Marcos was driven from power in 1986. Corazon Aquino became president and instituted a period of democratic rule in the country.

The Communist Party of the Philippines (C.P.P.) is a Communist Insurgency that emerged from the eastern part of Cebu, led by Soviet\_Mercenary. It was found solely for the purpose of fun and pranks, but soon found itself involved in major conflicts.

The Philippine Government and the C.P.P. have been in fighting for control over the country for over 5yrs, In 2021, the President of the Philippines was assassinated by Communist Insurgency.

The second-in-command immediately took the position as president, which lead to confusion amongst the people, since they normally hold elections for new leaders. Nevertheless they accepted they're new President. After sometime, the people eventually found out that the President was a secret communist, and was working with the C.P.P. all this time. The people were outraged by this sudden betrayal and demanded he be kicked out of office, however it was too late, the military and most of the government was now under the control of the C.P.P., the people took to the streets and protested, but were met by firing squads.

While the country was in chaos, a group of Moros took control of the government of Mindanao and declared itself independence, naming itself "Morotania".

The people were even more angry, and the president's popularity began to plumit, this led to a failed coup which got the president's arm injured. He still lived but was unable to continue because of the injury, he then appointed Soviet\_Mercenary as the new leader. He promised the people that he will take back Mindanao and place it once again under the banner of the Philippines.

With little support and a 5k men strong regiment, he led the invasion of Mindanao and successfully defeated the Moro resistance and recaptured Mindanao.

The people rejoiced and celebrated the victory, the new president's popularity sky rocketed and was formally recognized as the one true president.

Soviet\_Mercenary then pushed for a Five Year Plan, which aimed to improve the economy and strengthen the military.