Republic of the Philippines
Country Profile
The country’s capital is Manila, and its total land area is approximately 328,000 square kilometers. It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east, the South China Sea to the west, the Celebes and Sulu Seas to the south, and the Bashi Channel to the north. Consisting of 7,107 islands, the nation is divided into three major archipelagos: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Its northernmost island lies just 52.8 kilometers from Taiwan’s southern border. In 2023, the population exceeded 110,000,000, consisting predominantly of Malay (about 80%), with other groups including indigenous peoples, Chinese, and Spanish descendants. The Chinese population is roughly 1,500,000, accounting for 1.3%. Catholicism is the dominant religion, and English and Filipino (Tagalog) are the official languages.
Development Overview
The majority of the population is Malay people, who began migrating to the islands from around 500 BC to 1500 AD. In 1521, a Spanish expedition, led by Portuguese Magellan, landed on Cebu, and the islands were named “Philippines” after King Philip II of Spain. Spain established a colonial government in 1565, commencing a rule that lasted 330 years. Anti-Spanish feelings were intense in the 1890s. After the Spanish-American War broke out in 1898, Spain was defeated and signed the Treaty of Paris, leading to almost half a century of US governance in the Philippines. During WWII, Japan occupied the country, and it was liberated in 1945 and formally achieved independence on July 4, 1946, adopting the U.S. model of democratic constitutional governance. In 2021, the Philippine economy demonstrated considerable vigor with a growth rate of 5.6%. Filipinos are optimistic by nature and believe strongly in freedom and democracy, but they must contend with security issues in their daily life.
Competition Event and Participants
- Traditional Archery: Individual Event－Open Men’s Division (2 Participants) /Individual Event－Open Women’s Division (2 Participants)
- Traditional Music and Dance: Group Event－Open Mixed Division (7 Participants)
- Log Sawing: Group Event－Open Mixed Division (4 Participants)
- Traditional Tug-of-War: Group Event－Open Mixed Division (17 Participants)
- Traditional Wrestling: Individual Event－Men’s Division Below 70kg (1 Participant) /Individual Event－Men’s Division 70kg and Above (1 Participant)
- Net Casting: Group Event－Open Mixed Division (4 Participants)
- Traditional Canoe Racing: Individual Event－Open Men’s Division (2 Participants)
- Traditional Road Running: Individual Event－Open Men’s Division (2 Participants) /Individual Event－Open Women’s Division (2 Participants)
- Weight Carrying: Group Event－Open Mixed Division (4 Participants)
- Freediving Sprint: Individual Event－Open Men’s Division (2 Participants) /Individual Event－Open Women’s Division (2 Participants)