Info about philippines culture?

The philippines culture has a unique blend of eastern and western cultures. While most of South East Asia necessarily is a blend of Chinese, Malay and Indonesian traits, philippines culture has been marked by long periods of Spanish and subsequently American occupation. The philippines culture greatest impacts was Religion. During the Spanish Period, it was the introduction of Christianity on the islands. Spanish clergy converted a large amount of Filipinos to the Roman Catholic faith.

In languages, the Philippines are a linguistically diverse nation - there are almost one hundred and seventy two native languages and local dialects. Filipino is the national language, which is based on Tagalog. Tagalog was the national language during the American period. Filipino, with its basis in Tagalog, but containing elements of other local languages, was adopted as the national language in 1973. Both English and Filipino are promoted as official languages for the purposes of education, government and commerce.

The philippines culture is as diverse as its people. There is Chinese Filipino food and The Spanish food combine with traditional food. Today Philippine food is an exotic blend of variations of Chinese, Spanish and Mexican dishes made with tropical local ingredients. The music has influences as diverse as Christian religious church music, Indonesian Gamelan music and of course, the US period of occupation was significant in introducing American blues, folk and rock and roll. The origin of a new form of music called kundiman in the 1920s when traditional songs were sung in western ballads styles. Its the music of  philippines culture.