Overview of the Philippines:
The Philippines gained independence in 1946 with its capital in Manila. Spanning approximately 300,000 square kilometers, the nation consists of 7,100 islands, ranking fifth globally in coastline length, earning it the nickname "The Thousand Islands." The country is primarily composed of three major island groups: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The official languages are Filipino and English, with Catholicism as the predominant religion. The climate is tropical, with the northernmost point being only 52.8 kilometers away from Taiwan.
Overseas Compatriot Communities in the Philippines:
The population of the Philippines stands at approximately 114 million, with an estimated 1.5 million individuals belonging to the Fil-Chi community. Taiwanese expatriates in the Philippines number around 7,000, mainly engaged in traditional industries, construction, technology, agriculture, livestock, tourism, and the service sector. 85% of them are concentrated in the greater Metro Manila area.
Educational and Cultural Status:
Learning Mandarin in the Philippines has a history of over 100 years, with local schools being quite common in earlier years. In 1976, the Philippine government implemented policies to Filipinoize overseas compatriot schools, requiring them to enroll not only children of overseas compatriot community but also local students. Moreover, Mandarin language teaching hours and materials are strictly regulated by Philippine educational authorities, leading to a significant reduction in the number of overseascompatriot schools. Currently, in terms of curriculum, in addition to government-mandated courses, Mandarin language classes are limited to two hours per day, with teaching materials decided by individual local schools. Many of these schools use materials provided by the Overseas Community Affairs Council, R.O.C.(Taiwan).
Economic Status of Overseas Compatriot Immigrants:
Early overseas compatriot immigrants were predominantly engaged in small-scale retail businesses. Since the Filipino government Filipinoized the retail industry in the 1960s, there has been a significant change in the business landscape. Due to their entrepreneurial skills, overseas compatriot immigrants have diversified their businesses across various sectors, contributing to the formation of a strong economic force in the Philippines.Given the proximity of the Philippines to Taiwan, the relationship between Taiwanese expatriates and Taiwan is close. Early Taiwanese investors made significant contributions to Taiwan's economic development by investing heavily in the country. Currently, Taiwanese expatriates in the Philippines are primarily engaged in traditional industries, construction, technology, agriculture, livestock, tourism, and the service sector.
Update Date:
2024/04/12 Back