Culture Comparison of the Philippines and Canada

Culture is the characteristic of group of people defined by everything such as language,

religion, lifestyle etc. It is the identity of a group of people living in specific place. It plays a
huge role in shaping your identity. ​Every single person has their own unique identity and culture.
An 'identity' is the image that one projects out into the rest if the world and 'culture' is the image
which one has of themselves. A person's beliefs and morals are made up by culture and remain
throughout your entire life. Culture is what made you the person you are today and determines
who or what you choose to associate yourself with.

In society, two cultures cannot be same if one is located on the west and the other one is
all the way to the East. As we compare, Philippines and Canada cultures have very vast
differentiation between them. When it comes the cultural differences of people there is no right
or wrong. People should be aware of others culture and respect the differences that are between
them. The Philippines and Canada are two different countries that have cultures that are well
known throughout the world. There are many differences between Philippines and Canada, but
there are many contributing factors that shape the cultures of these two countries.

Language

Language is universal, but there are different meanings and sounds which vary from one
culture to another. In the Philippines, ​there are some 120 to 187 ​languages and dialects,
depending on the method of classification. Filipino is the national language. As of 2017, English
and nineteen others are official ​auxiliary languages​. Including second-language speakers, there
are more speakers of Filipino than English in the Philippines. In Canada, a multitude of
languages are being used. According to the 2011 census, ​English and ​French are the ​mother
tongues of 56.9% and 21.3% of ​Canadians respectively. In total 85.6% of Canadians have
working knowledge of English while 30.1% have a working knowledge of French. Under the
Official Languages Act of 1969, both English and French have official federal status throughout
Canada, in respect of all government services, including the courts, and all federal legislation is
enacted bilingually. ​New Brunswick is the only Canadian province that has both English and
French as its official languages to the same extent, with constitutional entrenchment. Both of
these countries have their primary language while they consider English as a second language.

Religion

Religion plays a big part in the cultures of the world and is basis for their beliefs and
values. In many countries, religion is very important, so much important that some cultures use it
in every aspect of their lives.

Religion in the Philippines is marked by a majority of people being adherents of the

Christian Faith​. At least 92% of the population is Christian; about 81% belong to the ​Roman
Catholic Church while about 11% belong to ​Protestant​, ​Restorationist and ​independent Catholic
denominations, such as ​Iglesia Filipina Independiente​, ​Iglesia ni Cristo​, ​Seventh-day Adventist
Church​, ​United Church of Christ in the Philippines and ​Evangelicals​. Officially, the Philippines
is a ​secular nation​, with the ​Constitution guaranteeing ​separation of church and state​, and
requiring the government to respect all religious beliefs equally. According to national religious
surveys, about 5.6% of the population of the Philippines is ​Muslim​, making ​Islam the second
largest religion in the country.

In Canada, Christianity is the largest religion in ​Canada​, with ​Roman Catholics having
the most adherents. Christians, representing 67.3% of the population, are followed by people
having ​no religion with 23.9% of the total population. ​Islam is the second largest religion in
Canada, practised by 3.2% of the population. ​Rates of religious adherence are steadily
decreasing.The ​preamble to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms Refers to God. The
monarch carries the title of "​Defender of the Faith​". However, Canada has no ​official religion​,
and support for ​religious pluralism and ​freedom of religion is an important part of ​Canada's
political culture​.

Education

Education in the ​Philippines is provided by ​public and ​private schools​, ​colleges​,

universities​, and ​technical and vocational institutions​. Funding for public education comes from
the ​national government​. At the basic education level, the ​Department of Education (DepEd) sets
overall educational standards and mandates ​standardized tests for the ​K–12 basic education
system, although private schools are generally free to determine their own curriculum in
accordance with existing laws and Department regulations. ​The K to 12 Program covers
Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education, which is six years of primary education, four years
of Junior High School, and two years of Senior High School​. The academic school year begins in
June and concludes in March, a period that covers a total of 40 weeks. All higher education
institutions operate on a semester system—fall semester, winter semester and an optional
summer term. Schooling is compulsory for 6 years, beginning at age 7 and culminating at age
12. These 6 years represent a child’s primary school education.

Education in Canada is for the most part provided ​publicly​, funded and overseen by
federal​, ​provincial​, and ​local governments​. Education is within provincial jurisdiction and the
curriculum is overseen by the province. Education in Canada is generally divided into ​primary
education​, followed by secondary education and post-secondary. Within the provinces under the
ministry of education, there are district school boards administering the educational programs.
Education is compulsory up to the age of 16 in every province in Canada, except for Manitoba,
Ontario, and New Brunswick, where the compulsory age is 18, or as soon as a high school
diploma has been achieved. In some provinces early leaving exemptions can be granted under
certain circumstances at 14. Canada generally has 190 (180 in Quebec) school days in the year,
officially starting from September (after ​Labour Day​) to the end of June (usually the last Friday
of the month, except in Quebec when it is just before June 24 – the provincial holiday). In British
Columbia secondary schools, there are 172 school days during a school year. (2013-2014). In
Alberta, high school students get an additional four weeks off to accommodate for exam break;
two weeks in January, and two in June. Classes typically end on the 15th of those two months.
Literature
Philippine literature is associated with the Philippine from prehistory, through its colonial
legacies, and on to the present. Pre-Hispanic Philippine literature was actually epics passed on
from generation to generation, originally through an oral tradition. However, wealthy families,
especially in Mindanao, were able to keep transcribed copies of these epics as family heirloom.
One such was the Darangen, an epic of the ​Maranaos​. The first book printed in the Philippines is
the Doctrina Christiana which has been published 1593 in Manila.
Canadian literature is the body of written works produced by Canadians. Reflecting the
country’s dual origin and its official bilingualism, the ​literature of Canada can be split into two
major divisions: English and French. Influences on Canadian writers are broad, both
geographically and historically. Before European contact and the ​Confederation of Canada​,
Indigenous peoples in North America have occupied the land and have maintained a rich and
diverse history of culture, identity, language, art and literature. "Indigenous literature" is a
problematic term, as every cultural group has its own distinct oral tradition, language, and
cultural practices. Therefore, ​Indigenous literatures in Canada is a more inclusive term for
understanding the variety of languages and traditions across communities.

Food
As in most Asian countries, the staple food in the Philippines is rice. It is most often
steamed and always served with meat, fish and vegetable dishes. Leftover rice is often fried with
garlic to make sinangag, which is usually served at breakfast together with a fried egg and cured
meat or sausages. Dishes range from the very simple meal of fried salted fish and rice, to
complex ​paellas and ​cocidos created for fiestas of Spanish origin. Popular dishes include: ​lechón
(whole roasted pig), adobo, ​kare-kare​, pinakbet, ​crispy pata (deep-fried pig's leg), hamonado
(pork sweetened in pineapple sauce), ​sinigang (meat or seafood in sour broth), ​pancit and
lumpia​.
Canadian cuisine varies widely depending on the regions of the nation. The three earliest
cuisines of Canada have First Nations, English, Scottish and French roots, with the traditional
cuisine of ​English Canada closely related to ​British cuisine​. A small sampling of Canadian foods.
Top to bottom, left to right: Montreal-style smoked meat, maple syrup, peameal bacon, butter
tart, poutine, Nanaimo bar.

Clothing
Baro't Saya (literally "Shirt and Skirt") is the Filipino style of women's clothing.
Traditionally, it is composed of a blouse and a long skirt with a "panuelo". The upper class
women wore more elaborate baro't saya sewn with beads and has colorful designs. The clothing
style and fashion sense of the Filipinos in the modern-day era have been influenced by their
native ancestors: their Spanish colonizers, the Americans, and even the Japanese, as evidenced
by the chronology of events that occurred in Philippine history. At present, Filipinos conform
their way of dressing, in addition to the above factors, as a result of the influence of what is
shown by the media on television fashion shows, among others.
Meanwhile, ​Canadian national clothing was formed under the influence of Native Indians
(who lived on these lands for centuries) and colonizers from Europe (who came to Canada in
17-18th century). Also traditional garments in Canada correspond with the weather conditions
and climate in this part of the world. That's why traditional Canadian pieces of clothing are:
parkas, tuques, ojibwa shirts, mittens, earmuffs and so on.

Music
Music of the Philippines (Filipino: Musika ng Pilipinas; Spanish: Música de Filipinas)
include musical performance arts in the Philippines or by Filipinos composed in various genres
and styles. The compositions are often a mixture of different Asian, Spanish, Latin American,
American, and indigenous influences.
The music of Canada has reflected the diverse influences that have ​shaped the country​.
Indigenous Peoples , the ​Irish​, British, and the French have all made unique contributions to the
musical ​heritage of Canada​.The music has subsequently been heavily influenced by ​American
culture​ because of the proximity and migration between the two countries.

Beliefs and Traditions

Christmas is one of the most loved celebration by Filipinos. Families and relatives gather
on the 24th of December, to celebrate food prepared for "Noche Buena," a Spanish term which
means "midnight meal" to greet Christmas Day. New Year is another celebration that gathers the
Filipino families. Wearing dotted clothes and preparing round fruits on the table, which
symbolize prosperity, is one of the many customs of the Filipinos.
Meanwhile, most of Canada's structured rituals and traditions involve commemorating
significant dates in someone's life. Weddings, birthdays, funerals or school graduations are
celebrated with some of the most well-known Canadian traditions. Canadians also celebrate
Christmas and New Year’s Eve with family and friends. In Nova Scotia, the masked people or
Belsnicklers are characters that walk through the streets in December demanding treats while
ringing bells, distributing candy to the children. In Quebec, around January 6th, they celebrate La
Fête du Roi, when family members share a special cake where a lucky bean is hidden. In July,
Calgary holds this ten day rodeo called The Stampede’s, one of the richest in the world.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are some similarities and differences between the culture of the
Philippines and Canada. One of the similarities is that both countries have majority of people
who belong to Christianity. Also, both countries celebrates Christmas with families and friends.
In addition, the education system of both countries are divided into primary, intermediate and
post-secondary education.