Philippine Holy Week dates and schedule for year 2010 are more likely to fall on this dates. Note them for your advance holiday and holyweek vacation plans.

Ash Wednesday (Wednesday, February 17, 2010)

Palm Sunday (Sunday, March 28, 2010)

Holy Thursday (Thursday, April 1, 2010)

Good Friday (Friday, April 2, 2010)

Holy Saturday (Saturday, April 3, 2010)

Easter Sunday (Sunday, April 4, 2010)

Divine Mercy Sunday (Sunday, April 11, 2010)

Ascension (Thursday, May 13, 2010)
Holy Day of Obligation (transferred to Sunday, May 16, 2010)

Pentecost Sunday (Sunday, May 23, 2010)

Trinity Sunday (Sunday, May 30, 2010)

Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao (born December 17, 1978), known simply as Manny Pacquiao (nicknames Pac-Man, The Mexicutioner, People's Champ, Pambansang Kamao ("National Fist") is a professional boxer. He is currently the WBC Lightweight Champion. He was also the former WBC Super Featherweight Champion, Ring Magazine's super featherweight and featherweight champion, world champion at IBF Super Bantamweight, and WBC Flyweight divisions. He is the first Filipino and Asian boxer to win four world titles in different weight divisions.

Pacquiao was born in Kibawe, Bukidnon, Mindanao and resides in his home town General Santos City, South Cotabato, Philippines. His parents are Rosalio and Dionisia Pacquiao. A brother, Bobby Pacquiao, is also a boxer. Manny Pacquiao is married to Maria Geraldine "Jinkee" Pacquiao and has 3 children: Jimuel, Mike and Princess. His wife is currently pregnant with a baby girl.

Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao Boxing Titles

Major:

• WBC world flyweight champion
• IBF world superbantamweight champion
• WBC world lightweight champion

Minor:

• OPBF flyweight champion
• WBC international super bantamweight champion
• WBC international super featherweight champion
• WBC world super featherweight champion

The Ring titles:

• World flyweight champion
• World featherweight champion
• World super featherweight champion

Recognitions:

• 2006 The Ring Magazine Fighter Of The Year
• 2006 Boxing Writers Association Of America Fighter Of The Year
• WBC Emeritus Champion
• The Ring Magazine #1 Pound For Pound
• 5-Time PSA Sportsman of the Year
• 2008 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Honorary Award for Sports Excellence

Oscar "The Golden Boy" De La Hoya and Manny "Pac-Man" Pacqiuoa
The Dream Match

Filipino People's Champ beats The Golden Boy, round by round event

Round 1: Manny off to strong start
Manny Pacquiao gets off to a strong start in his dream match against Oscar De La Hoya. Pacquiao connected on his 1-2 combinations with his left tagging De La Hoya several times. De La Hoya showed some signs of aggression late in the round but Pacquiao manages to dance his way out of trouble

Round 2: Pacquiao still in control
Oscar De La Hoya is busier with his pet left jab, but Manny Pacquiao remains in control. Pacquiao manages to sneak his left cross to tag the Golden Boy several times and his brilliant ring movement to offset his opponent's six-inch reach advantage. So far, Manny has won the first two rounds.

Round 3: Fight pace slows down
The fight slows down. There's occasional brilliance from Oscar De La Hoya. He tags Pacquiao with a couple of body shots, but the Filipinnos responds with a left cross. Pacquiao has been landing his left cross at will.

Round 4: Strong finish for Manny
De La Hoya comes alive in the fourth round, but Pacquiao came up with a whirlwind finish to steal the round. De La Hoya lands a solid right to Pacquiao’s face early in the round, his first big punch of the match. But the Golden Boy still cannot find a solution to the speed of Pacquiao’s left cross, enabling Pacquiao to tag him with shots to the face.

Round 5: Manny still in control
Manny Pacquiao showed he can engage Oscar De La Hoya in a phone-booth slugfest. From close range, he connects on a solid left near the end of the round. De La Hoya lands some shots to the body midway in the round that hardly bothers Pacquiao.

Round 6: De La Hoya's eye swollen
There is some swelling on top of De La Hoya's left eye at the end of Round 6. Pacquiao's left cross is still working wonders for him as De La Hoya has left himself open everytime he unleashes an attack.

Round 7: Manny staggers Oscar
Manny Pacquiao shifts into high gear unleashing a run of combinations which staggers De La Hoya, leaving the Golden Boy on the ropes for most of the round. De La Hoya manages to stay on his feet, though.

Round 8: Another strong finish for Manny
Manny Pacquiao unleashes a flurry that has De La Hoya on the ropes in the last 10 seconds. The punches from Oscar De La Hoya are still far and few in between. De La Hoya manages to sneak in a few punches but it lacks the sting. Pacquiao, in contrast, has been connecting at will.

Pacquiao beats De La Hoya
Manny Pacquiao defied the odds when he defeated Oscar De La Hoya in the welterweight duel at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. De La Hoya refused to come out of his corner after the eighth round, forcing referee Tony Weeks to declare Pacquiao the winner by Technical Knock Out.


Manny Pacquioa to be Ambassador of Peace

Manny Pacquiao is about to return home Wednesday (December 10, 2008) 6 a.m. Grateful Manny Pacquiao will visit Quiapo Church in Manila to offer prayers for his recent win over Oscar de la Hoya upon his return to the Philippines.

President Arroyo will give Filipino boxing idol Manny Pacquiao the new title "ambassador of peace" when he returns to the country on Wednesday after his big victory over Golden Boy Oscar de la Hoya.

Lorelei Fajardo, deputy presidential spokesperson, told Malacañang reporters that Mrs. Arroyo will welcome Pacquiao in Malacañang after the boxing idol's arrival. Fajardo said Mrs. Arroyo is preparing to appoint Pacquiao as the country's official peace envoy.

2009 Public & Special Holidays in the Philippines

The Philippine Holiday “schedule” on Proclamation 1463, we’re possibly looking at the following:

A. Regular Holidays

· Araw ng Kagitingan – Thursday, 09 April
· Maundy Thursday – Thursday, 09 April
· Good Friday – Friday, 10 April
· Labor Day - - Friday, 01 May
· Independence Day – Friday, 12 June. Might not be moved to nearest Monday anymore
· National Heroes Day – Last Monday of August (31 August)
· Bonifacio Day – Already on a Monday, 30 November
· Christmas Day – Friday, 25 December
· Rizal Day – Wednesday, 30 December


B. Special (non-working) Holidays

· Ninoy Aquino Day – Monday, 24 August (or might be retained on Friday, 21 August)
· All Saints Day – Sunday, 01 November
· Last Day of the Year – Thursday, 31 December

· Eid – open date, but the internet says 20 September.


Plus other holidays that may be announced from time to time.

Disclaimer: This is in no way an authoritative or official declaration of Philippine Holidays for 2009. All information or conclusions were based on previous declared events.

Long Weekends:

As per Presidential Proclamation 1699, here are the holidays/long weekends for the year 2009, to help you plan your trips/travels in advance:

(April 4-6 long weekend)
April 6 (Monday) - Araw ng Kagitingan instead of April 9

(April 9-12 long weekend)
April 9 (Thursday) - Holy Thursday
April 10 (Friday) - Good Friday

(May 1-3 long weekend)
May 1 (Friday) - Labor Day

(June 12-14 long weekend)
June 12 (Friday) -Independence Day

(August 21-23 long weekend)
August 21 (Friday) - Ninoy Aquino Day

(August 29-31 long weekend)
August 31 (Monday) - National Heroes’ Day

(September 19-21 long weekend)
September 21 (Monday) - Eid’l Fitr (exact date may change)

(October 31-November 2 long weekend)
November 1 (Sunday) -All Saints’ Day
November 2 (Monday) - All Souls’ Day

(November 28-30 long weekend)
November 30 (Monday) - Bonifacio Day

(December 24-27 long weekend)
December 24 (Thursday) - Christmas Eve
December 25 (Friday) - Christmas Day

(December 30, 2009-January 3, 2010 long weekend)
December 30 (Wednesday) - Rizal Day
December 31 (Thursday) - New Year’s Eve
- - - - -
January 1, 2010 (Friday) - New Year’s Day

Pasko or Christmas in the Philippines has earned the distinction of celebrating this world holiday. Philippines is one of predominantly Catholic countries in Asia and Christmas season is one o the biggest holidays in calendar. Christmas in the Philippines is a mixture of Western and native Filipino traditions. Santa Claus, the Christmas tree, sending Christmas cards, and singing carols have all been inherited from the cultures of the West. However, these have all been adapted to fit the nature and personality of the Filipino people. Christmas carols and greetings are heard as early as September and these seascon lasts until Ephiphany.

Simbang Gabi or Misa de Gallo ("Midnight Masses" or "Mass of the Rooster")

From the Catholic custom, Simbang Gabi is a gathering for celebration of the Eucharist in the pre-dawn hours of each on the nine days before Christmas. This is a nine-day dawn masses that starts from December 16 until on Christmas day. One old Spanish name for this pre-Christmas series of daily masses is Misa de Aguinaldo (aguinaldo means "gift" or "gift for the Child Jesus"). Church bells will be ringing very early in the morning to call for "night worship" and celebration, a tradition with deep roots in the country's religious culture. For the Filipinos, this pre-Christmas observance (considered as Novena by the Catholic and Aglipayan faithfuls) is a practice of faith and devotion as well as to heighten anticipation for the Nativity of Jesus. Filipinos also believe in completing this nine-day dawn masses, God would grant the devotee's special wish or favour.

After hearing Mass, Filipino families partake of traditional Philippine Christmastime delicacies, either during breakfast at home or immediately outside the church, where they are sold. Vendors offer a wealth of native delicacies, including bibingka (rice flour and egg based cake, cooked using coals on top of and under the pastry), puto bumbong (a purple sticky rice delicacy which is steamed in bamboo tubes, with brown sugar and shredded dried coconut meat served as condiments), salabat (hot ginger tea) and tsokolate (thick Spanish cocoa).

References:

Wikipedia: Philippine Christmas Traditions
Seasite: Philippine Christmas

The Panunumpa ng Katapatan sa Watawat ng Pilipinas (English: Pledge of Allegiance to the Philippine Flag) is the pledge to the flag of the Philippines. It is one of two national pledges, the other being the Panatang Makabayan, which is the Philippine national pledge.

The Panunumpa ng Katapatan sa Watawat is recited at flag ceremonies immediately after the Panatang Makabayan or, if the Panatang Makabayan is not recited, after the national anthem.

The pledge was legalized under Executive Order No. 343, approved by then-President Fidel V. Ramos on Independence Day (June 12), 1996, and subsequently by the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, or Republic Act No. 8491. The law makes no statement of what language the pledge must be recited in, but the pledge is written (and therefore recited) in Filipino.


Official Filipino version

Ako ay Pilipino
Buong katapatang nanunumpa
Sa watawat ng Pilipinas
At sa bansang kanyang sinasagisag
Na may dangal, katarungan at kalayaan
Na ipinakikilos ng sambayanang
Maka-Diyos, makatao,
Makakalikasan at
Makabansa

English translation

I am a Filipino
I pledge my allegiance
To the flag of the Philippines
And to the country it represents
With honor, justice and freedom
Put in motion by one nation
For God, humanity,
Nature and
Country.

Reference: Wikipedia: Panunumpa ng Katapatan sa Watawat

Tagalog is one of the major languages used in the Philippines. Its standardized form, Filipino, is the principal language of the national television and radio, though broadsheet newspapers are almost completely in English. It is the primary language of public education. As Filipino, it is, along with English, a co-official language and the sole national language. Tagalog is widely used as a lingua franca throughout the country, and in overseas Filipino communities. However, while Tagalog may be prevalent in many fields, English, to varying degrees of fluency, is more prevalent in the fields of government and business.


History of Tagalog

The word Tagalog derived from tagá-ílog, from tagá- meaning "native of" and ílog meaning "river." Thus, it means "river dweller." There are no surviving written samples of Tagalog before the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century. Very little is known about the history of the language. However, according to linguists such as Dr. David Zorc and Dr. Robert Blust, the Tagalogs originated, along with their Central Philippine cousins, from Northeastern Mindanao or Eastern Visayas.

The first known book to be written in Tagalog is the Doctrina Cristiana (Christian Doctrine) of 1593. It was written in Spanish and two versions of Tagalog; one written in the Baybayin script and the other in the Latin alphabet. Throughout the 333 years of Spanish occupation, there were grammar and dictionaries written by Spanish clergymen such as Vocabulario de la Lengua Tagala by Pedro de San Buenaventura (Pila, Laguna, 1613), Vocabulario de la lengua tagala (1835) and Arte de la lengua tagala y manual tagalog para la administración de los Santos Sacramentos (1850). Poet Francisco Baltazar (1788–1862) is regarded as the foremost Tagalog writer. His most famous work is the early 19th-century Florante at Laura.

In 1937, Tagalog was selected as the basis of the national language by the National Language Institute. In 1959, Tagalog, which had been renamed Wikang Pambansa ("National Language") by President Manuel L. Quezon in 1939, was renamed by the Secretary of Education, Jose Romero, as Pilipino to give it a national rather than ethnic label and connotation. The changing of the name did not, however, result in acceptance at the conscious level among non-Tagalogs, especially Cebuanos who had not accepted the selection.

In 1971, the language issue was revived once more, and a compromise solution was worked out—a "universalist" approach to the national language, to be called Filipino rather than Pilipino. When a new constitution was drawn up in 1987, it named Filipino as the national language. The constitution specified that as that Filipino language evolves, it shall be further developed and enriched on the basis of existing Philippine and other languages.

Official Status

Tagalog was declared the official language by the first constitution in the Philippines, the Constitution of Biak-na-Bato in 1897.

In 1935, the Philippine constitution designated English and Spanish as official languages, but mandated the development and adoption of a common national language based on one of the existing native languages. After study and deliberation, the National Language Institute, a committee composed of seven members who represented various regions in the Philippines, chose Tagalog as the basis for the evolution and adoption of the national language of the Philippines. President Manuel L. Quezon then, on December 30, 1937, proclaimed the selection of the Tagalog language to be used as the basis for the evolution and adoption of the national language of the Philippines. In 1939 President Quezon renamed the proposed Tagalog-based national language as wikang pambansâ (national language). In 1939, the language was further renamed as "Pilipino".

The 1973 constitution designated the Tagalog-based "Pilipino", along with English, as an official language and mandated the development and formal adoption of a common national language to be known as Filipino. The 1987 constitution designated Filipino as the national language, mandating that as it evolves, it shall be further developed and enriched on the basis of existing Philippine and other languages.

As Filipino, Tagalog has been taught in schools throughout the Philippines. It is the only one out of over 170 Philippine languages that is officially used in schools and businesses, (info from culturegrams) though Article XIV, Section 7 of the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines does specify, in part:

Subject to provisions of law and as the Congress may deem appropriate, the Government shall take steps to initiate and sustain the use of Filipino as a medium of official communication and as language of instruction in the educational system.

The regional languages are the auxiliary official languages in the regions and shall serve as auxiliary media of instruction therein.

Other Philippine languages have influenced Filipino, primarily through migration from the provinces to Metro Manila of speakers of those other languages.

Geographic Distribution

The Tagalog homeland, or Katagalugan, covers roughly much of the central to southern parts of the island of Luzon - particularly in Aurora, Bataan, Batangas, Bulacan, Camarines Norte, Cavite, Laguna, Metro Manila, Nueva Ecija, Quezon, and Rizal. Tagalog is also spoken natively by inhabitants living on the islands of Lubang, Marinduque, and the northern and eastern parts of Mindoro. It is spoken by approximately 64.3 million Filipinos, 96.4% of the household population. 21.5 million, or 28.15% of the total Philippine population, of which speak it as a native language.

Tagalog speakers are found in other parts of the Philippines as well as throughout the world, though its use is usually limited to communication between Filipino ethnic groups. It is the sixth most-spoken language in the United States with over a million speakers. In Canada it is spoken by 235,615.

Tagalog Dialects

Many Tagalog dialects, particularly those in the south, preserve the glottal stop found after consonants and before vowels. This has been lost in standard Tagalog. For example standard Tagalog ngayon (now, today), sinigang (stew), gabi (night), matamis (sweet), are pronounced and written ngay-on, sinig-ang, gab-i, and matam-is in other dialects.
In Morong Tagalog, is usually preferred over. For example, bundók, dagat, dingdíng, and isdâ become bunrok, ragat, ringring, and isra.

In many southern dialects, the progressive aspect prefix of -um- verbs is na-. For example, standard Tagalog kumakain (eating) is nákáin in Quezon and Batangas Tagalog. This is the butt of some jokes by other Tagalog speakers since a phrase such as nakain ka ba ng pating is interpreted as "did a shark eat you?" by those from Manila but in reality means "do you eat shark?" to those in the south.

Some dialects have interjections which are a considered a trademark of their region. For example, the interjection ala eh usually identifies someone from Batangas while as does hani in Morong.

Perhaps the most divergent Tagalog dialects are those spoken in Marinduque. Linguist Rosa Soberano identifies two dialects, western and eastern with the former being closer to the Tagalog dialects spoken in the provinces of Batangas and Quezon.

One example are the verb conjugation paradigms. While some of the affixes are different, Marinduque also preserves the imperative affixes, also found in Visayan and Bikol languages, that have mostly disappeared from most Tagalog dialects by the early 20th century; they have since merged with the infinitive.

Standard Tagalog: Susulat sina Maria at Fulgencia kay Juan.
Marinduque Tagalog: Másúlat da Maria at Fulgencia kay Juan.
"Maria and Fulgencia will write to Juan."

ST: Mag-aaral siya sa Ateneo.
EM: Gaaral siya sa Ateneo.
"He will study at Ateneo."

ST: Magluto ka!
EM: Pagluto ka!
"Cook!"

ST: Kainin mo iyan.
EM: Kaina mo yaan.
"Eat that."

ST: Tinatawag ngâ tayo ni Tatay.
EM: Inatawag nganì kitá ni Tatay.
"Father is calling us indeed."

ST: Tutulungan ba kayó ni Hilarion?
EM: Atulungan ga kamo ni Hilarion?
"Will Hilarion help you (pl.)?"


Tagalog-English Code-switching

Taglish and Englog are names given to a mix of English and Tagalog. The amount of English vs.Tagalog varies from the occasional use of English loan words to outright code-switching where the language changes in mid-sentence. Such code-switching is prevalent throughout the Philippines and in various of the languages of the Philippines other than Tagalog.

Nasirà ang computer ko kahapon!
"My computer broke yesterday!"

Huwág kang maninigarilyo, because it is harmful to your health.
"Never smoke cigarettes, ..."

Code switching also entails the use of foreign words that are Filipinized by reforming them using Filipino rules, such as verb conjugations. Users typically use Filipino or English words, whichever comes to mind first or whichever is easier to use.

Magshoshopping kami sa mall. Sino ba ang magdadrive sa shoppingan?
"We will go shopping at the mall. Who will drive to the shopping center anyway?"

Although it is generally looked down upon, code-switching is prevalent in all levels of society; however, city-dwellers, the highly educated, and people born around and after World War II are more likely to do it. Politicians as highly placed as President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo have code-switched in interviews.

The practice is common in television, radio, and print media as well. Advertisements from companies like Wells Fargo, Wal-Mart, Albertsons, McDonald's, and Western Union have contained Taglish.

The Chinese and the non-Tagalog communities in the Philippines also frequently code-switch their language, be it Cebuano or Min Nan Chinese, with Taglish.


References:
Wikipedia: Tagalog Language
101 Languages: Tagalog 101 Dialects

Tagalog speakers in the Philippines have many ways of greeting other people. It is common also to hear them say "Hi" or "Hello" as a form of greeting, especially among close friends. There are no Tagalog translations for these English greetings because they are basically borrowed terms, and any English-speaking person will be readily understood by Filipinos in general (Yes, Virginia and Joe, English is widely spoken in the Philippines, a former colony of the US of A for nearly 50 years!). Below are a few Tagalog greetings that are importart to learn if one wants to endear himself/herself to Filipinos.

Magandang umaga po. (formal/polite) - Good morning
Magandang umaga. (informal) - Good morning

Magandang tanghali po. (formal/polite) - Good noon
Magandang tanghali. (informal) - Good noon

Magandang hapon po. (formal/polite) - Good afternoon
Magandang hapon. (informal) - Good afternoon

Magandang gabi po. (formal/polite) - Good evening
Magandang gabi. (informal) - Good evening

Kumusta po kayo? (formal/polite) - How are you?
Kumusta ka? (informal) - How are you?

Mabuti po naman. (formal/polite) - I'm fine
Mabuti naman. (informal) - I'm fine

Tuloy po kayo. (formal/polite) - Please, come in
Tuloy. (informal) - Please, come in

Salamat po. (formal/polite) - Thank you
Salamat. (informal) - Thank you

Maraming salamat po. (formal/polite) - Thank you very much
Maraming salamat. (informal) - Thank you very much

Wala pong anuman. (formal/polite) - You are welcome
Walang anuman. (informal) - You are welcome

Opo/ oho. (formal/polite) - Yes
Oo (informal) - Yes

Hindi po/ho (formal/polite) - No
Hindi (informal) - No

Hindi ko po/ho alam. (formal/polite) - I don't know
Hindi ko alam. (informal) - I don't know

Anong oras na po? (formal/polite) - What time is it?
Anong oras na? (informal) - What time is it?

Saan po kayo papunta? (formal/polite) - Where are you going?
Saan ka papunta? (informal) - Where are you going?

Saan po kayo galing? (formal/polite) - Where did you come from?
Saan ka galing? (informal) - Where did you come from?

Ano po ang pangalan nila? (formal/polite) - What is your name?
Anong pangalan mo? (informal) - What is your name?

Ako po si ________ (formal/polite) - I am ______ (name).
Ako si _________ (informal) - I am ______ (name).

Ilang taon na po kayo? (formal/polite) - How old are you?
Ilang taon ka na? (informal) - How old are you?

Ako po ay _______ gulang na. (formal/polite) - I am _______ years old.
Ako ay _______ gulang na. (informal) - I am _______ years old.

Saan po kayo nakatira? (formal/polite) - Where do you live?
Saan ka nakatira? (informal) - Where do you live?

Taga saan po sila? (formal/polite) - Where are you from?
Taga saan ka? (informal) - Where are you from?

Kumain na po ba sila? (formal/polite) - Have you eaten yet?
Kumain ka na ba? (informal) - Have you eaten yet?

DIRECTIONS

Below is a list of Tagalog words and phrases used in giving or asking for directions.

deretso - straight ahead
(sa) kanan - on the right
(sa) kaliwa - on the left
umikot - turn around
(sa) harap - in front
(sa) likod/likuran - at the back/behind
hilaga - north
silangan - east
kanluran - west
timog - south
(sa) itaas - on top
(sa) ibaba - below/at the bottom
(sa) ilalim - at the bottom
(sa) loob - inside
(sa) labas - outside

There are a number of Tagalog words and phrases which are rather vague in terms of specific distance but signify "nearness" or "farness" of a particular object, thing, or place from the speaker. These are:

doon - yonder (over there)
diyan lang po sa tabi - there, on that side
sa banda po doon - over on that side

QUESTION WORDS

Below is a list of Tagalog question words with their corresponding meanings and examples in English.

Ano? - What?
Alin? - Which?
Sino? - Who?
Saan? - Where?
Bakit? - Why?
Kailan? - When?
Paano?/Papaano? - How?
Magkano? - How much? (money)
Nasaan? - Where? (to look for something/somebody)

Reference: Department of Tourism (Philippines): Useful Language