Friday, October 25, 2024

Philippines National Symbols- Tree, Flower and Bird

This is the 13th article on my series about the Philippines in connection with the celebration of Filipino American History Month here in the US


The link below list the state tree, flower and bird of all the fifty US States. Do you them all ? Please read, because these are frequent and common questions if you play Trivial Pursuit's Game. I love Trivia and the Jeopardy TV show. 

https://www.thegardenhelper.com/state~flowers.html#google_vignette

Meanwhile Do you Know the Philippines, National tree, flower and bird and Other National Symbols?

Aside from those stated symbols in the Constitution and in Republic Act 8491, there are only six official national symbols of the Philippines enacted through law, namely sampaguita as national flower, narra as national tree, the Philippine eagle as national bird, Philippine pearl as national gem, arnis as national martial art and sport and the Filipino Sign Language as the national sign language. Thus, there is a total of twelve official national symbols passed through Philippine laws.

There are symbols such as the carabao (national animal), mango (national fruit) and anahaw (national leaf) that are widely known as national symbols but have no laws recognizing them as official national symbols. The milk fish (bangus) is sometimes called the national fish but again not officially designated by the Government. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_symbols_of_the_Philippines#:~:text=Aside%20from%20those%20stated%20symbols,national%20gem%2C%20arnis%20as%20national


Lastly, Before the Spanish set foot in the Philippines, the coconut tree was the undisputed star of daily life. Prehispanic Filipinos mastered the art of using every part of the coconut tree—it was their source of shelter, food, alcohol, medicine, and even tools.

The leaves were woven into roofs, the trunk was used for building homes, and the sap was fermented into tuba (a local drink). The coconut also provided oil for cooking and medicine, while the meat was a staple food source. It was so integral that their day-to-day activities literally revolved around it.

In a way, the coconut tree was their version of a "Swiss army knife"—doing everything and more. Even today, the coconut remains a vital part of Filipino culture, and we owe a lot to this ancient connection.


Reminder Today: Filipino Cocktail Hour - Egg rolls, lumpia and Pot stickers along with San Miguel Beer will be served.

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