The Cinema of the Philippines (Filipino: Pelikulang Pilipino; Spanish: Cine Filipino) began with the introduction of the first moving pictures to the country on August 31, 1897, at the Salón de Pertierra in Manila. The following year, local scenes were shot on film for the first time by a Spaniard, Antonio Ramos, using the LumiereCinematograph. While most early filmmakers and producers in the country were mostly wealthy enterprising foreigners and expatriates, on September 12, 1919, Dalagang Bukid (Country Maiden), a film based on a popular zarzuela, was the first movie made and shown by Filipino filmmaker José Nepomuceno. Dubbed as the "Father of Philippine Cinema," his work marked the start of cinema as an art form in the Philippines.
Even with the problems currently facing motion pictures around the world, films are still considered one of the popular forms of entertainment among the Filipino people, directly employing some 260,000 Filipinos and generating around ₱2 billion revenues annually. Among its neighbors in Southeast Asia, Philippine cinema remains as the strongest in the Southeast Asian region with the majority of films made in the region came from the Philippines along with the film industries of Thailand and Indonesia. (Full article...)
... that VMB-611 was the only United States Marine Corps bombing squadron to operate in the Philippines during World War II?
... that Chicago's Kasama is the world's first Filipino restaurant to be awarded a Michelin star?
... that Sharon Cuneta and Regine Velasquez's concert Iconic has been referred to as a venture of two unrivaled names in the music scene of the Philippines?
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Image 1A map of the Philippines showing the location of all the regions and provinces
Wurtzbach won Binibining Pilipinas in 2015 on her third attempt. She then represented the Philippines and won Miss Universe 2015, becoming the first Filipina to win in four decades. (Full article...)
The Cavite provincial government in the Philippines declares a "state of calamity" after an oil spill from the sunk MTTerra Nova ship reaches the shores of eight municipalities, requiring implementation of a no-catch zone and relief aid to be given to around 25,000 fishermen. (GMA Network)