Government

BANGSA vs. BALEN Bangsa (Tagalog: bansâ) – “country” relative to other countries or states Balén (Tagalog: báyan) – “town, nation” relative to one’s own community, such as one’s homeland or hometown. These words originate from the root word for “house” in their languages (Kpm: bale, Tgl: báhay) and the collective/locative suffix “-an”.

The Kingdom of Butuan  Did you know? The Kingdom of Butuan’s first trade mission to China was in 1003. It is listed as 1001 in William Henry Scott’s research on Filipinos in China before 1500 because of a mistake in converting the Chinese date to the Gregorian calendar date. Professor Scott thanked Kaisa Para sa … Read more

Historical Independence Day in Pampanga The first anniversary of Philippine Independence on June 12, 1899, was celebrated at the Pamintuan Mansion in Angeles City, Pampanga where 1st Philippine President Emilio Aguinaldo waved the Philippine flag from the 2nd-floor balcony of the house. Philippine Independence Day History The Philippines declared independence from Spain on June 12, … Read more

Bangsa While “balen” refers to one’s town or nation, “bangsâ” on the other hand refers to “country” in relation to other countries or states. BANGSÂ/BANSÂ • (buhng-SA’, buhn-SA’)nation, countryTagálog (Filipino): bansâ EtymologyFrom Sanskrit वंश (vaṃśá, “race, lineage, offspring”), via Malay bangsa (“nation”) Derived word:PANGBANGSÂ / PAMBANSÂ • (puhng-buhng-SA’, puhm-buhn-SA’)nationalTagálog (Filipino): pambansâ You may want to … Read more

The Philippines and Albania  The Republic of the Philippines and the Republic of Albania celebrate 36 years of formal diplomatic relations. The two countries established diplomatic relations on June 11, 1987. Common Ground The Philippine eagle, the national bird of the Philippines, is a national symbol of Filipino tenacity and resilience and hope, and inspiration … Read more