Did you know the Philippines is one of the world's leading producers of coconuts? And the most commonly played sport in the southeast Asian country is basketball?
These were some of facts attendees at Saturday's Philippine Independence Day celebration learnt through playing a Kahoot quiz.
It is also the 13th most populous country in the world.
Members of Manawatū's Filipino community celebrated the 123rd Independence Day at Central Library. It is an annual national holiday in the Philippines observed on June 12, marking the declaration of Philippine independence from Spain in 1898.
At his first event deputising for mayor Grant Smith, councillor Orphée Mickalad said the Filipino community was Palmerston North's fourth-largest. Mickalad said many members of the community work in health, education and hospitality. The richness of human capital they bring to the economy should be celebrated and appreciated.
He encouraged members of the Filipino community to take part in local democratic processes and share their views on how the council can make their experience in Palmerston North worthwhile.
Fifteen members of the Manawatū Multicultural Choir sang two songs in Filipino, I Am a Filipino and Wherever You Are.
An array of phones appeared for the cariñosa fan and scarf dance by 11 students from St Mary's School.
According to the 2018 Census, there are 72,600 Filipinos in New Zealand.