These days, one of everyone’s childhood favorite books, the Guiness World Records, have been making a buzz in social media, particularly when the prestigious organization debunked a claim made by simply commenting, “This information is incorrect.”, netizens have been going back and forth regarding the fiasco.
But did you know, that there are numerous times our country has managed to make it to the said list? Well, here are some of the actual Guinness World Records that Filipinos hold as of writing:
1. Largest Zumba class
Since it became a trend in the Philippines, Zumba has become a staple activity for many Filipinos, especially to women. With Zumba classes both being conducted indoors and outdoors, the dance exercise is a hit for many, and 2018, the local government gathered 13,350 people for a Zumba class as part of the Kaogma Festival in Camarines Sur. This officially became the largest Zumba class ever, where previous record holders Mandaluyong and Cebu, having 12,975 and 8,232 participants respectively, were beaten.
2. Longest barbeque
Filipinos and their affinity with barbeque is probably serious without a doubt. With barbeque junctions all over the streets, it only took some time for Filipinos to come up of setting the longest barbeque in the world. In 2014, the people of Bayambang, Pangasinan created the longest barbecue measuring 8,000 meters. By achieving this feat during the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the city during the Malangsi Fish-tival, around 50,000 kilograms of fish were grilled that day.
3. Longest commute for a city
The Philippines is probably one of the worst countries to commute in, and the record Manila made back in 2015 attests this. According to a 2015 study by traffic app Waze, commuters in Manila spent an average of 45.5 minutes on a one-way journey in the city. Even though the record was officially stamped in GWR in 2015, heavy traffic and the overall commute experience has already been a significant problem for Filipinos for many years now.
4. Largest Papal crowd
The Philippines is one of the largest Catholic countries in Asia. With more than 80% of its population being Roman Catholics, it is no surprise when the late Pope John Paul II visited in the country last 1995 that he was flocked by Filipino devotees. With an estimate of 4 to 5 million Filipinos attending the visit at the Luneta Park, it set the record for the largest papal crowd in the world ever.
5. Greatest robbery of a government
This is without a doubt one of the most infamous records that a Filipino has ever held. Back in 1986, the GWR named late dictator Ferdinand Marcos for the greatest robbery of a government, the same year he was ousted during the 1986 EDSA Revolution. “The total national loss from November 1965 was believed to be $5–$10 billion,” the website read. But as of March 2022, the page was taken down from the website with the reason of reviewing the title and re-examining records to ensure they are up to date and accurate. They further emphasized that the move was to verify the claim and, that they “do not dispute this record as a historical fact, nor are we disputing that we monitored the record title and published it in our books and online.”
So, there you have it. What do you know that are other feats of Filipinos that have actually made it to the Guiness World Records but not on this list?
