Yeah Jamshyd, the Philippines (though I've never been there) don't fall neatly into one sociocultural bloc, I don't think. I've heard many Filipinos tell me they feel a stronger affinity with South Pacific cultures, and with Mexico, than with China or Thailand. I met a number of Filipino guest workers in Taiwan, and they struck me as anything but lazy!
Interestingly, I think the Philippines has really made the best of a shitty situation, and may actually be better suited than a lot of their neighbors to making their way in a multicultural world, as a result of so much diversity at home AND so many colonial experiences. Even though the more homogeneous Asian countries that were never colonized by the West see their 'purity' as a source of pride and strength, it has the disadvantage of making these countries less able to interface well with other cultures.
Chinese intellectuals have come out and said that they wonder if their country would have been better off colonized, especially by Britain. They note that all the areas of China that have prospered in any way were colonial concessions of some sort to a foreign power. Maybe Chinese culture alone didn't have what it takes to compete in the industrialization game, but Chinese culture with a bit of foreign influence, did.
I wonder the same thing about Thailand, which, like China, almost was colonized.