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This article is about the country in Southeast Asia. For the town in the Netherlands, see Philippine (Netherlands).
Republic of the Philippines
Republika ng Pilipinas
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Maka-Diyos, Maka-Tao, Makakalikasan, at Makabansa[1]
("For God, People, Nature, and Country")
Anthem: Lupang Hinirang
("Chosen Land")
Location of  Philippines  (green)

in ASEAN  (dark grey)  —  [Legend]
Capital Manila
14°35′N 121°0′E / 14.583°N 121°E / 14.583; 121
Largest city Quezon City
Official language(s) Filipino (based on Tagalog) , English
Recognised regional languages Bikol, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Ilokano, Kapampangan, Kinaray-a, Maguindanao, Maranao, Pangasinan, Tagalog, Tausug, Waray-Waray[2]
Optional languages Spanish and Arabic[3]
National language Filipino
Demonym Filipino or Pinoy
Government Unitary presidential constitutional republic
 -  President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
 -  Vice President Noli de Castro
 -  Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile
 -  House Speaker Prospero C. Nograles
 -  Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno
Independence from Spain1
from United States 
 -  Established April 27, 1565 
 -  Declared June 12, 1898 
 -  Self-government March 24, 1934 
 -  Recognized July 4, 1946 
 -  Current constitution February 2, 1987 
Area
 -  Land 299,764 km2 [4](72nd)
115,831 sq mi 
 -  Water (%) 0.61%[5]
Population
 -  2009 estimate 91,983,000[6] (12th)
 -  2007 census 88,574,614[7] 
 -  Density 306.6/km2 (44th)
794.1/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2008 estimate
 -  Total $317.964 billion[8] (36th)
 -  Per capita $3,515[8] (123rd)
GDP (nominal) 2008 estimate
 -  Total $166.909 billion[8] (47th)
 -  Per capita $1,845[8] (121st)
Gini (2006) 45.8[5] (medium) 
HDI (2007) ▲ 0.751[9] (medium) (105th)
Currency Peso (Filipino: piso PhilippinePeso.svg) (PHP)
Time zone PST (UTC+8)
 -  Summer (DST) not observed (UTC+8)
Drives on the right[10]
Internet TLD .ph
Calling code +63
1 .Philippine revolutionaries declared independence from Spain on June 12, 1898, but the Spanish claim of sovereignty was passed from Spain to the United States in the Treaty of Paris.^ MANILA, Philippines - Malacaang on Wednesday reiterated that deputy Presidential spokesperson Gary Olivar is a Filipino citizen, amid a report that he is a citizen of the United States.

 This led to the Philippine-American War.
2 Rankings above were taken from associated Wikipedia pages as of December 2007 and may be based on data or data sources other than those appearing here.
.The Philippines (Filipino: Pilipinas [pɪlɪˈpinɐs]), officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (Filipino: Republika ng Pilipinas), is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean.^ The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism is a founding member of the organization, which has the specific mandate of promoting and protecting press freedom in Southeast Asia.

 ^ With the Philippine election period now officially underway, the top presidential contenders or "presidentiables" as Filipinos call them, have been whittled down to the top five contenders...

 Taiwan lies north across the Luzon Strait. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam. The Sulu Sea to the southwest separates it from the island of Borneo and to the south the Celebes Sea from other islands of Indonesia. It is bounded on the east by the Philippine Sea. .An archipelago comprising 7,107 islands, the Philippines is categorized broadly into three main geographical divisions: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.^ Mindanao is the second biggest island in the Philippines .

 The capital city is Manila.
.With an estimated population of about 92 million people, the Philippines is the world's 12th most populous country.^ The film about history’s most recognizable sea tragedy has held the record at 600 million dollars for the last twelve years.

 It is estimated that there are an additional 11 million overseas Filipinos worldwide. Multiple ethnicities and cultures are found throughout the islands. Its tropical climate sustains one of the richest areas in terms of biodiversity in the world.
In prehistoric times, Negritos became some of the archipelago's earliest inhabitants. .They were followed by successive waves of Austronesian peoples who brought with them influences from Malay, Hindu, and Islamic cultures.^ Some people overeat when they’re stressed, but I’m the kind of person who loses her appetite when she’s too consumed by her work.

 Trade introduced Chinese cultural influences. The arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 marked the beginning of an era of Spanish interest and eventually dominance. The Philippines became the Asian hub of the Manila-Acapulco galleon treasure fleet. Christianity became widespread. As the 19th century gave way to the 20th, there followed in quick succession the short-lived Philippine Revolution, the Spanish-American War, and the Philippine-American War. In the aftermath, the United States replaced Spain as the dominant power. .Aside from the period of Japanese occupation, the United States retained sovereignty over the islands until the end of World War II when the Philippines gained independence.^ MANILA, Philippines - Malacaang on Wednesday reiterated that deputy Presidential spokesperson Gary Olivar is a Filipino citizen, amid a report that he is a citizen of the United States.

 .The United States bequeathed to the Philippines the English language and an affinity for Western culture.^ MANILA, Philippines - Malacaang on Wednesday reiterated that deputy Presidential spokesperson Gary Olivar is a Filipino citizen, amid a report that he is a citizen of the United States.

 Since independence the Philippines has had an often tumultuous experience with democracy, with popular "People Power" movements overthrowing a dictatorship in one instance but also underlining the institutional weaknesses of its constitutional republic in others.

Contents

Etymology

Main article: Name of the Philippines
The name Philippines is derived from that of King Philip II of Spain. Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos during his expedition in 1542 named the islands of Leyte and Samar Felipinas after the then Prince of Asturias (Spain). Eventually the name Las Islas Filipinas would be used to cover all the islands of the archipelago. before it became commonplace, however, other names such as .Islas del Poniente (Islands of the West) and Magellan's name for the islands San Lázaro were also used by the Spanish to refer to the islands.^ Photo by Shubert Ciencia (CC) The fort, built out of adobe and with a tiled roof, was named after St. Didacus of Alcalá (Spanish: San Diego de… .

 [11][12][13][14]
.The official name of the Philippines has changed several times in the course of the country's history.^ This is the first time a public official has sued a blogger in the Philippines.

 .During the Philippine Revolution, the country was officially called República Filipina or the Philippine Republic.^ With the Philippine election period now officially underway, the top presidential contenders or "presidentiables" as Filipinos call them, have been whittled down to the top five contenders...

 From the period of the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War until the Commonwealth period, American colonial authorities referred to the country as the Philippine Islands, a translation of the Spanish name. It was during the American period that the name Philippines began to appear and has since become the country's common name.[15] The official name of the country is now Republic of the Philippines.

History

Main article: History of the Philippines
An Ifugao (Malayo-Polynesian) sculpture.
.The earliest known human remains found in the Philippines are those of the pre-Mongoloid Tabon Man of Palawan, carbon dated to around 24,000 years ago.^ Recognizing that the Philippines is an emerging destination for IT outsourcing, the company is hiring around 1,000 IT Filipino professionals at their new office in the… .

 [16][17] .Negritos were another group of early inhabitants but their appearance in the Philippines has not been reliably dated.^ A partylist group in the Philippines wants to introduce a law that would put a ten-year expiration date on marriage contracts.

 [18] They were followed by speakers of Malayo-Polynesian languages who began to arrive beginning around 4000 BCE, displacing the earlier arrivals.[19] By 1000 BCE the inhabitants of the archipelago had developed into four kinds of social groups: hunter-gathering tribes, warrior societies, petty plutocracies, and maritime centered harbor principalities.[20]
The maritime oriented peoples traded with other Asian countries during the subsequent period bringing influences from Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. There was no unifying political state encompassing the entire Philippine Archipelago. Instead, the islands were divided among competing thalassocracies ruled by various datus, rajahs, or sultans. Among these were the kingdoms of Maynila, Namayan, and Tondo, the rajahnates of Butuan and Cebu, and the sultanates of Maguindanao and Sulu.[21][22][23][24] Some of these societies were part of the Malayan empires of Srivijaya, Majapahit, and Brunei.[25][26] Islam was brought to the Philippines by traders and proselytizers from Malaysia and Indonesia.[27] By the 15th century, Islam was established in the Sulu Archipelago and by 1565 had reached Mindanao, the Visayas, and Luzon.[28]
An elaborate border frames a full length illustration one would associate with a manuscript of a man and woman. The dark-skinned man dressed in red tunic, breeches, and bandanna and wearing a gold chain is looking pleasantly over his shoulder in the direction of the fair woman who, garbed in a dark gold-fringed dress that covers the length of her body except her bare feet, has the faintest hints of a smile.
A page from the Boxer Codex showing Classical Philippine nobility. Left, is a general from the Rajahnate of Butuan and to the right is a princess of Tondo.
In 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan arrived in the Philippines and claimed the islands for Spain.[29] Colonization began when Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi arrived from Mexico in 1565 and formed the first European settlements in Cebu. In 1571, after dealing with the local royal families in the wake of the Tondo Conspiracy and defeating the Chinese pirate warlord Limahong, the Spanish established Manila as the capital of the Spanish East Indies.[30][31]
Spanish rule contributed significantly to bringing political unity to the archipelago. From 1565 to 1821, the Philippines was governed as a territory of the Viceroyalty of New Spain and then was administered directly from Madrid after the Mexican War of Independence. The Manila galleons linking Manila to Acapulco traveled once or twice a year between the 16th and 19th century. Trade introduced foods such as corn, tomatoes, potatoes, chili peppers, and pineapples from the Americas.[31] Roman Catholic missionaries converted most of the lowland inhabitants to Christianity and founded schools, a university, and hospitals. While a Spanish decree introduced free public schooling in 1863, efforts in mass public education mainly came to fruition during the American period.[32]
During its rule, the Spanish fought off various indigenous revolts and several external colonial challenges from Chinese pirates, the Dutch, and the Portuguese. In an extension of the fighting of the Seven Years' War, British forces under the command of Brigadier General William Draper and Rear-Admiral Samuel Cornish briefly occupied the Philippines. They found local allies like Diego and Gabriela Silang who took the opportunity to lead a revolt against the Mexican-born acting Governor-General and Archbishop of Manila Manuel Rojo del Rio y Vieyra, but Spanish rule was eventually restored following the 1763 Treaty of Paris.[27][33][34]
A black and white sketched map of Philippine islands and nearby locations identified in Spanish in long hand script and dots depicting 10 degrees north latitude and a route from Manila towards Guam.
A map found on board the Na SA de Covadonga in 1743, showing the route of the Manila-Acapulco galleon sailing through the Philippine Islands.
In the 1800s, Philippine ports were opened to world trade. Many criollos and mestizos became wealthy. The influx of Spanish and Latino settlers secularized churches and government positions traditionally held by the peninsulares. The ideals of the French Revolution also began to spread through the islands. Criollo dissatisfaction resulted in the revolt in Cavite El Viejo in 1872 that was a precursor to the Philippine Revolution.[27][35][36][37][38]
Revolutionary sentiments were stoked after colonial authorities executed the three priests, Mariano Gómez, José Burgos and Jacinto Zamora (collectively known as Gomburza), who were accused of sedition, in 1872.[35][36] This would inspire a propaganda movement in Spain, organized by Marcelo H. del Pilar, José Rizal, and Mariano Ponce, lobbying for political reforms in the Philippines. Rizal was eventually executed on December 30, 1896 on charges of rebellion.[39] As attempts at reform were meeting with resistance, Andrés Bonifacio in 1892 established the secret society called the Katipunan, a society along the lines of the freemasons, which sought independence from Spain through armed revolt.[37] Bonifacio and the Katipunan started the Philippine Revolution in 1896. A faction of the Katipunan, the Magdalo of Cavite province, eventually came to challenge Bonifacio's position as the leader of the revolution and Emilio Aguinaldo took over. In 1898, the Spanish-American War began in Cuba and reached the Philippines. Aguinaldo declared Philippine independence from Spain in Kawit, Cavite on June 12, 1898 and the First Philippine Republic was established the following year. Meanwhile, the islands were ceded by Spain to the United States for $20 million dollars in the 1898 Treaty of Paris.[40] .As it became increasingly clear the United States would not recognize the First Philippine Republic, the Philippine-American War broke out.^ MANILA, Philippines - Malacaang on Wednesday reiterated that deputy Presidential spokesperson Gary Olivar is a Filipino citizen, amid a report that he is a citizen of the United States.

 ^ So, before you have one delivered to the Philippines, check out our Google Nexus One review first.

 It ended with American control over the islands.[41]
A sepia photo of a dignified debonair man on a decorated balcony who with the many microphones in front of him is about to make an address. Large columns of a building are in the background and a wizened official stands at a distance behind.
Manuel L. Quezon in his inauguration as President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines during the American period.
In 1935, the Philippines was granted Commonwealth status. Plans for independence over the next decade were interrupted by World War II when the Japanese Empire invaded and established a puppet government. Many atrocities and war crimes were committed during the war such as the Bataan Death March and the Manila massacre that culminated during the Battle of Manila.[42] Allied troops defeated the Japanese in 1945. By the end of the war it is estimated over a million Filipinos had died. On July 4, 1946, the Philippines attained its independence.[5]
Immediately after World War II, the Philippines faced a number of challenges. The country had to be rebuilt from the ravages of war. It also had to come to terms with Japanese collaborators. Meanwhile, disgruntled remnants of the Hukbalahap communist rebel army that had previously fought against and resisted the Japanese continued to roam the rural regions. Eventually this threat was dealt with by Secretary of National Defense and later President Ramon Magsaysay but sporadic cases of communist insurgency continued to flare up long afterward.[43][44]
A metal statute of a woman wearing a hooded cloak with a kindly expression whose shoulder and outstretched hand are perched on by stylized birds
A statue of the Virgin Mary was built on the EDSA Shrine, after the People Power Revolution.
In 1965, Ferdinand Marcos was elected president, his wife Imelda Marcos at his side. .Nearing the end of his second term and constitutionally barred from seeking a third, he declared martial law on September 21, 1972. By using political divisions, the tension of the Cold War, and the specter of communist rebellion and Islamic insurgency as justifications, he was able to govern by decree.^ Related posts:Martial law non-solution to Maguindanao massacre This is a second tragedy in two weeks: First,...

 [45] On August 21, 1983, Marcos' chief rival opposition leader Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. ignored warnings and returned from exile in the United States. .He was assassinated as he was taken off the plane at the Manila International Airport (now called the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in his memory).^ We are fans of the theater scene in Manila, so, to kick off the 2010 theater season, we watched the first romantic comedy by Repertory Philippines called Duets.

 .With political pressure building Marcos eventually called for snap presidential elections in 1986.^ With the Philippine election period now officially underway, the top presidential contenders or "presidentiables" as Filipinos call them, have been whittled down to the top five contenders...

 [43] .Corazon Aquino, Benigno's widow, was convinced into becoming the presidential candidate and standard bearer of the opposition.^ THE Liberal Party (LP) is set to introduce a new set of advertisements that will show the concrete platform of its standard bearer Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, said Quezon Representative L read more Phillipine NewsLink .

 The elections were widely thought of as rigged when Marcos was proclaimed the winner. .This led to the People Power Revolution, instigated when two long-time Marcos allies—Armed Forces of the Philippines Vice Chief-of-Staff Fidel V. Ramos and Secretary of National Defense Juan Ponce Enrile—resigned and barricaded themselves in Camp Aguinaldo and Camp Crame.^ In July last year, Philippine National Police officers from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PNP-ARMM) met with representatives from the Arms Corporation of the Philippines (Armscor) for what...

 ^ Senator Juan Ponce Enrile (P16.

 .Exhorted on by the Archbishop of Manila Jaime Cardinal Sin, people gathered in support of the rebel leaders and protested on EDSA.^ Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales criticized the “excessive devotion” of millions of Filipino Catholics to the Black Nazarene.

 In the face of mass protests and military defections, Marcos and his allies fled to Hawaii and into exile. Corazon Aquino was recognized as president.[44][46]
The return of democracy and government reforms after the events of 1986 were hampered by national debt, government corruption, coup attempts, a persistent communist insurgency, and Islamic separatists. .The economy improved during the administration of Fidel V. Ramos, who was elected in 1992.[47] However, the economic improvements were negated with the onset of the East Asian financial crisis in 1997. In 2001, amid charges of corruption and a stalled impeachment process, Ramos' successor Joseph Ejercito Estrada was ousted from the presidency by the 2001 EDSA Revolution and replaced by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.^ President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will be in Iloilo City today, February 3, 2010, for her week-long cyber-corridor tour.

 ^ President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Wednesday stressed that the 500,000 jobs created in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry are part of the legacy she will leave behind when she steps down this June, after nine years of steering the country to progress.

 ^ President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has instructed the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to assist Filipinos arriving from Haiti and their families.

Politics and government

Main articles: Politics of the Philippines, President of the Philippines, and Constitution of the Philippines
The Malacañang Palace is the official residence of the President of the Philippines
.The Philippines has a presidential, unitary form of government (with some modification, there is one autonomous region largely free from the national government), where the President functions as both head of state and head of government and is commander-in-chief of the armed forces.^ The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has denied the application of the National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) for accreditation as citizens’ arm of the poll body in the May 10, 2010 national and local elections.

 ^ In July last year, Philippine National Police officers from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PNP-ARMM) met with representatives from the Arms Corporation of the Philippines (Armscor) for what...

 ^ MANILA, Philippines - Malacaang on Wednesday reiterated that deputy Presidential spokesperson Gary Olivar is a Filipino citizen, amid a report that he is a citizen of the United States.

 .The president is elected by popular vote to a single six-year term, during which time she or he appoints and presides over the cabinet.^ Newly-appointed TMP President Michinobu Sugata told reporters during the company’s annual Media Thanksgiving Party on Friday of the encouraging positive signs of the local automotive market this year.

 [2]
.The bicameral Congress is composed of a Senate, serving as the upper house, with members elected to a six-year term, and a House of Representatives, serving as the lower house, with members elected to a three-year term.^ Network also commended the members of the Congress Bicameral Conference Committee that approved the FOI Act “not only with efficiency and dispatch, but also with the responsibility and care to introduce even further… .

 The senators are elected at large while the representatives are elected from both legislative districts and through sectoral representation.[2]
The judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court, composed of a Chief Justice as its presiding officer and fourteen associate justices, all appointed by the Philippine President from nominations submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council.[2]
There have been attempts to change the government to a federal, unicameral or parliamentary government beginning in the term of Ramos up to the present administration.[48][49]

Security and defense

Main articles: Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police
The BRP Rajah Humabon (PF-11) is the current flagship of the Philippine Navy
Philippine defense is handled by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, which is modeled after the United States armed forces[citation needed] and is composed of three branches: the Air Force, the Army, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). .Civilian security is handled by Philippine National Police under the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).^ Records of the Philippine National Police (PNP) show that at… .

 ^ In July last year, Philippine National Police officers from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PNP-ARMM) met with representatives from the Arms Corporation of the Philippines (Armscor) for what...
.In the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the largest separatist organization, the Moro National Liberation Front, is now engaging the government politically.^ In July last year, Philippine National Police officers from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PNP-ARMM) met with representatives from the Arms Corporation of the Philippines (Armscor) for what...

 .Other more militant groups like the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the communist New People's Army, and the Abu Sayyaf still roam the provinces, but their presence has decreased in recent years due to successful security provided by the Philippine government.^ MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines announced on Wednesday that one of the co-founders of the Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf extremist group had been arrested after being detained at Jakarta airport for using a false passport.

 ^ SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga , Philippines   – Five Army soldiers were killed while eight others were wounded after their group tripped on a landmine reportedly set up by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Tubo, Abra last Monday night.

 ^ Philippines detains Abu Sayyaf co-founder .

 [50][51]
.The Philippines has been an ally of the United States since World War II. It supported American policies during the Cold War and participated in the Korean and Vietnam wars.^ MANILA, Philippines - Malacaang on Wednesday reiterated that deputy Presidential spokesperson Gary Olivar is a Filipino citizen, amid a report that he is a citizen of the United States.

 It was a member of the now dissolved SEATO, a group that was intended to serve a role similar to NATO and that included Australia, France, New Zealand, Pakistan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.[52] .After the start of the War on Terror, the Philippines was part of the coalition that gave support to the United States in Iraq.^ MANILA, Philippines - Malacaang on Wednesday reiterated that deputy Presidential spokesperson Gary Olivar is a Filipino citizen, amid a report that he is a citizen of the United States.

 [53] The Philippines is currently working with the United States with the intention of ending its domestic insurgency.

International relations

Main article: Foreign relations of the Philippines
The Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C., United States.
.The Philippines' international relations are based on its ideals of democracy, peace, and trade with other nations as well as the well-being of the 11 million overseas Filipinos living outside the country.^ Related posts:Paypal apologizes, seeks to “move forward” to help bring aid to typhoon victims Soon after turning over to the Philippine National Red Cross...

 [54]
.As a founding and active member of the United Nations, the Philippines has been elected several times into the Security Council.^ The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism is a founding member of the organization, which has the specific mandate of promoting and protecting press freedom in Southeast Asia.

 ^ Philippine Times: National News .

 Carlos P. Romulo was a former President of the United Nations General Assembly. The country is an active participant in the Human Rights Council as well as in peacekeeping missions, particularly in East Timor.[55][56][57][58][59] .Aside from the United Nations, the country is also a founding and active member of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) an organization designed to strengthen relations and promote economic and cultural growth among states in the Southeast Asian region.^ The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism is a founding member of the organization, which has the specific mandate of promoting and protecting press freedom in Southeast Asia.

 ^ His comments come before a ministerial meeting Sunday of the 12-nation Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.

 ^ Feb 1, Southeast Asian Culture Showcased as Philippines Named Cultural Capital .

 [60] It has hosted several summits and is an active contributor to the direction and policies of the bloc.[61] The current relations it enjoys with other Southeast Asian states is in contrast with its relations with them before the 1970s when it was at war with Vietnam and was heavily disputing Sabah with Malaysia, although misunderstandings between these states continue to exist due to the Spratly Islands.[62]
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the current President of the Philippines.
.The Philippines values its relations with the United States.^ MANILA, Philippines - Malacaang on Wednesday reiterated that deputy Presidential spokesperson Gary Olivar is a Filipino citizen, amid a report that he is a citizen of the United States.

 [54] It supported the United States during the Cold War and the War on Terror and is a major non-NATO ally. .Despite this history of goodwill, controversies related to the presence of the now former U.S. military bases in Subic Bay and Clark and the current Visiting Forces Agreement have flared up from time to time.^ Related Article:Oathtaking Schedule and Registration Instructions for New Nurses Visit www.PinoyRN.co.nr now… .

 [54] Japan, the biggest contributor of official development assistance to the country,[63] is thought of as a friend. Although historical tensions still exist on issues such as the plight of comfort women much of the animosity inspired by memories of World War II have faded.[64]
Relations with other nations are generally positive. Shared democratic values ease relations with Western and European countries while similar economic concerns help in relations with other developing countries. Historical ties and cultural similarities also serve as a bridge in relations with Spain and Latin America. .Despite issues such as domestic abuse and war affecting overseas Filipino workers and obstacles posed by Islamic insurgency in Mindanao, relations with Middle Eastern countries (including Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) are friendly as seen in the continuous employment of more than two million overseas Filipinos living there.^ The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announces that 146 out of 339 passed the Architect Licensure Examination given by the Board of Architecture in Al-Khobar and Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia last November 2009 and in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and Doha, Qatar this December 2009.

 ^ When the Maguindanao massacre of 57 people including at least 30 journalists and media workers outraged the country and the world, then spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo admitted, and what’s more reaffirmed, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s continuing friendship with the suspected masterminds.

 ^ However, recent studies show that millions of viewers enjoy the Super Bowl more for the commercials than the actual game.

 With communism no longer the threat it once was, once hostile relations in the 1950s between the Philippines and the People's Republic of China have improved greatly. Issues involving Taiwan, the Spratly Islands, and concerns of expanding Chinese influence, however, still encourage a degree of carefulness.[64] Recent foreign policy has been mostly about economic relations with its Southeast Asian and Asia-Pacific neighbors.[54]
International groups the Philippines is a member of include the East Asia Summit (EAS), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Latin Union, the Group of 24, and the Non-Aligned Movement.[2] It is also seeking to strengthen relations with Islamic countries by campaigning for observer status in the Organization of Islamic Conference.[65][66]

Administrative divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of the Philippines
Provinces and regions of the Philippines.
The Philippines is divided into three island groups: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. These are divided into 17 regions, 80 provinces, 120 cities, 1,511 municipalities, and 42,008 barangays.[67] In addition, Section 2 of Republic Act No. 5446 asserts that the country has acquired islands from Sabah (formerly North Borneo).[68]
Region Designation Regional center
Ilocos Region Region I San Fernando, La Union
Cagayan Valley Region II Tuguegarao, Cagayan
Central Luzon Region III San Fernando, Pampanga
CALABARZON Region IV-A Calamba City, Laguna
MIMAROPA Region IV-B Calapan, Oriental Mindoro
Bicol Region Region V Legazpi, Albay
Western Visayas Region VI Iloilo City
Central Visayas Region VII Cebu City
Eastern Visayas Region VIII Tacloban
Zamboanga Peninsula Region IX Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur
Northern Mindanao Region X Cagayan de Oro City
Davao Region Region XI Davao City
SOCCSKSARGEN Region XII Koronadal, South Cotabato
Caraga Region XIII Butuan
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao ARMM Cotabato City
Cordillera Administrative Region CAR Baguio
National Capital Region NCR Manila

Geography

Main article: Geography of the Philippines
The Philippines is an archipelago of 7,107 islands[2] with a total land area of approximately 300,000 square kilometers (116,000 square miles). Its 36,289 kilometers of coastline makes it the country with the 5th longest coastline in the world.[2][69] It is located between 116° 40', and 126° 34' E. longitude and 4° 40' and 21° 10' N. latitude and borders the Philippine Sea on the east, the South China Sea on the west, and the Celebes Sea on the south. The island of Borneo is located a few hundred kilometres southwest and Taiwan is located directly to the north. The Moluccas and Sulawesi are located to the south-southwest and Palau is located to the east of the islands.[2]
Most of the mountainous islands are covered in tropical rainforest and volcanic in origin. The highest mountain is Mount Apo. It measures up to 2,954 metres (9,692 ft) above sea level and is located on the island of Mindanao. The longest river is the Cagayan River in northern Luzon. Manila Bay, upon the shore of which the capital city of Manila lies, is connected to Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the Philippines, by the Pasig River. Subic Bay, the Davao Gulf, and the Moro Gulf are other important bays. The San Juanico Strait separates the islands of Samar and Leyte but it is traversed by the San Juanico Bridge.[70]
Ancient Filipinos utilized terrace farming to grow crops in the steep mountainous regions of northern Philippines.
Situated on the northwestern fringes of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity. The Benham Plateau to the east in the Philippine Sea is an undersea region active in tectonic subduction.[71] Around 20 earthquakes are registered daily, though most are too weak to be felt. The last major earthquake was the 1990 Luzon earthquake.[72] There are many active volcanoes such as the Mayon Volcano, Mount Pinatubo, and Taal Volcano. The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in June 1991 produced the second largest terrestrial eruption of the 20th century.[73] Not all notable geographic features are so violent or destructive. A more serene legacy of the geological disturbances is the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River.
Due to the volcanic nature of the islands, mineral deposits are abundant. The country is estimated to have the second-largest gold deposits after South Africa and one of the largest copper deposits in the world.[74] It is also rich in nickel, chromite, and zinc.[74] Despite this, poor management, high population density, and environmental consciousness have resulted in these mineral resources remaining largely untapped. Geothermal energy, however, is another product of volcanic activity that the country has harnessed more successfully. The Philippines is the world's second-biggest geothermal producer behind the United States, with 18% of the country's electricity needs being met by geothermal power.[75]

Flora and fauna

Main article: Ecoregions in the Philippines
The Philippine Eagle is a bird of prey found in the rainforests of the islands.
The Philippines' rainforests and its extensive coastlines make it home to a diverse range of birds, plants, animals, and sea creatures.[76] It is one of the ten most biologically mega-diverse countries and is at or near the top in terms of biodiversity per unit area.[77][78][79] Around 1,100 land vertebrate species can be found in the Philippines including over 100 mammal species and 170 bird species not thought to exist elsewhere.[80] Endemic species include the tamaraw of Mindoro and the Philippine tarsier associated with Bohol. The Philippines lacks predators, with the exception of snakes, such as pythons and cobras, and birds of prey, such as the national bird, known as the Philippine eagle.[81] Other native animals include the palm civet cat,[82] the mouse deer, the Visayan warty pig, and several species of bats. With an estimated 13,500 plant species in the country, 3,200 of which are unique to the islands,[80] Philippine rainforests boast an array of flora, including many rare types of orchids and rafflesia.[83][84] The narra is considered as the most important type of hardwood.[85] Philippine territorial waters encompass as much as 1.67 million square kilometers producing unique and diverse marine life and is an important part of the Coral Triangle. There are 2,400 fish species and over 500 species of coral.[76][80] Philippine waters also sustain the cultivation of pearls, crabs, and seaweeds.[76][86]
Deforestation, often the result of illegal logging, is an acute problem in the Philippines. Forest cover declined from 70% of the country's total land area in 1900 to about 18.3% in 1999.[87][88] Many species are endangered and scientists say that South East Asia, which the Philippines is part of, faces a catastrophic extinction rate of 20% by the end of the century.[89] According to Conservation International, "the country is one of the few nations that is, in its entirety, both a hotspot and a megadiversity country, placing it among the top priority hotspots for global conservation."[83]

Climate

Main article: Climate of the Philippines
The Philippines has a tropical climate and is usually hot and humid. The average yearly temperature is around 26.6°C (79.88°F).[90] There are three recognized seasons: tag-init or tag-araw (the hot season or summer from March to May), tag-ulan (the rainy season from June to November), and tag-lamig (the cold season from December to February). The southwest monsoon (from May to October) is known as the Habagat and the dry winds of the northeast monsoon (from November to April) as the Amihan.[90] The coolest month is January, and the warmest is May. Both temperature and humidity levels reach the maximum in April and May.[2] Manila and most of the lowland areas are hot and dusty from March to May.[91] Even during this period, the temperatures rarely rise above 37°C and sea-level temperatures rarely fall below 27°C. Annual rainfall measures as much as 5,000 millimeters in the mountainous east coast section but less than 1,000 millimetres in some of the sheltered valleys. Sitting astride the typhoon belt, most of the islands experience annual torrential rains and thunderstorms from July to October,[92] with on average approximately 19 typhoons per year entering the Philippine area of responsibility and 8 to 9 making landfall.[93][94]

Economy

Main article: Economy of the Philippines
The Makati City skyline
The national economy of the Philippines is the 47th largest in the world, with an estimated 2008 gross domestic product (GDP nominal) of over US$166.9 billion (nominal).[95] Primary exports include semiconductors and electronic products, transport equipment, garments, copper products, petroleum products, coconut oil, and fruits.[5] Major trading partners include China, Japan, the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia.[5] Its unit of currency is the Philippine peso (PHP).
A newly industrialized country, the Philippine economy has been transitioning from one based on agriculture to one based more on services and manufacturing. Of the country's total labor force of around 38.1 million,[5] the agricultural sector employs close to 32% but contributes to only about 13.8% of GDP. The industrial sector employs around 13.7% of the workforce and accounts for 30% of GDP. Meanwhile the 46.5% of workers involved in the services sector are responsible for 56.2% of GDP.[96][97]
The unemployment rate as of July 2009 stands at around 7.6% and due to the global economic slowdown inflation as of September 2009 reads 0.70%.[97] Foreign currency reserves as of October 2009 are US$36.13 billion.[98] In 2004, public debt as a percentage of GDP was estimated to be 74.2%; in 2008, 56.9%.[5] Gross external debt has risen to US$66.27 billion.[5] The country is a net importer.[97]
The Philippine Stock Exchange with the statue of martyred Filipino opposition leader during the Marcos dictatorship, Benigno S. Aquino, Jr.
In the 1960s, the country was regarded as the second wealthiest in Asia, next to Japan.[54][99][100] However, the leadership of Ferdinand Marcos proved disastrous by gradually transforming the market economy into one with aspects of a centrally planned economy.[54][100] The country suffered from slow economic growth and bouts of economic recession. Only in the 1990s with a program of economic liberalization did the economy begin to recover.[54][100]
The Asian Financial Crisis affected the economy, resulting in a lingering decline of the value of the peso and falls in the stock market. The extent to which it was affected initially, however, was not as severe as that of some of its Asian neighbors. This was largely due to the fiscal conservatism of the government, partly as a result of decades of monitoring and fiscal supervision from the International Monetary Fund, in comparison to the massive spending of its neighbors on the rapid acceleration of economic growth.[47] There have been signs of progress since. In 2004, the economy experienced 6% GDP growth and 7.3% in 2007, its fastest pace of growth in three decades.[5][101] Yet average annual GDP growth per capita for the period 1966-2007 still stands at 1.45% in comparison to an average of 5.96% for the East Asia and the Pacific region as a whole and the daily income for 45% of the population of the Philippines remains less than US$2.[9][102]
Other incongruities and challenges exist. The economy is heavily reliant on remittances which surpass foreign direct investment as a source of foreign currency. Regional development is uneven with Luzon—Metro Manila in particular—gaining most of the new economic growth at the expense of the other regions,[103] although the government has taken steps to distribute economic growth by promoting investment in other areas of the country. Despite constraints, service industries such as tourism and business process outsourcing have been identified as areas with some of the best opportunities for growth for the country.[97][104] Goldman Sachs includes the country in its list of the "Next Eleven" economies.[105] However, China and India have emerged as major economic competitors.[106]
The Philippines is a member of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Asian Development Bank which is headquartered in Mandaluyong City, the Colombo Plan, and the G-77 among other groups and institutions.[5]

Demographics

Main articles: Demographics of the Philippines, Filipino people, and Overseas Filipino
Population growth of the Philippines.
The first official census in the Philippines was carried out in 1877 and recorded a population of 5,567,685.[107] By 2009, the Philippines has become the world's 12th most populous nation, with a population of over 92 million.[8][108] It is estimated that half of the population resides on the island of Luzon. Manila, the capital city, is the eleventh most populous metropolitan area in the world. The population of the Greater Manila Area is around 20 million.[109][110] Life expectancy is 71.09 years, with 74.15 years for females and 68.17 years for males.[111] Population growth rate between 1995 to 2000 was 3.21% but has decreased to an estimated 1.95% for the 2005 to 2010 period.[7]
Map of the dominant ethnicities of the Philippines by province.
There are about 11 million Filipinos outside the Philippines.[112] Since the liberalization of United States immigration laws in 1965,[113] the number of people in the United States having Filipino ancestry had grown substantially to 3.1 million according to the 2007 estimates by the United States Census Bureau.[114] According to the US Census Bureau, immigrants from the Philippines made up the second largest group after Mexico that sought family reunification.[115] Some 2 million Filipinos work in the Middle East, with nearly a million in Saudi Arabia alone.[116]

Ethnicity

Main article: Ethnic groups of the Philippines
According to the 2000 census 28.1% of Filipinos are Tagalog, 13.1% Cebuano, 9% Ilocano, 7.6% Bisaya/Binisaya, 7.5% Hiligaynon Ilonggo, 6% Bikol, 3.4% Waray, and 25.3% are classified as other.[5][117] These general headings can be broken down further to yield more distinct non-tribal groups like the Moro, the Kapampangan, the Pangasinense, the Ibanag, and the Ivatan.[118] There are also indigenous peoples like the Igorot, the Lumad, the Mangyan, the Badjao, and the tribes of Palawan.[119] Negritos, such as the Aeta and the Ati, are considered the original aboriginal inhabitants of the islands.
Filipinos generally belong to several Asian ethnic groups classified linguistically as part of the Austronesian or Malayo-Polynesian speaking people.[119] It's believed that thousands of years ago Taiwanese aborigines migrated to the Philippines from Taiwan, bringing with them knowledge of agriculture and ocean-sailing, and displacing the earlier Negrito groups of the islands. Eventually Chinese, Spanish, and American arrivals intermarried with the various indigenous ethnic groups that had evolved.[120] Their descendants are known as mestizos.[121] Chinese Filipinos number about 2 million.[122] Other migrant ethnic groups who have settled in the country from elsewhere include Arabs, Britons, other Europeans, Indonesians, Japanese, Koreans, and South Asians.

Cities

The figure below shows the top twenty largest cities in the Philippines.[123]
Largest cities in the Philippines

Rank City Region Population Rank City Region Population
view • talk • edit
1 Quezon City National Capital 2,679,450 11 Dasmariñas Region IV-A 556,330
2 Manila National Capital 1,660,714 12 Cagayan de Oro Region X 553,966
3 Caloocan National Capital 1,378,856 13 Parañaque National Capital 552,660
4 Davao City Region XI 1,363,337 14 Las Piñas National Capital 532,330
5 Cebu City Region VII 798,809 15 General Santos Region XII 529,542
6 Zamboanga City Region IX 774,407 16 Makati National Capital 510,383
7 Antipolo Region IV-A 633,971 17 Bacolod Region VI 499,497
8 Pasig National Capital 617,301 18 Muntinlupa National Capital 452,493
9 Taguig National Capital 613,343 19 San Jose del Monte Region III 439,090
10 Valenzuela National Capital 568,928 20 Marikina National Capital 424,610
Philippines 2007 Census

Language

Native Languages (2000)[124]
Tagalog 22 million
Cebuano 20 million
Ilokano 7.7 million
Hiligaynon 7 million
Waray-Waray 3.1 million
Kapampangan 2.9 million
Bicol Central 2.5 million
Chavacano creoles 2.5 million
Pangasinan 2.4 million
Bicol Albay 1.2 million
Maranao 1.2 million
Maguindanao 1.1 million
Kinaray-A 1.1 million
Tausug 1 million
Surigaonon 0.6 million
Masbateño 0.5 million
Aklanon 0.5 million
Ibanag 0.3 million
Main article: Languages of the Philippines
Ethnologue lists 175 individual languages in the Philippines, 171 of which are living languages while 4 have no known speakers. They are part of the Borneo-Philippines group of the Malayo-Polynesian languages, which is itself a branch of the Austronesian language family.[119]
According to the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Filipino and English are the official languages. Filipino is a de facto version of Tagalog, spoken mainly in Metro Manila and other urban regions. Both Tagalog and English are used in government, education, print, broadcast media, and business. Major languages recognized in the constitution include Bicolano, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Kapampangan, Pangasinan, Tagalog, and Waray-Waray. Spanish and Arabic are recognized as voluntary and optional languages.[3]
Other languages such as Aklanon, Boholano, Chavacano, Zamboangueño, Cuyonon, Ifugao, Itbayat, Ivatan, Kalinga, Kamayo, Kankana-ey, Kinaray-a, Maguindanao, Maranao, Masbatenyo, Romblomanon, Surigaonon, Tausug, Yakan, and several Visayan languages are prevalent in their respective provinces.

Religion

Main article: Religion in the Philippines
The Philippines is one of two predominantly Roman Catholic countries in Asia, the other being East Timor. It is composed of several diocese and archdiocese. More than 90% of the population are Christians. About 80% belong to the Roman Catholic Church while the remaining 10% belong to other Christian denominations, such as the Philippine Independent Church, Iglesia ni Cristo, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Seventh-day Adventist Church, United Church of Christ and the Orthodox Church.[125]
Between 5% to 10% of the population are Muslim, most of whom live in parts of Mindanao, Palawan, and the Sulu Archipelago, an area known as Bangsamoro or the Moro region.[126][127] Some have migrated into urban and rural areas in different parts of the country. Most Muslim Filipinos practice Shafi'i, a form of Sunni Islam, while some tribal groups such as the Bajau practice a form mixed with animism.[125]
Philippine traditional religions are still practiced by many aboriginal and tribal groups, often syncretized with Christianity and Islam. Animism, folk religion, and shamanism remain present as undercurrents of mainstream religion, through the albularyo, the babaylan, and the manghihilot.[125] Meanwhile, Buddhism, Taoism, and Chinese folk religion, are dominant in Chinese communities.[127]

Education

Main articles: Education in the Philippines and Higher education in the Philippines
The University of Santo Tomas, founded in 1611 is one of the Philippines' oldest universities.
The National Statistics Office reports a simple literacy rate of 93.4% and a functional literacy rate of 84.1% for 2003.[5][9][97] Literacy is about equal for males and females.[5] Spending for education is around 2.5% of GDP.[5] According to the Department of Education, or DepEd, there were 42,152 elementary schools and 8,455 high schools registered for the school year 2006–2007[128] while the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) lists 2,060 higher education institutions, 537 of which are public and 1,523 private.[129] Classes start in June and end in March. The majority of colleges and universities follow a semester calendar from June to October and November to March. There are a number of foreign schools with study programs.[2] Republic Act No. 9155 gives the framework of basic education in the Philippines and provides for compulsory elementary education and free high school education.[130]
The Department of Education covers elementary, secondary, and nonformal education; the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) administers the post-secondary middle-level education training and development; while the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) supervises the college and graduate academic programs and degrees as well as regulates standards in higher education.[131]

Health

Main article: Health in the Philippines
Most of the national burden of health care is taken up by private health providers. In 2006, total expenditures on health represented 3.8% of GDP. 67.1% of that came from private expenditures while 32.9% was from government. External resources accounted for 2.9% of the total. Health expenditures represented about 6.1% of total government spending. Per capita total expenditure at average exchange rate was US$ 52.[132] The proposed National Health Budget for 2010 is P28 billion, about US$597 million, or about 310 pesos (US$7) per person in the Philippines.[133] The government share of total spending on health has declined steadily, and with more people, there has been less to spend per person.
There are an estimated 90,370 physicians or 1 per every 833 people, 480,910 nurses, 43,220 dentists, and 1 hospital bed per every 769 people.[132] Retention of skilled practitioners is a problem. 70% of nursing graduates go abroad to work overseas. The country is the biggest supplier of nurses.[134]
In 2001 there were about 1,700 hospitals, of which about 40 percent were government run and 60 percent private. Cardiovascular diseases account for more than 25 percent of all deaths. According to official estimates, 1,965 cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were reported in 2003, of which 636 had developed acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Other estimates state that there may have been as many as 9,400 people living with HIV/AIDS in 2001.[92]

Infrastructure

Transportation

Main article: Transportation in the Philippines
Jeepneys were originally made from U.S. military jeeps left over from World War II.
The transportation infrastructure in the country is relatively underdeveloped. Partly this is due to the mountainous terrain and the scattered geography of the islands, but it is also the result of the government's persistent underinvestment in infrastructure. In 2003, only 3.6% of GDP went to infrastructure development which was significantly lower than that of some of its neighbors.[92] Consequently, while there are 203,025 kilometers (126,154 miles) of roads in the country, only around 20 percent of the total is paved.[135]
Nevertheless there are many ways to get around, especially in urban areas. Buses, jeepneys, taxis, and motorized tricycles are commonly available in major cities and towns. In 2007, there were about 5.53 million registered motor vehicles with registration increasing at an average annual rate of 4.55%.[136] Train services are provided by three main railway networks that serve different areas of Metro Manila and parts of Luzon: the Manila Light Rail Transit System (LRT), the Manila Metro Rail Transit System (MRT), and the Philippine National Railways (PNR).
Philippine Airlines is the first commercial airline in Asia.
As an archipelago, inter-island travel via watercraft is often necessary. The busiest seaports are Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, and Zamboanga.[137] Passenger ships and other sea vessels such as those operated by Superferry, Negros Navigation, and Sulpicio Lines serve Manila, with links to various cities and towns. In 2003, the 919-kilometer Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH), an integrated set of highway segments and ferry routes covering 17 cities was established.[138]
Some rivers that pass through metropolitan areas, such as the Pasig River and Marikina River, have air-conditioned commuter ferries. The Pasig River Ferry Service has numerous stops in Manila, Makati City, Mandaluyong City, Pasig City, and Marikina City.[139] There are 3,219 kilometers of navigable inland waterways.[5]
There are 85 public airports in the country, and around 111 more that are private.[135] The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is the main international airport. Other important airports include the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, and Francisco Bangoy International Airport. Philippine Airlines, Asia's oldest commercial airline still operating under its original name, and Cebu Pacific, the leading low-cost airline, are the major airlines serving most domestic and international destinations.[140][141][142]

Communications

Main articles: Communications in the Philippines, Internet in the Philippines, and Social networking in the Philippines
The Philippines has a sophisticated cellular phone industry and a high concentration of users.[143] It is estimated that there are over 57 million cellular phone subscribers[117] and the ownership rate is increasing.[143] Text messaging has fostered a culture of quick greetings and forwarded jokes among Filipinos. In 2007, the nation sent an average of 1 billion SMS messages per day a reason that the Philippines has been called the "Texting Capital of the World".[144] Out of this growing number of avid text message senders, over 5 million of them use their cellular phones as virtual wallets, making it a leader among developing nations in providing financial transactions over cellular networks.[145]
The Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company commonly known as PLDT is the leading telecommunications provider. It is also the largest company in the country.[143][146] Its wholly owned subsidiaries Smart Communications and Piltel, along with Globe Telecom of the Ayala Group, BayanTel, and Sun Cellular are the major cellular service providers in the country.
There are approximately 383 AM and 659 FM radio stations and 297 television and 873 cable television stations.[147] Estimates for internet penetration in the Philippines vary widely ranging from a low of 2.5 million to a high of 24 million people.[148][149] Social networking and MMORPGs are among the most frequent internet activities.[150][151]

Culture and society

Main articles: Culture of the Philippines, Literature of the Philippines, Music of the Philippines, and Original Pilipino Music
Islamic instruments of gongs and a drum that make up the Philippine kulintang ensemble, an example of pre-Hispanic musical tradition.
Philippine culture is a combination of Eastern and Western cultures. The Philippines shares many aspects with other Asian countries, with a traditional Malay[152] heritage, yet its culture also displays a significant amount of Spanish and American influences. These influences are evident in literature, folk music, folk dance, language, food, art, and religion.
Traditional festivities known as barrio fiestas (district festivals) to commemorate the feast days of patron saints are common. The Moriones Festival and Sinulog Festival are a couple of the most well-known. These community celebrations are times for feasting, music, and dancing. Some traditions, however, are changing or gradually being forgotten due to modernization. The Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company has been lauded for preserving many of the various traditional folk dances found throughout the Philippines. They are famed for their iconic performances of Philippine dances such as the tinikling and singkil that both feature the use of clashing bamboo poles.[153]
The Basilica Minore de San Sebastián
One of the most visible Hispanic legacies is the prevalence of Spanish surnames and names among Filipinos. A Spanish name and surname among the majority of Filipinos does not always denote Spanish ancestry. This peculiarity, unique among the people of Asia, came as a result of a colonial decree, the Clavería edict, for the systematic distribution of family names and implementation of the Spanish naming system on the population.[154] The names of many streets, towns, and provinces are also in Spanish. Spanish architecture has left an imprint in the Philippines in the way many towns were designed around a central square or plaza mayor, but many of the buildings bearing its influence were demolished during World War II.[21] Some examples remain, however, mainly among the country's churches, government buildings, and universities. Four Philippine baroque churches are included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the San Agustín Church in Manila, the Paoay Church in Ilocos Norte, the Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (Santa María) Church in Ilocos Sur, and the Santo Tomás de Villanueva Church in Iloilo.[155] Vigan in Ilocos Sur is also known for the many Hispanic-styled houses and buildings preserved there.[156]
The common use of the English language is an example of the American impact on Philippine society. It has contributed to the ready acceptance and influence of American pop cultural trends. This affinity is seen in Filipinos' love of fast food, film, and music. Fast food outlets are found on many street corners. American global fast food chain stalwarts have entered the market, but local fast food chains like Goldilocks and most notably Jollibee, the leading fast food chain in the country, have emerged and compete successfully against their foreign rivals.[157][158] Modern day Filipinos also listen and watch contemporary American and European music and film. However, Original Pilipino Music (also known as OPM) and local films are also enjoyed.

Cuisine

Main article: Filipino cuisine
The Halo-halo is a dessert made of ice, milk, various fruits and ice cream.
Filipino cuisine has evolved over several centuries from its Malayo-Polynesian origins to become a mixed cuisine with many Hispanic, Chinese, American, and other Asian influences that have been adapted to local ingredients and the Filipino palate to create distinctively Filipino dishes. Dishes range from the very simple, like a meal of fried salted fish and rice, to the elaborate, such as the paellas and cocidos created for fiestas. Popular dishes include lechón, adobo, sinigang, kare-kare, tapa, crispy pata, pancit, lumpia, and halo-halo. Some common local ingredients used in cooking are calamondins, coconuts, saba (a kind of short wide plantain), mangoes, milkfish, and fish sauce. Filipino taste buds tend to favor robust flavors but the cuisine is not as spicy as those of its neighbors.[158][159]
Furthermore, unlike many of their Asian counterparts, Filipinos do not eat with chopsticks. They use western cutlery. However, possibly due to rice being the primary staple food and the popularity of a large number of stews or broth based main dishes in Filipino cuisine, the main pairing of utensils seen at the Filipino dining table is that of spoon and fork, not knife and fork.[160] The traditional way of eating with the hands known as kamayan is seen more often in less urbanized areas.[161]

Mythology and literature

Main articles: Philippine literature and Philippine mythology
Philippine mythology has been handed down primarily through the traditional oral folk literature of the Filipino people. While each unique ethnic group has its own stories and myths to tell Hindu and Spanish influence can nonetheless be detected in many cases. Many of the myths are creation stories or stories about supernatural creatures, such as the aswang (vampire), the diwata (fairy), and Nature. Some popular figures from Philippine mythologies are Maria Makiling, Lam-Ang, and the sarimanok.[162]
Philippine literature comprises works usually written in Filipino, Spanish, or English. Some of the most widely known were created in the 19th century. Francisco Balagtas the poet and playwright who wrote Florante at Laura is recognized as a preeminent writer in the Filipino language. José Rizal wrote the novels Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not), and El Filibusterismo (The Reign of Greed) and is considered a national hero. His depiction of the injustices of Spanish rule and death by firing squad inspired other Philippine revolutionaries to seek independence. In the 20th century, among those officially recognized as National Artists of the Philippines in literature are N.V.M. Gonzalez, Nick Joaquin, F. Sionil Jose, and Alejandro Roces.[163]

Media

Main articles: Cinema of the Philippines, Television in the Philippines, and Philippine drama
The GMA Network broadcasting center
Philippine media uses mainly Filipino and English. Other Philippine languages, including various Visayan languages are also used, especially in radio due to its ability to reach remote rural locations that might otherwise not be serviced by other kinds of media. The dominant television networks ABS-CBN and GMA also have extensive radio presence.[164]
The entertainment industry is vibrant and feeds broadsheets and tabloids with an unending supply of details about celebrities and sensationalist scandals du jour. Drama and fantasy shows are anticipated as are Latin telenovelas, Asianovelas, and anime. Daytime television is dominated by game shows, variety shows, and talk shows such as Eat Bulaga, Game KNB? and Wowowee. Philippine cinema has a long history and is widely appreciated, but has faced increasing competition from American and European films. Critically acclaimed directors and actors include Lino Brocka and Nora Aunor for films like Maynila: Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag (Manila: In the Claws of Light) and Himala (Miracle). In recent years it has become common to see celebrities flitting between television and movies and then moving into politics provoking concerns.[165]

Sports and recreation

Main article: Sports in the Philippines
A professional basketball game being played between the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants and Barako Bull Energy Boosters.
Various sports and pastimes are popular in the Philippines including basketball, boxing, volleyball, football, badminton, taekwondo, billiards, ten-pin bowling, chess, and sipa. Motocross, cycling, and mountaineering are also becoming popular.[166] Basketball is played at both amateur and professional levels and is considered to be the most popular sport in the Philippines.[167][168] In almost every corner of the cities, there is a basketball court.[153][166]
Some Filipinos widely recognized for their achievements include Francisco Guilledo, Flash Elorde, and Manny Pacquiao in boxing,[166] Paulino Alcántara in football (soccer), Carlos Loyzaga, Robert Jaworski and Ramon Fernandez in basketball, Efren Reyes in billiards,[169] Eugene Torre in chess, and Rafael Nepomuceno in bowling.[170]
Traditional Filipino games such as luksung baka, patintero, piko, and tumbang preso are still played primarily as children's games among the youth.[171][172] Sungka is a traditional native Filipino board game. Card games are popular during festivities, with some, including pusoy and tong-its, being used as a form of illegal gambling. Mahjong is played in some Filipino communities. The yo-yo, a popular toy in the Philippines, was introduced in its modern form by Pedro Flores with its name from the Ilokano language.[173][174] Arnis is the national martial art and sport.[175]

See also

Philippines portal
Main article: Outline of the Philippines

References

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  8. ^ a b c d e International Monetary Fund. (October 2009). World Economic Outlook Data, By Country - Philippines: [selected annual data for 2006-2009]. Retrieved 2009-12-17 from World Economic Outlook Database.
  9. ^ a b c United Nations Development Programme. (2009). "Table G: Human development and index trends, Table I1: Human and income poverty". Human Development Report 2009 - Overcoming barriers: Human mobility and development (Palgrave MacMillan). ISBN 978-0-230-23904-3. 
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Up to date as of January 14, 2010

From Wikitravel

Asia : Southeast Asia : Philippines
noframe
Location
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Flag
Image:rp-flag.png
Quick Facts
Capital Manila
Government Republic
Currency Philippine peso (PHP)
Area total: 300,000 km2
water: 1,830 km2
land: 298,170 km2
Population 87,857,473 (July 2006 est.)
Language English and .Filipino (based on the Tagalog language) are the two official languages.^ The Philippines has two official languages, English and Pilipino, which is based on Tagalog.
  • Treaty With The Philippines on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.lawphil.net [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Filipino which is based on Tagalog, is the national language.
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ LANGUAGES Two official languages --- Filipino and English.
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .There are about 8 major languages, 76 to 78 major language groups, with more than 170 distinct languages.^ There are about 76 to 78 major language groups, with more than 500 dialects.
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Perhaps due to their long association with Spain, Filipinos are emotional and passionate about life in a way that seems more Latin than Asian.
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ There are no very large rivers; the Cagayan of northern Luzon and the Rio Grande and the Agusan, both in Mindanao, are more than 200 miles in length.
  • CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Philippine Islands 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.newadvent.org [Source type: Original source]
Religion Christianity 91% (Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 9%), Islam 5%, Buddhism 3% and other 1%.
Electricity 220V 60Hz (in Baguio or in some homes 110V with transformers)
Calling Code +63
Internet TLD .ph
Title
Info
Time Zone UTC +8
.The Republic of the Philippines [1] (Filipino: Republika ng Pilipinas) is an archipelago in South-East Asia consisting of 7,107 islands located between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam, and north of Sabah and Borneo.^ Most of the Philippine Islands are clustered in a predominantly north-south direction.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ It has a small mountain to the east, and a view of the South China Sea to the west.
  • Cost of Living Chart – Philippines (in Peso, Dollar and Euro) » nomad4ever 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Republic of the Philippines, Republika ng Pilipinas.
  • Ethnologue report for Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.ethnologue.com [Source type: General]
.The Philippines is an archipelago abundant in nature, rich in culture, and filled with pleasant discoveries.^ Food is abundant in the Philippines because it is rich in natural resources.
  • Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange: Understanding Persons of Philippine Origin: A Primer for Rehabilitation Service Providers 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC cirrie.buffalo.edu [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Philippines-Introduction The Philippines is an archipelago blessed with a wealth of natural resources, a rich history and unique culture.
  • India to Philippines Tours, Philippines,Philippines Travel,Philippines Tourist Guide,Philippines Travel Agency,Philippines Travel Guide 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.worldtravel4indians.com [Source type: News]

 ^ The Philippine waters are abundant with many varieties of fish, which are an important natural resource as a staple of the Philippine diet and an export commodity.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Experience the Philippines, its 7,107 islands, its natural wonders, colorful history and warm, engaging people.^ The Philippines is an archipelago of 7,107 islands and islets.
  • Philippines | The Filipino Friends Blog 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC thefilipinofriends.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ The history of American rule and contact with merchants and traders culminated in a unique blend of East and West, both in the appearance and culture of the Filipinos, or people of the Philippines.
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ This is a difficult task considering that people from the Philippines, in spite of their large number and long history of immigration to the United States, comprise an invisible ethnic group in America.
  • Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange: Understanding Persons of Philippine Origin: A Primer for Rehabilitation Service Providers 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC cirrie.buffalo.edu [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Over a hundred ethnic groups, a mixture of foreign influences and a fusion of culture and arts have enhanced the uniqueness of the Filipino race and the wonder that is the Philippines.^ The arts of the Philippines reflect a society with diverse cultural influences and traditions.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ It claims title to the second largest archipelago on the planet, with over 7,100 individual islands within its borders and it is home to over 100 ethnic groups and hundreds of language dialects.

 ^ People The great majority of the people of the Philippines belong to the Malay group and are known as Filipinos.
  • The Philippines Facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about The Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.encyclopedia.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
The Chocolate Hills of Bohol
The Chocolate Hills of Bohol
Hawksbill Turtle in Sabang
Hawksbill Turtle in Sabang
.Several thousand years ago, the first settlers in the Philippines crossed shallow seas and land bridges from the Asian mainland to arrive in this group of islands.^ Thus, the latter could not have been a land bridge to the Asian mainland.
  • Philippines | The Filipino Friends Blog 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC thefilipinofriends.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ These became land bridges connecting the Philippines to the Asian mainland.
  • Philippines | The Filipino Friends Blog 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC thefilipinofriends.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Pre-Spanish Period The first people in the Philippines, the Negritos, are believed to have come to the islands 30,000 years ago from Borneo and Sumatra, making their way across then-existing land bridges.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 These were the Negritos or Aetas. .Direct descendants of these people can still be found in Zambales province to the North of Manila.^ A large bulk of this figure is courtesy of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co., which is building a $1 billion shipyard – the fourth-largest in the world – inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales Province north of Manila.
  • Asia Sentinel - Korea Invades the Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.asiasentinel.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ A family that has lived in metropolitan Manila for two generations still regards a municipality or province as its home.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Salcedo's report to his uncle was favourable and in 1571 Legaspi, leaving the affairs of government in the hands of the natives, proceeded north and founded the city of Maynila, later Manila.
  • CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Philippine Islands 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.newadvent.org [Source type: Original source]

 .Several thousand years later, they were then followed by Austronesian settlers travelling the same route as the Negritos but this time over sea in their impressive Balangay boats.^ Tubbataha's North Reef is a nesting site for sea birds of all kinds as thousands of birds converge there every year.
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ At the same time, the method of execution specified in a request is to be followed unless the laws of the Requested State prohibit it.
  • Treaty With The Philippines on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.lawphil.net [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Location : Cagayancillo, Palawan Operating Hours : The Park is open to visitors all year round but best time to visit is from March to June when the sea is calmer.
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 This word is where the basic form of political institution, the baranggay, came from.
.After settling the islands, they traveled further and settled the islands of Indonesia, Malaysia as well as the whole Pacific.^ Republic of the Philippines (in Filipino, Republika ng Pilipinas ), island republic in the western Pacific Ocean, within the Malay Archipelago, an island grouping that extends southward to include Indonesia and Malaysia.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Guess only in Malaysia and parts of Indonesia they are caught and culled.
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 ^ This is mainly a derivative of the Malay language widely spoken in the region, comprising the Philippine Islands, Indonesia , Malaysia and Borneo .
  • Philippines - Wiki Travel Guide - Travellerspoint 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.travellerspoint.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .The early Austronesians of the Philippines simultaneously traded with each other as well as with the Chinese, Japanese, Okinawans, Indians, Thais, Arabs and other Austronesians of present-day Malaysia and Indonesia.^ Arabs and Indians also traveled and traded in the Philippines in the first and early second millennium.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Add to the above other cuisines found in the country along with other global influences: French, Italian, Middle Eastern, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese.
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ At least 86 people were killed and dozens of others were missing early Monday after a tropical storm swept through the northern Philippines and caused flooding.
  • Philippines News - Breaking World Philippines News - The New York Times 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC topics.nytimes.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .An interesting mix of cultures developed in the islands, and a writing system called baybayin or alibata, as well as a social structure developed quickly.^ The Pan-Philippine Highway, also called the Maharlika Highway, is a system of roads, bridges, and ferries that connects the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The Minister added that his country is particularly interested with the development of degree programs/certification courses on Education, Information System, Engineering, Architecture, and Urban Planning.
  • University of the Philippines Open University 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.upou.edu.ph [Source type: Academic]

 ^ A Filipino blogger was charged with a libel suit by the secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development after writing about the ‘rotting' relief goods in a government warehouse.

 Hinduism and Buddhism was introduced by traders from India, Sumatra and Java. .These two religions syncretized with the various indigenous animistic beliefs.^ Animism, a belief that natural objects have souls, is the oldest religion in the country, practiced by indigenous peoples in the mountains of Luzon.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Later, Arab, Malay and Javanese traders converted the natives, mainly in the island of Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago to Islam.^ They comprise three natural divisions—the northern, which includes Luzon and attendant islands; the central, occupied by the Visayan Islands and Palawan and Mindoro; and the southern, encompassing Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago.
  • Philippines News - Breaking World Philippines News - The New York Times 18 September 2009 11:39 UTC topics.nytimes.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Chinese merchants and traders arrived and settled in the ninth century, and 500 years later, Arabs arrived, introducing Islam in the south and extending some influence even into Luzon.
  • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ In the 14th century traders and settlers from the Malay Peninsula and Borneo introduced Islam to the southern islands of the Sulu Archipelago.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.When the explorer Ferdinand Magellan set foot on Philippine soil through the island of Homonhon in 1521, the Philippines was predominantly animist, with some Muslim and Hindu inhabitants mainly in the southern part of the country.^ The islands were discovered 16 March, 1521, by Ferdinand Magellan .
  • CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Philippine Islands 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.newadvent.org [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Attempts by some neighboring countries to duplicate its cultivation and production (more recently, Mexico), but none could approximate the taste and texture of those grown in the Philippines, specially the produce from Guimaras Island, Iloilo province.
  • Philippines - Wiki Travel Guide - Travellerspoint 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.travellerspoint.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The island-province of Cebu is where the Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan planted the Cross of Christianity in the name of Spain in 1521.
  • India to Philippines Tours, Philippines,Philippines Travel,Philippines Tourist Guide,Philippines Travel Agency,Philippines Travel Guide 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.worldtravel4indians.com [Source type: News]

 Famished, Magellan's crew were treated to a feast by the welcoming islanders who wore elaborate gold jewelry. .Magellan was Portuguese but it was a Spanish Expedition which he led to the islands which were eventually claimed by Spain as its colony.^ The island-province of Cebu is where the Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan planted the Cross of Christianity in the name of Spain in 1521.
  • India to Philippines Tours, Philippines,Philippines Travel,Philippines Tourist Guide,Philippines Travel Agency,Philippines Travel Guide 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.worldtravel4indians.com [Source type: News]

 ^ The most famous was the western route taken by Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer under the employ of Spanish King Charles I, whereupon he stumbled on the islands of the Philippines on March 17, 1521 but was eventually killed by the Muslim Malay Kaliph Pulaka (or Lapu-lapu), chieftain of Mactan island.
  • Philippines - Wiki Travel Guide - Travellerspoint 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.travellerspoint.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Spanish Period Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan reached the Philippines and claimed the archipelago for Spain in 1521, but was killed shortly afterwards when he intervened in a dispute between rival tribes.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .The Philippines was later on named for Crown Prince Philip II of Spain and most of the natives converted to Catholicism.^ In 1543 they named the islands after Prince Philip (later PHILIP II of Spain).
  • The Philippines Facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about The Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.encyclopedia.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The Europeans returned 44 years later led by the Adelantado, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, to conquer the islands in the name of Spanish King Philip II. Thus, started the Spanish rule of the islands for the next 333 years.
  • Philippines - Wiki Travel Guide - Travellerspoint 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.travellerspoint.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ For about 300 years the Philippines was under the crown of Spain (I’m still a little mad about this), and as we all know, the Imperial Spanish loved their Catholicism!
  • In “Gay Friendly” Philippines, Lesbians Still Forced to Keep it in the Closet 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.autostraddle.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .The Muslims in the south and various animistic mountain tribes, however, resisted Spanish conquest and Catholic conversion.^ However, the further spread and influence of Islam were cut short by the conquest and Spanish colonization of the Philippines starting in 1665.
  • Philippines | The Filipino Friends Blog 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC thefilipinofriends.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ The Muslims of southern Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago were never baptized and actively resisted Spanish rule for more than 300 years.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ However, armed resistance continued sporadically until 1913, especially among the Muslims in Mindanao and Sulu.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.The longest revolt against Spanish colonization was led by Francisco Dagohoy in Bohol which lasted for 85 years covering the period of 1744-1829. As a cabeza de barangay or barangay captain, Dagohoy opposed the Spanish colonizers which were represented by priests and civil leaders, which require payment of excessive taxes, tributes.^ By the terms of this agreement the Filipinos were not to plot against Spanish sovereignty for a period of three years; Aguinaldo and other followers were to be deported, for a period to be fixed by Spain .
  • CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Philippine Islands 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.newadvent.org [Source type: Original source]

 ^ The Spanish-American War of 1898 and the defeat of the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay led the Filipino leader Emilio Aguinaldo to declare independence from Spain.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ In Feb., 1899, Aguinaldo led a new revolt, this time against U.S. rule.
  • Philippines News - Breaking World Philippines News - The New York Times 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC topics.nytimes.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
  • Philippines News - Breaking World Philippines News - The New York Times 18 September 2009 11:39 UTC topics.nytimes.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 They also oppresed the Philippines' natives by not subjecting them as slaves and sending them to prison for disobeying rules.
.The Philippines remained a Spanish colony for over 300 years until 1899 when it was ceded by Spain to the United States following the Spanish-American War.^ The United States stayed in the Philippines until 1946.
  • Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange: Understanding Persons of Philippine Origin: A Primer for Rehabilitation Service Providers 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC cirrie.buffalo.edu [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ After years of trials and errors, the Philippines became a Commonwealth of the United States.
  • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ The Philippines was Spain’s only colony in Asia.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .The Filipinos declared independence on June 12, 1898 and resisted the American occupation and colonization and fought the Americans for seven years until the Filipinos surrendered which completed the colonization of the Philippines.^ Filipinos and Americans fought together until the Japanese surrendered in September 1945.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The Philippines was colonized by the Spaniards for about 333 years and by the Americans for 48 years.
  • Philippines | The Filipino Friends Blog 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC thefilipinofriends.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Aguinaldo declared independence from Spain on June 12, 1898.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .The American presence remained until World War II when Japan invaded the Philippines.^ World War II War came suddenly to the Philippines on Dec.
  • The Philippines Facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about The Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.encyclopedia.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Philippine Collaboration in World War II (1967).
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ You can unwind the past with architectural marvels of Vigan in Ilocos and the remains of Second World War.
  • Philippines Tourist Attractions, Philippines Travel Guides, Travel Information 18 September 2009 11:39 UTC www.asiarooms.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .The Japanese occupation lasted from 1941 to 1945 when Gen.^ They then waged a guerilla war against the Japanese from 1941 to 1945.
  • Department of Tourism - The Philippines Ultimate Travel Guide for Tourist 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.visitmyphilippines.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ (See chapter 2: The Spanish Colonization of the Philippines (1565-1898); chapter 4: The Philippine-American War (1899-1902); and chapter 5: The Japanese Occupation of the Philippines, (1942-1945).
  • Philippines | The Filipino Friends Blog 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC thefilipinofriends.com [Source type: Original source]

 .Douglas McArthur fulfilled his promise and liberated the country from the Japanese.^ Due to the Japanese occupation, the guerrilla warfare that followed, and the battles leading to liberation, the country suffered great damage and a complete organizational breakdown.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.In 1946, the Philippines was granted full independence by the U.S., although they maintained a military presence in the country through the Subic Naval Base in Zambales and Clark Air Base in Angeles City.^ On 4 July 1946 the Philippines attained their independence.
  • CIA - The World Factbook -- Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.umsl.edu [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The Philippines finally gained its “sovereignty” in 1946 with the condition that the USA maintained its huge military bases in the country.
  • Philippines - Wiki Travel Guide - Travellerspoint 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.travellerspoint.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The Philippines regained its independence in 1946.
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .These facilities were ultimately returned to the Philippines in the early 1990's.^ Some of these early migrations to the Philippine Islands were made by the ancestors of the present-day people of the Aeta and Agta tribes.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ GOVERNMENT The new Philippine Constitution was ratified in early 1987, signalling the country's return to democracy.
  • Department of Tourism - The Philippines Ultimate Travel Guide for Tourist 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.visitmyphilippines.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The Philippine economy was therefore affected by the worldwide slump in demand for these items in the early 2000s.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.Up until the 1960's, the Philippines was second only to Japan in terms of development in Asia.^ The Philippines was Spain’s only colony in Asia.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The Philippines is the only Christian nation in Asia.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Immigration to the U.S. from the Philippines is second only to immigration from Mexico.
  • Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange: Understanding Persons of Philippine Origin: A Primer for Rehabilitation Service Providers 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC cirrie.buffalo.edu [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Several decades of corrupt rule by Ferdinand Marcos plunged the country into debt and the Philippines ultimately became known as the sick man of Asia.^ The Philippines ( Dutch : Filipijnen , Filipino : Pilipinas , German : Philippinen , Indonesian : Negeri Pilipina , Portuguese : as ilhas Filipinas , Romanian : Filipine ), officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city.
  • Philippines - eRepublik Official Wiki 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC wiki.erepublik.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The Treaty is also important for the Philippines, as it reflects a formal commitment by the United States to assist in its high priority investigations of public corruption, such as efforts to recover public assets stolen during the administration of former President Ferdinand Marcos.
  • Treaty With The Philippines on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.lawphil.net [Source type: Original source]

 ^ The 20-year rule of Ferdinand MARCOS ended in 1986, when a "people power" movement in Manila ("EDSA 1") forced him into exile and installed Corazon AQUINO as president.
  • CIA - The World Factbook -- Philippines 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.cia.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
  • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]

 Poverty was widespread and infrastructure for development was severely lacking. In 1986, the People Power uprising finally overthrew the Marcos government and he was replaced by Corazon Aquino, widow of slain opposition leader, Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr.
.A couple of decades more have passed and somehow the Philippines are still lagging in comparison to its South East Asian neighbors Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam.^ But other neighboring countries such as China , Vietnam , Taiwan , Malaysia and Brunei have aggressively laid claim to them, too, when US forces left their military bases in the Philippines in the 90s.
  • Philippines - Wiki Travel Guide - Travellerspoint 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.travellerspoint.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Thailand, though, still gets twice as many Korean tourists as the Philippines, totaling over 1.1 million in 2006.
  • Asia Sentinel - Korea Invades the Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.asiasentinel.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ There are no land boundaries; the country is bordered on the west by the South China Sea, on the east by the Philippine Sea, on the south by the Celebes Sea, and on the north by the Luzon Strait, which separates the country from its nearest neighbor, Taiwan.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 Development is still slow but the country is at least moving in the right direction in recent times.
Luneta Park
Luneta Park
.As of 2008, the Philippines has a population estimated at 96 million.^ According to the Philippine National Statistics Office (2000,) the population of the Philippines is 76.5 million.
  • Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange: Understanding Persons of Philippine Origin: A Primer for Rehabilitation Service Providers 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC cirrie.buffalo.edu [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The Philippines’ population is also growing closer to Russia’s figure (more that 100 million), but the Philippines needs to worry more because this country is not as big as Russia.

 ^ The estimated population in July 2000 was eighty-one million.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .From its long history of Western occupation, 300 years by the Spaniards and 30 years by the Americans, its people have evolved as a unique blend of East and West in both appearance and culture.^ The history of American rule and contact with merchants and traders culminated in a unique blend of East and West, both in the appearance and culture of the Filipinos, or people of the Philippines.
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ From a long history of Western colonial rule, interspersed with the visits of merchants and traders, evolved a people of a unique blend of east and west, both in appearance and culture.
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ This is a difficult task considering that people from the Philippines, in spite of their large number and long history of immigration to the United States, comprise an invisible ethnic group in America.
  • Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange: Understanding Persons of Philippine Origin: A Primer for Rehabilitation Service Providers 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC cirrie.buffalo.edu [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .But Filipinos are largely Malay in terms of ethnic origin (Austronesian or Malayo-Polynesian).^ The term Filipino originally described a person of Spanish descent born in the Philippines.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The original Negrito inhabitants of the Philippines were largely displaced by waves of Malay peoples migrating from Yunnan province in south-west China after c.
  • The Philippines Facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about The Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.encyclopedia.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The Filipino dialects belong to the so-called Malayo-Polynesian language family, which is said to be the largest language family throughout the world.
  • Philippines | The Filipino Friends Blog 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC thefilipinofriends.com [Source type: Original source]

 .However, many, particularly in the cities of Luzon and the Visayas, have heavy Chinese, Spanish, and American mixtures, whereas those living in the provinces are mostly of pure Austronesian origin (known as "native").^ Also known as the Maharlika Highway, the road network runs from Manila to Laoag City via Cagayan Valley in northern Luzon and from Manila to Davao in Mindanao via Bicol in southern Luzon, and Samar and Leyte in eastern Visayas.
  • Department of Tourism - The Philippines Ultimate Travel Guide for Tourist 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.visitmyphilippines.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ There are also the so-called upland tribal groups who live in the mountain regions of the country, such as in the Mountain Province of Luzon.
  • Philippines | The Filipino Friends Blog 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC thefilipinofriends.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Spanish influence was strongest in Luzon and the central Philippines but less so in Mindanao, save for certain coastal cities.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Many Muslims in Mindanao have Arab, Indian and Chinese mixtures.^ As a result of intermarriage, many Filipinos have some Asian mainland, Spanish, American, Arab, or Indian ancestry.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Provision also was made in the constitution for autonomous regions in Muslim areas of Mindanao and in the Cordillera region of northern Luzon, where many aboriginal tribes still live.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .The four largest foreign minorities in the country are as follows: Chinese, Koreans, and Indian, and the Japanese.^ Due to the Japanese occupation, the guerrilla warfare that followed, and the battles leading to liberation, the country suffered great damage and a complete organizational breakdown.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ While also targeting Chinese and Japanese students, Koreans make up the bulk of its customers.
  • Asia Sentinel - Korea Invades the Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.asiasentinel.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ In Cebu, the second largest city in the country, about 60 of these centers serve Korean students.
  • Asia Sentinel - Korea Invades the Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.asiasentinel.com [Source type: Original source]

 Also of significance are the Americans, Indonesians, and Arabs. .Pure Spaniards, and other Europeans, form a very small proportion in the country's population.^ First, an MLAT obligates each country to provide evidence and other forms of assistance needed in criminal cases.
  • Treaty With The Philippines on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.lawphil.net [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Search Google and you'll find that that country is in very bad shape compared to many others.
  • Michael Marley'�s Boxing Confidential� News, Analysis, and Commentary 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.boxingconfidential.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ No other Communist country has such a deeply ingrained religious faith: on any given Sunday, close to 90% of the Polish population goes to church.
  • Adherents.com: By Location 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC www.adherents.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.Needless to say, the Filipino trait is a confluence of many cultures put together.^ The program will also reverse the prevailing migration trend, allowing many Filipino health workers to come home or stay put.

 ^ Seriously outdated prices aside, it's outdated and poorly put together to say the least.
  • The Philippines: The Longest Way Home 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC thelongestwayhome.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Hence, Jocano says that it is not correct to attribute the Filipino culture as being Malay in orientation.
  • Philippines | The Filipino Friends Blog 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC thefilipinofriends.com [Source type: Original source]

 .Filipinos are famous for the bayanihan or spirit of kinship and camaraderie taken from Malay forefathers.^ The bayanihan or spirit of kinship and camaraderie that Filipinos are famous for is said to be taken from Malay forefathers.
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .They observe very close family ties which is said to have been passed on by the Chinese.^ And since they are a very closely knit family, it was difficult for them.
  • In “Gay Friendly” Philippines, Lesbians Still Forced to Keep it in the Closet 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.autostraddle.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The close family relations are said to have been inherited from the Chinese.
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ I said to him "The force that observed that very leaf through you is also unseen and you cant know it through your eyes just like you cant know the wind, but still it is there" .
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 .Religion comes from the Spaniards who were responsible for spreading the Christian faith across the archipelago.^ The piousness comes from the Spaniards who introduced Christianity in the 16th century.
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The Spaniards introduced Christianity (the Roman Catholic faith) and succeeded in converting the overwhelming majority of Filipinos.
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Islam predated Christianity in the region, spreading to the Sulu Archipelago in the 14th century and Mindanao in the 15th century.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .The Spaniards introduced Christianity (Roman Catholicism) and succeeded in converting the overwhelming majority of Filipinos.^ The pagans were converted to Christianity by the Spaniards.
  • Philippines | The Filipino Friends Blog 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC thefilipinofriends.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Although Christianity, particularly Roman Catholicism, was the predominant religion, there is no state religion, and church and state are legally separate.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Aware of the political and social advantages enjoyed by Roman Catholics in the colony, many Chinese converted to Catholicism and married Filipina women.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .At least 83% of the total population belongs to the Roman Catholic faith.^ At least 83% of the total population belongs to the Roman Catholic faith.
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The Spaniards introduced Christianity (the Roman Catholic faith) and succeeded in converting the overwhelming majority of Filipinos.
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ As in Spanish America, the various Roman Catholic religious orders—Augustinians, Franciscans, Dominicans, and Jesuits—were in charge of the conversion of the population to Christianity.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.The genuine and pure expression of hospitality is an inherent trait in Filipinos, especially those who reside in the countryside who may appear very shy at first, but have a generous spirit, as seen in their smiles.^ Baseball, softball, football/soccer, basketball, and volleyball are generally among those sports Filipinos have embraced.
  • Adventure and Recreation in Philippines, Philippines Travel Guides 18 September 2009 11:39 UTC www.asiarooms.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Hospitality, a trait displayed by every Filipino, makes these people legendary in Southeast Asia.
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ There shall be a General Auditing Office under the direction and control of an Auditor General, who shall hold office for a term of ten years and may not be reappointed.
  • Constitution of the Philippines (1935) - Wikisource 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC en.wikisource.org [Source type: Original source]

 .Hospitality, a trait displayed by every Filipino, makes these people legendary in Southeast Asia.^ It is the one place in the world where foreigners from every nation are welcome, are embraced in “Filipino Hospitality.” .
  • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Filipino women, usually called Filipinas, have more social equality than women in most countries in Southeast Asia.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The Americans later arrived and introduced further cultural changes, which made the Filipinos more and more different from the peoples of other Southeast Asian countries.
  • Philippines | The Filipino Friends Blog 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC thefilipinofriends.com [Source type: Original source]

 Guests will often be treated like royalty in Philippine households. .This is most evident during fiestas when even virtual strangers are welcomed and allowed to partake in the feast that most, if not all, households have during the occasion.^ Even the dead are respected during All Saints Day on November 1 when Filipinos visit the cemetery and watch over graves in a festive mood.
  • Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange: Understanding Persons of Philippine Origin: A Primer for Rehabilitation Service Providers 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC cirrie.buffalo.edu [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Fiestas are held mostly during May, but they may occur on any day of the year, depending on the location or the feast of the particular patron saint.
  • Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange: Understanding Persons of Philippine Origin: A Primer for Rehabilitation Service Providers 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC cirrie.buffalo.edu [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 At times, this hospitality is taken to a fault. .Some households spend their entire savings on their fiesta offerings and sometimes even run into debt just to have lavish food on their table.^ Chinese merchants and traders arrived and settled in the ninth century, sometimes traveling on the ships of Arab traders, introducing Islam in the south and extending some influence even into Luzon.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ However, where Governments have not provided information for the tables appended to Chapters 4 and 17, those tables have been omitted entirely in order to reduce the overall length of the profile and save paper.
  • Country Profile - Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.un.org [Source type: Academic]

 ^ But then, even Camiguin offers plenty of variety (volcano, trekking, hot and cold springs) and if you are both into diving, you should try Malapascua .
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 .They spend the next year paying for these debts and preparing for the next fiesta.^ Fiestas are held mostly during May, but they may occur on any day of the year, depending on the location or the feast of the particular patron saint.
  • Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange: Understanding Persons of Philippine Origin: A Primer for Rehabilitation Service Providers 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC cirrie.buffalo.edu [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ But, if indeed you family is paying to fly you over to the next block ...or Cayman ...or wherever, I thank them profusely for their compassion, and the mental torcher they have to knowingly endure when you are in company.
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 .At any rate, seldom can you find such hospitable people who enjoy the company of their Western visitors.^ You will enjoy the hospitality, sun and sand, the nightlife and certainly the people.
  • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Jobs are out of the question unless you are a senior executive with a foreign company who has an office here and wants to move you here, pay you.
  • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Are you one of those who appreciate arts as it should be or are you one of those people who cannot comprehend how a particular art is supposed to be good or beautiful.

 .Perhaps due to their long association with Spain, Filipinos are emotional and passionate about life in a way that seems more Latin than Asian.^ Perhaps due to their long association with Spain, Filipinos are emotional and passionate about life in a way that seems more Latin than Asian.
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ If a Korean is a racist, then let his hatred consume him inside out; there is more to life than being angry and bitter.
  • Asia Sentinel - Korea Invades the Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.asiasentinel.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ If you wanna know more about life in Korea thru an exchange student's spectacles, visit: Everything Kimchi That's my blog.
  • Asia Sentinel - Korea Invades the Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.asiasentinel.com [Source type: Original source]
.Filipinos lead the bunch of English-proficient Asian people today.^ Filipinos are probably one of the few, if not the only, English-proficient Oriental people today.
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Senator Mar Roxas today vowed to carry on the Filipino people’s quest for democracy and a better life as he leads the Liberal Party and the nation in honoring the late Sen.
  • Liberal Party of the Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.liberalparty.ph [Source type: News]

 ^ The Americans later arrived and introduced further cultural changes, which made the Filipinos more and more different from the peoples of other Southeast Asian countries.
  • Philippines | The Filipino Friends Blog 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC thefilipinofriends.com [Source type: Original source]

 .The American occupation was responsible for teaching the Filipino people the English language.^ Filipino and English are the primary languages of instruction.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ LANGUAGES Two official languages --- Filipino and English.
  • Department of Tourism - The Philippines Ultimate Travel Guide for Tourist 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.visitmyphilippines.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ National or official languages: Filipino, English.
  • Ethnologue report for Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.ethnologue.com [Source type: General]

 .While the official language is Filipino (which many incorrectly equate to Tagalog) and whereas 76-78 languages and 170 dialects exist in this archipelago, still English is the second most widely spoken language in the country.^ The Philippines has two official languages, English and Pilipino, which is based on Tagalog.
  • Treaty With The Philippines on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.lawphil.net [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Filipino which is based on Tagalog, is the national language.
  • Department of Tourism - The Philippines Ultimate Travel Guide for Tourist 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.visitmyphilippines.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Filipino and English are the primary languages of instruction.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.The geographical and cultural grouping of Filipinos is defined by region, where each group has a set of distinct traits and dialects - the sturdy and frugal Ilocanos of the north, the industrious Tagalogs of the central plains, the loving and sweet Visayans from the central islands, and the colorful tribesmen and religious Muslims of Mindanao.^ Mindanao and Panay also have central plains.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The Filipinos are divided geographically and culturally into regions, and each regional group is recognizable by distinct traits and dialects - the sturdy and frugal llocanos of the north, the industrious Tagalogs of the central plains, the carefree Visayans from the central islands, and the colorful tribesmen and religious Moslems of Mindanao.
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The primary religious groups are Christians and Muslims.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 Tribal communities or minorities are likewise scattered across the archipelago.
.Also, it may seem peculiar for tourists to notice the Latin flair in Filipino culture.^ Perhaps due to their long association with Spain, Filipinos are emotional and passionate about life in a way that seems more Latin than Asian.
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ On the other hand, Filipinos also seem to be embracing Korean culture.
  • Asia Sentinel - Korea Invades the Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.asiasentinel.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ It briefly discusses relevant information that may help readers increase their understanding of Filipino culture.
  • Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange: Understanding Persons of Philippine Origin: A Primer for Rehabilitation Service Providers 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC cirrie.buffalo.edu [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Mainstream Philippine culture compared to the rest of Asia is quite Hispanic and westernized at the surface level.^ The Philippines is separated from the rest of Asia by water.
  • Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange: Understanding Persons of Philippine Origin: A Primer for Rehabilitation Service Providers 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC cirrie.buffalo.edu [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Because of its isolation by water from the rest of Asia, the Philippines has qualities unlike its Asian neighbors.
  • Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange: Understanding Persons of Philippine Origin: A Primer for Rehabilitation Service Providers 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC cirrie.buffalo.edu [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Its unique location has made the Philippines the commercial, cultural and intellectual hub of Asia from the dawn of history.
  • Department of Tourism - The Philippines Ultimate Travel Guide for Tourist 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.visitmyphilippines.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .But still, Filipinos are essentially Southeast Asians and many indigenous and pre-Hispanic attitudes and ways of thinking are still noticeable underneath a seemingly westernized veneer.^ Many Filipinos continue to primarily speak their indigenous language, rather than Filipino.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The Americans later arrived and introduced further cultural changes, which made the Filipinos more and more different from the peoples of other Southeast Asian countries.
  • Philippines | The Filipino Friends Blog 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC thefilipinofriends.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ As a result of intermarriage, many Filipinos have some Asian mainland, Spanish, American, Arab, or Indian ancestry.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Muslim Filipinos and indigenous groups, who have retained a fully Malayo-Polynesian culture unaffected by Spanish-influence, are also visible in cities like Manila, Baguio, Davao or Cebu, and can remind a visitor of the amazing diversity and multiculturalism present in the country.^ Philippines - Cebu - Boracay - Baguio - Manila View hotels in Philippines Adventure and recreation in Philippines has been a part of Philippine culture.
  • Adventure and Recreation in Philippines, Philippines Travel Guides 18 September 2009 11:39 UTC www.asiarooms.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Pinoy lesbians do have some political visibility in groups such as The ‘Babaylan Group’ (the name is from pre-Hispanic cross-dressing priests) at the University of the Philippines, ‘CLIC’ (Cannot Live In the Closet) in the main city of Manila, ‘Lesbond’ in the summer mountain resort city of Bagiuo and ‘The Group’ in the southern city of Davao.
  • In “Gay Friendly” Philippines, Lesbians Still Forced to Keep it in the Closet 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.autostraddle.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The centerpiece would probably be lechon, spit-roasted pig, which may be Chinese or Polynesian in influence, but bears a Spanish name, and may therefore derive from cochinillo asado.
  • About the Philippines Islands such as Boracay,Cebu,Palawan,Bohol,Corregidor,Dos Palmas,etc... 25 September 2009 15:39 UTC www.tj-travel.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
San Agustin Church, Intramuros, Manila
San Agustin Church, Intramuros, Manila
.The Philippines is not only the largest Christian country in Asia, but also it is the world's third largest Catholic Nation.^ The Philippines was Spain’s only colony in Asia.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The Philippines is the only English speaking country in Asia.
  • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ The Philippines is the only Christian nation in Asia.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .The Catholic faith remains the single biggest legacy of three hundred years of Spanish colonial rule.^ Religion # A bishop blogger from the Philippines reviews and summarizes the pastoral statements issued by the Philippine Catholic Church in the past three years.

 ^ The Muslims of southern Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago were never baptized and actively resisted Spanish rule for more than 300 years.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ By the terms of this agreement the Filipinos were not to plot against Spanish sovereignty for a period of three years; Aguinaldo and other followers were to be deported, for a period to be fixed by Spain .
  • CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Philippine Islands 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.newadvent.org [Source type: Original source]

 .Catholicism is still taken quite seriously in the Philippines.^ For about 300 years the Philippines was under the crown of Spain (I’m still a little mad about this), and as we all know, the Imperial Spanish loved their Catholicism!
  • In “Gay Friendly” Philippines, Lesbians Still Forced to Keep it in the Closet 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.autostraddle.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 Masses still draw crowds from the biggest cathedrals in the metropolis to the smallest parish chapels in the countryside. .During Holy Week, most broadcast TV stations close down or operate only on limited hours and those that do operate broadcast religious programs.^ The DOLE conducted only sporadic inspections to enforce limits on workweek hours.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ DOLE conducted only sporadic inspections to enforce limits on workweek hours.
  • Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ By law the standard legal workweek is 48 hours for most categories of industrial workers and 40 hours for government workers, with an eight-hour per day limit.
  • Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .The Catholic Church also still exerts quite a bit of influence even on non-religious affairs such as affairs of state.^ There he exerted a decisive influence on the already anti-Trinitarian Minor Reformed Church, which for a time bid for religious dominance in Poland.
  • Adherents.com: By Location 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC www.adherents.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Following American practice, the Philippine Organic Act imposed the strict separation of church and state and eliminated the Roman Catholic Church as the official state religion.
  • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ No other Communist country has such a deeply ingrained religious faith: on any given Sunday, close to 90% of the Polish population goes to church.
  • Adherents.com: By Location 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC www.adherents.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Mores are changing slowly, however; Filipinos are now slowly accepting what were previously taboo issues in as far as Catholic doctrine is concerned, such as artificial birth control, premarital sex, and the dissolution of marriage vows.^ Attempts to finalize the agreement, however, collapsed in July, 2008, when Muslims accused the government of reopening settled issues; the agreement was also challenged in court by Filipinos opposed to it.
  • The Philippines Facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about The Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.encyclopedia.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The Americans later arrived and introduced further cultural changes, which made the Filipinos more and more different from the peoples of other Southeast Asian countries.
  • Philippines | The Filipino Friends Blog 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC thefilipinofriends.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ However, Pontenila discovered that the more educated the city dweller is, the more accepting he is of the person with the mental handicap.
  • Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange: Understanding Persons of Philippine Origin: A Primer for Rehabilitation Service Providers 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC cirrie.buffalo.edu [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 　
.The biggest religious minority are Muslim Filipinos who primarily live in Mindanao and Sulu, but also increasingly in cities such as Manila, Baguio or Cebu in the north and central parts of the country.^ North central Mindanao, Misamis Oriental, south of Ginoog City.
  • Ethnologue report for Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.ethnologue.com [Source type: General]

 ^ The Maguindanao, who live mainly on Mindanao, are the largest Muslim group in the country.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Philippines - Cebu - Boracay - Baguio - Manila View hotels in Philippines Adventure and recreation in Philippines has been a part of Philippine culture.
  • Adventure and Recreation in Philippines, Philippines Travel Guides 18 September 2009 11:39 UTC www.asiarooms.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .They account for around 5% of the population.^ They accounted for approximately 14 percent of the national population, with over 60 percent of the total in Mindanao.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
  • Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Islam is the oldest continually practiced organized religion in the Philippines, with the first conversions made in the 12th century AD. Islam became such an important force that Manila at the time of the Spanish arrival in the 16th century was a Muslim city.^ By that time, the Philippines was under Spanish rule.
  • Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange: Understanding Persons of Philippine Origin: A Primer for Rehabilitation Service Providers 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC cirrie.buffalo.edu [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Christianity was established in the Philippines only after the arrival of the succeeding Spanish expeditionary forces (the first led by Legazpi in the early 16th century) and the Spanish Jesuits, and in the 17th and 18th centuries by the conquistadores.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The certificate cited CERV’s “valuable and continuing contributions to the municipality through (its) foreign health volunteers…their untiring efforts to exchange knowledge and technology with local health workers…(and) their warm and harmonious…relationship with the people of San Agustin, Romblon.” While it is the practice of health office and the hospital to issue certificates to donations, this is the first time that the Local Government Unit and its Health Office awarded such a certificate to CERV-Philippines.

 .Many aspects of this Islamic past are seen in certain cultural traits many mainstream Christian Filipinos still exhibit (such as eating and hygiene etiquette) and has added to the melting pot of Filipino culture in general.^ I am still active in medical hypnosis, biofeedback, psychotherapy and cross cultural counseling, resolving Filipino Foreigner relationship conflicts, but by appointment only.
  • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ These people belonged to a primitive epoch of Malayan culture, which has apparently survived to this day among certain groups such as the Igorots.
  • The Philippines Facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about The Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.encyclopedia.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Muslim Filipinos, also known as Moros or Moro Muslims, constitute the second largest group with a common cultural identity, although there are many linguistic and cultural differences among them.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Sadly, Terrorist attacks and violent confrontations between the Filipino army and splinter militant Islamic organizations such as the Abu Sayyaf and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front have strained relations between Muslim and the non-Muslim Filipinos in rural areas in the south.^ The Moro Islamic Liberation Front also maintained similar "people's courts."
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
  • Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ IDPs: 150,000 (fighting between government troops and MILF and Abu Sayyaf groups) (2004) .
  • CIA - The World Factbook -- Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.umsl.edu [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ IDPs: 300,000 (fighting between government troops and MILF and Abu Sayyaf groups) (2007) .
  • CIA - The World Factbook -- Philippines 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.cia.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Yet, the Muslim Filipinos are much more liberal in their interpretations of Islam, and like the Muslims of Indonesia, are generally more relaxed regarding such topics as gender-segregation or the hijab (veil) than South Asians or Middle Eastern Muslims.^ Much like in Ghana where there are more creepy old white ladies with young local men than white men.
  • The Philippines: The Longest Way Home 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC thelongestwayhome.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Filipino women, usually called Filipinas, have more social equality than women in most countries in Southeast Asia.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The Muslims of southern Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago were never baptized and actively resisted Spanish rule for more than 300 years.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.Indian Filipinos, Chinese Filipinos, and Japanese Filipinos are mostly Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Shinto, and Taoist which all accounts 3% of the population of the Philippines.^ Chinese population in the Philippines (1982).
  • Ethnologue report for Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.ethnologue.com [Source type: General]

 ^ The Muslim population of the Philippines lives mostly in the southern islands of Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Thus, the Japanese had made a considerable penetration south all the way to the Philippine division headquarters.
  • Company C, 194th Tank Battalion in the Philippines, 1941-42 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.militarymuseum.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .These populations have been in the country for centuries preceding Spanish rule, and many aspects of Buddhist and Hindu belief and culture are seen in the mainstream culture of Christian or Muslim Filipinos as well.^ Dance is a mixture of Filipino and Spanish cultures.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Towards the latter half of the 19th century, European-educated Filipinos or ilustrados (such as the Chinese Filipino national hero Jose Rizal) began to criticize the excesses of Spanish rule and instilled a new sense of national identity.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Towards the latter half of the 19th century, Western-educated Filipinos or ilustrados (such as national hero Jose Rizal) began to criticize the excesses of Spanish rule and instilled a new sense of national identity.
  • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]

 .As with many things in the Philippines, religion statistics are never clear-cut and defined, and many Christians and Muslims also practice and believe in indigenous spiritual aspects (such as honoring natural deities and ancestor-worship, as well as the existence of magic and healers) that may in some cases contradict the orthodox rules of their religions.^ D mai.pen, show our buddy jhonny some thai curves, to see is to believe, he he he ...
  • Filipina Hot Babes [Archive] - Boxing Forum 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.boxingscene.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Because of poverty, coupled with a strong sense of religion acquired from Spanish friars, alternative forms of medical practices have developed in the Philippines.
  • Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange: Understanding Persons of Philippine Origin: A Primer for Rehabilitation Service Providers 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC cirrie.buffalo.edu [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ There were some reports of Muslim discrimination against Christians in areas where Muslims were the majority.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

Climate

.The climate is tropical, with March to May (summer) being the hottest months.^ CLIMATE March to May is hot and dry.
  • Department of Tourism - The Philippines Ultimate Travel Guide for Tourist 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.visitmyphilippines.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The summer months of April and May have temperatures in excess of 39 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit).
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The school year runs from June to March to avoid the hot months of April and May.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .The rainy season starts in June and extends through October with strong typhoons possible.^ Typhoons occur from June through November.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The monsoon season extends from November to April in the northeast and May to October in the southwest.
  • Philippines Travel Advice and Advisories | Government of Canada 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.voyage.gc.ca [Source type: News]

 ^ Also, during the typhhon season form June to October is really good.
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 .The coolest months are from November to February, with mid-January to end of February considered the best for cooler and dryer weather.^ Says: January 19th, 2008 at 10:50 am how about the weather at the end of MArch to sepnd some days onthe beaches like Boracay ??
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Temperatures are cooler in November through January, dropping below 30 degrees Celsius (85 degrees Fahrenheit).
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ That dip also typically happens in January and February, bringing the coldest weather to the northern half of the US. Well this year it's happening early.
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 Locations exposed directly to the Pacific Ocean have frequent rainfall all year. .This includes the popular Pagsanjan Falls southeast of Manila (though the falls will get you wet regardless).^ Be aware though, that the housing costs above are mainly applicable for Manila, you can live cheaper in the countryside and on not so populated islands.
  • Cost of Living Chart – Philippines (in Peso, Dollar and Euro) » nomad4ever 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 .The average temperatures range from 78°F / 25°C to 90°F / 32°C, and humidity is around 77 percent.^ Average temperatures: 78°F / 25°C to 90°F / 32°C; humidity is 77%.
  • Department of Tourism - The Philippines Ultimate Travel Guide for Tourist 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.visitmyphilippines.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Baguio, which is branded as the summer capital of the Philippines, tends to be cooler due to its being located in mountainous regions with temperatures at night going below 20°C (68°F).^ BAGUIO The country's summer capital, Baguio City, stands amidst the mountainous region of the Cordillera.
  • Department of Tourism - The Philippines Ultimate Travel Guide for Tourist 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.visitmyphilippines.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Interior valleys and leeward sides of islands tend to be warmer, while mountain slopes and peaks and windward sides of islands tend to be cooler.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Domingo had been studying in Manila, and was encouraged to leave the Philippine capital due to rumors of the coming war with Japan.
  • The Borromeo Family of the Philippines » TheBorromeoFamily.com 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.theborromeofamily.com [Source type: General]
Public Holidays
  • New Year's Day - January 1
  • Maundy Thursday - Varies
  • Good Friday - Varies
  • Easter Sunday - Varies
  • Araw Ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) - April 9
  • Labor Day - May 1
  • Independence Day - June 12
  • Ninoy Aquino Day - August 21
  • National Heroes Day - Last Monday of August
  • All Saints Day - November 1
  • All Souls Day - November 2
  • Eid Ul Fitr (Hari Raya Puasa) - Varies according to lunar calendar
  • Eid Ul Adha - Varies according to lunar calendar
  • Bonifacio Day - November 30
  • Christmas Day - December 25
  • Rizal Day - December 30
  • Last Day of the Year - December 31
.Being a predominantly Catholic country means observing the traditional Catholic holidays of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday during Lent.^ On Easter weekend, the entire Christian area of the country is shut down from noon on Maundy Thursday until the morning of Black Saturday.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Christmas and New Year's Day are also observed as non-working holidays along with All Saints Day on November 1 and All Souls Day on November 2. In recognition of the Muslim Filipino, the Islamic feast of Eid-Al-Fitr (known in the Philippines as Hari Raya Puasa), held after Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting, is also a national holiday.^ Happy holy days to all throughout the year!
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Sino-Filipinos celebrate the Chinese New Year, which is not a national holiday, in January or February.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ New Year's Day is more of a family holiday than Christmas.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .This day changes year by year, as it follows the Lunar Calendar.^ The term of office of Senators shall be six years and shall begin on the thirtieth day of December next following their election.
  • Constitution of the Philippines (1935) - Wikisource 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC en.wikisource.org [Source type: Original source]

 ^ The term of office of the Members of the House of Representatives shall be four years and shall begin on the thirtieth day of December next following their election.
  • Constitution of the Philippines (1935) - Wikisource 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC en.wikisource.org [Source type: Original source]

 ^ The terms of the President and Vice-President shall end at noon on the thirtieth day of December following the expiration of four years after their election, and the terms of their successors shall begin from such time.
  • Constitution of the Philippines (1935) - Wikisource 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC en.wikisource.org [Source type: Original source]

 .Chinese New Year is also celebrated by the Chinese Community but dates vary according to the lunar calendar.^ Dog eating has deep roots in Vietnam; it is a practice steeped in ritual, and associated with certain dates on the lunar calendar.

 ^ Sino-Filipinos celebrate the Chinese New Year, which is not a national holiday, in January or February.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The galleon trade presented new opportunities for Chinese merchants, who formed an economically important community in Manila by the 1590s.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.Secular holidays include Labor Day (May 1) and Independence Day (June 12).^ Labor Day is celebrated on 1 May.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Independence Day on 12 June celebrates freedom from Spanish rule.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Other national secular holidays are Fall of Bataan Day, an observation of the Bataan Death March in 1942 on 9 April.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 August 30 is declared National Heroes Day. .Some holidays also commemorate national heroes such as Jose Rizal (Dec.^ Doctor Jose Rizal is the national hero.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Towards the latter half of the 19th century, European-educated Filipinos or ilustrados (such as the Chinese Filipino national hero Jose Rizal) began to criticize the excesses of Spanish rule and instilled a new sense of national identity.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Towards the latter half of the 19th century, Western-educated Filipinos or ilustrados (such as national hero Jose Rizal) began to criticize the excesses of Spanish rule and instilled a new sense of national identity.
  • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]

 30) and Andres Bonifacio (Nov. 30) as well as Ninoy Aquino (August 21).
.Metro Manila is less congested during Holy Week as people tend to go to their hometowns to spend the holidays there.^ Philippines, Do not be fooled by them just because of "Money" I dont care if they spend 800.00 to 1,000.00 there a month, I spend more than that in one week and I treat the filipino people and the custom with the utmost of respect.
  • Asia Sentinel - Korea Invades the Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.asiasentinel.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ For example if you wanna go to manila living there for a few weeks might be more expensive than going to davao city, cebu city or cagayan de oro city.
  • Cost of Living Chart – Philippines (in Peso, Dollar and Euro) » nomad4ever 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 ^ During other national holidays, they quietly spend some time with their families and friends.
  • Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange: Understanding Persons of Philippine Origin: A Primer for Rehabilitation Service Providers 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC cirrie.buffalo.edu [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Holy week is also considered part of the super peak season for most beach resorts such as Boracay and the most popular ones tend to get overcrowded at this time.^ The famous White Beach on Boracay Island is one of the most beautiful tropical beaches in the world.
  • Philippines Tourist Attractions, Philippines Travel Guides, Travel Information 18 September 2009 11:39 UTC www.asiarooms.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Sulit.com.ph is one of the most popular classified ads posting forum site in the Philippines.

 ^ Robbie owns and operates a restaurant in Boracay (a famous beach resort in the Philippines) and a bar in Makati, Metro Manila.
  • The Borromeo Family of the Philippines » TheBorromeoFamily.com 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.theborromeofamily.com [Source type: General]

 Due to its cool mountain weather, Baguio is also where a lot of people spend the Holy Week break.

Culture

.The Philippines is a diverse country just like its neighboring countries; Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, making the country more of a Salad bowl.^ Immediately to the south of the Philippines is Indonesia and to the southwest are Malaysia and Singapore.
  • Philippines | The Filipino Friends Blog 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC thefilipinofriends.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Philippine is one country I’m intended to visit in future, this post makes a good reference.
  • Cost of Living Chart – Philippines (in Peso, Dollar and Euro) » nomad4ever 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Mining The Philippines is one of the world's most highly mineralized countries, with untapped mineral wealth estimated at more than $840 billion.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Filipino Culture is influenced by Asian, European, American and Islamic culture.^ It has a rich history combining Asian, European, and American influences.
  • Department of Tourism - The Philippines Ultimate Travel Guide for Tourist 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.visitmyphilippines.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The Americans later arrived and introduced further cultural changes, which made the Filipinos more and more different from the peoples of other Southeast Asian countries.
  • Philippines | The Filipino Friends Blog 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC thefilipinofriends.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ As a result of intermarriage, many Filipinos have some Asian mainland, Spanish, American, Arab, or Indian ancestry.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Filipino culture can be seen in the Tinikling dance which also shows distinctive influence from the Indonesians, the dance is mistakenly known as the national dance because of its popularity, the dance is demonstrated by two or more people holding two or more bamboo sticks known as Kawayan, then they start moving the bamboo sticks as the dancers put their foot in between the bamboo sticks quickly out and in.^ People from the Philippines are called Filipinos but they are also known as Pinoy .
  • Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange: Understanding Persons of Philippine Origin: A Primer for Rehabilitation Service Providers 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC cirrie.buffalo.edu [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Dance is a mixture of Filipino and Spanish cultures.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Philippines, Do not be fooled by them just because of "Money" I dont care if they spend 800.00 to 1,000.00 there a month, I spend more than that in one week and I treat the filipino people and the custom with the utmost of respect.
  • Asia Sentinel - Korea Invades the Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.asiasentinel.com [Source type: Original source]

 .Hispanic, European and American influence can be seen in all fields of a modern Filipino's life.^ Seemingly less dangerous than the all-American “God-Hates-Fags” route is the Filipino Catholic Church’s focus on a specific type of family unit.
  • In “Gay Friendly” Philippines, Lesbians Still Forced to Keep it in the Closet 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.autostraddle.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ It has a rich history combining Asian, European, and American influences.
  • Department of Tourism - The Philippines Ultimate Travel Guide for Tourist 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.visitmyphilippines.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Cockfighting and boxing are popular spectator sports, and American influence is seen in the wide popularity of baseball and basketball.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Watch the award-winning movie Himala(1982) (Himala means Miracle in Tagalog), by Ricky Lee and was starred by award-winning actress Nora Aunor, the movie was acclaimed Best Film of All Time by CNN APSA Viewers Choice Award as well as Asia-Pacific Film Festival Special Achievement for Best Depiction of Socially Involved Religion.^ Jana Mattioli is set to direct, and the movie will premiere at the Hoboken International Film Festival in June 2010.
  • Philippines Hub | Philippines Gay Blog Report | Towleroad, News Daily for Gay Guys. 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.towleroad.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Give now each team the grace to play their best, To be a good sport, And to realize that win, lose or tie, We all come away winners in creation.
  • Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Juan Manuel Marquez (Free Live Streaming): Team Pilipinas defeats Chinese Taipei NT, 77-70 (Game Replay Video, Photos and Game Statistics) 23 September 2009 0:50 UTC teampilipinas.info [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ I would like to congratulate all the winners of the first Asia Pacific Blog Awards spearheaded by Nuffnang Singapore.

 .Read Jose Rizal's two novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo both which were written during the Spanish occupation, Jose Rizal considered as a National Hero in the Philippines after fearlessly speaking out against the Spanish.^ Doctor Jose Rizal is the national hero.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Towards the latter half of the 19th century, European-educated Filipinos or ilustrados (such as the Chinese Filipino national hero Jose Rizal) began to criticize the excesses of Spanish rule and instilled a new sense of national identity.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Maundy Thursday – three days before Easter Good Friday – two days before Easter Easter Sunday April 9 – Day of Valor May 1 – Labor Day June 12 – Independence Day (from Spanish rule) November 30 – Bonifacio Day (death anniversary of Philippine hero Andres Bonifacio) December 30 – Rizal Day (death anniversary of national hero Jose Rizal) Filipinos prepare festive food during the Christmas season and fiestas.
  • Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange: Understanding Persons of Philippine Origin: A Primer for Rehabilitation Service Providers 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC cirrie.buffalo.edu [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Try Kamayan, a literal meaning for eating with hands, while in the Philippines, it would make the Filipino experience better.^ Make no mistake though even though I prefer Filipino women over any other Asian women that does not mean I still wouldn't go for a Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese or Thai if we were compatible, you better believe I would hit that.
  • Filipina Hot Babes [Archive] - Boxing Forum 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.boxingscene.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ I would rate most well-known Philippine beaches even better than the beaches of Thailand.
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Asked whether Japan or the USA would make the more vindictive enemy, Laurel, the first and only president of the wartime Philippine republic, answered that Japan would.
  • The Philippines Facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about The Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.encyclopedia.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.
  • Manila - the national capital and is part of what is called the greater Metropolitan Manila area (Metro Manila).
  • Bacolod - the city of smiles and land of the sweet tooth.
  • Baguio - the country's summer capital (cool weather), well-maintained parks and views and home of the indigenous "Igorot" peoples
  • Cebu - known as the Queen City of the South, Cebu is the first established indigenous settlement discovered by the west in the Philippines
  • Cagayan de Oro - known as the City of Golden Friendship, it is popular for whitewater rafting and is the gateway to Northern Mindanao.
  • Davao - one of the largest cities in the world in terms of land area
  • Tagbilaran City, Bohol - site of the Blood Compact Treaty between Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Rajah Sikatuna representing the Bohol-anon people (of Bohol).
  • Vigan - historic Spanish town, north of the Philippines and about 5 hours drive or bus ride from Manila.^ Manila, located on east central Luzon Island, is the national capital and largest city.
    • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

     ^ BAGUIO The country's summer capital, Baguio City, stands amidst the mountainous region of the Cordillera.
    • Department of Tourism - The Philippines Ultimate Travel Guide for Tourist 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.visitmyphilippines.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

     ^ And discovery home to the worlds largest Pearl.
    • The Philippines: The Longest Way Home 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC thelongestwayhome.com [Source type: Original source]

     A UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • Zamboanga City- also known as the Asia's Latin City which comes alive during the Fiesta Pilar

Regions

There are a total of 79 provinces in the Philippines that can be divided among three main island groups:
Regions of the Philippines
Regions of the Philippines
Luzon (Luzon, Palawan, Mindoro, Marinduque, Masbate)
The northernmost island group, center of government, history and economy and home to the capital
Visayas (Negros, Cebu (island), Bohol, Leyte)
The central island group, heart of the country’s antiquity, nature and biodiversity
Mindanao (Mindanao, Basilan)
the southernmost island group, which showcases the Philippines’ indigenous and rich cultures
The Mayon volcano, near Bicol
The Mayon volcano, near Bicol
.On entering the Philippines foreigners from most countries [2] automatically get a free 3-week tourist visa.^ Most of these are underground guerrillas, of whom liberates the country through assassination of the foreign looting politicians.
  • Philippines - eRepublik Official Wiki 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC wiki.erepublik.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ That is, the U.S. investors had the right to be treated as equals of Philippine nationals, not as investors from any other foreign country.
  • Philippines | The Filipino Friends Blog 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC thefilipinofriends.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Philippine marketing people have foreigners especially tourist in their target market along with overseas workers who have good income too.
  • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]

 .If intending on staying longer you should apply for a visa extension.^ If you want to stay over 21 days or for life there are visa requirements.
  • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ But just come over, work all that out later if you want to stay longer as many do.
  • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]

 .Each visa extension is valid for 59 days, except the first which is 38 days (i.e 59-21).^ For stays of less than 21 days, no visas are required, provided travelers have a valid passport, good for at least one year and onward tickets departing the Philippines.
  • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ If you want to stay over 21 days or for life there are visa requirements.
  • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ But for less than 21 days even a visa is not required.
  • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]

 .Effective 27 May 2009, all passengers regardless of citizenship or residence must fill-out the new machine-readable arrival-departure card which is issued by the airline.^ If you are not that adventurous to just take off, read the visa section at and join the mailing list to get all the latest information, find out about spousal visas, fiancée visas for Filipinas, Filipinos, permanent resident visas, so may others.
  • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ First thing in the morning they are all out there weeding, watering and breaking in new ground.

 ^ Naturally, any citizen who had been a resident of the Philippines during the implementation of the Citizenship Module on July 16, 2009 will have automatically the Philippine Citizenship.
  • Philippines - eRepublik Official Wiki 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC wiki.erepublik.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Unlike the previous scheme where arrival and departure cards are filled-out separately and independently from each other, the new card has a portion for arriving passengers, which will be given to the passport control officer and another part to be retained in the passport until departure.^ Most destinations, including Philippines, require that you have adequate un-used pages in your passport, allowing for any necessary stamps upon arrival and departure.
  • Philippines Visa : Application, Requirements. Apply for Philippine Visas Online. 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC philippines.visahq.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Other Spanish expeditions followed, including one from New Spain (Mexico) under López de Villalobos, who in 1542 named the islands for the infante Philip, later Philip II. Spanish Control The conquest of the Filipinos by Spain did not begin in earnest until 1564, when another expedition from New Spain, commanded by Miguel López de Legaspi , arrived.
  • The Philippines Facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about The Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.encyclopedia.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ On the other hand, a provincial city can never be presumed to be legally independent regardless of its charter, which is restricted, and will always be legally part of its parent province by association and boundary until it is ready for legal emancipation.
  • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]
.You can pay on departure a fine of PhP1000 per month of overstay plus the PhP2020 fee.^ You have to pay a 20 pesos tourist fee to visit or stay in the town, and they insist you have to take a guide just about everywhere.
  • The Philippines: The Longest Way Home 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC thelongestwayhome.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ I pay the maid and cook $40 per month each (above average in the Philippines) plus the cost of their food.
  • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ As I said earlier, to live in Manila, you will need $1,500 per month to live comfortably.
  • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]
.To avoid all the hassle, before traveling get the longer visa from the embassy (or a consulate), as this saves you a couple of days hassle during your holiday.^ If you know of any errors or omissions or have any additional information, click on the "send edits" link found next to an embassy/consulate name.
  • Overseas Embassies and Consulates of Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.embassiesabroad.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Hope you and your wife can give us the first French-Filipino player one day !
  • Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Juan Manuel Marquez (Free Live Streaming): Team Pilipinas defeats Chinese Taipei NT, 77-70 (Game Replay Video, Photos and Game Statistics) 23 September 2009 0:50 UTC teampilipinas.info [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The entire trip can be strenuous if you do it all in one day.
  • The Philippines: The Longest Way Home 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC thelongestwayhome.com [Source type: Original source]

 .Contact the Philippine embassy of your country about the exact requirements for a visa application and opening hours of the consular section.^ The Embassy pursues the enhancement of Philippine bilateral relations with the countries under its jurisdiction by projecting the Philippines as a dynamic player in the international community.
  • Overseas Embassies and Consulates of Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.embassiesabroad.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Consular Information Sheets exist for all countries and include information on entry and exit requirements, currency regulations, health conditions, safety and security, crime, political disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S. embassies and consulates abroad.
  • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Bus tickets are about $20, and if you own your own car it’s less than a 3 hour drive.
  • Cost of Living Chart – Philippines (in Peso, Dollar and Euro) » nomad4ever 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 .When you arrive with a visa, show it to the immigration official, so that he will actually give you the 59 days, instead of the normal 21 days, on your arrival stamp.^ When you fly in you get a stamp which gives you 21 days free pass.
  • The Philippines: The Longest Way Home 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC thelongestwayhome.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Your truck is giving off gases, particulate matter and heat that this earth doesn't need, simply because some dolt misdesigned it and you bought it.
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Hey, if you want a picture to show by your comment, why not get a gravatar ?
  • Cost of Living Chart – Philippines (in Peso, Dollar and Euro) » nomad4ever 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]
Bureau of Immigration offices are as follows:
-Bureau of Immigration Main Office. Magallanes Drive, Intramuros, Manila. Tel (011-63-2)527-5657.
-Bureau of Immigration Regional Office. .P Burgos Street, Tribunal, Mandaue City, Cebu.^ She has remained single her entire life, and used to reside in an old home on Sikatuna Street in Cebu City, from where she operated a successful catering business.
  • The Borromeo Family of the Philippines » TheBorromeoFamily.com 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.theborromeofamily.com [Source type: General]

 Tel (011-63-32)345-6442/6443/6444.
-Bureau of Immigration Regional Office - Davao. BI Building, JP Laurel Ave., Bajada, Davao City, Tel (011-63-82)300-7258.
-Bureau of Immigration offices in other locations: [3]

By plane

Since the Philippines is an archipelago, most visitors will arrive by plane. .International travelers can fly into airports in Manila, Cebu, Davao, Clark (Angeles), Kalibo, Laoag, Subic (Zambales), and Zamboanga.^ Starting in July of this year, the seedlings will be planted along the North Luzon and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac expressways (NLEX and SCTEX) north of the capital Manila.

 ^ Guests traveling from Manila to Cauayan (Isabela), Tuguegarao (Cagayan Valley) and Laoag (Ilocos Norte) can avail of Cebu Pacific’s ‘Go Lite’ seat sale fare of only Php699.

 ^ Chris Says: May 26th, 2008 at 6:12 pm In addition to Gerry’s comments I just want to mention that the 2 main international airports are Manila and Cebu.
  • Cost of Living Chart – Philippines (in Peso, Dollar and Euro) » nomad4ever 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 .The Philippines, being an archipelago and therefore not connected by land to any of its neighboring countries is the usual reason why this paradise destination is skipped by many uninformed travelers.^ At that time sea levels were lower, creating land bridges that connected the Southeast Asian mainland to some of the present-day islands of the Malay Archipelago, south of the Philippine Islands.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ There are no land boundaries; the country is bordered on the west by the South China Sea, on the east by the Philippine Sea, on the south by the Celebes Sea, and on the north by the Luzon Strait, which separates the country from its nearest neighbor, Taiwan.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ WW2 was a disgraced for my country that's why many of them died for that.
  • Michael Marley'�s Boxing Confidential� News, Analysis, and Commentary 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.boxingconfidential.com [Source type: Original source]

 .But below you will read about different options to reach the Philippine islands.^ So what do you think about the Philippines?
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 ^ With its numerous islands, the Philippines has a total coastline of about 36,289 km (22,549 mi).
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Especially when we have tourists like you who rave about what the Philippines has to offer.
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]
NAIA Centennial Terminal (Terminal 2)
NAIA Centennial Terminal (Terminal 2)
.If you plan to travel around the various islands, it is best to get an open jaw ticket.^ Those will help you get around, travel in comfort, and enjoy life, rather than being cooped up watching TV and doing Internet.
  • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ When in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, one of the best you can do on a hot summer day is to check out and do some island-hopping at Honday Bay.

 This can save much time back-tracking. .Most common open jaw combination fly into Manila and out of Cebu.^ But PAL-Express is mroe reliable and they fly out of the newer airport terminal here in Manila.
  • Cost of Living Chart – Philippines (in Peso, Dollar and Euro) » nomad4ever 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 ^ If I remember correctly Cebu Pacific and Tiger Airways fly into Clark Base (a few hours north of Manila) as well, at least from Singapore.
  • Cost of Living Chart – Philippines (in Peso, Dollar and Euro) » nomad4ever 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Tragically, this last ship out from Manila to Cebu struck an American mine and sunk with a great loss of life.
  • The Borromeo Family of the Philippines » TheBorromeoFamily.com 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.theborromeofamily.com [Source type: General]
.The cheapest option when coming from Europe or South America is transitting into Singapore (via Tiger Airways) or Hong Kong (via Cebu Pacific or Philippine Airlines) or fairly recently Kuala Lumpur (via Air Asia).^ The Asia Pacific Poker tour launch event will be August 23nd to 26th at the 5 Star Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila in the Philippines with the 2nd event scheduled for the 27th -30th September at the Sheraton Walkerhill Hotel and Casino in Seoul, South Korea.
  • Home Poker Games - Listing of Home Poker Games in Philippines 23 January 2010 15:57 UTC www.homepokergames.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Find your discounted multi-stop international, around-the-world, circle-pacific, circle-asia, and circle-atlantic air tickets.
  • Overseas Embassies and Consulates of Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.embassiesabroad.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Philippines - Cebu - Boracay - Baguio - Manila View hotels in Philippines Philippines an exotic tourist destination in Southeast Asia boasts of several fascinating tourist destinations of the world.
  • Philippines Tourist Attractions, Philippines Travel Guides, Travel Information 18 September 2009 11:39 UTC www.asiarooms.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .In fact, the Air Asia trip from London to KL can be as low as €200 if you book a flight during off-peak season or well in advance.^ With Boracay, you should come there off season.
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 ^ We’re a well travelled couple thinking of flying Air Asia from KL to Manila for a few weeks in Nov/ Dec with our 2 1/2 year old son.
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 ^ You will be responsible for books, study guides, and for incidental costs such as postage for mailing exams to SVI for grading, as well as housing and food while in residency.
  • 2009/2010 SomaVeda Thai Yoga and Thai Massage Teacher Certification Program, course details and descriptions and cost. 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.thaiyogacenter.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .From KL, Cebu Pacific airlines can take you direct to Manila or you can pass by Singapore before your trip to this beautiful archipelago.^ They may become your friends and contacts, and even provide inside information , to help you before you come to the Philippines , not when it is already too late.
  • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ If you’re going there from Manila, you can go to Boracay by taking a 50-minute Philippine Airlines flight to Kalibo, Aklan Province.
  • Philippines | The Filipino Friends Blog 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC thefilipinofriends.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ The staff will make arrangements to have you picked up at the Cebu airport and driven to the north end of Cebu where you take a short ferry ride over to Bantayan.
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 .From North America, use Philippine Airlines which has direct service from Vancouver and a stopover in Guam from San Francisco and Los Angeles.^ Until Mexico proclaimed independence from Spain in 1810, the islands were under the administrative control of Spanish North America, and there was significant migration between North America and the Philippines.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Most of the Philippine Islands are clustered in a predominantly north-south direction.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Spanish never became a widely used or learned language in the Philippines, in contrast to the Spanish colonies in the Americas, because the Spanish friars used the vernacular to introduce Catholicism to the indigenous population.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .But there are many regional carriers that can give excellent open jaw ticket options Silkair with Singapore Airlines being one.^ There are also some minor spelling changes, and the code for one of the old regions is changed.
  • Philippines Provinces 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.statoids.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ First, they can store most of their belongings there and carry as light a bag as possible while travelling around the region.
  • Cost of Living Chart – Philippines (in Peso, Dollar and Euro) » nomad4ever 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]
.Most visitors will fly in through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila.^ The country’s international airports are Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila and Mactan International Airport near the city of Cebu.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Chris Says: May 26th, 2008 at 6:12 pm In addition to Gerry’s comments I just want to mention that the 2 main international airports are Manila and Cebu.
  • Cost of Living Chart – Philippines (in Peso, Dollar and Euro) » nomad4ever 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 ^ But PAL-Express is mroe reliable and they fly out of the newer airport terminal here in Manila.
  • Cost of Living Chart – Philippines (in Peso, Dollar and Euro) » nomad4ever 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 NAIA has three terminals. .Terminal 2 is exclusively used by Philippine Airlines for its International and Domestic flight networks.^ Avail the lowest promotional fare on Domestic and International Airline Tickets .
  • Philippine Hotels - Best Price Hotels in the Philippines with Instant Confirmation and Last Minute Bookings 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.southtravels.com [Source type: General]

 ^ The Egmont Group, the international network of financial intelligence units, admitted the Philippines to its membership in June 2005.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ If you’re going there from Manila, you can go to Boracay by taking a 50-minute Philippine Airlines flight to Kalibo, Aklan Province.
  • Philippines | The Filipino Friends Blog 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC thefilipinofriends.com [Source type: Original source]

 .Terminal 1 is used by airlines that fly to international destinations.^ The old domestic terminal where all the other domestic airlines fly out is simply too crowded and chaotic.
  • Cost of Living Chart – Philippines (in Peso, Dollar and Euro) » nomad4ever 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 .The Manila Domestic Passenger Terminal is used by airlines that fly to domestic destinations.^ But PAL-Express is mroe reliable and they fly out of the newer airport terminal here in Manila.
  • Cost of Living Chart – Philippines (in Peso, Dollar and Euro) » nomad4ever 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Subic Bay International Airport, near Manila, serves international commercial flights as well as domestic passenger flights.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The old domestic terminal where all the other domestic airlines fly out is simply too crowded and chaotic.
  • Cost of Living Chart – Philippines (in Peso, Dollar and Euro) » nomad4ever 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 Terminal 3, the largest and most modern of the terminals , is open to Cebu Pacific, PAL Express and AirPhilippines operations.
.Major airlines that fly to Manila include KLM, which have daily connections from Amsterdam coming from Europe; Northwest Airlines, which has various connections from the United States via Japan; Singapore Airlines with multiple connections each day to Singapore, and Cathay Pacific which offers multiple flights a day to Hong Kong and further into the the Chinese Mainland.^ The draft treaty did not include use of Clark Air Base, which had been so heavily damaged by the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo that the United States decided to abandon it.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ When the United States defeated Spain in 1898, the Philippine Islands were divided into four gobiernos (governments): Bisayas, Islas Adjacentes (present-day Palawan), Luzon, and Mindanao.
  • Philippines Provinces 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.statoids.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The archipelago was invaded by Japan during World War II. After the war, the United States granted independence on 1946-07-04.
  • Philippines Provinces 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.statoids.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Budget carrier Jet Air Asia operates flights from Singapore to Manila unlike other low cost carriers which fly to Clark (see below).^ Budgets, posted by members, are on the Link, "Cost of Living, Houses, Food and Other Expenses."
  • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ In Manila, Peter and the other volunteers helped in the relief operations of Sagip Kapamilya of ABS-CBN, the country’s biggest media network.

 ^ We’re a well travelled couple thinking of flying Air Asia from KL to Manila for a few weeks in Nov/ Dec with our 2 1/2 year old son.
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]
Major airlines that fly into Manila include (as of January 2010):
  • Air Macau, 6/F, 134 Min Sheng East Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan, ☎ (886-2) 25454716 (), [4]. (Macau)  edit
  • Air Niugini, Jackson International Airport, ☎ +(675) 327 3396 (). (Port Moresby)  edit
  • Asiana Airlines, [5]. .(Busan,Seoul)  edit
  • Cathay Pacific, Suite 1808, 18th floor, Tower 6 The Gateway, Harbour City, 9 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong, ☎ (852) 2747-1888 (Mon-Fri:0700-2300, [6].^ Cebu Pacific Promo - Domestic Connections to Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei, and Macau Seat Sale Phlist.com .

     ^ Philippine Honorary Consulate in South Florida       send edits 1635 Miami Road, suite #3 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 City: Miami Phone: (954) 524-2610 Web Site: http://www.philippineconsulateofsouthflorida.com/ Office Hours: Mon.
    • Overseas Embassies and Consulates of Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.embassiesabroad.com [Source type: General]

     ^ Jan 27, Cebu Pacific Promo -Domestic Connections to Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei, Macau .

     Mon-Fri:0830-1800, Public Holidays:0900-1300. .(Hong Kong  edit
  • Cebu Pacific, ☎ (+63)27020888, [7].^ Cebu Pacific Promo - Domestic Connections to Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei, and Macau Seat Sale Phlist.com .

     ^ Jan 27, Cebu Pacific Promo -Domestic Connections to Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei, Macau .

     ^ Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan .
    • CIA - The World Factbook -- Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.umsl.edu [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

     .(Bangkok, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Seoul-Incheon, Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei, Xiamen)  edit
  • China Airlines, [8].^ Embassy of Philippines in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia       send edits No.
    • Overseas Embassies and Consulates of Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.embassiesabroad.com [Source type: General]

     ^ Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong, China .
    • Overseas Embassies and Consulates of Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.embassiesabroad.com [Source type: General]

     ^ Taiwan, China and Hong Kong are northern neighbors and further north is Japan.
    • Department of Tourism - The Philippines Ultimate Travel Guide for Tourist 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.visitmyphilippines.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

     (Kaohsiung, Taipei-Taoyuan)  edit
  • China Southern Airlines, [9]. (Beijing, Guangzhou, Xiamen)  edit
  • Continental Airlines, [10]. (Guam,Koror  edit
  • Emirates, [11]. (Dubai)  edit
  • Etihad Airways, [12]. (Abu Dhabi)  edit
  • EVA Air, [13]. TaipeiTaoyuan  edit
  • Gulf Air, [14]. (Manama)  edit
  • Hawaiian Airlines, [15]. (Honululu)  edit
  • Hong Kong Express Airways, [16]. .(Hong Kong)  edit
  • Japan Airlines, [17].^ Taiwan, China and Hong Kong are northern neighbors and further north is Japan.
    • Department of Tourism - The Philippines Ultimate Travel Guide for Tourist 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.visitmyphilippines.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

     ^ China 25.7%, US 12.7%, Japan 12.4%, Hong Kong 8.7%, Singapore 6.9%, Malaysia 4.4% (2008) .
    • CIA - The World Factbook -- Philippines 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.cia.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

     (Tokyo-Narita)  edit
  • Northwest Airlines. (Detroit, Nagoya-Centrair, Tokyo-Narita)  edit
  • Jetstar Asia Airways (Singapore)
  • KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (Amsterdam)
  • Korean Air (Seoul-Incheon, Busan)
  • Kuwait Airways (Bangkok, Kuwait)
  • Malaysia Airlines (Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur)
  • Northwest Airlines (Detroit, Honululu, Nagoya-Centrair, Tokyo-Narita)
  • Philippine Airlines (Bangkok, Beijing, Busan, Chengdu, Chongging, Fukuoka, Guam, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Honolulu, Jakarta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Nagoya-Centrair, Okinawa, Osaka-Kansai, San Francisco, Seoul-Incheon, Shanghai-Pudong, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei-Taiwan Taoyuan, Tokyo-Narita, Vancouver, Xiamen)
  • Qantas (Brisbane, Sydney)
  • Qatar Airways (Doha)
  • Royal Brunei (Bandar Seri Begawan)
  • Saudi Arabian Airlines (Dammam, Jeddah, Riyadh)
  • Singapore Airlines (Singapore)
  • Thai Airways International (Bangkok, Osaka-Kansai)
.From either international airport, passengers can connect to domestic flights.^ Subic Bay International Airport, near Manila, serves international commercial flights as well as domestic passenger flights.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Philippine Airlines domestic flights leave from the same airport (Terminal 2), Cebu Pacific, PAL Express and Air Philippines fly out of Terminal 3 while other domestic airlines fly out of the old domestic airport.^ The national air carrier is Philippine Airlines (PAL).
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ But PAL-Express is mroe reliable and they fly out of the newer airport terminal here in Manila.
  • Cost of Living Chart – Philippines (in Peso, Dollar and Euro) » nomad4ever 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 ^ The old domestic terminal where all the other domestic airlines fly out is simply too crowded and chaotic.
  • Cost of Living Chart – Philippines (in Peso, Dollar and Euro) » nomad4ever 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]
.The Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark, Angeles City is where budget airlines like Air Asia (from Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu) and Tiger Airways (from Singapore and Macau) fly to, aside from that it also receives direct flights from Hong Kong and Korea.^ Find your discounted multi-stop international, around-the-world, circle-pacific, circle-asia, and circle-atlantic air tickets.
  • Overseas Embassies and Consulates of Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.embassiesabroad.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Principal purchasers of the country’s exports are the United States, Japan, Singapore, The Netherlands, Hong Kong, Germany, and Thailand; leading sources of imports are Japan, the United States, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Germany, and Malaysia.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ What are the in-country air fare prices like: with so many islands and my sea-sickness I could see a flight or 2 happening!
  • Cost of Living Chart – Philippines (in Peso, Dollar and Euro) » nomad4ever 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 .Clark is located to the north of Metro Manila, about 1 to 2 hours by bus.^ Clark is about an hour and a half away from Manila.
  • Cost of Living Chart – Philippines (in Peso, Dollar and Euro) » nomad4ever 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Starting in July of this year, the seedlings will be planted along the North Luzon and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac expressways (NLEX and SCTEX) north of the capital Manila.

 ^ Bus tickets are about $20, and if you own your own car it’s less than a 3 hour drive.
  • Cost of Living Chart – Philippines (in Peso, Dollar and Euro) » nomad4ever 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 .Currently Cebu Pacific operates domestic flights to Cebu-Mactan airport, and South East Asian Airlines operates flights to Boracay's Caticlan airport.^ The Philippines has one of the highest literacy rates in the East Asian and Pacific area.
  • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ There are daily flights from Clark Airport to Caticlan Airport (Boracay), visit http://flyseair.com about $130 roundtrip.
  • Cost of Living Chart – Philippines (in Peso, Dollar and Euro) » nomad4ever 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Filipino membership in the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), a regional trade organization, is an important factor in the development of trade policies.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific are currently awaiting approval to open up new hubs/focus cities at Diosdado Macapagal International Airport.^ CBS News this morning, thought I'd share how open and transparent the new adminstration is shaping up to be; .
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ The List is hosted in Cebu City, Cebu Island, but covers the Philippines, most of which I have traveled and lived.
  • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Today's charted city status in the new-constitution Philippines is accorded in the same way as it was in the commonwealth era, by the sole Act of Congress.
  • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]

 .It is set to replace the Ninoy Aquino International Airport as the country's premier gateway in 10 years time.^ The country’s international airports are Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila and Mactan International Airport near the city of Cebu.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ In August 1991, negotiators from the two countries reached agreement on a draft treaty providing for use of Subic Bay Naval Base by U.S. forces for 10 years.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 74 - Designation of Clark Special Economic Zone as the future site of a premier international airport .
  • Department of Tourism - The Philippines Ultimate Travel Guide for Tourist 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.visitmyphilippines.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
  • Department of Tourism - The Philippines Ultimate Travel Guide for Tourist 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.visitmyphilippines.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.The Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Cebu on the island of Mactan, is the second busiest airport with various domestic and international connections.^ On the Philippine island of Zugbo (now Cebu), Magellan secured the baptism of the local chieftain, Humabon, and then supported Humabon in waging a battle against a rival chieftain, Lapulapu of Mactan.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Subic Bay International Airport, near Manila, serves international commercial flights as well as domestic passenger flights.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The country’s international airports are Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila and Mactan International Airport near the city of Cebu.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
Major airlines that have regular flights in and out of Cebu include (as of August 2007):
Domestic
  • Air Philippines (Bacolod, Davao, General Santos, Iloilo, Manila)
  • Asian Spirit (Cagayan de Oro, Malay, Manila)
  • Cebu Pacific (Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Iloilo, Kalibo, Manila, Manila-Clark, Puerto Princesa, Zamboanga)
  • Philippine Airlines (Manila)
  • South East Asian Airlines (Bislig, Cotabato, Malay, Mambajao, Manila-Clark, Siargao, Tagbilaran and Zamboanga City)
  • Zest Airways ( Zamboanga City to Malaysia and Bandar Seri Bengawan )
International
  • Asian Spirit (Koror-Palau)
  • Asiana Airlines (Seoul-Incheon)
  • Cathay Pacific (Hong Kong)
  • Cebu Pacific (Busan, Hong Kong, Seoul-Incheon, Singapore, Taipei-Taiwan Taoyuan)
  • Mandarin Airlines (Kaoshiung, Taipei-Taiwan Taoyuan)
  • China Eastern Airlines (Shanghai-Pudong)
  • Korean Air (Seoul-Incheon)
  • Malaysia Airlines (Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur)
  • Philippine Airlines (Seoul-Incheon, Tokyo-Narita)
  • Qatar Airways (Doha)
  • Silk Air (Singapore)
.Most visitors usually fly in through the Mactan-Cebu airport if their intended destination is within the Visayas (for Boracay and Bohol) and Mindanao regions.^ Two sub-regions created within Western Mindanao region.
  • Philippines Provinces 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.statoids.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ In Cebu City in the Central Visayan Region, more than 70 persons were killed through December.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Carlos Borromeo III is believed to have been born in Iloilo, Panay (yet another island within the Visayas region) in 1770 and to have settled in Bacolod, Negros.
  • The Borromeo Family of the Philippines » TheBorromeoFamily.com 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.theborromeofamily.com [Source type: General]
.The Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City on the island of Mindanao receives direct flights from Seoul in South Korea, Singapore, Manado and Gorontalo in Indonesia, and Palau in Micronesia and seasonal flights from Macau.^ Mindanao, Davao City, slopes of Mt.
  • Ethnologue report for Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.ethnologue.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Mindanao, the second largest island, is in the south.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Central Mindanao region renamed to SOCCSKSARGEN, an acronym for SOuth Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and SARangani provinces and GENeral santos chartered city.
  • Philippines Provinces 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.statoids.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Flights operated by Air Asia are to begin next year, from Kuala Lumpur.^ We’re a well travelled couple thinking of flying Air Asia from KL to Manila for a few weeks in Nov/ Dec with our 2 1/2 year old son.
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]
.The Kalibo Airport in Kalibo in the province of Aklan, a gateway to Boracay, receives direct flights from Seoul in South Korea and Shanghai in China.^ If you’re going there from Manila, you can go to Boracay by taking a 50-minute Philippine Airlines flight to Kalibo, Aklan Province.
  • Philippines | The Filipino Friends Blog 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC thefilipinofriends.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ South Korea, accounting for $1.2 billion of the $3.5 billion in investments that entered the Philippines in 2006, is now also the nation’s biggest source of foreign direct investment, followed by the US and Japan.
  • Asia Sentinel - Korea Invades the Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.asiasentinel.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ A smaller number of women were occasionally trafficked from China, South Korea, Japan, and Russia to the country for sexual exploitation.
  • Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.The Laoag International Airport in Laoag City in the province of Ilocos Norte receives direct flights from Guangzhou in China.^ Says: July 12th, 2008 at 11:01 pm Pagudpud is on the North – an hour drive from Laoag City, Capital of Ilocos Norte.
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Subic Bay International Airport, near Manila, serves international commercial flights as well as domestic passenger flights.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The country’s international airports are Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila and Mactan International Airport near the city of Cebu.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.The Subic Bay International Airport in Subic in the province of Zambales receives direct flights from Taipei in Taiwan, Pacific Pearl Airways, a Charter Airline currently offers flights to Kalibo, Cebu, Puerto Princesa and parts of South Korea.^ Included flights are major local tourist destinations such as Boracay (Kalibo), Puerto Princesa, Busuanga, Naga, Legazpi, San Jose (Mindoro), Tagbilaran (Bohol), Cebu, Laoag (Ilocos Norte), Siargao, Cagayan de Oro and Davao.

 ^ A large bulk of this figure is courtesy of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co., which is building a $1 billion shipyard – the fourth-largest in the world – inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales Province north of Manila.
  • Asia Sentinel - Korea Invades the Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.asiasentinel.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ South Korea, accounting for $1.2 billion of the $3.5 billion in investments that entered the Philippines in 2006, is now also the nation’s biggest source of foreign direct investment, followed by the US and Japan.
  • Asia Sentinel - Korea Invades the Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.asiasentinel.com [Source type: Original source]
The Zamboanga International Airport in Zamboanga City on the Zamboanga Peninsula will soon receive direct flights from Sandakan in Malaysia beginning in April 23, 2007.

Get around

By plane

.Philippine Airlines [18] and Air Philippines [19], Cebu Pacific [20], SEAIR [21], Asian Spirit [22] and Interisland Airlines [23] are some of the airlines that operate domestic flights.^ The Philippines has one of the highest literacy rates in the East Asian and Pacific area.
  • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ The PCSD, in cooperation with the Earth Council, sponsored the Meeting of the National Councils for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific (APNCSD) on June 18-19, 1995.
  • Country Profile - Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.un.org [Source type: Academic]

 ^ The Philippines also participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom, deploying some 50 troops to Iraq in 2003.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
  • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]

 .Philippine Airlines, Air Philippines and Cebu Pacific serve most large cities, while smaller operators like SEAIR, Asian Spirit and Interisland Airlines typically fly to popular resort destinations.^ Most destinations, including Philippines, require that you have adequate un-used pages in your passport, allowing for any necessary stamps upon arrival and departure.
  • Philippines Visa : Application, Requirements. Apply for Philippine Visas Online. 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC philippines.visahq.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ As a rule, Philippine provinces are either part or all of a large island, along with some number of entire smaller nearby islands.
  • Philippines Provinces 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.statoids.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The 24-member Philippine Senate is elected at large, and all senators serve six-year terms.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

By train

.Within Metro Manila, there is a network of light railway systems that connect various portions of the metropolis.^ There has been no reported case of swine or avian flues in CERV’s placement areas of San Agustin, Romblon and Quezon City in Metro Manila.

 ^ The Virlanie Foundation, a local child protection NGO, estimated that there were at least 20,000 child prostitutes in the country, most in the Metro Manila area.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ There were reports of widespread corruption among prison guards and, to some extent, at higher levels of authority within the prison system.
  • Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 LRT1 Line covers Taft Avenue in Manila to Monumento in Caloocan. LRT2 Line, meanwhile covers Manggahan, Pasig to Recto Avenue in Manila. Third train system is the MRT1 which spans EDSA starting from North Ave. in .Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Manila.^ E Rodriguez Avenue, Quezon City .
  • Philippines Hotels, Resorts - Asia Travel Hotels Air Tickets Reservation, Hotels and Resorts in Philippines 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.asiatravel.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Timog Avenue, Quezon City .
  • Philippines Hotels, Resorts - Asia Travel Hotels Air Tickets Reservation, Hotels and Resorts in Philippines 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.asiatravel.com [Source type: General]

 ^ There has been no reported case of swine or avian flues in CERV’s placement areas of San Agustin, Romblon and Quezon City in Metro Manila.

 .This mode of transport is top choice among travelers for they are cheaper and faster compared to other land-based transportation.^ Here is one of their TV commercials: Chooks To Go TV Commercial Based on the current market price, their chicken is cheaper than the other famous brand.

 ^ "They traveled east to Vera Cruz where they boarded another ship, or traveled by land until Louisiana," wrote Mateo (1999).
  • Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange: Understanding Persons of Philippine Origin: A Primer for Rehabilitation Service Providers 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC cirrie.buffalo.edu [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 It operates from 6am to 12midnight daily.
.The Philippine National Railways network in the south is currently under rehabilitation.^ South Korea, accounting for $1.2 billion of the $3.5 billion in investments that entered the Philippines in 2006, is now also the nation’s biggest source of foreign direct investment, followed by the US and Japan.
  • Asia Sentinel - Korea Invades the Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.asiasentinel.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ A national program on land-based sources of pollution is currently being conceptualized to integrate Philippine initiatives and commitments to both the ASEAN and COBSEA Regional Programs and NGO initiatives under the auspices of the Advisory Committee on the Protection of Seas (ACOPS).
  • Country Profile - Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.un.org [Source type: Academic]

By car

.There are major car rental companies such as Avis, Hertz and Budget have offices in Metro Manila, notably at the airport.^ There has been no reported case of swine or avian flues in CERV’s placement areas of San Agustin, Romblon and Quezon City in Metro Manila.

 ^ The Virlanie Foundation, a local child protection NGO, estimated that there were at least 20,000 child prostitutes in the country, most in the Metro Manila area.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ BUDGET HOTELS IN METRO MANILA .
  • Philippines Hotels, Resorts - Asia Travel Hotels Air Tickets Reservation, Hotels and Resorts in Philippines 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.asiatravel.com [Source type: General]

 These companies have chauffeur driven rentals available and prices are bound to be reasonable.
.Due to heavy traffic in Metro Manila, certain areas of the city have laws that restrict certain vehicles based on the day of the week and the ending number of your vehicle's license plate (this plan is called "Color Coding", though it has nothing to do with the color of your vehicle).^ DSWD operated two assisted living centers in Metro Manila, and five community based vocational centers for persons with disabilities nationwide.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Administrative subdivisions: 16 regions and Metro Manila (National Capital Region), 80 provinces, 120 cities.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Both adults and children were trafficked domestically from poor, rural, areas in the southern and central parts of the country to major urban centers, especially Metro Manila and Cebu, but also increasingly to cities in Mindanao.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
  • Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 For example: Cars with license plates ending in 1 or 2 cannot drive between the hours of 7AM and 7PM on Mondays on most main roads. .Be sure to check with a local contact or the car rental agency/hotel concierge about whether these rules will apply to your vehicle, especially as foreigners driving can become targets for less scrupulous traffic aides.^ Philippine marketing people have foreigners especially tourist in their target market along with overseas workers who have good income too.
  • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]
.Travel from Metro Manila to various provinces in Luzon will typically start off from either the North(NLEX) or South(SLEX) Expressways.^ Luzon, south Mountain Province, Luzon.
  • Ethnologue report for Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.ethnologue.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Luzon, south Kalinga Province.
  • Ethnologue report for Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.ethnologue.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Luzon, south Ifugao Province.
  • Ethnologue report for Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.ethnologue.com [Source type: General]

 These are tollways with good paved roads. .Farthest tolls will not cost more than a few dollars from Metro Manila.^ In Manila, housing can cost much more.
  • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ More than a hundred thousand victims are staying in evacuation centers in Manila and neighboring areas.

 ^ Only a few more days left before I have to go back to Manila.

 .From the expressways, national highways and provincial roads connect to the major cities and provinces.^ Constitutional Government: 117 Chartered Cities, 79 Provinces, 131 Provincial Cities, 1,497 Municipalities, and 41,994 Barangays, .
  • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ The Pan-Philippine Highway, also called the Maharlika Highway, is a system of roads, bridges, and ferries that connects the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Administrative subdivisions: 16 regions and Metro Manila (National Capital Region), 80 provinces, 120 cities.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Another main highway system built in the northern part of Luzon is SCTEX or Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway which is a 94-kilometer 4-lane freeway.^ Starting in July of this year, the seedlings will be planted along the North Luzon and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac expressways (NLEX and SCTEX) north of the capital Manila.

 ^ The Pan-Philippine Highway, also called the Maharlika Highway, is a system of roads, bridges, and ferries that connects the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ After the land bridges disappeared, immigrants from Indo-China brought copper and bronze and built the rice terraces at Benaue in northern Luzon.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.Bridges and ferries connect the major islands together.^ The Pan-Philippine Highway, also called the Maharlika Highway, is a system of roads, bridges, and ferries that connects the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Early inhabitants are believed to have reached the area over land bridges connecting the islands to Malaysia and China.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The most easterly of the Visayas, Samar is connected by bridge to the adjacent island of Leyte; both islands are relatively undeveloped and have dense jungle forests.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 Roads vary greatly in quality from the paved multi-lane highways to narrow dirt roads, which further complicates travel by car

By taxi

.Taxis are generally available within the major cities but are usually not used for travel across the various provinces and regions.^ Administrative subdivisions: 16 regions and Metro Manila (National Capital Region), 80 provinces, 120 cities.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Central Mindanao region renamed to SOCCSKSARGEN, an acronym for SOuth Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and SARangani provinces and GENeral santos chartered city.
  • Philippines Provinces 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.statoids.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Basilan province moved from Western Mindanao region to Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, except for Isabela city, which remained in Western Mindanao.
  • Philippines Provinces 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.statoids.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Some FX (shared taxis), however, usually ply provincial routes.^ I was able to try the service out while inside a taxi and shared it to some students during workshop class.
You can also call reputable Taxi companies that can arrange pickups and transfers as well as airport runs.
Basic Taxi Company Tel: 02 9001447 Tel: 02 6427777 Tel: 02 6437777
When hailing a taxi in the cities, ensure the meter is on and pay the metered fare. A tip of 10 pesos is acceptable. .Also, make sure you have small denomination banknotes, as the drivers often claim not to have change in an effort to obtain a larger tip!^ If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed !
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 Moreover, don't be surprised if drivers want to bypass the meter during rush hour.

By bus

.Apart from flying, buses are usually the way to go when it comes to traveling across the Philippines, at least from within the major islands.^ Pre-Spanish Period The first people in the Philippines, the Negritos, are believed to have come to the islands 30,000 years ago from Borneo and Sumatra, making their way across then-existing land bridges.
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ However, a majority thereof, including the Chairman, shall be Members of the Philippine Bar who have been engaged in the practice of law for at least ten years.
  • Constitution of the Philippines (1973) - Wikisource 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC en.wikisource.org [Source type: Original source]

 ^ The List is hosted in Cebu City, Cebu Island, but covers the Philippines, most of which I have traveled and lived.
  • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]

 .Provincial bus companies have scheduled trips from Manila to provinces to the north and south.^ San Agustin is CERV-Philippines’s provincial placement, located on the archipelagic province of Romblon south of the country’s main Luzon island.

 ^ Palawan Province, Cagayan Island, between Negros and Palawan; Palawan coastal communities; south Palawan, Balabac island, Quezon and Rizal communities; north Palawan, Busuanga region, Coron Municipality.
  • Ethnologue report for Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.ethnologue.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Bus traffic from Manila to the provinces increases dramatically at these times, with hundreds of extra buses taking people home to their families.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.
  • Major Provincial Bus Companies:
    • ALPS The Bus, Inc.[24] -- Southern Tagalog Region.^ Southern Tagalog Region: Part 1 .
      • Department of Tourism - The Philippines Ultimate Travel Guide for Tourist 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.visitmyphilippines.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

       ^ Southern Tagalog Region: Part 2 .
      • Department of Tourism - The Philippines Ultimate Travel Guide for Tourist 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.visitmyphilippines.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

       ^ The remainder of Southern Tagalog region split into CALABARZON (IV-A, no center designated) and MIMAROPA (IV-B, Quezon City).
      • Philippines Provinces 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.statoids.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

       The bus company have daily departures from Batangas to Alabang; Batangas to Lawton; Batangas to Pasay; Batangas to Cubao/Kamias; Cubao to Iloilo; Cubao to Estancia and vise versa. .You can travel safely and conveniently with the everyday low fares on ALPS. They can be contacted via web: www.alpsthebus.com; e-mail: info@alpsthebus.com; Telephone: +6343-7239033
    • JAM Bus Co -- Southern Tagalog Region
    • Five Star -- Ilocos Region
    • Victory Liner -- Ilocos Region, Baguio and Zambales
    • Saulog Transit -- Baguio, Olongapo, Cavite
    • Partas -- Ilocos Region
    • Farinas -- Ilocos Region
    • Dagupan Bus Co.^ For more info visit: www.samarislands.com "Something new from UN Village, N. Samar, pristine Philippines!"
      • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]

       ^ You will find out more on the website and if you join our free mailing list , Living, Retiring Traveling, and Doing Business in the Philippines.
      • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]

       ^ The names of the new regions are acronyms for the provinces they contain (CAvite, LAguna, BAtangas, Rizal, queZON; MIndoro, MArinduque, ROmblon, PAlawan).
      • Philippines Provinces 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.statoids.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

       -- Ilocos Region
    • Philtranco -- Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Northern, Eastern, and Southern Mindanao
    • Rural Transit -- Mindanao
    • Rural Tours -- Mindanao
    • Bachelor Tours -- Northern Mindanao
    • Super-5 -- Northern Mindanao
.Roll-on, Roll-off ferries have also made inter-island travel by bus possible.^ The typhoon also caused the sinking of the Philippines’ biggest ferry ship, Sulpicio Lines’ Princess of the Stars off San Fernando, Sibuyan Island in Romblon.

 ^ Yeah, there are many nice and lonely islands out there, it pays to travel a bit off the beaten track, finding your own special paradise.
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

By boat

WG&A SuperFerry and a number of other companies operate interisland ferries. .There is a convenient Friday overnight ferry trip to Coron, Palawan.^ Coron, Palawan – I was there a few weeks ago this month.
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Palawan – Coron is a must, although there are other magnificent places further South (Tubattaha Reef).
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 .This allows divers to spend the weekend in Coron and take the Sunday night ferry trip back to Manila, arriving around noon.^ Related Posts Ayala Terraces in Cebu Going back to the Mooon DigitalFilipino.com Club and Bloggers Networking Event in Cebu Weekend Trip to Cebu Mooon Cafe in Ayala Terraces I want to meet bloggers from Cebu Da Vinci’s Pizza in Cebu Dinos Alive in Manila… .

 You can also stay on a Cruise Ship that's exploring around the Coron area. The 7107 Island Cruise Ship takes passengers around Coron and some of its private islands.
.Ferry trips to other islands can take over 24 hours, depending on distance.^ There are heaps of coves and little beaches far away from the maddening crowds (Puka, Diniwid and Angol beaches amongst others), and take a day trip to Carabao Island in nearby Romblon.
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 ^ I got asked more than 20 times in 24 hours if I wanted to go island hopping by touts.
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]
.Other major ferry companies include: Sulpicio Lines, Negros Navigation, Trans Asia Shipping Lines, and Cebu Ferries.^ The typhoon also caused the sinking of the Philippines’ biggest ferry ship, Sulpicio Lines’ Princess of the Stars off San Fernando, Sibuyan Island in Romblon.

 ^ But they also do other investigations for major companies, can check on titles, businesses, individuals with whom it is safe to do business.
  • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Other dance companies include Ballet Philippines (formerly the Modern Dance Company), Hariraya Ballet Company, Dance Theater Philippines, and Pamana Ballet (formerly the Anita Kane Ballet Company).
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
Oceanjet is a reliable company offering fast ferries throughout the Visayas at affordable prices.
.Schedule Information is difficult to obtain - newspapers often contain pages with ads on certain days, but, believe it or not, most people rely on word-of-outh.^ Consular Affairs Publications , which contain information on obtaining passports and planning a safe trip abroad, are also available at http://www.travel.state.gov .
  • Philippines (10/09) 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
  • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ However, since most people are getting their fill of information on the web, social media should also be a part of your promotional strategies.

 ^ The law provides certain protections for squatters; eviction was often difficult, especially because politicians recognized squatters' voting power.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
  • Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
Warning: If the boat appears to be over capacity, do not board. Always check the latest weather reports before travel by ferry, as some captains are willing to sail even when a typhoon is approaching. .Bringing your own life preserver is strongly recommended (but no substitute for common sense).^ And if you have the right one, she will bring joy and happiness into your heart and life.
  • "Moving to the Philippines ~ Living, Retire, Travel to the Philippines" 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.livinginthephilippines.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ It forces you to reflect on your own relationships in life, especially those with "hang-ups" in different sets of relationships.

 Travel by boat should not be considered safer than air travel.
Jeepneys
Jeepneys are the most known transportation to all Filipinos. They are the most affordable transport in the Philippines. (Cost about 7 pesos per 4 km and additional 1 peso per km). They stop if you wave at them.
.The jeepney is by far the most affordable way to get around most major urban areas.^ United States forces soon secured major ports, lowland areas, and urban centers.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Remnants of the Jeep used by the American troops during World War II, the innovative Filipinos modified the jeep (by lengthening the body and adding horizontal seats) to seat as many as 20 people (10 per side).^ Filipinos fought alongside Americans during World War II, particularly at the famous battle of Bataan and Corregidor which delayed Japanese advance and saved Australia.
  • Department of Tourism - The Philippines Ultimate Travel Guide for Tourist 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.visitmyphilippines.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The archipelago was invaded by Japan during World War II. After the war, the United States granted independence on 1946-07-04.
  • Philippines Provinces 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.statoids.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Some areas of the city were destroyed during World War II, when the country was invaded by Japan and then liberated by the United States.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 Within Manila, you will find multiple Jeepneys per route, for added convenience. In the provinces, Jeepneys also connect towns and cities. For longer distances, however, buses are more comfortable.
Also worthy of mention are the tricycles and the pedicabs or in other words Rickshaw; however, this may not be to the liking of most foreigners, as these are cramped and quite open to traffic. These means of transport are usually used for very short distances. Tricycles are different from Pedicabs, Tricycles use motor while pedicabs are manually used with the help of bicycles.
Travel Warning
WARNING: The jeepneys, tricycles and pedicabs are meant for small people. Seating is cramped, even for locals, who are, on average, smaller by Western standards. .Jeepney drivers/operators often insist on seating the vehicle to full capacity (say, eight per side) even if there's a very large person seated.^ The remainder of the House seats are designated for sectoral party representatives elected at large, called party list representatives; from the May 2004 elections, there were 24 such representatives in the House.
  • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]

 Consider this if you're overweight or 6 feet or taller. Watch your head when boarding as the roof is low (compared to a bus). Also, drivers often don't look to see if anyone is boarding before driving off. .As you board, you need to evaluate every half second whether you're going to abort or hang on to the vehicle if it starts to move.^ Nowadays you don’t need to go to a college to have a degree, because with the help of the internet you can now have an online degree.

 ^ To get your business off the ground, you’re going to have to master the art of promoting.

 ^ If you’re too busy running the business, it’s going to be quite a challenge to shift between managing the company and planning how you’re going to do social media marketing.

 .If you're not in good physical shape, don't even try it.^ Baby D...try to decompress in the Caymans...you're way to young to get your blood pressure up like that...
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ If you don’t like the kiteboarding and want some good waves, head over to Surigao Island for the best surfing in the Philippines.
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 ^ But then, even Camiguin offers plenty of variety (volcano, trekking, hot and cold springs) and if you are both into diving, you should try Malapascua .
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

Talk

.The Philippines has two official languages: English and Filipino.^ Filipino and English are the primary languages of instruction.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ National or official languages: Filipino, English.
  • Ethnologue report for Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.ethnologue.com [Source type: General]

 ^ English and Filipino (formerly spelled Pilipino) are the official languages.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Filipino is mainly based on the Tagalog language (a relative of Malay), with heavy Spanish, Cebuano, Malay, Chinese (Hokkien), Hindi, Tamil, Sanskrit, Arabic, and American English influences.^ Filipino is largely based on Tagalog, with many words adopted from other languages, including English and Spanish.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The official languages are English and Filipino (formerly spelled Pilipino), which is based on the indigenous Tagalog language.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The official languages are Filipino, which is based on Tagalog with words from other native languages, and English.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.Filipino is the language spoken in the Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog regions as well as the National Capital Region (NCR) or Metro Manila.^ Manila, located on east central Luzon Island, is the national capital and largest city.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Aurora province moved from Southern Tagalog region to Central Luzon.
  • Philippines Provinces 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.statoids.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ National or official languages: Filipino, English.
  • Ethnologue report for Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.ethnologue.com [Source type: General]

 .In the Northern Luzon provinces, Ilocano is the most common language spoken.^ The most widely spoken are Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Bicol, Waray-Waray, Pampangan, Pangasinan, and Maranao.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Luzon has a broad central valley in the northern provinces along the Cagayan River and plains in the midlands near Manila, the capital.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 The provinces of Pangasinan and Pampanga also have their own languages. .Further south of Metro Manila lies the Bicol Region where Bikolano is used.^ Farther south the important rice-growing region of the Central Luzon Valley, well irrigated by numerous rivers, extends from Lingayen Gulf to Manila Bay.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .In the Southern Islands of Visayas and Mindanao, Cebuano is the most common language spoken.^ The Muslim population of the Philippines lives mostly in the southern islands of Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The Philippines can be divided into three geographic areas: the northern islands of Luzon and Mindoro, the central islands of the Visayan Islands (Visayas) and Palawan, and the southern islands of Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Three dialects are of national importance: Cebuano in the southern islands, Ilocano in the north, and Tagalog, the language of the National Capital Region.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Other minor languages in the south include Hiligaynon and Waray.^ Other major groups are the Ilongos, who speak Hiligaynon; the Bicolanos, who speak Bicol; the Waray-Waray; the Pampangans; and the Pangasinans.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.Although English is an official language of the Philippines and a compulsory subject in school, it is in practice used more often by the richer and better educated when making formal speeches and it would be awkward if a Filipino speaks English to a fellow Filipino in informal situations.^ Filipino and English are the primary languages of instruction.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Filipino is a required subject in schools, but English is more commonly used in higher education.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Some Filipinos are trilingual, speaking an indigenous language, Filipino, and English.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Tourists however won't have problems using English when making inquiries from commercial and government establishments.^ English is also commonly used in government and commerce.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Despite its rhetoric, however, the government did not make much progress in implementing its “pro-poor” platform.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Since only 55 percent of residents speak Filipino fluently, English is used in colleges, universities, the courts, and the government.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .A few simple phrases in Filipino will come in handy when traveling to rural places as English proficiency is limited there.^ There are also some Spanish names bestowed by the colonists, and a few that have been translated into English.
  • Philippines Provinces 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.statoids.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.Many Spanish words survive in many of the local languages.^ Filipino is largely based on Tagalog, with many words adopted from other languages, including English and Spanish.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 Spanish is no longer widely understood. .Nonetheless, Spanish is still spoken by a small Spanish ethnic minority, particularly older members who were educated when Spanish was used as the language of government and higher education.^ Languages: Pilipino (based on Tagalog), national language; English, language of government and instruction in education.
  • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Only a few Filipino families use Spanish as a first language.
  • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Spanish was taught as a compulsory language until 1968 but is seldom used today.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Younger Spanish-Filipinos tend to speak Filipino languages and/or English as their primary language.^ Filipino and English are the primary languages of instruction.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Some Filipinos are trilingual, speaking an indigenous language, Filipino, and English.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Many Filipinos continue to primarily speak their indigenous language, rather than Filipino.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.There are some other ethnic groups who reside in the country, particularly in more urbanized areas like Manila.^ These legal facts are hard to be grasped by some lay people who try to impose upon others their understanding of the Act of Congress on their encyclopedia website.
  • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Once you have determined which masks will fit properly, other considerations are comfort, field of vision--some masks permit more view to the sides than others.
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ The law prohibits forced labor, including forced and compulsory labor by children; however, there were some reports of forced and compulsory labor, particularly by children, mainly in prostitution, drug trafficking, domestic service, and other areas of the informal sector (see sections 5 and 6.d.
  • Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .The biggest group is the Chinese, many of whom have assimilated with Filipino society.^ Subsequently the government allowed processing for resettlement of this group, many of whom were resettled in the United States.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ As a result of intermarriage, many Filipinos have some Chinese and Spanish ancestry.
  • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Muslim Filipinos, also known as Moros or Moro Muslims, constitute the second largest group with a common cultural identity, although there are many linguistic and cultural differences among them.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Take note however that since most of them come from Fujan province, they speak more Hokkien but learn Manadarin if sent to Chinese schools.^ The most significant ethnic minority group is the Chinese, who have played an important role in commerce since the ninth century, when they first came to the islands to trade.
  • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ I think it started out as a bakery at first, then they added a couple more stores and food stalls when students kept on coming back.

 ^ Maybe the Maldives come close – but then, they are much more expensive, exclusive and you are basically locked on a tiny island for the time of your stay.
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 .Other groups include the Indians, Japanese, Arabs, Koreans, Americans and Europeans.^ Tawi-Tawi Island group includes Tawi-Tawi, Simunul, Sibutu, and other major islands.
  • Ethnologue report for Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.ethnologue.com [Source type: General]

 ^ These include, among others, an overview of the state of poverty in the country and a household survey of the lowest income groups in the Philippines.
  • Country Profile - Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.un.org [Source type: Academic]

 .In some cosmopolitan areas, there are establishments catering to Korean speakers.^ There were some reports of Muslim discrimination against Christians in areas where Muslims were the majority.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
  • Boracay. .favorite tourist destination island - famous for its white beaches and all night parties.  edit
  • Rice Terraces.^ We explored the whole island of boracay, You will witness the white beach, bluish water , Puca beach, shells & Fishes.
    • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

     ^ There is a lot of wind in Boracay, especially on Balabag Beach (opposite side of the island from the white beach).
    • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

     ^ I will pester Chris with the Bugsuk Island getaway!… Heading to Lucban’s Pahiyas Festival tomorrow and will hop onto three nice islands with white sand beaches nearby.
    • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

     .Ancient stone built terraces for rice in the mountain region (villages Sagada & Bontoc)  edit
  • El Nido.^ I have to do the Crucifixion in Pampanga early next month, then Banaue-Bontoc-Sagada (rice terraces-lakes-waterfalls-hanging coffins) trail end of April.
    • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

     ^ The Ifugao built them over a period of centuries by carving terraces into the mountainsides and reinforcing each level with stone walls.
    • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

     ^ I’ve read only good things about Palawan/ El Nido..but I’m a bit concerned about the risk of Malaria in that region, especially during wet season.
    • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

     Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is located in the northern part of Palawan island, and has a coastline of white sands and blue waters.  edit

Learn

Scuba diving is spectacular in the Philippines. .There is a great variety of dive sites and most if not all of these would have at least a handful of PADI accredited diving schools where you can obtain your license.^ Most destinations, including Philippines, require that you have adequate un-used pages in your passport, allowing for any necessary stamps upon arrival and departure.
  • Philippines Visa : Application, Requirements. Apply for Philippine Visas Online. 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC philippines.visahq.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ As you may have gathered there is virtually no government funding to these schools so there is no equipment or materials unless the teachers or children provide them themselves.

 ^ We want you to bring all these big kids to Deepak up-branch-room!
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 Costs (of both lessons and equipment) are likely to be cheaper here compared to places like Australia, the Caribbean or even in nearby Thailand and Malaysia.

Do

The Philippines has several places where you can do Whitewater Rafting. .One of the best, if not the best, whitewater rafting experience can be had in Cagayan de Oro City, a city in the northern part of Mindanao.^ Cagayan de Oro City .
  • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Cagayan de Oro .
  • Philippines Hotels, Resorts - Asia Travel Hotels Air Tickets Reservation, Hotels and Resorts in Philippines 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.asiatravel.com [Source type: General]
  • Philippine Hotel Reservations v2 - 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.philippinehotelreservations.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Remedios (my cousin “Didi”) resides in Chicago, Illinois and Mario lives in Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao in the Philippines.
  • The Borromeo Family of the Philippines » TheBorromeoFamily.com 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.theborromeofamily.com [Source type: General]

 Also, Davao is emerging as the "true" Whitewater rafting capital in Mindanao, if not in the Philippines. .Scuba Diving is an ideal activity in the Philippines, it is home to beautiful coral reefs such as the Tubbataha Reef located in the Sulu Sea.^ The location of the Philippines just north of the equator gives the country a moderate tropical climate suited for the cultivation of export crops such as coconuts and pineapples.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The Sulu Archipelago includes many coral islands and reefs.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ It is under the municipality of Balabac (much bigger island than Bugsuk) located almost on the tip of southern Palawan and is bounded by Sulu Sea and South China Sea.
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 Go mountain hiking in the Philippines, mountains like Mt. Kanlaon and Mt. Pulag are good for hikers.

Feast

.With 7,107 islands, each town, city, province and island has its own festivals mostly in honor of Patron saints or city holding the festival, it's difficult to know how many festivals are celebrated in the country where there are over 7,107 islands.^ The situation was worse in many smaller cities and towns.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
  • Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Yeah, there are many nice and lonely islands out there, it pays to travel a bit off the beaten track, finding your own special paradise.
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Ryan Says: April 1st, 2009 at 10:40 pm Hi Rene, can you post links of photos of Bugsuk Island and how to get there?
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 Parades and processions, marching bands, floats and dance displays are usual activities. A number of important festivals include the following:
.
  • Black Nazarene - An annual festival held in Quiapo, Manila.^ Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales criticized the “excessive devotion” of millions of Filipino Catholics to the Black Nazarene.

     .Millions gather to witness the procession of the Black Nazarene; a wooden statue of Jesus of Nazarene, carrying a cross, called Black Nazarene due to its color.^ Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales criticized the “excessive devotion” of millions of Filipino Catholics to the Black Nazarene.

     .People walk in street barefoot and jam the streets of Manila and push against one another to reach the statue as believed that it would grant wishes, prayers and give miracles and blessings.
  • Sinulog - held in Cebu City on the 3rd Sunday of January.^ She has remained single her entire life, and used to reside in an old home on Sikatuna Street in Cebu City, from where she operated a successful catering business.
    • The Borromeo Family of the Philippines » TheBorromeoFamily.com 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.theborromeofamily.com [Source type: General]

     ^ Last Sunday at 7:00 AM (March 16, 1930) Mr. José Maria Borromeo y Galan of Cebu City died.
    • The Borromeo Family of the Philippines » TheBorromeoFamily.com 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.theborromeofamily.com [Source type: General]

     ^ In one street corner hundreds of people were standing in the sweltering heat, in lines that stretched around several blocks, to receive aid from their local community leadership.

     Celebrating Sto. .Niño, the Sinulog Festival includes a week of dancing, parades and celebration.
  • Panagbenga - the flower festival held in Baguio every February.
  • Chinese New Year - celebrations coinciding with the coming of the Lunar new year, held in many urban areas, particularly in Chinatown in downtown Manila
  • Ati-Atihan - also held to commemorate the feast of the Sto.^ Sino-Filipinos celebrate the Chinese New Year, which is not a national holiday, in January or February.
    • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

     ^ OFFICIALS RUNNING THE SUBIC BAY Freeport are expecting at least $2 billion in new investments to come in this year from local and foreign sources.

     ^ Employment opportunities associated with the modern economy, mostly services and manufacturing, are concentrated in a few urban centers, especially the Manila metropolitan area.
    • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

     Niño, but this time in Kalibo on the island of Panay. .The Queen of Philippine Festivals and said to be the Filipino version of Mardi Gras.
  • MassKara Festival - Annual festival held in Bacolod City, another Filipino version of Mardi Gras, people wear masks with smiles on it and dance on the street, people go to the streets and celebrate by drinking beer and eating Inasal.^ Filipino people as well as the Philippines.
    • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

     ^ The people of the Philippines are called Filipinos.
    • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

     ^ Just to make a decision if to drink another beer or better not move at all, because it’s sooooo hot – can be a half-day long task.
    • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

     Dance competitions are held at the public plaza of the city.
  • Moriones - held during the Lenten Season in Marinduque. .These are passion plays meant to depict the crucifixion and eventual resurrection of Jesus Christ.
  • Pahiyas - held every May in Lucban, Quezon to celebrate the feast day of San Isidro Labrador.^ Labor Day is celebrated on 1 May.
    • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

     ^ They also painted wooden play blocks and further enhanced the Busilak Day Care Center and Multi-Purpose Hall of Sitio Veterans in Quezon City .

     There is a town-wide house decorating contest held during the festival. .The colors and designs used are a feast for the eyes.
  • Flores de Mayo - flower festival held in every May.^ The regular election for the members of the Batasang Pambansa shall be held on the second Monday of May, 1984, and every six years thereafter.
    • Constitution of the Philippines (1973) - Wikisource 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC en.wikisource.org [Source type: Original source]

     ^ Unless otherwise provided by law, the regular election of Members of the National Assembly shall be held on the second Monday of May every six years thereafter.
    • Constitution of the Philippines (1973) - Wikisource 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC en.wikisource.org [Source type: Original source]

     Many towns celebrate Flores De Mayo with the community congregating in the afternoons to pray the rosary, offer flowers to the Virgin Mary, and share homemade delicacies and snacks. .Children and adults wearing their Sunday best sing and dance to welcome the rains that will water the new crops.
  • Kadayawan - held in Davao every August, Kadayawan means a Thanksgiving celebration for the good harvest, where most flowers and fruits are available during the season.
  • Bangus Festival - not as popular as the other festivals.^ The best time to visit Boracay would be during the holiday season.
    • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

     ^ Also, during the typhhon season form June to October is really good.
    • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

     ^ NGOs believed that children held in integrated conditions with adults were highly vulnerable to sexual abuse, recruitment into gangs, forced labor, torture, and other ill treatment.
    • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
    • Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

     It is held annually in Dagupan City, Pangasinan. The usual events are a parade and 101 Ways to Cook Bangus. .A "Longest Barbeque" was also held during the festival one year.
  • Kagay-an Festival - held every August 26 to 28 in Cagayan de Oro in celebration of the feast day of Saint Augustine.^ Cagayan de Oro City .
    • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]

     ^ Cagayan de Oro .
    • Philippines Hotels, Resorts - Asia Travel Hotels Air Tickets Reservation, Hotels and Resorts in Philippines 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.asiatravel.com [Source type: General]

     ^ Remedios (my cousin “Didi”) resides in Chicago, Illinois and Mario lives in Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao in the Philippines.
    • The Borromeo Family of the Philippines » TheBorromeoFamily.com 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.theborromeofamily.com [Source type: General]

     .Festivity highlight includes the Miss Kagay-an Tourism beauty pagent, Sakay-Sakay sa Lambago fluvial parade, street dancing in native costumes and the Golden Float parade.
  • Zamboanga Hermosa Festival (Fiesta Pilar): Held on October, the festival highlights the celebration of honoring the miraculous image of Our Lady of the Pillar.^ ONE of the exciting facts of Dinagyang Festival is that organizations have the chance to parade and present on the streets during the afternoon after the tribes competition.

     The festival features week-long novena masses, cultural shows, agricultural fairs, cutural exhibits, a two-day mardi gras parade, the bandoreal, a regatta, torch parades, fireworks, and carnivals. The festival commences with a solemn procession and a grand mass at the Fort. With thousands of pilgrims converging in Zamboanga City, this is the peninsula's biggest festival.
Puka Beach on Boracay
Puka Beach on Boracay
Beaches can be found aplenty on this nation of 7,107 islands. These beaches come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and fineness of sand. .Some are in well-secluded islands while others are just a short ride across a causeway from the city.^ There are new surfing destinations in Samar as well as rock formations in some parts of the coasts as well as this huge National Park in that island.
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Although the majority of Muslim Filipinos live in the southern islands, communities of Muslims live in other areas of the country as well.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 Among the most notable are the following:
.
  • Boracay - Boracay Island off the island of Panay has the White Beach.^ We explored the whole island of boracay, You will witness the white beach, bluish water , Puca beach, shells & Fishes.
    • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

     ^ There is a lot of wind in Boracay, especially on Balabag Beach (opposite side of the island from the white beach).
    • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

     ^ I will pester Chris with the Bugsuk Island getaway!… Heading to Lucban’s Pahiyas Festival tomorrow and will hop onto three nice islands with white sand beaches nearby.
    • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

     .It is also one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.^ The Philippines is one of the world's most highly mineralized countries, with untapped mineral wealth estimated at more than $840 billion.
    • The Philippines, Islands of Paradise; Republic of The Philippines 20 September 2009 11:58 UTC zamboanga.com [Source type: Original source]

     ^ Coconuts are one of the most important cash crops, and the Philippines is one of the world’s leading exporters of coconut products, including coconut oil and copra (dried coconut).
    • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

     .It has fine, powdery white sand stretching on for several kilometers and is an excellent spot for sun-worshippers.^ Baler in Aurora has better beaches than in La Union – Just around the bend of Cemento Beach is Dicasalarin cove with pretty little stretch of white sand beach.
    • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

     ^ Boracay has truly a powdery white sand, which is of no comparison to any other beach in Asia.
    • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

     .Boracay also has several other lesser-known beaches.^ It introduces some of the better known beaches and many pinoy and other readers added their own [...
    • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

     ^ Boracay has truly a powdery white sand, which is of no comparison to any other beach in Asia.
    • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

     .Outrigger boats to Boracay depart from Caticlan Port, just a short flight from Manila.
  • Mactan Island - in Cebu, the Cebu airport is actually on Mactan Island
  • Pagudpud - in Ilocos Norte, several hours north of Metro Manila
  • Panglao - small island off the island of Bohol, a short ride from the capital of Tagbilaran, which in turn is a short fast ferry ride from Cebu City.^ Bohol (south off Cebu) .
    • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

     ^ Bantayan (north-west off Cebu) .
    • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

     ^ The country’s international airports are Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila and Mactan International Airport near the city of Cebu.
    • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

     .From Panglao, you can easily schedule an excursion to the Chocolate Hills for which Bohol is most known.
  • Puerto Galera - on the island of Mindoro.^ When in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, one of the best you can do on a hot summer day is to check out and do some island-hopping at Honday Bay.

     ^ Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro .
    • Philippines Hotels, Resorts - Asia Travel Hotels Air Tickets Reservation, Hotels and Resorts in Philippines 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.asiatravel.com [Source type: General]

     ^ Oriental Sabang Hill, Puerto Galera ***Prepay*** .
    • Philippines Hotels, Resorts - Asia Travel Hotels Air Tickets Reservation, Hotels and Resorts in Philippines 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.asiatravel.com [Source type: General]

     .Ferries to Puerto Galera depart from Batangas Port, a couple of hours drive south of Metro Manila
  • Samal Island - off the coast of Davao
  • Camiguin Island - an island-province north of Mindanao.^ Camiguin Island, north of Mindanao.
    • Ethnologue report for Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.ethnologue.com [Source type: General]

     ^ Eastern Davao and Davao Oriental provinces, Mindanao.
    • Ethnologue report for Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.ethnologue.com [Source type: General]

     ^ Mindanao, South Cotabato and Sarangani provinces.
    • Ethnologue report for Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.ethnologue.com [Source type: General]

     Also known as the Lanzones Capital of the Philippines, it can be reached directly by plane or ferry.
  • Sta. .Cruz Island - Zamboanga City Great Santa Cruz island is known for its pink sand beach and sand bar, while the Little sta.^ I will pester Chris with the Bugsuk Island getaway!… Heading to Lucban’s Pahiyas Festival tomorrow and will hop onto three nice islands with white sand beaches nearby.
    • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

     ^ Not a heap of tourists and perfect jump off point to explore the stunning beaches of Calaguas Islands (they got supernice white sand beaches I heard and not much tourists.
    • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

     ^ I’m happy if there is a great beach with soft sand and clear water and some variety in food options around.
    • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

     cruz island is a typical white beach, with pulverized-like sand. .It is also a diving site and is host to a lagoon.
  • Negros Island - Negros Occidental (north-western half of the island, in the Western Visayas region) offers fine white sand beaches, and nearby Danjugan Island Marine Reserve.^ Other beaches and dive sites of note: .
    • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

     ^ Negros and Cebu are neighboring islands in the Visayas region of the Philippine archipelago.
    • The Borromeo Family of the Philippines » TheBorromeoFamily.com 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.theborromeofamily.com [Source type: General]

     ^ Honda Bay is a collection of several islands including Cannon Island, Bat Island and Starfish Island, with coral reefs, nice white sand beaches and amazing species of fishes and other marine animals.

     .Danjugan Island is bursting with thousands of species of marine life and home to the endangered White Breasted Eagle.^ Honda Bay is a collection of several islands including Cannon Island, Bat Island and Starfish Island, with coral reefs, nice white sand beaches and amazing species of fishes and other marine animals.

     ^ The islands have 196 species of birds, including colorful parrots and the endangered monkey-eating eagle.
    • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

     ^ Coastal and inland waters teem with marine life, including thousands of species of fish as well as mollusks such as clams.
    • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

     Negros Oriental (south-eastern half of the island, in the Central Visayas region) is home to Dumaguete and numerous beach resorts in Dauin that can take you to Apo Island, one of the most magnificent diving spots in the Philippines.

Work

.It is possible for foreigners to earn casual money while staying in the Philippines, especially in Manila and other bigger cities in provinces.^ Many of them send a portion of their earnings to relatives in the Philippines, infusing the economy with a significant source of foreign exchange.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ For administrative purposes the Philippines is divided into regions, provinces, and chartered cities.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ These elders told me that we Borromeos of Cebu Province (and Island) are related to other Borromeos in the Philippines going back even further in time.
  • The Borromeo Family of the Philippines » TheBorromeoFamily.com 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.theborromeofamily.com [Source type: General]

 .These may include temporary teaching in schools, colleges and other institutions; and working in bars and clubs.^ As you may have gathered there is virtually no government funding to these schools so there is no equipment or materials unless the teachers or children provide them themselves.

 ^ Other financial institutions include commercial banks and private development banks.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The accomplishment of these programs, among others, are as follows: 31,000 gardens established in the homes, community, and schools.
  • Country Profile - Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.un.org [Source type: Academic]

 Temporary work may also be available as an "extra" on the set of a film or television series. .Fluency in English is very important in jobs while knowledge of Filipino or Tagalog is considerably low.^ Filipino is largely based on Tagalog, with many words adopted from other languages, including English and Spanish.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The official languages are English and Filipino (formerly spelled Pilipino), which is based on the indigenous Tagalog language.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The official languages are Filipino, which is based on Tagalog with words from other native languages, and English.
  • Culture of The Philippines - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, immigrants, wedding, tribe, population, religion 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.everyculture.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
.Unlike other countries, there are no strict bureaucratic papers needed such as carte de sejours and NBI IDs, so some formal jobs are not hard to come by and get.^ My Davao Jobs, unlike any other site catering to the same locale, allows jobseekers to attach their resumes.

 ^ There was anecdotal evidence that some lower-level officials such as customs officers, border guards, immigration officials, local police, or others received bribes from traffickers or otherwise facilitated trafficking.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
  • Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Consequently, there may be some minor inconsistencies among the formats of the different country profiles.
  • Country Profile - Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.un.org [Source type: Academic]

 Do not expect large sums of money even for formal jobs. .Wages are displayed on a per day basis rather than a per hour basis.^ The increase in population has more than offset any economies in the use of fossil fuels on a per capita basis.
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ DOLE employment data in 2006 showed that almost one-fourth of employees worked more than 48 hours per week.
  • Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ By law the standard legal workweek is 48 hours for most categories of industrial workers and 40 hours for government workers, with an eight-hour per day limit.
  • Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
Most establishments pay monthly but informal jobs pay out variably either cash on hand or weekly.

Buy

Money

.The Philippine Peso(₱)(PHP) is the official currency.^ The unit of currency is the Philippine peso, which is divided into 100 centavos (46.10 pesos equal U.S.$1; 2007 average).
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .As of January 2010, one U.S. dollar trades at around 45 pesos.Peso bills come in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000. One peso is equivalent to 100 centavos and coins come in 5, 10 and 25 centavo variants in addition to the 1, 5 and 10 peso coins.^ On July 20, one of the IJM cases resulted in convictions, and two traffickers were sentenced to life imprisonment and fined $63,023 (three million pesos).
  • Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The unit of currency is the Philippine peso, which is divided into 100 centavos (46.10 pesos equal U.S.$1; 2007 average).
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The lowest minimum wages were in the ARMM, where the daily agricultural wage was $4.20 (200 pesos).
  • Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Money changers are not so common in the Philippines apart from some heavily touristed areas and most malls which usually have their own currency exchange stall.^ Most cities of the Philippines have modern health facilities, but rural areas are generally underserved.
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 ^ The pollution of coastal and inland waters and depletion of fish populations through overfishing have reduced the fishing sector’s productivity in some areas of the Philippines.
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 ^ The Philippines comprises more than 7,100 islands, but the 11 largest islands form most of the country’s land area.
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 .Banks on the other hand are widely available to exchange currency but usually impose a minimum amount and have limited hours of operation, usually from 9 AM to 3 PM on weekdays except Bank of the Philippine Islands(BPI) and Banco De Oro(BDO) which have longer hours of operation.^ These elders told me that we Borromeos of Cebu Province (and Island) are related to other Borromeos in the Philippines going back even further in time.
  • The Borromeo Family of the Philippines » TheBorromeoFamily.com 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.theborromeofamily.com [Source type: General]

 ^ It shall have supervisory authority over the operation of banks and exercise such regulatory authority as may be provided by law over the operations of finance companies and other institutions performing similar functions.
  • Constitution of the Philippines (1973) - Wikisource 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC en.wikisource.org [Source type: Original source]

 ^ Remedios (my cousin “Didi”) resides in Chicago, Illinois and Mario lives in Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao in the Philippines.
  • The Borromeo Family of the Philippines » TheBorromeoFamily.com 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.theborromeofamily.com [Source type: General]
Visitors can also use the 6,000 ATMs nationwide to withdraw funds or ask for cash advances. The three major local ATM consortia are BancNet, MegaLink and Expressnet. .International networks, like PLUS and Cirrus, are accessible with many ATMs, however Cirrus is more predominant than PLUS; however, withdrawals are often limited to 5,000 pesos.^ Maximum transaction size is 10.000 Pesos, daily limit is 20.000 Pesos (2 transaction a 10.000).
  • Visit the gorgeous Islands and Beaches of the Philippines » nomad4ever 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.nomad4ever.com [Source type: General]

 ^ GVN is the world’s biggest volunteering network with more than 11,500 volunteers deployed in six continents since 2002.

 ^ The islands include more than 100 upland tribes, ranging in size from 100,000 to fewer than several hundred members.
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 An exception is HSBC where up to 50,000 pesos is possible. Visitors who have a MasterCard/Maestro/Cirrus cards can withdraw funds or ask for cash advances at ATMs that display their logos. .The most prominent MasterCard ATMs are the Express Tellers by BPI (Bank of the Philippine Islands) and the Smartellers by Banco de Oro.^ Most of the Philippine Islands are clustered in a predominantly north-south direction.
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 ^ The Diuata Mountains bordering the eastern coast form the most prominent range on the island.
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 ^ Remedios (my cousin “Didi”) resides in Chicago, Illinois and Mario lives in Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao in the Philippines.
  • The Borromeo Family of the Philippines » TheBorromeoFamily.com 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.theborromeofamily.com [Source type: General]

 PLUS ATMs are not available locally as a complement by itself, but instead it is available along with Cirrus. Prominent examples include the Fasteller by Equitable PCI Bank and the Electronic Teller (ET) by Metrobank. Most MegaLink ATMs are linked to PLUS and Cirrus.
.Credit card holders can use VISA, MasterCard, American Express and JCB cards in many locations in the Philippines but merchants would usually require a minimum purchase amount before you can use your card.^ Would you turn on your truck and lie down in back of its exhaust and drink all that bad stuff into your lungs voluntarily?
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Would you sit on the hood of your car when the engine is hot and stay there for hours?
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ If you think your blog is fit to be in Blog Davao, use our contact form.

 Cardholders of China UnionPay credit cards can get cash advances at many BancNet ATMs (particularly of Metrobank) but cannot use their cards in point of sale transactions at the moment.
Exchange Rates
As of January 2010:
  • U.S. Dollar $1 - Philippine Peso ₱45
  • Euro €1 - Philippine Peso ₱66
  • Pound Sterling £1 - Philippine Peso ₱74
  • Saudi Rial SR1 - Philippine Peso ₱12
  • Japanese Yen ¥1 - Philippine Peso ₱0.50
  • Australian Dollar $1 - Philippine Peso ₱42
  • South African Rand R1 - Philippine Peso ₱6
.Traveling in Philippines is cheap (one of the least expensive places to visit in Asia and as well in the rest of the world.^ After the Second World War, the British vehicle makers had the largest market share worldwide after the Americans, and the British were number one in parts of Asia (the Philippines included), Australia, Oceania, Africa and the Middle East.
  • The Borromeo Family of the Philippines » TheBorromeoFamily.com 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.theborromeofamily.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Suffrage shall be exercised by citizens of the Philippines not otherwise disqualified by law, who are eighteen years of age or over and who shall have resided in the Philippines for at least one year and in the place wherein they propose to vote for at least six months preceding the election.
  • Constitution of the Philippines (1973) - Wikisource 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC en.wikisource.org [Source type: Original source]

 ^ The Philippines has one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world.
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 ) Some accomdation is pricy. , more so in some cases places to stay are cheaper in Thailand. .For example a stay in a hotel would cost as low as $30 or ₱1400, a flight to Cebu from Manila and vice-versa will cost $35 or ₱1645. Transportation is low as ₱8.50 for the first 4km in a Jeepney.^ Php699 seats are also selling for flights from Manila to Bacolod, Cebu, Iloilo, Roxas, and Tacloban.

 ^ Here’s a cheap deal for North Luzon flights Cebu Pacific ‘Go Lite’ seat sale for as low as Php699 to nine (9) destinations!

 .Using an internet for 1 hour in an internet cafe range from ₱20 to ₱50 depending on the Internet Cafe's prices, a can of coke costs as low was ₱16 and a Copy of the International Herald Tribune costs ₱70 and Economist as low was ₱160. In most restaurants, there is 12% Value Added Tax (VAT).^ The Virlanie Foundation, a local child protection NGO, estimated that there were at least 20,000 child prostitutes in the country, most in the Metro Manila area.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

Eat

.Filipino cuisine has developed from the different cultures that shaped its history.^ Muslim Filipinos, also known as Moros or Moro Muslims, constitute the second largest group with a common cultural identity, although there are many linguistic and cultural differences among them.
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 ^ By expressing the cultural richness of the archipelago in all its diversity, Filipino artists have helped to shape a sense of national identity.
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 .As such it is a melange of Chinese, Malay, Spanish and American influences.^ Filipinos of mixed descent (through various combinations of Malay, Chinese, and Spanish intermarriage) have traditionally formed the country’s elite in business and politics.
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 ^ The edifices, statues, and paintings of the period show Chinese and Malay modifications of Spanish baroque, an elaborate and detailed style.
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 .Though its cuisine is not as renowned as many of its neighbours, such as that of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and lately Vietnam, Filipino cooking is nonetheless distinct in that it is possibly the least spicy of all South East Asian cuisines.^ The major potential of undersea fields in the South China Sea is diminished by competing claims from China, Vietnam, and Malaysia.
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 ^ The shortage of employment opportunities has resulted in large-scale migrations of Filipino workers, both sophisticated professionals and unskilled workers, to countries such as the United States and Malaysia.
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 ^ The Philippine Islands lie off the southeastern coast of the Asian mainland, across the South China Sea from Vietnam and China.
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 Don't make the mistake to think of Filipino food as bland, though. .It is just that instead of spices, Filipino food depends more on garlic, onions and ginger to add flavor to dishes.^ Born just after second World War his family suffered untold difficulties, often only eating root crops instead of proper food.

 .Painstaking preparation and prolonged cooking time is also a characteristic of most Filipino dishes, and when done properly is often what brings out the flavor of the food as, opposed to a healthy dose of spices.^ One of the most notable characteristics of Filipino society is its strong family and community relationships.
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.Filipinos usually eat with a spoon and fork, with the spoon held in the right hand and the fork used for pushing food onto the spoon but sometimes, Filipinos eat with their hands, usually on provinces and remote areas or when they are on a picnic and using banana leaves as their plates.^ Guards sometimes demanded that prisoners pay to receive food, to use sanitary facilities, and to avoid beatings by other prisoners.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ [This is what the Filipino children say when greeting two or more people.They put their right hand over their heart and say "Hullo to all!".

Rice

.As with the rest of Southeast Asia, rice is the staple food of the Philippines.^ The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism is a founding member of the organization, which has the specific mandate of promoting and protecting press freedom in Southeast Asia.

 Some areas in the Visayas prefer corn but elsewhere Filipinos would generally have rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Uncooked rice usually comes in 50kg sacks but can be bought by the kilogram at the wet market or at neighborhood rice dealers. Single servings of rice are readily available at fastfood restaurants or eateries.

Mains

Filipinos usually serve at least one main course accompanied by rice for lunch and dinner. .At times you would have two with a vegetable dish accompanying a meat dish.^ At the same time, it needed to reassure the business community that it would continue the economic reforms that the two preceding administrations had pursued.
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 On special occasions such as fiestas, several main dishes would be served. Soups are also often the main course apart from being a starter. It is not uncommon for Filipinos to douse their rice with the soup and eat the meat that came with the soup alongside. Here are a few typical Filipino dishes:
  • Adobo - chicken, pork or both served in a garlicky stew with vinegar and soy sauce as a base.
  • Pansit - chicken, pork or shrimp mixed with rice noodles with variety of vegetables i.e. carrots, cabbage, celery, peapods etc.
  • Tinola - chicken in ginger soup.
  • Sinigang - soup soured usually with tamarind (but can also be by guavas or kamias), can be served with pork, beef, chicken, fish or shrimp.
  • Lengua - roasted beef tongue marinated in savory sauce
  • Nilaga - literally means "boiled", can be beef which in certain places is served with its marrow (bulalo), pork or chicken.
  • Calamares - fried shrimp/squid wrapped in breading.
  • Kare-kare - peanuty stew of vegetables and meat simmered for hours on end, usually beef with tripe and tail and eaten with a side of shrimp paste (bagoong). There is also a seafood version of kare-kare with crabs, squid and shrimp instead of beef.
  • Camaron Rebusado - the Filipino version of tempura.
  • Lechon de leche - slow-roasted baby pork, usually served during larger occasions. .The crispy skin is delicious and is often the first part that is consumed.
  • Daing na bangus - fried dried milkfish, usually served for breakfast with garlic fried rice and fried egg.
  • Pakbet - a traditional meal of mixed vegetables usually containing cut tomatoes, minced pork, lady finger, eggplant, etc.
  • Dinuguan - a dark stew of pig's blood mixed with its innards.^ The Philippine diet usually consists of boiled rice or ground corn, vegetables, fresh or salted fish, and fruits.
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     Usually served with a big green chili and best eaten with puto.
  • Bopis - pork innards, usually served spicy.

Snacks

Filipinos love to snack. Merienda is what Filipinos call their mid-morning and mid-afternoon meals. Some favorite snack time meals include:
.
  • Bibingka - rice cake with cheese and salted egg.
  • Halo-halo - literally means "mixed", fruit, sweets, crushed ice, milk, beans, and sometimes ice cream.^ Sweetened fruits like bananas, jackfruits, young coconut meat, mangoes, ripe papayas; gelatins of all shapes and sizes; flans; yams; rice crispies; and scoops of cheese and yam-flavored ice-cream make up the “regular” versions.

     ^ There could be as many as two dozen elements arranged on top of shaved ice made even flavorful by either milk or cream.

     ^ A boat dish of “halo-halo” (literally-translated, “mix-mix”) is always in order on a hot Manila afternoon.

     Similar to the ice kachang served in Malaysia and Singapore.
  • Balut - is a fertilized duck egg with a nearly-developed embryo inside that is boiled and eaten in the shell. .Popularly believed to be an aphrodisiac and considered a high-protein, hearty snack, baluts are mostly sold by street vendors at night in the regions where they are available.^ They tend to work as vendors, street hawkers, and unskilled laborers.
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     .Boiled and usually eaten with a sprinkle of salt and vinegar.
  • Penoy - same as balut, but without the embryo, just the yolk.
  • Buko pie - pie made with fresh coconut flesh.^ The Philippine diet usually consists of boiled rice or ground corn, vegetables, fresh or salted fish, and fruits.
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     .The province of Laguna has numerous roadside buko pie stores, with several of them claiming to be the home of the "original" buko pie.
  • Pandesal - small buns usually made fresh in the morning, usually an alternative to rice for breakfast.^ The Philippine diet usually consists of boiled rice or ground corn, vegetables, fresh or salted fish, and fruits.
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     It is usually eaten with a cup of coffee. .Some people prefer to dip their pandesal in coffee.
  • Banana cue - a popular street food made of saba bananas fried in very hot oil with caramelized sugar coating.^ Some of these early migrations to the Philippine Islands were made by the ancestors of the present-day people of the Aeta and Agta tribes.
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     .The saba bananas can also be boiled instead of fried.
  • Fishballs - more popularly known to Filipinos as "fishballan" they usually come in vendor stands and are sold deep-fried along with squidballs, chickenballs and kikiam.^ Filipino women, usually called Filipinas, have more social equality than women in most countries in Southeast Asia.
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     ^ Well, not yet because they are not given a chance by the Filipino people and more so with media.

     ^ I think it started out as a bakery at first, then they added a couple more stores and food stalls when students kept on coming back.

     Some stands also sell "isaw" (chicken innard), siomai (steamed dumpling), "kwekkwek" (boiled quail egg in orange coating), and "betamax" (dried and cubed pig's blood). A stick may sell from P5 to P10. Isaw sticks usually sell for P2.
  • Puto - a general term for rice cake, they usually come as soft white rice muffins or pie-shaped desserts. Other kinds include Biko, Cuchinta, Pichi-Pichi, Sapin-Sapin, etc. The towns of Calasiao in Pangasinan and Binan, Laguna are famous for their puto.
  • Chicharon - crunchy snacks made from deep-fried pig skin.

Kamayan

Kamayan, literally means Eating with Hands. .The Filipinos have this most in their homes during mealtimes, they would raise their feet up and rest it up on the chair while the other hand rests on the knee and then they'd eat clumsily with their hands.^ They formed the first Filipino elite during the colonial period, and today they continue to form an economically and politically important minority.
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 ^ Once they arrive, they will be able to participate in the activities where the funds raised through their efforts would be used.

 ^ The other morning I woke up to the most fantastic thunderstorm.

 .Filipino people would often say that Kamayan makes food taste more better.^ Filipino authors often write in more than one literary form and in more than one language.
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 ^ Well, not yet because they are not given a chance by the Filipino people and more so with media.

 ^ The commission reported that immediate independence would be disastrous both for the Filipino people and for U.S. interests in the western Pacific.
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 Wash your hands clean before attempting this to avoid illnesses.

Fruits & Desserts

Tropical fruits abound in the Philippines. Most of the countryside produce finds its way to the metro areas and can be easily bought in supermarkets, such as:
  • Green, ripe, and dried mangoes - Philippine mangoes are among the best in the world.
  • Durian - smells like hell but supposedly tastes of heaven, most common in Davao but can usually also be bought in some supermarkets in Manila.
  • Coconut - Although it's familiar, you should try the coconut of the Philippines, the country is the largest exporter of the coconut industry in the world.

Desserts/Sweets

  • 'Sampaloc candy'- salted and sweetened tamarind fruit
  • 'Mais con Hielo'- a dessert of fresh sweet corn served in a glass mixed with crushed ice and milk.
  • 'Halo-Halo' - another refreshing dessert which is a mix of sweetened beans and fruits, such as sweetened bananas, red and white beans, sago, crushed ice and milk and topped off with leche flan and ube jam and/or ice cream
  • 'Leche Flan' - custard flan made from eggs, milk and sugar
.McDonald's, Dairy Queen, Burger King, Wendy's, KFC, Shakey's, Pizza Hut, Kenny Roger's Roasters, Sbarro's, Starbucks, Seattle's Best, Subway and other multinational fast food chains have established themselves in the Philippines.^ It has become the best substitute for wood in the furniture, handicraft, and construction industries, not withstanding other benefits as a source of food, biofuel, and for environmental protection.

 ^ The Philippines had virtually no manufacturing other than the processing of food products, primarily for the United States market.
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 .The Philippine version of McDonald's, Jollibee, has a branch in almost every city and town in the country.^ Manila is the capital of the Philippines and the country’s chief port, main commercial and cultural center, and largest city.
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 Other popular Filipino food chains are Chow King, Goldilock's, and Greenwich.
Sunset during Happy Hour on Boracay
Sunset during Happy Hour on Boracay
.Metro Manila is home to many bars, watering holes, and karaoke sites.^ Volunteers for this project shall live in Metro Manila or with host families near the nurseries and tree planting sites.

 Popular places include Makati (particularly the Glorietta and Greenbelt areas), Ortigas Metrowalk, and Eastwood in Libis. .Other big cities such as Cebu City and Davao also have areas where the nightlife is centered.^ Both adults and children were trafficked domestically from poor, rural, areas in the southern and central parts of the country to major urban centers, especially Metro Manila and Cebu, but also increasingly to cities in Mindanao.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
  • Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Initial Registration for November 2009 Nurses (MANILA) NOTE: The schedule for oathtaking and registration for all other areas such as Lucena, Baguio, Cebu, Iloilo, and Davao will be posted at Pinoy R.N. once it becomes available.

 ^ Other important cities include Quezon City, which is part of the Manila metropolitan area, and served as the country’s capital from 1948 to 1976; Davao, a provincial capital and a seaport; Cebu, a seaport and the trade center for a farming and coal-mining region; and Zamboanga, also a seaport.
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 Establishments serve the usual hard and soft drinks typical of bars elsewhere. Note that Filipinos rarely consume alcohol by itself. They would normally have what is called as "pulutan" or bar chow alongside their drinks which is like the equivalent of tapas. At the least, this would consist of mixed nuts but selections of grilled meats and seafood are not uncommon food alongside the customary drinks. When having a party, Filipinos enjoy drinking round-robin style using a common glass. .One is supposed to drink bottoms-up before passing the glass to the next person.^ I suppose you have stocked your mom's basement with enough food and stuff to keep up till next year...
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 This custom is known as "tagayan" and one person usually volunteers to pour the drink.
Beer is perhaps the most common form of alcohol consumed in bars. .San Miguel Beer is the dominant local brand with several variants such as Light, Dry, Strong Ice and their flagship variant Pale Pilsen.^ (SMC) recently completed the $300-million sale of the international beer business to its flagship unit San Miguel Brewery (SMB) Inc.

 ^ These activities included the participation of various groups such as policy makers, local government authorities, youth and non-government organizations.
  • Country Profile - Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.un.org [Source type: Academic]

 Budweiser, Heineken and Corona can also be found in upscale bars. Rhum and "ginebra" which is the local form of gin are commonly available forms of hard liquor. Indigenous forms of liquor are lambanog and tuba which are both derived from coconut sap. .Tuba is fermented from the coconut sap and though tuba itself can be drunk, it is also distilled to take the form of lambanog.^ A locally made beverage is tuba , a fermented coconut wine.
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 .Lambanog is now being marketed widely both locally and internationally in its base form as well as in several flavored variants such as mango, bubble gum and blueberry.^ H clubs and related organizations now exist in many other countries as well; the organization and administration varies from country to country.

 ^ Hardwood trees such as mahogany were once one of the country’s most valuable resources, but now this resource is severely depleted.
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Alcohol is extremely cheap in the Philippines (and probably cheapest in the whole of Asia). For a bottle of San Miguel bought at a 7-11 or Mini-Stop, a bottle would costs about PhP20-PhP30 (About USD 0.50). For top-end bars and clubs, a bottle would costs about PhP100.00-PhP200 (about USD 2.50-5.00). .A bottle of 750ml Absolut Vodka at the supermarket would fetch a price of around PhP750.00 and a popular local rhum (especially amongst knowledgeable expats) Tanduay would get you just below PhP70.00 at a 24 hour convenience store in Makati (The Financial District).^ Below is another story I hope you would (like others) enjoy.
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Would you sit on the hood of your car when the engine is hot and stay there for hours?
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Obama is an idiot (and a typical black dude that has a very weird fear of gay people, maybe blacks guys would just be too popular in the gay community: har har har).
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]
Of course non-alcoholic drinks are also widely available in bars and other establishments. Don't miss:
  • 'Calamansi Juice' - juice made from small, local limes called calamansi
  • 'Fresh Buko Juice'- juice extracted from young coconuts
  • 'Sago't Gulaman - a sweet drink of molasses, tapioca pearls and seaweed gelatin
  • 'Green mango shake- a fruit shake made of green or unripened mangoes, sugar, milk and ice (one of the best native drinks in the Philippines)
  • Taho - a sweet, warm soya snack usually served in the morning, with tapioca balls, soft tofu and caramelized syrup

Sleep

Housing options for tourists include hotels, condotels, apartelles, motels, inns/bed-and-breakfasts, and pension houses.
.Hotels are usually for the higher-end traveller, although hotel rates--even for four-star establishments-- are not very high compared to other international destinations.^ The country’s high rate of population growth results in large additions to the labor force each year in an economy with a high rate of unemployment and even higher underemployment.
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 ^ The trials for the cases against two of the four establishments were on-going at year's end, while charges against the two other establishments were not pursued.
  • Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Condotels are furnished condominium units rented out for long or short term stays, apartelles are set up for both short and long term stays, and a pension house is usually more basic and economical.^ Skilled Filipino labor has prompted some multinational companies to set up service operations in the country to serve consumers in Europe and the United States.
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 ^ While Quezon set up a government-in-exile in the United States, the Japanese secured the collaboration of some officials who had stayed behind.
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 ^ In the long term, however, protectionist economic policies provided little incentive for the development of labor-intensive export manufacturing.
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 .These all vary in terms of cleanliness, availability of air conditioning, and hot water showers.^ People do sail through these waters despite all the unrest down south.

 Motels, inns, and lodges also serve lodging purposes but have a reputation as meeting places for illicit sex, a unit being usually a small room with a connected carport, hidden behind a high wall which provides for secret comings and goings. You can distinguish these by their hourly rates, while more reputable institutions usually have daily rates.

Stay safe

.If you use your common sense, you must not flash your valuables (especially Apple iPods and iPhones) because they pose a pickpocketing threat.^ Your truck is giving off gases, particulate matter and heat that this earth doesn't need, simply because some dolt misdesigned it and you bought it.
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ You can also use this Apple Ipad as digital picture frame, watching videos, listen to music with its powerful built-in speaker or Bluetooth wireless headphones.

 ^ If you think your blog is fit to be in Blog Davao, use our contact form.

 Pickpockets are really common in the big cities of the Philippines. Manila is not a place for violent robbery, but the ativan scam is common practice. Don't expect any reprisal from police. .They have their own problems seeing as their government underpays them and thus they thrive on bribes.^ Government authorities discouraged travel by vulnerable workers to areas in which they face personal risk (see section 5).
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Althrough sometimes you could get something good out of them but don't expect any more.^ Don't spend more than you should!
  • Calling the Philippines with Philippines Calling card. Call Philippines via Philippines Call cards. 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.comfi.com [Source type: Academic]

 ^ GOOD FOR HIS ASS DUM FUCK. HE TALKS TO HIS OWN DAUGHTER LIKE SHIT WHAT ELSE DO YOU EXPECT. .
  • Perez Hilton: The Philippines Tells Alec Baldwin To Kindly Fuck Off 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC perezhilton.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

Prostitution

.Prostitution is thriving but officially and nationally illegal in the Philippines, although hostess bars, massage parlors and other opportunities abound which offer this service.^ The Virlanie Foundation offered housing, training, and counseling services to child prostitutes.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The law does not provide for divorce, although courts generally recognize the legality of divorces obtained in other countries if one of the parties is a foreign national.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
  • Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Although there is an official separation of church and state in the Philippines, the Roman Catholic Church continues to have an influential role in political life.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .The age of consent is 18. Penalties for sex with minors are harsh, and offenders may also be prosecuted by their home country.^ All Philippine citizens age 18 or older may vote.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

Gays and Lesbians

.Gays and lesbians will slightly be fine here in the Philippines as some the younger tolerant generation are very accepting, but please note use common sense such as public kissing as you may get stares or even verbal profanity.^ Keith....sweet dreams when you are under and hope the operation is a success and recovery even better....may your pain in the neck disappear once and for all...
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ You might also want to check out Malcolm's volunteer experiences in the Philippines here and here .

 ^ I am on the experimentation stage but I have some tips that I could share to you and here it is.

 .Also, in the countryside and with the 50 year old and up generation chances are they will condemn it.^ They hope the 42 year old US trade embargo will be lifted.
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ They are 18-year olds and are natives of Seoul, Korea.

 But nevertheless, Filipinos have their warm hospitality. Violence against gays and lesbians is rare but don't expect this.

Stay healthy

Drink the readily available bottled water. Buko (young coconut) juice is also safe if they have not added local ice to it. Be wary also of Buko juice vendors, some usually just add sugar to water. Buy and eat fruit that has not already been cut up. Cooked food from a karenderia (outdoor canteen) is okay if there is a fire under the pots and the food has been kept hot.
.If you must drink tap water (it is usually served/contained in a small to medium plastic bag), water in Manila, Cebu City, Subic, and Angeles may be ok, but it is recommended that you boil tap water for at least 5 minutes just to be safe.^ In Cebu City in the Central Visayan Region, the police recorded at least three killings during the year.
  • Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The deep-water harbor at Subic Bay, near Manila, became a major anchorage for the U.S. naval fleet.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Subic Bay International Airport, near Manila, serves international commercial flights as well as domestic passenger flights.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 Elsewhere drink bottled water. There is always the risk of contracting amoebiasis when drinking tap water in the countryside. Also, this applies to ice that is usually put in beverages.
Bottled water is best purchased from within stores and sheltered eateries. .Bottled waters sold outside (by the roads) are more than likely used bottles filled with tap water, sealed then cooled.^ An on-going jail decongestion program by BJMP resulted in the early release, using applicable laws, of more than 3,500 inmates.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ It has an extensive wine list much like Cav (without the wine dispensers), and is as elegant and hidden but more spacious than Elbert's (without the steaks).
.CDC [25] advises that risk of malaria exists in areas below 600 meters, except for the provinces of Aklan, Bilaran, Bohol, Camiguin, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cebu, Guimaras, Iloilo, Leyte, Masbate, northern Samar, Sequijor, and metropolitan Manila.^ Northern and eastern Samar-Leyte.
  • Ethnologue report for Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.ethnologue.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Five hundred thirty-three barangays were affected in Iloilo; Capiz came second with 473 barangays; Iloilo City, 113; Antique, 102; Negros Occidental, 60; Bacolod City and Guimaras at 12 barangays each and Aklan three barangays.

 ^ Employment opportunities associated with the modern economy, mostly services and manufacturing, are concentrated in a few urban centers, especially the Manila metropolitan area.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 Chloroquine is no longer a recommended malaria preventative for anywhere in the Philippines. .In general malaria is not common in the Philippines compared to Africa and the rest of mainland Southeast Asia, and around half of the c.^ The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism is a founding member of the organization, which has the specific mandate of promoting and protecting press freedom in Southeast Asia.

 ^ After World War II (1939-1945) the Philippines was one of the first nations of Southeast Asia to try to industrialize its economy.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Palawan Island is believed to be the first Philippine island to have been settled by people who migrated from the Southeast Asian mainland during prehistoric times.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 40,000 annual cases are in a couple of discrete locations.
.Also please note the tubercolosis is very common in the countryside, it is advisable not to stay in certain villages in areas you are not familiar with for a very long time.^ At times I felt the program to be quite difficult and challenging but, overall, a very rewarding and satisfying experience—one that will stay with me forever.

 ^ For those of you who might feel sorry for Diablo, just remember he has been asking for it for a long time.
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Consequently, the lines for the laboratories are very long and the waiting time stretches for days.

 It is also higly advisable that if one coughs or looks weak in strength it is highly advisable to avoid contact with that person.
Bring anti-diarrheal drugs with you, as unsanitary conditions present a high risk for traveler's diarrhea.
.Although the Philippines is a low HIV prevalence country, it still pays to take precaution.^ The rate of HIV/AIDS remained low, although the rate of infection was believed to be underreported.
  • Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 Other sexually transmitted diseases are more common than HIV.

Cope

Electricity

Most of the Philippines is 220 Volt 60 Hz with the older 2-prong plug formerly used in the USA (not polarized or grounded). This is not a common voltage-frequency combination, so nearly everyone will have to pay close attention to what they plug in to an electric outlet. Americans will need a step-down transformer, while Europeans and Australians cannot use electric clocks and heavy-duty 50 Hz motors. Also, they will need a passive plug adaptor intended for USA/Canada. .Americans will need one too for any plug where one blade is wider than the other (polarized), or has a third round grounding pin.^ Here is one of their TV commercials: Chooks To Go TV Commercial Based on the current market price, their chicken is cheaper than the other famous brand.

 It's best also to bring such items that work universally such as those electronics marked with a 100V-240V 50/60hz compatibility to avoid voltage concerns.
.Downtown Baguio (northern Luzon) uses 110 V @ 60 Hz like USA, but doesn't go very far beyond the city center.^ Dialects : A pidginized form is used in northern Luzon highlands.
  • Ethnologue report for Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.ethnologue.com [Source type: General]

 The airport, for example, is 220V. If staying in the Baguio area, always ask first! If your equipment is 110-125V, merely crossing a street corner can cause it to be damaged or even catch fire. .There are no signs in Baguio indicating where 110V ends and 220V begins.^ The Melo Commission investigated the case; however, there were no publicly known developments regarding the investigation at year's end.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

Television and Video

Television and video in the Philippines use the PAL-M format. .Region Coded DVDs are Region 3 (SE Asia), though virtually all Tagalog movies are region free.^ Data Map > All Regions / Continents > All Countries > Region: Southeast Asia > Country: Philippines .
  • Joshua Project - Ethnic People Groups of Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.joshuaproject.net [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 There are two major networks in the Philippines - ABS-CBN and GMA.
Cable and Satellite TV are widely available. SkyCable and Global Destiny Cable are the best-known cable operators in the country while Dream is the country's sole satellite TV operator. Almost all hotels and major commercial centres have cable or satellite TV.

Respect

A little courtesy goes a long way. Filipinos are a very friendly and hospitable people, sometimes even to a fault. .Take the time to smile and say "thank you", and you'll receive much better responses.^ Thank you so so much!

 ^ Pastor Rickie has changed his website taking out his, if you are a gay or lesbian you cannot be a member of "his" Saddleback church......all I can say is.....the gays and the lesbians are the lucky ones on this one.
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Or do you take some time to think about it first?

 .You will receive an even better response if you throw in a little Tagalog, such as "salamat", which means "thank you". When talking to the people who are usually old enough to be your parents or grandparents in Filipino, it is greatly appreciated to include "po" in your sentences such as "salamat po". If you are having a conflict, stay relaxed, make a joke and smile.^ Are you one of those who appreciate arts as it should be or are you one of those people who cannot comprehend how a particular art is supposed to be good or beautiful.

 ^ Keith....sweet dreams when you are under and hope the operation is a success and recovery even better....may your pain in the neck disappear once and for all...
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Stay out of Canada so we can keep an intelligent population to overtake you when your IDIOCRACY becomes truth.
  • Perez Hilton: The Philippines Tells Alec Baldwin To Kindly Fuck Off 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC perezhilton.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 Getting angry or standing on your stripes will not bring you far, and you will lose respect.
In the countryside and in some urban homes, footwear is removed when entering a home, though they may make an exception for foreigners. The key is to look around before entering any home. .If you see footwear just outside the door, more than likely the family's practice is to remove footwear before entering.^ Once you have determined which masks will fit properly, other considerations are comfort, field of vision--some masks permit more view to the sides than others.
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ I said to him "The force that observed that very leaf through you is also unseen and you cant know it through your eyes just like you cant know the wind, but still it is there" .
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ The wealthiest 10 percent of families earn more than twice as much as the poorest 40 percent.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 If you wear socks, you don't have to remove them.

Work

.When working with people in the Philippines, it's important to remember that they often bring cultural influences into the workplace and that don't always match well with your business culture.^ The zones have helped to stimulate foreign investment in the Philippine economy, in part because they are exempt from certain taxes and restrictions on foreign ownership of businesses.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Some people overeat when they’re stressed, but I’m the kind of person who loses her appetite when she’s too consumed by her work.

 ^ Indigenous people suffered disproportionately from armed conflict, including displacement from their homes, because they often inhabit mountainous areas also favored by guerrillas.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 When you first meet another business person, it's important that you address them with both their title and both their first and last name. .Businesses in the Philippines are often structured as a hierarchy and it's important to note that most decisions are made from the top down.^ Orosa-Goquingco is most noted for her staging of Filipinescas: Philippine Life, Legend and Lore in Dance, which toured the world in the 1960s.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ With the Philippine election period now officially underway, the top presidential contenders or "presidentiables" as Filipinos call them, have been whittled down to the top five contenders...

 ^ He also built on the process of restoring democracy to the Philippines by addressing the nation’s most difficult economic and structural problems.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Additionally, the Filipino value of "social harmony" doesn't always allow for directness when approaching sensitive issues.^ Their works typically explore the Filipino cultural identity in the context of social and political issues.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 [26]

Street Children

In many of the larger cities extreme poverty is prevalent. .It is advised not to give money to beggars or the street children who run around at all hours.^ Ma’amm Tess [all older woman are called Ma’am here, including me] is a big cuddly woman who fusses around like a hen.

 .If you really want to give something, food is the better alternative.^ Here are some things you might want to ponder on: Do I really need a corporate blog?

 ^ RedWingsFan says – reply to this 22 Re: carolineyy – I so want to give you a hug!:) .
  • Perez Hilton: The Philippines Tells Alec Baldwin To Kindly Fuck Off 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC perezhilton.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ I really want to give something back to your country because it has taught me so much,” she wrote.

Political topics

.Keep in mind that the Marcos years (1965-1986) can be a polarizing topic within the Philippines.^ Meanwhile, the Philippines faced massive foreign debt accrued during the Marcos years.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Visitors will find that the northern Ilokano Population view the regime as an era of stability, while the metropolitan areas in the south of Luzon take strong pride in the people's power or "EDSA" revolution that deposed the regime.^ Indigenous people lived throughout the country but primarily in the mountainous areas of northern and central Luzon and in Mindanao.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
  • Philippines 9 February 2010 16:47 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The Philippines can be divided into three geographic areas: the northern islands of Luzon and Mindoro, the central islands of the Visayan Islands (Visayas) and Palawan, and the southern islands of Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The police dispersed rallies commemorating the 1986 "people's power" demonstrations, which culminated in the ouster of the Marcos regime, and those calling for the ouster of President Arroyo.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 Either way it is best to assess the speaker's opinion prior to approaching the topic.

Homosexuality

.The Philippines is a predominant Roman Catholic country though a country many to Gays and Lesbians, respect is needed here, it is considered immoral for two people with the same sex kissing in the public.^ Aware of the political and social advantages enjoyed by Roman Catholics in the colony, many Chinese converted to Catholicism and married Filipina women.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The members of the Aeta and Agta tribes are considered to be the indigenous people of the Philippines.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ At the same time, it needed to reassure the business community that it would continue the economic reforms that the two preceding administrations had pursued.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

Contact

The country code for the Philippines is 63. The area code for Metro Manila is 2.
.The cheapest way to call to and from the Philippines is using Voice Over Internet Protocol, there are several licensed VoIP providers in the Philippines one of the most popular being Vodini Telecom [27] who has plans way under the traditional carriers as well as unlimited calling plans.^ This was the case for some 1,500 Vietnamese asylum seekers who were found not to be refugees under the UNHCR-administered Comprehensive Plan of Action in the 1990s.
  • Philippines 28 January 2010 0:39 UTC www.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Sulit.com.ph is one of the most popular classified ads posting forum site in the Philippines.

 ^ And Ruth, the women are catching up in the Arabic world as well, if only there are already videos on the Internet with women not taking it anymore.
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]
.For cell phone calling there are three major cell phone companies, Globe [28], Smart [29] for mobile phones) and Sun [30]; each of them operates its own mobile network (GSM 900/1800).^ The device is similar to the USB dongle you’ve seen with Globe, Smart and Sun Cellular.

 Pre-paid SIM cards of these networks are easy to acquire and cost as low as P30 (approximately 70 US cents) and provide a cheaper alternative to expensive roaming charges. If your unit is locked to your home service provider, cellphone repair shops in various malls have ways of unlocking. .If you don't have a phone to begin with, a complete pre-paid kit with phone and SIM could be had for as low as 1,500 pesos (US$30).^ I don't think he deliberately mislead us...you know...the left wing mantra...bush lied people died...
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ S, writes, "I don't think he deliberately mislead us...you know...the left wing mantra...bush lied people died..."
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 .Note that the phones that come with these kits would usually be locked to the local network provider.^ From the size of the trucks and the number of victims standing in line to receive aid, it was clear that the rations provided by these aid operations would be inadequate.

 .You would also need to have it unlocked before leaving if you plan on using it back home.^ Would you turn on your truck and lie down in back of its exhaust and drink all that bad stuff into your lungs voluntarily?
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ (If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear.
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]
GSM mobile phones are in wide use all over the country, however. 3G technology is also available through Globe and Smart but is poorly implemented and often not properly operational. .In most urban locations and many resorts, cell phone service will be available.^ Most urban residents are employed in the service sector or in manufacturing.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .The usual cost of an international long-distance call to the United States, Europe and other major countries is 40 US cents per minute.^ Skilled Filipino labor has prompted some multinational companies to set up service operations in the country to serve consumers in Europe and the United States.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The shortage of employment opportunities has resulted in large-scale migrations of Filipino workers, both sophisticated professionals and unskilled workers, to countries such as the United States and Malaysia.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ The United States, at the time concentrating its forces in Europe, lacked the fleet that MacArthur hoped for to fight the war in the Philippines.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 Local calls range from 7.50 to 9 pesos (approximately 15 to 18 US cents) per minute. Text messages typically cost as low as 1 peso (a little over 2 US cents) and the Philippines is usually tagged as the "texting capital of the world". International SMS is charged at a higher rate 15-25 pesos.
Reloading pre-paid SIMs is a breeze. .Electronic Load (E-Load) stations are everywhere from small corner stores to the large malls where you just give your mobile phone number and the amount you wish to load (Globe, Smart and Sun each have their load denominations to choose from for E-loading).^ Your truck is giving off gases, particulate matter and heat that this earth doesn't need, simply because some dolt misdesigned it and you bought it.
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ I said to him "The force that observed that very leaf through you is also unseen and you cant know it through your eyes just like you cant know the wind, but still it is there" .
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ I dare you to prove that you at least have a high school education, that you actually have job and not just depend on your parents or grandparents or the government for your living.
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 .If you have a friend using the same mobile operator as you, you can load as little as a few pesos by letting him/her pass on some of his/her load to you and if you need hundreds of pesos worth of load, you can purchase pre-paid cards which are available in denominations of 300 and 500 pesos (approximately US$7 and 12 respectively).^ Your truck is giving off gases, particulate matter and heat that this earth doesn't need, simply because some dolt misdesigned it and you bought it.
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ I also noticed that you have a habit of insulting others with some of the same insults that are thrown at you.
  • Open Thread : IntentBlog 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC www.intentblog.com [Source type: General]

 ^ Here are some things you might want to ponder on: Do I really need a corporate blog?
.Due to the wide use of mobile phones, pay phones are increasingly becoming obsolete.^ Will cellular phone numbers become obsolete soon?

 Some malls and public places still do have them and they usually come in either the coin or card operated variety. Globe and PLDT are the usual operators. Phone cards are usually sold by shops which sell cellphone pre-paid loads and cards. .Note that phone cards of one company can not be used with the other company's card operated phones.^ In the three and a half hours that we surveyed the area, we saw just two aid operations in progress, one through a UN agency and the other through Red Cross.
.Internet access areas of broadband speeds are plentiful in city malls, much less so outside the cities, but are growing at a rapid pace.^ Residents of rural areas have less access to safe drinking water and sanitation.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 ^ Broadband internet access in the room & Shuttle service to Alabang Instant Confirmation .
  • Philippines Hotels, Resorts - Asia Travel Hotels Air Tickets Reservation, Hotels and Resorts in Philippines 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.asiatravel.com [Source type: General]

 ^ With Buffet Breakfast & Free Broadband Internet Access in the room Instant Confirmation .
  • Philippines Hotels, Resorts - Asia Travel Hotels Air Tickets Reservation, Hotels and Resorts in Philippines 6 February 2010 12:55 UTC www.asiatravel.com [Source type: General]

 Internet surfing rates depend primarily on where you surf and the medium used (e.g. WiFi or wired). Internet services offered by hotels and shopping malls are expensive and can go up to P200/hour (approximately US$5) but neighbourhood cafes can be as cheap as P15/hour (approximately US$0.35). .Public place WiFi services in the Philippines is provided by Airborneaccess.net and WiZ is likely to cost P100 (approximately US$2) for up to an hour.^ After the United States gained control of the Philippines in 1898, a strong emphasis was placed on public education.
  • Philippines - Printer-friendly - MSN Encarta 12 September 2009 9:42 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

 .Coffee shops like Starbucks and Seattle's Best as well as malls usually carry WiFi service some are free to use.^ If you buy coffee or a pastry at Delifrance, you get free WiFi for the first 45 minutes!

 ^ The only reason why I don’t go to coffee shops as often is because I don’t want to have to pay for Wifi on top of my coffee.

 Certain areas may also carry free WiFi.
Apart from the Philippine postal service, FedEx, UPS, and DHL courier services are also available. Local couriers such as LBC and Aboitiz are also available.
This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!

Wiktionary

Up to date as of January 14, 2010

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

See also philippines

Contents

English

Proper noun

Wikipedia-logo.png
Wikipedia has an article on:
the Philippines
  1. The Republic of the Philippines, a Southeast Asian country comprised of over seven thousand islands in the Pacific Ocean.

Usage notes

  • Normally used in the singular since it is the name of a country.

Synonyms

Related terms

Translations

Republic of the Philippines

External links

See also

French

Proper noun

Philippines
  1. The Philippines.

Simple English

Republic of the Philippines

Republika ng Pilipinas

File:Flag of the
Official flag
National information
National motto: Maka-Diyos, Maka-Tao, Makakalikasan, at Makabansa

("For God, People, Nature, and Country")

National anthem: "Lupang Hinirang" ("Chosen Land")
About the people
Official languages: Filipino (based on Tagalog), English
Population: (# of people)
  - Total: 65,857,473 (ranked n/a)
  - Density: 276 per km²
Geography / Places
[[Image:|250px|none|country map]] Here is the country on a map.
Capital city: Manila
Largest city: Davao City
Area
  - Total: 300,000 (ranked 71)
  - Water:n/a km² (0.6%)
Politics / Government
Established: July 12, 1946
Leaders: President: Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Vice President: Noli de Castro
Economy / Money
Currency:
(Name of money) 		Philippines peso (piso) (PHP)
International information
Time zone: +8
Telephone dialing code: +63
Internet domain: .ph

The Philippines is archipelago country with 7,000 islands. It is in the Pacific Ocean and about 100 kilometers southeast from Asia. Spain (1521-1898) and the United States (1898-1946), colonized (controlled) the country. The Philippines, South Korea, and East Timor are the only nations in East Asia where most people practice Christianity. Philippines achieved independence after United States left in 1946.

The Philippine Islands are surrounded on the East by the Philippine Sea, on the west by the South China Sea, and on the south by the Celebes Sea. Borneo island is a few hundred kilometers to the southwest, Vietnam is to the west, and Taiwan is directly north. On the eastern side of the Philippine Sea is Palau.

Contents

History

Human fossils were found proving that many people settled in the Philippines for thousands of years. The Negritos crossed prehistoric land or ice to settle in the islands' land. Many groups of Austronesian or Malayan people began to come to the Philippines in the first millennium, pushing the aboriginal population into the interior or perhaps absorbing them through intermarriage.

Chinese merchants arrived in the 8th century. The rise of powerful Buddhist kingdoms enabled trade with the Indonesian archipelago, India, Japan and Southeast Asia. Factional fighting among the kingdoms of Southeast Asia weakened their strength. In the meantime, the spread of Islam through commerce and proselytism, much like Christianity, brought traders and missionaries into the region; Arabs set foot in Mindanao in the 14th century. When the first Europeans arrived, led by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, there were rajahs as far north as Manila, who historically were tributaries of the kingdoms of Southeast Asia. However, the islands were essentially self-sufficient and self-ruling.

The Spanish led by Conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi claimed and colonized the islands in the 16th century and named it Filipinas after King Felipe II. Roman Catholicism was immediately introduced. The Philippines was ruled from New Spain (Mexico) and a trade began in the 18th century began using galleons across the Pacific Ocean. Some rebellions and violence started in the towns near the ocean and during the next three centuries because of some unfairness of the government.

In 1781, Governor José Basco y Vargas founded the Economic Society of Friends of the Country to make the Philippines independent of New Spain.

The country opened up during the 19th century. The rise of an ambitious, more nationalistic Filipino middle class and the Chinese mestizo community, signaled the end of Spanish colonialism in the islands. Enlightened by the Propaganda Movement to the injustices of the Spanish colonial government, they asked for independence. Jose Rizal, the most famous propagandist, was arrested and put to death in 1896 for acts of subversion. Soon after, the Philippine Revolution broke out, led by the Katipunan, a secret revolutionary society founded by Andres Bonifacio and later led by Emilio Aguinaldo. The revolution nearly succeeded in ousting the Spanish by 1898.

That same year Spain and the United States fought the Spanish-American War, after which Spain gave up the Philippines to the United States for US$20 million. The Filipinos had declared independence by that time and the assertion of American control led to the Philippine-American War that officially ended in 1901, but fighting continued well into 1913. Between 1899 and 1913 the American-Philippines war waged, about one million Philippines and well over 5500 American soldiers (including missionaries& private contractors, military families) lost their lives, tens of thousands more were wounded. Most of the Philippine's casualties came from starvation, injuries, diseases, lack of clean living. Hostilities continued until 1914 when Philippines was promised future independence.

President McKinley was killed by an anarchist Leon Czolgosz because Czolgosz believed president McKinley was against good working people, he considered William McKinley responsible for falsifying reasons for war, approving and waging illegal, devastating Philippines war.

The American regime imposed the English language as the lingua franca in the islands through free public education. The status of the country was turned into that of a US commonwealth in 1935, which provided for more self-governance.

Independence was finally given in 1946, after the World War II. The years right after that had many post-war problems. People were also not happy during the unpopular dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos, who was made to leave the presidency in 1986. Later, the continuing problem of communist insurgency and Moro separatism.

Politics

The government of the Philippines, is similar to the Government of the United States of America. The President of the Philippines works as the head of state, the head of government, and the commander in chief of the Military of the Philippines and the armed forces. The president is elected by voting just as in America. He stays as the president for 6 years. He is the leader of the cabinet.

The bicameral Philippine legislature, the Congress of the Philippines, consists of the Senate of the Philippines and the House of Representatives of the Philippines; members of both are elected by popular vote. There are 24 senators serving 6 years in the Senate while the House of Representatives consists of no more than 250 congressmen each serving 3-year terms.

The judiciary branch of the government is headed by the Supreme Court of the Philippines, which has a Chief Justice as its head and 14 Associate Justices, all appointed by the president.

The Philippines is a founding and prominent member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It is also an active participant of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), a member of the Group of 24 and one of the 51 founding members of the United Nations on October 24, 1945.

Regions and Provinces

Local Government. The parts of Philippines are "local government units" (LGUs). The province is the top unit. There are 79 provinces in the country (2002). In the provinces there are cities and municipalities (towns). In these municipalities there are smaller barangays (villages). The barangay is the smallest local government unit.

All provinces are in 17 regions for administration (organisation). Most government offices have regional offices for the provinces. The regions do not have a separate local government, except the Muslim Mindanao and Cordillera regions, which have their own power.

Regions

Region Designation Regional center
Ilocos Region Region I San Fernando, La Union
Cagayan Valley Region II Tuguegarao, Cagayan
Central Luzon Region III San Fernando, Pampanga
CALABARZON ¹ Region IV-A Calamba City, Laguna
MIMAROPA ¹ Region IV-B Calapan, Oriental Mindoro
Bicol Region Region V Legazpi, Albay
Western Visayas Region VI Iloilo City
Central Visayas Region VII Cebu City
Eastern Visayas Region VIII Tacloban City
Zamboanga Peninsula Region IX Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur
Northern Mindanao Region X Cagayan de Oro City
Davao Region Region XI Davao City
SOCCSKSARGEN ¹ Region XII Koronadal, South Cotabato
Caraga Region XIII Butuan City
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao ARMM Cotabato City
Cordillera Administrative Region CAR Baguio City
National Capital Region NCR Manila and Quezon City

¹ Names are capitalized because they are acronyms, containing the names of the constituent provinces or cities).

Geography

The Philippines has 7,107 islands. Together there are about 300,000 square kilometers of land. The islands are in three groups: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Luzon is the largest island and Mindanao is the second largest. The Visayas are the group of islands in the central part of the Philippines. The busy port of Manila, on Luzon, is the country's capital and it is the second-largest city after Quezon City. In the Visayas, Cebu City is the largest city. In Mindanao, Davao City is the largest city.

The climate is hot, humid (there is a lot of water in the air), and tropical. The average temperature all year is around 26.5 °Celsius. Filipinos usually say there are three seasons: Tag-init or Tag-araw (the hot season or summer from March to May), Tag-ulan (the rainy season from June to November), and Tag-lamig (the cold season from December to February).

The Philippines is in the Pacific Ring of Fire (zone of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions). Most of the mountainous islands had a lot of tropical rainforests a long time ago. They started as volcanoes. The highest place is Mount Apo on Mindanao at 2,954 m. Many volcanoes in the country, for example Mount Mayon, are active. The country also has about 19 typhoons per year.

Taal Volcano is an island within Taal Lake which sits in a ancient caldera. Located in Batangas Province, it's about 2 hours by bus going south from Manila. The jump-off point in Talisay. It's suitable for day trips and overnighters.

Problems

There are many environmental problems in the Philippines. One of them is overfishing in many areas, which lead to pitiful catches. Another problem is that only ten percent of sewage is treated and cleaned, while the other 90% is dumped back to nature and the ocean, which leads to pollution. Deforestation is a serious problem, and after decades of taking down forests, illegal logging and forest fires, there is only 3% left of original forest cover. Forest losses have also affected the Philippines with serious soil erosion, which is threatening the Philippines biodiversity. [1]

Economy

The Philippines is a developing country. In 1998 the Philippine economy — a mixture of agriculture, light industry, and support services — deteriorated because of the spillover from the Asian financial crisis and poor weather conditions. Growth fell to 0.6% in 1998 from 5% in 1997, but recovered to about 3% in 1999 and 4% in 2000. The government has promised to continue its economic reforms to help the Philippines match the pace of development in the newly industrialized countries of East Asia.

The strategies are improving infrastructure, fixing the tax system to help the government income, supporting deregulation (to remove government control) and privatization of the economy, and increasing trade within the region. Future prospects depend heavily on the economic performance of the three major trading partners, China, the United States and Japan.

People

Around 90 million people live in the Philippines as of 2009. Most people in the Philippines are of Austronesian stock. The ethnic Chinese, who have helped run businesses since the 9th century, also live in the country. The Negritos live in the mountains of Luzon and Visayas. The rest of the groups are the Spanish, Mexicans and North Americans and others, and live throughout the country's major cities.

The people of the Philippines are known as Filipinos. Filipinos are divided into many groups, the three largest are the Tagalogs, Cebuanos, and the Ilocanos. When the Philippines was a colony, the term "Filipino" used to mean the Spanish and Spanish-mixed minority. But now everyone living in the Philippines is called "Filipino". Even then, it is still has the most diverse ethnic groups in Asia. People also call Filipinos, "Pinoy" for short.

Languages

Filipino and English are the official languages. Filipino is based largely on Tagalog, the language spoken in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces. Other local languages are Cebuano and Ilocano and many others. English is used in government, schools and business. Other languages are Chinese and Arabic.

Culture

Filipino culture is strongly influenced by both Western and Eastern traditions. It is a mix of native (Austronesian), Spanish, Mexican, American, and Chinese cultures.

Before the Spanish arrived, the Filipinos did not think of themselves as one people. The Spaniards came in 1565, and brought with them Spanish culture. They soon spread to the islands making forts and schools, preaching Christianity, and converting the native peoples to the Catholic religion. When the United States colonized the islands in 1898, the Americans brought with them their culture, which has the strongest influence up to now. This makes the Philippines the most Westernized country in eastern Asia.

Each year major festivities called barrio fiestas are held. They commemorate the Patron saints of the towns, villages and regional districts. The festivities includes church services, street parades, fireworks displays, feasts, dance/music contests, and cockfights.

Religion

Most of the people in the Philippines are Christians. About 92% of the people are Christians. Most people in the Philippines belong to the Roman Catholic faith (78%). A small percentage of the people are Protestants (many diverse Christian denominations) (2%), Members Church of GOD International (.01%), Iglesia ni Cristo (2%), Muslims (5%), Buddhists (2%). There are also some Hindus and some other minor religions with fewer adherents (with 6.6%).

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  1. ↑ http://wwf.panda.org/who_we_are/wwf_offices/philippines/environmental_problems__in_philippines/
 
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Citable sentences

Up to date as of December 02, 2010

Here are sentences from other pages on Philippines, which are similar to those in the above article.








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