Facts:

The Philippines consists of 7,107 islands, of which only 2,000 are inhabited. Only about 500 of the islands are larger than a square kilometer and 2,500 of them are not even named. The total area of the Philippines is 299,404 square kilometers. The highest mountain is Mt. Apo, near Davao in Mindanao, at 2,953 metres.

The islands of the Philippines can be conveniently divided into three groups. First, there is Luzon, the largest and northernmost island and the site of the capital, Manila. The nearby islands of Mindoro and Marinduque are generally included with Luzon. At the other end of the archipelago is the second largest island, Mindanao. Third, there is the tightly-packed island group known as the Visayas. There are
seven major islands in this group - Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Samar and Masbate. Cebu is the central island of the group and Cebu City is a major tourist destination.

There are over 30 volcanoes in the Philippines, 10 of which are classified as being active. The longest rivers are the Cagayan River, the Rio Grande de Pampanga and the Agno in Luzon; the Rio Grande de Mindanao and the Agusan River in Mindanao.

History:

The Philippines was one of the earlier landfalls of the Western Voyagers. The Spaniard Ferdinand Magellan sighted Homonhon Island in the Western Visayas less than a generation after Vasco da Gama's breakthrough to southwestern India in 1498. From the time the conquistadores set up their capital in what is now Manila in 1571, the western presence in the archipelago was constant and pervasive.

After ruling for over three centuries, the Spaniards were displaced by the Americans in 1898, who themselves stayed for 48 years. This protracted colonial experience imprinted itself deeply on Filipino religion, language and mass culture.

The experts now concede that the state of Philippine culture at the coming of the Spaniards was generally higher than had
been believed. There is evidence of Chinese trade. Hindu
influences have been traced in Agusan and Palawan, while
Islam had been introduced into the southern islands almost 200 years before Miguel de Legazpi's arrival at Manila Bay.

People:

Today, there are about 79.3 million Filipinos; approximately 8 million of whom live in Metro Manila. Filipinos are basically of Malay stock with Chinese and Spanish ancestries. Although an ever growing number of Filipinos are becoming urbanized, a great majority of Filipinos still till the land and live off it comfortably. Known for their hospitality, Filipinos are a warm and friendly people. Visitors are welcomed like members of the family and it is no surprise to find house guests being offered the best room in a Filipino home. Smiles are abundant in the islands

Language:

There are 111 linguistic, cultural and racial groups in the
Philippines speaking a total of about 70 languages. The major linguistic groups are the following: Tagalog, Cebuano,
Ilocano,Hiligaynon, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, Pangasinan and
Maranao. While the Philippines has a national language called Pilipino (also referred to as Tagalog), English remains the language of instruction in the secondary and tertiary schools and is spoken and understood throughout the country, in varying levels.The Philippines is the third largest English-speaking nation in the World.

Education:

Philippine education is patterned after the American system,
with English as the medium of instruction. Schools are classified into public (government) schools or private
(non-government) schools.The general pattern of formal
education follows four stages:Pre-primary level (nursery and
kindergarten) offered in most private schools; 6 years of
compulsory and free primary education in public schools (7
years in some private fee-paying schools) followed by 4 years of secondary education. College education usually takes 4, sometimes 5 and in some cases, as much as 8 years.
Graduate study is an additional 2 or more years.

There are more than 600 private and public colleges and
universities in the Philippines, such as the University of The Philippines, Ateneo De Manila University, University of Santo Tomas, and De La Salle University. The Asian Institute of Management, a graduate school of business, offers high-quality management education specifically designed to meet Asian needs.

Arts & Culture:

The casual visitor to Manila commonly sees the Philippines as the most westernized of Asian countries, and in many ways, it is. But there is also a rich underlay of Malay culture beneath the patina of Spanish and American influence.

National cultural life is a happy marriage of disparate influences, as the indigenous Malay culture assimilated and adjusted to different strains, in a practice typical of the eclectic Malay temperament.

An upsurge of Philippine nationalism in the 1970s may have
stimulated a desire to conserve the ancient heritage, but it has never restrained Philippine culture from becoming attuned to the finest international influence in the arts.

Climate:

In general, the Philippines has a maritime and tropical climate with relatively high humidity, mild temperature, abundant rainfall and gently winds. Three main seasons describe the overall climatic pattern. The wet or rainy season is from June to October, the cool dry season is from November to February and the hot dry season is from March to May.

Most visitors prefer the period from November to March to enjoy the natural beauty of the country.

Filipino Characters:

Fatalistic :

Rather than trying to solve problems, Filipinos take a "What will be, will be" attittude. Bahala Na is uttered only after every effort has been expended toward achieving a particular goal. Roughly translated, this means "Leave it to Fate" or "Leave it to God".

Too Eager to Please :

"Yes" even when they mean "No" or not sure of their
commitment. In Philippine sociey, Hospitality is an essential feature. Filipinos hate turning down visitors, since doing so would not only disrupt social harmony but also reflect negatively on their capabilities as hosts.

Thin Skinned :

Filipinos are very sensitive to critism, insults, and hurt feelings. As elsewhere in Asia, the concept of "face" remains crucial in social interaction, whether in business or pleasure. amor propio, a Spanish phrase that means "self esteem" is the local expression for it. Westerners who insists on offering on confrontational, "tell it like it is" criticism, either in business or social settings, will find their approach counter-productive. And criticizing a Filipino colleague or subordinate in front of someone
else, especially on front of another Filipino, is like to be viewed as as attempt to humiliate.

"Utang Na Loob" and "Pakikisama" :

Filipinos are sticklers for pakikisama - smooth personal
relations, camaraderie, togetherness -- and it's taught at an early age to all. Pakikisama means avoiding arguments, when possible, and settling differences amicably. Without
pakikisama, a person will be looked upon as worthless.

Utang na Loob is another trait Filipinos invoke as a sign of good character. It means "debt of the inner self" or "debt of gratitude". This attitude binds people together, and Filipinos will avoid being bound by utang na loob outside his or her own group.

Respect for elders :

Respect for elders is one Filipino trait that has remained in the book of unwritten laws. The Filipino parent exercise almost absolute powers over the children. It is unthinkable for a Filipino to do an important thing without consulting his parents. The latter do not condone children talking back not only to them, but also to those older than they are. The particle "OPO" and "PO" maybe innocent to you but those little word shows respect for one another. In no other language it is respect for another carried to higher point than in Philippine language. Are you speaking to an older man or woman? Then use the second person plural, which is kayo, inyo, or ninyo. Always remember the particle "PO". It is a sign of good breeding! The elders believe and demand that they be obeyed. Right or wrong. That if you have a
string of degrees to your credit that does not impress the elders, they know for certain that your academic degrees cannot compare favorably with their experience. Yours is the knowledge; theirs is the wisdom-they say they have drunk more water than you have!

Respect for the elders includes respect for the elder brother or sister. It is the responsibility of the elder brother to perform the duties of the father and mother to the younger members of the family. One finds that among the Filipino family the elder brother or sister sacrifices his career for the sake of the young ones, who must have an education. And the later in turn is expected to look up to them with awe and respect. Kissing of the hands of the parents and old relatives or neighbors is a sign of respect is extended to the elder brother or sister.

The Filipino people have strong close family ties. The family has been the unit of society and everything revolves around it. The Filipino consists of grandparents, parents, and the children. The father is the head of the family but while he rules, the mother governs. For it is the mother that reigns in the home, she is the educator, the financial officer, the laundry woman and the cook. But over all and above the 'ruler' and the governor are the grandparents, whose opinion and decisions on all-important matters are sought. The grandparents are consulted and what they say carries much weight. Ignore them and you risk their stinging rebuke and they always say they have reached their ripe old age.

Possessiveness :

Possessiveness is another trait of the Filipino; he does not look with favor on a woman who flirts with several men. To him the sweetheart or the wife eyes are meant only for him. Even his close friend cannot kiss his wife with impunity on the pretext that is "brotherly kiss". The Filipino therefore requires complete faith and loyalty of his wife or sweetheart. To kill or to be killed is an easy way to avenge his honor.

More Ancient Characteristics :

Filipinos has many more bad "habits" and archaic idiosyncrasies. For instance, Filipinos are known to foster the ningas cogon attitude and the colonial mentality. They often also exhibit the "mababaw ang kaligayahan" character flaw by allowing themselves to be Easily influence by the western world and the corrupt practices of traditional politicians. Filipinos has also this crab mentality ancient characteristic which most of the time make a downfall of an individual.

Provincial Frofile

ILOILO

Iloilo is the largest province on Panay and occupies the fertile alluvial plains of the southeast. High mountains form natural boundaries with the provinces of Antique to the west and Capiz to the north.There are many small islands that lie along its irregular coast along the Guimaras Strait. There are two pronounced seasons, wet from July to November and dry from December to June.

Iloilo Province Profile

Iloilo City Profile

Iloilo Festivals

CEBU

Cebu is at the center of the Philippines. Sitting at the crossroads of trade, transportation and communications links, the island is the natural hub of the archipelago. Cebu is a long narrow island separated by narrow straits from Negros Island in the west and Bohol to the southeast. Several smaller islands ring Cebu, the most important of which are Mactan, Bantayan and the Camotes Islands. A rugged mountain backbone runs the length of the island, creating two narrow coastal regions. The climate is dry with no pronounced seasons and in frequent typhoon.

BATANGAS

The province of thinkers and nationalists straddles a rich and varied country stretched between the South China Sea on the west and Tayabas Bay on the east. The coast is highly irregular along the western coast but gives way to a couple of wide bays, Balayan and Batangas that face the narrow channel separating Luzon from Mindoro. Islands lie along the coast, the biggest of which are Maricaban and Verde. The interior is characteristically rolling plains and highlands except for mountain ranges that run along the common border with Cavite, and in the southeast. The beautifully enchanting Lake Bombon lies at the very heart of Batangas and within its bosom lies the restless Taal Volcano. Cavite lies to the north, while Laguna and Quezon lie northeast. The province is dry from November until April and is wet the rest of the year. Typhoons occasionally visit during the rainy months

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL

Once known as Buglas to native inhabitants, the island of Negros was so renamed by the Spaniards after the dark - skinned inhabitants they encountered there. Negros Occidental occupies the western half of the island of Negros. Its terrain gently slopes in the north and the west towards the center of the island where
peaks of various elevations divide it from Negros Oriental. Mount Kanlaon, the highest peak in the Visayas, is a popular hiking destination. Near its foot lies the Mambucal Resort, known since the early Spanish times for it s hot springs and cool mountain streams. The Guimaras Strait separates the Negros Occidental from the rest of the provinces of the Western Visayas Region and the irregular Negros Occidental coastline is dotted with islands and lined with reefs.

CAPIZ

The province of Capiz shares the northern Panay coast with the province of Aklan. Capiz occupies the fertile Panay river plains, a region which locals refer to as Ilaya. The coast is flat and irregular, with extensive swamps and marshland. Capiz extends towards the southwest into the mountainous interior of the island of Panay. Rainfall is more or less evenly distributed throughout the year and typhoons are infrequent.

PALAWAN

It is an archipelago within an archipelago. The province of Palawan groups 1,768 islands, roughly a fourth of the Philippines' total in a chain stretching from the northeast to the southwest. Palawan is about 625 km. in length. The main island in a narrow strip, which is only 40 kilometers at its widest. Palawan lies southwest of Luzon. The South China Sea lies due northwest and the Sulu Sea on the southeast. The Balabac Strait separates it from Borneo, while Mindoro Island looms beyond the northeastern Mindoro Strait. A mountain range runs along the island interior bisecting it into an east and west coast. The western region experiences a dry season from April to September and a wet season the rest of the year. The east has a short dry season from April to June with varying rainfall the rest of the year.

LA UNION

Borne of a union of portions of different provinces, La Union is a melting pot of cultures that has allowed it to become the crossroads of the Ilocos. The province lies between the China Sea on the west and the foothills of Cordillera Mountain Range in the east. The mountains form the common border with the province of Benguet. Ilocos Sur lies to the north and Pangasinan bounds it to the south. The land is mostly hilly. Flatlands straddle the coast facing Lingayen Gulf, continuously until the coast meets with the border of Ilocos Sur. The province is extremely dry from November to April and very rainy from May to October.

LAGUNA

The province hugs the country's largest freshwater lake and its culture, history and economy is intimately connected with this body of water. The Laguna de Bay forms the northern shore of the province. Moving northeasterly the shore proceeds to the common border with the province of Rizal, while moving northwesterly, the coast runs to the edge of Metro Manila. On the east and southeast lies Quezon province. Batangas lies southwest and Cavite is due west. The terrain is flat along the shores of Laguna de Bay, and mountainous along the east and southeast where the Sierra Madre mountains runs along the border with Quezon and dormant volcanoes dominate the landscape. Rain falls more or less evenly throughout the year in the east. The western part of the province experiences a pronounced dry season from November to April and a wet season the rest of the year.

BATANES

The outpost of the Philippines in the middle of a turbulent sea, Batanes province comprises the northernmost isles of the Philippines. The island of Y'ami is only 224 kilometers from Taiwan. The
Balintang Channel, where the Pacific Ocean and China Sea meet, separates the islands from the rest of Luzon. The three major islands of Itbayat, Sabtang and Batan, are the only inhabited islands of the small archipelago. About half of its area is hilly and mountainous. Typhoons on a northwesterly path regularly sweep through the islands from July to October although rainfall is heaviest from August to November. Batanes, as a whole, enjoys a pleasantly cooler climate because of its greater distance from the equator. From December until February, temperatures may dip as low as 7 degrees Celsius

PANGASINAN

Pangasinan is 'salt country' as its name denotes in the vernacular. The province is wrapped around the Lingayen Gulf, a sheltered inlet teeming with fish and supporting the province's thriving aquaculture industry. Pangasinan occupies the northern western portion of the plains of Luzon. The westernmost part of the province extends into the China Sea to form a peninsula that encloses Lingayen Gulf. On the northeast, it is bounded by La Union, Benguet and Nueva Vizcaya. The province of Nueva Ecija lies to the east while Tarlac and Zambales form common boundaries to the south. The province experiences a pronounced dry season from November to April and a wet season from May to October.

ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR

The word Zamboanga comes from the Subanun word jambangan, which means 'land of flowers' and confused by the Samals to mean samboangan or 'mooring place'. Sharing the Zamboanga peninsula with its northern neighbor, Zamboanga del Sur curves southwardly from its border with Lanao del Norte, forming the Moro Gulf. The coast of Zamboanga del Sur is irregular, with deep indentations like the Sibuguey,
Dimanquilas and Illana Bays. There are wide alluvial plains along the coast but the interior is rugged and mountainous. The climate is mild and rainfall evenly distributed throughout the year.

BOHOL

The Boholanos refer to their island homeland as the 'Republic of Bohol' with both conviction and pride. A narrow strait separates the islands of Cebu and Bohol and both share a common language, but the Boholano retains a conscious distinction from the Cebuano. Bohol lies between the islands of Cebu on the northwest,
Leyte on the northeast and Mindanao to the south. Reefs and smaller islands ring the oval-shaped island to the north and west, where the sea is shallow. Panglao Island, on the southwest, is the largest of these islands. The shore to the south is dangerous and too deep for safe anchorage. The hills dominate the island of Bohol. Two ranges run roughly parallel on the northwest and the southeast and an interior plateau is dominated by limestone hills. In Carmen, Batuan and Sagbayan, these hills form near perfect cones in great numbers and are collectively referred as the Chocolate Hills. Bohol's climate is generally dry, with maximum rainfall between the months of June and October. The interior is cooler than the coast

QUEZON

Quezon is the farthest eastern province of the Southern Tagalog region and is a long narrow land oriented along a northwest to southeast axis. The Pacific Ocean and Lamon Bay form the northeastern coast, while Tayabas Bay and Ragay Gulf form the southern and southeastern shore. Bondoc Peninsula juts out and
separates the sprawling Tayabas Bay from the narrow Ragay Gulf. Aurora province lies to the north. Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna and Batangas line the long western frontier. Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur seal the province's eastern boundary. The Polillo Group of islands and Alabat Island belong to the province. The land is generally rugged and mountainous, except for the coastal plain around Tayabas Bay. The province experiences heavy rainfall from October to January but does not have a pronounced dry season.

BASILAN

Basilan was once known as Taguima in honor of a renowned local chief who had ruled the island. The name was gradually replaced by Basilan, which means 'iron trail' in the local language. The terrain of the island is hilly while the climate is varied. The north experiences an even climate throughout the year while the south has a pronounced dry season from November until April.

Aklan

Folk tradition speaks of Bornean settlers who fled from tyranny and landing on the island of Panay sometime in the 13th Century. Aklan was reputedly one of the three jurisdictions into which the island was divided. It is an ancient land, which lies wedged between the provinces of Antique, to the east, and Capiz on the east and south. On the north, the narrow coastal plain is hemmed by the Sibuyan Sea. The land rises towards the west and the south and peaks at Mount Madia-as. The climate is varied, but temperatures remain steady all throughout the year.