Welcome to Beauty of Philippines Maligayang Pagdating sa Kagandahan ng Pilipinas Officially Republic of the Philippines, Pilipino Republika Ñg Pilipinas, country in Southeast Asia. It is an archipelago consisting of some 7,100 islands and islets lying about 500 miles off the coast. The total land area of the Philippines is 115,800 square miles (300,000 square kilometres). It is bounded by the Philippine Sea to the east, the Celebes Sea to the south, and the South China Sea to the west and north. The Philippines takes its name from Philip II, who was king of Spain during the Spanish colonization of the islands in the 16th century. Manila is the biggest city and the national capital. It is located on Luzon, the largest island, which has a land area of 40,420 square miles. Mindanao, at 36,537 square miles the second largest island, lies in the south. | ||||||||
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| The archipelago spreads out in the form of a triangle, with the islands south of Palawan, the Sulu Archipelago, and the island of Mindanao forming (west-east) its southern base and the Batan Islands, in the north, its apex. The islands stretch for about 1,150 miles (1,850 kilometres) from north to south and for about 700 miles from east to west at their widest extent. Only about two-fifths of the islands and islets have names, and only some 350 have areas of one square mile or more. The large islands fall into three groups: (1) the Luzon group in the north and west, consisting of Luzon, Mindoro, and Palawan; (2) the Visayan group in the centre, consisting of Bohol, Cebu, Leyte, Masbate, Negros, Panay, and Samar; and (3) Mindanao in the south. | ||||||||
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| Because it was under Spanish rule for 333 years and under U.S. tutelage for a further 48 years, the Philippines has many cultural affinities with the West. It is, for example, the fourth most populous country in which English is an official language and the only predominantly Roman Catholic country in Southeast Asia. Its peoples, however, are Asian in consciousness and in aspiration. In many ways Filipino society is composed of paradoxes, perhaps the most apparent being the great extremes of wealth and poverty in the nation. The Philippines is a country of rich resources, but it is in the process of developing its full potentialities. It is primarily agricultural, although a high degree of domestic and foreign investment has spurred the rapid development of its industrial potential. Educationally, it is among the most advanced of Asian countries, having a high literacy rate. | ||||||||
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| The people | ||||||||
| The people of the Philippines are called Filipinos. Their ancestors, who were of Malay stock, came from the southeastern Asian mainland as well as from what is now Indonesia. From the 10th century, contacts with China resulted in a group of mixed Filipino-Chinese descent, who account for a minority of the population. A small percentage of Chinese nationals also live in the country. Spanish-Filipinos and Filipino-Americans may be distinguished by their fairer complexion, taller stature, and aquiline nose structure. The relatively small numbers of emigrants from the Indian subcontinent added to the population's racial mixture. There are small numbers of resident U.S. nationals (excluding military personnel) and Spaniards. The aboriginal inhabitants of the islands were the Negritos, or Pygmies, also called Aetas or Balugas; they now constitute only a small percentage of the total population. | ||||||||
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| Linguistic groups | ||||||||
| Estimates of the total number of native languages and dialects spoken in the Philippines differ, but scholarly studies suggest that there are some 70 of them. These languages are all closely related, belonging to the Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) family of languages. Traditionally, eight major linguistic groups are identified. These are (1) the Tagalog group, concentrated in Manila, central and south central Luzon, and the islands of Mindoro and Marinduque; (2) Cebuano, in Cebu, Bohol, eastern Negros, western Leyte, and parts of Mindanao; (3) Ilocano, dominant in many parts of northern Luzon; (4) Hiligaynon (Ilongo), spoken in parts of Panay and western Negros; (5) Bicol, spoken in southern Luzon and on the island of Catanduanes; (6) Waray-Waray, spoken in Samar and Leyte; (7) Pampango, spoken in parts of central Luzon; and (8) Pangasinan, spoken in central Luzon. Other notable languages are Magindanao and Maranao, spoken in parts of Mindanao, and Aklanon, spoken in Panay. | ||||||||
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| The national, and most widely spoken, language of the Philippines is Pilipino (also called Filipino), based on Tagalog. Pilipino and English are the two official languages and mediums of instruction. Tagalog is the richest of all Philippine languages and has the most extensive written literature. | ||||||||
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| Religion | ||||||||
| The great majority of Filipinos are Roman Catholic; adherents of the Philippine Independent Church (the Aglipayans), Muslims, and Protestants are the largest religious minorities, including a Protestant sect called Iglesia ni Cristo. There are also some Buddhists and animists. Roman Catholicism has been strengthened by an increase in the number of Filipinos in the church hierarchy, the building of seminaries, and the increased involvement of the church in the political and social life of the country. | ||||||||
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| Folk traditions | ||||||||
| Filipinos have a rich folklore tradition. Myths and legends deal with such subjects as the origin of the world, the first man and woman on Earth, why the sky is high, why the sea is salty, and why there are different races. Other tales are associated with the Spanish conquest. Muslim Filipinos have an epic called Darangen, and the Ilocanos of northern Luzon have another entitled Biag ni Lamang. Most folktales and popular cultural traits are still to be found in remote barrios and sitios. Dean S. Fansler, Maximo Ramos, and Armando and Carolina Malay have compiled collections of Philippine folktales. | ||||||||
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| Cultural life | ||||||||
| Philippine society is an incongruous blend of diversity and homogeneity. Geographically the country is part of the East, but in culture it is strongly Western. Forces of assimilation have constantly worked to overcome differences caused by the relative physical isolation of various groups of people throughout the archipelago who had come over time from disparate ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Nearly four centuries of Western rule, however, left the most indelible imprint on the country, serving as a conduit for the introduction of Western culture and as the catalyst for the emergence of a sense of Philippine political and cultural unity. The Christian churches built by the Spaniards and the mosques in the Muslim areas provided a spiritual anchor, while the educational system established by the United States and expanded by the Filipinos became a strong factor for socioeconomic progress. Nonetheless, traditionally strong family ties and other Asian moorings have remained. The revival of the barangay as the smallest unit of government has contributed to the revival of ancient traditions; and Asian and African history and literature--neglected in the past--have received more attention. Thus, the Philippines has been strengthening its Asian ties without abandoning its Western cultural acquisitions. Popular Places
Luzon, the largest and northernmost island group in the Philippines is over 100,000 sq. km in size. As such, it is home to about half of the country's population. Luzon, basically, divided into north and south has many tourist attractions. On top of that, this island group also dominates the country's cultural and economic affairs.
Mindanao together with Sulu forms the second largest island group, which is at the southernmost of the country's 11 main islands. Oddly shaped, Mindanao's landscape is dominated by mountain chains running from north to south. Containing about 80% of the country's iron reserves, Mindanao is one of the richest islands in the Philippines. In the agriculture industry, over half of the country's pineapple, corn, coffee, copra, cocoa and abaca (hemp) is produced by the island of Mindanao. Apart from being one of the richest islands in terms of natural resources, Mindanao is also rich in offering many attractive tourist spots such as Davao and Cagayan de Oro. Davao Known as the window to the island of Mindanao, Davao is a province that has much to offer visitors. A province bursting with life and vibrant color, Davao has been named one of the "25 best destinations" by the Philippine Tourism Board. Marked with rolling hills and fertile valleys, it is not unusual that this predominantly mountainous region is home to a fantastic species of flora and fauna. Thanks to Mother Nature, Davao is safe from typhoon which is also an important factor contributing to the marvelous blossoming of nature. Due to its rich texture of culture, history and tradition, Davao has become one of the most enchanting and popular destinations among tourists. In this province of diversity, one can witness Bagobos and Mandayas in full regalia or beautiful Muslim girls dressed in colorful malongs (fabric). Blessed with 244,000 hectare of land, Davao City, probably the world's biggest city is also a city of growth. A city bustling with many financial activities, Davao can easily experience an amazing growth. Cagayan de Oro Cagayan de Oro, the capital of Misamis Oriental Province is a developing commercial and pleasure as well as educational center. Cradled between the gentle waters of Macabalan Bay and the ancient mountains of Mindanao's interior, this old coastal settlement is the normal jumping-off point for the start of an exciting adventure in northern Mindanao. Bisected by the Cagayan River, the large city of Cagayan de Oro boasts countless banks, shopping malls and government offices. Many years ago, the Spanish colonists added the words' De Oro' meaning 'of gold' to the name Cagayan. Although the Spanish were referring to the specks of gold they had discovered in the Cagayan River in those days, however, today, the terms have come to describe the 'golden friendship' offered by an old-fashioned city that is popular for its hospitality and warm people.
Palawan, lying in the southwest of the Philippines separating the Sulu Sea from the South China Sea is 400 km in length and 40 km in width. A perfect combination of beautiful beaches, friendly inhabitants and pristine natural scenery has made Palawan an attractive island. Palawan is ideal for the adventurous visitors as the mountainous jungle offers exciting jungle expeditions, the beautiful beaches offer a great diving experience and the Tabon caves is great for cave exploring.
Perhaps, the most popularly known islands for travelers to the Philippines is the Visayas. This tightly packed island group is made up of seven major islands namely Negros, Panay, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Samar and Masbate. Tourists often flock to Cebu and the northwest tip of Panay, the little island called Boracay and thus making these two places the most visited islands in the Visayas. Cebu Cebu, the oldest city in the island republic is also the commercial and education center of the Visayas as well as the hub of air and sea travel throughout the South. In a city amidst overwhelming industrial growth, the unique blend of ancestral heritage and modern business environment have propelled Cebu to international recognition. Standing as the country's top business and tourist destination, it hardly comes as a surprise that Cebu has been crowned as the Queen City of the South. Be it business or pleasure, visitors will find contentment in the office buildings and beach resorts in Cebu. Surrounded by a colorful past, Cebu offers visitors plenty to see. In this old city, one can find Colon Street, the oldest street in the Philippines that houses malls, office buildings, museums, theaters and monuments. Apart from that, the oldest fortress in the country which is Fort Santiago Pedro, the Liloan Lighthouse and Bantayan sa Hari can also be found in Cebu. Moving away from the increasing sophistication of the city, Cebu also features many pristine rainforests that have become a haven for wildlife and of course, the ideal place for a perfect picnic. Among the more popular spots are the 15,393-hectare Central Cebu National Park, the Cawasan Falls, the 696-hectare Sudlon National Park as well as the Balok-Balok Mineral Springs. Boracay Boracay, an island in the northwest tip of Panay is a paradise for many sun-worshippers from all over the world. Shaped like a slender butterfly, Boracay is sheltered from the fierce easterly typhoons. Blessed with all the elements of a tropical paradise, the thousand-hectare area of Boracay is laced with tropical palms and flowering plants, sugar-fine white sand and crystal blue waters swimming with exotic marine life. Although Boracay used to be the country's best kept secret, nevertheless, it is now a melting pot for many beach lovers and sun-worshippers as words spread like wildfire about this paradise on earth. Apart from the beautiful scenery, Boracay also offers great dining with a diversity of culinary fare from the native cuisine to French, Spanish and Italian, just to name a few. Accompanying the delectable cuisine is the famous array of fruit juices like green tart mango, coconut milk and sweet yellow mango which is worth a try.
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