Facts about Philippines

The Philippines is made up of 7,107 islands covering a land area of 115,739 sq. m. (299,764 sq. km.). Main island groups are Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Capital is Manila. Time Zone is GMT + 8 hours.

CLIMATE

March to May is hot and dry. June to October is rainy, November to February is cool. Average temperatures: 78°F / 25°C to 90°F / 32°C; humidity is 77%.

POPULATION

There are a total of 76.5 million Filipinos as of the latest national census in May, 2000. Population growth is estimated at 2.36 percent annually. Luzon, the largest island group, accounts for more than half of the entire population.

LANGUAGES

Two official languages --- Filipino and English. Filipino which is based on Tagalog, is the national language. English is also widely used and is the medium of instruction in higher education. Eight (8) major dialects spoken by majority of the Filipinos: Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense. Filipino is that native language which is used nationally as the language of communication among ethnic groups. Like any living language, Filipino is in a process of development through loans from Philippine languages and non-native languages for various situations, among speakers of different social backgrounds, and for topics for conversation and scholarly discourse. There are about 76 to 78 major language groups, with more than 500 dialects.

RELIGIONS

Some 83% of Filipinos are Catholic. About 5% are Moslem. The rest are made up of smaller Christian denominations and Buddhist. UNIT OF MEASUREThe Metric System is used in most trade and legal transactions.ELECTRICITY220 volts a/c is the common standard. 110 volts a/c is also used, especially in major hotels.CURRENCYThe Philippines' monetary unit is the peso, divided into 100 centavos. Foreign currency may be exchanged at any hotels, most large department stores, banks, and authorized money changing shops accredited by the Central Bank of the Philippines. International credit cards such as Visa, Diners Club, Bank Americard, Master Card, and American Express are accepted in major establishments.

Pearl Farm

Pearl Farm


Located in the southern part of the Philippines is the Samal group of Islands, an archipelago consisting of nine islands which stretch out over a land area of 28,000 hectares. Samal is a beautiful, tranquil and exotic island with a coastline adorned with white sand beaches, abundant marine life, rock formations, mangroves, and landscape elements of coconut palms, flowering plants and fruit-bearing trees. The area is blessed with various natural attractions and flourishing flora and fauna.

Nestled on the quiet side of Samal Island, The Pearl Farm Beach Resort is a mere 45-minute boat ride from the wharf. This fourteen (14) hectare spread was once a pearl farm, where thousands of white-lipped oysters transported from the Sulu Sea, were cultivated for their pink, white and gold pearls. Today, the resort beckons with the promise of a relaxing, private retreat, under the care of its friendly and charming staff.

Bohol

Bohol

Is Famous For...

Chocolate Hills.

Located in the town of Carmen, 55 kilometers from Tagbilaran City, the Chocolate Hills are undoubtedly the most famous tourist attraction in Bohol. Among the 1,268 perfectly cone-shaped hills, which abound in Central Bohol, two have been developed into a resort. On top of these hills is a complex that offers accommodation, conference rooms, restaurants, and a view deck.

Dauis Church

Located in the town of Dauis, three kilometers from Tagbilaran City, Dauis Church is one of Bohol’s beautiful churches that has retained its Spanish architecture despite a semi-modern façade. The interior has life-like murals painted on the ceiling.The patron saint, the Virgin of the Assumption, is believed to possess miraculous powers. It is the object of the faithful, who attend its annual festivities. Legend has it that when the town was invaded by pirates, the townfolk locked themselves inside the church until they ran out of water and provisions. Then suddenly a well appeared at the foot of the altar where people started drawing water. It is still the main source of water for the people living in the church vicinity. Surprisingly, the water is absolutely fresh even as the well is located only a few meters from the sea.

Baclayon Church
One of the oldest stone churches in the Philippines is Baclayon Church, located in the town of Baclayon, six kilometers from Tagbilaran City. This ancient massive edifice still retains its century-old architectural design. Both in the external and internal portions of the church are various interesting relics and artifacts dating back to the early 16th century, which have now been placed at the Baclayon Museum.Baclayon is the oldest town in Bohol and the mother town of Alburquerque, Balilihan, and Sikatuna.

Blood Compact / Sandugo

Datu Sikatuna, a native Boholano chieftain, forged a Blood Compact with Don Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, representing the King of Spain, for the purpose of fostering friendly relations between the two countries. The Blood Compact that took place on March 16, 1565 is considered as the first “Treaty of Friendship” between the brown and white races. A marker of this historic event can be found in Barangay Bool at Tagbilaran City.

Dagohoy Revolt

Francisco Dagohoy led the longest revolt in the country against the Spaniards, which lasted for 84 years. There now stands a marker in Magtangtang at the town of Danao, installed by the Philippine Historical Commission to honor the heroic deeds of Dagohoy. Magtangtang was his headquarters or hideout during the revolt. Hundreds of Dagohoy’s followers preferred death inside the cave than surrender. Their skeletons still remain in the site located in Danao, 92 kilometers from Tagbilaran City.

Sandugo Festival

The festival celebrated from July 1 to 31 has been inspired by the blood compact, or Sandugo, a friendship treaty between the Philippines and Spain that took place in 1565. The annual spectacle of the province features an agro-industrial fair, cultural and historical showcase, sports events, a beauty pageant, balls and dances, entertainment shows, and streetdancing which culminates with the re-enactment of the blood compact between Datu Sikatuna and Don Miguel Lopez de Legazpi.

Bolibong Kingking Festival

Celebrated from May 23 to 24, it is a music and dance festivity depicting the history, folklore, and traditions of the Lobocanons. Bolibong Kingking is a term applied to the drums and gongs, and their rhythm, used to accompany the supplication dance ritual performed before the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the second patron of Loboc.

Banaue Rice Terraces

Banaue Rice Terraces


The Banaue Rice Terraces are 2000-year old terraces that were carved into the mountains of Ifugao in the Philippines by ancestors of the Batad indigenous people. It is commonly thought that the terraces were built with minimal equipments, largely by hand. The terraces are located approximately 1500 meters (5000 feet) above sea level and cover 10,360 square kilometers (about 4000 square miles) of the mountainside. They are fed by an ancient irrigation system located from the rainforests above the mountains.
The Banaue terraces are part of the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, ancient sprawling man-made structures dating from 2,000 to 6,000 years old. They are found in the provinces of Mountain Province and Ifugao, and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Locals to this day still tend to the rice and vegetables on the terraces, although more and more younger Ifugaos do not find farming appealing, often opting for the more lucrative hospitality industry generated by the Rice Terraces. The result is the gradual erosion of the characteristic "steps", which need constant reconstruction and care.

Dubbed as the "Eight Wonder of the World," the Banaue Rice Terraces start from the base of the mountain range and reach up to several thousand feet high. It is said that their length, put end to end, would encircle half of the globe. Made 2,000 years ago, these rice terraces manifest the engineering skill and ingenuity of the sturdy Ifugaos. Streams and springs found in the mountains were tapped and channeled into irrigation canals that run downhill through the rice terraces.