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The Philippines

Country Information
The Philippines is a land rich in natural resources, scenic locales, and friendly smiles. From the captivating
coastlines to the creative native crafts to the unique gastronomic experience.
Fast Facts
Official name Republic of the Philippines (Republika ng Pilipinas)
Nickname/Sobriquet Pearl of the Orient/ Pearl of the Orient Seas
Anthem Lupang Hinirang
National Costume Barong Tagalog for men and Baro at Saya (also known as Filipiniana) for
women
Capital Manila City
Time Zone GMT +8 hours
Flag Carrier Philippine Airlines
Motto Maka-Diyos, Maka-tao, Makakalikasan, at Makabansa (For God, People,
Nature and Country)

Some general pieces of information about the Philippines are the following (Department of Tourism [DOT]):
Languages and Dialects
The two (2) official languages in the Philippines are Filipino and English. Filipino, which is based on Tagalog, is
the national language. There are eight (8) major dialects spoken by majority of the Filipinos: Tagalog, Cebuano,
Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Kapampangan, and Pangasinense, with more than 120 others.
Filipino is used as the language of communication among ethnic groups. Like any living language, the Filipino
language is also in the process of development. English is also widely used and is the medium of instruction in
higher education. The Philippines is considered one of the largest English-speaking countries in the world.
Currency
The Philippine Peso (Sign: ₱; code: PHP) is the country’s official currency. 100 centavos or sentimos make up
one (1) peso. Foreign currency may be exchanged at hotels, large department stores, banks, and authorized
money-changing shops. Most large stores, restaurants, hotels, and resorts accept major credit cards. Personal
checks drawn on foreign banks are generally not accepted. The best currency to take when in the Philippines
is the local peso.
People and Religion
The Filipinos are basically of Malay stock with a sprinkling of Chinese, American, Spanish, and Arab blood. From
a long history of Western colonial rule, diversified with the visits of merchants and traders, evolved a people
of a distinct blend of east and west, both in appearance and culture.
The Filipino character is a mixture of all the cultures combined. The Bayanihan, or spirit of kinship and
camaraderie that Filipinos are known for, is said to have come from Malay forefathers. The strong family ties
are said to have been from the Chinese. The religiousness comes from the Spaniards, who introduced
Christianity in the 16th century. Hospitality is a common Filipino character, making them distinguished. Filipinos
are one of the few English-proficient Asian people. The Filipinos are divided geographically and culturally into
regions. Each regional group is recognizable by distinct traits and dialects - the Ilocanos of the north are known
to be sturdy and frugal, the central plains’ Tagalogs are known to be industrious, the Visayans from the central
islands are carefree, and the Moslems of Mindanao are religious and colorful tribespeople. Tribal communities
can be found scattered across the archipelago.
The Filipinos have embraced two (2) of the world’s great religions: Islam and Christianity. Islam was introduced
during the 14th century, shortly after expanding Arab commercial ventures in Southeast Asia. Today, it is

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limited to the southern region of the country. Christianity was introduced as early as the 16th century with the
arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. Protestantism was introduced in 1899 by the first Presbyterian and
Methodist missionaries who arrived with the American soldiers.
Two (2) Filipino independent churches were organized at the turn of the century and are prominent today.
These are the Aglipay (Philippine Independent Church) and the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ), founded in
1902 and 1914. The Iglesia ni Cristo has significantly expanded its membership. Its churches, with their unique
towering architecture, also serve as landmarks in almost all-important towns, provincial capitals, and major
cities.
Geographical Characteristics
The Philippines, an archipelago in southeastern Asia between the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean,
comprises 7,641 islands (as of July 2022). The country is divided into three (3) main island groups: Luzon (the
largest, northernmost island), Visayas (including the major islands Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Samar,
and Masbate), and Mindanao (the second-largest island in the Philippines, found at the southern end of the
archipelago). The highest point in the Philippines is Mount Apo in Mindanao, spanning 2,954 meters above
sea level, and the lowest point is the Galathea Depth in the Philippine Trench, which is 10,540 meters below
sea level.
Philippine Climate
The Philippines, being a tropical country, promises pleasant weather all year round. The first half of the year,
from January to May, is the best time to visit the country because it is the dry season. November to February
is cool, while March to May is hot and dry. June to October is rainy, with the months between July and
September characterized by typhoons. The average temperature is 78F/25C; the average humidity is 77%.
Some parts of the country, such as Cebu, Leyte, and Davao, are warm and comfortable in all seasons and can
be visited throughout the year.
Biodiversity
The islands in the Philippines are home to several species of flowering plants and ferns, including hundreds of
species of orchids. Tall grasses have replaced forests, which have disappeared due to logging, mining, and
development. The Philippines is inhabited by more than 200 mammal species, including monkeys, squirrels,
lemurs, mice, pangolins, chevrotains, mongooses, civet cats, and red and brown deer, among others. Hundreds
of species of birds live in the Philippines, either for all or part of the year, including peacocks, pheasants, doves,
parrots, kingfishers, sunbirds, tailorbirds, weaverbirds, and hornbills. Examples of animals in the Philippines
are the binturong, tamaraw, and Philippine eagle. The binturong or Asian bear cat, native to the island of
Palawan, is a large, nocturnal mammal with distinctive cat-like facial features and a prehensile tail, with fur
and feet like a bear, which has adopted the nickname ‘bearcat.’ The tamaraw is a small water buffalo found
only in Mindoro . The Philippine Eagle, formerly called the “Monkey -eating Eagle,” is the country 's national
bird. The tamaraw and Philippine eagle are endangered species under the government’s protection.
Landforms
The following are the different landforms found in the Philippines:
• Islands and beaches – An island is a land surrounded by water that may be flat or mountainous. A
group of islands is called an archipelago (an example is the Philippines). A beach is an area of sand or
small stones near the ocean or another area of water. Some of the best islands and beaches can be
found in the Philippines. It was awarded Asia’s leading beach destination in the World Travel Awards
2020, having also taken home the award in 2013, 2016, and 2018. Examples of islands and beaches in
the Philippines are White Beach in Boracay Island, Aklan, Cloud 9 Beach in Siargao, Surigao del Norte,
and Nacpan Beach in El Nido, Palawan.

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• Mountains, mountain ranges, and hills

o Mountains reach 1000 meters or more in height. There are numerous mountains found
anywhere in the Philippines that vary in size. The highest mountain in the country is Mt. Apo
in Davao. It is approximately 2,954 meters high. The second highest mountain is Mt. Dulang-
Dulang in Bukidnon, which is 2,938 meters high. The third highest is Mt. Pulag, between Nueva
Viscaya and Ifugao, which is 2,922 meters high. Many of these mountains are massed
together, forming mountain ranges.
o Mountain ranges serve as natural barriers against the many typhoons that pass through the
country. The Cordilleras sometimes referred to as “The Highlands,” is the largest in the
country. It is located in North Luzon, bordered in the northeast by the Cagayan valley and
Ilocos Region in the southwest. The Caraballo Mountain range is located in the central part
of Luzon between the Cordillera Central and Sierra Madre mountain ranges. The Sierra
Madre, which spans from Cagayan to Quezon, is found in the northeastern part of Luzon. It is
parallel to the Cordillera in the eastern part of Ilocos.
o Hills are land formations that are smaller than mountains. Chocolate Hills in Bohol is the
country’s most popular group of hills. Tagbilaran City also boasts of a similar group of hills
called Elly Hills. Some hills may also be found in Quezon, Antipolo, Bulacan, and Batangas.
• Volcanoes – One of the country’s most impressive and active volcanoes is the Mayon Volcano in Albay.
It is 2,429 meters high. On the other hand, the smallest volcano in the country is Taal Volcano in
Batangas. Other active volcanoes are Hibok-hibok in Camiguin, Didicas on Babuyan Island, Bulusan in
Sorsogon, and Kanlaon in Negros. Although a volcano may threaten its immediate environment once
it erupts, its presence also benefits everything around it. It is a rich source of minerals like sulfur and
limestone. Aside from this, it is surrounded by several hot springs that people enjoy for recreation and
therapeutic purposes. It is also an important source of geothermal energy.
• Caves – These are hollow spaces below the ground or inside a mountain or other elevated landform.
The temperature inside the cave is usually cooler than surface temperatures, which makes spelunking
(the practice of exploring caves, derived from the Latin term spēlunca, which means cave) a great
activity all year round except when it rains. During this time, caves with streams or other bodies of
water tend to become flooded. More than 3,000 caves are recorded in the Philippines, and several are
still yet to be discovered, assessed, surveyed, and classified. The Calbiga Caves in Samar Island Natural
Park is the largest cave system in the Philippines and the second largest in Asia. Other known caves in
the Philippines are Hinagdanan Cave in Panglao, Bohol, Callao Cave in Peñablanca, Cagayan, and Tabon
Caves in Quezon, Palawan.
Bodies of Water
The following are the different bodies of water found in the Philippines:
• Oceans and seas – The oceans are the greatest bodies of water. The earth has one (1) global ocean
divided into different geographic regions: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and Arctic Oceans. The Pacific
Ocean bounds the Philippines in the east. Seas are large bodies of water, usually salty but sometimes
fresh. The South China Sea bounds the Philippines in the west and the Sulu and the Celebes Seas in
the south. Other seas in the Philippine territory include the Bohol Sea, Camotes Sea, Samar Sea,
Sibuyan Sea, Sulu Sea, and the Visayan Sea.
• Rivers – A river is a natural waterway, usually freshwater, flowing in a definite course or channel across
the land into the sea or other bodies of water. Located in the Cagayan Valley, the Rio Grande de
Cagayan is the country’s longest and largest river, approximately 505 kilometers in length. It passes
through the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Isabela, and Cagayan. Other notable rivers in the
Philippines include the Agusan River, Marikina River, Pasig River, Mindanao River, and Agno River.

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• Gulfs – A gulf is an inlet of a lake or ocean bounded by land. Famous gulfs in the country are the Leyte
Gulf and Lingayen Gulf. A large gulf northwest of Luzon, the Lingayen gulf extends 56 kilometers. It is
surrounded by the provinces of Pangasinan and La Union and is situated between the Zambales
Mountains and the Cordillera Central. Leyte Gulf is located in the Eastern Visayas region. The bay is
part of the Philippine Sea of the Pacific Ocean and is bounded by two (2) islands; Samar in the north
and Leyte in the west.
• Lakes – These are large areas of water surrounded by land and not connected to the ocean except by
rivers or streams. Most lakes in the Philippines are connected to volcanic and tectonic activities, and
some smaller lakes fill the crates of dormant or extinct volcanoes. Taal Lake in Batangas is a freshwater
volcanic crater lake, and it occupies the Taal Volcano. It is also the third largest lake in the Philippines.
Its basin was declared a national park on July 22, 1967. Other examples of lakes in the Philippines are
Lake Sebu in South Cotabato, Barracuda Lake in Coron, Palawan, and Lake Danao in Ormoc.
• Waterfalls – This is where water flows from the edge of a steep, high cliff in hills or mountains, falling
into a pool below. Pagsanjan Falls is one of the most popular tourist spots in Laguna, located in the
town of Cavinti, and one of the most recognizable waterfalls in the country. Pagsanjan is surrounded
by rock boulders and lush vegetation, with mountains in the distance. There are other well-known
waterfalls in the Philippines, such as Maria Cristina Falls in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, and Kawasan
Falls in Badian, Cebu.
Tourism is a global phenomenon. Its success depends on the physical environment and a wide range of natural
resources. It significantly impacts natural resources and the environment, but when managed well, it can also
contribute to conserving these same resources (Wageningen University & Research, n.d.).
There are numerous opportunities available in the Philippines. Whether through tourism, hospitality,
manufacturing, or sustainable development, there are many ways to build a business (Department of Tourism,
n.d.). The Department of Tourism (DOT) is the primary government agency charged with the responsibility to
encourage, promote, and develop tourism in the country as a significant socio-economic activity to generate
foreign currency and employment and to spread the benefits of tourism to both the private and public sectors.

References
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Department of Tourism Australia & New Zealand. (n.d.). Weather & climate.
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