Philippines
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Map of Philippines
Important Facts
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Capital: Manila
Currency: Peso Filipino (₱)
Religion: Christianity • Islam
Holidays & Festivals
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There is always a fiesta (festival) going on somewhere in the Philippines as every city and barrio holds at least one each year. The fiesta is usually to honor the local Roman Catholic patron saint and pay homage to the barrio's namesake for good harvest and health.
Devotional crucifixions are common in the Philippines during the Holy Week. Some Filipinos reennact the crucifixion of Jesus ... self-flagellation (whipping oneself), being tied to a cross, even driving nails through their palms!
Christmas is one of the most widely celebrated holidays in the Philippines. Filipinos take pride in having the longest Christmas celebration in the world ... as soon as the month ending with "ber" rolls around, preparations for Christmas begins.
Places To Visit & Things To Do
Engage in your favorite sport
Feast
Relax in spa
Night Life
There is an abundance of places to go to and enjoy a night out in the Philippines. Every major city of the country has a number of nightlife activity hubs with restaurants, cafes, bars, clubs and karaoke bars all promising a good time of fun and entertainment. In the country’s financial district Makati, there is the Greenbelt, Glorietta, The Fort, Jupiter St. and J. P. Rizal Street. In the city’s capital, Manila, nightlife is diverse. There is something for everybody in Malate, and in the newly revitalized Roxas Boulevard and its Baywalk. Quezon City is a popular destination of locals as the club prices are a little lower than those in Makati. Most clubs are close to each other so common to bar hop. Try the establishments along Timog & Tomas Morato Avenues and Quezon Boulevard, and in Eastwood City in Libis.
Landforms
Puerto Princesa Underground River
Located on the northern coast of the island of Palawa, Puerto Princesa is a nature lover’s paradise. Home to unspoiled landscapes rich in wildlife, this lovely town also lays claim to one of the world’s most unique natural phenomena, an underground river known as the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River.
Banaue Rice Terraces
Boracay
Chocolate Hills
Mayon Volcano
Mount Mayon, a classic example of a strato volcano, is regarded as one among the Eight Wonders of the World because of its perfectly shaped cone, despite its continuous and frequent eruptions, which date as far back as the Spanish colonial era of the 1600s.
Gastronomy
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Provinces in the Philippines have their own specialties and dishes that they truly brag about. These regional delicacies are usually prepared during fiestas (local festivity to honor a saint) and some serve as main source of income for localities that are even exported to other countries. Famous regional specialties are:
- Batangas
- Bicol
- Bulacan
- Cebu
- Ilocos Region
- Laguna
- Pampanga
Cultural Aspects
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Did you know?
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1. The Philippines is the world’s leading producer of coconuts, having produced19.5 million tons of the fruit in 2010.
2. According to the 2000 census, 52 million people in the Philippines speak English, making it the fifth largest English-speaking nation behind the U.S., India, Pakistan, and the U.K.
3. Of the top 10 largest shopping malls in the world, three are found in the Philippines: SM Megamall, SM North Edsa, and SM Mall of Asia.
4. The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River in Palawan is 8.2 kilometers long. Until the discovery of a 10-kilometer underground river in Mexico, the Puerto Princesa River was the longest subterranean waterway in the world.
5. The islands were dubbed “the Philippines” after King Philip II of Spain.
6. The positioning of the Philippine flag’s colors indicate a message. If it is flown with the red stripe on top, the nation is in a state of war. Otherwise, during peacetime, the blue is on top.