The Philippines is an archipelago made up of 7,107 islands with only 2000 islands being inhabited while 2500 islands are still unnamed. It is made up of 80 provinces and 120 chartered cities, with Manila as the capital.
Perched on the Pacific Rim, Philippines is a country of many influences and myriad faces which is worth to explore. “Three centuries in a convent followed by 50 years in Hollywood”. Given the over three centuries of Spanish rule and 48 years of American government, it is not surprising when a Filipino seems more Latin then Asian. Nearly everything belonging to the first settlers has preserved, including the language and culture.
Climate
The Philippines is a tropical country with hot and dry climate. However, the Filipinos generally recognise 3 different seasons. The summer season (hot and dry climate) ranges from March to May, the rainy season from June to October and the cold season (dry and cooler climate) from November to February.
People
There are approximately 80 million inhabitants in this country. Half of the population lived in the Luzon region with about 12 million living in the greater metro Manila area. The people are basically of Malay descent, with evidence of Chinese, Spanish, Arab and American mix. It is represented by 111 linguistic, cultural and racial groups.
Languages
Official languages of the Filipinos are English and Philipino. At least 70 other dialects or languages are spoken. Eight of the major dialects include Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango and Pangasinan.
The primary religion is Christianity. About 83% of the people are Roman Catholic, 9% Protestant, 5% Muslim and 3% Buddhist or other religions.
The Philippines is separated into 3 main regions:
Luzon – The largest and northernmost island where capital Manila is located
Midanao – The second largest island
Visayas – The tightly-packed islands in the centre
Visayas
It is the most popularly known islands among tourists. Visayas comprises of 7 major islands and is being divided into Eastern, Central and Western Visayas. Eastern Visayas made up of Samar and Leyte islands. Central Visayas made up of Cebu and Bohol islands. Western Visayas made up of Negros, Panay and Masbate. The most visited islands in the Visayas are Cebu and Boracay (tip of Panay).
Cebu is the oldest city in the island. It is also the commercial and education centre of the Visayas as well as the hub of air and sea travel throughout the south. Cebu offers visitors plenty to see, such as the oldest street in Philippines, oldest fortress in the country and pristine rainforests that haven become a haven for wildlife.
However, due to overwhelming industrial growth, the unique blend of ancestral heritage has propelled to international recognition, in another words, being commodified.
Boracay, an island in the northwest tip of Panay is a paradise for many sun-worshippers from all over the world. Shaped like a butterfly drawn in powder-fine white sand, Boracay has become a fabled paradise for both budget and posh resort travellers. Very often, it is describe as the best beach in the world.
However, as Boracay gets an increasing number of visitors coming in, the resorts, restaurants and bars that had sprung up in hasty competition to serve the hordes of tourists were recently found to have been dumping their sewage into the sea.
Midanao
Being known as a land of superlatives, it is second largest area in Philippines. It is grouped into the southern and central Mindanao, Northern Mindanao and Caraga, and the Zamboanga and The Sulu Islands.
Southern and central Mindanao in which the region is an absorbing mix of yesterday and today, from primitive handicrafts to internet cafes, endangered species to modern resorts, fundamentalist revolutionaries to international industries.
Northern Mindanao and Caraga is a region of mixed cultures which offers a hoard of natural treasures, plus the contrasting pleasures of simple, remote communities and busy, industrialized cities.
Zamboanga and The Sulu Islands is Mindanao’s southwester tip and is a rich cultural mosaic. They have a variety of indigenous peoples who shares its wealth of fertile agricultural land and the bounty of its seas.
Luzon
Luzon, which is the largest island in the archipelago, occupies 35% of the nation’s total land area and half of its population. One of the key cities, also the capital of the country, Manila, is situated in the Luzon region as well. Luzon region is then further divided into the Ilocos region, Northeast Luzon, Central Cordillera, Bicol Peninsula and the rest of the untouched islands.
Manila, which is the most cosmopolitan area in the whole of Philippines actually still consist of an area, known as Manila’s Environs, south of Manila, which is still rich in culture and traditions. Manila is a city where the conservative ‘Old world’ influences is melded with the ‘New world’ trends, without losing its most ancient traditions.
Palawan in The Philippines
Palawan is an elongated island province that lies on the southwest corner of the Philippine archipelago. Palawan is the most well preserved major island group in the Philippines. The rain forest, caves, coral reefs, mangroves, beaches and clear blue waters are its best assets. Palawan is also known to have one of the most beautiful seascapes in the world.
It is being divided into Northern Palawan and Southern Palawan. Puerto Princesa is the environmentally progressive, sprawling capital of Palawan and is an excellent base for exploring the beaches, bays, caves and jungles at the centre of the island. It has also gained the distinction of being a model city and an ecotourism haven.
Attractions or places which are worth visiting in Palawan include:
El Nido – A place with crystal clear waters, wonderful dive sports and many world class resorts. It is noted for its over expensive and edible birds’ nests that is harvested on majestic limestone.
Honda Bay – The cleared waters, fine sand beach which offers the panoramic view that would definitely leave a lingering impression
Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park – It is a UNESCO World heritage site known for its beauty and richness of marine life. It has pristine waters, lagoons, a line of extinct underwater volcanoes and two coral islands with a magnificent 100 metre perpendicular wall. It is also being voted as one of the ‘New seven wonders of the world’.
Thursday, December 9, 2010, 11:00 PM
