About our Home Country

One Journey

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About our Home Country

WE JOIN THE WORLD IN CONDEMNING THE MASSACRE OF THAN 50 PEOPLE, INCLUDING JOURNALISTS, LAWYERS AND MOSTLY INNOCENT PEOPLE IN MAGUINDANAO. WE CONDOLE WITH THE FAMILIES, RELATIVES AND FRIENDS OF THOSE WHO DIED.

PEACE IN THE WORLD...

PEACE IN THE PHILIPPINES!

We were born from a country with a rich cultural heritage---known for its warm and fun-loving people. The Philippines is the third largest English speaking country in the world with a rich history combining Asian, European, and American influences. Throughout the history and the entire world, there are "Pinoys" (slang for Filipino) who have excelled in different areas as arts, music & entertainment, politics, economy, science and industry.

Mabuhay ka PILIPINO...God bless the Philippines! We're proud to be Pinoy!

GENERAL INFORMATION

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 MEASURE
The Metric System is used in most trade and legal transactions.

ELECTRICITY
220 volts a/c is the common standard. 110 volts a/c is also used, especially in major hotels.

CURRENCY
The 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.

Sana sa susunod nating banggitin ang Pilipinas, 'wag kalimutang banggitin iyong maganda at positibo. After all, we have so much to be proud of and happy about..

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PLEASE CLICK TO VISIT THE PHILIPPINES!

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