Feature

:HOFRPHWRWKH3KLOLSSLQHVDQG0DEXKD\ Before anything else here are some basic facts you need to know about the country. A compilation of some basic information about the Philppines- the people, environment and the culture!!! *(2*5$3+< The Philippine archipelago is composed of 7,000 islands, These islands, is clustered into three major island groups- Luzon (the northern islands), Visayas (the central islands) and Mindanao (the southern islands). Throughout the country, there are numerous bodies of water (including some of the magnificent beaches and wildest rivers, spectacular mountains ranges and agricultural ranges.

&/,0$7( Tropical hot and humid all year round. Two defined seasons. Dry season January to June, Wet July to December. December and January is the coolest month in the country while March to May is the summer time.

/$1*8$*( The Philippines has two official languages, Tagalog and English. Tagalog originated as the language of Manila and surrounding areas.The vast majority of Filipinos are fluent Tagalog speakers and many also speak their own local dialect. English was tought extensively during the American rule and remains the official language of commerce, government and law. Fluency in English varies according to the degree of education of the individual. Anyone with a high school education can understand and speak English quite adequately. Spanish was once widely spoken, but is now largely absolete, Its use is now confined small areas such as Cavite and Zamboanga. 5(/,*,21 More than 80% of the population are Roman Catholic and Catholic moral values are the basis of the countrys laws. The largest Protestant church is the Iglesia ni Cristo, while other denominations such as Mormons, Methodist ,Baptist, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Episcopalians are in small numbers. Muslims comprises aboput 10% of the population and are concentrated in Central and Western Mindanao, as well as the Sulu Island. 021(< )25(,*1 (;&+$1*( $1' &5(',7&$5'6

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Destination Philippines

September 2005

"But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system. Pull qoute goes here... The main unit of currency is the Philppine peso.Paper notes are available in denominations of P1,000, P500, P200, P50, P20 whereas coins are in denominations of P10, P5, P1, 25c, 10c, 5c. Banks and hotels would have desk boards for foreign exchange. Always inquire from them about your currency equivalent in peso. To be safe, change money only with dealers and money shops authorized by the Central Bank. You may also to consider paying for your purchases using credit cards instead of cash. Internanional credit cards such as Mastercard, Diners Club, American Express, and Visa are accepted in all major establishment in and outside of Metro Manila.

&867206 Filipinos tends to avoid conflict and prefer calm, non-confrontational behaviour. Respect and politeness for elders are valued ideals.