PHILIPPINE

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.

PHILIPPINE 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%.

PHILIPPINE 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.

PHILIPPINE 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 IN THE PHILIPPINES

Some 80% of Filipinos are Catholic. About 15% are Moslem. The rest are made up of smaller Christian denominations and Buddhist.

UNIT OF MEASURE USED IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS

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.

PHILIPPINE 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.

TODAY IN THE PHILIPPINES -- News

• Philippines counts cost of China's fury at deaths
  China is angry after a violent hostage drama in the Philippines killed eight tourists from Hong Kong, and the Southeast Asian nation can do little to soothe the powerhouse, as a raft of visitor cancellations has hit the country's tourism industry.
  
  
• Exotic fruits flood Sulu province
  " Exotic fruits are now flooding in the southern Philippine province of Sulu as peace and order continue to improve as locals prepare for the celebration of the Hari Raya festival.
  
  
• PHILIPPINES: "Proclamation No. 26"
  DECLARING FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2010 AS A REGULAR HOLIDAY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY IN OBSERVANCE OF EID'L FITR WHEREAS, Republic Act No.
  
  
• No More Excuses, on Hostage Crisis, We Expect to See Heads Roll
  Almost two weeks have passed since that late August morning when Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza, a disgruntled ex-cop, boarded that ill-fated bus filled with Hong Kong tourists, and started a chain of events that will continue to reverberate in this country for many years to come. Reaching from across the grave at the PNP -an institution he dedicated his entire career to; rising thru its ranks and garnering some of its highest accolades...only to be later unceremoniously dismissed with his entire pension taken away-Mendoza is bringing that institution to its knees.
  
  
• Beaches and Resorts in the Philippines: Badian Island Resort and Spa
  The Badian Island Resort and Spa Showcases a Picturesque Location with Its Sandy Beaches, a Natural Spa Center, and a Dive Center Operating All Year Round Badian Island Resort and Spa is located in Badian, Cebu, Philippines .
  
  
• Pinoy nurses find ally in British MP
  MANILA, Philippines A senior member of the British Parliament has taken important steps to further improve the working condition of Filipino nurses in the country.
  
  
• Philippine Dengue Cases Reach 62,000 For First 8 Months Of 2010
  Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines - The Philippine Department of Health reported on Wednesday that dengue cases in the country from January to August exceeded 62,000 cases.
  
  
• Kris, James told to keep mum on their case
  MANILA, Philippines A judge has prohibited estranged couple Kris Aquino and cager James Yap from publicly discussing Aquino's petition to nullify their marriage.
  
  
• Elma Muros: - Survivor' experience beats everything I went through in athletics
  JUST A THOUGHT: I am always doing that which I cannot in order that I may learn how to do it.
  
  
• Philippine massacre trial adjourned again
  The trial of a former mayor accused of masterminding the massacre of 57 people in the southern Philippines last November was adjourned again for a week on Wednesday, frustrating state lawyers and families of victims.
  
  
• Philippine Energy Efficient Project pipped in Mindanao
  A man shows off incandescent bulbs he purchased from the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative that will entitle him to get free a maximum of six compact fluorescent lamps as part of the National Residential Lighting Program of the Philippine Energy Efficient Project.
  
  
• Gloria Diaz declared 'persona non grata' Cebu
  Miss Universe 1969 Gloria Diaz has been declared as "persona non grata" and is now banned in the province of Cebu as stated in a resolution issued by the Vice Mayors League of The Philippines-Cebu. The league condemned Diaz's comment in a TV interview allegedly belittling the Cebuanos' capability in speaking in English, said a report on Bombo Radyo ...
  
  
• (Updated) BOR accepts 11 nominees for University of the Philippines president
  This was published in Asian Correspondent where I write a column . Eleven nominees are running for president of the Philippines' national university.
  
  
• Daphne Osena Paez breastfeeding her baby. Credit: UNICEF Philippines
  After sportscaster Patricia Bermudez-Hizon gave birth to her first son, she was faced with one of the toughest challenges of being a mother: breast-feeding--exclusively. Exclusive breast-feeding means that the baby will only drink mother's milk--no formula, no water--for the first 6 months.
  
  
• Where to Find the Best Medical Care in Manila, Philippines
  Manila, the capital of Philippines is amongst the most populous areas in the world.
  
  
• Hong Kong and the Philippines: The First-Person Account Of A Manila Hostage Survivor
  SK Thew ponders on the problems facing Malaysian society and concludes that there is still hope to reform the system.
  
  
• Vietnam, unlikely US ally | Mark Tran
  US Pacific command chief Admiral Robert F Willard, meeting Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, 18 August 2010 in Manila, Philippines.
  
  
• Gunmen seize Muslim trader in Marawi City
  " Unidentified gunmen seized a Muslim trader on Tuesday in Marawi City in Lanao del Sur province in the southern Philippines, police said.
  
  
• Venus Raj ready for showbiz life
  MANILA, Philippines Miss Universe 4th runner-up Maria Venus Raj is open to the possibility of joining the world of show business.
  
  
• Gunmen seize trader in Marawi, southern Philippines
  Unidentified gunmen abducted Tuesday a local trader in the southern Philippine city of Marawi, local police said.