The Republic of the Philippines is a country of South East Asia, located in the western Pacific Ocean some 1,210 km (750 mi) from mainland Asia. It consists of the 7,107 Philippine Islands and forms in physical geography a part of the Malay Archipelago. The 333 years as a Spanish colony (1565-1898) and 48 years as an American protectorate (1898-1946) have been the greatest influences on Philippine culture. It is, with East Timor, one of the two predominantly Catholic nations in Southeast Asia. It is also one of the most westernized nations in the region with a unique blend of East and West. Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... The Pacific Ocean (from the Latin name Mare Pacificum, peaceful sea, bestowed upon it by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan) is the worlds largest body of water. ... World map showing location of Asia A satellite composite image of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of the continent of Eurasia, defined by subtracting the European peninsula from Eurasia. ... The Malay Archipelago refers to the vast group of islands located between mainland Southeast Asia (Indochina) and Australia. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell See The Protectorate. ... The Democratic Republic of East Timor, also known officially as Timor Leste is a nation in Southeast Asia, consisting of the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecussi-Ambeno, a political exclave of East Timor situated on the western side of... Catholic is a term generally used in relation to the members, beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. ...

The Philippines was the most developed country in Asia immediately following World War II, but has since lagged behind other countries because of poor economic growth, government confiscation of wealth, widespread corruption, and neo-colonial influences. Currently, the country attains a moderate economic growth, buoyed by remittances by its large, diasporic overseas Filipino workforce, booming information technology. Information technology (IT) or information and communication technology (ICT) is the technology required for information processing. ...

The country's major problems include an ongoing Muslim separatist movement in southern Mindanao, the New People's Army communist insurgencies in rural areas, historically inconsistent government policies, and environmental degradation due to rainforest depletion and marine and coastal pollution. The country also suffers from overpopulation due to having a high birth rate, which is far above the replacement rate and until recently was one of the highest in all of Asia. A Muslim is a believer in or follower of Islam. ... Map of the Philippines showing the island groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. ... The New Peoples Army, or NPA, is a communist-based revolutionary group in the Philippines, formed in December 1969. ... Communism - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ...

(National Flag) (National Coat of Arms)
National motto: Maka-Diyos, Maka-kalikasan, Makatao at Makabansa (Filipino: For the Love of God, Nature, People and Country)
Official languages	Filipino and English
Capital	Manila
Largest city	Quezon City
President	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Area  - Total  - % water	Ranked 71st 300,000 km² 0.6%
Population  - Total (2004)  - Density	Ranked 12th 86,241,697 276/km²
Independence	Declared from Spain: June 12, 1898 (Official) Declared from the United States: July 4, 1946 (Recognized) Large flag of the Philippines. ... Coat of arms of the Republic of the Philippines. ... Flag ratio: 1:2 The national flag of the Philippines features an eight-rayed sun and three stars, all in gold, on a white equilateral triangle on the mast. ... The Philippine Coat of Arms features the eight_rayed sun of the Philippines and the three five_pointed stars representing the three primary geographic regions of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. ... Here is a list of state mottos for countries and their subdivisions around the world. ... Filipino (or Pilipino) is the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines along with English. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... An official language is something that is given a unique status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... Filipino (or Pilipino) is the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines along with English. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... In politics a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... For other meanings of the word, see Manila (disambiguation). ... Quezon City P is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. ... The President is the head of state and of the government of the Republic of the Philippines. ... PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (born April 5, 1947), also known by her initials GMA, is the current and 14th President of the Republic of the Philippines. ... This article explains the meaning of area as a physical quantity. ... Here is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here surface areas between 100,000 km² and 1,000,000 km². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... In the most common sense of the word, a population is the collection of people—or organisms of a particular species—living in a given geographic area. ... Population density can be used as a measurement of any tangible item. ... This is a list of sovereign states and other territories by population. ... Independence is autonomous self-government of a country by its residents and indigenous population. ... June 12 is the 163rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (164th in leap years), with 202 days remaining. ... 1898 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... July 4 is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 180 days remaining. ...
GDP (2003)   - Total   - Total   - GDP/capita   - GDP/capita	$352.18 billion (25th) (PPP) $80.57 billion (43rd) (nominal) $4,321 (103rd) (PPP) $989 (118th) (nominal)
Currency	1 Philippine peso (piso) = 100 centavos (sentimos)
Time zone	UTC +8
National anthem	Lupang Hinirang (Land of the Morning)
Internet TLD	.ph
Calling Code	+63

History

Main article: History of the Philippines Prehistoric Times Main Article: Pre-colonial Philippines Various Austronesian groups settled in what is now the Philippine islands by traversing land bridges coming from Taiwan and Borneo by 200,000 BCE (late Pleistocene). ...

Pre-History

Human fossil records indicate that the Philippines may have been inhabited for thousands of years. Its aboriginal population, collectively known as the Negritos or Aetas, crossed prehistoric land or ice bridges to eventually settle in the islands' lush forests. Other migrants from the Malay Peninsula and Indonesian archipelago, and from Indochina and Taiwan, settled around the turn of the first millennium. The Negritos include the Atis, and at least 5 other tribes of the Philippines, the Semang of the Malay peninsula, and 12 Andamanese tribes of the Andaman Islands. ... The Malay Peninsula (Malay: Tanah Melayu) is a major peninsula located in Southeast Asia. ... The Republic of Indonesia is located in the Malay Archipelago, the worlds largest archipelago, between Indochina and Australia, between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. ... Indochina, or French Indochina, was a federation of French colonies and protectorates in south-east Asia, part of the French colonial empire. ... For the political entity commonly known as Taiwan, see Republic of China. ...

Asian interaction, Buddhist Kingdoms

Chinese merchants arrived in the 8th century. The rise of powerful Buddhist kingdoms precipitated trade with the Indonesian archipelago, India, Japan and Southeast Asia. Factional fighting among the kingdoms of Southeast Asia weakened their strength. In the meantime, the spread of Islam through commerce and proselytism, much like Christianity, brought traders and missionaries into the region; Arabs set foot in Mindanao in the 14th century. When the first Europeans arrived, led by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, there were rajahs as far north as Manila, who historically were tributaries of the kingdoms of Southeast Asia. However, the islands were essentially self-sufficient and self-ruling. When used as an adjective, Chinese refers to anything that originates from China, , Chinese cuisine. ... (7th century — 8th century — 9th century — other centuries) Events The Iberian peninsula is taken by Arab and Berber Muslims, thus ending the Visigothic rule, and starting almost 8 centuries of Muslim presence there. ... Statues of Buddha such as this, the Tian Tan Buddha statue in Hong Kong, remind followers to practice right living. ... The Republic of India is the second most populous country in the world, with a population of more than one billion, and is the seventh largest country by geographical area. ... Islam ( Arabic al-islām الإسلام,  listen?) the submission to God is a monotheistic faith and the worlds second-largest religion. ... World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... Ferdinand Magellan (Spring 1480 – April 27, 1521; Portuguese: Fernão de Magalhães; Spanish: Fernando de Magallanes) was a Portuguese sea explorer who sailed for Spain. ... Events January 3 - Pope Leo X excommunicates Martin Luther. ... A Raja (sometimes spelled Rajah) is a king, or princely ruler. ... For other meanings of the word, see Manila (disambiguation). ...

Spanish colonization

The Spanish claimed and colonized the archipelago in 1565 led by the Spanish Conquistador Miguel López de Legaspi who sailed from New Spain (present-day Mexico), arrived and settled in Cebu. Ruy López de Villalobos named the archipelago "Las Islas Filipinas" after King Felipe II. Priests and Augustinian friars marched with Spanish soldiers from island to island establishing forts and preaching Christianity. Roman Catholicism was immediately introduced and would come to be adopted by the majority of the population, through missionary work, as well as the Laws of the Indies and several restrictive edicts. Some resistance came from tribal groups in the highlands and the Muslim separatism, a trend that rages on today. Sporadic rebellions and violence erupted in the coastal populations throughout the next three centuries in response to colonial abuses and lack of reforms. The new territory was ruled from New Spain, and a burgeoning Manila Galleon or Manila-Acapulco galleon trade began in the 16th century. Events March 1 - the city of Rio de Janeiro is founded April 27 - Cebu City is established becoming the first Spanish settlement in the Philippines. ... Conquistador (meaning Conqueror in the Spanish language) is the term used to refer to the soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under Spanish rule between the 15th and 17th centuries. ... Miguel López de Legaspi ( 1524 - August 20, 1572) was a Spanish explorer whose travels in the Philippine Islands started more than 300 years control on the islands by Spain. ... Flag of New Spain New Spain (in the Spanish language Nueva España) was the name given to the Spanish colonial territory in North America from c. ... The United Mexican States or Mexico (Spanish: Estados Unidos Mexicanos or México; regarding the use of the variant spelling Méjico, see section The name below) is a country located in North America, bordered to the north by the United States of America, to the southeast by Guatemala and Belize, to... Cebu is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. ... Ruy Lopez de Villalobos (c. ... Philip II of Spain (1527 – September 13, 1598), King of Spain (r. ... The Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo (died AD 430), are several Roman Catholic monastic orders and congregations of both men and women living according to a guide to religious life known as the Rule of Saint Augustine. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Flag of New Spain New Spain (in the Spanish language Nueva España) was the name given to the Spanish colonial territory in North America from c. ... The Manila Galleons were Spanish galleons (a type of ship) that travelled once or twice per year between Manila in the Philippines and Acapulco in New Spain (now Mexico). ... Acapulco, also known as Acapulco de Juárez, is a city and major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast of Mexico, 190 miles S.S.W. of Mexico City, at 16. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ...

Spanish challenges

Serious challenges to Spanish rule began in 1761 when Spain involved herself in the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) declaring war on Great Britain. In 1762, colonial forces of the British East India Company captured Manila after a fierce struggle. In accordance with the 1763 Treaty of Paris ending the war between Great Britain against Spain and France, The Philippines was returned to Spain. Defeat from the hands of British however, inspired resistance from Filipino rebels such as Diego Silang who in 1762 expelled the Spanish from the coastal city of Vigan. The Spanish, tied down by fighting with the British and the rebels during the Seven Years War were unable to control the raids of the Moros of the south on the Christian communities of the Visayan Islands and Luzon. Thousands of Christian Filipinos were captured as slaves, and Moro raids continued to be a serious problem through the remainder of the century. The Chinese community, resentful of Spanish discrimination, for the most part enthusiastically supported the British, providing them with laborers and armed men who fought de Anda in Pampanga. Events January 16 - British capture Pondicherry, India from the French. ... This article is about the 1756–1763 war. ... Events March 17 - St. ... Events February 10 - French and Indian War: The 1763 Treaty of Paris ends the war and France cedes Great Britain. ... Great Britain lies between Ireland and continental Europe. ... Events Neolin begins to preach. ... There were three regiments in the British Army that were numbered the 79th Foot. ... The British East India Company, sometimes referred to as John Company, was a joint-stock company of investors, which was granted a Royal Charter by Elizabeth I on December 31, 1600, with the intent to favor trade privileges in India. ... The Treaty of Paris, February 10, 1763, was signed by the Kingdom of Great Britain, France and Spain with Portugal in agreement. ... Great Britain lies between Ireland and continental Europe. ... The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... Diego Silang (December 16, 1730 - May 28, 1763) was a revolutionary leader who conspired with British forces to overthrow the Spanish in the northern Philippines and establish an independent Ilocano nation. ... Map of the Philippines showing the island groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. ... Pampanga is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. ...

Economic Society of Friends

After Spanish rule was restored, José Basco y Vargas one of the ablest of Spanish administrators, was the governor from 1778 to 1787, and he implemented a series of reforms designed to promote the economic development of the islands and make them independent of the subsidy from New Spain. In 1781 he established the Economic Society of Friends of the Country, which, throughout its checkered history extending over the next century, encouraged the growth of new crops for export--such as indigo, tea, silk, opium poppies, and abaca (hemp)--and the development of local industry. A government tobacco monopoly was established in 1782. The monopoly brought in large profits for the government and made the Philippines a leader in world tobacco production. José Basco y Vargas was a governor-general of the Philippines under Spanish colonial rule. ... Events The term Thoroughbred was first used in the United States in an advertisement in a Kentucky gazette to describe a New Jersey stallion called Pilgarlick . ... 1787 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... This article is about the color. ...

Rizal, the Propaganda Movement, and the Revolution

Dr. José Rizal

The islands' economy began to open up during the 19th century. The rise of an ambitious, more nationalistic Filipino middle class, consisting of educated native Filipinos, Philippine-born Spaniards and creoles, Spanish mestizos and an economically entrenched Chinese mestizo community, signaled the end of complete domination by the Spanish. Enlightened by the Propaganda Movement to the injustices of the Spanish colonial government, they clamored for independence. José Rizal, the most famous propagandist, was arrested and executed in 1896 for acts of subversion. Soon after, the Philippine Revolution broke out, pioneered by the KKK (Kataastaasan at Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan) or Katipunan, a secret revolutionary society founded by Andres Bonifacio and later led by Emilio Aguinaldo. The revolution nearly succeeded in ousting the Spanish by 1898. Portrait of José Rizal Source: Portrait from Lineage, Life and Labors of José Rizal, Philippine Patriot, by Austin Craig (1909) Information page at Project Gutenberg This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Portrait of José Rizal Source: Portrait from Lineage, Life and Labors of José Rizal, Philippine Patriot, by Austin Craig (1909) Information page at Project Gutenberg This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... José Rizal portrait from a 1909 biography José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda (June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896) is the national hero of the Philippines. ... José Rizal portrait from a 1909 biography José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda (June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896) is the national hero of the Philippines. ... 1896 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Philippine Revolution (1896—1898) is a battle between the native Katipuneros and Spanish colonizers in the Philippines. ... The Katipunan was a secret society founded in the Philippines by Andres Bonifacio aimed towards liberating the country from the Spanish colonizers. ... Andres Bonifacio Andres Bonifacio (November 30, 1863 - May 10, 1897) was a leader in the revolution of the Philippines against Spanish colonial rule, the first revolution in Asia against European colonial rule. ... PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES Emilio Aguinaldo Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy (March 22, 1869—February 6, 1964) was a Filipino general, politician, and independence leader. ... 1898 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

The U.S. Connection

That same year Spain and the United States fought the Spanish-American War, after which Spain ceded the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico to the United States for US $20 million through the Treaty of Paris. The Filipinos had by then declared independence, and this led to the Philippine-American War that officially ended in 1901, though sporadic fighting continued until 1913. The islands were made a U.S. territory with little self-government until 1935, when their status was upgraded to that of a U.S. Commonwealth. Independence was finally granted in 1946, after the Japanese had occupied the islands during World War II. The following period was marred by post-war problems; civil unrest during the unpopular dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos, ousted in 1986; and later, the continuing problem of communist insurgency and Muslim separatism. The Spanish-American War took place in 1898, and resulted in the United States of America gaining control over the former colonies of Spain in the Caribbean and Pacific. ... The Philippine-American War was a war between the armed forces of the United States and the Philippines from 1899 through 1913. ... 1901 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1913 is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... Official language Japanese Capital Tokyo Largest City Tokyo Emperor Akihito Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 60th 377,835 km² 0. ... Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler were two of the 20th centurys most notorious dictators. ... PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Edralin Marcos (September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was the tenth President of the Republic of the Philippines. ... A Muslim is a believer in or follower of Islam. ...

Politics

Main article: Politics of the Philippines The Philippines has a representative democracy modeled on the United States system. ...

National Government

The government of the Philippines, loosely patterned after the American system, is organized as a representative republic, with the President functioning as both head of state and government, as well as being the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The president is elected by popular vote to a term of 6 years, during which he or she appoints and presides over the cabinet. ... In a broad definition a republic is a state or country that is led by people that dont found their power status on any principle beyond the control of the people living in that state or country. ... The President is the head of state and of the government of the Republic of the Philippines. ... A head of state or chief of state is the chief public representative of a nation-state, federation or commonwealth, whose role generally includes personifying the continuity and legitimacy of the state and exercising the political powers, functions and duties granted to the head of state in the countrys... The head of government is the leader of the government or cabinet. ... Military branches  Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps and Coast Guard), Air Force Military manpower - military age  18 years of age (2001) Military manpower - availability  males age 15-49: 22,435,982 (2004 est. ... Alternate meanings in cabinet (disambiguation) A Cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. ...

The bicameral Philippine legislature, the Congress, consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives; members of both are elected by popular vote. There are 24 senators serving 6 years in the Senate while the House of Representatives consists of no more than 250 congressmen each serving 3-year terms. Chamber of the Estates-General, the Dutch legislature. ... The Congress of the Philippines is the primary legislature of the Philippines. ... The Senate of the Philippines is the upper chamber of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, the Congress of the Philippines. ... The House of Representatives (Kapulungan ng mga Kinatawan in Filipino) is the lower chamber of the Congress of the Philippines. ...

The judiciary branch of the government is headed by the Supreme Court, which has a Chief Justice as its head and 14 Associate Justices, all appointed by the president. Supreme Court of the Phillipines --- the countrys highest judicial court, as well as the court of last resort. ...

International Relations

The Philippines is a founding and prominent member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It is also an active participant of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), a member of the Group of 24 and one of the 51 founding members of the United Nations on October 24, 1945. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a political, economic, and cultural organization of countries located in Southeast Asia. ... APEC can also stand for Atlantic Provinces Economic Council Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a group of Pacific Rim countries who meet with the purpose of improving economic and political ties. ... The United Nations, or UN, is an international organization made up of 191 states established in 1945. ... October 24 is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 68 days remaining. ...

The Philippines is currently in a dispute with Taiwan, China, Vietnam and Malaysia over the oil- and natural gas-rich Spratly Islands and with Malaysia over Sabah. The Sultan of Sulu, who received the territory as a gift after having helped the Sultan of Brunei defeat a rebellion, has given the Philippine Government power to reclaim his lost territory. To this day, the Sultan of Sulu's family still receives "rental" monies from the Malaysian Government. For the political entity commonly known as Taiwan, see Republic of China. ... The Great Wall of China, stretching over 6,700 km, was erected beginning in the 3rd century BC to guard the north from raids by men on horses. ... The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a country in Southeast Asia. ... The Federation of Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. ... Oil is a generic term for organic liquids that are not miscible with water. ... Natural gas rig Natural gas is a gas produced by the anaerobic decay of organic material. ... The Spratly Islands (Chinese: 南沙群島, in pinyin: Nānshā Qúndāo “Southern sands” (also Nansha Islands); Vietnamese: Trường Sa “Long Sands”; Filipino: Kalayaan Independence) are a disputed group of approximately 100 reefs and islets in the South China Sea. ... The Federation of Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. ... Map of Sabah in East Malaysia Sabah (Jawi:صباح) is one of the two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. ... For the Star Trek character, see Hikaru Sulu. ... The Sultanate of Brunei, more commonly referred to as Brunei Darussalam or simply Brunei, is an oil-rich country located on the island of Borneo, in southeast Asia. ...

See also:

• President of the Philippines
• Foreign relations of the Philippines
• Constitution of the Philippines

The President is the head of state and of the government of the Republic of the Philippines. ... This article needs cleanup. ... The Constitution of the Philippines (Saligang Batas ng Pilipinas in Filipino) is the supreme law of the Philippines. ...

Regions and Provinces

Map of the Philippines

Main articles: Regions and Provinces of the Philippines A general map of the Philippines, showing the location of major cities and islands. ... A general map of the Philippines, showing the location of major cities and islands. ... Map of the Philippines showing the island groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. ... Map of the Philippines showing all the regions and their provinces. ...

The Philippines is divided into a hierarchy of local government units (LGUs) with the province as the primary unit. As of 2002, there are 79 provinces in the country. Provinces are further subdivided into cities and municipalities, which are in turn, composed of barangays. The barangay is the smallest local government unit. Map of the Philippines showing all the regions and their provinces. ... A city (lungsod, sometimes siyudad, in Filipino) is a tier of local government in the Philippines. ... A municipality (bayan in Filipino) is a local government unit in the Philippines. ... A barangay is the smallest local government unit in the Philippines and is very similar to a village. ...

All provinces are grouped into 17 regions for administrative convenience. Most government offices establish regional offices to serve the constituent provinces. The regions themselves do not possess a separate local government, with the exception of the Muslim Mindanao and Cordillera regions, which are autonomous. Map of the Philippines showing the island groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. ... Philippines is composed of five provinces and one city namely: Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi_Tawi and the Marawi City. ... The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) of the Philippines consists of six provinces, namely: Abra, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province and Apayao. ...

Go to the articles on the regions and provinces to see a larger map showing the locations of the regions and provinces. Map of the Philippines showing the island groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. ... Map of the Philippines showing all the regions and their provinces. ...

Regions

• Ilocos Region (Region I)
• Cagayan Valley (Region II)
• Central Luzon (Region III)
• CALABARZON (Region IV-A) ¹ ²
• MIMAROPA (Region IV-B) ¹ ²
• Bicol Region (Region V)
• Western Visayas (Region VI)
• Central Visayas (Region VII)
• Eastern Visayas (Region VIII)
• Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX)
• Northern Mindanao (Region X)
• Davao Region (Region XI)
• SOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII) ¹
• Caraga (Region XIII)
• Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)
• Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)
• National Capital Region (NCR) (Metro Manila)

¹ Names are capitalized because they are acronyms, containing the names of the constituent provinces or cities (see Acronyms in the Philippines). The Ilocos Region of the Philippines, designated as Region I is located in the northwestern part of Luzon. ... Cagayan Valley (Lambak ng Cagayan in Filipino) is a region of the Philippines, also designated as Region II. It is composed of five provinces, namely: Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino. ... Central Luzon region contains the largest plain of the Philippines and produces most of the countrys rice supply. ... CALABARZON is one of the regions of the Philippines. ... MIMAROPA, also known as Region IV-B, is a region of the Philippines located in Luzon. ... Bicol Region is one of the regions of the Philippines occupying the Bicol Peninsula at the southeastern end of Luzon island. ... Categories: Philippines geography stubs ... Central Visayas, one of the regions of the Philippines, is designated as Region VII. It is part of the Visayas. ... Eastern Visayas, one of the regions of the Philippines, is designated as Region VIII. It consists of six provinces, namely, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar (Western Samar) and Southern Leyte. ... Zamboanga Peninsula is both a peninsula and an administrative region on that peninsula in the Philippines. ... Designated as Region X of the Philippines, Northern Mindanao (Hilagang Mindanao) is composed of five provinces and eight cities, namely: Misamis Oriental (Gingoog City and Cagayan de Oro City), Misamis Occidental (Oroquieta City, Tangub City and Ozamis City), Camiguin, Lanao del Norte (Iligan City), and Bukidnon (Malaybalay City and Valencia... Davao Region, designated as Region XI, is one of the regions of the Philippines, located on the southeastern portion of Mindanao. ... SOCCSKSARGEN is a region of the Philippines, located in central Mindanao, and is officially designated as Region XII. The name is an acronym that stands for the regions four provinces and one of its cities: South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City. ... Caraga is the newest region of the Philippines, also designated as Region XIII. Region XIII, the Caraga Administrative Region or the Caraga Region was created through Republic Act Number 7901 as approved by President Fidel V. Ramos on February 25, 1995. ... Philippines is composed of five provinces and one city namely: Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi_Tawi and the Marawi City. ... The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) of the Philippines consists of six provinces, namely: Abra, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province and Apayao. ... Manila, Philippines Metro Manila (Kalakhang Maynila in Filipino), also simply called Manila outside the metropolis, is the metropolitan area that contains the City of Manila, the capital of the Philippines. ... Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations formed from the initial letter or letters of words, such as NATO and XHTML, and are pronounced in a way that is distinct from the full pronunciation of what the letters stand for. ... Acronyms are very popular in the Philippines. ...

² These regions formed the former Southern Tagalog region, or Region IV. Southern Tagalog, or Region IV, was a region of the Philippines that is now comprised of Region IV-A (CALABARZON) and Region IV-B (MIMAROPA). ...

Geography

Main article: Geography of the Philippines Map of the physical geography of the Philippines. ...

Manila, Philippines

The Philippines constitute an archipelago of 7,107 islands with a total land area of approximately 300,000 km². It lies between 116° 40' and 126° and 34' E. longitude, and 4° 40' and 21° 10' N. latitude. It is bordered on the east by the Philippine Sea, on the west by the South China Sea, and on the south by the Celebes Sea. The island of Borneo lies a few hundred kilometers to the southwest and Taiwan directly north. The Moluccas and Celebes are farther south and on the eastern side of the Philippine Sea is Palau. File links The following pages link to this file: Philippines Metro Manila Manila Categories: Images with unknown copyright status ... File links The following pages link to this file: Philippines Metro Manila Manila Categories: Images with unknown copyright status ... For other meanings of the word, see Manila (disambiguation). ... An archipelago is a landform which consists of a chain or cluster of islands. ... The Philippine Sea is a part of the western Pacific Ocean bordered by the Philippines and Taiwan to the west, Japan to the north, the Marianas to the east and Palau to the south. ... The South China Sea, showing surrounding coutires and neighbouring seas and oceans The South China Sea is a marginal sea, part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from Singapore to the Strait of Taiwan of around 3,500,000 km². The minute South China Sea Islands, collectively an archipelago... Celebes Sea on its northern border. ... Satellite photo of Borneo. ... For the political entity commonly known as Taiwan, see Republic of China. ... This page is about the geography and history of the island group in Indonesia — for the political entities encompassing the islands, see Maluku (Indonesian province) and North Maluku. ... Map of Sulawesi pictures by Julianto Halim Sulawesi (or Celebes) is a large Indonesian island. ... The Philippine Sea is a part of the western Pacific Ocean bordered by the Philippines and Taiwan to the west, Japan to the north, the Marianas to the east and Palau to the south. ... The Republic of Palau (also spelled Belau) is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, located some 500 km east of the Philippines. ...

The islands are commonly divided into three major groups: Luzon (Regions I to V + NCR & CAR), Visayas (VI to VIII), and Mindanao (IX to XIII + ARMM). The busy port of Manila, on Luzon, is the country's capital and second-largest city after Quezon City. Map of the Philippines showing the island groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. ... Map of the Philippines showing Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. ... Map of the Philippines showing the island groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. ... For other meanings of the word, see Manila (disambiguation). ... Map of the Philippines showing the island groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. ... In politics a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... A city is an urban area, differentiated from a town, village, or hamlet by size, population density, importance, or legal status. ... Quezon City P is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. ...

The local climate is hot, humid, and tropical. The average yearly temperature is around 26.5° Celsius. Filipinos generally recognise three seasons: Tag-init or Tag-araw (the hot season or summer from March to May), Tag-ulan (the rainy season from June to November), and Taglamig (the cold season from December to February). Map of the climate of the Earth The climate (ancient Greek: κλίμα) is the weather averaged over a long period of time. ...

The southwest monsoon(May-October) is known as the "Habagat" and the dry winds of the northeast monsoon(November-April as the "Amihan".

Most of the mountainous islands used to be covered in tropical rainforests and are volcanic in origin. The highest point is Mount Apo on Mindanao at 2,954 m. Many volcanoes in the country, such as Mount Pinatubo, are active. The country is also astride the typhoon belt of the Western Pacific and is struck by about 19 typhoons per year. A rainforest is a forested biome with high annual rainfall. ... Mount Apo is the highest mountain in the Philippines and overlooks Davao City, a few kilometres to the northeast. ... This article is about volcanoes in geology. ... Mount Pinatubo is an active volcano located on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. ... This article is about weather phenomena. ...

Lying on the the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activities. The Ring of Fire is a zone of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that encircles the basin of the Pacific Ocean. ...

See also

• Ecoregions of the Philippines

The Philippine archipelago is one of the worlds great reservoirs of biodiversity and endemism. ...

Economy

The Philippine peso, the nation's currency.

Main article: Economy of the Philippines Download high resolution version (956x387, 70 KB)Front side of the 100-Philippine peso bill. ... Download high resolution version (956x387, 70 KB)Front side of the 100-Philippine peso bill. ... The Philippine peso (Filipino: piso) is the official currency of the Philippines. ... This article is in need of attention. ...

In 1998 the Philippine economy — a mixture of agriculture, light industry, and supporting services — deteriorated as a result of spillover from the Asian financial crisis and poor weather conditions. Growth fell to 0.6% in 1998 from 5% in 1997, but recovered to about 3% in 1999 and 4% in 2000. The government has promised to continue its economic reforms to help the Philippines match the pace of development in the newly industrialised countries of East Asia. Heavy debt (public debt at 77% of GDP), is hampering efforts to improve the economic situation. Budget allocation for servicing of debt is higher than the budget for the Department of Education and for the military combined. Farming, ploughing rice paddy, in Indonesia Agriculture is the process of producing food, feed, fiber and other desired products by cultivation of certain plants and the raising of domesticated animals ( livestock). ... The Asian financial crisis was a financial crisis that started in July 1997 in Thailand, and affected currencies, stock markets, and other asset prices of several Asian countries, many part of the East Asian Tigers. ... East Asia is a subregion of Asia. ...

The strategy includes improving infrastructure, overhauling the tax system to bolster government revenues, furthering deregulation and privatisation of the economy, and increasing trade integration with the region. Prospects for the future depend heavily on the economic performance of the two major trading partners, the United States and Japan, and a more accountable administration and consistent government policies. Infrastructure is the set of interconnected structural elements that provide the framework for supporting the entire structure. ... A tax is an involuntary fee paid by individuals or businesses to a government. ... Privatization (sometimes privatisation, denationalization, or — especially in India — disinvestment) is the process of transferring property, from public ownership to private ownership. ... Official language Japanese Capital Tokyo Largest City Tokyo Emperor Akihito Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 60th 377,835 km² 0. ...

Demographics

From the article: Demographics of the Philippines According to Philippine government statistics and current census data, some 95% of the population is ethnically Malay, descendants of immigrants from the Malay Peninsula and Indonesia, who arrived long before the Christian era. ...

According to Philippine government statistics and current census data, some 95% of the population is ethnically Malay, descendants of immigrants from the Malay Peninsula and Indonesia, who arrived long before the Christian era. The most significant non-native ethnic minority are the Chinese, who have played an important role in commerce since the 9th century when they first arrived in the Philippines for trade. The Mestizos, those of mixed race, form a tiny but economically and politically important minority. Small communities of expatriates, and Negrito forest tribes that inhabit the more remote areas of Mindanao, and other foreign-born people (such as American, Italian, Spanish, German, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese) constitute the remainder. Three-quarter scale bronze sculptures 19th C. Malay people, Indonesia, Borneo. ... The Malay Peninsula (Malay: Tanah Melayu) is a major peninsula located in Southeast Asia. ... The Republic of Indonesia is located in the Malay Archipelago, the worlds largest archipelago, between Indochina and Australia, between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. ... Han Chinese (Simplified: 汉; Traditional: 漢; Pinyin: hàn) is a term which refers to the majority ethnic group within China and the largest single human ethnic group in the world. ... Mestizo (Brazil Portuguese. ... An expatriate (in abbreviated form expat) is someone temporarily or permanently in a country and culture other than that of their upbringing and/or legal residence. ... The Negritos include the Atis, and at least 5 other tribes of the Philippines, the Semang of the Malay peninsula, and 12 Andamanese tribes of the Andaman Islands. ...

The people of the Philippines are collectively known as Filipinos. Throughout the colonial era the term "Filipino" originally referred to the Spanish and Spanish-mestizo minority. The definition, however, was later changed to include the entire population of the Philippines regardless of ethnic origin. In Filipino slang the noun becomes Pinoy, a backformation of [pili]PINOY. The feminine form is Filipina and Pinay respectively. Mestizo (Brazil Portuguese. ...

The Philippines is the most ethnically diverse country in Asia. While in recent decades the government has worked to make the country more culturally homogenous, this is made difficult by the linguistic diversity of its inhabitants. A majority of the population is divided among eight major Malay-based ethnic groups, that as stated above constitute approximately 95 percent of the population. The largest groups are the Tagalogs (24%), Cebuanos (24%), and Ilocanos (11%), with the Hiligaynon (Ilonggo), Bicolano, Waray-Waray, Kapampangan (Pampango), and Pangasinense making up the rest. Three-quarter scale bronze sculptures 19th C. Malay people, Indonesia, Borneo. ...

The remainder includes ethnic Filipino Muslim groups in the some highland areas and southern region of Mindanao, as well as small foreign communities. The Aeta or Negritos, once active for thousands of years in the islands, have vanished into the interior rainforests. Their fate mirrors many indigenous groups around the world such as the Australian Aborigines and Native Americans. Many Aeta Filipinos were absorbed by the invading ethnic-Malay Filipinos or isolated by systematic displacement. A Muslim is a believer in or follower of Islam. ...

In the 100 years since the 1903 Census of the Philippines, the population has grown by a factor of eleven. The country suffers from overpopulation due to having a high birth rate, which is far above the replacement rate. The government and the Catholic church have clashed over the issue of different methods for population control - artificial (contraceptives, sterilization, etc.) versus natural methods (abstinence and spacing) respectively. According to Philippine government statistics and current census data, some 95% of the population is ethnically Malay, descendants of immigrants from the Malay Peninsula and Indonesia, who arrived long before the Christian era. ... Catholic is a term generally used in relation to the members, beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. ...

See also:

• Religion in the Philippines

Religion plays a vital role in the lives of many Filipinos. ...

Languages

Main article: Languages of the Philippines Languages in the Philippines number more than 170 and almost all of them belong to the Western Malayo-Polynesian languages. ...

More than 170 languages are spoken in the Philippines and almost all of them belong to the Western Malayo-Polynesian languages. The official languages are Filipino and English. The Malayo-Polynesian languages are a subgroup of the Austronesian languages. ...

Since 1939, in an effort to develop national unity, the government has promoted the use of the official national language, Filipino, which is based on Tagalog. Filipino is taught in all schools and is gaining acceptance, particularly as a second language for a diverse population. English, which was introduced under U.S. rule, is treated as the second official language and is used extensively in government, education and commerce. Filipino (or Pilipino) is the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines along with English. ... Tagálog is one of the major languages of the Republic of the Philippines. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

Other languages spoken in Philippines include Chinese (Mandarin, Hokkien and Cantonese) among members of the Chinese and Chinese-Filipino communities, in their Chinatowns and community-based schools where the medium of instruction is in bilingual Mandarin/English, and Arabic among some members of the Muslim population Chinese (written) language (pinyin: zhōngw n) written in Chinese characters The Chinese language (汉语/漢語, 华语/華語, or 中文; Pinyin: H nyǔ, Hu yǔ, or Zhōngw n) is a member of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages. ... This article is on all of the Northern Chinese dialects. ... Mǐn Nán (Chinese: 閩南語), also spelt as Minnan or Min-nan; native name Bân-lâm-gú; literally means Southern Min or Southern Fujian and refers to the local language/dialect of southern Fujian province, China. ... This article is on all of the Yue dialects. ... The second-largest Chinatown in North America is in San Francisco, California, where signs, storefronts, proprietors, and even lamp posts bring the culture of China to the United States. ... Arabic is a Semitic language, closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. ... A Muslim is a believer in or follower of Islam. ...

Spanish was the official language from 1565 to 1973. With just 2,658 speakers (1990 census), Spanish has been in steady decline. Only some members within the Spanish-mestizo community use it as the language of the home. The sole existing Spanish-Asiatic creole language, Chabacano, is spoken by numbers in the south-western region of Mindanao. The word Spanish can mean: The Spanish language (also known as Castilian) The ethnic Spanish people (Spaniards), see also list of Spanish people From or related to Spain This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Events March 1 - the city of Rio de Janeiro is founded April 27 - Cebu City is established becoming the first Spanish settlement in the Philippines. ... Chavacano, (also Chabacano or Zamboangueño), is a Spanish creole spoken in the Philippines. ...

See also:

• Spanish in the Philippines

Spanish colonization Spanish began to be one of the languages in archipelago from 1565, when the Basque explorer Miguel López de Legaspi founded the first Spanish settlement on Cebu. ...

Culture

Main article: Culture of the Philippines This article is in need of attention. ...

Philippine Jeepney

The modern culture of the Philippines would be best described as a rich blend of the numerous Malay cultures native to the Philippines sprinkled with a myriad of foreign influences including Buddhist, Muslim and Hindu malay influences from Indonesia and Malaysia, Chinese, Spanish, Mexican and American. Along with this the Roman Catholic religion plays a very important part for the majority of the Filipino population. File links The following pages link to this file: Philippines Jeepney Categories: Images with unknown copyright status ... File links The following pages link to this file: Philippines Jeepney Categories: Images with unknown copyright status ... Jeepneys are a popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. ...

Throughout the pre-hispanic era no distinct national cultural identity was shaped. The reason for this was partly due to the existence of an exorbitant number of regional cultures, ethnicities and languages spoken in the country which is estimated today to be around 170 distinct languages, in addition to each of their many different dialects. The isolation between neighbouring populations — whether from village to village or island to island — also greatly contributed to this lack of a unified identity.

The arrival of the Spanish in 1565 brought with them Spanish culture and language and soon imposed Roman Catholic religion on the native Malay population. Priest and Augustianian Friars missionaries accompanied by Spanish soldiers soon marched from island to island eager to spread Christianity. They preached in local languages and employed indigenous peoples as translators, creating a bilingual class known as ladinos. These individuals, notably poet-translator Gaspar Aquino de Belen, produced devotional poetry written in the Roman script, primarily in the Tagalog language. Pasyon is a narrative of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ begun by Gaspar Aquino de Belen. Later, the Spanish ballad of chivalry, the corrido, provided a model for secular (nonreligious) literature. Verse narratives, or komedya, were performed in the regional languages for the illiterate majority. They were also written in the Roman alphabet in the principal languages and widely circulated. Events March 1 - the city of Rio de Janeiro is founded April 27 - Cebu City is established becoming the first Spanish settlement in the Philippines. ... Translation is an activity comprising the interpretation of the meaning of a text in one language—the source text—and the production of a new, equivalent text in another language—the target text, also called the translation. ... This article deals with the Judaeo-Spanish language. ... Pasyon is a narrative of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus, woven into a poem with stanzas of five lines with eight syllables each. ... A regional language is a language spoken in a part of a country - it may be a small area, a federal state or province, or a wider area. ...

In addition, the classical literature (José Rizal, Pedro Paterno) and historical documents (national anthem, Constitución Política de Malolos), were written in Spanish, which ceased to be an official language. The Philippine writers, Claro M. Recto among the more prominent, continued writing in Spanish until 1946. José Rizal portrait from a 1909 biography José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda (June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896) is the national hero of the Philippines. ... Pedro Paterno was the author of Pacto de Biyak-na-Bato (first published in 1910). ... Claro M. Recto (February 8, 1890 October 2, 1960), was a politician in the Philippines. ...

The Philippines has many national heroes. Considered the first to repel western aggression was Lapu-Lapu of Mactan Island, who killed Ferdinand Magellan. Dr. José Rizal (born June 19, 1861, in the town of Calamba, Laguna), "Pride of the Malay Race" Philippine National Hero, mastered 22 languages including Catalan, Chinese, English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Japanese, Latin, Malay, Sanskrit, Spanish, Tagalog, and other native dialects; he was an architect, artist, educator, economist, ethnologist, scientific farmer, historian, inventor, journalist, linguist, musician, mythologist, nationalist, naturalist, novelist, ophthalmic surgeon, poet, propagandist, sculptor and sociologist. The first Asian Secretary-General for the United Nations General Assembly was a Filipino - Carlos Pena Romulo. In more recent times, the Philippines has produced major sports heroes, such as Manny Pacquiao of boxing fame, and multi-champion billiards player Efren "Bata" Reyes. Lapu-Lapu is also the common name of the grouper fish in the Philippines, named after the hero. ... Mactan can refer to: Mactan Island Battle of Mactan Mactan-Cebu International Airport This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Ferdinand Magellan (Spring 1480 – April 27, 1521; Portuguese: Fernão de Magalhães; Spanish: Fernando de Magallanes) was a Portuguese sea explorer who sailed for Spain. ... José Rizal portrait from a 1909 biography José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda (June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896) is the national hero of the Philippines. ... Catalan (Català, Valencià) is a Romance language spoken by as many as approximately 12 million people in portions of Spain, France, Andorra and Italy, although the majority of Catalan speakers are in Spain. ... Chinese (written) language (pinyin: zhōngw n) written in Chinese characters The Chinese language (汉语/漢語, 华语/華語, or 中文; Pinyin: H nyǔ, Hu yǔ, or Zhōngw n) is a member of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... French (français, langue française) is one of the most important Romance languages, outnumbered in speakers only by Spanish and Portuguese. ... German (called Deutsch in German; in German the term germanisch is equivalent to English Germanic), is a member of the western group of Germanic languages and is one of the worlds major languages. ... The Greek language (Greek Ελληνικά, IPA – Hellenic) is an Indo-European language with a documented history of some 3,000 years. ... The Modern Hebrew language is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family. ... The Japanese language is a spoken and written language used mainly in Japan. ... Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... The Malay language, also known locally as Bahasa Melayu, is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people who are native to the Malay peninsula, southern Thailand, Singapore and parts of Sumatra. ... The Sanskrit language ( संस्कृता वाक्) is one of the earliest attested members of the Indo-European language family and is not only a classical language, but also an official language of India. ... This article is about the international language known as Spanish. ... Tagálog is one of the major languages of the Republic of the Philippines. ... A dialect (from the Greek word διάλεκτος) is a variety of a language used by people from a particular geographic area. ... General Carlos P. Romulo (b. ... Emmanuel Manny Pacquiao, (born December 17, 1978) the Pacman, is the reigning Peoples Featherweight Champion of the World (2003 to present), former IBF Super Bantamweight Champion (2001 to 2004), and former WBC Flyweight Champion (1998 to 1999). ... Boxer redirects here; for other meanings of boxer, see Boxer (disambiguation). ... Pool table with cue ball, object balls, cue stick, and rack Billiards is a game played on a table with low rubber boundary around the edges, small balls, and a stick or cue used to push the white ball into other balls. ...

Baroque Churches of the Philippines and Historic Town of Vigan are the cultural World Heritage Sites. However, during World War II, much of the city of Intramuros was destroyed but rebuilt in postwar time. Other World Heritage Sites include "The Rice Terraces" of the Cordillera, considered the 8th wonder of the world. Vigan is the capital city of the province of Ilocos Sur in the Philippines. ... Intramuros ca. ...

See also:

• Hispanic culture in the Philippines

The great British historian Arnold Joseph Toynbee once affirmed in one of his works that, in his opinion the Philippines are a Latin American country that was transported to the Orient by a gigantic marine wave. In a commoners/outsiders opinion, of all of Spains ex-colonial possessions...

See also

• Communications in the Philippines
• Military of the Philippines
  • Military history of the Philippines
• Transportation in the Philippines
• Holidays in the Philippines
• List of Philippine-related topics
• List of Philippine companies

Telephones - main lines in use: 7. ... Military branches  Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps and Coast Guard), Air Force Military manpower - military age  18 years of age (2001) Military manpower - availability  males age 15-49: 22,435,982 (2004 est. ... Military history of the Philippines See also: History of the Philippines Military of the Philippines The Battle of Mactan The Battle of Mactan on April 21, 1521 was the first reported resistance of the aborigines in the Philippines against foreign invaders. ... Land Transportation Railways narrow gauge (1067 mm), 492 km (an additional 405 km are not in operation) (2001) Most are on Luzon, operated by the Philippine National Railways. ... Holidays in the Philippines Categories: Public holidays by country | Philippines ... This page aims to list articles on Wikipedia that are related to the Philippines. ... This is a partial list of companies based in the Philippines Banking Bank of the Philippine Islands Development Bank of the Philippines Equitable PCI Bank Land Bank of the Philippines Metropolitan Bank and Trust Philippine National Bank Drug Mercury Drug Zuellig Pharma Energy Manila Electric National Power Corporation Petron Corporation...

Associations

The Philippines is a member of the following associations:

• Asian Development Bank
• Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
• Association of Southeast Asian Nations
• Latin Union
• United Nations (founding member)
• Non-Aligned Movement

See also: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a non-profit finance institution with many Asian governments as shareholder members who are also the recipients of funding where appropriate. ... APEC can also stand for Atlantic Provinces Economic Council Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a group of Pacific Rim countries who meet with the purpose of improving economic and political ties. ... The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a political, economic, and cultural organization of countries located in Southeast Asia. ... The Latin Union – Spanish: Unión Latina; French: Union Latine; Italian: Unione Latina; Portuguese: União Latina; Romanian: Uniunea Latină – is an intergovernmental organization that gathers together the nations of the world that use a Romance language. ... The United Nations, or UN, is an international organization made up of 191 states established in 1945. ... The Non-Aligned Movement, or NAM is an international organization of over 100 states which consider themselves not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. ...

• Foreign relations of the Philippines

This article needs cleanup. ...

External links

Official websites

• www.gov.ph - Government portal
• www.op.gov.ph - Office of the President
• www.supremecourt.gov.ph - Supreme Court
• www.wowphilippines.com.ph - Department of Tourism

News websites

• Philippine Daily Inquirer and GMA News (http://www.inq7.net)
• ABS-CBN News (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com)
• The Manila Bulletin Online (http://www.mb.com.ph)
• The Manila Times Online (http://www.manilatimes.net)
• Malaya (http://www.malaya.com.ph)
• Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (http://pcij.org/)
• The Filipino Reporter Online (http://www.filipinoreporter.com)

Other websites

• The Filipino Solidarity Project (http://www.los-indios-bravos.com/) Non-profit non-commercial site devoted to fostering historical, political, cultural and social awareness
• CIA World Factbook - Philippines (http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/rp.html)
• Alleba.com (http://www.alleba.com) - WWW Virtual Library of the Philippines
• ManilaMail (http://www.manilamail.com) - a reference point for understanding the Philippines and Filipinos
• Filipino Community Forum (http://s6.invisionfree.com/Filipino_Community/index.php?act=idx) - Filipino Community Forum for Filipinos around the world