Taal Volcano

Taal Volcano (Filipino: Bulkang Taal) is a complex volcano located on the island
of Luzon in the Philippines.[1] It is the second most active volcano in the Philippines with 33
historical eruptions. All of these eruptions are concentrated on Volcano Island, an island near the
middle of Taal Lake. The lake partially fills Taal Caldera, which was formed by prehistoric
eruptions between 140,000 and 5,380 BP.[2] Viewed from the Tagaytay Ridge in Cavite, Taal
Volcano and Lake presents one of the most picturesque and attractive views in the
Philippines.[3] It is located about 50 kilometres (31 miles) south of the capital of the country, the
city of Manila.
The volcano had several violent eruptions in the past causing loss of life in the island and the
populated areas surrounding the lake, with the death toll estimated at around 5,000 to 6,000.
Because of its proximity to populated areas and its eruptive history, the volcano was designated
a Decade Volcano, worthy of close study to prevent future natural disasters. All volcanoes of the
Philippines are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire.
 Rizal Shrine (Calamba)

The Rizal Shrine (Calamba) (Filipino: Museo ni José Rizal Calamba) is a reproduction of the
original two-story, Spanish-Colonial style house in Calamba, Laguna where José Rizal was born
on June 19, 1861.[1] Rizal is regarded as one of the greatest national heroes of
the Philippines.[2] The house is designated as a National Shrine (Level 1) by the National
Historical Commission of the Philippines. It is located along Mercado Street and Rizal Street in
Calamba's Poblacion 5 and is in close proximity to St. John the Baptist Parish Church and
the City College of Calamba.
 Boracay
Boracay is a small island in the Philippines located approximately 315 kilometres (196 miles)
south of Manila and 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) off the northwest tip of Panay Island in Western
Visayas region of the Philippines. Boracay Island and its beaches have received awards from
numerous travel publications and agencies.[Note 1] The island comprises the barangays of Manoc-
Manoc, Balabag, and Yapak in the municipality of Malay, in Aklan Province. The island is
administered by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority and the provincial
government of Aklan. Apart from its white sand beaches, Boracay is also famous for being one
of the world's top destinations for relaxation.[11][12] As of 2013 it was emerging among the top
destinations for tranquility and nightlife.[13]
Boracay was awarded as the 2012 best island in the world from the international travel
magazine Travel + Leisure.[14][15] In 2014, the resort island was at the top of the Best Islands in
the World list published by the international magazine Condé Nast Traveler.[16] In 2016, Boracay
headed the magazine's list of Top 10 destinations to watch.[17]
In April 2018 the Philippine Government decreed a 6-month closure of the island for tourists to
undertake major renovation works, especially of the sewage system, which had become obsolete
and insufficient.[18]. It re-opened in October 2018 with a set of new rules meant to address a
variety of issues.[19][20]
 Mayon
Mayon (Central Bicolano: Bulkan Mayon, Tagalog: Bulkang Mayon, Spanish: Monte Mayón),
also known as Mayon Volcano or Mount Mayon, also, Magayon (Central Bicolano: Bulkan
Magayon, Tagalog: Bulkang Magayon, Spanish: Monte Magayón), also known as Magayon
Volcano or Mount Magayon[4], is a sacred[5] and active stratovolcano in
the province of Albay in Bicol Region, on the large island of Luzon in the Philippines.
Renowned as the "perfect cone" because of its symmetric conical shape, the volcano with its
surrounding landscape was declared a national park on July 20, 1938, the first in the nation. It
was reclassified a Natural Parkand renamed as the Mayon Volcano Natural Park in 2000.[6] It is
said that the volcano grew from the burial grounds of lovers Magayon and Pangaronon. Thus, the
ancient Bicolanos named it after the legendary princess-heroine Daragang
Magayon (English: Beautiful Lady). After some time, the volcano was chosen as the abode of the
supreme god of the Bicolano people, Gugurang, who also chose Mayon as the repository of the
sacred fire of Ibalon.[7] Numerous festivals and rituals are associated with the volcano and its
landscape.[8] The volcano is the centerpiece of the Albay Biosphere Reserve, declared
by UNESCO in 2016,[9] and is currently being nominated as a World Heritage Site.
 Chocolate Hills

The Chocolate Hills (Cebuano: Mga Bungtod sa Tsokolate, Tagalog: Tsokolateng burol) are a
geological formation in the Bohol province of the Philippines.[1] There are at least 1,260 hills but
there may be as many as 1,776 hills spread over an area of more than 50 square kilometres
(20 sq mi).[2] They are covered in green grass that turns brown (like chocolate) during the dry
season, hence the name.
The Chocolate Hills is a famous tourist attraction of Bohol. They are featured in the provincial
flag and seal to symbolize the abundance of natural attractions in the province.[3] They are in the
Philippine Tourism Authority's list of tourist destinations in the Philippines;[4] they have been
declared the country's third National Geological Monument and proposed for inclusion in
the UNESCO World Heritage List.[4]
 The vinta

The vinta (also generically known as lepa-lepa or sakayan) is a traditional outrigger

boat from the Philippine island of Mindanao. The boats are made by Sama-
Bajau and Moros living in the Sulu Archipelago,[1] Zamboangapeninsula, and southern
Mindanao. It has a sail with assorted vertical colors that represents the colorful culture and
history of the Muslim community. These boats are used for inter-island transport of people and
goods. Zamboanga City is known for these vessels.
In 1985 the vinta Sarimanok was sailed from Bali to Madagascar to replicate ancient seafaring
techniques.[2][3]
 Banaue Rice Terrace
The Banaue Rice Terraces (Filipino: Hagdan-hagdang Palayan ng Banawe)
are terraces that were carved into the mountains of Ifugao in the Philippines by the ancestors of
the indigenous people. The terraces are occasionally called the "Eighth Wonder of the
World".[1][2][3] It is commonly thought that the terraces were built with minimal equipment,
largely by hand.[4] The terraces are located approximately 1,500 metres (4,900 feet) above sea
level. These are fed by an ancient irrigation system from the rainforests above the terraces. It is
said that if the steps were put end to end, it would encircle half of the globe.[5] Locals up to this
day still plant rice and vegetables on the terraces, although more and more younger Ifugaos do
not find farming appealing,[6] often opting for the more lucrative hospitality industry generated
by the terraces.[7]The result is the gradual erosion of the characteristic "steps", which require
constant reconstruction and care. In 2010, a further problem encountered was drought, with the
terraces drying up completely in March of that year.[8]
Anthropologist Otley Beyer has estimated that the terraces are over 2000 years old, but several
researchers dispute this and contend that they were built much later.[9][10] There are also
giant earthworms ("olang" in Ifugao) of the genus Pheretima or Polypheretima elongata which
are supposed to destroy the terraces,[11] as well as rodents of the genus Chrotomis mindorensis,
and snails.[12]
 Mount Apo
Mount Apo (Cebuano: Bukid Apo; Tagalog: Bundok Apo) is a large solfataric, potentially
active stratovolcano on the island of Mindanao, Philippines. With an elevation of 2,954 meters
(9,692 ft) above sea level, it is the highest mountain in the Philippine Archipelago and is located
between Davao City and Davao del Sur province in Region XI and Cotabato in Region XII. The
peak overlooks Davao City 45 kilometers (28 mi) to the northeast, Digos 25 kilometers (16 mi)
to the southeast, and Kidapawan 20 kilometers (12 mi) to the west. The first two attempts to
reach Mt. Apo's summit ended in failure: that of Jose Oyanguren (1852) and Señor Real (1870).
The first recorded successful expedition was led by Don Joaquin Rajal in October 10, 1880. Prior
to the climb, Rajal had to secure the permission of the Bagobo chieftain, Datu Manig. It is said
that the Datu demanded that human sacrifice be made to please the god Mandarangan. But the
datu agreed to waive this demand, and the climb commenced on October 6, 1880, succeeding
five days later.[citation needed] Since then, numerous expeditions followed. These and more are
described in colorful narrations by Fr. Miguel Bernad, S.J.On May 9, 1936, Mount Apo was
declared as a national park by President Manuel L. Quezon.[7]
Mt. Apo is said to be named after a nobleman named Apong, who was killed while mediating the
battle between two suitors of his daughter Saribu. Apo in various local languages mean
"grandfather", "master", "grandson", and "wise elder".
 Maria Cristina Falls

Maria Cristina Falls is a waterfall of the Agus River on the island

of Mindanao in the Philippines. It is sometimes called the "twin falls" as the flow is separated by
a rock at the brink of the waterfall.[1] It is a landmark of Iligan City, nicknamed the City of
Majestic Waterfalls, because of the presence of more than 20 waterfalls in the city.[2] It is located
9.3 kilometers away southwest of the city proper at the boundaries of Barangays Maria Cristina,
Ditucalan, and Buru-un.[2] Known for its natural grandeur, the 320 - feet (98 meters) high
waterfall[3] is also the primary source of electric power for the city's industries, being harnessed
by the Agus VI Hydroelectric Plant.[4]
 San Juanico Bridge
San Juanico Bridge (Filipino: Tulay ng San Juanico and Spanish: Puente de San Juanico) is
part of the Pan-Philippine Highway and stretches from Samar to Leyte across the San Juanico
Strait in the Philippines.[2] Its longest length is a steel girder viaduct built on reinforced concrete
piers, and its main span is of an arch-shaped truss design. Constructed during the Marcos
administration using Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) loans,[5] it has a total
length of 2.16 kilometers (1.34 mi) - the longest bridge spanning a body of seawater in the
Philippines.[6][7]
Touted as President Ferdinand Marcos' "birthday gift" to his wife Imelda,[6] it was one of the
high-visibility foreign-loan projects initiated by Marcos during the run-up to the 1969
Presidential election campaign.[8] Completed four years later, it was inaugurated on 2 July 1973 -
Imelda Marcos' birthday.[6] Upon its completion, economists and public works engineers quickly
tagged it as a white elephant which was "constructed several decades too soon",[2] because its
average daily traffic (ADT) was too low to justify the cost of its construction.[2] As a result, its
construction has been associated with what has been called the Marcoses' "edifice complex".[9][10]
In the decades after the Marcoses administration, economic activity in Samar and Leyte has
finally caught up with the bridge's intended function, and it has become an iconic tourist
attraction acknowledged as "part of the identity of people in Samar and Leyte."[10]