Basic Facts About the Philippines

A. Islands in the Philippines

1. Largest Island in the Philippines

Luzon Island, located in the northern region of the archipelago, is the country's largest and
most populous island. It also has the greatest population among the three island groups.
Having an area of 42,458 square miles, Luzon is further subdivided into four major areas-
Northern Luzon, Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, and the National Capital Region, which is
home to the country's capital, Manila and is the country's center of economic, social, cultural,
and financial development (Vallejo 2014 and Valdeavilla 2018).

2. Smallest Island in the Philippines

The Philippines consists of thousands of islands and there is no known smallest island using
any known technical definition and due to high tide and low tide variations.

3. Number of Islands

There are 7,641 islands in the Philippines (Barile 2017).

4. Length of Coastline Estimates of the total length of the coastine range from 17,500
kilometers (official Philippine figure) to 36,289 kilometers (U.S. figure) (Library of
Congress. Federal Research Division 2006).

B. Major Landforms

1. Highest Point: Mount Apo

Mount Apo is the largest and the tallest solfataric mountain on the island of Mindanao and in
the entire Philıppines. The mountain has an elevation of 9,692 feet and is located between the
city of Davao and the province of Davao del Sur. Mount Apo is characterized by a tropical
rainy climate with rainfall relatively distributed throughout the year Mount Apo is home to
over 272 species of birds of which 11ll species are endemic to the mountain. Nineteen rivers
drain Mount Apo’s eight major watersheds. Six indigenous groups of people including
Bagobo, Ubos, and Tagacaol live around the regions of Mount Apo and consider the
mountain a sacred place and a place for worship rituals (Misachi 2017).

2. Oldest Province: Aklan

Originally called Minuro, Aklan is considered as the oldest province in the Philippines.
Records say that the province was established during the early 12th century by settlers
originating from Borneo. Datu Dinagandan, who established trade with neighboring islands,
was the first ruler. Kalantiaw then grabbed the throne, and his family continued to rule the
province until the mid-14th century (topten.ph 2016).
3. Number of Provinces:

There are 81 Provinces as of March 31, 2018 (Philippine Statistics Authority 2018).

Largest/Smallest Province:
a. Largest Province: Palawan
Palawan is the largest in terms of land area at 17,030.75 sq. kms.

b. Smallest Province: Batanes

Batanes has a land area of 203.22 sq. kms. (De la Rosa, Fiestada, Sanchez, and Mangahas
2018).

C. Climate Information

The first half of the year, from January to May, is the best time to visit the country.
November to February is cool, while March to May is hot and dry. June to October is
rainy, with the months between July and September characterized by typhoons. Average
temperature is 78 degrees F/25 degrees C; average humidity is 77%.

D. Language

The Philippines has two official languages, Filipino (or Pilipino) and English. Filipino
has eight major dialects, in order of use: Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or
llonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense. Filipino, based on Tagalog, is
related to Malay and Indonesian and is part of the Malayo-Polynesian subgroup of the
Austronesian language family. Filpino is the common language used between speakers of
different native languages, which are closely related but not mutually intelligible. There
are about 76 to 78 major language groups, with more than 500 dialects (DOT 2018).

E. Major Ethnic Groups

The richness of the Philippines does not end with just its aesthetic appeal, but beyond
what the eyes can see in photos and videos, is the vibrant feel of its people. This is the
differentiation of the Philippines as a tourist destination. Its people are known to be the
most hospitable in the world. Filipinos treat guests like family, willing to give up the seat
of honor for its visitors.
The Philippines has more than 100 ethnic groups. The more domınant ethnic groups include Tagalog,
Bisaya, Cebuano, Ilocano, Ilonggo, and Waray.

Ethnic Group Population (2010)

Tagalog 22,512,089
Visayan/Bisaya 10,539,816
Cebuano 9,125,637
Ilokano/llocano 8,074,536
Hiligaynon/llonggo 7,773,655
Waray 3,660,645

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority (2018)

The Philippine culture is a blend of the Malayo- Polynesian and Hispanic culture with the influence
from Chinese, Indians, Arabs, and other Asian cultures as manifested in various customs and
traditions of the Filipinos. Filipinos have the concept of kapwa (others) to refer to other people as an
extension of themselves. It shows on how they give importance to their connection or relationship
with other people. This is one of the roots of their being hospitable. Filipinos think of others as part
of themselves and their family. This strong sense of kapua enables Filipinos to share what they have
with others, give the best place in the house for the visitors and always provide the best food for its
guests Filipinos are lovers of art as evidenced by their folk songs, cultural dances. rituals, festivals,
intricate architecture of churches, and ancestral houses. They are also lovers of music and have the
ability to express themselves through song and dance. Videoke has evolved to be associated as a
favorite past-time and get-together activity. Filipinos love to celebrate and gather with family and
friends around popular Filipino dishes such as lechon adobo, and pancit.. Religion is an integral and
inseparable aspect of Filipino culture.

Religion is an integral and inseparable aspect of Filipino culture. The Philippines to known to
celebrate the longest Christmas season. Devotion to various images of the Lord Jesus, such as the
Sto. Niño and the Black Nazarene, as well as to the Blessed Virgin Mary and different patron saints,
is celebrated through festivals, most of which have religious origins. Religion is also a powerful
organizing principle for ethnic groups (Peralta 2000).

Filipinos are generally family-oriented with adult children continuing to stay in the family home. It is
not unfamiliar for families to have extended family members staying with them permanently.
Extended family members may include elderly aunts and uncles and married children with their
growing families. Nursing homes are not popular in the Philippines as children take care of their
ageing parents. Filipinos find reason to celebrate any and all occasions. Birthdays, weddings,
baptisms, funerals, and Christmas are grand occasions to celebrate. Food becomes the centerpiece of
every Filipino family celebration. Filipino food throughout the regions is characterized with flavors
of being salty, sour, sweet, and spicy from our Hispanic and Malay influences. Each region has its
unique and distinct characteristics influenced by its own history and culture. Ilocano, Tagalog,
Bicolano, Waray, Ilongo, and Mindanaoan are just a few of the ethnicities of Filipinos.

llocanos are generally known for their simple lifestyle and strong value for money. Hard work and
strong educational foundation are virtues they strive to pass on to their children. The bayanihan spirit
is alive in the Tagalog-speaking provinces. Neighbors help without pay in the hope that when it is
their turn to need help, their neighbors will be there to help them. Tagalog families are closely-knit,
with adult children even the married ones still live with their parents. The Bicolanos are religious and
conservative in nature. Songs and dances are ways of expressing themselves. They prefer spicy food
with coconut milk. The Warays, situated in the Eastern Visayas Region, are often stereotyped as
brave warriors, as in the popular phrase, "basta ang Waray, hindi uurong sa away." They are also
known as contented people that during the Spanish occupation in the region, they were
misunderstood and called lazy. Ilongos are very hospitable. They always provide for their guest
comfort and ease at their own expenses. They are also very gentle in their ways that their quarrels do
not seem like ones. Since time is not important to the Ilongos, they also take life as it comes.
Mindanao is the only predominantly Muslim region in the country. Their customs and traditions are
different than that of Luzon and Visayas. Majority of the population of Mindanao region believes in
the Islam religion and submits themselves completely to the will of Allah. Communal assistance is
widely practiced among the Maguindanaons and Maranaos. By custom and tradition, they are
expected to help their relatives by putting in money to finance such activities as marriages, funerals,
pilgrimages to Mecca, and many others. The Filipinos are distinct in many ways, go out and discover
what this country has to offer. Love it, believe in it, and create many wonderful memories in its more
than 7,000 islands.

F. Threats to Preservation of Culture

Language is said to be the bearer of culture. With the public educational system mainly patterned
from Western influences, there is the threat of standardization. Culture-based education is eroded and
the national language induces change within the particular culture. The internalization of concepts
through the medium of language and the externalization of these is altered since the culture of the
introduced language is internalized by the receiving culture.

Mass media through radio, television, print, and more recently, social media, has provided a window
to the world. New tastes, needs, and opinions are created which contributes to the destruction of
traditional value systems. With all these influences, ethnicity, hence, is not static. It is of living
people who change at the birth of a nation.

G. Life Expectancy

1. Life Expectancy Nationwide

2015 69.0

2016 69.1

2017 69.2

Source: United Nations Development Programme Department of Economic and Social Affairs 2017

.
2. Life Expectancy per Region (2010-2015)

Region Male Female

Region I 69.6 75.9
Region II 68.3 73.3
Region III 68.7 75.4
Region IV-A 68.9 75.2
Region IV-B 68.4 73.0
Region V 67.6 72.6
Region VI 68.0 74.2
Region VII 63.9 68.9
Region VIII 66.8 71.7
Region IX 66.6 71.7
Region X 66.9 72.1
Region XI 67.1 71.9
Region XII 67.4 72.3
NCR 68.8 75.6
ARMM 61.9 62.9
CARAGA 65.9 71.3
CAR 67.4 72.7

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority 2018

Guide Questions for Discussion

1. What are the qualities of the Philippines that make it a unique and attractive destination
2. What are the distinct characteristics of Filipinos? Is it the same across regions?