ATTRACTION AND THEME PARKS OPERATION W/ ECOTOURISM NC II

Lesson 6

LEARNING OBJECTIVE

The Learners should:

 Get familiar with geographical location and physical characteristics of the
Philippines (TLE_HEPO9-12DEIa-d-1)

BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR LEARNERS:

According to the United Nation’s World Tourism Organization, “tourism comprises the
activities of persons traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not
more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes.” It is an industry
that is made up of different sectors like accommodation, transportation, and food and
beverage to name a few. Theme parks are also part of the tourism industry.

The Philippines is a beautiful country with several natural and man-made attractions
– white sand beaches, colorful reefs, endemic plants and animals, and a unique culture
among other things. Therefore, a student who wants to build a career in them park
operations should familiarize himself/herself with the Philippines, what it has to offer to
tourists – its geography, flora and fauna, regions, climate and attractions. He/she should also
understand the reasons tourists travel so that he/she could provide the customer care
satisfaction, thereby contributing to a unique travel experience that tourists will cherish for a
lifetime.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PHILIPPINES

Geography
The Philippine is officially known as the Republic of the Philippines. It is an
archipelago made up of 7,107 islands. Its total area is approximately 300,000 sq.km. It has
three major island groups: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.’
The Philippines is one of the countries comprising Southeast Asia. It is located
between the Philippine Sea and the West Philippine Sea. Neighboring countries are Taiwan
(North), Malaysia (South), Indonesia, (South), Vietnam (West), and China (Northwest).
The country is also located within the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region surrounding the
Pacific Ocean that is characterized by high volcanic and seismic activities. This explains the
presence of many active and dormant volcanoes in the country.

Topography

The Philippines has various landforms and water forms that provide a diverse range
of activities to tourists. These landforms include mountain ranges, volcanoes, valleys, hills,
and plains. Examples of these landforms are:

 Sierra Madre Mountain Range. The Sierra Madre Mountain Range is the
longest mountain range in the Philippines. It is found along the eastern portion of
Luzon, running from north to south starting from the province of Cagayan up to
the province of Quezon.
 Cordillera Mountain Range. The Cordillera is the highest and largest mountain
range in the Philippines situated in the northern part of Luzon. It is where Mt.
Pulag, the highest peak in Luzon is situated.

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  Caraballo Mountain Range. The Caraballo is a mountain range located at the
central part of Luzon. It is located between Sierra Madre and Cordillera Mountain
Ranges.
 Zambales Mountains. This mountain range is located at the western side of
Luzon. This is where the Mount Pinatubo can be found. Mount Pinatubo is an
active volcano found in the provinces of Tarlac, Pampanga, and Zambales. Its
eruption in 1991 is considered as one of the most destructive eruptions in the
world.
 Mount Bulusan. This is an active volcano found in the province of Sorsogon.
 Mount Mayon. This is an active volcano found in the province of Albay. It is
famous for its perfect cone.
 Taal Volcano. This is the smallest active volcano in the world. It is located within
Taal Lake in the province of Batangas.

Water forms include the seas, rivers, lakes, and waterfalls. Examples of water forms
are:

 Pagsanjan Falls. It is one of the famous waterfalls located in the province of

Laguna. It is popular for its shooting-the-rapids boat ride where skilled boatmen
maneuver the boat through narrow rocks.
 Maria Cristina Falls. This majestic falls in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte serves as
the primary source of electric power in the city.
 Lake Sebu. This lake is located in South Cotabato. It is one of the country’s most
important watersheds. It is a major source of water for irrigation in the
surrounding provinces.
 Cagayan de Oro River. This is a river in Mindanao that is famous for white water
rafting.
 Honda Bay. Honda Bay is the bay in the eastern shore of Palawan. It is a good
place for snorkeling and island hopping.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Plants and animals are natural resources that serves as important components of
tourism, especially for people who enjoy nature and wildlife. There are species of plants and
animals that are endemic to the Philippines. Examples are enumerated below:

Fauna
 Tamaraw. The Tamaraw or Mindoro dwarf buffalo (scientific name: Bubalus
mindorensis) is a small, hoofed mammal endemic to the island of Mindoro.
 Philippine Tarsier. This species of Tarsier (scientific name: Tarsius syrichta) is
found in the southeastern part of the country, particularly in Bohol, Samar, Leyte and
Mindanao.
 Palawan Binturong or Palawan bearcat. This subspecies of binturong (scientific
name: Arctitis binturong whitei) is endemic to Palawan.
 Philippine Eagle. The Philippine Eagle (scientific name: Pithecophaga jefferyi) is a
species of eagle endemic to the Philippines. It is one of the largest and most
endangered eagles in the world. It is the country’s national bird.
 Butanding or Whale Shark. The Butanding (scientific name: Rhincodon typus) is
considered as an attraction in Donsol, Sorsogon. Swimming with the butanding is an
important and popular tourist activity in Donsol.

Flora
 Waling-waling. Waling-waling (scientific name: Euanthe sanderiana) is a flower of
the orchid family. It is the “Queen of the Philippine Flowers.

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  Rafflesia. There are 10 species of rafflesia that are endemic to the Philippines. The
species Rafflesia philippensis is found in Mount Banahaw in Quezon. Other places
where Rafflesia grows include Laguna, Antique, South Cotabato, Panay, Kalinga,
and Quirino.

CLIMATE
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services
Administration (PAGASA), the climate of the Philippines is tropical with two seasons: wet
and dry season. There are four recognized climate types in the Philippines:
 Type I. Two pronounced seasons: dry from November to April and wet during the
rest of the year.
 Type II. No dry season with a pronounced rainfall from December to February.
 Type III. Seasons are not pronounced, relatively dry from December to February or
from March to May, and wet during the rest of the year.
 Type IV. Rainfall is more or less evenly distributed throughout the year.

The country is also situated within the typhoon belt. Annually, the Philippines
experiences an average of 19 typhoons during the wet season. These can cause massive
destruction to the communities affected due to flooding and storm surges, among others.

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 Name of Student: __________________________________

Assignment
Direction. Cut out and Paste photos of the different land and water forms in the Philippines
on the boxes below. Then write a short description of each.

The Mount Mayon The Sierra Madre Mountain Mount Bulusan

Range

[Paste Photo here] [Paste Photo here] [Paste Photo here]

Description: Description: Description:

The Cordillera Mountain Maria Cristina Falls Pagsanjan Falls

Range

[Paste Photo here] [Paste Photo here] [Paste Photo here]

Description: Description: Description:

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