Smallest in the Philippines

Trivia

World's Smallest Volcano

Taal Volcano, a 406-meter-high crater, is said to be the world's smallest volcano. It is described as "a crater within an island
within a lake" because it stands as an island at Taal Lake. The lake was formed after the volcano, which used to be much
larger, collapsed. The ridges around Tagaytay City, which overlooks the lake, are believed to be part of the crater of the old
volcano.

These ridges now serve as the border of the 18-mile-diameter Taal Lake and stretch 32 kilometers from Mount Batulao to
Mount Sungay. Also considered as one of the world's most active volcanoes, Taal Volcano has erupted over 20 times since
1572.

Smallest Bat in the World

The Philippines has at least 56 species of bats. It is home to the smallest among the 1,000 known bat species in the world.

The smallest bat in the world is the Philippine bamboo bat (vespertilionid), which belongs to the vespertilionid family. This
bat measures about four centimeters (1 1/2 inches) in length and has a wingspan of 15 cm. Approximately, it weighs 1.5
grams (1/20 ounce).

Smallest Mammal in the World

South of Palawan, lies the Balabac Island, home of the world's smallest hoofed mammal - the Philippine mouse deer. Locally
known as Pilandok (Tragalus nigricans), this ruminant stands only about 40 centimeters at the shoulder level.

In other countries, it is called chevrotain, or simply mouse deer. Contrary to its name, pilandok is not a member of the deer
family. It belongs to the family Tragulidae in the mammalian order Artiodactyla. The male species has no antlers like those
of a real deer. Instead, it uses its large tusk-like canine teeth on its upper jaw for self-defense; in the same way a deer uses
its antlers.

Aside from the Pilandok, other mouse deer species include the Malay mouse deer or napu and the African water chevrotain.
They are found in Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka, and India. While the mouse deer are widely distributed across Asia, their
dwindling population has alarmed the World Conservation Union, which declared them as endangered in 1996.

Smallest Monkey in the World

In many respects, the Philippine tarsier (Tarsius syrichta) is different from other animals. Considered as the world's smallest
primate, it measures only about twelve centimeters in length. Its two big eyes cannot move and do not have a tapetum -
the upper protective tissue. Because of this, the Philippine tarsier has learned to turn its head 180 degrees. It has also two
grooming claws on each foot and an almost bald tail extending about nine inches.

Found in the islands of Samar, Leyte, Bohol and Mindanao, the Philippine tarsier got its name from its elongated tarsus
bone. An ordinary tarsier weighs between 117 and 134 grams. It is able to move between trees by leaping as far as three
meters. It also has keen senses of hearing and sight.

Today, there are only about 1,000 tarsiers inhabiting the wilds of Corella town in Bohol province where the biggest
concentration of these rare animals was once reported. Ensuring the continued existence of the Philippine tarsiers is the
Philippine Tarsier Foundation Inc.

Smallest Fish in the World

The world's smallest freshwater fish is found in the Philippines. The dwarf goby (Pandaka pygmaea) measures 1.2
centimeters or less than half of an inch, the tiniest known vertebrate. American Ichthyologist Albert Herre first discovered it
in Malabon River in 1925.

The Philippines is also the home of sinarapan, the world's smallest commercial fish. Sinarapan, scientifically known as
Mistichthys luzonensis, is a goby found only in Lakes Bato and Buhi in Camarines Sur province. Sinarapan grows to an
average length of 1.25 centimeters, only slightly longer than the dwarf goby. Today, unabated fishing in the two lakes
threatens the population of sinarapan.

Smallest Shell in the World

Pisidum, the world's tiniest shell, can be found under Philippine waters. Pisidum measures less than 1 millimeter long.

Smallest Town in Terms of Population

The town of Kalayaan, a group of small islands in the Pacific Ocean west of Palawan province, had the smallest population
among municipalities at 223 as of 2000.

Smallest Painting in the Philippines

Miniaturist Norris Castillo created what is perhaps the smallest piece of painting in the country. Known as "the Harvest", the
oil-on-canvas painting measures 1/4 inches in width and 3/8 inches in length. It is now exhibited at the National Museum.
Castillo claimed that he has created more than 10,000 pieces of painting. (Source: Panorama magazine)

Smallest Province in the Philippines

The smallest province in the Philippines is Batanes, with only a total land area of 209 square kilometers.

Longest in the Philippines

Trivia

Longest Serving Editor in the World

Sy Yinchow, an 84-year-old Filipino-Chinese journalist living in Manila's Binondo district, is perhaps the world's longest-
serving, living editor-in-chief of daily newspapers. As of 2003, Sy was still serving the chief editor of the United Daily News,
a leading Chinese-language daily in the Philippines. He has been an editor-in-chief of Manila-based publications for 58 years
since 1945, surpassing the record of Sir Etienne Dupuch who had served as the editor-in-chief of the Nassau Daily Tribune
in the Bahamas for only 53 years from 1919 to 1972.

Aside from his colorful journalism career, Sy has written 20 books and translated over 100 English and 72 French poems
into Chinese. He is an honorary president of the Hong Kong-based World Association of Chinese Writers and a fellow of the
International Writing Programme of the University of Iowa.
 Longest Barbecue in the World
On April 30, 2002, about 50,000 people participated in the "Kalutan ed Dagupan" festival in Dagupan City (Pangasinan
province, Northern Luzon, Philippines) to help grill and partake of the 1,001-meter long barbecue, that broke the previous
World Record of 613 meter-long barbecue grilled in Canchia, Peru on November 13, 1999.

The people of the city used hundreds of grills, each measuring 1.2-meter long, to cook the barbecue. The grills' total
measure was about 800 meters long, enough to surpass the Peruvian record. The barbecue consisted of bangus (milkfish),
pork, chicken, vegetables and cold cuts. A video footage was sent to the Guinness Book of World Records for validation.
(Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Longest Mat in the World

The people of the agricultural town of Basey, Samar own the distinction of having weaved the world's longest mat, or
"banig" in the local parlance. During the town's Banigan-Kawayan Festival on September 29, 2000, hundreds of people
paraded the mat, which extended for more than a kilometer.

The one-meter wide mat has been weaved for several weeks by groups of people from the different barangays of Basey.
While the mat was not submitted as an entry to the Guinness Book of World Records, Basey Mayor Wilfredo Estorninos
described the feat as a source of pride for all Basaynons.

Each year, the town, which has weaving as its prime industry, comes to life when it celebrates outlandishly the feast of St.
Michael, its patron saint. The highlight of the feast is the Banigan-Kawayan Festival, where the women of Basey weave a
variety of intricately designed mats from sedge grass locally known as tikog (Fimbristylis milliacea). This tradition was
handed down from many generations. The Church of Basey was built in 1864.

Longest Bridge in the Philippines

The country's longest bridge is the San Juanico Bridge, a steel structure connecting the islands of Samar and Leyte. Built in
1973 under the Marcos administration, the 2.16-kilometer bridge crosses over the picturesque San Juanico Strait as a part
of the Maharlika Highway. Also known as Marcos Bridge, San Juanico Bridge has 43 spans rising 41 meters above the sea.
Bunton Bridge in Cagayan province is said to be the country's second longest bridge.

The title of the longest bridge, however, may soon belong to a bridge, which will be built in the Manila Bay. This cable
suspension bridge will link Metro Manila to the provinces of Bataan and Cavite. It will be patterned after the Tokyo Bay
Aqualine, which connects Kawasaki City in Kanagawa Prefecture to Kisarazu City in Japan.

Among the longest bridges in the world are the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in New York, the Golden Gate Bridge in San
Francisco, the East Bridge-Great Belt Fixed Link in Denmark, the Hoga Kusten in Sweden, and the Tsing Ma Bridge in Hong
Kong.

Longest Traffic Buildup in the Philippines

On the night of May 26, 2003, the northbound and southbound lanes of the North Luzon Tollway from Bocaue, Bulacan to
Balintawak, Quezon City turned into a parking lot of thousands of vehicles trapped in floods. Rains induced by tropical storm
Chedeng caused the garbage-infested Malhacan River in Meycauayan to rise above the street level. The traffic buildup that
extended to EDSA left thousands of commuters stranded for a whole night.

A bus that left Cubao, Quezon City at 4 p.m. of May 26 reached Bocaue, Bulacan at 2 a.m. of the next day. The usually 15-
minute ride from Camachile to Bocaue turned into a grueling and nerve-wracking 8-hour saga for drivers and commuters.
Thousands of office workers that left Makati City at 5 p.m. of May 26 were lucky to reach their homes in Bulacan at 4 a.m.
of the next day. Others spent the night under the rain while catching for a ride along EDSA.

Third Longest Coastline

The Philippines, one of the world's largest archipelagos, also has one of the longest combined coastlines in the planet. The
total length of the country's coastlines is 36,289 kilometers or almost twice that of the United States. It is said to be the
third country with the longest combined coastlines, after Canada and Indonesia.

Longest Cave in the Philippines

The 15-kilometer St. Paul Cave in Palawan province is considered as the longest natural cave in the country. Other notable
caves in the Philippines are the 8.9-kilometer Odloman Cave in Mabinay, Negros Oriental; and the 7.7-kilometer Odessa
Tumbali Cave in Penablanca, Cagayan.

In terms of vertical range, the deepest cave is the Sumaging-Latipan-Lomyang Crystal Cave in Sagada Mountain Province.
Its deepest point is 163 meters from its mouth.

Longest Underground River in the World

Palawan's St. Paul's underground river is said to be the world's longest underground river. The navigable part of the river
inside the cave of the 4000-acre St. Paul Subterranean River stretches 8.2 kilometers in length (5 miles). However, this title
is being disputed in Vietnam where an underground river known as Son Trach River reportedly extends 7 miles in length.
Filipino explorers, however, claimed that once fully measured, St. Paul's total length would reach 15 kilometers.

Longest River
Cagayan River or Rio Grande de Cagayan, with a total length of 353 kilometers, is the longest and widest river in the
Philippines. It bisects the Cagayan Valley from north to south. Also considered as the mightiest watercourse, Cagayan River
sources its water from smaller rivers and streams in the mountain ranges of Sierra Madre, Caraballo, Cordillera, and Balete
Pass.

The other notable rivers in Luzon are Chico, Abra, Pampanga, and Bicol. In the south, the principal rivers are Mindanao
(known in its upper course as the Pulangi) and Agusan.

Meanwhile, the underground river of St. Paul's Natural Park in Palawan is considered as one of the world's longest
subterranean rivers. The world's longest rivers are the Nile River in Egypt and Amazon River in South America. Also worth
mentioning are the Yangtze River in China, Mekong River in Vietnam, and Euphrates River in Iraq.

Longest Mountain Range

The longest mountain range in the country is Sierra Madre, which stretches from Cagayan province in northeastern Luzon to
Aurora province in southern Tagalog.

Longest Underground Railway

The country's first subway remains to be built, but this early, passengers of MRT3 (Metro Rail Transit) had the chance to
know what it is like to travel underground. The MRT line, which spans from North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in
Pasay City, passes through an underground tunnel, measuring hundreds of meters, along EDSA corner Buendia Avenue in
Makati City.
The MRT is a US$565 million project, involving 60 Czech-made trains. At present, it has 10 stations, which were built at key
road intersections in Metro Manila. The average distance between stations is 1.300 kilometer.

There were plans to build a 100-kilometer railway system from Fort Bonifacio in Makati City to Clark in Pampanga. Based on
the plan, five to seven kilometers of this railway will be elevated while 10 kilometers will be laid underground, making it the
first true subway in the country.

Biggest in the Philippines

Trivia

Biggest City in the World

The residents of Davao City claim they live in the world's largest city. They are talking about the land size of the city that
covers 2,212 square kilometers. Most of these areas, however, are distributed as forests, coconut groves and rice fields. In
comparison, New York, the largest city in the United States, has an area of only 787 square kilometers while the whole of
Metro Manila covers only 636 square kilometers.

Davao City lies at the mouth of the Davao River near the head of Davao Gulf. It encompasses about 50 small ports in its
commercial sphere. Davao has large banana plantations, whose produce are exported to Japan and other countries. The city
also boasts of a modern international airport. Puerto Princesa City, a chartered city of Palawan province, is disputing Davao
City's title. It claims to have a total land area of 2,539 square kilometers encompassing 66 barangays.

In terms of population and land area, the world's truly largest cities are Tokyo, Mexico City, Sao Paolo, New York City,
Bombay, Shanghai and Los Angeles.

Biggest Coliseum in the World

At the time it was completed in 1959, the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City was touted as the world's largest
covered entertainment center. Otherwise known as the Big Dome, it has a floor area of 2,300 square meters and a seating
capacity of 33,000 people.

Biggest Shoes in the World

Marikina City owns the distinction of having crafted the world's largest pair of shoes, each measuring 5.5 meters long, 2.25
meters wide and 1.83 meters high. The heel alone measures 41 centimeters or 16 inches. The P2-million shoes can
reportedly fit to a 37.5-meter or 125-foot giant. Around 30 people could put their feet into the colossal shoes
simultaneously.

The world's largest shoes were made from materials that could produce about 250 pairs of regular-sized shoes. It reportedly
took 10 shoemakers, led by Ernesto Leano, 77 days to cut 30 square meters of leather for the upper lining and 7.4 square
meters for the socklining. Also used were 250 kilograms of vegetable tanned leather for the insole, 270 kilograms for the
outsole, 80 kilograms for the welt, 225 kilograms of adhesive and 1,000 meters of thread for 200,000 stitches.

The Marikina-made shoes broke the old record of 3.12-meter shoes made by Zahit Okurlar of Konya, Turkey. A
representative of the Guinness Book of World Records attended the First Sapatero Festival on October 21, 2002 where the
giant shoes were displayed.

In December 2002, the Guinness Book of World Records has recognized Marikina City for crafting the world's largest pair of
shoes.

Largest Shoe Collection

Former First Lady Imelda Marcos was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the woman with the largest collection
of shoes. Reports said that when the Marcos family fled to Hawaii during the People's Power Revolution in 1986, around
3,400 pairs of shoes were discovered in one room at Malacanang Palace. They were the First Lady's collection.

Biggest Golf Tournament in the World

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the biggest amateur golf tournament takes place in Baguio City,
Philippines every year. Dubbed as the Fil-Am Golf Championship since 1949, the 72-hole golf tournament attracts close to
1,000 amateur golfers from all over the archipelago. The sites of the prestigious event are the challenging par-69, 5,001-
yard Camp John Hay golf course and the par-61, 4,038-yard Baguio Country Club. Among the top contending teams in the
event are the Canlubang, Southwoods, Calatagan, and Wack Wack.

Biggest Christmans Lantern in the World

On December 24, 2002, the city of San Fernando in Pampanga province switched on the world's largest Christmas lantern -
a P5-million structure with 26.8 meters in diameter.

Biggest Aerobics Exercises in the World

On February 16, 2003, some 107,000 Filipinos joined a 30-minute aerobics exercise supervised by the Department of Health
(DOH) at Rizal Park in Manila, which could be the largest synchronized exercise in the world. Thousands of people also
gathered at different venues in Cebu City and Davao City to participate in the exercise simultaneous with the Manila event.
The new record broke the previous Guinness Book of World Records set at a park in Guadalajara, Mexico by some 38,633
people who joined the massive aerobics exercises in June 1998.

Biggest Catholic University in the World

The University of Santo Tomas (UST), an academic institution founded by the Dominicans in Sampaloc, Manila is considered
as the world's largest Catholic university located in one campus in terms of student population.

Biggest Money in the World

In 1998, during the Philippine Centennial celebration of independence, the Central Bank asked the Guinness Book of World
Records to accredit its P100,000 commemorative bills, measuring 8 1/2 inches wide and 14 inches long, as the world's
largest legal tender. The commemorative bills were called Brobdingnagian bills.

Biggest Bamboo Organ in the World

The bamboo organ at St. Joseph Church in Las Pinas City is arguably the world's largest bamboo organ. The centuries-old
musical instrument was constructed between 1792 and 1819. It has 174 bamboo pipes, 122 horizontal reeds of soft metal,
a five-octave keyboard, and 22 stops arranged in vertical rows.

Biggest Volume of Text Messages

Smart Communications, one of the two giant mobile phone networks in the country, claimed that the volume of text
messages passing through its network reached 240 million daily as of 2001. This excluded text messages sent via the other
 networks. Such volume of text messages is said to be larger than those sent in the entire European continent during the
same year.

Biggest High School in the World

The Rizal High School in Caniogan, Pasig City (eastern Metro Manila) is said to be the world's largest high school in terms of
student population. The school has more than 20,000 students.

Biggest Flower in the World

In February 2002, an environmental organization discovered what could be one of the world's largest flowers in the 5,511-
hectare Sibalom National Park in Antique province. Measuring about 22 inches in diameter, the endangered flower, locally
named as "Uruy", (Rafflesia sp.) has no stem and leaves. (Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Biggest Salad in the World

The residents of Baguio City took pride in having tossed what was believed to be the world's largest salad - a three-ton mix
of assorted vegetables.

On September 29, 2002 during the Tossed Salad Festival in commemoration of the city's 93rd charter anniversary, 67
students and members of the Baguio Association of Hotels and Inns (Bahai) mixed 2,976 kilograms of lettuce, carrots,
cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers and other vegetables in a tin and wrought iron bowl measuring 20 feet long, 10 feet
wide and 2 feet deep.

Some 13,657 people were able to partake of the P1.5 million mixtures. They paid P20 for each serving of the tossed salad
with Thousand Island dressing and another take-out bowl of salad with a gourmet vinaigrette dressing consisting of apple
cider vinegar and olive oil.

The city broke its own record set a year earlier. On September 16, 2001, a 917-kilogram of salad was able to feed 4,861
residents and tourists of Baguio City. On September 14, 2002, a religious group prepared a giant Caesar's salad that fed
only 1,000 people in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Biggest Candy in the World

On March 15, 2002, 25 people in Davao City spent six hours to cook, mold and roll the world's largest durian candy bar - a
6-meter, 200-kilogram delicacy made of durian, a smelly but sweet fruit commonly associated with the name of the city.
(Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Biggest Pearl in the World

A Filipino diver discovered what is now described as the world's largest pearl in a giant Tridacna (mollusk) under the
Palawan Sea in 1934. Known as the "Pearl of Lao-Tzu", the gem weighs 14 pounds and measures 9 1/2 inches long and 5
1/2 inches in diameter. As of May 1984, it was valued at US$42 million. It is believed to be 600 years old.

Biggest Province in the Philippines

Palawan is considered as the largest province in the country. It has a total land area of 14,896.3 square kilometers
distributed in 1,769 islands and is composed of one city, 23 municipalities and 431 barangays. The next largest provinces in
the country are Isabela, with a land area of 10,664 square kilometers; and Cagayan, 9,002 square kilometers.

Biggest Mass Wedding

On February 14, 2003, Mayor Reynaldo Malonzo officiated what could be the largest gathering of couples who exchanged
their vows at 10th Avenue in Caloocan City. There were 900 couples who attended the wedding ceremony.

Biggest Chair in the Philippines

In April 2003, furniture makers in Ilagan, Isabela province completed what could be the largest armchair in the country.
Measuring 5.5 meters in length and 3 meters in height, the armchair called "Botaka ni Goliath" was made of narra and
rattan. Around 1,600 board feet of uncut wood were used. During assembly, 15 people had to carry the chair's feet and
arms.

Biggest Shabu Haul

On December 9, 2002, Valenzuela City police discovered P2.2 billion worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu at a
warehouse that was razed by fire. The 656 kilograms of shabu, 195 kilograms of liquefied shabu and 200 kilograms of
unfiltered shabu in the warehouse on Malinis Street in Lawang Bato, is said to be the largest narcotics haul ever.

Biggest Income
In December 2002, the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) has ordered American recruitment agency Brown and
Root and its local partner Asia International Builder Corp. to pay 1,975 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) over US$609
million in back wages, damages and retirement pay.

Biggest Mall in Asia

The Philippines is home to one of the largest shopping malls in Asia. The SM Megamall located at the Ortigas commercial
business district (CBD) boasts of world-class facilities that have a combined floor area of 331,657 square meters and built
on a 10.5-hectare site. The shopping complex is comprised of two buildings connected by air-conditioned bridges and a
tunnel.

The mall had a total of 550 retail, service shops and dining outlets while its 12 film theatres had a combined seating
capacity of 11,074. The mall's indoor and outdoor parking facilities can accommodate up to 3,000 cars.

The SM Megamall, however, may no longer be the country's largest. Sy dreams of constructing the "world's largest indoor
shopping mall" soon. Dubbed as "Mall of Asia", the project will be built on his five-hectare Manila Bay reclamation property.

Biggest Convention Center

One of Asia's largest convention facilities is the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), which has 4,000 seats.
PICC is located at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) complex, which sits on a 21-hectare reclaimed area at the
Manila Bay.

Biggest Amphitheater in the Philippines

The Freedom Ring Giant Amphitheater in the controversial Expo Filipino in Pampanga province is considered as the largest
amphitheatre in the country. It can hold as many as 35,000 people at a single event. Expo Filipino, however, has yet to
become fully operational.

Biggest Hospital in the Philippines

The Philippine General Hospital in Manila is considered as the country's largest medical institution. The hospital has over
1,000 in-patient beds and receives 3,000 outpatient visits per day. It was established on September 1, 1910.
 Biggest Church in the Philippines
The Gothic-designed basilica of Saint Martin of Tours in the heritage town of Taal in Batangas province is said to be the
largest Catholic Church in the country.

Biggest Dam in the Philippines

If completed, the San Roque Dam in Pangasinan province would become the country's tallest and largest dam. Built on the
lower Agno River, the US$1.2 billion dam would measure 200 meters in height and is expected to generate 345 megawatts
of electricity. Its construction began in 1998 while completion is expected by 2004.

Biggest Gas Field in the Philippines

The Malampaya gas field located northeast off Palawan contains what could be the Philippines' largest deposit of natural gas.
The gas field was discovered in 1989, and since then the giant oil company, Shell Philippines has engaged in a multi-billion
project in the area.

Some US$4.5 billion were allocated to complete the project that is said to be the single biggest foreign investment in the
Philippines. The Malampaya gas field reportedly contains not less than 2.5 trillion cubic feet and 85 million barrels of
condensate, a by-product of natural gas that is used as fuel to run gas-fired turbines. These reserves are enough to serve
the fuel requirement of a 3,000-megawatt (MW) combined-cycle power plant for 20 years. The project took off in May 1998.
It involved the construction of a 504-kilometer pipeline from the area to Tabangao, Batangas.

Biggest Tree in the Philippines

The oldest and tallest tree in the Philippines is found at the entrance gate of Magallanes town, east of Butuan City in Agusan
del Norte province. This "Bita-og" tree (Calophyllum inophyllum), which was declared as the country's official tree in 1998
by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), is said to be five centuries old. The tree, which was first
recognized on December 7, 1980, measures 305.585 centimeters in bole diameter.

Biggest Coconut Palace

What can be considered as the country's largest coconut building is the so-called Coconut Palace, an architectural wonder
made from the coconut tree mixed with other indigenous material. About 70 percent of the structure is made from different
parts of the coconut tree. It consists of seven rooms. It is located at the CCP Complex.

Biggest Strawberry Cakes

The people of La Trinidad town in Benguet province baked the country's largest sponge cake - a 1.2-metric ton, seven-foot
structure that fed 10,000 people during the annual Strawberry Festival on March 18, 2002. It took four bakers nearly 16
hours to complete the cake.

On March 22, 2003, the people of La Trinidad surpassed the record by baking two giant strawberry cakes, one of which cost
P110,000 to produce and measured 8 1/2 in diameter, six feet long and six feet high. Eric Espadero and three other chefs
used 800 kilograms of fresh strawberries, 6,600 eggs and 920 kilograms of flour for the two cakes.

In November 2001, the Benguet province baked its own giant carrot cake.

Biggest Calamay
In March 2003, around 3,000 people of Candon City in Ilocos Sur province tasted what could be the largest calamay or rice
cake that has ever been baked in the country. The giant calamay measured five meters in diameter and two inches thick.
About 40 women prepared the calamay made from 184 kilograms of malagkit or ground glutinous rice, grated meat of 800
coconuts, 480 kilograms of brown sugar, and 160 more coconuts that were grated to produce gata or coconut milk.

Biggest Binallay
On May 29, 2003, around 1,000 residents of Ilagan, Isabela partook the country's biggest binallay or native rice cake during
the town's 317th founding anniversary. The cake measured 3.7 meters tall and 0.6 meter in diameter.

Biggest Bounty
In May 2002, the United States embassy in Manila raised US$5 million as a bounty against five leaders of the Muslim
extremist Abu Sayyaf group that has held an American couple as hostages from May 2001 to June 2002. Abu Sayyaf
snatched the American couple along with 18 others from a beach resort in Palawan province on May 27, 2001. On June 7,
2002, a military rescue operation led to the death of one of the American hostages. Two weeks later, the military announced
the death of the leader of the Abu Sayyaf faction responsible for the abduction of the American couple.

Biggest Mural in the Philippines

In 1953, when the Philippines hosted the International Fair, Carlos "Botong" Francisco was contracted for P39,000 to paint a
mural measuring 88 meters long and eight meters wide. The giant mural, which depicted 500 years of Philippine progress,
later appeared in colored center spread of Newsweek magazine.

Biggest Painting in the Philippines

Juan Luna's Spolarium is considered as the largest painting in the country. It measures 4.6 meters wide and 7.72 meters
long and is now on display at the National Museum in Manila.

Biggest Companies in the Philippines

In terms of gross revenues, the National Power Corp. (Napocor) topped all companies in the country with P116.6 billion in
the year 2000. The next nine largest corporations were Meralco, with total gross revenues of P108 billion; Texas
Instruments, P95 billion; San Miguel Corp., P90 billion; Petron Corp., P87 billion; Shell, P84 billion; PLDT, P63 billion; Caltex,
P56 billion; Fujitsu, P49 billion; and Metrobank, P44 billion. In terms of net income, Southern Energy topped the list with
P8.5 billion in 2000. It was followed by Pagcor, with P8 billion; San Miguel, P6.8 billion; Southern Energy Quezon, P6.2
billion; and SM, P4.2 billion.

Biggest Park in the Philippines

The Sierra Madre national park in northern Luzon is the country's largest natural park. The 359,000-hectare park is the
home of endangered species such as pawikan (Chelonia mytas), bayakan or giant bat, Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga
jefferyi), wild boar (Sus philippinesis), Philippine brown dear (Cervus marianus), cloud rat (Ratus mindorensis), flame-
breasted fruit dove, kalaw (Philippine hornbill), bukarot (Philippine crocodile), and native owl.

Biggest Lake in the Philippines

Laguna de Bay, an inland body of water covering 900 square kilometers, is the country's largest lake. Located between the
provinces of Rizal and Laguna, the lake receives its water from 21 river systems. In the middle of the lake lies the island of
Talim, a heavily populated settlement of mostly fishermen.

The second largest lake in the country is Lake Sultan-Alonto in Mindanao. Commonly known as Lake Lanao, the lake covers
an area of 355 square kilometers. Meanwhile, the world's largest inland body of water is the Caspian Sea, which is actually a
lake in the boundary of Europe and Asia and covering an area of 143,240 square miles. Lake Superior (North America), Lake
 Victoria (Africa), the Aral Sea (Russia) and Lake Huron (North America) are also among the world's largest lakes.

Biggest Eagle in the World

Also known as the monkey-eating eagle, the endangered Philippine eagle is one of the largest in the world. With scientific
name Pithecophaga jefferyi, the Philippine eagle lives in the rainforests of Isabela, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao. It has
similarities with Papua New Guinea's Harpy Eagle (Harpyopsis novaeguinea).

Measuring about one meter in height, the average Philippine eagle has a 76-centimeter highly arched, powerful bill. It lives
on large snakes, hornbills, civet cats, flying lemurs and monkeys - the reason why it is also called monkey-eating eagle. It
creates its nests in large trees some 30 meters from the ground.

Biggest Bats in the World

The Philippines has at least 56 species of bats. It is home to the largest among the 1,000 known bat species in the world.

The three-layered virgin forest of Subic Bay and Bataan is home to the world's largest bats: the giant flying fox (Acerodon
jubatus) and the golden crown flying fox (Pteropus vampyrus). Over the years, these two species of giant fruit bats have
roamed around the 10,000-hectare Subic Forest National Protected Area, which is considered the biggest roosting site of
bats in the world.

Biggest Endangered Animal in the Philippines

People used to call Mindoro as the "Land of the Tamaraws". About 10,000 heads of these unique pygmy water buffalos were
roaming around the island-province of Mindoro in the 1900s. But that was a century ago. Today, the Tamaraws in the
province are in danger of extinction, and Mindoro might lose the symbol that it once proudly introduced to the world.

The Tamaraw, scientifically known as Bubalus mindorensis, is endemic to Mindoro. Belonging to the family of buffalos, the
same categorical group of the Philippine carabao, the Tamaraw is the largest endangered land animal in the Philippines
today. In 1996, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed it as one of the ten most endangered
species in the world.

Biggest Fish in the World

Donsol, a fishing town in Sorsogon province, serves as a sanctuary to a group of 40 whale sharks (Rhincodon typus), which
are considered as the largest fish in the world.

Locally known as "butanding", whale sharks visit the waters of Donsol from November to May. They travel across the oceans
but nowhere else have they been sighted in a larger group than in the waters of Sorsogon. They measure between 18 to 35
feet in length and weigh about 20 tons. In 1996, a marine biologist discovered that whale sharks are ovoviviparous, which
means that the females produce live offspring from eggs hatched in the uterus.

The Philippine government declared whale sharks as endangered species in 1998, thereby banning its plunder and
exploitation. Right now, the Department of Tourism is promoting eco-tourism to protect the whale sharks in Donsol.

Biggest Shells in the World

Tridacna gigas, one of the world's largest shells, can be found under Philippine waters. Tridacna gigas grows as large as one
meter in length and weighs 600 pounds. Meanwhile, a shell called glory of the sea (Connus gloriamaris), considered as one
of the most expensive shells in the world, is also found in the Philippines and .

Biggest Reptile in the World

The saltwater crocodile, which can be found in the Philippines and other Asian countries, is considered as the world's largest
reptile. Scientifically known as Crocodylus porosus, it is different from Mindoro's freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus
mindorensis), which is a relatively smaller species.

An adult saltwater crocodile measures between six to seven meters (20-23 feet) and weighs about two to three tons. There
were tales that a 27-foot saltwater crocodile was killed near Lake Taal in Batangas in 1823. It reportedly took 40 men to
bring the body ashore. When the men cut the crocodile's body open, they found the body of a horse in seven pieces. The
largest crocodile ever sighted was a 33-footer in Borneo in 1920. It was believed to be 200 years old.

Biggest Filipino Boxing Champion

Ceferino Garcia was the heaviest and biggest Filipino ever who became a world-boxing champion. Known for his bolo punch,
he captured the world middleweight title on October 2, 1939 when he knocked out Fred Apostoli in New York. He defended
his crown against top rivals twice (Americans Glen Lee and Henry Armstrong) before losing his title in May 1940.

Before he switched to the middleweight division, Garcia became a welterweight champion when he knocked out boxing
legend and war hero Barney Ross in 1937 and Henry Armstrong in 1938.

He was born in 1912 and grew up in Tondo, Manila. In 1977, Ceferino Garcia was inducted into the Ring Magazine Hall of
Fame and into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1981.

Biggest Lead in a Basketball Game

The Philippine team registered what could be the world's biggest lead in an amateur basketball game when it clobbered
Brunei Darussalam, 160-19, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on July 2, 2000.

The 141-point lead could be the biggest for any amateur basketball team since basketball was introduced in the Philippines
by the Americans. During the game, the Philippine national team limited the Brunei squad to only 19 points. It later won the
Southeast Asian Basketball Association (SEABA) Young Men's Tournament crown against Malaysia.

Tallest in the Philippines

Trivia

Tallest Building in the Philippines

What can be considered the country's tallest building is located along Ayala Ave. corner Herrera Street in Makati City. In the
group of skyscrapers at Makati's financial district, PBCom (Philippine Bank of Communications) Tower dominates with its
241-meter height. The building, which rises 55 floors from the grounds of Ayala Avenue, was designed by Skidmore, Owens
and Merill (SOM) and developed by property giant Filinvest.

The PBCom tower, which was completed by the end of 2000, surpassed the height of Petron MegaPlaza that soars 45 stories
 from the grounds of Gil Puyat Ave., also in Makati City. But the record may soon belong to a building that remains to be
built. The Moldex Realty Marketing Inc. (MRMI) said it plans to build a 57-storey tower at 1322 Roxas Boulevard in Pasay
City.

The title of the world's tallest building belongs to Malaysia's twin Petronas Towers that rise 451.9 meters from the street
level (including its pinnacle). Other world famous high-rise buildings include Chicago's Sears Tower and New York's Empire
State Building and the former World Trade Center buildings.

Tallest PBA Player

The tallest PBA player is Edward Joseph Feihl of TJ Hotdogs. Feihl who stands seven feet tall is half German. With his height,
Feihl could bang bodies with the centers in the NBA. Feihl was part of the Philippine Centennial Team, which won third place
in the 1998 Asian Games.

Feihl is at least three inches taller than other PBA centers like Marlou Aquino, Paul Asi Taulava, James Walkvist, Andy Seigle
and Bonel Balingit.

Meanwhile, the tallest basketball player who has played in the NBA is Gheorghe Muresan (7'7 or 2.31 m). But the tallest
basketball player in the world was Suleiman Ali Nashnush (8'1/2" or 2.45 m) of the Libyan team. The tallest man in history
was Robert Wadlow (8'11 or 2.72 m).

Highest Mountain
Towering at a height of 2,954 meters (9,692 feets), Mount Apo is the highest peak in the country. Located 25 kilometers
south of Davao City, the mountain which forms part of the Mount Apo National Park is blessed with hot springs, sulfur
pillars, geysers, lakes, rivers and waterfalls. It is home to a number of endemic animals such as the Philippine eagle,
falconet and mynah. Its peak can be reached on a four-day hiking trip.

Apo means "grandfather of all mountains". Scientists classify it as a semi-active volcano. Materials from previous eruptions
have made the soil around the mountain extremely fertile. The mountain's base covers 72,796 hectares of mountain ranges
that extend from Davao del Sur to Misamis Oriental. While the mountain's peak looks snow-capped, the white appearance is
actually caused by the presence of sulfur.

Highest Waterfalls
The highest waterfall in the country is the 388-meter-high Aliwagwag Falls, in Cateel town, Davao Oriental province. The
cascade has 13 rapids and looks like a stairway with 84 steps of varying heights.

The second highest waterfall is located in Barangay Rogongon, 54 kilometers from Iligan City. Limunsudan Falls, a two-
tiered fall, has a combined height of 870 feet. Its lower cascade alone measures 400 feet, higher than the entire height of
Maria Cristiana Falls.

Maria Cristina Falls, also in Iligan City (Lanao del Norte), towers at 320 feet. Also known as the "Mother of Industry", Maria
Cristina Falls supplies 80 percent of the total energy requirement of the Mindanao region. Another breathtaking waterfall in
Iligan City is the Tinago Falls, located 13 kilometers from the city proper. As its name implies, this 420-foot waterfall lies
hidden in a deep ravine. The world's highest waterfall is the Angel Falls in Venezuela. As a tributary of Caroni River, this
waterfall has a total elevation of 3,281 feet.

Oldest in the Philippines

More Trivia

Oldest Province
Aklan, originally known as Minuro it Akean, is considered as the oldest province in the country and believed to have been
established as early as 1213 by settlers from Borneo. Its first ruler was Datu Dinagandan. In 1399, Kalantiaw grabbed the
throne. In 1433, Kalantiaw III formulated a set of laws that is known today as the Code of Kalantiaw.

Oldest Town
Unisan, Quezon could be the oldest town in the Philippines. The people of Unisan claimed that their town is now 481 years
old, having been established in 1521, the same year that Ferdinand Magellan discovered the Philippines. All other towns in
the country were established not earlier than 1565, when Spain formally occupied the Philippines as a colony.

A Malayan queen named Ladya reportedly founded Calilayan, the old name of the town. In 1876, Calilayan was renamed
Unisan which was derived from the Latin word uni-sancti, meaning "holy saint". (Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Oldest City
Cebu City is considered as the oldest city in the country, as this was the site of the earliest European settlement established
by Spanish conqueror Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in 1565.

Oldest Fort
The first Spanish settlement in the country, Villa del Santisimo Nombre de Jesus, was located inside Fort San Pedro in Cebu
City. The fort's construction began in 1565.

Oldest Street
Calle Colon in Cebu City is considered as the oldest street in the country. Named after explorer Christopher Columbus, Calle
Colon was first constructed in 1565 by men of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi.

Oldest Stone Church

The Baclayon Church in Bohol is considered as the oldest stone church in the Philippines. But some historians disagree,
claiming that San Agustin Church in Manila deserves the title.

Church historians claim that the cornerstones of San Agustin Church were laid as early as 1571, 25 years before Baclayon
Church was built in 1596. But most people believe the title should be kept by the latter, since it is situated in the island first
occupied by the troops of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the country's first Spanish governor general.
Bohol was where a friendship was sealed with blood between chieftain Rajah Sikatuna and Legazpi. The event is known
today as ''The Blood Compact.''

Oldest Hospital
The San Lazaro Hospital could be the oldest hospital in the country. According to Pampango historian Zoilo Galang, the San
Lazaro hospital was established in 1578; Enfermeria de Naga, 1583; and Hospital de San Juan de Dios, 1596.

Oldest Church Bell

The oldest church bell in the country is said to be the one found in Camalaniugan, Cagayan. That bell was reportedly forged
in 1595.

Oldest Bridge
The Jones Bridge, formerly known as Puente de Espana, was first built in 1701. It was rebuilt by the Americans in 1916 and
renamed after Atkinson Jones.

Oldest University
The University of San Carlos (USC) in Cebu City is considered as the oldest school in the country and in Asia. Formerly
known as the Colegio de San Ildefonso, it was founded by the Spanish Jesuits on August 1, 1595. This makes the Cebu-
based university older than the University of Santo Tomas (1611) in Manila and Harvard University (1636) in the United
States.

The University of Santo Tomas, however, contests this title. Formerly known as the Colegio de Nuestra Señora del Rosario,
UST was the first school, which got a university status in 1645. USC became a university in 1948. UST also claimed that the
original USC was closed in 1769 as a result of the expulsion of the Jesuits. It reopened in 1783 under a new name and
ownership. But the USC officials stick to their claim. The university observed its 400th foundation day on August 21, 1995.

Oldest Vocational School

The Don Honorio Ventura College of Arts and Trades (DHVCAT) in Bacolor, Pampanga is said to be the oldest vocational
school in Asia. Augustinian Friar Juan Zita and civic leader Don Felino Gil established the vocational school on November 4,
1861.

Oldest Company
Ayala Corp., one of the largest conglomerates in the country, is also the oldest existing company around. It was established
in 1834 by sugar barons Domingo Roxas and Antonio de Ayala. It was later renamed as Casa Ayala, then as Ayala y
Compania and recently as Ayala Corp.

Oldest Bank
In 1881, Domingo Roxas, an ancestor of the Ayala family, became one of the first directors of Banco Español-Filipino de
Isabel II, which was founded by virtue of a royal decree issued by Queen Isabel II. The bank issued the country's first
currency notes the following year. Considered as the first private commercial bank in the country, the bank came to be
known as the Bank of Philippine Islands in 1912. The oldest savings bank was Monte de Piedad, which was established in
1882.

Oldest Military Supply Shop

The oldest military supply shop in the country was said to be Alfredo Roensch and Co.

Oldest Rizal Monument

What can be considered as the oldest Rizal monument in the country is a 20-foot metal structure standing at a park in Daet,
Camarines Norte. Its construction reportedly began on December 30, 1898 and was finished in February 1899. In
comparison, the Rizal monument at the former Luneta park was built in 1912.
Oldest Vice
The earliest vice among native Filipinos, according to historians, was the chewing of betelnut or "nganga". It was said that
Filipinos had been chewing betelnut for 3,000 years.

Oldest Insurance Firm

Insular Life Insurance Company was established on November 26, 1910, becoming the oldest insurance agency in the
country.

Oldest Epics
In a 1962 study, E. Arsenio Manuel said the country had at least 19 epics, which were passed to the present generation
from our early ancestors through oral chanting. Among these so-called ethnoepics were 13 epics among pagan Filipinos, 2
among Christian Filipinos, and 4 among Muslim Filipinos. These included the Ilocano epic Lam-ang, Manuvu's Tuwaang,
Sulod's Hinilawod and Maranaw's Bantugan.

First in the Philippines

More Trivia

First Circumnavigator of the Globe

Although many historians considered him as the first circumnavigator of the globe, Ferdinand Magellan never completed his
voyage around the planet. Magellan, a sea captain, commanded a fleet of five wooden Spanish ships with 241 men on board
and embarked on what is now considered as "the greatest of all epics of human discovery". Christopher Columbus, the
Italian explorer who discovered America for Spain, traveled 8,000 miles aboard a Spanish ship across the Atlantic Ocean.
But Magellan's men embarked on an expedition that brought them 42,000 miles around the planet.

The voyage began on September 20, 1519. Magellan and his three remaining ships reached the Philippines on March 17,
1521. On April 27, he was killed by the men of Lapulapu, chieftain of Mactan Island in the Philippines. Only one ship, the
Trinidad, with 18 European crewmen led by Sebastian del Cano and four Malay crewmen (maybe Filipinos) completed the
trip around the world and arrived in Seville, Spain in 1522.

First Landing
On March 16, 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in service of Spain landed at Samar.

First Mass
On March 31, 1521 (Easter Sunday) Spanish friar Pedro Valderama conducted the first Catholic mass in Limasawa, Leyte.
Rajah Kolambu, who forged a blood compact of friendship with Magellan two days earlier, attended along with Rajah Siagu.

First Filipino Christians

On April 14, 1521, Rajah Humabon, Rajah Kolambu, and 400 other Filipino natives were baptized into Christianity during a
ceremony administered by friar Pedro Valderamma.

First Filipino Priest

In 1590, Martin Lakandula was ordained as an Augustinian priest, becoming the first native Filipino to serve as a friar. In
 1906, Jorge Barlin became the first Filipino bishop under the Roman Catholic Church. The first Filipino archbishop was
Viviano Gorordo while the first Filipino cardinal was Rufino Cardinal Santos.

First Chair
It was said that Filipinos first used a chair in April 1521 when Ferdinand Magellan gave Rajah Humabon of Cebu a red velvet
Spanish chair. According to Halupi, a book of essays on Philippine history, early Filipinos used to sit on the floor.

First Spanish Monument

Also on April 14, 1521, Ferdinand Magellan planted a huge cross in Cebu. It was here where friar Valderama baptized Rajah
Humabon, Rajah Kolambu and 400 other Filipinos into Christianity.

First Battle
On April 14, 1521, the first battle between Filipinos and the European conquerors took place in Mactan, Cebu. Filipino
chieftain Lapu-lapu defeated Magellan and his men. After Magellan was killed, Sebastian del Cano led his men back to
Spain, completing their voyage around the planet.

First Religious Order

The Franciscans were the first Catholic religious order to establish their presence in the Philippines. The Franciscans came
here in 1577; Jesuits, 1581; Dominicans, 1587; Recollects, 1606; Paulists, 1862; Sisters of Charity, 1862; Capuchins, 1886;
and Benedictines, 1895.

First Spanish-Filipino Marriage

In 1585, Spanish soldier Pablo Alvarez married Nicolasa de Alvarez, a native of Lubao, Pampanga.

First Muslims
Makdum, Rajah Baguinda and Abu Bakar propagated Islam in the Philippines in the 15th Century.

First Spanish Governor General

Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, who founded the first European settlement in Cebu City in 1565, is considered the first Spanish
governor general in the Philippines. He founded the city of Manila and declared it the capital of the archipelago on June 3,
1571. The last Spanish governor general in the Philippines was Riego delos Rios in 1898.

First Archbishop
Domingo Salazar was the first archbishop of the Philippines, which was regarded as a single diocese in the 1580s.

First Filipina Directress

According to Pampango historian Zoilo Galang, Sor Candida Ocampo was the first and only Filipino who became a directress
of an Spanish institution in the Philippines. In 1594, Ocampo, who was born in Camarines Sur, was appointed as the
directress of Colegio de Santa Isabel.

First Cannon Maker

Even before the Spaniards came to the Philippines, Filipino natives had already learned the trick of making cannons,
perhaps from Chinese traders. Historians claimed that Panday Pira who lived between 1483 and 1576 had devised the
cannons which Muslim leader Rajah Sulayman used to protect Manila against the invading Spanish troops. Panday Pira was
from Tarlac.

First Chinese Kingdom

After attacking Manila, Chinese conqueror Limahong established a kingdom near the mouth of Agno River in Pangasinan
province on December 3, 1574. Agno was the seat of the old civilization. Historians have mentioned one Princess Urduja
who ruled Pangasinan before the Spaniards came. In 1660, Filipino leader Malong attempted to establish another kingdom
in Pangasinan.

First Revolt
The first attempt to rise against Spanish colonial rule was carried out by chieftains of Bulacan led by Esteban Taes in 1587.
On October 26, 1588, Spanish authorities discovered a plot by Magat Salamat of Hagonoy who tried to enlist the support of
his relatives in Borneo.

First Filipino in Exile

Felipe Salonga of Polo, Bulacan (now Valenzuela City) became the first Filipino who was put in exile by Spanish authorities
for starting a revolt in Bulacan in 1587. He was exiled to Mexico.

First Mention of King of Tagalogs

New historical writings have mentioned the name of one Raha Matanda or Rajah Ache (Lakandula) who ruled over Tondo, a
kingdom encompassing an area that now includes Bulacan, Metro Manila, Rizal and Quezon in the 16th Century. Rajah
Matanda was the heir to his father's throne and was a grandson of Sultan Siripada I (Bolkeiah I) of Borneo. In 1643, Don
Pedro Ladia of Borneo who claimed to be a descendant of Rajah Matanda started a revolt and called himself the king of the
Tagalog. He was executed in Manila. Historians said that when the troops of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi attacked Manila in
1571, the men of Rajah Soliman - the king of Manila - rose up in resistance.

In 1847, Apolinario dela Cruz of Tayabas was considered king of the Tagalogs. Bernardo Carpio, a mythical giant character,
was also regarded as a king of the Tagalogs. In the 1900s, the revolutionary government proclaimed Macario Sakay as the
president of the Tagalog Republic.

First Chinese Revolt

On October 3, 1603, the Chinese rose in revolt in Manila and was driven away to San Pablo, Laguna where they made their
last stand.

First Juan dela Cruz

A certain Pantaleon Perez led the Pangasinan revolt on November 3, 1762. Perez assumed the name Juan dela Cruz Palaris.
It was mentioned that on November 11, 1849, most illiterate Filipinos during the administration of Spanish governor general
Narciso Claveria y Zaldua were given the Christian surname dela Cruz. Our great ancestors, who could not read and write,
drew a cross as their signature on documents and so were known for their dela Cruz surnames. In contrast, Filipino
descendants of rajahs and noble men were given the option to keep their names. Among the clans, who were also
 exempted from forced labor and paying taxes under the Spanish rule, were the Lakandulas, Solimans, Gatmaitans,
Gatbontons, Salongas, Layas, Lapiras, Macapagals, Salamats, Manuguits, Balinguits, Banals, Kalaws, among others.

First Filipino
The first man who used Filipino as a title of citizenship was Luis Rodriguez Varela, a Spaniard who was born in Manila. He
preferred to be called El Conde Pilipino in 1795. (Source: Halupi)

First Map
The first Philippine map was drawn in 1734 by Nicolas dela Cruz and Francisco Suarez under the instruction of Jesuit
historian Pedro Murillo Velarde. The original map was 27 inches wide and 42 inches long.

First Dutch Presence

On June 10, 1647, a Dutch fleet arrived in Manila Bay and later attacked Cavite province.

First British Presence

On October 4, 1762, British forces invaded Manila. They took possession of Intramuros until May 31, 1764.

First Filipino Printer

The Spaniards introduced the art of printing in the Philippines, almost half a century before the Americans learned how to
use it. It is believed that the first book in the country was Doctrina Christiana en letra y lengua China, which was printed in
1593 by Juan de Vera, a Filipino-Chinese. In 1948, Fray Jose Gonzales of the Dominican Order discovered this book in the
Vatican Library. Tomas Pinpin is regarded as the first Filipino printer. He was born in Abucay, Bataan but records about his
birth were lost after the Dutch invaders destroyed the town of Abucay in 1646. Pinpin learned the art of printing from the
Chinese artisans when he worked in the shop of Filipino-Chinese printer, Luis Beltran.

Among his works were Arte y Reglas de la Lengua Tagala (1610) and the Librong Pag-aaralan nang mga Tagalog nang
Uicang Castila (1610) printed in Bataan. From 1609 to 1639, Pinpin printed more than a dozen titles. Other literary pieces,
which appeared during this period were the poems of Pedro Bukaneg (1590-1626), Fernando Bagongbanta (1605), and
Pedro Ossorio (1625). The art of modern printing was discovered by German scholar Johannes Gutenberg (1394-1468). The
Chinese, however, are credited for having developed their own system of printing, hundreds of years before Gutenberg was
born.

First Newspaper
In 1637, Tomas Pinpin published Successos Felices (Fortunate Events), a 14-page newsletter in Spanish that is now widely
regarded as the first Philippine newsletter. On December 1, 1846, La Esperanza, the first daily newspaper, was published in
the country. Other early newspapers were La Estrella (1847), Diario de Manila (1848) and Boletin Oficial de Filipinas (1852).
The first provincial newspaper was El Eco de Vigan (1884), which was issued in Ilocos.

First Magazine and Journal

Seminario Filipino, the first religious magazine in the country, was first issued in 1843. Meanwhile, El Faro Juridico became
the first professional journal in the country when it saw print in 1882.

First Guide Book

According to Pampango historian Zoilo Galang, the first guidebook in the Philippines (Guia de Forasteros) was printed in
1834.

First Novel
According to literary expert Bievenido Lumbera, the first Filipino novel was Ninay, written by Pedro Paterno and published in
1880. Jose Rizal's Noli Me Tangere was published in 1887 while El Filibusterismo came out of the press in 1891. The first
English novel written in English by a Filipino was Zoilo Galang's A Child of Sorrow.

First Woman Writer and Poet

According to Pampango historian Zoilo Galang, the first Filipino poetess was Leona Florentino of Ilocos while the first Filipino
woman writer was Rosario de Leon of Pampanga. The first Filipino woman novelist, Galang added, was Magalena Jalandoni
from Visayas while the first Filipino woman who wrote an English novel was Felicidad Ocampo.

First Non-Catholic Marriage

The first non-Catholic marriage in Manila under the Spanish control took place in the early 19th Century when American
Henry Sturgis, who arrived in the country in 1827, married Josephina Borras of Manila. They were wed aboard a British
warship at the Manila harbor.

First Bakery
In 1631, the Spanish government established and operated the first bakery in Manila.

First Drugstore
Botica Boie is considered the first drugstore in the country, having been established by Dr. Lorenzo Negrao in 1830.

First Lighthouse
In 1846, the Farola was built at the mouth of Pasig River, becoming the first lighthouse in the country.

First Electric Lamp

The first electric lamp in the country is said to be the one designed by Ateneo students in 1878, 12 years before Thomas
Houston Electric Co. installed Manila's first electric street lights.

First Botanical Garden

In 1858, Governor General Fernando Norzagaray ordered the establishment of the Botanical Garden. It can now be found
beside the Manila City Hall.

First Waterworks
Manila had its first centralized water system in July 1882 following the completion of the Carriedo waterworks, whose
reservoir was in Marikina.
 First Railroad
In 1892, a railway connecting Manila and Dagupan was completed. It was operated by the Manila Railroad Company.

First Telephone System

The first telegraph line was opened in 1873 while the country's first telephone system was established in Manila in 1890.
Electric lines were first installed in 1895.

First Mining Firm

In the early 19th Century, Johann Andreas Zobel founded the first iron and copper mining firm in Bulacan and Baguio. The
first Zobel in the country was Jacobo Zobel Hinsch, a German who went to Manila in 1849. One of the Zobels - Jacobo Zobel
Zangroniz latter married Trinidad Ayala de Roxas, an heir of the rich Ayala and Roxas families.

First Calendar
The first calendar with a Philippine almanac was first released in 1897. The first issue of the calendar was titled "La
Sonrisa".

First Filipino Chemist

Johann Andreas Zobel also founded the first chemical laboratory in the country. Meanwhile, Anacleto del Rosario is
considered as the first Filipino chemist.

First Philanthropist
Dona Margarita Roxas de Ayala, a daughter of Domingo Roxas, is considered as the first philanthropist in the country. She
assumed the control of the family's Casa Roxas in 1843 and was one of the founders of La Concordia College.

First Social Club

The first social club was established in Manila in 1898. It was the Filipino Independiente, a circle of educated and rich
Filipino nationalists. It succeeded Jose Rizal's La Liga Filipina, which was more of a movement.

World's First Steel Church

The steel church of San Sebastian, now Basilica Minore, is considered as the world's first-ever all-steel basilica. Designed by
Don Genaro Palacios in 1883, this small, jewel box church was prefabricated in Belgium. The steel plates, weighing about
50,000 tons were brought to the Philippines in six ships. The walls were filled with mixed gravel, sand and cement to fortify
the structure. Stained glass windows from France were later installed. The church, an earthquake-proof structure, was
completed in 1891. There were arguments that French architect Gustavo Eiffel, who designed the Eiffel Tower of Paris and
Statue of Liberty in New York, was also the one who designed the San Sebastian Church.

First Hotel
It is believed that Hotel del Oriente in Binondo, Manila was the first hotel built in the Philippines. The hotel was a two-story
building with 83 rooms fronting the Plaza de Carlos III. It was a first-class hotel constructed in the 1850s just beside the
famous landmark, La Insular Cigarette and Cigar Factory. The national hero - Jose Rizal - reportedly stayed at Room 22 of
that hotel, facing the Binondo Church. Hotel del Oriente was among the crown jewels of the old Binondo (or Minondoc as it
was earlier known) which was named after binundok. It was part of the Provincia de Tondo (now Manila) and was declared
one of its districts in 1859.

Both Hotel del Oriente and La Insular were burned down during the Japanese Occupation. The Metrobank building now
occupies the former site of the two buildings. The oldest surviving hotel in the country is the Manila Hotel, which was built in
1912. The world's first hotel was the Tremont, which opened in Boston in 1829. It had a dining room for 200 people, 12
public rooms and 120 bedrooms.

First Republic
Early Philippine republics were Kakarong de Sili republic in Pandi, Bulacan; Tejeros Convention in Malabon; and Biak na Bato
republic in San Miguel, Bulacan. Historians, however, wrote that the first real Philippine republic was established in Malolos,
Bulacan on January 21, 1899. Two days later, the First Philippine Republic was inaugurated while General Emilio Aguinaldo
was declared its first president.

First President of Katipunan

It was Deodato Arellano who became the first president of the Katipunan, a revolutionary movement against Spanish rule in
the Philippines.

First Vice President

Mariano Trias is considered as the first Filipino vice-president who assumed the post in 1897.

First Army Chief

General Artemio Ricarte served as the first captain general of the Philippine Army which was established by the Tejeros
Convention on March 22, 1897. Ricarte was replaced by General Antonio Luna on January 22, 1899.

First Calendar
The first calendar with a Philippine almanac was first released in 1897. The first issue of the calendar was titled "La
Sonrisa".

First Protestant Mission

The first Presbyterian mission arrived in the country in April 1899. American couple Dr. and Mrs. James Rodgers led the
mission.

First Filipino Protestant Minister

Nicolas Zamora, a former Catholic priest, later became the first ordained protestant minister in the Philippines.

First Election
The first municipal election in the Philippines was held in Baliuag, Bulacan under the supervision of American military
governor general Arthur MacArthur on May 6, 1899.
 First Ice Cream Parlor
In December 1899, Clarke's Ice Cream Parlor became the first ice cream parlor in the Philippines when it opened its store at
Plaza Moraga in Binondo, Manila. Metcalf Clarke owned it.

First Autonomous Region

Before the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR) were formed in
the 1980s, Panay Island used to have "Cantonal Republic of Negros". The Americans, however, abolished the republic and
turned Negros into a regular province on April 30, 1901.

First American Civil Governor

The first American civil governor in the Philippines became the 27th president of the United States. William Howard Taft,
who served in the Philippines from 1901 to 1903, was also the only man who became a US president (1909-1912) and then
a Supreme Court chief justice (1921-1930). Known for his weight of over 300 pounds, Taft became a very notable person in
the US and the Philippines. One of the largest road networks in Metro Manila, the Taft Avenue, was named after him.
President McKinley sent him to head the Philippine Commission in 1900. His task was to form a civil government in a
country disrupted by the Spanish-American War and the rebellion led by General Emilio Aguinaldo, whom local historians
called the country's first president.

First Superintendent of Manila Schools

Dr. David Prescott Barrows, one of the passengers of American ship USAT Thomas, was appointed the first superintendent of
schools for Manila and later the first director of the Bureau of Education. USAT Thomas was named after General George
Henry Thomas, a hero of the Battle of Chickamauga during the American Civil War. American journalist Frederic Marquardt
coined the term Thomasites to refer to American teachers who came to the Philippines aboard USAT Thomas in 1901.
(Source: Panorama Magazine)

First Filipino Superintendent

Camilo Osias was the first Filipino division superintendent of schools. Osias later became a senator.

First American College

The Philippine Normal School (PNS) was the first college established in the country under the American government. PNS
opened its campus to Filipino students in Manila on September 1, 1901. It became the Philippine Normal University on
January 11, 1992.

First Concrete Building

According to Pampango historian Zoilo Galang, the Kneedler Building was the first concrete office building in the Philippines.

First Filipino Chief Justice

In 1901, Cayetano Arrelano became the first Filipino chief justice of the court.

First Registered Professionals

A friend of Jose Rizal, Dr. Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera, holds the distinction of being the first doctor to sign in the Book I of
Registered Professionals on January 25, 1902. Pardo de Tavera, a scientist, was a part of the first Civil Government in the
1900s. Among the members of the Pharmacy profession, it was Dr. Leon Ma. Guerrero who appeared as the first registrant
on the second earliest compiled Book I. The date was May 22, 1903. Guerrero is known in history books as the first among
many Filipinos to put the Philippines on the scientific map of the world. In Book I of Dentistry, it was Dr. Wallace G.
Skidmore who first registered on September 21, 1903. The Board of Dentistry was the first board of professionals created in
1899. The idea of organizing the boards of professionals came from the Americans who occupied the Philippines in 1899.
(Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer)

First Inventor
In 1853, the Spanish colonial government awarded a gold medal to Candido Lopez Diaz, a Filipino who invented a machine
for Manila hemp or abaka.

First Filipino Chemist

Johann Andreas Zobel also founded the first chemical laboratory in the country. Meanwhile, Anacleto del Rosario is
considered as the first Filipino chemist.

First Dentist
Bonifacio Arevalo is widely considered as the first Filipino dentist. In 1908, he was the founding president of Sociedad Dental
de Filipinas, the first dental organization in the country. In 1912, Colegio Dental del Liceo de Manila became the first dental
school. The first woman dentist was Catalina Arevalo.

First Economist
According to Pampango historian Zoilo Galang, the first Filipino economist was Gregorio Sanciangco.

First Pilot
Leoncio Malinas is considered as the first Filipino pilot. He first flew his plane on April 20, 1920.

First Accountants
Vicente Fabella is considered as the first Filipino certified public accountant (CPA) and Belen Enrile Gutierrez, the first
woman CPA in the country.

First Cardiologist
The first Filipino cardiologist was Dr. Mariano Alimurung, who became an honorary member of the Mexican Society of
Cardiology.

First West Point Graduate

Vicente Lim was the first Filipino who graduated from the prestigious West Point Academy, a military school in the United
States.

First Female Professionals

Among Filipino women, it was Maria Francisco de Villacerna who became the first lawyer; Honoria Acosta-Sison, first
physician; Catalina Arevalo, first dentist; Encarnacion Alzona, first historian; Celia Castillo, first sociologist; Filomena
Francisco, first pharmacist; Belen Enrile Gutierrez, first CPA; Socorro Simuangco, first dermatologist; Carmen Concha, first
film director and producer; Criselda J. Garcia-Bausa, first paleontologist; Felipe Landa Jocano, first anthropologist; and Ali
Macawaris, first oceanographer.

A visitor of this website said that Elena Ruiz Causin of Cebu could be among the first female lawyers in the country.

First Railroad
The Manila-Dagupan Railroad was completed in 1901, becoming the country's first railway system.

First Automobile
In 1900, La Estrella del Norte shipped from France to the Philippines a "George Richard", the first ever automobile to have
landed on the native soil. Its owner was one Dr. Miciano, a rich doctor. The first shipment of automobiles for sale in the
country was in 1907, with Bachrach Motors, an affiliate of American firm Ford Motor Co. as the importer.

First Labor Union

Isabelo delos Reyes, a writer, established the Union Obrera Democratica, the first organized labor union in the country on
February 2, 1902.

First Political Party

On November 6, 1902, Pedro Paterno, a writer, scholar and former prime minister of President Emilio Aguinaldo, founded
the Liberal political party.

First Opera
In 1905, Magdapio, the first Filipino opera, was staged at Zorilla Theater. Pedro Paterno wrote the opera, which was set to
the music of Bonus.

First Convention of Governors

For the first time on October 2, 1906, the governors of Philippine provinces met in a convention in Manila. Sergio Osmena
presided the convention.

First General Elections

The country's first general elections were held on July 30, 1907 under the American government. The people elected the
members of the First Philippine Assembly.

First Speaker
The first speaker of the Philippine Assembly, whose members were elected in 1907, was Sergio Osmena.

First Actor in Politics

Before Lito Lapid became governor of Pampanga and Bong Revilla assumed the governorship of Cavite, Jose Padilla Sr., a
movie actor in the 1930s, had served as the provincial governor of Bulacan. The first actor who invaded the senate was
Rogelio dela Rosa.

First Diplomats
Benito Legarda and Pablo Ocampo were the first Filipino resident commissioners to the Unites States.

First Labor Day

The first Labor Day in the Philippines was celebrated on May 1, 1913 during the first National Labor Congress in Manila.

First Film
The first Filipino-produced film, "La Vida de Rizal" was released in 1912. Jose Nepomuceno produced the first Filipino full-
length film "Dalagang Bukid" in 1919.

First Actor in Politics

Before Lito Lapid became governor of Pampanga and Bong Revilla assumed the governorship of Cavite, Jose Padilla Sr., a
movie actor in the 1930s, had served as the provincial governor of Bulacan. The first actor who invaded the senate was
Rogelio dela Rosa.

First Movie Theater

Salon de Pertierra, the country's first movie theater, was built in Escolta, Manila in 1897. A short French film was first shown
in the threater.

First Comic Stip

"Kenkoy" is considered as the first comic strip in the Philippines. Cartoonist Tony Velasquez first published the comic strip in
1929.

First TV Station
Alto Broadcasting System (ABS) Channel 3, the first television station in the country, went on the air in 1953.

First Woman Cabinet Officials

Sofira Reyes de Veyra served as "social secretary" under the Quezon and Roxas administrations. In 1941, former President
Elpidio Quirino named Asuncion Arriola Perez as the secretary of the Bureau of Public Welfare.

First Woman Senator

Geronima Pecson was elected to senate in 1947, opening the doors for Filipino women who wanted to join national politics.

First Olympian
David Nepomuceno, a Filipino serving in the US Navy, was the first Filipino Olympian. A sprinter, Nepomuceno was the
country's sole representative to the 1924 Olympics, which was held in Paris.
 First Balagtasan
The first balagtasan, a local term for poetic debate in honor of Francisco Balagtas, took place in Manila on April 6, 1924. The
first participants were Jose Corazon de Jesus and Florentino Collantes.

First International Opera Singer

Before Lea Salonga became famous in London, New York and Paris for her portrayal of Kim in the musical Miss Saigon, a
Filipino woman had long gained international recognition in the world of theater. Jovita Fuentes became famous in Europe
for her opera lead roles in Madama Butterfly, Turandot, La Boheme, Iris, Salome and Li Tae Pe in the 1930s.

First Grand Opera

Noli Me Tangere, an adaptation of Jose Rizal's first novel became the first Filipino full-length or grand opera in 1957.

First Woman Barber

In June 1927 issue of Philippine Free Press, Martina Lunud from Olongapo City was featured as "Manila's Lady Barber" who
could also be the first professional woman barber. She had to find her niche in the male-dominated profession and worked
for La Marina barbershop and People's barbershop in Sta. Cruz, Manila later. "This is not a girl's work, I think, but I have
done my best to a certain extent, and my customers like my work," the Free Press quoted Lunud as saying. (Source:
Ambeth Ocampo, Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Asia's First Airline

The Philippine Airlines (PAL), which was established in 1941, takes pride in being Asia's oldest commercial airline. However,
huge financial losses forced its owner Lucio Tan to close the airline in September 2000. It resumed operations a few months
later. The first commercial flight in the country was recorded on March 15, 1941 when a twin-engine Beech Model 18 owned
by PAL carried five passengers from Manila to Baguio City in 45 minutes.

First Senate President

The country's first senate president was Manuel Quezon (1917-1935) under the US government. The senate has produced a
number of presidents and political luminaries such as Manuel Roxas, Sergio Osmena, Claro M. Recto, Jose Laurel, Camilo
Osias, Eulogio Rodriguez, Juan Sumulong, Quintin Paredes, Lorenzo Tanada, Jose Diokno, Benigno Aquino, Ferdinand
Marcos, Arturo Tolentino, Gil Puyat, Jovito Salonga, Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

First Female Justice

Cecilia Munoz Palma became the first woman to top the bar exam with a score of 92.6 percent in 1935. Palma also became
the first female prosecutor in 1947, the first woman judge at the Court of First Instance in the 1950s, first female justice of
the Supreme Court in 1973 and first female president of a constitutional commission in 1986.

First House Speaker Under Republic

Eugenio Perez of San Carlos, Pangasinan became the first speaker of the House of Representatives under the Republic in
1946. Among the laws passed during his tenure were the Magna Carta for Labor, the Minimum Wage Law, the Rural Bank
Law and the Central Bank charter.

First Woman Cabinet Officials

Sofira Reyes de Veyra served as "social secretary" under the Quezon and Roxas administrations. In 1941, former President
Elpidio Quirino named Asuncion Arriola Perez as the secretary of the Bureau of Public Welfare.

First Woman Senator

Geronima Pecson was elected to senate in 1947, opening the doors for Filipino women who wanted to join national politics.

First Woman Battalion Commander

Lt. Col. Ramona Palabrica-Go became the first woman battalion commander in the history of the male-dominated Philippine
Army in January 2003. She was appointed as commander of the elite Aviation Battalion under the Light Armor Brigade
based at Fort Magsaysay in Laur, Nueva Ecija province. She was 45 years old and had three children at the time of
appointment.

First National Celebration of June 12

The first national celebration of June 12 as Independence Day took place in 1962 under the Macapagal administration.
Former President Diosdado Macapagal signed the law moving the celebration of the holiday from July 4 to June 12 on May
12, 1962. Quezon Representative Manuel Enverga was the one who proposed the law.

First US President To Visit Manila

US President Dwight Eisenhower became the first incumbent American president to have visited the Philippines when he
arrived in Manila on June 14, 1960.

First National Artist

Fernando Amorsolo, a painter, was the first national artist declared by the Philippine government. The award was conferred
on Amorsolo in April 1972, several days after his death.

First American Multinational Firm

Computer chips manufacturer Intel Philippines Mfg. Inc. claimed that it was the first American multinational company that
established a branch in the Philippines in 1974. Today, the Philippine branch of Intel is one of the top exporters of
semiconductor components in the country and contributes significantly to the cash flow of its mother company in the US,
which is said to be the world's largest corporation in terms of gross income.

First Aeta Lawyer

At 26, Wayda Cosme became the first Aeta to become a lawyer when she passed the bar exam in 2001. Cosme, a law
graduate from Harvadian Colleges in San Fernando City, Pampanga, works for the Clark Development Corp. (Source:
Philippine Daily Inquirer)

First Woman President

In February 1986, Corazon Cojuangco Aquino, widow of the late Senator Benigno Aquino, became the country's first woman
president and the country's 11th president. In January 2001, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, a daughter of the late President
Diosdado Macapagal, became the 14th president of the Philippines and the second woman to assume the government's
highest post.
 First President in Prison
Deposed President Joseph Estrada, who lost the presidency to a military-backed people's revolt, was arrested on charges of
plunder and corruption in April 2001. His arrest fomented the now infamous May 1 mob revolt that was suppressed by
government forces. As this was being written, the trial of Estrada was still ongoing at the Sandiganbayan or the anti-graft
court.

First Muslim Justice Secretary

In January 2003, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed Simeon Datumanong, a Muslim, as the secretary of the
Department of Justice, replacing Hernando Perez, who resigned on corruption charges.

First Award of Ancestral Domain

In what the Arroyo government described as a historic event and the first in the world, it awarded on July 20, 2002 a
certificate of ancestral domain title (CADT) for the town of Bakun in Benguet province where some 17,000 Kankanaey and
Bago people live. The title covers some 29,444 hectares of ancestral land.

Only in the Philippines

Trivia

Richest Biodiversity
A great number of rare and exotic animals exist only in the Philippines. The country's surrounding waters reportedly have
the highest level of biodiversity in the world. But this distinction was soon overshadowed by the fact that the Philippines has
been dubbed as the "hottest of the hotspots" by no less than the Conservation International.

The Philippines is considered as a mega diversity country and a global biodiversity hotspot. In the 2000 Red List of the
International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), 418 of the country's 52,177 species were
listed as threatened. The country is home to about 9,000 species of flora, a third of which is said to be endemic to the
country. It hosts 165 species of mammals, 121 of which can be found only in this part of the world. The Philippine
Biodiversity Conservation Priority-setting Program (PBCPP) described these 165 endemic mammal species as endangered or
critically endangered.

There are also 332 species of reptiles and amphibians living in the country, 215 of them endemic to the archipelago. It is
said that less than 14 of the 114 total species of snakes in the country are poisonous. Several species of frogs and other
reptiles remain to be documented. Unfortunately, several species were believed to have vanished without being studied.

In 1953, Albert Herre identified 2,117 species of fish in Philippine waters. These included 330 species of endemic freshwater
fish. Whales, dolphins and whale sharks have also been visiting Philippine waters near the islands, allowing sightings by
both marine scientists and commercial fishermen. About 500 of the 800 known coral reef species in the world are found in
Philippine waters.

The country also has the highest concentration of birds and butterflies in the world. There are some 86 species of birds and
895 species of butterflies in the country. About 352 species of butterflies are endemic to the Philippines.

Many of these biological wonders are now in danger. The main culprit is human's indiscriminate use of the country's natural
resources, resulting in an unabated denudation of the Philippine rainforests. In the last 500 years, the Philippines saw the
destruction of over 93 percent of its original forest cover. Only about 5 percent of the country's 27,000 square kilometers of
coral reefs were in excellent condition.

According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the country's total forest size dwindled to 6.7
million hectares in 1990 from 30 million hectares in 1930. At the same time, the forest-to-man ratio shrank to 0.1 hectare
per Filipino in 1990 from 1.13 hectares per Filipino in 1930. By 1996, experts claimed that only 1.8 million to 2.4 million
hectares or 6 to 8 percent of original vegetation were remaining.

A study by the Philippine Congress said that 123,000 hectares of the country's forest cover are lost every year. The study
added that by 2036, there would be no forest left in the Philippines, unless reforestation is started.

In January 2003, a study by the Green Tropics International (GTI) claimed that the Philippines would need P30 trillion to
reforest country's denuded mountains in over 85 years.

Rhinoceros and Elephants

With the discovery of different animal fossils in the past century, scientists believed that elephants, rhinoceros and
stegodons used to live in the Philippines. Two species of elephants and one species of rhinoceros were identified, namely:
Elaphas beyeri, Elaphas cf. namadicus and Rhinoceros philippinensis. Four species of stegodons were also listed by
scientists, namely: Stegodon cf. trigonocephalus, Stegodon luzonensis, Stegodon cf. sinensis and Stegodon mindanensis. All
of them are now believed extinct.

One of the World's Largest Eagles

Also known as the monkey-eating eagle, the endangered Philippine eagle is one of the largest in the world. With scientific
name Pithecophaga jefferyi, the Philippine eagle lives in the rainforests of Isabela, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao. It has
similarities with Papua New Guinea's Harpy Eagle (Harpyopsis novaeguinea).

Measuring about one meter in height, the average Philippine eagle has a 76-centimeter highly arched, powerful bill. It lives
on large snakes, hornbills, civet cats, flying lemurs and monkeys - the reason why it is also called monkey-eating eagle. It
creates its nests in large trees some 30 meters from the ground.

With an estimated population of 100 to 300 today, the Philippine eagle is in danger of extinction. It is one of the 400 exotic
bird species in the Philippines, which, if not protected, would disappear from the face of the Earth. Along with the Philippine
cockatoo, Palawan peacock pheasant, Mindoro imperial pigeon, Sulu hornbill and Cebu black shama, the Philippine Eagle
might follow the Cebu flowerpecker which is now presumed extinct.

The Philippine Eagle has come to symbolize all efforts by the Filipino people to save the remaining rainforests in the country
and preserve the wealth of the nation for the future generation.

Flying Lemur
One of the most distinct creatures on Earth lives in the Philippines. It doesn't have wings but it can glide across 100 meters
of space in a single leap. Like the lemurs of Asia, it moves around at night. Its head resembles that of a dog while its body
has similarities with the flying squirrel of Canada.
 In Mindanao, people call it "kagwang". Around the world, it is known as colugo or the flying lemur. Zoologists, however,
claim that it doesn't fly and it is not a lemur, a large-eyed nocturnal mammal found only in Madagascar and Comoro Islands.
The truth is that kagwang or Cynocephalus volans is one of only two species belonging to the primitive order Dermoptera.
The other species is the Cynocephalus variegatus or the flying lemur of Malaysia.

An ordinary kagwang weighs from 1 to 1.7 kilogram and ranges in length from 14 to 17 inches. It has a wide head with
small ears and big eyes. Its 12-inch tail is connected by a patagium, a membrane stretching from forelimbs to tail. This
well-developed membrane enables kagwang to glide to a distance of 100 meters or more to escape from predators like the
Philippine Eagle.

The continuous denudation of tropical forests in the country threatens the remaining population of kagwang, which used to
abound in the wilderness of Basilan, Leyte, Samar, Bohol and Mindanao. The exact number of the remaining kagwangs
remains to be determined. Alarmed by the situation, the Philippine government declared kagwang as an endangered species
and banned its commercial exploitation.

Largest and Smallest Bats

The Philippines has at least 56 species of bats. It is home to the smallest and the largest bats among the 1,000 known
species in the world.

The smallest bat in the world is the Philippine bamboo bat (vespertilionid), which belongs to the vespertilionid family. This
bat measures about four centimeters (1 1/2 inches) in length and has a wingspan of 15 cm. Approximately, it weighs 1.5
grams (1/20 ounce).

The three-layered virgin forest of Subic Bay and Bataan is home to the world's largest bats: the giant flying fox (Acerodon
jubatus) and the golden crown flying fox (Pteropus vampyrus). Over the years, these two species of giant fruit bats have
roamed around the 10,000-hectare Subic Forest National Protected Area, which is considered the biggest roosting site of
bats in the world.

An ordinary giant flying fox weighs up to 2.5 pounds (1.1 kilograms), heavier than a golden crown flying fox. The golden
crown measures six feet in wingspan, the largest among all bats. The giant flying fox and the golden crown are just two of
the 15 species of fruit bats in the country.

In other parts of the country, several bat species are now believed extinct. Among them were bare-backed fruit bat or
Dobsonia chapmani, which reportedly disappeared from the forests of Negros and Cebu in 1964 and the Panay fruit bat or
Acerodon Lucifer which was last seen in 1892. The Philippine tube-nosed bat, Nyctimene rabori of Negros is considered
highly endangered. Scientists warned that this breed would disappear before 2015 unless action is taken to protect its
remaining population.

Last Remnants of Dinosaur Age

Scientists call sea turtles as the only living remnants of the dinosaur age, but maybe not for long. Unless sincere efforts are
undertaken, sea turtles might follow dinosaurs into extinction.

Sea turtles, popularly known in the Philippines as pawikan, belong to the sub-order Cryptodira, and to the families
Dermochelyidae and Cheloniidae. There are more than 220 species of turtles in the world, but only seven are considered
marine (saltwater). Five of these species are present in the Philippines, namely: Green (Chelonia mydas), Hawksbill
(Eretmochelys imbricata), Loggerhead (Caretta caretta), Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) and Leatherback turtles
(Dermochelys coriacea).

A typical Philippine Sea Turtle weighs between 180 to 210 kilograms and, unlike land turtles, cannot retract its head and
limbs under its streamlined shell. The most common species in the Philippines is the Green Sea Turtle, which grows up to
1.5 meters long and weighs up to 185 kilograms. The largest species is the Leatherback Turtle, which grows more than two
meters in length.

World's Smallest Hoofed Mammal

South of Palawan, lies the Balabac Island, home of the world's smallest hoofed mammal - the Philippine mouse deer. Locally
known as Pilandok (Tragalus nigricans), this ruminant stands only about 40 centimeters at the shoulder level.

In other countries, it is called chevrotain, or simply mouse deer. Contrary to its name, pilandok is not a member of the deer
family. It belongs to the family Tragulidae in the mammalian order Artiodactyla. The male species has no antlers like those
of a real deer. Instead, it uses its large tusk-like canine teeth on its upper jaw for self-defense; in the same way a deer uses
its antlers.

Aside from the Pilandok, other mouse deer species include the Malay mouse deer or napu and the African water chevrotain.
They are found in Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka, and India. While the mouse deer are widely distributed across Asia, their
dwindling population has alarmed the World Conservation Union, which declared them as endangered in 1996.

Most Endangered Deer

One of the world's rarest mammals lives in the dwindling forest of Panay Island. It is the Philippine spotted deer (Cervus
alfredi), considered by many as the most endangered deer in the planet.

The Philippine spotted deer is only about 80 centimeters in height (shoulder) and has soft and moderately long hair covering
its spotted dark brown body. Its most distinct physical characteristic is its oval yellowish white spots on its back and sides.
This species has long been classified as endangered, which means they have been reduced in number to a critical level, or
whose habitats have been damaged, altered or reduced.

By 1985, a survey reported that only a small population of the Philippine spotted deer was found in the remote regions of
Panay.

Calamian Deer
Calamian Islands, north off Palawan province, keep a species of deer that cannot be found elsewhere. Scientists referred to
the hog deer in the islands as Calamian deer in order to distinguish them from other hog deer in the world.

An ordinary Calamian deer measures 105 to 115 centimeters in length and 60 to 65 centimeters high at the shoulder and
weighs about 36 to 50 kilograms. It is said to have longer and darker legs, compared with other hog deer. From a relatively
large number in the 1940s, the population of Calamian deer dropped to "dangerously low levels" in the 1970s. By 1996, its
population further declined to only about 900, prompting conservationists to declare it as an endangered species.

Largest Endangered Animal

People used to call Mindoro as the "Land of the Tamaraws". About 10,000 heads of these unique pygmy water buffalos were
roaming around the island-province of Mindoro in the 1900s. But that was a century ago. Today, the Tamaraws in the
 province are in danger of extinction, and Mindoro might lose the symbol that it once proudly introduced to the world.

The Tamaraw, scientifically known as Bubalus mindorensis, is endemic to Mindoro. Belonging to the family of buffalos, the
same categorical group of the Philippine carabao, the Tamaraw is the largest endangered land animal in the Philippines
today. In 1996, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed it as one of the ten most endangered
species in the world.

The Tamaraw measures between five to six feet in length and weighs about 300 kilograms. While it shares many similarities
with the carabao, the Tamaraw is most known for its horns, with a "V" form, unlike the horns of the carabao, which take a
curved shape. The Tamaraw's horns grow about 14 to 20 inches long.

From 10,000 heads in the 1900's, the Tamaraw population went down to 369 heads in the late 1980's. Today, reports say
there are as few as 20 heads roaming in the wild.

World's Smallest Monkey

In many respects, the Philippine tarsier (Tarsius syrichta) is different from other animals. Considered as the world's smallest
primate, it measures only about twelve centimeters in length. Its two big eyes cannot move and do not have a tapetum -
the upper protective tissue. Because of this, the Philippine tarsier has learned to turn its head 180 degrees. It has also two
grooming claws on each foot and an almost bald tail extending about nine inches.

Found in the islands of Samar, Leyte, Bohol and Mindanao, the Philippine tarsier got its name from its elongated tarsus
bone. An ordinary tarsier weighs between 117 and 134 grams. It is able to move between trees by leaping as far as three
meters. It also has keen senses of hearing and sight.

Today, there are only about 1,000 tarsiers inhabiting the wilds of Corella town in Bohol province where the biggest
concentration of these rare animals was once reported. Ensuring the continued existence of the Philippine tarsiers is the
Philippine Tarsier Foundation Inc.

Neither A Bear Nor A Cat

Palawan bearcat is neither a bear nor a cat. Known in Southeast Asia as binturong, the bearcat is a species of its own, with
population in the forests of Palawan, Borneo, Burma and Vietnam. It belongs to the family of Viverridae (civets).

The Palawan bearcat has a long body and a pointed face leading to the nose. Its head and body measure 61 to 96
centimeters in combined length while its tail is almost as long. It weighs 9 to 14 kilograms and lives up to 20 years.

It has thick black fur, which hunters use for making clothes and caps. It is usually awake at night when it finds food and
uses its tail to climb tall trees where it hides among the leaves. Like other wild animals, Palawan bearcat's population is
threatened by human activities.

Endangered Cockatoos
The Philippines is home to some of the world's most exotic birds. Scientists have documented 577 bird species around the
Philippine archipelago. Of this number, 185 species are endemic to the country. The Bird Life International listed 116 of
them as "threatened" or "near-threatened".

One of the most endangered species is the exotic Kalangay or the Philippine cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia), which
belongs to Psittacidae or the family of parrots. Some cockatoos can live up to 50 years. They are known for mimicking
human voices. Most of them measure 33 centimeters in length and weigh 0.29 kilogram.

The remaining population of kalangays, between 1,000 and 4,000, is now restricted to Palawan, particularly in St. Paul's
Subterranean River National Park, Pandanan Island and El Nido Marine Reserve.

World's Largest Fish

Donsol, a fishing town in Sorsogon province, serves as a sanctuary to a group of 40 whale sharks (Rhincodon typus), which
are considered as the largest fish in the world.

Locally known as "butanding", whale sharks visit the waters of Donsol from November to May. They travel across the oceans
but nowhere else have they been sighted in a larger group than in the waters of Sorsogon. They measure between 18 to 35
feet in length and weigh about 20 tons. In 1996, a marine biologist discovered that whale sharks are ovoviviparous, which
means that the females produce live offspring from eggs hatched in the uterus.

The Philippine government declared whale sharks as endangered species in 1998, thereby banning its plunder and
exploitation. Right now, the Department of Tourism is promoting eco-tourism to protect the whale sharks in Donsol.

World's Smallest Fish

The world's smallest freshwater fish is found in the Philippines. The dwarf goby (Pandaka pygmaea) measures 1.2
centimeters or less than half of an inch, the tiniest known vertebrate. American Ichthyologist Albert Herre first discovered it
in Malabon River in 1925.

The Philippines is also the home of sinarapan, the world's smallest commercial fish. Sinarapan, scientifically known as
Mistichthys luzonensis, is a goby found only in Lakes Bato and Buhi in Camarines Sur province. Sinarapan grows to an
average length of 1.25 centimeters, only slightly longer than the dwarf goby. Today, unabated fishing in the two lakes
threatens the population of sinarapan.

Herbivorous Marine Mammal

Dugongs or sea cows, the only herbivorous marine mammals, are often sighted in Philippine waters, particularly near
Palawan province and southern Mindanao.

According to marine scientists, an ordinary dugong grows up to three meters in length and weighs 400 kilograms. It feeds
on sea grass so it always reaches for the bottom of the sea. Whether dugong's appetite has something to do with its long
life remains to be verified. It is said that a dugong can live more than 70 years. The Philippine government has banned the
commercial exploitation of dugong since 1991.

Exotic Seahorses
More than 500 of the world's 700 coral species are found under the waters of the Philippines, which is a part of the Coral
Triangle - a region in the Pacific Ocean.

Seahorses are small saltwater fish belonging to the Syngnathidae family (order Gasterosteiformes), which also includes
pipefish and sea dragons. Most seahorse species, probably the most peculiar creatures in the water, live in the Coral
Triangle. There are at least 50 known seahorse species in the world. They inhabit temperate and tropical waters but most of
them are concentrated in the warm coastal waters of the Philippines.
The seahorse's scientific genus name, Hippocampus is a Greek word, which means, "bent horse." Seahorses range in length
from about 2 inches to 14 inches. They are known for their small compressed body covered with 50 rectangular body plates.
At least 47 nations and territories around the world are involved in buying and selling seahorses. The largest known
importers are China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Among the largest exporters is the Philippines.

Largest and Smallest Shells

Both Tridacna gigas, one of the world's largest shells, and Pisidum, the world's tiniest shell, can be found under Philippine
waters. Tridacna gigas grows as large as one meter in length and weighs 600 pounds while Pisidum is less than 1 millimeter
long. A shell called glory of the sea (Connus gloriamaris) is also found in the Philippines and considered as one of the most
expensive shells in the world.

World's Largest Reptile

The saltwater crocodile, which can be found in the Philippines and other Asian countries, is considered as the world's largest
reptile. Scientifically known as Crocodylus porosus, it is different from Mindoro's freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus
mindorensis), which is a relatively smaller species.

An adult saltwater crocodile measures between six to seven meters (20-23 feet) and weighs about two to three tons. There
were tales that a 27-foot saltwater crocodile was killed near Lake Taal in Batangas in 1823. It reportedly took 40 men to
bring the body ashore. When the men cut the crocodile's body open, they found the body of a horse in seven pieces. The
largest crocodile ever sighted was a 33-footer in Borneo in 1920. It was believed to be 200 years old.

Endemic Plants
The Philippine archipelago also teems with different types of plants. It is said that as many as 9,000 flowering plants can be
found in the country, including 200 fruit trees. Among the endemic fruit trees in the Philippines are durian, mabolo, pili and
bignay.

They Were Vanishing

Vanishing were not only the animals endemic to the Philippines, but also several things and cultural traditions that Filipinos
in the 1950s grew up with. Among the items that are no longer found in the Philippine market are bakya, banig and salakot
(If you still remember them). Bahay kubo is also disappearing in towns and barangays and it would be hard to find a house,
with a batalan today. Who still observe cultural traditions like harana, bayanihan and balagtasan. And where did the makata
go?

Important Dates

Trivia

January 1 - a holiday in the Philippines; revelry starts on the night of December 31.

January 20, 2001 - Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo replaced President Joseph Estrada via a military-backed
people's revolt.

January 23, 1899 - The First Philippine Republic was inaugurated in Malolos.

February 5, 1899 - Emilio Aguinaldo, president of the First Philippine Republic, declared war against the United States.

February 17, 1872- Three Filipino priests - Jose Burgos, Mariano Gomez and Jacinto Zamora - were executed in
Bagumbayan.

February 18, 1565 - Miguel Lopez de Legazpi landed in Samar; took possession of the island.

February 22-26, 1986 - Filipinos launched the so-called People Power revolution that led to the ouster of Ferdinand
Marcos.

March 11, 1942 - General Douglas MacArthur fled from the Philippines; vowed to return.

March 16, 1521 - Ferdinand Magellan discovered the Philippines; landed in Samar.

March 23, 1901 - President Emilio Aguinaldo surrendered to American forces in Palanan, Isabela; later took an allegiance
to the Americans.

March 29, 1942 - Luis Taruk organized the Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa Hapon (Hukbalahap), an underground guerilla
movement.

March 31, 1521 - The first mass was held in Limasawa Island.

April 9, 1942 - Bataan fell to Japanese forces.

April 11, 1899 - By virtue of Treaty of Paris, Spain ceded the Philippines to the US; sold for US$20 million.

April 26, 1898 - The United States and Spain declared war against each other over the Philippines, Cuba, Guam and
Puerto Rico.

April 27, 1521 - Battle of Mactan; Magellan was killed by men of Lapu-Lapu.

April 30, 1937 - Filipino women won the right to vote during a plebiscite.

May 1, 1913 - The first Labor Day was celebrated in the country.

May 1, 2001 - Some 20,000 supporters of deposed President Joseph Estrada attacked Malacanang Palace in what is now
known as the mob rebellion.

May 6, 1899 - The first municipal election was held in Baliuag, Bulacan under American supervision.

May 6, 1942 - American and Filipino forces in Corregidor Island surrendered to Japanese forces.

May 10, 1897 - Andres Bonifacio was executed at Mount Buntis in Maragondon, Cavite by men of Emilio Aguinaldo.
 May 14, 1935 - Filipinos ratified the 1935 Constitution.

May 19, 1571 - Miguel Lopez de Legazpi defeated Raha Sulayman; claimed Manila for Spain.

June 10, 1647 - Dutch fleet attacked Cavite; later lost to Spaniards.

June 12, 1898 - Emilio Aguinaldo declared the Philippines' independence from Spain, its colonial master for 333 years.

June 19, 1861 - Jose Rizal was born in Calamba, Laguna.

July 4, 1901 - William Howard Taft became the first American civil governor in the country.

July 4, 1946 - The United States declared the independence of the Philippines.

August 8, 1967 - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) was established, with the Philippines as a founding
member.

August 21, 1971 - A bomb explosion disrupted a meeting of Liberal Party politicians at Plaza Miranda in Quiapo, Manila.

August 21, 1983 - Benigno Aquino on his return from exile in the US was shot dead at the airport.

August 23, 1896 - The Katipuneros led by Andres Bonifacio met at Pugad Lawin in Balintawak and tore their cedulas, in
defiance to Spanish authority.

August 23, 1901 - The US Ship Thomas, with 600 American teachers on board, arrived in Manila. These teachers were
later called Thomasites.

August 25 - National Heroes Day

August 30, 1951 - The RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty was approved under the Quirino administration.

September 21, 1972 - President Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law; lifted it on January 17, 1981.

September 29, 1901 - A US general ordered his troops to "shoot anything that moves" in what is now known as Balangiga
massacre in Samar.

October 4, 1762 - British forces sieged Intramuros; Spaniard later reclaimed the walled city.

October 20, 1944 - General Douglas MacArthur returned to the Philippines via Palo, Leyte.

November 1 - a holiday; All Saint's Day

November 1, 1542 - Ruy Lopez de Villalobos named the archipelago Felipinas after King Felipe II of Spain.

November 1, 1897 - Emilio Aguinaldo and his supporters established the Biak na Bato Republic.

November 30, 1863 - Andres Bonifacio was born in Manila.

December 10, 1898 - The US and Spain signed the Treaty of Paris; the former acquired the Philippines from the latter for
US$20 million.

December 10, 1941 - Japanese forces attacked Manila; occupied the city on January 2, 1942.

December 14, 1897 - The revolutionary government led by Emilio Aguinaldo signed a peace pact with the Spanish
government. Aguinaldo went to Hong Kong.

December 25 - Christmas day

December 30, 1896 - Jose Rizal was executed in Bagumbayan.

December 30, 1937 - President Manuel L. Quezon declared Tagalog as the basis of the national language.

Titles of Philippine Places

Trivia

What's in a Name?
The Department of Tourism (DoT) has the habit of using titles as a way of endorsing tourist destinations in the country.
However, other countries are also using similar titles. Aside from Filipinos, the Japanese also use the phrase "Pearl of the
Orient" to refer to their country. While Filipinos describe the Banaue Rice Terraces as the eighth wonder of the world, the
Chinese use the same title for the Great Wall of China and the Cambodians for Angkor Wat. According to Filipinos, Mount
Mayon has the most beautiful cone figure among all volcanoes in the world, the same way the Japanese view Mount Fuji and
Costa Ricans view Arenal volcano. Davao City is reportedly the world's largest city but other cities in the world protest,
including Puerto Princesa City of Palawan. Boracay Island is sold as the world's most beautiful beach resort, but Thailand,
Indonesia, Latin American countries and several Pacific islands are ready to contest this title.

Aklan - oldest province

Angono, Rizal - town of artists
Antipolo City - picnic area
Apalit, Pampanga - tapayan capital
Baclayon Church, Bohol - oldest stone church
Bacolod City - city of smiles
Bacolor, Pampanga - country's capital in 1762-1763
Baguio City - summer capital
Balabac Island, Palawan - land of Philippine mouse deer
Baliuag, Bulacan - the first town to have election
Banaue Rice Terraces - stairways to the sky
Barasoain Church - headquarters of the Malolos Congress
Basey, Samar - town of mat festival
Batanes - smallest province; northernmost province
Bataan - last stronghold during Japanese occupation
Biak na Bato, San Miguel, Bulacan - site of the Biak na Bato republic
Binondo - known for Chinatown district
Bocaue, Bulacan - firecrackers' capital
Bohol - land of chocolate hills
Boracay Island - world's finest beach resort
Bulacan - land of heroes and beautiful women
Bukidnon - pineapple country
Calamba, Laguna - birthplace of Jose Rizal
Calamian Islands - land of Calamian deer
Calauit Island, Palawan - animal sanctuary
Camiguin - land of volcanoes
Capiz - seafood capital
Catanduanes - land of howling winds
Cebu City - premiere city in the south
Central Luzon - rice bowl
Corregidor Island - island fortress; the rock
Crisologo Street, Vigan - kamestizoan district
Davao City- world's largest city; durian capital
Davao Oriental - easternmost province
Divisoria - bargain capital
Donsol, Sorsogon - sanctuary of whale sharks
Gapan, Nueva Ecija - newest city
General Santos City - most competitive city; tuna capital
Guiginto, Bulacan - cutflower capital
Guimaras - mango capital
Hundred Islands, Pangasinan - actually composed of 400 islets
Iligan City - land of waterfalls
Intramuros, Manila - walled city
Kabayan, Benguet - land of mummies
Kalibo, Aklan - land of ati-atihan
Kawit, Cavite - first independent town
Laguna - resort province
Laguna de Bay - largest lake
Lanao del Sur - center of Islam
Las Pinas City - land of the bamboo organ
Lipa, Batangas - coffee capital
Lubao, Pampanga - the birthplace of Diosdado Macapagal
Lucban, Quezon - Pahiyas town
Luzon - world's 17th largest island
Magallanes, Agusan del Norte - site of the oldest tree
Makati City - financial center
Malolos, Bulacan - site of the First Philippine Republic
Manila - capital city
Maria Cristina Falls, Iligan City - mother of industry
Marikina City - shoe capital
Mexico, Pampanga - formerly known as Masicu
Meycauayan, Bulacan - jewelry capital
Miag-ao Church, Iloilo - fortress church
Mindanao - world's 19th largest island
Mindoro - land of the tamaraws
Mount Apo - highest peak
Mount Arayat - legendary home of Mariang Sinukuan
Mount Mayon - a volcano with nearly perfect cone
Nayong Pilipino - Philippines in miniature. (The theme park was opened in 1972 and closed on June 25, 2002.)
Negros Occidental - sugar capital; sports capital
Pagsanjan Falls - Philippines' el dorado
Palawan - the last frontier; largest province; westernmost province
Pampanga - culinary capital of Luzon
Paete, Laguna - town of wood carvers
Paoay Church, Ilocos Norte - earthquake baroque
Paombong, Bulacan - vinegar capital
Philippine Deep - world's second deepest spot
Philippines - pearl of the orient
Rio Grande de Cagayan - longest river
Romblon - marble country
San Agustin Church, Intramuros - oldest church in Luzon
San Fernando, Pampanga - lantern capital of the world
San Juanico Bridge - longest suspension bridge
San Sebastian Church - the only steel church in Asia
Siargao Island - perfect waves island
Spratleys - the islands claimed by six countries
Sta. Maria, Bulacan - egg nest of the Philippines
Sta. Maria Church, Ilocos Sur - outstanding example of Spanish baroque architecture
Subic Freeport - American town
Taal Volcano - world's smallest volcano
Tagaytay City - the next summer capital
Tangub City - Christmas symbol capital
Tawi-Tawi - southernmost province
Trinidad Valley - land of strawberry and vegetables
Tubbataha Marine Park - world's richest bio-geographic area
Unisan, Quezon - oldest town
University of San Carlos, Cebu City - oldest university
Vigan, Ilocos Sur - Spanish colonial town
Zamboanga Sibugay - newest province

Origin of Names of Places

 Trivia

Abra - abrir, a Spanish term which means opening

Antipolo City - antipolo, a tree that used to abound in the area
Agusan - agusan, a Tagalog term referring to a spot where water flows
Aklan - from Akean River
Albay - albaybay, a Bicolano term meaning by the bay
Angeles City - Don Angel Pantaleon de Miranda
Antique - hantic or large ants
Apayao - apayaw, a native word for negotiable river
Aurora - Maria Aurora Quezon, wife of former President Manuel Quezon
Babuyan Island - babuyan, which refers to a place where pigs are kept
Bacolod City - buklod, referring to a hilly terrain
Bago City - bago, a large tree in the area
Baguio City - bigjiw, an Igorot term for a moss
Balagtas, Bulacan - Francisco Balagtas
Balanga, Bataan - balanga, referring to a cooking pot
Baliuag, Bulacan - maliway, an adjective meaning tardy
Basilan - basilan, which means iron trail
Batanes - Ivatan, the natives of the area
Batangas - batang, or huge logs
Benguet - benget, a Nabaloy term meaning head scarf
Biliran -biliran, a native grass used for weaving mats
Bohol - bool, a village in Tagbilaran City
Bulacan - bulak or cotton
Bukidnon - bukidnon, referring to the people of the mountain
Butuan City - butuan, a sour fruit in the area
Cadiz City - named after Cadiz, Spain
Cagayan - carayan, an Ilocano word for river
Cagayan de Oro City - kalambaguhan, evolved from the word lambago, a type of tree
Calamba, Laguna - kalamba, a wide-mouth earthen jar
Calumpit, Bulacan - kalumpit, the name of trees, which used to abound in the area
Caloocan City - look, meaning interior
Camarines - camarine, a Spanish term for granary
Camuigin - kamagong, a tree of the ebony family
Capiz - kapis, a Visayan term for pearl shells
Caraga - caraga, or inhabitants of the area
Catanduanes - named after Catandungan river, along whose banks tando trees used to abound
Cavite - kawit or hook
Cebu - sugbu
Cotabato - kuta bato, or a stone fort
Dagupan City - nandaragupan, meaning where once stood a commercial center
Dapitan City - dapit, a Cebuano term meaning to invite
Davao City - daba-daba, a native term for mythical figures
Dumaguete City - managuit, a Cebuano term meaning to capture
EDSA - Epifanio delos Santos Avenue
Guimaras - himal-us, as local inhabitants called the place in the pre-Spanish period
Hagonoy, Bulacan - hagonoy, the name of a weed that used to abound in the area
Hermosa, Bataan - hermosa, a Spanish word for beautiful
Ifugao - pugo, which means hills
Ilocos - loco, a Malay term for lowland
Iloilo - ilong or nose
Isabela - Queen Isabela of Spain
Kalinga - kalinga, a native word for headhunters
Lanao - lanaw, a term referring to the people of the lake
Laguna - la laguna, meaning the lake
Laoag City - iluag, meaning clear or light
La Union - from the Spanish term union
Legazpi City - Miguel Lopez de Legazpi
Leyte - hiraite, the name of the place formerly known as Ete
Lucena City - named after the town of Lucena in Andalucia, Spain
Luzon - lu zung, a Chinese phrase meaning a far away land
Makati City - makati na, meaning the tide is ebbing
Maguindanao - danao, or flood
Malacanang Palace - may lakan diyan, meaning there lives a gentleman or the Spanish words mala cana (bad sugarcane)
Mandaluyong City - may daluyong, meaning where big waves roll
Manila - may nilad, a phrase referring to a spot where nilad grows.
Marinduque - Marina and Garduke, a legendary couple
Masbate - masa bati, which means mix and beat as in making bread
Mayon Volcano - magayon, a Bicolano term for beautiful
Meycauayan - may kawayan, which refers to a place where bamboos grow
Mindoro - mina de oro, or gold mine
Misamis - kuyamis, referring to sweet coconut
Mountain Province - mountain
Mount Makiling - Mariang Makiling, a legendary name
Mount Pinatubo - pinatubo, a term meaning left to grow
Muntinlupa City - monted de lupa, a vernacular phrase meaning hills
Naga City - naga, a Bicolano term for narra tree
Negros - negros, a Spanish term for black people
Norzagaray, Bulacan - Governor General Fernando Norzagaray
Nueva Vizcaya - a Spanish phrase meaning New Biscayne
Pagsanjan, Laguna - pinagsangahan, or where the river branched out
Palawan - palan yu, a Chinese phrase for beautiful harbor
Palayan City - palayan, or rice field
Pampanga - pampang, which means riverbank
Pangasinan - asin, which means salt
Panay - pan hay, a Spanish word
Paranaque City - para aqui, a Spanish phrase meaning stop here
Pasay City - paso hay, a Spanish phrase meaning there is a pass
Pasig River - passi, probably evolved from the word mabagsik, meaning violent in force
Pateros - pato, meaning duck
Philippines - Philip II of Spain
Plaridel, Bulacan - Marcelo del Pilar
Pulilan, Bulacan - pulo ng ulan, meaning island of rain
Quezon City - Manuel L. Quezon
Quiapo, Manila - kiyapo, a cabbage-like weed
Quirino - Elpidio Quirino
Rizal - Jose Rizal
Romblon - lomlon or donblon
Samar - zamal
Sarangani - sangir, the language spoken by inhabitants of Sarangani Island
Silliman University - Dr. Horace Brinsmade Silliman, a philanthropist from New York
Siquijor - quipjod, a native term that means the tide is ebbing
Sorsogon - solsogon, a Bicolano term meaning to follow the river
Sultan Kudarat - Sultan Kudarat, a Muslim ruler in the 17th Century
Sulu - sug, meaning water current
Surigao - saliagao, a native term meaning to grab
Tarlac - tarlac, an Aeta word which refers to a weed
Tagaytay City - taga itay, two words which mean cut and father
Tawi-Tawi - jaui jaui, evolved from the Malay term jau that means far
Tuguegarao City - tuggui gari yaw, an Ibanag phrase meaning it used to be fire
Valenzuela City - Pio Valenzuela
Visayas - Bisayas, or the name of the people in the area
Zambales - zambals, or the name of the inhabitants in the area
Zamboanga -samboangan, evolved from the local term sabuan, which refers to a wooden pole.

Philippine Natural Wonders

Trivia

Third Longest Coastline

The Philippines, one of the world's largest archipelagos, also has one of the longest combined coastlines in the planet. The
total length of the country's coastlines is 36,289 kilometers or almost twice that of the United States. It is said to be the
third country with the longest combined coastlines, after Canada and Indonesia. With 7,107 islands, the Philippines lies
between two great bodies of water, namely: on the east by Pacific Ocean, the world's largest ocean and on the west by
South China Sea, the world's second largest sea after Caribbean Sea.

Eighth Wonder of the World

The Banaue Rice Terraces in Ifugao province has been dubbed as the "Eighth Wonder of the World". The Ifugaos carved the
terraces from the rocky mountain of Banaue, about 4,000 feet above the sea level, hundreds of years ago. The total outline
of this architectural wonder, otherwise known as the "stairways to the sky" is about 13,500 miles long, or about half the
globe's circumference and ten times the length of the Great Wall of China.

To preserve the natural beauty of the spot, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
declared it as a world heritage site. "For 2,000 years, the high rice fields of the Ifugao have followed the contours of the
mountain. The fruit of knowledge passed on from one generation to the next, of sacred traditions and a delicate social
balance, they helped form a landscape of great beauty that expresses conquered and conserved harmony between
humankind and the environment," the UNESCO said.

World's Deepest Spots

The world's second deepest spot underwater is in the Philippines. This spot, about 34,440 feet (10,497 meters) below the
sea level, is known as the Philippine Deep or the Mindanao Trench. The Philippine Deep is in the floor of the Philippine Sea.
The German ship Emden first plumbed the trench in 1927. The world's deepest part of the ocean is the Marianas Trench,
which is over 11,000 meters below the seal level.

Nearly Perfect Cone

Mayon Volcano in Albay province has the distinction of having a nearly perfect cone. Towering at a height of 2,462 meters
above the sea level, Mount Mayon overlooks Legaspi City. Its name, derived from the Bicolano term Magayon, means
beautiful and is associated with a folk legend. The volcano has a base circumference of 62.8 kilometers. Geologists claimed
that the stratovolcano developed its cone shape from a pile around the vent of volcanic materials composed of lava, rock
and ash. Its first eruption was recorded in 1616, and there were at least 47 more eruptions since then, the last one in
February, 2000. In 1911, its eruption killed 1,300 people and buried the town of Cagsawa.

World's Smallest Volcano

Taal Volcano, a 406-meter-high crater, is said to be the world's smallest volcano. It is described as "a crater within an island
within a lake" because it stands as an island at Taal Lake. The lake was formed after the volcano, which used to be much
larger, collapsed. The ridges around Tagaytay City, which overlooks the lake, are believed to be part of the crater of the old
volcano. These ridges now serve as the border of the 18-mile-diameter Taal Lake and stretch 32 kilometers from Mount
Batulao to Mount Sungay. Also considered as one of the world's most active volcanoes, Taal Volcano has erupted over 20
times since 1572.

Animal Sanctuary
Located northwest off Palawan mainland is Calauit Island, a 3,700-hectare wildlife sanctuary that serves as a host to African
and Philippine wildlife. The Philippine government developed the sanctuary in response to an appeal by the International
Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to save the endangered animals. The only one of its kind in the Philippines, Calauit
is home to over 600 species of giraffe, impala, topi, gazelles, eland, and zebra and to Philippine endangered species such as
the Calamian deer, Palawan bearcat, Philippine mouse deer, tarsier, pheasant peacock, scaly ant-eater and monitor lizard.
The island also provides a refuge to sea turtles (pawikan), giant clams and the rare seacow or dugong.

Largest Natural Park

The Sierra Madre national park in northern Luzon is the country's largest natural park. The 359,000-hectare park is the
home of endangered species such as pawikan (Chelonia mytas), bayakan or giant bat, Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga
jefferyi), wild boar (Sus philippinesis), Philippine brown dear (Cervus marianus), cloud rat (Ratus mindorensis), flame-
breasted fruit dove, kalaw (Philippine hornbill), bukarot (Philippine crocodile), and native owl.
 Richest Marine Park
The Tubbataha Reefs in Sulu Sea is considered as the world's richest bio-geographic area. Derived from two Samal words
meaning, "long reef exposed at a low tide", Tubbataha was declared as the country's first national marine park in 1988. The
marine park covers 33,200 hectares and contains what is believed to be the world's largest grouping of marine life, per unit
area. Scientists claimed that more than 300 coral species, and at least 40 families and 379 species of fish were recorded in
the area. Among the species identified in the area were manta rays, sea turtles, sharks, tuna, dolphins and jackfish. In
1993, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) listed Tubbataha Reefs as a world
heritage site.

Finest Beach Resort

Widely known as one of the world's finest beach resorts, Boracay Island has unsullied fine talcum powder-sand beaches. Its
tranquil crystal clear waters are perfect for swimming, sailing, fishing and sunbathing. The island also affords visitor a
magnificent view of sapphire seas and golden sunsets. The island lies at the northwest tip of Panay, in the west Visayas
region, off the Sibuyan Sea.

Siargao Island
Siargao Island, lying east of Surigao del Norte province, boasts of white-sand beaches and surfing waves comparable to that
of Hawaii. The island is a mass of tropical land with scores of reefs, points and white beaches. American surf photographer
John Callahan discovered the remarkable waves of the island in 1993. He came back from his trip armed with stories about
the lovely sun-drenched island and documented his find with beautiful photographs. Siargao's Cloud Nine break is said to be
among the best in the world.

Longest Cave
The 15-kilometer St. Paul Cave in Palawan province is considered as the longest natural cave in the country. Other notable
caves in the Philippines are the 8.9-kilometer Odloman Cave in Mabinay, Negros Oriental; and the 7.7-kilometer Odessa
Tumbali Cave in Penablanca, Cagayan. In terms of vertical range, the deepest cave is the Sumaging-Latipan-Lomyang
Crystal Cave in Sagada Mountain Province. Its deepest point is 163 meters from its mouth.

World's Longest Underground River

Palawan's St. Paul's underground river is said to be the world's longest underground river. The navigable part of the river
inside the cave of the 4000-acre St. Paul Subterranean River stretches 8.2 kilometers in length (5 miles). However, this title
is being disputed in Vietnam where an underground river known as Son Trach River reportedly extends 7 miles in length.
Filipino explorers, however, claimed that once fully measured, St. Paul total length would reach 15 kilometers.

Longest River
Cagayan River or Rio Grande de Cagayan, with a total length of 353 kilometers, is the longest and widest river in the
Philippines. It bisects the Cagayan Valley from north to south. Also considered as the mightiest watercourse, Cagayan River
sources its water from smaller rivers and streams in the mountain ranges of Sierra Madre, Caraballo, Cordillera, and Balete
Pass. This river meets the South China Sea in an impressive expanse known as Aparri Delta. The other notable rivers in
Luzon are Chico, Abra, Pampanga, and Bicol. In the south, the principal rivers are Mindanao (known in its upper course as
the Pulangi) and Agusan. Meanwhile, the underground river of St. Paul's Natural Park in Palawan is considered as one of the
world's longest subterranean rivers. The world's longest rivers are the Nile River in Egypt and Amazon River in South
America. Also worth mentioning are the Yangtze River in China, Mekong River in Vietnam, and Euphrates River in Iraq.

Highest Mountain
Towering at a height of 2,954 meters (9,692 feets), Mount Apo is the highest peak in the country. Located 25 kilometers
south of Davao City, the mountain which forms part of the Mount Apo National Park is blessed with hot springs, sulfur
pillars, geysers, lakes, rivers and waterfalls. It is home to a number of endemic animals such as the Philippine eagle,
falconet and mynah. Its peak can be reached on a four-day hiking trip. Apo means "grandfather of all mountains". Scientists
classify it as a semi-active volcano. Materials from previous eruptions have made the soil around the mountain extremely
fertile. The mountain's base covers 72,796 hectares of mountain ranges that extend from Davao del Sur to Misamis
Oriental. While the mountain's peak looks snow-capped, the white appearance is actually caused by the presence of sulfur.

Longest Mountain Range

The longest mountain range in the country is Sierra Madre, which stretches from Cagayan province in northeastern Luzon to
Aurora province in southern Tagalog.

Highest Waterfalls
The highest waterfall in the country is the 388-meter-high Aliwagwag Falls, in Cateel town, Davao Oriental province. The
cascade has 13 rapids and looks like a stairway with 84 steps of varying heights.

The second highest waterfall is located in Barangay Rogongon, 54 kilometers from Iligan City. Limunsudan Falls, a two-
tiered fall, has a combined height of 870 feet. Its lower cascade alone measures 400 feet, higher than the entire height of
Maria Cristiana Falls.

Maria Cristina Falls, also in Iligan City (Lanao del Norte), towers at 320 feet. Also known as the "Mother of Industry", Maria
Cristina Falls supplies 80 percent of the total energy requirement of the Mindanao region. Another breathtaking waterfall in
Iligan City is the Tinago Falls, located 13 kilometers from the city proper. As its name implies, this 420-foot waterfall lies
hidden in a deep ravine. The world's highest waterfall is the Angel Falls in Venezuela. As a tributary of Caroni River, this
waterfall has a total elevation of 3,281 feet.

Largest Lake
Laguna de Bay, an inland body of water covering 900 square kilometers, is the country's largest lake. Located between the
provinces of Rizal and Laguna, the lake receives its water from 21 river systems. In the middle of the lake lies the island of
Talim, a heavily populated settlement of mostly fishermen. The second largest lake in the country is Lake Sultan-Alonto in
Mindanao. Commonly known as Lake Lanao, the lake covers an area of 355 square kilometers. Meanwhile, the world's
largest inland body of water is the Caspian Sea, which is actually a lake in the boundary of Europe and Asia and covering an
area of 143,240 square miles. Lake Superior (North America), Lake Victoria (Africa), the Aral Sea (Russia) and Lake Huron
(North America) are also among the world's largest lakes.

Towering Cliffs
The towering limestone cliffs of El Nido that rise magnificently from the crystal clear waters of South China Sea amidst
verdant backdrop are among the most astonishing pictures one can see in the Philippines. El Nido, a secluded group of
islands west off Palawan province, is also known as a sanctuary of endangered birds and marine animals.
 World Heritage Sites
The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) has included four places and four Catholic
churches in the Philippines in the list of world heritage sites. These include the historic town of Vigan in Ilocos Sur province,
which is known for its Spanish colonial houses; the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park in Palawan province,
which boasts of the world's longest underground river; the Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park also in Palawan, which is
home to over 300 coral species and 400 species of fish; and the rice terraces in Ifugao province, which cover about 20,000
hectares of the Cordillera mountain range.

The four Catholic churches also included in the list of world heritage sites are the Santo Tomas de Villanueva Church in
Miag-ao, Iloilo, which the Agustinians built as a fortress-church in Baroque-Romanesque style on a hill in 1786; the Nuestra
Se? dela Asuncion in Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur, which is located on a hill surrounded by a stone wall; the San Agustin Church
in Intramuros, Manila, which was built as early as 1587; and the Church of San Agustin in Paoay, Ilocos Norte, which was
made of coral stone and was adorned like an Asian temple.

Signatory to Environmental Pacts

The Philippines is a signatory to the following international environmental agreements: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, and Wetlands (Source: US Central Intelligence Agency)

Philippine National Records

Trivia

Most Populated Islands

As of 2000, around 56 percent of Filipinos were living in Luzon, while only 23.7 percent were living in Mindanao and 20.3
percent in the Visayas.

Most Populated Region

Southern Tagalog or Region 4 had the most number of inhabitants at 11.8 million as of 2000, higher than 9.9 million in
Metro Manila and 8 million in Central Luzon. The combined population of these three regions made up for around 39 percent
of the country's total population.

Most Densely Populated Region

Metro Manila or the National Capital region is the most densely populated region in the Philippines. As of 2000, there were
15,617 persons occupying each square kilometer of land in the metropolis, or nearly 61 times the population density of 255
persons per square kilometer in the whole country.

Region with Most Cities

As of 2002, Western Visayas or Region 6 had a total of 16 cities beating Metro Manila as the region with the most number of
cities. Metro Manila had only 13 cities, 4 municipalities and 1,694 barangays.

Largest Province
Palawan is considered as the largest province in the country. It has a total land area of 14,896 square kilometers distributed
in 1,769 islands and is composed of one city, 23 municipalities and 431 barangays. The next largest provinces in the country
are Isabela, with a land area of 10,664 square kilometers; and Cagayan, 9,002 square kilometers.

Most Populated Province

Cebu province, including its 6 cities, had a total population of 3.1 million as of 2000, the highest among the country's 79
provinces. Other highly populated provinces were Pangasinan, with 2.434 million inhabitants; Bulacan, 2.23 million; Negros
Occidental, 2.14 million; and Cavite, 2.06 million.

Most Densely Populated Province

As of 2000, Cavite province in Southern Tagalog was the most densely populated among provinces with 1,602 inhabitants
per square kilometer while Apayao province in Cagayan Valley was the most sparsely populated with only 24 persons per
square kilometer.

Richest Provinces
In its 2000 survey, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) identified the ten provinces with the lowest poverty
incidence levels. Each of the four districts in Metro Manila, composed of several cities and/or municipalities, was treated as a
province in the survey.

The 2nd district of Metro Manila (Mandaluyong, Marikina, Pasig, Quezon City and San Juan) topped the list, with a poverty
incidence of only 4.1 percent while the 4th district (Las Pinas, Makati, Muntinlupa, Paranaque, Pasay, Pateros and Taguig)
came in second with 4.9 percent.

Others in the list are Bulacan, with a poverty incidence of 5.4 percent; 1st district of Metro Manila (Manila), 5.8 percent;
Batanes, 7.5 percent; Rizal, 8 percent; Laguna, 8.6 percent; 3rd district of Metro Manila (Caloocan, Valenzuela, Malabon
and Navotas), 9 percent; Bataan, 9.9 percent; and Cavite, 10.2 percent.

Poorest Provinces
In its 2000 survey, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) identified Sulu province (ARMM) as the poorest
province in the Philippines, with a poverty incidence level of 63.2 percent. Masbate (Bicol) registered a poverty incidence
level of 62.8 percent while Tawi-Tawi had 56.5 percent. Other provinces in the list of the 10 poorest are Ifugao, which had a
poverty incidence of 55.6 percent; Romblon, 55.2 percent; Maguindanao; 55.1 percent; Lanao del Sur, 55 percent; Sultan
Kudarat, 54.3 percent; Camiguin, 53.1 percent; and Camarines Norte, 52.7 percent.

Bulacan Had Highest Human Development Index

Provinces near Metro Manila registered the highest human development index (HDI), a gauge of quality living, in the
country. Bulacan, a province in Central Luzon and located just north of Metro Manila, topped the list of the 77 provinces,
with an HDI of 0.760 in 2000.

Bataan, also in Central Luzon, came in second with an HDI of 0.746. Located south of Metro Manila, Cavite (southern Luzon)
was third in the list with an HDI of 0.735 while Rizal, also a province in southern Luzon located just east of Metro Manila,
came in fourth with an HDI of 0.733.

Other provinces in the top ten list are Batanes (Cagayan Valley region), with an HDI of 0.717; Laguna (southern Luzon),
0.709; Ilocos Norte (northern Luzon), 0.684; Batangas (southern Luzon), 0.683; Pampanga (central Luzon), 0.665; and
Isabela (Cagayan Valley region), 0.649.
 Province with Most Number of Cooperatives
Apart from topping the list of provinces in terms of income and literacy, Bulacan also boasts of its high number of
cooperatives estimated as 1,120 with total assets of P3.8 billion as of 1998. The province had also registered the lowest
poverty incidence of 17 percent.

Sulu Had Lowest Human Development Index

Appearing at the bottom of the HDI ladder in 2000 are Mindanao provinces which have been most devastated by decades of
armed conflict. The NSCB identified the ten most lagging provinces in terms of human development as Sulu (western
Mindanao), Tawi-Tawi (western Mindanao), Basilan (western Mindanao), Ifugao (Cordillera region), Maguindanao (central
Mindanao), Lanao del Sur (central Mindanao), Agusan del Sur (northern Mindanao), Western Samar (eastern Visayas),
Lanao del Norte (central Mindanao), and Sarangani (southern Mindanao).

Province with Most Cities

As of 2002, Negros Occidental in Western Visayas had 13 cities, 19 municipalities and 661 barangays.

Province with Most Municipalities

As of 2002, Cebu province in Central Visayas had 6 cities and 47 municipalities. Bohol, on the other hand, had 1 city and 47
municipalities.

Province with Most Barangays

As of 2002, Iloilo province in Western Visayas had 2 cities, 42 municipalities and 1,901 barangays.

Least Populated Province

As of 2000, Batanes province had the lowest population among provinces at 16,467. It was followed by Camiguin, with
74,232 inhabitants; Siquijor, 81,598; and Apayao, 97,129.

Most Populated City

Quezon City in northern Metro Manila is the country's most populated city. With a total population of 2.17 million as of 2000,
Quezon City is composed of numerous subdivisions and has the highest concentration of urban poor residents in Metro
Manila. Other highly populated cities in the country are Manila, with 1.58 million residents; Caloocan, 1.18 million and
Davao, 1.15 million. The least populated city is Tagaytay City in Cavite province, with a population of less than 45,500.

Most Polluted City

People go to Baguio City during summer because of its cool weather and fresh air. Ironically, a World Bank study in 2001
has found Baguio City's air as the most polluted in the country. The city's air reportedly had 75.2 micrograms of particles
per cubic meter, compared to Metro Manila's 65.8, Cebu City's 45 and Davao City's 39.8.

Philippine World Records

Trivia

The Leaf Musician

He became famous around the world for his distinct talent. The Guinness Book of World Records has recognized Filipino
National Artist Levi Celerio as the only man who could play beautiful music with a leaf.

Celerio appeared in "That's Incredible" and the Mel Griffin show where he played music with a leaf. The Guinness Book of
World Records said: "The only leaf player in the world is in the Philippines". As a composer and lyricist, Celerio wrote more
than 4,000 songs.

The Woman With 3,400 Shoes

Former First Lady Imelda Marcos was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the woman with the largest collection
of shoes. Reports said that when the Marcos family fled to Hawaii during the People's Power Revolution in 1986, around
3,400 pairs of shoes were discovered in one room at Malacanang Palace. They were the First Lady's collection.

In 1987, Mrs. Marcos denied this and claimed she had only 1,060 pairs of shoes. The former First Lady has an eight-and-a-
half inch footwear size. She said her having many shoes is not a symbol of extravagance but an expression of love and
appreciation for Filipino-made shoes. Most of her shoes, she added, were bought from Marikina, the shoe capital of the
Philippines. For this, Marikina City had acquired 200 pairs of the Marcos shoes and put them on display at the city's shoe
museum.

Largest Loot in History

Much has been said about the late President Ferdinand Marcos being the world's richest man. While this title was not
officially designated to Marcos, the late dictator, however, was known as the man who took away the largest loot in history.
While deposed President Joseph Estrada faces plunder charges for allegedly amassing some US$82 million in kickbacks and
payoffs during his 31-month stint at Malacanang Palace, Marcos had reportedly stolen billions of dollars. There were
different versions of the fabled Marcos wealth.

The fabled Marcos wealth reportedly consists of billions of dollars and tons of gold bullions deposited in several banks in
Switzerland. Government lawyers claimed that Marcos had used dummy foundations to hoard his wealth. Among such
foundations that the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) had identified are Sandy, Xandy, Wintrop, and
Rayby.

Former Senate President Jovito Salonga, who served as the first PCGG chairman under the Aquino administration said the
agency had identified 51 Marcos bank accounts in Switzerland, 23 of which are in Credit Suisse; 3 at Swiss Bank
Corporation in Fribourg; 15 in Swiss Bank Corporation in Geneva; 6 at Banque Paribas in Geneva; 3 at Hoffman in Zurich;
and one each at Lombard Odeii and Trade Development Bank in Geneva.

According to former Solicitor General Francisco Chavez, the Marcos family still keeps some US$13.4 billion in deposits at the
Union Bank of Switzerland under the account of Irene Marcos-Araneta, on top of a hoard of 1.241 tons of gold at an
underground bunker at Kloten Airport in Zurich. Chavez also disclosed that former First Lady Imelda Marcos has 800,000
ounces of gold in unfrozen accounts in Switzerland.

Before this, Australian private investigator Reiner Jacobi, who served as a PCGG consultant in 1989, had unraveled the so-
called Irene Araneta account and even went to the extent of claiming that the Marcoses had a US$250-billion gold hoard in
Switzerland. The PCGG, however, described Jacobi's claims as exaggerated and too fantastic.

In October 1999, Filipino businessman Enriquez Zobel, a known crony of the late president told a Senate committee that the
Marcos wealth could have swollen to US$100 billion in gold and dollar deposits, the bulk of which is deposited with the US
 Treasury. In his sworn testimony, Zobel said the Marcos wealth is distributed to gold deposits, dollar accounts, and real
estate properties located in various parts of the world.

The Marcos gold deposits alone, Zobel said, may have reached US$35 billion. Zobel had also mentioned the US$13.4 billion
Irene Marcos Araneta account at the Union Bank of Switzerland. The gold bars are allegedly kept in various banks in
Portugal, Vatican City, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Solomon Island, and the US. Zobel said Marcos obtained the gold bars
after the Liberation (1946) from the Yamashita treasure and from soldiers who sold their gold bars for only US$20 per bar.
Another version was that of Rogelio Roxas who claimed that Marcos' men seized the real golden buddha from his house at
Aurora Hills in Baguio City on April 5, 1971. The buddha reportedly costs billions of dollars.

In February 2001, the Philippine Daily Inquirer disclosed the alleged attempt of Irene Marcos Araneta to launder billions of
dollars in deposits under the 885931 accounts from Union Bank of Switzerland to Deutsche Banks in Dusseldorf, Germany.
Aside from the Marcos family and the Philippine government, the 9,539 victims of human rights under the Marcos regime
have interest in the Marcos wealth.

World's Largest Shoes

In December 2002, the Guinness Book of World Records has recognized Marikina City for crafting the world's largest pair of
shoes - each measuring 5.5 meters (18.2 feet) long, 2.25 meters (7.4 feet) wide and 1.83 meters (six feet) high. The
materials for the P1.2 million pair of shoes could produce 250 pairs of regular shoes.

World's Largest Golf Event

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the biggest amateur golf tournament takes place in Baguio City,
Philippines every year. Dubbed as the Fil-Am Golf Championship since 1949, the 72-hole golf tournament attracts close to
1,000 amateur golfers from all over the archipelago. The sites of the prestigious event are the challenging par-69, 5,001-
yard Camp John Hay golf course and the par-61, 4,038-yard Baguio Country Club. Among the top contending teams in the
event are the Canlubang, Southwoods, Calatagan, and Wack Wack.

World's Largest Synchronized Aerobics Exercises

On February 16, 2003, some 107,000 Filipinos joined a 30-minute aerobics exercise supervised by the Department of Health
(DOH) at Rizal Park in Manila, which could be the largest synchronized exercise in the world. Thousands of people also
gathered at different venues in Cebu City and Davao City to participate in the exercise simultaneous with the Manila event.
The new record broke the previous Guinness Book of World Records set at a park in Guadalajara, Mexico by some 38,633
people who joined the massive aerobics exercises in June 1998.

World's Largest Lantern

On December 24, 2002, the city of San Fernando in Pampanga province switched on the world's largest Christmas lantern -
a P5-million structure with 26.8 meters in diameter.

World's Fastest Reader

As a student at the Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, Maria Teresa Calderon became the world's fastest reader.
She set the record of having read 80,000 words per hour.

Sili King
The Guinness Book of World Records recognizes Eriberto Gonzales of Camalig, Albay as the fastest chili eater. In the
Philippines, he is known as the "Sili King". Gonzales accomplished his feat in the "Sili-Eating Challenge 1999" in Bicol where
he ate 350 pieces of sili in three minutes. (Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer)

World's Best Finance Minister

In 1997, Roberto de Ocampo who was serving in the Cabinet of former President Fidel Ramos, was recognized as the
"World's Best Finance Minister" for overhauling the country's tax system through the Comprehensive Tax Reform Package.

World's Best Central Bank Governor

In October 2002, international magazine Global Finance named Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Rafael Carlos B.
Buenaventura as one of the world's two best central bankers for "his remarkable skill in guiding" the Philippine economy
under a trying year. The other central banker named was Reserve Bank of Austalia (RBA) Governor Ian MacFarlane.

World Young Business Achievers

In 1995, Joseph Donato Pangilinan, president of Manila Pearl, won the World Young Business Achiever Award (WYBA) in
London. In 1997, Renato Pangilinan, chief executive officer of Juventus International won the Entrepreneurship Award in
Newfoundland, Canada. In 1998, Andrew James Masigan, founder of Dimsum n' Dumpling won the Award of Excellence in
Business Strategy.

World's Sweetest Fruit

What can be considered as the world's sweetest mango is produced in the island province of Guimaras. While other
countries have different varieties of the tropical mango (Mangifera indica), none of them tastes like the superbly delicious
Guimaras mango, which is a variety of the popular Carabao Mango (Manginera indica).

In 1995, the Guinness Book of World records listed the Carabao Mango as the sweetest fruit in the world. In the Philippines,
mango ranks third among fruit crops in production, next to banana and pineapple. The country supplies mangoes to Japan,
Hong Kong, Singapore and recently the United States. In 1995, the Philippines produced 432,322 metric tons of mangoes,
with an average production of 6.35 metric tons per hectare and 250 kilograms per tree from a total production area of
68,056 hectares.

World's Largest Legal Tender

In 1998, during the Philippine Centennial celebration of independence, the Central Bank asked the Guinness Book of World
Records to accredit its P100,000 commemorative bills, measuring 8 ½ inches wide and 14 inches long, as the world's largest
legal tender. The commemorative bills were called Brobdingnagian bills.

World's Largest Bamboo Organ

The bamboo organ at St. Joseph Church in Las Pinas City is arguably the world's largest bamboo organ. The centuries-old
musical instrument was constructed between 1792 and 1819. It has 174 bamboo pipes, 122 horizontal reeds of soft metal,
a five-octave keyboard, and 22 stops arranged in vertical rows.

World's Largest City

The residents of Davao City claim they live in the world's largest city. They are talking about the land size of the city that
covers 2,212 square kilometers. Most of these areas, however, are distributed as forests, coconut groves and rice fields. In
comparison, New York, the largest city in the United States, has an area of only 787 square kilometers while the whole of
Metro Manila covers only 636 square kilometers.

Davao City lies at the mouth of the Davao River near the head of Davao Gulf. It encompasses about 50 small ports in its
commercial sphere. Davao has large banana plantations, whose produce are exported to Japan and other countries. The city
also boasts of a modern international airport. Puerto Princesa City, a chartered city of Palawan province, is disputing Davao
City's title. It claims to have a total land area of 2,539 square kilometers encompassing 66 barangays.

In terms of population and land area, the world's truly largest cities are Tokyo, Mexico City, Sao Paolo, New York City,
Bombay, Shanghai and Los Angeles.

World's Largest Volume of Text Messages

Smart Communications, one of the two giant mobile phone networks in the country, claimed that the volume of text
messages passing through its network reached 240 million daily as of 2001. This excluded text messages sent via the other
networks. Such volume of text messages is said to be larger than those sent in the entire European continent during the
same year.

World's Largest High School

The Rizal High School in Caniogan, Pasig City (eastern Metro Manila) is said to be the world's largest high school in terms of
student population. The school has more than 20,000 students.

World's Longest Barbecue

On April 30, 2002, about 50,000 people participated in the "Kalutan ed Dagupan" festival in Dagupan City (Pangasinan
province, Northern Luzon, Philippines) to help grill and partake of the 1,001-meter long barbecue, that broke the previous
World Record of 613 meter-long barbecue grilled in Canchia, Peru on November 13, 1999.

The people of the city used hundreds of grills, each measuring 1.2-meter long, to cook the barbecue. The grills' total
measure was about 800 meters long, enough to surpass the Peruvian record. The barbecue consisted of bangus (milkfish),
pork, chicken, vegetables and cold cuts. A video footage was sent to the Guinness Book of World Records for validation.
(Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer)

World's Largest Flower

In February 2002, an environmental organization discovered what could be one of the world's largest flowers in the 5,511-
hectare Sibalom National Park in Antique province. Measuring about 22 inches in diameter, the endangered flower, locally
named as "Uruy", (Rafflesia sp.) has no stem and leaves. (Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer)

World's Largest Salad

The residents of Baguio City took pride in having tossed what was believed to be the world's largest salad - a three-ton mix
of assorted vegetables.

On September 29, 2002 during the Tossed Salad Festival in commemoration of the city's 93rd charter anniversary, 67
students and members of the Baguio Association of Hotels and Inns (Bahai) mixed 2,976 kilograms of lettuce, carrots,
cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers and other vegetables in a tin and wrought iron bowl measuring 20 feet long, 10 feet
wide and 2 feet deep.

Some 13,657 people were able to partake of the P1.5 million mixtures. They paid P20 for each serving of the tossed salad
with Thousand Island dressing and another take-out bowl of salad with a gourmet vinaigrette dressing consisting of apple
cider vinegar and olive oil.

The city broke its own record set a year earlier. On September 16, 2001, a 917-kilogram of salad was able to feed 4,861
residents and tourists of Baguio City. On September 14, 2002, a religious group prepared a giant Caesar's salad that fed
only 1,000 people in Salt Lake City, Utah.

World's Largest Durian Candy Bar

On March 15, 2002, 25 people in Davao City spent six hours to cook, mold and roll the world's largest durian candy bar - a
6-meter, 200-kilogram delicacy made of durian, a smelly but sweet fruit commonly associated with the name of the city.
(Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer)

World's Longest Mat

The people of the agricultural town of Basey, Samar own the distinction of having weaved the world's longest mat, or
"banig" in the local parlance. During the town's Banigan-Kawayan Festival on September 29, 2000, hundreds of people
paraded the mat, which extended for more than a kilometer.

The one-meter wide mat has been weaved for several weeks by groups of people from the different barangays of Basey.
While the mat was not submitted as an entry to the Guinness Book of World Records, Basey Mayor Wilfredo Estorninos
described the feat as a source of pride for all Basaynons.

Each year, the town, which has weaving as its prime industry, comes to life when it celebrates outlandishly the feast of St.
Michael, its patron saint. The highlight of the feast is the Banigan-Kawayan Festival, where the women of Basey weave a
variety of intricately designed mats from sedge grass locally known as tikog (Fimbristylis milliacea). This tradition was
handed down from many generations. The Church of Basey was built in 1864.

World's Largest Pearl

A Filipino diver discovered what is now described as the world's largest pearl in a giant Tridacna (mollusk) under the
Palawan Sea in 1934. Known as the "Pearl of Lao-Tzu", the gem weighs 14 pounds and measures 9 ½ inches long and 5 ½
inches in diameter. As of May 1984, it was valued at US$42 million. It is believed to be 600 years old.

World's Largest Covered Coliseum

At the time it was completed in 1959, the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City was touted as the world's largest
covered entertainment center. Otherwise known as the Big Dome, it has a floor area of 2,300 square meters and a seating
capacity of 33,000 people.

One of the World's Best Hotels

In 1983, British magazine Executive Travel named Manila Hotel as one of the ten best in the world while Business Traveler,
another British publication named it as one of the top ten business hotels in the world in 1986. In 1992, the Institutional
Investor magazine called Manila Hotel as the world's best hotel and in 1993, the Vienna-based Treasury Publishing included
it in the list of the most famous hotels in the world.

Among the many political luminaries and celebrities who have stayed at the Manila Hotel were Ernest Hemingway, General
Douglas McArthur, Marlon Brando, Helen Keller, John Wayne, Rocky Marciano, Richard Nixon, Robert Kennedy, Emperor
Akihito, John Rockefeller, Dwight Eisenhower, Neil Armstrong, Anatoly Karpov, Bob Hope, Henry Kissinger, Princess Margaret,
Brooke Shields, John Denver, Bon Jovi, Ben Kingsley, Richard Attenborough, Julio Iglesias, Richard Cheney, Garri Kasparov,
Sultan Bolkiah, Rod Stewart, Nick Price, Greg Norman, Arnold Parmer, Bill Clinton, Helmut Kohl, Nelson Mandela and Prince
Charles. (Source: Panorama magazine)
 One of the Best Banks
Global Finance, a financial magazine in the US, named the Bank of Philippine Islands, the oldest bank in the country, as the
best domestic bank in emerging markets in 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2001. Emerging markets refer to developing economies,
mostly in Asia.

Asia's Best Business School

The Makati-based Asian Institute of Management (AIM) is richly considered as one of the top business schools in Asia. In
the year 2001, it received the Beyond Grey Pinstripes Award for having MBA programs that integrate social, environmental
and sustainability topics into business training. The award is a joint project of The Aspen Institute Initiative for Social
Innovation through Business (Aspen ISIB) and World Resources Institute.

Influential Businesswoman
In its 2002 list, US-based Fortune Magazine ranked Teresita Sy-Coson, a daughter of Filipino-Chinese tycoon Henry Sy Sr.
and executive vice president of SM Prime Holdings, as the world's 39th most influential woman in international business
outside the United States. The SM Prime Holdings is a conglomerate engaged in retail, real state, manufacturing, banking
and finance.

World's Second Most Devastated City

The late US President and General Dwight Eisenhower described Manila as the world's second most devastated city during
World War II, next to Warsaw, Poland which was reduced to ruins by the Nazi's attack. Before he became president,
Eisenhower served in the Philippines under General Douglas Macarthur from 1935 to 1939.

Second Largest Geothermal Power Source

As of 2002, the Philippines was producing about 1,765 megawatts of geothermal energy, making it the world's second
largest geothermal power user after the United States. The Department of Energy said the country could edge out the US at
the top by installing a new geothermal power plant with a 900-megawatt capacity.

World's Third Largest Banana Producer

The Philippines is considered as the world's third largest producer of bananas, after Costa Rica and Ecuador. Large
plantations in southern Mindanao produce most bananas exported by the Philippines. Some 30,000 hectares in the region
are planted to bananas.

The Philippines is also one of the largest producers of coconut, cassava, mango, pineapple, tilapia, tuna, shrimps, and
prawns.

Filipino Heroes & Artists

Trivia

Bonifacio Abdon - father of modern kundiman

Nicanor Abelardo - master of kundiman
Napoleon Abueva - father of modern Philippine sculpture
Avelino Galang Adriano - dean of furniture makers
Macario Adriatico - father of Manila charter
Faustino Aguilar - Alexander Dumas of the Philippines
Emilio Aguinaldo - first Philippine president
Arturo Alcaraz - father of geothermal energy development
Dalisay Aldaba - great little butterfly from the Philippines
Benjamin Almeda - father of Filipino inventors
Fernando Amorsolo - grand old man of Philippine art
Pablo Antonio - renaissance man
Cecilio Apostol - prince of poets in Spanish
Francisca Reyes Aquino - folk dance pioneer
Melchora Aquino - grand old woman of revolution
Francisco Arcellana - an artist of a very monster
Nora Aunor - superstar
Lamberto Avellana - boy wonder of Philippine movies
Natalio Bacalso - king of Visayan writers
Francisco dela Cruz Balagtas - father of Philippine literature
Jose Bautista - giant of Philippine Journalism
Ishmael Bernal - the genius of Philippine cinema
Andres Bonifacio - the great plebian
Pedro Bukaneg - father of Ilocano Poetry
Felipe Calderon - author of the Malolos Constitution
Patronicio Tagamora de Carvajal - dean of stars in Philippine theater
Modesto Castro - prince of Tagalog prose
Narciso Claveria - count of Manila
Levi Celerio - poet of Philippine music
Pilita Corales - Asia's queen of songs
Gregoria de Jesus - Lakambini
Jose Corazon de Jesus - father of Balagtasan
Sharon Cuneta - megastar
Atang dela Rama - the once and future star
Felipe de Leon - nationalist composer
Gerardo de Leon - master filmmaker
Narcisa de Leon - grand old woman of Philippine movies
Isabelo delos Reyes - father of Philippine labor movement
Gregorio del Pilar - hero of Tirad Pass
Marcelo del Pilar - father of Philipppine Journalism
Bert del Rosario - father of Tagalog short stories
Nieves Baens del Rosario - champion of the workingman
Geminiano de Ocampo - father of modern ophthalmology in the Philippines
Jose Drillon - father of Philippine agribusiness
Victor Edades - father of modern Philippine painting
Josefa Llanes Escoda - Florence Nightingale of the Philippines
Alberto Feliciano - Dr. Filipino
Julian Felipe - father of national anthem
Juan Flores - dean of Filipino woodcarvers
Germie Fontilla - queen of chess
Jovita Fuentes - the Philippines' prima donna
Eugenio Juan Gonzales - father of Philippine condominiums
Leonor Orosa Goquingco - mother of Philippine theater dance
Fernando Ma. Guerrero - prince of Filipino lyric poets in Spanish
Leon Ma. Guerrero - father of Philippine botany
Luis Guerrero - dean of medicine in the Philippines
Wilfredo Ma. Guerrero - pioneer of outreach theater
Laureano Guevarra - father of Marikina shoe industry
Amando Hernandez - poet for the common man
Guillermo Hernandez - dean of Filipino sportscasters
Jose Hernandez - dean of Filipino diplomats
Graciano Lopez Jaena - prince of Filipino orators
Emilio Jacinto - brain of the Katipunan
Nick Joaquin - megabuck writer
Maximo Kalaw - father of political science in the Philippines
Lucrecia Kasilag - tita king
Amparo Lardizabal - teacher of teachers
Trinidad Legarda - mother of the symphony movement in the Philippines
Cesar Legaspi - trailblazer of modern Philippine art
Leandro Locsin - a poet of space
Jose Luna - official physician of the revolution
Apolinario Mabini - the sublime paralytic
Joce Maceda - the ethnomusicologist
Vicente Madrigal - charcoal king
Teresa Magbanua - Visayan Joan of Arc
Ramon Magsaysay - champion of the masses
Francisco Makabuhos - liberator of Tarlac
Jose Malcampo - count of Mindanao
Anastacio Mamaril - trumpet king of the Philippines
Jose "Pitoy" Moreno - dean of Filipino couturiers
Juak Nakpil - pioneer in Philippine architecture
Jose Nepomuceno - father of Filipino movies
Hernando Ocampo - radical modernist
Sergio Osmena Sr. - architect of Filipino nationalism
Jose Palma - poet soldier
Rafael Palma - apostle of Filipinism
Jose Ma. Panganiban - avenger of Filipino honor
Valeriano Hernandez Pena - father of modern Tagalog novels
Leon Pichay - king of Ilocano poets
Fernando Poe Jr. - king of action films
Manuel Quezon - father of Philippine national language
Carlos Quirino - man for all seasons
Dolphy Quizon - king of comedy films
Claro M. Recto - Paladin of Philippine nationalism
Bobby Regiono - banjo king
Jose Rizal - pride of the Malay race
Alejandro Roces Sr. - exponent of modern Journalism
Lolita Rodriquez - first lady of Philippine movies
Carlos P. Romulo - hero of the republic
Tessie Rumarao - queen of hula-hoop
Lucio San Pedro - creative nationalist
Francisco Santiago - father of nationalism in Philippine music
Lope K. Santos - laureate of Tagalog literature
Vilma Santos - star for all seasons
Gloria Sevilla - queen of Visayan movies
Diego Silang - liberator of the Ilocos
Gabriela Silang - Joan of Arc of Ilocandia
Trinidad Perez Tecson - mother of Philippine Red Cross
Rolando Tinio - creative genius
Guillermo Tolentino - father of Philippine arts
Lina Flor Trinidad - dean of Filipino soap operas
Lucrecia Reyes Urtula - the woman behind Bayanihan Dance Co.
Teodoro Valencia - dean of columnists
Luis Rodriguez Varela - the first Filipino
Jose Gacia Villa - international poet
Gliceria Marella Villavicencio - godmother of revolution
Flavio Zaragoza - poet laureate in Ilongo literature

Filipino Inventors

Trivia

Karaoke Inventor
Roberto del Rosario, a Filipino is claiming the right for the invention of the Sing-Along-System (SAS) that eventually led to
the development of Karaoke, a Japanese term for "singing without accompaniment". Among del Rosario's other inventions
were the Trebel Voice Color Code (VCC), the piano tuner's guide, the piano keyboard stressing device, the voice color tape,
and the one-man-band (OMB). The OMB was later developed as the Sing-Along-System (SAS).

Inventor of Incubator
Fe del Mundo, the first Asian to have entered the prestigious Harvard University's School of Medicine, is also credited for her
studies that led to the invention of incubator and jaundice relieving device. Del Mundo, an International Pediatric Association
(IPA) awardee, is an alumna of the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Medicine. Since 1941, she has contributed
more than 100 articles to medical journals in the U.S., Philippines and India. In 1966, she received the Elizabeth Blackwell
Award, for her "outstanding service to mankind". In 1977, she was bestowed the Ramon Magsaysay Award for outstanding
public service.
 Water-Powered Car
For more than three decades now, Daniel Dingel has been claiming that his car can run with water as fuel. An article from
the Philippine Daily Inquirer said that Dingle built his engine as early as 1969. Dingel built a car reactor that uses electricity
from a 12-volt car battery to split the ordinary tap water into hydrogen and oxygen components. The hydrogen can then be
used to power the car engine.

Dingel said that a number of foreign car companies have expressed interest in his invention. The officials of the Department
of Science and Technology (DOST) have dismissed Dingel's water-powered car as a hoax. In return, Dingel accused them of
conspiring with oil producing countries. Dingel, however, was the not the only man on earth who is testing water as an
alternative fuel. American inventors Rudolf Gunnerman and Stanley Meyer and the researchers of the U.S. Department of
Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory have been pursuing similar experiments.

Moon Buggy Inventor

Filipinos consider Eduardo San Juan as the inventor of the Lunar Rover, or more popularly known as the Moon Buggy. The
Moon Buggy was the car used by Neil Armstrong and other astronauts when they first explored the moon in 1969. Eduardo
San Juan, a graduate of Mapua Institute of Technology (MIT), worked for Lockheed Corporation and conceptualized the
design of the Moon Buggy that the Apollo astronauts used while in the moon. As a NASA engineer, San Juan reportedly used
his Filipino ingenuity to build a vehicle that would run outside the Earth's atmosphere. He constructed his model using
homemade materials. In 1978, San Juan received one of the Ten Outstanding Men (TOM) awards in science and technology.

San Juan, however, was not listed as the inventor of the Moon Buggy in American scientific journals. It said the vehicle was
designed and constructed by a group of space engineers. In Poland, the Moon Buggy is attributed to a Polish inventor.
Worse, the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) does not recognize Flores in its roster of outstanding
Filipino scientists.

Space Engineer
On June 25, 2002, the provincial government of Cavite awarded Edward Caro a plaque of recognition for his 42 years of
service at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the United States where he helped launch the
Shuttle Radar Topography Mission or the Explorer. Caro, 70 and a native of Cavite retired from NASA in 2001. In return,
NASA during the same year conferred Caro the Distinguished Science medal, reportedly the highest honor it gives to its
employees. (Source: Philippine Star)

Fluorescent Lamp Inventor

Many Filipinos acknowledge Agapito Flores as the inventor of the fluorescent lamp, which is the most widely used source of
lighting in the world today. The fluorescent lamp reportedly got its name from Flores. Written articles about Flores said he
was born in Bantayan Island in Cebu. The fluorescent lamp, however, was not invented in a particular year. It was the
product of 79 years of the development of the lighting method that began with the invention of the electric light bulb by
Thomas Edison.

Among the other inventors who claimed credit for developing the fluorescent lamp were French physicist A. E. Becquerel
(1867), Nikola Tesla, Albert Hall (1927), Mark Winsor and Edmund Germer. French inventor Andre Claude was recognized
for developing the fluorescent tubular lighting systems. Yet, he was not officially recognized as the inventor of fluorescent
lamp. It was reported that the General Electric and Westinghouse obtained Claude's patent rights and developed the
fluorescent lamp that we know today.

According to Filipino scientists, fluorescent lamp was not named after Flores. The term fluorescence first cropped up as early
as 1852 when English mathematician-physicist George Gabriel Stokes discovered a luminous material called "fluorspar",
which he coined with "escence". The National Academy of Science and Technology also dismissed Flores being the inventor
of fluorescent lamp as a myth. "No scientific report, no valid statement, no rigorous documents can be used to credit Flores
for the discovery of the fluorescent lamp. We have tried to correct this misconception, but the media (for one) and our
textbooks (for another) keep using the Flores example," a Filipino scientist wrote in her column at the Philippine Daily
Inquirer.

The fluorescent lamps were introduced into the U.S. market in 1938. Still, Filipinos recognize Agapito Flores as the inventor
of the product that illuminated the world.

Videophone Inventor
Gregorio Zara of Lipa City and a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology invented the videophone and
developed the Zara Effect or Electrical Kinetic Resistance.

He Discovered Erythromycin
A Filipino scientist reportedly discovered erythromycin in 1949. He was Dr. Abelardo Aguilar who died in 1993 without being
recognized and rewarded for his discovery. Reports said Aguilar discovered the antibiotic from the Aspergillus species of
fungi in 1949 and sent samples to Indiana-based pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly Co. The drug firm allegedly registered the
propriety name Iloson for the antibiotic in honor of Iloilo province where Aguilar discovered it. In 1952, Eli Lilly Co. began
the commercial distribution of Iloson, which was sold as an alternative to penicillin. Erythromycin, the generic name of
Iloson, was reportedly the first successful macrolide antibiotic introduced in the US.

Computer Guru
Diosdado Banatao, a native of Iguig, Cagayan and an electrical engineering graduate from Mapua Institute of Technology in
Manila is credited for eight major contributions to the Information Technology. Banatao is most known for introducing the
first single-chip graphical user interface accelerator that made computers work a lot faster and for helping develop the
Ethernet controller chip that made Internet possible. In 1989, he pioneered the local bus concept for personal computers
and in the following year developed the First Windows accelerator chip. Intel is now using the chips and technologies
developed by Banatao. He now runs his own semiconductor company, Mostron and Chips & Technology, which is based in
California's Silicon Valley. (Source: Filipinas Magazine)

Modular Housing Inventor

Edgardo Vazquez won a World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) gold medal in 1995 for developing a modular
housing system. Such a system called Vazbuilt is reportedly capable of building within weeks a house with prefabricated
materials that can withstand typhoons and earthquakes. Ironically, Vasquez is not getting enough support from the
Philippine government to propagate his technology, which could help provide shelter to some five million Filipino families
without their own homes. Vazquez is the national president of the Filipino Inventors Society.
 Inventor of Fuel Products
In 1996, Rudy Lantano Sr., a scientist from the Philippine Department of Science and Technology (DOST), won the World
Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) gold medal for developing Super Bunker Formula-L, a revolutionary fuel half-
composed of water. The mix burns faster and emits pollutants, 95 percent less than those released to the air by traditional
fuel products. The inventor said his invention is a result of blending new ingredients and additives with ordinary oil products
through agitation and mixing, which is a very safe process. The initial plan was to commercially produce two million liters of
Alco-Diesel, two million liters of Lan-Gas and an unlimited quantity of Super Bunker Formula-L each day for customers in
Luzon.

Natural Gas Vehicle

The Department of Energy (DOE) has developed a vehicle that runs on natural gas, whose rich deposits remain untapped
under the Philippine seabed. The project's main objective is to look into the potential of natural gas as an alternative fuel to
conventional petrol and diesel for the transport sector. The natural gas vehicle (NVG) has been road-tested in Isabela where
an existing natural gas supply from the PNOC Gas Plant is located. Test runs have also been made in Cagayan, Ifugao and
Mountain Province. The test vehicle used was the Isuzu Hi-Lander 4JA-1, direct injected diesel engine. The use of natural
gas as a fuel is cheaper. On a gallon-equivalent basis, natural gas costs an average of 15 to 40 percent less than gasoline
and diesel. There are over one million NVGs in the world today, according to the International Association for Natural Gas
Vehicles.

Lamp Fixing Invention

A Filipino inventor has developed a technology, which could revive a busted lamp (pundido) and give it more years of
functional life than those of new ones. Acclaimed by the Filipino Inventors Society as timely and revolutionary, the Nutec
system can prolong the life of fluorescent lamps up to seven years. Nutec was developed by New World Technology, headed
by president Eric Ngo and chosen as the "Product of the Year" at the Worldbex 2000 Building and Construction Exposition
held at the Manila Hotel. Engineer Benjamin S. Santos, national president of the Inventors Society, called Nutec a timely
invention.

"Tubig Talino"
The Department of Science and Technology claimed that it has developed "Tubig Talino", an iodine-rich drinking water that
treats micronutrient deficiencies responsible for goiter, mental and physical retardation, and birth defects. "Tubig Talino" is
actually a mixture of 20 liters of water and 15 ml of "Water Plus + I2". Consumption of five glasses a day of this iodine
fortification in drinking water is expected to provide 120 micrograms of iodine, which meets 100 percent of the
recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of a male adult.

Mole Remover
In 2000, Rolando dela Cruz developed an ingenuous formula that could easily remove deeply grown moles or warts from the
skin without leaving marks or hurting the patient. His formula was extracted from cashew nut (Annacardium occidentale),
which is common in the Philippines. The formula won for dela Cruz a gold medal in International Invention, Innovation,
Industrial Design and Technology Exhibition in Kuala Lumpur in September 2000. In March 1997, dela Cruz established RCC
Amazing Touch International Inc., which runs clinics engaged "in a non-surgical removal of warts, moles and other skin
growths, giving the skin renewed energy and vitality without painful and costly surgery."

Feminine Hygiene Product Inventor

Dr. Virgilio Malang won a gold medal for his invention "Psidium Guajava Effervescing Gynecological Insert", a silver medal
for his "Patient Side-Turning Hospital Bed", and three bonze medals for his inventions "external vaginal cleanser", "light
refracting earpick", and "broom's way of hanging" at the Seoul International Fair in held South Korea in December 2002.
There were 385 inventions from 30 countries that joined the competitions.

Who Developed Patis?

Contrary to popular belief, there was no fish sauce or Patis yet during the Spanish occupation. Patis began to become a part
of most Filipinos' diet only after the Japanese occupation. Here is an account of how an enterprising lady discovered the
fermentation of Patis. Immediately after the war, the family of Ruperta David or Aling Tentay started a dried fish business.
One day, Aling Tentay stored in jars some salted fish that turned into fragments even before they dried. While in jars, the
fish fragments turned into a liquid substance that tasted like our Patis today. Thus the beginning of the thriving Patis
business of Aling Tentay, which was officially registered in 1949 and is known today as Tentay Food and Sauces Inc.
(Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer)

A Showcase of Ingenuity
Nothing perhaps has been associated with Filipino technology as much as the country's pride - jeepney. The word "jeep"
evolved from the military designation, general-purpose or G.P., of a light vehicle first used by the Americans in World War II.
Developed by the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps, this vehicle was powered by a four-cylinder engine and was classified as
a quarter-ton truck in carrying capacity. It had served as a command vehicle, reconnaissance car, and ammunition carrier.

The American soldiers brought these vehicles to the Philippines in the 1940s. After the war, these vehicles were left by the
Americans and converted by the Filipinos into public utility vehicles. Employing artistic and indigenous designs, the Filipinos
came up with a longer, well-decorated, techni-colored and sleeker vehicle, which they later called jeepney. From the
standard military jeep, the body was extended to accommodate between 20 to 30 passengers. Modern jeepneys now sport
very colorful and intricate paintings, fancy adornments, and metallic decors reflective of Filipino sentiments, values, and
culture. The town of Las Pinas has been recognized as the jeepney-producing center in the country. Today, public utility
jeepneys or PUJs serve as the primary means of transportation in most provinces. For this, the Philippines came to be
known as the "land of the jeepneys".

Other Noted Scientists

Among the other noted Filipino inventors and scientists are Benjamin Almeda who was acknowledged for his food-processing
machine; Teodula Afrika for nata de coco; Ramon Agpoon for dragon fire stove; Adriano Alfonso for cultured cement;
Laurelio Anasco for "dormitron"; Arturo Baluyot for Philippine-made airplane; Guillermo Barredo for Maharlika water heater;
Pelagio Bautista for hydrosil; Dr. George Camara for experiments on teleophthalmology; Carlos Casas, stand-alone amplifier
called Voca CDX 1001 Superamp; Gonzalo Catan Jr. for green charcoal; Roberto Celis for multipurpose portable survival kit;
Rolando Cruz for emergency water heater;

Ernesto Darang for shake-and-serve nurser; Armen Dator for magic street sweeper; Maria Carlita Rex Doran for ampalaya
solution against HIV; Jaime Escolano for fiber-processing machine; Pepito Fajicular for multipurpose routing machine;
Leonardo Gasendo for salt evaporator; Ramon Gustilo for artificial bone replacement systems; Oscar Ibarra for studies on
algorithm and computing; Samuel Ignacio for early warning device for vehicles; Marc Loinaz for one-chip video camera;
Jacinto Ledesma for rocking dental chair; Cipriano Lim for safety switch box; Dr. E. V. Macalalag Jr. for universalurinary
stone solvent;
 Antonio Madrid for charcoal furnace; Felix Maramba for coconut oil-fueled power generator; Jose Navato for digital fever
detector; Maria Ylagan Orosa for developing banana catsup and pineapple vinegar; Francisco Quisumbing for Quink pen ink;
Jose Rodriguez for research on leprosy; Felipe Santillan for rotary dryer; Cornelio Seno for "Pressure Fuild Machine"; Manuel
Silos for siloscope; Juanito Simon for Tribotech; Camilo Tabalba for telephone electronic; Ned Teves for endotracheal tube
cardiac monitor; Juan Urbano for fountain pen; Carmen Velasquez for research on Philippine fish species; and Dr. Gregorio
Zara for TV-telephone.

Needing Support
The Council on Philippine Affairs (Copa) has blamed the government for driving Filipino inventors away from the country. At
least four cases were cited for this, namely:

• Ben Santos, the inventor of the "zero oil waste recycling" was subjected to interrogation by the Economic
Intelligence and Investigation Bureau (EIIB) for alleged economic sabotage.
Rudy Arambulo, the inventor of multi-shock bullet, has failed to convince the national police and the military to
purchase his product.
• Johnson Fong, who has re-engineered carbonless paper, had to export his product first, re-label it and bring it back
to the Philippines as an import in order to be accepted in the country.
• Roberto del Rosario, the inventor of sing-along system, had to fight for his right over the karaoke system which
most Filipinos think was a Japanese invention. The Philippines was reportedly the second largest market of
karaoke, yet del Rosario did not receive his due share.

"This is our colonial mentality at work. This reflects how little faith we have in ourselves. We are indeed our own worst
enemies. Others may shoot themselves in the foot. We like to chop our own heads in the most unusual way possible," a
Copa official said. (Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Do You Know That...

More Trivia

The Bible Also Mentions the Philippines

It can be easily understood that no verse in the Bible carried the term Philippines, since the Bible was written two thousand
years ago or centuries before the Spaniards came here. However, there are verses in the Bible that prophesy about the
Philippine archipelago and other islands in the Pacific. In the chapter 24 of the Book of Isaiah, verses 15 to 16 read
"Therefore in the east give glory to the Lord; exalt the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea. From
the ends of the earth we hear singing: 'Glory to the Righteous One.'" The Philippines is the only Christian archipelago in the
Pacific covering East Asia.

Arroyo and Sukarnoputri Share Similarities

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of the Philippines and Megawati Sukarnoputri of Indonesia have remarkable similarities. Both are
54-year-old women who had been vice-presidents before becoming presidents in place of their predecessors who were
ousted in the year 2001. Both of them were daughters of former presidents of the world's two largest archipelagos who lost
the presidency in 1965 to dictators. Both women have three children and their husbands were being pursued by
controversy. Both visited Washington in their first year as presidents and met US President George W. Bush, another
offspring of a former president who also assumed power in 2001. Arroyo and Sukarnoputri are not entirely similar though.
The former is a Catholic Christian from the world's fifth largest Christian country while the latter is a Muslim from the
country with the world's largest Muslim population.

Bulacan Produced Queens

Marcelo del Pilar, the father of Philippine journalism; Francisco Balagtas, the father of Philippine literature; Jose Corazon de
Jesus, father of balagtasan; Nicanor Abelardo, father of kundiman; Francisca Reyes-Aquino, mother of Philippine dances;
Gerry de Leon, a father of Philippine movies; Guillermo Tolentino, one of the fathers of Philippine arts; Jose Reyes, a father
of Philippine medicine; and Dely Magpayo, a mother of Philippine broadcasting, were all born in Bulacan province. Atang
dela Rama, the mother of Philippine theater, lived in Bulacan. Aside from national fathers and mothers, Bulacan also
produced queens, namely: Lydia de Vega, Asia's former sprint queen; Regine Velasquez, Asia's song bird; and Michelle
Aldana, Miss Asia-Pacific beauty queen.

Babe Ruth Scored Homeruns in RP

Babe Ruth, the American baseball legend who had over 200 homeruns in his professional career, once played in the baseball
field of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex. In 1934, Ruth and another baseball great, Lou Gehrig, selected an All-Star team
that toured Asia where they played 18 games. The All-Star selection stopped in the Philippines and played at the Rizal
Memorial Sports Complex from December 2 to December 9. Gehrig beat Ruth when he scored the first recorded homerun at
the Rizal complex on December 2. Ruth scored the 2nd homerun on the same day and 4th homerun on December 9. The
other players of the same selection who also scored homeruns at the Rizal complex were Earl Averill and C. Gehringer.

7 Cabinet Officials Were from Harvard

In a speech before an American delegation early in 2002, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has claimed that her Cabinet
officials include seven Harvard graduates and three Wharton alumni. The 54-year-old president added that four of her
economic managers had been top executives on Wall Street prior to joining government service in the Philippines. President
Arroyo, herself, has a Ph. D. in Economics, which she earned from the University of the Philippines (UP). Before this, she
had studied for two years at the Georgetown University where she had former US President Bill Clinton as a classmate.

Manila Played Host To Big Events

Manila served as a host to some of the world's biggest events in the past several decades. On November 22, 1995, the
country hosted 21 world leaders, including former US President Bill Clinton, during the 4th Economic Meeting of the Asia-
Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). In 1974, Former First Lady Imelda Marcos ordered the construction of the Folk Arts
Theater to be the site of the 23rd annual Miss Universe beauty pageant on July 19. The prestigious beauty contest was held
again in the country in 1994. On October 1, 1975, the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City was the venue of the infamous
"Thrilla in Manila", the thrilling boxing match between Heavyweight champions, Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. Manila also
hosted other international sports events such as the Asian Games in 1954 and the Southeast Asian Games in 1981 and
1991. In 1980, the Marcos administration ordered the construction of the grand Coconut Palace to host John Paul II during
his Manila visit. The head of the Vatican state visited Manila again in January 1995.

Sabah Once Belonged to Sultan of Sulu

Sabah, an oil-rich region forming the northern part the great Borneo Island, used to be a property of the Sultan of Sulu. Its
 73,620-square-kilometer land area is about twice the size of Switzerland and teems with incomparable natural resources.
The territory is still being claimed by the Sultan of Sulu, Jamalul Kiram III. The Sulu sultanate was founded by Rajah
Baginda in 1430. According to the present sultan, his claim goes as far back as 1704 when the Sultan of Brunei ceded part
of then North Borneo which now comprises Sabah to the Sultan of Sulu in the southern Philippines for his help in
suppressing a rebellion. There are about 500,000 Filipinos, most of them Muslims, living in Sabah. They fled to the territory
in the 1970s during heavy fighting between Muslim rebels and the government troops. Sabah is only four hours by boat
from the southernmost island-province of Tawi-Tawi in the Philippines.

Coconut Workers Own San Miguel Corp.

There are 3 million hectares planted to coconut trees, the second largest agricultural area after rice fields (4 million
hectares). The coconut industry employs about 3.4 million Filipinos. Some 18 to 20 million more Filipinos depend on the
industry for their livelihood, according to the United Coconut Associations of the Philippines (UCAP). About 90 percent of
those employed in the coconut industry are small farmers, who earn P10,000 a year or P25 a day.

Coconut farmers are among the most exploited segments of Philippine society. Driven to squalor by Marcos cronies who
thrived on the so-called coconut levies, the coconut farmers represent the oldest sector of the domestic economy. In 1642,
the Spanish colonial government forced each Filipino to plant 200 coconut trees, because Spanish shipbuilders had a large
need for charcoaled coconut shells and coconut husks. Coconut products have gradually become the country's top export,
accounting for 35 percent of all exports in the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1970s, coconut products were the country's leading
exports of raw materials. New economic policies initiated under the Aquino administration led to a slow-phased shift to
industries, which eventually put the coconut industry at the tailend of government priorities. In 2001, coconut exports
represented only 1.6 percent of the country's total exports.

In 1971, the dictatorial government of the late President Ferdinand Marcos established the Coconut Investment Fund
(Cocofund) by imposing a levy of P15 per 100 kilograms of copra for nine years between 1973 and 1982. Supposedly, the
fund should serve as subsidy to coconut products for domestic consumption. However, the cocofund, which amounted to a
total of P9.695 billion by August 1982, was turned into a private fund used to finance three financial institutions, including
the United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB). The cocofund was also used to acquire the majority shares of San Miguel
Corporation, the country's largest food and beverage conglomerate. A known Marcos crony, Danding Cojuangco, still retains
the chairmanship of both UCPB and San Miguel until today. The fund, which is estimated at over P100 billion today, has yet
to be transferred to the accounts of the coconut farmers. (Source: http://www.virtual-asia.com/ph)

A Mayor Held Office for 5 Decades

No other local official had the distinction of serving an elective post for almost half a century. Pablo Cuneta, the late mayor
of Pasay City and father of popular actress, Sharon Cuneta, died at 90 on September 27, 2000 after serving the government
for 50 years. In 1947, then President Elpidio Quirino appointed him vice mayor of Pasay City. In 1955, he was elected
mayor, a post which he held until 1967 when he lost to Jovito Claudio in the mayoralty election. He emerged victorious in
the 1972 elections and served his constituents in Pasay City until 1986 when he was ordered ousted by the Aquino
administration. Cuneta won in the 1988 mayoralty election and served his post uninterrupted until 1997 when his health
began to fail. He was awarded a golden trophy for his 50th year in public service in the same year.

A Priest Took Up Arms Against Americans

From 1900 to 1902, Catholic priest Gregorio Labayan Aglipay took up arms against American soldiers in Batac, Ilocos Norte.
Aglipay founded the Liwanag branch of the Katipunan in Victoria, Tarlac, attended the Malolos Congress and became the
ecclesiastical governor of Nueva Segovia (Ilocos) in 1899. In his religious role, Aglipay is considered as the Martin Luther of
the Philippines for founding the Iglesia Filipina Independiente or the Philippine Independent Church, which celebrated its
centenary on August 3, 2002. A century earlier, the Union Obrera Democratica, a confederation of 10 labor organizations
headed by Isabelo de los Reyes, broke ties with the Vatican and designated Aglipay as the Obispo Maximo (supreme bishop)
of their new religion. The Catholic Church then excommunicated Aglipay. An American general called Aglipay a better soldier
than a bishop. (Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer)

The Osmena Clan Is the Oldest Political Dynasty

The Osmena clan is perhaps the oldest and the most dominant political dynasty in the country. This political dynasty began
when Sergio Osmena Sr. replaced Manuel Quezon as president of the Commonwealth government during the war. His son,
Osmena Jr. became a senator and his grandson, Osmena III is now an incumbent senator. John Osmena, a former mayor of
Cebu City, is also a senator today. Lito Osmena, a long-time governor of the province of Cebu, vied for the presidency in the
1998 presidential election. Tomas Osmena was a mayor of Davao City.

Six Vice-Presidents Became Presidents

Six former vice-president became presidents, namely: Sergio Osmena, Elpidio Quirino, Carlos Garcia, Diosdado Macapagal,
Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Three Senate Presidents Became Presidents

Three former senate presidents became presidents, namely Manuel Quezon, Manuel Roxas, and Ferdinand Marcos.

Two Speakers Became Presidents

Two former House speakers became presidents, namely: Sergio Osmena Sr. and Manuel Roxas.

Three Presidents Died in Office

Three Philippine presidents were not able to finish their terms of office. They were Manuel Quezon who died in New York City
on August 1, 1944; Manuel Roxas who died of a heart attack on April 15, 1948; and Ramon Magsaysay who died in an air
accident on March 17, 1957.

First 3 Beauty Queens Married Pinoys

The first Miss Universe, Armi Kuusela of Finland won the crown in 1952 and married Virgilio Hilario of Tarlac the following
year. The first Miss International (1961), Maria Stella Marquez Zawadsky of Colombia, married Filipino millionaire, Jorge
Araneta. The first Miss Asia (1965), Angela Filmer of Malaysia, married Jose Faustino, also a Filipino.

A Filipino Spread Love Bug Virus

In May 2000, the so-called "love bug" computer virus spread worldwide and infected millions of computer files. The virus,
quickly infiltrated government and corporate computer systems around the world. Described as the worst computer virus
ever created, the "love bug" wrought damages amounting to US$10 billion. It could not have been big news in the
Philippines, if not for the fact that the suspected creator of the virus is a Filipino. He was identified as Onel de Guzman, a
student of AMA Computer College in Quezon City.
 Caloocan City Has Two Separate Parts
Caloocan City is the only city in the Philippines with two areas set apart from each other by other towns and cities. Its first
area, known as the urban portion, covers Monumento and is bounded on the south by Manila, on the west by Navotas and
Malabon and on the north by Valenzuela City. Its second area, known as Caloocan II, is a hilly portion between Bulacan
province and Quezon City.

Orchids Breeds Were from RP

Waling-waling or Vanda sanderiana, is described as the "Queen of Philippine Orchids". One of the largest species in the
world, waling-waling was discovered by German Taxonomist Heinrich Gustav Reicheinback in Mindanao in 1882. Since then,
it has become the most sought-after flower in Mindanao and helped in the flourishing of the world's multibillion-dollar orchid
and cutflower industry. The massive deforestation in Mindanao threatens the region's wildlife, including waling-waling which
used to abound in the tropical forest of Mount Apo and its surrounding areas. Today, it is believed that Waling-Waling has
more species abroad, particularly in Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong and Hawaii. Of the 9,000 flowering plants in the world,
about 3,500 are endemic to the Philippines. Human activities, however, pose a great threat to their existence.

Romulo Coined "I Shall Return"

It was Carlos P. Romulo, who coined the famous phrase "I shall return" by General Douglas MacArthur. Romulo was
MacArthur's press officer at that time.

Romulo Put RP in UN Map

According to Beth Day Romulo, Carlos P. Romulo literally put the Philippines on the world map. "When the UN official seal
which depicts the world was being selected, Romulo asked 'Where is the Philippines?'

The answer came, 'It's too small to include. If we put the Philippines, it would be no more than a dot.'

'I want that dot,' Romulo insisted." The UN seal now has a tiny dot for the Philippines.

MacArthur Was Field Marshall of Philippine Army

Philippine Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon appointed American four-star Maj. Gen. Douglas MacArthur as Field
Marshall of the Philippine Army in 1935. Attached with the appointment was MacArthur's extra monthly pay of US$3,980
that made him the highest paid military officer in the world, according to American historian Carlos D'Este in his book
"Eisenhower, A Soldier's Life".

Eisenhower Wrote Quezon's Speeches

In the book "Eisenhower, A Soldier's Life", American historian Carlos D'Este claimed that Dwight Eisenhower became an
adviser and speechwriter of Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon in the Philippines. When Quezon sought an exile in
the US, he met Eisenhower in Washington D.C. and offered him "a lavish stipend of some one hundred thousand dollars for
services rendered the Philippines during his four years there, which Eisenhower courteously rejected." This was before
Eisenhower was appointed as the supreme commander of all allied forces and planned the now infamous Normandy
Invasion in Europe during World War II. Eisenhower later became a US president.

Filipinos Had Headed International Organizations

Carlos P. Romulo became president of the United Nations 4th General Assembly; Cesar Bengzon, president of the World
Court Justice; Blas Ople, president of International Labor Organization; Jose Aspiras, president of World Tourism
Organization; Jesus Tamesis, president of World Medical Association; Arturo Tanco, president of World Food Council;
Florencio Campomanes, president of International Chess Federation; Justiniano Montano, president of World Boxing Council;
Gonzalo Puyat II, president of International Amateur Basketball Federation; Ramos del Rosario, president of World Jaycee
International;

Jolly Bugarin, president of International Criminal Police Organization; Mercedes Concepcion, president of the International
Union for the Scientific Study of Population; Lolita Delgado-Fransler, president of Association of International College of
Women; Modesto Farolan, president of International Union of Official Tourist Organizations; Florencio Moreno, president of
World Highway Engineers Association; Quintin Gomez, president of the 8th World Congress of Anaesthesiologists; Cielito del
Mundo, president of World Family Institute Inc.;

Fe del Mundo, president of International Women's Medical Association; Amelito Mutuc, president of World Association of
Lawyers; John Choa, president of Y's Men International; Roman Cruz, president of Orient Airlines Association; Manuel Nieto,
president of Oriental Boxing Federation; Rufus Rodriguez, president of World Association of Law Students; Edward dela
Rosa, president of World Association of Pharmaceutical Distributors; Esther Vibal, president of International Inner wheel;

Antonio Delgado, chairman of Boy Scouts World Conference; Marcelo Fernan, secretary general of the Academy of American
and International Law Alumni; Norman Certeza Sr., governor of Kiwanis International; Eduardo Chuidian, general manager
of Association of International Shipping Lines; Rafael Salas, executive director of the United Nations Fund for Population
Activities; and Dioscoro Umali, assistant director general of the Food and Agriculture Organization.

Tolentino and Amorsolo Were Classmates

Guillermo Tolentino and Fernando Amorsolo, both national artists in arts, were classmates at the UP School of Fine Arts.
Guillermo Tolentino was the one who carved the UP Oblation while Amorsolo was known for his paintings about barrio life
and women.

15 National Artists Were from Manila

Aside from Manila, there is no other city or province, which owns the distinction of having produced 15 national artists.
Three of these national artists - Levi Celerio, Cesar Legaspi and Rolando Tinio - were born in Tondo, the same district that
produced Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto and yes, Juan Flavier. Other national artists who were born in Manila include
Fernando Amorsolo, Francisco Arcellana, Ishmael Bernal, Gerardo de Leon, Nick Joaquin, Arturo Luz, Jose Maceda, Antonio
Molina, Juan Nakpil, Andrea Veneracion, Jose Garcia Villa and Honorata "Atang" dela Rama. Coming far behind Manila in
having produced a great number of national artists is Bulacan province, the birthplace of six national artists.

Bulacan Produced Great Musicians

Aside from producing heroes and poets, Bulacan is known as the birthplace of great Filipino composers, singers and
dancers. Nicanor Abelardo, who is widely regarded as the father of kundiman, was born in San Miguel, Bulacan while
Francisco Santiago, another pioneer of kundiman, grew up in Sta. Maria town. Noted composer Antonino Buenaventura was
born in Baliuag town while contemporary composer Ernani Cuenco was born in the capital town of Malolos. Honorata
 "Atang" dela Rama, the great theater actress before the war, made Bulacan her home and married poet and national artist
Amado Hernandez of San Miguel.

The father of Levi Celerio, the poet of Philippine music, was from Baliuag. Francisca Reyes Aquino, the mother of Philippine
dances, was born in the town of Bocaue. Composer and singer Rey Valera was born in Meycauayan town. At present, three
divas from Bulacan - Regine Velasquez, Jaimie Rivera and Claire dela Fuente own the finest voices that this country has ever
heard.

A Filipino Supervised a Russian Orchestra

Redentor Romero had served as the conductor of the 100-member Moscow State Symphony Orchestra, which received
worldwide acclaim.

Pasyon Was a Poem

The long poem read and chanted by Catholic devotees during the Lent first appeared in 1704. Entitled Ang Mahal na Passion
ni Jesu Christong Panginoon Nation, the poem was written in octosyllabic verse by Gaspar Aquino de Belen.

Balagtas Had Other Works

Francisco dela Cruz Balagtas, the 19th Century poet from Bulacan, wrote more than 100 plays, comedies, awits and koridos.
Most of these works, however, were burned in a fire that gutted his house in Udyong, Bataan in 1892. Fortunately, copies of
three of his works were found elsewhere. Aside from the well-known awit Florante at Laura, other existing works of Balagtas
were a short farce entitled La India Elegante y e! Negrito Amante and a full-length komedya entitled Orosman at Zafira.

A Filipino was Declared Emperor

In 1926, Florencio Intrencherado was proclaimed emperor of Negros Occidental province. In the 1900s, the people of
Negros declared a republic in Panay, which was later abolished by the US government.

A Filipino Refereed Muhammad Ali

In October 1975, Carlos Padilla Jr. served as the referee in the world-boxing match between Ali and Frazier in what was
dubbed as thrilla in Manila.

A Brazilian Became Filipinos' Darling in 2000

Leila Barros, a fine-looking volleyball player from Brazil, became the Filipino crowd's darling in the staging of World Women's
Volleyball Grand Prix in Manila in 1999 and 2000. Leila, a five-foot-eight player, led her team to the first runner-up finish in
the 1999 event, which was won by Russia. Brazil won the crown in 1994, 1996 and 1998. The Filipino audience used to
ignore the game of volleyball until they saw Leila spike the ball with the elegance and style no one else could show.

Inside the court, the 28-year-old Brazilian beauty was noted for her intensity and leaping ability, which enabled her to
penetrate the stonewall defense of her six foot rivals. Behind the pretty face was her seriousness and sheer determination
to win each game. She moves with the agility of Martina Hingis and the form of Anna Kournikova. Not a few Filipino men fell
in love with her flash images on television. Some of those who were lucky to see her personally waved placards proposing
marriage, not knowing that the young, otherwise innocent looking star player has been married for four years. How sad!
Just the same, Leila moves and jumps with the charm of any 16-year-old girl "oozing with sensuality", as one sports
columnist put it. At a time the Philippines was troubled by many problems, all it needed was a little inspiration from
someone like Leila, who reminded the Filipino men of the beauty of life.

Intel Chips Were Manufactured in RP

Intel Corp., the world's largest corporation, has been operating in the Philippines for almost 30 years. Calling itself as the
first multinational company that established a branch in the country, Intel manufactures processors and chips in its
Philippine plant, which is expected to be Intel's biggest assembly and testing operations worldwide soon. Other foreign
electronic and IT firms in the country are Texas Instruments, Toshiba, Trend Micro, Fujitsu, and America Online (AOL).

Marcos Was Last Lawyer President

Eight Filipino presidents were laywers. All former presidents from Manuel Quezon in 1935 to Ferdinand Marcos in 1986,
except Ramos Magsaysay, had practiced law. Starting 1986, the next four presidents were non-lawyers, namely: Corazon
Aquino, a housewife; Fidel Ramos, a military general; Joseph Estrada, an actor; and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, an economist.

A Filipino Ruled an Island

In 1956, Tomas Cloma, a Filipino explorer, discovered an island in the South China Sea. Cloma named the island as
"Freedomland" which he tried to rule by establishing his own government.

A Planetoid was Named After a Filipino

The minor planet Biyo, which has a diameter of four to nine kilometers and was formerly called planet 13241, was named
after Dr. Josette Biyo, a teacher at the Philippine Science High School in Iloilo City who won the International Excellence in
Teaching Award during the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) held in Louisville, Kentucky in 2002.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Lincoln Laboratory in the United States game the name.

Scientists Endorse Four Medicinal Plants

The country's Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAR) has included four medicinal plants - lagundi, sambong, yerba Buena and
tsaang gubat - in its list of drugs. Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) also endorses the use of the four plants and
six others to cure particular ailments or diseases. The use of lagundi is encouraged to cure cough; sambong, urinary tract
stones; yerba Buena, muscle pains; tsaang gubat, intestinal colic; niyog niyugan, intestinal worms; bayabas, for wound
wash; akapulko, skin infection; ulasimang bato, uric acid; garlic, high blood cholesterol; and ampalaya, high blood sugar.

There Were Mummies in the Philippines

A tribe in Kabayan town, Benguet province used to mummify the bodies of their dead. Until now, the mummified bodies of
their ancestors are hung at the burial rocks in the area.

Someone Made Magsaysay Famous

The person responsible for making the late President Ramon Magsaysay famous as the champion of the masses was Jose V.
Cruz, a journalist. At 30 years old, Cruz first served as the press secretary of Magsaysay.

Filipino Doctors Apply as Nurses in the US

So enamored are Filipinos about working in other countries for higher income that 2,000 doctors are now taking up nursing
examination for the possibility of working in the US. The Philippine Nurses Association disclosed that in June 2002 alone, at
least 100 doctors took the nursing board examinations. A doctor applying for a nurse in the US said that he would earn in a
month as a nurse in the US what he is earning in a year as a doctor in the Philippines. Some Filipino nurses earn up to
US$5,000 monthly in New York and California. Reports said the US would need additional 600,000 nurses until 2010 while
Japan would require 1.2 million nurses during the same period. Filipino nurses are also trooping to Europe, particularly
United Kingdom. Ironically, the Philippines has one of the lowest ratios of doctors and nurses against the population.

Salaried Workers Carry Burden of Taxes

Citing data from the National Tax Research Center (NTRC), Finance Secretary Isidro Camacho said that in the year 2001,
there were 2,605,505 individual taxpayers who filed their income tax returns and paid a total of P80.42 billion.

About 2,079,745 salaried workers, or 80 percent of the income tax payers, paid a total of P66.3 billion in income taxes,
accounting for 82 percent of the total collection. Professionals or self-employed individuals contributed only P10.75 billion or
only 13 percent of the income taxes while capital gains tax paid by individuals reached P3.18 billion.

In particular, self-employed individuals or single-proprietors paid P10.13 billion while professionals paid only P620 million.
Based on these figures in 2001, professionals paid only P20,447 in income tax while salaried workers paid P31,879.

According to the DOF, this should not be the case since professionals are actually earning much higher than salaried
workers. Citing a 1997 government survey, the DOF said that salaried workers earned only P582.7 billion while professionals
received P1.159 billion during that year. Measured per capita, salaried workers earned an average of P223,642 while
professionals earned P2.204 million in 1997.

In the year 2002, for example, only 2.8 million Filipinos of the total 30 million workers, businessmen and professionals paid
their income taxes. As of October 2002, there were over 30 million Filipinos in the labor force, about 15 million of whom
were salaried workers, 11 million were self-employed and 4 million were unpaid family workers.

One government study showed that over the past 11 years (1991 to 2001), leakage from the individual income tax
amounted to P608 billion. This was on top of the P610 billion that were lost to leakage in the value added tax (VAT) scheme.

Americans Are 25 Times Richer

Equitable distribution of wealth would hardly resolve the poverty problem in the country. In reality, the country's per capita
income or the imaginary figure referring to every Filipino's equal share in the country's total wealth, is below US$1,000. In
comparison, countries like the United States, Germany, Japan and even Singapore have a per capita income of over
US$25,000. This means that an ordinary American is 25 times richer than an ordinary Filipino. What would be needed to
relieve poverty is to enlarge the economic pie by drawing more capital and resources into the country, so every Filipino
would get a larger share.

Among Questionable Claims Are:

1. The Philippines is the world's second largest English-speaking nation. In reality, most Filipinos do not speak English on
the street while the Department of Education is bothered by Filipino students' low English proficiency level. In comparison,
English is the main language in the streets of United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and other British territories.

2. The Philippines has the largest Christian population in Asia. China actually has over 80 million Christians and is therefore
the country with largest Christian population in Asia.

3. The Philippines was second to Japan in economic prosperity in Asia in the 1950s. Coming out of World War II, most East
Asian countries, including the Philippines, were in still in recovery in the 1950s. Some of them had just won their freedom
while economic prosperity was a strange phrase during that period. Even our parents would agree that life was harder in the
1950s. The Philippines never became rich and its golden age has yet to set in. Economic situation, however, was less
burdening in 1996 and 1997 under the Ramos administration.

4. The Philippines is an agricultural economy. The Philippines is no longer an agricultural country. It cannot even produce
enough rice, sugar or wheat to feed its entire population and has to import food from Thailand, Vietnam and the United
States. The country's agricultural exports comprised less than 5 percent of its total outbound shipments in 2001. While the
agriculture sector employed 37 percent of the workforce in 2001, it contributed only 21 percent to the gross domestic
product (GDP). The industrial and services sectors contributed the remaining 79 percent to the domestic economy.

5. Filipinos are the happiest people in the world. The World Values Survey conducted by University of Michigan in 1998
ranked Iceland 1st and the Philippines 12th among 54 countries in happiness index. The Philippines was ranked first among
Asian countries though. The truth is happiness cannot be measured.

6. Early Filipinos had a perfect socio-economic and justice system before the Spaniards came. There was never a perfect
society in the world and tales about gold abounding in the Philippines five centuries ago remain to be proven. The fact is
slavery, war, witchcraft, beheading and human sacrifice were already present in the country before the Spaniards came.

7. The Philippines is a favorite destination of foreign tourists. It could have the finest beach resorts in the world, but the
Philippines gets only about 2 million foreign tourists annually. In comparison, smaller Asian countries like Singapore and
Hong Kong receive over 8 million foreign guests every year.

8. The Philippines is one of the safest and most peaceful places on earth. That is what the Department of Tourism claims but
according to the International Red Cross, the Philippines registered the world's fourth highest number of casualties and
injuries as a result of natural disasters and man-made calamities from 1992 to 2001 - 5.8 million cases in all. It was behind
China, India and Iran. China and India were expected in the accident list because they have the largest populations in the
world.

9. Equitable distribution of wealth would resolve the poverty problem in the country. In reality, the country's per capita
income or the imaginary figure referring to every Filipino's equal share in the country's total wealth, is below US$1,000. In
comparison, countries like the United States, Germany, Japan and even Singapore have a per capita income of over
US$25,000. This means that an ordinary American is 25 times richer than an ordinary Filipino. What would be needed to
relieve poverty is to enlarge the economic pie by drawing more capital and resources into the country, so every Filipino
would get a larger share.
 10. Basketball is the dominant sports in the Philippines. Not any more. Because of the growing youth population and the
lack of basketball courts, most Filipino children are now trooping to computer game shops and billiard halls.

11. Filipinos invented the fluorescent lamp that illuminated the world and the Lunar Rover used by American astronauts on
the moon. The National Academy of Science and Technology disagrees.

Most Profitable Businesses Today Include:

1. Gambling in the form of online lottery or text games

2. Power generation and distribution, thanks to purchased power cost adjustment
3. Mobile phone networks, as long as the country is hooked to texting
4. Beer and wine production as always
5. Drug manufacturing and retail, because medicines here are twice as expensive
6. Computer training centers which promise instant jobs after graduation
7. Kindergarten schools with exorbitant tuition fees
8. Caregiver training centers for people wanting to go to Canada and US
9. Immigration consultancy which offers expensive seminars
10. Job placement agencies
11. Pyramid selling
12. Laundry services for American troops
13. Importing ukay-ukay
14. Selling pirated VCDs and software
15. Kidney buy and sell
16. Smut publishing, as in yellow journalism
17. Billiard tables for rent
18. Computer game shops
19. Money exchange in Basilan
20. Bikini car wash as the one in Iloilo City

Outstanding Awards

Trivia

Filipino Magsaysay Awardees

Since 1958, 26 Filipinos and seven Philippine-based institutions have received the Ramon Magsaysay Award, which is widely
acknowledged as Asia's version of the Nobel Prize. The Filipino awardees included Hilario Davide Jr., Jose Vasquez Aguilar,
Arturo Pineda Alcaraz, Francisca Aquino, Alfredo Bengzon, Jesse Robredo, and Miriam Santiago for government service;
Rosario Encarnacion, Silvino Encarnacion, Eva Fidela Maamo, and Pablo Torres Tapia for communist leadership;

Angel Alcala, Fe del Mundo, Antonio Fortich, Benjamin Gaston, Cecil Guidote-Alvarez, Gilopez Kabayao, Pedro Tamesis Orata
and Rosa Rosal for public service; Lino Brocka, Nick Joaquin, F. Sionil Jose, Raul Locsin, Bienvenido Lumbera, and Zacarias
Sarian for journalism, literature and creative communication; and Corazon Aquino for peace and international
understanding.

Radio Veritas was awarded for journalism while the Asian Institute of Management, Bayanihan Folk Arts Center, College of
Agriculture of University of the Philippines-Los Banos, International Rice Research Institute, Operation Brotherhood+ and
Press Foundation of Asia were recognized for peace and international understanding.

Architect of Brunei's Palace

Architect Leandro Locsin designed Istana Nurul Iman, the palace of the sultan of Brunei, which has a floor area of 2.2
million square feet.

Most Decorated Filipino

Carlos P. Romulo was perhaps the only Filipino who received 82 honorary degrees from different universities and
international institutions and 74 decorations from foreign countries, including the U.N. Peace Medal, the World Peace Award,
the Four Freedoms Peace Award and the US Presidential Medal for Freedom. In 1945, the African former colonies nominated
Carlos P. Romulo for the Nobel prize for peace for espousing "independence" for the former colonies of Asia and Africa.

Youngest National Artist

The youngest Filipino to become a national artist was Napoleon Abueva. The famous sculptor received the award in 1976 at
the age of 46.

Nobel Prize Awardee

Dr. Frankie Arcellana, a son of national artist Francisco Arcellana, was a member of the governing board of the International
Physicians for the Prevention Nuclear War, which won the Nobel peace's prize in 1985.

Woman of the Year in 1986

In 1986, former President Corazon Aquino received various international awards such as the Time Magazine's Woman of the
Year, the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award, the United Nations Silver Medal and the Canadian International Prize for
Freedom. She was cited for setting the example of nonviolent movement for democracy, which later was also tested in
Burma, South Africa, Poland and Chile.

Gold at European Art Contest

In 1880, Juan Luna joined the Madrid Exposition where his painting, "The Death of Cleopatra" won the second prize. This
masterpiece is now on exhibit at the Museo Nacional de Pinturas in Madrid. In 1884, Luna's huge painting, "Spolarium", won
the first Gold Medal at the Exposicion Nacional de Bellas Artes, also in Spain. Coincidentally, another Filipino, Felix
Resurreccion Hidalgo won the second prize in the same event for his painting, "Antigone".

Luna's Spolarium depicts fallen gladiators being dragged to an unseen pile of corpses in a chamber beneath the Roman
arena. Considered as the largest painting in the country, it has a height of 4.6 meters and a length of 7.72 meters. It is now
on display at the National Museum in Manila.
 Other Filipinas Played Kim
With her petite figure and powerful voice, many think that Cezarah Campos Bonner is the perfect version of Kim, the young
heroine in the internationally acclaimed musicale, "Miss Saigon". The 27-year-old Cez, who has previously played Kim in the
London and Sydney productions of Miss Saigon, shared the role of Kim with Lea Salonga in the Manila staging of the
musicale, which run from October 2000 to March 2001. While she admires Lea for her many achievements, Cez says she
has developed her own style and would like to be known for it. Her producer, Cameron Mackintosh, believes that Cez is one
of the best performers to have played Kim. Since 1989, there are a total of 42 actresses who have assumed the lead role,
and among them are Filipinos, Americans, Australians, Japanese, Dutch, and English. Aside from Lea and Cez, the other
well-known Filipino "Kims" include Monique Wilson, Jamie Rivera, and Jenine Desiderio.

Filipino Woman in Motocross

It is hard to believe that Christina del Rosario or simply "Wacky", a 23-year-old beauty, has engaged actively in what can be
considered as extreme sports originally meant for men. Her sports list includes motocross, jetskiing, trail riding, boxing,
kickboxing, cross-country running, and weight training. And she is all set to dabble in skydiving soon. Wacky, as her friends
call her, views life as an adventure. Known on the racetrack as "Pocket Rocket", she has done enough to carve her niche in
the male-dominated territory. Among her exploits with her brother was becoming the first Filipino finalist in the 2000 Skat
Trak World Jet Ski Finals in Laka Havasu, Arizona. She was ranked 1st and 4th in the two categories she joined at the 1200
Women's Limited in the World Jet Sports in the U.S. Apart from sports, Wacky also has her exploits in business. She
manages four companies. She is the general manager of the family-owned Irma Ice Plant group in Navotas; the vice-
president of Irma Fishing and Trading Inc.; and the owner of R6 Construction Supplies and Del Rocket Racing.

Unesco's Peace Prize

In 1997, former President Fidel Ramos and ex-Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chairman Nur Misuari received the
UNESCO Felix Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize for ending the MNLF armed struggle in September 1996. Ironically, Misuari
broke the peace pact with the government in September 2001 and led another armed rebellion. As this was being written,
Misuari was held in a police prison camp in Laguna province.

Sarimanok Won Two Golds

ABS-CBN's Sarimanok computer-animated station ID has won two gold awards for excellence at the New York TV and Film
Festival. It was developed by Mr. Casino.

Filipino Film at Cannes

Raymond Red's "Anino", a 13-minute film, bested 715 other entries to bag the Palme d'Or for short film at the Cannes Film
Festival in the year 2000.

Filipino Film at Berlin

In 1977, Kidlat Tahimik (Eric de Guia) brought home the International Critics Prize from the Berlin Film Festival for his film
"Ang Mababangong Bangungot".

Saksi Gets Gold from New York

Saksi, the Filipino news program of GMA 7, won the Gold WorldMedal at the New York TV and Film Festival on January 17,
2003. GMA 7 said the medal was its 17th medal from the festival since 1990. Before this, Saksi won as Asia's Best Newscast
in the 2000 Asian TV Awards.

Peabody Award Winner

Jessica Soho, a broadcast journalist at GMA 7, won the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award for her documentaries on
the underground "Kidney-for-Sale" business and death sport "Kamao" in the year 2000. Before this, Soho had won a medal
from the New York Film and Television Festival for coverage of a breaking story.

Filipino Song Had Foreign Versions

Freddie Aguilar's "Anak" sold millions of copies around the world and had versions in Japanese, English, French, and
German. It is reportedly the most recorded Filipino song worldwide.

Filipino Compositions Won Awards

Ryan Cayabyab's composition "Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika" won the grand prize at the Seoul International Song Festival in
1978 while his "Mama" won the grand prize at the Kajistan Song of Asia Festival in 1991. His composition "Paraiso" won the
top prize at the Tokyo Pop Music Festival in 1992.

Award Winning Pianist

One of the recordings by Filipino pianist Cecile Licad was awarded as the "Records of the Month" by Time Magazine's Critics
Choice in July 1990.

Choir of the World

In 1995, the UST Singers won the "Choir of the World" grand prize and four other first prizes at the 4th Llangallen
International Eisteddfod in Wales, UK. The competition was reportedly the world's oldest international choral competition. In
2001, the UST Singers was voted "Best Choir" at World Choral Festival in Puebla, Mexico.

Best Choir in Italy

The UP Singing Ambassadors won the Gran Premio 'Citta d' Arezzo in Italy in August 2001. The Italian competition was said
to be the Olympics of choral singing.

Best Dance Troupe

The Bayanihan Philippine Dance Company (IU '65) has bested 21 other dance troupes from around the world to win the
Gold Temple Award and the Absolute Gold Award in the 47th International Folk Festival in Sicily "for being the overall best in
dance, music and costume."

Best Selling Author

Veltisezar B. Bautista, a writer and publisher who was born in General Tinio town in Nueva Ecija province, is perhaps the
most read Filipino author in the United States. His six non-fiction books won for him two Benjamin Franklin awards and
other prestigious awards in the US. Among the titles he wrote and published are "The Book of U.S. Postal Exams: How to
Score 95-100% and Get a Job", "How to Build a Successful One-Person Business: A Common-Sense Guide to Starting &
Growing a Company", "Improve Your Grades: A Practical Guide to Academic Excellence", and "How to Teach Your Child:
Things to Know from Kindergarten through Grade 6." Before he migrated to the US in 1976, Bautista had served as a
proofreader, reporter and deskman of the now defunct Manila Chronicle. He also contributed articles to the Free Press.
 Award Winning Furniture Designers
In May 2001, a group of Filipino furniture designers known as Movement 8 bested over 600 participants from all over the
world to win the Editors' Award in the prestigious 2001 International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICCF) in New York.
Before this, the group had collected awards from other fairs in Paris, Milan, Germany and Spain.

International Teacher
In 1958, Concepcion Aguilar was recognized as "International Teacher of the Year".

Champion Organist
In 1974, Filipino organist Socorro de Castro became a champion in the International Electrone Grand Prix, which was held in
Tokyo, Japan.

Children's Choir
The Mandaluyong Children's Chorus, composed of 30 students aged 6 to 16 years old, from public schools in the city won a
silver medal and a bronze medal in the 2nd World Choir Olympics held in Busan, South Korea where 300 singing groups
from 100 nations participated from October 19 to 27, 2002.

Children's Art Champion

In 1988, Cristina Fabian was acknowledged as the supreme gold winner in the International Children's Art competition,
which was held in Tokyo, Japan.

Math Champions
Who said that Filipino students have poor Mathematical skills? In the World Youth Mathematics Intercity Competition held in
Lucknow, India in May 2002, a team of 16 Filipino students brought home 2 gold medals, 10 silver medals and 3 bronze
medals. The event drew 61 teams from 12 countries such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Finland, China and India.

Filipino winners include gold medallists Alvin Edward S. Gillo (Pasay City Chong Hua High School) and Michael Joseph N. Tan
of (Zamboanga Chong Hua High School); silver medallists Jed Ericson C. Lee and Johnson Gamboa (Grace Christian High
School), Charles Erick T. Co (St. Peter the Apostle School), David Joseph N. Tan, Jimson G. Ngeo, Kendrick C. Saavedra and
Elvis T. Chua (Zamboanga Chong Hua High School), David T. So (Saint Stephen High School), Raymond A. Salvador (Jesus
is Lord High School), and David Wan (Philippine Cultural High School); and bronze medallists Richmond C. Saavedra
(Zamboanga), Jan Henri Ma (Trinity Christian School) and Roland Joseph Robles (Philippine Cultural). The other contestant,
Lloyd Neilsen Chiong won a merit award.

Youngest Accountant
Jose Gangan became a certified public accountant (CPA) at the age of 18.

Award Winning Actor

In 1955, Filipino actor Efren Reyes was adjudged as "Asia's Best Actor" in the Asian Film Festival for his appearance in the
film "Ifugao". In 1967, Charito Solis was acknowledged as "Asia's Best Actress" for his portrayal in "Dahil sa Isang
Bulaklak".

Nightingale Awardee
In May 1961, the Geneva-based International Committee of Red Cross bestowed the Florence Nightingale Medal and
Diploma to Julita Sotejo, a Filipino nurse.

Filipino in Holywood
Rudy Robles appeared in 50 American movies, and was in the lead cast of at least three of these films.

California PIO
Former Filipino sportswriter Percy Della later became the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the California State
government.

Award Winning Furniture Designers

In May 2001, a group of Filipino furniture designers known as Movement 8 bested over 600 participants from all over the
world to win the Editors' Award in the prestigious 2001 International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICCF) in New York.
Before this, the group had collected awards from other international fairs in Paris, Milan, Germany and Spain.

International Clothing Brands

Filipino clothing brands Bench, Sari-Sari, Ba-yo, Penshoppe, Plains and Prints have already opened stores in other countries.

Philippine Disasters

More Trivia

World's 4th Most Accident-Prone Country

According to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the Philippines was the fourth most accident prone
country in the world. The two institutions arrived at this conclusion after finding out that some 5,809,986 Filipinos were
killed or injured as a result of disasters or man-made calamities over a ten-year period (1992-2001).

If not for its smaller population, the Philippines could have been the world's second most accident-prone country after Iran.
Because of its large population, China topped the accident list, with 97,783,301 of its citizens affected by accidents during
the ten-year period. It was followed by India, which reported 46,060,125 victims during the period. Both China and India
have a population of over 1 billion people. Iran was third in the list, with 6,416,570 victims. Behind the Philippines were
Ethiopia, with 3,334,266 victims; and Pakistan, 2,732,032 victims. The global report by International Red Cross said
535,416 people were killed in natural disasters and 86,947 others in industrial, transport and other "technological disasters"
worldwide from 1992 to 2001.

According to the Philippine Red Cross, 31,835 Filipinos were killed and 94,369,462 others were affected by natural disasters
and calamities in a span of 20 years. "The Philippines was a natural laboratory for floods, typhoons, monsoon rains,
earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and landslides," Philippine National Red Cross governor Dante Liban said. (Source:
Philippine Daily Inquirer)
 313 Disaster Incidents in 2002
Data from the Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC) showed that there were 313
disaster incidents in the country in 2002, up from only 199 incidents in 2001. In particular, there were 120 fire incidents
that affected 15,430 households in 2002, 63 deportation or relocation incidents, 22 armed conflicts that distressed 8,891
families, 22 bombing incidents or explosions, 22 flashfloods that affected 234,414 households, and 7 destructive typhoons
that distressed 568,345 families. Other types of disasters that happened in 2002 were vehicular accidents, sea mishap,
tornado, massacre, plane crash, and earthquakes.

Worst Disaster in History

On July 12, 2000, the Philippines witnessed one of the world's most horrifying images of social tragedy in history. Nearly
500 garbage scavengers who were living literally at the Payatas dumpsite in Quezon City were buried alive under tons of
garbage when a 50-foot garbage mountain collapsed on their makeshift houses at the height of torrential rains. It was a
tragic commentary on poverty in the Philippines, yet the lesson remains to be learned to this day.

Worst Sea Accidents

In December 1987, some 4,341 people died when Dona Paz, an inter-island passenger ferry owned by Sulpicio Lines
collided with an oil tanker off Mindoro Island. Sadly it was not to be the last sea tragedy in the Philippines, an archipelago of
7,107 islands. In 1988, around 250 people died when Dona Marilyn, another passenger ferry owned by Sulpicio Lines, sank.
On April 11, 2002, at least 30 people were killed when MV Maria Carmella, which was bound from the island-province of
Masbate for Lucena City in Quezon province, caught fire.

Among the most frequently mentioned causes of the sea accidents were overloading of the ship, ageing facilities, badly
trained crewmembers, and poor compliance by the vessels with safety precautions and measures. While the Philippines has
over 7,100 islands and 10,000 ships or boats, the Philippine Coastguard has only 4,000 men.

Worst Air Accidents

On April 19, 2000, some 131 people were killed when a commercial airplane from Manila crashed in Samal Island, Davao del
Norte province (southern Mindanao). All the passengers and crew, including four infants, of Air Philippines Boeing 737-200
(Flight 541 from Manila) died in what is now considered the worst air tragedy in the Philippines.

A local commercial flight bound for northern Luzon crashed into Manila Bay seven minutes after takeoff in the morning of
November 11, 2002, leaving 19 people including six foreign tourists dead. Ten people survived.

The ill-fated airplane - an ageing Fokker 27 - was bound from Manila for Laoag City in northern Luzon, with 29 passengers
and crewmembers on board, when it encountered an engine trouble and crashed one kilometer off the Manila Bay shoreline
in Paranaque City. The dead victims include five Australian tourists and a British national. Among the 10 survivors was an
Australian tourist. The two Filipino captains of the airplane also survived, along with a flight stewardess and a plane
mechanic.

On July 2, 2000, an Air Force Nomad plane crashed somewhere in Sulu Sea, killing its 13 crewmembers and passengers,
including the late Palawan Governor Salvador Socrates and Western Command chief Maj. Gen. Santiago Madrid.

On March 17, 1957, President Ramon Magsaysay died in an airplane crash in Mount Manunggal, Cebu province.

Worst Terrorist Attacks

No one thought that banditry still exists in the modern era. In April 1995, the Muslim extremist Abu Sayyaf (Bearers of the
Sword) group raided the Christian town of Ipil in Zamboanga del Norte province and burned all its houses and
establishments. The group also shot dead at least 54 residents of the town. The worst terrorist attack in Metro Manila took
place on December 30, 2000, which was a holiday (Rizal Day). A series of bombings rocked the metropolis on that day. The
worst explosion happened inside a train of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) in Manila where 22 passengers were killed and
hundreds more were wounded.

Before this, an explosion nearly killed Philippine Ambassador Leonides Caday in Jakarta, Indonesia on August 1, 2000. Police
claimed that an Indonesian national in their custody has admitted responsibility for the bombings in Manila and Jakarta. In
March, 2002, a group which identified itself as the Indigenous Federal State Army planted at least 10 hoax bombs around
Metro Manila purportedly to demand the establishment of separate governments for Muslim and indigenous people.
Investigators, however, denied that such a group exists and blamed the bomb scare to existing rebel groups.

On April 21, 2002, 15 innocent civilians were killed while 60 others were injured when a bomb exploded outside a shopping
mall in General Santos City (southern Mindanao). The Abu Sayyaf quickly claimed responsibility over the bombing, although
the military was convinced that a larger Muslim rebel group could be involved. On October 19, a bomb exploded aboard a
public bus, killing three passengers and wounding 19 others in Balintawak, Quezon City. A fragmentation grenade also
exploded in Makati City but injured no one on October 17.

On October 17, two of the seven bombs planted around Zamboanga City (western Mindanao) exploded, leaving seven
people dead and 144 others injured. On October 10, a bomb, which was allegedly planted by an extortion group, exploded
inside a bus terminal in Kidapawan City (central Mindanao), leaving 8 people dead and 25 others injured. On the night of
October 2, a bomb, allegedly planted by Muslim extremist Abu Sayyaf group, exploded in front of a karaoke bar in
Zamboanga City (western Mindanao), killing an American soldier and two Filipinos and wounding 19 others, including
another American soldier.

September 11 Attacks
What is considered as the world's terrorist attack was the September 11 airplane assault on the twin towers of the World
Trade Center in New York in 2001. About 3,000 people were believed killed in the incident that brought all the floors of the
two buildings to the ground. Reports said there were at least 500 Filipinos or Filipino-Americans working at the World Trade
Center. There were 80,000 Filipinos living in New York City and another 50,000 in Washington D.C.

Worst Fires
On March 18, 1996 a fire at Ozone disco along Timog Avenue in Quezon City left 150 people dead and 90 others seriously
injured. Around 350 young Filipinos were inside the bar when the fire struck. It was considered the worst nightclub fire since
a blaze killed 164 people in Southgate, Kentucky in 1977. On August 18, 2001, a fire gutted Manor Hotel in Quezon City,
killing 75 guests and wounding 52 others. The victims, mostly local members of the Dawn Flowers Ministry, a Texas-based
Christian evangelical group, were asleep when the fire struck. They were trapped inside their rooms because the hotel's fire
exit was blocked.
 Worst Bus Accident
On November 24, 33 people died while six others were seriously injured when a passenger bus plunged into a 30-foot
ravine in Tagkawayan, Quezon province (southern Luzon). The ill-fated Falcon Liner bus was bound for Masbate province
(Bicol region) when its driver reportedly lost control of the wheel while negotiating a downhill portion of the Quirino
Highway. Most of the passengers were asleep when the accident happened at 12:30 a.m. On November 26, a Victory Liner
bus plunged into a 109-foot ravine in Benguet province, killing two of its passengers.

Worst Volcanic Eruptions

In June, 1991, Mount Pinatubo in Zambales province had the century's second largest volcanic eruption, as it unleashed
some 15 million tons of sulfur dioxide into the earth's atmosphere that resulted in slight cooling of the earth's temperature.
Thousands of people were believed killed as a result of the eruption and the subsequent lahar flow, which buried several
villages in the provinces of Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales. The eruption also forced American troops out of their bases in
Clark, Pampanga and Subic, Zambales. What is considered as the century's strongest eruption is the eruption of Novarupta
in Alaska, which released 9 cubic miles of magma towards the earth's surface in June, 1912.

Worst Typhoons and Flashfloods

As a typhoon codenamed Thelma was passing the Philippines on November 5, 1991, a flashflood hit Ormoc City in Leyte
province, killing at least 3,000 people and destroying the homes of 50,000 others. In September 1984, a typhoon
codenamed Ike killed 1,300 persons while in 1995 typhoon Angela killed 700 people. On August 3, 1999, heavy torrential
rains caused a landslide that killed 58 people and buried over 100 houses at Cherry Hills Subsivision in Antipolo City. On
November 9, 2001, a typhoon locally named "Nanang" caused a flashflood that buried 350 residents of Mahinog in the
island-province of Camiguin. The highest death toll during a weather disturbance was reported in Bangladesh when a strong
cyclone (typhoon) killed nearly 300,000 people in November 1970.

Worst Earthquakes
On July 16, 1990, an earthquake that registered 7.7 on the Richter scale killed 1,700 people, injured 3,000 individuals and
displaced 148,000 more in Luzon. Among the cities that sustained the worst damages were Baguio, Dagupan and
Cabanatuan. On August 17, 1976, an earthquake caused a tidal wave or tsunami that killed about 8,000 people in
Mindanao, according to the Information Please Almanac. On August 2, 1968, an earthquake caused the collapse of Ruby
Tower buildings, leaving hundreds of people trapped underneath the rubble. What is considered as the most damaging
earthquake in the 20th Century took place in Tianjin, China where 250,000 people were believed killed. The strongest
earthquake, which registered 9.5 on the Richter scale, was reported in Chile on May 22, 1960.

Worst Festival Tragedy

On July 2, 1993, a pagoda carrying hundreds of Catholic devotees during the annual pagoda festival in Bocaue, Bulacan
sank into the muddy Bocaue River. About 279 people, including children, drowned in the incident. One victim, Sajid Bulig,
died a hero after saving four children out of the river.

Coastal Areas Sinking

According to the University of the Philippines' National Institute of Geological Sciences, low coastal areas at the Manila Bay,
such as Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela and several towns in Bulacan, Pampanga and Bataan have sunk one meter
in the past 30 years or ten times than the rate of the global sea level rise in the last century.

In their paper "Flooding in Pampanga, Bataan, Bulacan and Camanava: Causes, Trends and Possible Solutions", geologists
blamed the fast rise of water level at the Manila Bay to too much extraction of groundwater by a growing population and
economic activities. There are about 23 million people living around the Manila Bay, who experience flood during the rainy
season.

Tourist Spots in Philippines

Photos and Images

Explore the Philippines. Take a peek at Filipinos' history and culture mirrored by century-old churches, ancient forts and
modern museums. See the best of nature in our white-sand beaches and three-layered virgin forests.

Discover the Philippine islands. Blessed with an extensive coastline, the Philippines is ringed with unspoiled beaches and
first-class resort facilities. Its deep-blue, crystal-clear waters offer about 40,000 square kilometers of coral reefs teeming
with a wide variety of marine life.

Endowed with a temperate climate, the Philippines offers a perfect treat to enjoy the sunlight. Lying in southeast Asia and
surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Philippines boasts of unsullied beaches, spectacular sunsets, luxuriant pastoral lands,
cool mountain weather, brilliant man-made resorts and dazzling islands.

The Philippines boasts some of the best beaches and scuba diving waters in the world, supported by golf and an
increasingly-impressive inter-island tour and transport system.

Witness the vast expanse of nature's splendor under the spell of cool mountain breeze. A perfect setting for romance or
nature tripping, the country's mountain villages serve as a perfect hideaway from the lowlands' summer heat.

If you have yet to see the Philippines, then embark now to what promises to be a trip to paradise!

Feel the breeze of summer at white-sand beaches deemed as among the world's finest; be fascinated at the spectacular
view of Baguio and Tagaytay; and take a dip in the refreshing waters of modern resort facilities.

Whi te- Sa nd Bea ch es

Boracay Island

Widely known as one of the finest swimming destinations in the world, Boracay is blessed with unsullied fine talcum powder-
sand beaches. Its tranquil crystal clear waters are perfect for swimming, sailing, fishing and sunbathing. Boracay also boasts
of sapphire seas and spectacular sunsets. Countless hidden coves dot the island and tall coconut trees line up along the
beaches.

Boracay lies at the northwest tip of Panay, in the west Visayas region, off the Sibuyan Sea. The island is made up of little
communities: Yapak in the north, Balabag in the middle, and Manocmanoc in the south. Hilly elevations up to 100 meters
above sea level characterize Yapak and Manocmanoc. Intertwining trails link the small villages together but many
 sometimes lead to lush tropical jungles.

To get to Boracay, one has to book a flight to Kalibo, the capital of Aklan province. Air-conditioned coasters or public buses
offer one-hour-and-a-half drive to Caticlan where one can board a motorized banca for a 30-minute trip to Boracay.

Siargao Island

This newly discovered island boasts of white-sand beaches and surfing waves compared to that of Hawaii. Lying 800
kilometers southeast of Manila, the tear-shaped Siargao Island is a perfect haven for the sun, sea, and surf buffs. It lies on
the eastern portion of Surigao del Norte and on the southeastern tip of Mindanao. The island is a mass of tropical land with
scores of reefs, points and white beaches.

Its promise as a surfing mecca in the making was discovered in 1993 by American surf photographer John Callahan who
went to investigate the rumors of spectacular waves in a little known Mindanao town. He came back from his trip armed
with stories about the lovely sun-drenched island and documented his find with beautiful photographs.

Siargao opened itself to the international surfing community by playing host to the Siargao Surfing Cup in the municipality
of General Luna. Siargao's Cloud Nine break is said to be among the best in the world and foreign sportsmen view "the
unparalleled surf of Siargao as a magnet for deep sea fishing, sailing, wind-surfing, kayaking, and sunbathing on miles of
white sandy beaches that the reef-ringed island and its rich waters afford the visitor.

Samal Island

Samal Island offers unending fascination with its white-sand beaches, thick mangroves, coral reefs, rolling hills and rock
formations.It is an archipelago of nine islands located in the Davao Gulf about 700 meters south of Davao City. An ideal
model for resort and development, Samal Island provides a fabulous site for sunrise and sunset.

Samal Island, like the rest of Mindanao, is outside of the typhoon belt, and enjoys relatively calm weather. Its coastline is
characterized by tall, swaying coconut trees, white sand beaches, rock formations, mangroves, coral reefs, and small fishing
villages, all suggestive of a tropical island paradise.

Almost all of the beach areas have white sand, with widths varying from only a few meters to more than 10 meters. It
provides ample space for picnic huts, reclining chairs for sun bathing, or for simply relaxing and enjoying the tropical
scenery.

The water is crystal clear throughout the coastline, which varies in terrain from gently sloping sand beaches to steep cliffs
and rock formations. The colors of the coastline at the beach areas transforms itself from the green lush vegetation of
coconut trees, to the white sandy beaches, to the dark blue color of the sea, with its deep waters and coral reefs.

Among its popular attractions are the Aguinaldo Pearl Farm, the caves of Talikud Island, the White Stone Mountain, and the
San Jose Muslim Fishing Village.

Bohol's Springs and Beaches

Bohol is one of the loveliest islands in southern Philippines. It is situated at the heart of Visayas and with coastline skimmed
by gentle coves and white-sand beaches. Many highways snake along sparkling beaches or leafy rivers where one can stop
at any point and jump in.

With its rolling hills and plateaus, crystal springs and beaches, the province of Bohol is a picturesque province replete with
ancestral homes and centuries-old churches. Bohol is composed of numerous isles -Panglao, Pamilacan, Cabilao, Jao,
Mahanay and Lapinin, which are excellent dive spots.

The Chocolate Hills is but one of the many natural wonders to be found in Bohol. The province is the home of the world's
smallest monkey, the tarsier. The size of a fist, the tarsier lives on the hills of Corella, some ten kilometers from Tagbilaran.
Other exotic flora and fauna may also be found amongst the forest of Bohol.

Bohol's various mountainous and water formations also serve as a natural playground for the adventurous tourist. One can
cruise its rivers, hike up the hills, swim the deep waters, or just stroll down the avenues. Bohol is just waiting to surprise
you.

Tagbilaran, Bohol's capital town can be reached by plane or boat from Cebu and Manila. Numerous tourist inns and excellent
resorts are found in Tagbilaran and Panglao island.

The Beaches of Palawan

The exotic beauty of Palawan remains undefiled. Branded as the country's last frontier, Palawan is a sanctuary to an
amazing variety of exotic flora and fauna that are found nowhere else. Palawan is also home to Tubbataha Reef, the only
national marine park that made it to the World Heritage List and whose grandeur is comparable to the Great Barrier Reef of
Australia.

With more than a thousand islands and islets, Palawan boasts of white-sand beaches, scenic rock formations, underwater
rivers and magnificent caves. Other well-known attractions include Saint Paul's National Park which boasts of caves that
nestle an underground river; El Nido, a world-class resort famous for its awe-inspiring seascape and limestone cliffs; and
Calauit island, home of Philippine and African wildlife.

Also in Palawan is the primordial island of Busuanga, a perfect starting point for sorties to other nearby islands.In Palawan,
each day is promising. The sun rises over the South China Sea and soon everything else sparkles, including the smiles of its
people.

The Beaches of Glan, Sarangani

Glan, the largest town in the Sarangani province, boasts of world-class beach resorts and rich fishing grounds. The terrain of
Glan is characterized by flatlands, rolling hills and mountains. Most land areas have been converted to agriculture and
fishponds.

The town of Glan is bounded on the east by Davao Del Sur, on the north by Malapatan town, on the west by the South China
Sea, and on the south by Sarangani Bay.

Many foreign and local tourists flock to the area during summer because of its splendid beach resorts. The sorrounding
waters, particularly in Gumasa, Baliton and Margus areas are rich fishing grounds. As many as 2,400 species of marine
 animals have been found in the bay. The dominant catch include yellow-fin tuna, shipjack, and mackerel.

Glan can be reached from Manila and Cebu by airplane going to General Santos City and a 45-minute drive from the airport.

Subic Bay

Subic, the former US naval base in the Philippines, is now a hub for commerce and tourism. Just two-and-a-half hour drive
north from Manila, Subic offers a full view of the blue mountain and sea and of the green background of a three-layered
virgin forest.

Points of interest include the 18-hole Binictican Golf Course and Clubhouse, a white-sand beach, bowling and arcade
center,a ship wharf past a restricted forested area, firing ranges, fishing grounds and an area for bungee jumping.

Visitors to Subic can take a 12-hour jungle survival course, visit an Aeta tribal village, take a bay cruise, explore the coves,
end up at the white-sand beach of Grande Island, engage in water sports, go horseback riding or simply enjoy the scenic
view of the sea.

Subic Bay is complete with tourism-support facilities that include a marina, a yacht club, hotels, shopping arcades and food
shops. It also boasts of an international airport.

Anilao

Anilao, a resort village in Mabini, Batangas is considered the summer mecca of diving fanatics. The resort offers
accommodations and diving facilities, plus the services of training clubs that provide courses on diving.

Situated in the southeast area of Batangas province, Anilao may be reached within three hours from Manila through public
buses or jeepneys. From Anilao, one can start diving from the shore or go in bancas to nearby islands. Among them is
Sombrero (Hat) Island, a marine preserve where sports activities are regulated.

Other dive spots in this side of Batangas are Mapating Rock at Maricaban Island, Caban Cove and Layag Layag Point.

Puerto Galera

Puerto Galera (which means Galleon Port) is one of the most popular beach resorts in the Philippines. A marine reserve, it is
endowed with coves, fine sandy beaches and shallow coral reefs ideal for snorkeling.

The place can be reached from the port of Batangas City where a ferry service to Mindoro awaits the tourists. Bancas may
be hired to go to Escarceo Point, the best dive spot in Puerto Galera. The area offers positive thrills and guaranteed
excitement, with its sudden rushes of strong currents and steep slopes which are a favorite gathering place for large pelagic
fish.Diving expeditions are usually organized by certified masters on specific dive spots.

Hundred Islands

Northern Philippines boasts of white-sand beaches in Pangasinan and Ilocandia. Among the best tourist destinations is the
Hundred Islands which can be reached from the Pangasinan town of Alaminos, where the lodging accommodations and
restaurants are situated.

At Hundred Islands, the visitor may rent an island for one's own private beach for a day. Short boat rides take off from the
village of Lucap to the Hundred Islands.

Beaches stretch along the western coast of Ilocos region. Among the popular beach resorts are Cresta del Mar, Bali Hai,
Cabana and the Coconut Grove in La Union province.

Ilocos Norte also has fine resorts such as D'Coral Beach Resort and Fort Ilocandia.

Pools an d R eso rt s

Aside from beaches and diving spots, the Philippines also has other beautiful places. You can either take a dip in the
refreshing waters of modern resort facilities, feel the gush of volcanic hot springs or just have fun under the waterfalls.

Pagsanjan Falls

A popular tourist destination, Pagsanjan Rapids and Falls is a series of 14 rapids punctuated by mini-waterfalls on the way to
the main falls. Pagsanjan is a small Laguna town which served as the setting for Fracis Ford Coppola's film "Apocalypse
Now."

The terrain towards the main falls offers a lot of exitement. As one negotiates the waterway, the trips becomes wilder, with
the river flanked by towering cliffs lush with vegetation. Waters from the Cavinti and Luisiana dams cascade down
Pagsanjan Falls and into a segregated part of the river which is about 150 feet deep. Here, one can rent a raft and enjoy
riding under the falls.

Laguna Resorts

Aside from Pagsanjan Falls, Laguna has a lot more to offer. Laguna has one of the Philippines' incredibly beautiful
countryside sceneries. The province offers a scenic view of a bay, considered as the largest in the country. The towns of
Calamba and Los Baños abound with swimming pools and resorts. Many residents of Metro Manila head for these towns
during summer.

In Calamba, one can proceed to the ancestral house of National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal. The house now serves as a museum
and is a repository of Philippine history and culture.

Los Baños, on the other hand, is famous for its numerous hot springs. Considered as a flower basket in Luzon, Los Baños
produces a wide variety of flowers and other ornamentals. Mt. Makiling, an extinct volcano, stands guard over the town.

Hidden Valley Springs

Hidden Valley Springs is one of the most popular resorts in Alaminos, Laguna. The valley nestles at the foot of Mt. Makiling,
a mystical mountain associated with local myths.
 A number of springs with hot, cold and soda water, lace a forest of huge fruit trees, tropical shrubs and flowering plants. A
concrete path connects the pools and leads to the jungle's interior where a waterfall has cut a gorge down the
mountainside.

The resort has cottages for overnight stay and restaurants. It is an ideal base for visiting the surrounding provincial towns of
Laguna and Quezon.

Bulacan Resorts

Bulacan, a progressive province just north of Manila, offers resort facilities that are generally clean and complete in
amenities.

The towns of San Jose del Monte, Sta. Maria, Balagtas, Pandi, Malolos, Plaridel and San Miguel boast of resort facilities that
draw visitors from Metro Manila and nearby provinces. The rural setting provides a perfect blend of countryside nature and
modern facilities for fun and recreation.

Among the well known resorts in the province are DJ Paradise Resort in Malolos; Sibul Spring Resort in San Miguel; Grotto
Vista in San Jose del Monte; 4k Garden and Lanesca Resort; Latian in Marilao and Villa Christina in Balagtas.

Bulacan is just a 30-minute drive from Manila via the North Luzon Tollway or through the Mac Arthur Highway.

Villa Escudero

Villa Escudero, a coconut plantation village in San Pablo City, was developed by its owners into a tourist destination
complete with swimming pools, picnic area, fishing grounds, and modern amenities. Special packages can be arranged to
include overnight stay with food and accommodation.

The village offers a glimpse of plantation living. The whole area is surrounded by coconut trees and flowering plants. The
estate also houses a museum whose collection ranges from fabulous antiquities to kitsch. Bamboo cottages grid a river that
flows to a dam where picnickers gather around the tables set up on the water.

The village is a one-and-a-half hour drive south from Manila.

Puerto Azul

Situated on the southern entrance to Manila Bay and opposite Corregidor Island is Puerto Azul, a beach resort that offers a
breathtaking sight with all its elegance and mystique.

Puerto Azul, a tourists' paradise in the outskirts of Ternate town in Cavite, boasts of flowery bushes, verdant hills and
forests, blue sea, and fine sand beaches. Here, one can imagine one's self in the Biblical Garden of Eden (a little bit in the
modern era, though).

The resort complex, which nestles within a 3,300-hectare nature reserve, houses two entities: the Puerto Azul Beach Hotel
and the Puerto Azul Beach and Country Club. The club manages a world-class golf course designed by Gary Player and Ron
Kirby and completed in 1978. It is now a popular venue for many prestigious championship tournaments.

Though Puerto Azul has always been synonymous with golf and the beach, now there are other things that one can do
within the complex. Puerto Azul Beach Hotel has, in fact, prepared 30 fun-filled activities which can be done on one's own or
with family.

Camiguin Island

Camiguin Island, known for its lanzones festival, offers white-sand beaches, spring resorts and magnificent caves untouched
by industrial development. The island lies off the north coast of Mindanao. Aside from its beaches, Camiguin boasts of spring
resorts and waterfalls.

The 62-square kilometer island-province has more volcanoes per square kilometer than any other island on Earth. Most
famous of the island's seven volcanoes is Mt. Hibok-Hibok whose last eruption was recorded in 1951.

Among its popular attractions are the Ardent Spring Resort run by the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA), the Mt. Hibok-
Hibok itself, Santo Niño Cold Spring, Medano Islet, Mantigue Island and the lanzones festival.

There are local flights to Camuigin island.

Cool Mo un ta in s

Witness the vast expanse of nature's splendor under the spell of cool mountain breeze. A perfect setting for romance or
nature tripping, the country's mountain villages serve as a perfect hideaway from the lowlands' summer heat.

Baguio City

Rising 1,500 meters above the sea, Baguio City enjoys a relatively cool weather throughout the year. On the average,
Baguio is at least eight degrees cooler than any place in the lowlands. Not surprisingly, Baguio has become the "summer
capital" of the country.

It is awarded with a variety of cultural, historical and scenic attractions which make it an important and interesting
destination. As early as March, tourists and locals take the six-hour trek up the zigzagging Kennon Road. Within a mile of
the city, the sweet scent of pine trees and flowers already permeate the air.

Designed by Daniel Burnham during the American occupation, Baguio City is situated in the midst of pine-covered hills and
valleys at the southern end of the Cordillera. Among its popular attractions are the well-manicured lawns of Club John Hay,
the Mansion House and the Burnham Park.

From Baguio City, one can proceed to the Banaue Rice Terraces, also considered as the eighth wonder of the world. An
engineering marvel, this "Stairways to the Sky" was constructed by hand by the Ifugaos.

Tagaytay
 With an altitude of 2,250 feet above sea level, Tagaytay City enjoys a cool climate all year round.

This city perched on a ridge is located in the province of Cavite, some 56 kilometers south of Manila. It overlooks Manila Bay
on the north, Taal Lake and Taal Volcano on the south, Laguna Bay on the east and the China Sea on the west. The city is
linked to the Metropolitan Manila and the province of Batangas by the Aguinaldo Highway.

Among its attractions is the Tagaytay Picnic Grove where one can get an unobstructed view of Taal Volcano, which lies within
a lake. Taal Volcano, which rises 406 meters from the lake, is reputedly the world's smallest volcano.

Taal Lake itself is an immense body of water formed when the old crater collapsed and the walls of the larger volcano caved
in and sank.

A visit to the Volcano Island can be arranged through the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology in Quezon City
which maintains a monitoring station on the island.

For visiting tourists, support facilities are readily available in this idyllic city. Tagaytay is the "sister" city of Las Vegas and
Nevada, U.S.A; Tainan City, Taiwan; and Bankstown City, New South Wales, Australia.

Sagada

This Mountain Province town, situated west of Bontoc, boasts of its cool weather and spectacular sceneries. A pastoral
upland valley, Sagada provides an endless expanse of mountain ranges which are clothed by fogs in the early morning.

Among its attractions are towering limestone cliffs, subterranean caves and unexplored forests. Some of Sagada's caves
remain unconquered. Because of their length and depth, Sagada's natives believe that these caves lead to the center of the
Earth.

Other sites to visit in Sagada are the Kitongan bottomless pit and underground river, Calvary Hill, Bukong Falls and Alipine
Lake Banao. Sagada has accommodation facilities and can be reached by public buses from Banaue in Ifugao province or
from Baguio City.

Banahaw

Another popular destination, specially during the Lent period, is Mount Banahaw, an extinct volcano which rises 2,100
meters above sea level.

Banahaw towers over the southeastern towns of Laguna and Quezon. Revered as a mystical mountain, Banahaw has
become a sanctuary for different religious cults. Up on Banahaw's leafy slopes live members of various religious sects who
adhere to what seems to be a mixture of Catholicism, Buddhism, the cabala, animism and other forms of pagan worship.
Down below, in the foothill towns, dwell amulet-makers, soothsayers, faith healers, diviners and dedicated UFO watchers.

Banahaw comes alive during the Lent when various religious sects re-enact the passion of Jesus Christ.

People ascend to Mount Banahaw to experience its cool weather, bathe in its hot springs or simply stand amazed at the
sight of nature's beauty.

Mount Banahaw can be reached from both east and west. From the east, the ascent starts in Lucban, Quezon, while from
the west, in Dolores, Laguna. For both climbs, it is advisable to have a guide to ensure a safe trip.

Urban W onde rs

Enchanted Kingdom

Thousands of people head south of Manila to spend a day of fun-filled relaxation and adventurous excitement within the
American-style walls of Enchanted Kingdom, a 17-hectare world class theme park conveniently located in the outskirts of
Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Enchanted Kingdom, a short five-minute ride from the Sta. Rosa Tollgate of South Luzon Expressway, brings the closest
version of Disney-type leisure in the country. The theme park, managed and operated by Amtrust Leisure Corporation
(ALC), offers educational entertainment tours to students and "gastronomic treats" to families.

The P1.2-billion park, which has been operating since July 28, 1995 was conceptualized by Landmark Entertainment Group
and designed after the Knott's Berry Farm, America's first amusement theme park located in Buena Park, California. It is a
member of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA). As such, it provides visitors with
thrilling rides, stunning sights, and wondrous experience.

In the words of the Enchanted Kingdom operators, "the place is an active mix of thrills, attractions, entertainment, food
service, celebrations and shopping set amidst an enthralling place that presents the past and the future, the quaint and the
sophisticated, the picturesque and the dazzling in one unique package."

Enchanted Kingdom is an aggregate of seven theme zones: Victoria Park, Portabello, Brooklyn Place, Spaceport, Jungle
Outpost, Midway Boardwalk, and Boulderville. These zones serve as enclaves to 21 thrilling rides and attractions meant to
provide daring visitors with a sense of flight, twist, twirl, and other acrobatic stunts.

The rides include the Grand Carousel, Flying Fiesta, Rialto, Space Shuttle, Log Jam, Wheel of Fate, Condor, Up Up and Away,
Roller Coaster, Anchors Away, Dodgem, Stone Eggs, Air Pterodactyl, Swan boats, and Bump n Splash. In the near future,
the park is set to introduce other exciting rides such as the Kiddie Train Ride and the Rio Loco River Rapid Ride.

Aside from the rides, Enchanted Kingdom also charms its visitors with various treats such as the fireworks show every
weekend, dance presentation by the park's in-house talents, theater shows, seasonal shows, well-manicured gardens,
classic American brownstone facades and establishments, and a variety of characters and mascots led by the Wizard.

Manila

Rediscover Manila like you've never seen it before. Be charmed by the city's glorious past mirrored by its century-old
churches, gallant forts, classic plazas, ancestral edifices, stately museums, and historic monuments. At the same time,
relish the beauty of a modern city rising from the ruins of yesteryears. Beyond Manila's busy streets and crowded
commercial centers lie festive joints that celebrate life.
 The Old City

Manila, which was named after a white-flowered mangrove plant called nilad, was a tiny Malay settlement along the Pasig
River ruled by Rajah Sulayman in the 16th century. The Spanish colonizers moved the capital of the Philippines from Cebu
to Manila in 1571. They built the walled city of Intramuros, which for the next 300 years, was to become the nerve center of
the Spanish rule.

Intramuros was the political and commercial center of the Spanish regime. From this walled city, the Spaniards extended
their cultural and religious influences to the different parts of the country. They built churches, Catholic-run schools and
universities, government buildings, and magnificent artifices, which reflect the Castilian architecture.

At the turn of the century, the Americans came and ruled the Philippines for 50 years. They introduced their own
architecture, language, education and system of governance. During this period, Manila underwent a facelift. A blend of
American and Spanish influences gave way to a new Manila, which was to evolve into a giant urban area known as Metro
Manila.

Today, Metro Manila is an aggregate of 10 cities and seven municipalities.

Intramuros

Among the popular attractions in Metro Manila are Intramuros, Rizal Park, Binondo, Malacañang, Malate, the CCP Complex,
Nayong Pilipino, Ayala Avenue, the Fort, Ortigas Center, Quezon Memorial Circle, and countless bars and restaurants
scattered around the metropolis.

Traces of the Spanish influence still loom in Intramuros. A tour of this landmark will provide the visitors a deeper
understanding of Manila's rich heritage. Intramuros protects within its walls a number of national treasures like the Fort
Santiago (once a prison for revolutionary Filipinos, now a peaceful park-cum-museum), San Agustin Church (the oldest
structure in the country with its Baroque interiors and trompe l'oeil murals), Manila Cathedral (a magnificent architectural
feat with its intricate stone carvings, stained glass mosaics, and rosette windows), Casa Manila (a former colonial house and
now a museum of national relics), and San Juan de Letran school.

Intramuros has been restored for the tourists. Today, it houses a museum, art galleries, an open-air theatre, fine
restaurants, craft shops and souvenir stalls. It also keeps a park lush with tropical flora and homing pigeons. The park,
Puerto Real, is the venue of Saturday musical performances during dry months.

Rizal Park

Just beside Intramuros is Rizal Park, a 60-hectare conglomerate of gardens, historical markers, plazas, an artist's sanctuary,
a 1913 bronze monument of Jose Rizal, a grand stadium, an observatory, an open-air concert hall, a light-and-sound
theatre, restaurants, food kiosks and playgrounds, with dozens of fountains. Fronting the northwest side of the park is
Manila Hotel, whose lobby is one of the most imposing in the world. Along the park's bayside, tourists can have an
unobstructed view of the fabled Manila Bay sunset.

A five-minute walk from Rizal Park is the National Museum, the official keeper and guardian of the country's cultural,
historical and natural heritage. It houses the representative works of the National Artists, as well as the renowned paintings
of Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo and Juan Luna. It puts on display some prehistoric finds, including the Tabon skullcap, pottery,
ceramics and other artifacts from China and Indochina and remnants of pre-Hispanic boats that brought Malay immigrants
to the Philippines dating to about 1250. Other establishments worth visiting in the area are the Metropolitan Theater and
the National Library.

Binondo Area

Across the Pasig River from Intramuros is the Binondo area, home of Chinatown. The district is filled with all things Chinese
from Peking duck and Buddhist temples to gold watches, snake soup, and wonder herbs. The high chords of Chinese songs
and the permeating smell of incense complete the uniquely Chinese ambiance. It is said that this quaint district was already
a hub of Chinese commerce even before the Spaniards came in 1571.

In particular, Ongpin offers a lot of variety: restaurants, pet shops, bakeries, grocery stores, jewelers, traditional medicine
shops, acupuncture clinics, kung-fu schools, and mahjong parlors. Ongpin leads to Plaza Santa Cruz, which is where Rizal
Avenue curves to meet the MacArthur Bridge. Escolta, now a shadow of its former self, leads off from here. The plaza is
dominated by Santa Cruz Church.

Malacañang

From Escolta, one can proceed to the San Miguel district, known for its Spanish-style houses and the Malacañang Palace,
seat of the Philippine government. This ornate Spanish colonial palace, with its arches and balconies, was built as a private
country house in the late 18th century and purchased by the government in 1825. At first the governor-general's summer
residence, it became his permanent residence in 1863, after the Palacio Real in Intramuros was destroyed by an
earthquake. In 1986, the palace museum was opened for the public. Visitors are advised to call first. The telephone number
is 521-2307.

The CCP Complex

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Complex is the arts center of the country. Located along Roxas Boulevard in
Pasay City, this is the premier venue for ballet presentations, concerts, stage plays, performances, exhibits and trade fairs.
Inaugurated in 1969, the CCP comprises a fine concert hall seating 2,000 plus an intimate 400-seat theater as well as a
library, museum, art gallery, and an upscale restaurant. The lobby is opulent, with marble floors, curving staircases, and
glass and kapis-shell chandeliers.

Also within the complex is the Coconut Palace, an architectural wonder made from the coconut tree mixed with other
indigenous material. The Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), the Product Design and Development Center,
the Folk Arts Theater, Philippine Center for International Trade and Exhibitions (PHILCITE), Westin Philippine Plaza Hotel and
Manila Film Center are also found here.

Beside the CCP Complex is the World Trade Center, while fronting it is the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) building. The
BSP houses two museums: the Money Museum, which showcases excavated antique gold jewelry and the Metropolitan
Museum, a repository of classic Filipino paintings and a host of rotating international art exhibitions.

Roxas Boulevard is also lined up by de-luxe and standard hotels, lively nightclubs, and the Cuneta Sport Center, home of the
Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
 Parks and Zoos

From the CCP complex, one can proceed to Nayong Pilipino. This 32-acre theme park is also just a 10-minute drive from the
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). The park features scaled-down replicas of the country's top tourist destinations
such as Mayon Volcano, the Banaue Rice Terraces and the Chocolate Hills.

A smaller park, which offers a venue for relaxation is also within close distance. The Paco Park, which was built as a
cemetery in 1820, is now a frequent site of mini-concerts and musical performance by the country's finest artists.

The park is surrounded by trees and plants, which are properly identified. Behind the park is the Paco Hong Giarn Taoist
Temple. Nearby are the New Swiss Inn, with bar, restaurant, and delicatessen, and the Park Hotel, with lounge, restaurant,
and swimming pool.

Not far from the area is the Manila Zoo on Adriatico street. Manila Zoo, the country's largest and oldest, hosts international
and indigenous animal species such as the Tamaraw and Philippine crocodile. It is open everyday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The northern part of Metro Manila takes pride in maintaining two animal sanctuaries, Parks and Wildlife Nature Center and
the Malabon Zoo. The former, located at the corner of Quezon Ave. and the Elliptical Road in Quezon City serves as the
protection center for exotic animals confiscated from smugglers and illegal collectors.

A stone's throw away is the Quezon Memorial Circle, a park noted for its 30-meter-high monument of former President
Manuel Quezon. Its underground chambers house the Quezon City Museum and Art Gallery. The Malabon Zoo and
Aquarium, located along Gov. Pascual Avenue in Potrero, Malabon also has a collection of interesting fish and animals. It is
open everyday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

In Makati City, an air-conditioned zoo at the Glorietta mall is frequently visited by parents and their small children. The area
also has a small playground.

Commercial Districts

South of Manila is Makati City, considered as the financial capital of the country. Along Ayala Avenue rise modern
skyscrapers, which are home to multinational companies, foreign embassies and local banks. The trendiest leisure spots -
hotels, restaurants, bars, music lounges, fashion boutiques and department stores - converge around the sleek Ayala
Center. Across EDSA is the posh subdivision of Forbes Park, home of the country's rich and famous. One area that now
competes with Makati in terms of its modern architectural landscape is the Ortigas Center between Mandaluyong City and
Pasig City. Home to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), it is also the site of three of the country's richest shopping malls -
SM Megamall, Robinson's Galleria, and Shangri-la EDSA Plaza.Also within Ortigas is the striking leisure enclave, Saint
Francis Square, with its fine restaurants and fashionable music lounges.

Suburbs

The town of San Juan, just next to Manila, boasts of its large mansions and modern houses. It is home to some of the
richest Filipinos, including the present president. Quezon City is the site of many government installations, leading
universities, and television stations. Marikina City, on the other hand, is considered as the shoe capital of the Philippines. It
takes pride in having maintained a clean river, planked by greens.

Las Piñas City in the southern part of Metro Manila has retained much of its provincial appeal. Its main attraction, however,
is the world-famous bamboo organ, found in the town's picturesque Catholic church. The centuries-old musical instrument
was constructed between 1792 and 1819. It has 174 bamboo pipes, 122 horizontal reeds of soft metal, a five-octave
keyboard, and 22 stops arranged in vertical rows. The church is open daily except Sunday morning.

Best Buys

As a shopping haven, Metro Manila offers almost all kinds of products, from the most fashionable to the rarest items. And
they can be found almost anywhere, in the most luxurious department stores as well as in small bargain shops. Depending
on the traveler's budget, there is always a place where one can find the best buys. The giant shopping malls, SM,
Robinson's, Glorietta, Shangri-la, and Rustan's, carry most of the well-known international labels. They also have stores,
which sell the best of Filipino products.

Unique souvenirs are being sold at Silahis in Intramuros, and SM Department Store, Makati Commercial Center and
Landmark in Makati City. The best place to search for Philippine handicrafts are "Ilalim ng Tulay Market" on Carlos Palanca
Street, and the handicraft stalls at Nayong Pilipino. For antique collectors, the best spots to visit are Padre Paura, Ermita
and Intramuros.

Attractive buys are also available in the metro's flea markets, such as Quiapo, Tutuban and Divisoria in Manila and Baclaran
in Parañaque. Bargain-hunters will surely have a feast while picking from the widest collection of fabrics, RTWs, home
furnishings, bags, shoes, watches, handicrafts, office supplies and other interesting items.