All About The Philippines

Full country name: Republic of the Philippines
Area: 115,446 sq mi(A little bigger than Arizona, USA)
Population: 72 million (growth rate 2.5%)
Capital city: Manila (pop: 10 million)
People: Predominantly descendants of Malays, Chinese and Muslim minorities and a number of mestizos (Filipino-Spanish or Filipino-Americans)
Language: Pilipino (Tagalog) and English plus numerous widely spoken indigenous languages, some Spanish
Religion: 82% Roman Catholic, 9% Protestant, 5% Muslim, 3% Buddhist
Government: Republic
President: Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada

Environment

The archipelago has a volcanic topography and experiences frequent seismic activity. There are 37 volcanoes in the archipelago and the highest peak is Mt Apo 9691ft(2954m) in Mindanao. About half the country is under cultivation and about a third remains forested, despite tree-felling and slash-and-burn agriculture. There are more than a 1000 species of birds and animals, notably wild dwarf buffalo, mouse deer, crocodiles and pythons. There are over 10,000 species of trees, shrubs and ferns, the most common of which are palms and bamboos.

The Philippines are hot and humid year-round. The weather pattern across the archipelago is complex, but can be roughly divided into the dry season (January to June) and the wet season (July to December). The average annual temperature is 77°F(25°C). The best time to visit is between December and May, but avoid Manila in May when temperatures can reach 105°F(41°C).

History

The first inhabitants of the Philippines arrived up to 300,000 years ago, probably migrating over a land bridge from the Asian mainland. The Negrito or Aeta arrived 25,000 years ago, but they were driven back by several waves of immigrants from Indonesia, followed by maritime immigrations of Malayan people. In 1380, the Arab-taught Makdum arrived in the Sulu archipelago and began to establish what became a powerful Islamic sphere of influence over the next hundred years.

Ferdinand Magellan arrived in 1521 and claimed the archipelago for Spain. Magellan was killed by local chiefs who quite naturally disapproved of this notion. Ruy Lopez de Villalobos followed in 1543 and named the territory Filipinas after Philip II of Spain. Permanent Spanish occupation began in 1565, and by 1571 the entire country, except for the strictly Islamic Sulu archipelago, was under Spanish control.

A Filipino independence movement grew in the 19th century and Filipinos fought on the side of the Americans in 1898 during the Spanish-American War. When the Spanish were defeated, General Aguinaldo declared the Philippines independent. The USA, however, had other plans, and promptly purchased the islands from the Spanish for US$20 million. The USA eventually recognised the Filipinos' desire for independence and Manuel L Quezon was sworn in as President of the Philippine Commonwealth in 1935 as part of a transitional phase pending full independence. Japan invaded the Philippines in 1942 brutally interrupting this process and ruled until the USA re-invaded two years later. The Philippines received full independence in 1946.

Ferdinand Marcos was elected president in 1965, declared martial law in 1972 and ruled virtually as a dictator until 1986. His regime was attacked by both communist and Muslim guerrillas, and he was accused of ballot-rigging and fraud. The assassination of prominent opposition figure Benigno Aquino in 1983 sparked massive anti-government protests. A snap election in 1986 saw the opposition parties rally around Aquino's widow, Cory. Both parties claimed victory, but Aquino was widely believed to have polled most votes. She initiated a programme of nonviolent civil unrest which resulted in Marcos fleeing the country.

Aquino re-established the democratic institutions of the country, but failed to tackle economic problems or win over the military and the powerful Filipino elite. US strategic influence in the country diminished following the 1991 Mt Pinatubo eruption which destroyed the US Clark Air Base, and after the Philippine Senate refused to ratify the lease on the Subic Bay Naval Station. Aquino survived seven coups in six years and was succeeded by her Defence Minister Fidel Ramos in 1992. Ramos has attempted to revitalise the economy, attract foreign investment, cleanse corruption and expand provision of utilities.

The Philippine government and the Moro National Liberation Front signed a peace accord in September 1996 ending, formally at least, the MNLF's 24-year struggle for autonomy in Mindanao. The peace agreement foresaw the MLNF being granted considerable autonomy in many of island's provinces. Peace in the area remains elusive however following the rise of a splinter group, the militant Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which opposes the agreement. The government continues to conduct military operations in MILF-held areas in Basilan and Sulu.

Economic Profile

GDP: US$173 billion
World GDP ranking: 40th
GDP per head: US$2660
Annual growth: 3%
Inflation: 8%
Major products/industries: Electronic and electrical products, clothing
Major trading partners: USA, Japan, Taiwan

Culture

The Philippines has developed a mixed culture from the blending of foreign influences with native elements. Today, the Muslims, and some of the isolated tribes, are the only people whose culture remains unadulterated by Spanish and American influences.

Although traditional theatre, literature and kundimans (love songs) in the national language have experienced a resurgence since Cory Aquino's People Power movement, visitors are more likely to witness beauty contests, lurid soap operas, violent and sentimental Filipino movies, and local bands perfectly imitating Western pop tunes.

About 10% of Filipinos (the so-called cultural minority groups or tribal Filipinos) retain their traditional culture. There are some 60 ethnological groups, ranging from the Badjao of the Sulu archipelago, who are sea gypsies, to the head-hunting Kalinga in the north of Bontoc.

The Philippines is the only Christian country in Asia. Over 90% of the population claim to follow Christian faiths. The largest of the minority religious groups are the Muslims, who live chiefly on Mindanao and in the Sulu archipelago. There is also a Philippine Independence Church, some Buddhists, and a small number of animists.

The geography and history of the Philippines have conspired to produce a multiplicity of languages, some 80 dialects in total. The concept of a national language developed after the Spanish-American War in 1898 and Tagalog was declared the national language in 1936. There were several other contenders for this role, including Cebuano, Hiligaynon and Ilocano. A compromise reached in 1973 confirmed Pilipino as the national language. This is based on Tagalog, but has linguistic elements of other Philippine languages. Despite this, English remains the language of commerce and politics in the Philippines.

Filipino cuisine has Chinese, Malay and Spanish influences. Popular morning and afternoon snacks are called merienda, and pulutan (small morsels) are served with alcoholic drinks. Barbecued sticks of meat or seafood are popular evening snacks. Standard dishes, always served with rice, include meat and vegetables cooked with vinegar and garlic, grilled grouper, meat stews and a huge variety of soups - rice, noodle, beef, chicken, liver, kneecap, offal and sour vegetable. Side dishes include strips of unripened papaya, fermented fish or shrimp paste and bite-sized pieces of crispy pig skin. Halo-halo is a dessert made from crushed ice mixed with sweets and fruits and smothered in evaporated milk.

Events

New Year's Day is celebrated with great vigour and plenty of fireworks. On 9 January, the Black Nazarene Procession, the largest procession in the country, carries a life-size, blackwood statue of Jesus through the streets of Quiapo. The Filipino version of Mardi Gras is the three-day Ati-Atihan, celebrated in Kalibo on Panay in the third week in January. On Good Friday, there are many scourges throughout the country, which have become popular attractions, especially those at San Fernando and Antipolo, near Manila. There are more processions on Flores de Mayo in May, this time in honour of the Virgin Mary. Independence Day is celebrated on 12 June with military parades. There are local festivals taking place just about every week of the year somewhere in the Philippines.

Facts for the Traveller

Visas: 21-day visas are issued on arrival. 59-day visas can be obtained in advance and cost around US$35
Health risks: cholera, hepatitis, malaria, rabies
Currency: Peso
Exchange rate: US$1 = 40 pesos as of 11/27/99
Relative costs:

• Cheap meal: US$2
  
• Restaurant meal: US$4
  
• Cheap room: US$4
  
• Hotel room: US$10
  

Warning

The Philippines archipelago is serviced by a flotilla of ferries, some of them little more than rickety tubs that are often overcrowded and under serviced. There are 100 ferry accidents a year in the Philippines, many of them involving high numbers of fatalities. Legislators have begun to call for the death penalty for negligent operators whose boats sink, but this is unlikely to improve the sea worthiness of many vessels. If you feel uncomfortable boarding a ferry that looks shonky, leaky and overcrowded, look for an alternative boat or catch a plane.

Attractions

Banaue

Beaches

Off the Beaten Track

Remote Islands

There are wonderful trekking opportunities along Luzon's Pacific Coast, especially in Bikol and Quezon provinces. For those who want to escape motorised transport completely, nothing beats walking on Batan Island or Lubang, where the horse cart still retains its place as the primary mode of transport. Wildlife enthusiasts should visit Calauit Island, where the wildlife sanctuary has been breeding African animals successfully for nearly 20 years. Giraffes, zebras and gazelles can be seen.

With 7000 islands, the Philippines has a wealth of opportunities for diving and snorkelling. Favoured spots are Boracay, Alona Beach (Bohol), Puerto Princesa (Palawan) and the island of Apo. Canoeists can shoot the rapids in Pagsanjan, 44mi(70k) south-east of Manila. If the river looks familiar in places, that's because Coppola filmed parts of Apocalypse Now on the river. Spelunkers can explore Palawan's Underground River, a 5mi(8km) long meandering network of caves.

Getting There & Away

Getting Around