the KALAMAYAN INN
the KALAMAYAN INN
General Information
about the Philippines
This is some general
information about the Philippines which has been picked up from the CNN
web site and is presented here as an assistance for those who are not familiar
with the country. We have reviewed it and made any corrections or adjustments
that we thought necessary but cannot vouch for the accuracy.
Contents
The country known today as the Republic of the Philippines lies right in the heart of Southeast Asia, between the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea. The Philippines has 7,107 islands extending more than 1,700 kilometers (1,056mi) in the direction of the Equator.
The
islands are divided into three main areas: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
These three main areas can be further divided into Ilocos, Cagayan Valley,
Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog, and Bicol (all part of "Luzon"); Western,
Central, & Eastern Visayas (all part of the "Visayas"); Northern, Western,
Central & Southern Mindanao (all part of "Mindanao).
Luzon is the major northern island; it is there that you will find the capital, Manila. The Visayas, is the middle cluster of islands featuring tropical beaches scattered throughout warm seas. Mindanao is the southernmost group of islands and has a diverse topography. There are five major mountain systems and the same number of peninsulas as well as valleys, lakes and regions of dense forests and swamps.
Coron is located in the area generally referred to as "Southern Tagalog.
A visit to the Philippines is a travel bargain. Your expenses are relatively low, and the offerings are varied with good facilities. Take your pick from the hectic city life of Manila or the unspoiled natural beauty of the countryside. The bonus is that, unlike many other destinations in Asia, the country is not overrun by tourism.
Square Miles:
Land area:
119,268 square miles (298,170 sq. km)
Borders: South China Sea to the west and north, Pacific Ocean to the east and south.
Coastline: 207,749 miles (334,539km)
Terrain: Many of the islands in the Philippines are extinct volcanoes and atolls. On the larger islands are many mountains, tropical rain forests, rich valleys and swamp regions. There are narrow to extensive coastal lowlands. The Philippines does still have thermal activity consisting of active volcanoes and hot springs.
Hospitality, a trait displayed by every Filipino, makes these people legendary in Southeast Asia. Seldom can you find such hospitable people who enjoy the company of their Western visitors. Perhaps due to their long association with Spain, Filipinos are emotional and passionate about life in a way that seems more Latin than Asian.
The Spaniards introduced Christianity (the Roman Catholic faith) and succeeded in converting the overwhelming majority of Filipinos. At least 80% of the total population belongs to the Roman Catholic faith.
The American occupation was responsible for teaching the Filipino people the English language. The Philippines is currently the third-largest English speaking country in the world.
Ethnic Groups:
91.5% Christian Malay,
4% Muslim Malay ,1.5% Chinese and 3% other.
Languages:
The national language
is Pilipino, which is based on the language of Tagalog, although there
are at least one or two dialects spoken in every region. English is both
spoken and understood throughout the country, especially in business negotiations
and in the government. Hokkien, Cantonese and Mandarin are spoken by older
members of the Filipino-Chinese community.
Religion: 83% Roman Catholic, 9% Protestant, 5% Muslim, 3% Buddhist and other.
Filipinos place great emphasis on polite language and gentle conversation. Voice tone is always soft and gentle, and direct questions should be avoided.
Filipinos value their self-esteem, so never criticize or argue with them publicly. Most men, when so provoked, will fight for the preservation of their pride or self-esteem.
Avoid topics such as politics, religion, corruption and foreign aid. Filipinos enjoy conversations about their families.
Business:
English is the language
used to conduct business.
Punctuality is expected for meetings, it is better to arrive a little late for a dinner invitation.
Greet business people with a handshake.
Women feel comfortable conducting business here, as sexual equality is more widespread in the Philipines than in other Asian countries.
Make sure you have your business cards, as Filipinos like to know who they are dealing with.
Most foreign currencies can be exchanged at banks, hotels and authorized foreign exchange dealers. Outside of Manila, the use of the Philippine pesos for payments is preferred.
Travelers checks issued by American Express, Bank of Tokyo, Bank of America, Barclays and Citibank are widely accepted. Major credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Diners Club can be used to pay for most goods and services.
In Coron we can accept American Express and Mastercard/Visa. There will be an additional service charge of 5% to cover the processing and communication costs. There are no "on line" facilites in Coron so a card verifification is a tedious process involving at least noe long distance call.
Capital: Manila
Flag: Two equal
horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a white equilateral triangle
based on the hoist side. In the center of the triangle is a sun with eight
primary rays, each containing three individual rays, and in each corner
of the triangle is a small, yellow, five-pointed star.
Shop Hours: Most shops in Manila operate from 10am to 7:30pm daily and are closed on public holidays. In Coron, we pretyy well roll up the footpath aboput 8PM. We are a working community so it's "early to bed-early to rise".
Bank Hours: Banks are open 9am to 3pm Monday to Friday and are closed on public holidays. We have one "universal" bank in Coron. A branch of the "Land Bank of the Philippines".
Holidays:
Tipping:
As in the U.S., tipping
is expected for many services. When in doubt, do as you would at home.
Restaurants: Most upscale restaurants automatically add a 10% to 15% service charge to the total amount of the bill and a 4% to 10% sales tax for food and drinks. In restaurants, when no service charge has been added, at least 10% of the bill is expected as a tip. In Coron its really simple. The bill is what it says. Tipping is NOT expected.
Porters: In hotels, tip doormen and porters P10-P20.
Taxis: 10% of the final fare. In Coron we have no taxis. Our "public transportation" is tricycles.
Foreign currency more than US$3,000 must be declared at the Central Bank of the Philippines counter situated behind the customs examination area. Departing passengers are not allowed to take out foreign currency more than the amount that was brought in and declared. Local currency not exceeding P1,000 can be taken out of the country. Imported items brought in, and not to be taken out again upon leaving, are taxable.
Duty-Free Items: Two bottles (1 liter each) of alcoholic beverages, two reams (400 sticks) of cigarettes and two tins of smoking tobacco are allowed to be brought duty-free into the country.
Mactan International
Airport
Cebu
Tel (032) 831-4006
Airlines:
Air France: Tel (02)815-6970
British Airways: Tel
(02)817-0361
Cathay Pacific: Tel
(02) 815-9417
China Airlines: Tel
(02) 590-086
Continental Air Micronesia:
Tel (02) 818-8701
Egypt Air: Tel (02)
815-8476
Gulf Air: Tel (02)
817-6909
Japan Airlines: Tel
(02) 810-9776
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines:
Tel (02) 815-4790
Korean Air: Tel (02)
815-9261
Lufthansa German Airlines:
Tel (02) 810-4596 or 810-5089
Malaysian Airline
System: Tel (02) 571-596
Northwest Airlines:
Tel (02) 819-7341 or (02) 819-7261
Pakistan International
Airlines: Tel (02) 818-0502
Philippine Airlines
(PAL): Tel (02) 816-6691 or (02) 819-1771
Qantas Airways: Tel
(02) 815-9491
Royal Brunei: Tel
(02) 817-1631
Saudia Airlines: Tel
(02) 818-4722
Singapore Airlines:
Tel (02) 810-4966
Swiss Air: Tel (02)
818-8351
Thai Airways: Tel
(02) 815-8421
United Airlines: Tel
(02) 818-5421
SHIP OR FERRY
Sea travel is very
slow but is considerably cheaper than flying. Touring the Philippines by
boat is one of the pleasures of adventure travel in Southeast Asia. Your
travel agent will have more details.
The Philippines has more than 100 ferry accidents per year. Most of them involve loss of life and could have been avoided.
Ferries operated by WG&A, & Neros Navigation have good safety records and are operated by professionals.
WG&A maintains
international standards so far as Ships and Crew are concerned.
Trains
The elevated Light
Rail Transit (LRT) has a service from Baclaran Market in Pasay City to
the Bonifacio Monument in Kalookan City and back. In between are 16 stations,
with intervals at every kilometer (.621mi).
The state run Philippine National Railways (PNR) has a provincial line that runs north to San Fernando, La Unión and south to Legaspi City, Albay. The central station is in Tutuban along Claro M. Recto Avenue.
Buses
There is a public
bus service that links the north and south districts of Manila. The main
route through which the buses run is Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA).
Nearby provinces are serviced by smaller lines from the cities, but the
major lines have extensive networks through Luzon.
Jeepneys
The most popular method
of transportation in Manila is the jeepney. The jeepney is a colorful and
festive-looking jeep, designed after the American jeeps used in World War
II. Jeepney travel is great for short trips. Jeepneys run through all major
roads in Manila. Destinations are displayed on the windshields and the
sides of the jeepneys.
Ships and Ferries
There are many ferry
services from island to island and quite a few companies offering regular
services. Contact the tourist office for more details.
Chocolate Hills
Bohol's most famous
attraction is the area called Chocolate Hills because the rich green grass
covering them turns brown in summer.
Carmen Town, Bohol
Visayas
Department of Tourism:
Tel (02) 599031
Colón Street
The oldest street
in the Philippines located in the heart of Cebu.
Cebu
Visayas
Department of Tourism:
Tel (02) 599031
Crocodile Lake
Formed in the crater
of an extinct volcanoe, this lake offers fine swimming (and has no crocodiles!).
Los Bãnos,
Laguna
Luzon
Department of Tourism:
Tel (02) 599031
Katibawasan
Falls
The spectacular 250-foot
falls (76m) cascades down to a pool surrounded by orchids and ferns.
Located 4 kilometers
from Mambajao
Camiguin
Mindinao
Department of Tourism:
Tel (02) 599031
Nagcarlan
Underground Cemetery
The only underground
cemetery in the Philippines; it served as a meeting place for the revolutionary
leaders in Laguna.
Laguna
Luzon
Tel (014) 509952
Magellan's
Cross
The most famous landmark
(historically) in Cebu. The cross planted by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521
marks the spot where the first Christian Filipinos were baptized.
Cebu
Visayas
Department of Tourism:
Tel (02) 599031
Malacanang
Palace
This colonial mansion
was the official residence of the President of the Republic of the Philippines,
until president Aquino opened it as a museum (as part of her 1986 campaign
promise).
San Miguel
Manila
Luzon
Tel (02) 521-2307
Maquinit Hot Springs
One of the best hot
spring sites in the Philippines, located on a scenic beach at the edge
of Coron town.
Nayong Pilipino
A 32-acre village
with replicas of the country's popular attractions. There are groups of
houses forming miniature villages whose architecture represents each ethnically
and culturally distinctive region.
Ninoy Aquino Avenue
Pasay City (Metro
Manila)
Luzon
Tel (02) 832-3760
Pagsanjan Falls
Laguna
Luzon
Tel (02) 834-0404
Pinaglabanan
Memorial Shrine
This memorial commemorates
the first battle for political emancipation of the Filipino people from
Spain, he Battle of San Juan del Monte.
San Juan (Metro Manila)
Luzon
Tel (02) 509952
Villa Escudero
This old, 800-acre
coconut plantation offers a look at three generations of the Escudero family.
The late Don Arsenio Escudero was a collector of ornaments and artifacts.
The Museum is said to have one of the largest collections of Spanish, Filipino
and Chinese treasures.
San Pablo City
Quezon City
Luzon
Tel (02) 521-8698
Hidden Valley
Within this 300-foot-deep
(91m) crater are lush jungle life, natural springs and pools, creating
a popular retreat.
Alaminos, Laguna
Luzon
Tel (02) 571872
Ninoy Aquino Parks
and Wildlife
Quezon Avenue
Quezon City
Luzon
Rizal Memorial Park
A wide expanse of
lawns and fountains. Within the park are monuments, a skating rink and
a children's playground. Free concerts are held every Sunday.
Ermita, Manila
Luzon
Archdiocesan Museum
of Manila
Established in 1987
by Cardinal Sin, this museum has as its theme the history of the Catholic
Church in the Philippines.
121 Arzobispo Street
Intramuros, Manila
Luzon
Tel (02) 492161
Ateneo Art Gallery
Displays over 300
paintings, sculpture, drawings and prints by Filipino artists.
Rizal Library Building
Ateneo de Manila University
Katipunan Road
Loyola Heights
Quezon City
Luzon
Tel (02) 998721
Central Bank Money
Museum
Features banknotes
and coins of many countries including Philippine money dating back to the
pre-Spanish period up to the present.
Metropolitan Museum
of Manila Building
Central Bank Complex
Roxas Blvd., Manila
Luzon
Tel (02)507551
Kalantiaw Shrine
Exhibits the pictorial
history of the Philippines from the pre-Hispanic period to the contemporary
era.
Batan, Aklan
Visayas
Tel (036) 509952
Metropolitan Museum
of Manila
This art museum is
the venue for traveling international exhibitions. It houses three separate
galleries.
Central Bank Complex
Roxas Boulevard
Manila
Luzon
Tel (02) 832-3645
National Museum
Displays items reflecting
the cultural heritage and natural history of the Philippines.
Padre Burgos St.,
Manila
Luzon Tel (02) 494450
Philippine Museum
of Ethnology
This complex is a
mini Philippines. Several small museums display the different tourist attractions
and tourism products in the country.
Nayong Pilipino Complex
Ninoy Aquino
International Airport
Road
Pasay City (metro
Manila)
Luzon
Tel (02) 832-0539
SPORT
Basketball is the
country's premier sport. Tournaments are held by the professional Philippine
Basketball Association, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines,
and the Philippine Amateur Basketball League. Major teams play 2 to 3 times
a week and major courts are at the Ultra Center in Pasig and at the Rizal
Coliseum in Malate. Tickets are inexpensive and can be bought at the coliseum
in advance or at the day of the game. On championship games, reserve or
buy your tickets ahead of time since they are always sold out a day or
two before the game.
One of the Filipino people's favorite pastime, especially in the provinces. is the cockfight. Cockfights are held every Sunday in several cockpits around Manila and are abundant in the provinces. The highly prized birds are fitted with sharpened blades and displayed to the highly emotional crowd before bets are verbally placed with the calador. This sport can get rather bloody and is offensive to many first time spectators.
The Philippine archipelago is reputed to have more sites for scuba diving than any other country in the world. With at least 28,000 square kilometers (10,808 sq.mi) of the best coral reefs, its undersea world has an incredible amount to offer a scuba diver. Warm, crystal-clear water in various shades of blue, with an amazing visibility to depths of up to 200 feet (61m). Beneath the waters are undiscovered reefs and mysterious shipwrecks waiting to be explored. There are many dive sites, diveshops, dive boat operators and dive tour operators; contact the tourist office for more detailed information.
Sportsfishing has become a very popular sport in the waters surrounding the Philippines. The country ranks 12th in the world for fish production, with almost two million square kilometers (770,000 sq.mi) of fishing grounds. Some 2,400 fish species inhabit these grounds, and many are perfect for sportsfishing. Big game fish such as the blue marlin and the giant tuna, as well as the smaller but very aggressive grouper, or lapu lapu, are also plentiful.
Imagine playing golf amid coconut palms, jungle foliage and deep gorges, or better yet, on a seaside golf course overlooking the South China Sea and Manila Bay. This is golf at its best - golf in the Philippines. Compared to other countries, green fees are unbelievably reasonable. In Metro Manila there are over 10 golf courses.
Filipino food is an intriguing blend of Malaysian, Chinese, Spanish and American cuisines. For instance, the use of coconut milk as an ingredient is a gastronomic legacy from the Filipinos' Malay ancestors. Popular dishes such as lumpia (egg rolls) and pancit (noodles) are Chinese. Even the country's most famous dish lechon (roast pig), originated in China. Some traditional dishes are still called by their Spanish names such as mechado (beef with pork fat), menudo (diced meat and potatoes stewed in tomato sauce) and pochero (pork, green beans, cabbage and other selected vegetables).
Within each region, you will find specialized dishes. Baguio is famous for serving the best in fruit and vegetables from the Trinidad Valley. Pamanga is known for tocino (sweet preserved meats), Bicol, the coconut-growing region, uses gata (coconut milk) in cooking, along with many spices. Don't miss Zamboanga for its excellent prawns, crabs and lobsters.
Ordering in restaurants is easy since the menus are in English, although most of the dishes are simply described by their method of cooking. Remember, you're not finished with your meal until you have had dessert. Choose from the wide variety of baked delights, Philippine-made ice-cream, or fresh fruits, since the Philippines offers one of Asia's largest selection of tropical fruits.
Beer in the country is probably the finest and the cheapest in the East. Locally brewed San Miguel Beer is very good; it is now being challenged by several new brews such as the lighter Carlsberg and less expensive Manila Beer. Five-year-old Tanduay and locally produced gins and vodkas are all first-class spirits.
People who live outside the larger towns often drink tuba, a very strong coconut wine, rather than the more expensive beers or liquors. The alcohol content is not very high, but the effect is very similar to that of tequila. Lambanog is boiled tuba distilled in the true Kentucky monnshine manner. Tapey is an alcoholic beverage made from rice or corn, popular with the hill tribes of northern Luzon. Basi, a homemade wine from Ilocos Norte, is made from sugarcane juice to which barks and berries have been added.
Fire and Ambulance: 7575
24-Hour Tourist Assistance Hotlines: Tel 501728 or 501660
International Access Code: 00
Country Code: 63
City Codes:
Angeles: 0455
Bacolod: 034
Baguio: 074
Metro Cebu:
032
Davao: 082
Iloilo: 033
Manila: 02
Palawan 48
San Pablo:
93
Tarlac: 0452
Using Public Phones: To make a call from a pay phone, lift the receiver and deposit three 25-centavo coins. Wait for the dial tone, which is normally delayed by a few seconds. You can then dial the number of the party you need to call. There is no time limit for a phone call. Be prepared for bad connections and crossed lines.
Only a few hotels have international direct dial. Where it exists, dial 10511, wait for an outside line and speak directly to an AT&T USA direct operator. For less expensive calls, use a credit card or call collect instead of going through a hotel operator.
National Direct Dialing service is provided for major cities in the Philippines. Dial 112 for direct dialing assistance, 108 for operator assisted international calls and 109 for local calls.
For directory assistance, dial 114. All operators speak English.
Philippine Convention
and Visitors Corporation
4th Floor, Suites
10-17
Legaspi Towers
300 Roxas Boulevard
Metro Manila
P. O. Box EA-459
Tel (02) 575031
Department of Tourism
Ninoy Aquino International
Airport
Pasay City, Metro
Manila
Tel (02) 832-2964
DOT/PCVC (Department of Tourism/Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation):
Highmount House,
Level 6
122 Castleragh Street
Sydney, NSW 2000
Australia
Tel (02) 267-2695
Kaiserstrasse
15
6000 Frankfurt am
Main 1
Frankfurt, Germany
Tel (069) 893-9495
21/F, Regent
Centre
88 Queen's Road, Central
HK
Hong Kong
Tel (05) 267592
2/F, Dainan Bldg.
2-19-23 Shinmachi
Nishi-ku, Osaka 550
Japan
Tel (06) 5355-07172
199 Piccadilly
London W1V 9LE
United Kingdom
Tel (071) 439-3481
556 Fifth Ave.
New York, NY 10036
USA
Tel 212-575-7915
last update Jan 2001