This paper attempts to supply useful, general information concerning the Republic of the Philippines. It is broken into several sections, making it easier to focus on the specific information you may need.
CLICK here ===>>
to check the current
Philippine date/time.
Select one of the choices below or simply scroll through the entire paper.
Visas and special entry permits are required for the following conditions:
These visa and permits can be obtained from any Philippine embassy or consulate.
Any visitors arriving from areas infected with plague, typhus (typhoid), and yellow fever, MUST have valid vaccination and immunization certificates.
For specific information on Visas, Passports, etc. you can go directly to the Philippine Embassy (USA) Internet site. The main menu for this site is located at:
---> http://www.dragoneye.com/dragoneye/rpprim2.html
to The Philippine Embassy (USA)
---> http://www.dragoneye.com/dragoneye/rpprim2a.htm#visas
If all you want is specific Visa/Passport information, go directly to this page:
This makes it one of the largest island groups in the world today. Although this is true, it is often considered the forgotten islands of South-East Asia. Since these islands are off the primary mainland routes, they have not attracted the attention or tourism trade of other countries in the region. Although, still considered by some as the economic basket case of Asia, and it's current and previous political upheavals it is a relatively save country having a great geological location in South-east Asia.
It is bounded to the west by the South China Sea, the north by the Bashi Channel, the east by the Pacific Ocean and the south by the Sulu and Celebes Seas.
Today there are three major geographical groups in the country; Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Luzon, which includes the largest island (Luzon proper) and about 500 hundred smaller islands and islets, is situated in the northern portion of the archipelago. The Visayan region, comprises the central portion and is made up of about 6,000 islands including Panay, Leyte, Samar, Cebu and Bohol. Finally the southern region, is Mindanao, which is comprised of the second largest island (Mindanao proper) and about 400 smaller islands.
It is rich in natural resources, including the excellent beaches and island coves of the Visayan region, and the rich forests of Mindanao. It has many other resources, including copper and marble.
The archipelago is comprised of a volcanic topography with frequent seismic activity. There are 37 active and extinct volcanoes and many atolls throughout the islands. The Philippines still experiences thermal activity consisting of several active volcanoes and hot springs. On the larger islands there are many mountains, tropical rain forests, rich valleys and swamp regions. Its highest mountain peak can be found in Mindanao -- Mt. Apo (2954 meters). More than half the country has been cultivation, with about a third remaining forested. These islands have more than a 1000 species of birds and animals; and over 10,000 species of trees, shrubs and ferns, the most common of which are palms.
Roman Catholicism is the main religion of the country with estimates given as high as 80 -82% of the population. Many of its members also belong to a charismatic group known as El Shaddia (see below).
The second most predominant religion is Protestant, believed to comprise 9% of the population. This includes groups of Episcopal, Methodist, Baptist, and Mormon (Church of Later Day Saints). It also includes a very popular group called Iglesia Ni Kristo (INK).
Muslim, is considered the third strongest at 5%, which is heavily entrench through the southern regions of the archipelago.
The last, Buddhist, is believed to comprise 3% of the population.
The Philippines is known for one special charismatic group, known as El Shaddia, led by Brother Mike. El Shaddia, a non-denominational sect, has a large following among residents here, as well as, the Filipino communities of China and Hong Kong, and other Filipino communities through out the world, including the United States. Most of the members of this group are Catholics and over the past several years, the relationship between El Shaddia and the Roman Catholic church as grown together. Today, in the Metro Manila region, you can celebrate Catholic mass, held by Catholic priests, at El Shaddia gatherings.
Although these are the primary religions of the country, you can also find other formal religions (especially in the larger cities, like Manila and Cebu) like Judism, Church of later day Saints (Mormon), and others.
The rate of exchange fluctuates, however, over the last two years (Feb. 1995 - Jun 97) it has been pegged at a ratio of around 26.2 Peso to 1 USD (fluxuating down to 25.6, up to 27.21). July 1997, the Central Bank of the Philippines authorized a less controlled float of the valuation of the Peso which has recently caused some speculation buying in the World market. The daily rates have changed to values as high as 44.87 pesos (P) to $ 1 US dollar (USD).
Credit cards: Major credit cards are accepted a most major hotels, resorts, and restaurants in the Manila and Cebu area, where pesos use is most common for areas outside of these two metropolises.
Banking hours: Banks are open from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Closed on public holidays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Some banks now offer Automatic Teller Machines.
Tipping: Like in the U.S., tipping is expected for many services. If you are in doubt, tip. Many restaurants automatically include 10% service charge to the total amount of the bill (so be sure and check). Normally, tipping is 10% of the bill. When tipping taxis, use 10% as a suggested basis. Hotel persons, from P10-P20.
English is usually the basic language of business and government, and recently it has been returned as the primary medium of education in all levels of schools. However, everyday communication is often based on local dialects within the region you may be in. By regulation, the official language is Pilipino, which is primarily based on the Tagalog language.
Many Filipinos are bilingual, with English as the second language. In fact, the Philippines is considered the third (3rd) largest English speaking country in the world. In addition to English, some Filipinos also speak Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese.
===>> http://www.halcyon.com/dizon/welcome.html
WARNING:
Drink ONLY bottled beverages (including water) or
beverages made from boiled water. Do not use ice
cubes (unless they have been made from BOILED water),
rare meat, raw vegetables, raw seafood, or dairy
products. When eating fruit, only eat fruit that can
be peeled without contamination. Avoid roadside
stands and street vendors.
With this said, consider the following:
For instance, many poor people still live in temporary housing -- shanties, with no plumbing or other modern conviences. Thus these sites have poor sanitation and often are sites for breeding of mosquitos and viral infections. Although the government attempts to correct these problems, they still experience outbreaks throughout the Philippines. You can experience these conditions in the best of neighborhoods, in any city of the Philippines.
Specific Concerns
Like other countries, the Philippines has its problems with diseases. When you first look into the types of problems, you begin to believe that it is a very unsafe country, due to these health related concerns. Just remember, if you use common sense when eating and drinking food you will find that these problems are minimal. Most people visiting the Philippines have great vacations, with no reported problems.
The types of health related problem you can encounter are covered in the following list.
If you will be visiting the Philippins over 30 days, you should read the following information and take appropriate precautions.
For more detailed and specific health / medical information you should review the Travel Health ONLINE site, which can be found at this location:
---> http://www.tripprep.com/country/sp146.html
Chikungunya fever
If you want specific information on any of these viral infections click on them to be taken directly to that page:
Dengue Fever
Japanese Encephalitis
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Cholera
Typhoid Fever
The End
Philippine Information Sources
|| Send E-Mail