Population – 91.1 million, Area – 115,831 sq mi (300,000 sq km), Currency – Peso (PHP; symbol Php) = 100 centavos, Flight times – From London to Manila is 18 hours, and from New York is 22 hours, Cities – Manila (capital), Quezon City, Kalookan City, Davao, Cebu, Zamboanga, Time Zone – GMT+8, Weather – Tropical climate; there are three distinct seasons: the rainy season (June to September), cool and dry (October to February), and hot and mainly dry (March to May); Typhoons occasionally occur from June to September, Languages – Two official languages - Filipino and English, Religion – 83% of Filipinos are Catholic, 5% are Moslem, the rest are made up of smaller Christian denominations and Buddhists, Electricity - 220 volts (110 volts in Baguio) AC, 60Hz; 110 volts is available in most hotels; flat and round two and three-pin plugs are in use.

A cluster of 7,107 islands, the Philippines stretches from the south of China to the northern tip of Borneo. The country has over a hundred ethnic groups and a mixture of foreign influences which have molded a unique Filipino culture. Manila, the capital of the Philippines, is also its heart and soul. It was the first republic in Asia (1898), the first to be decolonized partially by a Western colonial country (1935), and the first in Southeast Asia to be granted full independence after the Second World War (1946). Because of its strategic location it has been a bridge between the East and West, a rampart of Christianity, and a showcase of democracy in Asia.

Before the Spanish explorers, Indo-Malays and Chinese merchants had settled here. In 1521 the Spaniards, led by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, discovered the islands. The Spanish conquistadors established a colonial government in Cebu in 1565. They transferred the seat of government to Manila in 1571 and proceeded to colonize the country. The Filipinos resisted and waged Asia's first nationalist revolution in 1896. After ruling for 333 years, the Spaniards finally left in 1898 and were replaced by the Americans who continued to colonize the country for another 48 years. The Americans brought over their educational system, their legal system, and their democratic form of government. On July 4, 1946, the Americans finally recognized Philippine independence.

Considered as the third largest-English speaking country in the world, the Philippines has world-class facilities and services such as excellent accommodations, fine restaurants, modern shopping centers and communications services, efficient congress and exhibition organizers, and reliable tour operators.

The country is divided into three geographical areas; Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. It has 16 regions and 79 provinces. Mindanao is the second largest island of the country and has a tropical rainforest.

Bohol is the tenth largest island in the Philippines. It is one of the bigger islands in 'the Visayas', the group of islands in the center of the Philippines. Bohol is, together with 72 small islands around the main island, an island province of 4117 square kilometer. Agriculture, together with the tourism, are the two dominating economic sectors of the main island Bohol.

There are more than 11 million overseas Filipinos worldwide, about 11% of the total population of the Philippines. It is a multi-ethnic country. Ecologically, The Philippines is considered to be among 17 of the most megadiverse countries in the world.

The Philippines is one of only two predominantly Roman Catholic countries in Asia, the other being East Timor. Pre-Hispanic indigenous rituals still exist; and there are also followers of Islam. Spanish was an official language of the Philippines until 1973. Since then, the two official languages are Filipino and English.

Philippines welcome tourists from all over the world to visit the place for their medical and leisure needs. The most common procedures performed are cosmetic and plastic surgery, dermatology, weight loss surgery, ophthalmology, and dentistry.

The Philippines has been growing as a tourist destination of choice for health and vacation because of world class physicians, modern technology, and the unique Filipino brand of caring and compassion at great values for money at a fraction of the cost to that of developed countries. They are home to some of the best hospitals and stand alone Specialty clinics in the world, offering world-class expertise, state-of-the-art facilities, and the distinct warmth of the Filipino hospitality. Some of the world's best Spa retreat resorts and tour destinations in this part of the earth is in Philippines.

Filipino doctors graduate from the best Medical Schools in Asia and have work experience and undergone extensive training in prestigious institutions in the US, Europe and other places thus qualifying them to be the best specialists around the pacific coast.

 

 

The Philippines is a unique nation with four cultural heritages - Asian, European, Mexican, and American. No other nation in the world can claim to have such a varied and extensive experience with all four cultures. Thus, it is not unusual for the Filipinos to look Oriental, have a Spanish-sounding name, speak like English with an American accent and have a Latin temperament.

The Filipinos are a racial mixture due to their reception of different cultures in history. Intermarriages are common, and the majority of the people have mixed blood. Aboriginal tribes populate the mountain Interiors. Most Filipinos belong to the Malay race, with a tawny complexion, black hair and black eyes.

Of the total population of 56 million, 93% are Catholics or Protestant Christians, followed by Islam and the Iglesia Ni Crito (a local sect). Thus, it is Asia's only predominantly Christian country.

The National Language (Filipino) has become dominant, although English is still widely-used in education, commerce and communication. The Philippines has the world's third largest English-speaking country. Spaish and Chinese (Fukien and Cantonese) are also spoken by a minority. There are 55 regional languages and 142 dialects in the country. The Filipinos take pride in their education and literacy which is the highest in Southeast Asia. The colleges and universities attract tens of thousands of foreign students all over the world for courses in medicine, nursing, dentistry, etc.

Filipinos are famous for their warm hospitality, friendliness to foreigners, musical and artistic talents, romanticism, deep religiosity and bravery. They are fond of music, fiestas, and politics. Though portrayed as being lazy and stupid, Filipinos can work hard and adjust to any type of work. A good number of Filipinos live and work in parts of Australia, the Middle East and more affluent Asian countries.

The explanation for the most of all these fiestas has to be found in the domination of one specific religion in the Philippines. The majority of the cultural celebrations is closely related to the Catholic religion. Nearly 90% of the Filipinos are Roman Catholic. If you like fiestas, it is really worth to visit the Philippines, especially in January, April, May and June. The most known and biggest fiestas take place in these months.

For the Filipinos themselves, every year the festivals and processions are days of great joy and happiness. Fiestas or any community celebration usually feature music, dancing, and food feasts. The most known are the procession of the Black Nazarene, the Ati-Atihan, the Sinulog, the Flores de Mayo and the Santa Cruzan.

The colourful dress is most of the time not traditional. To see really traditional clothes, you have to visit the remote areas on Luzon and Mindanao for example.

 

Airports

Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) in Manila is the international airport of Philippines. In total there are 6 international airports in Philippines

 

Weather

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The Climate features three distinct seasons: the rainy season (June to September), cool and dry (October to February), and hot and mainly dry (March to May). Typhoons occasionally occur from June to September. Lightweight cottons and linens are worn throughout most of the year, with warmer clothes useful on cooler evenings. Rainwear or umbrellas are advisable for the rainy season.

Currency

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The Philippines' monetary unit is the peso, divided into 100 centavos.