Philippine Traditional Food

Most travellers visit a country for the beautiful sights you can visit. You want a change of scenery so you book a flight to some delightful, exotic location where you can tour and take photos of new places.

If you ask me, there’s more to travelling than having new sights to feast your eyes on. Travelling can also introduce you to a whole world of delicacies and dishes you’ve never heard of. It’s always a good thing to tickle your tummy and challenge yourself with new dishes that may not be considered food in other parts of the world.

Lechon

Lechon  baboy is one of the highlight of Filipino
festivities, birthdays, wedding, family reunion and christmas parties. the dish was introduced by the Spaniards centuries ago while some evidence link it to Chinese immigrants. the most favorite part of Lechon is its crispy skin then dip into a liver base sauce yum. Lechon is a very delicious dish but some wasn’t cook right thats why the skin was not that yummy and crispy. and what i like the best about lechon is its left over and transformed into another dish called Lechon Paksiw. pig is not the only animal that can be roast other popular form of lechon are chicken and cow. chicken is very much affordable and can be bought almost in every corner of the country. La Loma the area between the boundary of Manila and Quezon City is the “Lechon Capital Of The Philippines” many restaurants sell lechon there and the best of them all Mila’s Lechon . Lechon of Cebu City  is among the best in the Country.

Pinakbet

Pinakbet or pakbet is a popular Ilocano dish, from the northern regions of the Philippines, although it has become popular throughout the archipelago. The word is the contracted form of the Ilocano wordpinakebbet, meaning “shrunk” or “shriveled”. The original Ilocano pinakbet uses bagoong (“bugguong” in Ilokano), of fermented monamon or other fish, while further south, bagoong alamang is used. The basic vegetables used in this dish include native bitter melon, eggplant, tomato, okra, string beans, chili peppers,parda, winged beans, and others. Root crops and some beans like camote, patani, kadios are also optionally added. The young pod of marunggay is also added. It is usually spiced with ginger, onions, orgarlic. A Tagalog version usually includes calabaza. Most of these vegetables are easily accessible, and are grown in backyards and gardens of most Ilocano households. As its name suggests, it is usually cooked until almost dry and shriveled; the flavors of the vegetables are accentuated with shrimp paste. In some cases, lechon, chicharon, or other meats (most commonly pork) are added. It is considered a very healthy dish, and convenient in relation to the harsh and rugged, yet fruitful Ilocos region of the Philippines.

The vegetable dish pinakbet is more than a regional cuisine. It is an enduring symbol of the Ilocano palate and a lucid display of the Ilocanos’ history of contestations and struggles with the physical and social environment. The recipe weaves intimations of the cultural productions of the Ilokanos’ transaction to their arid and less productive land. (Caday, 2009)

Pinakbet is similar to the Provençal (French) vegetable stew ratatouille except for its sauce.

Sisig

Sisig is a Kapampangan term which means “to snack on something sour”. It usually refers to fruits, often unripe or half-ripe, sometimes dipped in salt and vinegar. It also refers to a method of preparing fish and meat, especially pork, which is marinated in a sour liquid such as lemon juice or vinegar, then seasoned with salt, pepper and other spices.

Sisig also refers to Sizzling sisig, a Filipino dish made from parts of pig’s head and liver, usually seasoned with calamansi and chili peppers.

Kare Kare

Kare-kare is a Philippine stew. It is made from peanut sauce with a variety of vegetables, stewed oxtail,beef, and occasionally offal or tripe. Meat variants may include goat meat or (rarely) chicken. It is often eaten with bagoong (shrimp paste), sometimes spiced with chili, and sprinkled with calamansi juice. Traditionally, any Filipino fiesta (particularly in Pampanga region) is not complete without kare-kare. In some Filipino-American versions of the dish, oxtail is exclusively used as the meat.

Isaw

 

Isaw is a street food from the Philippines, made from barbecued pig or chicken intestines. The intestines are cleaned, turned inside out, and cleaned again, repeating the process several times. They are then either boiled, then grilled, or immediately grilled on sticks. They are usually dipped in kurat (Filipino term for especially made vinegar with onions and other flavour enhancers) then eaten. They are usually sold by vendors on the street corners in afternoons.

Adobo

adobo refers to a common cooking process indigenous to the Philippines. It should not be confused with the Spanish and Latin American adobo, as they have different origins and refer to different dishes despite sharing the same name. When the Spanish invaded the Philippines in the late 16th century, they encountered a cooking process that involved stewing with vinegar. The Spanish referred to this method as adobo due to its superficial similarity to the Spanish adobo. Nevertheless, the Filipinoadobo is an entirely separate method of preparing food and is distinct from the Spanish marinade. There are many variations of adobo in the Philippines in which soy sauce is used like Adobong Baboy in which pork is used, Adobong Manok in which chicken is used, etc. There is also the Adobong Pusit, a squid based dish which uses the squids ink as the broth together with vinegar.

Dinuguan

Dinuguan (in Visayan, also called dinardaraan in Ilocano, tid-tad in Pampanga, sinugaok in Batangas, rugodugo in Waray, and sampayna or champayna in Northern Mindanao. Possible translations include pork blood stew, blood pudding stew, and chocolate meat) is a Filipino savory stew of meat and/or offal (typically lungs, kidneys, intestines, ears, heart and snout) simmered in a rich, spicy dark gravy of pig blood, garlic, chili (most often siling mahaba), and vinegar. The term dinuguan comes from the Filipino word dugo meaning “blood”.

It is frequently considered an unusual or alarming dish to most people, though it is rather similar to European-style blood sausage, or British black pudding in a saucy stew form. It is perhaps closer in appearance and preparation to the Polish soup Czernina or an even more ancientSpartan dish known as melas zomos (black soup) whose primary ingredients were pork, vinegar and blood.

Dinuguan can also be served without using any offal, using only choice cuts of pork. In Batangas, this version is known as sinungaok. It can also be made from beef and chicken meat, the latter being known as dinuguang manok (‘chicken dinuguan’). Dinuguan is usually served with white rice or a Philippine rice cake called puto.

Sinigang

Sinigang is a Filipino soup or stew characterized by its sour flavor most often associated with tamarind(sampalok).

Sinigang is traditionally tamarind based. Other versions of the dish derive their sourness from ingredients such as guava, calamansi, bilimbi, or unripe mango among others. Powdered soup base or bouillon cubes for sinigang based on tamarind or calamondin are also used in place of natural fruits. Vinegar is not used for making sinigang sour. A similar dish made with vinegar as the primary souring ingredient would tend to be categorized as paksiw in Philippine cuisine.

Meat in sinigang (e.g., fish, pork, shrimp, or beef) is often stewed with tamarinds, tomatoes, and onions. Other vegetables commonly used in the making of sinigang include okra, taro corms (gabi), daikon (labanos), water spinach (kangkong), yardlong beans (sitaw) and eggplant (talong). Most Filipinos like to cook sinigang with green finger pepper in order to enhance the taste while adding a little spice to the dish.

A common variation of chicken sinigang is called sinampalukang manok or sinampalukan (from sampalok,Filipino for tamarind). Sinampalukan is distinguished by its use of shredded tamarind leaves. It is also made withginger, onions, and tomatoes. Sinampalukan is sometimes prepared to be a little spicier than the other sinigang dishes.

It bears some similarities to Indonesian sayur asem, Vietnamese canh chua, and Thai tom yam. Sinigang shares some characteristics—but should not be confused with—singgang, a tamarind soup dish from Terengganu, Malaysia.

Balut

A balut is a fertilized duck embryo that’s boiled alive and eaten in the shell. Popularly believed to be an aphrodisiac and considered a high-protein, hearty snack, balut are mostly sold by street vendors in the regions where they are available. It is commonly sold as streetfood in the Philippines.

 

 

 

50 dishes that define the Philippines Maida Pineda and Candice Lopez-Quimpo, for CNN • Updated 24th May 2016 Facebook

(CNN) — Filipino food may not be as famous as that of its Thai and Vietnamese neighbors.

But with more than 7,000 islands and a colorful history, this archipelago has some delicious dishes of its own.

Blessed with an abundance of seafood, tropical fruits and creative cooks, there’s more to Filipino food than the mind-boggling balut (duck embryo).

You just have to know where to find them and how to eat them.

Let us know your favorites by posting photos on Twitter or Instagram with the #CNNFood hashtag.

1. Adobo

No list of Filipino food would be complete without adobo.

A ubiquitous dish in every household in the Philippines, it’s Mexican in origin.

But Filipinos found that cooking meat (often chicken and pork) in vinegar, salt, garlic, pepper, soy sauce and other spices was a practical way to preserve it without refrigeration.

This cooking style can be applied to different meats or even seafood.

It’s best sample it in a Filipino home, but the garlicky version of the lamb adobo can be found at Abe restaurant in Taguig.

Abe Serendra, Serendra Plaza Serendra Plaza, Taguig City, Luzon Philippines;

2. Lechon

The lechon is the most invited party guest in the Philippines.

The entire pig is spit-roasted over coals, with the crisp, golden-brown skin served with liver sauce, the most coveted part.

In Cebu, the stomach of the pig is stuffed with star anise, pepper, spring onions, laurel leaves and lemongrass resulting in an extremely tasty lechon, which needs no sauce.

In Manila, folks can get their piggy from Elar’s Lechon, while in Cebu, the best is CnT Lechon.

Elar’s Lechon, 151 Quezon Avenue Corner Speaker Perez Street, Quezon City, Luzon 1114 Philippines;

CnT Lechon, 1377 V. Rama Avenue Guadalupe, Cebu City Philippines;

3. Sisig

Nothing goes to waste in Filipino food.

In the culinary capital of Pampanga, they turn the pork’s cheeks, head and liver into a sizzling dish called Sisig.

The crunchy and chewy texture of this appetizer is a perfect match for a cold beer.

Serve with hot sauce and Knorr seasoning to suit the preference of you and your buddies.

Credit goes to Aling Lucing, who invented this dish at a humble stall along the train railways in Angeles City, Pampanga.

While Sisig can be found in many restaurants, try the original version at Aling Lucing Sisig.

Aling Lucing Sisig, Adjacent to Abacan Bridge Henson Street, Angeles City, Luzon Philippines;

4. Crispy pata

Not for the easily spooked, this pork knuckle is simmered, drained and deep fried until crisp.

The meat is tender and juicy inside, with a crisp, crackling exterior.

Served with vinegar, soy sauce and chili.

The Aristocrat, 432 San Andres Street corner Roxas Boulevard, Malate, Manila, Luzon Philippines;

5. Chicken inasal

Yes, it’s grilled chicken.

But in Bacolod, this is no ordinary grilled chicken.

The meat is marinated in lemongrass, calamansi, salt, pepper and garlic and brushed with achuete (annatto seeds) oil.

Every part of the chicken is grilled here from the paa (drumstick), pecho (breast), baticulon (gizzard), atay (liver), pakpak (wings) and corazon (heart).

It must be eaten with a generous serving of garlic rice, with some of the orange oil used to marinade the chicken poured over the rice.

You can go chicken crazy at Manokan Country where there is a row of authentic Inasal restaurants.

Aida’s Chicken, Fr. M. Ferrero St Manokan Country, Bacolod, Negros Occidental Philippines;

MORE: How to cook like Asia’s best female chef

6. Taba ng talangka

The fat of a small variety of crabs are pressed and sauteed in garlic.

This cholesterol-laden Filipino food is often used as a sauce for prawns or eaten with fried fish and rice.

The best taba ng talangka comes from the provinces of Pampanga, Tarlac and Bulacan.

It’s worth buying a bottle or two from the markets there, or pasalubong shops like Bulacan Sweets.

Bulacan Sweets, 155 N.S. Amoranto Ave., Quezon City, Metro Manila; +63 2 740 2171

7. Pancit Palabok

When Filipinos have guests, they don’t skimp.

The pancit palabok served on most birthday parties oozes with flavors and textures.

The noodle dish is layered with rice noodles, a rich orange sauce made from shrimp broth, pork, hard boiled eggs, shrimps, chicharon (pork rinds) and sometimes oysters and squid

8. Bulalo

Despite the perennial heat, Filipinos often enjoy sipping piping hot bulalo soup made with from freshly slaughtered Batangas beef.

The broth is rich with flavors seeped from the beef after boiling for hours.

The bones are big, meaning more bone marrow to enjoy.

In Santo Tomas, Batangas, there’s a row of restaurants along the highway serving bulalo.

Rose and Grace Restaurant, Maharlika Highway Batangas, Santo Tomas, Luzon 4324 Philippines;

9. Arroz Caldo

While chicken soup soothes sick Westerners, Filipinos turn to arroz caldo, a thick chicken rice porridge.

Cooked with ginger and sometimes garnished with a hard-boiled egg, toasted garlic and green onions, this Filipino food is sold in street-side stalls.

If dining al fresco doesn’t suit, there’s the Via Mare outlets around Manila.

10. Fish tinola

The freshness of Cebu’s rich marine life can be tasted in its fish tinola.

The simple sour broth is flavored with onions, tomatoes and sambag (tamarind) and cooked over coco-lumber firewood for hours.

Cebuanos know to go to A-One, a small hole in the wall known, cooking up to 200 kilos of fish daily.

A-One, Rd. North 6, North Reclamation, Cebu City

11. Kare-kare

This stew of oxtail has the most delicious sauce made from ground toasted rice and crushed peanuts.

Banana blossom, eggplants and string beans add more interesting textures, making it a complete meal on its own.

It’s eaten with steamed rice and bagoong (shrimp paste).

While mom’s kare-kare is always best, the version at Cafe Juanita is authentic.

Cafe Juanita, 2 United St Kapitolyo, Pasig, Luzon Philippines;

12. Kamaro

Serious gourmands know the best cooks come from Pampanga.

So do kamaro, these mole crickets they cook into a delicious appetizer.

What makes this delicacy special?

Well, if catching these bugs is tough, so is cooking them.

Legs and wings must be removed, then the body is boiled in vinegar and garlic.

It’s then sautéed in oil, onion and chopped tomatoes until they turn chocolate brown.

These bite-size appetizers are crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside.

Sample Kamaru at Everybody’s Cafe, an authentic Pampango dining institution for many decades now.

Everybody’s Cafe, MacArthur Highway Dau, San Fernando, Luzon Philippines;

13. Ilocos empanada

Yes, its name reveals its Spanish origins.

But its ingredients are all local.

Grated unripe papaya or bean sprouts, egg and loganiza (pork sausage) are stuffed in the empanada and deep fried, accompanied with a spicy vinegar sauce.

Get this staple Filipino food from stalls beside the cathedrals in Vigan and Laoag.

14. Sinigang

Sinigang is a stew of fish, prawns, pork or beef soured by fruits like tamarind, kamias or tomatoes.

Often accompanied by vegetables like kangkong, string beans and taro, this stew is eaten with rice.

A modern, but delicious spin on Sinigang is Sentro 1771’s version called Sinigang Corned Beef.

Sentro 1771, 2/F Greenbelt 3, Makati, Luzon Philippines;

15. Tapa

Filipinos are huge rice eaters, and breakfast is no exception.

A tap-si-log consists of thin slices of dried marinated beef served with fried egg and garlic rice.

While it is breakfast fare, it’s also a quick, satisfying meal you can eat anytime and available in most places.

Making it accessible all the time and even available for deliveries, Tapa King serves it in the classic, sweetish and spicy versions.

Tapa king, #13 Ano 96 Street, Brgy. Hagdang Bato, Libis Mandaluyong City 1552, Manila, Luzon Philippines;

16. Dinuguan at puto

It may not look appetizing.

But this black dish of pork and pig innards — stewed in fresh pig blood seasoned with garlic, onion and oregano and eaten with a white puto (rice cake) or steamed rice — is a comforting dish for many Filipinos.

The MilkyWay Cafe’s version tastes homemade and clean.

MilkyWay Cafe, 2/F MilkyWay Bldg, 900 Arnaiz Ave (Pasay Road) corner Paseo de Roxas, Makati, Luzon 1200 Philippines;

17. Betute

The French may have turned frogs’ legs into a delicacy, but Filipinos take it to the next level.

They get a frog, stuff it with minced pork and deep-fry it.

While betute isn’t for everyone, the adventurous can try it at Everybody’s Cafe.

Everybody’s Cafe, MacArthur Highway Dau, San Fernando, Luzon Philippines;

18. Laing

This dish of taro leaves cooked in rich coconut milk is an everyday staple in Bicol.

Morsels of meat and chili are added to give punch to the Laing.

It’s eaten with steamed rice.

The authentic versions from kitchens in Naga and Albay are most delicious.

In Manila, it can be found at Dencio’s.

Dencio’s Bar and Grill, Gateway Mall, Araneta Center Aurora Boulevard, Cubao, Quezon City, Luzon Philippines;

19. Pinakbet

Up north in Ilocos, the vegetable dish of okra, eggplant, bitter gourd, squash, tomatoes and bagoong (shrimp or fish paste) called pinakbet is a favorite.

And now, this healthy, cheap, and easy to cook dish has made its way around the archipelago.

It is cooked in most households and local restaurants.

Try it at Max’s Fried Chicken in Manila.

Max’s Restaurant, Ayala Avenue Ground Floor, Convergys Building, Makati, Luzon Philippines;

20. Sinugno

Cooking with coconut milk is common in the province of Quezon, south of Manila.

Freshwater tilapia fish is grilled then simmered in coconut milk and chili.

It’s definitely freshest when eaten close to the fishponds as they do in Kamayan Sa Palaisdaan.

Kamayan sa Palaisdaan Hotel & Resort, Brgy. Dapdap, Tayabas City, Quezon Philippines;

21. Bagnet

The lechon kawali, the deep fried pork, is a popular Filipino food all over the country.

Meanwhile, bagnet, a siimlar dish from the northern province of Ilocos, is coveted for its irresistible crunchy skin dipped in the sweet-sour vinegar sukang Iloko.

Buy it from the markets of Ilocos, or try it at Cafe Juanita.

Cafe Juanita, 2 United St Kapitolyo, Pasig, Luzon Philippines;

22. Pancit habhab

Trust Filipino ingenuity to adapt noodles to their lifestyle.

In Lucban, Quezon, pancit habhab is served on a banana leaf and slurped.

Garnished with carrots, chayote, and a few pieces of meat, this cheap noodle dish is most often eaten by students and jeepney drivers on the go.

For an extra special version, there’s the Old Center Panciteria which has been making the noodles since 1937. Cooks there add lechon, a generous serving of vegetables, and even hand you a fork.

Old Center Panciteria, 85 San Luis St. Lucban, Quezon; +63 42 540 3068

MORE: Manila’s world street food festival

23. Pork barbecue

In a country where almost everything is marinated, skewered and grilled in the street corners, everyone has their favorite barbecue meat.

Pork is the most popular.

Cebu is known for barbecue stalls along Larsian Street just off Fuente Osmena Circle.

Manila residents are addicted to that from Ineng’s, which has many outlets in Metro Manila, for its big, chunky pieces of pork with a perfect, salty-sweet marinade.

Ineng’s, Dela Rosa Car Park, Dela Rosa Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City, Metro Manila

24. Longaniza

Every province has their version of the pork sausage called longaniza.

It varies from sweet to garlicky to spicy.

Usually eaten for breakfast with garlic rice, fried egg and a dipping sauce of vinegar.

Zoricho, 118 Silver City, Frontera Verde, Ugong, Pasig City, Metro Manila; +63 2 571 3269

25. Lumpiang ubod

The fruit, leaves and even the pith of the coconut tree is used in Filipino food.

The pith makes a sweet and tender filling for the fresh lumpia, our version of the spring roll.

A delicate egg wrapper contains a savory filling of ubod (the pith of the coconut tree), shrimps, pork, onions and a garlicky sweet sauce.

Bacolod city is known for its petite version of this spring roll.

El Ideal, 118 Rizal Street, Silay City Philippines;

Bailon Homemade Ilonggo Delicacies, 1115 Rodriguez Ave., Bangkal, Makati; +63 2 843 6673

26. Bicol express

A fitting tribute to people who love coconut and spicy food is bicol express, a fiery chili, pork and coconut milk stew.

It can be tried at the hole-in-the-wall eatery called Top Haus in Makati.

Top Haus, 5994 J.D. Villena St., corner Mabini Street, Poblacion, Makati

27. Relyenong alimango

Filipino cooks are never fazed by fuzzy food preparations like relyenong alimango.

The crab is delicately peeled then sauteed with onions, tomatoes, herbs and stuffed back into the crab shell, then deep fried.

Chicken or bangus (milkfish) are also cooked relyeno.

Often cooked in homes for fiestas, but enterprising housewives sell them at the Sunday market in Quezon City (Centris Mall, Edsa, Quezon City) or the Saturday market in Makati (Salcedo Village, Makati).

28. Balut

No trip to the Philippines would be complete without sampling its famous balut.

Vendors peddling these eggs on the street chant “Baluuuuut!” to entice buyers.

This 17-day-old duck embryo is boiled, served with rock salt or spicy vinegar and is often consumed with beer.

29. Inihaw na panga ng tuna

General Santos and Davao City are known for their numerous ways with tuna.

The panga or jaw is often grilled over coals and dipped in sauce of soy sauce, vinegar, chili and calamansi (local lemon).

Marina Tuna, J. P. Laurel Ave, Davao City, Mindanao Philippines;

30. Fish kinilaw

The day’s fresh catch is dressed in palm coconut vinegar, ginger, chili and spices.

Each province has its own way of preparing kinilaw.

Most wet markets will prepare this for you.

Most popular in Cebu is to eat it in Su-tu-kil, the row of seafood eateries (Lapu-LapuCity, Mactan,Cebu).

31. Kuhol sa gata

Fresh snails cooked in coconut milk and leafy vegetables.

The snails are served in the shell and a tiny fork (or toothpick) is used to loosen the meat inside.

This is usually served as an appetizer or a snack, but it works well with hot rice.

Barrio Fiesta, Makati Ave. cor. Valdez St, Makati, Luzon Philippines;

32. Sinanglay

Fresh tilapia is first stuffed with tomatoes and onions.

Then simmered in coconut milk and wrapped in pechay leaves (similar to bokchoy), which helps keep the fish together and adds a peppery taste.

It’s a staple Filipino food.

33. Inihaw na Liempo

A Filipino-style barbecue using a popular pork part: liempo (pork belly).

Arguably, the best is Cebuano style — a slab of liempo stuffed with herbs and spices and roasted.

The result is juicy flavorsome meat inside and crackling skin outside.

34. Empanada de kaliskis

The literal translation of these words is scaly pie.

A traditional meat pie from Malolos, it is a flaky, croissant-like pastry filled with chicken and deep fried.

Best freshly made, get it when in Malolos or from a reputable restaurant such as Adarna Food and Culture.

Adarna Food and Culture, 119 Kalayaan Avenue Diliman, Quezon City, Luzon Philippines;

35. Tinolang tugac

Frog isn’t common in Manila.

But a few miles away in Pampanga you’ll see it stuffed or stewed.

Or simply taking the place of chicken, such as in the common tinola — a ginger-based soup usually cooked with chunks of green papaya and chili pepper leaves.

36. Camaro rebosado

Shrimp coated in egg and flour batter and deep fried.

Served with a tomato-based sweet and sour sauce for dipping.

37. Bibingka

For many Filipinos, Christmas is marked by the scent of bibingkas cooking at dawn.

These rice cakes are made by soaking the rice overnight, grinding it with a mortar stone and mixing in coconut milk and sugar.

Laborious.

The batter is poured into clay pots with banana leaves, with coals on top and below.

It’s garnished with salted eggs, kesong puti (white cheese made from Carabao’s milk) and slathered with butter, sugar and grated coconut.

Best eaten hot from weekend markets.

The best one is from Aling Linda at the Sidcor Sunday Market at Centris Mall, Edsa, Quezon City.

For the rest of the week, there’s Via Mare or Ferino’s Bibingka with branches all over Metro Manila.

Cafe Via Mare, Shop 138, Greenbelt 3 Ayala Center, Makati, Luzon Philippines;

38. Suman at manga

Sold along the roadside, suman are sticky rice snacks steamed in banana or coconut leaves.

There are many versions of suman, depending on the ingredients and leaves used.

These Filipino food snacks are often paired with sweet ripe mangoes.

They’re cheap snacks, which travel well.

They can be bought from roadside stalls, or enterprising vendors peddling them on buses.

39. Champorado

When the rains start pouring and classes are suspended, children love this comforting breakfast — a chocolate rice porridge.

It’s hot, rich and filling.

To offset the sweetness it’s often served with dried fish.

This breakfast of champs can be eaten in roadside carinderias or there’s the triple chocolate version at Max’s Fried Chicken in various cities.

40. Halo-halo

Many people joke that the Philippines has two seasons: hot and hotter.

Cool off with some halo-halo.

In Manila, MilkyWay Cafe offers the best halo-halo with finely shaved ice and a generous serving of leche flan, gulaman, ube, banana, kaong, beans and garbanzos, milk and a scoop of ube ice cream.

MilkyWay Cafe, 2/F MilkyWay Bldg, 900 Arnaiz Ave (Pasay Road) corner Paseo de Roxas, Makati, Luzon 1200 Philippines;

41. Buco pie

Go loco over coconut.

In the province of Laguna, buco pie (young coconut pie) wars are hot.

Each claims to be the best.

Orient D’ Original may have a tacky name but this pie shop has been a favorite for 45 years.

They serve the pie hot, with a delicious filling with generous layers of tender coconut meat.

Orient D’ Original, National Highway, Los Banos, Laguna, +63 4 9536 3783

42. Ensaymada at tsokolate

Ensaymada is a handmade cheesebread topped with sugar and cheese, and best served with thick Filipino hot chocolate.

Mary Grace cafe serves this unbeatable combination popular for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

Mary Grace, Greenbelt 2, Makati, Luzon Philippines;

43. Pastillas de leche

Made from fresh carabao milk and sugar, this sweet confection is stirred until thick and melts in the mouth.

Each piece is double wrapped in paper.

Traditionally, in the province of Bulacan, they hand cut ornate designs for the wrapper.

A consistent source of all things pastillas is Bulacan Sweets with more than 40 years of experience in making these sweets.

Bulacan Sweets, 155 N.S. Amoranto Ave., Quezon City, Metro Manila; +63 2 740 2171

44. Puto bumbong

These may look like miniature chimneys along the roadside stalls, but that’s what gives the chewy purple snacks their name.

Traditionally, purple mountain rice was used to make these, steamed in bamboo tubes, then served with butter, panocha (brown concentrated sugar) and grated coconut.

The Via Mare chain has been consistently producing chewy snack for years.

Cafe Via Mare, Shop 138, Greenbelt 3 Ayala Center, Makati, Luzon Philippines;

45. Turon

This fried banana with langka (jackfruit) all sealed in a lumpia wrapper is our version of a sweet spring roll.

It is peddled around the cities and towns for the perfect merienda (mid-morning or afternoon snack).

46. Pan de sal

Pan de sal are small oval buns often eaten by Filipinos for breakfast. A brownish crust conceals a soft and fluffy inside. The best pan de sal is baked in an oven using firewood, naturally infusing the wood flavor into the bread.

Everyone has their favorite bakery, but Pan de Manila with outlets all over Metro Manila is consistently delicious.

Pan de Manila, lower GF dela Rosa carpark 2, Makati, Luzon Philippines;

47. Taho

Brown sugar syrup is stirred into warm soybean custard and topped with sago pearls.

Traditionally sold by vendors walking the streets calling out to those at home, but can also be sourced from supermarkets and restaurants.

48. Tablea tsokolate

A customary hot chocolate drink that stems from Spanish colonial times, tablea tsokolate is made from tablea de cacao — bittersweet, thick flat chocolate disks.

The traditional version is available at Adarna Food and Culture.

Adarna Food and Culture, 119 Kalayaan Avenue Diliman, Quezon City, Luzon Philippines;

49. Halayang ube

The ube or purple yam is a popular ingredient used for desserts and here it’s made into a sweet halayang ube (ube jam).

For decades the nuns of the Good Shepherd Convent in Tagaytay have been producing this jam.

Their product is smooth and creamy, and helps provide a livelihood to the single mothers who make them.

Good Shepherd Convent, Gibraltar Road Benguet, Baguio, Luzon Philippines;

50. Leche flan

This is a popular dessert among locals — an egg and milk-based custard capped off with glistening caramelized sugar.

63 Interesting Facts about the Philippines By Karin Lehnardt, Senior Writer Published January 3, 2017

 

• The Philippines was the first country in Southeast Asia to gain independence after World War II, in 1946._[18]
• The Philippines has the highest rate of discovery of new animal species with 16 new species of mammals discovered just in the last 10 years._[18]
• Human trafficking is a problem in the Philippines. The country has the fourth largest number of prostituted children in the world. There are estimated to be 375,000 women and girls in the sex trades, mostly between the ages of 15 and 20, though some are as young as 11._[18]
• Current president Benigno Aquino III is the first president of the Philippines to be a bachelor and he is the son of ex-president Corazon Aquino, making him the second president to be a child of a former president (his predecessor Gloria Arroyo was the other)._[18]
• The world’s biggest pair of shoes was made in Marikina City, Philippines, in 2002. The wingtips measured about 17.4 feet (5.3 m) in length, 7.9 feet (2.4 m) in width, and almost 6.6 feet (2 m) in height. Their cost was 2 million Philippine pesos._[5]

 

The Philippines are named after King Philip II of Spain

 

• The Philippines are named after King Philip II of Spain. Explorer Ruy López de Villalobos named the Eastern Visayas Felipenas first, and the name was later applied to the entire archipelago. The country’s official name is the Republic of the Philippines._[7]
• The world record for most women breastfeeding simultaneously was 3,541, set in Manila, Philippines, on May 4, 2006._[11]
• Of the top 10 largest shopping malls in the world, three are found in the Philippines: SM Megamall, SM North Edsa, and SM Mall of Asia._[18]
• The world’s largest pearl was discovered by a Filipino diver in the Palawan Sea in 1934. Known as the “Pearl of Lao Tzu,” or “Pearl of Allah,” the gem weighs 14 pounds (6.35 kg) and measures 9.5 inches (24 cm) long and 5.5 inches (.4 cm) in diameter. It has a value of over US$40 million. It is believed to be 600 years old._[2]
• The Philippines is the world’s largest exporter of coconuts and tropical fruits, such as papaya and mangosteen._[18]
• Some Filipinos are wary of the number 13 and will avoid having 13 people at a table. Also, steps to the main entrance of a house should not fall on a number divisible by three. Superstitious Filipinos will not travel or bathe on Holy Thursday or Good Friday during Holy Week, the week before Easter._[16]
• The only place in the world where skunks are found other than America is Indonesia and the Philippines, where they are called stink badgers._[14]
• President Benigno Aquino III of the Philippines is known as “Noynoy,” and two of his sisters’ nicknames are “Pinky” and “Ballsy.”_[10]
• Christian names in the Philippines include Bing, Bong, Bambi, Bogie, Girlie, Peanut, and Bumbum._[10]
• The Philippines is the only majority Christian nation in Asia. Eighty percent of its population identifies as Roman Catholic._[18]
• The Philippines has a population of more than 100 million people, which makes it the 12th most populous country in the world. Its annual growth rate of around 2% makes it one of the fastest growing countries in the world._[18]
• Mt. Pinatubo on the Philippine island of Luzon erupted on June 15, 1991, and created the largest mushroom cloud in the world. Its eruption ejected 10 billion metric tons of magma and 20 million tons of sulphur dioxide into the stratosphere._[18]

 

The Philippine, or monkey-eating, eagle is the largest of all eagles and was declared the national bird of the Philippines in 1985

 

• The national symbol of the Philippines is the Philippine, or monkey-eating, eagle. It is the largest of all eagles and was declared the national bird of the Philippines in 1995. It stands up to 3.3 feet (1 m) in height and has a wingspan of almost 7 feet (2 m). It is critically endangered; there may only be around 180–500 eagles remaining. Killing one is punishable by Philippine law by 12 years in jail and a heavy fine._[18]
• According to Filipino custom, it is considered rude to open gifts immediately after they are given._[3]
• The Philippines is the only country in the world whose flag is hoisted upside down when the country is at war._[18]
• The Conus gloriamus, the rarest and most expensive seashell in the world, is one of the 12,000 species of seashells found in the Philippines. The first examples of these shells sold at auction for about US$5,000._[18]
• The yo-yo had its beginnings as an ancient Filipino studded hunting weapon attached to a 20-foot rope. The modern yo-yo was invented by a Filipino American, and its name yóyocomes from the Filipino language Ilocano and means “come back.”_[2]
• The Philippines is home to the world’s longest snake, the Reticulated Python (Python reticulatus), which also happens to be the world’s longest reptile. It can grow to 28.5 feet (8.7 m)._[18]
• There are between 120 and 175 individual languages spoken in the Philippines, 171 of which are living while the other four no longer have any known speakers. English and Filipino, based on Tagalog, are the country’s two officially recognized languages._[16]
• The Philippines is the world’s largest supplier of nurses, supplying roughly 25% of all overseas nurses worldwide._[15]
• The antibiotic erythromycin was invented by Filipino Dr. Abelardo Aguilar in 1949. He sent a sample to his employer, the Eli Lilly pharmaceutical company, which promptly patented it. Erythromycin is used for people who are allergic to penicillin and has saved millions of lives._[16]
• The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River in Palawan, Philippines, is 5 miles (8.2 km) long. Until the discovery of a 6.2-mile (10-km) underground river in Mexico, the Puerto Princesa River was known as the longest subterranean waterway in the world._[18]
• The Philippines is the second largest archipelago in the world and is made up of 7,107 islands located in the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea, and the Luzon Strait._[2]

 

The Philippines is the second largest archipelago in the world

 

• The English words “boonies” and “boondocks” is actually based on the Filipino/Tagalog word for “mountain,” bundok. The word entered the North American vernacular in the 1940s, probably brought back by soldiers stationed in the Philippines during World War II._[17]
• San Fernando, Philippines, is known as the “Christmas Capital of the Philippines” and is most famous for its parols (giant Christmas lanterns), which symbolize the star of Bethlehem and can rise 20 feet (6 m) in the air. Only about 10 giant parols are produced each year to compete in the Ligligan Parul (Giant Lantern Festival). Each parol costs around US$11,300 to $15,820 to build._[4]
• The Taal Volcano on the Philippine island of Luzon is one of the world’s 17 Decade Volcanoes, which are volcanoes being specially monitored given their active state and explosive history. Taal is also located in a lake, which has another lake inside of it, with an even smaller island inside of that lake._[18]
• A Filipino named Roberto del Rosario patented the first working karaoke machine in 1975, calling it the “Sing Along System.” The Japanese later translated its name to “karaoke,” which means “singing without accompaniment.”_[8]
• In the Philippine island province of Camiguin, there are more volcanoes (7) than towns (5). There hasn’t been an eruption since the mid-1950s, but the island has the most number of volcanoes per square kilometer in the world._[2]
• The University of Santo Tomas was founded in Manila, Philippines, by Dominican monks in 1611. It is the world’s largest Catholic university in terms of population. Both it and the University of San Carlos in Cebu City, founded in 1595, are older than Harvard University, which was not founded until 1636._[8]

 

Jellyfish Lake is around 12,000 years old

 

• Jellyfish Lake in the Philippines contains more than 13 million jellyfish._[9]
• Over 11 million Filipinos work overseas, which constitutes about 11% of the entire population of the Philippines. Filipinos are the second-largest Asian-American group in the United States, next to the Chinese._[18]
• The Mindanao Trench, which is near the Philippines in the Pacific Ocean, is the second deepest spot under the world’s oceans at 6.5 miles, or 34,440 feet (10,497 m). It was first explored by the German ship Emden in 1927._[18]
• Filipinos observe the world’s longest Christmas season. It begins with the playing of carols in September and officially ends in January with the Feast of the Three Kings. As part of the festivities, they celebrate Simbang Gabi, or Night Mass, where Catholics attend nine services in a row leading up to Christmas Eve. If a person attends all nine masses, it is said their wish will be granted. Filipinos’ Christmas feasts are called Noche Buena and compare to America’s Thanksgiving._[18]
• Filipino-American Eleanor “Connie” Concepcion Mariano was the personal physician to President Bill Clinton. She was also the youngest captain and first female to be named Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy._[1]
• War journalist Carlos Peňa Rómulo was the first Asian/Filipino to win the American Pulitzer Prize for Correspondence in 1942. He was also the first Asian to become president of the United Nations._[16]
• The Philippine capital city of Manila was named after the white-flowered mangrove plant, the Nilad, or Scyphiphora hydrophyllacea. It is a tree with white, star-shaped flowers but yields dark blue dye, which is why in other countries it is called the Indigo tree._[18]
• Even though the first elected Filipino president, Ferdinand Marcos, has been dead for almost two decades, his body has never been properly buried—it remains “on ice” while officials quibble about whether he should buried in the cemetery reserved for Filipino heroes and past presidents._[16]
• Of the eight known species of giant clams in the world, seven are found in the Philippines._[13]
• Manila, the capital of the Philippines is considered the world’s most densely populated city in the world. With a population of 1,660,714 and an area of just 24 square miles (38.55 square km), it has a population density of 55,446 people per square mile (43,079 people per square km)._[18]

 

Manila is considered to be the world’s most densely populated city

 

• The Philippines is home to the world’s smallest hoofed animal, the Philippine mouse-deer. Locally known as the Pilandok (Tragulus nigricans), this creature stands about 15.8 inches (40 cm) tall at the shoulder level._[18]
• One of the most interesting and traditional Philippine dishes is balut, which is essentially a boiled, fertilized duck egg with a half-formed chick inside. It is said to be an aphrodisiac. Other unique dishes include camaro, which are field crickets cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar; papaitan, which is a goat or cow innards stew flavored with bile; Soup #5, which is a soup made out of bull testicles; and asocena, or dog meat._[18]
• The Philippines experiences one large-magnitude earthquake (7.75 or higher on the Richter scale) every 10 years, seven earthquakes of major magnitude (7.0 to 7.4) every 10 years, and five earthquakes of moderate magnitude (6.0 to 6.9) every year._[18]
• The Philippines is the world’s second biggest geothermal producer after the United States with 18% of the country’s electricity needs being met by geothermal power._[18]
• The most active typhoon season for the Philippines was 1993, when 19 moved through the country. A typhoon is a strong tropical cyclone equivalent to a hurricane in North and Central America. The highest wind velocity for a typhoon that crossed the Philippines was recorded in Virac on November 30, 2006, when Typhoon Reming had a peak gust of 198 mph (320 kph)._[18]
• After Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos and his wife Imelda fled the Malacañang Palace, she famously left behind 15 mink coats, 508 gowns, 1,000 handbags, and 1,060 pairs of shoes—from a collection rumored to contain around 3,000 pairs._[18]

 

Bruno Mars’ mother emigrated from the Philippines to Hawaii as a child

 

• Pop singer Bruno Mars is half Filipino and half Puerto Rican. His childhood nickname was “Little Elvis.” His real name is Peter Gene Bayot Hernandez. His stage name was inspired by the chubby wrestler Bruno Sammartino._[6]
• The anti-lock braking systems (ABS) used in Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volvo cars are made in the Philippines. Ford, Toyota, and Nissan are the most prominent automakers manufacturing cars in the country._[18]
• The jeepney is sometimes referred to as the “King of the Philippine roads.” It is a descendant of the Jeeps American troops drove in the Philippines during World War II. Second- and third-generation jeepneys have air conditioning units and closely resemble minibuses. They can carry up to 16 passengers._[18]
• The traditional embroidered Filipino male garment, the barong Tagalog or baro, is woven from piña, pineapple plant fibers, or jusi, banana tree fibers, and worn on formal occasions._[18]
• In the rural Philippines, most women give birth at home and then have the baby’s placenta buried beneath the house, often with an object symbolizing what the parents hope the child will grow up to be. In the cities, this practice is prohibited by the health authorities._[16]
• Santelmo, or Santo Elmo, is a fireball seen by dozens of Filipinos, especially those who live in the Sierra Madre Mountains. It was scientifically explained as electrical fields that have diverged from the power lines. However, sightings have been reported since the Spanish era (16th–19th centuries). There have also been similar sightings in the Alps and Himalayas._[18]
• Cockfighting is a centuries-old blood sport, popular since the times of ancient Persia, Greece, and Rome. In the Philippines, it is still very popular, and the country has hosted several “World Slasher Cups,” staged in Manila’s Araneta Coliseum. The world’s leading game fowl breeders gather twice a year for this event._[18]
• Manny Pacquiao could currently be regarded as the world’s best boxer pound per pound. He has four major titles under his belt: the WBC International Super Featherweight Title, the RING Featherweight Title, the IBF Super Bantamweight Title, and the WBC Flyweight Title. Out of 45 fights, “Pacman,” as he is called, has won 40, with 31 by knockout._[16]
• Basketball is the most popular sport in the Philippines. The Philippines Basketball Association (PBS) is the first and oldest league in Asia and the second oldest in the world after the United States’ National Basketball Association (NBA)._[18]

 

The Philippines is considered the text capital of the world

 

• The Philippines is considered the text capital of the world. Every day, 35 million Filipinos send about 450 million SMS messages. This is more than the total number of daily text messages sent in the U.S. and Europe combined._[18]
• Tanduay rum dates back to 1854 and today remains the Philippines’ spirit of choice. Made from sugar cane milled on the island of Negros, it’s frequently cheaper than bottled water._[8]
• The Aswang, a mythical female vampire-like figure in Filipino folklore who eats unborn children, has been the subject of at least one American horror film and was featured in an episode of the CW television hit Supernatural called “Fresh Meat.”_[2]
• The Filipino national dish may very well be the adobo, which is a dark stew of chicken and/or pork cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, crushed garlic, bay leaf, and black peppercorns. In Spanish, adobo originally meant “sauce” or “seasoning.” The Filipino version is actually indigenous to the islands, dating back to a dish cooked up long before Magellan’s arrival.

 

10 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES

Our travels in the Philippines was an amazing experience. The country’s got it all: paradise-like beaches, a variety of yummy traditional foods, but best of all, the Filipinos!

The Pinoys (nickname for Filipinos around the world) are well known for their hospitality and friendliness. They are what makes the country so special. As well as the warm hearted people we met, here’s our other 10 interesting facts about this incredible country:

#1 Your social media will explode!

After spending time with Filipinos, your social media following will just explode. The Filipinos are so enthusiastic about their Instagram and Facebook that they were ranked as THE highest selfie takers in the world by Time Magazine in early 2014.

In the study carried out by Time Magazine, Makati City (in Metro Manila) was crowned the selfie capital of the planet, with 258 selfies taken per 100,000 people. The full breakdown of Time Magazine’s list shows Cebu City ranked 9th place, Quezon City (also in Metro Manila) at #59 and Iloilo City at #72.

The Filipinos are one of the tech savviest people we’ve met with almost everyone of every age posting something on some form of social media; since visiting we’ve seen a massive jump in our social media following!

#2 Jollibee: the essence of the Filipino spirit

Jollibee is THE fast food chain, known and loved in the Philippines. The restaurant serves up gems like the Amazing Aloha Burger (with bacon and pineapple) or the Tuna Pie (in place of Apple Pie).

It started out as an ice cream parlour in 1975, opened by Filipino, Tony Tran in Quezon City (in Metro Manila). It then evolved to become a fast food restaurant selling hot dogs and burgers.

We love the cute, busy bee mascot, which represents the Filipino spirit: hard-working, optimistic and ‘jolly’ as explained by founder Tony Tran in his interview with the Economist paper.

Jollibee is not only popular throughout Asia, but also in North America, the Middle East and expected to hit Europe in 2017-18.

#3 Jeepney public transportation

Jeepneys are the most popular way of getting around in the Philippines. They are colourful and crowded. One of the apparent origins of the word jeepney, is from the words jeep and knee because passengers sit so closely together (if you even manage to get a seat!).

They were initially made from the US Military jeeps left over after the Second World War. They have since been developed into this colourful public service industry ubiquitous throughout the country. Just stay well clear from one if you see it tearing through traffic (we were warned on a few occasions).

#4 Pretty colourful tricycles

The tricycle is another popular way of getting around in small towns and rural parts of the Philippines.

Tricycles are literally motorbikes with a sidecar attached to them to carry passengers. The engines of the tricycles range from around 50-125cc so when approaching a steep climb, we would have to get out to reduce the weight to help it climb.

We had lots of tricycle fun when we (almost) succeeded hijacking this particularly colourful one in El Nido.

#5 Bangka boats

The bangka is popular throughout the Philippines. It is like a canoe, supported by two outriggers made from bamboo (called katig) on each side acting as a support and stabiliser for the vessel hub.

The vessel hull is made from marine plywood and painted with several coatings of epoxy paint. The smaller ones can be manoeuvured by paddles and the larger ones with an engine.

Bangka boats are also used by the Maori in New Zealand (called waka ama), Hawaii (called wa’a) and Indonesia (called jukung). This was the first time we encountered them in our travels in Asia and they became one of our defining memories of a Filipino secluded island beach.

#6 Karaoke: a Filipino invention

Life lesson tip: never ever dare take on a Filipino at karaoke. They will floor you!

These guys are genetically programmed to be amazing singers from the moment they leave the womb, yet they’re so modest about it – and that’s how they catch you out he he he!

The karaoke was first invented by Japanese musician, Daisuke in 1971, but it was Filipino, Roberto del Rosario who first patented the Karaoke Sing Along System in 1975 and subsequently commercialised it.

Karaoke is so popular in the Philippines that it is even used commercially to promote grocery items in supermarkets, as we found out when we visited the SM Megamall in Ortigas (Metro Manila). You can be sure if you’re with Filipinos, attention may very well turn to karaoke!

#7 Strong hispanic and USA influences

The Spanish colonised the Philippines from 1521-1898 and then the USA also left their mark from 1898-1946.

The spoken and written English is all Americani-zed, so ordering a glass of waaaaaa-der (ie in a US accent) will get you further than our British twang of war-ter, which only led to a fit of giggles…

As a result of the Spanish, you will notice words like fiesta (party) and guapo (a hot guy) commonly used. Some of the popular Filipino foods also have Spanish influenced names, like adobo (meaning ‘marinade’) and lechon (suckling pig).

Catholicism is still the main religion in the Philippines with over 76 million of the world’s Catholics (the highest after Mexico and Brazil). As a result, Papal visits draw huge crowds and we noticed certain beliefs and practises are still followed, like skipping the unlucky 13th floor in high-rise buildings:

#8 The Filipino flag shows war or peace

The Filipino flag is the only one in the world, which can determine whether the country is at peace or at war, depending on how it is flown. It has a white triangle with a sun surrounded by 3 golden stars representing the 3 island groups (Luzon in the North, the Visayas in the centre and Mindanao in the South).

Then it has a strip of red and blue:

• when the country is at peace, the flag is flown with blue on top.
• when at war, it is reversed with red on top:

#9 Anti wang wang measures!

When we arrived in Manila Naia airport for our first time, we noticed a sign warning this was a No “Wang Wang” zone:

This made us giggle as we first thought this was a joke or a preventative measure to stop men exposing their wangers in public. But the immigration officer explained to us it is actually an expression used to prevent queue cutting.

The phrase wang wang in fact derives from the sound police car sirens make. But some self-important people would mount fake police sirens to their cars, use them to wang wang and cut their way through heavy traffic.

The wang wang mentality and wang wang culture were catch phrases coined by President Benigno Aquino III in his speeches as part of his commitment to stamp out corruption and abuses of power.

#10 The Filipinos: the best thing about the Philippines

The Filipinos are such warm hearted and welcoming people that you will leave craving to return to them. Fact!

Cheesy-ness aside, the OFWs (or Overseas Filipino Workers) are in fact the country’s largest and best export, due to the large amounts of remittances sent home each year.

Remittances from OFWs account for around 11% of the Filipino economy. It’s become such an important industry that each year, the government teaches thousands of people the skills they need to get jobs abroad.

This explains why the Pinoys are such an international bunch and why we’ve been so fortunate to meet so many of them around the world.

Visit: nomadicboys.com

31 Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About The Philippines

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Thinkstock / Via Matt Ortile / BuzzFeed

1. The Philippines is the world’s leading producer of coconuts, having produced 19.5 million tons of the fruit in 2010.

2. According to the 2000 census, 52 million people in the Philippines speak English, making it the fifth largest English-speaking nation behind the U.S., India, Pakistan, and the U.K.

3. Of the top 10 largest shopping malls in the world, three are found in the Philippines: SM Megamall, SM North Edsa, and SM Mall of Asia.

4. The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River in Palawan is 8.2 kilometers long. Until the discovery of a 10-kilometer underground river in Mexico, the Puerto Princesa River was the longest subterranean waterway in the world.

Flickr: globalcitizen01

5. Ferdinand Magellan arrived in the Philippines in 1521, marking the start of the archipelago’s colonization under Spanish rule, a 377-year period that lasted until 1898.

6. The islands were dubbed “the Philippines” after King Philip II of Spain.

7. As a result of the Spanish influence, the country is predominantly Christian with 90% of the population practicing some mode of Christianity, the vast majority being Roman Catholic.

8. The world’s largest Christmas lantern was illuminated in San Fernando, Pampanga on Dec. 24, 2002. The structure was 26.8 meters in diameter and cost five million Philippine pesos.

Nicole Abalde / Via Flickr: nicoleabalde

9. Pope John Paul II offered a mass to about five million Filipinos on Jan. 18, 1995, at Luneta Park in Manila. The event went into the Guinness Book of World Records as the Biggest Papal Crowd at the time.

10. In 2009, about 1.39 billion SMS messages were being sent in the Philippines daily. The country was one of the earliest adopters of text messaging, earning the moniker “text capital of the world” from the mid ’90s to the early 2000s.

11. The English word ‘boondocks’ is actually a Filipino loanword: the Tagalog word for ‘mountain’ is ‘bundok.’

12. The word entered the North American vernacular in the 1940s, just as the Philippines became involved in the Second World War.

Shutterstock

13. Taal Volcano in Talisay, Batangas, is one of the world’s 17 Decade Volcanoes — volcanoes that need to be looked after given their active state and explosive history. It’s also located in a lake, and has a lake inside it, with an even smaller island in it!

14. The amount of sulfur dioxide expelled by Mount Pinatubo during its eruption on Jun. 15, 1991, created a two-year haze of sulfuric acid all over the world. It caused global temperatures to drop by 0.5 °C (0.9 °F).

15. A Filipino named Roberto del Rosario made the karaoke machine in 1975, but a Japanese musician invented it four years earlier. Del Rosario, however, was the first to patent the product, which makes him the first patented producer of the karaoke.

16. In the province of Camiguin, there are more volcanos (seven) than towns (five). There hasn’t been an eruption since the mid 1950s, but the island has the most number of volcanoes per square kilometer in the world.

Allan Donque / Via Flickr: allandonque

17. The positioning of the Philippine flag’s colors indicate a message. If it is flown with the red stripe on top, the nation is in a state of war. Otherwise, during peacetime, the blue is on top.

18. The modern yo-yo takes its name from a word in the Philippine language Ilocano, yóyo.

19. The University of San Carlos in Cebu City was founded by Spanish Jesuits in 1595, making it the oldest school in the Philippines.

20. Then in 1611, the University of Santo Tomas (or, lovingly, “Usté”) was founded in Manila by the Dominican Order. It is the world’s largest Catholic university in terms of population. Both it and University of San Carlos are older than Harvard, which was not founded until 1636.

Ojie Paloma / Via Flickr: huno

21. The cone of the sea snail Conus gloriamaris is a highly valued collector’s item, the first examples of which were found in the Philippines and sold at auction for upwards of $5,000.

22. In 2002, the world’s biggest pair of shoes were made in Marikina City. The wingtips clock in at about 5.3 meters in length, 2.4 meters in width, and almost 2 meters in height. They cost two million Philippine pesos.

23. Manila, the capital city of the country, takes its name from a white flower that grew on mangrove trees, locally known as nilad. ‘May nilad‘ can be translated to mean ‘there are niladthere.’

24. The rice terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The terraces were built about 2,000 years ago and — thanks to the rough terrain keeping settlers out — remain as they would have been in pre-colonial times.

Thinkstock

25. The Philippines has won at least eight major international beauty pageant titles: two for Miss Universe; five for Miss International; and at least one for Miss World, the current titleholder beingMegan Young.

26. About 25 years before the first book was printed in the United States, the Tagala, the first Filipino-Spanish dictionary, was printed in 1613.

27. After the Second World War, the Philippine jeepney was born out of the G.I. Jeeps American soldiers brought to the country in the 1940s. It’s Pinoy upcycling!

Flickr: whltravel

28. The Philippines’ approximately 300,000 square kilometers (115,831 sq mi.) of land area are spread over 7,107 islands.

29. This gives the country 36,289 kilometers (22,549 mi.) of coastline and puts the Philippines at fifth place for the longest discontinuous coastline in the world.

30. Depending on the method of classification, there are 125 to 170 languages in use in the Philippines, such as Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Bicolano, Waray, and Kapampangan.

31. The Philippines welcomed its 100-millionth citizen on July 27, 2014, making the country the seventh most populated country in Asia and the 12th in the world.

James Guirao / Via Flickr: pajamaphotography

For more on the Philippines, follow @BuzzFeedPH and the BuzzFeed Philippines Facebook page!

September 16, 2014, at 8:34 a.m.

And earlier version of this post stated that the University of San Carlos was the oldest university in Asia. The school did not achieve university status until the 1940’s. Additionally, it was previously stated that “Ilonggo” was a language; “Hiligaynon” is the language spoken by the Ilonggo people. Changes have been made to reflect these facts.

 

url source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/mattortile/buzzfeed-bayan?utm_term=.lh7NZ624Jv#.gr5o4z7VqQ

 

TOP TOURIST DESTINATIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES

1. El Nido, Palawan

The view at the Bacuit Bay, El Nido, Palawan, Philippines

Named as the most beautiful island beaches in the world by Condé Nast Traveller magazine in 2015, El Nido is one of the must-visit and must-return places in the Philippines in 2016. When in El Nido, experience different island hopping tours to white sand beaches, enchanting lagoons, and crystal clear waters, where you can swim, snorkel, do kayaking, or just relax and embrace the hidden beauty of Mother Nature

2. Boracay Island, Aklan

Boracay Island. Image by Hani Han via ixabay

Boracay is probably the most popular beach island in the Philippines. It’s every Filipino’s dream to visit this island located in the province of Aklan. With its soft white sand, bright blue waters, beautiful sunset view, and unforgettable night life experiences, Boracay has been included in the top 20 best islands in the world by Condé Nast Traveller magazine.

 

3. Batanes Islands, Batanes

Batanes Highlands. Photo by Lailani Salaguinto-Jabonete

Batanes is one of the most wanted tourist destinations in the Philippines. A trip to the province will give you the most unique sceneries of the country, which include unspoiled islands that will satisfy nature lovers, livestock freely roaming above endless green hills, massive cliffs overlooking oceans under the blue skies, rocky shores and white sand beaches, and the rich cultural heritage of the Ivatans

4. Camiguin Island, Camiguin

Camiguin Island in the Philippines. Photo by Allan Donque via Flickr.

Camiguin province holds the record of having the most number of volcanoes per square kilometer than any other island on the planet. But beyond volcanoes, the province also boasts natural attractions, including an uninhabited white sandbar, hot and cold springs, and waterfalls. Moreover, you can also witness the Lanzones festival in October, visit centuries-old churches, old ancestral homes and the infamous sunken cemetery.

5. Malapascua Island, Cebu

 

Sunset on Bounty Beach, Malapascua Island. Photo by Htkava via Wiki Commons.

Along with Palawan and Boracay, the island of Cebu is also considered one of the top 20 best islands in the world by Condé Nast Traveller magazine. A month isn’t enough to explore the whole of Cebu, which is known for its white beaches, luxury resorts, and rich history. Malapascua Island is one of the most popular destinations in Cebu. The small island which can be walked around in two hours is home to lovely beaches and relaxing breeze of air. Tourists visit the island for a once-in-a-life time diving experience with the thresher sharks.

6. Kalanggaman Island, Leyte

 

The beautiful sandbar of Kalanggaman Island in Palompon, Leyte. 

The island of Kalanggaman in Palompon has one of the most beautiful sandbars in the Philippines, and probably in the world. No wonder why international cruise ships made a stopover on this dream island to bring hundreds of tourists from the different parts of the world. Swimming in clear and translucent seawaters that glow at night, walking along a white long sandbar, and gazing at a billion stars at clear night sky are only some of the reasons why you should visit and return on this tiny island in 2016.

7. Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte

The big waves at Cloud 9, Siargao Island, Philippines. Image by Paolo Marco Mañalac via Flickr

Siargao is known as the surfing capital of the Philippines and home to the world-renowned surfing wave called “Cloud 9”. So if you love surfing, this island must be in your bucket list in 2016. However, Siargao is not only a perfect place for surfers but for any type of tourists. Unknown to many, the island is also hiding pristine white sand beaches, enchanting lagoons, natural pools, waterfalls, amazing caves, incredible rock formations, and more.

8. Coron, Palawan

 

Kayangan Lake, Coron, Palawan. Photo by Bro. Jeffrey Pioquinto, SJ via Flickr.

Coron is a tropical paradise in the province of Palawan. The postcard-perfect scenery of Kayangan Lake with its towering limestone cliffs and crystalline waters is one of the must-visit places in the Philippines. Visiting Coron will give you an opportunity to swim at Kayangan Lake, dubbed as the cleanest lake in Asia. Coron is also one of the most visited destinations for wreck diving in the country.

 

9. Hinatuan Enchanted River, Surigao Del Sur

The clear, clean and bluish Enchanted River of Hinatuan, Surigao Del Sur. Image by 2il org via Flickr.

If Surigao Del Norte is famous for its legendary Pacific waves in Siargao, Surigao Del Sur is known for its Enchanted River in Hinatuan. The clear bluish waters of Hinatuan’s Enchanted River can go as deep as 80 feet deep. A popular story among the locals tells that fairies and mermaids swim and play in the waters, protect the river, and maintain its cleanliness.

10. Mayon Volcano, Albay

 

Mayon Volcano in the province of Albay. Image by Ronnie Rey Manjares via Pixabay

Mount Mayon is the most active volcano in the Philippines. But in contrast of its threat lies a perfectly cone shaped volcano that can surpass the beauty of any volcano on Earth. The breathtaking landscape of Mayon Volcano is already a very popular landmark of the Philippines, as you can see it in the Philippine money and in common postcards in the country. Mayon is also named as one of the world’s most photogenic volcanoes by CNN Travel.

 

11. Taal Volcano and Tagaytay, Batangas and Cavite

 

 

Taal Volcano as seen from Tagaytay

Tagaytay City in Cavite is a popular holiday destination located south of Manila. It’s an ideal place for leisure and recreation activities, such as picnic, horseback riding, zipline riding, and catching the picturesque view of Taal Volcano Island surrounded by Taal Lake. For more adventure, tourists can head to Talisay, Batangas to cross Taal Lake on a motorboat and reach Taal Volcano Island to trek to the crater of the smallest active volcano in the world.

12. Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Palawan

 

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River Photo by Carrie Kellenberger via Flickr.

Palawan seems to never run dry of amazing destinations for tourists. The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park also called Puerto Princesa Underground River is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. The 8.2 km long Underground River is said to be the longest navigable underground river in the world. The cave system contains stalactites, stalagmites, small underground waterfalls, and more river channels.

 

13. Langun Gobingob Caves, Samar

 

Langun Gobingob caves in Calbiga, Samar. Photo by Joni Abesamis Bonifacio

With hundreds of caves explored and mapped, the island of Samar is starting to be recognized as the caving capital of the Philippines. Langun-Gobingob Caves, the largest caving system in the country is also found in Samar, particularly in the town of Calbiga. The cave system has a huge chamber that can easily fit three football fields. So if you want a new spice of adventure, caving in Samar has to be included in your bucket list of top things to do in 2016.

14. Banaue Rice Terraces, Ifugao

 

Banaue Rice Terraces. Image by Cabajar via Wikimedia Commons

A national cultural treasure and considered by Filipinos as the “Eighth Wonder of the World”, the Rice Terraces of Banaue is a perfect place for sightseeing, getting closer with nature, getting to know the tribes of Ifugao, and even consulting with a Mumbaki (a traditional Ifugao witch doctor) to perform spiritual healing rituals. The Rice Terraces were built 2,000 years ago by our ancestors using stone and mud walls to construct pond fields for rice cultivation in the mountains of Ifugao.

 

15. Chocolate Hills, Bohol

 

Chocolate Hills in Bohol. Photo by P199 via Wikimedia Commons.

One of the most famous landmarks of the Philippines, Chocolate Hills are more than a thousand hills spread over the municipalities of Carmen, Sagbayan and Batuan in Bohol. They are called as such because their green grasses layers turn brown during the dry season, making them look like chocolates. The province of Bohol is also known for white sand beaches, rivers, centuries-old churches, and the Philippine tarsier.

16. Mount Apo, Mindanao

Mount Apo in Mindanao is the highest mountain in the Philippines. Photo by Bro. Jeffrey Pioquinto, SJ via Flckr.

If you want the best of the Philippines, why not aim for the tallest mountain in the country? Mount Apo is the highest peak of the Philippines at 10,311 feet above sea level. Mountaineers and adventurers will face a challenging journey to the peak of the mountain traversing creeks, lakes, rivers, grasslands, and forests. The mountain is also home to flora and fauna that are endemic to the area. Trekking to the top is not an easy task but it rewards anyone with the most spectacular views and feelings that we rarely experience in our lives.

17. Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, Palawan

 

Tubbataha Reefs. Photo by q phia via Flickr.

If Mount Apo is for hikers, the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is a heaven for the scuba divers. This wonderful underwater world near the middle of Sulu Sea is one of the best dive sites on Earth. This protected sanctuary is home to pristine coral reefs, manta rays, sea turtles, clownfish, lionfish, sharks, and the endangered hawksbill sea turtles. The Natural Park which was also declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO is also a sanctuary for a hundred bird species.

18. Vigan, Ilocos Sur

The Spanish period houses in Calle Crisologo, VIgan, Ilocos Sur. Photo by Adrian Enriquez via Pixabay.

There are many Spanish colonial period houses and mansions that are scattered in the Philippines. But if you like to see an entire district that is exceptionally intact from its Spanish period architecture and scenery, Vigan is the place to be. The historic town of Vigan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk along Crisologo Street to experience an ambience dating back to the 16th century.

 

19. Intramuros and Rizal Park, Manila

The walled city of Intramuros in Manila.

Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, is abundant with historical and educational attractions. The 400-year old historic walled city of Intramuros is home to Fort Santiago, San Agustin Church (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Manila Cathedral, Palacio del Gobernador, Plaza de Roma, centuries-old canyons, cobblestones, and other buildings and ruins from the Spanish period. A walking distance from Intramuros is Rizal Park, the most famous park in the country and home to the iconic Rizal Monument, the country’s tallest flag, KM Zero, and much more.

20. National Museum of the Philippines, Manila

 

The huge painting, Spoliarium by Juan Luna

Another must-visit destination in Manila is the National Museum of the Philippines. If you like to learn more and appreciate the national cultural and historical treasures of the Filipinos, the museum is a place you shouldn’t miss in 2016. See for yourself the giant painting Spoliarium by Juan Luna, the Manunggul Jar and other prehistoric artifacts dated back from 890 to 710 B.C., the treasures of Spanish Galleon San Diego, the Balangay or Butuan boat, the different paintings and sculptures of various Filipino national artists, and other stuff you have probably only seen in textbooks.

Interesting Articles

Philippine Facts And Trivia Small land area but longer coastline The Philippine land area is just about 1/30 of the United States, but the Philippines has a total of 36,289 kilometers of coastline while the US has only 19,924 kilometers of coastline. The Oldest City Cebu City is the oldest city in the country. World’s most expensive seashell “Conus Gloriamaris” (‘glory of the sea’) is the world’s rarest and priceless seashell among the 12,000 seashell species found in the Philippines. And, among the 500 coral species worldwide, 488 are found in the Philippine seas. Born genius or hard worker? The Philippine national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, is known to have started reading and writing at the age of 2; and he could speak 20 languages including French, Greek, Chinese, Latin, German, Cebuano, Tagalog, etc. The real karaoke inventor A Japanese person did not invent the karaoke but a Filipino – Roberto del Rosario. He first called his invention “Sing-Along-System” but the Japanese popularized it and called the ‘karaoke’ meaning ‘to sing without accompaniment’. Upside-down flag The Philippine flag is the only symbol on earth that will be hang or displayed upside-down when the country is at war (during ordinary or peace time the blue part is on top of the red one but upside down during war). Texting capital of the world Among the more than 35 million cell phone subscribers in the Philippines in 2006, there are about 350 to 400 million sms (short message service) was being sent daily. This is more than the total daily text messages that the US and Europe sent. Longest underground river system Saint Paul National Park of Palawan Province in the Philippines has the longest underground river system in the world that is accessible and navigable to humans. Philippines’ biggest wild animal The “tamaraw” is a species of the buffalo family that is similar to the Philippine carabao. It is considered the largest Philippine wild animal, and they are only found in Mindoro Province. The highest peak Mount Apo is a dormant volcano of Mindanao (Davao), at 2,954 meters high followed by Mount Pulog in Luzon at 2,928 meters high. Mount Apo is now becoming a popular tourist destination especially among mountain hikers and campers. The Philippines’ biggest city Davao City in Mindanao Island is the biggest city in the country with an area of 2,211 square kilometer. Metro Manila is about three times the size of Davao City. It is famous for durians (that stinky but delicious king of the fruits) and bananas, among other products and resources. Province that has the most cities Negros Occidental in the Visayas Islands (where Cebu is) has the most cities among the provinces in the Philippines. Negros is the popular producer of sugar products and tourism destinations. World’s longest religious holiday The longest religious celebration is the Christmas season in the Philippines. It starts on September 1st (you can hear Christmas songs, children caroling door-to-door, and see Christmas stars and decors everywhere, etc.). This season ends on the first week of January, that is, the feast of the Three Kings. Boondocks is a Tagalog term The English term ‘boondocks’ is a word from Tagalog word ‘bundok’ meaning ‘mountain’.

Other Information:

Juan Luna killed his wife and mother-in-law. He was later acquitted of his “crime of passion.”

Cory Aquino’s favorite color was RED, not YELLOW

In 1992, Pepsi offered 1 million pesos to anyone who had a bottle cap with “349” printed on it. Turns out, half a million bottle caps got the winning number.

Major Archibald Butt, former military captain in the Philippines, died in the sinking of Titanic in 1912.

 

Aluling Bridge in Ilocos Sur took 35 years to complete.

Jaz Cola, a beverage produced by The Coca Cola Company, was specifically made for the people in the Visayan Islands.

The first same-sex marriage in the Philippines was between two NPA members.

San Fernando City in Pampanga province created in 2002 the world’s largest Christmas lantern – a P5-million structure with 26.8 meters in diameter.

The longest bridge in the Philippines is San Juanico Bridge located in San Juanico Strait. This bridge connects the islands of Samar and Leyte in the Visayas.

One of the flag’s three stars did not represent Visayas. Technically speaking, the three stars represent Luzon, Panay, and Mindanao, and not Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, as we all know

The crime rate in the Philippines drops drastically during Pacquiao fights.

The Philippine Flag The Philippine flag holds the distinction of being one of the most unique in the world. What makes it so different is that one can know whether the country is in a state of war by the way the flag is flown. If the dominant color flown on top is red, that means the country is at war. Likewise, if it is blue, then the country is at peace. The idea for the modern Philippine flag’s design came in 1897 from General Emilio Aguinaldo, the de facto leader of the insurrection against the Spanish and the first president of the First Philippine Republic. Aguinaldo had signed a truce with the Spanish and underwent a self-imposed exile in Hong Kong. He presented the design to Marcela Agoncillo, her daughter Lorenza, and a young girl named Delfina De Natividad, who also happened to be the niece of national hero/martyr Dr. Jose Rizal. Together, the three sewed the flag, which was first flown on May 28, 1898, when Aguinaldo returned to the country to resume hostilities against the Spanish. Originally, the sun in the flag had a face, but this was scrapped in subsequent designs. The red and blue colors of the flag are rife with symbolism. Some historians have argued that the colors were influenced by the Cuban flag , where the people were also revolting against the Spanish, while others have asserted that the colors paid homage to the Americans who assisted in ending Spanish rule.

The Early Chinese And Filipinos Were BFFs The ongoing territorial conflict between China and the Philippines can be best described as a fight between David and Goliath, only right now David has no slingshot and Goliath has a lot of tanks and missiles. The best that the Philippines can do is hope and pray for divine intervention—or America. However, this potential powder keg for World War III obscures the fact that the Chinese and Filipinos were once the best of friends. The earliest known recorded contact between the two groups was in 982 AD—almost 500 years before the arrival of Magellan—when a boatload of Filipino merchants anchored off Canton, China and sold their goods there. After that fateful encounter, the Chinese sailed their own ships towards the Islands to trade with the natives, while some stayed behind and intermarried with the local women. They also taught the natives their language and instructed them how to manufacture items such as gunpowder and jewelry. The Chinese influence is still pretty evident on the Filipino way of life even today, with the nonchalant use of Chinese words and eating of Chinese cuisine. Now the question is, can the Philippines and China ever be the best of friends again?

A Dangerous Place For Journalists Sadly, one of the most democratic places in the world also happens to be one of the most dangerous for journalists. In its 2013 report, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) ranked the Philippines third on its Impunity Index, which is the number of unsolved journalist murders per population. The Philippines had a score of 0.580, or 55 journalists killed in a population of 94 million people. This score was bested only by Iraq and Somalia. It’s pretty surprising when you consider that the country isn’t even in a civil war, like Somalia, nor is it as insurgency-infected as Iraq. Even sadder is the fact that journalists continue to be killed today with increasing impunity. In 2013 alone, the police documented three murders of journalists , although that number could be higher. To put the depressing icing on the depressing cake, the wheels of justice circle ever so slowly for the families of those journalists killed in the 2009 Maguindanao Massacre , which was one of the worst mass murders of media personnel in history.

Freemasons Fought The Spanish Empire This was one conspiracy the Freemasons could not deny to have participated in, as several Filipino members figured prominently in the revolt against Spain in the late 18th century. Interestingly, it was the Spanish who first introduced Freemasonry to the Philippines in 1856, who were soon followed by other European nationalities. These lodges typically excluded the natives from joining and it was only in 1889 that an all-Filipino lodge was formed in Madrid. Filipinos who went overseas to study or avoid persecution joined Freemasonry mainly because it embodied the ideals of justice, freedom, and equality of all people. The secrecy and connectedness among the lodges allowed the Filipino members to share and spread their liberal ideas. A number soon returned to the country and set up lodges everywhere, which alarmed the Spanish authorities and especially the friars who demanded complete obedience to the church. Those suspected to be Freemasons were persecuted mercilessly. However, even the threat of torture and death did not stop the members from sharing their views for a democratic and just society. Soon, two schools of thought emerged within the confines of the lodge—one espoused peaceful reforms and reconciliation with Spain and was headed by Dr. Jose Rizal, and the other advocated violent revolution, which was led by Andres Bonifacio. Both had formed clandestine groups that closely followed the rituals of Freemasonry. When it became clear the Spanish were never going to implement peaceful reforms, Bonifacio and his group, the Katipunan, went ahead and openly revolted. Rizal—who had reservations about the revolution but tacitly supported it in the end—was later executed by Spanish authorities, which only served to inflame the revolutionaries even more.

Filipino’s also love boxing with a passion, and when their most famous native son, Manny Pacquiao, fights, it’s like a national holiday. In fact, Filipinos are so supportive of “PacMan” that every time he has a boxing match, the Philippine National Police report that street crime drops to zero in Metro Manila, and the same is true in most of the country. (Source)

Filipinos are crazy about basketball! You’ll see makeshift hoops erected on every street corner, young men commonly wearing NBA jerseys, and local teams playing in every community hall. Their professional league, The Philippines Basketball Association (PBS) is the second oldest in the world after only the NBA! In fact, a good number of players with U.S. college and NBA experience come to play in the PBA. (Source)

More than 52 Million people in the Philippines speak English, making it the fifth largest English-speaking nation behind the U.S., India, Pakistan, and the U.K

DICASALARIN COVE The Dicasalarin Cove is a secluded white sand beach in Baler, Aurora where the lush foothills of the Sierra Madre mountain ranges meet the Pacific Ocean. The fine stretch of white sand beach of Dicasalarin Cove provides a stark contrast to surrounding dark emerald forests that has been Aurora’s trademark. The Philippine coastline stretches to 18,000 km., fifth longest in the world. The country’s some 27,000 square kilometers of coastal waters are teeming with a dazzling array of marine life. Our marine habitats host an estimated 1,400 species of fish and crustaceans, more than 900 species of seaweeds, and at least 400 species of coral.

Did you know that kulintang music is used for a cure of the sick? “A special use of the kulintang applies to a cure of the sick bpagipat, the more complex of similar rituals among the Magindanaon… The music is a necessary part of the ritual… Many cures have been made… and the tradition persists, despite new beliefs introduced by Islam.” (From Gongs & bamboo: a panorama of Philippine musical instruments. Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press, 1998)

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10 Facts about the Philippines that will Blow Your Mind

 

 

1. Two of the largest naval battles in history were fought in the Philippine seas.

 

The Imperial Japanese Battleship Yamato during sea trials in October 1941.

 

The Battle of the Philippine Sea (June 19–20, 1944) and the Battle of Leyte Gulf (October 23–26, 1944) both hold a mind-blowing record for being the largest naval battle in history for some criteria.

The Battle of Philippine Sea is considered as the largest aircraft carrier battle in history. The standoff between the US Navy and the Japanese Empire Navy involved 15 US fleet and light carriers, 9 Japanese carriers, 170 other warships and about 1,700 aircraft. The US fifth Fleet’s Task Force 58 that took action during the battle is also considered by historians as the largest single naval formation ever to give a battle.

And how could we forget the Battle of Leyte Gulf? This naval battle, which consisted of the Battle of Cape Engano, the Battle off Samar, the Battle of Sibuyan Sea and the Battle of Surigao Strait, is considered the largest in terms of tonnage of ships engaged and in terms of terms of tonnage of ships sunk. Some historians also considered it as the largest naval battle ever fought.

US Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Intrepid operating in the Philippine sea in November 1944 during Word War 2. Photo by the US Navy.

The Battle of Leyte Gulf was a clash of naval prowess between the US 3rd and 7th Fleets (assisted by the Australian Royal Navy) and the Japanese Imperial Navy during the World War II. The combined forces of the United States 3rd and 7th Fleets and some Australian warships included 8 large aircraft carriers, 8 light carriers, 12 battleships,18 escort carriers, 24 cruisers, 141 destroyers and destroyer escorts, several other ships, and some 1,500 aircraft. The Allied Forces came out victorious against the Japanese forces, which comprised of 4 aircraft carriers, 9 battleships, 19 cruisers, 34 destroyers and hundreds of aircraft.

2. There’s an islet in the Philippines within a lake on an island within a lake on an island.

Aerial photo of Taal Volcano. Photo by Mike Gonzalez via Wikimedia Commons.

 

Did you get it? Let’s rephrase that. In the Philippines, there’s an islet (Vulcan Point) within a lake (Main Crater of Taal Volcano) on an island (Volcano Island) within a lake (Taal Lake) on an island (Luzon).

The Vulcan Point is an islet inside the crater lake (known as the Main Crater Lake) of Taal Volcano, the smallest active volcano in the world. The Vulcan Point is also considered as the world’s largest island within a lake on an island in a lake on an island. The islet was formed when the deposits of the huge eruption that occurred in 1911 extensively changed the floor of the Main Crater.

The Main Crater and the Vulcan Point at Taal Volcano. Photo by FAQ.ph

Tourists from the Philippines and other parts of the world visit the Volcano Island and trek the Taal Volcano to see the stunning view of the Main Crater and the Vulcan Point inside it.

 

3. Of the 10 largest shopping malls in the world, 3 are in the Philippines.

The Mega Fashion Hall of SM Megamall, the largest mall in the Philippines and third largest in the world in terms of gross leasable area. Image by RioHondo via Wikipedia.

Filipinos love going to mall, whether to shop, dine, watch movies or just have fun roaming around. That is why it’s not surprising that 3 of the 10 largest malls in the world are found in the Philippines.

Based on the gross leasable area, SM Megamall is the 3rd largest mall in the world, while SM City North EDSA and SM Mall of Asia are the 4th and 10th largest, respectively. The expansion made on SM Megamall in 2014 has transformed the mall as the largest mall in the Philippines, surpassing SM City North EDSA.

SM Megamall occupies a land area of approximately 10 hectares and has an estimated total retail floor area of 506,435 m2 (5,451,220 sq ft), while SM City North EDSA and SM Mall of Asia have estimated total retail floor area of 482,878 m2 (5,197,660 sq ft) and 406,962 m2 (4,380,500 sq ft), respectively. That makes the 3 malls occupy a whooping total retail area of 1,396,275 square meters or 15,029,380 square feet!

The Philippine flag during the period of peace (left) and during a state of war (right).

4. The National Flag of the Philippines can be inverted to officially declare a state of war.

The Philippine National Flag is the only flag which may be reversed when the country is in the state of war. The Flag’s design is a horizontal bicolor of blue and red, with a white equilateral triangle at the hoist, containing three golden-yellow stars and a sun with eight primary rays at the center.

During a state of war, the Philippine Flag is inverted, showing the red stripe at the top. The Flag was hoisted this way during the Filipino Revolutionary War (1898-1901) and in the World War II (1941–1945).

 

5. The three largest known pearls in the world were found in the Philippines.

Giant clam or Tridacna gigas. Photo by Jan Derk.

The Pearl of Lao Tzu (also known as Pearl of Allah) is the largest known pearl in the world. It was found in Brookes Point, Palawan by a Filipino diver in 1934. The pearl, which measures 9.45 inches in diameter and weighs 6.4 kilograms (14 lbs), is a “clam pearl” or “Tridacna pearl” from a giant clam Tridacna gigas. The pearl was appraised by Gemologist Michael Steenrod in Colorado Springs at $60,000,000 in 1982 and $93,000,000 in 2007.

The “Palawan Princess”, considered as the world’s second largest pearl was also discovered off the coast of Palawan island. The pearl weighs 2.27 kilograms (5 lbs) and was put on auction by Bonhams and Butterfields of Los Angeles on December 6, 2009. Although the five pound pearl have an estimated worth of $300,000 to $400,000, it was not sold.

Though the Pearl of Lao Tzu is currently the officially recognized largest pearl ever discovered, the Pearl of the King, owned by Richard King, chairman of the Crown Regency Hotel, is said to be bigger measuring at 18 inches in diameter and weighing 9 kilograms. The Pearl of the King was also discovered off the Philippine waters and is now exhibited at the Crown Regency Hotels and Resorts in Boracay.

6. The top 3 most densely populated cities in the world are in Metro Manila.

Crowd in Manila. Photo by Patrick Roque via Wikimedia Commons.

According to this list made by Wikipedia, Manila ranked first in the list of Cities by population density with only 2,498 hectares of land area occupied by over 1.65 million populace. It has a density of 42,857 people per square kilometer or 43 people per square meter.

Pateros comes in second place with a total population of 64,147 and a population density of 30,546 people per square kilometer while the city of Caloocan comes in third place with a total population of 1,489,040 and population density of 27,916 people per square kilometer.

So if you hate the heavy traffic in Metro Manila, don’t just blame it to the roads or vehicles. The overpopulation in Manila and other cities in NCR has a lot to do with those traffic jams.

7. During Manny Pacquiao boxing fights, the crime rate in the Philippines almost drops to zero.

Pacquiao, Bloody but happy. Photo by Global Reactions via Flickr.

The whole country would virtually stand still during Manny Paquiao’s boxing fights. During his latest 12 round-fight against the undefeated American boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr., the Philippine National Police (PNP) recorded no crime at all in Metro Manila, though there were a few recorded in other parts of the country. This was not the first time, same was declared during his fights against other great boxers such as Chris Algeiri in 2014 and the Mexican boxer Juan Manuel Marquez both in 2008 and 2011. There had also been a remarkable drop of crime rates during other major fights of the Filipino boxing champion.

8. Super Typhoon Haiyan has the strongest wind ever recorded at landfall.

Typhoon Haiyan at peak intensity and approaching the Philippines on November 7, 2013. Image by NASA.

Who would forget the havoc endured by the central part of the Philippines from typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) which meteorologist considered as one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever to hit Southeast Asia? It is the deadliest typhoon in the Philippines ever recorded in modern history, killing at least 6,100 people according to the Philippine government, although some locals believed that the actual death tool could be as high as 15,000. Yolanda is also the strongest storm recorded at landfall, and the strongest typhoon ever recorded in terms of one-minute sustained wind speed of 315 km/h (195 mph). Up until now, at least a thousand remains missing.

Due to the catastrophic damage on infrastructure, agriculture and high death toll, PAGASA declared that the name Yolanda will be erased from the typhoon naming lists. It was replaced with the name Yasmin for the 2017 season. During the 2014 annual session of the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee they likewise announced that the name Haiyan would be taken out from the naming lists and use the name Bailu instead.

 

9. Camiguin has the most number of volcanoes per square kilometer than any other island on Earth.

Camiguin as seen across the Bohol Sea. Photo by P199 via Wikimedia Commons.

Despite of the fact that it is one of the smallest islands in the Philippines in area and population, having a length of only 23 kilometers and width of a little more than 14 kilometers, it has 7 volcanoes which were mostly responsible for the island’s formation. Camiguin province is also the only place in the Philippines which has more volcanoes (7) than towns (5).

Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions shaped this beautiful little island and made it one of the most visited islands in the Philippines by tourists from all over the world.

10. The eruption of Mount Pinatubo created one of the largest mushroom clouds in history.

Mount Pinatubo at daybreak on June 15, 1991, a few minutes after the start of the climactic eruption. Photo by Smithsonian Institution.

Mount Pinatubo’s eruption in June 15, 1991 sent up a cloudy plume that reached some 25 miles (40 kilometers) high into the air. The effects of the Mount Pinatubo’s destructive eruption were felt throughout the whole world after it emitted around 10 million tons of magma and 20 million tons of toxic sulfur dioxide. Due to the vast amount of ashes infused into the atmosphere, the global temperature dropped by 1 degree Fahrenheit over the following months and year.