The Philippines in the World

The Philippines in the World The Philippines is readily accessible from the travel capitals of the world.  Traveling time to Manila from Hong Kong is 2 hours;  from Singapore, 3 hours and 25 minutes;  Bangkok, 3 hours and 15 minutes; Tokyo, 4 hours and 15 minutes;  Sydney, 9 hours and 35 minutes;  London, 14 hours; Paris, 14 hours and 45 minutes;  Frankfurt, 14 hours and 10 minutes;  San Francisco, 11 hours and 50 minutes;  Los Angeles, 12 hours and 35 minutes; and New York, 18 hours. The Philippines An archipelago of 7,107 islands, the Philippines stretches  from the south of China to the northern tip of Borneo.  The country has over a hundred ethnic groups and  a mixture of foreign influences which have molded a unique Filipino culture. Before the Spanish explorers came, Indo-Malays and  Chinese merchants had settled here. In 1521 the Spaniards, led by Portuguese  explorer Ferdinand Magellan, discovered the islands. The Spanish  conquistadors established a colonial government in Cebu in 1565.  They transferred the seat of government to Manila in 1571 and  proceeded to colonize the country. The Filipinos resisted and  waged Asia's first nationalist revolution in 1896. On June 12, 1898,  Emilio Aguinaldo declared the Philippines independent from Spain  and proclaimed himself president. After ruling for 333 years, the  Spaniards finally left in 1898 and were replaced  by the Americans who continued to colonize the country for another 48 years.  The Americans brought over their educational system, their legal system,  and their democratic form of government. On July 4, 1946,  the Americans finally recognized Philippine independence. Considered as the third largest-English speaking country in the world,  the Philippines has world-class facilities and services  such as excellent accommodations, fine restaurants,  modern shopping centers and communications services,  efficient congress and exhibition organizers, and reliable tour operators. The country is divided into three geographical areas;  Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. It has 16 regions and 79 provinces.  Its capital is Manila. Explore the Philippines' Wealth of Wonders The country may be accessed through 5 international gateways.  One can explore other interesting destinations and  venture out of these gateways by land, sea, or air. MANILA offers many places of interest that are easily accessible for day excursions:  Intramuros, the Walled city of Old Manila; Nayong Pilipino, a theme park  that showcases in small scale the country's famous landmarks; Rizal Park,  a tribute to the country's national hero; museums and  some of Asia's most modern and biggest shopping malls.  From Manila, the country's premiere gateway, one can access  the following destinations by land: · Cavite/Tagaytay City/Laguna/Batangas/Quezon · Isabela/Cagayan · Banaue/Bontoc/Sagada · Baguio · Bulacan/Pampanga · Tarlac/La Union/Pangasinan · Daet/Legaspi/Sorsogon Being the country's capital, other international gateway and  secondary travel gateway cities and provinces can be accessed by air or sea. LAOAG is the international gateway at the northern most  province in Luzon, Ilocos Norte. Aside from offering a variety of  destinations within the province, the city is also an access point to: · Ilocos Sur · La Union/Pangasinan · Baguio/Bontoc/Sagada/Banaue SUBIC, the most recent addition to the country's list of international ports,  offers both rest and recreation and adventure.  It serves as a most convenient gateway to: · Bataan/Zambales/Pampanga/Tarlac CEBU, the country's first capital and dubbed as the "Queen City of the South"  offers diverse attractions and facilities to cater to every tourist preference.  Due to its location in the Visayas, it also acts as a major hub to cities in the  Visayas and Mindanao, either by air or sea. · Bohol, a favorite satellite destination from Cebu, may be accessed by fast seacraft DAVAO offers an array of colors, shapes, tastes and textures  that manifest a fusion of indigenous Filipino and Malay culture.  In terms of land area, it is the biggest city in the world,  part of which is already the base of the country's highest peak,  Mount Apo. Situated in the eastern part of Mindanao,  Davao acts as the international gateway to its neighboring provinces: · Davao Oriental · Davao del Sur · Compostela Valley SECONDARY TRAVEL GATEWAYS To experience more the country's wealth of wonders,  the country its dotted with strategically located secondary gateways,  which can give the tourists more convenient  travel connections to more remote provinces  and island destinations. BATANGAS CITY, located 3 hours south of Manila,  offers its renowned dive sites and beach resorts.  From the city pier, fast ferries and other sea  vessels may  connect the traveler to: · Mindoro Oriental and Occidental · Romblon · Marinduque LEGASPI CITY is one's front seat to the spectacle of the Bicol region,  the world renowned Mayon Volcano, and the  jump-off point to eco-tourism sites.  Land and sea connections are available from this gateway to: · Camarines Norte and Sur · Sorsogon · Catanduanes · Masbate TACLOBAN CITY is the gateway to Eastern Visayas,  whose strategic location made it a perfect landing site for Gen.  Douglas MacArthur and the American troops that liberated the  Philippines from the Japanese forces during World War II.  From the city, one can venture out to: · Samar/Leyte ILOILO CITY in Western Visayas boasts of a number of  historical attractions  which include churches and ancestral houses, as well as good beaches.  Land and sea transportation connects Iloilo to Boracay,  which is hailed as one of the best beaches in the world, and  other quieter places in the region: · Panay provinces/Aklan-Boracay · Negros Occidental (Bacolod City) · Negros Oriental (Dumaguete City) PUERTO PRINCESA CITY is the capital of Palawan, known for  its amazing species of wildlife and marine life, and the jump-off point to: · Southern Palawan · Northern Palawan CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY is the gateway to picturesque Mindanao.  The following destinations offer visitors an array of power-packed  adventure activities such as white water rafting, kayaking, canopy walking,  and surfing: · Camiguin Island · Misamis Oriental/Lanao del Norte · Agusan del Norte and Sur · Surigao Norte and Sur · Bukidnon ZAMBOANGA CITY offers a glimpse into the culture of 5 colorful tribal groups  living in harmony with the Christian community.  It is the gateway to the charming attractions and indigenous craft of the  following exotic places: · Zamboanga del Norte · Zamgoanga del Sur FAST FACTS LOCATION: Off the southeast coast of Asia, lying between Taiwan in the north and  Borneo in the south. The western Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea border  its eastern and western limits, respectively. TOTAL LAND AREA: 115,600 sq. miles / 299,404 sq. kms. NO OF ISLANDS: Approximately 7,107 islands CAPITAL: Manila