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Philippines , April, 2005.
Do you know?
· The exotic jeepney is a post-war
creation inspired by the GI jeeps that the American
soldiers brought to the country in the 1940s. Enterprising
Filipinos salvaged the surplus engines and came out
unique vehicles of art.
· Short distance and feeder trips could not be
more exciting than via Philippine quick transports -
the tricycle, a motorcycle with a sidecar, and the pedicab,
a bicycle with a sidecar.
· The world's longest underground river system
accessible to man can be found at the St. Paul National
Park in the province of Palawan.
· The largest Philippine wild animal, the tamaraw,
is a species of the buffalo that is similar to the carabao.
It is found only in the island of Mindoro.
· The highest mountain in the Philippines is
Mt. Apo, a dormant volcano found in Mindanao,
at 2,954 meters (9,689 feet). Mt. Pulog in Luzon
is the second highest at 2,928 meters (9604 feet).
· Filipino bowler Rafael "Paeng" Nepomuceno
was the first bowler to be elevated to the International
Bowling Hall of Fame based in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
The Philippine Congress has named him "Greatest
Filipino Athlete of All Time."
· Philippine National Hero and writer Jose Rizal
could read and write at age 2. He grew up to speak more
than 20 languages, including Latin, Greek, German, French,
and Chinese. What were his last words? "Consummatum
est!" ("It is done!")
· The largest city in the Philippines is Davao
City. With an area of 2,211 sq. km., it is about
three times the size of the national capital, Metro
Manila.
· Cebu is the oldest Philippine city.
· Negros Occidental has the most cities
among Philippine provinces.
· Filipinos celebrate the world's longest religious
holiday. The Christmas season begins on September 1st,
as chillier winds and Christmas carols start filling
the air, and ends on the first week of January, during
the Feast of the Three Kings.
· Paskuhan Village in the province of
Pampanga is Asia's only Christmas theme park and the
third of its kind in the world.
· The great Christmans lanterns of San Fernando,
Pampanga can reach as big as 40 feet in diameter,
using as many as 16,000 glowing bulbs.
· The exotic jeepney is the Filipino version
of the jitney, the taxi/minibus that travels along a
fixed route, found in many countries.
· The popular toy, the yoyo, was invented by
16th century hunters in the Philippines.
· The word "boondocks," which is now
a part of the English language, dictionary, and vocabulary,
comes from the Tagalog word "bundok," meaning
"mountain."
· The Philippines became the first Asian country
to win FIVE major international beauty pageant crowns
- two for Miss Universe, in 1969 and 1973, and three
for Miss International, in 1965, 1970, and 1979.
· Diving paradise Anilao, in the province
of Batangas, is the theme of a picture book that
bagged the International Prize for Underwater Images
at the 27th World Festival of Underwater Images in France
in November 2000. "Anilao" book creators and
Filipino scuba divers Scott Tuason and Eduardo Cu Unjieng
defeated big names in underwater photography such as
Jacques Mayol, Pascal Kobeh, Monique Walker, and Alessandro
Tommasi.
· The biggest game preserve and wildlife sanctuary
in the Philippines is located on Calauit Island
in Palawan, which has the largest land area among the
Philippine provinces.
· The antibiotic erythromycin - used to treat
a wide variety of bacterial infections, such as respiratory
tract infections, middle ear infections, and skin infections
- was created by Filipino scientist Abelardo Aguilar,
and has earned American drug giant Eli Lilly billions
of dollars. Neither Aguilar nor the Philippine government
received royalties.
· Fernando Amorsolo was officially the first
National Artist of the Philippines. He was given the
distinction of National Artist for Painting in 1972.
· Philippines Herald war journalist Carlos P.
Romulo was the first Asian to win a Pulitzer Prize in
Journalism in 1942. He was also aide-de-camp to General
Douglas MacArthur in World War II; Philippine resident
commissioner in the U.S. Congress from 1944-46; and
the first Asian to become UN President in 1949.
· The largest fish in the world, the Whale Shark,
locally known as Butanding, regularly swims to the Philippine
waters.
· The world's shortest and lightest freshwater
fish is the dwarf pygmy goby (Pandaka Pygmaea), a colorless
and nearly transparent species found in the streams
and lakes of Luzon. Males have an average length of
8.7 mm. and weigh 4-5 mg.
· On January 18, 1995, Pope John Paul II offered
mass to an estimated 4 to 5 million people at Luneta
Park, Manila, Philippines, making it to the Guiness
Book of World Records for the Biggest Papal Crowd.
· The Philippine Madrigal Singers bagged the
1997 European Choral Grand Prix, the choral olympics
of the world's best choirs. The group, being the only
Asian choir, bested five regional champions from all
over Europe, earning them the title as the "world's
best choir."
· There are 12,000 or so species of seashells
in the Philippines. The Conus Gloriamaris or "Glory
of the Sea" is the rarest and most expensive in
the world.
· Of the 500 known coral species in the world,
488 are found in the Philippines.
· Of the eight species of marine turtles worldwide,
five are reported to be found in the Philippines: the
Green Turtle, Hawkbill, Leatherback, Olive Ridley, and
Loggerhead.
· Of the eight known species of giant clams in
the world, seven are found in the Philippines.
· The Basilica of San Sebastian is the
only steel church in Asia and was the second building
to be made out of steel, next to the Eiffel Tower in
Paris.
· The largest bell in Asia hangs at the belfry
of the 221-year old Panay Church. It is 7 feet
in diameter and 7 feet in height, and weighs 10.4 tons.
Its tolling can be heard as far as 8 km. away. It was
casted from 70 sacks of coins donated by the townspeople
as a manifestation of faith and thanksgiving.
· The World Cup, which was instituted in 1965,
is contested annually by the national champions of the
Federation Internationale des Quilleurs (FIQ). The highest
number of wins is 4, by Filipino bowler Rafael "Paeng"
Nepomuceno: 1976, 1980, 1992, and 1996.
· Filipino Eriberto N. Gonzales Jr. consumed
350 chilis in 3 minutes at the annual Magayon Festival
chili-eating contest held at Penaranda Park, Legazpi,
Albay on May 27, 1999, making it to the Guiness Book
of World Records for the most chilis eaten.
· The longest possible eclipse of the Sun is
7 min. 31 sec. The longest eclipse in recent times took
place west of the Philippines on June 20, 1995, lasting
for 7 min. 8 sec.
· Camiguin province holds the distinction
of having the most number of volcanoes per square kilometer
than any other island on earth. It is also the only
place in the Philippines which has more volcanoes (7)
than towns (5).
· The 900 sq m Relief Map of Mindanao in Dapitan
City was personally done by Dr. Jose Rizal. It was used
as a device for teaching history and geography to townsfolk.
· The Zamboanga Golf Course and Beach Park was
founded in 1910 by Gov. John Pershing. It is one of
the oldest golf courses in the Philippines.
· Isabela City is the youngest city in
the region. It was only on March 5, 2001 that the Municipality
of Isabela, Province of Basilan was converted into a
component city Through RA 9023. On April 25, 2001, Isabeleños
ratified the new status of Isabela.
· The Kinabayo is an exotic and colorful
pageant re-enacting the Spanish-Moorish Wars, particularly
the Battle of Covadonga where the Spanish forces under
General Pelagio took their last stand against the Saracens.
They were able to reverse the tide of war with the miraculous
apparition of St. James, the Apostle. A Kinabayo Festival
is celebrated every July in Dapitan City, attracting
thousands of tourists to the city.
· The altar at the Holy Rosary Cathedral
in Dipolog City was designed by Dr. Jose Rizal.
The Cathedral was erected by the Spanish friars sometime
in 1895, before Dipolog City became a municipality.
· The Rizal Shrine in Dapitan City is the original
estate of Dr. Jose Rizal which he acquired by purchase
during his exile in Dapitan from 1892 to 1896.
· RA 8973 signed by then President Joseph E.
Estrada in February 2001 created the province of Zamboanga
Sibugay. A total of sixteen municipalities compose this
newest province in the Zamboanga Peninsula.
· Magat Dam is Asia's biggest dam project at
the time of its construction. It serves the primary
function of power generation and irrigation.
· The Cagayan River or Rio Grande de Cagayan
is the Philippines' mightiest watercourse - the longest
and widest river in the country. Small streams originating
form Balete Pass, Cordillera, Caraballo and Sierra Madre
Mountains meet other streams and rivers and flow to
the Cagayan River.
· Magapit Suspension Bridge is the first
of its kind in Asia. It spans the Cagayan River at Lallo
and is 0.76 kilometers long. The hanging bridge links
the first and second districts of Cagayan going towards
the Ilocos Region via the scenic Patapat Road on the
Ilocos Norte-Cagayan Inter-Provincial national highway.
· Angono Petroglyphs - This cultural heritage
site dates back to circa 3000 B.C. and is the most ancient
Filipino, or more aptly, prehistoric Filipino work of
art. Besides being the country's oldest "work of
art" it also offers us an evocative glimpse into
the life of our ancestors. The site has been included
in the World Inventory of Rock Art under the auspices
of UNESCO, ICCROM and ICOMOS and nominated as one of
the "100 Most Endangered Sites of the World.
· PANCIT HABHAB (Lucban)-Made from rice flour,
these local noodles acquired its name and developed
its unique attraction by the way it is eaten. Otherwise
known as Pancit Lucban, these noodles are hawked in
the streets and served on a piece of banana leaf, sans
fork or any other utensils. Thus, it is eaten straight
from the leaf, licking permitted... "habhab"-style.
· Tagala - the Philippines first Filipino-Spanish
dictionary which was printed in 1613, 25 years older
than the first book printed in the United States.
· Mayon is the most beautiful mountain
I have ever seen, the world-renowned Fujiyama (Mt. Fuji)
of Japan sinking into perfect insignificance by comparison.
British traveler-writer A. Henry Savage Landor
· Ilo-Ilo golf and country club is the oldest
golf club in the Philippines. It was built at 1908 by
Irish Engineers.
· Limasawa Island - where Ferdinand Magellan
first landed in the Philippines which give way to the
discovery of the Philippines and where the first mass
was celebrated.
· San Juanico Strait - said to be the narrowest
yet the most navigable strait in the world
· Calbiga Cave - The Philippines' biggest
karst formations and one of the largest in Asia, the
2,968-hectare cave system is composed of 12 caves with
wide underground spaces, unique rock formations and
sub-terranean watercourse.
· At the Immaculate Conception Cathedral
can be found the only existing pipe organ in Mindanao.
The 2nd largest pipe organ in the Phiippines. The huge
instrument took 2 years to built and was brought over
by sea from Germany in 23 crates.
· Cagayan de Oro City - "The City of
Golden Friendship" known for its warm people
and old-fashioned hospitality
· Mt. Apo, the Philippines highest mountain
at 10,311 feet above sea level, and considered as the
"Grand-father of all Philippine Mountains"
· Lake Lanao is the second largest lake
in the Philippines, probably the deepest in the country
and is considered one of the major tropical lakes in
Southeastern Asia. The lake is home of endemic cryprinids,
the species found only in the lake and nowhere else
in the world.
· Halo-Halo! Halo-halo literally means, "mix-mix".
And its is just that: a mixture of sweetened fruits
and beans, lavished with pinipig (crisp flattened rice
flakes), sugar and milk, topped by crushed ice and ice
cream. You know its summertime when halo-halo stand
start sprouting by the roadside and by the beach, all
whipping up their heavenly concoctions of such a refreshingly
divine dessert. You can make your own by selecting and
mixing your ingredients to make a perfect Halo-Halo.
Halo-Halo is uniquely, unforgettably Filipino!
· KALESA - The kalesa or karitela is a horse-driven
carriage that was introduced during the 18th century.
It was used by Spanish officials and the nobles as a
means of transportation. The Ilustrados, the rich Filipinos
who had their own businesses, used the kalesa not only
for traveling but as a means a means of transporting
their goods as well.
· BAKYA-Made primarily of lightwood (laniti and
santol trees), it is sculpted with a slope and shaved
to a smooth finish, then painted with floral designs
or varnished to a high sheen. The upper portions, which
are made of rubber or transparent plastic, are fastened
to the sides by thumb nails called "clavitos".
The bakya industry prospered during the 1930s when the
Filipinos began exporting these to the other countries.
· SORBETES-This sweet treat was concocted in
the early 1920's, a time where a single centavo could
buy you almost anything. The process of this ice cream
making and selling it in carts with colorful designs
is still the same. Back in the old days, these ice cream
dealers bred their own cows and milked them with their
own hands to ensure the freshness and sanitation of
the milk needed to make the "dirty ice cream".
· Waling Waling Orchids - With some 800 to 1,000
species of orchids, the Philippines has one of the richest
orchid floras in the world. Philippine orchids come
in an amazing array of shapes, sizes and colors. Most
grow only in old-growth forest, often on branches of
huge trees dozens of meters above the forest floor.
· Maria Teresa Calderon - A Filipina World champion
speed reader as listed in the Guinness Book of World
Records
· In the Philippines, Filipinos were introduced
to the English language in 1762 by British invaders,
not Americans. Philippines is the world's 3rd largest
English-speaking nation, next to the USA and the UK.
· The Philippine Basketball Association is Asia's
premier and the world's second oldest professional league.
· Philippine Airlines took to the skies on March
15, 1941, using a Beech Model 18 aircraft amid the specter
of a global war. It became Asia's first airline.
· The world's largest pearl was discovered by
a Filipino diver in a giant Tridacna (mollusk)
under the Palawan Sea in 1934. Known as the "Pearl
of Lao-Tzu", the gem weighs 14 pounds and measures
9 1/2 inches long and 5 1/2 inches in diameter. As of
May 1984, it was valued at US$42 million. It is believed
to be 600 years old.
· Alto Broadcasting System (ABS) Channel 3, the
first television station in the country, went on the
air in 1953.
· The world's second deepest spot underwater
is in the Philippines. This spot, about 34,440 feet
(10,497 meters) below the sea level, is known as the
Philippine Deep or the Mindanao Trench. The
Philippine Deep is in the floor of the Philippine Sea.
The German ship Emden first plumbed the trench in 1927.
· The symbolic name for the Philippines, Juan
dela Cruz, is not a Filipino invention? It was coined
by R. McCulloch-Dick, a Scottish-born journalist working
for the Manila Times in the early 1900s, after discovering
it was the most common name in blotters.
· Lipa City in Batangas is dubbed as the
"Rome of the Philippines" because of the number
of seminaries, convents, monasteries, retreat houses,
and a famous cathedral located in it.
· Compostela Valley is known to be laden
with gold, thus earning the monicker "Golden Valley
of Mindanao"
· Basilica of St. Martin de Tours in Taal,
Batangas built by Augustinian Missionaries in 1572,
is reputed to be the biggest catholic church in East
Asia. It is so huge that it can house another big church
· Kibungan is known as the "Switzerland
of Bengued" because of the frost during the cold
months
· The Delmonte Pineapple Plantation in
Bukidnon is considered to be the biggest in the far
east
· Both Tridacna gigas, one of the world's
largest shells, and Pisidum, the world's tiniest shell,
can be found under Philippine waters. Tridacna gigas
grows as large as one meter in length and weighs 600
pounds while Pisidum is less than 1 millimeter long.
A shell called glory of the sea (Connus gloriamaris)
is also found in the Philippines and considered as one
of the most expensive shells in the world.
· Seahorses are small saltwater fish belonging
to the Syngnathidae family (order Gasterosteiformes),
which also includes pipefish and sea dragons. Most seahorse
species, probably the most peculiar creatures in the
water, live in the Coral Triangle. There are
at least 50 known seahorse species in the world. They
inhabit temperate and tropical waters but most of them
are concentrated in the warm coastal waters of the Philippines.
· Donsol, a fishing town in Sorsogon province,
serves as a sanctuary to a group of 40 whale sharks
(Rhincodon typus), which are considered as the largest
fish in the world. Locally known as "butanding",
whale sharks visit the waters of Donsol from November
to May. They travel across the oceans but nowhere else
have they been sighted in a larger group than in the
waters of Sorsogon. They measure between 18 to 35 feet
in length and weigh about 20 tons.
· The Philippines is home to some of the world's
most exotic birds.
One of the most endangered species is the exotic
Kalangay or the Philippine cockatoo (Cacatua
haematuropygia), which belongs to Psittacidae or the
family of parrots. Some cockatoos can live up to 50
years. They are known for mimicking human voices. Most
of them measure 33 centimeters in length and weigh 0.29
kilogram.
· Palawan bearcat is neither a bear nor a cat.
Known in Southeast Asia as binturong, the bearcat
is a species of its own, with population in the forests
of Palawan, Borneo, Burma and Vietnam. It belongs to
the family of Viverridae (civets). The Palawan bearcat
has a long body and a pointed face leading to the nose.
Its head and body measure 61 to 96 centimeters in combined
length while its tail is almost as long. It weighs 9
to 14 kilograms and lives up to 20 years.
· Calamian Deer - Calamian Islands, north
of Palawan province, keep a species of deer that cannot
be found elsewhere. Scientists referred to the hog deer
in the islands as Calamian deer in order to distinguish
them from other hog deer in the world. An ordinary Calamian
deer measures 105 to 115 centimeters in length and 60
to 65 centimeters high at the shoulder and weighs about
36 to 50 kilograms. It is said to have longer and darker
legs, compared with other hog deer.
· World's Smallest Hoofed Mammal - South of Palawan,
lies the Balabac Island, home of the world's
smallest hoofed mammal - the Philippine mouse deer.
Locally known as Pilandok (Tragalus nigricans), this
ruminant stands only about 40 centimeters at the shoulder
level.
· Flying Lemur - One of the most distinct
creatures on Earth lives in the Philippines. It doesn't
have wings but it can glide across 100 meters of space
in a single leap. Like the lemurs of Asia, it moves
around at night. Its head resembles that of a dog while
its body has similarities with the flying squirrel of
Canada.
In Mindanao, people call it "kagwang". Around
the world, it is known as colugo or the flying lemur.
· Did you know that the first four cities of
Metropolitan Manila are: Manila, Quezon, Pasay and
Caloocan
· The flagpole located in Rizal Park,
is where the starts of 0 kilometer reading in measuring
all distances from Manila.
· Quezon City is the second biggest city
in the Philippines.
· The Bonifacio Monument in Monumento,
Caloocan City was designed by a noted Filipino sculptor
Guillermo Tolentino
· In 1916, in the Philippines, an offensive style
of passing the ball in a high trajectory to be struck
by another player (the set and spike) were introduced.
The Filipinos developed the "bomba" or kill,
and called the hitter a "bomberino". (source:
http://volleyball.org/history.html)
· The PHILIPPINE EAGLE is the 2nd largest bird
on the planet (next only to the American Condor)
Source: www.tourism.gov.ph
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