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Manila

Manila

:For other meanings of the word, see Manila (disambiguation). Manila (disambiguation) Manila, official named the City of Manila (Filipino: Lungsod ng Maynila) is the capital city of the Philippines. The city stands on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on the largest Philippine island, Luzon. Despite pockets of grinding poverty, it is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world and its metropolitan area is the country's economic, cultural, educational, and industrial center. Manila is the hub of a thriving metropolitan area of more than 10 million people. The Metro Manila area, to where the City of Manila belongs, is a much bigger metropolis consisting of 17 cities and municipalities. This article discusses the city itself; see Metro Manila for the article on the metropolis. The city itself is the Philippines' second most populous city at more than 1.5 million inhabitants. Only Quezon City, a suburb and the country's former capital, is more populous. Manila is located at 14°35' North, 121°0' East (14.58333, 121.0). [http://earth-info.nga.mil/gns/html/cntry_files.html] In the 16th century, Manila grew from a Muslim settlement on the banks of the Pasig River into the seat of the colonial government of Spain when it controlled the Philippine Islands for 333 years. In 1898 the U.S. occupied and controlled the archipelago until 1935 and Manila became an internationally-known city in the Orient. During World War II, much of the city was destroyed. In fact, it was the second most devastated city in the world during that time next to Warsaw, Poland. Manila got its name from "May Nilad"; whereas "may" means Tagalog for "has/have/with/there is"; and "nilad" is a type of grass that grew in abundance in the area. Hence, Manila or Maynila or Maynilad means 'with grass'. In 1975, to better manage the affairs of the fast-growing region, the city of Manila and the surrounding towns and cities were incorporated into an independent entity, Metropolitan Manila. This was enacted on November 8, 1975 via Presidential Decree # 824 by former president Ferdinand Marcos calling for a creation of a Metropolitan Manila Commission, its function now being carried out by the Metro Manila Development Authority. Today, the city and the metropolis thrives as an important cultural and economic center. However, overpopulation, traffic congestion, pollution, and crime challenge the city.

The city

Manila lies at the mouth of the Pasig River on the eastern shores of Manila Bay, which is on the western side of Luzon. It lies about 950 kilometers southeast of Hong Kong and 2,400 kilometers northeast of Singapore. The river bisects the city in the middle. Almost all of the city sits on top of centuries of prehistoric alluvial deposits built by the waters of the Pasig River and on some land reclaimed from Manila Bay. The layout of the city was haphazardly planned during Spanish Era as a set of communities surrounding Intramuros. Intramuros is the original walled-city of Manila. During the American Period, some semblace of city planning using the architectural designs by Daniel Burnham, was done on the portions of the city south of the Pasig River. Manila is bordered by several municipalities and cities in Metro Manila: Navotas and Caloocan City to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong City to the east, Makati City to the southeast, and Pasay City to the south.

The City Seal

The Seal of Manila depicts the words Lungsod ng Maynila and Pilipinas, Filipino for City of Manila and Philippines, in a circle around a shield. The circle also contains six yellow stars representing the city's six congressional districts. The shield, in the shape of pre-colonial people's shield, depicts the city's nickname Pearl of the Orient on top; a sea lion in the middle, in reference to the city's Spanish influences; and the waves of the Pasig River and Manila Bay in the bottom portion. The colors of the seal mirror that of the Flag of the Philippines.

Districts

The city is divided into 16 geographical districts. Only one district was not an original town - Port Area. The eight districts north of the Pasig are Binondo, Quiapo, Sampaloc, San Miguel, San Nicolas, Santa Cruz, Santa Mesa, and Tondo. The other eight are Ermita, Intramuros, Malate, Paco, Pandacan, Port Area, San Andres, and Santa Ana. San Andres was previously part of Santa Ana, and Santa Mesa was once a part of Sampaloc. All of these districts, with the exception of Port Area, have their own churches, and several of the these districts have achieved recognition in their own right. The district of Binondo is the city's Chinatown. Tondo is the poorest, while the districts of Ermita and Malate are well-known and popular with tourists, having many bars, restaurants, five-star hotels, and shopping malls.

Parks and open areas

Directly south of Intramuros lies Rizal Park, the country's most significant park. Also known as Luneta (Spanish term for "crescent or moon") and previously as Bagumbayan, the 60 hectare Rizal Park sits on the site where José Rizal, the country's national hero, was executed by the Spaniards on charges of subversion. A monument stands in the park for his honor where Rizal was buried. A marker just west of the Rizal Monument is Kilometer Zero for road distances on the island of Luzon. Some attractions of Rizal Park include the Chinese and Japanese Gardens, the Department of Tourism, the National Museum of the Filipino People, The National Library of the Philippines, the Planetarium, an open-air auditorium for cultural performances, a relief map of the Philippines, a fountain area, a children's lagoon, a chess plaza, a light and sound presentation, and the Quirino Grandstand. Another famous open space in Manila is the Baywalk. This promenade lies in front of the Manila Bay where you can experience one of the breathtaking sunsets of the world. Coconut trees, giant kaleidoscopic lamp posts, al fresco cafès and restaurants, and live acoustic bands dot this two-kilometer stretch of ample space beside Roxas Boulevard. Aside from Rizal Park, Manila has very few other open public spaces. Rajah Sulayman Park, Manila Boardwalk, Liwasang Bonifacio, Plaza Miranda (the site of the infamous Plaza Miranda bombings), Paco Park, Adriatico Circle, Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden, and the Malacañang Garden are some of the other parks in the city. In the northernmost part of the city lies the three cemeteries of Loyola, Chinese, and Manila North Green Park.

People

Demographics

Ethnic Groups

The majority of Manila's residents are composed of Filipinos, primarily the Tagalog. Other significant Filipino populations include the Visayans, Bicolanos, Ilocanos, and Maranaos. Non-Filipino ethnicities include the Chinese, one of the longest residents of the city. Also included in this group are Americans, Spaniards, Arabs, Indonesians, and Koreans. Many Filipinos have intermingled with the Foreign ethnicities, giving Manila a distinct cosmopolitan charm as the rendezvous between the East and the West.

World's most densely populated city

With a population of 1,654,761 recorded in 1995 and a land area of 38.52 km², it has the highest population density of any city in the world with 43,258 people/km² (with district 6 being the most dense with 68,266, followed by the first two districts (Tondo) with 64,936 and 64,710, respectively, and district 5 being the least dense with 19,235). A million more transients are added during daytime as students and workers come to the city. Manila's population density dwarfs that of Paris' (20,164 inhabitants per km²), Shanghai's (16,364 people/km², with its most dense district of Nanshi's 56,785 density); Buenos Aires' (2,179 people/km², with its most dense inner suburb Lans' 10,444 density); Tokyo's (10,087 people/km²); Mexico City's (11,700 people/km²); and Istanbul's (1,878 people/km², with its most dense district Fatih's 48,173 density).

Languages

The main language is Filipino which is a mixture of all the dialects on the country, Tagalog dominating. Manileños are very proficient in the English language, which attracts students of English, and fuels a Call Centre industry.

Religion

Catholicism

Call Centre] Call Centre Being the seat of the Spanish colonial government in past centuries, Manila has been used as the base of numerous Catholic missions to the Philippines. Among the religious orders that have gone to the Philippines include the Dominicans, the Jesuits, the Franciscans, and the Augustinians (which includes the Recollects). Intramuros is currently the seat of the Archdiocese of Manila, one of the oldest archdioceses in the country. The archdiocese's offices is located in the Manila Cathedral (Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception) in Intramuros. Other notable churches and cathedrals in the city include San Agustin Church in Intramuros, a favorite wedding place of notable people and the only fully air-conditioned church in the city; Quiapo Church, also known as the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, site of the annual January Black Nazarene procession; Binondo Church, also known as Minor Basilica of St. Lorenzo Ruiz; Malate Church (Our Lady of Remedios Church); and San Sebastian Church or the Minor Basilica of San Sebastian, the only all-steel church in Gothic style in Asia. Many of the other districts of Manila have their own notable churches.

Other faiths

The Quiapo district is home to a sizable Muslim population in Manila. The Golden Mosque is located here. In Ermita is a large Hindu temple for the Indian population. In Malate, along Quirino Avenue, is the only remaining synagogue for the small Jewish community in the Philippines. (See Jews in the Philippines.)

Education and culture

Manila is home to majority of the colleges and universities in Metro Manila. The University Belt, informally located in the districts of Malate, Ermita, Intramuros, Paco, San Miquel, Quiapo, and Sampaloc is the colloquial term for the high number of institutions of higher education that are located in the city. Among them are De La Salle University and the University of Santo Tomas, both consistently among the top-tier universities as recognized by the Commission on Higher Education and the Professional Regulatory Commission. Other notable institutions include the Mapua Institute of Technology, a recognized engineering school; San Beda College, noted for their top-class law program; Far Eastern University, known for its accountancy and medicine, University of the East, and the city-owned Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila. The National Museum of the Philippines, where the Spoliarium of Juan Luna is housed, as well as the National Library of the Philippines is also in Manila, located within Rizal Park.

Economy

Commerce

Every district in the city with the exception of Port Area has its own public market, locally called the pamilihang bayan. Public markets are often divided into two, the dry goods section and the wet goods section. Commerce in these public markets are in full swing, especially in the early morning. Under the urban renewal program of the incumbent administration, some of the public markets had been refurbished and given a fresher look, like the Sta. Ana public market. It is one of the more advanced markets in the city featuring a modern 2-story building with an escalator. The tropical climate in Manila plus the facilities of its world-class malls continue to attract Filipinos to the shopping malls. Modern shopping malls dot the city especially in the areas of Malate and Ermita. SM City Manila, part of the country's largest chain of malls, stands behind the Manila City Hall. One of the popular malls that lies at the heart of Manila is Robinson's Place Ermita. In the southern part of the city in Malate district is Harrison Plaza, one of the city's oldest shopping malls. For the adventurous shoppers, you may venture beyond the hotel/shopping complex package and combine other interesting destinations for cheap buys such as in Divisoria and Quiapo districts. Bargaining is the major part of your shopping experience when you pass by on these areas, as it sells goods at rock-bottom prices. In Divisoria, there is already a shopping mall that caters to the adventurous shoppers. Tutuban Center in Divisoria gives a little comfort to the shoppers as it offers air-conditioned mall, but the price of the goods here is still very similar to the goods bought outside. In Quiapo, one unique spot is the marketplace under the bridge. It sells indigenous Filipino crafts and delicacies. Raon Center is famous for its cheap electronic products. Though through the changing times, department stores began sprouting the Quiapo area, but still the flea market of Quiapo is still vibrant and very much popular among the average Filipinos.

Manufacturing

Transportation

By Air

Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) outside the city proper serves Manila and the metro area, over 30 airlines provide daily service to over 26 cities and 19 countries worldwide. Approximately 14 million travellers use NAIA a year straining what was originally a domestic airport built in the 1930's, that a second airport, the Terminal 2 or the Centennial Airport was built with American, Korean, Japanese & German investments and opened in October 1999. The International flag-carrier Philippine Airlines now uses this terminal for both its domestic and international and while all other international flights use NAIA. There is a small domestic airport approximately 1.5 miles from NAIA on Domestic Road that is the main hub of Asian Spirit, Cebu Pacific, South East Asian Airlines and Air Philippines. These regional carriers use Boeing 737 & 757 airplanes as well as small two-engine propeller planes. The domestic airport serves every major city throughout the Philipines from 5am to 8pm daily.

Roads

The main roads of Metro Manila is organized around a set of radial and circumferential roads that radiate and circle in and around Manila proper. Roxas Boulevard, easily the most well-known of Manila's streets, line the southern shores of Manila with Manila Bay. The boulevard is part of the Radial Road 1 that leads south to the province of Cavite. Another well-known radial road is España Boulevard (part of Radial Road 7) that starts in Quiapo and ends at the Welcome Rotunda along the border with Quezon City. Pres. Sergio Osmeña Sr. Highway, part of the South Luzon Expressway or Radial Road 3 is the most important highway linking Manila with the provinces of southern Luzon. The most common types of public transportation are buses and the jeepney. Tricycles are used for short distances. Pedicabs are biciycles attached with sidecars, where the drivers uses foot pedals to propel the vehicle. The Pasig River is crossed by a number of bridges in Manila. Eastward they are Roxas Bridge (commonly referred to as the Del Pan Bridge), Jones Bridge, McArthur Bridge, Quezon Bridge, Ayala Bridge, Nagtahan Bridge (also known as Mabini Bridge), Pandacan Bridge, and Lambingan Bridge.

Railways

Manila is the hub of a railway system on Luzon. The main terminal of the Philippine National Railways is in the Tondo district. Railways extend from this terminal north to the city of San Fernando in Pampanga and south to Legazpi City in Albay, though only the southern railway is currently in operation. Manila is also serviced by the Manila Light Rail Transit System along the length of Taft Avenue and Rizal Avenue. A second line also starts from Claro M. Recto Avenue and ends in Santolan in Pasig City.

Seaports and Piers

The City of Manila is the chief seaport of the Philippines. North Harbor and South Harbor experience busy periods during long holidays such as Holy Week, All Saints Day and the Christmas holidays.

Communication

Public Services

Government

Like all cities of the Philippines, Manila is governed by a mayor who heads the executive department of the city. The current mayor for the 2004-2007 term is Jose "Lito" L. Atienza, Jr., who has been re-elected for his third term in the 2004 elections. The city mayor is restricted for three consecutive terms (nine years), although he can be elected again after an interruption of one term. A vice-mayor heads the legislative arm which is composed of the elected city councilors, six from each of the city's six congressional districts. The city is divided into 897 barangays, which are the smallest unit of local government in the Philippines. Each barangay has its own chairperson and councilors. For administrative convenience, all the barangays in Manila are grouped into 100 zones and which are further grouped into 16 administrative districts. These zones and districts have no form of local government. The city further has six representatives popularly elected to the House of Representatives, the lower legislative branch of the Philippines. Each representative represents one of the six congressional districts of Manila.

Interesting places

House of Representatives

General landmarks

- Luneta Park, officially Rizal Park
- Intramuros, the walled-city of built by the Spaniards as their official residence
- Fort Santiago
- Malacañang Palace, the official residence of the President of the Philippines
- The Supreme Court of the Philippines
- Manila Baywalk
- Rajah Sulayman Park
- Manila Boardwalk
- Ermita and Malate Districts, a place for Bohemian night life
- Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden (Manila Zoo)
- National Library of the Philippines
- Paco Park, the location of the hit Paco Park Presents
- University Belt Area
- Chinatown (Binondo district)

Malls and shopping centers

- Ayala Malls, Manila
- SM City Manila
- SM Centerpoint (SM City Sta. Mesa)
- SM Department Store Quiapo
- SM City San Lazaro
- Robinson's Place Manila
- Harrison Plaza
- Ever Gotesco Mall Recto
- Isetann Department Store
- Divisoria Flea Market
- Tutuban Center
- Quiapo Bargain Center, home for endless bargain goods
- Palengke or Pamilihan sa ilalim ng tulay (literally means "a marketplace under the bridge), a center for indigenous Filipino products

Churches

- Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (Manila Cathedral)
- Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene (Quiapo Church)
- San Agustin Church
- Minor Basilica of St. Lorenzo Ruiz (Binondo Church)
- Our Lady of Remedios Church (Malate Church)
- Minor Basilica of San Sebastian (San Sebastian Church), the only all-steel church in Gothic style in Asia
- Santa Cruz Church

Sports centers

- Rizal Memorial Sports Complex (RMSC)

Educational institutions

Rizal Memorial Sports Complex] Rizal Memorial Sports Complex] Rizal Memorial Sports Complex] Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, the biggest human rainbow ever assembled.]] Rizal Memorial Sports Complex]
- Adamson University
- Arellano University
- Centro Escolar University
- City College of Manila
- Colegio de San Juan de Letran
- College of the Holy Spirit
- College of St. Benilde
- De La Salle University
- Emilio Aguinaldo College
- Far Eastern University
- La Concordia College
- La Consolacion College
- Lyceum of the Philippines
- Manila High School
- Manila Science High School
- Manuel L. Quezon University
- Mapua Institute of Technology
- National College of Business and Arts
- National Teachers College
- National University
- Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila
- Philippine Christian University
- Philippine Cultural High School
- Philippine Normal University
- Philippine Women's University [http://www.pwu.edu.ph/]
- Polytechnic University of the Philippines
- San Beda College
- San Sebastian College - Recoletos
- St. Paul University - Manila [http://spumanila.edu.ph/]
- St. Scholastica's College Manila [http://www.ssc.edu.ph/]
- Technological Institute of the Philippines [http://www.tip.edu.ph/ ]
- Technological University of the Philippines
- University of Manila
- University of Santo Tomas
- University of the East
- University of the Philippines, Manila

Museums

- National Museum of the Filipino People
- Museo Pambata (Children's Museum)
- Museo ng Maynila (Museum of Manila)
- Intramuros Light and Sound Museum
- UST Museum of Arts and Sciences

Cemeteries

- Manila North Cemetery
- Manila American Cemetery and Memorial
- La Loma Cemetery
- Chinese Cemetery

History

Pre-Spanish times

Manila began as a Muslim settlement at the mouth of the Pasig River along the shores of Manila Bay. The name came from the term maynilad, literally "there is nilad." Nilad is a white-flowered mangrove plant that grew in abundance in the area. In the mid-16th century, the areas in present-day Manila was governed by three rajahs, or Muslim community leaders. They were Rajah Sulayman and Rajah Matanda who ruled the communities south of the Pasig, and Rajah Lakandula who ruled the community north of the river. Manila was then the northernmost Muslim sultanate in the islands. It held ties with the sultanates of Brunei, Sulu, and Ternate in Cavite.

Arrival of the Spanish

In 1570, a Spanish expedition ordered by the conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi demanded the conquest of Manila. His second on command, Martín de Goiti departed from Cebu and arrived in Manila. The Muslim Tagalogs welcomed the foreigners, but Goiti had other plans. The Spanish force of 300 soldiers marched through Manila and a battle was fought with the heavily armed Spaniards quickly defeating and crushing the native settlements to the ground. Legazpi and his men followed the next year and made a peace pact with the three rajahs and organized a city council consisting of two mayors, 12 councilors, and a secretary. A walled City known as Intramuros, at the southern banks of Pasig River was built to protect the Spanish colonizers. On June 10, 1574, King Philip II of Spain gave Manila the title of Insigne y Siempre Leal Ciudad ("Distinguished and Ever Loyal City"). In 1595, Manila was proclaimed as the capital of the Philippine Islands and became a center of the trans-Pacific silver trade.

The Philippine Revolution

U.S. Occupation

silver The headquarters for USAFFE were located here as were the U.S. 31st Infantry Regiment and the U.S. 808th Military Police Company. The headquarters and bulk of the Philippine Division was located just to the south, at Fort William McKinley. The headquarters for the Far East Air Force was on the outskirts of town, at Nielson Field. Nearby, at Nichols Field was the U.S. 20th Air Base Group. A battalion of the U.S. 12th Quartermaster Regiment was located in the port area and training was conducted there for quartermasters of the Philippine Army. There were 6 airfields, for the Far East Air Force, within 130 km of Manila, notably Clark, Nichols, and Nielson fields.

World War II

After American combat units were ordered withdrawn from the city on December 31 , 1941, Manila was declared an open city by President Manuel L. Quezon and was occupied by Japanese forces on January 2, 1942, but on February 5, 1945 American General Douglas MacArthur fulfilled a promise to return to the Philippines (see Battle of Leyte). From February 3 to March 3, after the climactic battle at Intramuros ended, the thoroughly devastated city of Manila was officially liberated. Allied troops did not reach the city in time to prevent the [http://www.battlingbastardsbataan.com/som.htm Manila Massacre] though.

Manila and Security

Manila has been subject to militant attacks. The metropolis have been targeted twice by groups Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Abu Sayyaf. In addition, Al-Qaida cells have been discovered in the metropolis. Project Bojinka, which was a large-scale attack being planned in late 1994 and early 1995, was being planned in Manila. The project was abandoned after the night of January 6, 1995 and the morning of January 7, when an apartment fire led investigators to a laptop computer containing the plans.

External links

- [http://www.cityofmanila.com.ph Official Website of Manila]
- [http://www.manila-hotels-travel.com/info/manila.html Manila Travel Information]
- [http://www.manilahotelpromo.com/ Manila Hotels Promotions]
- [http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=14.608383,121.002388&spn=0.166014,0.234180&t=k&hl=en Satellite picture by Google Maps] Category:Manila Category:Capitals in Asia zh-min-nan:Manila ko:마닐라 ms:Manila ja:マニラ th:มะนิลา

Manila (disambiguation)

Manila can refer to many things, almost all of them being places. The most well-known is Manila, the capital of the Philippines. Many of the other items were also named that way because of the capital city. See also Manilla.

Places in the Philippines

- Manila, the capital of the Philippines
- Metro Manila, the metropolitan area of Manila

Places in the United States

- Manila, Clarke County, Alabama
- Manila, Dallas County, Alabama
- Manila, Arizona
- Manila, Arkansas
- Manila, California
- Manila, Colorado
- Manila, Kentucky
- Manila, Missouri
- Manila, Tennessee
- Manila, Utah
- Manila, West Virginia

Other things named Manila

- Manila (or manilla) also refers to the natural fiber from abaca that is used in making manila ropes and manila envelopes.
- Manila is also the name of a popular web-based content management system produced by UserLand Software.

Filipino language

Filipino (formerly called Pilipino) is the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines along with English. The language, a member of the Austronesian languages, is a standardized dialect of Tagalog. It is sometimes the generic name for all of several different languages of the Philippines. On November 13, 1937, the First National Assembly created the National Language Institute, which selected Tagalog for the basis of a new national language. In 1961, this language became known as Pilipino, which was later renamed to Filipino. The Filipino language is the national language and an official language of the Philippines, having been so designated in the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

History

When the Tagalog-based national language was being developed, Lope K. Santos wrote the Balarila ng Wikang Pambansa and introduced the Abakada of 20 letters in which only one letter represents one meaningful sound in Tagalog. The 20 letters of Abakada are written as a b k d e g h i l m n ng o p r s t u w y. The National Language Institute of the Philippines initiated the new language in 1973. In 1976, the alphabet consisted of 31 letters - the 26 letters of the English alphabet, the Spanish ñ, ll, rr, and ch, and the ng of Tagalog. In practice, however, the digraphs are considered as their two constituent letters. In 1987, the alphabet was revised and rr, ll and ch, all of which are of Spanish origin, were removed, leaving 28 letters.

Controversy

The national language of the Philippines has been subject to several controversies and misunderstandings, even to this day. The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines, Article XIV, Section 6 merely states: "The national language of the Philippines is Filipino. As it evolves, it shall be further developed and enriched on the basis of existing Philippine and other languages." The development and formal adoption of a common national language to be known as Filipino had been mandated in Section XV of the 1973 Constitution. Whether the Filipino language should be based on Tagalog is not stated, although a large number of people assumed that the Filipino language is the same as (or at least is based on) the Pilipino language, which was the national language at that time and was clearly defined to be based on Tagalog. Most Filipinos will have one of these three views when asked regarding the Filipino language: # Filipino is just plainly Tagalog and is just another name for the language, along with its older name, Pilipino. # Filipino is the amalgamation of all the Philippine languages, with English and Spanish also possible vocabulary sources. # Filipino is Tagalog with borrowings from English and other Philippine languages and is Tagalog as it is spoken in Metro Manila. Most people in the Philippines still consider Filipino essentially and practically the same language as Tagalog. It is more likely that Filipinos ask others if they know how to speak "Tagalog" rather than if they know how to speak "Filipino." Proponents of the second view however, specifically state that Tagalog does not include words such as "guapa" (beautiful), those terms whose meaning can be easily guessed by native Tagalog speakers but are not generally considered or used in the Tagalog-speaking region. Some people also point out that Filipino should include English words commonly used by Filipinos whereas Tagalog does not. During the time when the language was still known as Pilipino (before the name was changed to Filipino), the tendency was to use pure Tagalog, even trying to replace words of Spanish or English origin with new artificially coined words that are based on Tagalog. To some people, this differentiates Filipino from Pilipino. A number in academia define the Filipino language as an amalgamation of the Philippine languages with some even proposing that English words be included in the Filipino lexicon. The problem with this view is linguistically, the Philippine languages are not dialects of the same language, but are languages in their own right, each being mutually unintelligible from the others. If the grammatical structure and all the words from the other languages are to be included in the lexicon, this basically forfeits the purpose of a lingua franca as people speaking Tagalog Filipino will not be able to communicate effectively with someone speaking Cebuano Filipino. Realistically, Filipino is perhaps just the language as spoken in Metro Manila. With its migrant population swelling, there are some words from the other Philippine languages that have been borrowed into the speech of native Manileños. The Tagalog as spoken in the capital, however, is difficult to use as a standard. It is rapidly evolving, and there is no one dictionary or guidebook to define what is proper usage or which words are considered to be officially part of the language. This is compounded by the problem that most Filipinos are bilingual or multilingual, and English is very predominant, that a number of Filipinos now use Taglish (Tagalog peppered with English words all throughout) as their everyday speech. While this language is perfectly fine for informal communications, it remains difficult to freely use an admixture of two languages in formal written communication.

External links

- [http://www.komfil.gov.ph/ Commission on the Filipino Language]
- [http://tl.wikipedia.org/ Tagalog-language Wikipedia] Category:Austronesian languages Category:Malayo-Polynesian languages Category:Languages of the Philippines

Philippines

The Republic of the Philippines (Filipino: Republika ng Pilipinas), or the Philippines (Filipino: Pilipinas), is a nation in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital. It lies 1,210 km (750 mi) away from mainland Asia and consists of 7,107 islands called the Philippine Archipelago. It is also part of the Malay Archipelago. It is, with East Timor, one of the two predominantly Catholic nations in Southeast Asia and one of the most westernized, a unique blend of East and West. Spain and the United States have held the Philippine Islands as a colony for most of the last four centuries. While still predominantly an agricultural nation, the Philippines today is a premier destination for outsourcing, an exporter of electronics and agricultural products, and is a major source of exported labor. Remittances from overseas Filipinos forms a significant portion of the country's gross national product. The country's name originated with Ruy López de Villalobos naming both the islands of Samar and Leyte, Las Islas Felipinas after King Philip II of Spain during his failed expedition in 1543. The archipelago was known under various names such as Spanish East Indies, New Castille (Nueva Castilla), Western Islands (Islas del Poniente), the St. Lazarus Islands (Islas de San Lázaro) and others. Ultimately, Filipinas came to refer to the entire archipelago.
History
Archeological and paleontological evidence, prove that homo sapiens existed in Palawan probably about 50,000 years ago. These inhabitants are called the Tabon Man. Thousands of years later, waves of Austronesian-speaking migrants - the ancestors of today's maintsream ethnic Filipinos - crossed from neighboring Indonesia and through Southern China via Taiwan. Ethnic Chinese merchants arrived in the 8th century. Ferdinand Magellan first set foot in the archipelago in 1521. After establishing friendly relations with some local chieftains and converting them to Christianity, Magellan got into a conflict with one of the chieftains still hostile to him, Lapu-Lapu. In the ensuing battle, the Spaniards were defeated and Magellan killed, but one of his ships was able to return to Spain and bring the news about this new land. On April 27, 1565, the Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi and 500 armed soldiers came to Cebu and established the first Spanish settlement on the islands. Augustinians and Franciscans,followed later by the Jesuits, Dominicans, and Recollects, marched with soldiers from island to island, in search of native villages and people. The Spaniards soon established churches and forts, while searching for gold and spices. Roman Catholicism was introduced and embraced by the majority. Sporadic rebellions occurred from tribal groups in the highlands of north Luzon and coastal regions. Muslim belligerents maintained resistance in the southern islands of Mindanao. The Spanish military fought-off Chinese pirates, Japanese and Portuguese, Dutch and British forces, all of whom also had an interest in the Philippines. The Philippines was ruled from New Spain (Mexico) until the openning of the Suez Canal and Mexican independence. A burgeoning Manila Galleon or Manila-Acapulco galleon trade began in the late 16th century. In 1781, Governor José Basco y Vargas established the Economic Society of Friends of the Country. The Philippines was administered directly from Spain. Developments in and out of the country and the opening up of the Suez Canal in 1869, which helped cut travel time to Spain and helped bring new ideas to the Philippines. This prompted the rise of the ilustrados, or the enlightened Filipino upper middle class. Many young Filipinos were thus able to study in Europe. Enlightened by the Propaganda Movement to the injustices of the Spanish colonial government and the frailocracy, they originally clamored for adequate representation to the Spanish Cortes and later for independence. José Rizal, the most celebrated intellectual (and most controversial ilustrado), was executed in 1896 for treason as Rizal was implicated in the outbreak of the Revolution. The Katipunan, or the "Kataas-taasang Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga anak ng Inang Bayan" was founded by Andrés Bonifacio as its Supremo or leader. It was a secret society for the sole purpose of overthrowing Spanish rule in the Philippines. However, the society was discovered by Fr. Mariano Gil who broke his vow of confession and reported to the Spanish authorities the confession of a parishioner who was a sister of a Katipunero.(Honoria Patinio, the sister of Teodoro Patinio) The Philippine Revolution broke out. The Katipunan, meanwhile, was split into two groups, Magdiwang led by Andrés Bonifacio, and Magdalo led by Emilio Aguinaldo. The revolution ended in a truce with the Pact of Biak na Bato, where the revolutionaries capitulated and agreed to exile themselves in Hong Kong. The United States and Spain became involved in the Spanish-American war in 1898. Emilio Aguinaldo was then lured back to the Philippines with a supposed promise of independence similar to Cuba, which was fighting a war of independence. Thus, on June 12, 1898, with victory seemingly attainable, Emilio Aguinaldo, leader of the revolutionaries, declared the independence of the Philippines in Kawit, Cavite. However, the Battle for Manila between Spain and the United States turned out to be a farce, which sought to exclude the Filipinos from the eventual occupation of Manila. Spain and the United States ignored the Filipino representative, Felipe Agoncillo, during their negotiations in the Treaty of Paris. Spain was forced in the negotiations to hand over Guam, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico to the United States in exchange for US$20,000,000.00, which payment the United States later claimed to be a gift to Spain. The first Philippine Republic rebelled against the US occupation and this resulted in the Philippine-American War (1899-1913). It came under U.S. control and in 1935, its status was upgraded to that of a U.S. Commonwealth. Independence for the Philippines was finally granted on July 4, 1946, after the Japanese invasion and occupation of the islands during World War II. The Philippines has faced some degree of economic and political instability after 1946. The restive Hukbalahaps, guerillas who fought against the Japanese during World War II, turned communistic in ideology. They organized clandestinely, mounted anti-government campaigns of sedition and open hostilities against government forces, and conducted terroristic activities, including kidnappings, massacres, assasinations, rapes and extorsion. They threatened the countryside, and subsequently the capital, Quezon City, and Manila in the '50's. The Huk threat was eventually broken with the surrender of Luis Taruc, the Huk Supremo, to a young reporter named Benigno Aquino Jr. (later elected as Senator), and Secretary of Defense Ramón Magsaysay, who would eventually become president. The late '60's and early '70's saw the rise of student activism, and anti-American demonstrations. Furthermore, a Constitutional Convention composed of elected delegates drafted a new constitution to replace the 1935 Constitution in a referendum. This period was marred by civil unrest and exposés on corruption until the declaration of martial law on September 21, 1972. The new constitution was subsequently enforced through somewhat questionable means, as challenges were made in the Supreme Court on the propriety of its ratification. This eventually culminated in the resignation of Chief Justice Roberto Concepción. The situation appeared to ebb until the later years when the authoritarian regime of President Ferdinand E. Marcos became marred with unmitigated, pervasive corruption and despotism, at which time public outcry and dissidence resurged to new highs. In 1986, Marcos, his family and some cronies left the Philippines and went to exile to Hawaii, as Corazon Aquino, widow of assassinated Sen. Benigno Aquino, assumed the reins of government in the aftermath of a hotly-contested "snap elections". While some cite a return to democracy and governmental reform in the Post-Marcos era, systemic government corruption, continuing civil unrest and the activity of Communist insurgency and Muslim separatist movements continue to hamper economic productivity in the country. The country has seen two Presidential crises during this time, the most recent being the 2005 Philippine electoral crisis.
Politics and Government
The government of the Philippines is loosely patterned after the U.S. government. It is organized as a representative republic, where the President functions as head of state, the head of government, and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The president is elected by popular vote to a term of 6 years, during which he or she appoints and presides over the cabinet. The bicameral legislature, the Congress, consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives; members of the former are nationally elected and those of the latter by district. There are 24 senators serving 6 years in the Senate ( in staggered batches of 8 every 2 years, while the House of Representatives consists of no more than 250 congressmen each serving 4-year terms. The judiciary branch of the government is headed by the Supreme Court, which has a Chief Justice as its head and 14 Associate Justices, all of whom the President appoints from nominations submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council. The Philippines is a founding and active member of the United Nations (UN) since its inception on October 24, 1945 and is a founding and prominent member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), an active player in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Latin Union and a member of the Group of 24. The Philippines is a major non-NATO ally of the United States, but also a member of the Non-Aligned Movement. The Philippines is currently in a dispute with the Republic of China (Taiwan), the People's Republic of China, Vietnam and Malaysia over the oil- and natural gas-rich Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoal, and with Malaysia over Sabah. The Sultan of Sulu, who received Sabah as a gift in 1703 after having helped the Sultan of Brunei defeat a rebellion, has given the Philippine Government power to reclaim his lost territory. To this day, the Sultan of Sulu's family still receives "rental" payments for Sabah from the Malaysian Government.
Geography
Sultan of Sulu The Philippines constitutes an archipelago of 7,107 islands with a total land area of approximately 300,000 km². It lies between 116° 40' and 126° 34' E. longitude, and 4° 40' and 21° 10' N. latitude, and is bordered on the east by the Philippine Sea, on the west by the South China Sea, and on the south by the Celebes Sea. The island of Borneo lies a few hundred kilometers to the southwest and Taiwan directly north. The Moluccas and Celebes are farther south, and on the eastern side of the Philippine Sea is Palau. The islands are commonly divided into three major groups: Luzon (Regions I to V, NCR & CAR), Visayas (VI to VIII), and Mindanao (IX to XIII & ARMM). The busy port of Manila, on Luzon, is the country's capital and second-largest city after Quezon City. The local climate is hot, humid, and tropical. The average yearly temperature is around 26.5°C. There are three recognized seasons: Tag-init or Tag-araw (the hot season or summer from March to May), Tag-ulan (the rainy season from June to November), and Taglamig (the cold season from December to February). The southwest monsoon (May-October) is known as the "Habagat" and the dry winds of the northeast monsoon (November-April) as the "Amihan". Most of the mountainous islands used to be covered in tropical rainforests and are volcanic in origin. The highest point is Mount Apo on Mindanao at 2,954 m. Many volcanoes in the country, such as Mayon Volcano, Mount Pinatubo ,and Taal Volcano are active. The country is also astride the typhoon belt of the Western Pacific and about 19 typhoons strike per year. Lying on the northwestern fringes of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activities. Some 20 earthquakes are registered daily in the Philippines, though they are too weak to be felt.
Administrative divisions
:Main articles: Provinces of the Philippines, Regions of the Philippines Regions of the Philippines The Philippines is divided into a hierarchy of local government units (LGUs) with the province as the primary unit. There are 79 provinces in the country. Provinces are further subdivided into cities and municipalities, which are in turn composed of barangays. The barangay is the smallest local government unit. The Philippines is divided into 17 regions with all provinces grouped into one of 16 regions for administrative convenience. The National Capital Region however, is divided into four special districts. Most government offices establish regional offices to serve the constituent provinces. The regions themselves do not possess a separate local government, with the exception of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao which is autonomous. Go to the articles on the regions and provinces to see a larger map showing the locations of the regions and provinces. Regions
- Ilocos Region (Region I)
- Cagayan Valley (Region II)
- Central Luzon (Region III)
- CALABARZON (Region IV-A) ¹ ²
- MIMAROPA (Region IV-B) ¹ ²
- Bicol Region (Region V)
- Western Visayas (Region VI)
- Central Visayas (Region VII)
- Eastern Visayas (Region VIII)
- Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX)
- Northern Mindanao (Region X)
- Davao Region (Region XI)
- SOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII) ¹
- Caraga (Region XIII)
- Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)
- Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)
- National Capital Region (NCR) (Metro Manila) ¹ Names are capitalized because they are acronyms, containing the names of the constituent provinces or cities (see Acronyms in the Philippines).
² These regions formed the former Southern Tagalog region, or Region IV.

Economy

The Philippines is classified as a Developing Country. Although agricultural in nature, light industry and services have made great inroads ino the country. The Philippines has a nominal GDP of 86,429, and ranked 46th out of 184 countries and 15th among Asian countries. The country, often called as the New Tiger of Asia, deteriorated over the climax of the Asian financial crisis of 1998. This was coupled by rising prices, inflation, and poor weather conditions. Economic growth fell to 0.6% in 1998 from 5% in 1997, but recovered to about 3% in 1999 and 4% in 2000. The government has promised to continue its economic reforms to help match the pace of development in the newly industrialised countries of East Asia. Heavy debts (public debt at 77% of GDP), is hampering efforts to improve the economic situation. Budget allocation for servicing of debt is higher than the budget for the Department of Education and for the Military combined. The government's strategy for an economic revamp includes improving infrastructure, overhauling the tax system to bolster government revenues, furthering deregulation and privatisation of the economy, and increasing trade integration with the region. Prospects for the future depend heavily on the economic performance of the two major trading partners, the United States and Japan, and a more accountable administration and consistent government policies. In recent years, numerous call centers and business process outsourcing (BPO) firms have migrated to the Philippines generating thousands of jobs and improving their services with many clients, including Fortune 500 companies. The Philippines has one of the most vibrant BPO industries in Asia today. The Philippine Peso was hailed by Forbes as Asia's best performing currency for 2005. A new Expanded Value Added Tax (E-VAT) Law was instituted on November 1, 2005, a measure intended to cut the rising foreign debts of the Philippines and to improve government services such as education, health, social welfare, and road construction. The Philippines is a member of the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, as well as other international economic associations, such as theAsia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), Colombo Plan, and the G-77.

Demographics

The Philippines is the world's twelfth most populous country, with a population of 86,241,697 as of 2005. Roughly two-thirds reside in the island of Luzon. Manila, the capital, is the eleventh most populous metropolitan area in the world. The educational system is efficient and based on the United States curriculum. The literacy rate is 95.9%, about equal for males and females. Life expectancy is 69.29 years, with 72.28 years for females and 66.44 years for males. Population growth per year is about 1.92%, with 26.3 births per 1000 people. In the 100 years since the 1903 Census, the population has grown by a factor of eleven. The country suffers from overpopulation due to a high birth rate. The people of the Philippines are collectively known as Filipinos. Colloquially, Filipinos may refer to themselves as Pinoy (feminine: Pinay). According to current Philippine government and independant data, some 95% of the population are the descendants of the various Austronesian-speaking migrants who arrived in successive waves over a thousand years ago, settling throughout the entire archipelago. Filipinos are divided into 12 major linguistic groups, namely the the Tagalogs, Cebuanos, Ilocanos, Ilonggos, Bicolanos, Pampangos, Pangasinenses, Karay-as, Warays, Maranaos, Maguindanaos, and Tausugs, and then numerous other smaller groups. The Negritos or Aetas, also known as the aboriginal inhabitants of the Philippines, were largely displaced by the invading Austronesian-speaking migrants, and today number less than 30,000 people (0.03%). The Mestizo population (those of any mixed native and foreign ancestry) form a tiny (2%) but economically and politically important minority (a Stanford [http://hpgl.stanford.edu/publications/AJHG_2001_v68_p432.pdf genetic study], however, indicates that 3.6% of the population has at least some European ancestry). The largest minority of foreign nationality groups in the country are the ethnic Chinese (3%). The remaining population consists of other smaller foreign nationality groups, including North Americans, Spaniards and other Europeans, Mexicans and other Latin Americans, Arabs, South Asians, Indonesians, Koreans, Japanese, Vietnamese, and other Asian immigrants. Because of the vast number of native ethnolinguistic groups, the Philippines is said to be one of the most ethnically diverse countries in Asia. In recent decades, the government has worked to make the country more culturally homogeneous. However, there has been notable resistance among the various ethno-linguistic groups trying to preserve their unique cultural and linguistic identities. These are a source of immense pride for many people within the Republic of the Philippines; many are against what are perceived as attempts by certain Filipino nationalists to erradicate cultural diversity in place of a homogenous, Tagalog-dominated "nationalistic" Filipino identity. A recent manifestation of this can be seen in the complaints of many provinces that "Imperial Manila" dominates, oppresses, and exploits the people and resources of the rest of the country.

Languages

More than 170 languages are spoken; almost all of them belong to the Western Malayo-Polynesian language group of the Austronesian language family. According to the 1987 Constitution, Tagalog-based Filipino and English are the official languages. There are 12 native regional languages and are the auxiliary languages of their respective regions, each with over one million speakers: Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilokano, Hiligaynon, Waray-Waray, Bikol, Kapampangan, Pangasinan, Kinaray-a, Maranao, Maguindanao, and Tausug. Other major foreign languages spoken include Spanish, Hokkien, Cantonese, Indonesian, Sindhi, Punjabi, Korean, and Arabic.

Religion

The Philippines is the fourth largest Roman Catholic country, the thirteenth largest Protestant country, the fortieth largest Islamic country, the seventh largest Hindu country, and the seventeenth largest Buddhist country. 92 % of all Filipinos are Christians. 83 % belong to the Roman Catholic Church.The other 9 % belonging to various Protestant denominations. Although Christianity is a major force in the culture of the Filipinos, many, however, still practice local traditions and rituals. The Roman Catholic church exerts considerable influence in both governmental and non-governmental affairs, although a constitutional provision for the separation of Church and State exists. The Philippines currently has two cardinals, Ricardo Cardinal Vidal and Jose Cardinal Sanchez. The late Jaime Cardinal Sin was a leading spiritual leader in the country and was an active participant in People Power I and People Power II. He died on June 21, 2005. Cardinal Vidal is the archbishop of Cebu. Cardinal Sanchez is the former Prefect of Congregation of the Clergy, Roman Curia. Gaudencio Borbon Rosales serves as the archbishop of Manila. The most famous cathedral is the huge Manila Cathedral. The various Protestant denominations are linked with North American churches and there is a significant presence of American missionaries. Two Filipino independent Christian churches were organized at the turn of the century and are prominent today. These are the Aglipay (Philippine Independent Church) and the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ) founded in 1902 and 1914, respectively. The Eliseo Soriano-led Members Church of God International, more popularly known as the "Ang Dating Daan Group," is fast becoming a Christian denomination group in the country to watch, accounting for more than 2 million members worldwide. 5% of all Filipinos are Muslim. Most lowland Muslim Filipinos practice normative Islam, although the practices of some Mindanao's hilltribe Muslims reflect a fusion with Animism.

Culture

The culture of the Filipinos is influenced very much by the Spanish, Chinese, Mexican, American, Arabic, and Malaysian influences. The Hispanic influences in the culture of the Philippines are largely derived from the culture of Mexico and the culture of Spain over three hundred years of colonial rule. Hispanic influences are most visible in the form of customs and practices related to the Catholic church, especially in religious festivals. Every year, Filipinos from around the country hold major festivities known as Barrio Fiesta which commemorate the patron saints of the town, villages and regional districts. The festival season is celebrated with church ceremonies, street parades in honor of the patron saints, fireworks, beauty and dance contests for generations of old and new, and cockfighting tournaments. The Chinese influences in Filipino culture can be mostly seen in the domain of Filipino cuisine, which Chinese cuisine has totally penetrated. Noodles, known locally as mami, as well as other food, like meat dishes. Chinese influences are also obvious on the language side of culture. American cultural influence in the Philippines can be seen by the widespread use of English, as well as in the keenness of Filipinos in sports. Although there are pre-existing native sports in the Philippines, the most known sport in the Philippines is basketball. Other notable sports in the Philippines include boxing, swimming, and Martial Arts. The Philippines has produced numerous notable and revered athletes including boxing champion Manny Pacquiao., billiard champion Efren Reyes, chess champion Eugene Torre. Professional Basketball players are also idolized, and the Philippines has many sports clubs. Another obvious influence of the Americans is the love for fastfoods. In the Philippines, many corners have fastfoods, and aside from the American giant players like McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Burger King, KFC, Kenny Rogers Roasters, Wendy's, Shakey's, Carl's Jr., native fastfood chains have also been started, such as Jollibee, Greenwich Pizza, Chowking, and Max's Fried Chicken, among such others. Hamburgers, hotdogs, and ice cream can be bought from almost anywhere, and a prepondernace of American culture and customs is overwhelming. Filipinos listen to the latest American music, dance to American steps, watch American movies, and idolize American actors and actresses. Aside from these, the Philippines also boasts of its shopping malls, which are one of the largest in the world. The SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City is the third largest mall in the world, spanning three cities. Despite all of these influences, the Filipino still remains unique-a testimony to the living Filipino culture is the Jeepney, renovated relics of WWII, which are the standard mode of transportation in urban and rural areas. Filipinos honor national heroes whose works and deeds contributed to the shaping of Filipino nationalism. José Rizal is the most celebrated ilustrado, a visionary whose writings created a national identity and awareness. His novels Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, required readings for Filipino students, provide vignettes of colonial life under the Spanish rule. They give a sense of Filipino identity and historical continuity. Andrés Bonifacio founded the pro-independence Katipunan movement which helped end Spanish rule. Disputes exist about whether he, not Rizal, should be the national hero. Ninoy Aquino is highly revered as the martyr of the People Power revolution.

External links

;Official
- [http://www.gov.ph Official website of the Philippine Government] - Gateway to governmental sites
- [http://www.supremecourt.gov.ph Supreme Court]
- [http://www.dfa.gov.ph/ Department of Foreign Affairs]
- [http://www.wowphilippines.com.ph Department of Tourism]
- [http://www.dti.gov.ph Department of Trade and Industry] ; Other
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- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/country_profiles/1262783.stm Country Profile: Philippines ] — BBC's Country Profile on The Philippines Category:ASEAN member states Category:Former Spanish colonies Category:Southeast Asian countries zh-min-nan:Hui-li̍p-pin ko:필리핀 ms:Filipina ja:フィリピン simple:Philippines th:ประเทศฟิลิปปินส์

Manila Bay

Manila Bay is the harbor which serves the port of Manila (on Luzon), in the Philippines. The entrance is 19 km wide and expands to a width of 48 km. Mariveles, Bataan is an anchorage just inside the northern entrance and Sangley Point is the former location of Cavite Naval Base. On either side of the bay are volcanic peaks topped with tropical foliage. 40 km to the north is the Bataan Peninsula and to the south is the province of Cavite. Across the entrance to Manila Bay are several islands. The largest is Corregidor, which is 3 kilometers from Bataan and, along with the island of Caballo, separates the mouth of the bay into the North and South Channels. In the south channel is El Fraile Island and outside the entrance, and to the south, is Carabao Island. El Fraile is a rocky island, some 4 acres (16,000 m²) in area, which juts up into the southern entrance of the Philippines' Manila Bay. To the immediate north and south are additional harbors. The bay was the setting for the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898.

Luzon

, and Mindanao.]] Luzon refers to the largest and most politically important island in the Philippines and to one of the three island groups in the country, with Visayas and Mindanao being the other two. Luzon (Luconia in Latin maps and Lusong in Pre-Spanish times) is also the name of the island group which includes Luzon island itself, plus the Batanes and Babuyan groups of islands to the north, and the islands of Catanduanes, Marinduque, Masbate, Romblon, Mindoro, and Palawan in the south.

Geography

Luzon's area is 104,688 square kilometers, making it the world's 17th largest island. Located on Luzon are the country's capital, Manila, and its most populous city, Quezon City. The island is very mountainous and is home to Mt. Pulag, the second highest mountain in the country and Mayon, the most famous volcano. To the west of Luzon island is the South China Sea (Luzon Sea in Philippine territorial waters), to the east is the Philippine Sea, and to the north is Luzon Strait containing Babuyan Channel and Balintang Channel. The main part of the island is roughly rectangular in shape and has the long Bicol Peninsula protruding to the southeast. The northern part of the island contains the largest mountain range in the country, the Cordillera Central. Mount Pulag, the second highest mountain in the country, is located there, rising 2,922 m. To the east of the Cordillera Central is the large Cagayan Valley, which serves as the basin for the Cagayan River, the longest river in the Philippines. To the east of the valley rises the Sierra Madre mountain range, easily the longest range in the country. The Sierra Madre snakes southwards into the central and southern part of the island. Between it and the Zambales Mountains to the west is the largest plain, the Central Luzon plain. This plain, approximately 11,000 km² in size, is the country's largest producer of rice. Among the rivers irrigating this plain, the longest are Agno to the north, and Pampanga to the south. In the middle of the plain rises the solitary Mount Arayat. To the west, in the Zambales Mountains, rises Mount Pinatubo, made famous because of its enormous 1991 eruption. The Zambales mountains extends to the sea in the north, forming Lingayen Gulf, home to the Hundred Islands National Park. To the south, the mountains also extend into the sea, forming the Bataan Peninsula, which encloses the Manila Bay. This natural harbor is considered to be one of the best natural ports in East Asia, due to its size and strategic geographical location. To the southeast of Manila Bay is the largest lake in the country, and also the largest inland lake in Southeast Asia, the Laguna de Bay (Old Spanish, Lake of Bay town). This 949 km² lake is drained by the Pasig River into Manila Bay. Pasig River is one of the most important rivers in the country due to its historical significance and because it runs through the center of Metro Manila. Located just 20 km southwest of Laguna de Bay is Taal Lake, within the southwestern portion of the island. This caldera of a lake contains the smallest volcano of the country, Taal Volcano, which rises on the island in the center of the lake. The volcano in turn has a lake in its crater. All the surrounding areas of Taal Lake were once part of a massive prehistoric volcano that covered the southern portion of the province of Cavite, Tagaytay City, and the whole of Batangas province. Off the southwestern portion of Luzon is the island of Mindoro, separated by the Verde Island Passages. The passages connect the South China Sea to the east with the Tayabas Bay. To the south of the bay is the island of Marinduque. The southeastern portion of Luzon is dominated by the Bicol Peninsula. This is a mountainous and narrow region that extends approximately 150 km southeast. Along it are numerous gulfs and bays. In the north is Lamon Bay, which contains Alabat Island and is south of the Polillo Islands of Quezon province. Other bays and gulfs include San Miguel Bay, Lagonoy Gulf, Ragay Gulf, and Sorsogon Bay. To the east of the peninsula lies the island of Catanduanes. Leading to it is the Caramoan Peninsula. Off the southeast tip of Bicol is Samar island, separated by San Bernardino Strait. Bicol Peninsula is connected to the main part of Luzon through the Tayabas Isthmus. Extending south from the isthmus is the Bondoc Peninsula. The Bicol Peninsula is also home to numerous volcanoes. The most famous is Mayon Volcano in Albay. This 2,460 m high volcano is symmetrically shaped, rivaling that of Mount Fuji in Japan, and is a symbol of the Bicol Region. Other notable mountains are Mount Isarog and Mount Iriga in Camarines Sur, and Mount Bulusan in Sorsogon. Located off the southwestern coast of the Bicol Peninsula are the islands of Ticao, Burias, and Masbate. See also Geography of the Philippines.

Island Group of Luzon

The island group of Luzon is an arbitrary grouping of islands divided into eight regions, which are further subdivided into 37 provinces, of which only seven are not on Luzon island itself. The island group includes the Batanes and Babuyan islands to the north, and the islands of Catanduanes, Masbate, Marinduque, Romblon, and Mindoro in the south.

Regions of Luzon

The eight regions are listed below, discussed individually. Its administrative centers are for formality's sake only, meaning, there is no 'valid' regional administrative center (except in the case of Administrative regions), the power being vested by the provincial governments. The regional centers are only the head tourist offices for the region.
- Ilocos Region (Region I)
- Cagayan Valley (Region II)
- Central Luzon (Region III)
- CALABARZON (Region IV-A)
- MIMAROPA (Region IV-B)
- Bicol Region (Region V)
- Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)
- National Capital Region (NCR) Ilocos Region (Region I) is located in the northwest portion of the main island. Its provinces are: Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan. Its inhabitants are mostly of Ilocano descent and the main languages are Ilokano and Pangasinan. The region's administrative center is San Fernando City, La Union. The city of Vigan in Ilocos province is the oldest surviving Spanish colonial city in the Philippines. Cagayan Valley (Region II) is located in the northeast portion of the main island and also covers the Batanes and Babuyan islands to the north. The valley is surrounded by the Cordillera Central and Sierra Madre mountain ranges. Running through its center is the country's longest river, Cagayan River. Its provinces are Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino. The region's administrative center is Tuguegarao City in Cagayan province. Central Luzon (Region III) contains the largest plain of the country and produces most of the country's rice supply. Its provinces are Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales. The region's administrative center is San Fernando City, Pampanga. The former United States Navy base of Subic Bay, now a free port, is located in Zambales province. CALABARZON (Region IV-A), one of the newest regions of the country, was previously a part of Southern Tagalog (Region IV). It is one of the most populated areas of the country. The name of the region is actually an acronym that stands for its provinces, which are Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, and Rizal. The Tagalogs are the dominant ethnic group in this region, with Tagalog as the main language. Its' recognized administrative center is Manila, which is in Metro Manila, however, some government officials still consider Quezon City, which is also in Metro Manila as the administrative center, and also, Lucena City, in Quezon province. MIMAROPA (Region IV-B), along with CALABARZON is the newest region of the country, and was previously a part of Southern Tagalog (Region IV). It contains most of the islands in the Luzon group. The name of the region is actually an acronym that stands for its provinces, which are Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, and formerly Palawan, which is now in the Western Visayas region. Bicol Region (Region V) occupies the Bicol Peninsula at the southeastern end of Luzon island, plus the outlying islands which include the island provinces of Catanduanes and Masbate. The remaining mainland provinces are Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Sorsogon. The region's administrative center is Legazpi City in Albay. The inhabitants are of Bicolano descent with Bikol as the main language. Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) almost completely covers the Cordillera Central mountain range of Northern Luzon. CAR, created in 1989 is a special administrative region for the indigenous tribes of these mountains. Its provinces are Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Mountain Province. The regional center is Baguio City. National Capital Region (NCR) is a special administrative region that contains the capital of the country, Manila; the country's most populous city, Quezon City; and an additional 15 more cities and municipalities. The region is more popularly known as Metro Manila. It is the only region in the country that has no provinces, and is the most densely populated with over 10 million people living in a 636 km² area.

History

The region first came to contact with Spain in the late 16th century by Spanish conquistadors, led by Martin de Goiti, Juan de Salcedo, and Miguel López de Legaspi who arrived between 1570 and 1571 to claim the lands for Spain.

Metro Manila

Metropolitan Manila (Filipino: Kalakhang Maynila) or National Capital Region (NCR) is the seventh largest metropolitan area in terms of size in Asia, and the sixteenth in terms of population in the world. Metro Manila is the metropolitan area that contains Manila, the capital of the Philippines, as well as sixteen surrounding cities and municipalities, including Quezon City, the capital from 1948 to 1976. Metro Manila is the political, economic, social, and cultural center of the Philippines, and is one of the modern metropolises in Southeast Asia. Among locals, Metro Manila is often simply referred to as Manila. It is often abbreviated to M.M..

Orientation

Metro Manila is the smallest of the country's administrative regions, but the most populous and the most densely populated, having a population of 9,932,560 (2000 census) in an area only 636 square kilometers large. It is also the only region without any provinces. The region is bordered by the provinces of Bulacan to the north, Rizal to the east, and Cavite and Laguna to the south. Metro Manila is also sandwiched by the Manila Bay to the west and the Laguna de Bay to the southeast with the Pasig River running between them, bisecting the region. Unlike other regions which are divided into provinces, Metro Manila or the National Capital Region (NCR) is divided into four nonfunctioning districts, which are grouped according to geographical basis in reference to the Pasig River. These districts were created in 1976 but have no local government and no congressional representation, in contrast to that of the provinces. These districts are used mostly for fiscal and statistical purposes. The cities and municipalities within the NCR are grouped into the four districts as follows: First District
- 20px City of Manila Second District
- 20px Mandaluyong City
- 20px Marikina City
- 20px Pasig City
- 20px Quezon City
- 20px San Juan Third District
- 20px Caloocan City
- 20px Malabon City
- 20px Navotas
- 20px Valenzuela City Fourth District
- 20px Las Piñas City
- 20px Makati City
- 20px Muntinlupa City
- 20px Parañaque City
- 20px Pasay City
- 20px Pateros
- 20px Taguig City The term Metro Manila should not be confused with the metro rail system of the region, and the word metro itself always describes the metropolitan area (as in the metro). The railways are called by their abbreviations, such as the LRT and the MRT, also known as Light Rail Transit and Metro Rail Transit, respectively. In paper, Manila is the designated capital and seat of the Philippine government, but in practice, the seats of government are all around Metro Manila. The executive and administrative seat of government is located in Manila, so is the judiciary. The upper house of the legislature (Senate of the Philippines) is located in Pasay City, and the lower house (Congress of the Philippines) in Quezon City.

Political Divisions

Map of Metro Manila showing the cities and municipalities.

Metro Manila is composed of fourteen cities and three municipalities. Each is governed by a Mayor who all belong to the Metro Manila Mayor's League, which in turn, is part of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

City	Population¹	Area (km²)	Population Density (per km²)
Quezon City	2,173,831	161.12	13,492
Manila	1,581,082	38.55	41,014
Caloocan City	1,177,604	53.33	22,081
Las Piñas City	528,011	41.54	12,710
Pasig City	505,058	31.00	16,292
Valenzuela City	485,433	44.58	10,889
Taguig City	467,375	47.88	9,761
Parañaque City	449,811	47.69	9,432
Makati City	444,867	27.36	16,260
Marikina City	391,170	33.97	11,515
Muntinlupa City	379,310	46.70	8,122
Pasay City	354,908	19.00	18,679
Malabon City	338,855	15.76	21,501
Mandaluyong City	278,474	11.26	24,731

Municipality	Population¹	Area (km²)	Pop. Density (per km²)
Navotas	230,403	10.77	21,393
San Juan	117,680	5.94	19,811
Pateros	57,407	2.10	27,337

¹ 2000 Census

People

Ancestry

Filipinos and Mestizos (Filipinos of mixed descent) constitute the majority in Metro Manila. Most of the Filipinos are Tagalog, Ilocano, Bicolano, Cebuano, Waray, or Maranao descent. Foreign groups include the Chinese, Americans, Spaniards, Indians and Pakistanis, Arabs, Indonesians, Japanese, Koreans, Indonesians, British, Italians, Basques, and other Europeans.

Languages

English is the lingua franca, and virtually all Metro Manilans understand the language. Other languages include Filipino is the National Language based on Tagalog, Tagalog, Cebuano, Bicolano, Waray, Kapampangan, Ilocano, and Maranao.But there are also more than 86 dialects in the Philippines. Significant foreign languages other than English include Spanish, Sindhi, Punjabi, Japanese, Bahasa Indone