The main religion of the Philippines is unusual in Asian countries: 83% of the population are Catholics, 9.5% are Protestants. The more traditional religions for this region: Islam and Buddhism account for 5 and 3% of the population, respectively.
Transport in Philippines
There is only one railway line on the islands – from Manila to Naga, so buses are one of the main modes of transport in the archipelago. Manila has an elevated metro, which is inexpensive.
There are a lot of bus companies serving various directions, buses are air-conditioned and regular, they depart from the bus terminals of the company. The most common and inexpensive means of transportation in the cities of the Philippines and their environs are the so-called. jeepneys – fixed-route taxis made from old parts from American military jeeps or converted from other automotive vehicles. The route along which they move is written on their sides. Ordinary taxis are also present (in Manila in large numbers), but they are expensive compared to jeepneys and not available in all cities. In small towns and some areas of large cities, motorcycle taxis (motorcycle with a covered sidecar) and cycle rickshaws also operate.
All major cities in the Philippines are also connected by an airline network, ticket prices are low, and there are ferries between the islands.
You can rent a car. International agencies have offices in major cities.
Plant and Animal World in Philippines
In the Philippine Islands, the vegetation is rich and diverse, with over 10,000 species. These are about 3 thousand trees, 1 thousand ferns and ferns, 900 species of orchids. About 60 tree species are of commercial value. Forests occupy more than 40% of the country’s territory.
Of the large mammals in the Philippines, there are two subspecies of the Asian buffalo – carabao and tamarau (the latter – only in the central regions of Mindoro Island). Smaller mammals are somewhat more widely represented. These include five species of macaques, tarsier (a representative of the prosimians), rodents, numerous bats (about 60 species, including fruit bats that cause great damage to gardens) and shrews, as well as the Javan deer (or pygmy musk deer) and porcupine living on island of Palawan, Philippine woolly wing, pangolin lizard. Of the carnivores, there are such small animals as the short-legged mongoose, binturong, strange-tailed. The abundance of reptiles (crocodiles, snakes, turtles, lizards, including geckos) is characteristic. Several hundred bird species have been recorded in the Philippines. Over 300 species of birds nest here, among them is a rare bird of prey from the hawk family – a harpy (it lives in the forests of the island of Mindanao and feeds on macaques). The species diversity of insects is enormous, among which there are many carriers of diseases (for example, mosquitoes) and pests of agriculture (cicadas, etc.). The diversity and beauty of butterflies is striking.
More than 2 thousand species of fish are found in the seas, many of which are of commercial importance (sardines, mackerel, tuna, etc.). In shallow water near the Sulu Archipelago, large colonies of mollusks, including pearl mussels, are found.
Minerals in Philippines
The Philippines is one of the top 10 chromium producers in the world. Also found are gold, copper, nickel, iron, lead, manganese, silver, zinc and cobalt. Coal, limestone, raw materials for the cement industry are mined in the local bowels. There is oil off the coast of Palawan.
Banks in Philippines
Banks in the Philippines are open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 3 pm (some until 3.30 pm). To change money, it is most convenient to use dollars, since other currencies are reluctantly accepted.
To cash traveler’s checks, you will have to fill out a lot of paperwork, as well as present a certificate of purchase of these checks (this must be taken care of in Russia). Many hotels, restaurants and shops accept credit cards such as American Express, Diners Club, Master Card, Visa.
Money in Philippines
The country’s monetary unit is the Philippine peso (PHP). It consists of 100 centavos. Mostly banknotes are in denominations of 5,10 and 20 pesos.
Rate: 100 Philippine Peso (PHP) = 1.75 USD
Political State in Philippines
According to politicsezine, the Philippines is a republic headed by a president elected by popular vote for a term of 6 years.
Population in Philippines
About 67 million people live in the Philippines. 90% of the population are Malays, the remaining 10% are Chinese, Americans, Spaniards, as well as representatives of local ethnic groups.
Language:
The Philippines has over 80 local languages and dialects belonging to the Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) family of languages. Eight of them play the role of the first language for more than 85% of the total population of the country. In the Visayas, Cebuano is widespread, in the central part of the island of Luzon and in Manila – Tagalog (Tagalog), in the north of Luzon – the Ilokan language. Since 1939, official authorities have promoted the introduction of a single state language – Pilipino, based on Tagalog. Pilipino is owned today by more than half of the country’s inhabitants. English remains the main language of communication, administration, education in universities and the media. It, in addition to the native language, is currently spoken by about 50% of the country’s population.
Cuisine in Philippines
The cuisine of the archipelago is a mixture of Spanish, Malay and Chinese cuisines, in which rice plays an important role (the locals eat fried rice 3 times a day), fruits, local spices and seafood. Typical Filipino dishes include: “siniganga” (fruit-flavored broth with “bangus” (shellfish) or shrimp), “tinola” (chicken), “pankitmolo” (pork, chicken and mushroom casserole with chicken or meat broth), “riyetafel” (fried chicken with boiled vegetables and “curry” sauce) and “adobo” (slices of pork and chicken meat marinated in vinegar with garlic, spices and rice). A common holiday dish is “lechon” (a suckling pig stuffed with tamarind leaves and roasted on coals). Pickled mango fruits, tomatoes, fried zucchini, grated coconut. Local menus offer a wide range of exotic fruit dishes. Drinks include coffee and tea.
