http://www.LivingInthePhilippines.comis theORIGINAL, firstPhilippines Expat site on the Net, since 1989. This is not one of many knock-offs, copycats, imitations. Some have permutations of the names,misspellings and "in" and "the" or "ing." left off to deceive you. This is the original, by: Don A. Herrington
Southeastern
Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China
Sea, east of Vietnam
Map references:
Southeast
Asia
Area:
total area:
land area:
comparative area:
300,000 sq km
298,170 sq km
slightly larger than Arizona
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
36,289 km
Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
continental shelf:
to depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
irregular polygon extending up to 100 nm from
coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also
claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 nm in
breadth
International disputes:
involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly
Islands with China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei;
claims Malaysian state of Sabah
Climate:
tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November
to April); southwest monsoon (May to October)
Terrain:
mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal
lowlands
Land use:
arable land:
permanent crops:
meadows and pastures:
forest and woodland:
other:
26%
11%
4%
40%
19%
Irrigated land:
16,200 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
natural hazards:
international agreements:
uncontrolled deforestation in watershed areas; soil erosion; air and
water pollution in Manila; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove
swamps which are important fish breeding grounds
astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to
six cyclonic storms per year; subject to landslides, active
volcanoes, destructive earthquakes, tsunamis
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling; signed, but not ratified
- Climate Change, Tropical Timber
party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands
72 provinces and 61 chartered cities*; Abra, Agusan
del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay, Angeles*, Antique, Aurora,
Bacolod*, Bago*, Baguio*, Bais*, Basilan, Basilan City*, Bataan,
Batanes, Batangas, Batangas City*, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon,
Bulacan, Butuan*, Cabanatuan*, Cadiz*, Cagayan, Cagayan de Oro*,
Calbayog*, Caloocan*, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin,
Canlaon*, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cavite City*, Cebu, Cebu
City*, Cotabato*, Dagupan*, Danao*, Dapitan*, Davao City* Davao,
Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Dipolog*, Dumaguete*, Eastern Samar,
General Santos*, Gingoog*, Ifugao, Iligan*, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos
Sur, Iloilo, Iloilo City*, Iriga*, Isabela, Kalinga-Apayao, La
Carlota*, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Laoag*, Lapu-Lapu*,
La Union, Legaspi*, Leyte, Lipa*, Lucena*, Maguindanao, Mandaue*,
Manila*, Marawi*, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro
Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain, Naga*,
Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern Samar,
Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Olongapo*, Ormoc*, Oroquieta*, Ozamis*,
Pagadian*, Palawan, Palayan*, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Pasay*, Puerto
Princesa*, Quezon, Quezon City*, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Roxas*,
Samar, San Carlos* (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos* (in
Pangasinan), San Jose*, San Pablo*, Silay*, Siquijor, Sorsogon,
South Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao*,
Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tacloban*, Tagaytay*, Tagbilaran*,
Tangub*, Tarlac, Tawitawi, Toledo*, Trece Martires*, Zambales,
Zamboanga*, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur
Independence:
4 July 1946 (from US)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 12 June (1898) (from Spain)
Constitution:
2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987
Legal system:
based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:
15 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government:
cabinet:
President Fidel Valdes RAMOS (since 30 June 1992); Vice President Joseph
Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1992); election last held 11 May
1992 (next to be held NA May 1998); results - Fidel Valdes RAMOS won
23.6% of the vote, a narrow plurality
Executive Secretary; appointed by the president with the consent of
the Commission of Appointments
Legislative branch:
Senate (Senado):
House of Representatives (Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan):
bicameral Congress (Kongreso)
elections last held 11 May 1992 (next to be held NA May 1995);
results - LDP 66%, NPC 20%, Lakas/NUCD 8%, Liberal 6%; seats - (24
total) LDP 15, NPC 5, Lakas/NUCD 2, Liberal 1, independent 1
elections last held 11 May 1992 (next to be held NA May 1995);
results - LDP 43.5%; Lakas/NUCD 25%, NPC 23.5%, Liberal 5%, KBL 3%;
seats - (200 total) LDP 87, NPC 45, Lakas/NUCD 41, Liberal 15, NP 6,
KBL 3, independents 3
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Filipino Struggle (Laban ng
Demokratikong Pilipinas, LDP), Edgardo ESPIRITU; People
Power-National Union of Christian Democrats (Lakas ng Edsa, NUCD and
Partido Lakas Tao, Lakas/NUCD); Fidel V. RAMOS, President of the
Republic, Raul MANGLAPUS, Jose DE VENECIA, secretary general;
Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), Eduardo COJUANGCO; Liberal
Party, Jovito SALONGA; People's Reform Party (PRP), Miriam DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO;
New Society Movement (Kilusan Bagong Lipunan; KBL), Imelda MARCOS;
Nacionalista Party (NP), Salvador H. LAUREL, president
1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
[1] (202) 467-9300
[1] (202) 328-7614
Agana (Guam), Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San
Francisco, and Seattle
San Diego and San Jose (Saipan)
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
embassy:
mailing address:
telephone:
FAX:
consulate(s):
Ambassador John D. NEGROPONTE
1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita Manila 1000
APO AP 96440
[63] (2) 521-71-16
[63] (2) 522-43-61
Cebu
Flag:
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red
with a white equilateral triangle based on the hoist side; in the
center of the triangle is a yellow sun with eight primary rays (each
containing three individual rays) and in each corner of the triangle
is a small yellow five-pointed star
Domestic output in this
primarily agricultural economy failed to grow in 1992 and rose only
slightly in 1993. Drought and power supply problems hampered
production, while inadequate revenues prevented government pump
priming. Worker remittances helped to supplement GDP. A marked
increase in capital goods imports, particularly power generating
equipment, telecommunications equipment, and electronic data
processors, contributed to 20% annual import growth in 1992-94.
Provided the government can cope with the substantial trade deficit
and meet the fiscal targets agreed to with the IMF, the Philippines
should duplicate the strong growth performance of 1994 in 1995-96.
National product:
GDP -
purchasing power parity - $161.4 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate:
4.3% (1994 est.)
National product per capita:
$2,310 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.1% (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate:
9% (1994)
Budget:
revenues:
expenditures:
$14 billion
$15.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94/95 est.)
Exports:
commodities:
partners:
$13.4 billion
(f.o.b., 1994)
electronics, textiles, coconut products, cooper, fish
US 39%, Japan 16%, Germany 5%, Hong Kong 5%, UK 4% (1993)
Imports:
commodities:
partners:
$21.3 billion
(f.o.b., 1994)
raw materials 40%, capital goods 25%, petroleum products 10%
Japan 23%, US 20%, Taiwan 6%, Singapore 5%, South Korea 5% (1993)
External debt:
$40 billion (1994 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 1.4% (1993);
accounts for 28% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
production:
consumption per capita:
accounts for 22% of GDP and about 45% of labor
force; major crops - rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas,
pineapples, mangos; animal products - pork, eggs, beef; net exporter
of farm products; fish catch of 2 million metric tons annually
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis for the international
drug trade; growers are producing more and better quality cannabis
despite government eradication efforts; transit point for Southwest
Asian heroin bound for the US
Economic aid:
recipient:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $3.6 billion;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-88), $7.9 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $5 million;
Communist countries (1975-89), $123 million
872,900 telephones; good international radio and
submarine cable services; domestic and interisland service adequate
NA
11 domestic satellite links
submarine cables extended to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and
Japan; 3 INTELSAT (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean) earth stations
Radio:
broadcast stations:
radios:
AM 267 (including 6 US), FM 55, shortwave 0
NA
Television:
broadcast stations:
televisions:
33 (including 4 US)
NA
Defense
Telephone system:
local:
intercity:
international:
872,900 telephones; good international radio and
submarine cable services; domestic and interisland service adequate
NA
11 domestic satellite links
submarine cables extended to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and
Japan; 3 INTELSAT (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean) earth stations
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