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
Location
Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the
SouthChina Sea, east of Vietnam
Geographic coordinates:
13 00 N, 122 00 E
Map references
Southeast Asia
Area
total:
land:
water:
300,000 sq km
298,170 sq km
1,830 sq km
Area
comparative slightly larger than Arizona
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
36,289 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf:
exclusive economic zone:
territorial sea:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
to depth of exploitation
200 nm
irregular polygon extending up to 100 nm from coastline as defined
by1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also claimed polygonal-shaped
area in South China Sea up to 285 nm in breadth
Climate
tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April);
southwest monsoon (May to October)
International disputes:
involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly
Islands with China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei;
claims Malaysian state of Sabah
Terrain:
mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands
Land use
arable land:
permanent crops:
permanent pastures:
forests and woodland:
other:
19%
12%
4%
46%
19% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land
15,800 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards
astride typhoon
belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic
storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive
earthquakes; tsunamis
Environment
current issues 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
Environment
party to :
international agreements
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed,
but not ratified: Desertification
Country name
conventional long form:
conventional short form:
local long form:
local short form:
Republic of the Philippines
Philippines
Republika ng Pilipinas
Pilipinas
Data code
RP
Government type
republic
Capital:
Manila
Administrative divisions:
72 provinces and 61 chartered cities*; Abra, Agusan
del Norte, Agusandel 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*, LaUnion,
Legaspi*, Leyte, Lipa*, Lucena*, Maguindanao, Mandaue*, Manila*,
Marawi*,Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental,
Misamis Occidental,Misamis Oriental, Mountain, Naga*, Negros
Occidental, Negros Oriental, NorthCotabato, Northern Samar, Nueva
Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Olongapo*, Ormoc*, Oroquieta*,Ozamis*,
Pagadian*, Palawan, Palayan*, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Pasay*,
PuertoPrincesa*, Quezon, Quezon City*, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon,
Roxas*, Samar, SanCarlos* (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos* (in
Pangasinan), San Jose*, SanPablo*, Silay*, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South
Cotabato, Southern Leyte, SultanKudarat, 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:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government:
head of government:
cabinet:
elections:
election results:
President Fidel Valdes RAMOS (since 30 June 1992) and Vice President
Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1992); note - the president
is both the chief of state and head of government
President Fidel Valdes RAMOS (since 30 June 1992) and Vice President
Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1992); note - the president
is both the chief of state and head of government
Cabinet appointed by the president with the consent of the
Commission of Appointments
president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular
vote for six-year terms; election last held 11 May 1992 (next to be
held NA May1998)
Fidel Valdes RAMOS elected president; percent of vote - Fidel Valdes
RAMOS 23.6% (a narrow plurality)
Legislative branch:
elections :
election results:
bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado
(24seats - one-half elected every three years; members elected by
popular voteto serve six-year terms) and the House of
Representatives or Kapulungan NgMga Kinatawan (204 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - an
additional 50 members may be appointed by the president)
Senate - last held 8 May 1995 (next to be held NA May 1998); House
ofRepresentatives - elections last held 8 May 1995 (next to be held
NA May 1998)
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDP 14,
Lakas/NUCD5, NPC 2, LP 1, PRP 1, independent 1; House of
Representatives - percent ofvote by party - NA; seats by party -
Lakas/NUCD 129, LDP 29, NPC (opposition)25, LP 6, PDP 3, KBL/NPC 1,
results pending 11
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court, justices are appointed for four-year
terms by the presidenton the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar
Council
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Filipino Struggle (Laban ng
Demokratikong Pilipino, LDP),Edgardo ANGARA; People Power-National
Union of Christian Democrats (Lakasng EDSA-NUCD or Lakas-NUCD), Raul
MANGLAPUS, president, and Jose DE VENECIA,secretary general; Liberal
Party (LP), Raul DAZA; National People's Coalition(NPC), Eduardo
COJUANGCO; People's Reform Party (PRP), Miriam DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO;New
Society Movement (Kilusan Bagong Lipunan, KBL), Imelda MARCOS;
NacionalistaParty (NP), Salvador H. LAUREL, president; Filipino
Democratic Party (PartidoDemokratikong Philipinas or PDP), Jose
COJUANGCO, is part of the ruling coalitionwith the LDP
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:
Ambassador Thomas C. HUBBARD
1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita Manila 1000
APO AP 96440
[63] (2) 521-71-16
[63] (2) 522-43-61
Flag:
description 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
The
Philippine economy, primarily a mixture of agriculture and light
industry, continued its fourth year of recovery in 1996, led by
growth in exports and investments. Officials have targeted 7.1%-7.8%
growth for 1997 after achieving an estimated 5.5% growth in 1996.
The government is continuing its economic reforms to enable the
Philippines to move closer to the development of the newly
industrialized countries of East Asia. The strategy includes
improving infrastructure, overhauling the tax system to bolster
government revenues, and moving toward further deregulation and
privatization of the economy.
GDP
purchasing
power parity - $194.2 billion (1996 est.)
GDP-real growth
rate:
5.5% (1996
est.)
GDP-per capita purchasing power parity:
$2,600 (1996
est.)
GDP
agriculture:
industry:
services:
composition by sector
22%
32%
46% (1996 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index:
8.4% (1996)
Labor force
total:
by occupation :
29.13 million (1996 est.)
agriculture 43.4%, services 22.6%, government services 17.9%,
industry and commerce 16.1% (1995)
Unemployment rate:
8.6% (1996)
Budget
revenues:
expenditures :
$18.4 billion
$16.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)
products rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas,
pineapples, mangoes; pork, eggs, beef; fish catch of 2 million
metric tons annually
Exports
total value :
commodities:
partners:
$20.5 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
electronics, textiles, coconut products, telecommunications
equipment, fruit, fish
US 36%, Japan 16%, Singapore 5%, Hong Kong 5%, UK 5% (1995)
Imports
total value :
commodities:
partners:
$33.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
crude petroleum, telecommunications equipment, electronics,
plastics, cars, textiles
Japan 22%, US 18%, Saudi Arabia 6%, Taiwan 5%, South Korea 5%
Singapore4% (1995)
182,000 km (1994 est.)
NA km
NA km
probably less than 30,000 km are designated arterial roads and not
all of these are all-weather roads
Waterways :
3,219 km;
limited to shallow-draft (less than 1.5 m) vessels
Pipelines:
petroleum
products 357 km
Ports and harbors:
Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Guimaras
Island, Iligan, Iloilo,Jolo, Legaspi, Manila, Masao, Puerto Princesa,
San Fernando, Subic Bay, Zamboanga
Army, Navy (includes Coast Guard and Marine Corps),
Air Force
Military manpower
military age 20 years of age
Military manpower
males age 15-49:
availability
19,231,427 (1997 est.)
Military manpower
males:
fit for military service
13,574,133 (1997 est.)
Military manpower
males:
reaching military age annually
782,064 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures
dollar figure $1.3 billion (1996)
Military expenditures
percent of GDP 0.7% (1996)
Disputes
international involved in a complex dispute
over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and
possibly Brunei; claims Malaysian state of Sabah
Illicit drugs
exports locally-produced marijuana and hashish to
East Asia, the US, and other Western markets; serves as a transit point
for heroin and crystal methamphetamines
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