The Cubicle is empty!!!

When: Feb. 1, 2006
Where: Madison, WI

With just under 24 hrs to go before the trip back to the Phillipines, I thought I would throw some facts and figures regarding the Phillipine Islands according to my Let’s Go guidebook.

Official Name: Republic of the Phillipines

Government: Republic

Capital: Manila

Land Area: 298,170 Km^2

Geography: A 7,107 island archipelago stretching 1,851 Km north-south and 1,107 Km east-west. Divides into 4 zones: Luzon (North), the Visayas (Central), Palawan (West) and Mindanao (South). Mountain ranges: Central Cordillera and Siera Madre in Luzon. Mindanao’s Mt. Apo (2,954 m) is the highest peak.

Climate: Tropical: Dry (High season) Nov. – Mar. and Rainy (Low season) Apr.-Oct.

Ramdom fact #1: The word “BOONDOCKS” comes from the Tagalog bundok, which means “mountain.”

Major Cities: Manila, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Zamboanga

Population: 84,619,974

Life Expectancy: Women: 72,28 yrs. Men: 69.29 yrs

Language: Filipino (Tagalog), English and 8 major dialects

Religion: Roman Catholic: 83%, Protestant: 9% Muslin: 5% Buddhist & Other: 3%

Literacy: 95.9% overall (96% men & 95% women)

Major Exports: Electronics, textiles, agricultural products

Random fact #2: The yo-yo was invented in the 16th century in the Phillipines, for use as a weapon.

History in a Nutshell:

1521 Magellan arrives and Spanish rule began
1565 The Phillipines becomes a spanish colony with the capital at Manila
1762 The British seize Manila during the sever-yr war but promptly return it to Spain
1886 Jose Rizal publishes “Noli Me Tangere” (Touch me not). Rizal leads the fight for independence using literature as his weapon of choice.
1896 Rizal’s execution stimulates nationalism

Rizal’s execution set in motion the development of Katipunan, a radical organization dedicated to independence through revolution. Founded by Andres Bonifacio, Katipunan suffered a long spell of internal woes, as loyalists among the group’s members divided between Bonifacio and General Emilio Aguinaldo. Aguinaldo was ultimately elected to replace Bonifacio as the group’s leader, and after armed infighting , Bonifacio was arrested, tried, and executed on Aguinaldo’s order.

1898 US defeats Spain and buys the Phillipines in a giant 3 for 1 bargain.
1910 US crushes insurection, changes tactics, and begins cultural invasion
1942-45 Japanese invade Luzon and defeats Gen. McArthur

1946 US grants the Phillipines independence on July 4.
1953 Suppressor of Huk rebels, Magsaysay, elected president.

Following Ramon Magsaysay’s election to the presidency in 1953, he worked extensively for land reform. Unfortunately, he died in 1957 before accomplishing this, and the government passed from one inept regime to another.

1965 Ferdinand Marcos elected president: wife’s collection of shoes continues to grow.
1968 NPA established. Marcos brands them communists, calls coup, and declares martial law.
1973. ’75, ’78 Referendum rigged by Marcos “Okay” the extension of martial law.
1979 The Phillipine peso plummets in a severe economic recssion.

In 1965, Ferdinand Marcos came to power. His wife, former beauty queen, Imelda Marcos, is known for her immense shoe collection ( a mere 1,000- 2,000 pairs now reside in the Marikina Shoe Museum). The tale of a president-turned-dictator began benighnly with widespread admiration of his aggression in tackling the problems of education, poverty, transportation, and land reform. In 1969, he became the first Phillipine president to win a second term. Claiming to root out the internal communist threat of the New People’s Army (NPA), he declared martial law and rigged plebiscites in 1973,’75, ’78 that “approved” its extension. As the unprecedented levels of corruption in Marco’s inner circle became clear, the public became increasingly disenchanted with the regime. In 1977, Marcos’s rival, Senator Benigno Aquino, was accused on trumped-up charge of treason and murder. Upon arrival in Manila after years of exile, Aquino was assasinated.

1986 EDSA Revolution overthrows Marcos. He escapes to Hawaii under US Military escort.
1999 USS Belleau Wood leaves Subic Naval Base, ending 94 yrs of US Military presence.

Today the Phillipines is in just as much turmoil as it’s past. Political corruption is rampant, especially in the lower levels of electorates.

On a much brighter note, here are some more facts, this time regarding with diving.

The Phillipines boasts some of the worlds best diving. Here are a sample of treasures to look at while diving in the PI.

1: Seven of the eight known species of giant clams are found in the PI.
2: 488 of the 500 known species of coral in the world are found in the PI.
3: Of the eight known species of marine turtles, five are found in th ePI.
4: The world’s largest pearl was found in the waters off Palawan in 1934
5: There are roughly 12,000 types of seashells found in the Phillipines, including the Conus Gloriam-the most expensive in the world.

I hope that this has peaked your interests regading the PI. I hope someday that you’ll have the chance to visit the “Pearl of the Orient” that is the Phillipine Islands.

Until Next Time “Bahala Na”

Tags: D 2006 Phillipines Trip

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