Mabuhay! Welcome to the Pearl of the Orient Seas—the Philippines, a vibrant archipelagic nation in Southeast Asia. There are around 117 million people living here, and the capital is Manila, a historic yet high-energy city, while Quezon City is the largest urban center. The official languages are Filipino and English, making it one of the largest English-speaking nations in the world.

The Philippines covers about 300,000 square kilometers (115,831 square miles). The country is roughly the same size as the state of Arizona in the U.S., or about the same size as Italy. It is made up of 7,641 islands, categorized into three main geographical divisions: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The most popular sports are Basketball, which is a borderline religion here, and Boxing, thanks to world-renowned champions. Their national animal is the Carabao (water buffalo), symbolizing hard work and persistence, though the Philippine Eagle is the magnificent national bird.

The flag consists of two horizontal stripes of blue and red with a white triangle at the hoist containing a yellow sun and three stars, where the blue represents peace and justice, the red symbolizes patriotism and valor, the white stands for equality, and the stars represent the three main island groups.

The food is a unique, savory-sweet fusion of Malay, Spanish, and Chinese influences. You must try Adobo, meat marinated in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and peppercorns—often called the unofficial national dish. Another favorite is Lechon, a whole roasted pig with perfectly crispy skin. For dessert, you cannot miss Halo-halo, a colorful mix of shaved ice, evaporated milk, and various ingredients like ube, beans, and fruits.

The Philippines is home to the Chocolate Hills in Bohol, over 1,200 symmetrical brown hills that look like giant Hershey’s Kisses. The country features the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, one of the longest navigable underground rivers in the world and a New Seven Wonder of Nature. You can visit the Banaue Rice Terraces, often called the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” which were carved into the mountains by indigenous people over 2,000 years ago. For beach lovers, Boracay and El Nido offer some of the clearest waters and whitest sands on the planet. Interestingly, the Philippines is the “Text Capital of the World” due to the massive volume of SMS messages sent by its social population!

From the iconic Jeepneys roaming the streets to the world-famous “Filipino Hospitality,” the Philippines is a land of smiles and tropical wonder. Salamat! That means “Thank you!”