The Philippines 101: Basic Facts We Filipinos should know about our country

Official Name : National Symbols	Republic of the Philippines The Philippine Flag The Code of the National Flag, Anthem, Motto, Coat-of-arms, and other heraldic items and devices of the Philippines Click here for the details and specifications of the Philippine Flag through Executive Order No. 1010 Click here for the history on the shade of blue of the Philippine Flag Early flags of the revolutionary movement prior to Philippine Independence
National Anthem :	Lupang Hinirang
National Tree :	Nara (Pterocarpus indicus)
National Flower :	Sampaguita (Jasminum sambac)
National Bird :	Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi)
National Gem :	Philippine Pearl
	“No law, executive order or proclamation has been enacted or issued officially proclaiming any Filipino historical figure as national hero.” – from Selection and Proclamation of National Heroes and Laws Honoring Filipino Historical Figures
Language :	Filipino is the national language (1987 Constitution, Section 6, Article XIV). English is widely spoken. There are about 80 major language groups, with more than 500 dialects.
Government :	Democratic Republic
Economy :	Principally light industry and agriculture.   Traditional export products  are copper, gold, sugar, coconut, and copra. Top non-traditional exports are semiconductors and garments.
Capital :	Manila
Climate :	Tropical. Weather is dry from November to June and wet from July to October
Population :	92.34M (May 2010) Source: NSO
People :	The Filipino people are basically of South Asian stock, although intermarriage with other populations from different countries exists: Chinese, American, Indian, and so on, resulting in a great deal of stock blending. There are some 80 major ethno-linguistic groups, with many subgroups, that make Philippine society a complex one. All these, traditionally, are groups practicing distinct cultures and using a domestic kind of economy. The coming of Western and other foreign cultures created a pluralistic situation at the national level of Philippine society.
Currency :	Unit of currency: Peso (1) = 100 centavos Bank  notes: P10, P20, P50, P100, P500, P1000 Coins: 10c, 25c, P1, P5
Visas :	You may enter without a formal visa and stay for 21 days if you are coming from America, Asia or  Europe and hold a valid passport and either a return ticket or a ticket to a destination outside of the Philippines. If you wish to stay longer, you must obtain a visa extension before your trip from a Philippine consulate or embassy or, once inside the country from the Bureau of Immigration.   Source: The National Commission for Culture and the Arts

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