The Philippines is an archipelago located in Southeast Asia in the Western Pacific, with Manila as its
Capital City. The country is tropical land with a “tropical rainforest climate” rich with bio diversities and
mountainous terrain. It has vast inland straits and numerous harbors positioning it as a center for
regional and global trade and exchange. The Philippines is the ideal haven for future investments and
business opportunities as well as an excellent place to live in and retire.
Location
The Philippines comprises an archipelago of some 7,107 islands located off Southeast Asia, between the
South China Sea on the west and the Philippine Sea on the east. The major islands are Luzon in the
north, the Visayan Islands in the middle, and Mindanao in the south.
Size
The total area is about 300,000 square kilometers, including about 298,000 square kilometers of land
and about 2,000 square kilometers of water. The Philippines stretches about 1,850 kilometers from
Y’Ami Island in the north to Sibutu Island in the south and is about 1,000 kilometers at its widest point
east to west. The bulk of the population lives on 11 of the 7,107 islands.
Land Boundaries
The Philippines has no land boundaries. Nearby neighbors are Taiwan to the north, Malaysia and
Indonesia to the south, Vietnam to the west, and China to the northwest.
Disputed Territory
The Philippines, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Vietnam hold conflicting claims to portions of the South
China Sea and the Spratly Islands, which are called the Kalayaan (Freedom) Islands in the Philippines.
The Philippines also disputes Malaysia’s claim to the state of Sabah.
Length of Coastline
Estimates of the total length of the coastline range from 17,500 kilometers (official Philippine figure) to
36,289 kilometers (U.S. figure).
Topography
The Philippines consists of volcanic islands, including active volcanoes, with mostly mountainous
interiors surrounded by flat lowlands and alluvial plains of varying widths along the coasts. The elevation
ranges from sea level to the highest point of Mount Apo on Mindanao Island, at 2,954 meters above sea
level.
Principal Rivers
The longest river is the Cagayan (Río Grande de Cagayan) on Luzon, about 350 kilometers in length.
Other principal rivers on Luzon include the Abra, Bicol, Chico, and Pampanga. The Pasig River is only
about 25 kilometers in length but serves as the main waterway, flowing between Laguna de Bays, the
largest freshwater lake in the Philippines, through metropolitan Manila to Manila Bay. Principal rivers on
Mindanao include the Mindanao.
Climate
The country has a tropical climate with relatively copious rainfall and gentle winds. Warm and humid
conditions prevail throughout the year. The archipelago experiences three pronounced seasons – the
hot or summer season from March to May, the rainy season from June to November and the cold
season from December to February. The southwest monsoon (from May to October) is known as the
“habagat” and the dry winds of the northeast monsoon (from November to April) as the “amihan”.
Quality Manpower and Education
The Filipino workforce is one of the most compelling advantages which the Philippines has over any
other Asian country. There is an abundant supply of quality labor with a large pool of generally welleducated, highly trainable, competent, creative and conversant English-speaking labor force which can
address the companies’ needs at many levels – from the rank-and-file, to middle management and
senior executives offering world-class financial, legal, accounting and other critical services.
Language
The Filipino’s primary language is Filipino, but like western countries, English is the language which is
being used and taught in all schools, making the Philippines the world’s third largest English-speaking
country. It is also widely spoken and understood and the language used for most business and legal
transactions.
Religion
Boasting the 3rd-largest Catholic population in the world, the Philippines sharply contrasts with the rest
of South-east Asia. The greatest influence of Spanish rule, Roman Catholicism makes the Philippines one
of only two Asian countries with a majority Christian population (the other being East Timor). Over 90%
of Filipinos identify as Christian, with the majority (around 81%) saying they are Roman Catholic and the
rest split between Protestant and other Christian denominations. Muslims make up around 5% of the
population, primarily in and around the south in Mindanao.
Culture
The Philippines is a culture in which East meets west. The Filipino people have a distinct Asian
background, with a strong Western tradition. The modern Filipino culture developed through influence
from Chinese traders, Spanish conquistadors, and American rulers. Filipino people tend to be very
hospitable, especially to Western visitors. Because of their strong ties to Spanish culture, Filipinos are
emotional and passionate about life in a way that seems more Latin than Asian. This is easily seen in the
works of comparer artists such as Rody Herrera in his painting Unahan SA Duluhan. The family is the
basic and most important aspect of Filipino culture. Divorce is prohibited and annulments are rare. The
family is the safety net for individuals, especially older people, during difficult economic times. Children
will often stay with their parents into adulthood, only leaving when they get married. Political and
business ties are often influenced by family relationships.
Education
Having been one of only a handful of countries in the world to have a basic 10-year school system, the
K+12 Programmed was signed into a law by President Aquino in May 2013 to bring Philippine education
up to par with the rest of the world. The new 12-year curriculum will see two additional senior high
school years, as well as a mandatory kindergarten year, added to the traditional 10-year model, which
included six years of primary school followed by four years of secondary education. The first group of
senior high school students are set to enter the labor market by June 2016. By constitutional decree,
education receives the largest portion of budgetary spending, with this high-priority status being a
legacy of the US having established a system of universal and free basic education. Tertiary education at
the country’s 2000-plus higher education institutions normally consists of a typical four-year
programmer, modelled on the US system.
Natural Resources
Natural resources are plentiful in the Philippines. Named by the Asian Development Bank as the world’s
fifth-most-mineralized country in the world, 30% of the country’s total land area of 30m ha are believed
to contain metallic mineral deposits, including nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt and copper. The rich
minerals found in the country are mostly a result of its volcanic geology and its position along the Ring of
Fire. The volcanoes also contribute significant geothermal resources, making the Philippines the world’s
second-largest producer of geothermal energy producer, after the US.
Infrastructure
Linking the three major islands and distinguishes the Philippine economy is a well-developed
communication, transportation, business and economic infrastructure. Highly accessible by air, water
and cyberspace, liberalization of inter-island shipping and domestic aviation further sparked improved
facilities and services. The container terminals are suited to handle cargo traffic at the highest levels of
efficiency. Communication provides redundant international connectivity 24/7 with fiber optic cable as
primary backbone network and satellite as backup. Economic reforms emphasize regional growth,
converting remote areas into business centers. The landmark BOT legislation allows private investors to
build and operate infrastructure, then turn it over to the Philippine government after a set period of
time.
Business-friendly economy
The Philippines is largely an agricultural country. Its economy is based on free enterprise; individuals and
nongovernmental entities are free to participate in its development and management, sometimes with
the aid of government credit. Moreover, Philippines attracts foreign-based companies with its foreign
investment law which opens more investment areas to 100% foreign equity in almost all sectors, and
supports a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) investment scheme that other Asian countries emulate. The
banking, insurance, shipping, telecommunications and power industries have been deregulated and are
being privatized by Government corporations. Incentive packages are at par with other ASEAN
countries. Corporate income tax for companies in Special Economic Zones are reduced from a current
32% tax rates. They also enjoy Income tax holidays, Capital equipment incentives, Employment of
foreign nationals in selected positions, Basic privileges and guarantees remittance of profits and
payment of foreign obligations and repatriation of investments.
NATURAL SCIENCE
It concerned with the phenomena and objects of nature and the physical world, and it involves
comprehension description and prediction of natural phenomena using empirical and observational
evidence. Natural science have 2 types biological science which define it concerned with living
organisms and physical science define it concerned with physical world. Natural Sciences work in a
closed system where variable can be controlled and work is executed within a particular framework or
paradigm.
SOCIAL SCIENCE
Is a vast field that is concerned with the human society and the relationship among individuals within it,
for example, geography, law, sociology and etc. These are revolve around the behavior of humans as a
people or human societies, their production and operations. Data collection method are often done
utilizing a variety of techniques like field observation.
HUMANITIES
Involve a more critical and analytical approach whereas social sciences deal with more of a scientific
approach. For example, religion, history, law modern language, philosophy and etc. Philosophical means
need devotion on the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality and existence.
Geography is the study of places and the relationships between people and their environments.
Geographers explore both the physical properties of Earth’s surface and the human societies spread
across it. They also examine how human culture interacts with the natural environment, and the way
that locations and places can have an impact on people. Geography seeks to understand where things
are found, why they are there, and how they develop and change over time. The term "geography"
comes from the ancient Greeks, who needed a word to describe the writings and maps that were
helping them make sense of the world in which they lived. In Greek, geo means “earth” and graphy means “to write / explain.” Using geography, Greeks developed an understanding of where their
homeland was located in relation to other places, what their own and other places were like, and how
people and environments were distributed. These concerns have been central to geography ever since.
Moreover, geography is often defined in terms of some several branches such as human geography,
physical geography, Integrated Geography, Geomatics and Regional geography.
Human Geography
This is one of the major branches in geography and it mainly covers studies of the human race. This
normally involves understanding a human population’s backgrounds, how the interactions and the
perceptions that members of that human population have for various ideologies affecting them and It
encompasses the human, political, cultural, social, and economic aspects. In addition to this, the
discipline also studies the way in which the groups of people that inhabit the Earth organize themselves
in the particular regions that they inhabit. As a matter of fact, many other branches of geography
normally fall under human geography. Modern applications of human geography can include mapping
human migration, showing the movement of food resources and how they impact communities, and the
impacts climate change can have on humans living in vulnerable areas. The example of disciplines in
human geography was cultural geography, economic geography, health geography, historical geography,
political geography, population geography, social geography and transport geography.
Physical Geography
Physical geography is also major branch of the science of geography, and it mainly deals with the study
of the natural characteristics of the Earth. It covers both features that are on the Earth’s surface as well
as those near it. Physical geography (or physiography) focuses on geography as an Earth science. It aims
to understand the physical problems and the issues of lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere,
pedosphere, and global flora and fauna patterns (biosphere). Physical geography is the study of earth's
seasons, climate, atmosphere, soil, streams, landforms, and oceans. The examples of physical geography
was geomorphology, climatology, hydrology and biogeography.
Integrated Geography
Integrated geography is concerned with the description of the spatial interactions between humans and
the natural world. It requires an understanding of the traditional aspects of physical and human
geography, like the ways that human societies conceptualize the environment. Integrated geography
has emerged as a bridge between human and physical geography, as a result of the increasing
specialization of the two sub-fields. Since the changing of the human relationship with the environment
as a result of globalization and technological change, a new approach was needed to understand the
changing and dynamic relationship. Examples of areas of research in environmental geography include
such as emergency management, environmental management, sustainability, and political ecology.
Moreover, integrated geography can also be known as environmental geography, or humanenvironment geography. Integrated geography takes human and physical geographic issues and molds
them together. This area of geography is useful for connecting humans and the impacts we have on our
natural environment. Integrated geography can be used to explore humanity’s relation to the Earth as
well as the Earth’s relationship to people.
Geomatics
Geomatics is most closely related to GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and other geospatial
sciences. Geomatics engineers work to collect, distribute, store, analyze, process, and present data that
they have gathered with regards to geographic information. Geomatics uses different technologies to
assist with the above goals. Jobs that work with geomatics can include urban planners, land surveys,
space exploration, agriculture, and geo-marketing.
Regional geography
Rather than look at geography on a global scale, regional geography breaks the science down into more
specific areas. Regional geography looks at cultural and natural aspects of geography that are unique to
a particular place. Regional geography could include parceling out locations by looking at different
watersheds, or just looking at coastal areas, and so on. The most common example of regional
geography is by country. We take the borders that have been drawn out and look within those borders.
Often the human geography contained within those countries is much more varied and diverse than we
expect. Natural borders such as rivers, mountain passes, or other large bodies of water often impact
where borders are drawn.
Agriculture is a key activity of human being since it provides basic needs such as food, clothing and
shelter. It has been demonstrated that every 1% increase in agricultural yield translates into a 0.6–1.2%
decrease in the numbers of absolute poor households in the world. Meanwhile, population growth was
predicted to be 9.7 billion by 2050 and this will require an increase of about 70% in food production to
meet the demand. Rain fed agriculture is projected to produce one-third or more of the food increase in
global food output for the coming decades. Unfortunately, agricultural productivity depends on
increasingly extreme weather phenomena. Thus, water availability, air pollution, and temperature have
a large impact in agriculture. Moreover, climate change like weather and temperature is very likely to
affect food security at the global, regional, and local level and that will weaken the human daily activities
as well. Climate change can disrupt food availability, reduce access to food, and affect food quality. For
example, projected increases in temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, changes in extreme
weather events, and reductions in water availability may all result in reduced agricultural productivity.
Increases in the frequency and severity extreme weather events can also interrupt food delivery, and
resulting spikes in food prices after extreme events are expected to be more frequent in the future.
Increasing temperatures can contribute to spoilage and contamination. However, other stressors such
as population growth may magnify the effects of climate change on food security. In developing
countries, adaptation options like changes in crop-management or ranching practices, or improvements
to irrigation on other industrialized nations. Any climate-related disturbance to food distribution and
transport, internationally or domestically, may have significant impacts not only on safety and quality
but also on food access. For example, the food transportation system in some country frequently moves
large volumes of grain by water. In the case of an extreme weather which might affecting a waterway
for transport. High temperatures and a shortage of rain in the summer led to one of the most severe
summer droughts the nation has seen and posed serious impacts to the some important rivers
watershed, which a major transcontinental shipping route for some country agriculture. This drought
resulted in significant food and economic losses due to reductions in barge traffic, the volume of goods
carried, and the number of employed by the transportation industry. Transportation changes such as
reduce the ability of farmers to export their grains to international markets, and can affect global food
prices. Impacts to the global food supply concern by all countries because food shortages can cause
humanitarian crises and national security concerns. They also can increase domestic food prices.
The Philippines country is particularly prone to natural disasters, though rarely any as severe as this
week’s typhoon. This is one factor holding back the country’s economic growth, which then
unfortunately makes its people more vulnerable to these disasters. The typhoons of the Philippines to
measure the economic impact of natural disasters on households. Typhoons reduced household
incomes by an average of 6.6 percent. Household expenditure decrease 7.1 percent for the average
household in the average year. In general, households reduce their spending the most on expenditures
that most closely resemble human capital investments, such as medicine, education and high nutrient
foods that include meat, dairy, eggs and fruit. However, infant mortality also major impact to the
economic deprivations caused by the typhoon is far worse than exposure to the storm itself. 11,300
female infants suffer post-typhoon ‘economic deaths’ in the Philippines every year, constituting roughly
13% of the overall infant mortality rate in the Philippines. This is roughly 15 times higher than the
mortality caused by the storm. The climate change, like Pressure, Wind and Typhoon make highly
damaged in agriculture has reached over P12 billion for this year, surpassing the P8 billion from 2019.
State economists, meanwhile, peg total damage to hit P90 billion, which is around 0.15% of the
country's gross domestic product. With the climate crisis, the Philippines is set to lose more per year,
unless it invests in disaster response projects and ensuring that poor communities get the financial
lifeline they need during calamities. One of the best example which might experience during Typhoon
Haiyan. Typhoon Haiyan was a tropical cyclone that affected the Philippines in South East Asia in
November 2013. It was one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded with winds of 313 km/h. In
some areas, 281.9 mm of rainfall was recorded, much of which fell in under 12 hours. Waves of up to 7
m in height battered the coast. However, the overall economic impacts of Typhoon Haiyan is estimated
at $5.8 billion (£3.83 billion). Not only that, six million workers lost their sources of income and major
rice, corn and sugar-producing areas for the Philippines were destroyed and lead to affecting the
country's international trade and farmers' incomes. Moreover, Tacloban's city airport was severely
damaged, which affecting business and tourism. Last but not least fishing communities were severely
affected with the storm destroying 30,000 boats and associated equipment. Which ended with huge
economical damage cause by Pressure, Wind and Typhoon in Philippines country.