The Beauty of the Philippines

There is an old myth that the Philippines was formed between the battle of
the sky and the sea. Growing tired looking for a place to rest, a bird told
the sky that the sea wished to rise and engulf it with its waves. In
response the sky threatened to cast rocks and islands on the waters. The
epic battle took place and the rushing waves and hurling rocks created an
archipelago for upon the bird landed gently on a piece of earth.

The mystical story shows the beauty of the Philippines that is seen in its
natural formation and in the people who have a sense of serenity like the
resting bird.

Located in South East Asia, the Philippines is just slightly larger than the
state of Arizona. However it is home to more than eighty million people and
is sixteen more times smaller than its U.S. Counterpart. The people of this
exotic archipelago live within the 7,107 islands of which eleven of the
largest islands cover ninety percent of the land. The islands are divided
into three main groups. Luzon is the major island to the north and home to
the capitol Manila. The Visayas is a cluster of islands in the middle of the
archipelago. And to the south lies Mindanao. Being just north of the equator
gives the Philippines a tropical climate, which provides the perfect setting
for a variety of activities like relaxing at one of the many beaches, hot
springs, or waterfalls. You can enjoy ideal locations for scuba diving, a
variety of surfing spots, sailing, a full hike in the mountainous terrain,
or rowing through underground caverns.

The temperature is relatively constant from north to south throughout the
year. In the Philippines there are two main weather seasons: the rainy
season and dry season. The dry season usually begins in December and ends in
May. The first three months are generally the coolest and the second three
are the hottest but the most pleasant weather is from November to around
February.

Most of the people in the Philippines speak the English language with their
own national language with the various dialects. All the citizens are taught
English through the years of their schooling. Even all legal documents and
matters are conducted in English. Officially the language is called Filipino
but it also has the name Tagalog.