Cebu tourist attractions

Cebu city tourist attractions

Cebu city Philippines oldest city there are many great places to see and visit the most popular tourist attractions Tatoist Temple and Mactan Island the aquatic playground near Cebu city. Cebu a fantastic tourist destination in the Philippines. I have visited this city on about six occasions unfortunately i have not been able to do as much sightseeing as i would have liked but I have always enjoyed the time I have spent in Cebu. I have found this city to be much more relaxed than Manila. Mactan Island a tropical island with some very beautiful resorts located very close to the international airport. The nightlife here is very exiting better than Manila a lot of magnificent Philippine bars and restaurants. The People are friendly and accommodating. Shopping many Malls and markets compared to Manila there is no difference in prices the SM city mall is a four level shopping mall this is the biggest mall you will find here a lot smaller than the Manila SM but big enough to find what you want or need. I have found Cebu city a great alterative entry point for this country if you have time to spare and your final destination is south of Manila. You can land by plane spend some time sightseeing than catch a ferry to your final destination. There are some very beautiful islands and tourist destinations south of this very beautiful Philippine city Manila Boracay and Palawan just to name a few. Cebu many great resorts these first class resorts are locate on Mactan Island there are a lot of hotels located within the city area. Very close to Mango square where you will find a lot of outdoor restaurants and bars and some disco club as well. The Main mode of public transport in this city is the Jeepney it is a very reliable service and very cheap transport. If you want cheap accommodation with all the luxurious of a first class resort this Cebu city has many different types of hotels you can chose from. This is great city if you visit this country you should make time to see the Philippines oldest city.

Cebu People are extremely proud of their historical past
Philippines oldest city formed as an ancient trading port way back in the 16th century this city has now developed into one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Cebuano the local people who reside here are extremely proud of their culture and historical past. Cebu has gain popularity as a great tourist destination for it beautiful diving grounds the white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters. The city is blessed with all year round tropical weather. I consider this city a place where all types of people can come to visit and enjoy from your beach lover to your business traveler. The resorts located along the beach are truly magnificent. Lots of first class restaurants the Shangri-La hotel and spa resort has many different restaurants each one will give you a different dining experience you will never forget

Cebu tatoist temple

Chinese architecture at its best
Tatoist temple beautiful Chinese architecture If you are interested in Chinese architecture Taoist temple is a good place to visit. Taoist temple is a very popular tourist spot. About six kilometers from the city center you will find Beverly Hills at the top of Beverly Hills is Taoist temple. If you do not have your own transport you will need to get a taxi because it is too far to walk. This temple has a lot of features associated with their Chinese culture and architecture with the pagoda roof and the dragon paintings. There is also a statue of Buddha Outside the temple and a lovely Chinese pool garden you also get a great view of this beautiful city as well

Fort San Pedro the history of Cebu city 

Learn about the history
Old Fort San Pedro history at its best Fort San Pedro is located very close to where people catch the passenger ferries to different places throughout the country. This magnificent fort is also located near a major shopping area of Cebu. The fort was a defense structure, built by the Spanish and indigenous Cebuano laborers. It is the smallest bastion fort in the country. Fort San Pedro was built to repel Muslim pirates, there is a structure built on bottom of fort San Pedro that has been converted into a museum. This fort has a lot of history it is a place i recommend people see when they visit. Although there are many forts throughout the country this fort gives you good insight on how the Filipino people once lived. Manila also has a fort that is a very famous tourist destination Manila Fort Santiago the most famous fort in the Philippines

Dive sites in Cebu

Cebu is a world class diving destination situated in the middle of the Visas region. Malapascua Island is one of the most famous and popular diving locations located on the north tip of Cebu. Malapascua has many varieties of dive sites with beautiful coral reefs and marine life one of the very few places in the world you can see the thresher shark and giant manta rays are a common site all year round. Gato Island another great Malapascua dive site Gato Island is a marine reserve and a sea snake sanctuary where Sea snakes, Sea horses, Porcupine fish, Frog fish are abundant in numbers also the White tip shark resides at Gato Island

Tambuli another stimulating dive site located of the coast of Mactan Island and Cebu with a small airplane wreck teeming with fish angel fish and Mandire fish are not an uncommon site

The Shangri-La Sanctuary

The Shangri-La sanctuary is located on Mactan Island Cebu this dive site has been a marine sanctuary since 2007 this magnificent marine sanctuary is home to an astonishing 　numbers of marine life and beautiful corals that are abundant and very 　healthy 　the sanctuary is home to Parrot fish, Barracuda schools of jacks and lion fish

Malbaol

Located in the south west of Cebu city Malbaol quite peaceful place that has become a hub for divers Malbaol has more than a dozen quality dive shops at Malbaol offer the adventure the opportunity to view a variety of marine life and coral also the dive shops organize dive trips to many other parts of the Visayas.

Cebu Night life

Cebu nightlife is very exciting one thing you quickly learn once you visit the Philippines. No matter where you are at night even if you are lost in a back street somewhere you will find a bar with a karaoke machine or a band singing as entertainment. Filipino people love there singing and their music this city is no different. Not far from the Fuente Osmena circle there are a few out side Philippine bars and night clubs, this area is called mango square. So if you want to relax have a couple of quite drinks Mango square not a bad place to be. If the disco scene is more to your liking there are a couple of places here as well to dance the night away

How to get to Cebu

Traveling from Manila to Cebu city Many different ways you can travel from Manila to Cebu. Plane Ferry Bus Motor bike depends on how much travelling you want to do. In the Philippines you can travel by bus ferry or plane if you just stay one night in Manila and your destination is back to the airport in the morning all you do is arrange with the receptionist for a taxi to be available for your time of departure. No matter where your destination is after Manila it is better and easier to catch a taxi from your hotel to either the Manila airport or Pasay bus terminal or the ferry terminal. Most hotels are only about 15 minutes from the hotel to the airport but sometimes it can take longer especially if there is a lot of traffic on the road. If your plans are to be traveling from Manila to Cebu city there is three ways you can do this on the Philippines private and public transport. Ferry bus or plane each alternative has its own unique experience

Philippines living cost people living cost

People living cost in the Philippines

The Philippines can be a very cheap place to live depending on your spending habits food and local produce is very cheapWhat is the cost of living in the Philippines living cost is usually different from person to person, because different people have different standards of living. I will do my best to give a clear picture of living cost in the Philippines.

Philippines food cost Food is very cheap especially if you buy your fresh produce and meat from the local markets and not the supermarkets when I am at home in Calbayog I have found 40,000 peso is enough for each month only if i buy the essentials and do not go out and spend too much money on entertainment or travel. Now this 40,000 peso pays the electricity the water cheap food for five people ya ya included also enough food and drinks for the family dinner every Sunday. Sunday Family dinner includes my family of five my wife mother and brother and his wife and two children. If you live very tight you could do all this on 35 000 peso a month. I always buy too much food too much drink and I always over spend on want I think I need. So if you have a family of four or five if you pay rent all do not pay rent you can live in the province not a city area and do all your cooking at home a comfortable monthly allowance would be between 40,000 and 45,000. There has been times my wife has been in Calbayog with her and the children and I have not been present she can easily live on 35,000 a month with the two children and ya ya reason it more expensive with me in Calbayog because I enjoy too many Western luxuries.
Calbayog city Read more

 

Philippines city living cost

Living Cost Philippines cost of living in the city Manila Cebu city Tacloban in a city area like Cebu or Manila it is very hard to find an apartment cheap. So this increases the living cost straight away. Lot more places to spend money in the city so some people spend more money just because of this reason. You can get lucky to find an apartment in the city like Manila for less than 10,000 per month it will only be a little two bedroom Apartment and nothing flash. So rent is about two times more expensive and can be three time more expensive in the city.


Philippines food cost ManilaFood if you shop in the street markets for your fresh produce you will be able to get a lot of your cheap produce cheaper than what you pay in the province. Grocery items if you find a good Grocery store in the city this will differently help to keep down your daily expenses. Grocery items can sometimes be a lot cheaper in the city than in the province electricity and water about the same as you would pay in the province. Main different in cost of living in the city compared to living in the province is rent and travel. So if you have a family of four people and you have to pay rent you would need about 55,000 to 65,000 　peso to be ok living in a city area of the Philippines especially when you enjoy the western luxuries

Food cost in the PhilippinesHouse water per month family of 4 people 600 to 800peso
Electricty per Month family of 4  800 to 1000peso
Drinking water per Family of 4 500 peso
Gas for cooking family of 4 850 peso
Cable TV 360
Food for Family of 4 per month Aproxmently  20,000peso
Basic travelling for shopping and bills  300 peso to 400 depends on how you have to travel and  do your shopping but public transport is verry cheap
Some basic food expenses in Calbayog November 2011
Rice 50killos good Quality 1500 peso
Tomatoes 35 peso per kilo
Garlic  40 peso per kilo
Bread 55 peso per loaf
Eggs  60 per dozen
Carrorts 60 peso per kilo
Onoins 70 peso per kilo
Apples 100 peso per kilo
Chicken 135 peso per kilo
Pork 180 peso per kilo
Beef 250 peso per kilo

This is a food and house hold expenses list of cost as from december 2011 in calbayog city for me and my family of four people

Health insurance cost in the Philippines

When staying in the Philippines for a long time you should give a lot of consideration to health insurance there is a lot of options available. In the Philippines they will not admit you into hospital unless they have assurance that you can pay for your care. If you only have a short stay in hospital and do not need any type of surgery the hospital expenses are fairly cheap an inexpensive. There are different classes of hospitals in the Philippines from your very basic hospital with low level of available care and treatment to the Private hospitals with more advance medical equipment and care. I think it is very important you do some research on the Philippine hospitals in the area you wish to live so you can find the hospital, that best suits your needs and requirements. Generally out patients care is fairly cheap in most hospitals even in the most expensive hospitals but x rays CTC scans and any specialized treatment or surgery can soon over shoot your budget. Learn more about Phil health insurance

Philippine health insurers

Phil health is the national health insurer for the Philippines. My wife and children are covered by Phil health. Payment schedule for Phil health is 100 peso per month about $2.50 per month Australian. Me personally i use Phil health for and extra insurance policy because of how inexpensive the policy is. Phil health pay benefit according to what class of hospital you are admitted into and the type of treatment you receive.

For example

If you are admitted into a level one hospital they will reimburse you at the present moment 300 peso a day for room and board and doctors’ fees of 300 peso a day or 400 a day depending on your case. I do not recommend any one stay in this level of hospital because I do not believe the level of care is adequate.

If you are admitted into a level three or four hospital at the moment they will reimburse you from 500 peso per day up to 1,100 peso a day for room and board. One thing to consider if you stay in this type of hospital for a long period of time a private room will cost about 1500 peso per day or more depending on the hospital so the gap from the reimbursement and actual cost can vary a lot. Because of the uncertainty of cost and reimbursement form Phil health is one reason I only use Phil health as an extra policy only for my family.

Manila city

Manila city pearl of the orient

Manila full of Philippine history and culture, very beautiful 16th century churches many great attractions many things to see and do and enjoy. Manila the Capital city of the Philippines this is a big city it is very busy and it is very densely populated it is a city with a population of 20 million with a lot of 16th century Building and churches and many more great tourist attractions. Manila is located on the island of Luzon. I have found this city to be a great place to stay for at least a week or more because there are many things to see or do. Philippine people in general are very friendly, polite and very accommodating making this country a very pleasant place to visit or live. Everyone I meet that visits this city tells me that they totally enjoy the time they spend sightseeing and visiting the many tourist attractions. Manila is full of culture history and very beautiful 16th century Philippine churches and buildings lot of different types of restaurants offering all types of different cuisine and culinary delights and the resorts are among the best in the world. Manila Ocean Park the best marine exhibitions I have ever seen. Within this site there is a Manila travel guide all the information you need to find your way around this great city. Places to visit when in metro Manila Intramuros Old Spanish City take a walk through this area with cobbled Streets Fort Santiago, a historical landmark, Spanish colonial walled city. Rizal Park most famous tourist location in this city the Manila ocean park the first marine park in the Philippines with over 5000 varieties of marine life from all over the world. Manila night life everybody can enjoy a good night out in this city especially in Malate. Manila is well known for it live music and bands many bands playing in the beer halls especially around the Malate and Ermita areas of the city

Rizal park defines Manila history
Philippine people are very proud of this very popular tourist destination. Rizal Park has a lot of history you can learn a lot about the city just by walking around looking at the monuments and plaques. There are many things to enjoy in this park as well. There are magnificent Japanese and Chinese gardens to leisurely walk through. Also the orchidaruim and buttery fly pavilions are worthwhile seeing Located very close to this Park is the national museum of the Philippines. so plenty to see and do here. Rizal Park is located very close to most resort and hotels making it easy to find there is plenty of public transport that travels to Rizal Park traveling around Manila city is very easy. But if you prefer a taxi it might be a better option. Another very popular tourist destination is Fort Santiago located close to Rizal park where you can learn more about this great city

The oldest Hispanic Stone FortressOld Fort Santiago is the oldest Hispanic Stone Fortress in the country. Manila Cathedral is also located very close to Fort Santiago making this area one of the most popular tourist destinations in the city. Pay a visit to Almacense a store house used by the Spanish and Japanese military forces during their occupation of the Philippines. Baluarte De Santa De Barbara built in the 16th century has a colonial period furniture exhibition. This fort has a very beautiful picnic area and gardens. Rizal shrine is also located inside housing a museum of the colonial period and the barracks where Dr. Jose Rizal was detained during his trial. The museum shop offers souvenirs based on Intramuros antique collections. Fort Santiago is open daily at eight am so a good place to start sightseeing because the early openings time. There are many old and unique forts in this country. Cebu city has the smallest old fort in the country Fort San Pedro

Manila church Manila Cathedral 16th century church

Manila cathedral beautiful picturesque building of religious history this 16th century cathedral is a place you will want to see. The cathedral was first established as a Philippine church back in the 16th century. Lot of pictures and history exhibitions about the church to view inside this is a truly amazing building. The Philippines has a lot of very beautiful churches there are a many beautiful 16th century building and churches throughout the whole country More about Philippine churches

Marine exhibitions at its best ocean park

The Manila ocean park the first marine park in the Philippines. The park exhibition has over 5000 varieties marine life from all over the world and over 300 varieties of marine life indigenous to the Philippines. Enjoy a totally amazing experience as you walk through the underwater viewing and are fascinated by the wonders of the sea in one of Asia largest oceanarium. The country’s first and only Penguin attraction now open Manila ocean parks newest and coldest attraction. The ocean park is a great place to visit me and my family totally enjoyed the time we spent there. I found it very interesting and totally enjoyable because not only did they have the marine life from other parts of the world. I got to see fish and marine life from the Philippines as well. The Philippines has many Aquatic tourist destinations including Manila Ocean Park and Cebu Mactan Island Aquariums learn more about this magnificent ocean park

Manila Shopping heaven

Manila has two major shopping malls the two i have visited are the SM mega mall and the SM mall of Asia. SM mega mall is a big mall located near Robinsons Galleria in San Juan. The SM mall of Asia is located in Pasay city this mall would have to be one of the biggest malls in the world. If you enjoy shopping all you want to get that special gift for somebody i recommend both of these two malls they are a shopping paradise. There are many market places located throughout the city where you can get cheap clothes and toys one very good place for this is at Tutuban mall. Located at Santa Crus Manila. You can totally enjoy you're shopping in Manila anything you want you can find it here. READ MORE

Philppine waterfalls Calbayog city

Philippine waterfalls Calbayog City

Calbayog city can boast that they have a magnificent rainforest and most beautiful cascading Philippine waterfalls in the Philippines Calbayog city located on the western side of Samar the third largest island in the Philippines endowed with spectacular sceneries within the islands tropical rainforest majestic waterfalls magnificent caves and rock formations. Calbayog city is blessed with rich fishing grounds and beautiful beaches.  The road from Allen to Calbayog followers the coast line passing through small village’s rivers and estuaries with magnificent views of nipa palms on the side of the road and in the background mountains and the rainforest that is located within the island's interior where some of the best waterfalls in the Philippines are located. Magnificent Philippines holiday destination Calbayog city dubbed the city of Philippines waterfalls this country province offers visitors the delights of Paradise

 

Bangon Bugtong waterfalls

Bangon Bugtong falls is a scenic spot defiantly worth visiting it about one hour and 30 minutes ride from Calbayog until you reach the Barangay Tinaplacan then another 30 to 45 minute walk. It has a large lake about 30 meters across. Bangon Bugtong Falls is a beautiful place just to sit and relax have a picnic as you watch the water gush in from the mountain side. It is also a good place to go for swim watch the local people slide down the rocks as they splash into the water the water gushes in from the top of the mountain from a height more than 20 meters. The walk from the highway is an adventure in itself once you leave the highway you walk about 15 minutes until you reach a footpath that takes you all the way to Bangon Bugton falls. This walkway takes you through a cool interior of trees and native flora as you walk beside the river leading to the falls. But this walk is not for the faint hearted there are some step hills to walk over but once you make it to the Bangon Bugtong Falls you soon forget about it when you see this magnificent sight. You have to wade through some water about knee high to reach the bottom of the falls if you are taking food and drinks I suggest you get some help of the local people here are always willing to help. And if you have a camera be sure you put it somewhere safe because there are some slippery places on the rocks but once again if you have any trouble the local people will help you they are very kind and considerate.

Blanca Aurora

Blanca Aurora Falls another great adventure to get to Blanca Aurora Falls you can catch a bus from the Calbayog bus terminal. The bus journey takes about 45 minutes and hour if there is a lot of traffic you ask the bus driver to stop San Jorge in the Barangay of Erenas once you reach San Jorge Blanca Aurora Falls are about five kilometers of the national highway. Unless you have a four wheel drive there is only one other way to get to Blanca Aurora falls, that is by motorbike. Although a lot of the road is concreted there are some section of the road is a bit wet and muddy especially after rain. You can get a service of the local Habal Habla drivers they charge 250 pesos for a return journey of two people the journey to the falls a great experience just to see how the people live and transport their grocery and food home. This road Is in the countryside not much traffic but every time someone goes passed you it is on a motorbike with their shopping. I have been traveling the Philippines for a long time but this is the first time I have seen how hard some of these people live just by isolation. Once you reach the Blanca Blanca falls you will see a beautiful river with the water cascading down the rocks into a pool of water that flows on through the river this is a very good place for swimming many different areas and places to swim a good place for a picnic plenty of places to relax under the shade of the trees. There are plenty of shops close by so refreshment are easy to find.

Larik Falls

On the way to Bangon Bugtong falls you will find Larik Falls located in the Barangay Tinaplacan Larik falls is about ten meters in length and about four meters high a great place to go for a swim in a very cool body of Water.

Pan As Falls These falls are an hour drive from Calbayog 　then another hour walk to reach these falls located in Barangay Pilar Oquendo District Pan as falls is surrounded by some very beautiful trees. This is a good place to enjoy the beauty of the Rainforest while you bush walk to these falls.
Philippines waterfalls Ton ok Falls
One of the best waterfalls in Calbayog hidden within Samar tropical rainforest the ton ok falls is located at Barangay saga Oquendo. This Calbayog waterfall is a 45 minute drive from Calbayog city to hanging bridge. This is where you will find this magnificent waterfall.

Learn more from au travel Philippines

Philippine people

The Republic of the Philippines

A country of 7107 islands with a total land area of 115830 square miles Luzon is the largest Island with a third of the land mass

Mindanao is the second largest island located in the south of the country. Samar Island is the third largest island located close to the centre of the country. The 7107 islands is a land of volcanoes, gulfs, mountains lakes and waterfalls the country has a total of seven mountain ranges the most rugged mountain is on the Island of Luzon. The Philippines is home to about fifty volcanoes but only ten are still considered active. Mount Pinatubo located not far from Manila was a very quiet volcano until 1991 it blew 10 square kilometers of Material including ash and rock into the air at the same time a massive rain storm battered the countryside the ash and rain mixed causing a deadly mud slide that buried entire villages, and killed about 700 people and left thousands of people homeless

Mayon Volcano is the most active Philippine volcano Located in the Albay province south of Manila this volcano has erupted more than forty times in the last four hundred years. Mayon Last major eruption was in February 1814, when it destroyed 3 towns and covered another two with volcanic ash and hot larva about 1600 people died due to this eruption.

The Philippine People

For thousands of years many different people and nations have been part of the Philippines the end result is a country and people with a unique blend of many cultures.

About 30,000 BC Stone Age people settled in the Tabon caves on the island of Palawan the country was later joined by the Negritos that came across land bridges from Borneo Indonesia, and Sumatra and centuries latter joined by visitors from Malaya India china and the middle east. Magellan was the first European to set foot on the Philippines in 1521 Ferdinand Magellan explored the archipelago Magellan and most of his men were killed during the battle of Mactan on the Island of Cebu. Spain established a permanent settlement on the island of Cebu in 1565

Family religion and education are very important in Filipino culture

Weather living in the city or the country or on an isolated island family, religion and education are very highly valued by almost every one Filipinos have many positive values such as respect for authority and a high regard for the dignity of all people

ReligionMost Filipinos hold strong religious beliefs they regularly take part in religious ceremonies celebrate holy days with large festivals. The Spanish where very successful in converting the Filipino to Christianity making the Philippine the only Christian nation in Asia Roman Catholic make up 85% of the population, 5 % of the population are Sunni Muslim’s the largest no Christian group in the country. Most early Filipinos were animistic and worshiped ancestral sprits known as anitos they believed theses sprits lived in the mountains in the Trees Rivers and fields. Many Filipinos believe in ghost and witches (Multo) ghost and (mangkukulam) ghost. Roman Catholic belief plays an important part in the daily life of most Filipinos.The Philippine people worship Christ mother Mary and other holy people called saints many Filipinos decorate their homes trics jeepneys boats schools of images of Christ and mother Mary.

Nearby islands and china introduced Islam to the Philippines today there are several million Filipinos that follow the religion of Islam. Some Filipinos practice Taoism which is a religious belief that originated in china the biggest Taoist temple in the Philippines is in Cebu
The Filipino familyThe Filipino family the basic units of the Philippine social organization which includes the father the mother and children the bilateral extended family which incorporates all relatives of the Father and Mother Of special importance the bond and unity formed by the brothers and sisters. Filipino thinks of their family as a source of strength and protection. It is not unusual for unmarried daughters and sons to live at home with their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. The family are very close and if someone needs help others chip in and do what they can to help the family member in need. The father-husband is the head of the family and is usually unconditionally obeyed by his wife and children. The father role and duty is to meet the financial needs of the family. The Filipino father is the main source of discipline in the family and sometimes uses corporal punishment on both sons and daughters although corporal punishment used on children in the Philippines is now slowly getting used less and less due to the Philippine society teaching and enforcing new values on raising children. The children a lot of Filipino mothers pamper their children these has the effect of prolonging the childhood of the children they are not pushed or rushed into adulthood responsibilities and expectations are kept below the child’s potential this care and affection that is lavished upon the children creates a feeling of belonging and protection. As a result the children will always contribute to parent’s financial support and emotional support and protection. The traditional Filipino wife and mother take care of all the details to ensure the family functions as a living and loving organised family unit. The mother is in charge of the home and all the details pertaining to the children such as cooking the family meal seeing the children are clothed and ready for school the paying of salary to the maids (ya –ya) and all other household expenses. Strange as it may seem women share equal place with man in Philippine society woman participation in professional work and politics is fully accepted this equality can be traced back to ancient Malayan tradition.

Education Filipino children attend six years of elementary school and four years of high school classes are taught in Pilipino and English the country official languagesMore than 90% of all elementary attend government schools. From June until March Filipino children spend their days at school classes begin around eight in the morning in the cities like Manila and sometimes around 7 am in the rural areas before classes begin the children salute the flag and recite the pledge of allegiance. The Philippines has a very high literacy rate which most people in the country can read and write unfortunately due to the high unemployment rate and the minimal salary paid to lower class workers such as farmers and labours some children have to drop out of school to work and help to support their families and some children attend schools that do not have enough school supplies and equipment such as textbooks desks and chairs and computers.

Languages
The Philippine for its languages Filipino English and Spanish there are 87 different major dialects ranging from Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Waray-waray, Kapampagan, and Panasinah. The English languages and the mass education of the English language has been an American contribution to the Filipino life. English was introduced so different people living in different parts of the Philippines could understand one another. The American declared English the country official language during the time they ruled the Philippines. In 1937 the Philippine government decided to replace English with a language called Filipino. Filipino is based on Tagalog the most widely spoken Philippine language especially throughout some of the major cities. Today Filipino and English are the country official languages. In different parts of the Philippines some time s you will Filipinos that can speak anywhere up to four languages and some times more especially the people that have travelled and lived in different parts of the country. For example theses Filipinos can speak the language from the area they grew up in and lived in as a child they also can speak English and Tagalog and sometimes another language that is native to where they live as an adult or learnt as a child. For example English, Tagalog, Cebuano, Waray-Waray could be four languages a single Filipino can speak.

Life in the country
Half of the Philippine population live in the country near mountain forest on small islands or on the plains there are many types of traditional homes Bahay kubo is a traditional rural home some time referred to as a nipa hut.The walls and floors are made from bamboo and palms leaves the woven palm leaves are overlapped and tired down to timber or bamboo to form the roof. Other people in the country side live in wooden home and other cheap timber with iron and galvanised roofs.The more wealthy country Filipino live in a larger fancy modern home made from cement bricks and cement.On a lot of Small Island and country areas the home has one main room with a few pieces of furniture and mats on the floor where the family sleeps.The kitchen is usually in another room with a wood burning stove and sometimes a small gas stove depending on how isolated the family is from the closest town. In the larger country towns many of the native houses have electricity and some of them even have indoor plumbing but theses conveniences are rare in small villages although now more and more Small Islands and villages are receiving electricity but there is still a lot of villages that do not. 　The Philippine people that live in an area that does not have electricity or indoor plumbing they gather water from a community well and burn kerosene lamps for lights in the evening

The people’s transportation

The first people who migrated to the Philippine islands used barangays (boats). Now day’s interisland ships and ferries have been the best means of transportation of good and merchandise from island to another people also rely on these ships as ferries because the cost of a plane ticket can be very expensive. Banca a narrow wooden boat with an out boat motor attached to the back. The boat has wooden and bamboo frames extending from both sides of the boats that function like platoons preventing the boat from tipping over or capsizing. Early Filipinos used these small boats to trade and get supplies from neighbouring islands.The larger banca boats are use as people ferries and large commercial fishing boats.The smaller banca boats are used for smaller journeys in calmer water.

A traditional form of transport is the pedicabs a tricycle with a side cart this form of transportation are still popular in some country towns and provinces especially on the island of Leyte and Samar

The Philippine jeepney

A Philippine icon king of the road evidence of Philippine innovation the jeepney is a small bus made from jeeps left behind by the US army. The jeeps where transformed in to busses painted in vibrant glowing flamboyant colours and patterns and decorated with mirrors multi-coloured lights and religious icons. The jeepney smaller brother the stainless steel jeep was made and produced for practical reasons fisherman complained that seawater and the environment was corroding their jeepneys. So in 1971 Tomas Araga invented and produced the first jeep the jeep requires less maintenance because it is difficult and does not rust. The jeep is an ideal Philippine vehicle because they are adapted to the unique Philippine climate especially from the harsh salt air and the unpredictable weather
 　

Philippine churches in the philippines

Church in Manila the Manila Cathedral

Manila cathedral with its impressive Spanish architecture started out as a church back in 1571 church of Manila as it was originally called was built in the intramuros district of the city. In 1579 this magnificent church was declared a cathedral. The original structure of the church was built fro native building materials such as bamboo wood and nipa. The cathedral was totally destroyed by the 1583 fire this was the first of many misfortunes the cathedral had to endure.The second cathedral was built in 1592 which was made and constructed with stone and was destroyed by an earthquake in 1600 so the construction started on the third cathedral but unfortunately this church was destroyed by another earthquake in 1645. So rebuilding of the cathedral started again in 1671 this magnificent and very beautiful Manila cathedral was completed. 1871 the church was not totally destroyed but it was severely damaged by a very strong earthquake in 1863. In 1880 the Manila cathedral became tower less due to another earthquake and reconstructed once again this time it took nine years to build and less than a day to reduce to rumble due to the battle of Manila in world war two 1945. The magnificent building you see today standing was constructed from 1945 ten year after it was destroy by the bombs of the war and was completed in 1958 under the supervision of architect Fernando H. Ocampo read more about Manila

 

 

 

Famous Philippine church

 Palo cathedral Leyte located at near red beach Tacloban this Philippine church was also known as our lord’s transfiguration cathedral. The Jesuits fathers where the founders of the parish they arrived in Palo back in 1595 soon after their arrival they started construction of Palo church in 1596 the Jesuits oversaw the building this church then became their residence for many years until they were ordered to leave the Philippines in 1768. At this time the church was taken over by the Augustinians. The two towers that are located at the front of the building was built in 1859 by FR Augustin De Consuegra. In March 1938 more than 200 hundred years after this church was first constructed it was proclaimed a cathedral. Not only was this famous church a home a place of worship it was also a war hospital for the injured and wounded American soldiers that arrived with general Mac Arthur in October 1944 to liberate the Philippines from the Japanese invaders in world war two.

Church in the Philippines Calbayog cathedral

Located in the heart of Calbayog saint peter and Paul's cathedral Calbayog city is the biggest church within the Calbayog city provinces this beautiful old church show two types of impressive architectural cultures and styles. With the Filipino building style and the Spanish doomed ceilings and tiles gives this magnificent church a unique look. Inside there are many gorgeous stain glass windows with a brilliant display of colours. The stain windows inside this building are truly an artistic hall mark of Christian artist in the Philippine churches. Like most churches throughout the Philippines they are open to the public during the day light hours unless there is a special service in progress so why not when you visit Calbayog city have look inside at the beautiful art displays inside.

 

Philippine transportation

Philippine transportation

Buses in the Philippines
If you want to travel from Manila to your destination in the Philippines there are hundreds of busses that arrive in and out of Manila every day from many locations throughout the Philippines they even travel from the most isolated Barangay or province. There are two classes of buses in the Philippines there is what they call the ordinary bus and the fully air-condition bus. The ordinary bus as its name suggest is very ordinary they Are usually creaky old busses with old and uncomfortable seats and often have a reputation for many breakdowns on the side of the road. But for any very long distance road travel this is the cheapest transport in the country. Beware if you travel on this bus on a very long journey expect to be very tired and sore when you reach your final destination. The seats on the bus are old and uncomfortable and if you are traveling through the middle of the day the bus can sometime become very hot and humid even with the windows down.

The Air con buses are a lot better than the ordinary bus they are usually fairly new and with all the comforts you expect from a first class coach like TV comfortable chair with lots of leg room and the fair is not that more expensive than what you would pay on and ordinary. And not much cheaper than a plane ticket to a lot of places in the country. So if you do need to travel from Manila on a bus and the journey will take more than say 3 or 4 hours I recommend you make sure you get the air condition bus for your journey most people prefer to travel at night because it is cooler and the traffic is a lot lighter during the evening. If you do travel at night from Manila do not except the bus to stop too many times for a rest break they will only stop for designated meal stops usually one late at night one early in the morning and lunch time any other stop is rare especially for journey that take longer 20 hours.

Publish time tables for most of the bus companies are non-existent on popular routes such as Manila to Angeles and Manila to Baguio there is generally at least on bus every hour going to the most popular bus routes and sometimes one every half an hour. The bus companies do not have a central bus terminal all the bus terminals are spread out all over Metro Manila. Below is a link to of some of the bus companies including contacts details bus routes and destinations. 





Tricycles the cheapest form of shared transport in the Philippines

The cheapest form of shared transport in the country is the tricycle there are three different types of tricycles there is the push bike with a side cart the motor bike with a side cart and there is the motor bike with a cabin fitted on and over the motor bike it look like a very small car. The push bike tricycle is usually only found in large country towns throughout the Philippines servicing streets around the main shopping areas of the towns. Theses push bike tricycles are built for the rider and two passengers but it is not uncommon to see extras clinging to whatever they can and you wonder how the poor rider is able to keep on pedaling. The Tricycles used in the main city areas are small four stroke motor bikes with side cars they go just about anywhere you don’t see a lot of this type of transport in Manila and Cebu any more but other cities like Ageless they are still in use. When riding this type of transport one very important thing to remember always arks the price before you get inside the tricycle especially if you are in area like Angeles where a lot of foreigners visit if you don’t arks the price sometimes you will get a driver that will try to charge you more than what the fair price for your journey is. One thing you will soon learn in the Philippines where a lot of foreigners visit this type of transport has sometimes a foreigner rate and a Filipino rate that is charged for certain journeys. So it is always good to arks people you know all people at your hotel what the charge is if you want to go somewhere special.

The Philippines best family transport

Then there is the tricycle that looks like a little car on a motor bike seating between 6 to ten people comfortably depending on the size of the tric. This form of transport is the only tricycle I know to have a designated route. The drivers use this transport to carry people but also anything else that will fit inside on the roof or on the back of vehicle food rice timber anything that will fit. I think these tricycles are ideally the best transport for a small Philippine family there are small compact go anywhere except on muddy roads and the vehicles are very cheap for less than 5000 Australian dollars you can have a great little vehicle.