About Philippines

- SM City North EDSA is the largest shopping mall in the Philippines and third in the world in terms of leasable area of 482,878 square meters (5.2 million sq ft). It is operated by SM Prime Holdings, a local holding companies in the Philippines, the biggest retail and mall operator in Southeast Asia. With now part of the complex which is comprised of the following: City Center, Interior Zone, The Annex, The Block, the former Warehouse Club, Sky Garden, Northlink and the Grass Residences.

- Eat Bulaga! is the longest running variety show that time in the Philippines by Television And Production Exponents Inc. (TAPE) and aired by GMA Network. The show broadcasts from The New TAPE Studios (Eastside Studio) and the GMA Broadway Centrum in New Manila, Quezon City, with its main host Senator Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon. The show is also broadcast worldwide through GMA Pinoy TV. The show celebrated its 32nd year on Australian television last 2011. It will also have its first overseas version, to be shown on Indonesia's SCTV network starting July 16, 2012.

- St. Anne Church in Molo, Iloilo which lies in front of the town square has 16 life-sized images of female saints thus earning its moniker "Women / Feminist Church". Its male counterpart is the Jaro Cathedral with 12 male statues (11 apostles and St. Paul).

- Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippines is one of seven operating units of the Bureau of Corrections under the Department of Justice. This penal settlement, which originally comprised an area of 22 acres, served as a depository for prisoners who could not be accommodated at the NBP Prison in Manila. The prisoners in Iwahig were divided into two groups, settlers and colonists. The settlers are prisoners whose applications for land to cultivate have been approved. Tools, beasts of burden and dwellings were furnished by the government.

- Leinil Francis Yu is a Filipino comic book artist, was first recognized after winning the Wizard's Drawing Contest Board, his first published work. He was first hired by Whilce Portacio to do some work for Wildstorm, but that job fell through. Portacio then passed on samples of Yu's work to Marvel Comics, who subsequently hired him to work on Wolverine. On April 9, 2011 Yu was one of 62 comics creators who appeared at the IGN stage at the Kapow! convention in London to set two Guinness World Records, The Fastest Production of a Comic Book, and Most Contributors to a Comic Book.

- Davao City is the country's largest city outside Metro Manila.A highly urbanized Philippine city. The city serves as the regional center of the region and the center of Metro Davao. It has a population of 1,449,296 according to 2010 census. Local historians of Davao Davao claim that the word came from the phonetic blending of the word of three Bagobo subgroups when referring to Davao River, an essential waterway which empties itself into Davao Gulf near the city. The aboriginal Obos who inhabit the hinterlands of the region called the river, Davoh; the Clatta or Guiangans called it Duhwow or Davau, and the Tagabawa Bagobos, Dabu. To the Obos, davoh the word also means a place "beyond the high grounds", alluding to the settlements located at the mouth of Davao River which were surrounded by high rolling hills. When asked where they were going, the usual reply is davoh, while pointing towards the direction of the town. Duhwow also refers to a trading settlement where they barter their forest goods in exchange for salt or other commodities.

- Adobo is the name of a popular dish and cooking process in Philippine cuisine that involves meat or seafood marinated in a sauce of vinegar and garlic, browned in oil and simmered in the marinade. Although it has a name taken from the Spanish, the cooking method is indigenous to the Philippines. Pickled has been called the quintessential Philippine stew, served with both rice and daily meals and at feasts. It is commonly packed for Filipino mountaineers and travelers because it keeps well without refrigeration.

- The antibiotic erythromycin - used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections, such as respiratory tract infections, middle ear infections, and skin infections - was created by Filipino scientist Abelardo Aguilar , and has earned American drug giant Eli Lilly billions of dollars. The product was launched commercially in 1952 under the brand name Ilosone (after the Australian region of Queensland where it was originally collected). Erythromycin was formerly also called Ilotycin.

- The first State of the Nation Address (SONA) was delivered by President Manuel L. Quezon on 16 June 1936 at the Legislative Building in Manila.

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About Philippines

- Rodolfo Vera Quizon, Sr . (July 25, 1928 - July 10, 2012) known by his screen name Dolphy , was a Filipino comedian-actor in the Philippines. He was widely regarded as the Philippines' "King of Comedy" for his comedic talent embodied by his long roster of works on stage, radio, television and movies. With about 220 movies he made ​​in his lifetime.

- The first Miss Universe Armi Kuusela from Finland Helena was married to a Filipino Businessman Virgilio Hilario . They had five children and six grandchildren who now live in different parts of the globe, namely: Arne, Anna-Lisa, Jose / Jussi, Eva- Maria and Miguel / Mikko (the only one based in Manila).

- The biggest lotto prize was won by a lucky P741,176,323.20 Balikbayan with his 6-number combination (11-16-42- 47-31-37) was literally "lucky pick" or was randomly picked by the PCSO computer.

- During World War II, Coca Cola was bottled by the US Army for its soldiers at the battlefront in collapsible dixie lines set up in Leyte. After the war, San Miguel Brewery bottling operations resumed in Manila to provide refreshments to Filipinos rebuilding our war- torn country. In 1946, a barge transporting a shipment of 80 thousand bottles sank off Bantayan Island in Cebu, plunging its precious cargo into the ocean - to be found 55 years later by fisher folk.

- Toei Animation Studio City was established back in 1986 that celebrated its 25th anniversary last year and is responsible in doing key animation and in-between animation for your favorite anime titles! The facility was established as a measure to cut costs for the company, since the production work being done in Korea was becoming prohibitively expensive. Currently, it houses over 150 animators and support staff, and they work on the bulk of the animation process for each episode of One Piece except for storyboarding and post production, Dragon Ball Kai, Heartcatch! Pretty Cure and the upcoming Jump Heroes Film in which they are working on Toriko's part! Other anime films that they were involved are some of the films and Clannad Pretty Cure the Movie in which they are featured at the end credits!

- Eduardo San Juan (aka The Space Junkman) worked on the team that invented the Lunar Rover or Moon Buggy. Eduardo San Juan is considered the primary designer of the Lunar Rover. San Juan was also the designer for the Articulated Wheel System. He graduated from Mapua Institute of Technology then studied Nuclear Engineering at the University of Washington. In 1978, San Juan received one of the Ten Outstanding Men (TOM) awards in science and technology.

-The Name Boracay is attributed to different origins. One story says that it is derived from the local word "borac" which means white cotton with characteristics close to the color and texture of Boracay's white sugary and powdery sand. Another credits the name to local words "Bora," meaning bubbles, and "Bocay," meaning white. Yet another version dating back to the Spanish era says the name is derived from "sagay," the word for shell, and "Boray," the word for seed.

- Iligan City known as the City of Majestic Waterfalls, there are around 23 waterfalls in and around Iligan. Among them is the Maria Cristina Falls, home of Mindanao's primary hydroelectric power station, and Limunsudan Falls. The Tinago Falls, accessible through a 300- step staircase, is located in Barangay Ditucalan. Other famous waterfalls in the city are, Mimbalut Falls, Abaga Falls, Dodiongan Falls, and Timoga Springs.

- Jollibee is an American-style fast-food restaurant with Filipino-influenced dishes specializing in burgers, spaghetti, chicken and some local Filipino dishes. In the Philippines, Jollibee serves Coca-Cola products for its beverages; In overseas markets, the chain serves Pepsi products.Currently the largest fast-food chain in the country, it also has locations in the United States, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates and Brunei.

- Philippine Madrigal Singers  or simply  Madz, was founded in 1963 by National Artist for Music, Professor Andrea O. Veneracion. Madz is one of the major cultural groups based in the University of the Philippines, Diliman. Its current conductor and musical director is Mark Anthony Carpio. They are the first choir in the world to win the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing twice (in 1997 and in 2007).

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About Philippines

- There are 12,000 or so species of seashells in the Philippines. The Conus Gloriamaris or "Glory of the Sea" is the rarest and most expensive in the world. 

- The largest human cross (formed by 13,266 people at the University of Santo Tomas)was made in Manila, Philippines, on 9 March 2011.

- Tubbataha Reef is a two atoll coral reef system. The name is derived from two words which collectively mean "long reef exposed at low tide." The atolls and reef system are located in the Sulu Sea off the coast of the Philippines.

-  Alfredo Anos Sr. is a Self-educated, highly prolific savant-laureate-genius proclaimed “godfather” of Filipino inventors. He has received four (4) International Awards from the United Nations- World Intellectual Property Organization (UN-WIPO) for Outstanding Filipino Inventor and his “SOLANOS” Thermal Water Pump invention.

- Jeremy Renner describing Filipinos as “welcoming and loving,” the actor obviously enjoyed his stay in Manila and Palawan, where he shot the latest installment of the hit “Bourne” franchise(Bourne Legacy).

- The Eraserheads were the first ever Filipino artists to receive the "Moon Man" trophy for winning the 1997 MTV Asia Viewer's Choice Award for the video of their song, "Ang Huling El Bimbo." This hit was written by Ely Buendia.

- One of the greatest fights of 20th century boxing,The Thrilla in Manila was the third and final famous boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier for the Heavyweight Boxing Championship of the World, fought at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines on October 1, 1975.

- Callao man refers to fossilized remains discovered in Callao Cave, Peñablanca, Cagayan (The Philippines) in 2007 by Armand Salvador Mijares. Specifically, the find consisted of a single 61 milimeter metatarsal which, when dated using uranium series ablation, was found to be at least about 67,000 years old.

- Project Santa Barbara was a top secret project of the late President Ferdinand Marcos during the 1970's. The project was to develop a rocket or missile and testing those in Caballo Island, which is near Corregidor.

- Iglesia ni Cristo breaks 3 Guinness records last July 7, 2012. International Aid For Humanity or Lingap Sa Mamamayan Held at Parola, Tondo, Manila. The event had recorded 4,128 people who benefited from the dental health check, beating the record of 3,377 previously held by India. 8,026 BP readings beating The Kuwait Heart Foundation previously held the record of 7,203 BP readings taken in eight hours and 5,217 BGL(blood glucose level) tests beating the Novo Nordisk Education Foundation in Bangalore, India with the record of 3,573 BGL tests in eight hours.

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About Philippines

- Back in 1960's when The Beatles toured the Philippines, they unintentionally snubbed the nation's first lady, Imelda Marcos, who had expected the group to attend a breakfast reception at the Presidential Palace.

 

- The world's shortest and lightest freshwater fish is the dwarf pygmy goby (Pandaka Pygmaea), a colorless and nearly transparent species found in the streams and lakes of Luzon. Males have an average length of 8.7 mm. and weigh 4-5 mg.

- The largest fish in the world, the Whale Shark, locally known as Butanding, regularly swims to the Philippine waters. 

-   The Philippine flag is the only flag in the world which is hoisted upside-down when the country is in war.

- The karaoke was invented in the Philippines and not Japan. Karaoke means “singing without accompaniment” in Japanese. It was invented by Roberto del Rosario. The invention of “Sing-Along-System” was later called karaoke.

 - The Philippines became the first Asian country to win FIVE major international beauty pageant crowns - two for Miss Universe, in 1969 and 1973, and three for Miss International, in 1965, 1970, and 1979. 

- The land area of the Philippines is about 1/30th of the U.S.; it has a coastline of 36,289 kilometers while the U.S. coastline is just 19,924 kilometers.

- Makati is the financial center of the Philippines.With a population of 510383, Makati is the 16th largest city in the country and ranked as the 44th most densely populated city in the world.

- The Philippines has a tropical maritime climate and is usually hot and humid. There are three seasons: the hot dry season or summer from March to May; the rainy season from June to October; and the cool dry season from November to February.

- More than 90% of the population are Christians and Between 5 and 10% of the population are Muslim.

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