The Philippines (Filipino: Pilipinas [pɪlɪˈpinɐs]) officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (Filipino: Republika ng Pilipinas), is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. Taiwan lies north across the Luzon Strait. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam. The Sulu Sea to the southwest separates it from the island of Borneo and to the south the Celebes Sea from other islands of Indonesia. It is bounded on the east by the Philippine Sea. An archipelago comprising 7,107 islands, the Philippines is categorized broadly into three main geographical divisions: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The capital city is Manila.
With an estimated population of about 92 million people, the Philippines is the world's 12th most populous country. It is estimated that there are an additional 11 million overseas Filipinos worldwide. Multiple ethnicities and cultures are found throughout the islands. Its tropical climate sustains one of the richest areas in terms of biodiversity in the world.
Administrative divisions
The Philippines is divided into three island groups: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. These are divided into 17 regions, 80 provinces, 120 cities, 1,511 municipalities, and 42,008 barangays.[67] In addition, Section 2 of Republic Act No. 5446 asserts that the country has acquired islands from Sabah (formerly North Borneo).[68]
| Region | Designation | Regional center |
|---|---|---|
| Ilocos Region | Region I | San Fernando, La Union |
| Cagayan Valley | Region II | Tuguegarao, Cagayan |
| Central Luzon | Region III | San Fernando, Pampanga |
| CALABARZON | Region IV-A | Calamba City, Laguna |
| MIMAROPA | Region IV-B | Calapan, Oriental Mindoro |
| Bicol Region | Region V | Legazpi, Albay |
| Western Visayas | Region VI | Iloilo City |
| Central Visayas | Region VII | Cebu City |
| Eastern Visayas | Region VIII | Tacloban |
| Zamboanga Peninsula | Region IX | Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur |
| Northern Mindanao | Region X | Cagayan de Oro City |
| Davao Region | Region XI | Davao City |
| SOCCSKSARGEN | Region XII | Koronadal, South Cotabato |
| Caraga | Region XIII | Butuan |
| Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao | ARMM | Cotabato City |
| Cordillera Administrative Region | CAR | Baguio |
| National Capital Region | NCR | Manila |
Geography
The Philippines is an archipelago of 7,107 islands[2] with a total land area of approximately 300,000 square kilometers (116,000 square miles). Its 36,289 kilometers of coastline makes it the country with the 5th longest coastline in the world.[2][69] It is located between 116° 40', and 126° 34' E. longitude and 4° 40' and 21° 10' N. latitude and borders the Philippine Sea on the east, the South China Sea on the west, and the Celebes Sea on the south. The island of Borneo is located a few hundred kilometres southwest and Taiwan is located directly to the north. The Moluccas and Sulawesi are located to the south-southwest and Palau is located to the east of the islands.[2]
Most of the mountainous islands are covered in tropical rainforest and volcanic in origin. The highest mountain is Mount Apo. It measures up to 2,954 metres (9,692 ft) above sea level and is located on the island of Mindanao. The longest river is the Cagayan River in northern Luzon. Manila Bay, upon the shore of which the capital city of Manila lies, is connected to Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the Philippines, by the Pasig River. Subic Bay, the Davao Gulf, and the Moro Gulf are other important bays. The San Juanico Strait separates the islands of Samar and Leyte but it is traversed by the San Juanico Bridge.[70]
Situated on the northwestern fringes of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity. The Benham Plateau to the east in the Philippine Sea is an undersea region active in tectonic subduction.[71] Around 20 earthquakes are registered daily, though most are too weak to be felt. The last major earthquake was the 1990 Luzon earthquake.[72] There are many active volcanoes such as the Mayon Volcano, Mount Pinatubo, and Taal Volcano. The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in June 1991 produced the second largest terrestrial eruption of the 20th century.[73] Not all notable geographic features are so violent or destructive. A more serene legacy of the geological disturbances is the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River.
Due to the volcanic nature of the islands, mineral deposits are abundant. The country is estimated to have the second-largest gold deposits after South Africa and one of the largest copper deposits in the world.[74] It is also rich in nickel, chromite, and zinc.[74] Despite this, poor management, high population density, and environmental consciousness have resulted in these mineral resources remaining largely untapped. Geothermal energy, however, is another product of volcanic activity that the country has harnessed more successfully. The Philippines is the world's second-biggest geothermal producer behind the United States, with 18% of the country's electricity needs being met by geothermal power.[75]
Economy
The national economy of the Philippines is the 47th largest in the world, with an estimated 2008 gross domestic product (GDP nominal) of over US$166.9 billion (nominal).[95] Primary exports include semiconductors and electronic products, transport equipment, garments, copper products, petroleum products, coconut oil, and fruits.[5] Major trading partners include China, Japan, the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia.[5] Its unit of currency is the Philippine peso (PHP).
A newly industrialized country, the Philippine economy has been transitioning from one based on agriculture to one based more on services and manufacturing. Of the country's total labor force of around 38.1 million,[5] the agricultural sector employs close to 32% but contributes to only about 13.8% of GDP. The industrial sector employs around 13.7% of the workforce and accounts for 30% of GDP. Meanwhile the 46.5% of workers involved in the services sector are responsible for 56.2% of GDP.[96][97]
The unemployment rate as of July 2009 stands at around 7.6% and due to the global economic slowdown inflation as of September 2009 reads 0.70%.[97] Foreign currency reserves as of October 2009 are US$36.13 billion.[98] In 2004, public debt as a percentage of GDP was estimated to be 74.2%; in 2008, 56.9%.[5] Gross external debt has risen to US$66.27 billion.[5] The country is a net importer.[97]
In the 1960s, the country was regarded as the second wealthiest in Asia, next to Japan.[54][99][100] However, the leadership of Ferdinand Marcos proved disastrous by gradually transforming the market economy into one with aspects of a centrally planned economy.[54][100] The country suffered from slow economic growth and bouts of economic recession. Only in the 1990s with a program of economic liberalization did the economy begin to recover.[54][100]
The Asian Financial Crisis affected the economy, resulting in a lingering decline of the value of the peso and falls in the stock market. The extent to which it was affected initially, however, was not as severe as that of some of its Asian neighbors. This was largely due to the fiscal conservatism of the government, partly as a result of decades of monitoring and fiscal supervision from the International Monetary Fund, in comparison to the massive spending of its neighbors on the rapid acceleration of economic growth.[47] There have been signs of progress since. In 2004, the economy experienced 6% GDP growth and 7.3% in 2007, its fastest pace of growth in three decades.[5][101] Yet average annual GDP growth per capita for the period 1966-2007 still stands at 1.45% in comparison to an average of 5.96% for the East Asia and the Pacific region as a whole and the daily income for 45% of the population of the Philippines remains less than US$2.[9][102]
Other incongruities and challenges exist. The economy is heavily reliant on remittances which surpass foreign direct investment as a source of foreign currency. Regional development is uneven with Luzon—Metro Manila in particular—gaining most of the new economic growth at the expense of the other regions,[103] although the government has taken steps to distribute economic growth by promoting investment in other areas of the country. Despite constraints, service industries such as tourism and business process outsourcing have been identified as areas with some of the best opportunities for growth for the country.[97][104] Goldman Sachs includes the country in its list of the "Next Eleven" economies.[105] However, China and India have emerged as major economic competitors.[106]
The Philippines is a member of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Asian Development Bank which is headquartered in Mandaluyong City, the Colombo Plan, and the G-77 among other groups and institutions.[5]
Demographics
The first official census in the Philippines was carried out in 1877 and recorded a population of 5,567,685.[107] By 2009, the Philippines has become the world's 12th most populous nation, with a population of over 92 million.[8][108] It is estimated that half of the population resides on the island of Luzon. Manila, the capital city, is the eleventh most populous metropolitan area in the world. The population of the Greater Manila Area is around 20 million.[109][110] Life expectancy is 71.09 years, with 74.15 years for females and 68.17 years for males.[111] Population growth rate between 1995 to 2000 was 3.21% but has decreased to an estimated 1.95% for the 2005 to 2010 period.[7]
Philippines Family Planning: Its Economic and Psychosocial Influences on the Lives of Women in Western Visayas
The Philippine family planning program began in the 1970s and reflected a concern with rapid population growth and inadequate maternal and child health (MCH). Over the past two decades, the program has had varying degrees of political support and, consequently, somewhat erratic implementation. In the past six years, there has been an attempt to revive training of MCH and family planning workers and increase the choice of contraceptive methods. For example, injectables have been introduced.
Among the benefits of family planning often cited by contraceptive users are improvements in women's health and the family's economic status. In research conducted in Western Visayas, the Philippines, women said family planning allowed them more freedom to participate in the work force and more time to participate in community activities. Women who used family planning were generally more satisfied with their lives and more likely to share in household decision-making. Domestic violence was a concern for many women in this region of the Philippines.
Research Findings
Researchers interviewed 1,100 married women of reproductive age, plus 50 key informants. Investigators also conducted nine pre-survey and 27 post-survey focus group discussions with women, men, community leaders, members of women's groups, and family planning service providers. Both rural and urban residents took part in the study.
- More than half of the women interviewed currently used contraception or had used family planning at some point. Thirty seven percent are current users. The most popular methods are the pill, tubal ligation, and injections while the most unpopular are male-oriented methods -- condoms and vasectomy. The most common reason for choice of family planning methods was effectiveness, while the most often cited side effect was dizziness. In focus group discussions, men and women expressed fears about contraceptive side effects and gave this concern as a reason for not using family planning.
- Family planning users were more likely to engage in paid work than were non-users. Family planning use provided increased economic opportunities for women, including opportunities to earn a living and to become more efficient workers.
- Women who used family planning were more likely to participate in community activities, such as Parent-Teacher Associations, religious organizations and beautification projects. Women found community activities relaxing, and said these activities allowed them to socialize and interact with their peers. Women reported that social participation gave them satisfaction and increased their sense of self-worth.
- More family planning users than nonusers shared decision-making with their husbands in four areas: the woman's work outside the home; the woman's travel outside the community; use of family planning; and plans for future births. Nonusers were more likely to report that their husbands made decisions independently in these four areas.
- More than one-third of the women reported they had been victims of physical abuse, psychological abuse, or both. Most domestic violence happened when the perpetrator (usually the husband) had been drinking. Among the perceived causes of violence were jealousy, quarrels due to suspected infidelity, and arguments over financial and other family matters. The most common reported acts of physical abuse were beating, boxing, slapping, and kicking. Contraceptive use did not reduce women's risks of violence, nor did work status.
Recommendations
There should be continuous efforts to improve the family planning program, including an effort to provide integrated reproductive health. Special attention needs to be given to helping women deal with side effects. Because of demands on women's time at home and in the work place, health services should be offered at times (and places) convenient to women; for example, on weekends or after normal business hours. Policy-makers should be concerned about the need for more employment opportunities for women, and should encourage women to take on greater leadership roles in the community. Community leaders should develop strategies to minimize and eliminate domestic violence and should develop referral systems to respond to victim's needs in a timely manner.
references:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines
http://www.fhi.org/en/RH/Pubs/wsp/fctshts/Philippines3.htm
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