1. Doctrina Christiana is the first book published in the Philippines, was published in 1593, by the Dominican press.

Because of the monopoly of printing presses by religious orders prior to the 19th century, early written literature was predominantly religious in content and in purpose. 2. The first womens magazine in the Philippines was El Hogar (The Home), which first came out in 1893. 3. The first Filipino immigrants to the United States (1850) settled in Louisiana. 4. Emilio Aguinaldo lost to Manuel L. Quezon in the countrys first presidential elections in 1935. 5. The largest crocodile ever captured in the Philippines (1823) was found in Laguna de Bay. 6. Fort San Pedro was the nucleus of the first Spanish settlement in the Philippines. 7. Farmers Market Foodome is the largest restaurant in the Philippines (in Quezon City). 8. Cesar Virata is the first and last Prime Minister of the Philippines after WW II. 9. The Cagayan River, the Philippines longest river, originates in Nueva Vizcaya. 10. Aimee Carandang is the first Filipina to become a commercial plane pilot. 11. The oldest Philippine university for women is Centro Escolar University. 12. Jose P. Laurel has the most children (7) among the Philippine presidents. 13. Eva Estrada Kalaw is the first Filipina to be elected senator twice, in 1965 and in 1971. 14. The first modern building in the Philippines is considered to be the Crystal Arcade in Escolta, completed in 1932. 15. Aurora is the only Philippine province named after a first lady. 16. The biggest game preserve and wildlife sanctuary in the Philippines is located on Calauit Island in Palawan. 17. The most translated Philippine poem is Mi Ultimo Adios. 18. The Philippine mammal with the biggest eyes in relation to its body is the tarsier. 19. Bagumbayan was the original name of Luneta Park. 20. Iniibig and gawa are the first and last words of Panatang Makabayan. 21. The Presidential Saber is awarded to the top graduate of the Philippine Military Academy. 22. The original Philippine flag, sewn in Hong Kong in 1898, was made of silk. 23. Gen. Tomas Karingal was the first assassinated victim of the NPAs Alex Boncayao Brigade. 24. Frank Murphy was the last American governor-general of the Philippines. 25. After the United States, the Philippines have the most Boys Scouts. 26. After Happy Birthday, the song most sung in the Philippines is Lupang Hinirang, the national anthem. 27. Hajji Butu was the first Muslim Filipino to become a senator. 28. The most popular and durable of all Philippine almanacs is called Kalendariong Tagalog ni Honorio Lopez. 29. Rainier Lagman was the first Filipino to have a heart transplant. 30. Gemma Cruz was the first Filipina to win an international beauty title Miss International 1964. 31. P5 million was the highest prize offered for the capture of then-rebel-now-turned-senator Gringo Honasan. 32. Palawan has the largest land area among the Philippine provinces. 33. Negros Occidental has the most cities among Philippine provinces. 34. Miguel Lopez de Legazpi was the first Spanish governor-general of the Philippines. 35. Evangeline de Castro of Baguio was the first Filipina to win the Miss Philippines title. 36. Cebu is the oldest Philippine city. 37. The word Filipinas first appeared in coins. 38. Archipelago de San Lazarus was the name Ferdinand Magellan first gave to the islands he discovered. 39. Alphabetically, the first province of the Philippines which comes first is Abra in the Ilocos region. 40. The largest Philippine wild animal is the tamaraw (a species of buffalo, similar to the carabao). It is found only in the island of Mindoro. 41. Rio Grande de Mindanao is the longest river in Mindanao. 42. The first line of Jose Rizals Mi Ultimo Adios is Adios patria adorada. 43. Luzon is the biggest island (141,395 sq km) among the Philippine Archipelago which consists of 7,107 (most figures) islands and islets stretching some 1,850 kilometers from north to south and 1,107 kilometers from west to east at its widest point. 44. Mt. Apo in Mindanao, a dormant volcano, is the highest mountain in the Philippines at 2,954 meters (9,689 feet). Mt. Pulog in Luzon is second at 2,928 meters (9,604 feet). 45. Cagayan River in Luzon is the longest river, snaking for 353 kilometers (221 miles) across the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela and Cagayan before finally flowing into the South China Sea in Aparri in Cagayan. 46. The first recorded intermarriage of a Filipino to a white foreigner was the wedding of Rajah Tupas widowed niece to a Greek ship caulker who had sailed to the Philippines with Miguel Lopez de Legazpi (ca 1565).

47. According to the 1990 census, Metro Manila has a population density of 12,315 persons per square kilometer (32,000/ sq.mi.), the highest in the country. 48. The longest underground river system accessible to man IN THE WORLD is located at the St. Paul National Park in Palawan. 49. The hottest day in the Philippines was recorded on April 29, 1912 when the temperature reached 108.32 degrees Fahrenheit (42.4 degrees Celsius) in Tuguegarao, Cagayan. The coldest day was recorded in Baguio city back in January 7, 1903 when the thermometer dipped way down to 37.4 degrees Fahrenheit (3 degrees Celsius). 50. The safest province geologically is Palawan. It is farthest province from volcanoes and earthquake faults. 51. Marissa Delgado The first Filipina who appeared in Playboy (sometime in 1965). She wasnt a centerfold but she did expose her back! The first Filipina who appeared as a centerfold is the beautiful Lourdes Estores of Hawaii. 52. The Tagalog term for dye is jobus or jobos which came from the name Joe Bush. Joe Bush was an American who set up a cleaning and dyeing shop in Manila back in the 1940s. His products were powdered dyes with the trade name Joe Bush. 53. Galunggong (mackerel) has the distinction to be the most widely caught fish in Philippine waters. 54. 8 ocho, walo, eight is the size of Imeldas shoes. 55. Ma Mon Luk credited to be the inventor of mami. He was a Cantonese immigrant who probably named the dish after his surname and the Chinese word for noodles which is mi. 56. The first ice cream parlor in the Philippines was called Clarkes Cafe located at Plaza Moraga in Binondo. It opened sometime in 1899. 57. Kristo the Tagalog name of bookmakers at cockfights. Hes called that because he poses like Jesus when he calls for bets and shouts the odds (arms extended like the Lord himself). 58. The first Greek fraternity in the Philippines is the University of the Philippines Upsilon Sigma Phi (established in 1918). It does not have any branches outside the UP system. Among its alumni are the preserved ex-President Ferdinand E. Marcos and his arch-nemesis, the late Senator Benigno Ninoy Forever Aquino. The first sorority with a Greek name is Sigma Delta Phi, also at UP and sister sorority of Upsilon Sigma Phi, established in 1938. (Partly contributed by Butch Bandong.) 59. Davao City is the largest city in the Philippines with an area of 2,211 sq. km., about three times the size of MetroManila. 60. Manila Hotel is the first building to be air-conditioned. 61. Philippine Airlines first flight was from Manila to Baguio on March 15, 1941. The plane was a twin-engine Beech Model 18 carrying five passengers. There was no attendant or lavatory. It reached Baguio in 45 minutes. 62. The largest employer in the Philippines other than the government is San Miguel Corporation which has over 39,000 full-time employees. 63. Luneta Hotel, corner T.M. Kalaw and Roxas Blvd is said to be the oldest multi-storyed building in the Philippines

PART II 1 The exotic jeepney is a post-war creation inspired by the GI jeeps that the American soldiers brought to the country in the 1940s. Enterprising Filipinos salvaged the surplus engines and came out unique vehicles of art. 2 Short distance and feeder trips could not be more exciting than via Philippine quick transports the tricycle, a motorcycle with a sidecar, and the pedicab, a bicycle with a sidecar. 3 The worlds longest underground river system accessible to man can be found at the St. Paul National Park in the province of Palawan. 4 The largest Philippine wild animal, the tamaraw, is a species of the buffalo that is similar to the carabao. It is found only in the island of Mindoro. 5 The highest mountain in the Philippines is Mt. Apo, a dormant volcano found in Mindanao, at 2,954 meters (9,689 feet). Mt. Pulog in Luzon is the second highest at 2,928 meters (9604 feet). 6 Filipino bowler Rafael Paeng Nepomuceno was the first bowler to be elevated to the International Bowling Hall of Fame based in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. The Philippine Congress has named him Greatest Filipino Athlete of All Time. 7 Philippine National Hero and writer Jose Rizal could read and write at age 2. He grew up to speak more than 20 languages, including Latin, Greek, German, French, and Chinese. What were his last words? Consummatum est! (It is done!) 8 The largest city in the Philippines is Davao City. With an area of 2,211 sq. km., it is about three times the size of the national capital, Metro Manila.

9 Cebu is the oldest Philippine city. 10 Negros Occidental has the most cities among Philippine provinces. 11 Filipinos celebrate the world s longest religious holiday. The Christmas season begins on September 1st, as chillier winds and Christmas carols start filling the air, and ends on the first week of January, during the Feast of the Three Kings. 12 Paskuhan Village in the province of Pampanga is Asia s only Christmas theme park and the third of its kind in the world. 13 The great Christmans lanterns of San Fernando, Pampanga can reach as big as 40 feet in diameter, using as many as 16,000 glowing bulbs. 14 The exotic jeepney is the Filipino version of the jitney, the taxi/minibus that travels along a fixed route, found in many countries. 15 The popular toy, the yoyo, was invented by 16th century hunters in the Philippines. 16 The word boondocks, which is now a part of the English language, dictionary, and vocabulary, comes from the Tagalog word bundok, meaning mountain. 17 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.

PART III 1 Diving paradise Anilao, in the province of Bat@ngas, is the theme of a picture book that bagged the International Prize for Underwater Images at the 27th World Festival of Underwater Images in France in November 2000. Anilao book creators and Filipino scuba divers Scott Tuason and Eduardo Cu Unjieng defeated big names in underwater photography such as Jacques Mayol, Pascal Kobeh, Monique Walker, and Alessandro Tommasi. 2 The biggest game preserve and wildlife sanctuary in the Philippines is located on Calauit Island in Palawan, which has the largest land area among the Philippine provinces. 3 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. Neither Aguilar nor the Philippine government received royalties. 4 Fernando Amorsolo was officially the first National Artist of the Philippines. He was given the distinction of National Artist for Painting in 1972. 5 Philippines Herald war journalist Carlos P. Romulo was the first Asian to win a Pulitzer Prize in Journalism in 1942. He was also aide-de-camp to General Douglas MacArthur in World War II; Philippine resident commissioner in the U.S. Congress from 1944-46; and the first Asian to become UN President in 1949. 6 The largest fish in the world, the Whale Shark, locally known as Butanding, regularly swims to the Philippine waters. 7 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. 8 On January 18, 1995, Pope John Paul II offered mass to an estimated 4 to 5 million people at Luneta Park, Manila, Philippines, making it to the Guiness Book of World Records for the Biggest Papal Crowd. 9 The Philippine Madrigal Singers bagged the 1997 European Choral Grand Prix, the choral olympics of the world s best choirs. The group, being the only Asian choir, bested five regional champions from all over Europe, earning them the title as the world s best choir. 10 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. 11 Of the 500 known coral species in the world, 488 are found in the Philippines. 12 Of the eight species of marine turtles worldwide, five are reported to be found in the Philippines: the Green Turtle, Hawkbill, Leatherback, Olive Ridley, and Loggerhead. 13 Of the eight known species of giant clams in the world, seven are found in the Philippines. 14 The Basilica of San Sebastian is the only steel church in Asia and was the second building to be made out of steel, next to the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

PART IV

y The exotic jeepney is a post-war creation inspired by the GI jeeps that the American soldiers brought to the country in the 1940s. Enterprising Filipinos salvaged the surplus engines and came out unique vehicles of art. y Short distance and feeder trips could not be more exciting than via Philippine quick transports the tricycle, a motorcycle with a sidecar, and the pedicab, a bicycle with a sidecar. y The worlds longest underground river system accessible to man can be found at the St. Paul National Park in the province of Palawan. y The largest Philippine wild animal, the tamaraw, is a species of the buffalo that is similar to the carabao. It is found only in the island of Mindoro. y The highest mountain in the Philippines is Mt. Apo, a dormant volcano found in Mindanao, at 2,954 meters (9,689 feet). Mt. Pulog in Luzon is the second highest at 2,928 meters (9604 feet). y Filipino bowler Rafael "Paeng" Nepomuceno was the first bowler to be elevated to the International Bowling Hall of Fame based in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. The Philippine Congress has named him Greatest Filipino Athlete of All Time. y Philippine National Hero and writer Jose Rizal could read and write at age 2. He grew up to speak more than 20 languages, including Latin, Greek, German, French, and Chinese. What were his last words? "Consummatum est!" ("It is done!") y The largest city in the Philippines is Davao City. With an area of 2,211 sq. km., it is about three times the size of the national capital, Metro Manila. y Cebu is the oldest Philippine city. y Negros Occidental has the most cities among Philippine provinces. y Filipinos celebrate the worlds longest religious holiday. The Christmas season begins on September 1st, as chillier winds and Christmas carols start filling the air, and ends on the first week of January, during the Feast of the Three Kings. y Paskuhan Village in the province of Pampanga is Asias only Christmas theme park and the third of its kind in the world.

y The great Christmans lanterns of San Fernando, Pampanga can reach as big as 40 feet in diameter, using as many as 16,000 glowing bulbs. y The exotic jeepney is the Filipino version of the jitney, the taxi/minibus that travels along a fixed route, found in many countries. y The popular toy, the yoyo, was invented by 16th century hunters in the Philippines. y The word "boondocks," which is now a part of the English language, dictionary, and vocabulary, comes from the Tagalog word "bundok," meaning "mountain." y 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. y Diving paradise Anilao, in the province of Batangas, is the theme of a picture book that bagged the International Prize for Underwater Images at the 27th World Festival of Underwater Images in France in November 2000. Anilao" book creators and Filipino scuba divers Scott Tuason and Eduardo Cu Unjieng defeated big names in underwater photography such as Jacques Mayol, Pascal Kobeh, Monique Walker, and Alessandro Tommasi. y The biggest game preserve and wildlife sanctuary in the Philippines is located on Calauit Island in Palawan, which has the largest land area among the Philippine provinces. y 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. Neither Aguilar nor the Philippine government received royalties. y Fernando Amorsolo was officially the first National Artist of the Philippines. He was given the distinction of National Artist for Painting in 1972.

y Philippines Herald war journalist Carlos P. Romulo was the first Asian to win a Pulitzer Prize in Journalism in 1942. He was also aide-de-camp to General Douglas MacArthur in World War II; Philippine resident commissioner in the U.S. Congress from 1944-46; and the first Asian to become UN President in 1949. y The largest fish in the world, the Whale Shark, locally known as Butanding, regularly swims to the Philippine waters. y The worlds 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.

y On January 18, 1995, Pope John Paul II offered mass to an estimated 4 to 5 million people at Luneta Park, Manila, Philippines, making it to the Guiness Book of World Records for the Biggest Papal Crowd. y The Philippine Madrigal Singers bagged the 1997 European Choral Grand Prix, the choral olympics of the worlds best choirs. The group, being the only Asian choir, bested five regional champions from all over Europe, earning them the title as the "worlds best choir." y 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. y Of the 500 known coral species in the world, 488 are found in the Philippines. y Of the eight species of marine turtles worldwide, five are reported to be found in the Philippines: the Green Turtle, Hawkbill, Leatherback, Olive Ridley, and Loggerhead. y Of the eight known species of giant clams in the world, seven are found in the Philippines. y The Basilica of San Sebastian is the only steel church in Asia and was the second building to be made out of steel, next to the Eiffel Tower in Paris. y The largest bell in Asia hangs at the belfry of the 221-year old Panay Church. It is 7 feet in diameter and 7 feet in height, and weighs 10.4 tons. Its tolling can be heard as far as 8 km. away. It was casted from 70 sacks of coins donated by the townspeople as a manifestation of faith and thanksgiving. y The World Cup, which was instituted in 1965, is contested annually by the national champions of the Federation Internationale des Quilleurs (FIQ). The highest number of wins is 4, by Filipino bowler Rafael Paeng Nepomuceno: 1976, 1980, 1992, and 1996.

y Filipino Eriberto N. Gonzales Jr. consumed 350 chilis in 3 minutes at the annual Magayon Festival chili-eating contest held at Penaranda Park, Legazpi, Albay on May 27, 1999, making it to the Guiness Book of World Records for the most chilis eaten. y The longest possible eclipse of the Sun is 7 min. 31 sec. The longest eclipse in recent times took place west of the Philippines on June 20, 1995, lasting for 7 min. 8 sec. y Camiguin province holds the distinction of having the most number of volcanoes per square kilometer than any other island on earth. It is also the only place in the Philippines which has more volcanoes (7) than towns (5). y The 900 sq m Relief Map of Mindanao in Dapitan City was personally done by Dr. Jose Rizal. It was used as a device for teaching history and geography to townsfolk.

y The Zamboanga Golf Course and Beach Park was founded in 1910 by Gov. John Pershing. It is one of the oldest golf courses in the Philippines. y Isabela City is the youngest city in the region. It was only on March 5, 2001 that the Municipality of Isabela, Province of Basilan was converted into a component city Through RA 9023. On April 25, 2001, Isabeleos ratified the new status of Isabela. y The Kinabayo is an exotic and colorful pageant re-enacting the Spanish-Moorish Wars, particularly the Battle of Covadonga where the Spanish forces under General Pelagio took their last stand against the Saracens. They were able to reverse the tide of war with the miraculous apparition of St. James, the Apostle. A Kinabayo Festival is celebrated every July in Dapitan City, attracting thousands of tourists to the city. y The altar at the Holy Rosary Cathedral in Dipolog City was designed by Dr. Jose Rizal. The Cathedral was erected by the Spanish friars sometime in 1895, before Dipolog City became a municipality. y The Rizal Shrine in Dapitan City is the original estate of Dr. Jose Rizal which he acquired by purchase during his exile in Dapitan from 1892 to 1896. y RA 8973 signed by then President Joseph E. Estrada in February 2001 created the province of Zamboanga Sibugay. A total of sixteen municipalities compose this newest province in the Zamboanga Peninsula. y Magat Dam is Asias biggest dam project at the time of its construction. It serves the primary function of power generation and irrigation.

y The Cagayan River or Rio Grande de Cagayan is the Philippines mightiest watercourse the longest and widest river in the country. Small streams originating form Balete Pass, Cordillera, Caraballo and Sierra Madre Mountains meet other streams and rivers and flow to the Cagayan River. y Magapit Suspension Bridge is the first of its kind in Asia. It spans the Cagayan River at Lallo and is 0.76 kilometers long. The hanging bridge links the first and second districts of Cagayan going towards the Ilocos Region via the scenic Patapat Road on the Ilocos Norte-Cagayan Inter-Provincial national highway. y Angono Petroglyphs This cultural heritage site dates back to circa 3000 B.C. and is the most ancient Filipino, or more aptly, prehistoric Filipino work of art. Besides being the countrys oldest work of art it also offers us an evocative glimpse into the life of our ancestors. The site has been included in the World Inventory of Rock Art under the auspices of UNESCO, ICCROM and ICOMOS and nominated as one of the 100 Most Endangered Sites of the World. y PANCIT HABHAB (Lucban)-Made from rice flour, these local noodles acquired its name and developed its unique attraction by the way it is eaten. Otherwise known as Pancit Lucban, these noodles are hawked in the streets and served

on a piece of banana leaf, sans fork or any other utensils. Thus, it is eaten straight from the leaf, licking permitted... "habhab"-style. y Tagala - the Philippines first Filipino-Spanish dictionary which was printed in 1613, 25 years older than the first book printed in the United States. y Mayon is the most beautiful mountain I have ever seen, the world-renowned Fujiyama (Mt. Fuji) of Japan sinking into perfect insignificance by comparison. British traveler-writer A. Henry Savage Landor y Ilo-Ilo golf and country club is the oldest golf club in the Philippines. It was built at 1908 by Irish Engineers. y Limasawa Island where Ferdinand Magellan first landed in the Philippines which give way to the discovery of the Philippines and where the first mass was celebrated. y San Juanico Strait - said to be the narrowest yet the most navigable strait in the world y Calbiga Cave The Philippines biggest karst formations and one of the largest in Asia, the 2,968-hectare cave system is composed of 12 caves with wide underground spaces, unique rock formations and sub-terranean watercourse. y At the Immaculate Conception Cathedral can be found the only existing pipe organ in Mindanao. The 2nd largest pipe organ in the Phiippines. The huge instrument took 2 years to built and was brought over by sea from Germany in 23 crates. y Cagayan de Oro City - The City of Golden Friendship, known for its warm people and old-fashioned hospitality

y Mt. Apo, the Philippines highest mountain at 10,311 feet above sea level, and considered as the Grand-father of all Philippine Mountains y Lake Lanao is the second largest lake in the Philippines, probably the deepest in the country and is considered one of the major tropical lakes in Southeastern Asia. The lake is home of endemic cryprinids, the species found only in the lake and nowhere else in the world. y Halo-Halo! Halo-halo literally means, "mix-mix". And its is just that: a mixture of sweetened fruits and beans, lavished with pinipig (crisp flattened rice flakes), sugar and milk, topped by crushed ice and ice cream. You know its summertime when halo-halo stand start sprouting by the roadside and by the beach, all whipping up their heavenly concoctions of such a refreshingly divine dessert. You can make your own by selecting and mixing your ingredients to make a perfect Halo-Halo. Halo-Halo is uniquely, unforgettably Filipino! y KALESA - The kalesa or karitela is a horse-driven carriage that was introduced during the 18th century. It was used by Spanish officials and the nobles as a means of transportation. The Ilustrados, the rich Filipinos who had their own businesses, used the kalesa not only for traveling but as a means a means of transporting their goods as well.

y BAKYA-Made primarily of lightwood (laniti and santol trees), it is sculpted with a slope and shaved to a smooth finish, then painted with floral designs or varnished to a high sheen. The upper portions, which are made of rubber or transparent plastic, are fastened to the sides by thumb nails called "clavitos". The bakya industry prospered during the 1930s when the Filipinos began exporting these to the other countries. y SORBETES-This sweet treat was concocted in the early 1920's, a time where a single centavo could buy you almost anything. The process of this ice cream making and selling it in carts with colorful designs is still the same. Back in the old days, these ice cream dealers bred their own cows and milked them with their own hands to ensure the freshness and sanitation of the milk needed to make the "dirty ice cream". y Waling Waling Orchids - With some 800 to 1,000 species of orchids, the Philippines has one of the richest orchid floras in the world. Philippine orchids come in an amazing array of shapes, sizes and colors. Most grow only in oldgrowth forest, often on branches of huge trees dozens of meters above the forest floor. y Maria Teresa Calderon A Filipina World champion speed reader as listed in the Guinness Book of World Records

y In the Philippines, Filipinos were introduced to the English language in 1762 by British invaders, not Americans. Philippines is the world's 3rd largest English-speaking nation, next to the USA and the UK. y The Philippine Basketball Association is Asia's premier and the world's second oldest professional league. y Philippine Airlines took to the skies on March 15, 1941, using a Beech Model 18 aircraft amid the specter of a global war. It became Asia's first airline. y The world's largest pearl was discovered by a Filipino diver in a giant Tridacna (mollusk) under the Palawan Sea in 1934. Known as the "Pearl of Lao-Tzu", the gem weighs 14 pounds and measures 9 1/2 inches long and 5 1/2 inches in diameter. As of May 1984, it was valued at US$42 million. It is believed to be 600 years old. y Alto Broadcasting System (ABS) Channel 3, the first television station in the country, went on the air in 1953. y The world's second deepest spot underwater is in the Philippines. This spot, about 34,440 feet (10,497 meters) below the sea level, is known as the Philippine Deep or the Mindanao Trench. The Philippine Deep is in the floor of the Philippine Sea. The German ship Emden first plumbed the trench in 1927. y The symbolic name for the Philippines, Juan dela Cruz, is not a Filipino invention? It was coined by R. McCullochDick, a Scottish-born journalist working for the Manila Times in the early 1900s, after discovering it was the most common name in blotters. y Lipa City in Batangas is dubbed as the Rome of the Philippines because of the number of seminaries, convents, monasteries, retreat houses, and a famous cathedral located in it.

y Compostela Valley is known to be laden with gold, thus earning the monicker Golden Valley of Mindanao y Basilica of St. Martin de Tours in Taal, Batangas built by Augustinian Missionaries in 1572, is reputed to be the biggest catholic church in East Asia. It is so huge that it can house another big church y Kibungan is known as the Switzerland of Bengued because of the frost during the cold months

y The Delmonte Pineapple Plantation in Bukidnon is considered to be the biggest in the far east y Both Tridacna gigas, one of the world's largest shells, and Pisidum, the world's tiniest shell, can be found under Philippine waters. Tridacna gigas grows as large as one meter in length and weighs 600 pounds while Pisidum is less than 1 millimeter long. A shell called glory of the sea (Connus gloriamaris) is also found in the Philippines and considered as one of the most expensive shells in the world. y Seahorses are small saltwater fish belonging to the Syngnathidae family (order Gasterosteiformes), which also includes pipefish and sea dragons. Most seahorse species, probably the most peculiar creatures in the water, live in the Coral Triangle. There are at least 50 known seahorse species in the world. They inhabit temperate and tropical waters but most of them are concentrated in the warm coastal waters of the Philippines. y Donsol, a fishing town in Sorsogon province, serves as a sanctuary to a group of 40 whale sharks (Rhincodon typus), which are considered as the largest fish in the world. Locally known as "butanding", whale sharks visit the waters of Donsol from November to May. They travel across the oceans but nowhere else have they been sighted in a larger group than in the waters of Sorsogon. They measure between 18 to 35 feet in length and weigh about 20 tons. y The Philippines is home to some of the world's most exotic birds. One of the most endangered species is the exotic Kalangay or the Philippine cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia), which belongs to Psittacidae or the family of parrots. Some cockatoos can live up to 50 years. They are known for mimicking human voices. Most of them measure 33 centimeters in length and weigh 0.29 kilogram. y Palawan bearcat is neither a bear nor a cat. Known in Southeast Asia as binturong, the bearcat is a species of its own, with population in the forests of Palawan, Borneo, Burma and Vietnam. It belongs to the family of Viverridae (civets). The Palawan bearcat has a long body and a pointed face leading to the nose. Its head and body measure 61 to 96 centimeters in combined length while its tail is almost as long. It weighs 9 to 14 kilograms and lives up to 20 years. y Calamian Deer - Calamian Islands, north of Palawan province, keep a species of deer that cannot be found elsewhere. Scientists referred to the hog deer in the islands as Calamian deer in order to distinguish them from other hog deer in the world. An ordinary Calamian deer measures 105 to 115 centimeters in length and 60 to 65 centimeters high at the shoulder and weighs about 36 to 50 kilograms. It is said to have longer and darker legs, compared with other hog deer.

y World's Smallest Hoofed Mammal - South of Palawan, lies the Balabac Island, home of the world's smallest hoofed mammal - the Philippine mouse deer. Locally known as Pilandok (Tragalus nigricans), this ruminant stands only about 40 centimeters at the shoulder level. y Flying Lemur - One of the most distinct creatures on Earth lives in the Philippines. It doesn't have wings but it can glide across 100 meters of space in a single leap. Like the lemurs of Asia, it moves around at night. Its head resembles that of a dog while its body has similarities with the flying squirrel of Canada. In Mindanao, people call it "kagwang". Around the world, it is known as colugo or the flying lemur. y Did you know that the first four cities of Metropolitan Manila are: Manila, Quezon, Pasay and Caloocan y The flagpole located in Rizal Park, is where the starts of 0 kilometer reading in measuring all distances from Manila. y Quezon City is the second biggest city in the Philippines. y The Bonifacio Monument in Monumento, Caloocan City was designed by a noted Filipino sculptor Guillermo Tolentino y In 1916, in the Philippines, an offensive style of passing the ball in a high trajectory to be struck by another player (the set and spike) were introduced. The Filipinos developed the "bomba" or kill, and called the hitter a "bomberino". (source: http://volleyball.org/history.html)