With over 7000+ islands in the Western part of the Pacific Ocean, the Philippines is famous for its long and sunny beaches, exotic weather, and natural wonders.
The Philippines is full of wonders, from underground rivers to rice terraces and biodiversity-rich hotspots. Check out these fun facts about the Philippines that’ll compel you to plan your visit here!
1. You Can Probably Spot An Animal Species Or Two Unknown To The Rest Of The World.
If you are an animal enthusiast and love spotting some rare animals in their natural habitat, then the Philippines has a lot to offer you.
From the rarest Tamaraw to Tarsier, the Philippines has some of the rarest animals in the world.
2. Philippines Is Heaven For Shopaholics
You can visit three of the world’s biggest shopping malls in the Philippines amongst the top 15.
You will have SM City North EDSA, SM Megamall, and SM Seaside City Cebu.
Aside from shopping, these shopping malls can be a giant air-conditioned escape from the unbearable summer heat of the Philippines
3. The Number 13 is a Big No-No Here.
Most Filipinos avoid the number 13. The number has a bad reputation worldwide, but they take it a notch higher in the Philippines.
They avoid the number to the extent that they will not have 13 people sitting at the same table.
Old Filipinos also maintained that the number of steps to the main entrance of a house is not a number divisible by three!
4. The Flag Denotes Whether It’s Wartime!
Unlike many countries, Filipinos use their national flag to indicate more than just their territory.
When the island country goes into a war situation, they hang their national flag upside down.
Usually, the color blue stays on the top part, and red is the bottom color of the flag.
5. On Camiguin Island, There Are More Volcanoes Than Towns.
The breathtaking island will resemble something that you find in Jurassic Park movies.
This volcanic island gets its nickname, ‘island born fire’, due to having the highest number of volcanoes in it.
There are 7 volcanos versus five towns to live in. Good for the citizens that volcanoes haven’t erupted since the 1950s.
6. They Used Yo-Yos as Weapons.
Ancient Filipinos used a hunting weapon with a stud attached to a 20-foot-long rope.
It was basically a yo-yo for hunting and the primary source of inspiration for our modern-day toy yo-yos.
The name yo-yo also comes from the Filipino Ilocano, meaning ‘come back’.
7. The Philippines Will Take Your Love For Bananas and Ketchup a Notch Higher.
If you love bananas and ketchup, then the Filipinos have got you.
They have this unique fruity ketchup made up of bananas. Love or hate this sweet, spicy, and vinegary ketchup is famous there.
On top of that, to make it look more like conventional tomato ketchup they used red dye so that you don’t see much difference.
8. You Can Spend Your Entire Life Learning the Philippines’s Languages.
Like its biodiversity, this island country also has a wide range of languages spoken in different parts.
There are 120 to 175 individual languages spoken, amongst which 171 are alive, and the rest died out due to not having any speaker.
So it won’t be surprising if you spend your entire life learning every language in the Philippines.
9. You Will Most Probably Come Across a Phillipino Nurse in Your Lifetime.
The Philippines is the world’s largest supplier of nurses. Roughly 25% of the world’s nurses are sourced from the Phillippines.
If you are from the US or nearby Canada, the chances of you getting treated by a Filipino nurse are even higher.
10. Visit the Second Closest Thing to the Mariana Trench.
Almost every travel junkie wishes to see the extreme parts of the globe, like the tallest places and the deepest sites.
If you wish to visit the world’s deepest point and have a lifetime experience but can’t manage to visit Mariana Trench, visit the Phillippines.
The Mindanao Trench near the Philippines in the Pacific Ocean is the second deepest place on the earth’s crust. Its depth is around 6.5 miles or 34,440 feet.
11. A President’s Dead Body was Kept On Ice For Almost Two Decades.
While the first elected Filipino president, Ferdinand Marcos, lay dead, officials kept deciding whether or not to bury his body in the cemetery reserved for Filipino heroes.
Unfortunately, the officials took almost two long decades to decide. Meanwhile, Mr. Marcos’ body had to lie on the ice for that entire time.
12. You Will Meet the Smallest Hoof Animal in the World.
If you love small bundles of cuteness, this animal found in the Philippines will be your next favorite.
The adorable mixture of mouse and deer is the world’s smallest hoof animal.
Locals call them Pilandok, only 15.8 inches tall at shoulder level.
13. The President’s Wife Was Fancier Than Any Hollywood Star
Then-president Ferdinand Marco’s wife, Imelda, was infamous for her fashion choices.
When the president and his family fled to the Malacañang Palace in Hawaii, the first lady left a big chunk of her wardrobe.
There were almost 15 mink coats, 508 gowns, thousands of handbags, and 1060 pairs of shoes from her rumored collection of 3000 pairs.
14. Rural Philippines Plant Palcentas Beneath The House After A Baby is Born
As creepy as it may sound, it is a ritual performed by rural Filipinos.
In rural areas, most people give birth at home and bury the placenta beneath the house.
They bury it along with an object, symbolizing what the parents hope the child will grow up to be. In the cities, this ritual is prohibited.
15. It is said that the Aswang Eats Unborn Children.
Aswang is a mythical female vampire-like creature famous in Filipino folklore.
It was also a part of a CW television hit called ‘Supernaturals’ in the “Fresh Meat” episode.
16. You Can Enjoy The Biggest Christmas Season
The Christmas season in the Phillippines is longer than in any country you have ever known.
Filipinos celebrate Christmas in September and officially end it in January with a big feast called the ‘Feast of the Three Kings’.
Similar to American thanksgiving, they have Noche Buena as their Christmas feast.