Mabuhay, (Hello), I am glad you stopped by and are reading this. I want to explain a little of the reason why I built this web site. I think one of the reasons is, it helps to relieve some of the home sickness that I have for the Philipines. The other reason is that I could tell people about the Philippines and give them information that they could use if they are planning to travel there for vacation, or maybe even retirement.

My life: I was born and raised in Davao City, Philippines until I reached adulthood, and then I moved to Manila, the capitol of the Philippines. I got a job there and went to further my education. After a few years I came to realize that if I wanted to have a better life for myself and family that I would have to move to a foreign country to make this happen because of the economy in the Philippines was not good at all.

To make a long story short I married an American, love him dearly, most of the time,he,he,he, just kidding!! and there you have it, here I am missing home. I have been here long enough now, over 7 years, that I also consider the USA my home also. I became an American citizen 2 years ago and I am very proud of that !! We go back to Davao City from time to time, most of the photo's in the album in this site are from the trip we took there last june of this year.

I have a site that is all about Davao City, Philippines, http://www.friendlyfilipinos.com  please take a look at it and it may help you to understand more about the Philippines. So with all that said I will try and take you on a trip, with information about my homeland. If you are looking for that special person to complete your life visit http://www.filipinasite.com  for more information on the beautiful people who make up the Philippines.

Another day!!, today I would like to give you some information on the 3 main islands of the philippines. Luzon (north), Visayas (central), Mindanao (south). These are the main area's of the philippines but there are 7,104 more islands that consist of the Republic of the Philippines.

Luzon, the largest and northernmost island group in the Philippines is over 100,000 sq. km in size. As such, it is home to about half of the country's population. Luzon, basically, divided into north and south has many tourist attractions. On top of that, this island group also dominates the country's cultural and economic affairs.

Visayas, Perhaps, the most popularly known islands for travelers to the Philippines is the Visayas. This tightly packed island group is made up of seven major islands namely Negros, Panay, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Samar and Masbate. Tourists often flock to Cebu and the northwest tip of Panay, the little island called Boracay and thus making these two places the most visited islands in the Visayas. 

 Mindanao, together with Sulu forms the second largest island group, which is at the southernmost of the country's 11 main islands. Oddly shaped, Mindanao's landscape is dominated by mountain chains running from north to south. Containing about 80% of the country's iron reserves, Mindanao is one of the richest islands in the Philippines. In the agriculture industry, over half of the country's pineapple, corn, coffee, copra, cocoa and abaca (hemp) is produced by the island of Mindanao. Apart from being one of the richest islands in terms of natural resources, Mindanao is also rich in offering many attractive tourist spots such as Davao and Cagayan de Oro. 

I will give you , in more detail about each of these areas in future post, but for now have to feed the family !! Have a good day.

Today I will talk a little about the biggest island Luzon., even though I worked and lived in the capitol, Manila for a number of years, I always traveled out of Manila to see the real provinces and how the majority of the filipino people live. If you are planning on visiting Luzon and you don't care for the hustle and bustle of big city life then I suggest traveling to some of the beautiful beaches northeast of Manila and there you will see the true lives of the filipinos.

Geographically, Luzon may not be more than one Philippine island among many. But socially, one could well consider it as the mainland of the Philippines. Luzon's biggest city, the capital of the Philippines, Metro Manila, leads in almost every aspect of life; it is the political, financial, social, educational, cultural and manufacturing center of The Country . Luzon also leads in tourist at-tractions of every kind: it has the world famous rice terraces in the central north, it has kilometer after kilometer of nice beaches in the northwest, and it even has, for those who do not want to see other tourists, in the northeast The Country 's region least frequented by tourists. 

Some of the areas that I visited where Tagaytay City it is as close to paradise as one can find. You'll receive a warm welcome in Tagaytay and throughout the Philippines. You'd be hard pressed to find a friendlier, kinder and more accommodating people than the Filipinos. With its cool climate and clean air, Tagaytay City is the perfect place for leisure activities like picnics, horseback riding, camping, great golfing at two championship courses, plus breath taking sightseeing. It makes for an affordable weekend getaway for most Filipino families, if they're astute enough to take advantage of the best bargains in Asia... Tagaytay offers a relaxing and safe haven where you can unwind and lay back after your long haul flight. Tagaytay is just a hop, skip and a jump from Manila's NAIA International Airport - Ninoy Aquino International Airport, about an hour away.

Zambales, is life in itself. It is gifted with the natural beauty of its surroundings. It has been touched by civilization yet has maintained its rustic glory and beauty. The province of Zambales is located on the western part of Luzon. It is 210 kilometers and approximately 3 hours drive from Manila. Zambales coastline is most famous for its sandy beaches and deep blue sea with coral reefs. Zambales is historical. The ancestral house of the most popular and beloved president, Ramon Magsaysay, is situated at Castillejos. The world-renowned Mt. Pinatubo can be found in Botolan. Zambales is perfectly suited for visitors seeking the authentic countryside living without going far from Manila.

These are just a couple of places that I have visited when living in Manila, it was such a relaxing experience to get away from the big city life and yet it was so close and not far to travel to. Well, see you later,, time for me to feed the gang again !!

I apologize for being away for the last couple of days, but my sons were home from school and they can be a handfull. Today I will give you a little information about Visayas.

The Visayas is a group of islands between Luzon and Mindanao. The main islands are Samar, Panay, Negros, Cebu and Leyte, the latter famous as the island first sighted by the Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan in the 16th century and as the landing point for the American liberation forces in 1944. Samar and Leyte are linked by the San Juanico Bridge, the longest in the country. 

  Cebu City: is the main resort of the Visayas. Cebu is the most densely populated island, a commercial centre with an international harbour, and the Philippines' second city. Sights include Magellan's Cross, a wooden cross planted by Magellan himself over 450 years ago to commemorate the baptism into the Christian faith of Rajah Humabon and his wife Juana with 800 followers, and Fort San Pedro, the oldest and smallest Spanish fort in the country, which was built on the orders of Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in 1565. 

Carcar: town, south of Cebu City, has many preserved Castillian houses, gardens and churches. The Chapel of the Last Supper in Mandaue City features hand-carved life-size statues of Christ and his apostles dating back to Spanish times. The Magellan Monument on Mactan Island was raised in 1886 to mark the spot where Magellan died, felled by the fierce chieftain, Datu Lapu-Lapu, who refused to submit to the Spanish conquerors. There is also a monument to Datu Lapu-Lapu honouring him as the first Filipino patriot. Maribago is the centre of the region's guitar-making industry. As well as many historical sites there are popular hotels, beach clubs and resorts. 

Iloilo: on Panay is an agricultural province producing root crops, vegetables, cocoa, coffee and numerous tropical fruits. The attractions include beach resorts and, in Iloilo City (reached by air), the 18th-century Miagao Church, a unique piece of Baroque colonial architecture with a facade decorated with impressions of coconut and papaya trees. Sicogon Island is a haven for scuba divers, and has mountains and virgin forests to explore. Boracay Island is another such island paradise, accessible by air via Kalibo, followed by a bus or jeepney ride to Malay, and finally by ferry or pumpboat to Cataclan. A survey considered its powdery-fine white-sand beach to be amongst the best in the world. 

Bohol Island: , just across the straits from Cebu in Central Visayas, is the site of some of the country's most fascinating natural wonders; hundreds of limestone hills, some 30m (100ft) high, that in summer look like oversized chocolate drops, earning them the name 'Chocolate Hills'. Covered by thin grass that dries and turns brown in the summer sun, they are a strange spectacle with mounds rising up from the flatlands, and are situated about 55km (34 miles) northeast of Tagbilaran City, the island's capital. Bohol also offers handsome white sand beaches and pretty secluded coves, accessible via good roads. The island is a coconut-growing area and its local handicrafts are mostly of woven materials: grass mats, hats and baskets. Baclayon Church merits a visit, as it is probably the oldest stone church in the Philippines, dating back to 1595. The island can be reached by plane or ferry. The air journey from Cebu to Tagbilaran takes 40 minutes. Ferries go from Cebu to Tagbilaran or Tubigon, another port north of the capital 

The Visayas region has some very beautiful resort areas, beautiful beaches and friendly filipinos. If you are planning a trip to the philippines, you won't want to miss these wonderful islands. Tomorrow I will tell you about Mindanao, that is where I was born and raised, until then !

Today I will talk about the island of Mindanao, where I grew up in Davao City.

 Mindanao together with Sulu forms the second largest island group, which is at the southernmost of the country's 11 main islands. Oddly shaped, Mindanao's landscape is dominated by mountain chains running from north to south. Containing about 80% of the country's iron reserves, Mindanao is one of the richest islands in the Philippines. In the agriculture industry, over half of the country's pineapple, corn, coffee, copra, cocoa and abaca (hemp) is produced by the island of Mindanao. Apart from being one of the richest islands in terms of natural resources, Mindanao is also rich in offering many attractive tourist spots such as Davao and Cagayan de Oro.

 Davao Known as the window to the island of Mindanao, Davao is a province that has much to offer visitors. A province bursting with life and vibrant color, Davao has been named one of the "25 best destinations" by the Philippine Tourism Board. Marked with rolling hills and fertile valleys, it is not unusual that this predominantly mountainous region is home to a fantastic species of flora and fauna. Thanks to Mother Nature, Davao is safe from typhoon which is also an important factor contributing to the marvelous blossoming of nature. Due to its rich texture of culture, history and tradition, Davao has become one of the most enchanting and popular destinations among tourists. In this province of diversity, one can witness Bagobos and Mandayas in full regalia or beautiful Muslim girls dressed in colorful malongs (fabric). Blessed with 244,000 hectare of land, Davao City, probably the world's biggest city is also a city of growth. A city bustling with many financial activities, Davao can easily experience an amazing growth. 

Cagayan de Oro, the capital of Misamis Oriental Province is a developing commercial and pleasure as well as educational center. Cradled between the gentle waters of Macabalan Bay and the ancient mountains of Mindanao's interior, this old coastal settlement is the normal jumping-off point for the start of an exciting adventure in northern Mindanao. Bisected by the Cagayan River, the large city of Cagayan de Oro boasts countless banks, shopping malls and government offices. Many years ago, the Spanish colonists added the words' De Oro' meaning 'of gold' to the name Cagayan. Although the Spanish were referring to the specks of gold they had discovered in the Cagayan River in those days, however, today, the terms have come to describe the 'golden friendship' offered by an old-fashioned city that is popular for its hospitality and warm people.

 I would love to have you visit the island of Mindanao, it is packed with culture and history and of course wonderful friendly filipinos. 

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