The City of Cebu Philippines is the oldest and one of the most developed provinces in the country, the educational and commercial center of the Visayas area. The official language of Cebu is Cebuano, though its natives are also proficient in English, Tagalog and other Visayan languages. Roman Catholic is predominant, followed by several religious minorities such as Protestant churches, Taoists, Latter-Day Saints, Muslims, etc.

Cebu lies on the east of Negros Island. It also has Bohol in the southeast and Leyte in the east. It is enveloped by the straits of Cebu and Tanon and is located between 9deg25′N and 11deg15′N latitude and between 123deg13′E and 124deg05′E longitude in the center of the archipelago, approximately 365 miles south of Manila. Through air travel, it can be reached by about an hour.

This long narrow island of Cebu stretches 225 km or 140 miles from north to south. It is surrounded by 167 smaller islands like Mactan island, Bantayan, Daanbantayan, Malapascua, Olango and the Camotes Islands. For the most part, Cebu has rolling hills and rugged mountain ranges traversing the northern and southern lengths of the island.

The native people of Cebu are called Cebuanos. Most descended from Austronesians and some have Spanish and Chinese ancestry. Cebuano culture has preserved strong Hispanic traditions in its native culture. Contemporary music, movies, fastfoods and the wide use of English are dominant influences from Americans. Cebu takes pride in being the country’s oldest colonial city. In April 14, 1521, Magellan planted a large wooden cross that commemorates the archipelgo’s first encounter with the west. From mainland Cebu, Magellan crossed the channel to the island of Mactan in an effort to spread Christianity. The chieftain of Mactan, Lapu-lapu, together with his warriors, resisted the attempt and killed Magellan as he reached the shore. A monument now marks the historical site.

Cebu has, in recent years, become a model for independent industrial development. It is a busy capital, next to Manila, in comercial activity and cosmopolitanism. Shipping is a chief industry in Cebu. Manufacturing of processed foods, textiles, and chemicals are among other industries in the city. When it comes to rattan furniture Cebu is considered a world center for production. It is well known as the guitar producing capital of the Philippines. The guitar-making industry is centered in Maribago and Abuno on Mactan island, where a day’s production includes at least a hundred assorted instruments including mandolins, banjos and string basses.

Cebu Philippines is well known for its sun-drenched, white sand beaches and year-round tropical climate. In terms of accommodation, a good range of beach resorts from mid-priced to luxury is concentrated on Mactan Island. Mactan upholds the still unblemished allure of the quite uncongested countryside.

Off the northwestern tip of Cebu Island is Bantayan Island, now becoming popular among venturesome beach fanciers with a taste for excellent soft shell crabs. One the southwest coast, Moalboal, about three hours overland from cebu, has been a haven for scuba-diving enthusiasts as well as budget trallers, earning a reputation among some as “the Philippines’ best-kept secret.”

American city planner Daniel Burnham was the one who turned Baguio City into a summer recreational center. At present, Baguio City is a well-knwon destination for tourists who want to unwind and spend an enjoyable break. It is also a place of faith healing and a university town.

As one of the cleanest and greenest cities in the country, its notable golf areas, famous Kennon Road, legendary Burnham Park, Bridal Veil and Colorado waterfalls are some of the highlights of the city that opened Baguio to tourism. These tourist destinations have turned the city into a suiting location to spend vacation and to enjoy sights.

Among Baguio’s well-known attractions are the stunning lawns of Club John Hay Baguio, the Mansion House, Mines View Park, Philippine Military Academy, Camp John Hay Baguio , Session Road, Baguio Flower Festival and the Burnham Park.

This famous northern city has its Baguio Country Club and Camp John Hay, which helped in turning it into a golf destination. This old rest-and-recreation base of the American military is at present a first-class resort with its huge pine tree conservation area.

The Mansion House, which is the official summer residence of Philippines presidents, houses a museum of presidential memories.

Located quite close to it is the Wright Park, popular to horse riders. Wright Park, which is located at the eastern part of the city and fronting the main gate of the Mansion, is one of the many scenic parks in Baguio City. Its main features are a shallow elongated rectangular body of water known as the “Pool of Pines” and the park circle which is on one end of the park.

Tall pine trees and decorative street lights line both sides of the access road beside the pool. Native handicrafts are also sold at the Mansion end of the park by a few Igorot peddlers.

Panoramic views of the old mines of Benguet can be found at the Mines View Park. A flea market is nearby for tourists who would like to buy native trinkets for souvenirs.

There are also pilgrimage sites located on top of a hill for devotees. These include the Baguio Cathedral, the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes and the Bell Church, which holds religious service of combined Buddhist, Christian, Confucian and Taoist dogmas, and is also a popular venue of fortune telling.

The Philippine Military Academy, the vital military learning institution, has its own military museum inside the campus. Each Saturday morning, tourists are attracted by the cadets’ Parade in Review. Tam-awan Village, a recreation of a typical ethnic village with authentic tribal homes, was made possible by a native artist BenCab.

Dining is also one of the specialties of Baguio. Many well know restaurants and cafes are present in Baguio city, including Star Cafe, Dainty Restaurant, casa Vallejo, New Bonuan, Jade Restaurant, Barrio Fiesta, and many others cook and serve the best dishes in town. At the Hotel Monticello in Kennon Road, Hakuun Sanso Restaurant serves Japanese cuisines, while Rose Bowl Steak House and Resto in Harrison Road offers Chinese, American, and Filipino dishes.

Because of its elevation at 1372m above sea level, Baguio City has a cooler climate and is known as the summer capital of the Philippines. It is also nicknamed as the City of Pines. The presence of Saint Louis University and the University of Baguio proves that this city is not just a haven for tourists but also a venue for education. The City Hall Museum with its show of relics from the local Igorots also add to the education of those who look for.

About the Philippines: The Philippines is an archipelago in Southeast Asia composed of more that 7,100 islands. Many of the volcanic islands that constitute the archipelago are isolated. The 11 largest islands namely Luzon, Masbate, Mindoro, Palawan, Bohol, Cebu, Leyte, Samar, Negros, Panay, and Mindanao, account for more than 94% of the total land area.

The topography is generally hilly, rising to a high point of about 3 kilometers at Mount Apo, a volcano in the island of Mindanao. Luzon and Mindanao islands only have wide lowland areas. There are various dormant and active volcanos, particularly Mount Pinatubo in Central Luzon, which made a big noise in 1991.

Wildlife incorporates the carabao (water buffalo), monkeys, reptiles, and tropical birds. There are rich deposits of gold, lead, manganese, silver, nickel, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron ore and coal and an excellent hydroelectric and geothermal power impending. Volcanic steam provides an increasing factor of the nation’s power supply demands.

There are two distinct seasons, the Dry and the Wet. The dry season is somewhere between the month of March to June whereas the wet season is from the month of July to October. The period in between is neither too hot nor too wet for comfort. Humidity is relatively high, about 80%. The climate is warm but healthy. It was considered that it is one of the most favorable tropical climates all over the world.

The mean annual lowland temperature is about 27°C (80°F). Temperatures fluctuate more between day and night and high and low altitudes than between seasons.

The Filipino people is a mixture of races. Racially, most Filipinos are a mixture of Malaya and Mongoloid races, with some mixture of Chinese, Indian, Arab, Spanish, and American elements. The Spanish expression ‘mestizo’ is used to describe anyone of mixed blood.

Although the Filipino people speak a variety of languages and are spread across many islands, they have a rather high degree of cultural resemblance. The long fight for self-government, the utilize of Filipino (which is the national language) and English languages in the schools, the persuade of Christianity, and the rural-to-urban relocation have contributed to union. Least saturated are the Muslims of the south, the upland hill tribes, and recent Chinese immigrants.

Generally, Filipinos have these qualities: friendly, hospitable, devoted to family, respectful of authorities, devoted, sentimental and happy. They could easily adjust to new situations almost certainly because of the fact that they had been under several colonial rules in the past.