Sewerage and drainpipes portal / Drainage trays / Philippines - what country? Philippines: history, population, government and political system The capital of the Philippines now.

Philippines - what country? Philippines: history, population, government and political system The capital of the Philippines now.

29.01.2021

The Philippines is considered a special country in Asia. Indeed, even the dishes there are not as spicy as in other Asian countries. In addition, European colonists greatly influenced the Philippines. Therefore, the Philippines, which consists of many islands, can be considered an amazing Asian country with beautiful nature, waterfalls, ancient sights and white beaches.

Geography of the Philippines

The island state of the Philippines is located in the western Pacific Ocean in Southeast Asia. To the north across the strait is Taiwan, to the west across the South China Sea - Vietnam, and to the south are the islands of Indonesia. The total area of this country is 299,764 sq. km

The Philippines has more than 7,100 islands, the largest of which are Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Most of the territory of the Philippine Islands is covered with dense forests. The largest local peak - Mount Apo, whose height reaches 2 954 meters, is located on the island of Mindanao. In the Philippine Islands, earthquakes often occur, but they are not felt, because too weak.

The longest river in the Philippines is the Cagayan, with a length of 505 km. Cagayan, flows through the northern part of Luzon Island.

Capital

Manila is the capital of the Philippines. More than 1.8 million people now live in this city.

Official language of the Philippines

The Philippines has three official languages - Pilipino, which belongs to the Austronesian language family, and English and Spanish.

Religion

More than 90% of the population of the Philippines is Christian (mostly Catholics), and the remaining 10% are Muslims.

Government of the Philippines

According to the current Constitution, the Philippines is a presidential republic. Its head is the President, elected by popular vote for 6 years.

The bicameral parliament in the Philippines is called Congress, it consists of the Senate (24 senators, elected for 6 years) and the House of Representatives (240 members, elected for 3 years).

Administratively, the Philippines is divided into 17 regions and 80 provinces.

Climate and weather

The climate is tropical, hot and humid. The hottest months are from March to May. The rainy season begins in June and lasts until the end of October (typhoons are possible during this time). The coldest month is February (average air temperature + 21C), and the hottest is May (+ 36C).

The best time to visit the Philippines is from November to April. At this time, there is very little rainfall, and the air and sea are very warm.

The sea in the Philippines

The Philippines is washed by the Philippine Sea, which is part of the Pacific Ocean. The total length of the coast of all the Philippine islands is 36,289 km. Thus, the sea coast of the Philippines is the longest in the entire world.

The diving season in the Philippines runs from early November to late May. The peak diving season is from March to May.

Rivers and lakes

There are over 45 rivers in the Philippines. The longest of them is Kagayan, its length reaches 505 km. Cagayan, flows through the northern part of Luzon Island.

Culture of the Philippines

Spanish and American colonial customs have greatly influenced the culture of the Philippines. It was thanks to the Spaniards that the tradition of fiesta and carnivals took root in the Philippines.

Every January Manila hosts the most massive festival in the Philippines - "Day of the Black Nazarene". On this day (and this is January 9), several hundred thousand people take to the streets of Manila.

Tourists in the Philippines will be interested to see the Mango Festival, Aurora Festival, Ati-Atiha Festival, Pineapple Festival, Lantern Festival and many others.

All Philippine festivals are accompanied by colorful music, dance and theatrical performances. Most of the participants in these festivals take part in traditional national costumes.

Kitchen

Filipino cuisine is influenced by Chinese, Malay, Spanish and even American culinary traditions. The cuisine of the Philippines is not as famous for Europeans as, for example, Vietnamese, Thai or Chinese dishes. Filipino cuisine differs from other Asian cuisines in that it is less spicy. Although, of course, Filipinos also like to add spices to their dishes.

Spices (garlic, onion, ginger) are needed by the Filipinos in order to add flavor to dishes. As in other Asian countries, in the Philippines, the staple food is rice, as well as fish and seafood.

Adobo - a stew (chicken or pork) with garlic in soy sauce
Pansit - rice noodles with chicken, pork or shrimp along with vegetables
Tinola - chicken soup with ginger
Sinigang - a spicy soup made with pork, chicken, fish or shrimp
Lengua - fried beef tongue in savory sauce;
Calamares - fried shrimp / squid
Kare-kare - beef simmered;
Bopis is a spicy pork tripe.

Traditional soft drinks in the Philippines - "Sago" t Gulaman - sweet lemon balm drink, coconut juice, sweet drink "Taho".

Philippines landmarks

In the Philippines, you can see very interesting sights. So, on the island of Mindanao in the city of Davao there is a unique Apo National Park and a large orchid farm. On the same island, tourists can visit the medieval Spanish port of Pilar and several other natural parks. On the island of Sulu, you can visit local villages built right on the water.

On the island of Cebu there is a very old Spanish fort, built in the middle of the 16th century, as well as several medieval churches.

Some of the landmarks of the Philippines are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List - the city of Vigan, the underground river Puerto Princesa, rice terraces in the Philippine Cordilleras, the Church of St. Augustine in Manila, the Church of Miag-ao on Iloilo Island, the Paoya Church, the Church of Santa Maria, national park Tubbataha Reefs.

Cities and resorts

The largest cities in the Philippines are Caisson City, Kalookan, Davao, Cebu, Zamboanga, Antipolo and the capital is Manila.

The Philippines is known throughout the world for its fantastic sandy beaches. The infrastructure on most of the beaches is well developed, there are excellent opportunities for outdoor activities, including diving. By the way, some of the Philippine diving centers meet all international standards.

Top 10 best beaches in the Philippines:

Boracay Island. The length of the beach on this island is 5 km, the sand is white fine. It is considered one of the best beaches in the world.
Pagudpud. There can be strong winds here and therefore Pagudpud is a great surfing spot. Compared to Boracay, Pagudpud is considered to be more secluded and quiet.
Mactan Island. On this island, there are not only beautiful beaches, but also a fun nightlife. Suitable for tourists who want to do more than just sunbathe on the white beaches.
Panglao Island. Do you like diving? Then Panglao Island is just for you. A quiet, secluded island surrounded by coral reefs.
Camiguin. This beach is considered the "Garden of Eden". The beach is located near a beautiful waterfall, as well as hot and cold springs.
Dakak. This is a private beach, its length reaches 750 m. There are waterfalls and springs on the beach.
Honda Bay Islands. These islands are located in the southwestern province of Palawan. It is considered an excellent diving site.
El Nido. This island is located in the province of Palawan. El Nido is a quiet, secluded place with white beaches.
Pearl Farm. The resort is located in the south of the country near the city of Davao. It is considered one of the largest Philippine resorts.
Siargao. This beach is considered another popular diving destination in the Philippines.

Souvenirs / shopping

From the Philippines, tourists usually bring handicrafts, baskets, wallets, wallets, rugs, local hand-embroidered clothing, sarong clothes, scarves, musical instruments (eg bamboo flutes), figurines, hammocks, traditional Filipino knives, hats, Filipino delicacies (mangoes, for example, are best wrapped in a napkin to keep the fruit fresh).

Opening hours of institutions

Useful data for tourists about the Philippines, cities and resorts of the country. As well as information about the population, currency of the Philippines, cuisine, peculiarities of visa and customs restrictions of the Philippines.

Geography of the Philippines

The Republic of the Philippines is a state in Asia. Consists of many islands located in Pacific between Indonesia and Taiwan.

The country includes more than 7.1 thousand islands, of which about 1000 are permanently inhabited, and more than 2500 are not only not inhabited, but do not even have a name. The islands are located in three groups - the northern island of Luzon and adjacent islands, the central Visayan group (about 6 thousand islands) and southern Mindanao with the surrounding islands. The Philippines is a predominantly mountainous country.

State

State structure

Democratic republic. The head of state and government is the president. The legislature is a bicameral Congress.

Language

Official language: Filipino

English, Chinese and Spanish are used.

Religion

The majority of believers are Christian Catholics (83%) and Protestants (9%), there are also Muslims (5%), Buddhists, etc.

Currency

International name: PHP

The Philippine peso is equal to 100 centavas. In circulation there are banknotes in denominations of 1000, 500, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 pesos, coins of 5 and 1 pesos, as well as 25 and 10 centavos.

Banks in Manila and other major cities can usually exchange pounds sterling and euros. Outside the capital, servicing other foreign currencies is quite problematic; only branches of the Central Bank of the Philippines offer an exchange rate close to the official one.

The American dollar is widely accepted throughout the Philippines and is often more convenient to use than travel checks. Prices are often quoted in both Philippine pesos and dollars.

Banks, shops and hotels in major cities of the country accept credit cards major world systems and traveller's checks, in the province their use is unlikely. To avoid additional conversion costs, it is recommended to bring traveller's checks in US dollars.

History of the Philippines

The Philippine archipelago was mapped by the famous Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. The Philippines was later invaded by the Spaniards, who fought with Portugal to colonize the world. The archipelago was named Felipinas in honor of King Philip II of Spain and includes 7107 islands and islets stretching 1,854 kilometers from north to south. The Philippines has become a window to the New World, stretching from China in the north to the Indonesian archipelago in the south.

Spanish rule lasted from the 16th to the 19th centuries. On June 12, 1898, the Philippines declared its independence. As soon as Spanish rule ended, the Philippines came under US influence. Spain leased the Philippines to Americans for $ 20 million. A new battle for the independence of the Philippines began. The War of Independence ended in 1905. In 1935, the Commonwealth government adopted its constitution. With the outbreak of World War II, the Philippines was invaded by Japan. In 1945, US military forces liberated the Philippines, and on July 4, 1946, the American flag was raised for the last time over the Philippines - the country gained independence.

The Philippine archipelago was mapped by the famous Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. The Philippines was later invaded by the Spaniards, who fought with Portugal to colonize the world. The archipelago was named Felipinas in honor of King Philip II of Spain and includes 7107 islands and islets stretching 1,854 kilometers from north to south. The Philippines has become like a window to the New World, stretching from China in the north to the Indonesian archipelago in the south ....

Philippines map

Popular attractions

Philippines Tourism

Where to stay

The Philippines is an island state and has about seven thousand large and small islands, which are real paradises. Accommodation here is relatively inexpensive, the tourist infrastructure is quite developed. Here you will find both elite-class hotels and cozy rooms in small private hotels.

The Philippine Islands Tourism Department strictly regulates hotel classification. It includes four levels, the highest of which is Delux, followed by first class, standard and economy. In addition, there is a separate category - Special Interest Resort. It is noteworthy that some hotels have stars by analogy with European ones, but they are assigned either by the owner himself or by a representative of the tourist business, so this classification is very arbitrary.

Famous world hotel chains such as Hyatt, Hilton, Shangri-La can be found in Manila. The Discovery Leisure hotel chain, owned by the Philippines, is more popular on the islands. Delux hotels usually occupy the entire territory of one of the small islands, here you will be offered not only high-quality service, but also additional services - swimming pools, spas, sports grounds, shops and much more.

For those who prefer to immerse themselves in the local flavor, special tourist villages have been built, consisting of bungalows. All buildings are made in a traditional style, from environmentally friendly materials. However, you can not count on TV and telephone here. On the larger islands, you can rent a villa. The Ministry of Tourism has developed a special program, thanks to which tourists can get to know the local traditions better by settling in one of the families.

In budget hotels, it is worth checking in advance the availability of a bathroom in the room. Otherwise, the service is pretty good here.

Popular hotels

Tips

Tipping in most establishments is 5-10% of the bill (including in a taxi, for hotel and restaurant services), but usually service personnel are added for service in excess of this percentage.

Opening hours of institutions

Banks are open from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 4 pm.

Medicine

Vaccination against hepatitis A and B is recommended. In case of arrival from areas where yellow fever is spread (within 6 days after departure or transit from those), a vaccination certificate is required (children under 1 year of age are exempt). Prophylaxis against malaria is recommended. The risk of contracting Japanese encephalitis exists between April and January in the western regions of Luzon, Mindoro and Palawan. There are also natural foci of rabies and dengue fever. Penicillin-resistant gonorrhea and syphilis are common in certain areas of Cebu and Manila.

Have you decided to organize a vacation in the Philippines? Looking for the best Philippines hotels, hot tours, resorts and last minute deals? Interested in the weather in the Philippines, prices, the cost of the tour, do you need a visa to the Philippines and would a detailed map be useful? Would you like to see what the Philippines looks like in photos and videos? What are the excursions and attractions in the Philippines? What are the stars and reviews about hotels in the Philippines?

Republic of the Philippines- a state in Asia. Consists of many islands located in the Pacific Ocean between Indonesia and Taiwan.

Philippines airport

Davao Francisco Bangoy International Airport

Diosdado Macapagal International Airport

Zamboanga International Airport

Caticlan Godofredo P. Ramos Airport

Mactan Cebu International Airport

Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport

Olongapo City Subic Bay International Airport

Puerto Princesa International Airport

1 - 5 star hotels in the Philippines

Philippines weather

Tropical marine and subequatorial, monsoon. The rainy season is from June to September. From June to October - destructive typhoons. The best time to visit the country is from late September to mid-May.

Average air temperature in Manila t ° C

Language of the Philippines

Official language: Filipino

English, Chinese and Spanish are used.

Currency of the Philippines

International name: PHP

The Philippine peso is equal to 100 centavas. In circulation there are banknotes in denominations of 1000, 500, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 pesos, coins of 5 and 1 pesos, as well as 25 and 10 centavos.

The American dollar is widely accepted throughout the Philippines and is often more convenient to use than travel checks. Prices are often quoted in both Philippine pesos and dollars.

Banks, shops and hotels in major cities of the country accept credit cards of the major world systems and traveller's checks; in the provinces, their use is unlikely. To avoid additional conversion costs, it is recommended that you bring traveller's checks in US dollars.

Customs restrictions

Duty free can be imported: alcoholic drinks - 2 bottles, cigarettes - 400 pieces, or cigars - 50 pieces, or tobacco - 250 g, food, household items and things - within personal needs. The import of firearms, items, imitating them, explosives, ammunition is prohibited; written or printed materials of an anti-government or inhumane nature; materials, photographs, prints and other images of a pornographic nature; any drugs and their components. The export of antiques, paintings, items made of gold, wood, ivory is prohibited. Allowed export of cigarettes - 200 pieces, or cigars - 50 pieces, or tobacco - 500 g; alcoholic beverages - 0.95 liters.

The import of foreign currency is not limited (the declaration is required if the amount exceeds 3000 US dollars. The export of imported foreign currency is allowed. The export and import of the national currency is prohibited.

Mains voltage

Tips

Tipping in most establishments is 5-10% of the bill (including in a taxi, for hotel and restaurant services), but usually service personnel are added for service in excess of this percentage.

Opening hours of institutions

Banks are open from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 4 pm.

Restrictions

At some popular resorts (Davao, etc.), a strict ban on smoking in public places has been introduced, for violation of which a large fine is imposed, and if the violator is caught three times, he will be jailed for several days.

Security

Travelers are advised to avoid visiting most areas of Mindanao Island, the Zamboanga Peninsula and the Sulu Archipelago, where ethnic and religious conflicts occur almost constantly. The safety of maritime transport is also not ensured throughout the country - dozens of bands of sea pirates have found shelter in the countless bays and bays of the archipelago.

Code of the country: +63

Geographic first level domain name:.ph

Medicine

Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice must have been boiled. Milk is usually not pasteurized and must be heat-treated. Meat and fish should only be eaten thoroughly, preferably hot (freshly cooked). Vegetables must be pre-cooked, and the fruits must be washed and peeled.

Emergency phones

Police and rescue services - 166.

The official name is the Republic of the Philippines (Republika сg Pilipinas, Republic of the Philippines). Located on 7107 islands of the Philippine archipelago southeast of the Eurasian mainland. The area is 300.8 thousand km2, the population is 84.5 million people. State language - Filipino; official languages are Filipino and English. The capital is Greater Manila, since 1975 it consists of Manila proper and 16 satellite cities with a population of 9.2 million people. (2002). State holiday - Independence Day on June 12 (since 1970). The monetary unit is the peso (equal to 100 centavos). The Philippines claims ownership of 8 islands in the Spratly archipelago in the South China Sea.

Member of the UN (since 1945) and its committees and organizations, as well as the IMF, IBRD, APEC, ASEAN (1967), etc.

Philippines landmarks

Geography of the Philippines

Located between 21 ° 25 'and 4 ° 23' north latitude and 116 ° 40 'and 127 ° east longitude. They are washed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea. In 100 km from the archipelago in the Pacific Ocean there is a Philippine depression with a depth of 10 789 m. The coastline is approx. 18 thousand km is indented, there are few good harbors. The largest islands are Luzon (105 thousand km2) and Mindanao (95 thousand km2). All maritime borders: with Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and the island of Taiwan. More than 3/4 of the territory of the Philippines is mountains and hills. The largest mountain system is the Central Cordillera (with the highest point at 2934 m) on the island of Luzon. Highest point Philippines - Apo volcano (2954 m) on the island of Mindanao. Lowland - narrow strips along the coast or along the course of rivers. The largest plains are the Central, or Manila, on the island of Luzon and Cotabato on the island of Mindanao. There are few lakes, the largest are Laguna de Bai, Taal and Lanao. St. 400 rivers, mostly small, they are rapids and stormy; the largest - Cotabato (550 km) and Kagayan (350 km) are navigable in the lower reaches. 5 inter-island seas - Sibuyan, Samar, Visayan, Kamote and Mindanao (the last is the deepest - 1975 m). Laterite soils prevail. Among 10 thousand plant species, more than 9 thousand are higher, 40% of the species are endemic, 5.5 million hectares are covered with forest. The fauna is peculiar: a large percentage of endemics, large mammals are absent, more than 450 bird species. The seas are rich in fish - more than 2 thousand species; some shells produce mother-of-pearl and pearls. Large deposits of copper ore (probable reserves in metal are 9.2 million tons), chromite (10-15 million tons), gold-bearing ore (14 million tons), iron (590 million tons), nickel (3 million tons in metal). Fuel and energy resources do not meet the country's needs, oil is imported. The climate is tropical monsoon type. The annual rainfall is from 1000 to 4500 mm, the annual air temperature is approx. + 27 ° С with an oscillation amplitude of 2-4 ° С. The archipelago is prone to typhoons.

Population of the Philippines

Since the 1970s. the population doubled and the annual growth rate fell from 2.9% to 1.1%. Child mortality 31 people. per 1000 newborns (2001). 59% of the total population lives in cities. There are slightly more men than women. The average life expectancy is 69 years. The population is young. Almost 95% of the population over 15 years old is literate. More than ½ Filipinos speak English.

The population is multi-ethnic - up to 100 ethnic groups; large - Bisayans (1/3 of the population), Tagals (1/4 of the population; play a leading role in the life of the country), Ilokans, Bikols. The indigenous population is homogeneous anthropologically, belongs to the South Asian variety of the Mongoloid race, speaks almost 100 related languages (the Philippine group of the western branch of the Austronesian language family). Of the small peoples, the Aeta, or Negritos, stand out - the descendants of the Negro-Australoid aborigines of the equatorial race. The non-indigenous population is dominated by the Chinese. According to the Constitution, the church is separated from the state, and the freedom of religion is confirmed. The overwhelming majority of the population is Christians, including St. 80% are Catholics (they were converted to Catholicism by the Spaniards in the 17th century), more than 5% are Protestants, 5-6% are Muslims, approx. 2% - animists, etc.

History of the Philippines

From antiquity to the beginning of European expansion (last quarter of the 16th century), the Philippines is a peripheral part of the cultural and historical Malay-Indonesian area. Since the 1580s. to the end. 1890s The Philippines is a colony of Spain, freed from colonial dependence as a result of the national revolution of 1896-98. With the victory of the rebels in 1898, the First Independent Republic was formed and the democratic Constitution of 1898 was adopted. In the same year, under the terms of the Paris Peace Treaty, which ended the Spanish-American War of 1898, the Philippines as a colony ceded to the United States. From 1901 and almost the entire 1st half. 20th century The Philippines is a colony of the United States, which proclaimed a liberal course for preparing Filipinos for self-government (in particular, they introduced a system of elections and parties since 1907). Since 1934, the United States has introduced a regime of autonomy in the Philippines - a 10-year "transition period" before full sovereignty. In 1935, the Constitution was adopted, and the Filipino President M. Quezon (1935–44) was elected. In 1941-45, the Philippines survived the Japanese occupation. After the expulsion of the occupiers (spring 1945) - the beginning of decolonization. In April 1946 - the election of the first president of the independent Philippines - M. Rojas (1946-48), a protege of the United States, an extremely conservative politician. The American model of decolonization, which in many ways infringed upon the sovereignty of the Philippines, did not suit most Filipinos. Social tension resulted in the bloody peasant war of 1948-53, led by the communists. The decisive role in the defeat of the uprising was played by R. Magsajsay, since 1950 - the Minister of Defense, then the President of the Philippines (1954-57). All R. 1950s - mid. 60s in the Philippines, a kind of façade "oligarchic" democracy was established (real power was in the hands of several landowning clans that manipulated democratic laws and institutions). Since 1965, the President of the Philippines, F. Marcos, was re-elected in 1969. In September 1972, he declared a state of emergency in the Philippines, establishing a regime of personal power. His plans for an accelerated modernization were not implemented due to the growth of corruption, Crownism, and the crisis in the economy (the turn of the 1970s-1980s). In February 1986, the dictatorship was destroyed as a result of mass bloodless actions in Manila by opponents of authoritarianism (the "people's power" revolution). For the first time in the history of the Philippines, a woman became president - K. Aquino (1986-92). A democratic constitution was adopted in 1987. Otherwise, the economic crisis continued to deepen and destabilization continued. F. Ramos (1992-98), the only post-authoritarian leader who managed to stabilize the situation, won the 1992 elections. In contrast to the reformer Ramos, the populist, former film actor J. Estrada, who was convicted of corruption and removed from power in 2000 (the revolution "people rule-2"), won the elections in 1998. Since January 2001, the President of the Philippines is again a woman politician G. Macapagal-Arroyo. Her government received a heavy legacy from J. Estrada, and so far attempts to improve the economy and resume the course of modernization are ineffective.

Government and political system of the Philippines

The Philippines is a democratic unitary state, a republic with a presidential form of government. The Constitution adopted in 1987 is in force. Administratively, the Philippines is divided into provinces (73), united into 17 administrative and economic regions, municipalities, barangai (rural districts). Large provinces: Pampanga, Risal, Quezon, Ilocos (North and South), Cebu, Iloilo, Magindanao, etc. Major cities: Greater Manila, Davao, Cebu, Iloilo, etc.

The principles of public administration are based on the election of government bodies and the division of its branches - legislative, executive, judicial. The highest legislative body is the bicameral congress. The upper house is the Senate (24 senators aged at least 35), elected for 6 years with midterm elections every 3 years and the right to be re-elected for a second term. The head of the upper house is the president of the senate, who is elected by the senators. The House of Representatives (head - speaker) is elected for 3 years, consisting of no more than 250 deputies (from the age of 25) with the right to be re-elected for 3 terms. The President of the Philippines has the supreme executive power (age for election is at least 40 years old, residence in the Philippines for at least 10 years before the elections). The president (and with him the vice president) is elected for 6 years without the right to be re-elected for a second term. At the same time, he is the head of state, government (forms a cabinet responsible to him), the supreme commander in chief. The president cannot dissolve parliament, but has veto power when bills are passed through Congress. In extreme situations, the president has the right to declare a state of emergency for a period limited by Congress.

The Philippines has universal suffrage for all citizens over the age of 18. The electoral system of the Philippines is of a mixed type, including elements of a majoritarian (presidential-vice-president election, as well as senators by direct secret ballot of the Philippine electorate) and a modified proportional system. Elements of the latter are present in elections to the lower house (the principle of proportional representation in voting by constituencies and party lists). The persistence of stereotypes of traditional political culture in the political system of the Philippines (clannishness in politics, the system of paternalistic vertical ties, etc.) negatively affects the electoral system. The Philippines is among the developing countries with stable high level violations of the electoral law - the practice of trading votes, falsifying ballots, pressure from above on the electorate, outbreaks of open violence, etc.

Prominent presidents: President of the Autonomous Philippines - M. Quezon (1935-44), known for a unique phenomenon of mass popularity, combined with a tough style of government, pro-Americanism and anti-communism; F. Marcos (1965-86), who failed the modernization program, but deserves attention by reorienting the unilateral pro-American foreign policy of the Philippines to expand cooperation and partnership with Asian states; F. Ramos (1992-98), a pragmatist and intellectual who achieved success in economic modernization and stabilization of society without breaking democratic structures and legal order.

Local governments - provincial governors, city mayors, provincial legislative assemblies, municipal councils - are formed on the basis of the same electoral system as the highest authorities. At the local level, the principles of decentralized management have been introduced, the authorities have been given broad powers in the field of budgetary, tax policy, etc. Their activities are controlled by Congress (a source of corruption among both Congressmen and local leaders).

The Philippines is characterized by an unformed multi-party system that includes fragile conglomerates of traditional parties (associations around leaders, not programs). Two formerly leading parties - the Nationalists (founded in 1907) and the Liberal (founded in 1946) - failed to consolidate after the dispersal during the years of authoritarianism; at present, these are weak formations and factions in the composition of both pro-government and opposition coalitions and blocs. The pro-presidential coalition "Lakas" ("Power of the People") unites several parties and blocs, incl. such as the "National Union of Christian Democrats", "Struggle for Filipino Democracy", "Party of Provincial Development" and others. Opponents of "Lakas" - "Party of the masses" of the ex-president of Estrada, "People's Party of Reforms" and others. Left flank of the opposition - the legal "Party of Workers" (founded in 2001) with a program of peaceful forms of struggle for the interests of the working people. Left radical illegal, operating from the end. 1960s Communist Party of the Philippines (left), leads the armed guerrilla of the New People's Army and is a member of the National Democratic Front.

Leading business organizations: Philippines Chambers of Industry and Commerce; Federation of Philippine-China Chambers of Commerce.

Active elements of civil society are non-governmental organizations (NGOs), their development is encouraged by the state, in particular, in the form of financial support. Areas of NGO activity - protection the environment, work to improve the lives of peasants, etc. They participate in politics: in elections and as organizers of mass peaceful demonstrations with a pro- and anti-government orientation. Anti-globalization organizations are at the stage of formation, adhere to the tactics of non-violent actions. Major NGOs in the Philippines: Village Reform Movement, Green Forum, etc.

The main tasks in the field domestic policy Philippines - implementation of economic modernization as the basis for stabilizing society; consolidation of the political elite around the presidential reform program, suppression of the opposition, especially its extremist currents. None of these tasks are performed. Criticism of President Arroyo for his indecision in the fight against corruption, Crownism, inability to solve the problem of poverty and eliminate the hotbed of violence in the Muslim South comes not only from her opponents, but also from his inner circle (representatives of the middle class, the leadership of the Catholic Church, the military elite). The internal political state of the Philippines remains uncertain and unstable.

The formation of the foreign policy of the Philippines and the adoption of foreign policy decisions are concentrated in the hands of the president (maximum powers), the Philippine Foreign Ministry, its head (often at the same time the vice president), the Security Council, and the National Intelligence Coordination Agency. The 1987 Constitution strengthened the role of the Congress in shaping the foreign policy course (international agreements enter into force only after their ratification by 2/3 of the members of the Senate). Since the presidency of Marcos, the foreign policy of the Philippines has been based on subjectivity in international relations, the priority of ensuring national interests, independence and multilateralism of diplomacy. With the multipolar system of foreign policy relations of the Philippines, special attention is paid to active equal participation in regional affairs and new integration processes in the SEVA region. At the same time, the political elite of the Philippines has never faced the question of giving up the priority of relations with the United States (weakened in the early 1990s after the withdrawal of American military bases from the Philippines) as a guarantor of regional and national security. Under the Arroyo government, the US military presence in the archipelago has been restored, so far in a format that does not violate the Philippine Constitution. As the US included the Philippines in an international terrorism zone, Arroyo brought in US military advisers and counterterrorism experts to assist local troops in operations against Muslim separatists. The strengthening of pro-Americanism in the foreign policy of the Philippines worries their ASEAN partners (especially Muslim countries) and causes an increase in anti-Americanism among Filipinos, who fear the possibility of direct American participation in military operations (in violation of the Constitution). Meanwhile, the Muslim South is still far from reconciliation. One of the reasons is the low professionalism and outdated technical equipment of the Philippine army, the weakest in the ASEAN countries. The army in the Philippines is regular, formed partly on the basis of universal conscription (from the age of 20), partly from persons who are hired for 3 years under contracts. Consists of the Ground Forces, the Air Force and the Navy. The total number is less than 200 thousand people. The Constitution establishes the priority of civilian power over the Armed Forces, the military cannot engage in business and politics (except for participation in elections). But among part of the officer corps, dissatisfaction with the ineffectiveness of state policy is brewing, so attempts at military conspiracies and rebellions are not excluded (such precedents have already happened during the presidency of K. Aquino).

The Philippines has diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation (established with the USSR in 1976).

Philippines Economy

The Philippines is one of the five most advanced economies in Southeast Asia, known as the Second Wave Asian Tigers. The economic policy of all governments of the period of independence reflected the nature of the political regime, for example, authoritarian under F. Marcos, "new democracy" under K. Aquino, F. Ramos, G. Arroyo. The Philippines, later than other countries of the "five" (it includes, in addition to the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia), began to modernize the economy. The country suffered several serious economic and socio-political crises, which greatly weakened the economy and held back its modernization. Since 2000, the negative impact on the Philippines of the recession in the world economy, especially in the United States, and the aggravation of the socio-political situation in the country itself, incl. separatist armed uprisings in Muslim areas in the South. The restructuring of the economy is hindered by the corrupt bureaucracy and the management of the so-called. kroni, or "buddies". Important economic reforms remain largely on paper.

Since the 1970s. The Philippines began to lag behind the rest of the more economically developed countries of Southeast Asia in terms of economic growth. In 2003, the rate of economic growth increased to 4.5%, and the volume of GDP - up to 80 billion US dollars.

The share of personal consumption in GDP consumption is the highest: in 2001 it amounted to 2,561.2 billion pesos, 5.8 times higher than government spending and 4.1 times higher than gross savings. The gross national income per capita in 2001 was US $ 1,050, and more than 1/4 of the population was below the poverty line. Most of this group is in rural areas. Sharp inequality in income distribution remains an acute problem. Inflation rate 4.5% (2003).

3/4 of the labor force, or 32.5 million people, was the labor force, incl. 29.4 million were employed and 3.1 million were unemployed. With an increase in the technological level of production, the quality of labor indicators changes - the number of qualified specialists is growing. Labor legislation is in effect from the end. 1980s and applies only to a minority of the labor force - members of trade unions. It defines wage issues, including minimums and allowances, working hours, etc. Pensions and other benefits are provided by two insurance organizations, unemployment assistance is provided exclusively by charitable organizations.

The sectoral structure of GDP (1981 and 2001,%): industry 39.2 and 31.2, agriculture 24.9 and 15.2, services 35.9 and 53.6.

In industry, the greatest changes in the technical level took place in the largest group of industries - manufacturing. But its share (like that of the entire industrial sector) fell to 22.4% of GDP in 2001; the share of construction increased to 5.4%, utilities to 3%, and mining fell to 0.2%. The structure of the manufacturing industry is changing most noticeably due to an increase in the production of high-tech products for export.

In agriculture, the most backward sector of GDP, 2/3 of the cost falls on agriculture, 1/3 - on the rest of the sectors - livestock, poultry, fishing and forestry. For the local market, rice and corn, vegetables and fruits are mainly grown, but there is not enough food.

The largest branch of the service sector is trade, which accounted for 14.6% of GDP in 2001, followed by personal and public services - 11.7% and 9.9%, respectively, and other services (real estate transactions, transport, communications, warehouse economy and financial transactions) - 17.4%. Trade, both in value and in terms of the number of employees, prevails among other services. Wholesale prices are growing more slowly than consumer prices - in 2001 they increased to 134.7 points against 1995 = 100, and consumer prices - up to 149.6 points.

In the Philippines, an island and mountainous country, an important place is occupied by the transportation of passengers and goods by road and shipping. There are few railways. Air traffic is poorly developed. The communication system - telephone, telegraph and telex - does not meet the needs of the population for its services. In terms of the development of foreign tourism - the income received from it and the number of tourists - the Philippines lags far behind the most economically advanced states of Southeast Asia. In 2002, the number of tourists from the USA, Japan, China, EU, Australia and other countries was approx. 3 million people

The central bank, established in 1949, manages and controls the credit and financial system. It manages foreign exchange reserves, maintains the peso exchange rate, and produces currency operations, controls the operations of commercial banks and performs other functions. The credit and financial system is dominated by commercial banks. The volume of resources of development banks, savings and agricultural, insurance is much less. V rural areas usury survived. Domestic and foreign loans and credits are one of the main forms of financing the economic development of the Philippines. The national capital market is underdeveloped. The role of stock exchanges (Manila, Makati, Metropolitan) in the mobilization of capital remains insignificant. The government makes extensive use of state credit to cover the state budget deficit. External loans lead to an increase in external debt, which in 2001 amounted to 73.3%, or 2/3 of GDP with foreign exchange reserves of USD 13.44 billion and gold reserves of USD 2.2 billion, or 4 times higher their. Net foreign exchange reserves as of May 2003 were $ 12.5 billion.

The current monetary system was introduced with the creation of a central bank, which is assigned the right to control money circulation and the monopoly right to issue money against the security of foreign exchange reserves, commercial bills, government securities, etc. Deposit money prevails in the structure of money circulation. By the beginning. 2002 of 2,139.0 billion pesos in circulation, they accounted for 1,746.8 billion pesos, cash - 392.25 billion.

In public finance, a special place is occupied by the state budget, the basis of which is the central budget. Local budgets are financed from it. The main part of the income comes from tax revenues. Expenditures go mainly to finance social and economic development. The state budget for the most part is reduced to a deficit, especially from the end. 1990s Revenues in 2001 amounted to 561.9 billion pesos, expenses - 706.4 billion, i.e. the deficit accounted for nearly 150 billion pesos. In 2002, it increased to over 200 billion pesos, or 3.3% of GDP. In 2003, it was expected to grow to 4.7% of GDP. The use of loans from international financial institutions and individual states to cover the deficit, in addition to loans from central and commercial banks, leads to an increase in external debt.

Foreign economic relations of the Philippines are focused on the United States, Japan, China (including Hong Kong), the EU countries, Australia and, to a lesser extent, on the countries of Southeast Asia. Foreign direct investment comes mainly from US and Japanese multinationals. After the 1997-98 crisis, they dropped significantly. Assistance (loans and credits) are provided by international financial institutions- The IMF, the World Bank Group, the ADB, and individual governments and private institutions.

Foreign trade growth rates outstrip GDP growth rates. In foreign trade relations (goods and services) of the Philippines, trade with the USA, Japan, China, EU countries, Australia prevails, and from Southeast Asian countries - with Singapore. The export of goods and services (in 2002 it was equal to USD 35.2 billion, or almost half of the country's GDP) was dominated by the export of goods. From ser. 1980s The first place in merchandise exports is occupied by electronics components: in 2001, they accounted for 16.8 billion of US $ 31.2 billion. Among the traditional exports, the largest items are: coconut products, abacus fiber, raw sugar, copper concentrates ... Merchandise imports in 2002 were $ 35.5 billion; half of its cost accounted for capital equipment and 1/10 for fuel and energy raw materials, mainly oil. The rest of the import was dominated by food (grain).

As a result of the 1997-98 monetary and financial crisis, the national currency was seriously devalued. The peso exchange rate against the US dollar has significantly exceeded the pre-crisis level. $ 1 equals 53.5 pesos (June 2003).

Science and culture of the Philippines

In the area of science, the National Research Council of the Philippines and the National Science Administration are the most important coordinating centers. From ser. 1970s the Philippine Center operates basic research at the University of the Philippines, coordinating the scientific activities of various universities and other scientific institutions. The center participates in the development of state programs for the development of science. The main sources of funding for science are the state budget and assistance from the governments of individual countries and international organizations. Practical research is carried out mainly in large corporations. Leading universities - the State University of the Philippines, private - St. Thomas University, Manila Ateneo, Silliman University. Science lacks funds to finance it.

Education is directed by the Ministry of Education and Culture. State institutions of higher education are governed by Councils of Regents. Elementary education public, compulsory and free. The secondary school is 95% private, the higher school is 80%. Lack of government funding for the education system hinders its development. Nearly 84% of government spending on education goes to primary school, approx. 15% - in the middle and 1% - in the higher. In elementary school in 2002 there were about 15 million children 7-12 years old, in secondary - 6 million, in higher, including colleges - St. 2.5 million

For a long period (almost 400 years), the Philippines was the object of Westernization, which had a deep influence on the development of spiritual culture, in which alien cultural values brought from the West were partially rejected, partially absorbed by the Filipinos in accordance with their worldview and aesthetic experience. The modern spiritual culture of the Philippines is marked by the growth of "cultural nationalism", the search for identity and cultural self-identification of the Filipinos. The Philippine Constitution defines national culture as “unity in diversity”. The state encourages creative freedom, supports cultural figures and creative associations through a system of grants, scholarships, etc. outside the country. His literary works and journalism had a decisive influence on the development of the national identity of the Filipinos, although he wrote mainly in Spanish. Modern Filipino literature is rich in names, genres, trends. In terms of the large scale and depth of the subject matter, the highly artistic style, the English-language and Tagalog-language literature stands out (literature in regional languages is also developing). Many works of writers and poets writing in English and Tagalog are published in the USA and Europe, including Russia. Major names in English-language prose are N.V. Gonzalez, Nick Joaquin, poets H. Lansang Jr., R. Tinio, F. Cruz and many others. The largest figure in Tagalog-language literature is the poet and short story writer A.V. Hernandez (1903-70), on whose works generations of modern writers were brought up. The Spaniards also noted the unusual talent of the Filipinos in fine arts, their special sense of color (colors of the tropics). Visual arts of the Philippines 20th century up to the present day, it absorbs a variety of influences: from academism, realism, impressionism, abstractionism, all sorts of modern avant-garde movements to a kind of Filipino primitivism. Most famous names in the fine arts of the Philippines: artists K. Francisco, V. Manansala, A. Luz, Anita Magsaysay-Ho, sculptors N. Abueva, S. Saprid, etc. The architecture of Philippine cities reflects the history of the country: each era has left its symbols 16-17 centuries, neoclassicism of the early 20th century, constructivism of the 1930s, modern multi-storey buildings of business districts, for example, Makati in Greater Manila). The most famous Filipino architects of the 1970s and 90s. - L. Loksin, S. Konsio.

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