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The Philippines is a conglomeration of 7,000 or so emerald green islands. One can find in them pleasure under the tropical sun white beaches in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, fisher’s caves in Bataan, Cavite and Sulu, natural wonders of Palawan, serenity in Lake Lanao kissed by the early morning mist, the marvel that is the Banawe Rice Terraces, the amazing Hundred Islands in Panggasinan, the awesome Chocolate Hills in Bohol- all, these make the Philippines a glittering set of islands in the sun. Rizal called his country Pearl of the Orient Seas and rightly so.

The Filipinos are a hardy race, generally gentle and merry. Sometimes they can hardly keep body and soul together but they can manage a brave smile. Our women have given our homes and society many refinements we can be proud of. Our brothers, and sisters who live up in the mountains and have kept their age – cold ways have enriched our culture. Proud as they have always been, they have refused to bow to foreign invaders, even to the lowlanders who call them brothers but no longer look and live like them.

“My Country – My People. With the onslaughts of modern civilization and the dispersal of our people to distant lands in search of their place in the sun, it is easy to forget ones roots. That is why it is good to be reminded of our country and people and how through the centuries we have woven the fabric of our lives together.”