Chapter 1
Philippine Tourism Overview
Introduction
Philippine Culture and Tourism
This chapter presents comprehensive survey discussions of the major tourist
destination areas in the Philippines. Major discussions will be on access, health and
safety issues, geographical characteristics, major attractions, gastronomy, and
distinctive cultural attributes of the various regions of the country related to the
development and promotion of tourism in the Philippines.
Student Learning Objectives
By the end of the chapter, students should be able to:
1. Accept the economic value of the tourist destinations in the different provinces
and cities of the Philippines;
2. Identify the various provinces in each region and town, and chartered and
component cities in each province on a blank map;
3. Identify the major access routes to major domestic destinations;
4. Name and describe major attractions in each province;
5. Know the cultural differences and similarities among the major ethnic groups in
the country; and
6. Improve their research and presentation skills.
Philippine Tourism: An Overview
The Philippines is a beautiful and archipelagic country. On top of its natural and
cultural/heritage attractions are the friendliest, most hardworking, and
considered the most hospitable people in the world. Filipinos are bilingual,
making it easy for foreign tourists communicate with locals of different
destinations.
The Philippines has several UNESCO world heritage sites. These include the
cultural Baroque Churches of the Philippines, such as the San Agustin Church in
Manila, Paoay Church in Ilocos Norte, Sta. Maria Church in Ilocos Sur, and Miag-
ao in Iloilo. The Historic Town of Vigan and the Rice Terraces of the Philippine
Cordilleras are among those listed under cultural heritage. Mount Hamiguitan
Range Wildlife Sanctuary in Eastern Mindanao, Puerto Princesa Subterranean
River National Park, and Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park in Palawan are
also listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites Natural category. The Philippines is
also home to the internationally acclaimed white sand beaches of Boracay,
Coron, El Nido, and Panglao.
Tourism in the Philippines has become a valuable economic, social, and cultural
driver. Its impacts have been far and wide based on arrival rates each year.
Based on origin, international tourism and domestic tourism are the two distinct
types of tourism. International tourism refers to tourism that crosses national
borders while domestic tourism is defined as travel made within one’s country
of residence.
There is no discounting the fact that with cheaper and easier ways of travel,
social media, and higher disposable income, more and more people will be
traveling within and outside their countries. As domestic tourism develops,
economic and socio-cultural impacts and environmental protection need to be
addressed.
Economic Aspect
On the economic vantage point, domestic tourism contributes vastly in
increasing a country’s economic activity. In the Philippines, domestic tourism
activity has become increasingly high. Domestic tourists outnumber
international tourists ten times more. Domestic tourism expenditure, which
includes expenditure of resident visitors within the country either as domestic
trip or part of an international trip, has grown because of tourism in terms of
employment, tourism and related industries have grown considerably: 1 out of
10 jobs are tourism-related.
Socio-cultural Aspect
The Philippine culture is a blend of the Malay-Polynesian, Hispanic, and western
cultures with some influence from the Chinese and other Asian cultures. Having
Spain colonizes us for more than 300 years and the Americans thereafter, have
made the Filipinos a melting pot of different cultures. With the increasing
number of Overseas Filipino workers (OFW) and international travel, the Filipino
culture continues to evolve.
Filipinos have a very strong sense of family and kapwa (others). This is evident
in the way we give importance to our relationships with others. The Filipinos are
people in the world wherein we think of others known to be one of the most
hospitable as part of themselves and their family.
Filipinos are also lovers of art in many forms. Music is an integral part of the
Filipino culture as evidenced by singing, dancing, and playing musical
instruments. The town fiestas celebrated in different parts of the country is a
testimony of the Filipinos faith and gratefulness to patron saints where many
religious activities, street dancing, singing, and eating are part of the
celebration.
Environmental Protection
One of the major threats to environmental protection is the continuous growth
of tourism industry. The implementation of laws and other policies in favor of the
environment has to be strictly enforced for tourism development to be
sustainable.
The Philippines has the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR) to oversee the protection of the environment in line with proposed
tourism development in various areas.
The 4 As of Tourism
The succeeding chapters are organized in a manner that is in line with the 4 As
of tourism access, attractions, accommodations, and activities. The 4 As need to
be addressed for domestic tourism to flourish in any destination.
Access Land, sea, and air access to and from the destination as well as within
the destination should be relatively fast and easy. Tourists would not want to be
traveling the whole day. They prefer to be spending time on the destination than
on the bus, boat, or plane. Roads, bridges, and ports should be developed to
acceptable levels to accommodate the influx of tourists.
Attractions The main reason Tourists go to a destination is because of its
attractions. The attractions can be cultural/heritage/historic, natural, and/or
built/man-made. There should be a good mix of these three types for good
variety.
Accommodations There should be a wide range of accommodations that
Vary from budget, mid-range, and deluxe. This way, the destination can attract
tourists from a wide demographic profile. Accommodations should include the
most basic needs of a comfortable bed, clean toilets, and food services. Wi-Fi
access is becoming a necessity for tourist to connect with their loved ones.
Activities The destination should Also offer a variety of activities located close
to each other. The activities should be connected to each other with varying
degrees within a similar theme. Themes would include adventure, health and
wellness, medical, sports, MICE meetings, incentives, conferences, and events),
etc. For example, if a destination wants to be known as an adventure
destination, then activities should range from soft, medium, and hard adventure
activities. A good mix of activities will keep tourists to stay longer and spend
more.
As local tourism in the country exceeds international tourist arrivals by as much
as 10 times, destination managers cannot disregard the contribution that local
tourists make. Hence, activities, accommodations, and amenities should also be
designed with the local tourist in mind. In fact, many tourist facilities such as
hotels and resorts have acknowledged the fact that majority of its guests are
local tourists.
Basic Facts about the Philippines
A. Islands in the Philippines
1. Largest Island in the Philippines
Luzon Island, located in the northern region of the archipelago, is the country’s
largest and most populous island. It also has the greatest population among the
three island groups. Having an area of 42,458 square miles, Luzon is further
subdivided into four major areas-Northern Luzon, Central Luzon, Southern
Luzon, and the National Capital Region, which is home to the country’s capital,
Manila and is the country’s center of economic, social, cultural, and financial
development (Vallejo 2014 and Valdeavilla 2018).
2. Smallest Island in the Philippines
The Philippines consists of thousands of islands and there is no known smallest
island using any known technical definition and due to high tide and low tide
variations.
3. Number of Islands
There are 7,641 islands in the Philippines (Barile 2017).
4. Length of Coastline
Estimates of the total length of the coastline range from 17,500 kilometers
(official Philippine figure) to 36,289 kilometers (U.S. figure) (Library of Congress.
Federal Research Division 2006).
B. Major Landforms
1. Highest Point: Mount Apo
Mount Apo is the largest and the tallest solfataric mountain on the island of
Mindanao and in the entire Philippines. The mountain has an elevation Of 9,692
feet and is located between the city of Davao and the province of Davao Del
Sur. Mount Apo is characterized by a tropical rainy climate with rainfall relatively
distributed throughout the year. Mount Apo is home to over 272 species of birds
of which 111 species are endemic to the mountain. Nineteen rivers drain Mount
APO’s eight major watersheds. Six indigenous groups of people including
Bagobo, Ubos, and Tagacaol live around the regions of Mount Apo and consider
the mountain a sacred place and a place for worship rituals (Misachi 2017).
2. Oldest Province: Aklan
Originally called Minuro, Aklan is considered as the oldest province in the
Philippines. Records say that the province was established during the early 12th
century by settlers originating from Borneo. Datu Dinagandan, who established
trade with neighboring islands, was the first ruler. Kalantiaw then grabbed the
throne, and his family continued to rule the province until the mid-14 th century
(topten.ph 2016).
3. Number of Provinces: There are 81 Provinces as of March 31, 2018
(Philippine Statistics Authority 2018).
4. Largest/Smallest Province:
a. Largest Province: Palawan
Palawan is the largest in terms of land area at 17,030.75 sq. kms.
b. Smallest Province: Batanes
Batanes has a land area of 203.22 sq. kms. (De la Rosa, Fiestada, Sanchez, and
Mangahas 2018).
C. Climate Information
The first half of the year, from January to May, is the best time to visit the
country. November to February is cool, while March to May is hot and dry. June
to October is rainy, with the months between July and September characterized
by typhoons. Average temperature is 78 degrees F/25 degrees C; average
humidity is 77%.
D. Language
The Philippines has two official languages, Filipino (or Pilipino) and English.
Filipino has eight major dialects, in order of use: Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano,
Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense. Filipino,
based on Tagalog, is related to Malay and Indonesian and is part of the Malayo-
Polynesian subgroup of the Austronesian language family. Filipino is the common
language used between speakers of different native languages, which are
closely related but not mutually intelligible. There are about 76 to 78 major
language groups, with more than 500 dialects (DOT 2018)
D. Major Ethnic Groups
The richness of the Philippines does not end with just its aesthetic appeal, but
beyond what the eyes can see in photos and videos, is the vibrant feel of its
people. This is the differentiation of the Philippines as a tourist destination. Its
people are known to be the most hospitable in the world. Filipinos treat guests
like family, willing to give up the seat of honor for its visitors.
The Philippines has more than 100 ethnic groups. The more dominant ethnic
groups include Tagalog, Bisaya, Cebuano, Ilocano, Ilonggo, and Waray.
Ethnic Group Population (2010)
Tagalog. 22,512,089
Visayan/Bisaya. 10,539,816
Cebuano. 9,125,637
Ilokano/llocano. 8,074,536
Hiligaynon/Ilonggo. 7,773,655
Waray. 3,660,645
The Philippine culture is a blend of the Malayo-Polynesian and Hispanic culture
with the influence from Chinese, Indians, Arabs, and other Asian cultures as
manifested in various customs and traditions of the Filipinos. Filipinos have the
concept of kapwa (others) to refer to other people as an extension of
themselves. It shows on how they give Importance to their connection or
relationship with other people. This is one of the roots of their being hospitable-
Filipinos think of others as part of themselves and their family. This strong sense
of kapwa enables Filipinos to share what they have with others, give the best
place in the house for the visitors and always provide the best food for its
guests.
Filipinos are lovers of art as evidenced by their folk songs, cultural dances,
rituals, festivals, intricate architecture of churches, and ancestral houses. They
are also lovers of music and have the ability to express themselves through
song and dance. Videoke has evolved to be associated as a favorite past-time
and get-together activity. Filipinos love to celebrate and gather with family and
friends around popular Filipino dishes such As lechon, adobo and pancit.
Religion is an integral and inseparable aspect of Filipino culture. The Philippines
is known to celebrate the longest Christmas season. Devotion to various images
of the Lord Jesus, such as the Sto. Nino and the Black Nazarene, as well as to
the Blessed Virgin Mary and different patron saints, is
