HEALTH DOCUMENTS
A certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is required
for those coming from infected areas. Children less than one year old are
exempted but may be subject to isolation when necessary. Visitors must check
with their travel agents before departure as regulations may change without
notice.
CUSTOMS
To facilitate customs examination, visitors are advised to
fill in the Baggage and Currency Declaration Form before disembarking. Visitors
are allowed to bring in the following articles duty free: reasonable quantity of
clothes, jewelry and toiletries, 400 sticks of cigarettes or two tins of tabacco
and two bottles of wine or spirits of not more than one liter each.
Visitors carrying more than US$ 3,000 are to declare
the amount at the Central Bank of the Philippines counter situated at
the custom area. Foreign currency taken out upon departure must not
exceed the amount brought in. Departing passengers are not allowed to
bring out more than PhP 1,000 in local currency.
MEASURING SYSTEM
The Philippines use the Metric System
in most of trade and legal transactions,
ELECTRICITY
Most residents and business centers in the Philippines are
using 220 volts a/c. However, a number of major hotels also have 110 volt a/c
outlets.
ECONOMY
The Philippines is basically light industry and agriculture,
the chief products being rice, corn, coconut, pineapple and sugar. It is also
rich in copper, cobalt, nickel, silver, iron and gold deposits. A number of food
processing, textiles, clothing and home appliance industries are available, with
a fast growing aquaculture, microcircuits and furniture sectors.
The significant structural reforms, initiated by the present
leadership, which liberalize almost all sectors of the economy, have pushed the
Philippines into the mainstream of economic development in the heart of the
fastest-growing region in the world. - the Asia-Pacific. Further enhance by its
strategic location as a gateway to the most economically dynamic part of the
world, the Philippines development pathways for the future are clear...a newly
industrializing country (NIC) status by the year 2000.
CURRENCY
The Philippines' monetary unit is the peso, divided into 100
centavos. Foreign currency may be exchanged at any hotels, most large department
stores, banks and authorized money changing shops accredited by the Central Bank
of the Philippines. International credit cards such as Visa, Diners Club, Bank
Americard, Master Charge and American Express are accepted in major
establishments.
PHILIPPINE HOLIDAYS
January 1 New Years Day
March/April (Movable)(Holy Thursday, Good Friday
& Easter
April 9 Araw ng Kagitingan
May 1 Labor Day
June 12 Independence Day from Spain
July 4 Philippine US Friendship Day- Independence
day
from USA
Last Saturday of August National Heroes’ Day
November 1 All Saints’ Day
November 30 Andres Bonifacio Day
December 25 Christmas Day
December 30 Rizal Day
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