PHILIPPINE TOURISM, GEOGRAPHY, AND CULTURE

BACHELOR OF SCI ENCE IN HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

ASCOT VMGO

VISION: ASCOT envisions to become a globally-recognized scientific and

technological university in Aurora by 2027.

MISSION:

ASCOT shall produce globally-competitive, ethically-upright, and gender-sensitive

graduates in the fields of arts and sciences, forestry, agriculture, education, information
technology, industrial technology, engineering, marine and environmental sciences by
promoting quality and gender –responsive instruction, research, extension, and production
towards sustainable development.

DEPARTMENT GOALS:

• To deliver relevant quality education through programs in the Arts and Sciences and
the Hospitality and Tourism industries towards students’ holistic development

DEPARTMENT OBJECTIVES:

• To provide innovative, inspiring, and effective instruction to undergraduate students

to prepare them for citizenship, future success, and fulfillment in a competitive world;
• To engage students, parents, alumni and the community at large to improve the
recognition of Arts and Sciences and their impact at the College, local, regional and
national level;
• To conduct researches that provide general knowledge and develop intellectual
abilities by using available resources;
• To conduct a periodic review and evaluation of curricula in order to provide up-to-
date and relevant courses with emphasis on the inter-relationship of various
academic disciplines and application of shared knowledge and skills;
• To produce globally-competent and gender sensitive graduates imbued with value
systems that give importance to the preservation and respect of cultural and
environmental heritage; and
• To establish collaborative research and disseminate scholarly outputs through
relevant platforms towards innovation and product development

ACTIVITY:

List down 3 ways on how you can contribute to the realization of the VMGO of ASCOT as
BS Hospitality Management students.
1. _______________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________

Main Office: Barangay Zabali, Baler, Aurora president@ascot.edu.ph

Manila Office: #13 Flores De Mayo St., SFDM, Quezon City www.ascot.edu.ph
 PHILIPPINE TOURISM, GEOGRAPHY, AND CULTURE
BACHELOR OF SCI ENCE IN HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

MODULE 1.

PHILIPPINE TOURISM: AN OVERVIEW

At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• describe the contributions of tourism in different aspects
• identify the 4As of tourism explain facts about the Philippines
• explain facts about the Philippines

Philippine Tourism

Based on the book by Badilla (2019), the Philippines has treasured UNESCO world
heritage sites that include the following:
• cultural Baroque churches such as San Agustin Church in Manila, Paoay Church in
Ilocos Norte, Sta. Maria Church in Ilocos Sur, and Miag-ao in Iloilo (Cultural Heritage
Category)
• the historic town of Vigan (Cultural Heritage Category)
• the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras (Cultural Heritage Category)
• Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary in Eastern Mindanao (Natural Category)
• Puerto Prinsesa Subterranean River National Park in Palawan (Natural Category)
• Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park in Palawan (Natural Category)

Tourism proves to be a “valuable economic, social, and cultural” agency. It helps the
livelihood of Filipinos and it showcases the Filipino culture. There are two distinct types of
tourism: international and domestic (Badilla 2019, p. 2).
.

International tourism refers to tourism that involves travelling across national borders.
On the other hand, domestic tourism pertains to travelling within the country (Badilla 2019,
p. 2).

Visitor arrivals to the Philippines by Total Number of Visitors

regions/continents of residence
ASEAN 526,832
East Asia 4,842,774
South Asia 162,106
Middle East 73,703
North America 1,308,444
South America 19,426
Western Europe 298,470
Northern Europe 308,992
Southern Europe 100,661
Eastern Europe 63,975
Eastern Mediterranean 31,505

Main Office: Barangay Zabali, Baler, Aurora president@ascot.edu.ph

Manila Office: #13 Flores De Mayo St., SFDM, Quezon City www.ascot.edu.ph
 PHILIPPINE TOURISM, GEOGRAPHY, AND CULTURE
BACHELOR OF SCI ENCE IN HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

Europe* 352,798
Australiasia/Pacific 11,992
Africa 86,799
Other unspecified residences 72,436
Overseas Filipinos** 526,832
Total 8,260,913
Table 1. Philippine Statistics Authority (2020), National Quick Stats on Tourism in 2019

Contributions of Tourism

a. Economic Aspect

According to Badilla (2019), the statistics on domestic tourism activity has

tremendously improved. As compared to international tourists, the number of
domestic travelers is ten times more than the former. Consequently, tourism-related
industries have also grown and produced jobs that helped the Filipinos (p. 2).

b. Socio-cultural Aspect

The Filipinos are a mixed race of the Malay-Polynesian, Hispanic, and

Western cultures, as well as the Chinese and other Asian cultures that is why it is no
wonder that the Filipinos can easily adapt to the cultural influences from other
countries while also sharing the Filipino culture with the world.

Furthermore, the Filipinos are known as one of the world’s most hospitable
people. This should not be contested because of the Filipinos’ “strong sense of
family” and trait of “pakikipagkapwa-tao.” Through crossing borders, Filipinos are
able to see other family members living in far off places or even build a career in a
distant land. The increasing number of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) as well as
Filipino travelers has also lead to the evolution of the Filipino culture (Badilla, 2019,
p. 2).

c. Environmental Protection

Aside from the positive outcomes of tourism, it also has some negative effects
especially to the environment. The challenge for the tourism-related industries is the
compliance with the existing environmental laws of the country and tourism
development that is sustainable.

The 4As of Tourism

For domestic tourism to thrive and prosper, these 4As need to be addressed
according to Badilla (2019):

a. Access- There must be easy land, sea, and air access to and from the destination

Main Office: Barangay Zabali, Baler, Aurora president@ascot.edu.ph

Manila Office: #13 Flores De Mayo St., SFDM, Quezon City www.ascot.edu.ph
 PHILIPPINE TOURISM, GEOGRAPHY, AND CULTURE
BACHELOR OF SCI ENCE IN HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

b. Attractions- This is the main reason why tourists flock an area. Attractions may be
“cultural/heritage/historic, natural, and/or built by the people.

c. Accommodations- There must be varying types of accommodation available in the

destination. Accommodations must be budget, mid-range, and deluxe in order to
attract diverse tourists needing affordable to luxurious services.

d. Activities- The destination should offer different interesting activities that will cater to
the tourists. These activities, however, must be connected to each other with varying
degrees within a similar theme. For example, if a tourist destination wants to be an
adventure destination, it should offer activities ranging from soft, medium, and hard
adventure activities.

Additionally, with these 4As to address, the destination managers must also be
considerate of the local tourists as they also contribute to the success of the industry.

Philippines: Basic Facts for Tourists

A. The Archipelago

Contrary to popular belief, the Philippine archipelago is consists of 7,641

islands. The three island groups are Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The country was
named after Prince Philip of Spain (later King Philip II) by the Spanish explorer Ruy
Lopez de Villalobos during his 1542-1546 expedition to the islands (Gov.ph, 2020,
para. 1).

B. The People

There are more than 100 ethnic groups in the country. Some of the most
dominant groups based on the Philippine Statistics Authority (2018) as cited by
Badilla (2019) 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
Ilocano 8,074,536
Ilonggo 7,773,655
Waray 3,660,645
Table 2. Demography of Dominant Philippine Ethnic Groups

Based on the PSA, the total population of the country is 100,981,437 as of

2015 (National Quick Stat, 2020).

C. Language

Main Office: Barangay Zabali, Baler, Aurora president@ascot.edu.ph

Manila Office: #13 Flores De Mayo St., SFDM, Quezon City www.ascot.edu.ph
 PHILIPPINE TOURISM, GEOGRAPHY, AND CULTURE
BACHELOR OF SCI ENCE IN HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

The two official languages of the Philippines are Filipino and English. Filipino
is a combination of the Philippine languages and the loan words from foreign
influences such as Spanish, English, and Chinese. Some Philippine languages are
also influenced by Malay, Sanskrit, Tamil, Arabic, and Persian.

Based on the Department of Tourism, the eight (8) major languages spoken
by majority of the Filipinos are Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo,
Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense (General Information, para. 1).

D. Religion

At least 83% of the total population of the country is of Roman Catholic faith.
The other two prominent independent churches in the country today are the Aglipay
Church and the Iglesia ni Kristo founded in 1902 and 1914, respectively. Islam is also
practiced in the country especially in the Mindanao region.

E. Climate

January to May: best time to travel to the Philippines

November to February: cool weather
March to May: hot and dry
June to October: rainy
July to December: usual typhoon months

Average temperature: 78 degrees F/ 25 degrees C

Average humidity: 77%

F. Currency

The Philippine currency is the Philippine Peso and Centavo. Foreign currency
may be exchanged at authorized money changing agencies and shops. In other
cases, there are establishments that accept major credit cards including American
Express, Visa, and Mastercard.

G. Unit of Measure

The unit of measure used in the country for trade and other legal transactions is the
Metric System.

H. Water Supply

Water supply in all major cities is considered potable. There are available bottled
distilled and mineral water in most hotels, resorts, and grocery stores. Purified waters
are also available in the country.

I. Electricity

Main Office: Barangay Zabali, Baler, Aurora president@ascot.edu.ph

Manila Office: #13 Flores De Mayo St., SFDM, Quezon City www.ascot.edu.ph
 PHILIPPINE TOURISM, GEOGRAPHY, AND CULTURE
BACHELOR OF SCI ENCE IN HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

The common standard is 220 volts a/c. However, major hotels also use 110
volts a/c.

J. Telephone and Mobile Phone

Hotels and resorts have access to telephones as well as some other forms of
accommodation such as inns, motels, and hostels. The following are the major
telephone companies in the country:

• Bayantel - Bayan Telecommunications, Philippines

• Globe Telecom - One of the leading mobile phone companies in the Philippines
• PLDT/Smart - One of the leading telecommunication company in the Philippines

Some Important Telephone Numbers in the Philippines: (24-Hour Hotline)

• Police & Fire: 757 or 116

• Emergency No.: 501- 650 or 501- 728
• Directory Assistance: 114
• National Operator: 109
• International Operator: 108

For other emergency numbers, tourists may refer to the Directory or use the
Yellow Pages.

K. Business Hours

Businesses in the country are usually open from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. but there are
some which operate for 24 hours. Banks operate from 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. during
the weekdays. Passports may be required for foreign tourists when making
transactions. Post offices are open from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. during weekdays
only. Zip codes are used in the country.

L. Time Difference

The local time is GMT +8 hours.

ACTIVITY:

Identify what is being described in the following statements by encircling the letter of the
correct answer.

1. How many islands are there in the Philippines?

a. 7107 b. 7681 c. 7641

2. Select among the following the 8 major languages spoken in the country: (8 points)

a. Waray d. Tagalog g. Aklanon j. Hiligaynon

b. Hiligaynon e. Pampango h. Cebuano k. Chavacano
c. Ilocano f. Bicol i. Pangasinense

Main Office: Barangay Zabali, Baler, Aurora president@ascot.edu.ph

Manila Office: #13 Flores De Mayo St., SFDM, Quezon City www.ascot.edu.ph
 PHILIPPINE TOURISM, GEOGRAPHY, AND CULTURE
BACHELOR OF SCI ENCE IN HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

3. To whom was the Philippines named after?

a. Prince Philip b. Prince Philippe c. Prince Felipe

4. When is the best time to visit the places in the country?

a. January to May b. June to December c. January to June

5. Which among the 4As of Tourism states that how tourists travel to a certain
destination must be relatively fast and easy?

a. Accommodation b. Access c. Attractions d. Activities

6. What is the main reason why tourists go to a destination?

a. Accommodation b. Access c. Attractions d. Activities

7. What type of tourism pertains to travelling within the country?

a. International b. Domestic c. Local

8. Aside from English, what is the other official language of the Philippines?

a. Tagalog b. Filipino c. Cebuano

Give one Filipino trait that contributes to the influx of tourists in the country. Explain in
one sentence why this is an important Filipino trait that help in the development of tourism.
(3 points)

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

References:

Badilla, M. (2019). Philippine tourism, culture, and geography. Quezon City: Rex Printing
Company, Inc.

Philippine Government. (2020). About the Philippines. Accessed January 12, 2021 from
https://www.gov.ph/about-the-philippines

Philippine Statistics Authority. (2020). National quick stats. Accessed January 12, 2021 from
https://psa.gov.ph/statistics/quickstat/national-quickstat/all/*

Department of Tourism. (2020). General information. Accessed January 12, 2021 from
http://www.tourism.gov.ph/general_information.aspx

Main Office: Barangay Zabali, Baler, Aurora president@ascot.edu.ph

Manila Office: #13 Flores De Mayo St., SFDM, Quezon City www.ascot.edu.ph