Philippines

Population:
100,998,376 (July 2015 est.)
Total area:
300,000 sq km
Capital city: Manila
Currency:
Philippine peso
UNDP Human Development Index (HDI): 0.668 (2014)
GDP per capita (International $, PPP): $7,300 (2015 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 68.96 years
Literacy: 96.3%
*Figures from the CIA World Factbook.
Lonely Planet has a good summary and list of articles that participants will find useful.
Always check SmartTraveller before traveling to see any travel warnings and pertinent information for your trip.
Articles & information:
South East Asia is famous for many reasons, including being home to the King of Fruits, the durian. Read all about the boulder-like fruit and its smelly infamy!

Articles and Books:
- Asian Development Bank. (2016). ‘Asian Development Bank and Philippines: Fact Sheet’.
For participants with an economic mind, this fact sheet provides an insight of the relationship the Asian Development Bank fosters with business and the Government of the Philippines.
- Adventure in You. ‘What to expect when you travel to the Philippines’
This blog gives a general guide for first time visitors to the Philippines. Blogs are useful to explore as they are raw expressions of a traveller’s experiences.
Partners:
This organisation supports children and young adults who typically live in vulnerable and voiceless settings.
News Sources
- New York Times, Philippines Hub
- Inquirer.net, Philippines English daily news