Did you know these interesting facts about the Philippines?

[ASEAN NOW News]

It has not one but three of the world’s largest shopping malls

 

Filipinos are addicted to shopping, which is an extremely popular pastime in the Philippines.

 

In fact, the country boasts three of the world’s ten largest shopping malls: SM Megamall, SM North Edsa and SM Mall of Asia.

 

SM North Edsa

 

The biggest mall is the SM North Edsa, measuring a massive 498,000m2.

 

Put that m2 into context, then it is larger than the Vatican City and bigger than virually every exhibition centre in the world.

 

You’ll find the supermall in Quezon City, in Manilla.

 

Even if you’re not a self-proclaimed shopaholic, it’s still worth the trip to check out the sky garden, simulated river, and cinema complex.

 

The Philippines is also home to the world’s longest navigable underground river

 

Deep underneath the St Paul’s Mountain Range on the island of Palawan is the Puerta Princesa Subterranean River National Park.

 

Paul, also known as the St. Paul Mountain Range, the karst mountain atop the Puerto Princesa Underground River, a World Heritage Site.

 

Though rising only to 1028 MASL, this mountain is comprised of knife-edged limestone cliffs, and there has been little documentation about climbing this mountain in the past.

 

St. Pauls Underground Cave is more than 15 miles long with 5.1 miles (8.2 km) of the Cabayugan River being underground.

 

It is the second-largest underground river in the world.

 

It was created millions of years ago, stretching 24km beneath the mountains.

 

The longest navigable underground river, it’s since become a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is recognised as one of the Seven Wonders of Nature.

 

You can visit parts of the cave system by entering the cave from the point where the river reaches the sea.

 

There are 175+ languages in the country

 

There are at least 175 languages spoken in the Philippines and at least 171 of them are considered ‘living’ languages.

 

You’ll have no trouble being understood though since more than fifty-two million people speak English, making it the fifth largest English-speaking nation in the world.

 

Other languages include Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon and Bicolano, as well as four tribal dialects that are not known to have any living speakers.

 

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