PRESIDENT MANUEL L.

QUEZON (19 August 1878 1 August 1944) Popularly known as the Father of the National Language, Manuel L. Quezon is the second president of the Philippines and the first to be elected through a national election. He worked tirelessly to gain recognition for the Philippines as an independent nation. During his term, a national language for the Philippines was adopted and our women were given the right to vote. Quezon is the first Filipino president to hold office in Malacaan Palace by the Pasig River in Manila.

The Banaue Rice Terraces in Northern Philippines were carved out of the mountains of the Cordilleras around 2,000 years ago by our ancestors using simple tools. Breathtaking for its high altitude, steep slopes and area covered, the Banaue Rice Terraces showcases a mastery of engineering that is appreciated to the present. It has been declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations. The palm civets in the Cordilleras are famous for producing one of the best and most expensive coffee varieties in the world - Coffee Alamid. The coffee beans that they eat, partially digest and release as droppings are prized for their flavor and aroma. On the right is a weave design from the Cordilleras.

SERGIO OSMEA (9 September 1878 19 October 1961) Sergio Osmea is the President who led our country during the critical stage nearing the end of World War II and in our transition as an independent nation. He was vice president when President Manuel Quezon passed away and was with the liberation forces led by US General Douglas McArthur in 1944, an event immortalized at a landmark monument known as the Leyte Landing at Palo beach in central Philippines. It was during his term when the Philippines joined the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank).

The Taal Lake in Batangas is the deepest freshwater lake in the Philippines. It is also host to active Taal Volcano, the worlds smallest volcano. The Giant Trevally, locally known as Maliputo, a delicious milky fish, thrives only in the waters of the lake. Taal Lake is also the only home for tawilis, the worlds only freshwater sardine. On the right is a design highlight from an embroidery handcrafted in Batangas province.

MANUEL A. ROXAS (1 January 1892 15 April 1948) President Manuel A. Roxas took his oath of office on 4 July 1946 as the first president of the Third Philippine Republic, when the United States recognized the independence of the Republic of the Philippines. Having inherited a nation in ruins from World War II, he set in motion the crafting of the first Master Economic Plan, the first known in developing Asia, which started the country on the road to reconstruction and development. He thus earned the title Nation Builder. A Philippine Bar topnotcher, he had a lifelong career as public servant. He was 27 when he became Governor of Capiz, the countrys youngest, and was Speaker of the House for 12 consecutive years. One of his priorities was the drafting of a charter for a central bank, which he deemed as a step towards sovereignty. However, he did not complete his term due to a fatal heart attack. Shortly after his death, his successor President Elpidio Quirino signed Republic Act 265 or The Central Bank Act in June 1948. On 3 January 1949, the Central Bank of the Philippines opened for business.

The Bicol Region is famous for majestic Mayon Volcano, the countrys most active which has a near perfect cone. It is in Legazpi City, Albay. The butanding or whale shark, the worlds largest living fish, is the main attraction in Donsol, Sorsogon. These gentle giants regularly visit the waters of Sorsogon to mate and to feed on plankton abundant in Donsol River. On the right is a detail from a design for an indigenous textile crafted in the Bicol region.

DIOSDADO P. MACAPAGAL (28 September 1910 21 April 1997) President Diosdado P. Macapagal is known for his land reform and socio-economic agenda that started the process of economic liberalization and the shift to a market economy in the Philippines. He moved the celebration of Philippine independence from 4 July 1946 to 12 June 1898 when General Emilio Aguinaldo declared independence from Spanish colonial rule and, in the process, made our country Asias first republic. The inauguration of the First Philippine Republic was held at the Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan. Aguinaldos home in Cavite is now called the Independence House. President Diosdado Macapagal is the father of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who assumed office as a result of the EDSA People Power II in January 2001.

The famous Chocolate Hills of Bohol are verdant green mounds during the rainy season that turn to chocolate brown at the end of the dry season. Numbering about 1,268 hills, they rise to 30 to 50 meters. The Philippine tarsier is described as one of the worlds smallest primates; it can fit comfortably in ones hands. It can be found in Bohol and in Samar, Leyte and Mindanao. On the right is a highlight from a design handcrafted in the Visayas in Central Philippines.

Icons of Democracy PRESIDENT CORAZON C. AQUINO (25 January 1933 1 August 2009) SENATOR BENIGNO AQUINO JR. (27 November 1932 21 August 1983) Corazon C. Aquino, the 11th President of the Philippines, is our first woman head of state. She assumed office following the historic and non-violent People Power Revolution that toppled a dictatorship. Her major accomplishments were the restoration of democracy and the crafting of a new Constitution that limited presidential powers, established a bicameral legislature, and gave strong emphasis to civil liberties and human rights. She was married to former Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. Senator Aquino stood against President Ferdinand Marcos who had declared martial law. His sevenyear imprisonment under the dictatorship and assasination upon his return from exile galvanized our people to unite and oppose the dictatorship. This culminated in the peaceful People Power Revolution. The bronze memorial in his honor in Makati City is a popular venue for holding mass movements. The funeral processions of both President Corazon Aquino and Senator Benigno Aquino were an outpouring of national grief. Millions of Filipinos stayed on the road for hours to pay their respects and to express their deep gratitude to the couple who dedicated their lives for the country and our people. On 30 June 2010, their only son Benigno S. Aquino III became the countrys 15th President.

The eight-kilometer Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park in Palawan winds through a cave that has major formations of stalactites and stalagmites that fascinate and mesmerize. Declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the place has a full mountain-to-the-sea ecosystem that is also home to rare animals such as the Philippine cockatoo and the Palawan mouse deer. The rare Blue-naped Parrot thrives in the lush forests of Palawan and Mindoro. Parrots are known to be friendly, gentle, and intelligent. On the right is a design highlight from a woven cloth from Southern Philippines.

War Heroes JOSEFA LLANES ESCODA (20 September 1898 January 1945) VICENTE P. LIM (24 February 1888 31 December 1944) JOSE ABAD SANTOS (19 February 1886 2 May 1942) Josefa Llanes Escoda -- social worker, educator, advocate of womens right to vote, founder of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines and newspaper editor showed extraordinary courage by continuing to help prisoners of war during the Japanese occupation. For this, she and her husband Antonio were killed before the end of the war. Brigadier General Vicente P. Lim was the first Filipino West Point graduate and rose to the rank of Chief of Staff of the Philippine Army. Initially wounded in action, he directed guerilla activities from his hospital bed during World War II. He was eventually captured and died in hands of the Japanese. For his military service, he received the Legion of Merit and the Purple Heart. War hero Jose Abad Santos was the Chief Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court. He completed his Bachelor of Laws degree in Northwestern University and Masters of Laws from Georgetown University as a scholar. He was executed for refusing to cooperate with the Japanese forces. Informed of his impending execution, he told his son who had been captured with him: It is a rare opportunity to die for ones country.

The 130,000 hectare Tubbataha Reef Marine Park in Sulu Sea is one of the Philippines oldest ecosystems. It is home to a great diversity of marine life: whales, dolphins, sharks and turtles are among the key species found here. The reef ecosystems support over 350 species of coral and almost 500 species of fish. Declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it plays a key role in the reproduction, dispersal and colonization by marine organisms in the whole Sulu Sea system and in helping support fisheries outside its boundaries. It is a natural laboratory for studying ecological and biological processes, displaying process of coral reef formation, and supporting marine species dependant on reef ecosystems. The presence of tiger and hammerhead sharks, which are top predator species, indicates the ecological balance of the property. Sulu Sea is part of the South Seas, which are the natural habitat of oysters that produce the largest pearls grown in the world - the Pinctada maxima. The colors of these treasures from the sea range from white to silver and golden. On the right side is a the highlight of design for Tinalak or Ikat-dyed abaca, which is woven in Mindanao in Southern Philippines.