Philippine Trivia

In this post, we shall explore interesting facts about places in the Philippines.

ARMM

Basilan

• Basilan Island is the northernmost and largest of the major islands of the Sulu archipelago.

Akbar

Al-barka

Isabela City

Lamitan City

Lantawan

Tuburan

Lanao del Sur

Marawi City

• Lake Lanao in Marawi City is Mindanao's largest lake and the second largest lake in the country with a surface area of 340 square kilometers or 130 square miles. It is counted as one of the 15 ancient lakes of the world.

• Marawi City is the only chartered city in the Philippines with a predominantly Muslim population.

Pualas

• Lake Dapao in Pualas is one of the country's deepest lakes reaching depths of up to 390 feet or 120 meters despite only having a surface area of 10.11 square kilometers or 1,011 hectares.

Wao

• Wao is the only predominantly Christian municipality in Lanao del Sur.

Maguindanao

Buldon

Mamasapano

Sulu

• Lupa Sug (Sulu) is the oldest prosperous commercial center in the Philippines.

Jolo

• The world's smallest walled city is found in Jolo.

Patikul

Talipao

• Talipao's Pala River is the longest river in Sulu Province.

Tawitawi

Bongao

Panglima Sugala

Siasi

Sibutu

• Saluag Island is the southernmost island in the Philippines

Sitangkai

• Frances Reef is the southernmost point of the Philippines

Turtle Islands

CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region)

Abra

Bangued

• Bangued comes from the word banggen, the local term for obstacles. Tingguian residents opposed the Christianization introduced by Spanish friars and placed roadblocks on all roads leading to the place.

Bucay

• Bucay is the most centrally-located town in Abra province.
• Bucay was established on October 29, 1846
• Bucay was the first provincial capital of Abra.

Daguioman

• Daguioman is the least populated town in Abra

Sallapadan

Benguet

Itogon

• Itogon is the largest town in Benguet in terms of land area.

Kapangan

• The biggest municipal hall in the country is located in Kapangan town.

Kibungan

• Barangay Madaymen in Kibungan town is famous for its Frost of Madaymen where one can experience chilling temperatures as low as 0°C or 32°F between December and January.

La Trinidad

• La Trinidad holds the current Guiness World Record for baking the world's largest strawberry shortcake last March 20, 2004.

Mountain Province

NCR (National Capital Region)

San Juan City

• In terms of land area, San Juan City is the Philippines' smallest city.

Valenzuela City

Region 1(Ilocandia)

Ilocos Norte

Bangui

• The Bangui Wind Farm is the first power-generating windmill farm in southeast Asia.

Burgos

• Burgos is the most northwestern town on Luzon Island.

Dingras

• On a Guinness World Records attempt on October 9, 2007, Dingras baked a kilometer-long bibingka made from 1,000 kilos of cassava and eaten by 1,000 residents.

Pagudpud

• Pagudpud is the northernmost settlement on Luzon Island
• The 1.3 kilometer Patapat Viaduct is the 4th longest bridge in the country

Vintar

• Longest tubung cake in the world was made at Vintar, Ilocos Norte
• Pallas valley is the longest valley in the Philippines

Ilocos Sur

Candon City

• Candon City is the country's largest producer of Virginia leaf tobacco
• Candon City once made the largest and heaviest kalamay in the world.
• The longest painting in the Philippines can be found in Candon Church.

Vigan City

• The Archbishop's Palace of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia is the oldest continually inhabited Archbishop's residence in the Philippines.

La Union

Agoo

San Fernando

Pangasinan

Alaminos City

• The Hundred Islands National Park is composed of 123 islands(124 on low tide).

Anda

• Anda or Cabarruyan Island is usually referred to as the "Mother of the Hundred Islands".

Dagupan City

Lingayen

San Carlos City

Region 2(Cagayan Valley)

Batanes

• Batanes is the northernmost province of the Philippines
• Batanes is the safest province in the Philippines
• Batanes is also the smallest province in the Philippines both in terms of land area and population

Basco 

• Mount Iraya is the northernmost active volcano is the Philippines

Itbayat

• Itbayat is the northernmost town in the Philippines
• Mavudis, Diami, Diyami, or Y'ami Island is the northernmost island in the Philippines

Ivana

Mahatao

Sabtang

Uyugan

Cagayan

Aparri

Calayan

Tuguegarao City

Isabela

Cabagan

Ilagan

Nueva Vizacaya

Bagabag

• Bagabag is the largest producer of tilapia in Nueva Vizcaya

Villaverde

• With a total land area of only 81.5 square kilometers, Villaverde is the smallest municipality in Nueva Vizcaya, occupying only 1.86% of the province's total land area.

Quirino

Region 3(Central Luzon)

Aurora

Bataan

Bulacan

Nueva Ecija

Bongabon

• Bongabon is the largest producer of onions in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

Carranglan

• In terms of land area, Carranglan is the largest municipality in Nueva Ecija.

Pampanga

Tarlac

Zambales

Region 4-A(CALABARZON/Southern Tagalog Mainland)

• Most populous region in the Philippines is CALABARZON or the Southern Tagalog Mainland

Batangas

Cavite

Laguna

Quezon

General Nakar

• General Nakar is the largest town in Quezon.

Plaridel

• Plaridel is the smallest town in Quezon, covering an area of only 33 square kilometers.

Real

• Real is the second largest town in Quezon province in terms of land area.

Rizal

Baras

• Baras is home to Sikaran, the Tagalog martial art that involves hand and mostly foot fighting.

Rodriguez (Montalban)

• At 312.70 square kilometers, Rodriguez is the largest town in Rizal province, making up 26.6% of Rizal's total land area
• Rodriguez is the 8th richest town in the Philippines with an income of PhP 310 million in 2007 
• With a population of 369,222 in 2015, Rodriguez is the most populous municipality in the Philippines

Taytay

• Taytay is the country's third most populous municipality.
• Taytay is aslso among the top 3 richest municipalities in the Philippines
• Ranked 10th in Most Competitive Philippine Municipalities in 2014.

Teresa

• The town of Teresa is named after the only female datu of precolonial Philippines, Reyna Teresabanta.

Region 4-B(MIMAROPA/Southern Tagalog Islands)

Marinduque

• Marinduque is home to one of the oldest religious festivals in the Philippines, the Moriones Festival
• Marinduque is the second safest province in the Philippines after Batanes.
• Marinduque prides itself of being the geographical center of the Philippines.

Boac

• Biglang-awa Bridge, which connects Barangay Tampus to Barangay Bantad, is the longest bridge in Marinduque Province.

Santa Cruz

• Santa Cruz is the largest town in Marinduque Province.

Occidental Mindoro

Sablayan

• With a total land area of 2,188.80 square kilometers, Sablayan is the largest municipality in the Philippines

Oriental Mindoro

Palawan

Aborlan

• The only agricultural college in Palawan is located in Aborlan town, West Philippines University

Balabac

• Balabac Island is the southernmost island in the province of Palawan.

Cagayancillo

Cuyo 

• Cuyo is the oldest town in the province of Palawan and served as the provincial capital from 1873-1903

Linapacan

• In October 2013, Daily News Dig website identified the clear waters of Linapacan as 1 of 35 waters to swim in around the world before one dies.

Narra

• NARRA stands for National Resettlement Rehabilitation Administration, a program started in 1954 to resettle landless people from Luzon to Palawan.

Taytay

Romblon

Region 5 (Bicolandia)

Albay

Camarines Norte

Talisay

• Covering an area of 7,000 acres, Talisay is the smallest town in Camarines Norte province.

Camarines Sur

Catanduanes

Bato

• The Bato Bridge is the longest in the Bicol Region.

Caramoran

• Caramoran occupies 16.7% of the land area of Catanduanes province, making it the largest town.

Virac

Masbate

• Masbate is the world's 155th largest island in terms of land area.

Batuan

• Batuan is the smallest municipality in Masbate in both land area and population.

Mandaon

• The only state college in Masbate province is located in Mandaon town, Dr. Emilio B. Espinosa Sr. Memorial State College of Agriculture and Technology.

Masbate City

• The only rodeo show in Asia happens every April, the Rodeo Masbateño.

Milagros

• In terms of land area, Milagros is the largest town in Masbate province.

San Fernando

Uson

Sorsogon

• Sorsogon is the southernmost province in the Luzon mainland.

Sorsogon City

• In terms of land area, Sorsogon is the largest city in the Bicol Region.

Irosin

• Irosin is the only landlocked municipality in the province of Sorsogon.

Region 6 (Western Visayas)

Aklan

Antique

Belison

• Belison is the smallest town in Antique in terms of land area and population.
• Belison is the youngest municipality in Antique.

Hamtic

• Barrio Malandog in Hamtic town is said to be the first Malay settlement in the Philippines.
• Hamtic is the oldest town and the first capital of Antique,

Valderama

Capiz

Panay

• Wighing 10,400 kilograms and measuring 7 meters in diameter and 5 feet in height, the Santa Monica Church Bell is the biggest in Asia and the 3rd biggest in the world.

Guimaras

Buenavista

• Founded in 1775, Buenavista is the oldest municipality in Guimaras

Jordan

• Jordan's plaza is the smallest plaza in the world.

Nueva Valencia

San Lorenzo

Sibunag

Iloilo

Batad

• Magalumbi Island is famous for its batang langoy, children who had to swim 2 kilometers to school from their homes and back. Since they cannot carry their books with them, they bury them in the beach sand after school and retrieve them in the morning.

Pavia

• Pavia is the smallest town in Iloilo with a land area of only 6710 acres.

Santa Barbara

• The oldest irrigation system in the country was built in 1926 in Santa Barbara.
• The Philippine flag was first raised outside Luzon in Santa Barbara on November 17, 1898.

Zarraga

Negros Occidental

Binalbagan

• Established in 1572, it is one of the two oldest towns in Western Visayas.

Candoni

• The first Zone of Peace was declared in sitio Cantomanyog, barangay Haba, Candoni, Negros Occidental on February 16, 1990.

Isabela

• Isabela East Elementary School is recognized as the "Most Effective School in the Country"

Victorias City

Region 7 (Central Visayas)

Bohol

Albuquerque

Alicia

• Alicia became an independent municipality in 1949 and was named Alicia in honor of the wife of then president Elpidio Quirino.

Antequera

Bilar

Panglao

• On display at the Nova Shell Museum of Panglao is one of the world's smallest shells. Once abundant in Balicasag and Pamilcacn Islands, the Rotavula Hirohitui's population has dwindled due to the disturbance in its ecosystems.

Rotavula Hirohitui, one of the world's smallest shells

Sikatuna

• With a total land area of only 9440 acres, Sikatuna is the smallest town in Bohol.

Tagbilaran City 

Ubay

Cebu

Negros Oriental

Bacong

• Bacong is the smallest municipality of Negros Oriental

Siquijor

• Third smallest province in the Philippines after Camiguin and Batanes in terms of land area and population. It has a land area of only 343.5 square kilometers. 

Region 8 (Eastern Visayas)

• The San Juanico Bridge is the longest bridge in Southeast Asia. It connects the island of Samar and Leyte over the San Juanico Strait, the narrowest strait in the world.

Biliran

• With a total land area of 132,450 acres, Biliran is the 4th smallest province in the Philippines.

Biliran

Maripipi

Naval

Eastern Samar

Leyte

Northern Samar

Samar

Basey

• Basey holds the world's record for the longest mat (banig)

Calbiga

• Langun-Gobingob Caves in Barangay Panayuran is the largest cave system in the Philippines and also reputed to be the 2nd largest in Asia as well as the 3rd largest karst formation in the world.

Zumarraga

Southern Leyte

Anahawan

Libagon

Limasawa

• In terms of both population and land area, Limasawa is the smallest town in the Philippines

Maasin City

• The tallest privately-owned shrine in the Philippines is the Lady of Assumption in Jalleca Hills. Located 104 meters above sea level, it is one of the most visited religious landmarks of Southern Leyte. It can be reached by climbing 300 steps from the base.

Tomas Oppus

Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula/Western Mindanao)

Zamboanga del Norte

Siayan

• Siayan's poverty incidence was once pegged at 97.5%

Sibuco

Sindangan

• Sindangan is the hometown of Junrey Balawing, acknowledged by the Guinness Book of World Records as the shortest man in 2011 (59.93 centimeters or 23.59 inches tall)

Siocon

Sirawai

Zamboanga del Sur

Zamboanga Sibugay

Imelda

• Imelda is named in honor of the former first lady, Imelda Marcos.

Roseller T. Lim

• The town is named in honor of the first senator from Zamboanga.

Talusan

• Talusan is the smallest municipality in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay.

Titay

• The town was named after Cristita "Titay" Mariano, the favorite cousin of Custodio P. Mariano who was the first Ilocano settler of the place.

Tungawan

• Tungawan is the largest town in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay.

Region 10 (Northern Mindanao)

Bukidnon

Camiguin

• Camiguin is the second smallest province in the country after Batanes in terms of land area and population

Lanao del Norte

Misamis Occidental

Misamis Oriental

Region 11 (Davao Region)

Compostela Valley

Davao del Norte

Samal City

• The Island Garden City of Samal is the largest resort city in the country.

Tagum City

• The world's biggest wooden rosary is found at the back of the Tagum Cathedral

Davao del Sur

Davao Oriental

Cateel

• At a total height of 340 meters, Aliwagwag Falls is considered the highest in the country.

Mati City

Region 12 (SOCCSKSARGEN)

Cotabato

Sarangani

South Cotabato

Sultan Kudarat

Region 13 (CARAGA)

Agusan del Norte

Agusan del Sur

Dinagat Islands

Surigao del Norte

Burgos

• Burgos is the smallest municipality in Surigao del Norte.

Surigao del Sur

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