The Philippines is a beautiful archipelago comprising of more than 7,107 islands. It can be conveniently divided into three groups. First, there is Luzon, the largest and northernmost island and the site of the capital, Manila. At the other end of the archipelago is the second largest island, Mindanao. Third, there is the tightly-packed island group known as the Visayas. There are seven major islands in this group - Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Samar and Masbate. Cebu is the central island of the group and Cebu City is a major tourist destination. The Philippines have so much to offer.

In this part of the world visitors can enjoy the simple pleasures of swimming in serene pristine beaches, enjoy the colorful festivals. There are historic places, signature foods, dances and costumes in almost every province. This is primarily due to its strategic location, rich history and culture. And who can deny the trademark hospitality of Filipinos? Visitors everywhere can marvel at the way they are treated in each place they visit. With utmost excitement and willingness to pour its equally world-renown hospitality, the Philippines is ready to host the 12th REAAA Conference on November 20-24, 2006.

CURRENCY
The Philippine Peso, is denoted as Peso or Php. Banking hours are from 9:00a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Monday to Friday with no lunch breaks. Major credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard and American Express are generally accepted in all major establishments. Traveler's checks can be changed at Banks and money changers or in large hotels and resorts.

HEALTH
Vaccinations: No mandatory vaccinations (with the exception of yellow fever if you are coming from an infected area). Malaria prophylaxis is recommended only for a few isolated islands in Palawan and Mindanao.

IMMIGRATION and VISA
Foreigners visiting in the Philippines, within 21 days must have a valid passport for at least 6 months at the date of entry and must have a valid return or onward ticket. Tourist visa from 21 to 58 days are available at Philippine consulates and embassies in your country. Visas can be extended at the Commission on Immigration located in Manila.

For Visa application, please log on to http://www.dfa.gov.ph/consular/visa.htm On departure, international departure tax is currently at Php 550.00 (approximately US$ 15.00). Domestic airport departure tax on major cities is at Php 100.00.

LANGUAGE
The Philippines national language is Filipino. There are also more than 60 dialects spoken by different cultural groups. English is widely spoken in the Philippines and it is the medium of instruction in schools and often used in business transactions.

PEOPLE
Filipinos belong to the Malay race with mixtures of Chinese, Arab, Spanish, and American mixed in. The current Filipino population is estimated at 84 million.

RELIGION
The majority of the country's population are Christian with Roman Catholism having the bigger share, followed by the Protestant groups. Islam is being practiced mainly on the regions of Mindanao islands. Other different religious sect also co-exist.

SHOPPING
Shopping malls are very popular in the Philippines, they are open from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. They can be found in all major cities throughout the country. Small stores, popularly known as "sari-sari stores", are family run and are commonly located in almost every corner of the streets.

POSTAGE
Postal mail and other multi-national couriers such as FedEx, UPS and DHL are flourishing in the Philippines. Manila, and most other cities in the Philippines, has many cyber cafés where you can send e-mail and surf the Internet.

WEATHER
The Philippines has three distinct seasons: warm and humid from March to May, wet from June to October, and cool and dry from November to February.

Conference Event Manager: Fiera de Manila, Inc.
Call: +632-8960639, 8996212, 4123012
Fax: +632-8960637, 4123013
Websites: www.reaaaconference.com.ph
www.fmi.com.ph