Market

Population: 101,833,938 (over 7100 islands)

Overseas Filipinos: 24,000,000

Languages: English (official); Filipino (official); more than 170 other languages in use including Aklanon (400,000);

Bantoanon (200,000); Bicolano (5 million); Capiznon (700,000); Cebuano (20 million); Chavacano (300,000);

Hiligaynon (7 million); Ibanag (500,000); Ilocano (8 million); Kinaray (400,000); Maguindanao (1 million);

Maranao (800,000); Masbatenyo (350,000); Pampangan (2 million); Pangasinan (1.2 million); Surigaonon (350,000)

Tagalog (15 million); Tausug (1 million); Waray-waray (3 million)

6,783,000 land line telephones (doubled since 2002)

92,227,000 cellular phones (increased six times from 15 million in 2002)

29,000,000 internet users (increased 10 times since 2002)

There have been dramatic increases in the production and exporting of coal and petroleum.

The Philippines produces and consumes nearly three billion cubic meters of natural gas. 1000 times what it was in 2004

Mineral deposits of cobalt, nickel (10% of the world supply), chromium, silver, copper, gold, zinc and molybdenum.

Very seismically active area with volcanoes (Pinatubo eruption was 20 years ago!), typhoons, earthquakes and tsunamis