Far from being a mere cluster of islands on the southeastern corner of Asia, the Philippines is an archipelago blessed with an endless array of landscapes. It brims with beaches, forests, mountains, plains, cliffs, caves, marshes, lakes and rivers, all of it set amidst a stunning backdrop of clear blue skies and an emerald sea.

It is home to multi-ethnic people - a varied blend of races, beliefs and customs borne from centuries of foreign influence. We are a mixture of Malay, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, American, Arab and much more. Despite this diverse background, we have managed to produce an identity of our own. We call ourselves "Filipinos".

We are a fun-loving and gentle people. Our traditions are deeply-rooted, and it shows in the way we do things. This is, perhaps, most easily seen in the hundreds of events that fill our annual cultural calendar.

During your stay in the Philippines, you will discover that few days go by without a joyous gathering of some sort, happening somewhere in this archipelago.

We do have another name for our country - we call it a Wealth Of Wonders…. WOW Philippines.

Visit Philippines 2003 is our way of celebrating our rich cultural heritage and festive spirit. We invite people from all over the world to come and experience the Filipino way of celebrating life. We gladly welcome everyone to share in the experience: from small town fiestas to international events. When the celebration is over and it is time leave, our visitors will say goodbye to friends, not strangers. But we will not say goodbye…instead, we will say "See you again, come back soon!"