Philippines

About the Flag

The Republic of the Philippines is an archipelago composed of more than 7,100 islands located between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea. The country is a member of ASEAN, the UN, and the IMO. Manila is the capital, and Filipino and English are both official languages. It has a presidential-republican form of government with the President as Head of State. Legislative power is vested in a bicameral Congress (House of Senate and House of Representatives). The legal system is mainly based on Spanish and Anglo-American laws.

Being an archipelago, maritime transportation is one of the cheapest and principal modes of transporting passengers and goods to the major islands of the country, as well as serving as a vital link to international trade. The Philippines is primarily an agricultural nation with a light manufacturing sector as well. The Philippine peso is the official currency. Major trading partners include the United States and Japan. Principal exports are electronics, textiles, coconut products, copper, and fish. The Philippine Coast Guard is the agency vested with the exclusive authority over the registration and documentation of Philippine vessels. However, contracts or transactions which evidence ownership or which affect the title of registered vessels must first be approved by the Philippine Maritime Industry Authority known as MARINA.