NOV20
All country briefings

Asia · Country briefing

Philippines

A child-friendly mission briefing for 20 November — capital, climate, school day, languages, fun facts, native animals, and five questions to ask the class on the other side of the world.

  • Capital
    Manila
  • Population
    ~117 million
  • Time zone
    Asia/Manila (UTC +8)
  • Currency
    Philippine peso (PHP)
Philippines, with Manila marked
loading map…

Climate in November: End of the rainy season; warm and often humid.

Manila, the capital of Philippines

The capital

Manila

Photo · Wikimedia Commons

Fun facts

What makes Philippines a bit special.

Tap any card to open a class-ready mini-lesson — for the teacher to walk through, or an older child to read aloud.

Native animals

Wildlife your partner class might know best.

Tap any animal to open a class-ready lesson about it.

School life

In a Philippines classroom

Filipino and English are both school languages. Christmas decorations often appear in September.

Typical school day: Often 07:30–16:30 with breaks.

School year: August to June.

Greetings to learn

Say hello like a local

  • Kumusta!
    Filipino · koo-MOOS-tah
  • Hello!
    English

Five questions to ask

Conversation starters

  1. 01How many languages do you speak?
  2. 02What's your favourite school subject?
  3. 03What food do you eat at home?
  4. 04What's the weather like today?
  5. 05What music do you listen to?

What not to assume

Friendly cautions

  • ℹThe Philippines is over 7,000 islands with many languages.
  • ℹClimate and culture vary widely across the islands.

Culture

Food, music, sport, festivals.

Tap any chip to open a class-ready lesson — what it is, why it matters, fun facts.

Reflection prompts
  • “Would you like to celebrate Christmas for four months?”
  • “What music tells the story of your country?”

Could your class meet Philippines?

Choose Philippineswhen you register — we’ll show you the time-zone feasibility.

Register your classroom