10 of the Must-Try Adventure Places in the Philippines

Sometimes, the ones who are bound to you are the one who makes a great influence to you. Sharing a story to a friend about the places you’ve been is good, but bringing them to that place and letting them feel and experience the same feeling of what you have felt when somebody have shared it to you is better.
We only have three seasons of life:

a. Full of energy, lots of time, but no money
b. Full of energy, lots of money, but no time
c. We have lots of money, lots of time, but no more energy

What season are you now? When will you be able to do outdoors and have some adventures? May these pieces of pictures encourage those people out there to see ten of the many magnificent art works of God, from mountains to beaches, from ocean and seas to waterfalls, from boulders to caves, from northern part of the Philippines to the southern part of the country, Swim, hike, and explore!

1 - Mt.Pulag, Kabayan Benguet

Mt. Pulag also known as the “Playground of Gods”, standing at 9,586 feet above sea level, found in the Cordillera region of Central Luzon, is the highest mountain in Luzon and second highest in the Philippines next to Mt. Apo. The Mt. Pulag National Park is open all year round. Dry season is the best time to trek up to the summit preferably from the month of November to March for you are able to witness breath taking sea of clouds.

Most of its visitors and guests were attracted not only in its low temperature and spectacular sea of clouds, but also on its unique characteristics for its rolling plains, mossy forest and an amazing eye soothing greens which defines its biodiversity. You can camp on the top but only on designated areas. Be sure that you have warm clothing to protect yourself in cold weather as the temperature drops.

The mountain is classified as a major climb with its five defined trails to reach on to the summit which defines it difficulty. These are the Ambangeg trail, also known as the executive trail and the easiest, the Eddet trail, Tawangan trail, Ambaguio trail, and the Akiki trail which is said to be the most difficult among the five.

2 - Lipata Caves

(Lipata Caves of Quezon Province) From Lipata Island is said to have seven 7 Caves which called the Lipata Caves. The said island is found at the Bondoc Peninsula in Quezon which takes you 3-4 hours drive from Manila.

It will take you a 20-30 minutes boat ride from the Padre Burgos Pier, the jump off area, to the island. From the Island a 15-20-minute trek will transpire you to see rock formations at the side of the mountain and amazed with the stalactites and lime stones inside the caves. You can also witness the view of the sea from above along the trail.

The rock formation inside the caves gives amazement into its visitors. The soil of Lipata caves are rich in minerals which are transported by the residents all the way down to the foot of the mountain which is used for growing their crops. However, mining in the caves is prohibited. This activity will surely destroy the caves’ natural rock formations.

3 - Dampalitan Island

From the province of Quezon lies an island name Dampalitan. Its white sandy beach and long stretch shorelines attracts most of its visitors. The beautiful long stretch of the beach and quiet place returns a peaceful and relaxing experience with nature.

Rocky formation will be seen during the low tide. You can even take your photo almost at the middle of the sea. Take those shots while enjoying the light of the sunset in the place.
A bench near the seashore is best for a seat to watch on the dramatic scene of a sunset along with your best friend or love ones.

4 - Borawan Island

Not far from the Dampalitan Island is the Borawan Island which is name after the combination of Boracay and Palawan for its characteristics of white sand and huge rock formations similar to that of Palawan’s cliffs. You can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the place with its crystal clear water, and long stretch white beach at the west coast of the island.

You can climb on to the top of the huge rocks ranging from 15-20 feet high allows you to view the west and east coast of the island and take shots of your pictures. Be careful on climbing because the edges of the rock are quite sharp.

Camping is allowed in the island, but make sure that you have your head lamps, flash light, extra batteries, and drinking water with you. There is no electricity and fresh water available in the area. If you are avoiding a crowd in the place, you can visit the island before the summer euphoria begins.

5 - Pagbilao Grande Island (Isla Putting Buhangin)

Pagbilao Grande Island in Pagbilao Quezon is also called as “Isla Putting Buhangin” with its fine white sand. It’s cold crystal clear water and white sand stretch attracts its guests. In here also found the “Kwebang Lampas”, a cave located at the east point of the stretch, and one of the highlights when you go in Pagbilao Grande.
The water here is more ideal for swimming compare to the nearby islands of Borawan and Dampalitan. The Pagbilao GrandeIsland is not that crowded with people compared with other beach resorts near it. You can go to the cave known as the “Kwebang Lampas” by passing through the rocky area at the side of foot of the cliff at the east point of the island. Be careful of the slippery rocks you may encounter while going inside the cave. Cold and relaxing views from the cave will definitely sooth you to the nature.

6 - Cape EngañO in Palaui Island

It is like a secret paradise to witness a captivating view of the Dos Hermanos Island from the Cape Engano Lighthouse also known as the “Farol de Cabo Engano”. Located at northern point of Palaui Island, Sta.Ana, Cagayan, an 18th Century light house built during the Spanish time which guides the ships on the coastal areas of Sta.Ana. 229 steps of concrete stair and a trail will lead you all the way to the lighthouse.

Palaui Island was declared as a National Marine Reserve in August 28, 1994 encompassing an area of 7,145 hectares (17,660 acres). The waters around the island boast of 21 commercial species of fishes with about 50 hectares (120 acres) of undisturbed corals.

The hike from Punta Verde, the southeast tip of Palaui, to Cape Engaño takes about 3.5 to 4 hours of hike through beautiful verdant scenery. Primitive camping is allowed at the lighthouse vicinity. [source: wikipedia]

7 - 7 Chambers of Callao Cave in Cagayan

The Callao Cave is located on the Province of Cagayan near Tuguegarao City. According to the locals, the cave has seven chambers and formations namely as the Column, Chapel, Skeleton, Elephant’s Head, Praying Angel, Rocket, Lion’s Head, and the Dog’s Head; the 7th chamber is usually closed except during the holy week.

The photo above is the second chamber of the cave which became a Cathedral by the locals of Cagayan. Each chamber allows the natural light to enlighten the dim areas of the cave. Before witnessing the magnificent cave of stalactites and stalagmites, you have to pass the test of your stamina by surpassing a stair with approximately 200 steps. It said that there are still unexplored areas after the seventh chamber of Callao Cave.

[1] Callao Cave has gained another reputation after the discovery of a foot bone on a excavation done near the first chamber's entrance was proven by archaeologist to be about 67,000years old pushing back the long known Tabon man of being the oldest discovered human remains in the country. this did not just brought a new record within the country but has also placed the Philippines in the sixth position worldwide to have found the oldest Homo sapien fossil.

[source:dong ho’s eskapo 3.0, digital photographers philippines]

8 - Merloquette Falls in Zamboanga

From the Latin City of Asia, Zamboanga, found a magnificent piece of hidden treasure in Merloquete Falls, located at Sitio Merloquet, Barangay Sibulao, Zamboanga City. An approximate 2 hours drive from the city all the way to the jump off. From the jump off, it will drive your excitement band test your endurance by a 15 minutes downhill trek before witnessing the enchanted and majestic waterfall.

Measuring with an estimated width of 13 meters wide and a height of 10 meters high, the soothing sound of the water will surely amazed you. The second water fall with an estimated width of 8 meters wide and a height of 5 meters high lie above the first one that will test your endurance to witness its beauty. It is said that there are eleven waterfalls above the first one that is rarely visited and explored.

9 - Mt.Gulugod Baboy and Anilao Boulders

Not from afar from an overnight hike to Mt. Gulugod Baboy in Mabini Anilao, Batangas, was an amazing side trip to witness scattered boulders of rocks near at the beach. It was really surprising to see and walk on through the rock before having a swim in the clear waters of Anilao.

Anilao Batangas is well known as one of the best diving sites not only in the Philippines but all over the world. Unknowingly, there is a secret place for explorers and hikers to hangout out there to discover and see the beauty of these boulders with the strong waves splashing and playing on it.

At the end of the rocky stretch found a small cave where in you can stay. From there, you can choose where to swim by passing through it. You can also see bats inside the cave when you look upward inside, and requires you for a duck walk to pass through the other side and enjoy beautiful scenery of the sea.

10 - Mt. Makiling in Los Banos Laguna

Mt.Makiling situated at Los Banos Laguna is one of the known enchanted mountains in the Philippines because of the mystical Diwata (fairy) Maria Makiling who takes care of the mountain. According to te locals, you can encounter Diwata Maria Makiling in three persons, you can see her as a maiden, a mother, and an old woman along the trail while trekking on the mountain.

Rising with a 1109 meters above sea level, Mt.Makiling is not just simply an enchanted mountain, but classified as a volcano. It is one of the most challenging must try day hike that probably test your patience and thrill you into the adventure.

[1]The Makiling Traverse is a classic example of an extended dayhike - a climb whose trekking time makes it a "major climb" but whose trail circumstances favor a long dayhike. It is a favorite training climb for mountains that are Difficulty 8/9 or higher - such as Mt Guiting-Guiting - and for good reason: a Makiling Traverse gives hikers a preview of extended hiking (8 hours/day) over a period of three or even four days. Moreover, Makiling gives samplers for various. Melkas Ridge, for example, is an introduction to the long rock scrambling of Guiting-Guiting; the proliferation of limatik and jungle density is the same environment of Halcon; and the meanderings of the Wild Boar Trail evoke Napulauan. Finally, the 'thrill' of a traverse is a junior version of what it takes to cross over Dulang-Dulang to Kitanglad, or Kidapawan to Kapatagan.

[source: Pinoy mountaineer]

About Desha, the author

Des Alimbuyuguen is an adventurous girl who have the passion for the love of nature. She is often called the "Backpacker Girl" since she often go for nature camping with her mountaineer friends.

10 Things they Cook on The Kitchen Musical Series

Do you remember how many musical shows you enjoyed on theatre stage, TV or movies? From Disney’s fairytale stories to Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens of High School musical and the Jonas Brothers of Camp Rock, not to mention Phantom of the Opera (Gaston Leroux), Miss Saigon (Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil) and TV series Glee (Yes, of course) are musically successful and famous around the world. What is it with musical shows that hype us on and we can’t get enough of?

According to Wiki, Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an integrated whole.

Although musical theatre overlaps with other theatrical forms such as opera, it may be distinguished by the equal importance given to the music as compared with the dialogue, movement and other elements of the works. Since the early 20th century, musical theatre stage works have generally been called, simply, "musicals".

Hey, hold up… wonder why I’m talking about blah, blah, blah musical stuff? Isn’t it supposed to be top 10 lists or something? Well, I was just curious about this Pan Asian musical drama television series – The Kitchen Musical. The series is set to premiere in October 2011 in 19 countries across Asia and Europe. The show features a pool of Asia's talented casts comprising both veteran and upcoming new faces from around the region.

So here’s the 10 list of things they cooked for us.

1 – The Characters (Cast)

The cast are all amazing talents from different countries in Asia. Who knows? The next big thing in Emmy's will be from Asia?

Here's the list of the full cast:

Main characters

Karylle as Maddie Avilon
Stephen Rahman Hughes as Alex Marcus
Christian Bautista as Daniel Ray
Arthur Acuña as Harry Shaw
Rosemary Vandenbroucke as Selena Argon

Supporting characters

Juan Jackson as Juan - Line Cook
Thou Reyes as Thou - Line Cook
Carla Dunareanu - Line Cook
Erwin Shah Ismail as Rico - Dishwasher
Ikey Canoy as Winston - Pastry Chef
Juwanda Hassim as Nelson - Bartender
Nadiah M. Din as Britney - Receptionist
Oon Shu An as Paula - Receptionist
Gayle Nerva as Gayle - Waitress
Rebecca Spykerman as Bec - Waitress
Debra Teng as Leslie - Head Waitress

2 - Maddie Avilon, Ms. Chief - Wanna Be

Maddie Avilon (Karylle) is a fresh graduate of Le Cordon Bleu. She lands a job as the sous chef in her father's restaurant. She struggles to show her individuality and creativity in the hands of the head chef.

In real life, Ana Karylle Padilla Tatlonghari (March 22, 1981 Philippines), better known as simply Karylle, has established herself as one of the most talented showbiz personalities in the Philippines. She is a respected singer, actress, TV host, athlete, and a writer/blogger.

3 - Alex Marcus, Mr. Perfectionist

Alex Marcus (Stephen Rahman Hughes) is the executive chef of The Avilon, known for his notoriety for perfection.

Stephen Rahman Hughes is an English actor who currently stars as DCI Vikesh Dasari in ITV's Emmerdale. He has previously starred in Bad Girls, Doctors and Sky One Dream Team. Stephen is a half English/Welsh and a half Malay.

4 - Daniel Ray, Supportive Best friend

Daniel Ray (Christian Bautista) is a supportive childhood friend of Maddie and the other sous chef of the restaurant.

Meanwhile, Christian Joseph Morata Bautista is a Filipino singer, actor, host, and model. He was a finalist of Star in a Million, a Philippine reality show aired on ABS-CBN channel, winning the 4th place in the competition in 2003. After the contest, he signed a recording contract with Warner Music Philippines and released his self-titled debut album, Christian Bautista. The multi-platinum album established his name as an OPM artist with songs such as "The Way You Look at Me", "Invincible" and "Hands to Heaven" topping the charts. The singer gained popularity not only in the Philippines but in other countries in Southeast Asia such as Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

5 - Harry Shaw, Mr. GM

Harry Shaw (Arthur Acuña) is the general manager of The Avilon. He keeps secrets from Maddie on her father's motives for letting her work in the restaurant.

6 - Selena Argon, Vicious and Gorgeous Sommelier

Selena Argon (Rosemary Vandenbroucke) is the sommelier of The Avilon who will do everything to get what she wants. She has a deep desire to get rid of Maddie and win Alex's heart.

Rosemary Vandenbroucke is one of the hottest Asian-American supermodels. At age 14 she participated in 2nd Elite Model Look and won the championship. In 1996 she became a model. She was appointed Saint Laurent Ambassador 1998 by French apparel brand Yves Saint Laurent. She has gained exposure in fashion shows, advertisements and from 2001 in films. She has starred in several movies including ‘Martial Angels’ (2001), ‘La Brassiere’ (2001), ‘Mighty Baby’ (2002), and ‘The Spy Dad’ (2003). Rosemary was born to a Russian-French father and a Chinese mother, Julie, who now acts as Rosemary's manager.

7 – The Production

Prior to production, Filipino celebrities Karylle, Christian Bautista, Arthur Acuña, Ikey Canoy, and Thou Reyes left Singapore to join in a boot camp training to behave, think and act like chefs. The main cast Karylle stayed in Singapore for four months to finish the 13 episodes of season 1 of the series. According to the Studio 23's (ABS-CBN, Philippines) program head Vince Rodriguez, the second season of the series is already in the process.

8 – The Plot

The story revolves around a rich young girl who goes to work at her father's famous restaurant The Avilon after graduating from the culinary school Le Cordon Blue in Paris.

9 – Love Teams

I’m expecting that stuff here with Maddie and Alex in differences as well as vicious Selena roaming around. I’m wondering where to put Daniel on the scene? I'm so excited about the scenes.

10 – Singing and more singing...

Here’s a sneak peak on what to expect on The Kitchen Musical premiere.

• Reference/Source: TheKitchenMusical.com

10 of Asia's 200 Best Universities 2011

Welcome to the full results of the 2011 QS Asian University Rankings. View Asia's top 200 institutions overall, or search within individual subject or criteria tables to find out which universities excel in the areas that matter to you.

Here's the top 10 list out of 200 best Asian universities (Rank,School,Country,Classification,Score)

1 - The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Hong Kong, M|CO|, Score: 100.00

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (often abbreviated HKUST) is a public university located in Hong Kong. Established in 1991 under Hong Kong Law Chapter 1141 (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Ordinance), it is one of the nine universities in Hong Kong.
Professor Tony F. Chan is the current president of HKUST. The campus is located in Sai Kung District in the New Territories of Hong Kong. Overlooking Clear Water Bay, the school is home to 9,000 students as well as more than 450 faculty. Since its official opening in 1991, the university has become one of the top universities in Hong Kong and is among the most prestigious in Asia. It is ranked as the best university in Asia according to QS Asian University Rankings 2011. Also, the THE-QS World University Rankings (known from 2010 onwards as the QS World University Rankings) in its 2009 edition ranked HKUST 35th worldwide and 26th in technology. The HKUST Business School’s MBA program is ranked 52nd worldwide by the EIU[4]and 6th worldwide by the Financial Times. Additionally, the school's Executive MBA program is run in partnership with Kellogg School of Management and is ranked number one worldwide by FT. HKUST also has a partnership with NYU's Stern School of Business in forming the Master of Science in Global Finance (MSGF).

2 - University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong, L|FC|, Score: 99.80

The University of Hong Kong is the territory's oldest university, and with a history that stretches back nearly 100 years, it has grown with and helped shape the city from which it takes its name.

Today, HKU, as it is fondly called, is a dynamic, comprehensive, university of world-class standing. With ten Faculties and numerous research centres, its reputation as a centre of intellectual excellence is recognised around the world. It continues to build on its strengths with innovative research and teaching, producing well-rounded graduates with outstanding leadership qualities.

3 - National University of Singapore (NUS)
Singapore, XL|FC, score: 99.30

The National University of Singapore (NUS) is Singapore's global university with distinctive strengths in education and research and an entrepreneurial dimension. NUS is a multi-campus university which spans three locations - its principal 150-hectare Kent Ridge campus, Bukit Timah campus and Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore at Outram. More than 28,000 students from 80 countries make the University a hub of activity and buzz.

NUS offers comprehensive curricula in the Faculties of Arts & Social Sciences, Business, Computing, Dentistry, Design & Environment, Engineering, Law, Medicine and Science. A University Scholars Programme grooms talented students for leadership by developing their personal, intellectual and leadership qualities. An NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering spearheads trans-disciplinary graduate education and research in science, engineering and medicine.

4 - The University of Tokyo
Japan, L|FC|, Score: 97.40

The University of Tokyo was established in 1877 as the first national university in Japan. As a leading research university, the University of Tokyo offers courses in essentially all academic disciplines at both undergraduate and graduate levels and conducts research across the full spectrum of academic activity. The university aims to provide its students with a rich and varied academic environment that ensures opportunities for both intellectual development and the acquisition of professional knowledge and skills.

The University of Tokyo has a faculty of over 4,500 and a total enrollment of about 29,000, evenly divided between undergraduate and graduate students. As of 2009 there were 2,555 international students, and in 2008 over 3,500 foreign researchers come annually to the university for both short and extended visits while 9,130 academics visited foreign universities for academic purposes. The University of Tokyo is known for the excellence of its faculty and students and ever since its foundation many of its graduates have gone on to become leaders in government, business, and the academic world.

5 - The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong, L|FC|, Score: 97.20

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is a top comprehensive research university ranked 42nd globally in the 2010 QS World University Rankings and has standing as one of the world's premier universities ranked in the upper tier.
The Chinese University is the only tertiary education institution in Hong Kong with Nobel Prize winners on its faculty, including Chen Ning Yang, James Mirrlees, Robert Alexander Mundell and Charles K. Kao (winner of the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physics). Other eminent thinkers at the university include mathematician Shing-Tung Yau, holder of the prestigious Fields Medal and Veblen Prize, and computational theorist Andrew Yao, winner of the Turing Award.
The Chinese University is an officially trilingual campus; its languages of instruction are English, Cantonese, and Mandarin. The school is also home to the renowned Yale-China Chinese Language Center.
The University has 61 academic departments organized under eight faculties: arts, business administration, education, engineering, social science, medicine, science, and law. Within these 61 departments are 117 undergraduate programs and 247 postgraduate programs.

6 - Seoul National University
South Korea, L|FC|, Score: 96.90

From the Start of the New Nation
Korean people have always maintained their faith in the power of education, even through colonial occupation and war during the tumultuous first half of the 20th century. Thus in 1946, just months after Korea regained its independence, Seoul National University was established as the first piece of the educational foundation for the new nation.
After a few short years, the campus had to be abandoned at the start of the Korean war in 1950, as civilians fled south to escape the frontlines. But the passion of the professors and students sustained the school through the war, with classes held outside refugee camps.

Comprehensive Research University
Thanks to this 'education fever', Seoul National University has grown remarkably in the past six decades. Now comprising 16 colleges and associated graduate schools, 6 professional graduate schools, and 65 research institutes, the SNU community has expanded to nearly 23,000 students and 2,500 faculty members. It has moved to Gwanak campus which has 192.366km2 of campus and 300 of buildings for education and research. SNU is in building new campuses outside of Gwanak such as 'Bio information technology port at Cheongna(0.6km2, by 2017), Advanced institute of convergence technology (0.1km2, by 2008) and Greenbio research complex (by 2010).

7 - Kyoto University
Japan, L|FC|, Score: 96.30

Founded in 1897, Kyoto University has deeply considered its traditions of liberal and academic freedom, educating many. We continue to actively maintain these principles, which are the foundation of academic freedom.

Kyoto University places top priority on basic research, develops advanced technology leading to the acquisition of intellectual property, and then returns this knowledge to society through education, social cooperation, and the opportunity for lifelong education.

In 21st century, people stand at the crossroads of survival in a changing natural environment. Kyoto University understands this struggle as it grapples with the problems of education in man's future.

Kyoto University has 3 campuses nestled in a basin, which forms the main part of Kyoto, a city which in tradition and culture of which Kyoto University is a part.

8 - Osaka University
Japan, L|FC|, Score: 96.09

Osaka University (大阪大学 Ōsaka daigaku?), or Handai (阪大 Handai?), is a major national university in Osaka, Japan. It is the sixth oldest university in Japan as the Osaka Prefectural Medical College, and formerly one of the Imperial Universities of Japan.
It is a well known university where Hideki Yukawa obtained his Nobel Prize in Physics on his early work.

9 - Tohoku University
Japan, L|FC|, Score: 94.30

Tohoku University was founded in 1907 as the third imperial university, during the period when Japan had begun to transform itself into a modernized society. Since then, it has played a leading role in both research and education in Japan, and is now ranked among the top universities in the Asia-Pacific region.

From the start Tohoku University has maintained uniqueness within Japan. The university has always conceived strong loyalty to science while other former imperial universities have tried to meet the governmental needs. This has resulted in remarkable success in the University's own research and also the cultivation of brilliant students who have maintained a desire for science even after they left the university. A typical example, and probably the best known is Mr. Koichi Tanaka, the 2002 Nobel Prize laureate and a graduate of the class of 1983.

The university sees science as something to be used for the good of humanity. This has encouraged us to apply the most advanced scientific knowledge in various fields such as engineering, medicine, and law, to the needs of society. The university is widely regarded as one of the most active in industry-university cooperation in Japan.

We have also placed great emphasis on an "open door" policy. Tohoku University was the first national university to turn coeducational and there is a constant influx of large numbers of International students and scholars from all over the world. In April 2004, all national universities in Japan became incorporated body and therefore legally independent of the national government. We are firmly convinced that the key to success to this new organizational structure is our existing "open door" policy and in particular, our ambitious plans for continued transnational research collaboration and student exchange.

Tohoku University is located in the northern part of Honshu Island--the main island of Japan--, in the City of Sendai. There are several campuses, fully equipped with everything necessary to a modern academic environment in scenic surroundings and a mild climate. Sendai itself is a historic port city, close to the mountains and permeated with woodland areas.

Tohoku University is situated in an extremely comfortable place to live and work and has some of the most friendly and exciting colleagues you will find in Japan.

9 - Tokyo Institute of Technology
Japan, M|CO|, Score: 94.30

At the turn of the new millennium, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo Tech, celebrated its 120th anniversary. Founded in 1881 as Tokyo Vocation al School and later elevated to a university in 1929, Tokyo Tech has been very successful as a university specializing in science and technology, producin g a great number of leading engineers and professi onals in the fields of science and technology. In 1967, the Faculty of Science and Engineering (the on ly faculty up to that time) was separated into two faculties: the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Engineering. The new era had started, and Tokyo Tech has developed even more remarkably since then. Research in new fields and interdisciplinary areas of science and technology has been actively conducted. The Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Science and Engineering, the Faculty of Bioscience and Biotechnology, the Graduate School of Information Science and Engineering, and the Graduate School of Decision Science and Technology were founded in succession. With its cohesive organization and superior quality of research and education, Tokyo Tech has been recognized as one of the leading universities in science and technology in the world.

Please visit topuniversities.com to get the complete 200 list. Thanks.

• Reference/Source: topuniversities.com

10 of the Best Universities in the Philippines 2011

Finding a good school to study is a quite tricky thing. You have to find out their competitiveness and least assured that when you graduate will end up high recommendation to your career. So Always10 is here to help you select schools to study in the Philippines. Topuniversities.com has recently released the top 200 Asian universities lists for 2011 and of course, the big three are included in the list. (also see 10 of World's Top Universities 2010)

Here are the best Universities in the Philippines: (Rank, Name, Asian Universities Rank Spot, Score)

1 - University of the Philippines
Asian Rank: 62
Score: 58.10

The University of the Philippines (Unibersidad ng Pilipinas in Filipino, commonly abbreviated as U.P. and colloquially referred to as Peyups) is the national university of the Philippines. Founded in 1908 through Act No. 1870 of the first Philippine Legislature, known as the "University Act" by authority of the United States, the University currently provides the largest number of degree programs in the country. Senate Resolution No. 276 of the Senate of the Philippines recognizes the University as "the nation’s premier university". Seven of fifteen (15) Philippine Presidents have attended courses in the University either as undergraduates or as postgraduate students, while 12 Chief Justices of the Supreme Court, 36 out of the 57 National Artists and 34 out of the 35 National Scientists are affiliated with the University.
U.P. has the most National Centers of Excellence and Development among higher education institutions in the country and one of only three schools in Asia that have received institutional recognition in the Ramon Magsaysay Awards.
U.P. is partly subsidized by the Philippine government. Students of the university and its graduates are referred to as "[Mga] Iskolar ng Bayan" ("Scholars of the Nation"). This makes admission into the University extremely competitive. In 2006, 70,000 applicants flocked to test centers to take the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT) for undergraduate admission. Around 11,000 of the applicants were admitted for the year 2006, an acceptance rate of about 18% for the whole of the UP system.

2 - Ateneo de Manila University
Asian Rank: 65
Score: 57.20

The Ateneo de Manila University (also called Ateneo de Manila or simply the Ateneo) is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits. It was then a state-subsidized school. It became a private school during the American occupation of the Philippines, and has moved from Manila to its current location. It received its university charter in 1959.
Its main campus in Loyola Heights, Quezon City, Metro Manila is home to the university's college and graduate school units, as well as its high school and grade school. Two other campuses, in Rockwell Center and Salcedo Village, both in Makati City, house the university's professional schools of business, law, and government. A fourth facility in the Don Eugenio López, Sr. Medical Complex in Ortigas Center, Pasig City houses its school of medicine and public health.
The Ateneo offers programs in the elementary, secondary, undergraduate, and graduate levels. Its academic offerings include the Arts, Humanities, Business, Law, the Social Sciences, Philosophy, Theology, Medicine and Public Health, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science and Information Technology, Engineering, Environmental Science, and Government. Aside from teaching and research, the Ateneo de Manila also engages in social outreach.
It was granted Level IV accreditation--the highest possible level—from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) through the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP) and the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU). Its was reaccredited at the same level, and was likewise granted Institutional Accreditation by the same body in 2011, the first time that both citations were awarded to a university simultaneously.
It is also one of few universities granted autonomous status by CHED, which likewise recognizes a number of the University's programs and departments as Centers of Excellence and Centers of Development.
Its grade school and high school have been granted Level III accreditation by PAASCU and FAAP, the highest possible level for basic education.

3 - University of Santo Tomas
Asian Rank: 104
Score: 47.10

The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines (colloquially UST or "Ustê". Filipino: Unibersidad ng Santo Tomas), is a private Roman Catholic university run by the Order of Preachers in Manila. Founded on April 28, 1611 by archbishop of Manila Miguel de Benavides, it has the oldest extant university charter in the Philippines and in Asia. and is one of the world's largest Catholic universities in terms of enrollment found on one campus. UST is also the largest university in the city of Manila. As a Pontifical University in Asia, UST is the only university to have been visited by two popes three times: once by Pope Paul VI on Nov. 28, 1970, and twice by Pope John Paul II on Feb. 18, 1981 and January 13, 1995.
The University is composed of several autonomous faculties, colleges, schools and institutes, each conferring undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate degrees, and the basic education units. Several degrees have been accredited by the Commission on Higher Education as Centers of Excellence and Centers of Development.

4 - De La Salle University
Asian Rank: 107
Score: 45.90

De La Salle University (Tagalog: Pamantasang De La Salle) (also referred to as DLSU or La Salle) is a private La Sallian university in Malate, Manila, Philippines. It was founded in 1911 by De La Salle Brothers as the De La Salle College in Paco, Manila with Blimond Pierre serving as its first director. The college moved in September 1921 to its present location to facilitate increase in enrollment. DLSU, granted university status on February 1975, is the oldest constituent of De La Salle Philippines (DLSP), a network of 17 La Sallian institutions established in 2006 to replace the De La Salle University System.
The university started as a boys' elementary and high school. It started offering in 1920 a two-year Associate in Arts in Commerce program, which was later discontinued in 1931 in favor of a Bachelor of Science in Commerce program. DLSU currently offers coeducational undergraduate and graduate degree programs through its seven colleges and one school specializing in varied disciplines, including business, engineering and liberal arts.
The university, currently under the administration of President Narciso S. Erguiza, is a member of several international university associations (including the ASEAN University Network and International Association of Universities) as well as local organizations (such as the South Manila Inter-Institutional Consortium).
DLSU is identified by the Philippine Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as a "Center of Excellence" in six of its programs, and a "Center of Development" in the same number of programs. The university is also among the 40 institutions granted autonomous status by CHED as of 2010. Likewise, it is the first of the only two institutions granted the highest-level accreditation (Level IV) by the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU). The university ranks 107th and 451st in the 2011 Asian University Rankings and 2010 World University Rankings, respectively, published by Quacquarelli Symonds.
Research is mainly funded by the De La Salle University Science Foundation. Since 2000, DLSU has been the CHED Zonal Rsearch Center for 10 cities in southern Metro Manila. As such, it evaluates research proposals for recommendation for CHED funding, and monitoring of CHED-funded researches, among others. DLSU research has focused on affective computing and renewable energy. Application of its research has resulted to electrification of remote areas in the country through the use of micro hydro generators, and the creation of both of the only two solar cars of the Philippines, SINAG and SIKAT.

Since the Asian rankings only prioritize top 200, We continue the list below according to their score.

5 - University of Southeastern Philippines
Asian Rank: 201+
Score: 18.70

The University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) is a regional state university created in 1978 through Batas Pambansa Bilang 12. The university is an integration of four state institutions: Mindanao State University-Davao, the University of the Philippines-Master of Management Program in Davao, the Davao School of Arts and Trades, and the Davao National Regional Agricultural School.
The university has four campuses: Obrero (main) and Mintal campuses in Davao City, Tagum-Mabini Campus which has two units — one in Tagum City and one in Compostela Valley Province — and Bislig Campus in Surigao del Sur.

6 - Xavier University
Asian Rank: 201+
Score: 16.40

Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan is a private, Roman Catholic university run by the Society of Jesus in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines.
It was founded on June 7, 1933 as the Ateneo de Cagayan by an American Jesuit missionary, Fr. James T.G. Hayes, S.J., D.D., who later became the first Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro. In 1958, Ateneo de Cagayan became a university and was renamed to its present name, Xavier University, in honor of the Jesuit missionary, St. Francis Xavier.
There were at least two attempts by the alumni of the then Ateneo de Cagayan to revert the name of the University to Ateneo de Cagayan. The first attempt was in the mid 1990's and the second attempt was in 2007. These attempts were, however, not widely supported and in the case of the 2007 proposal, not endorsed by the Xavier University – Ateneo Alumni Association (XU–AAA). Until today, the debate still continues.

7 - Central Mindanao University
Asian Rank: 201+
Score: 13.60

Central Mindanao University is one of the two universities in the province of Bukidnon, Mindanao Island in the Philippines.

8 - Mapua Institute of Technology
Asian Rank: 201+
Score: 11.40

Mapúa Institute of Technology (MIT, Mapúa Tech or simply Mapúa) is a private, non-sectarian, Filipino tertiary institute located in Intramuros, Manila and in Makati.
It was founded by the first registered Filipino architect, Don Tomás Mapúa in 1925, a graduate of Cornell University. After he died, the tradition was continued by his children, Don Óscar B. Mapúa Sr., a graduate in Civil Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Gloria Mapúa-Lim.
The Institute is a reputable source of architects, engineers, and science graduates and constantly produces top notchers in the architectural and engineering fields as the Mapúa Institute of Technology heavily specializes in these fields in the undergraduate and graduate levels, aside from its widening array of undergraduate programs such as Computer Science, Multimedia Arts and Sciences, Information Technology, Accounting, Entrepreneurship, Business Management, Hotel & Restaurant Management, and Nursing.
The Institute has been granted with the Level IV Accredited Status to its Civil Engineering program by the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA), which is one of the first engineering programs to be accorded such status. In addition, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) recently recognized Mapúa’s Mechanical Engineering (ME), Computer Engineering (CpE) and Electronics Engineering (ECE) programs as Centers of Development for Engineering (COD).
Mapua is also the first Philippine and Southeast Asian educational institution to have ABET certification, rendering the Institute to be at par with US-based colleges and universities.

9 - Adamson University
Asian Rank: 201+
Score: 10.40

Adamson University iss a private Catholic university in Manila, Philippines, founded on June 30, 1932 by Greek immigrant George Lucas Adamson as the Adamson School of Industrial Chemistry. On February 5, 1941, the school was granted university status by the Department of Education, and on December 4, 1964, the university was turned over to the Vincentian Fathers of the Congregation of the Mission (CM) and was incorporated into the Adamson-Ozanam Education Institutions, Inc.
Adamson University has programs in Graduate Education, Law, the Arts and Sciences, Engineering, Nursing, Pharmacy, Architecture, Business Administration, Teacher Education, as well as secondary, elementary, and preparatory education. Adamson has eight distinguished courses for Center of Development and Center of Excellence identified by the Philippines Commission on Higher Education and has been granted Autonomous Status. It is a member of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).

10 - Father Saturnino Urios College
Asian Rank: 201+
Score: 6.20

The Father Saturnino Urios University (FSUU) is a Roman Catholic private university run by the Diocese of Butuan in Butuan City, Philippines.
It has two campuses: the main campus in the heart of Butuan City (which houses the academic units and offices) and the new Morelos campus at Brgy. Libertad (which houses the high school and grade school).
FSUU is the only and first home-grown university in the Caraga region.

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