The Philippines is an archipelago of over 7,100 islands, stretching 1,840 kilometers off the southeast coast of Asia. Manila, the capital city, is on the west coast of Luzon, the largest island in the archipelago. Magellan "discovered" the Philippines in 1521 and named the country after King Philip of Spain. The Spanish brought Christianity and the knowledge of a wider world. The Americans took over in 1898 after the Spanish-American war. English is widely used as the Americans introduced their language and educational system shortly after that. The English language is a major part of the educational curriculum, media outlets and entertainment channels. This crucial factor has led to the English speaking FIlipino seafarer being sought after by international shipowners and Charterers. In a nation of over 7,000 islands, it was natural that the population gravitated toward seafaring occupations. The country supplies an estimated 200,000 - 250,000 seafared annually, about 25% of the world's market.

The map shows the geography of the country, which is slightly bigger than the British Isles. Pandiman's head office is in Manila, near the main port areas. Our branch office is in the city of Cebu in the Visayas island chain. Cebu is the second largest port in the Philippines and he Visayas are a major source of seafarers.

For more on the Philippines, please visit WOW Philippines!