Tallest Building in the Philippines
What can be considered the country's tallest building is located along
Ayala Ave. corner Herrera Street in Makati City. In the group of skyscrapers
at Makati's financial district, PBCom (Philippine Bank of Communications)
Tower dominates with its 241-meter height. The building, which rises
55 floors from the grounds of Ayala Avenue, was designed by Skidmore,
Owens and Merill (SOM) and developed by property giant Filinvest.
The PBCom tower, which was completed by the end of 2000, surpassed the
height of Petron MegaPlaza that soars 45 stories from the grounds of
Gil Puyat Ave., also in Makati City. But the record may soon belong
to a building that remains to be built. The Moldex Realty Marketing
Inc. (MRMI) said it plans to build a 57-storey tower at 1322 Roxas Boulevard
in Pasay City.
The title of the world's tallest building belongs to Malaysia's twin
Petronas Towers that rise 451.9 meters from the street level (including
its pinnacle). Other world famous high-rise buildings include Chicago's
Sears Tower and New York's Empire State Building and the former World
Trade Center buildings.
Tallest PBA Player
The tallest PBA player is Edward Joseph Feihl of TJ Hotdogs. Feihl who
stands seven feet tall is half German. With his height, Feihl could
bang bodies with the centers in the NBA. Feihl was part of the Philippine
Centennial Team, which won third place in the 1998 Asian Games.
Feihl is at least three inches taller than other PBA centers like Marlou
Aquino, Paul Asi Taulava, James Walkvist, Andy Seigle and Bonel Balingit.
Meanwhile, the tallest basketball player who has played in the NBA is
Gheorghe Muresan (7'7 or 2.31 m). But the tallest basketball player
in the world was Suleiman Ali Nashnush (8'1/2" or 2.45 m) of the
Libyan team. The tallest man in history was Robert Wadlow (8'11 or 2.72
m).
Highest Mountain
Towering at a height of 2,954 meters (9,692 feets), Mount Apo is the
highest peak in the country. Located 25 kilometers south of Davao City,
the mountain which forms part of the Mount Apo National Park is blessed
with hot springs, sulfur pillars, geysers, lakes, rivers and waterfalls.
It is home to a number of endemic animals such as the Philippine eagle,
falconet and mynah. Its peak can be reached on a four-day hiking trip.
Apo means "grandfather of all mountains". Scientists classify it as
a semi-active volcano. Materials from previous eruptions have made the
soil around the mountain extremely fertile. The mountain's base covers
72,796 hectares of mountain ranges that extend from Davao del Sur to
Misamis Oriental. While the mountain's peak looks snow-capped, the white
appearance is actually caused by the presence of sulfur.
Highest Waterfalls
The highest waterfall in the country is the 388-meter-high Aliwagwag
Falls, in Cateel town, Davao Oriental province. The cascade has 13 rapids
and looks like a stairway with 84 steps of varying heights.
The second highest waterfall is located in Barangay Rogongon, 54 kilometers
from Iligan City. Limunsudan Falls, a two-tiered fall, has a combined
height of 870 feet. Its lower cascade alone measures 400 feet, higher
than the entire height of Maria Cristiana Falls.
Maria Cristina Falls, also in Iligan City (Lanao del Norte), towers
at 320 feet. Also known as the "Mother of Industry", Maria Cristina
Falls supplies 80 percent of the total energy requirement of the Mindanao
region. Another breathtaking waterfall in Iligan City is the Tinago
Falls, located 13 kilometers from the city proper. As its name implies,
this 420-foot waterfall lies hidden in a deep ravine. The world's highest
waterfall is the Angel Falls in Venezuela. As a tributary of Caroni
River, this waterfall has a total elevation of 3,281 feet.
