Tallest in the Philippines

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.