Food
An exotic mix of Malay, Spanish and Chinese cuisine, Filipino food cannot be categorised and is highly underrated. Rice and coconut are two items that figure prominently in local dishes.
Rice is a staple and served as part of every meal (including breakfast) wherever you go, but there are regional variations in the other dishes you may be offered.
Bicol province is known for extremely spicy cuisine, for example, whereas the Visayan Islanders have a penchant for raw seafood in vinegar, and the Northern Luzon specialities include fried frog legs and stuffed pig's tongue. If you hanker for Western food, it is readily available in most hotels and restaurants.

Specialities
Some distinctly Filipino dishes are:
Adobo: A legacy of the galleon trade in the 1800s, this dish was served on long Pacific voyages. There are two types: the North Philippine "wet" Adobo, and the Visayan "dry" Adobo. Essentially pork or chicken marinated in soy sauce, garlic and laurel leaves, the dish is allowed to simmer and is later fried in its own fat. Most Filipinos consider Adobo as their national dish.
Balut: Most visitors would scream in horror on learning what Balut really is: soft-boiled eggs with a partially developed duck embryo inside. Filipinos often eat this after dinner on the street with friends. It's best with a little salt and pepper and in the dark - the trick is not to look at what you are eating.
Dinuguan: A fragrant mix of herbs and pork entrails in a pork blood stew, not so different from German blood sausages or black pudding except that this is often used as rice topping.
Lechon Baboy: Whole pigs are roasted on a stake for special occasions and ceremonies - not for the squeamish, but very tasty if you've got the stomach for it.
Halo-Halo: A favourite dessert or snack. Slivers of mango, gelatin, mung bean, bananas, purple yam jam, jackfruit, red beans, and chickpeas are all mixed together with crushed ice and condensed milk and topped with ice-cream.

Drink
You should not miss the delicious fresh fruit juices readily available all over the Philippines, made from mango, pineapple, papaya and various other exotic fruits. The nation's favourite drink is beer and though there are numerous local brews, the most popular brand by far is the ubiquitous San Miguel, which is available on practically every street corner. Most bars also serve Carlsberg and a variety of other international brands. There is a range of interesting local rums, some of which are surprisingly good, though generally extremely potent, so be prepared for a sore head the next day.