In the province of Aklan, where I visited Jawili Waterfall, people speak Aklanon (uh-KLON-in), also referred to as Akeanon or Inaklanon. Although Aklanon is a bit similar to Kinaray-a (the language spoken in my province), Aklanon vowels are much more difficult for me to pronounce!
In Iloilo City, where I traveled to volunteer at an eye clinic, people speak Ilonggo (ee-LONG-oh). Ilonggo is also referred to as Hiligaynon (hilly-GUY-non). Ilonggo is very similar to Kinaray-a, so I was able to converse comfortably with local Filipinos. In my language the letter “L” is often replaced with an “R,” so people in Iloilo could tell I was not quite local!
The Philippine peso (PHP, ₱) is the official currency here. There is an orange 20-peso bill, pink 50-peso bill, purple 100-peso bill, green 200-peso bill, yellow 500-peso bill, and shiny blue 1000-peso bill. I mostly purchase things using bills and coins, but many locals use an app called G-Cash, or Google Cash.
