Some acronyms and Tagalog words/phases translated:

• APCD – Associate Peace Corps Director
• baragatan – meeting place, fiesta
• barangay – village, smallest governmental unit
• CCIBA – Community-based Conservation of Important Biodiversity Areas, a PC-Philippines sector
• chika-chika – small talk, chat
• Chika (Chikka) Chat – instant messaging system that allows PC users to text with cell phone users
• CD – Country Director (Peace Corps)
• CI – Conservation International
• COS – close of service (Peace Corps)
• CR – comfort room, i.e. bathroom
• despedida – farewell party
• CRM – Coastal Resource Management, a PC-Philippines sector
• ECAN – Environmental Critical Areas Network
• ET – early termination, i.e. quit Peace Corps
• GRO – guest relations officer, which usually translates hooker or at least hanky-panky at an otherwise legitimate establishment
• gulay – vegetable
• halo-halo – an eclectic dessert of shaved ice, any odd assortment of fruit, gelatins, cornflakes, corn, beans, etc, etc with evaporated milk and flavorings poured over it. Hey, don't judge it til you've tried it!
• hindi – no
• IEC campaign – information, education, and communications campaign; often refered to as just "IEC"
• ingat – take care
• IST – In-Service Training
• jeepney – primary form of public transportation; colorful converted jeeps (orignally from WW2 surplus jeeps, now manufactured as is) with passenger entrance in the rear and rows of seats along the windows.
• kaingin – shifting cultivation for subsistence
• kamusta ka? – how are you?
• 'kana/'kano – American female/male
• kasama – companion
• KBA – key biodiversity area
• magandang umaga / tanghali / hapon / gabi – good (beautiful) morning / noon / afternoon / night
• MI – Master's International: graduate school / Peace Corps program
• MSC/MST – Mid-Service Conference/Training
• municipio – municipal hall/building
• na – already (used frequently in a variety of ways)
• nipa – palm fronds used for roofing material
• NGO – non-governmental organization
• oo – yes
• PA – protected area
• pasalubong – gift from another place
• PC – Peace Corps
• PCMO – Peace Corps Medical Officer
• PCT – Peace Corps Trainee
• PCV – Peace Corps Volunteer
• PDM – Project Design and Management Workshop
• pension – the equivelent of a hostel
• PST – Pre-Service Training
• sawali – woven strips of split bamboo used for simple walls in native houses
• sige – okay
• SPPA – South Palawan Planning Area
• SPPC – South Palawan Planning Council
• SPPIC – South Palawan Planning and Information Center
• texting – the quintessential form of communication in the Philippines: typing & sending short messages through cellphones
• tricycle/trike – small motorcycle with attached "side car" to hold additional passengers and cargo
• tsinelas (chinela) – slippers/flip-flops
• tsismis (chismis) – gossip
• ube – purple sweet potato
• videoke – karaoke with the words displayed on a T.V. screen
• wala – nothing; not any
• WatSan – Water Sanitation, a PC-Philippines sector
• 263 – each batch of new PCVs is known by their batch number. I am part of batch 263. People often use batch numbers to clarify who they are talking about, such as: Marla, 263.