Acronyms are popular in the Philippines. It is widely used in the different sectors of the Philippine society. Often, due to long full names of the institutions in the Philippines, acronyms are then utilized to shorten the name of an institution or a company in the country. Making it more convenient to the majority of the Philippine population, but sometimes tends to become ambiguous.
Geography is one area prone to acronyms. Many times, when a group of places is formed, instead of coining a descriptive term for the group, an acronym that stands for the individual places is created. An example outside the Philippines is Benelux, which stands for the countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
A premiere example in the Philippines is Luzviminda. This is an acronym that stands for Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, the three island groupings of the country. Luzviminda is actually used as a name for many Filipino women. Another example in the Philippines is the region CALABARZON. This is a region consisting of the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon. CALABARZON was split off from the former Southern Tagalog region in 2002. The region containing the remaining provinces in Southern Tagalog is also named as an acronym, MIMAROPA, which stands for the provinces of Mindoro (Occidental and Oriental), Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan. A last example is CAMANAVA, which stands for Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, and Valenzuela—all of which are located in Metro Manila.
Acronyms are not only prevalent in geography.
Many business owners also use acronyms in their company names. The name of the popular clothing company, Bench, is actually an acronym for the company's president, Ben Chan.
Acronyms are even used to name TV shows. Popular noontime variety shows like SOP and ASAP have appropriated common acronyms as the name of the TV show.
In political campaigns, many candidates names become acronyms stating their political platforms. A particularly stilted political acronym used was the slogan used by the People Power Coalition (PPC) in the 2001 senatorial elections: VOT FOR D CHAMPP. The slogan is an acronym that stands for the names of the 13 senator candidates fielded by PPC. The 11 administration senators who voted YES to block the opening of the second envelope during Estrada's impeachment trial were called "Jose's Cohort": Jaworski, Osmeña, Santiago, Enrile, Sotto, Coseteng, Oreta, Honasan, Ople, Revilla, Tatad.
Churches and Religious Institutions
ACJC - Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ
INC - Iglesia ni Cristo
LAMP - Lighthouse Apostolic Ministry of Pentecost
UPC - United Pentecostal Church
CBCP - Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines
ARMM - Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
BUDA - Bukidnon-Davao
BXU - Butuan
CALABARZON - Region; Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon
CAMANAVA - Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela (northwestern Metro Manila)
ComVal - Province of Compostela Valley
CAR - Cordillera Administrative Region
CEB - Cebu, either the province or the city
CDO - Cagayan de Oro, Northern Mindanao
DVO - Davao Region
EDSA - Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, a major circumferential road (C-4) in Metro Manila
IGaCoS - Island Garden City of Samal
LB - Los Baños, Laguna
LP - Las Piñas
Luzviminda - Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao
MARILAQUE - Manila, Rizal, Laguna, Quezon
MIMAROPA - Region; Mindoro (Occidental & Oriental), Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan
MisOcc - Misamis Occidental
MisOr - Misamis Oriental
MUNTAPAT - Muntinlupa, Taguig, Pateros
MUNTIPARLAS - Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Las Piñas (southern Metro Manila)
NCR - National Capital Region (Metro Manila)
NIR - Negros Island Region
BCD - Bacolod
DGT - Dumaguete
NegOcc - Negros Occidental
NegOr - Negros Oriental
QC - Quezon City
SOCCSKSARGEN - Region; South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, General Santos
GenSan - General Santos
VisMin - Visayas, Mindanao
ZC - Zamboanga City
BAYAN - Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (New Patriotic Alliance)
KAMPI - Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino
KBL - Kilusang Bagong Lipunan
Lakas-CMD - Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats
LAMMP - Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino (Struggle of the Patriotic Filipino Masses)
LP - Liberal Party
PROMDI - Probinsya Muna Development Initiative
STAND-UP - Student Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP
TNB - Tupa NG Betlahem
UNIDO - United Nationalist Democratic Organization
PUKI - Pambansang Union ng Kalalakihang Inaapi
Companies and commerce
BDO - Banco De Oro
CEPALCO - Cagayan Electric Power & Light Company
ETT - Enlightened Touch Trading
iBank - International Exchange Bank
Meralco - Manila Electric Railway Company
NAPOCOR - National Power Corporation
PAL - Philippine Airlines
PBCom - Philippine Bank of Communications
Philtranco - Philippine Transportation Corporation
Piltel - Pilipino Telephone
PLDT - Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company
PSBank - Philippine Savings Bank
VECO - Visayan Electric Company
ADC - Academia de Davao College
ADDU - Ateneo de Davao University
ADMU - Ateneo de Manila University
ADNU - Ateneo de Naga University
ADU - Adamson University
ADZU - Ateneo de Zamboanga University
AMACLC - AMA Computer Learning Center
AMACU - AMA Computer University
AmBriMed - American British Medical Skills Institution
AU - Arellano University
BatStateU - Batangas State University
BulSU - Bulacan State University
BCC - Binangonan Catholic College
CC-OC - Columban College, Inc. Olongapo City
CDW - College of Divine Wisdom
CIS - Cebu International School
CIT-U - Cebu Institute of Technology – University
CMU - Central Mindanao University
CSJL - Colegio de San Juan de Letran
CvSU - Cavite State University
DBC - Don Bosco College, Canlubang
DBTC - Don Bosco Technical College
DBTI - Don Bosco Technical Institute, Makati.
DCenHS - Davao Central High School
DCHS - Davao Christian High School
DCNHS - Davao City National High School
DLSU - De La Salle University
DLS-CSB - De La Salle College of Saint Benilde
DRANHS - Daniel R. Aguinaldo High School
ESEP - Engineering and Science Education Program
FEU-FERN - Far Eastern University - Nicanor Reyes Educational Foundation
JRU - Jose Rizal University
LPU - Lyceum of the Philippines University
LSPU - Laguna State Polytechnic University
MMFC - Mindanao Medical Foundation College
MONSAY - Ramon Magsaysay High School
NCST - National College of Science and Technology
NCBA - National College of Business and Arts
NDDU - Notre Dame of Dadiangas University
NEUST - Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology
Pisay - Philippine Science High School
PLM - Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila
PLMUN - Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa
PNC - Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
PUP - Polytechnic University of the Philippines
RCC - Republic Central Colleges
RSHS - Regional Science High School
SCS - South Crest School
SIC - Santa Isabel College
SLU - Saint Louis University
SMCM - St. Mary's College of Meycauayan
SMCQC - Saint Mary's College of Quezon City
SPC - St. Paul College (Makati, Pasig, Parañaque)
TCU - Taguig City University
TUP - Technological University of the Philippines
TIP - Technological Institute of the Philippines
UE - University of the East
UM - University of Mindanao
UNEP - University of Northeastern Philippines
UP - University of the Philippines
UPLB - University of the Philippines, Los Baños
UPHS-D - University of Perpetual Help System - Dalta
UPHS-J - University of Perpetual Help System - Jonelta
URS - University of Rizal System
USANT - University of Saint Anthony
UST - University of Santo Tomas
UV - University of the Visayas
VMUF - Virgen Milagrosa University Foundation
WMSU - Western Mindanao State University
XU - Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan
ABS-CBN - Alto Broadcasting System - Chronicle Broadcasting Network
AP - Araling Panlipunan
BLISS - Bagong Lipunan Improvement of Sites and Services
FFA - Football Filipinas Association, Inc.
GMA 7 - Greater Manila Area
HUKBALAHAP - Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa Hapon (People's Army Against the Japanese)
MILF - Moro Islamic Liberation Front
MNLF - Moro National Liberation Front
NPA - New People's Army
MOA - Mall of Asia
NAMFREL - National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections
PCAC - Presidential Complaints and Action Committee
PEFTOK - Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea
