A. In the past, Filipino congressmen urged their government to stop sending household workers to the Middle East after a fact-finding trip to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan found many cases of abuse, rape and maltreatment. But, none of those nations are on the new banned list which includes many strife-torn or poorer nations like Afghanistan, Iraq, Zimbabwe and Haiti.

Q: There are an estimated nine million Filipino overseas workers, or about 10 percent of the country's population. What is the religion of most Filipinos?

A. Sunni Muslim

B. Zen Buddhist

C. Roman Catholic

D. Hindu

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C. About 80 percent of Filipinos are Roman Catholic. Muslims make up 5 percent of the population, and most of the rest belong to other Christian sects.

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Q: In the past, many Filipinos have ignored past country work bans rather than take low-paying jobs at home. The Philippines ranks 163rd in gross domestic product per person. Which nation ranks first?

A. United States

B. Norway

C. Japan

D. Qatar

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D. While the Philippines has a per capita GDP of $3,500, it is $179,000 per person in the oil-rich Persian Gulf nation of Qatar. The United States ranks 11th with $47,200.

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Q: Where did the island nation get the name Philippines?

A. English explorer

B. Chinese word

C. Spanish king

D. Tagalog word

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C. The name of the Philippines was derived from King Philip II of Spain in the 16th century. Spain ruled the islands as a colony until 1898, when it was defeated by the United States which ran things until World War II. Filipinos gained their independence in 1946.

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