The written record of the Philippine Islands starts with the coming of the Spaniards. Not that the country had not had a history and a culture and a literature before! But the Spaniards, in their religious zeal, destroyed the earlier records as completely as possible. Therefore much of what is known about pre-Spanish days—and there is still much to be uncovered—comes from the records of other countries which were in touch with the islands.
Centuries before the influence of the West was felt in the Philippines, the culture of India, China, and southeastern Asia had reached that country through the early settlers. From the eighth to the fifteenth centuries, the Philippine Islands were part of a great Hindu-Malayan empire ruled from Java and Sumatra in the neighboring islands to the southwest.
Mohammedanism swept over this area of the world in the latter part of the fifteenth century. Moslems came into the Sulu Archipelago and Mindanao and converted the people. Their descendants, the Mores, have remained devout Mohammedans to this day.
By the time the Spaniards came to the islands, therefore, the Filipinos had developed a way of life and a distinct culture that were suitable and satisfactory to them. They had a calendar, weights and measures, a system of writing, some elements of law, some religious ideas showing both Hindu and Mohammedan influences, and had some skill in metalworking, pottery making, and weaving.
Magellan, on his voyage around the world, “discovered” the islands in 1521, nearly a half century before the first permanent settlement (St. Augustine, Florida) was established by Spain in the United States. Numerous other Spanish expeditions followed, and one of them gave to the islands the name “Las Filipinas” in honor of Philip II of Spain.
The islanders were no match for the armed men from the West. They were divided both geographically and politically. Their government was a simple system, made up of many barangays (originally family groups each with a headman). There was little unity among these clans.
By the end of the sixteenth century, most of the country except the southern islands had been conquered. The subject peoples were converted to the Catholic faith and for the next three hundred years came under the direct rule of Spanish governors and the all-pervading influence of Spanish priests.
Was Spanish rule good or bad?
The Philippine colony was governed by Spaniards, by laws made in Spain, and for the sole good of the mother country and its representatives in the colony. Filipinos held only minor offices. They were not given the benefits of public education and their rights and wishes were almost completely ignored. Such laws as did exist for their protection were not enforced.
Benefits of Spanish rule should; however, be acknowledged. Spain brought its language, its literature, its laws, and its religion to a Far Eastern country. Many of the clergy tried to help the people in their social and economic development. They taught many children to read and write in the local dialects, the better to teach them the Christian religion. They introduced new crops, such as corn and cacao, and improved sugar and coffee production. They taught many trades, including printing Manila had printing presses before the end of the sixteenth century. They established higher schools for the children of the wealthier caciques (a class which developed mostly as a result of intermarriage between Spaniards and leading Malay families). The University of Santo Tomas, in Manila, was founded as early as 1611—and 340 years later was made into an internment camp for American civilians in the Philippines after the Japanese occupation.
One of Spain’s greatest contributions to the development of the country was the one it least wanted—the unification of the people under its control. The Filipinos were united, first of all, through a common religion. But, more important, they were united by a common hatred of the Spanish conqueror and all he stood for.
In spite of all the good they had done, even the Spanish religious orders began to assume an excessive control over the people’s lives. This alienated many Filipinos and brought the church orders into sharp conflict with Spanish officials who resented their growing political power. Some of the church lands remain to this day as centers of social unrest. The Aglipayan or Independent church of the Philippines, formed at the time of the final revolution against Spain, was an added protest against the all-Spanish nature of religious as well as political control.
Were the Filipinos contented?
Before our own American Revolution, the Filipinos had risen a half-dozen times against their Spanish overlords, and there were numerous lesser rebellions. Because the Filipinos had been unable during the nineteenth century to secure reforms peaceably, a secret society of the common people, the Katipunan, was formed in 1892. Revolution finally broke out in August 1896, and it was inflamed still further by the execution of Jose Rizal, the Filipino leader and national hero.
There are many heroes in Philippine history, but none stands out like Rizal. He was the embodiment of the people’s pride and of their desire for freedom. One of the small number of Filipinos able to secure a good education and to study abroad, he came back to his native land anxious to improve the condition of his people and the government which Spain imposed upon them. His books, such as The Social Cancer and Filibusterism, were not only outstanding for their social and political significance when they were written, but are still classed among the world’s great literature.
For having formed an illegal organization—the Philippine League—and for “inciting his people to rebellion” by his writings, Rizal was condemned to death by a military court. He was executed in December 1896, at the age of 35.
For a year thereafter the uneven struggle between the Filipinos and their Spanish overlords continued. Then a peace was arranged, the revolutionary leaders having been led to believe that Spain would make the desired reforms in government. But Spain had no such intentions.
From EM 24: What Lies Ahead for the Philippines? (1945)
FAQs
Beginnings of the Archipelago (1)
Some 50 million years ago, the archipelago was formed by volcanic eruptions. About 30,000 years ago the earliest inhabitants had arrived from the Asian mainland, perhaps over land bridges built during the ice ages.
How did the Philippine history begin? ›
Beginnings of the Archipelago (1)
Some 50 million years ago, the archipelago was formed by volcanic eruptions. About 30,000 years ago the earliest inhabitants had arrived from the Asian mainland, perhaps over land bridges built during the ice ages.
When was the Philippine history started? ›
Early History: The Philippine archipelago was settled at least 30,000 years ago, when migrations from the Indonesian archipelago and elsewhere are believed to have occurred. Additional migrations took place over the next millennia.
What is the Philippine history summary? ›
The Philippines is named after King Philip II of Spain (1556-1598) and it was a Spanish colony for over 300 years. Today the Philippines is an archipelago of 7,000 islands. However, it is believed that during the last ice age they were joined to mainland Asia by a land bridge, enabling human beings to walk from there.
Who were the first people in the Philippines? ›
Negrito groups were the first inhabitants to settle in the prehistoric Philippines. By around 3000 BC, seafaring Austronesians, who form the majority of the current population, migrated southward from Taiwan.
Why do Filipinos have Spanish last names? ›
Filipino Spanish surnames
The names derive from the Spanish conquest of the Philippine Islands and its implementation of a Spanish naming system. After the Spanish conquest of the Philippine islands, many early Christianized Filipinos assumed religious-instrument or saint names.
Who colonized the Philippines first? ›
The Spanish colonial period of the Philippines began when explorer Ferdinand Magellan came to the islands in 1521 and claimed it as a colony for the Spanish Empire. The period lasted until the Philippine Revolution in 1898.
What is the oldest record of Philippine history? ›
The known recorded history of the Philippines between 900 and 1565 begins with the creation of the Laguna Copperplate Inscription in 900 and ends with Spanish colonisation in 1565. The inscription records its date of creation in the year 822 of the Hindu Saka calendar, corresponding to 900 AD in the Gregorian system.
What is the old name of Philippines? ›
The country was named "Las Islas Filipinas" (Phillip's Islands) by Ruy López de Villalobos after King Philip II of Spain. Spanish colonial rule began in 1565 and lasted for about three centuries until the Philippine Revolution of 1896.
How old is Philippines as a country? ›
The First Philippine Republic was established on January 21, 1899.
The period of American colonialization of the Philippines was 48 years. It began with the cession of the Philippines to the U.S. by Spain in 1898 and lasted until the U.S. recognition of Philippine independence in 1946.
What is the oldest city in the Philippines? ›
Cebu has a population of 2.5 million and is the oldest city and the first capital of the Philippines. Under Spanish rule for three centuries, Cebu has the oldest university, San Carlos University, and the oldest street, Colon Street, built by the Spaniards.
Where do Filipino ancestors come from? ›
the Philippines collectively are called Filipinos. The ancestors of the vast majority of the population were of Malay descent and came from the Southeast Asian mainland as well as from what is now Indonesia. Contemporary Filipino society consists of nearly 100 culturally and linguistically distinct ethnic groups.
Who had the Philippines before the US? ›
By the Treaty of Paris, signed in December 1898, Spain ceded the Philippine Islands to the United States.
Who were the original Filipinos in the Philippines? ›
Where did the first Filipinos come from? According to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines, the first Filipinos came from Borneo. They are sometimes referred to as Malay Filipinos because they share a similar culture with Malaysian people.
Do all Filipinos have Spanish ancestry? ›
Filipinos are predominantly of Malay descent, frequently with Chinese and sometimes American or Spanish ancestry. Many Filipinos have Spanish names because of a 19th-century Spanish decree that required them to use Spanish surnames, or last names.
Are Filipinos Latino? ›
Are they considered Hispanic? People with ancestries in Brazil, Portugal and the Philippines do not fit the federal government's official definition of “Hispanic” because the countries are not Spanish-speaking.
What is the most common last name in the Philippines? ›
dela Cruz
This probably might also be because the last name dela Cruz is the most common surname in the country. Approximately, a whopping 635,719 people bear the surname and 625,640 are from the Philippines. It is also the 834th most common surname in the world.
What are the 3 countries colonized the Philippines? ›
Spanish rule (1521–1898) American rule (1898–1946) Japanese occupation (1941–1946)
Why did the US want the Philippines? ›
Americans who advocated annexation evinced a variety of motivations: desire for commercial opportunities in Asia, concern that the Filipinos were incapable of self-rule, and fear that if the United States did not take control of the islands, another power (such as Germany or Japan) might do so.
The Philippines is known for its exotic beaches, expansive forests, and abundance of volcanoes. Despite the common theme of nature, there are many islands that all differ from each other vastly. The Philippines is famous for its old, religious landmarks, and in contrast its modernized skyscrapers.
Who is the oldest human in the Philippines? ›
Susano, a native of the southern Negros city's Barangay Oringao, has been put in the spotlight in recent years for being the oldest living Filipino, and probably the world's oldest as well. Born in 1897, she turned 124 last Sept.
How old is the first human in the Philippines? ›
The fossil record confirms that our modern humans were in the Philippines at least 40,000–50,000 years ago3,4,5, the genus hom*o possibily 66,700 years ago6,7.
Who lived the longest in the Philippines? ›
Documents for Lola Francisca's possible declaration as the world's oldest living person have been submitted to the Guinness Organization.
What do Filipinos call the Philippines? ›
"Republika ng Pilipinas" is the de facto name of the country used in Filipino. When standing alone in English, the country's name is always preceded by the article the. However, the definite article ang does not precede the name in Filipino contexts. The country has throughout its history been known as Filipinas.
What makes Philippines unique in the world? ›
Its 7,107 islands
The Philippines is made up of more than 7,107 islands. And on every island there is a paradise to be found, unique food to eat, a singular culture to experience and new people to meet. The sheer amount of beaches to enjoy is almost uncountable.
What is Philippines before it was discovered? ›
Philippines Before the Spanish
When the Spanish arrived in 1565, the Philippines did not have a national identity. Instead, the archipelago were comprised of hundred of territories occupied by different tribal groups who fought and traded with one another. It was already a major cultural and trade crossroads.
Does dinosaurs existed in Philippines? ›
Scientists believe that there were no dinosaurs in the Philippines because at the time dinosaurs were alive there was no "Philippines" yet.
Is Philippines First World or Third World? ›
According to the World Bank classification, the Philippines is a lower middle-income country with a GNI per capita equal to USD 3,430 in 2020 and one of the emerging market economies in the East Asia and the Pacific region boasting a globally-recognized competitive workforce.
Is Philippines a first world? ›
The Western-aligned countries included: Australia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.
The U.S. formally ended its 94-year military presence in the area in the early 1990s, shutting down Clark Air Base and Subic Bay Naval Base after the Philippine Senate rejected a treaty that would extend American military presence in exchange for aid.
Why Spain sold Philippines to America? ›
U.S. victory in the war produced a peace treaty that compelled the Spanish to relinquish claims on Cuba, and to cede sovereignty over Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines to the United States.
How many Americans live in the Philippines? ›
More than four million Filipino-Americans live in the United States, and almost 300,000 U.S. citizens reside in the Philippines, including a large number of U.S. military veterans.
Who is the richest city in the Philippines? ›
In 2021, Quezon was the wealthiest city in the Philippines, with approximately 451.01 billion Philippine pesos worth of assets. Following by a large margin was Makati City with assets of about 238.56 billion Philippine pesos.
Is the first Spanish city in the Philippines? ›
After King Philip II (for whom the islands are named) had dispatched three further expeditions that ended in disaster, he sent out Miguel López de Legazpi, who established the first permanent Spanish settlement, in Cebu, in 1565.
What is the abandoned city in Philippines? ›
Aduana was destroyed by a massive fire in 1979 and has since been abandoned. In 1997, the National Archives acquired the two-story Neoclassical structure to serve as their future office.
What is the history of the first human in the Philippines? ›
The fossil record confirms that our modern humans were in the Philippines at least 40,000–50,000 years ago3,4,5, the genus hom*o possibily 66,700 years ago6,7. Another finding is the presence in the archipelago of Negritos groups related to the first migrations of hom*o sapiens outside Africa4,8,9.
What is the oldest tribe in the Philippines? ›
Located in Mindanao Island, the Philippines, the areas surrounding THPAL are home to the Mamanwa tribe, believed to be the oldest indigenous people in the Philippines.
Where did the first Filipino people come from? ›
What are now the Philippine Islands were probably once a part of the land mass of Asia. The original settlers may have come from interior Asia by land; one strain may even have come from Africa.
