Philippine History
The Land and People
• The Philippines is an archipelago compassed of 7,110 islands and islets.
• It belongs to the northern hemisphere and part of the South East Asian region.
• The largest island is Luzon(40,814 sq.miles) followed by Mindanao (36,906 sq. miles), and Samar
• Mt. Apo is the highest peak.
• The mountain ranges are Sierra Madre (longest continuous), Western Caraballo, Caraballo de
Baler, Zambales Range, Tagaytay Ridge, and Central Eastern, Central Western and Western
mountain range.
• The rivers in Luzon as follows: Cagayan River(longest), Agno River, Abra River and Pampanga
River, whereas in Mindanao, Mindanao and Agusan River.
• There are 17 regions, 80 provinces, 122 cities and 1,512 municipalities. The following are the
regions: I - Ilocos Region, II – Cagayan Region, III – Central Luzon, IVA- CALABARZON, IVB
MIMAROPA, V – Bicol Region, VI – Western Visayas, VII – Central Visayas, VIII – Eastern
Visayas, IX – Zamboanga Peninsula, X – Northern Mindanao, XI – Davao Region, XII -
SOCCSKSARGEN, XIII - CARAGA, CAR, NCR, and ARMM.
• In 19th century Rizal and other Filipinos propagandists used the term Filipino to refer to the natives.
• Filipino myth and folklore state that the first Filipinos were Malakas and Maganda.
• Dr. Robert Fox discovered the Tabon Man (22,000 BC) considered as the First Filipino.
Pre colonial Life and Culture
• The Bahay Kubo (nipa hut) made of bamboo, wood nipa palm, cogon and whatever native
materials found in the area.
• The Kalingas and Igorots built their houses on tops.
• The badjaos (sea gypsies) at Sulu lived in boat-houses.
• The male Filipino wore kanggan ( short-sleeved jacket) and bahag (s strip of clothe wrapped
around the waist and in between the legs.)
• The Filipino women wore baro or camisa (wide sleeved-jacket and saya patadyong (skirt or lower
part.
• The social classes were nobles (gat or lakan), free men and dependent (aliping namamahay and
aliping sagigilid)
• Maragtas code- easiest example of the written law.
• The political unit was the barangay which was composed of 30 to 100 families.
• The barangay was a monarchy ruled by a chieftain called Datu, Hari or Raja.
,• The chieftain had great powers: chief executive and chief judge with the counsel and adviser from
village elders.
Timeline of the Philippines
• 25,000 B.C. Ancient Negroid people immigrate to the Philippines over a land bridge.
• 5,000 B.C. to 3,000 B.C. The "New Stone Age". Sea faring Malays from what is today Indonesia
come to the archipelago.
• 3,000 B.C. to 1,000 B.C. A second wave of Malay immigrants arrives in the Philippines by sea.
Each of their ships accommodated one small clan. Such a ship load of people was called a
barangay, a term which was revived by Marcos to describe an organized neighborhood of more
than 1000 people.
• 1200 to 1300. Migrants from Borneo spread into the Southern Philippines.
• 1300 to 1400. The Hindu empire of Majapahit on Java gains influence over parts of the islands.
• 1380. Islam reaches the Southern Philippines via Borneo.
• 1521, Mar 16. A Spanish expedition, sailing across the Pacific Ocean from east to west, and led by
the Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan (died Apr 27, 1521) lands on Homonhon Island east of
Samar with three small ships, named the Concepcion, Trinidad and Victoria. Magellan calls the
place San Lazaro Island since March 16 is Saint Lazarus day.
• 1521, Mar 28. Directing his ships southwestward, Magellan reaches Limasawa Island, south of
Leyte. It is ruled by Rajah Kulambo, who becomes Magellan's friend.
• 1521, Mar 29. To seal the friendship between Magellan and Rajah Kulambo, they solemnize a
blood compact. This is the first recorded blood compact in Philippine history.
• 1521, Mar 31. The first mass on Philippine soil is celebrated on Limasawa.
• 1521, Apr 7. After sailing to Cebu Island, Magellan enters a new blood compact with the local
chieftain, Rajah Humabon.
• 1521, Apr 27. Magellan dies in a battle with Lapu-Lapu, chieftain of Mactan, an island near Cebu.
• 1526. Spain sends a third expedition to the Philippines under the leadership of Juan Cabot.
• 1529. Saavedra's expedition returns to Spain without Saavedra who died on the way home.
• 1543, Feb 2. The leader of the most successful Spanish expedition after Magellan, Ruy Lopez de
Villalobos (died Apr 4, 1546) arrives in the archipelago. He names the islands the Philippines in
honor of the son of King Charles I, Philip II (1556-1598) of Spain. Villalobos reaches Sarangani
Island off the eastern coast of Mindanao and settles there for 8 months. But because of the scarcity
of food, the expedition is forced to leave the place and sails to the Moluccas where Villalobos dies.
• 1565, Feb 13. With four ships and 380 men, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi arrives in the Philippines.
• 1565, May 8. The Island of Cebu is surrendered to Legaspi by its ruler King Tupas. Legaspi
establishes the first permanent Spanish settlement on Cebu and becomes the first Spanish
, • 1568. The Portuguese, under the command of General Gonzalo de Pereira, attack Cebu and
blockade its port.
• 1570. The Portuguese again attack the colony and are repulsed. The series of attacks stems from
Portugal's claim to the territory based on the provision of the Treaty of Tordesillas entered into by
Spain and Portugal on June 7, 1474, in which their respective spheres of influence, trade and
conquest were defined. The Portuguese believe that the Philippines falls within their sphere.
• 1570, May. Legaspi sends an expedition under the leadership of Martin de Goiti to Manila. Manila
is ruled by Rajah Suliman, whose friendship is won by de Goiti.
• 1571, May 19. Rajah Suliman wages war against the Spaniards due to a move by de Goiti which
he mistakes for an assault. De Goiti's army defeats Suliman's troops and occupies the town.
• 1571, Jun 24. Legaspi establishes his government in Manila and proclaims it the capital of the
Philippines, calling it the "distinguished and ever loyal city".
• 1572, Aug 20. Legaspi dies and Guido de Lavezares (died 1575) succeeds him as governor.
Lavezares extends colonization to the Bicol region.
• 1574, Nov 23. The Chinese pirate captain Limahong attacks Manila but the Spaniards win with
the help of the Filipinos.
• 1574, Dec 2. Limahong again attacks Manila, this time with 1,500 soldiers, but cannot conquer the
city.
• 1574, Dec. In Tondo (now a district of Manila) Lakandula leads a short revolt against the Spanish.
• 1580. The Spanish King Philip II receives the throne of Portugal upon the death of the
Portuguese King Sebastian. This puts an end to the Portuguese harassment of the Philippine
archipelago.
• 1580. The Spaniards institute forced labor on all male natives aged 16 to 60.
• 1583, Aug. A great fire in Manila which starts from the candles around the bier of governor
Penalosa.
• 1589. The Spaniards establish the first school in the Philippines, the College of San Ignacio.
• 1600. The Dutch attack the archipelago in a tactical offensive during the European war between
Spain and the Netherlands.
• 1600. Governor Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera begins collecting the bandala from the natives.
Bandala is an annual quota of products assigned to the natives for compulsory sale to the
government.
• 1600. The Galleon trade between Manila and Acapulco, Mexico begins. But Manila serves merely
as a transshipment port for the exchange of goods between Spain and Mexico on the one side
and China on the other. Silver from Mexico is traded for any kind of Chinese merchandise.
Because of the Galleon trade's quick returns, Spain lacks interest in developing the Philippine
economy during the first 200 years of its occupation.
• 1603. Chinese insurrection in Manila.
The Land and People
• The Philippines is an archipelago compassed of 7,110 islands and islets.
• It belongs to the northern hemisphere and part of the South East Asian region.
• The largest island is Luzon(40,814 sq.miles) followed by Mindanao (36,906 sq. miles), and Samar
• Mt. Apo is the highest peak.
• The mountain ranges are Sierra Madre (longest continuous), Western Caraballo, Caraballo de
Baler, Zambales Range, Tagaytay Ridge, and Central Eastern, Central Western and Western
mountain range.
• The rivers in Luzon as follows: Cagayan River(longest), Agno River, Abra River and Pampanga
River, whereas in Mindanao, Mindanao and Agusan River.
• There are 17 regions, 80 provinces, 122 cities and 1,512 municipalities. The following are the
regions: I - Ilocos Region, II – Cagayan Region, III – Central Luzon, IVA- CALABARZON, IVB
MIMAROPA, V – Bicol Region, VI – Western Visayas, VII – Central Visayas, VIII – Eastern
Visayas, IX – Zamboanga Peninsula, X – Northern Mindanao, XI – Davao Region, XII -
SOCCSKSARGEN, XIII - CARAGA, CAR, NCR, and ARMM.
• In 19th century Rizal and other Filipinos propagandists used the term Filipino to refer to the natives.
• Filipino myth and folklore state that the first Filipinos were Malakas and Maganda.
• Dr. Robert Fox discovered the Tabon Man (22,000 BC) considered as the First Filipino.
Pre colonial Life and Culture
• The Bahay Kubo (nipa hut) made of bamboo, wood nipa palm, cogon and whatever native
materials found in the area.
• The Kalingas and Igorots built their houses on tops.
• The badjaos (sea gypsies) at Sulu lived in boat-houses.
• The male Filipino wore kanggan ( short-sleeved jacket) and bahag (s strip of clothe wrapped
around the waist and in between the legs.)
• The Filipino women wore baro or camisa (wide sleeved-jacket and saya patadyong (skirt or lower
part.
• The social classes were nobles (gat or lakan), free men and dependent (aliping namamahay and
aliping sagigilid)
• Maragtas code- easiest example of the written law.
• The political unit was the barangay which was composed of 30 to 100 families.
• The barangay was a monarchy ruled by a chieftain called Datu, Hari or Raja.
,• The chieftain had great powers: chief executive and chief judge with the counsel and adviser from
village elders.
Timeline of the Philippines
• 25,000 B.C. Ancient Negroid people immigrate to the Philippines over a land bridge.
• 5,000 B.C. to 3,000 B.C. The "New Stone Age". Sea faring Malays from what is today Indonesia
come to the archipelago.
• 3,000 B.C. to 1,000 B.C. A second wave of Malay immigrants arrives in the Philippines by sea.
Each of their ships accommodated one small clan. Such a ship load of people was called a
barangay, a term which was revived by Marcos to describe an organized neighborhood of more
than 1000 people.
• 1200 to 1300. Migrants from Borneo spread into the Southern Philippines.
• 1300 to 1400. The Hindu empire of Majapahit on Java gains influence over parts of the islands.
• 1380. Islam reaches the Southern Philippines via Borneo.
• 1521, Mar 16. A Spanish expedition, sailing across the Pacific Ocean from east to west, and led by
the Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan (died Apr 27, 1521) lands on Homonhon Island east of
Samar with three small ships, named the Concepcion, Trinidad and Victoria. Magellan calls the
place San Lazaro Island since March 16 is Saint Lazarus day.
• 1521, Mar 28. Directing his ships southwestward, Magellan reaches Limasawa Island, south of
Leyte. It is ruled by Rajah Kulambo, who becomes Magellan's friend.
• 1521, Mar 29. To seal the friendship between Magellan and Rajah Kulambo, they solemnize a
blood compact. This is the first recorded blood compact in Philippine history.
• 1521, Mar 31. The first mass on Philippine soil is celebrated on Limasawa.
• 1521, Apr 7. After sailing to Cebu Island, Magellan enters a new blood compact with the local
chieftain, Rajah Humabon.
• 1521, Apr 27. Magellan dies in a battle with Lapu-Lapu, chieftain of Mactan, an island near Cebu.
• 1526. Spain sends a third expedition to the Philippines under the leadership of Juan Cabot.
• 1529. Saavedra's expedition returns to Spain without Saavedra who died on the way home.
• 1543, Feb 2. The leader of the most successful Spanish expedition after Magellan, Ruy Lopez de
Villalobos (died Apr 4, 1546) arrives in the archipelago. He names the islands the Philippines in
honor of the son of King Charles I, Philip II (1556-1598) of Spain. Villalobos reaches Sarangani
Island off the eastern coast of Mindanao and settles there for 8 months. But because of the scarcity
of food, the expedition is forced to leave the place and sails to the Moluccas where Villalobos dies.
• 1565, Feb 13. With four ships and 380 men, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi arrives in the Philippines.
• 1565, May 8. The Island of Cebu is surrendered to Legaspi by its ruler King Tupas. Legaspi
establishes the first permanent Spanish settlement on Cebu and becomes the first Spanish
, • 1568. The Portuguese, under the command of General Gonzalo de Pereira, attack Cebu and
blockade its port.
• 1570. The Portuguese again attack the colony and are repulsed. The series of attacks stems from
Portugal's claim to the territory based on the provision of the Treaty of Tordesillas entered into by
Spain and Portugal on June 7, 1474, in which their respective spheres of influence, trade and
conquest were defined. The Portuguese believe that the Philippines falls within their sphere.
• 1570, May. Legaspi sends an expedition under the leadership of Martin de Goiti to Manila. Manila
is ruled by Rajah Suliman, whose friendship is won by de Goiti.
• 1571, May 19. Rajah Suliman wages war against the Spaniards due to a move by de Goiti which
he mistakes for an assault. De Goiti's army defeats Suliman's troops and occupies the town.
• 1571, Jun 24. Legaspi establishes his government in Manila and proclaims it the capital of the
Philippines, calling it the "distinguished and ever loyal city".
• 1572, Aug 20. Legaspi dies and Guido de Lavezares (died 1575) succeeds him as governor.
Lavezares extends colonization to the Bicol region.
• 1574, Nov 23. The Chinese pirate captain Limahong attacks Manila but the Spaniards win with
the help of the Filipinos.
• 1574, Dec 2. Limahong again attacks Manila, this time with 1,500 soldiers, but cannot conquer the
city.
• 1574, Dec. In Tondo (now a district of Manila) Lakandula leads a short revolt against the Spanish.
• 1580. The Spanish King Philip II receives the throne of Portugal upon the death of the
Portuguese King Sebastian. This puts an end to the Portuguese harassment of the Philippine
archipelago.
• 1580. The Spaniards institute forced labor on all male natives aged 16 to 60.
• 1583, Aug. A great fire in Manila which starts from the candles around the bier of governor
Penalosa.
• 1589. The Spaniards establish the first school in the Philippines, the College of San Ignacio.
• 1600. The Dutch attack the archipelago in a tactical offensive during the European war between
Spain and the Netherlands.
• 1600. Governor Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera begins collecting the bandala from the natives.
Bandala is an annual quota of products assigned to the natives for compulsory sale to the
government.
• 1600. The Galleon trade between Manila and Acapulco, Mexico begins. But Manila serves merely
as a transshipment port for the exchange of goods between Spain and Mexico on the one side
and China on the other. Silver from Mexico is traded for any kind of Chinese merchandise.
Because of the Galleon trade's quick returns, Spain lacks interest in developing the Philippine
economy during the first 200 years of its occupation.
• 1603. Chinese insurrection in Manila.
