Day 1: Relevance and Importance of History
all. In fact, all people have a full historical context but
Concept Notes:
WHAT IS HISTORY?
Historian Arthur Marwick defines History as “The
bodies of knowledge about the past produced by
historians, together with everything that is involved in the
production, communication of, and teaching about that
knowledge.”
History is the study of the past as it is described
in books, journals, and other literature. Happenings or
events that happened before the discovery of writing is
called prehistory. Things that relate to past events as
well as the memory, discovery, collection, organization,
presentation, and interpretation of information about said
events are also part of History. Scholars who write about
history are called historians.
Comprehension Activity
What is History?
History also refer to the academic discipline
which uses a story to examine and analyze a sequence
of past events, and objectively determine the patterns of
cause and effect that determine them. Historians
sometimes debate the nature of history and its
usefulness by discussing the study of the discipline as
an end in itself and as a way of providing "perspective"
on the problems of the present.
All people and peoples are living histories. To
take a few obvious examples: communities speak
languages that are inherited from the past. They live in
societies with complex cultures, traditions and religions
that have not been created on the spur of the moment.
People use technologies that they have not themselves
invented. And each individual is born with a personal
variant of an inherited genetic template, known as the
genome, which has evolved during the entire life-span of
the human species.
So understanding the linkages between past and
present is absolutely basic for a good understanding of
the condition of being human. That, in a nutshell, is why
History matters. It is not just 'useful', it is essential.
Guided Practice
The study of the past is essential for establishing
people in time. And why should that matter? The answer
is that people who feel themselves to be rootless live
rootless lives, meaning if they do not know where they
come from, they may not know where they are heading.
This often cause a lot of damage to themselves and
others in the process. Indeed, at the most extreme
result, those individuals with the unstable experience of
complete memory loss cannot manage on their own at
some, generally for reasons that are no fault of their
own, grow up with a weak or troubled sense of their own
placing, whether within their families or within the wider
world. They lack a sense of roots. For others, by
contrast, the inherited legacy may even be too powerful
and outright oppressive.
In all cases, understanding History is integral to
a good understanding of the condition of being human.
That allows people to build, and, as may well be
necessary, also to change, upon a secure foundation.
Neither of these options can be undertaken well without
understanding the context and starting points. All living
people live in the here-and-now but it took a long
unfolding history to get everything to NOW. And that
history is located in time-space, which holds this cosmos
together, and which frames both the past and the
present.
Independent Practice
Primary Sources
A primary source gives direct or firsthand
evidence about an event, object, person, or work of art. It
includes historical and legal documents, eyewitness
accounts, results of experiments, statistical data, pieces
of creative writing, audio and video recordings,
speeches, and art objects. Interviews, surveys, fieldwork,
and Internet communications via email, blogs, and
newsgroups also belong to the primary sources group. In
the natural and social sciences, primary sources are
often empirical studies—research where an experiment
was performed or a direct observation was made. The
results of empirical studies are typically found in
scholarly articles or papers delivered at seminars and
conferences.
Secondary Sources
The other is called secondary sources. Sources
under this describe, discuss, interpret, comment upon,
analyze, evaluate, summarize, and process the data
collected from primary sources. Secondary source
materials can be articles in newspapers or popular
magazines, book or movie reviews, or articles found in
scholarly journals that discuss or evaluate someone
else's original research. Secondary resources also give
necessary facts when learning a historical event.
Day 2: Describing One’s Role in History
Concept Notes:
PHILIPPINES THROUGHOUT HISTORY
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The Philippines is considered as a unique nation not only
in Asia but in the whole world as well due to the following
reasons:
1. Religion – Filipinos are predominantly Christian in the
Asian region whereas other nations are Islamic,
Buddhist, Hindu, and Confucian. This led to the title “The
only Christian country in Asia”.
2. Political History – The Philippines is the first
Republic in Asia, being the first nation to achieve
independence by revolution in 1898- 1901. It led the
world in waging a “People Power” revolution to oust a
dictator by peaceful and prayerful means in 1986.
3. Cultural Heritage – The Filipinos are unique for
culturally assimilating four heritages – Asian, European,
American and Japanese.
Comprehension Activity:
What is our role in History?
Discussed in our activity sheets yesterday is an
statement by a historian that we are a living history. The
question now is what does he mean by this?
We are a living history because we are a product
of what happened in the past. Let us take our
architecture and traditions for example, both of these are
never just invented yesterday, we owe them to the past
generations and yet we are still using both as of today as
an important part of our daily lives. Let us also not forget
the fact that the technologies that we use today just
came out today, these technologies would have never
existed if people form the past never discovered the
wheel.
The past have brought us freedom through the
help of the youth in their generation. Such students gave
their full time and dedication for battling the oppression
brought about by the infamous former president Marcos
during his regime. These students came successful. So
now, ask yourself, how about you?
Day 3: Knowing our Geography, The Philippines
N a t io n a l T e r r ito r y
National Territory of the Philippines
The national territory comprises the Philippine
archipelago, with all the islands and waters embraced
therein, and all other territories over which the
Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction, consisting of
its terrestrial, fluvial and aerial domains, including its
territorial sea, the seabed, the subsoil, the insular
shelves, and other submarine areas. The waters around,
between, and connecting the islands of the archipelago,
regardless of their breadth and dimensions, form part of
the internal waters of the Philippines.
PHILIPPINE ARCHIPELAGO – that body of water
studded with islands which is delineated in the Treaty of
Paris (1898), as amended by the Treaty of Washington
(1900) and the Treaty with Great Britain (1930). It
consists of its Terrestrial, Fluvial andAerial domains
including its Territorial sea, The seabed, The subsoil,
The insular shelves; and The other submarine areas.
INTERNAL WATERS – the waters Around, Between
and Connecting the islands of the archipelago,
regardless of their breadth and dimensions
ALL OTHER TERRITORIES OVER WHICH THE
PHILIPPINES HAS SOVEREIGNTY OR
JURISDICTION–includes any territory that presently
belongs or might in the future belong to the Philippines
through any of the accepted international modes of
acquiring territory.
ARCHIPELAGIC PRINCIPLE means that different
islands connected by an internal water must be
considered as a single political unit, has two elements:
1. The definition of internal waters (supra);
2. The straight baseline method of delineating the
territorial sea – consists of drawing straight lines
connecting the outermost points on the coast without
departing to any appreciable extent from the general
direction of the coast.
Important distances with respect to the waters
around the Philippines
-Territorial Sea 12 nautical miles (n.m.)
-Contiguous Zone 12 n.m. from the edge of the territorial

sea
Concept Notes -Exclusive Economic Zone 200 n.m. from the baseline
[includes T.S. and C.Z.]
Article 1: The National Territory NOTE: There can be a Continental Shelf without an
EEZ, but not an EEZ without a Continental Shelf.

TERRITORIAL SEA
Terrestial
The belt of the sea located between the coast and
internal waters of the coastal state on the one hand, and
Fluvial/Maritime
the high seas on the other, extending up to 12 nautical
miles from the low water mark.
Aerial
CONTIGUOUS ZONE
Extends up to 12 nautical miles from the territorial sea.
Although not part of the territory, the coastal State may
Comprehension Activity

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exercise jurisdiction to prevent infringement of customs,
fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws.
EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE
Body of water extending up to 200 nautical miles, within
which the state may exercise sovereign rights to explore,
exploit, conserve and manage the natural resources
The state in the EEZ exercises jurisdiction with regard to:
1. the establishment and use of artificial islands,
installations, and structures;
2. marine scientific research;
3. the protection and preservation of marine
environment;
Independent Practice
The Philippines is composed of more than 7,100
islands and islets lying a little above the equator off the
coast of Asia. Its island stretch almost a thousand miles
from north to south and its irregular coastline consists of
10,850 statute miles, twice as long as that of the United
States. Its total land area is about 114,830 square miles,
one half of which is covered by forests.
The Philippines archipelago, with all the islands
and water embrace there in the above definition of our
national territory shall have reference to and shall cover
the islands and the waters set forth in the Treaty of Paris
of December 10, 1898, the Treaty of November 7, 1900
between the United States and Spain (covering
Cagayan, Sulu and Siboto groups omitted in the Treaty
of Paris) and the Treaty of January 2, 1930 between the
United States and Great Britain (covering Turtle Islands
and the Mangsee Groups). It was, therefore, erroneous
to conclude that the above definition did away with the
territorial waters set forth in the Treaty of Paris.
The archipelagic waters of our archipelago are
protected by the second sentence of the definitions of
our national territory which reads: “The waters around,
between, and connecting the islands of the archipelago,
regardless of their breadth and dimensions, from part of
the internal waters of the Philippines.
Speaking of the scope and legal implications of
the boundaries of the Philippines archipelago, the
Committee on National Territory of the 1971
Constitutional Convention, observed:
“if we plot on a map the boundaries of the Philippines
archipelago as set forth in the Treaty of Paris, a huge or
giant rectangle will emerge, measuring about 600 miles
in width, and over 1,200 miles in length. Inside the
rectangle are 7,100 islands comprising the Philippines
Islands. From the east coast of Luzon to the eastern
boundary of this huge rectangle in the Pacific Ocean,
there is distance of over 300 miles. From the west coast
of Luzon to the western boundary of this giant rectangle
in the China Sea, there is a distance over 150 miles."
Day 4: The Geographical Setting of the Philippines
Concept Notes
An Archipelago is defined as a sea or part of a sea
studded with islands, often synonymous with island
groups, or as a large group of islands in an extensive
body of water, such as sea. (De Leon, 1991)
In various conferences of the United Nations on the Law
of the Sea, the Philippines and other archipelago states
proposed that an archipelagic state composed of groups
of islands forming a state is a single unit, with the islands
and the waters within the baselines as internal waters.By
this concept (archipelagic doctrine), an archipelago shall
be regarded as a single unit, so that the waters around,
between, and connecting the islands of the archipelago,
irrespective of their breadth and dimensions, form part of
the internal waters of the state, subject to its exclusive
sovereignty.
Comprehension Activity
A. Geographical Setting
Physical Environment is part of human
environment that includes pure physical factors such as
soil, waters, and climate. Also known as social
environment, social context, sociocultural context or
milieu it refers to the immediate physical and social
setting in which people live or in which something
happens or develops. It includes the culture that the
individual was educated or lives in, and the people and
institutions with whom they interact.
The Philippines is composed of more than 7,106
islands and islets. This islands and islets when combined
as a single political unit is called an archipelago, just like
what we learned on our previous lesson. Our national
territory includes the entire Philippine archipelago which
consists of all the lands, waters, air space, subsoil,
seabed, insular shelves and the other subterranean
areas within its boundaries. The country has a rugged
topography which consists of different landforms. It
consists of rugged hills, mountains, plains, plateaus,
valleys, and peninsulas. The water features of the
country include seas, rivers springs, straits, lakes, bays,
and gulf.
B. Social Environment
Our country is divided into seventeen regions,
based on the location, geography, and physical features
of the islands. The purpose of regionalization is to
facilitate the administration and delivery of government
services to the people in the different regions. Some
provinces in each region have their own regional
centers, which take charge of the implementation of the
development programs in their place. Each region also
has its own set of officials, who coordinate and
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cooperate with the national government. These officials
see to it that government programs and services are
efficiently implemented and delivered to the people in
their region.
In terms of social environment, since the country is an
archipelago we have many differences in terms of
culture and traditions. Let us take for example Luzon and
Mindanao versus Visayas. The archipelagic setting of
the country brought differences to the people in term of
languages, that is why we have many. Cultures as well,
there are many differences in terms of culture between
the three major islands of the country.
Indpendent Practice
University of the Philippines professor Jose
Abueva who believes that a federal form of government
is a need to efficiently cater to the essentials of the
country despite its diversity. The primary goals of a
constitutional amendment is to increase regionalization
or the power of local government units to control their
respective localities, greater local power and access to
resources most especially among regions outside Metro
Manila. Aside from Abueva, senator Aquilino Pimentel,
Jr. is a prominent supporter of federalism. He sees the
proposed system as a key component in alleviating the
Mindanao crisis and appeasing Moro insurgents.
Federalism will also hasten economic development since
resource and financial mobilization is upon each states'
or provinces' discretion without significant constraint
from the central government.
Due to the Senate and Congress resolutions
supporting charter change, an estimated 13,000 to
15,000 people gathered in Makati in 2009 to protest
against administration proposals for constitutional
reform. This was in line with speculations that Philippine
president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo would use such
amendment to extend her hold in office. In addition,
Pulse Asia published in the same year their survey
regarding public support towards the proposed charter
change. Their report stated that four out of ten Filipino
adults or 42% of all respondents opposed the
amendment. Meanwhile, 25% were still undecided and
33% were in favor. Pulse Asia furthered that from 2006
to 2009, there was no significant change of sentiment
against charter change, but indecision increased by 6%.
Beginning in late 2014, Davao City mayor
Rodrigo Duterte launched a nationwide campaign
promoting a charter change for federalism. During his
visit to Cebu City in October of the same year, Duterte
stated that federalism will facilitate better delivery of
services to the people. He also saw the current system
as "antiquated" where distribution of public funds is
disproportionately biased towards Manila. Aside from the
economic aspect, federalism is also seen as the best
means to address problems in Mindanao which suffers
the most from ethnoreligious conflicts. He added that the
current unitary form of government has not worked well
given the ethnic diversity in the country. In spite of
rejecting several calls for candidacy for the 2016
presidential elections, he also cited his reforms if he
were to be president. Parallel to his campaign for
federalism, Duterte plans to privatize tax collection and
abolish the Congress to make way for a unicameral
legislature, contrary to the originally proposed Joint
Resolution No. 10.
Movements for federalism were further
intensified since the draft of the Bangsamoro Basic Law
was submitted by Philippine president Benigno Aquino III
to the Congress in September 10, 2014. If approved, this
law establishes the Bangsamoro as an autonomous
region with its own parliamentary government and police
force. Approval of the Bangsamoro structure provides
federalism proponents and supporters added confidence
to clamor for the national government to enact reforms
towards a more decentralized system for the rest of the
country.
President-elect Rodrigo Duterte stated in May
2016 that a plebiscite on the proposed replacement of
the unitary state with a federal one will be held in two
years. On December 7, 2016, Duterte signed Executive
Order No. 10 creating a consultative committee to review
the 1987 Constitution.
Day 5: Early Filipino Customs and Traditions
Concept Notes
WHAT IS HERITAGE?
- something that comes or belongs to one by reason of
birth.
- something which is inherited from one's ancestors.
WHAT IS TRADITION?
- tradition is the handing down of statements, beliefs,
legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to
generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice.
WHAT IS CULTURE?
- culture is defined as the behaviours and beliefs of a
particular social, ethnic, or age group, as well as the
ways of living built up by a group, from one generation to
another.
Traditions and cultures (human habits) does not
include religion. Religion is the same as being religious
and believe in a god - not everyone is a believer, but live
in societies with traditions and cultures. A religion can be
distorted and misinterpreted and used to war and
destruction and use as a weapon to control people or
countries.
Comprehension Activity
Filipino Customs and Traditions
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 Before marriage, the man’s parents seek the
approval of the woman’s parents for MARRIAGE with
their daughter. This is called PAMANHIKAN. The man's
parents often take along someone whom they believe is
highly respected by the woman’s parents. This was
especially when they fear that the girl's parents would
say no. The grandparents of the man also join the
pamanhikan. They first engage into discussions
regarding the latest happenings and when the proper
climate is established, the man's father states the
purpose of their visit, which is to ask for the woman’s
hand in marriage. The girl's parents are not expected to
agree immediately. They will first talk about the
shortcomings of their daughter. If the future in-laws
persist the parents of the bride give their consent. The
details of their marriage are discussed and agreed upon
during the next visit of the future parents-in-law.
The wedding reception is held in the bride's
home. Members of the community volunteer to help
bridegroom in one way or another by either contributing
some money or by offering their services in the
preparation of the wedding feats.
ART and MUSIC
Filipinos are lovers of art. Their art is reflected in
the things they do and way they believe in daily life. Our
ancestors passed their time singing awaits, corridos, and
reading stories about the bravery of legendary heroes.
For stage dramas they performed the Zarzuela and the
moro-moro, forms of art which depicted the life of the
people.
The best examples of architecture of the sixteenth to the
nineteenth century are the churches built by the
Spaniards with the help of the Filipinos. They are
structures built in Baroque style with elaborate curved
arches, altars and images of saints.
Filipinos love music in any form. This is evident
in the presence of various string and wind musical
instruments in almost all communities even before the
coming of the Spaniards, the skill of the Filipinos in
playing musical instruments can gauged when one
listens to a number played by a rondalla. A rondalla is
composed of musicians that play stringed musical
instruments such as the guitar and the ukulele.
The idea of organizing a rondalla must have
been born during the latter part of Spanish rule in the
Philippines when the guitar was introduced. Added to the
guitar was other string instruments that pre-Spanish
Filipinos played and nine other instrument that were
added much later. All together these instruments formed
the nucleus of the rondalla. The rondalla was popular
entertainer in almost all sorts of gatherings like baptisms,
wedding, fiesta, and funerals. It also rendered
accompaniment to vocals, violins and other instruments,
solos, and choral ensembles. The rodalla thus became
an essentials part of social gatherings.
Dancing is the moving spirit among many
Filipinos. Their skill on the dance floor is superb. Early
indigenous dances represented nature. Other Filipino
dances reflected Malay, Muslim, Spanish, and American
influences.
GAMES
Children of yesterdays played games that no
longer familiar to the children of today. Their games were
played either indoors or outdoors in involving little active
participation.
Some games were imitations of what the elders
did. The bahay-bahayan, lutu-lutuan were imitations of
mother's household activities which the girls enjoyed
playing. Other games were replicas of daily happening in
the rural areas.
A typical example was the game Pusa at Aso. In
a circle, sticks, slippers, and wooden shoes were placed
to symbolized the bones of the dog' which was IT. The
CATS who were the other players tried to get into the
circle to steal the bones without being caught became
the dog. This was repeated as many times for as long as
the players are not tired of the game.
A more exciting game called Juego de anillo
involved knights on bicycles trying their best to hook a
ring dangling from a ribbon. Hulugang panyo reminded
one of the days when ladies dropped their hankies to call
the attention of the gentlemen.
A game popular to boys and adults is playing
with the trumpo or top. The trumpo is a conical-shaped
wood made from guava branches with a pointed nail at
the tail of the cone. The trumpo spins on the iron-nail. In
an outdoor game called podigo, one players would try to
split another boy's trumpo placed in the middle of a
drawn circle after spinning, he becomes the next taya or
it.
Luksong tinik and Piko are moderately active games
which are usually played by girls. Piko involves hopping
on one or two legs through a series of rectangle drawn
on the ground. Luksong tinik is played by two players
who are seated facing each other and stretching their
bare feet are in contact.
Guided Practice
THE FILIPINO RELIGION
Before the introduction of Christianity, the
Filipinos were mostly pagans – people worshipping
many things. They worshipped spirits which they
believed dwell in objects like trees, mountains, and
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rivers. They worshipped nature, the sun the moon, and
the stars. They also believed in a supreme God or deity.
Because of their belief in a deity and in animate or living
things their religion was called animo-deism.
legs. The women wore the baro, a wide-sleeved jacket
and a skirt of cotton cloth wrapped about the waist. The
Filipina wardrobe was later modified. The says, the tapis
and the enagua comprised the ladies wear. Do you know
how these looked like?

THE CATHOLICS CELEBRATIONS AND PRACTICES
In spite of the diverse religious groups in the Philippines
each with its particular practices; the Filipinos believe in
only one God who is almighty and omnipotent. Religious
practices show concern and love for one's neighbors.
Among the Catholics, the Ten Commandments set the
standard of behavior. They keep images of their saints at
home and every church has a patron saint.
FIESTAS
It is a long skirt which touches the floor. It has a
kola or train which mean the woman holds to keep it
clean she moves. Printed satin is the usual material
commonly used; brocade for gala use. Over this saya, a
tapis with tassels on the edges is worn. Beneath the
saya and tapis is the enagua, a slip with lace edging.
The elegant clothes of the Filipino women are properly
taken care of. Women give special attention to their
clothes especially those made of fibers such as fina or
sinamay and pineapple fibers.

Fiestas are held as an adoration for patron saints

celebrated with the holding of a novena, a nine-day
devotion of masses followed by special prayers of praise
to the patron saint. The plaza around the church is
decorated with colorful buntings. On the ninth day which
is the feast day of the saint, a high mass is celebrated by
one or several priests. The fiesta is a Filipino heritage
that has been handed down from generation. It has its
advantages as well as its disadvantages. Must we
continue pertrating it as it is? Can it be perpetuated with
certain modifications?

BURIAL

The loss of a member of a family was an

occasion for bayanihan. Friends, relatives and neighbors
came to condole with the bereaved family. Flowers, and
food and money were offered as tokens of sympathy.

Before the burial, there was a lamayan a vigil

attended by all who wished to come. People at the wake
participated in some activities such as gambling, telling
stories, or playing mental games, to keep them awake
through the night.

For as long as the deceased was in state,

sweeping the floor and taking a bath in the house were
forbidden. The bereaved were also cautioned to keep
their tears from dropping in the coffin.

The general practice was for the bereaved family

to bury the deceased member within 24 hours after his
death. Close relatives and friends accompany the corpse
to church for the religious rites then the funeral
procession headed by the band of musicians proceeds
to the cemetery.

FILIPINO CLOTHING

Our ancestors, both men and woman wore two-

piece clothes; a collarless, short-sleeved jacket and strip
of cloth wrapped around the waist and in between the
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