THE PHILIPPINES, ARALING

PANLIPUNAN 4
MY COUNTRY

Good day! Welcome back to school. I know that

you are excited to learn many things about the
ESSENTIAL QUESTION
topics to be discussed for this school year. I For our first lesson, you will write a
assure you that you won't be disappointed letter of gratitude about the
because you will not only learn this year but you blessings enjoyed by the
will also be entertained as well. In the first Philippines. You will also answer
chapter of this book, you will get to know better this important question: How can
our country, the Philippines. my knowledge about my country
help me as a Filipino?

LET’S START
What are the countries that you have visited or come to know very well? Write your answer in the
circle.

Were you able to list down many countries? Did you include the Philippines in your answer? Our
country will be the focus of our discussion in this chapter. The Philippines is one of the many
countries in, the world. Each country is unique because it is defined by its location, language, beliefs,
and culture. As for our country, its official name is Republic of the Philippines and the people living in
it are called Filipinos. Its national language is Filipino. Aside from the characteristics stated above,
what else make the Philippines a country? Are you excited to find out the answer to our question?
You may now start reading but before you proceed, know first e the things that you are expected to
do in this lesson.

THE CONCEPT OF A COUNTRY

At present, there are less than 196 countries in the world. The Philippines is one of them. It is located
in Asia. What is a country? A country or a nation is composed of people living in a particular territory
who are united through its language, traditions, practices, and history. A country that possesses full
control of its territory and enjoys independence is also called a state. A country may be classified as
small, average, and big based on its territorial extent. There are small countries such as the Vatican
City, Gibraltar, Nauru, Tuvalu, San Marino, and others. There are also countries that are of average
size such as the Philippines, Japan, Italy, Poland, Malaysia, and Zimbabwe. Some countries are
considered big such as China, Canada, Brazil, Australia, and the United States of America (USA).

The countries in the world are located in the continents of Asia,

Europe, North America, South America, Africa, and Australia. There is
no country found in Antarctica because people can't live there due to
the very cold climate.

Countries in the world may also be classified according to the type of its landform. There are
countries composed only of a single island such as Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Jamaica, and Iceland.
Other countries are archipelagos such as the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, United Kingdom, and
New Zealand. Some countries are referred to as peninsulas such as the North and South Korea,
India, Spain, and Portugal. There are also countries that are part of a mainland continent because
their territory is within the landmass of a continent. Many of the countries in the world fall in this
classification. Examples of these countries are Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, China, Slovakia,
Hungary, and Bulgaria. Using a world map, find the location of the countries enumerated in the
previous page as examples of an island, an archipelago, a peninsula, and part of a mainland
continent.

THE PHILIPPINES AS A
COUNTRY
There are countries which cannot be considered absolutely independent despite having its own
identity. These countries can be considered colonies or protectorates. A country that is under the
direct rule of a more powerful country is called a colony. Colonies usually have no freedom and power
to exercise its own laws over its territory. On the other hand, protectorates though independent are
still under the control of a more powerful country. Protectorates receive assistance and protection
from its colonizer based on an agreement. To be considered as a state, every country needs to have
the following characteristics or elements:

1. Territory
Territory is one of the characteristics of a state or a country. A country may only be considered a
state if it has a territory to control in accordance to international laws. Countries in the world vary
in size or territorial extent. There are countries with large territory such as Canada, US, and
China. On the other hand, there are countries that have small territorial extent such as Vatican
City and Singapore. The international laws recognize that all nations despite their territorial size
have equal rights.
It is important for a country to determine its national territory to avoid foreign invasions or
intrusions. The territorial extent and boundary of the Philippines is stipulated in pertinent
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 documents which are based on its history, Constitution, International Laws, and the Archipelagic
Doctrine.
2. People
Another important characteristic of a country is its people or citizens. The citizen of a country is
also considered as its main resource. A country will develop if its people are productive, united,
and supportive of the government in achieving goals and objectives for the welfare of the nation.
As part of the state, it is the citizen's responsibility to be loyal to his/her country. They are
expected to serve and defend their country during times of wars and hostilities.
3. Government
Government is another important element of a state or country. It is the institution that ensures
that the nation's goals and the citizens' aspirations are carried out. There are countries which are
run by a single person but there are also those countries that are governed by groups of people
who are chosen by the people to administer, run, and serve the nation.
4. Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the supreme power of a state or country to govern itself and to impose obedience
to its people to ensure common good and benefit to all citizens. Popular sovereignty The
Constitution is the most important document of a state. It serves as the foundation and basis of
the government's power which is distributed to its different branches to protect the rights and
ensure the welfare of its people. Prevails in the Philippines. This means that sovereignty lies in
the hands of the people. According to Article II, Section I of the 1987 Constitution: The Philippines
is a democratic and republican State. Sovereignty A republic is a type of government wherein the
people have the power to vote and choose representatives who will govern the country. Resides
in the people and all government authority emanates from them. Based on this provision, our
country can be considered a republican and a democratic state.
There are two kinds of sovereignty-internal sovereignty and external sovereignty. Internal
sovereignty refers to the power of the state to impose obedience to its people living in its territory.
The country's order and development depend on internal sovereignty which includes
implementation of laws, public services, administration of natural resources, maintenance of
peace and order, and the preservation of freedom and upholding of rights of its people. External
sovereignty refers to the freedom of the state to promote activities concerning economy,
education, taxes, employment, and others that will contribute to national welfare without
interference from other countries. It is also manifested in the country's power to establish good
ties with other countries. This can be seen in the country's control over embassies outside the
country and its jurisdiction over Filipinos living and working abroad but are still governed by the
Philippine laws. The flag, currency, and the official seal of the country are some of the symbols of
external sovereignty.

REMEMBER THESE
 Our country's official name is Republic of the Philippines. It has its own territory with its
people identified through its own language, history, culture, and government.
 A citizen of the Philippines is called Filipino. The country's national language which binds
its citizens is also called Filipino.
 A country may be classified according to its territorial extent. Countries may be classified
as small, average, and big.
 A country may also be classified according to its type of landform. It may be an island,
archipelago, peninsula, or a part of a mainland continent.
 A country that exercises its absolute power and independence is called a state.
 The Philippines is a state because it has territory, people, government, and sovereignty or
the supreme power to t obedience to its people inside and outside the country.

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Name: Date Submitted: / /2021

Grade/Section: Subject: ARALING PANLIPUNAN 4

Directions: Try to locate the small and average-sized countries based on their size and extend in the
world map. List your answers below.

SMALL COUNTRIES AVERAGE-SIZED COUNTRIES

Color the map of the Philippines on the Next Page. Make it neat and enticing. Compose a short
prayer of gratitude for the country inside the scroll.

Use the rubrics below as your guide.

Equivalent My
points Score
CRITERIA

1. Able to color the map; the map is neatly done 5

2. Able to compose a prayer of gratitude 5

3. Able to write a realistic prayer for the country 5

Total Points 15

5- Very Good 2- Need Improvement

4- Good 1- Poor

3- Fair

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THE PHILIPPINES

5
 THE BOUNDERIES AND THE TERRITORIAL
EXTEND OF THE PHILIPPINES

 In this lesson, you will

make a map that
shows the relative
location of your place
from its surrounding
using the primary and
secondary directions.
 You will also answer
this important
question: why is it
important to identify
the boundaries and
territorial extend of the
Philippines?

MAP AS AN IMPORTANT TOOL IN GEOGRAPHY

What is MAP?

A map is a flat representation of the earth. It is an important tool in the study of geography. A map
provides information about the world we live in, as well as our country. It shows the sizes, shapes,
and absolute locations of countries. It also illustrates the physical characteristics of the earth such as
the outline of rivers, roads, mountains, and oceans. It also shows the physical differences of the
countries. A person who makes a map is called a cartographer.

Aside from a map, a globe is also use to determine the distance,

location, directions, shape, and size of places on the earth's surface. A
globe is a round representation of the earth. The actual shapes and
sizes of the continents and the oceans are reflected on a globe which 6
makes studying the relation of continents, regions, and countries
easier.
A map contains important elements such as the title, legend, scale, direction, and longitude and
latitude. The title identifies the type of a map. For example, it may be a political map or a physical
map of a place. A cartographer makes different types of maps based on its use and the needs of the
people. Some of the maps which are usually used by students like you are the following:

 Political Map-It shows the territorial boundaries of a country and the water forms that surround
it. Towns, cities, and national highways are also shown in it.
 Physical Map-This map shows the particular landforms and water forms present on a place.
Some of the information it provides are about the rivers, mountains, and mountain ranges in a
place.
 Climate Map-This shows the types of climates that prevail in a certain place. It illustrates the
overall climate of the place.
 Economic Map-This map shows the type, amount, and distribution of the natural resources of a
place.

The legend explains the different symbols used in the map. For example, a red dot may represent the
capital of a country. Examples of legends used in map:

School

Church

THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY DIRECTIONS

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Directions are important in the study and identification of the location of a place. Directions are
classified into two groups-the primary directions and the secondary directions.

The primary directions are the North, South, East, and West. In between the primary directions are
the secondary directions. The direction between the North and the East is referred to as the
Northeast, while the direction between the North and the West is called the Northwest. Southeast is
the direction between South and East, while Southwest is the direction between South and West.
Finding the location of a place is easy if we know the primary and secondary directions. Study the
illustration below.

 The compass is an important instrument which is used in finding direction.

 A compass rose is a circular figure on a map that indicate the primary and the
secondary directions.

NORTH

NORTHEAST
NORTHWEST

WEST EAST

SOUTHEAST
SOUTHWEST

SOUTH

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 SCALE

The actual size and distance of places on earth are too big to be drawn in a map. Thus,
cartographers devised the scale to show the size and distance of a place vis-a-vis its actual size and
distance on the earth. The scale shows that big things can be represented proportionally by small
things. A cartographer may use his own scale in representing the actual size of a place. This is the
reason why their presentation of some places appears to be bigger in a certain map compared to
others. The scale is also used to show the distance of places from each other. For example, the
illustration below shows the distance of the school from the church. Each centimeter represents a
kilometer. Since there are 7 centimeters between the church and the school, it means that the actual
distance between the school and the church is 7 kilometers.

The Global Positioning System or GPS is a system that gives information on location,
time, weather, and other information from the satellites in outer space. A GPS Receiver
has the ability to identify the exact location, speed, time, and direction of one object in
real time. GPS is widely used in international travel, world navigation, science, and
commerce. Most of the smartphones today have GPS receivers.

IMAGINARY LINES

A map has special imaginary lines. These lines are imaginary or called as such because they don't
really exist in real life. They were created for people to easily identify the exact locations, shapes,
sizes, and measurements of places.

 Latitude (Parallel)-These are the horizontal lines that run east to west around the earth. They
are used to determine the distance of a place from the equator.
 Longitude (Meridian)-These are the vertical lines that run from the North Pole to the South
Pole. They used to determine the distance of a place from the prime meridian.
 Prime Meridian-It is located at zero-degree longitude (0°) and measures 180°. The prime
meridian, divides the world between the Western Hemisphere and the Eastern Hemisphere. It
is useful to easily identify if a place is situated east or west. There are 12 longitudes both east
and west of the prime meridian.
 Equator-It is a parallel line that measures 360° which can be found at zero-degree latitude. It is
also known as the big circle that divides the world between the Northern Hemisphere and the
Southern Hemisphere.

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 THE ABSOLUTE AND RELATIVE LOCATION OF THE
PHILIPPINES
Absolute location refers to the exact location of a place on earth. This is based on a fixed point
on earth which is identified using the its latitude and longitude. A country's exact location is
determined by identifying the location of its capital by combining the latitude and longitude. On
the other hand, the territorial extent or the geographical extent of a country is identified by
pointing the longitude and latitude distances.

The Philippines is located in Southeast Asia. Its geographical extent ranges from 4°23' and
21°25' North latitude and 116°00' and 127°00' east longitude. The relative location of a place
on the earth's surface can be determined by identifying its land boundaries and the
surrounding bodies of water. Continental relative location is used to identify the relative
location of places that are surrounded by landforms while maritime relative location is used for
the island countries. Continental relative location can also be identified by the nearest
landform. The relative location of a place from both land and water boundaries is defined by
naming the landform and water form that surround it. The relative location of the Philippines
can be described by stating that Bashi Channel and Taiwan are located North of the country;
the South China Sea and Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam are located west; Borneo, on the
Southwest; the Celebes Sea and the Sulawesi Island on the south; and the Pacific Ocean on
the east.

REMEMBER THESE
 A map is an important tool in studying the geography or physical characteristics of the earth.
 A map contains important elements such as title, legend, scale, direction, longitudes, and
latitudes.
 It is important to know the different directions to study and identify the location of a place.
 Directions are classified into: primary and secondary. 1 The primary directions are the North,
South, East, and West. 1 The secondary directions are the Northeast, Northwest, Southeast,
and Southwest.
 The map uses a scale to represent the actual size and distance of a place on the earth.
 There are different special imaginary lines that were created to determine the exact location,
and size of a place. They are as follows:
 Meridian/Longitude
- Prime Meridian
 Parallel/Latitude
-Arctic Circle Tropic of Cancer Equator Tropic of Capricorn Antarctic Circle
 The absolute location of a country can be determined by identifying the exact location of its
capital using the lines of longitude and latitude.
 The relative location of the Philippines can be determined by identifying its boundaries,
surrounding landforms and water forms, and the surrounding countries.

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Name: Date Submitted: / /2021

Grade/Section: Subject: ARALING PANLIPUNAN 4

Directions: Identify the directions represented by each number using a compass rose.

Directions: Identify what is being described in each statement. Choose your answer
from the choices in the box. Write only the letter of your answer on the line.

a. equator b. map c. political map

d. primary directions e. prime meridian f. scale
g. grid h. legend i. title
j. secondary directions k. relative location

1. It is composed of North, South, East, and West.

2. An element of the map that describes its content.

3. It is a graphical representation of a place on a flat surface.

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4. It divides the earth into Western and Eastern Hemispheres.

5. It is known as the large circle that divides the world into Northern and Southern Hemisphere.

6. It refers to the location of a place which is based on the places that surround it such as
boundaries, land and water forms, etc.

7. A type of map that shows the territorial boundaries of a country

8. It explains the different symbols used on a map.

9. It is the combination of lines of longitude and latitude.

10. It indicates how actual distances are represented on a map.

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