MODULE 3

READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

Theories on the Origin of the Filipino People and Filipino
Values and Common Traits
By: Mr. Eugene Victoriano De Guzman

"Human greatness does not lie in wealth or power,

but in character and goodness. People are just people,
and all people have faults and shortcomings,
but all of us are born with a basic goodness."
- Ann Frank
In the first chapter, we focused on the country and its geography. At this point it is,
likewise, important to underscore the actors that portray their roles in the stage we call Philippine
History. This chapter zeroes in on the people specifically the origins, as well as the customs and
traditions that are imbedded in the so-called Filipino psyche. Theories on the Origin of the Filipino
People just as there are theories about the origin of the Philippines, theories regarding the
beginnings of the Filipino people also abound. These theories are conveniently categorized into
three namely the Creation Myth theory the Legends and Folklores and the Scientific Theories.

The Creation Theory

According to the Holy Bible, people on earth descended from the first man and woman
created by God - Adam and Eve. They have lived in the Garden of Eden and from them all other
people on earth came. The descendants of these Biblical characters spread in the different parts of
world that presently we know Asia, including the archipelagos of Our country- the Philippines.
Myths and Legends
There are many imaginative stories about the origin of the Filipinos, but all of these are not
true but are just a part of the so called Filipino. folklore. These legends and tales were told by old
folks to little children to get them interested in their past. Every group of people had their own
stories on how the world came to be populated, For the Bisayan's, first man and woman descended
from Sikalak and Sikabay who came out when a bamboo split apart. There is also a version of this
legend more popular among the Tagalogs which states that the first man was Malakas and the first
woman was Maganda who both of them came out when a bamboo split apart caused by the clever
bird who pecked the bamboo. There was also, the story about Bathala bakıng people from mud.
The first time he baked, the person turned out to be dark and over baked thus becoming the
ancestors of the Black people like the Africans, the second time he became very careful and so the
person turned out raw and thus became the ancestors of the Whites like the Caucasiarns and
Europeans. Still unsatisfied, he baked again, and this time he got it perfect and thus the ancestors
of the brown Malay race was created.
The Migration Theory
There were already inhabitants in the archipelago before the army of the Spanish
colonizers. Many researches have been made by historians and Anthropologists regarding the
origin of the Filipinos but they only come up with assumptions. No adequate evidences and
information can show how people in the Philippines came.
The Migration Theory of Dr. H. Otley Beyer is the most popularly known version of the
peopling of the Philippines. However, modern researchers contest his assumptions and are now
under attack and disputed by modern anthropologists and historians, particularly that the first
inhabitants of the Philippines were the Negritos. On the other hand, Dr. Beyer arranged the
peopling of the Philippines into waves of migration as follows: Dr. Gregorio Zaide in the book
The Philippines, A Unique Nation gives us a thorough account of Beyer's thesis: It was said that
the first to reach the archipelago was the cave man "Dawn Man" type, the prehistoric cousin of the
Java man, Peking man and other Asian homo sapiens. This primitive man was said to have emerged
at the dawn of time; thus, Dr. Beyer gave him the name "Dawn Man". It was assumed that he
appeared in the Philippines by way of land bridges while hunting Pleistocene animals. This ancient
man subsisted primarily through raw foods and fruits they were able to accumulate in their
surroundings. The "Dawn Man'" had sturdy muscles and had thick hair. He had no knowledge in
agriculture. The inhabitants of the archipelago after the disappearance of the prototype man were
the Negritos. They arrived between 25,000 and 30,000 years ago. According to the migration
theory, they reached the Philippines through the land bridges from Malay Peninsula, Borneo and
Australia and settled here after the land bridges sank below the seas. They are also called Aeta, Ati
and Ita. The aboriginal group had a primitive culture which belonged to the Paleolithic (Old Stone)
Age. They are kinky, dark haired and black skinned pygmies, five feet tall height, round black
eyes and have flat noses. Negritos are nomadic and had lived through hunting as their chief
activity; fruits and roots gathering supplemented their source of food. Shelters are temporary, made
of tree branches and jungle leaves. They wore little clothing made of barks and leaves. The Aetas
had no government, no system of laws, no writing, no arts, and sciences. The third to arrive were
the seafaring and tool-using Indonesians who came between 5,000 to 6,000 years ago. Indonesians
were the first to reach the Philippines by sea. According to migration theory, these immigrants
came into the Philippines in two waves. The first wave-Indonesian "A arrived at about 3000 to
4000 B.C. and the second wave-Indonesian B" came about 1500 to 500 B.C. Indonesian "A was
tall, light complexion, high nose and thin lips. While the Indonesian "B he second type was shorter,
with dark skin, has a large nose and thick lips. They were boat people who brought with them their
Neolithic (New Stone) Age culture. They lived in organized settlements and wore clothing and
ornaments. Indonesians know how to use copper tools and had knowledge in agriculture and
mining They are said to be the ancestors of some ethnic groups in Northern Luzon like the
Apayaos, Gaddangs, Ibanags, Kalingas and the Igorots. The Tagbanuas of Palawan; Bagobos,
Manobos, Mandayas Bukidnons, tirurays and Subanuns of Mindanao are said to be of Indonesians
descent.
The last to reach the Philippines were the Malays who came to the islands by sailboats.
They migrated from 300BC to the 14th and 15th century A.D. The migration theory explains that
the Malays came in three waves, the first group was the more advanced who brought their mining
and smelting technology and their agricultural system. The second group were the alphabet using
Malays. It is said that they are the ancestors of the Tagalogs, Ilokanos, Bikolanos, and
Pampanguenos. The third group composed of Muslim Malays who were the ascendants of the
present day Muslims. They introduced the Islam in the Philippines The Malay migrants were
medium in height, brown-skinned, dark noses and with straight black hair. They had writings,
music, arts, and sciences. Houses were made of bamboo and palm leaves for the roof and raised
above the ground. Animals like carabaos are used in farming, Most of the Malay settlement were
riverine in location. Thus, their main source of food came from rivers and seas, hence, hunting was
secondary source. They subsisted by fishing, trading, mining, and agriculture. Filipinos of today
are racial mixtures of waves of outside immigrants who came to these Islands (Zaide, 1994).
Dr. Beyers migration theory became popularly known and unquestioned for so many years.
Presently, the theory is now being rejected for there are no definite evidences to support it,
archaeologically or historically, Prof. Jocano elaborated several grounds regarding the inadequacy
of migration theory.

1. Itis too simplistic to be useful in explaining the complex problem of cultural development.
2. It is quite realistic to assume that the physical characteristics of prehistoric migrating
peoples can be correlated with specific cultural developments.
3. It is doubtful whether the ancient peoples always arrived 1n periodic time sequences and
with foreknowledge of their destination as implied by the term immigration. There are no
definite data to show, moreover, that each wave of migrants really constituted a culturally
and racially homogeneous group
4. It is quite difficult to accept that the small boatloads of Immigrants..., coming at certain
periodic time sequences... would be capable of maintaining large-scale community patterns
in a new land under pioneer conditions. It is likewise difficult to assume that prehistoric
populations didn't yield to such hazards as infant mortality, epidemics, and malnutrition,
which, even until very recently, are considered serious problems, so as to enable them to
maintain a stable population that is identifiable even today.
5. The theory does not allow for variant social and cultural developments to take place in
response to local ecological development situation. Instead, it impresses an orientation that
all culture traits as well the physical types of our ancestors were brought into the
archipelago readymade.
The Mainland Origin Hypothesis -This theory was proposed by Peter Bellwood of the
Australian National University and K.C. Chang of Harvard University stresses that the movement
of the immigrants Austronesians, originated from South China into Taiwan until they reached the
Philippines, specifically Batanes between 5,000 B.C. to 4,000 B.C. They brought with them their
home cultures and language. But this theory is in the same manner with Dr. Beyer's migration
theory. The proponents did not use migration" but instead use movement, and the immigrants were
Austronesians not as Australoid-Sakai or Malayo-Indonesians.
The Island Origin Hypothesis -believes that the pre-colonial ancient people emerged
from an island in Southeast Asia, Wilhelm Solheim II of the University of Hawaii assumes that
the proto-Austronesian developed primarily in the Northeastern Indonesia and Mindanao Island.
They spread northwards with developing maritime population through the Philippine archipelago
and into Taiwan. From there, they reach South China.
Theory of Evolution - Another important account of the origin of the early Filipinos comes
from the archaeologists who study the past through the fossils and old material relics. The so called
Theory of evolution views that peopling of the Philippines is a result of the continuous process of
human evolution which have occurred through the changes in climatic conditions in an area
Scientists believe that man evolved from apelike creatures into Civilized homo sapiens. These
apelike creatures had lived in caves for many years with their very crude tools. The discovery of
the skullcap and jaw fragments of a human in Tabon Cave, Palawan by Dr. Robert B. Fox, an
American Anthropologists of the National Museum, strengthened the belief of the evolutionists.
This recovered fossilized skull and jaw fragment was dated to about 24,000 to 22,000 B.C.
Evolutionists believe that the first Filipino was the "Tabon Man" who lived in caves at Tabon,
Palawan before was connected to the Asian mainland. The Tabon man belonged to the Stone Age
‘culture, thus they only used stone tools and weapons. They had no knowledge on how to use metal
tools (Zaide, 1994). They used sharp rocks or stones in preparing food. Their survival depended
primarily through hunting wild animals using their rough stone weapons and on forest fruits they
gathered from the surroundings. These primitive people were medium in height, had a high
eyebrow and a low forehead. The first Filipinos existed by constant struggle against nature, the
adaptability to climate, habitat and defend themselves against wild animals. Late tor them was
tough. Ancient people like the Tabon Man lived in other parts of the world like the "Java Man".
Scott (1984) enumerated found artifacts in different parts of the Philippines which were
used by the early inhabitants which could be used as evidences that evolutions had occurred.
Carbon-14 was used to determine the length of time since those relics were used. To name a few:
28,550 B.C. Tabon Cave, Palawan: stone flake tools.
22,000 B.C. Tabon Cave: earliest known human fossils in the Philıppines.
8,030 B.C. Musang Cave Penablanca, Cagayan stone flake tools
including jade.
890 B.C. Manunggul Cave, Palawan: burial jar with statuary
modeled on top.
100 B.C. Bato Cave, Sorsogon: polished stone tools and jar burial.
560 A.D. Tucucan, Mountain Province: stone tools and iron.
 These archeological materials unearthed in the different parts of the Philippines bearing
imprints of human use, show that people emerged and had wandered in the regions. Old material
relics like burial jars shows that they buried the dead with due respect.
Core Population Theory -pioneered by Dr. F. Landa Jocano which is still evolutionist in
nature states that early Filıpinos came from settlers within the islands not from the outside and in
fact our ancestors migrated outside to the nearby islands to spread our own culture to other lands.
According to this theory, the early inhabitants Consist of a core population to which
accretions of people came who moved in through the regions. The movements of the people were
erratic rather than in sequent waves. This core population shared common cultural traits or base
culture. They used similarly styled tools, ornaments, pendants, house types, beliefs rituals and
funerary practices. And if there were differences, these were due to some factors like adaptations;
they need to adjust to the change of geographical conditions, climate, flora and fauna in the
environment (Agoncillo, 2005).
As documented by fossil material recovered from different regions caused by the
movements of other people from Asian Mainland, people of prehistoric Island Southeast Asia
belonged to the same race. The Filipinos, Malays, and Indonesians are the results of both the long
process of evolution and the later demographic events" They stand coequal a ethnic groups,
without anyone being the dominant group, racially or culturally 21 Filipinos were not merely
receptors of outside cultures but adaptors, an in many ways, pioneer of creative changes. They,
developed different technology and medium to express their artistic talents (Zaide, 1994).
New breed of historians favored the core population theory in explaining the cultural
integrity and adaptability of early Filipinos. This hypothesis shows a dynamic and mobile people
that it emphasizes the native- ability of the Filipinos to adapt, transmit, and even originate, patterns
of culture and technology. This theory is still evolutionists. Professor Jocano, its leading
proponent, states that, "It might be argued on the basis of fossil evidences, that the pre-modern
human represents the core population in the area around which genetic accretions where
superimposed, as later groups of people emerged, thus, giving rise to a new population which we
now recognize as contemporary Southeast Asians.
[See. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBYqswCKIIY&t=8s ]
[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJtjKwVGBzs&t=77s ]
Major Cultural Communities
The following are the major ethnic groupings in the country:
1. Bicolanos
2. Ilocanos
3. Kapampangan or Capampangan
4. Moros
5. Pangasinense
6. Bisaya
7. Tagalog

8. The Ethnic Groups - There are 100 or so different sea-based or highland-based tribal groups in
the Philippines. Among Filipinos, they are ones least influenced by western or Islamic cultures.
Some of the people in this category include the Cordillerano Igorot), who live in the highlands of
Luzon, the Mangyan of Mindoro, the scattered Negritos including the Aeta in Luzon and the Ati
of Panay, the tribes of Palawan, the Lumad of Mindanao (including the Manobo, Tasaday,
Mamanwa, Mandaya, and Kalagan), and the Bajau of the Sulu Archipelago. While
some tribal groups living in Luzon have been Americanized and Westernized-an example of which
is the predominance of Protestantism in Cordillera Administrative Region-the tribal groups living
in Mindoro and Palawan are still generally animistic, while many of those in Mindanao practice
folk Islam. [see. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWlcqdEr-Ks ]

Filipino Values and Common Traits

Filipino values are, tor the most part, centered at maintaining social harmony, motivated
primarily by the desire to be accepted within a group. This is consistent with the idea of SIR or
Smooth Interpersonal Relations The main sanction against diverging from these values are the
concepts of "Hiya", roughly translated as 'a sense of shame', and Amor propio or 'selt-esteem.
Social approval, acceptance by a group, and belonging to a group are major concerns. Caring about
what others will think, say or do, are strong influences on social behavior among Filipinos.

According to the anthropologist/ Philosopher Leonardo Mercado, the Filipino worldview

1s basically 'non-dualistic'. Based on his linguistic analyses of Filipino value terms like loob
(Cebuano buot), he concludes that Filipınos desire harmony, not only in interpersonal
relationships, but also with nature and religion, while still remaining non- dichotomy. The Filipino
wants to harmonize the object and the subject, while at the same time holding both as distinct.
Based on studies, surveys, opinions, anecdotes, and other literatures made by experts and
researchers in relation to Filipino social values or Filipino core values, along with the Filipino
character or Filipino identity of a person or an individual known as the Filipino, the Filipino value
system are found to possess inherent key elements. Among them are optimism about the future,
pessimism with regards to present situations and events, the concern and care for other people, the
existence of friendship and friendliness, the habit of being hospitable, religious nature,
respectfulness to self and others, respect for the female members of society, the tear of God, and
abhorrence of acts of cheating and thievery. The core values of Filipinos specifically upholds the
following items: solidarity of the family unit, security of the Philippines economy, orientation to
small-groups, personalism, the concepts of "loob" or "kalooban" (meaning what's inside the self,
the "inner-self", or the "actual personal feelings of the self"), existence and maintenance of smooth
interpersonal relationships, and the sensing of the feelıngs or needs of others (known as
pakıkıramdam). In a larger picture, these values are grouped into general clusters or
macroclusters": namely, the relationship cluster, the social cluster, the livelihood cluster, the
inwardness cluster, and the optimism cluster. Other unique Filipino traits common to. many are
the following:
Close Family Ties
The Philippines is known to be a family centered nation with very close family ties. The
Filipinos recognize their family as an important social1 structure that one must take care of. They
give importance to the safety and unity of one's family. The Filipino family is so intact that if is
common for members of the same family work for the same company. It is also common to find
the whole clan living in the same area as that the Filipinos are afraid to be too far from their own
family. People get strength from their family; thus, a child may have several godparents to ensure
his future in case his parents will not be there for him in a ritual called compadrazgo. They also do
not let their elders live too far away from them. The Filipinos take care of their elders by taking
them into their homes. Unlike the Westerners, the Filipinos do not send their elders to nursing
homes to be taken care of. They believe that when their elders are unable to live alone, the time
has come for them to pay their respects and to be able to serve their parents just as they were cared
tor when they were younger.
Politeness
Filipinos are taught to become respectful individuals. This is mainly due to the influence
of Christianity that tells us to honor both our parents and our elders. The use of "po" and "opo"
when in conversation with an elder or someone who is older is a manifestation of how Filipinos
respect their elders.
Hospitality
The Filipinos are very hospitable when it comes to their fellowmen. They will invite their
visitors to come into their homes and offer them treats such as snacks and drinks after a long
journey. There are also instances when the Filipinos will serve only the best to their visitors even
if at times they may not be able to afford it. They also go the extremes as to give up the comfort
of their own bedrooms for their guests and to the point of sleeping on floor just to ensure that their
guests are comfortable.
Gratitude
Gratitude or "utang na loob" is a very popular Filipino characteristic one does not forget
the good deeds that others may have done to him or her especially at times of great need. This debt
of gratitude is sometimes abused by those who have done well to others as they may ask favors or
things that may either be unreasonable or beyond the means of the one in debt.
Shame
Shame or "Hiya is a very common Filipino value. It is said that Filipinos would go to great
lengths in order for one not to be ashamed. Hiya has a great influence on one's behavior for one
will do everything, even if it is beyond his means just to save his reputation as well as the family’s.
Filipinos feel pressured to meet the status quo of the society when it comes to economic standing.
One indication of this might be a willingness to spend more than they can afford on a party rather
than be shamed by their economic circumstances.
Flexibility, Adaptability, and Creativity
Filipino’s sense of joy and humor is evident in their optimistic approach to life and its
travails. The ability to laugh at themselves and their predicament is an important coping
mechanism that contributes to emotional balance and a capacity to survive. These are manifested
in the ability to adjust to often difficult circumstances and prevailing physical and social
environments. Filipinos have a high tolerance for ambiguity that enables them to respond calmly
to uncertainty or lack of information. Filipinos often improvise and make productive and
innovative use of whatever is available. These qualities have been repeatedly demonstrated in their
capacity to adapt to living in any part of the world and in their ability to accept change.
Loyalty
Loyalty or Pakikisama [tapat] is another Filipino value. Filipinos are said to be loyal to
their friends and fellowmen in order to ensure the peace in the group. This is manifested in their
basic sense of justice and fairness and concern for other's well-being, Filipinos recognize the
essential humanity of all people and regard others with respect and empathy. With this orientation,
Filipinos develop a sensitivity to the nature and quality of interpersonal relationships, which is
their principal source of security and happiness.
Hard work and Industry
The related capacity for hard work and industry among Filipinos is widely recognized.
Filipinos are universally regarded as excellent workers who perform well whether the job involves
physical labor and tasks or highly sophisticated technical functions. This propensity for hard work,
which often includes a highly competitive spirit, is driven by the desire for economic security and
advancement for oneself and one's family. This achievement orientation is further accompanied
by typically high aspirations and great personal sacrifices.
Resignation and Fatalism
Trust in God or the concept of "Bahala na" has been over-used time and again. This ideal
is used when a person does not know what to do or is too lazy to do anything at all. This belief to
put fate[faith] in God's hands may be a sign of how religious Filipinos may be at the same time, it
may show that the Filipinos are free-spirited and that they put their life n fate's hands. (Agoncillo
History of the Filipino People, 2005)
*Further Filipino Values [see. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noti06tir5Y]
[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79xsa9zfA_U ]

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