Introduction

“Past is past” is a quote people often hear if someone brings up the past. The past is
something that already happened and cannot be changed. Everything that happened in the past will
always affect the present. People should not forget it since it is the reason why they are the person
they are in the present. History should not be neglected and should be given focus to understand
the current situation of a country.

Esteban de Ocampo, former Chairperson and Executive Director of the National Historical
Commission of the Philippines said that “Filipinos are by nature and tradition a liberty-loving
people. The pages of their history are replete with revolts, uprisings, mutinies, insurrections, and
rebellions to free themselves from injustices, abuses, vexations, discriminations, and oppressions
of conquerors, whether Spanish, Japanese, or Americans. To borrow Sir Winston Churchill’s
phrase, Filipinos have shed much ‘blood, sweat and tears’ in their fight for human freedom and
national dignity”. Colonization has always been and will always be a part of Philippine History.
The Philippines was colonized by the Spaniards, Americans, and Japanese for 384 years. During
those times, the country’s freedom and identity were stolen. The culture and traditions of the native
Filipinos changed because of the invasion of foreign countries. Filipinos fought until the end to
achieve the freedom the people are experiencing in the present. It has been 75 years since the
Philippines were freed from colonization, but the wounds that they left the country remain. The
identity the country had is already lost, and the Philippines became a product of different cultures.
Even so, Filipinos are trying to regain their original identity through studying history.

According to Ferdinan S. Gregorio, the Philippines are now free from the American and
Japanese Soldiers and the Spanish Guardia Civils. Yet, Filipinos should not ignore the fact that
neocolonialism is happening in the country now. As stated by Sandra Halperin, neocolonialism is
the control of the more developed countries to the less developed countries indirectly. The term
was coined after World War II since the former colonies still depend on foreign countries. It does
not only affect the economy and politics of a country, but also their culture. The language used,
the breakfast that the Filipinos eat in the morning, the way a Filipino dress up, the religion the
Filipinos believed in, and even the name of the country, Philippines, were from the influence of
other countries. In this case, Filipinos cannot say that they are completely free from the hands of
foreign countries.

Bibliography:

 De Ocampo, Esteban (Primary and Secondary Source)

 Gregorio, F. (2012). A Few Thoughts on Freedom and Colonial Culture. Manila City:
National Historical Commission of the Philippines. (Secondary Source)
 Halperin, S. (2020). Neocolonialism. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.