NAME: Bautista, Ardent B.

COURSE/YEAR/SECTION: BSCE-1C
I.D. NO.: 22-04679
DATE: January 21, 2022
SUBJECT: Readings in the Philippine History
PROFESSOR: Mr. John Wendell Paned

REFLECTION PAPER IN READINGS IN THE PHILIPPINE HISTORY

Readings in the Philippine History is an interesting general education curriculum

subject that any college student can encounter during his/her college journey. History
plays a pivotal role in developing one's nationality, as it reveals the true story of past
events that shaped our current society. Despite the existence of many hindrances and
difficulties, this subject paves the way for truly understanding history. At first, I found
history subject a bit boring, but with the guidance and excellent teaching skills of our
instructor, I built my interest towards this subject.

One of my greatest learning experiences while undertaking this course was determining
reliable and accurate resources. There are many writings or readings where history can be
written. It is upon us, the viewers of this information, to discern what is real and what is
fake. In accordance with our discussion, a resource should be accurate first before it can
be reliable. With the advent of modern technology, we can apply this principle by
spotting fake news or hoaxes circling on various social media outlets.

History should also be transparent and neutral. However, it is inevitable to encounter a

varying version of history from different individuals. The Philippines has a rich history
spanning pre-colonial, colonial, and modern times. There are many unwritten and still
debatable historical events like the Battle of Mactan, Kartilla, Limasawa Island, Cavite
Mutiny, Rizal’s Retraction, and others that challenged us to locate reliable and accurate
resources. As a result of this major conflict in history, historical methods and
historiography emerge to assess the external and internal authenticity of various
information available about a specific historical event.

The greatest conflicts in Philippine history happened during Spanish colonization, like
the question “who really killed the colonizer Ferdinand Magellan during the Battle of
Mactan.” This is the first lesson I had in this subject which provided me with facts on the
real happenings and reasons why the tragic battle occurred due to the existing conflict
between Raja Humabon and Datu Lapu-Lapu. Furthermore, it revealed that, contrary to
popular belief and speculation in the Philippines, it was not Lapu-Lapu who killed
Magellan, but rather one of his men. Alongside the colonization by Spaniards came the
spread of Christianity, which is now the major religion in the country. Likewise, the
location of the first mass has been a topic for critical discourse as many eyewitnesses and
secondary accounts have floated claiming that it was on Limasawa and Butuan. The
arguments and analysis performed from various readings confirmed it on Limasawa
Island. Further events concerning the gradual enlightenment of Filipinos like Jose Rizal
led to the revolt and independence of our country.

Through these examples, we can visualize how important it is to study Philippine history
as it does not just allow us to merely look at past events but to discern every detail and
resources for us to arrive at a concise and precise comprehension. As Shashi Tharoor said,
“History belongs in the past; but understanding it is the study of the present.”