Dr. Carl E.

Balita Review Center

CBRC Headquarters
2nd Flr., Carmen Building, 881 G. Tolentino St. corner España Blvd., Sampaloc, Manila 1008

Academics and Services Department (ASD)

PHINMA Education Special Teaching Enhancement Program (STEP)

PHILIPPINE HISTORY

LET Philippine History

ORIGIN OF FILIPINO PEOPLE
Wave of Migration Theory Evolution Theory
According to this theory popularized by The peopling of the region is the result of the
Henry Otley Beyer the Filipino people are continuous process of human evolution, radiating
descendant of the different waves of to a number of directions as differentiation in
migration of different people from Asia. ecological settings occurred following the changes
The Primitive human type which was in the climatic conditions in the area. According to
similar to the Java men. The second is F. Landa Jocano, the Filipinos underwent the
the Australoid Sakai. The third is the different stages of development: Formative Phase
bark-cloth wearing Indonesian B. The 50,000- 500 BC- Use of stone and ceramics
Terrace building group. The civilized Incipient Phase 500 BC- 10th AD – use of metal.
Malays. The modern Asian Emergent Phase 11-14th century AD – Maritime
transportation
Philippine History Important Events
Pre-colonial
The Economic life The Social life
The reports of Chau Ju-Kua about the The communities of the Filipinos are established
early Filipino- Chinese trade proved that near the bodies of water and in the highlands. The
the Filipinos had an active trading and communities near the river and sea is called sa-
productive harvest. Because of the ilud or ilawud and the communities in the highland
abundant products they are able to trade or in the interior are called sa-raya or ilaya. This is
to other islands and countries. At the end in consideration of the kind of industries that the
of the nomadic era, the Filipino utilized people in the communities are involved. The
the resources in their environment like the society is divided into different social classes, in
river, lake and settles their communities Luzon the highest class is the Maginoo, the social
near the water because the main industry class of the datu, the second is the Maharlika and
of the early community is farming and the Timawa who are the tax payers and the Last is
fishing. Since the Philippines is an the dependents ( Alipin). The dependents had two
archipelago, the early Filipinos were able kinds the Aliping Namamahay or the dependent
to produce different kinds of boat like who had its own house and will serve the datu or
balanghay, paraw, baroto, damlog, his master on the day that they agreed and the
karakoa at bidok (Mactal, 2010). The Aliping Saguiguilid or the dependent who lives in
different boat is one of the evidence of the house of his master and had a limited privilege
the high technology that the early Filipino than the Namamahay.
had and these boats are usually narrow
that will fit in the rivers and other water
system which are the route for the early
inter-island trade. Aside from farming,
other Filipinos are weavers, sculptors and
blacksmiths.
The Government
The basic political unit in Luzon and Visayas is the baranggay which is composed of 30-100
families. The baranggay is headed by the datu who is doing the function of the executive body
because he implements the laws, the legislative because he formulates laws with the help of
the council of elders and the judiciary because he also gives judgment in the crimes committed
in the baranggay. Each baranggay is independent to each other however the datus are
sometimes create federation in other communities and make treaties in regards to trading.
There is also an existence of a “just war” if the one party violates treaties or rules of other. The
just war will also result to the expansion of the territory of the baranggay who will win in the
battle. The title of being a datu could be inherited by his male successors but in case he had
no male successor, the oldest female child of the datu could inherit the position.
Spanish Era
Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese who was able to reached Moluccas for the service of
Portugal was not satisfied with the treatment that King Manuel I of Portugal offered his service
to King Carlos I to reach the Moluccas using the passage between America and Asia through
the narrow channel. Ferdinand Magellan was able to gain the confidence of the King of Spain
and in 1519 he sailed for the search for the new territories with 5 ships (Victoria, Concepcion,
Trinidad, San Antonio and Santiago).
In March 16, 1521 he was able to reach In March 31, 1521, the first mass was celebrated
the island of Homonhon ( part of Samar ), in Limasawa or Masao and Rajah Humabon and
unlike the natives in the other island the his wife Reyna Juana are the first Catholic in the
natives in this land were hospitable and island. However not all natives accepted the
kind. Spaniards
April 27, 1521 – Battle of Mactan is headed by Lapu-lapu. On that day Magellan was killed by
Lapu-lapu troops, declaring Lapu-lapu as First Filipino Hero.
The Centralized Government

The Gobernador General had the power to choose the law to be implemented in his
jurisdiction known as cumplase and military power as the commander-in-chief of the armed
forces. However even the Governor General is the highest Spanish official in the country he
had to consult the audiencias and the principal ecclesiastics residents in the capital in making
major policies and decisions. Because of the wide powers given to the governor, he is
subjected to residencia at the end of his term of office. The residencia was a court of enquiry to
which the outgoing official was obliged to submit. Aside from the residencia, the visitador also
check the colonial officials. The country is divided into different provinces and each province is
rule by the Alcalde mayor who functions as the chief administrative officer in the province. To
decentralized the power to the town, each province is divided into town or pueblos govern by
the Gobernadorcillo. The gobernadorcillo is the highest post in the government which could be
occupy by the natives and aside from the power given to them as administrative officer he is
given a right to engage into business called as indulto de comercio. Then each town is divided
into barangay rule by the Cabeza.