Peopling the Philippines

Readings in Philippine History

Theories on the Origin of the Philippines

1.Land Bridge Theory

2.Volcanic Eruption Theory
3.Remnant of a lost continent theory.
Land Bridge Theory
• The Philippines was once part of the mainland Asia.
• As a consequence of the melting of ice during the post glacial
era, the level of the seas rose.
• Due to the sudden rise in levels of the sea, lower regions
including the land bridges connecting Asia and the
Philippines were submerged.
• This resulted in the separation of the Philippines from Asia.
Volcanic Eruption Theory
• The Philippines was of volcanic origin.

• The sudden eruptions of volcanoes underneath

the sea caused the emergence of islands above
seas.
The remnants of a lost continent theory
• The Philippines is a remnant of the continent of
Lemura or Mu in the pacific.
• This continent sunk in the prehistoric era.
• Other remnant of the lost continent were Borneo,
Celebes, Jav, Carolines, Palus, Hawaii, Sanos, Tahiti,
and other small islands in the Pacific.
Theories of Migration

1. Wave Migration Theory

2. Landa Jocano’s Theory
3. Solheim’s Theory
4. Austronesian Diffusion Theory
Wave Migration Theory
• Propounded by Otley Meyer in 1947
• There was a group akin to Java Man who live 250,000 years ago.
• This group were the ancestors of two pygmy groups who reached the
Philippines via land bridges 30,000 to 25,000 years ago.
• From the south, these australoid-sakay (negrito) type of men came
to the Philippines.
• They were basically food foragers, relying on hunting and food
gathering to survive.
Wave Migration Theory
• Following the pygmies was the group which Bayer called the
Indonesian A, who reached the Philippines using boats. They were tall
and slender stock and were inhabitants of the North. They came to
the Philippines 6,000 to 5,000 years ago.
• Next came the Indonesia B, 2,500 years ago. Bayer hypothesized that
they came from South China and Indonesia towards Luzon and
Formosa (Taiwan).
Wave Migration Theory
• The last wave of migrants, also came from the south, was the Malays.
• This group was the most advance, had knowledge of glass-making,
iron-making, and pottery and had their own system of government.
• Just like the Indonesian A and B, they reached the country by boats,
which Bayer called barangay.
Evolution Theory (Landa Jocano)