Pre-Colonial Period

The oldest human fossil remains are found in Palawan, on the western fringe of
the archipelago. These remains are about 30,000 years old, suggesting that the
first human migrations to the islands took palce during the last Ice Age, when
land bridiges connected the archipelago to mainland Asia and Borneo.

The islands were eventually inhabited by different groups that developed

domestic trade linkages. The archaelogical evidence shows a rich pre- colonial
culture that included skills in weaving, ship-building, mining and goldsmithing.
Contact with Asian neighbors date back to at least 500 B.C. Trade linkages
existed with the powerful Hindu empires in Java and Sumatra. These linkages
were venues for exchanges with Indian culture, including the adoption of syllabic
scripts which are still used by indigenous groups in Palawan and Mindoro. Trade
ties with China were extensive by the 10th centuray A.D. while contact with Arab
traders reached its peak about the 12th century. By the time the Spaniards
arrived, Islam was well established in Mindanao and had started to influence
groups as far north as Luzon.

Many existing health beliefs and practices in the Philippines are rooted back in
the pre-colonial period. This includes magico-religious elements, such as beliefs
in spirits and sorcery as causes of illness, as well as empirical aspects such as
the use of medicinal plants. Archaelogical sites in the Philippines have yielded
skeletal remains showing intricate ornamental dental work and the use of
trephination (boring a hole into the skull as a magical healing ritual).

Today's traditional medicinal practitioners can trace their origins back to the pre-
colonial period - the psychic surgeons, with their flair for drama, parallel the pre-
hispanic religious practicioners (babaylan and catalonan) who also played roles
as healers.

The Spanish Occupation

When the Spaniards arrived in the Philippines, the indios (natives) had reached
different levels of political development, including simple communal groups, debt
peonage (often erroneously described as slavery) and proto-feudal
confederations.

The Spaniards imposed a feudal system, concentrating populations under their

control into towns and estates. During the first two centuries of their occupation,
the Spaniards used the Philippines mainly as a connecting point for their China-
Acapulco (Mexico) trade. The country's economic backwardness was reinforced
by Roman Catholicism, which was practiced in a form that retained many pre-
colonial elements such as animism while incorporating feudal aspects of the
colonizers' religion such as dogmatism, authoritarianism and patriarchial
oppression. The Spaniards wer never able to consolidate political control over
the entire archipelago, with Muslims and indigenous resisting the colonizers most
effectively. Among the groups that were subjugated, there were numerous
localized revolts throughout the Spanish occupation.

In the 19th century, the Philippines was opened to world trade, allowing the
limited entry of liberal ideas. By the late 19th century, there was a distinct Filipino
nationalist movement which erupted into a revolution in 1896, culminating with
the establishment of Asia's first republican government in 1898.

Spain laid the foundation for a feudal health care system. The religious orders
built charity hospitals, often next to churches, dispensing services to the indio.
Medical education was not extended to the indio until late in the 19th century,
through the University of Santo Tomas. This feudal system of the rich extending
charity to the poor persists to this day among many church-run as well as non-
sectarian institutions.

The history of the Philippines is believed to have begun with the arrival of the first
humans via land bridges at least 30,000 years ago.[1] The first recorded visit from the
West is the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan on Homonhon Island, southeast of Samar on
March 16, 1521.[2]

Prior to Magellan's arrival, there were several established kingdoms and sultanates
present in the Philippines, such as the Buddhist Kingdom of Butuan, the indianized
kingdoms of Tondo and Maysapan, some of which flourished from as early as the 10th
century AD, as well as the Muslim Sultanates of Sulu, Maynila, and Maguindanao.
Despite these kingdoms attaining complex political and social orders, as well as enjoying
trade with areas now called China, India, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia, none
encompassed the whole archipelago which was to become the unified Philippines of the
twentieth century. The remainder of settlements were independent Barangays allied with
one of the larger kingdoms.

Spanish colonization and settlement began with the arrival of Miguel López de Legazpi's
expedition in 1565 and established the first permanent settlement of San Miguel on the
island of Cebu,[3] and more settlements continued northward reaching the bay of Manila
on the island of Luzon in 1571.[4] In Manila, they established a new town and thus began
an era of Spanish colonization that lasted for more than three centuries.[5]

Spanish rule unsuccessfully attempted to achieve the political unification of the whole
archipelago of previously independent kingdoms and communities. Unification of the
Philippines was not achieved until the twentieth century. The Spanish introduced the
western European version of printing and the Gregorian calendar. The Spanish East
Indies was ruled as a territory of the Viceroyalty of New Spain and administered from
Mexico City, Mexico from 1565 to 1821, and administered directly from Madrid, Spain
from 1821 until the end of the Spanish–American War in 1898, with a brief interlude
from 1762 to 1764 when it was ruled by Great Britain. During the Spanish period,
numerous towns were founded, infrastructures built, new crops and livestock introduced.
The Chinese, British, Portuguese, Dutch, Japanese, and indigenous traders, complained
that the Spanish reduced trade by attempting to enforce a Spanish monopoly. Spanish
missionaries attempted to convert the population to Christianity and were eventually
generally successful in the northern and central lowlands. They founded schools, a
university, and some hospitals, principally in Manila and the largest Spanish fort
settlements. Universal education and universal medical assistance were never Spanish
objectives in the Philippines.

The Philippine Revolution against Spain began in April 1896, culminating two years later
with a proclamation of independence and the establishment of the First Philippine
Republic. However, the Treaty of Paris, at the end of the Spanish–American War,
transferred control of the Philippines to the United States. This agreement was not
recognized by the Philippine Government which, on June 2, 1899, proclaimed a
Declaration of War against the United States.[6] The Philippine-American War which
ensued resulted in massive casualties.[7] Philippine president Emilio Aguinaldo was
captured in 1901 and the U.S. government declared the conflict officially over in 1902.
The Filipino leaders, for the most part, accepted that the Americans had won, but
hostilities continued and only began to decline in 1913. U.S. colonial rule of the
Philippines started in 1905 with very limited local rule. Partial autonomy (commonwealth
status) was granted in 1935, preparatory to a planned full independence from the United
States in 1946. Preparation for a fully sovereign state was interrupted by the Japanese
occupation of the islands during World War II.[4]

With a promising economy in the 1950s and 1960s, the Philippines in the late 1960s and
early 1970s saw a rise of student activism and civil unrest against the corrupt dictatorship
of President Ferdinand Marcos who declared martial law in 1972.[4] Because of close ties
between United States and President Marcos, the U.S. government continued to support
Marcos even though his administration was well-known for massive corruption and
extensive human rights abuse. The peaceful and bloodless People Power Revolution of
1986, however, brought about the ousting of Marcos and a return to democracy for the
country. The period since then, however, has been marked by political instability and
hampered economic productivity.

Political System

The Spanish quickly organized their new colony according to their model. The first task
was the reduction, or relocation of native inhabitants into settlements. The earliest
political system used during the conquista period was the encomienda system, which
resembled the political system known as Feudalism in Medieval Europe. The
conquistadores, friars and native nobles were granted estates, in exchange for their
services to the King, and was given the privilege to collect tribute from its inhabitants. In
return, the person granted the encomienda, known as an encomendero, was tasked to
provide military protection to the inhabitants, justice and governance. In times of war, the
encomendero was duty bound to provide soldiers for the King, in particular, for the
defense of the colony from invaders such as the Dutch, British and Chinese. The
encomienda was entrusted to the encomendero by the King for only two generations. The
encomienda system was abused by encomenderos and was replaced by a more advanced
system of governance of the times.

The most prominent feature of Spanish cities was the plaza, a central area for town
activities such as the fiesta, and where government buildings, the church, a market area
and other infrastructures were located. Residential areas lay around the plaza. During the
conquista, the first task of colonization was the reduction, or relocation of the indigenous
population into settlements surrounding the plaza.

As in Europe, the church always had control over the state affairs of the colony. The friars
controlled the sentiments of the native population and was more powerful than the
governor-general himself. Among the issues that resulted to the Philippine revolution of
1898 that ended Spanish rule was the abuse of power by the religious orders.

[edit] National Government

On the national level, the King of Spain, through his Council of the Indies (Consejo de
Indias), governed through his sole representative in the Philippines: the Governor-
General (Gobernador y Capitán General). With the seat of power in Intramuros, Manila,
the Governor-General was given several duties: he headed the Supreme Court (Real
Audiencia), was Commander-in-chief of the army and navy, and was the economic
planner of the country. All known executive power of the local government stemmed
from him and as vice-regal patron, he had the right to supervise mission work and
oversee ecclesiastical appointments. His yearly salary was P40,000. For obvious reasons,
the Governor-General was usually a Peninsular (Spaniard born in Spain) to ensure
loyalty of the colony to the crown.

[edit] Provincial Government

Main article: Provinces of the Philippines

On the provincial level, heading the pacified provinces (alcaldia), was the provincial
governor (alcalde mayor). The unpacified military zones (corregidor), such as Mariveles
and Mindoro, were headed by the corregidores. City governments (ayuntamientos), were
also headed by an alcalde mayor. Alcalde mayors and corregidores exercised multiple
prerogatives as judge, inspector of encomiendas, chief of police, tribute collector,
capitan-general of the province and even vice-regal patron. His annual salary ranged from
P300 to P2000 before 1847 and P1500 to P1600 after it. But this can be augmented
through the special privilege of "indulto de commercio" where all people were forced to
do business with him. The alcalde mayor was usually an Insulares (Spaniard born in the
Philippines). In the 1800s, the Peninsulares began to displace the Insulares which
resulted in the political unrests of 1872, notably the execution of GOMBURZA, Novales
Revolt and mutiny of the Cavite fort under La Madrid.

[edit] Municipal Government

Main articles: Municipalities of the Philippines and Cities of the Philippines
The pueblo or town is headed by the gobernadorcillo or little governor. Among his
administrative duties were the preparation of the tribute list (padron), recruitment and
distribution of men for draft labor, communal public work and military conscription
(quinto), postal clerk and judge in minor civil suits. He intervened in all administrative
cases pertaining to his town: lands, justice, finance and the municipal police. His annual
salary, however, was only P24 but he was exempted from taxation. Any native or Chinese
mestizo, 25 years old, literate in oral or written Spanish and has been a cabeza de
barangay of 4 years can be a gobernadorcillo. Among those prominent is Emilio
Aguinaldo, a Chinese Mestizo and who was the gobernadorcillo of Cavite El Viejo (now
Kawit). Early officials of the pueblo were taken from the Maharlika class or nobles of
rep-Colonial society. Their names are survived by prominent families in contemporary
Philippine society such as Tupas, Gatmaitan, Liwanag, Pangilinan, Panganiban and
Agbayani to name a few.

[edit] Barrio Government

Main article: Barangay

Barrio government (village or district) rested on the barrio administrator (cabeza de

barangay). He was responsible for peace and order and recruited men for communal
public works. Cabezas should be literate in Spanish and have good moral character and
property. Cabezas who served for 25 years were exempted from forced labor. In addition,
this is where the sentiment heard as, "Mi Barrio", first came from.

[edit] The Residencia and The Visita

To check the abuse of power of royal officials, two ancient castilian institutions were
brought to the Philippines. The Residencia, dating back to the fifth century and the Visita
differed from the residencia in that it was conducted clandestinely by a visitador-general
sent from Spain and might occur anytime within the official’s term, without any previous
notice. Visitas may be specific or general.

[edit] Maura Law

The legal foundation for municipal governments in the country was laid with the
promulgation of the Maura Law on May 19, 1893. Named after its author, Don Antonio
Maura, the Spanish Minister of Colonies at the time, the law reorganized town
governments in the Philippines with the aim of making them more effective and
autonomous. This law created the municipal organization that was later adopted, revised,
and further strengthened by the American and Filipino governments that succeeded
Spanish rule.[7]

[edit] Economy
[edit] Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade

The Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade was the main source of income for the colony
during its early years. Service was inaugurated in 1565 and continued into the early 19th
century. The Galleon trade brought silver from New Spain and silk from China by way of
Manila. This way, the Philippines earned its income through buy and sell - that is, they
bought silk from China for resale to New Spain and then bought American silver for
resale to China. The trade was very prosperous. However, initially it neglected the
development of the colony's local industries which affected the Indios since agriculture
was their main source of income. In addition, the building and operation of galleons put
too much burden on the colonists' annual polo y servicio. However, it resulted in cultural
and commercial exchanges between Asia and the Americas that led to the introduction of
new crops and animals to the Philippines notably tobacco that gave the colony its first
real income which benefit extended to the common Indio. The trade lasted for over two
hundred years, and ceased in 1821 with the secession of American colonies from Spain.

[edit] Royal Society of Friends of the Country

Jose de Basco y Vargas, following a royal order to form a society of intellectuals who can
produce new, useful ideas, formally established the Real Sociedad Economica de Amigos
del Pais. Composed of leading men in business, industry and profession, the society was
tasked to explore and exploit the island's natural bounties. The society led to the creation
of Plan General Economico of Basco which implemented the monopolies on the areca
nut, tobacco, spirited liquors and explosives. It offered local ad foreign scholarships and
training grants in agriculture and established an academy of design. It was also credited
to the carabao ban of 1782, the formation of the silversmiths and gold beaters guild and
the construction of the first papermill in the Philippines in 1825. It was introduced on
1780, vanished temporarily on 1787-1819, 1820-1822 and 1875-1822 and ceased to exist
in the middle of the 1890s.

[edit] Royal Company of the Philippines

On March 10, 1785, Charles III created the Royal Philippine Company with a 25 year
charter.[8] It was granted exclusive monopoly of bringing to Manila, Philippines; Chinese
and Indian goods and shipping them directly to Spain via the Cape of Good Hope. It was
stiffly objected by the Dutch and English who saw it as a direct attack on their trade of
Asian goods. It was also vehemently opposed by the traders of the Galleon trade who saw
it as competition. This gradually resulted into the death of both institutions: The Royal
Philippine Company in 1814 and the Galleon trade in 1815.[9]

[edit] Taxation

To support the colony, several forms of taxes and monopolies were imposed. The buwis
(tribute), which could be paid in cash or kind (tobacco, chickens, produce, gold, blankets,
cotton, rice, etc., depending on the region of the country), was initially was fixed at 8
reales (one real being 12.5 centavos) and later increased to 15 reales, apportioned as
follows: ten reales buwis, one real diezmos prediales (tithes), one real to the town
community chest, one real sanctorum tax, and three reales for church support.[10]

Also collected was the bandalâ (from the Tagalog word mandalâ, a round stack of rice
stalks to be threshed), an annual enforced sale and requisitioning of goods such as rice.
Custom duties and income tax were also collected. By 1884, the tribute was replaced by
the Cedula personal, wherein colonists were required to pay for personal identification.
Everyone over the age of 18 was obliged to pay.[11]

[edit] Forced Labor (Polo y servicio)

The system of forced labor otherwise known as polo y servicio evolved within the
framework of the encomienda system, introduced into the South American colonies by
the Conquistadores and Catholic priests who accompanied them. Polo y servicio is the
forced labor for 40 days of men ranging from 16 to 60 years of age who were obligated to
give personal services to community projects. One could be exempted from polo by
paying the falla (corruption of the Spanish Falta, meaning "absence"), a daily fine of one
and a half real. In 1884, labor was reduced to 15 days. The polo system was patterned
after the Mexican repartimento, selection for forced labor.[12]

here are a number of religions that existed in the Philippines.

[edit] Indigenous Beliefs

Animism, for lack of better terminology, can be used to describe the indigenous spiritual
traditions practiced by people in the Philippines during pre-colonial times. Today, only a
handful of the indigenous tribes continue to practice it. It is a collection of beliefs and
cultural mores anchored in the idea that the world is inhabited by spirits and supernatural
entities, both good and bad, and that respect be accorded to them through nature worship.
These spirits all around nature are known as "diwatas", showing cultural relationship
with Hinduism (Devatas). Some worship specific deities, such as the Tagalog supreme
deity, Bathala, and his children Adlaw, Mayari, and Tala, or the Visayan deity Kan-Laon;
while others practice Ancestor Worship (anitos). Variations of animistic practices occur in
different ethnic groups. Magic, chants and prayers are often key features. Its practitioners
were highly respected (and some feared) in the community, as they were healers,
midwives (hilot), shamans, witches and warlocks (mangkukulam), priests/priestesses
(babaylan/catalonan), tribal historians and wizened elders that provided the spiritual and
traditional life of the community. In the Visayan regions, there is a belief in the existence
of witchcraft or kulam and mythical creatures such as the "aswang", "Nuno sa Punso" and
"Bakonawa", despite the existence of the Christian and Islamic faiths.

In general, the spiritual and economic leadership in many pre-colonial Filipino ethnic
groups was provided by women, as opposed to the political and military leadership
according to men. Spanish occupiers during the 16th century arrived in the Philippines
noting about warrior priestesses leading tribal spiritual affairs. Many were condemned as
pagan heretics. Although suppressed, these matriarchal tendencies run deep in Filipino
society and can still be seen in the strong leadership roles modern Filipino women are
assuming in business, politics, academia, the arts and in religious institutions.

Folk Religion remains a deep source of comfort, belief and cultural pride among many
Filipinos. Nominally animists constitute about one percent of the population. But
animism's influence pervade daily life and practice of the colonial religions that took root
in the Philippines. Elements of folk belief melded with Christian and Islamic practices to
give a unique perspective on these religions.

[edit] Buddhism
See main article Buddhism in the Philippines

Buddhism in the Philippines is largely confined to the Filipino Chinese, Chinese,

Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese communities. It is practiced by about 3% of the
population. There are temples in Manila, and Cebu, and other places.

[edit] Christianity
Christianity arrived in the Philippines with the landing of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. In
the late 16th century, soldiers and missionaries firmly planted the seeds of conversion
when they officially claimed the archipelago for Spain and named it after their king.
Missionary activity during the country's long colonial rule by Spain and the United States
transformed the Philippines into one of the two (perhaps three, considering South Korea's
growing Christian population) predominantly Christian nations in East Asia, with
approximately 90% of the population belonging to the Christian faith, the other Christian
nation being East Timor.

[edit] Roman Catholic Church

Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion, with 85% of the population belonging
to this faith in the Philippines. The country has a significant Spanish Catholic tradition,
and Spanish style Catholicism is highly embedded in the culture, which was acquired
from priests or friars (prayle in Filipino) . This is shown in traditions such as Misa de
Gallo, Black Nazarene procession, Santo Niño and Aguinaldo procession, where large
crowds gather, honoring their patron saint/s. Processions and fiestas are conducted during
feast days of the patron saints of various barrios or barangays.

Every year on October 31 to November 2, Filipino families celebrates the Day of the
Dead which they spend much of the 3 days and 3 evenings visiting their ancestral graves,
showing respect and honor to their departed relatives by feasting and offering prayers.

Christmas in the Philippines is a celebration spanning just more than the day itself. Many
traditions and customs are associated with this grand feast, along with New Year.
[edit] Catholic Charismatic Renewal in the Philippines

The El Shaddai is a large Catholic Charismatic Renewal led by 'Brother Mike Velarde'.
Other groups include Couples For Christ, Ligaya Ng Panginoon, FAMILIA Community,
Bukas Loob Sa Diyos etc.

The Neocatechumenal Way has a very large and rapidly expanding presence in the
Philippines. Nowadays there are around six hundred Neocatechumenal communities, the
highest number in Asia and one of the highest in the World.

[edit] Protestantism

Protestantism arrived in the Philippines with the coming of the Americans at the turn of
the 20th century. In 1898, Spain lost the Philippines to the United States. After a bitter
fight for independence against its new occupiers, Filipinos surrendered and were again
colonized. The arrival of Protestant American missionaries soon followed.

• Jesus is Lord Movement

• Jesus Miracle Crusade
• United Methodist Church
• United Church of Christ in the Philippines

[edit] Seventh-day Adventist Church

The church founded by Ellen G. White which is best-known for its teaching that
Saturday, the seventh day of the week, is the Sabbath, and that the second advent of Jesus
Christ is imminent.

[edit] Aglipayanism

The Philippine Independent Church, more commonly known as the Iglesia Filipina
Independiente, arose from a Catholic nationalist movement at the turn of the century. It is
in full communion with the Philippine Episcopal Church, the rest of the Anglican
Communion, and the Old Catholic Church|Union of Utrecht.

[edit] Iglesia Ni Cristo

Iglesia Ni Cristo is an independent, nontrinitarian religious organization that was

founded by Felix Manalo on July 27, 1914.

[edit] Jehovah's Witnesses

Missionaries of the Jehovah's Witnesses arrived in the Philippines during the American
Occupation (1892-1945). They have been involved in several court controversies because
of their stand on flag-saluting and blood transfusions. They are best known by their
preaching in pairs from house to house and in their high moral standards. Currently there
are more than 150,000 members in the Philippines as of the year 2006.

[edit] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

During the Spanish-American War in 1898, two men from Utah who were members of
the United States artillery battery, and who were also set apart as missionaries by the
Church before they left the United States, preached while stationed in the Philippines.
Missionary work ceased in the Philippines at the beginning of World War II and resumed
again in 1961.

In 1969, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints had spread to eight major
islands and had the highest number of baptisms of any area in the Church. The Manila
Missionary Training Center was established in 1983. In 1990-91, Church relief efforts
helped with the damage caused by major earthquakes, flooding, volcanic eruptions, and
governmental conflicts. Membership in 1984 was 76,000 and 237,000 in 1990. Today,
membership is approximately 550,000.

[edit] Islam
Islam reached the Philippines in the 14th century with the arrival of merchants and
missionaries from the Arabian peninsula and from India. Filipino Muslims make up about
five percent of the population and are concentrated in the western portion of the island of
Mindanao. The Bangsamoro or Muslim Nation, a term used to define the disparate ethnic
groups that profess Islam in the Philippines as their religion, have been fighting the most
protracted war of independence in world history. These include the Tausugs and the
Maranaos. The Islamic separatist movement in the Philippines had been and is being
waged for almost five centuries -- against the Spanish, the Americans, the Japanese and
the predominantly Christian Filipinos of today's independent republic. Filipino Muslims
follow the Sunni tradition. One of the more well-known Islamic separatist groups is the
Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

[edit] Judaism
Since the Spanish Era, Jews have been coming in and out of the islands but were unable
to establish a substantial community. During World War II, their population reached
10,000 when Jews from Europe took shelter in Manila after escaping the Holocaust. The
last Temple at Taft avenue corner Quirino was demolished in the 70's. They eventually
left after the creation of Israel. As of 2005, the Jewish population in the Philippines
stands at the very most 500 people.

[edit] Sikhism and Hinduism

For Hinduism, see main article Hinduism in the Philippines
Hinduism in the Philippines are largely confined to the expatriate Indian community.
There are temples in Manila, as well as in the provinces. There are temples also for
Sikhism, sometimes located near Hindu temples. The two Paco temples are well known,
comprising a Hindu temple and a Sikh temple.

[edit] Members Church of God International

The Members Church of God International, is a Christian denomination in the
Philippines more popularly known through its television program, Ang Dating Daan
(ADD). Although the Members Church of God International does not keep a formal count
of members, it estimates to have millions of members, thousands of church locales in the
Philippines, and international church locales in North America, Europe, South Africa,
Asia, and Australia.

Lead by Bro. Eliseo Soriano and his vice presiding minister Daniel Razon, they have
formed the TV program Ang Dating Daan which have now reach the international dialect.