Economic History of

the
Philippines
Mervin G. Cabato | St. John Paul II College of Davao

/mgcabato mckeelosophy@gmail.com
 Learning objectives

Understand Socio-
economic development of
the Philippines
Basic Economic Problems
in the Philippines
 ECONOMIC HISTORY OF the PHILIPPINES

Pre-colonial &
Colonial
Post World War II
Martial Law
Post EDSA
Philippines after
2000
 Pre-colonial & Colonial ERA

First wave of
migrants from the
Asian mainland
built the
‘Agricultural
System’ that have
sustained the
 Pre-colonial & Colonial ERA

Since no
monetary existed
back in the day,
BARTER TRADE has
been the trend –
exchange of
goods
 March 16,
1521
Da Pilipins was diskoberd by Madjilan
 Colonial Regime - Spain

Philippines was
a colony of
Spain; the
Galleon Trade
was introduced
 SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR

Spain lost control of

Philippines to the
Americans, due to the
‘Treaty of Paris’;
sold us for $20Million
after 333 years of
rule and Catholicism
 American regime

US installed a
‘friendly’ local
government, providing
PROMINENT local
families broad
authorities to manage
PH affairs
 American regime

Gave rise to
infrastructure and an
educational system
shift from SPANISH to
AMERICAN
US Commonwealth
status with limited
 JAPANESE regime

 The ‘HARSHEST’ regime that

lasted for about FOUR BLOODY
YEARS!
 Attempt to extinguish Spanish
and English, and substituted
Filipino as codified in 1936,
and Nihonggo as ‘MORE
APPROPRIATE’ Asian Language
 HEY JOE! I’M
BACK! WHERE THE
HELL IS MCKEE?!

JOE JOE KA DIRA,

WA MAN LANG KAY
PASALUBONG SAKO!
 July 4, 1946
Free at last! YEHEEEEY!

YEY! NO MORE JAPS!

NO MORE JOES! JUST
CHING-CHONGS!

MABUHAY AND
KAPA! WAY SIRADO!
YOU STILL
NEED ME, Although we have finally gained
JOE! independence, Americans are
still our allies politically,
economically, and in military
affairs
 Post world war II

Filipino POLITICAL and

ECONOMIC SYSTEM failed to
develop in the direction
of the rate anticipated
DEVELOPMENT WAS SLOW and
observers considered
system to be corrupt and
inefficient
 Post world war II

Productions of goods and

services were controlled
by a small group of
PROMINENT families;
fought with one another
over ECONOMIC, POLITICAL,
and SOCIAL DOMINANCE
 Post world war II

Lack of Infrastructure +
High Corruption and Crime
Rate

= LESS or NO
FOREIGN
INVESTORS
 Post world war II

PH was one of the more

prosperous nations in
Asia, second only to
JAPAN from 1950’s to ‘60s

BLEEEEH!
 AKO AY NANUNUMPA
NA MAGPAPAYAMAN...
AY ESTE, MAGING ‘BIST
PRISIDINT IVER!’
“Apo Macoy”
“McCoy”
“Apo Lakay”

FERDINAND MARCOS
 WHERE IS NOY MY
KRISSY?! I NEED TO
TALK TO MY BIMBY.

CORAZON COJUANGCO AQUINO

Economic History of
the
Philippines
Mervin G. Cabato | St. John Paul II College of Davao

/mgcabato mckeelosophy@gmail.com