Reading in Philippine History

Module Week 1 to Week 4

ENVIRONMENT AND ASIAN HERITAGE

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
WE LIVE in the Philippines, our native land. It is one of more than 180 countries in the world. The people who live and
belong to this country are called Filipinos. As Filipinos we should love and know our country well. Now, in order to know
a country well, we study its history because history is the story of a country and its people. Long ago, when the Filipinos
were not yet united as a nation, we were separated into clans and tribes. These groups of people lived in areas, each
with their own names. So, when outsiders came to visit, they heard many different names about our country. When
Magellan came in 1521, he called the Philippines “Archipelago of St. Lazarus.” But that name did not become popular.
This was the romantic name given to our country by two famous writers. One of them was a Spanish missionary-
historian named Fr. Juan J, Delgado in 1751.

Origin of the Philippines

There are many explanations about the origin of our land. As Christians, we believe that the land forms were made by
God as part of His creation. Therefore, the Philippines was a part of God’s creation of the world. Scientists have different
opinion about the origin of the country. Some geologists claim that it was a remnant of a prehistoric continent called
“Mu” or “Lemuria” in the Pacific Ocean. Due to volcanic eruptions or earthquakes, this vast continent sank beneath the
ocean. Other geologists believe that the country has a volcanic origin. The eruptions of sea volcanoes, according to
them, caused the gradual emergence of the islands above the ocean.

Location

The Philippines lies in Southeast Asia, a little above the Equator, between latitudes 4 o 23’N and 21o 25’N and longitude
o o
116 E and 127 E . It is bounded in the east by the Pacific Ocean, in the west by the South China Sea, in the north by the
Bashi Channel, and in the south by the Zulu and Celebes Seas.

Area

According to the Constitution, the national territory of the Philippines includes: islands, adjacent seas and submarine
areas, and the air space above. The total land area of the Philippines is bigger than that of the United Kingdom, almost
as large as Italy, and slightly smaller than Japan. Having 7,107 islands, it is one of the world’s largest archipelagos or
group of islands. Of the Philippine islands, only 2,773 have names and 1,190 are inhabited. The biggest island group is
Luzon; the second, Mindanao; and the third, the Visayas.

Topography

Topography means the physical features of a country. The Philippines is an inverted Y-shaped archipelago of numerous
islands and islets, coral reefs, abundant rivers, lakes, and bays; mountains and valleys; cool plateaus and scenic
volcanoes. It has an extensive coastline, and its sea coasts are indented with numerous bays, harbors and gulfs. The
Philippines has lofty mountains and numerous valleys.

Effects of the Archipelago Shape of Our Nation

The archipelago-shape of our land has affected our history and the lives of our people. Some people believe that it is a
disadvantage for our land to be divided into islands. They say that because the Philippines is an archipelago of thousands
of islands, it is not a united nation.

Climate

The Philippine climate is tropical and monsoonal in character. There are two distinct seasons. – the dry season (from
December to May) and the wet season (from June to November). The temperature varies 21o to 32o (70o −90o F). The
coldest month is January; the hottest, May. During summer (March to May), people holiday in mountain resorts like
Baguio, the summer capital.
Natural Calamities

The Philippines sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” where most natural calamities happen. These natural calamities are
typhoons, earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. They cause great damage to people, property and nature.

Volcanoes

There are more than 50 volcanoes, which lies in the ring of fire in the Pacific. Volcanic eruptions occasionally bring
destruction and great sorrow to the people. Most famous and scenic of the Philippine volcanoes is Mt. Mayon in Albay,
Bicol, which has a nearly perfect cone. Taal, the smallest and most unusual volcano, being surrounded by a lake in
Batangas, has erupted more than 20 times from 1572 to the present. The worst volcanic eruption in history happened at
Mt. Pinatubo, Zambales in June 1991.

Natural Resources

The natural resources of a country include soil, plant and animal life, fish and marine resources, minerals, energy
resources, and scenic beauties of nature. The Philippines, though small, has rich natural resources. This should not
delude us into thinking that we can do whatever we like to our environment.

Soil

Soil is the country’s most important natural resources because most of the people earn a living from tilling the land. The
people are fortunate to have a highly fertile soil. However, good farm lands are rapidly disappearing due to soil erosion
from illegal logging, kaingin farming, dams and poor road construction; and the growth of residential, commercial and
industrial areas. The government has introduced agricultural programs to increase crop production – land reform, self-
sufficiency in rice, irrigation, farmers, cooperatives, rural banks, the Green Revolution, and the introduction of new
methods and technology.

The World’s Greatest Biodiversity

God has blessed our country with the greatest diversity of plant and animal life on earth. We have the richest and most
numerous species of plants and animals.

Plant Life

The country has a rich plant and animal life. According to agricultural experts, 8,120 species of plants grow in the
country. About 1,000 varieties of orchids, 1,000 species of rice, and 3,000 species of trees are found in it. Throughout
the year, numerous flowers of various colors and fragrance bloom on the hillsides, meadows, and family gardens. The
Queen of Philippine Flowers is the famous sampaguita, the national flower

Animal Life

About 850 species of birds are found in the country, more than in Australia, Japan, and other Asian countries. The
biggest bird is the Eastern Sarus Crane, known as tipol in Luzon and labong in the Visayas. The most useful of the animals
is the carabao, the farmer’s best friend. Slow as a turtle, it is very strong like an elephant.

Forest Resources

The forest lands have a total area of 16,633,000 hectares, representing 55% of the total land area. Of this total forest
area, 14,452,650 hectares are commercial forests and 2,180,000 are non-commercial forests. More than 3,000 species
of trees are found in our forest, 1,000 of which are commercial timber. The most famous of forest tress is the narra, the
Queen of Philippine Wood. It is the national tree.

Fish and Marine Resources

The Philippine seas, bays, gulfs, rivers, and lakes teem with fish and other marine resources. There are many fishing
grounds in the archipelago. At least 2,000 species of fish are found in waters of the archipelago. Both the world’s largest
fish and the world’s two smallest fish are found in the Philippines. The huge whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is called
pating bulik and the pygmy goby fish (Pandaka Pygmaea) and tabios, two of the world’s smallest fish.
EXERCISES

ESSAY:

1. Why the Philippines is a very important country from the historical values you learned?
2. In your opinion, what are the important parts about knowing a country’s history?
3. Why the Philippine location is important?

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING:

4. What are the 11 main islands of the Philippines?

5. What is the finest harbor in Asia and also the largest bay in the Philippines?
6. What is the narrowest strait in the World?
7. What are the four major lowland plains in the Philippines?
8. What are the seven mountain ranges in the Philippines?
9. What is the longest river in the Philippines?
10. What is the smallest volcano in the Philippines?

ENUMERATION:

11 – 25 Give 15 examples of animals that can only be found in the Philippines.

SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT
Social Environment, like physical environment, influences the life and progress of any country. The term social
environment means the people and their character and culture. The racial ancestry, the population growth, the religion,
customs, language, arts and sciences, the government and the economy shape the lifestyles of the people. The people is
the most important element in a nation; the spirit of the land and grain are next; the leaders are the least important.

Filipinos as Leaders in Asia

The history of the Philippines shows how unique and important our nation has been. Many times in our history we led
the Asian world in many ways. Thus, there is very reason to believe that the future of the Philippines will be greater than
its past, because this is a great nation.

Population

In 2002, the population was 82,841,516. Because the population grows more than the national wealth, the nation has
become poorer. It is said that the most urgent economic problems are developing and protecting natural resources, and
controlling population growth. The government has a family planning and birth control program, the problem is how to
lies because Filipinos love children and large families.

Social Classes

There are three social classes in the country based on income and share of the national wealth. They are: (1) the rich, (2)
the middle class, and (3) the lower-income groups and the poor masses. The members of the rich class or the oligarchs
represent about 10% of the population. They own or earn about 90% of the wealth of the country. They are the wealthy
industrialists, with big corporations, the owners of large haciendas or plantations and the nouveau riche (new rich). The
middle class, about 20% of the population, are the professionals (doctors, lawyers, teachers, etc.) skilled or semi-skilled
workers in offices, factories or farms. They are the backbone of the nation. The lower or poor class comprise about 70%
of the population, buy they only earn or share 10% of the wealth. Members of this class earn only enough income to
provide for their basic needs – food, rented homes, simple clothes. Often they cannot earn enough to be able to save for
emergencies or for future needs. Living in poverty and misery, they are, however, important as the less fortunate of the
people who deserve special help and consideration.

The Only Christian Nation in Asia

The Philippines is the only Christian nation in Asia. About 93% of the people are Christians – 83% are Catholics, 7.6% are
Aglipayans, 2.3% are Protestants and other sects. Catholicism was Spain’s greatest legacy to the Philippines. The
Americans introduced western Protestant sects (Episcopalian, Baptist, Methodist, and Seventh Day Adventists).

A Nation of Many Languages

The Philippines is a nation of many languages and dialects. A survey By Richard Pitman, an American linguist, showed
that there are 55 native languages and 142 dialects in the country, apart from English and Spanish. All the native
languages and dialects belong to the Malayo-Polynesian family of languages. English is the most widely-used language in
the country, especially for education, commerce and the professions. In fact, the Philippines is the third largest English-
speaking country in the world.

National Language

In 1935, President Manuel L. Quezon, championed the idea of having a language that would serve as a common medium
of expression for his multi-lingual people. Thus, President Quezon is known as the “Father of the National Language”.
The 1987 Constitution provided that the national language is Filipino. It will be developed and enriched by other
Philippine and foreign language. Tagalog is the basis of the national language.

Education and High Literacy

The Filipino people are fond of education. As the Honorable Frank Murphy, American Governor-General of the
Philippines, said: “No people ever accepted the blessings of education with more enthusiasm than the Filipinos.” It is the
dream of every boy or girl to acquire a good education. Parents are willing to work hard and sacrifice in order to educate
their children. A college diploma is a status symbol in the country. The annual enrollment in the schools, from the
elementary schools to the universities, increases every year.

Asia’s Citadel of Democracy

In defense of democracy, Filipino patriots since Spanish times have sacrificed their fortunes and their lives. As early as
the Philippine Revolution (1896-1902), democracy was already the people’s cherished ideal.

Filipino Character

The Filipinos, like all peoples in the world, have bad and good character traits. Their bad character traits are, however,
offset by the good ones. As the British resident and writer, John Foreman, said: “The Filipino has many good qualities
which go far to make up for his shortcomings.” Filipinos are prone to gambling and betting – cockfighting, horse races,
etc. Fatalism is another bad trait. Filipinos believe that whatever happens to them depends on fate. Filipinos also prefer
smooth relations with their relatives, friends and colleagues, even when those others are wrong, corrupt or dishonest.
This is called “pakikisama” which often leads to nepotism, influence peddling or cheating.

Regional Traits

Filipino possess different regional traits due to different regional environments, the lack of contact and communication
in previous centuries, the Spanish imperialist policy of divide and rule, and the different economic and social factors
which affect them in modern times. The Ilocanos of Ilocandia are the most adventurous, hardworking, and frugal of
Filipinos. The Tagalogs, who inhabit Manila, the provinces around it, and the nearby islands of Mindoro and
Marinduque, feel superior to other Filipinos because they live in a region blessed with rich farm lands, navigable rivers,
and panoramic beauties, and also because of their major participation in history. Out of the 52 million Filipinos, around
1.6 million belong to so-called national cultural minorities live in the remote areas, particularly the high cordilleras of
Luzon, the hills and mountain forests of Mindanao, and on isolated lakes and seashores.

Filipino Women

Women in the Philippines occupy a high place in society, politics and the professionals. They enjoy equal social and
political rights with men unlike in other Asian nations where women are treated as inferior to men. They can vote and
be voted to any public office. They can study in universities and engage in any profession. The first lady President of the
Philippines was Mrs. Corazon Cojuangco Aquino. She is the widow of the popular Benigno S. Aquino Jr., who was
assassinated during the previous regime and became a martyr for freedom and non-violent change.

The Arts
Filipinos are creative people, and they have produced outstanding artists – writers, painters, sculptors, musicians, etc.
the arts are well-developed in the country – taught in schools having courses in the humanities; performed in theatres
and movies; and preserved in libraries, cultural centers and private collections.

Science and Technology

Science and technology are the twin keys which unlock the door of industrial progress in modern times. The Philippine
government, through its scientific agency – the Department of Science and Technology (formerly the National Science
Development Board) – is pushing the frontiers of the country’s technological knowledge.

EXERCISES

ESSAY:

1. What did you learn from studying the social environment of our country? At least 600 words
2. In your opinion, why the Philippines is a great nation?

ENUMERATION:

11 – 20 Name 10 Filipino Artists together with their Field of Specialization.

21 – 30 Name 10 Filipino Scientists together with their Field of Specialization.

Project:

Create a video that is reality to Philippine History. Like for example the fist mass in the Philippines.

The video should be less than 5 minutes. With no foul words and photoghraphy.