Some 50 million years ago, the archipelago was formed by volcanic eruptions. Human remains were found in Palawan about 30,000 years old. The early inhabitants of the Philippines were Mongoloid descent which are predominant today. Other groups are Negritos, whose origin is not known. The Chinese element in Filipino culture is traced back from the traders who came to the Philippines in the tenth century. The gradual spread of Islam from Borneo into the central and northern islands was interrupted by the arrival of the Spanish Christians.

Philippines was named after Spain's King Phillip II. Ferdinand Magellan discovered the country, and the missionaries introduced Christianity and attempted to unify the many peoples and islands under a central government. The prosperity of the Philippines depended on the exchange of New Spain's (now Mexico) silver for silk from China. Chinese entrepreneurs and Spanish officials were lured to Manila for the prospect of wealth. Intermarriages between Spaniards, and Chinese immigrants produced mestizos and helped produce a distinctive new culture. In the 1700s, the empire of Spain crumbled. Open trade was available and led to the emergence of a local wealthy class. For its education, the wealthy class went to Europe where liberal philosophies taught them the idea of national identity.

In the 1860s, there was discontentment with the Spanish rule. Jose Rizal started a peaceful reform under colonial rule but was later executed. His death started a revolution under Andres Bonifacio. In 1898, United States won the war against Spain, and the Philippines declared its independence from Spain. Spain sold the islands to the United States. Emilio Aguinaldo was the first president of the Republic of the Philippines.

In 1898, when the United States bought the Philippines from Spain, Americans had to fight the Filipino rebels. The main purpose of the Americans was to prepare the Filipinos for independence when the people are ready. At this era, the Americans redistributed church-owned lands but most of the lands went to large landowners.

There was effective aid provided by the Americans for better health care and sanitation. There was also the widespread use of the English language which brought better unity.There were also access to the American manufactured goods that led the nation to neglect its own industrial development. The Filipinos focused on mining and exporting crops. The Philippine currency was stable. The building of roads was increased. Shipping access within the island enabled the landowners to take advantage of free-trade privileges. A U.S.-based economy had evolved.

In 1935 the Filipino people accepted a U.S. offer of sovereignty to follow a ten-year interim under a commonwealth status. The first president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines was Manuel Quezon. In December 1941, Japan attacked the island of Luzon.

Despite social fragmentation and political corruption, a deep-felt commitment to democratic institution has survived. After the Philippine independence in July 4, 1946, President Manuel Roxas tackled the devastation left by World War II. After the war, landlords demanded back rents which pushed the tenant farmers to rebellion. President Ramon Magsaysay started rural reform which was defeated by the landlords.

During the reign of Ferdinand Marcos, inequities, corruption, and social injustice were widespread. Marcos had refurbished public works but failed to reconstruct the economy. There was the forming of left-wing student groups and guerrillas which was growing out of hand. This led Marcos to suspend the rights of the habeas corpus and freedom of press, speech and assembly. The nation's domestic economy and international debt payments faced collapse while the elite were getting richer. Aquino, Marcos' rival, led public protest for reform. The Filipino people were convinced by Aquino that there was hope for the poor economic situation in the Philippines. But Aquino was assassinated in 1983 which outraged the Filipino people. Public pressure compelled Marcos to hold an election in 1986. He claimed victory but was forced into exile by his people. Aquino's widow, Corazon Aquino was elected president of the Philippines: the first female president of the Philippines.

© 2003 Marvataiel. All rights reserved. [hikbi]