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Pre-Colonial
Period
The first people in the Philippines, the Negritos, are believed
to have come to the islands 30,000 years ago from Borneo and
Sumatra, making their way across land bridges. Subsequently,
people of Malay stock came from the south in successive waves,
first by land bridges and later in boats called barangays, which
is also the term for scattered communities that they settled
in. Chinese merchants and traders arrived and settled in the
ninth century A.D. In the 14th century, Arabs arrived, introducing
Islam in the south and spreading it as far as Luzon. The Malays,
however, remained the dominant group until the Spanish arrived
in the 16th century.
Spanish
Occupation
It was Ferdinand Magellan, and succeeding expeditions from Spain,
who put the Philippine archipelago on the Western map of the
world. The intrepid Magellan was dubbed the rediscoverer of
the Philippines after he landed in there on March 17, 1521.
He was later killed in Mactan Island of Cebu in a clash with
native warriors led by the chieftain named Lapu-Lapu.
The Philippines was a significant asset for Spain. The archipelago,
named Felipinas for Spain’s Philip II, was composed of
7,107 islands and islets spanning 1854 kilometers from north
to south.
During the first two centuries of their occupation, the Spaniards
used the Philippines mainly as a joint for their China-Acapulco
(Mexico) trade. Roman Catholicism compounded the country’s
economic backwardness. This was practiced in form that a kept
many pre-colonial elements such as animism while includes feudal
aspects of the colonizers' religion such as dogmatism, authoritarianism
and patriarchal oppressiohn.
Spain’s rule lasted from the 16th to the 19th century
but was marked with a series of revolts. When three Filipino
priests were executed for nationalist activities, a group of
reformists formed the Propaganda Movement that would later pave
the way for the Philippine Revolution. A young doctor-writer
named Jose Rizal was able to broadcast his scathing criticisms
of Spanish rule in the Philippines through two novels. Historians
would later recognize Rizal, who was just 30 when Spanish officials
executed him, as Asia’s first nationalist.
The Philippine Revolution on August 29, 1896 started launched
and was first led by Andres Bonifacio and then by Emilio Aguinaldo.
Philippine independence was officially proclaimed on June 12,
1898.
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U.S.
Occupation (1898-1946)
The first Philippine Republic was short-lived. Spain had lost
a war with the United States. The Philippines was illegally
ceded along with Cuba and Puerto Rico, to the United States
at the Treaty of Paris for US $20 million.
A Filipino-American War broke out as the United States attempted
to establish control over the islands. The war lasted for more
than 10 years, resulting in the death of more than 600,000 Filipinos.
The little-known war has been known as the "first Vietnam.”
The war was followed by decades of progress. In 1935, an American
Commonwealth government was established, complete with a Constitution.
Among many other influences, U.S. introduced western models
of educational and health-care systems, mixed with the Spanish
feudal patron-client relationship.
During World War II, Japan annexed the Philippines after a heroic
battle with Filipino-American forces making a stand in Bataan
and Corregidor. With the surrender, Filipinos took to the hills
and waged a guerrilla war for four years. In 1945, US forces
liberated the Philippines. On July 4, 1946, the US flag was
lowered for the last time as the Philippines was finally granted
independence.The Philippine Republic (1946 - )
The political system of the Philippines was basically adopted
from the U.S., with a bicameral legislature and a president
elected every four years, limited to one re-election. Philippine
democracy remained elitist with two political parties taking
turns at the leadership. The early years of independence were
dominated by U.S.-assisted postwar reconstruction. A communist-inspired
Huk Rebellion (1945-53) complicated recovery efforts before
its successful suppression under the leadership of President
Ramon Magsaysay. The following administrations of presidents
Carlos P. Garcia (1957-61) and Diosdado Macapagal (1961-65)
sought to expand Philippine ties to its Asian neighbors, apply
domestic reform programs, and develop and expand the economy.
Ferdinand Marcos was first elected President on the Nacionalista
Party in 1965. On September 21, 1972, Marcos declared martial
law, charging that a Communist rebellion threatened to adopt
a new constitution that would overthrow him. There was growing
civil unrest during his term in office. Territorial disputes
over Sabah, the need for land reform, and increasing violence
plagued the government of the Philippines. Civil war also threatened
Mindanao, where groups of Moros, Muslims, opposed Christian
settlements. Martial law remained until January 17, 1981.
Government corruption was an increasing problem. On August 21,
1983, opposition leader Benigno S. Aquino was assassinated.
There was growing suspicion that Marcos ordered the assassination.
Out of this turmoil, the People Power movement under Corazon
Aquino, wife of the late leader, gained strength.
Marcos set up presidential elections for Feb. 7, 1986 where
both Marcos and Corazon Aquino declared themselves the winner.
Anti-Marcos protests exploded in Manila where the Marcos party
was accused of fraud and cheating. As a result, Marcos fled
the country and retreated to the US.
The Aquino government faced many problems from coup attempts
to economics difficulties. Aquino was succeeded by military
general Fidel Ramos, who launched an economic revitalization
plan. The US also ended its long-standing military presence.
Under his rule, Muslim discontent ran high. The Moro National
Liberation Front fought for Mindanao, an Islamic homeland. In
1996, the group compromised with the government for more political
independence. However, violent strife continued with the Moro
National Liberation Front, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front,
another rebel group, and the government. In August 2001, they
signed unity agreements with the government.
After Ramos, Joseph Estrada, a former film star, was elected
president. However, in November 2000, he was impeached on corruption
charges. Soon after, Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo, daughter of former
president, Diosdado Macapagal, becameg president. The Philippine
government remains one of the strongest democracies in Asia.
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