Understand

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History

Several thousand years ago, the first settlers in the Philippines crossed shallow seas and land bridges from the Asian mainland to arrive in this group of islands. These were the Negritos or Aetas. Direct descendants of these people can still be found in Zambales province to the North of Manila. Several thousand years later, they were then followed by Austronesian settlers travelling the same route as the Negritos but this time over sea in their impressive Balanghay boats (the word is stil used to refer to the smallest political subdivision in the Philippines, the Barangay). After settling the islands reached further and settled the islands of Indonesia, Malaysia as well as the whole Pacific. The early Austronesians took no time in trading with each other as well as with the Chinese, Japanese, Okinawans, and Indians. An interesting mix of cultures developed in the islands, and a writing system as well as a social structure developed quickly. By the time the first westerner, explorer Ferdinand Magellan, was to set foot on Philippine soil in 1521, the Philippines was predominantly Muslim and Hindu Buddhist with many settlements ruled from Brunei and Java. Magellan was Portuguese but it was a Spanish Expedition which he led to the islands which were then taken by Spain as its colony. The Philippines actually was named for Crown Prince Philip II of Spain and most of the natives converted to Catholicism.

The Philippines remained a Spanish colony for over 300 years until 1899 when it was ceded by the Spanish to the United States following the Spanish - American War. American presence remained until World War II when Japan invaded the Philippines. The Japanese occupation lasted from 1941 to 1945 when Gen. Douglas McArthur fulfilled his promise and liberated the country from the Japanese.

In 1946, the Philippines was granted full independence by the U.S., although they maintained a military presence in the country through the Subic Naval Base in Olongapo and Clark Air Base in Pampanga. These facilities were ultimately returned to the Philippines in the early 1990's.

Up until the 1960's, the Philippines was supposedly second only to Japan in terms of development within the region. Several decades of corrupt rule by Ferdinand Marcos however plunged the country into debt and the Philippines ultimately became known as the sick man of Asia. Poverty was widespread and infrastructure for development was severely lacking. In 1986, the People Power uprising finally overthrew the Marcos government and he was replaced by Cory Aquino, widow of slain opposition leader, Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr.

A couple of decades more have passed and somehow the Philippines is still lagging in comparison to its South East Asian neighbors Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Development is still slow but somehow the country is at least moving in the right direction.

People

The people of the Philippines, or Filipinos, are descended from a mixture of Austronesians (related to Malays and Polynesians) and of the Southern Han Chinese. Many, particularly in the cities, have Spanish, Chinese, and American admixtures, whereas...