Philippine History and Culture: Geography, Climate, Natural Wonders

AIDE LEARNING SERIES
PHILIPPINE
HISTORY AND
CULTURE
ASIAN INSTITUTE FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, INC.

AIDE Philippine History and Culture
SELF-INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
For PHILIPPINE HISTORY AND CULTURE
MODULE 1 - The Land and Its People
MODULE 2 - The Spanish Regime in the Philippines
MODULE 3 - The American Period in the Philippines
MODULE 4 - The Commonwealth Years and the

Japanese Regime in the Philippines
MODULE 5 - Contemporary Philippine History
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface ……………………………………………………………………………. 4
Module 1 – The Land and Its People
Lesson 1 - Geography, Climate and Natural Wonders and

Scenic Places ………………………………………………. 7
Lesson 2 - Regionalization of the Philippines ………………………… 13
Lesson 3 - Origin of the Philippines Its People and
Their Character Traits …………………………………… 18
Lesson 4 - Pre-Colonial Life and Culture ………………………….. 23
Lesson 5 - Asian Influences ………………………………………... 31
Module 2 – The Spanish Regime in the Philippines
Lesson 1 - The Spanish Conquest of the Philippines ………………. 39

Lesson 2 - The Legazpi Expedition ………………………………… 46
Lesson 3 - Aims of Spanish Colonization ………………………….. 52
Lesson 4 - The Reform Movement …………………………………. 65
Lesson 5 - The Katipunan and the Philippine Revolution …………. 74
Module 3 – The American Period in the Philippines
Lesson 1 - American Intentions on the Philippines …………………. 89

Lesson 2 - The Filipino-American War ……………………………… 94
Lesson 3 - Decade of Suppressed Nationalism and
Continuing Resistance …………………………………… 98
Lesson 4 - Filipinization Under America ……………………………. 102
Lesson 5 - American Civil Governors ………………………………. 106
Module 4 – The Commonwealth Years and the Japanese Regime in the Philippines
Lesson 1 - The Independence Missions ……………………………. 112

Lesson 2 - The Commonwealth Period ……………………………. 116
Lesson 3 - The Japanese Period …………………………………… 120
Lesson 4 - The Liberation …………………………………………. 125
Lesson 5 - The Third Republic …………………………………….. 129
Module 5 – Contemporary Philippine History
Lesson 1 - The Martial Law Years ………………………………… 138

Lesson 2 - The Aquino Administration ……………………………. 141
Lesson 3 - The Ramos Administration ……………………………... 145
Lesson 4 - The Estrada Administration …………………………….. 149
Lesson 5 - The Arroyo Administration …………………………….. 153
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PHILIPPINE HISTORY AND CULTURE
Description of the Subject
This course is an in-depth study of the Filipino people from the pre-colonial
period to the present. It provides the students with fundamental knowledge about the
influences of different peoples that who in contact with the Filipinos. Presented in
chronological order, it focuses on the major historical events, social movements and
leaders in the past and present, and how these affect the recent political, economic and
socio-cultural development of the Philippines.
Scope of the Subject
Module 1. The Land and Its People

Module 2. The Spanish Regime in the Philippines
Module 3. The American Period in the Philippines
Module 4. The Commonwealth Years and the Japanese Regime in the
Philippines
Module 5. Contemporary Philippine History
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Module 1
The Land and Its
People
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MODULE 1: THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE
Scope of the Module
The module contains five lessons, as follows:
Lesson 1. Geography, Climate and Natural Wonders and Scenic Places

Lesson 2. Regionalization of the Philippines
Lesson 3. Origin of the Philippines Its People and Their Character Traits
Lesson 4. Pre-Colonial Life and Culture
Lesson 5. Asian Influences
Overview of the Module
The first module presents the Philippines through a discussion of the land and its
people. The presentation is made easy by describing its geography, climate, natural
wonders and scenic places of the Philippines. The module also includes among others,
topics about the regionalization of the Philippines, its origin, its people and their
character traits, its pre-colonial life and culture, and the influences they got from their
Asian neighbors.
Objectives of the Module
At the end of this Module, the student is expected to be able to:
1. explain the theories about the origin of the Philippines;

2. describe the natural resources of the Philippines;
3. identify the regions that comprise the Philippines;
4. enumerate the character traits of the Filipinos;
5. describe the indigenous culture of the Filipinos; and
6. show awareness for the unique cultural heritage of the pre-colonial Filipinos.
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LESSON 1: GEOGRAPHY, CLIMATE, NATURAL WONDERS

AND SCENIC PLACES
Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the student is expected to be able to:
1. identify the major features of the geography of the Philippines;
2. describe the climate of the Philippines; and
3. appreciate the natural wonders and scenic places of the Philippines.
The Philippines is an archipelago composed of more than 7,000 islands and

islets. Only 2,733 of these islands, however, have ever been named. As an archipelago,
she is bounded on the north by the Bashi Channel, on the west by the South China Sea,
on the south by the Celebes or Sulawesi Sea, and on the east by the Pacific Ocean. The
Philippines is located in South East Asian region with a total land area of 115,600 square
miles, which makes her about two-thirds the size of Spain and larger than Greece, Great
Britain, and New Zealand.
The biggest island is Luzon, with an area of 40,814 square miles. Manila, the
country’s commercial, cultural and political capital, is located in the center of Luzon.
Mindanao is the second biggest island, with an area of 36,906 square miles. A few miles
off the eastern shores of Mindanao is the Philippine Deep — considered one of the lowest
depths in the world. Mindanao’s largest and most important cities are Cagayan de Oro,
Davao, and Zamboanga, which are currently experiencing remarkable growth in
commerce, education and tourism in recent years. The Visayan island and its islets lie
between Luzon and Mindanao. The more important and beautiful of these are Bohol,
Cebu, Leyte, Negros, Panay, and Samar (the third largest island).
The Philippines has numerous mountains and volcanoes. Of some 52 volcanoes,

eleven are still active. The most famous of these are Mayon in Albay, Taal in Batangas,
Pinatubo in Zambales, Iraya in Batanes, Banahaw in Quezon, Bulusan in Sorsogon,
Makaturing in Lanaw, Hibok-Hibok in Camuigin Island, and Apo in Davao. Mt. Apo
(9,500 ft.) in Mindanao is the highest peak. The largest mountain ranges are all located in
Luzon. The Sierra Madre, also known as the Pacific Coast range, is regarded as the
longest continuous mountain range in the country. It begins at Baler, Aurora and crosses
the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya. The Western Caraballo mountain
ranges, which separate into Northern Cordillera and Central Cordillera, traverse from
north to south through the provinces of Luzon that are west of the Cagayan River. The
Caraballo de Baler starts from Quezon and ends in San Bernardino. This mountain range
includes Mayon Volcano and Mt. Bulosan.
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There are smaller mountain ranges like the Zambales range, which begins at Cape
Bolinao and ends in Bataan; and the Tagaytay Hil,l which traverses the provinces of
Batangas and Laguna, including Mt. Makiling. Other small mountain ranges found in the
archipelago are Mt. Halcon in Mindoro and Mt. Kanlaon in Negros.
Mindanao has four mountain ranges. There is the Central Eastern mountain range
which starts at Butuan and stretches out to Agusan. The Central Western Mountain range
starts at Mt. Apo, follows the border of Cotabato and ends in Zamboanga. The Western
mountain range begins west of Iligan Bay and ends on the coast of Basilan straits. The
Eastern range follows the Pacific coast in Surigao.
Climate
The Philippines has a humid tropical climate. The year is divided into three
seasons: rainy, from June to September; cool, from October to February; and dry, from
March to May. January is usually the coldest month and May is the hottest.
Typhoons from the Pacific Ocean and the China Sea smash the northern portions
of Luzon and Visayas, often between July and November, causing heavy flooding and
havoc to the crops. The most destructive typhoons that have hit the Philippines, according
to PAGASA, are: Dading in 1964; Meding in 1980; Sening, Titang and Yoling in 1970;
Didang in 1972; Ruping in 1990; and Loleng in 1998.
Rivers, Valleys and Plains
The valleys and plains of the Philippines are dotted with several rivers and lakes
that make them fertile and arable. The longest rivers are located in Luzon and Mindanao.
The Cagayan River is the longest in the country, and drains the provinces of Cagayan,
Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya. Other rivers that irrigate the plains of Luzon are Rio Grande
de Pampanga, the Angat, the Abra and the Agno. The Agusan Lanao and Rio Grande de
Mindanao drain the basin of Mindanao.
The largest single plain area in the Philippines is the Central Plain of Luzon. It
lies east of the Zambales range and extends continuously from the Lingayen Gulf to
Manila Bay. The second largest plain is the Cagayan Valley, which is situated between
the Sierra Madre and the Cordillera Central. The two other important coastal plains in
Luzon are the Ilocos and Zambales plains. In Mindanao, the Agusan Valley and the
Cotabato valley are the largest island plains.
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Natural Resources
God has endowed the Philippines with fertile land and bountiful natural
resources. The arable soil of the country produces a variety of agricultural products like
rice, coconuts, corn, abaca, sugar, tobacco, bananas, pineapples, beans, and camote
(sweet potatoes). From our forests, we are able to harvest wood products like timber,
logs, gums, resins, and medicinal plants.
The Philippines is also rich in mineral resources. Some of the metallic minerals
that can be found here are gold, copper, silver, nickel, lead, chromium, manganese and
zinc, while the non-metallic minerals are asbestos, clay, coal, gravel, limestone, marble
and sulphur.
The Philippines has sufficient aquatic and marine resources that include fish,
shell, corals, sponges, edible seaweeds, and pearls. There are 2,000 species of fish in the
country, including the pandaka pygmea, the smallest fish in the world. There are also
about 10,000 species of shells in the archipelago including the tridacna gigas, the world’s
largest shell.
Natural Wonders and Scenic Places
Nature has gifted the Philippines with physical beauty and a great wealth of
scenic and natural wonders that we Filipinos can be proud of. The Banawe Rice Terraces
in northern Luzon, built 2,000 years ago by the sturdy Ifugao farmers, is a world-class
tourist attraction. The Mayon Volcano in Albay is also famous — for its majestic beauty
and almost perfect cone.
Other captivating natural wonders include the Pagsanjan Falls in Laguna, the
Chocolate Hills of Bohol, the Hundreds Island in Pangasinan, Taal Volcano in Batangas,
Mt. Banahaw in Quezon, Boracay Beach in Aklan, Salinas Salt Springs in Nueva
Vizcaya, the Maria Cristina Falls in Lanao and the Cathedral Caves of Collao in
Cagayan.
(PERFORM PROGRESS CHECK TEST FOR LESSON 1)
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PROGRESS CHECK TEST 1
Multiple Choice Write the letter of the correct answer on the blank provided.
1. Geographically, the Philippines is located in __________.
a. Southeast Asia b. East Asia

c. Central Asia d. West Asia
2. The climate of the Philippines is __________.
a. tropical b. sub-tropical
c. temperate d. arid
3. The Philippines is an __________ country.
a. island b. peninsula
c. archipelagic d. land-locked
4. The hottest month in the Philippines is __________.
a. April b. May
c. May d. March
5. The coldest month in the Philippines is __________.
a. November b. December
c. January d. February
6. The longest river in the Philippines is __________.
a. Cagayan River b. Pampanga River

c. Agusan Valley d. Central Plain of Luzon
7. The largest single plain area in the Philippines is __________.
a. Cagayan Valley b. Zambales Plain

c. Agusan Valley d. Central Plain of Luzon
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8. The body of water that bounds the Philippines in the east is __________.
a. Pacific Ocean b. Atlantic Ocean

c. South China Sea d. Celebes Sea
9. The capital of the province of Aklan is __________.
a. Kalibo b. Roxas
c. San Jose de Buenavista d. Bacolod
10. The second largest island in the Philippines is __________.
a. Luzon b. Mindanao
c. Cebu d. Samar
COMPARE YOUR ANSWERS WITH THE ANSWER KEY TO THE

PROGRESS CHECK TEST AND FIND OUT HOW YOU FARED.
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KEY TO PROGRESS CHECK TEST 1
(10 points)
1. a
2. a
3. c
4. b
5. c
6. a
7. d
8. a
9. a
10. b
Rating: No. of Correct Answers = ____ x 10
My rating is __________%
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LESSON 2: REGIONALIZATION OF THE PHILIPPINES
Lesson Objectives:
1. explain the reason for the regionalization of the Philippines;
2. assess the regionalization program of the Philippines; and
3. list down the major cities of the Philippines.
In line with the government program of decentralization for a more effective and
productive administration, the Philippines was divided into 13 regions as provided by
Presidential Decree No. 742. At present, there are 16 regions.
REGIONAL
CENTER PROVINCES
REGION
Region I San Fernando, La Ilocos Norte (Laoag City),

Ilocos Region Union Ilocos Sur (Vigan),
La Union (San Fernando),
Pangasinan (Lingayen)
Region II Tuguegarao City Batanes (Basco),

Cagayan Valley Cagayan (Tuguegarao),
Isabela (Ilagan),
Nueva Vizcaya (Bayombong),
Quirino (Cabarroguis)
Region III San Fernando, Bataan (Balanga),

Central Luzon Pampanga Bulacan (Malolos),
Nueva Ecija (Palayan City),
Pampanga (San Fernando),
Tarlac (Tarlac),
Zambales (Iba),
Aurora (Baler)
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REGIONAL
CENTER PROVINCES
REGION
Region IV-A Lucena City Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon

Calabarzon
Region IV-B Puerto Princesa, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro,

MIMAROPA Palawan Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan
Region V Legaspi City Albay (Legaspi City),

Bicol region Camarines Norte (Daet),
Camarines Sur (Naga City),
Catanduanes (Virac),
Masbate (Masbate),
Sorsogon (Sorsogon)
Region VI Iloilo City Aklan (Kalibo),

Western Visayas Antique (San Jose),
Capiz (Roxas City),
Guimaras (Jordan),
Iloilo (Iloilo City),
Negros Occidental (Bacolod City)
Region VII Cebu City Bohol (Tagbilaran City),

Central Visayas Cebu (Cebu City),
Negros Oriental (Dumaguete City),
Siquijor
Region VIII Tacloban City Leyte (Tacloban City),

Eastern Visayas Eastern Samar (Borongan),
Northern Samar (Catarman),
Western Samar (Catbalogan),
Southern Leyte (Maasin),
Biliran (Naval)
Region IX Zamboanga City Basilan (Isabela de Basilan),

Western Mindanao Zamboanga del Norte (Dipolog City),
Zamboanga del Sur (Pagadian City)
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REGIONAL
CENTER PROVINCES
REGION
Region X Cagayan de Oro Agusan del Norte (Butuan City),

Northern Mindanao City Agusan del Sur (Prosperidad),
Bukidnon (Malaybalay),
Camuigin (Mambajao),
Misamis Occidental (Oroquieta City),
Misamis Oriental (Cagayan de Oro City),
Surigao del Norte (Surigao City)
Region XI Davao City Davao del Norte (Tagum),

Southern Mindanao Davao Oriental (Mati),
Davao del Sur (Digos),
South Cotabato (Koronadal),
Surigao del Sur (Tandag)
Region XII Cotabato City Lanao del Norte (Tubod),

Central Mindanao North Cotabato (Kidapawan),
Sultan Kudarat (Isulan)
National Capital Manila Caloocan City, Quezon City,

Region Pasay City, Makati, Malabon,
Mandaluyong City, Marikina,
Muntinlupa City, Navotas,
Parañaque City, Pasig City,
Pateros, Las Piñas City, San Juan,
Taguig, and Valenzuela
CAR (Cordillera Baguio City Ifugao (Lagawe),

Administrative Kalinga Apayao (Tabuk),
Region Abra (Bangued),
Benguet (La Trinidad),
Mountain Province (Bontok)
ARRM (Autonomous Maguindanao Lanao del Sur (Marawi City),

Region in Muslim Maguindanao (Magahoy),
Mindanao) Sulu (Jolo), Tawi-Tawi
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Encircle the letter of the word that does not belong to the group.
1. a. Ilocos Norte b. Ilocos Sur

c. Pangasinan d. Isabela
2. a. Batanes b. La Union
c. Cagayan d. Isabela
3. a. Lanao del Sur b. Maguindanao

c. Benguet d. Sulu
4. a. Ifugao b. Kalinga
c. Abra d. Maguindanao
5. a. Negros Oriental b. Aklan

c. Iloilo d. Negros Occidental
6. a. Bataan b. Quezon
c. Laguna d. Batangas
7. a. Albay b. Sorsogon
c. Camarines Norte d. Surigao del Norte
8. a. Bulacan b. Nueva Ecija

c. Cavite d. Tarlac
9. a. San Juan b. Manila

c. Pasay d. Caloocan
10. a. Agusan del Norte b. Agusan delSur

c. Bukidnon d. Zamboanga

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(10 points)
1. a
2. b
3. c
4. d
5. a
6. a
7. d
8. c
9. a
10. d
Rating: No. of Correct Answers = __________ X 10
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LESSON 3: ORIGIN OF THE PHILIPPINES, ITS PEOPLE

AND THEIR CHARACTER TRAITS
Lesson Objectives
1. identify and explain the most accepted scientific theories about the origin of
the Philippines;
2. recognize the uniqueness of the Filipino race; and
3. identify the positive character traits of the Filipinos.
The following are the most accepted scientific theories about the origin of the
Philippines:
1) The Land Bridge theory

2) part of the lost continent
3) volcanic in origin
The Land Bridge theory was regarded by early scholars and scientists as the most
believable. According to this theory, the Philippines was once a part of mainland China.
It was a landmark bridging the Asian continent to Indonesia, New Guinea, and Australia.
During the post glacial period, however, the world’s ice melted and caused sea levels to
rise and lower regions to sink — this included the land bridges connecting mainland
China, the Philippines, and Indonesia.
The next theory about the origin of the Philippines was based on the legend that
the archipelagoes of the Philippines and Indonesia were remnants of a Pacific continent
called Mu or Lemuria, which had submerged during the pre-historic period. However,
contemporary geologists considered it to have no scientific basis.
Dr. Fritjon Voss, a noted German geologist, supported and affirmed that the
Philippines is volcanic in origin. In the course of his research, he found out that the
Philippines was never part of mainland China and that the archipelago ascended from the
ocean floor as a result of the eruptions of sea volcanoes.
The Filipino Race
The Filipino belongs to a hodge podge of races, although predominantly he is a

Malay. His racial mixture, according to H. Otley Beyer, is as follows: Malay, 40%;
Indonesian, 30%; Negrito, 10%; Chinese, 10%; Indian, 8%; American, 3%; and Arab,
2%.
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The Tagalogs, Visayans, Ilocanos, Bicolanos, Pampanguenos, Ybanags ,and

Zambals are the major ethnic groups in the Philippines. They are the progeny of the
colonials who were reduced to submission by the Spaniards and Americans, and who are
now Christians and more westernized than other Filipinos or Filipino ethnic groups.
The Tausugs, Maguinadanaos, Maranaws, Samals, T’bolis, Tirurays, and

Bagobos are cultural minorities that live on the islands of Mindanao and the Sulu
archipelago, while the Benguets, Bontocs, Ifugaos, Igorots, Kalingas, Apayaos, Itnegs,
Ibaloys, and Kankanays are the cultural minorities in the Cordilleras. The Mangyans of
Mindoro, the Ybatans of Batanes and the Atis of Aklan also belong to these cultural
minority groups. They are the unconquered Filipinos who have retained their indigenous
cultural traditions and religion.
Character Traits of the Filipinos
As a people, the Filipinos have their own admirable character traits. They are
known for their hospitality — they welcome visitors with open arms and hearts, whether
these be Filipinos or foreigners; they go out of their way to make their visitors
comfortable, happy and contented; and they usually make it a point to give their visitors
the best food and accommodation.
Filipinos are also well known for their spirituality and religiosity. A survey
conducted by the Weather Station in 1991 showed that about eight out of ten Filipinos
have strong beliefs about their religion, and 86% of them have no doubts about the
existence of God. The best indicator of the religiosity of the Filipinos is the presence of
numerous religious sects and cults aside from Catholicism — such as the El Shaddai,
Iglesia ni Cristo, Iglesia Filipina Indepediente, Jesus is Lord Movement, Jesus Miracle
Crusade, Ang Dating Daan and all the Protestant Sects. In some parts of the Philippines,
in fact, Jose Rizal was even regarded as the reincarnation of Jesus Christ.
The Filipino has close family ties. This has remained despite the harmful and
liberal influences of foreign ideas on our culture. The family is the basic unit in
Philippine society and everything revolves around it. There is also a cooperative
endeavor within the family circle because the problem of one member is the problem of
all members in the family.
As an extension of close family ties or tribal family, Filipinos have a tendency to

be regionalistic. This feeling is certainly noticeable in varsitarian groups such as the
Samahang Ilocano, Genuine Ilocano, United Ilocandia, Aquing Bicol, Mekeni Abe, Rong
Akeanon, Samahang Tagalog… in colleges and universities. The so-called Solid-North
always voted for Ilocano presidentiables and senatoriables in national elections. Of all the
Filipinos, the Ilocanos are the most regionalistic. This strong regionalistic attitude usually
resulted in one regional or tribal group matching itself against another regional group.
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The Filipinos show their respect for elders by kissing the hands or forehead of
their parents or any older relatives and friends of the family. The words po, opo, manong,
manang, kaka, diko, sanko, ditse, manoy, manay, ingko, impo, mang, aleng, and sitse in
our language show respect for elders. Filipino parents also castigate children who talk
back arrogantly. They believe that because of their age and experience in life, they know
better. Filipino sayings like ”may gatas ka pa sa labi”, ”marami ka pang kakaining
bigas” and “papunta ka pa lang pabalik na ako“ are never-ending reminders to the young
generations.
Other character traits of the Filipinos that are worthy of admiration are their
loyalty and gratitude to friends who are kind and reliable in both good times and troubles.
Adaptability and resiliency is also to be noted.
Early Settlers
According to Prof. H. Otley Beyer, the Negritos were the first group of settlers
who inhabited the Philippines about 22,000 B.C. during the Paleolithic Age (Old Stone
Age). These nomadic people were small in stature, had flat noses, black skins and kinky
hair. They were food gatherers and had no system of government and writing.
They were followed by the Indonesians who migrated into the Philippines in two
waves. The first wave was at about 3,000 B.C., and the second wave at about 1,000 B.C.
These people who brought with them the Neolithic Age (New Stone Age) culture and
lived in organized settlements. They knew how to domesticate animals, and introduced
the slash-burn (kaingin) farming method. The Indonesians were the ancestors of the
Kalingas, Apayaos, Igorots, Ifugaos, and Goddangs in the Cordilleras. They were taller,
slender, and had fairer complexions than the Negritos.
The Malays came in three waves during the Metallic Age and Porcelain Age. The
first group brought their mining and smelting technical skills and their own agricultural
system. They developed terrace agriculture with elaborate irrigation systems. The third
group was composed of the Muslim Malays, and introduced Islam to the Philippines.
They were more culturally advanced than the Negritos and the Indonesians. They dwelled
in organized settlements called the barangay. The Malays practiced domestic and foreign
barter trade. Other means of livelihood included pottery, weaving, fishing, lumbering,
ship building, poultry and stock raising.
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Answer the following questions:
1. It was regarded by early scholars and scientist as the most believable among the
theories about the origin of the Philippines.
2. He was a noted German geologist who supported and affirmed that the Philippines is
volcanic in origin.
3. The Filipino is a mixture of races, although predominantly, he is_______.
4. It is an extension of clannishness.
5. It is “utang na loob” in Tagalog.

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(5 points)
1. land bridge theory

2. Dr. Fritjon Voss
3. Malay
4. regionalism
5. debt of gratitude
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LESSON 4: PRE-COLONIAL LIFE AND CULTURE
Lesson Objectives
1. discuss the pre-colonial life and culture of the Filipinos;
2. appreciate how the pre-colonial culture of our ancestors contributed to our

rich heritage as a people; and
3. make researches on local history.
Early Spanish missionaries and historians such as Fray Pedro Chirino, in his
work Relacion de las Islas Filipinas, and Antonio de Morga in his Sucesos de las Islas
Filipinas attested that before the arrival of the Spaniards, the early Filipinos already had a
civilization of their own. They had their system of government, laws, social
organization, industries, language, system of writing, education, literature, music, arts,
religion, customs, traditions, mores, and a flourishing trade with their Asian neighbors.
Daniel Webster defines civilization as “the advanced stage of human society in

which a high level of culture, science, industry and government has been achieved.”
System of Government
The barangay was the basic political unit during the pre-colonial period and it
was composed of 30 to 100 families. Each barangay was independent and self-governing,
headed by a chieftain called datu, rajah, or sultan.
The chieftain was a very powerful official. He had executive, judicial and
legislative powers. In time of war, he was also the Supreme commander of the barangay
warriors. According to Fray Juan de Placencia, the term barangay was derived from the
Malay word “balangay”, meaning sailboat, which the early Malay settlers used when
they set foot on the Philippines.
Pre-colonial Filipinos had customary or traditional laws. Customary laws were

tribal customs and practices handed down orally from one generation to another, while
written laws were enacted by the chieftain with the approval of the council of elders and
announced to the whole barangay by a village crier called “umalohokan” to put the new
law immediately in effect. The Code of Kalantiaw and the Maragtas Code were the
earliest examples of written laws. These laws were written in Panay.
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The ancient Filipinos also complied with the rules of a judicial process. The
barangay court was composed of the Datu as the judge, and the council of elders as the
jury. Trials were held in public and usually, the suspect who had more witnesses in his
favor was adjudged the winner.
If the court could not clearly establish the guilt or innocence of two suspects, they
resorted to trial by ordeal or pagsubok. This trial was held to show that Bathalang-
Maykapal in his limitless wisdom always took the side of the innocent. Examples of trial
by ordeal were: boiling water with stone ordeal, chewing uncooked rice ordeal, candle
ordeal, river ordeal and “bultong” or combat ordeal.
Insult, sacrilege, murder, rape, witchcraft, and trespassing at nighttime in the

chieftain’s residence were regarded as serious crimes. Punishment for the crimes ranged
from heavy fines to slavery or even death. Adultery, theft, cheating in business were
considered as lesser crimes. Punishment for these crimes could be a small fine or
whipping.
Social Classes
Pre-colonial society was divided into three separate social classes: the nobles, the
freemen and the dependents. The members of the nobility were composed of the datus
and their families. They were the upper class and highly respected in their village. The
male nobles were given the titles of Gat and Lakan while the female nobles’ title was
Dayang. Next to the nobles were the freemen. In the Tagalog region, the freemen were
called Maharlika or Mahadlika; Timagua in the Visayan region; and Timawa in the
Ilocos region. They were considered as the middle class, and were usually born free or
were emancipated slaves.
The lowest class was the dependents. Among the Tagalogs, the two types of
dependents were the Aliping Namamahay and the Aliping Saguiguilid. The Aliping
Namamahay had their own house, property and family while the Aliping Saguiguilid had
no house and property, and could be sold by their masters. Among the Visayans, the
dependents were called tumatabon, tumarampuk and ayuey. Captivity in battle, purchase,
birth, punishment and failure to pay debts were the causes of dependency during the Pre-
Spanish period.
Mode of Dressing and Ornaments
The male Filipino attire during the pre-colonial period was composed of two
parts. The upper part was called kanggan, a collarless short-sleeved jacket, while the
lower part was called bahag. They also wore a headgear known as putong. The color of
the putong indicated the number of persons the wearer had killed.
Page | 24
The female attire was also composed of two parts. The upper attire was called
baro or camisa, a wide-sleeved blouse, while the lower part was called saya. The saya
was called patadyong among the Tagalogs and the Visayans. The waist was wrapped
with a long narrow piece of cloth called tapis. Both men and women did not wear any
slippers.
The most common personal ornaments used by the early Filipinos were
kalumbiga (armlet), necklace, earrings, anklets, and rings. These ornaments were usually
made of gold. The ancient Filipinos also adorned their bodies and faces with tattoos.
Among the men, tattoos served as their war medal or record. Women, on the other hand,
put tattoos in order to enhance the beauty of their body. Of all the early Filipinos, the
Visayans were the most tattooed people, and it is for this reason that the Spanish
missionaries called them pintados or painted people, and the Visayas Island, Islas del
Pintados or Island of the Painted People.
Houses
The early Filipinos dwelled in houses made of bamboo, wood, nipa, palm, cogon
and other available native materials. These houses were called bahay kubo (nipa hut).
This type of house was suited to the tropical climate of the country. Each bahay kubo had
a ladder that could be drawn up at night, and a batalan (gallery) where washing and
bathing were done.
In Northern Luzon, the Kalingas and the Igorots built their houses on tree tops for
protection from their enemies. In Sulu, the Badjaos (sea gypsies), being seafaring people,
dwelled in boat houses.
Education, Languages, Writings and Literature
According to Fr. Pedro Chirino in his work, Relacion de las Islas Filipinas, most
of the ancient Filipinos were literate. Although there were no formal schools, pre-Spanish
children were taught reading and writing. The fathers taught their sons to become good
warriors, hunters, farmers and fishermen.
They also had their own system of writing known as baybayin. It was derived
from the Asokan alphabet in India and consisted of 17 letters with 3 vowels and 14
consonants. They used iron-painted pens and wrote on tree boards, bamboo tubes, and
plant leaves.
The ancient Filipinos had two types of literature: oral and written. Oral literature
included the awit (songs), bugtong (riddle), hele or uyayi (cradle song), ihiman (wedding
song), kumintang (war song), and salawikain (proverbs). Written literature was about
myths and epics and it became instruments in explaining natural phenomena. The
Hudhud and Alim of Ifugao, Biag ni Lam-ang of Ilocos, Parang Sabil of Tausug,
Page | 25
Bantugan of Maranao and Indarapatra at Sulayman of Maguindanao are classical

examples of this literature and are inspired by the Mahabharata and Ramayana of India.
Because of the archipelagic nature of our country, we developed more than a

hundred languages and dialects and almost most of them originated from the linguistic
family of the Austronesian or Malayo-Polenesian language, the mother tongue of the
Malay and Pacific races. The eight major languages are: Tagalog, Hiligaynon (Ilongo),
Iloco, Pangasinan (Pangalatok), Kapampangan, Sugbuhanon (Cebuano), Samarnon
(Waray), and Maguindanaw.
Music and Dances
The songs and music of the early Filipinos were expressed in all aspects of their
daily lives. They had a variety of musical instruments and dances and songs for several
important events. Some of their musical instruments were the kudyapi, the Tagalog
guitar; the tultogan, bamboo drums of the Visayans; the kutibeng, the guitar of the
Ilokanos; and the silbay, the Ilocano reed flute.
In folk dances, the Visayans moved their feet and body to the Balitaw and
Dandansoy, the Tagalogs performed in the Kumintang (love dance) and the Mahinhin
(courtship dance), the Ilocanos danced to the rhythmical steps of the Kinnotan, and the
Tinggians had the Tadek (love dance).
Religion and Burial Practices
The early Filipinos practiced a polytheism type of religion because they believed
and worshipped in a plurality of gods and goddesses. This supreme god was Bathalang
Maykapal, creator of heaven and earth and mankind. Below Bathala were other minor
deities: Idianale (Tagalog Goddess of Agriculture), Lakampati (Tagalog God of Harvest),
Sidapa (Visayan God of Death), Apolaki (Pangasinan war god), Kidul (Kalinga god of
thunder). Dal’lang (Ilocano goddess of beauty), Apo Malyari (Zambal god of power and
strength), Poko (Tagbuan god of the sea), Kolyog (Ifugao god of earthquakes), and
Bulol (Ifugao rice god).
They believed in the immortality of the soul, in life after death, and in the
transmigration of the soul. They venerated ancestral spirits, called anitos by the Tagalogs
and diwatas by the Visayans, and offered food, animals and other sacrifices to appease or
win the benevolence of these spirits. The ritual offering of sacrifices were performed by
the babaylan and katalonas, the pre-colonial priests and priestesses. They also
worshipped nature, the sun, the moon, the animals, some kinds of birds, and even old
trees.
Page | 26
Since they believe in life after death and the immortality of the soul, the early
Filipinos were extremely respectful of the dead. In Sagada in the Mountain Province,
they embalmed and mummified the cadavers in a sitting position and placed them in
caves while in some parts of the country, they buried the dead near their houses. Clothes,
food, weapons, gold and sometimes slaves were buried with the dead.
Mourning for the dead datu was called the laraw; for a dead man, maglahe; and
for a dead woman, morotal. During the laraw, bickerings among the natives were
prohibited. Spears were carried with the blades pointing down, and wearing of colored
clothes were not allowed.
Marriage Customs
The ancient Filipino married within his class. Thus, a noble married a woman of
his social rank; a freeman wed within his social rank and a dependent married one from
his own social rank. As a condition to marriage, the man was required to give a dowry to
the parents. This dowry was called bigay-kaya by the Tagalogs and sab-ong by the
Ilocanos. The man also served the parents for a certain period of time by fetching water,
chopping wood, and farming. It is interesting to note that divorce was permitted during
the pre-colonial period. Some of the causes of divorce were: (1) adultery, (2)
childlessness, (3) insanity, (4) abandonment of the wife and (5) deliberate cruelty.
Economic Life
The main source of livelihood of the early Filipinos was farming or agriculture.
They produced rice, coconuts, fruits, hemp, kapok (cotton), sugarcane, and vegetables.
Two systems of land cultivation were practiced by the farmers: the kaingin (upland)
system, in which land was cleared by burning the bushes and shrubs. After cleaning the
land, planting followed while in the tillage (lowland) system, land was plowed and
harrowed by a carabao, followed by the planting of rice.
Landholding during the ancient period was both public and private. The
uncultivated and less arable lands near the barangay and those alongside the mountains
were considered communal or public property. Private lands were developed and
cultivated by the families of the barangay.
Other means of livelihood were fishing, mining, lumbering, shipbuilding,

weaving, wine manufacturing, weapon making, poultry and livestock raising.
They also had foreign and domestic trade before the coming of the Spaniards.
Inter-baranganic trade and commerce was carried out along the river system as most
settlements were in the coastal villages. The natives of Luzon regularly traded and
unloaded their products in some parts of the Visayas and Mindanao islands.
Page | 27
Our ancestors had flourishing trade with their Asian neighbors like China, Japan, India,
Siam, Malaya and Indonesia. In fact, the early Chinese writers observed that the ancient
Filipinos were honest in business. When Chinese merchants came with their
merchandise, they were immediately paid by the Filipinos for the merchandise that they
took during the previous visit of the Chinese.
Although the ancient Filipinos knew the art of coinage, they used the barter
system in conducting business with the foreign traders. Their system of weight and
measure made their commercial transactions easier. Examples of their system of
measures were: the kaban (25 gantas) and the salop (ganta). The system of length were
the dipa (length of an outstretched arm), and the sandankal (the width of the hand with
all the fingers pressed together).
Page | 28
A. Knowledge of Terminology. Encircle the word that is the synonym of the term
being defined.
1. Sangley
a) travelling merchant b) sea pirates c) business tycoon
2. Parian
a) Japanese community b) Indian community c) Chinese community
3. Bugtong
a) songs b) riddles c) proverbs
4. Ancient
a) early b) modern c) sophisticated
5. Indigenous
a) native b) foreign c) alien
B. Matching Type. Match Column A with Column B and write your answer on the
space provided before each number.
A B
______ 1. Bathala a. public crier
______ 2. Babaylan b. Tagalog guitar
______ 3. Putong c. Ilocano guitar
______ 4. Umalohokan d. native priest
______ 5. Kudyapi e. system of government
______ 6. Kutibeng f. headgear
______ 7. Barangay g. dowry
______ 8. Ihiman h. Supreme God
______ 9. Hele i. Wedding song
______ 10. Bigay-kaya j. war song

PROGRESS CHECK TEST AND FIND OUT HOW YOU FAR
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A. Knowledge of Terminology
1. a
2. c
3. b
4. a
5. a
B. Matching Type.
1. h
2. d
3. f
4. a
5. b
6. c
7. e
8. I
9. J
10. g
Rating: No. of Correct Answers = __________ X 6.67
Page | 30
LESSON 5: ASIAN INFLUENCES
Lesson Objectives
1. explain the significance of the various Asian influences in our Filipino

culture;
2. manifest pride in the richness of our Filipino culture; and
3. list down the various Asian influences to our Filipino culture.
Before the Philippines was brought to the awareness of the Europeans, the early
Filipinos were already trading with the Chinese, the Japanese, the Arabs, and the Indians.
These Asian merchants came to the seacoast of the archipelago to exchange products our
ancestors. Some of them even settled in the country permanently and intermarried with
the natives.
As a result of this intermingling with our Asian neighbors, it helped enrich our
culture and our ancestors learned many new things about the native lands where the
merchants came from and these were absorbed by the early Filipinos and became part of
our culture.
Indian Influences
Indian cultural influences were introduced by the Indianized immigrants and

merchants from Siam, Java, Sumatra and the Indo-China and Malayan Peninsulas. These
influences are traceable in the religious beliefs of the early Filipinos. The Supreme God
of the ancient Tagalogs was Bathala, derived from the Sanskrit word Bhattara (Great
Lord). The pre-Islamic natives of Sulu worshipped Indra Battara (the most powerful
deity), Aqui (fire god), Indra (sky god), Surya (sun god), and Vayu (god of the winds).
The popular Filipino epics such as the Biag ni Lam-Ang of the Ilocanos, Hadiong
of the Bicolanos, Darangan of the Maranaws and the Hudhud at Alim of the Cordilleras
were inspired by the great Sanskrit epics — the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.
The wearing of the putong (headgear) among the male Filipinos and sarong
(Indian sari) among the female Filipinos were of Indian origin.
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Superstitious beliefs and customs that came from India were: 1) a comet is a bad
sign because it brings war, famine and other calamities, 2) a pregnant woman must not
eat bananas for she will give birth to a twin, 3) placing garland around the neck of the
visitors, and 4) the throwing of rice for the newlywed couple after the wedding.
The most lasting contribution of India to Philippine culture is the Sanskrit

language, which is clearly manifested in the Tagalog language. According to Dr. Trinidad
Pardo de Tavera, there are more than 300 Sanskrit words in our national language today.
Examples are:
Sanskrit Tagalog
ahi ahas (snake)

atawa asawa (spouse)
ama ama (father)
rajah raha (king)
battara bathala (god)
kota kuta (fort)
guru guro (teacher)
mutya mutya (pearl)
tara tala (star)
pada paa (foot)
Chinese Influences
Filipino Chinese relations started during the era of the Sung Dynasty (960-1127)
and heightened during the reign of Emperor Yung Lo of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
Trade and commerce flourished with the establishment of Chinese trading posts in some
coastal parts of the archipelago.
When Legaspi conquered the Manila in 1571, he found Chinese settlers and
eventually established trade relations with them. Every year, about 40 Chinese junks
arrived to Manila Bay carrying a variety of commodities such as silk, porcelain, tea, and
live fowl. These goods were transferred to the Parian where they were sold to the
Spaniards and the Filipinos. The Parian was the Chinese community or settlement during
the colonial period. It was located outside Intramuros but within the range of the Spanish
artillery, and served as the center of commerce. There were hundreds of stores, houses
and shops where Chinese merchandise were sold and skilled craftsmen did their trade.
The travelling merchants, or Sangleys, as the Chinese were called, preferred

silver coins as payment for their merchandise because they were more valuable than gold
in China during that period. These Chinese who came to the Philippines were artisans,
craftsmen, farmers, laborers, traders, and operators of food houses.
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Because of centuries of Chinese connection, it was inevitable that their influence

would become a part of Philippine life and culture. Their influences were mostly
economic and social because they came to the Philippines to seek business profit and
better life, and not to conquer.
From the Chinese, the Filipinos learned the art of metallurgy; the manufacture of
gunpowder; the mining method; kite flying; and the use of gongs, lead, porcelain, and
umbrellas.
Dishes like okoy, lumpia, pansit, chopseuy, mami, siopao became a part of our
meals. Condiments like toyo and tawsi were also introduced. Vegetables like bataw,
pechay, and upo originated from the Chinese.
Some Chinese customs and traditions that the Filipinos eventually adopted are:
(1) the arrangement of marriages of children by their parents (2) the use of a go-between
in negotiating marriage, (3) the use of white clothes during mourning, and (4) the filial
respect for parents accorded by children.
The Chinese also enriched the Filipino language. Among more than 1,000 words
that are of Chinese origin are:
Chinese Filipino
Koya kuya
Atse ate
Am-pau ampaw
Hok-bu hukbo
He-bi hibi
Pin-to pinto
Bang-ta bantay
San-ko sangko
di-ko diko
dit-se ditse
bak-kia bakya
Japanese Influences
Just like the Chinese, the Japanese traded with the Filipinos. The Japanese wakos
(pirate traders) traded clothes, perfumes, iron, and woolens for the wax and gold of the
Filipinos. Then they settled at the mouth of Cagayan River and Lingayen Gulf. It was a
busy center for commerce with Japan and so it was tagged by the Spaniards as Puerto de
Japon. In Manila, Marshal Goiti found 20 Japanese dwellings in the city.
Page | 33
The Japanese population increased in the Philippines when the Tokugawa

Shogunate started the persecution of Christians in Japan. They were allowed to settle by
the Spaniards in Dilao, Paco and San Miguel, under the spiritual care of the Franciscans.
Some of their contributions to our culture and economy are sword making, and
the artificial breeding of fishes and ducks.
Arabic Influences
The Arabs also greatly influenced the culture of the pre-Spanish Filipinos,
particularly the natives in Southern Philippines. Their greatest and most enduring legacy
was the Islamic faith. From the Arabs, the Filipinos learned the use of lantaka (canoe),
vinta (boat), and the kota (fort). They introduced the sultanate form of government,
Arabic art (clearly seen in the decorative and ornamental art of the Maranaws), literature
(Darangan of Maranaw, Indarapatra at Sulayman of Maguindanao and Parang Sabil
of Sulu), the Arabic alphabet, the Koranic law, the Mosque, the Luwaran (a code of
law and a compilation of the customs and traditions of the early Muslims), and the Arabic
words (example: Surat — letter, arak — wine, akma — appropriate, alamat — legend,
and salam — giving thanks).
Islam first reached the archipelago in the 14 th century. It was introduced by

Mukdum, an Arab teacher and scholar who built the first Mosque in Simunul, Sulu
after propagating the Islamic faith in the Malay Peninsula. About 1390, Baginda arrived
in Sulu and he continued propagating the teachings of prophet Mohammad. Then, he was
followed by Abu Bakr, a Muslim missionary. After Abu Bakr’s marriage to Paramisuli,
the daughter of Raja Baginda, he established the first sultanate form of government
with himself as the Sultan. Islam spread in mainland Mindanao during the second half of
the 15th century under the leadership of Serif Kabungsuan. From Johore, he landed in
Cotabato and converted the natives to Islam. He established the first sultanate of
Maguindanao.
From Mindanao, the Islamic faith spread to the other native kingdoms of Luzon
including Manila, Batangas, Mindoro, and Pampanga. Therefore, before the coming of
the conquistadores in the Philippines, many parts of the country had already been
Islamized. The conquest and colonization by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi in 1565 put an
end to the further advancement of Islam in the Philippines. The Muslims, however, were
never fully conquered by the Spaniards. This is credited to their higher cultural and
economic development, and their more united and organized armed struggle.
(PERFORM PROGRESS CHECK TEST FOR LESSON 5

AND THE MODULE TEST)
Page | 34
Identification. Identify which Asian peoples contributed the following to Philippine

culture.
1. Islamic faith ______________________________

2. Chopseuy ______________________________
3. Sword making ______________________________
4. Manufacture of gun powder ______________________________
5. Vinta ______________________________
6. Putong ______________________________
7. Luwaran ______________________________
8. Sanskrit words ______________________________
9. Sarong ______________________________
10. Kite flying ______________________________
11. Use of umbrellas ______________________________
12. Lantaka ______________________________
13. Filial respect for elders ______________________________
14. Arrangement of marriage ______________________________
15. Mosque ______________________________
16. Putting a garland around the neck ______________________________
17. Artificial breeding of ducks ______________________________
18. Lumpia ______________________________
19. Biag ni Lam-Ang ______________________________
20. Sultanate government ______________________________

PROGRESS CHECK TEST AND FIND OUT HOW YOU FARED
Page | 35
Identification
1. Arabs
2. Chinese
3. Japanese
4. Chinese
5. Arabs
6. Indians
7. Arabs
8. Indians
9. Indians 1
10. Chinese
11. Chinese
12. Arabs
13. Chinese
14. Chinese
15. Arabs
16. Indians
17. Japanese
18. Chinese
19. Indians
20. Arabs
Page | 36
Module 2
The Spanish Regime
in the Philippines
Page | 37
MODULE 2
THE SPANISH REGIME IN THE PHILIPPINES
Scope of the Module
Lesson 1. The Spanish Conquest of the Philippines

Lesson 2. The Legazpi Expedition
Lesson 3. Aims of Spanish Colonization
Lesson 4. The Reform Movement
Lesson 5. The Katipunan and the Philippine Revolution
This module discusses the Spanish Occupation of the Philippines – everything

that has to do with the Spanish regime in the country, beginning from Spain’s conquest of
the Philippines, the expeditions she sent to the Orient, her aims in colonizing the
Philippines, all the way to the period of the Reform Movement and the founding of the
Katipunan, and eventually the Philippine Revolution.
1. enumerate the contributory factors that stimulated discovery and conquest during
the 16th century;
2. evaluate the reasons of Spain in colonizing the Philippines;
3. enumerate the reasons for the easy pacification and colonization of the
Philippines.
4. appreciate the legacy imprinted by Spain:
5. analyze the reasons for the failure of the reform movement; and
6. appreciate the work and sacrifices made by the reformers in their yearning to
enhance the quality of life of their countrymen.
Page | 38
LESSON 1: THE SPANISH CONQUEST OF THE

PHILIPPINES
Lesson Objectives:
1. identify the events leading to the conquest of the Philippines;
2. show appreciation for the importance of the Magellan expedition; and
3. identify the positive and negative aspects of the Magellan Expedition.
The contributory factors that stimulated explorations, discoveries and colonization

of territories in the Orient during the 16th century were as follows: the Europeans were
experiencing growth of commerce and industry brought by the Commercial Revolution.
This led to the European demand for Asian products such as silk, drugs, tapestries,
precious stones and spices. These commodities were shipped by sea to the Persian Gulf,
then brought by a caravan through Baghdad to the Mediterranean. A northern route came
from China to Caspian Sea ending along the Coast of the Black Sea.
Stories were told by the returning Christian knights from the crusades about the
riches and wonders of Asia. A book written by Marco Polo, a Venetian merchant who
had lived in China during the reign of Kublai Khan, told about the fabulous wealth and
highly sophisticated civilization of China, and thus contributed to the desire of the
Europeans to know more about the Orient. All these stories led the Europeans to depart to
the Orient to see for themselves the accounts that they had heard about. When they
learned about the truth of the stories, the Europeans sent expeditions to trade for Oriental
products.
The search for new trade routes to the Orient was another factor that led to the
coming of the Europeans. In 1453, the Muslim Turks invaded the Kingdom of
Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey), the gateway to Asia. The Turks closed the
Northern and Central Asian trade routes to the Europeans except for the Venetians who
paid toll fees to use the trade routes. This led to the monopoly of Asian products by the
Venetians. As a result, the Europeans — particularly the Spaniards and the Portuguese —
were forced to look for alternative trade routes to the marvelous Orient and the Spice
Islands.
Other factors that accelerated the European desire to find a new way to the Orient
were: the improvement of the science of navigation and the invention of modern
machines, the search for more exact geographical information, the expansion of credit
facilities and the development of banking system, and the desire to convert heathen
(pagan/non-believer) lands to Christianity.
Page | 39
Early Sea Journeys
Of all the European kingdoms, Portugal was the first to establish direct contact
with the Orient. In his desire to make Portugal a sea power, Prince Henry the Navigator
established a school for Portuguese sailors and sent expeditions to the coast of Africa
using the ships and maritime instruments he developed, like the astrolabe, the windrose
compass and the caravel.
Prince Henry’s success inspired other Portuguese explorers to follow his

footsteps. In 1487, Bartholomeo Diaz discovered the Cape of Good Hope; Antonio
Gonzalvez rounded Cape Blanco; Dennis Fernandez discovered the Cape Verde Islands;
and Vasco de Gama rounded the Cape of Good Hope and reached Calicut, India.
Not to be outdone, Spain financed the expeditions of Christopher Columbus‘

westward voyage in 1492 in which he discovered the New World, Nunes Vasco de
Balboa’s discovery of the Pacific Ocean, and the expedition of Amerigo Vespucci.
Divisions of the World
Because of the geographical discoveries during the 15 th and 16th centuries, a keen
rivalry developed between Portugal and Spain. To avoid war, Pope Alexander VI issued a
Papal Bull in 1493 dividing the world between them. All lands south and west of the
Azores and Cape Verde would belong to Spain, while Portugal was to take the possession
of the continent of Africa. A few months after, another Bull was issued by Pope
Alexander VI, this time giving Spain the right to own lands to be discovered in the east.
As expected, Portugal protested because under the previous Papal Bull, all lands east of
the demarcation line should belong to her.
This conflict was finally settled by the Treaty of Tordesillas, which was
concluded by both the Kings of Portugal and Spain. Under this treaty, all the non-
Christian lands to be discovered east of the demarcation line would belong to Portugal
and those in the west would belong to Spain. The treaty also provided that an imaginary
line be drawn from north to south at a distance of 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde
islands.
The Magellan Expedition
Ferdinand Magellan was born in 1480 in the town of Ponte de Barca, in the
province of Minho, Portugal. He was the youngest of the three children of Ruy Magellan
and Alda de Mosquida, who both belonged to the Portuguese nobility.
He was a veteran soldier of the Portuguese campaign in India under the command
of Viceroy Francisco de Almeida, in Malacca under Viceroy Alfonso de Albuquerque,
and in Africa in the fight against the Moors.
Page | 40
However, King Imannuel of Portugal, instead of rewarding him, ignored his

achievements, cut his pension and rejected his theory that he could reach the Moluccas or
Spice Islands via the westward route.
Because of the ingratitude of King Immanuel, Magellan renounced his Portuguese

citizenship. With the help of his father-in-law Diego Barbosa and the scholar Ruy de
Faleiro, a cosmographer, he was able to secure an audience with King Charles I of Spain.
Bringing a painted globe with him, he explained and was able to convince King Charles I
that the Moluccas was on the Spanish side of the demarcation line as drawn by the Treaty
of Tordesillas and that it could be reached by sailing westward from Europe.
On August 10,1519, after hearing mass and receiving communion at the church of
Sta. Lucia dela Victoria, Magellan and his crew sailed from Seville to the port of San
Lucar de Barameda via the Quadolquivir River. The expedition was composed of five
ships: Trinidad (his flagship), San Antonio, Santiago, Concepcion, and Victoria. Out of
the 265 men in his expedition, only two-thirds were Spaniards; the rest were foreigners.
He was accompanied by Enrique of Malacca, his slave and the interpreter for the
expedition, Antonio Pigafetta, the chronicler of the expedition, and Fr. Pedro Valderama,
the fleet chaplain.
On September 20, 1519 after waiting for favorable winds, he left the port and
sailed westward across the Atlantic. The expedition reached the Canary Islands and
relaxed for three days. In October, they continued their voyage along the coast of Africa,
then on November they reached Cape San Agustin and landed in what is now
Pernambuco, Brazil. After acquiring food and water, they resumed their voyage and
reached Rio de Janeiro in December.
Continuing their sea journey, they reached Rio de Plata, Argentina. Magellan
explored the Rio de Plata believing that it was the gateway to the Pacific. There his crew
members became seriously disheartened because of the harsh storms and the cold
weather. In spite of that, in March he arrived at Port San Julian and made it their winter
base.
Here a mutiny broke out, caused principally by the natural mistrust and outraged
spirit of the sailors towards their commander-in-chief. The mutiny was headed by his
own captains: Luis de Mendoza of Victoria, Gasper Queseda of Concepcion, Captain
Cartegenz of San Antonio, and Sebastian el Cano of Santiago. Magellan was able to
crush the mutiny and punished the conspirators. One of the captains was executed, two
were left at Port San Julian to die, while Sebastian el Cano and 40 mutineers were
pardoned.
From Port San Julian, Magellan resumed his journey southward, reached the
southernmost tip of South America, and discovered the strait that now bears his name.
The voyage continued, during which the Santiago was destroyed, and the San Antonio
ran away from the rest and returned to Spain.
Page | 41
With 3 ships remaining, Magellan began his voyage in the pacific which lasted for
3 months and 20 days. On March 7, 1521, he reached the Ladrones Islands (now Guam).
He initially named the islands Islas de Velas (Isles of Sails), but renamed it Islas de
Ladrones (islands of Thieves) when the natives stole one of their boats. From Guam,
Magellan continued sailing westward. On March 16,1521, he sighted the mountain of
Samar. The following day, he instructed his men to land at Homonhon, an islet, to obtain
fresh provisions and to allow his crew to rest. After resting and obtaining fresh
provisions, he proceeded to Limasawa, ruled by Raja Kolambu and Raja Sizgu. Magellan
and Raja Kolambu sealed their friendship through the Sanduguan (blood compact).
On March 31,1521, Easter Sunday, Magellan requested Fr. Pedro de Valderama

to celebrate mass. That same day, Magellan ordered the planting of a large wooden cross
at the top of the hill overlooking the sea. Magellan then took ownership of the islands in
the name of the Spanish King, and named it Archipelago of Saint Lazarus.
The Battle of Mactan
Due to the scarcity of food and other provisions in Limasawa, Magellan

commanded his men to land in the flourishing island of Sugbu (Cebu). With the help of
Raja Kolambu and his interpreter Enrique, he befriended Raja Humabon, the native chief,
and had a blood compact with him. Magellan requested his fleet chaplain for another
mass, and successfully persuaded Humabon, his wife, and about 800 Cebuanos to be
converted to Christianity. As token of gratitude, Magellan gave an image of the infant
Jesus to Juma, the wife of Humabon, and this came to be known as the Santo Niño of
Cebu.
All the chieftains welcomed and accepted Spanish sovereignity with the exception
of Lapu-Lapu, the ruler of Mactan. Annoyed by the defiance of Lapu-Lapu, Magellan
invaded Mactan with his 60 steel-clad Spaniards and 1000 Cebuano warriors. However,
because of his over-confidence and his desire to show the invincibility of the Spaniards,
he did not allow the Cebuanos to participate in the combat.
Magellan found too late that he had underestimated the fighting skills and gallant
defense of the native warriors. The Spaniards were severely defeated and were compelled
to retreat to their boats. Magellan was stabbed and speared repeatedly by the native
warriors, and fell mortally wounded.
The battle of Mactan is significant because it delayed Spanish colonization of the

Philippines, and Lapu-Lapu became the first Filipino to repulse the Spanish invaders. The
Cebuanos began to show disgust for Spanish strength, and decided to avenge the abuses
committed by the Spaniards against them. Raja Humabon gave a banquet for the
Spaniards with the intention of killing them all. However, they were not able to massacre
all the Spaniards. The survivors and those who did not attend the banquet fled to their
ships and left, including Sebastian del Cano, who succeeded in returning to Spain, thus
completing the first circumnavigation of the world.
Page | 42
Importance of Magellan’s Expedition
Magellan’s expedition was important because of the following reasons:
 it proved that the world was round,

 it broke the Venetian monopoly of the trade routes,
 it established the vastness of the Pacific Ocean,
 it marked the first circumnavigation of the world,
 it brought the archipelago to the awareness of the Europeans,
 it showed the Europeans that America is a land mass separated from Asia and
that Asia could be reached from the westward route, and
 the discovery of the Philippines in the name of Spain led to her colonization
and Christianization.
Other Expeditions Sent by Spain
The success of the Magellan expedition inspired the King of Spain to finance five
successive expeditions to the Orient. These were the expeditions of Garcia Jofre de
Loaisa, Sebastian Cabot, Alvaro de Saavedra, Ruy Lopez de Villalobos, and Miguel
Lopez de Legazpi.
The first three expeditions were dismal failures because they neither reached the
Philippines nor succeeded in colonizing the country. Although the Villalobos expedition
reached Sarangani, Mindanao, it failed in its mission to colonize the archipelago because
they encountered three major problems: the scarcity of food, the hostility of the natives,
and the mutinous threat of his men. The only historical contribution of the Villalobos
expedition to our country is the naming of our archipelago Las Islas Filipinas in honor of
Prince Philip of Asturias, who later became King Philip of Spain.
The Treaty of Zaragoza
On April 22, 1529, Spain and Portugal signed the Treaty of Zaragoza, settling
their disputes over the Mollucas. Spain sold Mollucas to Portugal for the sum of 350,000
gold ducots. In this treaty, another imaginary line was drawn from the North to the South
Pole at 297½ leagues east of the Moluccas. All lands east of this line would belong to
Portugal, and all lands west would belong to Spain. The Treaty of Zaragoza was
beneficial to Spain, for the Moluccas and the Philippines were on the side of Portugal. In
effect, therefore, what Portugal bought from Spain was actually already hers.
Page | 43
Retrace the route taken by Magellan in going to the Philippines. Fill in the blanks
with the correct answer.
1. Magellan renounced his Portuguese citizenship because of the ingratitude of

____________________.
2. With the help of his father-in-law and Ruy de Faleiro, he was able to secure an
audience with ____________________.
3. Magellan’s expedition was composed of the following ships:

1. ____________________ 4. ____________________
2. ____________________ 5. ____________________
3. ____________________
4. His flagship was ____________________ and the chronicler of the expedition was
____________________.
5. He left the town of ____________________ Spain on the date _______________.
6. He sailed westward across the ____________________ ocean and sailed along the
coasts of ____________________.
7. While they were at Port San Julian a ____________________ broke out because of
the restlessness of his men.
8. The voyage continued and reached the southernmost tip of ___________________

and discovered the strait which he called ____________________.
9. On March 7,1521,Magellan reached an island which he named ________________

because the natives stole one of his ships.
10. Then he reached the island of ____________________ Philippines.
11. From this island he proceeded to ____________________ where he met

____________________.
12. On March 31,1521, Magellan requested ____________________ to celebrate mass.

Page | 44
(21 points)
1. King Immanuel
2. King Charles
3. Trinidad
Victoria
Conception
Santiago
San Antonio
4. Trinidad
Antonio Pigafetta
5. San Lucar
September 20,1519
6. Atlantic Ocean
Africa
7. Mutiny
8. South America
Strait of Magellan
9. Ladrones
10. Homonhon
11. Limasawa
Raja Kolambo
12. Fr. Pedro de Valderama
Page | 45
LESSON 2: THE LEGAZPI EXPEDITION
Lesson Objectives:
1. discuss the Legaspi expedition;
2. appreciate the role of Legaspi in making Cebu as first Spanish settlement; and
3. formulate a timeline of events related to the establishment of Spanish

settlements in the Philippines
King Philip II, during his reign, commanded the Mexican Viceroy Luis de
Velasco to prepare an expedition to the Orient. The main objectives of this expedition
were: to survey the spice trade in Asia, to discover a new return trade route from Asia to
Mexico, and to colonize the Philippines.
The Viceroy of Mexico gave the expedition’s command to Miguel Lopez de

Legaspi, a soldier, lawyer and former secretary of government of Mexico City. With four
ships — San Pedro, San Pablo, San Juan and San Lucas — and 380 men, he left
Natividad, Mexico together with Fray Andres de Urdaneta as his chief navigator and
pilot.
Sailing westward from Mexico, the expedition passed through the Marshal Islands
and stopped at Guam to obtain fresh provisions. On February 13, 1565, Legazpi reached
Cebu but was not able to land because of the hostility of the Cebuanos. Legazpi and his
men were mistaken to be Portuguese. Legazpi was thus forced to sail to Tandaya
(Samar), where the friendly chieftains welcomed him. On March 9, he sailed to
Limasawa, then to Camiguin Island, Butuan, and from there to Bohol where he made
blood compacts with Sikatuna and Sigala.
Cebu, The First Spanish Settlement
Legazpi and his men intruded into the Cebu harbor on April 27, 1565, but they
were challenged by the Cebuanos. A clash ensued and the Spanish troops gained ground,
greatly aided by their superior artillery and firearms. The Cebuanos were defeated and
retreated to the mountains, after burning their houses to the ground.
Legazpi, tried his policy of attraction by inviting the Cebuanos to come down
from the mountains by promising not to harm them and to rebuild their houses.
Convinced of Legazpi’s sincerity and kindness, Raja Tupac, the chieftain of Cebu, and
his men returned to the lowlands and entered into a Treaty of Friendship with Legazpi.
Page | 46
Among the provisions of the agreement were:
1) the promise of loyalty to the King of Spain by the Cebuanos;
2) mutual protection of Cebuanos and Spaniards against their enemies;
3) no armed Filipino would be allowed to enter the Spanish settlement; and
4) when a Filipino committed a crime against a Spaniard, he was to be tried by

the Spanish court, whereas when a Spaniard committed a crime against a
Filipino, the Spaniard would be turned over to the Spanish authorities.
The conclusion of this treaty signaled the start of colonization and the recognition
of Spanish sovereignty. Legazpi then started to establish a settlement in Cebu. The land
for the settlement was donated by Raja Tupaz and other chieftains. It was triangular in
form with two sides facing the sea, and the third side facing the land. A fort was
constructed and named Fort San Pedro. Legazpi named the settlement San Miguel, but
later changed it to Santisimo Nombre de Jesus (City of the Most Holy Name of Jesus) in
honor of the undamaged image of the Santo Niño, which was recovered by a soldier
during the conquest of Cebu.
Panay. The Second Spanish Settlement
In 1569, upon learning of the sufficiency of food and needed supplies in Panay,
Legazpi decided to move in on that island. On the bank of the Panay River, he founded
the second Spanish settlement in the Philippines. Just like in Cebu, the natives of Panay
were belligerent at their first encounter with the Spaniards. But, because of the helping
hand extended by the Agustinian missionaries, the natives were pacified and converted to
Christianity.
Subjugation of Other Islands
With Cebu and Panay as their base of operations, Legazpi ordered his men to
explore the neighboring islands of the Visayas. Captain Enrique de Guzman, together
with Father Alonzo Jimenez, claimed Masbate, Burias and Ticzo for the Spanish
monarch. Their expedition went as far as Albay.
In 1570, Juan de Salcedo, Legazpi’s grandson, was dispatched to Mindoro to

punish the Muslim pirates who were plundering the coastal villages. With the combined
strength of Spanish soldiers and Visayan warriors, Salcedo razed the Moro outpost in llin
and Lubang and captured Mamburao. Salcedo’s victories brought the Spaniards to the
mouth of the Manila Bay.
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The Conquest and Founding of Manila
Upon his return to Panay, Salcedo told Legazpi about the prosperous Muslim
kingdom of Maynila, ruled by Raja Sulayman. On May 8, 1570, a military expedition
commanded by Martin de Goiti, and composed of 120 Spanish soldiers and 600 Visayan
fighters, was sent by Legazpi to conquer Manila. Upon reaching Manila, Marshal Goiti
demanded that Raja Sulayman recognize Spanish sovereignty and pay tribute. Sulayman,
refusing to submit to Spanish vassalage, defended his kingdom from the conquistadores.
A fierce battle ensued but because of the superiority of the armaments of the Spaniards,
the natives were defeated.
After this triumph, Goiti returned to Panay and confirmed to Legaspi what
Salcedo had earlier reported about the wealthy and prosperous kingdom of Maynila.
Maynila was wealthy because of its flourishing trade with the Chinese, Arabs and other
foreign traders.
Delighted by the story of Marshal Goiti, Legaspi decided to conquer Maynila

himself. This time, a much bigger expedition of 280 Spaniards and 600 Visayan warriors
was assembled, and they arrived in Manila in the middle of May 1571. Raja Lakandula,
the King of Tondo, realized the futility of fighting against the strong army of Spain and
persuaded Raja Soliman and Raja Matanda to surrender peacefully. Thus, the second
conquest of Maynila was won by the Spaniards without violence. The Spaniards set foot
in Manila and on May 19, 1571, and Legaspi claimed Maynila in the name of Spain.
Although Lakandula and Sulayman promised their support and cooperation, some
barangays in Central Luzon opposed Spanish domination. A distinguished Macabebe
datu in the person of Bambilito united the fighters of Betis, Hagonoy and Navotas to
resist Spanish control. Despite Lakandula and Sulayman’s promise of loyalty to Legaspi,
Bambilito was able to influence some of their warriors to join his forces. In the furious
naval Battle of Bankusay that took place on June 3,1571, Marshal Goiti’s strong fleets
overpowered Bambalito’s war boats. Bambalito and his gallant warriors died fighting for
their freedom.
On June 24,1571, Legaspi proclaimed Manila as the capital of the Philippines.

Because of his accomplishments, King Phillip appointed him as governor-general. Later,
the King also decreed that Manila be named Insigne y Siempre leal Ciudad
(Distinguished and Ever Loyal City). With Manila as his capitol, Legaspi commenced the
foundation of Spanish colonization and evangelization in the Philippines.
With the new titles of Governor-General and Adelantado conferred to him by

King Phillip II, Legaspi sent expeditions to places north and south of Manila. Goiti,
together with a combined force of Spanish soldiers and native warriors, conquered
Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac and Pangasinan. Salcedo, on the other hand, vanquished
Cainta, Taytay, Morong and Laguna. Then in 1572, Salcedo advanced to Northern Luzon
and crushed the natives of Zambales and the Ilocos region, where he founded Villa
Fernandina (now Vigan).
Page | 48
In recognition of his contributions to Spanish colonization and pacification, he was given

the entire Ilocandia except Vigan as his encomienda and promoted to field marshal.
Today, Juan de Salcedo is considered the greatest Spanish conquistador of the
Philippines.
Easy Pacification and Colonization of the Philippines
Historians have cited the following as reasons for the easy pacification and
colonization of the Philippines:
1) the barangays were scattered and not united by a fused political or religious
system;
2) absence of a common language, which resulted in lack of communication among
ethnic regions;
3) willingness of the chieftains to cooperate with the Spaniards, as shown in
numerous blood compacts and treaties of friendship;
4) superiority of the armaments of the Spaniards;
5) the Spaniards applied the system of divide and rule; they were able to use the
regional jealousy among the natives to their outmost advantage.
6) The Spaniards managed to avail of the services of native mercenaries from one
region to other regions; and
7) they used the church as a tool for their pacification process.
Page | 49
Identification Identify the word or group of words being described.
1. _________________________ He was a soldier, lawyer and former secretary

of the government of Mexico City.
2. _________________________ When did Legaspi reach Cebu?
3. _________________________ It was Spain’s first settlement in the
Philippines.
4. _________________________ He was Cebu’s chieftain when Legaspi landed

in Cebu.
5. _________________________ It was Spain’s second settlement in the
Philippines
6. _________________________ He was Legaspi’s grandson who was

dispatched to Mindoro to punish the Muslim
pirate who plundered the coastal villages.
7. _________________________ He was Manila’s ruler when Legaspi

conquered Manila.
8. _________________________ When did Legaspi and his men set foot in
Manila?
9. _________________________ These were the two titles conferred to
10. _________________________ Legaspi by King Phillip II of Spain

Page | 50
(10 points)
1. Miguel Lopez de Legaspi

2. February 13, 1565
3. Cebu
4. Rajah Tupaz
5. Panay
6. Juan de Salcedo
7. Rajah Sulayman
8. May 19, 1571
9. Governor-General
10. Adelantado
Page | 51
LESSON 3: AIMS OF SPANISH COLONIZATION
Lesson Objectives
1. understand the aims of Spanish colonization;
2. appreciate the legacy left by Spain; and
3. enumerate the political economic and socio-cultural changes introduced by

Spain.
When King Charles I sent the Magellan expedition in search of the Mollucas, his
primary objective was purely commercial. The Spanish monarch believed that trade in
spices and other Asian products like drugs, gems, carpets, tapestries, and silk was very
profitable and that control of these Asian products would make Spain the wealthiest and
most powerful empire in Europe. But when the kingdom of Spain sold her rights to the
Mollucas to the kingdom of Portugal in the Treaty of Zaragoza, her royal policy shifted to
other interests.
The first aim of Spanish colonization was the conversion of heathen lands to
Christianity. This is why in every expedition sent by Spain to colonize territories, the
conquistadores were always accompanied by religious missionaries.
The second aim of her colonization was to achieve political glory. The Spanish
king wanted to expand his realm because of the keen rivalry among European powers in
empire building.
The third aim of Spanish colonization was to obtain economic wealth and
resources from the colony. In those times, material wealth was an important measure of
greatness among kingdoms. Another factor that motivated this economic aim was the
desire of Spain to control the spice trade in Asia.
As a crown colony, the Philippines was a dependency of Mexico from 1565 to

1821. The viceroy of Mexico governed the Philippines for the King of Spain. He was
assisted by the Council of the Indies — the council that was created to help the Spanish
King in administering overseas colonies. The Council of the Indies communicated all the
King’s edicts and directives to the viceroy of Mexico who, in turn, communicated them
to the governor-general in the Philippines. It was only in 1821 that the Philippines
became directly administered by Spain, after Mexico regained its freedom from the
Spaniards.
Page | 52
The Philippines was put under the administration of the Ministerio del Ultransor
(Ministry of the Colonies), which was assisted by the Council of the Philippines.
The laws governing the Spanish colonies like Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico and
other Latin American territories were compiled into a code of laws known as Leyes de
Indias (Laws of the Indies). These laws were also applied to the Philippines. Other laws
that were imposed on the Philippines were the Leyes de Toro, Siete Partidas, and La
Novisema Recopilacion. These laws were enacted to improve the condition of the natives,
but unfortunately they were not properly implemented and were often ignored by the
colonial authorities.
Political System (Structure of The Government)
A. The Central Government
The government established by Spain in the Philippines was a centralized type of

government. The executive and the judiciary were the only two branches of government.
There was no legislative branch because the laws passed by the Cortes, including the
decrees or royal orders of the King, were extended to the Philippines.
The central government was headed by a governor-general who was appointed

by the King of Spain. Being the official representative of the Spanish King in the colony,
he wielded vast executive and legislative powers. The King bestowed to him the
cumplase, his right to suspend or reject the implementation of the royal decree if in his
opinion the decree would not benefit the colony.
The governor-general was the commander-in-chief of the colonial armed forces

and exercised the king’s patronato real (royal patronage) in the Philippines. This
included the right to appoint ecclesiastical officials and to create or abolish parishes.
The governor-general was also the ex-oficio president of the Royal Audiencia,
the Supreme Court or the highest court in the Philippines during the Spanish period. The
Royal Audiencia heard and decided civil and criminal cases, and was also involved in
auditing the expenditures of the colonial government. In cases of vacancy of the position
of Governor General due death or disability, the Royal Audiencia was mandated to serve
as governor general.
B. The Provincial Government
The central government was under the provincial government. During the Spanish
period, provinces were classified as either alcaldia mayor or corregimiento. The alcadias
were the pacified provinces that recognized Spanish rule. Bulacan, Laguna, Batangas,
Pampanga and Manila were examples of these provinces. The administrator of an alcadia
was called an alcalde mayor or provincial governor.
Page | 53
He only received a low salary but because of the indulto de comercio or the privilege of
the provincial governor to engage in trade, his office became lucrative and a source of
corruption. The corregimientos, on the other hand, were the unpacified provinces where
resistance to Spanish rule still prevailed. The Mountain Province, Sulu, and Maguindanao
were examples of these provinces. The administrator of a corregimiento was appointed
by the governor-general.
C. The Municipal Government
Under the provincial government was the municipal government. The town or
pueblo was headed by a gobernadorcillo (petty or little governor), also called capitan
municipal or simply capitan. The office of the gobernadorcillo was the highest political
position given to the Filipinos or natives during the Spanish period. However, in order to
become a gobernadorcillo, a Filipino had to be a member of the principalia class, a body
of prominent Filipinos who could read, write and speak Spanish or member of the
Filipino elites.
Each pueblo, in turn, was divided into barangays or villages, each under a cabeza
de barangay whose main duty was was to collect taxes within his barangay. In exchange
for this service, he was exempted from forced labor and from paying taxes. He was a
member of the principalia or aristocracy.
D. The Cities
Aside from establishing provinces and municipalities, the Spaniards also

established cities in the Philippines. The first two cities to be created were Cebu in 1565,
and Manila in 1571. The government of a city was called ayuntamiento. It was composed
of a cabildo (city council), and had the following members: were two alcaldes (mayor),
twelve regidores (councilors) and an alguacil mayor (chief of police). Other cities that
created during the Spanish era were: Villa Fernandina (Vigan), Nueva Segovia (Lallo,
Cagayan), Nueva Caceres (Naga) and Arevalo (in Iloilo).
Economic Conditions
The early Spanish missionaries and historians like Fr. Pedro Chirino, and Dr.
Antonio de Morga in his book Sucesos delas Islas Filipinas, attested to the truth that pre-
colonial Philippines had flourishing trade and industry and a self-sufficient economy. But
the strict colonial policies of Spain like polo y servicio, tributes, taxation, galleon trade,
the encomienda system and government monopolies stagnated the economy — all of
these policies disheartened Filipino impetus and participation in any economic labor in
the economy.
Page | 54
The continuous dissension between the church and civil officials in the
Philippines was another cause why economic planning given much attention. The
officials were too busy bickering with another over their authority and privileges.
To aggravate the situation, most of the Spanish officials appointed in the

Philippines were incompetent, dishonest and abusive. They were more interested in
appropriating the wealth of the indios and exploiting the resources of the Philippines than
in promoting the welfare of the Filipinos. The Spanish writer, Thomas de Comyn, thus
wrote:
In order to be a chief (governor) of a province of those

islands (Philippines), no training, knowledge or special services are
necessary; all persons (Spaniards) are fit and admissible… It is quite a
common thing to see a barber, or a governor’s lackey, a sailor or a
deserter, suddenly transformed into an alcalde (provincial governor),
administrator, or captain of the forces of a populous province without any
counselor but his rude understanding, or any guide but his passions.
Encomienda System
The encomienda was a reward vested by the King of Spain to a Spaniard who had
helped in the pacification and colonization of a heathen territory. It was introduced to the
Philippines by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi upon the royal decree of King Philip II. There
were three kinds of encomienda — royal, private, and ecclesiastical. Royal encomiendas
were owned by the King of Spain and consisted of cities, seaports and regions abundant
in natural resources. Private encomiendas were entrusted to a private individual. (The
entire Ilocos region, with the exception of Vigan, was given to Juan de Salcedo as his
private encomienda. Ecclesiastical encomiendas were under the jurisdiction of the church
or the different religious corporations.
The encomiendero or the holder of an encomienda was given the right to collect
taxes; to protect, educate and to convert the natives to Christianity. They were also given
authority to use the personal services of the natives, and this became a source of direct
and inhuman exploitation of Filipinos by their colonial masters. The encomienda started a
feudalistic economic system in the Philippines. The encomiendas later became the basis
for the creation of provinces during the 18th century.
Polo y Servicio (Forced Labor)
Under this system, all male Filipinos or Chinese mestizos from 16 to 60 years old
were obliged to render forced labor in the construction of roads, bridges, churches,
galleons and other infrastructure projects of the colonial government. They were also
drafted as sailors and soldiers in military campaigns. This hard labor lasted for 40 days.
In 1884, it was reduced to 15 days.
Page | 55
A native who rendered forced labor was called polista (laborer). The chieftains
and those who paid the falla (exemption fee) were exempted from polo. Forced labor
often resulted in the destruction of the economic life of people in communities, where the
womenfolk were left behind. Shortage of manpower meant abandoned fields; as a result,
many people died of starvation and sickness. Opposition to the recruitment for the forced
labor became the common cause of the early uprisings against the Spaniards.
Tributes and Taxation
In order to generate sufficient revenue to finance the government of the

Philippines, the natives were forced to pay tribute to the Spanish government. The natives
paid tributes in cash (8,10, then 12 reales) or its equivalent in kind. In 1884, the tribute
was finally abolished in lieu of the cedula, which served as income tax and personal
identification of the natives.
Aside from the tribute, the natives also paid taxes like the bandala system, a form
of indirect taxation in which the farmers were required to pay in agricultural products so
that each province could meet its quota. Others were diezmos prediales, donativo
zamboanga, vinta and sanctorum.
Galleon Trade
The galleon trade was the yearly major economic activity between Manila and
Acapulco. It was a government monopoly that lasted for two and a half centuries.
Galleons from Manila to Acapulco often left in July, carrying a cargo of oriental
products, such as silk, porcelain, precious stones, perfumes, and cotton fabrics. On their
return voyage, these galleons carried Mexican silver, pesos, wines, wool, Spanish brandy
and sardines. The galleons also brought letters, official decrees, instructions from the
king of Spain, and the real situado (royal subsidy). This subsidy amounted to ₧250,000
and was used to pay for the administrative expenses of the Philippines.
The galleon trade was more beneficial to the Spaniards than Filipinos, because
most government and church officials participated in the speculations and became
wealthy. Graft and corruption were rampant and irregularities were committed in the
Obras Pias (Pious Works), a charitable institution financially supported by the galleon
trade and managed by religious confraternities.
Although the galleon trade became profitable and rewarding for the Spaniards, the
Philippines was did not become a major commercial center in the Orient because trading
was restricted, and was only between our country and Mexico. Agricultural development
in the provinces was ignored as local Spanish officials came regularly to Manila to
engage in speculations. The galleon trade was finally abolished by King Fernando VII in
1815.
Page | 56
Basco’s Economic Program
Jose Basco y Vargas was the first Spanish governor-general to concentrate his
administration (1778-1789) in the improvement OF Philippine Economy. Basco’s policy
was to develop the natural resources of the archipelago and to promote Philippine
agriculture, commerce and industries. Among the systematic approaches taken by Basco
to improve the economy of the Philippines were the establishment of the following:
A. Sociedad Economica de Amigos del Pais (Economic Society of Friends of the

Country)
The Sociedad was launched on May 6, 1781 and was composed of civic-oriented
citizens and merchants who donated money yearly for the success of its projects.
To improve agricultural production, the Sociedad published and distributed

pamphlets all over the archipelago, particularly on the planting and proper harvesting of
cacao, coffee, hemp, indigo, sugar and other crops. It also founded schools in Manila for
drawing and agriculture and gave scholarships to those who were interested in the art of
dyeing.
B. Tobacco and Other Government Monopolies
To augment the revenue of the colonial government, Governor-General Basco

established the tobacco monopoly in 1782 by virtue of the Royal Degree of King Charles
III. Under this degree, the government designated pilot areas like the Cagayan Valley,
Nueva Ecija, Marinduque and Isabela to plant and cultivate only tobacco. Staple crops
like corn, rice, peanuts and other root products were, however, neglected in these
provinces.
The tobacco monopoly was a great success in terms of accumulating revenue for
the government. Tobacco became a principal export product of the colony, and the
Philippines became one of the greatest tobacco producing countries in the world. But the
tobacco monopoly had also negative effects. The Filipino farmers were often paid
promissory notes for their produce by corrupt Spanish officials in charge of the business,
and worse, government agents certified the tobacco as low grade and paid accordingly for
such. Since other staple crops were neglected by the farmers, thousands died of famine
because of the acute shortage of food in the tobacco producing countries. The tobacco
monopoly came to an end in 1881 during the administration of Governor-General
Fernando Primo de Rivera.
Other government monopolies established by Basco were those on gunpowder,

opium (apyan), playing cards, wine liquor, vinegar and betel nut. It was, however, the
monopoly on tobacco that proved to be the most successful.
Page | 57
C. Real Companie de Filipinas (Royal Company of the Philippines)
This company was created on March 10, 1785 by King Charles III for the main
purpose of encouraging direct trade between Spain and other Asian countries. King
Charles decided to create the Royal Company after seeing the success of European
trading companies such as the British East India Company and the Dutch East India
Company in Asia.
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL TRANSPLANTATION
Propagation of Roman Catholicism
Roman Catholicism, unquestionably, is Spain’s most enduring legacy to the

Filipinos. The Augustinian missionaries who came with the Legazpi expedition in 1565
pioneered the propagation of Christianity in the Philippines. They preached the Gospels
in Cebu, Panay, Pangasinan, Manila, Pampanga, Zambales, Ilocos Region and Bataan. In
1577, the Franciscans arrived and spread the Catholic faith to the areas around Laguna de
Bay (Laguna, Morong, Batangas and Tayabas) and some towns in Bicol. The Jesuits
followed the Franciscans in 1581, and spread Christianity to Leyte, Manila, Samar, Cebu,
Bohol, and Mindanao. The Dominicans came in 1587 and evangelized the natives of
Pangasinan and the Cagayan Valley. The Recollects came to the Philippines in 1606 and
converted the natives of Zambales, Bataan, Mindoro and Negros.
Antonio de Morga, in his accounts, underscored the importance of the

evangelical work of the missionaries when he said: “In every friar in the Philippines, the
King had a Captain-General and entire army.”
These missionaries were also successful in the implementation of the reduccion,

a process of pacification through conversion. It was a system of grouping the converts
into the cabecera, or concentrated settlements, into which were grouped the barangays.
Within the cabecera, a church was built and it became the point of concentration of the
community life.
Those natives who have retreated to the mountains and escaped the reduccion
became the nucleus of the remontados. The exodus of the remontados resulted in the
presence of the scattered villages in the mountainous parts of Luzon.
Education
The main objective of the Spanish educational system was to make the Filipinos
obedient and God-fearing Christians. The friars believed that Filipinos were incapable of
learning, but the authorities also intentionally refused to teach the Filipinos the Spanish
language because they were afraid that the education of the Filipinos would in the end
undermine their supremacy in the Philippines.
Page | 58
There was no co-education in the Philippines during the Spanish period. Boys
and girls studied in separate schools. Among the earliest school for boys founded by the
missionaries were the College of San Ignacio (1589), College of San Jose (1601), College
of San Ildefonso (1599), University of Santo Tomas (1611) and College of San Juan de
Letran (1630). The education of the girls was not neglected either. The schools founded
for the girls were the College of Santa Potenciana (1594), College of Santa Isabel (1596),
Beaterio de Santa Catalina (1696), College of Santa Rosa (1750), College of La
Concordia (1869) and the Assumption Convent (1892).
The friars’ control over education resulted in the over-emphasis of religion or

Doctrina Christiana on the curriculae. There were obsolete teaching strategies, and
Filipino students were discriminated against and denied of academic freedom.
Games and Amusements
To increase government revenues, the Spanish authorities legalized cockfighting,

which existed long before they came, as well as other forms of gambling like horse
racing, lottery and bull fighting. Card games like monte, panggingge, tres siete, manilla
and juego de prenda were also introduced. Theatrical performances like the comedia,
cenaculo, moro-moro, zarzuela and the cardboard puppet show carillo were also
introduced. These were popular not only in Manila but in the provinces as well.
Fiesta
As part of Christian practice and tradition, the Filipinos adopted the fiesta, a
socio-religious festival honoring the feast day of the patron saint of a town. Fiestas were
celebrated extravagantly with lively music, dancing in the streets, electrifying displays of
fireworks, religious processions and stage shows.
The fiesta of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo, the Ati-Atihan of Kalibo, the
Sinulog of Cebu, the Dinagyang of Iloilo, the Moriones Festival of Marinduque, the
Turumba of Pakil, the Pahiyas in Lukban, the feast of Nuestra Senora de Penafrancia of
Naga, Santa Cruzan, the feast of the Immaculate Concepcion (Dec. 8), Semana Santa
(Holy Week), Todos los Santos (Nov. 1), Epiphany (Jan. 6), and Christmas Day (Dec.
25) are good examples of popular fiestas in the country.
The Spanish Language and the Hispanization of Surnames
Another enduring legacy of Spain to the Filipinos is the Spanish language.

Although Spanish did not become our national language as in other colonies of Spain like
Mexico, Peru and Argentina, it enriched the Pilipino language.
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In time, many Spanish words such as ventana (window), silla (chair), cocina (kitchen),
caballo (horse) and azul (blue) were incorporated into the Philippine language and
dialects.
On November 21, 1849, Governor-General Narciso Claveria issued a decree that

natives must adopt Spanish surnames, which would make the identification of families
easier for tax and census purposes. Thus, Spanish names such as delos Reyes, Zulueta,
Escandor, Bernardo, Alberto, Santos, Manuel, Ranario, Vidallon and Salonga were
adopted by most Christian Filipinos. However, Filipinos who remained loyal to their
ancestors refused to adopt Spanish surnames. Their descendants still use their native
names such as Kasanayan, Manimtim, Bocaling, Dipasupil, Dimagiba, Matibag, Lindog,
Makapagal, Batongbakal and Punsalang. Claveria was also responsible for introducing
the Gregorian Calendar in the Philippines.
Printing Press, Painting and Literature
The Dominicans produced the first printing press in 1593 in Binondo, Manila.
They printed Doctrina Christiana en Lengua Espanola y Tagala (1593), the first
published book, and Arte y Reglas La Lengua Tagala (1610), the first published Tagalog
grammar book. Juan de Vera, the first known printer in the Philippines, and Tomas
Pinpin, the Prince of Filipino Printers, became popular in this field during the Spanish
period.
The Filipinos also excelled in painting. The Spaniards cultivated their natural
talents in this art by establishing a school of painting in Manila. During the Spanish
period, a number of Filipinos became famous for their paintings. Foremost among them
were Juan Luna (Spolarium, The Blood Compact, Battle of Lepanto, and Parisian Life)
and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo (Christian Virgins Exposed to the Populace). Their obra
maestras were acclaimed not only in the Philippines, but also in Europe. Another famous
Filipino painter was Damian Domingo, who established the first school of painting in
Manila. This school later became known as the Academy of Fine Arts. Because of his
contributions in the art of painting, he was honored as the Father of Filipino Painting.
Philippine literature during the Spanish regime was largely dominated by the
friars with religion as the main topic of the writers. It consisted of novenas, biographies
and miracles of Saints, and pasyon (about the life, suffering and death of Christ), the
favored reading materials during the holy week.
Other types of literature brought by Spain to the Philippines were the metrical
romances, awits and corridos. The awit was a twelve-syllable poem dealing with the
heroic exploits of heroes, while the corrido was an eight-syllable poem dealing with the
lives and miracles of saints. Examples of awits and corridos were Bernardo Carpio,
Ibong Adarna, Siete Infantes de Lara and Don Juan Tiñoso.
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Filipino consciousness against the autocratic Spanish regime was raised when
Francisco “Balagtas” Baltazar, through literature such as his awit Florante at Laura,
Baltazar used symbolism to lambast and expose the ills of foreign domination in our
country.
Page | 61
A. Knowledge of Terminology. Write the letter of the word that is the synonym of
the term being defined.
_______ 1. Monopoly
a. exclusive control b. equal opportunity c. fair treatment
_______ 2. Polista
a. administrator b. manager c. laborer
_______ 3. alcadia mayor
a. town b. province c. city
_______ 4. Royal Audencia
a. Supreme Court b. Congress c. City Hall
_______ 5. Gobernadorcillo
a. mayor b. governor c. barangay captain
B. Matching Type. Match column A with column B. Write the letters only.
Column A Column B
_______ 1. Juan Luna a. Christian Virgins Exposed to the

Populace
_______ 2. Felix Resurrecion Hidalgo b. Gregorian calendar
_______ 3. Francisco Baltazar c. Sucesos de las islas Filipinas
_______ 4. Damian Domingo d. Florante at Laura
_______ 5. Tomas Pinpin e. Spolarium
_______ 6. Jose Basco y Vargas f. Father of Filipino Printers
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_______ 7. Narciso Claveria g. Prince of Filipino Printers
_______ 8. Juan de Vera h. Royal Company of the Phils.
_______ 9. Antonio de Morga i. Abolition of galleon trade
_______ 10. King Fernando VII j. encomienda system
k. Father of Filipino Painting

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A. Knowledge of Terminology (15 points)
1. a
2. c
3. b
4. a
5. a
B. Matching Type
1. e
2. a
3. d
4. k
5. g
6. h
7. b
8. f
9. c
10. i
Rating: No. of Correct Answers in A = __________

No. of Correct Answers in B = __________
Total Correct Answers = __________ X 6.66
Page | 64
LESSON 4: THE REFORM MOVEMENT
Lesson Objectives:
1. discuss the pre-colonial life and culture of the Filipinos;
2. appreciate how the pre-colonial culture of our ancestors contributed to our

rich heritage as a people; and
3. make researches on local history.
Louis L. Snyder defines nationalism as “a condition of mind, feeling, or sentiment

of a group of people living in a well-defined geographical area, speaking a common
language, possessing a literature in which the aspiration of the nation have been
expressed, being attached to common traditions, and in some cases, having a common
religion.”
The growth of Filipino nationalism was a slow but steady set of changes. The
origin of this nationalism origin dates back to Lapu-lapu’s bravery, and it eventually
reached its pinnacle with the outbreak of Philippine Revolution. More events led to the
strengthening of Filipino nationalism in the 19 th century. These were the opening of the
Philippines to international trade in 1834 and Suez Canal in 1869, the rise of the middle
class, the influx of western liberal ideas, the Secularization Movement, racial
discrimination, the Spanish Revolution of 1868, the liberal regime of Carlos Ma. dela
Torre, the Cavite Mutiny, and the unjust execution of Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose
Burgos and Jacinto Zamora.
The Opening of the Philippines to International Trade

and The Rise of The Middle Class
In 1834, the King of Spain issued a Royal Order declaring Manila completely
open to foreign trade. Later, the ports of Sual, Iloilo, and Zamboanga were opened in
1855, that of Cebu in 1860, and those of Tacloban and Legazpi in 1873. These stimulated
the economic movement in the Philippines, which brought prosperity to the Filipinos and
the Chinese mestizos. The introduction of modern methods of farming, development of
transportation and communication, and the establishment of banks led to the growth of
commerce and industry.
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As a result of the tremendous economic change in the life of the Filipino, a middle
class emerged in the Philippine social pyramid. These were the Filipinos who actively
participated in commercial activities when the Philippines opened its doors to world
commerce. Aside from acquiring material wealth, they also improved their social
influence and stature in the pueblos and formed the town principalia, an elite social
group that could read, write and speak Spanish. They were able to send their sons to
schools not only in Manila, but also in Europe. Eventually, with their prosperity and
growing influence, the middle class clamored for social and political equality, and from
their ranks emerged the prime movers of the reform movement.
Influx of Western Liberal Ideas
When the Philippines was opened to the world commerce, the liberal ideas of
Europe and America flowed into the archipelago, brought by the foreigners of liberal
orientation who came to the Philippines, and by the illustrados who absorbed them while
they were studying in Europe. These liberal ideas — contained in books, magazines,
pamphlets and newspapers — were ideologies of the American Revolution (life, liberty
and pursuit of happiness) and French Revolution (liberty, equality and fraternity), and the
thoughts of Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau,
Voltaire and other political and social philosophers.
Influenced by these liberal ideas, the Filipinos began to think of their own
miserable condition. They began to discuss politics, justice and liberty, and with the
passing of time they became brave enough to ask for political, economic, social, and
educational reforms. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 further stimulated progress.
This resulted in the shortening of the distance of travel between Europe and Asia.
Because of this, many Europeans with liberal ideas migrated to the Philippines, bringing
with them progressive books and periodicals. These reading materials were read by the
educated Filipinos, who learned about the democratic practices in Europe and America.
The Spanish Revolution of 1868 and

The Liberal Regime of CARLOS MA. LA TORRE
The ouster of Queen Isabella II from the Spanish throne by the “Glorious
September” Revolution of 1868 and the rise of liberalism in Spain brought significant
changes to the Philippine political landscape. The liberal government of the
revolutionists, led by the Generals Juan Prim and Francisco Serrano, appointed Carlos
Ma. dela Torre, an able soldier and a true democrat, to be the new governor-general thus
replacing Gov. Gen. Manuel Maldonado.
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Carlos Ma. dela Torre was the most liberal and well-loved Spanish Governor-
General the Philippines ever had. When he arrived in the Philippines in 1869, he put into
practice his open-minded and democratic behavior by keeping away from extreme
comfort and living a simple life. He walked the streets in civilian clothes and dismissed
his alabaderos (halberdiers) — the governor’s security guards — and went unescorted.
Dela Torre’s leadership was important because he: (1) put an end to the
censorship of the press, (2) abolished flogging as a punishment, (3) solved the agrarian
unrest in Cavite headed by Camerino, (4) advocated the secularization movement, and (5)
implemented the Educational Decree of 1870 and the Moret Decree.
Governor-General de la Torre’s liberal administration, however, was short-lived

and ended when the monarchy was restored in Spain. Prince Amadeo of Savoy, son of
Victor Emmanuel I, ascended the throne in 1870, replacing the Spanish Republic. As a
result, the political atmosphere in the Philippines also shifted from liberalism to
despotism.
Governor-General de la Torre was succeeded by Governor-General Rafael

Izquierdo, a typical counter-revolutionary officer, who bragged upon his arrival that he
would govern “with crucifix in one hand and a sword in the other.”
As soon as he assumed office, Izquierdo restored press censorship, prohibited all

talk on political matters and secularization of the parishes, disapproved the establishment
of a school for arts and trades in Manila, and dismissed natives and mestizos in the civil
and military service. Other reforms and priviledges introduced by de la Torre were
abolished by Izquierdo.
The Cavite Mutiny and the Unjust Execution of GOMBURZA
On the night of January 20, 1872, about 200 Filipinos soldiers and workers in Fort
San Felipe mutinied, under the leadership of Sgt. Lamadrid. This mutiny was caused by
Governor-General de Izquierdo’s abolition of the exemption of Filipino workers from
polo y servicio and from paying tributes. The mutineers were able to kill the fort
commander and some Spanish soldiers. It took an expedition to quell the mutiny. The
mutineers were easily crushed by the Spanish soldiers, and the mutiny leaders and
participants were arrested and shot to death.
The Cavity Munity and rebellion gave the Spanish authorities the perfect reason
to justify iron rule. It also gave Governor-General Izquierdo an excuse to persecute the
proponents of the secularization movement and the liberal Filipino middle class who,
during the administration of Governor-General de la Torre, were vocal in their demand
for reforms.
Page | 67
Among the unfortunate eminent innocent victims of the Cavite were Fathers
Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora. They were tried on the charge of
treason and sedition through the false testimony of Francisco Zaldua, a former Bicolano
soldier assigned in a Spanish artillery unit. Zaldua was bribed by the Spanish prosecutors
to implicate the three priests as the masterminds of the Cavite mutiny. The military court
found the three priests guilty and sentenced them to die by garrote (strangulation
machine). Several others were executed, and more than one hundred were banished in
exile to Spain, Guam, Zamboanga, and other parts of the archipelago.
On the morning of February 17, 1782 the GOMBURZA were escorted from Fort
Santiago to Bagumbayan Field. A vast crowd of Filipinos and foreign spectators
witnessed the unjust execution. They removed their hats and knelt down in prayer as the
three priests went up the gallows to face their gory death. To show his sympathy for the
three priests, Archbishop Meliton Martinez of Manila refused to unfrock the
GOMBURZA before the execution, defying the order of Governor-General Izquierdo.
Instead, he ordered the continuous tolling of bells during their execution as a tribute to
their martyrdom.
The Filipinos who witnessed the unjust execution of the GOMBURZA began to
think and feel as Filipinos, not as Kapampangan, Tagalogs, Ilokanos, Bisayans,
Bikolanos and other ethnic groups. In other words, the people forgot their regional
barriers and tribal differences and started to realize that it was necessary to for them unite
for a common aspiration.
The GOMBURZA were true martyrs of the Philippines. They did not only fight
for the Filipinization of the parishes, but were also champions of liberalism and
humanitarianism during the Spanish period. Their martyrdom accelerated the growth of
Philippine nationalism, paving the way for the founding of the Propaganda Movement.
The Propaganda Movement
The unjust execution of Fathers Gomez, Burgos and Zamora made the illustrados
determined to fight the wrongdoings of Spanish government. They were called
propagandists because they had no intention of achieving social changes through an
armed or bloody revolution, only through a peaceful campaign for reforms. Their main
objectives were as follows:
1. Equality before the laws between the Filipinos and the Spaniards
2. Assimilation of the Philippines as a regular province of Spain
3. Restoration of Philippine representation in the Spanish Cortes (Spanish
parliament)
4. Secularization of the Parishes and the expulsion of the Friars
5. Freedom of the press, speech and assembly
6. Active participation in the affairs of the government
Page | 68
The propagandists were considered as the cream of the Filipino inteligentias

during the Spanish period. They were not only highly intelligent, but also patriotic and
courageous. Of these propagandists, Jose Rizal, Marcelo H. del Pilar and Graciano Lopez
Jaena formed the great triumvirate.
The Great Propagandists
Graciano Lopez Jaena, the greatest orator of the Propaganda Movement, was
born in Jaro, Iloilo on December 17, 1856. His parents were Placido Lopez and Maria
Jacoba Jaena. In his hometown, he saw how the friars and the civil officials brutalized the
Filipinos and how they lived immoral lives. Lopez Jaena wrote narratives exposing the
ills of Philippine society.
Among his literary works were Fray Botod, in which he exposed the immorality,
abuses, ignorance and corruption of the friars; Esperanza (Hope); and La Hija del Fraile
(The Friar’s Daughter). These works earned him the anger of the friars. Realizing that his
life was in danger, he escaped to Spain in 1880. There he studied medicine but later gave
it up for his love of oratory and writing, which led him to journalism. His pen name was
Diego Laura.
He founded and became the first editor of the fortnightly newspaper, the La
Solidaridad (Solidarity), in 1889. The La Solidaridad was the official newspaper of the
Propaganda Movement and became the mouthpiece of the Filipinos in Spain. Eventually,
copies of La Solidaridad were secretly smuggled in and distributed by the liberal thinkers
in the colony. In 1891, he compiled his speeches and writings into a volume called
Discursos y Articulos Varios (Speeches and Varios Articles). Because of poor health
conditions, he died of tuberculosis on January 20, 1896 in Barcelona, Spain.
Marcelo H. del Pilar, the greatest political analyst and journalist of the
Propaganda Movement, was born in Barrio Kupangi, Bulakan, Bulakan on August 30,
1850. He studied at the College of San Jose and later at the University of Sto. Tomas
where he finished his law course in 1880. He usually criticized the friars in crowded
cockpits and market places where the common people heard him. In 1882, he founded the
nationalistic newspaper Diariong Tagalog. In 1888, he secretly left for Spain in order to
escape persecution and possible imprisonment for lambasting the abuses of the friars.
While in Spain, he succeeded Lopez Jaena as editor of La Solidaridad, using the pen-
names Plaridel, Piping Dilat and Dolores Manapat. His writings were popular to the
masses because he wrote in Tagalog.
Some of his well known literary works were La Soberania Monacal en Filipinas
(Monastic Supremancy in the Philippines) La Frailocracia Filipino (Friar Sovereignty in
the Philippines, Dasalan at Tocsohan (a brilliant parody of the prayer book) Caiingat
Cayo (a pamphlet defending Noli Me Tangere), Kadakilaan ng Dios, and Sagot ng
España sa Hibik ng Pilipinas.
Page | 69
Because of his heavy workload and lack of proper nutrition, del Pilar died of
tuberculosis on July 4, 1896. Before his death, he believed that the campaign for reforms
was a failure and that it was time to switch to revolutionary activity.
Jose Rizal. The most cultured of the Propaganda Movement triumvirate, Rizal
was born on June 19, 1861 in Calamba, Laguna. His parents were Francisco Mercado and
Teodora Alonzo. At the age of eight he wrote Sa Aking Mga Kababata, a poem that
talked of love for one’s native language. He enrolled at the Ateneo Municipal,
administered by the Jesuits, where he finished his Bachelor of Arts Degree. He continued
his education at the University of Santo Tomas, administered by the Dominicans, where
he took up his medical course. It was at this school where he showed his literary prowess
by winning first prize in the Liceo Artistico Literario de Manila. His works were entitled
A la Juventud Filipina and El Consejo delos Dioses.
In order to continue his pursuit of knowledge, he left for Spain in 1882 at the age
of twenty-one. While in Europe he mastered several languages, including French and
German. As an active propagandist he used the pen-names Laong-laan and Dimasalang.
Rizal wrote poems, essays and many articles in La Solidaridad, all manifesting his love
of country, his patriotism, defects of the Spanish administration, his love of family, his
happiness and sorrow. But his two masterpieces are his novels Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo. The Noli Me Tangere is a socio-historical novel based on facts, and the El
Filibusterismo is a political novel in which Rizal envisioned the coming of the
Revolution.
These two novels became popular among the illustrados and the masses, but only
limited number of copies penetrated the Philippines because the Spanish officials, notably
the friars whom Rizal ridiculed in the novels, prohibited its importation, printing
circulation and reading.
Rizal also founded a socio-civic organization called La Liga Filipina on July 3,

1892. The objectives of La Liga, as articulated in its constitution, were:
1) to unite the whole archipelago into one compact, vigorous and homogenous
body;
2) Mutual protection in every want and necessity;
3) Defense against all violence and injustice;
4) Encouragement of education agriculture, commerce and industry; and
5) Study and application and reforms.
The civil and ecclesiastical officials detested him for his continuous attacks
against them, and worked for his arrest. He was first exiled in Dapitan, Zamboanga and
later tried by the military court on the charges of sedition and treason. He was sentenced
to die by musketry, and executed on Bagumbayan Field on December 30, 1896.
Page | 70
Failure of the Propaganda Movement
The propaganda campaign to propose reforms, undertaken by the illustrados in

Spain and in the Philippines, failed. Although laws favorable to the Philippines were
passed by the Cortes — such as the Maura Law of 1893 which provided for the
reorganization of local government, the law for the compulsory teaching of Spanish in all
schools, the Tax Reform law of 1894 and other reforms in the judicial system — these
laws were not properly implemented in the Philippines.
There were other reasons for the failure of the reform movement:
 Mother Spain was too preoccupied with her own problems to listen to the
grievances of the propagandists,
 the propagandists did not have enough financial means,
 the propagandists were not united because of the rivalry between Rizal and del
Pilar,
 the friars were very powerful and influential,
 the deportation of Rizal in Dapitan, and
 the death of their propaganda leaders.
Significance of the Propaganda Movement
The campaign for peaceful reforms did not achieve any of its fundamental aims.
However, through the literary works of the propagandists in La Solidaridad they were
successful in awakening the political, social and national consciousness of the future
leaders of our country — such as Emilio Aguinaldo, Emilio Jacinto and Andres Bonifacio
— about the wrongdoings of the colonial government.
Aguinaldo, Jacinto and Bonifacio realized that the only remedy to achieve social
change was through revolutionary means. Thus, on July 7, 1892, the same day when
Rizal was deported to Dapitan, Andres Bonifacio, a mason and radical member of La
Liga, immediately founded the Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalang Katipunan ng mga Anak
ng Bayan (KKK).
Page | 71
A. Write the letter of the word that is the synonym of the term being defined.
1. ______ Mutiny
a) uprising b) teamwork c) collaboration
2. ______ Cortes
a) Supreme Court b) Parliament c) Municipal Hall
3. ______ Liberal
a) conservative b) reactionary c) progressive
4. ______ Principalia
a) Filipino elites b) Filipino workers c) Conservative Filipinos
5. ______ Reform
a) change for the better b) revolutionary war c) Progressive ideas
B. Fill in the information being asked for. Use a separate piece of paper if
necessary.
Propagandist Penname Work

Page | 72
A. Knowledge of Terminology (total 5 points)
1. a
2. b
3. c
4. a
5. a
B. (1 point per correct answer; total 25 points)
Propagandist Pen Name Work
Jose Rizal Laong Laan The indolence of the Filipinos

Dimasalang Noli Me Tangere
El Filibusterismo
To The Young Women of Malolos
Amor Patrio
The Philippines Within A Century
Marcelo H. del Pilar Plaridel Dasalan at tocsohan

Piping Dilat La Soberania Monacol
Dolores Manapot En Filipinos
Caiingat Cayo
Kadakilaan ng Diyos
Sagot ng Espanya sa Hibik ng Pilipinas
Graciano Lopez Jaena Diego Laura Fray Botod

Discursos y Articulos Varios
Esperanza
La Hija de fraile
Page | 73
LESSON 5: THE KATIPUNAN AND THE PHILIPPINE

REVOLUTION
Lesson Objectives:
1. trace the events that led to the founding of the Katipunan;
2. appreciate the values and ideals included in the teachings of the Katipunan;
and
3. create visual aids as they interpret the subject matter.
The Katipunan
Founding and Objectives
On July 7, 1892, Governor General Eulogio Despujol’s edict deporting Rizal to

Dapitan, Zamboanga was published in Diario de Manila. When news of the deportation
became known to the residents of Manila, they were dismayed and surprised, for Rizal
was their epitome of freedom. That night, Andres Bonifacio, together with Ladislao
Diwa, Deodato Arellano, Valentin Dizz, Teodoro Plata and a few other patriots, met in
the house of Deodado Arellano at No. 72 Azcarraga St. (now Claro M. Recto), Tondo,
Manila. They formed a secret revolutionary society called the Katipunan or KKK, which
meant “Kataastaasang, Kagalanggalang Katipunan nang mga Anak ng Bayan (Highest
and Most Respectable Society of the Sons of the People)”.
The three main objectives of the Katipunan were political, moral and socio-civic.
The political objective was to liberate the Philippines from Spain through armed struggle;
the moral objective was concerned with the teaching of good manners and proper
hygiene, and discouraged religious fanaticism and weakness of character; the socio-civic
objective dealt with the principle of mutual help and the defense of the poor and the
oppressed.
Political Structure
The political structure of the Katipunan was influenced by the Masonry and La
Liga Filipina. It had three governing bodies: the Kataastaasang Sanggunian (Supreme
Council) — the highest governing body of the Katipunan, composed of a president,
fiscal, secretary, treasurer and comptroller; the Sangguniang Bayan (Provincial Council);
and the Sangguniang Balangay (Popular Council).
Page | 74
They were the equivalent, respectively, of the central government, the provincial
government and the municipal government. The judicial power of the Katipunan was
under the Sangguniang Hukuman, which resolved cases about violations of the rules and
regulations of the Katipunan by its members, and settled quarrels among them.
The first president or Supremo of the Supreme Council was Deodato Arellano,
brother in-law of Marcelo H. del Pilar. He was a clerk in the arsenal of the Spanish
artillery corps. In 1893, he was succeeded by Roman Basa, a clerk in the Spanish naval
headquarters, who served as Supremo for two years. It 1895, Bonifacio himself assumed
the positon of Supremo and fired Basa due to his inefficiency.
Kinds of Membership
and the Women’s Chapter of the Katipunan
The original members of the Katipunan were recruited by the through the triangle
system. However, recruitment under the triangle system was sluggish and confusing,
hence, it was replaced by Bonifacio with secret rites copied from the Masonry. A
successful neophyte who passed the test on his bravery and patriotism pledged to protect
and safeguard the secrets of the Katipunan and signed his name in the Katipunan ledger
in his own blood, known as the blood compact. The new member also adopted a
Katipunan name.
The grades of membership of the Katipunan were classified into three: The first
grade was known as the Katipon (associate), the password for which was “Anak ng
Bayan” or Sons of the People. The second grade was Kawal (soldier), with the password
was “Gomburza”, and the third grade was called Bayani (Patriot) and the password was
“Rizal”.
At first, women were not allowed to be members of the Katipunan. However,

when the women became suspicious of the nighttime activities of their loved ones and the
reduction of their men’s salary, the Katipunan opened its membership to them. In order to
preserve the secrecy of the Katipunan, membership for women was limited only to the
men’s relatives.
Among the prominent members of the women’s chapter of the Katipunan were:
Josefa Rizal, President; Gregoria de Jesus, Vice-President; Marina Dizon, Secretary; and
Angelica Rizal Lopez, Fiscal.
The women were responsible for recruiting new members to the KKK. They
would dance and sang in the living room, in full view of the people in the street, to
deceive the guardia civil about their activities.
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Katipunan Newspaper and Literature
In order to spread the ideas and ideals of the Katipunan, Bonifacio and Jacinto
founded the newspaper Kalayaan in January of 1896. It contained articles and essays
written by Bonifacio, Jacinto and Valenzuela, and became the official organ of the
Katipunan,
Bonifacio wrote Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Bayan (Love of Motherland). His other

works were And Dapat Mabatid nang mga Tagalog (What the Tagalogs Should Know),
Ang Katungkulang Gagawin nang mga Anak ng Bayan (Duties of the Sons of the People)
and Pahimakas, a translation of Rizal’s Mi Ultimo Adios. His nom de plume or pen name
was Agapito Bagumbayan.
Jacinto, the Brains of the Katipunan, wrote the Kartilla, the primer of the KKK;
Liwanag at Dilim (Light and Darkness); Manifesto (Pahayag); and A La Patria. His pen
names were Dimas-ilaw and Pingkian.
Valenzuela, who aided Jacinto in editing the Kalayaan, wrote Catuiran (Is it
right?) and Sa Mga Kababayan (To my Countrymen). His pen name was Madlang-away.
Since the Katipuneros wrote in their native Tagalog to reach the masses, the
publication and circulation of the Kalayaan played a vital role in the expansion of the
Katipunan and awakened the nationalistic spirit of the Filipinos.
Teachings of the Katipunan
The Kartilla ng Katipunan or Primer of the KKK incorporated the fundamental

teachings of society that the members were expected to obey. The teachings were:
1. Life which is not consecrated to a lofty and sacred cause is like a tree without
a shadow, if not a poisonous weed.
2. A good deed that springs from a desire for personal profit and not from a
desire to do good is not kindness.
3. True greatness consists in being charitable, in loving one’s fellowmen and in
adjusting every movement, deed and word to true person.
4. All men are equal, be the color of their skin black or white. One may be
superior to another in knowledge, wealth, and beauty, but cannot be superior
in being.
5. He who is noble prefers honor to personal gains: he who is mean prefers
personal profit to honor.
6. To a man with a sense of shame, his word is inviolate.
7. Don’t fritter away time; lost riches may be recovered, but time lost will never
come again.
8. Defend the oppressed and fight the oppressor.
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9. An intelligent man is he who is cautious in speech and knows how to keep the
secrets that must be guarded.
10. In the thorny path of life, man is the guide of his wife and children; if he who
guides moves toward evil, they who are guided likewise move toward evil.
11. Think not of woman as a thing merely to while away time with but as a helper
and partner in the hardships of life. Respect her in her weakness, and
remember the mother who brought you into this world and who cared for you
in your childhood.
12. What you do not want done to your wife, daughter and sister, do not do to the
wife, daughter and sister of another.
13. The nobility of a man does not consist in being a king, nor in the highness of
the nose and the whiteness of the skin, nor in being a priest representing God,
nor in the exalted position on this earth, but pure and truly noble is he who,
though born in the woods, is possessed of an upright character; who is true to
his words; who has dignity and honor; who does not oppress and does not help
those who oppress; who knows how to look after and love the land of his
birth.
ANDRES BONIFACIO
Andres Bonifacio, the Great Plebeian and chief architect of the Katipunan, was
born in Tondo, Manila on November 30, 1863. His parents were Santiago Bonifacio, a
tailor who served as tiniente mayor of Tondo, and Catalina de Castro, a Spanish mestiza
who used to work as a cabecilla in a cigarette factory. Being the eldest in a brood of six,
the early death of his parents forced him to quit his studies in order to support his
brothers and sisters: Ciriaco, Procopio, Troadio, Espiridiona and Maxima.
His first job was selling paper fans and walking canes in the city streets, drawing
posters, and later messenger and salesman for Fleming and Co. He was a warehouse man
for Fressel and Co. during the outbreak of the revolution.
In spite of his poverty and limited education, he was a voracious and wide reader,
especially on the subjects of revolutions and books with social relevance. Among his
collection of books were: Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, Victor Hugo’s
Les Miserables, Eugene Sue’s The Wandering Dew, The Lives of the Presidents of the
United States, the Penal and Civil Codes, books on international law, religion, and the
French revolution.
In 1892 he met, fell in love with, and married Gregoria de Jesus at Binondo
Church. The couple remarried again according to the Katipunan rites, in which Gregoria
was initiated into the Women’s Chapter of the KKK. She chose Lakangbini (muse) as her
symbolic name.
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Though limited in formal education, Bonifacio saw that the ilustrados would fail
in their clamor for reforms. Realizing the necessity for an armed struggle to end the
tyranny of the Spaniards, he decided to establish the Katipunan.
EMILIO JACINTO
Emilio Jacinto, the Brains of the Katipunan, was born in Tondo, Manila on
December 15, 1875. His parents were Mariano Jacinto, a bookkeeper, and Josefa Dizon, a
midwife. Being destitute did not stop his parents from sending him to school. Jacinto
studied at San Juan de Letran and later at the University of Santo Tomas, where he took
up law. At the age of eighteen, he joined and became the youngest member of the
Katipunan.
Because of his intelligence, dedication and bravery, Jacinto won Bonifacio’s

respect and admiration, and he eventually became Bonifacio’s confidante and adviser.
He was the editor of the Kalayaan, the official organ of the Katipunan, and wrote
Kartilla, the official teachings or primer of the society. His other literary works were:
Liwanag at Dilim (Light and Darkness), Sa Mga Kababayan (To my Countrymen), Ang
Kasalanan ni Cain (Cain’s Sin), Pagkakatatag ng Pamahalaan sa Hukuman ng Silangan
(Establishment of the Provincial Government of Laguna), and Samahan ng Bayan sa
Pangangalakal (Commercial Association of the People). The masses easily understood
felt the power of his words because he used Tagalog as his medium in writing.
He was killed in the line of duty in Majayjay, Laguna on April 16, 1899 at the age
of 23.
The Plans for Revolution
As early as 1896, the Katipuneros were busy preparing for the outbreak of the
revolution. Bonifacio felt that revolution would burst violently and did not want to be
caught by surprise.
In June of 1896, the Supreme Council sent Dr. Pio Valenzuela to Dapitan to
discuss with Dr. Jose Rizal the founding of the Katipunan and its aim of overthrowing the
Spanish government. Rizal advised that a revolution without enough arms and
ammunitions should not be started against a powerful country like Spain. However, if a
revolution should be inevitable, he suggested that the Katipunan get the support of the
wealthy and influential Filipinos, and appoint Antonio Luna to direct all the military
operations against the Spaniards. These would ensure the victory of the revolution, he
felt.
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Bonifacio ordered the manufacturing of bolos and instructed the Katipuneros who
were employed in the Maestranza (arsenal) to steal Remington and Mausers rifles.
Clantestine conferences were held regularly to map out the war plan for the attack on
Manila and the military strategy for the coming revolution.
Bonifacio also solicited the help of the Japanese when the Japanese warship
Kongo under the Command of Admiral Kanimura had dropped anchor at Manila Bay. He
requested for material aid and military alliance from the Japanese, but Admiral Kanimura
was unwilling to support the Katipunan. Being cautious, they did not want to be accused
of stepping in on the domestic affairs of the Spanish government.
The Discovery of the Katipunan and the Cry of Balintawak
The regular nightly gatherings of the Katipuneros made the Spanish authorities
suspicious, who became disturbed about the rampant news that certain Filipinos were
recruited to join the revolutionary society. The Spanish curates began to censure these
nightly gatherings, particularly in the parishes of Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas ans Manila.
The Katipunan was finally discovered when Teodoro Patiño, a Katipunero and a
worker of Diario de Manila, revealed the secret of the Katipunan to Fr. Mariano Gil, the
parish curate of Tondo, Manila on August 19, 1896. Father Mariano Gil promptly went to
the headquarters and informed the officers of what Patiño had told him. Together with
several witnesses, Fr. Gil searched the printing shop of Diario de Manila and found
several daggers and Katipunan paraphernalia. The Spanish authority was now convinced
of the existence of the Katipunan.
Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto and other top high ranking officials of the
Katipunan immediately escaped to HongKong when news of the discovery of the
Katipunan spread throughout Manila. On the afternoon of August 21, 1896, Bonifacio
informed the revolutionists, numbering 500, of the urgency of starting the revolution
because of the discovery of the Katipunan . Despite the objection of some KKK leaders,
Bonifacio took his cedula, tore it into pieces to symbolize his commitment to take up
arms, and shouted: “Long Live the Philippines!” His men followed his example and also
tore their cedulas. Thus, the Philippine Revolution began.
After the symbolic tearing of their cedulas, the Katipuneros proceeded to the farm
of Tandang Sora (Melchora Aquino) at Pasong Tamo where she attended to and fed the
hungry Katipuneros.
In the late afternoon, the first clash with the Spaniards began when Bonifacio was
informed by his sentinels that the guardia civils were approaching. Immediately, he
instructed his men to attack them. But his fighting men were no match for the superiority
of the Mauser and Remmington guns of the Spaniards. The rebels had two fatalities while
the Spaniards had one.
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Bonifacio and the rest of the Katipuneros retreated to Mariquina under cover of
darkness. The next day, he issued a proclamation calling all the revolutionists to attack
Manila and its neighboring towns simultaneously on August 29 and 30, 1896. However
this did not materialize, probably due to the lack of weapons and because the
revolutionists of the towns did not need Bonifacio’s call. The troops from Cavite under
the Command of General Vicente Fernandez never came.
Instead, Bonifacio and Jacinto led the attack on the Polverin (powder magazine)
of San Juan, which was well defended by about one hundred Spanish soldiers who,
although outnumbered, repulsed the attacks of the poorly trained and armed Katipuneros.
To aggravate Bonifacio’s dangerous condition, fresh Spanish troops from Manila
reinforced the defending Spaniards. The result of the Battle of San Juan (Pinaglabanan)
was disastrous to the revolutionists because one hundred fifty three Katipuneros died and
about two hundred were taken prisoners.
The Reign of Terror
In order to intimidate the Filipinos from joining the revolution, the Spanish
authorities arrested, imprisoned and executed suspected members and sympathizers of the
Katipunan. On September 6, Sancho ValenzuelaR Peralta, Modesto Sarmiento, and
Eugenio Silvestre (prisoners taken in the Battle of San Juan) were executed by musketry
at Bagumbayan. On September 12, thirteen Caviteños were shot to death in front of San
Felipe. They later came to be known as Los Trece Martires de Cavite. In the Bicol
region, twelve rebels were executed, thus making them the “Twelve Bicolano Martyrs”.
In Kalibo, Aklan, nineteen patriots were shot to death, including Francisco del Castillo
and Candido Iban, the two Katipuneros who donated money for the publication of the
Kalayaan. But the most infamous execution during the reign of terror was the killing of
Dr. Jose Rizal on December 30, 1896 at the Bagumbayan Field. These series of
executions, however, only intensified the Filipino patriots’ resolve in fighting the
Spaniards.
To neutralize and to stop the spread of the revolution, Governor-General Ramon

Blanco issued a decree on August 30, 1986 declaring the alcadias of Cavite, Laguna,
Bulacan, Batangas, Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija and Manila under a state of war and
placing them under the martial law. He also promised pardon for any rebel who
surrendered within forty-eight hours after the publication of the degree. Many of the
Katipuneros availed of the amnesty and surrendered to the Spanish authorities, including
Dr. Pio Valenzuela. But the government did not honor its promise of amnesty. Those who
surrendered were tortured and compelled to implicate other innocent Filipinos. Others
were deported to other parts of the archipelago, and outside the Philippines. The prison
cells of Fort Santiago were crowded with revolutionists and innocent Filipinos.
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The Katipunan in Cavite
Bonifacio and his team were defeated in all their battles because of the heavy
concentration of Spanish forces protecting Manila and its perimeters. However, this freed
the revolutionists in Cavite, who immediately engaged in counter-attacks against the
Spaniards and clinched their initial victory. The province of Cavite soon became the
center of the Revolution.
But the revolutionists of Cavite, though triumphant, were divided among

themselves. At that time there were two Katipunan councils: the Magdalo Council headed
by Baldomero Aguinaldo, with headquarters at Cavite el viejo (now Kawit); and the
Magdiwang Council under the leadership of Mariano Alvarez, with headquarters at
Noveleta.
The Magdalo council believed that the Katipunan government should be replaced
by a revolutionary government while the Magdiwang council wanted the retention of the
Katipunan government because it already had a constitution and by-laws. The
factionalism that existed between the Magdalo and the Magdiwang councils ended up in
several defeats that adversely affected the revolutionary movement in Cavite. To
reconcile the conflict between the two factions, the Magdiwang council requested
Bonifacio to intervene. Bonifacio left his hideout in San Mateo for Cavite together with
his wife Gregoria de Jesus, his brothers Procopio and Ciriaco, and about 20 soldiers.
They were welcomed by General Emilio Aguinaldo at Zapote.
The Tejeros Convention
On March 22, 1897, the two Katipunan councils met at a captured Recollect estate
house at Tejeros, a barrio of San Francisco de Malabon (now Gen. Trias). Both the
leaders of the Magdalo and the Magdiwang councils unanimously agreed that a new
government should replace the Katipunan. Before commencing with the election of
officers, Bonifacio proposed that whoever got the highest number of votes must be
followed and respected regardless of his means of livelihood or degree of culture, as long
as he was not a traitor to the country.
The following were elected as officials of the new government:
Emilio Aguinaldo - President

Mariano Trias - Vice-President
Artemio Ricarte - Captain-General
Emiliano Riego de Dios - Director of War
Andres Bonifacio - Director of the Interior
All was going well until Daniel Tirona, a Magdalo, questioned the ability and
qualification of Bonifacio to fulfill his responsibilities as Director of the Interior, because
he was not a lawyer.
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Bonifacio was insulted and demanded that Tirona retract his unsavory remarks, but
Tirona refused. In Bonifacio’s anger he drew his gun to shoot Tirona but Artemio
Ricarte mediated. Bonifacio then declared the election null and void, and walked out of
the assembly together with his men.
Aguinaldo, who was not present during the Tejeros convention for he was busy
fighting the Spaniards in the Battle of Imus, was notified the following day of his
election as President of the Revolutionary government. On March 23 Emilio Aguinaldo,
Mariano Trias and Emiliano Riego de Dios took their oath in the Church of Tanza,
officiated by Fr. Cenon Villafranca.
From Tejeros, Bonifacio and his men proceeded to Naik where he drew up a
document known as the Naik Military Agreement. In this military agreement, they agreed
to form an independent government separate from that of Aguinaldo. The document was
signed by 41 revolutionists including Andres Bonifacio, Severino de las Alas, Pio del
Pilar, and Artemio Ricarte.
The Trial and Execution of the Bonifacio Brothers
The Naik Military Agreement came to the knowledge of Aguinaldo. Realizing the
peril of this military agreement to the ideals of the revolution and fearing that it might
again divide the forces of the revolutionists into two opposing camps, Aguinaldo
instructed Colonel Agapito Bonzon to proceed to Limbon, Indang to arrest Bonifacio. In
the brief fight that followed Andres Bonifacio was stabbed in the throat by Ignacio Paua,
Ciriaco was killed and another brother, Procopio, was wounded.
From Indang, Andres and Procopio were taken to Marogondon to face the charges
of sedition and treason. The military trial lasted from April 29 to May 4. The
investigation was administered by Colonel Pedro Lipana, who was appointed Judge
Advocate, with Jose Elises was the prosecutor or fiscal. Teodoro Gonzales and Placido
Martinez were appointed lawyers for the Bonifacio brothers.
Without strong evidence the Council of War, composed of Gen. Mariano Noriel
as President, Crisostomo Riel, General Tomas Mascardo, Placido Martinez (Bonifacio’s
lawyer) Mariano Riego de Dios, Esteban Ynfante, and Sulficio Antony as members,
found the Bonifacio brothers guilty of sedition and treason and sentenced them to death.
However, Aguinaldo commuted the death penalty to desiertong walang taning or

indefinite banishment to an isolated place. When the commutation order of Aguinaldo
reached General Pio del Pilar and Mariano Noriel, they immediately rushed to the
headquarters and appealed to Aguinaldo to withdraw his order. They reasoned out that
letting Bonifacio live would divide the cause of the Revolution again. They argued that
Bonifacio was a dangerous man and a threat to his leadership and his government.
Aguinaldo’s other military advisers, like General Mamerto Natividad and Filicimo
Jocson, also exerted pressure on him to withdraw his commutation.
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On the morning of May 10, 1897, General Mariano Noriel instructed Major
Lazaro Macapagal to take the Bonifacio brothers out of their prison cell. He gave
Macapagal a sealed letter with instructions to read this letter upon reaching Mt. Buntis.
Upon reaching designated place, Andres Bonifacio requested Major Macapagal to open
the letter. The instruction was to execute the Bonifacio brothers at all costs.
The Biyak-na-Bato Republic
With the death of Andres Bonifacio at the hands of his own countrymen, many
Filipino patriots serving the Revolutionary Government in the provinces of Cavite,
Morong, Laguna, and Manila lost heart and withdrew from the struggle.
With all of Cavite now re-taken by the Spaniards, Aguinaldo and 500 loyal
soldiers retreated to the jungles of Batangas, to the hilly parts of Morong, to Pasig and
finally to Biyak-na-Bato, San Miguel de Mayumo, Bulacan where he established his
headquarters.
Aguinaldo assembled all his leaders at Biyak-na-Bato in July 1897 and issued an
edict calling of the people to rally to the Filipino cause. He decided to establish a
Republic with a constitution copied by Isabelo Artacho from the constitution of
Jimaguayo (Cuba). The officers were:
President - Emilio Aguinaldo

Vice-President - Mariano Trias
Secretary of Interior - Isabelo Artacho
Secretary of Foreign Affairs - Antonio Montenegro
Secretary of War - Emiliano Riego de Dios
Secretary of Treasury - Baldomero Aguinaldo
The Constitution which was prepared by Isabelo Artacho and Felix Ferrer
provided that the government be vested in a supreme council composed of a president, a
vice-president, a secretary of war and a secretary of treasury. It also provided for a Bill of
Rights and made Tagalog the official language of the Philippines.
The Truce of Biyak-na-Bato
After five months of thorough and exhaustive discussions, a temporary ceasefire

agreement was concluded by the Filipinos and the Spaniards on December 14, 1897,
ending the first phase of the Philippine Revolution. This peace treaty was mediated by
Don Pedro Paterno, an illustrious Manila lawyer.
The important provisions of the truce were the following:
1. That Aguinaldo and his leaders would go on a voluntary exile in Hong Kong.
2. That Governor-General Primo de Rivera would pay ₧800,000 in three
installments: (a) ₧400,000 upon the departure of Aguinaldo and his leaders;
Page | 83
(b) ₧200,000 when the arms surrendered went beyond 700; and ₧200,000
upon the proclamation of general amnesty and when the Te Deum had been
sung.
3. That Governor General Primo de Rivera would pay the additional sum of
P900,00 to the families of the non-combatant civilian victims.
The Truce of Biyak-na-Bato failed because both the Filipinos and the Spaniards
violated its terms and conditions. Out of the total ₧1,700,000 war indemnity, only
₧600,000 was actually paid to Aguinaldo. Many revolutionists who surrendered their
arms were arrested, incarcerated and harassed, contradictory to the amnesty
proclamation.
Many Filipinos doubted the sincerity of the Spaniards and did not surrender all
their firearms. Thus, repeated clashes between the Filipinos and the Spaniards ensued.
Another conclusive evidence of the failure of the truce was the organization of the
Central Executive Committee in Control Luzon under the leadership of General
Francisco Makabulos.

Page | 84
A. Knowledge of terminology. Write the letter of the word that is the synonym of
the term being defined.
_______ 1. Convention a) ceasefire

b) group
c) power
_______ 2. Plebeian a) commoner

b) upper class
c) aristocrat
_______ 3. Truce a) ceasefire

b) fighting
c) hostilities
_______ 4. Sedition a) allegiance

b) rebellion
c) loyalty
_______ 5. Treason a) allegiance

b) patriotism
c) disloyalty to one’s country
B. Matching Type. Match column A with column B. Write the letters only.
Column A Column B
_______1. Teodoro Patinio a.Truce of Biyak-na-Bato

_______2. Pedro Paterno b. Biyak-na-Bato Constitution
_______3. Isabelo Artocho c.Tejeros Convention
_______4. Daniel Tirona d. Naik Military Agreement
_______5.Lazaro Macapagal e. discovery of the Katipunan
f.execution of the Bonifacio brothers

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A. Knowledge of Terminology (5 points)
1. b
2. a
3. a
4. b
5. c
B. Matching Type (5 points)
1. e
2. a
3. b
4. c
5. f
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Module 3
The American
Period in the
Philippines
Page | 87
MODULE 3
THE AMERICAN PERIOD IN THE PHILIPPINES
Scope of the Module
Lesson 1. American Intentions on the Philippines

Lesson 2. The Filipino-American War
Lesson 3. Decade of Suppressed Nationalism and Continuing Resistance
Lesson 4. Filipinization Under America
Lesson 5. American Civil Governors
The third module is about the American period in the Philippines. Presented in
this module are the American intentions on the Philippines, the Filipino-American War,
the decade of suppressed nationalism and continuing resistance of the Philippines under
America. The module ends with a separate discussion of the American Civil Governors in
the Philippines.
1. identify and briefly describe the American Advent and the First Philippine
Republic;
2. discuss the significance of the Filipino-American War;
3. enumerate the factors leading to the decade of suppressed nationalism and

continuing resistance;
4. discuss the Filipinization program of America and its components; and
5. identify the different American civil governors and their contributions to the
Filipinization program.
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LESSON 1: AMERICAN INTENTIONS ON THE PHILIPPINES
Lesson Objectives:
1. identify the events leading to the American occupation of the Philippines;
2. show appreciation for the efforts of Filipino leaders; and
3. make researches on Social History
Before actual hostilities between U.S. and Spain broke out, George Dewey, the
Commander of the Asiatic Squadron based in Hongkong, was given standby instructions
by American president Theodore Roosevelt to attack Manila in the event that armed
conflict would break out. The coming of the Americans therefore was not a natural
offshoot of the Spanish-American War but an execution of a previously planned agenda
of the U.S. Navy.
On April 25, 1898, the American Congress declared war against Spain.
Understandably, Commodore George Dewey had specific orders to proceed to the
Philippines and destroy the Spanish fleet if war with Spain broke out. After war was
declared, Dewey immediately steamed to Manila Bay on board his flagship, the Olympia.
The naval battle started in the early morning of May 1, 1898 and ended at noon. It
was a massacre — the Americans did not lose a ship or man while the Spaniards had all
their ships sunk or burned. Dewey became the “Hero of the Battle of Manila Bay.”
The American victory at the Battle of Manila Bay signaled the end of the political
glory of Spain and ushered the entry of the United States as a world power. It led to the
American “benevolent assimilation” of the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Emilio Aguinaldo was advised by the Hongkong Junta, a group of

Filipino exiles in Hongkong, to return to the Philippines and resume the revolution. He
sailed to Cavite on board the McCulloch, Dewey’s revenue cutter. Upon his arrival on
May 1898, he urged Filipinos to resume the struggle for independence and help the US
against Spain.
Consequently, after his victory at the battle of Manila Bay, Dewey blockaded the
Bay. With the help of Aguinaldo and his troops, they now laid siege on Manila for it to
surrender. Aguinaldo and his men cut the supply of food and water to starve the trapped
Spaniards inside Intramuros.
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However, the Filipino troops were not aware that there had been secret
negotiations between the Spanish Governor General Fermin Jandenes and the Americans
regarding Spanish surrender to save Spanish honor. Of the conditions agreed, one became
a factor that put a wedge into the Filipino and American collaboration – the exclusion of
the Filipinos from entering the city during the Spanish surrender.
This so-called “surrender” took place on the morning of August 18, 1898 and was
referred to as the “mock battle” of Manila. The American naval guns bombarded Fort San
Antonio Abad near Bagumbayan. That afternoon, the Filipinos and Americans saw the
white flag hoisted above Intramuros, signaling Spanish surrender. The Americans entered
the Walled City and when the Filipinos tried to do the same, the former prevented the
entry of their supposed allies, as expected.
After the surrender of Manila on December 10, 1898, the American and Spanish
delegates signed the Treaty of Paris. Among other provisions contained in the treaty,
Spain ceded the Philippines, Guam and Puerto Rico to the US.
The Treaty of Paris was signed by both American and Spanish peace
commissioners without consulting the Filipinos. With the signing of the so-called “peace
treaty”, the Philippines became a territory of the United States.
Dictatorial Government
When Emilio Aguinaldo arrived at Cavite, he had with him the draft of a
constitution prepared by Mariano Ponce for the creation of a revolutionary government.
However, his adviser Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista persuaded him that the country was
not yet prepared for a revolutionary government and because of the critical conditions
brought by the war, a dictatorial government was needed. On May 24, 1898, Aguinaldo
established a dictatorial government. This was followed by the declaration of Philippine
independence on June 12, 1898 at Kawit, Cavite. The ceremony was held at the balcony
of Aguinaldo’s residence.
For the first time, the Filipino national flag made in Hongkong by Marcella
Agoncillo was officially unfurled amidst the applause and cheers of the people. The
national anthem composed by Julian Felipe was played for the first time in public.
Ambrosis Rianzares Bautista read the “Act of the Declaration of Independence”, which
he himself had prepared, during the ceremony.
Exactly ten days after the declaration of Philippine independence, Aguinaldo,

upon the advice of Apolinario Mabini, decreed the change from the dictatorial
government to a revolutionary government. Consequently, a revolutionary congress was
convened by Aguinaldo at Barasoain, Malolos. On September 15, 1898, the Malolos
Congress was inaugurated at Barasoain Church. The Malolos Congress ratified Philippine
independence and promulgated the Malolos Constitution that ushered in the birth of the
first Philippine Republic.
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On July 23, 1899, the first Republic of Asia was inaugurated in festive
ceremonies at Barasoain Church, Malolos. Aguinaldo took his oath of office as President
of the Republic.
Page | 91
_________________________ 1. Who was the Commander of the Asiatic

Squadron based in Hongkong before actual
hostilities between U.S. and Spain broke
out?
_________________________ 2. When did the American Congress declare

war against Spain?
_________________________ 3. What took place on May 1, 1898 and ended

at noon of the same day?
_________________________ 4. It was a group of Filipino exiles in

Hongkong.
_________________________ 5. When did the mock battle of Manila happen?
_________________________ 6. What was signed on December 10, 1898?
_________________________ 7. It was the most important achievement of the

dictatorial government of Aguinaldo.
_________________________ 8. It was inaugurated on September 15, 1898.
_________________________ 9. When was the first Republic of Asian

inaugurated?
_________________________ 10. Who took his oath of office as President of

the First Philippine Republic?

Page | 92
1. George Dewey
2. April 25, 1898
3. Battle of Manila Bay
4. Hongkong Junta
5. August 18, 1898
6. Treaty of Paris
7. Declaration of Philippine Independence
8. Malolos Congress
9. July 23, 1899
10. Emilio Aguinaldo
Rating: No. of Correct Answers = ______ x 10
My Rating is _______%
Page | 93
LESSON 2: THE FILIPINO-AMERICAN WAR
Lesson Objectives:
1. appraise the role of the Filipinos during the Filipino-American War;
2. assess the war in terms of its effects to the Filipinos; and
3. identify the positive and negative aspects of the Filipino-American War.
On December 21, 1898, President William McKinley issued the “Benevolent

Assimilation” proclamation, which indicated the American intention of exercising the
right of sovereignty over the Philippines. It became evident that the Americans, from the
start, had intentions of staying in the Philippines. This declaration further worsened
Filipino-American relations, which were already affected by the American treachery of
not allowing their supposed allies (the Filipinos) to enter Intramuros after the surrender of
the Spaniards, and the signing of the Treaty of Paris without the consulting the Filipino
leaders. All of these led to the Filipino-American War, which began with the San Juan
Bridge encounter.
On the evening of February 4, 1899, Private William Grayson and two comrade-
in-arms encountered a group of Filipino soldiers at the vicinity of San Juan Bridge. They
challenged the Filipinos to advance and be recognized, but were also asked to do the
same. Grayson immediately shot to death one Filipino soldier before they retreated.
Grayson’s shot drew first blood on the Filipinos, immediately causing the
outbreak of Filipino-American hostilities.
Battles were fought in order to counter American forces and the Filipinos had
their own share of victories. The most notable Filipino victory was the Battle of San
Mateo, in which General Henry Lawton, the highest ranking American military officer to
die in the armed conflict, was killed.
General Antonio Luna tried to recapture Manila, but his counterattack failed
because of the insubordination of the Kawit battalion. According to Captain Janolino of
the Kawit Battalion, he was given orders to obey only General Aguinaldo. Thus, the
battle in Manila was lost.
Page | 94
There might have been resistance in Luzon, but the Visayan campaign of the
Americans proved to be easy. A day after the fall of Cebu into American hands, the
American flag was hoisted in Negros. Proof of the American control in this province was
the “Negros Constitution”, which was submitted to President McKinley on July 20, 1898.
It became the basis for administering civil affairs in Negros.
In Mindanao, the Americans tried a different strategy in dealing with the Muslims
— using diplomacy. As a result, General John C. Bates was able to sign a peace
agreement with the Sultan of Sulu, which provided that “the rights and dignities of the
Sultan and his datus shall be fully respected, and that the US government agreed to pay
monthly salaries to the Sultan and his leaders.”
Although the Americans successfully used diplomacy as a strategy in dealing with

the Muslims, it was not effective in the north. General Gregorio Del Pilar made his last
heroic stand at Pasong Tirad. However, an Igorot by the name of Januario Galut revealed
to the Americans the existence of a trail to the top and rear of the Filipino defenders.
Caught between two American assaults, Del Pilar and his men were finally overwhelmed
by American sharpshooters.
Del Pilar was now out of the way, but the Americans still did now know the
whereabouts of Emilio Aguinaldo. However, Cecilio Segiomundo, Aguinaldo’s
messenger, fell into the hands of Colonel Frederick Funston in Nueva Ecija. Captured
with him were letters of Aguinaldo to some of his generals, asking for reinforcements to
his base at Palanan, Isabela. With the help of the Macabebe Scouts who pretended to be
Filipino reinforcement soldiers, the Americans — posing as prisoners — were able to
enter Aguinaldo’s camp without difficulty. Aguinaldo was captured and was forced to
take his oath of allegiance to the United States on April 1, 1901, thus ending the
Republic.
Page | 95
_________________________ 1. It was issued on December 21, 1898 by

President William McKinley, which
indicated American intention of exercising
the Right of Sovereignty over the
Philippines.
_________________________ 2. It was the immediate cause of the outbreak

of Filipino-American hostilities.
_________________________ 3. In this battle, General Henry Lawton was

killed and who happened to be the highest-
ranking American military officer to die in
the armed conflict.
__________________________ 4. This group was headed by Captain Janolino,

who defied orders from General Antonio
Luna.
_________________________ 5. What became a basis for administering the

Civil Affairs in Negros during the American
period?
_________________________ 6. It was a treaty concluded by General John C.

Bates with the Muslims.
_________________________ 7. This was the battle wherein General

Gregorio Del Pilar made his last galiant
stand.
__________________________ 8. They pretended to be the Filipino

reinforcement soldiers, and were responsible
for the capture of Aguinaldo.

Page | 96
1. Benevolent Assimilation
2. San Juan Bridge Encounter
3. Battle of San Mateo
4. Kawit Battalion
5. Negros Constitution
6. Bates Treaty
7. Battle of Tirad Pass
8. Macabebe Scouts
Rating: No. of Correct Answers = ______ x 12.5
My Rating is ________%
Page | 97
LESSON 3: DECADE OF SUPPRESSED NATIONALISM

AND CONTINUING RESISTANCE
Lesson Objectives:
1. discuss the significant events that unfolded during the period of continuing
resistance;
2. justify the moves for independence as shown in the continuing resistance

movement; and
3. research on nationalism and literature and journalism during the decade of

suppressed nationalism and continuing resistance.
The Filipino guerillas and the Muslims continued their resistance against
American rule even after the capture of General Emilio Aguinaldo on March 23, 1901 in
Isabela, which brought about the fall of the Malolos Republic. Even when William
Howard Taft was appointed Civil Governor in July 1901, “insurrection” in several
provinces continued. Many Filipino patriots like Apolinario Mabini and other
irreconcilables stayed in Manila, and continued opposing the American rule through their
writings. There were some Filipino nationalists who gave moral and financial support to
those who continued to fight the Americans.
But it was Macario Sakay who showed the strongest resistance against the
Americans. A barber from Tondo and stage actor in “Moro-Moro” during the Spanish
period, he was put to jail under the Sedition Law. Released after the proclamation of
amnesty in July, 1902, he resumed his revolutionary activities and went to the mountains,
eventually taking command of the guerillas in the Rizal-Cavite-Laguna-Batangas areas.
And so the Tagalog Republic of Macario Sakay was formed with its own flag,
government and constitution.
The Americans continued to suppress nationalism and the continuing resistance of

the Filipinos. Several laws were passed by the Philippine Commission to further the
interests of the Americans.
Act No. 292 or the Sedition Law was passed on November 4, 1901, which
imposed the death penalty or long prison terms to any Filipino advocating independence.
The Brigandage Act was passed on the November 12, 1902, classifying guerilla
resistance as bandolerismo or banditry.
Page | 98
On June 1, 1903 the Philippine Commission passed the Reconcentration Act, allowing
the provincial governors to reconcentrate all residents of outlying barrios to facilitate the
apprehension of rebels who were being hidden and protected by the people.
Reconcentration resulted in food scarcity, malnutrition, and diseases and epidemics due
to overcrowding and the poor sanitary conditions in the camps.
The American government also passed the Flag Law on August 23, 1907. This
law banned the display or use of all Filipino banners, flag and emblems.
Page | 99
_________________________ 1. What brought about the fall of the Malolos

Republic?
_________________________ 2. He was a barber from Tondo and a stage

actor in “Moro-Moro” during the Spanish
period.
_________________________ 3. This was formed by Macario Sakay and his

men covering the Rizal-Cavite-Laguna-
Batangas area.
_________________________ 4. What is the other term for Act No. 292?
_________________________ 5. The Spanish term for banditry as classified

in the Brigandage Act.
_________________________ 6. It was passed by the Philippine Commission

on June 1, 1903.
_________________________ 7. This law banned the display or use of all

Filipino banners, flag, and emblems.

Page | 100
1. The capture of Emilio Aguinaldo

2. Macario Sakay
3. Tagalog Republic
4. Sedition Law
5. Bandolerismo
6. Reconcentration Act
7. Flag Law
Rating: No. of Correct Answers = _______ x 14.29
My rating is _________%
Page | 101
LESSON 4: FILIPINIZATION UNDER AMERICA
Lesson Objectives:
1. identify and discuss the programs of the Americans related to Filipinization;
2. manifest objectivity in appreciating the positive and the negative contributions

of the Americans in our lives as a people; and
3. formulate a reference of events related to the Filipinization program.
The Filipinization program of America, which was designed for self-government,

was composed of three components. The first one was to give the Filipinos the
opportunity to manage their own local affairs to the fullest extent to which they were
capable, and to the least of government’s control and supervision.
This particular component paved the way for the reorganization of the local
governments through Act No. 82, also known as the Municipal Code, as formalized by
the Philippine Commission in January 1901. Under this code, the Chief Executive Officer
called “Municipal President” the Vice-President and the members of the municipal
council were elected by popular vote every two years.
The Philippine Commission delegated numerous powers like tax collection,

management of municipal property, and construction of buildings, to the municipal
government but it subjected them to strict supervision by the provincial government
which was controlled by the Americans. All municipal ordinances were subject to review
by the provincial board.
Eventually, the Philippine Commission enacted Act No. 83, otherwise known as
the Provincial Code, on February 6, 1901. Among others, this code provided for
provincial governors, as chief executive of each province, to be elected by the councilors
of the municipalities in the provinces for a term of two years. The Executive Bureau in
Manila supervised the provincial governments.
The second component of the Filipinization program aimed to improve the system
of education, particularly in the primary schools.
Page | 102
On June 21, 1901, the Philippine Commission passed Act No. 74, creating the
Bureau of Public Instruction and providing that all “primary instruction shall be free.”
The act also provided for the establishment of schools in every community. Most of all,
the Act decreed that the English language shall be made the medium of instruction.
Subsequently, laws were passed by the Philippine Legislature which included the
establishment of secondary education, vocational/industrial schools, and a teacher-
training institution. The Philippine Normal School (now Philippine Normal University)
was established in 1903 and the Philippine School of Arts and Trades (now
Technological University of the Philippines) was established in 1905. In 1908, the
Philippine Commission approved Act No. 1870, creating the University of the
Philippines.
The third component was concerned with the personal and social rights of the
people of the islands, and aimed to treat them with the same courtesy and respect for their
personal dignity which the people of the United States are accustomed to require from
each other.
This particular component put great emphasis on the health of the Filipinos. The
Americans believed that a nation with sick people cannot have dignity, and therefore
gave serious attention to public health. In 1901, the Philippine Commission created a
Board of Public Health, later on a Bureau, to take care of the health conditions in the
country. They also installed modern water systems. As a result of these health campaigns,
there was a considerable decrease in the death rate due to illness. Most importantly, the
people began to discard some of their traditional beliefs and superstitions about illnesses,
became more conscious about their nutrition, and thus improved their standard of living.
Page | 103
_________________________ 1. This program referred to the self-government

of the Filipinos during the American period.
_________________________ 2. The other term for Act. No. 82.
_________________________ 3. Under Act No. 82, how was the Chief Executive
Officer of a municipality called?
_________________________ 4. What were subjected to review by the

provincial board as provided in the
Municipality Code?
_________________________ 5. When did the Philippine Commission enact the

Provincial Code?
_________________________ 6. Which bureau supervised the provincial

governments?
_________________________ 7. What was provided in Act No. 74?
_________________________ 8. The old name of Philippine Normal

University?
_________________________ 9. It was the university created by Act No. 1870.
_________________________ 10. It was given serious attention when the

Americans came, first by the army medical
officer.

Page | 104
1. Filipinization
2. Municipal Code
3. Municipal President
4. all municipal ordinances
5. February 6, 1901
6. Executive Bureau in Manila
7. free primary instruction
8. Philippine Normal School
9. University of the Philippines
10. public health
Rating: No. of Correct Answers = _______ x 10
My rating is _________%
Page | 105
LESSON 5: AMERICAN CIVIL GOVERNORS
Lesson Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, the student is expected to be able to:
1. describe the prevailing conditions of the Philippines;
2. appreciate the contributions of the American Civil Governors to our

country; and
3. identify the positive and negative contributions of the American Civil

Governors to our country.
In this lesson, we shall identify some American civil governors and their
accomplishments.
Luke K. Wright was inaugurated Civil Governor on February 1, 1904. He

achieved considerable progress in transportation and communication. During his
administration, more than 700 kilometers of road work built in Luzon, connecting Manila
to the provinces of Cavite, Rizal, Batangas, Laguna, and Tayabas. In the Visayas,
particularly in Cebu and Panay, more than 200 kilometers of railways were built. Manila
was greatly developed. Its harbor was modernized, i.e., water supply was improved,
more streets were widened and paved, a system of waste disposal and drainage was built.
Henry C. Ide became Governor-General on April 2, 1905. He was the author of

the “Code of Civil Procedure” in 1901 and “Internal Revenue Law” in 1905. During his
incumbency, the postal Savings Bank under the Bureau of Posts was established.
James Francis Smith succeeded Ide as civil governor on September 20, 1906. His
first official act to call the provincial governors to a national convention, which met on
the first day of October 1, 1906. Governor Sergio Osmeña of Cebu was chosen president
of the convention.
William Cameron Forbes was Civil Governor of the Philippines from November
11, 1909 to September 1, 1913. As a governor, he is best remembered for the numerous
public improvements he had made in the construction of public buildings, roads, and
highways. As a result, he is often called the “road-building governor.”
Page | 106
Francis Burton Harrison was the first Democrat to become Civil Governor of the
Philippines. He was the first civil governor to truly work on the Filipinization program of
America. His eight years of incumbency were full of accomplishments.
Leonard Wood was the next civil governor after Harrison, and he served for six
years from 1921-1927. During his term, there was a marked improvement in the
Philippine economy. He secured legislation providing for eleven additional judges of the
Courts of First Instance for speedy resolution of cases.
When Leonard Wood died of brain tumor in 1927, Henry L. Stimson succeeded
him as the next civil governor. For a year as civil governor, he helped in the restoration
of “regular and responsible cooperation” between him and the Filipino leaders. When
Stimson was recalled to the United States to serve as Secretary of State, he was
succeeded by Dwight F. Davis.
Davis was responsible for the construction of insular buildings in Manila, the
division of the Bureau of Agriculture into Bureau of Plant Industry and Bureau of Animal
Industry, and construction of about 12,000 kilometers of roads.
Theodore Roosevelt Jr., the eldest son of President Theodore Roosevelt, took over
as civil governor when Davis resigned on February 29, 1932. He paid attention to the
fishing industry. Provisions were made for the propagation of fish, open and closed
seasons and prohibited the use of dynamites and other explosives in fishing.
Frank Murphy succeeded Roosevelt as the next civil governor and happened to be
the last Governor General of the Philippines. Among Murphy’s achievements was the
granting of suffrage to Filipino women.

AND THEN THE MODULE TEST)
Page | 107
Matching Type Match column A with column B. Write the letter of the correct
answer on the space provided.
A B
_____ 1. Frank Murphy a. inaugurated Civil Governor on

February 1, 1904
_____ 2. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
b. he recommended to grant suffrage to
_____ 3. Dwight F. Davis Filipino women
_____ 4. Henry L. Stimson c. succeeded Ide as civil governor
_____ 5. Leonard Wood d. he paid attention to the fishing

industry
_____ 6. Francis Burton Harrison
e. author of the Code of Civil Procedure
_____ 7.. William Cameron Forbes
f. he was responsible for the construction
_____ 8. Henry Clay Ide of 12,000 kilometers of roads
_____ 9. James Francis Smith g. the road-building governor
_____ 10. Luke K. Wright h. he helped in the restoration of

“regular and responsible cooperation”
between him and the Filipino leaders
i. championed the Filipinization program
j. there was a marked improvement in

the economy during his time as
governor-general

Page | 108
1. b
2. d
3. f
4. h
5. j
6. i
7. g
8. e
9. c
10. a
Rating: No. of Correct Answers = ____ x 10
My rating is _______%
Page | 109
Module 4
The
Commonwealth
Years and the
Japanese Regime in
the Philippines
Page | 110
MODULE 4
THE COMMONWEALTH YEARS AND
THE JAPANESE REGIME IN THE PHILIPPINES
Scope of the Module
Lesson 1. The Independence Missions

Lesson 2. The Commonwealth Period
Lesson 3. The Japanese Period
Lesson 4. The Liberation
Lesson 5. The Third Republic
The Commonwealth years and the Japanese regime in the Philippines are
discussed in this module. Topics included are the Independence Missions that went to the
United States, the Commonwealth Period, the Japanese Period, the Period of the
Liberation and the Third Republic of the Philippines.
1. identify the different Independence missions sent to the United States,

including the members of each;
2. identify the problems encountered by the Commonwealth government and

learn how these problems were addressed;
3. describe the economic, social, educational and cultural conditions during the
Japanese Regime;
4. explain the significance of the successful landing of the American liberation

forces in Leyte and point out its symbolism; and
5. cite the achievements of the Presidents of the Third Republic.
Page | 111
LESSON 1: THE INDEPENDENCE MISSIONS
Lesson Objectives:
1. identify the independence missions that pursued our claims for independence;
2. differentiate and articulate the roles and contributions of the Independence

missions; and
3. form your own reaction to the aspect of Independence missions.
The passage of the Jones Law in 1916 encouraged the Filipino leaders to clamor
for independence. Though this clamor was interrupted during the First World War, it was
revived by the Filipinos immediately after the war, and focused on U.S. President
Woodrow Wilson’s promise to give the Philippines self-determination and territorial
integrity.
Consequently, independence missions were sent to the United States, one after the
other, to work for our country’s early independence.
The first independence mission left for the United States on February 23, 1919,
headed by Manuel L. Quezon. Rafael Palma was the Vice Chairman of a big delegation
composed of the members of the Philippine Legislature among others.
Though Quezon’s team tried to convince the U.S. government of the need for the
immediate granting of independence to the Philippines, all he got were assurances. There
were pressing problems to attend to that time and the issue of independence was shelved.
The second independence mission was sent to the United States in 1923, and was headed
by Speaker Manuel Roxas. The mission tried to convince U.S. President Calvin Coolidge of the
need for the immediate granting of independence to the Philippines. Just like Quezon’s mission,
all this mission got were assurances.
The third independence mission that was sent to the United States on December 6,
1931 was headed by Senate President Pro-tempore Sergio Osmeña and Speaker Manuel
Roxas, assisted by Senate Minority Floor Leader Emiliano Tirona and several others.
Popularly known as the OS-ROX missions, it succeeded in getting the support of the US
Congress through the Hare-Hawes-Cutting Law. Among others, the law provided that
independence would be granted to the Philippines after a transition period of ten years. It
was the first definite promise of independence to the Filipinos. Even observers noted that
Page | 112
this was a political masterstroke for the political career of Osmeña and the bringing home
of this law would be the greatest asset that any political leader would acquire.
However, this law was rejected by the Filipino people under the leadership of
Quezon, who personally opposed the law and argued that better terms should have been
obtained.
After the defeat of the Hare-Hawes-Cutting Law, the Philippine Legislature

appointed Quezon to head another mission to the United States to seek a more favorable
independence law.
The Quezon mission arrived in Washington on December 7, 1933. President

Theodore Roosevelt was supportive of the mission. Eventually, Quezon was able to get
the support of Senator Milard Tydings and John McDuffie to sponsor a bill that would
provide independence to the Philippines. Loosely based on the Hare-Hawes-Cutting Law
with some amendments, the Tydings-McDuffie Law was passed and signed by President
Roosevelt on March 24, 1984. The Philippine Legislature accepted this law on May 1934.
Page | 113
Identification Identify the items described.
______________________________ 1. It encouraged the Filipino leaders to

clamor for independence
______________________________ 2. Who was the president of the United

States when the Philippines sent its first
independence mission?
______________________________ 3. Who headed the first independence

mission that was sent to the United
States on February 23, 1919?
______________________________ 4. What popular term refers to the mission

which was headed by Sergio Osmeña
and Manuel Roxas?
______________________________ 5. What bill provided that independence

would be granted to the Philippine after
a transition period of ten years?
______________________________ 6. It was the first definite promise of

independence to the Filipinos.
______________________________ 7. Who personally opposed the Hare-

Hawes-Cutting Law and argued that
better terms should have been obtained?
______________________________ 8. Who was the U. S. president when

Quezon headed another mission to seek
a more favorable independence law?
______________________________ 9. It was signed by President Theodore

Roosevelt on March 24, 1934.
______________________________ 10. When did the Philippine Legislature

accept the Hare-Hawes-Cutting Law?

Page | 114
Identification (10 points)
1. Jones Law
2. Leonard Wood
3. Manuel L. Quezon
4. OS-ROX Missions
5. Hare-Hawes-Cutting Bill
6. Hare-Hawes-Cutting Law
7. Manuel L. Quezon
8. Theodore Roosevelt
9. Tydings-McDuffie Law
10. May 1934
Page | 115
LESSON 2: THE COMMONWEALTH PERIOD
Lesson Objectives:
1. discuss the significant events which unfolded before the Commonwealth

Period;
2. assess the years of the Commonwealth Period; and
3. identify the positive and negative aspects of the Commonwealth Government.
The Commonwealth period refers to the period in Philippine history from 1935-
1946. This was the time when the Philippines had a commonwealth government that was
republican in form, with its own constitution as provided for in the Tydings-McDuffie
Law.
Elections were held, with Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio Osmeña winning as
President and Vice-President respectively over their opponents Emilio Aguinaldo and
Bishop Gregorio Aglipay.
The inauguration of the Philippine Commonwealth took place on November 15,

1935. President Manuel L. Quezon, in his speech, promised to build a government that
would be just, honest, efficient and strong.
Just like any other government, the Commonwealth had also its share of
problems, which it strived to address in the best way it could.
The Problems Encountered
1. National Identity
This problem grew serious as the power and prestige of Japan increased while that
of other powers decreased. Then the American defense of the Philippines from its
external enemies, especially from Japan, became difficult. Because of this apprehension,
the National Assembly enacted Commonwealth Act No. 1, known as the National
Defense Act, to set up the country’s defense system.
Page | 116
2. Political Stability
The first half of the Commonwealth period was characterized by an apprehension

about the presence of an “irresponsible autocracy”, enhanced by weak opposition parties.
The Nacionalist Party headed by Quezon was so well entrenched that observers described
the Commonwealth as a “Quezon Government”. Quezon endorsed the party-less
democracy for the country. In his view, partisan politics was incompatible with good
government.
3. Economic Development
This was said to be a serious problem that confronted the Commonwealth

Government. Undoubtedly, the sound economy of the country would sustain its political
independence and enable it to provide the people with the basic social services and
prosperity needed to preserve their dignity as a people.
4. Social Discontent
The socio-economic condition of the majority of the people was very

unsatisfactory, because the majority of the people remained poor. There was no equal
distribution of wealth and land.
President Quezon realized that the government had to do something in order

to improve the welfare of the Filipinos. He launched his social justice program, which
aimed to emancipate the masses from the injustices that they had been suffering for a
long time. He secured the enactment of laws that would improve the socio-economic
condition of the masses. Quezon felt that “Social justice means that you should
receive what is due to you.”
5. National Language
President Manuel L. Quezon felt strongly that it was ridiculous for a country
about to become independent to use either Spanish or English as a common tongue, and
even so, not everybody spoke either or both of them. As a consequence, the first National
Assembly enacted CA 184 to establish an Institute of National Language. The institute,
on November 1937, recommended to President Quezon the adoption of Tagalog as the
basis of the national language. On December 30, 1937, Quezon made the official
proclamation under Executive Order No. 134. On June 9, 1940 the Filipino national
language was declared by law to be the official language of the Philippines, effective
upon the granting of independence on July 4, 1946.
Page | 117
______________________________ 1. It refers to the period in Philippine

History from 1935 to 1946.
______________________________ 2. What law provided for the creation of

the commonwealth government in the
Philippines?
______________________________ 3. When did the inauguration of the

Philippine Commonwealth take place?
______________________________ 4. Who was elected president of the

Commonwealth Government?
______________________________ 5. What problem of the Commonwealth

Government grew serious as the power
and prestige of Japan increased while
that of other powers decreased?
______________________________ 6. What is the other name for

Commonwealth Act No. 1?
______________________________ 7. It was referred to as the most serious

problem that confronted the
Commonwealth Government.
______________________________ 8. They pretended to be Filipino

reinforcement soldiers, and were
responsible for the capture of Aguinaldo.
______________________________ 9. For Manuel L. Quezon, it means you

should receive what is due to you.
______________________________ 10. It served as the basis of the national

language of the Philippines.

Page | 118
1. Commonwealth Period
2. Tydings-McDuffie Law
3. November 15, 1935
4. Manuel L. Quezon
5. National Security
6. National Defense Act
7. Economic Development
8. National Economic Council
9. Social Justice
10. Tagalog
Page | 119
LESSON 3: THE JAPANESE PERIOD
Lesson Objectives:
1. interpret the prevailing conditions in the Philippines during the Japanese

period;
2. recognize the sacrifices made by our leaders as well as their heroism as they
clamor for independence;
3. create visual aids as they interpret the subject matter.
The presence of American military installations in the Philippines was the main
reason why the Japanese invaded the country and held it under its regime.
When the Americans acquired the Philippines, they thought it was strategically
located, and thus economically profitable. They were confident that no foreign power —
not even the Japanese — would dare touch the Philippines as long as they were around.
But they were wrong.
In 1941, the Japanese forces seemed unstoppable and President Theodore

Roosevelt began to worry about the possible invasion of the Philippines. And so the
USAFFE was born. This combined force of the Philippines reserve and regular forces,
which were incorporated into the United States Army under the command of General
Douglas Mc Arthur, was referred to as the United States Army forces in the Far East.
However, the Americans were caught unaware when the Japanese bombers
attacked Pearl Harbor, an American naval base in Hawaii, in the early morning of
December 7, 1942, Hawaiian time. The next day, the United States declared war against
Japan. This declaration started the Second World War.
The American forces retreated to Bataan and Corregidor. Several days after,
Bataan and Corregidor fell into the hands of the Japanese forces under General Masaharu
Homma. The infamous “Death March” was painful proof of the fall of Bataan and
Corregidor. Eventually, with the surrender of the entire USAFFE forces, the fall of the
Philippines became official.
Japanese rule officially began on January 8, 1943 which, according to General

Homma, was the day when the Japanese emancipated the Filipinos from the oppressive
domination of the United States of America.
Page | 120
There were changes in the economic, social, educational and cultural conditions
during the Japanese Regime.
Economic Conditions
The economy was very bad during the Japanese occupation. For most people, the
procurement of food and staying alive became a daily struggle. Life was hard and very
trying.
Money was considered “Mickey Mouse”, so-called because it was never, to all
Filipinos, any better than play money. There was a huge scarcity of food, which
prompted Jose P. Laurel, President of the “Puppet Republic”, to appeal to the people to
plant vegetables in their own backyards.
Social Life
One of the most important problems that confronted the Filipinos was the kind of
treatment the people received from the Japanese military police, known as kempeitai. The
people were discriminated, physically assaulted, and verbally abused. They were
punished merely upon suspicion, or false denunciation by informers or “makapili” who
harbored personal grudges against them. There was also the practice of collective
responsibility for individual acts.
Filipino women were raped. Thousands of maidens and wives were made
“comfort women” or sex slaves by the Japanese soldiers. Rosa Henson, who died
recently, was one of those who were forced to serve the carnal needs of the Japanese.
There were also spies who made life for the Filipinos very dangerous. The spies
were paid by the Japanese to point to them the hostile or “subversive” Filipinos. As a
result, many Filipinos were executed due to the machinations of these spies.
The guerillas, in addition, also created fear in the hearts of the Filipinos. Although
they were supposed to fight the Japanese, they were quick to kill Filipinos whom they
believed collaborated with the Japanese.
In view of these, the Japanese occupation became years of hunger, pain and
agony.
Cultural Conditions
Stage shows were always showcasing anti-Japanese sentiments. Lamberto

Avellana was very popular for his double-edged satire, which caused him to be jailed
prison by the Kempeitai.
Page | 121
In one of his plays, Avellana used characters with names such as Arturo (for
McArthur) and Felisa (for Filipinos). The story plot was that Arturo left Felisa, but only
for a moment because he was merely whiling away with his friend “Solomon” (the
Solomon Islands) and he was sure to come back to his own true love.
In the theatres all over the country, only Japanese pictures, Filipino photoplays
that did not glorify America, and a handful of Hollywood musical were allowed to be
shown. Before any picture aired, it had to pass through strict Japanese censorship.
The Filipinos were discouraged from writing in English, the English section of the
magazine Manila Tribune was censored. Because Filipinos were encouraged to write in
Filipino, Tagalog became popular. However, there was no freedom of expression because
the writers were censored and were closely watched.
Education
The Japanese authorities felt it important to reorient the Filipinos’ thinking so as

to remove all Western ideas, and thereby redirect their minds towards Japan’s war
policies.
Most Filipino students had to sit through lessons in Nippongo and Japanese
culture. In addition, the subject matter of all textbooks were changed to suit the Japanese
norms.
As a result, portions of existing textbooks that did not conform to basic Japanese
principles were eliminated. All pages that carried illustrations of Filipino and American
flags were marked out and ultimately eliminated. The teachers, too, had to be re-taught.
Page | 122
______________________________ 1. What was the main reason why the

Japanese invaded the Philippines and
held it under its Regime?
______________________________ 2. What does USAFFE mean?
______________________________ 3. It was an American naval base in

Hawaii, which was attacked in the early
morning of December 7, 1942, Hawaiian
time.
______________________________ 4. It was a painful proof of the fall of

Bataan and Corregidor.
______________________________ 5. When did the Japanese Rule in the

Philippines begin?
______________________________ 6. This term refers to the Japanese military

police.
______________________________ 7. This term refers to Filipino informers

during the Japanese Regime.
______________________________ 8. He was very popular for his double-

edged satire which caused him to be
hailed prison by the Kempeitai.
______________________________ 9. It became popular because Filipinos

were encouraged to write in Filipino.

Page | 123
1. presence of American military installations

2. United States Army Forces in the Far East
3. Pearl Harbor
4. Death March
5. January 8, 1943
6. Kempeitai
7. makapili
8. Lamberto Avellana
9. Tagalog
Page | 124
LESSON 4: THE LIBERATION
Lesson Objectives:
1. Explain the significance of the successful landing of the American forces in

Leyte;
2. Appreciate how the liberation motivated the Filipinos to achieve high ideals of
liberalism and democracy;
3. Make researches on local history.
The events prior to the liberation were collectively termed as the Resistance
Movement. Even before Bataan fell to the Japanese, patriotic Filipinos had already
started preparing for partisan warfare, an anticipation of a short stay of the enemy in the
Philippines and their eventual defeat.
Those Filipino commanders who refused to surrender to the Americans,

especially those from the North, started preparing the peasants for guerilla war. Thus, the
Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa Hapon (People’s Army Against the Japanese), or Hukbalahap,
was organized. Similar guerilla movements in the Visayas and Mindanao were also
organized.
The guerilla movement played a very important role in the liberation of the
Philippines from the Japanese. When it was able to establish contact with the American
intelligence, through Lt. Col. Guillermo Nakar, an alliance between McArthur’s men and
the guerilla forces was formed. This led to the eventual downfall of the Japanese forces.
The date for the invasion of Leyte was set for October 20, 1944. This invasion
would pave the way for the “return of the beloved”, and was to be carried out by the
forces under General Mac Arthur. To carry out this task, MacArthur was responsible for
the convergence of transports, supply ships, fire support ships, escort carriers, mine craft,
landing craft, and cargo ships.
And so the battle started. To soften the enemy positions in Leyte, carrier strikes
were carried out from October 9 to October 20. Similar attacks were also conducted in
other places in order to paralyze Japanese activities and defenses.
With the Japanese forces neutralized by heavy bombings and naval guns, two
army crops landed on the morning of October 20. Beach-heads were established and soon
the troops fanned out in several directions to drive out the enemy.
Page | 125
That same afternoon General MacArthur, President Sergio Osmeña, General Carlos P.
Romulo and several others waded ashore to capture the beaches. The Americans had
returned.
The landing in Leyte was fought with a series of battles that eventually
annihilated the enemies. The Battle for Leyte Gulf, the greatest naval battle in history,
was fought simultaneously in three different places from October 24 to 26. In its
magnitude and significance, the Battle for Leyte Gulf exceeded all previous naval
combats. Succeeding battles like the Battle of Surigao Strait, the Battle of Samar, the
Battle of Cape Engaño and the Landing at Lingayen Gulf all led to the eventual liberation
of Manila in the late afternoon of February 3, 1945.
The Liberation of Manila resulted in the organization of a civil municipal

government as ordered by MacArthur. The temporary seat of the Commonwealth
Government was established in Tacloban, Leyte, on October 23, 1944. On February 27,
1945, General MacArthur, who had taken over the government as Military Administrator,
turned over the reins of the civil government to President Sergio Osmeña. On July 4 of
the same year, MacArthur proclaimed the liberation of the entire Philippines from the
enemy.
Inspite of this, Japan — proud of her strength and prouder still of her samurai
spirit — refused to surrender. On August 6, the United States unleashed the deadly
atomic bomb on Hiroshima, demolishing almost half of the city and killing thousands of
inhabitants. On August 9, another atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. Russia, too,
declared war against Japan on the same day. Faced with total annihilation, Japan
unconditionally accepted the Allies’ demand for surrender, on the battleship Missouri at
Tokyo Bay. The Second World War was over.
Page | 126
______________________________ 1. The meaning of HUKBALAHAP
______________________________ 2. The date of the invasion of Leyte
______________________________ 3. He was tasked to carry out the invasion

of Leyte.
______________________________ 4. He was the President of the

Commonwealth Government when Mac
Arthur returned to the Philippines.
______________________________ 5. What was said to be the greatest naval

battle in history?
______________________________ 6. When was the liberation of Manila?
______________________________ 7. Where was the temporary seat of the

Commonwealth Government as ordered
by Mac Arthur on October 23, 1944?
______________________________ 8. What Japanese city was bombed on

August 6, 1945?
______________________________ 9. Which European country declared war

against Japan on August 9, 1945?
______________________________ 10. When did the Second World War end?

Page | 127
1. Hukbong Bayan Laban sa Hapon

2. October 20, 1944
3. General Douglas Mac Arthur
4. Sergio Osmeña
5. Battle for Leyte Gulf
6. February 3, 1945
7. Tacloban, Leyte
8. Hiroshima
9. Russia
10. September 2, 1945
Page | 128
LESSON 5: THE THIRD REPUBLIC
Lesson Objectives:
1. identify and analyze the various contributions of the Presidents under the
Third Republic;
2. manifest pride in the works of our leaders for nation-building; and
3. write a reaction paper on the achievements and problems of the various

administrations under the Third Republic.
In this particular lesson, we will discuss the presidents of the Philippines who
served under the Third Republic as well as their achievements during their term of office.
We will begin our discussion with the national elections held on April 23, 1946.
Two major political parties participated in the first-ever national elections held in the
country after World War II. These were the Nacionalista Party and the Liberal Party.
Sergio Osmeña was the standard banner of the Nacionalista Party, and Manuel
Roxas was the presidential candidate of the Liberal Party.
Manuel Roxas won and was sworn into office as the third president of the
Commonwealth on May 25, 1946. Two months after, on July 4, 1946, the Philippines’
independence was proclaimed and Manuel Roxas became the first President of the
Philippine Republic.
Manuel Roxas
Manuel Roxas served as President of the Philippines from July 4, 1946 to April
16, 1948. A statesman from Capiz, Roxas began the building of the economy of war-born
Philippines. He laid down the other top priorities of his administration such as: the
industrialization of the Philippines, the preservation of close cooperation and special
relations with the United States, and the maintenance of law and order.
On the night of April 16, 1948, President Roxas died of a heart attack at Clark
Field, Pampanga, after delivering a speech before American servicemen and Filipino
supporters.
Page | 129
Elpidio Quirino
Vice-President Elpidio Quirino became the second President of the Third

Republic after the death of President Manuel Roxas. He directed his efforts at two
principal objectives: the continuation of the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the
economy, and the restoration of the confidence and cooperation of the people in the
government.
As President, Elpidio Quirino had the following to his credit:
1. the creation of PACSA (President’s Action Committee on Social

Amelioration), the purpose of which was to alleviate the economic plight of
the masses,
2. the establishment of the ACCFA (Agricultural Credit Cooperative Financing

Administration) to help farmers avail of low-interest loans from government,
3. the establishment of the Rural Banks and Labor Management Advisory Board,
the Presidential advisory body.
The Qurino administration excelled in foreign relations. With his statesmanship,

Quirino impressed visiting heads of state and foreign diplomatic corps. In his official
trips abroad, he was an ambassador of goodwill and friendship par excellence.
Ramon Magsaysay
Ramon Magsaysay was the Secretary of National Defense under the Quirino
administration. He had become popular among Filipinos because of his outstanding
success in breaking the backbone of the HUKBALAHAP Movement.
In the presidential elections on November 10, 1953, Magsaysay was the standard
bearer of the Nacionalista Pary. Expectedly, he defeated President Elpidio Quirino
because of his simplicity and honesty. He became the most popular President the masses
ever had. There was a special day for the “common tao” in Malacañang. He also visited
far-flung rural areas unannounced. He was called President of the Common Tao, Man of
the Masses, and The Guy.
Among his achievements were the following:
1. Successful restoration of people’s confidence in the government;
2. Improvement of the standard of living through the construction of more

irrigation systems, bridges, artesian wells and roads;
Page | 130
3. Implementation of the use of the Barong Tagalog in official and social

functions;
4. The establishment of the SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization), a

regional politico-military aggregation, on September 18, 1954;
5. Negotiation with Japan on a separations agreement which was finally signed

in Manila (Japan would pay war separations in the amount of $300,000,000
for 25 years);
6. The San Francisco Treaty, which officially ended the state of war between
Japan and the Philippines.
On March 17, 1957, President Magsaysay died when his plane, the Mt. Pinatubo,
crashed at Mt. Manunggal in Cebu.
Carlos P. Garcia
The day after the tragic death of President Magsaysay, Carlos P. Garcia, who was
then Vice-President, took his oath as the fourth president of the Third Republic. Born in
Talibon, Bohol, Garcia completed Magsaysay’s unexpired term, after which he ran and
won his own four-year term in the elections that were held on November 12, 1957.
Diosdado Macapagal of the Liberal Party was elected Vice-President. This was the first
time the Filipinos elected a President and Vice-President from opposing political parties.
The Garcia Administration had the following achievements:
1. The propagation of the concept of Filipino Muna (Filipino First Policy), to

promote and protect Filipino products;
2. The projection of Filipino culture through the goodwill tours of the Bayanihan
Folk Dance Troupe and other groups around the world;
3. Respect for human rights, and maintenance of free elections;
4. The creation of the Dr. Jose P. Rizal Centennial Commission; and
5. The promotion of international peace and harmony through official visits.
Diosdado Macapagal
The presidential elections of November 14, 1961 saw another president in the
person of Diosdado Macapapagal. Known as the “poor boy” from Lubao, Pampanga,
Macapagal was inaugurated as the fifth President of the Republic of the Philippines.
Page | 131
He was a bar topnotcher, a respected law practitioner, a respected writer and an effective
speaker.
His administration’s achievements were as follows:
1. Enactment by Congress of the Agricultural Land Reform Code;
2. Changing of the date of the celebration of Independence Day in the

Philippines from July 4 to June 12;
3. The use of the Filipino language in passports and other diplomatic credentials,
school diplomas, traffic signs and stamps;
4. Filing of the official claim of the Philippines over Sabah on June 22, 1962;
5. The creation of the MAPHILINDO (Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia)

Organization, an economic alliance.
Ferdinand E. Marcos
First Term (1965-1969)
Ferdinand E. Marcos of Batac, Ilocos Norte became President of the Philippines

after he defeated Diosdado Macapagal in the presidential elections of November 9, 1965.
On December 30, 1965, with his slogan, “This nation can be great again,” Marcos took
his oath of office as the sixth president of the Philippine Republic.
During his first term as president, Marcos had the following achievements:
1. The building of more infrastructure like roads, bridges, schoolhouses;
2. The improvement of the Philippine National Railways (PNR);
3. The introduction of the “miracle rice” and the construction of additional

irrigation systems;
4. The extension of financial and technical assistance to Filipino farmers;
5. The effective collection of taxes;
6. The intensive drive against smuggling, organized crime, and the communist
New People’s Army;
7. The successful holding of the Manila Summit Conference on October 24-25,

1966 attended by different heads of states.
Page | 132
Second Term (1969-1986)
Ferdinand Marcos was the first Filipino president ever reelected to office. It was
evident that the Filipinos were satisfied with his performance during his first term, for
which they re-elected him to a second term on November 11, 1969.
But under Marcos’ second term, the Filipino people suffered from a grave
economic crisis which was brought about by the rising price of oil. The oil price hike
raised prices of commodities upward and many Filipinos became jobless. The “floating
peso” continuously devaluated against the dollar. His second term was now characterized
by rampant graft and corruption in the government; the widening gap between the rich
and the poor; and the prevalence of crimes, subversion, and the threat of a communist
takeover.

Page | 133
______________________________ 1. When was the inauguration of the

Republic of the Philippines?
______________________________ 2. The first president of the Third

Philippine Republic
______________________________ 3. What were the two principal objectives

of the Quirino Administration?
______________________________ 4.
______________________________ 5. He was Secretary of National Defense

under the Quirino Administration before
he became president.
______________________________ 6. He was called “The Guy”
______________________________ 7. He took his oath of office as President

on March 18, 1957.
______________________________ 8. He was inaugurated as the fifth President

of the Philippine Republic.
______________________________ 9. What is the meaning of MAPHILINDO?
______________________________ 10. The slogan of President Marcos when he

took his oath of office as the sixth
President of the Philippine Republic.

Page | 134
1. July 4, 1946
2. Manuel Roxas
3. continuation of the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the economy
4. restoration of the confidence and cooperation of the people in the government
5. Ramon Magsaysay
6. Ramon Magsaysay
7. Carlos P. Garcia
8. Diosdado Macapagal
9. Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia
10. This nation can be great again
Page | 135
Module 5
Contemporary
Philippine History
Page | 136
MODULE 5
CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE HISTORY
Scope of the Module
Lesson 1. The Martial Law Years

Lesson 2. The Aquino Administration
Lesson 3. The Ramos Administration
Lesson 4. The Estrada Administration
Lesson 5. The Arroyo Administration
This module presents the modern history of the Philippines, referred to as

contemporary Philippine history. This module covers the Martial Law years, the Aquino
administration, the Estrada administration and the present administration.
1. identify the contributory factors/events leading to the declaration of Martial Law;
2. point out the effects of the Aquino assassination;
3. cite the achievements of the Ramos administration;
4. identify some alleged anomalies, irregularities and scandals during the Estrada
administration;
5. discuss the events leading to the assumption of Gloria Arroyo as President of the
Philippines.
Page | 137
LESSON 1: THE MARTIAL LAW YEARS
Lesson Objectives:
1. identify and analyze the factors that led to the declaration of Martial Law;
2. relate the experiences derived from history and make it a tool to their
everyday life; and
3. compile hard copies of memorabilia relating to the Martial Law years.
There were certain events that led to the declaration by Ferdinand Marcos of
Martial Law in the Philippines.
Poverty prevalent. As previously discussed, poverty was aggravated by the rise of

unemployment, inflation, and the rapid increase of population; the deterioration of peace
and order; and the widespread graft and corruption in government. Filipinos from all
walks of life – teachers; civil, religious and labor leaders clamored for social change.
Then more organizations came out to publicly dramatize their demands for
changes in the Marcos government. Radical student groups like the Kabataang
Makabayan (KB) and Samahan ng Demokratikong Kabataan (SDK) advocated violent
revolution. The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), on the other hand, was the
most radical among the organizations and advocated complete social change. Likewise,
the New People’s Army (NPA), a group led by more idealist and dedicated communist
cadres, became the most potent threat to the national stability during the late 60’s.
Consequently, these threat to national stability and security were perceived by

Marcos as ones that should be dealt with through drastic action. For Marcos, the only
way to restore the credibility of his government was to declare Martial Law. Hence,
claiming the survival of the state as his reason, Marcos issued Proclamation 1081 on
September 21, 1972, placing the entire Philippines under Martial Law. Nine years later,
on January 17, 1981, he lifted Martial Law by virtue of Proclamation No. 2045.
Page | 138
______________________________ 1. According to the Kabataang Makabayan

and Samahan ng Demokratikong
Kabataan, what was the only way to
achieve drastic changes in the
government?
______________________________ 2. It became the most radical among the

organizations that advocated for social
change during the Marcos years.
______________________________ 3. According to Marcos, what was the only

recourse left to restore credibility in his
government?
______________________________ 4. When did Marcos declare Martial Law?
______________________________ 5. It was a splinter group which gradually

became the most potent threat to the
national stability during the late 60’s.
______________________________ 6. It was the other term for Martial Law.
______________________________ 7. What proclamation lifted Martial Law?
______________________________ 8. When was Martial Law lifted?

Page | 139
Identification. (8 points)
1. violent revolution
2. Communist Party of the Philippines
3. Martial Law
4. September 21, 1972
5. New People’s Army
6. Proclamation No. 1081
7. Proclamation No. 2045
8. January 17, 1981
Page | 140
LESSON 2: THE AQUINO ADMINISTRATION
Lesson Objectives:
1. describe the prevailing conditions of the Philippines after the Aquino

assassination;
2. show appreciation for those who pursued the cause of democracy; and
3. identify the achievements of the Cory Aquino Administration
Three years before Cory Aquino became the first President of the Fifth Republic,
her husband, former Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., was assassinated on August
21, 1983.
Consistently regarded as the strongest political opponent and as a possible

presidential contender against Marcos, Ninoy, as he was fondly called, was hit by a single
bullet as he set foot on his native soil upon his return after three years of exile in the
United States.
Generally considered as a hero by the people, his assassination inspired the EDSA
Revolution in 1986 that brought down the 20-year Marcos regime and led to his wife
Corazon Aquino’s assumption of the presidency.
National problems were further aggravated after Ninoy Aquino’s assassination.

Political and economic crises were felt. These crises forced Marcos to call a snap election
on February 1986, which showed two sets of winners: The NAMFREL (National
Movement for Free Elections) had Corazon Aquino and Salvador Laurel as winners,
while the COMELEC (Commission on Elections) proclaimed Marcos and his running-
mate Arturo Tolentino as winners.
This resulted in Cory Aquino’s call for civil obedience (boycott of crony media
and products), which eventually led to the People Power Revolt (EDSA I).
The EDSA Revolution started as a military revolt of the RAM (Reform the
Armed Forces Movement) at the Ministry of National Defense, which was then headed
by Juan Ponce Enrile. Together with AFP Vice Chief of Staff General Fidel Ramos, they
hastily gave a press conference to announce their withdrawal of support from the Marcos
government. Both Enrile and Ramos called on Marcos to resign.
Page | 141
The religious orders, parliamentarians, and Filipino masses formed human

barricades around Camps Aguinaldo and Crame to protect Ramos and Enrile. On the
night of February 25, Marcos and his family fled to Hawaii.
February 25, 1986 marked the restoration of democracy in the Philippines.

Corazon Aquino was inducted as President at Club Filipino, and became the first woman
President of the Philippines.
Her term as president, however, was beset with many problems. Natural and man-
made disasters, which included earthquakes, typhoons, volcanic eruptions, floods, and
coup attempts, characterized the Aquino presidency. Pangasinan and Baguio were
shattered by an earthquake, while Mount Pinatubo’s eruption rendered thousands of
Filipinos in Central Luzon homeless. The series of coup attempts against the Cory
government caused the economy to tumble in desperate fluctuation.
To Aquino’s credit, she was able to survive all these crises. She successfully
served her six-year term, ushering in a peaceful transition for her successor. Her
government was most popular for the CARP (Comprehensive Agrarian Reform
Program). According to Aquino, this program would emphasize on the development of
agriculture as a basis for the attainment of industrialization. But Cory will be most
remembered for the restoration of democracy in the Philippines. She said: “The first of
those aspirations was democracy, not economic freedom and profits, but democracy – the
Filipinos’ birthright and racial identity.”
Page | 142
______________________________ 1. Who was assassinated on August 21,

1983?
______________________________ 2. Which Philippine election was said to be

the most anomalous?
______________________________ 3. What was the beginning of the 1986

People Power Revolt?
______________________________ 4. Who was the Vice Chief of Staff of the

AFP during the 1986 People Power
Revolt?
______________________________ 5. When did the Marcoses flee to Hawaii?
______________________________ 6. Who became the first woman President

of the Philippines?
______________________________ 7. It was President Aquino’s most

important reform.
______________________________ 8. What does the acronym CARP stand

for?
______________________________ 9. It caused the rendering of thousands of

Filipinos in Central Luzon homeless.
______________________________ 10. It is the most important achievement of

the Aquino administration.

Page | 143
1. Benigno Aquino Jr.

2. 1986 Presidential elections
3. the military revolt of the RAM (Reform the Armed Forces Movement)
4. Fidel V. Ramos
5. February 25, 1986
6. Corazon C. Aquino
7. Agrarian Reform
8. Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program
9. Mount Pinatubo eruption
10. restoration of democracy

Page | 144
LESSON 3: THE RAMOS ADMINISTRATION
Lesson Objectives:
1. appraise the prospects of the Filipinos as a people as they face the challenges
of the millennium;
2. recognize the achievements of the Ramos Administration; and
3. identify the positive and negative aspects of the Ramos Administration.
Fidel Valdez Ramos became the second president of the Fifth Republic when he
won the presidential elections in May 1992. An anointed candidate of outgoing President
Corazon Aquino, he won over six opponents, becoming the first Protestant President of
the Philippines.
The Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP), or what was popularly known as
“Philippines 2000”, was the centerpiece of the Ramos’ administration. This plan was
considered by analysts as a grand and ambitious plan to achieve a newly-industrialized
country (NIC) status on or before the turn of the millennium. Its primary thrust was the
improvement of the “quality of life” of the Filipino.
Achievements
1. Resolution of conflicts with the Communist Party of the Philippines, National

Democratic Front, New Liberation Front, New People’s Army, and the MNLF (Moro
National Liberation Front) of Nur Misuari in Mindanao
2. Granting of amnesty to rebel military officers
3. Holding of the 4th APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) leaders’ meeting in
the Philippines in 1996
4. Deals amounting to approximately US $20 billion worth of investments
5. Creation of the Presidential Anti-Crime Commission (PACC) on July 7, 1992, headed

by Vice-President Joseph Estrada
Page | 145
6. Creation of the National Centennial Commission
7. Enactment of the “Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995”, which gave
protection to millions of overseas Filipino workers
Problems
1. The Energry crisis. Power outages occurred from two to four hours, and even up to
eight hours a day in Metro Manila and in many areas of Luzon. Some areas in the
Visayas and Mindanao experienced power failures of about 35% or more. The
Philippine Congress passed the Electric Power Crisis Act of 1993 (Republic Act No.
7648), which granted Ramos emergency powers to solve the energy crisis.
2. Peace and order
3. Abu Sayyaf. This was a fundamentalist Islamic group that discriminatorily abducted
Christians and made them hostages for ransom. This group was founded by
Abdurajak Janjalani, a former Islamic scholar in the early 90’s.
4. The insurgency, secessionist and military coup problems
5. Foreign relations. The territorial dispute over the ownership of the islands in the
Spratleys brought regional tension involving the Philippines and China.
Page | 146
______________________________ 1. He became the second president of the

Fifth Republic when he won the
presidential elections in May, 1992.
______________________________ 2. It was considered as the centerpiece of

the Ramos Administration.
______________________________ 3. It was the more popular term for

Medium Term Development Plan?
______________________________ 4. What was the purpose behind the

Medium Term Development Plan?
______________________________ 5. It was the primary thrust of the MTDP of

the Ramos Administration.
______________________________ 6. What does the acronym APEC stand for?
______________________________ 7. What law gave protection to millions of

overseas Filipino workers?
______________________________ 8. This problem of the Ramos

Administration referred to the power
shortages which occurred from two to
four in many areas of Luzon.
______________________________ 9. This law granted President Ramos

emergency powers to solve the energy
crisis.
______________________________ 10. This problem brought a regional tension

involving the Philippines and China.

Page | 147
1. Fidel V. Ramos
2. Philippines 2000 / MTDP
3. Philippines 2000
4. to achieve a newly-industrialized (NIC) status
5. improvement of the “quality of life of the Filipino”
6. Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
7. Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995
8. Energy Crisis
9. Republic Act No. 7648
10. Spratleys issue

Page | 148
LESSON 4: THE ESTRADA ADMINISTRATION
Lesson Objectives:
1. identify the initial achievements of the Estrada Administration;
2. manifest objectivity in assessing the problems of the Estrada Administration;
3. research on the impeachment trial of Joseph Estrada.
The Philippines held another election for national and local officials in May 1998.
Joseph Estrada, the former Vice-President, won as president by getting 30% —the
majority — of the votes. His triumph was expected as he anchored his campaign through
his professed concern for the poor and down-trodden. With his campaign slogan “Erap
para sa mahirap” he easily got the support of the masses.
On the morning of June 30, 1998, Estrada was sworn in by Supreme Court Chief
Justice Andres Narvasa as the 13th president of the country. President Estrada promised to
liberate the Filipino people from poverty, and to eradicate graft and corruption. He boldly
declared war against “hoodlums in uniform barong and robes” (corrupt military and
government officials, and the judiciary) saying that he would take stern action against any
wrong doings in his administration. He also sternly warned against cronyism and
nepotism.
However, Estrada’s administration was shortlived. His administration was beset

not only by problems with peace order and national security, but also by controversies,
scandals, and anomalies.
Anomalous transactions like the purchase of textbooks by DECS in 1999, in

which a presidential relative was involved; purchases of radio equipment at the DILG;
and the questionable trading of the shares of stocks at BW Resources, a company owned
by a presidential crony; contributed to the downfall of the Estrada Administration.
These alleged anomalies and irregularities committed by Estrada were further

highlighted by the expose of Luis “Chavit” Singson, a very close drinking buddy, who
accused him of being the “lord of all jueteng lords”.
Events eventually led to the filing of impeachment proceedings against Estrada,

and the trial which began on Thursday, December 7, 2000. He was the first president of
the country, and in Asia, to be impeached.
Page | 149
The trial lasted for two months but ended without a decision. The trial came to an
abrupt halt because of “evidence” about a secret bank account allegedly held by Estrada.
The prosecutors wanted to open the envelope containing the records of a 3.3 billion peso
bank account in the name of Jose Velarde, the alleged alias of Joseph Estrada. The
senators then voted on whether to allow the opening of the envelope or not. Ten senators
voted “yes” while eleven “pro-Estrada” senators voted “no”. The envelope was not
opened.
Perceived as a repression of the truth, indignant people gathered once again at

EDSA to continue the trial of Estrada via the parliament of the streets. From January 17
to 20, 2001, hundreds of thousands of people from all sections and classes of society
came to converge at the EDSA Shrine and demanded one call – Erap Resign. AFP and
PNP officials and top directors went on television to announce their withdrawal of
support from Estrada. Later, most of the cabinet members also resigned from their posts.
On January 20, 2001, President Estrada and his family were finally convinced to
leave Malacañang, and his administration ended.
Page | 150
______________________________ 1. Who was sworn in as the country’s 13th

president and the fifth republic’s third?
______________________________ 2. What was the campaign slogan of Joseph

Estrada?
______________________________ 3. How long did the Estrada

Administration last?
______________________________ 4. He was a very close drinking buddy of

Estrada who exposed the latter’s
involvement in jueteng.
______________________________ 5. When did the first impeachment trial in

Asia open?
______________________________ 6. How long did the impeachment trial

last?
______________________________ 7. What was the demand of the hundreds of

thousands of Filipinos who converged at
the EDSA Shrine?
______________________________ 8. When did Estrada’s administration end?

Page | 151
1. Joseph Estrada
2. Erap para sa Mahirap
3. two years and seven months
4. Luis “Chavit” Singson
5. December 7, 2000
6. two months
7. Erap Resign
8. January 20, 2001

Page | 152
LESSON 5: THE ARROYO ADMINISTRATION
Lesson Objectives:
1. interpret the prevailing conditions in the Philippines which led to the Arroyo
Presidency;
2. justify the Filipinos’ clamor for a new government;
3. identify the achievements and problems of the Arroyo Administration.
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was the first presidential daughter to return to

Malacañang as president. She is the daughter of former President Diosdado Macapagal.
Her first stint in government service was during the administration of Corazon Aquino
when she was appointed undersecretary of Trade and Industry.
She first threw her hat into the political arena when she ran for senator in the May
1992 elections. She placed 13th in this race, which qualified her to be senator for three
years. Then in 1995 she ran again and this time, she topped the senatorial polls,
qualifying her to a full 6-year term in the Senate.
In 1998, she was tapped by the then administration party, LAKAS-NUCD, to run
as vice-president. She was the running mate of Speaker Jose De Venecia who was
defeated by Joseph Estrada. She, however, won the vice presidency with a huge margin
over her opponents.
In the Estrada Cabinet, she served as the Secretary of the Department of Social
Welfare and Development.
When Joseph Estrada was removed from office, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was
sworn in as the new president of the Philippines on the afternoon of January 20, 2001, by
Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr. Arroyo became the 14 th president of the Philippines and
the first president to take the oath of office at the makeshift platform of the EDSA Shrine.
She became the fourth president of the Fifth Republic and the second woman president of
the country.
One of the President Arroyo’s first official acts was to prohibit her family and
relatives from engaging in transactions with the government. She ordered the resumption
of peace talks with insurgent groups, particularly the MILF and NPA. She also took a
Page | 153
tougher stand against the Abu Sayyaf, which continued to sow terror in southern
Philippines.
On December 30, 2002, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared on national television

that she would not run for president in the 2004 elections.
To date, Arroyo’s administration is still suffering from problems that she inherited
from her predecessor, Joseph Estrada. In Mindanao, Nur Misuari, the MNLF (Moro
National Liberation Front) founder and chairman posed another threat to the security in
the region. He activated his fighters when he lost his position as Governor of the
Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and led several hundred MNLF
fighters in an attack on Jolo. Misuari escaped to Malaysia but was arrested and detained
there. He was brought back to the Philippines to face trial for the crime of rebellion and is
currently temporarily detained in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Page | 154
Identification Identify the items described
______________________________ 1. Who became the 4th president of the

Fifth Republic and the second woman
president of the country?
______________________________ 2. Who administered the oath of Arroyo as

the 14th president of the Philippines?
______________________________ 3. When did Arroyo take oath as President

of the Philippines?
______________________________ 4. What was ordered to be resumed by

President Arroyo when she assumed as
president?
______________________________ 5. Which group continued to sow terror in

Southern Philippines even during the
Arroyo administration?
______________________________ 6. He was the MNLF founder and

chairman.
______________________________ 7. What does the acronym MNLF stand

for?
______________________________ 8. What does the acronym ARMM stand

for?
______________________________ 9. What crime was Misuari accused of?
______________________________ 10. When did President Arroyo declare that

she would not run for president in the
2004 elections?

Page | 155
1. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

2. Justice Hilario Davide, Jr.
3. January 20, 2001
4. peace talks
5. Abu Sayyaf
6. Nur Misuari
7. Moro National Liberation Front
8. Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao
9. rebellion
10. December 30, 2002

Page | 156
REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY
Agoncillo, Teodoro A. 1990. History of the Filipino People. Quezon City: Gaviotech
Publishing.
Constantino, Renato. 1999. The Philippines: The Continuing Past. Quezon City: The
Foundation for Nationalist Studies.
Muhi, Estrellita. 2001. Brief History of the Filipino People. Quezon City: Optimum
Books.
Zaide, Sonia. 1994. The Philippines: A Unique Nation. Quezon City: All Nations
Publishing Co., Inc.
Page | 157

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AIDE LEARNING SERIES

ASIAN INSTITUTE FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, INC.

MODULE 1 - The Land and Its People

MODULE 2 - The Spanish Regime in the Philippines

MODULE 3 - The American Period in the Philippines

MODULE 4 - The Commonwealth Years and the

MODULE 5 - Contemporary Philippine History

Module 1 – The Land and Its People

Lesson 1 - Geography, Climate and Natural Wonders and

Module 2 – The Spanish Regime in the Philippines

Lesson 1 - The Spanish Conquest of the Philippines ………………. 39

Module 3 – The American Period in the Philippines

Lesson 1 - American Intentions on the Philippines …………………. 89

Lesson 1 - The Independence Missions ……………………………. 112

Module 5 – Contemporary Philippine History

Lesson 1 - The Martial Law Years ………………………………… 138

PHILIPPINE HISTORY AND CULTURE

Description of the Subject

Scope of the Subject

Module 1. The Land and Its People

MODULE 1: THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE

Scope of the Module

The module contains five lessons, as follows:

Lesson 1. Geography, Climate and Natural Wonders and Scenic Places

Overview of the Module

Objectives of the Module

At the end of this Module, the student is expected to be able to:

1. explain the theories about the origin of the Philippines;

LESSON 1: GEOGRAPHY, CLIMATE, NATURAL WONDERS

At the end of the lesson, the student is expected to be able to:

1. identify the major features of the geography of the Philippines;

2. describe the climate of the Philippines; and

3. appreciate the natural wonders and scenic places of the Philippines.

The Philippines is an archipelago composed of more than 7,000 islands and

The Philippines has numerous mountains and volcanoes. Of some 52 volcanoes,

Rivers, Valleys and Plains

Natural Wonders and Scenic Places

(PERFORM PROGRESS CHECK TEST FOR LESSON 1)

PROGRESS CHECK TEST 1

1. Geographically, the Philippines is located in __________.

a. Southeast Asia b. East Asia

2. The climate of the Philippines is __________.

3. The Philippines is an __________ country.

4. The hottest month in the Philippines is __________.

5. The coldest month in the Philippines is __________.

6. The longest river in the Philippines is __________.

a. Cagayan River b. Pampanga River

7. The largest single plain area in the Philippines is __________.

a. Cagayan Valley b. Zambales Plain

a. Pacific Ocean b. Atlantic Ocean

9. The capital of the province of Aklan is __________.

10. The second largest island in the Philippines is __________.

COMPARE YOUR ANSWERS WITH THE ANSWER KEY TO THE

KEY TO PROGRESS CHECK TEST 1

Rating: No. of Correct Answers = ____ x 10

LESSON 2: REGIONALIZATION OF THE PHILIPPINES

At the end of the lesson, the student is expected to be able to:

1. explain the reason for the regionalization of the Philippines;

2. assess the regionalization program of the Philippines; and

3. list down the major cities of the Philippines.

Region I San Fernando, La Ilocos Norte (Laoag City),

Region II Tuguegarao City Batanes (Basco),