HISTORY\ TIMELINE: About the Philippines

Bodies of Water:
The Philippines boast of many different kinds of natural
water forms, such as bays, rivers, lakes falls, gulfs,
straits, and swamps. Because it is made up of islands,
the country's coastline, if laid end-to-end, would measure
around 17.5 thousand kilometers. The Philippines is
blessed with excellent natural harbors for ports
like Manila Bay. Other excellent harbors with port
potentials are found in Ilocos, Pangasinan,
Visayas, and Mindanao. The three largest rivers in
the country are the Cagayan River in Northern Luzon,
the Rio Grande de Mindanao, and the Agusan River, also
in Mindanao. Also noteworthy in terms of size are the
Agno, Pasig, Angat Pampanga, and Bicol rivers in Luzon.
Most popular among tourist is the famous underground
river in Palawan. Aside from rivers, the country also
abounds with lakes. Easily the most famous is the heart-
shaped Laguna de Bay. Other famous lakes are Taal in
Batangas, Sampaloc in Laguna, Buhi and Bulusan in
Bicol, Naujan in Mindoro oriental, and Lanao and Mainit in
Mindanao. Generating power for the Nations growth are
the magnificent waterfalls that serve as tourist
attractions, as well. The biggest is waterfalls is the Maria
Cristina falls, it can be found in the North Western
part of Lanao province in Mindanao, while the most
popular is Pagsanjan falls in Laguna, where tourist came
in droves.

Natural Resources


The Philippines is rich in natural resources. It has fertile,
arable lands, diverse flora and fauna, extensive
coastlines, and rich mineral deposits. About 30% of the
land area of the country was determined be geologically
prospective by the Philippine Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau.
But Only 1.5% of country's land area is covered with
mining permits. Despite the rich natural resources of the
Philippines, the government is restricting its exploitation.
A logging ban is imposed on many areas of the country
and only in select areas are "sustainable logging"
allowed. However illegal logging and small-scale illegal
mining continues is many areas. In July 2012,
President Benigno Aquino III ordered a stop to all mining
activities in all (78 areas) protected and eco-tourism
sites. A positive step in the right direction to protect the
natural resources of the Philippines.

* 67,000 years: The history of the Philippines is believed to have
begun with the arrival of the first humans using rafts or primitive boats.
*30,000 years: The Negritos migrated to the Philippines from
Borneo, Sumatra, and Malaya. The Malayans followed in
successive waves. These people belonged to a primitive epoch of
Malayan culture, which has apparently survived to this day
among certain groups such as the Igorots. The Malayan tribes
that came later had more highly developed material cultures.
*In the 14th century: Arab traders from Malay and Borneo
introduced Islam into the southern islands and extended their
influence as far north as Luzon.
*March 16, 1521: First recorded visit from the West is the arrival
of Ferdinand Magellan, who sighted the island of Samar Island and
landed on Homonhon Island (now part of Guiuan, Eastern
Samar province) the next day. Homonhon Island is southeast of
Samar Island.
[2]
* February 13, 1565: Spanish colonization and settlement began with
the arrival of Miguel Lpez de Legazpi's expedition. Who established
the first permanent settlement of San Miguel on the island of Cebu.
The expedition continued northward reaching the bay of Manila on the
island of Luzon on June 24, 1571, where they established a new town
and thus began an era of Spanish colonization that lasted for more
than three centuries.
Spanish rule achieved the political unification of almost the whole
archipelago, that previously had been composed by independent
kingdoms, pushing back south the advancing Islamic forces and
creating the first draft of the nation that was to be known as
the Philippines. Spain also introduced Christianity, the code of
law and the oldest modern Universities in Asia.
* 1565 to 1821: The Spanish East Indies were ruled as part of
the Viceroyalty of New Spain and administered from Mexico City and
administered directly from Madrid, Spain from 1821 until the end of
the SpanishAmerican War in 1898, except for a brief period of British
rule from 1762 to 1764. They founded schools, a university, and some
hospitals, principally in Manila and the largest Spanish fort
settlements. Universal education was made free for all Filipino
subjects in 1863 and remained so until the end of the Spanish colonial
era. This measure was at the vanguard of contemporary Asian
countries, and led to an important class of educated natives, like Jos
Rizal. Ironically, it was during the initial years of American occupation
in the early 20th century, that Spanish literature and press flourished.
* August 1896: The Philippine Revolution against Spain culminating
the establishment of the First Philippine Republic. However, the Treaty
of Paris, at the end of the SpanishAmerican War, transferred control
of the Philippines to the United States. This agreement was not
recognized by the insurgent First Philippine Republic Government
which, on June 2, 1899, proclaimed a Declaration of War against the
United States. The PhilippineAmerican War which ensued resulted in
massive casualties. Philippine president Emilio Aguinaldo was
captured in 1901 and the U.S. government declared the conflict
officially over in 1902.
*1950s and 1960s:The Philippines in the late 1960s and early 1970s
saw a rise of student activism and civil unrest against
President Ferdinand Marcos who declared martial law in 1972
.
The
peaceful and bloodless People Power Revolution of 1986, however,
brought about the ousting of Marcos and a return to democracy for the
country. The period since then was marked by political instability and
hampered economic productivity. However, economic growth has
gained pace in recent years to become one of the highest in Asia; as
such the Philippines has been labeled one of the Next
Eleven countries due to promising future growth.








HANNA J. LAPIDANTE 1-6