The Need for Study Controversies and Conflicting Views

The conclusion is that the Filipino youth, in general, had a “very shallow knowledge and
appreciation” of the country’s history and cultural heritage.

Every student in Philippine history should therefore be able to know, understand and
critically analyse various controversies and conflicting views because these may affect
their lives as Filipino and citizens of contemporary society.

Controversies and Conflicting views

It has been said that the Philippine had “one past but many histories” is true in this case.
Different author’s and writers of Philippine history book vary in their description of the
Philippine’s physical features. The following are the controversial issues.

The Philippine Physical Features

Pepito M. Capito prepared a list of controversial issues in Philippine history. He got the
information from the book of Pedro H. Gagelonia, author of history professor in FEU in
1963.

1. Number of Island and Islets in the Philippines

Different authors of history books had different views on the number of island and islets.
a. Molina – 7,083 islands
b. Agoncillo and Alfonso- 7,000
c. Alip-7,100
d. Zaide- 7,083
e. Ariola- 7,100
2. Numbers of named Islands and Unnamed Islands
a. Agoncillo and Alfonso- 3,000 named, 4,000 unnamed Islands
b. Alip - 2,773 named Islands the rest are still unnamed
c. Zaide – different data in his own books.
(1).Philippine history for catholic schools and Republic of the Philippines, 1963- 2,773
named islands?
(2). Philippine political and cultural history, 1957-2,782 named islands?
d. Gagelonia , The Filipino Historian- 2,000 islands have been named
e. Google, Wikipedia- 5,000 islands are yet to be named
3. Location of the Philippines
a. Zafra- Philippine is located about 700 miles or 126.54 kms. From the Mainland of
China.
b. Molina – Philippinesis located southeast of Asiatic Mainland.
c. Alip – Philippines Lies about 700 miles or 1126.54 kms Southeast of Asia Mainland
d Zaide- Philippines is asprawling archipelago fringing the Southeastern rim Asia
Mainland.
4. Location of the Philippines Deep
Philippine Trench, Mindanao Trench or Mindanao Deep. This is the third deepest in the
world which located on the east of the Philippines. This is located in Luzon trending
southeast to the northern Maluku Island of Haimahera, Indonesia.
5. Longest River in the World
Fact :Largest ,Longest, Widest river in the Philippines is the Cagayan River or Rio de
Cagayan, located in Northeastern part of Luzon that traverses the province of Nueva
Vizcaya, Quirion, Isabela and Cagayan. The Rio De Mindanao is the second largest
river located on the southern part of Mindanao. Its headwaters are in the mountains of
Impasugong, Bukidnon, South of Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental.
6. Straits
Naturally formed,narrow but navigatable waterway that connects two larger bodies of
water.
7. Coastline
It is also called seashore where land meets the sea or ocean, or a line that forms the
boundary between the land and the ocean, sea, or lake.
8. Mountains
Mt. Apo is the highest mountain in the Philippines but historian disagree or differ in their
data on the height of Mt. Apo.
9. Mount Pulag or Mount Pulog
Is the third highest mountain in the Philippines and Luzon’s highest peak at 2.922
meters above sea level. It borders between the province of Benguet, Ifugao, and Nueva
Vizcaya.

The Cry of Balintawak or Cry of Pugad Lawin

Where did Andres Bpnifacio “CRY”? Contrived controversy for nearly a century. It is
considered as a turning point of the Philippine history.There were five dates of the Cry-
August 20,23,24,25, and 26 and five different venues for the first cry, Balintawak,
Pugadlawin, Kangkong, Bahay-Taro and Paong Tamo.

The first issue: Been widely accepted and belived that the first cry of the revolution took
place in balintawak, Caloocan in august 23,1896.

The second: First cry was in august 23,1896,but the exact place is not in balintawak but
pugadlawin. Balintawak tradition continjues to thrive.

The third: The cry occurred towards the end of August 1896 and that all the places
mentioned above are in Caloocan ( now a big city) which in those times was a district of
balintawak.

OBE APPROACH, NEW GENERAL EDUCATION

CURRICULUM COMPLAINT.

Dr.MARIANO M. ARIOLA, AB; BSE;MAED;LL.;Ed.D.,L.P.T.

ROWENA P. ARAJAS,BEED;MAED (CANDIDATE), L.P.T.