Readings in Philippine History (RHist) Notes

Compiled and prepared by: Minmin Ponteras (Faculty)

CAS, Department of Political Science and Social Sciences
With notes courtesy of Dr. Rowela Chiu and Ms. Ping Varela

Meaning and Relevance of History

 As a field of study, it is a study of man and his achievements from the beginning of written records
to the present time (Gray, 1956, De Viana, 2015)

 As a record, it is a documented history of man and his society.

 As a literature, it is an effective presentation of unfolding events. The historian has the ability to
depict the unravelling of fateful events and to portray the rise and deterioration of character of
events, ranking it with novels and epic poetry.(Abbot cited in De Viana, 2015)

HISTORY is not merely a chronology of events but a pattern on how man and his society have evolved
from the primitive form to the present; showing his ability to cope with obstacles and challenges that he
himself or nature has placed throughout his existence.

Sources of History
A. Written or inscribed sources
1. Birth and death certificates
2. Marriage certificates
3. Directories
4. Church records
5. Letters and diaries
6. Local newspapers
7. Census reports
8. Title deeds
9. Surveyor’s notes
10. School records
11. Government records
12. Business records
13. Police records
14. Books
15. Souvenir programs
16. Hospital records
17. Inscriptions – e.g. Laguna Copper Plate, Inscription dated A.D. 900
 B. Graphics /visual materials and artifacts
1. Photographs
2. Heirlooms and keepsakes
3. Arts and crafts
4. Tools, weapons and utensils
5. Old structures and landmarks
6. Skeletal remains with funeral furniture and paraphernalia
C. Folklore/oral literature
D. Oral history through interviews

Sources of Philippine History

BATIS
- stream or spring
- Spring of historical information
- The usual batis are documents especially archival documents.

Types of Sources
1. Primary sources
- the lifeblood of history
- Directly talks about the subject matter (De Viana 2015)
- Accounts of people who are direct participants or eyewitnesses to an event
- Examples:
 Minutes of meeting
 Diaries and journals
 Autobiographies
 Speeches
 Receipts
 Essays written by a person expressing his views
 Laws
 Letters of instructions
 Decrees
 Letters
 Eyewitnesses’ accounts
 Official reports
 Newsletter articles reporting directly about the event
 Editorials or books containing direct quotation of events
 Human fossils
 Artifacts
 Royal decrees and laws
 Official reports
 Chronicles
  Friars’ Accounts
 Maps
 Memoirs
 Personal Account
 Newspaper
 Magazine
 Legislative journals
 Court records
 Speeches
 Personal letters
 On line databases
 Blogs
 Documentary films
 Recorded interviews
- Repositories of Primary Sources
1. National Archives of the Philippines
2. National Library of the Philippines
3. National Historical Commission of the Philippines
4. National Museum of the Philippines
5. UP Library
6. DLSU Library
7. AdMU Rizal Library
8. UST Library
9. Library of Congress
10. National Archives and Records Administration
11. Archivo General de Indias
12. Archivo General de la Nacion
13. American Historical Collection, Rizal Library, AdMU
14. Lopez Memorial Museum
15. Ayala Museum

2. Secondary Sources
- Are documents or works made by individuals who are not directly involved in the events or made
by people who obtained the information from somebody else or from primary sources

Examples:
• Textbooks
• Encyclopedia entries
• Newspaper accounts of a meeting
• Magazine articles about a subject
• Teachers’ reports on student behavior as reported by school counselors
3. General References
• A general reference merely points the reader to the primary or secondary sources.
• Examples:
• Contents of a card catalogue
• Internet publication stubs
• Abstracts or summaries of a book

• All sources of historical data must be subjected to rigorous scientific analysis to determine both
their authenticity and their accuracy
• through external and internal criticism (Gottchalk, 1969)

External criticism is the establishment of authenticity

• Its purpose is to ensure that the documents are not mere forgeries or inventions
Internal criticism is the establishment of accuracy.
• Its purpose is to evaluate the accuracy and the worth of the data.

Factors to consider in establishing authenticity

• Physical test
• Chemical test
Factors to consider in establishing accuracy
• Author’s knowledge
• Time delay
• Motives and biases of the author
• Consistency of the data

Oral History
We all have stories to tell, stories we have lived from the inside out. We give our experiences an
order. We organize the memories of our lives into stories.
Oral history listens to these stories. Oral history is the systematic collection of living people’s
testimony about their own experiences. Historians have finally recognized that the everyday memories
of everyday people, not just the rich and famous, have historical importance. If we do not collect and
preserve those memories, those stories, then one day they will disappear forever.
• Oral history is the systematic collection of living people's testimony about their own experiences.
• Oral history is not folklore, gossip, hearsay, or rumor.

Reasons for interpreting Philippine history from a Filipino point of view:

A. Foreign interpretation is biased and prejudicial.
B. The Filipinos have greater familiarity with and understanding of our own culture and history.
C. The Filipino point of view can help promote nationalism and patriotism
History as a tool in understanding national identity
A. It can help in tracing the roots of the Filipino people.
B. It serves as a tool in identifying commonalities in our culture and experiences.
C. It points out the need for nationalism in nation-building.

THE SETTING:
The Philippines is situated in the southeast section of Asia.
It is bounded in the north by Taiwan, in the west by the South China Sea, in the east by the
Pacific Ocean, and in the south by the Celebes Sea.
It is included in the Asia-pacific rim.
It lies slightly a little above the equator.

Character of the land

It is an archipelago consisting of about 7,107 islands and islets
This explains the weakness of the Filipinos’ sense of nationalism, the diverse languages spoken
in the country, the strong sense of regionalism and the existence of subcultures throughout the
island.
The Philippines stretches almost a thousand miles from north to south.
It has a land surface area of 114, 830 square statute miles or 300,000 square kilometers.
It is mountainous and has several active, as well as dormant volcanoes.
It has a number of good river systems.
The Philippines has a tropical climate.
Population – 105 M
National Language – Filipino but with 87 local dialects and English is considered as official language
Religion – 90% Christians, 5-10% Muslims etc.
Literacy Rate -96.5% (2013)
Climate – tropical (with wet and dry season)

TIMELINE
Historians believe the Philippines dates back to the Paleolithic age. Based on the archaeological artifacts
recovered, Filipino society and culture were fairly developed prior to contacts with other countries.

Filipinos had commercial relations early on with China, Indo-China, Malaysia, India and Arab countries.
Chinese silk, porcelain, jars, gold ivory, and beads were traded for wax, bird's nest, teakwood, rattan,
pearls, precious stones and other marine and forest products.