UNIVERSAL COLLEGE OF PARAÑAQUE 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page

1. The Problem and Its Settings

Introduction ……………………………………………………………………..1

Statement of the Problem ...………………………………………………...…...4

Significance of the Study ……………………………………….........................5

Hypothesis ………………………………………………………………………5

Scope and Limitations ……………………………………………………….….6

Definition of Terms …………………………………………………...….……..7

Research Paradigm ……………………………………………………………...10

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CHAPTER 1

The Problem and Its Setting

Introduction

The Philippines were claimed in the name of Spain in 1521 by Ferdinand Magellan,
a Portuguese explorer sailing for Spain, who named the islands after King Philip II of
Spain. They were then called Las Felipinas. By the 1830's Spanish culture and thought had
penetrated into Filipino culture to the extent that the Filipino people began thinking about
liberation from Spain.
Despite the existence of other names, Filipinas ("Philippines") was eventually
adopted as the name of the entire archipelago. The official name has, however, changed
throughout the course of the Philippines' history. It was during the American Period that
the name Philippines began to appear, a name that was officially adopted.
Year 2019, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has suggested renaming the
country "Maharlika," a word originally meaning warrior class, to pay homage to the
country's pre-colonial past. Duterte has revived an idea advocated by Ferdinand Marcos,
the Philippines' former president and dictator who implemented martial law to keep himself
in power for two decades, thus earning him for criticism than ever.
As researchers, we plan to ascertain this change about to take effect if it were to be
approved in the country, and as Filipinos we aim to discern this unprecedented adjustment
that will rewrite history, battles, affairs and the countrymen’s identity for the years to come.
Despite the misconception of its meaning, "Maharlika" as a proposed new name for
the Philippines remains popular among Muslim Filipinos, the Lumad, and other Filipino
ethnic groups who fought the Spanish colonization. These folks view the name
"Philippines" as a colonialist reminder of the ruler of their previous colonial masters,
earning a lot of pro for the change. However, the proposal is still ongoing legislative
process and is waiting to be approved.

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Statement of the Problem

Year 2019, President Rodrigo Duterte had proposed to rename the Philippines to
“Maharlika” which has gathered a huge attention from Filipinos themselves and foreign
countries as well about the wish of change in our country’s name. Both positive and
negative responses from Filipino citizens, us researchers will now further explain this
study.

Researchers have gathered data and information about this situation and had
formulated questions to further explain this study. The questions are as follows:

1. What is the significance of “Maharlika” in the Philippines in terms of:

▪ History
▪ Meaning
▪ Origin
2. Do Filipino citizens agree with the renaming of the country?
3. How will the name change affect the Philippines?

Significance of the Study

The significance of the study is to have a name for our country that symbolizes us
and represents our home land and the wonderful people who live in it, meaning the
President wants the country's name to have a significant meaning instead of naming it after
a person who conquered and ruled us. Maharlika is a name derived from the word “malay”
which means serenity and peace which our country strives for. Changing the name would
somehow free Filipinos from a name that was just a name bestowed by a dictator, but will
now have meaning and would help us embrace our nationality even further.

Hypothesis

Originally Philippines, now to Maharlika, is it really necessary to change the

country's name? Last year, President Rodrigo Duterte had suggested to change the name
of the Philippines to Maharlika to give credits to the idea of the former President Ferdinand
Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr., whom our current president looks up to very much.
According to the Malacañang, "changing the Philippines’ name would require a new law
and the public’s approval in a referendum”. Which means that changing of the country's
name would have a long process of applying new laws and public's agreement to change
the name. In other words, Philippines will be reborn as a "new country" with new applied
laws. With this said, it divided the Filipinos in two: the opposition, and those who agree.
If everything goes as planned, just like our current President Rodrigo Duterte had wished,
there could be more significance to what we're called and have a better and suiting name
to us Filipinos. On the other hand, changing the country's name could also create more
protest against the government or the President himself, not to mention the confusion it
will bring not just locally but internationally.

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Scope and Limitations

The study tackles about should we really change the country's name from
Philippines to “Maharlika”. Also the study will confine itself in the history, meaning and
origin of Maharlika and what will be the positive and negative response of the Filipinos in
this topic as well as what could possibly be the effect on changing our country's name.

Definition of Terms

The following definitions are provided to ensure uniformity and understanding of

these terms throughout the study:

Archipelago – a group of islands

Homage – special honor or respect shown publicly

Advocated – publicly recommend or support

Ascertain – find (out) something for certain ; make sure of

Discern – perceive or recognize (something) ; distinguish

Unprecedented – never done or known before

Lumad – a group of Austronesian indigenous people in Southern Philippines

Legislative Process - Congress is responsible for making enabling laws to make sure the
spirit of the constitution is upheld in the country and, at times, amend or change the
constitution itself. In order to craft laws, the legislative body comes out with two main
documents: bills and resolutions ; a process in which a proposal goes through to be
approved

Referendum - a general vote by the electorate on a single political question which has
been referred to them for a direct decision

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Research Paradigm

INPUT
PROCESS

- Interviews - ongoing proposal to the

- Surveys OUTPUT senate waiting for
- Articles approval
- Forums - Proposed rebranding of - Observation
-Data gathering the country - Learning resources
- long legislative process - Evaluation

Figure 1: Input, process, and output.

This paradigm explains what methods this research went through that contributes

to it contents starting from the different inputs that had undergone processes or action steps

and as a finale, the output or result.

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