Readings in Philippine History

History: An Introduction
History is both a science and an art. It is also a craft. The craft of doing history – as opposed to
reading history – involves a further intellectual process of research, writing and revision. Hence,
the tools that a historian must employ are various. The historian investigates the past by
researching the available evidence in order to establish the facts. Historical research, hence, is a
process of discovery and construction.
History was derived from t
he Greek word historia which means knowledge acquired through inquiry or investigation. The
traditional definition of history states that history is the record of the past. It includes the record
of human past from the time written records began to appear .
Traditional historians believe in the concept of no document, no history. Unless a written
document can prove a historical event, then it cannot be a historical fact. Modern definition of
history, however, indicates that history is more than just a narrative of the past grounded solely
on documents. It is the reconstruction of the past based on available written records, oral
history, cultural artifacts, and folk traditions. The idea that no document, no history is no longer
admissible.
The historian has two important tasks namely:
1. Interpret and recreate facts in an orderly and intelligible manner; and
2. Discover patterns and trends, which govern the behavior of people and of nations,
and to make generalizations out of these.
In these contexts, hence, history is the interpretative and imaginative study of surviving records
of the past, either written or unwritten, in order to determine the meaning and scope of human
existence.

Philippine Historiography
History is not just a story. It is a narrative about past events that has meaning to a certain
group of people in a given time and space. History or kasaysayan is rooted in two important
words, sanaysay and saysay. Sanaysay means a narrative or story. Saysay refers to meaning, a
way of looking at the world. A Filipino perspective that influences the way we see the past, the
present and the future. Kasaysayan then is a narrative (which can be written, visual or oral)
about past events that has meaning to a certain group of people in a given time and place.
History, hence, is not just a narrative or sanaysay – it must have saysay or meaning.
Historical writing by Filipinos did not begin until the 1880s. Moreover, between 1880s and
1940s, it is limited in number and in scope. Literacy is cited as one of the reasons as university
education is not available to Filipinos until 1863. Public education is not also established until
the beginning of 20th century. Until almost the end of the 19th century, the history of the
Philippines had been written by Spanish missionaries and government officials. The historical
works written by missionary chroniclers tended to have a strong religious, and sometimes racial,
bias.
During the last two decades of the 19th century, Filipino ilustrados like Gregorio Sancianco y
Gozon and Jose Rizal, started to write about the Spanish administration in the Philippines.
Sancianco, for example, wrote El Progreso de Filipinas (Madrid, 1881). It is about the economic
development in the Philippines. Rizal annotated Antonio Morgas’ Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas.
The pioneers of Philippine historical research generally wrote in Spanish, and occasionally in
Tagalog. These prominent writers include Pedro Paterno, Isabelo de los Reyes, T.H. Pardo de
Tavera, Jaime C. de Veyra and Epifanio de los Santos. This age of pioneers also included the
two giants in historical research of their times, Rafael Palma and Teodoro M. Kalaw. They
formed the foundation of historical studies in the Philippines. According to Bernadita Churchill-

Fajardo, M.A.
Readings in Philippine History
Reyes, some of these pioneers did not only write on history, like local history, but also on
ethnography, law, politics, prehistory, folklore, and literature.
By the 20th century, when the Philippines came under the American colonial rule, English
became a popular medium of writing with most historical writers. Maximo Kalaw, Conrado
Benitez, Leandro H. Fernandez, Encarnacion Alzona and Gregorio F. Zaide wrote most
exclusively in English. They are educated in the schools established during the American period.
By 1946, few historical studies were produced. Scholarly attention was more focused on the
rehabilitation and reconstruction brought about by devastation of World War II and the
Japanese occupation. By the late 1950, 60s and succeeding decades, Filipino-centric history
emerged. Historians also began to employ the insights of other social science disciplines. These
completed body of works on Philippine history was produced by trained scholars who took their
graduate training on Spanish colonial, American diplomatic, and East Asian histories as well as
in Philippine and Southeast Asian history.
Filipino historian Zeus Salazar introduced pantayong pananaw (for us - from us perspective).
This new philosophy of history for writing and teaching history underscores the relevance of
conducting an internal conversation and discourse among Filipinos about our own history. It is
creation of a history about, by and for the Filipino. Pantayong pananaw gives importance to the
relevance of events, not just an accounting of facts, from the viewpoint of the Filipino to
enhance the understanding of the Filipino.

Different Views in the Study of History

Views or philosophies of history are ways of interpreting and explaining historical developments
and the interplay of personages, places, time and events.
There are different views of history. The first one is cyclical view. This is popular from the time
of Herodotus. History repeats itself. All human events occur in cycles. Second, providential view.
History is determined by God. He is the author of everything. Hence, history is of God’s grand
design. Third, linear or progressive view. It sees mankind as responsible for the advancement
of civilization. It places compete faith in human intelligence and abilities rather than in divine
intervention. It also holds the view that each new generation should build upon the
achievements of the preceding; the present must be better because it has more with which to
start.
History classifies and groups together facts about the past in terms of current needs or
contemporary concerns. According to Febvre, “History creates its own subject.” Dumont, on his
part, states that “Each new situation implies a reinterpretation of the past – thus, relationship to
the past is in a constant state of change.” This implies the subjective nature of knowledge.
Moreover, this view states that one does not have a fixed theory or fixed position against which
historical data could be measured. This refers to the relativist view of history Fifth, marxist or
leftist-socialist view. It sees history as a science, capable of being controlled, influenced and
predicted. This view is a universalistic extension of the class conflict theme and it regards
history as the history of economic classes, their rise, fall, dominance and exploitation.

Uses and Importance of History

The following are the significance of history.

A. Bridging the gap between the present and the past

B. Explaining Causes of Things and Events

Fajardo, M.A.
Readings in Philippine History
C. Projecting the Future
D. Interpreting Conditions of a Given Space and Time
E. Promoting Nationalism and Patriotism

Looking at the past teaches us to see the world through different eyes – appreciating
the diversity of human perceptions, beliefs, and cultures. Different and/or new
perspectives will enable us to analyze critically the present contexts of society and
beings.

Fajardo, M.A.