Welcome To My World!

Philippine History
(The Commonwealth Government)

The Hare-Hawes Cutting Act, passed by Congress in 1932, provided for complete independence of the islands in 1945 after 10 years of self-government under U.S. supervision. The bill had been drawn up with the aid of a commission from the Philippines, but Manuel L. Quezon, the leader of the dominant Nationalist party, opposed it, partially because of its threat of American tariffs against Philippine products but principally because of the provisions leaving naval bases in U.S. hands. Under his influence, the Philippine legislature rejected the bill. The Tydings-McDuffie Independence Act (1934) closely resembled the Hare-Hawes Cutting Act, but struck the provisions for American bases and carried a promise of further study to correct “imperfections or inequalities.”

(President Manuel L. Quezon, First President of the Philippine Commonwelth Government)

The Philippine legislature ratified the bill; a constitution, approved by President Roosevelt (Mar., 1935) was accepted by the Philippine people in a plebiscite (May); and Quezon was elected the first president (Sept.). When Quezon was inaugurated on Nov. 15, 1935, the Commonwealth of the Philippines was formally established. Quezon was reelected in Nov., 1941. To develop defensive forces against possible aggression, Gen. Douglas MacArthur was brought to the islands as military adviser in 1935, and the following year he became field marshal of the Commonwealth army.

Philippine History
(Revolution, War, and U.S. Control)

It was the opposition to the power of the clergy that in large measure brought about the rising sentiment for independence. Spanish injustices, bigotry, and economic oppressions fed the movement, which was greatly inspired by the brilliant writings of José Rizal. In 1896 revolution began in the province of Cavite, and after the execution of Rizal that December, it spread throughout the major islands.

(The execution of Philippine National Hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal at Bagumbayan, now known as Luneta Park in Manila)

The Filipino leader, Emilio Aguinaldo, achieved considerable success before a peace was patched up with Spain. The peace was short-lived, however, for neither side honored its agreements, and a new revolution was brewing when the Spanish-American War broke out in 1898.

After the U.S. naval victory in Manila Bay on May 1, 1898, Commodore George Dewey supplied Aguinaldo with arms and urged him to rally the Filipinos against the Spanish.

By the time U.S. land forces had arrived, the Filipinos had taken the entire island of Luzon, except for the old walled city of Manila, which they were besieging. The Filipinos had also declared their independence and established a republic under the first democratic constitution ever known in Asia. Their dreams of independence were crushed when the Philippines were transferred from Spain to the United States in the Treaty of Paris (1898), which closed the Spanish-American War.

In Feb., 1899, Aguinaldo led a new revolt, this time against U.S. rule. Defeated on the battlefield, the Filipinos turned to guerrilla warfare, and their subjugation became a mammoth project for the United States—one that cost far more money and took far more lives than the Spanish-American War. The insurrection was effectively ended with the capture (1901) of Aguinaldo by Gen. Frederick Funston, but the question of Philippine independence remained a burning issue in the politics of both the United States and the islands. The matter was complicated by the growing economic ties between the two countries. Although comparatively little American capital was invested in island industries, U.S. trade bulked larger and larger until the Philippines became almost entirely dependent upon the American market. Free trade, established by an act of 1909, was expanded in 1913.

When the Democrats came into power in 1913, measures were taken to effect a smooth transition to self-rule. The Philippine assembly already had a popularly elected lower house, and the Jones Act, passed by the U.S. Congress in 1916, provided for a popularly elected upper house as well, with power to approve all appointments made by the governor-general. It also gave the islands their first definite pledge of independence, although no specific date was set.

When the Republicans regained power in 1921, the trend toward bringing Filipinos into the government was reversed. Gen. Leonard Wood, who was appointed governor-general, largely supplanted Filipino activities with a semimilitary rule. However, the advent of the Great Depression in the United States in the 1930s and the first aggressive moves by Japan in Asia (1931) shifted U.S. sentiment sharply toward the granting of immediate independence to the Philippines.

Philippine History
(Spanish Control)

The conquest of the Filipinos by Spain did not begin in earnest until 1564, when another expedition from New Spain, commanded by Miguel López de Legaspi, arrived. Spanish leadership was soon established over many small independent communities that previously had known no central rule. By 1571, when López de Legaspi established the Spanish city of Manila on the site of a Moro town he had conquered the year before, the Spanish foothold in the Philippines was secure, despite the opposition of the Portuguese, who were eager to maintain their monopoly on the trade of East Asia.

Manila repulsed the attack of the Chinese pirate Limahong in 1574. For centuries before the Spanish arrived the Chinese had traded with the Filipinos, but evidently none had settled permanently in the islands until after the conquest. Chinese trade and labor were of great importance in the early development of the Spanish colony, but the Chinese came to be feared and hated because of their increasing numbers, and in 1603 the Spanish murdered thousands of them (later, there were lesser massacres of the Chinese).

The Spanish governor, made a viceroy in 1589, ruled with the advice of the powerful royal audiencia. There were frequent uprisings by the Filipinos, who resented the encomienda system. By the end of the 16th cent. Manila had become a leading commercial center of East Asia, carrying on a flourishing trade with China, India, and the East Indies. The Philippines supplied some wealth (including gold) to Spain, and the richly laden galleons plying between the islands and New Spain were often attacked by English freebooters. There was also trouble from other quarters, and the period from 1600 to 1663 was marked by continual wars with the Dutch, who were laying the foundations of their rich empire in the East Indies, and with Moro pirates. One of the most difficult problems the Spanish faced was the subjugation of the Moros. Intermittent campaigns were conducted against them but without conclusive results until the middle of the 19th cent. As the power of the Spanish Empire waned, the Jesuit orders became more influential in the Philippines and acquired great amounts of property.

Philippine History

Early History -The Negritos are believed to have migrated to the Philippines some 30,000 years ago 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.

The first Europeans to visit (1521) the Philippines were those in the Spanish expedition around the world led by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan.

(Lapu-lapu defeated and killed Ferdinand Magellan during the battle in Mactan Island)

People
Filipinos are of Indo-Malay, Chinese and Spanish ancestry.

Population
As of July 2005, the population reached an estimated 87,857,473.

Language
The official, commercial and legal language is English though the national language is Filipino. Around 111 languages and dialects are spoken around the country.

National Anthem
Lupang Hinirang is the national anthem of the Philippines. At first, it was an instrumental march commissioned by then President Emilio Aguinaldo, to Julian Felipe, for use in the Philippine independence proclamation on June 12, 1998. The original Spanish lyrics was written by Jose Palma.

Flag of the Republic
The Philippine Flag is the national emblem of the country. has the unique distinction of being the only flag in the world signifying peace or war. It stands for freedom, equality, justice and nobility.

The Pledge of Allegiance to the Philippine Flag
The Pledge of Allegiance to the Philippine Flag, was revised in accordance to the Department of Education's Order 54 to inculate values of patriotism and citizenship in all Filipinos.

How to Get Here
Most international flights enter the Philippines through Manila and Cebu. Manila, through the Philippine Airlines, links to 26 cities in 19 countries. It also serves principal cities and towns all over the country. It sea ports for major international carriers and cruise liners in the two cities. Regular flights from Japan, Singapore and Australia, as well as charter flights from Hong Kong and the United States and other major travel markets enter through Cebu City too.

Entry Regulations
As long as your country of origin is among those with which the Philippines has diplomatic relations and you have valid passports, you can stay in the Philippines for a period of 21 days. You don’t need visas to get in. If you plan to stay for three months, you can secure visas while multiple entry visas (lasting six and 12 months) are also available but cost higher and allows stays for 59 days at most.

Upon Arrival
Guests undergo Customs examination. They are requested to fill in the Baggage and Currency Declaration Form. Items such as reasonable quantity of clothes, jewelry and toiletries, cigarette or tobacco sticks, and bottles of wines or spirits, are allowed to be brought in but with a fixed limit duty-free.
The Bureau of Customs also requires visitors who carry more than US$3,000 to declare the amount at the Central Bank of the Philippines. Upon departure, foreign currency taken must not exceed the amount brought in. They also cannot take out more than PhP1000 in local currency.

Climate
Philippine seasons can be divided into three. These are the wet or rainy season which falls on the months of June to October, the cool or dry season extending from November to February and the hot or dry season from March to May. Generally, the climate is tropical with abundant rainfall and gentle winds.

What to Wear
If you just want to go around the city, light casual clothes such as lightweight cotton and linen tropical clothing are recommended. If you plan to visit mountain regions, you should wear warmer garments. In attending formal occasions, a dinner jacket and tie, or the Philippine barong Tagalog can be worn.

Currency
The currency code is PHP. It stands for Philippine peso. Bank notes come in P10, P20, P50, P100, P200, P500 and P1000 denominations, while coins come in 5c, 10c, 25c, P1, P5 and P10. You can check out the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas web site (http://www.bsp.gov.ph/Statistics/stats_SEFI.htm) to see the current, previous-day, week-ago and month-ago movements of the currency.

Religion
The Philippines is predominantly Catholic. Islam and Protestantism are also practiced. There are also Filipino independent churches such as Aglipay and Iglesia ni Cristo founded by some locals.

Boracay Island

A visit to the Philippines is a very good idea. Travel expenses are low compared to other countries, the culinary fare is diverse and the hospitality of the Filipino people is legendary in Southeast Asia.

Travel destinations such as the world famous Boracay Islands is just one of the many choices you can visit here. Accomodations can be suitably fit to your budget and preferences. You'll surely find whatever fits you. I am more than willing to help your booking arranged. Just inform me through this blog of your plan to visit Boracay Island and other beautiful tourist spots in the Philippines. I will be sending more information on these beautiful tourist spots in the Philippines through this blog.

The islands of the Philippines can be conveniently divided into three groups. First, there is Luzon, the largest and northernmost island and the site of the capital, Manila. At the other end of the archipelago is the second largest island, Mindanao. Third, there is the tightly-packed island group known as the Visayas. There are seven major islands in this group - Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Samar and Masbate. Cebu is the central island of the group and Cebu City is a major tourist destination.

Filipinos are fun-loving people. This evidently shows when the sun sets as the nightlife begins to unravel. And you will find world class entertainment here even in small bars as the Filipinos are one of the best entertainers around the globe.

The Rock / P.U.S.H.

A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and the Savior appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might. This the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore, and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, the devil decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man's weary mind "You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn't budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it." This gave the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man. "Why kill myself over this?" he thought. "I'll just put in my time, giving just the minimum effort and that will be good enough." And that is what he planned to do until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.

"Lord" he said, "I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"

The Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to me, with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so?

Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewy and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. This you have done. I, my friend, will now move the rock."

At times, when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He wants, when actually what God wants is just simple obedience and faith in Him.... By all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains, but know that it is still God who moves the mountains. You just P.U.S.H.!

When everything seems to go wrong,... P.U.S.H.!

When the job gets you down,... P.U.S.H.!

When people don't react the way you think they should,... P.U.S.H.!

When your money is short and the bills are due,... P.U.S.H.!

When you want to curse them out for whatever the reason,... P.U.S.H.!

When people just don't understand you,... P.U.S.H.!

P.U.S.H. = Pray Until Something Happens!

THOUGHT

"Why are you so wary of thought"? said the philosopher.
Thought is the one tool we have for organizing the world".
"True. But thought can organize the world so well that you are no longer able to see it".

To his disciples he later said, "A thought is a screen, not a mirror; that is why you live in a thought envelope, untouched by Reality".

MORSEL:
We understand why children are afraid of darkness,
but why are men afraid of light? -- Plato

SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS

The Master loved ordinary people and was suspicious of those who stood out for their holiness. To a disciple who consulted him on marriage he said, "Be sure you don't marry a saint".

"Why ever not"?

"Because it is the surest way to make yourself a martyr", was the Master's merry reply.

MORSEL:
All of life is a near-death experience. -- Alan Harris

REALISM

A gambler once said to the Master, "I was caught cheating at cards yesterday, so my partners beat me up and threw me out of the window. What would you advise me to do"?

The Master looked straight through the man and said, "If I were you, from now on I would play on the ground floor".

This startled the disciples. "Why didn't you tell him to stop gambling"? they demanded.

"Because I knew he wouldn't", was the Master's simple and sagacious explanation.

MORSEL:
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. -- Aesop, Greek fableist