LESSON 1-6: KNOWING THE PHILIPPINES AND PRE-COLONIAL PERIODS

A comprehensive set of question-and-answer flashcards covering the Philippines’ naming, archipelago status, geography, culture, flag symbolism, pre-colonial society, writing, religion, burial practices, governance, trials, and early economy.

Who named the Philippines and what name did they give the archipelago?

Ruy Lopez de Villalobos named Las Islas Filipinas in honor of Philip II of Spain (1523).

In what year was the first Hispanic settlement established in the Philippines, and how long did it remain under Spanish rule?

1565; the Philippines was part of the Spanish Empire for more than 300 years.

What is an archipelagic state, and how is it defined?

A country composed of groups of islands forming a single state, with internal waters within baselines.

Where does the Philippines rank among archipelagic nations by size?

It is the world’s second largest archipelagic nation.

How many islands are there in the Philippines?

7,107 islands.

What are the three main geographical areas of the Philippines and their regional counts?

Luzon (north), Visayas (central), Mindanao (south); Luzon has 8 regions, Visayas has 3 regions, Mindanao has 6 regions.

Which island contains Manila, the capital city?

Luzon.

How many regions are in Luzon?

8 regions.

Name major islands in Visayas.

Panay, Negros, Samar, Leyte, Bohol.

How many regions are in Visayas?

3 regions.

How many regions are in Mindanao?

6 regions.

Which volcanoes are noted as among the most active in the Philippines, including one that erupted in 2020?

Mt. Pinatubo, Mt. Mayon, Mt. Taal (Taal erupted January 12, 2020).

What are the major influences on Filipino culture?

A mixture of East and West: Western influence from Spain and the United States; Eastern from Chinese, Japanese, Arabian, and Indian traders.

How many dialects are spoken, and what are the national languages?

184 dialects; Filipino and English are the national languages.

What are the three stars on the Philippine flag, and what do they represent?

Three stars represent Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

What does the Golden Sun on the flag symbolize, and how many rays does it have?

The Sun symbolizes unity, freedom, people’s democracy, and sovereignty; it has 8 rays representing eight revolutionary provinces.

Which eight provinces are honored by the sun’s rays on the flag?

Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Morong, Batangas, Laguna, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija.

What do the colors white, blue, and red on the flag symbolize?

White: liberty; Blue: peace, freedom, justice; Red: courage, patriotism.

What is notable about the Philippine flag during wartime?

It is flown upside down when the country is at war.

Who sewed the Philippine flag?

Marcela Agoncillo and Delfina herbosa de Natividad.

From which term is the word ‘Filipino’ derived?

Las Islas Filipinas (The Philippine Island).

What is the ethnolinguistic background of many Filipinos?

Predominantly Malay descent, with Chinese, American, or Spanish ancestry.

How many ethnolinguistic groups are there in the Philippines?

More than 185.

What is Baybayin (Alibata) and what are its characteristics?

Pre-colonial writing system with 17 syllables (3 vowels/patinig and 14 consonants/katinig); written on leaves using sticks and ink from tree saps.

Name some deities from pre-colonial Philippine beliefs.

Idi (Analing), Sidapa (death), Lalahon (harvest), Agni (fire), Balangaw (rainbow), Mandarang an (war), Siginarungan (hell); plus sun, moon, animals, and nature spirits.

What is the Babaylan?

A pre-colonial female mystic healer who held political and social power as healer, priestess, warrior, and sage.

What is the Manunggul jar?

A burial jar used to contain bones of the dead.

What is the basic unit of government in pre-colonial Philippines, and what is its origin?

Barangay; derived from balangay, a sailboat.

Who was the Datu, and what powers did he possess?

A chieftain who held executive, legislative, and judiciary power in a barangay, assisted by a council of elders.

What was Trial by Ordeal, and how was it carried out?

Primitive tests to determine guilt or innocence; examples included boiling water, candle, river, and chewing raw rice; announced by an omalihokan.

What does the term buwis refer to?

Tributes paid by the barangay during alliances and wars.

Name the main crops and agricultural practices mentioned for pre-colonial Philippines.

Crops: banana, sugar cane, cotton, coconut, rice, vegetables; irrigation systems and rice terraces in Cordilleras (around 1650).

Who described Mangyans of Mindoro as sedentary agriculturalists who farm without the carabao?

Anthropologist Robert B. Fox.

What industries were present in early Philippines?

Mining (gold, silver, copper, etc.), shipbuilding and logging.

What did Antonio de Morga note about the natives’ shipbuilding abilities?

They were skillful in constructing sea-based vessels, aided by abundant hardwood in Philippine forests.