An Island WorldPhilippines

Geography

• The Philippines is an archipelago made up of 7,107 islands and the sea is a familiar presence in daily life.

• 3 seas surrounds the Philippine Islands:> South China sea> Celebes sea> Pacific Ocean

• The islands vary in size and composition> Coral atolls peeping from blue waters> Large land masses that were spewed by volcanoes

and are now watered by rivers running to the seas.

Geography

• Mountains take up much of the island space. Leaving little room for plains except in Central Luzon and Western Mindanao.

• River valleys are narrow and short.• Some mountains are active volcanoes like Mt.

Mayon and Mt. Taal

Geography

Mt. Mayon Volcano Mt. Taal Volcano

Seasons• March – May the weather is dry and temperatures can soar

to an intense, humid 31 degrees Celsius.• June moist winds sail in different direction:

>southwest, Indian ocean bearing rain• November – February the rains peter out; dry cold winds

from Siberia visit and can lower the temperature to 20 degrees Celsius.> The temperature in Baguio is uniformly temperate throughout the year at a cool 19 degrees Celsius.

• Rain is abundant in most parts of the islands. • Typhoons are unwanted visitors between July and

November

Building Materials• Favorite Philippine building materials

> Wood, grasses, and seashells• WOOD

> Philippine mahogany – dense rainforests grow when dry season is short and yield red and white color. > Molave – when aged, can break a saw.> Narra – which is fragrant and ranges in color from reddish yellow to dark red.> Pine – stands of the Cordillera provide another fine wood.

• PALMS> Coconut – provide material for house posts and thatch.> Anahaw - excellent for thatch.

Building Materials

> Rattan – is used for bent furniture and for lashings.

• GRASSES> Pliant bamboo – used to construct all houseparts, including the roof.> Thin-stemmed elephant grass – makes a good thatch.

• SHELLS> Capiz – are both edible and useful for interior decoration and building.

Settlers • NEGRITOS

> 1st settlers in the Philippines> short, dark-skinned, curly hair> gather wild plants for food in the forest and hunted game.

• AUSTRONESIANS> 2nd settlers in the Philippines> mojority of filipinos are descended> southern branch of the Mongoloid family.> medium – tall in height, brown-skinned, and flat-haired.

> practiced slash-and-burn cultivation which opens temporary gardens well into our country.

Settlers

Negritos Austronesian

Settlers> end of the 9th century A.D. – the Philippines was far from the main trade routes of the Southeast Asian region.

> people lived in compact settlements and practiced intensive agriculture. This way of living resulted in cities and stone temples

• CHINESE> Chinese traders came to Luzon and Sulu to exchange silks and porcelains for marine goods such as pearls and beeswax.

> settled in large numbers in Luzon and the Visayas towards the end of the 16th century.

• SPANIARDS> pale-skinned strangers

Settlers> Christian missionaries gathered converts from their small

settlement “under the church bells”> propagating the plow and the use of the water buffalo as a draft

animal.> persuaded the converts to switch to wet rice cultivation.> urban centers multiplied.> churches and other buildings constructed from stone appeared.> Galleon trade: China products imported to the Philippines then

shipped to Mexico (known at the time as New Spain)> Manila became the node of the first global trade network.> Manila became synonymous in New Spain with a refined style of

living.> the galleon trade never made the colony profitable.> Hinterlands were neglected.

Settlers> the economy improved only when the ports were opened and hinterlands

began exporting rice, abaca, sugar, coffee internationally.> architectural standards became stricter.> schools for arts and trades were now set up by the government.> the government imported Spanish engineer-architects.> “the system adopted locally”> encouraging Filipinos to buy goods and machinery from Spain .> encouraging higher education for public school system> discriminated locals in appointments for the position of the state and

church.> civil guards were arbitrary in their arrest.> Peaceful reforms sought by Jose Rizal > Revolution led by Andres Bonifacio> the revolution was passed on to General Emilio Aguinaldo> Americans took over the capital

Settlers• AMERICANS

> pioneered in the new technology> astute and democratic> allowed Filipinos to elect their national leaders > invested heavily in public education, sanitation, and infrastructure.> Daniel Burnham was brought over to Manila to design a master plan for the capital.

- he gave Manila its Neoclassical government buildings and a new axis of broad, tree-lined avenues

> talented Filipinos were given scholarship in design and architecture to American schools

> recognizes the Philippine Republic’s sovereignty in 1946.

When the Philippines became independent:• Many ancient churches and chapels, beautiful places were destroyed

by the American and Japanese war of 1945• Only San Agustin Church and the city walls survived somewhat intact.• Most Filipinos lived in rural areas where jobs, irrigation and roads were

limited.• The revolution did not solved the question of large landholdings which

benefitted the elite.• Protests against injustices two Communist and rebellions and a Muslim

separatist movement flared up.• Industrialization began• Filipinos established a solid international reputation in art, furniture

and house decoration.• Local architecture schools produced talented architects who

constructed modern office and houses.• In the suburbs in Manila new tows were opened by developers which

experimented new ways of organizing urban space.best example of this is the Makati City

References

• Luca Invernizzi (1997). Filipino style.An island world, 11-17.