Some time ago I watched a local documentary that dramatized Ferdinand Magellan’s visit to Mactan Island in 1521. Most Filipinos are aware of the events here: Mactan’s chieftain Lapu-Lapu kills Magellan, and the rest of the natives drive the rest of the Spanish back to their boats. What irked me however was what the actor playing Lapu-Lapu said: “Wala na ang kalaban! Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!” (“The enemies are no more! Long live the Philippines!”)
I cringed while watching, simply because the name “Philippines” didn’t come into existence until a few decades after Magellan’s death. Having that glaring inaccuracy in a documentary show only proves how historical knowledge isn’t really a serious concern for many Filipinos, especially those who claim to espouse “Pinoy Pride.”
Here are other common misconceptions that Filipinos need to revise.
| SUPPORT INDEPENDENT SOCIAL COMMENTARY! Subscribe to our Substack community GRP Insider to receive by email our in-depth free weekly newsletter. Opt into a paid subscription and you'll get premium insider briefs and insights from us. Subscribe to our Substack newsletter, GRP Insider! Learn more |
1- “Alibata” was the national writing script before the Spaniards arrived.
The Popular Myth: Before the Spanish conquered the Philippines, Filipinos invented “Alibata” as a way to communicate amongst each other.
The Historical Evidence: First of all it’s not supposed to be called “Alibata;” the term was imported from Arabic in 1921 because no scholar back then had decided on what to accurately call the writing script. The more accepted term nowadays is “Baybayin.” Also, though it indeed is a pre-Hispanic script, there is no historical evidence to show that Baybayin was used outside of Central Luzon and the Visayas before the Spanish arrived and tweaked the script themselves. Furthermore, Baybayin couldn’t have been considered a “national script” because there was no “nation” to speak of back then; the Philippines (before it was named that way) were a collection of perhaps dozens of separate kingdoms and tribes that had little or no mutual sense of unity with each other.
If there ever was a “national script” that the natives used before the Spanish arrived, one need not look further than the Laguna Copperplate Inscription and the Butuan Ivory Seal, artifacts which predate the emergence of Baybayin by at least 600 years. They both use a writing script called “Old Kawi,” which scholars now purport to be the ancestor of Baybayin and various other pre-Hispanic writing scripts in the Philippines. The fact that it was used almost without variation by two separate kingdoms proves that it was more widespread than Baybayin ever was before Spain arrived.
2 – On March 16, 1521, the Philippines was discovered by Magellan.
The Popular Myth: Thanks in part to Yoyoy Villame’s catchy song, many Filipinos now assume that Ferdinand Magellan came to conquer the Philippines for Spain, and he was eventually killed by Lapu-Lapu because of that same premise.
The Historical Evidence: There is now evidence to show that Magellan wasn’t even the first European to come here; though it’s not really clear who was, natives who’ve had contact with Magellan’s crew claimed that they saw “other men like them,” hinting at Portuguese merchants who may have arrived before 1521.
Magellan himself wasn’t even Spanish: he was a Portuguese merchant-navigator hired by Spain to look for an alternative sea route to Asia, because the traditional Indian Ocean route was blocked by Portugal. As for his death in the Battle of Mactan, this was brought about only because he got involved with a petty squabble between Sugbu’s king Humabon and Mactan’s chief Lapu-Lapu (who by the way was Humabon’s subject). Magellan’s corpse was never recovered and returned to Humabon as ordered; one could only assume what Lapu-Lapu’s fate was for defying a king’s order, despite the supernatural myths surrounding Lapu-Lapu’s own demise.
And no, Lapu-Lapu did NOT shout “Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!”
3 – The Philippines was a united country when it declared independence on June 12, 1898.
The Popular Myth: After a hard-fought revolution that started with Dr. Jose Rizal’s death in 1896, the Philippines united and shook off Spanish oppression to become an independent nation. That is, until the United States showed up.
The Historical Evidence: No other sovereign state recognized Philippine independence; what the world instead recognized was the Treaty of Paris, wherein Spain sold its ever-loyal Pacific gravy boat to the United States for $20 million. Representatives of the fledgling “Philippine Republic” were refused participation in the Treaty. As for the Kawit declaration itself, documents show that a certain “Colonel Johnson” was present to observe the proceedings. Some time afterwards, to give the impression that the Philippines was being “recognized” by the United States as independent, a mock naval battle was held in Manila Bay. Not knowing that this was all an act, Filipino generals wanted in on the action and began attacking Spanish fortifications, unknowingly paving the way for the United States to plant the Star-Spangled Banner on Philippine soil (just as what the script told them to do, of course).
The Philippines itself wasn’t even united in declaring “independence” in 1898. The Negros Republic also declared itself a sovereign state separate from the Kawit declaration, as well as the Zamboanga Republic, and no one even bothered to ask the tribes of the Cordilleras if they were to be part of the republic or not. Also, although history would eventually recognize Emilio Aguinaldo as the first Philippine president, such a claim couldn’t even be decided upon by the revolutionary government itself, leading to intrigue and assassinations worthy of any Spanish imperial court.
If there was any real “Independence Day” for Filipinos, it would be July 4, 1946; a date that really was recognized the world over. Filipinos could perhaps celebrate June 12 as “National Day,” but never as the date when self-determination was assured.
4- Agapito Flores invented the fluorescent lamp.
The Popular Myth: “Pinoy Pride” was at its finest when a Filipino scientist named Agapito Flores invented a lamp that we now casually leave on 24/7 despite a looming power crisis. His name is on the thing itself!
The Historical Evidence: Alexandre Becquerel, a French physicist, came up with the concept of lights emitted from glass tubes, and therefore can still be righteously credited for inventing something that “fluoresces,” or emits light. The patent for a tried and tested fluorescent lamp was registered in 1901 by Peter Hewitt in the United States. Agapito Flores would have had a really large brain for that kind of thing, because he was only 4 years old when the US patent came into existence. To be clear, despite videos that still spread wrong information, there is no concrete evidence to prove that Agapito Flores invented anything.
Besides, doesn’t “Flores” mean “flowers” in Spanish?
5 – The 1986 EDSA Revolution was “bloodless.”
The Popular Myth: Despite the threat of tanks and air bombardment, the 1986 ouster of Dictator Ferdinand Marcos was peaceful, and the intercession of the Virgin Mary made sure that no one was killed that week.
The Historical Evidence: This whole Marcos-Aquino EDSA revolt thing is a classic example of the adage that history is written by the victors. First of all, I often hear people mention about the “twenty years of Marcos’s iron-fisted dictatorship.” Undoubtedly there were many horrible things that happened during the years of Martial Law, but let’s also take into consideration that Marcos was elected by legitimate popular vote in 1965 and again in 1969. Even after Martial Law was declared in 1972, it didn’t last all the way until 1986: Proclamation 1081 was lifted in 1981, just before Pope John Paul II visited the Philippines for the first time.
And the assassination of Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino II? People still claim that Marcos ordered it. If so, then why is it that after two generations of Aquinos and an EDSA military rebel leader ascending into full presidential terms (for a total of 18 years, excluding the 12 total years of the Estrada and Arroyo terms), no one can still come up with evidence for such?
As for the events on EDSA itself, sure, there was no one who died during the mass organization, but you can’t call any revolution “peaceful” if you have tear gas blowing in your face. Furthermore, having to say that the 1986 coup against President Marcos was “without any deaths” may have to be called into question. Part of the chronology of EDSA shows that at 11:30 pm on February 25, when the looting of Malacanan Palace began in earnest after the Marcoses fled, “an unidentified student from Philippine Marine Institute was reported killed inside the [Administration] building.” This event perhaps would lead Gen. Fidel Ramos to eventually say “We really did not expect to achieve our objectives in such a short period and almost without bloodshed.” This could perhaps imply that, after the main antagonists had exited, the student was killed by the good guys.
But enough about me.
Part of the reason they keep the history as it is out convenience. Huge outrages happen when people realize they are wrong.
On an interesting note, in Philippine history books, Magellan was slain by Lapu-Lapu.
While in US history books, Magellan died by disease.
So… contradicting sources right there. On a miscellaneous note, the Filipinos outright refuse to return Magellan to his homeland in Portugal after repeated requests. We’re keeping his corpse as if it were a prize of sorts.
My history teacher in college once said that the Americans chose Rizal as our National Hero over Bonifacio because they want a ‘peaceful revolutionary’ rather than a violent one, for Filipinos to emulate. They are afraid that the latter could spark rebellion against the occupying state.
This premise could also be the very reason US archives record Magellan died by illness rather than being killed. Unless simply, they don’t want to ‘credit’ Lapu-lapu for such act.
The Americans never chose our national hero, it was the Filipinos of that time chose Rizal as our national hero. Those who said the former were anti-Americans.
i read from a british encyclopedia(paedia) confirming Magellan was killed by natives. Some muslims even here in the middle east aknowledge this fact, his name is actually Khalifa or something… Just search in youtube.
its Kalipulako.
This is true. But he was popularly known as “Lapu-Lapu” – Magellan couldn’t pronounce “Kalipulako” and called him “Lapu-Lapu” instead 🙂
Coolness. Thanks for the info. The Arabs who were explaining this part of Philippine history were muslims and the closest translation of his name would be Khalifa Lapu. Khalifa like the name of the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa in Dubai. You can watch their version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt5SoO5stRk
Antonio Pigafetta, chronicler of the Magellan expedition, is the only one who ever wrote the name of the Mactan chieftain. His name comes out as CILAPULAPU.
Jose Rizal, in his notation on Morga, assumed CI was an article and renamed him “si Lapulapu.”
amizing 🙂
The cartoon Animaniacs did a segment about Magellan and they said he went to the Philippine Islands and killed by a spear.
That said totally agree on all points by this post. Specifically the real Independence Day.
As for the fluorescent lamp hasn’t this been turned into an Urban Legend already? I don’t recall anyone who still thinks a Filipino scientist invented the fluorescent lamp.
Maybe Magellans’ body was chopped up and fed to the fish
rather than admit that there is no body to return, what other way to lie by claiming we will not return it ?
Logic, my friend !!!
Mythbusting! My favorite topic. Good one, Midwayhaven.
Thank you. It was partly in response to that meme on the GRP Community Facebook page about Spanish conquistadors burning aborigines on the stake.
this is one of those things where you stop and say…hmmm..i didn’t know that..thanks for the info
ang sad mo naman “your not afraid to speak of your mind” ka pa! Sana nilagay mo totoong pangalan mo para naman ma “quote” ka ng tama sa mga sinabi mo. Isa kang mitiko din tsk, tsk, tsk.
And what will you gonna do when he reveals his real name? Kill him? Obvious failipino is indeed obvious.
Give the man a mask and he will reveal the truth…
Problem with Filipinos are… they like to attack the messenger and not really the problem. So anonymity is important.
Tanga pala nito eh, ang sabi nya;
“I am no longer afraid to speak my mind.”
hindi naman, “I am no longer afraid to show my real name, so that they can hunt me down and shut my mouth”.
Kung gusto mo syang i-quote, lagay mo MidwayHaven, matik na yun alam na nyang siya pinatutungkulan mo. May pa “tsk tsk tsk” ka pa, yabang mo!
Pasensyus..!!
Nagpapaliwanag lang!! ^_^
Great points to share and an excellent display of punditry! My only critique: you should be citing “the historical evidence.” Otherwise, you will be accused of baseless accusations OR plagiarism.
I think he/she did. The read highlights are actually links to sources of the article. Try clicking it.
Victors write histories. Many inacuries are written in History books…to make the victors look good in future generations.
The EDSA revolution was not a revolution…it was a coup d’ etat by the Feudal Oligarchs, lead by the : Aquinos, Ramos, Enrile, etc…
If Nazi Germany would had been victorious in World War II. Nazi Fuhrer Adolf Hitler, would had been the greatest man on this Planet Earth.
If Imperial Japan would had been victorious , also in World War II. Filipinos would be “bowing” to the Japanese Emperor. Benigno Aquino, Sr. , the collaborator of the Japanese Imperial Army, would be revered as the “greatest Filipino”…
….many inaccuracies are written in history books….
there is a difference between inaccuracy and rewriting history
Like how the past misdeeds of Marcos is being rebranded as if he did all for the good of the nation !
And it is beyond belief when the common illiterate man and educated alike believe such rewritten history !
rewriting history is good if the victors who wrote it wanted to be read as the great saviors, but obviously fake ones. and it has to be rewritten with the truth. The truth you want to shove down our throats is a lie. We are no longer stupid to believe that your myth is history. Admit it, you lost. This is the dawning of a new generation who will never be brainwashed again by the greedy yellows!
The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history. If you don’t know history, then you don’t know anything. You are a leaf that doesn’t know it is part of a tree.
Very reason why Filipinos are culturally damaged – we don’t know our true history thus don’t know our (supposed) identity.
halo-halo kasi ang culture dito sa pinas. sabi nga ng mga banyaga may identity crisis ang nga tao dito. totoo naman eh.
i traced my roots as a tagalog and it turned out that i have a king. si Haring Matanda ng Katagalugan, in Kingdom of Maynilad. our soldiers are called “maharlika” and the nobles are called “maginoo”. can you imagine that a monarchy system in National Capital Region? something that i’m proud of. i’m a tagalog, luzonian. i’m half-bisaya also. so i know my identity sa mundong ito.
I know who kill benigno aquino… He himself ordered the kill. . He killed himself, if you watch the interview inside the plane, he knew that he was going to die. He told the reporter that when i set foot in philippine soil , i will die
i personaly think it was the malaysians… ninoy was already a malaysian citizen when he returned to phil… ninoy knew his death will spark a revolution and his health was already deteriorating that time due to the hungry strike he inflicted to himself… malaysians needed an ally president…bcz marcos was planning to get sabah back… hence i wont be surprised if malaysian money was also involved on ousting erap, erap ordered all out war on malaysian funded abusayaf…
You are right at all points. Malaysia is behind the deterioration in Mindanao. We failed the claim in Sabah now we are giving BBLto them in silver platter.Erap ousting is Tabako’s work. Any way, it is better to kick out Erap. We do not want drunkard president that makes Malacanang a nightclub and mini casino during his short stint.
Nope. He knew that there is a possibility that he would die. He learned it from his Greek friend before going back to the country. There are people saying that Danding Conjangco was the mastermind.
Which could be true. I think Danding would dispose any of his relatives who he thinks will not serve his purpose anymore. He participated the Anti-Noynoy protests beofre the 29th anniversary of EDSA. If he really was on his nephew’s side, he would not dare do that. Having Danding enter politics is also dangerous, he’s not someone you should trust even though he’s in the anti-Noynoy side. The fact that he may have killed Ninoy and now the fact that he wants Noynoy out of the presidency and the fact that he’s an ogliarch is already enough to make him a shady character.
It ain’t Danding. It’s the other uncle. A very reliable source told my Dad about it. 😉
Interesting article, but your last point is a bit off. The reason the EDSA revolution was bloodless is because it wasn’t actually a revolution. It was simply an ordinary succession, as happens in any feudal society, with power passed on to another bunch of sock-puppets fronting the same old power structure that’s been there for many decades. Marcos had made his loot, so ‘game over’ was really no big deal.
The same reason, I suggest, underlies the lack of conclusive investigations re. Aquino’s murder. Since a whole bunch of Marcos-era faces are still in power (most notably Juan Ponce Enrile) an investigation is impossible: you can’t point fingers are people who are currently pretending to be champions of the people.
If you notice closely, I never mentioned the world “revolution” in #5. 🙂
Or, to be more accurate, I never mentioned EDSA was a “revolution” to begin with. It was a coup and a revolt, and no revolutions are ever peaceful.
Yes, “coup” is probably more accurate, but I was really just pointing out it was a classic case of ‘meet the new boss, same as the old boss’. There was no transfer of power, so no need to squabble. Just an orderly re-shuffling of the noses in the trough.
A sniper was killed at the tower of
Channel 4.
But we forget that the edsa revolution was the culmination of a series of silent rebellions as well rallies and assassinations. It was a volcano waiting to erupt, as in the words of Marcos himself. Ed Jopson, sta romana, Javier, others were executed.Mendiola massacre was a wake up call.That was technically the start. Ninoys assassination was the spark.Edsa
itself was the final overthrow.
I would have also written about the death of the PTV-4 sniper during the firefight there, but I could not find sources for it. There was one coffee table book which mentions it, but I forgot its title.
Again, proof that EDSA wasn’t as “bloodless” as it was claimed to be.
Here’s a mention of the sniper’s death, but it’s on the (ugh) Black and White Movement’s blog:
“I have memories of hearing about the killing of the sniper, that he may have killed some people, while we sat around a grassy area not far from Club Filipino. I was saddened by that. The reality was that it wasn’t entirely a bloodless revolution.”
http://blacknwhitemovement.blogspot.com/2006/02/squandered-gift-part-4.html
When the last of the old politicians die: ramos, enrile, imelda, et al.., the truth will emerge. And all to blame are dead.
I’m a staunch believer of the saying, “History is written by the victors.”
That’s why I always strive to know all sides of a certain story so I could come up with my own conclusion. My understanding might still be wrong at times but, hey, at least I tried.
The Battle at Manila Bay is anything but a mock battle. The Spanish casualties there were more than seventy. With several hundred wounded. It is the land battle in the Manila environs which is staged.
Here are some of the recent photos found about the naval engagement:
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/u-s-navy-reveals-dozens-rare-spanish-american-war-photographs-n100686
Well, I love history. And it is just so frustrating to know that there are parts of our history that are used to deceive people. Your inputs (MidwayHaven) are very interesting. This is better than reading one sided books written by money makers. On the other hand, I believe we are entitled to know the other side of the story even though most of the times the other side of the story is so disgusting and devastating – but eye opening and truth seeking.
The disappointing facts and brutal truths you can read on the news and expensive hardbound.
1969 election is one of the dirtiest elections in the Phils. Like for example the coffers of the government was used by the incumbent to pay for the campaign and vote buying, so Marcos’ winning the presidency was kind of a sham. “We were outgunned, out-gooned, and outgold” complained losing candidate Sergio Osmena Jr. Before and after Martial Law, Marcos’ way of ruling was kind of iron fisted, like the Lapiang Maya massacre in Taft Ave. in 1967 or the bloody deaths of 10 protesters in Mendiola in 1984 (not 1987 Mendiola Massacre).
– After Marcos fled in People Power, in Malacanang, there was a Marcos loyalist aimlessly shooting at the crowd trying to enter the place (so that they can loot). He was quickly restrained. However, I can’t find info if any one got shot.
“The Popular Myth: Despite the threat of tanks and air bombardment, the 1986 ouster of Dictator Ferdinand Marcos was peaceful, and the intercession of the Virgin Mary made sure that no one was killed that week.”
“sure, there was no one who died during the mass organization, but you can’t call any revolution “peaceful” if you have tear gas blowing in your face.”
So it was peaceful as it could get… I don’t see how that was a myth. I was there in EDSA from the very beginning at the EDSA Camp Aguinaldo gate to the moment the Airforce defected and I was in Malacanang on the night Marcos left… I think you’re trying to make controversy where there really is none.
Yes, SO….
Water is not wet…….the sky is not blue (if it was you would not be able to see your hand in front of your face,duh !)………
all this and a few peso’s will get you on the Manila metro, SO WHAT?
EDSA 1 maybe the first “colored revolution” in the world! Try to look what happened to Ukraine a year ago and whats happening in Russia today? The same script and tacttics are being played! It was cheaper than financing a military coup! The Americans/ Enrile wanted Marcos out! There were a lot of false flags and destabilization plots back then! When Cory Aquino came into power after the whole mess the Americans / Enrile didnt stop! Thus we had coup after coup during Cory’s term! Then FVR became president started privatizing most GOCC’s and selling Gov’t assets! Erap came to power and wanted to return the power to the people but again got “people power” out of office! Our country remains to be a vassal state of the US Imperialists! Sad but true!
The first recognized “color revolution” was in Portugal (1974):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnation_Revolution
Imperialists? Why is that so?
How about the myth that martial law was declared on sep 21, 1972? In reality it was sep 23. Marcos was said to be superstitious, one believing the magical powers of the number 7. 21 is divisible by 7. So, with a stroke of a pen he made the change with kit tatad’s help. So successful was the myth that it’s probably an ex. of effective Marcos propaganda.
Thank you for the historical facts. It was a good read. When I was in the Philippines around the late 90s -early 2000, I was very interested in seeing a movie about Lapu-lapu. But when I found out that Lito Lapid was playing the lead role, I decided not to see it. I was thinking that it would be just another B-grade movie devoid of historical facts.
Just another symptom of Pinoy Denial Syndrome…
Good work here MidwayHaven, let’s keep the pressure on our ignorant society!
This is going to be the most useless comment here but…
THE MAXX!!
Yup, you definitely had a point in the EDSA part. It wasn’t all so bloodless. Almost no bloodshed =/= no blodshed at all. There is no such thing as a bloodless revolution I guess. Just an almost bloodless one.
We must not forget the soldiers who were instructed by their officers to secure the Channel 9 tower. I watched them die when a rebel Huey helicopter wiped out everyone on the tower with the use of a door-mounted machine gun. There’s even a famous clip of the bagged bodies being winched down by the paramedics who had to climb the tower.
Damn, my dad has been telling me about that one. He knew one of thise paramedics
Nice MidwayHaven the truth will set us FREE!
WHICH other countries celebrate independence on a date (like July 4th) decided upon by a foreign invader? Does Hong Kong consider the British Handover as independence day? Just asking.
India celebrates Republic Day on 26 January, but it also celebrates Independence Day on 15 August. Both dates were decided upon by the UK.
Hong Kong celebrates SAR Day on 1 July and is a public holiday, but also celebrates National Day on 1 October. Both were decided by the UK and China, respectively.
May I add, JABIDAH. There were no families that claimed a member of their family were massacred…
Because its just a myth.
Hoax, By tha AQUINO family
This is a very informative article. Even Andres Bonifacio’s image was tarnished that he’s an illiterate Indio that came from a poor family. This may not be a big deal but we continue feeding our kids false interpretations of how our society works which is one of the reasons why I tell my kids don’t believe everything their history teachers say. Public textbooks and other historical materials should be revisited and corrected for so many wrong doings but then again, Pinoys are ok with mediocrity and our government is so corrupt that they won’t give heavy funds proofreading these mistakes.
Great article. How about a sequel?
topics may include:
1) da kode of kalantiaw
2) sa aking mga kabata
3) bonifacio and aguinaldo’s stereotypes
Unfortunately, these 5 are not the only lies being spread around. We can do a whole book on this topic.
May I add,
Before Magellan arrived here, there were already lots of Portuguese merchants and even settlers in Mindanao.
Remember also that before Magellan went to Cebu, they also arrived in Mindanao first.
The reason why there are lots of Filipinos that are of Spanish ancestry in pre-colonization, and the existence of Portuguese blooded people in Mindanao.
Marcos is a Good Man, Better than the hypocrite Aquinos.
True…
our history was made by the few and their script which what happen there were all hear say,so that’s why the name philippines itself is a proof of our dependence to the dominant force of this world,until now we are slaves with imaginary neckchains but powerful enough still to control our lives…our country should be renamed MAHARLIKA
One more glaring myth, in fact turned into a hoax in 2009: The first mass at Limasawa. Read the Limasawa story by Fr. Francisco Combes, it doesn’t mention any mass anywhere. It does not say Magellan’s fleet was at Limasawa on March 31, 1521; Combes states the fleet was in Butuan on that date (which is another myth).
The Easter mass of March 31, 1521 was held on an island named Mazaua. There are two 16th century documents on that mass, one eyewitness account written by Antonio Pigafetta. The other, a secondhand account by Antonio de Herrera y Tordesillas.
You should write this in Tagalog.
Sweet! Thanks for these mythbusters.
Sadly, they still exist in some textbooks and written by some “historians”. Historians being paid by victorious leaders trying to hide the mistakes and wrongful acts they’ve done.
There’s more bloodshed during the 1986 Edsa revolution. The soldiers snipers who were shot from channels 4 or 2 and several more
Nice one..!..you nailed it!
Philippines history are all Propaganda.!
Pinoys will jump which ever way they are told to go. Brainpower=zero, brainwashed=100%, just a race of servants with no future other than slavery
Very true. Crappy slavery mentality. Wake up Pinoys
how about Armando Balite who invented the m16 or the “armalite”? Hahaha
And yet another article laced subtly with Marcos loyalist propaganda. I have noticed that lately, so called informative pieces like this have been coming out. Of course, it is not surprising, given the political proclivities of this website. Be careful, peeps!
jim paredes is that you? =)
Most GRP readers use their critical analysis and can think independently. You should be more worried about people who regularly read Raissa Robles.
How exactly is this article “laced” with “Marcos loyalist propaganda”? Unless you give proof to your assumptions you’re just basically farting from your mouth.
yup… exactly my thoughts…
what are your sources of information regarding the above-mentioned articles?
give a proof din pag may time!
Not Marcos propaganda, — but plain simple facts about the 1986 Revolution being pretty bloody. Thousands of people watched the “loyalist” soldiers get wiped out by a .50 cal machine gun fired from a rebel Huey helicopter at the Channel 9 tower where these soldiers were holed up. Hundreds of thousands more Filipinos probably saw the TV news clips of the bodies being brought down by UST paramedics.
I’m no Marcos fan, and never will be; but let’s not insult the memory of these Filipino soldiers who died on that tower as they dutifully obeyed their orders, – oblivious of any kind of “revolution” going on.
Pinoy pride e, e d wow! as long as d govrnment lacks initiative to educate all of its people dspite evry pres claiming
D economy is rising nothing will change, dats y people r easy 2 manipul8… Look at our politicians claiming pro poorbut coming frm well off families no exprience of being poor or cming frm poor gaining power and drowning in it… THE TRUTH IS EVERY FILIPINO HAS THIS SUBCONSCIOUS MENTALITY OF EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF THATS WHY PHIL WILL STILL B POOR AND DIVIDED
well I’m not well versed with history myself but midwayhaven (is that a surname or you are hiding yourself?), if i have to comment on your article or based a conclusion from it, I think we should thank mother spain for uniting and solidifying the nation called Philippines considering that before them we were just part of a group of islands identified in the trade routes of the europeans in the east…. yes i believe you are correct in those inaccuracies… and yes spain was the reason why we have these independence celebration…. and yes if we celebrate independence day on the 4th of july we are just putting the effort of those who tried (katipuneros) in vain to the point of insulting them, ….and maybe japan and USA have proven that the country philippines existed in their time otherwise they wouldn’t even place us in their history books.
Thru the writtings of the voyage of an italian priest Father Odorico. it was found that he did a mass during 1324 in santiago islands. but for some reason the national historic commission just chose limasawa. actual writtings arent enough proof for them despite it being well documented. Imagine that 200 years before magellan. maybe theres much more than 1324. but our government institution jusr decided to stick with the status quo for convinience.
I have not heard of the mass in Santiago Islands but thanks Greg for that interesting input. We really have lots of inaccuracies in our national history. MidwayHaven may have included some personal beliefs (political or not) but there are really countries that have histories with controversies. However for accuracy’s sake, differences in beliefs should be written and included too. Indeed history is written by the victors.
I’m 24, pinoy. I have read lots of pieces of history of Philippines. A lot are different from what I have learned before I had access to internet(childhood). There’s even a book here in the John Rylands Library in MAncester says published in 166ish that I’m interested reading but can’t as it’s one of the lots of protected books of the library.
Hindi po totoong walang namatay sa EDSA revolution. Dalawang sundalo na nasa Channel 4 transmitter tower at ayaw bumaba at sumuko ang mina-shingan ng rebel helicopters. Andun po kami nung nagyari hanggang sa ibaba ang mga bangkay. Nasa Timog lang ang opis namin noon.
Pag lusob naman sa Malacanang, merong mga nambabato sa makapal na tao kaya marami ding nasugutan. Hindi po bloodless ang EDSA revolution.
totoo yan midway.
wala talagang pilipinas. ginawa lang yan ng mga espanyol(with porutgese on the side) for control and it was adapted by USA to keep the archipelago united and to control the people. such in the case of Singapore. halo-halo tao dun. un nga lang, SG is just an island the size of NCR with Lee Kuan Yew’s briliance kaya madali ma-unite. sabi nga ni lee kuan yew, a country should have a reference point. it requires a little bit of history. i agree with him. kaya dapat tama ang history natin.
it’s time that GRP make a book on history. mag-donate ako. lol.
1- “Alibata” was the national writing script before the Spaniards arrived.
The Popular Myth: Before the Spanish conquered the Philippines, Filipinos invented “Alibata” as a way to communicate amongst each other.
The Historical Evidence: First of all it’s not supposed to be called “Alibata;” the term was imported from Arabic in 1921 because no scholar back then had decided on what to accurately call the writing script. The more accepted term nowadays is “Baybayin.” Also, though it indeed is a pre-Hispanic script, there is no historical evidence to show that Baybayin was used outside of Central Luzon and the Visayas before the Spanish arrived and tweaked the script themselves. Furthermore, Baybayin couldn’t have been considered a “national script” because there was no “nation” to speak of back then; the Philippines (before it was named that way) were a collection of perhaps dozens of separate kingdoms and tribes that had little or no mutual sense of unity with each other.
If there ever was a “national script” that the natives used before the Spanish arrived, one need not look further than the Laguna Copperplate Inscription and the Butuan Ivory Seal, artifacts which predate the emergence of Baybayin by at least 600 years. They both use a writing script called “Old Kawi,” which scholars now purport to be the ancestor of Baybayin and various other pre-Hispanic writing scripts in the Philippines. The fact that it was used almost without variation by two separate kingdoms proves that it was more widespread than Baybayin ever was before Spain arrived.
As long as the filipinos do not know their past, they will forever have no proper culture, know their direction nor ever be united.
as great leaders who need to remain in power. let us continue to stupify the masses. long live the slave race!
If the country is not united on june 12 why call it national day?? For me and believer of the flag june 12 is the Independence Day…we dont need sovereign states to recognize us but the strength to keep the fight is enough to call ourselves Independent
The only thing inaccurate is this article’s claim to ‘accuracy’ when it’s No.3 “inaccuracy” is in itself full of ridiculous inaccuracies.
The only thing definitely inaccurate is this arrogant idiot’s number 3 article… it’s so chock full of errors it’s laughable. And this stupidity passes for ‘history’ for Pinoys? Give me a freaking break.
http://getrealphilippines.com/2015/03/five-inaccuracies-still-accepted-as-philippine-history/
This part is essentially true but heavily simplified – and the heavily simplified version suits the American narrative just fine. It’s all well and good that great civilized nations talk about international law and recognizing or not recognizing the will of a sovereign people. Furthermore, this doesn’t talk about the blatant racism of the period, the efforts of Mabini to get diplomats to other countries, not just to Paris, in the hope that a major European power would recognize the First Republic.
“The Historical Evidence: No other sovereign state recognized Philippine independence; what the world instead recognized was the Treaty of Paris, wherein Spain sold its ever-loyal Pacific gravy boat to the United States for $20 million. Representatives of the fledgling “Philippine Republic” were refused participation in the Treaty. As for the Kawit declaration itself, documents show that a certain “Colonel Johnson” was present to observe the proceedings.”
Everything hereafter becomes laughably stupid…
“Some time afterwards, to give the impression that the Philippines was being “recognized” by the United States as independent, a mock naval battle was held in Manila Bay. ”
This imbecile not only conflates the Battle of Manila Bay, fought by Commodore Dewey’s Asiatic Squadron against the decrepit Spanish squadron of Almirante Montojo which was DEFINITELY not a mock battle as the scores of Spanish dead and wounded and sunken Spanish ships testify to, with the Mock Battle of Manila, “fought” in August after the disgraceful and dishonorable betrayal by America of its Filipino allies in favor of its Spanish enemies, but the reason it gives for “a mock naval battle… held in Manila Bay” is utterly ridiculous and WRONG.
“Not knowing that this was all an act, Filipino generals wanted in on the action and began attacking Spanish fortifications, unknowingly paving the way for the United States to plant the Star-Spangled Banner on Philippine soil (just as what the script told them to do, of course).”
I don’t even know where to begin… the fantasy bullcrap is stacked so high on this. The Filipino generals, from Aguinaldo on down were furious at being told NOT to advance and even more furious when American troops refused them entry to the main prize of Manila. They didn’t “attack Spanish fortifications” they sulked and fumed and it took all of Aguinaldo’s leadership to prevent them from attacking the Americans just then – he was waiting for the American congressional vote on the Treaty of Paris ratification which was to take place, if I’m not mistaken on Feb 6th. He was upstaged by Otis (who probably planned the whole thing out) and the Nebraskan Volunteers who started the shooting at San Juan Bridge and which was essentially a “Pearl Harbor” type surprise attack on what was still technically a friend and ally (the Filipinos) who were then told, when they wanted a ceasefire and true to clear things up, that “the fighting must go on to its grim end”.
“The Philippines itself wasn’t even united in declaring “independence” in 1898. The Negros Republic also declared itself a sovereign state separate from the Kawit declaration,”
No it wasn’t… “
REPÚBLICA DE NEGROS
“In this plaza of Bago was proclaimed the
República de Negros by the Revolutionary
Forces led by general Juan Anacleto Araneta,
5 November 1898. Witnessed by Anaias
Diokno, representative of the Central Revolutionary
Government. This Republic acknowledges
The authority of the First Philippine Republic
under Emilio Aguinaldo.”
”
I don’t know where this moron is getting HIS history…
“as well as the Zamboanga Republic”
Which happened in 1899 and defeated the remnants of the Spanish colonial forces in the south. After which it held out against the Americans until treachery led to its fall. Let’s say, for argument’s sake that they did not recognize the Malolos government – I don’t think they even bothered thinking about it. They were fighting for their lives. If they and the First Republic had been successful then they would have had time to talk. What IS clear is that Don Vicente Alvarez WAS a member of the Katipunan as early as 1892 and he was one of those whose membership in the revolutionary organization was discovered in 1896. So there’s already a connection with the Rizal-Bonifacio-Aguinaldo thread and they were working toward the cause of independence from colonial rule, whether they were firmly attached to the Malolos government or not.
“Also, although history would eventually recognize Emilio Aguinaldo as the first Philippine president, such a claim couldn’t even be decided upon by the revolutionary government itself, leading to intrigue and assassinations worthy of any Spanish imperial court.”
Again, inaccuracies and over-simplification. If this refers to the Bonifacio and Luna incidents, they are doing history a VAST disservice by simplifying it to the point of idiocy.
The colonial minded moron who wrote this should try reading some real history instead of pretending to be the pop culture guru of historical “accuracy”.
1- Nope; provide credible sources and maybe you could be believed.
2 – The Negros Republic declaration in Bago “acknowledges the authority of the First Philippine Republic under Emilio Aguinaldo” as a CO-REPUBLIC. Meaning, Negros as a Republic recognized the Philippines as a Republic: two supposed SOVEREIGN NATIONS recognizing each other’s existence (even if both were not recognized internationally). Negros even had its own President, and here’s proof:
http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Philippines.htm#Negros
3 – I’m not pretending to be some “pop guru” as you call it, since I do my research even if some of it may be inaccurate.
uhm.. have you heard of the term ‘citation.’