Philippines

The Philippines officially known as the Republic of the Philippines is an island country in Southeast Asia in the Pacific Ocean, it has no land borders with any countries but a maritime border with Malaysia. The Philippines consists of many islands including Luzon, Visayas, and etc. The biggest city is called Quezon City, and its capital is Manila, which both are part of the Manila Metropolitan Area. The country has over 100 million of people, it speaks Filipino and English and other regional languages. Spanish and Arabic are optional languages.

Prehistorical Times (? - ?)
The metatarsal of the Callao Man, reliably dated by uranium-series dating to 67,000 years ago is the oldest human remnant found in the archipelago to date. This distinction previously belonged to the Tabon Man of Palawan, carbon-dated to around 26,500 years ago. Negritos were also among the archipelago's earliest inhabitants, but their first settlement in the Philippines has not been reliably dated.

Pre-Colonial Period (? - 1521)
Some of the societies scattered in the islands remained isolated but many evolved into states that developed substantial trade and contacts with the peoples of Eastern, Southern and Southeastern Asia; including those from Brunei, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Japan as well as other Austronesian islands.The first millennium saw the rise of the harbor principalities and their growth into maritime states composed of autonomous barangays independent of or allied with larger nations which were either Malay thalassocracies led by Datus, tributary states to China which was ruled by Huangs or Indianized Kingdoms governed by Rajahs.

Spanish Colonization (1521 - 1872/1898)
In 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan arrived in the Philippines, claimed the islands for Spain and was then killed at the Battle of Mactan. Colonization began when Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi arrived from Mexico in 1565 and formed the first Hispanic settlements in Cebu. After relocating to Panay island and consolidating a coalition of native Visayan allies and Hispanic soldiers, the Spaniards then captured Islamic Manila, therein they put down the Tondo Conspiracy and exiled the conspirators to Guam and Guerrero. Under Spanish rule, they established Manila as the capital of the Spanish East Indies.

They also defeated the Chinese-warlord Limahong despite his overwhelming numbers. In response to the Islamic invasion of Tondo, the Castille War was waged against the Sultanate of Brunei in Borneo and war was also waged against the Sultanate of Ternate and Tidore (In response to Ternatan slaving and piracy against the Butuan Rajahnate and Bohol). Fortifications were also set up in Taiwan and the Maluku islands. These were abandoned and the soldiers withdrew back to the Philippines. They withdrew in order to re-concentrate the military forces because of a threatened invasion by the Japan-born Ming-dynasty loyalist, Koxinga, ruler of the stronghold of Tungning. However, the invasion was aborted. Meanwhile, settlers were sent to the Pacific islands of Palau and the Marianas.

The Spanish built Fort Santiago in Manila, built by Miguel López de Legazpi in 1590.

Spanish rule eventually contributed significantly to bringing political unity to the fragmented states of the archipelago. From 1565 to 1821, the Philippines was governed as a territory of the Viceroyalty of New Spain and then was administered directly from Madrid after the Mexican War of Independence. The Manila galleons, the largest wooden ships ever built, we're constructed in Bicol and Cavite. The Manila galleons were accompanied with a large naval escort as it traveled to and fro Manila and Acapulco. The galleons sailed once or twice a year, between the 16th century and the 19th century.

Trade introduced foodstuff such as maize, tomatoes, potatoes, chili peppers, chocolate and pineapples from Mexico and Peru. Within the Philippines, the Marquisate of Buglas was established and rule of it was awarded to Sebastian Elcano and his crew, the survivors of the first circumnavigation of the world, as well as his descendants. New towns were also created and Roman Catholic missionaries converted most of the lowland inhabitants to Christianity. They also founded schools, a university, hospitals and churches which were built along the Earthquake Baroque architectural style.The Spanish also decreed the introduction of free public schooling in 1863. As a result of these policies the Philippine population increased exponentially.

During its rule, the Spanish quelled various indigenous revolts. There were several external military challenges from Chinese and Japanese pirates, the Dutch, the English and the Portuguese. Those challengers were fought-off despite the hostile forces having encircled the Philippine archipelago in a crescent formed from Japan to Indonesia. British forces occupied Manila from 1762 to 1764 in an extension of the fighting of the Seven Years' War. Spanish rule was restored following the 1763 Treaty of Paris. The Spanish–Moro conflict lasted for several hundred years. In the last quarter of the 19th century Spain conquered portions of Mindanao and Moro Muslims in the Sulu Sultanate on Sulu formally recognized Spanish sovereignty.

In the 19th century, Philippine ports opened to world trade and shifts started occurring within Philippine society. Many Spaniards born in the Philippines (criollos) and those of mixed ancestry (mestizos) became wealthy and an influx of Latin American settlers opened up government positions traditionally held by Spaniards born in the Iberian Peninsula (peninsulares). The ideals of revolution also began to spread through the islands. Criollo dissatisfaction resulted in the 1872 Cavite Mutiny that was a precursor to the Philippine Revolution.

The Philippine Revolution (1872-1898/1901/1913)
Revolutionary sentiments were stoked in 1872 after three priests — Mariano Gómez, José Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora (collectively known as Gomburza) — were accused of sedition by colonial authorities and executed. This would inspire a propaganda movement in Spain, organized by Marcelo H. del Pilar, José Rizal, and Mariano Ponce, lobbying for political reforms in the Philippines. Rizal was eventually executed on December 30, 1896, on charges of rebellion. As attempts at reform met with resistance ,Andrés Bonifacio in 1892 established the secret society called the Katipunan, who sought independence from Spain through armed revolt.

Aguinaldo Shrine where the first flag of the short-lived independent republic was raised in 1898.

Bonifacio and the Katipunan started the Philippine Revolution in 1896. A faction of the Katipunan, the Magdalo of Cavite province, eventually came to challenge Bonifacio's position as the leader of the revolution and Emilio Aguinaldo took over. In 1898, the Spanish–American War began in Cuba and reached the Philippines. Aguinaldo declared Philippine independence from Spain in Kawit, Cavite on June 12, 1898, and the First Philippine Republic was established in the Barasoain Church in the following year.

The islands were ceded by Spain to the United States as a result of the latter's victory in the Spanish–American War. A compensation of 20 million US dollars was paid to Spain according to the terms of the 1898 Treaty of Paris. As it became increasingly clear the United States would not recognize the nascent First Philippine Republic, the Philippine–American War broke out, the First Republic was defeated, and the archipelago was administered under an Insular Government. The war resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of combatants as well as a couple of hundred thousand civilians, mostly from a cholera epidemic.

The Americans then suppressed other rebellious sub-states: mainly, the waning Sultanate of Sulu, as well as the insurgent Tagalog Republic, the Cantonal Republic of Negros in the Visayas, and the Republic of Zamboanga in Mindanao. During this era, a renaissance in Philippine culture occurred, with the expansion of Philippine cinema and literature.

Commonwealth Era and Japanese Intervention (1935 - 1946)
In 1935, the Philippines was granted Commonwealth status with Manuel Quezon as president. He designated a national language and introduced women's suffrage and land reform. Plans for independence over the next decade were interrupted by World War II when the Japanese Empire invaded the Philippines and the Second Philippine Republic of José P. Laurel was established as a collaborator state.

Many atrocities and war crimes were committed during the war such as the Bataan Death March and the Manila massacre that culminated during the Battle of Manila. In 1944, Quezon died in exile in the United States and Sergio Osmeña succeeded him. The Allied Forces then employed a strategy of island hopping towards the Philippine Archipelago, in the process, retaking territory conquered by Imperial Japan.

From mid-1942 through mid-1944, the Filipino guerrilla resistance had been supplied and encouraged by U.S. Navy submarines and a few parachute drops, so that the guerrillas could harass the Japanese Army and take control of the rural jungle and mountainous areas – amounting to about half of the Philippine archipelago. While remaining loyal to the United States, many Filipinos hoped and believed that liberation from the Japanese would bring them freedom and their already-promised independence.

Eventually, the largest naval battle in history, according to gross tonnage, the Battle of Leyte Gulf, occurred when the Allied Forces started the liberation of the Philippines from the Japanese Empire. Allied troops defeated the Japanese in 1945. By the end of the war it is estimated that over a million Filipinos had died.

Independence Era (1946 - 1965)
On October 24, 1945, the Philippines became one of the founding members of the United Nations and the following year, on July 4, 1946, it became recognized by the United States as independent, during the presidency of Manuel Roxas. Disgruntled remnants of the communist Hukbalahap continued to roam the countryside but were put down by President Elpidio Quirino's successor Ramon Magsaysay. Magsaysay's successor, Carlos P. Garcia initiated the Filipino First (Pilipino Muna) Policy, which was continued by Diosdado Macapagal, with celebration of Independence Day moved from July 4 to June 12, the date of Emilio Aguinaldo's declaration,undefinedwhile furthering the claim on the eastern part of North Borneo.

Marcos Era and the Martial Law Era (1965 - 1986)
In 1965, Macapagal lost the presidential election to Ferdinand Marcos. Early in his presidency he initiated numerous infrastructure projects but was accused of massive corruption and embezzling billions of dollars in public funds. Nearing the end of his term, Marcos declared Martial Law on September 21, 1972. This period of his rule was characterized by political repression, censorship, and human rights violations but the US were steadfast in their support. His wife Imelda continued to live a lavish lifestyle as the majority of Filipinos remained in poverty.

On August 21, 1983, Marcos' chief rival, opposition leader Benigno Aquino, Jr., was assassinated on the tarmac at Manila International Airport. Marcos eventually called snap presidential elections in 1986. Marcos was proclaimed the winner, but the results were widely regarded as fraudulent, leading to the People Power Revolution. Marcos and his allies fled to Hawaii and Aquino's widow, Corazon Aquino was recognized as president.

Post-Marcos Era (1986 - Present)
The return of democracy and government reforms beginning in 1986 were hampered by national debt, government corruption, coup attempts,disasters, a persistent communist insurgency, and a military conflict with Moro separatists. During Corazon Aquino's administration, U.S. forces withdrew from the Philippines, due the rejection of the U.S. Bases Extension Treaty, and leading to the official transfer of Clark Air Base in November 1991 and Subic Bay to the government in December 1992. After introducing a constitution that limited presidents to a single term, Aquino did not stand for re-election.

Aquino was succeeded by Fidel V. Ramos, who won the Philippine presidential election held in May 1992. During this period, the economy was known as the "Tiger Economy in Asia", with an average of 6% GDP growth rate. However, the political stability and economic improvements, such as the peace agreement with the Moro National Liberation Front in 1996, were overshadowed by the onset of the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

Ramos' successor, Joseph Estrada assumed office in June 1998 and managed to regain the economy by 1999 amidst the 1997 Asian financial crisis. The government had announced a war against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in March 2000 and neutralized the camps including the headquarters of the insurgents. In the middle of ongoing conflict with the Abu Sayyaf, accusations of alleged corruption, and a stalled impeachment process, Estrada's administration was overthrown by the 2001 EDSA Revolution and succeeded by his Vice President, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on January 20, 2001.

Benigno Aquino III won the 2010 national elections and served as the 15th President of the Philippines. During the previous years, The Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro was signed on October 15, 2012, as the first step of the creation of an autonomous political entity named Bangsamoro. However, territorial disputes in eastern Sabah and the South China Sea have escalated. The economy in the country performed well especially in 2013 at 7.2% GDP growth which is 2nd fastest in Asia.

On April 28, 2014, when United States President Barack Obama visited the Philippines, the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, was signed. On January 25, 2015, 44 members of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force were killed after a clash took place in Mamasapano, Maguindanao putting efforts to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law into law in an impasse. January 12, 2016, the Philippine Supreme Court upheld the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement paving the way for the return of United States Armed Forces bases into the country.

Rodrigo Duterte was elected during the 2016 presidential elections and is now the current president of the Philippines.

The relationship of Philippines with Russia and China has began and the fishing in West Philippine Sea is now allowed (Since the US ended relations) duration of APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) in Lima, Peru. Duterte had a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to start relationships with China and Russia.

Kebab Master Lel
It attacks Malaysia and Brunei and gets the northern part of Borneo.

Mappers in their Country

 * ASEAN Mapper