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Due to geographical reasons and shreds of evidence, many believed that our civilization and the systematic government started when Indos or Malays reached our lands around 25,00 years ago and were followed by different ethnicities such as Chinese and Indians for trades and goods. and with that Malays and Indos heavily influenced us with their literature, culture, arts, etc. Animism was evident due to calling our God, bathala, and basing our gods on nature. We are more liberated before and love each and everyone.

If we would not be colonized by Spaniards, we would be somehow a full or half-Islamic country or be with China.

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Spanish Colonization (approx. 501 years ago)

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Spanish Colonization (approx. 501 years ago)

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The Spaniards first arrived in 1521, they were defeated by our mighty datu fighter Lapu-Lapu however due to the persistency of Spain, little by little we were in the mere hands of the colonizers.

Due to the great power Spaniards have, they grasped the opportunity to entrenched themselves as the "lords" of the Filipinos and influenced them rapidly by building churches, schools, roads, and bridges, while accumulating vast land holdings for the Catholic Church; Influencing us through everything and we are still practicing their culture as part of our own.

They created their own government here, mostly lead by catholic priests who have immense power to oppress every Filipinos.

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Spaniards v Americans --> Americans v Filipinos

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After being freed from Spaniards (Spain sold the entire Philippine archipelago to the United States for $20 million);

Treaty between the United States and Spain grants the US authority over the Philippines. America Imperialism took over and overpowered again the Filipinos. They created a much more well-done government (democratic) and increased the immigration system in the Philippines. Increased the military powers and led the Philippines and its government and economy.

Americans also improved the  system of education during that time , and so pervasive and far-reaching was its impact and influence on the life and culture of the Filipino during and after the colonial period.

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After claiming full independency in 1946, previous presidents came by not until Ferdinand Marcos Sr. was elected to be the president of the Philippines in 1965.

His first term was marked by increased industrialization and the construction of nationwide infrastructure, including the creation of the NLEX.

In 1972, he declared martial law which resulted in thousands of extrajudicial killings. President Marcos accumulates a vast fortune. His wife, Imelda, dominates the Manila government.
“Parliament of the street” holds frequent anti-Marcos demonstrations. Spiraling economic crises.

The martial law era under Marcos was marked by plunder, repression, torture, and atrocity. As many as 3,257 were murdered, 35K tortured, and 70K illegally detained according to a historian. One journalist described the Marcos administration as "A shop for human rights abuses, a system that swiftly turned citizens into victims by dispensing with inconvenient requirements such as constitutional protections, basic rights, due process, and evidence."

Violence escalates before elections, and at least 30 are killed on election day. Election rigging enrages Filipinos and millions join in the uprising against Marcos regime. On February 26, Marcoses flee. Corazon Aquino was elected to the presidency. A new constitution was drafted (the 1987 Constitution is still present.)

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After the escapades of the Marcoses in 1986, Corazon Aquino became the first Filipina president of the Philippines.

She establishes the 1987 Constitution which we still use as a basis of laws and regulations here in our country. As time goes by, her assistant Ramos became the president of the country; His pragmatic leadership defies traditional perceptions of the inept Filipino government. Foreign investors return. The Philippines was still in big debt due to the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses and other reasons.

In 2010, her son, Pinoy became the president of the Philippines a year later his government holds landmark talks with Muslim rebels. However, there are so many issues that occurred during his administration. (SAF44, Dengvaxia, South China Sea, P12M wrecked footbridge, Typhoon Yolanda funds, Corona Impeachment, MRT derailments, Traffic woes, Tanim-Bala, etc.)

in 2016, Duterte won the presidential elections and also several issues such as the War on Drugs, Leadership style, Domestic Affairs, Support for Death Penalty, Boracay clean-up, impeachment affairs, EJK for journalists, etc.

6 years passed, and we are still in a democratic country wherein in 2022, BBM, Marcos Sr. won the presidential elections and still having issues in the agricultural sector, immense inflation, ill-gotten wealth, martial law, etc.