The First Filipinos

Many historians and scientists believe that the first inhabitants of the Philippine islands
emerged during the Pleistocene period. There are two theories on where the inhabitants
(first Filipinos) came from namely: Beyers Migration Theory and Jocanos Evolution
Theory. Noted social scientist Henry Otley Beyer believes that Filipinos descended from
different groups that came from Southeast Asia in successive waves of migration. Each
group had a distinct culture, with its own customs and traditions. While Jocano believes
that Asians, including Filipinos are the result of a lengthy process of evolution and
migration.

Migration Theory
The first migrants were what Beyer called the Dawnmen (or cavemen because they
lived in caves.). The Dawnmen resembled Java Man, Peking Man, and other Asian Home
sapiens who existed about 250,000 years ago. They did not have any knowledge of
agriculture, and lived by hunting and fishing. It was precisely in search of food that
they came to the Philippines by way of the land bridges that connected the Philippines and
Indonesia. Owing perhaps to their migratory nature, they eventually left the Philippines for
destinations unknown.
The second group of migrants was composed of dark-skinned pygmies called Aetas
or Negritoes. About 30,000 years ago, they crossed the land bridged from Malaya,
Borneo, and Australia until they reached Palawan, Mindoro and Mindanao. They were
pygmies who went around practically naked and were good at hunting, fishing and food
gathering. They used spears and small flint stones weapons.
The Aetas were already in the Philippines when the land bridges disappeared due to the
thinning of the ice glaciers and the subsequent increase in seawater level. These natural
events forced them to remain in the country and become its first permanent inhabitants.
Because of the disappearance of the land bridges, the third wave of migrants was
necessarily skilled in seafaring. These were the Indonesians, who came to the islands in
boats. They were more advanced than the Aetas in that: they had tools made out of stone
and steel, which enabled them to build sturdier houses: they engaged in farming and
mining, and used materials made of brass; they wore clothing and other body ornaments.
Last to migrate to the Philippines, according to Beyer, were Malays. They were believed
to have come from Java, Sumatra, Borneo, and the Malay Peninsula more than 2,000 years
ago. Like the Indonesians, they also traveled in boats.
 The Malays were brown-skinned and of medium height, with straight black hair and flat
noses. Their technology was said to be more advanced than that of their predecessors.
They engaged in pottery, weaving, jewelry making and metal smelting, and introduced the
irrigation system in rice planting.

Jocanos Theory
Renowned Filipino anthropologist Felipe Landa Jocano disputes Beyers belief that
Filipinos descended from Negritoes and Malays who migrated to the Philippines thousands
of years ago. According to Jocano, it is difficult to prove that Negritoes were the first
inhabitants of this country. The only thing that can positively concluded from fossil
evidence, he says is that the first men who came to the Philippines also went to
New Guinea, Java, Borneo, and Australia.
In 1962, a skullcap and a portion of a jaw-presumed to be a human origin-were found in
the Tabon Caves of Palawan by archaeologist Robert Fox and Manuel Santiago, who both
worked for the National Museum. Carbon dating placed their age at 21,000 to 22,000 years.
This proves, Jocano argues, that man came earlier to the Philippines than to the Malay
Peninsula; therefore, the first inhabitants of our islands could not have come from the
region. The Tabon Man is said to resemble Java Man and Peking Man. He gathered fruits,
leaves and plants for his food. He hunted with weapons made of stone. Although further
research is still being done on his life and culture, evidence shows that he was already
capable of using his brain in order to survive and keep himself safe.

Instead of the Migration Theory, Jocano advances the Evolution Theory, as a better
explanation of how our country was first inhabited by human beings, Jocano believes that
the first people of Southeast Asia were products of a long process of evolution and
migration. His research indicates that they shared more or less the same culture, beliefs,
practices an even similar tool and implements. These people eventually went their separate
ways; some migrated to the Philippines, the others to New Guinea, Java and Borneo. Proof,
Jocano says, can be found in the fossils discovered in different parts of Southeast Asia, as
well as the recorded migrations of other peoples from the Asian mainland when history
began to unfold.
 Philippines - Topography
The topography is extremely varied, with volcanic mountain masses forming the cores
of most of the larger islands. The range culminates in Mt. Pulag (elevation 2,928 m/9,606 ft)
in northern Luzon and in Mt. Apo, the highest point in the Philippines (elevation 2,954
m/9,692 ft), in Mindanao. A number of volcanoes are active, and the islands have been
subject to destructive earthquakes. Lowlands are generally narrow coastal strips except for
larger plains in Luzon (Cagayan Valley and Central Plains), Mindanao (Cotabato and Davao-
Agusan valleys), and others in Negros and Panay. Rivers are short and generally seasonal in
flow. Important ones are the Cagayan, Agno, Abra, Bicol, and Pampanga in Luzon and the
Cotabato and Agusan in Mindanao. Flooding is a frequent hazard. The shores of many of
the islands are embayed (Manila Bay is one of the finest harbors in East Asia); however,
several islands lack adequate harbors and require offshore lightering for sea transport. The
only two inland water bodies of significant size are Laguna de Bay in Luzon and Lake Sultan
Alonto in Mindanao.

Philippine Geography
The Philippines is the largest archipelago in the world that is found in the southeastern
coast of the Asia mainland. Philippines is surrounded by water in which in the east by the
Pacific Ocean, on the south by the Celebes Sea, and on the west and north by the South
China Sea. The country consists of 7,107 island and islets. Only 2000 of these islands are
inhibited. The populated and mountainous islands are grouped into three: Luzon, the
biggest island group, covers 141,395 square kilometers; Visayas, 56,606 square kilometers;
and Mindanao, 102,000 square kilometers. Other main islands are Samar, Negros, Palawan,
Panay, Mindoro, Leyte, Cebu, Bohol and Masbate.
The Philippine Archipelago is divided into 15 regions. These regions are divided into
provinces, and the provinces into cities and municipalities, and these into barangays.
Barangay is the smallest political unit in the Philippines.
Region I - Ilocos
Region II - Cagayan Valley
Region III - Central Luzon
Region IV - Southern Tagalog
Region V - Bicol
Region VI - Western Visayas
Region VII - Central Visayas
Region VIII - Eastern Visayas
Region IX - Western Mindanao
Region X - Northern Mindanao
Region XI - Southern Mindanao
Region XII - Central Mindanao
National Capital Region (NCR)
Cordillera Administrative Region
Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao
The Philippines is a unique combination of varied topography. Luzon and Mindanao is
distinguished by narrow valleys, alluvial plains. rolling hills and high mountains. The highest
mountains are found in the larger islands which are Luzon and Mindanao that the mountain
ranges are running north to south. The altitudes of the mountains vary from 1,790 to 3,144
meters. These mountains ranges are the natural barriers of the country.
These mountain ranges are the sierra Madre, the Cordillera, and the Cotabato ranges.
The four major lowlands are found in Eastern Cordillera, Central plain of Luzon, Agusan
and Zambales.
The smaller islands of the Philippines are mountainous in the interior and surround by
narrow strips of discontinuous flat lowlands which constitute the coastal rims. There are
about 221 volcanoes, 21 of which are active.

Philippine has the finest seaports in Southeast Asia the Manila Bay that has an area of
1,970 square kilometers and coastline of 192 kilometers. Philippines has an estimated
coastline of 18,411 kilometers. There island of the Philippines has beautiful coral reefs
which attracts tourist from all over the world.
Philippines also has a volcanic topography because it sits in the unstable Pacific "Ring of
Fire". Philippines had experienced major natural disasters in the past. Two major volcanic
eruptions that struck the country are from Mt. Pinatubo and Mt. Mayon Volcano. The
eruption killed hundreds and displaced thousands of people. Homes and source of living
were destroyed that left nothing to the people.