Pre-Colonial Philippines

Between the years 900 and 1565, the Philippines experienced a period of history
that began with the formation of the Laguna Copperplate Inscription in 900 and ended
with Spanish colonization in 1565. The inscription was written in the Hindu Saka
calendar year 822, which corresponds to 900 AD in the Gregorian system. As a result,
the discovery of this text marks the end of the Philippines' prehistory at 900 AD. The
Philippine archipelago was home to various kingdoms and sultanates during this
historical era, and it was a part of the theorized Indosphere and Sinosphere.

Decipherment

The Laguna Copperplate Inscription measures around 20 cm by 30 cm and is

inscribed with ten lines of writing on one side. The text was mostly written in Old Malay
with influences of Sanskrit, Old Javanese and Old Tagalog using the Kawi script. Dutch
anthropologist Antoon Postma deciphered the text. The date of the inscription is in the
"Year of Saka 822, month of Vaisakha", corresponding to April–May in 900 AD. The text
notes the acquittal of all descendants of a certain honourable Namwaran from a debt of
1 kati and 8 suwarna, equivalent to 926.4 grams of gold, granted by the Military
Commander of Tundun (Tondo) and witnessed by the leaders of Pailah, Binwangan and
Puliran, which are places likely also located in Luzon. The reference to the
contemporaneous Medang Kingdom in modern-day Indonesia implies political
connections with territories elsewhere in the Maritime Southeast Asia.

Politics

Early settlements, referred to as barangays, ranged from 20 to 100 families on

the coast, and around 150-200 people in more interior areas. Coastal settlements were
connected over water, with much less contact occurring between highland and lowland
areas. By the 1300s, a number of the large coastal settlements had emerged as trading
centers, and became the focal point of societal changes. Some polities had exchanges
with other states across Asia.

olities founded in the Philippines from the 10th–16th centuries include Maynila, Tondo,
Namayan, Pangasinan, Cebu, Butuan, Maguindanao, Lanao, Sulu, and Ma-i. Among
the nobility were leaders called "Datus," responsible for ruling autonomous groups
called "barangay" or "dulohan".When these barangays banded together, either to form a
larger settlement[7] or a geographically looser alliance group, the more esteemed
among them would be recognized as a "paramount datu",rajah, or sultan which headed
the community state. There is little evidence of large-scale violence in the archipelago
prior to the 2nd millennium AD,[18][better source needed] and throughout these periods
population density is thought to have been low.

References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Philippines_(900%E2%80%931565)