PRELIM

LESSON

3
Historical Developments
in the Philippines
 Learning Outcomes
At the end of the discussion, the student must be able
to:

1. Identify the scientific principles in the daily living of

early Filipinos.
2. Discuss the role of the development of science and
technology in nation-building;
3. Evaluate the government policies on science and
technology and its importance to the nation
Scientific principles in the daily living of early
Filipinos.
 Long before the Spaniards came to the
Philippines, Filipinos had a civilization of their own.
This civilization partly came from the Malay settlers
and partly from their response to the new
environment. Many of these customs and traditions,
government and way of life, have come down to the
present day, despite the changes brought about by
westernization and modernization. This is why it is
possible to know about our distant past by simply
observing some customs and practices that have
resisted change and modernization.
Society
Philippine pre-colonial society is both
different and the same as in the present.
Some aspects of the pre-colonial period
have survived into our time. The following is
a description of the way of life of pre colonial
Filipinos.
 Agriculture
▪ main source of livelihood rice,
coconuts, sugar cane, cotton, hemp,
bananas, oranges, and many species
of fruits and vegetables were grown
▪ done in two ways: kaingin system
(slash and burn) and tillage when the
Spaniards came to the Philippines,
they noted that Cebu and Palawan
were abundant in many agricultural
foodstuffs
Pre Colonial Writing
• During the early period almost
everyone in the society-male or female
knows how to read and write. They
have their own method of writing which
they use sharppointed tools, leaves,
bamboo and trunk's skin. They write
from top to bottom and read it from left
to right. Accordingly they have their
Alibata which script is different from
China, Japan and India. This account
was told by one of the first Spanish
missionaries who came in the
Philippines, Fr. Pedro Chirino.
 OTHERS: Weaving
Shipbuilding
Martial arts
and weaponry
 Engineering
▪ built to suit the tropical climate
▪ called bahay kubo, made of wood,
bamboo, and nipa palm; it was built
on stilts and can be entered through
ladders that can be drawn up
▪ some Filipinos, such as the
Kalingas, Mandayas and Bagobos
built their houses on treetops
▪ others, such as the Badjaos, built
their houses on boats
The Banaue Rice Terraces
(Filipino: Hagdan-hagdang
Palayan ng Banawe)
are terraces that were carved
into the mountains of Banaue,
Ifugao, in the Philippines
more than 2,000 years ago,
by the ancestors of the Igorot
people. The terraces are
located approximately 1,500
metres (4,900 feet) above sea
level.
 Pre - Colonial Culture
During the pre-colonial time there was
already an indigenous spiritual traditions
practiced by the people in the Philippines.
Generally, for lack of better terminology
prehistoric people are described to be
animistic. Their practice was a collection of
beliefs and cultural mores anchored in the
idea that the world is inhabited by spirits and
supernatural entities, both good and bad,
and that respect be accorded to them
through nature worship thus; they believed
that their daily lives has a connection of
such beliefs.
 Pre - Colonial Culture
Others also worship the
moon, stars, caves,
mountains, rivers, plants and
trees. Some creatures are
being worship too like the
bird, crow, tortoise, crocodile
and other things they believed
has value and connected to
their lives
 Pre - Colonial Culture
The variation of animistic
practices occurs in different ethnic
groups. Magic, chants and prayers
are often key features. Its
practitioners were highly respected
(and some feared) in the community,
as they were healers, midwife (hilot),
shamans, witches and warlocks
(mangkukulam), babaylans, tribal
historians and wizened elders that
provided the spiritual and traditional
life of the community.
 Pre - Colonial Clothing
• During this pre-colonial era
historians have found out that the
"Barong Tagalog” (dress of the
Tagalog) already existed. The
earliest Baro or Baro ng Tagalog
was worn by the natives of Ma-I (the
Philippines name before) just before
they were colonized by the
Spaniards.
 Pre - Colonial Clothing
The men wore a sleeve-doublet made of
Canga (rough cotton) that reached slightly
below the waist. It is collarless with a front
opening. Their loins were covered with a
pane that hung between the legs and mid-
thigh. The women also wore a sleeve
dress but shorter than the men. They also
wear a pane attached to the waist and
reaching to the feet accented by a
colourful belt. The materials used for their
dress is of fine line or Indian Muslim.
 Pre - Colonial Clothing
The Visayan men wore a jacket
with a Moorish style rob, that reach
down their feet and was embroidered
in beautiful colours. Tagalog and
Visayan men bound their temples and
forehead with a “putong" (a narrow
strips of clothe). They also wore gold
jewellery and other accessories to
beautify their bodies.
 Mode of Dressing
Male attire was composed of the kanggan (sleeveless
jacket) and bahag (loincloth) the color of the kanggan
indicates rank - red for the chief, black or blue for the
commoners men also wear a turban called pouchennej
which also tell the social status/achievement of the
individual wearing it female attire consisted of baro or
camisa (jacket with sleeves) and saya or patadyong (a
long skirt); some women wore a piece of red or white
cloth on top of their skirt called tapis
Mode of Dressing
▪ men and women wore ornaments to look
attractive
▪ both wear kalumbiga, pendants, bracelets,
and leglets
▪ these ornaments were made of gold
▪ some wore gold fillings between the teeth
▪ tattoos were also fashionable for some
precolonial Filipinos; they also exhibit a
man's war record
▪ Islas del Pintados – term coined by the
Spaniards for the Visayans
Spanish Colonial Period
American Colonial Period
Post Colonial Period
SOURCES:

Altruistically Edifying (2021), Development of Science and Technology in the Philippines

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpElIwwqlus

Louie Jay – ManongLuigi (2020), The History of Science and Technology in the Philippines | Online Class Edition
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi8eB1fYkM0&t=1s

Adrian Baltazar (2020), History of Science & Technology in the Philippines | Precolonial and Colonial Period
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SnIEWd4UKs&t=186s

Marr (2019), History of Science and Technology in the Ph

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1T0ZwqSP3U&t=101s