Brief History of the Philippines
Pre-Colonial Period
The first people in the Philippines, the Negritos, are believed to have come to the islands 30,000 years ago from Borneo and Sumatra, making their way across then-existing land bridges. Subsequently, people of Malay stock came from the south in successive waves, the earliest by land bridges and later in boats called barangays. The Malays settled in scattered communities, also called barangays. Chinese merchants and traders arrived and settled in the ninth century A.D. In the 14th century, Arabs arrived, introducing Islam in the south and extending some influence even into Luzon. The Malays, however, remained the dominant group until the Spanish arrived in the 16th century.


The Spanish Occupation
It was Ferdinand Magellan, and succeeding expeditions from Spain, who put the Philippine archipelago on the Western map of the world. The intrepid Magellan was dubbed the rediscoverer of the Philippines after he landed in there on March 17, 1521. He was later killed in Mactan Island of Cebu in a clash with native warriors led by a chieftain named Lapu-Lapu.


The Philippines was a prize catch for Spain. The archipelago, named Felipinas for Spain’s Philip II, was composed of 7,107 islands and islets spanning 1854 kilometers from north to south. During the first two centuries of their occupation, the Spaniards used the Philippines mainly as a connecting point for their China-Acapulco (Mexico) trade. The country's economic backwardness was reinforced by Roman Catholicism, which was practiced in a form that retained many pre-colonial elements such as animism while incorporating feudal aspects of the colonizers' religion such as dogmatism, authoritarianism and patriarchial oppression.


Spain’s rule lasted from the 16th to the 19th century but was marked with a series of revolts. When three Filipino priests were executed for nationalist activities, a group of reformist formed the Propaganda Movement that would later pave the way for the Philippine Revolution. A young doctor-writer named Jose Rizal was arrested and later executed by Spanish officials for his scathing criticisms of Spanish rule in the Philippines through two novels. Rizal, who was just 30 when he was executed, would later be recognized by historians as Asia’s first nationalist. The Philippine Revolution on August 29, 1896 started launched and was led first by Andres Bonifacio and then later by Emilio Aguinaldo. Philippine independence was officially proclaimed on June 12, 1898.


The U.S. Occupation (1898-1946)
The first Philippine Republic was short-lived. Spain had lost a war with the United States. The Philippines was illegally ceded to the United States at the Treaty of Paris for US$20 million, together with Cuba and Puerto Rico. 
A Filipino-American War broke out as the United States attempted to establish control over the islands. The war lasted for more than 10 years, resulting in the death of more than 600,000 Filipinos. The little-known war has been described by historians as the "first Vietnam.” The war was followed by decades of progress. In 1935, an American Commonwealth government was established, complete with a Constitution.


Among many other influences, U.S. introduced western models of educational and health-care systems which reinforced elitism and a colonial mentality that persists to this day, mixed with the Spanish feudal patron-client relationship. During World War II, Japan annexed the Philippines after a heroic battle with Filipino-American forces making a stand in Bataan and Corregidor. With the surrender, Filipinos took to the hills and waged a guerrilla war for four years. In 1945, US forces liberated the Philippines. On July 4, 1946, the US flag was lowered for the last time as the Philippines was finally granted independence.


The Philippine Republic (1946 - )
The political system of the Philippines was basically patterned after the U.S., with a bicameral legislature and a president elected every four years, limited to one re-election. Philippine democracy remained elitist with two political parties taking turns at the leadership. The early years of independence were dominated by U.S.-assisted postwar reconstruction. A communist-inspired Huk Rebellion (1945-53) complicated recovery efforts before its successful suppression under the leadership of President Ramon Magsaysay. The succeeding administrations of presidents Carlos P. Garcia (1957-61) and Diosdado Macapagal (1961-65) sought to expand Philippine ties to its Asian neighbors, implement domestic reform programs, and develop and diversify the economy.


Ferdinand Marcos was first elected President on the Nacionalista Party in 1965. On September 21, 1972, Marcos declared martial law, charging that a Communist rebellion threatened, and created a new constitution that made him president beyond his right to remain in office. There was growing civil unrest and tension during his term of office. Territorial disputes over Sabah, the need for land reform, and increasing violence plagued the government of the Philippines. Civil war also threatened Mindanao, where groups of Moros,who were Muslims, opposed Christian settlements. Martial law remained until January 17, 1981.


Government corruption was an increasing problem. On August 21, 1983, opposition leader Benigno S. Aquino was assassinated. There was growing suspicion that Marcos ordered the assassination. Out of this turmoil, the People Power movement under Corazon Aquino, wife of the late leader, gained strength. Marcos set up presidential elections for Feb. 7, 1986 where both Marcos and Corazon Aquino declared themselves the winner. Anti-Marcos protests exploded in Manila where the Marcos party was accused of fraud and vote-rigging. As a result, Marcos fled the country and retreated to the US.


The Aquino government faced many problems from coup attempts to economics difficulties. Aquino was succeeded by military general Fidel Ramos, who launched a economic revitalization plan. The US also ended its long standing military presence. Under his rule, Muslim discontent ran high. The Moro National Liberation Front fought for Mindanao, an Islamic homeland. In 1996, the group compromised with the government for more political autonomy. However, violent strife continued with the Moro National Liberation Front, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, another rebel group, and the government. In August 2001, they signed unity agreements with the government.


After Ramos, Joseph Estrada, a former film star, was elected president. However, in November 2000, he was impeached on corruption charges and Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo, daughter of former president, Diosdado Macapagal, became president. The Philippine government remains one of the strongest democracies in Asia.