People of Philippines

Composed of more than 7000 islands with a total of 307,055 square kilometers, the Philippines islands are an archipel of wonders and diversity.

First population may have reached the area over land bridges connecting the islands to Malaysia and China twenty-five thousand years ago. The first people were the Negritos and later immigrants came from Indonesia. After the land bridges disappeared, immigrants from Indo-China brought copper and bronze and built the rice terraces at Benaue in northern Luzon. The next wave came from Malaysia and is credited with developing agriculture and introducing water buffalo as draft animals.

Then, Philippines were a prosperous Spanish colony from 1571 to 1898. The city of Manila was established in 1571 when the Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legaspi arrived and made it the capitol of the colony "Felipinas."

Spain unified all the islands kingdoms in one and Manila was the jewel of the Spanish kingdom. Blessed by natural resources, the Philippines were one of the best Spanish colonies. But the Philippines were asking for their independence and starting to fight for it. In June 12, 1898, in Manila, General Aguinaldo declared the Philippines independent from Spain but this declaration was not recognized internationally.

After the Cuba war between USA and Spain, the Treaty of Paris changes the history of the country. Faced with defeat, the Philippines were ceded to the United States by Spain in 1898. After few decades were population was fighting again to get his independence, the US government and the Philippines agreed to a ten-year transition plan before a full independence. Once again the world history came to change the initial plans. Due to World War II, in 1942, the Japanese landed in Manila and during the World War II, the city was severely damaged by the bombings of World War II. Of national capitols, only Warsaw, Poland, suffered greater destruction.

But after 48 years fighting, on July 4, 1946, the Philippine flag was raised for the first time in Rizal Park in Manila, and the nation celebrated its first day of independence.