CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE SPANISH MISSIONARIES IN THE PHILIPPINES

     THE SPANISH MISSIONARIES DIDN'T JUST HELPED THE ARMY OF SPAIN IN COLONIZING OUR COUNTRY, THEY ALSO HELPED IN SPREADING CATHOLICISM. THEY WERE THE ONES WHO TAUGHT THE FILIPINOS THE GOSPEL, AND HOW TO TREAT GOD AS THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING. WITH THEIR HELP THE CONQUEST IN THE COUNTRY BECAME MUCH EASIER, WITH THE USE OF THE CROSS AND SHARING/TEACHING THE FILIPINOS THE NEW RELIGION WHICH IS THE CHRISTIAN FAITH.
   THE SPANISH MISSIONARIES WERE GOOD FRIENDS OF THE EARLY FILIPINOS. THESE PEOPLE ARE THE ONES WHO TAUGHT US MANY THINGS, JUST LIKE IN THE FIELD OF ENGINEERING, WRITING,SOCIAL WORKS, AND EVEN IN PRINTING. THE MISSIONARIES WERE GOOD AT MANY WAYS. THEY BROUGHT US THE NEW EUROPEAN ARTS, MUSIC, ARCHITECTURES, EDUCATION, AND LITERATURE. THEY BUILT THE FIRST TOWNS, CITIES, CHURCH, UNIVERSITIES, SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AS WELL AS THE PRINTING PRESSES, HOSPITALS,HOUSE FOR THE ORPHANS AND OTHER LIBRARIES. THEY ALSO INTRODUCED TO US THE NEW TECHNIQUES OR MUCH BETTER WAY OF FISHING, FARMING AND TAUGHT US THE METHOD OF WEAVING, MINING AND METAL WORKS. THEY WERE GOOD INDUSTRIALISTS, SHARED THE FILIPINOS THEIR TALENTS AND SHOWED US THE RIGHT WAY OF HAVING A BUSINESS. THEY WERE ALSO TRAINED IN WRITING POETS, HISTORY, BOOKS, MAPS, DICTIONARY, GRAMMAR BOOKS AND WERE ALWAYS NOTED AS GOOD GRAMMARIANS, PLAYWRIGHTS, POETS, CHRONICLERS AND MANY MORE. THE SPANISH MISSIONARIES WERE ALSO THE ONE WHO CONSTRUCTED THE FIRST ROADS, BRIDGES, AND OTHER PUBLIC WORKS. THESE ARE SOME OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE SPANISH MISSIONARIES IN THE COUNTRY.

THE COLONIAL ECONOMIC POLICIES OF SPAIN

    The Spain influenced the Philippines with many things through economic, culture, and it affects our history as well. The economic changes that were introduce by Spain are still applicable today. Just like the forced labor or the POLO Y SERVICIO, many Filipino and Chinese males before suffered because of this requirement. All males from 16 to 60 years old were forced to work for the government. They are required to work for 40 days each year, and this males were called polista for they were forced to perform polo. And to compare it to our government today, polo is still happening. Just like the street children who doesn't have a place to go were forced to work by the syndicate, and instead of helping them they are given a task which are not yet right for their age. The street children are forced to beg money to people but at the end this money were given to the syndicate who ordered them to beg, their hardship of doing service to this people are not even helping them in their lives but instead their making the syndicate much powerful because they're the only one who benefits in this kind of service. 
     But not all Filipinos before are forced to do a service for the government, there are some who are exempted. These were the members of principalia or what we called the aristocrats. They are the elite people of the government. But in exchange for not performing the polo they're required to pay the falla, which is one and a half of they're money. 
       These services really affects the way of living of the Filipinos because instead of being with their families and having their lives in the way they want it, they are forced to work for the Spaniards.

THE SPANISH COLONIAL GOVERNMENT

     The Philippines was conquered by Spain over 333 yrs. and during this time the Philippines was under its rules, power and authority. The reason why Spain wanted to overpowered us is because they want to implement the Catholicism in the country, to maintain its strong power over the world and take over much land, and to use the country's natural resources to benefit themselves. The union of church and state really helped in conquering the country and in establishing the new form of government. 
     During the period of Spanish colonization the Philippines was headed by the governor general and not directly by the King of Spain, his role is to represent the king. He has vast powers just like legislative which enables him to make, and implement laws; spiritual or religious power which gave him the privilege to appoint and remove government and church officials, this was granted by the pope. And he has to be called as Royal Patronage; judicial power which means the ability to judge those who disobeyed the implemented law; military power which makes the governor general as the commander-in-chief of the colonial armed force; and the executive power which includes the power of cumplase- he has the right not to implement the laws issued by the Mexican Viceroy that he knows won't benefit him. These are the different duties of a governor general.
     The Philippines was divided into two the alcaldia and corregimiento. The alcaldia are the group of people which already submitted at the hands of Spaniards. Where as the corregimiento reffers to the people who didn't accept to be under the authority of Spain, these people are against the will of Spaniards.
      These is the kind of government the Philippines had during the Spanish period of colonization. 

LOVE MEANS EVERYTHING

    LOVE IS THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL, CAME FROM OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN. IT IS THE FEELING THAT EVERYBODY IS EAGER TO FEEL. IT IS ONE OF THE THINGS WHY PEOPLE SURVIVE THROUGH THE DIFFICULTIES IN LIFE. THEY SAID THAT WHEN YOU HAVE THIS YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DO AND ACCOMPLISH MANY THINGS, SOME SAYS BECAUSE IT IS THE CLOSEST THING TO MAGIC THAT'S WHY EVERYBODY WANTS IT, WHILE OTHER SAYS THAT IT IS A WASTE OF TIME LOOKING FOR IT AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY IT EXIST.
   LOVE HAS ITS OWN TIME, IT COMES ANYWHERE AT ANY TIME,MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE; YOU'LL BE SURPRISE ONE DAY IT WILL KNOCK AT YOUR DOORS AND ASK YOU IF YOU'LL ALLOW IT TO COME IN. IT IS EASY TO FIND LOVE..., "BUT WHY IS IT THAT MANY PEOPLE FIND IT SO HARD LOOKING FOR IT?"
   SOME PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE, THEY DON'T REALIZE HOW WONDERFUL THEIR LIVES ARE, THEY DOESN'T KNOW THAT LOVE EXIST EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE NOT ASKING FOR IT. ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE 'GOD IS LOVE', AND IF YOU  HAVE GOD YOU'LL DEFINITELY FEEL AND EXPERIENCE THE ABUNDANCE OF LOVE," AND I DO BELIEVE IN THIS!"
    THE ONLY THING WHY PEOPLE AREN'T SATISFY WITH WHAT THEY HAVE IS BECAUSE THEY DOESN'T KNOW THAT THE ONLY THING THAT THEY NEED IS GOD, HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO COULD FULFILL OUR HEARTS.
     OUR HEART IS LIKE A VACUUM IT NEEDED LOVE TO BECOME FULL EVERY NOW AND THEN. AND WITHOUT LOVE, THE PURPOSE OF THE HEART IS NOTHING, IT IS CONSIDERED AS USELESS.
      GOOD THING ABOUT LOVE IS THAT  IT IS SO PATIENT THAT IT ALWAYS WAITS FOR ITS TURN. IT IS SO KIND THAT EVEN THOUGH IT IS IGNORED, IT STILL LOVES AND CONTINUOUSLY LOVES AGAIN, EVEN THOUGH IT HAS NOTHING TO GIVE IT IS STILL LOVE THAT MATTERS, AND EVEN THOUGH IT IS HURT OVER AND OVER AGAIN, IT REPEATEDLY DOES THE SAME THING. IT STILL LOVE AND LOVE AND LOVE....
       FOR ME LOVE IS AN ENDLESS THING, IT NEVER DIES. IT CONTINUOUSLY FLOW THROUGH OUR VEINS OVER THE WHOLE PERT OF OUR BODY. IT IS LOVE THAT CREATED THE WORLD AND SAVES US FROM OUR SINS. BECAUSE OF LOVE WE EXIST, BECAUSE OF IT WE STILL EXIST.
      LOVE IS TRULY AN IMPORTANT THING THAT IT SHOULD BE TREASURED AND LOVE. LOVE NEEDED TO BE LOVED BACK AND APPRECIATED FOR IT TO CONTINUOUSLY LOVING YOU......<3
             -----I AM COMPLETELY AND DEEPLY IN LOVE WITH LOVE (GOD)-----

TEACHINGS AND PRACTICES OF ISLAM

ISLAM IS COMPOSED OF DIFFERENT BELIEFS AND PRACTICES THAT ARE CONTAINED IN "FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM." THESE ARE THE 1.SHAHADA- TESTIMONY OR PROFESSION OF FAITH OF A MUSLIM. 2.SALAT- THEIR PRAYER THAT IS DONE FIVE TIMES A DAY. a. salat-ul-fajar- morning prayer. b. salat-ul-zuhr- noon prayer. c. salat-ul-asr- afternoon prayer. d. salat-ul-maghrib- evening prayer. e. salat-ul-isha- night prayer. 3. ZAKAT- THIS IS WHAT WE ALSO CALLED ALMS WHICH ARE GIVEN TO THE POOR, THE NEEDY, THOSE WHO WANTED TO FOLLOW ALLAH'S FOOTSTEP ETC. 4. SAWM- THIS IS THE NINTH MONTH OF THE MUSLIM CALENDAR, A.K.A. RAMADAN'. DURING THIS TIME NO MUSLIM IS ALLOWED TO EAT,DRINK, HAVE FUN, CELEBRATE ANY KIND OF EVENT BECAUSE THIS IS THE HOLIEST MONTH FOR THEM. THIS IS THEIR PRACTICE 'SAWN' OF FASTING, COMMUNICATING DEEPER WITH ALLAH. AFTER THIS FESTIVAL THEY ARE CELEBRATING THE EID'L FITR WHEREIN THERE IS ABUNDANCE OF FOOD AND A LOT OF REJOICING. 5. HAJJ- THE HOLY CITY OF ISLAM, THE CENTER OF ISLAMIC WORSHIP. THESE ARE THE TEACHINGS AND PRACTICES OF ISLAM.

CUSTOMS OF EARLY FILIPINOS

    THERE ARE MANY PRACTICES AND BELIEFS TODAY THAT CAME FROM OUR ANCESTORS. BEFORE OUR ANCESTORS ALREADY HAD THEIR OWN CULTURE, THE CULTURE THAT WE NOW USES. THIS PRACTICES ARE JUST LIKE THE WAY OF OUR LIVING. 1.SOME FILIPINOS TODAY STILL LIVE IN WHAT WE CALL KUBO OR HUTS. OUR ANCESTORS LIVED IN THE SAME KIND OF HOUSE TOO. 2.WE FILIPINOS ARE KNOWN FOR BEING GOOD WHEN IT COMES TO SINGING, IT'S BECAUSE EVEN OUR ANCESTORS WERE MUSIC LOVERS. 3.FARMING IS ALREADY THE SOURCE OF LIVELIHOOD IN THE PHILIPPINES BEFORE AND TILL NOW. 4.OUR ANCESTOR USED TO ESTABLISHED TRADE AND CULTURAL EXCHANGES WITH OUR ASIAN NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES. THIS IS ONE OF THEIR DOINGS THAT IS MOST LIKELY WE AS A NEW GENERATION INHERITED. THIS ARE SOME OF THE CUSTOMS OF EARLY FILIPINOS THAT ARE STILL BEING PRACTICED TODAY. 

Taking Pride of Our Origin

There are many countries that are not blessed with what the Philippines have(the natural resources and its natural beauty).That's why in early times there are many people who tried to conquer our country. I'm proud being a Filipino because Filipinos are people who don't easily give up. Just like our ancestors, they didn't easily give up the Phils. to other countries, instead they fought for their rights. Filipinos are ready to die just for the sake of freedom. 
Being a Filipino is one of the greatest thing that I loved about myself because Filipinos are brave, creative, kind, hospitable, loving, talented, and for short there are many good qualities that you can find in a Filipino. And not just the qualities, even the skin color is one of the factor why I am so proud. Other people hated their skin because of its color, some have a very dark skin while others have a very white skin. But we Filipinos are not like them. Our color is just fine... not too dark and not too white as well.

Significance of Natural and Human Resources of the Philippines to our Nation

Human and natural resources are the main and most important part of a country because without this two categories a certain country is meaningless. Humans are the ones who take care of the natural resources and without them the natural resources are useless because there will be no one to use and take care of them. Natural resources are important as well, because without them there will be no humans. People are very dependent to the natural resources, they won't survive without it because the natural resources are the source of food for humans. 

POPULATION EXPLOSSION IN THE PHILIPPINES

  One of the difficulties that the Philippines is facing right now is the population explosion. Our population in our society is now hard to control and because of this there are several problems that we're continuously struggling to solve. These problems are the cause of overpopulated country and since our country is still developing most of the Filipinos find it so hard to survive. The effects of over population are- a. water & food shortage, b. permanent shelter, c. clothes to wear, d. permanent job, and other major needs of a person.