Origin of the Philippines

There are many explaination about the origin of our land. As Christians, we
believe that the land forms were made by God as part of his creation. After the
Great Flood in the time of Noah, many continents and islands appeared. So
the descendants of Noah spread out to many parts of the world.

The other religions of some tribes in the Philippines explain the origin of this
land by telling "legends."

Legends or myths are stories that are not true, but people use them to explain
some things in colorful way.

One legends says the Philippines came from giant rock who was carrying a
huge rock. He got tired and tired and threw the rock down. When it broke to
many pieces, it formed the many islands of our country
Another legend tells the story of a quarrel between the sea and the sky. The
sky threw rocks down to the sea, and thus was formed the islands.

Scientists have different opinions about the origin of the country. Some
geologist claim that it was a remnant of a prehistoric continent called "MU" or
"Lemuria" in the Pacific Ocean. Due to volcanic eruptions or earthquakes, this
vast continent sank beneath the ocean.
Other geologists believe that the country has a volcanic origin. The eruptions
of the country has a volcanic origin. The eruptions of sea volcanoes,
according to them, caused the gradual emergence of the islands above the
ocean.

The most popularly-accepted scientific theory states that the Philippines was
part of the "Sunda Shelf," or the continental shelf of Asia. About 25,000 years
ago, the ice age ended, the world's ice melted, and the rising sea level flooded
the land bridges connecting the continent of Asia and the Philippines.
Location

The Philippines lies in South-east Asia, a little above the equator, between
latitudes 4°23'N and 21°25'N and longitude 116°E and 127°E. It is bounded in
the east by the Pacific Ocean, in the north by the Bashi Channel, and the
south by the Zulu and Celebes Seas.

The northernmost island of Y'Ami, only 240 km. From Taiwan, which can be
seen on a clear day. The Southernmost island in Saluag Isle, about 24 km.
From Sabag (North Borneo).
The location of the Philippines is important, and this is why God placed our
people in this part of the world. The Philippine location is important because:

1. It is the only Christian nation in the non-Christian Asian world.

2. It is a melting pot of races and cultures, with a unique heritage from Asia,
Europe, Latin America, and North America.

3. It is the bridge that links the Oriental and Occidental worlds.

4. It is the crossroads of Asia's air and sea routes.

5. It is the bastion of democracy in Asia where most countries are kingdoms,

military dictatorships, or one-party governments.
Physical Environment

Three important parts about knowing a country's history.

(1) God, (2) People, and (3) Land. The Philippines is blessed in all three ways.

1. God - God loves the Filipinos and put them in a rich and beautiful land. God
also gave the Filipinos the "gift of faith" to know Him and to serve Him. God
has a special plan for land and our people. God has helped the Filipinos in
many times of natural calamities and social troubles. The Bible has promised
that "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" (Psalms 33:12).

2. People. Men, women, and children who make up the Filipinos have the
most knowledge of God's Word and His Son Jesus as compared to the other
Asian, African, or Middle Eastern nations. Only the Filipinos have a rich and
unique cultural heritage of Asian, Latin, European and American influences.
No other nation in the world has this rich cultural heritage. We are the bridge
between East and West. We are the only Christian nation in Asia, so we will
take the Gospel to the other non-Christian nations.
3. Land- We have one of the most beautiful and richest lands in the world. The
Philippines is rich in natural resources like oil, gas, minerals, farmlands, and
forests. Visitors from all over the world come to see the wonderful scenic
spots in our country. If we take care of these natural resources, we will
become a very prosperous land.

The Name "Philippines." Next, we shall study about the name of our country,
and why did we get this name?

Long ago, when the Filipinos were not yet united as nation, we were
separated into clans and tribes. These groups of people lived in areas, each
with their own names. So when outsiders came to visit, they heard many
different names about our country.

Early Chinese traders who visited Mindoro called our nation "Ma-yi."

This means land of gold because they

bought gold in Mindoro.A Greek mapmaker
named Claudius Ptolemy (90-168 A.D.)
called our islands "Miniolas" in his ancient
map.

When Magellan came in 1521, he called the Philippines "Archipelago of St.

Lazarus." But that name did not become popular.
 Actually, a foreigner named our
country,but that was the name God
wanted for this nation. In 1543, a
Spanish explorer named Ruy Lopez de
Villalobos gave the name "Felipinas" to
the Philippines in honor of Crown
Prince Felipe (Philip) who later bacame
King Philip II of Spain.

The "Felipinas" later became "Felipinas" during the Spanish colonial era. Then
it became "the Philippine Islands" during the American colonial era. Then "the
Republic of the Philippines" after our independence in 1946.

"Pearl of the Orient Seas." Sometimes, there are

nicknames to a country, just as people can have
names and nicknames. The most popular
nickname for the Philippines is "Pearl of the Orient
Seas."

This was the romantic name given to our

country by two famous writers. One of them
was a Spanish missionary-historian named
Fr. Juan J. Delgado in 1751.But the Filipino
who popularized this name was Dr. Jose
Rizal, our National Hero, who wrote it in an
article in 1892 and in his farewell poem
before his death in 1896.