Asiatic Theory and the Formation of the Philippine Archipelago

Formation of the Philippine Archipelago

• The Asiatic Theory explains the formation of the Philippine archipelago, which occurred through a diathropic rise, where a portion of the earth's crust rose higher than the rest.
• This rise led to the formation of mountains with high elevation levels in the archipelago.

Diathrophic Rise

• The diathropic rise of the Philippine archipelago occurred during the Pliocene epoch.
• This process caused a portion of the earth's crust to rise higher than the rest, resulting in the formation of mountains.
• After the diathropic rise, igneous and metamorphic rocks appeared.

Depression of the Continental Shelf

• According to Dr. Leopoldo A. Faustino's Asiatic Theory, the depression that led to the warped end of the continental shelf was caused by tectonic forces.

Diastrophic Processes

• The diastrophic processes involved in the formation of the Philippine archipelago include faulting, folding, and volcanic activity.

Structure of Mountainous Areas

• The structure of mountainous areas that eventually became the Philippine archipelago formed during the Pliocene epoch.

Formation of the Philippines

• The current structure of the Philippines was formed during the Pleistocene epoch.

Land Bridges

• During the Ice Age, the sea level decreased, resulting in the emergence of land bridges in the Southeast Asian region.
• The primary islands of the Philippines are connected to other islands, specifically Borneo, through these land bridges.

Sea Level Decrease

• The sea level decreased by approximately 100-150 meters during the Ice Age.

Geological Processes

• Geological processes such as volcanic activity, faulting, and folding contributed to the formation of many places in the Philippine archipelago.

Island Connections

• The islands of Mindoro, Palawan, and Panay may be connected to Borneo through land bridges.