Philippine Geography PDF

SOCIAL SCIENCE Learning History, History from the Filipino POV, Philippine Geography 10.1 ★ “Who controls the present, controls the past. ★ History is defined as a documented record of Who controls the past, controls the future” man and his ac...

SOCIAL SCIENCE Learning History, History from the Filipino POV, Philippine Geography 10.1 ★ “Who controls the present, controls the past. ★ History is defined as a documented record of Who controls the past, controls the future” man and his achievements from the beginning (George Orwell) of written records to the present (Gray, 1956) ★ HISTORY ★ History is a narration of the events which have ○ study of the beliefs, desires, practices happened among mankind, including an and institutions of human beings account of the rise and fall of the nations, as ○ from the Greek word Historia which well as of other great changes which have means “knowledge acquired through affected the political and social conditions of inquiry or investigation” the human race (John Anderson, 1876) ○ this term was adapted to classical Latin where it acquired a new Objectives of History definition “the account of the past of a person or a group of people through ★ To know the truth written documents and historical ○ to find out what happened while sources” trying to find out why it happened ○ existed for around 2400 years and is ○ seeks the casual relations between as old as math and philosophy events ”No document, no history” ★ Practical Value of History ○ embraces every aspect of life unless a written document can prove a certain ○ lays the foundation of education by historical event, then it cannot be considered showing how mankind repeats its as a historical fact errors and what those errors are Does the absence of written documents about prehistoric people mean they were people with no history? ★ THE COLONIZERS ○ our history were primarily written by historians recognized this loophole so they our colonizers (Spaniards, Americans) started to use another kind of historical ○ those who go against their rule were sources, which may not be in written form but branded as filibusteros (Rizal, del were just as valid (oral traditions in form of Pilar, Bonifacio), tulisanes (common epics and song, artifacts, architecture, people), insurgents (Aguinaldo, memory)  SOCIAL SCIENCE Historical Sources, Learning History, Philippine Geography 10.1 Mabini, Luna), bandits (Macario Sakay, Physical Features And Natural Resources Luciano San Miguel, Felipe Salvador, Dionisio Magbuelas, etc) ★ Location ○ fixes the permanent position of the ★ THE FILIPINO ELITES place on the surface on the globe ○ emphasizes the filipino people’s ○ can be expressed in latitude and resistance and abuses of the longitude or in relation to its vicinity colonizers or its nearness to land and water ○ however, the elite and the masses bodies point of view are different in a way. the ★ Latitude elite saw the Pact of Biak-na-Bato as ○ angular distances measured north or a victory, while the masses viewed it south of the equator as a business deal that betrayed their ★ Equator sacrifices ○ divides the globe into the northern and southern hemispheres ★ THE MASSES ★ Longitude ○ focuses on the experience and ○ angular distances measured east or hardships of the masses west of the prime meridian ★ PACT OF BIAK NA BATO ★ LOCATION ○ involved the Spanish government ○ lies between the equator and the paying Aguinaldo and other leaders Tropic of Cancer, specifically between P800,000 as compensation for their 4° 23' North latitude and 116° E to losses during the war, not as a bribe 126° 30' East longitude ○ boundaries: ★ PAYNE-ALDRICH TARIFF ACT OF 1909 North - Bashi Channel ○ allowed American goods to enter the East - Pacific Ocean Philippines tariff-free, while Filipino South - Celebes Sea products faced high tariffs in the US, West - China Sea creating an unequal trading environment that disadvantaged ★ VICINAL LOCATION Filipino producers ○ approximately 965 km Southeast of the mainland of Asia  SOCIAL SCIENCE Historical Sources, Learning History, Philippine Geography 10.1 ○ neighboring countries: ★ Climatic Condition North - China, Japan, Taiwan ○ its geographical location is West - Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, responsible for its climatic condition Thailand, Vietnam South - Borneo, Indonesia Size Key Island of the Philippines — boundaries of the Philippines are determined by the following: Treaties and Archipelagic Doctrine ★ Northernmost Island ○ Y'ami (or Itbayat) in Batanes province, ★ Treaty of Paris located approximately 97 km from the ○ between the US and Spain on northern tip of the country December 10, 1898 ★ Southernmost Island ○ Sulu Archipelago not included due to ○ Saluag, part of the Sibutu group of cartographic illiteracy; ceded to the islands U.S. for $20 million ★ Nearest Island to Borneo ★ Treaty between the US and Spain ○ Omapoy Island, also in the Sibutu ○ November 7, 1900 group, located about 32 km from ○ Cagayan Sulu and Sibutu and their Borneo dependencies lying off the foast of ★ North Borneo Borneo for $100,000 ○ currently claimed by the Philippines ★ Treaty between the US and Great Britian ○ July 2, 1930 Significance of Location ○ Turtle Islands and Mangsee Islands defined the boundary between the ★ Political Philippines and North Borneo ○ guards the approaches from the north ★ 1968 and from the east ○ the Philippine Congress passed a bill ○ politically important to define the country’s sea borders to ★ Commercial meet UN requirements, making sure ○ ideal distribution center of goods this definition doesn’t change the within the region borders around Sabah in North ★ Cultural Borneo ○ meeting ground of diverse culture  SOCIAL SCIENCE Historical Sources, Learning History, Philippine Geography 10.1 issue due to competing claims on islands in Size and Territorial Limits the South China Sea by countries like Vietnam, China, Taiwan, and Malaysia. ★ Limits set by the 3 treaties Philippine lawmakers, for one, rallied on the ○ the territorial sea of the country specific definitions of the country’s territorial extends beyond the conventional rights. three-mile limits in all cardinal as a consequence, the Philippine area of directions jurisdiction has been increased with the ★ Eastern Coast of Mindanao government’s territorial claim to the Kalayaan ○ the narrowest portion along the (Spratly) Islands, considered part of Palawan. shores of Davao is about 50 km this is based on the archipelago doctrine that ★ In Luzon draws straight baselines joining the outermost ○ along the coast of Cagayan Valley, it islands of the archipelago. extends about 430 km to the international treaty limits ★ ARCHIPELAGO DOCTRINE ★ Western Portion ○ proposed by Filipino lawmaker Arturo ○ extensive territorial waters cover a M. Tolentino, the “archipelagic distance of 240 km from Ilocos doctrine” gained international Coastal Plain acceptance through the 1982 UN ★ Combined land and water areas Convention on the Law of the Sea, ○ the Philippines within the treaty is treating an archipelago as a single about 1,800,000 sq. km unit with surrounding waters as internal waters under exclusive Size and Territorial Limits sovereignty ○ the traditional belt of safety around the national territory of the Philippines the country has been widened from 3 includes the archipelago, its islands and miles to 12 miles. waters, and all areas under its sovereignty, covering terrestrial, fluvial, and aerial ★ SIZE domains, as well as internal waters that ○ total land area (excluding Sabah): connect the islands. — Article 1 of the 300,000 sq. km (30 million hectares) Constitution ○ comparable in size to Italy. slighty the Philippine national territory, as defined in larger than the UK. slighty smaller the Constitution, includes land, water, and than Japan. aerial domains, and has become a critical ○ composed of 7,642 islands  SOCIAL SCIENCE Historical Sources, Learning History, Philippine Geography 10.1 ○ approximately 2,000 islands are The physical size of the Philippines does not hinder its inhabited (according to the National economic growth, as smaller countries con achieve Mapping and Resources Information high per capita income. Authority) However, from a military security perspective, the ★ Luzon and Mindanao limited area results in a lack of "defense in depth. ○ two biggest islands ★ Samar ★ SIZE ○ 13,271 sq. kms ○ a country's shape influences its ★ Negros economic, social, and political ○ 12,699 sq. kms development ★ Palawan ○ compact states have a smaller ○ 11,655 sq. kms boundary-to-area ratio (ex: France) ★ Panay ○ elongated states have much longer ○ 11,520 sq. kms lengths compared to their width (ex: ★ Mindoro Chile) ○ 9,826 sq. kms ★ Leyte Three Classifications of Shape ○ 7,249 sq. kms ★ Cebu ★ Broken Shape ○ 4,390 sq. kms ○ two or more segments are ★ Bohol disconnected ○ 3,975 sq. kms ○ ex: Malaysia ★ Fragmented Shape Significance of Size ○ there are numerous islands but the whole territory occupies a definite although small countries can achieve high area of the globe levels of cultural and economic development, ○ ex: Philippines they are often limited by their size ★ Scattered Shape limited space can restrict population growth ○ various parts are found in the and economic expansion different parts of the world ○ ex: former British Empire  SOCIAL SCIENCE Historical Sources, Learning History, Philippine Geography 10.1 Significance of Shape MOUNTAIN SYSTEMS OF THE PHILIPPINES — in terms of economic, social, and political factors ★ Luzon ○ Caraballo del Sur: the heart of the elongated and fragmentary character is a system, reaching its highest point disadvantage where the provinces of Abra, Ilocos construction of continuous network of roads Norte and Cagayan intersect and railroads are impossible ○ Caraballos Occidentales: divides into economic development cannot be accelerated the Cordillera Norte and Cordillera in the absence of good means of Central, located west of the Cagayan transportation and communication River problems of administration and supervision as ○ Sierra Madre: the longest continuous well as implementation of governmental range in the Philippines, from Baler policies cannot be carried easily because of (Quezon) through Isabela, Nueva the physical division of the country Vizcaya, and Cagayan socially and politically cannot easily achieve ★ Other Regions national unity and solidarity due to the ○ Eastern and Southeastern Luzon: country's fragmented geography mountain ranges extend from the security challenges arise since numerous Caraballo de Baler to San Bernardino islands and the long coastline make it difficult Strait, including notable volcanic to defend the country against foreign invasion peaks Mayon Volcano (Albay) and Bulusan Volcano (Sorsogon) ○ Zambales Range: extends along the China Sea coast from Cape Bolinao to ★ THE PHILIPPINES: A LAND OF DIVERSE the Bataan Peninsula TOPOGRAPHY ○ Tagaytay Range: runs through Cavite ○ it is an archipelago composed of 7641 and Batangas, including Mt. Makiling islands and islets ★ Visayas and Mindanao ○ the country stretches a;most a Visayas thousand miles from north to south ○ Mindoro: divided into 3 sections ○ the total land area of the Philippines is starting from Mt. Halcon: northwest 114,830 sq. statute miles (ending at Calavite Point), east (from Lake Nauhan), and west (following the Mindoro Strait)  SOCIAL SCIENCE Historical Sources, Learning History, Philippine Geography 10.1 ○ Negros: a mountain range running ○ Agusan River: the second largest from northwest to southwest, with river in Mindanao, along with the Kanlaon Volcano as the highest point Surigao River ○ Panay: a north-south range dividing ○ St. Paul’s Underground River: located Antique from Iloilo, Capiz, and Aklan in Palawan, it is the world’s longest Mindanao known underground river ○ Surigao Range and Butuan Range ★ Lakes and Waterfalls ○ Central-Western Ranges with Mt. Apo Lakes as the highest peak in the Philippines ○ Laguna de Bay (largest lake in the Ph) ○ Western Range is another distinct ○ Taal Lake (Batangas) range forming part of the island’s ○ Lake Lanao (Marawi, Lanao Sur) topography ○ Lake Naujan (Mindoro) ○ Lake Bito (Leyte) RIVER SYSTEMS OF THE PHILIPPINES Waterfalls ○ Pagsanjan Falls (Laguna): famous ★ Luzon tourist destination ○ Rio Grande de Cagayan: drains the ○ Botocan Falls (Laguna): largest Cagayan Valleys, with tributaries from waterfall the surrounding areas ○ Maria Cristina Falls: a major source of ○ Agno Grande: drains Benguet and the hydroelectric power in Mindanao valleys of Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, and Tarlac VOLCANOES AND EARTHQUAKES IN THE ○ Abra River: receives tributaries from PHILIPPINES the Cordillera, draining areas such as Lepanto, Bontoc, and Abra ★ Volcanic Activity ○ Rio Grande de Pampanga: drains the ○ volcanoes are distributed across the 3 fertile valleys of Nueva Ecija, main geographic regions of the Ph Pampanga, and Bulacan ○ all Ph volcanoes are part of the Pacific ★ Mindanao Ring of Fire, where 90% of the world’s ○ Rio Grande de Mindanao: the largest earthquakes and nearly all major river system in the Philippines, volcanic eruptions occur draining the central basin of Mindanao ★ Active Volcanoes and receiving water from two lakes ○ the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) identifies  SOCIAL SCIENCE Historical Sources, Learning History, Philippine Geography 10.1 at least 24 active or potentially active ★ Forest Resources volcanoes ○ extensive forests cover nearly half of ○ Mayon, Taal, Kanlaon, Bulusan, the country, with 60% of these forests Hibok-Hibok, Pinatubo are the six are located in Mindanao most active volcanoes ○ the Ph ranks 3rd globally in forest ★ Seismic Activity reserves, with a total forest area of ○ the Philippines is located within the 16,633,000 hectares (55% of total Pacific seismic belt, which causes land area) frequent earthquakes ★ Marine Resources ○ the Ph has a rich marine ecosystem NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE with 2,400 fish species, of which 65 PHILIPPINES have commercial value ○ major fishing areas: Laguna de Bay, ★ Fertile Land Bombon Lake (Batangas), Bato Lake ○ the Ph has fertile, arable lands, (Camarines Sur), Naujan Lake making agriculture a primary source (Mindoro), Mainit Lake (Agusan del of livelihood Norte), Sintangki Island (Sulu), ○ major farming areas: Cagayan Valley, Estancia (Bohol), Malampaya Central Luzon, Southwestern Bicol, (Palawan), Lingayen Gulf Panay, Negros, Davao, Cotabato, (Pangasinan), San Miguel Lake Agusan, Bukidnon (Camarines Norte), Bantayan Channel ○ major crops: rice, corn, sugarcane, (Cebu), and the seas of Quezon and coconut, abaca, tobacco Sorsogon ★ Mineral Resources ○ the Ph is rich in minerals, with about ★ THE CARABALLO DEL SUR 30% of its land geologically ○ the nucleus of Luzon’s mountain prospective system, reaches its highest point at ○ mineral resources: nickel (most the intersection of Abra, Ilocos Norte, abundant), iron, copper, cement, lime, and Cagayan marble, asbestos, clay, guano, asphalt, ○ home to a diverse range of flora and feldspar, sulfur, talc, silicon, fauna, making it a vital ecosystem for phosphate the Philippines ○ plays a vital role in the water cycle, providing water to surrounding communities and agricultural areas  SOCIAL SCIENCE Historical Sources, Learning History, Philippine Geography 10.1 ★ THE SIERRA MADRE ○ a popular tourist destination offering ○ also known as the Pacific coast range breathtaking views of the Taal Volcano ○ the longest continuous mountain and the surrounding countryside range in the Philippines ○ it begins at Baler, Quezon and extends through Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Cagayan, forming a significant part of Luzon's eastern coastline ○ a vital ecosystem, providing habitat for diverse flora and fauna and acting as a natural barrier against typhoons ○ home to indigenous communities who have lived in harmony with the mountain range for generations ★ THE ZAMBALES RANGE ○ starts at Cape Bolinao and follows at the China Sea coast to the Bataan Peninsula, creating a dramatic landscape along the western coast of Luzon ○ offers opportunities for hiking, camping and exploring its diverse natural beauty, attracting outdoor enthusiasts ★ THE TAGAYTAY RANGE ○ passes through Cavite and Batangas, forming a mountain system of the southern Tagalog region ○ known for its scenic landscapes and agricultural areas