History + Demography / Kasaysayan + Demograpiya

First evidence of human life in the Philippines

• Homini (Homo (humans) and Pan (chimpanzees and bonobos)) 709,000 years ago (YA).
• Homo luzonensis (Callao man) 67 – 50,000 YA.

• Oldest human (Tabon man = Negrito*, from Africa) 47 – 10,000 YA.
• * 1^st human migration out of Africa to Sundaland, (~ sunda plate). 26 – 20,000 YA , during the last glacial maximum, global sea levels were about 120 meters lower than today. 19,000 YA the ice shield started to melt and Sundaland flooded. 8 – 6,000 YA sea levels approached near-modern levels.

• Austronesians (from Taiwan to Batanes** + Luzon) 4,200 YA.

** where they built Ijangs (stone fortresses) and crafted Lingling-o (jewelry from jade from Taiwan).

Migration to the Philippines dates back far before BC.

• Developed into four societies: hunter-gatherers, warriors, highland plutocracies and port principalities 1000 YA.
• Earliest written record: Laguna Copperplate in Old Malay based on the Kawi script. 900 AD.

• Trade with China during the Tang (600 – 900 AD) and Song (900 – 1,200) dynasties as part of the China tributary system.
• SE Chinese merchants and migrants from Fujian.
• Indians from the Hindu Majapahit Empire 14^th c.
• Islam established in the Sulu Archipelago 15^th c.
• Early poloties with 3-tier structure: i) nobility (datus ruled barangays), ii) freemen, iii) dependent debtor–bondsmen.

• Ferdinand Magellan arrived 1521, killed by Lapulapu in the Battle of Mactan.

Unification by the Crown of Castile with Miguel Lòpez de Legazpi coming from New Spain (America) in 1565. Many Filipinos were brought to New Spain as slaves, whereas many Latin Americans were brought to the Philippines as soldiers and colonists. The P. hosts the only Latin American districts in Asia.

• Spanish colonialization 1565 – 1898 (333 yrs) – dozens of indigenous revolts and ‘Moro piracies’ in the Sulu Sea/ Mindanao. (part of Reconquista against the Muslims, lasting 200 yrs in the P.)
• Manila became the capital of the Spanish East Indies 1571.

• P. governed as a territory of the Mexico City-based Viceroyalty of New Spain 1565 – 1821.
• Guerra de Independencia de México 1810 – 1821, P. governed from Madrid. Manila western hub of trans-Pacific ‘MX silver- CN porcelain, silk + IN ivry trade’.

• Christianization by Spanish friars.
• Victory in the Batallas de las marinas de Manila against the Dutch 1646.
• 18-month occupation of Manila and port of Cavite by the British 1762 – 1764, Spanish rule restored with the Treaty of Paris 1763.

• Administration of the P. was considered a drain on the New Spain economy. Colony survived on an annual subsidy of 250,000 pesos (75 tons of silver bullion) from the Spanish crown.
• Spain conquered portions of Mindanao and Jolo 1876, Sultanate of Sulu acknowledged Spanish sovereignty.
• Propaganda Movement, organized by Marelo H. del Pilar, José Rizal, Graciano Lòpez Jaena and Mariano Ponce advocating political reform in the P. Rizal executed 1896 > rebellion + radicalization.
• Katipunan secret society founded by Andrés Bonifacio > seeking independence from Spain 1892.
• P. Revolution 1896 > Pact of Biakna-Bato > exile government Hong Kong Junta.
• Spanish-American War > US acquiring sovereignty over Puerto Rico, Guam and P. 1898

Philippines Declaration of Independance from Spain on June 12, 1898 by revolutionary Emilio Aguinaldo

• American colonialization 1898 – 1946 (48 yrs); US did not recognize the P. Declaration of Independance.
• 1st P. Republic 1899 > P.-American War > 250,000 – 1m civilian deaths due to famine and disease > Filipinos transported to concentration camps > fall of the 1st P. Republic 1902 > US civilian government.

• Taft Commission 1900 > Filipinos gradually assumed government functions.
• Tydings-McDuffie Act 1934 > 10-year transition to independence.
• Filipino (standardized variety of Tagalog) became national language 1887.
• Woman assume the right to vote 1937.
• 2nd P. Republic (= Japanese sponsored P. Republic) 1942.
• Japanese occupation of the P. 1942 – 1945 > underground guerrilla activity > Bataan Death March 1942 > Manila massacre 1945.
• Liberation of the P. 1944 – 45 by General Douglas MacArthur and President Osmena.
• P. founding member of the UN 1945.

Treaty of Manila > Full Independence from the USA on July 4, 1946

• President Ferdinand Marcos 1965 – 1986 > martial law 1972 > rule by decree > human rights violations > monopolies > corruption > economic crash 1984 – 1985.
• Oppostion leader Benigno Aquino Jr. assassinated 1983.
• Snap presidential election 1986 > Marcos winner > People Power Revolution > Marcos fleed to Hawaii.
• President Corazon Aquino 1986 – 1992.
• President Fidel V. Ramos 1992 – 1998 > privatization and deregulation of economy.
• Asian financial crisis 1997.
• President Joseph Estrada 1998 – 2001 > overthrown by EDSA Revolution 2001.

• President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo 2001 – 2010 > economic growth, corruption, political scandals > peace agreement with MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation front).
• President Rodrigo Duterte 2016 – 2022 > anti-drug campaign > COVID 19 > lockdowns > recession > ICC arrest 2025.
• President Bongbong Marcos 2022 – utd.
• Vice President Sara Duterte 2026 impeachment.

The Philippine population growth exploded after the 2nd World War.

There are 363 people / sqm (Switzerland 207 people / sqm). But the average TFR dropped below the replacement level of 2.1 in 2022, i.e. without net immigration the population size of presently (2026) 112m is shrinking again.

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) 1993 to 2025

% of Women Aged 15 – 19 Who Gave Birth

The Philippines is an attractive country for foreigners. There are approximately 600 – 750,000 long-term foreign residents and expats living on the archipelago.

Worldmapper cartograms distort and show each country in proportion to a specific set of quantitative data.

Below Immigration to the Philippines and Emigration from the Philippines.