Ara Princess Olamit AB Pol Sci

Spanish Colonization to the Philippines

It was on Ferdinand Magellans search of the Spice Islands that the rediscovery of Philippines happened. Captivated by the islands richness in beauty and natural resources, survivors of Magellans voyage testified how rich the island is. That is why since then Spain had launched a number of attempts to invade the island but it was on the lead of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi that the dawn of the Spanish colonization to the Philippines started. Slowly, the Spaniards have introduced their westernized beliefs and replaced the primitive ways of the natives which have changed and altered the lives of the Filipinos. Spaniards have incorporated their political systems, religion, culture, arts, and sciences to the natives. Political systems such as encomiendas and cabeza de barangay replaced the datu rulings onto the islands. Worshipping idols were abolished and Christianity was implanted to the Filipinos. Kubos were altered and replaced into massive infrastructures such as churches, covents, schools, roads, bridges, and stone houses. Education was introduced to the Filipinos and since then Filipinos was invaded by the Spanish customs and tradition. Spanish colonization lasted for 300 years and has brought and implanted massive changes onto the lives of the Filipinos. These changes have brought positive and negative effects to the Filipinos which become an instrument in awakening the minds of the Filipinos in fighting for their true identity. In the end, the real contribution of the Spanish colonization was not the westernization they have brought to the Philippines but by the nationalism of the Filipinos they have awakened.