Philippines Travel Guide - History

In more than 300 years of Spanish occupation, Catholicism spread. Governments were soon established in many if the country’s small self-governing communities that have never known central rule until that time.

The Spanish city of Manila was established in 1571, marking Spain’s foothold in the islands despite Portugal’s opposition, which was very keen on preserving a monopoly on East Asian trade.

The Treaty of Paris put an end to that independence, however. Spain transferred the Philippines to the United States. The Philippines became a US colony until a short Japanese invasion that started in 1941, which ended when the Philippine army waged war against the Japanese and won in 1945. In 1946, the Philippines was finally declared a truly independent country.

Filipinos love freedom and peace. They have waged two ‘bloodless revolutions’ against regimes that were perceived as being corrupt. Today, the Philippines enjoys a democratic rule and freedom of expression. There are a dozen English national newspapers, seven major national TV stations, and more than 2,000 radio stations.