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Module 1 (COSH41): Meaning and Relevance of History
Introduction
involved. Knowledge in history creates culturally and socially
adept individuals who have the capacity to think critically and
solve present and future problems based on the ideas that have
been learned from the past. Simply put, studying, and
understanding history gives us the skills necessary to interpret
how the world works so that we can chart our own paths. The
problem, however, is that most people do not appreciate the
need to study history because of the view that the study of
history only involves the memorization of dates, names, and facts
that are not useful in everyday life, or that the study of history is
repetitive.
In 2015, Jerrold Tarog’s movie “Heneral Luna” made waves in
the country and quickly became one of the highest-grossing Filipino
movies of all time. It also became very memorable because of the
questions on social media as to why the Philippine hero and statesman
Apolinario Mabini (played by Epy Quizon) was seated down for the
entire duration of the movie when it was assumed to be common
knowledge that the hero had polio for most of his life. This issue drew
flak from parents, the moviemakers, and even former President
Benigno Aquino Jr. himself, who expressed his frustration at the
comments on social media by saying “Talagang napailing po tayo
noong ikinuwento sa amin ito. Sabihin mang iilang estudyante lang
ang nagpahayag nito, masasabing isa rin itong repleksiyon sa
pagkukulang sa kaalaman sa kasaysayan ng ilang kabataan sa
kasalukuyan.” (Cheng, 2015)
Since the implementation of the K-12 Basic Education
Program in 2015 (Official Gazette, n.d.), there have been six (6) years
between the junior and senior high schools where students do not
have a dedicated subject for Philippine History. Students may learn
about Philippine History in Grade 6, but their enrollment to this course
is the first time after such a long period where they will be re-oriented
to the concepts of history. This gap includes the critical formative years
where teenagers are most socially and developmentally flexible and if
not immediately addressed with meaningful discussions of history,
proper source-identification, and its importance to daily lives, will
create students who are not only misinformed but also highly
susceptible to fake news and historical revisionism. It is therefore
important that these issues be addressed in this first lesson on the
students' re-introduction to Philippine History to create a foundation
for open discussion and critical thinking that students can use for the
rest of their lives.
Intended Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this module, you will learn to:
1. Recognize the importance of history;
2. Interpret the significance of history in daily life;
3. Identify the repositories of primary sources in the Philippines;
4. Differentiate between the types of primary sources; and
5. Explain the importance of history in the social, economic, and
cultural lives of Filipinos
M1L1: INTRODUCTION TO HISTORY |
FUNDAMENTAL REASONS FOR
STUDYING HISTORY
According to Stearns (1998), the following are the fundamental
reasons that justify the utility of the study of history:
1.
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History Helps Us Understand People and Societies
In understanding the consequences of the developments we are
experiencing in the present and those that will happen in the
future, history serves as our imperfect laboratory; the information
we gathered from the experiences of the past will tread how we
must move forward in the future.
2.
History Helps Us Understand Change and How the Society We
Live in Came to Be
Understanding how things have evolved and changed allows us to
see the elements of the institutions and societies have affected us
and will continue to affect us in the future.
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Additionally, the study of history also serves both as art and
entertainment. Beautifully written history appeals not only
aesthetically, but also on the level of human understanding. We
develop thoughts about human experience by studying about
those who lived beautiful lives in the past and identify with these
characters on more personal levels. Such a personal connection
provides an avenue for the discussion of morality by testing
individual moral senses through critically thinking about the
decisions that were made in the past not only by certified heroes
or the great men and women of history, but also of the ordinary
people who went through such ordeals and displayed values like
courage and perseverance. This identification of values and
morals that have been prevalent in the nation from the stories in
the past creates a sense of identity and lays the foundation for
good citizenship.
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Further, the study of history develops a foundation of skills
necessary for a lifetime of learning. In studying history, students
become adept at objectively assessing evidences and make
coherent arguments based on data. This improvement on the
students’ individual capacity to use and assess evidences, analyze
changes, and see their continuing influence on the world creates
well-informed citizens.
M1L1: INTRODUCTION TO HISTORY |
WHY STUDY HISTORY?
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With all the technology quickly evolving to better serve our needs,
why is there a continuous need to study what we went through in
the past? Why can we not look only at the future?
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In the essay “Why Study History?” by Peter Stearns (1998), the
author explained why there is little appreciation for the
indispensable study of the past:
“Historians do not perform heart transplants, improve highway design,
or arrest criminals. In a society that quite correctly expects education
to serve useful purposes, the functions of history can seem more
difficult to define than those of engineering or medicine. History is in
fact very useful, actually indispensable, but the products of historical
study are less tangible, sometimes less immediate, than those that
stem from some other disciplines.” (Stearns, 1998)
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Contrary to popular belief, the study of history involves not only
the mere memorization of facts, but the consideration of
multiple points of view, curation of content, and interpretation
of the past based on the different contexts and perspectives
Enriquez, Kane Aldrich M. – BSP1A-3
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Module 1 (COSH41): Meaning and Relevance of History
M1L1: INTRODUCTION TO HISTORY |
VIDEO LECTURE
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The NLP website also features access to its digital collections and
exhibits!
https://youtu.be/nD5wqguddVI
NATIONAL HISTORICAL COMMISSION OF THE PHILIPPINES
Where is this: The NHCP is located at TM Kalaw St., Ermita, Manila!
M1L2: REPOSITORY OF
PRIMARY SOURCES
What’s in a name: RA 10086 (2009) changed the name of the National
Historical Institute into the National Historical Commission of the
Philippines!
Divisions: (1) Historic Preservation; (2) Historic Sites and Education; (3)
Materials Research Conservation; (4) Research Publications and
Heraldry; (5) Finance and Administrative
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF THE PHILIPPINES
Mandate: The National Library of the Philippines (NLP) is the
repository of the printed and recorded cultural heritage of the country
and other intellectual, literary and information sources.
How many libraries: The NLP assists as much as 1,455 public libraries
in the Philippines, but at least 40,000 still need to be established in the
country.
History: “The National Library of the Philippines was established as the
Museo-Biblioteca de Filipinas through the royal decree of August 12,
1887.” (“About Us”, National Library of the Philippines, n.d.)
Objectives:
1. To acquire and preserve Filipiniana materials;
2. To provide for an efficient on-line access to the different
information resources and national bibliographic services of NLP
and the Philippine eLib;
3. To develop, in cooperation with the local governemnt units, a
system of public libraries and information centers throughout the
country;
4. To promote, established and maintain national and international
standards in library and information services;
5. To conduct continuing research on Philippine librarianship and
undertake cultural activities.
Mission-Vision:
Vision – “A Filipino society with citizens informed of their history, who
love their country and are proud of their cultural heritage.”
Mission – The mission of the National Historical Commission of the
Philippines is the promotion of Philippine history and cultural heritage
through research, dissemination, conservation, sites management and
heraldry works. It aims to inculcate awareness and appreciation of the
noble deeds and ideals of our heroes and other illustrious Filipinos, to
instill pride in the Filipino race and to rekindle the Filipino spirit
through the lessons of history.
Mandate:
As the primary government agency responsible for the promotion of
Philippine history, the NHCP has the following functions:
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LGU Services:
“National Library of the Philippines acts as central node of the
country’s public lirbary system through the Public Libraries Division. It
is responsible in linking public libraries particularly in terms of
information system and service orientation.” (Public Libraries, n.d.)
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Discharges the public library function of the National Library of
the Philippines.
Plans and conducts training programs, meetings, seminars, and
conferences for public librarians.
Provides guidance and technical assistance to local government
units in the establishment, development and maintenance of
public libraries and bookmobiles in the provinces, cities,
municipalities, and barangays throughout the country.
Selects, evaluates, and allocates books and other library materials
for distribution to all affiliated public libraries all over the country.
Other Services:
Aside from providing support to public libraries in the Philippines, the
NLP provides the following services to individuals: (a) Reader Services;
and (b) Copyright Registration. The NLP also assists publishers in CIP
production, and registration of copyright, ISBN, ISSN, and ISMN.
Digital Collections:
Enriquez, Kane Aldrich M. – BSP1A-3
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Commemorate significant historical events and declare
historically significant sites, structures, events, and personages.
Conduct research, produce materials in various media and publish
and disseminate historical works.
Undertake and prescribe the manner of restoration, conservation,
and protection of the country’s historical movable and immovable
objects.
Manage, maintain, and adminsiter national shrines, monuments,
historical sites, edifices, and landmarks of significant historiccultural value.
Regulate the design and manufacture of heraldic items of
government agencies, pursuant to Republic Act 8491 (Flag and
Heraldic Code of the Philippines).
Resolve historical controversies or issues.
Historical Markers:
Placed in areas that are considered national cultural treasures,
national shrines, or national monuments or landmarks.
Historical Sites:
According to the National Registry of Historical Sites and Structures in
the Philippines (n.d.) Historical sites are categorized between 2 levels:
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LEVEL I – Sites and Structures declared as National Shrine,
National Historical Landmark, National Historical Site, and
National Monument
LEVEL II – Sites and Structures declared as Heritage Zones/Historic
Centers, Heritage Houses, and bearing Historical Markers
As of 2021, the tally of historical sites and structures are as follows:
LEVEL I – 165; LEVEL II – 554
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Module 1 (COSH41): Meaning and Relevance of History
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES
History: “The National Museum of the Philippines can trace its history
to the establishment of the Museo-Biblioteca de Filipinas, established
by a royal order of the Spanish government on August 12, 1887. It
opened on October 24, 1891, at the Casa de la Moneda on Calle
Cabildo in Intramuros, then home of the Philippine Mint, later moving
to Calle Gunao in Quiapo.” (Official Gazette, n.d.)
New Home: “The National Archives of the Philippines together with
the Intramuros Administration is tasked to reconstruct and restore the
Intendencia Ruins and convert the same to be the proper structure to
house The National Archives of the Philippines offices with exhibition
halls that aims to provide its extensive collection a venue to showcase
the nation’s history and cultural treasures.” (Architectural Criteria,
2015)
Mission-Vision:
The Battle of 1945: “During the Battle of Manila in February 1945,
virtually the entire national collections were destroyed when the
Legislative Building, where most items were placed for safekeeping, as
well as the Bureau of Science building, were reduced to ruins. After the
war, the Natural History Museum Division in 1945 was reunited with
the National Library’s Fine Arts Division to become the National
Museum – its final change of name – under the Office of the Executive
Secretary.” (Official Gazette, n.d.)
Mission – To enhance transparency, public accountability, and
responsible governance, promote freedom of information, provide
access to official records, preserve, and popularize Filipino cultural
heritages, and strengthen national identities, while building
international understanding through the effective implementation of
programs on records management and archives administration.
120 yrs: The National Museum will celebrate its 120th anniv. this year!
Vision – A national records management and archival institution firmly
committed to fostering good governance and cultural pride for a
vibrant, well-informed, devloped, and open Filipino society.
Mandate:
The National Museum is an educational, scientific, and cultural
institution that acquires, documents, preserves, exhibits, and fosters
scholarly study and public appreciation of works of art, specimens, and
cultural and historical artifacts representative of our unique to the
cultural heritage of the Filipino people and the natural history of the
Philippines. It is mandated to establish, manage, and devlop museums
comprising the National Museum Complex and the National
Planetarium in Manila, as well as regional museums in key locations
around the country.
Branches:
➢ National Art Gallery
➢ Museum of the Filipino People
➢ Planetarium
Ongoing Exhibits:
➢ Talamdan: Images of Negros in the Records Collections of the
National Archives of the Philippines
➢ The Belen and the Ilocos Landscape Exhibit
➢ Cofradia/Komunidad: The World Embraced by Hermano Puli
Key Officials:
➢ Mr. Victorino Mapa Manalo C.E.S.E. (executive director)a
Available Data:
The National Archives houses documents from the Spanish and
American periods.
Collections:
➢ Fine Art
➢ Archaeology
➢ Ethnography
➢ Natural History
Services:
➢ Rentals of conference rooms and exhibit halls for special
occasions and events
➢ Research and Identification
➢ Registration of Art Pieces
➢ Video and Photo Documentation
M1L3: TYPES OF PRIMARY SOURCES |
DIFFERENT TYPES
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There are generally two types of sources: Primary and Secondary
Sources.
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Primary and secondary sources differ on the source of the
accounts written on the document. Primary sources feature firsthand accounts from actual observations and/or experiences that
the author themselves went through. Other sources that interpret
such accounts are classified as secondary sources.
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In the examples above, we can see the two different types of
sources on the first circumnavigation of the globe. On the left is
NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF THE PHILIPPINES
National Archives Office Fire: “On May 28, 2018, the Administrative
Offices of the National Archvies of the Philippines (NAP) in Binondo,
Manila was hit by a fire which began two buildings away. All staff
members are safe. The principal document collections of NAP including
the Spanish Colonial documents are intact as are the microfilms. These
are stored in other sites around Manila in keeping with archival
practice.” (Official Update on the National Archives Office Fire, 2018).
What does the National Archives do: “The task of guaranteeing that
documents and records are preserved and accessible to the public lies
with the National Archives of the Philippines. Its main responsibility is
to preserve the primary sourves of information on Philippine history,
the basic components of cultural heritage and collective memory.
These documentary sources are the embodiment of communtiy
identities as well as testaments to shared national experiences.”
Enriquez, Kane Aldrich M. – BSP1A-3
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Module 1 (COSH41): Meaning and Relevance of History
was-the-first-person-to-sail-around-the-world-part-i/#more-23
an incipit of the journal written by Antonio Pigafetta, while on the
right is a book by Alex Woolf on World History that includes the
summarized version of their claims.
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Pigafetta’s journal is an example of a primary source because it
provides a first-hand account of the actual event. This means that
sources that provide information about an event, object, or
person, those that contain original works or ideas from which
other sources can use as a basis are classified as primary sources.
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Different types of primary sources include the following:
Autobiographies
and
memoirs
Diaries, personal letters,
and correspondence
Interviews, surveys, and
fieldwork
Internet communications
on email, blogs, listservs,
and newsgroups
Photographs,
drawings,
and posters
Works of art and literature
Books, magazine and
newspaper articles, and
ads published at the time
Public opinion polls
Speeches
and
oral
histories
Original documents (birth
certificates,
property
deeds, trial transcripts)
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Research data, such as
census statistics
Official and unofficial
records
of
organizations
and
government agencies
Artifacts of all kinds,
such as tools, coins,
clothing, furniture, etc.
Audio
recordings,
DVDs,
and
video recordings
Government
documents
(reports,
bills,
proclamations,
hearings, etc.)
Patents
Technical reports
Scientific
journal
articles
reporting
experimental research
results
Although podcasts are generally considered primary sources since
they are original materials, this particular podcast episode is an
example of a secondary source because the creator presents his
own interpretation of ideas gathered from original primary
sources on the event.
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Other types of secondary sources include the following:
Bibliographies
Biographical works
Reference
books,
including
dictionaries,
encyclopedias, and atlases
Articles from magazines,
journals, and newspapers
after the event
Literature reviews and
review
articles
(e.g.,
movie reviews, book
reviews)
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History books and other
popular or scholarly
books
Works of criticism and
interpretation
Commentaries
and
treatises
Textbooks
Indexes and abstracts
M1L3: TYPES OF PRIMARY SOURCES |
NON-WRITTEN PRIMARY SOURCES
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Primary and secondary sources can either be written or nonwritten. This means that videos, pictures, music, and podcasts can
be used as either primary or secondary sources as well.
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The images above are screen captures from two different
perspectives of one experience. On the left is a vlog by KZ
Tandingan of her experience while filming the show Singer in
China, while on the right is the actual performance by the same
artist. Both of these examples may be considered primary sources
since they both provide first-hand accounts of the event from
different perspectives. While the first presents a more personal
first-hand account from the artist herself, the second presents a
first-hand account as well but from the perspective of the
audience watching from their computers, mobile devices, or on
their television screens.
M1L3: TYPES OF PRIMARY SOURCES |
SECONDARY SOURCES
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The work by Alex Woolf is an example of a secondary source
because it does not contain a primary account of the event, but
this source describes, interprets, summarizes, and processes the
information from secondary sources. Though such sources do not
have the originality that primary sources are known for, these
works are often used for their contextual interpretation of the
original sources cited.
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Another example of a secondary source is the podcast below:
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http://ourfakehistory.com/index.php/season-1/episode-19-who-
Enriquez, Kane Aldrich M. – BSP1A-3
M1L3: TYPES OF PRIMARY SOURCES |
NON-WRITTEN SECONDARY SOURCES
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Module 1 (COSH41): Meaning and Relevance of History
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[PICTURE IS BROKEN]
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Above is a screen capture of a video reacting to the performance
of the artist mentioned above. This is an example of a secondary
source. Though the video presents most of the primary source
being commented on, the video is valued more for their reaction
to the event and not on the accurate account of the event itself.
REMEMBER!
When identifying the types of sources:
Primary sources are original materials and ideas that were
written/created by people who were able to witness or
experience events first-hand; and
Secondary sources interpret original works by reviewing, reacting,
commenting on them, or comparing/contrasting these with
others.
---THE END---
Enriquez, Kane Aldrich M. – BSP1A-3
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