Ronie R. Torres Jr.
LFCA233N035
MODULE LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL
CHAPTER 3
REFLECTION PAPER: Write a reflection paper the topic is – A Comparative Analysis
Between the Political Administration During the Spanish time and President Duterte’s
Time. The reflection paper should not be less than 100 words.
One of the most notable changes in policy under the Duterte administration involves the
cultivation of stronger ties with China, which has been met with some political and
grassroots opposition. However, President Duterte’s most visible campaign has focused
on the eradication of crime and illegal substance use. While these efforts have resulted in
mass surrenders to the police, the campaign has faced criticism from both local and
global organisations due to concerns over human rights violations. The government
nevertheless maintains a high approval rating and popularity. This was tested in the May
2019 mid-term elections, when nine out of 12 contested seats were won by pro-Duterte
candidates. Moving forward, the administration will face a number of challenges as it
seeks to deliver on campaign promises, which include achieving peace and rule of law in
Mindanao, eliminating corruption in the government and accelerating infrastructure
development.
However, the first permanent settlers of the archipelago were Australoid-Melanesian
settlers, who arrived from mainland South-east Asia in small migrations some 30,000
years ago. These aboriginal pygmy groups are hypothesised to have crossed through
existing land bridges from Borneo, Sumatra and Malaya, and can still be found in many
parts of the archipelago. Subsequent migrations of Malay peoples took place over
thousands of years by sea, driven particularly by Malayan culture, which held consistent
occupation of the archipelago.
Prior to Spanish colonisation, the Philippines had little written history. The earliest written
document, the Laguna Copperplate Inscription, dates to 900 CE. This artefact, however,
widely suggests trading and cultural links between the Kingdom of Tondo, which gained
control of much of the Luzon region by 1500 and was ultimately challenged by the
Bruneian Empire, the Javanese and Malay kingdoms, and the Song Dynasty in China. In
those early centuries, chiefdoms, known as barangays, formed larger groupings under
rajahs across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.