1. Theories on the
Origin of the Filipinos

2. Migration theory
proposed by H. Otley Beyer
The ancestors of Filipinos came in “wave of migration”
First to reach the archipelago was “Dawn man”
Next to settle are the Negritos (25,000-30,000 years
ago)
- Were described to have black skin, dark kinky hair,
round black eyes, flat noses, usually height of 5 feet.

3. Third to arrive were the Indonesians
-they were seafarers and tool-users
INDONESIAN A
-was tall, slender with light complexion, and thin
lips
INDONESIAN B
-shorter, with bulky body, dark complexion and
thick lips

4. The last to reach the archipelago were the
Malays
-they reached the Philippines by the use of
“balangay”
-they introduced the iron age culture

5. Pre-colonial Philippines
Cultural Evolution of the Early Filipinos
It was believed that the first settlers of the Philippines
came by land bridges from Mainland Asia during
Pleistocene era
Western historians assume that the aborigines of the
Philippines were the Negritos

6. Mainland Origin Hypothesis
Proposed by Peter Bellwood and K.C. Chang
Posited that early inhabitants originated from South
China and Taiwan
They gradually replaced the hunting and gathering
populations

7. Historians presuppose that between 300 and 200
B.C inhabitants of Malay- Polynesian descent
settled in Philippine archipelago.
-they were mainly an agricultural and fishing
people.
-there were 30 to 100 families known as the
“barangay”

8. The structuring of the early society has
been achieved in response to the needs of
prehistoric Philippine communities
 “A country’s past history unveils its cultural
tradition.”