Here are the theories that support the origin of the Philippines: 1.

Pacific Theory It supports the claim of Dr. Bailey Willis that the Philippines were formed due to eruptions of volcanoes in the periphery of the Pacific Basin of the Pacific Ocean as far as the eastern part of Asia continent. Such eruption of underwater volcanoes is called volcanism. The eruption of underwater volcanoes some 200 million years ago resulted in the piling up of extrusive or molten rocks causing the emergence of islands in the Pacific Ocean. The continuing process of volcanism formed the structural foundation of the Philippines. Pacific theory contends that a study of the nature of the rocks beneath the ocean and the volcanic character of the archipelago made Dr. Bailey Willis conclude that the Philippines was formed through the marginal and peripheral eruptions of the Pacific Basin. The eruptions of the submarine volcanoes during the remote geologic past and the piling up of their extrusive caused the emergence of the islands above the sea, giving rise to the Philippine Archipelago (Salita, 1997). To prove their theory, scientists cited some evidences such as the elevation of Baguio City and other nearby mountain areas where corals and old volcanic stocks (rocks formed under great heat and pressure deep beneath the earths surface) are found.

2. Asiatic Theory According to the history, the Philippines were not part of the continental shelf of Asia. It claims that two (2) processes of diastrophism namely, up folding and up thrust faulting caused the rising (or emergence) and formation of the Philippines archipelago, and all mountains in the archipelago. This occurred during the Palaeozoic Era some 200 million years ago Asiatic holds view that the Philippines was once a part of the continental shelf of Asia Dr. Leopoldo Faustino (1928) stated that: The present land areas of the Philippines are merely the higher portions of a partly submerged mountain massThe outline of the Archipelago was first marked at the close of the Palaeozoic Era during the Permian Revolution when a movement of the Asiatic Land mass to the south caused the China Sea depression and crumpled the edge of the continental platform. In other words the Philippine Islands formed the barrier that separated the waters of the Pacific Ocean from the waters of the present China Sea. The present landforms of the Philippines have come about through the complex process of diastrophism, volcanism and gradation. These landforms are very much interrelated with the origin of the Archipelago itself. The occurrence of tectonic earthquake is an effect of diastrophism. The formation of elongated mountains such as the Sierra Madre and the Cordillera is caused by diastrophism while the conical peaks are the result of volcanism. Mt. Apo, Mayon Volcano and Kanlaon Volcano are examples of volcanic mountains. The erosion of the highlands and the consequent deposition of the sediments at the oceanic basin comprise the process of gradation. It is gradation that generally causes the formation of minor landforms such

as rivers , valley, lakes, deltas, hills, rapids and falls. The deltas formed by Pasig River and Pampanga River as they enter Manila Bay are the results of gradation process(Salita,1997). The location of Philippines on the western margin of the Pacific Ocean, which is comparatively unstable segment of the earths crust may help explain the pattern of landform development. The entire margin of the Pacific Basin from Japan to Taiwan, Philippines, Indonesia, and New Zealand owes much of its development to the action of the forces of folding, faulting, and volcanic activity. Geologists call this region as the girdle of fire or ring of fire because it is the region of frequent volcanic activity (Salita, 1997). The geologic processes aforementioned resulted to the Philippines an invented Y-shaped archipelago consisting of more 7,000 islands and islets. These islands are commonly grouped into three major divisions namely: Luzon; Visayas; and Mindanao. Its land surface is crisscrossed by mountains and drained by smaller river systems.

3. Continental Drift Theory It supports the claim of Alfred Wegener (1912) that two (2) continents drifted some 200 million years ago: Laurasia to the northern hemisphere and Gondwanaland to the southern hemisphere. The Philippines is believed to have been part of the continent Laurasia According to Alfred Holmes (1994), the two continents drifted as a result of pressure caused by volcanic eruptions in the ridges and in the center of the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean. The Philippines sits on a sub-plate of the Eurasian Plate now called Philippine Plate. Based on this theory, scientists believe that the Philippine archipelago was part of the Asian continent and was only separated due to geological changes.

LANDFORMS IN THE PHILIPPINES CAPE is a pointed pieces of land that extends out into a sea, ocean, lake, or river. Examples of Cape in the Philippines: Cape Engao is a cape at the northeast most point of the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Cape San Agustin- Davao Oriental, Cape Bolinao - province of Pangasinan. HEADLAND is a type of peninsula . It is a point of land, usually high, that extends out into a body of water an thus has water on three sides. A PENINSULA is a piece of land that is surrounded by water but connected to mainland via an isthmus. MOUNTAIN RANGE is a chain of mountains bordered by highlands or separated from other mountains by passes or valleys.

MOUNTAIN is a large landform that stretches above the surrounding land in a limited area usually in the form of a peak. VOLCANO an opening in the earths crust from which molten rock and steam issue, a hill or mountain composed ejected material. Some Volcano here in the Philippines: Mayon Volcano, also known as Mount Mayon is an active stratovolcano in the province of Albay, in the Bicol Region in the Island of Luzon. Mount Pinatubo is an active stratovolcano located on the island of Luzon, at the intersection of the borders of the Philippines. Mount Makiling, also known rarely MountMaquiling, is a potentially active volcano in Laguna province on the island of Luzon, Philippines.

VALLEY is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. The terms U-shaped and V- shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys. Examples of valley here:

PLATEAU is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. Here are the examples of plateau:

HILLS is a landfom that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills often have a distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit. Himontagon Hills are a group of hills located in Loay, Bohol, Philippines, about 20 kilometers from the Tagbilaran City
Chocolate Hills are an unusual geological formation in Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines.

WETLAND is an area of land which soil is saturated with moisture either permanently or seasonally.

WATERFORMS IN THE PHILIPPINES

Wave Migration

Professor H. Otley Beyer made the 3 wave migration theory accepted by many. The first wave was the arrival of aborigines whom the Negritos or Aetas, Austaloid Sakai, proto- Malays and Java Man belonged. It was estimated 22,000 years ago. From South Asia, the second wave of migrants, the Indonesian came by canoes and boats after the Great Ice Age about 3000 B.C.. They introduced bronze and rice terraces. The third were navigators, potters, weavers and blacksmiths. They are the Malays who came before 1 B.C. in Mindanao and Sulu. Filipinos and Moros were the descendants of Malays. However, German Scientist Dr. Fritjof Voss proved that the 35 kilometer thick crust below China does not stretch to the Philippines, contrary to first wave theory that the first migrators walked along the landbridges.

In 1380, Karimul Makhdum arrived and converted more natives into Muslim. Makhdum was given the holy title of Sharif Awliya. Makhdum founded the first Masjid ( Mosque) at Tubig-Indangan in Simunul Island. At the start of 15th century, Rajah Baginda arrived from Sumatra and made Buwansa the center of his community. Sulu was flourishing when Sayyid Abu Bakr arrived and married the daughter of Rajah Baginda. Upon the death of Rajah Baginda, Abu Bakr became the first crowned Sultan of Sulu and used the title Sharif Hashim.

DARWINS THEORYOF EVOLUTION A Species is a population of organisms that interbreeds and has fertile offspring. Living organisms have descended with modifications from species that lived before them. Natural selection explains how this evolution has happened: > More organisms are produced than can survive because if limited resources. > Organisms struggle for the necessities of life; there is competition for resources. >Individuals within a population vary in their traits; some of these traits are heritablepassed on to offspring. >Some variants are better adapted to survive and reproduce under local conditions than others. >Better-adapted individuals (the fit enough) are more likely to survive and reproduce, thereby passing on copies of their genes to the next generation. >Species whose individuals are best adapted survive; others become extinct. By: Mary Glecy Gigi Bola Benitez