Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 12.djvu/34

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PHILIPPINE


10


PHILIPPINE


(2nd ed., Louvain, 1852); Idem, Het nieuvie Testament (Bruges, 1892); BispiNG, Erklarung der Briefe an die Epheser, Phitipper und Kotosser (Munster, 1866); Lipsius, Brief an die Galater^ E&mer, Philipper (Handcommeniar zum N. T.), adapted by HoLTZMAXN (2nd ed.. Freiburg. 1892); Moule, The Epistle to the Philippians (Cambridge, 1S95) ; Corxelt, Introductio specialis in singulos N. T. lihros (Paris, 1897) ; MOller. Der Ap. Paulus Brief an die Philipper (Freiburg, 1899) ; van Steen- KisTE, Commeritarius in omnes S. Pauii Epislotas (Bruges, 1899) ; FcNK, Patres Aposlolici (Tabingen, 1901) ; Vincext. The Epistles to the Philippians and to Philemon (2nd ed., Edinburgh, 1902); Haupt, Die Gefangenschaflsbriefe (8th ed., Gottingen, 1902); J.vcquier, Hisloire des lirres du Nouveau Testament, I (Paris. 1904); Shaw, The Pauline Epistles (2nd ed., Edinburgh, 1904); Clemen, Paulus, sein Leben und Wirken (Giessen, 1904); Belser. Einleitung in das neue Testament (2nd ed.. Freiburg. 1903); Le Camcs. L'auvre des Apitres (Paris. 1905); PoLZL. Der Wellapostel Paulus (Ratisbon. 1905); Light- foot. St. Paul's Epistle to the Philippians (16th ed., London. 190S) ; FiLUON in ViGOUROllx. Diet, de la Bible, s. v. Phi- lippes; ToussAiNT, ibid., s. v. Philippiens; 1dTc:m, Epitres de S. Paul (Paris. 1910); Prat. La theologie de S. Paul (Paris, 1909); FODARO, Saint Paul, ses derniires annies (Paris, 1910); Vioon- boux-Bacuez-Brassac, Manuel Biblique, IV (Paris, 1911).

A. Vander Heeren.

Philippine Islands. — Situation and Area. — -The Philippine Islands lie between 116° 40' and 126° 34' E. long., and 4° 40' and 21° 10' N. lat. The islands are washed by the China Sea on the north and west, the Pacific Ocean on the east, and the Sea of Celebes on the south. They are nearly south of Japan, and north of Borneo and the Celebes, with which they are connected by three partly-submerged isthmuses. The archipelago belongs to the same geographic region as Borneo, Sumatra, and Java, and therefore to Asia rather than to Oceanica. In aU there are 3141 islands; 1668 of them are listed by name. Luzon has an area of 40,969 sq. miles; Mindanao, 36,292 sq. m. Nine islandis have an area between 10(X)-10,000 sq. m.; 20 between 100 and 1000 sq. m.; 73 between 10 and 1(X) sq. m.; and 262 between 1 and 10 sq. m. The re- maining 2775 islands are each less than 1 sq. m. The total area of the islands is 115,026 sq. m. The ex- tent of the Earth's surface included by the boundaries of the treaty lines is about S00,(K)0 sq. m.

Physical Geography — Fauna and Flora. — The sce- nerj- of the islands, especially Luzon, is very beautiful. The greatest known elevation, ISlt. Apo, in Mindanao, is over 10,000 ft.; it was ascended for the first time by Father M;iteo Gisbert, S.J., accompanied by two laymen, in ISSO. There are twenty well-known and recent volcanic cones, twelve of them more or less active. ]Mayon Volcano, about SOOO ft., is probably the most beautiful symmetrical volcanic cone in the world. There are no ver\- large rivers; the Cagaydn of northern Luzon and the Rio Grande and the Agusan, both in Mindanao, are more than 200 miles in length. The largest lakes are Laguna de Bay, near jManila, and Laguna de Lanao, in Mindanao; the surface of the latter is 2200 ft. above sea-level. Laguna de Bombon, in Batangas Province, Luzon, is the crater of an immense volcano, of roughly elhptical shape, seventeen by twelve miles. On an island in the lake is the active volcano of Taal. The fauna of the Phil- ippines resembles that of the neighbouring Malayan Islands to a certain extent. Two-thirds of the birds of the PhiUppines are peculiar to them; what is more strange is that of 286 species of birds found in Luzon, at least fifty-one are not to be met with in any other part of the archipelago. The flora of the islands is similar to that of Java, Sumatra, and Borneo, but with differences sufficiently numerous to give it a marked individuality. Forests form seven-tenths of the area of the archipelago; they embrace a great variety of woods, many of them highly valuable.

Mineral Resourcci. — Ck)al is found in many parts of the islands. Two mines are now in operation on the small island of Batan, Albay Pro%-ince, Southern Luzon. The total output in the Philippines during 1909 was valued at nearly 8100,000. About -52.50,000 worth of gold was mined the same year. Iron is also


found, the product in 1909 being worth a Uttle more than Slo,000.

Climate. — The climate is, generally speaking, trop- ical, although there are points in the islands where it cannot strictly be so termed. The mean temperature in Manila during the period 1S83-1902 was 80° F. ; the average maximum during the same time was 97° and minimum 63°. The average rainfall in Manila is something more than 75 inches. Baguio, Province of Benguet, has been called the Simla of the Phifip- pines. Climatic conditions are so favourable that the commission and assembly held their sessions there this year (1910) during the warm months. The mean minimum temperatures for four months of the year are lower in Baguio than at Simla, and almost equal for two other months. The monthly means are nearly equal for the two places during five months.

Railways. — Railway fines are in operation in Luzon, Panay, Cebii, and Negros, about four hundred miles in all.

Population. — A census of the islands taken in 1903 estimates the population at 7,635,426, of whom 6,987,686 are classed as civilized and 647,740 as wild.

There was no question in Spanish times about the number of Christians; but a difference of opinion pre- vails about the number of the wild people. An esti- mate published in Madrid in 1891 puts down the non-civilized tribes (Moros included) at 1,400,0(X). According to the Director of the Census of 1903, there has been tendency to exaggerate; he admits that the number, 647,740, is possibly too small, but that it is probably within ten per cent, of the true number.

Wild Tribes. — The Negritos are believed to have been the aborigines of the islands. There remain about 23,000 of these, leading to-day a primitive life, nomadic withm a certain district, living in groups of twentj- or thirty under a chief. They are a race of dwarfs, four feet eight inches in height. They are of a sootj' black colour, their hair woolly, their toes almost as prehensile as fingers. The Negritos, it is thought, once occupied the entire archipelago, but were driven back into the mountains by the Slalays.

Among other wild tribes maj- be mentioned the Igorottes in Northern Luzon, some of whom are head- hunters. They are an industrious and warlike race. Belgian missionaries have been working among them the past few years with considerable fruit. The Ibilao or Ilongot is noted for his bloodthirsty propen- sities; the Ifugaos are said to resemble the Japanese in appearance. They use the lasso with great dex- terity, and with it capture the luckless traveller, de- capitate him, and add the head to their collection. They wear as many rings in their ears as the}' have taken heads. In Palawan (Paragua) the most numer- ous tribe is that of the Tagbanuas, many of whom have been Christianized. The Manguianes occupy the interior of Mindoro; they are a docile race and do not flee from civifized man. Among the wild tribes of Mindanao may be mentioned the Manobos, Bagobos, Bukidnons, Tirurays, and Subanos. They are classed as Indonesians by some ethnologists. Slavery is practised, and human sacrifices are known to have taken place within the past few years.

The Moros or ISlohammedan Malays chiefly in- habit Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago, though they are found also in Basilan and Palawan. They were professional pirates, and advanced as far as Manila at the time of the arrival of the Spaniards. They killed large numbers of Filipinos, and carried others into slavery-. Until mthin about sixty years ago, when Spanish gunboats of light dravight were introduced, they made marauding excursions into the Visayan islands (Panay, Negros, Cebii, Bohol, Leyte, Samar etc.), carrying off a thousand captives as slaves annually. They were the great obstacle to the civ- ilization of Mindanao. The Moro is pos.'Jessed of much physical strength, is indifferent to bloodshed,