GEC 3 – Readings in Philippine History

Chapter 2
The Philippine Physical Features
Name: ______________________________ Rating: ___________
Course: __________________ Date: _____________

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. React and reflect on controversial issues and conflicting views concerning the
Philippine physical features.

ENGAGE

List at least 5 facts about the physical

features of the Philippines.

EXPLORE

Controversies and Conflicting Views

In has been said that the Philippines had “one past but many histories” is true in this
case. Different authors and writers of Philippine history books vary in their description of the
Philippines physical features, its location, number of islands, land area, river systems,
mountains, site of the first mass, cry of Balintawak among others. With these conflicting views
in certain events and situations, they are subject for debate.

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GEC 3 – Readings in Philippine History

Pepito M. Capito prepared a list of controversial issues in Philippine history. He got the
information from the book of Pedro H. Gagelonia - who happened to be the author's history
professor in FEU in. 1963. These controversies are:

1. Number of Islands and lslets in the Philippines

Different authors of history books had different views on the number of islands and
islets.
Here are the conflicting views on the number of islands and islets.

a. Molina - 7,083 islands

b. Agoncillo and Alfonso - 7,000
c. Alip - 7,100
d. Zaide - 7,083
e. Ariola -7,100

2. Number of Named Islands and Unnamed is1ands

a. Agoncillo and AIfonso – 3,000 named islands and 4,000 unnamed islands
b. Alip – 2,773 named islands, the rest are still unnamed islands
c. Zaide – different data in his won books.
(1) Philippine History for Catholic Schools and the Republic of the Philippines,
1963 - 2,773 (named islands?)
(2) Philippine Political and Cultural History, 1957 - 2,782(named islands?)
d. Gagelonia, The Filipino Historian - 2,000 islands have been named
e. Google, Wikipedia - 5,000 islands are yet to be named.

3. Location of the Philippines

a. Zafra - Philippines is located about 700 miles or 1126.54 kms. from the mainland of
China
b. Molina - Philippines is located southeast of the Asiatic mainland
c. Alip – Philippines lies about 700 miles or 1126.54 km to the southeast of the Asia
Mainland.
d. Zaide – Philippines is a sprawling archipelago fringing the southeastern rim of the
Asian continent

4. Location of the Philippine Deep or sometimes called

Philippine Trench, Mindanao Trench or Mindanao Deep. This is the third deepest in
the world which is located on the east of the Philippines. Its length is 1,320 km (820 miles)
and a width of about 30 km (19 miles). This is located in Luzon trending southeast, to the
northern Maluku Island of Haimahera, Indonesia. Galathea Depth, its deepest point has a
depth of 10, 540 meters (5,760 fathoms; 34,580 feet)

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GEC 3 – Readings in Philippine History

Molina - Philippine Deep or Philippine Trench which is found east of Mindanao is the
second lowest region of the earth.
a. Zaide – It is the lowest region in the world, an ocean depth east of Mindanao (cited
in his book (Philippine History for Catholic High Schools)
b. Zaide – It is the lowest part of the Earth situated about 15 miles (24,1420 kms)
Northeast of Mindanao. It is 34, 218 feet (10,429646 kms) below sea level. (cited in his
book Philippine Political and Cultural History.
c. Zaide – It is the second lowest place in the world and is located 72.4205 kms (45 miles)
east of Northern Mindanao. It is 35, 400 feet or 10,78992 kms deep (cited in his book
Philippine History)
d. Agoncillo – It is the second deepest sea in the world which is located east of
Mindanao and with a depth of 35, 400 feet (10.802.112 kms)
e. Google – The Philippine Deep Sea has a depth of 34, 580 feet or 10.539984 kilometers.

5. Longest River in the Country

Fact: The largest, longest, and widest river in the Philippines is the Cagayan River or
Rio Grande de Cagayan. It is located in the Northeastern part of Luzon that traverses the
provinces of Nueva Vizacaya, Quirino, Isabela, and Cagayan. Small streams that originates
from Balete Pass, Cordillera, Caraballo, and Sierra Madre Mountains meet other streams
and rivers and flow to the Cagayan River.

The Rio Grande de Mindanao or Mindanao River is the second largest river located
on the southern part of Mindanao. It has a length of 373 kilometers (232 meters). It
headwaters are in the mountains of Impasugong, Bukidnon, south of Ginoog City City in
Misamis Oriental, what is called the Pulangi River joining the Kabacan River where it
becomes the Mindanao River.

Disagreement among the authors of Philippine History

a. Alip – Cagayan River is the longest river in the Philippines

b. Molina – Rio Grande de Mindanao is the longest river in the Philippines
c. Benitez – Rio Grande de Mindanao is the longest river in the country
d. Zaide – The longest river is Rio de Mindanao (cited in his book Philippine History for
Elementary Schools)
e. Zaide – The longest river is the Rio de Mindanao (cited in his book Philippine Hisort for
High Schools)
f. Google – Rio Grande de Cagayan is the longest and widest river in the Philippines
whereas, Rio Grande de Mindanao or Mindanao River is the country’s second largest
river system with a length of 373 kilometers 6.

6. Straits – It is a naturally formed, narrow but navigable waterway that connects two larger
bodies of water.

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GEC 3 – Readings in Philippine History

Disagreements among authors in Philippine History as to the number of straits in the

Philippines.

a. Molina – There are 8 landlock straits in the Philippines

b. Agoncillo – There are 20 landlock straits
c. Zaide – There are 8 landlock straits
d. Google – There are 22 straits

7. Coastline – it is also called seashore where land meets the sea or ocean, or a line that
forms the boundary between the land and the ocean, sea, or lake.

Disagreements among the authors

a. Zaide – The Philippines coastline is thrice longer than the U.S. coastline with 10, 850
statute miles or 17, 641.382 statute kilometers
b. Molina – The Philippines coastline is 11, 446 statute miles or 18, 470.784 kilometers
c. Alip – The Philippines coastline is nearly 11,000 miles or 17, 702.784 kilometers
d. Benitez – The Philippines coastline is 11,440 statute miles or 18,419,895 statute
kilometers

8. Mountains – Mt. Apo is the highest mountain in the Philippines but historians disagree or
differ in their data on the height of Mt. Apo.

a. Agoncillo – Mount Apo is 9,600 feet or 2.92608 kilometers high

b. Alip – Mount Apo is 9,699 feet or 2.956 plus kilometers high
c. Zaide – Mount Apo is 9,690 feet or 2.9535 kilometers high
d. Google – Mount Apo is 2,954 kilometers high

9. Mount Pulag or sometimes called as Mount Pulog is the third highest mountain in the
Philippines and Luzon’s highest peak at 2.922 meters above sea level. It borders between
the province of Benguet, Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya.

a. Agoncillo – Mount Pulag is the second highest peak in Luzon with 8,481 feet (2.585009
kms) high
b. Alip – Mt. Pulag is 9,606 feet high (2.927 kms) high
c. Google – Mt. Pulag is 2.9222 kilometers high
The second highest mountain is Mt. Dulong-Dulong with a peak of
2,936 meters. The fourth is Mt. Kitanglad Ranges (2899 meters) with Mt.
Piapayungan Range (2,890 meters)

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GEC 3 – Readings in Philippine History

EXPLAIN

Rating:
Name: Date:
Course:

Draw/collect pictures of the following, and then paste them in the boxes. Write or describe
them using the left side of the box.

Philippine Deep

Rio Grade de Cagayan

Mt. Apo

Mt. Pulag

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GEC 3 – Readings in Philippine History

=
ELABORATE

Each student is required to submit a reaction paper (choose 3 topics only) consisting
300 to 500 words in a short bond paper. The teacher sets the date of the submission and
scoring key. The topics for the reaction paper:

1. Number of islands and islets in the 5. Longest River in the Country

Philippines 6. Straits
2. Number of named islands 7. Coastline
and unnamed islands 8. Mountains
3. Location of the Philippines 9. Mount Pulag
4. Location of Philippine Deep

Needs
Very Good Good Fair Improvement
(4 points) (3 points) (2 points)
(1 point)
This paper is clear
The writer is
and focused. It This paper is
beginning to
holds the reader's mostly Topic is not well
define the topic,
attention. focused, and defined and/or
even though
Ideas Relevant details has some there are too
development is still
and quotes good details many topics.
basic or general.
enrich the central and quotes.
theme.
The organization
enhances and Paper (and
showcases the paragraphs) The organizational Sentences within
central idea or are mostly structure is strong paragraphs make
theme. The organized, in enough to move sense, but the
Organization order, structure order, and the reader order of
of information is makes sense through the text paragraphs does
compelling and to the reader. without too much not.
moves the reader confusion.
through the text.
The writing has
an easy flow, The text hums
rhythm, and The writing along with a
cadence. mostly flows, steady beat, but The text seems
Sentences are and usually tends to be more choppy and is
Sentence Fluency well built, with invites oral businesslike than not easy to read
strong and varied reading. musical, more orally.
structure that mechanical than
invites expressive fluid.
oral reading.

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GEC 3 – Readings in Philippine History

The writer The write The writer shows The writer seems to
demonstrates a understands reasonable have made little
good grasp of good writing control over a effort to use
standard writing conventions limited range of conventions:
conventions and usually standard writing spelling,
(e.g., uses them conventions. punctuation,
spelling, correctly. Conventions are capitalization,
punctuation, Paper is easily sometimes usage, grammar,
capitalization, read and handled well and and/or
Conventions
grammar, errors are enhanced paragraphing
usage, rare; minor readability; at have multiple
paragraphing) touch-ups other times, errors errors.
and uses would get this are distracting
conventions piece ready and impair
effectively to to publish. readability.
enhance
readability
The form and
presentation of The format The writer's
the text only has a few The writer's message is only
enhances the mistakes and is message is understandable
ability for the generally easy understandable in occasionally, and
Presentation reader to to read and this format. paper is messily
understand and pleasing to the written.
connect with the eye.
message. It is
pleasing to the
eye.

EVALUATE

Link in!

Answer the formative test that will be sent by the teacher.

Reference

Ariola, M. M. & Parajas, R. P. (2018). Readings in Philippine History. Unlimited books Library
Services & Publishing Inc.

Chapter 1 – Background of the Study| 7