Philippines political papers

Papers, 1972-1981 (some undated), on the Philippines, including typescripts, correspondence, maps, legal documents, press cuttings and other published material, some of the material produced by the Catholic Church, dealing with affairs in the Philippines, including the work of the Panamin government agency, the Chico River Basin Project (Northern Luzon) to dam the Chico River and submerge tribal villages, attempts to 'modernise' and convert minority ethnic groups to Christianity, including alleged abuses of human rights, and the political situation, including the policies of Ferdinand Marcos.

The Philippines comprise an archipelago of around 7,107 islands in South-east Asia, of which approximately 400 are permanently inhabited. The Philippines are divided broadly into three main geographical divisions, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Luzon is among the largest islands, and the capital of the Philippines, Manila, is located there. The majority of the inhabitants, known as Filipinos, are deemed to belong to the Austronesian or Malayo-Polynesian speaking peoples, but in fact comprise a multitude of different ethnicities and cultures, including Negritos and Dumagats. Over 80 per cent of the population is Roman Catholic. Some 70 native languages are spoken. Ferdinand Edralin Marcos (1917-1989) was elected President in 1965, and again in 1969. However, in 1972 when his second term of office was due to end, he declared martial law and extended his rule beyond the constitutional two-term limit. He was to remain in office until 1983 and eventually fled the country in 1986. While in power he implemented wide-ranging programs of infrastructure development and economic reform. However, his administration was marred by massive authoritarian, political repression, and human rights violations, and this is the focus of this collection, although it is unknown who compiled it.

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Presented by an anonymous donor.

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PP MS 26, Powell collection on the Philippines