The Exile in Philippine History

Abstract

Exile migration in Philippine history is examined in this article from earliest times to the present. The exile experience has assumed different forms, meanings and impact on individuals and the society left behind in different periods. Up until 1588, i.e., up until the end of the Manila ethnic state, exiles (who were either banished or were self-exiles) moved about in the familiar Indo-Malayan world, and thus, their exile did not necessarily uproot them from a familiar culture. Exile took on a different meaning with the arrival of colonial powers, particularly from 1872, when political exiles became numerous. The article reexamines the external exile of the ilustrados and propagandistas as well as the internal exile of those who were outside the colonial structure. The same analysis is applied to the different exiles during the American occupation, the Japanese occupation, and contemporary exiles. More than place, the author discusses separation and exile from the well-spring of kalinangang bayan (culture of the people) and Inang Bayan (Motherland).