About the Book: The Philippines
Since the colonization of the Philippines by Spain in the sixteenth century,
the island chain has been at the center of global trade flows, imperial
rivalries, and the globalization process. From its role as the main base of
Spains Pacific Galleon trade to its conquest centuries later by the United
States and Japan, the Philippines has been a focal point of economic and
military rivalry. Decolonized in 1946, the Philippines is growing economically
after years of stagnation, is ruled today by a modern populist, President
Rodrigo Duterte, and is embroiled in disputes with the East Asia regions rising
superpower, China. In