St.

Paul University Dumaguete

Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental Philippines
COLLEGE DEPARTMENT –COLLEGE OF NURSING
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
AY 2023-2024

GE- Reading in the Philippine History

Book Review

Submitted by:
Shiera Mae R. Bernales

Submitted to:
Josefino Tulabing Larena Jr., MPA
Senior Instructor I
 St. Paul University Dumaguete
Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental Philippines
COLLEGE DEPARTMENT –COLLEGE OF NURSING
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
AY 2023-2024

Carlito D. Garcia, EdD.'s book "Philippine History and Government" is an

excellent book for anyone interested in Philippine history, especially college
students. Atbp Books is the publisher. This book, published in 2015 by
Publications Corp., is designed to fulfill the requirements of General
Education (GE) courses that most college students take. Instructors and
students alike will find the book's introduction particularly helpful, as it
lays out the chronological order of historical events, making it easier to
navigate through the complexities of Philippine history.

With brief summaries of its 27 chapters, this book provides a clear and
accessible summary of significant historical periods and concepts. Despite
being only a few sentences long, these summaries effectively capture the
main points of each chapter, making it simple to understand.

One of the book's strength is its ability to spark students' interest with
interesting chapter topics.By selecting chapters that are both informative
and intriguing, Garcia succeeds in motivating students to delve deeper into
Philippine history.

In addition, the author shared his motivation for writing the book, stating
that in addition to serving as a manual for educators and students, he
hoped that readers and students would recognize the fundamental
principles that could help them become The Hope of my Fatherland—as
Rizal had envisioned it.
 St. Paul University Dumaguete
Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental Philippines
COLLEGE DEPARTMENT –COLLEGE OF NURSING
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
AY 2023-2024

The author also mentioned the people who assisted and the things for
which he was grateful. His presentation of it in the book has truly pleased
me, as the majority of books I read don't explain why the author is grateful
for that specific person. However, the book's author, Carlito, expressed his
gratitude for their support.

The book's cover effectively captures the colors of past with a brown tone
that conveys nostalgia. I chose this book to review because of the cover's
brown hue color scheme and overall feel, which I found appealing when
looking for historical literature. In addition, images on the cover provide
readers with a preview of the histories of the Philippines that will be
covered.

On the back cover of the book, it says about the Author which includes the
author's previous positions and current responsibilities. He now discusses
his academic background and honors in the second paragraph, but in the
final sentence, he brings up his present job once more. To be consistent, it
would be preferable if he put that information in the first paragraph.
Concerning the third paragraph,. It talked about the associated
organizations and the author's professional writing experiences in journals
and papers. Including examples of his professional writings and journals
would have been even better. In the last paragraph, it is about the sample
book he had published, which is good because it gives readers assurance
that his works are properly researched and a trusted resource.

The table of contents are also clear, and it is also in accordance with the
pages indicated in the table of contents and if the book page is flipped on
 St. Paul University Dumaguete
Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental Philippines
COLLEGE DEPARTMENT –COLLEGE OF NURSING
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
AY 2023-2024

that particular content. It is easy accessible and readable because the font
size is enough and decent.

Let's get started with Chapter 1 of the book, "The Philippines: Its Land and
People." This chapter begins with an overview of the Philippines'
geography. The author emphasizes why it is critical first to know by
understanding the country's topography, which reflects our homeland and
the Filipino people. The chapter covers a variety of physical aspects of the
Philippines, such as its islands, climate, and typhoons.

While the text is informative, the accompanying images are lacking in

several areas. For example, a photo included in the chapter appears unclear
yet unconnected to the content's topic. This error reduces the image's
usefulness.

The chapter then moves on to discuss known landforms in the Philippines,

as well as its administrative regions, which include two autonomous
regions. The data is presented in an organized way, making it easier for
readers to understand it and distinguish between regions.

Furthermore, the chapter discusses significant locations and volcanoes'

history, emphasizing the impact of disasters such as the Mt. Pinatubo
eruption, which harmed millions of Filipinos. However, it is worth
mentioning that, while the text contains some information regarding
earthquakes in the Philippines, it might be more complete. Nevertheless,
the author explains why the Philippines is vulnerable to such disasters,
citing the country's placement on the Pacific Ring of Fire. This
 St. Paul University Dumaguete
Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental Philippines
COLLEGE DEPARTMENT –COLLEGE OF NURSING
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
AY 2023-2024

understanding helps readers comprehend the root cause of certain natural

phenomena.

The book has various images, but they are blurred and indistinct, highly
grainy, and do not give proper credit for the photos utilized. In river and
fluvial systems, it emphasized the country's rivers and certain information,
such as the longest rivers and their lengths. It also mentions the Coastline,
which covers 10,850 statute miles but only includes Luzon.

It also described the flat lands and discussed the Philippines' agricultural
work. The following content was about natural resources, and I noticed that
they opened and connected it properly since, in flat areas, they closed the
paragraph by addressing agricultural features and resources made before
moving on to natural resources.

The book also incorporated theories from the Philippines, which seemed
new and unfamiliar to me. Although it would have been preferable if it had
been consistent in structure and italizing the important topics, as they have
usually done. Readers will also find it easier to remember the principle
because it has been highlighted. In the Filipino people section, where
people are classified, it would have been preferable to include a graphic
graph of Filipino statistics so that they may be presented more clearly and
readily compared.

Garcia's narrative skill is evident when readers go deeper into the material;
writer skillfully ties together the political, social, and geographic
dimensions of Philippine history. Every chapter flows with a clarity that
 St. Paul University Dumaguete
Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental Philippines
COLLEGE DEPARTMENT –COLLEGE OF NURSING
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
AY 2023-2024

makes comprehension easier, from discussions about how to use resources

to examining actual landscapes.

Garcia also includes a series of review questions at the end of each chapter,
which are meant to promote critical thinking and synthesis of the
information presented. These questions push students to think critically
and understand important ideas beyond mere factual memory. Students
can evaluate their knowledge and strengthen their understanding of the
material by taking part in these types of activities.

Moreover, the integration of assessments in tests provides students with an

excellent tool for self-evaluation. Students can evaluate their progress and
pinpoint areas that may require additional review through these
assessments. Students can actively engage with the topic and gain a greater
understanding of Philippine history and governance by engaging in these
exercises.

Furthermore, I observed tables throughout the book that presented

information in an easily understood and structured. For example, on page
66, there is a table outlining the various revolts that occurred in the
Philippines. This table presents the information in a step-by-step order,
making it straightforward to understand. It concentrates on the primary
reasons for these revolts, providing a clear and accurate summary of each
event.

Furthermore, the chapter on National heroes features better images and

graphics than previous portions. These images use a uniform structure and
 St. Paul University Dumaguete
Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental Philippines
COLLEGE DEPARTMENT –COLLEGE OF NURSING
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
AY 2023-2024

design, which improves the overall presentation of the material. They

provide a visual aid that complements the text, allowing readers to better
connect with the stories and people being discussed.

Additionally, the book contains English translations of speeches and

documents, which are extremely useful. These translations help us grasp
the original material's contents and context. By making the entire text
available in English, readers may understand the significance of these
documents and speeches without being hindered by language barriers. This
feature ensures that all readers, regardless of native language skill, can
effectively engage with primary sources. However, it would have been
preferable if the text had a border rather than simply italicizing it so that
readers could readily distinguish between the text above and the whole
content.

Moreover, the work exhibits a high degree of grammar and technical

correctness throughout its composition. This attention to detail improves
the overall readability of the writing, allowing readers to concentrate on the
content. However, several typographical issues, such as missing
capitalization after periods, were found. For example, on page 237, bulleted
lists did not always begin with a capital letter, as is common grammatical
rule. Despite these minor flaws, the overall style is clear and
understandable, allowing readers to connect with the information without
significant difficulty. The absence of grammatical errors indicates the
author's dedication to competence, enhancing the book's credibility as a
reliable resource for both students and educators.
 St. Paul University Dumaguete
Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental Philippines
COLLEGE DEPARTMENT –COLLEGE OF NURSING
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
AY 2023-2024

Furthermore, the book contains sections with inconsistent spacing, making

for an unpleasant reading experience. This inconsistency can disrupt the
flow of the text, making it more difficult for readers to progress through the
content smoothly. Maintaining uniform spacing throughout the book
improves readability, allowing readers to focus on the material rather than
being distracted by formatting errors.

However, while "Philippine History and Government" provides useful

information, some of its sources may be questioned. In particular, the book
occasionally cites sources merely as "retrieved from Google" or refers to
Wikipedia, which is not necessarily considered a trustworthy academic
source due to its open-editing mode. This reliance on possibly
untrustworthy sources may raise questions about the accuracy and
credibility of the information provided. As a result, readers are asked to
examine the content critically and seek out additional, more trustworthy
sources to verify the information given.

Since the book was published in 2015, it is especially important to keep in

mind that some of the content may be out of date in the present day. This is
understandable, considering the publication date. Readers should be
informed that some aspects of Philippine history and geography may have
changed since then. If readers need more up-to-date information, they
should look for more recent sources that represent the most recent
developments and changes in Philippine history.

Also, the book's contents are well-organized and presented in an

easy-to-follow format. This guarantees that readers can explore the text
 St. Paul University Dumaguete
Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental Philippines
COLLEGE DEPARTMENT –COLLEGE OF NURSING
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
AY 2023-2024

with ease and comprehension. Especially when discussing the Philippine

administration, information is delivered in an understandable and concise
manner to avoid confusion. The topics are presented in list format, which
improves readability and comprehension. This structured approach helps
readers understand complicated issues concerning the Philippine
government without getting overwhelmed or lost in the details.

Following the main contents, the book has an appendix divided into two
parts: "Firsts in the Philippines" and the "Philippine Constitution." The
section on "Firsts in the Philippines" is very informative, providing plenty
of factual information. However, grouping this section alphabetically and
dividing the entries into events, persons, and places would have made it
more accessible and easy to reference.

Furthermore, while the content in this section is useful, the lack of

references or sources for the data offered may lead readers to question the
information's reliability. Simply stating "retrieved from Google" without
specifying the sources lowers the credibility of the information presented.
Proper citations would have increased credibility and transparency in the
data being provided.

In the appendix about the Philippine Constitution, the book completely

details the actual statements and declarations of the legislation. This
comprehensive coverage ensures that readers have access to the complete
text of the constitution, making it a valuable resource for comprehending
the legal framework of the Philippines.
 St. Paul University Dumaguete
Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental Philippines
COLLEGE DEPARTMENT –COLLEGE OF NURSING
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
AY 2023-2024

However, like the section on "Firsts in the Philippines," the lack of

references or sources for the information presented in the Philippine
Constitution appendix is observable. While including the content of the
constitution is helpful, the lack of credit or recognition of sources reduces
the legitimacy and integrity of the information supplied. Including
references to where the material was sourced would have improved the
content's integrity and reassured readers about its reliability.

The book concludes with a thorough list of references sorted alphabetically

and following the proper referencing standards. The APA format ensures
consistency and respect to academic standards. This reference section is an
excellent resource for readers looking for further information or wanting to
learn more about the author's research sources.

It is important to note that the majority of the resources listed in the

references were published between 1990 and 2009. While these sources
might provide useful insights into Philippine history and administration,
readers should be aware that additional developments or interpretations
may have developed since then. As a result, updating this list with more
recent sources may provide a more complete understanding of the matter.

Criticizing "Philippine History and Government" is necessary for various

reasons. First and foremost, as an instructional resource, it must be
accurate, clear, and effective in communicating the facts of history. Students
rely on textbooks like these to construct their understanding of Philippine
history, therefore any mistakes or deficiencies could have broad effects for
forming their viewpoints and interpretations.
 St. Paul University Dumaguete
Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental Philippines
COLLEGE DEPARTMENT –COLLEGE OF NURSING
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
AY 2023-2024

On top of that, reviewing the book provides useful criticism that can help
improve future editions or similar textbooks. Identifying areas where the
book falls short, such as poor visuals, formatting problems, or reliance on
unreliable sources, allows publishers and authors to fix these issues and
generate products of greater quality material in the future. This ongoing
process of critique and improvement is crucial for ensuring the validity and
relevance of educational resources throughout time.

In conclusion, while Carlito D. Garcia, EdD.'s "Philippine History and

Government" provides an excellent summary of Philippine history, its
importance extends beyond what it covers. By assessing the book's
advantages and faults, readers can gain a better understanding of its
limitations and pinpoint opportunities for development. For example, fixing
formatting and citation discrepancies might improve the book's overall
professionalism and reliability. Furthermore, updating sources with more
recent research ensures that readers have access to the newest
developments and perspectives in Philippine history.

Lastly, it allows us to identify areas for improvement and ways to make it

more useful for students and teachers. We help influence future versions of
the book by giving constructive feedback and suggestions for improvement.
In this manner, we can ensure that it is appropriate for everyone who reads
it, making learning about Philippine history and governance more
accessible and entertaining. Finally, this method contributes to a better
understanding and appreciation of the Philippines' history.