BAYANIHAN REPUBLIC:
The
Philippines is a country of rivers. In fact, we have about 421 river
systems spread all throughout the archipelago. There is no doubt how
the rivers have influenced us as a people. For example, Tagalog, the
language, the people and the region, came from the word Taga-Ilog (from
the river) as the provinces surrounding the region evolved with the
river system.
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| A view at the Loboc-Sasmuan River |
And
from what I learned in my Asian Civilization and World History classes
when I was studying, it is in river systems where great civilizations
flourished -- Tigris and Euphrates Rivers for the Persian and
Mesopotamian civilizations, Nile River for the Egyptian civilization,
Indus River for the Indian civilization and Huang or Yellow River for
the Chinese civilization. This body of water provide communities with
food, water for drinking, household chores and domestic animals,
irrigation for farm lands, access to transportation, a venue for trade
and a place for rest and recreation. There's no doubt, rivers have been
part and parcel of our lives.
