The Philippines was ruled by various Asian empires during its early history. Trade with Indonesia, Borneo, mainland Southeast Asia, Japan, Persia and India developed shortly after the Ice Age and many merchants made the Philippines their base.

Between 1500 BC and 1440 AD, the Philippines traded with several Asian empires and from 200 to 1565, parts of the Philippines may have been ruled by Hindu-Malay empires, the Javanese Madjapahit empire, and the Ming Dynasty of China. From 1440 to 1565, Japan controlled northern Luzon, while Borneo and Brunei controlled the south.

By the time Magellan came in 1521, the Filipino people had evolved a distinct culture of their own, influenced in many ways by contact with Hindus, Chinese, Arabs and other neighboring countries.

Indian influence probably filtered into the Philippines indirectly, through Sumatra and Java. Some historians believe the first contact dates back to 800 BC, while others believe that…