Proceedings of the first Independence congress : held in the city of Manila, Philippine islands, February 22-26, 1930 / Published under the direction of Dean maximo M. Kalaw, executive secretary, University of the Philippines.

276 INDEPENDENCE CONGRESS PROCEEDINGS

and influence over non-Christians found in the regularly organized provinces. At present, such control and influence
have been extended to the following provinces: Abra, Bataan,
Mindoro, Misamis, Negros'Oriental, Pampanga, Rizal, Surigao.
Tarlac, Tayabas, Zambales and Palawan.
Mindanao is' populated with Christian, Mohammedan and
pagan peoples. Only two of the eight provinces which compose the island are predominantly Mohammedan. These two
are Ianao and Cotabato. The Sulu Archipelago, which has
a total area of 1,030 square miles, is almost entirely Moroland.
According to latest estimates, there are only about 6,000
Christian Filipinos in this province.
Just when the apostles of Islam first came to Mindanao cannot be definitely stated. To Macdum, a noted Arabian
scholar of his day, is given credit for having "firmly established"
Mohammedanism in Mindanao and Sulu. This was about
the year 1380 A. D. He is said to have practiced "magic and
medicine", and to have visited nearly every island in the Archipelago. Although Mohammedanism was established in
Mindanao about a century and a half before the coming of the
Christians, it is notable that less than half of the population
of that island are followers of Islam; while throughout the
rest of the Philippine Archipelago, with the exception of Sulu
and Palawan, it is safe to say that over ninety-five per cent of
the people are Christians. It appears that there never was a
concerted and sustained effort to convert the people as a whole
to the faith of Islam. It appears that the spiritual welfare
of the natives was a matter of secondary consideration to their
conquerors.
About the middle of the 19th century, the power of Spain
was definitely felt in Mindanao. In 1848, Sultan Kudrat
acknowledged allegiance to the Spanish crown and permitted the
establishment of a trading post at Cotabato. With greater
military strength and better equipment, the Spaniards gradually
increased their influence during the ensuing years. They never
succeeded, however, in completely subjugating the Moro people,
despite the valor shown by the gallant Spanish soldiers. The