The Intriguing World of Soccer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Intriguing World of Soccer - Essay Example In soccer, anything can happen and all the enthusiasm, spirit and energy involved in the game make the blood of the men rush to their brains. The big, fast and muscular men chasing the soccer ball is more than what it seems t o be. Soccer is the fastest game and is the most watched sport in the whole world. The reputation and fame which soccer holds is cannot be equivalent to any other sport in the world. Even though, it can be injurious to health many a times, the intense energy and spirit it offers to the world makes it an invaluable sport. The world cup is the largest sports event in the world, which showcases soccer as a game and the future world cup is being hosted by Qatar in 2022..Qatar is an Arab country with immensely rich culture and Qatar nationals love to exhibit their cultural heritage passionately. The country follows Islam as their religion and 90% of their people belong to the same religion. We can find elements of Bedouin culture in Qatar and this country was earlier engaged in fishing and pearl hunting. They follow a Sharia law and have their typical Arabic cuisine which mainly consists of seafood and dates. According to (Weill Cornell) â€Å"Qatar is a traditional country experiencing rapid social changes. When Arab men meet, they usually shake hands. A man does not generally shake hands with a woman†.

Supply and or demand paper on Apple iphone 5 Research

Supply and or demand on Apple iphone 5 - Research Paper Example The features of the iphone 5 are high tech and do very well with technology savvy customers. Iphone’s user friendliness and looks have won complete control over users. The market has seen the peak of apple Iphone 5 demands when just after the three days of release over 5 million of them have been sold, it has been listed on the charts of apple company (2012). A detailed interview from CEO of Apple Company Mr. Tim Cook had said that the success of apple I phone 5 has been brilliant and they are over whelmed with the response. So, he showed an intended desire to make productions rapid and provide apple Iphone 5 in hands of every person who dreams to hold it. The demand is increasing with every passing day and company is under lot of pressure to manufacture Iphone for everyone. Such things consume time, the initial supply has been completely sold out and regular shipment transportations are going on. Also, there is facility for consumers that they can order online and are allotte d a specific delivery date, so this is how demand is being satisfied (Harrison et al., 2012). Table 1.1: The journey of Apple iphone through the years There has been an incredible increase in demand of apple Iphone 5. There has been placing of pre-booking orders by customers for Iphone. Two million was the ratings for demand for apple Iphone 5, which is far more than the Iphone 4’s. Approximately it was double in number then the previous one which is a land mark and a huge success in its own self. There are growing numbers of orders and deliveries everyday and the numbers of lover of apple Iphone 5 range are increasing by the day. The demand and supply charts are rising higher into about 22 major countries over the world. Countries contain Switzerland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland, Spain, Sweden and Belgium. (Paczkowski, 2012). Table 1.2: Demand graph for the Apple iphone 5 Cause of Demand Shift The major reason behind the shifting demand of consumer all over is due to the latest technology and high definition real time inspiring features. The reviews are mostly mixed in terms of satisfaction and dissatisfaction of consumers, but the entire blend has resulted into a huge success of time for Apple Company. After the launch of apple iphone 4, there has been a serious competition between the several smart phone companies with regard to the desirability and durability for the working and usage. Still the exclusive release of Iphone 5 has managed to wash all the competitors. The prominent features include the four inch flat interesting wide screen. The length also increased, the wide screen and huge clear displays are already a mark of apple Iphone series. The opening for the headphones has been shifted to the either side accordingly and is extremely useful for the users to handle, and make way out to get to your ears. As compared to the previous version, the speakers are far bigger and sound quality is much more profound, clear and deeper. Then there is lightening connector, which is additional in nature. One the whole it has bigger screen quite prominent, 4G compatibility power race and above all better and improved front facing camera for perfect view (Hughes, 2012). Market reputation and impact is the real developer of status

Policy Interventions for Healthcare Inequality

Policy Interventions for Healthcare Inequality Abstract The primary purpose of this study was to determine the disparities in access to health care and analyse the rationale of the types of policy intervention solutions globally to address the contemporary health issue in education and training, tax benefits and payments to caregivers, respite care, business regulations combining work and care giving, and financial support and provision of pension credits for care giving. The study was descriptive in nature. The data were analysed and interpreted. Introduction Having a broad variety factors that plays a role in health disparities, it is very demanding and challenging to clarify the determinants of health disparities. For individuals who are challenged with sociodemographic status, physical disabilities and affected by inevitable circumstances such as calamities or disasters are crucially to escalate likelihood of health disparities that may lead their later life to health-related problems. Given the fact that people under these situations are most unfavourable groups in society with regards to income, education, employment, living condition or occupation, health disparities is more anticipated to exist. In this instance, it is essential to obtain which factors bring about to the health disparities. This study is looking forward to initiate further interest in health disparities among policy makers. Particularly, this may help health care professionals better understand the present picture of health disparities and its causes. Correspondingly, the prevention and elimination of health disparities of the population and their outcome improved quality of life will be regarded. The purpose of this study was to identify the determinants of health disparities in health care access and to produce policy intervention solutions based on education and training, tax benefits and payments to caregivers, respite care, business regulations combining work and care giving and financial support and provision of credits for care giving. To achieve these purposes, the occurrence and determinants of the health disparities were investigated in these scopes: lack of insurance coverage, lack of financial resources, structural barriers, shortage of health care providers, linguistic barriers, health literacy, discrimination and age. Theory This study is anchored to the assumption that disparities in care can greatly affect the access of health care. This is explained in the diagram below: Figure 1. Theoretical Framework for Disparities in Access to Health Care According to Anderson (1995) in the behavioural model of health services operation, population characteristics feature three main components: (1) predisposing characteristics, (2) enabling resources, and (3) need. The predisposing characteristics embody the following elements: (a) demographic aspects, such as gender, age, or marital status, (b) social structure, such as race/ethnicity, education, religion, or occupation and (c) health benefits, such as knowledge about disease, values about health and illness, and attitude toward health services. The predisposing characteristics affect enabling resources in family, person and community. Personal or family enabling resources involved knowledge regarding access to and utilisation of health care and manner to access health care, while community enabling resources integrate available health facilities and personnel. The above-mentioned enabling resources have an effect on one’s perceived and evaluated health need. How people belief or think of their health status is referred to as perceived health need, while indication of professional judgment relevant to people’s health illnesses or conditions and their stand in need for medical treatment is referred as evaluated health need. The foregoing population characteristics – predisposing characteristics enabling resources, and health need will exert influence on one’s personal health practices; use of health services; and health behaviour. Lastly, one’s health behaviour impacts health outcomes: (perceived) health status and (evaluated) consumer satisfaction. In Andersen’s (1995) phase 4 of the behavioural model environmental factors –external environment and healthcare system – having been lately included, and these factors affect the population characteristics as well as health outcomes. The impact the disparities of access to health care would have on national and international healthcare policy. In the study, health disparities throughout different nations including New Zealand were analysed in access to health care. On top of that, the determinants and existence of such disparities have been focused on. It ought to indicate that access to health care itself affects one’s health needs, enabling resources and predisposing characteristics. Nevertheless, further attention is here centered on the direct impacts of the determinants on health care access. Considering the dynamic and intricate structure of health care access, social demographic characteristics are broadly addressed to determinants of access to health care. The association between access to health care and health status is examined in detailing the determinants. Based on Healthy People 2020 definition of health disparity is â€Å"a precise type of health difference that is intently associated with economic, social and/or environmental unfavourable circumstance. Health disparities unfavourable influence groups of people who have consistently undergo considerable obstacles to health stands on their ethnic or racial group; socioeconomic status; religion; age; gender; sensory, cognitive, physical disability; mental health; gender identity or sexual orientation; geographic location; or other characteristics typically connected to exclusion or discrimination. A range of sociodemographic characteristics, such as lack of insurance coverage, lack of financial resources, structural barriers, scarcity of providers, linguistic barriers, health literacy and age are involved in access to health care. These sociodemographic characteristics are correlated with not only one another notwithstanding further determinants in different area. Considering health insurance coverage and status issues play an important part in access to health care and these matters are similarly concomitant to other sociodemographic components, analysis on sociodemographic characteristics is frequently focus on health insurance issues. In the absence of health insurance, patients are most apparently to delay medical care; it appears to go without needed medical care, and probably to go in the absence of prescription medications. Despite the fact that the insufficiency of financial funds is a barricade to health care access for many nations, the influence on access become evident to be pronounced for minority populations. Structural barriers include excessive time spent in the waiting room, an inability to schedule appointments quickly or during convenient hours and poor transportation, each of which influence persons willingness and to acquire needed care. In rural areas, high cities and communities with great congregation of minority populations, access to medical care may be restricted because of the shortage of, specialists, primary care practitioners and diagnostic facilities. Furthermore, language differences (most especially those non-English proficient minorities) impede access to medical care. Health literacy is about patients having problems understanding, obtaining and processing basic health information. To give an instance, patients with a deficient comprehension of good health may not knowledgeable when it is needed to attempt to find care for definite symptoms. Although issues with health literacy are not confined to minority groups, the situation may further utter in these groups due to educational and socioeconomic factors. Age may as well be a determinant in health disparities for particular reasons. As numerous older individual draw breath on fixed incomes this can create paying for health care expenses burdensome. Besides, they unlikely encounter other hurdle such as lack of transportation or weaken mobility that makes accessing health care services difficult for them physically. Moreover, they cannot have the possibility to access health information through the internet over their age. This may place older individuals at an unfavourable position in terms of retrieving important information regarding their health and by means to protect it. Communication is vital for the delivery of effective and appropriate care and treatment, despite of a patient’s culture, and miscommunication may result to improper use of medications, incorrect diagnosis and failure to undergo follow-up medical care. The relationship of patient’s provider is reliant on the capacity of both individuals to efficiently communicate. Culture and language both involved in significant task in communication in the course of a medical consultation. Among the patient populace, minorities appears considerable amount of difficulty in conveying concerns and understanding with their physicians. In stand of the Health Care Quality Survey conducted by the Commonwealth Fund (2001), American patients during interview responded that nineteen percent (19%) of the time they experience difficulty communicating with their health providers which included feeling doctor listened, understanding doctor, and had questions yet did not enquire. As oppose to the Hispanic population comprise the relatively large problem communicating with their health provider, thirty-three percent (33%) of the time. It is fact that communication is associated to health outcomes, as communication enhanced so certainly patient satisfaction which result to enhanced compliance and will progress health outcomes. The result of incapacity to communicate with care providers has influence the quality of care. Language takes significant role in communication and determined attempt need to take hold to make sure perfect communication involving patient and provider. Those non-English speakers that utter the need of an interpreter in the time of clinical visits proclaim having one. In the absence of interpreters in the course of clinical visit add up to the communication barrier. Moreover, incapacity of providers to convey information with deficient English proficient patients results to, more invasive procedures, over prescribing of medications and more diagnostic procedures. Poor communication is a factor to compliance of medical services and health outcomes. Heaps of health-related environments make available interpreter services for their deficient English proficient patients. It is indeed been helpful when health providers do not communicate the similar language as the patient. But, there is ascending affirmation that patients require communicating with a language concomitant physician to sustain the desirable medical care, be satisfied with the care experience and bond with the physician. Further communication difficulty upshot from a decrease or reduce of cultural proficiency by health providers. It is also a great value for health providers to be aware of patients’ health practices and beliefs unescorted judgments or reactions. Comprehending a patients’ perspective of health and disease is essential for treatment and diagnosis. So health providers required to assess patients’ health practices and beliefs to refine quality of care. The health decisions made by the patients can be influenced by cultural beliefs, sceptical Western medicine, and hierarchical and familial roles, every single one of these a white health provider may not be familiar with. Another disparity could be discrimination. This is where health care providers likewise consciously or unconsciously handle certain ethnic and racial patients distinctively from other patients. It may be because of stereotypes that health providers may have concerning racial/ethical groups. Physicians are more possibly to set down negative cultural stereotypes among their minority patients. It may happen despite of high regard for personality characteristics, income and education. Meanwhile the United States of America favour the term health disparity, some other countries more usually utilise such terms as health inequity or health inequality (Carter Pokras Baquet, 2002). Specifically, the word health inequalities are more commonly used in New Zealand, Europe and Great Britain. According to Harper Lynch (2005) health disparity includes elements of both health inequality and health inequity. Moreover, inequality is a difference that can be observable and measurable; on the other hand inequity encompasses an ethical judgment participate in resolution of the difference. Moreover, in relation to global health disparities discussed, three of the ten (10) facts about health inequalities in Aotearoa New Zealand based on New Zealand Medical Association and University of Otago prepared by Tony Blakely and Don Simmers (June, 2011) has similarly contribute to the access of health care. These include: (1) Almost all other countries, there is inclination of increasing mortality or exacerbating health right from one side of the affluent to deprived, socio-economic hierarchy, or from rich to poor and most educated to least educated. The socioeconomic differences have made mortality rates broadened in corresponding terms until year 2000, yet have inclined to be stable after all. A close basis of expanding disparity in life expectancy via income about 2000 is indeed apparent. Those people in the top-level of incomes have a 5-6 year satisfaction in life expectancy in contrast to the lowest. New Zealand is level at about average for rich countries in the realistic magnitude of socioeconomic inequalities in mortality. (2) An unequal division of social determinants such as housing conditions, employment, and income conditions is crucial to driving health inequalities. Unemployment and economic conditions ameliorate between 1994 and 1998, and there is a fall of child poverty. In distinction to, 1998-2004 rates diversified be conditional on the measure, afterwards with Working for Families child poverty momentum cut down from 2004-2007. (3) Behavioural predisposing factors and health services as well come up with inequalities of health. Tobacco is exceptionally significant, as to healthy eating. Health services is further substantial, primarily as the efficacy of supportive care and treatments to both decrease morbidity and mortality happen to be more effective and more great in number. Discuss and critically analyse the rationale or justifications for putting into place each of the below listed types of policy intervention solutions globally to address the contemporary health issue highlighted in disparities of access to health care Education and Training Institutions should consider conducting research to determine up-to-date and effective policy and program solutions to lessen or diminish health disparities. It is essential to conduct outreach to expand the diversity such as racial/ethnic, disability, income in health care and public-related health careers. They should put forward preventive services (such as vision, oral care, hearing screenings and mental health services) for all children and elderly, particularly those at risk. Lastly, they have to develop and carry out local plan of action to reduce psychosocial, environmental conditions and health that take hold of access to health care. Tax Benefits and Payments to Caregiver Increase tax benefits and refunds for those who have below minimum wage workers and use data to spot populations at greatest risk and partner with communities to implement government programs and policies on mitigations that addresses highest priority health needs. Government should allocate good payment, health benefits and remuneration to caregivers because they are the first line of health providers in terms of access to health services needed by the people. Respite Care This type of care should be available and accessible every time the concerned individual needed it such as caring for disabled individual and older clients. Expand the communication and cultural competence of health care providers in the respite care service. Train and hire further qualifies staff from marginalised ethnic and racial minorities and people with disabilities. Intensify care systematisation and quality of care like integrated care teams. Business Regulation combining Work and Care giving Health markets should comply with statutory policies and regulations concerning medical costs, availability of health services and health care professionals, equal treatment of patients especially those who belong to minority group and children, pregnant woman, chronic conditions or disabilities and elderly, and lastly, consider the community’s needs and demands of health care. Financial Support and Provision of Pension Credits for Care giving. Involved all professionals from a variety of sectors (such as labor, health, education, environment and transportation) with community representatives to make sure that community health needs are recognised and that needs and barriers are attended. Expand cheaper or affordable health services that will ameliorate favourable chances for health care coverage and access as component of efforts to lessen disparities among individuals who are deprived of health. Conclusion It is a fact that health is vital to human existence. A person cannot perform his activities of daily living without being on a state of wellness. In this study, there are numerous factors that brought about disparities of access to health care. The essential qualities of health disparities evaluated were lack of insurance coverage, lack of financial resources, structural barriers, shortage of health care providers, linguistic barriers, health literacy, discrimination and age. Most of the population affected by these circumstances are minority groups, children, pregnant woman, chronic conditions or disabilities and elderly. To deliver policies further productive and effective to eliminate and prevent health disparities, understanding of scientific facts in determinants of health disparities is vital. In addition, it highlights the prominence of factors outside the immediate authority of the health sectors particularly the social welfare, labour, housing, market sectors, local government and education, in shaping the health of the population. On the other note, accomplishment in alleviating disparities in health leads to positive results for the individual, society and economy.

Lorraine Hansberrys A Raisin In The Sun :: essays research papers

Part A: One striking aspect in â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† was in Act II Scene III, when Bobo gives Walter the news that Willy went off with the money for the liquor business. I honestly did not think that would happen. I respected Willy to be one of Walter’s good friends. I thought they would invest in the liquor business together and make good money. I was in total disbelief when Bobo announced the bad news. Also in Act III, I did not expect Walter to change his mind about accepting Mr. Linder’s â€Å"exchange†. I was totally surprised to find out Walter finally â€Å"comes into his manhood† with his decision. My perception of him changed for the better. For once throughout the entire play, I was proud of what Walter did. Part B: Does A Raisin on the Sun present timeless issues? No, A Raisin in the Sun presents many issues that are still common today. For example, my families today go through hard times such as deciding to have an abortion. Ruth became pregnant and actually put a down payment for an abortion. During the 1950’s abortions were illegal, making her decision even harder. Abortions are difficult decisions many women face today as well. Another issue still common today are problems in marriage. At one point in the play Walter and Ruth’s love for one another was questioned. They fought badly at times, thus their marriage was heading in the wrong direction. In today’s society 50% of marriages end in divorce indicating major problems with the partners. Lastly, racism still exists today. The Youngers faced racism before they even moved into their new house when Mr. Linder offers the Youngers money in exchange for moving somewhere else. Mr. Linder and the rest of the white community thought this decision was for the best for the community. Mr. Linder gives them the offer without even giving the family a chance, thus showing prejudice. Justina Klecha Intro to Literature 150-26 Professor Clovia Feldman February 15, 2005 Exploration of the Text How does the urban setting establish the atmosphere and mood of the play?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The urban setting establishes the perfect atmosphere. If the setting were in a rural area, the mood of the play would be different. Jobs for example, would be harder to have and maintain. This would cause more tension and problems with the family. Transportation would also have been more difficult. In the urban setting, automobiles were available as transportation.

Comparison of the Chinese and American Cultures Essay

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, culture is defined as â€Å"the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations.† Culture is an aspect all groups of humans have and even though it is an aspect our species shares, the supposed differences make it seem like we are of different species! Culture is something that both connects and separates us. Culture is something distinct enough to create barriers among us, such as: linguistic barriers and behavioral barriers. And this is especially seen between the American and Chinese cultures. River Town, by Peter Hessler, is a non-fiction novel that depicts Peter’s experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer in Fuling, China. He was sent to Fuling (a poor town on the banks of the Yangtze River) in 1996 and taught English and American literature for two years at a teachers college. This novel, in reading, seems more of a journal and thus, his writing of China puts the people and his experiences on a more personal level. He describes, with immense detail, his observations of the social, political and cultural issues of China and his experience as a waiguoren (foreigner). At his arrival, the people of the teachers college showered him and his fellow Peace Corps volunteer with many gifts and did everything they could to make them feel comfortable and welcome. However, alternately, whenever Peter would walk outside the campus of the school, the people would stare and gawk at him and yell, â€Å"outsider!† and â€Å"hello† out of curiosity and their own amusemen t. This made him dedicate a large part of his day solely to learning Chinese. As he becomes more proficient in Chinese, he develops friendships and connections and begins to feel more accepted. He talks about the troubled history of China: the struggles of land reform, decades of misguided economic policies and especially the damaging effects of the Cultural Revolution. Peter spends a good deal discussing the, then, upcoming  project of the Three Gorges Dam, which has an immense, detrimental impact on the people. The project will require millions of villagers to be displaced and will destroy centuries worth of meaningful history. The author gives a very vivid illustration of the beautiful landscape, history and the people he meets. He also portrays the, especially political, perspectives of the Chinese quite well through learning from his students and teachers. According to Francis Hsu, the two sets of contrasts are: individual-centered versus situation-centered and the prominence of emotions versus the underplay of all matters regarding the heart. He believed Americans are concerned only of themselves and act according to what would be beneficial to them, and that the Chinese acted according to the situation at hand. The Chinese avoid direct confrontation, open criticism and controversial topics to maintain harmony. â€Å"In America, he saw the blind, often excessive pursuit of self-reliance and the inherent, permanent instability of human relationships as the root cause of many intractable social ills, including crime, racial discord, and the sale of influence in government. In China, he saw the traditional narrow focus on kinship based relationships had rendered their society unable to effectively counter Western colonialism, widespread poverty and famine, and even the practice of foot binding of women.† (Tong 2001) One aspect of the book that really interested me was the education system and different cultural differences of how education is looked upon. In the book, the students all had the same thoughts on almost every issue and those opinions would be unwavering. However, â€Å"Perhaps by my standards they were politically brainwashed, but compared to the past they were remarkably free.† (Hessler 2001:23) They would also communicate indirectly to Hessler; often times via their journals. Not only is the learning environment in China highly competitive and demanding, but expectations are high of students, forcing them to simply learn to achieve the highest grade possible. Also, Chinese students do not have electives they can choose from, they are assigned classes that best correspond to their scores on tests. Whereas in America, individualism and self-expression if looked high upon. Thus, in America, the individual student’s abilities and skills determine  where they go in the future, and in China, what society or their parents want determines where they go. This is exactly what Francis Hsu talked about. I believe Peter Hessler was relatively objective in his journaling. Whenever he brought up thoughts or opinions of his students or any of the Fuling people, he briefly gave the history and background of them so we can understand where they are coming from. However, there were a few times where you could sense his extreme bias, but this was never fully evident in his writing. The difference between American and Chinese homes reflects the contrasting patterns of behavior in the family. In the US, children are highly regarded, cared for and have privilege, so far as to have laws and regulations protecting them. In China, children are taken for granted and have little to no reason to expect protection. Pediatrics was not a branch of medicine in China until just recently. In America, what is important is what parents should do for their parents; in China, what is important is what the children should do for their parents. This is a major reason why Chinese students are so focused on getting the best grades, so they can get a good job and take care of their elders. This is the basis for Filial Piety (virtue of respect for one’s parents and ancestors). American students focus on what is best for them and will usually move out the house at age 18 with no regard to taking care of their elders. Another difference between the two cultures is social relations hips. The Chinese have formal, hierarchal relationships in which they feel most comfortable knowing their position. Americans have informal, egalitarian relationships in which they feel most comfortable among their equals and social ranking is not important. Ironically however, the Chinese tend to have a few, very close friends to whom they feel obligated to when it comes to helping them; Americans tend to have numerous â€Å"friends† and acquaintances that changes over time and to whom they feel no obligations. Works Cited 2001 River Town: Two years on the Yangtze. HarperCollins Publishers. Aguilar, Leslie, and Linda Stokes 1996. Multicultural Customer Service: Providing Outstanding Service Across Cultures. Chicago: Times Mirror Higher Education Group, Inc â€Å"CultureAbout Our Definitions: All Forms of a Word (noun, Verb, Etc.) Are Now Displayed on One Page.† Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2013 Li Qing 1995. â€Å"Face, Guanxi, Houmen(r) & Elastic Rules: Insight into the Chinese Culture.† Presentation at conference of NAFSA: Association of International Educators. Tong, William K. â€Å"Excerpts from Americans & Chinese by Francis Hsu.† Excerpts from Americans & Chinese by Francis Hsu. Oakton Community College, 2001. Web. 22 Apr. 2013

Resettlement Patterns in Spanish Colonialm System in the Philippines Essay

Spain and Portugal were the two superpowers who pushed through their ultimate goals to discover the rest of the world. These nations, with their greed for material wealth, set colonies in the Americas, Africa and East Asia to establish their powers to greater heights. Because of a high demand for exotic spices in Europe, Spain was forced to circumnavigate the world in search for the Spice Islands (Muruku Islands) with an ultimate goal which was to accumulate wealth through mercantilist trade and to expand the rule of Spain throughout the corners of the globe. Because of this, Spain met the islands of the Philippines. The rediscovery of our country by Magellan on March 17, 1521, marks a new age in our history. After this discovery, Spain sent various expeditions for the conquest and colonization of our country, namely the Loaisa expedition (1525), the Cabot expedition (1526), the Saavedra expedition (1527), the Villalobos expedition (1542), and the Legazpi expedition (1564). It was the Legazpi expedition which succeeded in colonizing our country and establishing Spanish rule. Spain had three aims in colonizing our country, namely (1) to spread Christianity, (2) material wealth, and (3) to acquire political glory. Under Spanish rule our country developed religiously, economically, politically, and culturally. Our land acquired a national name  ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬- Filipinas. Our people came to be known as Filipinos. Towns, cities, provinces, schools, hospitals and charitable institutions were established. New plants and animals, the Christian religion and Spanish civilization, and new industries were introduced. Domestic and foreign trades with China and Japan were fostered. Communication and transportation were improved. Our country during the Spanish reign was a crown colony of Spain, in the sense that it belonged to the Spanish crown. From 1565 to 1821, our archipelago was governed by the Viceroy of Mexico in the name of the Spanish king. All officials, royal decrees, and troops for the Philippines came from Mexico. It was also the Mexican viceroy, not the king of Spain, who sent the annual subsidy to Manila to cover up the annual deficit of the Philippine government. In 1821 Mexico won her independence from Spain, so that from this year to 1898, Spain directly ruled our country. Spain as a colonizing power was marred by certain defects such as (1) inefficiency and corruption in the colonial government, (2) abuses by the friars, (3) racial discrimination against our people, (4) denial of human rights to Filipinos, and (5) inequality of Spaniards and Filipinos before the law. These colonial defects, however, were offset by the good things done by Spain in our country. By and large, we owe her a lasting debt of gratitude. She gave the majority of the people a great religion, taught us how to build more durable buildings, roads, and trade facilities, introduced new crops and livestock and better methods of farming, and brought our people into contact with the western culture. Settlement Patterns Before and During the Spanish Period During the Pre-Colonial period, the social unit in the Philippine islands was the barangay which comes from the Malay term balangay meaning boat. They were headed by a datu or the village chief. Barangays were generally small and consisted of thirty to one hundred houses and the population varied from one hundred to five hundred persons. The largest barangay was Manila which had two thousand inhabitants at the time of the Spanish conquest. Communities were coastal, near-coastal and riverine in orientation. This was because the principal sources of protein came from the seas and rivers; people rely more on fishing than on hunting. People travelled principally by water, the movement of the population were across rivers and along the coasts. Trails followed by the streams; neither roads nor any wheeled vehicles were there. It was in the coastal communities that were more accessible to traders where a higher degree of development emerged. A higher cultural level was attained due to contact with traders from China, India and Arabia. The economy of the barangay communities deeply relied on agriculture. There was an abundance of rice, coconuts, sugar cane, cotton, hemp, bananas, oranges, and other fruits and vegetables. Land cultivation was done through the kaingin system or by tilling. Pigafetta, the chronicler of Magellan, noted that there was an abundant produce of the land in Cebu as well as in Palawan. Productivity was increased by the use of irrigation ditches, as evidenced by the world-famous Banaue Rice Terraces in Ifugao. Aside from agriculture, pre-colonial Filipinos had other industries such as animal-raising, lumbering, weaving and gold and silver mining. The absence of a political unity involving all or the majority of the people of the archipelago allowed the Spanish conquistadores to impose their will on the people step by step even with a few hundreds of colonial troops at the start. The successful voyage of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi to the Philippines was a prequel to the long term colonization of t he country under the imperialist Spain. The Filipino society, split up into numerous barangay units, faced the impossibility to put up an effective armed resistance against the well-equipped and prepared conquistadores; an almost â€Å"bloodless† conquest of the Philippines was then accomplished. It was Legazpi who in 1565 and thereafter succeeded in hoodwinking a large number of barangay chieftains typified by Sikatuna in quelling recalcitrant barangays with the sword and in establishing under the cross the first colonial settlements in Visayas and subsequently in Luzon.The kind of society that developed in more than three centuries of Spanish rule was colonial and feudal. It was a society basically ruled by the landlord class, which included the Spanish colonial officials, the Catholic religious orders and the local puppet chiefs. The masses of the people were kept to the status of serfs and even the freemen became dispossessed. In the classic fashion of feudalism, the union of church and state suffused the entire colonial structure. All colonial subjects fell under friar control from birth until death. In the material base as well as in the superstructure, friar control was total and most oppressive in the towns situated in vast landed estates owned by the religious orders. In the colonial center as well as in every province, the friars exercised vast political powers. They supervised such diverse affairs as taxation, census, statistics, primary schools, health, public works and charities. They certified the correctness of residence certificates, the condition of men chosen for military service, the municipal budget, the election of municipal officials and police officers and the examination of pupils in the parochial schools. The Encomienda and Hacienda Encomiendas are grants from the Spanish crown to a Spaniard to exercise control over a specific place including its inhabitants. It is from the Spanish word â€Å"encomendar† which literally means to entrust. Thus, a definite number of â€Å"souls† or inhabitants of a territory were entrusted to the care of an encomendero. The encomienda grant can only be passed up to the third generation and was then given back as the crown’s property. There were three kinds of encomiendas: (1) the royal encomiendas, belonging to the king of Spain, (2) the ecclesiastical encomiendas, belonging to the church, and (3) private encomiendas, belonging to private individuals who were rewarded for their services to the crown. The encomienda was an administrative unit with powers to collect tribute and to use the personal services of the inhabitants of their encomiendas. In return, the encomenderos were supposed to look after the welfare of the natives and to give them some education. Theoretically, each encomendero, in whose care a native settlement, was entrusted a threefold responsibility: (1) to protect the natives by maintaining peace and order within the encomienda, (2) to support the missionaries in their work of converting the people to Catholicism, and (3) to help in the defense of the colony. In return for these services, the crown authorized the encomendero to collect a tribute of eight reales or its equivalent in kind from all 19 to 60 year old males in the encomienda. At least one-fourth of the total collection went to the encomendero, another portion to the friars, and the rest to the government. What seemed to be beneficial for the natives’ development was turned the other way around. The encomienda system was generally characterized by greed and cruelty. The encomenderos exercised their powers to the full but for the most part ignored their duties and treated the natives as slaves. They saw the grant as nothing more than an opportunity to enrich themselves and used every opportunity open to him, whether in the collection of tributes or in the unlawful exaction of numerous services. Antonio de Morga writes: â€Å"They employ the indios in building houses and large vessels, grinding rice, cutting wood, and carrying it all to their houses and to Manila and then pay them little or nothing for their labor.† Regarding the collection of tributes, the encomenderos forced the natives to pay a higher rate of tribute; they collected according to their personal whim. When gold was abundant and money was scarce, they demanded cash or reales; when the reales were plentiful and there was scarcity of gold, they asked for gold even when the poor Filipinos were coerced to buy them. Encomenderos sometimes seized the entire quantity of his rice from the Filipino without leaving him a grain to eat. Many Filipinos died of starvation, especially during famine and drought due to the scarcity of rice and they were forced to eat coconut and banana shoots. If the Filipinos resisted, they were publicly fogged, tortured or jailed. The unjust collection of tributes was one of the primary causes of intermittent uprisings in the Philippines. Haciendas grew out of the encomienda system and the hacienda system is still being used today; however, haciendas during the Spanish occupation era were given as incentives to deserving Spanish friars who will act as land lords. It has the characteristic of a feudal system which was prevalent in Europe during those times. Encomienda and hacienda system were forms of colonial appropriation but they were never the same and one did not necessarily lead to the other. The exploitative relations are based on and grow out of the ownership by the landlord of the tracts of land from which the tenants derive their livelihood. The hacendero has the right of inheritance and free disposition, two rights not covered by an encomienda grant. The exploitations of the hacenderos are more disguised than that of the encomendero through a fiction of partnership, hence the term kasamahan to denote a joint venture and the reference to the tenant as kasama or companion. Instead of tribute-paying, the system denotes sharing of the crops in terms of sharing of risks. The hacenderos will most likely require the lion’s share of the crops but in terms of the expenses for maintenance of the hacienda, the tenants are to pay more. The Center and the Periphery of the Colonial System With the pacification of the Filipino natives, Spain made a colony that will supply the crown with goods for its financial gain. Spain did this by exploitation of the natives so as to produce a product surplus. With the help of the personal greed of Spanish colonial administrators, friars, and officials, the natives, though living in subsistence, were made worse. Bureaucracy in the Philippines during the Spanish period may be divided into different levels of administration, from the national, provincial, city, municipal, and barrio levels. On the national level, with its seat of power in Manila, Intramuros, the governor general (gobernador y capitan-general) became the spokesman and the representative of the King of Spain to the Philippines. He was the commander-in-chief of the military and the navy. He was also the vice-real patron who supervises the work of the Catholic Church to spread the gospel of Christianity in the colony. His great powers were checked by the Real Audiencia (Supreme Court), the archbishop and the civil officials who denounced to the king whatever abuses the governor general might have committed. On the provincial level, heading the alcaldia or provincia was the alcalde mayor for the pacified provinces and districts. The corregimientos or unpacified military zones were headed by the corregidores. Only a Spaniard can be an alcalde mayor or a corregidor. The city government was called as the ayuntamiento and was headed by one or two alcaldes ordinarios. On the municipal level, the gobernadorcillo headed the pueblo or municipio. A Filipino or a Chinese mestizo can be head of the municipio; this was the highest government position a Filipino could attain during the Spanish regime. Barrio government rested on the cabeza de barangay whose main role was to be tax and contributions collector for the gobernadorcillo. All royal officials had the responsibility of keeping peace and order. To check the abuse of power of royal officials, two Castillan institutions, the residencia and the visita were employed. The residencia was the judicial review of a residenciado (one judged) conducted at the term of his office, a visita on the other hand was conducted by an officer sent from Spain and might occur at any time within the official’s term. Residencia and visita were supervised by juez de residencia and visitador-general respectively; its objective is to ensure faithful and efficient service on the part of the government authorities. If proven guilty of public misconduct, an official may be fined, dismissed from office, expelled from the colony, or imprisoned. However, Filipino natives still didn’t escape the exploitation of the government officials. The tribute collectors often abused their offices by collecting more than the law required and appropriating the difference. Many who did not pay, or could not pay were tortured or imprisoned. Others fled to the mountains only to have their houses burned or looted by the Spaniards in punishment for their defiance. In addition to the unjustified tribute, men between the age of sixteen and sixty were required to serve for forty days each year in the labor pool or polo, a form of forced labor. The polistas were seldom paid and death lurked to them and their families. Still another exploitative device was the bandala which was a kind of annual quota for the compulsory sale of rice, hemp and other farm products to the government usually without payment and seldom paid at very low prices. BIBLIOGRAPHY Agoncillo, Teodoro A. History of the Filipino People. Eighth edition, Quezon City: Garotech Publishing, 1990. Constantino, Renato. The Philippines: A Past Revisited. Manila, 1975. The Philippine History & Government. Mobcco. Circa 1970s Riple, Simoun. Philippine Society and Revolution. 1970`