The God Culture: 100 Lies About the Philippines: Lie #40: Mt. Apo is a Greek Word

Welcome back to 100 lies The God Culture teaches about the Philippines. Today's lie concerns Timothy Jay Schwab's claim there are Greek place names in the Philippines. According to Tim Tarshish, the son of Javan who founded Greece, sailed with Ophir to the Philippines, stayed here, and named a few landmarks in the Greek language. As we shall see that is a totally bogus claim and another lie.

In his videos Tim says the following. 

Solomon's Gold Series - Part 7: Track of the Hebrew to the Philippines. Ophir, Sheba, Tarshish

41:06 There's one mountain we have saved for the last and it holds the clue to Tarshish we believe. One we have never seen anyone propose but first who was Tarshish again. Genesis 10:4 and 5 and the sons of Javan Elisha and Tarshish, Kittum and Dodanim, Dodan Dedanan, by these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands everyone after his tongue after their families in their nations. Javan founded the area of Greece and that's pretty well supported from what we've seen. In other words he probably spoke Greek and not Hebrew. We know that his sons took to the Seas began boating and founded the Isles according to this very passage after their own tongue Greek. So we are looking for a Greek tie in language to the land of Tarshish not necessarily Hebrew, How about a big one. Now, we mean a really big one. Now, we mean the biggest one. How about 9,000 ft tall? 

Okay you guessed it, it's Mount Apo the tallest mountain in the Philippines. The grandfather of all Philippine mountains. 

Apo is a loanword from Greek. It means away from denoting the furtherest point in the orbit of a body in relation to the primary. It is practically the furtherest point east in the Philippines at the uttermost parts of the earth. We've seen that as a description of Ophir and Tarshish many times. In Tagolag Apo means Elder, ancestor or grandchild. Perhaps regarding Tarshish the grandson of Japheth Noah's son and survivor of the flood or even better Noah himself the ancestor or elder both of which who lived in this area prior to the flood.we believe. But this is Greek. Certainly not a Spanish word in any sense and Tarshish Son of Javan who founded Greece likely spoke Greek and would have named the largest mountain in his land in Greek after his ancestors in his own tongue as the passage says or it was referring to himself either way. But if this is true wouldn't there be more Greek near there maybe something really significant close by that would be undeniable? Well we'll get to that. 

Tim reiterates this claim in his book The Search for King Solomon's Treasure.

The Search for King Solomon's Treasure, pg. 197

Not only did the Hebrews of Ophir and brothers migrate to the Philippines but also the Greek Tarshish supplied the ships for their journey. We find references to him on Mindanao especially but none more fascinating than the Greek loan word Apo.

Most point to Apo as a Greek loan word not originating in the Philippine languages. How does Greek enter the Philippines in use especially in naming it's highest mountain and used in language Grandparent/elder or grandchild? Tarshish left his family migrating far away from his elders and likely some of his grandchildren. It makes sense. 

What exactly does Tim mean by "most point to Apo as a Greek loanword not originating in the Philippine languages?" Who does he mean by most? His one and only source for the claim that Apo is a Greek loanword is from dictionary.com. 

Solomon's Treasure Sourcebook, pg. 202

A close look at the origin of "apo" according to dictionary.com reveals that it is NOT a loanword but a prefix in Greek loanwords and not a loanword itself.

a prefix occurring originally in loanwords from Greek, where it was joined to verbs, deverbal forms, and other parts of speech. Among its functions in Greek, apo- has the spatial sense “away, off, apart” ( apogee; apocope; apostasy; apostrophe ); it occurs with deverbals that denote a response or defense ( apodosis; apology ) and is found on verbs having perfective force relative to a corresponding simple verb ( apoplexy; aposiopesis ). In modern scientific coinages in English and other languages, apo- marks things that are detached, separate, or derivative ( apocarpous; apoenzyme ).

In fact "apo" is actually a preposition. 

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g575/kjv/tr/0-1/

This word is translated variously in the KJV according to the context.

From, of, out of, for, off, by, at, in, since, and on.

What is a preposition?

https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/grammar/prepositions

A preposition is a word or group of words used before a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase to show direction, time, place, location, spatial relationships, or to introduce an object. Some examples of prepositions are words like "in," "at," "on," "of," and "to."

A preposition all alone without a noun or pronoun to indicate a spatial relationship is worthless. And we are to believe that Mt. Apo is Greek for "from" or "away" because allegedly a Greek man named Tarshish sailed with Ophir to the Philippines and due to his being sad his grandparents and grandchildren were far away from him he named a big mountain "from?"

The whole notion is ridiculous. The fact is the origin of Mt. Apo's name is well known.

Apo is a title of respect meaning "revered elder" in various languages of the surrounding Lumad indigenous peoples. It is the shortened form of the original Manobo and Kalagan name Apo Sandawa ("Elder Sandawa" or "Grandfather Sandawa"), the name of the spirit of the mountain. Apo Sandawa is also regarded as an ancestor spirit by the various Manobo and Kalagan tribes living in the foothills, including the Obo, Manobo Bagobo, Manobo Apao, Tagabawa, Matigsalug, Ata, Arumanen, Tinananen, Kulamanen, Tagakaulo and Kagan peoples. The mountain itself is considered sacred grounds. Various rituals to Apo Sandawa are conducted by the supreme walyan (shaman) known as the diwata, who also serves as the medium for Apo Sandawa and the ancestor spirits of the Manobo and Kalagan tribes

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Apo

Apo "is the shortened form of the original Manobo and Kalagan name Apo Sandawa ("Elder Sandawa" or "Grandfather Sandawa"), the name of the spirit of the mountain."

A real look at the etymology of the word Apo shows that is an Austronesian word used throughout the Philippines and even in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

https://acd.clld.org/cognatesets/24864#4/6.66/125.88

It is very clear that not only is the origin of the name of Mt. Apo not Greek but as a Greek preposition it would not make a lick of sense. The claim that Mt. Apo is a Greek loanword is one more lie being taught about the Philippines by Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture. 

The God Culture: 100 Lies About the Philippines: #39: Igorot Law is Hebrew

Welcome back to 100 lies The God Culture teaches about the Philippines. Today's lie concerns Timothy Jay Schwab's claim Igorot law is derived from Hebrew law. As we shall see this is simply untrue.

In his videos Tim says the following:

Solomon's Gold Series - Part 7: Track of the Hebrew to the Philippines. Ophir, Sheba, Tarshish

27:21 Well, the Igorot people who live in Ifugao and surrounding areas are a mystery. Igorot is a Hebrew word meaning letters. We do not know a certain application for this meaning in this case but their language has been likened to that of Hebrew and even their law ranks fairly with Hebrew law. The purpose of this video is not to prove the Igorots or other tribes are Hebrew but we are seeking Hebrew words and we have already found many.

It is interesting that Tim says Igorot is a Hebrew word and Igorot language and law have Hebrew similarities but then says he is not trying to prove that Igorots are Hebrew when that is the implication of what he has said. Let's deal with the etymology of the word Igorot first. 

The Search for King Solomon's Treasure Sourcebook, pg 208

It is not true Igorot is a Hebrew word. The word is actually Iggereth. 

https://biblehub.com/hebrew/107.htm

Biblehub says it can also be transliterated as iggerot. 

But so what? Tim's reasoning is because the words sound similar, or can be made to sound similar, they are the same word. 

The Search for King Solomon's Treasure, pgs. 202-203

Igorot:

Hebrew: iggereth: תרגא: (eeg-ge-roht, iggerOt): A letter, an epistle.

What kind of writing may this refer? According to R.F. Barton writing in “American Archaeology and Ethnology” in 1919, “It (Igorot law) ranks fairly with Hebrew law.” You will also find a similar calendar in the Igorot communities to that of the Bible. Additionally, we have been exploring volcano names as well and many remember this tragic eruption from the 1980s.

Why would these people be called the letter or epistle tribe? That does not make any sense. The word Igorot actually means mountain people and applies to a number of tribal people. There is no singular Igorot people. In The Bontoc Igorot  published in 1904 Albert Ernst Jenks writes 

Igorot peoples

In several languages of northern Luzon the word "Ig−o−rot'" means "mountain people." Dr. Pardo de Tavera says the word "Igorrote" is composed of the root word "golot," meaning, in Tagalog, "mountain chain," and the prefix "i," meaning "dweller in" or "people of." Morga in 1609 used the word as "Igolot;" early Spaniards also used the word frequently as "Ygolotes" −− and to−day some groups of the Igorot, as the Bontoc group, do not pronounce the "r" sound, which common usage now puts in the word. The Spaniards applied the term to the wild peoples of present Benguet and Lepanto Provinces, now a short−haired, peaceful people. In after years its common application spread eastward to the natives of the comandancia of Quiangan, in the present Province of Nueva Vizcaya, and northward to those of Bontoc.

https://web.archive.org/web/20201107225638/https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/c394/2ecc963da337c0fa9e7d38b13dafca5de914.pdf

It makes a whole lot more sense that people living in the mountains would be called mountain people rather than letter or epistle people. 

Some Igorot peoples do not even call themselves Igorots. The Ifuago tribe rejects that name. 

"Ifugao," translated as "hill (or mountain) people" (Barton, 1930/1978) is the term used to denote the ethnolinguistic group of people whom ancestors are from the area that, since 1966. has been designated as the national political unit of Ifugao Province. Ifugao additionally refers to the set of languages spoken by Ifugao people, of which there are three major dialect clusters (Conklin, 1980). 'fugao languages are part of the Austronesian/Malayo-Polynesian language group, and they are not written languages. Prior to and during the Spanish colonization of Ifugao, people living in the area now designated as Ifugao territory did not conceive of themselves as belonging to one cohesive ethnolinguistic group. Instead, district or village names, such as Alimit, Kiangan. Mayoyao. and Banaue, served as the markers of identity and territory, which are still recognized today (Dumia, 1979). The name Ifugao was a term borrowed by the Spanish from lowland Gaddang and lbanag groups (Conklin, 1980). Pugan is another term that was histori-cally used to refer to "Ifugaoland," and other variations of the word Ifugao currently in use are Ifugaw and Ipugaw (Barton, 1930/1978; Conklin, 1980). Spanish colonizers generically labeled all Cordilleran mountaineers, who were generally uncolonized by the Spanish (including Ifugaos), as Igorot's, meaning "mountain people," though Ifugao people have not fully identified with this name (Barton, 1930/1978; Conklin, 1980; Dumia, 1979). 

https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=XUAsskBg8ywC&q=Ifugao&pg=PA498&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false

Tim reasons that Igorot means letter or epistle and aptly describes the Ifugao people because one anthropologist, R.F. Barton, says Ifugao law "ranks fairly with Hebrew law." But that is not all of what he writes. 

The Search for King Solomon's Treasure Sourcebook, pg 208

See how Tim only quotes part of the sentence in this lengthy paper? That half citation makes Tim's claim a full lie. Here is what he really writes.

https://digitalassets.lib.berkeley.edu/anthpubs/ucb/text/ucp015-003.pdf

5. Stage of development of Ifugao law.—Reasons have already been given for believing the Ifugao’s culture to be very old. His legal system must also be old. Yet it is in the first stage of the development of law. It is, however, an example of a very well developed first-stage legal system. It ranks fairly with Hebrew law, or even with the Mohammedan law of a century ago. R. R. Cherry in his lectures on the Growth of Criminal Law in Ancient Communities demonstrates these stages of legal development: First, a stage of simple retaliation—“an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life.” Second, a stage in which vengeance may be bought off “either by the individual who has inflicted the injury or by his tribe.” Third, a stage in which the tribe or its chiefs or elders intervene to fix penalty-payments and to pronounce sentence of outlawry on those who refuse to pay proper fines. Fourth, a stage in which offenses come to be clearly recognized as crimes against the peace and welfare of the king or the state.

No Ifugao would dream of taking a payment for the deliberate or intentional murder of a kinsman. He would be universally condemned if he did so. However, he would usually accept a payment for an accidental taking of life. There is still, however, an element of doubt as to whether even in such a case payment would be accepted. For nearly all other offenses payments are accepted in extenuation. Ifugao law, then, may be said to be in the latter part of the first stage of legal development.

R. F. Barton writes that Ifuago law is "in the latter part of the first stage of legal development" and that is why it "ranks fairly with Hebrew law, or even with the Mohammedan law of a century ago." Why would Tim gloss over the part where Ifuago law is likened to Islamic law? Why would he cite half a sentence and not give the full sense of R. F. Barton's thesis? Because it does not fit Tim's program of proving Filipinos are members of the Lost Tribes of Israel and Hebrews descended through Peleg. 

Igorot is not a Hebrew word and Ifugao law is not anything like Hebrew law except its stage of development. The claim otherwise is another lie being taught about the Philippines by Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture. 

The God Culture: 100 Lies About the Philippines: #38: Tagalog is Derived from Hebrew

Welcome back to 100 lies The God Culture teaches about the Philippines. Today's lie concerns Timothy Jay Schwab's claim that Filipino, especially Tagalog, is derived from Hebrew. As we shall this is just another lie.

We are going to look at Tim's justification for looking for Hebrew words not his linguistics. Tim has two sources he uses to justify his search for Hebrew words in Tagalog. In his video series he says the following:

Solomon's Gold Series - Part 7: Track of the Hebrew to the Philippines. Ophir, Sheba, Tarshish

28:57 Another point raised by Padre Chirino where he even said that it, the Tagalog language,  has the mystery and obscurities of the Hebrew language. So, he even believed that there were similarities between Tagalog, the national language of the Philippines, and Hebrew. Steven Levinsohn, a linguist, wrote "At the end of the workshop one mother tongue translator remarked that had he known of the parallels between Philippine languages and Biblical Hebrew he would have found the learning of the latter, Hebrew, much easier. His remark led me to raise the matter with a couple of Seminary professors who teach Hebrew in Manila." Are these professors ignoring all this evidence? 

God Culture Conference with Lisa George & Tim Schwab

37:03 Now we have, uh, videos and in our book we have a whole chapter, uh, where we found, uh, at least I think in our research, at least 500 words that are Tagalog or similar, uh languages in the Philippines. But you look at it and it, it looks to be Hebrew in origin. Uh, when the Spanish came here some of the linguists that came said exactly that. Like Padre Chirino. He said, uh, that the Tagalg language has the Mysteries and obscurities of the Hebrew language because it it looks like Hebrew. Uh, a modern translator came to the Philippines to conduct a conference and he said had he known that Tagalog had such, uh, similarities to the Hebrew language, uh, he would have uh expressed that from the beginning, uh, so that professors would know to teach it, uh, in that regard with that as a foundation because when you connect the two languages you start to realize, uh, it's actually very easy for a Tagalog speaker to pick up Hebrew because they have you know, uh, several words in their language that are already uh of Hebrew origin very likely.

Tim's claim is that Padre Chirino and Stephen Levinsohn said there were similarities between Hebrew and Tagalog because they share similar words. Some Taglog words are Hebrew in origin! That is a blatant lie. Neither of those men said such a thing. 

Let's look at Padre Chirino first. Tim's source for Chirino is not Chirino but a historian named Dr. D.P. Barrows. 

The Search For King Solomon's Treasure Sourcebook, pg. 166

This is more of Tim's bad research. Rather than look at what Padre Chirino actually wrote he is content to cite a secondary source. And he does not even give the full citation where Chirino says there are similarities with Tagalog in Greek, Latin, and Spanish as well as Hebrew. These similarities are not because they share words but are due to the similarities in the structure of each language. 

Padre Chrino's full comments on the languages of the Philippines can be found in The Philippine Islands volume 12, page 235. They are reprinted here in full.

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=miun.afk2830.0001.012&seq=239&q1=hebrew

There is no single or general language of the Filipinas extending throughout the islands; but all of them, though there are many and different tongues, are so much alike that they may be learned and spoken in a short time. Consequently if one is learned, all are almost known. They are to each other like the Tuscan, Lombard, and Sicilian dialects of Italia, or the Castilian, Portuguese, and Galician in Espafia. Only the language of the Negrillos is very different from the rest, as, in Espafia, is the Vizcayan [i.e., Basque]. There is not a different language for each of the islands, because some of them - as, for example, Manila, and even Panai, which is more than four hundred leguas smaller - contain several languages; and there are languages each of which prevails in several islands. In the island of Manila alone, there are six different tongues; in Panai, two; in some others, but one. The languages most used, and most widely spread, are the Tagal and the Bisayan; and in some regions of the Pintados another tongue is also prevalent, called Harayan. The Tagal embraces the greater part of the coast and interior of the islands of Manila, Mindoro, Luban, and some others. Bisaya is in use through all the islands of the Pintados, although in some of the villages therein the Harayan is spoken. Of all these languages, it was the Tagal which most pleased me and which I most admired. As I told the first bishop, and, afterwards, other persons of dignity in the islands and in Europe, I found in this language four qualities of the four greatest languages of the world, Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and Spanish: it has the abstruseness and obscurity of the Hebrew; the articles and distinctions in proper as well as in common nouns, of the Greek; the fulness and elegance of the Latin; and the refinement, polish, and courtesy of the Spanish. Examples of all these characteristics may be seen in the " Ave Maria" done into Tagal; and, as that is a short prayer, and more easily understood than the others, I will place it here with its explanation in our vernacular, and with word-forword equivalents. In this way may be seen the idioms and characteristic expressions of this language which will please some readers, and furnish information, both useful and curious.

The "Ave Maria" in the Tagal language 

Aba Guinoo Maria matoa ca na. 

Hail Lady Mary, joyful thou now, 

Napono ca nan gracia, 

full thou of grace; 

An Panguinoon Dios na saio. 

the Lord God is with thee 

Bucor can pinagpala sa babain lahat. 

especially, thou blessed among women all. 

Pinagpalat naman ang iong anac si Jesus. 

Blessed also he thy son Jesus. 

Santa Maria ina nang Dios 

Holy Mary, mother of God, 

Ipana languin mo cami macasalanan 

Let us be interceded for by thee, us sinners 

igayon at cum mamatai cami. 

Amen, Jesus. now and when shall die we. 

The first word of this prayer ABA, is obscure, but apparently has the force of " salute," like the Latin Ave. Bucor expresses diversity, distinction, and singularity. The article is Si (Jesus), as TON in Greek. The richness of the language lies in its many synonyms and phrases; consequently this prayer, which, as it stands, is very elegant, could be formed with equal elegance in various other ways, without losing its original sense and meaning. The polish and courtesy consist in not saying, as in Latin, Ave Maria (which would seem in this language abrupt and barbaric), without adding that polite word, Guinoo. 

There is none or very little of this courtesy in the other two languages of the Bissayas, which are more rude and unpolished. I thought it good to present the same prayer in these languages, not only as a curiosity, but to give an idea of their similarity and differences-giving notice, however, that it is not my intention to offer an interpretation (which is unnecessary, since we all know the " Ave Maria "), but, as I said, to show the idioms of these languages. These idioms, moreover, ought not to displease or appear ignoble, for every tongue has its own beauty and elegance for those who are born in it, which the eyes of foreigners cannot discern. This point has been discussed by Jesus Sidrac in the prologue to his Ecclesiasticus, a holy and Catholic work; and it was proved at length, and with great erudition, by the most glorious doctor St. Jerome, in the hundred and first Epistle to Pamaquio. 

The "Ave Maria " in the Harayan tongue 

Maliag cao Maria nabota cao can gracia 

Rejoice thou Mary, full thou of grace. 

An atun guinoon Dios dian canimo. 

He our Lord God is with thee, 

Capin icao sa mafga babai nga tanan, 

fortunate thou among women all; 

ig capin naman ang imon bata nga si Jesus. 

and fortunate also he thy son Jesus. 

Santa Maria inang can Dios 

[Holy Mary], mother of God, 

igampo mo cami nga macasasala 

let us be favored by thee, us the sinners, 

caraon, ig cum mamatai cami. 

now and when shall die we. Amen, Jesus. 

The " Ave Maria " in the Bissayan tongue 

Maghimaya ca Maria napon ca sa gracia 

Rejoice, thou Mary, full of grace 

An guinoon Dios anaa can 

the Lord God is with thee 

Guirayeg ca uyamot sa babihun tana 

Exalted thou much among women all, 

ug guirayeg man an imon sanc Jesus 

and exalted also he thy son Jesus 

Santa Maria inahan sa Dios, 

Holy Mary, mother of God,  

iguiampo mo cami macasasala oñia 

let us be interceded for by thee, us sinners, now 

ug sa amun camatai. Amen, Jesus. 

and in our death. 

It has been my object in giving this slight illustration of the difference between these three languages aside from its singularity and novelty, which may furnish some pleasure - to make evident the ease and clearness of the languages and their words and pronunciations, which render them very easy, or at least not difficult to learn. Some of their idioms and transpositions, which are different from our own, must be accepted as they stand, as Father Joseph de Acosta says very well when writing on this matter, (De procur. sal. lib. 4, cap. 9.); but if they are once acquired, and one is accustomed to the sound of them, they do not render the language difficult, but rather make it easy and graceful. But since I have mentioned the courtesy and politeness of the Tagalos, and of their tongue, it will be well, before proceeding further, to speak more at length concerning it, for it is so noble and pleasing a moral virtue. Of the civilities, terms of courtesy, and good breeding among the Filipinos.

Chirino does not simply wax eloquent about Tagalog but compares translations of the Ave Maria in Taglog, Harayan, and Bisayan, showing the differences between all three languages. He calls the latter two languages "rude and unpolished." There is absolutely nothing here about Tagalog sharing Hebrew words or being derived from Hebrew. 

The same can be said for Stephen Levinsohn who also notes similarities between Taglog and Hebrew. 

The Search For King Solomon's Treasure Sourcebook, pg. 167

The similarities between Tagalog and Hebrew have to do with the construction of the language. Namely, the Verb/Subject/Object order. 

https://scholars.sil.org/sites/scholars/files/stephen_h_levinsohn/papers/contextualisedhebrewteaching.pdf

 

Here we see there are similarities between Tagalog, Hebrew, Greek, and Mexican. Is Taglog derived from Mexican or Koiné Greek? English and Chinese also have a similar Subject/Verb/Object ordering. Is English derived from Chinese? Obviously not. 

Levinsohn's point is that Taglog and Hebrew share a similar construction not that they share words or a common origin. 

Now, it is true Tim has not said the exact phrase, "Tagalog is derived from Hebrew" but that is his contention. He has a whole section in his book the Search for King Solomon's Treasure where he pretends to find residual Hebrew words in Tagalog and other Filipino languages. None of them make any sense. His method is to throw so much at the reader that they are overwhelmed. 

The Search of King Solomon's Treasure, pg. 176

As the map opposite illustrates, there is aptitude for Hebrew all over the Philippines. The list is far larger and we could publish an entire book just on the Hebrew influences in Tagalog and other Philippine languages We are not requesting the reader agree with every one of these references and interpretations but there are far too many that are direct letter for letter calibrations that one simply cannot ignore especially in lieu of the overwhelming evidence this research has already achieved. Our point is to continue to go deeper and inundate critics with too much corroboration to even consider an alternative opinion. 

Tim thinks he can throw a bunch of nonsense at people to overwhelm them so much that they can consider no alternative opinion to his claim Tagalog is derived from Hebrew. That is not how an honest researcher works. Why does he say the reader does not have to agree with him if he is telling the truth? That is the hallmark of a charlatan and a liar. 

However, if one looks closer at Tim's sources it is quite apparent that Taglog and other Filipino languages do not derive from Hebrew. That is simply one more lie about the Philippines being taught by Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture. 

The God Culture: 100 Lies About the Philippines: #37: Jose Rizal Thought the Philippines Was the Garden of Eden

Welcome back to 100 lies The God Culture teaches about the Philippines. Today's lie concern Timothy Jay Schwab's claim Dr. Jose Rizal thought the Philippines was the Garden of Eden. 

This claims shows up in his videos.

Solomon's Gold Series - Part 12E: Garden of Eden, Mount of the East Found: Ophir, Philippines

11:22 Another viewer sent us this poem from Jose Rizal "My Last Farewell" written on the eve of his execution in 1896. We show it in its original form in Spanish as well as in English and Tagalog of course we'll read it in English because that's all we really know. "Farewell my adored land, region of the Sun caressed." Imagine that there we go with the Sun reference again. "Pearl of the Orient Sea, our Eden lost. With gladness I give you my life sad and repressed and were it more brilliant, more fresh, and at its best I would still give it to you for your welfare at most." So, not only is bdellium, pearl, found in the Philippines and the most significant in size but the land is even called the Pearl of the Orient. Hmm sounds like Havilah to me. Could it be? Of course it is. "Our Eden lost." So, Rizal knew that the Philippines was Ophir which we covered before according to his writings and he also knew it was the Garden of Eden. Yeah this could be a reference that anyone could make to any country their Eden blah, blah, blah, blah, yeah that's possible. However, we think this actually could be very telling because this man knew something. And by the way who lost Eden though? Actually Adam did. Fascinating.

100 Clues #13: Philippines Is The Ancient Land of PEARL: Havilah - Ophir, Sheba, Tarshish

8:09 The funny thing is even long before these large pearls were produced and then recorded Dr. Jose Rizal in 1896 wrote a poem identifying the Philippines as the Pearl of the Orient. Almost seems like he kind of knew something, huh? Well, you will find his contemporary professor Blumentritt writes that Rizal believed the Philippines was Ophir in fact and he did as well even in 1891.

This claim also shows up in his book The Search for King Solomon's Treasure. 

The Search for King Solomon's Treasure, pg. 296

Did Dr. Jose Rizal know more about the Philippines than we are told? On the eve of his execution, he wrote this poem in which he referred to the Philippines as the “region of the sun” which is important in identifying the land of Chryse/Ophir, “Pearl of the Orient Sea” which is crucial in revealing the land of Ancient Havilah next to the Garden of Eden and “our Eden lost” as if he knew this was in fact the long lost location of the Garden of Eden perhaps.

One must wonder if Rizal had other writings which may have been smuggled out of his prison of exile but no such speculation is needed to locate the Garden of Eden which has actually been recorded since very ancient times and exact directions even. We will delve into this realm though we were hesitant at first. Can we really find the Garden of Eden in the Philippines?

In one of his videos Tim says he previously covered writings where Dr. Rizal "knew the Philippines was Ophir." While they get a passing glance he does not cover those writings in his book The Search for King Solomon's Treasure in any meaningful way so they must not be very important.

The Search for King Solomon's Treasure, pg 102

Even in 1890, Philippine Former Prime Minister Pedro A. Paterno recorded Ophir as the Philippines and many allude Professor Fernando Blumentritt, contemporary and friend of Dr. Jose Rizal, knew as well.

However, Rizal's poem is very important. Tim even uses it in his conferences. 

So, what does this poem mean? Is Dr. Jose Rizal actually calling the Philippines the Garden of Eden? Of course not. It's a poem. It's the last poem he ever wrote before facing the firing squad.

It's not a geography lesson or a history course. It's 14 stanzas of thoughts about his country, the Philippines. Funny that Tim does not talk about the other stanzas or even attempt to relate the actual message of the poem. Instead he latches onto the phrases "pearl of the orient" and "our Eden lost" and says, "Oh, look see Rizal thought the Philippines was the Garden of Eden!"

In the fourth stanza Rizal writes:

My dreams, when scarcely a lad adolescent, 

My dreams when already a youth, full of vigor to attain, 

Were to see you, Gem of the Sea of the Orient, 

Your dark eyes dry, smooth brow held to a high plane,

Without frown, without wrinkles and of shame without stain.

According to Tim that would mean Rizal is not being poetic but is talking about the many precious gem stones that are to be found in the Philippines. Likewise in the 13th stanza Rizal writes:

My idolized Country, for whom I most gravely pine, 

Dear Philippines, to my last goodbye, oh, harken 

There I leave all: my parents, loves of mine, 

I'll go where there are no slaves, tyrants or hangmen 

Where faith does not kill and where God alone does reign.

Oh no! Is the Philippines now an idol to be worshipped? If we follow Tim's literal approach that is what we would have to say. 

Dr. Jose Rizal was not the first to call the Philippines Pearl of the Orient. Fr. Juan P. Delgado in his book Historia de Filipinas can claim that honor.

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.31951002101076g&seq=47&q1=perla

In a short time the name of Nueva Castilla was forgotten and that of Manila prevailed by the election of the same Adelantado; for in this place he founded the city, which he spoke of as being the court and pearl of the East.

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.31951002101076g&seq=97&q1=perla

Having described the island of Luzon, with all the provinces it contains, only the city of Manila, capital and court of the Philippines, remains before beginning the description of the other islands in particular. Because although it has already been outlined by other erudite pens, as all things have their beginnings, increases and decline, so has this capital, subject to changes, like other human things. In times past, according to the ancient historians, when trade with Japan flourished, Manila was the wonder and pearl of the East, as well in its neighborhood, as in buildings and riches, which, in exchange for the goods of the land, came in abundance; Now it can be said that it is only a canal, because there remains in it only the sign of the great deal of silver that comes from Spain having passed to other kingdoms, enriching them with it, without anything remaining in Manila but the sound that attracts the neighbors, bloodsuckers, Moors and heretics of Batavia to sweep it, leaving in it the infinite poverty and misery that its inhabitants experience, except for one or another neighbor who has some wealth, which, in these times, are counted.

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.31951002101076g&seq=281&q1=perla

Having already written elsewhere about the material nature of the city of Manila, we will put in this chapter its formal aspects, in which it can compete with the most famous in Europe. It is located in the best, most pleasant, leafy and abundant site of the island of Luzon, head and core of the Philippine Archipelago. It very justly deserves the name of pearl of the east, a distinguished and very loyal city; and as such, it enjoys all the honors, franchises and privileges of those who are heads of kingdom, granted by our Catholic kings in the decrees of November 19, 1595, and March 20, 1596, in the latter of which it was granted a particular coat of arms.

Each one of these mentions of the Pearl of the East is a reference to the City of Manila and not the entire nation and has nothing to do with actual pearls. Very obviously Rizal has taken this sobriquet and applied it to the nation as a whole. For Rizal the Philippines, his homeland, is beautiful and precious above all else. 

In 1911 The Manila Merchants Association published a pamphlet titled "The Philippines, Treasure House of the Tropics, Manila, Pearl of the Orient."

Are they claiming the Philippines is Ophir and the Garden of Eden by calling Manila Pearl of the Orient? No, they are indicating the beauty of the city. The point is Pearl of the Orient is a common name applied to the Philippines and has to do with the beauty of the nation and not its status as Ophir or The Garden of Eden.  

Tim's claim that Dr. Jose Rizal thought the Philippines was the Garden of Eden based on this poem is total nonsense and wrests it from its true meaning. It is simply one more lie about the Philippines being taught by Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture.