16 MARCH

1705 - As a sign of amity, Sultan Shahabud-Din of Jolo in the Philippine archipelago informs Spanish colonial Gov.-Gen. Domigo Zalbalburu de Echevarri through a letter that he has decided to "cede" to the Spanish Crown his possessions on Paragua island  (future Palawan), including the neighboring Lauag isle (future Balabac); the cession of Lauag isle would later be secured through the Sultan of Brunei by Juan Moralez de Valenzuela, an envoy who also worked for former Governor Juan Vargas de Hurtado (1678-1684); Gov. Zalhaxbubu's reign over the Spanish colony, the Philippines, would be marked by the construction of royal storehouses and galleons, repair of Gavite, reconstruction of the royal power house of Malate and flourishing commerce.

1521 - Ferdinand Magellan, Portuguese-born explorer for the Spanish crown, sights the archipelago of San Lazaro, what will later be called the Philippines, and names two islands--Yunagan and Suluan, where they anchor; his ship will later successively land at the islands of Gada, Seilani, and Mazava, and thereafter either anchor at or pass by Matan(=Mactan), Subu(=Cebu), Baibai(=Baybay); the colonial explorers will leave Subu, described as having gold and ginger and then pass by the island of Panilongo, which a crew's diary will describe as being inhabited by blacks, before anchoring at Bohol; Magellan's exploration will eventually lead to Spain's colonization of the Southeast Asian archipelago for over 300 years.


Photo credit: http://www.thefullwiki.org/Sulu_Archipelago