The Philippines is unique in its position as the only Southeast Asian country to have been seized for Western control before it truly developed into a cultural or governmental identity of its own. The country of the Philippines was kept under imperial control by Spain for over two centuries. Once wrestled out of the hands of their original colonizers through the Spanish-American War, America would then claim ownership of the island, with its rule lasting nearly fifty years. During World War II, Japan occupied the Philippines for nearly three years. This left the country in the worst state it had been yet, with Manila, the capital city, nearly destroyed from the battles for their independence.
This fluidity of its culture and constant imperialization gave way to a unique national identity influenced by Chinese traders, an intrinsic glorification of the West, Japan's brutal domination of the country's life, and Spanish customs that impact the country's citizens centuries after such history. The Filipino identity is synonymous with their persistence throughout adversity that was uniquely shaped by their oppressor, and as such, the dominant role that men have served in this fight for independence acts as a misrepresentation of the female icons of this time. Acknowledging these women for their efforts acts as a testament to the strength of the sex, especially in a society that refused to do anything such.