Beliefs about the origin of the Earth and the men, animals, plants, and various topographical features seem to survive with greater persistence than any other trait of primitive culture. These beliefs lie at the base of nearly all religions, and the myths in which the beliefs are preserved are the foundation of literature. Therefore, the preservation and study of origin myths are of much importance in the reconstruction of the history of humanity, which is the chief aim of anthropology.
The peoples of the Philippines have rich and varied mythology, yet little has been explored, but which will one day command much attention. Among the Christianized peoples of the plains, the myths are preserved chiefly as folk tales, but in the mountains, their recitation and preservation are a real and living part of the people's daily religious life. Very few of these myths are written; the great majority are preserved by oral tradition. Bizarrely, this region's Mythology seems connected to various other world mythologies, in some cases almost identical.

Until recent years, it has been believed that all ancient records written in the syllabic alphabets which the Filipinos possessed at the time of the Spanish conquest had been lost.

This book is based on discussions from the Asian Regional Consultation on Social Cohesion and Conflict Management that was sponsored by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. Participants, speaking in their personal capacity, included representatives from government, civil society, and donor organisations. The papers included in this volume cite a multiplicity of traditional obstacles to social cohesion and integration in the region, ranging from xenophobic nationalism to poverty, socioeconomic disparities, gender inequality, and ethnic, religious, and cultural discrimination.