Ferdinad Magelan set out from spain in 1590 on the first voyage to cicumnavigate the globe with five ships and a complement of 264 crew. three years later in 1522, only the one ship, the victoria, returned to the spain with 18 men.

Magelan was welcomed by to rajas, kolabu and siagu He named the ilands the archipelago of san Lazaro, erected across and claim the lands for spain. the friendly rajas took Magelan to cebu to meet Raja Humabon. humabon and 800 cebuanos were baptize as chritian. Magelan agreed to healp Raja Humabon put down Lapu-Lapu, a rebellious datu on the nearby island of mactan. in the battle between Spanish Souldier and Lapu-Lapu's warior, Magelan was killed on april 27,1521. Disputs over women cause relations between Raja Humabon and the remaining spaniard to detoriorate. the cebuanos killed 27 spaniard in the skirmish and the spaniards, deciding to resume their exploration, desparted Cebu.

four more expeditions followd between 1525 and 1542. the Comander of the fouth expedition, Ruy lopezde Villalobos, named the ilands after phillip their to the spanish trone (r.Philip II 1556-1598)

The Philippines wasnot formally organizeas aspanish colony until 1565 when Philip II appointed Miqul Lopez de Legaspi teh first-gobernor General. Legaspi Selectedmanila for the capital of the colony in 1571 because of its fine natural harbour and the rich lands sourraunding the city that could supply in the produce