and the impact of foreign influence on native societies. At the start of the book, Sawyer reflects on his extensive experience living in the Philippines for over fourteen years, during which he gained firsthand insight into the lives of the inhabitants. He discusses the disparity in treatment between natives and colonizers, illustrating this with anecdotes of legal proceedings that favor Spaniards over locals. Moreover, he challenges the misconceptions about the nature of Filipino society, highlighting its complexities and the influences of colonial administrations. This opening sets the stage for a more nuanced exploration of the Filipino identity and the historical forces shaping it, implying a deeper discussion of both cultural and societal dynamics throughout the rest of the book. (This is an automatically generated summary.)