ABSTRACT This paper presents a comprehensive review of human bioarchaeology in the Philippines, tracing the field from its colonial‐era beginnings to recent developments. We examine how sociopolitical histories—particularly Spanish and American colonial rule—shaped early knowledge production practices and interpretations of archaeological human remains data. Through a qualitative metasynthesis of published and unpublished literature, we identify prevailing research themes across historical periods, including colonial‐era racial typologies, postwar material culture focus, and contemporary applications of scientific methods. While methodological advances and growing student interest have expanded the field, challenges remain, including limited publication of local research and the lack of long‐term mentorship. We highlight the potential of Philippine bioarchaeology to contribute to key regional debates in the Asia‐Pacific, particularly on human movement and dispersals, origins and antiquity of diseases, colonial health impacts, and ethical data sovereignty, while calling for the development of best practices that center community engagement and local perspectives.
Villaluz et al. (Sun,) studied this question.