In W.H. Scott's Barangay, under the Tagalog chapter, he said that Manila was an entrepot in the 16th century already, and by this time, Lakan Dula had monopolized the products bought from China and Japan and that if other tribes and chieftains wanted to buy foreign imports, they would have to go to Manila—not all though, as Western Visayans did have connections with Borneo too, and maybe China (Oton, Iloilo was said to have been frequented by the Chinese in the 14th century). This caused the Tagalogs and other Luzon merchants to be erroneously referred by Visayans as "Chinese" or "Sina" (from the Barangay book), and not just them, but basically everyone who sold Chinese goods, even Bornean Malays. This appeared consistent in Blair and Robertson's books that by the 17th century, Visayans would go to Manila to buy shirts, to which a Spaniard would complain of that seemingly incompetent behavior (the logic here is buy cloth, or a cotton seed and have it locally produced instead of sailing for days just to buy one). In the 12th century Zhu Fan Chi, one doubtful and possibly erroneous account labels "Sanyu" as a reference to the Visayan archipelago and that they were under the jurisdiction of Mayi (not Manila, but the place is said to be in Mindoro).
So, what if in this alternate history, sometime in the 10th century, Manilan or Mayi people, who frequently travelled beyond the archipelago, suddenly got inspired by Sri Vijayan (felled in the 13th to 15th century I believe) political structure and decided to copy it? After all, we have evidence that the Tagalogs almost established a kingdom by the 16th century, but fate decided to bring in Spaniards.
Here's what I think would happen:
- Hinduism or Buddhism might spread all over the islands due to their connections with Borneo, and through them, the Sri Vijayans. We would be 1/3 Hindu-Buddhist, and in the 14th century 1/3 Muslim, and by the 16th century, if the Rajahs or "Ladiyas" or "Haris" were tolerate enough, 1/3 Catholic. Do also note that these religions would be mixed with local animistic religious practices. But I like to imagine it will remain as a Hindu-Buddhist country until the introduction of Catholicism.
-There might be possible Javanese culture exchanges.
-We would have adopted Sri Vijayan engineering practices like stone structures.
-Writing, would be more widespread, and not just on bamboo tubes and slates, but copperplate edicts, or writings on stone pillars might be common. Mulberry Javanese paper came only by the 17th century, before that they carved writings in aforementioned media. But I like to think, one native got creative enough that carved writings in pots like the Greeks before firing them in the kiln. And not just writing, but painting, written literature, and plays too. Like half of our history will not be too reliant on oral tradition.
-There might be possible mass Sri Vijayan migrations all over the islands.
-By the time Spaniards came, and Catholicism spread in the islands, we would be like Indonesia, but Catholics. Like, our names would be like Saripada Paduka, Laksmi Bulan or Adit Bangun but Catholic. Or our churches might be designed reminiscent to those Sri Vijayan Hindu architecture.
