My problem with all this speculation is that we have so few primary sources on the Philippines in this era of history. Though there are syllabaries, there are no specific native historical records before the Spanish. In essence, we're dealing with prehistory or proto-history.
Writing a story from this period is like trying to write a story set in the time of Gilgamesh or the age of the Roman Kingdom. The region and the cultures therein will be totally different.
you're putting too much emphasis on the economics of the modern world of OTL, which, with this PoD, may not even resemble ATL at all.
Writing a story from this period is like trying to write a story set in the time of Gilgamesh or the age of the Roman Kingdom. The region and the cultures therein will be totally different.
The Soliman/Salalila were cutting off the main branch of the Bolkiah and calling themselves the Rajah of the Tagalogs, the Gold from the Cordilleras were being extracted by the Bruneians, I think Luzon could be a 1st to 2nd world country if it becomes independent from Bruneian yoke due to the Gold reserves of Luzon.
Both Cagayan and the Central Luzon would be the heart and agricultural center of this independent Luzon.
you're putting too much emphasis on the economics of the modern world of OTL, which, with this PoD, may not even resemble ATL at all.