The Understanding of Culture, Society, and  Spaniards in the Philippines who were born

Politics in Spain
Insulares
TOPIC: Cultural Variations and Social
Differences (Socioeconomic Class)  Spaniards who were of Spanish descent but
were born in the Philippines
Mestizos
Socioeconomic Classes during the Pre-
Colonial Period  those of mixed ancestry
 usually children of Spanish and Chinese
Prior to the coming of the Spaniards, the couples or of Spanish anIndios
community was called a barangay. It was  the lowest class in society
headed by a datu or rajah. Our ancestors were
divided into three different groups-
−maharlika, timawa, and alipin. This kind of system lasted for hundreds of
years, until the time when
Maharlika (Leaders and Royals) some insulares and mestizos were able to gain
some form of power. In the 19th century, the so-
 first social class called “middle class” emerged—the principalia and
Timawa (Freemen) the ilustrados.

 second or “middle” social class Principalia

Alipin (Slaves)
 consisted of native leaders in the
 third class government and their families
 had two kinds-−aliping  were often educated and served
saguiguilid and aliping namamahay as gobernadorcillo (town mayor) or cabeza
Aliping Namamahay de barangay (barangay leader)

 had their own properties such as houses or Ilustrados

pieces of land
 often from the timawa class and became  the children of the principalia who usually
slaves because of debt or as punishment for studied in Europe
a wrongdoing  consisted mostly of the popular artists and
 could go back to being part of scholars of the period, including Jose Rizal
the timawa class once they pay off their
debt Modern Socioeconomic Classes
Aliping saguiguilid
In 1987, the National Statistical Coordination
Board (NSCB) divided the population into high-
 did not have the right to own any property
income, middle-income, and low-income classes.
 often came from a family of slaves or were
captives in war
 could also be sold or exchanged for goods High-income Class
or other slaves
 people earning an average of PhP 200,000
per month
Socioeconomic Classes during the Spanish
Colonial Period Middle-income Class
During this period, the people were divided
based on their ancestry—  people earning an average of PhP 36,000
peninsulares, insulares, mestizo, and indio. per month

Peninsulares Low-income Class

  people earning less than PhP 10,000 per
month

Social Mobility
Unlike in other societies where persons born into a
specific class have no choice but to die as part of
the same class, people in the Philippines usually
have the opportunity to transfer from a lower
socioeconomic class to a higher one.

This process, called social mobility, is:

 the movement of people or families within or

between different levels in society, and
 the opportunity to transfer from a lower
socioeconomic class to a higher one
possibly through education or marriage.