Dr. Antonio de Morga Dr.
Jose Rizal William Henry Scott Group Remarks
Literature and Entertainment
Page (273) Writing was done on Page (273) With respect to the
bamboo pieces or on paper, in direction of the writing of the
the line beginning from the right Filipinos there are some very
to the left as in the Arabis writing. contradictory opinions.
..it seems in that they wrote in
two ways, vertical and horizontal:
Vertical in the first epoch when
they wrote on canes and palm
leaves because in that way the
writing was much easier, and
horizontal when the use of paper
became general.
Page (94) literate Enough to copy
down their lesson on bamboo
slips to take home to study.
Legazpi in 1567 states, “..they
write them on bamboo, bark, and
palm leaves with a pointed tool.
Rizal’s view on how writing was
done is based upon convenience.
Canes were used for ease, and a
much horizontal on paper
because it made much more
sense. Although the direction of
the writing is disputable because
few scholars attest that centuries
before Christ, writing was done
top to the bottom and vice versa.
Rizal’s point is valid using William
Henry Scott’s (WHS) book,
although he did not mention
bamboo as a tool and could be
implied based on Morga’s
statement.
Page (272) Throughout the
islands, writing is well developed
through certain characters or
signs resembling the Greek or
Arabic, numbering fifteen signs in
all, three of which are vowels
which serve in lieu of our five
vowels. The consonants are
twelve. With these and certain
points or signs and commas,
everything one desires to say can
be expressed and spoken fully
and easily, just like our own
Spanish alphabet.
Page (272) We are far from
believing that alphabet offers the
simplicity and clarity of the Latin,
but neither can we accept the
belief of other authors who,
without knowing thoroughly that
writing, claim it very imperfect for with a dot over them, with i or e,
the difficulty of pronouncing the
quiescent consonants. Perhaps
the “commas” mentioned served
for this purpose, the dots being
the signs of the vowels just as we
see in a manuscript reproduced
by Mas the sign to represent m, n,
t, etc.
Page (96) Alcina (1668a, 3:35-37):
Their letters, then, are these: a, e, commas’ are important, they
b, c, d, g, h, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, nga.
All these characters or letters
without any dot are pronounced
with a – eg., ba, da, ga, etc.- and
and if it’s put below, they are
pronounced with o or u – eg., ba,
be, bu, ca, ci, co.
The small details of such dots and
really served their purposes
because each vowel, letter and
dots make a big impact, especially
in applying to the grammar of the
statement itself. Rizal emphasized
the difficulty of the alphabet
compared to Latin – both
speaking and writing the alphabet
do not go well.
Dr. Antonio de Morga
Literature and Entertainment
Page (272) Throughout the
Islands, writing is well developed
Dr. Jose Rizal
Page (272) The same thing can’t
be said today. The government in
print and in words tries to
educate the Filipinos, but indeed
and at bottom, it foments
ignorance, placing education in
the hands of the friars who are
accused by Spaniards, Filipinos,
and foreigners of wanting
brutalization of the country and
they themselves prove it with
their behavior and writings.
William Henry Scott
Page (94) Antonio Pigafetta said
that Rajah Kolambu of Limasawa
was amazed to see writing for the
first time in 1521; But by 1597,
Jesuits had found their
catechumens in Ormuc (Leyte).
Legazpi in 1567 states, “They
have their letters and characters
like those of the Malays, from
whom they learned them.
Group Remarks
Based on the transcript, writing is
the primary basis upon one’s
work, intellect and learning. In
the pre-conquest era, it is already
evident that early Filipinos had
intellect and a way of
communicating through writing.
Rizal is also frustrated on how the
friars are managing education.
The friars could be extreme and
cruel defeating the purpose of
the ideal assimilation.
Page (249) thanks to the chanting
of their singers of native heroes
and their deeds, in their native
tongue.
Page (250) Some songs that they
know by memory and they sing in
their boats to the movement of
the oars, in their rejoicings,
feasts, and funerals, and even in
their work when they are many.
Page (98) All this poetry was
generally sung or chanted rather
than recited.
Many were said to be more
articulate in verse than in
ordinary conversation, and all
were able to perform for hours at
a time, even whole days or nights. songs in almost any occasion it
Early Filipino’s have strong vocal
and speech skills rather than
writing. But that’s not to say they
are inferior. Memorization alone
is a burdensome task and this was
played by chanters and binukot’s.
Based on the citations, In Rizal’s
view it stated that people sing
may be a happy occasion or sad.
For William Scott’s view on the
other hand, people prefer to sing
or chant rather than reciting.
Dr. Antonio de Morga
Literature and Entertainment
Page (248) The natives of the
islands drink this liquor in the day
and night without end in their
meetings, weddings, feasts and
circles, accompanied by singing
by a few who are so inclined and
who come to drink and have a
good time, although this habit
does not carry with it according
to their estimation, any dishonour
or infamy.
Dr. Jose Rizal
Page (248) After drinking they
preserve proper respect and
circumspection. They only
become more gay and talkative
and say some amusing things but
it is known that none of them
after leaving a banquet even at a
late hour of the night fail to reach
their home.
William Henry Scott
Page (110) Bagaw or Dagaw was
for two or more singers to
reinforce or complement each
other in male drinkfests, during
which might be sung daihuan-
songs in which drinkers made fun
of one of their fellows.
Group Remarks
Based on the transcription,
drinking liquor was present even
before and in Rizal and Morga’s
view, Drinking liquors can bring
happiness and entertainment by
singing and talking with each
other, and this doesn’t lead to
bringing dishonour. William
Hernry Scott’s view is more of the
same with Rizal and Morga’s
drinking leads to singing and in
his case, drinkers sing and made
fun of one of their fellow
Page (249) The barangay craft Page (249) Jostar means to join to Page (110) Hiya or hele was a Based on the citations, it shows
which are straight and light craft, match rowing on any other shout of men putting their that singing or chanting while
with low body held together with movement, to move in right shoulders to a common task like paddling the boat can uplift their
wooden tress-nails, as strong in musical time. dragging a log or rowing a boat, selves. They also base the speed
the prow as in the stern, whence sea chanteys were called of their paddling on the music if
accommodating many rowers on otohele. its fast or slow.
both sides, which craft, likewise
have paddles used outside of the
craft by expert paddlers who
propel the same in unison, thanks
to the chanting of their singers of
native heroes
Dr. Antonio de Morga
Literature and Entertainment
Page (295) after grieving for the
deceased, they indulged in eating
and drinking to the degree of
intoxication among themselves,
the relatives and friends.
Dr. Jose Rizal
It is not surprising that funerals
should end in banquets and feast
that they call Tibao, according to
Fr. San Antonio, considering the
belief that the one who died was
going to be happy and in this
regard the Filipinos were logical
William Henry Scott
Page (110) Bat-ar was a dirge or
eulogy addressed to the deceased was that after a funeral it is
at a wake. Dirges in Leyte and
Samar were called haya and
female parahaya were hired to
sing mournful tunes which
evoked shrieks of grief from the
widowed and relatives present.
Group Remarks
In this citations, Dr. Rizal’s view
natural that it would end with a
feast because there is a belief
that it could be a happy event
because the one that passed
away would be with our creator
after death. While, Morga’s view
was confusing if its happy or not
because it just stated that the
relative and friends would drink
until they are drunk. Lastly,
William Scott’s view is kind of sad
they hire a female to sing a
eulogy that includes shrieks of
grief.
Life and Works of Rizal