Readings in Philippine History

Activity 6
The First Catholic Mass in The Philippines and Cavite Mutiny

Name and sections: MENDOZA, RICO JOHN C. / CEIT-04-401P

Date: AUGUST 17, 2021

Directions: Based on your readings of the primary source about the topic below, answer the
questions on the table.
I. “The First Catholic Mass in the Philippines” (20pts)

Content: Creator:
What is the main idea of the story? Who creates the Account?

The country’s first Catholic mass was
officiated by Fr. Pedro Valderrama on March
31, 1521, upon orders of Portugese explorer
Ferdinand Magellan. The Limasawa mass
marked the birth of Roman Catholicism in the
country, which remains as the nation's
dominant religion in the country up to present.
The first documented Catholic Mass in the
Philippines was held on March 31, 1521,
Easter Sunday. It was conducted by Father
Pedro de Valderrama of Ferdinand Magellan's
expedition along the shores of what was
referred to in the journals of Antonio Pigafetta
as "Mazaua".

Context:
What is going on when the source is created?
Magellan dropped anchor at Suluan, after
which they moved on to Limasawa where the
ruler of Butuan, Rajah Kolambu, received
them. On Easter Sunday, 31 March 1521, Fr.
Pedro de Valederrama celebrated the first mass
in the Philippines. The people present during
that time. Francisco Albo and Antonio
Pigafetta, who provided the Limasawa
evidences, were included in the eighteen
survivors who joined the Magellan expedition.
Connection:
What is your prior knowledge and your
newly acquired knowledge?
My background knowledge from past
Philippine history lessons taught me that Butuan
was the first site of mass but armed with the
new knowledge it was Limasawa where the first
Philippine christian mass was held. I also
learned that both Francisco Albo and Antonio
Pigafetta were both primary sources of accounts
of the first mass which the place was
being debated by scholars since the past few
decades.
 II. Cavite Mutiny (20pts)

Content: Creator:
What is the main idea of the story? (What are the Who creates the Accounts?
two sides of the story?)

Spanish side:bJose Montero y Vidal, Spanish historian

documented the event and highlighted it as an attempt of the Indios At the side of the Spanish, Jose Montero y Vidal, a
to overthrow the Spanish government. Meanwhile, Gov. Gen.
Rafael Izquierdo’s official report magnified the event and made
Spanish historian and Gov. Gen. Rafael Izquierdo’s
use of it to implicate the native clergy, which was then active in official report and documented the event. At the
the call for secularization. The two Spaniards deemed that the Filipino side, Dr. Trinidad Hermenigildo Pardo de
event of 1872 was planned earlier and was thought of it as a big Tavera, a Filipino scholar and researcher, wrote the
conspiracy among educated leaders, mestizos, abogadillos or Filipino version of the account of the event.
native lawyers, residents of Manila and Cavite and the native
clergy. They insinuated that the conspirators of Manila and Cavite
planned to liquidate high-ranking Spanish officers to be followed
by the massacre of the friars. The alleged pre-concerted signal
among the conspirators of Manila and Cavite was the firing of
rockets from the walls of Intramuros.

Filipino side: Dr. Trinidad Hermenigildo Pardo de Tavera, a

Filipino scholar and researcher, wrote the Filipino version. In his
point of view, the incident was a mere mutiny by the native
Filipino soldiers and laborers of the Cavite arsenal who turned out
to be dissatisfied with the abolition of their privileges. Indirectly,
Tavera blamed Gov. Izquierdo’s cold-blooded policies such as the
abolition of privileges of the workers and native army members of
the arsenal and the prohibition of the founding of school of arts
and trades for the Filipinos, which the general believed as a cover-
up for the organization of a political club.
Context: Connection:
What is going on when the source is created? What is your prior knowledge and your newly
acquired knowledge?
These are some basic facts that remained to be unchanging: First,
there was dissatisfaction among the workers of the arsenal as well My prior knowledge with the 1872 Cavite Mutiny is
as the members of the native army after their privileges were
drawn back by Gen. Izquierdo; Second, Gen. Izquierdo introduced
only a gist of the past historical background knowledge
rigid and strict policies that made the Filipinos move and turn that I had with my past Philippine history lessons. My
away from Spanish government out of disgust; Third, the Central thoughts were that the Mutiny started because the
Government failed to conduct an investigation on what truly Spanish was losing grip of the Philippines and that time
transpired but relied on reports of Izquierdo and the friars and the Spain was at a time of financial crisis. Being Spain,
opinion of the public; Fourth, the happy days of the friars were
already numbered in 1872 when the Central Government in Spain
taking more control of their colony meant also being
decided to deprive them of the power to intervene in government more unfair with the natives and its citizens which
affairs as well as in the direction and management of schools resulted on the dissatisfaction of the native officials and
prompting them to commit frantic moves to extend their stay and some priests here in our country. Armed with the new
power; Fifth, the Filipino clergy members actively participated in knowledge I have right now, the Cavite Mutiny was the
the secularization movement in order to allow Filipino priests to
take hold of the parishes in the country making them prey to the
start of the essential Filipino revolution from the hands
rage of the friars; Sixth, Filipinos during the time were active of Spain since it was been 300 years since Spain
participants, and responded to what they deemed as injustices; and conquered the Philippines and its response was that the
Lastly, the execution of GOMBURZA was a blunder on the part Filipinos should reform and eventually overthrow the
of the Spanish government, for the action severed the ill-feelings Spaniards. The mutiny really is a small ragtag of local
of the Filipinos and the event inspired Filipino patriots to call for
reforms and eventually independence. There may be different
Filipinos against the Spaniards but the move made a
versions of the event, but one thing is certain, the 1872 Cavite wave to all Filipinos to stand up and fight for our
Mutiny paved way for a momentous 1898. country.