REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao

PHILIPINE ENGINEERING AND AGRO-INDUSTRIAL COLLEGE INC.
Brgy. Lomidong, MSU Main Campus, Marawi City 9700
SEC Reg. No.: CN200826621; CHED Accredited; TIN: 006-449-685

READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

Name: ________________________________________
Years/ Section: _________________________________
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 PREFACE

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) approved the New General Education (GE)

Program, which aims to restructure the old GE program in higher education institutions to respond

to the challenges of the times. It is geared toward the holistic development of the person in

overlapping realms of the individual, the Filipino community, and the global community.

It is in these realities that the General Education course Readings in Philippine History is

situated, with the course description “Philippine history viewed from the lens of selected primary

sources in different periods, analysis, and interpretations.” The focus of the course is to develop

historiographical skills connected to context and content analysis, applying both analytical

strategies in themes and topics across the Philippine past. Primary sources will be the ultimate

bridge between the past and the present, allowing spaces for students to simply not parrot facts

about the past but to gain knowledge that can be used in proposing solutions to the problems of

today.

The use of primary sources in studying about the past connects the history learner to the text

producers themselves, allowing for a richer experience of understanding and appreciation.

However, the use of primary sources for those who lack the sufficient training and knowledge could

also be disastrous, and may be a source of misunderstanding and alienation to the events of the past.

This book is crafted to provide a strategy on how to study Philippine history through primary

sources, in hopes that the teacher and the student would have the best opportunity to learn and study

about the past while taking great care in watching the steps they take in their attempt to utilize

primary sources in history.

CLASS ORIENTATION

I. COLLEGE MISSION, VISSION AND PHILOSOPHY

A. MISSION
Dedicated to introduce reforms to the attainment of peace, prosperity,
equality and sustainable development in the ARMM region, the PEACI will lead the
standards of excellence in science and technology, arts and sports; serves as the
catalyst for the economic, cultural, socio-political, and agro-industrial development
of the Muslims, Lumads and other indigenous groups, thereby transforming them
into good productive members of the society possessing the highest degree of
intelligence, honesty, morality, and excellence; and encourage for the alleviation of
poverty and the promotion of employment, and improved quality of life for all.

B. VISION
The Philippine Engineering and Agro-Industrial College, Inc. aspires to be
the modern World-Class institution of highest academic excellence in the
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

C. PHILOSOPHY
The Philippine Engineering and Agro-Industrial College, Inc. is committed
to the total development of honest, trustworthy and God-fearing servants to the
search of truth, virtue, justice, equality and academic excellence of highest degree.

II. COURSE DESCRIPTION:

A comprehensive review of the socio – economic, political, cultural and historical
development of the Philippines from the ancient times to the present. Emphasis is laid
on the relevant and recurring issues in the Philippine history and studies and serious
problems that confront the country. This course also focuses on the different facets of
Philippine History tackling about the social, political, economic, cultural, and
intellectual implications of the past events that have generally influenced the status and
system of the nation today. This course aims to discover and explore the Philippine
history from the perspective of eyewitnesses and primary resources not just on the
secondary materials such as textbooks which has been the usual approach in teaching
Philippine History. Several types of primary sources will be utilized and explored
whether it is written (qualitative and quantitative), oral, visual, audio-visual, digital-
entailing the various and diverse aspects of Philippine life. Students are expected to
analyze and interpret the selected readings to contextually understand the content (stated
and implied). The main goal of this course is to allow students to reflect, appreciate, and
to holistically understand our rich past by gathering insights coming from the people
who were actually present at the time of the event
 III. COURSE OBJECTIVES
At the end of the course, the students are expected to:
1. Acquire knowledge about the experiences of Filipino people in the past;
2. Provide preliminary survey of issues in the 20th and 21st century and critically
analyze its impact on the socio – economic, political and cultural development of the
Philippines at present and amidst global developments;
3. Grasp the importance of strategic location of the Philippines and understand its role
in the history of Filipino people;
4. Inculcate among students some certain values such as patriotism and nationalism;
and
5. Appreciate the importance of history in shaping today’s society.

IV. COURSE REQUIREMENTS

a. Major Exams
b. Assignments and quizzes
c. Active class participation
d. Attendance
e. 3X5 index card (Physical Class Only)

V. TEACHING METHODS AND STRATEGIES

a. Lecture/ Discussion
b. Deductive method

VI. EVALUATION SCHEME

a. Attendance/ Class participation 10%
b. Assignments and quizzes 20%
c. Prelim Exam 20%
d. Midterm Exam 20%
e. Final Exam 30%
100%

VII. SPECIAL EXAM

- A special exam is only viable if the student presents an acceptable reason.
- The score that will be agreed upon shall be:
o The highest possible score shall be the score of the top scoring students; moreover,
o The student will also be demerit of 25% from his/her incurred score

VIII. REFERENCES:
Candelaria J & Alporha V. (2018), Readings in Philippine History. Philippine Copyright 2018
by Rex Book Store, Inc. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335260924
CLASS POLICIES

 All materials uploaded to Edmodo must not be shared to other flatforms.

 You must not post anything regarding our class to any social media flatform to avoid any
conflict.
 You must comply all the requirements required in this course/subject.
 You must take the quizzes and exams on the day it is scheduled.
 No special quizzes including Major exams.
 Verification of grades is will not be entertained.
 If you have some concern please visit our institution to settle it properly.
:

MR. JAMES R. POTENTE, RSW

Instructor
MODULE 2: LESSON 5
The Manunggul Jar
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, the student will be able to:
• Identify the parts of the Manunggul jar
• Interpret the significance and symbolisms of the design of the jar
• Relate the design of the jar with the cultural practices of the early civilization
• Illustrate the significance of the discovery of the jar to the history of the Philippines

The Manunggul Jar is a secondary burial jar excavated from a Neolithic burial site in
Manunggul cave of Tabon Caves at Lipuun Point at Palawan dating from 890–710 B.C. The two
prominent figures at the top handle of its cover represent the journey of the soul to the afterlife. The
Manunggul Jar is widely acknowledged to be one of the finest Philippine pre-colonial artworks ever
produced and is a considered a masterpiece. It is denoted a national treasure and it is designated as
item 64-MO-74 by the National Museum of the Philippines. It is now housed at the Museum of the
Filipino People and is one of the most popular exhibits there. It is made from clay with some sand
soil.

The cultural treasure found in the early 1960’s in Manunggul Cave, Lipuun Point, Palawan is a
secondary burial jar. The upper portion of the jar, as well as the
cover is incised with curvilinear scroll designs and painted with
natural iron or hematite. On top of the jar cover or lid is a boat with
two human figures representing two souls on a voyage to the
afterlife. The boatman is seated behind a figure whose hands are
crossed on the chest. The position of the hands is a traditional
Filipino practice observed when arranging the corpse. The burial
jar which is unrivaled in Southeast Asia and considered as the work
of a master potter, signifies the belief of early Filipinos in life after
death. It is dated to the late Neolithic Period, about 890-710 B.C.
Discovery of the Jar

The Manunggul Jar was found by Dr. Robert B. Fox and Miguel Antonio in 1962. It was
found alongside the discovery of the remains of Tabon Man. It was recovered by Dr. Fox in
Chamber A of Manunggul Cave in Southwestern Palawan. Manunggul Cave is one of the Tabon
Caves in Lipuun Point. In the expansion, the Tabon Caves is known to be a site of jar burials with
artefacts dating a range from 4250-2000 BP. Chamber A dates as a Late Neolithic burial site (890-
710 BC). Seventy-eight jars and earthenwares, including the Manunggul Jar, was discovered on the
subsurface and surface of Chamber A. Each artifact varied in design and form but was evidently
types of funerary pottery.

First Excavation and Response to Discovery

As mentioned earlier, the first ever excavation that gave way to the discovery of this burial
jar is on the year 1964 by Dr. Robert Fox. During that time, he and his team were excavating the
Tabon Cave Complex, specifically in the Lipuun Point. In Fox’s excavation, it is yet the most
unusual in all angles. The inside of the jar contains human bones which are covered in red paint.
Like the Egyptian burial practice, the jar was also found to be equipped with numerous bracelets.
“... is perhaps unrivaled in Southeast Asia, the work of an artist and a master potter.” — These
words were said by Robert Fox when asked as to how he would describe the jar’s origin, based
from its appearance.

Design of the Jar

The fine lines and complex design of the Manunggul Jar reflect the artistry of the early
Filipinos.

The Manunggul Jar shows that the Filipinos' maritime culture is paramount that it reflected its
ancestors' religious beliefs. Many epics around the Philippines would tell how souls go to the next
life, aboard boats, pass through the rivers and seas. This belief is connected with the Austronesian
belief of the anito. The fine lines and intricate designs of the Manunggul Jar reflect the artistry of
early Filipinos. These designs are proof of the Filipinos' common heritage from the Austronesian-
speaking ancestors despite the diversity of the cultures of the Filipinos.
 The upper part of the Manunggul jar, as well as the cover, is carved with curvilinear scroll
designs which are painted with hematite. The depiction of sea-waves on the lid places this
Manunggul jar in the Sa Huỳnh culture pottery tradition. These are people that migrated in an East
to West migration from the Borneo-Palawan area to Southern Vietnam. Early Filipinos believed
that a man is composed of a body, a life force called ginhawa, and a kaluluwa.

This explains why the design of the cover of the Manunggul Jar features three faces - the
soul, the boatman, and the boat itself. The faces of the figures and on the prow of the boat have eyes
and mouth rendered in the same style as other artifacts of Southeast Asia of that period. The two
human figures in a boat represent a voyage to the afterlife. The boatman is holding a steering paddle
while the one on his front shows hands crossed on his chest. The steersman's oar is missing its
paddle, as is the mast in the center of the boat, against which the steersman would have braced his
feet. The manner in which the hands of the front figure are folded across the chest is a widespread
practice in the Philippines when arranging the corpse. The cover of Manunggul Jar provides a clear
example of a cultural link between the archeological past and the ethnographic present. It also
signifies the belief of ancient Filipinos in life after death.

The Manunggul Jar tells us of our connections with our Southeast Asian neighbors. The
design is a proof of our common heritage from our Austronesian-speaking ancestors despite the
diversity of the cultures of the Philippine peoples.5 Traces of their culture and beliefs can still be
seen in different parts of the country and from different Philippine ethno-linguistic groups,
reminding us that there can be a basis for the so-called “imagined community” called the Filipino
nation.

The Manunggul Jar tells us of how important the waters were to our ancestors. Before the
internet, the telephone, the telegram, and the plane, the seas and the rivers were their conduit of
trade, information and communication.6 In the Philippine archipelago, that, according to Peter
Bellwood, the Southeast Asians first developed a sophisticated maritime culture which made
possible the spread of the Austronesian-speaking peoples to the Pacific Islands as far Madagascar
in Africa and Easter Island near South America.Our ships—the balanghay, the paraw, the caracoa,
and the like—were considered marvelous technological advances by our neighbors that they
respected us and made us partners in trade, these neighbors including the imperial Chinese.

The Manunggul Jar shows that our maritime culture is so paramount to us that it reflected
our ancestor’s religious beliefs. Many epics around the Philippines would tell us of how souls go
to the next life aboard boats, passing through the rivers and seas. The belief is very much connected
with the Austronesia belief in the anito. Our ancestors believed that man is composed of the body,
the life force called the ginhawa, and the kaluluwa. The kaluluwa, after death, can return to earth
to exist in nature to guide their descendants. This explains why the design of the cover of the
Manunggul Jar features three faces, those of the soul, of the boat driver, and of the boat itself. For
them, even things from nature have souls, have lives of their own. That’s why our ancestors
respected nature more than those who thought that it can be used for the ends of man.

Source:
https://www.nationalmuseum.gov.ph/nationalmuseumbeta/Collections/Archaeo/Manunggul.htm