PRE-COLONIAL GOVERNMENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

Pre-colonial Government Political System are the types of traditional government

that existed before the advent of colonialism

Government
Is the system to govern a state or community
A system of social control under which the right to make laws, and the right to
enforce them, is vested in a particular group in society

The Pre-Colonial Government of the Filipinos

Before the arrival of the Spaniards in the Philippines, the early Filipinos
lived in separate and independent village-states called barangays.
Barangay
The term barangay was derived from the Malay word barangay or
balangay, which means sailboat.
The balangays were used to transport the early Filipinos and their
cargoes to the various sections of the Philippine archipelago
Each barangay consisted of about 30-100 families
Some of the barangays were big such as: Sugbu (Cebu), Maktan
(Mactan), Bigan (Vigan) and Maynila (Manila)
Each barangay was ruled by a datu or village chief who was also known
as raha or rajah
Datu, Raha or Rajah
The primary duty of the datu was to rule and govern his subjects and to
promote their well-being
In Western Visayas, it was not uncommon for the datu to be the
babaylan as well. The very influence and mystical ability of the
babaylan, made him the most likely candidate for community
leadership
According to Renato Constantino (1975), the datu was not an absolute
ruler and the scope of his authority was given limits by a
traditional body of customs and procedures
How to become a Datu

The datu usually obtained his position by inheritance. However, one

could also become a datu through display of his prowess and valor
in battle, or by proving his leadership skills or other traits useful for
the barangay’s survival
In matters of succession in the vent of the datu’s death, the first son
usually succeeded him. If the first son died without leaving an heir,
the second son succeeded the datu
In the absence of any male heir, the eldest daughter could become
 chieftain. This clearly indicates that women’s rights and abilities
were recognized during pre-Spanish times
If a datu died without any heir, the people of the barangay choose a
man to become the new chieftain on the basis of his wisdom,
wealth and physical strength
What does a Datu, Raha or Hari do?
In times of peace, he is the chief executive, legislator and judge
In time of war, he was the commander of the barangay warriors

Some barangays, however, united to form a confederation. An example of

this is the “Confederation of Madya-as” in ancient Panay.

Laws
The early Filipinos had both oral and written laws
The oral laws was handed down orally from generation to generation
The legendary lawgiver was a woman named Lubluban
The written laws were promulgated by the datus with the help of the
elders and were put into writing
Those laws were announced to the barangays by the Umalohokan
An example of ancient written laws is the “Code of Kalantiaw (1433)”
which covers insult, murder, arson and sorcery
The ancient laws covered many subjects such as: property rights,
inheritance, adoption, divorce, loans, partnerships, contracts and
crimes
Trials
Trial by Datu
The datu served as the judge and the council of elders served
as the jury
Oath: “May the crocodile devour me if I lie. May lightning
strike me if I give a wrong statement. May I die where I
am standing if I am not telling the truth.”
Trial by Ordeal
The medieval European had no monopoly of the trial by ordeal
of the ancient Filipinos practiced it under certain
circumstances to determine the guilt of a person
Some examples of ordeals:
Ordering the suspect to place a stone in a vessel with
boiling water and compelling them to dip their
hands into the vessel to take out the stone
Ordering a suspect to plunge into the river or lake
with lances
Ordering the suspects to chew the uncooked rice
Among the Ifugaos of northern Luzon, the ordeal of combat
was common
 Bultong - wrestling ordeal
Alaw - involved duel

Social Classes
A group of people within a society who posses the same
socioeconomic status
Tagalog Class Visayas
Lakan or Rajah
Noble Class Tumao or Datu
(Maginoo)
Middle Class
Maharlika Timawa
(Freeman)
Alipin
Lower Class
(Namamahay or Oripun
(Dependents)
Saguiguilid)

The Nobles
Wielded tremendous power in the barangay
Enjoyed special rights
Carried the title Gat or Lakan
The Freeman
Called Maharlika
People who earned their freedom
The Dependents
Known as Alipin
Lowest status
Among the Tagalogs, the dependents were either “Aliping
Namamahay” or “Aliping Saguiguilid”
Aliping Namamahay has their own family and house.
They served their master during planting and harvest
season, helped in the construction of their master’s
house and served their master’s visitor
Aliping Saguiguilid do not have properties of their own.
They lived with their master and could not marry
without their master’s consent
Among the Visayans, the dependents are of three kinds:
Tumataban, Tumarampuk and Ayuey
Tumataban worked for his master when summoned to do
so
Tumarampuk worked one day for his master
Ayuey worked three days for his lord

The lines drawn between the classes were not hard; any member
of the classes could go up or down the social ladder depending upon
the attendant of circumstances.
The class of the person may change, it is not permanent. If a
freeman commits a crime, then he/she will become a slave for a
certain period of time and can reclaim his/her status. They can marry
people from different status or class. “Intermarriage”, though, is very
rare in freeman-slave marriage, but possible.