Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Unit II - Readings
Unit II - Readings
A Module
for
SOCSC 01 – Readings in Philippine History
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SOCSC 01 - READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
Chapter II
CONTENT AND CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF
SELECTED PRIMARY SOURCES
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SOCSC 01 - READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
Warm-up Activity
PICTURE TALK
https://www.google.com/search?q=historians+working&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjMvp_lu4HsAhVBAJQKHdHMBsEQ2-
cCegQIABAA&oq=historians+working&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzICCAA6BAgjECc6BwgAELEDEEM6BAgAEEM6BQgAELEDOgYIABAFEB46BggAEAgQHjoECAAQGFDlZliEcmCtc2gAcAB4AIABvQKIAcAMkgEHMC45LjAuMZgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy1
3aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=S2VsX4ztMMGA0ATRmZuIDA&bih=608&biw=1366&rlz=1C1CHBF_enPH912PH912#imgrc=zGtw--wYVPcFf
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SOCSC 01 - READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
Activity 1
LESSON 1
Identification of the Historical Importance of the Text
Distinction of Primary and Secondary Sources
LET US LEARN!
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SOCSC 01 - READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
Tagalog Translation
Mabuhay! Taóng Siyaka 822, buwán ng Waisaka, ayon sa aghámtalà. Ang ikaapat na
araw ng pagliít ng buwán, Lunes. Sa pagkakátaóng itó, si Dayang Angkatán sampû ng
kaniyáng kapatíd na nagngangalang Buka, na mga anák ng Kagalang-galang na si
Namwarán, ay ginawaran ng isáng kasulatan ng lubós na kapatawarán mulâ sa Punong
Pangkalahatan sa Tundún sa pagkatawán ng Punong Kagawad ng Pailáh na si Jayadewa.
Sa atas na itó, sa pamamagitan ng Tagasulat, ang Kagalang-galang na si Namwarán ay
pinatawad na sa lahát at inalpasán sa kaniyáng utang at kaniyáng mga náhulíng
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SOCSC 01 - READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
During the 10th century, a number of political entities were in existence in Southeast Asia.
One of the most famous of these was the Khmer Empire, which dominated much of the
Southeast Asian mainland. To its east, the modern country of Vietnam was divided
between the Chinese in the north, and the Kingdom of Champa in the south. The seas
below the Southeast Asian mainland were beyond the reach of the Khmers and were
largely controlled by a maritime empire known as Srivijaya.
However, there is little information on the area in the part of this region where the
modern country of the Philippines is now situated. This lack of information led many
scholars to believe that it was isolated from the rest of the region. Thus, the Laguna
Copperplate Inscription is an important artifact, as it has allowed scholars to re-evaluate
the situation in this part of Southeast Asia during the 10th century AD.
The Laguna Copperplate is a thin piece of copper sheet measuring about 20 x 20 cm (7.9
x 7.9 inches), which was discovered around 1987. It has been reported that this artifact
was found during dredging activities with a mechanical conveyor in the Lumbang River,
which is situated in the Province of Laguna. This province is located to the east of Manila,
the capital of the Philippines. It is interesting to note that the Laguna Copperplate only
came to the attention of scholars in 1990, when it was offered for sale to the National
Museum in Manila, after attempts to sell it in the antiques market had been met with
little interest.
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SOCSC 01 - READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
An Incomplete Artifact
The inscription on the surviving copperplate is in itself intriguing, and has provided
enough material for scholars to analyze. For instance, the type of script used in the Laguna
Copperplate Inscription has been identified as the so-called ‘Early Kawi Script,’ a writing
system that originated in the Indonesian island of Java, and was used across much of
maritime Southeast Asia during the 10th century AD.
In fact, this script is said to have been derived from the Pallava script, which has its origins
in India. As for the language of the inscription, it has been found to be heavily influenced
linguistically by Sanskrit, Old Malay, and Old Javanese. Both the type script, and the
language of the Laguna Copperplate Inscription, therefore, shows that this area was not
actually isolated from the rest of Southeast Asia, as had been previously assumed.
The Inscription
The inscription begins by providing a date:
“Hail! In the Saka-year 822; the month of March-April; according to the astronomer: the
fourth day of the dark half of the moon; on Monday.”
The Saka era has its origins in India (supposedly marking the ascension of the Kushan
emperor Kanishka), and the year 822 is said to correspond with the year 900 AD in the
Gregorian calendar. The use of this calendrical system is further evidence that there were
cultural links between this area of Southeast Asia and its neighbors, which at that time,
were largely under the cultural influence of India.
As for the subject matter of the Laguna Copperplate Inscription, it has been suggested
that the inscription is a “semi-official certificate of acquittal of a debt incurred by a person
in high office, together with his whole family, all relatives and descendants.”
This acquittal is also said to be confirmed by other officials/leaders, some of whom have
been mentioned by name, along with their area of jurisdiction. These officials include “His
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SOCSC 01 - READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
Honor the Leader of Puliran, Kasumuran; His Honor the Leader of Pailah, representing
Ganasakti; (and) His Honor the Leader of Binwangan, representing Bisruta.” The recording
of these names suggests that there was some sort of political and social organization in
the Philippines of the 10th century AD.
To conclude, the Laguna Copperplate, which would probably not attract instant public
attention as gold or silver artifacts would, is in fact an immensely important object. This
seemingly insignificant artifact has sparked a re-assessment of the history of the
Philippines prior to the coming of the Spanish, in particular the 10th century AD, and the
archipelago’s relationship with the rest of Southeast Asia.
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SOCSC 01 - READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
Map showing
the places
inscribed in LCI
according to
Antoon
Postma
Map showing
the places
inscribed in LCI
according to
Jaime Figueroa
Tiongson
Sources:
Cryer, A. B., 2015. Laguna Copperplate Inscription Explained. [Online]
Available at: http://everything.explained.today/Laguna_Copperplate_Inscription/
Morrow, P., 2006. The Laguna Copperplate Inscription. [Online]
Available at: http://www.mts.net/~pmorrow/lcieng.htm
Postma, A., 1992. The Laguna Copper-Plate Inscription: Text and
Commentary. Philippine Studies, 40(2), p. 183–203.
Santos, H., 1996. The Laguna Copperplate Inscription. [Online]
Available at: http://www.bibingka.com/dahon/lci/lci.html
History of the Philippine Is
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SOCSC 01 - READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
ACTIVITY
ACTIVITYTIME!
TIME!
QUESTIONS TO ANSWER
1. From your understanding of the text, was the Philippines already a civilized nation?
Justify your answer.
3. Is it still important to look for the missing piece of the LCI? Why?
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SOCSC 01 - READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
II. TO BE CONTINUED
What do you think is found in the missing page of the LCI? Be creative and write at least 5
sentence continuation of….
Samakatwíd, ang mga nabubuhay na inapó ng Kagalang-galang na si Namwarán ay
pinatawad sa anumán at lahát ng utang ng Kagalang-galang na si Namwarán sa Punò ng
Dewatà. Itó, kung sakalì, ay magpapahayag kaninumán na mulâ ngayón kung may taong
magsasabing hindî pa alpás sa utang ang Kagalang-
galang..._____________________________________________________________________
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Activity 2
LESSON 2
Identification of the Historical Importance of the Text
Distinction of Primary and Secondary Sources
Kartilya ng Katipunan
LET US LEARN!
Sometime in 1896, Andres Bonifacio, the father of the Philippine Revolution, and once
the President of the Supreme Council of the Katipunan, penned the Duties of the Sons of
the People, a list of the duties and responsibilities to be followed strictly by every member
of the organization. The rules constituted a decalogue, and embodied Bonifacio’s
passionate beliefs.
In admiration of Emilio Jacinto’s literary style, Bonifacio would later adopt Jacinto’s
Kartilya as the official teachings of the Katipunan. Similar to the Decalogue, the Kartilya
was written to introduce new recruits to the principles and values that should guide every
member of the organization.
The Kartilya comprises thirteen lessons that detail not only the vision of the Katipunan,
but the vision for a egalitarian and morally sound Filipino nation.
For the Katipunan leadership, such as Emilio Jacinto, the ideas of Right and Light, Katwiran
and Kaliwanagan, were of utmost importance. They saw themselves as not only as
inheritors of the Age of Enlightenment, but intellectual and moral revolutionaries fighting
to create and define a nation and culture that was post-Enlightenment; that was no longer
shackled by the ideological and colonial restraints of the West, but a country that adopted
and merged the best of Spain, the United States, France, and our own unique culture and
society, in support of being Filipino.
(http://malacanang.gov.ph/7013-andres-bonifacios-decalogue-and-the-kartilya-ng-
katipunan/
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ACTIVITY TIME!
I. Take three of your favorite lines from the Kartilya ng Katipunan and explain it in your
own words.
KARTILYA :
MY INTERPRETATION:
KARTILYA :
MY INTERPRETATION:
KARTILYA :
MY INTERPRETATION:
II. Time to make your own! Think like Emilio Jacinto and write three more additional
piece in the Kartilya ng Katipunan.
KARTILYA NG KATIPUNAN
1.
2.
3.
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Activity 3
LESSON 3
Identification of the Historical Importance of the Text
Distinction of Primary and Secondary Sources
LET US LEARN!
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Historical Context:
• During the first century of Spanish rule, colonial officials had the hard time running local
politics because of the limited number of Spaniards who wanted to live outside
Intramuros.
• This situation forced them to allow Filipinos to hold the position of gobernadorcillo.
• To ensure that they would remain loyal to the Crown, they instructed the friars
assigned in the parishes to supervise and monitor the activities of the gobernadorcillo.
• Hence, the friars ended up performing the administrative duties that colonial officials
• should have been doing in the local level.
• They supervised the election of the local executives, helped in the collection of taxes,
directly involved in educating the youth and performed other civic duties.
• As years went by, the friars ended up the most knowledgeable and influential figure in
the pueblo.
• Some duties of friars assigned in mission territories:
o inform periodically their superiors of what was going on in their respective
assignments.
o report the number of natives they converted, the people’s way of life, their
socio-economic situation and the problems they encountered.
o some submitted short letters while others who were keen observers and gifted
writers wrote long dispatches.
o On top of the regular reports they submit, they also shared their personal
observations and experiences.
• Plasencia’s Relacion de las Costumbres de Los Tagalos (Customs of the Tagalog, 1589) is
an example of this kind of work.
o It contains numerous information that historians could use in reconstructing the
political and socio-cultural history of the Tagalog region.
o His work is a primary source because he personally witnessed the events and
observations that he discussed in his account.
o There were other friars and colonial officials who wrote about the Filipinos that
could further enrich our knowledge of Philippine history during the early part of
the Spanish period.
Miguel de Loarca
• Arrived in 1576 and became an encomendero of Panay.
• He wrote Relación de las Islas Filipinas (1582) and his work described the way of life of
Filipinos living in Western Visayas area
Antonio de Morga
• He came to the Philippines in 1595 as Asesor and Teniente General.
• His Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas gives us a lot of information about the state of the
Philippines at the latter part of the 16th century.
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Community Datu
• the chiefs of the village; they governed the people as captains even in wars, were
obeyed, and revered; any subject who committed any offense against them, or spoke to
their wives and children, were severely punished.
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Social Hierarchy
• There are three status/castes within a barangay: Maharlica, Aliping Namamahay, Aliping
sa Guiguilir.
o Maharlica are those who are born free;
o Aliping Namamahay are those who serve their masters however, they can
have their own properties
o Aliping sa Guiguilir are those considered to be slaves who serve their
masters or can be sold off.
Maharlica (nobles)
• People who are born free
• Do not need to pay taxes
• Must accompany the datus in war
Aliping Namamahay (commoners)
• They have their own properties but has to serve their own masters
• Children belonging to this caste inherit the status of their parents
• Cannot be treated as a slave nor can be sold off.
Maharlica
• He would keep their status for a lifetime however, this can be taken if he/she marries a
slave.
• In this case, the kids would be divided and they would inherit the status of their mother
or father.
Property
• The land area was divided among the whole barangay, especially the irrigated portions.
• No one from a different barangay could cultivate land unless they inherit or buy the
land
• The lands on the tingues, or mountain ridges, are not divided but owned by the
barangay as a whole.
• At the time of rice harvest, any individual (regardless of their barangay) that starts to
clear any land area may sow in it.
• Fisheries of chiefs had established limits, and sections of the rivers for markets
• Unless you were a member of the chief’s barangay, you had to pay for the privilege of
fishing or selling in the chiefs’ fisheriesMarriage Customs
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• In the case of a divorce, if the wife would leave her husband for the sake of marrying
another man, all her belongings plus a certain amount would be given to her former
husband however, if she chooses to leave and do not have any plans to marry, then all
of her dowry will be returned to her.
• In the case of an adoption, the children would receive double the value of how much
they were bought to be adopted;
• Investigations and sentences for the accused shall be presented and read in front of the
tribe.
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4. Mancocolam
o Can emit fire from himself which cannot be extinguished
5. Hocloban
o Much more powerful than a mangagauay in which they can kill anyone without the use
of any medicine. They can also heal those who are ill.
6. Silagan
o They would tear out and eat the liver of those they saw were wearing white
7. Magtatangal
o They would go out at night without their heads and put it back into their bodies before
the sun rise
8. Osuang
o Tribesmen reported that they saw the “osuang” who can fly and murdered a man and
ate his flesh.
9. Mangagayoma
o They would seduce their partners with charms and other accessories so they can
deceive them.
10. Sonat
o This devil helped people to die. They can also know if the soul they helped to die can
either be saved or not.
11. Pangatahojan
o They can predict the future.
12. Bayoguin
o These are men who are in the nature of a woman.
Superstition
• They find omens in events they witness (i.e. when someone sneezed, met on their way a
rat or serpent, or the Tigmamanuguin bird sang they would go home in fear that evil
would befall them if they continued their journey)
• The Tigmamanuguin bird’s (a blue bird as large as a turtle-dove) song had two forms: a
good omen, and a bad omen.
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• The grief of the relatives of the deceased is followed by eating and drinking.
• Plasencia’s Customs of the Tagalogs is a very popular primary source because it vividly
described the situation of the Philippines before it was tainted with Spanish and
Christian influences.
• Scholars like it because it covered numerous topics that are relevant in many disciplines.
• Political scientists for instance find it useful because it contains a lot of information
about the social classes, political stratifications and legal system of the Tagalog region.
• Many of what we know about the duties and responsibilities of the datus, maharlikas
and alipins came from Plasencia’s account.
• Moreover, it also talks about property rights, marriage rituals, burial practices and the
manner in which justice is dispensed.
• Plasencia also preserved and popularized the unwritten customs, traditions, religious
and superstitious beliefs of the Filipinos.
• One can also say that our historical knowledge about the manananggal, aswang,
hukluban, gayuma, etc. came from Plasencia’s works.
• Priests and missionaries also read Plasencia’s Customs of the Tagalogs and Doctrina
Christiana because they get a lot of insights that help and inspire them to become
effective evangelizers.
• One insight they got from Plasencia is the the realization that one needs to master the
local language and study the culture of the people if you want to be a successful
missionary.
• They also learned from him that preaching should be accompanied with reading
materials that contain the basic elements of faith.
• These readings serve as their guide and reference when the missionaries are no longer
around.
• All these insights from Plasencia are applicable not only to missionaries but to other
professions as well.
• Plasencia’s historical writings also disprove the claim of some Spaniards that when they
arrived in the Philippines, Filipinos were still uncivilized and lacking in culture.
• It is clear in the excerpts quoted above that at the time Plasencia was assigned in the
• Tagalog region Filipinos were already politically and economically organized.
• They have a functioning government, tax system, set of laws, criminal justice system,
indigenous calendar and long standing customs and traditions.
• Moreover, they have already a concept of supreme being (Bathala), practiced burial
customs and believed in life after death.
• Lastly, Plasencia also mentioned that the people he met were wearing garments, gold
ornaments and their houses were decorated with idols.
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SOCSC 01 - READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
• All of these lead to the conclusion that prior to the coming of the Spaniards, Filipinos
were already civilized and maintained a lifestyle that was at par or even better than
other countries in Southeast Asia
ACTIVITY TIME!
TERMS DEFINITION
Sacerdotal Functions
Gobernadorcillo
Asesor
Venerable
Teniente General
Catechism
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SOCSC 01 - READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
b. Social Hierarchy -
c. Property Rights -
d. Religion -
e. Burial Practices –
6. Why is the book Relacion de las Costumbres de Los Tagalogs (Customs of the
Tagalogs,1589) considered as a primary source about the early Filipinos particularly
in the Tagalog Region? Write a 5 sentence paragraph.
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SOCSC 01 - READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
Activity 4
LESSON 4
Identification of the Historical Importance of the Text
Distinction of Primary and Secondary Sources
LET US LEARN!
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• Clothing
➢ Men
✓ Cangan: upper garment short collarless garments (blue/ black); chiefs (red/called
chinanas); below the waist bahaques (bahag); potong; gold necklaces; calombigas
(armlets); unshod; strings of precious stones.
• Leadership
➢ Succession: male line; father and son
➢ In the absence: brothers and collateral relatives
➢ Duties: rule and govern their subjects
➢ Leaders are held with veneration and respect
➢ Subjects: they serve their leader in the following areas:
i. Wars/voyages
ii.Tilling/sowing/fishing
iii.Building of the leader’s house
iv. The natives also pay their buiz (tribute) varying quantities; in the crops that they
gathered
v. The relatives of the rulers are given the same regard/respect
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SOCSC 01 - READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
• Hierarchy
➢ Principalities/Lordships
➢ Plebeians (Timawas)
➢ Slaves: saguiguilires/saguiguilirs (saguiguilid); namamahay
• Slavery
➢ Whole slaves
➢ Half slaves: father/mother: free
➢ One-fourth slaves
• Marriages/Family Life
➢ Chiefs with women chiefs
➢ Timawas with those of that rank
➢ Slaves with those of the same class (e.g. Saguiguilir with saguiguilir)
➢ Ynasaba: legitimate wife
➢ Children of the first wife: legitimate; whole heirs of the parents
➢ Children of the succeeding ones: do not inherit; only left with ‘something’
➢ Dowry: the man provides; woman do not provide dowry
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• Adoption
➢ Adopted person gives everything to the adopting parent; have the same right to inherit
with the other children
• Adulteries
➢ No corporal punishment, maybe paid by and the injury will be pardoned; would
continue living together (read: move on!)
• Inheritance
➢ Legitimate (from ynasaba) children gets equal share; no legitimate children: nearest
relatives
• Succession
➢ Eldest son (from the ynasaba)
➢ Daughters may take the place in the absence of sons
➢ No direct successor: from the direct lineage of the chief (father or mother side)
• Slaves as concubines
➢ Children are free; as the slave
➢ In the absence of children the slave concubine remains a slave
➢ Illegitimate children (from slave and married women) no right to inheritance and
succession to the power but will be ranked as plebeians or timawas
▪ Business
➢ Contracts and negotiations are generally illegal, usually dwelling on how one might get
the better part for his own benefit/interest (read: mapanlamang)
➢ Usury was the order of the day (read: panunuba)
• Bartering
➢ Items for bartering: food, cloth, cattle, fowls, lands, houses, fields, slaves, fishing
grounds palm trees
➢ payment: in gold or metal bells (from China)
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SOCSC 01 - READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
• Crimes
➢ Theft: major crime
➢ Insulting words: major crime
➢ Wounding: pardonable
➢ Assault: pardonable
➢ Concubinage, rape and incest were not regarded unless committed by a timagua
(timawa) to a woman chief
➢ Concubinage of a man to the sister of his wife (sister-in-law) is an ordinary practice
➢ Married men can have ‘access’ to his mother-in-law if the bride is very young until
she reaches the right age with the knowledge of the relatives
➢ Single men: bagontaos; Single women: dalagas
• Seedy side
➢ Women of Pintados ( some Visayans) are vicious and sensual; perverse
➢ Sagras (sexual Accoutrement: (creative visualization please) the males make a hole
near the head of his virile member (read: penis) and make an insertion of a serpent’s
head (metal or ivory) and attached to it insert a peg of the same material through the
hole; they have extended copulation because of the inability to quickly withdraw.
Very popular among couples. Christianity eventually made them abandon the
practice. (Oragon Bay!)
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• Religion
➢ Pagans
➢ Nature worship
➢ Anitos: different types
➢ Crocodiles: nonos (nuno)
➢ Yellow colored bird : batala
Old men and women: catalonas, uses divinations, e
ACTIVITY TIME!
TERMS DEFINITION
Royal Audiencia
Cangan
Ynasaba
Calombigas
Dowry
Bagontaos
Anitos
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What you already know What you learned from What you still want to
about the early Filipinos Morga about the early learn about the early
Filipinos Filipinos
1. The early Filipinos had a rich culture prior to the coming of our colonizers. Justify
your answer.
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SOCSC 01 - READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
Reflection
Choose from the emoji below and write your reasons why you felt that way during the taking
of lesson. Encircle the emoji and write at least three sentences below.
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2. Kartilya ng Katipunan
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