LESSON 4

Philippine Historiography

 The word “historiography” means study of historical writings.

 Analysis of a historical writing or source needs other discipline of science such as Astronomy,
Geography, Chemistry to name few.

Deepest part of what the Philippine history do really mean.

- Professors of History view the historiography into 2 forms:

1. Physical: This ideology refers to the “thinking about thinking” on the other hand they
approach history as a Philosophical state of reasoning and knowing why did a particular
event happened in the past.
2. Scientific: This pertains to the usage of researches, analysis, and their contact to evidences
that needs the sciences of different fields.
- KASAYSAYAN- came from the root word “saysay” which means sense or connectivity or
significance. In ancient times history are being passed by oral and written usage mostly in
cultures.
- Oral character of kasaysayan is having a dynamism or preservation of cultures, beliefs, and
traditions.
- - Historiography of the Philippines wanted to point the mistakes of the records of the past.

For example: Historians needs an assistance of a Geologist to determine how old a rock that they
found around 1000 feet above sea level.

 EARLY PHILLIPINE SOCIETY: THE PRE-COLONIAL ERA

- Early Philippine societies had their own political, cultural, religious, and economic systems that
also gave them their own writing system, law, and architectures.
- Philippines had its own trading companions back on the pre-colonial era. These traders are
usually from China and Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries and tribes within it. This is
one culture of the natives that Magellan observed during his arrival in 1521.

 THE ARRIVAL OF THE SPANISH EMPIRE AND THE COLONISIATION

- Ferdinand Magellan arrived in the archipelago on April 15 (16), 1521 with his fleet on the
undisturbed shores of Limasawa. They encountered the natives who live their lives without the
contact of foreigners from Europe for a thousand of years.
- The arrival of Spain instituted the philosophy of 3 G
1. Gold- the Economy.
2. God- the Theology.
3. Glory- the Politics.
- The arrival of the colonizers ended the free life of the natives and the start of the revision of the
Philippine culture and belief systems.
- The Spanish historia replaced the narrative of our kasaysayan.
- They focused on these goals and inquiries:
1. Observation of native, local, and traditional life.
2. Experiences in socio-economic life.
3. Laws and local customs
- The Philippine history and archipelago according to Spanish are called “Bipartite” view on which
it is divided in 2 aspects.
1. Dark Age- age before colony. Natives are viewed as uncivilized, barbaric, Polytheistic system.
2. Light Age- age of colonialism. Spanish view themselves as bringer of peace, order, commerce,
Monotheism of Christianity, and the unification of the whole archipelago.

 THE AGE OF PHILIPPINE ENLIGHTENMENT

th
- On the start of the 19 century, Filipino citizens who are born with renowned families are called
Ilustrados, they are the people who can learn, study and to be graduated in national universities
and sometimes in abroad, too.
- During these years famous universities are founded such as The Royal and Pontifical University
of Santo Tomas (UST) on 1611.
- Because Ilustrados have opportunity to study in abroad, they mostly go to study in Paris on
which the place where you can learn everything. Paris has its own history of monarchy
colonialism and civil revolutions. This ignites the Ilustrados to the situation of our country during
the Spanish empire colonialism.
- They view our way of independence in a way of freedom of sppech, advocacy and justified
solution. Such as the message of El Filibusterisimo and Noli mi tangere of Jose Rizal.
- The Ilustrados view our history before and during Spain as

“Tripartite” view on which they concluded that our nation has 3 aspects in history.

1. Age of prosperity- natives have their freedom in trade, religion, law and communication
even before colonialism.
2. Age of Darkness- Spanish arrival limits the natives to practice their freedoms that causes the
natives to be ruled by a dictatorial state not of a friendship as they proposed back in 1521
Sanduguan.
3. Age of Enlightenment- the age on which the Pilipino people are awaken by this
manipulation and abuse that colonizers do their ancestors.
- KNOWN ILUSTRADOS ARE: 1. Dr. Rizal, 2. Marcelo H. Del Pilar, 3. Graciano Lopez Jaena and
4. Juan Luna

 THE PHILIPPINE REVOLUTION

The beginning of the KKK or Kataastaasan, Kagalang-galang mga Katipunang anak ng bayan;
is a national brotherhood on which have the philosophy of arm and conflict resistance against
Spain will free us. This is founded by Andres Bonifacio on the end of the 19 th century.
- The members are called KATPUNEROS.
- The start of their resistance happened on the death of Dr. Rizal in 1896.
- They are composed of indios and mestizos- both are lowest part of the Philippine society such as
farmers.
 Their view of historiography is just the same as the Ilustrados, but they view the way of
independence in the matter of violence and physical resistance.
- This movement gain access to our independence on 1898 Revolution against the Spanish
government and military in the whole country.

 AGE OF AMERICAN HISTORIOGRAPHY

- Ended the Spanish colonial age of 333 years by buying us from Spain; this makes us free in the
sense of colonialism yet Americans seized our independence by owning the whole archipelago.
- We are called “Little brown Americans” during the Spanish era because of our color and status
held by Spain.

Americans, on the other hand gave us the importance that Spain never majorize to Pilipino.

- That is the importance of public education.

- They granted all Pilipino citizen to attain the general education on which Spain never allowed to
indios because they are in low-class.
- The usage of English language as a primary language in the whole country.
- The arrival of the Thomasites in 1901 brought the new amendment of education; especially in
English language.
- The bureaucracy of the Democratic Republic of the Philippines of 1916 carried the American
ideology of the new curriculum of Education.
- First chairperson of the Department of History in U.P is a American historian- Prof. Austin Craig.
PHILIPPINE INSURRECTION OR PHILIPPINE-AMERICAN WAR?
Americans claimed that USA are the only acceptable nation to assist the country because they
ascend the educational and law system of the country.
They also deny the 1898 Independence because Spain sold Philippines and Cuba on the control
of US and Philippines did not liberate itself alone.
- However, after years, US-PH Independence Day was completely final on the end of Japanese
War during World War 2 on 1946.

 MID 20TH CENTURY PHILIPPINES

- Historians of our own nation are now liberating us from mistakes of the past.
Here our renowned historians of our own nation.
1. Teodoro Agoncillo- author of The Philippine Revolution 1896-98. ex Professor in UP.
~ who view our history both Bipartite view because of the good effects of the Spanish
attributions in the country, Tripartite for the negative outcome of abuses and wars Spain
need to do to remain in power.

2. Renato Constantino-author of Philippine Society and Revolution. Also, a professor in U.P.

~ He is a known Marxist. He views our history as a highlight of different classes in the society
that somehow shaped the history mostly during Spanish era.

3. Reynaldo Ileto- author of Pasyon and Revolution Popular Movements in the Philippine
history, 1840-1910. He uses the “Pasyon” to meditate our history with the inspiration of
 religious movement that started the revolution that started the freedom of the slaves of
colonialism.
4. Amado Guerrero- also known as Jose Maria Sison, author of Philippine Society and
Revolution. he also adopted The Marxism philosophy on his interpretation of our history.
He lived during the Martial Law era
(1972-1981). He views our history base on the reliability of socio-ecomic and political life,
and base on different social classes of the Philippines that caused various struggles;
he also adopted The Marxism philosophy on his interpretation of our history.
He lived during the Martial Law era
(1972-1981). He views our history base on the reliability of socio-ecomic and political life,
and base on different social classes of the Philippines that caused various struggles;

5. Zeus Salazar- author of Pantayong Pananaw and Bagong Kasaysayan on the mid 70’s. Also, a
member of UP Dept. of History.
~ He is a nationalist. His philosophy states that we know now as History as a Social Science
scholarship tradition. He also strongly in the use of our own language in interpreting,
teaching, and using of our own language for it. He also contradicts the belief that we,
Pilipino people will not exist without the foreign attribution.
The first three mentioned Historians do publish their books, studies, or documents in English
text for a universal understanding, but Salazar published his using our own language-
Tagalog and some native languages.
The key point of his Pantayong Pananaw book is the contradiction of foreign interpretation
to us. On a popular quote this means “Kami ito, ganto kami”
The Pangkaming pananaw points out that our own history is originally the intention for us,
the Pilipino people.
Pansilang pananaw, on the other hand are for the colonizers view on us on which we are the
antagonist in our own history. They have their interpretation for their good image in
publicity and/or political aspect.
- The Pantayong Pananaw concept of Salazar intended to bring back the kasaysayan- the one who
have the sense for us, the protagonist of our history. Pantayong Pananaw and Bagong
Kasaysayan embody the most radical and ambitious approach to our national and very own
history and our Historiography.