READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

A. CUSTOMS OF THE TAGALOGS

a. Author’s Background: Fr. Juan de Plasencia, O.S.F.
-Wrote the first book printed in the Philippines in 1593 entitled, Doctrina Christiana
b. Content Analysis of the Important Historical Information found in the Document
COMMUNITY
❑ Barangay – tribal gathering ruled by chiefs
❑ It is called a “barangay” because they associate themselves with the “Malay” who are one of the first people to arrive in the Philippines
through a boat in which they call “balangay”.
❑ Some consisted of around 30 - 100 houses
❑ All barangays were equal in terms of status
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.
Social Hierarchy
Maharlica (nobles) • People who are born free
• Do not need to pay taxes
• Must accompany the datos in war at their own expense

Aliping Namamahay • They have their own properties but has to serve their own masters
• Children belonging to this caste inherit the status of their parents
(commoners) • Cannot be treated as a slave nor can be sold off.
• Obliged to accompany the datos in war

Aliping Saguiguilir • They serve their master in their houses and lands
(slaves) • Can be sold off and can be transferred
• The master can reward his/her slaves by giving them a portion of the harvest so that
the slaves would be faithful to him/her
MARRIAGE CUSTOMS (Status of the Child)
1. Maharlica (m) + maharlica (f) = child (free)
2. Slave (m) + slave (f)= child (slave)
3. Maharlica (m) + own slave (f) = child (both the slave and the child are free)
4. Maharlica (m) + slave-woman of another (f) = child (half free, half slave if the father recognized the child)
5. Maharlica (f) + slave-man of another (m) = child (half free, half slave, provided that the parents were not married)
6. Maharlica + slave (N or S) = children (children were equally divided: odd numbered children (father); even-numbered children (mother) and
the status depends on the status of the parent)
DOWRIES- given by men to the parents of the women
1. If both parents of the woman are living, they enjoy the dowry
2. At death, dowry is unused, the dowry goes to the children (siblings of the woman)
3. Absence of near relatives, the woman enjoys the dowry
DIVORCE
a. Before the birth of children
1. Wife left the husband for the purpose of marrying another-the dowry will be returned to the husband doubled
2. Wife left the husband without the intention of marrying another-half the dowry will be returned to the husband
3. Husband left the wife for whatever reasons-half the dowry will be returned to the husband
b. After the birth of children
1. The whole dowry plus an additional fine will be given to the children, handled for them by their grandparents
INHERITANCE: all legitimate children have equal inheritance
Exceptions:
1. Man married a chief’s daughter-inherit twice the inheritance and dowry of his other siblings
2. Man has two or more legitimate wives-the father’s inheritance will be equally divided, plus, the children will inherit the inheritance of the
mother
3. Man had children with inaasawa-the legitimate children will inherit 2/3 of the father’s inheritance, while the natural children will inherit 1/3
of the father’s inheritance
4. Man married a free married woman-the child will get the inheritance of the father if the man punished the adulterer
5. Man married his own slave-the child will get the inheritance of the father if he freed the slave
ADOPTION-adopted children inherit double the amount paid for their adoption
Worship of the Tagalogs
➢ Pandot=worship
➢ Places of worship: sibi (the place is used for celebration/feast) and temple (the place is used for worship)
➢ Nag aanitos=people who worship
➢ Bathala=ultimate God
➢ Lic-ha=idols of different shapes
SUPERSTITIONS OF THE TAGALOGS
❑ (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)

MANNER OF BURYING THE DEAD

1. Deceased are buried beside the house
2. If he were a chief, placed beneath the little house or porch that was built for this purpose
3. If the deceased was a warrior, a living slave is tied beneath him until the slave dies too
12 PRIESTS OF THE DEVIL
1. Catolonan- Priest from a people of rank/officiates the offering sacrifice for a feast and the food to be eaten being offered to the devil
2. Mangagauay-They pretend to heal the sick in order to deceive others
3. Manyisalat -They can cast remedies to couples for them to abandon one another
4. Mancocolam -Can emit fire from himself which cannot be extinguished.
5. Hocloban -Much more powerful than a mangagauay in which they can kill anyone by saluting or raising their hand.
6. Silagan -They would tear out and eat the liver of those they saw were wearing white.
7. Magtatangal -They would go out at night without their heads and put it back into their bodies before the sun rise.
8. Osuang-Tribesmen reported that they saw the “osuang” who can fly and murdered a man and ate his flesh.
9. Mangagayoma -They would seduce their partners with charms and other accessories so they can deceive them.
10. Sonat -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- They can predict the future.
12. Bayoguin- These are men who are in the nature of a woman.
 B. KARTILYA NG KATIPUNAN
Author’s Background: Emilio Jacinto
Birth: December 15, 1875
Death: April 6, 1899 (died because of malaria at the age of 24)
Joined the Katipunan in 1894 with the name Pingkian
Editor of the Katipunan newspaper, Kalayaan, using the pen name, Dimas Ilaw
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
KKK-Kataastaasang Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan
-Established on July 7, 1982 by Andres Bonifacio, after the failure of La Liga Filipina
-An underground movement/revolutionary society that espoused freedom and independence through FORCE OF ARMS
Objectives:
1. Political Goal: Separation of Philippines from Spain
2. Moral Goal: Development of good values/morals among Filipinos
3. Civic Goal: Defend the oppressed Filipino people
TEACHINGS OF THE KATIPUNAN:
1. A life that is not dedicated to a great and sacred cause is like a tree without a shade, or a poisonous weed.
2. A good deed lacks virtue if it springs from a desire for personal profit and not from a sincere desire to do good.
3. True charity resides in acts of compassion, in love for one’s fellow men, and in making true reason the measure of every move, deed and
word.
4. Be their skin dark or pale, all men are equal. One can be superior to another in knowledge, wealth and beauty…but not in being.
5. A person with a noble character values honor above self-interest, while a person with an ignoble character values self-interest above honor.
6. An honorable man’s word is his bond.
7. Don’t waste time; lost wealth may be recovered, but time lost is lost forever.
8. Defend the oppressed and fight the oppressor.
9. An intelligent man is he who takes care in everything he says and keeps quiet about what must be kept secret.
10. Along the thorny path of life, the man leads the way and his wife and children follow. If the leader goes the way of evil, then so do those who
are led.
11. Do not regard the woman as a mere plaything, but as a helpmate and partner in the hardships of this existence. Have due regard to her
weakness, and remember the mother who brought you into this world and nurtured you in your infancy.
12. What you would not want done to your wife, daughter and sister, do not do to the wife, daughter and sister of another.
13. A man’s worth does not come from him being a king, or in the height of his nose and the whiteness of his face, or in him being a priest, a
representative of God, or in his exalted position on the face of this earth. Pure and truly noble is he who, though born in the forest and able
to speak only his own tongue, behaves decently, is true to his word, has dignity and honor, who is not an oppressor and does no abet
oppressors, who knows how to cherish and look after the land of his birth.