Loma, Danilo B.

Mansiguin, Jenmae D.
Melgazo, Czarina Aila A.
Romo, Jay-ann T.

GROUP ACTIVITY

“SITE OF THE FIRST MASS”

 POLITICAL ISSUE

 The debated site of the first mass in the Philippines raises an

important political question at the nexus of identity, history, and power.
The continuous battle to balance the nation's pre-colonial history with
its colonial heritage and how it has impacted modern-day Filipino
society
 The Spanish colonialists employed a variety of political techniques to
consolidate their authority.
 The Spanish people seized control of other nations' territory and
populations, imposed feudalism, and built a political structure.
 The collapse of this structure led to the subjugation and mistreatment
of the nation's aboriginal population, who were compelled to labor and
execute demanding tasks.
 This political issue involves power dynamics and narrative control in
addition to conflicting accounts of historical events. The dispute about
the site of the first mass serves as an example of how history may be
used as a weapon to support the legitimacy of some areas or people
over others and so preserve established power structures.

 ECONOMIC ISSUE

 One cannot ignore the economic problem caused by Spanish

colonization. The Spanish invaders made enormous profits from their
colonies by taking use of the abundant natural riches in the
Philippines.
 The reading highlights how the Spanish developed commercial links
with other Spanish colonies, including Mexico, as a result of their keen
interest in the spices and richness found in the Philippines.
 The Spanish aristocracy and crown, however, benefited
disproportionately from this economic exploitation, not the local
populace.
 Trade profits were not reinvested in the Philippines' growth, which
widened the socioeconomic divide between the conquerors and the
colonized.
 The systemic disadvantages and unequal power dynamics that the
Filipino people endured throughout the colonial era were brought to
light by this economic issue.
 SOCIO-CULTURAL ISSUE

 Spanish colonialism had a significant sociocultural impact in the

Philippines.
This religious conversion has profound cultural ramifications in
addition to marking a dramatic change in the spiritual beliefs of the
Filipino people.
 Spanish culture and Catholicism were imposed, which resulted in a
difficult process of identity building and cultural assimilation.
 Because the Philippines is continually debating its cultural identity and
the effects of outside influences on its national culture, this subject is
still pertinent today.