The

MONASTIC SUPREMACY
IN THE PHILIPPPINES(1888)
Reported by: Alie Jra. A. Bongcawil

Readings in Philippines History

 01. Marcelo H. Del Pilar
Table of 02. La Soberana Monacal

CONTENTS
03. Annotations
04.Analysis
05. Conclusions
MARCELO HILARIO DEL PILAR Y
GATMAITÁN
Kupang, Bulacan, Aug. 30, 1850.
Father of Filipino Masonry
1869,(19)he was imprisoned after questioning the
excessive baptismal fees by a priests in San Miguel,
Manila
1850-1880, Colegio de San José and at University of
Santo Tomas
1882, editor of Diariong Tagalog -strongly criticized
Spaniards governance and treatment with the people.
1893, establishment of Filipino Masonic lodges and
approval of the Gran Consejo Regional de Filipinas
Satire against the Spanish friars: "Dasalan at Tuksuhan"
and "Kaiingat Kayo."
July 4, 1896,death , Cementerio del Oeste in
Barcelona(Marcelo H Del Pilar, n.d.) .
 ADVENT OF FRAILOCRACY
1565, Legazpi expedition
reached the Philippines
1577, Franciscans (1577)
1581, Jesuits (1581)
1587, Dominicans (1587)
1606, Recollects (1606)
1895, Benedictines
Propagate Christianity
among the natives, (Azi,
2013)..
ROLES OF MONASTIC ORDERS
IN THE PHILIPPPINES
The unification of State and Church in the Philippines through the
Pope's grant of patronato real to the King of Spain empowered the
colonial government to appoint and fund religious officials and
institutions. This consolidation of power led to the rise of "friar lands,"
granting missionaries economic and political influence as landowners
and merchants. They even held high government positions, further
consolidating their dominance, as seen in Manuel Rojo's tenure as
governor-general. The scarcity of secular priests exacerbated this,
leading to the appointment of regulars, paving the way for monastic
supremacy in the Philippines (Azi, 2013).
Primary Source:
Del Pilar, M.H. and Alzona, E. (1958). [La
soberaniamonacalen Filipinas.] Monastic
supremacy in the Philippines.
Translated from the Spanish by Encarnacion
Alzona. Quezon City: Philippines History
Association.
AspectsMONASTIC ORDERS
ItsPOLITICAL ASPECT
The friars control the status quo of the country in
defiance of the nation and the institutions.
The parochial mission serves both political organ and
popular patronage
Curates had a control over the electoral processes.
Curate’s (parish priest’s) signature is a requisite in the
approval of all administrative documents
Teaching of Spanish language was limited due to
fear of Hispanization
Deportation without trials
Rejection of the defense of the culprit, dogmatizing
the regular curate
 In accordance with this idea, law 5, title 3, book I, of the Laws of the Indies and, article 93
of the Ordinance of Good Government of 26 February 1768, the Educational Decree of
20 December 1863, and numerous other orders prescribe practical measures for the
diffusion of the official language declare those who obstruct it enemies of the mother
country, and order repeatedly the use of textbooks in Spanish and in general prohibit those
in Philippine languages.
The Superior Decree of 12 September 1883 bearing on this matter provides the following:
Article 4–Textbooks shall be written in the official language, allowing the use of those in
the native dialects only in cases where they are absolutely necessary for teaching of pupils
who do not understand it and until they learn it.

Is the law a filibustero?...

ItsECONOMIC ASPECT
01 Resources
The government had scant
resources and refrains creating
new sources of revenue
Government building were
made of light materials,
churches were grand.
Monastic treasuries were
overflowing
02 RELIGOUS DUES
Religious Amortization(leasing
of lands)
Excessive religious dues
Tax for Religious activities
were a requirement.
ItsECONOMIC ASPECT
03 Sales of Religious
Articles
Religious articles are sold at
high price.
04 Cedula Tax
Collection of taxes was based
on parish census
Disparities were paid by
barangay chiefs
Tax Reform of 1884 by royal
decree of 6 March 1884
ItsRELIGOUS ASPECT
The monastic order prioritized their
own interests over ecclesial
discipline
Constant rejection of the bishop’s The boasted influence of the friar no

authority. longer exist, instead fear and detests

Misuse of “The Order of Trent”, in are the ones fostered by the long-

order to enforce their jurisdiction. suffering and loyal Filipinos.

Reverence out of Fear

 01 Context
ANALYSIS
The continuous impunity towards the offenses of the
friars by Spain, coupled with the growing rebellion
and emergence of numerous Masonic groups in the
Philippines, prompted Marcelo H. del Pilar to craft his
analysis, "La Soberania Monacal." Recognizing that
the people were no longer willing to tolerate years of
mistreatment, del Pilar sought to provide a
foundation for those with greater expertise to enact
reforms for the country, taking into account its
current circumstances. In doing so, his analysis
served as a rallying point for collective action and
reform, signaling a turning point in the fight against
oppression and injustice
02 Content
Marcelo H. del Pilar's excerpt sheds light on the
abuses of monastic orders in the Philippines. His
personal experiences, like being imprisoned over
baptismal dues, reflect broader issues within
society. In the excerpt, he poses numerous
questions, but never gives a conclusion, which gives
readers the chance to give their own interpretation.
Alhough his writing was based on analysis, it could
also be biased due to the fact that he had a
priviledged upringing.
The excerpt teaches us that Filipinos have always
been long-suffering, and due to this the need for
reforms only come when circumstances have
been elevated to extreme levels. We have been, for
CONCLUSION
several centuries, exploited, and till this day we are
still being exploited.
Corruption will never be eliminated therefore, the only
thing we can do is to never tolerate or neglect
offenses made to us, be it corruption, explotation
of power, or prioritizing personal interests, even in
small occasion. For these small increments are
what causes the never-ending cycle of
exploitation within the system, leading to a
greater problem
SOURCE LINKS:
Azi. (2013, December 19). The Philippines under the frailocracy. Scribbling Blues.
https://scribblingblues.wordpress.com/2011/02/01/the-philippines-under-the-frailocracy/

Galende, Fr. P. (2023, September 25). Augustinians in the Philippines (1565-1898). augustiniansphilippines.net.
https://augustiniansphilippines.net/osa_resources/augustinians-in-the-philippines-1565-1898/

Marcelo H Del Pilar. (n.d.). Philippine Center for Masonic Studies. https://www.philippinemasonry.org/marcelo-h-del-pilar.html

Studocu. (n.d.). La Soberenia Monacal en Filipinas - Monastic Supremacy in the Philippines Marcelo H. Del Pilar’s La - Studocu.
https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/ateneo-de-davao-university/philippine-history/la-soberenia-monacal-en-
filipinas/8599985

Wikipedia contributors. (2024, February 26). Marcelo H. del Pilar. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcelo_H._del_Pilar

CONTENTDm. (n.d.). https://ustdigitallibrary.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/section5/id/98859

 End 01
By Alie Jra. A. Bongcawil