Controversies and

Conflicting Views in
Philippine History
FINALS Week 1-2

@quintojeizellemariet
 Key Concepts:

Interpretation
● Historians utilize facts collected from primary sources and then draw their
own reading so that their intended audience may understand the historical
event (Making sense of the past)

● It varies according to who reads the primary source, when it was read, and
how it was read.

● We must be well-equipped to recognize different types of interpretation,

why these may differ from each other, and how to critically sift these
interpretations through historical evaluation
 Key Concepts:
With several possibilities of interpreting the past, another
important concept that we must note is…

Multiperpectivity
● A way of looking at historical events, personalities, developments,
cultures, and societies from different perspectives

● Historical writing is, by definition, biased, partial, and contains

preconceptions.

● We must understand that historical interpretations contain discrepancies,

contradictions, ambiguities, and are often the focus of dissent.
SITE OF THE FIRST
MASS
Limasawa or Butuan?
 Outline
I. The Butuan Tradition
II. The Evidence forA Venetian
Limasawa scholar and explorer
1. Evidence of Albo’s Log-book

2. Evidence from Pigafetta

a. Pigafetta’s Testimony Regarding the Route

b. Seven Days at Mazaua

III. Summary of the Evidence of Albo and Pigafetta

IV. Confirmatory Evidence of Legazpi Expedition
 Site of the First Mass

● It marks the birthplace of Christianity in

the Philippines.

● Numerous debates have been made on this controversy and it was even
elevated and fought over to the Congress.

● The National Historical Institute (NHI) declared Limasawa to be the site

of the first catholic mass, however, pro-Masao group has not stopped
from asserting its claim until today.
I. Butuan
Tradition
 I. The Butuan Tradition

● Butuan is located in the province of

Agusan del Norte in Northern
Mindanao

● The date given for the first Mass is April 8, 1521, which
is said to be a clumsy and anachronistic attempt to
translate the original date in terms of the Gregorian
calendar.
 I. The Butuan Tradition
Father Francisco Colin S.J. (1592-1660)
● His book, Labor evangelica was first published in Madrid in 1663

● He had obviously read some authentic accounts of Magellan’s voyage because his
narration is accurate up to the landing in Homonhon . (He spells it Humunu, as does
Pigafetta.)

● His account becomes vague as he abruptly brings Magellan to Butuan without

explaining how he got there. Then he brings him to Limasawa (which he misspells
Dimasaua), and from there the account becomes again accurate and detailed.

● According to him, the first mass, the solemn planting of the cross and the formal
taking possession of the Islands in the name of the Crown of Castile took place at
Butuan on Easter Sunday of 1521.
 I. The Butuan Tradition

Father Francisco Combes S.J. (1592-1660)

● Like Colin, he lived and worked as a missionary in the Philippines and
his book, Historia de Mindanao y Jolo was printed in Madrid in 1667

● He gave a somewhat different version of the route taken by Magellan.

● According to his account, the planting of the cross and the formal
claiming of the Archipelago on behalf of the Castilian Crown took place
at Butuan.

● The first mass isn’t mentioned in his account.

II. Evidence for
Limasawa
1. Evidence of Albo’s
Logbook

Francisco Albo
● a pilot (contramaestre) in Magellan's flagship
"Trinidad“ and one of the eighteen survivors
who returned with Sebastian Elcano on the
"Victoria" after having circumnavigated the
world

● He began keeping his own diary -- merely only

a log-book - on the voyage out, while they were
sailing southward in the Atlantic along the
coast of South America, off Brazil.
 1. Evidence of Albo’s
Logbook Use the map (see next slide) to
visualize the route taken
during the voyage.

Albo’s account of entry in Philippine waters

Mar. 16, 1521 (Thur.)  1. Sailing from Islas Ladrones (now known as Marianas Islands), they saw land
(later named Yunagan) towards NW but they did not approach it.

2. They anchored in a small island named Suluan (9 ° N latitude).

3. They sailed westward to an uninhabited island of "Gada" where they took in a

supply of food and water. (Gada seems to be the "Acquada" or Homonhon from
Pigafetta’s testimony)

4. They sailed westwards towards a large island named Seilani which was
inhabited and was known to have gold. (Pigafetta calls Seilani as “Ceylon”
referring to island of Leyte.)
 1

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7 6
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8 5

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1. Evidence of Albo’s
Logbook
Albo’s account of entry in Philippine waters
5. They sailed southwards along the coast of that large island of Seilani, then turned
SW to a small island called Mazava (Limasawa), where they planted a cross upon
a mountain-top.

6. From Mazava they sailed northwards again towards Seilani and followed its coast
in a northwesterly direction. They saw three islets where they dropped anchor for
the night.

7. In the morning, they sailed SW and entered a channel between two islands, Matan
(Mactan) and Subu (Cebu).

8. They anchored at the town (la villa) of Subu where they stayed many days and
obtained provisions and entered into a peace-pact with the local king.
1. Evidence of Albo’s
Logbook
Note:
● Albo does not mention the first Mass, but only the planting of the
cross upon a mountain-top from which could be seen three islands to
the west and southwest.

● This also fits the southern end of Limasawa. It does not fit the coast of
Butuan from which no islands could be seen to the south or the
southwest, but only towards the north.
2. Evidence from Pigafetta

Antonio Pigafetta
● He wrote the most complete account of the Magellan
expedition, The First Voyage Around the World.

● Like Albo, he was a member of the expedition and

was therefore an eyewitness of the principal events
which he describes, including the first Mass in the
Philippines.
 2. Evidence from Pigafetta
a. Pigaffeta’s Testimony Regarding the
Route
Mar. 16, 1521 (Sat.) 1. Magellan's expedition sighted a "high land" named “Zamal” (Samar).

Mar. 17, 1521 (Sun.) 2. They landed in the island of Humunu (Homonhon).

3. Magellan named the entire archipelago as "Islands of Saint Lazarus“. (It was
the Sunday in the Lenten season when the Gospel assigned for the Mass and the liturgical
Office was the 11th chapter of St. John, which tells the raising of Lazarus from the dead)

4. They exchanged gifts with the natives, then asked them for food supplies. The
Mar. 18, 1521 (Mon.) natives promised to bring rice and supplies in 4 days.

5. Magellan renamed Homonhon as "Watering Place of Good Omen" (Acquada la

di bouni sr gnialli) because of the springs of water they found and some
indications of gold in the island.
 Pozon
Ticobon Poro Albarien Zamal
Zubu
Baibai

Canighan Humunu

Ceilon
Catighan Hiunanghan
Bohol
Mazaua Hibuson
 2. Evidence from Pigafetta
a. Pigaffeta’s Testimony Regarding the
Route
Mar. 22, 1521 (Fri.) 6. The natives returned with the food supplies.

7. Magellan’s expedition spent 8 days in Homonhon.

Mar. 25, 1521 (Mon.) 8. “Our Lady’s Day”. Magellan and his men left Homonhon. Pigafetta accidentally
fell into the water but was rescued.

9. The route they took was between 4 islands: Cenalo (Pigafetta’s Ceylon/ Albo’s
Seilani/Leyte), Hiunanghan (Hinunangan), Ibusson (Hibuson), and Albarien.

They anchored off an island where the previous night they had
Mar. 28, 1521 (Thur.) 10.
They remained seven days in Mazaua. (what they did during the 7 days will be
11. discussed separately)
 2. Evidence from Pigafetta
a. Pigaffeta’s Testimony Regarding the
Route
Apr. 4, 1521 (Thur.) 12. They left Mazaua, bound for Cebu, guided by the King of Mazaua. They past 5
islands; namely, Ceylon, Bohol, Canighan, Baibai, and Catighan. (Ceylon and
Baibai are actually the same part of Leyte and not separate islands.)

13. At Gatighan, they sailed westward to the three islands of the Camotes Group;
namely, Poro, Pasihan and Ponson. (Pigafetta calls them "Polo, Ticobon, and Pozon.“

From the Camotes Islands they sailed [southwestward] towards "Zubu“.

14.
They entered the harbor of "Zubu“ (Cebu).
Apr. 7, 1521 (Thur.) 15.
2. Evidence from Pigafetta
a. Pigaffeta’s Testimony Regarding the
Route

● The route of the Magellan expedition as described by Pigafetta

coincides substantially and in most details with the route as described
in Albo's log.

●  In that route, the southermost point reached before getting to Cebu
was Mazaua, situated at nine and two-thirds degrees North latitude.
2. Evidence from Pigafetta
b. Seven Days in Mazaua

What did Magellan and his expedition do during their 7

days of stay in Mazaua?

Was it possible (as some writers have suggested) that the

expedition left Mazaua, went south to Butuan, offered
Mass there, and then returned to Mazaua before
proceeding to Cebu?
 2. Evidence from Pigafetta
b. Seven Days in Mazaua
Mar. 28, 1521 (Thur.) 1. Holy Thursday. Magellan threw some trinkets as presents to some natives in a
small boat (boloto). The natives left, then two large boats (balanghai) came with
the native king in one of it. An exchange of gifts was effected.

2. Good Friday. Magellan sent his slave interpreter ashore to ask the king if he
Mar. 29 1521 (Fri.) could provide the expedition with food supplies. The king went up to Magellan’s
ship and the two men embraced. The king returned ashore with two of
Magellan’s men as guests for the night. One of the two was Pigafetta.

3. Pigafetta and his companion had spent the previous evening feasting and
drinking with the native king and his son. The following morning, they returned
Mar. 30, 1521 (Sat.) to the ships.
 2. Evidence from Pigafetta
b. Seven Days in Mazaua
Mar. 31, 1521 (Sun.) 4. Easter Sunday. In the morning, Magellan landed with some fifty men and
Mass was celebrated, then in the afternoon, they planted a cross on the summit
of the highest hill. The King of Mazaua and the King of Butuan attended the
mass.

5. Magellan asked the two kings which ports he should go to in order to obtain
more abundant supplies of food. They told him that Zubu was the port with
the most trade. He asked for someone to guide him thither. The kings replied
that the pilots would be available. But later that evening, the king of Mazaua
changed his mind and said that he would himself conduct Magellan to Zubu
but Magellan must send him men to help with the harvest.
 2. Evidence from Pigafetta
b. Seven Days in Mazaua
Apr. 1, 1521 (Mon.) 6. Magellan sent men ashore to help with the harvest, but no work was done
that day because the two kings were sleeping off their drinking bout of the
night before.
Apr. 2-3, 1521 (Tue-Wed)
7. Work on the harvest during the "next two days“
Apr. 4, 1521 (Thur.)
8. They leave Mazaua, bound for Cebu.

"We remained there seven days," says Pigafetta. Every day is accounted
for. The Mass on Easter Sunday was celebrated on that island of Mazaua,
and not in Butuan or elsewhere.
3. Summary of the Evidence of Albo and
Pigafetta

According to Albo and Pigafetta, the itinerary of Magellan’s

expedition shows that they did not go to Butuan or any other
point on the Mindanao coast. The survivors of the expedition
went to Mindanao later, but after Magellan’s death.