“ONE PAST BUT MANY HISTORIES”:

Controversies and conflicting views

in Philippine history
MR. SONNY B. MADDARA, MST
 Learning objectives
• Demonstrate the ability to formulate
arguments in favor or against a particular
issue using primary sources.
• Develop Critical and analytical skills as they
are exposed to primary sources.
• Display the ability to work in a multi-
disciplinary team and can contribute to a
group endeavor.
Site of the first mass in the Philippines

• Antonio Pigafetta
- around 1491 when he was born at Vicenza, Republic of
Venice or was know now as Italy and died at the aged of 39-40
around 1531.
-an Italian astronomy; geography and cartography
-an Italian scholar and explorer from the Republic of Venice
-He travelled with Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan
and his crew on their First Voyage around the world
He was one of the 18 men who returned to Spain in 1522
Site of the first mass in the Philippines

• The first Catholic Mass in the

Philippines was held on March 31,
1521 (Eastern Sunday)
• Father Pedro de Valderrama
 CONTROVERSIES
Between
Limasawa and Masao/Butuan
 masao
• 1872: A monument to commemorate
the site of first mass on the Philippines
was erected in Butuan.
• 1953: The people in Butuan asked the
Philippine Historical Committee to
rehabilitate the monument or place a
maker on the site.
masao
• On the basis of this objection the monument
was re erected but the marble slab stating
was the site of first mass was removed.
• Zaide identified Masao in Butuan as the
location of the first mass. The basisi Zaide’s
claim is the diary of Antonio Pigafetta,
Chronicle of Magellan’s voyage
limasawa
• Francisco Albo (pilot of Magellan’s flagship
does not mention the first mass but he writed
that they erected a cross on a mountain
which overlooked three isalnds the west and
the southwest.
• James Robertson agreed with Pastells in a
footnote that “ Mazua was actually
Limasawa.
• Inlimasawa
the authentic account of pigafetta, the port
was not in Butuan but an island names
Mazua (Masawa)
• Father Bernard studied all the Pigafetta’s
maps, which place in Mazau off the southern
tip of the larger island of Leyte., a check with
the modern maps will show that this jibes
with Limasawa and not Masao or Butuan.
Evidence for limasawa
1. The evidence of Albo’s Log-Book
2. The evidence of Pigafetta
a) Pigafetta’s testimony regarding the route;
b) The evidence of Pigafetta’s map
c) The two native kings
d) The seven days at “Mazaua”
e) An argument from omission
3. Summary pf the evidence of Albo and Pigafetta.
4. Confirmatory evidence from the Ligazpi expedition.
Evidence for masao
1. The name of the place
2. The route from Homonhon
3. The latitude position
4. The geographical features
a) the bonfire
b) the balanghai
c)house
d) abundance of gold
e) a developed settlement