10 Reasons Why Life Was

Better In Pre-Colonial
Philippines
While Filipinos nowadays are fairly knowledgeable of the
Spanish, American, and Japanese eras in the Philippines,
the same cannot be said when it comes to the country’s
pre-colonial era. Which is a shame actually, because even
before the coming of the three foreign races, our ancestors were pretty much living in a veritable
paradise.

Also Read: 15 Most Intense Archaeological Discoveries in Philippine History

Although it wasn’t perfect, that era was actually the closest thing we ever had to a Golden Age, a
sentiment shared by national hero Jose Rizal, members of the Katipunan, noted historian Teodoro
Agoncillo, and even some church historians.

Let’s look at some of the compelling reasons why we think life was really better during the pre-
Spanish Philippines.

1. We Already Had An Advanced Civilization.

SavePainting by Fernando Amorsolo
Contrary to foreign accounts, our ancestors were not just some backwards,
jungle-living savages. In reality, pre-colonial Philippines already possessed
a very advanced civilization way before the coming of the Spanish.

Our ancestors possessed a complex working society and a culture replete

with works of arts and literature. When the colonizers came, everything
contradictory to their own system had to go. Sculptures, texts, religious
ceremonies, and virtually anything else deemed
obscene, evil or a threat to their rule were
eliminated. Conclusively, we can only speculate
what would have happened had our ancestors never been colonized in the
first place. Although the Spanish era (and the American period by
extension) did have their good points, would it have really been worth it
all in the end?

2. The Literacy Rate Was High.

SaveVia emil08.livejournal.com
Using the ancient system of writing called the baybayin, the pre-colonial
Filipinos educated themselves very well, so much so that when the
Spanish finally arrived, they were shocked to find out that the Filipinos
possessed a literacy rate higher than that of Madrid!
However, the high literacy rate also proved to be a double-edged sword for the Filipinos once the
Spanish arrived. Eager to evangelize and subjugate our ancestors, the missionaries exploited
the baybayin for their own ends, learning and using it to translate their various works. Consequently,
the pre-colonial Filipinos became more easily susceptible to foreign influence.

3. Several Professions Already Existed.

SavePainting by Manuel Pañares
Aside from being farmers, hunters, weapon-makers, and seafarers,
the pre-colonial Filipinos also dabbled—and excelled—in several
other professions as well.

To name a few, many became involved in such professions as

mining, textiles, and smithing. Owing to the excellent craftsmanship
of the Filipinos, locally-produced items such as pots, jewelry, and
clothing were highly-sought in other countries. In fact, it is reported that products of Filipino origin
might have even reached as far away as ancient Egypt. Clearly, our ancestors were very skilled
artisans.

4. They Had The Know-how To Make Advanced Weapons.

SaveAlantaka (rentaka in Malay), a type of bronze cannon
mounted on merchant vessels travelling the waterways of
the Malay Archipelago. Its use was greatest in precolonial
Southeast Asia, especially in the Philippines, Malaysia,
and Indonesia. Via Wikipedia.
Our ancestors—far from being the archetypal spear-
carrying, bahag-wearing tribesmen we picture them to be—
were very proficient in the art of war. Aside from wielding
swords and spears, they also knew how to make and fire
guns and cannons. Rajah Sulayman, in particular, was said to have owned a huge 17-feet-long iron
cannon.

Aside from the offensive weapons, our ancestors also knew how to construct huge fortresses and
body armour. The Moros living in the south for instance, often wore armour that covered them head-
to-toe. And yes, they also carried guns with them.

With all these weapons at their disposal and the fact that they were good hand-to-hand combatants,
you’d think that the Spanish would have had a harder time colonizing the country. Sadly, the Spanish
cleverly exploited the regionalist tendencies of the pre-colonial Filipinos. This divide-and-conquer
strategy would be the major reason why the Spanish successfully controlled the country for more
than 300 years.
5. Our Forefathers Already Possessed A Working
Judicial And Legislative System.
SaveVia www.mts.net
Although not as advanced (or as complicated) as our own today, the
fact that our ancestors already possessed a working judicial and
legislative system just goes to show that they were well-versed in the
concept of justice.

Life in pre-colonial Philippines was governed by a set of statutes,

both unwritten and written, and contained provisions with regards to
civil and criminal laws. Usually, it was the datu and the village elders
who promulgated such laws, which were then announced and
explained to the people by a town crier called the umalohokan.
Related Article: 9 Philippine Government Agencies That Need To Reform Right Now
The datu and the elders also acted as de facto courts in case of disputes between individuals of their
village. In case of inter-barangay disputes, a local board composed of elders from different barangays
would usually act as an arbiter.
Penalties for anyone found guilty of a crime include censures, fines, imprisonment and death.
Tortures and trials by ordeal during this time were also common. Like we’ve said, the system was not
perfect, but it worked.

6. We Had Smoother Foreign Relations.

SaveVia thebulwaganfoundation.wordpress.com
We’ve all been taught that before the Spanish galleon trade, the
pre-colonial Filipinos had already established trading and
diplomatic relations with countries as far away as the Middle East.

In lieu of cash, our ancestors exchanged precious minerals,

manufactured goods, etc. with Arabs, Indians, Chinese, and several
other nationalities. During this time period, many foreigners
permanently settled here after marvelling at the beauty of the
country and its people.

Out of the foreigners, it was the Chinese who were amazed at the pre-colonial Filipinos the most,
especially when it came to their extraordinary honesty. Chinese traders often wrote about the
Filipinos’ sincerity and said they were one of their most trusted clientele since they did not steal their
goods and always paid their debts.

In fact, some Chinese—out of confidence—were known to simply leave their items on the beaches to
be picked up by the Filipinos and traded inland. When they returned, the Filipinos would give them
back their bartered items without anything missing.
7. We Were Self-Sufficient.
SavePainting by Manuel Pañares
In terms of food, our forefathers did not suffer from any lack
thereof. Blessed with such a resource-rich country, they had
enough for themselves and their families.

Forests, rivers, and seas yielded plentiful supplies of meat, fish,

and other foodstuffs. Later on, their diet became more varied
especially when they learned to till the land using farming
techniques that were quite advanced for their time. The Banaue
Rice Terraces is one such proof of our ancestors’ ingenuity.

READ: 7 Prehistoric Animals You Didn’t Know Once Roamed The Philippines
What’s more, they already had an advanced concept of agrarian equity. Men and women equally
worked in the fields, and anyone could till public lands free of charge. Also, since they had a little-to-
no concept of exploitation for profit, our ancestors generally took care of the environment well.

Such was the abundance of foodstuffs that Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, the most-successful Spanish
colonizer of the islands, was said to have reported the “abundance of rice, fowls, and wine, as well as
great numbers of buffaloes, deer, wild boar and goats” when he first arrived in Luzon.

8. The People Enjoyed A Higher Standard Of

Government.
SaveVia www.elaput.org
The relationship of the ruler to his subjects was
very simple back then: In return for his
protection, the people pay tribute and serve him
both in times of war and peace.

Going by the evidence, we could say that our

ancestors already practiced an early version of
the Social Contract, a theory by prominent
thinkers such as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke,
and Jean-Jacques Rousseau which espoused the
view that rulers owe their right to rule on the
basis of the people’s consent.
Conversely, if the ruler became corrupt or
incompetent, then the people had a right to remove him. And that’s exactly the kind of government
our ancestors had. Although the datus technically came from the upper classes, he could be removed
from his position by the lower classes if they found him wanting of his duties. Also, anyone
(including women) could become the datu based on their merits such as bravery, wisdom, and
leadership ability.

9. Society Was More Tolerant Back Then.

SavePainting by Botong Francisco
While it could be said that our modern society is one of the most
tolerant in the world, we owe our open-mindedness not to the
Americans and certainly not to the Spanish, but to the pre-
colonial Filipinos.

Also Read: Lakapati, the Hermaphrodite God of Philippine

Mythology
Aside from allowing divorce, women back then also had a say in
how many children they wanted. Sexuality was not as
suppressed, and no premium was given to virginity before
marriage. Although polygamy was practiced, men were expected
to do so only if they could support and love each of his wives
equally. Homosexuals were also largely tolerated, seeing as how some of the babaylans were
actually men in drag.
Surprisingly, with the amount of sexual freedom, no prostitution existed during the pre-colonial days.
In fact, some literature suggests that the American period—which heavily emphasized capitalism and
profiteering—introduced prostitution into the country on a massive scale.

10. Women Enjoyed Equal Status With Men.

SavePainting by Fernando Amorsolo
During pre-colonial times, women shared equal
footing with men in society. They were allowed to
divorce, own and inherit property, and even lead their
respective barangays or territories.

In matters of family, the women were for all intents

and purposes the working heads, possessing the power
of the purse and the sole right to name their children.
They could dictate the terms of their marriage and
even retain their maiden names if they chose to do so.

During this time, people also traced their heritage to both their father and mother. In fact, it could be
said that pre-colonial Philippines was largely matriarchal, with the opinions of women holding great
weight in matters of politics and religion (they also headed the rituals as the babaylans).
Also Read: 12 Surprising Facts You Didn’t Know About Pre-Colonial Philippines
As a show of respect, men were even required to walk behind their wives. This largely progressive
society that elevated women to such a high pedestal took a serious blow when the Spanish came.
Eager to impose their patriarchal system, the Spanish relegated women to the homes, demonized
the babaylans as satanic, and ingrained into our forefathers’ heads that women should be like Maria
Clara—demure, self-effacing, and powerless.