CUSTOMS OF THE TAGALOGS
(Las costumbres de los indios Tagalos de Filipinas)
JUAN DE PLASCENCIA
I. Author’s Background
Juan de Plasencia
 Born in the 16th century to the illustrious
family of the Portocarreros in Plasencia, in the
Region of Extremadura, Spain.
 His real name is Joan de Puerto Carrero, del
convento de Villanueva de la Serena.
 He was a Spanish Friar of the Franciscan
order.
 He spent most of his missionary life in the
Philippines, where he founded numerous
towns in Luzon and authored several
religious and linguistic books, most notably,
the Catecismo de la Doctrina Cristiana, 1581 –
translated the Christian Doctrines in Tagalog,
the first book ever printed in the Philippines.
 Juan de Plasencia was born in the early 16th
century as Juan Portocarrero in Plasencia, in
the region of Extremadura, Spain. He was
one of the seven children of Pedro
Portocarrero, a captain of a Spanish schooner.
 Said to have been inspired to be a Franciscan
because of his upbringing spent during a
spiritual and religious resurgence affected by
Spain’s Siglo de Oro, a Golden Age when arts
and literature flourished in many parts of
Spain, among them his native Extremadura.
 Well reputed as the one who took the leading
role in fostering the spread of primary
education.
 Converted natives, taught catechisms, and
organized towns and barangays in the
Philippines.
 Promoted the understanding of both the
Spanish language among the natives, and the
local languages among the missionaries, to
facilitate the task of spreading Christianity.
 Initiated the Reduccion Policy – policy to
reduce or resettle natives in central locations.
 Some of his works aimed to put an end to
some injustices being committed against the
natives by certain government officials.
Arrival in the Philippines
 Came with the first batch of Franciscan
missionaries in the Philippines in 1577.
Life in the Philippines
 He is believed to have arrived to the
Philippines in 1578. As soon as he arrived, he
joined forces with another missionary, Fray
Diego de Oropesa, and they both started
preaching around Laguna de Bay and
Tayabas, Quezon, in Quezon Province,
where he founded several towns as early as
two months upon arrival in Manila.
 During the following years they are also
credited with the foundation of a large
number of towns in the provinces of Bulacan,
Laguna and Rizal, such as Tayabas, Caliraya,
Lucban, Mahjayjay, Nagcarlan, Lilio(Liliw),
Pila, Santa Cruz, Lumban, Pangil, Siniloan,
Morong, Antipolo, Taytay, and Meycauayan.
 Elected as the custos of the friars in May 23,
1584 and held it until 1588.
 Passed away in Liliw, Laguna in the year
1590.
Literary Works
 Arte de la Lengua (Art of Language)
 Vocabulario
 Coleccion de Frases Tagala (Collection of
Tagalog Phrases)
 Catecismo de la Doctrina Cristiana, 1581 –
translated the Christian Doctrines in Tagalog
 Diccionario Tagalog, 1580
 La Santina, 1585 – opus on Prayer and
Meditation
 Relacion de las Costumbres de Los Tagalos, 1589
– First Civil Code of the Philippines
 Customs of the Tagalogs by Juan de Plasencia
II. Historical Background

It was written on the year 1589 during the
Spanish Colonial Period. After receiving the
Lordship’s letter, Plasencia wished to reply
immediately; but he postponed his answer in
order that he might first thoroughly inform
himself in regard to People’s request, and to
avoid discussing the conflicting reports of the
Indians. Therefore, he collected Indians from
different districts – old men, and those of most
capacity; and from them he have obtained the
simple truth, after weeding out much
foolishness, in regard to their government,
administration of justice, inheritance, slaves,
and dowries.
Customs of the Tagalogs is a part (either
chapters or subsections) of longer monographs
written by the chroniclers of the Spanish
expeditions to the Philippines during the early
16th and 17th centuries. They appeared initially
in Blair and Robertson’s 55 volumes, The
Philippine Islands (1903) and in the Philippine
Journal of Sciences (1958).
III. Analysis of the Important Historical
Information found in the Document
 DATOS – the chief who governed the people
and were captains in their wars whom they
obey and reverence
 BARANGAY – a family of parents and
children, relations and slaves.
The Three Castes
 NOBLES
 COMMONERS
 SLAVES
Situation 1:
Those who are maharlicas on both the father’s
and mother’s side continue to be forever, and if
it happens that they should become slaves, it is
through marriage.
Situation 2:
If maharlicas had children among their slaves,
their children and their mothers became free.
Situation 3:
If maharlicas had children by the slave-
woman of another, the slave-woman was
compelled when pregnant, to give her master
half of a gold tael.
In this case, half of the child was free if the
father (maharlica) recognized him. If not, the
child will become a whole slave.
Situation 4:
If a free woman had children by a slave they
were all free, provided he were not her
husband.
Situation 5:
If two persons married, of whom one was a
maharlica and the other a slave (namamahay or sa
guiguilir) the children were divided.
Odd birth order (1st, 3rd, 5th...)
– belong to the father.
Even birth order (2nd, 4th, 6th...)
– belong to the mother.
Only child
– half free, half slave.
 Maharlicas could not, after marriage, move
from one village to another without paying a
certain fee in gold (ranging from one to three
taels and a banquet to the entire barangay) as
arranged among them.
Special Case:
When one married woman of another village,
the children were afterwards divided equally
between the two barangays.
 Investigations made and sentences passed by
the dato must take place in the presence of
those his barangay.
They had laws by which they condemned to
death a man of low birth who insulted the
daughter or wife of a chief; likewise witches,
and others of the same class.
Dowries are given by men to the women’s
parents before marriage. If the parents are both
alive, they both enjoy the use of it.
Divorce and Dowries
Death of Wife or Husband
Dowry and Arranged Marriage
Worship of the Tagalogs
 No temples
 Simbahan – Temple or Place of Adoration.
 Pandot – or a festival celebrated
 Sibi
 Sorihile
 Nagaanitos
Idols
 Bathala
 Lic-Ha
 Dian Masalanta (Patron of Lovers and of
Generation)
 Lacapati and Idianale (Patrons of Cultivated
Lands and of Husbandry)
 Tala
 Seven Little Goats (the Pleiades)
 Mapolon (change of seasons)
 Balatic (greater Bear)
 Buaya
 Tigmamanuguin – bird
 No established division of years, months,
and days
 Catolonan (officiating priest)
 Offerings and sacrifices
 Belief on bearingchild

Distinctions among the priests of the Devil

1. Catalonan
2. Manganguay (Witches)
3. Manyisalat
4. Mancocolam
5. Hocloban
6. Silagan
7. Magtatangal
8. Osuang
9. Mangagayoma
10. Sonat
11. Pangatahojan
12. Bayoguuin

 Manner of burying the dead of the tagalogs

 Manner of burying dead of the Aetas or
Negrillos
 Maca
 Casanaan
 Sitan
 Tigbalaang
 Patianac

IV. Contribution and Relevance of the

document in understanding the ground
narrative of Philippine History

 The original work itself is a product of

observations and judgments. Therefore, it is
probable that Juan de Plasencia’s work might
contain partiality in presenting his
observations and judgments.
 Pre-conquest society were not swept by the
advent of the Spanish regime.
 It has continued to serve as a basis for
historical reconstructions of Tagalog society.
V. Relevance of the document in the
modern time

 Many of the 16th century beliefs and practices

are still present today.
 If affirms that during the pre-Hispanic
period, Filipinos already have government as
well as a set of beliefs and practices.
 Some of our preceptions on Filipino beliefs
and practices are somehow on different from
Juan de Plasencia’s point of view.