The Customs of the Tagalog was written by Juan de Plasencia.

It is about the way of

everyday living of the ancient Filipinos, their system of government, their social
statuses, and their customs, traditions, and beliefs. It shows that the early Filipinos were
already civilized with rich cultures and traditions before the Spanish Colonizers' arrival.

The Customs of the Tagalog is important because it is part of the Philippine society. It
taught us the way Filipinos lived before the Spaniards arrived. Through this we can see
that the ancient Filipinos have their own beliefs, customs and traditions before the
arrival of the Spaniards. The information provided in the text gave vivid imagery which
allowed for further analysis of the practices of the ancient Tagalogs and comparison
with other accounts of succeeding periods and significant events in Philippine history. It
can be inferred that many of this beliefs and practices are still present today. Example
of this are the Barangay. The barangay still serves as the smallest unit of government in
our country today, which is also lead by a barangay captains equivalent to Datos in the
past.

Through Plasencia’s work, it made the Filipinos realized how unique our culture before
the colonization. It help us students to have a better understanding about the history. It
is important for us students to understand and know the things that happened in the
past for us to appreciate the future and present situation of the country.