PACTO DE SANGRE: WHY WERE WE CONQUERED?

Course Intended 1. Explain why Spain succeeds in colonizing Philippines.

Learning Outcomes 2. Determine the attributes of the Filipinos that contributed to the success of Spain in
colonizing the Philippines.
Essential Questions 1. What is the significance of Pacto De Sangre?

2. Why did the Spaniards partake in the blood compact of the Filipino?

Overview This chapter highlights the significance of the blood compact (Pacto de Sangre)in the
country’s colonial history and the development of Filipino nationalism.

Learning Targets At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

a. analyze the significance of Pacto de Sangre to Filipino nationalism; and

b. discuss the possible reasons why the Philippines was colonized by Spain.

c. create a reaction paper based on the video related to this chapter.

The Pacto de Sangre (Blood Compact), despite its crucial significance in Filipino conceptions of history, is seldom
interrogated in Philippine historiography. The event that happened in Bohol in 1565, involving Sikatuna and Legazpi, was
narrativized in the late nineteenth century and became integral to the nationalist emplotment of the past. However, the
two-principal owing to divergent political projects. This article revisits the making of a founding myth of Filipino
nationhood in light of scholarship on ancient blood oaths and the historical account of the encounter of Sikatuna and
Legazpi.

Activation of Prior
Knowledge
 The Spanish in our blood partly conjures the title of this book: Pacto de Sangre. Blood
compact, or sandugo in Filipino, the act of friendship made by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi,
as representative of the Kings of Spain, and by Sikatuna, a chieftain of Bohol, transcends
the original and possibly very political motives of both parties. Pacto de Sangre is
symbolic of the cultural transfusion which transpired after Sikatuna drank the wine mixed
with Legazpi's blood. The transfusion, perhaps, is largely one-sided. In the real politik of
colonialism, it is almost impossible to think of even a hint of Filipino blood in Spain.

Presentation and
development of PACTO DE SANGRE: WHY WERE WE CONQUERED?
Concepts
Pacto de Sangre: The Pacto de Sangre is a custom among the ancient Filipinos of sealing a
Why Were We treaty of alliance and friendship by mixing the blood taken from an
Conquered? incision in the arms of the two leaders entering into alliance in an
alcoholic drink that both leaders drank. Blood compact was an ancient
ritual in the Philippines intended to seal a friendship or treaty, or to
validate an agreement. (Xiao Chua, De La Salle University Historian and
Lecturer) It is the mixing of the alcoholic drink and blood taken from an
incision in the arms of the two leaders entering into alliance. (Fr. John
Schumacher)

Spain succeeds in colonizing Philippines because there is no unity, no

proper government, and the presence of divided tribes. Spanish tool
advantage of the already divided people in the Philippines and easily
 dominated by them.

The Pacto de • Was based on the custom among the ancient Filipinos of sealing a
Sangre treaty of alliance and friendship by mixing the blood taken from an
incision in the arms of the two leaders entering into alliance in an
alcoholic drink that both leaders drank.

• Blood Oath is the forging of an alliance in the context of preventing the

bloodshed or ending warfare.

The Sikatuna- • At Limasawa, Legazpi was well received by Bankaw, the King of the
Legazpi Blood island. At Bohol, he made a blood compact with two Filipino Kings of the
Compact island – Sikatunaand Sigala.

• Miguel López de Legazpi y Gurruchátegui (1502 – August 20, 1572)

made friends with the Boholanos by performing a blood compact with a
chief in Bohol named Si Katuna or Katunao. They performed the rite
aboard a Spanish vessel on March 25, 1565.

• Schumacher (1973, 134n; 1997, 150n) the blood oath of “Legazpi and
Sicatuna was a token of friendship and allegiance between a
conquistador and a chief or the local datu.” The agreement was used by
Spain as their basis that they have rights over the islands of the
Philippines.

• The blood compact or sandugo means that "since the same blood
now flowed in their veins, they had become members of the same family,
bound to observe loyalty to one another (Arcila, pp. 36-37, 2001)." In
other words, Sikatuna and Legazpi became blood brothers by virtue of
the rite.

• On 15 April 1565, Legazpi took possession of the island of Bohol in the

name of the King of Spain. He then proceeded to Cebu, which he
bombarded and conquered.

• After burning about a hundred natives' houses, Tupas, a Cebuano

chief, made peace with the invaders. The peace pact was documented
in Spanish, hence, Tupas "could not have understood everything in it
(Corpuz, p. 58, 1989)." The Spaniards established through the peace pact
that Tupas and the whole of Cebu and its people have submitted to
Spanish rule (Ibid.).
• With Panay as his home base, Legazpi decided to spread Spanish rule
to other islands in the archipelago. He sent small expeditions to the other
islands of the Visayas.

• Masbate, Burias, and Ticao were claimed to be in the name of the King
of Spain.

The hostility of the Visayans toward the Legazpi expedition was

understandable in view of their bad experience with the Portuguese. Two
years before Legazpi came; a group of Portuguese maltreated and
tricked them. Being white and bearded, Legazpi and his men were
easily thought of as Portuguese. Because of this hostile attitude, Legazpi
and his men could not get food to eat and supplies. Legazpi learned
about the reason for the hostile behaviour and used an interpreter to
inform the Boholanos that he and his men were not Portuguese and that
they did not come to plunder but for peace.

That the Boholanos welcomed the Spaniards despite their bad

experience with white and bearded foreigners is also understandable
since Legazpi met Pagbuaya or Lagubayan. Pagbuaya was the brother
 of Dailisan, the great datu of Bohol who was killed by the Portuguese.

Motive of Legazpi •First, he was authorized by the King of Spain to enter the Philippine
in agreeing to Islands and to use force when necessary (of course with the concurrence
perform the of his chiefs who are part of his council).
sandugo:

• Second, his men were hungry so they needed the natives to provide
them with food, even if they have to rightfully pay for it.

• Third, he did not have the cultural background to understand the

natives' sandugo rite, hence, probably did not understand the deep and
wide implications of such rite.

• Fourth, he took possession of the island in the name of the King of Spain
inspite of the sandugo.

• Fifth, he made Bohol part of the encomienda system of the country.

Why the • The natives lacked unity and centralized form of government. Although
Philippines was barangays already functioned as units of governance, each one existed
easily independently of the other, and the powers that each Datu enjoyed
Conquered? were confined only to his own barangay.

• No higher institution united the barangay, and the Spaniards took

advantage of this situation.

• They used the barangays that were friendly to them in order to subdue
the barangays that were not.

• The Spaniards have superior fire power and knowledge in combat/war.

Application the
generalized Learning Task
concepts
Reflective Essay: Be brief and concise. Use the given space to discuss your answer.
Question: Why we were conquered by the Spaniards?

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Mechanics and criteria:

• Use minimum of 5 sentences to maximum of 10 sentences. you may write
your answers on the Drawing Book or A4 bond paper.
 • Avoid repeating your answers. The quality of the content of your
answer is measured in this assessment. Organize your ideas first.
• Discussion will be scored accordingly:
* Coherence (Unity and logical arrangement of ideas) – 3 points
* Correct grammar usage – 3 points
* Relevance to the topic – 4 points
10 points

Assessment

Video Analysis. For 40 points, create a maximum of 3 paragraph reaction paper about
the video that you watched based on the links provided below. This output
will be graded according to the rubric provided below the link. Please be guided
accordingly.

Video Links:
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0G-sv-uFJI
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDphKXx--Q4

Criteria 9-10 pts. 5-8 pts. 1-4 pts. Score

Content & - Content is comprehensive,
Development accurate, and persuasive.
- Major points are stated clearly
and are well supported.
- Responses are excellent,
timely and address assignment
- Content is accurate and
persuasive.
- Major points are stated.
- Responses are adequate and
address assignment.
- Content is not comprehensive
and /or persuasive.
- Major points are addressed,
but not well supported.
- Responses are inadequate or
do not address assignment.
 including course concepts.
Organization -Structure of the paper is clear
& Structure and easy to follow.
- Paragraph transitions are
logical and maintain the flow of
thought throughout the paper.
Format - Paper follows all designated
guidelines.
-Format enhances readability of
paper.
Grammar, - Have minor grammatical,
Punctuation & punctuation and spelling errors
Spelling in the paper.
- Structure is mostly clear
and easy to follow.
- Paragraph transitions are
present.
- Paper follows designated
guidelines.
-Format is good.
- Paper contains few
grammatical, punctuation and
spelling errors.
TOTAL:
- Structure of the paper is not
easy to follow.
- Paragraph transitions need
improvement.
- Paper follows most
guidelines.
- There is lacking on your
paper.
- Paper contains numerous
grammatical, punctuation, and
spelling errors.
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