Readings in Philippine History

Readings in Philippine History

Module 1

May Ann R. Pastrana

Aklan State University
School of Arts and Sciences
Banga, Aklan
2020-2021

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electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

Table of Contents

Preface
Module 1
Unit 1 Meaning and Relevance of History
Understanding History 4
Sources of History 8
 Katipunan and the Revolution: Memoirs of a General 16
by Santiago Alvarez
 Tabon Caves by Robert Fox 20
 Prehispanic Source Materials for the Study of 23
History by William Henry Scoot

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electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

Preface

The K to 12 Program is a much-needed reform in the basic education system in the country.
With this, there is also a need for higher education institutions to respond in reforming course
offerings and programs. The Commission on Higher Education then approved the New General
Education Program that includes Readings in Philippine History among others.
In this subject, Philippine History is viewed from the lens of selected primary sources in
different periods, analysis, and interpretations. Students are given opportunities to analyze the
author’s background and main arguments, compare different points of view, identify biases, and
examine the evidences presented in the document (CHED, Course Description). Using various
techniques, the students are expected to study and analyze the sources (like a detective) and come up
with an understanding of a historical truth. They are participating in the writing of history and not just
merely studying and memorizing it.
The course also includes mandatory topics on the Philippine Constitution, Agrarian Reform,
and Taxation.
The material provides strategies or approaches on how to use primary sources in studying
Philippine History hoping that students will have the best opportunity to learn and study the past
while understanding the present and planning the future.

May Ann R. Pastrana

No part of this module may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical,
electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

Unit 1
Meaning and Relevance
of History
This module emphasizes the relevance of studying Philippine History in the 21 st Century. It
introduces history as a discipline and as a narrative. It presents definition of the history, which
transcends the common definition of history as the study of the past. Moreover, it focuses on
analyzing Philippine History from multiple perspectives based on selected primary sources from
various disciplines and genres.

Objectives
After completion of the lesson, the students should be able to:
 understand the meaning of history as an academic discipline and to be familiar with
the underlying philosophy and methodology of the discipline;
 appreciate the importance of history in the social and national life of the Philippines;
and
 analyze the context, content, and perspective of different kinds of primary sources.

1 Understanding History
History Defined
A. Traditional Definition
1. History is the record of the past.
2. History is a record of the human past from written records began to appear.
 The above definitions are weak because they view history as based merely on written
records.
 According to Gottschalk, history is actuality; hence it must study the past as it
happened. This demands that the historian abandon the present. The practical value of
studying and using the past to understand the present is lost. History is studied,
written, and taught for its own sake.
 Interviews or oral history and oral traditions, and cultural artifacts are not considered
in this definition.
 This notion of “no written record, no history” has confined history to the literate and
articulate and has resulted in the production of historiographies from upper-class male
perspectives.
B. Modern Definition
1. History is the reconstruction of the past based on written records, oral history, cultural
artifacts and folk traditions.
2. It is the imaginative reconstruction of the past, the study of events concerning people in the
past.
3. Aside from recording, a historian should do two other important tasks:
 To interpret facts in an orderly and intelligible manner, and
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students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

 To discover patterns and trends which govern the behavior of people and of nations,
and to make generalizations of these.
4. Therefore, history is the interpretative and imaginative study of the surviving records of the
past, either written or unwritten, in order to determine the meaning and scope of human
existence.

Uses or Importance of History

1. Bridging the gap between the present and the past.
2. Explaining causes of things and events.
3. Projecting the future.
4. Interpreting conditions of a given space and time.
5. Promoting nationalism and patriotism.

Issues dealt by Historians

1. Social memory (based on consensus)
2. Understanding causation (it is important to understand the difference between what is
necessary and what is sufficient)
3. How to present history to us

Why Study History

1. To ourselves
 Vital places to live and work
 Critical skills
2. To our communities
 Vital places to live and work
 Economic development
3. To our future
 Engaged citizens
 Leadership
 Legacy

History Differentiated
1. History vs. Past
 Past involves everything that ever happened since the dawn of time.
 History is a process of interpreting evidence or records from the past in a thoughtful
and informed way.
2. History vs. Prehistory
 The main difference between prehistory and history is the existence of records.
 History is the record of significant events that happened in the past.
 Prehistory is the period of human activity prior to the invention of writing systems.
3. History vs. The Other Disciplines
 No discipline is an island.
4. History, historicity, and Historiography
 History is a narrative account used to examine and analyze past events.
 Historicity is the authentication of characters in history, as opposed to legend or
myth.
 Historiography is the writing of history, and the understanding of how the
interpretations of historians change over time.
5. History vs. Herstory
 The word history is etymologically unrelated to the possessive pronoun his.
 Feminist argued that it has been men (“his,” “story”) who usually have been the ones
to record the written past.

No part of this module may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical,
electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

 Herstory is history written from a feminist perspective, emphasizing the role of

women, or told from a woman’s point of view.

Reasons for Interpreting Philippine History from a Filipino Point of View

A. Foreign interpretation is biased and prejudicial.
B. The Filipinos have greater familiarity with and understanding of their own culture and history
C. The Filipino point of view can help promote nationalism and patriotism.

History as a Tool in Understanding National Identity

A. It can help in tracing the roots of the Filipino people.
B. It serves as a tool in identifying commonalities in their culture and experiences.
C. It points out the need for nationalism and patriotism in nation-building.

Brief Discussion
Answer the following questions briefly.
1. Analyze and criticize this definition of history – “a study of the written records of the past.”
How would you improve this definition?
2. Explain why knowledge of history is important
3. Explain why there is a need to interpret Philippine history from a Filipino point of view. How
would this approach help in understanding one’s national identity?
4. What role does history take in the study of Philippine society, culture, and identity?

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electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

Name __________________________________________________ Score ____________________

Course/Year/Section ______________________________________ Date ____________________

Activity 1 Understanding History

Form groups of five members. Pause for a few minutes and think about or reflect on your
past. Has your past influenced you in one way or another? How does your past shape your identity
and behavior? Discuss and collaborate your answers with your groupmates and submit your answers
in a short bond paper.

No part of this module may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical,
electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

References

Agoncillo, T. A. History of the Filipino People. 8th Edition. Quezon City: C & E Publishing, Inc. 2012

Funtecha, Henry and Melanie Padilla. A Study Guide in Philippine History for Teachers and Students.
Iloilo City: Mindset Publishing, Inc. 2000.

Solmerano, Ernesto Thaddeus, Marjueve M. Palacia, Reynaldo D. Galicia. Readings in Philippine

History. Manila. Fastbooks Educational Supply, Inc. 2018.

No part of this module may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical,
electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

2 Sources of History
Four Basic Categories of Historical Source Materials
1. Documents – are written or printed materials that have been produced in one form or another
sometime in the past.
2. Numerical records – include any type of numerical data in printed or handwritten form.
3. Oral statements – include any form of statement made orally by someone.
4. Relics – are any objects whose physical or visual characteristics can provide some
information about the past. (Fraenkel and Wallen, n.d.)

Distinction of Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Sources

Historians encounter a large variety of sources during the course of their studies. Sources can
be labeled primary, secondary, or tertiary, depending on their distance from the information they
share.

Primary Sources
Primary sources give firsthand, original, and unfiltered information. Examples are eyewitness
accounts, personal journals, interviews, surveys, experiments, historical documents, and artifacts.
These sources have a close, direct connection to their subjects.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Primary Sources

 Directly address your topic and often provide information that is unavailable elsewhere.
 Some primary sources such as eyewitness accounts, may be too close to the subject, lacking a
critical distance.
 Interviews, surveys, and experiments are time consuming to prepare, administer, and analyze.

Secondary Sources
Secondary sources are one step removed from the topic. You must remember that secondary
information is filtered through someone else’s perspective and may be biased.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Secondary Sources

 Provide a variety of expert perspectives and insights.
 Peer review usually ensures the quality of sources such as scholarly articles.
 More efficient than planning, conducting, and analyzing certain primary sources.
 Secondary sources are not necessarily focused on your specific topic, you may have to dig to
find applicable information.
 Information may be colored by the writer’s own bias or faulty approach.

Tertiary Sources
Tertiary sources provide third-hand information by reporting ideas and details
from secondary sources. They include the potential for an additional layer of bias.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Tertiary Sources

 Offer a quick, easy introduction to your topic.
 They may point to high-quality primary and secondary sources.
 Because of their distance, tertiary sources may oversimplify or otherwise distort a topic.
 By rehashing secondary sources, they may miss new insights into a topic.

Types of Primary Sources

1. Autobiographies and Memoirs
2. Diaries, Personal Letters, and Correspondence

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electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

3. Interviews, Surveys, and Fieldwork

4. Photographs and Posters
5. Works of Art and Literature
6. Speeches and Oral Histories

Types of Secondary Sources

1. Bibliographies
2. Biographical Works
3. Periodicals (newspapers, magazine and Journal)
4. Literature Reviews and Review Articles (Film Review and Book Review)

Types of Tertiary Sources

1. General references such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, almanacs, and atlases.
2. Crowd sources like Wikipedia, YouTube, message boards, and social media sites like Twitter
and Facebook
3. Search sites

Repositories of Primary Sources

1. Library
2. Archive
3. Museum
4. Historical society
5. Special collections

Document Collection
Document collection is used in Historical Research and in other research designs in
combination with other ways of data collection.
1. Produced by Organizations
 Formal records (personnel, sales records, shareholder reports, minutes of the meeting)
 Informal communications (notes, memos, email)
 Public records (electoral registers, registers of births, marriages, and deaths)
2. Produced by Individuals
 Personal papers (diaries, logs, letters, phone texts, emails)
 Documents from everyday lives (shopping lists, bus and train tickets)
3. Publications
 Academic literature
 Popular literature
 Guides, manuals
4. Secondary Data
 Research data and field notes from previous studies
 Publicly funded surveys
 Internal organizational research
5. Multimedia
 Photos, videos, comic strips, signposts, models
 Sound and music
 Electronic sources (screenshots, websites, online communities’ archives

6. Researcher Generated Documents

 Field notes
 Photographs
 Diagrams
 Storyboards
 Use case scenarios
No part of this module may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical,
electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

Criteria for Evaluating Sources (Meriam Library at California State University,

Chico: http://www.csuchico.edu/lins/handouts/eval_websites.pdf)

Books
 Look at the publication date. Is the information current enough for your purposes?
 Look at where the book was published.  If published at a University Press or U.S.
Government Printing Office, that could be an indicator of scholarly content
Articles
 Is biographical information for the author provided?
 Who is the publisher?
 How frequently is the periodical published?
 How many and what kinds of advertisements are present? For example, is the advertising
clearly geared toward readers in a specific discipline or occupation?
Web Pages
 What is the domain of the web page? (e.g., com, .net, .gov)
 Who is publishing or sponsoring the page?
 Strip back the URL to discover the source of the page.
 Is contact information for the author/publisher provided?
 How recently was the page updated?
 Be particularly wary of bias when viewing web pages. Anyone can create a web page about
any topic. You must verify the validity of the information.

CRAAP Test (Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose)

Currency: the timeliness of the information
 If relevant, when was the information gathered?
 When was it posted?
 When was it last revised?
 Are links functional and up-to-date?
 Is there evidence of newly added information or links?
Relevance: the uniqueness of the content and its importance for your needs.
 What is the depth and breadth of the information presented?
 Is the information unique?
 Is it available elsewhere, in print or electronic format?
 Could you find the same or better information in another source?
 Who is the intended audience? Is this easily determined?
 Does the site provide the information you need? Your overall assessment is important. Would
you be comfortable using this source for a research paper?
Authority: the source of the information
 Who is the author/creator/sponsor?
 Are author's credentials listed?
 Is the author a teacher or student of the topic? Does the author have a reputation?
 Is there contact information, such as an e-mail address? Has the author published works in
traditional formats?
 Is the author affiliated with an organization? Does this organization appear to support or
sponsor the page?
Accuracy: the reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the information
 Where does the information come from?
 Are the original sources of information listed?
 Can you verify any of the information in independent sources or from your own knowledge?
 Has the information been reviewed or refereed?
 Does the language or tone seem biased?
 Are there spelling, grammar, or other typos?
Purpose: the presence of bias or prejudice
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electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

 Are possible biases clearly stated?

 Is advertising content vs. informational content easily distinguishable?
 Are editorials clearly labeled?
 Is the purpose of the page stated?
 Is the purpose to: inform? teach? entertain? enlighten? sell? persuade?

External and Internal Criticism

Historical data has to be examined for its authenticity and truthfulness. This examination is
done through criticism; by asking and researching to determine truthfulness, bias, omissions and
consistency in data. (“Historical Research Methods,” n.d.)

External Criticism
External Criticism refers to the genuineness of the documents a researcher uses in a historical
study. (Fraenkel and Wallace, n.d.)

Questions to establish the genuineness of a document or relic (Key, 1997)

1. Does the language and writing style conform to the period in question and is typical of other
work done by the author?
2. Is there evidence that the author exhibits ignorance of things or events that man of his training
and time should have known?
3. Did he report about things, events, or places that could not have been known during that
period?
4. Has the original manuscript been altered either intentionally or unintentionally by copying?
5. Is the document an original draft or a copy? If it is a copy, was it reproduced in the exact
words of the original?
6. If manuscript is undated or the author unknown, are there any clues internally as to its origin?

Gilbert J. Garraghan (1946) provides the following questions:

1. When was the source, written or unwritten, produced (date)?
2. Where was it produced (localization)?
3. By whom was it produced (authorship)?
4. From what pre-existing material was it produced (analysis)?
5. In what original form was it produced (integrity)?

Internal Criticism
Internal criticism refers to the accuracy of the contents of a document. Whereas external
criticism has to do with the authenticity of a document, internal criticism has to do with what the
document says. (Fraenkel and Wallace, n.d.)

Questions to check the content of a source of information (Key, 1997)

1. What was meant by the author by each word and statement?
2. How much credibility can the author’s statement be given?
3. What is the evidential value of its contents (credibility)? (Gilbert J. Garraghan, 1946)

General Principles for Determining Reliability (Olden-Jorgensen, 1998 and Thuren, 1997)
1. Human sources may be relics such as a fingerprint; or narrative such as statement or a letter.
Relics are more credible sources than narratives.
2. Any given source may be forged or corrupted. Strong indications of the originality of the
source increase its reliability.
3. The closer a source is to the event which it purports to describe, the more one can trust it to
give an accurate historical description of what actually happened.
4. An eyewitness is more reliable than testimony at second hand, which is more reliable than
hearsay at further remove, and so on.

No part of this module may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical,
electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

5. If a number of independent sources contain the same message, the credibility of the message
is strongly increased.
6. The tendency of a source is its motivation for providing some kind of bias. Tendencies should
be minimized or supplemented with opposite motivations.
7. If it can be demonstrated that the witness or source has no direct interest in creating bias then
the credibility of the message is increased.

Contradictory Sources
The seven-step procedure for source criticism in history by Bernheim (1889) and Langlois
and Seignobos (1898) might be helpful:
1. If the sources all agree about an event, historians can consider the event proved.
2. However, majority does not rule; even if most sources relate events in one way, that version
will not prevail unless it passes the test of critical textual analysis.
3. The source whose account can be confirmed by reference to outside authorities in some of its
parts can be trusted in its entirety if it is impossible similarly to confirm the entire text.
4. When two sources disagree on a particular point, the historian will prefer the source with
most “authority” – that is the source created by the expert or by the eyewitness.
5. Eyewitnesses are, in general, to be preferred especially in circumstances where the ordinary
observer could have accurately reported what transpired and, more especially, when they deal
with facts known by most contemporaries.
6. If two independently created sources agree on a matter, the reliability of each is measurably
enhanced.
7. When two sources disagree and there is no other means of evaluation, then historians take the
source which seems to accord best with common sense.

Eyewitness Evidence (R.J. Shafer, 1974)

1. Is the real meaning of the statement different from its literal meaning? Are words used in
senses not employed today? Is the statement meant to be ironic (i.e., mean other than it says)?
2. How well could the author observe the thing he reports? Were his senses equal to the
observation? Was his physical location suitable to sight, hearing, touch? Did he have the
proper social ability to observe: did he understand the language, have other expertise required
(e.g., law, military); was he not being intimidated by his wife or the secret police?
3. How did the author report, and what was his ability to do so?
 Regarding his ability to report, was he biased? Did he have proper time for reporting?
Proper place for reporting? Adequate recording instruments?
 When did he report in relation to his observation? Soon? Much later? Fifty years is
much later as most eyewitnesses are dead and those who remain may have forgotten
relevant material.
 What was the author’s intention in reporting? For whom did he report? Would that
audience be likely to require or suggest distortion to the author?
 Are there additional clues to intended veracity? Was he indifferent on the subject
reported, thus probably not intending distortion? Did he make statements damaging to
himself, thus probably not seeking to distort? Did he give incidental or casual
information, almost certainly not intended to mislead?
4. Do his statements seem inherently improbable: e.g., contrary to human nature, or in conflict
with what we know?
5. Remember that some types of information are easier to observe and report on than others.
6. Are there inner contradictions in the document?

Indirect Witnesses
 Gilbert J. Garraghan (1946) says that most information comes from ‘indirect witnesses”
people who were not present on the scene but heard of the events from someone else.
 Louis Gottschalk (1950) says that a historian may sometimes use hearsay evidence when no
primary text are available. He writes, “In cases where he uses secondary witnesses, he asks:
No part of this module may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical,
electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

 On whose primary testimony does the secondary witness base his statements?
 Did the secondary witness accurately report the primary testimony as a whole?
 If not, in what details did he accurately report the primary testimony?

Oral Tradition
Gilbert Garraghan (1946) maintains that oral tradition may be accepted if it satisfies either
two “broad conditions” or six “particular conditions” as follows:
1. Broad conditions stated.
 The tradition should be supported by an unbroken series of witnesses, reaching from
the immediate and first reporter of the fact to the living mediate witness from whom
we take it up, or to the one who was the first to commit it to writing.
 There should be several parallel and independent series of witnesses testifying to the
fact in question.
2. Particular conditions formulated.
 The tradition must report a public event of importance, such as would necessarily be
known directly to a great number of persons.
 The tradition must have been generally believed, at least for a definite period of time.
 During that definite period, it must have gone without protest, even from persons
interested in denying it.
 The tradition must be one of relatively limited duration. Garraghan suggests a
maximum limit of 150 years, at least in cultures that excel in oral remembrance.
 The critical spirit must have been sufficiently developed while the tradition lasted,
and the necessary means of critical investigation must have been at hand.
 Critical-minded persons who would surely have challenged the tradition – had they
considered it false – must have made no such challenge.

No part of this module may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical,
electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

Brief Discussion
Answer the following questions briefly.
1. What is the main distinction between primary source and secondary source?
2. Why is primary source important in the study of history?
3. What is the purpose of a secondary source?
4. At present, how do you discriminate between contradicting reports of a single event from
different sources?
5. Why should official records of the government be made accessible to the public?

No part of this module may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical,
electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

Name __________________________________________________ Score ____________________

Course/Year/Section _______________________________________ Date
____________________

Activity 2 Sources of History

I. Instruction: Based on the definitions, enumerate examples of primary sources. Write your answers
on the web diagram below.

____

Primary
____ Source ____

____

II. Instruction: Work with your group. Look for the sources used by Philippines and China in their
respective claims of sovereignty over the Scarborough Shoal and identify which are primary sources.
Also look for the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration and explain the reason for its decision.
Present your findings in class.

No part of this module may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical,
electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

Katipunan and the Revolution: Memoirs of a General

by Santiago Alvarez

Translated by Carolina Malay

About the Author

Santiago V. Alvarez (July 25, 1872 – October 30, 1930), the only child of revolutionary
general Mariano Alvarez and Nicolasa Virta, was born in Imus but was raised in Noveleta, Cavite. He
was known as Kidlat ng Apoy (Lightning of Fire) because of his inflamed bravery and participation in
the Battle of Dalahican.
Santiago was among the first in Cavite to take up arms against Spain. All through the
Revolution, he fought side by side with his father. In the 36-hour battle in Dalahican, one of the
bloodiest encounters during the Revolution, he scored a decisive victory and repulsed the Spanish
troops.
When the American civil government was established in the Philippines in 1901, Santiago
assisted in the organization of the Nacionalista Party, where he later became president of its
directorate.
During the 1920s, his memoirs were published in Sampaguita, a Tagalog weekly, in 36
installments (from July 24, 1927 to April 15, 1928). These were reproduced in book form and
translated in English by Paula Carolina S. Malay.
Malay graduated from the University of the Philippines. She taught economics at various
universities during the 1950s and 1960s. She turned to translation and writing during the martial law
period.
---------------------------------

The events I have related in this account of the Katipunan and the Revolution reverberate with
shouts of “Long live our patriots!” and “Death to the enemy!” These were in answer to the enemy’s
assaults with mausers and cannons, the latter fired from both land and sea.
The Magdiwang government honored me with an appointment as captain general, or head of
its army. Gen. Artemio Ricarte was lieutenant general.
I will now attempt to write what I saw and what I know about the Katipunan and the
Revolution. First, I shall narrate the events relating to the Revolution beginning from 14 March 1896;
then I shall deal with the organization and activities of the Most Venerable Supreme Society of the
Sons of the People (Kamahalmahalan at Kataastaasang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan). The
Katipunan account is based on records which were entrusted to me by the original founder of the
Katipunan. In the interest of honorable truth, I shall now attempt to write a history of the Katipunan
and the Revolution which I hope will be acceptable to all. However, I realize that it is inevitable that,
in the narration of actual happenings, I shall run the risk of hurting the feeling of contemporaries and
comrades-in-arms. I would like to make it clear that I shall try to be as possible and that it is far from
my intention to depreciate anyone’s patriotism and greatness.
I shall be honored if these memoirs become a worthy addiction to what Gen. Artemio Ricarte
as already published in this weekly.
On 14 March 1896, a Saturday, I accompanied Emilio F. Aguinaldo and Raymundo Mata to
Manila for their initiation into the Katipunan secret society. Messrs. Aguinaldo and Mata were
prominent townsmen of Kawit in Cavite, my home province. Reaching Manila at about five in the
afternoon, we waited for the appointment time at the quarters of Jacinto Lumbreras, a Katipunan
member. He was the caretaker of the central telephone exchange on San Jacinto Street in Binondo.
At about seven o’clock in the evening, a Katipunan director arrived to take us to the
Katipunan headquarters. Before leaving Lumbreras’ place, my two companions were blindfolded.
Then we got into a calesa (horse cart) and reached the home of Andres Bonifacio, the Katipunan
Supremo, after about an hour’s ride. It was a moonlight night and since the street was well-lit, we
could see the house clearly. It was of moderate size, the floor not too much raised from the ground; it
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 Readings in Philippine History

had wooden walls and a roof thatched with nipa (palm leaves). The house was located on Cervantes
Street (now Rizal Avenue) in the San Ygnacio area of Bambang. It was surrounded by many guards,
some of them police who were Katipunan members. Directing operations was Gregoria de Jesus, the
wife of the Supremo Bonifacio.
We were led into a room in the inner part of the house. On a table covered with the black
cloth were the skull and crossbones from a human skeleton. Lying beside the skull and crossbones
were the following paraphernalia: a new long-bladed weapon, an old revolver, a small knife with a
sharp edge, a new pen, a copy of the Katipunan “primer” and a sheet of paper on which were written
blooded-colored characters. On both sides of the table were Katipuneros blindfolded with the black
cloth. On the wall behind the skull was a rectangular banner were three K’s arranged as in a tripod; all
were in white paint. Meanwhile, a woman look out was heard to say, “Cool!” which was the code
word for “all clear”. Shortly afterward, the guides led the blindfolded into the house. The woman
lookout told the guard, “They’re all here. Nobody else is coming. Alert your comrades about tighter
security.”
Or execution, they pledge to destroy oppression by signing their names in their own blood.
When the ritual was over, the happy crowd of Katipunan members warmly embraced the neophytes
amid shouts “Brother! Brother!”
Still blindfolded, the neophytes were then escorted down the house cordially sent off with a
repetition of fraternal embraces. I then took over escorting Aguinaldo and Mata. When we had walked
some distance from the Supremo’s house, I took off their blindfolds. We proceeded to comrade
Jacinto Lumbreras’ quarters at the telephone exchange, where we retired for the night. Incidentally,
Lumbreras’ wife delivered a baby that night, and we were witnesses to that event.
Emilio Aguinaldo asked me to accompany him to see the Supremo Bonifacio again to learn
more about the Katipunan. We made the trip to Manila on a Monday, 6 April 1896.
In those days, we Cavite folk traveled to and from Manila aboard Spanish vessels called
“Ynchausti boats.” They bore names like “Isabel”, “Dominga”, and others. These vessels were
purchased by Mr. Luis Yango; their operations are now managed by his son, Teodor.
We left the pier at Cavite at seven in the morning, and an hour later we were in Manila.
Aguinaldo went to the port office to attend to some business while I waited outside. When he comes
out after about ten minutes, he was agitated. His face was flushed and his steps were longer than
usual. I asked him what was the matter. He was upset over the superciliousness of one Ramon Padilla,
with whom he had exchange some sharp words. He said that Padilla, who was a functionary in the
port office, tried to impress people with superior airs but only succeeded in showing how rude and
uncouth he really was.
We talked while walking, and soon we reached Lavezares Street in Binondo where Dr. Pio
Valenzuela was living in a rented house. Dr. Valenzuela was then the provisional chairman of the
Katipunan. In the house we met the Supremo, Andres Bonifacio, his wife Gregoria de Jesus; Jose
Dizon; and Dr. Valenzuela himself. We were welcomed cordially with fraternal embraces. They said
they already knew Mr. Aguinaldo, but they did not recognize him since he had been blindfolded
during their first encounter.
After we were seated, we happily exchanged news and talked about the progress of the
Katipunan. Once in a while, brother Aguinaldo hesitated, which promoted the observant Bonifacio to
ask solicitously if anything was bothering him. I volunteered the information that he had had some
unpleasant experience with an official at the port office and that was what probably was on his mind. I
had scarcely finished what I was saying when the Supremo’s face flushed and his voice shook as he
said, “It is necessity to defend the honor of our brother here.”
Immediately, he sent Dr. Pio Valenzuela and Jose Dizon to the house of Ramon Padilla for
redress to the dishonor he has showed to brother Aguinaldo. In default of an apology, the two
emissaries were to be seconds in duel. The Katipunan continued to spread. It was Good Friday in the
month of April 1896. At nine o’clock in the morning, the Supremo Andres Bonifacio, accompanied
by Dr. Pio Valenzuela, Emilio Jacinto, and Pantaleon Torres, arrived in the town of Noveleta, Cavite
province to establish a provincial council of the Katipunan.
The council came to be known as the Magdiwang. The following were its officers: Mariano
Alvarez, president; Pascual Alvarez, secretary; Dionisio Alvarez, treasurer; Valentin Salud,
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 Readings in Philippine History

prosecutor; Benito Alix, sergeant-at-arms; Nicolas Ricafrente, Adriano Guinto, Emeterio Malia, and
Valeriano Aquino, directors.
While both councils approved their respective regulation uniforms, with a common set of
rank insignias, very few were able to comply because of unsettling events coming one after the other.
On Saturday, 28 September 1896, Captain General Apoy and General Vibora prepared to go
to the field to inspect the fortifications to the west along the Cavite-Batangas border, which were
under the command of Brig. Gen. Eleuterio Marasigan and Col. Luciano San Miguel. But before the
two generals could leave, the commander of the troops defending Dalahikan, Major Aklan, came to
the war ministry to report that they had sighted the enemy fortifying the narrowest neck of Dalahikan.
The enemy activity, which had started in the night, included the massing of Spanish troops.

****

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electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

Name __________________________________________________ Score ____________________

Course/Year/Section _______________________________________ Date
____________________

Activity 3 Katipunan and the Revolution: Memoirs

of a General
Instruction: Answer the following questions briefly.
1. According to Alvarez’s memoirs, what was the purpose of Aguinaldo’s second visit to the
Supremo?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

2. How did the Supremo treat Aguinaldo on the latter’s visit?

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

3. What was the significance of this narrative account?

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

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electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

The Tabon Caves

by Robert B. Fox

The following readings discuss the findings on the remains of what was then considered the earliest
known human remains in the Philippines – Tabon Man in the Tabon Caves, Palawan.

 Robert B. Fox. The Tabon Caves: Archaeological Explorations and Excavations on Palawan
Island, Philippines (Manila, 1970) p. 40.

Tabon Man – During the initial excavations of Tabon Cave, June and July, 1962, the scattered
fossil bones of at least three individuals were excavated, including a large fragment of a frontal bone
with the brows and portions of the nasal bones. These fossil bones were recovered towards the rear of
the cave along the left wall. Unfortunately, the area in which the human fossil bones were discovered
had been disturbed by Megapode birds. It was not possible in 1962 to establish the association of
these bones with a specific flake assemblage. Although they were provisionally related to either Flake
Assemblage II or III, subsequent excavations in the same area now strongly suggest that the fossil
human bones were associated with Flake Assemblage III for only the flakes of this assemblage have
been found to date in this area of the cave. The available data would suggest that Tabon Man may be
dated from 22,000 to 24,000 years ago. But, only further excavations in the cave and chemical
analysis of human and animal bones from disturbed and undisturbed levels in the cave will define the
exact age of the human fossils.
The fossil bones are those of Homo sapiens. These will form a separate study by a specialist
which will be included in the final site report for Tabon Cave. It is important, however, because of a
recent publication (Scott, 1969), that a preliminary study of the fossil bones of Tabon Man shows that
it is above average in skull dimensions when compared to the modern Filipino. There is no evidence
that Tabon Man was “… a less brainy individual…” [Scott (1969) 36]. Moreover, Scott’s study
includes many misstatements about the Tabon Caves, always the problem when writers work from
“conversations.”

 William Henry Scott. Prehistoric Source Materials for the Study of Philippine History
(Revised Edition) (Quezon City, 1984), pp. 14-15.

Tabon Man – The earliest human skull remains known in the Philippines are the fossilized
fragments of a skull and jawbone of three individuals who are collectively called “Tabon Man” after
the place where they were found on the west coast of Palawan. Tabon Cave appears to be a kind of
little Stone Age factory: both finished tools and waste cores and flakes have been found at four
different levels in the main chamber. Charcoal left from cooking fires has been recovered from three
of these assemblages and dated by C-14 to roughly 7,000 B.C., 20,000 B.C., and 28,000 B.C. with an
earlier level lying so far below these that it must represent Upper Pleistocene dates like 45 or 50
thousand years ago… Physical anthropologists who have examined the Tabon skullcap, agreed that it
belonged to modern man – that is, Homo sapiens as distinguished from those mid-Pleistocene species
nowadays called Homo erectus. Two experts have given the further opinion that the mandible is
“Australian” in physical type, and that the skullcap measurements are mostly nearly like those of
Ainus and Tasmanians. What this basically means is that Tabon Man was “pre-Mongoloid,”
Mongoloid being the term anthropologists apply to the racial stock which entered Southeast Asia
during the Holocene and absorbed earlier peoples to produce the modern Malay, Indonesian, Filipino,
and Pacific people’s popularity – and unscientifically – called, “the brown race.” Tabon Man
presumably belonged to one of those earlier peoples, but, if decently clothed in flesh, T-shirt, and blue
jeans, might pass unnoticed in Quiapo today, whatever his facial features are concerned, nothing can
be said about the color of his skin or hair, or the shape of his nose or eyes – except one thing: Tabon
Man was not a Negrito.

No part of this module may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical,
electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

Name __________________________________________________ Score ____________________

Course/Year/Section _______________________________________ Date
____________________

Activity 4 The Tabon Caves

Instruction: Do a comparative analysis. Support your answers by using external and internal
criticism and CRAAP Test on the following questions:

1. What exactly did Dr. Robert Fox discover in the Tabon Caves?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

2. How historically significant are the discoveries of Dr. Fox?

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

3. Recall how your previous History teacher discussed these findings and comment if there were
new information you gained from this actual report of Dr. Fox?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

4. Which is the primary source and the secondary source between the two readings?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

5. Do a credibility analysis of the sources. Who between the two authors is more credible to talk
about the topic?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

No part of this module may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical,
electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

The Prehispanic Source Materials for the Study of Philippine History

by William Henry Scott

There are some narratives that have been previously accepted in Philippine history as facts
but later were found out to be historical errors. It is to the credit of many historians who investigate
and take position of what they have discovered out in their careful research. These unhistorical
accounts include the Maragtas story, the Code of Kalantiaw, and the Legend of Princess Urduja.
Maragtas is the story about the ten Malay datu from Borneo who settled into the Philippine
islands. According to the Maragtas, at around 1250 A.D., ten Bornean datu and their families left their
kingdom in search of new homes across the sea to escape the merciless rule of Sultan Makatunaw.
Led by Datu Puti, the Borneans landed in the island of Panay and bought the lowlands from the Ati
king named Marikudo in exchange for one gold saduk (native hat) and a long gold necklace for Queen
Maniwangtiwang. After the land sale and pact of friendship, the Atis went to the hills. The Malay
datus settled in the lowlands.
Datus Puti, Balensusa, and Dumangsil sailed northward to Luzon and landed in the region
around Lake Bonbon (Taal). There they built their settlements. Dumangsil and Balensusa’s families
occupied other neighboring regions now known as Laguna and the Bicol Peninsula. Datu Puti left for
Borneo after he knew that his men were leading peaceful lives.
The other seven datu stayed in Panay. They divided the island into three districts. Hantik
(now Antique) was under Datu Sumakwel. Datu Paiburong ruled Irong-Irong (now Iloilo). Datu
Bangkaya governed Aklan (now Aklan and Capiz).
Led by Datu Sumakwel, a political confederation of barangays (Madya-as) was formed for
purposes of protection and close family relations. The story was told by Fr. Francisco Santaren,
further describes the expansion of the Malay settlers to other parts of the archipelago. The legal code
written by Datu Sumakwel also known as the Maragtas Code was previously known as the “oldest
known written body of laws” in the Philippines.
William Henry Scott made the study of prehistoric source materials for the study of
Philippine history, the subject of his doctoral dissertation at the University of Santo Tomas. He
defended his paper before well-known historians on June 16, 1968. The panelists include Teodoro
Agoncillo, Gregorio Zaide, Mercedes Grau Santamaria, Nicolas Zafra, and Father Horacio de la
Costa, SJ.
The research of Scott showed that Maragtas is not a prehispanic document but a book written
by Pedro Monteclaro, a local historian of Panay. Monteclaro’s publisher in 1907, noted that this
Maragtas should not be considered as facts, all of which are accurated and true. The publisher pointed
out that many of the author’s data do not tally with what we hear from old men. The author wrote that
two of his manuscripts were rotten and hardly legible. None of these written materials was preserved
for future generations. He made no explanation about the date as well as the origin of his sources.
Neither were there claims to clarity. There is no tradition of recording history nor legal decision in
Panay during the precolonial times. Thus, the Maragtas could neither support the presence of any pre-
Spanish Confederation of Madiaas (also spelled Madyaas) nor uphold the existence of a Sumakwel
Code.
Previously regarded as the second oldest legal code in the Philippines was the ode of
Kalantiaw. This code was said to be a set of ancient laws promulgated in 1433 by Datu Bendara
Kalantiaw (Spanish Spelling, Calantiao) of Aklan, the third Muslim ruler of Panay.
The code itself was contained in one of the chapters of the Las antiguas leyendas de la isla de
Negros (Ancient Legends of Negros Island) written by Fr. Jose Maria Pavon, a Spanish secular priest
who became a parish priest of Himamaylan, Negros Occidental in 1838 – 1839. Jose E. Marco of
Negros Occidental discovered the alleged Pavon manuscripts and presented it to Dr. James Robertson,
Director of the Philippine Library and Museum in 1914. According to Marco’s confession, he
obtained the two manuscript volumes from someone who had stolen the from the Himamaylan
convento during the Revolution.
Director Robertson had the Pavon manuscripts published in its English translation in 1917.
The Philippine Studies Program of the University of Chicago reprinted the translation in 1957.

No part of this module may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical,
electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

Eventually, Filipino historians and textbook writers acknowledged the authenticity of the Pavon
manuscripts without any doubt.
In the unprecedented doctoral study of Scott, he concluded that the Pavon manuscripts were
not genuine and that the Code of Kalantiaw was a hoax. He presented his serious objections to this
fake “historical” code. They were as follows:
1. There is no evidence that Fr. Pavon, the alleged author of the manuscript, was ever in the
Philippines in 1838, or parish priest of the town in 1839, the dates of the manuscript. The
discoverer of the alleged manuscript, Jose E. Marco, was also involved in the sale of other
fake historical documents. There is no historical evidence for the existence of Datu
Kalantiaw, or code of his name other than the documents presented by Jose E. Marco.
2. The contents of the manuscript are dubious value. For example, the author prays for the
preservation of the King of Spain in 1838 and dedicates a book to him in 1839, but Spain
had no king between 1833 and 1874.
3. The author also states that the month of November was called a bad month for it brought
air laden with putrified microbes of evil fevers. It was only in the 1850s that Louis
Pasteur discovered the theory of infectious germs. The word “microbe” itself was
invented by Dr. Charles Emmanuel Sedillot. He proposed the term for the first time in a
lecture before the Academy of Sciences in 1878.
4. The Kalantiaw Code contains many strange edicts that contradict the character of the
Filipinos. For example, the code prescribed death penalty for the crime of trespassing on
the datu’s house, but imposed only a year’s slavery for stealing his wife.

Eventually, Scott’s doctoral dissertation was published by the UST Press (Unitas, Vol, 41,
1968). The following year, it was reissued with the title, Prehistoric Source Materials for the Study of
Philippine History (UST Press, 1969). The same book was published in the second revised edition by
New Day Publishers (Quezon City) in 1984. In the last chapter of the book, Looking for the
Prehistoric Filipino issued in 1922 by the New Day Publishers, Scott’s conclusions have not been
challenged by any historian to date.

No part of this module may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical,
electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

Name __________________________________________________ Score ____________________

Course/Year/Section _______________________________________ Date
____________________

Activity 5 The Prehispanic Source Materials for the

Study of Philippine History
Instruction: Answer the following questions briefly.
1. Whenever the word “Maragtas” is mentioned, what does it remind of?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

2. According to Pedro Monteclaro, what exactly is contained in “Maragtas”?

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

3. How did the publication of “Maragtas” influence other historians and writers?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

4. What are the contributions of Jose E. Marco to Philippine historiography?

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

5. Recall how your previous History teacher discussed these findings and comment if there were
new information you gained from this actual report of Scott?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

No part of this module may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical,
electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

References

Criteria for Evaluating Sources. Meriam Library at California State University. Retrieved from
http://csuchico.edu/lins/handouts/eval-websites.pdf.

Fraenkel, J.R., and Wallen, N.E. (n.d.). Main Points. Retrieved from
http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0072981369/student_view0/chapter22/main_points.html

Fox, R. (1970). The Tabon Caves. Manila: National Museum. Historical Data Papers. Philippine
National Library, Microfilm Collection

Garraghan, G.J. (1946). A Guide to Historical Method, Fordham University Press: New York.

Gottschalk, L. (1950). Understanding History: A Primer of Historical, Alfred A. Knopf: New York

Key, J. (1997) Historical. Retrieved from

https://www.okstate.edu/ag/agedcm4h/academic/aged5980a/5980/newpage19.htm

McCullagh, B.C. (1984). Justifying Historical Descriptions, Cambridge University Press: New York

R.J. Shafer. A Guide to Historical Method, The Dorsey Press: Illinois (1974)

No part of this module may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical,
electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana
 Readings in Philippine History

May Ann R. Pastrana

Associate Professor I

Teaches General Education subjects like Readings in Philippine History, The Contemporary World,
and Rizal. A faculty of Aklan State University - School of Arts and Sciences. Currently pursuing PhD
in Social Science at West Visayas State University. A graduate of BSEd major in Social Science at
West Visayas State University. Finished Master of Arts in Education major in Social Science at Aklan
State University

No part of this module may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical,
electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author/s. This module is distributed for the
students of Aklan State University intended for academic purposes only. May Ann R. Pastrana