MIDTERM ACTIVITY NO.

1
(Customs of the Tagalogs)

Readings in Philippine History

1st Semester, S/Y 2021-2022

Group: SBDS SEMINARIANS

ACTIVITY. Identify AT LEAST THREE (3) observable practices, customs and traditions in the
modern Philippine society and AT LEAST THREE (3) practices of the Tagalogs mentioned by Juan de
Plasencia on the following aspects. Write your answers using NUMBERED/BULLETED format.
ASPECTS PLASENCIA’S PRACTICES BY
CUSTOMS OF THE FILIPINOS IN MODERN
TAGALOGS SOCIETY
COMMUNITY  The people in the  On this modern
community are divided society, Filipinos
into three: maharlika, practices as a
aliping namamahay community in terms of
and aliping saguiguilir. social status are:
* The nation are now ruled
by the Democratic
Government headed by the
President.
* In the modern society,
Filipinos who are in the
upper and middle class of
the society ask or look for
the maid not a slave or
alipin.
* Even until now, Filipinos
have also a social class in
which people are grouped
into a set of hierarchical
social categories, the most
common being the upper,
 middle and lower classes.
MARRIAGE  Dowries are given by  Marriage proposal
the men to the women's
parents. If the latter are
living, they enjoy the
use of it. At their death,
provided the dowry has
not been consumed, it
is divided like the rest
of the estate, equally
among the children,
except in case the
father should care to
bestow something
additional upon the
daughter. If the wife, at
the time of her
marriage, has neither
father, mother, nor
grandparents, she
enjoys her dowry
which, in such a case,
belongs to no other
relative or child.
 In the case of a divorce
before the birth of
children, if the wife left
the husband for the
purpose of marrying  The “ Handaan” or the
another, all her dowry
and an equal additional
amount fell to the
husband; but if she left
him, and did not marry
takes the form of
the pamanhikan
or pamamanhikan or
the "parental marriage
proposal", a formal
way of asking the
parents of the woman
for her hand. The
would-be groom and
his parents go to the
would-be bride's home,
and ask the parents for
their consent. Once the
woman's parents accept
the proposal, other
matters will be
discussed during this
meeting including
among other things, the
wedding plan, the date,
the finances, and the
list of guests. The
expenses for the
wedding are generally
shouldered by the
groom and his family.
reception caps off the
ceremonies. During
the handaan, the
newlyweds are also
expected to hold their
 another, the dowry was
returned. When the
husband left his wife,
he lost the half of the
dowry, and the other
half was returned to
him. If he possessed
children at the time of
his divorce, the whole
dowry and the fine
went to the children,
and was held for them
by their grandparents
or other responsible
relatives.
 In the matter of
marriage dowries
which fathers bestow
upon their sons when  The wedding
they are about to be
married, and half of
which is given
immediately, even
when they are only
children, there is a
great deal more
complexity. There is a
fine stipulated in the
contract, that he who
violates it shall pay a
certain sum which
varies according to the
practice of the village
and the affluence of the
first dance, where
guests usually tape or
pin paper bills on
their clothes as cash
gifts. A pair of doves
will also be released
to symbolize the
couple’s eternal love.
Other Western
traditions have since
been integrated in the
reception, including
the bouquet and garter
toss, the cutting of the
cake, as well as
ceremonial toasts
from well-wishing
guests.
preparations take place
a day before the
wedding and is
centered on the Filipino
concept of bayanihan,
which involves
performing small,
heroic acts for the good
of the community.
Many in the bride and
groom’s families and
community chip in
with preparing the
reception area, cooking
the wedding dishes,
 individual. The fine
was heaviest if, upon
the death of the
parents, the son or
daughter should be
unwilling to marry
because it had been
arranged by his or her
parents. In this case the
dowry which the
parents had received
was returned and
nothing more. But if
the parents were living,
they paid the fine,
because it was assumed
that it had been their
design to separate the
children.
RELIGION  They worship many  The Philippines is
gods and goddesses:
Bathala, supreme
being; god of
agriculture; Sidarapa,
god of death; Agni, god
of fire; Balangaw, god
of rainbow;
Mandarangan, god of
war; Lalahon, god of
harvest; and
Siginarugan, god of
hell.
 Also believe in sacred
animals and tress.
and clearing the route
for the wedding
retinue. Specific
preparations vary by
region, religion, and
ethnic group: some
prepare a special sticky
rice cake using specific
wooden spoons and
placements; some also
hold traditional
spiritual ceremonies;
while more
metropolitan weddings
simply hold something
akin to a rehearsal
dinner where attendees
get to know each other.
unique among its
neighbors in the South
East Asian region in
that the majority of
Filipinos identify as
Christian (92.5%).
More specifically,
82.9% of the
population identify as
Catholic, 2.8% identify
as Evangelical
Christian, 2.3%
identify as Iglesia ni
Kristo and 4.5%
 identify with some
other Christian
denomination. Of the
remaining population,
5.0% identify as
 Muslim, 1.8% identify
with some other
religion, 0.6% were
unspecified and 0.1%
identify with no
religion. The Catholic
Church and state were
officially separated in
the 1990s, yet
Catholicism still plays
an prominent role in
political and societal
affairs.
SUPERSTITION  The people in the past  On this modern
worship nature to show society, there`s a lot of
respect and honor. religion spread but they
 There is one God they did not worship nature,
worshipped and this is they have own God.
“Badhala” they believe  On this modern
that “Badhala” is society, each religion
maker of all things. have own God, like
 They believe in evil example in the Roman
omen and good omen. Catholic, they worship
 People in the past offer God alone, in
a sacrifice to the devil Buddhism they
and proclaimed a feast. believed that they may
 The reason for sacrifice enlighten themselves.
and adoration. It might And etc.
be a matters there  Today`s generation, we
 might be such as for did not believe in
healing, prosperous Aswang or witches
harvest and etc. because we have a lot
 They believed in the of population, they are
aswang and other already gone in
superstitious belief. population.
 They have also a rank
of the devil.
 Mangagauay- witches
deceived the people
through healing
 Manyiasalat the same
like mangagauay
 Mancocolam- His duty
is to emit fire from
Himself at night, once
of oftener each month.
 Hocloban- Another
kind of witch but
greater efficacy than
the mangagauay. And
many more.
BURIAL OR DEATH  I observe that the  A hearse takes the
Dowries are given by casket to the church in
the men to the a funeral procession.
women's parents. If  After the funeral
the latter are living, service and mass are
they enjoy the use of concluded, a hearse
it. At their death, takes the casket to the
provided the dowry cemetery for the
has not been burial.
consumed, it is  For nine days after the
divided like the rest of burial, also known as a
the estate, equally novena, mourners say
 among the children, prayers such as the
except in case the rosary.
father should care to
bestow something
additional upon the
daughter.
 the death of the wife
who in a year's time
had borne no children,
the parents one-half
the dowry to the
husband whose wife
had died.
 In the other case, upon
the death of the
husband, one-half the
dowry was returned to
the relatives of the
husband.
 the complex of beliefs
and practices used by
a culture to remember
and respect the dead.