Customs of the Tagalog’s by Juan de Plasencia

I. INTRODUCTION:
•Early 17thCentury Spanish Dictionaries of Philippine languages
•Missionary Reports
•Primary Sources in their original languages–Not Secondary Sources or Translation
•16thCentury Sources–Voluminous Data on Visayan Culture than on the rest of the
Philippines combined

FRAY JUAN DE PLASENCIA, OFM

•Real Name: Joan de Portocarrero
•First batch of missionaries to the Philippines in 1578
•Assigned area: Southern Tagalog
•Helped in the foundation and organization of numerous towns in Quezon, Laguna,
Rizal and Bulacan.
•Relacion de las Costumbres de LosTagalogs (Customs of the Tagalogs,1589)
The Spaniards will quote Plasencia’s work forever as their prime authoritative
source to show just how primitive we were and how great their contribution was to
civilize and Christianize us.
Juan de Plasencia was simply reporting to the king of Spain what he learned
and observed of the Tagalogs. To make of him a scholar of great importance is like
taking the opinion of a biology student as good medical advice instead of consulting a
physician. Plasencia was hardly an anthropologist (anthropology as a science started in
the 1920’s). He was simply a Franciscan friar.
You cannot study Philippine pre-Hispanic times in a vacuum; we were part of
the greater Malay society. Our warriors fought with or against warriors from Java,
Sumatra, Borneo and Malacca. Their history is our history, their culture is our culture
and their heritage is our heritage. We were warring with them, marrying with them and
trading with them for centuries before the Spaniards came.
Reading his ‘relations’, you can tell how crude and simplistic his assertions /
judgements / conclusions were. Just bear in mind that Spain and Portugal were barely
out of the dark ages at that time.
ARGUMENT:
The main argument talks about Juan de Plasencia's observation about the customs of
Tagalogs before the colonization of Spaniards. If we are to look at it, we can perceive
that Filipinos in the pre-colonial period are highly civilized and already have a
government system, and enjoys a rich culture.

II. BACKGROUND OF THE HISTORICAL SOURCE

AUTHOR’S BACKGROUND:
Juan de Plasencia, O.S.F- Born in the 16th century to the illustrious family of
the Portocarreros in Plasencia in theregion of Extremadura, Spain- He was a Spanish
Friar of the Franciscan order- Said to have been inspired to be a Franciscan because of
his upbringing spent during aspiritual and religious resurgence affected by Spain's siglo
de oroArrival in the Philippines- Came with the first batch of Franciscan missionaries in
the Philippines in 1577- His real name is Joan de Puerto Carrero, del convento de
Villanueva de la Serena Life in the Philippines- Started preaching in Laguna de Bay and
Quezon areas as early as two months upon arrival in Manila- Also preached in
provinces in Bulacan and Rizal- Elected as the custos of the friars in May 23, 1584 and
held it until 1588- Passed away in Liliw, Laguna in the year 1590Juan de Plasencia-
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 Reduction 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.
ARGUMENT:
The author's main argument is to show what life or customs we have in the past and
also to exhibits that there is no equality and the higher class didn't treat properly the
alipins during this times. Fray Juan de Plasencia trying to say about the customs of the
Tagalog is there is no equal rights or treatment for the slaves. The powerful ones
treated the smaller ones or the slaves harshly.

III. ARGUMENTS
The Customs of the Tagalogs'' mainly focuses on the government,
administration ofjustice, slaves, inheritance and dowries. Juan de Plasencia mentioned
in his account that everyBarangay, a tribal gathering consists of 30-100 families
together with their slaves, have their ownDato, at the top of the social status, who
governed the people and was the captain in their wars,followed by the Maharlikas,
commoners and slaves. Plasencia described how children weredivided between the
married Maharlika and slave (Namamahay or Sa Guiguilid). Plasencia alsonoted the
dowry system that was practiced by the native Tagalogs—dowries were given by
themen to the women’s parents before marriage. Moreover, Plansencia mentioned the
worships ofthe tagalogs noting that the Filipinos have no temples but they have what
they call Simbahanwhich means “a place of adoration” because this is where they
gather when they wish to do afeast, called Pandot or Worship. He also mentioned that
Filipinos worship idols and one of themis what they call Bathala which signifies “all
powerful” or “maker of all things”. They alsoworship the sun, the moon and even the
stars. They have idols such as LIC-HA, Dian Masalanta(the patron of lovers),
Lacapati and Indianale (patrons of cultivated lands), they also paidreverence
to Buayas. He commented that Filipinos are very liable to find auguries in things
theywitnessed and also practiced divination. In addition, the manner of burying also
differs based onthe status of the deceased as what Plasencia described. They also
have distinctions among thepriests of the devils such as: Catolonan, Sonat,
Mangaguay, Manyisalat, Mancocolam, Hocloban,Silagan, Magtatangal, Osuan,
Mangagayoma, Pangatahojan. Filipinos also believe in ghostswhich they call
Vibit, Tikbalang and Patianac. However, he noted here that such beliefs werealready
erased through the teaching of the holy gospel.
- A barangay is a tribal assembly led by a chief. It is termed a "barangay"
because it is linked with the "Malay," who were among the first people to
arrive in the Philippines aboard a "barangay" boat. Some had between 30
and 100 houses. Diplomacy is conducted in barangays as well.
- There are three status/castes inside a barangay: Maharlica, Aliping
Namamahay, and Aliping sa Guiguilir. Individuals who are born free are
known as Maharlica; persons who serve their lords but can own property
are known as Aliping Namamahay. Aliping sa Guiguilir are low castes who
serve or can be sold to their owners.
- Maharlica (nobles) are exempt from paying taxes and must fight with the
"datos" in battles. They can keep their status for a lifetime, but it can be
revoked if he or she marries a slave. In this case, the children would be
divided and assigned to their mother's or father's job.
- Aliping Namamahay have their own properties, yet they must serve their
lords. This caste's children inherit their parents' social standing. Cannot be
considered as a low caste, nor may they be sold.
- Aliping sa Guiguilir (the low caste) work at their master's mansions and
estates and are for selling. In exchange for their devotion, the owner might
reward his or her servants by giving them a piece of the land.
IV. CONCLUSION
Plasencia trying to say about the customs of the Tagalog is there is no equal
rights or treatment for the slaves. Plasencia trying to say about the customs of the
Tagalog is there is no equal rights or treatment for the slaves. The powerful ones
treated the smaller ones or the slaves harshly. The main argument talks about Juan
de Plasencia's observation about the customs of Tagalogs before the colonization of
Spaniards. If we are to look at it, we can perceive that Filipinos in the pre-colonial
period are highly civilized and already have a government system, and enjoys a rich
culture. The influence of Plasencia's report cannot be overstated. This report
became the basis for Spanish laws and policies in the Philippines, allowing the
Spaniards to not only govern, but also to reconfigure and reconstruct Philippine
society. In this specific text de Plasencia has sought, in order to obtain the 'true
facts,' not to address the "conflicted Indian reports." But this "reality" is debatable
and even more troublesome is the way he really arrived at his reports. The text
presents the observator (de Plasencia), which has a particular history and
subjectivity, and the theme (text), seen as "the other," a metonymic amalgam of
community traits, rituals and local practices, etc. It presents two major characters.
The observer (de Plasencia). The relationship between these people – the colonizer
and the colonized person – in colonial situations flows in both but inequality; the
former is the dominant, while the latter is the inherent one, or as Edward Said puts it,
"a relationship of power, domination and a complex hegemony in varying degrees.
Seen from the middle gazing into the lower outskirts culturally and economically, the
colonisers find identity as their sophisticated "selves" and the lower dominated
"other" in an attractive role. The usage of politically incorrect words like "indians,"
"tribals" and "born" and in the text adjectives such as "fun," "foolish" and "absurd"
just shows a contradictory model of the West-Other.
"Tagalog Customs" showed us how our ancestors lived without the
assistance of any major western governments. Our ancestors had their own style of
governing a group of people known as Barangays. They are already engaged with
trading with neighboring countries. The influence of Plasencia's report cannot be
overstated. This report became the basis for Spanish laws and policies in the
Philippines, allowing the Spaniards to not only govern, but also to reconfigure and
reconstruct Philippine society. The Customs of the Tagalog was intentionally made
to provide an eroticize description of the Tagalog natives, clearly fed by politics and
propaganda. Juan de Plasencia wrote the Customs of the Tagalog to see the
continuous progress of the Native culture in the Philippines. As civilizer and savior of
our doomed souls from eternal hellfire. That's why the Spaniards will quote it forever
as their prime authoritative source to show just how primitive we were and how great
their contribution was to our development. Customs of the Tagalogs, just like any
other colonial texts written during the Spanish colonial period, was intentionally
made to provide an exoticize description of the Tagalog natives, clearly fed by
politics and propaganda and operated with the Western-outsider's gaze, that would
be appealing to them.
V. REFERENCE
September 16, 2022, Customs of the Tagalog reflection paper - Customs of the
Tagalog From the book of Juan de Plasencia, StuDocu.
https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/university-of-st-la-salle/readings-in-
philippine-history/customs-of-the-tagalog-reflection-paper/19018904
2022, Accustomed Othering in Colonial Writing : Philippine Art, Culture and
Antiquities, Artes de las Filipinas.
https://artesdelasfilipinas.com/archives/186/accustomed-othering-in-colonial-
writing#:~:text=Customs%20of%20the%20Tagalogs%2C%20just,would%20be
%20appealing%20to%20them.
May 26, 2022, Juan de Plasencia, Wikipedia, derived on September 22, 2022.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_de_Plasencia#:~:text=He%20was%20one
%20of%20the,among%20them%20his%20native%20Extremadura