GLAZEL V. GONZAGA

"The Customs of the Tagalogs" by Franciscan missionary Fr. Juan de Plasencia serves as a
key source. This story illustrates Filipino life prior to the colonization of the Philippines by the
Spanish. The majority of the content is still significant to the history of our nation and
civilization, despite the claims of many critics that it contains biases and prejudices. In this
book, we can see how the three colonizations that took place in our nation have shaped both
our roots and our culture. Without historical documents, it would have been difficult to identify
our original civilisation. The documentary "Tagalog Customs" demonstrated how our
predecessors managed without the support of any significant western governments. The way
that our previous generations oversaw groups of people known as barangays was unique. They
already conduct business with surrounding nations.

Plasencia also gathered the most capable Indios, older men, and those from various
districts. From them, he has learned the plain truth. There is a social hierarchy, including Datos,
Maharlicas, commoners, and slaves. The communities are governed by laws. When a couple
gets married, inheritances are given. One of the gods they worship is called Bathala. Before the
arrival of the Spaniards, they already had customs, and each one of them deserved to be
recorded in Philippine history. These traditions demonstrate that our culture has much more
impact than we initially thought. This is where everything started for us. The entrance of the
Spaniards did not mark the beginning of our history. Our past is far more complex than that.
Hence, the Tagalog practices were specifically designed to give an objectifying description of
Tagalog locals, which was undoubtedly fueled by politics and propaganda.

In conclusion, Customs of the Tagalogs, like any other colonial text written during the
Spanish colonial period, was written with the intention of providing an exoticized description of
the Tagalog natives that would be appealing to them, clearly fed by politics and propaganda
and operated with the Western-gaze. It was able to explain the Datu-led system of government
used by native Filipinos at the time. Implementing laws, maintaining tranquility and order in the
barangay, and protecting his subjects are all part of the datu's executive duties. Datus governs
30 to 100 families. Moreover, Plasencia's findings have far-reaching consequences. This study
served as the foundation for Spanish laws and policies in the Philippines, allowing the Spaniards
to not only rule but also reconfigure and reconstruct Philippine society.