Base on our lesson give your comments stating the relevance of this account

"The Customs of the Tagalog" in Philippine History. Prove you answer by using
other source of information.

The Customs of the Tagalog written by Fray Juan de Plasencia is one of the most
important primary sources of the Philippine History. It tackles about the
everyday living of then a cient Filipinos, their system of government, their social
statuses, and their customs, traditions, and beliefs. This document is important
for determining how the Spaniards will govern the Filipinos during the Spanish
era. Althoughit has lesser value in the modern world right now, it is still important
for us to trace the roots of who we are in the past. The Customs of the Tagalog
written by Fray Juan de Plasencia is one of the most important primary sources
of the Philippine History. It tackles about the everyday living of then acient
Filipinos, of government, their social statuses, and their customs, traditions, and
beliefs. This document is important for determining how the Spaniards will govern
the Filipinos during the Spanish era. Although it has lesser value in the modern
world right now, it is still important for us to trace the roots of who we are in the
past. Early Filipinos were very much alike with the Malays based on their
language. Even before they came here in the Philippines, they were governed by
a Dato who was like a king. Datos were highly respected and they have to follow
whatever it commands. Not even the wife or the children of the Dato were
exempted for getting a punishment when they disobeyed him.A Dato only
governs small groups of people approximately 100 houses only. The territory of a
Dato is “barangay” which came from the word “balangay” (a boat they ride for
transportation). Datos don’t let other Datos conquer their land and they only treat
other Datos as a family, friend, ally, or an enemy.

There was a caste system being followed in every barangay during that time. The
highest social status was being a maharlika, second is being a commoner, and
the third is being a slave. The Maharlika or thenobleman, also called free-born
people, don’t pay taxes but they should accompany the Datu in everything he
does. Next below it is being a commoner, also known as Aliping namamahay.
They areslaves who serves their masters but has their own houses and has the
right to own a property. Thelowest class is the Aliping saguiguilid. They are those
who were staying inside the houses of their masters and they are the ones being
sold to other people. In that time, debts are the main reason why there are times
that a nobleman becomes a slave. Sometimes, slaves came from the captives of
war. In order for a slave to be set free, they have to pay aminimum amount of
gold to their masters.Dividing a property is a pain during those time because of
the social status of their parents. The one whogets the big part of the property is
the one with a higher social status and children of the maharlikasfrom the slaves
gets the smallest part of the property.There are times when the Datos becomes a
judge for the two opposing parties so that the judgement

will be fair and just. When two Datos doesn’t get along with each other they call
other Datos to be theme diator to prevent a war. Punishments that time were as
brutal as being hanged or being put into aboiling water.In the document of
Plasencia, he also observed the beliefs of the Tagalogs about their
gods, devils,witches, burials, and their beliefs on afterlife. Although Plasencia only
observed this customs andtraditions, he manage to give me a picture of how
early Filipinos think and live by their customs andtraditions.All these customs
were practiced by the Tagalogs or the early Filipinos even before the Spaniards
cameinto the Philippines. With this kind of fact, it can be concluded that the early
Filipinos have their ownstyle of governing their people and having a
fair judgement system