Chapter 3 themselves had sons after the flood.
One of the
Our Early Ancestors
"HE WHO DOES NOT look back to where
he came from will not know where he is going." So
goes a famous saying. Certainly, in order to know
our country, we must learn about its past. There are
so many lessons from the past to help us. For
example, who were our ancestors and what
happened to them? Do we have our own culture to
be proud of? Or did we just borrow and receive
from other cultures?
The First Filipinos. Who were the first
people to live in the Philippines? Where did they
come from? What happened to them? These
questions on the past cannot fully be answered,
even by the best scientists who study about our
early ancestors. The best explanations we have
about our distant past come from three main
sources: (1) the story of God's creation in the
Bible; (2) the story of evolution made by human
scientists; and (3) legends and fairytales made up
by imaginative people.
We will study about all these three
explanations about the origin of our ancestors. But
because we are Christians, we believe that the story
of God's creation of man, as described in the Holy
Bible, is the real truth. Therefore, any other
explanation about how early man came into being,
is only the product of human theory or thinking,
and it cannot be the truth. Because God made man
in His image and likeness, we must love all men, as
the creation of God, even though they come from
primitive or backward ways of living. After all,
once upon a time, we were also crude and simple in
our way of life like our early ancestors.
The Biblical Story. According to the Holy
Bible, all men and women originated from the first
man (Adam) and the first woman (Eve). After the
Great Flood, Noah and his three sons left to settle
the earth. Noah's sons- Shem, Ham and Japheth -
CREATION BY GOD
(Holy Bible)
GOD
sons of the youngest, Japheth, was named Javan
(see Genesis 10:1-4). Out of Javan, Noah's grand-
son, came four sons named Elishah, Tharsis, the
Kittim and the Rodanim. According to the Bible,
"From these the maritime peoples spread out into
their territory by their clans within their nations,
each with its own language." Thus, Fr. Francisco
Colin, a Jesuit historian, wrote that the first settlers
of our country was Tharsis, son of Javan and great
grandson of Noah, together with his brothers and
their descendants. In time, the descendants of these
Biblical characters settled in the parts of the world
that we now know as Asia, including the islands of
the Philippines.
Scientists do not believe in the story of God's
creation, as told in the Holy Bible. Instead, they
have invented the theory of "evolution," or the
story of how the first man came from apelike
creatures who walked the face of the earth
thousands of years ago. Most people who go to
school only study about the "evolution theory," and
they are told to reject the Biblical story of God's
creation.
We have to study about the other theories on
how our ancestors came to be, because we may be
asked questions about these. As Chris-tians,
however, we do not believe that man evolved from
apelike creatures. Instead, we believe that man was
created in the image and likeness of God, because
God loved us.
CHART ON THE ORIGIN OF THE FILIPINOS
ADAM + EVE
SETH
ENOSH
KENAN ANCIENT FILIPINOS ALREADY INHABITED
AND ALSO MIGRATED FROM THE ISLANDS
MAHALALEL TO OTHER PARTS.

NOAH

SHEM HAM JAPHETH

JAVAN

ELISHA, THARSIS, THE KITTIM AND THE

RODANIM LEGENDS OR FAIRY TALES

THEIR DESCENDANTS WERE THE EARLY 1. "MALAKAS" AND "MAGANDA"

FILIPINOS 2. RACIAL SUPERIORITY OF BROWN
PEOPLE

HUMAN THEORY OF EVOLUTION

"TABON MAN"
(Apelike Creature)

1. MIGRATION
THEORY

NEGRITOS (AETAS)

INDONESIANS

MALAYS

RACIAL MIXTURES OF FILIPINOS CAME

FROM WAVES OF OUTSIDE IMMIGRANTS
TO THESE ISLANDS

2. CORE POPULATION
THEORY

The Theory of Evolution. The other story
about the origin of the first Filipinos comes from
those scientists who study about the past. These
scientists are called "archaeologists. They study old
material relies like bones, jars, pottery and antique
jewelry. These relics are found in the sites of old
burial plots, homes or villages of people who lived
long, long ago. These scientific explanations about
the origin of the early Filipino, however, come
from the theory of "evolution," or the belief that
man came from apelike creatures who lived
thousands of years ago in caves and had very crude
tools.
These scientists who believe in the theory of
evolution cannot even agree on the origin of the
first Filipinos. One group of scientists believe that
the early Filipinos came from "waves of migration"
- Negritos, Indonesians, and Malays - who peopled
these islands thousands of years ago. Another,
more recent group of scientists, favor the "core
population" theory which believes that the early
Filipinos came from settlers within the islands. not
from outside, and in fact our ancestors migrated
outside to the other nearby islands to spread our
own culture to other lands.
Both groups of evolutionists however believe
that the first man in the Philippines lived in
Palawan about 25,000 years ago. Palawan was then
connected to the Asian mainland. The first Filipino
lived in caves at Tabon, Palawan. Thus, they are
called the "Tabon Man." They belonged to the
Stone Age culture. This means they only used
stone tools and weapons. They did not yet know
how to use metal.
'The Ati-atihan festival in Aklan. This traditional
fiesta in the Philippines is a mixture of pagan
religion and custom.
The "migration theory" does not really
explain the origin of the Filipinos. Many historians
now do not believe in it. Tabon Man skull cap
dating back to 15,000 years ago. This is the
evolution theory that the first Filipinos came from
apelike creatures who lived in caves. But the Bible
says God created the first man and woman
instantly by a miracle. They lived in the Garden of
Eden.
From the first couple came all other people on
earth.
According to the evolution theory, the first
Filipinos or the Tabon Man hunted wild animals
with crude stone weapons. They used simple stone
tools to make clothes or prepare food. These stone
tools were sharp rocks or Stones. They did not
know how to farm or raise animals. They were
short, with bushy eyebrows and a low forehead.
The first Filipinos lived in very harsh
surroundings. It was a daily battle for survival.
Most of the time was spent looking for food.
Primitive people like the Tabon Man lived in other
parts of the world. In other parts of the world, the
ancestors of man are called the "Java Man," or
"Beijing Man," or others. Life for them was also
tough.
Growth of the Filipinos. Slowly but surely,
the early Filipinos grew in number and improved
their lifestyle. They began to cook with fire and to
make sharper tools. Many Families also lived in
Central Luzon and Cagayan Valley. About 5,000
years ago, the early Filipinos learned to make axes,
seashell ornaments and pottery. They chewed betel
nut (nganga).
Later, the Filipinos became expert crafts-
men, travelers and traders. Their pottery and
jewelry became more beautiful. They traded with
beads of stone, shells, precious stones and gold.
They made better clothes.
The early Filipinos were like Vikings of the
pacific. They sailed on boats across the Pacific
Ocean to nearby islands in Micronesia and
Polynesia. They brought some early tools like iron
arrows and knives. They live in larger villages in
Manila, Pampanga, Mindoro, Samar, Leyte, Cebu
and Bohol. They brought some early tools good
business relations with the Arabs, Chinese, and
other nearby nations.
 Waves of Migration. Another story of the
first Filipinos describes three waves of migration to
these islands. According to the migration theory,
our country was settled by three kinds of people -
(1) Negritos, (2) In-donesians, and (3) Malays.
The Negritos. The first people to come to the
Philippines were the Negritos. They were also
called Atis or Actas. They came across land
bridges from mainland Asia about 25,000 years
ago. At that time, our country was connected to
Asia by land bridges which later sank below the
sea.
The Negritos were very small people. They
were less than five feet tall. They were called
"Negritos" because they had black skin, short
kinky hair, thick lips, and black noses. They wore
little clothing. They had no government, no
writing, and no permanent homes. They wandered
in the forests and lived by hunting, fishing, and
gathering wild plants and fruits. They used the bow
and arrow for hunting.
Today, there are still Negritos in the hills of
Zambales.
The Indonesians. According to the migration
theory, Indonesians were the first immigrants to
come by sea to the Philippines. They came about
5,000 years ago. They sailed in boats from south
Asia. They drove the Nepritos into the mountains
and lived in the lowlands. There were two types of
Indone-sians. 'The first type was tall, with light
skin, large forehead, high nose and thin lips. The
second type came later. They were shorter and
darker, with a large nose, thick lips and heavy jaw.
The Indonesians were more advanced than
the Negritos. They lived in permanent homes. They
used fire to cook their food. They lived by hunting,
fishing, and small farming. They painted their
bodies with colorful figures.
Today, the Indonesian minority tribes are
found in some interior parts of our country. They
are the Apayaos, Gaddangs, Ibanags, and Kalingas
of Northern Luzon; the Tagbanuas of Palawan, and
the Bagobos, Manobos, Mandayas, Bukidnons,
Tirurays, and Sabanuns of Mindanao.
'The Malays. The Malays came after the
Indonesians, about 2,000 years ago. They also
arrived in boats from Southeast Asia. They were
medium in height, brown-skinned, with dark eyes,
flat noses and straight black hair. They drove the
Indonesians into the forests and lived in the
lowlands.
The Malays were more civilized than the
Indonesians. They lived in larger villages.
They had government, writing, music, arts, and
sciences. They lived by agriculture, fishing, mining
and trading.
Some legends describe the coming of the
Malays. In Panay, this story is called the
"Maragtas." It tells how the first ten Malay datus
left Borneo and came to Panay. They bought the
land from the Negritos and settled the other
islands. Datu Put led the Malay datus, and
Marikudo led the Atis. This legend is now
celebrated in the famous "ati-atihan" fiesta and
dance.
The Filipinos today come from the Malay or
brown race. Thus, there are Muslim Malays in
Mindanao, Jolo and Palawan. And there are
Christian Malays in the whole country. There are
also Malay tribes like the Igorots, Ifugaos,
Bontoks, and Tinggians of Luzon.
Legends and Fairy Tales. There are also
various legends and fairy tales about the origin of
the first Filipino, but these are not all true. They
were just the imaginary stories told by old folks to
little children to keep them interested in their past.
There are two famous legends about the early
Filipinos, as follows: (1) the story of Malakas and
Maganda; and (2) the story of the brown people.
The first one goes as follows:
Long, long ago, after the land was formed as
a result of the war between the sea and the sky, the
clever bird, which incited the war, flew ashore. It
landed on a bamboo plant in order to rest. While
resting it happened to peck the bamboo.
Suddenly, the bamboo split apart. Out of the first
half of the bamboo came a handsome man, and out
of the second half of the bamboo came a beautiful
woman. The man was named Malakas (Lalake),
and he was the first man in the world. The woman
was named Maganda (Babae), and she was the first
woman in the world,
Malakas and Maganda got married. Many
children were born to them. From these children
came the Filipinos.
The second legend claims a racial superiority of the
brown-colored Filipinos. This story goes as
follows:
Many, many years ago, there were no people
on earth. One day, Gold walked about the earth and
became lonely. So, he decided to create the people
who would inhabit the plains and hills. He stopped
by a riverbank and got some clay. He molded the
clay into male and female figures and baked them
over a slow fire.
But because he did not know how to bake,
the first figures of men and women turned out too
black because they got burned.
Since God was not happy with the black
peoples who got burned from his first try at making
men and women, he molded new clay figures and
put them back over the fire to cook. This time, he
became too cautious and took away the clay figures
before they could be cooked properly. God was
upset to see that the clay figures were white,
because they were under baked.
the brown peoples. The brown-skinned Filipinos
are thus the perfect handiwork of God.
Historical Values. From this chapter, we can
learn two lessons from the past:
(1) The early Filipinos had a culture of their own.
They built the magnificent rice terraces in Norther
Luzon. They charted the seas and sailed thousands
of miles to other islands in the Pacific. They had a
society of law and order. They appreciated
beautiful things like jewelry and pottery. They
buried the dead with respect. Thus, the early
Filipinos had their own inventions and spread
cultures to other places. They did not just borrow
or receive the culture of other peoples.
(2) We must respect and protect our tribal
minorities in the Philippines because they are part
of our ancestry. There are about 100 tribal groups
in the Philippines. Each has its own customs,
beliefs, arts and crafts. They are very much a part
of our colorful past.
(3) We must take the Gospel and train ourselves
how to be Christian missionaries among these
minority tribes first. Having many minority tribes
in our country is good practice for our evangelists
and missionaries, because the other non-Christian
nations in Asia, Africa and Latin America also
have many rival groups.

For the third time, God molded another set of

clay figure and put them on the fire. This time, he
had practiced and knew perfectly what color of
people he wanted. When the color of the clay
figures turned brown; he stopped baking and was
very happy with his work.

Then God breathed life into all baked clay

figures. Out of the black clay figures came the
black peoples; out of the white clay figures came

Chapter 4
Our Malayan Heritage
AGES BEFORE the coming of the Span-
lards to the Orient, our Malay ancestors had
brought to our shores their ancestral culture,
including food and drinks, mode of dressing,
housing, society, government and laws, writing,
language, literature, music (songs, dances, and
musical instruments), economy, religion, arts and
sciences, superstitious beliefs and customs and
traditions. Such a heritage was enriched by early
contacts with the advanced civilizations of India,
China, Japan, and Arabia.
Food and Drinks. The staple food of the
early Filipinos was rice. Aside from rice their food
consisted of carabao meat, pork, chickens, sea
turtles, fish, bananas and other fruits and
vegetables. They cooked their food in earthen pots
or in bamboo tubes. They ate with their fingers,
using banana plants as plates and coconut shells as
drinking cups. They made fire to cook their food
by rubbing two pieces of dry wood which when
heated, produced a tiny flame. They stored their
drinking water in big earthen jars or in huge clean
bamboo tubes.
The popular wine of our ancestors was tuba
which was made from coconut. 'The other wines
manufactured by ancient Filipinos were basi, an
Ilocano wine made from sugarcane: pangasi, a
Bisayan wine made from fermented rice;
lambanog, a Tagalog wine taken from the coconut
palm; and the tapuy, an Igorot wine distilled from
rice.
Mode of Dressing. The men wore a
collarless, short-sleeved jacket called kangan and a
strip of cloth, called bahag, wrapped around the
waist and in between the legs. The jacket (kangan)
reached slightly below the waist. It was dyed
(tining) either in blue or black. except that of the
chief which was red. Instead of a hat, the men used
the putong, a piece of cloth wound around the
head. They had no shoes. They had jewels, such as
gold neck-laces, gold armlets called kalombigas,
and gold anklets filled with agates, carnelians and
other colored glass.
The women wore a wide-sleeved jacket
called baro. Their skirt was called patadyong-It
was a piece of cotton cloth which they wrapped
about their waists and let fall to their feet. Their
jewels consisted of gold necklaces, gold bracelets,
large gold carryings, and gold Rings. These jewels
were filled with agates, carnelians, pearls, and
other precious gems. They tied their long, black
hair in a graceful knot at the back of their heads.
Like the men, they went about barefoot. Both men
and women inserted gold between their teeth as an
ornament.
Tattoos. The early Filipinos tattooed their
bodies with various designs representing animals,
birds, flowers, and geometric figures.The tattoos
served two purposes: (1) to enhance their bodily
beauty, and (2) to show their war record. The more
men a warrior had killed in battle, the more
tattooed he was. The women were less tattooed
than the men. The children were not tattooed at all.
House. The early Filipinos lived in houses.
These houses were made of wood, bamboo, and
palm leaves. They were built near each other in the
barangay (village). Each house had a bamboo
ladder that could be drawn up at night or when the
family was out. It also contained a gallery, called
batalan, where jars of water were kept for
household purposes. The rice, firewood, and
chickens were kept under the house.
Some of them lived in tree-houses. Such
houses were built on the top of trees for better
protection from enemies. The Bagobos and
Kalingas still live in such houses.
The Badjaos (sea-gypsies) of the Sulu Sea
still live in boat-houses, as their forefathers did in
ancient times.
Natural Courtesy and Politeness. The early
Filipinos were courteous and polite. When two
persons of equal rank met on the road, they
removed their putong (turban) as a sign of
courtesy. When a person addressed his superior, he
took off his putong. put it over his left shoulder
like a towel, and bowed low. He addressed his
superior with the word po, which is equivalent to
"sir." He spoke in polite language.
The women were shown courtesy every-
where. When a man and a woman walked together,
the man was always behind the woman. It was
considered impolite for a man to walk ahead of his
woman companion. Whenever the entire family
went out, the mother and daughters walked ahead,
while the father and sons followed behind.
Cleanliness and Neatness. The early
Filipinos were clean and neat in their personal
habits. They bathed daily. Their favorite hour for
bathing in the river was at sunset when they had
finished their daily toil.
They washed their hair regularly with gugo
and water. They anointed it with coconut oil and
other lotions. They washed their mouths and
cleaned their teeth upon walking up in the
morning. They filed their teeth to make them even.
They chewed buy which made their teeth colored
but strong.
They kept their homes clean. A Jesuit
historian named Father Francisco Colin said:
They keep a vessel full of water at the door of
every house, and every person, whether belonging
to the house or not, upon entering, takes water
from this vessel and washes his feet, especially
during the rainy season."
Amusements. The early Filipinos were not
always fighting or working. They held banquets to
celebrate a good harvest, a wed-ding, a religious
sacrifice, and a victory in war.
These banquets were celebrated with much eating
drinking, singing, and dancing.
Aside from the enjoyment they derived from
barangay banquets, they had other forms of
amusements. They had such games as carabao
races, wrestling, fencing, boat races, and stone-
throwing contests.
Music. They were lovers of music. They had
various musical instruments and numerous dances
and songs for different occasions. Among their
musical instruments were the kudyapi, Tagalog
guitar; the kalaleng, Tinggian nose-flute; the
kulintang, Moro xylophone; the tultogan, Bisayan
bamboo drum; the silbay, Ilocano reed flute; and
the suracan, Subanum cymbal.
The folk dances of the early Filipinos were
charming. Among them were the kumintang,
Tagalog love dance; the mahinhin, Tagalog
courtship dance; the dandansoy, Bisayan tuba
dance; the kinnotan, ilocano art's dance; the
paujalay, Moro wedding dance; and the tadok,
Tinggian love dance. Their songs expressed all
aspects of life - love, war, labor, religion, and
death. Among them were the tagumpay, Tagalog
song of victory; the dallu, Negrito religious song;
the ayog-ku, Igorot serenade song; the bactal,
Tagbanua death song; the dal-lot, llocano ballad
song, which recounts the exploits of Lam-ang,
mighty hero of llocandia; the kuilay-kuilay,
Tingian wine song; and the tudob, Agusan harvest
song.
Marriage Customs. It was customary for
them to marry within their rank, that is, for a
nobleman to marry a noblewoman, a freeman to
marry a freewoman, and a slave man to marry a
slave woman, However, there was no strict
prohibition against intermarriages between the
nobility and the commoner and between the rich
and the poor. Thus, a prince could marry a slave
girl or a freeman could marry a princess.
Before marriage, the groom gave a dowry to
the family of the bride. This dowry was called
bigaykaya. It consisted of gold, land, slaves, or
anything else of value. Aside from this dowry, the
groom had to work in the house of the girl for a
certain period of time. He carried water and
firewood to the house. He assisted the girl's father
in plowing the field.And he helped in the planting
and harvesting of rice.
The early Filipinos practiced divorce. The
grounds for divorce were (1) adultery on the part of
the wife; (2) desertion on the part of the husband;
(3) loss of affection; (4) cruelty, (5) insanity, and
(6) childlessness.
The Weading Ceremony. On the day of the
wedding, the friends of the groom went to the
bride's house to bring her to the home of the
groom. The wedding ceremony would take place at
the groom's house. The leader of the groom's
friends carried the spear of the groom.
Upon arrival at the house, the bride pre.
tended to be shy and would refuse to ascend the
stairs. The groom's father would give her a gift to
make her go up. Once inside the house, she would
refuse to sit down, to smile, and to drink - unless
more gifts were given to her.
When the groom and the bride were drinking
together, an old man announced to the guests that
the two were to be united in marriage. Following
this announcement, a priestess came forward. She
joined the hands of the couple over a bowl of
uncooked rice and pronounced them man and wife.
And with a loud shout, she threw the rice to all the
guests who answered with a similar shout and the
ceremony was over.
Government. The early Filipinos had their
own form of government. Each settlement was an
independent kingdom called barangay.
The term barangay is a Hispanized form of the
Malayan word balangay, which means
"sailboat." The early Filipinos applied the name
barangay to their settlement in honor of the sailboat
that brought them to Philippine shores.
Each barangay consisted of about 100
families. Some barangays were big, such as Sugbu
(Cebu), Maktan (Mactan), Bigan (Vigan), and
Maynila (Manila). Each of these big barangays had
a population of more than 2,000.
The ruler of the barangay was called datu. He
was also known as hari or raja. In time of peace, he
was the chief exccutive, legislator, and judge. And
in time of war, he was the commander of the
barangay warriors.
The datu usually obtained his position by
inheritance. When the datu died, his son inherited
the datuship. If a datu died childless, the barangay
chose a man to be the datu on the basis of his
wisdom, physical strength, or wealth.
There was no national government in ancient
Philippines. There were many independent
barangays and many datus. But there was no datu
strong enough to unite the archipelago into one
nation.
Laws. The early Filipinos had both oral and
written laws. The oral laws were the customs
(ugali) of the race which were handed down orally
from generation to generation.
The legendary law-giver was a woman named
Lubluban, the great granddaughter of the first man
and the first woman in the world.
The written laws were promulgated by the
datus with the help of the elders, and were put into
writing. These written laws were announced to the
people by a barangay crier known as umalahokan.
These written laws were put on the barks of trees,
wood, leaves or cloth. Thus, they did not last.
`The only records we have of ancient laws
came from Spanish historians and oral tradi-tion.
Unfortunately, the Code of Kalantiaw, a well-
known code of laws supposedly given by Datu
Kalantiaw of Aklan in 1433 is a clever hoax. The
hoax was done by Jose E. Marco, an antique
collector from Negros Occidental who gave the
document to James E. Robertson of the National
Library in 1914. It could not be authentic because
of its suspicious origin, the strange writing and
modern words in the text, and the un-Filipino
harshness of its laws (e.g. flogging, exposure to
ants, swimming for hours).
Religion. With the exception of the Muslims
in Mindanao and Sulu, the ancient Filipinos were
pagans. Their supreme God was Bathala, creator of
heaven, earth, and men. Below him were other
gods and goddesses.
The early Filipinos worshipped ancestral
spirits called anitos (Tagalog) or diwatas (Bisayan).
To these anitos, sacrifices called maganito were
offered. The sacrifice was performed by a priest or
priestess called katalona or baylana. They
worshipped nature - rivers, mountains, old trees,
crocodiles, and fields in the belief that such natural
objects were the habitats of spirits.
They also believed in life after death. After
death, the soul travels to the next world to receive
its due reward or punishment. The good soul goes
to heaven, called kalualhatian by the Tagalogs and
ologan by the Bisayans, while the bad soul goes to
hell, called kasamaan by the Tagalogs and solad by
the Bisayans.
Burial and Mourning Customs. Because of
their belief in the next world, the early Filipinos
took care in burying their dead. The corpse was
embalmed, as in ancient Egypt, and was buried
amidst deep sorrow near his home, in a cave, or on
a headland overlooking the sea. Clothes, food,
weapons, and sometimes slaves were buried with
the dead.
During the period of mourning, the relatives
of the dead wore rattan bands around their necks,
arms, and legs. They also abstained from eating
meat and drinking wine.
The mourning custom for a deceased datu
was called larao. When a datu died, a herald
announced the event and the larao was then
observed. No colored clothes were worn by the
grieving people. All wars and quarrels were
suspended. And singing in boats returning from the
sea was prohibited. All warriors carried their spears
with their tips pointed downward and their daggers
with hilts reversed.
Superstitions. The early Filipinos, like all
other peoples on earth, had their superstitions.
They believed in witches, such as the asuang who
assumed the form of a dog, a bird, or any other
animal, and devoured human flesh; the
mangkukulam, who caused people to die or to be
sick by pricking a toy with his magic pin; the
tianak, who sucked the baby's entrails by means of
his elongated probosis; and the rigbalang. who
appeared in the form of a dog, a horse, or an old
man to deceive his victims
The early Filipinos believed in the magical
power of amulets or charms, such as the anting-
anting, which was believed to make its possessor
invulnerable to iron weapons; gayuma, a love
potion which can arouse an adamant woman's
affection; odom, a Bicol magic herb which makes
its possessor invisible to the human eye: and uiga,
a Bisayan charm which enables any man to cross a
river without getting wet
.
Languages. The early Filipinos had dif.
ferent languages and dialects. But by learning one
Filipino language, it was comparatively easy to
learn the other languages because all of them
originated from a common linguistic source - the
Malayo-Polynesian language, the mother tongue of
the Pacific races. Thus wrote Father Pedro Chirino
in 1604: "There is no single or general language of
the Filipinos extending throughout the islands, but
all of them, though there are many different
tongues, are so much alike that they may be
learned and spoken in a short time."

Writing. The early Filipinos used a sharp
pointed iron instrument called sipol as pen.
They wrote on banana leaves, tree-barks, and
bamboo tubes. The direction of their writing was
from left to right.
The ancient alphabet consisted of three
vowels (serving as five) and fourteen consonants.
Literacy of the Early Filipinos. Before the
coming of the Spaniards, there was a high degree
of literacy in the Philippines. "All of these
islanders," wrote Father Chirino, "are much given
to reading and writing, and there is hardly a man,
and much less a woman, who does not read and
write.
Literature. They had oral and written
literature. Their oral literature consisted of: (1)
myths and legends which recounted of the world
and the origin of man, woman, birds, flowers,
animals and other things; (2) songs and poems
which chanted the deeds of their gods and heroes;
and (3) fables, proverbs (sawikain) and riddles
(bugtong).
This ancient oral literature has been preserved
to the present day because it has been transmitted
from one generation to another. The existing
specimens of ancient oral poetry are the Darangan
of the Maranaws (Lanao Muslims) and the /lim and
the /ud-hud of the Ilugaos
Very little of the early written literature has
been preserved because of the loss of the ancient
manuscripts during the Spanish con-quest. Among
the surviving specimens of the pre-Spanish written
literature are the tarsilas (Muslim genealogies of
Mindanao and Sulu).
Education. The system of education in the
Philippines before the arrival of the Spaniards was
generally informal. The children studied in their
own homes with their parents or with some old
men in the barangays as tutors. Both boys and girls
were taught reading, writing, arithmetic, and tribal
customs. In addition, the boys were trained to be
warriors, hunters, fishermen, farmers, mariners,
and craftsmen. The girls were taught cooking,
sewing, stock raising, and other domestic work to
make them good housewives.
Formal education was also known to early
Filipinos. In certain regions there existed regular
schools for the children. In ancient Panay, for
instance, there existed a regular barangay school
called bothoan. In this school, the children were
taught the Sanskrit language, reading, writing,
arithmetic, the use of weapons and lubus (art of
acquiring amulets and talismans).
Arts. The early Filipinos had their arts which
were part of their cultural heritage. Their
architecture revealed itself in the bahay kubo style
of home and in the trim sailing crafts which they
built. Their houses of bamboo, wood, nipa, and
palm-leaves were not as enduring as the colossal
pyramids of Egypt or as magnificent as the temples
of Greece, but they were cool, cozy, and suitable
shelters for the tropical climate of the land.
Painting was shown in their ancient tattoo art.
The skillful tattoo artists of the barangays were the
ancient Filipino artists. They used the dagger or
knife as brush, black soot and jungle saps as colors,
and the human body as canvas. They painted on the
human body gorgeous designs representing the
sun, the stars, the flowers, the crocodiles, the birds,
and the various geometrical figures. They were
expert mixers of colors.
The barangay sculptors carved statues in
wood, clay, gold, and ivory. These statues, called
likha (Tagalog) or lagdong (Bicol), were made in
memory of their anitos or an-cestors. The early
sculptors also made fine carvings on the handles of
daggers, krises, bolos, and knives; on the outer
surface of shields; and on the prows of their boats.
Sciences. The early Filipinos possessed some
knowledge of science. They knew the curative
value of medicinal plants and herbs.
Their medicine men had herbs as antidotes for all
kinds of poison. Their medical lore, like that of the
ancient Egyptians and Greeks, was associated with
religion and magic.
 They knew astronomy. They steered their
vessels by the direction of the stars, the moon
and the sun. The ancient Bisayans began the first
month of their calendar at the appearance of the
Pleiades in the sky. The lugaos still retain the old
names for various constellations - Monbunkol
(Dipper), Panwit (Blaster), Kamalit (Shooting
Stars), and Monbatang (Twin
Stars).
They also knew engineering. They
constructed forts (kuta), irrigation ditches and rice
terraces. Their greatest engineering achieve-ment,
the famous Ifugao rice terraces have aroused the
admiration of scientists and scholars from all parts
of the world.
They could add, subtract, divide and
multiply. They used these mathematical op-
crations in their business transactions. They could
count up to 100,000,000. They had native terms for
numerals, such as isa (one), puo (ten), daan
(hundred), libo (thousand), angao (one million),
kati (ten million), and gahala (one hundred
million).
Weights and Measures. The early Fill pinos
had their own weights and measures. fo weighing
things, they used the calaro, which was a kind of
balance with scales. Their measures of capacity
were the kaban (25 gants), the salop (one ganta),
the kaguita (one-hair. ganta), and the gatang (one
chupa). Their measures for length were the dipa,
the leng between the tip of the thumb and that of
the middle finger when extended; the rumuro, the
length between the tip of the thumb and that of
forefinger when extended; the sandamak, the width
of the hand with the five fingers pressed together;
and the sandali, the width of one finger.
Calendars. Before the coming of the
Spaniards, the Filipinos were already using their
own calendars. The ancient calendar of the
Bisayans contained seven days in a week, and 12
months in a year. Each of the 12 months contained
30 days, except the last month which had only 26
days or a total of 356 days a year
The Ifugaos still use the calendar of their
ancestors. This Ifugao calendar contains 13 months
in a year, each month having 28 days.
The Ifugaos have a tribal keeper called tumunoh,
13 strings representing the 13 months of the year.
At the end of each day, he ties one knot on a string
to show that one day has elapsed.
He ties 28 knots per string to represent one month.
The Ifugao calendar contains 364 days a year. In
case of a leap year, one more day is added to the
13th month to make 365 days.
Coinage. The early Filipinos knew the art of
coinage. Several specimens of their ancient coins
were found in jars (GUIs) which had been
excavated in Bataan and Manila. These coins were
cone-shaped gold pieces, usually bearing the
imprint of the Malayan letter M on their flat bases.
They are called piloncitos by local numismatists, or
collectors of coins. The conical shape of these
ancient coins was the result of the early method of
pouring melied gold dust in leaves folded in the
shapesara cone.
Domestic and Foreign Trade. Domestic
trade existed in ancient Philippines. Barangay
traded with barangay, island with island. This early
domestic trade was carried on by means of barter.
According to Captain Miguel de Loarca, the
Filipinos of the inland region exchanged their rice
and cotton for fish, salt, and other products raised
by the dwellers of the coastal district.
Ancient Filipinos also carried on commerce
with China, Japan, Siam (Thailand), Malacca,
India, Borneo, Sumatra, Java and other Oriental
lands. A Spanish document (dated 1586) recounted
that they were "keen traders and have traded with
China for many years, and before the advent of the
Spaniards they sailed to Maluco, Malacca, Hazian
(probably Achen, Sumatra), Parani, Brunei, and
other king-doms."
The usual method of trading with foreign
merchants was by barter in which they offered their
own products in exchange for the products of other
countries. Sometimes a price was set for the
commodities, using gold dust and bronze gongs as
money. It had been observed by two early Chinese
writers, Chao Ju-kua (1225) and Wang Tayuan
(1349) that they were honest in their commercial
transaction.
Agriculture and Industries. Farming was
the main industry of ancient Filipinos.
Two methods of cultivation were used by ancient
Filipino farmers. The first method was the kaingin
method, in which the land was cleared by setting
fire to the shrubs and bushes after which holes
were bored in the ground with pointed sticks and
the seeds were ther planted there. The second
method was the regular means of tillage using
wooden plows and harrows drawn by carabaos. In
some regions, irrigation was used to increase
production as evidenced by the famous Ifugao
terraces of northern Luzon.
The early Filipinos recognized both systems
of public and private ownership of land. The
mountain slopes and less arable lands were
considered public property of the barangay. The
cultivated lands were owned privately by the
different families. These private lands were
acquired by occupation, purchase or inheritance.
Other industries of early Filipinos were
fishing. mining, lumbering, weaving, metal work,
making of tools and weapons, manufacture of
wines, raising of poultry and stock, tanning and
shipbuilding.
The existence of agriculture and industries in
the Philippines during pre-Spanish times showed
that the Filipino forefathers possessed a relatively
high culture.
Historical Values. From this study of our
early ancestors, we learn the following historical
values:
1. Our early ancestors were civilized people. They
were not cruel savages or stupid barbarians. They
had organized government, written laws, literature,
arts and sciences.
2. Our ancestors were free - free to choose their
leaders, to make their own laws, rules and
regulations, and to do business or make a living.
No foreigners told them what to do or abused them.
3. Our ancestors were honest, clean, hardworking
and honorable. They had a strict code of conduct
among themselves and with outsiders. Generally,
they lived at peace within the tribes and with
outsiders. They settled their differences peacefully
because they liked to have good relations.
Chapter 5
Our Heritage from India, China, and Arabia
The Philippines is in Asia and has an Asian
heritage. This means that our country plays a role
in the history of Asia and has close relations with
other Asian nations. This means that our country
plays a role in the history of Asia and has close
relations with other ASian nations. In this chapter.
We will learn how the Filipinos live with these
other Asian nations. We will also find out what we
gave to them and what they gave to us. These
influences from other Adian nations are called our
Asian Heritage. We have an Asian heritage from
India, China, Arabia, and other countries.
Early Relations with India. Hindus from the
Asian mainland and nearby islands came to the
Philippines as early as 900.AD. Even though the
Hindus came to our country, we were never
conquered by them. This is because the Hindu
visitors to our land came peacefully. They were
traders or foreign immigrants (people who settled
in that area).
Hindu Antiques. Other Hindus must have
visited other parts of our country because antiques
or relics from India were found in different places.
These Hindu antiques are:
1. Gold image of Agusan. This statue of a Hindu
goddess was found at Esperanza. Agusan Province
in 1917.
2. Copper image of Ganesha. This statue of the
elephant god of the Hindus was found in Mactan in
1843.
3. Gold pendant of Garuda, the legendary bird of
India. This was found at Brookes Point, Palawan in
1961.
Other Hindu Heritage. The Hindu her lage of
the Philippines is religious, social, and economic.
Traces of Hindu culture is found in our: (1)
religion, (2) jobs, (3) writing, ( language, (5)
customs, and (6) race.
In religion, the Hindus taught us pray to
many gods, spirits and images. The indus also pray
to many and in spirits and images. The word
"Bathala" is of India
In jobs, the Hindus gave us such industries
as: mining quicklime in Masbate, weaving cotton
cloth, making lotus designs, making guitars,
making sampaguita flower leis, raising fruits
(mango, langka, and sirisa) and vegetables
(ampalaya, patola, and malunggay).
In writing, our ancient alphabet came from
their Sanskrit writing.
In language, the Pilipino (Tagalog) language
has 375 Sanskrit words. Some examples of these
Sanskrit words in our language are: ama (father);
asawa (spouse), halaga (price), maharlika (noble),
nanay (mother), mutya (pearl), paa (foot), raha
(king), and sandata (weapon.
Historical Discovery: The Laguna Copperplate
Inscription
In January 1990 the National Museum in
Manila was given a very valuable Philippine relic -
a small copperplate about 20 x 30 cm. with ten
lines of ancient writing. It was discovered at
Lumbang River, Laguna about 150 km east of
Manila.
The Laguna copperplate inscription was
dated to 900 A.D. This made it the earliest written
record in Philippine history. It showed that as far
back as 900 A.D. the ancient Filipinos were
already writing down important business records. It
also showed that there were international business
contacts in the Philippines even before the
Westerners came.
Translation of the Laguna Copperplate
Inscription (900 A.D.): According to Antoon
Postma, a Dutch museum researcher, the LCI
translation is as follows:
Hail! In the Indian calendar/ year 822 the
month of March-April... on Monday. Ar that time,
Lady Ankaan together with her relative Bulah, the
child of His Honor Namwran, was given, as a
special favor, a document of full payment by the
Chief and Commander of Tundun (Tondo],
represented by the Leader of Pailah, Jayadewa
[Pila]. This means that His Honor Manwran. . . is
totally cleared of a salary debt . ... therefore all the
descendants of His Honor Namwran are cleared of
the whole debt.
The sarong (skirt) and the putong of the
ancient Filipinos were of Indian origin. Also Indian
in origin were the tight-fitting trousers and the
embroidered shawls of the present-day Muslim
Filipinos.
Many Filipino superstitious beliefs came
from India. Among them are the following:
1. A maiden who sings merrily while cooking will
marry an old widower.
2. A comet flashing in the sky is an ill omen, for it
brings famine, pestilence, war, or other calamities.
3. A pregnant woman who eats twin bananas will
give birth to twins.
Certain customs of the Filipinos are of Indian
origin, such as: (1) hanging a garland of fresh
flowers around the neck of a visitor as a symbol of
friendship and hospitality; (2) giving of a dowry by
the groom to the bride's parents and rendering
personal services in the household of his
prospective parents-in-law; (3) showering the
groom and bride with rice after the wedding
ceremony; (4) offering buyo (mixture of betel nut,
lime, and ikmo leaf) to a visitor as a sign of
hospitality; and (5) pilgrimage by a childless
couple to a holy shrine whose deity is believed to
have the power to grant their wish for a child.
Also from India came their decorative arts,
including the artistic designs of gold necklaces and
the lotus design of bolo handles; some musical
instruments, particularly the kudyapi (native
guitar).
Early Relations with China. In 982 AD,
Filipinos from Mindoro sailed to Canton, south
China in an Arab ship. They sold their goods to the
Chinese and then went home. This was the earliest
date in our contacts with China. Pretty soon, our
trade with China boomed. This time, it was the
Chinese merchants from south China who sailed in
their junks (Chinese sailing ships) to the
Philippines. They did business around Lingayen
Gulf, Manila Bay, Mindoro and Sulu. The Filipinos
welcomed them and exchanged goods with them.
The early Chinese praised the Filipinos for
their honesty. According to Wang To yuan, a
Chinese writer, "The Chinese trust the Flipinos, for
they always keep their Promise."
Like the Hindus, the early Chinese cam to our
land to buy and sell only. They did not conquer or
rule us. Many Chinese setiled here and married
Filipino women. They also spread Chinese culture
to our country
Filipino Visitors to China. Sometimes, the
early Filipinos went to China to visit and offer gifts
to the Chinese emperor. Even in those days, our
rulers and rich people loved to travel abroad. At
that time, China was the most powerful country in
the world, so our people traveled there.
The largest group of early Filipino tourists in
China arrived at Beijing, the capital of China, in
1417. They were more than 340 men and women,
including three datus (kings) of Mindanao. They
visited the Chinese emperor and gave him many
gifts of gold, pearls and turtle shells. In return, the
Chinese emperor gave them hundreds of silk cloths
and Chinese money.
Unfortunately, on their way home, one of the
Mindanao kings named Paduka Pahala got sick and
died on September 13, 1417. He was given a royal
funeral by the Chinese emperor and buried near
Dezhov City, Shandong Prov-ince, east China. His
wife and some of his followers stayed behind to
look after his grave.
Today, about 100 of his descendants still live
in the village of Beijing, where he was buried.
They still follow the Muslim religion and have
Filipino features, but of course they are now
Chinese. This story of the Filipino king who died
in China was made into a popular film in 1987,
entitled "Hari sa Hari, Lahi sa Lahi."
Our Chinese Heritage. Our Chinese heritage
is economic and social. Traces of Chinese
influence are found in our (1) jobs, (2) costumes,
(3) food, (4) customs, (5) language, and (6) blood.
From the Chinese the Filipinos learned how
to make gunpowder, to mine for gold, to work with
metal, to use porcelain, gongs and metals, and to
make kites. In costumes, the Chinese gave us the
early Filipino jackets and loose trousers, slippers,
wooden shoes (bakya), fans, and umbrellas. The
use of white clothes for mourning the dead came
from the Chinese.
Many social customs came from the Chi-
nese. Among them were: respect for elders,
arranged marriages, and worship of dead ancestors.
Unfortunately, some terrible vices also came from
the Chinese. These vices were: the use of
firecrackers at New Year, the tong (fee) for owners
of gambling dens, and gambling with jueteng,
cards and mah-jong.
In language, about 1500 words in the Tagalog
vocabulary came from the Chinese. Some
examples of these Chinese words are: ate (elder
sister), bakya (wooden shoes), bantay (guard),
buwisit (unlucky), gunting (scissors), kuya (elder
brother), pinto (door), and susi (key).
Many Chinese married Filipina women and
lived in the Philippines. Today, many rich and
famous Filipino families are of Chinese origin, for
example President Corazon Cojuangco Aquino.
Other Chinese names are Chua, Lim, Sy, Wang,
Yap, Uy, etcetera.
 Early Relations with Arabia. Every Filipino
today knows about Saudi Arabia because many of
our countrymen work there and in other Arab
countries in the Middle East.
Long, long ago however, it was the other way
around. In ancient times, Arab missionaries and
traders came to the Philippines.
In 1380, the first Arab visitor named
Mukdum came to Sulu from Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
He spread Islam, the Muslim religion and built the
first mosque (Muslim church) at Simunul, Sulu. In
1450, another Arab missionary named Abu Bakr
went to Jolo. He married the princess of Jolo and
founded the sultanate of Sulu. In 1475, an Arab
trader named Kabungsuwan landed at Cotabato and
conquered that valley. He also married the local
princess and founded the sultanate of
Maguindanao.
From Mindanao, the religion of Islam spread
to other places in the Visayas and Luzon.
Manila and Tondo became Muslim kingdoms.
If the Spaniards had not come and spread Chris-
tianity, the Philippines would have become a
Muslim country.
Our Arabic Heritage. Arabic culture has
influenced our (1) religion, (2) polities, and (3)
social life. Our Arabic heritage is mostly seen
among Muslim Filipinos in the south.
The Arabs gave the Muslim Filipinos the
religion of Islam. Today, there are about 1,600,000
Muslims in the Philippines. They live mostly in
Mindanao and Sulu. In politics, the Arabs
introduced the sultanate form of government and
laws. The title of sultan (king). raha (heir), dayang
(princess), and kali (judge) came from the Arabs.
Some examples of Muslim customs are: polygamy,
divorce, and the pilgrimage to Mecca.
In our social life, the Muslim Filipinos follow
the Muslim way of life. Their calendar and
holidays are Muslim - for example, they celebrate
Ramadan. This is the Muslim holy festival of
fasting and prayer. Some famous Filipino epic
poems, tales and plays are of Muslim origin - for
example, the "moro-moro" play of the Tagalogs
and the epic poem Darangan of Maranao. The
"singkil" is a royal Muslim dance of the Maranao.
And some Tagalog words have Arabic origin.
Examples of these are: alak (wine), apo (old man),
bukas (tomorrow), pilar (scar), salamat (thanks),
and sulat (letter).
Many Filipinos are Muslim or have Mus lim
blood. About 2% of Filipinos have Arab blood
from their ancestors. Some Filipino names are
Arabic in origin: Mohamed, Abdul, Fatima, Jamil,
Leila, Hassan, and Zaide.
Early Relations with Other Asians. Our
early ancestors also had contacts with Borneo.
Malaya, Malacca, Thailand (Siam), Kampuchea
(Cambodia), and Indonesia. Filipinos traded with
these Asian nations and sometimes settled over
there.
In 1515, the Filipinos had a small colony at
Dingding, Malacca, in Malaysia. They were
prosperous merchants who were called "Luzon
men" by the local natives. This was their trading
base for Malaya, Borneo, and Indonesia When the
Spaniards came to the Philippines, they met foreign
traders in the Philippines. These foreigners told
them we had business contacts with Thailand,
India, Chink, Malaya, and Indonesia.
Historical Values. After studying about our
rich heritage from other Asian nations, we learned
the following lessons from history:
(1) The Filipinos have a rich heritage from Asian
nations like India, China, Arabia, and other
countries. Our Asian heritage is seen in our
religion, politics, economics, and social life.
(2) The Filipinos also influenced these other Asian
nations. Some Filipinos spread Islam to east China.
Filipinos traded in Malaysia, Indonesia, China, and
Thailand. Filipino products were very much in
demand in other Asian countries.
(3) We could have been a Muslim country if the
Spaniards had not spread Christianity in the
Philippines.
(4) The early Filipinos were indepen-dent. They
were never conquered by the empires of India,
China, and Arabia. This was to our benefit because
we became Christians more easily than the other
Asian nations who were colonized by India, China,
and Arabia.
Chapter 6
The Coming of Spain
IN THE 16th century, the Philippines was
invaded by the Spaniards. They made our country
into a colony of Spain. A colony is a country that is
ruled by foreigners from another land. The coming
of the Spaniards changed our history. Through
Spain we became Catholic in religion. We also got
a new and more advanced culture from Europe and
Mexico. But, for the first time in our history, we
lost our freedom and independence to foreigners. It
took 300 years before we could have our freedom
back again.
Why the Spaniards Came. The Spaniards came to
the Philippines and Asia because of these reasons:
(1) God, (2) Gold, and (3) Glory.
(1) God. The first aim of Spain was to spread
the Roman Catholic religion. At the time, Spain
was the greatest champion of Catholicism in the
world. The Spanish king spent vast sums of money
to convert more people to Catholicism.
(2) Gold. The second aim of Spain was to get
rich. It wanted to control the spice trade in Asia
because spices (peppers, ginger, garlic, etc.) were
very much in demand in Europe. If Spain could
control the spice trade it would be the richest
nation in the world. But it did not succeed in this
aim.
(3) Glory. The third aim of Spain was to get
political glory. When Spain conquered the
Philippines in Asia, it became the greatest empire
in the world during the 16th century.
Philip I was the first king to boast that the sun
never set on his kingdom, because when it was
sunset in Manila it was also sunrise in Madrid,
Spain.
Magellan's Voyage. The coming of
Magellan to the Philippines was not an acci-dent.
He really planned and wanted to find the
Philippines because he heard that it was a very rich
land. So Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese
explorer, asked the Portuguese king, King Manuel,
to finance a project to sail to the Philippines. But
the Portuguese king only laughed at Magellan and
told him to go away.
Magellan traveled to the next country, Spain,
and talked the king and queen of Spain into
supporting his expedition to Asia. King Ferdinand
and Queen Isabel of Spain, who ruled jointly,
became interested because Magellan said he could
find a new route to the East by sailing through a
secret passage in the west. At that time, the rich
lands of Asia were closed to Spain. King Ferdinand
and Queen Isabel ordered an expedition to
accompany the brave Magellan on his historic
voyage. His fleet consisted of five ships and 265
men.
On September 20, 1517, the expedition of
Magellan left Spain for the East. They sailed
westward across the Atlantic Ocean down to the tip
of South America. Here they crossed the secret
passage that was known only to Magellan. This
secret passage is now called the Strait of Magellan.
Then they crossed the Pacific Ocean and hopped
from island to island until they reached the
Philippines.
"Discovery" of the Philippines. Westerners
trumpeted Magellan's landing in the Philippines as
its "discovery" by Spain. Of course, this was not
true because our country was known to Asians long
before the white Europeans came. We were never
really lost, so how could we be "discovered"?
Historical Discovery: When Did Magellan
Come?
There is an historical controversy about the
correct date of the landing of Magellan in the
Philip-pines. Some sources say March 16th, but
other sources say March 17, 1521. Which is
correct?
Those who use the date March 16, 1521
follow the original dates used in the actual records
written by the survivors of Magellan's expedition,
for example the diary of Pigafetta, his right-hand
man, the logbook, the interview with the survivors,
etc.
Those who use March 17, 1521 add one day
because they claim that when Magellan crossed the
International Date Line, he should have added one
day to his logbook. This is why the survivors of his
expedition were surprised that when they returned
to Spain it was one day behind already. This is
because when somebody goes around the world
from west to east, they advance one day when they
cross the International Date Line near Guam.
However, it is very difficult to advance one
day now for modern historical records. If we
advance one day to March 16, we shall have to
advance every other day after that. Therefore, the
first mass happened on April 1 and not March 31.
The founding of Manila was June 25, not June 24.
And so on.
This is impossible now. We have to stay with
the original date in Magellan's records because it is
more convenient.
Why did Spain advertise its landing in the
Philippines as a "discovery." It had to do this in
order to keep away the other rival European
powers from grabbing its new colony. It was like a
race for new lands. Whoever got to the place first
could plant their nation's flag and claim that land
for their king. The Big Powers Spain, Portugal,
England, France, and the Netherlands - competed
with each other to be the first to "discover" or find
countries not yet known to the others.
At the time, the Big Powers in Europe were
building their empires in Asia, Africa, and South
America. They wanted more power and riches by
grabbing as many colonies as possible in the other
continents.
This political race to grab new lands around
the world was called "colonialism." Colonialism
was popular in the 16th to 19th centuries among
the European powers. Colonialism began when a
Big Power invaded a smaller country. The smaller
country then became the colony of the Big Power.
The Big Power used the natural resources of the
colony. The people of that colony were no longer
free. They fell under the control of the Big Power.
Sometimes, colonialism is also called
"Imperialism." Spain, Portugal, England, France,
and the Netherlands became great empires because
of their many colonies then. They became bitter
rivals for these colonies.
Rivalry Between Portugal and Spain. In the
16th century, Portugal and Spain were the most
bitter rivals for colonies in the world. They
quarreled over the ownership of these lands.
In 1493, Pope Alexander VI issued four papal
bulls (decrees). One of the papal bulls divided the
world between Spain and Portugal. The next year,
in 1494, the two countries made an agreement
(Treaty of Tordesillas) shifting the demarcation
line (division) made by the pope. Then, in 1529,
they quarreled again over ownership of the
Moluccas (Spice Islands), So they made a new
agreement (Treaty of Zaragoza) to fix a new
demarcation line. The Spanish king sold his rights
to the Moluccas to the Portuguese king. But this
was a big mistake for Portugal. It did not know that
the Moluccas and the Philippines were really
included on the side of the line belonging to
Portugal. So, Portugal only bought what it really
owned.
Portugal really owned the Philippines and
came here ahead of Spain. But the Portuguese did
not make us a colony. This story is one of the
mysteries of our history.
In 1512, a Portuguese explorer named
Francisco Serrano was stranded on the coast of
Mindanao. Later he wrote about it to his cousin
Magellan. No doubt Serrano's letter inspired
Magellan to look for a new route to the East and
the Philippines. In 1516, another Portuguese named
Duarte Barbosa wrote about Sulu in a book of his
voyages. Later he became Magellan's brother-in-
law. Many Portuguese ships have been to the
Philippines before Magellan because they often
sailed in the waters of southern Philippines.
Fortunately, Portugal never claimed the
Philippines. If we had been a colony of Portugal,
the Dutch would have taken over our country. The
Dutch took over Portuguese colonies in the
Moluccas in the early 17th century. The Dutch
were more cruel colonial masters than the Span-
jards or the Portuguese. If we had been a colony of
Portugal, the Dutch would have taken over our
country.
First Mass at Butuan. Magellan and his men
saw the heights of Samar on March 16,
1521. This date is celebrated as the European
"discovery" of the International dateline, and they
should have added one day to their calendar.
After seeing Samar, the Spaniards landed at
the island of Homonhon in Leyte Gulf on March
17. Here they saw their first Filipinos who brought
them food. Magellan and his men had been
starving until then.
From Homonhon they were driven by a storm
to Masao, Butuan in Agusan del Norte,* reaching it
on March 28. There they found a rich Filipino
kingdom with plenty of food, gold, forests, rice
fields and mountains.
At Butuan, two kings - Raha Kolambu and
Raha Siagu - met Magellan. In the finest tradition
of Filipino hospitality, they welcomed the
Spaniards. The foreign visitors were generously
fed with lots of rice, chickens, pigs, and fruits, all
served on the finest Chinese porcelain.
To seal their new friendship, Kolambu and
Magellan made the traditional blood compact,
known as "sandugo." Each man made a small cut
on his left arm and let his blood drip into a glass of
wine. Then they crossed arms and took a sip of the
cup with the blood of the other. It was the local
custom of becoming friends then. This was the first
blood compact by a Filipino with a white man.
(*) The municipality of Magallanes near Butuan is
also a possible site of the Magellan's landing in
Mindanao traditional artists' version of the planting
of the first cross (by an unknown artist) Note the
absence of filipinos.
Another important event took place at
Butuan. The first mass was held on the shore of
Masao, Butuan on Easter morning, March 31,
1521. It was said by Father Pedro de Valderama,
the Spanish chaplain. The Filipino kings and their
men attended the mass, along with Magellan and
his men. After the mass, the Filipinos were treated
to a fencing exhibition by the Spaniards. Then, at
sunset of the same day, Magellan planted a huge
wooden cross on the top of a hill overlooking the
sea.
Historical Discovery: Where was the First
Mass?
The location of the first mass in the
Philippines is a subject of historical controversy.
Some historians say it was held at Limasawa
Island, Southern Leyte. Other historians say it was
at Masao Butuan, Agusan del Norte in Mindanao.
Where is the right place?
These are the reasons for Limasawa and those
for Butuan:
Pro-Limasawa:
1. Limasawa was the place given by the American
historians and some Spanish historians who wrote
famous books later.
2. The place is described as an "island," and
Butuan is not an island.
3. The latitude position is given as 92/30 and that is
closer to Limasawa than to Butuan, which lies at 9°
latitude only.
4 Magellan was sailing to unknown seas and he
bumped into Limasawa after Homonhon.
Magellan was never in Mindanao.
5. The relics of ancient balanghai boats and gold
artifacts in Butuan could have come from
Limasawa.
6. Limasawa is closer to Cebu where Magellan
went next.
Pro-Masao, Butuan: *
1. The name of the place in the original records of
Magellan's expedition was only three syl. lables -
Masao, Masana, Mazzana. It was said as four
syllables (Limasawa) only by the colonial
historians who made a mistake about the place.
2. Butuan is a delta-like island surrounded by a bay
and rivers. It could have appeared as an island at
the time.
3. The latitude position is given as 9° exact in two
original records and 92/° in two other records of
the journey. The 9° latitude is the correct one
because that was the position at Magellan's
logbook. There is no island at 92/30 North.
4. Magellan had a map and was looking for an
"island" at 9° latitude that the map said had much
gold. The shape of the island in his map looked
like Mindanao. Moreover his cousin Francisco
Serrano was stranded in Mindanao in 1512, four
years before, and told him to look for that island.
Magellan was looking for Mindanao, and he found
it by landing at Butuan.
5. Butuan was an old settlement with relics dating
to the 4th century AD. Magellan met two rich
kings who were experienced in trading and had
impressive Chinese porcelains and gold jewelry.
Limasawa does not have any archaeological relics
to show it was ever a rich kingdom. The relics in
Butuan also show ancient houses, burial places,
and mining tools. Houses, cemeteries and mines do
not travel.
6. Butuan has more contacts with Cebu than
Limasawa has. Even today, the ferry boat from
Cebu goes to Butuan. There is no direct contact
between Cebu and Limasawa.
The Cebuanos and the Butuanons
speak the same language and have many rela-tions.
The Cebuanos and Limasawans do not speak the
same language and do not have contacts.
Magellan's actual voyage was longer, according to
the documents.
The Mindanao visit of Magellan may also include
the site of the present-day municipality of
Magallanes Agusan del Norte near Butuan.
Magellan Claims the Philippines for Spain.
Alas, the Filipinos did not know what Magellan
was doing. In fact, when he planted the cross it was
like planting a different flag
on our land. Magellan claimed our country for the
king of Spain. He called it the "Archipelago of San
Lazaro," because he came here on the feast day of
that saint. In short, Magellan wanted to make the
Philippines a colony of Spain.
The Spaniards Go to Cebu. The Spaniards
continued their voyage by going to Cebu.
King Kolambu guided them there. They arrived at
Cebu on Sunday, April 7, 1521.
At first, the King of Cebu, Raha Humabon
refused to meet Magellan or let him land. But his
friend, King Kolambu, persuaded him that the
white men came as friends. So, the Spaniards were
allowed to land and become the guests of the
Cebuanos.
The wealth and culture of the Cebuanos
impressed the Spaniards very much. Cebu was a
booming town. It had trade relations with China,
Thailand, the Moluccas, and other barangays of the
Philippines. The Spaniards were treated well here.
King Humabon and Magellan made a blood
compact. On April 14, 1521, a mass was held on
the shore. Then Magellan placed a cross which still
stands at Cebu City today.
After the mass, the Cebuanos were invited to
convert to Christianity. More than
800.Cebuanos, including Humabon, his wife and
son, agreed to be baptized. They became the first
Filipino Catholics. The queen was baptized as
Queen Juana. She was given a beautiful image of
the Child Jesus (Santo Niño), which is still the
patron saint of Cebu City until today.
Later, a miraculous cure of the king's brother
astonished the Cebuanos. Thus, thousands more in
that island threw away their pagan idols and
became baptized as Catholics.
Lapulapu Defeats Magellan Magellan, who
wanted all Filipino kings in Cebu and nearby
islands to surrender to Spain. But there was one
brave Filipino ruler who defied him. He was King
Lapulapu of Mactan, a little island near Cebu.
One day, the other king of Mactan called
Zula asked Magellan for help in destroying
Lapulapu. The two kings in Mactan were bitter
enemies. Magellan agreed to help Zula, for he also
wanted to kill Lapulapu. At dawn of April 27,
1521, Magellan invaded Mactan.
Magellan boasted to the Cebuanos that he did
not need their help in fighting Lapulapu. He told
them to stay in their boats and watch the Spaniards
beat the Philippines. So, with only 60 men,
Magellan attacked Lapulapu's kingdom.
The battle was short but very bloody.
Fighting for their land and liberty, Lapulapu and
his warriors fought like lions. Magellan and his
men were beaten in this battle. So Magellan
ordered his men to retreat to their boats. He himself
was wounded in the arm, leg and face. As the
Spaniards were re-treating, Lapu lapu's men
surrounded Magellan and killed him.
Lapulapu, the First Filipino Hero. Truly,
Lapulapu of Mactan was the first Filipino hero.
It was the first battle between the Filipinos and the
white men and it was the first victory of the
Filipinos.
Lapulapu defended the freedom of the
Philippines. He deserves to live forever in the
pages of our history. In his honor, Lapulapu City in
Mactan was named after Him.
The Spaniards Go Home. After their defeat
at Mactan, the Spaniards returned sadly to Cebu.
But they lost face. The Cebuanos did not respect
them anymore. The Spaniards also became
abusive. Duarte Barbosa, one of the new
commanders, maltreated Enrique, Magellan's
Malay slave. So Enrique plotted with King
Humabon to kill the Spaniards.
On May 1, 1521 the Spaniards were invited
to a feast day by King Humabon. While they were
eating and drinking at the feast, the Spaniards were
attacked by the Cebuanos.
Many Europeans were killed, including Duarte
Barbosa and Juan Serrano, the new com-manders.
After the Cebu massacre, the survivors of the
expedition quickly left for the south. After visiting
Palawan, Brunei, Mindanao, and the Moluccas,
they set sail for home. One ship, the Trinidad
sailed for Mexico. But it was caught by the
Portugese in the Moluccas. The other ship, the
Victoria sailed for Spain via the Indian Ocean and
the African Cape. It reached San Lucar, Spain on
September 6, 1522 with only 18 survivors.
Results of Magellan's Voyage. Magellan's
expedition was the greatest sea exploit of all time
because of three reasons:
(1) It was the first voyage around the world by sea.
It proved that the earth was not flat and ships
would not fall off when they got to the end of the
world.
(2) It added to the knowledge about geography.
The Europeans learned that the Pacific Ocean is the
largest ocean. The Strait of Magellan in South
America was discovered. The Europeans also
discovered the Philippines and other new lands in
Asia. Magellan blazed the trail for a new westward
route of Asia. to the fabulous riches
(3) It made Spain interested in colonizing the
Philippines.
HISTORICAL DISCOVERY:
Famous Firsts: First Around the World
The Victoria was the first ship to sail around
the world. But who was the first man to p
around the world? The three candidates this honor
are:

1.Enrique. The Filipino slave or Magellan, he was
a Cebuano. Magellan bough, him in the Malacca
slave market. He was a good servant and became a
Catholic. When Magellan went to the Philippines,
Enrique acted as interpreter of the expedition. After
Magellan died and his men went back to Spain, he
remained in Cebu. Some historians say Enrique
was the first man to go around the world because
he came home when Magellan landed in the
Philippines.
2. Ferdinand Magellan. The Portuguese explorer
who planned and led the expedition that sailed
around the world. Magellan Was in the East before,
as a Portuguese soldier in Malacca in 1505-1513.
Because he was killed by Lapulapu in Mactan, he
did not return to Spain with his men. But some
historians say " he was the first man around the
world.
3. Sebastian de Elcano. The Spanish, ship captain
who brought the Victoria and her survivors back to
Spain. He was on Magellan's I voyage from start to
finish. Although he was one of the mutineers
(rebels) at Port Julian, Magellan pardoned him.
After Magellan and other leaders died, Elcano led
the survivors back to Spain. The Spanish king
gave him the honor which should have gone to
Magellan. Elcano, got an annual pension and a
coat-of-arms with.' a picture of the globe saying
"prime• circumdediste me (first to sail around
me)." some historians say he was the first man
around; the world
Other Spanish Expeditions. All Magellan,
Spain sent more expeditions 10 19 through the
same westward route. From 1525 to 1564 there
were five expeditions ) the Loaisa expedition
(1525); (2) Cabot expedition (1526); (3) the
Saavel expedition (1542); and (5) the Legazpi
expedition (1564). Only the last - the Legal
expedition - was successful. The others end in
failure.
The Legazpi Expedition. In 1564, the new
Spanish king named Philip II ordered a new
expedition to the Philippines. He was the king of
whom the Philippines was named. Naturally, he
wanted to make it a colony of Spain, even if the
other expeditions had ended in disaster.
The new expedition was fitted in Mexico, a
colony of Spain in the New World. This made the
voyage shorter and easier. The commander of the
expedition was the noble and wise Miguel Lopez
de Legazpi. His expedition had four ships and 380
men, most of them Mexicans. Thus, this was really
a Spanish-Mexican expedition. The Legazpi
expedition sailed from Navidad, Mexico on
November 21, 1564.
After passing through the Marianas, they
reached the Philippines on February 3, 1565. The
explored Samar, Leyte, and the other islands. They
were well-received at Limasawa, Leyte, and Bohol.
In Bohol, Legazpi made a blood compact with
King Katuna (Sikatuna) and King Gala (Sigala).
This event became the subject of a famous painting
by Juan Luna, a famous Filipino painter.
Cebu Becomes the First Spanish City. From
Bohol, Legazpi sailed to Cebu, arriving there on
April 27, 1565. Raha Tupas, the son of Humabon,
fought the Spanish invaders but did not win the
battle. The Spanish ships bombarded the Cebuano
kingdom. On the shore, the superior weapons of
the Spaniards won the day. Tupas and his men
retreated to the hills.
To win the Filipinos back, Legazpi adopted a
policy of attraction. This policy was friendly and
peaceful. So, King Tupas became a friend of Spain
instead of an enemy. Because of their kindness, the
Spanish missionaries converted many Filipinos to
Christianity. King Tupas and his family were
baptized. Then the other Cebuanos followed their
example.
In 1565 Legazpi made Cebu the first Spanish
settlement in the Philippines. He built a fort and a
church in what was also the first Spanish outpost in
Asia. He named the town "City of the Most Holy
Name of Jesus" in honor of the Child Jesus. The
image of the Child Jesus was found in a native
house by the Spaniards. It was the same statue
given by Magellan to Queen Juana in 1521.
 Conquest of the Other Islands. Because of
a food shortage in Cebu, Legazpi moved to Panay
in 1569. At first, the Filipinos in Panay were very
hostile to the Spaniards.
But Legazpi and the Spanish missionaries
won them over by means of wisdom and
friendship. Panay became the next Spanish military
base in the Philippines.
Also in 1569, Masbate, Ticao and Burias
were captured by the Spaniards. They penetrated as
far as Albay in the Bicol region. In Masbate, the
Spanish priest was so successful in preaching
Christianity that he kept the island peaceful with
only six soldiers to help him.
In 1570, the Filipino Muslim (Moro) villages
and forts at Mindoro and the nearby islets of Ilim
and Lubang were destroyed. The fall of Mindoro
brought the invaders closer to Manila.
The Battle for Manila. At that time, Manila
was a rich Muslim Kingdom. The Span-jards
decided to conquer this important outpost. It took
two battles - in 1570 and 1571 to capture Manila.
At first, the Filipino Moro king of Manila,
Raha Sulayman, resisted the Spanish invaders.
The first Spanish expedition to invade Manila was
led by Marshal Martin de Goiti in May 1570. He
led 120 Spaniards and 600 Visayan warriors. After
a fierce battle, Goiti won against Sulayman. He
also captured the Filipino cannons made by Panday
Pira, a Pampangueño blacksmith. This made it
harder for the Fill. pinos to fight the foreigners.
However, Goit could not hold the place and
returned to Panay to regroup.
In 1571, another Spanish invasion of Manila
was personally led by Legazpi himself. Sulayman
wanted to fight the invaders again, But his old
uncle, Lakan Dula of Tondo, persuaded him to
befriend them instead. Because they did not want
to sacrifice any more Filipino lives to a lost cause,
Sulayman and Lakan Dula decided to accept
Spanish rule. They knew they could not win
against the superior weapons and military power of
Spain.
However, some Filipino rulers of Hagonoy,
Macabebe, and nearby barangays did not want to
give up easily. They met at Navotas and decided
to. attack the foreigners. They were led by
Bambolito, a stubborn Macabebe warrior.
On June 3, 1571 Bambolito led his fleet of
war boats to fight the Spanish navy. The naval
battle happened at Bangkusay Channel, near the
Tondo shore. This was really the first battle of
Manila Bay. It was a historic battle because it
opened the way for the Spanish conquest of Manila
and the whole of Luzon.
The battle at Manila Bay was fierce and
bloody. The Spaniards led by Marshal Goiti, won
the battle. The Filipinos lost because of three
reasons:
-Lakan Dula and Sulayman did not help the
other Filipinos;
-The Spaniards had superior weapons and
discipline; and
-About 600 Cebuano archers helped the
Spaniards in the battle. About 500 Filipinos
were taken prisoner that day. After the battle,
the Spaniards took over Manila.
Manila Becomes the Capital. On June 24,
1571 Legazpi proclaimed Manila as the new capital
of the colony. He rebuilt it from a Moro kingdom
to a Spanish city, with Spanish homes, churches
and a fort. King Philip I gave it a new coat-of-arms
and a new name: "Distinguished and Ever Loyal
City" (Insigne y Siempre Leal Ciudad. But the old
name of Manila continued to be used. Manila
means "a place where there are nilad plants."
Today, Manila is the capital of the Philippines.
June 24th is celebrated as the founding day of the
city.
Conquest of Luzon. From Manila, Spanish
rule spread to other parts of Luzon. In many places
in Luzon, Filipinos put up a strong resistance to the
Spanish invasion. It seems however that God was
on the side of the Spaniards who wanted to bring
the Christian religion to the Philippines.
In Cainta and Taytay, the Filipinos refused to
surrender to the Spanish at first. "Come and fight,"
they answered the Spanish challenge, "let us see
who is stronger - your Christian God or our
ancestral gods"
As the Spanish troops approached the
barangay fort at Cainta, a Filipino warrior on top of
a tall tree shouted to them, "Castillas! What did my
ancestors do to you that you should come to
plunder us?" Again the fighting was very bloody.
The Spaniards were outnumbered. They had only
100 soldiers and three big guns. But, alas, the
Filipino defenders still lost the battle. They were
simply no match against the superior Spanish
military strategy and weapons. About 400
Filipinos, including women, were killed in the
battle of Cainta.
The news of the fall of Cainta spread like
wildfire to all the nearby barangays. It scared the
people living in these areas, and they decided to
give up to the Spaniards. Taytay, Bay, and Liliw
surrendered without a flight.
The rulers of Nagcarlan and Majayjay
however resisted the invaders. But like the other
places, they too fell to the Spaniards. Captain Juan
de Salcedo, Legazpi's grandson, captured Laguna,
locos, Bicol and Catanduanes. Marshall Goiti
captured Pampanga.
By the end of the 16th century, the Spanish
invaders had effectively conquered Luzon and
Visayas. Only Mindanao, Sulu, and the interior
mountain regions remained under the control Of
the Filipinos. But practically speaking, the the
battle for the Philippines was over - the Spaniards
had won.
Why the Philippines Fell to Spain. It Was
really a miracle how the Spaniards conquered the
Philippines with only a few hundred soldiers in the
16th century. Our country was then made up of
free independent barangays with a total population
of around 1,500,000 people. The Spaniards, led by
Legazpi, brought only from 300 to 1,700 soldiers.
This number included reinforcements from
Mexico. How could such a small army conquer
Luzon and the Visayas? The reasons why the
Philippines fell to Spain are as follows:
1. The Filipinos at the time of the arrival of
Legazpi were not united. They were divided into
different tribes under their own kings or chieftains.
The Spaniards took advantage of the disunity of the
Filipinos. They played one tribe against another.
For example, the Cebuano archers helped the
Spaniards win the Battle of Bangkusay.
2. The Spanish invaders had a great
commander in Legazpi. He won the friendship of
the Filipino kings with his generosity and wisdom.
He did not abuse them and treated them with
kindness, unlike other Spanish rulers later.
3. Although the Filipinos were brave and
tenacious, they could not win against the superior
military arms and knowhow of the Spaniards. The
Spanish conquistadores had the advanced
technology of the West at that time. They fought
with bigger cannons, muskets, swords and metal
armor. The Filipino warriors only had bronze
cannons, crude swords, daggers, lances, and
wooden bows and arrows.
4. The Filipinos were won over by the
Spanish missionaries who taught them a better
religion than the barbaric paganism of their
ancestors. The first Spanish missionaries who came
to the Philippines were truly unselfish and
dedicated martyrs of the faith. The Filipinos were
won over by their virtues and by the Gospel. Truly,
the Cross did more than the Sword to win the easy
conquest of the Philippines.
Historical values. From our study of why the
Spaniards came to the Philippines, we learn the
following lessons of history:
(1) A brave and determined hero can change the
history of the world. Magellan sailed on in spite of
many troubles during his voyage. He got Spain
interested in the Philippines and proved that the
carth was round. Lapulapu defied Magellan. His
heroism delayed the Spanish conquest for nearly
50 years.
(2) The Philippines could not avoid being a colony
because the European powers were building their
empires by grabbing colonies in other continents.
Fortunately, we fell to the Spaniards who brought
Christianity tO us.
If the Portuguese or Dutch had cob. nized the
Philippines, we would have had, harder time. The
Dutch took over the Pom guese colonies in our
areas. They were more Ervel than the Spaniards to
their colonies. The Dutch did not spread the
Christian religion. unch, "The Filipinos lost to
Spain because leg were not united. The Spaniards
had superior weapons and knowhow. Moreover,
the early Spanish rulers and priests treated the
Filipinos well and spread the Christian religion.
Chapter 7
Our Country as a Colony of Spain
THE PHILIPPINES was a colony of Spain
for 333 years (1565-1898). How did the Spanish
officials rule our country? What changes did Spain
make to the Philippine government? How did the
Filipinos react to Spanish rule? In this chapter, we
will understand more of the Filipino attitude to
government which we inherited from the Spanish
era in our country. Later, we will study why the
Filipinos revolted against the Spanish colonial
masters.
Central Government under Spain. Spain
established one central government in the
Philippines. The many independent barangays of
our ancestors disappeared. One government alone
ruled most of our country. Thus, for the first time
in our history, we became united as one nation
called "FILIPINAS" (Philippines). The rest of the
world came to know our country by that name.
Philippine Territory in Spanish Times.
However, Philippine territory was very different
during Spanish times. These differences in the
territory ruled by the central government then were
as follows:
The island archipelagos of Guam, the
Marianas, the Carolines, and the Palaus in the
South Pacific were included in Philippine territory
during Spanish times. These islands are now
separated and no longer part of Philippine territory.
Most of Mindanao and Sulu were excluded.
Spain claimed sovereignty (supreme power) over
them, but only a few coastal areas were really
under its control then. The Filipino Muslims
(Moros) were not conquered by Spain.
Interior mountain regions of Luzon and
Visayas were also excluded. They were not
colonized by Spain. So the tribes in the highland
regions (Ifugaos, gorots, etc.) remained
independent like the Moros.
The Philippines as a Colony of Spain. The
Philippines was a colony of Spain for 333 years,
from the time when Legazpi came in 1565 to the
time when Spain lost to America in 1898. Being a
"colony" means our land and our people belonged
to the Spanish monarch. The Filipinos practically
had no say in who ruled them, what laws applied to
them, or what rights they had. In short, our rulers,
our laws, and our rights were all dictated by Spain.
Monarchy under Spain. The Spanish king
(or queen) was the supreme power in Spain and its
colonies like the Philippines. This system of
government is called "monar-chy." In this system,
power came from the king who appointed the
colonial officials. He also issued the royal decrees
(orders). At first, the Council of the Indies helped
the king to rule the colonies. When it was
abolished. The Minister of the Colonies took
charge of colonial affairs.
Monarchy is different from our present
system of government. At present, we have a
"democracy" where power comes from the people.
The people can change their public officials in a
democracy. The monarchy of Spain was inherited
at the time. So we could not change who ruled over
us.
The Mexican Viceroy. Until 1821, the
Philippines really was ruled by the Spanish viceroy
in Mexico in the name of the king. This was
because the Philippines was colonized from
Mexico, the Spanish colony in the New World
(Americas). However, after Mexico got its
independence in 1821, the Philippines was ruled
directly from Madrid, Spain.
The Spanish Governor-General. As the
chart shows, the Spanish governor-general
represented the King of Spain in the Philippines.
He had great powers. He could make laws him-
self. He could appoint and remove any official,
except those appointed by the king. He was the
commander-in-chief of the colonial armed forces.
Therefore, he was usually also a military officer in
the Spanish Army or Navy. For a long time until
1861, he was also president of the Royal
Audiencia, like the Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court today.
There were 115 Spanish governors-generals
in our country. The first one was Miguel Lopez de
Legazpi (1565-72), and the last was Diego de los
Rios (1898).
The Royal Audiencia. The highest court of
the land during Spanish times was the Royal
Audiencia. It was equivalent to the Supreme Court
then. The Royal Audiencia decided important cases
appealed to it from the lower courts. It could also
make local ordinances and check upon all financial
records. It ruled the country temporarily when the
governor-general died or was absent.
Laws, The laws of the Philippines were made
by the Spaniards. Thus, most of these laws were
for the benefit of Spain and the Spaniards, not the
Filipinos. However, some of these laws were good
and Christian. For example, slavery was abolished
in 1589. Human and child sacrifices were
abolished, Divorce and polygamy were also
banned.
The major laws were compiled in a legal code
called "Law of the Indies." From time to time, the
Spanish king issued royal decrees (orders) which
had the force of laws. Other Spanish laws covered
such subjects as penal law, civil code, code of
commerce, and copyright law.
Local Government. Spain formed the origin
of our present system of local govern-ment. The
country was divided into provinces, with towns and
cities.
The cities had their own government called
"ayuntamiento." The city council, known as
"cabildo," was headed by the mayor ("alcalde").
The Spanish cities then were: Manila, Cebu, Nueva
Caceres (Naga), Nueva Segovia (Lalloc, Cagayan),
Arrival, Nueva Fernandina (Vigan), Jaro,
Batangas, Albay, and Legaspi.
The provinces ("alcaldias") were groups of
towns and barangays. There were 19 provinces:
Manila, Albay, Bataan, Batangas, Bulacan,
Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Cagayan,
Laguna, Mindoro, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya,
Pampanga, Pangasinan, ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur,
Isabela, Tayabas, and Zambales. Each province
was ruled by a Spanish official called "alcalde
mayor." He was appointed by the governor-
general.
Spain did not destroy the old barangays.
These were grouped together to form towns called
"pueblos." Each town was ruled by a Filipino
official called "governadorcillo" (little governor).
He was elected yearly by prominent citizens of the
town. At the head of each barangay was a Filipino
official called "cabeza de barangay" (barangay
captain). At first, he was the hereditary head of the
area. Later, his position was also elected. His main
duty was to collect taxes.
These elections for some local officials were
really fixed. They were not open to everyone. The
winning candidate was usually the favorite of the
parish priest, who was the real power in the town.
Only a few male voters (the rich) voted. The idea
of free and popular elections did not start until the
American era in the Phil-ippines.
Government Debts. Since the beginning of
the Spanish rule, the colonial government in the
Philippines suffered debts year in and year out.
Even then, the government officials could not
support the expense of the govern-ment. Their
income from laxes, customs duties, and other
public fees were not enough. The government
debts were due to two reasons:
1. Government officials were dishonest. They
engaged in graft and corruption - bribes,
cheating, stolen wealth, etc. In short, they
wanted to enrich themselves instead of
collecting the right amount of taxes or fees
due to the government.
2. The ordinary people lacked cooperation and
loyalty to the State. The Filipinos did not
really love their country because it was ruled
by foreigners. They looked at taxes and other
government fees as a heavy burden. As much
as possible, they avoided paying anything to
the government.
To lessen the financial worries of the colony, Spain
granted it the annual subsidy ('real situado").
Starting in 1606, the Mexican viceroy sent an
annual subsidy to Manila. The average amount of
the subsidy was P 250,000.
1565—----------------------
1591—-----------------------
1735—----------------------
1800—------------------------
1817—------------------------
1829—---------------------------
1850—-------------------------
1870—-----------------------------
1885—-------------------------
1896—----------------
1591—------------------
1621—---------------------
1655—----------------------
This decrease was because of the Dutch naval
attacks on the Philippines in the 17th century.
Many Filipinos were killed in these battles. And
many more fled to the hills for safety, thus leaving
the towns and cities.
Now we will compare the Filipino population
with the Spanish population, as shown in the last
two topics. It will be obvious that the Filipinos
always outnumbered the Spaniards. How did the
The Spanish Population. The Philippines
was far from Spain and Mexico. As a colony it was
never really profitable to Spain. So y did not attract
many Spanish settlers.
Early in the 17th century, there were only
about 2,000 Spaniards in the Philippines. of those,
400 were missionaries; the rest were sol. diers and
officials. In the 19th century, the Spanish residents
numbered a little over 4,00g, Until the end of the
Spanish rule the Spanish population was relatively
small.
Most Spaniards (officials, soldiers, and
merchants) lived in the cities. In the provinces and
remote towns, only the missionaries liver as the
white "castila" among the native popu-lation.
Filipino Population. There was no "popu-
lation boom" during the Spanish era. The Filipino
population increased slowly, as shown below:
500,000
667,000
837,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
3,800,000
4,700,000
5,800,000
6,200,000
There were even times when the Filipino
population decreased, as follows:
667,000
610,918
505,250
Spaniards keep on controlling the Filipinos? What
was the secret behind the Spanish power?
Christianity and Spanish Colonization. The
Spaniards were really able to keep the Philippines
as a colony because most of the Filipinos became
Christians. The secret behind Spanish power was
the Cross, not the Sword. The Filipinos were
attracted to Christianity because of three reasons:
 1. The message of Christianity appealed to the
Filipinos. 'The good news or "gospel" behind
the Christian religion is found in the Bible:
"God so loved the world that He gave His
only beloved Son, so that those who believe
in Him (Jesus Christ will be saved and have
everlasting life" (John 3:16).
2. Filipino life was approved by Chris-tianity.
Its message about God's love and the
brotherhood of men stopped the old barangay
feuds. It gave our people a better way of life.
It reduced usury. drinking, and swearing. It
banned the killing of children, human and
animal sacrifices, and other brutal practices.
It discouraged divorce, polygamy, adultery,
and live-ins before marriage.
3. The missionaries helped the soldiers in the
conquest and pacification of the Philippines.
The success of Spanish colonization was duc
largely to the early missionaries in the 16th
and 17th centuries, The missionaries were not
only preachers of the gospel, but they were
also pioneers of Western civilization. They
brought the new European arts, sciences,
education, literature, and music to our shores.
They built schools, colleges, universities,
printing presses, libraries, hospitals, and
orphanages. They introduced new plants and
animals from Mexico and Europe. They
taught our people new industries like making
colored dyes, bricks and stone houses. They
wrote the first histories, grammars,
dictionaries, and maps. And they constructed
the first roads, bridges, forts, irrigation
systems, and public works.
Church Organization. Side by side with the
civil government was the church organiza-tion. The
head of this organization was the Archbishop of
Manila. He was appointed by the pope upon
recommendation of the Spanish king. Below the
Archbishop were bishops who headed the group of
parishes (diocese). Below the bishops were the
parish priests, who took charge of the town
parishes.
Manila started with a bishop in 1578. The
first Bishop of Manila was Monsignor Domingo de
Salazar. He defended the Filipinos from abuses by
the other Spanish officials. Later, in 1595, Manila
was raised to an archbishopric. with an archbishop
as head of the church here. We had no cardinals
then.
The first missionaries who came to our shores
belonged to different religious orders. These
religious orders were the Augustinians, the
Franciscans, the Jesuits, the Dominicans, the
Recolleros, and the Benedictines.
The Power of the Church. During the
Spanish times, the Catholic Church was the official
religion of the people. No other religion was
allowed to exist. 'This practice of allowing only
one religion in the country is called the "union of
Church and State." Because of this union of
Church and State.
The Catholic priests then had a great
influence in government. The Archbishops,
bishops, and parish priests received their salaries
from the government. The government paid for the
churches, schools and charities run by the religious
orders. Until 1764, the Archbishops could act as
the temporary governor-general of the Philippines.
Today, of course, the situation is certainly
different. No Filipino cardinal could ever act as the
president of the Philippines. But in Spanish times,
an Archbishop became the acting head of state. He
was Archbishop Manuel Rojo, who became acting
governor-general during the British invasion in
1762-64.
In every town, the parish priest was the real
power, for he symbolized the king. He was also
called the friar ("fraile"). He inspected the
collection of taxes. He supervised the local
elections, schools, and charities. He documented
records of births, marriages, and deaths. All local
officials and townsfolk feared him; kissed his
hands, and obeyed him. So powerful was the parish
priest that it was said: "In every friar in the
Philippines the king had a captain- general and a
whole army." In short, although he could be the
only Spaniard in town, the Spanish friar was like a
whole army in his power.
The Only Christian Nation in Asia. Spain's
dream of an empire in Asia started with its
conquest of the Philippines. The Spaniards used the
Philippines as a military base and a mission center
to spread Spanish power and Christianity to other
parts of Asia. Although the Spanish dream of an
Asian empire failed, it kept the Philippines as a
mission field. Thus, other nations in Asia are non-
Christian - Buddhist, Confucian, Hindu, Muslim,
and Shinto. The Philippines is the only Christian
nation in Asia.
From the Philippines, the gospel of
Christianity was beamed to other nearby nations.
The Philippines was the spiritual light of Asia as
far back as the 16th century. Today, missionaries
from the Philippines are still going to other Asian
countries to spread Christianity.
Why Spain Kept the Philippines. Several
times in our history, Spain almost left the
Philippines because it was a big economic loss to
the king. It gave no economic profits to the Spanish
crown. And it cost a lot to support the expenses of
the colony.
It was truly a miracle that the Spanish kings
decided to keep the Philippines. They were
reminded of their obligation to spread Christianity.
This obligation was first found in the last will and
testament of Queen Isabel I, the greatest queen of
Spain, in 1504.
Her grandson, Philip I of Spain told his
advisers that he would not abandon the Phil-
uppines, even if it was a heavy burden on the
economy. He said: "For the conversion of the
people of the Filipinas, I would gladly spend the
riches of the Indies."
In 1619, the advisers of the new king, Philip
III (son of Philip Il), again told him to withdraw
from the colony. When news reached Manila that
Spain might abandon the country because of the
great expense in maintaining the place, Father
Hernando Moraga sailed to Madrid to plead with
the king. When he reached the royal palace in
Madrid, the frail old priest knelt before King Philip
III, and said: "In God's name, please do not
abandon the Philippines, Your Majesty.
Remember what your illustrious great grand-
mother, Queen Isabel the Catholic, stated in her
testament."
Deeply touched by the old padre's words, the
king replied: "Go with God, Father Moraga.
Be assured that I will not give up what my father
had conquered and left me."
In 1621, the Council of the Indies
recommended again that Spain abandon the
Philippines or exchange it for Brazil with Portugal.
But Father Hemando de los Rios Coronel, royal
adviser in Madrid, asked King Philip IV to keep
the Philippines for "the glory and honor of God."
Thus, Spain kept the Philippines as a colony.
For a long time, most Filipinos lived under Spain
and accepted the Catholic religion.
Historical Values. From the time when
Spain ruled the Philippines as a colony, we learn
the following lessons:
1. Spain and the Philippines have very special
relations. The Philippines was the greatest
colony of Spain in Asia.
2. Spain introduced two good blessings:
(1) a centralized government and (2) the
Catholic religion. As a Spanish colony, the
Philippines was united under one government
and became a new nation called
"FILIPINAS." The Philippines also started to
become the only Christian nation in Asia.
3. The interior mountain tribes and Muslim
Filipinos (Moros) were not conquered "by
Spain. That is why these minority groups
have different customs, traditions, religions,
and cultures.
4. Sometimes Filipinos do not love their country
or obey the laws of the land because of their
bad experiences during the Spanish era. The
Spanish colonial officials were abusive and
dishonest. So for three centuries, Filipinos
did not trust government officials or love
their country. But we must remember that we
 fought to win our independence. We have our
own government now and our country is
already free. So we must obey the laws and
love our country.
5. Christianity was the real secret behind the
power of Spain. Most Filipinos accepted
Spain because of the good work of the Early
Spanish missionaries and the appeal of the
Gospel of Christ. Christianity united the Fili-
pinos. It was also the reason why Spain did
not abandon the Philippines.
Chapter 8
Filipino Services to Spain
THE FILIPINOS helped the Spaniards to
remain and rule in the Philippines for more than
three centuries. Without the cooperation of the
Filipinos themselves, Spain could not have used
our country as its base in Asia. Unfortunately, the
foreigners got the best homes, best lands, and best
jobs. And they made the decisions for us. The
Filipinos had to obey them, and we were not united
or enlightened enough to break away from Spanish
rule until the 19th century.
The services of Filipinos during the 300 years
when we were only a colony of Spain taught the
Filipinos the values of endurance and service even
under hard masters. The time of the Philippines
under Spain was like the time of the Israelites as
slaves under Egypt.
Why Did the Filipinos Serve Spain? The
Filipinos served Spain instead of serving their own
countrymen because of three reasons:
1. The Filipinos were not united. They did not
think of themselves as one nation. So the
Spaniards divided and conquered them. Spain
played one tribe against another. For
example, the Visayans were used to put down
a revolt in the Tagalog region. The Christian
Filipinos were used to fighting against the
Filipino Muslims (Moros) and the pagan
minorities.
2. The Filipinos were converted to the Roman
Catholic religion. So the Filipinos were
taught to be loyal to the Spanish officials and
priests who converted them and who
defended that religion. The Filipinos fought
on the side of Catholic Spain against the
Muslims and the Protestant Dutch and
British.
3. The Filipinos were offered rewards and
honors by the Spanish rulers. The Spanish
flattered and took care of the loyal Filipinos.
But they punished and killed the Filipinos
who disobeyed or revolted. Loyal Filipinos
were given positions in the local government
as "gobernadorcillos" (little governors) and
"cabezas de barangay" (barangay chiefs).
Master-of-Camp Francisco Laksamana
received the highest military honor given by
Spain to a native. In June 1662, he became
the military commander of Fort Santiago for
24 hours (one day). It was his reward for
 putting down the Third Chinese Revolt
(1662).
How Did Filipinos Serve Spain. The
Filipino services to Spain during the Spanish era
included the following:
1 Filipinos provided food for the Spaniards.
2. Filipinos worked in industries owned by the
Spaniards.
Filipinos fought on the side of Spain against
Portugal.
4. Flipinos joined the military expeditions to
Borneo and the Moluccas.
5 Filipinos fought on the side of Spain against the
Dutch and British.
o. Filipinos joined the expedition to Indochina.
7. Flipinos joined the expedition to Tai-
8 Filipinos helped to colonize the Marianas,
Palaus, and Caroline Islands.
9. Filipinos helped put down the Chinese revolts
and to stop the invasion of Lim-Ah-Hong.
10. Christian Filipinos fought with Spain against
the Filipino Muslims (Moros).
Filipinos as Farmers. It is not true that the
Spaniards took away all the land from the
Philippines. The lands owned by the religious
orders and foreigners in the Philippines were small
as compared to those owned by the wealthy
Filipinos. Buteven in the farms owned by the
Spaniards and other foreigners, the Filipinos
became the real farmers.
This was because the Spaniards did not like
manual work. They thought it was shameful to be
seen working in dirty jobs like digging, farming,
cleaning, or carrying heavy loads.
So the Filipinos tilled the land and raised
foodstuffs and livestock. All the Spaniards -
officials, priests, soldiers, and civilians - would
have died of starvation if the Filipinos had not
provided them with food.
Filipinos in Industries. The Filipinos
became good builders of ships for the Spaniards
during the Spanish era. They constructed many
galleons used in the Manila-Acapulco trade, and
Date
numerous galleys and frigates used by the
Spaniards to fight their enemies. These ships were
made of wood because there were good forests for
ships, timber in the Philippines. go shipyards were
located at Cavite, Ally, Camarines, Marinduque,
Masbate, and Mindon The ships built by the
Filipino workers way of good quality.
Filipinos in the Portuguese Wars. The
Portuguese attacked the early Spanish settlements
in Cebu in 1568 and 1570. The Portuguese attacks
were led by their governor in the Moluccas, which
was then a Portuguese colony.
But Raha Tupas and his Cebuano warrion
remained loyal to Legaspi and fought on the side of
Spain in these attacks. If they had not sided with
the Spaniards, the Portuguese would have won and
made the Philippines a colony of Portugal.
Filipinos in the Expeditions to Borne and
the Moluccas. In March 1578, the Filipinos helped
the Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Sri Lela (Sirela), to
regain his throne. Sultan Sri Lela had complained
to the Spanish governor general that his brother
had usurped (stolen) his throne. So Governor
Sande ordered a military expedition to help this
sultan regain his lost throne.
With a powerful expedition of 1,500 Fili-
pinos, 400 Spaniards, and 300 Bornean war-riors,
they sailed to the island of Boreno. There, they
fought and recaptured the city of Brunei. Sultan Sri
Lela was returned to the throne. His victory was
due to the courage and fighting abiliyy of the
Filipinos.
The military expeditions to the Moluccas
were not as successful. But the Filipinos helped the
Spaniards here also. At first, the expeditions were
sent to try to capture the rich Moluccas (Spice
Islands) from the Portuguese. Later, they were sent
to capture it against the Dutch, who had taken over
the Moluccas colony in the 17th century.
These numbers show that thousands of
Filipinos fought in these military wars 10 colonize
the Moluccas unsuccessfully:
1580—-------------------------------
1585—-------------------------------
1593—-------------------------------
1606—-------------------------------
1616—-------------------------------
No. of
No. of Filipinos
1,500—------------------------------
600—---------------------------------
8,400—------------------------------1,643
—------------------------------
3,000—------------------------------
Filipinos in the Dutch Wars. Dutch naval
squadrons attached various places in the
Philippines from 1600-1747. The Dutch wanted to
make us a colony by defeating the Spaniards here.
At first, the Dutch ships blockaded Manila Bay.
Then, the British became their allies, and both the
British and Dutch ships blockaded Manila from
1621-1622. When those tactics failed, the Dutch
landed troops in Cavite and Abucay to try to
capture these towns. They harassed the people in
coastal areas. Finally, they tried to win the
friendship of the Filipinos. But the Filipinos
remained loyal to Spain and Catholicism against
the Protestant Dutch and British.
The results of the Dutch Wars were as follows:
1. Victory of the Spaniards against the Dutch.
The Philippines remained a colony of Spain
because the Filipinos helped the Spaniards against
the Dutch invaders.
2. The Filipinos suffered tremendously. The
Filipino population declined during the Dutch
Wars because many Filipinos were killed or ran to
the hills.
3. The Philippine economy stagnated. Trade
with Mexico, China and other countries was
paralyzed. Filipinos left farms and industries to
fight in the wars or to hide from them. The
Filipinos paid the price of these costly wars.
Highlights of the Dutch Wars
"Massacre of Abucay" in 1647 when 400 Filipinos
died as they bravely defended the town against the
invading Dutchmen. Festival of La Naval de
Ships
3
24
100
36
42
Spaniards
300
300
1,000
1,400
2,000
Manila (1646) when the Filipinos and Spaniards
won the 8-month naval battle off Manila against
the invading Dutch on October 4, 1646. Our Lady
of the Rosary (Nuestra Señora del Rosario) was the
patroness of the Spanish fleet. This naval victory is
still a fiesta celebrated in Manila every October.
Filipinos in Indochina. It is interesting to
note that the Filipinos helped France, another
European power, to colonize Indochina in the 19th
century. In 1858-63, about 1,500 Filipino soldiers
were sent by Spain to help its ally, France, to
conquer the Vietnamese. The fighting skill of the
Filipino was praised by the Spanish and French
commanders.
Many Filipinos remained in Vietnam after
these wars. They married Vietnamese women and
raised their children in Vietnam.
Filipinos in Taiwan. When the Spaniards
tried to colonize Taiwan (Formosa) in 1626-1642,
the Filipinos also took part in these expe-ditions.
Filipino and Spanish troops manned the two
Spanish settlements in North Taiwan. However,
they surrendered these garrisons on August 24,
1624. The Dutch took over the island of Taiwan
(Formosa).
Filipinos in the Marianas, Palaus, and
Carolines. The Marianas, Palaus, and the
Carolines are island archipelagoes in the Pacific
Ocean near Mindanao. During the Spanish era,
they were ruled by the Spanish governor in Manila
and the Spanish bishop of Cebu.
 The Filipinos helped the Spaniards to make
these islands a colony and a Catholic area. Many
Filipinos went to Guam to settle down permanently
in that island. In time, these Filipino immigrants
married local women and raised families there.
Filipino soldiers also helped to man the Spanish
garrisons and to put down revolts of the local
people.
Filipinos Against the Chinese. The Chinese
were welcomed in the Philippines because they
were excellent artists and tradesmen during the
Spanish era, the Chinese were important to the
economy of the country.
Unfortunately, the Chinese revolted five
times during the Spanish era - in 1603, 1639, 1667,
1686, and 1762. The causes of these revolts were
the bad treatment of the Chinese by the Spanish
rulers. Some of these Spanish abuses against the
Chinese were as follows.
(1) The Chinese were forced to pay heavy taxes;
(2) All Chinese were forced to live in the Parian
(Chinatown) outside the city walls:
(3) The Chinese were ordered to cut off their
queues (long hair);
(4) Many Chinese were deported to reduce their
population; and
(5) The Chinese were massacred everytime they
revolted.
All these Chinese revolts failed because the
Filipinos sided with the Spaniards. The greatest
Filipino hero of the Chinese revolts was Francisco
Laksamana, commander of the Pampangueño
troops in the Spanish army. He defeated the
Chinese rebels in the hills of Antipolo in June 1662
and saved the city of Manila. As a reward,
Laksamana was made commander of Fort Santiago
for 24 hours. This was the highest military honor
given by Spain to a Filipino during the Spanish era.
In 1574 when the Chinese pirate Lim-Ah-
Hong invaded Manila, the Spaniards saved the city.
With the help of the Filipinos. Later, about 1,500
Filipino soldiers including Lakan Dula and his
sons, helped Marshal Juan de Salcedo drive away
Lim-Ah-Hong from Pangasinan.
Filipinos and the Moro Wars. The word
"Moro" in Spanish means a Muslim. The Filipino
Moros in Mindanao and Sulu were not conquered
by Spain. Many times the Moros were defeated in
battles, but they won the war in the end.
Out of loyalty to Spain and the Cross, the
Christian Filipinos from Luzon and the Visayas
fought against the Filipino Moros from those wars.
Thousands of Christian Filipinos died in battle.
They served as soldiers or seamen in all the
Spanish expeditions against the Moros.
The Christian Filipino heroes of these wars
were as follows: Juan Aquino, Nicolas Martinez,
Cirilo Maypit, and Geronimo Sundulin.
In retaliation for these Spanish attacks, the
Filipino Moros raided the coastal towns of the
other islands as far north as ilocos. They burned the
churches, killed the Christians, and took slaves
whom they sold in slave markets of Celebes,
Malacca, and Djakarta.
The Filipino Muslims also had their heroes.
Those who defended Islam and Moro
independence were:
1. Sultan Kudarat, the greatest warrior of
Mindanao, who defended Lamitan against the
Spaniards in 1637;
2. Sultan Jamalul Alam, who defended Jolo
in 1876 and leased North Borneo (Sabah) to the
British in 1878:
3. Datu Utto, who defended Cotabato in
1886-1887;
4. Datu Amai Pakpak, who defended Lanao
in 1889-91;
5. Datu Pian (Amal Mingka), who conquered
Cotabato and Tamontaka in 1878-1899.
Historical Values. From our study of the
help given by the Filipinos to the Spaniards during
the Spanish era, we learn the following lessons:
1. Without the cooperation of the Filipi-nos,
Spain could not have ruled our country for more
than three centuries.
 2. The Filipinos served Spain because of
three reasons:
(a) lack of unity among Filipinos;
(b) the Catholic religion; and
(c) rewards and honors given to
Filipinos who cooperated with Spain.
3. The Filipinos rendered the following
services to Spain:
(a) providing food for the Spaniards.
(b) working in various industries that
helped Spain; and
(c) fighting in the armed forces of Spain
against other Filipinos and foreigners.
4. The Filipinos under Spain was like the
time of the Israelites as slaves in Egypt. We
became almost like slaves in our own land. We
learned the value of endurance, service and hope in
God.
Chapter 9: Our Spanish Heritage
What was life like for our people during the
Spanish era (1565-1893)? How did the Spaniards
change the lives of our Filipino ancestors? Did
Spain improve or worsen life in the Philippines? In
this chapter we will study about the culture of the
Philippines during the Spanish era. Just as we
studied the way of life of our ancient ancestors in
Chapter 3, we will now learn about life in Spanish
Philippines.
Catholicism Was Spain's Greatest Legacy.
The Roman Catholic religion was the greatest
legacy of Spain in the Philippines. If the Spaniards
had not come and colonized our country in the 16th
century, we would have been a Muslim country,
like Indonesia and Malaysia. To Spain, the
Filipinos owe a lasting debt of gratitude for making
the Philippines the only Christian nation in Asia.
Catholicism spread quickly in the
Philippines. This was due to the diligence and good
works of the early Spanish missionaries. The first
Spanish missionaries who came to the Philippines,
especially in the 16th and 17th centuries, were
really zealous soldiers of Christ. They knew they
had come to overthrow the devil and win souls for
Christ.
The Spanish priests destroyed the pagan idols
and practices of the early Filipinos. This is why we
have so few relics of our pre-Spanish era. The
pagan and Muslim Filipinos were told to leave
their religion and convert to Catholicism.
When the Catholic priests met resistance
from the older people in the community, they
taught the children. In this way, they attracted more
new believers because children are easy to teach
new ways. They combined the teaching of religion
with other skills, like writing, reading, arithmetic
and music. They also introduced new European
culture and technology. This fascinated the early
Filipinos who had never seen such new costumes,
decorations, and practices. The beauty of Catholic
rituals and the good character of the first
missionaries attracted more and more new converts
to Catholicism.
By the end of the 16th century, there were
more than 500,000 Catholics in the Philippines. By
the 17th century, this number doubled to over a
million Catholics. And, by the end of Spanish rule
in 1898, most of the Filipinos had become
Catholics. This was the greatest missionary success
in colonial history.
So, it came to pass that the Philippines
became the only Christian nation in the Asian
world. Catholics consider themselves as Chris-fans
who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
But they add and subtract some beliefs in the Bible.
Catholics believe the Pope in the Vatican, and so
Rome can change what the Bible says. For
example, the Pope has allowed Catholics to make
religious images that look like Jesus, His mother
Mary, and other Biblical characters like Peter,
Paul, Mary Magdalene, etc. The Pope and Catholic
priests allow Catholics to kneel down, pray before
these religious images, and parade them in
processions. Another characteristic of Catholics is
that they pray to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and
they use the rosary (prayer beads), the prayer
novenas (repetitious prayers), and "holy water"
when they cross themselves. They make the sign of
the cross when they pray, and they go to a priest
for confession and communion.
Many Catholic priests during the Spanish era
helped improve our lives. For example, they
stopped the awful pagan practices of divorce,
killing unwanted babies (abortion), offering human
and animal sacrifices, and tribal wars. The practice
of polygamy (having many wives) was banned, and
marriage between a man and woman became a
holy union. The Catholic families lived very
religiously, feared God and the priests, and obeyed
the laws of the land and the commandments of the
Catholic church. During our Spanish colonial era,
the Catholic church and the government were
united. No other religion was permitted, and it was
illegal to disobey a Catholic priest. The power of
the Catholic Church was very strong during the
Spanish era.
But many Catholic priests abused their
power. Although Catholic priests are not allowed
to marry, many of the priests in the provinces and
towns had secret marriages with beautiful women,
and they had illegitimate children. Many of these
children of the Catholic priests inherited fortunes
from their secret fathers, because the Spanish
priests had control of much wealth during the
Spanish era.
Sometimes, the Spanish Catholic priests (called
friars) also abused the local inhabitants of the small
towns. They used their religious power to terrorize
people into doing what they wanted, even if they
were cruel and arrogant.
Finally, the Bible was banned at that time.
The Catholics during the Spanish era were not
allowed to have or to read the Bible. Only a priest
was allowed to do that. Having a Bible during the
Spanish colonial era was considered a criminal
offense, and the person with a Bible could be put in
jail. Only the Catholic religion was allowed to be
practiced, and the Bible was not available for all.
The abuses of the Spanish friars and the
Catholic Church in the Philippines became one of
the reasons for the Philippine Revolution that the
Filipinos started in 1896.
Hospitals and Orphanages. Due to the good
influence of Christianity, the sick and the poor
were given better care during the Spanish era. In
1578 the first hospital was founded in Manila. This
hospital later became the Hospital of San Juan de
Dios and the San Lazaro Hospital, two of the oldest
existing hospitals in Asia. There were other
hospitals in Manila. Los Baños, Cavite, Cebu and
Laoag. The first hospital in the Philippines was
started 173 years earlier than the first hospital in
the United States.
Orphans and homeless children did not
wander around. They were cared for in special
orphanages and asylums. In 1810 the first regular
orphanage was founded in Manila.' It was the Real
Hospicio de San Jose. It is still existing. The other
existing orphanage is the Asylum of St. Vincent de
Paul, built in 1885 in Manila.

Diet and Dress. The simple diet and dress of
the early Filipinos were also changed and
improved by the Spaniards. Spain introduced new
food plants like corn, potatoes, coffee, cacao,
cabbage, sigadillas, chicos, guavas, and wheat.
Filipinos learned to eat bread, and drink coffee and
chocolate.
Other new foods introduced by Spain were
beef (from cattle), mutton (from lamb), sausages
(longganizas), ham (hamon), and sardines. From
other parts of Europe came imported canned goods
like chorizos de Bilbao, olive oil, and pickles. We
learned to eat with spoons, forks, table knives,
napkins and crystal drinking glasses. New drinks
came from Spain (sangria), Portugal (Port),
Germany (beer), and France (cognac).
In clothing, the men's jacket and bahag were
replaced by the Western coat and trousers. Today,
we call the Western coat "americana" because it
was introduced by the American Spaniards from
Mexico. The Filipinos wore the "americana" long
before the Americans from the United States came.
The lower-class men wore hats, instead of the
putong.
The style of dressing of the women also
changed. Instead of the sarong robe, they wore the
saya (skirt) and the camisa (blouse). They learned
to wear hair combs, shawls (monton de Manila),
and handkerchiefs. They still wore jewelry, but
gave up wearing armlets and anklets.
Instead of bare feet, everyone started wearing
slippers and shoes.
Family Life. Family life was also improved
by the coming of the Catholic Spaniards. Many
early Filipinos killed unwanted babies or married
many wives. These practices were stopped during
the Spanish era.
The family became the unit of society, with a
father as the head of the household and a mother in
charge of the daily chores and children. Family ties
were very close then. The father was the
breadwinner of the family. He was respected and
obeyed, but he was not a tyrant. He consulted his
wife on important decisions affecting the family,
like family expenses, the children's education, and
sale or purchase of family property. The mother
was the first tutor of the children. She taught them
the alphabet and Catholic prayers (the Hail Mary,
Our Father, rosary and novenas).
Christianity was a good influence on family
life. Parents and children prayed together with the
rosary and angelus every night. Family members
went home before the church bells pealed at 6 PM.
They woke up to the sound of the early morning
church bells. They went to church together to hear
mass on Sundays, holy days, and town fiestas.
They prayed before every meal.
There were a few broken families. It was
considered a scandal to come from a broken home.
Parents spent time with their children. In return,
children obeyed and respected their parents. As a
sign of respect for parents and grandparents, the
children kissed their hands and said, "Mano, po."
Filipino Women in Spanish Times. The
position of women in society was improved even
more during the Spanish era. The women were
respected and honored by men. If single, the
women were chaperoned when they attended
dances and other social events. Even when they
were courted by a suitor, women were strictly
chaperoned. Women did not mix freely with men.
Young women were kept in the home or at
school with other women. They were educated in
the colegios (exclusive schools) run by nuns for
girls. They could not study in the universities or
practice a profession like law, medicine, and
engineering. They were only trained to be good
wives and good mothers.
Many young women entered the nunnery and
became nuns. The beautiful Maria Clara in the
novels of Rizal is a good example of womanhood
in Spanish times.
A New Calendar. Spain introduced the
Western calendar into our country. With this
calendar, we kept dates similar to that used in
Europe, which was then the most advanced region
in the world.
However, Governor General Narciso Claveria
corrected the Philippine calendar. On August 16,
1844 he ordered that Tuesday, December 31, 1844
would be Wednesday, January 1, 1845. Until that
time, our calendar had been one day behind the
European time.
Spanish Names for Filipinos. During the
Spanish era, Filipinos got Spanish names. At first,
the early Spanish colonizers changed our local
names to Spanish names that they could remember.
For example, the Queen of Cebu was baptized as
the first Filipina Catholic and given the name
Juana, after Queen Juana of Spain (mother of
Charles D. It was difficult for the Spaniards to
remember Filipino names like "Malakas" or
"Maganda." So, when Filipinos converted to
Catholicism, they were given new names during
their baptism. These new names usually followed
that of the saints in the Catholic calendar. For
example, a boy baptized on the feast day of St.
Gregory was named "Gregorio." A girl baptized on
the feast day of St. Anne was called "Ana."
Secondary, the early Filipinos did not bother
with surnames. One name is good enough for our
ancestors. But this practice was so con. fusing
because family ties could not be known. So, there
was a need to add surnames (family names) to first
names.
It was Governor General Claveria who solved
this problem. On November 21, 1849 he ordered
all Filipino families to choose a surname from a
catalog sent to all provinces in the country. The
special catalog listed Spanish surnames from A to
Z. That is how Filipinos came to have Spanish
names.
However, some Filipinos did not follow this
catalog. They just added a native family name to
their first names. For example, Dr. Jose Rizal's
family adopted "Rizal" as a surname. The name
"Rizal" comes from the ricial (green field).
Latin Alphabet and Spanish Language. The
introduction by Spain of the Latin alphabet and
Spanish language made our people closer to the
Western world. This was an improvement of our
lives because the West was then the most advanced
civilization in the world. So, we came to know
Western culture and technology better.
Some Filipinos learned Spanish, especially
those who came from the upper classes and
attended formal schooling. But the lower classes or
the masses really did not know Spanish well. This
is because the Spaniards did not make Spanish the
national language of the Philippines, unlike in their
other colonies in Latin America.
Thus, today, the Latin Americans (Mexicans,
Peruvians, Argentinians, etc.) speak Spanish but
the Filipinos do not.
However, the educated and rich Filipinos
earned to speak Spanish. There are about 5,000
Spanish words in our native dialects. The Spanish
words are still commonly used, like "mesa" (table),
"silla" (chair), "oras" (time), "campana" (bell), etc.
Today we still consider it a sign of culture to be
able to speak Spanish After all, Spanish is the
language of Spain, one of the world's former
powers, and of Latin America, a region with 300
million people.
Preservation of Filipino Languages. The
Spanish friars (priests) studied our native
languages and taught us in these languages. They
believed that we would learn faster if we used our
native tongues. It was strange, but the Spaniards
actually preserved and developed our native
languages, like Tagalog, Visayan, Ilocano, etc.
The early Spanish missionaries wrote the first
grammar books and dictionaries of the Filipino
languages.
Western Education under Spain. Spain
introduced Western-style education in the
Philippines. This was the formal schooling in
different levels - elementary, secondary (high
school), and college. The Spaniards used these
schools to spread the Catholic religion and Spanish
culture. Thus, apart from learning how to read,
write and count, a Filipino youth was taught the
Catholic doctrine and prayers, Spanish history and
languages, and European arts and sciences.
The first foreign teachers in the Philippines
were the Spanish missionaries.
Then, the different religious orders
established private schools and colleges. To these
private schools, rich Filipino families sent their
children.
Thus, Filipino boys from rich families studied at
the Colegio de Manila of the Jesuits, or the Colegio
de San Juan de Letran of the Dominicans. Rich
Filipino girls went to the Colegio de Santa Isabel
(the oldest school for girls in the Philippines), or
the Beaterio de la Compañia de Jesus (now St.
Mary's College), or Santa Catalina, La Concordia,
and Assumption Convent.
There were also famous Spanish schools in
the provinces. For example, the Colegio de San
Ildefonso in Cebu (now the University of San
Carlos), the Colegio de San Agustin in Iloilo,
Colegio de San Buenaventura in Guinobatan,
Albay, and the Colegio de San Jose in Bacolod.
There were three universities during the
Spanish era. But only one of them has remained
until today. It is the University of Santo Tomas.
Founded in 1611, the U.S.T. is the oldest existing
university in the country. It is 25 years older than
Harvard University, the oldest university in the
United States (1636).
The Spaniards also introduced vocational
schools and normal schools for teachers.
Printing, Books and Newspapers. Printing
is important because people learn a lot by reading,
especially good books and news-papers. The
ancient Filipinos wrote on wood, bark or leaves of
trees, and other flimsy materials. These materials
did not last. Unfortunately, the early Spanish
colonizers and missionaries studied and wrote
about our culture in books.
The first printing press in the Philippines was
started by the Dominican friars in Manila in 1593.
That was 47 years before the first printing press
was started in the United States. The U.S.T. press
is still existing as the oldest press in the country.
The first Filipino printer was Tomas Pinpin. He
trained under a Spanish priest at Abucay, Bataan.
Pinpin, the "Prince of Filipino printers," was also
the first Filipino author. He wrote the first Tagalog
book ever published.
The first book printed in the Philippines was
the Doctrina Christiana, It was published in 1593
in Manila by the Dominican friars. It is 47 years
ahead of the first book of Catholic catechism and
prayers.
The first newspaper was Del Superior
Govierno (Of the Superior Government). It
appeared from August 8, 1811 to February 7, 1812,
it was edited and published by Governor General
Manuel Gonzales de Aguilar.
In the 19th century, other newspapers came out in
the Philippines. They included the first daily
newspaper (La Esperanza); the first vernacular
paper (El Ilokano); and the first women's magazine
(El Hogar).
Literature. During the Spanish era,
Philippine literature was religious and taught
lessons about good and evil. Most of the reading
materials were prayer. books, novenas, and
biographies of saints.
During Lent, the Filipinos read or chanted the
pasion which are long poetic stories about the life
and sufferings of Christ. The first Tagalog pasion
was by Gaspar Aquino de Belen in 1704. There
were also well-known pasions by other writers.
Other types of literature for the masses were
the wits (heroic poems) and corridos (religious-
legendary poems). They were stories about knights,
heroes or legends. Some examples were Don Juan
Tenorio, Ibong Adarna, and Bernardo Carpio.
 Some writers wrote in the different Filipino
languages during the Spanish era. The most famous
of them was Francisco Baltazar, or Balagtas.
Today, the Tagalog poetical contests are called
balagtasan in his honor. Balagtas was the "Prince
of Tagalog poets”. His masterpiece was Florante at
Laura, a story of the love and adventures of a hero
named Florante.
The most famous Ilocano poet then was
Pedro Bukaneg. And Father Anselmo Fajardo
wrote Pampango drama.
The Filipinos also produced great writers in
the Spanish language. The three greatest Filipino
poets in Spanish were Cecilio Apostol, Fernando
Ma. Guerrero, and Jose Palma. Palma wrote the
original lyrics of the Philippine national anthem.
Out national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, wrote in Spanish.
His two books, Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo helped to bring down the. Spanish
regime.
Theater. Western-style plays performed on
stage by live actors were first introduced by the
Spaniards. The first play was presented at Cebu in
1598.
During the Spanish era, two kinds of plays became
popular. They were the cenaculo and the moro-
moro. The cenaculo was a religious play about the
life and sufferings of Christ. It was performed
during the Lenten season, when no other plays
were allowed. The moro-moro by contrast, was an
adventurous play featuring fights between
Christians and Muslims. In these plays, the
Christians always won in the end.
Music. Our music was also enriched by
Spain. The Philippine national 'anthem shows
Spanish influence. Our musical instruments, songs
and dances were Westernized.
Spain influenced Filipino dances like the
carinosa, surido, pandango, and the jota. The polka,
lancero, waltz, and rigodon were originally
European dances.
From Europe and Mexico came new musical
instruments, like the violin, flute, piano, harp, and
others. In many towns and villages during Spanish
times, there were many bands who played in the
town plaza and during fiestas. Sometimes, they
only used musical instruments made from bamboo.
So they were called musikong buh (bamboo
musician).
Today, there still exists one of the wonders of
the world - a church organ made from bamboo.
The bamboo organ at the old Catholic church of
Las Piñas is the only one of its kind in the world. It
was built in 1818 by Fr. Diego.
Cerra.
Houses and Villages. The modern towns
grew out of the early settlements built by the
Spaniards. The Spanish villages formed a
rectangular pattern, with a central plaza and
rectangular street blocks.
The Spaniards wanted the Filipinos to live
"pajo de campana," or within hearing of the church
bells. So, the Catholic church in town became the
most beautiful building and the center of town life.
Gone were the scattered dwellings of the
early Filipinos. In their place arose more orderly
and planned communities, with street names and
roads.
Spain introduced the use of stone for
building. During the Spanish era were built the first
stone churches, stone buildings, stone forts, and
stone houses. Some "bahay na bato" (stone houses)
of the rich families still exist today, for example
the house of Dr. Jose Rizal at Calamba, Laguna.
The oldest existing stone church is San Agustin
Church at Intramuros, Manila.
It became fashionable to have a house with a
red tile roof, an azotea (balcony), and a patio
(yard).
Art. European painting and sculpture were
brought to the Philippines by Spain. Thus, the first
art works were religious art of official portraits of
kings or governors general.

In painting, Damian Domingo was the
"Father of Filipino painters." He also founded the
first school of painting at Manila in 1820.
Juan Luna and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo
won international fame with their paintings. They
won first and second prizes, respectively, 1 the
National Exposition in Madrid in 1883.
The God-given talent of the Filipinos for
sculpture, especially woodcarving was developed
during the Spanish era. Beautiful woodcarvings of
saints, altars and pulpits decorated churches.
Images of Catholic saints replaced the pagan idols
(anitos) of the Filipinos. The greatest Filipino
sculptor in the Spanish era was Mariano C.
Madrian from Paete, Laguna.
Science. The Spanish missionaries introduced
modern science in the Philippines. They studied
our plants and animals, and wrote many famous
books on these subjects. They also trained a few
Filipinos to be scientists, especially doctors,
chemists, and pharmacists.
Anacleto V. del Rosario became the first
Filipino director of the Manila Laboratory in 1888.
He was called the "Prince of Filipino chemists."
Other famous scientists during Spanish times were
graduates of the University of Santo Tomas Dr.
Leon Ma. Guerrero, Dr. Mariano V. del Rosario,
and Dr. Jose Rizal.
The Observatory of Manila. The crowning
glory of Philippine science during Spanish times
was the Observatory of Manila. It accurately
warned of typhoons. It also measured earthquakes.
The Observatory was founded by the Jesuit
priests in 1865. The first director was Fr. Federico
Faura. The Padre Faura Street in Ermita, Manila is
named after him. He also invented the Faura
Barometer. His successor, Fr. Jose Algue, invented
the Barocyclometer.
The Observatory of Manila is the oldest
weather center in Asia.
Fiestas and Amusements. The Filipino love
for pageantry and food was satisfied during
Spanish times with the introduction of the fiestas
and religious occasions. During these special days,
the people could put on their best clothes and eat
and drink to their hearts content.
Spain introduced the religious festivals
(fiestas) in the Philippines. Every town or barangay
had its own patron saint. Each year the feast day of
the patron saint was celebrated in the town or
barangay.
It was also Spain who gave us the idea of a
sleepy and quiet Lenten season. From Ash
Wednesday to Holy Saturday, all festivals and
parties were stopped. People chanted the "pasyon"
or watched the "cenaculo" to remember the life and
death of Christ.
The Filipino love for gambling came out in
the introduction of horse races, lottery and
legalized cockfighting. Horse racing in the race
tracks was started in 1868 at Santa Mesa, Manila.
Cockfighting was made legal and taxed. The
Manila Lottery, a monthly event, became the origin
of the present-day sweepstakes,
Other amusements during the Spanish era
were family events, like baptisms, weddings, death
anniversaries (siyaman), visits to holy shrines, the
Flores de Mayo (May, flower festival), and
Santacruzan (Holy Cross procession in May).
Because there were no radios or televisions
then, people played games indoors and outdoors.
Favorite games then were poetical contests (duplo
and balastasan, story-telling, card games (juego de
prenda, pangguingui, manilla, tres siete), and
outdoor games like patintero, juego de anilla
(rings), sipa and kite-flying.
Spanish Blood. Among the Spaniards, there
were two classes of foreigners. They were called
the "peninsulares" and the "insulares." The
peninsulares were the Spaniards who originally
came from Spain to live and work in the
Philippines. The peninsulares felt superior to
others. Secondly, the insulares were the Spaniards
who had been born and bred in the Philippines. 2. Christianity improved the standard of life of our
They were made to feel inferior simply because people. It stopped the practice of divorce,
they did not come from abroad in Spain. Actually, infanticide, animal and human sacrifices,
the word "Filipino" was originally used to describe polygamy, and tribal wars.
the insulares or the Spaniards born in the 3. Spain improved our diet, dress, family life, the
Philippines. Only later, during the independence position of women, the calendar, names, alphabet
movement and the American era was the word and language, education, literature, music, housing,
"Filipino" used to mean the citizens of the and arts and sciences.
Philippines. 4. Many of our cultural traits and customs were
influenced by Spain.
Many Spaniards married Filipino women. The
descendants of these mixed marriages are known as
mestizos (Eurasian). Because of their fair skin,
these half-breeds and Spaniards were sometimes
teased as "mestizong bangus" (pale fish) by the
Filipinos. In return, the Spaniards looked down at
the brown-skinned natives as
"indios" (savages).

However, the Spaniards had less racial

prejudice than the British. Dutch or French
colonialists. The children of Spanish mixed
marriages were welcomed in high society. In
British India or Dutch Indonesia, such half breeds
would not have been welcomed.

Today, many Filipinos have Spanish blood in

their ancestry. Our history was made by great
Spanish-Filipinos like Dr. Jose Rizal, Manuel
Quezon, Fathers Gomez, Burgos, and Zamora.
Felipe Calderon, T.M. Pardo de Tavera, and others.

Because of the Spanish influence, the

Filipinos have such good character traits as (1)
Christian devotion; (2) delicadeza (honor); (3)
palabra de honor (keeping promises); (4) urbanidad
(good manners); and (5) romanticism. On the other
hand, the Filipinos also inherited some bad traits
as: (1) the mañana habit (delaying work); (2)
sentimentalism; (3) siesta (afternoon nap); (4)
señorito habit (dislike of manual work); and (5)
aristocracy or snobbishness.

Historical Values. The Spaniards gave the

Philippines a rich heritage. The Spanish influence
improved our social and cultural life. From our
study of the Spanish heritage, we learn the
following:
1. We are the only Christian nation in Asia.