Relacion de las

Costumbres de Los
Tagalogs

Customs of the
Tagalogs, 1589

Fray Juan de Plasencia

Joan de Portocarrero

Batis, (pg. 48)

Plasencia belonged to the Franciscan Order and came

together with the first batch of Franciscan
missionaries who arrived in the Philippines in 1578.

He and a fellow, Franciscan Fray Diego de Oropesa

were assigned to do mission works in the Southern
Tagalog area.

His continuous interaction with the people he converted to Christianity enabled

him to write a work titled Relacion de las Costumbres de Los Tagalogs (Customs
of the Tagalogs, 1589) where he vividly described the political, social, economic,
and cultural practices of the Filipinos before they were Christianized.

His biggest challenge at that time was how to make the

articles of faith comprehensible to people who have never
heard of Christ or the Catholic Church.
 the chief of the a barangay who
governed the people and were
captains in their wars whom they
obeyed and reverenced.
Datos
Batis, (pg. 49)

These chiefs ruled over but few people; sometimes as many as a

hundred houses, sometimes even less than thirty.
The nobles were the free-born whom they call maharlica. They did
not pay taxor tribute to the dato, but must accompany him in war, at
their own expense.

aliping namamahay
The commoners are called aliping namamahay. They accompanied
him (dato) whenever he went beyond the island, and rowed for him.
They live in their own houses, and are lords of their property and
gold. Their children inherit it, and enjoy their property and lands.
Batis, (pg. 50)

aliping sa guiguilir
The slaves are called aliping sa guiguilir. They serve their master in
his house and on his cultivated lands, and may be sold. The master
grants them, should he see fit, and providing that he has profited
through their industry, a portion of their harvests, so that they may
work faithfully.
Batis, (pg. 51)
 Batis, (pg. 51 - 53)

In these three classes, those who are maharlicas on both the father's
and mother's side continue to be so forever; and if it happens that
they should become slaves, it is through marriage.
If these maharlicas had children among their slaves, the children and
their mothers became free

If two persons married, of whom one was a

maharlica and the other a slave, whether
namamahay or sa guiguilir, the children were
divided: the first, whether male or female, belonged
to the father, as did the third and fifth; the second,
the fourth, and the sixth fell to the mother, and so
on. In this manner, if the father were free, all those
who belonged to him were free; if he were a slave, all
those who belonged to him were slaves; and the
same applied to the mother.
Maharlicas could not after marriage
move from one village to another
without paying a certain fine in gold as
arranged among them. Failure to pay
might result in
war
If one married a woman of another
village, the children were divided equally
between the two barangays.

Investigations made and sentences

passed by the datos must take place in
the presence of those of his barangay.

They had laws by which they

condemned to death a man of low birth
who insulted the daughter or wife of a
chief and witches.

For loans, the debtor is condemned toa

life of toil. Borrowers become slaves and
after the death of the father, the children
pay the debt.
 Dowries are given by men to the women’s
parents before marriage. If the parents are both
alive, they both enjoy the use of it.

In case of divorce, if the wife left the husband

for the purpose of marrying another, all her
dowry will go to the husband but if he did not
marry another, the dowry was returned.
Batis, (pg. 54)

WWoorrsshhiipp
oofftthhee TTaaggaalloogg
Batis, (pg. 55 - 56) ss
In all villages, there are no temples consecrated to the performing
of sacrifices.
Simbahan means a temple or place of adoration
Pandot means worship, refers to the festival celebrated in the large
house of the chief.
they constructed, for the purpose of sheltering the assembled
people, a temporary shed on each side of the house, with a roof,
called sibi, to protect the people from the wet when it rained.
They also brought together many drums, large and small, which
they beat successively while the feast lasted, which was usually
four days. During this time the whole barangay, or family, united
and joined in the-worship which they call nagaanitos.
 • Among their many idols, there was
named bathala, means signify "all
powerful", or "maker of all things",
which they worship the most.
• They also worship the sun, for its
beauty. Also they worship the moon,
especially when it sets to be new.
Batis, (pg. 56)

Some of them adored the stars, knowing it to be the morning star,

which they called tala.
Also, they knew the "seven little goats" [the pleiades], and the
change of season called mapulon and balatik, happens when the
great bear [major ursa].

• They have many idols named licha, which comes in many forms.
They had another idol called dian masalanta, who was the patron of
lovers and of the generations. The called lacapati and indianale,
patron of cultivation of land and husbandry.
• Honoring the crocodiles, named buaya, fear from being the harmed.

• Moreover, they tend to look at omens at what they encounter. For example, a bird
called tigmamanuguin which sings from the tree, they consider good or bad omens may
come in their journey. They also practice divination as to show their luck.
• These natives determine time; by cultivation of soil, counted by moons, and other
more effects of the nature: all these helps to make the year. The winter and summer
were named as sun-time and watertime.
 Distinctions among the
priests of the devil
Catalonan
(officiating priest)
Mangagauay
(witches)
Manyisalat
(remedies tolovers)
Mancocolam
(emit firefrom himself) Hocloban
(by saluting thehand, can kill whomtheychose)

Silagan
(clothed in white,tears and eats liver) Magtatangal
(shows atnight without head or
entrails)
Osuang
Mangagayoma
(sorcerer)
(madecharms for lovers)

Sonal Pangatajohan
(preacher) (soothsayer)

Bayoguin
(cotquean)
 group members:

A
Aqquuiin
noo,, KKa
arreen
ng giiz
zeelll
lee
C
Crruuzz,, M
Maarrvviin
nJ Ja
ayy
D
DiiÑ
Ñoo,, L
Laauurreen
ncce eAAn ngge
ello
o
Reference:
Torres J.V. (2022), Batis Sources in Phillippine History.
Quezon City: C & E Publishing, Inc.