READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

Name: Course and Year:

ACTIVITY 1:
Instruction:
Analyze the origin and the development of fake news in the Maragtas story and the Code of
Kalantiaw. How did the researchers discover that they are hoaxes?

1. Halili, C.N. (2004) Philippine History (pp. 8-12) Quezon City, Philippines: Rex Book
Store Inc.
2. Torrecampo, R. (2015) Maragtas Story, Code of Kalantiaw et al. History that never
was
3. GMA7 (2015, November 8) Code of Kalantiaw: Isang historical hoax

The Code of Kalantiaw is regarded as a fake for a number of different reasons. There is
no hard proof that it existed at the time. At that time, there were no written records or
photographs. There is no evidence that the Philippines have ever had laws or harsh punishments.
There isn't any proof for the Kalantiaw mythology. Although it is alleged that Datu Kalantiaw
used harsh methods of punishment, there is no evidence of this from other witnesses. Last but not
least, neither the source nor the origin of the Kalantiaw has been established. Many authors
failed to verify the validity of the information they gathered.

The ancient law known as "The Code of Kalantiaw" in the well-known epic tale of
Maragtas. It was given the name Datu Bendara Kalantiaw in honor of the claimed author who
penned it in 1433. On the island of Negros, a chief was known as Datu Kalantiaw. Jose E. Marco
wrote about it in his historical novel "Las Antiguas Leyendes de la Isla de Negros" in 1913. He
credited Jose Maria Pavon, a priest, as its originator.

The supposed Pavon documents were discovered by Jose E. Marco of Negros Occidental
and given to Dr. James Robertson, Director of the Philippine Library and Museum, in 1914.
Marco's confession claims that someone gave him the two manuscript volumes after they were
taken from the Himalayan convento during the Revolution.

The Pavon texts were translated into English and published in 1917 at Director
Robertson's request. The translation was reprinted in 1957 by the University of Chicago's
Philippine Studies Program. In the end, there was no question about the validity of the Pavon
documents among Filipino historians and textbook authors.
 William Henry Scott, however, referred to this as a "hoax." As a result, Filipino
historians decided to remove the Code of Kalantiaw from upcoming works on Philippine history.
Despite the fact that the aforementioned Code is no longer included in Philippine history texts,
many people still hold on to their belief in its validity.