Lesson 1 letters, legal documents, official documents (government or
LEARNING HISTORY private), and even photographs.
What is History?
To make sense of history, it is necessary to first
understand what it is all about. Many people think that history is
merely lists of names, dates, places, and "important" events.
However, history or the study of history is more than just
knowing and memorizing facts.
It is a historian's duty to draw insights from the ideas
and realities that have shaped the lives of men and women and
the society. And in understanding these ideas, a historian (or, in
fact, a student of history) can comprehend how situations
happened, identify their elements, and think of how these
situations can solve today's predicaments and help plan for the
future.
The study of history, therefore, is the study of the
beliefs and desires, practices, and institutions of human beings.
With this definition, history becomes an active factor in
the study of Philippine society. It also includes a look into the
development of Philippine culture through time especially with
the influences of the colonial period that would eventually shape
the present Philippine identity.
Why Study History?
An examination of the past can tell us a great deal
about how we came to be who we are. It means looking at the
roots of modern institutions, ideas, values, and problems.
Looking at the past teaches us to see the world through different
eyes-appreciating the diversity of human perceptions, beliefs,
and cultures. Different and/or new perspectives will enable us to
analyze critically the present contexts of society and beings.
The Meaning of "History"
Excerpts from Understanding History: A Primer of
Historical Method by Louis Gottschalk (1950, New York: Knopf,
p. 17) The English word history is derived from the Greek noun
istoia, meaning learning. As used by the Greek philosopher
Aristotle, history meant a systematic account of a set of natural
phenomena, whether or not chronological factoring was a factor
in the account.... In the course of time, however, the equivalent
Latin word scientia (English, science) came to be used more
regularly to designate non-chronological systematic accounts of
natural phenomena; and the word history was reserved usually
for accounts of phenomena (especially human affairs) in
chronological order.
By its most common definition, the word history now
means, "the past of mankind."....
Lesson 2
UNDERSTANDING SOURCES
What are Sources?
In his work, Understanding History, Gottschalk (1950)
discusses the importance of sources for the historian's work:
The historian, however, has to use many
materials that are not in books. Where these are
archeological, epigraphical, or numismatical materials,
he has to depend largely on museums. Where there
are official records, he may have to search for them in
archives, courthouses, government libraries, etc.
Where there are private papers not available in official
collections, he may have to hunt among the papers of
business houses, the muniment rooms of ancient
castles, the prized possessions of autograph
collectors, the records of parish churches, etc. Having
some subject in mind, with more or less definite
delimitation of the persons, areas, times, and functions
(i.e., the economic, political, intellectual, diplomatic, or
other occupational aspects) involved, he looks for
materials that may have some bearing upon those
persons in that area at the time they function in that
fashion. These materials are his sources. The more
precise his delimitation of persons, area, time, and
function, the more relevant his sources are likely to be.
(52-53)
It is from historical sources that our history is studied
and written. But in analyzing them, several methodologies and
theories were used by historians to properly study history and
glean from the sources what is, for them, a proper way of writing
history to enhance and disseminate national identity.
Primary Sources
Primary sources are materials produced by people or
groups directly involved in the event or topic being studied.
These people are either participants or eyewitnesses to the
event. These sources range from eyewitness accounts, diaries,
Formally, there are eight examples of these primary
sources:
1. Photographs that may reflect social conditions of
historical realities and everyday life
2. Old sketches and drawings that may indicate the
conditions of life of societies in the past
3. Old maps that may reveal how space and geography
were used to emphasize trade routes, structural build-
up, etc.
4. Cartoons for political expression or propaganda
5. Material evidence of the prehistoric past like cave
drawings, old syllabaries, and ancient writings
6. Statistical tables, graphs, and charts
7. Oral history or recordings by electronic means of
accounts of eyewitnesses or participants; the
recordings are then transcribed and used for research.
8. Published and unpublished primary documents,
eyewitness accounts, and other written sources
Secondary Sources
Gottschalk simply defines secondary sources as "the
testimony of anyone who is not an eyewitness-that is of one who
was not present at the event of which he tells" (p. 53). These are
books, articles, and scholarly journals that had interpreted
primary sources or had used them to discuss certain subjects of
history.
The following readings discuss the findings on the remains of
what was then considered the earliest known human remains in
the Philippines-Tabon Man.
 Robert B. Fox. The Tabon Caves: Archaeological
Explorations and Excavations on Palawan Island,
Philippines (Manila, 1970) p. 40.
Tabon Man - During the initial excavations of
Tabon Cave, June and July, 1962, the scattered fossil
bones of at least three individuals were excavated,
including a large fragment of a frontal bone with the brows
and portions of the nasal bones. These fossil bones were
recovered towards the rear of the cave along the left wall.
Unfortunately, the area in which the human fossil bones
were discovered had been disturbed by Magapode birds. It
was not possible in 1962 to establish the association of
these bones with a specific flake assemblage. Although
they were provisionally related to either Flake Assemblage
II or III, subsequent excavations in the same area now
strongly suggest that the fossil human bones were
associated with Flake Assemblage III for only the flakes of
this assemblage have been found to date in this area of the
cave. The available data would suggest that Tabon Man
may be dated from 22,000 to 24,000 years ago. But, only
further excavations in the cave and chemical analysis of
human and animal bones from disturbed and undisturbed
levels in the cave will define the exact age of the human
fossils.
The fossil bones are those of Homo sapiens. These will
form a separate study by a specialist which will be included in
the final site report for Tabon Cave. It is important, however,
because of a recent publication (Scott, 1969), that a preliminary
study of the fossil bones of Tabon Man shows that it is above
average in skull dimensions when compared to the modern
Filipino. There is no evidence that Tabon Man was less brainy
individual..." [Scott (1969) 36]. Moreover, Scott's study includes
many misstatements about the Tabon Caves, always the
problem when writers work from (C a "conversations."
 William Henry Scott. Prehispanic Source Materials for
the Study of Philippine History (Revised Edition)
(Quezon City, 1984), pp. 14-15.
Tabon Man The earliest human skull remains
known in the Philippines are the fossilized fragments of a
skull and jawbone of three individuals who are collectively
called "Tabon Man" after the place where they were found
on the west coast of Palawan. Tabon Cave appears to be a
kind of little Stone Age factory: both finished tools and waste
cores and flakes have been found at four different levels in
the main chamber. Charcoal left from cooking fires has
been recovered from three of these assemblages and dated
by C-14 to roughly 7,000 B.C.,
20,000 B.C., and 28,000 B.C. with an earlier level lying so far
below these that it must represent Upper Pleistocene dates like
45 or 50 thousand years ago....Physical anthropologists who
have examined the Tabon skullcap are agreed that it belonged
to modern man-that is, Homo sapiens as distinguished from
those mid-Pleistocene species nowadays called Homo erectus.
Two experts have given the further opinion that the mandible is
"Australian" in physical type, and that the skullcap
measurements are mostly nearly like those of Ainus and
Tasmanians. What this basically means is that Tabon Man was
"pre-Mongoloid," Mongoloid being the term anthropologists
apply to the racial stock which entered Southeast Asia during
the Holocene and absorbed earlier peoples to produce the
modern Malay, Indonesian, Filipino, and Pacific peoples
popularly-and unscientifically-called, "the brown race.' Tabon
Man presumably belonged to one of those earlier peoples, but,
if decently clothed in flesh, T-shirt, and blue jeans, might pass
unnoticed in Quiapo today, whatever his facial features are
concerned, nothing can be said about the color of his skin or
hair, or the shape of his nose or eyes-except one thing: Tabon
Man was not a Negrito.
UNIT 2
UNDERSTANDING PERSPECTIVE
Historical sources are written by various authors with
different perspectives. Perspective refers to the point of view of
the said writer who was a witness to the event. Though historical
sources are important in the writing of history, the historian is
careful in using these sources as the writer may be biased or
prejudiced on the subject he/she is discussing. For example,
missionary chronicles or narratives that were written by the
religious missionaries who came to the Philippines to spread
Christianity in the islands usually referred to the early Filipinos
as barbarians or uncivilized. This, of course, is not true as it is
known that Filipinos already had a form of civilization and had
contact with Asian neighbors before the Spaniards arrived.
Different participants who also wrote their accounts can
also give varied opinions and statements about a single event.
For example, the Philippine Revolution of 1896 can be read from
the point of view of the Filipinos and from the side of the
Spaniards. The same event can be viewed from the lens of
foreigners who were in the Philippines at that time and were just
passive observers. In any case, reading a historical event from
the points of view of all sides will enable us to form our own
studies about the said event.
Lesson 3
MAGELLAN'S VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD
Historical Context
One of the benefits that the Europeans gained from the
Crusades was the discovery of some products that were not
available in their home country. These included porcelain, silk,
incense, herbs, perfumes, fabrics, carpets, spices, and other
oriental products. Of all these Asian products, spices became
the most expensive and in-demand commodity among
Europeans because of their numerous uses such as food
preservation, flavor enhancement, and even medicine. Since
spices were a very lucrative commodity, many merchants
aspired to monopolize their supply and distribution in the
European markets.
Asian goods reached Europe either via the Silk Road
or the Arabian-Italian trade route. Both routes were expensive
and oftentimes disrupted by wars, natural calamities, and
bandits. The closing of the land route of the Spice Trade with the
conquest by the Ottoman Empire of Constantinople (present-
day Turkey and the "gateway to the West" then) in 1453 forced
European kingdoms to look for ways to purchase spices directly
from the source. They decided to explore the oceans to look for
a way to the famed Spice Islands.
Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal put up a
maritime school that trained sailors who would later discover an
eastern sea route going to the Spice Islands (the modern-day
Moluccas Islands) and other islands in Southeast Asia via the
Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean. This route enabled them
to trade directly with the producers of spices and other Oriental
goods. The numerous economic benefits it gave to Portugal
made other monarchs envious and prompted them to search for
a new trade route to Asia. This led to the discovery of many
territories previously unknown to the Europeans, though
inhabited already and known to other races.
The marriage of Queen Isabella of Castile and King.
Ferdinand II of Aragon (1469) coupled with the victory of the
Catholic monarchs over the Moors in the Battle of Granada
(1492) resulted in the rise of Spain as a world power. With the
domestic problems already under control, Spain started to
explore their economic options outside the Iberian Peninsula.
Inspired by the success of Portugal, they aspired to have a fair
share in the spice trade. They financed the trans-Atlantic
voyages of Christopher Columbus (1492 to 1502) which resulted
in the discovery of the territories on the other side of the Atlantic
Ocean. Decades later, the Spanish monarch also supported the
plan of Ferdinand Magellan to go to the East by sailing
westward, a proposal that Portugal refused to finance.
The Magellan-Elcano expedition left the port of
Sanlucar de Barrameda in Seville on August 20, 1519 with
around 270 men of different nationalities. One of its main
objectives was to search for a new maritime path to the Spice
Islands that would not violate Spain's treaty with Portugal. Along
the way, the expedition suffered natural and man-made
challenges and out of the five ships that left Spain only three
reached the Philippines. The first couple of weeks of their stay
in the Philippines were marked with hospitality and cordial
exchanges of goods. The local inhabitants traded with them and
some were even converted to Christianity. Lapu-lapu, the
chieftain of Mactan, refused to trade with the Spaniards and
when Magellan learned this, he waged war with him. Despite
their superiority in term of arms and training, the Spaniards lost
the battle and one of the casualties was Magellan himself. When
the survivors returned to Cebu, they were also treacherously
attacked by their former allies. This prompted them to leave the
island. By that time, their number was just enough to man two
ships, the Victoria (now under the command of Juan Sebastian
Elcano) and the Trinidad. The expedition finally reached the
Spice Islands and managed to purchase a large amount of
spices before leaving. Unfortunately, the Trinidad and her crew
were captured by the Portuguese on their journey back.
On September 7, 1522, Elcano and 17 survivors
arrived in Spain aboard the ship Victoria. One of them was
Antonio Pigafetta, the assistant of Magellan who kept a journal
that became the main source of what we know about the first
encounter of the Spaniards and the Filipinos.
About the Author
Antonio Pigafetta (1491-c.1534), born around 1490 in
the town of Vicenza, Venice, Italy, was the eldest-son of
Giovanni Pigafetta to second wife Angela Zoga. He studied
astronomy, geography, and cartography and during his younger
years worked in the ships owned by the Knights of Rhodes.
His biographers described him as a well-educated
young man possessing an avid curiosity of the world around him.
He joined the delegation of Monsignor Francesco Chieregati
when the latter was assigned as Papal Nuncio to Spain in 1519.
It was during this time when Pigafetta became acquainted with
the lucrative spice trade and heard the news of the voyage to be
undertaken by Ferdinand Magellan. After getting the approval of
the Spanish sovereign, he left Barcelona and went to Seville. He
presented his credentials to Magellan and to the Casa de la
Contratacion, the office in charge of voyages to the New World.
He was admitted as one of the sobresalientes
(supernumeraries), or men coming from prominent families who
will join the trip for the love of adventure and for the
advancement of military service. Pigafetta survived the
challenges and catastrophes that the expedition encountered
along the way, including being wounded in the Battle of Mactan.
He was among the 18 survivors who returned to Spain on
September 6, 1522 aboard the Victoria with Juan Sebastian
Elcano.
From Seville, Pigafetta reported to his Majesty King
Carlos V and gave him a handwritten account of what happened
to them during the journey before returning to his native Italy.
Very little is known as to what happened to him during the latter
part of his life except on some accounts that he joined the
Knights of St. John of Jerusalem in its battle against the Turks.
He died sometime in 1534.
About the Book
Pigafetta kept a detailed journal of what happened to
them from the time they left Seville in 1519 until they returned to
Spain three years after. When he returned to Italy, many of his
associates asked him to write a formal account of the Magellan
expedition and have it published. He followed their advice and,
after doing it, he presented his draft to Pope Clement VII,
Philippe de Villiers L'Isle-Adam (grandmaster of the Knights of
Rhodes) and to Louis of Savoy (mother of King Francis I of
France), hoping that they would help him finance its publication.
Unfortunately, he was unable to find a financier who would pay
the deposit required by the printer because by that time, the
accounts of Maximilianus Transylvanus and Peter Martyr were
already out and interest on Magellan expedition had died down.
Sometime in 1536, a condensed version of his manuscript was
published in Venice by Jacques Fabre.
The original journal of Pigafetta did not survive time.
What was handed down to us are copies of the manuscript that
were never printed in his lifetime. Three of them were in French
and two are kept in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris. The third
one was originally owned by British collector Sir Thomas
Phillipps. Later, Beinecke Rare Book bought it and it is now kept
in the Manuscript Library of Yale University in New Haven. The
fourth copy was written in mixed Italian, Spanish, and Venetian
languages and could be found in the Ambrosian Library in Milan.
In 1800, Carlo Amoretti published an Italian version and the
following year a French version came out in Paris. An English
version was published in 1819. James Alexander Robertson
made his own English version of the Ambrosian copy and it
appeared in The Philippine Islands opus (Volume 33) as well as
in a separate edition.
 Of the four known primary sources that dealt with the
Magellan expedition, Pigafetta's account is the longest and most
comprehensive. It recounted the individual fates of the five ships
(Trinidad, San Antonio, Concepción, Santiago, and Victoria) that
comprised the Magellan expedition. It narrated lucidly how they
gallantly survived the unforeseen problems and challenges,
such as shortage of food, various types of diseases, the crew's
lack of confidence in Magellan's leadership, and the hostile
attitude of the people they encountered during the journey.
Pigafetta's account also included maps, glossaries of native
words, and geographic information and descriptions of the flora
and fauna of the places they visited.
Pigafetta's travelogue contributed immensely to the
enrichment of Philippine historiography. His writing provided us
a glimpse of the political, economic, and social conditions of the
islands in the Visayan region during the 16th century. He
described vividly the physical appearance, social life, religious
beliefs, and cultural practices of the people they encountered in
the islands of Samar, Leyte, and Cebu. His account also
contains data about the economic activities of the local folks and
the goods they offered for trade. He got all this information
through the help of Magellan's slave/interpreter, Enrique de
Malacca. Pigafetta likewise gave us an eyewitness account of
the death of Magellan in the Battle of Mactan.
The report of Pigafetta is quite long and is not
presented here in its entirety. The excerpts are limited to the
narration of what happened to the expedition upon reaching the
Philippines-from the time they landed on Homonhon up to the
Battle of Mactan. Since Pigafetta and Enrique de Malacca were
not natives of the Visayan region, there were inaccuracies in the
information about and the spelling of the names of places they
visited. Thus, the correct equivalent and translation are provided
in this book to make the excerpts understandable to
contemporary students.
Excerpts from Magellan's Voyage Around the World
At dawn on Saturday, March sixteen, 1521, we came
upon a high land at a distance of three hundred leagues from
the islands of Latroni-an island named Zamal [i.e., Samar]. The
following day, the captain-general desired to land on another
island which was uninhabited and lay to the right side of the
above-mentioned island, in order to be more secure, and to get
water and have some rest. He had two tents set up on the shore
for the sick and had a sow killed for them. On Monday afternoon,
March 18, we saw a boat coming toward us with nine men in it.
Therefore, the captain-general ordered that no one should move
or say a word without his permission. When those men reached
the shore, their chief went immediately to the captain-general...
seeing that they were reasonable men, ordered food to be set
before them, and gave them red caps, mirrors, combs, bells,
ivory, bocasine, and other things. When they saw the captain's
courtesy, they presented fish, a jar of palm wine which they call
uraca [i.e., arrack], figs more than one palmo long [i.e.,
bananas], and others which were smaller and more delicate, and
two cocoanuts [coconuts]. They had nothing else then...but rice,
and cocoanuts and many articles of food within four days.
Cocoanuts are the fruit of the palm tree. Just as we
have bread, wine, oil, and vinegar, so those people get
everything from that tree. They get wine in the following manner.
They bore a hole into the heart of the said palm at the top called
palmito [i.e. stalk], from which distils a liquor which resembles
white must [mist]. That liquor is sweet but somewhat tart, and [is
gathered] in canes [of bamboo] as thick as the leg and thicker.
They fasten the bamboo to the tree at evening for the morning,
and in the morning for the evening. That palm bears a fruit,
namely the cocoanut, which is as large as the head or
thereabouts. Its outside husk is green and thicker than two
fingers. Certain filaments are found in the husk, whence is made
cord for binding together their boats. Under that husk there is a
hard shell, much thicker than the shell of the walnut, which they
burn and make therefrom a powder that is useful to them. Under
that shell there is a white marrowy substance one finger in
thickness, which they eat fresh with meat and fish as we do [with]
bread; and it has a taste resembling the almond. It could be dried
and made into bread. There is a clear, sweet water in the middle
of the marrowy substance which is very refreshing. When that
water stands for a while after having been collected, it congeals
and becomes like an apple. When the natives wish to make oil,
they take that cocoanut, and allow the marrowy substance to
putrefy. Then they boil it and it becomes oil like butter. When
they wish to make vinegar, they allow only the water to putrefy,
and then place it in the sun, and a vinegar results like [that made
from] white wine. Milk can also be made from it, for we made
some. We scraped that marrowy substance and then mixed the
scrapings with its own water which we strained through a cloth,
and so [we] obtained milk like goat's milk. Those palms resemble
date-palms, but although not smooth they are less knotty than
the latter. A family of x [10] persons can be supported two trees,
by utilizing them week about for the wine [by utilizing one of them
during one week and the other during the other 8 days for the
wine]; for if they did otherwise, the trees would dry up. They last
a century.
Those people became very familiar with us. They told
us many things, their names and those of some of the islands
that could be seen from that place. Their own island was called
Zuluan and it is not very large. We took great pleasure with them,
for they were very pleasant and conversable. In order to show
them greater honor, the captain-general took them to his ship
and showed them all his merchandise-cloves, cinnamon,
pepper, ginger, nutmeg, mace, gold, and all the things in the
ship. He had some mortars fired for them, whereat they
exhibited great fear, and tried to jump out of the ship. They made
signs to us that the abovesaid articles grew in that place where
we were going. When they were about to retire they took their
leave very gracefully and neatly, saying that they would return
according to their promise. The island where we were is called
Humunu [Homonhon]; but inasmuch as we found two springs
there of the clearest water, we called it Acquada da li buoni
Segnialli (i.e., "the Watering-place of good Signs"), for there
were the first signs of gold which we found in those districts. We
found a great quantity of white coral there, and large trees with
fruit a trifle smaller than the almond and resembling pine seeds.
There are also many palms, some of them good and others bad.
There are many islands in that district, and therefore we called
them the archipelago of San Lazaro, as they were discovered
on the Sabbath (Sunday] of St. Lazarus. They lie in x degrees of
latitude toward the Arctic Pole, and in a longitude of one hundred
and sixty-one degrees from the line of demarcation.
At noon on Friday, March 22, those men came as they
had promised us in two boats with cocoanuts, sweet oranges, a
jar of palm-wine and a cock, in order to show us that there were
fowls in that district. They exhibited great signs of pleasure at
seeing us. We purchased all those articles from them. Their
seignior was an old man who was painted [i.e., tattooed]. He
wore two gold earrings [schione] in his ears, and the others
many gold armlets on their arms and kerchiefs about [on] their
heads. We stayed there one week, and during that time our
captain went ashore daily to visit the sick, and every morning
gave them cocoanut water from his own hand, which comforted
them greatly. There are people living near the island who have
holes [earrings] in their ears so large that they can pass their
arms through them. Those people are caphri, that is to say,
heathen. They go naked, with a soft cloth woven from the bark
of a tree about their privies, except some of the chiefs who wear
cotton cloth embroidered with silk at the ends by means of a
needle. They are dark, fat, and painted. They anoint themselves
with cocoanut and with beneseed oil, as a protection against the
sun and wind. They have very black hair that falls to the waist,
and use daggers, knives, and spears ornamented with gold,
large shields, fascines, javelins, and fishing nets that resemble
rizali [a fine thickly woven net used for fishing]; and their boats
are [just] like ours.
Next day, holy Friday, the captain-general sent his
slave, who acted as our interpreter, ashore in a small boat to ask
the king if he had any food to have it carried to the ships; and to
say that they would be well satisfied with us, for he [and his men]
had come to the island as friends and not as enemies. The king
came with six or eight men in the same boat and entered the
ship. He embraced the captain-general to whom he gave three
porcelain jars covered with leaves and full of raw rice, two very
large orade [dorado] and other things. The captain-general gave
the king a garment of red and yellow cloth made in the Turkish
fashion, and a fine red cap; and to the others (the king's men),
to some knives and to others mirrors. Then the captain-general
had a collation spread for them, and had the king told through
the slave that he desired to be casi casi with him, that is to say,
brother. The king replied that he also wished enter the same
relations with the captain-general. Then the captain showed him
cloth of various colors, linen, coral [ornaments], and many other
articles of merchandise, and all the artillery, some discharged
for him, whereat the natives were of which he had greatly
frightened.
Pieces of gold, of the size of walnuts and eggs, are by
sifting the earth in the island of that king who came I led] to our
ships. All the dishes of that king are of gold and also some
portion of his house, as we were told by that king himself.
According to their customs he was grandly decked out [molto in
ordine], and the finest looking man that we saw among those
people. His hair was exceedingly black, and hung to his
shoulders. He had a covering of silk on his head, and wore two
large golden earrings fastened in [to] his ears. He wore a cotton
cloth all embroidered with silk, which covered him from the waist
to the knees. At his side hung a dagger, the haft of which was
somewhat long and all of gold, and its scabbard of carved wood.
He had three spots of gold on every tooth, and his teeth
appeared as if bound with gold. He was perfumed with storax
and benzoin. He was tawny and painted [i.e., tattooed] all over.
That island of his was called Butuan and Calagan [Caraga].
When those kings wished to see one another, they both went to
hunt in that island where we were. The name of the first king is
Raia Colambu, the second Raia Siaui.
Early on [in] the morning of Sunday, the last of March
and Easter-day, the captain-general sent the priest with some
men to prepare the place where the Mass was to be said;
together with the interpreter to tell the king that we were not
going to land in order to dine with him, but to say mass.
Therefore the king sent us two swine that he had had killed.
When the hour for mass [had] arrived, we landed with about fifty
men, without our body armor, but carrying our other arms, and
dressed in our best clothes. Before we reached the shore with
our boats, six pieces were discharged as a sign of peace. We
landed; the two kings embraced the captain-general, and placed
him between them. We went in marching order to the place
consecrated, which was not far from shore. Before the
commencement of [the] mass, the captain sprinkled the entire
bodies of the two kings with musk water. The mass was offered
up [During the Mass, we made our offerings]. The kings went
forward to kiss the cross as we did, but made no offerings. When
the body of our Lord was elevated, they remained on their knees
and worshipped Him with clasped hands. The ships fired all their
artillery at once when the body of Christ was elevated, the signal
having been given from the shore with muskets. After the
conclusion of Mass, some of our men took communion....Then
he [they] had a cross carried in and the nails and a crown, to
which immediate reverence was made [to which they made
immediate reverence]. He told the kings through the interpreter
that they were the standards given to him by the emperor his
sovereign, so that wherever he might he might set up those
tokens. [He said] that he wished to set it up in that place for their
benefit, for whenever any of our ships came, they would know
that we had been there by that cross, and would do nothing to
displease them or harm their property [property: doublet in
original MS.]. If any of their men were captured, they would be
set free immediately on that sign being shown. It was necessary
to set that cross on the summit of the highest mountain, so that
on seeing it every morning, they might adore it; and if they did
that, neither thunder, lightning, nor storms would harm them in
the least. They thanked him heartily and [said] that they would
do everything willingly. The captain-general also asked them
whether they were Moros [Muslims] or heathen, or what was
their belief. They replied that they worshiped nothing [had no
other worship] but that they raised their clasped hands and their
face to the sky, and that they called their god "Abba." Thereat
the captain was very glad, and seeing that, the first king raised
his hands to the sky, and said that he wished that it were
possible for him to make the captain see his love for him. The
interpreter asked the king why there was so little to eat there.
The latter replied that he did not live in that place except when
he went hunting and to see his brother, but that he lived in
another island where all his family were. The captain-general
had him asked [asked him] to declare whether he had enemies,
so that he might go with his ships to destroy them and to render
them obedient to him. The king thanked him and said that he did
indeed have two islands hostile to him, but that it was not then
the season to go there. The [That] captain told him that if God
would again allow him to return to those districts, he would bring
so many men that he would make the king's enemies subject to
him by force. He said that he was about to go to dinner, and that
he would return afterward to have the cross set up on the summit
of the mountain. They replied that they were satisfied, and then
forming in battalion and firing the muskets, and the captain
having embraced the two kings, we took our leave.
After dinner we all returned clad in our doublets, and
that afternoon went together with the two kings to the summit of
the highest mountain there. When we reached the summit, the
captain-general told them that he esteemed highly having
sweated for them, for since the cross was there, it could not but
be of great use to them. On asking which port was best to get
food, they replied that there were three, namely, Ceylon [Leyte],
Zubu [Cebu], and Calaghann [Calagan], but that Zubu was the
largest and the one with most trade. They offered of their own
accord to give us pilots to show us the way. The captain-general
thanked them, and determined to go there, for so did his
unhappy fate will. After the cross was erected in position, each
of us repeated a Pater Noster and an Ave Maria, and adored the
cross; and the kings did the same. Then we descended through
the cultivated fields, and went to the place where the balanghai
was. The king some coconuts in so we ourselves. The captain
asked the kings for pilots, for he intended to depart the following
morning, and [said] that he would treat them as if they were the
kings themselves, and would leave one of us as hostage. The
kings replied every that every hour he wished the pilots were at
his command, but that night the first king changed his mind, and
in the morning when we were about to depart, sent word to the
captain-general, asking him for love of him to wait two days until
he should have his rice harvested, and other trifles attended to.
He asked the captain-general to send him some men to help
him, so that it might be done sooner; and said that he intended
to act as our pilot himself. The captain sent him some men, but
the kings ate and drank so much that they slept all the day.
Some said to excuse them that they were slightly sick. Our men
did nothing on that day, but they worked the next two days.
Those people were heathens, and go naked and
painted. They wear a piece of cloth woven from a tree about their
privies. They are heavy drinkers. Their women are clad in tree
cloth from their waist down, and their hair is black and reaches
to the ground. They have holes pierced in their ears which are
filled with gold.
These people are constantly chewing a fruit which they call
areca, and resembles a pear. They cut that fruit into four parts,
and then wrap it in the leaves of their tree which they call betre
[i.e., betel]. Those leaves resemble the leaves of the mulberry.
They mix it with a little lime, and when they have chewed it
thoroughly, they spit it out. It makes the mouth exceedingly red.
All the people in those parts of the world use it, for it is very
cooling to the heart, and if they ceased to use it they would die.
There are dogs, cats, swine, fowls, goats, rice, ginger,
cocoanuts, figs [i.e., bananas], oranges, lemons, millet,
pancium, sorgo, wax, and a quantity of gold in that island. It lies
in a latitude of nine and two-thirds degrees toward the Arctic
Pole, and in a longitude of one hundred and sixty-two degrees
from the line of demarcation. It is twenty-five [leagues] from the
Acquada, and is called Mazaua [Limasawa].
We remained there seven days, after which we laid our
course toward the northwest, passing among five islands,
namely Ceylon, Bohol, Canighan, Baybai, and Gatighan. In the
last-named island of Gatighan, there are bats as large as eagles.
As it was late we killed one of them, which resembled chicken in
taste. There are doves, turtle-doves, parrots, and certain black
birds as large as domestic chickens, which have a long tail. The
last-mentioned birds lay eggs as large as the goose, and bury
them under the sand, through the great heat of which they
hatched out. When the chicks are born, they push up the sand,
and come out. Those eggs are good to eat. There is a distance
of twenty leguas [leagues] from Mazaua to Gatighan. We set out
westward from Gatighan, but the king of Mazaua could not follow
us [closely]; and consequently, we awaited him near three
islands; namely Polo [Poro], Ticobon [Pasijan], and Pozon
[Pason]. When he caught up with us he was greatly astonished
at the rapidity with which we sailed. The captain-general had him
come into his ship with several of his chiefs at which they were
pleased. Thus did we go to Zubu from Gatighan, the distance to
Zubu being fifteen leguas.
At noon on Sunday, April seven, we entered the port of
Zubu, passing by many villages, where we saw many homes
built upon logs. On approaching the city, the captain-general
ordered the ships to fling their banners. The sails were lowered
and arranged as if for battle, and the artillery was fired, an action
which caused great fear to the people. The captain sent a foster-
son of his as ambassador to the king of Zubo with the interpreter.
When they reached the city, they found a vast crowd of people
together with the king, all of whom who were frightened by the
mortars. The interpreter told them that that was our custom
when entering into such places, as a sign of peace and
friendship, and that we had discharged all our mortars to honor
the king of the village. The king and all of his men were
reassured, and the king had us asked by his governor what we
wanted. The interpreter replied that his master was a captain of
the greatest king and prince in the world, and that he was going
to discover Malucho; but that he had come solely to visit the king
because of the good report which he had heard of him from the
king of Mazaua, and to buy food with his merchandise. The king
told him that he was welcome [literally: he had come at a good
time], but that it was their custom for all ships that entered their
ports to pay tribute, and that it was but four days since a junk
from Ciama [i.e., Siam] laden with gold and slaves had paid him
tribute. As proof of his statement, the king pointed out to the
interpreter, a merchant from Ciama, who had remained to trade
the gold and slaves. The interpreter told the king that, since his
master was the captain of so great a king, he did not pay tribute
to any seignior in the world, and that if the king wished peace he
would have peace, but if war instead, war. Thereupon, the Moro
merchant said to the king "Cata raia chita"; that is to say, "Look
well, sire. These men are the same who have conquered
Calicut, Malaca, and all India Magiore [i.e., India Major]. If they
are treated well, they will give good treatment, but if they are
treated evil, evil and worse treatment, as they have done to
Calicut and Malaca." The interpreter understood it all and told
the king that his master's king was more powerful in men and
ships than the king of Portogalo, that he was the king of Spagnia
[Spain] and emperor of all the Christians, and that if the king did
not care to be his friend he would next time send so many men
that they would destroy him. The Moro related everything to the
king who said thereupon that he would deliberate with his men,
and would answer the captain on the following day. Then he had
refreshments of many dishes, all made from meat and contained
in porcelain platters, besides many jars of wine brought in. After
our men had refreshed themselves, they returned and told us
everything. The king of Mazaua, who was the most influential
after that king and the seignior of a number of islands, went
ashore to speak to the king of the great courtesy of our captain-
general.
Monday morning, our notary, together with the
interpreter, went to Zubu. The king, accompanied by his chiefs,
came to the open square where he had our men sit down near
him. He asked the notary whether there were more than one
captain in that company, and whether that captain wished him
to pay tribute to the emperor, his master. The notary replied in
the negative, but that the captain wished only to trade with him
and no others. The king said that he was satisfied, and that if the
captain wished to become his friend, he should send him a drop
of blood from his right arm, and he himself would do the same
[to him] as sign of the most sincere friendship. The notary
answered that the captain would do it [so]. Thereupon, the king
told him that all the captains who came to that place were wont
to give presents one to the other [i.e., mutual presents between
the king and the captain], and asked whether our captain or he
ought to commence. The interpreter told the king that since he
desired to maintain the custom, he should commence, and so
he did.
On Wednesday morning, as one of our men had died
during the previous night, the interpreter and I went to ask the
king where we could bury him. We found the king surrounded by
many men of whom, after the due reverence was made, I asked
it. He replied, "If I and my vassals all belong to your sovereign,
how much more ought the land." I told the king that we would
like to consecrate the place, and to set up a cross there. He
replied that he was quite satisfied and that he wished to adore
the cross as did we. The deceased was buried in the square with
as much pomp as possible, in order to furnish a good example.
Then we consecrated the place, and in the evening buried
another man. We carried a quantity of merchandise ashore
which we stored in a house. The king took it under his care as
well as four men who were left to trade the goods by wholesale.
Those people I live in accordance with justice, and have weights
and measures. They love peace, ease, and quiet. They have
wooden balances the bar of which has a cord in the middle by
which it is held. At one end is a bit of lead, and at the other marks
like quarter-libras [quarter-pounds], third-libras [third-pounds],
and libras [pounds]. When they wish to weigh they take the
scales which has three wires like ours, and place it above the
marks, and so weigh it accurately. They have very large
measures without any bottom. The youth play on pipes made
like ours which they call subin. Their houses are constructed of
wood and are built of planks and bamboo, raised high from the
ground on large logs, and one must enter them by means of
ladders. They have rooms like ours; and under the house they
keep their swine, goats, and fowls. Large sea snails [corniolli],
beautiful to the sight, are found there which kill whales. For the
whale swallows them alive, and when they are in the whale's
body, they come out of their shells and eat the whale's heart.
Those people afterward find them alive near the dead whale's
heart. Those creatures have black teeth and skin and a white
shell, and the flesh is [are] good to eat. They are called laghan
[a shellfish].
On Friday we showed these people a shop full of our
merchandise, at which they were very much surprised. For
metals, iron and other large merchandise they gave us gold. For
the other smaller articles they gave us rice, swine, goats, and
other food. Those people gave us x pieces of gold for xiiii libras
[14 pounds] of iron (one piece being worth about one and one-
half ducados [ducats]). The captain-general did not wish to take
too much gold, for there would have been some sailors who
would have given all that they owned for a small amount of gold
and would have spoiled the trade for ever. On Saturday, as the
captain [king] had promised the king [captain] to become a
Christian on Sunday, a platform was built in [on] the consecrated
square, which was adorned with hangings and palm branches
for his baptism. The captain-general sent men to tell the king not
to be afraid of the pieces that would be discharged in the
morning, for it was our custom to discharge them at our greatest
feasts without loading [them] with stones.
On Sunday morning, April fourteen, forty men of us
went ashore, two of whom were completely armed and preceded
the royal banner. When we reached land all the artillery. Those
people followed us hither and thither. The captain and the king
embraced. The captain told the king that the royal banner was
not taken ashore except with fifty men armed as were those two,
and with fifty musketeers; but so great was his love for him that
he had thus brought the banner. Then we all approached the
platform joyfully. The captain and the king sat down in chairs of
red and violet velvet, the chiefs on cushions, and the others on
mats. The captain told the king through the interpreter that he
thanked God for inspiring him to became [become] a Christian,
and that [now] he would more easily conquer his enemies than
before. The king replied that he wished to become a Christian,
but that some of his chiefs did not wish to obey, because they
said that they were as good as men as he. Then our captain had
all the chiefs of the king called, and told them that unless they
obeyed the king as their king, he would have them killed, and
would give their possessions to the king. They replied that they
would obey him. The captain told the king that he was going to
Spagnia, but that he would return again with so many forces that
he would make him the greatest king of those regions, as he had
been the first to express a determination to become a Christian.
The king, lifting his hands to the sky, thanked the captain, and
requested him to let some of his men remain [with him], so that
he and his people might better be instructed in the faith. The
captain replied that he would like to take two of the children of
the chiefs with him, so that they might learn our language, who
afterward on their return would be able to tell the others the
wonders [cose] of Spagnia. A large cross was set up in the
middle of the square. The captain told them that if they wished
to become Christians as they had declared on the previous
days, that they must burn all their idols and set up a cross in their
place. They were to adore that cross daily with clasped hands,
and every morning after their [i.e., the Spaniards'] custom, they
were to make the sign of the cross (which the captain showed
them how to make); and they ought to come hourly, at least in
the morning, to that cross, and adore it kneeling. The intention
that they had already declared, they were to confirm it with good
works. The king and all the others wished to confirm it
thoroughly. The captain-general told the king that he was clad in
all white to demonstrate his sincere love toward them. They
replied they could not respond to his sweet words. The captain
led the king by hand to the platform while speaking these good
words in order to baptize him. He told the king that he would call
him Don Carlo, after his sovereign the emperor; the prince, Don
Fernando, after the emperor's brother; the king of Mazaua,
Johanni; a chief, Fernando, after our chief, that is to say the
captain; the Moro, Christoforo; and then the others, now one
name, and now another. Five hundred men were baptized
before mass. After the conclusion of mass, the captain invited
the king and some of the other chiefs to dinner, but they refused,
accompanying us, however, to the shore. The ships discharged
all the mortars; and embracing, the king and chiefs and the
captain took leave of one another.
After dinner the priest and some of the others went
ashore to baptize the queen, who came with forty women. We
conducted her to the platform, and she was made to sit down
upon a cushion, and the other women near her, until the priest
should be ready. She was shown [I showed her] an image of our
Lady, a very beautiful wooden child Jesus, and a cross.
Thereupon, she was overcome with contrition and asked for
baptism amid her tears. We named her Johanna, after the
emperor's mother; her daughter, the wife of the prince,
Catherina; the queen of Mazaua, Lisabeta; and the others, each
[with] their [distinctive] names. Counting men, women, and
children, we baptized eight hundred souls. The queen was
young and beautiful, and was entirely covered with a white and
black cloth. Her mouth and nails were very red, while on her
head she wore a large hat of palm leaves in the manner of a
parasol, with a crown about it of the same leaves, like the tiara
of the Pope; and she never goes any place without such a one.
She asked us to give her the little child Jesus to keep in place of
her idols; and then she went away. In the afternoon, the king and
queen, accompanied by numerous persons, came to the shore.
Thereupon, the captain had many trombs of fire and large
mortars discharged, by which they were most highly delighted.
The captain and the king called one another brothers. That
king's name was Raia Humabon. Before that week had gone, all
the persons of that island, and some from the other islands, were
baptized. We burned one hamlet which was located in a
neighboring island, because it refused to obey the king or us.
We set up the cross there for those people were heathen. Had
they been Moros, we would have erected a column there as a
token of our greater hardness, for the Moros are much harder to
convert than the heathen.
The captain-general went ashore daily during those
days to hear mass, and told the king many things regarding the
faith. One day the queen came with great pomp to hear Mass.
Three girls preceded her with three of her hats in their hands.
She was dressed in black and white with a large silk scarf,
crossed with gold stripes thrown over her head, which covered
her shoulders; and she had on her hat. A great number of
women accompanied her, who were all naked and barefoot,
except that they had a small covering of palm-tree cloth before
their privies, and a small scarf upon the head, and all hair flowing
free. The queen, having made the due reverence to the altar,
seated herself on a silk embroidered cushion. Before the
commencement of the mass, the captain sprayed her and some
of her [the] women with musk rosewater, for they delighted
exceedingly in such perfumes. The captain, knowing that the
queen was very much pleased with the child Jesus, gave it to
her, telling her to keep it in place of her idols, for it was a memory
of the son of God. Thanking him heartily, she accepted it.
 One day, the captain-general asked the king and the
other people why they did not burn their idols as they had
promised when they became Christians; and why they sacrificed
so much flesh to them. They replied that what they were doing
was not for themselves, but for a sick man who had not spoken
now for four days, so that the idols might give him health. He
was the prince's brother, and the bravest and wisest man in the
island. The captain told them to burn their idols and to believe in
Christ, and that if the sick man were baptized, he would quickly
recover; and if that did not so happen they could behead him
[i.e., the captain] then and there. Thereupon, the king replied
that he would do it, for he truly believed in Christ. We made a
procession from the square to the house of the sick man with as
much pomp as possible. There we found him in such a condition
that he could neither speak nor move. We baptized him and his
two wives, and x girls. Then the captain had him asked [asked
him] how he felt. He spoke immediately and said that by the
grace of our Lord he felt very well. That was a most manifest
miracle [that happened] in our times. When the captain heard
him [the man] speak, he thanked God fervently. Then he made
the sick man drink some almond milk, which he had already
made ready for him. Afterward he sent him a mattress, a pair of
sheets, a coverlet of yellow cloth, and a pillow. Until he
recovered his health, the captain sent him [every day] almond
milk, rosewater, oil of roses, and some sweet preserves. Before
five days the sick man began to walk. He had an idol that certain
old women concealed in his house burned in the presence of the
king and all the people. He had many shrines along the seashore
destroyed, in which consecrated meat was eaten. The people
themselves cried out "Castiglia!" "Castiglia!" and destroyed
those shrines. They said that if God would lend them life, they
would burn all the idols they could find, even if they were in the
king's house. Those idols are made of wood, and are hollow,
and lack the back parts. Their arms are open and their feet
turned up under them with the legs open. They have a large face
with four huge tusks like those of the wild boar; and are painted
all over.
There are many villages in that island. Their names and
those of their chiefs are as follows: Cinghapola and its chiefs,
Cilaton, Ciguibucan, Cimaningha, Cimatichat, and Cicanbul;
one, Mandaui and its chief, Apanoaan; one Lalan, and its chief,
Theteu; one, Lalutan, and its chief, Tapan; one Cilumai; and
one, Lubucun. All those villages rendered obedience to us, and
gave us food and tribute. Near that island of Zubu was an island
called Matan [Mactan], which formed the port where we were
anchored. The name of its village was Matan, and its chiefs were
Zula and Cilapulapu [Lapu-lapu]. That city [village] which we
burned was in that island and was called Bulaia.
On Friday, April twenty-six, Zula, chief of the island of
Matan, sent one of his sons to present two goats to the captain-
general, and to say that he would send him all that he had
promised, but that he had not been able to send it to himbecause
of the other chief, Cilapulapu, who refused to obey the king of
Spagnia. He requested the captain to send him only one
boatload of men on the next night, so that they might help him
and fight against the other chief. The captain-general decided to
thither with three boatloads. We begged him repeatedly not to
go, but he, like a good shepherd, refused to abandon his flock.
At midnight, sixty men of us set out armed with corselets and
helmets, together with the Christian king, the prince, some of the
chief men, and twenty or thirty balanghais. We reached Matan
three hours before dawn. The captain did not wish to fight then,
but he sent a message to the natives by the Moro to the effect
that if they would obey the king of Spagnia, recognize the
Christian king as their sovereign, pay us our tribute, he would be
their friend; but that if they wished otherwise, they should wait to
see how our lances wounded. They replied that if we had lances
they had lances of bamboo and stakes hardened with fire. [They
asked us] not to proceed to attack them at once, but to wait until
morning, so that they might have more men. They said that in
order to induce us to go in search of them; for they had dug
certain pitholes between the houses in order that we might fall
into them. When morning came, forty-nine of us leaped into the
water up our thighs, and walked through water for more than two
crossbow flights before we could reach the shore. The boats
could not approach nearer because of certain rocks in the water.
The other eleven men remained behind to guard the boats...
When they saw us, they charged down upon us with exceeding
loud cries, two divisions on our flanks and other two on our front.
When the captain saw that, he formed us into two divisions, and
thus did we begin to fight. The musketeers and crossbowmen
shot from a distance for half an hour, but uselessly for the shots
only passed through the shields which were made of thin wood
and the arms [of the bearers]. The captain cried to them, "Cease
firing! cease firing!" but his order was not all heeded. When the
natives saw that we were shooting our muskets to no purpose,
crying out, they [were] determined to stand firm, but they [and]
redoubled their shouts. When our muskets were discharged, the
natives would never stand still but leaped hither and thither,
covering themselves with their shields. They shot so many
arrows at us and hurled so many bamboo spears (some of them
tipped with iron) at the captain-general, besides pointed stakes
hardened with fire, stones, and mud, that we could scarcely
defend ourselves. Seeing that, the captain-general sent some
men to burn their houses in order to terrify them. When they saw
their houses burning, they were roused to greater fury. Two of
our men were killed near the houses, while we burned twenty or
thirty houses. So many of them charged down upon us that they
shot the captain through the right leg with a poisoned arrow. On
that account, he ordered us to retire slowly, but the men took to
flight, except six or eight of us who remained with the captain.
The natives shot only at our legs, for the latter were bare; and
so many were the spears and stones hurled at us, that we could
offer no resistance. The mortars in the boats could not aid us as
they were too far away. So we continued to retire for more than
a good crossbow flight from the shore, always fighting up to our
knees in the water. The natives continued to pursue us, and
picking up the same spear four or six times, hurled it at us again
and again. Recognizing the captain, so many turned upon him
that they knocked his helmet off his head twice, but he always
stood firmly like a good knight, together with some others. Thus
did we fight for more than one hour, refusing to retire farther
[further]. An Indian hurled a bamboo spear into the captain's
face, but the latter immediately killed him with his lance, which
he left in the Indian's body. Then, trying to lay hand on sword,
he could draw it out halfway because he had been wounded in
the arm with [by] a bamboo spear. When the natives saw that,
they all hurled themselves upon him. One of them wounded him
on the left leg with a large cutlass, which resembles a scimitar,
only being larger. That caused the captain to fall face downward,
when immediately they rushed upon him with iron and bamboo
spears and with their cutlasses, until they killed our mirror, our
light, our comfort, and our true guide. When they wounded him,
he turned back many times to see whether we were all in the
boats. Thereupon, beholding him dead, we, wounded, retreated,
as best as we could to the boats which were already pulling off.
The Christian king would have aided us, but the captain charged
him before we landed, not to leave his balanghai, but to stay to
see how we fought. When the king learned that the captain was
dead, he wept. Had it not been for that unfortunate captain, not
a single one of us would have been saved in the boats, for while
he was fighting, the others retired to the boats. I hope through
[the efforts of your illustrious Lordship that the fame of so noble
a captain will not become effaced in our times. Among other
virtues which he possessed, he was more constant than ever in
the greatest of adversity. He endured hunger better than all the
others, and more accurately than any man in the world did he
understand sea charts and navigation. And that this was the
truth seen openly, for no other had had so much natural talent
nor the boldness to learn how to circumnavigate the world, as
he had almost done. That [The] battle was fought on Saturday,
April twenty-seven, 1521. The captain desired to fight on
Saturday, because it was the day especially holy to him. Eight
of our men were killed with him in that battle, and four Indians,
who had become Christians and who had come afterward to aid
us, were killed by the mortars of the boats. Of the enemy, only
fifteen were killed, while many of us were wounded.
Relevance
Pigafetta's chronicle contributed immensely to
European historiography as it preserved and popularized the
achievements of the Magellan-Elcano expedition. If Pigafetta did
not survive the journey, we would have very little knowledge of
Magellan's numerous contributions in the fields of geography,
navigation, history, and other related areas. First, credit must be
given to the Magellan expedition for proving that the earth is not
flat but an oblate sphere. Moreover, they demolished the myth
that there is boiling water at the Equator. Second, Magellan and
his men completed the first circumnavigation of the world. Third,
they confirmed that the Portuguese route is not the only way to
the Spice Islands. They proved the theory that one can go to the
east by sailing west. Fourth, they brought to the attention of the
Europeans that on the other side of the American continent
exists a large body of water which they named Pacific Ocean.
(Mar Pacifico). All these discoveries altered the European map
of the world and resulted in the inclusion of new territories in their
world view.
The account of Pigafetta also enriched Philippine
historiography because it contains important details about the
conditions of the Visayan Islands in the 16th century. Some of
the prominent leaders during that time, their economic activities,
social and cultural practices, and religious beliefs were
identified. Moreover, local textbook writers use his book as their
source of historical information about the beginning of
Christianity in the Philippines. The accounts about the First
Mass in the Philippines, the conversion of Rajah Humabon and
his wife, and the story of the image of the Sto. Niño were mostly
taken from Pigafetta's book. Finally, Pigafetta has numerous
accounts about the reaction of the Filipinos when they met the
Spaniards. Some Filipinos were easily befriended by the About the Text
Spaniards while others refused to interact and trade with them. The original document of Customs of the Tagalogs is currently
Lapu-lapu is the most prominent Filipino character in Pigafetta's kept in the Archivo General de Indias (A.G.I.) in Seville, Spain. A
duplicate copy of it is kept in the Archivo Franciscano Ibero-Oriental
narrative. He was the first Filipino who led the resistance
(A.F.I.O.), in Madrid, Spain. An English translation appeared in Volume
movement against Spanish rule and successfully thwarted the VII of the Blair and Robertson's The Philippine Islands. Another English
first attempt of the Spaniards to take control of the Philippines. translation was published as part of the volume for precolonial
It was mentioned earlier that Pigafetta was not the only Philippines in the second series of the Filipiniana Book Guild. The
one who wrote about the expedition. The year after the ship excerpts presented below is from the latter version.
Victoria arrived in Spain, Maximilianus Transylvanus' De
Moluccis Insulis (The Moluccas Islands) came off the press. Its Excerpts from Customs of the Tagalogs
subject matter is the same as that of Pigafetta's book but it is not This people always had chiefs, called by them datos, who
governed them and were captains in their wars, and whom they obeyed
an eyewitness account because the thor is not part of the
and reverenced. The subject who committed any offense against them,
expedition. He based his narrative on the interviews that he or spoke but a word to their wives and children, was severely punished.
conducted with the survivors of the Victoria. His prominent These chiefs ruled over a few people; sometimes as many as
interviewees were Juan Sebastián Elcano, Francisco Albo, and a hundred houses, sometimes even less than thirty. This tribal gathering
Hernando de Bustamante. Compared to Pigafetta's work, his is called in Tagalog a barangay. It was inferred that the reason for giving
account is far much shorter and contains less details. Another themselves this name rose from the fact (as they are classed, by their
survivor who maintained a journal of the voyage was Francisco language, among the Malay nations) that when they came to this land,
Albo (Victoria's pilot). His work is the shortest and it focused the head of the barangay, which is a boat, thus called-as is discussed at
length in the first chapter of the first ten chapters-became the dato. And
mainly on the location of the expedition on certain dates. Finally,
so, even at present day, it is ascertained that the barangay in its origin
the last contemporaneous source of information about Magellan was a family of parents, children, relations and slaves. There were many
is the Italian-born historian of Spain, Peter Martyr d'Anghiera. of these barangays in each town, or at least, on account of wars, they
From 1511 to 1530, he wrote accounts of the Spanish did not settle far from one another. They were not, however, subject to
explorations of the New World which he divided into "decades." one another, except in friendship and relationship. The chiefs, in their
The fifth decade appeared in 1523 and it recounted the conquest various wars, helped one another with their respective barangays.
of Mexico and the circumnavigation of the world by Magellan. In addition to these chiefs, who corresponded to our knights,
there were three castes: nobles, commoners, and slaves. The nobles
were the freeborn whom they call maharlica. They did not pay tax or
tribute to the dato, but must accompany him in war, at their own
Lesson 4
expense. The chief offered them beforehand a feast, and afterward they
CUSTOMS OF THE TAGALOGS
divided the spoils. Moreover, when the dato went upon the water those
Historical Context
whom he summoned rowed for him. If he built a house, they helped him,
During the first century of Spanish rule, the colonial
and had to be fed up for it. The same was true when the whole barangay
government had difficulty in running local politics because of the limited
went to clear up his lands for tillage. The lands which they inhabited were
number of Spaniards who wanted to live outside of Intramuros. This
divided among the whole barangay, especially the irrigated portion, and
situation forced Spanish officials to allow Filipinos to hold the position of
thus each one knew his own. No one belonging to are not another
gobernadorcillo. To ensure that the gobernadorcillos would remain loyal
barangay would cultivate them unless after purchase or inheritance. The
to the Crown, the friars assigned in the parishes were instructed to
lands on the tingues, or mountain ridges, divided, but owned in common
supervise and monitor the activities of the former. Hence, the friars
by the barangay. Consequently, at the time of the rice harvest, any
ended up performing the administrative duties that colonial officials
individual of any particular barangay, although he may have come from
should have been doing at the local level. They supervised the election
some other village, if he commences to clear any land may sow it, and
of the local executives, helped in the collection of taxes, were directly
no one can compel him to abandon it. There are some villages (as, for
involved in educating the youth, and performed other civic duties.
example, Pila de Laguna) in which these nobles, or maharlicas, paid
Consequently, the friars became the most knowledgeable and influential
annually to the dato a hundred gantas of rice. The reason of this was
figure in the pueblo.
that, at the time of their settlement there, another chief, upon his arrival,
The friars who were assigned in mission territories were
bought with his own gold; and therefore the members of his barangay
required periodically to inform their superiors of what was happening in
paid him for arable land, and he divided it, among those whom he saw
their respective areas. They prepared reports on the number of natives
fit to reward. But now, since the advent of the Spaniards, it is not so
they converted, the people's way of life, their socio-economic situation,
divided.
and the problems they encountered. Some of them submitted short
The commoners are called aliping namamahay. They are
letters while others who were keen observers and gifted writers wrote
married, and serve their master, whether he be a dato or not, with half
long dispatches. On top of the regular reports they submitted, they also
of their cultivated lands, as was agreed upon in the beginning. They
shared their personal observations and experiences. Plasencia's
accompanied him wherever he went beyond the island, and rowed for
Relacion de las Costumbres de Los Tagalogs (Customs of the Tagalogs,
him. They live in their own houses, and are lords of their property and
1589) is an example of this kind of work. It contains numerous
gold. Their children inherit it, and enjoy their property and lands. The
information that historians could use in reconstructing the political and
children, then, enjoy the rank of their fathers, and they cannot be made
socio-cultural history of the Tagalog region. His work is a primary source
slaves (sa guiguilir) nor can either parents or children be sold. If they
because he personally witnessed the events and his account contained
should fall by inheritance into the hands of a son of their master who was
his observations.
going to dwell in another village, they could not be taken from their own
There were other friars and colonial officials who also wrote
village and carried with him; but they would remain in their native village,
about the Filipinos which could further enrich our knowledge of
doing service there and cultivating the sowed lands.
Philippine history during the early part of the Spanish period. For
The slaves are called aliping sa guiguilir. They serve their
example, Miguel de Loarca, an encomendero of Panay wrote his
master in his house and on his cultivated lands, and The master grants
Relación de las Islas Filipinas (1582) and described the Filipinos' way of
them, should they see fit, and providing that he has profited through their
life in the Western Visayas area. Lieutenant Governor Antonio de Morga
industry, a portion of their harvests, so that they may work faithfully. For
wrote Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas which provides information about
these reasons, servants who are born in the house of their master are
the state of the Philippines in the latter part of the 16th century. The other
rarely, if ever, sold. That is the lot of captives in war, and of those brought
Spanish missionaries who continued the historiographical tradition were
up in the harvest fields....
Fr. Pedro Chirino S.J. (Relación de las Islas Filipinas, 1604), Fr. Juan
The difference between the aliping namamahay and the
Delgado S.J. (Historia General, 1751), Fr. Francisco Colin S.J. (Labor
aliping sa guiguilir, should be noted; for, by a confusion of the two terms,
Evangelica, 1663), and Fr. Francisco Ignacio Alcina S.J. (Historia
many have been classed as slaves who really are not. The Indians
natural del sitio, fertilidad y calidad de las Islas e Indios de Bisayas,
seeing that the alcaldes-mayor do not understand this, have adopted the
1668). Most of what we know about Philippine history during the first
custom of taking away the children of the aliping namamahay, making
century of the Spanish period were derived from the accounts of the
use of them as they would of aliping sa guiguilir, as servants in their
Spanish friars.
households, which is illegal, and if the aliping namamahay should appeal
to justice, it is proved that he is an alipin as well as his father and mother
About the Author
before him and no reservation is made as to whether he is aliping
Fray Juan de Plasencia (Joan de Portocarrero, real name)
namamahay or aliping sa guiguilir. He is at once considered an alipin,
was a member of the Franciscan Order who came together with the first
without further declaration. In this way he becomes a sa guiguilir, and is
batch of missionaries to the Philippines in 1578. He and fellow,
even sold. Consequently, the alcaldes-mayor should be instructed to
Franciscan Fray Diego de Oropesa, were assigned mission works in the
ascertain, when anyone asks for his alipin, to which class he belongs,
Southern Tagalog area. Plasencia also helped in the foundation and
and to have the answer put in document that they give him.
organization of numerous towns in Quezon, Laguna, Rizal, and Bulacan.
In these three classes, those who are maharlicas on both
His continuous interaction with the people he converted to Christianity
father's and mother's side continue to be so forever; and if it happens
enabled him to write a work titled Relacion de las Costumbres de Los
that they should become slaves, it is through marriage, as I shall soon
Tagalogs (Customs of the Tagalogs, 1589) where he vividly described
explain. If these maharlicas had children among their slaves, the
the political, social, economic, and cultural practices of the Filipinos
children and their mothers became free; if one of them had children by
before they were Christianized.
a slave-woman of another, she was compelled, when pregnant, to give
Plasencia did not limit himself to the task of administering the
her master half of the gold tael, because of her risk of death, and for her
sacraments and baptizing new converts. He believed that catechism or
inability to labor during the pregnancy. In such case half of the child was
explaining the basic tenets of Catholic faith is another very important
free-namely, the half belonging to his father, who supplied the child with
function of a missionary. His biggest challenge at that time was how to
food. If he did not do this, he showed that he did not recognize him as
make the articles of faith comprehensible to people who have never
his child, in which case the latter was wholly a slave. If a free woman
heard of Christ or the Catholic Church. He wrote the Doctrina Christiana
had children by a slave, they were all free, provided he were not her
en Lengua Española y Tagala which later became the first printed book
husband.
in the Philippines in 1593. He used it as reading material for those
If two persons married, of whom one was a maharlica and the
Filipinos who wished to deepen their faith in the newly-accepted religion.
other a slave, whether namamahay or sa guiguilir, the children were
Plasencia died in Liliw, Laguna in 1590.
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 a slave, all those who belonged to him
were slaves; and the same applied to the mother. If there should not be
more than one child he was half free and half slave. The question here
concerned the division, whether the child were male or female. Those
who became slaves fell under the category of servitude which was their
parent's, either namamahay or sa guiguilir. If there were an odd number
of children, the odd one was half free and half slave. I have not been
able to ascertain with certainty when or what age the division of children
was made, for each one suited himself in this respect. Of these two kinds
of slaves the sa guiguilir could be sold, but not the namamahay and their
children, nor could they be transferred. However, they could be
transferred from the barangay by inheritance, provided they remained in
the same village.
The maharlicas could not, after marriage, move from one
village to another, or from one barangay to another, without paying a
certain fine in gold, as arranged among them. This fine was larger or
smaller according to the inclination of the different villages, running from
one to three taels and a banquet to the entire barangay. Failure to pay
the fine might result in a war between the barangay where the person
left and the one which he entered. This applied equally to men and
women except that when one married a woman of another village, the
children were afterwards divided equally between the two barangays.
This arrangement kept them obedient to the dato, or chief, which is no
longer the case-because if the dato is energetic and commands what
the religious fathers enjoin him, they soon leave him and to other villages
and other datos, who endure and protect them and do not order them
about. This is the kind of dato that they now prefer, not him who has the
spirit to command. There is a great need of reform in this, for the chiefs
are spiritless and faint-go hearted.
Investigations made and sentences passed by the dato must
take place in the presence if those in his barangay. If any of the litigants
felt himself aggrieved, an arbiter was unanimously selected from another
village or barangay, whether he were a dato or not; since they had for
this purpose some reasons, known as fair and just men, who were said
to give true judgment according to their customs. If the controversy lay
between two chiefs, when they wished to avoid war, they also convoked
judges to act as arbiters; they did the same if the disputants belonged to
two different barangays. In this ceremony they always had to drink, the
plaintiff inviting the others. They had laws by which they condemned to
death a man of low birth who insulted the daughter or wife of chief;
likewise witches of the same class.
They condemned no one to slavery, unless he merited the
death penalty. As for the witches, they killed them, and their children and
accomplices became slaves of the chief, after he had made some
recompense to the injured person. All other offenses were punished by
fines in gold, which, if not paid with promptness, exposed the culprit to
serve, until the payment should be made, the person was aggrieved, to
whom the money was paid. This was done in the following way: Half the
cultivated lands and all their produce belonged to their master. The
master provided the culprit with food and clothing, thus enslaving the
culprit and his children until such time as he might amass enough money
to pay the fine. If the father should by chance pay his debt, the master
then claimed that he has fed and clothed his children, and should be
paid therefor. In this he kept possession of the children if the payment
could not be met. This last was usually the case, and they remained
slaves. If the culprit had some relative or friend who paid for him, he was
obliged to render the latter half his service until he was paid-not,
however, service within the house as aliping sa guiguilir, but living
independently, as alipin namamahay. If the creditor were not served in
this wise, the culprit had to pay double of what was lent him. In this way
slaves were made by debt; either sa guiguilir, if they served the master
to whom the judgment applied; or aliping namamahay, if they served the
person who lent them wherewith to pay.
Dowries are given by the men to the women's parents. If the
latter are living, they enjoy use of it. At their death, provided the dowry
has not been consumed, it is divided like the rest of the estate, equally
among the children, except in the case the father should care to bestow
something additional upon their daughter. If the wife, at the time of her
marriage, has neither father, mother, nor grandparents, she enjoys her
dowry-which in such a case, belongs to no other relative or child. It
should be noticed that unmarried women can own no property, in land
or dowry, for the result of all their labors accrues to their parents.
In the case of a divorce before the birth of the children, if the
wife left the husband for the purpose of marrying another, all her dowry
and an equal additional amount fell to the husband; but if she left him,
and did not marry another, the dowry was returned. When the husband
left his wife, he lost half of the dowry, and the other half was returned to
him. If he possessed children at the time of his divorce, the whole dowry
and the fine went to the children, and was held for them by their
grandparents or other responsible relatives.
In the matter of marriage dowries which fathers bestow upon
their sons when they are about to be married, and half of which is given
immediately, even when they are only children, there is a great deal
more complexity. There is a fine stipulated in the contract, that he who
violates it shall pay a certain sum which varies according to the practice
of the village and the affluence of the individual. The fine was heaviest
if, upon the death of the parents, the son or daughter should be unwilling
to marry because it had been arranged by his or her parents. In this case
the dowry which the parents had received was returned and nothing
more. But if the parents were living, they paid the fine, because it was
assumed that it had been their design to separate the children.
II
Worship of the Tagalogs
In all the villages, or in other parts of the Filipinas Islands,
there are no temples consecrated to the performing of sacrifices, the
adoration of their idols, or the general practice of idolatry. It is true that
they have the simbahan, which means a temple or place of adoration;
but it is because, formerly, when they wished to celebrate a festival,
which they called pandot or "worship," they celebrated it in a large house
of a chief. There 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 people from the wet when it rained. They so
constructed the house that it may contain people-dividing it after the
fashion of ships, into three compartments. On the posts of the house
they set small lamps, called Sorihile: in the center of the house they
placed one large lamp, adorned with leaves of the white palm, wrought
into many designs. 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 called nagaanitos. The house, for
the above-mentioned period of time, was called a temple.
Among their many idols there was one called Bathala, whom
they especially worshipped. The title, seems to signify "all powerful," or
"maker of all things." They also worshippedthe sun, which, on account
of its beauty, is almost universally respected and honored by the
heathens. They worshipped too, the moon, especially when it was new,
at which time they had great rejoicings, adoring it and bidding it
welcome. Some of them also adored the stars, although they did not
know them by their names, as the Spaniards and other nations know the
planets-with the exception of the morning star they called Tala. They
knew, too, the "seven little goats" [The Pleiades]-as we call them-and,
consequently, the change of seasons, which they call Mapolon; and
Balatic, which is our Greater Bear. They possessed many idols called
lic-ha, which were images with different shapes; and at times they
worshipped any little trifle, in which they adored, as did the Romans,
some particular dead man who was brave in war and endowed with
special faculties, to whom they commended themselves for protection in
their tribulations. They had another idol called Dian Masalanta, who was
the patron of lovers and of generation. The idols called Lacapati and
Idianale were patrons of the cultivated lands and of husbandry. They
paid reverence to water-lizards called by them buaya or crocodiles, for
fear of being harmed by them. They were even in the bait of offering
these animals a portion of what they carried in their boats, by throwing it
into the water, or placing it upon the bank.
They were, moreover, very liable to find auguries in things
they witnessed. For example, if they left their house and met on the way
a serpent or rat, or a bird called tigmamanuguin which was singing in the
tree, or if they chanced upon anyone who sneezed, they returned at
once to their house, considering the incident as an augury that some evil
might befall them if they should continue their journey-especially when
the abovementioned bird sang. This song has two different forms: in the
one case it was considered an evil omen; in the other, as a good omen,
and then they continued their journey. They also practiced divination, to
see whether weapons, such as dagger or knife, were useful and lucky
for their possessor whenever occasion should offer.
These natives had no established division of years, months,
and days; these are determined by the cultivation of soil, counted by
moons, and the different effect produced upon the trees when yielding
flowers, fruits, and leaves: all this helps them in making up a year. The
winter and summer are distinguished as sun-time and water-time-the
latter term designating winter in those regions, where there is no cold,
snow, or ice.
Their manner of offering sacrifice was to proclaim a feast, and
offer to the devil what they had to eat. This was done in front of an idol,
which they anoint with fragrant perfumes, such as musk and civet, or
gum of the storax-tree and other odoriferous woods, and praise it in
poetic songs sung by the officiating priest, male or female, who is called
catolonan. The participants made responses to the song, beseeching
the idol to favor them with those things of which they were in need, and
generally, by offering repeated healths, they all become intoxicated. In
some of the idolatries they were accustomed to place a good piece of
cloth, doubled, over the idol, and over the cloth a chain or large gold ring,
thus worshipping the devil without having sight of him. The devil was
sometimes liable to enter into the body of the catolonan, and, assuming
her shape and appearance, filled her with so great arrogance-he being
the cause of it-that she seemed to shoot flames from her eyes; her hair
stood on end, a fearful sight to those beholding, and she uttered words
of arrogance and superiority. In some districts, especially the mountains,
when in those idolatries the devil incarnated himself and took on the form
of his minister, the latter had to be tied to a tree by his companions, to
prevent the devil in his infernal fury from destroying him. This, however,
happened but rarely. The objects of sacrifice were goats, fowls, and
swine, which were flayed, decapitated, and laid bare before the idol.
They performed another ceremony by cooking a jar of rice until the water
was evaporated. After which they broke the jar, and the rice was left as
an intact mass which was set before the idol; and all about it, at intervals,
were placed a few buyos-which is a small fruit wrapped in a leaf with
some lime, a food generally eaten in these regions-as well as fried food
and fruits. All these above-mentioned articles were eaten by guests at
the feast; the heads [of animals], after being "offered," as they expressed
it, were cooked and eaten also.
The reasons for offering this sacrifice and adoration were, in
addition to whatever personal matters there might be, the recovery of a
sick person, the prosperous voyage of those embarking on the sea, a
good harvest in the sowed lands. a propitious result in wars, a successful
delivery in childbirth, and a happy outcome in married life. If this took
place among people of rank, the festivities lasted thirty days.
The distinctions made among the priests of the devil were as
follows: The first, called catolonan, as above stated, was either a man
or woman. This office was an honorable one among the natives, and
was held ordinarily by people of rank, this rule being general in all the
islands.
 The second was called mangagauay, or witches who
deceived by pretending to heal the sick. These priests even induced
maladies by their charms, which in proportion to the strength and
efficacy of witchcraft, are capable of causing death. In this way, if they
wished to kill at once they did so; or they could prolong life for a year by
binding to the waist a live serpent, which was believed to be the devil, or
at least his substance. This office was general throughout the land. The
third was called manyisalat, which is the same as mangagauay. These
priests had the power of applying such remedies to lovers that they
would abandon and despise their own wives, and in fact could prevent
them from having intercourse with the latter. If the woman, constrained
by these means, were abandoned, it would bring sickness upon her; and
on account of the desertion she would discharge blood and matter. This
office was also general throughout the land.
The fourth was called mancocolam, whose duty it was to emit
fire from himself at night, once or oftener each month. This fire could not
be extinguished; nor could it be thus emitted except as the priest
wallowed in the ordure and filth which falls from the houses; and he who
lived in the house where the priest was wallowing in order to emit this
fire from himself fell ill and died. This office was general.
The fifth was called hocloban, which is another kind of witch,
of greater efficacy than the mangagauay. Without use of medicine, and
by simply saluting or raising the hand, they killed whom they chose. But
if they desired to heal those whom they made ill by their charms, they
did so by using other charms. Moreover, if they wished to destroy the
house of the same Indian hostile to them, they were able to do so without
instruments. This was in Catanduanes, an island off the upper part of
Luzon.
The sixth was called silagan, whose office it was, if they saw
anyone clothed in white, to tear out his liver and eat it, thus causing his
death. His, like the preceding, was in the island of Catanduanes. Let no
one, moreover, consider this a fable; because in Calavan, they tore out
in this way through the anus all the intestines of a Spanish notary, who
was buried in Calilaya by father Fray Juan de Merida.
The seventh was called magtatangal, his purpose was to
show himself at night to many persons, without his head or entrails. In
such wise the devil walked about, carried, or pretended to carry, his head
to different places; and, in the morning, returned it to his body-remaining
as before, alive. This seems to be a fable, although the natives affirm
that they have seen it, because the devil probably caused them to
believe. This occurred in Catanduanes.
The eighth they called osuang, which is equivalent to a
"sorcerer;" they say that they have seen him fly, and that he murdered
men and ate their flesh. This was among the Visayas Islands; among
the Tagalogs these did not exist. The ninth was another class of witches
called mangagayoma. They made charms for lovers out of herbs,
stones, and wood, which would infuse the heart with love. Thus did they
deceive the people, although sometimes, through the intervention of the
devil, they gained their ends.
The tenth was known as sonat, which is equivalent to
"preacher." It was his office to help one die, at which time he predicted
the salvation or condemnation of the soul. It was not lawful for the
function of this office to be fulfilled by others than people of high
standing, on account of the esteem in which it was held. This office was
general throughout the islands.
The eleventh, pangatahojan, was a soothsayer, and predicted
the future. This office was general in the islands.
The twelfth, bayoguin, signified a "cotquean," a man whose
nature inclined toward that of a woman.
Their manner of burying the dead was as follows: the
deceased was buried beside his house; and, if he were a chief, he was
placed beneath a little house or porch which they constructed for this
purpose. Before interring him, they mourned him for four days; and
afterward laid him on boat which served as a coffin or bier, placing him
beneath the porch, where guard kept over him by a slave. In place of
rowers, various animals were placed within the boat, each one being
assigned a place at the oar by twos-male and female of each species
being together-as for example two goats, two deer, or two fowls. It was
the slave's care to see that they were fed. If the deceased had been a
warrior, a living slave was tied beneath his body until in this way he died.
In course of time, all suffered decay; and for many days the relatives of
the dead man bewailed him, singing dirges, and praises of his good
qualities, until they wearied of it. This grief was accompanied by eating
and drinking. This was a custom of the Tagalogs....
These infidels said that they knew that there was another life
of rest which they called maca, just as if we should say "panadise," or in
other words, "village of rest." They say that those who go to this place
are the just, and the valiant, and those who lived without doing harm, or
who possessed moral virtues, They said also, that in the other life and
mortality, there was a place of punishment, grief, and affliction called
casanaan, which was a "place of anguish," they also maintained that no
one would go to heaven, where there only dwelt Bathala, "the maker of
all things," who governed from above. There were also other pagans
who confessed more clearly to a bell, which they called, as I have said,
casanaan; they said that all the wicked went to that place, and there
dwelt the demons, whom they called sitan.
There were also ghosts, which they called vibit; and
phantoms, which they called tigbalaang. They had another deception-
namely, if any woman died in childbirth, she and the child suffered
punishment; and that, at night, she could be heard lamenting. This is
called patianac. May honor and glory be to God our Lord, that among
the Tagalogs not a trace of this is left; and that those who are now
marrying do not even know what it is, thanks to the preaching of the holy
gospel, which has banished it.
Relevance
Plasencia's Customs of the Tagalogs is a very popular primary
source as it vividly describes the way of life of the Filipinos before
Spanish and Christian influences. It also covers numerous topics that
are relevant in many disciplines. Political scientists, for instance, find it
useful because it contains information about the social classes, political
stratifications, and legal system of the Tagalog region. Many of what we
know about the duties and responsibilities of the datu, maharlika and
alipin property rights, marriage rituals, burial practices, and the manner
in which justice is dispensed. Plasencia's account also preserves and
popularizes the unwritten customs, traditions, and religious and
superstitious beliefs of the Filipinos. One can also say that our historical
knowledge about the manananggal, aswang, hukluban, and gayuma,
among others came from Plasencia's works.
Priests and missionaries also read Plasencia's Customs of the
Tagalogs and Doctrina Christiana because they contain insights that can
help and inspire them to become effective evangelizers. The realization
that one needs to master the local language and study the culture of the
people to be a successful missionary is one insight from Plasencia. They
also learned from Plasencia that preaching should be accompanied with
reading materials that contain the basic elements of faith. These
readings will serve as guide and reference when the missionaries are no
longer around. All these insights from Plasencia are applicable not only
to missionaries but to other professions as well.
Plasencia's historical writings also disprove the claim of some
Spaniards that when they arrived in the Philippines, Filipinos were still
uncivilized and lacking in culture. It is clear in the excerpts quoted that
at the time Plasencia was assigned in the Tagalog region, Filipinos were
already politically and economically organized. They had a functioning
government, tax system, set of laws, criminal justice system, indigenous
calendar, and long-standing customs and traditions. Moreover, they had
a concept of a supreme being (Bathala), practiced burial customs, and
believed in life after death. Lastly, Plasencia mentioned that the people
he met were wearing garments and gold ornaments, and their houses
were decorated with idols. All of these lead to the conclusion that prior
to the coming of the Spaniards Filipinos were already civilized and
maintained a lifestyle that was on a par with or even better than that of
the people from other countries in Southeast Asia.
Lesson 5
THE KARTILYA OF THE KATIPUNAN
Historical Context
The first move towards independence began on July 7, 1892
when the Katipunan was established by Andres Bonifacio. This was a
result of the failure of the Reform Movement in Spain in which Filipinos
attempted to demand reforms for the Philippines from the Spanish
government. Bonifacio saw the futility of the efforts of the Filipino
propagandists and organized an underground movement against Spain.
The Kataastaasang Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga
Anak ng Bayan or KKK was a revolutionary society that espoused
independence and freedom for the Philippines through force of arms. Its
main objective was separation of the Philippines from Spain and, at the
same time, the development of the Filipinos as citizens of their own
nation once independence was achieved. The latter was done through
the written works by Bonifacio and fellow Katipunero, Emilio Jacinto,
who wrote a number of poems and essays for the society members.
The recruitment process of the Katipunan followed the
Masonic initiation rites while its structure was said to be based on Rizal's
aborted reformist organization, the La Liga Filipina. The new members
of the society were indoctrinated with the Katipunan rules and its
teachings that emphasized the value of the love of one's country and
fellow Filipinos.
About the Author
Emilio Jacinto was born on December 15, 1875 in the district
of Trozo in Tondo, Manila. He was the son of Mariano Jacinto, a
bookkeeper, and Josefa Dizon. Living a life of poverty, Jacinto still
managed to get a good education. He finished his elementary education
in a private school then took up his secondary education at the Colegio
de San Juan de Letran. He later studied law at the University of Santo
Tomas where he developed a love of reading and improved his skills in
Spanish. Unfortunately, he had to stop his studies when the Philippine
Revolution began in 1896.
Jacinto joined the Katipunan in 1894 at the age of 18 and took
name Pingkian. It was the symbolic during this time that he developed
his nationalistic ideals. Through his enthusiasm and ideas, Jacinto
became a guiding light to the members of the society. He wrote the
Kartilya as well as the oath of the Katipuneros. He also edited the
Katipunan newspaper, Kalayaan, and was the author of several literary
writings using the pen-name "Dimas Ilaw." He served the Katipunan in
different capacities such as secretary, fiscal, editor, and later was
appointed General by Bonifacio in 1897. He also served as an adviser
to the Supremo.
After the death of Bonifacio in Cavite in 1897, Jacinto
continued the fight against the Spaniards even after the truce following
the Pact of Biak-na-Bato. He was wounded in a battle against the
Spaniards in Magdalena, Laguna and was captured. Upon investigation,
Jacinto was released after he managed to convince the Spanish soldiers
he was a spy in their service when he showed them a military pass
issued to a man he killed several months ago. Jacinto quickly went into
hiding in Manila. There he sent a letter to Apolinario Mabini in Malolos,
Bulacan stating his plan to continue his law studies at the newly-
established Literary University of the Philippines. But this plan was
discontinued when Jacinto had to go back to Laguna to lead his fellow
patriots in the war against the new enemy, the Americans. He
established his headquarters in the town of Majayjay where he,
unfortunately, contracted malaria. He died on April 6, 1892.
About the Text
In his study of the Katipunan history and its documents, Jim
Richardson said that "the Kartilya is the best known of all Katipunan
texts" and that it is "the only document of any length set in print by the
Katipunan prior to August 1896 that is known to be still extant." The
Kartilya was printed as a small pamphlet that was distributed to the
members of the Katipunan. Its term was derived from the Spanish cartilla
which was the primer used for grade schools during the Spanish period.
And like the cartillas, this document served as the primary lessons for
the members of the Katipunan.
The Kartilya presents not only the teachings for the neophyte
Katipunero but also the guiding principles of the society. These
teachings are expected from the members even after the attainment of
freedom from the colonizers. The Kartilya ends with a document of
affirmation by the member to the society's teachings.
The Kartilya was not just a document for the Katipunan. Its
importance today is predicated on the teachings that embodied the
moral and nationalistic principles of a nation that fought for
independence. These principles are relevant as the sense of nationhood
still holds true when the cultural and historical values of every Filipino
are threatened by the onslaught of foreign influences brought about by
today's globalization.
Kartilya ng Katipunan
Tagalog Text
KATIPUNAN
NANG MANGA
A. N. B.
SA MAY NASANG MAKISANIB
SA KATIPUNANG ITO
Sa pagkakailangan, na ang lahat na nagiibig pumasuk sa
katipunang ito, ay magkaroon ng lubos na pananalig at kaisipan sa mga
layong tinutungo at mga kaaralang pinaiiral, minarapat na ipakilala sa
kanila ang mga bagay na ito, at ng bukas makalawa'y huag silang
magsisi at tuparing maluag sa kalooban ang kanilang mga tutungkulin.
Ang kabagayang pinaguusig ng katipunang ito ay lubos na
dakila at mahalaga; papagisahin ang loob at kaisipan ng lahat ng
tagalog(*) sa pamagitan ng isang mahigpit na upang sa pagkakaisang
ito'y magkalakas na masinsing tabing na nakabubulag sa kaisipan at
matuklasan tunay na landas ng Katuiran at Kaliwanagan.
Dito'y isa sa mga kaunaunahang utos, ang tunay na sa
bayang tinubuan at lubos na pagdadamayan ng isa't isa.
Maralita, mayaman, mangmang, marunong, lahat dito'y
magkakapantay at tunay na magkakapatid.
Kapagkarakang mapusok dito ang sino man, tataligdan pilit
ang buhalhal na kaugalian, at paiilalim sa kapangyarihan ng mga banal
na utos ng katipunan.
Ang gawang lahat, na laban sa kamahalan at kalinisan, dito'y
kinasusuklaman; kaya't sa bagay na ito ipinaiilalim sa na pakikibalita ang
kabuhayan ng sino mang nagiibig makisanib sa katipunang ito.
Kung ang hangad ng papasuk dito'y ang tumalastas lamang
ng mga kalihiman nito, o ang ikagiginhawa ng sariling katawan, o ang
kilalanin ang mga naririto't ng maipagbili sa isang dakot na salapi, huag
magpatuloy, sapagkat dito'y bantain lamang ay talastas na ng makapal
na nakikiramdam sa kaniya, at karakarakang nilalapatan ng mabisang
gamut, na laan sa mga sukaban.
Dito'y gawa ang hinahanap at gawa ang tinitignan; kaya't hindi
dapat pumasuk ang di makagagawa, kahit magaling magsalita.
Ipinauunawa din, na ang mga katungkulang ginaganap ng
lahat ng napaaanak sa katipunang ito ay lubhang mabibigat lalung lalu
na, kung gugunitain na di magyayaring maiiwasan at walang kusang
pagkukulang na di aabutin ng kakilakilabot na kaparusahan.
(*) Sa salitang tagalog katutura'y ang lahat nang tumubo sa
Sangkalupaang ito; sa makatuid, bisaya man, iloko man, kapangpangan
man, etc., ay tagalog din.
Kung ang hangad ng papasuk dito, ang siya'y abuluyan o ang
ginhawa't malayaw na katahimikan ng katawan, huag magpatuloy,
sapagkat mabigat na mga katungkulan ang matatagpuan, gaya ng
pagtatangkilik sa mga naaapi at madalubong na paguusig sa lahat ng
kasamaan; sa bagay na ito ay aabutin ang maligalig na pamumuhay.
Di kaila sa kangino paman ang mga nagbalang kapahamakan
sa mga tagalog na nakaiisip nitong mga banal na kabagayan (at hindi
man), at mga pahirap na ibinibigay ang naghaharing kalupitan, kalikuan
at kasamaan.
Talastas din naman ng lahat ang pagkakailangan ng salapi,
na sa ngayo'y isa sa mga unang lakas na maaasahang magbibigay
buhay sa lahat; sa bagay na ito, kinakailangan ang lubos na pagtupad
sa mga pagbabayaran; piso sa pagpasok at sa buan buan ay sikapat.
Ang salaping ito'y ipinagbibigay alam ng nagiingat sa tuing
kapanahunan, bukod pa sa mapagsisiyasat ng sinoman kailan ma't
ibigin. Di makikilos ang salaping ito, kundi pagkayarian ng karamihan.
Ang lahat ng ipinagsaysay at dapat gunitain at mahinahong
pagbulaybulayin, sapagkat di magaganap at di matitiis ng walang tunay
na pagibig sa tinubuang lupa, at tunay na adhikang ipagtangkilik ang
Kagalingan.
At ng lalong mapagtimbang ng sariling isip at kabaitan,
basahin sumusunod na
MGA ARAL NANG
KATIPUNAN NG MGA A.N.B
Ang kabuhayang hindi ginugugol sa isang malaki at banal na
kadahilanan ay kahoy na walang lilim, kundi damong makamandag.
Ang gawang magaling na nagbubuhat sa pagpipita sa sarili,
at hindi sa talagang nasang gumawa ng kagalingan, ay di kabaitan.
Ang tunay na kabanalan ay ang pagkakawang gawa, ang
pagibig sa kapua at ang isukat ang bawat kilos, gawa't pangungusap sa
talagang Katuiran.
Maitim man at maputi ang kulay ng balat, lahat ng tao'y
dunong pagpipita magkakapantay; mangyayaring ang isa'y higtan sa
yaman, sa ganda...; ngunit di mahihigtan sa pagkatao.
Ang may mataas na kalooban inuuna ang puri sa sarili; ang
may hamak na kalooban inuuna ang pagpipita sa sarili sa puri.
Sa taong may hiya, salita'y panunumpa.
Huag mong sasayangin ang panahun; ang yamang nawala'y
magyayaring magbalik; nguni't panahung nagdaan na'y di na muli pang
magdadaan.
Ipagtangol mo ang inaapi, at kabakahin ang umaapi.
Ang taong matalino'y ang may pagiingat sa bawat sasabihin,
at matutong ipaglihim ang dapat ipaglihim.
Sa daang matinik ng kabuhayan, lalaki ay siyang patnugot ng
asawa't mga anak; kung ang umaakay ay tungo sa sama, ang
patutunguhan ng inaakay ay kasamaan din.
Ang babai ay huag mong tignang isang bagay na libangan
lamang, kun di isang katuang at karamay sa mga kahirapan nitong
kabuhayan; gamitan mo ng boong pagpipitagan ang kaniyang kahinaan,
at alalahanin ang inang pinagbuhata't nagiwi sa iyong kasangulan.
Ang di mo ibig na gawin sa asawa mo, anak at kapatid, ay
huag mong gagawin sa asawa, anak, at kapatid ng iba.
Ang kamahalan ng tao'y wala sa pagkahari, wala sa tangus
ng ilong at puti ng mukha, wala sa pagkaparing kahilili ng Dios, wala sa
mataas na kalagayan sa balat ng lupa; wagas at tunay na mahal na tao,
kahit laking gubat at walang nababatid kun di ang sariling wika, yaong
may magandang asal, may isang pangungusap, may dangal at puri;
yaong napaaapi't di nakikiapi; yaong marunong magdamdam at
marunong lumingap sa bayang tinubuan.
Paglaganap ng mga aral na ito at maningning na sumikat ang
araw ng mahal na Kalayaan dito sa kaabaabang Sangkalupuan, at
sabugan ng matamis niyang liwanag ang nangagkaisang magkalahi't
magkakapatid ng ligayang walang katapusan, ang mga ginugol na
buhay, pagud, at mga tiniis na kahirapa'y labis nang natumbasan.
Kung lahat ng ito'y mataruk na ng nagiibig pumasuk at
inaakala niyang matutupad ang mga tutungkulin, maitatala ang kaniyang
ninanasa sa kasunod nito.
Note: The teachings are followed by a form to be filled out with name,
hometown, age, occupation, status, and address. The Kartilya
concludes with a brief undertaking to be signed by the person who
intends to join the association.
English Translation
ASSOCIATION OF
THE SONS OF THE PEOPLE
To Those Who Want to Join this Association
In order that all who want to enter this Association may have
a full understanding and knowledge of its guiding principles and main
teachings, it is necessary to make these things known to them so that
they will not, tomorrow or the next day, repent, and so that they may
perform their duties wholeheartedly.
This Association pursues a most worthy and momentous
object: to unite the hearts and minds of all the Tagalogs by means of an
inviolable oath, in order that this union may be strong enough to tear
aside the thick veil that obscures thought, and to find the true path of
Reason and Enlightenment.
One of the foremost rules here is true love of the native land
and genuine compassion for one another.
Poor, rich, ignorant, wise-here, all are equal and brethren.
As soon as anybody enters here, he shall perforce renoun
disorderly babits and shall submit to the authority of the sac commands
of the Katipunan.
All acts contrary to noble and clean living are repugna here,
and hence the life of anyone who wants to affiliate with Association will
be submitted to a searching investigation.
If the applicant merely wishes to know the secrets of
Association, or to seek personal gratification, or to know wh are here in
order to sell them for a handful of silver, be cannot proceed, for here the
many who are watching him will already know his intentions, and will
immediately have recourse to an effective remedy, such as befits
traitors.
Here, only actions are demanded and esteemed; hen
anybody who is not willing to act should not enter, no matter how good
a speaker he might be.
It is also announced that the duties to be performed by the
members of this association are exceedingly hard, especially
remembers that there can be no dereliction or wilful evasion of duty
without the exaction of a terrible punishment.
If an applicant merely desires financial support relief a wants
to lead a life of bodily comfort and ease, he had better proceed, for he
will encounter weighty tasks, like the protection of the oppressed and
the relentless fight against all that is evil, In this way, his fate will be a
vexatious life.
Nobody is unaware of the misfortune that threaten the
Filipinos who contemplate these things that are sacred (and even those
that are not) and the sufferings they are made endure by the reign of
cruelty, injustice and evil.
Everybody also knows the need for money, which today is one
of the main things upon which we depend to bring sustenance to all. In
this regard, the punctual payment of dues is required: one peso upon
entry and then twelve and a half centavos each month. The custodian of
the funds will periodically render an account to the members, and each
member has a right to examine the accounts, should be so wish. The
funds cannot be expended without the consent of the majority.
All this must be thought over and deliberated upon calmly, as
it cannot be accomplished or endured by anyone who has no love for his
native land and no genuine desire to promote Progress.
And for the upliftment of your mind and virtue, read the
following
 Teachings of the
Katipunan of The Sons of the People
A life that is not dedicated to a great and sacred cause is like
a tree without a shade, or a poisonous weed.
A good deed lacks virtue if it springs from a desire for personal
profit and not from a sincere desire to do good.
True charity resides in acts of compassion, in love for one's
fellow men, and in making true Reason the measure of every move,
deed and word.
Be their skin dark or pale, all men are equal. One can be
superior to another in knowledge, wealth and beauty... but not in being.
A person with a noble character values honor above self-
interest, while a person with an ignoble character values self-interest
above honor.
An honorable man's word is his bond.
Don't waste time; lost wealth may be recovered, but time lost
is lost forever.
Defend the oppressed and fight the oppressor.
An intelligent man is he who takes care in everything he says
and keeps quiet about what must be kept secret.
Along the thorny path of life, the man leads the way and his
wife and children follow. If the leader goes the way of perdition, a
helpmate
Do not regard a woman as a mere plaything, but as helpmate
and partner in the hardships of this existence. Have due regard to her
weakness, and remember the mother who brought you into this world
and nurtured you in your infancy.
What you would not want done to your wife, daughter and
sister, do not do to the wife, daughter and sister of another.
A man's worth does not come from him being a king, or in the
height of his nose and the whiteness of his face, or in him being a priest,
a representative of God, or in his exalted position on the face of this
earth. Pure and truly noble is he who, though born in the forest and able
to speak only his own tongue, behaves decently, is true to his word, has
dignity and honor, who is not an oppressor and does not abet
oppressors, who knows how to cherish and look after the land of his
birth.
When these doctrines have spread and the brilliant sun of
beloved liberty shines on these poor Islands, and sheds its sweet light
upon a united race, a people in everlasting happiness, then the lives lost,
the struggle and the suffering will have been more than recompensed.
Relevance
The current relevance of the Kartilya lies in the fact that it
established not only the rules for the members of the organization but
the principles for the citizens of a nation once independence had been
achieved. Though written in the 19th century, the Kartilya is significant
to the lives of modern Filipinos as it reads like a simple creed for living
in the light of the many changes occurring at present.
Lesson 6
THE ACT OF PROCLAMATION OF INDEPENDENCE OF THE
FILIPINO PEOPLE (ACTA DE LA PROCLAMACIÓN DE LA
INDEPENDENCIA DEL PUEBLO FILIPINO)
Historical Context
The first phase of the Philippine Revolution ended in a
stalemate between the Spaniards and the Filipino rebels. In December
1897, a truce was declared between the two forces with the Filipino
leaders, led by Gen, Emilio Aguinaldo, agreeing to be exiled to Hong
Kong while the Spaniards paid an indemnity for the damages caused as
a result of the conflict. The truce, however, lasted for only a few months
before it collapsed. The renewed conflict would have been disastrous for
the Spain and the United States over the another revolution in Cuba.
This eventually led to the Spanish-American War in 1898 and the arrival
of a new colonizer to the Philippines-the Americans.
Even before the Battle of Manila in 1898, Aguinaldo had
already been meeting with the Americans in Singapore. He talked
against the Spaniards before he went back to Hong Kong to meet with
consul E. Spencer Pratt regarding US-Filipino collaboration up with
Commodore George Dewey, commander of the Asiatic Fleet.
Unfortunately, Dewey had already left for the Philippines to attack the
Spanish fleet following America's declaration of war against Spain in
April.
Aguinaldo remained in Hong Kong and met with the American
consul general Rounseville Wildman. He paid Wildman a total of
117,000 to purchase rifles and ammunition. A first shipment worth
F50;000 was made but the other half was never delivered. Wildman
never returned the money given to him.
On May 19, 1898, Aguinaldo finally returned to the Philippines
on board the U.S. cruiser McCulloch. Aguinaldo conferred with Dewey
on Philippine conditions and was supplied with arms captured from the
Spaniards. From his headquarters in Cavite, Aguinaldo announced the
resumption of the revolution against the Spaniards, thus beginning the
second phase of the revolution. The Filipinos immediately flocked to the
province to join the army. By the end of May, Aguinaldo was in command
of an army of 12,000 troops.
On May 28, the Filipino forces won their first victory in Alapan,
Imus. The newly-made Filipino flag was hoisted in Alapan then later
unfurled at the Teatro Caviteño in Cavite Nuevo (now Cavite City) in
front of the Filipinos and captured Spanish soldiers. A group of American
officers and soldiers also witnessed the ceremony.
Earlier, On May 24, Aguinaldo announced the creation the
dictatorial government. The formation of this type of rule was a necessity
when the growing nation needed a strong leader. He emphasized that
the dictatorship was only temporary as it would be a prelude to the
establishment of a republican form of government.
On June 12, 1898, Aguinaldo declared Philippine
independence from Spanish rule at a ceremony in his house in Kawit,
Cavite. Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista read the declaration that was later
signed by 177 persons, including an American mlitary officer. The
Philippine National Anthem, then known as "Marcha Nacional Filipina,"
composed by Julian Felipe, was played by the Banda de San Francisco
de Malabon and the Philippine flag was again unfurled.
About the Author
(Although the actual author of the proclamation Ambrosio
Rianzares Bautista, the initiator of Philippine independence that led to
the making of the proclamation was Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo.)
Emilio Aguinaldo was born on March 22, 1869 in Kawit, Cavite
(Cavite el Viejo), the second to the youngest of eight children of Carlos
Aguinaldo and Trinidad Famy. The Aguinaldos were a wealthy and
influential family with Carlos being gobernadorcillo for several terms.
Following his father's death in 1883, Emilio assisted his mother in the
family business and worked to help earn the family income.
Aguinaldo followed in his father's footsteps and was chosen
capitan municipal of Kawit in 1894. Months later, he joined the Katipunan
choosing the name Magdalo, a name that was also given to another
branch of the Katipunan (the other was the Magdiwang) which he set up
in his province.
When the revolution began in 1896, the Katipunan in Cavite
succeeded in driving away the Spaniards from the province. But
territorial and logistical problems between the two groups soon to ask
for help forced Aguinaldo from Supremo Andres Bonifacio in settling the
conflict. Bonifacio's intervention, however, only worsened the situation
and the only solution the two factions saw was to create a revolutionary
government.
Elections for a pamahalaang panghihimagsik were held in
Barrio Tejeros, San Francisco de Malabon (now General Trias) on
March 22, 1897. Aguinaldo was elected President with Mariano Trias
(Vice-President), Artemio Ricarte (Captain-General), Emiliano Riego de
Dios (Director of War), and Andres Bonifacio (Director of the Interior).
But the elections were disrupted following a protest over Bonifacio's
educational qualification for such a position. Bonifacio angrily declared
the result of the elections null and void and walked out. The Magdalos,
however, considered the election binding and the new government was
founded. When Bonifacio tried to put up his own government with an
armed group, he was arrested and tried for sedition. Found guilty, the
Supremo and his brother Procopio were executed on May 10, 1897.
The internal dissent caused by Bonifacio's death weakened
the Katipunan further. The Spanish troops regained Cavite and
Aguinaldo was forced to retreat to the mountains of Biak-na-Bato. But
the Spaniards soon realized that going after the rebels in their mountain
hideout was futile. A stalemate ensued broken only by a truce proposal
to which the rebels agreed. In exchange for an indemnity, amnesty, and
colonial reform, Aguinaldo and his officers went into exile in Hong Kong
in December 1897.
The Spanish-American War in 1898 eventually changed
Philippine history. After the Americans won the Battle of Manila Bay in
1898, Aguinaldo returned to the Philippines with their help and
announced the resumption of the revolution against Spain. After winning
several victories against the Spaniards, he declared Philippine
independence on June 12, 1898.
But the Filipinos soon realized that the Americans were to
become their new colonizers. After the Spanish defeat in 1898, the
United States began to send fresh troops to the Philippines. In 1899,
Aguinaldo convened a Congress in Malolos, Bulacan in which the
delegates wrote a Constitution and established the Philippine Republic
with Aguinaldo as President in January 1899.
Three weeks later, the continuing friction with the Americans
erupted into a conflict in February 1899. The Philippine-American War
eventually ended in 1901 with the capture of Aguinaldo. Soon after, he
pledged allegiance to the United States and returned to private life on
his family farm. He briefly hugged the limelight when he ran for the
presidency of the Philippine Commonwealth but lost to Manuel L.
Quezon.
Aguinaldo was charged with collaboration by the Americans
for helping the Japanese during World War II but was later freed in a
general amnesty. As a private citizen, he devoted his time to the cause
of veteran revolucionarios until his death at the age of 94 on February 6,
1964.
About the Text
On June 10, 1896, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo issued a one-
sentence decree appointing his Auditor General of War, Ambrosio
Rianzares Bautista, as a "special commissioner" to write the Act of the
Declaration of the Independence. The result was a sixteen-page
document that contained the aspirations of freedom from Spanish rule,
the sacrifices made, and the revolution that resulted from it. It was the
text of this declaration that was read in Kawit in the afternoon of the
celebration of the declaration of independence. Copies of the document
were made and distributed. However, there was a problem in
determining how many witnesses really signed the declaration. The
copies classified under Philippine Revolutionary Papers (PRP) in the
National Library had varying numbers. Later research by historian-writer
Jim Richardson placed the total number of signees at 177.
The Act of Proclamation of Independence of the Filipino People
In the town of Cavite-Viejo, Province of Cavite, this 12th day
of June 1898:
Before me, Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista, War Counselor and
Special Delegate designated to proclaim and solemnize this Declaration
of Independence by the Dictatorial Government of the Philippines,
pursuant to, and by virtue of, a Decree issued by the Egregious Dictator
Don Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy,
The undersigned assemblage of military chiefs and others of
the army who could not attend, as well as the representatives of the
various towns,
Taking into account the fact that the people of this country are
already tired of bearing the ominous yoke of Spanish domination,
 Because of arbitrary arrests and abuses of the Civil Guards in exchange for those controlled by them in Mindanao which were to be
who cause deaths in connivance with and even under the express orders transferred to the Jesuits, thus revoking them completely and ordering
of their superior officers who at times would order the shooting of those the return of those parishes, all of which proceedings are on file with the
placed under arrest under the pretext that they attempted to escape in Ministry of Foreign Affairs to which they are sent last month of last year
violation of known Rules and for the issuance of the proper Royal Decree which, in turn, caused the
Regulations, which abuses were left unpunished, and growth of the tree of liberty in this our dear land that grew more and more
because of unjust deportations of illustrious Filipinos, especially those through the iniquitous measures of oppression, until the last drop from
decreed by General Blanco at the instigation of the Archbishop and the our chalice of suffering having been drained, the first spark of revolution
friars interested in keeping them in ignorance for egoistic and selfish broke out in Caloocan, spread out to Santa Mesa and continued its
ends, which deportations were carried out through processes more course to the adjoining regions of the province where the unequalled
execrable than those of the Inquisition which every civilized nation heroism of its inhabitants fought a one-sided battle against superior
repudiates as a trial without hearing, forces of General Blanco and General Polavieja for a period of three
Had resolved to start a revolution in August 1896 in order to months, without proper arms nor ammunitions, except bolos, pointed
regain the independence and sovereignty of which the people had been bamboos, and arrows.
deprived by Spain through Governor Miguel López de Legazpi who, Moreover, we confer upon our famous Dictator Don Emilio
continuing the course followed by his predecessor Ferdinand Magellan Aguinaldo all the powers necessary to enable him to discharge the
who landed on the shores of Cebu and occupied said Island by means duties of Government, including the prerogatives of granting pardon and
of a Pact of Friendship with Chief Tupas, although he was killed in battle amnesty,
that took place in said shores to which battle he was provoked by Chief And, lastly, it was resolved unanimously that this Nation,
Kalipulako of Mactan who suspected his evil designs, landed on the already free and independent as of this day, must use the same flag
Island of Bohol by entering also into a Blood Compact with its Chief which up to now is being used, whose design and colors are found
Sikatuna, with the purpose of later taking by force the Island of Cebu, described in the attached drawing, the white triangle signifying the
and because his successor Tupas did not allow him to occupy it, he went distinctive emblem of the famous Society of the "Katipunan" which by
to Manila, the capital, winning likewise the friendship of its Chiefs means of its blood compact inspired the masses to rise in revolution, the
Soliman and Lakandula, later taking possession of the city and the whole three stars, signifying the three principal Islands of this Archipelago-
Archipelago in the name of Spain by virtue of an order of King Philip II, Luzon, Mindanao, and Panay where this revolutionary movement
and with these historical precedents and because in international law the started; the sun representing the gigantic steps made by the sons of the
prescription established by law to legalize the vicious acquisition of country along the path of Progress and Civilization; the eight rays,
private property is not recognized, the legitimacy of such revolution signifying the eight provinces-Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga,
cannot be put in doubt which was calmed but not completely stifled by Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Laguna, and Batangas-which declared themselves
the pacification proposed by Don Pedro A. Paterno with Don Emilio in a state of war as soon as the first revolt was initiated; and the colors
Aguinaldo as President of the Republic established in Biak-na-Bato and of Blue, Red, and White, commemorating the flag of the United States
accepted by Governor-General Don Fernando Primo de Rivera under of North America, as a manifestation of our profound gratitude towards
terms, both written and oral, among them being a general amnesty for this Great Nation for its disinterested protection which it lent us and
all deported and convicted persons; that by reason of the non-fulfillment continues lending us.
of some of the terms, after the destruction of the Spanish Squadron by And holding up this flag of ours, I present it to the gentlemen
the North American Navy, and bombardment of the plaza of Cavite, Don here assembled:
Emilio Aguinaldo returned in order to initiate a new revolution and no (The text is followed by the Signatures of the Witnesses)
sooner had he given the order to rise on the 31st of last month when
several towns anticipating the revolution, rose in revolt on the 28th, such Relevance
that a Spanish contingent of 178 men, between Imus and Cavite Viejo, Nothing is more relevant to Philippine history than the
under the command of a major of the Marine Infantry capitulated, the declaration of independence from colonial rule. The Declaration is, of
revolutionary movement spreading like wild fire to other towns of Cavite course, that sole document that proves the value Filipinos place on their
and the other provinces of Bataan, Pampanga, Batangas, Bulacan, freedom. At present, our independence has been questioned especially
Laguna, and Morong, some of them with seaports and such was the in relation to our dealings with the United States (which colonized us for
success of the victory of our arms, truly marvelous and without equal in almost half a century and later recognized our independence in 1946).
the history of colonial revolutions that in the first mentioned province only However, it must be understood that the independence we attained in
the Detachments in Naic and Indang remained to surrender; in the 1898 was freedom that was fought for with the lives of Filipinos. The goal
second, all Detachments had been wiped out; in the third, the resistance or objective of this independence, however, is something that we might
of the Spanish forces was localized in the town of San Fernando where have failed to achieve and protect properly. It in this context that the Acta
the greater part of them are concentrated, the remainder in Macabebe, must be studied again.
Sexmoan, and Guagua; in the fourth, in the town of Lipa; in the fifth, in
the capital and in Calumpit; and in the last two remaining provinces, only
in their respective capitals, and the city of Manila will soon be besieged
by our forces as well as the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Tarlac,
Pangasinan, La Union, Zambales, and some others in the Visayas
where the revolution at the time of the pacification and others even
before, so that the independence of our country and the revindication of
our sovereignty is assured.
And having as witness to the rectitude of our intentions the
Supreme Judge of the Universe, and under the protection of the
Powerful and Humanitarian Nation, the United States of America, we do
hereby proclaim and declare solemnly in the name and by authority of
the people of these Philippine Islands, of
That they are and have the right to be free and independent;
that they have ceased to have any allegiance to the Crown Spain; that
all political ties between them are and should be completely severed and
annulled; and that, like other free and independent States, they enjoy
the full power to make War and Peace, conclude commercial treaties,
enter into alliances, regulate commerce, and do all other acts and things
which Independent State has a right to do,
And imbued with firm confidence in Divine Providence, we
hereby mutually bind ourselves to support this Declaration with our lives,
our fortunes, and with our most sacred possession, our Honor.
We recognize, approve, and ratify, with all the orders
emanating from the same, the Dictatorship established by Don Emilio
Aguinaldo whom we revere as the Supreme Head of this Nation, which
today begins to have a life of its own, in the conviction that he has been
the instrument chosen by God, in spite of his humble origin, to effectuate
the redemption of this unfortunate country as foretold by Dr. Don José
Rizal in his magnificent verses which he composed in his prison cell prior
to his execution, liberating it from the Yoke of Spanish domination,
And in punishment for the impunity with which the
Government sanctioned the commission of abuses by its officials, and
for the unjust execution of Rizal and others who were sacrificed in order
to please the insatiable friars in their hydropical thirst for vengeance
against and extermination all those who oppose their Machiavellian
ends, trampling upon the Penal Code of these Islands, and of those
suspected persons arrested by the Chiefs of Detachments at the
instigation of the friars, without any form nor semblance of trial and
without any spiritual aid of our sacred Religion; and likewise, and for the
same ends, eminent Filipino priests, Doctor Don Jose Burgos, Don
Mariano Gomez, and Don Jacinto Zamora were hanged whose innocent
blood was shed due to the intrigues of these so-called Religious
corporations which made the authorities to believe that the military
uprising at the fort of San Felipe in Cavite on the night of January 21,
1872 was instigated by those Filipino martyrs, thereby impeding the
execution of the decree-sentence issued by the Council of State in the
appeal in the administrative case interposed by the secular clergy
against the Royal Orders that directed that the parishes under them
within the jurisdiction of this Bishopric be turned over to the Recollects