Yuzon,Raissa Mae H.

1BSA-ABM4

Customs of Tagalog

The Customs of Tagalog was made by Joan de Portocarrero or also known as Fray
Juan de Plasencia. His works is one of the most important primary sources of Philippine
History. It tackles the everyday life of Filipino in ancient times, this includes the
government, customs, social status, beliefs, and traditions.
The main topic of this work is about the government rule by the Dato who was like a
king, wherein they were highly respected. They rule many people, and sometimes it has
approximately 100 houses, their territory is called “barangay” in Tagalog which came
from the word “balangay”. Every member of the barangay needs to follow the
commandments of the Dato, there’s no exemption to the punishment if they disobeyed
him, not even the children.

In that era, there are separation of every people, wherein they were classified as
Maharlika, Commoner, and lastly the Slave. Maharlika is the highest social status, they
are called a free-born people wherein they don’t pay the tax but still they need to
accompany the Dato in everything he does, while the commoner or also known as
“Aliping namamahay” are slave but serves their master, in their own house. Lastly is
being a slave, this is a low class and called “Aliping sanguguilid”, they stay in their
master’s house, and they are the one who is sold to other people.

With these readings, I learned that It is necessary to reminisce about the history that
happened in our country. The Custom of Tagalog, help us to know more about the
situation of every Filipino in ancient time and as we look back, we see that it is really
hard to live in that time, especially for the lower class, in that era because for me their
situation is very unfair for them, as I can see their freedom was stolen from them.

There is a huge difference if we compare these in our present time. There is no caste
system being followed in every barangay in our present time, although there are called
poor and rich, unlike in the old times they can freely decide what they will do in their life.
Still, we have a government but there is no Dato, in the present time we have what do
we called as a president, and it manages the needs of the Philippines with the help of
other government staff that includes Kapitan in every barangay, but compared to the
past in our time it is important that those people in the government should follow and put
first the needs of their people, and unlike in the old time having a brutal punishment is
not applicable in our present time.
Source: https://www.jstor.org/stable/41392638
https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/university-of-st-la-salle/readings-in-philippine-
history/customs-of-the-tagalog-reflection-paper/19018904
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/about/gov/