RPH

(CUSTOMS OF TAGALOG)

Juan de Plasencia or Juan Portocarrer

- was a Spanish friar of the Franciscan Order
- authored several religious and linguistic books, most notably the Doctrina Cristiana en
Lengua Española y Tagalog (Christian Doctrine), the first book ever printed in the
Philippines (1593).
- died in Liliw, Laguna in 1590.
- grew up during the period known as the Siglo de Oro, a Golden Age
- arrived to the Philippines in 1578, after a stopover in Mexico.
- as he arrived, he joined forces with another missionary, Fray Diego de Oropesa,
Domingo de Salazar
- the first Bishop of the See of Manila (1512– 1594)
"La Santina"
- was an Opus number on prayer and contemplation entirely done in the Tagalog
language.
Austronesian
- (Malayo-Polynesian) language like the other Philippine languages.
Relacion
- is quite exceptional, with its effects to the early legal system of the country.
Datos
- the chief who governed the people and were captains in their wars
Datu/Datu
- Was the political ruler of the barangay
- Responsible for the safety of the barangay (banwa)
- He had shares in the tributes paid by the people called it buhis.
- Wealth is a requirement to become a datu.

Arbiter of the law

- acted as judge assisted by the elders
Laws
 - they had laws by which they condemned to death a man of low birth who insulted the
daughter or wife of a chief or witches.

Social Stratification
- Chieftain (Datu)
- Nobles (Maharlika)
- Commoners (Aliping Namamahay)
- Slaves (Aliping Saguiguilir)
Dept
- For loans, the debtor is condemned to a life of toil. Borrowers become slaves and after
the death of the father, the children pay the debt.
Marriage
- Dowries are given by the men to the women’s parents before marriage. If the parents
are both alive, they both enjoy the use of it.
Bathala
- a supreme god for the Tagalog
Tala
- morning star
Pleiades
- “seven little goats”
Mapolon and Baltic
- Greater Bear
Lic-ha
- Idols/ images
Dian Masalanta
- lovers and of generation
Lacapati and Idianale
- cultivated lands and of husbandry
CATOLONAN
 - was either a man or a woman. were the Tagalog equivalent of the Visayan Babaylan and
functioned as a healer, shaman, seer and a community leader.

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 the
witchcraft, are capable of causing death.
- goddess of sickness and one of Sitan‘s helpers (Sitan was the guardian of the
underworld and keeper of souls)
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.
MANCOCOLAM
- whose duty it was to emit fire from himself at night, once or oftener each month.
- was another malevolent deity to ancient Tgagalog.
- is a person employing or using “Kulam” -a form of folk magic practised in the
Philippines.
HOCLOBAN
- which is another kind of witch, of greater efficacy than the mangagauay. Without the
use of medicine, and by simply saluting or raising the hand, they killed whom they
chose.
- a “witch” who could kill anyone simply by pointing a finger at him and without using any
potion.
SILAGAN
- witches” who preys on anyone who is dressed in white. They tear the liver and eat it
afterwards.
MAGTATANGAL
- and his purpose was to show himself at night to many persons, without his head or
entrails.
 - According to the folklore of that region, it is a detached female head capable of flying
about on its own.
- It preys on pregnant women with an elongated proboscis-like tongue.
OSUANG
- which is equivalent to ” sorcerer;” they say that they have seen him fly, and that he
murdered men and ate their flesh.
MANGAGAYOMA
- They made charms for lovers out of herbs, stones, and wood, which would infuse the
heart with love.
- Gayuma is known as a Filipino love spell to help the love lives of those with lonely or
broken hearts.

SONAT
- which is equivalent to ” preacher.”
- It was his office to help one to die, at which time he predicted the salvation or
condemnation of the soul.
PANGATAHOJAN
- was a soothsayer, and predicted the future. This office was general in all the islands.
BAYOGUIN
- signified a ” cotquean,” a man whose nature inclined toward that of a woman.
- Ignorance at its finest. The Spanish certainly left their mark with this one.

THE PHILIPPINES BECOMES A SPANISH COLONY

Factors that led to Spanish colonization of the Philippines
ECONOMIC
- Accumulation of Capital and Development of Banking in Europe
- The desire for Spices
- The search for new routes by Spain and Portugal
POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS CONCERNS
 - Crusades (1096-1272) originally were a religious adventure to regain the Holy Land from
the Muslims.
- The Fall of Constantinople (present day Turkiye) 1453
- Reconquista (movement to destroy the Muslim power) and the desire to Spread
Catholicism
- Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494 –demarcation line was drawn 370 leagues west of Cape
Verde islands (EAST-Portugal; WEST-Spain.
- Leadership of Prince Henry the Navigator
SCIENTIFIC AND SECULAR PERSUITS
- Age of Renaissance –it put emphasis on scientific, secular, and other artistic pursuits
rather than the religious (Aristotle’s theory of the sphericity of the earth) ie. Ptolemy
- Discovery and invention of more technologically- advanced navigational instruments:
o Mariner’s compass
o Astrolabe –device measuring the elevation of the pole star
o Portolani –sailing charts
o Quadrant –device measuring altitude
o Sextant –and instrument for determining latitude and longitude.

OTHER FACTORS
- Early travels to the East
o Cape Blanco, Africa –Antonio Gonzalvez
o Cape Verde Islands –Dennis Fernandez
o Cape of Good Hope –Bartholomew Diaz
o America –Cristopher Columbus
o Calicut, India –Vasco de Gama
o Pacific Ocean (Mar Pacifico) –Balboa
- Improvements in military and in ship-building technology
Excerpt from “Instruction to Miguel Lopez de Legazpi from the Royal Audiencia of New Spain”
Ruy de Villalobos
- gave the islands name “Las Phelipinas” in honor of the Spanish crown prince Phillip II
King Philip II
- One of the most powerful European monarchs of his time, decided to relinquish his
claims to the Moluccas to Portugal and colonize the Philippines.
Miguel Lopez de Legazpi
- who lead the expedition that was organized in Mexico (viceroyalty of the Spanish
empire)
February 14, 1565
- the expedition reach Samar and around Visayas.
- However in Bohol, Legazpi performed the blood compact with Chief Sikatuna which
signified friendly relationship.
- Eventually Miguel Lopez de Legazpi became the first governor-general of the
Philippines.
April 27, 1565
- Legazpi arrived in Cebu and defeated the Cebuanos where he established settlements
there called “Nombre de Jesus” after a wooden image of the Holy child.
Excerpt from the “Relation of Conquest of the Island of Luzon”
De Goiti
- found the port and town of Maynilad located along the mouth of the Pasig River, where
he had peace negotiation with the natives of Maynilad led by its Muslim chief Raja
Soliman.
- After negotiations with Raja Matanda and Lakandula, adelantado conquered Manila.
June 21, 1574
- Manila received the title “ Muy Insigne y Siempre Leal Ciudad” (Eminent and Ever Loyal
City) from Spain.
Synod of Manila was then established under the Dominican Fr. Domingo de Salazar, the first
bishop of Manila.
- It was the assembly of the bishop and his advisers, composed of both religious and
diocesan clergy.
Reduccion
- Comes from the Spanish word reducer, meaning “to resettle”.
- It is a “civilizing too l” where native population was resettled in new settlements where
church was constructed and natives were within the hearing distance of the church bells
(bajo de la campana). ie.. Remontados, cimarrones, ladrones, monteses, or tulisanes
(those refuse to settle).
Plaza complex
 - A quite novel settlement pattern where the Spaniards attempted to tame the reluctant
Filipinos through Christian indoctrination.
Encomienda System
- Comes from the Spanish word encomendar, meaning to “entrust”
- It was a land grant from the Spanish crown to the Spaniard to exercise control over a
specific place, including its inhabitants.
Personal tax or Tributo
- were imposed to the natives through Royal Decrees.
- It was seen as a form of vassalage to the King of Spain.
Diezmos prediales
- a tax which consisted of one-tenth of the produced of the land
Donativo de Zamboanga
- a special tax of ½ real or rice to suppress moro attacks.
Vinta
- a kind of tax that was paid by the people of Luzon; aimed to finance the defence efforts
of Spanish government against the Muslim pirates.
Cedula personal
- it was based on the race and social position of the person which aim is similar to the
tribute and that was to recognize the authority of the King of Spain.
Polo y Servicios
- They were obligated to give a 40-day personal service to community projects such as
construction and repair of infrastructures (church), building galleons, cutting of logs.
Causes of Subjugation of Filipinos
- Military might of the Spaniards
o Policy attraction
- Method of Divide and Conquer
o Crucial role of Christianity
- Lack of unity among Filipinos
o Filipino hospitality
- Reduccion and plaza complex
o The role of the traditional leader