SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

C-GEC2: Readings in Philippine History

Second Semester AY 2021-2022

Course: CGEC-2 Readings in Philippine History

Module: C-GEC2, Module No. 6: Resistance against Spanish Rule
Time Frame: Week No. 6-7 (6 hours including the prelim exam week)
Schedule of synchronous session: Mondays and Tuesdays

Mapped Learning Outcomes and Course Content for C-GEC2, Module 6

Target Learning Content and Activities Target
Outcomes Competencies (TC)
Hrs. (At the close of the period allotted, Offline Online Session and Values for
students should have :) Integration (VI)
(Self-Study)
• Justify the Contents: Contents: Critical thinking,
causes of Filipino Spanish ● the Dagami Revolt Effective
revolutions during the colonialism in Cebu in 1567 commutation,
Spanish colonialism era by and Muslim ● the Manila Revolt nationalism,
researching their situations (also referred to as responsible
and what aggravated them Activities: Lakandula and Sulayman citizenship
to resort into bloody Completion and Revolts) in 1574
protest. submission of ● the Pampanga
• Describe quiz, Revolt in 1585
3 which aspects of Muslim assignment, ● Magat Salamat
identity were the reasons and other Revolt in 1587-88 in
for their incitement towards course Manila
the Spaniards. requirements. ● Magalat Revolt in
• Recognize Cagayan in 1596
historical events that ● Tamblot Revolt in
detailed the actions of Bohol in 1621-1622
numerous groups and ● Bankaw Revolt in
individuals who shed light Leyte in 1621-22
to Filipino resistance. ● Maniago Revolt in
Pampanga in 1660
● Sumuroy Revolt in
Samar in 1649-50

Activities:
-interactive games
-lecture
-video presentation
Total 3
hrs.

Faculty: ALEXIA ANNE M. SUÑAZ Page 1

 SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
C-GEC2: Readings in Philippine History
Second Semester AY 2021-2022

Content
For Self-Study
Spanish colonialism and Muslim

For the Synchronous Session

The history of the Philippines is characterized by the dialectic of domination and

resistance-domination by powers from without and resistance by forces from within
(Ocay, 2010). The first recorded bloody resistance of the native Filipinos against their
colonizers transpired in the Battle of Mactan, wherein Ferdinand Magellan’s death
prompted the subjugation of the native Filipinos starting Miguel Lopez de Legazpi’s
expedition in 1565. The Spaniards took a while in their process of subjugation because
they had to reorganize and transform the socio-economic and political system in pre-
Hispanic Philippine society. The implementation of the encomienda system led to polo y
servicio and everything of value in the country was taken away from its rightful owner.
In the long run, the more the Spaniards harshly exploited the resources and all from the
native Filipinos, the more it triggered their consciousness to worsen their plight and
develop intense hatred toward their colonial masters. As a result, the impoverished
masses revolted, and their resentment spread throughout the country. By the end of the
Spanish regime, the total number of revolts with uneven scope and duration were at
least two hundred.

Through research exercises, this topic shall enable you to gain knowledge on the
different revolutionary events in the Philippines during the Spanish era and better
understand the situations of Filipinos who suffered, the reasons for their revolts and as
well as their success-failure stories.

The real reason behind the Philippine revolution was the political maturation
and the national awakening of the Philippine people. This, combined with the stirrings
of liberalism, caused the inevitable conflict. The more dramatic hypothesis that the
Spanish government was tyrannical and oppressive which the Filipino people, no longer
were capable of suffering in silence and obedience, rose against it, leaving many
problems unexplained. The crude analogy of a colony to a grown-up son who finally
decided to throw away the chains of maternal control is the more correct one
(Pilapil,1965).

The indigenous communities within the country were consolidated by Spain

such that the barangays or towns referred to as pueblos-parishes were under church and
civil administration. This socio-economic system led to its inhabitants to lose ownership
of their small fields and agricultural estates. In addition to that, the Datus, or the pre-
colonial royalties, were delegated by the Spaniards to amass rent or tributes, which were
usually in the form of perishable goods, for the king of Spain. The system was designed
to gather surpluses for landowners, to extract labor and to alter the indigenous
inhabitants into servile subjects through Catholicism instead of homogenizing them into
the dominant Spanish culture (Corpuz, 1997). The inhabitants cultivated the lands that
originally belonged to them, yet they were forced to pay unjust taxes, engage in forced

Faculty: ALEXIA ANNE M. SUÑAZ Page 2

 SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
C-GEC2: Readings in Philippine History
Second Semester AY 2021-2022

labor and hand over their harvest to greedy Spanish authorities. Other factors include
unstable colonial administration, corrupt officials, absence of legal representations in
Spanish court, absence of Human Rights, racial discrimination and social injustices of
guardia civiles to native Filipinos. The miserable conditions of the Filipinos led to their
hostile attitude toward their colonial masters and eventually challenged them.

According to Occay (2010), most of the early revolts were directly caused by the
excess charging of tributes, forced labor and other forms of abuses by the Spanish
colonialists.

The Diego Silang Revolt in 1762-1763 in Ilocos is another concrete example. It

was reported that on 14 December 1762, an association of about 2,000 natives headed
by Diego Silang surfaced at daybreak before the alcalde’s dwelling place and
demanded freedom from Spanish cruelty such as tributes and personal services.
Fernando Palanco (2002) speculates that Diego Silang appealed to the support of the
masses because of this cause. The letter of Fray Francisco A. Maldonado, one of the
Spanish friars who had validated the incident, to Simon de Anda, the governor-general,
supports Palanco’s claim. It states: “By force he (Silang) has caused all these towns to
rise up…assuring them that they would not pay the tribute nor perform services and
other similar things, by which he attracts the mob” (Occay, 2010).

Some of the most notorious bloody protest during the early phase of Spanish
colonization were:
● the Dagami Revolt in Cebu in 1567
● the Manila Revolt (also referred to as Lakandula and Sulayman Revolts)
in 1574
● the Pampanga Revolt in 1585
● Magat Salamat Revolt in 1587-88 in Manila
● Magalat Revolt in Cagayan in 1596
● Tamblot Revolt in Bohol in 1621-1622
● Bankaw Revolt in Leyte in 1621-22
● Maniago Revolt in Pampanga in 1660
● Sumuroy Revolt in Samar in 1649-50

Spanish colonialism and Muslim:

Although the Spaniards successfully transformed the bulk of the indigenous

communities in almost all of Luzon, Visayas and northeastern Mindanao regions to
Catholicism, they still failed to colonize the broad Minadanao region. The Spaniards
discovered that converting the Muslims of the Philippine south would be a bit more
arduous task since Islamic beliefs were so deep-seated into the consciousness of the
southern population, in opposition to the other native groups who likely were animists
or polytheists. The Moros did not only present a challenge in Spanish colonists' attempts
to religious conversion, but they were also compelled to surrender their affluence and
be enslaved by the foreign invaders. The Muslim Filipinos, with their trade networks and
strong tribal affiliations, presented a far more effective coordinated front against the
colonists compared to other indigenous groups across the country. They were able to

Faculty: ALEXIA ANNE M. SUÑAZ Page 3

 SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
C-GEC2: Readings in Philippine History
Second Semester AY 2021-2022

formulate their defiance with which the Spaniards abhorred their fierce, ceaseless,
fighting spirit. Throughout their 333 years of disruption in Philippine society, the
Spanish were unable to enslave the Moros and fit them into their colonial mold
(Hernandez, 2017) .

The Muslim Filipinos of Mindanao and also the Sulu archipelago were decisive in
their struggle against Spanish invasion, which the Spaniards conned as guerras piráticas,
or “pirate wars”---a misnomer when reflecting on the actual, defensive nature of the
conflict: the natives were fighting hard to not lose on to their ancestral properties, and
ultimately, their preserved culture and traditions. However, the converted Filipinos who
allied themselves with the Spanish colonizers fought and worked together in aiding the
formation of the distinct division between the Christianized Filipino and Muslim Filipino,
is still prevalent in today’s era. The Spaniards exploited this partition to create an early
form of “communal antagonism” propaganda, such as the moro-moro plays. The Moro-
Moro plays are theatrical performances involving plots showcasing Catholic
missionaries’ efforts to civilize and save the souls of the villainous moro. The Spanish
“divide-and-rule” method of approach culminated in the characterization of the Filipino
Moro as the apart from “real Filipinos”, who were the Christianized Filipinos, creating
and bolstering the sentiments of mistrust and bitterness between the both of them. The
Spaniards employed other approaches in this strategy and among them is the large-scale
relocation of Christian Filipino populations from their highly colonized areas to the fully-
concentrated and sparsely populated areas in the majority Muslim south; promoting
“colonization by proxy.” The confiscation of traditionally Moro and indigenous lands
aggravated tensions between the non-Christian and Christian Filipino populations
because, the allotment of these lands by the colonial authorities seemed to legitimize, in
a broader legal sense, the marginalization of the Moros and indigenous peoples who
lived in those territories (Hernandez, 2017).

Progress Check
To make sure that you understand the topic, the assignment and evaluations are
needed. Upon doing so, you shall practice intellectual and psychological honesty in
monitoring your own work; and if you are confident enough about your learnings, then
you may proceed with the next module. If the desired learning outcome has not met, you
may contact the instructor on the prescribed social media outlet for clarifications,
and/or assigning special assignment or supplementary classes.

On the other hand, in instances where one failed to submit the requirements on
time due to reasonable excuses, such but not limited to health issues and poor internet
connections, the student must reach out to the assigned instructor. The instructor has
the authority to allow the student to take a supplementary lesson or special assignments.

Assignment
Browse the internet and research the answers to the following questions using only
reliable sources. Include references in APA format.
● What were the cause and causes of failure in Filipino revolts?
● Why is challenge rather than resistance the more appropriate term for
Muslim’s response to Spanish rule?

Faculty: ALEXIA ANNE M. SUÑAZ Page 4

 SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
C-GEC2: Readings in Philippine History
Second Semester AY 2021-2022

● What had the Moro wars proven?

● The grading system for this assignment shall be based on the rubric
below. The instructor may or may not grade your work since the purpose
of the activities is to make sure you fully understood the lesson.

Assessment of Learning

For the self-regulated assessment of what you had learned from this module, please
accomplish the quiz and assignment posted in our Google Classroom and be able to
submit it on or before due date.

True or False
_____1.) What prompted the Filipinos to revolt was their hostile attitude toward the
Spaniards.
_____2.) Hermano Pule refused to disband his religious organization Confradia de San
Bartolome and became the reason for his brutal death.
_____3.) The Moros had a better organized political system, which resulted to a different
fate from those in Luzon and Visayas.
______4.) Some revolts arose from agrarian problems, wherein the Spaniards seized lands
with questionable documents.
______5.) The Moro-Moro play highlighted the battle between Christian and Muslim
Filipinos.

● The answers to this evaluation shall be given during online class meetings.

References
Publications:
● Corpuz, O. D. (1997). An economic history of the Philippines. Quezon City:
University of the Philippines Press

Faculty: ALEXIA ANNE M. SUÑAZ Page 5

 SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
C-GEC2: Readings in Philippine History
Second Semester AY 2021-2022

● Hernandez, M.B (2017). THE PHILIPPINES’ MORO CONFLICT: THE PROBLEMS

AND PROSPECTS IN THE QUEST FOR A SUSTAINABLE PEACE. Washington D.C:
Georgetown University.
● Ocay, Jeffry. (2010). Domination and Resistance In The Philippines: From The
Pre-Hispanic To The Spanish And American Period. Lumina.
● Pilapil, V. (1965). The Cause of the Philippine Revolution. Pacific Historical
Review, 34(3), 249-264. doi:10.2307/3636522
● SANTIAGO, F. (2015). Manners of Resistance: Symbolic Defiance of Colonial
Authority In Nineteenth Century Philippines. Philippine Sociological Review, 63,
137-168. Retrieved June 8, 2020, from www.jstor.org/stable/24717163

Online Sources:
● https://watermark.silverchair.com/3636522.pdf?token=AQECAHi208BE49Oo
an9kkhW_Ercy7Dm3ZL_9Cf3qfKAc485ysgAAAlUwggJRBgkqhkiG9w0BBwagggJ
CMIICPgIBADCCAjcGCSqGSIb3DQEHATAeBglghkgBZQMEAS4wEQQMHQe9ie3
4xIhGdBaPAgEQgIICCA2mcVULqhh-rZ-
Ueu8MCn9Ku1oro6ErOIDXUX71Z8h4XdJpkGTlIjn1bDEQ-
BTygAzxGmDIf92yobQX5iI0AFbaIdhapJsmC6e6P6RVJY9cQjTHIHh6wVJl9IhuR
g5a3GDulNjcELjomz3MyDC773O4TyyU-X_sHw0-PK-
TeAqwr6OojqGe3aswGnxqF86S5Egr9aoGnzG1G4fbKWUTyN7cEq3NbTA90eW
gNrXTj0aFECVAGo5O9Sncw3ziQ48MXylIgOtg78R4wZIvxV2Zukx6aQMYkB4W
RRlNKQFZr-oXtwYM0880W77fB-MvL1N5qTRM7kopqjcD9Ec-
z81vx2Njyvv2Tnw3XiLbMcfw3-
PSJhT0D8s8qH3H1LSMs8unfU_SSZ1odajOM4OILcE50_wLrHtU37kyGJ7744KIV
154r6ssLdXdLPTTYENAil04PJabjt23slN4kA8hXb5H9PD_sjZXEkUPslK6fDGt6T
D7lk4wHwURMwemAd9ZqmjBD6tCwhRh3p6tUfT7n9nUw4KJiCwH5xXJinHrT
m4MsaPu6fvnm5nUVsZjo_phwhEnGEHMEvdpiMpMmotvjQ65ozavrwYlu5Xe-
Ti5QrIyuh6CFzmeNh7ygIhPDaJqSnXXQsmGrwz9h3gFwsF4_vb0cxWQuHku5nD
7ThuuMR8_GR6eksn1ZL2zBVk

● https://www.researchgate.net/publication/49600908_Domination_And_Resist
ance_In_The_Philippines_From_The_Pre-
hispanic_To_The_Spanish_And_American_Period

● https://repository.library.georgetown.edu/bitstream/handle/10822/1043903
/Hernandez_georgetown_0076M_13671.pdf?sequence=1

Youtube Videos:
5 Filipino Revolts against Spanish Rule
● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sf_stm_GwA&list=PLlS5Ngox82XWNuHT
QmBwFujJn7MleTVER&index=4
What was: The Filipino/Philippine Revolution
● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNFgJfIJWOQ
Moros and Philippine Independence
● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9zdLBNf8HE

Faculty: ALEXIA ANNE M. SUÑAZ Page 6

 SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
C-GEC2: Readings in Philippine History
Second Semester AY 2021-2022

Congratulations for having completed this module!

See you in the next module

Faculty: ALEXIA ANNE M. SUÑAZ Page 7