RPH-MIDTERMS

MODULE 6: Controversies and Conflicting Views in Philippine History: “SITE OF THE FIRST MASS IN THE
PHILIPPINES”

MULTIPERSPECTIVITY

- This can be defined as a way of looking at historical events, personalities, developments, cultures,
and societies from different perspective.

Case Study 1: Where did the first Catholic Mass take Place in the Philippines?

BUTUAN has long been believed as the site of the first Mass.

Francisco Albo - a pilot of one of Magellan’s ship, Trinidad. He was one of the 18 survivors who returned with
Sebastian Elcano on the ship Victoria after they circumnavigated the world.

 PRIMARY SOURCE: ALBO’S LOG

 PRIMARY SOURCE: PIGAFETTA’S TESTIMONY ON THE ROUTE OF MAGELLAN’S EXPEDITION
 PRIMARY SOURCE: PIGAFETTA AND SEVEN DAYS IN MAZAUA

The AGE OF EXPLORATION is a period of competition among European rulers to conquer and colonize lands
outside their original domains. Initially, the goal was to find alternative routes by sea to get to Asia, the main
source of spices and other commodities.

MODULE 7: Controversies and Conflicting Views in Philippine History: “CAVITE MUTINY”

Case Study 2: What happened in the Cavite Mutiny?

- The 1872 is a historic year of two events: the Cavite Mutiny and the martyrdom of the three priests:
Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora, later on immortalized as GOMBURZA.

SPANISH ACCOUNTS OF THE CAVITE MUTINY

- Spanish historian Jose Montero y Vidal centered on how the event was an attempt in overthrowing
the Spanish government in the Philippines.
- Governor General Rafael Izquierdo implicated the native clergy, who were then, active in the
movement toward secularization of parishes.

Primary Source: Excerpts from Montero’s Account of the Cavite Mutiny

 the principal leaders met either in the house of Filipino Spaniard, DR. Joaquin Pardo de Tavera
 the insurrection was motivated and prepared by the native clergy, by the mestizos and native lawyers,
and by those known here as abogadillos.
 The accounts detail that on 20 January 1872, the district of Sampaloc celebrated the feast of the Virgin
of Loreto, and came with it were some fireworks display.
  On 17 February 1872, the GOMBURZA were executed to serve as a threat to Filipinos never to attempt
to fight the Spaniards again.

Primary Sources: Excerpts from Pardo de Tavera’s Account of the Cavite Mutiny

Primary Source: Excerpts from Plauchut’s Account of the Cavite Mutiny

MODULE 8: Controversies and Conflicting Views in Philippine History: “JOSE RIZAL’S RETRACTION
CONTROVERSY”

RETRACTION—the act of taking back an offer or statement, or admitting that the previous statement was
false

 At 3 in the afternoon, Father March entered the chapel and Rizal handed him what he had written.
 From 3 to 5:30 in the afternoon, Rizal read his prayer book several times, prayed kneeling before the
altar and in the company of Fathers Vilaclara and March, read the Acts of Faith, Hope and Charity
repeatedly as well as the Prayers for the Departing Soul.
 The nuptials of Rizal and the woman who had been his lover were performed at the point of death (in
articulo mortis).
 Father March gave him a holy picture of the Virgin that Rizal kissed repeatedly.

God grant Your Excellency. Manila 30 December 1896. Chief Inspector Federico Moreno (Harper 1997)

 Rizal and Josephine Bracken got married. The ceremony was done in articulo mortis (at the point of
death),
 Fr. Vicente Balanguer

MODULE 9: Controversies and Conflicting Views in Philippine History: “CRY OF BALINTAWAK OR PUGAD
LAWIN”

THE CRY OF BALINTAWAK (Filipino: Sigaw ng Balíntawak, Spanish: Grito de Balíntawak), was the beginning of
the Philippine Revolution against the Spanish Empire.

Case Study 4: Where Did the Cry of Rebellion Happen?

 Teodoro Agoncillo emphasizes the event when Bonifacio tore the CEDULA or identified the first
military event with the Spaniards as the moment of the Cry.
 A monument of the Heroes of 1896 was created
 August 26, 1896 the meeting was opened with Andres Bonifacio presiding and Emilio Jacinto acting as
secretary.
 “Revolt!” the people shouted as one.

Pio Valenzuela
  The first place of refuge of Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, Procopio Bonifacio, Teodoro Plata, Aguedo
del Rosario, and myself was BALINTAWAK,
 The first place where some 500 members of the Katipunan met on August 22, 1896, was the house and
yard of Apolonio Samson at KANGKONG.
 It was at PUGAD LAWIN, the house, store-house, and yard of Juan Ramos, son of Melchora Aquino,
where over 1,000 members of the Katipunan met and carried out considerable debate and discussion
on August 23, 1896.

From the eyewitness accounts presented, there is indeed marked disagreement among historical witnesses as
to the place and time of the occurrence of Cry. Using primary and secondary sources, four places have been
identified: BALINTAWAK, KANGKONG, PUGAD LAWIN, AND BAHAY TORO, while the dates vary: 23, 24, 25, or
26 August 1896.

Valenzuela’s account should be read with caution: He once told a Spanish investigator that the “Cry”
happened in Balintawak on Wednesday, 26 August 1896.

MODULE 10: Political, Economic and Cultural Issues in Philippine History : “Agrarian Reform Policies”

Policies on Agrarian Reform

- AGRARIAN REFORM is essentially the rectification of the whole system of agriculture, an important
aspect of the Philippine economy because nearly half of the population is employed in the agricultural
sector, and most citizens live in rural areas.

LANDOWNERSHIP in the Philippines under SPAIN

- The hacienda system developed in the beginning of the nineteenth century as the Spanish
government implemented the policies. The economy waited to the world market as the Philippines
became an exporter of raw materials and importer of good.
- In the 1860s, Spain enacted a law, ordering landholders to register their landholdings, and only those
who knew benefitted from this. Lands were claimed and registered in other people’s name, and many
peasant families who were “assigned” to the land in the earlier days of colonization were driven out or
forced to come under the power of these people who claimed rights to the land because they held a
title.

LANDOWNERSHIP in the Philippines under the AMERICANS

- The Philippine Bill of 1902 provided regulations on the disposal of public lands. A private individual
may own 16 hectares of land while corporate landholders may have 1,024 hectares. Americans were
also given rights to own agricultural lands in the country.
- In 1903, the homestead program was introduced, allowing a tenant to enter into agricultural business
by acquiring a farm at least 16 hectares.

THE SAKDAL (OR SAKDALISTA) Uprising was a peasant rebellion in Central Luzon that lasted for two days,
May 2-3, 1935.
Post-War Interventions toward Agrarian Reform

Primary Source: Declaration of Policy under RA No. 3844 or Agricultural Land Reform Code

Agrarian Reform Efforts under Marcos

Primary sources: Presidential Decree No.27, 21 October 1972

Post 1986 Agrarian Reform

 In 2009, President Arroyo signed Republic Act No. 9700 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform
Program Extension with Reforms (CARPER),
