Juan de Plasencia's Customs of the Tagalogs

[Social-Cultural Observation]

Juan de Plasencia, a prestigious member of the Portocarrero family, was born in the
sixteenth century in Plasencia, Extremadura, Spain, and died in Lilio, Laguna in 1590. On July 2,
1578, the first group of Franciscan missionaries entered the Philippines, and he was one of
them. The King of Spain tasked him to document the customs and traditions of the Tagalog
people based on his observations and judgments, so he wrote the Customs of the Tagalogs.

The primary subjects covered in "The Customs of the Tagalogs" are the administration
of justice, slavery, inheritance, and dowries. Juan de Plasencia noted in his writings that the
Tagalogs have a caste system, indicating that social hierarchy in the community has existed
since long before the Spaniards colonized the Philippines. This proves that the Tagalogs already
have their form of government. According to his account, every Barangay, a tribal gathering
composed of 30 to 100 families and their slaves, had a Dato at the top of the social hierarchy
who oversaw the community and served as the war chief, followed by Maharlikas, commoners,
and slaves. The Maharlikas are born with great privilege and are exempt from paying taxes,
while the commoners, or Aliping Namamahay, are obligated to own properties like land and
other possessions. The lowest of all are the slaves, or Aliping Saguiguillir, who are being sold to
serve their chosen masters.

He also mentioned the native Tagalogs' use of the dowry system, in which men gave
dowries to the parents of the brides-to-be. Plasencia also discussed the worship practices of the
Tagalog people, noting that although they lack temples, the Filipinos do have what they refer to
as "a place of adoration" known as Simbahan, because this is where they gather when they
want to perform a feast known as Pandot, or Worship. He also mentioned that one of the
cultural icons that Filipinos worship is known as Bathala, which is a name that means "all
powerful" or "maker of all things." They even worship the stars in addition to the sun, moon,
and stars. They revered Buayas in addition to cultural icons such as LIC-HA, Dian Masalanta (the
patron of lovers), Lacapati, and Indianale (patrons of cultivated lands). He said that Filipinos
were very likely to see omens in what they saw and to practice divination. According to
Plasencia's description, the manner of burial also varies depending on the deceased's social
position. They also distinguish between various devil priests, including Catolonan, Sonat,
Mangaguay, Manyisalat, Mancocolam, Hocloban, Silagan, Magtatangal, Osuang, Mangagayoma,
and Pangatahojan. The ghosts that the Filipinos refer to as Vibit, Tikbalang, and Patianac are
also believed to exist. But he pointed out that the holy gospel's teaching had already destroyed
such beliefs.

Today's generation can make use of Juan de Plasencia's account by learning more
about Philippine history and the customs that are no longer practiced. A few customs from the
16th century are still followed by some ethnic groups in the Philippines today. Take the Bagobo
system, for instance, which calls for the father of the prospective bride to provide a return gift
equal to one-half of the dowry that has been agreed upon. There are also still individuals,
particularly the elderly, who believe in the existence of tikbalang and tiyanak. I can also still
hear people talking about Mancocolam and Mangagayoma. Even the Barangay essence is still
present in today's youth. Although it is undeniable that our traditions and ways of life have
evolved, there are still traces of our history that exist today and will always serve as a reminder
of where we came from. It is a great honor to be aware of our past and to learn how diverse
our culture, beliefs, and practices were in the Philippines.