THE FRIARS

IN THE
PHILIPPINES
Marcelo H. Del Pilar
The Legazpi Expedition in the Philippines

 November 21, 1564 - Legazpi sailed from Natividad, Mexico

 5th expedition that the Spanish crown had sent to the archipelago

 February 13, 1565 - Legazpi and his fleet of four ships arrived in Cebu

 He set sail for Mindanao but was waylaid to Bohol with the Muslim interpreter and
some of his men and approached Datu Sikatuna.
The Blood Compact

 March 16, 1565 - Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna sealed their friendship in a native ritual, the
Blood Compact.

 The Blood Compact - shedding of blood wherin both draw two to three drops of blood
from their arms, mix the blood with the wine and then equally drank from the cup.

 “Sandugo Festival” in Bohol.

 Spain already has surrendered her sovereignty to the monastic orders. (page 11)

 Luna's brush has revived the memory of the blood compact between Legazpi and
Sikatuna. (page 12)

 Illustration of Juan Luna of the blood compact between Legazpi and Sikatuna (The
Blood Compact,1886)

 Following the blood compact, the Filipinos share their blood to defeat Limahong.
(page 12)

MONASTIC PREDOMINANCE IN THE PHILIPPINES

Political Aspects
Economic Aspects
Religious Aspects
ITS POLITICAL ASPECTS

 The friars control the status quo of the country. (page 13)

 To frighten the government with the rebelliousness of the country, and frighten the
country with the despotism of the government. (page 14)

 The lack of union between the people and the government. (page 14)

 The privilege to vote is in the hands of the curate.

 ELECTION DURING FRAILOCRACY (page 14)
- As everywhere, in the Philippines, the election to municipal post is of
transcendental importance.

 ELECTION FOR GOBERNADORCILLO DURING FRAILOCRACY (page 15)

Gobernadorcillo- serves in each locality as the organ of communication and

implementation of the ideas of the government, and on the energy or inertia of these
officials depends whether the project of the superior authorities is carried out
efficaciously or fails lamentably.

• The curate has no vote on these elections but, he controls them because in his hands
lies the privilege to vote.

• In verifying the papers for the approval of the electoral resolution, the curate makes
two reports:
• Public
- Limited to a statement concerning the degree of education of the candidate
written in the official language.

Confidential
- Without restrictions of any kind

The candidate without any legal impediment, but is not favored by the curate, will have
another disqualification by virtue of confidential report.

He will be anti-Spaniard, filibustero, separatist; and as this report is not subject to

discussion, the candidate of the council is defeated.

In the final results, the curate is master of the situation.

 PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES (page 15)
- The performance of municipal officials (a.k.a “little governor”, popularly called
Capitan) depends on the parish priests.

To report on the conduct of a citizen, the testimony of one hundred members of the
principalia is not enough.

PRINCIPALIA – the voting and privilieged class.

- composed of ex-officeholders or those who paid a land tax of 50 pesos.

The essential requirement is the curate’s approval.

The signature of the curate is necessary to the census of residents in a municipality, to
the conscription of eligible young men, to formalize accounts and other official
documents

“To everything and for everything, the curate’s signature is an essential requisite.”
 CONDITION FOR THE CURATE’S APPROVAL (page 16)

- There exists no ruling prescribing the conditions under which the curate should
grant or withhold his approval.
- The curate grants it or denies it, ACCORDING TO HIS WILL or THE ORDER OF HIS
PRELATE.

 DUTIES OF MUNICIPAL OFFICIAL

- Judicial Functions
- Administrative Functions

Considering the dependence on curate, it is not surprising that the curate should
direct the official correspondence, retaining intact the power of exequatur.
 CURATE’S APPROVAL FOR GOBERNARDORCILLO (page 16)

-The Gobernadorcillo is the only official required to obtain the indispensable parish
approval for his acts.
- If the curate refuses to give it, the official is liable to be reprimanded by his chiefs.
- If the curate approves it, superior orders are carried out.
- If the superior authority tries to demand an energetic enforcement of his orders,
the curate informs the prelate of his convent and this one obtains the dismissal of
the public official.

“The foundation of a building is to be laid and the curate does not like it, then the
national integrity is in danger; public health demands that corpses should not be
brought into the churches; well nothing, national integrity is in danger. And the same
litany in everything."
 PUBLIC EDUCATION DURING FRAILOCRACY (page 16)
- Public education is one of the common aspirations of both the government and the Filipinos.

COMMON LANGUAGE

Government People

To inform the
government about their
To be understood by
Understand the people needs and it's remedy
people
w/o the mediation of
other elements.
There’s a normal school in Manila where teachers are trained for the diffusion in the
towns primary education and the teaching of the Spanish language. Competent young
men who have graduated from it prove the zeal and efforts of the government and of
the Jesuit fathers towards the realization of that ideal. But, everything is shattered in
the face of friar opposition. Friar prohibits the teaching of Spanish.

The exceptions are the schools in the districts of Manila maintained by the municipal
government of Manila. (All the schools in the Archipelago are under the exclusive
control of the curate.) (page 17)

 METHOD IN TEACHING (page 17)

Different language is spoken is of an intuitive character, a practical method
without the study of rules of grammar, such as mothers follow in teaching their intuitive
character, a practical method without a study of the rules of grammar, such as mother
follows teaching their children.
 LAW OF THE INDIES
- Law 5, title 3, book 1
ORDINANCE OF GOOD
Declare those who obstruct it enemies
GOVERNMENT of
February 26, 1768 of the mother country, and order
repeatedly the use of textbooks in
- Article 93
Spanish and in general, prohibit those in
THE EDUCATIONAL Philippine languages.
DECREE of December
20, 1863

THE SUPERIOR DECREE of 12 September 1883

ARTICLE 4 - Textbooks shall be written in the official language, allowing

the use of those in the native dialects only in cases where they are
absolutely necessary for the teaching of pupils who do not understand it
and until they learn it.
 (page 18)
The law declares an enemy of the mother country one who act in this way, but to the
friar this is defending the national integrity. Is the law a filibustero?

In corroboration to this, Fr. Miguel Lucio Bustamante published a short story

entitled Si Tandang Bacio Macunat, wherein he attacked the study of Spanish and other
subjects; he dissuades the father of families from desiring education for their children,
laying down the dogma that the moment the Indio separates from his carabao, he
becomes a traitor to God and his King.
 FR. MIGUEL LUCIO BUSTAMANTE (FRANCISCAN FRIAR) (pg. 18)
- Published a short story in TAGALOG entitled ‘si Tandang Bacio Macunat’
- The booklet was printed with ecclesiastical license and was sold at the Franciscan
convent in Manila.
• TANDANG BACIO MACUNAT
-Argues against the necessity of education and disparages the character of a
Filipino.

 Law 7, title IV, book III, of the Laws of the Indies grants to the governor general the
power to remove from their domicile the citizens who disturb their provinces. (pg. 18)

 The majority of people who go on exile are those who don’t kiss the curate’s band,
who cannot pay their debts to the friar, who are the fathers or husbands of
unattainable beauties, and the like. (pg.20)
 Father Gaspar de San Agustin (pg. 20-21)
- Tells off an Augustinian friar from Extremadura, carrying four hundred bullets,
alone was able to kill from morning until afternoon more than six hundred
enemies.
- The matter of imperiled national integrity before us deserves thorough
examination and it is unwise to the colleagues or successors of Fr. Gaspar de San
Agustin for their exclusive comment.

 Emancipation from Spain is against the growing progress of the Filipino people. (pg.
21)

 The guarantee of national integrity is not nor can it be in the friars; it is in the same
popular aspiration of fusing and identifying the interests of the Philippines with those
of the country that gave her political life, that shaped and educated her to be worthy
of modern civilization and sheltered her from the covetousness of foreign nations.
(pg. 22)
ECONOMIC ASPECT

 The Philippine gov’t lacks resources to undertake public works but the monastic
orders build grand and costly convents in Manila. (pg. 23)

 The gov’t establishes primary schools in each town. Their houses are made of light
materials unlike those of the curates. (pg. 23)

 The gov’t finds it difficult to collect tastes from people but the curates can easily do
so. (pg. 23)

 The gov’t worries about not meeting their financial needs but the curates are
overflowing with money. (pg. 23)

 The gov’t refrains from creating new sources of revenue in order not to burden the
Filipino interest but the friars invent everyday new forms of devotion. (pg. 24)
Lands
 The best lands and the best estate were passed to the control of the monastic
communities. (pg. 24)

 Their lands are cultivated without the stimulus of the owners and with the
discouragement on the tillers. (pg. 24)

 They are leased and the rent increases from time to time and in proportion to the
improvements introduces by the planters. (pg. 24)

 The tenant is obliged to pay his rent lest he lose the lease and his investment in the
improvements on the land (pg. 24)
 Monastic properties are subject to land tithes (tenth part of something paid as a
voluntary contribution or as a tax especially for the support for the religious
establishment) of ten percent (pg. 25)

 The increase in their income ought to favor the government treasure (pg. 25)

Filipinos on Paying Taxes

 Taxes on: personal cedula, urban tax, industrial subsidy and additional municipal tax,
provincial tax and personal loan; and besides these, the indirect one of the markets,
vehicles, horses, stamps and surcharges, slaughter of cattle, river tolls, and others.
(pg. 25)

 Tax of religious festivals - one that is indirect, does not figure in the financial plan of
the Philippines, and burden on her interests. (pg. 25)
 May 2, 1867 - Papal decree to relieve the Filipino Catholics of this burden by reducing
the number of feast days. (pg. 25)

 But is ineffective so far the curates of the Philippines are concerned (pg. 25)

 Each feast days of the saints are always celebrated at high cost on the expense of
course of the people. (pg. 26)

 Novena I Masses I Sermons I Processions I Music and bands I Chandeliers I Candles I

Fireworks, etc.

 In every district where fifty families dwell, a chapel is erected at a cost of at least one
thousand pesos; sometimes five, ten and even fifteen. (pg. 26)

 Article 94 of the Ordinance of Good Government of 1768 (pg. 26)

 Nevertheless of the ordinance, chapels are multiplying and those who opposes it are
Filibusteros, anti-Spaniard, and a menace to national integrity. (pg. 26)

 Hermanos Mayores - appointed to organize the festivals of the churches as well as of

the chapels. Their position is honorary and compulsory. (pg. 26)

 His duties are: (pg. 27)

- To collect contributions of the residents to answer for the deficit
- Give a banquet in his house

The Friars on Collections

 Exaggerated collection of dues (pg. 27)

 Basilio Sancho de Santa Justa y Rufina - archbishop of Manila

 Issued a tariff schedule * But the friars do as what they please (pg. 27-28)
 A young law student appeared at the parish of a certain district in Manila to sponsor
the baptism of an infant born in another district. He saw that everybody was paying
two reales but he was charged of four reales just because the infant was born from
another district.

 The curate confronted him saying that he limit himself to paying four reales and the
student left saying that he could not he a sponsor of a place where good breeding is
not observed. (pg. 28)

 He charges as a filibustero and he was sent to Bilibid after her presented himself to
the judge of the court. (pg. 29)
Aside from religious festivals, Filipinos pay the friars another tribute:

 Scapular (pg. 30)

 Virgin's belt page (pg. 30)

 Rosary (pg. 31)

 Good political Conduct (pg. 31)

 Stipend of the curates: Decree of July 18, 1884 (pg. 31)

 Stipend is at the rate of ₱180 for every one thousand cedulas per quarter Decree of
February 27, 1888 (pg. 32)
 All those in charge of the collection deducts a certain percentage from the amount
collected while the parish clergy deducts their stipend depending on the credit side
(pg. 32-33)

 Barangay - forty or fifty families residing in a place (pg. 33)

 Head or chief - one with economic stability; FORMERLY had political, religious, and
economic character (pg. 33)

 Imprisonment and confiscation of property (pg. 33)

 Insolvency is not an excuse (pg. 33)

 Those who transfers are dropped from the list (pg. 33)
THE NEIGHBORHOOD CONCENSUS

 is made after a house to house investigation. (pg. 33)

 its annual correction was done by adding the new residents and eliminating the
deceased and those who had move to another place during the year. (pg. 33)

 usually done by the barangay heads. (pg. 33)

 The general administration of tributes in its circular of 20 September 1851 gave the
parish curates direct intervention in the making of the census and granted them the
power to decide in the first and last instance, not on the statistical question of
admission and departure but on the question of the age of those who ought to be
listed. (pg. 34)
 According to provision 9 of the cited circular, in the preparation of the census which
should be done annually, "shall be added or decreased in the census what may result
from the correction of the individual report". (pg. 34)

 The parish curates did not observe the said provision, since then the domicile
investigation has been reduced to producing additions and became ineffective in
determining the withdrawal of any individual who might have abandoned his usual
residence.

 •Changes of residence in the Archipelago became frequent, and in spite of it all, the
parish census does not recognize any drop except what is recorded in the registry
book of burials. • Thus, were perpetuated in the census names of fictitious value,
barangays were being disorganized; and their heads assumed responsibility for
uncollectible tributes. (pg. 35)
 The Royal Decree of 6 March 1884 - the most important reform of the system of
tributes. (pg. 35) - gave the intendant of finance, Mr. Chinchilla, an opportunity to
improve the census of heads of the barangay, being inspired by the idea of
counterbalancing the absolutism of the parishes in order to avoid exaggerations in the
credit items. (pg. 35)

 established the cedula tax for all the inhabitants of the Philippines from age eighteen,
abolishing all privileges as to race, class, and nationality. (pg. 35)

 Cedula - either payable annually or every four months. Tribunal - the official residence
and offices of the gobernadorcillos. How the Barangay Heads prepare their Census -
they follow the official model number 1 whose heading is of the following tenor: "Mr. .
. . . . . as the head of this barangay and under his complete responsibility, declares that
the individuals listed in the following census, with a statement of their personal
circumstances included, are the ones under his charge, who pay no direct tax nor
receive salary, and reside habitually in this town." (pg. 36)
 according to the Articles of the Regulation of 30 June 1884 which are: " Art. 52. The heads of barangay shall
prepare in triplicate in the month of January of each year a list in conformity with model number 1. . . . On 1
February the said heads shall deliver to their respective gobernadorcillos two copies of the list, retaining the third
where they shall write in the column of observations whatever vicissitudes may occur in their barangay during the
year of their term." (pg. 36)

 "Art. 53. As soon as the gobernadorcillos receive these lists, they shall proceed to their examination and shall make
in them the necessary corrections in the light of the previous lists existing in their tribunals and and with the
consent of the heads of barangay. If these agents do not agree with the corrections that ought to be made, the
gobernadorcillos shall indicate them in separate sheets to be attached to the pertinent lists and shall prepare
summaries in conformity with model number 2, transmitting them afterwards to the parish curates in order that
they may indicate their conformity or make pertinent observations. When these formalities have been fulfilled, the
gobernadorcillos shall send a copy of the said lists to the offices of public finance on 15 February whose offices
shall verify the examination made by the goberndadorcillos and shall make the observations they wish, returning
them to the said gobernadorcillos so that they may reply to them within a short time." (pg. 36-37)

 But very soon, these promising illusions were dispelled. Mr. Chinchilla was removed from the general finance
office and his successor, Luna, to please the friars, annulled and allowed to lapse such improvement measures.
RELIGIOUS ASPECT
 Defenders and defactors of Monasticism for the accent of public opinion (pg. 42)

 According to the Friars, convent is the basis of this perverse world (pg. 42)

 Spain expelled the blessed friars from their blossom on 1836 (pg. 43)

 Talks about the relationship of Friars to the Spanish-Filipino priests (pg.43)

 Principal sources of income of the monastic orders is the trade of religious context
(pg.44)

 Various disagreements occurred between bishop & the friars, Fr. Andrés Aguirre left
to Mexico (pg. 44)
 Fr. Andrés Aguirre created an unfavorable opinion against the bishop and wrote him
disrespectful letter (pg. 44-45)

 Rev. Fr. Fray Alonzo Dela Vera Cruz wrote also to Bishop Salazarcharging him of his
eagerness to purify ecclesiastical discipline of the Philippines (pg.46)

 To resist the diocesian visitation the friars threatened the bishops (pg. 47)

 Archibishop Basilio Sancho de Santa JustaY Rufina resolved to avert such threat
(pg.47)

 Council of Trent declares the regular order; forbidden to hold any secular benefice due
to secular clergy (pg.47)
 Number of secular clergy in the phil. Archipelago Was increased when the Suez canal
was opened. (pg. 48)

 The secular priest Intends for the care of soul, Also stated that they are the support of
Spain in the Philippines Means that without the support of the convents the
government Perishes and Annihilated this beliefs was exercised to the minds of the
Filipino. (pg.48)

 In 1869, manila Found itself swarmed with anonymous manifestoes against the friars.
Gov. La Torre visited them, he gave a speech in fatherly tone. (pg. 49)

 19 years have passed. The repulsive feelings against the friars are expressed through
respectable exposition. (pg. 49)
 Gov. gen Terrero and Quiroga raised the Laws of civil authority. (pg. 49)

 The phil. Administration Announces the recovery of jurisdiction and In dependence of

the state In education And removing completely the Interference of the friars. (pg.49)

 After General Terrero term, Gen. Molto became the acting Gov gen. Molto desires to
restore the influence of friars by the following acts. -religious orders are constituted
under the protection of law. - duty of his office to guarantee the rights of the friar so
that their character may respected.(pg. 50-51)

 For our part We desire nothing more than strengthening of fraternal ties between
Spain and Philippines. May the Philippines breathe the same atmosphere as the
mother country (pg. 53)