Customs of the Tagalogs

By: Juan de Plasencia

BSA – 1A
I. Background of the author

He was born in the 16th century to the illustrious family of the
Portocarreros in Placensia, in the region of Extermadura,
Spain.
His real name was Juan Portocarrero.
Juan de Placencia was a Spanish friar of the Franciscan Order
who came together with first batch of missionaries to the
Philippines in 1578. He was assigned to Southern Tagalog
area.
He wrote Customs of Tagalogs which describes the political,
social, economic, and cultural practices of the Filipinos
before they were Christianized.
He helped in the foundations and organizations of towns in
Laguna, Quezon, Rizal and Bulacan.
II. Historical background of the document

Customs of Tagalogs, originally Las Costumbres de los Indios

Tagalog de Filipinas was written by Juan de Placensia when he
was tasked to collect information about the customs of the
Filipinos that could be used by the Spanish to understand and
exploit the Filipinos. In this document, Placensia was able to
note the details such as social classes, types of clothing,
ornaments, government and justice structure, inheritance,
slave, marriage customs, religious and superstitious beliefs,
economics and language.
 III. Content Presentation
Political Customs
Barangay – the name originated when people came to land by means of
boat called barangay.
Datus – the chief of barangay and captains in their wars who is obeyed
and reverenced.
Three Castes: Nobles, Commoners, and Slaves
Nobles – they accompany the datu in war and freeborn/maharlika. They
don’t pay tax or tribute to datu.
Commoners – they serve their master but cannot be sold (aliping
namamahay), lives in their own house.
Slaves – they can be sold and live to their master’s house (aliping sa
guguilar)
Economic Customs
Foreign trade with Borneo, China, Java, Thailand, Cambodia and Japan
Fishing in seas and rivers
Hunting in high lands
Planting of rice, crops, fruits and vegetables
Trade of products with other barangays by boat
Houses are made of bamboo, wood and nipa palm
Language and System of Writing
Tagalog, Ilocano, Pangasinan, Kapampangan, Sugbuhanon, Hiligaynon, Magindanaw
and Samarnon are used that originated from the Malayo-Polenisian Language
Alphabets consisted of 3 vowels and 14 consonants called Baybayin.
Wrote on plant leaves, bamboo tubes, and bark of trees
Used tap of trees as ink and pointed stick as pencil.
Cultural Customs
Sons and daughters are trained in proper choice of mate by their parents
Courtship begins with Paninilbihan
Pamamanhikan (approval) before marriage
The man needs to give dowry (payment) to the woman’s family before
marriage. It can be bigay-kaya (a piece of land or gold), panghihimuyat (a gift
for the bride’s parents), bigay-suso (for brides wet nurse)
Marriage between two different social classes were not common
Several grounds of divorce are adultery, abandonment on the part of the
husband, cruelty and insanity.
Religion Customs
Pandot or worship is a festive celebration, includes performing of sacrifices to
their idols that lasts for few days.
Often sacrifices goats, fowls and swine. This was performed for the healing of
the sick, good harvest, happy marriage, successful childbirth etc.
They have feast for the members of barangay which is called Nagaanitos.
Worship is performed in a large house of a chief.
The place of worship was called temple.
They worship many gods and godesses: Bathala, supreme being; Idayanale, god
of agriculture; Sidarapa, god of death; Agni, god of fire; Balangaw; god of
rainbow; Mandarangan, god of war; Lalahon; god of harvest; Siginarugan, god of
hell.
They also believe in sacred animals and trees
Superstitious Beliefs Distinction of Priest and the Devil
They believe in aswang, dwende, Catalonan
kapre, tikbalang, tiyanak Mangangauay
They also believe in magical power Manyisayat
of amulet and charms such as
anting-anting, kulam, and gayuma. Mancocolam
Manner of burying Hocloban
The deceased was buried beside his Silagan
house, and if they were a chief, he Mantatangal
was placed beneath a little house of Osuang
porch which they constructed for his
purpose. Before entering him, they Mangangayoma
mourned him for four days and Sonat
afterwards, placed him in a boat
which served as a coffien or bier. Pangatahojan
Bayoguuin
 IV. Analysis of the important historical
information found in the document
The historical information in Customs of Tagalog describes the
way of life of the Filipinos before Spanish and Christian
influences.
Marriage, rituals, burial, social classes and political
stratifications of the Tagalog region were tackled in this
primary source.
The claim of the Spaniards that when they arrive in the
Philippines, Filipinos were still uncivilized and lacking in
culture was proven wrong by Placensia’s account.
During the precolonial time, Filipinos became more aware of
morality and the beliefs of Christianity that the Spaniards
brought to us.
V. Contribution of the document in understanding
the grand narrative of Philippine history
The original work itself is a product of observations and
judgments. Therefore, it is probable that Juan de
Placensia’s work might contain partiality in presenting his
observations and judgment.
It has continued to serve as a basis for historical
reconstructions of Tagalog society.
Pre-conquest society were not swept by the advent of the
Spanish regime.
This account served as the framework for Spanish laws and
policies.
VI. Relevance of the document to contemporary times
It serves as an evidence that during the pre-hispanic
period, Filipinos already have government as well as a set
of beliefs and practices.
This account is considered to be the foremost source of
information about the old customs of the Filipinos.
Most of the 16th century beliefs and practices are
already not present today.
Placensia’s account preserves and popularizes the
unwritten customs, traditions, religion and superstitious
beliefs of us Filipino.
 VII. Individual Reflection / Learning experience
This proves that the Spanish colonization greatly changed the cultures
and traditions of the early Filipinos especially when they introduced
Christianity. It states how during that period, Filipinos already have a
systematic government and rulers as well as set of beliefs and practices.
What I don’t like about the early Filipino’s customs is the castes system.
I realize that we are very lucky that at the present time, this social
stratification is not existing anymore. However, there are also some
customs that I wish were still existing like the marriage customs such as
paninilbihan and pamamanhikan. I think it would be good if we have
preserved these traditions. All in all, this account of Placensia thought
me that not all of the customs that we had are influence of the
colonizers and Philippines had rich culture even before the colonizers.