RPHIST 1

Readings in Philippine History 1

First Semester 2021-2022
by
Cristine P. Andayan, MPA
Instructor
LESSON 2B: BASICS OF HISTORIOGRAPHY (Philippine Historiography)

OBJECTIVES:
1. Trace the development of Philippine historiography from Colonial to Post-
Colonial era.
2. Identify different historians and primary sources who contributed to the
Philippine history narratives.
LESSON 2: BASICS OF HISTORIOGRAPHY
𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲

Spanish Friars
- their zeal to propagate Christianity studied
the cultures of the early Filipinos and faithfully
recorded their valuable observations on the
Philippine’s past.

Other historians:
B. Spanish Officials
C. Foreign residents and writers
D. Illustrados
LESSON 2: BASICS OF HISTORIOGRAPHY

𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲

American colonization period:

-better writings compared to the of history during the
Spanish period.
-most of the writings were extremely biased, but few
Americans wrote in favour of the Filipinos.
Historians
-Filipino Illustrado,
-American colonial officials,
-non-colonial officials
-academic historians.
LESSON 2: BASICS OF HISTORIOGRAPHY

After World War 2 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲

challenged the narrow view of colonial narratives and developed historical
writing from the viewpoint of a nationalist agenda.

TEODORO AGONCILLO

1 - pioneered nationalist historiography

- highlighted the role of the Filipino reformists and
revolutionaries from 1872, the year that saw the execution of
the GomBurZa priests, to the end of the Philippine Revolution as
a focal point of the country’s nation-building narrative.
LESSON 2: BASICS OF HISTORIOGRAPHY

After World War 2 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲

An emergence of Filipino scholars who challenged the narrow view of
colonial narratives and developed historical writing from the viewpoint of a
nationalist agenda.

works: The Revolt of the Masses (1956), Malolos: The

1 Crisis of the Republic (1960), The History of the Filipino
People (1960), and The Writings and Trials of Bonifacio
(1963). Some of these became standard textbooks in
universities.
LESSON 2: BASICS OF HISTORIOGRAPHY

After World War 2 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲

2 RENATO CONSTANTINO

“NATIONALISM is not just an empty word full of

emotional appeal. It is the expression of a reality —
that we have a country of our own, which must be
kept our own. Its political expression is
independence.”

- Renato Constantino,“The Corrupt Society” published in 1958 for

the Sunday Times Magazine.
LESSON 2: BASICS OF HISTORIOGRAPHY

After World War 2 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲

2 RENATO CONSTANTINO

“History… should serve the purpose of integrating

seemingly isolated facts and events into a coherent
historical process so that a view of the totality of social
reality may be achieved…”

- Renato Constantino, The Philippines: A Past Revisited, published in 1975. (a

history biased towards the struggles of the people is one that could free the
Filipinos’ consciousness from years of colonial miseducation.)
LESSON 2: BASICS OF HISTORIOGRAPHY

After World War 2 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲

ZEUS SALAZAR
3 - leader of the Pantayong Pananaw (PP) movement in
the social sciences.
- The whole word “pantayo” could roughly be
interpreted to mean “from-us-for-us” and
“pananaw” which means perspective.
LESSON 2: BASICS OF HISTORIOGRAPHY

After World War 2 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲

ZEUS SALAZAR

3 - The Pantayong Pananaw has opened new venues

and themes for historians to study like:
world view of the indigenous, anting-anting, symbolic
representation, reduccion, and other themes that
discuss the culture of the Filipinos.
- new methodologies and concepts were utilized like
ethnography and folk literature.
LESSON 2: BASICS OF HISTORIOGRAPHY

After World War 2 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲

REYNALDO ILETO

4 Book: “Pasyon and Revolution: Popular Movements in the

Philippines, 1840-1910 (1979)”
- recognized the ordinary folks way of thinking by using
alternative historical sources such as folk songs and prayers.
For Ileto, historians need to look into the other center of
power,i.e. folk, healer, cults, tulisanes, and columns. This is to
present the other side of history that were muted by the
dominant historiography.
LESSON 2: BASICS OF HISTORIOGRAPHY

After World War 2 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲

SAMUEL K. TAN
mainstreamed the role and relevance of Filipino Muslims in the
5 country’s national history.
Books:
The Filipino Muslim Armed Struggle, 1900-1972 (1978),
sought to examine the struggle of Filipino Muslims in the
context of 20th century nation-building dynamics during
the American colonial regime and subsequent postcolonial
Filipino administrations.
LESSON 2: BASICS OF HISTORIOGRAPHY
Characteristics of Contemporary Philippine Historiography

A. Political Narratives
-favour narratives that deal with the political aspects of nation-building such as
the legacies of political leaders and establishment of different governments.
Colonial Histories in Historical Narratives
B. - importance given to colonial histories rather than pre-colonial past
- Filipinos portrayed as savages, Colonizers as liberators from cultural
backwardness
Elite Perspectives in Historical Narratives
C. - Illustrados (educated Filipinos) fighting for reformation or independence
- Local politicians negotiating independence from America
LESSON 2: BASICS OF HISTORIOGRAPHY
Characteristics of Contemporary Philippine Historiography

D. Patriarchal Orientation in Historical Narratives

-highlighting the heroism of men in different ways: leading revolts and liberation
wars against colonizers, championing the cause of independence, and
spearheading political and economic development.
Emphasis on Lowland Christianized Filipinos
E. - Non-Christians and highlanders remain unrecognized in historical narratives.
- culture of mistrust that developed between Christians and Muslims during
colonial periods.
- Celebrated figures of predominantly Tagalog heroes: Jose Rizal, Andres
Bonifacio, Emilio Aguinaldo, illustrados
LESSON 2: BASICS OF HISTORIOGRAPHY
Characteristics of Contemporary Philippine Historiography

D. Patriarchal Orientation in Historical Narratives

-highlighting the heroism of men in different ways: leading revolts and liberation
wars against colonizers, championing the cause of independence, and
spearheading political and economic development.
Emphasis on Lowland Christianized Filipinos
E. - Non-Christians and highlanders remain unrecognized in historical narratives.
- culture of mistrust that developed between Christians and Muslims during
colonial periods.
- Celebrated figures of predominantly Tagalog heroes: Jose Rizal, Andres
Bonifacio, Emilio Aguinaldo, illustrados
Internet Sources
Ilao III, C. (2021,May 14). History From Our Perspective: The Legacy Of Historian Teodoro Agoncillo. flip science.
https://www.flipscience.ph/news/features-news/national-scientist-teodoro-agoncillo/
Guiang, FJP A. ( 2019, March 7). 100 years of a nationalist: Renato Constantino as social critic and public intellectual.
BusinessWorld. https://www.bworldonline.com/100-years-of-a-nationalist-renato-constantino-as-social-critic-and-public-
intellectual/
Guillermo, R. (2003, March).Exposition, Critique and New Directions for Pantayong Pananaw. Kyoto Review of Southeast
Asia. Issue 3: Nations and Other Stories. March 2003. https://kyotoreview.org/issue-3-nations-and-stories/exposition-
critique-and-new-directions-for-pantayong-pananaw/
Chua, M. (2020, February 15). Two lessons from Rey Ileto. The Manila Times.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/02/15/opinion/columnists/two-lessons-from-rey-ileto/685971/

All pictures used are from free Google images