CHAPTER 12:

EVOLUTION THE
PHILIPPINE
SOCIETY
By: Group 7
 EPOCH OF THE PHILIPPINE
SOCIETY
The people and the lands have already been in existence
before our country was called - the Philippines. Let us accept
the truth that people were already roaming around the islands
from north to south, from east to west of our coast. Of course,
let us give credit to Ferdinand Magellan and his men who put
our country in the world scenarios' because of their fame and
power.Before the coming of the Spaniards, the natives were
already accustomed to see foreigners. Remember the Orang
Dampuans, the Banjar of Borneo, the Chinese merchants and
the Arabs who brought with them their religion, they all came
before the Spaniards. "The coming of the foreigners
(Spaniards) in the islands was not significant to the natives-
what was very significant was when the foreigners took
control over them"(Ecoben, 2002). 2
1. TRIBAL PERIOD
During this period, the human settlement is headed by a
Datu. He has a tri-fold power - Executive, Legislative and
Judicial. The society is called by many different names. It
can be a tribal community, Indigenous People's community,
Cultural Minority or Pamayanan or Katutubo community. It
is dominated mostly by men. Women have no power to
govern in the community unless, she is appointed because
of her education or capacity. This is true in the Mangyan-
Alangan pamayanan in Sitio Sangelen, Dulangan III,
Baco,Oriental Mindoro (Ecoben, 2011).

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THE PAMAYANAN IS A GROUP OF AROUND 50
TRIBAL FAMILIES LIVING IN MAKESHIFT
DWELLINGS. THE LEADER IS CHOSEN BY THE
COUNCIL OF ELDERS. IN MOST CASES, THE
TRIBAL LEADER'S HOUSE, IS BIG AND
ACCOMMODATES ALL THE GUESTS OF THE
TRIBE. IT IS ALSO THE PLACE WHERE
DOMESTIC DISPUTES ARE SETTLED AND
MAJOR DECISIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY ARE
MADE.

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IN THE PAMAYANAN, THE HIGHEST OFFICIAL
IS THE TRIBAL LEADER. HE IS ASSISTED BY
THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS IN RUNNING THE
COMMUNITY. FUNCTIONS RELATED TO
GOVERNANCE AND LAWS ARE COMING FROM
THE DATU.

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BAGANI, IS ANOTHER PROMINENT FIGURE IN
THE TRIBAL COMMUNITY. THE BAGANI OR
BAGANIS ARE IN-CHARGE OF THE
PEACEKEEPING AND SECURITY OF THE
MEMBERS. HE IS TO INSURE THE LIVES OF THE
MEMBERS FROM THE ATTACKS OF OTHER
TRIBES OR GROUP OF BANDITS. HE STAYS IN
THE TREE HOUSE TO SEE IN ADVANCE THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING IN AND ALSO STAYS
LATE AT NIGHT TO PROVIDE SECURITY TO THE
PEOPLE WHILE THEY ARE SLEEPING. IN SOME
TRIBAL COMMUNITIES, BAGANIS ARE THE
DREADED TRIBAL MEMBERS, AND THEY ARE
SAID TO HAVE ANTING-ANTING (AMULETS)
FOR THEIR PERSONAL PROTECTION.

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Bailan is also a prominent figure in the tribal
society. They are in-charge of the religious aspect of
the community. They perform ritual for
thanksgiving, petitions for the God and intercessory
prayers for the spirits and perform rituals for
healing and driving out evil spirits in the person or
community. They are called in many names like
Babaylan, Kataluna, Mumbaki, etc. They are
believed to have an abyan - a friendly spirit like
engkanto or dwende or other unseen beings who
helps them in performing their duties. As bailan,
they are mediating between the material world and
the spiritual world. They receive extra-ordinary
powers from their abyan (Ecoben, 2002).

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Economically, the people in the tribal community
live through the fruits of their labor and from the
abundance of nature around them. They are
domesticating animals for food and ritual. The most
common animal for rituals is the black pig and the
chicken.
Their dwellings are made of light materials
available aroundusually this dwelling is called balay
for the Mangyan-Alangan; rifuy for the Ifugao of
Mayoyao; payag for Kamayo, Manobo, Mandaya
and Mansaka.

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Like any other cultural minorities, if one goes inside
the house of the Mangyan, one has to find a little
open space for the members of the family to lie down
at night, the cooking place, a little space for their
clothes, if not, it is keep in a bag or bayong, a pair of
kittle, a number of plastic plates, glasses, and a
container or pale as water storage. They used
kerosene gas lamp to light the house at night. They
used firewood in cooking (Ecoben, 2011).
In the Pamayanan, there is no electricity. The
Mangyan balay does not have a toilet. When a need
to dispose comes, one has to go to the forest or
grassland. Mostly, their place is inaccessible to
vehicles.

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In the southern part of Mindanao, a confederation of
tribal communities is called sultanate. The sultan is
the political figure and will settle any disputes over
the tribes. He has no direct power of governance
over the tribe - it is still the datu. In other tribal
groups,there is also a political set up like the
Muslims of Mindanao. The famous sultan in
Mindanao is Sultan Kudarat. It is true that the
political setting of the Muslims are more advance
because of the so-called Kingdom state. The King
or the Rajah is the political head of the Kingdom
state. Some of them were Rajah Siago, Rajah
Kulambo, Rajah Humabon, Rajah Sikatuna, Rajah
Sulayman and Rajah Baginda.

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 2. SPANISH TIME
The Spanish Civil authorities imposed the political
organization and defined its juridical power from
National, Provincial,City, Town and Barrio. The
Gobernador y Capitan Heneral is the head of the crown
colony of Spain - the Philippines; The Gobernador is in-
charge for the Provincial governance; the City belongs to
the Gobernadorcillo; the town is headed by the Alcalde
Mayor while the Barrio, the smallest political unit is
headed by the cabeza del barrio.The creation of the
Pueblos as political & religious classification of people is
one of the contributions of the Spaniards. Those who
were close to the centers are elite people, either Insulares
or Peninsularis. Next to them are the Filipino illustrados,
the wealthy and the learned people who were also given a
chance to become a civil official as high as Alcalde
Mayor. 11
As one goes away from the center, one considers
himself less privileged and fortunate from the
crown of the king. That is why those who refused to
the authorities of the Spaniards, went into the
mountains and stayed there for the rest of their
lives. The establishment of the Pueblos led to the'
clamor to be one and united people under one
national leader. The Filipinos since then began to
think of an identity peculiar to them as a country.
The advocacies of the La Liga Filipina and even the
radical approach of the Katipwnan strongly
affirmed this cry, to be set free and be one
independent country. There were many resistances,
but such move did not materialize.

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Culturally, the people had imbibed the religious
practices of the Spaniards and its lifestyles. From its
native beliefs and or from Islamic religious
traditions, many of the people received the new
religion -Christianity. The Filipinos learned to act,
live, and socialize the way the Spaniards do. During
this period, the many Filipinos have been
Hispanizedbeing socially adaptive, assimilated and
acculturated with the new and so called "superior
culture" of the Spaniards. In Architecture, the native
house has become a Bahay-na-bato.The simple
transport by a wooden banca and horse has now
become a kalesa and coal-driven steamer was
discovered.

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 3. AMERICAN TIME

During this period, the Philippine society becomes acquainted with the new ideas like, Freedom,
Democracy,Protestantism, Public Education etc. In the early days of the American occupation, the
filipino was delighted with the presence of chocolate,jeans, shirts and jackets, burger, sandwiches
and sausages. The people became accustomed with the limousine, basketball,television, telephone,
aircraft, wagon and terrain vehicles. Much more were the nursery rhymes and other American stories
for children.Education became public and the right to free religious expression was granted.

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The filipino began to think and live like americans. Most are becoming fluent in the american
language and began to think as little brown americans. In fact, those who have the opportunity to
migrate to any of the US states and territories did so. The filipinos thought that being with the
americans is already being in heaven. The famous song"Heaven watch the Philippines" simply
summarizes how good it is to be with the americans.
Gladly, the filipinos enjoyed the presence and the relationship they have with the Americans.
Nevertheless, many became American boy or Amboy. They were so attached to the american culture
that they themselves became Americanized.

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 4. TIME OF THE REPUBLIC

This is the time when the American government has turned over its direct governance of our country
to our filipino leaders. Politically, there arose the many parties. Let ug remember that most of the
Philippine leaders were highly influenced if not trained, by the Americans. Besides, the
Commonwealth - as the transitory government - was designed to prepare us - the filipinos 、 for our
self- governance.
Mutual treaties were signed to ensure that the Philippines will not be left empty-handed. Some
activists call this -neo imperialism. This is a kind of dominance by a powerful country over the other
without its direct presence but through its intervention in the economic and political policies.

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Even in the time of our sovereignty, the claws of the eagle in its mighty power kept us close to their
hearts. In times for political crisis in our country, Uncle Sam has always been expected to come to
the rescue. The helicopter made it possible travel from Hawaii to the other side of Tanay, Rizal.
The filipinos experienced with surprise the sighting of a 'steel fish' which docked at Zambales in the
midst of territorial dispute with the yellow race. Diplomatic protests were held but were not heeded
and acted upon by Philippine diplomats and leaders during open discussions with US officials.

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 5. GLOBALIZED
PHILIPPINE-COMMUNITY
The Filipinos being updated with the modern
technologies like internet and mobile phone keep its
family connection through Skype, Twitter, Facebook,
Yahoo video chatting and live streaming and other social
media platforms.
The closeness of the Filipino family keeps itself real
through these modern technologies. With a laptop or
camera in the pc, the OFW and immigrant relatives
interactively relate each other and keep each other
updated socially.

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However, this modern technology also.brought about
revolutionary challenges in the social, physical and moral
aspect of the youth of today. With the internet, they can
have cyber friends from all over the world, a clan and
others. An open access to many different sites provides
them enjoyment in on-line games without physical
movement, worst, if they explore on porn sites that may
even lead them to a relationship which might ended up to
unexpected pregnancy.

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The globalized Philippine society which was born
through onJine and live streaming, on the other hand,
also impaired maximum productivity of the office
personnel, plant and industry workers. How?-instead of
attending to the work plan of the day, they are hooked to
chatting with other people, friends, family and
acquaintances on Facebook, Instagram, Yahoo or Skype.

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