Leyte Normal University

College of Education
Tacloban City

Title: CUSTOMS OF THE TAGALOGS

In partial fulfillment of the requirements in

GE 102: Readings in Philippine History

Presented to:
Mr. Ken P. Corro, LPT
Faculty, Secondary Education Department

Presented by:
Dinaya, Ronan
Ibañez, Jhon
Napoles, Shiela Marie D.
Pangandoyon, Azel Mae
TF 2:30 – 4:00 PM
BSEd-Math SM 3-3
 I. Background of the Author:

Early in the 16th century, Juan Portocarrero (Joan de Puerto Carrero, del
convento de Villanueva de la Serena), a Spanish priest of the Franciscan order, was
born in Plasencia, in the Extremadura region of Spain. He was one of the seven children
of Spanish schooner captain Pedro Portocarrero. In addition, he was raised in the Siglo de
Oro, a Golden Age of Spanish literature and the arts that spanned several regions of the
country, including his home, Extremadura.

He was well-known for being a protector or an advocate of the rights of

indigenous people, paying attention to the sick, deprived, and mistreated. His efforts and
unwavering commitment to missions were acknowledged and not only did help him in
the foundation and in organizing several towns in Laguna and Tayabas, but also in the
modern provinces of Bulacan and Rizal, including Tayabas, Calilaya, Lucban,
Mahayhay, Nagcarlang, Lilio, Pila, Santa Cruz, Lumbang, Pangil, Siniloan, Morong,
Antipolo, Taytay, and Meycawayan. On May23, 1584, the friars elected Plasencia their
Custos (i.e., Superior) to their Chapter in recognition of his accomplishments and
character. He served up to 1588 until Fray Pedro Bautista was elected. Along with his
strong desire to make Filipinos good Christians, he also wants to mold them into good
citizens by establishing educational facilities where natives will learn reading and
writing, which was then approved by Domingo de Salazar, the first Bishop of the See of
Manila.

Fr. Juan de Plasencia authored several books with the main goal of promoting
native speakers' comprehension of Spanish and missionaries' proficiency of the local
tongues in order to aid in the task of evangelization. In a letter to the King of Spain, dated
June 18, 1585, he mentioned some of his works, including "Arte de la lengua,"
"declaraciòn de toda la doctrina xtiana," and "Vocabulario." Alongside, in 1585, he wrote
a mystical work titled "La Santina" that was an opus on prayer and contemplation, written
entirely in Tagalog for the natives who cannot speak Spanish, to help them partake in
their teachers' spirituality. Another work of his is the "Relacion de las Costumbres de Los
Tagalos" (1589), which not only contributed to the understanding and preservation of
many of the customs of the locals but also produced the first version of the Civil Code,
which local governors used to undertake justice. He is also the author of Doctrina
Cristiana, which is thought to be the first book printed in the Philippines. It was published
in Tagalog, Spanish, Latin, and the widely used Baybayin script of the native population
at the time. Lastly, the Customs of the Tagalog in 1589. This was written as he was
tasked by the King of Spain with knowing what life and culture Filipinos have in order
for the Spaniards to understand the life of the locals. This was made through his own
observation of the natives. But after working hard for several years, converting the
natives, teaching catechisms, and setting up towns and barangays, he passed away in
Lilio, Laguna province, in 1590.

II. Historical Context of the Document:

Magellan was on a journey to find spices by going around the world, but he ended
up in the Philippines instead. He made friends with some local leaders and tried to
convince them to become Christians. A few people, including a leader named Rajah
Humabon, agreed and got baptized. This was the first time Christianity was introduced in
the Philippines. Initially, Magellan seemed successful in the dual tasks of commerce and
evangelism. However, things didn't go smoothly. Another leader, a powerful chief named
Lapu-Lapu, refused and rejected Christianity for himself and his people. Magellan did the
unwise thing and visited the chief with just 49 armed Spaniards, and the islanders of
Mactan were estimated at 1,500. Magellan’s men were outnumbered and defeated, and
Magellan was killed in the battle by Lapu-Lapu's men.
 A few decades after Magellan's death on April 27, 1521, the Spanish once again
returned to the Philippine Islands. Although Magellan discovered the Archipelago in
1521, no major attempt was made to colonize it until Philip II took an expedition led by
Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in 1565, which included 400 soldiers and sailors. Philip's
mission was accompanied by six Augustinian friars because he was driven by religious
enthusiasm and wanted to spread the gospel. Moreover, on July 2, 1578, after having
spent six months in Mexico, he arrived at the port at Cavite, a few kilometers south of
Manila. He was a Franciscan priest, the first of his Order to arrive in the Philippines. He
had a natural ability to learn new languages. After being assigned as a missionary to the
province of Laguna, he quickly learned the native language. He and another missionary,
Fray Diego de Oropesa, began preaching in Laguna de Bay and Tayabas (now Quezon
Province) two months after his arrival, where they were converting locals to Christianity.
These missionaries and others quickly gained control of the island for Spain. However,
spreading Christianity was slow at first because there weren't many Spanish priests or
settlers around. So, the groups called "missionary orders" did the work of evangelizing
the locals. During this time, Spanish priests played an important role in spreading
Christianity. They were often assigned to various regions across the Philippines, having
various roles, including serving as missionaries, educators, and administrators, as well as
establishing churches and converting the natives.

Consequently, in the 16th century, the European economy was mercantilist. This
kind of system measures the wealth of certain kingdoms based on their number of golds
and silvers. As mentioned by Pigafetta in his work, there's an abundance of gold in the
Philippines, as shown in his description of what he saw on the island, where the leaders
wear gold accessories like rings, golden daggers, and gold mines. With that, an empire
like Spain would indeed want those things in the islands so they could get more gold and
wealth to expand their territory and be on top of all the European nations.With the
mission or purpose of easily converting the natives to Christianity and exploiting the
newly found land, the King of Spain wrote a letter to Juan de Plasencia, one of the friar
missionaries sent to the Philippines. He was tasked by the King of Spain to document the
customs and traditions of the colonized ("natives"), or Tagalogs. That is why "Customs of
the Tagalogs" in 1589 was written, which primarily focuses on Luzon with some
comparisons to Visayan regions. Here, it documented the natives' practices and traditions.
It focuses more on cultural, social, political, and religious observation among the
Tagalogs.

III. Content Presentation and Analysis:

The document is only a portion of much longer monographs written by

chroniclers about Spanish expeditions to the Philippines. It is more on cultural, social,
political, and religious observation to the Tagalogs. The text of this historical document
was divided into three sections. The first chapter dealt with the country's earliest recorded
legal systems, describing the Tagalogs' social relationships and government. Meanwhile,
the second section focused on the people's pre-colonial religions and beliefs, particularly
their forms of worship. Finally, they have different ways of burying the dead.

Those observations of Juan de Plasencia were as follow:

CUSTOMS OF THE TAGALOGS

DATOS
 The chief who governed the people and were captains in their wars whom
they obey and reverence.
 Chief of the barangay (boat in the Malay language)
 Anyone who offended the dato and his family was severely punished.
BARANGAY
 In Tagalog, tribal gathering is called barangay, which consists of parents
and children, relations and slaves.
 The name originated when the people came to this land by means of boat
called barangay/balangay.
THREE CASTES
1. NOBLES
 Also called “Maharlicas”
 Free born
 Did not pay tax
 Accompany the dato in the war

2. COMMONERS
 Aliping Namamahay
 Serve their master
 Accompanied the dato in war and rowed for him in his travel

3. SLAVES
 Aliping sa Guiguilir
 Live in the master's house and land
 Can be sold and transferred
 A portion of the harvest is given to dato
 Can be paid according to the quality of work

SPECIAL CASES
 Those who are maharlicas on both the father’s and mother’s side continue
to be so forever.
 If maharlicas had children among their slaves, the children and their
mothers became free. If they had children by the slave-woman of another,
the slave-woman was compelled when pregnant, to give her master half of
a gold tael. In this case, half of the child was free if the father (Maharlica)
recognized him. If not, the child will become a whole slave.
 When one married a woman of another village, the children were
afterwards divided equally between the two barangays.
 Maharlicas could not, after marriage, move from one village to another
without paying a certain fine in gold (ranging from one to three taels and a
banquet to the entire barangay) as arranged among them.

If two persons married, of whom one was a maharlica and the other a slave (namamahay
or sa guiguilir) the children were divided.
 Odd birth order (1st, 3rd, 5th, …) — belong to the father
 Even birth order (2nd, 4th, 6th, …) — belong to the mother
 Only child — Half free, half slave

DOWRY AND DIVORCE

DOWRY is given by men to the women’s parents before marriage. If the parents are both
alive, they both enjoy the use of it.
DIVORCE (Before birth of the children):

 has intention of marrying another (wife) = 2x dowry given to the husband

 has no intentions of marrying another (wife) = dowry is given back to the
husband
DIVORCE (After birth of the children):

 the fine and dowry was given to the children

WORSHIPS OF THE TAGALOG

SIMBAHAN - a temple or place of adoration.

 They constructed it for the purpose of sheltering the assembled people, a

temporary shed on each side of the house, with a roof, called sibi, to
protect the people from the wet when it rained.
 This is because, formerly, when they wished to celebrate a festival, which
they called pandot, or "worship", they celebrated it in the large house of
the chief.
 During this time, the whole barangay, or family, united and joined in the
worship which they call nagaanitos.

BATHALA
 Among their many idols, there was one called Bathala - whom they
especially worshipped. The title seems to signify "all powerful", or "maker
of all things".

They also worship…

 the sun, which, on account of its beauty, is almost universally respected
and honored by heathens.
 the moon, especially when it was new, at which time held great rejoicings,
adoring it and bidding it welcome.
 the stars, although they did not know them by their names - as the
Spaniards and other nations know the planets - with the one exception of
the morning star, which they called Tala.
 "Seven little goats" (the Pleiades) - as we call them - and, consequently the
change of seasons, which they call Mapolon; and Balatic which is Greater
Bear.
 Licha - which were images with different shapes.
 They had another idol called Dian masalanta - who was the patron of
lovers and of generation.
 They paid reverence to water-lizards called them buaya, or crocodiles,
from fear of being harmed by them. They were even in the habit of
offering these animals a portion of what they carried in their boats, by
throwing it into the water, or placing it upon the bank.
 For example, if they left their house and met on the way a serpent or rat, or
a bird called tigmamanuguin, which was singing in the tree, or if they
chanced upon anyone who sneezed, they returned at once to their house,
considering the incident as an augury that some evil might befall them if
they should continue their journey - especially when the above mentioned
bird sang. This song had two different forms: in the one case it was
considered as an evil omen; on the other, as a good omen, and then they
continued their journey.
 THE DISTINCTIONS MADE AMONG THE PRIESTS OF THE DEVIL

CATOLONAN
 was either a man or a woman.
 This office was an honorable one among the natives, and was held
ordinarily
by people of rank, this rule being general in all the islands.

MANGAGAUAY
 witches, who deceived by pretending to heal the sick.
 These priests even induced maladies by their charms, which in proportion
to the strength and efficacy of the witchcraft, are capable of causing death.
 In this way, if they wished to kill at once they did so; or they could
prolong life for a year by binding to the waist a live serpent, which was
believed to be the devil, or at least his substance.

MANYISALAT
 same as magagauay. These priests had the power of applying such
remedies to lovers that they would abandon and despise their own wives,
and in fact could prevent them from having intercourse with the latter.
 If the woman, constrained by these means, were abandoned, it would bring
sickness upon her; and on account of the desertion, she would discharge
blood and matter.

MANCOCOLAM
 whose duty it was to emit fire from himself at night, once or oftener each
month.
 This fire could not be extinguished; nor could it be thus emitted except as
the priest wallowed in the ordure and filth which falls from the houses;
and he who lived in the house where the priest was wallowing in order to
emit this fire from himself, fell ill and died.

HOCLOBAN
 this is another kind of witch, of greater efficacy than the mangagauay.
 Without the use of medicine, and by simply saluting or raising the hand,
they killed whom they chose.
 But if they desired to heal those whom they had made ill by their charms,
they did so by using other charms.
 Moreover, if they wished to destroy the house of some Indian hostile to
them, they were able to do so without instruments.
SILAGAN
 whose office it was, if they saw anyone clothed in white, to tear out his
liver and eat it, thus causing his death.
 This, like the preceding, was in the island of Catanduanes. Let no one,
moreover, consider this a fable; because, in Caavan, they tore out in this
way through the anus all the intestines of a Spanish notary, who was
buried in Calilaya by father Fray Juan de Merida.

MAGTATAN-GAL
  His purpose was to show himself at night to many persons, without his
head or entrails. In such wise the devil walked about and carried, or
pretended to carry, his head to different places; and, in the morning,
returned it to his body - remaining, as before, alive.
 This seems to be a fable, although the natives affirm that they have seen it,
because the devil probably caused them so to believe. This occurred in
Catanduanes.

OSUANG
 which is equivalent to "sorcerer;" they say that they have seen him fly, and
that he murdered men and ate their flesh.
 This was among the Visayas Islands; among the Tagalogs these did not
exist.

MANGAGA-YOMA
 another class of witches.
 They made charms for lovers out of herbs, stones, and wood, which would
infuse the heart with love.
 They deceive the people, although sometimes, through the intervention of
the devil, they gained their ends.

SONAT
 which is equivalent to " preacher."
 It was his office to help one to die, at which time he predicted the
salvation or condemnation of the soul.
 It was not lawful for the functions of this office to be fulfilled by others
than people of high standing, on account of the esteem in which it was
held.

PANGATAHOJAN
 was a soothsayer, and predicted the future.

BAYOGUIN
 Signified a " cotquean," a man whose nature inclined toward that of a
woman.

MANNER OF BURYING THE DEAD

 The deceased was buried beside his house; and, if he were a chief, he was
placed beneath a little house or porch, which they constructed, for his
purpose.
 If the deceased had been a warrior, a living slave was tied beneath his
body until in this wretched way he died. In course of time, all suffered
decay; and for many days the relatives of the dead man bewailed him,
singing dirges, and praises of his good qualities, until finally they wearied
of it. This grief was also accompanied by eating and drinking.
 The etas or negritos inhabitants of this island, had also a form of burial,
but different.
 They dug a deep, perpendicular hole, and placed the deceased within it,
leaving him upright with head or crown unburied, on top of which they put
half a coconut which was to serve him as a shield.
 Then they went in pursuit of some Indian, whom they killed in retribution
for the Negrillo who had died.
  To the end they conspired together, hanging a certain token on their necks
until some one of them procured the death of the innocent one.
 These infidels said that they knew that there was another life of rest, which
they called maca, just as if we should say “paradise,” or, in other words,
“village of rest.”
 They say that those who go to this place are the just, and the valiant, and
those who lived without doing harm, or who possessed other moral
virtues.
 They said also that in the other life and mortality, there was a place of
punishment, grief, and affliction, called casanaan, which was “a place of
anguish;” they also maintained that no one would go to heaven, where
there dwelt only Bathala, “the maker of all things,” who governed from
above.

Fr. Plasencia's claims about the Filipinos encountered by the Spaniards in the
Philippines have been supported by numerous writings. Antonio de Morga's document
"Sucesos de Las Islas Filipinas" supports Plasencia's claims, particularly regarding the
governance of the ancient ancestors and the existence of social classes. Similarly, Miguel
de Loarca's work "Relacion de Las Islas Filipinas" provides evidence to support
Plasencia's claims about Tagalog marriage and burial practices, which are also common
in the Visayas region. Furthermore, Francisco Colin's "Labor Evangelica" serves as a
historical document that supports the narratives presented by Fr. Juan De Plasencia. The
aforementioned texts attest to the fact that the Filipinos indeed trace their lineage back to
Malay immigrants who arrived on the islands from South and Southeast Asia through
successive waves of migration spanning several centuries.

Moreover, after analyzing the ideas presented by Plasencia, some descriptive

biases of certain things and beliefs was observed throughout the entire document. The
author, Juan de Plasencia was, in the first place, not a native Tagalog but a Franciscan
missionary who was tasked by the King of Spain to document the customs and traditions
of the colonized (“natives”) based on, arguably, his own observations and judgments. In
this particular text, de Plasencia attempted to avoid discussing the conflicting reports of
the “Indians” through an “informed observation” to obtain the “simple truth.” This
“truth,” however, is debatable, and the manner in which he arrived at his reports is even
more problematic.

 The terms such as "Indians," "tribal," and "natives," as well as adjectives

such as "amusing," "foolish," and "absurd” was a politically incorrect
terms and is simply a manifestation of the conflicting Occident-Other
paradigm in colonial situations.
 de Plasencia said that “the lands were divided among the barangay and…
no one belonging to another barangay would cultivate them unless after
the purchase or inheritance.” However, “since the advent of the Spaniards,
it is not so divided.” This statement implies that the colonizer's
intervention brought order to the divisiveness.
 Plasencia concluded that Catholicism was able to expel the Tagalogs'
primitive and evil belief systems regarding gods, burials, and superstitions,
stating that "all the Tagalogs no trace of this is left; and that those who are
now marrying do not even know what it is, thanks to the preaching of the
holy gospel, which has banished it."
 Local traditions and Western paradigm/parameters was repetitively
compared. The lic-ha, for example, was matched up with Romans’ statue
 of deity of a dead man who was brave in war and endowed with special
faculties. These two objects are evidently different in nature and don’t fall
under the same category.
 Datos were also described as the equivalent of the European “nobles,”
hence undermining the indigenous political systems.
 de Plasencia also came up with various categories of devilish beliefs. The
mangagauay and mangagayoma, for instance, were both regarded as
“witches” who performed deceitful healing procedures. What he failed to
realize is that in traditional cultures, these so-called “evil” practices were
an integral part of Filipino folk beliefs; and the early Tagalogs, in reality,
never considered them as acts of the devil.

To take into account, the text was clearly not written for local consumption, but
for Western readers. Customs of the Tagalogs, like any other colonial text written during
the Spanish colonial period, was purposefully written to provide an exoticized description
of the Tagalog natives, clearly fed by politics and propaganda and operated with the
Western-outsider's gaze, that would appeal to them.

IV. Contribution and Relevance of the Document in Understanding the Grand

Narrative of Philippine History:

"Customs of the Tagalogs" by Juan de Plasencia provides us a historical account

of the pre-colonial life of the ancient Filipinos, particularly those from Luzon during the
16th century. These customs and traditions cultivate our cultural heritage and help us
define our collective identity as Filipinos. This document serves as an important
manuscript that helps us understand the changes of our society as it allows us to trace
back to our roots and understand the changes that have occurred over centuries, which in
turn helps us appreciate the richness and diversity of our culture and traditions.

This document fits into the broader narrative of Philippine history by providing
insights into the pre-colonial era. It sheds light on the socio-political and religious
practices of the Tagalogs, which provide us with a narrative of how and what our
ancestors’ way of life was before the arrival of the Spanish. The significance of this
document lies in its impact on historical scholarship. It is regarded as one of the first
document that studies the indigenous people of the Philippines. Furthermore, it serves as
a primary source for historians and academics studying the pre-colonial period and
culture of our country. It also helps us understand the transformations that Philippine
society has undergone over time, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of
Philippine history and fostering cultural awareness.

Some of the customs and traditions observed by Juan de Plasencia still exist in the
present, yet in modified forms. For instance, the dowry, religious rituals, and some people
still believe that there are aswang, mananananggal, and other superstitious things that
continue to be part of our Filipino culture. However, some traditional practices may have
been lost or transformed due to various influences over the years. That is why it’s
important to make conscious efforts to preserve our culture. This can be done through
education, cultural festivals, and promoting local arts and crafts. It’s also crucial to
capture, study, or read books about our history and traditions to ensure they are not
forgotten. Cultural heritage serves as the backbone of our community. This document
enlightens us and highlights the importance of protecting our backbone, especially for the
younger and future generations, as it connects us to where we come from. By doing so, it
builds a concrete foundation for understanding our existence and our identity.
V. References

Agoncillo, T. (1990). History of the Filipino People (8th ed.). Garotech Pub.

Alporha, V. & Candelaria, J. L. (2018). Reading in the Philippine History (1st Ed.). REX
Printing Company, Inc.

Coleman, A. (n.d.). The friars in the Philippines. Free eBooks | Project Gutenberg.
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/36438/36438-h/36438-h.htm

Constantino, R., & Constantino, L. R. (2008). Pacification and Exploitation. In A History

of the Philippines: From the Spanish Colonization to the Second World
War
(pp. 40–52). NYU Press. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv12pnqbf.7

Mapanoo, S. A. (2015). Accustomed Othering in Colonial Writing: A Review of

“Customs
of the Tagalogs” (two relations) by Juan de Plasencia From The Philippine
Islands 1493-1898. Artes de las Filipinas

The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 / Blair and Robertson. (2019, April 25). The
University
Library, University of the Philippines Diliman.
https://mainlib.upd.edu.ph/the-philippine-islands-1493-1898-blair-and-
robertson/

Zafra, N. (1956). Readings in Philippine History (Revised Edition). Quezon City:

University of the Philippines.