Module 4 (3 Hours)

Title: Customs of Tagalog

Introduction:
This lesson requires you to critically analyze The Customs of the Tagalogs written by
Juan de Plasencia, a Franciscan Missionary in the Tagalog region in 1578 to 1590. This would
also elicit your appreciation on how rich are the Tagalogs’ practices and belief systems. Besides,
this would also give us insights on how Spaniards view these customs during their occupation in
the archipelago.
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this topic, you are expected to:
1. familiarize oneself with the customs of the Tagalogs with the use of a primary source;
and
2. interpret properly Juan de Plasencia’s Customs of the Tagalog through examining the
content and context of the document.

Learning Content:
The authorship plays a pivotal role in putting meaning(s)
to this colonial text. The author, Juan de Plasencia was, in the first
place, not a native but a Franciscan missionary who first arrived in
the Philippines in 1577.
He 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. Notably, de
Plasencia wrote the Doctrina Cristiana, an early book on
catechism and is believed to be the first book ever printed in the
Juan de Plasencia: Philippines and The Customs of the Tagalogs describing the way
https://www.google.com/url?
sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEw
of life of the Tagalogs. Such initiatives were an accustomed
je2rLprfniAhWHMt4KHfZnABIQjRx6BAgB practice of the colonizer during the Age of Discovery to enhance
EAU&url=https%3A%2F
%2Fwww.revolvy.com%2Fpage%2FJuan-
their superiority over the colonized and validity of their so-called
de- duties and legacies to the World. It is a common fact that during
Plasencia&psig=AOvVaw2xXDJAXKuIGkGh
mOPwG3tB&ust=1561164600876825 this era, the Spanish colonizers, spearheaded by missionaries,
drew a wide variety of texts ranging from travel narratives and
accounts of the colony to even sermons (Mapanoo, 2015).
In this particular text, we are not just to look at it as a window of the past but as a mirror
to reflect if the descriptions used by Plasencia really match the customs of the Tagalogs in the
context of the Filipinos, the Tagalogs in particular. We are to critically examine its content and
context validity. Did Plasencia made biases in writing the account? How did he view these
customs that are completely strange of him? Is his account a credible source of our history? etc.
There are at least three major discursive issues that can be extracted from the document,
Customs of the Tagalogs written by Juan de Plasencia in 1589, if we are to put socio-political
context into the text – first, the issue of authorship; second, the discourse of power in colonial
writing; and third, the logic of binarism or the Occident-Other dichotomy. These are interrelated
threads that probably constitute major segments of colonial historical writing in the Philippines.
(Mapanoo, 2015).
Read the excerpt of the Customs of the Tagalog by Juan de Plasencia on Ligan, et.al., (2018).
Readings in the Philippine History. Mutya Publishing House, Inc. Malabon City. pp. 30-34.

Further Readings and Resources:

1. Life and Works of Fray Juan de Plasencia (http://ofmphilarchives.tripod.com/id8.html)
2. Ang Ugali Ng Mga Tagalog ulat ni Juan de Plasencia nuong 1589
(http://www.elaput.com/plas01.htm)

(SAQ) Self-Assessment Questionnaires/

(ASAQ)Answer to Self-Assessment Questionnaires

Scoring Rubrics for Essay

Category Exemplary Superior Satisfactor Unsatisfactor

y y
Knowledge/ Demonstrates Demonstrate Demonstrate Demonstrates
Comprehensio thorough s s limited
n 25% understanding considerable understandin understanding
of topic. understandin g of topic
g of the topic
of the topic.
Content Response Response Response Response is
25% indicates depth indicates lacks focus unclear,
& complexity of simplistic or or illogical or
thought in answering repetitive demonstrates incoherent.
the essay. thoughts in confused or
answering conflicting
the essay thinking.
question.
Quality of Response was Response Response Response had
Writing written in an was written had a little no style or
25% extraordinary style in an style or voice voice.
& voice. interesting
style.
Gives some
Very information & Somewhat new Gives no new
well organized. informative information information &
& organized. but poorly very poorly
organized. organized.
Grammar, Almost no spelling, Few spelling A number of So many
Punctuation & punctuation or & spelling, spelling,
Spelling grammatical errors. punctuation punctuation punctuation &
25% errors, minor or grammatical
grammatical grammatical errors that it
errors. errors. interferes with
the meaning.
Sub Totals
100%

Over-all-
Score 100%

Summary:
The author, Juan de Placencia was, not a native Tagalog but a Spanish friar who first arrived in the
Philippines in 1577 and given a tasked by the king of Spain to record and document the customs
and traditions of the people in the Philippines based on, his own observation and judgments and
wrote the custom of Tagalog to put an end to some injustices being committed against the native
by certain government officials. Custom of Tagalog was one of his writings that tackles about
everyday living of the ancient Filipinos, their social status, customs, traditions and beliefs of the
tagalog. It also provided the first form of Civil Code used by local governors to administer
justice.

References:
Candelaria, et.al. 2018. Readings in the Philippine History. Rex Printing Company, Inc. Manila,
Philippines.
Ligan, et.al., 2018. Readings in the Philippine History. Mutya Publishing House, Inc. Malabon
City.
Torres, J. V.,2018. BATIS: Sources in Philippine History. C&E Publishing, Inc.
http://www.artesdelasfilipinas.com/archives/186/accustomed-othering-in-colonial-writing
http://ofmphilarchives.tripod.com/id8.html
http://www.elaput.com/plas01.htm
https://www.google.com/url?
sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwje2rLprfniAhWHMt4KHfZnABIQjRx6BAgBEAU
&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.revolvy.com%2Fpage%2FJuan-de-
Plasencia&psig=AOvVaw2xXDJAXKuIGkGhmOPwG3tB
CUSTOMS OF TAGALOG
By Juan de Plasencia

GOVERNING SYSTEM LEAD BY DATOS

 Governs only few people between 30-100
 The tribal gathering is called barangay
 They don’t settle far from others
 They are not subject to one another, except friendship and relationship
THE CASTE
Nobles (Maharlika)
 Commoners (Aliping namamahay)
 Slaves (Aliping Saguiguilir)
 If Maharlica marries a slave, the first child goes to the father and so on.
 The children will inherit the status of the parent it belonged.

SLAVES
1. Namamamahay
• Can’t be sold
• Can’t be transferred to other barangay unless by inheritance, provided they
stay in the same village
2. Saguiguilid
• Can be sold

MAHARLICA – no moving from one village to another without complying the

following:
• Fine and gold (depend from barangay to barangay)
• A banquet to the entire barangay
• If they marry from other barangay the children will be divided
• Sentences are passed by the datu
• They condemn a man at low caste who disrespect his daughter or wife of
datu.
• The children of the accomplices are turned to slave

WITCHES - As for the witches, they killed them and their children and accomplices
became slaves of the chief after he had made some recompense to the
injured person. Other offences are punished by fines in gold which not paid with
promptness, exposed the culprit to serve until the payment should be made,
person aggrieved to whom the money was to be paid.
PUNISHMENTS WERE DONE IN THE FOLLOWING WAY:
• Half the cultivated lands and all their products belonged to the master.
 The master will provide the culprit with food and clothing thus enslaving
him and his children.
 The master will have the possession of the children if ever the payment could not be
met by the father.
 Aliping Saguiguilid - service within the house; serve the master to whom
the judgement applied.
 Aliping Namamahay - living independently; served the person who lent them
where with to pay.
LOANS – The same way goes to a debtor
concerning loans wherein he will give half of his
cultivated lands and profits until the debt has
been paid or else he's condemned to a life of
toil and becomes slave. After the father's death,
the children will continue to pay the debt or the
payment will be doubled.
INHERITANCES – Legitimate children of a father
and mother will be inherited equally not unless
the father and mother showed a slight partiality
by gifts such as 2 to 3 taels or a jewel.
DOWRY - should be greater than the sum given
to the other sons.
TWO OR MORE LEGITIMATE WIVES – If one
had children by two or more legitimate wives,
each child will receive the inheritance and the
mother's dowry with its increase and share of
his father's estate.
SLAVE WOMAN – If a man had a son from one
of his slaves as well as legitimate children, the
former will have no share in the inheritance. If
he had a child with a slave woman, that child
will also receive some of his share.
UNMARRIED WOMAN (ISAANAVA) – If ever he
had children by an unmarried woman, she will
still receive a dowry but is not considered as a
real wife and her children are said to be natural
children. If the father has a legitimate wife but
did not have a son but had children to the
unmarried wife called Inaasava, the latter will
inherit all.
FREE MARRIED WOMAN – In case of a child of a
free married woman which was born while she
was married, if the husband punished the
LOANS – The same way goes to a debt or concerning loans wherein he will
give half of his cultivated lands and profits until the debt has been paid or else he's
condemned to a life of toil and becomes slave. After the father's death, the children
will continue to pay the debt or the payment will be doubled.

INHERITANCES – Legitimate children of a father and mother will be inherited equally

not unless the father and mother showed a slight partiality by gifts such as 2 to 3
taels or a jewel.

DOWRY - should be greater than the sum given to the other sons.

TWO OR MORE LEGITIMATE WIVES – If one had children by two or more

legitimate wives, each child will receive the inheritance and the mother's dowry with
its increase and share of his father's estate.
SLAVE WOMAN – If a man had a son from one of his slaves as well as legitimate
children, the former will have no share in the inheritance. Ifhe had a child with a slave
woman, that child will also receive some of his share.
UNMARRIED WOMAN (ISAANAVA) – If ever he had children by an unmarried
woman, she will still receive a dowry but is not considered as areal wife and her
children are said to be natural children. If the father has a legitimate wife but did not
have a son but had children to the unmarried wife called Inaasava, the
latter will inherit all.
FREE MARRIED WOMAN – In case of a child of a free married woman which was
born while she was married, if the husband punished the adulterer and was
considered a dowry, that child will also have a share in the inheritance.

ADOPTED CHILDREN'S INHERITANCE

Dowry:
• Upon divorce before the birth of the children
• Upon the death of the wife/ husband
• Upon engagement
• Arranged marriage

THE WORSHIP OF THE TAGALOGS

• There were no temple for their idols, SIMBAHAN means a place of
adoration; because when they wish to do feast, called PANDOT or WORSHIP in a
large house of chief. There it's constructed to provide shelter, with sheds for on
both sides called SIBI, means roof. On each posts there's a small lamp called
SORIHILE; in the center of three columns divided for people to gather, a large lamp
with leaves of white palms into many designs.
• The use of drums which beats the feast until it ends for usually four days. During
this; the barangay or family unite to worship which they called NAGAANITOS.
• Among their many idols, there was named BATHALA, means signify "all powerful",
or "maker of all things", which they worship the most.
• They also worship the sun, for its beauty. Also they worship the moon,
especially
when it sets to be new.
• Some of them adored the stars, knowing it to be the morning star, which they called
TALA.
• Also, they knew the "seven little goats" [THE PLEIADES], and the change of
season called MAPULON and BALATIK, happens when the GREAT BEAR
[URSA MAJOR].
• They have many idols named LICHA, which comes in many forms. They had
another idol called DIAN MASALANTA, who was the patron of lovers and of the
generations. The called LACAPATI and INDIANALE, patron of cultivation of land
and husbandry.
• Honoring the crocodiles, named BUAYA, fear from being the harmed.
Moreover, they tend to look at omens at what they encounter. For example, a
bird called TIGMAMANUGUIN which sings from the tree, they consider good or bad
omens may come in their journey. They also practice divination as to show
their luck.
• These natives determine time; by cultivation of soil, counted by moons, and
other more effects of the nature: all these helps to make the year. The
winter and summer were named as SUN-TIME and WATER-TIME.
• The years of the advent of the SPANIARDS, seasons were determined by
names, and have been divided into weeks.

FEAST
• Their Manner of offering sacrifice.
• They offer to devil what they had to eat.
• Done in front of the idol.
CATOLONAN – The officiating priest.
• Devil sometimes liable to enter the body of the Catolonan.
• Objects of the sacrifice were goat, fowls and swine.

THE REASON FOR OFFERING THIS SACRIFICE AND ADORATION WAS:

• The recovery of sick person
• The prosperous voyage
• Propitious result in war
• Good harvest
• Successful deliver of childbirth
• Happy outcome in married life
• The girls who had their monthly courses had their eyes blindfolded for four days and
four nights. At the end of the period, the Catolonan took young girls to
the water. The old men said that they did this for girls to have a fortune of finding
their husband.

DISTINCTIONS OF DEVILS ACCORDING TO THE PRIEST

• CATOLONAN – this office was an honourable one among the natives.
• MANGAGAUAY – wishes who deceived by pretending to heal the sick.
 MANYISALAT – had the power of applying remedies to lovers that they
would abandoned and despise their own wife.
• MANCOCOLAM – its duty was to emit fire from himself at night.
• HOCLOBON – without the use of medicine, and by simply saluting or raising the
hand, they killed whom they chose.
• SILAGAN – if they saw anyone in white, they’ll tear out its liver and
eat it, thus causing his death.
• MAGTATANGAL – her purpose was to show herself at night without his
hear or entrails.
• OSUANG – (sorcerer) they say that they have seen him fly, and that he
murdered men and ate their flesh.
• MANGAGAYOMA – they made charms for lovers out of herbs, stones, and wood
which would infuse the heart with love.
• 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.
• PANGATAHOJAN (babaylan) – is the spiritual leader of the tribe in pre-colonial
Philippines. They are also soothsayers, and predicts the future.
• BAYOGUIN – signified a “cotquean,” a man whose nature inclined toward that
of a woman.

MANNER OF BURYING
• The deceased was buried beside his house, and if they were a chief, he was
placed beneath a little house of porch which they constructed for his purpose.
Before entering him, they mourned him for four (4) days, and afterwards,
placed him in a boat which served as a coffin or bier. In place of rowers, various
animals were place at the oar by twos - male and female. It was the slave's care to
see if they were fed.
• If the deceased is a warrior, a living slave was tied beneath his body until it is
wretched way he died. And for many days, the family of the dead man bewailed him.
Until finally they wearied of it.
• The Aetas or Negrillos (Negritos) had also a form of burial, but different. They
dug a deep, perpendicular hole, and placed the decease 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.

SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEFS
• Believes in aswang, dwende, kapre, tikbalang, patyanak/tiyanak.
• They also believes in magical power of amulet and charms such as
anting-anting, kulam and gayuma or love potion.