Controversies and Conflicting Views in
Philippine History:
One Past but Many Histories
LEAH C. CASTRO
Instructor
Together We Will Build Your Future
Four Historical Events
01
The First Mass in the Philippines
02
The Cavite Mutiny
03
The Retraction of Rizal
04 The Cry of Balintawak
These historical events need to be understood carefully to better
contextualize present day Philippine society in terms of culture,
economy and qualities..
Intended Learning Outcomes
01 Analyze and synthesize facts from pri-
mary and secondary sources in recon-
structing and understanding significant
events in Philippine History.
02
Develop critical skills in an-
alyzing primary sources;
Intended Learning Outcomes
03 Present arguments using justifiable
proofs and claims; and
04 Communicate insights effectively for
better understanding of the issues
and concerns being discussed.
SITE OF THE FIRST MASS
First Catholic Mass
It was held at Limasawa, Leyte by Fray
Pedro de Valderrama
It was actually held in Masao in Butuan
according to the findings of the histo-
rian Sonia Zaide.
A marker in front of the Saint James the Great Parish
Church in Bolinao, Pangasinan claims that in 1324, Fray
Odorico Pordenone from Friuli, Italy officiated the first
Catholic Mass in Philippines.
• first Catholic Mass–traditional Latin Mass–in the
Philippines was held Easter Sunday, March 31,
1521 and officiated by Valderrama in Limasawa-
Southern Leyte with improvised altar.
• Valderrama, only priest remaining, was given by
Magellan the task of celebrating said historic
mass. It marked a birth of Roman Catholicism in
our country (and start of Christianity’s spread in
Asia) DbCantilass, 2020.
• Basis of Zaide's claim is the diary of Antonio Pi-
gafetta, chronicler of Magellan's voyage . In
1995 then Congresswoman Ching Plaza of Agu-
san del Norte-Butuan City filed a bill in Con-
gress contesting the Limasawa hypothesis and
asserting the "site of the first mass" was Bu-
tuan.
• In front of the church is a marker stating that the
first Mass on Philippine soil was celebrated in
Bolinao Bay in 1324 by a Franciscan missionary
Blessed Odorico. However, Bl. Odorico being in
the Philippines is highly doubted by scholars.
First Catholic Mass
National Historical Institute
reaffirmed the earlier findings
and pronouncement made un-
der R.A #2733 in 1960, declar-
ing Limasawa as the site of the
first mass.
Evidences: Case Study (Where
did the First Catholic Mass
Take Place in the Philippines?)
Two Primary Sources: Identifying the site
of first mass.
Log kept by Francisco Albo (a pilot
of one Magellan’s ship).
• One of the 18 survivors who re-
turned with Sebastian El Cano on
the ship Victoria.
Evidences: Case Study (Where
did the First Catholic Mass
Take Place in the Philippines?)
Albo’s Account
• The location of Mazava fits the location
of the island of Limasawa, at the south-
ern tip of Leyte, 9degree54’N.
• He does not mention the first Mass4,
but only the planting of the cross upon
the mountain- top from which could be
seen three islands to the west and
southwest, which also fits the sounthern
end of Limasawa.
Evidences: Case Study (Where
did the First Catholic Mass
Take Place in the Philippines?)
Two Primary Sources: Identifying the site
of first mass.
Account by Antonio Pigafetta. Primo
viaggio intorno al mondo (First Voy-
age Around the World).
• Member of the Magellan expedi-
tion and an eyewitness of the
event particularly, of the First
Mass.
Evidences: Case Study (Where
did the First Catholic Mass
Take Place in the Philippines?)
Pigafetta’s Account
• He gave more details on what they did
during their weeklong stay in Mazaua
• Both Albo and Pigafetta’s testimonies
coincide and corroborate each other.
Evidences: Case Study (Where
did the First Catholic Mass
Take Place in the Philippines?)
Analysis on the Primary sources
• . Jesuit Priest Miguel A. Bernad in his
work Butuan or Limasawa: The Site of
the First Mass in the Philippines: A Re-
examination of Evidence (1981).
• Lays an argument that in the Pi-
gafetta account, a crucial aspect of
Butuan was not mentioned-the river.
Evidences: Case Study (Where
did the First Catholic Mass
Take Place in the Philippines?)
Analysis on the Primary sources
• . Butuan is a river settlement, situated on the
Agusan River.
• The beach of Masao is in delta of the said
river.
• It is a curious omission in the account of
the river, which makes part of distinct
characteristics of Butuan’s geography that
seemed to be too important to be missed.
