Readings in Philippine History Module

Course Title: Readings in Philippine History
Learning Module
Learning Module No.
No. 01
01#
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Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

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LEARNING MODULE INFORMATION
I. Course Code RPH 202 / RPH 302
II. Course Title Readings in Philippine History
III. Module Number 01
IV. Overview of the This module discusses the nature and importance of studying
Module history, the pre-colonial Filipino life and the Philippine society
during the Spanish colonial regime.
V. Module Outcomes At the end of this module, you are expected to:
➢ emphasize the complex nature and past experiences
of history,
➢ determine how spiritual beliefs of early Filipinos shape
their daily lives, and
➢ describe how Spanish Colonization shaped the Filipino
Civilizations.
VI. General Instructions You must commit the necessary time to complete the lessons. If
you choose not to complete the lesson using the schedule provided,
please understand that it is your full responsibility to complete them by
the last day of completion. Time is of the essence.
The module is designed to assess student understanding of the
assigned lessons found within the associated content of the prelim,
midterm and final period of the course. The assessment part of the
module is composed of varied types of questions.
You may see true/false, traditional multiple choice, matching,
multiple answer, completion, and/or essay. Pay attention to the
answer to the assessment questions as you move through each
lesson. After each module you will be given a summative test. Your
responses to the assessment parts of the module will be checked and
recorded.
Because the assessment questions are available within the
whole completion period and because you can reference the
answers to the questions within the content modules, we will not
release the answers within modules.
However, your professors are happy to discuss the assessments
with you during their consultation time, should you have any
questions.
You may not work collaboratively. This is an independent work.
Write your answers on the answer sheets to be provided to you by
your instructor or professor. Good luck!

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Lesson 1: Understanding History, Primary and Secondary Sources
Lesson Objectives:
1. Determine the different primary and secondary sources of history.

2. Determine the branches of social science related to history.
Discussion:
History and Its Importance
History pertains to study of the written events significant to a particular society. It came
from the Greek word “historia” which means “to search or look into”. It deals with the
science that describes and examines past events significant for a specific group of people.
Studying history is important for the following reasons:
1. We could determine and understand the contribution of our ancestors in the
foundation of our humanity, origin, and inherent culture. History gives us an overview
of our humanity and society.
2. We could understand the task in the present and future if we study the history. The
events in the past have relation to our present and future. It gives meaning in different
things and events in our society.
3. History can be used to examine and forecast the things in the environment and
society. History can teach us to appreciate culture, love, and respect other people in
the world.
4. History can give us a deeper understanding of different problems and it can offer
solutions to our present and future problems. In the study of the past events, we
discover new ways in studying in solving problems in the present and future.
5. History is an eye opener to understand our culture, language and society. History may
arouse patriotic, humanitarian nature in people.
6. History develops our knowledge about different race of people, culture, place, and
time.
7. The stories of past about people and things in the world we live provide valuable
lessons to us.
8. In studying history, we can learn various ways of studying and researching in the social
sciences. It can help us learn different ways of discovering new knowledge.

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Studying History
The history or story of a society or group of people is rooted from their myths, epics,
folklores, and rituals. It has been transferred from generation to generation. Over a hundred
years ago, study of history is based from different data like documents, coins, seals, pictures,
and sculptures and carved statues.
Examples of Ancient Equipment
In early times, recording history is important to the rulers of government to justify their
works. During that time, laws and agreement became an important basis. Lately, the basis
of data is not only through written documents but also the things that have to do with the
lives of people. Some of these things are their materials, corpse, settlement, plants, picture,
computer text files and environment.
Sources of Historical Data Because of numerous sources of data, it is

a difficult task for the historian to scrutinize and
properly choose which of these are valid. This is
the reason why they need to clarify properly. In
studying history, we need to document and
examine the framework properly; it should
consider the relation of documents and events
due to multifaceted past events. The important
data should be connected and understandable
to become more relevant and realistic from its
interpretation.

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The study of history as a discipline or a science has its advancement during 1900.
During those years, scientists forcedly separated the good data from the documents from
its interpretation. Today, scientists believe that it is impossible to do because the description
of the past events used by the historian comes from his/her own understanding and
imagination that is scrutinized and connected to the different data collected. The experts
who studied the different branches of social sciences greatly helps to prove that the data
are genuine. It enlightens and guides us to examine, give meaning and interpretation from
the collected data.
Branches of Social Sciences
The table below summarizes the branches of social sciences that are useful in
studying history:

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Classification of Historical Sources
The historian’s most important research tools are historical sources. In general, historical
sources can be classified as primary and secondary sources. Historical sources can be
classified according to the historical subject being studied.
Primary Sources
Primary sources are usually defined as first-hand information or data generated from
actual witnesses or participants in past events. These are also sources produced at same
time as the event, period, or subject being studied. These materials are often located in the
Special Collections of a library, rather than in the general collection. Primary sources are
characterized not by their format but rather by the information they convey and their
relationship to the research question. They include letters, diaries, journals, newspapers,
photographs, and other immediate accounts. The interpretation and evaluation of these
sources becomes the basis for research.
If a historian wishes to study the Commonwealth Constitution Convention of 1935, his
primary resources can include the minutes of the convention, newspaper clipping,
Philippine Commission reports of the U.S Commissioners, records of the convention, the draft
of the constitution, and even photographs of the events. The same goes with other subjects
of historical study. Archival documents, artifacts, memorabilia, letters, census, and
government record, among others are the most common examples of primary resources.
Philippine Artifact

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Historical Event
Secondary Sources
Secondary sources are those sources which were produced by an author who used primary
sources to produce the material. In other words, secondary sources are historical sources, which
studied a certain historical subject. For example, in studying the Philippine Revolution of 1896,
students can read Teodoro Agoncillo’s Revolt of Masses: The Story of Bonifacio and the Katipunan
published originally in 1956.
The Revolt of the Masses by Teodoro Agoncillo

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Both primary and secondary sources are useful in writing and learning history. However,
historians and students of history need to thoroughly scrutinize these historical sources to avoid
deception and to come up with the historical truth. The historian should be able to conduct an
external and internal criticism of the sources especially primary resources which can age in
centuries.
Criticism of Historical Sources
Historical evidence is derived from historical sources by the process of criticism which
is of two types – external and internal criticism.
External Criticism
External criticism, also called lower criticism, is the practice of verifying the
authenticity of evidence by examining its physical characteristics; consistency with the
historical characteristics of the time when it was produced: and materials used for
evidence. It is concerned with form and appearance and more particularly to question of
authorship and textual circumstances such as time, place and purpose.
External criticism applies "science to a document." It involves such physical and
technical tests as dating of paper a document is written on, but it also involves a
knowledge of when certain things existed or were possible, e.g., when zip codes were
invented.
Internal Criticism
Internal criticism or higher criticism is concerned with the examination of the honesty
of the proof. It takes a look at the substance of the source and analyzes the condition of its
generation. It is also concerned with the honesty and factuality of the confirmation by
taking into consideration the creator of the source, its unique situation, the motivation
behind its creation, the information which educated it, and its planned reason among
others
Inner feedback searches inside the information itself to endeavor to decide truth-
realities and "sensible" understanding. It incorporates taking a glimpse at the evident or
conceivable thought processes of the individual giving the information.

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Application:
Explain and give the concept of history as a key part of perspective historical inquiry. (10pts)
Scoring Rubric
8-10 The response indicates that the student has a complete understanding of the
points reading concept embodied in the task. The student has provided a response
that is accurate, complete and fulfills all the requirements of the task. Necessary
support and /or examples are included and information given is clear.
7-4 The response indicates that the student has a partial understanding of the
points reading concept embodied in the task. The student has provided a response
that includes information that essentially correct and text-based, but the
information is too general or too simplistic. Some of the support examples may
be ort and/or incomplete or omitted.
1-3 The response indicates that the student does not demonstrate an understanding
points of the reading concept embodied in the task. The student has provided a
response that is inaccurate; the response has an insufficient amount of
information to determine the student’s understanding of the task.
0- No answer at all.
points
Summary of the Lesson:

History is a continuing process and written in chronological order of events and its
importance to our society. It also the study of past events leading up to the present day.
Studying history is really important especially in the Philippines setting. One of the reasons
why we need to study is to understand the contribution of our ancestors in the foundation
of our humanity, origin and inherent culture. The branches of social sciences could help
studying history and it helps us to learn different ways of discovering new knowledge.
The historian’s most important tools are historical sources. In general, historical can be
classified between primary and secondary sources. The classification of sources between
those two categories depends on historical subject being studied.
Assessment:
A. Identify the term being defined or described. (15 points)
1. This is the study of mind and behavior in relation to particular field of knowledge or
activity.
2. It is concerned with study of society and human behavior and relationship.
3.The branch of science that deals with the identification of substance of which matter is
composed.

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4.The science of life and living organisms.

5. The pre-Hispanic Philippine writing system that originated from the Javanese script Old
Kiwi.
6. It involves analysis, synthesis, interpretation and evaluation of primary source.
7. The study of places and the relationships between people and their environments.
8. The science of humanity, which studies of human beings in aspects ranging from the
biology and evolution.
9. The document or physical object which was written during the time under study.
10. This refers to the authenticity of document.
11. The process wherein researchers determine if the content is accurate.
12. The scientific study of language which includes sounds and gesture.
13. The branch of knowledge concerned with the production, consumption and transfer of
wealth.
14. This branch of science studies how people interact with each other, behave and
develop as a culture and influence the world.
15. The bodies of knowledge about the past produced by historians, together with
everything that involved in the production, communication of and teaching about the
knowledge.
B. What Source? Read the following paragraphs and identify whether the sources discussed
are PRIMARY or SECONDARY sources. (15 pts)
1. Jose was exploring the library in his new school in Manila. He wanted to study the history of
Calamba, Laguna during the 19th century. In one of the books, he saw an old photograph of
a woman standing in front of an old church, clipped among the pages. At the back of the
photo was a fine inscription that says: “Kalamba, 19 de Junio 1861.”
2. Andres was assigned to create a documentary featuring the struggles of war veterans
caught in the Death March during the World War 2 in San Fernando, Pampanga. One of the
sources that he’ll be having are the actual experiences of surviving victims of the said event.
3. Virgilio Apolonio, a new Araling Panlipunan teacher in a small school in Tagkawayan,
Quezon, will be teaching the life of the fallen General Antonio Luna after watching the
known 2015 biopic of the said hero directed by Jerrold Tarog . To know better the subject, he
studied the book as suggested by Prof. MIchael Chua entitled Rise and Fall of General Luna
by Vicencio Jose, 1972.

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Enrichment Activity:
From the lesson we have discussed in this module, list primary sources that can be used in the
writing of your life history. Create an example and explain how it qualifies as a primary
source. (20 pts)
Scoring Rubric Point Distribution

Excellent- Complete response with detailed explanation 5 10 20
Very Good- Good solid response with clear explanation 4 8 16
Good- Explanation is unclear 3 6 12
Fair - Lacking key points 2 4 8
Poor- Shows lack of understanding 1 2 4
No answer 0 0 0
Suggested Links
✓ https://www.slideshare.net/myboyfriend10/external-and-internal-criticisms
✓ http://vccslitonline.vccs.edu/mrcte/intextcr.htm
References/Attributions:
✓ Antonio, Eleonor D., Dallo, Evangeline M. at et al...; 2010; Kayamanan (Kasaysayan ng Pilipinas);
Sampaloc, Manila; Rex Book Store, Inc.
✓ Agoncillo, Teodoro A.; 2010; Philippine History; South Triangle, Quezon City; C & E Publishing, Inc.
✓ Antonio, Eleonor D., Dallo, Evangeline M. at et al... ; 2010; Kayamanan (kasaysayan ng Pilipinas);
Sampaloc, Manila; Rex Book Store, Inc.
✓ Agoncillo, Teodoro A.; 2010; Philippine History; South Triangle, Quezon City; C & E Publishing, Inc.
✓ Candelaria, John Lee P., Alporha, Veronica C.: Reading in Philippine History; Sampaloc Manila: REX
Book Store, Inc.

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Lesson 2: Spiritual Beliefs of Early Filipinos & Early Philippine Society and Culture
Lesson Objectives:
1. Discuss the social and cultural system of the early Philippine society.
2. Compare the pre-Spanish Filipino society to the different timelines of the Philippine
History.
Spiritual Beliefs of Early Filipinos
The spiritual beliefs of ancient Filipinos can be gleaned from the

writings of Spanish conquistadores, historians, and missionaries. At the
time of colonization, the population of the Philippines was estimated to
be 700,000 based on the census of tributes implemented by Governor
Gomez Perez Dasmariñas whose term of office only lasted three years
from 1590-1593.
According to Fr. Pedro Chirino, Antonio de Morga and other

Spanish writers, the ancient Filipino believed in a supreme being
called Bathala, the creator of heaven and earth, and all living things.
Under this all-powerful god was a pantheon of lesser gods like the Visayan
goddess of harvest and fire Lalahort; the Bagobo god of war
Darago, and Apolaki, the Pangasinan god of war.
Pre-Spanish Filipinos also worshipped the spirits of their ancestors
called anitos. They carved wooden or stone idols to represent their gods
and anitos, which they kept in their homes and propitiated with food,
animals and other sacrifices to bring about success in war, a bountiful harvest, or a happy
marriage. However, not all anitos were benevolent. Bad anitos existed in the shapes of the
spirits of dead tribal enemies.
In A Short History of the Philippines, the Filipino historian Nicolas Zafra states:
“Besides the Supreme God, there were lesser gods or spirits. They were called anitos. There was an anito
of the forests and mountains. They prayed to him whenever they went out to those places to hunt or get
timber. There was an anito of the planted field who they invoked for good harvest. There was an anito
of the seas. They prayed to him for good luck in their fishing expeditions and in their voyages. There was
an anito of the house, too. They invoked him when someone was sick or when a child was born.”
Concerning the religious beliefs of early Filipinos another Filipino historian, Gregorio Zaide, in
his book History of the Filipino People, notes:
“During pre-Spanish times our people were either Muslims or Pagans. The Muslims were the “Moros” of
Mindanao and Sulu, Mindoro, and Manila Bay region. It should be remembered that at the time of the

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arrival of the Spaniards, Manila and Tondo were Islamic kingdoms. Being superstitious, they read omens
in the appearance of crows, crocodiles, and birds. Comets they believed to be a harbinger of bad luck
like famine, epidemic, or war. Likewise, the howling of a dog or the falling of a tree at night was an
omen of death. Sneezing before the start of a journey also foretold death or an accident along the
way.
Many of the superstitious beliefs of our forefathers still remain to the present day. Among them
are the following: (1) when a young girl sings before a stove, she will marry an old widower; (2) when a
hen cackles at midnight, an unmarried woman is giving birth to a child; (3) when a pregnant woman
cuts off her hair, she will give birth to a hairless baby; (4) when a cat wipes its face, a visitor is coming to
the house; and (5) when a person dreams that one of his teeth falls out, somebody in the family will die.
The pagan priests and priestesses were called katalonas and babaylanas, respectively. They officiated
in ritual sacrifices, aside from serving as physicians, soothsayers and prophets. The highest priest, akin to
a bishop, was called a sonat. It was he who appointed the priests and priestesses. The sacrificial ritual
was performed either inside or outside the house, and usually ended in feasting and merry-making.
Our ancestor subscribed to the concept of life after death. They believed that each individual
has an immortal soul that travels to the other world. The souls of good and brave men go to a heaven
called Kalualhatian, whereas the souls of evil men are flung into a hell known as Kasamaan.
To prepare the dead for his journey to the underworld, his relatives placed food, wine, gold,
weapons, and other personal effects and provisions in his grave. When a datu died, his slaves were
killed and buried with him, to serve his needs in the afterlife. In terms of burial practices, the corpse was
embalmed, placed in a coffin made of hard wood or a burial jar, and eventually buried in a grave or a
cave.
Miguel de Loarca, a conquistador, gives a graphic description of the supernatural beliefs and
religious practices of ancient Filipinos in Relacion de las Yslas Filipinas, a treatise on the Philippine islands
that was published in Arevalo, Spain, in June 1582. Fr. Juan de Plasencia, a Franciscan missionary who
came to the Philippines in 1577, also dwelt on the same matter extensively in Dos Relaciones, which saw
printing in 1589.”
Miguel de Loarca reports, regarding the belief of ancient Filipinos in the destiny of souls:
“They say that there is in the sky another god called Sidapa. This god possesses a very tall tree on
mount Mayas. There he measures the lives of all the newborn, and places a mark on the tree; when the
person’s stature equals this mark, he dies immediately.
It is believed that at death all souls go directly to the infernal regions but that, by means of the
manganitos, which are the sacrifices and offerings made to the god Pandaque in sight of the mount of
Mayas, they are redeemed from Simuran and Siguinarugan, gods of the lower regions.
It is said that, when the Yligueynes die, the god Maguayen carries them to inferno. When he has
carried them thither in his barangay, Sumpoy, another god, sallies forth, takes them away, and leads
them to Sisiburanen, the god mentioned before, who keeps them all. Good or bad alike, he takes them
all on equal terms, when they go to inferno. But the poor, who have no one to offer sacrifices for them,
remain forever, in the inferno, and the god of those regions eats them, or keeps them forever in prison.
From this it will be seen how little their being good or bad avails them, and how much reason they have
to hate poverty.”

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The occult ritual performed by babaylanas, Loarca vividly depicts:

“The priestesses dress very gaily, with garlands on their heads, and are resplendent with gold.
They bring to the place of sacrifice some pitarrillas (a kind of earthen jar) full of rice-wine, beside a live
hog and a quantity of prepared food. Then the priestess chants her songs and invokes the demon that
appears to her all glistening in gold. Then he enters her body and hurls her to the ground, foaming at
the mouth as one possessed. In this state she declares whether the sick person is to recover or not.
In regard to other matters, she foretells the future. All this takes place to the sound of bells and
kettledrums. Then she rises and taking a spear, she pierces the heart of the hog. They dress it and
prepare a dish for the demons. Upon an altar erected there, they place the dressed hog, rice, bananas,
wine, and all the other articles of food that they have brought. All this is done in behalf of sick persons,
or to redeem those who are confined in the infernal regions.”
It appears that witchcraft was a common practice among ancient Filipinos, as Loarca
describes with interest:
“In this land are sorcerers and witches–although there are also good physicians, who cure
diseases with medicinal herbs; especially they have a remedy for every kind of poison, for there are
most wonderful antidotal herbs. The natives of the islands are very superstitious, consequently, no native
will embark on any voyage in a vessel on which there may be a goat or a monkey, for they say that
they will surely be wrecked. They have a thousand omens of this sort.
For a few years past they have had among them one form of witchcraft that was invented by
the natives of Ybalon after the Spaniards had come here. This is the invocation of certain demons which
they call Naguined Arapayan and Macburubac. To these they offer sacrifices, consisting of coconut oil
and a crocodile’s tooth; and while they make these offerings, they invoke the demons. This oil they sell
to one another; and even when they sell it, they offer sacrifices and invoke the demon, beseeching him
that the power that he possesses may be transferred to the buyer of the oil.
They claim that the simple declaration that one will die within a certain time is sufficient to make
him die immediately at that time, unless they save him with another oil, which counteracts the former.
This witchery has done a great deal of harm among the Pintados, because the demon plays tricks on
them. The religious have tried to remedy this evil, by taking away from them the oil and chastising
them.”
Loarca also mentions a form of divination or fortune telling used by pre-Spanish Filipinos:
“These natives have a method of casting lots with the teeth of a crocodile or of a wild boar.
During the ceremony they invoke their gods and their ancestors, and inquire of them as to the result of
their wars and their journeys. By knots or loops, which they make with cords, they foretell what will
happen to them: and they resort to these practices for everything that they have to undertake.
Native beliefs concerning death are also included in Loarca’s writings. For example, pre-Spanish
Filipinos believed that those who are stabbed to death, eaten by crocodiles, or killed by arrows climb
on a rainbow to heaven and evolve into gods. Those who die by drowning are most unlucky. Their souls
are trapped in a watery grave forever. Those who die young are believed to be the victims of goblins
called mangalos who eat their bowels. For those who die in their old age, the wind comes and snatches
their souls.
When someone dies, his relatives’ light torches near his house. At night armed guards are posted
around the coffin to prevent sorcerers from touching it, for fear that it would burst open and a terrible
stench will issue from the corpse. When their father or mother dies, the children of adult age mourn by

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fasting and are forbidden to eat rice until they succeed in seizing a captive in battle. Occasionally, a
man, after a relative’s death, vows to eat nothing and eventually dies of hunger.”
Fr. Juan de Plasencia takes into account that the pre-Spanish Filipinos had a rudimentary
knowledge of astronomy and were staunch believers in omens:
“Some of them also adored the stars, although they did not know them by their names, as the
Spaniards and other nations know the planets–with one exception of the morning star, which they
called Tala. They knew too, the “seven little goats” (the Pleiades)–as we call them–and, consequently,
the change of seasons, which they call Mapolom and Balatic, which is our Greater Bear.
They were, moreover, very liable to find auguries in things they witnessed. 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 one case
it was considered as an evil omen; in the other, as a good omen, and then they, continue their journey.
They also practiced divination, to see whether weapons, such as a dagger or knife, were to be useful
and lucky for their possessor whenever occasion should offer.”
Judging pre-Spanish Filipinos through the eyes of a Christian, Fr. Plasencia categorically
branded all types of pagan practices as devil worship and divided their practitioners into
twelve categories:
“The distinctions made among the priests of the devil were as follows: The first, called katolonan,
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.
The second they called mangagauay or 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 substitute.
The third they called manyisalat, which is the same as mangagauay. 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. This office was also general throughout the land.
The fourth was called 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 that 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. This office was general.
The fifth was called hocloban, which 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. This was in Catanduanes, an island off the upper part of
Luzon.

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The sixth was called silagan, 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 Calavan, they tore out in this way through the anus all the intestine of
a Spanish notary, who was buried in Calilaya by father Fray de Merida.
The seventh was called magtatangal, and his purpose was to show himself at night to many
persons, without his head or entrails, in such way 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 me 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.
The eighth they called 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 Island: among the
Tagalogs these did not exist.
The ninth was another class of witches called mangagayoma. They made charms for lovers out
of herbs, stones, and wood, which would infuse the heart with love. Thus, did they deceive the people,
although sometimes, through devils, they gained their ends.
The tenth was known as sonat, which is equivalent to, “preacher.” It was his duty to help one to
die, at which time he predicted the salvation or condemnation of the soul. It was not lawful for the
function of this office to be fulfilled by others than people of high standing, on account of the esteem in
which it was held. This office was general throughout the islands.
The eleventh, pangatahojan, was a soothsayer, and predicted the future. This office was
general in all the islands.
The twelfth, bayoguim, signified a cotquean, a man whose nature inclined toward that of a
woman.”
In Myths and Symbols Philippines, Fr. F.R. Demetrio, S.J., describes a kind of psychic initiation
ancient Filipino priestesses underwent before assuming their sacred roles:
“We have it on reliable sources that shortly after the coming of Christianity (Alcina 1668), the call
to the office of bailana or daetan (priestess) among the Bisayans began precisely with this madness,
or tiaw that the candidate underwent.”
Alzina has interesting stories telling of just this fact:

“The future bailanas were wont to be lost for quite some time. They were said to be brought into
the forest by the spirits. When finally found, they were seen sitting absentmindedly among the high
branches of trees, or seated under a tree, especially the balete.
Sometimes, too, these people were found stark naked, with disheveled hair, possessed with a
strength beyond the ordinary. Invariably they appeared to have forgotten their former selves. A power
that they were powerless to shake off had them under its total dominance. Only after these people had
been cured of their initial illness, did they begin to function as bailanas. This function made them the
specialists of the sacred in the community.”
In the aforementioned book, Fr. Demetrio recreates the belief of ancient Filipinos
regarding the nature of the soul, based on the observations of Don Isabelo de los Reyes in La
Antigua Religion de la Filipinas. To quote the Jesuit scholar: Juxtaposing the description of
Edward Taylor with passages from De los Reyes in Religion Antigua these points are clear:

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1. That the spirits of the dead of the early Filipinos was incorporeal but possessed of an
aerial body which resembled its corporeal owner, and appeared like a smoke or
shadow, for the souls are in the form of smoke or shadow; and though unseen, they
are audible.
2. The spirit independently of its corporeal owner possesses personal consciousness,
volition and love for its living relatives whom it visits either on the third or ninth day after
death, and for this purpose the windows of the house of the bereaved are always
open, the entrances are spread with ashes for the spirit to leave its imprint on them.
3. Though impalpable and invisible, still it manifests physical power in the noises it makes
to make its presence felt. The spirits can lure the spirits of the living to lose their spirits
and become insane.
4. That the spirit of the dead can incarnate itself in animals. Over three centuries of
Spanish colonization and Christianization wrought their impact in reshaping the
supernatural beliefs of Filipinos. From the ancient worship of Bathala, most Filipinos
have shifted their faith to Jesus Christ. From venerating diwatas or mountain
goddesses, many Filipinos have become devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary. And from
wearing charms, local believers have switched to scapulars and religious medals. Yet
somehow the supernatural beliefs and practices of their ancestors still exert a major
influence in the daily lives of modern Filipinos. This is evident in the many rituals of folk
Catholicism that bear a strong resemblance to their pagan counterparts. This is
apparent in many Filipinos of today who still wear charms and amulets, and regularly
consult mediums, faith healers and even witches. Most of all, this conclusion is
reinforced by the groundswell of local cults that espouse a happy blend of Christian
and pagan beliefs, if not a complete return to the supernatural tradition of their
ancestors.
Early Philippine Society and Culture

The cultural achievements of pre-colonial Philippines include those covered by
prehistory and early history of the Philippines archipelago and its inhabitants, which are the
indigenous forebears of today's Filipino people.
These early Filipinos possessed a culture and technology that were quite advanced
considering the timeline of history of science when it flourished. Waves of migrants who
came to settle in the islands contributed to the development of ancient Philippine
civilization. Prehistoric aborigines, a cross of Afro-Asiatic and Austro-Aborigines, now called
Negritos (Aeta, Agta, Ayta) reached the islands by way of land bridges around 15,000 to
30,000 BC, and they were excellent hunters and food gatherers. In its midst, other ancient
civilizations were also thriving and evolving. The Proto-Malays, a Mongol-Asiatic race,

16
arrived around 2500 BC using oceanic vessels called balangays, and they brought with
them their knowledge in seafaring, farming, building of houses from trees and creation of
fire for cooking. The next to arrive were the Duetero-Malays, of India-Asiatic race (Indian,
Chinese, Siamese, Arabic), that prevailed with a more superior and advanced culture. They
possessed their own systems of writing, knowledge and skills in agriculture, metallurgy,
jewelry-making as well as boat-building. When the Spaniards came to the islands in the 15th
century, industries such as mining, agriculture, fishing and pottery were already in place
and contacts with other Asian nations had been long established.
Peopling of the Pre-Colonial Philippines

The Negritos were early settlers but their appearance in the
Philippines has not been reliably dated; and they were followed by
speakers of the Malayo-Polynesian languages, a branch of the
Austronesian languages, who began to arrive in successive waves
beginning about 4000 B.C.E, displacing the earlier arrivals.
By 1000 B.C. the inhabitants of the Philippine archipelago
had developed into four distinct kinds of peoples: tribal groups,
such as the Aetas, Hanunoo, Ilongots and the Mangyan who
depended on hunter-gathering and were concentrated in forests;
warrior societies, such as the Isneg and Kalingas who practiced social ranking and ritualized
warfare and roamed the plains; the petty plutocracy of the Ifugao Cordillera Highlanders,
who occupied the mountain ranges of Luzon; and the harbor principalities of the estuarine
civilizations that grew along rivers and seashores while participating in trans-island maritime
trade.
Pre- Colonial Culture
During the early period thousand years ago, the early

Filipinos were composed of different groups that came from
different part of Asia. With different groups they form their own
community, system of education and religious belief.
They group into different communities composed of 50 to
2,000 individuals and they construct their shelters in different
areas according to their lifestyle and source of living. Usually,
they were situated along the seashores, streams, rivers, forests,
fertile land areas and even in caves.
In water areas they look for fish, shells and pearls as their
source of living. They also used boat and craft as there means of

17
transportation for an easier travel and carrying their goods for trade from one place to
another. For those people located in land areas they cultivate the land and plant rice,
bananas and crops. After the harvest they no longer use the area indeed they just move to
another place with less grass and fine soil and abundant of trees where they can start
farming again. Perhaps this gives an idea that the Philippines is very rich of resources for a
bountiful living.
These spirits are said to be the anito or diwata that they

believed to be good and bad. The good spirits were considered
as their relatives and the bad were believed to be their enemies.
Some worship specific deities like Bathala a supreme god for the
Tagalog, Laon or Abba for the Visayan, Ikasi of Zambal,
Gugurang for the people of Bicol and Kabunian of Ilocano and
Ifugao. Aside from those supreme deities they also worship other
gods like Idialao as god of farming, Lalaon of harvest, Balangay
god of rainbow and Sidapa god of death.
Others also worship the moon, stars, caves, mountains,
rivers, plants and trees. Some creatures are being worship too like
the bird, crow, tortoise, crocodile and other things they believed
has value and connected to their lives.
The variation of animistic practices occurs in different ethnic groups. Magic, chants
and prayers are often key features. Its practitioners were highly respected (and some
feared) in the community, as they were healers, midwife (hilot), shamans, witches and
warlocks (mangkukulam), babaylans, tribal historians and wizened elders that provided the
spiritual and traditional life of the community. In the Visayas region there is a belief of
witchcraft (kulam) and mythical creatures like aswang, Nuno sa Punso and other mythical
creatures.
Pre- Colonial Clothing
During this pre-colonial era historians have found out that the “Barong Tagalog”
(dress of the Tagalog) already existed. The earliest Baro or Baro ng Tagalog was worn by the
natives of Ma-I (the Philippines name before) just before they were colonized by the
Spaniards.

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The men wore a sleeve-doublet made of Canga (rough

cotton) that reached slightly below the waist. It is collarless
with a front opening. Their loins were covered with a pane
that hung between the legs and mid-thigh. The women also
wore a sleeve dress but shorter than the men. They also wear
a pane attached to the waist and reaching to the feet
accented by a colorful belt. The materials used for their dress
is of fine line or Indian Muslin.
The Visayan men wore a jacket with a Moorish style rob,

that reach down their feet and was embroidered in beautiful
colors. Tagalog and Visayan men bound their temples and forehead with a “putong” (a
narrow strips of cloth). They also wore gold jewelry and other accessories to beautify their
bodies.
Pre- Colonial Writing Systems

During the early period almost everyone in the society-male or female knows how to
read and write. They have their own method of writing which they use sharp-pointed tools,
leaves, bamboo and trunk’s skin. They write from top to bottom and read it from left to right.
The first Visayan, Tagalog, Ilocano and some ethic groups have their own dialect and
form of writing too. They have an alphabet composed of 17 letters; 3 of which are vowels
and 14 are consonants. The Muslims have also their own system basing on their dialect. This
is called kirim of Maranao and jiwi of the Tausug, which they are still using until this day.
Abugida: Pre- Colonial method of Handwriting (Baybayin)

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Pre- Colonial Form of Government
Before the Spaniards came into the Philippines there were

existing culture of the Filipinos which were not distinguished by
most of the Filipinos especially for the new born Filipino citizens.
The Filipinos lived in settlements called barangays before the
colonization of the Philippines by the Spaniards. As the unit of
government, a barangay consisted from 30 to 100 families. It
was headed by a datu and was independent from the other
group.
Usually, several barangays settled near each other to
help one another in case of war or any emergency. The position
of datu was passed on by the holder of the position to the
eldest son or, if none, the eldest daughter. However, later, any
member of the barangay could be chieftain, based on his talent and ability. He had the
usual responsibilities of leading and protecting the members of his barangay. In turn, they
had to pay tribute to the datu, help him till the land, and help him fight for the barangay in
case of war. In the old days, a datu had a council of elders to advise him, especially
whenever he wanted a law to be enacted. The law was written and announced to the
whole barangay by a town crier, called the umalohokan.
Social Classes
Before the coming of Spanish colonizers, the people

of the Philippine archipelago had already attained a semi-
communal and semis-lave social system in many parts and
also a feudal system in certain parts, especially in
Mindanao and Sulu, where such a feudal faith as Islam had
already taken roots. The Aetas had the lowest form of
social organization, which was primitive communal.
The barangay was the typical community in the
whole archipelago. It was the basic political and
economic unit independent of similar others. Each
embraced a few hundreds of people and a small territory.
Each was headed by a chieftain called the rajah or datu.
The social structure comprised a petty nobility, the ruling class which had started to
accumulate land that it owned privately or administered in the name of the clan or

20
community; an intermediate class of freemen called the maharlikas who had enough land
for their livelihood or who rendered special service to the rulers and who did not have to
work in the fields; and the ruled classes that included the timawas, the serfs who shared the
crops with the petty nobility, and also the slaves and semi-slaves who worked without having
any definite share in the harvest. There were two kinds of slaves then: those who had their
own quarters, the aliping namamahay, and those who lived in their master's house, the
aliping sagigilid. One acquired the status of a serf or a slave by inheritance, failure to pay
debts and tribute, commission of crimes and captivity in wars between barangays.
Application:
When did the belief in God of ancient Filipinos begin? Cite an example and explain. (10 pts)
Scoring Rubric
CRITERIA 10-8 7-5 4-2 1
Focus and There is one clear. There is one clear, There is one The topic and main ideas are
Details Well-focused well focused clear topic not clear
topic. Main ideas topic. Main ideas idea.
are clear but are are clear but not
not well well supported by
supported by. detailed
detailed information.
information
Sentence All sentences are Most of the Most are well Sentenced sound awkward, or
structure well constructed sentence are well constructed are difficult to understand. The
and Spelling and have varied constructed and but they similar student makes numerous errors
structure and have varied structure and in grammar and spelling that
length. The structure and length. The interfere with understanding,
students make no length. The student makes
errors in grammar student makes several errors in
and spelling. few errors in grammar.
grammar and
spelling but do
not interfere with
understanding,

21
Summary:
Contrary to colonial perception, early Filipinos already had their own rich and complex
spiritual traditions before the Spanish colonization in the late sixteenth century. These spiritual
traditions and forms of worship varied throughout the archipelago due to cultural, social,
economic, geographical, and linguistic differences. In the pre-colonial period, women were
empowered members of the community. These were manifested in the existence of highly
revered positions held by women as the local priestesses of the barangay. They were called
Katalonans in Luzon and Babaylans/Bailanas in Visayas.
Different accounts demonstrate contrasting perspectives. The religious (e.g., friars)

may portray early Filipinos' beliefs as pagan and devilish while laymen such as Loarca and
Morga can be more objective in their observations. Meanwhile, myths of the natives (e.g.,
Ilonggo) can be seen as a reflection of their society, identity, and worldview.
Assessment:
A. True/False. Indicate whether the following statements are true or false.
1. The Pre-Colonial period was characterized by shared lifestyle, values and belief
system.
2. Women were regarded highly during the Pre-Colonial period.
3. Trading among neighbors was limited to Southeast Asian region during this period.
4. The sultanate government adhered to Islamic practices and tradition during Pre -
Colonial period.
5. The Philippines was already a single political unit during the Pre- Colonial period.
6. The trial ordeal as judicial system was test of faith of the accused instead of evidence.
7. A monarchial system of government was already established before the arrival of
Western Colonizers.
8. Our limited knowledge of our Pre -Colonial past was due to the absence of a system of
writing.
9. The Timawa was the lowest social class during Pre -Colonial period.
10. Gold artifacts dating to 10th century AD strengthens our claim that we had a rich and
sophisticated culture.

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B. Matching Type. Match the items in column A with those in column B. Write only the letter
of your answer.
Column A Column B
1. The supreme God of Tagalog. A. Aliping Namamahay
2.The lowest form of social organization which was primitive. B. Timawa
3.The typical community in whole archipelago. C. Aetas
4. The native house of our indigenous countrymen and were D. Barangay
utilized since the Pre-Hispanic era
5.The chieftain of the Barangay. E. Balangay
6. The law was written and announced to the whole Barangay by F. Lalahort
a town crier.
7. The god of harvest in Visayan G.Bathala
8. The God of Rainbow. H. Umalohokan
9. Slaves who own houses and served their masters by paying I. Datu
tribute on their fields were the commoners and serfs.
10. Primarily a feudal warrior class and required to provide military J. Bahay Kubo
service to the Datu.
C. Enumeration. Provide the characteristics of Aliping Namamahay

1.__________________________________________________________________
2._________________________________________________________________
3._________________________________________________________________
4._________________________________________________________________
5._________________________________________________________________
Enrichment Activity:
Discuss briefly your own spiritual beliefs and explain how these are important in your
everyday life. (10 points. Scoring rubric used in the Application will be used).

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Suggested Link/s:
✓ Fojas, Felix. The Supernatural Beliefs of Early Filipinos, 2012,
https://felixfojas.wordpress.com/2012/10/13/the-supernatural-beliefs-of-pre-spanish-
filipinos-by-felix-fojas/
✓ Barrows, David P. A History of the Philippines. World Book Company, Yonkers-On-
Hudson, New York. 1914. pp. 88-107
✓ Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas by Antonio Morga
✓ Relacion de las Islas Filipinas by Miguel de Loarca
✓ Relacion de las islas Filipinas by Padre Chirino
Lesson 3: The Philippines as a Spanish Colony
Lesson Objectives:
1. Enumerate the influences brought by the Spaniards to Filipino life.

2. Identify Spanish Colonial Institutions that are still existing at present.
Filipino Catholicism
Perhaps the most notable influence of the Spaniards to the Filipino culture is Christianity.
Today, there are more than 600,000 churches in the Philippines. These churches cater to
about 93% of the current population of the Philippines – the Christian population. In fact, the
Philippines is now the 5th largest Christian country in the world. Some of the oldest Catholic
Churches in the Philippines are:
• Manila Cathedral- Located within the walls of Intramuros, the Manila Cathedral serves
as the residence of the Archbishop of Manila.

24
Manila Cathedral
• San Agustin Church- Also located within the walls of Intramuros, San Agustin Church is
the oldest-standing church in the Philippines, having been completed in 1607.
San Agustin Church
Manila Cathedral
• Barasoain Church. Named as the Cradle of Democracy in the East, is among the most
important churches in the history of the Philippines. It served as the venue for three
historic events in the Philippine history: the convention of First Philippine Congress, the

25
drafting of the Malolos Constitution, and the inauguration of the First Philippine
Republic.
Barasoain Church
Practices
Along with Catholicism came Catholic practices necessary in establishing faith in Christ.
These include the Seven Sacraments namely:
▪ Baptism
▪ Holy Communion
▪ Reconciliation
▪ Confirmation
▪ Marriage
▪ Holy Orders
▪ Anointing of the Sick
Catholicism is also responsible for the numerous festivals celebrated in the Philippines, usually
depicting the religiosity of the Filipino people. Famous religious festivals include:
The Sinulog festival, held every third

Sunday of January, commemorates the
acceptance of Christianity by the Filipino
people. It is dedicated to Sr. Sto. Niño de
Cebu, a statue of whom was given by
Ferdinand Magellan to the wife of Rajah
Humabon upon her baptism.

26
The Feast of the Black Nazarene is

attended by millions of devotees around
the world every 9th of January, in honor
of the miraculous statue of Jesus Christ
that survived a fire without being
deformed in any way.
Aside from religious practices, the Spanish colonization brought day-to-day practices that
were eventually became part of the Filipino culture. Among these include the patriarchal
culture. Filipinos from the pre-colonial period honored women. Not only were women
considered to be as powerful as men during that time, but, in fact, there were times when
women were given more authority than men. However, this is not being practiced
nowadays. This can be attributed to the patriarchal culture of the Spanish people, which
was apparently embraced by the Filipinos.
The Filipinos also learned the Mañana Habit from the Spaniards, a habit called
procrastination in English. Mañana which literally means tomorrow in Spanish was coined
because Filipinos will usually say “mamaya na,” a Filipino phrase meaning later in
English, when asked to accomplish duties. The Siesta is another Filipino practice we inherited
from the Spaniards. It is the act of taking a nap during the afternoon, usually after eating
lunch.
The term Filipino Time is linked to Filipinos always being late. Although there is no direct link
between the two, we believe that the practice of the Filipino Time also came from the
Spanish. The Spanish start and end their day late, and the Filipinos must have acquired this
attitude from them.
Language
The Spanish language is among the many components of the Filipino language. As a
matter of fact, it is very common to hear Filipinos count in Spanish rather than in Filipino or in

27
English. Also, about 40 percent of informal Filipino conversation consists of Spanish loan
words. The table below shows some Filipino words borrowed from the Spanish language.
Food
The Filipino cuisine is apparently a fusion of many different cuisines, including Chinese,
Malay, Spanish, and many more. However, food historians claim that about 80% of Filipino
food were derived from Spanish influence. Some Filipino delicacies that were adapted from
Spain include:

28
Pandesal is a typical Filipino breakfast

always includes pan de sal (Spanish for
salt bread), a soft bread usually eaten
with coffee as a drink.
Longganisa is a term for the Filipino

sausage similar to the Spanish chorizo. It
is typically bought from the wet market
and is cooked at home.
Leche flan, meaning “milk flan” in

Spanish, is a Filipino version of Spanish
flan made of egg yolks and condensed
milk.

29
Paella is a rice dish from Valencia, Spain,

various types of which have different
ingredients such as seafood, meat, and
herbs and spices.
Kaldereta is a dish of meat stewed in

tomato sauce with potatoes, liver,
cheese, olives, bell pepper and chilli.
usually served with rice. Kaldereta means
“cauldron” in Spanish.
Picadillo, meaning “mince” in Spanish, is

a dish made of ground beef, potatoes,
tomatoes, and other ingredients. What
differentiates the Filipino picadillo from
other versions is its soupy characteristic.
Picadillo is usually served with rice.

30
Education
Filipinos were first given formal education under the Spanish rule. Augustinian priests were the
first to build schools in the Philippines, to be followed by Franciscans, Jesuits, and Dominican priests.
During the Spanish colonization, these schools mainly taught Spanish, Theology, Philosophy, and
Geography. Today, there are still schools and universities built during the Spanish era that are still
operating.
The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas,

colloquially called UST, was established in 1611 by
Dominican priests.
The Colegio de San Juan de Letran was established in

1620 by Dominican priests. Up to this date, the
institution still retains its Spanish name.
Ateneo de Manila University, originally called Escuala

Pia during its establishment, was built in 1859 by the
Jesuits.

31
Government
During the pre-colonial period, the Filipino people were divided – in culture and in
state. The Spaniards were the first to introduce a centralized government to them. During the
Spanish era, the Philippines (governed by the Spanish) had a government hierarchy primarily
composed of the nacional, the alcaldia or encomienda, the pueblo, and the barrio. These
sections of the government may be linked to what we now known as the national
government, the provincial government, the city government, and the barangays.
Transportation
The kalesa, originally spelled as calesa in
Spanish, is a Filipino version of the horse-drawn
carriage known as calash in the western parts of
the world. The kalesa typically has a higher
ceiling than a calash.
Kalesas can still be seen nowadays in historic sites in

the Philippines such as in Intramuros and Vigan to add
up to the historical feel of the surroundings.
Economy
During the pre-colonial period, Filipinos did not have currencies. Their only way of
acquiring materials and properties was only through barter. Filipinos gave crops and other
materials to the chieftain as taxes. However, the Spanish colonization introduced money
currency to the Filipinos and along with this came a standardized taxation system. Through
this, Filipinos learned to work for money and use it to pay for their needs and, at the same
time, there was also a standard amount of money to be paid by Filipinos to the government
and to the church.
The Spaniards also introduced a system of forced labor called the polo y servicios wherein
Filipinos were sent to different places to serve 40 days of construction work. The Filipinos were
made to build roads, bridges, and infrastructure. Today, Filipinos under the tertiary program
are required to undergo the National Service Training Program (NSTP) wherein they are
trained for military and/or community service. However, the NSTP is not as strict and
burdensome as the polo y servicios because not participating in it does not pose as much
threat to Filipinos as the polo y servicios.

32
Arts and Recreation

The sarswela, originally called zarzuela in Spanish, is a realistic musical drama usually
depicting stories of love. It is typically recited or sung alternately. This form of art is adapted
by the Filipinos from the Spanish until Filipinos eventually began to perform sarswelas as a
tradition. Architecture flourished during the Spanish era and the bahay kubo gave way to
the bahay na bato. Literally meaning stone house, the bahay na bato was made of bricks
and stones. Roads and bridges were also more developed since they were constructed with
bricks and stones. A remnant of the architecture during the Spanish colonization lies in the
heart of Vigan – the famous Calle Crisologo.
Numerous paintings and sculptures were made during the Spanish era. These include:
The Spoliarium, a painting by Juan Luna, won

the first prize in a painting contest in Madrid.
However, Luna was not awarded the gold
medal because he was a Filipino. This painting
is now considered a national treasure and can
be found in the National Museum.
To console Juan Luna for not being awarded

the gold medal, King Alfonso XII of Spain
commissioned him to paint the Battle of
Lepanto. This painting resides in the Senate
Hall of Madrid.

33
The gravity of the change of culture and tradition that the Filipinos went through over the
Spanish colonization period shows how influential they were to us. No matter how good or bad each
one may be, it is still proof that the Spaniards have left a legacy and that these influences play a big
part of what the Philippine culture is now.
Introduction of Colonial Institutions

Spain reigned over the Philippines for 333 years, from 1565 to 1898. Since Spain was far from
the country, the Spanish king ruled the Islands through the viceroy of Mexico, which was then another
Spanish colony. When Mexico regained its freedom in 1821, the Spanish king ruled the Philippines
through a governor general. A special government body that oversaw matters, pertaining to the
colonies assisted the king in this respect. This body became known by many names. Council of the
Indies (1565-1837), Overseas Council (1837-1863), and Ministry of the Colonies (1863–1898). It is
implemented the decrees and legal codes Spain promulgated although many of its provisions could
not apply to condition in the colonies. It also exercised legislative and judicial powers.
Spanish Colonial Institutions
The Political Spain established a centralized colonial government in the

Structure Philippines that was composed of a national government and the
local governments that administered provinces, cities, towns and
municipalities. With the cooperation of the local governments the
national government-maintained peace and order, collected
taxes and built schools and other public works.
The Governor As the King's representative and the highest-ranking official in the
General Philippines, the governor general saw to it that royal decrees and
laws emanating from Spain were implemented in the Philippines.
He had the power to appoint and dismiss public officials, except
those personally chosen by the King. He also supervised all
government offices and the collection of taxes.
The governor general exercised certain legislative powers, as well.
He issued proclamations to facilitate the implementation of laws.
The Residencia This was a special judicial court that investigates the performance
of a governor general who was about to be replaced. The
residencia, of which the incoming governor general was usually a
member, submitted a report of its findings to the King.
The Visita The Council of the Indies in Spain sent a government official
called the Visitador General to observe conditions in the colony.
The Visitador General reported his findings directly to the King.

34
The Royal Apart from its judicial functions, the Royal Audiencia served as an
Audiencia advisory body to the Governor General and had the power to
check and a report on his abuses. The Audiencia also audited the
expenditures of the colonial government and sent a yearly report
to Spain. The Archbishop and other government officials could
also report the abuses of the colonial government to be Spanish
king. Despite all these checks, however, an abusive governor
general often managed to escape stiff fines, suspension, or
dismissal by simply bribing the Visitador and other investigators.
The Provincial The Spaniards created local government units to facilitate the
Government country’s administration. There were two types of local
government units – the alcadia and the corregimiento. The
alcadia, led by the alcalde mayor, governed the provinces that
had been fully subjugated: the corregimiento, headed by
corregidor, governed the provinces that were not yet entirely
under Spanish control. The alcalde mayors represented the
Spanish king and the governor general in their respective
provinces. They managed the day-to-day operations of the
provincial government, implemented laws and supervised the
collection of taxes. Through they were paid a small salary, they
enjoyed privileges such as the indulto de comercio, or the right to
participate in the galleon trade.
The Municipal Each province was divided into several towns or pueblos headed
Government by Gobernadordcillos, whose main concerns were efficient
governance and tax collection. Four lieutenants aided the
Gobernardorcillo: the Teniente Mayor (chief lieutenant), the
Teniente de Policia (police lieutenant), the Teniente de
Sementeras (lieutenant of the fields) and the Teniente de
Ganados (lieutenant of the livestock).
The Encomienda Spain owed the colonization of the Philippines to Miguel Lopez de
System Legazpi, who valiantly and loyally served the Spanish crown. To
hasten the subjugation of the country, King Philip II instructed
Legazpi to divide the Philippines into large territories called
encomiendas, to be left to the management of designated
encomenderos.
To show his gratitude to his conquistadors, the King made them
the first encomenderos in the colony. As the King’s representatives
in their respective encomiendas, the encomenderos had the right

35
to collect taxes. However, the encomiendas were not there to

own. The encomenderos were only territorial overseers who had
the duty to: 1) protect the people in the encomienda; (2)
maintain peace and order; (3) promote education and health
programs; and (4) help the missionaries propagate Christianity.
Application: Explain and give example, how Philippine colonial experience influence the country ‘s
approaches to conservation of our cultural heritage. (10pts)
Scoring Rubric
CRITERIA 10-8 7-5 4-2 1
Focus and Details There is one clear. There is one clear, There is one The topic and main ideas
Well-focused topic. well focused topic ideas are are not clear
Main ideas are topic. Main ideas clear.
clear but are not are clear but not
well supported by. well supported by
detailed detailed
information information.
Sentence structure All sentences are Most of the Most are well Sentenced sound
and Spelling well constructed sentence are well constructed awkward, or are difficult to
and have varied constructed and but they similar understand. The student
structure and have varied structure and makes numerous errors in
length. The student structure and length. The grammar and spelling that
makes no errors in length. The student makes interfere with
grammar and student makes several errors in understanding,
spelling. few errors in grammar.
grammar and
spelling but do
not interfere with
understanding,
Summary of the Lesson
European exploration and expansion were driven by the search for access to the
profitable Oriental trade, the religious mission of spreading Christianity and was made
possible by the technological advances in navigation.

36
The Spaniards had three main aims in taking over the Philippine islands, namely, the
expansion of trade, the conversion of the natives to Catholicism, and the extension of
territories ruled by the King of Spain.
In 1571, Manila became the center of Spanish colonial power in the Philippines.
Strategically located in the heart of the economically productive and thickly populated
Tagalog and Kapampangan regions in Luzon, the city grew to become the paramount city
of the archipelago.
The different colonial institutions that were established in the Philippines during the
early years of Spanish conquest brought about tremendous changes in the political,
economic, and social aspects of the community. The barangays which were independently
ruled from each other had to be unified under the Spanish Colonial Government with the
Governador y Capitan-General as the head and the sole representative of the King.
. The scattered settlements had to be resettled in a community to easily monitor the
natives. Initially, the colonial government awarded encomienda to meritorious Spaniards to
easily pacify the natives. The missionaries on the other hand employed the reduccion system
wherein the natives and important government institutions were established and resettled
near an open space called plaza. It served as a civilizing tool to easily monitor the
movements of the new converts from their birth to death. The reduccion also facilitated the
collection of tribute. Different economic institutions like polo y servicios and tributo (personal
tax) were also imposed on the native sin order to support the different colonial projects in the
archipelago. However, the unjust and excessive collection of these services and tax was
questioned by the church and the friars.
Assessment:
A. Multiple Choice. Write the letter of the correct answer. (20 points)
1. Which of the following was NOT a reason for Spain’s rule in the Philippines?
a. Cultural development c. spread of Christianity
b. Acquisition of resources d. territorial expansion
2. Who established he colonial rule in the Philippines?
a. Carlos Maria dela Torre c. Miguel lopez de Legazpi
b. Andres Bonifacio d. Andres de Urdaneta

37
3. Which of the following was NOT among the repressive policies that was enforced during
Spanish colonization?
a. Polo y Sevicios c. Fiesta
b. Bandala d. Cedula
4. What economic policy imposed by Spain on the Indios that requires them to do forced
labor?
a. Tribute c. Bandala
b. Polo y Servicios d. Cedula
5.Who were the Spaniards born in the Philippines?

a. Peninsulares c. Sangleys
b. Creoles d. Ilustrado
6.Which of the following was NOT part of goods that were traded during the Manila –
Acapulco galleon trade?
a. gold c. silver
b. sugar d. silk
7. Which of the following was NOT a function of the state during the Spanish colonization?
a. Provide the Spanish Monarchy c. Defend the Catholic region
b. Provide peace and order d. Protect the ancestral lands
8. What social class developed the consciousness of the Filipinos to fight Spain.
a. Mestizos de Espana c. Mestizos de Sanleys
b. Principalia d. Ilustrados
9. What replaced the tribute as a form of taxation in the Hispanic Philippine colony in 1884?
a. Donativo c. Santotum
b. Diezmos prediales d. Sedula personal
10. Who were the landowners during the Spanish Era?

a. Cabeza de Barangay c . Gobernadorcillo
b. Encomienderos d. Hacienderos
11. The aim of Spanish colonization of the Philippines:

a. Acquisition of resources c. Territorial expansion
b. Spread of Christianity d. All of the above

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12.The greatest legacy of Spain to the Filipino people:

a. Culture c. Religion
b. Christianity d. Character Traits
13. Slavery or force labor that practice during Spanish time:

a. Polo c. Falla
b. Encomienda d. All of the above
14. Money or thing of value given by the Filipinos in a particular conquered territory to
Spanish colonizers as his reward:
a. Encomienda c. Tribue
b. Encomendero d. Bandala
15. This was a special judicial court that investigates the performance of a Governor-general
who was about to be replaced:
a. The Encomienda c. The Residencia
b. The Tribute d. The Visita
16.What did the ancient Filipinos call the Supreme Being in which they believed?
a. Diwata c. Bathala
b. Allah d. Anito
17. The shared assumption of what is right, good or important:

a. Belief System c. Cultural Values
b. Languages d. Religion
18.The most influential Spanish official in the Philippines during Spanish colonization:
a. Gurdia civil c. Alperez
b. Parish priest d. Gobernadorcillo
19.The Spanish official who exercised executive, judicial and military duties in the province.
a. Alcalde Mayor c. Gobernadorcillo
b. Cabeza d. Alcaldia
20. It means the physical features of a country.

a. Description c. History
b. Location Map d. Topography

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B. TRUE/ False: Read each sentence carefully. Write T if the statement is correct and F it is
false.
1. The Pre -Colonial period was characterized by shared lifestyle, values and belief
system.
2. Women were regarded highly during the Pre-Colonial period.
3. Trading among neighbor was limited to the Southeast Asian region during this period.
4. The sultanate government adhered to Islamic practices and traditions during the Pre-
Colonial period.
5. The Philippines was already a single political unit during the Pre-Colonial period.
6. The trial by ordeal as judicial system was a test of faith of the accused instead of
evidence.
7. A monarchial system of government was already established before the arrival of
Western colonizers.
8. Our limited knowledge of our Pre -Colonial past was due to the absence of system of
writing.
9. The Timawa was the lowest social class during the Pre-Colonial period.
10. Gold and artifacts dating to 10th century AD strengthens our claim that we had a rich
and sophisticated culture.
References/ Attributions:
✓ https://janfaelagmao0021.wordpress.com/2016/03/10/summary-of-spanish-colonization-in-the-
philippines/
✓ https://www.philippine-history.org/spanish-colonial-masters.htm
Primary Sources:
▪ First Voyage Round the World by Antonio Pigafetta
▪ Instruction to Miguel Lopez de Legazpi from the Royal Audencia of New Spain
▪ Relation of the Conquest of the Island of Luzon
▪ Decree Regulating Services of Filipinos
▪ Encomiendas Assigned by Legazpi
▪ Letter of Bishop Domingo de Salazar on the Abuses Committed by the Spaniards
▪ Order Issued by the Governor Gomez Perez Dasmariñas for Collection of the Tributes
▪ Opinion of Fray Martin de Rada on Tribute from the Indians

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Readings in Philippine History

Learning Module 02
STUDENT
Name:

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STUDENT
Name:
Student Number:
Program:
Section:
Home Address:
Email Address:
Contact Number:
PROFESSOR
Name:
Email Address:
Contact Number:

42
III. Overview of the Module This module highlights the historical accounts of the Philippines
during the Spanish, American, and Japanese Colonialism. It also tackles
the political, social and economic issues faced by the Filipinos during
these times. Moreover, it emphasizes the efforts of our heroes as they
sacrificed their lives in fighting for our independence.
IV. Module Outcomes At the end of this module, you are expected to:
➢ determine the factors contributed to the Early Filipino Revolts,
➢ explain and discuss the aims of the propaganda movement,
➢ explain the causes of the 1896 revolution and its significant
events;
➢ identify the American policies that resulted to political, social,
and economic reforms of the country
➢ enumerate and discuss Filipino uprising against the American
colonizers,
➢ identify Japanese rules in the Philippines during Japanese
occupation, and
➢ enumerate and explain Filipino uprisings against the Japanese.
V. General Instructions You must commit the necessary time to complete the lessons. If
you choose not to complete the lesson using the schedule provided,
please understand that it is your full responsibility to complete them by
the last day of completion. Time is of the essence.
The module is designed to assess student understanding of the
assigned lessons found within the associated content of the prelim,
midterm and final period of the course. The assessment part of the
module is composed of varied types of questions.
You may see true/false, traditional multiple choice, matching,
multiple answer, completion, and/or essay. Pay attention to the answer
to the assessment questions as you move through each lesson. After
each module you will be given a summative test. Your responses to the
assessment parts of the module will be checked and recorded.
Because the assessment questions are available within the whole
completion period and because you can reference the answers to the
questions within the content modules, we will not release the answers
within modules.
However, your professors are happy to discuss the assessments
with you during their consultation time, should you have any questions.
You may not work collaboratively. This is an independent work. Write
your answers on the answer sheets to be provided to you by your
instructor or professor

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Lesson 1. The Early Filipino Revolts and The Propaganda Movement
This lesson will give you insights on how and why Filipino Revolts occurred during
Spanish colonialism. Specifically, it will enumerate the factors contributing to the Early Filipino
Revolts and will identify and describe the different personalities who have roles in the
aforementioned historical timeline of the country.
This lesson will also help you understand the existence, composition, roles, and aims of
Propaganda Movement during our fight against the Spanish Colonizers.
Lesson Objectives
1. Determine the factors contributed to the Early Filipino Revolts.

2. Identify and describe the characters of the Early Filipino revolts.
3. Explain and discuss the aims of the propaganda movement.
Getting Started
The Philippine Revolution is one of the most
Reflection
important events in the country’s history, awakening a
proud sense of nationalism for generations of Filipinos Does revolution happen in the
to come. In a period of heavy struggle and conflict, country today? Yes, or no? If yes, how
Filipinos of different backgrounds united with a can you characterize it?
common goal – to resist colonialism.
After the Cavity Mutiny in 1872, the condition of
the Filipino worsens. The middle-class Filipinos go to other countries to continue their studies.
There, they set up a group and unite to fight for the Filipino rights. They begin to lunch a
peaceful campaign to ask for a reform and change in the government system from Spain.
This group becomes the “Kilusang Propaganda” or “Propaganda Movement”. The members
were called Reformists.
The aims of the “Propaganda Movement” are as follows: equality among the Filipino
and Spaniards; to recognize the Philippines as a province rather than a colony; to have a
Filipino representative in Spain’s government body; to remove all the Spanish priest in the
country and replaced them with the Secular Priest; and to return the freedom of the Filipinos
such as the freedom of speech and justice and others.
Our fight against the Spaniard ended in 1902, where Spain lost and ceded sovereignty
of the Philippines to the United States.

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Scoring Rubric
CRITERIA 5 4 3 2-1
There is one clear and There is one topic
There is one clear, well The topic and main
well-focused topic. ideas are clear.
focused topic. Main ideas are not clear
Focus and Main ideas are clear
ideas are clear but not
Details but are not well
well supported by
information
Sentenced sound
All sentence is well Most of the sentence Most are well
awkward, or are
constructed and have are well constructed constructed but
difficult to
varied structure and and have varied they similar
Sentence understand. They
length. The students structure and length. structure and
structure make numerous
make no errors in The student makes few length. The student
and errors in grammar
grammar and spelling. errors in grammar and makes several
Spelling and spelling that
spelling but do not errors in grammar.
interfere with
interfere with
understanding,
understanding,
Total Score: 10 points
Discussion
A. By Cross and the Sword – The Spanish Colonization of the Philippines
The Philippines was a colony of the Spanish Empire for more than 300 years. Spain
gave the natives – a mix of Malay, Chinese, Indian and small indigenous tribes – a colonial
government to rule by the sword and what was essentially a state religion, Spanish
Catholicism, which ruled by the cross. The earliest conquistadores, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi,
Martin de Goiti and Juan de Salcedo, carved out an island empire for Spain that subsequent
warrior-administrators would expand and build upon. While the earliest landfall had been in
the central island of Cebu, which Magellan had reached before his fatal encounter with the
chieftain of Mactan, Legaspi chose the burgeoning native citadel of Maynila (supposedly
named after the blossoming Nila – flowering mangrove – plants at the mouth of the great
river Pasig) as the seat of Spanish power in the islands. Driving out the native chieftain
Suleyman with the aid of native auxiliaries, Legaspi began to remake the Islamic Malay
kingdoms into a Spanish Catholic colony. Meanwhile, Sulayman’s valiant attempt at
reconquest ended in the marshes of nearby Bangkusay Channel.
Manila became the “faithful and ever loyal city”, the Asiatic jewel of Nueva Espanya
whose Viceroyalty administered the Asian colony. A wooden palisade wall eventually gave
way to massive stone walls with bastions and a fortress keep, La Fuerza de Santiago (today

45
known as Fort Santiago) and the entire citadel was called ‘Intramuros’. Trade was primarily
with China while the galleon trade with Acapulco was its primary and often singular annual
contact with the ‘mother country’. Spain retained a monopoly on trade and fought several
bitter wars with marauding Chinese pirates (as well as several bloody Chinese uprisings) as
well as the persistent Dutch whose raiding and trading began with Oliver van Noort’s
dramatic circumnavigation of the globe in 1600. While the Spanish chief-justice Don Antonio
de Morga drove off van Noort in what can only be described as a tragicomedy of errors, the
Dutch would continue to raid Manila throughout the 17th century leading to the founding of
a naval-themed religious feast day, La Naval de Manila after two aging trade galleons
drove back several Dutch raiders and ‘saved’ the colony.
Spain ruled the natives through a system of divide and rule. Native rulers, known as
Principalia, were given key roles in local administration, becoming essentially glorified tax-
collectors, while rivalries between native tribes were exploited to ensure that no one group
of natives became powerful enough to launch a successful rebellion. Religion was an
extremely potent force as well and Spanish clerics in the island soon became not only key
figures but kingmakers in their own right – a feud in 1719 between churchmen under
Archbishop of Manila Francisco de la Cuesta and the Governor General Fernando
Bustamante escalated to the point where (allegedly) priests leading an angry mob stormed
the governor general’s palace and murdered him and his son. A later Archbishop of Manila,
Manuel Rojo, was in charge when the British Honorable East India Company, fresh from its
conquest of India, set its greedy eyes on the Philippines.
In 1762, the British launched a massive invasion of Luzon, landing just south of the
walled city and capturing several solid stone churches and taking the city under siege.
Archbishop Rojo exhorted the people to resist with passionate religious fervor but soon
discovered that religious fervor was no substitute for disciplined troops under decisive
leadership. The most determined resistance was from Pampanga natives under a leader
called Manalastas who assaulted the British siege lines with little more than machetes,
bamboo spears and bows-and-arrows, and were paid rough tribute by the British general
who praised their courage and described them as having “died like beasts, gnawing the
bayonets”. The British stormed Manila and sacked it but were unable to expand their territory
thanks to Spanish officers like Don Simon de Anda, the junior oidor of the Spanish colonial
government, the Real Audiencia, who became the de facto leader of the Spanish colonial
government following Archbishop Rojo’s surrender and capture, and loyal natives that
contested every foot of ground taken by the British. In the end, the British abandoned their
claims to the archipelago in 1763. Anda became the next governor general.

46
At the same time as the British invasion, three separate local uprisings were taking
place, that of Francisco Dagohoy (whose brother had been refused a Christian burial and
whose subsequent rebellion lasted more than a hundred years), a leader known colloquially
as Palaris in north-central Luzon, and the husband-and-wife team of Diego and Gabriella
Silang. This last named became one of the legendary uprisings against Spain and had,
ironically, began as a locally raised militia under Diego for service against the British. Instead
of being grateful, the local Spanish official threw Diego into jail for insurrection which led to
Diego rising up against Spain instead. The Silangs were so successful that the British
approached them with a view to arming and supporting them as local rulers (under British
hegemony of course). Terrified of an Anglo-Silang alliance, the Spanish officials bribed
Diego’s friend Vicos to murder Diego, which he did in due course. Gabriella Silang then took
up the leadership of the rebellion but was unable to withstand renewed Spanish efforts
against their insurrection and she and her leaders were eventually hanged.
Thus for 300 years, Spain was able to maintain its domination over the islands mainly
through the loyalty and cooperation of the natives. But there were cracks in the image of
Spanish invincibility. The British conquest of Manila showed the natives that the Spaniards
were not unbeatable. The opening of the Suez Canal meant there was greater cultural
exchange between Europe and the archipelago.
B. The Spanish Colonial Military Establishment
As indicated above, the Spanish colonial government was only truly able to control
and subjugate the natives, thanks to the loyal support of the natives themselves (this was, by
the way, the case for just about every colonial empire from the massive British Empire to the
comparatively small German overseas empire). Spanish-led native troops were the
backbone of the insular defense forces against foreign invaders, native insurrection and the
ever-present threat of Moro incursions.
The Spanish- native infantry regiments were known as Regimentos Fijos or “Fixed
Regiments” as they were regiments for use only in the Philippine colonies as well as the
Carolinas. They were also called “Indigenas” and continued the numbering of regiments in
Cuba which ended in the 67th. The 68th through 74th Regiments of Infantry as well as three
tercios of paramilitary Guardia Civil (20th through 22nd) were the main garrison of the
islands. While conscripted and prone to desertion, most were generally loyal even when the
Rebellion broke out. The native regiments were:

47
1. 68th (Legaspi) Infantry Regiment- named after the conquistador who claimed the
Philippines for Spain, Don Miguel Lopez de Legaspi. Headquartered in Jolo but serving in the
field in Luzon and Mindanao with detachments in the Carolinas and Paragua Islands.
2. 69th (Iberia) Infantry Regiment- named after the Iberian homeland. Headquartered
in Zamboanga and serving in Luzon.
3. 70th (Magallanes) Infantry Regiment- perhaps the most infamous native regiment it
is remembered to this day as the unit which provided the firing squad that executed Dr. Jose
Rizal. Named after the Spanish explorer that discovered the Philippines, Ferdinand de
Magallanes. The regiment was part of the capital’s permanent garrison and served mostly in
Luzon.
4. 71st (Mindanao) Infantry Regiment- named after the large – and conflict-ridden –
island of Mindanao. Headquartered at Iligan, serving in the field in Luzon and Mindanao.
5. 72nd (Visayas) Infantry Regiment- named after the group of islands occupying the
central Philippines known collectively as the Visayas. Headquartered at Manila and serving
in Mindanao.
6. 73rd (Jolo) Infantry Regiment- named after the largely Muslim southern islands, south
of the larger island of Mindanao, whose neutralization was considered a major Spanish
victory. Headquartered in Manila and serving in Luzon and Mindanao. This regiment
particularly distinguished itself during the quelling of the Manila uprising in August 1896.
7. 74th (Manila) Infantry Regiment- named after the capital city, the “Faithful and Ever-
Loyal City”. Headquartered in Manila and serving in Luzon and Mindanao.
While the native infantry did most of the hard fighting in Mindanao and during the
Tagalog Revolt, it was the three tercios of the paramilitary police force, the Guardia Civil,
which gained legendary infamy thanks to their role as the ‘muscle’ or ‘enforcers’ of the local
government officials and the friars but particularly because of their portrayal in this role in
popular Revolutionary literature, Rizal’s Noli Mi Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
The three tercios of Guardia Civil paramilitary police (20th, 21st, and 22nd) along with
one infantry battalion and a mounted troop of the elite Guardia Civil Veteranas, comprised
the Guardia Civil establishment.
Other local defense troops included a few cavalries and the 6th Mountain Artillery
along with the Artillery Regiment de la Plaza for permanent defense of the capital. There was
also a disciplinary battalion for suspected rebels and mutineers and a regiment of Marine
Infantry.
The Spanish government dispatched numerous Expeditionary Rifle Battalions, the
dreaded Cazadores, as reinforcements between November 1896 and February 1897.
C. The Propaganda Movement and the Rise of the Katipunan

The continuing conflict in Spain between Liberal and Conservation as well as the
opening of the Suez Canal meant new ideas were spreading to the Philippines like never

48
before. A conflict between local ‘secular’ priests (those not belonging to any religious order)
and those arrived from Spain which were part of an order coincided with a mutiny over pay
at the Spanish arsenal of Cavite in 1872. The resulting “Cavite Mutiny” was quickly put down
and the blame and responsibility shifted to three particularly outspoken and ‘troublesome
priests’ – Fathers Gomez, Burgos and Zamora. The three were made out to be the ringleaders
of the mutiny and executed by garrotte. GOM-BUR-ZA as they became known inspired
widespread indignation among the natives, particularly the native educated elite or
‘ilustrado’ class which launched the Propaganda Movement spearheaded by the polymath
Doctor Jose Rizal and the publisher-propagandist Marcelo H. Del Pilar. M.H. del Pilar
published the broadsheet La Solidaridad which spoke against Spanish colonial abuses and
Rizal wrote and published two extremely incendiary novels which even today shape the
Filipino consciousness – Noli Mi Tangere (Touch me Not, taken from the scene in the Garden
of Gethsemane between Christ and Mary Magdalene), and El Filibusterismo (the
Filibuster/Piratical Adventurer/ or its English title “the reign of greed”).
Things came to a head when a newly returned Rizal formed a gentleman’s social
organization La Liga Filipina which counted among its membership a young zealous clerk
who worked for a European firm and had a passion for learning and organizing, Andres
Bonifacio. The Spanish almost immediately arrested Rizal and exiled him to Dapitan in the
southern island of Mindanao. Bonifacio then rallied many of the La Liga Filipina members
along with family and friends and with them formed The Highest, Most Honorable Society of
the Children/Sons of the Nation (Kataastaasan, Kagalang-galangan, Katipunan ng mga
Anak ng Bayan). Adopting a semi-Masonic organization complete with triangular recruiting,
code words, colored hoods and a ‘blood compact’ final initiation ritual (where you signed
your membership papers with your own blood drawn from your arm), these young
disaffected natives were soon spreading the gospel of nationalism across the main northern
island of Luzon and into the central islands of the Visayas.
Katipunan Affiliation Ritual, Signed with Blood

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The Katipunan grew exponentially under Bonifacio but was unable to secure
adequate modern firearms – in fact they had few guns at all! An early disagreement
between Bonifacio and the recently recruited chief of the Magdalo Council from Cavite, a
young farmer and scion of a well-to-do rural family named Emilio Aguinaldo, over the lack of
weapons led Bonifacio to send emissaries to Rizal in Dapitan to ask the latter’s blessing, only
to have their request rejected by Rizal as well. Rizal believed that the Filipinos were unready
for self-government and that they, in any case, did not have sufficient weapons and
ammunition. Angry, Bonifacio was determined that they would rise up soon. But before he
could set the date, the Katipunan was discovered by the Spaniards who began sending the
paramilitary Guardia Civil to arrest people and throw them into jail at the start of August
1896.
Bonifacio, undeterred, gathered his followers and in a dramatic ‘Cortez-burning-his-
ships’ moment, ripped up their government tax document or Cedula, signifying their
rejection of Spanish colonial rule. As outbreaks of rebellion quickly flashed across the islands,
Spanish Governor General Ramon Blanco y Erenas declared martial law and recalled his
major forces from the endemic war against the Muslim “Moros” in Mindanao to defend the
capital, Manila.
D. The First Battles
After several initial skirmishes, Bonifacio launched an ambitious – and sadly over-
complicated – plan to take Manila. Several columns of Katipuneros would converge on
Manila after accomplishing their initial tasks of cutting the electric power to Manila which
would signal other rebel forces from the province immediately south, Cavite, as well as
mutinous soldiers within the walled city itself, while the other column took the military stores
from the Spanish ammunition depot (Polvorin) at San Juan del Monte. Most of the
Katipuneros of Bonifacio’s command were armed with bolos (machetes) and bamboo
spears with pistols and a rag-tag number of firearms among them. There is evidence that
they were dressed in red pants and carrying bolos to disguise themselves as devotees of a
particular saint whose feast day was celebrated at that time.
Unfortunately, the lack of coordination between the groups and a lack of decisive
action at the Polvorin itself (only 2 Spanish troops were killed) saw the rest of the garrison flee
to a solid two-story structure that housed the administration of the Manila water-works, called
El Deposito. The consultative nature of Bonifacio’s leadership (based on the group meeting
or pulong such as in social organizations) meant that the Katipuneros were unable to make
any headway against the desperate garrison within El Deposito until a relief force under the
Segundo Cabo (Second in command to the Governor-General), General Bernardo

50
Echaluce y Jauregui comprising a mere 100 men of the 73rd “Jolo” Infantry Regiment arrived
from Manila and drove them off. Pursuing them as they retreated to Santa Mesa and on the
Pasig River by small boats (bancas), the Spanish troops inflicted more than 150 fatal
casualties on the Katipuneros and 2-300 wounded and captured. Bonifacio’s reputation as a
war leader also suffered gravely following this defeat.
Spanish soldiers defending a house at the outskirts of Manila
Very shortly after the debacle at San Juan del Monte, however, the chief of the Magdalo
Council, Emilio Aguinaldo overwhelmed the local garrison of Guardia Civil and armed friars
in a hacienda in the town of Imus, Cavite. An expeditionary force under General Ernesto de
Aguirre was sent to crush this rebellion and the young Aguinaldo hurried to meet the
Spaniards near Zapote Bridge, the boundary between Cavite province and Manila
province. They were ambushed by Aguirre’s troops on route and many of his men were
killed. Aguinaldo was forced to hide among the bodies until the column moved on. Aguirre,
instead of proceeding further into Cavite, returned to Manila to secure a larger force. This
allowed Aguinaldo to plan a strategy which would ensure that his poorly armed and
untrained men fought a more advantageous defensive battle on ground of his own
choosing.
Fortifying the river banks and breaking the stone bridge just beyond the sight of anyone
approaching on the road from Manila, he set up a kill-zone at point-blank range with home-
made guns, a small ‘lankata’ cannon, bows-and-arrows while he himself carried a
Winchester repeater that he had ‘liberated’ from the friar hacienda. When Aguirre returned,
he found himself opposed by a desperate Katipunan army that was fortified on the opposite
bank. Crossing the bridge, his troops found that they could not proceed across the broken
section and as the column wavered in confusion, the Katipuneros unleashed volleys at a
murderous close range.
Aguinaldo then set up the coup de grace, taking a picked team of men some distance
down-stream and after forming a human chain of linked hands, the rest of the team crossed

51
over and hit the wavering Spanish formation on the flank. This was too much for them and
they broke ranks and routed, throwing away their arms as they fled through the muddied
fields, while the Katipuneros cut them down with vengeful ruthlessness. The terrific slaughter
terrified General Aguirre who fled the field, dropping his sable de mando (command sabre)
as he retreated. Aguinaldo picked up the saber, a Toledo steel blade marked 1869 which
was the year of Aguinaldo’s birth. “Lady Fortune has been on my side” he remarked.
E. The Time of the Tagalogs
As word of the victory at Imus spread like wildfire, more recruits arrived from other
provinces fleeing the Juez de Cuchilo (Martial Law) imposed by the government, while
others joined out of patriotic fervor including the brilliant young Engineering student,
Edilberto Evangelista. Evangelista proved himself an extremely gifted fortifications engineer,
building lines of trenches to protect major Cavite Katipunan strongholds.
The Governor General, Blanco, gathered his main forces including naval cruisers and
marine infantry and launched them at the main strongholds of the Cavite Katipunan, the
towns of Binakayan, Dalahican and Noveleta. For several days the might of the Spanish
Colonial military stormed the Cavite trenches while the Filipinos would engage in desperate
‘agaw-armas’ raids – attacking the Spanish troops to attempt to wrest their weapons from
them. A naval and artillery bombardment and repeated infantry assaults failed to break the
Filipinos though Aguinaldo’s best friend, Candido Tirona, was killed during the fighting. In the
end, the Spaniards retreated from the field with heavy casualties, leaving Cavite province
entirely in Filipino hands. The peaceful interlude between the victorious battle of Binakayan-
Dalahican at the beginning of November 1896 and the resumption of the Spanish offensive
in February 1897 became known in Cavite as “Ang Panahón ng Tagalog” or The Time of the
Tagalogs.
Unfortunately, this is where things started to fall apart for the native revolutionaries.
Already disappointed in his luke-warm response, Blanco was replaced by his new segundo
cabo, the ruthless Camilo de Polavieja who initiated a reign of terror of arrests, torture and
execution of rebels including the leaders captured at San Juan del Monte, wealthy Filipino
patriots suspected of supporting the Revolution, and ultimately Dr. Jose Rizal, who was shot
after a sham-trial on the field of Bagumbayan to the east of the walled city (also called
Luneta) on December 30, 1896. Contrary to what seems to be understood outside the
Philippines, Rizal’s execution did not cause the uprising but rather it was a result or CAUSED
BY the uprising (which had been going on since August 1896).

52
Tagalog insurgents. The rebel at the right is armed with a Remington and a bolo machete (left) & Sandatahan armed with a crossbow,
Luzón, 1898 (right).
Polavieja also had several thousand fresh troops, mostly crack riflemen of the Cazadores,
which had been sent from Spain at the outbreak of the Rebellion in August-September. By
contrast, the Katipunan had never (despite claims by modern Filipino nationalists even
today) been a unified government but rather a confederacy of closely allied Councils
(Sanggunian) which might have respected the wishes of the Manila Katipunan under the
Supremo, Bonifacio, but were not, realistically, absolutely obligated to do so. As with the
Spanish Guerrillas fighting Napoleon, there was no actual ‘head’ of the Rebellion but rather
many local groups that needed to be dealt with and quelled in turn. Thus, as you
mentioned: “In 1896, some members of the Katipunan had founded the Republic of the
Kakarong located in Caracóng of Sile, in the province of Bulacán, in the island of Luzón.
There they built a real fortress surrounding this settlement and protected it with nearly 6,000
men. But, on January 1st, 1897, a column of 600 Spanish soldiers assaulted and occupied the
fortress, and that was the end of the short-lived republic.”
Karakong de Sili was a splinter group of revolutionaries under Eusebio Roque, colloquially
known as Maestro Sebio. It was able to survive while the main efforts of former Governor
General Blanco focused on Cavite but the new Governor General (or more accurately,
Capitan General in his military capacity) Polavieja made it a point to crush this citadel of
rebellion with his fresh troops.

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Meanwhile, the two Councils (Sanggunian) leading the successful Cavite Katipunan – the
larger Magdiwang under the powerful Alvarez clan, and the more famous and combat-
successful Magdalo under the Aguinaldo clan – were in the midst of a friendly but rapidly
souring rivalry. Both agreed that a centralized, top-down command structure must replace
the consultative assembly structure of the Katipunan and it became clear soon enough that
the Katipunan itself was obsolete – there was no central leadership and direction for the
revolution, Bonifacio had proven ineffective in wrangling the disparate regional councils to
his will, and the Spanish were clearly gearing up for a far more intense and deadly second
round. Furthermore, there were many more recruits, Evangelista included, who simply were
not Katipuneros, yet were revolutionaries. It was decided that they should elect a central
government.
The Alvarez’s attempted to locate Bonifacio, who had gone into hiding in the hills and
after much time and persistence found the Supremo and eventually convinced him to come
to Cavite, ostensibly to unite the two ‘factions’ that were ‘feuding’ there. Bonifacio, having
lost much of his reputation and capacity to command and having, in his own words, “failed
to have captured a single town for assembly or defense” desperately needed to regain
command of the shifting center of the Revolution. Meanwhile, the young Emilio Aguinaldo
desperately wanted to avoid being put on the spot for nomination as president, preferring
the highly educated Edilberto Evangelista or the more senior and experienced Licerio
Topacio or his far more politically savvy cousin, Baldomero Aguinaldo, to himself. Young
Aguinaldo was a high school drop-out, the younger son in the family and had something of
an inferiority complex yet was dedicated to his duty and to his constituency (and later his
soldiers, and finally to his nation) to a fault.
F. The Bonifacio-Aguinaldo Conflict and The Lachambre Steamroller
Polavieja opened the campaign with a massive two-pronged invasion leading an assault
directly south by way of Zapote Bridge with half his force while the other half, grouped into a
massive division under General Jose Lachambre, swung around the eastern flank through
Laguna Province and moved against the Caviteño stronghold of Imus from the southeast.
Rushing to defeat the Capitan General’s troops, Evangelista held the strategic Zapote Bridge
and his troops killed one of the Spanish generals during the engagement but it was a pyrrhic
victory as Evangelista himself was hit by a sniper and killed in February 1897. As both pincers
closed in on the Caviteño defenders, the political arena was growing dirty with Bonifacio
openly siding with the Magdiwang Council (who were his in-laws after all) and acting “like a
despot” (algo despota) – there were rumors of him adopting kingly airs and seeking to
establish himself as King of the Tagalogs. Both Magdiwang and Magdalo accused the other

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side of selling out to the Spaniards while Bonifacio’s sister was accused of being a priest’s
whore and Bonifacio himself an agent provocateur of the friars.
Finally, at the Tejeros election, Bonifacio (who was made honorary president of the
convention in deference to his title of Supremo) failed to win against Emilio Aguinaldo (who
was not there – he was defending the Filipino battle line at Pasong Santol with his elder
brother, General Crispulo Aguinaldo) and when Bonifacio eventually won the election of
Director of Interior (which might actually have suited his organizational and charismatic
leader gifts well) the younger brother of the dead hero Candido Tirona, Daniel, insultingly
pointed out Bonifacio’s lack of qualification for the job and suggested that they get a
Caviteño lawyer who was far better qualified for it. Bonifacio was understandably miffed –
however, his reaction went beyond what was called for. Drawing his pistol, he attempted to
shoot Daniel Tirona (who quickly made himself scarce) and would have had not General
Artemio Ricarte, his loyalist and supporter who had been elected Capitan General of the
Revolutionary Army, restrained his hands.
Dispute at Tejeros Election
Bonifacio then declared the entire convention null and void – violating his own oath to
respect the results of the elections, an oath that he as president of the convention had
administered to everyone. He and the Magdiwang officers then wrote out the Acta de
Tejeros, proclaiming loudly that cheating had occurred (and as Glen Anthony May points
out, cheating was a congenital and endemic part of local government elections in the
Spanish colonial period) and that the convention was void. Yet the Magdiwang had won

55
big in the elections: 7 of 9 electoral seats went to Magdiwang officers. Only Emilio and
Baldomero had won for the Magdalo (which leads one to question WHO EXACTLY had been
cheating).
Aguinaldo had not been at the convention and when he heard news of his political
victory, refused to leave his post. Meanwhile, Bonifacio was still stinging from his defeat and
humiliation and he, according to Aguinaldo, conspired with newly elected Capitan General
Ricarte to prevent Filipino reinforcements from reaching the battlefield of Pasong Santol. If
this is true then Bonifacio might have been attempting to kill Emilio Aguinaldo with Spanish
bullets when reinforcements and relief failed to arrive. Instead, big brother Crispulo vowed to
hold the defenses till younger brother Emilio returned from Tanza to take his oath of office. “If
they reach you,” Crispulo said grimly, “It will be over my dead body”.
Unfortunately, the Spanish overwhelmed the defenses at Pasong Santol and Crispulo
Aguinaldo, wounded multiple times, was cut down by a Spanish rifleman. The elder
Aguinaldo was mortally wounded and taken back to a Spanish field hospital where he
expired. Hurrying back to the field, Emilio desperately searched the corpses at night looking
for his brother while the Spanish troops wondered why the Filipinos were strangely silent and
not taking pot-shots at them.
The breaching of Filipino defenses forced the heretofore successful Cavite Rebellion onto
its backfoot. To compound the already deteriorating situation, Bonifacio attempted to co-
opt to Magdalo generals, Mariano Noriel and Pio del Pilar, and form his own military
government, the Naik Military Pact. This declared all revolutionary forces to be under Pio del
Pilar’s command and that the revolutionary troops should be forcibly conscripted into the
‘true’ revolutionary army. Aguinaldo got word of it soon enough and the two generals were
brought back into the fold loudly protesting their loyalty. Bonifacio then said that he would
return to Manila/Morong Province but not before (allegedly) assaulting a Magdiwang town,
Indang, which was swollen with starving refugees (the massive influx of refugees or ‘alsa
balutan’ from other provinces and poor harvests thanks to the Revolution taking place
during the rainy season was leading to near-famine in Cavite) and demanding that the town
feed and provision him and his troops. When they refused, Bonifacio (allegedly) assaulted
the town like a common bandit, sacking it for food and burning its church tower. As if this
was not enough, a rumor spread that Bonifacio had stolen the revolutionary war chest
(finances) and was going to exchange it for a pardon from General Lachambre. All these
led to the order to arrest Bonifacio.
In a violent exchange between the Bonifacio brothers – the troops that Bonifacio had
thought loyal fled, protesting that they would not fight their fellow Filipinos – and the arresting

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troops under Colonel Agapito ‘Yntong’ Bonzon, Colonel Jose Ignacio ‘Yntsik’ (Chinaman)
Paua, and Colonel Tomas Mascardo, Bonifacio and one brother were injured and another
brother was killed. Bonifacio was taken back for trial before a Consejo de Guerra instituted
by the new revolutionary government. He was found guilty and sentenced to death.
Feeling that things had gone far enough; the newly elected president was in favor of
commuting the sentence to exile. This was met with widespread opposition, particularly from
the two generals which had shifted loyalties to Bonifacio at Naik, Mariano Noriel and Pio del
Pilar. Threatening Aguinaldo that his life might be in danger if Bonifacio lived, they prevailed
upon the reluctant Aguinaldo to sign the Supremo’s death warrant.
Bonifacio, erstwhile Supremo of the Katipunan who had taken Rizal’s dream of a
revolution ignited as written in El Filibusterismo and turned it into a fire and blood reality, was
taken by a troop of revolutionary soldiers under Major Lazaro Makapagal and executed by
firing squad.
G. Biak na Bato and the Exile
While this may have satiated the bloodthirsty need for vengeance on the part of the
revolutionary leaders, virtually all of whom saw Bonifacio as the reason for their failing
fortunes in Cavite, it did not change the downward spiral of the conflict. Aguinaldo was
forced to flee Cavite, heading north past Manila to Bulakan province where he linked up
with revolutionary generals fighting the Spaniards in Central Luzon. Meanwhile, Polavieja
asked for and was granted relief – the fighting had worn him out. He was replaced by
Capitan General Fernando Primo de Rivera, whose nephew Miguel accompanied him to
the Philippines. Miguel would later become dictator of Spain before Franco.
Primo de Rivera found that the Filipinos still had plenty of fight left in them despite the loss
of Cavite. Again, the confederacy structure of the rebellion helped prevent a collapse when
a major portion of the uprising was defeated. The central Luzon generals united to defeat
Primo de Rivera’s troops at Aliaga and Aguinaldo was found ensconced in the mountain
fortress of Biak na Bato (Broken Stone). Adding to Primo de Rivera’s problems were a refusal
by Spain to continue supporting the war in the Philippines. Spain was severely over-extended
with two rebellions going on at opposite sides of the globe. Spain wanted the rebellion in the
Philippines ended quickly.
Aguinaldo initially refused to negotiate but eventually was persuaded to meet with Primo
de Rivera’s emissaries. They signed the Biak na Bato peace treaty where Spain would pay
Aguinaldo and his chief leaders a hefty sum to go into exile, while other halves of the money

57
were paid to the remaining rebel generals and promises of reform and restitution were made
by Spain. Colonel Miguel Primo de Rivera was the Spanish government’s official “hostage” to
ensure the terms were carried out.
While modern Filipinos see this as a betrayal and selling the revolution (as it was portrayed
by Spain) many Filipinos in the contemporary period saw this as a great victory – for the first
time a Filipino leader and government was treated with respect and negotiated with, almost
like a legitimate state. Aguinaldo himself kept the money he received intact and saved
them on time-deposit to ensure that they could accrue interest. He and his ‘Hong Kong
Junta’ then lived on the meager interest from the sum. He would later negotiate with the
American consul Rounseville Wildman and Chinese Revolutionary Sun Yat Sen, to purchase
Mauser rifles with which to restart the revolution.
H. Enter America Exeunt Hispania
Following the American victory at Manila Bay, Aguinaldo returned to the Philippines on an
American warship. His return triggered a widespread uprising by the native rebels who
leaped upon the weakened and unsupported Spanish garrisons across the archipelago and
quickly overwhelmed them. Spanish forces in Cavite were defeated at the Battle of Alapan,
where the newly designed Philippine flag was first unfurled. To the astonishment of Dewey
and the Spanish administration, Aguinaldo was able to secure most of Luzon and the Visayas
except for tiny hold-out garrisons at Baler, Zamboanga and of course the “faithful and ever
loyal” city of Manila.
Under direct orders from Spain to not surrender the city to the rebels, the Governor
General Fermin Jaudenes negotiated secretly with the American military commanders to
fight a ‘mock battle’ which would save Spanish honor and then give the Americans the
victory they wanted, provided the Filipinos were left out in the cold. The Americans agreed.
On August 13, 1898, blue-shirted lines of American infantrymen climbed out of their
trenches and moved against the Spanish ‘defenders’. Sporadic fire and resulted in a few
casualties but at the end of it all the scarlet and gold that had flown over Manila for three
centuries was sadly lowered and replaced with the stars-and-stripes. The “three hundred
years in a convent” had ended for the natives, replaced by “fifty years of Hollywood”.
The succeeding months saw a rapid deterioration of the relationship between the two
erstwhile allies, Aguinaldo’s Filipinos and the American military. The Benevolent Assimilation
proclamation made it clear that the Americans were there to stay and hopes that the
American anti-war movement would be able to prevent the U.S. Congress from ratifying the

58
Treaty of Paris, which sold the islands to America for $20-million, were dashed by the
outbreak of hostilities between February 4 and 5, 1899. A bloody war of counterinsurgency
began with the Filipinos – and a good number of Spaniards that had joined them (many
willing and some quite unwilling and forced) found themselves facing an enemy that would
make the Tagalog Revolt seem like a bar-room brawl. The Philippine-American War,
America’s first true overseas war of attrition, had begun.
American troops raise the flag at Fuerte de San Antonio de Abad, Malate (1899).
I. The Katipunan or Revolutionary Army

This is to differentiate it from the later, more highly organized Philippine Army of
Liberation. The Katipunan troops were essentially a clan/tribal force centering around the
local council and its officers. There were some officers that fulfilled a military role and others
that were in an administrative occupation, yet still holding rank.
Bodyguard troops – these would be the family and close friends/servants of the leader
and would have a higher level of toughness and more access to firearms, particularly as the
revolution progressed.
Katipuneros – these would be the conscript troops armed with bamboo spears, bows
& arrows and the ubiquitous machete. There might be a few pistols among them.
Sandatahanes – (literally Swordbearers) these would be tough and fanatical bolo
armed shock troops, effective at close quarters against the enemy. An upgrade from
Katipuneros.
Kawal – (literally Soldiers) these would be conscript troops who had been issued
captured enemy rifles. Not very effective except at fairly close range where even they
cannot miss. An upgrade from Katipuneros.

59
Veteranas – (literally Veterans) these would be leader types who had deserted from
the Spanish Colonial Army. These would have limited training capacity to improve Kawal
class troops rifle skills.
Tiradores – (literally Sharpshooters) these would be Kawal troops that had been
upgraded by training with Veteranas leadership. Fairly effective at close to middle range. An
upgrade from Kawal.
Commandante – (Major) a mid-grade field officer capable of leading men into battle.
Having been promoted up from Teniente, he would be fairly experienced.
Coronel – (Colonel) a high-grade field officer capable of leading men into battle.
Some colonels gained rank through experience but most, like most of the self-proclaimed
generals owed their rank to political connections and recruitment abilities. Randomly
indifferent leadership.
The Filipinos had NO mounted troops, however they would have had superior ability to
hide in the terrain and maneuver out of rifle range.
Filipinos were armed primarily with captured Remington Rolling-Block rifles captured from
Spanish native troops. They were later able to secure the more potent Mauser rifles.
Daniel Tirona of Tejeros Convention infamy, was in charge of a cartridge recovery
program. Young children would scamper about the battlefield and recover spent cartridges
which were then refilled with local (indifferent quality) black powder.
When Aguinaldo declared war on the Americans, he integrated Katipunan forces, here
wearing Spanish uniforms, into his army. In the right of the photo, a Filipino flag can be seen
with its distinctive Sun, the emblem of which evolved from Katipunan flags.
There was also an artillery casting foundery under the Chinese-Filipino general Jose
Ignacio Paua which made small cannon called ‘lankata’.

60
There is some evidence (Sr. Santiago Alvarez’s memoirs – Alvarez was leader of the
Magdiwang Council of Cavite and in-law to the Supremo Andres Bonifacio) that the
Magdiwang troops were dressed in some sort of black uniform with red distinctives/rank
badges, while the Magdalo troops copied the Spanish mil-raya/ rayadillo uniform. The
Tagalog Revolt era was very much a ‘Game of Thrones’ type affair of warlords with local
councils being virtually autonomous of Bonifacio’s Manila Katipunan, though the Supremo
was still afforded respect, and there was little to no true uniformity in the rebel forces.
Katipuneros would have worn their own civilian clothes, possibly with rank and group
distinctives or used captured Spanish guerera uniforms and Remington webbing to achieve
a more martial look. Most photographs show the use of white or rayadillo four-pocket jackets
with side-slits for pistol and sword in Spanish military style.

Early in the colonization of the Philippines by Spain, Filipinos responded to the colonial
master through revolts. The revolts were caused by Filipinos wanting to preserve their pre-
Spanish religion, freedom from force labor, and preservation of their communal lands. The
Church and the State, on different occasions of the revolts, took the side of the Filipinos. The
revolts were suppressed by pitting one Filipino ethnic group against another. The revolts
unintentionally provided information about early Filipino culture.
Several significant events and trends during the nineteenth century provide the
background for the Propaganda Movement. These are: 1. world trade and the
commercialization of agriculture; 2. rise of a wealthy class of mestizos and natives; 3. spread
of education which produced the ilustrados; 4. secularization issue in the Catholic Church;
and 5. Cavite mutiny and the execution of the Gomburza.
The Propaganda Movement was a peaceful campaign for reforms led by Jose Rizal,
Marcelo H. del Pilar, Mariano Ponce, Graciano Lopez Jaena and other Filipinos.
Unfortunately, it failed to attain essential rights and privileges for the Filipinos because of the
turbulent politics in Spain, the influence of the friar orders, the insufficiency of funds to sustain
the movement and internal disputes among Filipino leaders.
The emergence of a Filipino national consciousness was the most important legacy of the
Propaganda Movement.
Application
Answer the following essay questions using 6-8 sentences only. Each item is equivalent to 5
points. You will be given score based on the rubric.

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Scoring Rubric
Criteria Corresponding Points
A. Answers the specific central question that was asked. 3
B. Incorporates pertinent and detailed information from class discussion and 3
assigned readings, providing needed evidence.
C. Presents all information clearly and concisely and in an organized manner. 3
D. Avoids distracting grammar and spelling. 1
Total 10
Questions:
1. Why did the Early Filipino Revolts occur?

2. Identify at least three heroes of the Early Filipino Revolts and identify their roles during
the aforementioned time line of the Philippine history.
3. What are the main objectives in establishing the propaganda movement?
Assessment
Read and analyze the following statements carefully. Write the letter of the correct answer
using the following codes below. Each item is equivalent to 2 points.
A- the first statement is correct and the second statement is incorrect.

B- the first statement is incorrect and the second statement is correct.
C- both statements are correct.
D- both statements are incorrect.
1. The Philippines was a colony of the Spanish Empire for more than 300 years. Spaniards
introduced a colonial government ruled by sword and essentially a state religion.
2. The earliest landfall of the Spaniards had been in the majestic place of Manila.
Because of the occurrence of the said event in the place, the Spanish government
declared Manila as the first ever City in the country.
3. The 70th Magallanes Infantry Regiment was named after the Spanish explorer that
discovered the Philippines, Ferdinand de Magallanes. This regiment headquartered at
Iligan, serving in the field of Luzon and Mindanao.
4. The propaganda movement was spearheaded by Apolinario Mabini and Emilio
Jacinto in 19th century. Apolinario Mabini was known as a “polymath” while Emilio
Jacinto was a “publisher-propagandist”.
5. “KKK” stands for “Kataastaasan, Kagalang-galangan, Katipunan ng mga Anak ng
Bayan”. This was translated in English as “The Highest, Most Honorable Society of the
Children/Sons of the Nation”.

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6. Dr. Jose Rizal was shot after a sham-trial on the field of Bagumbayan to the east of the
walled city (also called Luneta) on December 30, 1896. Dr. Jose Rizal’s execution did
not cause the uprising but rather it was a result or caused by the uprising which had
been going on since August 1896.
7. Karakong de Sili was a splinter group of revolutionaries under Eusebio Roque. The
aforementioned personality was colloquially known as “Master Sebio”.
8. Sandatahanes were literally known as “soldiers”. They were an upgrade from
Katipuneros.
9. Early in the colonization of the Philippines by Spain, Filipinos responded to the colonial
master through revolts. Among the Filipino revolts, Bancau revolt is considered as the
longest among them.
10. Colonel also known as Major is a high-grade field officer capable of leading men into
battle. They were fairly effective at close to middle range.
Additional Readings:
➢ Account of Bancao’s Revolt
➢ Account of Sumuroy Revolt
➢ Usurpation of Indian lands by Friars
➢ The Philippines in Distress by Graciano Lopez Jaena
➢ Monastic Supremacy in the Philippines by Marcelo H. del Pilar
➢ On the Indolence of the Filipinos by Jose Rizal
Reference/s and Attribution/s:

➢ Camagay, M.L.E. (2018). Unraveling the Past: Readings in Philippine History. Vibal Group, Inc.
➢ “A History of the Filipino Revolt (from the Tagalog Perspective)” by Thom Matic IV.
https://www.1898miniaturas.com/en/article/history-filipino-revolt/.
➢ http://worldfactsandknowledge.expertscolumn.com/article/filipino-propaganda-movement

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Lesson 2. The 1896 Philippine Revolution, The American Occupation, and The Suppression of Filipino
Nationalism
This lesson will help you understand the causes of the 1896 Philippine Revolution and its
significant events. The heroes of this revolution and their roles are also highlighted.
Additionally, this lesson will help you explore how the Americans colonized us and how they
reformed the country politically, socially, and economically. More so, this lesson will give you
insights why and how we fought our independence against the American regime.
Lesson Objectives:
1. Explain the causes of the 1896 revolution and its significant events.
2. Identify the American policies that resulted to political, social, and economic reforms
of the country.
3. Enumerate and discuss Filipino uprising against the American colonizers.
Getting Started (Reflection):

Watch the video “The Katipunan and the Philippine Revolution” (Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvA8B4OkRts). What does the video talk about?
Scoring Rubric
CRITERIA 5 4 3 2-1
well supported by
information
Sentenced sound
awkward, or are
difficult to
interfere with
interfere with
understanding,
understanding,

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Discussion
The 1896 Revolution

A. The Causes of the 1896 Revolution
1. The abuses of Spanish officials and priests.
2. Persecution of Filipino leaders who defended the rights of their fellow countrymen.
3. Filipinos’ desire to regain their independence.
4. Discovery of the Katipunan and Bonifacio’s call for revolution.
B. Events in the 1896 Revolution

Date & Event Discussion
August 23, 1896 The revolution began with Bonifacio and his men tearing up
Cry of the Pugad Lawin their cedulas. A valiant Katipunero, Simplicio Acabe, became
the first casualty of the revolution.
August 30, 1896 Bonifacio, leading his ragtag army of poorly armed and
Battle of San Juan untrained Katipuneros, attacked the polverin (powder depot)
Battle of Pinaglabanan of San Juan which was defended by 100 well-armed and
trained artillerists and infantrymen. More than 200 Katipuneros
were taken prisoner and 153 died.
Almost simultaneously, the people of Santa Mesa, Pandacan,

Pateros, Taguig, San Pedo, Makati, Caloocan, Balik-balik, and
San Juan del Monte in Manila, and San Francisco de
Malabon, Kawit and Noveleta in Cavite rose up in arms.
August 30, 1896 In the afternoon of August 30, afternoon of the morning battle
Martial Law Proclaimed at San Juan, Governor General Blanco issued a proclamation
declaring a state of war on eight Luzon provinces -- Manila,
Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija
and Tarlac.
August 31, 1896 In Cavite, the uprisings were more successful, because they
Kawit Revolt Liberation of had able military commanders like Emilio Aguinaldo who led
Noveleta the revolt in Kawit on August 31, and Mariano Alvarez who
liberated Noveleta on the same day. Other military leaders
rose to prominence, notably Artemio Ricarte, Tomas
Mascardo, Juan Cailles, Vito Belarmino, Mariano Trias and
Marcelino Aure.
September 2, 1896 In Nueva Ecija, two thousand revolucionarios under General
Cry of Nueva Ecija Mariano Llanera, municipal captain of Cabiao, attacked the
Spanish Garrison in San Isidro on September 2. The assault was
carried out in a flamboyant manner. Wearing red ribbons, the
revolutionaries first paraded down the principal streets to the

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music of the Cabiao Musikong Bumbong band. Their leader

cut dashing figures on horseback. Then, armed only with bolos
and pointed sticks, the revolutionary soldiers attacked. The
Filipinos held the town for three days but were forced out after
a furious battle against fresh Spanish troops.
September 5, 1896 Emilio Aguinaldo, mayor of Kawit, was then known as Capitan
Battle of Imus Miong. He won a signal victory in Imus on September 5, 1896
against the forces if General Ernesto Aguirre. From then on, he
became General Miong, the hero of the Caviteños.
September 6, 1896 The four Katipunan leaders taken prisoner in the Battle of San
Juan -- Sancho Valenzuela, Ramon Peralta, Modesto
Sarmiento, and Eugenio Silvestre -- were executed by a firing
squad at the Luneta, Manila.
September 12, 1896 Thirteen martyrs of Cavite were executed in front of San Felipe
Fort in the Cavite arsenal.
November 9-11 1896 The twin battles in Binakayan (a barrio in Kawit) and
Battle of Binakayan Dalahican (then a barrio of Noveleta) were decidedly
Battle of Dalahican brilliant. They were the first humiliating defeat of the Spanish
army.
December 5, 1896 On the night of December 5, the Christian-Filipino soldiers of
the 2nd Company, Regiment No. 69, having learned of the
raging revolution in Luzon, mutinied under the leadership of
Corporal Felipe Cabrera de los Reyes and Bugler Protasio
Añonuevo. The mutiny was suppressed and both Cabrera and
Añonuevo and five comrades were executed on December
26.
The American Occupation

A. The American Rule
American Colonial Policy
American colonial policy in the Philippines was unique in the world of colonialism
because of the following reasons:
1. The Americans said they would go as soon as the Filipinos could stand on their own
as a fee nation. From the beginning, American officials did not want to hold on to the
Philippines as a colony forever.
2. The Americans were kinder and more generous than other colonial powers of the
same era (Germany, Netherlands, France or Britain). The American shared power with the
Filipinos in government.
3. The Filipinos adopted American ways very well. No other former colony like its other
country as much as the Filipinos liked the United States.

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American Colonial Government

The Philippines was ruled by the Americans in the following ways:
1. Military government (August 14, 1898 – July 4, 1901) This government was run by
military generals appointed by the American president. There were three military governors:
Gen. Wesley Merritt; Gen. Elwell Otis; and Gen. Arthur McArthur.
2. Civil government (July 4, 1901-August 1902) This government was run by American
civilian officials appointed by the American president. But later it was run by Filipino officials
elected by Filipinos.
Gen. Meritt Gen. Otis Gen. McArthur
There were several kinds of civilian governments during the American era. These were:
The Philippine Commission; the American Governor-General together with the Filipino
people; and, the Commonwealth of the Philippines.
B. War of Philippine Independence from the United States

Manifest Destiny
▪ Benevolent Assimilation Proclamation issued on Dec. 21, 1898 – the US shall exercise
sovereignty over the entire archipelago.
▪ Aguinaldo issued a counter-proclamation on January 5, 1899.

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January 20, 1899 – Pres. McKinley appointed the First Philippine Commission to make
recommendations in the administration of the country; this commission was headed by Dr.
Jacob Schurman.
February 4, 1899 – Private Willie Grayson shot and killed a Filipino soldier. This event
triggered the Philippine-American War (1899-1906).
Bates Treaty – signed by John Bates and Sultan Jamalul Kiram II of Sulu on August 20,
1899. The Muslims remained neutral in the war.
February 5, 1899 – the American fleet bombarded the Filipinos fort north of San Juan
del Monte killing Major. Jose Torres Bugallion.
February 22, 1899 – Antonio Luna burned American occupied houses in Tondo and
Binondo.
*Gen. MacArthur and his troops arrived from the US; they aimed to capture Malolos.
March 31, 1898 – Malolos was captured.
March 6, 1898 - Apolinario Mabini met with the Schurman Commission to request for a
cease-fire but he was refused.

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*Mabini resigned in the Aguinaldo cabinet and was replaced by Pedro A. Paterno as the
head of the new cabinet ―Peace Cabinet headed by Felipe Buencamino negotiated
peace with the Americans.
*Antonio Luna met a tragic death
October 12, 1898 – a full-scale offensive was launched to capture Pres. Aguinaldo.
*Gregorio del Pilar defended Tirad Pass.
*Januario Galut guided the Americans in Tirad pass which led to the death of del Pilar.
*The whereabouts of Aguinaldo was discovered; Gen. Funston employed the Macabebe scouts to
capture Aguinaldo.
April 9, 1898 – Aguinaldo took the oath of allegiance to the United States.
*Pacificados (Pacifists) led by Pedro Paterno and Felipe Buencamino which later became Partido
Federal headed by Trinidad Pardo de Tavera wanted to make the Philippines a part of the US.
July 02, 1902 – Pres. Theodore Roosevelt declared that the Philippine-American War was over.
A Government Under America

Timeline
*Philippine Bill (1902)
* Philippine Assembly (1907)
* Jones Law (1916)
* OSROX Mission (1931)
* Hare-Hawes Cutting Law (1932)
* Tydings McDuffie Law (1934)
* Constitutional Convention (1935)
*Philippine Commonwealth (1935-1945)
▪ March 16, 1899 – Pres. McKinley appointed the Taft Commission and gave it legislative
and executive power to put up a civilian government.
▪ July 4, 1901 – Judge William Howard Taft became the first civil governor. His policy
―Philippines for Filipinos laid the foundation of a democratic government.
Taft’s Achievements
1. The sale of huge tracts of friar lands to Filipinos on installment terms.
2. Cooper Act/Philippine Organic Act of 1902 – extends the US Bill of Rights to Filipinos.
3.First official census was held on March 2, 1899.
Other Political Parties

▪ These parties were organized to counteract the pro-American activities of the Partido
Federal. They were Partido Nacionalista, Partido Independencia, Partido Democrata,
and Partido Conservador.
▪ Gen. Vicente Lukban ambushed American soldiers in Balangiga, Samar.

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▪ Gen. Jacob Smith ordered the massacre of all men and children about ten years of
age.
▪ General Miguel Malvar continued to fight for Philippine independence. He
surrendered to the Americans on April 16, 1902.
Anti-nationalist Laws
1. Sedition Law – imposed death penalty or long prison term to those who advocated
separation form the US even through peaceful means.
2. Brigandage Act – punished with death or with a prison term of not less than 20 years
for members of an armed band.
3. Reconcentration Act – this gave the governor general the power to authorize any
provincial governor to reconcentrate in the towns all residents outlying barrios if outlaws
operated in these areas.
4. Flag Law – prohibited the display of Philippine flag and other symbols used by the
resistance against the US.
How the Filipinos carried on their fight for freedom?

1.Theater and literature.
2. Peasant revolts and the Communist Party of the Philippines.
3. Peaceful pressure by the Filipino politicians ending in the establishment of the
Commonwealth of the Philippines in 1935.
Arts and Literature Resistance

▪ American authorities enacted “Sedition Law” in 1901. Any Filipino advocating
independence or separation from the United States would be punished severely by
death or imprisonment.
▪ Plays and drama’s advocating independence were labeled “seditious plays”
▪ Filipinos employed a variety of subterfuges: allegorical verses, talinhaga, double-
meanings, etc.
Tanikalang Ginto
▪ Juan Abad’s “Tanikalang Ginto” first produced on July 7, 1902 and banned on May 10,
1903 after performance in Batangas and was fined $2,000.
▪ The supreme court later on reversed the decision.
▪ The play revolves around Liwanag (“light,” “the new Pilipinas after departure of Spain),
who is promised to the hero Kulayaw (“loyal,” the Filipino freedom fighters, alsothe
penname of Abad). Her adopted father Maimbot, (“avaricious” the U.S.), approves
the proposed marriage. However, he later withdraws his consent and bans Kulayaw
from his house.He entreats Liwanag to abandon Kulayaw and tries to bribe her with

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gifts. He uses Nagtapon (worthless Filipino collaborators who see a life at ease under
the Americans) to spy on his brother, Kulayaw. Nagtapon disowns their mother Dalita
(poor and suffering Mother Country and the masses). Dalita dies abandoned by her
sons. Maimbot’s gifts fail to move Liwanag so he ties her to a balete and leaves her to
Nagtapon. Kulayaw searches for Liwanag and once he finds her, Nagtapon kills her.
Diwa (“spirit” persistence in struggle) takes Liwanag to heaven. Diwa promises to
Kulayaw that Liwanag will return to him after she has circled the universe. The play
ends with a tableau: Nagtapon is possessed by demons while Kulayaw is crowned by
spirits after delivering an emotional speech.
Tanikalang Guinto by Juan Abad
Other Dramatists
Aurelio Tolentino & His Kahapon, Ngayon, at Bukas

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Aurelio Tolentino – master of subterfuge; was able to weave in the national anthem and the
flag in his plays.
▪ He wrote, directed and played the lead in “Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas.”
▪ He was arrested 9 times and sentenced to life imprisonment. His sentence was later on
reduced to 15 years.
▪ He also wrote poems, short stories, sarswelas, essays, editorials in Talgalog, Spanish and
Pampango.
▪ He fought in Bicol during the Fil-Am war.
▪ The play delved on intense love of country exposing foreign economic control, and a
call for armed struggle.
Hindi Aco Patay (I am not Dead) by Juan Matapang Cruz was closed on May 8, 1903 at
Teatro Neuva Luna in Malabon.
▪ The red sun on the Katipunan flag that rose behind the stage caused the riot inside the
theater.
▪ Cruz was arrested and later imprisoned, which he served in full.
Juan Matapang Cruz & His Hindi Aco Patay
Resistance Groups
General Lucio San Miguel – Rizal and Bulacan; they were captured on March 28, 1903 after
some Philippine Scouts discovered his headquarters in Caloocan and Marikina.
Macario Sakay, Julian Montalan, and Cornelio Felizardo established in Philippine Republic or
the Tagalog Republic which was the continuation of the Bonifacio Katipunan

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General Simeon Olas was the last revolutionary general to surrender to the Americans on
September 25, 1903. Ola took the oath of allegiance to the United States. They surrendered
to the Americans to save the people from brutality and hunger.
The Colorums
▪ They were the remnants of Hermano Pule’s Cofradia de San Jose.
▪ During the American occupation, the term colorum was used by the authorities to
refer to rebel organizations with mystical characteristics.
▪ In Tarlac, the colorums worshipped Jose Rizal and Apo Ipe Salvador.
Pedro Kabola – he founded a secret society called Kapisanan Makabola Makarinag (1923).
▪ They planned to assault the municipal building of San Jose, Nueva Ecija and execute
all the town officials, equally divide the land among the masses, and expel the
Americans from the country.
Pedro Calosa – he organized a colorum group in 1929.
▪ He and his group marched in Tayug, Pangasinan to spark a revolution. But he was
captured.
▪ He said that many of the colorum members were tenants who were ejected by
hacenderos or small farmers deprived of their lands by land grabbers.
The First Labor Groups

Isabelo de los Reyes organized the first labor union, the Union de Litografos e Impresores de
Filipinas, in January 1902.
▪ After its founding, the members decided to reorganize themselves into the Union
Oberera Democratica, with its organ La Redencion del Obrero.
Lope K. Santos became the leader of U.O.D.
May 1, 1903 – Labor Day was first officially celebrated in the country.
Congreso Obrero de Filipinas approved the resolutions demanding eight-hour Labor Day,
child and women labor laws, and an employer’s liability law.
Vicente Sotto established Asamblea Obrero which he used to support his candidacy.
Joaquin Balmori founded the Federacion del Trabaho to support the Democratic party while
Congreso Obrero del Filipinas backed the Nationalista Party candidates.
Union ng Magsasaka was formed in 1917 to fight the evils of tenancy and usury.
Partido Obrero de Filipinas was founded by Crisanto Evangelista, Domingo Ponce, and Cirilo
Bognot in 1924. Its platform showed a strong Marxist influence.
The Communist Party of the Philippines

Crisanto Evangelista established the Katipunan ng mga Anak-pawis ng Pilipinas or KAP.

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KAP wanted unity among workers, peasants and the exploited masses. It advocated
struggle against America imperialism in the Philippines, immediate and complete
independence of the country, unity among revolutionary movements all over the world, and
an establishment of a Soviet system in the Philippines.
Antonio Ora was arrested and died reportedly due to an accident while being taken to
prison.
The CCP members were skeptical about it and they staged a demonstration on January 25,
1931.
Evangelista and other CCP leaders were arrested and imprisoned.
The Supreme Court declared the CCP an illegal organization on October 26, 1932.
Sakdal Uprising
▪ The Sakdalista (coming from the Tagalog word sakdal, meaning "to accuse")
movement was founded in 1930 by a right-wing leader, Benigno Ramos, a writer and
discontented former government clerk. The name of the movement was based on
Émile Zolas 1898 letter criticizing the French government, Jaccuse.
▪ Sakdal began as a fortnightly populist tabloid, with articles tackling issues which were
of interest to the Philippine masses: corruption and mismanagement under the
American-sponsored Nacionalista administration, immediate independence for the
Philippines, and the land reform problem.
▪ Investigators concluded that the motive behind the uprising was the worsening
economic condition.
▪ The elite bitterly criticized the uprising; MLQ called its leader (Benigno Ramos) “and
irresponsible and crafty demagogue.”
▪ Colonial authorities and media described the Sakdalistas “astonighingly ignorant,”
“economically helpless,” “victims of the local cacique,” and “the remorseless usurers.”
What they believe in Sakdal?
▪ They believe that the country’s God-given riches was controlled by the Catholic
church, foreigners and a few rich Filipinos.
▪ They see politicians’ lack of will to achieve independence.
▪ This task should not be left to those who had lost the ability to suffer and work hard for
the sake of the country.
▪ They are living examples of honor, being oppressed and poor, and possessing pure
hearts capable of humility, compassion and sacrifice.
▪ They emulate the life of Jesus Christ and the heroes of 1896 revolution particularly Jose
Rizal.
▪ They considered their work as a mission with a heavy cross to be borne.
▪ Upon occupying the municipal building, they destroyed the stars and stripes; there
was no looting or burning.

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▪ They confiscated pistols and issued receipt; they fed the passengers of the buses they
stopped.
▪ They did this because of their belief that they must be honorable, true representatives
of the people and heirs of the 1896 struggle for independence.
▪ They want to show the world they are not accepting passively the terms of American
colonialism.
▪ Political and economic freedom cannot be fully realized if their souls remained
subjects to alien rule.
▪ Sakdal uprising may be a failure in the eyes of the outsiders, but to insiders, they were
able to show the true meaning of being Sakdalistas: to be honorable though poor, to
know how to sacrifice, and to live and die with dignity.
On May 2, 1935, 150 peasants marched to the municipal hall of San Ildefonso, Bulacan and
hauled down the American and Philippine flags and raised the red Sakdal flag.
The peasants were no match to the constabulary troops who suppressed the uprisings. Fifty-
seven peasants were killed, hundreds were wounded, and others were imprisoned.
Benigno Ramos who was in Japan denied his involvement on the May 2 incident. Many
peasants withdrew their support for Ramos.
C. Economic Progress Under America

American Economic Policy
➢ In the beginning, American policy was unselfish. The Philippine Bill of 1902 declared
that all public lands and natural resources were for “the benefit of the inhabitants.”
This pro- Filipino policy was repeated in the Jones Law of 1916 and Tydings- McDuffie
Law of 1934.
➢ Some American officials gave better treatment to Americans doing business or
working in the Philippines.
➢ The economy then was developed largely by American and pro- American Filipinos.
New Prosperity of the Philippines as A Colony of America

1. Population explosion.
2. New land policy.
3. Friar lands were resold to Filipino farmers.
4. Homestead Act (1924) allowed Filipinos to own up to 24 hectares of public land. 3.
All lands had to be registered, and their owners got the Torrens title.
Agricultural Increase
▪ In 1903, the American Congress sent $3M emergency fund to import rice and carabao
from other Asian country.

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Free Trade with America

▪ Philippine products (copra, sugar, cigars, hemp, etc.) were sold to the Americans
while American products (cars, radios, appliances, cigarettes, etc.) were bought by
Filipinos.
▪ Under the free trade agreement, Filipino products entered the United States without
paying custom tariffs. There was a limit or quota to the amount of tax-free Filipino
products – American products could also enter the Philippines without paying custom
tariffs, but they were not limited by quotas.
▪ Business boom – retail trade inside the Philippines doubled from 1907-1935. Filipinos had
more money to buy food, shoes, clothes, radios, toys, bicycles, and even cars.
However, the Filipinos liked to buy more imported goods.
▪ New industries – The Philippines entered the Industrial Age (which favored the use of
machines and the mass production of goods in big factories) – Mining and fishing
became big industries – Household cottage industries boomed – The Americans
developed the coconut and hemp industries and they took over the sugar and
tobacco industries.
▪ Improvement in transportation and communication – The Filipinos enjoyed the
automobile, electric street car (tranvia), roads and railroads, postal services, airplane,
telephone, wireless telegraph, radio, and movies.
▪ Better budget – the Philippine budget was balanced even during the Great World
Depression in the 1930’s.
▪ In the 1930’s, other governments including the U.S. itself had huge deficit and
problems but the Philippine’s colonial budge had a surplus.
– New banks.
– International exhibitions and meetings.
Economic Problems
▪ We sold our raw materials cheap and bought expensive manufactured goods from
America. We did not develop our own industries enough because we were spoiled by
the free trade with America.
▪ Colonial mentality became worse. We wrongly thought that imported/American
products were high class. It was bad because we forgot to develop our native
product.
▪ Labor and peasant unrest spread in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Many strikes in the cities
and violent revolts in the provinces were caused by radical groups like the Communist
Party of the Philippines.
▪ American capitalists and businessmen controlled the new companies. Some of these
American businessmen came to the Philippines as soldiers or government officials.
They used their connections in the colonial government to become millionaires in a

76
short time. For example, by 1935 American companies controlled 335 of the sugar
industries, 53% of hemp, and 60% of copra. They also controlled the utilities, railroads,
shipping, radio and newspapers.

The Katipunan, founded at the night of July 7, 1892, was a society that intended for the
Philippines to completely separate from Spain through radical or revolutionary means.
Andres Bonifacio, the "Father of the Revolution," envisioned a nation that had its own
government and its people free from the yoke of colonial abuse.
During the course of the revolution, the Katipunan endured internal issues which
eventually resulted in factionalism and the fragmentation of the revolutionary movement.
The Tejeros Convention on March 22, 1897 divided the revolutionaries in Cavite between
those who supported Emilio Aguinaldo and Bonifacio. Because of this, the Supremo and his
brother were arrested and executed on May 10, 1897 at Mt. Tala in Maragondon, Cavite.
The declaration of independence on June 12, 1898, although opposed by Apolinario
Mabini, was one of the means by which the revolutionaries began to assert the
independence of the country. The holding of the Malolos Congress and the drafting of the
Malolos Constitution were concrete attempts by the Filipinos for their capacity for self-
government.
The Philippines, together with Cuba and Puerto Rico, was acquired by the United States
through the Treaty of Paris. The treaty ended the Spanish-American War. The US paid Spain
$20 million for annexing the Philippines.
Aside from economic and political reasons, the United States also used different
justifications to defend their action of annexing the Philippines. For instance, they invoked
the white man's burden—a widely held belief among Westerners that they have a moral
duty to civilize the non-whites such as the Filipinos. Likewise, their belief in manifest destiny
also fueled their territorial expansion towards the Pacific.
There were different responses to the plans of the United States to annex the Philippines.
While it was clear that President William McKinley wanted to acquire the Philippines, the Anti-
imperialist League opposed the imperialist design of the United States.
Tensions between the forces of Aguinaldo and of the United States quickly escalated
following the ratification of the Treaty of Paris and the release of the McKinley's Benevolent
Assimilation Proclamation. The San Juan Bridge incident led to the Philippine-American War
of 1899.
The surrender of Emilio Aguinaldo on March 23, 1901 officially ended the Philippine
American War but Filipino resistance to the US continued until 1910.
Following the Philippine-American War, the United States colonial government in the
Philippines, particularly through its legislative body—the Philippine Commission—tried to

77
strengthen the colonial order and to defeat the remaining revolutionary forces in the islands.
By enacting a number of legislations like the Sedition Law, Brigandage Law, Flag Law, and
Libel Law, the Americans were able to suppress native resistance and nationalism, thus the
era of suppressed nationalism.
Application
Using timelines, create a diagram that shows the Philippine government under America. You
are also required to explain your diagram using 6-7 sentences only. You will be given score
based on the rubric below.
Scoring Rubric
Criteria Points
Comprehension. Demonstrates full understanding of how to properly label 10
a diagram.
Content. Shows complete understanding of unit content. 10
Accuracy. The diagram is labelled with 100% accuracy. 10
Clarity. The diagram is explained clearly and concisely without any 10
grammatical error.
Total 40

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79
Assessment
Matching Type. Match Column A to Column B. Write your answer on the space provided
before each number. Write only the letter of your choice.
Column A Column B
______1. Cry of the Pugad Lawin a. August 30, 1896
______2. Philippine Bill b. Herman Pule
______3. Tanikalang Guinto c. Joaquin Balmore
______4. Federacion del Trabaho d. Aurelio Tolentino
______5. Colorum e. 1901
______6. Battle of San Juan f. September 5, 1896
______7. Kahapon, Ngayon, at Bukas g. 1931
______8. Hindi Aco Patay h. Vicente Sotto
______9. Asamblea Obrero i. 1907
______10. Partido Obrero de Filipinas j. Juan Matapang Cruz
______11. Litografos e Impresores de Filipinas k. 1932
______12. Sedition Law l. August 23, 1896
______13. Cry of Nueva Ecija m. 1916
______14. OSROX Mission n. November 9-11, 1896
______15. Tydings McDuffie Law o. 1902
______16. Battle of Imus p. Juan Abad
______17. Philippine Assembly q. Isabelo de los Reyes
______18. Hare- Hawes Cutting Law r. Crisanto Evangelista
______19. Jones Law s. September 2, 1896
______20. Battle of Binalakayan t. 1934
Additional Readings
▪ Decalogue by Andres Bonifacio, Kartilya by Emilio Jacinto, Association of the Sons
▪ of the People, Declaration about the Tejeros Convention by Artemio Ricarte
▪ Bonifacio’s Letter to Emilio Jacinto April 16, 1987
▪ The Malolos Constitution
▪ President Emilio Aguinaldo’s Declaration of War on the United States
▪ President Emilio Aguinaldo’s Appeal to the Filipinos to Fight the American Invaders
▪ for Freedom’s Sake
▪ Apolinario Mabini’s reply to the Proclamation of the First Philippine Commission
▪ Treaty of Paris
▪ The Benevolent Assimilation Proclamation
▪ Address Adopted by the Anti-Imperialist League
▪ Primary Sources on Philippine-American War
▪ Act No. 277 or The Libel Law of 1901

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▪ El Renacimiento's "Aves de rapiña"

▪ Act No. 292 or The Sedition Law of 1901
▪ Act No. 1696 or The Flag Law of 1907 and Act No. 518 or The Brigandage Law of 1902
▪ Philippine Organic Act of 1902 or Cooper Act
▪ http://www.msc.edu.ph/centennial/first.html
▪ Camagay, M.L.E. (2018). Unraveling the Past: Readings in Philippine History. Vibal Group, Inc.
▪ Halili, Maria Christine N. (2010). Philippine History. Second Edition. Manila: Rex Book Store.
▪ Zaide, Gregorio F. and Sonia M. Zaide. (2004). Philippine History and Government. Quezon City: All
Nations Publishing Co., Inc.
▪ http://www.slideshare.net
Lesson 3. Japanese Occupation in the Philippines
This lesson will help you exploring the Philippine history during the Japanese
Occupation. This will give you knowledge on how the country was took over by the
Japanese invaders from the powerful Americans in 1941. Additionally, this lesson will explain
the impact of the Japanese military government to the social, political, cultural, and
economic landscapes of the Philippines. More so, this will give you the information about the
Filipino uprisings against the Japanese rule.
Lesson Objectives:
1. Identify Japanese rules in the Philippines during Japanese occupation.
2. Discuss how the Philippine society exists under Japanese government.
3. Enumerate and explain Filipino uprisings against the Japanese.
Getting Started
The ten-year preparatory period known as the Reflection
Commonwealth Government was rudely interrupted when the Why did the Japanese
Japanese, looking for territories to accommodate not only their have a minimal influence
excess population but also their manufacturing goods, started to Filipinos?
the war in the Pacific.
In 1939, the European war expanded to Second World War. Hence, as early 1940,
Japan as the rising power in the Pacific, occupied rich Dutch and British possessions in
Southeast Asia. Their preparation for the war, particularly the attack to the Philippines, was
planned carefully. On the other hand, the Philippine reserve and regular forces was
incorporated into the US Army under the command of Gen. Douglas MacArthur. This
combined force was the so-called United States Armed Forces of the Far East (USAFFE).

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Scoring Rubric for Reflection
CRITERIA 5 4 3 2-1
well supported by
information
Sentenced sound
awkward, or are
difficult to
interfere with
interfere with
understanding,
understanding,
Discussion
A. Philippines Prepare for a War
As the crisis mounted in the Pacific, the Philippines girded for war. The military training
of the youth was intensified. First aid courses were given in all schools and social clubs.
Evacuation centers were established and air raid drills were conducted in Manila and other
cities.
On July 26, 1941, Lt. Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Military Adviser to the Commonwealth
Government, was called back to active service by President Roosevelt and took command
of the newly formed United States Armed Forces in Far East (USAFFE). There were 100,000
Filipino soldiers were inducted into this command whom he had trained in modern warfare.
B. Outbreak of the War

At last, the war, which the Filipinos dreaded, had come. The Pacific became an arena
of a global war. The people were shock by the news of war.
*December 8, 1941: Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, mightiest US naval base in
Hawaii at exactly at 2:30 AM (American time, 7:55 AM of December 7, 1941).
Japanese air squadrons swept Philippine skies. First point was Davao City at 6:30 AM.
Tuguegarao, Baguio, Iba (Zambales), Tarlac and Clark Field were subsequently raided. The

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enemy air attacks were most destructive at Clark Field, where the American Air Force was
blasted on the ground. Before sunrise of December 9, the city of Manila experienced
wartime air raid.
C. Japanese Invasions Begins

* December 10, 1941: Landed at Aparri and Vigan in Northern Luzon.
* December 11, 1941: Legazpi in Southern Luzon.
* December 20, 1941: Landed in Davao.
* December 22, 1941: Main Japanese Force landed in Lingayen under Lt. Masaharu
Homma.
* December 26, 1941: Bombed Iloilo City.
Gen. Douglas MacArthur could not stop the enemy landings because his Air Force
had been destroyed on the first day of the war and he lacked naval support after the
withdrawal of Admiral Thomas Hart’s fleet to the south. The enemy dominated both air and
sea.
While the invading Japanese were landing at various points at the archipelago, their
planes were busy bombing the military objectives and the civilian evacuation centers. The
war situation began to loom ominously hopeless for the USAFFE. General Homma’s forces
were closing in on Manila in a pincer movement from the north and south. Realizing the
futility of defending Manila, MacArthur ordered the transfer of valuable military supplies to
Corregidor and Bataan and those that could not be moved were destroyed.
*December 23, 1941: General MacArthur put into effect the secret military plan, WPO-
3 (War Plan Orange-3) which provided the withdrawal of all USAFFE forces to Bataan
peninsula, last stand against the enemy. Hence, Northern USAFFE army under Gen. Jonathan
M. Wainwright and Southern army under Gen. Albert M. Jones began to retreat to Bataan.
*December 24, 1941: Quezon, accompanied by his family and War Cabinet, moved to
Corregidor, where the Commonwealth Government was transferred. He left Secretary Jorge
B. Vargas, Justice Jose P. Laurel and other top officials to look after the people’s welfare.
*December 26, 1941: General MacArthur proclaimed Manila as an “Open City” in
order to save it and its inhabitants from the ravages of the war.
*December 30, 1941: 2nd inaugural ceremonies of the Commonwealth were held. Outside
the tunnel of Corregidor, Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos administered the oath of office to
President Quezon and Vice-President Osmeña.
*January 2, 1942: Japanese invaders entered Manila.
*February 20, 1942: Quezon and company left Corregidor by submarine. Successfully
slipped through the Japanese blockade and reached Panay, he and his party went to

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Negros, then to Mindanao and reached Australia by plane. After a brief rest, he reached
San Francisco on May 8, 1942 to Washington.
D. Fall of Bataan and Corregidor

*Europe-First Policy: agreed by the United States and Great Britain but had
demoralization effect on Bataan defenders, for without arms, ammunition and food USAFE
was about to disintegrate under the pressure of continued enemy attacks.
*March 11, 1942: MacArthur, his family, military staff and two naval officers left
Corregidor and escaped to Australia. On March 17, 1942, immediately after landing at
Bachelor Field, he told the world “I came through and I shall return.”
*Gen. Jonathan Wainwright: succeeded MacArthur as commander of USAFFE to USIP
(United States Forces in the Philippines) in Corregidor.
*April 3, 1942: General Homma unleashed the full fury of an all-out Japanese offensive
in Bataan.
*April 9, 1942: Gen. Edward King, commander of Bataan forces surrendered (76,000
USAFFE forces including 6,600 Filipino forces).
*April 10, 1942 (“Infamous Death March”): Surrendered Filipino-American troops were
forced to march for five days from Mariveles, Bataan to San Fernando, Pampanga, and
transported by railway to concentration camp in Capas, Tarlac (56,000 survivors, 27,000 died
in camp).
*May 6, 1942: the full complete fall of the Philippines to Japanese command as
Corregidor fell. Nearly 12,000 Fil-American soldiers were taken prisoner.
E. Japanese Military Administration

On January 3, 1942, Gen. Homma created the Military Administration for the purpose
of supervising the political, economic and cultural affairs of the conquered land, headed by
a Director General. Later, they brought a plan for the puppet government to be composed
of prominent Filipinos. Hence, on January 8, 1942, they order Jorge B. Vargas, then Mayor of
City of Greater Manila to “organize the Administrative Constitution as soon as possible.”
On the same day, the Philippine Executive Commission was established by the
Japanese High Command, composed of Mr. Vargas as Chairman with other 6 Filipino
department secretaries, namely Benigno S. Aquino (Commissioner of the Interior), Antonio de
las Alas (Finance), Jose P. Laurel (Justice), Rafael Alunan (Agriculture and Commerce), Claro
M. Recto (Education, Health and Public Welfare) and Quintin Paredes (Public Works and
Communication).
*January 21, 1941: Premier Hideki Tojo addressed before the Japanese Imperial Diet
said “Japan will gladly grant the Philippines its independence so long as it cooperates and
recognizes Japan’s program of establishing a Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere”

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F. Second Republic
*June 19, 1943: KALIBAPI, only political party that time, held a convention and
“elected” 20 members of Preparatory Commission for Philippine Independence (PCPI, Please
Cancel Philippine Independence) as in-charge of framing a constitution for the forthcoming
“Republic”.
* September 4, 1943: Constitution was brought to the public.
* September 7, 1943: Ratification of the Japanese-sponsored Constitution (Preamble
and twelve articles).
*October 14, 1943: the inauguration of the Second Philippine republic, however, this
“Puppet Republic” was not taken seriously by the people as well as the international
community. (Laurel and the rest of Filipino leaders served as puppet of the Japanese
authorities for real executive and legislative powers lay on the hands of the Japanese
military leaders.)
G. KALIBAPI
*KALIBAPI meant Kapisanan ng Paglilingkod sa Bagong Pilipinas, chief organ of
Japanese propaganda. It was officially created by Chairman Vargas on December 4, 1942.
Its aims were to:
1. Unify the Filipinos in order to extend positive cooperation to the Japanese military
Administration in the reconstruction of the country.
2. To invigorate in the people Oriental values such as faith, self-reliance, self
sacrifice and hard work.
3. All Filipinos 18 years old above were encouraged to join the organization while
government employees were required to be part of it.
H. Collaborators
A despicable phenomenon during the Japanese occupation in the country was the
existence of renegade Filipinos who collaborated with the Japanese invaders and aided
them in oppressing their own compatriots and fighting for Japanese against the guerillas and
Allied forces.
1. Ganaps: formerly pro-Japanese Sakdalistas headed by Benigno Ramos, founder of
Sakdal Party.
2. Palaaks: members of so-called Bamboo Army organized in 1943 by Japanese army.
3. U.N.: United Nippon was a military organization drawn from the Ganap party.
4. Pampars: Notorious band of Filipino collaborators named Pambansang Pag-asang
mga Anak ni Rizal in Pililla, Rizal in 1943 under Colonel Cristino Pendon.
5. MAKAPILI meant Makabayan: Katipunan ng mga Pilipino which was formally
organized on 8 December 1944 with Sakdal leader Benigno Ramos, Pio Duran and

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Artemio Ricarte as founding leaders. The organization was a last-ditch attempt to fulfill
the obligations of the Philippines in the pact of alliance with Japan by collaborating
unreservedly the Japanese Imperial Army and Navy.
I. Way of Living During Japanese Occupation

▪ Means of production were under the control of the Japanese.
▪ Few banks were allowed to operate.
▪ Buying and selling became the source of income by the Filipinos.
▪ Mickey Mouse Money was circulated that provoked inflation in such alarming situation
▪ Food shortage was alarming.
▪ Outbreak of epidemics were prevalent such as dysentery, malaria and TB causing
death of many people.
▪ *People live in constant fear and apprehension.
▪ *Five mortal enemies of Filipinos: Japanese militaries, diseases, guerillas, hunger, and
Japanese-paid Filipinos.
▪ “Kura” most feared word (inward wave of hand meant “come here!” signified disaster
and outward wave of hand meant “dismiss” or “scram”).
▪ Japanese encouraged the development of Tagalog and gave it an impetus never
before witnessed.
▪ Education Re-orientation: as embodied in Japanese education policy, its basic points
were:
1. Propagation of Filipino culture.
2. Dissemination of the principle of Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.
3. Spiritual rejuvenation of the Filipinos.
4. Teaching and propagation of Niponggo.
5. Diffusion of vocational and elementary education.
6. Promotion of love of labor.
The period of the Japanese occupation lasting three years (1942-1945) was of the
darkest interludes in the history of the Philippines. Under the guise of emancipating the
Philippines from the bondage to Western imperialism, Japan brought her within the orbit of its
so-called “Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere”, but instead the rich Philippine natural
resources were plundered, innumerable atrocities were inflicted on the Filipinos and their
education and culture were extremely regimented.
Japan occupied the Philippines to implement the former's idea of Greater East Asia Co-
Prosperity Sphere. Colonies of Western Powers in Asia were granted independence by the
Japanese as a realization of the idea "Asia for the Asians." The Philippines was granted

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independence and a Republic was established headed by Jose P. Laurel. Filipino leaders like
Jose P. Laurel and Claro M. Recto worked to protect the Filipinos from the invader. In a word,
both were pro-Filipino. The Americans helped in the liberation of the Philippines from the
Japanese.
Application
Using 5-6 sentences, describe the Philippine Society during the Japanese Occupation
by completing the table. You will be given points based on the rubric below.
Scoring Rubric
CRITERIA DESCRIPTION POINTS
1. Depth of answer. Demonstrates a thorough and conscious 10
understanding of the writing task & subject
matter.
2. Development of examples Uses specific and convincing examples to 8
& evidence. support ideas and makes insightful connections.
3. Language use/style Uses artistically sophisticated language that is 7
precise and engaging with a good sense of
voice and awareness of audience and purpose.
Skilled sentence structure.
4. Grammar/conventions Demonstrates total control of grammar 5
conventions/agreements with essentially no errors
when using sophisticated language.
TOTAL 30

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The Philippine Society During the Japanese Occupation
Aspect Description
1. Political
2. Social
3. Economic
4. Cultural
5. Religious
Assessment
Identify the following items. Choose your answer from the table below. Write only the letter of
your choice. Each item is equivalent to 1 point.
A. Ganaps B. Pearl Harbor C. MAKAPILI

D. United Nippon E. Japan F. December 10, 1941
G. McArthur H. Europe- First Policy I. Santos
J. January 02, 1942 K. Wainwright L. Palaaks
M. KALIBAPI N. King O. Homma
P. Spain Q. USA S. Pampars

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1. It was attacked by the Japanese forces on December 08, 1941.

2. On this date, the Japanese forces landed at Aparri and Vigan in Northern Luzon.
3. He could not stop the enemy landings because his Air Force had been destroyed on
the first day of the Japanese- American war in the Philippines and he lacked naval
support after the withdrawal of Admiral Thomas Hart’s fleet to the south.
4. On this date, the Japanese entered Manila.
5. He administered the oath of office to President Quezon and Vice-President Osmeña
during the 2nd inaugural ceremonies of the Commonwealth.
6. It was agreed by the United States and Great Britain but had demoralization effect on
Bataan defenders, for without arms, ammunition and food USAFE was about to
disintegrate under the pressure of continued enemy attacks.
7. He succeeded MacArthur as commander of USAFFE to USIP in Corregidor.
8. He unleashed the full fury of an all-out Japanese offensive in Bataan on April 3, 1942.
9. He surrendered Bataan forces – 76,000 USAFFE forces including 6,600 Filipino forces.
10. A chief organ of Japanese propaganda and was officially created by Chairman
Vargas on December 4, 1942.
11. They are formerly pro-Japanese Sakdalistas headed by Benigno Ramos, founder of
Sakdal Party.
12. They are members of so-called Bamboo Army organized in 1943 by Japanese army.
13. They occupied the Philippines to implement the former's idea of Greater East Asia Co-
Prosperity Sphere.
14. It was a military organization drawn from the Ganap party.
15. This organization was a last-ditch attempt to fulfill the obligations of the Philippines in
the pact of alliance with Japan by collaborating unreservedly the Japanese Imperial
Army and Navy.
Additional Readings
▪ Bataan Has Fallen
▪ Breaking the Silence by Lourdes Montinola
▪ Address to the People of the Philippines by
▪ Lieutenant Gen. Masaharu Homma
▪ Inaugural Address of Jose P. Laurel
▪ Letter of Claro M. Recto to Director General of the Japanese Military Administration
▪ Proclamation of General MacArthur
References and Attributions

▪ Camagay, M.L.E. (2018). Unraveling the Past: Readings in Philippine History. Vibal Group, Inc.
▪ http://hanbadilles.blogspot.com/2013/09/japanese-occupation-in-philippines.html

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Readings in Philippine History

Learning Module no. 03

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STUDENT
Name:
Student Number:
Program:
Section:
Home Address:
Email Address:
Contact Number:
PROFESSOR
Name:
Email Address:
Contact Number:

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This chapter highlights Social, Political, Economic, and Cultural
Issues in Philippine History is centered on the attempt to
understand current issues and concerns today using the lens of
III. Overview of the Module history, in recognition of the fact that the problems of society
today could well be addressed by looking at the roots of the
problems. Also, it discusses the mandatory topics on the Philippine
Constitution, agrarian reform, and taxation.
At the end of this module, you are expected to:
➢ identify and describe various historical research methods
they will have to undergo in the process of completing the
IV. Module Outcomes course, and
➢ recognize the realities of the present generation and aims
to use these realities to the advantage of the student in the
process of learning history by doing history.
You must allot the necessary time to complete the lessons. If
you choose not to complete the lesson using the schedule
provided, you must understand that it is your full responsibility to
complete them by the last day of completion. Time is of the
essence. This module is designed to assess student understanding
of the assigned lessons found within the associated content of the
prelim, midterm and final period of the course. The assessment
part of the module is composed of varied types of questions.
You may see true/false, traditional multiple choice,
matching, multiple answer, completion, and/or essay. Pay
attention to the answer to the assessment questions as you move
V. General Instructions
through each lesson. After each module you will be given a
summative test. Your responses to the assessment parts of the
module will be checked and recorded.
Because the assessment questions are available within the
whole completion period and because you can reference the
answers to the questions within the content modules, we will not
release the answers within modules. However, your professors are
happy to discuss the assessments with you during their consultation
time, should you have any questions. You may not work
collaboratively. This is independent work. Write your answers on the
answer sheets to be provided to you by your instructor or professor

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Lesson 1. Evolution on the Philippine Constitution
Every state has a constitution of some kind whether it be an elaborate document or

just a collection of rules. It is inconceivable on how a state could exist or survive without a
constitution of some form. The foundation of the system of government of the Philippines is
the constitution. In its broad sense, the term “constitution” refers to the “body of rules and
principles in accordance with which the powers of sovereignty are regularly exercised.”
Lesson Objectives:
1. Distinguish numerous continuing issues in the Philippine society over history.
2. Identify the different constitutions that tackles about the different struggle that Filipino
encounters to break free from the colonial tyranny.
3. Design a timeline based on how the constitution evolve over time.
Getting Started:
The Constitution of the Philippines, the supreme law of
Reflection
the Republic of the Philippines, has been in effect since 1987. Why do you think there
There are only three other constitutions that have effectively are only three constitutions that
governed the country: the 1935 Commonwealth Constitution, have effectively governed the
the 1973 Constitution, and the 1986 Freedom Constitution. country?
However, there were earlier constitutions attempted by
Filipinos in the struggle to break free from the colonial yoke.
CRITERIA 5 4 3 2-1
There is one clear and
There is one clear, well
well-focused topic.
focused topic. Main
Focus and Main ideas are clear There is one topic The topic and main
Details but are not well ideas are clear. ideas are not clear
well supported by
information

93
Sentenced sound
Most of the sentence
awkward, or are
are well constructed Most are well
All sentence is well difficult to
and have varied constructed but
Sentence constructed and have understand. The
structure and length. they similar
structure varied structure and student makes
The student makes few structure and
and length. The student numerous errors in
errors in grammar and length. The student
Spelling makes no errors in grammar and
spelling but do not makes several
grammar and spelling. spelling that
interfere with errors in grammar.
interfere with
understanding,
understanding,
Discussion
Constitution
▪ Etymology: Latin word “CONSTITUO” which means “fixed”, “established”, or “settled”

▪ Set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or
other organization is governed, thus, the word itself means to be a part as a whole, the
coming together of distinct entities into one group, with the same principles and
ideals.
▪ The basic principles and laws of a nation, state, or social group that determine the
powers and duties of the government and guarantee certain rights to the people in it.
▪ “Constitution is a written instrument (document) by which the fundamental powers of
government are established, limited, and defined, and by which these powers are
distributed among several departments for their safe and useful exercise for the
benefit of the body politic.” - Justice Miller, US Supreme Court

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1897: CONSTITUTION OF BIAK-NA-BATO
▪ The provisionary Constitution of the Philippine Republic during the Philippine Revolution
was the Constitution of Biak-na-Bato, and it was promulgated by the Philippine
Revolutionary Government on November 1, 1897. It was borrowed from Cuba, and it
was written by Isabelo Artacho and Felix Ferrer in Spanish, and afterward, interpreted
into Tagalog.
The organs of the government under the Constitution were the following:
a. Supreme Council- headed by the president and four department secretaries,
vested with power of the Republic: the interior, foreign affairs, treasury, and war;
b. Consejo Supremo de Garcia Y Justicia (Supreme Council of Grace and Justice)-
given the authority to make decisions and affirm or disprove the sentences rendered by the
other courts and to dictate rules for the administration of justice;
c. Asamblea de Representantes (Assembly of Representatives), to be convened after
therevolution to create new Constitution and to elect a new Council of Government and
representatives of the people.
Figure1. Biak-na-Bato (Heneral Emilio F. Aguinaldo Mural Shine)

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Figure 2. Pact of Biak-na-Bato

The Constitution of Biak-na-Bato was never fully implemented, since a truce, the Pact of Biak-na-Bato, was
signed between the Spanish and the Philippine Revolutionary Army.
1899: MALOLOS CONSTITUTION
▪ The Malolos Congress was designated, which selected a commission to draw a draft
constitution on September 17, 1898 which composed of wealthy and educated men.
▪ The document they came up with, approved by the Congress on November 29, 1898,
and promulgated by Aguinaldo on January 21, 1899, was titled “The Political
Constitution of 1899” and written in Spanish.
▪ It has 39 articles divided into 14 titles with eight articles of transitory provision, and a
final additional article.

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Figure 3. Preamble of Malolos Constitution
The 1899 Malolos Constitution was never enforced due to the ongoing war. The
Philippines was effectively a territory of the United States upon the signing of the Treaty of
Paris between Spain and the United States, transferring sovereignty of the Philippines on 10
December 1898.
Figure 4. The Malolos Congress
Prominent features of the Malolos Constitution contain the following:

➢ Sovereignty was retroverted to the people, a legal principle underlying the Philippine
Revolution.
➢ The people delegate governmental functions to civil servants while they retain actual
sovereignty.

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➢ The 27 articles of Title IV detail the natural rights and popular sovereignty of Filipinos.
➢ Title III, Article V, also declares that the State recognizes the freedom and equality of
all beliefs. as well as the separation of Church and State. These are direct reactions to
features of the Spanish government in the Philippines, where the friars were dominant
agents of the state.
➢ The form of government, according to Title II, Article 4 is to be popular, representative,
alternative, and responsible, and shall exercise three distinct powers, namely:
legislative, executive, and judicial.
➢ The legislative power was vested in a unicameral body called the Assembly of
Representatives, members of which are elected for terms of four years,
➢ Bills could be introduced either by the president or by a member of the assembly.
➢ The president will serve a term of four years without re-election.
➢ There was no vice president, and in case of a vacancy, a president was to be
selected by the constituent assembly.
1935: THE COMMONWEALTH CONSTITUTION
➢ Right after the validation of the Treaty of Paris in Washington D.C in 1898 that
relinquished the Philippines to the US compensating the amount of $20, 000, 000 to
Spain in the process, and the outbreak of Filipino-American War in 1899, our country
was placed under a military government until 1901 with the transitory of the Spooner
Amendment, putting an end to the military rule in the Philippines and exchanging it
with a civil government with William H. Taft as the first civil governor.

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➢ The authorization of the Philippine Bill of 1902, which called for the creation of a lower
legislative branch, composed of elected Filipino legislators, and the Jones Law in
August 1916 gave the Filipinos the opportunity to govern themselves better.
➢ The First Philippine Assembly, which organized on October 16, 1907, was composed of
educated Filipinos from illustrious clans such as Sergio Osmeña and Manuel L. Quezon,
who strengthened the issue of direct independence for the Filipinos and this was
stated by sending political missions to the US Congress.
➢ Controversy distributed the Philippine legislature with the debate on the acceptance
or denunciation of the Hare-Hawes-Cutting Bill conveyed home by Osmeña-Roxas
mission from the US Congress in 1931, which provided for a 10-year transition period
before the conceding of Philippine independence.
➢ The passage of the independence bill resulted in the splitting of the Democrata Party
and Nacionalista Party into two factions; the Pros and Antis. Majority in the legislature
led by Quezon and Recto rejected the said bill, thus composing the Antis, while the
Pros became the Minority under Osmeña, Roxas, and others. On October 17, 1933,
Quezon and others prevailed in this battle as the Philippine legislature omitted the bill.
➢ Quezon finally brought in from the United States the Tydings- McDuffie Act (Public Law
73-127) authored by Sen. Millard Tydings and Rep. John McDuffie, a slightly revised
version of the Hare-Hawes-Cutting bill signed by President Franklin Roosevelt on March
24, 1934. The bil set July 4 after the tenth year of the commonwealth as date of
Philippine independence. This was acknowledged by the Philippine Legislature on May
1, 1934.
➢ The organization of constitutional Convention that would draw up the fundamental
law of the land based on the American model was one of the prominent provisions of
the Tydings-McDuffie Act.

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➢ Delegates to the convention were subsequently elected in 1934. In the first meeting
held on July 30 at the session of the House of Representatives, Claro M. Recto was
unanimously nominated as its President.
Figure 5. Foreword of the Commonwealth Constitution
Prominent features of the 1935 Constitution contain the following:

➢ Bicameral legislature composed of a senate and House of Representatives.
➢ The President is to be nominated to a four-year term together with the Vice-President
without re-election;
➢ Rights of suffrage by male citizens of the Philippines who are twenty-one years of age
or over and are able to read and write;
➢ Extension of the right of suffrage to women within two years after the adoption of the
constitution.
➢ The draft of the constitution was permitted by the agreement on February 8, 1935 and
authorized by Pres. Roosevelt in Washington D.C on March 25, 1935.
➢ Elections were held in September 1935; Manuel L. Quezon was nominated as the
president of the Commonwealth.
➢ The 1935 Constitution provided the legal basis of the Commonwealth Government
which was considered a transition government before the granting of the Philippine
independence with American-inspired constitution.

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➢ the Philippine government would finally form its government system after American
government.
➢ It has been said that the 1935 Constitution was the best-written Philippine charter
ever”.
Figure 6. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signing the Tydings McDuffie Law, March 24, 1934. Behind him are
independence mission head Manuel L. Quezon and Elpidio R. Quirino
Figure 7. 1934 Constitutional Convention Claro M. Recto, president of the Constitutional Convention, during the
opening of the session that began the writing of the 1935 Constitution

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Figure 8. President Roosevelt signing his approval of the 1935 Constitution that created the
Commonwealth Government

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Assessment
A. Multiple Choice. Choose the best answer and write the letter of the correct answer.
1. He is the president of the Constitutional Convention, who speaks at the opening of the
session of Constitutional Convention that began the writing of the 1935 Constitution.
A. Manuel L. Quezon C. Elpidio R. Quirino
B. Franklin D. Roosevelt D. Claro M. Recto
2. The US compensate the amount of _____ to Spain under the Treaty of Paris.
A. $20000000 C. $2000000
B. $200000000 D. $200000
3. “Constitution” refers to the “body of rules and principles in accordance with which the
powers of ______ are regularly exercised.”
A. people C. sovereignty
B. government D. president
4. The Tydings McDuffie Law was signed on March 24, 1934 by

A. Manuel L. Quezon. C. Elpidio R. Quirino.
B. Franklin D. Roosevelt. D. Claro M. Recto.
5. The Latin word of “constitution” is CONSTITUO which means? All except one.
A. fixed C. recognized
B. established D. settled
6. Constitution of Biak-na-Bato was written by Isabelo Artacho and Felix Ferrer in _____, and
afterwards, interpreted into Tagalog.
A. Latin C. Portuguese
B. English D. Spanish
7. The Philippines was effectively a territory of the United States upon the signing of the Treaty
of Paris between what countries?
A. Philippines and Spain C. US and Philippines
B. Spain and US D. US, Philippines and Spain

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8. Also known as “The Political Constitution of 1899.”

A. Malolos Constitution C. Freedom Constitution
B. Commonwealth Constitution D. Biak-na-Bato Constitution
9. The form of government, according to _____ of Malolos Constitution is to be popular,

representative, alternative, and responsible.
A. Title I, Article 4 C. Title 1, Article 1
B. Title II, Article 1 D. Title II, Article 4
10. Under the Malolos Constitution, the _____ power was vested in a unicameral body.
A. executive C. judiciary
B. legislative D. parliamentary
11. He is known as the first civil governor of the Philippines under a civil government.
A. Millard Tydings C. Douglas McArthur
B. William H. Taft D. John McDuffie
12. The _____ provided for a 10-year transition period before the conceding of Philippine
independence.
A. Tydings- McDuffie Act C. Hare-Hawes-Cutting Bill
B. Philippine Bill of 1902 D. Jones Law
13. The Commonwealth Government which was considered a transition government before
the granting of the Philippine independence with _____ constitution.
A. Biak-na-Bato-inspired C. Canadian-inspired
B. American-inspired D. Malolos-inspired
14. The passage of the independence bill resulted in the splitting of the Democratic Party
and Nacionalista Party into _____ factions.
A. 2 C. 4
B. 3 D. 5
15. President was to be selected by the _____ in case of a vacancy, according to Malolos
Constitution.
A. Assembly of Representatives C. Judicial body
B. Legislative body D. Constituent Assembly

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Discussion:
1973: CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITARIANISM
➢ Ferdinand E. Marcos was elected as president in 1965.

➢ Philippine Congress passed a resolution calling for a constitutional convention to
change the 1935 Constitution in 1967.
➢ In 1969, Marcos won the re-election, a bid boosted by campaign overspending and
use of government funds.
➢ November 20, 1970, the election of the delegates to the constitutional convention was
held and then convention began formally on June 1, 1971, with former President
Carlos P. Garcia being elected as convention president. Unfortunately, he died, and
was succeeded by another former president, Diosdado Macapagal.
➢ The constitution was supposed to introduce a parliamentary-style government, where
legislative power was vested in a unicameral National Assembly, with members being
elected to a six-year term. The president was to be nominated the symbolic and
ceremonial head of state chosen from the members of the National Assembly. The
President would serve a six-year term and could be re-elected to an unlimited number
of terms. Executive power was relegated to the Prime Minister, who was also the head
of government and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces who was also to be
elected.
➢ “President Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 73 setting the date of the plebiscite
was ratified or rejected the proposed constitution on November 30, 1973. This
plebiscite was postponed later since Marcos feared that the public might vote to
reject the constitution.

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➢ Instead of plebiscite, Citizen Assemblies were held, from January 10-15, 1973, where
the citizens coming together and voting by hand, decided on whether to ratify the
constitution”.
➢ The situation in the 1980s had been very rampant. As Marcos amassed power,
dissatisfaction has also been growing. The tide turned quickly when in August 1983,
Benigno Aquino Jr., opposition leader and considered as the most reliable alternative
to President Marcos, was assassinated while under military escort instantly after his
arrival from exile in the United States.
➢ There was an extensive suspicion that the orders to assassinate Aquino came from the
top levels of the government and the military. This aperture caused the coming
together of the non-violent opposition against the Marcos authoritarian regime.
Marcos was obligatory to hold “snap” elections a year early, and said elections were
disfigured by widespread scheme. Marcos stated himself winner in spite of
international condemnation and nationwide complaints.
➢ A small group of military rebels tried to stage a revolution, but failed; however, this
triggered what came to be recognized as the EDSA People Power Revolution of 1986,
as people from all walks of life fell onto the streets. Under pressure from the United
States of America, who used to support Marcos and his Martial Law, the Marcos Family
fled into exile. His foe in snap elections, Benigno Aquino Jr.’s widow, Corazon Aquino,
was installed as president on February 25, 1986.

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Figure 9. Constitutional Authoritarianism and the Prospects of Democracy in the Philippines

by Carolina G. Hernandez

107
Figure 10. Ferdinand Marcos
Prominent features of the 1973 Constitution are the following:

➢ The constitution was amended several times.
➢ In 1976, Citizen Assemblies, once again, overwhelming decided to allow the
continuation of martial law, as well as approved the amendments: An Interim
Batasang Pambansa to substitute for the Interim National Assembly, the president to
also become the Prime Minister and continue to exercise legislative powers until
martial law is lifted and authorized the President to legislate on his own on an
emergency basis.
➢ In 1980, the retirement age of members of the judiciary was extended to 70 years.
➢ In 1981, the parliamentary system was formally modified to a French-style, semi-
presidential system where executive power was restored to the president, who was,
once again, to be directly elected;

108
➢ an Executive Committee was to be created, composed of the Prime Minister and

fourteen others, that served as the president’s Cabinet; and some electoral reforms
were instituted.
➢ In 1984, the Executive Committee was abolished and the position of the vice president
was restored.
1986: FREEDOM CONSTITUTION
• President Corazon Aquino’s government had three options regarding the constitution:
(1) revert to the 1935 Constitution, (2) retain the 1973 Constitution and be granted the
power to make reforms, or (3) start anew and break from the “vestiges of a disgraced
dictatorship.”
• They decided to make a new constitution to that, according to the president herself,
should be “truly reflective of the aspirations and ideals of the Filipino people.” In March
1986, President Aquino proclaimed a transitional constitution to last for a year while a
Constitutional Commission drafted a permanent constitution. This transitional
constitution, called the Freedom Constitution, maintained many provisions of the old
one, including in rewritten form the presidential right to rule by decree.
• In 1986, a constitutional convention was created, composed of 48 members
appointed by President Aquino from varied backgrounds and representations. The
convention drew up a permanent constitution, largely restoring the set-up abolished
by Marcos in 1972, but with new ways to keep the president in check, a reaction to
the experience of Marcos rule.

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1987: CONSTITUTION AFTER MARTIAL LAW
The Constitution begins with a preamble, and eighteen self-contained articles. It

established the Philippines as a “democratic republican State” where “sovereignty resides in
the people and all government authority emanates from them.” It allocates governmental
powers among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the government.
• The Executive branch is headed by the president and his cabinet, whom he appoints.
The president is the head of the state and the chief executive, but his power is limited
by significant checks from the two other co-equal branches of government, especially
during times of emergency.
• In cases of national emergency, the president may still declare martial law, but not
longer than a period of sixty days. Congress, through a majority vote, can revoke this
decision, or extend it for a period that they determine. The Supreme Court may also
review the declaration of martial law and decide if there were sufficient justifying facts
for the act. The president and the vice president are elected at large by a direct vote,
serving a single six-year term.
• The legislative power resides in a Congress divided into two Houses: The Senate and
the House of Representatives.
• The 24 senators are elected at large by popular vote, and can serve no more than
two consecutive six-year terms.
• The House of Representatives is composed of district representatives representing a
particular geographic area, and make up around 80% of the total number of
representatives. There are 234 legislative districts in the Philippines that elect their
representatives to serve three-year terms. The 1987 Constitution created a party-list

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system to provide spaces for the participation of under- represented community

sectors or groups. Party-list representatives may fill up not more than 20% of the seats
in the House.
• Aside from the exclusive power of legislation, Congress may also declare war, through
a two-thirds vote in both upper and lower houses. But the power of legislation,
however, is also subject to an executive check, as the president retains the power to
veto or stop a bill from becoming a law. Congress may only override this power with a
two-thirds vote in both houses.
• The Philippine Court system is vested with the power of the judiciary, and is composed
of a Supreme Court and lower courts as created by law. The Supreme Court is a 15-
member court appointed by the president without the need to be confirmed by
Congress. The appointment the president makes, however, is limited to a list of
nominees provided by a constitutionally specified Judicial and Bar Council.
• The Supreme Court Justices may hear, on appeal, any cases dealing with the
constitutionality of any law, treaty, or decree of the government, cases where
questions of jurisdiction or judicial error are concerned, or cases where the penalty is
sufficiently grave. It may also exercise original jurisdiction over cases involving
government or international officials. The Supreme Court also is charged with
overseeing the functioning and administration of the lower courts and their personnel.
• The Constitution also established three independent Constitutional Commissions,
namely: The Civil Service Commission, a central agency in charge of government
personnel; the Commission on Elections, mandated to enforce and administer all
election laws and regulations; and the Commission on Audit, which examines all funds,
transactions, and property accounts of the government and its agencies.
• To further promote the ethical and lawful conduct of the government, the Office of
the Ombudsman was created to investigate complaints that pertain to public

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corruption, unlawful behavior of public officials, and other public misconduct. The
Ombudsman can charge public officials before the Sandiganbayan, a special court
created for this purpose.
• Only the House of Representatives can initiate the impeachment of the: president,
members of the Supreme Court, and other constitutionally protected public officials
such as the Ombudsman. The Senate will then try the impeachment case. This is
another safeguard to promote moral and ethical conduct in the government.
Assessment
Multiple Choice. Choose the best answer and write the letter of the correct answer.
1. Office of the Ombudsman was created to investigate complaints that pertain to public
corruption, unlawful behavior of
A. the president. C. Sandiganbayan.
B. the commisioners. D. public officials.
2. He was assassinated while under military escort instantly after his arrival from exile in the
United States.
A. Benigno Aquino C. Benigno Aquino Sr.,
B. Benigno Aquino Jr., D. Benigno Aquino III
3. President would serve a six-year term and could be re-elected to how many term/s in the
1973 Constitution?
A. one C. unlimited
B. three D. limited
4. The Sandiganbayan is a _____ court created to promote the ethical and lawful conduct
of the government.
A. supreme C. special
B. major D. minor

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5. From 1946 to 1969, the Filipino people were led by a succession of presidents who served
for _____ with only one opportunity for reelection.
A. four years C. six years
B. three years D. five years
6. A constitutional convention was created which composed of 48 members from varied
backgrounds and representations to drew up this particular constitution.
A. Freedom Constitution C. Malolos Constitution
B. 1973 Constitution D. 1987 Constitution
7. Only the House of Representatives can initiate the impeachment of the following except
one.
A. Senate C. Ombudsman
B. President D. members of the Supreme Court
8. The 1987Constitution also established three independent Constitutional
A. Commisions. C. Convention.
B. Conventions. D. Commissions.
9. It examines all funds, transactions, and property accounts of the government and its
agencies.
A. Ombudsman C. Comelec
B. CSC D. COA
10. The retirement age of members of the judiciary was extended to _____ years in 1980.
A. 90 C. 70
B. 80 D. 60
11. Congress may also declare war, through a _____ vote in both upper and lower houses.
A. three-fourths C. two-thirds
B. one-half D. one-half plus one

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12. The House of Representatives is composed of _____ representing a particular

geographic area.
A. district representatives C. mayors
B. board members D. governors
13. In 1981, the _____ system was formally modified to a French-style, _____ system.
A. parliamentary; presidential C. presidential; parliamentary
B. semi-presidential; parliamentary D. parliamentary; semi-presidential
14. Composing of the Prime Minister and _____ others, that served as the president’s
Cabinet, an Executive Committee was created.
A. 15 C. 13
B. 14 D. 12
15. Prior to 1972, _____ functioned as the authoritative arbiter of issues of law and
legitimacy.
A. Supreme Court C. Prime Minister
B. President D. Congress
ATTEMPTS TO AMEND OR CHANGE THE 1987 CONSTITUTION
The 1987 Constitution provides for three ways by which the Constitution can be
amended, all requiring ratification by a majority vote in a national referendum. These modes
are Constituent Assembly, People's Initiative, or Constitutional Convention.
Using these modes, there were efforts to amend or change the 1987 Constitution,
starting with the presidency of Fidel V. Ramos who succeeded Corazon Aquino.

114
• The first attempt was in 1995, when then Secretary of National Security Council Jose
Almonte drafted a constitution, but it was exposed to the media and it never
prospered.
• The second effort happened in 1997, when a group called PIRMA, hoped to gather
signatures from voters to change the constitution through a people's initiative. Many
were against this, including then Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who brought the
issue to court and won—with the Supreme Court judging that a people’s initiative
cannot push through without an enabling law.
• The succeeding president, Joseph Ejercito Estrada, formed a study commission to
investigate the issues surrounding charter change focusing on the economic and
judiciary provisions of the constitution. This effort was also blocked by different entities.
• After President Estrada was replaced by another People Power and succeeded by his
Vice-President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, then House Speaker Jose de Venecia
endorsed constitutional change through a Constituent Assembly, which entails a two-
thirds vote of the House to propose amendments or revision to the Constitution. This
initiative was also not successful, since the term of President Arroyo was mired in
controversy and scandal, including the possibility of Arroyo extending her term as
president, which the Constitution does not allow.
• The administration of the succeeding president, Benigno Aquino III, had no marked
interest in charter change, except those emanating from different members of
Congress, including the Speaker of the House, Feliciano Belmonte Jr., who attempted
to introduce amendments to the Constitution that concern economic provisions that
aim toward liberalization. This effort did not see the light of day.
• In an upsurge of populism, President Rodrigo Duterte won the 2016 presidential
elections in a campaign centering on law and order, proposing to reduce crime by
killing tens of thousands of criminals. He also is a known advocate of federalism, a

115
compound mode of government combining a central or federal government with

regional governments in a single political system. This advocacy is in part an influence
of his background, being a local leader in Mindanao that has been mired in poverty
and violence for decades. On 7 December 2016, President Duterte signed an
executive order creating a consultative committee to review the 1987 Constitution.
The 1986 Freedom Constitution: promulgated by Presidential Proclamation, March 25,

1986. The 1973 Constitution: draft presented to President Marcos by the 1971 Constitutional
Convention on December 1, 1972; deemed ratified by Citizens’ Assemblies held from
January 10 to 15, 1973, proclaimed in force by Proclamation by President Marcos, January
17, 1973. Also, it was amended in October 16-17, 1976, on January 30, 1980, and April 7, 1981.
The 1943 Constitution: as approved by the Preparatory Committee on Philippine

Independence, September 4, 1943 and ratified by the KALIBAPI Convention, September 7,
1943. The 1935 Constitution: as approved by the 1934 Constitutional Convention on February
8, 1935, certified by the President of the United States on March 25, 1935, and ratified by
plebiscite on May 14, 1935. Also, it was amended on June 18, 1940, and on March 11, 1947.
The 1899 Malolos Constitution: approved by the Malolos Congress on November 29, 1898,
draft returned by President Aguinaldo on December 1, 1898 for amendments, which the
Congress refused; approved by President Aguinaldo on December 23, 1898; formally
adopted by the Malolos Congress on January 20, 1899, promulgated by President Emilio
Aguinaldo on January 21, 1899.

116
Application
A. Modified Multiple Choice.
Write: A if both statement is correct,

B if the first statement is correct and the second statement is not correct,
C if the first statement is not correct and the second statement is correct, and
D if both statement is not correct.
1. I. President Rodrigo Duterte won the 2016 presidential elections in a campaign

centering on peace and order.
II. He is also known as an advocate of federalism, a simple mode of government
combining a central or federal government with regional governments in a single
political system.
2. I. The House of Representatives can initiate the impeachment of the president,

members of the Supreme Court, and other constitutionally protected public officials
such as the Ombudsman.
II. The Senate will then try the impeachment case. This is another safeguard to promote
moral and ethical conduct in the government.
3. I. The Malolos Congress was designated, which selected a commission to draw a draft
constitution on September 17, 1898 which composed of healthy and educated men.
II. It has 39 articles divided into 14 titles with eight articles of transitory provision, and a
4. I. The Constitution of Biak-na-Bato was never fully implemented.

II. Since it is a truce, the Pact of Biak-na-Bato, was assigned between the Spanish and
the Philippine Revolutionary Army.

117
5. I. The 1987 Philippine Constitution begins with a preamble, and eight self-contained
articles.
II. It established the Philippines as a “democratic republican State” where “sovereignty
resides in the people and all government authority mandates from them.”
6. I. The 1899 Malolos Constitution was enforced due to the ongoing war.
II. The Philippines was effectively a territory of the United States upon the signing of the
Treaty of Paris between Spain and the United States.
7. I. Office of the Ombudsman was created to investigate complaints that pertain to

public corruption, unlawful behavior of public officials, and other public misconduct.
II. The Ombudsman can charge public officials before the Sandiganbayan, a special
court created for this purpose.
8. I. In 1981, the parliamentary system was formally modified to a French-style, semi-
presidential system where executive power was restored to the president, who was,
once again, to be directly elected.
II. In 1980, the retirement age of members of the parliamentary was extended to 70
years.
9. I. Controversy distributed the Philippine assembly with the debate on the acceptance
or denunciation of the Hare-Hawes-Cutting Bill conveyed home by Osmeña-Roxas
mission from the US Congress in 1931.
II. This provided for a 10-year transition period before the conceding of Philippine
independence.

118
10. I. President Estrada was replaced by another People Power and succeeded by his
Vice-President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
II. Then, House Speaker Jose de Venecia endorsed constitutional change through a
Constituent Assembly.
11. I. The provisionary Constitution of the Philippine Republic during the Philippine
Revolution was the Constitution of Biak-na-Bato.
II. It was promulgated by the Philippine Evolutionary Government on November 1,
1897.
12. I. In 1976, Citizen Assemblies, decided to allow the continuation of martial law.
II. The president to also become the Prime Minister and continue to exercise executive
powers until martial law is lifted and authorized the President to legislate on his own on
an emergency basis.
13. I. In 1986, a constitutional convention was created, composed of 48 members

appointed by President Aquino from varied backgrounds and interpretations.
II. The convention grew up a permanent constitution, largely restoring the set-up
abolished by Marcos in 1972.
14. I. President Corazon Aquino’s government had three options regarding the
constitution.
II. First is to revert to the 1935 Constitution, second is to retain the 1973 Constitution and
be granted the power to make reforms, or last, to start anew and break from the
“vestiges of a disgraced dictatorship.”

119
15. I. The 1987 Constitution provides for three ways by which the Constitution can be
amended, all requiring gratification by a majority vote in a national referendum.
II. These modes are Constituent Assembly, People's Intuitive, or Constitutional
Convention.
B. Classification.
Write: A if it is under the Constitution of Biak na Bato,
B if it is under the Malolos Constitution,
C if it is under the Commonwealth Constitution,
D if it is under the Constitutional Authoritarianism,
E if it is under the Freedom Constitution, and
F if it is under the 1987 Philippine Constitution.
1. It was borrowed from Cuba.

2. It was written by Isabelo Artacho and Felix Ferrer in Spanish.
3. Legislative power was vested in a unicameral National Assembly.
4. Bills could be introduced either by the president or by a member of the assembly.
5. Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them.
6. In case of a vacancy, a president was to be selected by the constituent assembly.
7. It has been said that this constitution was the best-written Philippine charter ever.
8. This constitution should be truly reflective of the aspirations and ideals of the Filipino
people.
9. Through a two-thirds vote in both upper and lower houses; Congress may also declare
war.
10. The President would serve a six-year term and could be re-elected to an unlimited
number of terms.
11. An Executive Committee was to be created, composed of the Prime Minister and
fourteen others.

120
12. It has 39 articles divided into 14 titles with eight articles of transitory provision, and a
13. The president’s power is limited by significant checks from the two other co-equal
branches of government.
14. It maintained many provisions of the old one, including in rewritten form the
presidential right to rule by decree.
15. Rights of suffrage by male citizens of the Philippines who are twenty-one years of age
or over and are able to read and write.
Enrichment Activity
Let us apply your insights.
Illustrate a Timeline. Design a timeline based on how the constitution evolve over time.
Simplify complex information and make it easy to understand. Highlight only the significant
moments or milestones in time.
CRITERIA 5 4 3 2-1
Most descriptions are Less than half are

A concise description for Nearly all slides
missing, incorrect for provided with a
each event is included are provided with a brief
Events several events and/or description and/or
and are in chronological description and are in
not in chronological not in chronological
order. chronological order.
order. order.
The significance of each
The significance of
event is explained
nearly all events
in a clear, concise
is explained in a brief The significance of most Less than half of the
statement on the
Significance statement on the events is missing and/or events are explained
timeline.
timeline. Significance reflects no thought. in the timeline.
Significance makes
makes sense and
sense and reflects higher
reflects some thought.
thinking.
Timeline is difficult to
Timeline has Timeline has no
Timeline has 4+ read and understand
Grammar & no misspellings or more than two
misspellings and/or due to the number of
Spelling grammatical errors. Well misspellings and/or
grammatical errors. grammatical/ spelling
written and concise. grammatical errors.
errors.

121
Impressive timeline. Overall quality of

Most of timeline reflects A clear lack of effort
Neatly organized. timelines about
Presentation a lack of effort. Not throughout. Far
Good use of visuals. the same as other
& Quality engaging or interesting. below the average
Exceeds the quality of timelines. Some extra
Below average timeline. timeline.
other timelines. effort noticed.
References:
➢ Candelaria, JL. & Alporha, V. (2018). Readings in Philippine History. Rex Bookstore.
➢ National Heroes Commission. (1964). Letters Between Rizal and Family Members. Manila:
National Heroes Commission.
➢ National Historical Institute, (1997). Documents of the 1898 Declaration of Philippine
Independence, the Malolos Constitution and the First Philippine Republic. Manila: National
Historical Institute.

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Lesson 2. Policies on Agrarian Reform

In this lesson, you will be introduced to the development of agrarian reform in the
Philippines, wherein we will turn our attention to our country’s history, especially our colonial
past, where we could find the root of the agrarian woes the country experiences up to this
very day.
Lesson Objectives:
1. Identify the various Agrarian Reform Policies.
2. Distinguish numerous continuing issues in the Philippine society over history in
connection to agrarian reform.
3. Illlustrate a fishbone diagram analyzing if the agrarian reform from the past up to
present was a success or a failure.
Getting Started:
Agrarian reform is essentially the rectification of the
Reflection
whole system of agriculture, an important aspect of the
Philippine economy because nearly half of the population is Through the numerous
comprehensive agrarian
employed in the agricultural sector, and most citizens live in
reforms in the Philippines, why
rural areas. do you think for the longest
Agrarian reform is centered on the relationship time, Filipinos in the agricultural
between production and the distribution of land among sector have been mired in
farmers. It is also focused on the political and economic class poverty and discontent?
character of the relations of production and distribution in
farming and related enterprises, and how these connect to
the wider class structure.
CRITERIA 5 4 3 2-1
There is one clear and
There is one clear, well
well-focused topic.
focused topic. Main
Focus and Main ideas are clear There is one clear The topic and main
Details but are not well topic idea. ideas are not clear
well supported by
information

123
Sentenced sound
Most of the sentence
awkward, or are
are well constructed Most are well
All sentence is well difficult to
and have varied constructed but
Sentence constructed and have understand. The
structure and length. they similar
structure varied structure and student makes
The student makes few structure and
and length. The student numerous errors in
errors in grammar and length. The student
Spelling makes no errors in grammar and
spelling but do not makes several
grammar and spelling. spelling that
interfere with errors in grammar.
interfere with
understanding,
understanding,
Discussion
Landownership in the Philippines under Spain
➢ When the Spaniards colonized the Philippines, they conveyed the system of Pueblo
agricultural, where the rural groups, often disseminated and spread in nature, were
structured into a pueblo and given land to nurture.
➢ The Spain’s King owned the land so that Families are not permissible to own their land
and Filipino were allocated to these lands to nurture them.
➢ They compensated their colonial tributes to the Spanish Authorities in the form of
agricultural products.
➢ Through the Indies Law, the Spanish crown awarded areas of land to the following:
1. Religious Order.
2. Repartamientos for Spanish military as reward for their service.
3. Spanish encomenderos, those mandated to manage the encomienda or the lands
given to them, where Filipinos worked and paid their tributes to the encomendero.
Encomienda system was an unfair and obnoxious system as “compras y vandala”
became the custom for the Filipino farmers working the land – they were through to trade

124
their products at a cheaper price or surrender their products to the encomenderos, who
resold for an income. Filipinos in Encomienda were also necessary to render services to their
encomenderos that were discrete to agriculture.
Hacienda system was established at the beginning of the 19th century wherein the
mixed, native, and elite families of Spanish in the state relished exclusive rights over enormous
areas of productive lands, and abused the native Filipino labors to work on their manors for
their profit at the locals' expenditure.
➢ The hacienderos became more visibly authoritative, and they formed new aristocracy
the autonomous country.
The Ramon Magsaysay Philippine Presidency is worthy of declaration, during his term in
bureau, many Philippines landless farmers were given land ownership. The partition between
the rich and the poor Filipinos on the basis of land title, but still remains to outbreak this island
nation.
Landownership in the Philippines under the Americans
➢ Americans are aware that time that the main reason of social unrest in the Philippines
was landlessness.
➢ The 1902 Philippines Bill provided regulations on the discarding of public lands. Each
private individual may possess 16 hectares of land while corporate landowners may
partake 1,024 hectares.
➢ The Philippine Commission also enacted Act No. 496 or the Land Registration Act,
which introduced the Torrens System to discourse the absence of previous records of
allotted land titles and conduct exact land surveys.

125
➢ The system introduced by the Americans allow more properties to be positioned under
tenancy, which led to widespread farmworker revolts, such as the Colorum and
Sakdal Uprising in Luzon. Agrarians and workers found haven from millenarian
movements that provided them hope that change could still happen through
militancy.
Figure 11. The Sakdal Uprising

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➢ During the Commonwealth government years, the conditions were deteriorated as

farmers’ revolts increased and landlords-tenant affiliation became more and more
disparate.
➢ President Quezon placed a social justice program concentrated on the purchased of
haciendas, which were to be distributed and traded to tenants. Efforts toward
agrarian reform by the Commonwealth failed because of many difficulties such as
budget distribution for the settlement program and widespread farmer revolts. World
War II put cessation to all interventions to solve these problems as the Japanese
occupied the country.
Assessment
A. Multiple Choice. Choose the best answer and write the letter of the correct answer on the
space provided in you answer sheet.
1. It is an important aspect of the Philippine economy due to the fact that most citizens live
in rural areas.
A. public sector C. industrial sector
B. manufacturing sector D. agriculture sector
2. Agrarian reform is centered on the relationship between ______ and the distribution of
land among farmers.
A. production C. processing
B. preparation D. manufacturing
3. Those mandated to manage the encomienda or the lands given to them by the Spanish
crown is called
A. landlords. C. Spanish encomenderos.

127
B. Filipino encomenderos. D. hacienderos.

4. During his term, many Filipino landless farmers were given land ownership.
B. Ramon Magsaysay D. Diosdado Macapagal
5. To discourse the absence of previous records of allotted land titles and conduct exact
_____, Torrens System was introduced.
A. community extensions C. land surveys
B. community investigations D. land reviews
6. He rallied support from Manila and nearby provinces through his own publication.
A. Fidel Ramos C. Benigno Marcos
B. Fidel Marcos D. Benigno Ramos
7. They opposed the dominant Nacionalista Party’s acceptance of gradual
independence from the US.
A. Partido Colorum C. Liberal Party
B. Partido Sakdalista D. Nacionalista Party
8. This Party attempt an uprising in 1935 and collapsed.
A. Partido Colorum C. Liberal Party
B. Partido Sakdalista D. Nacionalista Party
9. Through the Indies Law, the Spanish crown awarded areas of land to all except one.
A. Religious orders C. Repartamiento for Spanish military
B. Spanish encomenderos D. Hacienderos
10.The Sakdal Uprising was a peasant rebellion in _____ that lasted for 2 days.
A. North Luzon C. South Luzon
B. Central Luzon D. Visayas

128
11. This system happens when people often disseminated and spread in nature, and were
structured, and given land to nurture.
A. Encomienda system C. Hacienda system
B. Polo y servicio D. Pueblo agricultural
12. Hacienda system was established wherein the _____ families of Spanish in the state
relished exclusive rights over productive lands.
A. mixed, native, and elite C. mixed, local, and elite
B. pure, native, and elite D. pure, local, and elite
13. Agrarians and workers found haven from _____ that provided them hope that change
could still happen through militancy.
A. militarian movements C. millenarian movements
B. uprising movements D. peace protest movements
14. He placed a social justice program concentrated on the purchased of haciendas.
B. Ramon Magsaysay D. Diosdado Macapagal
15. Filipinos compensated their colonial tributes to the Spanish Authorities in the form of
A. tributos. C. agricultural products.
B. repartamientos. D. polo y servicio
Post-war Interventions towards Agrarian Reform
➢ The administration of President Roxas handed Republic Act No. 34 to establish a 70-30
allocation arrangement between tenant and landowner, correspondingly, which
reduced the interest of landowners’ mortgages to tenants at six per cent or less.

129
➢ The government also tried to reallocated hacienda lands, deteriorating prey to

despairs of similar actions since no provision was given to small agrarians who were
given lands.
➢ The Land Settlement Development Corporation (LASEDECO), under the period of
President Elpidio Quirino, was established to accelerate and expand the resettlement
program for farmers; this agency later on became the National Resettlement and
Rehabilitation Administration (NARRA) under the government of President Ramon
Magsaysay.
➢ Magsaysay saw the significance of pursuing genuine land reform program and
persuaded the Congress, majority of which were elite owners, to pass legislation to
develop the land reform situation.
➢ A major pace in land reform arrived during the term of President Diosdado
Macapagal over the Agricultural Land Reform Code (Republic Act No.3844). This
Code eliminated share occupancy in the Philippines and prescribed a program to
transform tenant-farmers to boarders and later on owner-cultivators. It also aimed to
allowed tenants from tenancy and emphasizes owner-cultivatorship and agrarian
individuality, equality, equity, productivity improvement, and public land
dissemination.
Agrarian Reform Efforts under Marcos

130
Figure 12. Presidential Decree no. 27

131
▪ Martial Law in 1972 was declared by President Marcos, allowing him to fundamentally
wipe out the landlord-dominated Congress. Over his “technocrats” he was able to
develop executive power to start a “fundamental restructuring” of government, with
its exertions in solving the deep structural problems of the country.
▪ Many other techniques were engaged by the elite to discover a way to uphold their
power which were deteriorated by the exploitation of Marcos and his associates who
were also involve in the agricultural area.
CARPER and further Agrarian Reform in the Philippines
▪ “The new deadline of CARP terminated in 2008, leaving 1.2 million agrarian
beneficiaries and 1.6 million hectares of agricultural land to be disseminated to
farmers.
▪ In 2009, Republic Act No. 9700 was signed by President Arroyo or the Comprehensive
Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms (CARPER), the amendatory law that
extended the deadline to five more years. Section 30 of the law also mandates that
any case and/or continuing including the implementation of provisions of CARP, as
amended, which may endure pending on 30 June 2014, shall be allowed to proceed
to its finality and executed even beyond such date.”
▪ From 2009 to 2014, CARPER has disseminated a total of 1 million hectares of property
to 900,000 agrarian beneficiaries.
▪ After 27 years of land reform and two Aquino admirations, 500,000 hectares of
properties stay undistributed.
▪ The DAR and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) are the
government agencies mandated to fulfil CARP and CARPER, however even the joint

132
effort and resources of the two agencies have shown incapable of fully accomplishing
the aim of agrarian reform in the Philippines. The same problems have afflicted its
implementation.
▪ With the influential landed elite and the indecisive bureaucracy of the Philippine
government, which are the two challenges that must be conquered, genuine
agrarian reform in the Philippines remains but a dream to Filipino Farmers who have
been fighting for their right to landownership for eras.
Assessment
1. The NARRA was under the government of _____, while the LASEDECO was under the
government of _____.
A. Ramon Magsaysay; Elpidio Quirino C. Elpidio Quirino; Ramon Magsaysay
B. Carlos Garcia; Diosdado Macapagal D. Diosdado Macapagal; Carlos Garcia
2. Republic Act No. 34 to establish a _____ allocation arrangement between tenant and
landowner,
A. 50-50 C. 60-40
B. 80-20 D. 70-30
3. The Agricultural Land Reform Code emphasize the following: (All except one) owner-
cultivatorship and agrarian individuality, equality, equity, productivity improvement, and
public land dissemination
A. productivity improvement C. public land insemination
B. agrarian individuality D. owner-cultivatorship

133
4. The emancipation of all tenant farmers from the bondage of the soil is under
A. Republic Act 9700 C. Presidential Decree 420
B. Republic Act 3844 D. Presidential Decree 27
5. No title to the land shall be issued to a tenant farmer under P.D no. 27, unless and until
the he/she has become a full-pledge member of a duly recognized farmer’s
A. organization. C. association.
B. cooperative. D. union.
6. CARPER was signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in
A. 2005 C. 2003
B. 2007 D. 2009
7. The following were envisioned by post-war Philippine presidents to liberate the tenant
farmers from their miserable conditions. (All except one)
A. Landholding C. Distribution of lands to tenants
B. Agrarian Reform D. Breaking up of haciendas
8. It reduced the interest of landowners’ mortgages to tenants at six per cent or less
A. R.A 34 C. R.A 143
B. R.A 3844 D. R.A 9700
9. It was the _____ who introduced the concept of private property which eventually led to
the rise of a landholding class.
A. Chinese C. Americans
B. Elite D. Spanish
10. According to P.D no. 27, the tenant farmer shall be deemed owner of a portion
constituting a family-size farm of ___ hectares if not irrigated and ___ hectares if irrigated.
A. 3; 5 C. 6; 4
B. 4; 6 D. 5; 3

134
11. During the pre-colonial times, land was communally owned by the people of the
A. barangay. C. pueblo.
B. town. D. sitio.
12. The total cost of the land, including interest at the rate of 6% per annum shall be paid
by the tenant in ___ years of ___ equal annual amortizations in accordance to P.D no. 27.
A. 15; 15 C. 20; 20
B. 10; 10 D. 5; 5
13. After two Aquino admirations, _____ hectares of properties still stay undistributed
A. 500000 C. 50000
B. 5000000 D. 50000000
14. He persuaded the Congress to pass legislation to develop the land reform situation.
A. Diosdado Macapagal C. Elpidio Quirino.
B. Ramon Magsaysay D. Carlos Garcia
15. The landowner may retain an area of not more than _____ hectares, according to P.D
no. 27.
A. 6 C. 8
B. 7 D. 9
During the pre-colonial times, land was communally owned by the people of the barangay. It
was the Spaniards who introduced the concept of private property which eventually led to the rise of
a landholding class of Spaniards and Filipinos who employed farmers as tenants in their large
haciendas.
Under the Americans, the landed elite occupied government positions and successfully resisted
attempts of agrarian reform. Dire poverty and haciendero maltreatment are some of the causes of
violent mass rebellions of peasants and farmers in Philippine history.

135
Agrarian reform, the breaking up of haciendas and distribution of lands to tenants, was
envisioned by post-war Philippine presidents to liberate the tenant farmers from their miserable
conditions. The main attempts to achieve agrarian reform were President Macapagal's Agricultural
Land Reform Code in 1963, President Marcos' Presidential Decree No. 27 in 1972, and President
Aquino's Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program in 1987.
Application
1. I. The 1902 Philippines Bill provided regulations on the discarding of public lands.
II. Each private individual may possess 16 hectares of land while corporal landowners
may partake 1,024 hectares.
2. I. Filipinos in encomienda were necessary to render services to their encomenderos

that were discrete to agriculture.
II. Encomienda system was an unfair and obnoxious system as “compras y vandala”
became the custom for the Filipino farmers working the land.
3. I. The DAR and DENR are the government agencies mandated to fulfil CARP and
CARPER.
II. However, even the joint effort and resources of the two agencies have shown
capable of fully accomplishing the aim of agrarian reform in the Philippines.

136
4. I. The Spain’s King owned the land so that his families are not permissible to own their
land and Filipino were allocated to these lands to nurture them.
II. They compensated their colonial tributes to the Spanish Authorities in the form of
cultural products.
5. I. The Ramon Magsaysay Philippine Presidency is worthy of declaration, during his term
in bureau, many Philippines landless farmers were given land ownership.
II. The partition between the rich and the poor Filipinos on the basis of land title, but, still
remains to outbreak this island nation.
6. I. Through the Indian Law, the Spanish crown awarded areas of land to the following:
II. Religious order, departamientos for Spanish military as reward for their service, and
Spanish encomenderos.
7. I. The Land Settlement Developing Corporation under the period of President Elpidio
Quirino, was established to accelerate and expand the resettlement program for
farmers.
II. This agency later on became the National Resettlement and Rehabilitation
Administration (NARRA) under the government of President Ramon Magsaysay.
8. I. In 2009, Republic Act No. 9700 was signed by President Arroyo or the Comprehensive
Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms.
II. It is the mandatory law that extended the deadline to five more years.

137
9. I. Hacienda system was established at the beginning of the 19th century wherein the
mixed, native, and elite families of Spanish in the state relished exclusive rights over
narrow areas of productive lands.
II. They also abused the native Filipino labors to work on their minors for their profit at
the locals' expenditure.
10. I. The administration of President Roxas handed Republic Act No. 34 to establish a 70-
30 allocation arrangement between landlord and landowner.
II. This reduced the interest of landowners’ mortgages to tenants at six percent or less.
11. I. Efforts toward agrarian deform by the Commonwealth failed because of many
difficulties.
II. It includes budget distribution for the settlement program and widespread landlord
revolts.
12. I. The system introduced by the Americans allow more properties to be positioned
under tenancy.
II. Agrarians and workers found haven from millenarian movements that provided
them hope that change could still happen through militancy.
13. I. After 27 years of land reform and two Aquino admirations, 500,000 hectares of
properties stay undistributed
II. From 2009 to 2014, CARPER has disseminated a total of 1,000,000 hectares of
property to 90,000 agrarian beneficiaries.

138
14. I. Republic Act No. 3844 eliminated share occupancy in the Philippines and described
a program to transform tenant-farmers to boarders and later on owner-cultivators.
II. It also aimed to allowed tenants from tenancy and emphasizes owner-cultivatorship
and agrarian individuality, equality, equity, productivity improvement, and public land
dissemination.
15. I. Agrarian reform focused on the political and economic class character of the
relations of production and distribution in farming and related enterprises, and how
these connect to the wider class structure.
II. Also, it is centered on the relationship between production and the distribution of
land among farmers.
B. Classification.
Write: A if it is under the Landownership under Spain,
B if it is under the Landownership under the Americans,
C if it is under the Post-war Interventions,
D if it is under the Agrarian Reform under Marcos, and
E if it is under the CARPER and further of Agrarian Reform.
1. Republic Act No. 9700

2. Presidential Decree No. 27
3. Agricultural Land Reform Code
4. They formed new aristocracy the autonomous country.
5. National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Administration
6. It allowed him to fundamentally wipe out the landlord-dominated Congress.
7. It has disseminated a total of 1 million hectares of property to 900,000 agrarian
beneficiaries.

139
8. It enable to develop executive power to start a “fundamental restructuring” of

government
9. It mandates that any case and/or continuing including the implementation of
provisions of CARP.
10. It discourse the absence of previous records of allotted land titles and conduct exact
land surveys
11. Filipinos were also necessary to render services to their encomenderos that were
discrete to agriculture
12. Rural group are often disseminated and spread in nature, were structured into a
pueblo and given land to nurture
13. Placing a social justice program concentrated on the purchased of haciendas, which
were to be distributed and traded to tenants.
14. Reallocating hacienda lands, deteriorating prey to despairs of similar actions since no
provision was given to small agrarians who were given lands.
15. It allowed more properties to be positioned under tenancy, which led to widespread
farmworker revolts, such as the Colorum and Sakdal Uprising in Luzon.
Enrichment Activity
Fishbone Diagram. Using the Fishbone diagram, analyze if the agrarian reform from the past
up to present was a success or a failure. An example is given in the next page.

140
CAUSE CAUSE
SUCCESS
or
FAILURE
CAUSE CAUSE
Scoring Rubric
CRITERIA 4 3 2 1
Few or none of the
Text support All causes are Most causes are Some of the
causes
of supported by the supported by the causes are supported
are supported by
the cause text (due to text by the text
the text (due to
statements details). (due to details). (due to details).
details).
Placement of All statements Most statements Some of the Few or no
statements noting are statements are statements are
within the causes are placed placed in the placed in the correct placed in the
causes in the right column correct causes, but student varied causes.

141
without mixing up causes, but student mixed up many

statement mixed up a few statements.
statements.
Selects
Selected
Selected important characteristics
Selected characteristics that
features or that are not
characteristics that provided for the cause
attributes important or don’t
provided for a being stated. Details
Chooses that provided lead to insightful
meaningful may be vague or
appropriate insight conclusions.
statement. general rather than
characteristics into the cause Details may be
Some evidence. detailed.
for the causes being stated. vague, general, or
Analysis or Little evidence, or
Detailed evidence. non-existent rather
reflection may be unfounded evidence.
Analysis or than detailed.
present. No analysis or
reflection included. Evidence is unfounded
reflection.
or not present.
Easy to read, Most text is easy to Text is not easy to Not legible. More
Text legible. read. 1 - 3 spelling read. 4 – 6 spelling than 6 spelling
No misspellings. mistakes. mistakes. mistakes.
Clean, neat and Fairly neat and Messy and
Not well organized. A
Product well clean. unorganized. Not
little cluttered.
organized. Some organization. well put together.
References:
➢ Agricultural Land Reform Code of 1963 (Republic Act 3844).
➢ Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1988 (Republic Act 6657).
➢ Decreeing the Emancipation of Tenants from the Soil (Presidential Decree No. 27).
➢ Land Reform Act of 1955 (Republic Act 1400).

142
Lesson 3. Evolution of Philippine Taxation
In this lesson, you will be introduced to taxation, as a government mechanism to raise

funds, and through time it developed and evolved, and in the context of the Philippines, we
must understand that it came with our colonial experience.
Lesson Objectives:
1. Distinguish numerous continuing issues in the evolution of the Philippine taxation.
2. Identify the different periods in the Philippine taxation that tackles about the different
events that Filipinos encounter leading to the taxation of the present; and
3. Create a Venn diagram Illustrating the similarities of the first three periods to the
present period and differences among them.
Getting Started:
In today’s world, taxation is a reality that all
citizens must contend with, for the primary reason Reflection
that governments raise revenue from the people In your opinion, does the
government fulfill its role to improve the
they govern to be able to function fully. In exchange lives of the Filipino in exchange for the
taxes that Filipino pay?
for the taxes that people pay, the government
promises to improve the citizens’ lives through good
governance.
CRITERIA 5 4 3 2-1
There is one clear
and well-focused There is one clear, well
topic. Main ideas focused topic. Main ideas
Focus and There is one The topic and main
are clear but are are clear but not well
Details clear topic idea. ideas are not clear
not well supported supported by detailed
by. detailed information.
information

143
All sentence is well Most are well Sentenced sound

Most of the sentence are
constructed and constructed but awkward, or are
well constructed and have
Sentence have varied they similar difficult to understand.
varied structure and length.
structure structure and structure and The student makes
The student makes few
and length. The student length. The numerous errors in
errors in grammar and
Spelling makes no errors in student makes grammar and spelling
spelling but do not interfere
grammar and several errors in that interfere with
with understanding,
spelling. grammar. understanding,
Discussion
Taxation in Spanish Philippines
The Philippines may have abundant natural resources even before the encroachment
of the Spaniards, but our ancestors were mainly involved in a subsistence economy, and
while the payment of tribute or taxes (buhis/buwis/handug) or the obligation to provide
labor services to the datus in some early Filipino communities in the Philippines may resemble
taxation, it is essentially different from the contemporary meaning of the concept.
The arrival of the Spaniards altered this subsistence system because they imposed the
payment of tributos (tributes) from the Filipinos, to what has been practiced in all colonies in
America. The purpose is to generate resources to finance the maintenance of the islands,
such as salary of government officials and expenses of the clergy. The difficulty faced by
Spaniards in revenue collection through the tribute was the dispersed nature of the
settlements, which they solved by introducing the system of reduccion by creating pueblos,
where Filipinos were gathered and awarded plots land to till. Later on, the settlements will be
handled by who received rewards from the Spanish crown for their services. Exempted from
payment of tributos were the principales: alcaldes, gobernadores, cabeza de barangay,
soldiers, members of the civil guard, government officials, vagrants. Later on, half of the

144
tribute was paid in cash, and the rest with produce. This financed the conquest of the
Philippines.
Toward the end of the 16th century, the Manila-Acapulco trade established through
the galleons, which improved the economy of the Philippines and reinforced the control of
the Spaniards all over the country. Tax collection was still very poor, and subsidy from the
Spain will be needed through the situado real delivered from the Mexican treasury to the
Philippines through the galleons. This subsidy stopped as Mexico became independent in
1820.
In 1884, the payment of tribute was put to a stop and was replaced by a poll tax
collected through a certificate of identification called the cédula personal. This is required
from every resident and must be carried while traveling. Unlike the tribute, the payment of
cedulas is by person and by family, The Chinese in the Philippines were also made to pay
their discriminatory cedula which is bigger than what the Filipinos pay.
Two direct taxes were added in 1878 and imposed on urban income. Urbana is a tax
on the annual rental value of an urban real estate, and industria is a tax on salaries,
dividends, and profits. These taxes were universal and affected all kinds of economic activity
except agriculture, which was exempt to encourage growth.
Indirect taxes such as customs duties were imposed on exports and imports to further
raise revenue, especially during the 19th century when economic growth increased
exponentially. There were no excise taxes collected by the Spaniards throughout the years
of colonialism.
The colonial government also gains income from monopolies, such as the sale of
stamped paper, manufacture and sale of liquor, cockpits, and opium, but the biggest of the

145
state monopolies was tobacco, which began in 1781 and halted in 1882, and only certain
areas were assigned to cultivate tobacco.
Forced labor was a character of Spanish colonial taxation in the Philippines, and was
required from the Filipinos. It proved useful in defending the territory of the colony and
augmenting the labor required by woodcutting and shipbuilding especially during the time
of the galleon trade. Through the polo system, male Filipinos were obliged to serve, a burden
that resulted to an increase in death rate and flight to the mountains, which led to a
decrease in population in the 17th century.
Males were required to provide labor for 40 days a year (reduced to 15 days a year in
1884). They may opt out by paying the fallas of three pesos per annum, which was usually
lost to corruption because it was collected at the municipal level, and were known as
caidas or droppings. The polos will be called prestacién personal (personal services) by the
second half of the 19th century.
The principales who were given positions such as cabezas de barangay or alcaldes in
the local government were able to enrich themselves by pocketing tributos and/or falls,
while the peasants were left to be abused. Taxation appeared progressive but the disparity
between the less taxed principales and heavily taxed peasants made the rich richer and the
poor poorer.
Taxation Under the Americans
The Americans who acquired the Philippines aimed to make the economy self-
sufficient by running the government with the smallest possible sum of revenue and create

146
surplus in the budget. From 1898 to 1903, the Americans followed the Spanish system of
taxation with some modifications, noting that the system introduced by the Spaniards were
outdated and regressive. The military government suspended the contracts for the sale of
opium, lottery, and mint charges for coinage of money. Later on the urbana will be replaced
by tax on real estate, which became known as the land tax. The land tax was levied on both
urban and rural real estates.
The problem with land tax was that land titling in the rural area was very disorderly, the
appraising of land value was influenced by political and familial factors, and the
introduction of a taxation system on agricultural land faced objections from the landed elite.
Tax evasion was prevalent, especially among the elites.
The Internal Revenue Law of 1904 was passed as a reaction to the problems of
collecting land tax. It prescribed ten major sources of revenue:
(1) license taxes on firms dealing in alcoholic beverages and tobacco,

(2) excise taxes on alcoholic beverages and tobacco products,
(3) taxes on banks and bankers,
(4) document stamp taxes,
(5) the cedula,
(6) taxes on insurance and insurance companies,
(7) taxes on forest products,
(8) mining concessions,
(9) tax on business and manufacturing, and
(10) occupational licenses.
The cedula went through changes in the new law as the rate was fixed per adult
male, which resulted to a great decline in revenues. In 1907, some provinces were

147
authorized to double the fee for the cedula to support construction and maintenance of
roads. The industria tax was levied on the business community.
In 1913, the Underwood-Simmons Tariff Act was passed, resulting to a reduction in the
revenue of the government as export taxes levied on sugar, tobacco, hemp, and copra
were lifted.
New sources of taxes were introduced later on. In 1914, an income tax was
introduced. In 1919, an inheritance tax was created, and in 1932, national lottery was
established to create more revenue for the government. However, these new creations were
not enough to increase government revenues.
Assessment
A. Multiple Choice. Choose the best answer and write the letter of the correct answer on the
space provided in you answer sheet.
1. All except one are new sources of taxes introduced from 1914 up to 1932 yet these were
not enough to increase government revenues.
A. national lottery C. income tax
B. Inheritance tax D. industria tax
2. The polo system was reduced to _____ in 1884.
A. 15 days a month C. 15 days a year
B. 20 days a year D. 20 days a month
3. Some provinces in 1907 were authorized to double the fee for _____ to support
construction and maintenance of roads.
A. cedula C. tributos
B. fallas D. land

148
4. The polos was called prestacién personal or personal services by the _____ of the 19th
century.
A. second half C. first quarter
B. first half D. second quarter
5. “The Internal Revenue Law of 1904 prescribed _____ major sources of revenue.
A. 5 C. 10
B. 15 D. 20
6. This type of tax is for alcoholic beverages and tobacco products as specified on the
Internal Revenue Law of 1904.
A. license tax C. industria tax
B. excise tax D. income tax
7. This system led to a decrease in population in the 17th century.
A. reduccion system C. polo system
B. subsistence system D. taxation system
8. It was the biggest of the state monopolies where the colonial government gains income.
A. opium C. liquor
B. tobacco D. cockpits
9. Firms dealing in alcoholic beverages and tobacco has this tax as specified on the
Internal Revenue Law of 1904.
A. license tax C. industria tax
B. excise tax D. income tax
10. Tax evasion was prevalent, especially among the
A. Spanish. C. poor.
B. peasants. D. elite.
11. The introduction of this particular system on agricultural land faced objections from the
landed elite.

149
A. agrarian system C. land reform system

B. taxation system D. meter system
12. It was replaced by tax on real estate, known as the land tax.
A. cedula C. tributos
B. fallas D. urbana
13. There were no excise taxes collected by the Spaniards throughout the years of
A. colonialism. C. imperialism.
B. mercantilism. D. capitalism.
14. Due to the coinage of money, the military government suspended the contracts for the
sale of the following charges. (All except one)
A. tobacco C. opium
B. mint D. lottery
15. Taxation appeared _____ but the disparity between the less taxed principales and
heavily taxed peasants made the rich richer and the poor poorer.
A. positive C. negative
B. progressive D. regressive
Discussion
Taxation During the Commonwealth Period
New measures and legislation were introduced to make the taxation system appear
more equitable during the Commonwealth. Income tax rate were increased in 1936, adding
a surtax rate on individual net incomes in excess of 10,000 pesos. Income tax rates of

150
corporations were also increased. In 1937, the cedula tax was abolished, which appeared to
be a progressive move; but in 1940 a residence tax was imposed on every citizen aged 18
years old and on every corporation.
In 1939, the Commonwealth government drafted the National Internal Revenue Code,
introducing major changes of the new tax system, as follows:
(1) The normal tax of three percent and the surtax on income was replaced by a single
tax at a progressive rate.
(2) Personal exemptions were reduced.
(3) Corporation income tax was slightly increased by introducing taxes on inherited
estates or gifts donated in the name of dead persons.
(4) The cumulative sales tax was replaced by a single turnover tax of 10% on luxuries.
(5) Taxes on liquors, cigarettes, forestry products and mining were increased.
(6) Dividends were made taxable.
As World War II reached the Philippine shores, economic activity was put to a stop,
and the Philippines bowed to a new set of administrators, the Japanese. The Japanese
military administration in the Philippines during World War 2 immediately continued the
system of tax collection introduced during the Commonwealth, but exempted the articles
belonging to the Japanese armed forces, Foreign trade fell, and the main sources of
taxation came from amusements, manufactures, professions, and business licenses. As the
war raged, tax collection was a difficult task, and additional incomes of the government
were derived from the sales of the National Sweepstakes and sale of government bonds.

151
Fiscal Policy from 1946 To Present
The impact of the war on the Philippine economy was effective disparate, as Manila,
the capital, was razed to the ground while the rest the Philippines was relatively untouched.
But the highly agriculture-based economy was disrupted. No efforts were made to improve
tax collection, and United States advised the adoption of direct taxation. The administration
of President Manuel Roxas declined the proposal because it did not want to alienate its allies
in Congress.
The impetus for economic growth came during the time of President Elpidio Quirino
through the implementation of import and exchange controls that led to import substitution
development. This policy allows for the expansion of a viable manufacturing sector that
reduced economic dependence on imports. New tax measures were also passed, which
include higher corporate tax rates that increased government revenues—tax revenues in
1953 increased twofold compared to 1948, the year when Quirino first assumed presidency.
While the succeeding presidencies of Magsaysay, Garcia, and Macapal promised to

study the tax structure and policy of the country (through the creation of a Tax Commission
in 1959 by means of Republic Act 2211) make way for a more robust and efficient tax
collection scheme, post-fiscal policy remained regressive, characterized by the
overburdening of lowest classes while the landed elite who held business interests were
Congress to ensure that taxes will not be levied to them who belong to higher classes of
society.

152
Indirect taxation still contributed to the quarters of tax revenues, and the Omnibus Tax
Law of 1969 did not increase the ratio of income tax to general tax revenue. Collection of
taxes remained poor, tax structure is still problematic, and much of public funds were lost in
corruption, which left the government incapable of funding projects geared toward
development.
Under the Marcos authoritarian regime, the tax system remained regressive. During the
latter part of the Marcos years (1981-1985), the tax system was still heavily dependent on
indirect taxes, which made up 70% of total tax collection.
As Corazon Aquino took the helm of the government after the EDSA Revolution, she
reformed the tax system through the 1986 Tax Reform Program. The aim was to improve the
responsiveness of the tax system, promote equity by ensuring that similarly situated
individuals and firms bear the same tax burden, promote growth by withdrawing or
modifying taxes that reduce incentives to work or produce, and improve tax administration
by simplifying the tax system and promoting tax compliance.
A major reform in the tax system introduced under the term of Aquino was the
introduction of the value-added tax (VAT), with the following features:
a. uniform rate of 10% on sale of domestic and imported goods and services and zero
percent on exports and foreign-currency denominated sales;
b. ten (10) percent in lieu of varied rates applicable to fixed taxes (60 nominal rates),
advance sales tax, tax on original sale, subsequent sales tax, compensating tax, miller’s tax,
contractor's tax, broker's tax, film lessors and distributor's tax, excise tax on solvents and
matches, and excise tax on processed videotapes;
c. two percent tax on entities with annual sales or receipts of less than 200,000;

153
d. adoption of tax credit method of calculating tax by subtracting tax on inputs from
tax on gross sales;
e. exemption of the sale of basic commodities such as agriculture and marine food
products in their original state, price-regulated petroleum products, and fertilizers; and
f. additional 20% tax on non-essential articles such jewelry, perfumes, toilet waters,
yacht and other vessels for pleasure and sports.
The VAT law was signed in 1986 and put to effect in 1988. While it was reliable source
of revenue for the government, new tax laws would reduce reliability, as legislated
exemptions grew.
Along with tax reform came the administrative reforms, such as the restructuring of the
Department of Finance and its attached agency, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)
through Executive Order 127. Tax collection and tax audits were intensified, computerization
was introduced and corruption relatively reduced, which improved the trust in the BIR in
general. As a result of the tax reform of the Aquino administration, both tax and revenue
effort rose, increasing from 10.7% in 1985 to 15.4% in 1992.
Greater political stability during the administration of Fidel Ramos in 1992 allowed for
continued economic growth. The Ramos administration ventured into its own tax reform
program in 1997 through the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program, which was implemented
to (1) make the tax system broad-based, simple, and with reasonable tax rates; (2) minimize
tax avoidance allowed by existing flaws and loopholes in the system; (3) encourage
payments by increasing tax exemptions levels, lowering the highest tax rates, and simplifying
procedure; and (4) rationalize the grant of tax incentives, which was estimated to be worth
₱31.7 billion in 1994.

154
The VAT base was also broadened in 1997 to include services, through Republic Act
7716, The features of the improved VAT law were as follows:
a. Restored the VAT exemptions for all cooperatives (agriculture, electric, credit or
multi-purpose, and others provided that share capital of each member does not exceed
₱15,000.
b. Expanded the coverage of the term “simple processes” by including broiling and
roasting, effectively narrowing the tax base for food products.
c. Expanded the coverage of the term “original state” by including molasses.
d. Exempted from the VAT are the following:
➢ Importation of meat
➢ Sale or importation of coal and natural gas in whatever form or state
➢ Educational services rendered by private education institutions duly accredited
by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
➢ House and lot and other residential dwellings valued at ₱1million and below,
subject to adjustment using the Consumer Price Index (CPI)
➢ Lease of residential units with monthly rental per unit of not more than ₱8,000,
subject to adjustment using CPI
➢ Sale, importation, printing or publication of books and any newspaper
The succeeding term of President Joseph Estrada in 1998 was too short to effect any
change in the tax system. His vice president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was swept to power
through another EDSA Revolution. The government had to look for additional sources of
revenue, and in 2005, the Expanded Value Added Tax (E-VAT) was signed into law as
Republic Act 9337. This expanded the VAT base, subjecting to VAT energy products such as
coal and petroleum products and electricity generation, transmission, and distribution.

155
Selected professional services were also taxed. In February 2006, the VAT tax rate was also
increased from 10% to 12%.
As President Benigno Aquino III succeeded President Arroyo in 2010, he promised that
no new taxes will be imposed, and additional revenue would have to come from adjusting
existing taxes. The administration ventured into the adjustment of excise tax on liquor and
cigarettes or the Sin Tax Reform, motivations for which was primarily fiscal, public health, and
social order related considerations. Republie Act 10351 was passed, and government
revenues from alcohol and tobacco excise taxes increased.
The Sin Tax Reform was an exemplar on how tax reform could impact social services,
as it allowed for the increase of the Department of Health budget (triple in 2015) and free
health insurance premiums for the poor people enrolled in PhilHealth increased (from P5.2
million in 2012 to 15.4 million in 2015).
The administration of the new president Rodrigo Duterte promised tax reform,
particularly in income taxes, as it vowed to lower income tax rates shouldered by working
Filipinos. The present income tax scheme of the country is the second highest in Southeast
Asia, and the current laws on income taxes were outdated, as they were drafted two
decades ago. The proposed tax reform also seeks to limit VAT exemptions and increase
excise taxes on petroleum products and automobiles. It is hoped that reforms in the
country’s tax policy will result into the much-desired economic development hat will be felt
even by the lowest classes in society.
Assessment

156
1. The VAT law was signed in _____ and put to effect in _____.
A. 1996; 1998 C. 2016; 2018
B. 2006; 2008 D. 1986; 1988
2. To make the taxation system appear more equitable during this period, income tax rate
was increased in 1936.
A. Spanish period C. Commonwealth period
B. American period D. Present period
3. One of the features of VAT was the additional _____ tax on non-essential articles for
pleasure and sports.
A. 20% C. 40%
B. 10% D. 30%
4. There was an additional surtax rate on individual when his/her net incomes are in excess
of
A. ₱1,000. C. ₱5,000.
B. ₱10,000. D. ₱15,000.
5. The aim of this was to improve the responsiveness of the tax system and promote equity.
A. Omnibus Tax Law of 1969 C. 1986 Tax Reform Program
B. Republic Act 2211 D. Comprehensive Tax Reform Program
6. The residence tax was imposed on every citizen aged
A. 21 years old. C. 18 years old.
B. 13 years old. D. 25 years old.
7. This particular tax was slightly increased by introducing taxes on inherited estates or gifts
donated in the name of dead persons.
A. Corporation income tax C. Inheritance tax
B. Cumulative sales tax D. single tax

157
8. The tax system was still heavily dependent on indirect taxes under the Marcos
authoritarian regime, which made up _____ of total tax collection.
A. 50% C. 60%
B. 70% D. 80%
9. Additional incomes of the government were derived from the sales of the National
Sweepstakes and sale of _____ as the war raged.
A. tobacco C. agricultural products
B. government bonds D. lottery
10. The main sources of taxation during the Japanes administration came from the
following: (All except one)
A. Mining C. Manufacturers
B. Business licenses D. Amusements
11. In accordance to National Internal Revenue Code, the normal tax of _____ and the
surtax on income was replaced by a single tax.
A. one percent C. two percent
B. four percent D. three percent
12. Import substitution development allows for the expansion of a viable _____ that reduced
economic dependence on imports.
A. public sector C. manufacturing sector
B. industrial sector D. agriculture sector
13. The administration of President Manuel Roxas declined the proposal of this because it
did not want to alienate its allies in Congress.
A. development tax C. tax reform
B. omnibus tax D. direct taxation
14. The economic activity was put to a stop, and the Philippines bowed to a new set of
administrators when this war reached the Philippines.

158
A. 1st World War C. Cold War

B. Philippine-American War D. 2nd World War
15. Under the National Internal Revenue Code, taxes on these products were increased.
(All except one)
A. cigarettes C. liquors
B. opium D. forestry
Taxation in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period was characterized by the heavy
burden placed on the Filipinos, and the corruption of the principales, or the former datus and local
elites who were co-opted by the Spaniards to subjugate and control the natives on their behalf. A
common character of taxation during the American occupation in the Philippines was that it was not
used to diversify the economy or direct economic development, as some sectors still carried the
disproportionate share of the tax burden. During the Commonwealth Period, the introduced tax
structure was an improvement of the earlier system introduced by the Americans, but still remained
inequitable.
Tax collection as the war raged was a difficult task, and additional incomes of the government
were derived from the sales of the National Sweepstakes and sale of government bonds. The
expenditure of the Japanese military government grew greatly, and they issued military notes in order
to cover the costs of the war. The period of the post-war republic also saw a rise in corruption. From
1959 to 1968, Congress did not pass any tax legislation despite important changes in the economy.
Under the Marcos authoritarian regime, the tax system remained regressive. The tax system was
still heavily dependent on indirect taxes, which made up 70% of total tax collection.
A major reform in the tax system introduced under the term of Aquino was the introduction of the
value-added tax. Greater political stability during the administration of Fidel Ramos in 1992 allowed

159
for continued economic growth. The Ramos administration ventured into its own tax reform program
through the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program.
The succeeding term of President Joseph Estrada in 1998 was too short to effect any change in
the tax system. His vice president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had signed into law the Expanded Value
Added Tax. President Benigno Aquino III administration ventured into the adjustment of excise tax on
liquor and cigarettes or the Sin Tax Reform.
The administration of the new president Rodrigo Duterte promised tax reform, particularly in
income taxes, as it vowed to lower income tax rates shouldered by working Filipinos. The present
income tax scheme of the country is the second highest in Southeast Asia, and the current laws on
income taxes were outdated, as they were drafted two decades ago. The proposed tax reform also
seeks to limit VAT exemptions and increase excise taxes on petroleum products and automobiles.
Application

1. I. Taxation is a government mechanism to raise funds.

II. Through time it developed and involved.
2. I. Males were required to provide labor for 40 days a year (reduced to 15 days a year
in 1984).
II. They may opt out by receiving the fallas of three pesos per annum, which was
usually lost to corruption because it was collected at the municipal level.

160
3. I. The Expanded Value Added Tax was signed into law as Republic Act 9337 in 2015.
II. This VAT is subjecting to VAT energy products such as coal and geothermal products
and electricity generation, transmission, and distribution.
4. I. In 1919, an inheritance tax was created.

II. In 1932, national lottery was established to create more revenue for the government.
5. I. Exempted from payment of tributas were the principales.

II. It includes alcaldes, gobernadores, cabeza de barangay, soldiers, members of the
civil guard, government officials, vagrants.
6. I. Sale, importation, printing or publication of books and any newspaper are

exempted from the VAT.
II. It also include sale or importation of coal and natural gas in whatever form or state.
7. I. In 1937, the cedula tax was abolished, which appeared to be a regressive move.
II. But in 1940, a residence tax was imposed on every citizen aged 18 years old and on
every corporation.
8. I. As President Benigno Aquino III succeeded President Diosdado in 2010, he promised

that no new taxes will be imposed, and additional revenue would have to come from
adjusting existing taxes.
II. The administration ventured into the adjustment of excise tax on liquor and
cigarettes or the Sin Tax Reform.

161
9. I. The cedula went through changes in the new law as the rate was fixed per adult
male, which resulted to a great decline in revenues.
II. In 1907, some provinces were authorized to double the fee for the cedula to support
instruction and maintenance of roads.
10. I. As World War II reached the Philippine shores, economic activity was put to a stop,
and the Philippines bowed to a new set of administrators, the Japanese.
II. The Japanese military administration in Japan during World War 2 immediately
continued the system of tax collection introduced during the Commonwealth.
11. I. The administration of the president Duterte promised tax reform, particularly in
income taxes, as it vowed to lower income tax rates shouldered by working Filipinos.
II. The present income tax scheme of the country is the second highest in Southeast
Asia.
12. I. The military government suspended the contracts for the sale of opium, lottery, and
mint charges for coinage of money.
II. Later on the income tax will be replaced by tax on real estate, which became
known as the land tax.
13. I. the Omnibus Tax Law of 1969 did not increase the ratio of income tax to outcome
tax revenue.
II. Direct taxation still contributed to the quarters of tax revenues.
14. I. A major reform in the tax system introduced under the term of Aquino was the
introduction of the value-added tax.

162
II. The VAT law was signed in 1986 and put to effect in 1988.
15. I. In 1884, the payment of tribute was put to a stop and was replaced by a poll tax
collected through a certificate of identification called the travel pass.
II. This is required from every resident and must be carried while traveling with face
mask.
B. Classification.
Write: A if it is Taxation under Spain,

B if it is Taxation under the Americans,
C if it is Taxation During Commonwealth, and
D if it is Fiscal Policy from 1946 To Present.
1. Republic Act 10351

2. Cedula tax was abolished.
3. Tax evasion was prevalent, especially among the elites.
4. An exemplar on how tax reform could impact social services.
5. Two direct taxes were added and imposed on urban income.
6. Surtax on income was replaced by a single tax at a progressive rate.
7. Income tax scheme of the country is the second highest in Southeast Asia.
8. The appraising of land value was influenced by political and familial factors.
9. There were no excise taxes collected throughout the years of colonialism.
10. Minimize tax avoidance allowed by existing flaws and loopholes in the system.
11. Suspended the contracts for the sale of opium, lottery, and mint charges for coinage
of money.
12. New measures and legislation were introduced to make the taxation system appear
more equitable.

163
13. A It also gains income from monopolies, such as the sale of stamped paper,
manufacture and sale of liquor, cockpits, and opium.
14. C Corporation income tax was slightly increased by introducing taxes on inherited
estates or gifts donated in the name of dead persons.
15. A The purpose is to generate resources to finance the maintenance of the islands,
such as salary of government officials and expenses of the clergy.
Enrichment Activity
Venn Diagram. Using Venn diagram, illustrate similarities of the first three periods to the
present period and differences among them in the circles.
CRITERIA 4 3 2 1
Most statements Some of the Few or none of the
All statements are
Text support of are statements are statements
supported by the
comparison supported by the supported by the are supported by
text (due to
statements text text the text (due to
details).
(due to details). (due to details). details).
All statements
noting
Most statements Some of the
similarities are
are statements are
placed Few or no
Placement of placed in the placed in the
in the center circle statements are
statements within correct correct
and all statements placed in the
the Venn diagram circle, but student circle, but student
that note correct circle.
mixed up a few mixed up many
differences
statements. statements.
are placed in the
correct outer circle.
Selects
Selected
characteristics
Selected important characteristics that
that are not
features or Selected provided for a
Chooses important or don’t
attributes characteristics that partial
appropriate lead to insightful
that provided provided for a comparison of the
characteristics conclusions.
insight meaningful composers. Details
for comparison. Details may be
into the composers comparison. may be vague or
vague, general, or
being compared. general rather than
non-existent rather
detailed.
than detailed.

164
Easy to read, Most text is easy to Text is not easy to Not legible. More
Text legible. read. 1 - 3 spelling read. 4 – 6 spelling than 6 spelling
No misspellings. mistakes. mistakes. mistakes.
Fairly neat and Messy and

Clean, neat and Not well organized.
Product clean. unorganized. Not
well- organized. A little cluttered.
Some organization. well put together.
References:
➢ Nolledo, J. (1999). Principles of Agrarian Reform, Cooperatives and Taxation. Mandaluyong City:
National Book Store.
➢ Philippine Organic Act of 1902

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Course Title: Readings in Philippine History

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

Lesson 1: Understanding History, Primary and Secondary Sources

1. Determine the different primary and secondary sources of history.

History and Its Importance

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

Examples of Ancient Equipment

Sources of Historical Data Because of numerous sources of data, it is

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

Branches of Social Sciences

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

Classification of Historical Sources

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

The Revolt of the Masses by Teodoro Agoncillo

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

Criticism of Historical Sources

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

Summary of the Lesson:

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

4.The science of life and living organisms.

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

Scoring Rubric Point Distribution

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

Spiritual Beliefs of Early Filipinos

The spiritual beliefs of ancient Filipinos can be gleaned from the

According to Fr. Pedro Chirino, Antonio de Morga and other

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

The occult ritual performed by babaylanas, Loarca vividly depicts:

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

Alzina has interesting stories telling of just this fact:

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

Early Philippine Society and Culture

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

Peopling of the Pre-Colonial Philippines

Pre- Colonial Culture

During the early period thousand years ago, the early

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

These spirits are said to be the anito or diwata that they

Pre- Colonial Clothing

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

The men wore a sleeve-doublet made of Canga (rough

The Visayan men wore a jacket with a Moorish style rob,

Pre- Colonial Writing Systems

Abugida: Pre- Colonial method of Handwriting (Baybayin)

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

Pre- Colonial Form of Government

Before the Spaniards came into the Philippines there were

Before the coming of Spanish colonizers, the people

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

Different accounts demonstrate contrasting perspectives. The religious (e.g., friars)

A. True/False. Indicate whether the following statements are true or false.

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

C. Enumeration. Provide the characteristics of Aliping Namamahay

Learning Module in Readings in Philippine History

Lesson 3: The Philippines as a Spanish Colony