CUSTOMS OF THE

TAGALOG
BY JUAN DE PLASENCIA
 But before we start

Let’s play a Game!

PINOY
HENYO
MECHANICS OF THE GAME

1. Form a group composed of your RPH members, then assign a

member who will guess the word/s.
2. A word is placed on top of the guesser's forehead. The goal of the
game is to guess the word by the Guesser correctly
3. The word-guesser must ask a series of deductive questions that
becomes more specific over time, while the other players must only
reply with "Oo" (yes), "Hindi" (no), or "Pwede" (maybe/possibly). If the
Guesser is having difficulty with the word, he/she can pass and then
change the word.
4. If the word were guessed correctly, the guesser of the team will
change.
5. This process will continue until one team guesses all of the given
words.
Ready?

START!
WELL DONE!
CUSTOMS OF THE TAGALOG

Group 5: Lesson 4
WHAT ARE THE CUSTOMS OF THE TAGALOG?

Customs
➢ a traditional and widely accepted way of behaving or doing
something that is specific to a particular society, place, or time.

Tagalog
➢ a member of a people originally of central Luzon in the Philippines.

The Customs of the Tagalogs was intentionally made to provide an

eroticized description of the Tagalog natives, clearly fed by politics
and Propaganda.
Components of this Presentation
ABOUT THE BOOK
 ABOUT THE BOOK
• The original document of Customs of the Tagalogs is currently kept
in the Archivo General de Indias (A.G.I.) in Seville, Spain.
• A duplicate copy of it is kept in the Archivo Franciscano Ibero-
Oriental (A.F.I.O.), in Madrid, Spain. An English translation
appeared in Volume VII of Blair and Robertson’s The Philippine
Islands.
• Another English translation was published as part of the volume for
colonial Philippines in the second series of the Filipiniana Book
Guild.
Archivo General de Indias (A.G.I.) in Archivo Franciscano Ibero-Oriental
Seville, Spain. (A.F.I.O.), in Madrid, Spain
Volume VII of Emma Helen Blair
and James Alexander Robertson’s
the Philippine islands
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The author of the book was Fray Juan de Plasencia

• A Spanish friar of the Franciscan Order. He was among the first group of
Franciscan missionaries who arrived in the Islands on July 2, 1578
• He spent most of his missionary life in the Philippines, where he founded
numerous towns in Luzon and authored several religious and linguistic books,
most notably the Doctrina Cristiana (Christian Doctrine), the first book ever printed
in the Philippines
• As a friar, Juan de Plasencia lived up to his pledge, leading a lifestyle devoid of
any luxury and in constant contact with the people he was trying to convert to
Christianity. He was also known to be a defender of the native population, looking
after the poor, ill, or neglected, and standing up for their rights on numerous
occasions
• Plasencia died in Liliw, Laguna in 1590
 Example of the Spanish friars of the
Franciscan Order
Fray Juan De Plasencia
(1520 - 1590)
The Doctrina Cristiana (Christian
Doctrine), was the first book ever
printed in the Philippines. Published
1593 in Manila, Philippines
HISTORICAL
CONTEXT
 HISTORICAL CONTEXT
During the first century of Spanish rule, the colonial government had difficulty in running local
politics because of the limited number of Spaniards who wanted to live outside of Intramuros. This
situation forced Spanish officials to allow Filipinos to hold the position of gobernadorcillo.To ensure
that the gobernadorcillos would remain loyal to the Crown, the friars assigned in the parishes were
instructed to supervise and monitor the activities of the former. Hence, the friars ended up
performing the administrative duties that colonial officials should have been doing at the local level.
They supervised the election of the local executives, helped in the collection of taxes, were directly
involve in educating the youth, and performed other civic duties. Consequently, the friars became
the most knowledgeable and influential figure in the pueblo or town.
The friars who were assigned in mission territories were required periodically to inform their
superiors of what was happening in their perspective areas. They prepared reports on the number
of natives they converted, the people’s way of life, their socio-economic situation, and the
problems they encountered. Some of them submitted short letters while others who were keen
observers and gifted writers wrote long dispatches.
On top of the regular reports they submitted, they also shared personal observations and
experiences. Plasencia’s Relacion de las Costumbres de Los Tagalogs (Customs of the
Tagalogs, 1589) is an example of this king of work. It contains numerous information that
historians could use in reconstructing the political and socio-cultural history of the Tagalog
region. His work is a primary source because he personally witnessed the events and his
.
account contained his observations.
There were other friars and colonial officials who also wrote about the Filipinos which could
further enrich our knowledge of Philippine history during the early part of the Spanish period.
For example, Miguel de Loarca, an encomendero of Panay wrote his Relacion de las Islas
Filipinas (1582) and described the Filipinos way of life in the Western Visayas area. Lieutenant
Governor Antonio de Morga wrote Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas which provides information
about the state of the Philippines in the latter part of the 16th century. The other Spanish
missionaries who continued the historiographical tradition were Fr. Pedro Chirino S.J. (Relacion
de las Islas Filipinas, 1604), Fr. Juan Delgado S.J. (Historia General, 1751), Fr. Francisco Colin
S.J. (Labor Evangelica, 1663), and Fr. Francisco Ignacio Alcina S.J. (Historia natural del sitio,
fertilidad y calidad de las Islas e Indios de Bisayas, 1668). Most of what we know about
Philippine history during the first century of the Spanish period were derived from the accounts
of the Spanish friars.
Miguel de Loarca, an Fr. Pedro Chirino S.J. who
encomendero of Panay who wrote Relacion de las Islas
wrote the Relacion de las Filipinas, 1604.
Islas Filipinas (1582) and
described the Filipinos way of
life in the Western Visayas
area.

Lieutenant Governor Antonio Fr. Francisco Colin S.J. who

de Morga wrote Sucesos de wrote Labor Evangelica, 1663
las Islas Filipinas which
provides information about
the state of the Philippines in
the latter part of the 16th
century.
DESCRIPTION OF THE AUTHOR
ABOUT THE PHIL. SOCIETY
DURING PRE-HISPANIC TIME
 DESCRIPTION OF THE AUTHOR ABOUT THE
PHIL. SOCIETY DURING PRE-HISPANIC TIME
Political System
• They have chiefs called “dato”. These chiefs ruled over a
few people called “barangay”.
• There were three castes: nobles, commoners, slaves

The Economics
• The chief had some fisheries, with established limits, and
sections of the rivers for markets. At these, no one could fish or
trade in the market without paying for the privilege, unless he
belonged to the chief’s barangay or village
The Social and Culture
• If two persons married, one was a commoners and the
other was slave, the children were divided

• “I have not been able to ascertain with any certainty when

or at age the division of children was made” as stated by
Fray Juan De Plasencia.

• “Upon the death of the wife, who in year’s time had borne
no children, the parents returned one-half the dowry to the
husband” as stated by Fray Juan De Plasencia.
 SOCIAL STATUS OF
THE EARLY FILIPINOS
SOCIAL STATUS OF THE EARLY FILIPINOS

SOCIAL CLASSES

CHIEFS
(DATOS)

NOBLES
(MAHARLICA)

COMMONERS
(ALIPING NAMAMAHAY)

SLAVES
(ALIPING SAGUIGUILIR)
CHIEF OR DATO
• Chief, captain of wars, whom governed, obeyed and
reverenced.
• Governed as many as a hundred houses called barangay

THREE CASTES

MAHARLICA/NOBLES
• They do not pay tax or tribute to the dato but they are
obliged to accompany him in war at their own
expenses.
• If a Maharlica married a commoner or slave the
children will be divided.
ALIPING NAMAMAHAY
• They have their own gold and wealth. They cannot be
transferred to another barangay unless by inheritance.
• They are married and serves their master whether he is a
dato or not with half of their cultivated lands.

ALIPING SAGUIGUILIR
• They are the slaves. They can be either farmers or
slaves.
• They serve their master in his house and on his
cultivated lands. They can be sold to other masters.
 A person become slaves by:
• Captivity in war
• Reason of debt
• Inheritance
• By purchase
• By committed a crime

Slaves can be emancipated

through:
• By forgiveness
• By paying debt
• By condonation
• By bravery (where a slave can
possibly become a Dato) or marriage
• In these three classes, those who are maharlicas on
both the father's and mother's side continue to be so
forever, and if it happens that they become slaves, it
is through marriage

• If two persons married of whom one was a

Maharlica and the a slave, the children were
divided.

• Maharlicas could not, after marriage, move from

one village to another, or from one barangay to
another without paying a certain fine on gold, as
arranged among them.
• Investigations made and sentences passed by the dato must take
place in the presence of those of his barangay.

• They had laws by which they condemned a man of low birth who
insulted the daughter or wife of a chief or witches.

• For loans, the debtor is condemned to a life of toil. Borrowers

become slaves and after the death of the father, the children pay
for the debt.

• For inheritance, for the legitimate children of a father and mother

inherit equally.

• Dowries are given by men to the women's parents before

marriage. If the parents are both alive, they both enjoy the use of it.
Houses
• Made of wood, bamboo and Nipa palm

Mode on dressing
Male
• Headgear (called Putong symbolizes the number
of persons the wearer had killed)
• (Upper) Jacket with short sleeves called
Kanggan
• (Lower) Bahag
Female
• (Upper) Baro or Camisa
• (Lower) Saya
Ornaments
• A decorative object or detail that adds quality or distinction
to a person, place or thing.
Tribal gathering is called in Tagalog a Barangay

Barangay
• The unit of goverment ruled by a Dato and consist of 30 to
100 families together with their relatives and slaves.

Inheritance
• The 1st son of the head of barangay inherits his father
position, if the 1st son dies, the 2nd son succeeds their
father, in the absence of male heir, it is the eldest daughter
that becomes the chief or dato.
 RELIGIOUS AND
SPIRITUAL BELIEF OF THE
EARLY FILIPINO WORSHIP
 RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL BELIEF OF THE
EARLY FILIPINO WORSHIP OF THE TAGALOGS

WORSHIP OF THE TAGALOGS

• Worship many gods and goddesses
• Batala or Bathala as their supreme god
• Ancient Filipino believed in “Animism” (all objects has spirits where inhabited by such
or to be governed by certain gods
• Filipino temples known the “simbahan” were attached to the chief’s large houses
• During the festival of “Pandot or worship” the whole barangay or family united and
joined in the worship which they called Nagaanitos
• Evil Omen and Good Omen
• Filipinos believed in the immortality of the soul and in life after death
• They also believe in magical powers of amulet and charms
REASONS FOR SACRIFICES
• Proclaim a feast and offer to the devil what they had to eat
• Anointing idols with fragrant perfumes
• Catolonan (someone who converse or communicate with the
spirits like an anito)
• Place a good piece of cloth with chain or large gold ring
• Sacrifices of goats, fowls, and swine
• Ceremony by cooking a jar of rice
• Personal matters
• Recovery of sick person
• Prosperous voyage of those embarking on the sea
• Good harvest in the sowed lands
• Propitious results in wars
• Successful delivery of birth
• Happy outcome in married life
Animism, ancient Filipino belief Magical powers of amulet and Nagaanitos
charms (anting – anting)

Mythical gods and

creature in Ancient
Filipino beliefs
RELEVANCE OF THE
DOCUMENT
 RELEVANCE OF THE DOCUMENT

• Plasencia’s Customs of the Tagalogs is a very popular primary source as it

vividly describes the way of life of the Filipinos before Spanish and Christian
influences. It also covers numerous topics that are relevant in many disciplines.
Plasencia’s account also preserves and popularizes the unwritten customs,
traditions and religious and superstitious
• It contains insights that can helpand inspire priests and missionaries to become
effective evangelizers
• Through historical writings also disprove the claim of some Spaniards that when
they arrived in the Philippines, Filipinos were still uncivilized and lacking of
culture.
• It is written in a document that Filipino’s were already politically and economically
organized including the functioning government, tax system, set of laws, criminal
justice system, indigenous calendar, and long standing customs, and traditions.
• Based on the Plasencia’s custom of the tagalog they already had a concept of
having a supreme being or what they called “ Bathala”, practice burial customs,
and believed in life after death.
• Placensia also mentioned that the people he met where wearing garments and
gold ornaments, and their houses were decorated with idols.
THAT’S ALL AND
THANK YOU!
 WHAT ARE THE
LEARNINGS YOU
GAINED FROM THIS
PRESENTATION?