Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Socsc 1-Phil. Hist-Modules (New)
Socsc 1-Phil. Hist-Modules (New)
Socsc 1-Phil. Hist-Modules (New)
PHILIPPINE
HISTORY AND
CULTURE
SELF-INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
For PHILIPPINE HISTORY AND CULTURE
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface ……………………………………………………………………………. 4
Module 4 – The Commonwealth Years and the Japanese Regime in the Philippines
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
This course is an in-depth study of the Filipino people from the pre-colonial
period to the present. It provides the students with fundamental knowledge about the
influences of different peoples that who in contact with the Filipinos. Presented in
chronological order, it focuses on the major historical events, social movements and
leaders in the past and present, and how these affect the recent political, economic and
socio-cultural development of the Philippines.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Module 1
The Land and Its
People
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
The first module presents the Philippines through a discussion of the land and its
people. The presentation is made easy by describing its geography, climate, natural
wonders and scenic places of the Philippines. The module also includes among others,
topics about the regionalization of the Philippines, its origin, its people and their
character traits, its pre-colonial life and culture, and the influences they got from their
Asian neighbors.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Lesson Objectives:
The biggest island is Luzon, with an area of 40,814 square miles. Manila, the
country’s commercial, cultural and political capital, is located in the center of Luzon.
Mindanao is the second biggest island, with an area of 36,906 square miles. A few miles
off the eastern shores of Mindanao is the Philippine Deep — considered one of the lowest
depths in the world. Mindanao’s largest and most important cities are Cagayan de Oro,
Davao, and Zamboanga, which are currently experiencing remarkable growth in
commerce, education and tourism in recent years. The Visayan island and its islets lie
between Luzon and Mindanao. The more important and beautiful of these are Bohol,
Cebu, Leyte, Negros, Panay, and Samar (the third largest island).
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
There are smaller mountain ranges like the Zambales range, which begins at Cape
Bolinao and ends in Bataan; and the Tagaytay Hil,l which traverses the provinces of
Batangas and Laguna, including Mt. Makiling. Other small mountain ranges found in the
archipelago are Mt. Halcon in Mindoro and Mt. Kanlaon in Negros.
Mindanao has four mountain ranges. There is the Central Eastern mountain range
which starts at Butuan and stretches out to Agusan. The Central Western Mountain range
starts at Mt. Apo, follows the border of Cotabato and ends in Zamboanga. The Western
mountain range begins west of Iligan Bay and ends on the coast of Basilan straits. The
Eastern range follows the Pacific coast in Surigao.
Climate
The Philippines has a humid tropical climate. The year is divided into three
seasons: rainy, from June to September; cool, from October to February; and dry, from
March to May. January is usually the coldest month and May is the hottest.
Typhoons from the Pacific Ocean and the China Sea smash the northern portions
of Luzon and Visayas, often between July and November, causing heavy flooding and
havoc to the crops. The most destructive typhoons that have hit the Philippines, according
to PAGASA, are: Dading in 1964; Meding in 1980; Sening, Titang and Yoling in 1970;
Didang in 1972; Ruping in 1990; and Loleng in 1998.
The valleys and plains of the Philippines are dotted with several rivers and lakes
that make them fertile and arable. The longest rivers are located in Luzon and Mindanao.
The Cagayan River is the longest in the country, and drains the provinces of Cagayan,
Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya. Other rivers that irrigate the plains of Luzon are Rio Grande
de Pampanga, the Angat, the Abra and the Agno. The Agusan Lanao and Rio Grande de
Mindanao drain the basin of Mindanao.
The largest single plain area in the Philippines is the Central Plain of Luzon. It
lies east of the Zambales range and extends continuously from the Lingayen Gulf to
Manila Bay. The second largest plain is the Cagayan Valley, which is situated between
the Sierra Madre and the Cordillera Central. The two other important coastal plains in
Luzon are the Ilocos and Zambales plains. In Mindanao, the Agusan Valley and the
Cotabato valley are the largest island plains.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Natural Resources
God has endowed the Philippines with fertile land and bountiful natural
resources. The arable soil of the country produces a variety of agricultural products like
rice, coconuts, corn, abaca, sugar, tobacco, bananas, pineapples, beans, and camote
(sweet potatoes). From our forests, we are able to harvest wood products like timber,
logs, gums, resins, and medicinal plants.
The Philippines is also rich in mineral resources. Some of the metallic minerals
that can be found here are gold, copper, silver, nickel, lead, chromium, manganese and
zinc, while the non-metallic minerals are asbestos, clay, coal, gravel, limestone, marble
and sulphur.
The Philippines has sufficient aquatic and marine resources that include fish,
shell, corals, sponges, edible seaweeds, and pearls. There are 2,000 species of fish in the
country, including the pandaka pygmea, the smallest fish in the world. There are also
about 10,000 species of shells in the archipelago including the tridacna gigas, the world’s
largest shell.
Nature has gifted the Philippines with physical beauty and a great wealth of
scenic and natural wonders that we Filipinos can be proud of. The Banawe Rice Terraces
in northern Luzon, built 2,000 years ago by the sturdy Ifugao farmers, is a world-class
tourist attraction. The Mayon Volcano in Albay is also famous — for its majestic beauty
and almost perfect cone.
Other captivating natural wonders include the Pagsanjan Falls in Laguna, the
Chocolate Hills of Bohol, the Hundreds Island in Pangasinan, Taal Volcano in Batangas,
Mt. Banahaw in Quezon, Boracay Beach in Aklan, Salinas Salt Springs in Nueva
Vizcaya, the Maria Cristina Falls in Lanao and the Cathedral Caves of Collao in
Cagayan.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Multiple Choice Write the letter of the correct answer on the blank provided.
a. tropical b. sub-tropical
c. temperate d. arid
a. island b. peninsula
c. archipelagic d. land-locked
a. April b. May
c. May d. March
a. November b. December
c. January d. February
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
8. The body of water that bounds the Philippines in the east is __________.
a. Kalibo b. Roxas
c. San Jose de Buenavista d. Bacolod
a. Luzon b. Mindanao
c. Cebu d. Samar
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
(10 points)
1. a
2. a
3. c
4. b
5. c
6. a
7. d
8. a
9. a
10. b
My rating is __________%
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Lesson Objectives:
In line with the government program of decentralization for a more effective and
productive administration, the Philippines was divided into 13 regions as provided by
Presidential Decree No. 742. At present, there are 16 regions.
REGIONAL
CENTER PROVINCES
REGION
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
REGIONAL
CENTER PROVINCES
REGION
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
REGIONAL
CENTER PROVINCES
REGION
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Encircle the letter of the word that does not belong to the group.
2. a. Batanes b. La Union
c. Cagayan d. Isabela
4. a. Ifugao b. Kalinga
c. Abra d. Maguindanao
6. a. Bataan b. Quezon
c. Laguna d. Batangas
7. a. Albay b. Sorsogon
c. Camarines Norte d. Surigao del Norte
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
(10 points)
1. a
2. b
3. c
4. d
5. a
6. a
7. d
8. c
9. a
10. d
My rating is __________%
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Lesson Objectives
1. identify and explain the most accepted scientific theories about the origin of
the Philippines;
The following are the most accepted scientific theories about the origin of the
Philippines:
The Land Bridge theory was regarded by early scholars and scientists as the most
believable. According to this theory, the Philippines was once a part of mainland China.
It was a landmark bridging the Asian continent to Indonesia, New Guinea, and Australia.
During the post glacial period, however, the world’s ice melted and caused sea levels to
rise and lower regions to sink — this included the land bridges connecting mainland
China, the Philippines, and Indonesia.
The next theory about the origin of the Philippines was based on the legend that
the archipelagoes of the Philippines and Indonesia were remnants of a Pacific continent
called Mu or Lemuria, which had submerged during the pre-historic period. However,
contemporary geologists considered it to have no scientific basis.
Dr. Fritjon Voss, a noted German geologist, supported and affirmed that the
Philippines is volcanic in origin. In the course of his research, he found out that the
Philippines was never part of mainland China and that the archipelago ascended from the
ocean floor as a result of the eruptions of sea volcanoes.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
As a people, the Filipinos have their own admirable character traits. They are
known for their hospitality — they welcome visitors with open arms and hearts, whether
these be Filipinos or foreigners; they go out of their way to make their visitors
comfortable, happy and contented; and they usually make it a point to give their visitors
the best food and accommodation.
Filipinos are also well known for their spirituality and religiosity. A survey
conducted by the Weather Station in 1991 showed that about eight out of ten Filipinos
have strong beliefs about their religion, and 86% of them have no doubts about the
existence of God. The best indicator of the religiosity of the Filipinos is the presence of
numerous religious sects and cults aside from Catholicism — such as the El Shaddai,
Iglesia ni Cristo, Iglesia Filipina Indepediente, Jesus is Lord Movement, Jesus Miracle
Crusade, Ang Dating Daan and all the Protestant Sects. In some parts of the Philippines,
in fact, Jose Rizal was even regarded as the reincarnation of Jesus Christ.
The Filipino has close family ties. This has remained despite the harmful and
liberal influences of foreign ideas on our culture. The family is the basic unit in
Philippine society and everything revolves around it. There is also a cooperative
endeavor within the family circle because the problem of one member is the problem of
all members in the family.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
The Filipinos show their respect for elders by kissing the hands or forehead of
their parents or any older relatives and friends of the family. The words po, opo, manong,
manang, kaka, diko, sanko, ditse, manoy, manay, ingko, impo, mang, aleng, and sitse in
our language show respect for elders. Filipino parents also castigate children who talk
back arrogantly. They believe that because of their age and experience in life, they know
better. Filipino sayings like ”may gatas ka pa sa labi”, ”marami ka pang kakaining
bigas” and “papunta ka pa lang pabalik na ako“ are never-ending reminders to the young
generations.
Other character traits of the Filipinos that are worthy of admiration are their
loyalty and gratitude to friends who are kind and reliable in both good times and troubles.
Adaptability and resiliency is also to be noted.
Early Settlers
According to Prof. H. Otley Beyer, the Negritos were the first group of settlers
who inhabited the Philippines about 22,000 B.C. during the Paleolithic Age (Old Stone
Age). These nomadic people were small in stature, had flat noses, black skins and kinky
hair. They were food gatherers and had no system of government and writing.
They were followed by the Indonesians who migrated into the Philippines in two
waves. The first wave was at about 3,000 B.C., and the second wave at about 1,000 B.C.
These people who brought with them the Neolithic Age (New Stone Age) culture and
lived in organized settlements. They knew how to domesticate animals, and introduced
the slash-burn (kaingin) farming method. The Indonesians were the ancestors of the
Kalingas, Apayaos, Igorots, Ifugaos, and Goddangs in the Cordilleras. They were taller,
slender, and had fairer complexions than the Negritos.
The Malays came in three waves during the Metallic Age and Porcelain Age. The
first group brought their mining and smelting technical skills and their own agricultural
system. They developed terrace agriculture with elaborate irrigation systems. The third
group was composed of the Muslim Malays, and introduced Islam to the Philippines.
They were more culturally advanced than the Negritos and the Indonesians. They dwelled
in organized settlements called the barangay. The Malays practiced domestic and foreign
barter trade. Other means of livelihood included pottery, weaving, fishing, lumbering,
ship building, poultry and stock raising.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
1. It was regarded by early scholars and scientist as the most believable among the
theories about the origin of the Philippines.
2. He was a noted German geologist who supported and affirmed that the Philippines is
volcanic in origin.
4. It is an extension of clannishness.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
(5 points)
My rating is __________%
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Lesson Objectives
Early Spanish missionaries and historians such as Fray Pedro Chirino, in his
work Relacion de las Islas Filipinas, and Antonio de Morga in his Sucesos de las Islas
Filipinas attested that before the arrival of the Spaniards, the early Filipinos already had a
civilization of their own. They had their system of government, laws, social
organization, industries, language, system of writing, education, literature, music, arts,
religion, customs, traditions, mores, and a flourishing trade with their Asian neighbors.
System of Government
The barangay was the basic political unit during the pre-colonial period and it
was composed of 30 to 100 families. Each barangay was independent and self-governing,
headed by a chieftain called datu, rajah, or sultan.
The chieftain was a very powerful official. He had executive, judicial and
legislative powers. In time of war, he was also the Supreme commander of the barangay
warriors. According to Fray Juan de Placencia, the term barangay was derived from the
Malay word “balangay”, meaning sailboat, which the early Malay settlers used when
they set foot on the Philippines.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
The ancient Filipinos also complied with the rules of a judicial process. The
barangay court was composed of the Datu as the judge, and the council of elders as the
jury. Trials were held in public and usually, the suspect who had more witnesses in his
favor was adjudged the winner.
If the court could not clearly establish the guilt or innocence of two suspects, they
resorted to trial by ordeal or pagsubok. This trial was held to show that Bathalang-
Maykapal in his limitless wisdom always took the side of the innocent. Examples of trial
by ordeal were: boiling water with stone ordeal, chewing uncooked rice ordeal, candle
ordeal, river ordeal and “bultong” or combat ordeal.
Social Classes
Pre-colonial society was divided into three separate social classes: the nobles, the
freemen and the dependents. The members of the nobility were composed of the datus
and their families. They were the upper class and highly respected in their village. The
male nobles were given the titles of Gat and Lakan while the female nobles’ title was
Dayang. Next to the nobles were the freemen. In the Tagalog region, the freemen were
called Maharlika or Mahadlika; Timagua in the Visayan region; and Timawa in the
Ilocos region. They were considered as the middle class, and were usually born free or
were emancipated slaves.
The lowest class was the dependents. Among the Tagalogs, the two types of
dependents were the Aliping Namamahay and the Aliping Saguiguilid. The Aliping
Namamahay had their own house, property and family while the Aliping Saguiguilid had
no house and property, and could be sold by their masters. Among the Visayans, the
dependents were called tumatabon, tumarampuk and ayuey. Captivity in battle, purchase,
birth, punishment and failure to pay debts were the causes of dependency during the Pre-
Spanish period.
The male Filipino attire during the pre-colonial period was composed of two
parts. The upper part was called kanggan, a collarless short-sleeved jacket, while the
lower part was called bahag. They also wore a headgear known as putong. The color of
the putong indicated the number of persons the wearer had killed.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
The female attire was also composed of two parts. The upper attire was called
baro or camisa, a wide-sleeved blouse, while the lower part was called saya. The saya
was called patadyong among the Tagalogs and the Visayans. The waist was wrapped
with a long narrow piece of cloth called tapis. Both men and women did not wear any
slippers.
The most common personal ornaments used by the early Filipinos were
kalumbiga (armlet), necklace, earrings, anklets, and rings. These ornaments were usually
made of gold. The ancient Filipinos also adorned their bodies and faces with tattoos.
Among the men, tattoos served as their war medal or record. Women, on the other hand,
put tattoos in order to enhance the beauty of their body. Of all the early Filipinos, the
Visayans were the most tattooed people, and it is for this reason that the Spanish
missionaries called them pintados or painted people, and the Visayas Island, Islas del
Pintados or Island of the Painted People.
Houses
The early Filipinos dwelled in houses made of bamboo, wood, nipa, palm, cogon
and other available native materials. These houses were called bahay kubo (nipa hut).
This type of house was suited to the tropical climate of the country. Each bahay kubo had
a ladder that could be drawn up at night, and a batalan (gallery) where washing and
bathing were done.
In Northern Luzon, the Kalingas and the Igorots built their houses on tree tops for
protection from their enemies. In Sulu, the Badjaos (sea gypsies), being seafaring people,
dwelled in boat houses.
According to Fr. Pedro Chirino in his work, Relacion de las Islas Filipinas, most
of the ancient Filipinos were literate. Although there were no formal schools, pre-Spanish
children were taught reading and writing. The fathers taught their sons to become good
warriors, hunters, farmers and fishermen.
They also had their own system of writing known as baybayin. It was derived
from the Asokan alphabet in India and consisted of 17 letters with 3 vowels and 14
consonants. They used iron-painted pens and wrote on tree boards, bamboo tubes, and
plant leaves.
The ancient Filipinos had two types of literature: oral and written. Oral literature
included the awit (songs), bugtong (riddle), hele or uyayi (cradle song), ihiman (wedding
song), kumintang (war song), and salawikain (proverbs). Written literature was about
myths and epics and it became instruments in explaining natural phenomena. The
Hudhud and Alim of Ifugao, Biag ni Lam-ang of Ilocos, Parang Sabil of Tausug,
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
The songs and music of the early Filipinos were expressed in all aspects of their
daily lives. They had a variety of musical instruments and dances and songs for several
important events. Some of their musical instruments were the kudyapi, the Tagalog
guitar; the tultogan, bamboo drums of the Visayans; the kutibeng, the guitar of the
Ilokanos; and the silbay, the Ilocano reed flute.
In folk dances, the Visayans moved their feet and body to the Balitaw and
Dandansoy, the Tagalogs performed in the Kumintang (love dance) and the Mahinhin
(courtship dance), the Ilocanos danced to the rhythmical steps of the Kinnotan, and the
Tinggians had the Tadek (love dance).
The early Filipinos practiced a polytheism type of religion because they believed
and worshipped in a plurality of gods and goddesses. This supreme god was Bathalang
Maykapal, creator of heaven and earth and mankind. Below Bathala were other minor
deities: Idianale (Tagalog Goddess of Agriculture), Lakampati (Tagalog God of Harvest),
Sidapa (Visayan God of Death), Apolaki (Pangasinan war god), Kidul (Kalinga god of
thunder). Dal’lang (Ilocano goddess of beauty), Apo Malyari (Zambal god of power and
strength), Poko (Tagbuan god of the sea), Kolyog (Ifugao god of earthquakes), and
Bulol (Ifugao rice god).
They believed in the immortality of the soul, in life after death, and in the
transmigration of the soul. They venerated ancestral spirits, called anitos by the Tagalogs
and diwatas by the Visayans, and offered food, animals and other sacrifices to appease or
win the benevolence of these spirits. The ritual offering of sacrifices were performed by
the babaylan and katalonas, the pre-colonial priests and priestesses. They also
worshipped nature, the sun, the moon, the animals, some kinds of birds, and even old
trees.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Since they believe in life after death and the immortality of the soul, the early
Filipinos were extremely respectful of the dead. In Sagada in the Mountain Province,
they embalmed and mummified the cadavers in a sitting position and placed them in
caves while in some parts of the country, they buried the dead near their houses. Clothes,
food, weapons, gold and sometimes slaves were buried with the dead.
Mourning for the dead datu was called the laraw; for a dead man, maglahe; and
for a dead woman, morotal. During the laraw, bickerings among the natives were
prohibited. Spears were carried with the blades pointing down, and wearing of colored
clothes were not allowed.
Marriage Customs
The ancient Filipino married within his class. Thus, a noble married a woman of
his social rank; a freeman wed within his social rank and a dependent married one from
his own social rank. As a condition to marriage, the man was required to give a dowry to
the parents. This dowry was called bigay-kaya by the Tagalogs and sab-ong by the
Ilocanos. The man also served the parents for a certain period of time by fetching water,
chopping wood, and farming. It is interesting to note that divorce was permitted during
the pre-colonial period. Some of the causes of divorce were: (1) adultery, (2)
childlessness, (3) insanity, (4) abandonment of the wife and (5) deliberate cruelty.
Economic Life
The main source of livelihood of the early Filipinos was farming or agriculture.
They produced rice, coconuts, fruits, hemp, kapok (cotton), sugarcane, and vegetables.
Two systems of land cultivation were practiced by the farmers: the kaingin (upland)
system, in which land was cleared by burning the bushes and shrubs. After cleaning the
land, planting followed while in the tillage (lowland) system, land was plowed and
harrowed by a carabao, followed by the planting of rice.
Landholding during the ancient period was both public and private. The
uncultivated and less arable lands near the barangay and those alongside the mountains
were considered communal or public property. Private lands were developed and
cultivated by the families of the barangay.
They also had foreign and domestic trade before the coming of the Spaniards.
Inter-baranganic trade and commerce was carried out along the river system as most
settlements were in the coastal villages. The natives of Luzon regularly traded and
unloaded their products in some parts of the Visayas and Mindanao islands.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Our ancestors had flourishing trade with their Asian neighbors like China, Japan, India,
Siam, Malaya and Indonesia. In fact, the early Chinese writers observed that the ancient
Filipinos were honest in business. When Chinese merchants came with their
merchandise, they were immediately paid by the Filipinos for the merchandise that they
took during the previous visit of the Chinese.
Although the ancient Filipinos knew the art of coinage, they used the barter
system in conducting business with the foreign traders. Their system of weight and
measure made their commercial transactions easier. Examples of their system of
measures were: the kaban (25 gantas) and the salop (ganta). The system of length were
the dipa (length of an outstretched arm), and the sandankal (the width of the hand with
all the fingers pressed together).
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
A. Knowledge of Terminology. Encircle the word that is the synonym of the term
being defined.
1. Sangley
a) travelling merchant b) sea pirates c) business tycoon
2. Parian
a) Japanese community b) Indian community c) Chinese community
3. Bugtong
a) songs b) riddles c) proverbs
4. Ancient
a) early b) modern c) sophisticated
5. Indigenous
a) native b) foreign c) alien
B. Matching Type. Match Column A with Column B and write your answer on the
space provided before each number.
A B
______ 1. Bathala a. public crier
______ 2. Babaylan b. Tagalog guitar
______ 3. Putong c. Ilocano guitar
______ 4. Umalohokan d. native priest
______ 5. Kudyapi e. system of government
______ 6. Kutibeng f. headgear
______ 7. Barangay g. dowry
______ 8. Ihiman h. Supreme God
______ 9. Hele i. Wedding song
______ 10. Bigay-kaya j. war song
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
A. Knowledge of Terminology
1. a
2. c
3. b
4. a
5. a
B. Matching Type.
1. h
2. d
3. f
4. a
5. b
6. c
7. e
8. I
9. J
10. g
My rating is __________%
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Lesson Objectives
Before the Philippines was brought to the awareness of the Europeans, the early
Filipinos were already trading with the Chinese, the Japanese, the Arabs, and the Indians.
These Asian merchants came to the seacoast of the archipelago to exchange products our
ancestors. Some of them even settled in the country permanently and intermarried with
the natives.
As a result of this intermingling with our Asian neighbors, it helped enrich our
culture and our ancestors learned many new things about the native lands where the
merchants came from and these were absorbed by the early Filipinos and became part of
our culture.
Indian Influences
The popular Filipino epics such as the Biag ni Lam-Ang of the Ilocanos, Hadiong
of the Bicolanos, Darangan of the Maranaws and the Hudhud at Alim of the Cordilleras
were inspired by the great Sanskrit epics — the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.
The wearing of the putong (headgear) among the male Filipinos and sarong
(Indian sari) among the female Filipinos were of Indian origin.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Superstitious beliefs and customs that came from India were: 1) a comet is a bad
sign because it brings war, famine and other calamities, 2) a pregnant woman must not
eat bananas for she will give birth to a twin, 3) placing garland around the neck of the
visitors, and 4) the throwing of rice for the newlywed couple after the wedding.
Sanskrit Tagalog
Chinese Influences
Filipino Chinese relations started during the era of the Sung Dynasty (960-1127)
and heightened during the reign of Emperor Yung Lo of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
Trade and commerce flourished with the establishment of Chinese trading posts in some
coastal parts of the archipelago.
When Legaspi conquered the Manila in 1571, he found Chinese settlers and
eventually established trade relations with them. Every year, about 40 Chinese junks
arrived to Manila Bay carrying a variety of commodities such as silk, porcelain, tea, and
live fowl. These goods were transferred to the Parian where they were sold to the
Spaniards and the Filipinos. The Parian was the Chinese community or settlement during
the colonial period. It was located outside Intramuros but within the range of the Spanish
artillery, and served as the center of commerce. There were hundreds of stores, houses
and shops where Chinese merchandise were sold and skilled craftsmen did their trade.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
From the Chinese, the Filipinos learned the art of metallurgy; the manufacture of
gunpowder; the mining method; kite flying; and the use of gongs, lead, porcelain, and
umbrellas.
Dishes like okoy, lumpia, pansit, chopseuy, mami, siopao became a part of our
meals. Condiments like toyo and tawsi were also introduced. Vegetables like bataw,
pechay, and upo originated from the Chinese.
Some Chinese customs and traditions that the Filipinos eventually adopted are:
(1) the arrangement of marriages of children by their parents (2) the use of a go-between
in negotiating marriage, (3) the use of white clothes during mourning, and (4) the filial
respect for parents accorded by children.
The Chinese also enriched the Filipino language. Among more than 1,000 words
that are of Chinese origin are:
Chinese Filipino
Koya kuya
Atse ate
Am-pau ampaw
Hok-bu hukbo
He-bi hibi
Pin-to pinto
Bang-ta bantay
San-ko sangko
di-ko diko
dit-se ditse
bak-kia bakya
Japanese Influences
Just like the Chinese, the Japanese traded with the Filipinos. The Japanese wakos
(pirate traders) traded clothes, perfumes, iron, and woolens for the wax and gold of the
Filipinos. Then they settled at the mouth of Cagayan River and Lingayen Gulf. It was a
busy center for commerce with Japan and so it was tagged by the Spaniards as Puerto de
Japon. In Manila, Marshal Goiti found 20 Japanese dwellings in the city.
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Some of their contributions to our culture and economy are sword making, and
the artificial breeding of fishes and ducks.
Arabic Influences
The Arabs also greatly influenced the culture of the pre-Spanish Filipinos,
particularly the natives in Southern Philippines. Their greatest and most enduring legacy
was the Islamic faith. From the Arabs, the Filipinos learned the use of lantaka (canoe),
vinta (boat), and the kota (fort). They introduced the sultanate form of government,
Arabic art (clearly seen in the decorative and ornamental art of the Maranaws), literature
(Darangan of Maranaw, Indarapatra at Sulayman of Maguindanao and Parang Sabil
of Sulu), the Arabic alphabet, the Koranic law, the Mosque, the Luwaran (a code of
law and a compilation of the customs and traditions of the early Muslims), and the Arabic
words (example: Surat — letter, arak — wine, akma — appropriate, alamat — legend,
and salam — giving thanks).
From Mindanao, the Islamic faith spread to the other native kingdoms of Luzon
including Manila, Batangas, Mindoro, and Pampanga. Therefore, before the coming of
the conquistadores in the Philippines, many parts of the country had already been
Islamized. The conquest and colonization by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi in 1565 put an
end to the further advancement of Islam in the Philippines. The Muslims, however, were
never fully conquered by the Spaniards. This is credited to their higher cultural and
economic development, and their more united and organized armed struggle.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Identification
1. Arabs
2. Chinese
3. Japanese
4. Chinese
5. Arabs
6. Indians
7. Arabs
8. Indians
9. Indians 1
10. Chinese
11. Chinese
12. Arabs
13. Chinese
14. Chinese
15. Arabs
16. Indians
17. Japanese
18. Chinese
19. Indians
20. Arabs
My rating is __________%
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Module 2
The Spanish Regime
in the Philippines
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
MODULE 2
THE SPANISH REGIME IN THE PHILIPPINES
1. enumerate the contributory factors that stimulated discovery and conquest during
the 16th century;
3. enumerate the reasons for the easy pacification and colonization of the
Philippines.
5. analyze the reasons for the failure of the reform movement; and
6. appreciate the work and sacrifices made by the reformers in their yearning to
enhance the quality of life of their countrymen.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Lesson Objectives:
Stories were told by the returning Christian knights from the crusades about the
riches and wonders of Asia. A book written by Marco Polo, a Venetian merchant who
had lived in China during the reign of Kublai Khan, told about the fabulous wealth and
highly sophisticated civilization of China, and thus contributed to the desire of the
Europeans to know more about the Orient. All these stories led the Europeans to depart to
the Orient to see for themselves the accounts that they had heard about. When they
learned about the truth of the stories, the Europeans sent expeditions to trade for Oriental
products.
The search for new trade routes to the Orient was another factor that led to the
coming of the Europeans. In 1453, the Muslim Turks invaded the Kingdom of
Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey), the gateway to Asia. The Turks closed the
Northern and Central Asian trade routes to the Europeans except for the Venetians who
paid toll fees to use the trade routes. This led to the monopoly of Asian products by the
Venetians. As a result, the Europeans — particularly the Spaniards and the Portuguese —
were forced to look for alternative trade routes to the marvelous Orient and the Spice
Islands.
Other factors that accelerated the European desire to find a new way to the Orient
were: the improvement of the science of navigation and the invention of modern
machines, the search for more exact geographical information, the expansion of credit
facilities and the development of banking system, and the desire to convert heathen
(pagan/non-believer) lands to Christianity.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Of all the European kingdoms, Portugal was the first to establish direct contact
with the Orient. In his desire to make Portugal a sea power, Prince Henry the Navigator
established a school for Portuguese sailors and sent expeditions to the coast of Africa
using the ships and maritime instruments he developed, like the astrolabe, the windrose
compass and the caravel.
Because of the geographical discoveries during the 15 th and 16th centuries, a keen
rivalry developed between Portugal and Spain. To avoid war, Pope Alexander VI issued a
Papal Bull in 1493 dividing the world between them. All lands south and west of the
Azores and Cape Verde would belong to Spain, while Portugal was to take the possession
of the continent of Africa. A few months after, another Bull was issued by Pope
Alexander VI, this time giving Spain the right to own lands to be discovered in the east.
As expected, Portugal protested because under the previous Papal Bull, all lands east of
the demarcation line should belong to her.
This conflict was finally settled by the Treaty of Tordesillas, which was
concluded by both the Kings of Portugal and Spain. Under this treaty, all the non-
Christian lands to be discovered east of the demarcation line would belong to Portugal
and those in the west would belong to Spain. The treaty also provided that an imaginary
line be drawn from north to south at a distance of 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde
islands.
Ferdinand Magellan was born in 1480 in the town of Ponte de Barca, in the
province of Minho, Portugal. He was the youngest of the three children of Ruy Magellan
and Alda de Mosquida, who both belonged to the Portuguese nobility.
He was a veteran soldier of the Portuguese campaign in India under the command
of Viceroy Francisco de Almeida, in Malacca under Viceroy Alfonso de Albuquerque,
and in Africa in the fight against the Moors.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
On August 10,1519, after hearing mass and receiving communion at the church of
Sta. Lucia dela Victoria, Magellan and his crew sailed from Seville to the port of San
Lucar de Barameda via the Quadolquivir River. The expedition was composed of five
ships: Trinidad (his flagship), San Antonio, Santiago, Concepcion, and Victoria. Out of
the 265 men in his expedition, only two-thirds were Spaniards; the rest were foreigners.
He was accompanied by Enrique of Malacca, his slave and the interpreter for the
expedition, Antonio Pigafetta, the chronicler of the expedition, and Fr. Pedro Valderama,
the fleet chaplain.
On September 20, 1519 after waiting for favorable winds, he left the port and
sailed westward across the Atlantic. The expedition reached the Canary Islands and
relaxed for three days. In October, they continued their voyage along the coast of Africa,
then on November they reached Cape San Agustin and landed in what is now
Pernambuco, Brazil. After acquiring food and water, they resumed their voyage and
reached Rio de Janeiro in December.
Continuing their sea journey, they reached Rio de Plata, Argentina. Magellan
explored the Rio de Plata believing that it was the gateway to the Pacific. There his crew
members became seriously disheartened because of the harsh storms and the cold
weather. In spite of that, in March he arrived at Port San Julian and made it their winter
base.
Here a mutiny broke out, caused principally by the natural mistrust and outraged
spirit of the sailors towards their commander-in-chief. The mutiny was headed by his
own captains: Luis de Mendoza of Victoria, Gasper Queseda of Concepcion, Captain
Cartegenz of San Antonio, and Sebastian el Cano of Santiago. Magellan was able to
crush the mutiny and punished the conspirators. One of the captains was executed, two
were left at Port San Julian to die, while Sebastian el Cano and 40 mutineers were
pardoned.
From Port San Julian, Magellan resumed his journey southward, reached the
southernmost tip of South America, and discovered the strait that now bears his name.
The voyage continued, during which the Santiago was destroyed, and the San Antonio
ran away from the rest and returned to Spain.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
With 3 ships remaining, Magellan began his voyage in the pacific which lasted for
3 months and 20 days. On March 7, 1521, he reached the Ladrones Islands (now Guam).
He initially named the islands Islas de Velas (Isles of Sails), but renamed it Islas de
Ladrones (islands of Thieves) when the natives stole one of their boats. From Guam,
Magellan continued sailing westward. On March 16,1521, he sighted the mountain of
Samar. The following day, he instructed his men to land at Homonhon, an islet, to obtain
fresh provisions and to allow his crew to rest. After resting and obtaining fresh
provisions, he proceeded to Limasawa, ruled by Raja Kolambu and Raja Sizgu. Magellan
and Raja Kolambu sealed their friendship through the Sanduguan (blood compact).
All the chieftains welcomed and accepted Spanish sovereignity with the exception
of Lapu-Lapu, the ruler of Mactan. Annoyed by the defiance of Lapu-Lapu, Magellan
invaded Mactan with his 60 steel-clad Spaniards and 1000 Cebuano warriors. However,
because of his over-confidence and his desire to show the invincibility of the Spaniards,
he did not allow the Cebuanos to participate in the combat.
Magellan found too late that he had underestimated the fighting skills and gallant
defense of the native warriors. The Spaniards were severely defeated and were compelled
to retreat to their boats. Magellan was stabbed and speared repeatedly by the native
warriors, and fell mortally wounded.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
The success of the Magellan expedition inspired the King of Spain to finance five
successive expeditions to the Orient. These were the expeditions of Garcia Jofre de
Loaisa, Sebastian Cabot, Alvaro de Saavedra, Ruy Lopez de Villalobos, and Miguel
Lopez de Legazpi.
The first three expeditions were dismal failures because they neither reached the
Philippines nor succeeded in colonizing the country. Although the Villalobos expedition
reached Sarangani, Mindanao, it failed in its mission to colonize the archipelago because
they encountered three major problems: the scarcity of food, the hostility of the natives,
and the mutinous threat of his men. The only historical contribution of the Villalobos
expedition to our country is the naming of our archipelago Las Islas Filipinas in honor of
Prince Philip of Asturias, who later became King Philip of Spain.
On April 22, 1529, Spain and Portugal signed the Treaty of Zaragoza, settling
their disputes over the Mollucas. Spain sold Mollucas to Portugal for the sum of 350,000
gold ducots. In this treaty, another imaginary line was drawn from the North to the South
Pole at 297½ leagues east of the Moluccas. All lands east of this line would belong to
Portugal, and all lands west would belong to Spain. The Treaty of Zaragoza was
beneficial to Spain, for the Moluccas and the Philippines were on the side of Portugal. In
effect, therefore, what Portugal bought from Spain was actually already hers.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Retrace the route taken by Magellan in going to the Philippines. Fill in the blanks
with the correct answer.
2. With the help of his father-in-law and Ruy de Faleiro, he was able to secure an
audience with ____________________.
4. His flagship was ____________________ and the chronicler of the expedition was
____________________.
6. He sailed westward across the ____________________ ocean and sailed along the
coasts of ____________________.
7. While they were at Port San Julian a ____________________ broke out because of
the restlessness of his men.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
(21 points)
1. King Immanuel
2. King Charles
3. Trinidad
Victoria
Conception
Santiago
San Antonio
4. Trinidad
Antonio Pigafetta
5. San Lucar
September 20,1519
6. Atlantic Ocean
Africa
7. Mutiny
8. South America
Strait of Magellan
9. Ladrones
10. Homonhon
11. Limasawa
Raja Kolambo
12. Fr. Pedro de Valderama
My rating is __________%
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Lesson Objectives:
2. appreciate the role of Legaspi in making Cebu as first Spanish settlement; and
King Philip II, during his reign, commanded the Mexican Viceroy Luis de
Velasco to prepare an expedition to the Orient. The main objectives of this expedition
were: to survey the spice trade in Asia, to discover a new return trade route from Asia to
Mexico, and to colonize the Philippines.
Sailing westward from Mexico, the expedition passed through the Marshal Islands
and stopped at Guam to obtain fresh provisions. On February 13, 1565, Legazpi reached
Cebu but was not able to land because of the hostility of the Cebuanos. Legazpi and his
men were mistaken to be Portuguese. Legazpi was thus forced to sail to Tandaya
(Samar), where the friendly chieftains welcomed him. On March 9, he sailed to
Limasawa, then to Camiguin Island, Butuan, and from there to Bohol where he made
blood compacts with Sikatuna and Sigala.
Legazpi and his men intruded into the Cebu harbor on April 27, 1565, but they
were challenged by the Cebuanos. A clash ensued and the Spanish troops gained ground,
greatly aided by their superior artillery and firearms. The Cebuanos were defeated and
retreated to the mountains, after burning their houses to the ground.
Legazpi, tried his policy of attraction by inviting the Cebuanos to come down
from the mountains by promising not to harm them and to rebuild their houses.
Convinced of Legazpi’s sincerity and kindness, Raja Tupac, the chieftain of Cebu, and
his men returned to the lowlands and entered into a Treaty of Friendship with Legazpi.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
The conclusion of this treaty signaled the start of colonization and the recognition
of Spanish sovereignty. Legazpi then started to establish a settlement in Cebu. The land
for the settlement was donated by Raja Tupaz and other chieftains. It was triangular in
form with two sides facing the sea, and the third side facing the land. A fort was
constructed and named Fort San Pedro. Legazpi named the settlement San Miguel, but
later changed it to Santisimo Nombre de Jesus (City of the Most Holy Name of Jesus) in
honor of the undamaged image of the Santo Niño, which was recovered by a soldier
during the conquest of Cebu.
In 1569, upon learning of the sufficiency of food and needed supplies in Panay,
Legazpi decided to move in on that island. On the bank of the Panay River, he founded
the second Spanish settlement in the Philippines. Just like in Cebu, the natives of Panay
were belligerent at their first encounter with the Spaniards. But, because of the helping
hand extended by the Agustinian missionaries, the natives were pacified and converted to
Christianity.
With Cebu and Panay as their base of operations, Legazpi ordered his men to
explore the neighboring islands of the Visayas. Captain Enrique de Guzman, together
with Father Alonzo Jimenez, claimed Masbate, Burias and Ticzo for the Spanish
monarch. Their expedition went as far as Albay.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Upon his return to Panay, Salcedo told Legazpi about the prosperous Muslim
kingdom of Maynila, ruled by Raja Sulayman. On May 8, 1570, a military expedition
commanded by Martin de Goiti, and composed of 120 Spanish soldiers and 600 Visayan
fighters, was sent by Legazpi to conquer Manila. Upon reaching Manila, Marshal Goiti
demanded that Raja Sulayman recognize Spanish sovereignty and pay tribute. Sulayman,
refusing to submit to Spanish vassalage, defended his kingdom from the conquistadores.
A fierce battle ensued but because of the superiority of the armaments of the Spaniards,
the natives were defeated.
After this triumph, Goiti returned to Panay and confirmed to Legaspi what
Salcedo had earlier reported about the wealthy and prosperous kingdom of Maynila.
Maynila was wealthy because of its flourishing trade with the Chinese, Arabs and other
foreign traders.
Although Lakandula and Sulayman promised their support and cooperation, some
barangays in Central Luzon opposed Spanish domination. A distinguished Macabebe
datu in the person of Bambilito united the fighters of Betis, Hagonoy and Navotas to
resist Spanish control. Despite Lakandula and Sulayman’s promise of loyalty to Legaspi,
Bambilito was able to influence some of their warriors to join his forces. In the furious
naval Battle of Bankusay that took place on June 3,1571, Marshal Goiti’s strong fleets
overpowered Bambalito’s war boats. Bambalito and his gallant warriors died fighting for
their freedom.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Historians have cited the following as reasons for the easy pacification and
colonization of the Philippines:
1) the barangays were scattered and not united by a fused political or religious
system;
2) absence of a common language, which resulted in lack of communication among
ethnic regions;
3) willingness of the chieftains to cooperate with the Spaniards, as shown in
numerous blood compacts and treaties of friendship;
4) superiority of the armaments of the Spaniards;
5) the Spaniards applied the system of divide and rule; they were able to use the
regional jealousy among the natives to their outmost advantage.
6) The Spaniards managed to avail of the services of native mercenaries from one
region to other regions; and
7) they used the church as a tool for their pacification process.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Philippines.
Philippines
Manila?
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
(10 points)
My rating is __________%
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Lesson Objectives
When King Charles I sent the Magellan expedition in search of the Mollucas, his
primary objective was purely commercial. The Spanish monarch believed that trade in
spices and other Asian products like drugs, gems, carpets, tapestries, and silk was very
profitable and that control of these Asian products would make Spain the wealthiest and
most powerful empire in Europe. But when the kingdom of Spain sold her rights to the
Mollucas to the kingdom of Portugal in the Treaty of Zaragoza, her royal policy shifted to
other interests.
The first aim of Spanish colonization was the conversion of heathen lands to
Christianity. This is why in every expedition sent by Spain to colonize territories, the
conquistadores were always accompanied by religious missionaries.
The second aim of her colonization was to achieve political glory. The Spanish
king wanted to expand his realm because of the keen rivalry among European powers in
empire building.
The third aim of Spanish colonization was to obtain economic wealth and
resources from the colony. In those times, material wealth was an important measure of
greatness among kingdoms. Another factor that motivated this economic aim was the
desire of Spain to control the spice trade in Asia.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
The Philippines was put under the administration of the Ministerio del Ultransor
(Ministry of the Colonies), which was assisted by the Council of the Philippines.
The laws governing the Spanish colonies like Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico and
other Latin American territories were compiled into a code of laws known as Leyes de
Indias (Laws of the Indies). These laws were also applied to the Philippines. Other laws
that were imposed on the Philippines were the Leyes de Toro, Siete Partidas, and La
Novisema Recopilacion. These laws were enacted to improve the condition of the natives,
but unfortunately they were not properly implemented and were often ignored by the
colonial authorities.
The governor-general was also the ex-oficio president of the Royal Audiencia,
the Supreme Court or the highest court in the Philippines during the Spanish period. The
Royal Audiencia heard and decided civil and criminal cases, and was also involved in
auditing the expenditures of the colonial government. In cases of vacancy of the position
of Governor General due death or disability, the Royal Audiencia was mandated to serve
as governor general.
The central government was under the provincial government. During the Spanish
period, provinces were classified as either alcaldia mayor or corregimiento. The alcadias
were the pacified provinces that recognized Spanish rule. Bulacan, Laguna, Batangas,
Pampanga and Manila were examples of these provinces. The administrator of an alcadia
was called an alcalde mayor or provincial governor.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
He only received a low salary but because of the indulto de comercio or the privilege of
the provincial governor to engage in trade, his office became lucrative and a source of
corruption. The corregimientos, on the other hand, were the unpacified provinces where
resistance to Spanish rule still prevailed. The Mountain Province, Sulu, and Maguindanao
were examples of these provinces. The administrator of a corregimiento was appointed
by the governor-general.
Under the provincial government was the municipal government. The town or
pueblo was headed by a gobernadorcillo (petty or little governor), also called capitan
municipal or simply capitan. The office of the gobernadorcillo was the highest political
position given to the Filipinos or natives during the Spanish period. However, in order to
become a gobernadorcillo, a Filipino had to be a member of the principalia class, a body
of prominent Filipinos who could read, write and speak Spanish or member of the
Filipino elites.
Each pueblo, in turn, was divided into barangays or villages, each under a cabeza
de barangay whose main duty was was to collect taxes within his barangay. In exchange
for this service, he was exempted from forced labor and from paying taxes. He was a
member of the principalia or aristocracy.
D. The Cities
Economic Conditions
The early Spanish missionaries and historians like Fr. Pedro Chirino, and Dr.
Antonio de Morga in his book Sucesos delas Islas Filipinas, attested to the truth that pre-
colonial Philippines had flourishing trade and industry and a self-sufficient economy. But
the strict colonial policies of Spain like polo y servicio, tributes, taxation, galleon trade,
the encomienda system and government monopolies stagnated the economy — all of
these policies disheartened Filipino impetus and participation in any economic labor in
the economy.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
The continuous dissension between the church and civil officials in the
Philippines was another cause why economic planning given much attention. The
officials were too busy bickering with another over their authority and privileges.
Encomienda System
The encomienda was a reward vested by the King of Spain to a Spaniard who had
helped in the pacification and colonization of a heathen territory. It was introduced to the
Philippines by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi upon the royal decree of King Philip II. There
were three kinds of encomienda — royal, private, and ecclesiastical. Royal encomiendas
were owned by the King of Spain and consisted of cities, seaports and regions abundant
in natural resources. Private encomiendas were entrusted to a private individual. (The
entire Ilocos region, with the exception of Vigan, was given to Juan de Salcedo as his
private encomienda. Ecclesiastical encomiendas were under the jurisdiction of the church
or the different religious corporations.
The encomiendero or the holder of an encomienda was given the right to collect
taxes; to protect, educate and to convert the natives to Christianity. They were also given
authority to use the personal services of the natives, and this became a source of direct
and inhuman exploitation of Filipinos by their colonial masters. The encomienda started a
feudalistic economic system in the Philippines. The encomiendas later became the basis
for the creation of provinces during the 18th century.
Under this system, all male Filipinos or Chinese mestizos from 16 to 60 years old
were obliged to render forced labor in the construction of roads, bridges, churches,
galleons and other infrastructure projects of the colonial government. They were also
drafted as sailors and soldiers in military campaigns. This hard labor lasted for 40 days.
In 1884, it was reduced to 15 days.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
A native who rendered forced labor was called polista (laborer). The chieftains
and those who paid the falla (exemption fee) were exempted from polo. Forced labor
often resulted in the destruction of the economic life of people in communities, where the
womenfolk were left behind. Shortage of manpower meant abandoned fields; as a result,
many people died of starvation and sickness. Opposition to the recruitment for the forced
labor became the common cause of the early uprisings against the Spaniards.
Aside from the tribute, the natives also paid taxes like the bandala system, a form
of indirect taxation in which the farmers were required to pay in agricultural products so
that each province could meet its quota. Others were diezmos prediales, donativo
zamboanga, vinta and sanctorum.
Galleon Trade
The galleon trade was the yearly major economic activity between Manila and
Acapulco. It was a government monopoly that lasted for two and a half centuries.
Galleons from Manila to Acapulco often left in July, carrying a cargo of oriental
products, such as silk, porcelain, precious stones, perfumes, and cotton fabrics. On their
return voyage, these galleons carried Mexican silver, pesos, wines, wool, Spanish brandy
and sardines. The galleons also brought letters, official decrees, instructions from the
king of Spain, and the real situado (royal subsidy). This subsidy amounted to ₧250,000
and was used to pay for the administrative expenses of the Philippines.
The galleon trade was more beneficial to the Spaniards than Filipinos, because
most government and church officials participated in the speculations and became
wealthy. Graft and corruption were rampant and irregularities were committed in the
Obras Pias (Pious Works), a charitable institution financially supported by the galleon
trade and managed by religious confraternities.
Although the galleon trade became profitable and rewarding for the Spaniards, the
Philippines was did not become a major commercial center in the Orient because trading
was restricted, and was only between our country and Mexico. Agricultural development
in the provinces was ignored as local Spanish officials came regularly to Manila to
engage in speculations. The galleon trade was finally abolished by King Fernando VII in
1815.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Jose Basco y Vargas was the first Spanish governor-general to concentrate his
administration (1778-1789) in the improvement OF Philippine Economy. Basco’s policy
was to develop the natural resources of the archipelago and to promote Philippine
agriculture, commerce and industries. Among the systematic approaches taken by Basco
to improve the economy of the Philippines were the establishment of the following:
The Sociedad was launched on May 6, 1781 and was composed of civic-oriented
citizens and merchants who donated money yearly for the success of its projects.
The tobacco monopoly was a great success in terms of accumulating revenue for
the government. Tobacco became a principal export product of the colony, and the
Philippines became one of the greatest tobacco producing countries in the world. But the
tobacco monopoly had also negative effects. The Filipino farmers were often paid
promissory notes for their produce by corrupt Spanish officials in charge of the business,
and worse, government agents certified the tobacco as low grade and paid accordingly for
such. Since other staple crops were neglected by the farmers, thousands died of famine
because of the acute shortage of food in the tobacco producing countries. The tobacco
monopoly came to an end in 1881 during the administration of Governor-General
Fernando Primo de Rivera.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
This company was created on March 10, 1785 by King Charles III for the main
purpose of encouraging direct trade between Spain and other Asian countries. King
Charles decided to create the Royal Company after seeing the success of European
trading companies such as the British East India Company and the Dutch East India
Company in Asia.
Those natives who have retreated to the mountains and escaped the reduccion
became the nucleus of the remontados. The exodus of the remontados resulted in the
presence of the scattered villages in the mountainous parts of Luzon.
Education
The main objective of the Spanish educational system was to make the Filipinos
obedient and God-fearing Christians. The friars believed that Filipinos were incapable of
learning, but the authorities also intentionally refused to teach the Filipinos the Spanish
language because they were afraid that the education of the Filipinos would in the end
undermine their supremacy in the Philippines.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
There was no co-education in the Philippines during the Spanish period. Boys
and girls studied in separate schools. Among the earliest school for boys founded by the
missionaries were the College of San Ignacio (1589), College of San Jose (1601), College
of San Ildefonso (1599), University of Santo Tomas (1611) and College of San Juan de
Letran (1630). The education of the girls was not neglected either. The schools founded
for the girls were the College of Santa Potenciana (1594), College of Santa Isabel (1596),
Beaterio de Santa Catalina (1696), College of Santa Rosa (1750), College of La
Concordia (1869) and the Assumption Convent (1892).
Fiesta
As part of Christian practice and tradition, the Filipinos adopted the fiesta, a
socio-religious festival honoring the feast day of the patron saint of a town. Fiestas were
celebrated extravagantly with lively music, dancing in the streets, electrifying displays of
fireworks, religious processions and stage shows.
The fiesta of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo, the Ati-Atihan of Kalibo, the
Sinulog of Cebu, the Dinagyang of Iloilo, the Moriones Festival of Marinduque, the
Turumba of Pakil, the Pahiyas in Lukban, the feast of Nuestra Senora de Penafrancia of
Naga, Santa Cruzan, the feast of the Immaculate Concepcion (Dec. 8), Semana Santa
(Holy Week), Todos los Santos (Nov. 1), Epiphany (Jan. 6), and Christmas Day (Dec.
25) are good examples of popular fiestas in the country.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
In time, many Spanish words such as ventana (window), silla (chair), cocina (kitchen),
caballo (horse) and azul (blue) were incorporated into the Philippine language and
dialects.
The Dominicans produced the first printing press in 1593 in Binondo, Manila.
They printed Doctrina Christiana en Lengua Espanola y Tagala (1593), the first
published book, and Arte y Reglas La Lengua Tagala (1610), the first published Tagalog
grammar book. Juan de Vera, the first known printer in the Philippines, and Tomas
Pinpin, the Prince of Filipino Printers, became popular in this field during the Spanish
period.
The Filipinos also excelled in painting. The Spaniards cultivated their natural
talents in this art by establishing a school of painting in Manila. During the Spanish
period, a number of Filipinos became famous for their paintings. Foremost among them
were Juan Luna (Spolarium, The Blood Compact, Battle of Lepanto, and Parisian Life)
and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo (Christian Virgins Exposed to the Populace). Their obra
maestras were acclaimed not only in the Philippines, but also in Europe. Another famous
Filipino painter was Damian Domingo, who established the first school of painting in
Manila. This school later became known as the Academy of Fine Arts. Because of his
contributions in the art of painting, he was honored as the Father of Filipino Painting.
Philippine literature during the Spanish regime was largely dominated by the
friars with religion as the main topic of the writers. It consisted of novenas, biographies
and miracles of Saints, and pasyon (about the life, suffering and death of Christ), the
favored reading materials during the holy week.
Other types of literature brought by Spain to the Philippines were the metrical
romances, awits and corridos. The awit was a twelve-syllable poem dealing with the
heroic exploits of heroes, while the corrido was an eight-syllable poem dealing with the
lives and miracles of saints. Examples of awits and corridos were Bernardo Carpio,
Ibong Adarna, Siete Infantes de Lara and Don Juan Tiñoso.
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Filipino consciousness against the autocratic Spanish regime was raised when
Francisco “Balagtas” Baltazar, through literature such as his awit Florante at Laura,
Baltazar used symbolism to lambast and expose the ills of foreign domination in our
country.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
A. Knowledge of Terminology. Write the letter of the word that is the synonym of
the term being defined.
_______ 1. Monopoly
_______ 2. Polista
_______ 5. Gobernadorcillo
B. Matching Type. Match column A with column B. Write the letters only.
Column A Column B
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
1. a
2. c
3. b
4. a
5. a
B. Matching Type
1. e
2. a
3. d
4. k
5. g
6. h
7. b
8. f
9. c
10. i
My rating is __________%
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Lesson Objectives:
The growth of Filipino nationalism was a slow but steady set of changes. The
origin of this nationalism origin dates back to Lapu-lapu’s bravery, and it eventually
reached its pinnacle with the outbreak of Philippine Revolution. More events led to the
strengthening of Filipino nationalism in the 19 th century. These were the opening of the
Philippines to international trade in 1834 and Suez Canal in 1869, the rise of the middle
class, the influx of western liberal ideas, the Secularization Movement, racial
discrimination, the Spanish Revolution of 1868, the liberal regime of Carlos Ma. dela
Torre, the Cavite Mutiny, and the unjust execution of Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose
Burgos and Jacinto Zamora.
In 1834, the King of Spain issued a Royal Order declaring Manila completely
open to foreign trade. Later, the ports of Sual, Iloilo, and Zamboanga were opened in
1855, that of Cebu in 1860, and those of Tacloban and Legazpi in 1873. These stimulated
the economic movement in the Philippines, which brought prosperity to the Filipinos and
the Chinese mestizos. The introduction of modern methods of farming, development of
transportation and communication, and the establishment of banks led to the growth of
commerce and industry.
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As a result of the tremendous economic change in the life of the Filipino, a middle
class emerged in the Philippine social pyramid. These were the Filipinos who actively
participated in commercial activities when the Philippines opened its doors to world
commerce. Aside from acquiring material wealth, they also improved their social
influence and stature in the pueblos and formed the town principalia, an elite social
group that could read, write and speak Spanish. They were able to send their sons to
schools not only in Manila, but also in Europe. Eventually, with their prosperity and
growing influence, the middle class clamored for social and political equality, and from
their ranks emerged the prime movers of the reform movement.
When the Philippines was opened to the world commerce, the liberal ideas of
Europe and America flowed into the archipelago, brought by the foreigners of liberal
orientation who came to the Philippines, and by the illustrados who absorbed them while
they were studying in Europe. These liberal ideas — contained in books, magazines,
pamphlets and newspapers — were ideologies of the American Revolution (life, liberty
and pursuit of happiness) and French Revolution (liberty, equality and fraternity), and the
thoughts of Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau,
Voltaire and other political and social philosophers.
Influenced by these liberal ideas, the Filipinos began to think of their own
miserable condition. They began to discuss politics, justice and liberty, and with the
passing of time they became brave enough to ask for political, economic, social, and
educational reforms. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 further stimulated progress.
This resulted in the shortening of the distance of travel between Europe and Asia.
Because of this, many Europeans with liberal ideas migrated to the Philippines, bringing
with them progressive books and periodicals. These reading materials were read by the
educated Filipinos, who learned about the democratic practices in Europe and America.
The ouster of Queen Isabella II from the Spanish throne by the “Glorious
September” Revolution of 1868 and the rise of liberalism in Spain brought significant
changes to the Philippine political landscape. The liberal government of the
revolutionists, led by the Generals Juan Prim and Francisco Serrano, appointed Carlos
Ma. dela Torre, an able soldier and a true democrat, to be the new governor-general thus
replacing Gov. Gen. Manuel Maldonado.
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Carlos Ma. dela Torre was the most liberal and well-loved Spanish Governor-
General the Philippines ever had. When he arrived in the Philippines in 1869, he put into
practice his open-minded and democratic behavior by keeping away from extreme
comfort and living a simple life. He walked the streets in civilian clothes and dismissed
his alabaderos (halberdiers) — the governor’s security guards — and went unescorted.
Dela Torre’s leadership was important because he: (1) put an end to the
censorship of the press, (2) abolished flogging as a punishment, (3) solved the agrarian
unrest in Cavite headed by Camerino, (4) advocated the secularization movement, and (5)
implemented the Educational Decree of 1870 and the Moret Decree.
On the night of January 20, 1872, about 200 Filipinos soldiers and workers in Fort
San Felipe mutinied, under the leadership of Sgt. Lamadrid. This mutiny was caused by
Governor-General de Izquierdo’s abolition of the exemption of Filipino workers from
polo y servicio and from paying tributes. The mutineers were able to kill the fort
commander and some Spanish soldiers. It took an expedition to quell the mutiny. The
mutineers were easily crushed by the Spanish soldiers, and the mutiny leaders and
participants were arrested and shot to death.
The Cavity Munity and rebellion gave the Spanish authorities the perfect reason
to justify iron rule. It also gave Governor-General Izquierdo an excuse to persecute the
proponents of the secularization movement and the liberal Filipino middle class who,
during the administration of Governor-General de la Torre, were vocal in their demand
for reforms.
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Among the unfortunate eminent innocent victims of the Cavite were Fathers
Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora. They were tried on the charge of
treason and sedition through the false testimony of Francisco Zaldua, a former Bicolano
soldier assigned in a Spanish artillery unit. Zaldua was bribed by the Spanish prosecutors
to implicate the three priests as the masterminds of the Cavite mutiny. The military court
found the three priests guilty and sentenced them to die by garrote (strangulation
machine). Several others were executed, and more than one hundred were banished in
exile to Spain, Guam, Zamboanga, and other parts of the archipelago.
On the morning of February 17, 1782 the GOMBURZA were escorted from Fort
Santiago to Bagumbayan Field. A vast crowd of Filipinos and foreign spectators
witnessed the unjust execution. They removed their hats and knelt down in prayer as the
three priests went up the gallows to face their gory death. To show his sympathy for the
three priests, Archbishop Meliton Martinez of Manila refused to unfrock the
GOMBURZA before the execution, defying the order of Governor-General Izquierdo.
Instead, he ordered the continuous tolling of bells during their execution as a tribute to
their martyrdom.
The Filipinos who witnessed the unjust execution of the GOMBURZA began to
think and feel as Filipinos, not as Kapampangan, Tagalogs, Ilokanos, Bisayans,
Bikolanos and other ethnic groups. In other words, the people forgot their regional
barriers and tribal differences and started to realize that it was necessary to for them unite
for a common aspiration.
The GOMBURZA were true martyrs of the Philippines. They did not only fight
for the Filipinization of the parishes, but were also champions of liberalism and
humanitarianism during the Spanish period. Their martyrdom accelerated the growth of
Philippine nationalism, paving the way for the founding of the Propaganda Movement.
The unjust execution of Fathers Gomez, Burgos and Zamora made the illustrados
determined to fight the wrongdoings of Spanish government. They were called
propagandists because they had no intention of achieving social changes through an
armed or bloody revolution, only through a peaceful campaign for reforms. Their main
objectives were as follows:
1. Equality before the laws between the Filipinos and the Spaniards
2. Assimilation of the Philippines as a regular province of Spain
3. Restoration of Philippine representation in the Spanish Cortes (Spanish
parliament)
4. Secularization of the Parishes and the expulsion of the Friars
5. Freedom of the press, speech and assembly
6. Active participation in the affairs of the government
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Graciano Lopez Jaena, the greatest orator of the Propaganda Movement, was
born in Jaro, Iloilo on December 17, 1856. His parents were Placido Lopez and Maria
Jacoba Jaena. In his hometown, he saw how the friars and the civil officials brutalized the
Filipinos and how they lived immoral lives. Lopez Jaena wrote narratives exposing the
ills of Philippine society.
Among his literary works were Fray Botod, in which he exposed the immorality,
abuses, ignorance and corruption of the friars; Esperanza (Hope); and La Hija del Fraile
(The Friar’s Daughter). These works earned him the anger of the friars. Realizing that his
life was in danger, he escaped to Spain in 1880. There he studied medicine but later gave
it up for his love of oratory and writing, which led him to journalism. His pen name was
Diego Laura.
He founded and became the first editor of the fortnightly newspaper, the La
Solidaridad (Solidarity), in 1889. The La Solidaridad was the official newspaper of the
Propaganda Movement and became the mouthpiece of the Filipinos in Spain. Eventually,
copies of La Solidaridad were secretly smuggled in and distributed by the liberal thinkers
in the colony. In 1891, he compiled his speeches and writings into a volume called
Discursos y Articulos Varios (Speeches and Varios Articles). Because of poor health
conditions, he died of tuberculosis on January 20, 1896 in Barcelona, Spain.
Marcelo H. del Pilar, the greatest political analyst and journalist of the
Propaganda Movement, was born in Barrio Kupangi, Bulakan, Bulakan on August 30,
1850. He studied at the College of San Jose and later at the University of Sto. Tomas
where he finished his law course in 1880. He usually criticized the friars in crowded
cockpits and market places where the common people heard him. In 1882, he founded the
nationalistic newspaper Diariong Tagalog. In 1888, he secretly left for Spain in order to
escape persecution and possible imprisonment for lambasting the abuses of the friars.
While in Spain, he succeeded Lopez Jaena as editor of La Solidaridad, using the pen-
names Plaridel, Piping Dilat and Dolores Manapat. His writings were popular to the
masses because he wrote in Tagalog.
Some of his well known literary works were La Soberania Monacal en Filipinas
(Monastic Supremancy in the Philippines) La Frailocracia Filipino (Friar Sovereignty in
the Philippines, Dasalan at Tocsohan (a brilliant parody of the prayer book) Caiingat
Cayo (a pamphlet defending Noli Me Tangere), Kadakilaan ng Dios, and Sagot ng
España sa Hibik ng Pilipinas.
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Because of his heavy workload and lack of proper nutrition, del Pilar died of
tuberculosis on July 4, 1896. Before his death, he believed that the campaign for reforms
was a failure and that it was time to switch to revolutionary activity.
Jose Rizal. The most cultured of the Propaganda Movement triumvirate, Rizal
was born on June 19, 1861 in Calamba, Laguna. His parents were Francisco Mercado and
Teodora Alonzo. At the age of eight he wrote Sa Aking Mga Kababata, a poem that
talked of love for one’s native language. He enrolled at the Ateneo Municipal,
administered by the Jesuits, where he finished his Bachelor of Arts Degree. He continued
his education at the University of Santo Tomas, administered by the Dominicans, where
he took up his medical course. It was at this school where he showed his literary prowess
by winning first prize in the Liceo Artistico Literario de Manila. His works were entitled
A la Juventud Filipina and El Consejo delos Dioses.
In order to continue his pursuit of knowledge, he left for Spain in 1882 at the age
of twenty-one. While in Europe he mastered several languages, including French and
German. As an active propagandist he used the pen-names Laong-laan and Dimasalang.
Rizal wrote poems, essays and many articles in La Solidaridad, all manifesting his love
of country, his patriotism, defects of the Spanish administration, his love of family, his
happiness and sorrow. But his two masterpieces are his novels Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo. The Noli Me Tangere is a socio-historical novel based on facts, and the El
Filibusterismo is a political novel in which Rizal envisioned the coming of the
Revolution.
These two novels became popular among the illustrados and the masses, but only
limited number of copies penetrated the Philippines because the Spanish officials, notably
the friars whom Rizal ridiculed in the novels, prohibited its importation, printing
circulation and reading.
1) to unite the whole archipelago into one compact, vigorous and homogenous
body;
2) Mutual protection in every want and necessity;
3) Defense against all violence and injustice;
4) Encouragement of education agriculture, commerce and industry; and
5) Study and application and reforms.
The civil and ecclesiastical officials detested him for his continuous attacks
against them, and worked for his arrest. He was first exiled in Dapitan, Zamboanga and
later tried by the military court on the charges of sedition and treason. He was sentenced
to die by musketry, and executed on Bagumbayan Field on December 30, 1896.
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There were other reasons for the failure of the reform movement:
Mother Spain was too preoccupied with her own problems to listen to the
grievances of the propagandists,
the propagandists did not have enough financial means,
the propagandists were not united because of the rivalry between Rizal and del
Pilar,
the friars were very powerful and influential,
the deportation of Rizal in Dapitan, and
the death of their propaganda leaders.
The campaign for peaceful reforms did not achieve any of its fundamental aims.
However, through the literary works of the propagandists in La Solidaridad they were
successful in awakening the political, social and national consciousness of the future
leaders of our country — such as Emilio Aguinaldo, Emilio Jacinto and Andres Bonifacio
— about the wrongdoings of the colonial government.
Aguinaldo, Jacinto and Bonifacio realized that the only remedy to achieve social
change was through revolutionary means. Thus, on July 7, 1892, the same day when
Rizal was deported to Dapitan, Andres Bonifacio, a mason and radical member of La
Liga, immediately founded the Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalang Katipunan ng mga Anak
ng Bayan (KKK).
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
A. Write the letter of the word that is the synonym of the term being defined.
1. ______ Mutiny
2. ______ Cortes
3. ______ Liberal
4. ______ Principalia
5. ______ Reform
B. Fill in the information being asked for. Use a separate piece of paper if
necessary.
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
1. a
2. b
3. c
4. a
5. a
My rating is __________%
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AIDE Philippine History and Culture
Lesson Objectives:
2. appreciate the values and ideals included in the teachings of the Katipunan;
and
The Katipunan
The three main objectives of the Katipunan were political, moral and socio-civic.
The political objective was to liberate the Philippines from Spain through armed struggle;
the moral objective was concerned with the teaching of good manners and proper
hygiene, and discouraged religious fanaticism and weakness of character; the socio-civic
objective dealt with the principle of mutual help and the defense of the poor and the
oppressed.
Political Structure
The political structure of the Katipunan was influenced by the Masonry and La
Liga Filipina. It had three governing bodies: the Kataastaasang Sanggunian (Supreme
Council) — the highest governing body of the Katipunan, composed of a president,
fiscal, secretary, treasurer and comptroller; the Sangguniang Bayan (Provincial Council);
and the Sangguniang Balangay (Popular Council).
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They were the equivalent, respectively, of the central government, the provincial
government and the municipal government. The judicial power of the Katipunan was
under the Sangguniang Hukuman, which resolved cases about violations of the rules and
regulations of the Katipunan by its members, and settled quarrels among them.
The first president or Supremo of the Supreme Council was Deodato Arellano,
brother in-law of Marcelo H. del Pilar. He was a clerk in the arsenal of the Spanish
artillery corps. In 1893, he was succeeded by Roman Basa, a clerk in the Spanish naval
headquarters, who served as Supremo for two years. It 1895, Bonifacio himself assumed
the positon of Supremo and fired Basa due to his inefficiency.
Kinds of Membership
and the Women’s Chapter of the Katipunan
The original members of the Katipunan were recruited by the through the triangle
system. However, recruitment under the triangle system was sluggish and confusing,
hence, it was replaced by Bonifacio with secret rites copied from the Masonry. A
successful neophyte who passed the test on his bravery and patriotism pledged to protect
and safeguard the secrets of the Katipunan and signed his name in the Katipunan ledger
in his own blood, known as the blood compact. The new member also adopted a
Katipunan name.
The grades of membership of the Katipunan were classified into three: The first
grade was known as the Katipon (associate), the password for which was “Anak ng
Bayan” or Sons of the People. The second grade was Kawal (soldier), with the password
was “Gomburza”, and the third grade was called Bayani (Patriot) and the password was
“Rizal”.
Among the prominent members of the women’s chapter of the Katipunan were:
Josefa Rizal, President; Gregoria de Jesus, Vice-President; Marina Dizon, Secretary; and
Angelica Rizal Lopez, Fiscal.
The women were responsible for recruiting new members to the KKK. They
would dance and sang in the living room, in full view of the people in the street, to
deceive the guardia civil about their activities.
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In order to spread the ideas and ideals of the Katipunan, Bonifacio and Jacinto
founded the newspaper Kalayaan in January of 1896. It contained articles and essays
written by Bonifacio, Jacinto and Valenzuela, and became the official organ of the
Katipunan,
Jacinto, the Brains of the Katipunan, wrote the Kartilla, the primer of the KKK;
Liwanag at Dilim (Light and Darkness); Manifesto (Pahayag); and A La Patria. His pen
names were Dimas-ilaw and Pingkian.
Valenzuela, who aided Jacinto in editing the Kalayaan, wrote Catuiran (Is it
right?) and Sa Mga Kababayan (To my Countrymen). His pen name was Madlang-away.
Since the Katipuneros wrote in their native Tagalog to reach the masses, the
publication and circulation of the Kalayaan played a vital role in the expansion of the
Katipunan and awakened the nationalistic spirit of the Filipinos.
1. Life which is not consecrated to a lofty and sacred cause is like a tree without
a shadow, if not a poisonous weed.
2. A good deed that springs from a desire for personal profit and not from a
desire to do good is not kindness.
3. True greatness consists in being charitable, in loving one’s fellowmen and in
adjusting every movement, deed and word to true person.
4. All men are equal, be the color of their skin black or white. One may be
superior to another in knowledge, wealth, and beauty, but cannot be superior
in being.
5. He who is noble prefers honor to personal gains: he who is mean prefers
personal profit to honor.
6. To a man with a sense of shame, his word is inviolate.
7. Don’t fritter away time; lost riches may be recovered, but time lost will never
come again.
8. Defend the oppressed and fight the oppressor.
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9. An intelligent man is he who is cautious in speech and knows how to keep the
secrets that must be guarded.
10. In the thorny path of life, man is the guide of his wife and children; if he who
guides moves toward evil, they who are guided likewise move toward evil.
11. Think not of woman as a thing merely to while away time with but as a helper
and partner in the hardships of life. Respect her in her weakness, and
remember the mother who brought you into this world and who cared for you
in your childhood.
12. What you do not want done to your wife, daughter and sister, do not do to the
wife, daughter and sister of another.
13. The nobility of a man does not consist in being a king, nor in the highness of
the nose and the whiteness of the skin, nor in being a priest representing God,
nor in the exalted position on this earth, but pure and truly noble is he who,
though born in the woods, is possessed of an upright character; who is true to
his words; who has dignity and honor; who does not oppress and does not help
those who oppress; who knows how to look after and love the land of his
birth.
ANDRES BONIFACIO
Andres Bonifacio, the Great Plebeian and chief architect of the Katipunan, was
born in Tondo, Manila on November 30, 1863. His parents were Santiago Bonifacio, a
tailor who served as tiniente mayor of Tondo, and Catalina de Castro, a Spanish mestiza
who used to work as a cabecilla in a cigarette factory. Being the eldest in a brood of six,
the early death of his parents forced him to quit his studies in order to support his
brothers and sisters: Ciriaco, Procopio, Troadio, Espiridiona and Maxima.
His first job was selling paper fans and walking canes in the city streets, drawing
posters, and later messenger and salesman for Fleming and Co. He was a warehouse man
for Fressel and Co. during the outbreak of the revolution.
In spite of his poverty and limited education, he was a voracious and wide reader,
especially on the subjects of revolutions and books with social relevance. Among his
collection of books were: Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, Victor Hugo’s
Les Miserables, Eugene Sue’s The Wandering Dew, The Lives of the Presidents of the
United States, the Penal and Civil Codes, books on international law, religion, and the
French revolution.
In 1892 he met, fell in love with, and married Gregoria de Jesus at Binondo
Church. The couple remarried again according to the Katipunan rites, in which Gregoria
was initiated into the Women’s Chapter of the KKK. She chose Lakangbini (muse) as her
symbolic name.
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Though limited in formal education, Bonifacio saw that the ilustrados would fail
in their clamor for reforms. Realizing the necessity for an armed struggle to end the
tyranny of the Spaniards, he decided to establish the Katipunan.
EMILIO JACINTO
Emilio Jacinto, the Brains of the Katipunan, was born in Tondo, Manila on
December 15, 1875. His parents were Mariano Jacinto, a bookkeeper, and Josefa Dizon, a
midwife. Being destitute did not stop his parents from sending him to school. Jacinto
studied at San Juan de Letran and later at the University of Santo Tomas, where he took
up law. At the age of eighteen, he joined and became the youngest member of the
Katipunan.
He was the editor of the Kalayaan, the official organ of the Katipunan, and wrote
Kartilla, the official teachings or primer of the society. His other literary works were:
Liwanag at Dilim (Light and Darkness), Sa Mga Kababayan (To my Countrymen), Ang
Kasalanan ni Cain (Cain’s Sin), Pagkakatatag ng Pamahalaan sa Hukuman ng Silangan
(Establishment of the Provincial Government of Laguna), and Samahan ng Bayan sa
Pangangalakal (Commercial Association of the People). The masses easily understood
felt the power of his words because he used Tagalog as his medium in writing.
He was killed in the line of duty in Majayjay, Laguna on April 16, 1899 at the age
of 23.
As early as 1896, the Katipuneros were busy preparing for the outbreak of the
revolution. Bonifacio felt that revolution would burst violently and did not want to be
caught by surprise.
In June of 1896, the Supreme Council sent Dr. Pio Valenzuela to Dapitan to
discuss with Dr. Jose Rizal the founding of the Katipunan and its aim of overthrowing the
Spanish government. Rizal advised that a revolution without enough arms and
ammunitions should not be started against a powerful country like Spain. However, if a
revolution should be inevitable, he suggested that the Katipunan get the support of the
wealthy and influential Filipinos, and appoint Antonio Luna to direct all the military
operations against the Spaniards. These would ensure the victory of the revolution, he
felt.
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Bonifacio ordered the manufacturing of bolos and instructed the Katipuneros who
were employed in the Maestranza (arsenal) to steal Remington and Mausers rifles.
Clantestine conferences were held regularly to map out the war plan for the attack on
Manila and the military strategy for the coming revolution.
Bonifacio also solicited the help of the Japanese when the Japanese warship
Kongo under the Command of Admiral Kanimura had dropped anchor at Manila Bay. He
requested for material aid and military alliance from the Japanese, but Admiral Kanimura
was unwilling to support the Katipunan. Being cautious, they did not want to be accused
of stepping in on the domestic affairs of the Spanish government.
The regular nightly gatherings of the Katipuneros made the Spanish authorities
suspicious, who became disturbed about the rampant news that certain Filipinos were
recruited to join the revolutionary society. The Spanish curates began to censure these
nightly gatherings, particularly in the parishes of Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas ans Manila.
The Katipunan was finally discovered when Teodoro Patiño, a Katipunero and a
worker of Diario de Manila, revealed the secret of the Katipunan to Fr. Mariano Gil, the
parish curate of Tondo, Manila on August 19, 1896. Father Mariano Gil promptly went to
the headquarters and informed the officers of what Patiño had told him. Together with
several witnesses, Fr. Gil searched the printing shop of Diario de Manila and found
several daggers and Katipunan paraphernalia. The Spanish authority was now convinced
of the existence of the Katipunan.
Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto and other top high ranking officials of the
Katipunan immediately escaped to HongKong when news of the discovery of the
Katipunan spread throughout Manila. On the afternoon of August 21, 1896, Bonifacio
informed the revolutionists, numbering 500, of the urgency of starting the revolution
because of the discovery of the Katipunan . Despite the objection of some KKK leaders,
Bonifacio took his cedula, tore it into pieces to symbolize his commitment to take up
arms, and shouted: “Long Live the Philippines!” His men followed his example and also
tore their cedulas. Thus, the Philippine Revolution began.
After the symbolic tearing of their cedulas, the Katipuneros proceeded to the farm
of Tandang Sora (Melchora Aquino) at Pasong Tamo where she attended to and fed the
hungry Katipuneros.
In the late afternoon, the first clash with the Spaniards began when Bonifacio was
informed by his sentinels that the guardia civils were approaching. Immediately, he
instructed his men to attack them. But his fighting men were no match for the superiority
of the Mauser and Remmington guns of the Spaniards. The rebels had two fatalities while
the Spaniards had one.
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Bonifacio and the rest of the Katipuneros retreated to Mariquina under cover of
darkness. The next day, he issued a proclamation calling all the revolutionists to attack
Manila and its neighboring towns simultaneously on August 29 and 30, 1896. However
this did not materialize, probably due to the lack of weapons and because the
revolutionists of the towns did not need Bonifacio’s call. The troops from Cavite under
the Command of General Vicente Fernandez never came.
Instead, Bonifacio and Jacinto led the attack on the Polverin (powder magazine)
of San Juan, which was well defended by about one hundred Spanish soldiers who,
although outnumbered, repulsed the attacks of the poorly trained and armed Katipuneros.
To aggravate Bonifacio’s dangerous condition, fresh Spanish troops from Manila
reinforced the defending Spaniards. The result of the Battle of San Juan (Pinaglabanan)
was disastrous to the revolutionists because one hundred fifty three Katipuneros died and
about two hundred were taken prisoners.
In order to intimidate the Filipinos from joining the revolution, the Spanish
authorities arrested, imprisoned and executed suspected members and sympathizers of the
Katipunan. On September 6, Sancho ValenzuelaR Peralta, Modesto Sarmiento, and
Eugenio Silvestre (prisoners taken in the Battle of San Juan) were executed by musketry
at Bagumbayan. On September 12, thirteen Caviteños were shot to death in front of San
Felipe. They later came to be known as Los Trece Martires de Cavite. In the Bicol
region, twelve rebels were executed, thus making them the “Twelve Bicolano Martyrs”.
In Kalibo, Aklan, nineteen patriots were shot to death, including Francisco del Castillo
and Candido Iban, the two Katipuneros who donated money for the publication of the
Kalayaan. But the most infamous execution during the reign of terror was the killing of
Dr. Jose Rizal on December 30, 1896 at the Bagumbayan Field. These series of
executions, however, only intensified the Filipino patriots’ resolve in fighting the
Spaniards.
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Bonifacio and his team were defeated in all their battles because of the heavy
concentration of Spanish forces protecting Manila and its perimeters. However, this freed
the revolutionists in Cavite, who immediately engaged in counter-attacks against the
Spaniards and clinched their initial victory. The province of Cavite soon became the
center of the Revolution.
The Magdalo council believed that the Katipunan government should be replaced
by a revolutionary government while the Magdiwang council wanted the retention of the
Katipunan government because it already had a constitution and by-laws. The
factionalism that existed between the Magdalo and the Magdiwang councils ended up in
several defeats that adversely affected the revolutionary movement in Cavite. To
reconcile the conflict between the two factions, the Magdiwang council requested
Bonifacio to intervene. Bonifacio left his hideout in San Mateo for Cavite together with
his wife Gregoria de Jesus, his brothers Procopio and Ciriaco, and about 20 soldiers.
They were welcomed by General Emilio Aguinaldo at Zapote.
On March 22, 1897, the two Katipunan councils met at a captured Recollect estate
house at Tejeros, a barrio of San Francisco de Malabon (now Gen. Trias). Both the
leaders of the Magdalo and the Magdiwang councils unanimously agreed that a new
government should replace the Katipunan. Before commencing with the election of
officers, Bonifacio proposed that whoever got the highest number of votes must be
followed and respected regardless of his means of livelihood or degree of culture, as long
as he was not a traitor to the country.
All was going well until Daniel Tirona, a Magdalo, questioned the ability and
qualification of Bonifacio to fulfill his responsibilities as Director of the Interior, because
he was not a lawyer.
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Bonifacio was insulted and demanded that Tirona retract his unsavory remarks, but
Tirona refused. In Bonifacio’s anger he drew his gun to shoot Tirona but Artemio
Ricarte mediated. Bonifacio then declared the election null and void, and walked out of
the assembly together with his men.
Aguinaldo, who was not present during the Tejeros convention for he was busy
fighting the Spaniards in the Battle of Imus, was notified the following day of his
election as President of the Revolutionary government. On March 23 Emilio Aguinaldo,
Mariano Trias and Emiliano Riego de Dios took their oath in the Church of Tanza,
officiated by Fr. Cenon Villafranca.
From Tejeros, Bonifacio and his men proceeded to Naik where he drew up a
document known as the Naik Military Agreement. In this military agreement, they agreed
to form an independent government separate from that of Aguinaldo. The document was
signed by 41 revolutionists including Andres Bonifacio, Severino de las Alas, Pio del
Pilar, and Artemio Ricarte.
The Naik Military Agreement came to the knowledge of Aguinaldo. Realizing the
peril of this military agreement to the ideals of the revolution and fearing that it might
again divide the forces of the revolutionists into two opposing camps, Aguinaldo
instructed Colonel Agapito Bonzon to proceed to Limbon, Indang to arrest Bonifacio. In
the brief fight that followed Andres Bonifacio was stabbed in the throat by Ignacio Paua,
Ciriaco was killed and another brother, Procopio, was wounded.
From Indang, Andres and Procopio were taken to Marogondon to face the charges
of sedition and treason. The military trial lasted from April 29 to May 4. The
investigation was administered by Colonel Pedro Lipana, who was appointed Judge
Advocate, with Jose Elises was the prosecutor or fiscal. Teodoro Gonzales and Placido
Martinez were appointed lawyers for the Bonifacio brothers.
Without strong evidence the Council of War, composed of Gen. Mariano Noriel
as President, Crisostomo Riel, General Tomas Mascardo, Placido Martinez (Bonifacio’s
lawyer) Mariano Riego de Dios, Esteban Ynfante, and Sulficio Antony as members,
found the Bonifacio brothers guilty of sedition and treason and sentenced them to death.
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On the morning of May 10, 1897, General Mariano Noriel instructed Major
Lazaro Macapagal to take the Bonifacio brothers out of their prison cell. He gave
Macapagal a sealed letter with instructions to read this letter upon reaching Mt. Buntis.
Upon reaching designated place, Andres Bonifacio requested Major Macapagal to open
the letter. The instruction was to execute the Bonifacio brothers at all costs.
The Biyak-na-Bato Republic
With the death of Andres Bonifacio at the hands of his own countrymen, many
Filipino patriots serving the Revolutionary Government in the provinces of Cavite,
Morong, Laguna, and Manila lost heart and withdrew from the struggle.
With all of Cavite now re-taken by the Spaniards, Aguinaldo and 500 loyal
soldiers retreated to the jungles of Batangas, to the hilly parts of Morong, to Pasig and
finally to Biyak-na-Bato, San Miguel de Mayumo, Bulacan where he established his
headquarters.
Aguinaldo assembled all his leaders at Biyak-na-Bato in July 1897 and issued an
edict calling of the people to rally to the Filipino cause. He decided to establish a
Republic with a constitution copied by Isabelo Artacho from the constitution of
Jimaguayo (Cuba). The officers were:
The Constitution which was prepared by Isabelo Artacho and Felix Ferrer
provided that the government be vested in a supreme council composed of a president, a
vice-president, a secretary of war and a secretary of treasury. It also provided for a Bill of
Rights and made Tagalog the official language of the Philippines.
1. That Aguinaldo and his leaders would go on a voluntary exile in Hong Kong.
2. That Governor-General Primo de Rivera would pay ₧800,000 in three
installments: (a) ₧400,000 upon the departure of Aguinaldo and his leaders;
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(b) ₧200,000 when the arms surrendered went beyond 700; and ₧200,000
upon the proclamation of general amnesty and when the Te Deum had been
sung.
3. That Governor General Primo de Rivera would pay the additional sum of
P900,00 to the families of the non-combatant civilian victims.
The Truce of Biyak-na-Bato failed because both the Filipinos and the Spaniards
violated its terms and conditions. Out of the total ₧1,700,000 war indemnity, only
₧600,000 was actually paid to Aguinaldo. Many revolutionists who surrendered their
arms were arrested, incarcerated and harassed, contradictory to the amnesty
proclamation.
Many Filipinos doubted the sincerity of the Spaniards and did not surrender all
their firearms. Thus, repeated clashes between the Filipinos and the Spaniards ensued.
Another conclusive evidence of the failure of the truce was the organization of the
Central Executive Committee in Control Luzon under the leadership of General
Francisco Makabulos.
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A. Knowledge of terminology. Write the letter of the word that is the synonym of
the term being defined.
B. Matching Type. Match column A with column B. Write the letters only.
Column A Column B
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1. b
2. a
3. a
4. b
5. c
1. e
2. a
3. b
4. c
5. f
My rating is __________%
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Module 3
The American
Period in the
Philippines
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MODULE 3
THE AMERICAN PERIOD IN THE PHILIPPINES
The third module is about the American period in the Philippines. Presented in
this module are the American intentions on the Philippines, the Filipino-American War,
the decade of suppressed nationalism and continuing resistance of the Philippines under
America. The module ends with a separate discussion of the American Civil Governors in
the Philippines.
1. identify and briefly describe the American Advent and the First Philippine
Republic;
5. identify the different American civil governors and their contributions to the
Filipinization program.
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Lesson Objectives:
Before actual hostilities between U.S. and Spain broke out, George Dewey, the
Commander of the Asiatic Squadron based in Hongkong, was given standby instructions
by American president Theodore Roosevelt to attack Manila in the event that armed
conflict would break out. The coming of the Americans therefore was not a natural
offshoot of the Spanish-American War but an execution of a previously planned agenda
of the U.S. Navy.
On April 25, 1898, the American Congress declared war against Spain.
Understandably, Commodore George Dewey had specific orders to proceed to the
Philippines and destroy the Spanish fleet if war with Spain broke out. After war was
declared, Dewey immediately steamed to Manila Bay on board his flagship, the Olympia.
The naval battle started in the early morning of May 1, 1898 and ended at noon. It
was a massacre — the Americans did not lose a ship or man while the Spaniards had all
their ships sunk or burned. Dewey became the “Hero of the Battle of Manila Bay.”
The American victory at the Battle of Manila Bay signaled the end of the political
glory of Spain and ushered the entry of the United States as a world power. It led to the
American “benevolent assimilation” of the Philippines.
Consequently, after his victory at the battle of Manila Bay, Dewey blockaded the
Bay. With the help of Aguinaldo and his troops, they now laid siege on Manila for it to
surrender. Aguinaldo and his men cut the supply of food and water to starve the trapped
Spaniards inside Intramuros.
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However, the Filipino troops were not aware that there had been secret
negotiations between the Spanish Governor General Fermin Jandenes and the Americans
regarding Spanish surrender to save Spanish honor. Of the conditions agreed, one became
a factor that put a wedge into the Filipino and American collaboration – the exclusion of
the Filipinos from entering the city during the Spanish surrender.
This so-called “surrender” took place on the morning of August 18, 1898 and was
referred to as the “mock battle” of Manila. The American naval guns bombarded Fort San
Antonio Abad near Bagumbayan. That afternoon, the Filipinos and Americans saw the
white flag hoisted above Intramuros, signaling Spanish surrender. The Americans entered
the Walled City and when the Filipinos tried to do the same, the former prevented the
entry of their supposed allies, as expected.
After the surrender of Manila on December 10, 1898, the American and Spanish
delegates signed the Treaty of Paris. Among other provisions contained in the treaty,
Spain ceded the Philippines, Guam and Puerto Rico to the US.
The Treaty of Paris was signed by both American and Spanish peace
commissioners without consulting the Filipinos. With the signing of the so-called “peace
treaty”, the Philippines became a territory of the United States.
Dictatorial Government
When Emilio Aguinaldo arrived at Cavite, he had with him the draft of a
constitution prepared by Mariano Ponce for the creation of a revolutionary government.
However, his adviser Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista persuaded him that the country was
not yet prepared for a revolutionary government and because of the critical conditions
brought by the war, a dictatorial government was needed. On May 24, 1898, Aguinaldo
established a dictatorial government. This was followed by the declaration of Philippine
independence on June 12, 1898 at Kawit, Cavite. The ceremony was held at the balcony
of Aguinaldo’s residence.
For the first time, the Filipino national flag made in Hongkong by Marcella
Agoncillo was officially unfurled amidst the applause and cheers of the people. The
national anthem composed by Julian Felipe was played for the first time in public.
Ambrosis Rianzares Bautista read the “Act of the Declaration of Independence”, which
he himself had prepared, during the ceremony.
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On July 23, 1899, the first Republic of Asia was inaugurated in festive
ceremonies at Barasoain Church, Malolos. Aguinaldo took his oath of office as President
of the Republic.
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1. George Dewey
2. April 25, 1898
3. Battle of Manila Bay
4. Hongkong Junta
5. August 18, 1898
6. Treaty of Paris
7. Declaration of Philippine Independence
8. Malolos Congress
9. July 23, 1899
10. Emilio Aguinaldo
My Rating is _______%
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Lesson Objectives:
On the evening of February 4, 1899, Private William Grayson and two comrade-
in-arms encountered a group of Filipino soldiers at the vicinity of San Juan Bridge. They
challenged the Filipinos to advance and be recognized, but were also asked to do the
same. Grayson immediately shot to death one Filipino soldier before they retreated.
Grayson’s shot drew first blood on the Filipinos, immediately causing the
outbreak of Filipino-American hostilities.
Battles were fought in order to counter American forces and the Filipinos had
their own share of victories. The most notable Filipino victory was the Battle of San
Mateo, in which General Henry Lawton, the highest ranking American military officer to
die in the armed conflict, was killed.
General Antonio Luna tried to recapture Manila, but his counterattack failed
because of the insubordination of the Kawit battalion. According to Captain Janolino of
the Kawit Battalion, he was given orders to obey only General Aguinaldo. Thus, the
battle in Manila was lost.
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There might have been resistance in Luzon, but the Visayan campaign of the
Americans proved to be easy. A day after the fall of Cebu into American hands, the
American flag was hoisted in Negros. Proof of the American control in this province was
the “Negros Constitution”, which was submitted to President McKinley on July 20, 1898.
It became the basis for administering civil affairs in Negros.
In Mindanao, the Americans tried a different strategy in dealing with the Muslims
— using diplomacy. As a result, General John C. Bates was able to sign a peace
agreement with the Sultan of Sulu, which provided that “the rights and dignities of the
Sultan and his datus shall be fully respected, and that the US government agreed to pay
monthly salaries to the Sultan and his leaders.”
Del Pilar was now out of the way, but the Americans still did now know the
whereabouts of Emilio Aguinaldo. However, Cecilio Segiomundo, Aguinaldo’s
messenger, fell into the hands of Colonel Frederick Funston in Nueva Ecija. Captured
with him were letters of Aguinaldo to some of his generals, asking for reinforcements to
his base at Palanan, Isabela. With the help of the Macabebe Scouts who pretended to be
Filipino reinforcement soldiers, the Americans — posing as prisoners — were able to
enter Aguinaldo’s camp without difficulty. Aguinaldo was captured and was forced to
take his oath of allegiance to the United States on April 1, 1901, thus ending the
Republic.
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1. Benevolent Assimilation
2. San Juan Bridge Encounter
3. Battle of San Mateo
4. Kawit Battalion
5. Negros Constitution
6. Bates Treaty
7. Battle of Tirad Pass
8. Macabebe Scouts
My Rating is ________%
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Lesson Objectives:
1. discuss the significant events that unfolded during the period of continuing
resistance;
The Filipino guerillas and the Muslims continued their resistance against
American rule even after the capture of General Emilio Aguinaldo on March 23, 1901 in
Isabela, which brought about the fall of the Malolos Republic. Even when William
Howard Taft was appointed Civil Governor in July 1901, “insurrection” in several
provinces continued. Many Filipino patriots like Apolinario Mabini and other
irreconcilables stayed in Manila, and continued opposing the American rule through their
writings. There were some Filipino nationalists who gave moral and financial support to
those who continued to fight the Americans.
But it was Macario Sakay who showed the strongest resistance against the
Americans. A barber from Tondo and stage actor in “Moro-Moro” during the Spanish
period, he was put to jail under the Sedition Law. Released after the proclamation of
amnesty in July, 1902, he resumed his revolutionary activities and went to the mountains,
eventually taking command of the guerillas in the Rizal-Cavite-Laguna-Batangas areas.
And so the Tagalog Republic of Macario Sakay was formed with its own flag,
government and constitution.
Act No. 292 or the Sedition Law was passed on November 4, 1901, which
imposed the death penalty or long prison terms to any Filipino advocating independence.
The Brigandage Act was passed on the November 12, 1902, classifying guerilla
resistance as bandolerismo or banditry.
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On June 1, 1903 the Philippine Commission passed the Reconcentration Act, allowing
the provincial governors to reconcentrate all residents of outlying barrios to facilitate the
apprehension of rebels who were being hidden and protected by the people.
Reconcentration resulted in food scarcity, malnutrition, and diseases and epidemics due
to overcrowding and the poor sanitary conditions in the camps.
The American government also passed the Flag Law on August 23, 1907. This
law banned the display or use of all Filipino banners, flag and emblems.
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My rating is _________%
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Lesson Objectives:
This particular component paved the way for the reorganization of the local
governments through Act No. 82, also known as the Municipal Code, as formalized by
the Philippine Commission in January 1901. Under this code, the Chief Executive Officer
called “Municipal President” the Vice-President and the members of the municipal
council were elected by popular vote every two years.
Eventually, the Philippine Commission enacted Act No. 83, otherwise known as
the Provincial Code, on February 6, 1901. Among others, this code provided for
provincial governors, as chief executive of each province, to be elected by the councilors
of the municipalities in the provinces for a term of two years. The Executive Bureau in
Manila supervised the provincial governments.
The second component of the Filipinization program aimed to improve the system
of education, particularly in the primary schools.
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On June 21, 1901, the Philippine Commission passed Act No. 74, creating the
Bureau of Public Instruction and providing that all “primary instruction shall be free.”
The act also provided for the establishment of schools in every community. Most of all,
the Act decreed that the English language shall be made the medium of instruction.
Subsequently, laws were passed by the Philippine Legislature which included the
establishment of secondary education, vocational/industrial schools, and a teacher-
training institution. The Philippine Normal School (now Philippine Normal University)
was established in 1903 and the Philippine School of Arts and Trades (now
Technological University of the Philippines) was established in 1905. In 1908, the
Philippine Commission approved Act No. 1870, creating the University of the
Philippines.
The third component was concerned with the personal and social rights of the
people of the islands, and aimed to treat them with the same courtesy and respect for their
personal dignity which the people of the United States are accustomed to require from
each other.
This particular component put great emphasis on the health of the Filipinos. The
Americans believed that a nation with sick people cannot have dignity, and therefore
gave serious attention to public health. In 1901, the Philippine Commission created a
Board of Public Health, later on a Bureau, to take care of the health conditions in the
country. They also installed modern water systems. As a result of these health campaigns,
there was a considerable decrease in the death rate due to illness. Most importantly, the
people began to discard some of their traditional beliefs and superstitions about illnesses,
became more conscious about their nutrition, and thus improved their standard of living.
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_________________________ 3. Under Act No. 82, how was the Chief Executive
Officer of a municipality called?
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1. Filipinization
2. Municipal Code
3. Municipal President
4. all municipal ordinances
5. February 6, 1901
6. Executive Bureau in Manila
7. free primary instruction
8. Philippine Normal School
9. University of the Philippines
10. public health
My rating is _________%
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Lesson Objectives:
In this lesson, we shall identify some American civil governors and their
accomplishments.
James Francis Smith succeeded Ide as civil governor on September 20, 1906. His
first official act to call the provincial governors to a national convention, which met on
the first day of October 1, 1906. Governor Sergio Osmeña of Cebu was chosen president
of the convention.
William Cameron Forbes was Civil Governor of the Philippines from November
11, 1909 to September 1, 1913. As a governor, he is best remembered for the numerous
public improvements he had made in the construction of public buildings, roads, and
highways. As a result, he is often called the “road-building governor.”
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Francis Burton Harrison was the first Democrat to become Civil Governor of the
Philippines. He was the first civil governor to truly work on the Filipinization program of
America. His eight years of incumbency were full of accomplishments.
Leonard Wood was the next civil governor after Harrison, and he served for six
years from 1921-1927. During his term, there was a marked improvement in the
Philippine economy. He secured legislation providing for eleven additional judges of the
Courts of First Instance for speedy resolution of cases.
When Leonard Wood died of brain tumor in 1927, Henry L. Stimson succeeded
him as the next civil governor. For a year as civil governor, he helped in the restoration
of “regular and responsible cooperation” between him and the Filipino leaders. When
Stimson was recalled to the United States to serve as Secretary of State, he was
succeeded by Dwight F. Davis.
Davis was responsible for the construction of insular buildings in Manila, the
division of the Bureau of Agriculture into Bureau of Plant Industry and Bureau of Animal
Industry, and construction of about 12,000 kilometers of roads.
Theodore Roosevelt Jr., the eldest son of President Theodore Roosevelt, took over
as civil governor when Davis resigned on February 29, 1932. He paid attention to the
fishing industry. Provisions were made for the propagation of fish, open and closed
seasons and prohibited the use of dynamites and other explosives in fishing.
Frank Murphy succeeded Roosevelt as the next civil governor and happened to be
the last Governor General of the Philippines. Among Murphy’s achievements was the
granting of suffrage to Filipino women.
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Matching Type Match column A with column B. Write the letter of the correct
answer on the space provided.
A B
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1. b
2. d
3. f
4. h
5. j
6. i
7. g
8. e
9. c
10. a
My rating is _______%
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Module 4
The
Commonwealth
Years and the
Japanese Regime in
the Philippines
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MODULE 4
THE COMMONWEALTH YEARS AND
THE JAPANESE REGIME IN THE PHILIPPINES
The Commonwealth years and the Japanese regime in the Philippines are
discussed in this module. Topics included are the Independence Missions that went to the
United States, the Commonwealth Period, the Japanese Period, the Period of the
Liberation and the Third Republic of the Philippines.
3. describe the economic, social, educational and cultural conditions during the
Japanese Regime;
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Lesson Objectives:
1. identify the independence missions that pursued our claims for independence;
The passage of the Jones Law in 1916 encouraged the Filipino leaders to clamor
for independence. Though this clamor was interrupted during the First World War, it was
revived by the Filipinos immediately after the war, and focused on U.S. President
Woodrow Wilson’s promise to give the Philippines self-determination and territorial
integrity.
Consequently, independence missions were sent to the United States, one after the
other, to work for our country’s early independence.
The first independence mission left for the United States on February 23, 1919,
headed by Manuel L. Quezon. Rafael Palma was the Vice Chairman of a big delegation
composed of the members of the Philippine Legislature among others.
Though Quezon’s team tried to convince the U.S. government of the need for the
immediate granting of independence to the Philippines, all he got were assurances. There
were pressing problems to attend to that time and the issue of independence was shelved.
The second independence mission was sent to the United States in 1923, and was headed
by Speaker Manuel Roxas. The mission tried to convince U.S. President Calvin Coolidge of the
need for the immediate granting of independence to the Philippines. Just like Quezon’s mission,
all this mission got were assurances.
The third independence mission that was sent to the United States on December 6,
1931 was headed by Senate President Pro-tempore Sergio Osmeña and Speaker Manuel
Roxas, assisted by Senate Minority Floor Leader Emiliano Tirona and several others.
Popularly known as the OS-ROX missions, it succeeded in getting the support of the US
Congress through the Hare-Hawes-Cutting Law. Among others, the law provided that
independence would be granted to the Philippines after a transition period of ten years. It
was the first definite promise of independence to the Filipinos. Even observers noted that
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this was a political masterstroke for the political career of Osmeña and the bringing home
of this law would be the greatest asset that any political leader would acquire.
However, this law was rejected by the Filipino people under the leadership of
Quezon, who personally opposed the law and argued that better terms should have been
obtained.
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1. Jones Law
2. Leonard Wood
3. Manuel L. Quezon
4. OS-ROX Missions
5. Hare-Hawes-Cutting Bill
6. Hare-Hawes-Cutting Law
7. Manuel L. Quezon
8. Theodore Roosevelt
9. Tydings-McDuffie Law
10. May 1934
My rating is __________%
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Lesson Objectives:
The Commonwealth period refers to the period in Philippine history from 1935-
1946. This was the time when the Philippines had a commonwealth government that was
republican in form, with its own constitution as provided for in the Tydings-McDuffie
Law.
Elections were held, with Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio Osmeña winning as
President and Vice-President respectively over their opponents Emilio Aguinaldo and
Bishop Gregorio Aglipay.
Just like any other government, the Commonwealth had also its share of
problems, which it strived to address in the best way it could.
1. National Identity
This problem grew serious as the power and prestige of Japan increased while that
of other powers decreased. Then the American defense of the Philippines from its
external enemies, especially from Japan, became difficult. Because of this apprehension,
the National Assembly enacted Commonwealth Act No. 1, known as the National
Defense Act, to set up the country’s defense system.
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2. Political Stability
3. Economic Development
4. Social Discontent
5. National Language
President Manuel L. Quezon felt strongly that it was ridiculous for a country
about to become independent to use either Spanish or English as a common tongue, and
even so, not everybody spoke either or both of them. As a consequence, the first National
Assembly enacted CA 184 to establish an Institute of National Language. The institute,
on November 1937, recommended to President Quezon the adoption of Tagalog as the
basis of the national language. On December 30, 1937, Quezon made the official
proclamation under Executive Order No. 134. On June 9, 1940 the Filipino national
language was declared by law to be the official language of the Philippines, effective
upon the granting of independence on July 4, 1946.
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1. Commonwealth Period
2. Tydings-McDuffie Law
3. November 15, 1935
4. Manuel L. Quezon
5. National Security
6. National Defense Act
7. Economic Development
8. National Economic Council
9. Social Justice
10. Tagalog
My rating is __________%
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Lesson Objectives:
2. recognize the sacrifices made by our leaders as well as their heroism as they
clamor for independence;
The presence of American military installations in the Philippines was the main
reason why the Japanese invaded the country and held it under its regime.
When the Americans acquired the Philippines, they thought it was strategically
located, and thus economically profitable. They were confident that no foreign power —
not even the Japanese — would dare touch the Philippines as long as they were around.
But they were wrong.
However, the Americans were caught unaware when the Japanese bombers
attacked Pearl Harbor, an American naval base in Hawaii, in the early morning of
December 7, 1942, Hawaiian time. The next day, the United States declared war against
Japan. This declaration started the Second World War.
The American forces retreated to Bataan and Corregidor. Several days after,
Bataan and Corregidor fell into the hands of the Japanese forces under General Masaharu
Homma. The infamous “Death March” was painful proof of the fall of Bataan and
Corregidor. Eventually, with the surrender of the entire USAFFE forces, the fall of the
Philippines became official.
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There were changes in the economic, social, educational and cultural conditions
during the Japanese Regime.
Economic Conditions
The economy was very bad during the Japanese occupation. For most people, the
procurement of food and staying alive became a daily struggle. Life was hard and very
trying.
Money was considered “Mickey Mouse”, so-called because it was never, to all
Filipinos, any better than play money. There was a huge scarcity of food, which
prompted Jose P. Laurel, President of the “Puppet Republic”, to appeal to the people to
plant vegetables in their own backyards.
Social Life
One of the most important problems that confronted the Filipinos was the kind of
treatment the people received from the Japanese military police, known as kempeitai. The
people were discriminated, physically assaulted, and verbally abused. They were
punished merely upon suspicion, or false denunciation by informers or “makapili” who
harbored personal grudges against them. There was also the practice of collective
responsibility for individual acts.
Filipino women were raped. Thousands of maidens and wives were made
“comfort women” or sex slaves by the Japanese soldiers. Rosa Henson, who died
recently, was one of those who were forced to serve the carnal needs of the Japanese.
There were also spies who made life for the Filipinos very dangerous. The spies
were paid by the Japanese to point to them the hostile or “subversive” Filipinos. As a
result, many Filipinos were executed due to the machinations of these spies.
The guerillas, in addition, also created fear in the hearts of the Filipinos. Although
they were supposed to fight the Japanese, they were quick to kill Filipinos whom they
believed collaborated with the Japanese.
In view of these, the Japanese occupation became years of hunger, pain and
agony.
Cultural Conditions
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In one of his plays, Avellana used characters with names such as Arturo (for
McArthur) and Felisa (for Filipinos). The story plot was that Arturo left Felisa, but only
for a moment because he was merely whiling away with his friend “Solomon” (the
Solomon Islands) and he was sure to come back to his own true love.
In the theatres all over the country, only Japanese pictures, Filipino photoplays
that did not glorify America, and a handful of Hollywood musical were allowed to be
shown. Before any picture aired, it had to pass through strict Japanese censorship.
The Filipinos were discouraged from writing in English, the English section of the
magazine Manila Tribune was censored. Because Filipinos were encouraged to write in
Filipino, Tagalog became popular. However, there was no freedom of expression because
the writers were censored and were closely watched.
Education
Most Filipino students had to sit through lessons in Nippongo and Japanese
culture. In addition, the subject matter of all textbooks were changed to suit the Japanese
norms.
As a result, portions of existing textbooks that did not conform to basic Japanese
principles were eliminated. All pages that carried illustrations of Filipino and American
flags were marked out and ultimately eliminated. The teachers, too, had to be re-taught.
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Identification (9 points)
My rating is __________%
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Lesson Objectives:
2. Appreciate how the liberation motivated the Filipinos to achieve high ideals of
liberalism and democracy;
The events prior to the liberation were collectively termed as the Resistance
Movement. Even before Bataan fell to the Japanese, patriotic Filipinos had already
started preparing for partisan warfare, an anticipation of a short stay of the enemy in the
Philippines and their eventual defeat.
The guerilla movement played a very important role in the liberation of the
Philippines from the Japanese. When it was able to establish contact with the American
intelligence, through Lt. Col. Guillermo Nakar, an alliance between McArthur’s men and
the guerilla forces was formed. This led to the eventual downfall of the Japanese forces.
The date for the invasion of Leyte was set for October 20, 1944. This invasion
would pave the way for the “return of the beloved”, and was to be carried out by the
forces under General Mac Arthur. To carry out this task, MacArthur was responsible for
the convergence of transports, supply ships, fire support ships, escort carriers, mine craft,
landing craft, and cargo ships.
And so the battle started. To soften the enemy positions in Leyte, carrier strikes
were carried out from October 9 to October 20. Similar attacks were also conducted in
other places in order to paralyze Japanese activities and defenses.
With the Japanese forces neutralized by heavy bombings and naval guns, two
army crops landed on the morning of October 20. Beach-heads were established and soon
the troops fanned out in several directions to drive out the enemy.
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That same afternoon General MacArthur, President Sergio Osmeña, General Carlos P.
Romulo and several others waded ashore to capture the beaches. The Americans had
returned.
The landing in Leyte was fought with a series of battles that eventually
annihilated the enemies. The Battle for Leyte Gulf, the greatest naval battle in history,
was fought simultaneously in three different places from October 24 to 26. In its
magnitude and significance, the Battle for Leyte Gulf exceeded all previous naval
combats. Succeeding battles like the Battle of Surigao Strait, the Battle of Samar, the
Battle of Cape Engaño and the Landing at Lingayen Gulf all led to the eventual liberation
of Manila in the late afternoon of February 3, 1945.
Inspite of this, Japan — proud of her strength and prouder still of her samurai
spirit — refused to surrender. On August 6, the United States unleashed the deadly
atomic bomb on Hiroshima, demolishing almost half of the city and killing thousands of
inhabitants. On August 9, another atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. Russia, too,
declared war against Japan on the same day. Faced with total annihilation, Japan
unconditionally accepted the Allies’ demand for surrender, on the battleship Missouri at
Tokyo Bay. The Second World War was over.
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My rating is __________%
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Lesson Objectives:
1. identify and analyze the various contributions of the Presidents under the
Third Republic;
In this particular lesson, we will discuss the presidents of the Philippines who
served under the Third Republic as well as their achievements during their term of office.
We will begin our discussion with the national elections held on April 23, 1946.
Two major political parties participated in the first-ever national elections held in the
country after World War II. These were the Nacionalista Party and the Liberal Party.
Sergio Osmeña was the standard banner of the Nacionalista Party, and Manuel
Roxas was the presidential candidate of the Liberal Party.
Manuel Roxas won and was sworn into office as the third president of the
Commonwealth on May 25, 1946. Two months after, on July 4, 1946, the Philippines’
independence was proclaimed and Manuel Roxas became the first President of the
Philippine Republic.
Manuel Roxas
Manuel Roxas served as President of the Philippines from July 4, 1946 to April
16, 1948. A statesman from Capiz, Roxas began the building of the economy of war-born
Philippines. He laid down the other top priorities of his administration such as: the
industrialization of the Philippines, the preservation of close cooperation and special
relations with the United States, and the maintenance of law and order.
On the night of April 16, 1948, President Roxas died of a heart attack at Clark
Field, Pampanga, after delivering a speech before American servicemen and Filipino
supporters.
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Elpidio Quirino
3. the establishment of the Rural Banks and Labor Management Advisory Board,
the Presidential advisory body.
Ramon Magsaysay
Ramon Magsaysay was the Secretary of National Defense under the Quirino
administration. He had become popular among Filipinos because of his outstanding
success in breaking the backbone of the HUKBALAHAP Movement.
In the presidential elections on November 10, 1953, Magsaysay was the standard
bearer of the Nacionalista Pary. Expectedly, he defeated President Elpidio Quirino
because of his simplicity and honesty. He became the most popular President the masses
ever had. There was a special day for the “common tao” in Malacañang. He also visited
far-flung rural areas unannounced. He was called President of the Common Tao, Man of
the Masses, and The Guy.
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6. The San Francisco Treaty, which officially ended the state of war between
Japan and the Philippines.
On March 17, 1957, President Magsaysay died when his plane, the Mt. Pinatubo,
crashed at Mt. Manunggal in Cebu.
Carlos P. Garcia
The day after the tragic death of President Magsaysay, Carlos P. Garcia, who was
then Vice-President, took his oath as the fourth president of the Third Republic. Born in
Talibon, Bohol, Garcia completed Magsaysay’s unexpired term, after which he ran and
won his own four-year term in the elections that were held on November 12, 1957.
Diosdado Macapagal of the Liberal Party was elected Vice-President. This was the first
time the Filipinos elected a President and Vice-President from opposing political parties.
2. The projection of Filipino culture through the goodwill tours of the Bayanihan
Folk Dance Troupe and other groups around the world;
Diosdado Macapagal
The presidential elections of November 14, 1961 saw another president in the
person of Diosdado Macapapagal. Known as the “poor boy” from Lubao, Pampanga,
Macapagal was inaugurated as the fifth President of the Republic of the Philippines.
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He was a bar topnotcher, a respected law practitioner, a respected writer and an effective
speaker.
3. The use of the Filipino language in passports and other diplomatic credentials,
school diplomas, traffic signs and stamps;
4. Filing of the official claim of the Philippines over Sabah on June 22, 1962;
Ferdinand E. Marcos
During his first term as president, Marcos had the following achievements:
6. The intensive drive against smuggling, organized crime, and the communist
New People’s Army;
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Ferdinand Marcos was the first Filipino president ever reelected to office. It was
evident that the Filipinos were satisfied with his performance during his first term, for
which they re-elected him to a second term on November 11, 1969.
But under Marcos’ second term, the Filipino people suffered from a grave
economic crisis which was brought about by the rising price of oil. The oil price hike
raised prices of commodities upward and many Filipinos became jobless. The “floating
peso” continuously devaluated against the dollar. His second term was now characterized
by rampant graft and corruption in the government; the widening gap between the rich
and the poor; and the prevalence of crimes, subversion, and the threat of a communist
takeover.
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______________________________ 4.
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1. July 4, 1946
2. Manuel Roxas
5. Ramon Magsaysay
6. Ramon Magsaysay
7. Carlos P. Garcia
8. Diosdado Macapagal
My rating is __________%
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Module 5
Contemporary
Philippine History
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MODULE 5
CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE HISTORY
4. identify some alleged anomalies, irregularities and scandals during the Estrada
administration;
5. discuss the events leading to the assumption of Gloria Arroyo as President of the
Philippines.
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Lesson Objectives:
1. identify and analyze the factors that led to the declaration of Martial Law;
2. relate the experiences derived from history and make it a tool to their
everyday life; and
There were certain events that led to the declaration by Ferdinand Marcos of
Martial Law in the Philippines.
Then more organizations came out to publicly dramatize their demands for
changes in the Marcos government. Radical student groups like the Kabataang
Makabayan (KB) and Samahan ng Demokratikong Kabataan (SDK) advocated violent
revolution. The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), on the other hand, was the
most radical among the organizations and advocated complete social change. Likewise,
the New People’s Army (NPA), a group led by more idealist and dedicated communist
cadres, became the most potent threat to the national stability during the late 60’s.
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Identification. (8 points)
1. violent revolution
3. Martial Law
My rating is __________%
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Lesson Objectives:
2. show appreciation for those who pursued the cause of democracy; and
Three years before Cory Aquino became the first President of the Fifth Republic,
her husband, former Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., was assassinated on August
21, 1983.
Generally considered as a hero by the people, his assassination inspired the EDSA
Revolution in 1986 that brought down the 20-year Marcos regime and led to his wife
Corazon Aquino’s assumption of the presidency.
This resulted in Cory Aquino’s call for civil obedience (boycott of crony media
and products), which eventually led to the People Power Revolt (EDSA I).
The EDSA Revolution started as a military revolt of the RAM (Reform the
Armed Forces Movement) at the Ministry of National Defense, which was then headed
by Juan Ponce Enrile. Together with AFP Vice Chief of Staff General Fidel Ramos, they
hastily gave a press conference to announce their withdrawal of support from the Marcos
government. Both Enrile and Ramos called on Marcos to resign.
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Her term as president, however, was beset with many problems. Natural and man-
made disasters, which included earthquakes, typhoons, volcanic eruptions, floods, and
coup attempts, characterized the Aquino presidency. Pangasinan and Baguio were
shattered by an earthquake, while Mount Pinatubo’s eruption rendered thousands of
Filipinos in Central Luzon homeless. The series of coup attempts against the Cory
government caused the economy to tumble in desperate fluctuation.
To Aquino’s credit, she was able to survive all these crises. She successfully
served her six-year term, ushering in a peaceful transition for her successor. Her
government was most popular for the CARP (Comprehensive Agrarian Reform
Program). According to Aquino, this program would emphasize on the development of
agriculture as a basis for the attainment of industrialization. But Cory will be most
remembered for the restoration of democracy in the Philippines. She said: “The first of
those aspirations was democracy, not economic freedom and profits, but democracy – the
Filipinos’ birthright and racial identity.”
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Lesson Objectives:
1. appraise the prospects of the Filipinos as a people as they face the challenges
of the millennium;
Fidel Valdez Ramos became the second president of the Fifth Republic when he
won the presidential elections in May 1992. An anointed candidate of outgoing President
Corazon Aquino, he won over six opponents, becoming the first Protestant President of
the Philippines.
The Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP), or what was popularly known as
“Philippines 2000”, was the centerpiece of the Ramos’ administration. This plan was
considered by analysts as a grand and ambitious plan to achieve a newly-industrialized
country (NIC) status on or before the turn of the millennium. Its primary thrust was the
improvement of the “quality of life” of the Filipino.
Achievements
3. Holding of the 4th APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) leaders’ meeting in
the Philippines in 1996
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7. Enactment of the “Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995”, which gave
protection to millions of overseas Filipino workers
Problems
1. The Energry crisis. Power outages occurred from two to four hours, and even up to
eight hours a day in Metro Manila and in many areas of Luzon. Some areas in the
Visayas and Mindanao experienced power failures of about 35% or more. The
Philippine Congress passed the Electric Power Crisis Act of 1993 (Republic Act No.
7648), which granted Ramos emergency powers to solve the energy crisis.
3. Abu Sayyaf. This was a fundamentalist Islamic group that discriminatorily abducted
Christians and made them hostages for ransom. This group was founded by
Abdurajak Janjalani, a former Islamic scholar in the early 90’s.
5. Foreign relations. The territorial dispute over the ownership of the islands in the
Spratleys brought regional tension involving the Philippines and China.
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1. Fidel V. Ramos
2. Philippines 2000 / MTDP
3. Philippines 2000
4. to achieve a newly-industrialized (NIC) status
5. improvement of the “quality of life of the Filipino”
6. Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
7. Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995
8. Energy Crisis
9. Republic Act No. 7648
10. Spratleys issue
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Lesson Objectives:
The Philippines held another election for national and local officials in May 1998.
Joseph Estrada, the former Vice-President, won as president by getting 30% —the
majority — of the votes. His triumph was expected as he anchored his campaign through
his professed concern for the poor and down-trodden. With his campaign slogan “Erap
para sa mahirap” he easily got the support of the masses.
On the morning of June 30, 1998, Estrada was sworn in by Supreme Court Chief
Justice Andres Narvasa as the 13th president of the country. President Estrada promised to
liberate the Filipino people from poverty, and to eradicate graft and corruption. He boldly
declared war against “hoodlums in uniform barong and robes” (corrupt military and
government officials, and the judiciary) saying that he would take stern action against any
wrong doings in his administration. He also sternly warned against cronyism and
nepotism.
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The trial lasted for two months but ended without a decision. The trial came to an
abrupt halt because of “evidence” about a secret bank account allegedly held by Estrada.
The prosecutors wanted to open the envelope containing the records of a 3.3 billion peso
bank account in the name of Jose Velarde, the alleged alias of Joseph Estrada. The
senators then voted on whether to allow the opening of the envelope or not. Ten senators
voted “yes” while eleven “pro-Estrada” senators voted “no”. The envelope was not
opened.
On January 20, 2001, President Estrada and his family were finally convinced to
leave Malacañang, and his administration ended.
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Identification. (8 points)
1. Joseph Estrada
2. Erap para sa Mahirap
3. two years and seven months
4. Luis “Chavit” Singson
5. December 7, 2000
6. two months
7. Erap Resign
8. January 20, 2001
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Lesson Objectives:
1. interpret the prevailing conditions in the Philippines which led to the Arroyo
Presidency;
She first threw her hat into the political arena when she ran for senator in the May
1992 elections. She placed 13th in this race, which qualified her to be senator for three
years. Then in 1995 she ran again and this time, she topped the senatorial polls,
qualifying her to a full 6-year term in the Senate.
In 1998, she was tapped by the then administration party, LAKAS-NUCD, to run
as vice-president. She was the running mate of Speaker Jose De Venecia who was
defeated by Joseph Estrada. She, however, won the vice presidency with a huge margin
over her opponents.
In the Estrada Cabinet, she served as the Secretary of the Department of Social
Welfare and Development.
When Joseph Estrada was removed from office, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was
sworn in as the new president of the Philippines on the afternoon of January 20, 2001, by
Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr. Arroyo became the 14 th president of the Philippines and
the first president to take the oath of office at the makeshift platform of the EDSA Shrine.
She became the fourth president of the Fifth Republic and the second woman president of
the country.
One of the President Arroyo’s first official acts was to prohibit her family and
relatives from engaging in transactions with the government. She ordered the resumption
of peace talks with insurgent groups, particularly the MILF and NPA. She also took a
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tougher stand against the Abu Sayyaf, which continued to sow terror in southern
Philippines.
To date, Arroyo’s administration is still suffering from problems that she inherited
from her predecessor, Joseph Estrada. In Mindanao, Nur Misuari, the MNLF (Moro
National Liberation Front) founder and chairman posed another threat to the security in
the region. He activated his fighters when he lost his position as Governor of the
Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and led several hundred MNLF
fighters in an attack on Jolo. Misuari escaped to Malaysia but was arrested and detained
there. He was brought back to the Philippines to face trial for the crime of rebellion and is
currently temporarily detained in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
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Agoncillo, Teodoro A. 1990. History of the Filipino People. Quezon City: Gaviotech
Publishing.
Constantino, Renato. 1999. The Philippines: The Continuing Past. Quezon City: The
Foundation for Nationalist Studies.
Muhi, Estrellita. 2001. Brief History of the Filipino People. Quezon City: Optimum
Books.
Zaide, Sonia. 1994. The Philippines: A Unique Nation. Quezon City: All Nations
Publishing Co., Inc.
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