Module Readings in Philippine History

Chapter 1 Introduction to History

Intended Learning Outcomes:At the end of this chapter, the students are expected to:

1. To understand the meaning of history as an academic discipline and to be familiar with

the underlying philosophy and methodology of the discipline;
2. To apply the knowledge in historical methodology and philosophy in assessing and
analysing existing historical narratives;
3. To examine and assess critically the value of historical evidences and sources; and
4. To appreciate the importance of history in the social and national life of the Philippines.

1.1. Definition

- is the study of the past, was derived from the Greek word “historia” which means
“knowledge acquired through inquiry or investigation”.

- existed for around 2,400 years and is as old as mathematics and philosophy

- the account of the past of a person or of a group of people through written documents
and historical evidences (Latin).

- was also focused on writing about wars, revolutions, and other important
breakthroughs

HISTORIANS
- refers to an individual or group of people who write about the lives of important
individuals like monarchs, heroes, saints, and nobilities.

TRADITIONAL HISTORIANS
– “NO DOCUMENT, NO HISTORY’
History progressed and opened up to the possibility of valid historical sources which are
not limited to written documents, like government records, chronicler’s accounts, or
personal letters. Other kinds of historical sources which may not be in written form are
called oral traditions like in forms of epics and songs, artifacts, architecture, and
memory.
History thus became more inclusive and started collaborating with other disciplines as
its auxiliary disciplines. With the aid of archaeologists, historians can use artifacts from a
bygone era to study ancient civilizations that were formerly ignored in history because
of lack of documents. Linguists can also be helpful in tracing historical evolutions, past
connections among different groups, and flow of cultural influence by studying language
and the changes that is has undergone. Scientists like biologists and biochemists can
help with the study of the past through analysing genetic and DNA of human societies.

1.2. Questions and Issues in History

History as a discipline has already turned into a complex and dynamic inquiry.
This dynamism inevitably produced various perspectives on the discipline regarding
different questions like: What is history? Why study history? and history for whom?
These questions can be answered by historiography.

HISTORY
- is the study of the past, the events that happened in the past, and the causes of such
events.

HISTORIOGRAPHY
- is the history of history, history itself (i.e., How was a certain historical text written?
Who wrote it? What was the context of its publication? What particular historical
method was employed? What were the sources used?

- let the students have a better understanding of history

- they are also provided with understanding of the facts’ and the historian’s contexts

- the methods employed by the historian and the theory and perspective will also be
analyzed

- it is important for someone who studies history because it teaches the student to be
critical in the lessons of history presented to him

History has played various roles in the past. States use history to unite a nation.
It can be used as a tool to legitimize regimes and forge a sense of collective identity
through collective memory. Lessons from the past can be used to make sense of the
present. Learning of past mistakes can help people to not repeat them. Being reminded
of a great past can inspire people to keep their good practices to move forward.

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POSITIVISM
- is the school of thought that emerged between the eighteenth and nineteenth
century. This thought requires empirical and observable evidence before one can claim
that a particular knowledge is true.

- entails an objective means of arriving at a conclusion

- believes in the mantra “NO DOCUMENT, NO HISTORY” historians were required to

show written primary documents in order to write a particular historical narrative

POSITIVIST HISTORIANS
- expected to be objective and impartial not just in their arguments but also on their
conduct of historical research.

As a narrative, any history that has been taught and written is always intended
for a certain group of audience.

POSTCOLONIALISM
- a school of thought that emerged in the early twentieth century when formerly
colonized nations grappled with the idea of creating their identities and understanding
their societies against the shadows of their colonial past.

POSTCOLONIAL HISTORY
- looks at two things in writing history: first (1) to tell history of their nation that will
highlight their identity free from that of colonial discourse and knowledge, second (2) to
criticize the methods, effects, and idea of colonialism.

- a reaction and an alternative to the colonial history that a colonial powers created and
taught to their subjects .

1.3. History and Historians

Historians only get to access representation of the past through historical

sources and evidences.
Historian’s job is not just to seek historical evidences and facts but also to
interpret these facts.

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 “FACTS CANNOT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES” it is the job of the historian to give
meaning to these facts and organize them into a timeline, establish causes, and write
history.
Historian is not a blank paper who mechanically interprets and analyses present
historical fact. He is a person of his own who influences by his own context,
environment, ideology, education, and influences, among others.
His interpretation of the historical facts is affected by his context and
circumstances.
His subjectivity will inevitably influence the process of historical research: the
methodology that he will use, the facts that he shall select and deem relevant, his
interpretation, and even the form of his writings.

Thus, in one way or another, HISTORY is always subjective.

TASK OF THE HISTORIAN

- Is to look at the available historical sources and select the most relevant and
meaningful for history and for the subject matter that he is studying.
- To organize the past that is being created so that it can offer lessons for nations,
societies, and civilization.
- It is his job to seek for the meaning of recovering the past to let the people see the
continuing relevance of provenance, memory, remembering, and historical
understanding for both the present and the future.

1.4. Historical Sources

Comprises certain techniques and rules that historians follow in order to

properly utilize sources and historical evidences in writing history. Certain rules apply in
cases of conflicting accounts in different sources, and on how to properly treat
eyewitness accounts and oral sources as valid historical evidence.

ANNALES SCHOOL OF HISTORY

- is a school of history born in France that challenged the canons of history.

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LUCIEN FEBVRE, MARC BLOCH, FERNAND BRAUDED, AND JACQUES LE GOFF
- They were concerned with social history and studied longer historical periods. For
example, Annales scholars studied the history of peasantry, the history of medicine, or
even the history of environment.

- They advocated that the people and classes who were not reflected in the history of
the society in the grand manner be provided with space in the records of mankind.

- Annales thinkers married history with other disciplines like geography, anthropology,
archaeology, and linguistics.

If a historian chooses to use an oral account as his data in studying the ethnic
history of the Ifugaos in the Cordilleras during the American Occupation, he needs to
validate the claims of his informant through comparing and corroborating it with written
sources.

Historical sources can be classified between primary and secondary sources.

PRIMARY SOURCES
- Are those sources produced at the same time as the event, period, or subject being
studied. Example, if a historian wishes to study the Commonwealth Constitution
Convention of 1935, his primary sources can include the minutes of the convention,
newspaper clippings, Philippine Commission reports of the U.S. Commissioners, records
of the convention, the draft of the Constitution, and even photographs of the event.

- Archival documents, artifacts, memorabilia, letters, census, and government records,

among others are the most common examples of primary sources.

SECONDARY SOURCES
- Sources which were produced by an author who used primary sources to produce the
material.

- Are historical sources which studied a certain historical subject

- Example, on the subject of the Philippine Revolution of 1896, students can read
Teodoro Agoncillo’s Revolt of the Masses: The Story of Bonifacio and the Katipunan
published originally in 1956. The Philippine Revolution happened in the last years of the
nineteenth century while Agoncillo published his work in 1956, which makes the Revolt
of the Masses a secondary source.

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 Classification of sources between primary and secondary depends not on the
period when the source was produced or the type of the source but on the subject of
historical research. Example, if the Historian chooses to write the history of education in
the 1980’s, he can utilize textbooks used in that period as a primary source.
Historians and students of history need to thoroughly scrutinize these historical sources
to avoid deception and to come up with the historical truth.

EXTERNAL CRITICISM
- Is the practice of verifying the authenticity of evidence by examining its physical
characteristics; consistency with the historical characteristics of the time when it was
produced; and the materials used for the evidence.

- Example, the quality of the paper, the type of the ink, and the language and words
used in the material.

INTERNAL CRITICISM
- The examination of the truthfulness of the evidence.

- It looks at the content of the source and examines the circumstance of its production.

- Looks at the truthfulness and factuality of the evidence by looking at the author of the
source, its context, the agenda behind its creation, the knowledge which informed it,
and its intended purpose.

- Entails that the historian acknowledge and analyze how such reports can be
manipulated.

Validating historical sources is important because the use of unverified, falsified,

and untruthful historical sources can lead to equally false conclusions. Without
thorough criticisms of historical evidences, historical deceptions and lies will be highly
probable.
History does not claim to render absolute and exact judgment because as long as
questions are continuously asked, and as long as time unfolds, the study of history can
never be complete.

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PHILIPPINE HISTORIOGRAPHY
- underwent several changes since the precolonial period until the present

- Ancient Filipinos narrated their history through communal songs and epics that they
passed orally from a generation to another.

- When Spaniards came, their chroniclers started recording their observations through
written accounts.

The Spanish colonizers narrated the history of their colony through these views:
BIPARTITE VIEW
- They saw the age before colonization as a dark period in the history of the islands, until
they brought light through Western thought and Christianity.

TRIPARTITE VIEW
- They saw the precolonial society as a luminous age that ended with darkness when the
colonizers captured their freedom. They believed that the light would come again once
the colonizers were evicted from the Philippines.

ZUES SALAZAR
- Filipino historian, introduced the new guiding philosophy for writing and teaching
history: pantayong pananaw (for us – from us perspective). This perspective highlights
the importance of facilitating an internal conversation and discourse among Filipinos
about our own history, using the language that is understood by everyone.

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 Chapter 1 GE 2 Name: ____________________________________________
Activity No. 1 Program/Year: ____________Date Submitted: ___________

𝑐𝑢𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒

I. My Primary Source. Using the examples of a primary source in this chapter, bring a
primary source that can be used in the writing of your life history. Present this in class
and discuss how it qualifies as a primary source.

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 Content and Contextual Analysis of Selected Primary
Chapter 2 Sources in Philippine History

Intended Learning Outcomes:At the end of this chapter, the students are expected to:

1. Familiarize oneself with the primary documents in different historical periods of the
Philippines;
2. Interpret primary sources through looking at the content and context of the
document;
3. Determine the contribution of different kinds of primary sources in understanding
Philippine history, and
4. Develop critical and analytical skills with exposure to primary sources.

2.1. A Brief Summary of the First Voyage Around the World by Magellan
by Antonio Pigafetta

ANTONIO PIGAFETTA – an Italian nobleman who accompanied Ferdinand Magellan in

his fateful circumnavigation of the world

PIGAFETTA’S TRAVELOGUE
– is one of the most important primary sources in the study of precolonial
Philippines
– his account was a major referent to the events leading to Magellan’s arrival in
the Philippines, his encounter with local leaders, his death in the hands of
Lapulapu’s forces in the Battle of Mactan, and in the departure of what was left
of Mgellan’s fleet from the islands.

• Examining the document reveals several insights not just in the character of the
Philippines during the precolonial period, but also on how the fresh eyes of the
Europeans regard a deeply unfamiliar terrain, environment, people, and culture.
• Students of history need to realize that primary sources used in the subsequent
written histories depart from certain perspective. Thus, Pigafetta’s account was

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 also written from the perspective of Pigafetta himself and was a product of the
context of its production.
• The First Voyage Around the World by Magellan was published after Pigafetta
returned to Italy.
For this chapter, we will focus on the chronicles of Antonio Pigafetta as he wrote
his firsthand observation and general impression of the Far East including their
experiences in the Visayas.

LADRONES ISLANDS (Marianas Islands)

– “Island of the Thieves”, the people have no arms, but use sticks, which have a
fish bone at the end. They are poor, but ingenious, and great thieves.
– are located south-southeast of Japan, west-southwest of Hawaii, north of New
Guinea, and east of Philippines.

ISLE OF ZAMAL (Samar)

– They reached this island ten (10) days after they reached the Ladrones Islands,
but Magellan decided to land in another uninhabited island for greater security.

March 18, 1521 – nine men came to Magellan’s fleet and showed joy and eagerness in
seeing them. Magellan realized that the men were reasonable and welcomed them
with food, drinks, and gifts. In return the natives gave them fish, palm wine (uraca),
figs, two cochos, rice (umai) and other food supplies.

• Cochos – large as the head, its husk is green, and two fingers in thickness, it has
certain threads with which it can make cords for fastening the boats.

HUMUNU ISLAND (Homonhon)

– “Watering Place of Good Signs”, In this place Pigafetta found the first signs of gold
in the island.
– Pigafetta characterized the people in this place as “very familiar and friendly”
– They named the island with the nearby islands as the archipelago of St. Lazarus.

March 25, 1521 – Pigafetta recounted that they saw two ballanghai (balangay), a long
boat full of people in Mazzava/Mazaua. The leader of the ballanghai sent his men to

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 the ship of Magellan. The Europeans entertained these men and gave them gifts.
When the King offered to give Magellan a bar of gold and a chest of ginger, Magellan
declined. Magellan sent an interpreter to the king and asked for money for the
needs of his ships and expressed that he came into the islands as a friend and not as
an enemy. The king responded by giving Magellan the needed provisions of food in
chinaware. Magellan exchanged gifts of robes in Turkish fashion, red cap and gave
the people knives and mirrors. The two then expressed their desire to become
brothers.

After few days, Magellan was introduced to the king’s brother who was also a
king of another island. They went to this island and Pigafetta reported that they saw
mines of gold. Pigafetta described the as the most handsome of all the men that he saw
in this place. The king was named Raia Calambu, king of Zuluan and Calagan (Butuan and
Caragua), and the first king was Raia Siagu.

March 31, 1521 – Easter Sunday, Magellan ordered the chaplain to preside a Mass by
the shore. Pigafetta reported that both kings participated in the mass. After the
mass, Magellan ordered the cross be brought with nails and crown in place.
Magellan explained that the cross , the nail and the crown were the signs of his
emperor and that he was ordered to plant it in the places that he would reach.
Magellan explained that the cross would be beneficial for their people because
once other Spaniards saw this cross, then they would know that they had been in
this land and would not cause them troubles, and any person who might be held
captives by them would be released. The king concurred and allowed fir the cross
to be planted. This mass would go down in history as the first Mass in the
Philippines, and the cross would be the famed Magellan’s Cross still preserved at
present day.

After seven days, Magellan and his men decided to move and look for islands
where they could acquire more supplies and provisions. They learned the islands of
Ceylon (Leyte), Bohol, Zzubu (Cebu), the largest and the richest of the islands.

April 7, 1521 – Magellan and his men reached the port of Cebu. The king of Cebu (Raja
Humabon), thru Magellan’s interpreter, demanded that they pay tribute as it was

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 customary, but Magellan refused. Magellan said that he was a captain of king
himself and thus would not pay tribute to other kings. The king of Cebu consulted
his council. By the next day, Magellan’s men and the king of Cebu, together with
other principal men of Cebu, men in an open space. There, the king offered a bit of
his blood (Blood compact/Sanduguan) and demanded that Magellan do the same.

The following day, Magellan spoke before the people of Cebu about peace and
God. Magellan then asked the people who would succeed the king after his reign and
the people responded that the eldest child of the king, who happened to be a daughter,
would be the next in line. Pigafetta also related how at old age, parents were no longer
taken into account and had to follow the orders of their children as the new leaders of
the land. Magellan responded to this by saying that his faith entailed children to render
honor and obedience to their parents.

April 14, 1521 – The people gathered with the king and other principal men of the
islands. Magellan spoke to the king and encouraged him to be a good Christian by
burning all of the idols and worship the cross instead. The king of Cebu was then
baptized as a Christian.

After eight days, Pigafetta counted that all of the island’s inhabitant were
already baptized. The mass was conducted by the shore every day. When the queen
came to the mass one day, Magellan gave her an image of the Infant Jesus made by
Pigaffeta himself. The king of Cebu swore that he would always be faithful to Magellan.
When Magellan, reiterated that all of the newly baptized Christians need to burn their
idols, but the natives gave excuses telling Magellan that they needed the idols to heal a
sick man who was a relative to the king. Magellan insisted that they should instead put
their faith in Jesus Christ. They went to the sick man and baptized him. After the
baptismal, Pigafetta recorded that the man was able to speak again. He called this a
miracle.

April 26, 1521 – Zula, a principal man from the island of Matan (Mactan) went to see
Magellan and asked him for a boat full of men so that he would be able to fight the
chief named Silapulapu (Lapulapu). According to Zula, the chief refused to obey and
was also preventing him from doing so. Magellan offered three boats instead and

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 expressed his desire to go to Mactan himself to fight the said chief. They numbered
49 in total and the islanders of Mactan were estimated to number 1,500.

Magellan died in that battle. The natives, perceiving that the bodies of the
enemies were protected with armours, aimed for their legs instead. Magellan was
pierced with a poisoned arrow in his right leg. A few of their men charged at the
natives and tried to intimidate by burning an entire village. Magellan was specifically
targeted because the natives knew that he was the captain general. Magellan was hit
with a lance in the face. Seeing the captain has already deteriorated, more natives came
to attack him.

Pigafetta also said that the king of Cebu who was baptized could have sent help
but Magellan instructed him not to join the battle and stay in the balangay so that he
would see how they fought. The king offered the people of Mactan gifts of any value
and amount in exchange of Magellan’s body but the chief refused. They wanted to keep
Magellan’s body as a memento of their victory.

Magellan’s men elected Duarte Barbosa as the new captain. Pigafetta also told
hoe Magellan’s slave and interpreter named Henry betrayed them and told the king of
Cebu that they intended to leave as quickly as possible. Pigafetta alleged that the slave
told the king that if he followed the slave’s advice, then the king could acquire the ships
and the goods of Magellan’s fleet. The conspired and betrayed what was left of
Magellan’s men. The king invited these men to a gathering where he said he would
present the jewels that he would send for the king of Spain. Pigafetta was not able to
join the twenty-four men who attended because he was nursing his battle wounds. The
natives had slain all of the men except the interpreter and Juan Serrano who was
already wounded. The fleet departed and abandoned Serrano. They left Cebu and
continued their journey around the world.

Analysis of Pigafetta’s Chronicle

• The chronicle of Pigafetta was one of the most cited documents by historians
who wished to study the precolonial Philippines.
• Pigafetta was seen as a credible source for a period, which was prior
unchronicled and undocumented.

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 • Pigafetta’s writings account for the “purest” precolonial society.
• Pigafetta’s work is of great importance in the study and writing of Philippine
history.
• A student of history should recognize certain biases accompanying the author
and his identity, loyalties, and the circumstances that he was in; and how it
affected the text that he produced.
• The reader needs to understand that he was a chronicler commissioned by the
King of Spain to accompany and document a voyage intended to expand the
Spanish empire. He was also of noble descent who came from a rich family in
Italy. These attributes influenced his narrative, his selection of details to be
included in the text, his characterization of the people and of the events.
• Being a scholar of cartography and geography, Pigafetta was able to give details
on geography and climate of the places that their voyage had reached.
• In reading Pigafetta’s description of the people, remember, he was coming from
a sixteenth century European perspective. Pigafetta regarded the indigenous
belief system and way of life as inferior to that of Christianity and of the
Europeans. He would always remark on the nakedness of the natives or how he
was fascinated by their exotic culture.
• Pigafetta also noticeably emphasized the natives’ amazement and illiteracy to
the European artillery, merchandise, and other goods, in the same way that
Pigafetta repeatedly mentioned the abundance of spice like ginger, and of
precious metals gold.
• Pigafetta’s perspective about the nakedness of the natives was too narrow to
realize that such attire was only appropriate to the tropical climate of the
islands. The same was true for materials that the natives used for their houses
like palm and bamboo.
• Europe was dominated by the Holy Empire, whose loyalty and purpose was the
domination of the Catholic Church all over the world. Hence, other belief
systems different from that of Christianity were perceived to be blasphemous
and barbaric, even demonic.
• The sixteenth century European economy was mercantilist. Such system
measures the wealth of kingdoms based on their accumulation of bullions or
precious metals like gold and silver. Thus, Pigafetta would always mention the

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 abundance of gold in the islands as shown in his description of leaders wearing
gold rings and golden daggers, and of the rich gold mines.
• The obsession with the spices might be odd for Filipinos because of its
ordinariness in the Philippines, but understanding the context would reveal that
spices were scarce in Europe and hence were seen as prestige goods.
• Spain and Portugal coveted the control of Spice Islands because it would have
led to a certain increase in wealth, influence, and power.

2.2. The KKK and the Kartilya ng Katipunan

The Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng bayan (KKK)

or Katipunan is arguably the most important organization formed in the Philippine

history.

This organization envisioned to achieve the following:

• a united Filipino nation that would revolt against the Spaniards

• the total independence of the country from spain.

Previous armed revolts had already occurred before the foundation of the

Katipunan but none of them envisioned a unified Filipino nation such as:

• Diego Silang who was mainly concerned about his locality and referred to himself

as El Rey de Ilocos (The King of Ilocos)

• The propaganda movement led by the ilustrados (Marcelo H. del Pilar, Gracianp

Lopez Jaena and jose rizal) did not envision a total sepation of the Philippines

from Spain but only demanded equal rights, representation and protection from

the abuses of the friars.

One of the most important Katipunan documents was the Kartilya ng Katipunan.

The original title of the documents was “Manga Aral nang Katipunan ng mga A.N.B.” or

“Lessons of the Organization of the Sons of the Country”.

• The document was written by Emilio Jacinto

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 • He was only 18 years old when he joined the movement

• He was a law student at the Universidad de Santo Tomas

• He became the secretary of the organization

• On 15 April 1897, Bonifacio appointed Jacinto as a commander of Katipunan in

Northern Luzon. He was 22 years old

• He died of Malaria at a young age of 24 in town of Magdalena, Laguna

The Kartilya can be treated as the Katipunan’s code of conduct. It contains fourteen

rules that instruct the way a Katipunero should behave, and which specific values should

he uphold. Generally, the rules stated in the Kartilya can be classified into two. The first

group contains the rules that will make the member an upright individual and the second

group contains the rules that will guide the way he treats his fellow men.

The Katipunan Code of Conduct

1. The life that is not consecrated to a lofty and reasonable purpose is a tree

without a shade, if not a poisonous weed.

2. To do good for personal gain and not for its own sake is not virtue.

3. It is rational to be charitable and love one's fellow creature, and to adjust one's

conduct, acts and words to what is in itself reasonable.

4. Whether our skin be black or white, we are all born equal: superiority in

knowledge, wealth and beauty are to be understood, but not superiority by

nature.

5. The honorable man prefers honor to personal gain; the scoundrel, gain to honor.

6. To the honorable man, his word is sacred.

7. Do not waste thy time: wealth can be recovered but not time lost.

8. Defend the oppressed and fight the oppressor before the law or in the field.

9. The prudent man is sparing in words and faithful in keeping secrets.

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 10. On the thorny path of life, man is the guide of woman and the children, and if

the guide leads to the precipice, those whom he guides will also go there.

11. Thou must not look upon woman as a mere plaything, but as a faithful

companion who will share with thee the penalties of life; her (physical) weakness

will increase thy interest in her and she will remind thee of the mother who bore

thee and reared thee.

12. What thou dost not desire done unto thy wife, children, brothers and sisters,

that do not unto the wife, children, brothers and sisters of thy neighbor.

13. Man is not worth more because he is a king, because his nose is aquiline, and his

color white, not because he is a *priest, a servant of God, nor because of the

high prerogative that he enjoys upon earth, but he is worth most who is a man of

proven and real value, who does good, keeps his words, is worthy and honest; he

who does not oppress nor consent to being oppressed, he who loves and

cherishes his fatherland, though he be born in the wilderness and know no

tongue but his own.

14. When these rules of conduct shall be known to all, the longed-for sun of Liberty

shall rise brilliant over this most unhappy portion of the globe and its rays shall

diffuse everlasting joy among the confederated brethren of the same rays, the

lives of those who have gone before, the fatigues and the well-paid sufferings

will remain. If he who desires to enter (the Katipunan) has informed himself of

all this and believes he will be able to perform what will be his duties, he may fill

out the application for admission.

Mga Aral nang Katipunan ng mga A.N.B.

1. Ang kabuhayang hindi ginugugol sa isang malaki at banal na kadahilanan ay

kahoy na walang lilim, kundi damong makamandag

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 2. Ang gawang magaling na nagbubuhat sa pagpipita sa sarili, at hindi sa talagang

nasang gumawa ng kagalingan, ay di kabaitan.

3. Ang tunay na kabanalan ay ang pagkakawanggawa, ang pag-ibig sa kapwa at ang

isukat ang bawat kilos, gawa’t pangungusap sa talagang katuwiran.

4. Maitim man at maputi ang kulay ng balat, lahat ng tao’y magkakapantay;

mangyayaring ang isa’y higtan sa dunong, sa yaman, sa ganda…; ngunit di

mahihigtan sa pagkatao.

5. Ang may mataas na kalooban inuuna ang puri sa pagpipita sa sarili; ang may

hamak na kalooban inuuna ang pagpipita sa sarili sa puri.

6. Sa taong may hiya, salita’y panunumpa.

7. Huwag mong sasayangin ang panahon; ang yamang nawala’y magyayaring

magbalik; nguni’t panahong nagdaan na’y di na muli pang magdadaan. Value of

time

8. Ipagtanggol mo ang inaapi, at kabakahin ang umaapi.

9. Ang taong matalino’y ang may pag-iingat sa bawat sasabihin, at matutong

ipaglihim ang dapat ipaglihim.

10. Sa daang matinik ng kabuhayan, lalaki ay siyang patnugot ng asawa’t mga anak;

kung ang umaakay ay tungo sa sama, ang patutunguhan ng iaakay ay kasamaan

din.

11. Ang babae ay huwag mong tignang isang bagay na libangan lamang, kundi isang

katuang at karamay sa mga kahirapan nitong kabuhayan; gamitan mo ng buong

pagpipitagan ang kaniyang kahinaan, at alalahanin ang inang pinagbuhata’t

nagiwi sa iyong kasanggulan.

12. Ang di mo ibig na gawin sa asawa mo, anak at kapatid, ay huwag mong gagawin

sa asawa, anak, at kapatid ng iba.

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 13. Ang kamahalan ng tao’y wala sa pagkahari, wala sa tangus ng ilong at puti ng

mukha, wala sa pagkaparing kahalili ng Dios wala sa mataas na kalagayan sa

balat ng lupa; wagas at tunay na mahal na tao, kahit laking gubat at walang

nababatid kundi ang sariling wika, yaong may magandang asal, may isang

pangungusap, may dangal at puri; yaong di napaaapi’t di nakikiapi; yaong

marunong magdamdam at marunong lumingap sa bayang tinubuan.

14. Paglaganap ng mga aral na ito at magningning na sumikat ang araw ng mahal na

Kalayaan dito sa kaabaabang sangkalupuan, at sabugan ng matamis niyang

liwanag ang nangagkaisang magkalahi’t magkakapatid ng ligaya ng walang

katapusan, ang mga ginugol na buhay, pagud, at mga tiniis na kahirapa’y labis

nang natumbasan. Kung lahat ng ito’y mataruk na ng nagiibig pumasuk at

inaakala niyang matutupad ang mga tutungkulin, maitatala ang kaniyang

ninanasa sa kasunod nito.

2.3. Reading the Proclamation of the Philippine Independence

• Philippine Independence was proclaimed on June 12, 1898 in the province of
Cavite.
• It is a significant turning point in the history of the country because it signaled
the end of the 333 years of Spanish colonization.
• The declaration was a short, 2000-word document, which summarized the
reason behind the revolution against Spain, the war for independence, and the
future of the new republic under Emilio Aguinado.
• The document specifically mentioned abuses and inequalities in the colony.
• Justifications behind the revolution:
– abuse by the Civil Guards and the unlawful shooting of prisoners whom
they alleged as attempting to escape.
– unequal protection of the law between the Filipino people and the
‘eminent personages’
– greed of the clergy like the friars and the Archbishop himself.

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 – unjust deportation and rendering of other decision without proper
hearing
• The document narrates the spread of the movement ‘like and electric spark’
through different towns and provinces.
• The revolt also reached Visayas; thus, the independence of the country was
ensured.
• The document also mentions:
– Rizal’s execution, calling it unjust; and
– the Cavite mutiny of January 1872 that caused the infamous execution of
the martyred native priests Jose Burgos, Mariano Gomez, and Jacinto
Zamora.
• The proclamation invokes that the established republic would be led under the
dictatorship of Emilio Aguinaldo.
• “In the town of Cavite Viejo, in this province of Cavite, on the twelfth day of June
1898, before me, Don Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista, Auditor of War and Special
Commissioner appointed to proclaim and solemnize this act by the Dictatorial
Government of these Philippine Islands, for the purposes and by virtue of the
circular addressed by the Eminent Dictator of the same Don Emilio Aguinaldo y
Famy.”
• The Philippine flag was first waved on the same day:
– The white triangle represents the distinctive emblem of the famous
Katipunan Society;
– The three stars represent the three principal islands of this Archipelago,
Luzon, Mindanao, and Panay;
– The sun represents the gigantic strides that have been made by the sons
of tis land on the road of progress and civilization;
– The eight rays symbolizing the eight provinces of Manila, Cavite, Bulacan,
Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Laguna, and Batangas, which were
declared in a state of war.
• The Philippine flag was first waved on the same day:
– The colors blue, red, and white, commemorate those of the flag of the
US of North America.
– Red means courage and blue means peace.

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The Treaty of Paris
• An agreement signed between Spain and the USA regarding the ownership of
the Philippine Islands and other Spanish colonies in South America. The
agreement ended the short-lived Spanish-American War.
• The Treaty was signed on December 10, 1898, six months after the revolutionary
government declared the Philippine Independence.
• The Philippines was sold to the US at $20 million and effectively undermined the
sovereignty of the Filipinos after their revolutionary victory.

Analysis of the “Proclamation of the Philippine Independence”

• The document reflects the general revolutionary sentiment of that period. For
example:
– abuses specifically mentioned like friar abuse, racial discrimination, and
inequality before the law reflect the most compelling sentiments
represented by the revolutionary leadership.
• However, no mention was made about the more serious problem that affected
the masses more profoundly (i.e., the land and agrarian crisis felt by the
numerous Filipino peasants in the 19th century). This is ironic especially when
renowned Philippine Revolution historian, Teodoro Agoncillo, stated that the
Philippine Revolution was an agrarian revolution.
• There were mentions of past events that were seen as important turning points
of the movement against Spain.
• The execution of the GOMBURZA, for example, and the failed Cavite Mutiny of
1872 was narrated in detail.
• This shows that they saw this event as a significant awakening of the Filipinos in
the real conditions of the nation under Spain.
• Jose Rizal’s legacy and martyrdom was also mentioned in the document.
• However, the Katipunan was only mentioned once toward the end of the
document. There was no mention of the Katipunan’s foundation. Bonifacio and
his co-founders were also left out.
• It can be argued, thus, that the way of historical narration found in the
document also reflects the politics of victors.

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2.4. A Glance at Selected Philippine Political Caricature in Alfred McCoy’s
Philippine Cartoons: Political Caricature of the American Era (1900-
1941)

Political Cartoons and Caricature

– art form which veered away from the classical art by exaggerating human
features and poking fun at its subjects.
– Became part of the print media as a form of social and political commentary,
usually targets persons of power and authority.
– An effective tool of publicizing opinions thru heavy use of symbolism.
– Its unique way represents opinion and captures the audience’s imagination are
the reasons for historian to examine these political cartoons.
– Commentaries in mass media inevitably shape public opinion and such kind of
opinion is worthy of historical examination.

In his book “Philippine Cartoons: Political Caricature of the American Era (1900-
1941), Alfred McCoy together with Alfredo Roces, compiled political cartoons published
in newspaper dailies and periodicals in the aforementioned time period.

First Caricature
– Published in The Independent on May 20, 1916.
– the cartoons shows a politician from Tondo, named Dr. Santos, passing his crown
to his brother-in-law, Dr. Barcelona.
– a Filipino guy (wearing salakot and barong tagalog) was trying to stop Santos,
telling the latter to stop giving Barcelona the crown because it is not his to begin
with.

Second Caricature
– published by The Independent on June 16, 1917.
– drawn by Fernando Amorsolo and was aimed as a commentary to the workings
of Manila Police at that period.
– A Filipino child who stole a skinny chicken because he had nothing to eat. The
police officer was relentlessly pursuing the child.

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 – A man wearing salakot, labelled Juan de la Cruz was grabbing the officer, telling
him to leave the small-time pickpockets and thieves and to turn at the great
thieves instead.
– He was pointing to huge warehouse containing bulks of rice, milk and grocery
products.

Third Caricature
– A commentary on the unprecedented cases of Colorum automobiles in the city
streets.
– The Philippine Free Press published this commentary when fatal accidents
involving colorum vehicles and taxis occurred too often already.

Fourth Caricature
– depicts a cinema
– A blown-up police officer was at the screen saying that couples are not allowed
to neck and make love in the theatre.
– Two youngsters looked horrified while an older couple seemed amused.

Fifth Caricature
– Published by The Indpendent on November 27, 1915.
– Uncle Sam riding a chariot pulled by Filipinos wearing school uniforms.
– Filipino boys carrying American objects like baseball bats, whiskey, and boxing
gloves.
– McCoy, in his caption to the said cartoon, says that this cartoon was based on an
event in 1907 when William Howard Taft was brought to the Manila pier riding a
chariot pulled by students of Liceo de Manila.
– Such was condemned by the nationalists at that time.

Sixth Caricature
– published by Lipang Kalabaw on August 24, 1907.
– We can see Uncle Sam rationing porridge to the politicians and members of the
Progresista Party (known as the Federalista Party) while members of the
Nacionalista Party look on and wait for their turn.

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 – This cartoon depicts the patronage of the United States being coveted by
politicians from either of the party.

Analysis of the Political Caricatures during the American Period

• The transition from the Spanish Period to the American Occupation
demonstrated different strands of changes and shifts in culture, society and
politics.
• Americans drastically introduced democracy and the consequences were far
from the ideal.
• American introduced different manifestations of modernity like healthcare,
modern transportation and media.
• This period experienced differently by Filipinos coming from different classes.
The upper principalia class experienced economic prosperity but the majority of
the poor Filipino remained poor, desperate, and victims of state repression.
• The selected cartoons illustrate not only the opinion of certain media during
that period but also paint a broad image of society and politics under the United
States.
• In politics, Filipino politicians did not understand well enough the essence of
democracy and the accompanying democratic institutions and processes. This
can be seen in rising dynastic politics in Tondo.
• Patronage became influential and powerful, it can be seen in the newly formed
political parties composed of the elite and the United States. Thus, the essence
of competing political parties to enforce choices among voters was cancelled
out. The problem continues up to present where politicians transfer from one
party to another depending on which party was powerful in specific periods of
time.
• The transition from Catholic-centered to an Imperial American-assimilated one
and its complications, were also depicted in the cartoons.
• Example, the unprecedented increase of motorized vehicles in the city.
Automobiles became a popular mode of transportation and led to the
emergence of taxis. The laws and policy implementation was mediocre, this
resulted in the increasing colorum and unlicensed vehicles. This is a
consequence of the drastic urbanization.

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 • Young people, as early as that period, disturbed the conservative Filipino
mindset by engaging in daring sexual activities in public places like cinemas. We
can see how that period was the meeting point between the conservative past
and the liberated future of the Philippines. McCoy called it “sexual revolution”.
• The cartoons illustrated the conditions of poor Filipinos in the Philippines now
governed by the United States. Example, a cartoon depicted how police
authorities oppress petty Filipino criminals while turning blind eye on hoarders
who monopolize goods in their huge warehouses (presumably Chinese
merchants).
• Other cartoon depicts how Americans controlled Filipinos thru seemingly
harmless American objects, by controlling consciousness and mentality,
Americans got to control and subjugate Filipinos.

2.5. Revisiting Corazon Aquino’s Speech Before the U.S. Congress

Background
Corazon “Cory” Cojuangco Aquino functioned as the symbol of the restoration of
democracy and the overthrow of the Marcos Dictatorship in 1986.
The EDSA People Power, which installed Cory Aquino in the presidency, put the
Philippines in the international spotlight for overthrowing a dictator through peaceful
means.
Cory was easily a figure of the said revolution, as the widow of the slain Marcos
oppositionist and former Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.

The PEOPLE POWER REVOLUTION OF 1986

– This was widely recognized around the world for its peaceful character.
– When former senator Ninoy Aquino was shot at the tarmac of the Manila
International Airport on 21 August 1983, the Marcos regime greatly suffered
crisis of legitimacy.
– Protests from different sectors frequented different areas in the country.
– Marcos’ credibility in the international community also suffered.
– He called for a Snap Election in February 1986, where Corazon Aquino, the
widow of the slain senator was convinced to run against Marcos.

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 – Leading Military officials of the regime and Martial Law orchestrators
themselves, Juan Ponce Enrile and Fidel V. Ramos, plotted to take over the
presidency, until civilians heeded the call of then Manila Archbishop Jaime
Cardinal Sin and other civilian leaders gathered in EDSA.
– The overwhelming presence of civilians in EDSA successfully turned a coup into a
civilian demonstration.
– The thousands of people who gathered overthrow Ferdinand Marcos from the
presidency after 21 years.

Aquino’s Speech before the U.S. Congress

– On 18 September 1986, seven months since Cory became President, she went to
the United States and spoke before the joint session of the U.S. Congress.
– Cory was welcomed with long applause as she took the podium and addressed
the United States about her Presidency and the challenges faced by the new
republic.
– She began her speech with the story of her leaving the United States three years
prior as a newly widowed wife of Ninoy Aquino.
– She then told of Ninoy’s character, conviction, and resolve in opposing the
authoritarianism of Marcos.
– She talked of the three times that they lost Ninoy including his demise on 23
August 1983.
– The first time was when the dictatorship detained Ninoy with other dissenters.
– The second time was when he was charged of subversion, murder, and other
crimes. He was tried by a military court, whose legitimacy Ninoy adamantly
questioned.
– To solidify his protest, Ninoy decided to do a hunger strike and fasted for 40
days.
– The third and the last time was Ninoy’s death.
– Cory attributed the peaceful EDSA Revolution to the martyrdom of Ninoy.
– She stated that the death of Ninoy sparked the Revolution and the responsibility
of “offering the democratic alternative” had “fallen on (her) shoulders”.
– This introduced us to her democratic philosophy, which she claimed she also
acquired from Ninoy.

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 – Cory further lamented that the problems worsened by the crippling debt
because half of the country’s export earnings amounting to $2 billion would “go
to pay just the interest on a debt whose benefit the Filipino people never
received”.
– Cory ended her speech by thanking America for serving as home to her family for
what she referred to as the “three happiest years of our lives together”.
– She enjoined America in building the Philippines as a new home for democracy
and in turning the country as a “shining testament of our two nations’
commitment to freedom”.
– This proves the continuing alliance of the two countries and the government’s
intention to carry on a debt-driven economy.

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 Chapter 2 GE 2 Name: ____________________________________________
𝑐𝑢𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 Activity No. 2 Program/Year: ____________Date Submitted: ___________

I. IDENTIFICATION

1. He was an explorer who organised the Spanish expedition to the East Indies from 1915
to 1522, resulting in the first circumnavigation of the Earth.
2. An Italian scholar and explorer who joined the expedition to the Spice Islands led by
Magellan.
3. It is one of the most important primary sources in the study of the precolonial
Philippines.
4. Why does Magellan decline the offer (bar of gold and chest of ginger) of the King of
ballanghay (balangay)?
5. Why did the chief of Mactan refuse to give the body of Magellan to the King?
6. Give at least two (2) meanings of the cross that Magellan planted in every place that he
would reach.
7. Why did Magellan refuse to pay tribute to the King of Cebu?
8. This activity symbolizes greater sign of affection between the King of Cebu and
Magellan’s men.
9. What is the reason why the natives of the Philippines wore fewer clothes and their
houses was made of materials like palm and bamboo?
10. Why do Magellan and his fleet so obsessed in searching for the spices?
11. What are the two primary goals of the KKK or Katipunan organization envisioned from
the Spaniards?
12. A complex structure and a defined value system that would guide the organization as a
collective aspiring for a single goal.
13. He authored the Katipunan’s code of conduct.
14. The fourth rule which is “Whether our skin be black or white, we are all born equal” is
an invocation of ________.
15. The Kartilya’s teachings on honoring one’s word and not wasting time are directed to
what classification?
16. The rules on treating the neighbor’s wife, children, and brothers the way that you want
yours to be treated is an instruction of what classification?
17. In the rule 6 of the Kartilya “To the honourable man, his word is sacred”, this
emphasizes _________.
18. It is a movement led by the ilustrados whose focus is not for a total separation of the
Phil. from Spain but for an equal rights, representation and protection from the friars.
19. Why is the KKK more significant than other established Filipino groups?
20. True or False. The document also stated that women should be treated as companions
by men and not as playthings.
21. It was a significant turning point in the history of the country because it signalled the
end of the 333 years of Spanish colonization.
22. Give at least (2) major reasons or justifications behind the revolution against Spain.
23. According to Agoncillo, the Philippine Revolution was an _______ Revolution.
24. This historical event showed the significant awakening of the Filipinos in the real
conditions of the nation under Spain.
25. When did the proclamation of the Philippine Independence happen?
26. This art genre and technique became a part of the print media as a form of social and
political commentary.

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 27. Why does cartoons became an effective tool of publicizing opinions during the American
period?
28. The two (2) persons who compiled the political cartoons during the American period.
29. This was depicted in the cartoon where the United States, represented by Uncle Sam,
rationing porridge to the members of the Federalista while Nacionalista politicians
looked on and waited for their turn.
30. It leads to the unprecedented cases of fatal accidents due to the increase of unlicensed
vehicles.
31. The way how McCoy described the young people, as early as that period, being
disturbed the conservative Filipino mindset by engaging in daring sexual activities in
public places like cinemas during the 1930’s.
32. This was depicted in the cartoon where Uncle Sam riding a chariot pulled by Filipinos
wearing school uniform.
33. What is the main point of the cartoon which shows the passing of crown from Dr. Santos
to his brother-in-law, Dr. Barcelona while a Filipino guy is trying to stop them.
34. The cartoon about a policeman chasing a child who stole a skinny chicken and a man
trying to stop him depicts ____________.
35. She is the symbol of the restoration of democracy.
36. The People Power Revolution of 1986 was widely known around the world because of
this characteristic.
37. It was an important event in the political and diplomatic history of the country because
it has arguably cemented the legitimacy of the EDSA government in the international
arena.
38. The form of government that Cory Aquino introduced.
39. It is an important historical event that fuelled people’s anger and condemnation of the
dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
40. True or False. Corazon Aquino did not want to forge alliance with the United States
because they are important ally of Marcos.
41. The first part of Cory Aquino’s speech talks about ___________.
42. How much was the debt of the Philippines during the Marcos regime.
43. When did the People Power Revolution happen?

II. Provide the meaning of each part of the Phil. flag:

1. White triangle
2. Three stars
3. Eight rays of the sun
4. The color of the flag (red, blue and white)

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 Historical Interpretation in Philippine History: Spaces
Chapter 3 for Conflict and Controversies

Intended Learning Outcomes:At the end of this chapter, the students are expected to:

1. Recognize the multiplicity of interpretation than can be read from historical text;
2. Identify the advantages and disadvantages of not employing critical tools in
interpreting historical events through primary sources;
3. Demonstrate the ability to formulate arguments in favor or against a particular issue
using primary sources; and
4. Evaluate the credibility, authenticity and provenance of the selected historical
accounts.

3.1. Historical Interpretation

*Two key concepts in analyzing historical problems:

- Interpretation
- Multiperspectivity

Historical Interpretation
- Historians utilize facts from primary sources of history and then draw their own
reading so that their intended audience may understand the historical event, a process
that in essence, ‘make sense of the past’.
- The premise is that not all primary sources are accessible to a general audience, and
without proper training and background, a non-historian interpreting a primary source
may do more harm than good – a primary source may even cause misunderstanding;
sometimes, even resulting in more problems.
- Interpretations of the past, therefore, vary according to who reads the primary
source, when it was read, and how it was read.
- Many of the things we accept as “true” about the past might not be the case anymore;
just because these were taught to us as “facts” when we were younger does not mean it
is set in stone – history is, after all, a construct. And as a construct, it is open for
interpretation.

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The Code of Kalantiaw
- A mythical legal code in the epic history Maragtas.
- Before it was revealed as a hoax, it was a source of pride for the people of Aklan. In
fact, a historical marker was installed in the town of Batan, Aklan in 1956, with the
following text”
“CODE OF KALANTIAW. Datu Bendehara Kalantiaw, third Chief of Panay,
born in Aklan, established his government in the peninsula of Batang, Aklan
Sakup. Considered the First Filipino Lawgiver; he promulgated in about 1433 a
penal code now known as Code of Kalantiaw containing 18 articles. Don
Marcelino Orilla of Zaragoza, Spain, obtained the original manuscript from an old
chief of Panay which was later translated into Spanish by Rafael Murviedo
Yzamaney,”
- It was only in 1968 that it was proved a hoax, when William Henry Scott, then a
doctoral candidate at UST, defended his research on pre-Hispanic sources in the
Philippine history. He attributed the code to a historical fiction written in 1913 by Jose E.
Marco titled Las Antiguas Leyendas de la Isla de Negros. Marco attributed the code itself
to a priest named Jose Maria Pavon. Prominent Filipino historians did not dissent to
Scott’s findings, but there are still some would like to believe that the code is a
legitimate document.

3.2. Multiperspectivity
- It is defined as a way of looking at historical events, personalities, developments,
cultures, and societies from different perspectives.
- This means that there is a multitude of ways which we can view the world, and each
could be equally valid, and at the same time, equally partial as well.
- Historians may misinterpret evidence, attending to those that suggest that a certain
event happened, and then ignore the rest that goes against the evidence.
- Historians may omit significant facts about their subject, which makes the
interpretation unbalanced.
- Historians may impose a certain ideology to their subject, which may not be
appropriate to the period the subject was from.
- Historians may also provide a single cause for an event without considering other
possible causal explanations of said event.

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- With multiperspectivity as an approach in history, we must understand that historical
interpretations contain discrepancies, contradictions, ambiguities, and are often the
focus of dissent.

3.3. Case Study 1: Where did the First Catholic Mass take place in the
Philippines?

The popularity of knowing where the “firsts” happened in history has been an
easy way to trivialize history, but this case study will not focus on the significance of the
site of the First Catholic Mass in the Philippines, but rather, use it as a historiographical
exercise in the utilization of evidence and interpretation in reading historical events.
Butuan - has long been believed as the site of the first Mass, this has been the
case for three centuries. This claim has been based on a rather elementary reading of
primary sources from the event.
Toward the end of the nineteenth and the start of twentieth century, a more
nuanced reading of the available evidence was made, which brought to light more
considerations in going against the more accepted interpretation of the first Mass in the
Philippines, made both by the Spanish and Filipino scholars.
It must be noted that there are only two primary sources that historians refer to
in identifying the site of the first Mass. One is the log kept by Francisco Albo, a pilot of
one of Magellan’s ship, Trinidad. He was one of the 18 survivors who returned with
Sebastian Elcano on the ship Victoria after they circumnavigated the world. The other,
and the more complete, was the account by Antonio Pigafetta, Primo viaggio intorno al
mondo (First Voyage Around the World). He was a member of the Magellan expedition
and an eyewitness of the events, particularly, of the first Mass.

PRIMARY SOURCE: ALBO’S LOG

1. March 16, 1521 – They sailed in a westerly course from Ladrones Island, they saw
land towards the northwest, but owing to many shallow places they did not approach
it. They found later that its name was Yunagan.
2. They went instead that same say southwards to another small island named Suluan.
They saw some canoes but these fled at the Spaniards’ approach. This was at 9 and
two-thirds degrees North latitude.
3. Departing from those two islands, they sailed westward to an uninhabited island of
“Gada” where they took in a supply of wood and water. (Albo does not give the

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 latitude of this island, but from Pigafetta’s testimony, this seems to be the “Aquada”
or Homonhon, at 10 degrees North latitude.
4. From that island, they sailed westwards towards a large island named Seilani that
was inhabited and was known to have gold. (Seilani – or, as Pigafetta calls it.
“Ceylon” – was the island of Leyte.)
5. Sailing southwards of the island if Seilani, they turned southwest to a small island
called “Mazava”, with a latitude of 9 and two-thirds degrees North.
6. The people of Mazava were very good. There, the Spaniards planted a cross upon a
mountain-top, and from there they were shown three islands to the west and
southwest, where they were told there was much gold.
7. From Mazava, they sailed northwards towards Seilani, where they saw three small
islands.
8. From there they sailed westwards, and they saw three islets, where they dropped
anchor for the night. In the morning, they sailed southwest, there, they entered a
channel between two islands, one of which was called “Matan” and the other
“Subu”.
9. They sailed down the channel and turned westward and anchored at the town (la
villa) of Subu where they stayed many days and obtained provisions and entered into
a peace-pact with the local king.
10. The town of Subu was on the east-west direction with the islands of Suluan and
Mazava. Between Mazava and Subu, there were so many shallows that the boats
could not go westward directly but has to go in a round-about way.

It must be noted that in Albo’s account, the location of Mazava fits the location
of the island of Limasawa, at the southern tip of Leyte, 9 degree 54’N. Also, Albo does
not mention the first Mass, but only the planting of the cross upon a mountain-top
from which could be seen three islands to the west and southwest, which also fits the
southern end of Limasawa.

PRIMARY SOURCE: PIGAFETTA’S TESTIMONY ON THE ROUTE OF MAGELLAN’S

EXPEDITION
1. March 16, 1521 (Saturday) – Magellan’s expedition sighted a “high land” named
“Zamal” which was westward of the Ladrones (now Marianas) Islands.

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2. March 17 (Sunday) – They landed on “another island which was uninhabited” and
which lay “to the right” of the above-mentioned island of “Zamal”. (To the right here
would mean going south or southwest). There they set up two tents for the sick
members of the crew and had a sow killed for them. The name of the island was
“Humunu” (Homonhon). This was located 10 degrees North latitude.
3. On that same day, Magellan named the entire archipelago the “Islands of Saint
Lazarus”, the reason being that it was Sunday on the Lenten season when the Gospel
assigned for the Mass and the liturgical Office was the eleventh chapter of St. John,
which tells of the raising of Lazarus from the dead.
4. March 18 (Monday) – They saw a boat coming towards them with nine men in it. An
exchange of gifts was affected. Magellan asked for food supplies, and the men went
away, promising to bring rice and other supplies in “four days”.
5. In the island of Homonhon, they saw there an indication of golds. Magellan renamed
the island and called it the “Watering Place of Good Omen” (Acquada la di bouni
segnialli).
6. March 22 (Friday) – At noon the natives returned. This time they were in two boats,
and they brought food supplies.
7. Magellan’s expedition stayed eight days at Homonhon: from March 17 to March 25.
8. March 25 (Monday) – They left the island of Homonhon. In the ecclesiastical
calendar, this day was the feast-day of the Incarnation, also called the feast of the
Annunciation and therefore “Our Lady’s Day”. On this day, as they were about to
weigh the anchor, an accident happened to Pigafetta: he fell into the water but was
rescued. He attributed this escape as grace obtained thru the intercession of the
Blessed Virgin Mary on her feast-day.
9. After leaving Homonhon, they proceeded “toward the west southwest, between four
islands: namely, Cenalo, Hiunanghan, Ibusson and Albarien.” “Cenalo” is a
misspelling in the Italian manuscript for what Pigafetta calls “Ceilon” and Albo calls
“Seilani”: namely the island of Leyte. “Hiunanghan” (a misspelling of Hinunangan)
seemed to Pigafetta to be a separate island, but is actually is on the mainland of
Leyte (i.e., “Ceylon”). Hibuson (Pigafetta Ibusson) is an island east of Leyte’s southern
tip.
10. March 28 (Thursday) – Holy Thursday, they anchored off an island where the
previous night they had seen a light or a bonfire. That island “lies in a latitude of nine
and two-thirds towards the Arctic Pole (i.e., North) an in a longitude of one hundred

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 and sixty-two degrees from the line of demarcation. It is twenty-five leagues from
the Acquada, and is called Mazaua.
11. They remained seven days in Mazaua.
12. April 4 (Thursday) – They left Mazaua, bound for Cebu. They were guided by the
king of Mazaua. Their route took them past five “islands” namely: “Ceylon, Bohol,
Canighan, Baibai, and Gatighan.”
13. At Gatighan, they sailed westward to the three islands of the Camotes Group,
namely, Poro, Pasihan, and Ponson.
14. From the Camotes Islands they sailed southwards towards “Zubu”.
15. April 7 (Sunday) – They entered the harbour of “Zubu” (Cebu).

It must be pointed out that Albo and Pigafetta’s testimonies coincide and
corroborate each other. Pigafetta gave more details on what they did during their
weeklong stay in Mazaua.

PRIMARY SOURCE: PIGAFETTA AND SEVEN DAYS IN MAZAUA

March 31 (Sunday) – “Early in the morning of Sunday, the last of March and Easter day,
“Magellan sent the priest ashore with some men to prepare for the mass. Later in
the morning Magellan landed with some fifty men and Mass was celebrated, after
which a cross was venerated. Magellan and the Spaniards returned to the ship for
the noon-day meal, but in the afternoon they returned to the ship to plant the cross
on the summit of the highest hill. In attendance both at the Mass and the planting
of the cross were the king of Mazaua and the king of Butuan.

Jesuit Priest Miguel A. Bernad in his work Butuan or Limasawa: The Site of the First
Mass in the Philippines: A Re-examination of Evidence (1981) – lays down the
argument that in the Pigafetta account, a crucial aspect of Butuan was not
mentioned – the river. Butuan is a riverine settlement, situated on the Agusan
River. The beach of Masao is in the delta of said river. It is a curious omission in the
account of the river, which makes part of a distinct characteristic of Butuan’s
geography that seemed to be too important to be missed.

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Age of Exploration
– a period of competition among European rulers to conquer and colonize lands
outside their original domains.
– the goal was to find alternative routes by sea to get Asia, the main source of
spices and other commodities.
– Spain major foray into the exploration was through Christopher Columbus, who
proposed the sail westward to find a shortcut to Asia.

Spain colonized parts of North America, Mexico, and South America in the sixteenth
century. They were also able to reach the Philippines and claim it for the Spanish crown.

It must also be pointed out that later on, after Magellan’s death, the survivors of his
expedition went to Mindanao, and seemingly went to Butuan. In this instance, Pigafetta
vividly describes a trip in a river. But note that this account already happened after
Magellan’s death.

3.4. Case Study 2: What happened in the Cavite Mutiny

The year 1872 is a historic year of two events: the Cavite Mutiny and the
martyrdom of the three priests: Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora, later
on immortalized as GOMBURZA. These events are very important milestones in
Philippine History and have caused ripples throughout time, directly influencing the
decisive events of the Philippine Revolution toward the end of the century.

Spanish Accounts of the Cavite Mutiny

The documentation of Spanish historian Jose Montero y Vidal centered on how
the events were an attempt in overthrowing the Spanish Government in the Philippines.
Another account from the official report written by then Governor General Rafael
Izquierdo implicates the native clergy. These two accounts corroborated each other.

Primary Source: Excerpts from Montero’s Account of the Cavite Mutiny

– the abolition of privileges enjoyed by the laborers of the Cavite arsenal of
exemption from the tribute was the cause of the insurrection;
– The Spanish revolution which overthrew a secular throne;

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 – The propaganda carried on by an unbridled press against monarchical principles,
attentatory of the most sacred respects towards the dethroned majesty;
– The democratic and republican books and pamphlets;
– The speeches and preachings of the apostles of these new ideas in Spain;
– The outburst of the American publicists and the criminal policy of the senseless
Governor whom the revolutionary government sent to govern the Philippines;

Who put into practice these ideas were the determining circumstances which gave
rise, among certain Filipinos, to the idea of attaining their independence.
At various times but especially in the beginning of year 1872, the authorities
received anonymous communications with the information that a great uprising would
break out against Spaniards. The conspiracy had been going on since the day La Torre
with utmost secrecy.

Primary Source: Excerpts from the Official Report of Governor Izquierdo on the Cavite
Mutiny of 1872
The instigators, to carry out their criminal project, protested against the injustice
of the government in not paying the provinces for their tobacco crop and against the
usury that some practice in documents that finance department gives crop owners who
have to sell them at a loss. They encouraged the rebellion by protesting what they called
the injustice of having obliged the workers in Cavite arsenal to pay tribute starting
January 1 and to render personal service, from which they were formerly exempted.
It is apparent that the accounts underscore the reason for the “revolution”.
Izquierdo, in an abviously biased report, highlighted that the attempt to overthrow the
Spanish government in the Philippines to install a new “hari” in the person of father
Burgos and Zamora.
In the Spaniard’s accounts, the event of 1872was premeditated and was part of a
big conspiracy. They allegedly plan to liquidate high-ranking Spanish officers, then kill
the friars. The signal they identified among these conspirators of Manila and Cavite was
the rockets fired from Intramuros.
The accounts detail that on 20 January 1872, the district of Sampaloc celebrated
the feast of Virgin of Lorerto, and came with it were some fireworks display. The
Cavitenos allegedly mistook this as the signal to commence with the attack. The
“revolution” was easily crushed, when the Manilenos who were expected to aid the

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Cavitenos did not arrive. Leaders of the plot were killed in the resulting skirmish, while
Fathers Gomez, Burgos and Zamora were tried by a court and sentenced to be executed.
On 17 febuary 1872, the GOMBURZA were executed to serve as a threat to
Filipinos never to attempt to fight the Spaniards again.

Differing Accounts of the Events of 1872

Two other primary accounts exist that seem to encounter the accounts of Izquierdo
and Montero.

Primary Source: excerpts from pardo de Tavera’s account of the Cavite Mutiny
This uprising among the soldiers in Cavite was used as a powerful level by the
Spanish residents and by the friars.
According to this account, the incident was merely a mutiny by Filipino soldiers and
laborers of the Cavite arsenal to the dissatisfaction arising from the draconian policies of
Izquierdo, such as the abolition of privileges and the prohibition of the founding of the
school of arts and trades for Filipinos.
Tavera is of the opinion that the Spanish friars and Izquierdo used the Cavite Mutiny
as a way to address other issues by blowing out of proportion the isolated mutiny
attempt.
However, the Central Spanish government introduced an educational decree fusing
sectarian schools run by friars into a school called the Philippine Institute, an
improvement welcomed by most Filipinos.

Primary Source: Excerpts from Plauchuts’s Account of the Cavite Mutiny.

General La Torre created a junta composed of high officials including some friars and
six Spanish officials. At the same time, there was created by the gov’t of Madrid a
committee to investigate the same problems submitted to the Manila Committee.
Here are the summary of the reforms they considered necessary to introduce:
1. Changes in tariff rates at customs, and the methods of collection.
2. Removal of surcharges on foreign importations.
3. Reduction of export fees.
4. Permission for foreigners to reside in the Philippines, buy real estate, enjoy freedom
of worship and operate commercial transports flying to Spanish flag.

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5. Establishment of an advisory council to inform the minister of overseas affairs in
Madrid on the necessary reforms to be implemented.
6. Changes in primary and secondary education.
7. Establishment of an Institute of civil Administration in the Philippines, rendering
unnecessary the sending home of short-term civil officials every time there is a
change in ministry.
8. Study of direct-tax system.
9. Abolition of tobacco monopoly.

The arrival in Manila of General Izquierdo put a sudden end to all dreams
reforms.The friars used the incident as a part of a larger conspiracy to cement their
dominance, which had started to show cracks because of the discontent of the Filipinos.
They showcased the mutiny as part of a greater conspiracy in the Philippines by Filipinos
to overthrow the Spanish Government. Unintentionally, the Cavite Mutiny of 1872
resulted in the martyrdom of GOMBURZA and paved the way to the revolution
culminating in 1898.

The GOMBURZA is the collective name of the three priests Mariano Gomez, Jose
Burgos and Jacinto Zamora, who were tagged as the mastermind of the Cavite Mutiny.
The GOMBURZA were executed by garrote in public, a scene purportedly witnessed by a
young Jose Rizal. Their martyrdom is widely accepted as the dawn of Philippine
nationalism in the nineteenth century, with Rizal dedicating his second novel, El
Filibusterismo, to their memory.

3.5. Case Study 3: Did Rizal Retract?

Background
– Jose Rizal is identified as a hero of the revolution for his writings that center on
ending colonialism and liberating Filipino minds to contribute to creating the Filipino
nation.
– The great volume of Rizal’s lifework was committed to this end, particularly the more
influential ones, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
– His essays criticize not the Catholic religion, but the friars, the main agents of injustice
in the Philippine society.

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– It is understandable therefore that any piece of writing from Rizal that recants
everything he wrote against the friars and the Catholic Church in the Philippines
could deal heavy damage to his image as a prominent Filipino revolutionary.
– Such document purportedly exists, allegedly signed by Rizal a few hours before his
execution.
– This document, referred to as “The Retraction,” which declares Rizal’s belief in the
Catholic faith, and retracts everything he wrote against the Church.

TWO PRIMARY SOURCES WERE GIVEN:

1. Primary Source: Rizal’s Retraction
Source: Translated from the document found by Fr. Manuel Garcia, C.M. on 18 May
1935.
Some of the lines are the following:
I declare myself a catholic and in this Religion in which I was born and educated I wish to
live and die.
I retract with all my heart whatever in my words, writings, publications and conduct has
been contrary to my character as son of the Catholic Church… (Manila 29 of December
of 1896: Jose Rizal)
According to this source, there are four (4) iterations of the texts of this retraction:
1. La Voz Española and Diario de Manila (30 December 1896)
2. Magazine La Juventud in Barcelona, Spain (14 February 1897 by later revealed
anonymous writer, Fr. Vicente Balaguer)
3. “The original text” at the Archdiocesan archives (18 May 1935)

A. The Balaguer Testimony

From the testimony of one eyewitness, a Jesuit friar Fr. Vicente Balaguer, Rizal
woke up several times, confessed four times, attended a Mass, received communion,
and prayed the rosary, all of which seemed out of character.
These actuations of Rizal partially evidenced his retraction.

B. The Testimony of Cuerpo de Vigilancia

Another eyewitness account surfaced in 2016, through the research of Professor
Rene R. Escalante of which, documents of the Cuerpo de Vigilancia incuded a report on
the last hours of Rizal written by Federico Moreno.

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Primary Source: Eyewitness Account of the Last Hours of Rizal
Source: Maicahael Charleston Chua, “Retraction ni Jose Rizal: Mga Bagong Dokumento
at Pananaw,” GMA News Online, published 29 December 2016.
– This document contains the report of events during the (illegible) day in prison of
the accused Jose Rizal including the very details from the time of entering unto the
death row until his death on the 3oth of December in the morning.
– This account corroborates the existence of the retraction document, giving it
credence.
– The retraction of Rizal remains to this day, a controversy; many scholars however,
agree that the document does not tarnish the heroism of Rizal.
– His relevance remained solidified to Filipinos and pushed them to continue the
revolution, which eventually resulted in Independence in Jue 12, 1898.
– THUS, TO ANSWER THIS CASE BASED ON THESE PRIMARY SOURCES, YES! RIZAL DID
RETRACT.

3.6. Case Study 4: Where did the Cry of Rebellion Happen?

Various accounts of the Cry give different dates and places:

– A guardia civil, Lt. Olegario Diaz, identified the Cry to have happened in Balintawak
on August 25, 1896.
– Teodoro Kalaw, a Filipino historian, marks the place to be in Kangkong, Balintawak,
on the last week of August 1896.
– Santiago Alvarez, a Katipunero and son of Mariano Alvarez, leader of the Magdiwang
faction in Cavite, put the Cry in Bahay Toro in Quezon City on August 24, 1896.
– Pio Valenzuela, known Katipunero and privy to many events concerning the
Katipunan stated that the Cry happened in Pugad Lawin on August 23, 1896.
– Historian Gregorio Zaide identified the Cry to have happened in Balintawak on August
26, 1896, while Teodoro Agoncillo put it at Pugad Lawin on August 23, 1896,
according to statements by Pio Valenzuela.
– Research by historians Milagros Guerrero, Emmanuel Encarnacion, and Ramon
Villegas claimed that the event took place in Tandang Sora’s barn in Gulod, Barangay
Banlat, Quezon City, on August 24, 1896.

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Primary Source: Accounts of the Cry
Guillermo Masangkay
– On August 26th, a big meeting was held in Balintawak, at the house of Apolonio
Samson, then cabeza of that barrio of Caloocan.
– Among those who attended, I remember, were Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, Aguedo del
Rosario, Tomas Remigio, Briccio Pantas, Teodoro Plata, Pio Valenzuela, Enrique
Pacheco, and Francisco Carreon.
– At about nine o’clock in the morning of August 26, the meeting was opened with
Andres Bonifacio presiding and Emilio Jacinto acting as secretary.
– The purpose was to discuss when the uprising was to take place.
– Teodoro Plata, Briccio Pantas, and Pio Valenzuela were all opposed to starting the
revolution too early. . .
– Andres Bonifacio, sensing that he would lose in the discussion then, left the session
hall and talked to the people, who were waiting outside for the result of the meeting
of the leaders.
– He told the people that the leaders were arguing against starting the revolution early,
and appealed to them in a fiery speech in which he said: “You remember the fate of
our countrymen who were shot in Bagumbayan. Should we return now to the towns,
the Spaniards will only shoot us. Our organization has been discovered and we are all
marked men. If we don’t start the uprising, the Spaniards will get us anyway. What
then, do you say?”
– “Revolt!” the people shouted as one.
– Bonifacio then asked the people to give a pledge that they were to revolt. He told
them that the sign of slavery of the Filipinos were the cedula tax charged each
citizens.
– “If it is true that you are ready to revolt. . .I want to see you destroy your cedulas. It
will be a sign that all of us have declared our severance from the Spaniards.”

Pio Valenzuela
– The first place of refuge of Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, Procopio Bonifacio,
Teodoro Plata, Aguedo del Rosario, and myself was Balintawak, the first five arriving
there on August 19, and I, on August 20, 1896.
– The first place where some 500 members of the Katipunan met on August 22, 1896,
was the house and yard of Apolonio Samson at Kangkong.

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– Aside from the persons mentioned above, among those who were there Briccio
Pantas, Alejandro Santiago, Ramon Bernardo, Apolonio Samson, and others.
– Here, views were only exchanged, and no resolution was debated or adopted.
– It was at Pugad Lawin, the house, store-house, and yard of Juan Ramos, son of
Melchora Aquino, where over 1,000 members of the Katipunan met and carried out
considerable debate and discussion on August 23, 1896.
– The discussion was on whether or not the revolution against the Spanish
government should be started on August 29, 1896. . .
– After the tumultuous meeting, many of those present tore their cedula certificates
and shouted “Long live the Philippines! Long live the Philippines!”

– *From the eyewitness accounts presented, there is indeed marked disagreement

among historical witnesses as to the place and time of the occurrence of the Cry.
– *Using primary and secondary sources, four places have been identified:
– Places: Balintawak, Kangkong, Pugad Lawin and Bahay Taro
– Dates: August 23, 24, 25, or 26, 1896

Valenzuela’s account should be read with caution: He once told a Spanish

investigator that the “Cry” happened in Balintawak on Wednesday, August 26, 1896.
Much later, he wrote in his Memoirs of the Revolution that it happened at Pugad Lawin
on August 23, 1896. Such inconsistencies in accounts should always be seen as a red flag
when dealing with primary sources.

According to Guerrero, Encarnacion, and Villegas, all these places are in

Balintawak, then part of Caloocan, now, in Quezon City.

As for the dates, Bonifacio and his troops may have been moving from one place
to another to avoid being located by the Spanish government, which could explain why
there are several accounts of the Cry.

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 Chapter 3 GE 2 Name: ____________________________________________
𝑐𝑢𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 Activity No. 3 Program/Year: ____________Date Submitted: ___________

I. Write TRUE if the statement is true. Otherwise, write FALSE in the space provided.

____________1. Historical interpretation is based on the historian’s judgement on how

the past should be seen.
____________2. We make sense of the past through historical interpretation.
____________3. Multiperspectivity is a quality of historical writing attributed to a
variety of lenses that may be used to view the past.
____________ 4. There is only one account of the First Catholic Mass in the Philippines.
____________5. The Cavity Mutiny is an event that led the execution of the
GOMBURZA.
____________6. Jose Rizal’s essays go against the Catholic Faith.
____________7. There is no doubt that Rizal retracted his writings to be able to marry
Josephine Bracken.
____________8. The Cry of the Rebellion happened in present-day Quezon.
____________9. The GOMBURZA were executed by gun shots in public.
____________10. According to Fr. Balaguer, Rizal woke up several times, confessed four
times, attended a Mass, received communion, and prayed the rosary,
all of which revealed his retraction.

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 Social, Political, Economic and Cultural Issues
Chapter 4
in Philippine History

Intended Learning Outcomes:At the end of this chapter, the students are expected to:

1. Analyze social, political, economic, or cultural issues in the Philippines using the lens
of history;
2. Recognize that the problem of today are consequences of decisions and events that
happened in the past;
3. Understand several enduring issues in Philippine Society through history; and
4. Propose recommendations or solutions to present day problems based on
understanding of root causes and anticipation of future scenarios.

4.1. Evolution of the Philippine Constitution

The constitution is defined as a set of fundamental principles or

established precedents according to which a state or other organization is
governed, thus, the word itself means to be a part of a whole, the coming
together of distinct entities into one group, with the same principles and ideals.

1897: Constitution of Biak-na-Bato

• The provisionary Constitution during the Philippine Revolution
• Promulgated by the Philippine Revolutionary Government on 1 November 1897
• Written by Isabelo Artacho and Felix Ferrer in Spanish, and later on, translated
into Tagalog

The organs of the government under the Constitution were:

1. The Supreme Council – which was vested with the power of the Republic,
headed by the President and four department secretaries: the interior, foreign
affairs, treasury, and war.
2. The Consejo Supremo de Gracia Y Justicia (Supreme Council of Grace and
Justice
3. The Asemblea de Representantes (Assembly of Representatives)

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 • The Constitution of Biak-na-Bato was never fully implemented, since a truce, the
Pact of Biak-na-Bato, was signed between the Spanish and the Philippine
Revolutionary Army.

1899: Malolos Constitution

• After the declaration of Philippine Independence, the Malolos Congress was
elected – which selected a commission to draw up a draft constitution on 17
September 1898, which was composed of wealthy and educated men.
• The document they came up with, approved by the Congress on 29 November
1898, and promulgated by Aguinaldo on 21 January 1899, was titled “The
Political Constitution of 1899” and written in Spanish.
• The Constitution has 39 articles, divided into 14 titles, with eight articles of
transitory provisions, and a final article.

Preamble of the Political Constitution of 1899

We, the Representatives of the Filipino People, lawfully convened, in order to establish
justice, provide for common defense, promote the general welfare and insure the
benefits of liberty, imploring the aid of the Sovereign Legislator of the Universe for the
attainment of these ends, have voted, decreed, and sanctioned the following political
constitution.

• The 1899 Malolos Constitution was never enforced due to the ongoing war.
• The Philippines was effectively a territory of the US upon the signing of the
Treaty of Paris between Spain and the US, transferring sovereignty of the
Philippines on 10 December 1898.

1935: The Commonwealth Constitution

• Two acts of the US Congress were passed that may be considered to have
qualities of constitutionality
• First was the Philippine Organic Act of 1902, the first organic law for the
Philippine Islands that provided for the creation of a popularly elected Philippine
Assembly.

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 • The act specified legislative power would be vested in a bicameral legislature
(Philippine Commission as the upper house and the Philippine Assembly as the
lower house)
• The Second act that functioned as a constitution was the Philippine Autonomy
Act of 1916, commonly referred to as “Jones Law”, which modified the structure
of the Philippine government through the removal of the Philippine Commission,
replacing it with a Senate that served as the upper house and its members
elected by the Filipino voters, the first truly elected national legislature.
• In 1932, with the efforts of the Filipino independence commission led by Sergio
Osmena and Manuel Roxas, the US Congress passed the Hare-Hawes-Cutting
Act with the promise of granting Filipinos’ independence.
• The bill was opposed by then Senate President Manuel L. Quezon and
consequently, rejected by the Philippine Senate.
• In 1934, the Tydings-McDuffie Act, a.k.a the Philippine Independence Act, was
passed by the US Congress that provided authority and defined mechanisms for
the establishment of a formal constitution by a constitutional convention.
• The members of the convention were elected and held their first meeting on 30
July 1934, with Claro M. Recto unanimously elected as president.

Preamble of the 1935 Commonwealth

The Filipino People, imploring the aid of Divine Providence, in order to establish a
government that shall embody their ideals, conserve and develop the patrimony of the
nation, promote the general welfare, and secure to themselves and their posterity the
blessings of independence under a regime of justice, liberty, and democracy, do ordain
and promulgate this constitution.

• The constitution created the Commonwealth of the Philippines, an

administrative body that governed the Philippines from 1935 to 1946.
• Originally provided for a unicameral National Assembly (with a Pres. And VP
elected to 6 year term without re-election)
• It was amended in 1940 to have a bicameral Congress composed of a Senate and
a House of Representatives

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 • The draft of the constitution was approved by the constitutional convention on 8
February 1935, and ratified by then US President Franklin B. Roosevelt on 25
March 1935.
• Elections were held in September 1935 and Manuel L. Quezon was elected
President of the Commonwealth.
• The Commonwealth was briefly interrupted by the events of the World War II,
with the Japanese occupying the Philippines. Afterward, upon liberation, the
Philippines was declared independent republic on 4 July 1946.

1973: Constitutional Authoritarianism

• In 1965, Ferdinand E. Marcos was elected president
• In 1967, Philippine Congress passed a resolution calling for a constitutional
convention to change the 1935 Constitution.
• Before the convention finished its work, Martial Law was declared.
• Marcos cited a growing communist insurgency as a reason for the Martial Law
• Marcos dictated some provisions of the constitution, manipulating the document
to be able to hold on to power as long as he could.
• On 29 November 1972, the convention approved its proposed constitution.
• Legislative power was vested in a unicameral National Assembly, with member
being elected to a six-year term
• The President would serve a six-year term and could be re-elected to an
unlimited number of terms.
• Executive power was relegated to the Prime Minister, who was also the head of
government and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces
• The President, on 17 January 1973, issued a proclamation announcing that
proposed constitution had been ratified by an overwhelming vote of the
member of the highly irregular Citizen Assemblies.
• In 1976, Citizen Assemblies allow the continuation of Martial Law with the
following amendments:
- an Interim Batasang Pambansa to substitute for the Interim National Assembly
- The President become the Prime Minister and continue to exercise legislative
powers until Martial Law was lifted and authorized the President to legislate on his
own on an emergency basis

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 • In 1980, the retirement age of members of the judiciary was extended to 70
years
• In 1981, the parliamentary system was formally modified to a French-style, semi-
presidential system where executive power was restored to the president
• Executive Committee was to be created composed of the Prime Minister and 14
Cabinet member
• In 1984, the Executive Committee was abolished and the position of VP was
restored
• The situation in the 1980s had been very turbulent. Under pressure from the US,
who used to support Marcos and his Martial Law, the Marcos family fled into
exile.
• His opponent in the snap election, Corazon Aquino, was installed as president on
25 February 1986.

1987: Constitution After Martial Law

• In March 1986, President Aquino proclaimed a transitional constitution, called
the Freedom Constitution, to last for a year while a Constitutional Commission
drafted a permanent constitution.
• The new constitution was officially adopted on 2 February 1987
• The Constitution begins with a preamble and eighteen articles.
• It established the Philippines as a “democratic republican State” where
“sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from
them.”
• It allocates governmental powers among the executive, legislative, and judicial
branches of the government.
• The Executive branch is headed by the President and his cabinet, whom he
appoints. The President and the VP are elected serving a single six-year term.
• The Legislative power resides in Congress divided into two Houses: The Senate
and The House of Representatives
• The Judicial branch is vested in the Philippine Supreme Court
• The Constitution also established three independent Constitutional
Commissions:
-Civil Service Commission (CSC) – a central agency in charge of government
personnel;

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 -Commission on Elections (COMELEC) – mandated to enforce and administer all
election laws and regulations;
-Commission on Audit (COA) – examines all funds, transactions, and property
accounts of the government and its agencies.

Attempts to Amend or Change the 1987 Constitution

• Three methods to change the Constitution:
- Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass)
- Constitutional Convention (Con-Con)
- People’s Initiative (PI)

• In 1995, Secretary of National Security Council Jose Almonte drafted a

constitution, but it was exposed to the media and it never prospered.
• In 1997, a group called PIRMA hoped to gather signatures from voters to change
the constitution through PI.
• Joseph Ejercito Estrada, formed a study commission to investigate the issues
surrounding charter-change focusing on the economic and judiciary provisions of
the Constitution.
• During the time of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, then House Speaker Jose de
Venecia endorsed constitutional change through a Constituent Assembly, which
entails two-thirds vote of the House to propose amendments or revision to the
Constitution.

Federalism
• Federalism in the Philippines was supported by President Duterte in the 2016
presidential elections, saying that it will evenly distribute wealth in the
Philippines instead of concentrating in Manila.
• A central governing authority and constituent political units constitutionally
share sovereignty.
• The country will be broken down into autonomous regions. Each regions will be
further divided into local government units.

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Pros
- Each regions may custom fit solutions to problems brought about by their
distinct geographic, cultural, social, and economic contexts.
- Regions will have more power over their finances
- They can choose to directly fund their own development projects without
asking for the national government’s go signal
- Can also promote specialization

Cons
- A challenge to achieving unity in the country
- There might be regions which are not yet ready to govern themselves or have
lesser resources
- There could be issues regarding overlaps in jurisdiction.

PREAMBLE
- The term “preamble” is derived from the Latin word “preambulare” which
means, “to walk before”. It is the prologue of the Constitution and it introduces the
main subject.
- It confers no right nor imposes any obligation. It cannot be invoked as a source
of right. However, majority of the Constitution all over the world contains a preamble.

What are the Objectives and Importance of the Preamble?

1. It sets down origin and purposes.
a. It tells us who are the authors of the Constitution and for whom it has been
promulgated; and
b. It states the general purposes, which are intended to be achieved by the
Constitution, and the Government established under it, and certain basic principles
underlying the fundamental charter.
2. May serve as an aid in interpretation.

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PREAMBLE OF THE 1899 MALOLOS CONSTITUTION

We, the Representatives of the Filipino People, lawfully convened, in order to establish
justice, provide for common defense, promote the general welfare and insure the
benefits of liberty, imploring the aid of the Sovereign Legislator of the Universe for the
attainment of these ends, have voted, decreed, and sanctioned the following political
constitution.

PREAMBLE OF THE 1935 COMMONWEALTH CONSTITUTION

The Filipino people, imploring the aid of Divine Providence, in order to establish a
government that shall embody their ideals, conserve and develop the patrimony of the
nation, promote the general welfare, and secure to themselves and their posterity the
blessings of independence under a regime of justice, liberty, and democracy, do ordain
and promulgate this constitution.

PREAMBLE OF THE 1987 PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION

We, the sovereign Filipino people imploring the aid of almighty God, in order to build a
just and humane society and establish a Government that shall embody our ideals and
aspiration, promote the common good, conserve and develop our patrimony, and
secure to ourselves and our posterity the blessings of independence and democracy
under the rule of law and a regime of truth, justice, freedom, love, equality, and peace
to ordain and promulgate this Constitution.

4.2. Policies on Agrarian Reform

Agrarian Reform is centered on the relationship between production and the

distribution of land among farmers.
- It is also focused on the political and economic class character of the
relations of production and distribution in farming and related enterprises,
and how these connect to the wider class structure.

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Landownership in the Philippines under Spain
• When the Spaniards colonized the country, they brought with them a system of
pueblo agriculture
• Families were not allowed to own their land – the King of Spain owned the land,
and Filipinos were assigned to these lands to cultivate them, and paid their
colonial tributes to the Spanish authorities in the form of agricultural products.
• Through the Law of Indies, the Spanish crown awarded tract of land to:
1. Religious orders;
2. Repartamientos for Spanish military as reward for their service
3. Spanish encomenderos, those mandated to manage the encomienda or the
lands given to them, where Filipinos worked and paid their tributes to the
encomendero.
• The encomienda system was an unfair and abusisve system as “compras y
vandalas” became the norm of the Filipino farmers working the land – they were
made to sell their products at a very low price or surrender their products to the
encomenderos, who resold this at a profit.
• Filipinos were also required to render services to their encomenderos that were
unrelated to farming.
• Hacienda system was implemented to fast track the entry of the colony into the
capitalist world.
• In 1860s, Spain enacted a law ordering landholders to register their landholdings
• Lands were claimed and registered in other people’s names, and many peasant
families who were ‘assigned’ to the land in the earlier days of colonization were
driven out or forced to come under the power of these people who claimed
rights to the land because they held a title.

Landownership in the Philippines under the Americans

• The Philippine Bill of 1902 provided regulations on the disposal of public lands
• A private individual may own 16 hectares (ha) of land while corporate
landholders may have 1,024 ha.
• Americans were also given rights to own agricultural lands in the country.
• In 1903, the homestead program was introduced, allowing a tenant to enter into
agricultural business by acquiring a farm of at least 16 ha.

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 • Landownership did not improve during the American period; in fact, it even
worsened, because there was no limit to the size of landholdings people could
possess and the accessibility of possession was limited to those who could afford
to buy, register, and acquire fixed property titles.
• President Quezon laid down a social justice program focused on the purchase of
haciendas, which were divided and sold to tenants.
• He also created the National Rice and Corn Administration (NARIC) to assign
public defenders to assist peasants in court battles for their rights to own a land.

Post-War Interventions Toward Agrarian Reform

• President Roxas passed the Republic Act No. 34 to establish 70-30 sharing
arrangement between tenant and landlord, respectively, which reduced the
interest of landowners’ loans to tenants at six percent or less.
• President Elpidio Quirino established the Land Settlement Development
Corporation (LASEDECO) to accelerate and expand the resettlement program for
peasants.
• LASEDECO became National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Administration
(NARRA) under President Ramon Magsaysay.
• NARRA accelerated the government’s resettlement program and distribution of
agricultural lands to landless tenants and farmers.
• It also aimed to convince members of the Huks, a movement of rebels in Central
Luzon, to resettle in areas where they could restart their lives as peaceful citizens
• President Diosdado Macapagal declared RA No. 3844 or Agricultural Land
Reform Code
• This Code abolished share tenancy in the Philippines and prescribed a program
to convert tenant-farmers to lessees and later on owner-cultivators.

Agrarian Reform Efforts under Marcos

• Presidential Decree No. 27 (October 21, 1972)
- This shall apply to tenant farmers of private agricultural lands under a system of
sharecrop or lease-tenancy;
- The tenant farmer shall be considered owner of a portion constituting a family-
sized farm of five ha if not irrigated and three ha if irrigated

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 - The landowner may retain an area of not more than seven ha if such landowner
is cultivating such area or will now cultivate it

Presidential Decree No. 27 (October 21, 1972)

- This shall apply to tenant farmers of private agricultural lands under a system of
sharecrop or lease-tenancy;
- The tenant farmer shall be considered owner of a portion constituting a family-
sized farm of five ha if not irrigated and three ha if irrigated
- The landowner may retain an area of not more than seven ha if such landowner
is cultivating such area or will now cultivate it
• Under the rice self-sufficiency program “Masagana ‘99”, farmers were able to
borrow from banks and purchase three-hectare plots of lands and agricultural
inputs.
• However, only restricted to rice lands, some landlords needed to change crops
like coconut and sugar, so the landed elite only had to evict their tenants and
hired workers instead.
• Landlessness increased, elites find their way to maintain their land which
worsened by the corruption of Marcos.

Post-1986 Agrarian Reform

• In 1988, the Congress passed RA No. 6657 or the Comprehensive Agrarian
Reform Law, which introduced the program Comprehensive Agrarian Reform
Program or CARP
- It enabled the redistribution of agricultural lands to tenant-farmers from
landowners, who were paid in exchange by the government through just compensation
and allowed them to retain not more than 5 ha.
• CARP was limited because it accomplished very little, only 22.5% of land
distribution in six years.
• Under President Ramos, CARP implementation was speeded in order to meet the
ten-year time frame. By 1996, DAR (Department of Agrarian Reform) distributed
58.25% of the total area target
• Ramos signed RA No. 8532 to amend CARL and extend the program to another
ten years.

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*CARPER and the Future of Agrarian Reform in the Philippines
• In 2009, President Arroyo signed RA No. 9700 or the Comprehensive Agrarian
Reform Program Extension with Reforms (CARPER), the amendatory law that
extended the deadline to five more years.
• Form 2009-2014, CARPER has distributed a total of 1 M ha of land to 900,000
farmer beneficiaries.
• The DAR and DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) are
mandated to fulfill CARP and CARPER
• Problems in implementation:
- The powerful landed elite
- The ineffectual bureaucracy of the Philippine gov’t
• Until these two challenges are surmounted, genuine agrarian reform remains
but a dream to Filipino farmers who have been fighting for their right to
landownership for centuries.

4.3. Evolution of the Philippine Taxation

Taxation in Spanish Philippines

• The Spaniards imposed the payment of tributos (tributes)
• The purpose is to generate resources to finance the maintenance of the islands,
such as salaries of government officials and expenses of clergy.
• Exempted from payment of tributos were the principals: alcades, gobernadores,
cabezas de barangay, soldiers, members of the civil guard, government
officials,and vagrants.
• In 1884, the payment of tribute was replaced by a certification of identification
called the cedula personal.
• This is required from every resident and must be carried while traveling.
• Unlike the tribute, the payment of cedulas is by person, not by family.
• Payment of cedula is progressive and according to income categories.
• The Chinese in the Philippines were also made to pay their discriminatory cedula
which was bigger than what the Filipinos paid.
• Two direct taxes were added in 1878:
- Urbana is a tax on the annual rental value of an urban real estate
- Industria is a tax on salaries, dividends, and profits

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 • The colonial government gained income from monopolies but the biggest
monopoly estate was tobacco.
• Forced labor was required from the Filipinos.
• The polo system, males Filipinos were obliged to serve. However, led to
population decrease in 17th century
• Males were required to provide labor for 40 days a year (reduced to 15 days per
year in 1884). They may be opt out by paying the fallas of three pesos per
annum
• Taxation during the Spanish colonial period was characterized by the heavy
burden on the Filipinos, and the corruption of the principales.
• The principals who were given positions such as cabezas de barangay or alcaldes
were able to enrich themselves by pocketing tributos and/or fallas, while the
peasants were left to be abused.

Taxation under the Americans

• Urbana was replaced by tax on real estate, which became known as the land tax.
• The problem with land tax was that land tilting in the rural area was very
disorderly and tax evasion was prevalent, especially among the elites.
• The Internal Revenue Law of 1904 was passed as a reaction to the problems of
collecting land tax.
• It prescribed ten major sources of revenue:
1. licensed taxes on firms dealing in alcoholic beverages and tobacco,
2. excise taxes on alcoholic beverages and tobacco products,
3. taxes on banks and bankers,
4. document stamp taxes,
5. the cedula,
6. taxes on insurance and insurance companies,
7. taxes on forest products,
8. mining concessions,
9. taxes on business and manufacturing, and
10. occupational licenses.

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 • 1914 – income tax was introduced
• 1919 – inheritance tax was created
• 1932 – national lottery was established to create more revenue for the
government

Taxation during the Commonwealth Period

• Income tax rates were increased in 1936, adding a surtax rate on individual net
incomes in excess of 10,000 pesos
• Cedula tax was abolished on 1937
• National International Revenue Code (1939)
• Residence tax was imposed on every citizen aged 18 years old and on every
corporation (1940)
• As world war II reached the Philippines, economic activity was put to a stop.
• The Japanese continued the system of tax collection introduced during the
commonwealth, but exempted the articles belonging to the Japanese armed
forces.

Fiscal Policy from 1946 to Present

• President Quirino – implementation of import and exchange controls
• Magsaysay, Garcia, and Macapagal – promised to study the tax structure and
policy of the country. However, Congress did not pass any tax legislation despite
important changes in the economy
– Collection of taxes remained poor; tax structure was still problematic,
and much of public funds were lost to corruption
• Under Marcos, the tax system remained regressive and unresponsive. Taxes
grew at an average annual rate of 15%and generated a low tax yield.
• Aquino introduced the value-added tax (VAT)
- VAT law was signed on 1986 and put to effect on 1988
- Restructuring of the Department of Finance and Bureau of Internal Revenue
(BIR) through Executive Order 127.
• Ramos introduced its own tax reform program in 1997 through the
Comprehensive Tax Reform Program
• Estrada’s term was too short to constitute any change

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 • Arroyo signed the Expanded Value-Added Tax or E-VAT (RA 9337) (energy
products such as coal and petroleum products and electricity generation)
• Benigno Aquino III introduced the Sin Tax Reform which adjusted the excise tax
on liquor and cigarettes
• President Duterte lowered the income tax rates. The present income tax is the
second highest in Southeast Asia. The tax reforms limit VAT exemptions and
increase excise taxes on petroleum products and automobiles.

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 Chapter 4 GE 2 Name: ____________________________________________
𝑐𝑢𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 Activity No. 4 Program/Year: ____________Date Submitted: ___________

I. Philippine Constitution

Direction: Read the following questions comprehensively. Give your answers based on
what is asked. Each question corresponds to 10 points.

Scoring rubric
*Content (Logical arrangement of ideas) – 5 pts
*Mechanics (Spelling, Grammar, Capitalization) – 5pts

1. Why must a government change from time to time?

2. Among all the constitutions existed, which constitution do you think is best? Explain
your answer.

3. If you will be the president of a country and will be given the chance to choose a
specific form of government, what is it and why?
II. Agrarian Reform

Direction: Read the following questions comprehensively. Give your answers based on
what is asked. Each question corresponds to 10 points.

Scoring Rubric
*Content (Logical arrangement of ideas) – 5 pts
*Mechanics (Spelling, Grammar, Capitalization) – 5pts

1. What is the purpose of Agrarian Reform in the Philippines?

2. What are the benefits of Agrarian Reform and who will benefit from these?

3. What do you think are the problems of Agrarian (land) in the Philippines? Why is
reform needed? Support your answer.

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III. Taxation

Direction: Read the following questions comprehensively. Give your answers based on
what is asked. Each question corresponds to 10 points.

Scoring Rubric
*Content (Logical arrangement of ideas) – 5 pts
*Mechanics (Spelling, Grammar, Punctuation and Capitalization) – 5pts

1. What do you think about the Taxation System in the Philippines, is it fair or not?
Support your answer.

2. Can we consider taxation essential? Why or why not?

3. Do you think that there is a need for a Tax Reform in the Philippines? Why or
why not?

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pw
Chapter 5 Doing History: A Guide for Students

Intended Learning Outcomes:At the end of this chapter, the students are expected to:

1. Manifest interest in local history and cultural heritages;

2. Apply historiographical methods in writing of the history of one’s locality; and
3. Appreciate the value of studying history to the present days.
5.1 Doing Historical Research Online

- The first tool that any student nowadays would use to research--- the Internet.
- It has increasingly become the primary means by which anyone would find any
information that they need. With a single click, students are able to access tons
and tons of available information.
CYBERSPACE- is a great resource for research if you know how to use it
properly. Remember that just because information is available does not mean
you just get it and use it right away—appropriating something, such as an idea,
as yours is considered PLAGIARISM, which is one of the worst crimes in the
academe.
- A simple skill that will get you far in doing historical research online is knowing
WHERE TO LOOK and HOW TO LOOK.
- Search engine websites such as Yahoo! (www. yahoo.com) or Google (www.
google.com) could lead you to a lot of sources with the right search strings.
Search string- it is a combination of words that you use to come up with the
relevant results and lead you to what you are looking for. The more refined your
research string is, the more definite and refined the results will be.
- Google also provides its own customized platform for scholarly research, called
Google Scholar (www. scholar.google.com). You may use it to find electronic
journal articles, materials from institutional repositories, and book chapters from
many different sources.
- Google Books (www. books. Google.com) also provides sources for scanned
books, where you may be able to read some chapters for free.
- Wikipedia is the biggest open source encyclopedia in the whole of cyberspace.
o In 2017, it has 40 million articles in 293 languages.
o Being an open source encyclopedia, anyone could contribute or edit
articles in the site, which makes some of the information in the site
unreliable.
- There are websites that you may use to legally download scanned copies of books
and other materials for free, especially those books with expired copyrights and
are in public domain. These are the following:
 1. Project Gutenberg (www. Gutenberg.org)- it is the oldest digital library in
the world, founded in 1971.
- it has more than 50,000 items in its collection, which include many works
concerning the Philippines, such as:
a. the Doctrina Cristiana (the first published book in the Philippines).
b. the publishes travelogues of foreigners who visited the Philippines such as
Jagor, de Comyn, Virchow, Foreman, and Worcester

2. Internet Archive (www. archive.org)- it is an online library that originally

sought to archive web history, but grew later on to provide digital versions of
other works. The archive contains 279 billion web pages, 11 million books
and texts, 4 million audio recordings, 3 million videos, 1 million images and
100,000 software programs.

3. Philippine Government websites (www. gov.ph)

5.2 DOING HISTORICAL RESEARCH IN LIBRARIES AND ARCHIVES

- Research in libraries and archives is necessary in the study of history as these are
repositories of primary and secondary sources that allow us to create narratives
of the past through accepted methods of historical scholarship.
- It is imperative upon students to be able to develop an aptitude toward doing
research in these venues so as to further develop their skills in historical research.
- Libraries and archives still provide more variety of sources in different formats
such as books, journal articles, newspapers, magazines, photographs, and even
audio and video recordings. But shifting through all the materials available might
prove to be a daunting task for the unacquainted.
Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC)- an antiquated card cataloging system,
using digital version to catalog their holdings.
o In this system, instead of going through each entry on physical index
cards, a simple search will yield the holdings of the library related to what
you are searching for.
o Searching by subject will give you a list of sources, primary and secondary,
to aid you in creating preliminary biography that you may later on access
physically in the holdings of the library.

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 - The National Library of the Philippines in Ermita, Manila provides a rich treasure
trove of materials for the student-researcher interested in Philippine history,
especially in their Filipiniana section.
- The National Archives of the Philippines, also in Manila, is an agency of the
government mandated to collect, store, preserve, and make available records of
the government and other primary sources pertaining to the history and
development of the Philippines.
- The libraries in the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City have
holdings that could also be useful in research. Such as, the Filipiniana Section,
serials, theses, and dissertations.
- The Atene de Manila University in Quezon City holds the American Historical
Collection, a rich source for the American period in the Philippines.
- The University of Santo Tomas in Espana, Manila also has collections from the
16th century, owing to the fact that it is the oldest Catholic university in the
country and is a historic site itself.

5.3 DOING LIFE HISTORIES AND BIOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH

- Studying history is always focused on history of nations and different collectives.

- Studying the life of an individual is often incidental to a greater event that has
been significant to the life of a larger unit that he or she happened to contribute
to.
- Life-history is an oft-neglected sub discipline of history because it is seen as trivial
to larger narratives of nations, societies, and civilizations.
- However, students of history should realize that the individual is a significant
contributor to various historical breakthroughs across periods of time. Individuals
make up societies and individual actions can cause large-scale social change.
- Individuals’ influence can span centuries and generations.
- Individuals can also influence large spaces and many places.
- For example, Jesus Christ as an individual, influenced the whole world. The faith
and religion that He started also launched wars, created civilizations, lasted for
many centuries, and persist up to the present.
- Jose Rizal, on the other hand, influenced many generations of Filipinos. His novels
inspired radical Filipinos to fight the colonizers, and his death was seen as the
tipping point of the revolution.

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 (See book, for more detailed example of the Life history of Rizal)

5.4 DOING LOCAL AND ORAL HISTORY

- Local History is the study of the history of a particular community or smaller unit
of geography.
- Local historians study the history of local institutions like churches. They also
study the local economies, local heroes, and local events.
- Thus, it is also a broad and dynamic field of inquiry that aims to have an in-depth
understanding of a certain locale.
- Local history can serve as a balancer by showing the peculiarities in certain locales
in a particular nation, region, or continent.
- Studying local history can provide new and alternative interpretations on the
different aspects of a nation’s history.
- Local history also facilitates a historical narrative emanating from the people
called- History from below.
- One important historical methodology to local history is oral history.
- Oral History is important in the midst of scarcity in written sources, historical
documents, and other material evidences. This method used oral accounts of
historical subjects, witnesses, members of the communities, and the like.
- Oral History primarily relies on memory.
o The subject or the informant will recount his experiences to the
researcher as he remembers it.
o In other instances, the informant will relay what he learned from his
ancestors or older members in the community to the historian.

5.5 INTERACTING WITH HISTORY THROUGH HISTORICAL SHRINES AND

MUSEUMS

- While research is a valuable tool to learn more about the experiences of the
nation and our history, there exists venues where we can experience history, and
these are through historical shrines and museums.
- These venues for living history provide us a certain level of authority and
trustworthiness that could impact the way we view the past.

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 - Through interacting with artifacts such as World War II rifle or the clothes of a
Filipino hero, we can better imagine the past beyond the mere letter and words
we read and painstakingly memorize.
- These tangible objects are reconstructions of the past; experiencing these
artifacts directly is the next best thing to actually being there when a particular
event happened or when a historical personality lived. These firsthand
experiences make historical events more real for us; and research shows that
learning by experiencing aids with retention of the learning later in life.
- Historical Shrines and museums serve as portals to the past.

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 Chapter 5 GE 2 Name: ____________________________________________
Activity No. 5 Program/Year: ____________Date Submitted: ___________

𝑐𝑢𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒

I. MY LIFE HISTORY. Write your autobiography using only primary sources. Attach a copy
of the primary source you used when you submit your autobiography.
Below, is the scoring rubric to be used in rating your Autobiography output.

Credits from: http://www.scholastic.com

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 Reference

Alporha, V. and Candelaria, J. L. 2018. Readings in Philippine History. Nicanor Reyes Sr.
St., Sampaloc, Manila. Rex Book Store Inc.

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 Appendix A

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 Readings in Philippine History
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