CUSTOMS OF THE TAGALOGS

By: Juan de Plasencia, O.S.F

 Born to the illustrious family of Portocarreros in Plasensia in the
region of Extremadura, Spain in the early 16th century. He was one of
the seven children of Pedro Portocarrero, a captain of a Spanish
schooner.
 Juan de Plasencia grew up during the period known as the Siglo
de Oro, a Golden Age when arts and literature flourished in many parts
of Spain, among them his native Extremadura.
 Juan de Plasencia came together with the first batch of
Franciscan missionaries in the Philippines on 2nd of July 1578.
Social Classes in the Philipines:

Chieftain (Datu)

Nobles (Maharlika)

Commoners (Aliping
Namamahay)

Slaves (Aliping Saguiguilir)

The Chiefs or Datus :

 This people had always chiefs, called by them datus, who
governed them and were captains in their wars, and whom they obeyed
and reverenced. The subject who committed any offence against them,
or spoke but a word to their wives and children, was severally punished.
These chiefs rules over but few people; sometimes as many as a hundred
houses, sometimes even less than thirty. This tribal gathering is called a
barangay.

The Nobles or Maharlika:

 They did not pay tax or tribute to the datu, but must accompany
him in war, at their own expense. The chiefs offered them beforehand a
feast, and afterwards they divided the spoils.
The Commoners or Aliping namamahay:
 The commoners are called aliping namamahay. They are
married, and serve their master, whether he be a datu or not, with half of
their cultivated lands, as was agreed upon in the beginning. They
accompanied him whenever he went beyond the island, and rowed for
him. They live in their own houses, and are lords of their property and
gold. Their children inherit it, and enjoy their property and lands

The Slaves /Aliping Saguiguilir:

 The slaves are called aliping saguiguilir. They serve there
master in his house and on cultivating lands, and may be sold. The
master grants them, should he see fit and providing that he has profited
through their industry, a portion of their harvest so that they may work
faithfully.

The difference between the aliping namamahay and the aliping saguiguilir:
The difference between the aliping namamahay and the aliping saguiguilir, should be
noted; for by a confusion of the two terms, many have been classed as slaves who really are not.
The Indians seeing that alcaldes-mayor do not understands this have adopted the custom of
taking away the children of the aliping namamahay, making use of them as they would of the
aliping saguiguilir, as servant in their households, which is illegal, and if the aliping namamahay
should appeal to justice, it is proved that he is an alipin as well as his father and mother before
him and no reservation is made as to whether he is alipin namamahay or aliping saguiguilir. He
is at once considered an alipin, without further declaration. In this way he becomes a saguiguilir
and is even sold. Consequently the alcaldes-mayor should be instructed to ascertain, when
anyone asks for his alipin, to which class he belongs, and to have a answer put in the document
that they give him.
Investigation and Sentences:
 Investigation made and sentences passed by the datu must take place in the presence of
those of his barangay. If any of the litigants felt himself aggrieved, an arbiter was
unanimously named from another village of barangay, whether he were a datu or jot;
since they had for this purpose some person, known as fair just men, who are said to give
true judgement according to their customs.
  If the controversy lay between two chiefs, when they wished to avoid war, they also
convoked judges to act as arbiters; they did the same if the disputant belonged to two
different barangays. In this ceremony they always had to drink, the plaintiff inviting
others.
Condemned to Death:
 They had laws by which they condemned to death a man of low birth who insulted the
daughter or wife of a chief; likewise witches, and other of the same class.
 They condemned no one to slavery, unless he merited the death penalty. As for the,
witches, they killed them, and their children and accomplices became slave of the chief,
after he had made some recompense to the injured person.
 All other offense were punished by fines in gold, which, if not paid with promptness,
exposed the culprit to serve, until the payment should be made.
Loans/Debts:
 In what concern loans, there was formerly, and its today, an excess usury, which is great
hindrance to baptism as well as so confession; for it turn out on the same way as I have
showed in the case of one under judgement, who gives half of his cultivated lands and
profits until he pays debt. Not doing so double the amount must paid. This system should
and can be reformed.
Inheritance:
 As for inheritances, the legitimate children of a father and mother inherited equally, in the
case where the father and mother showed a slight partiality by such gift as two or three
gold taels, or perhaps a jewel.
Inheritance of adopted children:
 Adopted children of whom are many among them, inherit the double what was paid for
their adoption. For example, if one goal tael was given the might be adopted when the
first father died, the children was given in inheritance two taels. But if this child should
die first, his children did not inherit from the second father, for the arrangement stops at
that point.
 This is the danger which his money is exposed, as well as his being protected as a child.
On this account this manner of adoption common among them is considered lawful.
Dowry:
 When then parents gave a dowry to any son, and, when, in order to marry him a chief’s
daughter, the dowry was greater the sum given the order son, the excess was not counted
in the whole property to divided. But any other thing that should had should given to any
son, though it might be for some necessity ,was taken into consideration at the time of
partition of the property, unless the parents should be declared that such a bestowal was
made outside of the inheritance.
  When there were no children by a legitimate wife, but only children by an unmarried
woman, or inaasava, the latter inherited all. If he had a child by a slave woman, or a child
by an inaasava, whether there was a son of slave woman or not, the inheritance went only
to father or grandparents, brothers, or nearest relatives of the deceased, who gave to the
slave-child as above stated.
Dowries:
 Dowries are given by the men to the women’s parent. If the latter are living, enjoy the use
of it. At their death, provided the dowry has not been consumed, it is divided like the rest
of the estate, equally among the children, except in the case the father should care to
bestow something additional upon the daughter.
Place of worship:
 In all villages or in other parts of the Filipinas Island, there are no temples consecrated to
the performing sacrifices, the adoration of their idol or the general practice of idolatry. It
is true that they have name simbahan which means a temple or place of adoration, but
this because formerly, when they wished to celebrate a festival, which they called pandot
or worship they celebrated it in the large house of a chief.
 They are constructed, for the purpose of sheltering the assembled people, a temporary
shed on each side of the house, with a roof called sibi, to protect people from the wet
when it rained. They so constructed the house that it might contain many people dividing
it.
 Temple - After the fashion of into three compartments. In the post of the house they set
small lamps, called sorihile; in the center of the house they placed one large lamp
adorned with the leaves of the white palm. Wrought into many designs. They also may
brought together many drums, large and small, which they beat successively when the
feast lasted, which was usually four days. During this time the whole barangay or family
reunited and join to the worship which they called nagaanitos. The house for the above
mentioned period of time was called a temple.
Objects of worship:
 Among their many idols there was one called Bathala whom they especially worshipped,
the tittle seems to signify all powerful or maker of all things. They also worshiped the sun
which an account of its beauty, is almost universally respected and honored by heathens.
They worship to the moon especially when it was new at which time they held great
rejoicing adoring it by bidding it welcome some of them also adored the stars, although
did not know them by their names, as the Spaniards and other nations know the planets
with the one exception of the morning star, which they called Tala.
Idols:
 They possessed many idols called lic-ha which may image with different shape. And as
time there worshipped any little trifle in which they adored. As did the romans some
particular dead man who was brave at war and endowed with special faculties to whom
 they recommend themselves for protection in their tribulations. They had another idol
called Dian masalanta, who was the patron of lovers and of generation. The idols called
lacapati and idianale were the patrons of cultivated by them husbandry. They paid
reverence to water lizard called by them buaya or crocodiles from fear of being harmed
by them.
Superstitious beliefs:
 There were moreover very liable to find auguries in things they witnessed. For example,
If there left their house and meet in this the way a serpent or rat or a bird called
tigmamanuiguin which was singing in the tree or if they chanced upon anyone who
sneezed they returned at once to their house, considering the incident as an augury that
some evil might befall them if they should continue their journey especially when the
above mentioned bird sang. This song is different forms; in the case it was considered as
an evil omen; in the other as a good omen, and then they continued journey.
 They also practiced divination see whether weapons, such as dagger or knife, were to be
useful or lucky for their possessor whenever occasion should offer.
SEASONS:
 The natives had no established division of years, months, and days; these are determined
by cultivation of the soil, all this help them making up the year. The winter and the
summer are distinguished as sun-time and water-time latter term designating winter in
those regions, when there is no cold, snow, or ice.
 It seems however, that now since they have become Christians, the season are not quite
the same, for all Christians it get somewhat cooler. The years since the advent the
Spaniards and the season have been given their proper name, and they have been divided
into weeks.