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The Code of Maragtas

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Lil'mee Balbaguio Serolf
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29 views1 page

The Code of Maragtas

Uploaded by

Lil'mee Balbaguio Serolf
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Code of Maragtas (Bala-od Maragtas)

The book "Glimpses in History of Early Cebu" written by Lina Quimat in 1980 tells of a code
written by a Cebuano and not by several datus from Borneo, contrary to what has been said by
others to us. It said that the original manuscript containing the code had been given by its
author to Fray Roman Andres, and the owner hid under an assumed name of one Fr. Oripiano
Rodriguez, OSA, of Cebu. Here are the rules of the Code:

1.) Great penalty shall be imposed on laziness. Land shall be cultivated and planted.

2.) A lazy person shall be arrested and sold as a slave to work in the fields.

3.) When a slave becomes industrious and an able worker, the purchase money shall be
returned to his purchaser and the slave shall be freed to fill his own land.

4.) When a man, after gaining his freedom, again becomes lazy and improvident he shall be
rearrested and thrown into the deepest forest to keep him from associating with his own people.

5.) Theft and reaping plants grown and cultivated by others shall be severely punished and the
person found guilty shall have his fingers cut.

6.) Marriage to as many as three women may be permitted in the beginning in order to increase
the population. Afterwards only those who can support many wives and children may be
permitted more than one wife.

7.) Poor persons shall not have more than two children. Children of the poor in excess of two in
number, shall be killed or thrown to swift river.

8.) The authorities shall arrest a man who dishonors a woman, runs away and does not marry
her.

9.) If the man is not found, the illegitimate child shall be killed and they shall both be buried in
one grave.

10.) Parents shall no longer take of their children who beget illegitimate children.

The Maragtas Code is proof of the advanced civilization of the Bisayans. Morals were high,
industry was encouraged. Gregorio Zaide agreed in his book, that the Code of Maragtas was
promulgated in 1212. The original manuscript which was given to the custody of the Order of
Saint Augustine and changed hands is missing and may the search be made upon orders of
the national and local government of a national treasure.

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