Philippines History

1. Arvin G. Malacas
BSBA Major in Marketing Management.
“Customs of the Tagalogs by Fray Juan de Placensia.
The customs of the Tagalog by Fray Juan de Placensia shows the pre-colonial life of the Filipinos
before the Spaniards came to our country. The author of The Custom of the Tagalog is a friar who is
responsible for founding different towns in Luzon area and also he is known and recognized as one of
those who spread Christianity around the Philippines, And is credited for publishing and writing the first
book which is the Doctrina Christiana. Also, he wrote the Custom of the tagalog around 1521 which we
can learn and serve as a primary source to know the different writings of the precolonial life of the
Filipinos before we are being colonized and influence by the Spaniards. It includes the traditions,
cultures, language and way of life of the Filipinos before the Spaniards claim that we don't have a
community and form of government. The Social classes are the Chieftain or the "Datu", Nobles or
"Maharlika", Commoners or the "Aliping namamahay"“and the Slaves or the "Saguiguilid". It shows that
before precolonial we already have a Social status or Social Classes which we can classify the difference
between a normal commoner from a high commoners on precolonial era. The" Datu" or the Chieftain
serves as the leader of the barangay or the community and makes decision for the good of their covered
community, they facilitate activities and leader of wars around barrios and community. Maharlika or the
Nobles they are permanent and they don't need move village or houses, they do not taxes or tribute to
the datu and one of most powerful commoners in the village after Datu. Next Socail classes is The
Commoners or the "Aliping namamahay" as you can notice "Aliping namamahay" are slaves with
houses and rights, They are married and serve their master, even it is Datu or not, by inheritance, they
fell into the hands of a son of their master who was to live in another village, they could not be taken
from their own village and taken with them but they must stayed in their native village. And last Social
class is the Slaves or Aliping Saguiguilid they came from family of slaves, sold or captured from war, they
serve their master and these slaves can be sold even their children.In addition they do not have rights
and freedom.
We already have cultural beliefs and anitos that we respect and worshipped before the Spaniards
introduce the Christianity in our country, Bathala is the greatest entity we worshipped and also we
worshipped god and goddess base on our tribe and cultue including the nature even the sun and moon.
In terms of Political in precolonial we already have a form of government which is the barangay on
where in the Datu are the one who is encharge to lead and facilitate the activities around the barrio and
his scope, Each villagers or commoners must paid taxes or tribute called buwis. They can have
agreement through writing a promise on a carved stone to prove that they will keep and agreed on the
agreement. It existed that we already have laws and corporal punishment.
In precolonial our economy used gold in purchasing merchandize and commodities or by means of
trading in which they exchange barter and products. It shoes that we already have transaction and
negotiation happened before, through trading we discover things and spread our culture to the other
country and community.

2. The Custom of the Tagalog taught as that Filipinos was are already civilized before, in which we
already have community called barangay lead by a Datu and used gold as part daily life. Use of trading
system with other community. Having our own cultures, belief and tradition.