Readings in Philippine History Output

1. Toreno, James S.
BSED MATH 2 – 1 EVE
RPH – Midterm Exam
I. Directions: Answer the following questions comprehensively. Provide for support or
evidences used.
1. How can one best ensure the credibility, authenticity, and provenance of primary sources?
- If the person or authority providing the information is trustworthy, not biased, and has a good
reputation for providing credible and authentic sources of information, one can ensure the
credibility, authenticity, and provenance of primary sources. Furthermore, I did my own diligent
due diligence, relying on thoroughly researched material and comprehensive analysis based on
experience guided by intuitive deductive reasoning. Furthermore, “the first key point historians
want to check about a source is whether the source is based on accurate knowledge and
understanding,” according to Danung Dur Adli. “To do this, they might check whether the author
was there at the time, whether the author was involved in the event, whether the author
understood the overall context.”
2. Which are more credible primary or secondary sources?
- I believe that primary sources are more credible because they are where the information came
from, from the word primary, which is the first-hand sourceof information, and basically the person
providing that particular information is able to experience or face such consequences that he or
she implied in providing a source of information to the other. Furthermore, “primary sources are
original documents created or experienced contemporaneously with the event being researched,
and these sources allow researchers to get as close to what actually happened during a historical
event or time period as possible,” according to Hank Beel.
3. “One past but many histories.” How can this be proven through the current political issues in
the country?
- I believe these can be proven by firmly scrutinizing every single of information and making strict
decisions on accepting such information about our past Philippine history with the help of credible
and reliable historians in our country. For the reason that a lot of things we accept as “true” about
the past might not be the case anymore, just because there were taught to us as “facts” when we
were younger does not mean that it is perfectly accurate, however, history after all was
constructed and it is open for interpretation. There might be conflicting and competing accounts
of the past that need one’s attention, and can impact the way we view our country’s history and
identity. It is important to conclude, to subject to evaluation not only the primary sources but also

2. the historical interpretation of the same, to ensure that the current interpretation is reliable to
support our acceptance of events of the past.
II. Directions: Explain the controversies and conflicting views in the following events.
Decide on which claim is credible by providing sources and evidences.
1. Site of the First Mass
- The first recorded Christian mass was held on Easter Sunday, March 31, 1521, at a little island
port named Mazaua. Two identical accounts report this event, by eyewitness Antonio Pigafetta
(1523) and Antonio de Herrera y Tordesillas (1601). “Masawa” is a word found only in Butuanon
and its scion, Tausog, out of 181 Philippine languages. It means brilliant light and crystal clear.
Some Filipino historians have long contested the idea that Limasawa was the site of the first
Catholic mass in the country. Historian Sonia Zaide identified Masao (also Mazaua) in Butuan as
the location of the first Christian mass.The basis of Zaide’s claim is the Diary of Antonio Pigafetta,
chronicler of Magellan’s voyage. In 1995 Then CongresswomanChing Plaza of Agusan del Norte,
Butuan City filed a bill in Congress contesting the Limasawa hypothesis and asserting the ‘site of
the first mass’ was Butuan. The Philippine Congress referred the matter to the National Historical
Institute for it To study the issueand recommenda historical finding. Then NHI chmassDr.Samuel
K. Tan reaffirmed Limasawa as the site of the first mass.
I firmly believe Dr. Samuel K. Tan claim that Limasawa was the site of the first mass in the
Philippines, because the Philippine Government recognized as the actual site of the First Mass.
The powerful Roman Catholic Church also recognized Limasawa Island as the site where
Magellan and his crew landed and held the First Mass. Furthermore, the Embassy of Spain
recognized Limasawa as the site of Magellan’s landfall such that they also sent the Galleon
Andalucia to visit Maasin City for five days and Limasawa for about three hours. The Embassy of
Portugal in Metro Manila recognized Limasawa where Magellan and his troops observed the First
Mass on Easter or introduced Christianity to the island’s inhabitants.
2. Cavite Mutiny
- There are two conflicting views of what had happened during 1872 about two perspectives on
Cavite Mutiny based on Spanish Perspective and Filipino Perspective.
Two major events happened in 1872, first was the 1872 Cavite Mutiny and the other was the
martyrdom of the three Martyr priests in the persons of Fathers Mariano Gomes, Jose Burgos,
and Jacinto Zamora (GOMBURZA). However, not all of us knew that there weredifferent accounts
in reference to the said event. All Filipinos must know the different sides of the story—since this
event led to another tragic yet meaningful part of our history—the execution of GOMBURZA which
in effect a major factor in the awakening of nationalism among the Filipinos.

3. I do believe in the claim of Filipino Perspective (Trinidad Parde de Tavera) on Cavite Mutiny
because the perspective of the Spaniards are biased they manipulate information just to prove
that they are accurate and on that particular period Filipinos are oppressed by them and they are
dominating in the country, so this to conclude they can control everything to maintain their power
in the country. According to Tavera, that the Spanish friars and Izquierdo used the Cavite Mutiny
as a powerful lever by magnifying it as a full-blown conspiracy involving not only the native army
but also included residents of Cavite and Manila, and more importantly the native clergy to
overthrow the Spanish government in the Philippines.
3. Retraction of Rizal
- There are four iterations of the texts of this retraction: the first was published in La Vaz Española
and Diario de Manila on the day of the execution, 30 December 1896. The second text appeared
in Barcelona, Spain, in the magazine La Juventud, a few months after the execution, 14 February
1897, from an anonymous writer who was later on revealed to be Fr. Vicente Balaguer. However,
the “original” text was only found in the archdiocesan archives on 18 May 1935, after almost four
decades of disappearance.
I do believe in the claim of Fr. Vicente Belaguer because he is only one eyewitness account of
the writing of the documents exists. He is a Jesuit missionary who becomes a friend of Rizal
during his exile in Dapitan. According to his testimony, Rizal woke up several times, confessed
four times, attended a Mass, received communion, and prayed the rosary, all of which seemed
out of character. Rizal acceptedthe shorter version of the retraction document prepared by Father
Pio Pi, a superior of the Jesuit Society of the Philippines.
4. Cry of Balintawak
- The controversy regarding this event stems from the identification of the date and place where
the Cry happened. Prominent Filipino historian Teodoro Agoncillo emphasizes the event when
Bonifacio tore the cedula or tax receipt before the Katipuneros who also did the same. Some
writers identified the first military event with the Spaniards as the moment of the Cry, for which,
Emilio Aguinaldo commissioned an “Himno de Balintawak” to inspire the renewed struggle after
the Pact of the Biak-na-Bato failed. There are different versions of it which are from Pio Valenzuela
(August 23, 1896), Gregoria de Jesus (August 25, 1896), Santiago Alvarez (August 24, 1896),
and Guillermo Masangkay (August 26, 1896).
I firmly believe in the claim of Pio Valenzuela about Cry of Balintawak, fom 1928 to 1940,
Valenzuela maintained that the Cry happened on 24 August at the house of Tandang Sora
(Melchora Aquino) in Pugad Lawin, which he now situated near Pasong Tamo Road. A
photograph of Bonifacio’s widow Gregoria de Jesus and Katipunan members Valenzuela, Briccio
Brigido Pantas, Alfonso and Cipriano Pacheco, published in La Opinion in 1928 and 1930, was
captioned both times as having been taken at the site of the Cry on 24 August 1896 at the house
of Tandang Sora at Pasong Tamo Road. According to the Philippine Government the centennial
of the Cry of Balintawak should be celebrated on 24 August 1996 at the site of the barn and house
of Tandang Sora in Gulod, now barangay Banlat, Quezon City.

4. 5. Emilio Aguinaldo: Traydor o Bayani?
- Emilio Aguinaldo is a bayani or hero for me because he is one of the reasons why our country
liberated from the Spaniard, we should pay tribute on his sacrifices and efforts of what he had
done in the past in fighting those oppressors and abusers colonizer, even though he made many
flaws but we cannot deny that we can’t replace his devotion, nationalism, and patriotism for our
beloved country to have peace and freedom on it. Emilio Aguinaldo led a revolutionary movement
against the Spanish colonial government in the Philippines. He cooperated with the U.S. during
the Spanish-American War but subsequently broke with the U.S. and led a guerrilla campaign
against U.S. authorities during the Philippine-American War. Also, he is the First President of the
Republic of the Philippines and how could a president betrays his own country, there could be
reasons why he did some heinous act just for the sake of the Filipino people on that time.