Boxer Codex: Written by Foreigner

- 307-page Spanish manuscript on the people and customs of Luzon,

including Zambales, the Cordilleras and Cagayan. It also has section on the
Visayas.
- A mirror of the past and shows us how much we have changed or remained
the same for centuries.
- Earliest representations of the Tagalog, Bisaya, Cagayanon, and Negrito,
documenting how they dressed and how they wore gold jewelry at the
time of contact with the Spaniards.
Recorded superstitions of the early Filipinos:
- “When it rains while the sun is shining and the sun is somewhat reddish, they
say the anitos unite to war on them and they are in great fear; and neither
women nor children are allowed to go down from their houses until the rain
stops and the sky clears up.”
- “They use herbs to attract those whom they like and correspondingly use
others on those whom they dislike.”
- “When women are pregnant the husbands do not cut their hair, because they
say their offspring would be born bald and hairless if they do so.”
- “They have an aversion to eat two bananas that are joined one with another
or any food that are two in one because they believe they will give birth to two
creatures from the same womb, which they consider a great insult.”
Butuan or Limasawa? Site of the First Mass
Butuan Tradition
- Presented physical evidence, which is the monument that was erected in
1872 at the mouth of the Agusan River in Butuan and indicated the
celebration of the first mass.
Antonio Pigafetta’s account and Francisco Albo’s log
- Description of the geography and the coordinates of the island perfectly
resembles Limasawa.
Cavite Mutiny in 1872
- Filipino uprising that led to the execution of GOMBURZA
1872 Cavite Mutiny: Spanish Perspective
- Jose Montero y Vidal, a prolific Spanish historian documented the event and
highlighted it as an attempt of the Indios to Overthrow the Spanish
government in the Philippines.
 - Meanwhile, Gov. Gen. Rafael Izquierdo’s official report magnified the event
and made use of it to implicate the Native clergy, which was then active in
the call for secularization.
- Spanish government and Frailocracia wanted to instill fear among the
Filipinos so that they may never commit such daring act again, the
GOMBURZA were executed.
A Response to Injustice: The Filipino Version of the Incident
- According to Dr. Trinidad Hermenigildo Pardo de Tavera, the incident was a
mere mutiny by the native Filipino soldiers and laborers of the Cavite arsenal
who turned out to be dissatisfied with the abolition of their privileges.
- Tavera blamed Gov. Izquierdo’s cold-blooded policies such as the abolition
of privileges of the workers and native army members of the arsenal and the
prohibition of the founding of school of arts and trades for the Filipinos.
- Tavera believed 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.
Basic facts that remained to be consistent:
- First, there was dissatisfaction among the workers of the arsenal as well as
the members of the native army after their privileges have been abolished;
- Second, Gen. Izquierdo introduced rigid and strict policies that made the
Filipinos move and turn away from Spanish government out of disgust;
- Third, the Central Government failed to conduct an investigation on what truly
transpired but relied on reports of Izquierdo and the friars and the opinion of
the public;
- Fourth, the happy days of the friars were already numbered in 1872 when the
Central Government in Spain decided to deprive them of the power to
intervene in government affairs as well as in the direction and management
of schools prompting them to commit frantic moves to extent their stay and
power;
- Fifth, the Filipino clergy members actively participated in the secularization
movement in order to allow Filipino priests to take hold of the parishes in the
country making them prey to the rage of friars;
- Sixth, Filipinos during the time were active participants, and responded to
what they deemed as injustices;
- Lastly, the execution of GOMBURZA was a blunder on the part of the
Spanish government, for the action severed the ill feelings of the Filipinos and
the event inspired Filipino patriots to call for reforms and eventually
independence.
- There may be different versions of the event, but one thing is certain. The
1872 Cavite Mutiny paved way for a momentous 1898