CUSTOMS OF THE
TAGALOGS
By: Juan de Plasencia
First Year- BSIT
Group 1
I. Background of the Author
He was born in the 16th century to the illustrious family of the
portocarreros, in Placensia, in the region of Extermadura, Spain.
His real name was Juan Portocarrero.
Juan de Placensia was a spanish friar of the Franciscan Order who came
together with first batch of missionaries to the Philippines in 1578, He
was assigned to Southern Tagalog area.
He wrote Customs of Tagalogs which describes the political, social
economic, and cultural practices of the Filipinos before they were
Christianized.
He helped in the foundations and organizations of towns in Laguna,
Quezon, Rizal and Bulacan
II. Historical background of the document
Customs of Tagalogs, originally Las Costumbres de los
Indios Tagalog de Filipinas was written by Juan de
Placensia when he was tasked to collect information
about the customs of the Filipinos that could be used
by the Spanish to understand and exploit the Filipinos.
In this document, Placensia was able to note the details
such as social classes, types of clothing, ornaments,
government and justice structure, inheritance, slave,
marriage customs, religious and superstitious beliefs,
economics and language.
III. Content Presentation
Barangay – the name originated when people came to land by means of
boat called barangay.
Datus – the chief of barangay and captains in their wars who is obeyed
and reverenced.Three Castes: Nobles, Commoners, and Slaves
Nobles – they accompany the datu in war and freeborn/maharlika.
They don’t pay tax or tribute to datu.
Commoners – they serve their master but cannot be sold (aliping
namamahay), lives in their own house.
Slaves – they can be sold and live to their master’s house (aliping
saguguilar)
Economic Customs
Foreign trade with Borneo, China, Java, Thailand, Cambodia and Japan
Fishing in seas and rivers
Hunting in high lands
Planting of rice, crops, fruits and vegetables
Trade of products with other barangays by boat
Houses are made of bamboo, wood and nipa palm
Language and System of Writing
Tagalog, Ilocano, Pangasinan, Kapampangan, Sugbuhanon, Hiligaynon,
Magindanaw and Samarnon are used that originated from the Malayo-
Polenisian Language
Alphabets consisted of 3 vowels and 14 consonants called Baybayin.
Wrote on plant leaves, bamboo tubes, and bark of trees
Used tap of trees as ink and pointed stick as pencil.
Cultural Customs
Sons and daughters are trained in proper choice of
mate by their parents
Courtship begins with Paninilbihan
Pamamanhikan (approval) before marriage
The man needs to give dowry (payment) to the
woman’s family before marriage. It can be bigay-kaya
(a piece of land or gold), panghihimuyat (a gift for the
bride’s parents), bigay-suso (for brides wet nurse)
Marriage between two different social classes were not
common
Several grounds of divorce are adultery, abandonment
on the part of the husband, cruelty and insanity.
Religion Customs
Pandot or worship is a festive celebration, includes
performing of sacrifices to their idols that lasts for few days.
Often sacrifices goats, fowls and swine. This was performed
for the healing of the sick, good harvest, happy
marriage, successful childbirth etc.
They have feast for the members of barangay which is called
Nagaanitos.
Worship is performed in a large house of a chief.
The place of worship was called temple.
They worship many gods and godesses: Bathala, supreme
being; Idayanale, god of agriculture; Sidarapa, god of
death; Agni, god of fire; Balangaw; god of rainbow;
Mandarangan, god of war; Lalahon; god of harvest;
Siginarugan, god of hell.
They also believe in sacred animals and trees
Superstitious Beliefs
They believe in aswang, dwende, kapre, tikbalang, tiyanak
They also believe in magical power of amulet and charms
such as anting-anting, kulam, and gayuma.
Manner of burying
The deceased was buried beside his house, and if they
were a chief, he was placed beneath a little house of porch
which they constructed for his purpose. Before entering
him, they mourned him for four days and afterwards,
placed him in a boat which served as a coffien or bier.
Distinction of Priest and the Devil
Catalonan
Mangangauay
Manyisayat
Mancocolam
Hocloban
Silagan
Mantatangal
Osuang
Mangangayoma
Sonat
Pangatahojan
Bayoguuin
IV. Analysis of the important historicalinformation found in the document
The historical information in Customs of Tagalog describes the
way of life of the Filipinos before Spanish and Christian
influences.
Marriage, rituals, burial, social classes and political stratifications
of the Tagalog region were tackled in this primary source.
The claim of the Spaniards that when they arrive in the
Philippines, Filipinos were still uncivilized and lacking inculture
was proven wrong by Placensia’s account.
During the pre colonial time, Filipinos became more aware of
morality and the beliefs of Christianity that the Spaniards brought
to us.
V. Contribution of the document in understanding the grand
narrative of Philippine history
The original work itself is a product of observations and
judgments. Therefore, it is probable that Juan de Placensia’s
work might contain partiality in presenting his observations
and judgment.
It has continued to serve as a basis for historical
reconstructions of Tagalog society.
Pre-conquest society were not swept by the advent of the
Spanish regime.
This account served as the framework for Spanish laws and
policies.
VI. Relevance of the document to contemporary
times
It serves as an evidence that during the pre-his
panic period, Filipinos already have government
as well as a set of beliefs and practices.
This account is considered to be the foremost
source of information about the old customs of
the Filipinos.
Most of the 16th century beliefs and practices are
already not present today.
Placensia’s account preserves and popularizes
the unwritten customs, traditions, religion
and superstitious beliefs of us Filipino.
VII. Individual Reflection / Learning experience
This proves that the Spanish colonization greatly changed the
cultures and traditions of the early Filipinos especially when
they introduced Christianity. It states how during that period,
Filipinos already have asystematic government and rulers as
well as set of beliefs and practices. What I don’t like about the
early Filipino’s customs is the castes system. I realize that we are
very lucky that at the present time, this social stratification is not
existing anymore. However, there are also some customs that I
wish were still existing like the marriage customs such as
paninilbihan and pamamanhikan. I think it would be good if we
have preserved these traditions. All in all, this account of
Placensia thought me that not all of the customs that we had are
influence of the colonizers and Philippines had rich culture even
before the colonizers.
