RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM

WHAT IS HISTORY?
- It is a continues process and written in a chronological order of events and it is important to our society.
It’s from the Greek word “HISTORIA” which means to search or look into.
- As the time past by there are some changes into its meaning. History is a brief summary or result based
on factual research and it also deals with the sequence of important events. It deals with science that
describe and examine past event in the specific group of people.

Other Definitions of History:

• History is defined as a documented record of man and his society. (Gray, 1956, pp.1-3).
• As a field of study, history is a study of man and his achievements from the beginning of written records
to the present.
• As a literary form of history is an effective presentation of the unfolding events. But as a type of
literature history falls under nonfiction work.
• History comes from social history which defines it as a record of events showing the evolution of man
and his society from the earliest and from the age of barbarism to what he is today.

WHY STUDY HISTORY?

• An examination of the past can tell us a great deal about how we came to be who we are. It means
looking at the roots of modern institutions, ideas, values, and problems.
• Looking at the past teaches us to see the world through different eyes, appreciating the diversity of
human perceptions, beliefs, and cultures.
• Different and/or new perspectives will enable us to analyze critically the present contexts of our society
and beings.

SIGNIFICANCE OF HISTORY

Studying history is really important especially in the Philippine setting. These are the reasons why we need to
study:
1. We could determine and understand the contribution of our ancestor in the foundation of our
humanity, origin, and inherent culture. History gives picture to our humanity and to our society.
2. We could understand the task in the present and future if we study the history. The event in the past
has relation to our present and future. It gives meaning in different things and events in our society.
3. History can be used to examine and forecast the things in the environment and society. We’ve learned
to appreciate culture, love, and respect other people in the world.
4. History can give us deeper understanding of different problems and offer solutions in our present and
future. In the study of the past events, we discover new ways in studying in solving problems in the
present and future.
5. History is an eye opener to understand our culture, language, and society. History may arouse patriotic,
humanitarian nature in people.
6. History develops our knowledge about different race of people, culture, place, and time.
7. The stories of past about people and things in the world we live provide valuable lessons to us.
8. In studying history we’ve learned different ways of studying and researching in the social sciences. It
helps us to learn different ways of discovering new knowledge.

STUDYING HISTORY
Once upon a time, the history or story of a society or group of people is rooted from their myth, epic, folklore,
and rituals. It has been transferred from generation to generation. Over hundred years ago, study of history is
based on different data’s like documents, coins, seal, picture, and sculptures and carved statue.

In early times, recording history is important to the rulers of government to justify their works. During that
time the laws and agreement became an important basis.
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
Lately, the basis of data’s is not only through written documents but also the things that has to do with the lives
of people. Some of these things are their materials, corpse, settlement, plants, picture, computer text files and
environment.

Because of numerous resources of data’s, it is a difficult task for the historian to scrutinized and properly
choose which of these are valid. This is the reason why they need to clarify properly.

In studying history we need to document, examine the framework properly, it should consider the relation of
documents and events due to multifaceted past events. The important data’s should be connected and
understandable to become more relevant and realistic from its interpretation.

The study of history as discipline or science has its advancement during 1900. During those years, scientists
forcedly separated the good data’s from the documents from its interpretation.

Today, Scientist believes that it is impossible to do because the description of the past events used by the
historian comes from his/her own understanding and imagination that is scrutinized and connected to the
different data’s collected.

The experts who studied the different branches of social sciences greatly helps to prove that the data’s are
genuine. It enlightens and guides us to examine, give meaning and interpretation from the collected data’s.

Here are the branches of social sciences that could help studying history.
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
VARIOUS ROLES OF HISTORY IN THE PAST

• States use history to unite a nation. It can be used as a tool to legitimize regimes and forge a sense of
collective identity through collective memory.
• Lessons from the past can be used to make sense of the present. Learning of past mistakes can help
people to not repeat them.
• As a narrative, any history that has been taught and written is always intended for certain group of
audience.

HISTORICAL METHOD
- Historical method comprises the techniques and guidelines by which historians use primary sources
and other evidence to research and then to write histories in the form of accounts of the past. The
question of the nature, and even the possibility, of a sound historical method is raised in the philosophy
of history as a question of epistemology. The study of historical method and writing is known as
historiography

QUESTIONS AND ISSUES IN HISTORY

Historiography
- the history of history.
- different from history’s object of study is the past, the events that happened in the past and the causes
of such events while historiography’s object of study is history itself (how was a certain historical text
written? Who wrote it? What was the context of the publication? What particular historical method was
employed? What are the sources used?
- letting students have better understanding of history because they are provided with the understanding
of the facts and the historian’s contexts, the methods employed by the historian and the theory and
perspective, which guided him.
- significant for someone studying history because it teaches the students to be critical in the lessons of
history presented to him.

One of the problems confronted by history is the accusation that the history is always written by victors. For
example, the history of the Second World War in the Philippines always depicts the United States as the hero
and the Imperial Japanese Army as the oppressors. Filipinos who collaborated with the Japanese were lumped
in the category of traitors or collaborators. However, a more thorough historical investigation revealed a more
nuanced account of the history of that period instead of a simplified narratives as a story of the hero versus
villain.

Introduction

This module aims to introduce the different sources used in studying history. Topics such as historical
sources and historical criticisms will be discussed. These topics are important in understanding history and will
be used on the succeeding courses in RIPH. This will help you develop the discipline in evaluating the validity of
the sources that you are using not only in this subject but also in other courses, especially, nowadays wherein
there is a proliferation of fake news/articles. Links of different sources such as videos and reading materials are
provided. Activities and assignment are also included in this module to assess your learning. You are expected
to answer and submit all the requirements provided to pass this module.

Lesson 1 – HISTORICAL SOURCES

“It (history) is a continuous process of interaction between the historian and his facts, an unending dialogue
between the present and the past.” (E.H. Carr)
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
A historical writing must be based from credible historical sources, or else, this is just a mere opinion of
the writer.

A historical source is anything that contain important historical information. These sources give us the
most basic information that could be used in studying history. It is also known as historical material or data.
Historians depend on these sources in creating their own depiction and/or interpretation of the past.

Historical sources could be divided into two classifications, primary sources and secondary sources.

Primary Sources
- are evidences left by a person (or group of persons) who witnessed or participated in the events under
examination or someone who provided a contemporary expression of values or ideas of the period
being studied. These sources are first-hand evidences.
- A primary source could be written or non-written.
- Examples of written primary sources are newspapers, books, letters, diaries, minutes of meetings,
autobiographies, or government documents written about the event at that time. While non-written
sources include photos, tools, interviews, films, recordings of music and speeches, clothing, kitchen
wares, bridges or buildings from the period being studied.

Secondary Sources
- are narratives written or made by people who were not present or involved in the events under
examination. These sources were written or done after the events/ideas they describe. These kinds of
sources are based upon primary sources and/or other secondary sources. It interprets and analyzes
primary sources.
- Examples are textbooks, printed materials such as serials and periodicals, and websites. Secondary
sources may contain graphics, video clips, quotes and/or pictures of primary sources.

Sometimes, a primary source can become a secondary source or vice versa. It depends on how the source is
being used.

For example, if you are studying the life of Jose Rizal and using 1961 articles about his life and works, the
articles are secondary. On the other hand, if you are researching on the centenary celebration of Rizal’s
birthday, the articles become primary sources.

Lesson 2 – HISTORICAL CRITICISM

“The historian without his fact is rootless and futile; the facts without their historian are dead and meaningless”
(E.H. Carr)
Historical sources are needed by historians, without which, his works will be just an opinionated,
baseless article. But, not all things from the past could be used as sources. Historians have to verify sources, to
date them, locate their place of origin and identify their intended functions.
In order for a source to be used as evidence in history, there are things that must be settled first. A
source must be authentic and credible. Historians use Historical Method, the historian’s handicraft, i.e. the
techniques historians apply in collecting, evaluating, validating and interpreting historical evidence to gain
knowledge of the past. To test if a source is worth using as evidence, it must be subjected to historical criticism,
externally and internally.

Historical Criticism
External Criticism - determines authenticity of the source. It establishes the consistency of the source
with known and accepted facts. Through external criticism, you can determine and trace back the provenance
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
of the source. It is the evaluation of the form of the document. It is used to spot fabricated, forged, and/or faked
documents.
How to Test the Authenticity of a Source
1. Determine the date of publication/creation of the document to see whether they are anachronous
(example, type writers do not exist before 1700s)
2. Determine the author (hand writing, signature, seal)
3. Anachronistic style (punctuation, idiom, ortography)
4. Determine the provenance of the document
5. Semantics - determining of the meaning of the word
Internal Criticism - establishes the credibility of the source. It tries to establish the meaning which the
author wants to convey. It tries to establish the accuracy of the source. It tests the source’s verisimilarity, as
close as what really happened from a critical examination of best available sources.
How to test the credibility of a Source
1. Identification of the author (determine his reliability; mental processes, personal attitudes)
2. Determination of the approximate date
3. Ability to tell the truth (nearness to the, competence of witness, degree of attention)
4. Willingness to tell the truth (determine if the author consciously or unconsciously tells falsehoods)
5. Corroboration (historical information or facts which rest upon the other reliable evidences and
witnesses)
Lesson 3 – REPOSITORIES OF PRIMARY SOURCES

Primary sources are very important in writing our history. It must be kept in a secured place and be
available for those who would like to study history. Unfortunately, many of the primary sources of Philippine
history where kept in different museums and library in other countries especially those who colonized the
Philippines; Spain, Britain, America, and Japan.

In the Philippines, there are repositories of important primary sources. The following are the list of libraries
and museums with great Filipiniana collections:

• National Archives of the Philippines

• National Library of the Philippines
• National Historical Commission of the Philippines
• Library of Congress
• University of the Philippines Main Library
• Ateneo de Manila University Library
• De La Salle University Library
• University of Santo Tomas Library
• Lopez Memorial Museum
• Ayala Museum

To ease the historical research endeavors, the National Quincentennial Committee launched the
National Memory Project Philippines on August 13, 2020. This is in solidarity with the 133rd founding
anniversary of the country’s repository of Filipino intellectual heritage, The National Library of the Philippines.
With this project, history researchers, both professional and non-professionals, will be aware of the historical
sources found in various libraries and museums of the country. This project will democratize knowledge which
will let Filipino society enjoy the richness of its national and local history.
NQC announces that the National Historical Commission of the Philippines is sharing to the public the
titles in Serafin D. Quiason Resource Center (also known as Historical Data Bank) as the corpus of the NMPP.
This is in line with its objective in democratizing the historical sources. The following are the on-going/planned
activities by the NHCP in line with this project:
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
• Gradual uploading of the catalogs of its twenty-seven history museums across the country, mostly items
associated with our national heroes and other illustrious personages.
• Uploading of rare photos, audio, audio-visual, and other ephemera of NHCP
• Inclusion of catalogs of other local studies centers, research institutions, and museums across the
country that are affiliated with Local Historical Committee Network

You can also find primary sources in different local museums and libraries, historical shrines, and
personal collections.

Nowadays, students are using the internet in searching for sources for their assignments, research
papers and others. It is a very valuable tool and an important source of both primary and secondary sources.
But there are websites that are biased, partisan and misusing unreliable information found in the internet
which mislead the students or anyone who reads it without evaluating that information. You must be ready to
think critically to avoid becoming a victim of these kind of websites. We can consider checking the following
criteria set by the University of Colorado in choosing website for historical searches:
1. Author
2. Bias
3. Citations
4. Dates
5. Reviews

FERDINAND MAGELLAN
• February 3, 1480- April 25, 1521
• Portuguese Explorer who organized the Spanish Expeditions to the East Indies from 1519-1522 to
search for western route to the Maluku Islands ( the Spice Island) resulting in the first circumnavigation
of the Earth, completed by Juan Sebastian Elcano

ANTONIO PIGAFETTA
• 1491-1531
• Italian scholar and explorer from the republic of Venice
• He traveled with the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his crew by order of the King Charles
1 of Spain on their Voyage around the world.
• His work became a classic that prominent literary men in the West like William Shakespeare, Michel de
Montaigne and Giambattista Vico referred to the book in their interpretation of the New World.
• His travelogue is one of the most important primary sources in the study of precolonial Philippines.
• His account was also a major referent to the events leading to Magellans arrival in the Philippines, his
encounter with local leaders, his death in the hands of Lapu-lapu’s forces in the Battle of Mactan and in
the departure of what was left of Magellan’s fleet from the islands.

The First Voyage Around the World by Magellan

• The document reveals several insights not just in the character of the Philippines during pre-colonial
period, but also on how the fresh eyes of the European regard a deeply unfamiliar terrain, environment,
people, and culture.
• Published after Pigafetta returned to Italy.
• Antonio Pigafetta wrote his firsthand observation and general impression of the Far East including their
Experiences in the Visayas.
• In Pigafetta’s account, their fleet reached what he called the Ladrones Islands or the “Islands of the
Thieves.”
• “These people have no arms, but use sticks, which have a fishbone at the end. They are poor, but
ingenious, and great thieves, and for the sake of that we called these three islands the Ladrones
Islands”.
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
ANALYSIS OF PIGAFETTA’S CHRONICLE
• “The best storyteller is the one who not only knows the story but saw it.”
• One of the most cited documents by historians who wished to study the pre-colonial Philippines.
• One of the earliest written accounts.
• Pigaffetta was seen as a credible source for a period, which was prior unchronicled and undocumented.
• Earliest detailed documentation.
• It was believed that Pigafetta’s writings account for the “purest” precolonial society.
• Pigafetta’s work is a great importance in study and writing of Philippine history.
• We should recognized certain biases accompanying the author and his identity, loyalties, and the
circumstances that he was in; and how it affected the text that he produced.
• We need to understand that he was a chronicler commissioned by the King of Spain to accompany and
document a voyage intended to expand the Spanish empire. A noble descent who came from a rich
family in Italy.
• These attributes influenced his narrative, his selection of details to be included in the text, his
characterization of the people and of the species that he encountered, and his interpretation and
retelling of the events.
• Being a scholar of cartography and geography, Pigafetta was able to give details on geography and
climate of the places that their voyage reached.
• Pigafetta’s description to people came from sixteenth century European perspective.
• Pigaffetta regarded the indigenous belief systems and way of life as inferior to Christianity and of the
Europeans.
• He always remarks on the nakedness of the natives or how he was fascinated by their exotic culture.
• He emphasized the native’s amazement and illiteracy to the European artillery, merchandise, and other
goods.
• He repeatedly mentioned the abundance of spices like ginger, and of precious metals like gold.
• When they saw the indigenous attires of the natives, Pigafetta saw them as being naked because from
the European standpoint, they were wearing fewer clothes.
• Pigafetta’s perspective was too narrow to realize that such attire was only appropriate to the tropical
climate of the islands.
• The same for the materials that the native used for their houses like palm and bamboo that would let
more air come through the house and compensate for the hot climate in the islands.
• We should understand that such observations were rooted from the context of Pigafetta and his era.

EUROPE
• Dominated by the Holy Roman Empire.
• Loyalty and purpose were the domination of the Catholic Church all over the world.
• Other belief systems different from that of Christianity were perceived to be blasphemous and barbaric,
even demonic.
• Sixteen century European economy was mercantilist (system measures the wealth of kingdom based on
their accumulation of bullions or precious metals like gold and silver.
• That’s why Pigafetta always mentions the abundance of gold in the islands as shown in his description
of leaders wearing gold rings and golden daggers, and of the gold mines.
• An empire like Spain would indeed search for new lands where they could acquire more gold and
wealth to be on top of all the European nations.
• The obsession with spices might be odd for Filipinos because of its ordinariness in the Philippines, but
understanding the context would reveal that spices were scarce in Europe.

Customs of the Tagalog by Juan de Plasencia

Background of the Author: Juan De Plasencia

Other names: Fray Juan de Plasencia, Juan Portocarrero in Plasencia, Joan de Puerto Carrero
Death: died in Liliw, Laguna in 1590.
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
Early Years
Juan de Plasencia was born in the early 16th century as Juan Portocarrero in Plasencia, in the region of
Extremadura, Spain. His real name is Joan de Puerto Carrero. He was one of the seven children of Pedro
Portocarrero, a captain of a Spanish schooner. Juan de Plasencia grew up during the period known as the Siglo
de Oro, a Golden Age when arts and literature prospered in many parts of Spain, among them his native
Extremadura.

Life in the Philippines

He is believed to have arrived in the Philippines in 1578, after a stopover in Mexico. As soon as he
arrived, he joined forces with another missionary, Fray Diego de Oropesa, and they both started. preaching
around Laguna de Bay and Tayabas, Quezon. As a friar, Juan de Plasencia lived up to his pledge. He was trying
to convert people to Christianity. He was also known to be a defender of the native population, looking after the
poor, ill, or neglected, and standing up for their rights on numerous occasions.

Summary of the History Background of Customs of the Tagalogs

Customs of the Tagalog was written by Spanish friar Franciscan friar during the early 16 th century. In
the first place, the author was not a native Tagalog but a Franciscan Missionary who first arrived in the
Philippines in 1577. He was tasked by the King of Spain to document the customs and traditions of the
colonized (natives), based on his own observation and judgment.
The first issue was about the authorship or the identity of the author; second, the discourse of power in
colonial writing; and last, the logic of dichotomy, these issues are probably the problems of colonial writing in
the Philippines. Given the huge number of biases and to great extent, inaccurate. judgment and pretensions of
the author of the Customs of the Tagalog, the text was clearly not for local. consumption but for Western
readers.
The Customs of the Tagalog was intentionally made to provide an eroticize description of the Tagalog
natives, clearly fed by politics and propaganda. Juan de Plasencia wrote the Customs of the Tagalog to see the
continuous progress of the Native culture in the Philippines. He used his work to inform the Filipinos about the
differences and the similarities of our culture by then and now. Also, Juan de Plasencia's work made the
Filipinos realized how amazing the Tagalog culture before.

Content and Analysis

• Datos - governed as many as a hundred houses, sometimes even less than thirty hems and were
captains in their wars, and whom they obeyed and reverenced.
• Barangay – tribal gathering in Tagalog was inferred that the reason for giving themselves this name
arose from the boat as they’ve reached this land.
o It is ascertained that this barangay in its origin was a family of parents and children, relations
and slaves.
o The chiefs, in their various wars, helped one another with their respective barangays.

Three Castes: Nobles, Commoners, Slaves

a) Nobles or Maharlicas
• Free born.
• Do not pay tax or tribute to the dato but must accompany him in war at their own expense.
• The chief offered them a feast beforehand, and afterward they divided the spoils. They would also
help or serve the Dato to row for him on a boat, help him build a house in exchange for food and
• set or clear lands for tillage.

b) Commoners or Aliping Namamahay

• They are married, and serve their master, whether he is a dato or not, with half of their cultivated lands,
as was agreed upon in the beginning.
• They accompanied him whenever he went beyond the island and rowed for him. They live in their own
houses, and are lords of their property and gold which their children can inherit. Their children will
enjoy the rank of their father, which they can’t be slaves nor can either parents or children be sold. If
they should fall by inheritance into the hands of a son of their master who was going to dwell in another
village,
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
• they could not be taken from their own village and carried with him; but they would remain in
• their native village, doing service there and cultivating the sowed lands.

c) Slaves or Aliping Saguiguilir

• They serve their master in his house and on his cultivated lands and may be sold even their children.
• They can be either farmers or slaves. Slaves were fed by their master while farmers were given them
part of their harvest based on their hard work for them to eat. Slaves are often captured from the war.
• The difference between Commoners and Slaves should be noted because it is illegal based on their rules
to sell the commoners and their children.
• The alkalde mayors didn’t know this that is why they captured the commoners’ children and sell it to
become slaves.

Division of the Land

• The people on the barangay would divide the land and each would respect their ownership. No
outsider on the barangay could use the land unless it was sold or inherited.
• The land on the tingues is open to all and could be used by any of the members on the barangay; the one
who planted there could harvest it without being punished. Even though Maharlicas do not pay tax, they
should give 100 gantas of rice.

Marriages with Castes

• Maharlica (man) + Maharlica (woman) = Maharlica
• Maharlica (man) + Slave = Free Child
• If a Maharlica had a child on his slave, the children and their mother will be free.
• Maharlica + Other slave-woman = half free half slave

The maharlica was compelled to give the master half of a gold tael because of the risk of death and inability
to do work while pregnant. If the father wouldn’t recognize the child as his own, he will be a wholly slave.

• Maharlica (woman) + Slave = free child

o If a woman had a child with her slave, they would be all free provided that he was not her
husband.
• Maharlica + Aliping Namamahay/Aliping Saguiguilir = division of children
• First, third, and fifth belonged to the father, second, fourth, and sixth belonged to the
• Mother regardless of gender.
• If the Father was free, all of his children who belonged to him was free, if he was a slave, all of those
who belonged to him were slaves, same applied to the Mother.
• If their children resulted in an odd number, the odd one was half free and half slave.

Rules and Regulations

1. Maharlicas could not move from one village to another or from one barangay to another without a
certain fine in gold. Failure to pay may result a war between the two barangays.
2. If a man had a wife on the other barangay, their children will be divided into the 2 barangays, this way
the Datos will have enough companions.
3. If the Dato is energetic and commands what the religious fathers enjoin him, they soon leave him and go
to other villages and other datos, who endure and protect them and do not order them about.
4. Investigations made, and sentences passed by the dato must take place in the presence of those of his
barangay.
5. If the controversy lay between two chiefs, when they wished to avoid war, they also convoked judges to
act as arbiters; they did the same if the disputants belonged to two different barangays.
6. A man of low birth should be condemned to death if he insulted the Dato, his daughter and wife.
7. They condemned no one to slavery unless he merited the death penalty.
8. All other offenses were punished by fines in gold.
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
Debts and Loans
1. There are ways to pay debts, this was done in the following way: Half the cultivated lands and all their
produce belonged to the master.
2. If the father should by chance pay his debt, the master then claims that he had fed and clothed his
children, and should be paid therefore.
3. If the culprit had some relative or friend who paid for him, he was obliged to render the latter half of his
service until he was paid—not, however, service within the house as aliping sa guiguilir, but living
independently, as aliping namamahay.
4. The aliping saguigulir could pay more than 5 taels for his freedom, if he successfully paid 10 taels he is
considered free.

Dowries and Inheritance

1. Dowries are given by men to the women's parents before marriage. If the parents were both alive, they
would enjoy it. But if the woman has no parent or relatives, the whole dowry will be given to her. Other
than that, the man should give a greater dowry if he will marry a daughter of a maharlica or dato.
2. There would only be chaos about the dowry if someone violated the agreement between the two
families and paid a certain sum which varies according to the practice of the village.
3. If a man had a child from his two or more legitimate wives, each child received an inheritance from the
dowry that was given to their mother.
4. If the husband also had a child to one of his slaves, it won't receive anything from the inheritance
because the legitimate children were bound to free the slave mother and give him tael or slave (if the
man is a mahalica or datu). But if it is not, it depends on the agreement of both sides. And if besides his
legitimate children, he also had a child from a free unmarried woman who receives dowry but not
considered as real wife.
5. Children from legitimate wives will inherit bigger and the third part is for the illegitimate children. But
if there is no child from legitimate wives, and he had on free unmarried woman, it will inherit the
remaining.
6. When the man only had a child on the slave woman it will receive the third part; if there is no any child,
the dowry will be given to the relatives of the man.
7. Adopted children will inherit double of what was paid for their adoption, but if the child died first; his
children won’t inherit from the second father. The arrangement stops there.

Divorce
• In the case of divorce before the birth of child, if the wife left the husband for the purpose of marrying
someone, she must return the dowry with an additional amount. But if she did not marry another, she
would just return the dowry. If the husband left the wife, he should give half of the dowry to her wife. If they
already had a child at that time, the whole dowry must be given to the relatives that are responsible for
their children.

Worship of the Tagalogs

• Before the introduction of Christianity, the Filipinos were mostly pagans. They worshipped spirits which
they believed dwell in objects like trees, mountains, rivers, etc. They worshipped nature, the sun, the moon,
and the stars. They also believed in a supreme God or deity. Because of their belief in a deity and in animate
or living things their religion was called animo-delsm.
o Simbahan – temple or place of adoration.
o Pandot – ‘worship’ which they celebrated in the large house of the Dato.
o During this time the whole barangay, or family, united and joined in the worship which they call.
o nagaanitos.
• Among their many idols there was one called Bathala, whom they especially worshiped. The title seems to
signify “all powerful” or “maker of all things.”

Idols
• The Pleiades – Seven little goats
• Balatic – Greater Bear
• Lic-ha - which were images with different shapes.
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
• Dian Masalanta - who was the patron of lovers and of generation.
• Lacapati and Idianale - were the patrons of the cultivated lands and of husbandry

Beliefs
• Tigmamanugui – a bird which was singing in the tree, or if they chanced upon anyone who sneezed, they
returned at once to their house, considering the incident as an augury that some evil might befall them if
they should continue their journey—especially when the abovementioned bird sang. This song had two
different forms: in the one case it was considered as an evil omen; in the other, as a good omen, and then
they continued their journey. They also practiced divination, to see whether weapons, such as a dagger or
knife, were to be useful and lucky for their possessor whenever occasion should offer.
Distinctions made among the priests of the devil:

• CATOLONAN - either a man or a woman. This office was an honorable one among the natives, and was held
ordinarily by people of rank, this rule being general in all the islands.

• MANGAGAUAY - wishes who deceived by pretending to heal the sick. These priests even induced maladies
by their charms, which in proportion to the strength and efficacy of the witchcraft, can cause death. In this
way, if they wished to kill at one, they did so, or they could prolonged life for a year by binding to the waist
a live serpent, which was believed to be the devil, or at least his substance. This office was general
throughout the land.

• MANYISALAT - the same as manggagaway. These priests had the power of applying such remedies to lovers
that they would abandon and despise their own wives, and in fact could prevent them from having
intercourse with the latter. If the woman, constrained by these means, were abandoned, it would bring
sickness upon her; and on account of the desertion, she would discharge blood and matter. This office was
also general throughout the land.
• MANCOCOLAM whose duty was to emit fire from himself at night, once or oftener each month. This fire
could not be extinguished; nor could it be emitted except as the priest wallowed in the ordure, filth which
falls from the house, and he who lived in the house where the priest was wallowing in order to emit this fire
from himself, fell ill and died. This office was general.

• HOCLOBON - of greater efficacy than the MANGAGAUAY. Without the use of medicine, and by simply
saluting or raising the hand, they killed whom they chose. But if they desired to heal those whom they had
made ill by their charms, they did so by using other charms.

• SILAGAN - whose office it was if they saw anyone clothed in white, to tear out its liver and eat it, thus
causing his death.

• MAGTATANGAL - his purpose was to show himself at night to many people, without his head or entrails. In
such wise the devil walled about carrying, or pretended to carry, his head to different places: and, in the
morning, returned it to his body remaining, as before, alive.

• OSUANG - equivalent to SORCERER they say that they have seen him fly, and that he murdered men and ate
their flesh. This was among the Visayas Islands.

• MANGAGAYOMA - They made charms for lovers out of herbs, stones, and wood which would infuse the
heart with love. Thus did they deceived the people, although sometimes, through the intervention of the
devil, they gained their ends.

• SONAT - equivalent to PREACHER. It was his office to help one to die, at which time he predicted the
salvation or condemnation of the soul. It was not lawful for the functions of this office to be fulfilled by
others than people of high standing, on account of the esteem in which it was held. This office was general
throughout the islands.

• PANGATAHOJAN - was a soothsayer and predicted the future. This office was general in all islands.
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
• BAYOGUIN - signified a COTQUEAN a man whose nature inclined toward that of a woman.

Contribution and Relevance

Our culture is a big reflection of our great and complex history. It is influenced by most of the people we
have interacted with. A blend of the Malayo-Polynesian and Hispanic culture with the influence from Chinese,
Indians Arabs, and other Asian cultures really contribute to the customs and traditions of the Filipinos. In terms
of religion, the Philippines is dominated with Roman Catholics. Filipino’s faith and belief often reflects on how
often they go to church and. It comes to an extent where they show their devotion to religions by sometimes
taking the risk of their lives just to touch the Black Nazarene (in Quiapo Manila). For many, it is just a choice
between their faith and fears. Filipinos believe that having a strong devotion may lead to a better life and their
guidance to face everyday life.
On the other hand, the Philippines had been known for their superstitious beliefs. These beliefs have
come from the different sayings and beliefs of our ancestors that aim to prevent danger from happening or to
make a person refrain from doing something. These beliefs are part of our culture and originated from the
influences of what their customs, traditions and culture have dictated to explain certain phenomena or to scare
people. Some are practiced primarily because Filipinos believe that there is nothing to lose if they will comply
with these beliefs.
The primary ancestors of Filipinos are Malays who came from the Southeast Asian country, Indonesia.
The Philippines is a combined society, both singular and plural in form. It is singular as one nation, but plural in
that it is fragmented geographically and culturally. The nation is divided between Christians, Muslims, and
other religious-ethno-linguistic groups; between urban and rural people; between upland and lowland people;
and between the rich and the poor. Although different in numerous ways, the Filipinos are very hospitable and
give appropriate respect to everybody regardless of race, culture, and belief.
Many of the 16th century beliefs and practices are still present today. It affirms that during the Pre-
Hispanic Period, Filipinos already have a government as well as set of beliefs and practices. Some of our
perception on Filipino beliefs and practices are somehow no different from Juan de Plasencias point of view.
Also, knowing how amazing Philippines since then got me so proud. Though some of the practices before
weren’t being practiced today, still these practices gave us our own identity.

KARTILYA NG KATIPUNAN WRITTEN BY Emilio Jacinto

Emilio Jacinto
Apart from Bonifacio another significant revolutionary writer was Emilio Jacinto. Jacinto is
remembered as the Brains of the Katipunan. Born on December 15, 1875 in Trozo, Tondo, Manila, he lost his
father, Mariano Jacinto, at very young age and he was raised by his mother, Josefa Dizon, and uncle. He studied
at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran where he obtained the degree of bachiller en artes. Later he enrolled at the
University of Santo Tomas to study law. It was during this time when Jacinto joined the Katipunan and he was
one of the youngest members of the revolutionary society at the age of 18. In the katipunan, he was known by
his pseudonym Pingkian and he became the editor of the Katipunan newspaper Kalayaan.
As one of the main leaders of the Katipunan Jacinto authored the Kartilya or the primer of the
Katipunan which was adopted by Bonifacio. Before Jacinto's work there was already a kartilya written by
Bonifacio, but seeing Jacinto's version was better, Bonifacio set aside his own and used Jacinto's Kartilya
instead. The Kartilya contains a code of conduct for the Katipuneros and it reveals that aside from seeking
political and social change the Katipunan aims to create a moral change for its members and it aspires that this
Kartilya will instill moral and patriotic values for the Filipinos in general.
Writing as Dimas-ilaw, Jacinto wrote a collection of writings entitled Liwanag at Dilim. His poem A la
Patria which was said to be the equivalent of Rizal's Mi Ultimo Adios. In the Katipunan, Jacinto served as its
secretary and fiscal. He fought in Laguna and Morong and while he was fighting in Laguna he was wounded and
captured by the Spaniards. He was saved from execution when he passed himself off as a spy working for the
Spaniards. Upon his release Jacinto refused an offer to be the adviser to Aguinaldo because he believed that
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
Aguinaldo had a hand in the death of his friend, Andres Bonifacio. Jacinto decided to live the simple life as a
meat merchant. In 1899 Jacinto was afflicted with malaria and in his weakened state he was also afflicted by
dysentery which caused his death. He died on April 16, 1899 in Majayjay, Laguna.
His remains were later transferred to the Manila North Cemetery.
INTRODUCTION
The Katipunan was for a long time, best remembered by school children in Gregorio F. Zaide’s history
textbook, for the so-called August 26, 1896, Cry of Balintawak—made momentous and dramatic by the mass
tearing of cedulas personal. Other historians like Teodoro Agoncillo, later challenged this claim (his version was
August 23, 1896 at Pugad Lawin), and soon, as other accounts surfaced, the date and place of its actual
occurrence became a national controversy. But the Katipunan was not just a cry for freedom. It was a national
aspiration made flesh. It caught the passion of ordinary people, willing to stake their lives and overcome the
dread of reprisals; believing that worse fate awaited their families if they did not stand up to face their
oppressors. It was a secret society that had a formal hierarchy composed of a supreme council and local
councils, and a ritual of membership often mistaken for Masonry. Moreover, it had an ideology embodied in its
Ang Kartilya ng Katipunan, authored by Emilio Jacinto.
It was Andres Bonifacio who first formulated a code of conduct and to whom the Dekalogo ng
Katipunan was attributed. But it was not published; instead, it was said that upon reading the Kartilya drafted
by Jacinto, Bonifacio decided that it was superior to his Dekalogo, and adopted it as the official primer of the
Katipunan. Emilio Jacinto, then became the chief theoretician and adviser of Bonifacio and later earned for him
the title Brains of the Katipunan. Joining the Katipunan in 1894, he was the youngest member and nicknamed,
according to historian Dr Isagani R. Medina (1992), Emiliong Bata to distinguish him from Emiliong Matanda,
or Emilio Aguinaldo.
The Dekalogo had only ten points and dealt primarily with one’s duties to God, country, family,
neighbor, the Katipunan and himself. It spoke of honor, charity and self-sacrifice but warned of penalty to the
traitor and disobedient. The Kartilya was longer, more literary, and philosophical. It presented its concept of
virtuous living as lessons for self-reflection, rather than as direct prescriptions. It asserted that it was the
internal, not the external qualifications that make human greatness. In the third statement, Jacinto defined true
piety (kabanalan) as charity, love for one another, and actions, deeds and speech guided by judicious reasons
(“talagang katuiran”, literally, true reason). Written more than a hundred years ago at a time when the idea of
nationhood was still a dream, the Kartilya reflected a vision, “bright sun of freedom in the islands, spreading its
light upon brothers and a race united.”
The Kartilya can be better appreciated in its original Tagalog form because its essence was expressed
using Tagalog syntax. It should also be appreciated within the context of the social and political environment of
that colonial era, amid local traditions, spiritual beliefs, family concepts and ethnic diversity.
KATIPUNAN IDEOLOGY - ANG KARTILYA NG KATIPUNAN
The Katipunan was founded by Andres Bonifacio and their goal was to unite and prepare the people for
an armed conflict in order to liberate the country from the tyranny of the Spaniards. The moral & civic objective
of the Katipunan revolved around the teachings of good manners, hygiene, good morals, self-help and defense
of the poor and oppressed. The Kartilya made by the Katipunan are:
RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM

Summary of the History Background of the Kartilya ng Katipunan

In the study of the Katipunan History and its documents, Jim Richardson said that” the Kartilya is
the best known of all Katipunan Texts” and it is “the only document of any length set in print by the
Katipunan prior to August 1896 that is known to be still extant.” The Kartilya was printed as a small pamphlet
that was distributed to the members of the Katipunan. Its term was derived from the Spanish
Cartilla which was the primer used for grade school during the Spanish Period. And like the cartillas, this
document served as the primary lessons for the members of the Katipunan.

• To whom it was written:

It was made mainly for the Katipuneros. Upon joining to be one of the Katipuneros, members
are required to read the Kartilya and cling to its code of conducts; to change the Philippines for the
better. Early Katipunero believes that changing the way Filipino thought and acted was the most
important things to be considered.

• Historical Importance:
In 1896 there is what we called “Duties of the sons of the people” that was written by Andres Bonifacio that
strictly followed by the members of the organization. This Decalogue embodied what Bonifacio’s beliefs.
Bonifacio would then later adopt Jacinto’s Kartilya ng Katipunan as the official teaching of the katipunan. He
adopted the kartilya and named it Dekalogo that mainly focused on one’s duty to God, country neighbour,
family, the Katipunan and himself. It tells all about honor, charity and self –sacrifice for the beloved land and
also spoke and warned about traitor and disobedient. In
difference between Dekalogo and Kartilya, Kartilya is more and much longer and more philosophical. It shows
concepts of virtuous living as lessons for self-reflection. The amazing side of the Kartilya is not
only a leading for the Katipunan Members, it embodied moral and nationalistic principle for all Filipinos.
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
• Content and Analysis
1. The order for those who want to join the association shall have the full understanding and knowledge of
its guiding principles and main teachings so that they may perform their duties wholeheartedly.
2. As soon as anybody enters the association, he shall perforce renounce disorderly habits and shall
submit to the authority of the sacred commands of the Katipunan.
3. If the applicant merely wishes to know the secrets of the Association, or to seek personal gratification,
or to know who is here in order to sell them for a handful of silver, he cannot proceed, for the many who
are watching him will already know his intentions, and will immediately have recourse to an effective
remedy, such as befits traitors.
4. If an applicant merely desires financial support relief or wants to lead a life of bodily comfort and ease,
he had better not proceed, for he will encounter weighty tasks, like the protection of the oppressed and
the relentless fight against all that is evil.
5. The punctual payment of dues is required: one peso upon entry and then twelve and a half centimos
each month. The custodian of the funds will periodically render an account to the members, and each
member has a right to examine the accounts, should he so wish. The funds cannot be expended without
the consent of the majority.

The (Real) Kartilya of the Katipunan by Emilio Jacinto (And Musings on the Revolution and Republic)
The Kartilya comprises thirteen lessons that detail not only the vision of the Katipunan, but the vision for a
egalitarian and morally sound Filipino nation.

For the Katipunan leadership, such as Emilio Jacinto, the ideas of Right and Light, Katwiran and
Kaliwanagan, were of utmost importance. They saw themselves as not only as inheritors of the Age of
Enlightenment, but intellectual and moral revolutionaries fighting to create and define a nation and culture that
was post-Enlightenment; that was no longer shackled by the ideological and colonial restraints of the West, but
a country that adopted and merged the best of Spain, the United States, France, and our own unique culture and
society, in support of being Filipino. For the upliftment of mind and virtue the foregoing shall be perused and
practiced vigorously.

1. A life that is not dedicated to a noble and divine cause is like a tree without a shade, if not, a poisonous
weed.
2. A deed that is motivated by self-interest or self-pity and done without sincerity lacks nobility.
3. True piety is the act of being charitable, loving one's fellowmen, and being judicious in behavior, speech
and deed.
4. We are all equal, regardless of the color of their skin; while one could have more education, wealth or
beauty than the other, none of them can overpass one's identity.
5. A person with a noble character values honor above self-interest, while a person with a base character
values self-interest above honor.
6. To a man with a sense of shame, his word is inviolate.
7. Do not waste your time; lost wealth can be retrieved, but time lost is lost forever.
8. Defend the oppressed and fight the oppressor.
9. A wise man is someone who is careful in all that he says; learn to keep the things that need to be kept
secret.
10. In the thorny path of life, the man leads the way and his wife and children follow; If the leader goes the
way of evil, so do the followers.
11. Never regard a woman as an object for you to trifle with; rather you should consider her as a partner and
a friend in times of need; Give proper considerations to a woman's frailty and never forget that your own
mother, who brought you forth and nurtured you from infancy, is herself such a person.
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
12. Do not do to the wife, children and brothers and sisters of others what you do not want others to do to
your wife, children and brothers and sisters.
13. A (person's) worth is not measured by his/her status in life, neither by the length of his nose nor the
fairness of skin, and certainly not by whether he is a priest claiming to be God's deputy. Even if he is a
tribesman/tribeswoman from the hills and speaks only his/her own tongue, a (person) is honorable if
he/she possesses a good character, is true to his/her word, has fine perceptions and is loyal to his/her
native land.
14. When these teachings shall have been propagated and the glorious sun of freedom begins to shine on
these poor islands to enlighten a united race and people, then all the loves lost, all the struggle and
sacrifices shall not have been in vain.

The original version has 14 paragraphs that contains the values that a Katipunero should have. Each
paragraph is unique in such a way that they tackle different aspects of a person’s life. In which case, anyone
may have different interpretation. Hence, it is only appropriate to have a better understanding or explanation
to its contents.
1. The first tenet highlights the importance of living a purpose-driven life. A Katipunero who does not
have a purpose lives a useless life.
2. The second rule is all about doing the right thing. A deed carried out for the sake of fame is not worthy
of praise.
3. The third tenet shows what kindness really means. True act of kindness for a Katipunero is in the love
and service he render to other people and not the other way around.
4. The fourth tenet highlights equality. Every Katipuneros are treated equally no matter what race or
educational background he has.
5. The fifth shows what honor should mean for a Katipunero. A true Katipunero values honor more than
his personal interest.
6. The sixth tenet is all about being a man of word. A Katipunero who has a sense of shame must be a man
of his word.
7. The seventh rule gives importance to time. A Katipunero must give importance to time. For the
Katipunan, a time that is lost will never be back.
8. The eighth tenet is all about fighting for what is right. A Katipunero must protect the weak and fight
those who oppress the weak.
9. The ninth tenet highlights the importance trust. A Katipunero is careful with what he says and keeps the
things that must be kept secret.
10. The tenth principle is all about being able to lead a family. A Katipunero must lead his family to the right
path. If the leader is consumed by evil, so does his followers.
11. The eleventh principle is all about women. A Katipunero must give importance to a woman. He must not
see her as an object, nor a past time. That whenever a Katipunero sees a woman, he will remember his
mother who nurtured him.
12. The twelfth principle gives importance to every action that one has to make. A Katipunero must not do
the things that he does not want to be done to him or to his family.
13. The thirteenth principle is about having the right character. A Katipunero’s life is not measured by what
is his status in life nor with the things that he possesses. Instead, it is in his character and his love for
the native land.
14. The last tenet, shows a glimpse of what the author desire. It shows the sense of hopefulness for the
motherland and that all the sacrifices made is not all for nought.
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
Decalogue of the Katipunan

Originally titled Katungkulang Gagawin ng mga Z. Ll. B. (Duties of the Sons of the People) It was
never published because Bonifacio believed that Jacinto's Kartilya was superior to what he had made.
1. Love God with all your heart.

2. Bear always in mind that the love of God is also the love of country, and this, too,
is love of
1. one's fellowmen.
2. Engrave in your heart that the true measure of honor and happiness is to die for the freedom of your
country.
3. All your good wishes will be crowned with success if you have serenity, constancy, reason and faith in
all your acts and endeavor.
4. Guard the mandates and aims of the K.K.K. as you guard your honor.
5. It is the duty of all to deliver, at the risk of their own lives and wealth, anyone who runs great risks in
the performance of his duty.
6. Our responsibility to ourselves and the performance of our duties will be the example set for our
fellowmen to follow.
7. Insofar as it is within your power, share your means with the poor and the unfortunate.
8. Diligence in the work that gives sustenance to you is the true basis of love—love for yourself, for your
wife and children, for your brothers and countrymen.
9. Punish any scoundrel and traitor and praise all good work. Believe, likewise, that the aims of the K.K.K.
are God given, for the will of the people is also the will of God.

The design of Kartilya ng Katipunan

• To show a concept of a good living as lesson for soul-searching rather than straight
prescription.
• To show that it was the internal and not external modification to make human greatness
eminence. - To take care and appreciate the essence of its authentic tagalog form within the
factors of the social and political environment of that colonial era, surrounded by local
traditions, spiritual beliefs, family idea and cultural diversity.
• To be Katipunan’s idea and principles in its existence.
• To be the innovation of the Katipunan, but the innovation for moralist sound Filipino nation.
• To show the significance of ideas of right and light (Katwiran at Kaliwanagan).
• To specify that the members of Katipunan are not only the heir of the age of knowledge, but
fighting to form and define a nation and ethics that was post-Enlightenment using revolutionaries
intellectual and moral capability. Their aim is to remove the ideological and colonial impede of the
western, but a country that acquire and unite the best of Spain and
other western countries and our own culture and society, in support of being a Filipino.

Contribution and Relevance

The Kartilya present a not only the teaching for the neophyte Katipunero but also the guiding
principles of the society. These teaching are expected from the members even after the attainment of freedom
from the colonizers. The Kartilya ends with a document of affirmation by the members to the society’s
teachings.
The Kartilya was not just a document for the Katipunan. Its importance today is predicted on the
teaching that embodies the moral and nationalistic principles of a nation that fought for independence.
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
These principle are relevant as the sense of nationhood still holds true when the cultural and historical
values of every Filipino are threatened by the onslaught of foreign influence brought about by today’s
globalization.
Today, through this document the Kartilya served as a proof that Filipinos were united to achieve their
goal. It is not only a piece of writing but more importantly it signifies the moral characters of those who fought
for our independence.
Kartilya ng Katipunan was meant to guide us in living our everyday life to its fullest. More
importantly, it highlights the importance of having the right attitude towards other people.

Importance of the Event in our Present Time

Kartilya is a source of moral beacon for self-transformation for the contemporary times. (Pasamonte
December 05, 2019). It can be used as guide:
• To institutionalize good governance among our government officials.
• To teach honor and dignity and curtail corruption among politicians
• To inculcate generosity and compassion among us
• To practice respect for women and love for our family

MGA GUNITA NG HIMAGSIKAN (Emilio Aguinaldo)

Emilio Aguinaldo
Emilio Famy Aguinaldo Sr. was born on March 22, 1869 in Kawit, Cavite. He was the sevent among the
eight children of Carlos Jamir Aguinaldo and Trinidad Famy-Aguinaldo. Aguinaldo’s family was well off since his
father was the community’s appointed gobernadorcillo of their pueblo.
Emilio attended high school at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran but had to stop on his fourth year
because of his father’s death. He then took responsibility of helping his mother run their farm. In 1895, at the
age of 25, he became Kawit’s first “gobernadorcillo capitan municipal.” Aguinaldo became a Freemason during
this year, joining Pilar Lodge No. 203, Imus, Cavite with the codename “Colon.” He also joined the Katipunan
and used the nom de guerre “Magdalo” in honor of Mary Magdalene.
Aguinaldo would later become the first and youngest President of the Country by being President of the
First Philippine Republic. His presidency was cut short when he was captured by the American Soldier in
Palanan, Isabela where he pledged his loyalty to the American Government thus dissolving the First Republic.
He tried to rejoin politics by challenging Manuel L. Quezon in the 1935 presidential election, but he lost,
leading him to retire from public life. Nevertheless, Aguinaldo continued to serve the government politically
under the succeeding administrations.
President Elpidio Quirino appointed him as member of the Philippines Council of State in 1950. Emilio
Aguinaldo died of coronary thrombosis on February 6, 1964. He was 94 years old. In his lifetime, he was able to
witness the administration of succeeding presidents of the Philippines until the term of President Diosdado
Macapagal.
Mga Gunita ng Himagsikan
is a memoir of Emilio Aguinaldo who joined Andres Bonifacio's Katipunan movement in 1894 and
became general of the Cavite area when open war broke out in 1896. He had better military success than
Bonifacio and looked down upon the self-appointed president for his lack of education. This tension came to a
scene when Aguinaldo rigged elections and declared himself president in place of Bonifacio. By the end of that
same year, Aguinaldo would have Bonifacio executed after a sham trial. Aguinaldo went into exile in late 1897,
after surrendering to the Spanish, but was brought back to the Philippines by American forces in 1898 to join in
the fight that ousted Spain after almost four centuries. Aguinaldo was recognized as the first president of the
independent Republic of the Philippines but was forced back into the mountains as a rebel leader once more
when the Filipino-American War broke out in 1901.HALALAN SA KAPULUNGAN NG TEJEROS PAGPIPISAN NG
SANGGUNIANGGDIWANG AT MAGDALO
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
CASA HACIENDA DE TEJEROS
"Hindi ko pa nasasagot ang kanilang pakay sa akin, agad-agad ay isinalaysay sa akin ang mga
sumusunod na pangyayari sa halalan:
Na pagkatapos mabuksan ang kapulungang pambansa ng Manghihimagsik na pinangunguluhan ng Haring
Bayan, Andres Bonifacio ay isinunod agad ang paghirang at paghalal ukol sa Kataas-taasang Puno n
mangungulo sa ganitong pag-iisa. Dalawa lamang kandidato ang napaharap, at ito'y ang Supremo Andres
Bonifacio at si Heneral Emilio Aguinaldo. Pagkatapos ng halalan ay lumabas noon din at ipinasiya ng
Kapulungan sa pamamagitan ng Supremo Andres Bonifacio, na si Heneral Emilio Aguinaldo, ang siyang
pinagkaisahan at pinagbotohang maging Kataas-taasang Puno o taga-Pangulo ng Manghihimagsik. Nagtaka sila
diumano kung paano nangyari, na ang Supremo Andres Bonifacio na siyang nagpahanda ng nasabing pag-iisa at
siya pang pangulo sa nasabing pulong, ay kung bakit ako ang inihalal ng karamihan laban sa Supremo Andres
Bonifacio.

Isinunod ang tungkuling Vice-Presidente. Ang Supremo Andres Bonifacio, ay muling ikinandidato,
subalit tinalo siya ng kanya ring Ministro de Gracia y Justicia, na si Heneral Mariano Trias, at noon din ay
ginawa ang proklamasyon. Isinunod ang tungkuling Kapitan Heneral, ay nagtunggali naman ang dating Kapitan
Santiago Alvarez, anak ni Virey Mariano Alvarez, at si Heneral Artemio Ricarte, isang Ilocano. Bagama't tumutol
si Heneral A. Ricarte sa pagkakahalal sa kanya, dahil diumano sa kawalan niya ng kaya sa gayong tungkulin, ay
iniurong din niya pagkatapos nang hindi tanggapin ng mesa. Isinunod dito ang proklamasyon sa kanya.

Sa paka-Secretario de Guerra, ang Supremo Andres Bonifacio ay muli na naming ikinandidato, at ang
nakatunggali niya ay si Heneral Emiliano Riego de Dios, na kanya ring Ministro de Fomento sa Sangguniang
Magdiwang. Natalo na naman ang Supremo, at ito ang ikatlong pagkagapi niya sa halalan. Sa pagka-Secretario
de Interior, ay muli na namang ipinasok na kandidato ang Supremo Andres Bonifacio at ang kanyang kalaban ay
ang dalawa niyang Ministro sa Magdiwang na sina Ginoong Severino de las Alas at Ginoong Diego Mojica. Sa
halalang ito'y nagtagumpay ang Supremo Andres Bonifacio, at kagaya ng kaugalian ay ipinasiya na siya ang
nahalal at dahil dito ay binati sa kanyang tagumpay. Subali't pagkatapos na pagkatapos na maipasiya ng
Asamblea ang kanyang tagumpay ay biglang tumindig at sumalungat sa pagkahalal sa kanya si Heneral Daniel
Tirona, at sinabing; "Hindi nababagay sa Supremo Andres Bonifacio, ang tungkuling nasabi, pagka't hindi siya
abogado, at ang bagay rito'y ang Abogado Jose del Rosario, na taga Tanza." Dito nagmula ang gulo ng
Kapulungan, subalit wala namang sinumang pumangalawa kay Heneral Tirona, kaya't wala ring kabuluhan ang
nasabing pagtutol. Gayon man, sa sama yata ng loob ng Supremo kay Heneral Daniel Tirona, ay agad-agad
siyang tumindig at sinabi ang ganito: "Hindi baga bago tayo nagpulong ay pinagkaisahan natin na sinuman ang
lumabas o mahalal sa Kapulungang ito, ay ating susundin at igagalang ng lahat?" "Opo" – ang hiyawan ng madla.
"Kung gayon" - patuloy niya, "Bakit nang ako ang napahalal ay may tumututol?
"Wala pong pumangalawa sa tutol." At sa di mapigil na sama ng loob ng Supremo, ay agad binunot ang kanyang
rebolber at anyong papuputukan si Heneral Daniel Tirona, sa gitna ng di magkamayaw na gulong naghari.
Salamat na lamang at napigil ni G. Jacinto Lumbreras at ni Heneral Artemio Ricarte, ang masamang tangka ng
Supremo. Si Heneral Tirona naman ay maliksing nakapagtago at nagsuut-suot sa kakapalan ng mga
Asemblesista kaya hindi natuloy ang pagtudla sa kanya.

Palibhasa'y hindi yata mapigilan ng Supremo ang sama ng loob, bakit maikatlo pang natalo sa halalan,
bagama't napayapa ang gusot at tahimik na ang lahat, pagdaka'y tumindig siya at sinabi sa kapulungan ang
ganito: "Ako sa aking pagka-Pangulo nitong Kapulungang Pambansa ng mga Manghihimagsik, ay pinawawalan
ko ng kabuluhan ang halalang dito'y naganap." Saka pagdaka'y umalis at nilisan ang kapulungan at umuwi sa
Malabon. Sa ganyang pangyayari, ay naligalig sandali ang kapulungan, ngunit biglang tumahimik nang ang
delegado ng lalawigang Batangas, na si Koronel Santiago Rillo, na kumakatawan sa may 2,000 manghihimagsik,
ay nagtindig at isinigaw sa Supremo na huwag siyang umalis, pagka't proklamado na siya sa pagka-Secretario
de Interior, bukod sa ang mungkahi ni Heneral D. Tirona, laban sa kanya ay wala sa orden, pagka't walang
sinumang pumangalawa, at dahil dito'y walang anumang bisa. Gayon man ay di nangyaring napigilan ang
Supremo at patuloy nang umalis nang walang paalam. Dahil sa kaguluhang nangyari, at sapagka't hindi
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
napigilan ang Supremo, sa kaniyang pasiya na lisanin ang kapulungan, si Santiago Rillo, delegado ng Batangas,
ay tumayo at nagtanong sa madla kung sang-ayon silang ipagpatuloy ang kapulungan, at kung pahihintulutan
nilang siya na ang mangulo. Sa ganitong katanungan ay parang iisang taong sumagot ang lahat ng "Opo." Sa
ganyang kapasiyahan, ay ipinagpatuloy ang Kapulungan at wala namang iba pang pinag-usapan maliban sa
kilalanin o pagtibayin ang tanang mga naihalal na saka humirang ng isang "Comission" upang ipabatid kay
Heneral Emilio Aguinaldo, ang pagka-hirang sa kanya ng Kapulungan ng Manghihimagsik na maging Kataas-
taasang Puno ng Himagsikan, tuloy kaunin siya sa madaling panahon upang makapanumpa sa tungkuling
iniaatang sa kanya ng bayang nanghihimagsik. Pagkatapos nito, ay pinigil munang pansamantala ang pulong,
samantalang hinihintay nang buong kasabikan ang pagdating ng nahalal na puno ng himagsikan, si Heneral
Aguinaldo."

DOCUMENTS OF THE 1898 DECLARATION OF PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE, THE MALOLOS

CONSTITUTION, AND THE FIRST PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC BY NATIONAL HISTORICAL INSTITUTE. (1997).
INTRODUCTION:
In the preceding lessons, we have discussed some primary sources from two different historical
periods, the pre-colonial and Spanish colonial periods. For this week, we will analyze the historical content and
context of primary sources during the post-Spanish period, focusing on the birth of Philippine Independence
and the first Philippine Republic. The Spanish regime lasted for about three hundred thirty-three years, that
was considered the longest regime in Philippine History. The Filipino revolutionary forces under Gen. Emilio
Aguinaldo proclaimed the sovereignty and independence of the Philippine islands from Spanish colonization in
Kawit, Cavite on June 12, 1898. Then on January 23, 1899, the First Philippine Republic was inaugurated after
the promulgation of the Malolos Constitution.

1898 Declaration of Philippine Independence by: Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista (17 December 1830 – 4 December 1903), also
known as Don Bosyong, was a lawyer and author of the Declaration of Philippine
Independence document. A distant relative of the Rizal family, Philippine national
hero Jose Rizal always sought his advice during his school days in Manila. Bautista
solicited funds to finance the campaign for the reforms in the Philippines. He then
became a member of the La Liga Filipino, Cuerpo de Compromisarios, and La
Propaganda. In 1896, the Spaniards arrested and imprisoned him at Fort Santiago,
as he was suspected for being involved in the Philippine Revolution. He defended
himself and was later released from prison. He became the first adviser of
President Emilio Aguinaldo in 1898, and subsequently wrote the Declaration of
Philippine Independence. On 14 July 1899, Bautista was elected vice-president of
Tarlac's Revolutionary Congress. He was later appointed judge of the Court of First
Instance of Pangasinan.

CONTEXT ANALYSIS
The Act of Declaration of Philippine Independence was written and was read by Ambrosio Rianzares
Bautista in Spanish and translated by Sulpicio Guevara. It was written to use for the declaration of freedom of
the Philippines after the war against America and Spain. The declaration was signed by 98 persons and at the
end of it, emphasizing an American present in there with no official role. It is said that there are American army
officer who witnessed. The main reason for having the declaration is to symbolize that Philippines has the right
to be independent and free from the Spaniards and is no longer tied politically with them. With a government in
operation. Aguinaldo thought that it was necessary to declare the independence of the Philippines. He believed
that such a more would inspire the people to fight more eagerly against the Spaniards and at the same time,
lead the foreign countries to recognize the independence of the country. Mabini, who had by now been made
Aguinaldo’s unofficial adviser, objected. He based his objection on the fact that it was more important to
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
reorganize the government in such a manner as to convince the foreign powers of the competence and stability
of the new government than to proclaim Philippine independence at such an early period. Aguinaldo, however,
stood his ground and won.
On June 12, between four and five in the afternoon, Aguinaldo, in the presence of a huge crowd,
proclaimed the independence of the Philippines at Cavite el Viejo (Kawit). For the first time, the Philippine
National Flag, made in Hongkong by Mrs. Marcela Agoncillo, assisted by Lorenza Agoncillo and Delfina Herboza,
was officially hoisted and the Philippine National March played in public. The Act of the Declaration of
Independence was prepared by Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista, who also read it. A passage in the Declaration
reminds one of another passage in the American Declaration of Independence. The Philippine Declaration was
signed by ninety-eight persons, among them an American army officer who witnessed the proclamation. The
proclamation of Philippine independence was, however, promulgated on August 1 when many towns has
already been organized under the rules laid down by the Dictatorial Government.

CONTENT ANALYSIS

Every year, the country commemorates the anniversary of the Philippine Independence proclaimed on
12 June 1898, in the province of Cavite. Indeed, such event is a significant turning point in the history of the
country because it signaled the end of the 333 years of Spanish colonization. There have been numerous
studies done on the events leading to the independence of the country but very few students had the chance to
read the actual document of the declaration. This is in spite of the historical importance of the document and
the details that the document reveals on the rationale and circumstances of that historical day in Cavite.
Interestingly, reading the details of the said document in hindsight is telling of the kind of government that was
created under Aguinaldo, and the forthcoming hand of the United States of America in the next few years of the
newly created republic. The declaration was a short 2,000-word document, which summarized the reason
behind the revolution against Spain, the war for independence, and the future of the new republic under Emilio
Aguinaldo. The proclamation commenced with a characterization of the conditions in the Philippines during the
Spanish colonial period. The document specifically mentioned abuses and inequalities in the colony. The
declaration says:
"...taking into consideration, that their inhabitants being already weary of bearing the ominous yoke of
Spanish domination, on account of the arbitrary arrests and harsh treatment practiced by the Civil Guard
to the extent of causing death with the connivance and even with the express orders of their commanders,
who sometimes went to the extreme of ordering the shooting of prisoners under the pretext that they were
attempting to escape, in violation of the provisions of the Regulations of their Corps, which abuses were
unpunished and on account of the unjust deportations, especially those decreed by General Blanco, of
eminent personages and of high social position, at the instigation of the Archbishop and friars interested in
keeping them out of the way for their own selfish and avaricious purpose, deportations which are quickly
brought about. By a method of procedure more execrable than that of the inquisition and which every
civilized nation rejects on account or a decision being rendered without a hearing of the persons accused."

The above passage demonstrates the justifications behind the revolution against Spain. Specifically
cited are the abuse by the Civil Guards and the unlawful shooting of prisoners whom they alleged as attempting
to escape. The passage also condemns the unequal protection of the law between the Filipino people and the
"eminent personages." Moreover, the line mentions the avarice and greed of the clergy like the friars and the
archbishop himself. Lastly, the passage also condemns what they saw as the unjust deportation and rendering
of other decision without proper hearing, expected of any civilized nation. From here, the proclamation
proceeded with a brief historical overview of the Spanish occupation since Magellan's arrival in Visayas until
the Philippine Revolution, with specific details about the latter, especially after the Pact of Biak-na-Bato had
collapsed. The document narrates the spread of the movement "like an electric spark" through different towns
and provinces like Bataan, Pampanga, Batangas, Bulacan, Laguna, and Morong, and the quick decline of Spanish
forces in the same provinces. The revolt also reached Visayas; thus, the independence of the country was
ensured.
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
The document also mentions Rizal's execution, calling it unjust. The execution, as written in the
document, was done to "please the greedy body of friars in their insatiable desire to seek revenge upon and
exterminate all those who are opposed to their Machiavellian purposes, which tramples upon the penal code
prescribed for these islands." The document also narrates the Cavite Mutiny of January 1872 that caused the
infamous execution of the martyred native priests Jose Burgos, Mariano Gomez, and Jacinto Zamora, "whose
innocent blood was shed through the intrigues of those so-called religious orders" that incited the three secular
priests in the said mutiny. The proclamation of independence also invokes that the established republic would
be led under the dictatorship of Emilio Aguinaldo. The first mention was at the very beginning of the
proclamation. It stated:
"In the town of Cavite Viejo, in this province of Cavite, on the twelfth day of June eighteen hundred and
ninety-eight, before me, Don Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista, Auditor of War and Special Commissioner
appointed to proclaim solemnize this act by the Dictatorial Government of these Philippine islands, for the
purposes and by virtue of the circular addressed by the Eminent Dictator of the same Don Emilio
Aguinaldo y Famy."

The same was repeated toward the last part of the proclamation. It states:

"We acknowledge, approve and confirm together with the orders that have been issued therefrom.
the Dictatorship established by Don Emilio Aguinaldo whom we honor as the Supreme Chief of this Nation,
which this day commences to have a life of its own, in the belief' that the is the instrument selected by God
in spite of his humble origin, to effect the redemption of this unfortunate people, as foretold by Doctor Jose
Rizal in the magnificent verses which he composed when he was preparing to be shot, liberating them from
the yoke of Spanish domination in punishment of the impunity with which their Government allowed the
commission of abuses by its subordinates."

Another detail in the proclamation that is worth looking at is its explanation on the Philippine flag that
was first waved on the same day. The document explained:

"And finally, it was unanimously resolved that, this Nation, independent from this clay, must use the same
flag used heretofore, whose design and colors and described in the accompanying drawing, with design
representing in natural colors the three arms referred to. The white triangle represents the distinctive
emblem of the famous Katipunan Society, which by means of its compact of blood urged on the masses of
the people to insurrection; the three stars represent the three principal Islands of this Archipelago, Luzon,
Mindanao and Panay, in which this insurrectionary movement broke out; the sun represents the gigantic
strides that have been made by the sons of this land on the road of progress and civilization, its eight rays
symbolizing the eight provinces of Manila. Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Laguna and
Batangas, which were declared in a state of war almost as soon as the first insurrectionary movement was
initiated; and the colors blue, red and white, commemorate those of the flag of the United States of North
America, in manifestation of our profound gratitude towards that Great Nation for the disinterested
protection she is extending to us and will continue to extend to us."

This often-overlooked detail reveals much about the historically accurate meaning behind the most
widely known national symbol in the Philippines. It is not known by many for example, that the white triangle
was derived from the symbol of the Katipunan. The red and blue colors of the flag are often associated with
courage and peace, respectively. Our basic education omits the fact that those colors were taken from the flag of
the United States. While it can always be argued that symbolic meaning can always change and be
reinterpreted, the original symbolic meaning of something presents us several historical truths that can explain
the subsequent events, which unfolded after the declaration of independence on the 12th day of June 1898.
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
THE MALOLOS CONSTITUTION AND THE FIRST PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC
BY: FELIPE G. CALDERON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Felipe Gonzales Calderon, known as the 'Father of the Malolos Constitution", was born on April 4, 1868
in Santa Cruz de Malabon now Tanza), Cavite, to a Spanish nobleman, Don Jose Gonzales Calderon, and
Doña Manuela Roca who was of Spanish-Filipino blood. Calderon was the author of the Malolos Constitution,
which was enacted on January 20, 1899 by the Malolos Congress that established the First Philippine Republic.
The original was written in Spanish, which became the first official language of the Philippines. Notably,
Calderon established two law universities -- Liceo de Manila, the first law college in the Philippines, and the
Escuela de Derecho (School of Duties). He taught in both institutions. In 1904, he was appointed member of a
commission to draft a proposed Penal Code. He also organized the La Proteccion de la Infancia (The Protection
of Infants) that established a humanitarian institution to protect and care for disadvantaged children. His
Encyclopedia Filipinas was published in 1908. He died on July 6, 1908 at the age of 40.

CONTEXT ANALYSIS

After returning to the islands. Aguinaldo wasted little time in setting up an independent government.
On June 12, 1898, a declaration of independence modeled on the American one, was proclaimed at his
headquarters in Cavite. It was at this time that Apolinario Mabini. a law, and political thinker, came to
prominence as Aguinaldo’s principal adviser. Born into a poor indio family but educated at the University of
Santo Tomas, he advocated "simultaneous external and internal revolution," a philosophy that unsettled the
more conservative landowners and ilustrados who initially supported Aguinaldo. For Mabini, true
independence for the Philippines would mean not simply liberation from Spain (or from any other colonial
power) but also educating the people for self government and abandoning, the paternalistic, colonial mentality
that the Spanish had cultivated over the centuries. Mabini's The True Decalogue, published in July 1898 in the
form of ten commandments, used this medium, somewhat paradoxically, to promote critical thinking and a
reform of customs and attitudes. His Constitutional Program for the Philippine Republic, published at the same
time, elaborated his ideas on political institutions.
On September 15,1898, a revolutionary congress was convened at Malolos, a market town located
thirty-two kilometer north of Manila, for the purpose of drawing up a constitution for the new republic. A
document was approved by the congress on November 2,1898. Modeled on the constitution of France, Belgium,
and Latin American countries, it was promulgated at Malolos on January 21, 1899, and two days later
Aguinaldo was inaugurated as president.
American observers traveling in Luzon commented that the areas controlled by the republic seemed
peaceful and well governed. The Malolos congress had set up schools, a military academy, and the Literary
University of the Philippines. Government finances were organized, and new currency was issued. The army
and navy were established on a regular basis. Having regional commands. The accomplishments of the Filipino
government, however, counted for little in the eyes of the great powers as the transfer of the islands from
Spanish to United States rule was arranged in the closing months of 1898.
The Treaty of Paris aroused anger among Filipinos. Reacting to the US$20 million sum paid to Spain, La
Independencia (Independence), a newspaper published in Manila by a revolutionary. General Antonio Luna,
stated that "people are not to be bought and sold like horses and houses. Upon the announcement of the treaty,
the radicals, Mabini and Luna, prepared for war, and provisional articles were added to the constitution giving
President Aguinaldo dictatorial powers in times of emergency. President William McKinley issued a
proclamation on December 21, 1898, declaring United States policy to be one of "Benevolent Assimilation" in
which "the mild sway of justice and right" would be substituted for "arbitrary rule." When this was published in
the islands on January 4, 1899, references to "American sovereignty" having been prudently deleted, Aguinaldo
issued his own proclamation that condemned "violent and aggressive seizure" by the United States and
threatened war.
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
CONTENT ANALYSIS
Excerpts from the Malolos Constitution Article 3. Sovereignty resides exclusively in the people. Article
5. The State recognizes the freedom and equality of all religions, as well as the separation of Church and State.
Article 19. No Filipino in the full enjoyment of his civil and political rights shall be hindered in the free exercise
of the same. Article 20.1. Neither shall any Filipino be deprived of: The right of expressing freely his ideas and
opinions either by word or by writing, availing himself of the press or any other similar means. Article 20.2.
Neither shall any Filipino be deprived of: The right of joining any association for all the objects of human life
which may not be contrary to public morals. Article 23. Any Filipino can find and maintain establishments of
instruction or of education, in accordance with the regulations that may be established. Popular education shall
be obligatory and gratuitous in the schools of the nation.
Table of Titles
1. The Republic
2. The Government
3. Religion
4. The Filipinos and Their National and Individual Rights
5. The Legislative Power
6. The Permanent Commission
7. The Executive Power
8. The President of the Republic
9. The Secretaries of Government
10. The Judicial Power
11. Provincial and Popular Assemblies
12. Administration of the State
13. Amendment of the Constitution
14. Constitutional Observance, Oath and Language

The Malolos constitution is the first important Filipino document ever produced by the people's
representatives. It is anchored in democratic traditions that ultimately had their roots in American soil. It
created a Filipino state whose government was "popular, representative and responsible" with three distinct
branches -- the executive, the legislative and the judicial. The constitution specifically provided for safeguards
against abuses and enumerated the national and individual rights not only of the Filipinos and of the aliens.

The legislative powers were exercised by the Assembly of Representatives composed of delegates
elected according to law. To make the function of Congress continuous, the document provided for a Permanent
Commission which would sit as a law-making body when Congress was not in session. The assembly elected the
President of the Republic. The Cabinet, composed of the Secretaries of the different Departments of the
government, was responsible not to the President, but to the Assembly. The administration of justice was
vested in the Supreme Court and in inferior courts to be established according to law. The Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court was to be elected by the Assembly with the concurrence of the President and the Cabinet.
The constitution as a whole is a monument to the capacity of the Filipinos to chart their own course
along democratic lines. In a period of storm and stress, it symbolized the ideals of a people who had emerged
from the Dark Ages into the Light of Reason.

THE MALOLOS REPUBLIC

Owing to the objections of Mabini to some provisions in the Constitution, Aguinaldo did not
immediately promulgate it. The leaders of Congress compromised by inserting some amendments. After
promulgating the Malolos Constitution, the Filipino leaders proceeded to inaugurate the first Filipino Republic
on January 23,
1899.
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
PAINTINGS OF JUAN LUNA AND FERNANDO AMORSOLO

JUAN LUNA'S PAINTINGS

AUTHOR’S BACKGROUND
Juan Luna (October 23, 1857- December 7, 1899) was known as the “Finest arts and First International
Filipino Painter”. He was the son Juaquin Luna de San Pedro y Posadas and Laureana Novicio y Ancheta that
was born on October 23, 1857, in Badoc, Ilocos Norte. He was influenced to paint by his brother Manuel who
was also a painter. Juan Luna is considered one of the greatest Filipino artists in Philippine history with
masterpieces such as Solarium, The Death of Cleopatra, and Blood Compact. He was a Filipino painter, sculptor,
and a political activist of the Philippine Revolution during the late 19th century. He was one of the first
recognized Philippine artists. His close friendship with National Hero Jose Rizal has sparked Philippine
nationalism and pride. Juan Luna was mostly known for his works as being dramatic and dynamic, focusing on
romanticism and realism styles of art.
On December 8, 1886, Luna married Maria de la Paz Pardo de Tavera, a sister of his friend Felix and
Trinidad Pardo de Tavera, the couple traveled to Europe and settled in Paris. They had one son, whom they
named Andres and a daughter who died in infancy.

Educational Background
He received his degree in Bachelor of Arts at Ateneo de Manila and enrolled later at Escuela Nautica de
Manila where he became a sailor. This did not stop Luna from his pursuit of developing his artistic skills. He
took lessons under the famous painting teacher Lorenzo Guerrero and also enrolled at Academia de Dibujo y
Pintura under the Spanish artist Agustin Saez. Luna left for Barcelona in 1877, together with his elder brother
Manuel, who was a violinist. While there, Luna widened his knowledge of the art and he was exposed to the
immortal works of the Renaissance masters. One of his private teachers, Alejo Vera, a famous contemporary
painter in Spain, took Luna to Rome to undertake certain commissions. In 1877, Juan Luna traveled to Europe
to continue his studies and enrolled at Escuela de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. It was in 1881 when he
received his first major achievement as an artist and this is through winning a silver medal at the Nacional de
Bellas Artes(National Demonstration of Fine Arts) with his work “The Death of Cleopatra.” From there, he
continued to gain recognition and respect as an artist. Juan Luna kept on impressing the European and Filipino
society through the Nacional de Bellas Artes with outstanding works such as the “Spolarium” which won gold in
1884 and “Battle at Lepanto” in 1887.

Awards
• Silver Medal for La Muerte de Cleopatra (Death of Cleopatra), Rome 1881
• Silver Palette for Dafinis Y Cloe (Roman Youths), Rome, 1881
• 1st Gold Medal (1st Class) for Sploliarium (Rome, 1884
• Silver Palette with Laurel for Spoliarium (Madrid, 1884)
• 1st Gold Meda (3rd Class) for Spoliarium (Madrid, 1884)
• Diploma of Honor for Las Damas Romanas (Roman Ladies), Paris, 1886
• Diploma of Honor for La Mestiza en Su Tocador (The Mestiza in her Boundier), Venice, 1886
• Gold Medal/Special Award for La Batalla de Lepanto (Paris, 1887)
• Bronze Medal for Hymen, Oh Hymenee (A Roman Wedding) (Venice, 1886)
• Honorary Award for Chiffonier (Paris, 1888)
• Gold Medal (Posthumous Award) for Peuple et Rois (People and Kings), Paris, 1882
• Silver Medal (Posthumous Award for El Pacto de Sangre (The Blood Compact), Paris, 1886
• Silver Medal (Posthumous Award) for Don Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, Paris, 1886
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS
The masterpieces of Juan Luna were created during the Spanish Colonization of the Philippines in the
19th Century and some were created during the midyears of American Rule in the Philippines.

CONTENT ANALYSIS

Death of Cleopatra, Rome 1881

The famous painting was a silver medalist or second prize winner
during the 1881 National Exposition of Fine Arts in Madrid. The 1881
Madrid painting contest was Luna's first art exposition. Because of the
exposure, Luna received a pension scholarship at the Ayuntamiento de
Manila. After the painting competition, Luna sold it for 5,000 Spanish
pesetas, the highest price for a painting at the time. As Luna's "graduation
work", The Death of Cleopatra was acquired by the Spanish government for one thousand euros.

Blood Compact, Paris 1885

It depicts the traditional “kasikasi” or drinking ceremony
which was a symbol of friendship, peace, and goodwill among
those executing the compact. Blood Compact executed by the
Spaniards in the Philippines held on March 16, 1565, between
Don Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Rajah Sikatuna of Bohol.

Spoliarium
The painting features a glimpse of Roman history centered on the bloody
carnage brought by gladiatorial matches. Spoliarium is a Latin word
referring to the basement of the Roman Colosseum where the fallen and
dying gladiators are dumped and devoid of their worldly possessions.
At the center of Luna’s painting are fallen gladiators being dragged by
Roman soldiers. On the left, spectators ardently await their chance to strip off
the combatants of their metal helmets and other armories. In contrast with
the charged emotions featured on the left, the right side meanwhile presents a somber mood. An old
man carries a torch perhaps searching for his son while a woman weeps the death of her loved one.
The Spoliarium is the most valuable oil-on-canvas painting by Juan Luna, a Filipino educated at the
Academia de Dibujo y Pintura (Philippines) and at the Academia de San Fernando in Madrid, Spain.
With a size of 4.22 meters x 7.675 meters, it is the largest painting in the Philippines. A historical
painting, it was made by Luna in 1884 as an entry to the prestigious Exposicion de Bellas Artes (Madrid
Art Exposition, May 1884) and eventually won for him the First Gold Medal.

• The Parisian Life

Juan Luna painted this masterpiece in 1892 when he was staying in Paris, France. It is
called The Parisian Life but is also known as Interior d’un Cafi (meaning “inside a
cafe”). He used oil on canvas to create this 22 x 31-inch painting. This may seem like
any other old piece of artwork but the details and story of this masterpiece are one of a
kind. The men in the background are actually three well known Filipinos: Juan Luna
himself, Jose Rizal, a very famous author and hero, and Ariston Bautista Lin, the first
owner of the painting. These men were all living in France at that time. Her mirror image is said to
resemble the archipelago of the Philippines – her outstretched arm being the island of Palawan.
Another interesting detail is the darkness on the woman’s neck and the line going from her head to the
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
top of the picture. This apparently shows that the Philippines was going through a time of struggle
which could very well be because they were being oppressed by the Spanish at that time.

España Y Filipinas
España Y Filipinas meaning “Spain and the Philippines” is an oil on
wood painting of Juan Luna in 1886. The two women together are the
representation of Spain and the Philippines. The painting also is known as
España Guiando a Filipinas (Spain Leading the Philippines). In this painting,
Juan Luna wants to show the strong bond between Spain and the Philippines. It
also revealed the true hope and desire of every Filipino to have an equal
treatment between Spain and the Philippines, even Spain leading the
Philippines in a progressive country.

FERNANDO AMORSOLO'S PAINTINGS

AUTHOR'S BACKGROUND
Fernando Cueto Amorsolo (May 30, 1892 – April 26, 1972) is one of the most important artists in the
history of painting in the Philippines. Amorsolo was a portraitist and painter of rural Philippine landscapes.
Fernando Amorsolo was born on May 30, 1892, in Paco, Manila to Pedro Amorsolo, a bookkeeper, and Bonifacia
Cueto. Amorsolo spent his childhood in Daet, Camarines Norte, where he studied in a public school and was
tutored at home in Spanish reading and writing. After his father’s death, Amorsolo and his family moved to
Manila to live with Don Fabian de la Rosa, his mother’s cousin, and a Philippine painter. At the age of 13,
Amorsolo became an apprentice to De la Rosa, who would eventually become the advocate and guide to
Amorsolo’s painting career. During this time, Amorsolo’s mother embroidered to earn money, while Amorsolo
helped by selling watercolor postcards to a local bookstore for 10 centavos each. Amorsolo’s brother, Pablo,
was also a painter.
During his lifetime, Amorsolo was married twice and had 14 children. In 1916, he married Salud Jorge,
with whom he had six children. After Jorges death in 1931, Amorsolo married Maria del Carmen Zaragoza, with
whom he had eight more children. Among her daughters are Sylvia Amorsolo Lazo and Luz Amorsolo. Five of
Amorsolo children became painters themselves. Amorsolo was a close friend to the Philippine sculptor
Guillermo Tolentino, the creator of the Caloocan. It is believed that he had painted more than 10,000 pieces, his
Rice Planting (1922), which appeared on posters and tourist brochures, became one of the most popular
images of the Commonwealth era. He died on April 24, 1972, at the age of 79.

Educational Background
Amorsolo earned a degree from the Liceo de Manila Art School in 1909 and entered the University of
the Philippines' School of Fine Arts. He was a portrait artist and known painter of rural Philippine landscapes.
He graduated with honors from the U.P. in 1914 and got a study grant in Madrid, Spain. He was also able to visit
New York, where he encountered postwar impressionism and cubism, which would be major influences on his
work. Don Fabian De La Rosa advocate and guide to Amorsolo’s painting career while Diego Velasquez is the
major influence of Amorsolo’s and Enrique Zobel De Ayala gave him the grant to study in Madrid, Spain
Awards
• 1908 2nd Prize, Bazar Escolta (Asociacion Internacional de Artistas), for Levendo Periodico
• 1922 1st Prize, Commercial and Industrial Fair in the Manila Carnival
• 1929 (1939?) 1st Prize, New York’s World Fair, for Afternoon Meal of Rice Workers (also
• known as Noonday Meal of the Rice Workers)
• 1940 Outstanding University of the Philippines Alumnus Award
• 1959 Gold Medal, UNESCO National Commission
• 1961 Rizal Pro Patria Award
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
• 1961 Honorary Doctorate in the Humanities, from the Far Eastern University
• 1963 Diploma of Merit from the University of the Philippines
• 1963 Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan Award, from the City of Manila
• 1963 Republic Cultural Heritage Award
• 1972 Gawad CCP para sa Sining, from the Cultural Center of the Philippines

CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS
The masterpieces of Amorsolo were created during the American colonial rule and the Japanese
occupation of the Philippines during World War II.

CONTENT ANALYSIS
The painter Fernando Amorsolo (1892-1972) was a dominant figure in the visual arts of the Philippines
during the decades before the Second World War and into the postwar period. His oeuvre is characterized by
scenes of the Filipino countryside, harmoniously composed and richly colored, saturated with bright sunlight
and populated by beautiful, happy people: it is an art of beauty, contentment, peace, and plenty – which
perhaps explains its enduring popularity in the Philippines to this day. Moreover, Amorsolo's paintings
commemorate the different tradition, cultures, and customs of Filipinos.

Planting Rice with Mayon Volcano

Planting Rice with Mayon Volcano was painted in
1949. Happy Filipino villagers in their bright clothes
and straw hats work together amid a green and sunlit
landscape of plenty. Behind them, releasing a peaceful
plume of steam rises the beautifully symmetrical cone
of Mayon stratovolcano. It is the ash erupted by the
volcano over its highly-active history that has made
the surrounding landscape fertile, and the tranquil
cone appears here to be a beneficial spirit of the earth
standing guardian over the villagers and their crops. Mayon’s eruptions can be very destructive (as in the
violent eruption of 1947, not long before this picture was painted, when pyroclastic flows and lahars
brought widespread destruction and fatalities) but here the relationship between the volcano and the
surrounding landscape is depicted as a positive, fruitful and harmonious one. Mayon is a celebrated symbol
of the Philippines, and its presence in Amorsolo’s painting emphasizes his wish to represent the spirit of the
nation on canvas.

The Fruit Pickers under the Mango Tree

Fernando Amorsolo created this painting during the
year 1937. This year was the rise of women's rights. Many
events for the Filipinas occurred during that time. One, the
Philippines held a plebiscite for Filipino women on whether
they should be extended the right to suffrage; over 90%
voted in the affirmative. Also, for the firstever, Filipino
women were given the right to vote during elections.
The artist, Amorsolo, created this artwork to show the
true value of Filipinos. They are hard-working yet happy of
what they are doing. It was to also make the world aware of
the true Filipina beauty. Overall, this painting was intended to show Filipino’s characteristic glow. This can
be proven by looking at the characters in the painting. The artwork is entitled Fruit Pickers Under the
Mango Tree. It was painted by Fernando Amorsolo a famous Filipino artist. It was made by using oil on 25
1/4 x 37 1/2 inches canvas and was finished in the year 1937.
 RIPH REVIEWER – MIDTERM EXAM
The Making of the Philippine Flag
The painting shows three women namely Marcella
Marino de Agoncillo (on the right side) refer as the mother
of the Philippine flag, with the help of Lorenza and Delfina
Herbosa de Natividad which is actually the daughter of
Marcela. They were tasked by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo to
sew the first flag for the new republic. The clothes that the
women are wearing are an older style, more vintage, and
really depict the traditional styles. The skirts the women
are wearing are long and their tops were like a traditional
“kimona”. The three women are sewing passionately which
demonstrates elegance. The painting was not that kind of
vibrant in the eyes but can set your mood is calm. The setting is inside of a house which is more like a
“Bahay Kubo” The main colors that were used in the painting were brown, red, blue, and yellow. The mood
and visual effects that this painting can be considered are calmness and serenity. The painting shows a
contrast of colors of brown to yellow which is not harmonious. The artist balanced his characters and the
background in his painting which makes the painting balanced. There are no real lines in the painting
because it is painted in a pointillist style.

Defense of a Filipina Woman’s Honour

This is a representative of Amorsolo's World War II-
era paintings. Here, a Filipino man defends a woman,
who is either his wife or daughter, from being raped by
an unseen Japanese soldier. Note the Japanese military
cap at the man's foot. After the onset of World War II,
Amorsolo's typical pastoral scenes were replaced by the
depictions of a war-torn nation. During the Japanese
occupation of the Philippines during World War II,
Amorsolo spent his days at his home near the Japanese
garrison, where he sketched war scenes from the
house's windows or rooftop.
During the war, he documented the destruction of many landmarks in Manila and the pain, tragedy,
and death experienced by Filipino people, with his subjects including "women mourning their dead
husbands, files of people with pushcarts and makeshift bags leaving a dark burning city tinged with red
from fire and blood. “Amorsolo frequently portrayed the lives and suffering of Filipina women during
World War II. Other World War II-era paintings by Amorsolo include a portrait in absentia of General
Douglas MacArthur as well as self-portraits and paintings of Japanese occupation soldiers.