Readin

gs i
n
Philippine
History
Dr. Im eld a C.
Nery Virgilio V.
Dolina Pa ul J o h n
G. Sion F i r st Editi on
 Chapter
1 INTRODUCTIO
N
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the lesson, the students
should be able to :

1. Make a distinction between

primary and secondary
sources.
2. Diff erentiate external criticism from
internal criticism.
3. D isc uss the repositories of primary
sources.
4. Explain the diff erent kinds of primary
sources.

CHAPTER ONE: 1
INTRODUCTION
LESSON 1 . 1 MEANING AND
RELEVANCE
OF HISTORY
“What is history? An echo of the past in the future; a refl ex from the future on
the past.”
– Victor H u g o

Think of the fi rst thing that comes to your mind when you
hear the word history.

Heroes, past events, and historic places are some ideas

that you might have. History is a n interesting subject for
some, but for a number of students, they may fi nd it boring
or irrelevant in relation to their chosen college degree, or
even to their lives! Perhaps, one of the reasons is, not
knowing what history really means and not realizing its
relevance to one’s life and to a nation’s destiny a s well.

As a discipline, Merriam-Webster (2018) defi ned

h is t or y a s “a chronological record of signifi cant events
(such as those aff ecting a nation or institution), often
including a n explanation of their causes.” This defi nition
merely pertains
However, to the
looking into events that areof signifi
the etymology word, cant to an
‘history’
organization
the derived sequentially
from thearranged
Greek to word
tell a was
coherent story of
means
the past.
‘historia,’ which knowledge acquired by ‘inquiry or
investigation.’ Hence, the about knowing subject is not
which event
examine everycomes fi rst, coming
information but it from a source just to justify
requiresthe
c a use of readers to
a certain event and to identify the reasons for
personalities
the actions of the
involved.
On the other hand, h is t o r io g r a p h y refers to how, what,
and why history is written. It is about the methods and
practices used in producing history, the development of
history a s a discipline, or the philosophy or signifi cance of
historical writing.

Encyclopedia Britannica (2017) shortly defi nes it a s the

writing of history based on the critical examination of
sources, the selection of particular details from the authentic
materials used in those sources, and the synthesis of the
details into a narrative that stands the test of critical
examination. The term historiography also refers to the
theory and history of historical writing.
2 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
In short, history is the study of past events and
historiography is the study of history.

P r e h i s t o r y a n d History
In this study, it is important to distinguish what is
prehistory, history, and historiography. P r ehistory refers to
that period where
information of the past were recorded in materials other
than written documents, which may not be understood by
a historian. These
include artifacts, drawings, paintings, sculptures and any
other forms. History covers information derived from largely
written records of past experiences.

The prehistory of the Philippines is said to cover the events

until 2 1 April 900 (equivalent in the Proleptic Gregorian
Calendar), the date indicated on the Laguna Copperplate
Inscription (LCI) – the earliest written document known in the
Philippines today.

The LCI is considered to be the fi rst legal document

recorded in the Philippines. It is said to contain the
release of the children of Namwaran, the bearers, from
their obligation. Below is the original translation by Antoon
Postma in 1 9 9 1 of the Old Malay inscription in year 822 of
the S a k a Era, the month of Waisaka, a n d the fourth day of the
waning moon, which corresponds to Monday, April 2 1 , 900 AD:

Photo taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laguna_Copperplate_Inscription#/media/

File:Laguna_Copperplate_Inscription.gif

1. Hail! In the Saka- year 822; the month of March-April;

according to the astronomer: the 4th day of the dark
half of the moon; on
2. Monday. At that time, Lady Angkatan
together with her relative, B u k a h by name,
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 3
3. the child of His Honor Namwran, was given, a s a special
favor, a document of full acquittal, by the Chief and
Commander of Tundun,
4. the former Leader of Pailah, Jayadewah. To the eff ect that
His Honor Namwran, through the Honorable Scribe
5. was totally cleared of a debt to the amount of 1 kati and 8
suwarna (weight of gold), in the presence of His
6. Honor the Leader of Puliran, Leader of Pailah, namely:
K(aansdu)mHuisraHno;
Ganasakti;
7. of Binwangan, namely: Bisruta. And (His Honor Namwran)
nHorishis
with thHwhole
eoLneoa rdet rheon orders by the Chief of Dewata,
family,
8. representing the Chief of Mdang, because of his loyalty a s
a subject (slave?) of the Chief, therefore all the
descendants
9. of His Honor Namwran have been cleared of the whole debt
that His
Honor owed the Chief of Dewata. This (document) is (issued)
in case
10. there is someone, whosoever, some time in the future, who
will state
that the debt is not yet acquitted of His Honor…

The LCI was very instrumental in identifying the

demarcation line
between the Philippine’s prehistory and history. The later
chapters of
this Book will present a number of signifi cant written
documents which will aid u s in understanding the society years
ago.

Why study history?

Peter N. Stearns in 1 9 9 8 h a s published a n article
with the American Historical Association that enumerated the
reasons why we should study history. Here are some of his
justifi cations why the subject is worth our attention:

1. History h e l p s u s u n d e r s t a n d p e o p l e a n d s o c i e t i e s . In
the first place, history off ers a storehouse of information
about
what how
know people
about experiences and in societies
the past?behave. Some
Understanding
we the operations of people and
social attempt to formulate laws or theories
scientist about
societies hum a nthough
is diff icult, But even
a numbertheseof disciplines
recourses
make
s an
information, attempt.
depend An exclusive
excepton forhistorical reliance on current data
in limited, often artifi cial cases
would needlessly
behavior
in which experiments
handicap our eff orts. cHow
a n be
candevised to determine
we evaluate war if how
the
.nation isact.
people at Major aspects of a society's operation, like
peace - unlessmissionary
m a s s elections, we u s e historical materials? How
can we understand genius, the infl uence of
4
act i v
technological
e px it
e r im ies , o
innovation,
e nt s.r m i
or the Croleli ta
o n thatr y a l
beliefs
s e qu li a
e n t ly n,ces
play h,
in
shaping family life, if we do not use
isctaonrynot mbuest setseurvpe, as h po wreecvi es re

READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

 imperfectly, a s our laboratory, and data from the past
must serve a s our most vital evidence in the unavoidable
quest to fi gure out why our complex species behaves a s
it does in societal settings. This, fundamentally, is why
we cannot stay a w a y from history: it off ers the only
extensive evidential base for the contemplation and
analysis of how societies function, and people need to
have some

sense of how societies function simply to run their own

lives.
2. History h e l p s u s u n d e r s t a n d c h a n g e a n d h o w t h e
s o c i e t y we live i n c a m e t o be. The second reason
history is inescapable a s a subject of serious
study follows closely on the fi rst. The past
c a uses the present, and so the future. Any time we try
to know why something happened, we have to look for
factors that took shape earlier. Sometimes
fairly recent history will suff ice to explain a
major development, but often we need to look further
bac k to identify the c a uses of change. Only
through studying history c a n we grasp how
things change; only through history can we begin to
comprehend the factors that c a use change; and only
through history can we understand what
elements of an
institution or a society persist despite change.

3. History contributes to moral understanding.

History also provides a terrain for moral
contemplation. Studying the stories of individuals
and situations in the past allows a student of history
to test his or her own moral sense, to hone it against
some of the real complexities individuals have
faced in diff icult settings. People who have
weathered adversity not just in some work of
fi ction, but in real, historical circumstances c a n
provide inspiration. "History teaching by example" is
one phrase that describes this u s e of a study
of the past - a study not only of certifi able heroes,
the great men and women of history who

sourdcicneasrsyfu pllyeowploerkwedhothprroouvgidhe mleosrsaol

ndsileinmmcoaus,rabgue,t adlisliogeonfcem, oor er constructive

protest.

4. History provides i d e n t i t y. History also helps provide

identity, and this is unquestionably one of the reasons all
modern nations encourage its teaching in some form.
 Many institutions, businesses, communities, and
social units, s u c h a s ethnic groups in the [Philippines],
u s e history for similar identity purposes. Merely defi ning
the group in the present pales against the possibility of
forming a n identity based on a rich past. And of course
nations u s e identity history a s well—and sometimes a b use
it. Histories that tell the national story,
emphasizing

dhoismtine

catniveunffedaet rusrteasndofintgheofnantaitoino anlalexvpaelurieesn

caen,darae cmomeamntit mtoentrd ivtoe national loyalty.

6 . S t u d y i n g History Is E s s e n t i a l for Good C i t i z e n s h i p . A

study of history is essential for good citizenship. This is
the most common justifi cation for the place of
history in school curricula. Sometimes advocates of
citizenship history hope merely to promote national
identity and loyalty through a history spiced by vivid
History provides data about the emergence nationa
stories and lessons in individual suc c ess and morality.
of institutions, problems, and values—it's l
But the importance of history for citizenship goes beyond
the
storehouse onlyof s u c h data available. It off ers evidence signifi ca
this narrow goal and c a n even challenge it at some points.
also about
how have interacted other societies,nt
nations providing essential for
with and perspectives
History that lays
internationa
responsible the foundation
citizenship. for genuine
Further, studying historycitizenship us
returns,
helps
l
understand in one sense,
comparative to the essential
how recent, current, and prospective u s e s of the
study of the past.
changes that aff ect the lives of citizens are emerging or
may emerge and what c a uses are involved. More
important, studying history encourages habits of mind
that are vital for responsible public behavior,
whether a s a national or community leader, a n informed
petitioner, or a simple
voter, a
observer.
Moreover, Stern h a s identifi ed a number of skills that a
student may develop in studying history. These include the
following:

1 . The a b ilit y to a ssess evidence. The study of

history builds experience in dealing with and
assessing various kinds of evidence—the sorts of
evidence historians u s e in shaping the most accurate
pictures of the past that they can. Learning how to
interpret the statements of past political leaders—one
kind of evidence—helps form the capacity to
distinguish between the objective and the self-
6 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE
serving
HISTORY
among statements made by present-day
political leaders. Learning how to combine diff erent
 kinds of evidence - public statements, private records,
numerical data, visual materials - develops the ability
to make coherent arguments based on a variety of
data. This skill c a n also be applied to information
encountered in everyday life.

2. The a b ilit y to assess c o n fl i c t i n g

i nt e r p r e t a t i o n s . Learning

choisntfolircytimngeainnstegrapirneitnagtiosonms.e Us ndik
llerinstasonrdtiing thhorwougsohcdiei tvieerssew,
orftken- the
central goal of historical study—is inherently imprecise,
and the same certainly holds true for understanding what
is going on in the present day. Learning how to
identify and evaluate confl icting interpretations is a n
essential citizenship skill for which history, a s a n
often-contested laboratory of hum a n experience,
provides training. This is one area in which the full
benefi ts of historical study sometimes clash with the
narrower u s e s of the past to construct identity.
Experience in examining past situations provides a
constructively critical sense that c a n be applied to
partisan claims about the glories of national or group
identity. The study of history in no sense undermines
loyalty or
commitment, but it does teach the need for assessing
arguments, and it provides opportunities to engage in
debate and achieve perspective.

3. E x p e r i e n c e i n a s s e s s i n g p a s t e x a m p l e s of c h a n g e .
Experience in assessing past examples of change
is vital to understanding change in society today - it is
a n essential skill in what we are regularly told is our
"ever-changing world." Analysis of change
means developing some capacity for determining the
magnitude and signifi cance of change, for
some changes are more fundamental than
others. Comparing particular changes to
relevant examples from the past helps students of history
develop

tatahccisomcappaancyitye.venThe t ahbe iliimtyostto

didreanmtiafyticthcehaconngteisnuailtsieos ctohmatesalwfraoyms
studying history, a s does the skill to determine probable
CHAPTER ONE:
c a uses of change. Learning history helps one fi gure out,7
INTRODUCTION
for example, if one main factor - such as a
technological innovation or some deliberate new policy
LESSON 1 . 2
DISTINCTION BETWEEN PRIMARY
AND
SECONDARY SOURCES

•In the study of history, historians give

interpretations of the past by investigating historical
sources. No interpretations, however, shall be
accepted unless it is supported by evidence from the
examined sources. Historical sources may refer to
everything, written or not, that may tell something
about the past. These sources are generally
classified into primary and secondary sources.

•Primary sources are original records of a certain

event by people who have actually experienced or
witnessed it. These may include original works
such as letters, legislations, newspaper articles,
diaries, interviews, government documents, reports,
photographs, literature and other creative outputs.

•Secondary sources, on the other hand, are

records based on primary sources. They explain
a certain event of the past through evaluation
and interpretation of the records created during a
historical period. These may include
researches, textbooks, journals, commentaries,
biographies, and criticism or reviews of literary
and creative works.
1 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE
0 HISTORY
 To illustrate, if students wish to study the 1987
Constitution, the primary sources includes the
Record of the 1986 Constitutional Commission,
proclamations, speeches of the 48 representatives
who collectively drafted the current Constitution,
and the text of the Constitution itself. Its
secondary sources, on the hand, may include
textbooks, annotations, and published opinions about
the Constitution.

Primary and secondary sources are both

important in studying history. However, it is preferred
that students use primary sources in their analysis
and synthesis of the past events. The use of
primary sources is important because of the following
reasons:

1. Direct contact with the original records and

artifacts invites students to explore the
content with active and deeper analysis,
and to respond thoughtfully;
2. Critical thinking is developed as
students probe the context, purpose, meaning,
bias, and perspectives in their analysis of
3.the past;
In the interaction with the various sources
from the past, a learn-led inquiry is
being fostered;
4. There is a realization that history is a
refl ection of various perspectives of those
who interpret the past events; and
5.It brings back to story to history allowing
students to share the
author’s perspectives.

CHAPTER ONE: 1
INTRODUCTION 1
LESSON 1 . 3
INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL
CRITICISM
Being able to identify primary sources from secondary
sources is the fi rst step of historical method. Historic a l
m e t h o d refers to the process of probing primary sources that
will be used in writing history. This includes source criticism
which studies the external and internal validity of sources.

According the Gilbert J. Garraghan and Jean Delanglez

in 1946, source criticism a s k s the following questions:

When was the source, written or

unwritten, produced? Where was it produced?
B y whom was it
From what pre-existing material was it
produced?
produced? In what original form was it
produced?
What is the evidential value of its contents?
The fi rst five questions are considered to be part of
e x t e r n a l c r i t i c i s m . Historians determine the authenticity
of sources by examining the date, locale, creator,
analysis and integrity of the historical sources. These
information must be consistent with each other. It means,
for example, that the materials used in a source must match
the time and place when it was produced.

The last question is treated a s i n t e r n a l c r i t i c i s m a s it

helps the historians determine the credibility of the source. It
studies the content of the source to know its truthfulness.
For a source to be valid, its content m ust be reasonable
and historically precise. One should now rely on a data which
is not supported by evidence.

Neuman in 2 0 1 3 h a s explained the diff erence between

external and internal criticism in the illustration on the next
page.

One of the disputed documents which may

illustrate the application of external and internal criticism is
the Code of Kalantiaw. The Code was introduced a s written
by D
1 atu Kalantiaw
READINGS IN PHILIPPINE of Negros in 1 4 3 3 . However, in a study
presented by William Henry Scott, it was
4 HISTORY

found out to be a hoax – a forgery written by Jose E. Marco

 Internal a n d External Criticism (from N e u m a n , 2003,
p.421)

Today, history books no longer include the said Code.

B u t Atty. Cecilio D uk a , in 2018, h a s interestingly provided the
1 8 articles of the Code in his book, Struggle for Fr e e d o m , to be
critically examined by the students and conclude its
truthfulness. For similar reasons and to feed our curiosity here
are the said laws:

A r t ic le I - Ye shall not kill, neither shall ye steal nor

shall ye hurt the aged, lest ye incur the danger of
death. All those who
this order shall infringe shall be tied to a stone and
drowned in a river or in boiling water.

A r t ic le II - Ye shall punctually meet your debt

with your headman. He who fulfi lls not, for the fi rst
time shall be lashed a hundredfold, and If the
obligation is great, his hand shall be dipped threefold
in boiling water. On conviction, he shall be fl ogged to
death.

A r t ic le III - Obey ye: no one shall have wives that

are too young, nor shall they be more than what h e
c a n take care of, nor spend m u c h luxury. He who
fulfi ls not, obeys not, shall be condemned to swim
three hours and, for the second time, shall be
scourged with spines to death.

A r t ic le IV - Observe and obey ye: Let not the peace

of the graves be disturbed; due respect m ust be
accorded them on passing by caves and trees where
they are. He who observes not shall die by bites of
ants or shall be fl ogged with spines till death.

A r t ic le V - Obey ye: Exchange in food m ust be

CHAPTER ONE: 1
carried out faithfully. He who compliesINTRODUCTION
not shall be 5
lashed for a n hour.
He who repeats the act shall, for a day be exposed to
 A r t ic le VI - Ye shall revere respectable places, trees of
known value, and other sites. He shall pay a month's
work, in gold or money, whoever fails to do this; and
if twice committed, he shall be declared a slave.

A r t ic le VII - They shall die who kill trees of venerable

aspect; who at night shoot with arrows the aged men
and the women; he who enters the house of the
headman without permission; he who kills a fi sh or
shark or striped crocodile.

A r t ic le VIII - They shall be slaves for a given time

who steal away the women of the headmen; he who
possesses dogs that bite the headmen; he who b urns
another man's sown field.

A r t ic le IX - They shall be slaves for a given time, who

sing in their night errands, kill manual birds,
tear documents belonging to the headmen; who are
evil-minded liars; who play with the dead.

A r t ic le X - It shall be the obligation of every mother

to show her daughter secretly the things that are
lascivious, and prepare them for womanhood; men
shall not be cruel to their wives, nor should they
punish them when they catch them in the act of
adultery. He who disobeys shall be torn to pieces
and thrown to the Caymans.

A r t ic le XI - They shall be burned, who by force or

cunning have mocked at and eluded punishment, or
who have killed two young boys, or shall try to steal
the women of the old men (agurangs).

A r t ic le XII - They shall be drowned, all slaves who

assault their superiors or their lords and masters; all
those who abuse their luxury; those who kill their
anitos by breaking them or throwing them away.

A r t ic le XIII - They shall be exposed to the ants for half

a day, who kill a black cat during the new moon
or steal things belonging to the headmen.

A r t ic le XIV - They shall be slaves for life, who having

beautiful daughters shall deny them to the sons of
1 the headman,
READINGS IN PHILIPPINE or shall hide them in bad faith.
6 HISTORY
 A r t ic le XV - Concerning their beliefs and
superstitions: they shall be scourged, who eat bad
meat of respected insects or herbs that are
supposed to be good; who hurt or kill the young
manual bird and the white monkey.

A r t ic le XVI - Their fi ngers shall be cut off, who break

or clay idols in their o l a n g a n g s and places of oblation;
wooden Ta g a l a n ' s daggers for hog killing, or breaks
breaks
he who
drinking vases.

A r t ic le XVII - They shall be killed, who profane places

where sacred objects of their diwatas or headmen are
buried. He who gives way to the call of nature at s u c h
places shall be burned.

A r t ic le XVIII - Those who do not c a use these

rules to be observed, if they are headmen, shall be
stoned and crushed to death, and if they are old men,
shall be placed in rivers to be eaten by sha rks and
crocodiles.

The Code is just one of the many sources that was

included in our former study of the Philippine history and
there may be other sources that are, u p until now, accepted
but not fully examined. As students of history, the challenge
is for u s to externally and internally criticize sources
before accepting them a s evidence to the history of our past.

In addition to the questions of Garraghan and

Delanglez, historians also have presented the following
✓
principles of s o usources
Human r c e c r i t i cmay
i s m for
be drelics
e t e r m isnui n
chg relia
a s bility
a
fi ngerprint;1 9
(Olden-Jørgensen, or9 8narratives
and Thurén, s u c 1997):
h a s a statement
or a letter. Relics are
✓
more credible sources than narratives.
Any given source may be forged or corrupted.
Strong indications of the originality of the
✓
source increase its reliability.
The closer a source is to the event which it
purports to describe, the more one c a n trust it
✓
to give a n accurate historical description of what
actually happened.
A primary source is more reliable than a
secondary source, which is more reliable than a
✓
tertiary source, and so on.
Imf eassnaug me, betrheof ci rneddeipbeilnitdyenot f

sotuhrecesmecsosnatgaein ist hsetrosnagmly e

CHAPTER ONE: 1
INTRODUCTION 7
 increased.
✓ The tendency of a source is its motivation for
providing some kind of bias. Tendencies
should be minimized or supplemented with
✓ opposite motivations.
If it c a n be demonstrated that the witness or
source has no direct interest in creating bias
then the credibility of
the message is increased.

What if there are two or more sources to prove a certain

historical event? Bernheim (1889) and Langlois &
Seignobos (1898) have presented the following procedures to
examine contradictory sources:

1. If the sources all agree about a n event, historians c a n

consider the event proved;
2. However, majority does not rule; even if most
sources relate
events in one way, that version will not prevail unless it
passes the test of critical textual analysis;
3. The source whose account c a n be confi rmed by its
eonutisriedtey iaf uitthisorimitipesosisniblseomsime iolaf
reference
4. When two to sources disagree on a particular point, the
r l y to co nsfircman
i t s
historian
pa rt thbeeprefer
will etnrtuirsthe
etetdex itn;
source with most
"authority" —that is the source created by the expert
or by the eyewitness;
5. Eyewitnesses are, in general, to be preferred
especially in
circumstances where the ordinary observer
could have accurately reported what transpired
and, more specifi cally, when they deal with facts
known by most contemporaries;
6. If two independently created sources agree on
a matter, the reliability of each is measurably
enhanced;
7. When two sources disagree and there is no
other means of evaluation, then historians take the
source which seems to
accord best with common sense.

Primary sources are mostly accounts of eyewitnesses. As

proposed above, they are generally preferred. In history,
however, one should not immediately accept statements of a n
eyewitness without evaluation. RJ Shafer had suggested that
we a s k the following questions:

✓ Is the real meaning of the statement diff erent from

1
its literal meaning? Are words used in senses not
READINGS IN PHILIPPINE
8 employed today? Is the statement meant to be ironic (i.e.,
HISTORY
mean other than it says)?
 to sight, hearing, touch? Did he have the proper social
ability to observe: did he understand the language,
have other expertise required (e.g., law, military); was he
not being intimidated by his wife or the secret police?

✓ How did the author report and what was his ability to do
so?O
Regarding his ability to report, was he biased? Did
proper time for reporting? Proper place for
he have
reporting? Adequate recording instruments?
O When did he report in relation to his observation?
Soon? Much later? Fifty years is m u c h later a s
most eyewitnesses are dead and those who remain
may have forgotten relevant material.
O What was the author's intention in reporting? For
whom did he report? Would that audience be likely to
require or suggest distortion to the author?
O Are there additional clues to intended ve rac it y?
indiff erent on the subject reported, t hus
Waprobably
s he not intending distortion? Did he make
statements damaging to himself, t hus probably not
seeking to distort? Did he give incidental or
casual information, almost certainly not intended
to mislead?

✓ Do his statements seem inherently improbable: e.g.,

contrary to h u m a n nature, or in confl ict with what we
know?

✓ Remember that some types of information are easier to

observe and report on than others.

✓
InAre
somethere inner
cases contradictions
when there is no in the document?
primary source available to
the happening of one event or history, indirect eyewitnesses
confi rm
or
secondary sources may be inquired from. In these cases,
Gottschalk has suggested to a s k the following:

1.From whose primary testimony does the secondary

witness base his statements?
2. Did the secondary witness accurately the
report testimony a s a whole? primary
3. If not, in what details didhe accurately
report testimony? the
primary
Having reasonable answers from these questions will
give the historian a source, which may be considered original
and reliable.

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 19

 Historians may also look into oral traditions a s a
source of history. These traditions, however, may only be
accepted if they satisfy the following conditions:
1 . B roa d c ond it ions:
a. The tradition should be supported by a n unbroken
series of witnesses, reaching from the immediate and
fi rst reporter of
the fact to the living mediate witness from whom we
from, or to the one who was the fi rst to commit it to
take it
writing.
b. There should be several parallel and
independent series of witnesses testifying to the fact
2. Painr t iquestion.
c u l a r c ond it ions:
a. The tradition m ust report a public event of
importance, suc h a s would necessarily be known
directly to a great number of persons.
b. The tradition m ust have been generally believed,
at least for defi nite period of time.

withou
c . pDruorteinsgt, tehvaetn
t
d. The tradition m ust be one of relatively
fdroefminpitersponersioindteirtesmttmedusitn
limited duration (Elsewhere, Garraghan suggests a
dhemaximum
anvyeing oitn.limit
e of 1 5 0 years, at least in cultures
that excel in oral remembrance)
e. The critical spirit m ust have been
suff iciently developed while the tradition lasted, and
the necessary means of critical investigation m ust
have been at hand.
f. Critical-minded persons who would surely
have challenged the tradition – had they considered it
false – m ust have made no s u c h challenge.

Other traditions may also be proven by

presentation of comparable evidence s u c h a s archeological
records or remains.

The guidelines presented above may help in the

examination of sources, which may be accepted in writing
history. These should be coupled by further assessments
using proper historical reasoning.

2 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE
0 HISTORY
LESSON 1 . 4
KINDS AND
REPOSITORIES OF
PRIMARY RESOURCES
Establishing the reliability of primary sources is vital in
studying
history As students, it is equally important for one to
. identify the kinds of primary sources a s used in
variou diff erent avenues. This presents the classifi cation
s of primary
obtainability of each. sources and the
lesson
Primary sources may be published or unpublished
documents. P u b l i s h e d documents are those that are
intended for public distribution or use. Newspapers,
magazines, books, reports, government documents, laws, court
decisions, literary works, posters, maps, and advertisements
are some are
documents of published
the examples. Themean
does not fact that
thatthey
these
are
accurate,
reliable, or truthful. The readers must comprehend not just
the
substance of the document but also the background of the
author, a s it
may be written based on the author’s perspective.

Documents s u c h a s diaries, journals, letters, wills,

and other personal papers that are not published may be
used a s primary sources. U n p u b l i s h e d d o c u m e n t s , unlike
published ones, may be diff icult to locate a s they are kept
in private and hence, may not be easily accessed by the
public. These documents are also confi dential and are
restricted from public u s e like personal letters, which are in the
possession of the recipients.

Primary sources may also be unwritten. These may

include oral t r a d i t i o n s , oral histories, artworks, and
artifacts. Traditions and histories or stories transferred
through generations may tell u s something about the past.
Accepted a s primary sources of this kind are those that
come from people who have actually witnessed or
experienced the past events. Personal or fi rst-hand
knowledge is necessary in considering these sources a s
primary. Although some oral traditions (from some cultures)
that are still unwritten u p to date may be used in writing
history, it is essential that that their reliability is properly
evaluated.
Other unwritten sources include a r t w o rCHAPTER
k s a nONE:
d a r t i f a c t s2.
These are visual documents that tell u s several views of the
INTRODUCTION 3

past from the

and artifacts are some of the visual documents that may have
captured historic moments and provide evidence to changes
that happened over time.

Knowing the type of primary source helps in

identifying its repository. Written documents may be found
in libraries or archives
while unwritten documents may be stored in m u s e u m s and
galleries.
Primary sources of Philippine history are placed in
several repositories around the country. Some of these places
are the National Archives, National Library, the National
Museums, and other local government repositories.

T h e National A r c h i v e s of t h e Philippines
Organized under Republic Act No. 9470 passed on May
2 1 , 2007, the National Archives of the Philippines (NAP) was
established to store, preserve, conserve, and make available
to the public the records, papers, periodicals, books or
other items, articles or materials, that have been selected
for permanent reservation. These materials may be in the
form of electronic, audio-visual or print, which by their
nature and characteristics have enduring value.
The NAP is holding about 60,000,000 archival
documents with Spanish Collection comprising a n estimated
13,000,000 manuscripts from the 1 6 t h to 1 9 t h Century with
400 titles on various aspects of Philippine history under the
a) S p a n i s h r u le s u c h a s royal decrees of Spanish monarchs,
reports of Spanish governors-general, documents on Filipino
uprisings, records of diff erent provinces and pueblos, royal
titles on lands and landed estates, pastoral letters of the
records, civil rosters, war trials; and c) r ec ent
clergy,
composed papers
of on churches
notarial documents, and convents,
registers, maps
civil service and
service rec ords
architectural
records,
1,000 and plans
cubic meterof of buildings
inactiveand houses,ofcivil
records records like
national/local
birth, marriages
governments, and death;
including those b)of Aabolished,
merican an d J a p a n e s eor
transferred
o c c u p a toff
merged i o nices.
r e c o r d s including Philippine National Guard

T h e National Library of t h e Philippines

The National Library of the Philippines (NLP) is the
repository of the printed and recorded cultural heritage of the
country and other intellectual, literary and information
sources. It was established by a royal decree on 1 2 August
1 8 8 7 and named a s the Museo-Biblioteca de Filipinas. Its
mission is to acquire, organize, conserve, and preserve
Filipiniana materials and provide equitable access to library
resources through a system of public libraries throughout the
country.
The NLP h a s one of the largest collections of
materials in various
forms in the country covering around 1 . 6 million books,
manuscripts, newspapers, theses and dissertations,
government publications, maps, and photographs. Some of the
valuable pieces it holds are Rizal’s novels, including the
unfi nished novels, and the Philippine Declaration of
Independence which are all kept in a special vault.
T h e National M u s e u m of t h e
As a n educational, scientifi c, and cultural institution, the
Philippines
National
M useum (NM) operates the National M useum of Fine Arts,
National M useum of Anthropology, National M useum of Natural
History, National Planetarium and other branch m u s e u m s
around the country. Its collection covers fi ne arts,
archeology, ethnography, and natural history.

CHAPTER ONE: 2
INTRODUCTION 5