Subject: Project no.

1 in Reading in Philippine History

QUESTIONS

1. As a Friar how did Juan De Placensia describe the religious belief of early Filipino?
2. How did Morga describe the religious belief of early Filipinos?
3. How did Loarca describe the religious belief of the Pentados?
4. Was Chirinos observation of early Filipinos religion influenced by Friar?
5. How similar or different were descriptions of Chirino from early Filipinos religious
beliefs?

ANSWERS

1. Juan de Placensia describe the religious belief of the early Filipinos through his
observations. The first one he has notice was the chiefs who ruled over a hundreds of
people. This chiefs was called “Datos or Datu”. In addition these chiefs was
corresponded by 3 castes and knights those are the noble, commoners, and slaves.
The nobles are the so called “maharlikas”, the commoners where called
“alilipingnamamahay” and meanwhile slaves are those is also called “alipingsaguiguilir
or alipingsagigilid”. Juand de Placensia also describes their idols which they called
“Badhala” or “Bathala” who they truly worshiped that time. They consider Bathala as the
creator of everything. Those people do offerings and sometimes sacrifices for the
recovery of the sick, for the glory of dead, and even in giving a childbirths. He also
include the witches who deceived by pretending to heal the sick. And even mythical
creatures such as mananangal, mancocolam, asuang, mangagayuma, and many more.
2. Morga describes the early belief of the Filipinos through stating the origins, differences,
privileges of social classes which emphasized women. Based on him that in early times
Filipinosalready have their own footnote which is similar to Greeks and Arabic. Morga
also stated the critical system of the government which he state that it barely exist
because before there is no powerful figure to rule the whole or entire communities.

3. Loarca define the religious beliefs of the Pintados through his documentary which he
includes religious ceremony. Loarca was able to write and report about the people of the
Philippines which he described various beliefs in the archipelago regarding the dead.
Pintados was being indicated by him saying that where they would go when they die,
which said that they will claimed to the highest mountain in the island on Panay where
they can found the tallest tree who was being possess by the god named “Sidapa” here
they measure all the new-born, and places a mark on the tree, when the person stature
equals this mark, he will immediately dies.

4. On Chirino’s observation he told that Filipinos was being influence by the friars. He
stated that Filipinos before are well educated after early Spaniard come on the country.
During the early years education has shattered and controlled by the RomanCatholic
Church. Those Spanish friars and missionaries helped the natives to become educated
through their religion aims which convert Filipinos indigenous population to become
Catholics.

5. Based on my understandings Chirino cited the difference between how Filipinos behave
before and after they were being educate by the friars. On the other hand there are still
people who still valued the past beliefs of them before they are being taught by the
missionaries and become Catholics. Those people are still respecting the culture and
beings they are before they was colonized by the other countries. Just like on the
present days we still valued our ancient culture and belief even though we are
modernized and much influence by the other countries.
Submitted by: Princes Marie Falguera.
Bsed-1