Readings in Philippine History
Account of the
BANCAO REVOLT
Presented by Anthony Luiz Actub
Points of Discussion
TOPICS TO BE COVERED
Introduction
Summary
Context Analysis
Content Analysis
Conclusion
INTRODUCTION
ACCOUNT OF THE BANCAO REVOLT
The Bancao Revolt, led by Datu Bancao in Carigara,
Leyte, was a major rebellion against Spanish authority
in the late 17th century.
Carigara, located in Leyte, Visayas, Philippines, was a
major site of the Bancao Revolt.
The name of the Island Leyte, was formerly known as Abuyo before it became Ila-Iti.
Ila- theirs or belonging to
Iti – Good Boy was bancao’s baptismal name
Ila Iti – This is Iti’s Island.
SUMMARY
ACCOUNT OF THE BANCAO REVOLT
Datu Bancao warmly accepted Miguel Lopez de Legazpi when he arrived in the
Philippines in 1564, and was converted as a Christian. Being hospitable toward de
Legazpi and his men, he received a letter of gratitude from the Spanish King Philip II.
Miguel Lopez de Legazpi King Philip II
·Though he was one of the first converts of Catholicism under de Legazpi, he left his
faith and allegiance to the Spanish after around fifty years. Spaniards had
implemented ‘polo’ which is the force labor without salary.
Catholicism Forced Labor (Polo)
Together with a babaylan named Pagali and his children, he built a sacred place
named divata or diwata
Divata or Diwata
Datu Bancao and Pagali told their followers that they could change the Spaniards into
stones as soon as they saw them, by repeating the word bato, which signifies ‘stone’
and that a woman or a child could change them into clay by flinging earth upon
them.
Parish priest Father Melchor de Vera went to Cebu to report the insurrection. The
rebellion was suppressed by Juan de Alcarazo, the alcalde mayor of Cebu, and the
Spanish and Filipino colonial troops in forty ships sent by Governor-General Alonso
Fajardo de Entenza.
Captain Juan de Alcarazo equipped an armada of 40 vessels, in which were
embarked some Spaniards and many friendly Indians, also the father rector of Cebu
and Father Melchor de Vera; these united with the forces (both Spanish and Indian)
Datu Bancao and his men were first offered peace by the Spaniards but abruptly
spurned the offer. Men of Datu Bancao, divided into three bodies, attacked them; and,
when that which Don Juan de Alcarazo commanded came in sight of the rebels, they
fled to the hills.
Although the compassion of the Spaniards spared the children and women, these
could not escape the fury of the Indians. Many of the rebels (followers of Datu Bancao)
died, the enchantment not availing them by which thay had thought to turn
Spaniards into stone or clay.
Encamping within the temple for a diwata, the Spaniards burned it down after ten
days. Bancao's head was pierced in a bamboo stake and was displayed for the public
to serve as a warning.
His son was beheaded, and one babaylan was burned at the stake. Three other
followers were executed by a firing squad. In order to dispel the blindness caused by
the influence of diwata, eighty-one rebel priests were burned. Some rebels were
captured, including the daughter and son of Bancao.
To inspire greater terror, the captain gave orders to shoot three or four rebels, and to
burn 8 one of their priests-in-order that, by the light of that fire, the blindness in
which the diwata had kept them deluded might be removed.
The Spaniards believed Bancao was at least 75 years old at the time of the revolt. The
Spaniards noted that Bancao was "very old and weak”.
CONTEXT ANALYSIS
ACCOUNT OF THE BANCAO REVOLT
PUBLICATION DATE OF "THE
PHILIPPINE ISLANDS" BY BLAIR
AND ROBERTSON:
The Philippine Islands, 1493–1898, also known as
Blair and Robertson after its two authors, is a 55-
volume set of history documentation about the
Philippines.
They were translated by Emma Helen Blair and
James Alexander Robertson, a director of the
National Library of the Philippines from 1910 to 1916.
The original 55-volume set was published from 1903
through 1909 by the Arthur H. Clark Company in
Cleveland, Ohio.
AUTHORSHIP,
BACKGROUND, AND
CREDENTIALS OF BLAIR
AND ROBERTSON:
Blair and Robertson, who translated "The
Philippine Islands," were well-known historians
who knew a lot about Philippine history.
Blair, an American historian, served as a
professor and administrator at several
prestigious universities like the University of
Wisconsin.
Robertson, a historian from Scotland wrote a
lot and specialized in Spanish history.
RELIABILITY AND AUTHENTICITY OF SOURCES
Because Blair and Robertson are such strict scholars, the sources they used to translate about
“The Philippine Islands can be trusted they used the original 55-volume set by the Arthur H.
Clark Company.
BIASES AND LIMITATIONS:
Their accounts may favor Spanish viewpoints,
potentially marginalizing indigenous perspectives.
The authors' Western background might prioritize
Spanish colonial narratives over indigenous
experiences.
Translations and interpretations of indigenous
narratives may overlook cultural nuances and
perspectives.
CONTENT ANALYSIS
ACCOUNT OF THE BANCAO REVOLT
CONTENT ANALYSIS
The Bancao Revolt was a rebellion led by Datu Bancao against Spanish colonial rule in
the Philippines. The indigenous people, led by Bancao, fought against unfair taxes,
forced labor, and land confiscation. They were driven by their desire for freedom,
justice, and independence. They also negotiated agreements with nearby indigenous
groups to strengthen their resistance.
CONTENT ANALYSIS
The Spanish government responded with armed aggression and harsh punishments
to suppress the revolt. In the short term, the revolt caused bloodshed, economic
problems, and strained relations between native groups and spaniards. However, in
the long run, the revolt helped weaken Spanish control, demonstrating the strength of
native defiance against colonial rule. The Spanish colonial government had to rethink
their treatment of native people and take steps to prevent further unrest. The revolt
also sparked more indigenous uprisings and resistance groups, altering the course of
the Philippines' colonial history.
CONCLUSION
ACCOUNT OF THE BANCAO REVOLT
CONCLUSION:
The Bancao Revolt is a significant historical event that showcases the resilience of native
communities in the Philippines against Spanish colonial rule. The event serves as a
strong example of indigenous resistance movements worldwide, demonstrating the
determination of indigenous communities to fight for their independence, culture, and
rights.
The Bancao Revolt serves as an example for other marginalized groups and provides
strength for future struggles for social justice and indigenous rights. It encourages people
to work together, speak out, and take action to make society more fair and inclusive,
valuing the rights and hopes of all people and groups.
REFERENCES
ACCOUNT OF THE BANCAO REVOLT
PRIMARY SOURCE:
·The Philippine Islands,Vol 1, No 38, Blair, Emma Helen, ed. d.1911.
·Project Gutenberg. (2015, October 1). The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 38 of 55,
1673-1677: Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples,
Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous
Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious
Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the
Close of the Nineteenth Century. Retrieved from
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/50111/50111-h/50111-h.htm
SECONDARY SOURCE:
·The Bancao rebellion of 1622 in Carigara, Leyte. (n.d.). The Kahimyang Project. Retrieved
March 8, 2024, from https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/857/the-bancao-
rebellion-of-1622-in-carigara-leyte
·CANO, G. (2008). Blair and Robertson’s “The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898”: Scholarship or
Imperialist Propaganda? Philippine Studies, 56(1), 3–46.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/42633940
PEOPLE INVOLVED
ACCOUNT OF THE BANCAO REVOLT
PEOPLE INVOLVED
Account of the Bancao Revolt
Datu Bancao
Miguel Lopez de Legazpi
Father Melchor de Vera
Juan de Alcarazo
Governor-General Alonso Fajardo de Entenza
Bancao Tribe
Spanish Colonial Authorities
Other Local Neighboring Tribes
