Name: de Guia, Clarie Meire S.
Course: BSRT-1
I. Instructions: Choose one custom of the Tagalogs from Plasencia's account. Compare it to
the contemporary practices in Philippine society. Note the changes and explain in 300 to 500
words the factors that can account for these changes (e.g., slavery, concept of marriage,
concept of death, and burial practices).
The idea of marriage being practiced and accepted in those eras, which are very different from
what we see and practice in modern society today, is one of the cesone customs of the Tagalogs from
Placencia's account. It was uncommon for couples from different social classes to get married. In those
days, divorce was already accepted on a number of grounds, including adultery, a husband's desertion,
cruelty, and insanity.
As I actually read the entire text, I could also say that, based on Placencia's account, marriage
customs in that particular era mostly involved men who were monogamous and referred to their wives as
asawa. This suggests that the idea of marriage was not as great back then. A monogamous relationship
consists of having just one partner at a time as opposed to several partners. According to that custom, men
had to practice paninilbihan courtship before they could finally marry the woman they truly loved. Men
were also expected to give dowry, which could be a gift for the bride's parents (panghihimuyat), a piece of
land or gold, or a bigay-suso, which is a wet nurse for the bride.
Furthermore, marriage was seen as desirable and something that should have persisted into
modern times in traditional views and practices. Sadly, however, a lot of changes occurred and will
continue to occur in the days ahead because the only thing that is constant in this world is change.
As a result, marriage has a very different meaning in the modern world. Even though most
relationships in the modern era are monogamous, some religions, particularly Islam, permit men to
practice polygamy or marry multiple wives. When a man has multiple wives at the same time, it's known
as polygyny, and when a woman has multiple husbands at the same time, it's known as polyandry.
Due to a variety of factors, modern marriage in Philippine society no longer places the same value
on courtship as it did in the past. The truth is that you can easily find a partner through social media
without having to go through difficult situations or learn paninilbihan in the manner that it was previously
valued and instilled.
Last but not least, annulments are increasingly becoming standard procedures in Philippine
society today. However, the process will take an average of two years to finish before annulment, and it
can cost anywhere from 300,000 to 600,000 pesos, including the attorney's professional fee and
out-of-pocket expenses. In contrast to the grounds for divorce outlined in Tagalog custom, the grounds for
annulment in the modern era have taken on different forms. The final ground, insanity, remains valid,
while the other five (5) have changed to include impotence, sexually transmitted diseases, lack of parental
consent, consent obtained through fraud, consent obtained through coercion or undue influence, and
consent obtained through force.
II. Give three (3) reasons why Plasencia's Customs of the Tagalogs is important to the grand
narrative of Philippine history.
1. Plasencia's Customs of the Tagalogs is crucial to the overall story of Philippine history, first and
foremost because it largely describes the pre-Hispanic way of life of the Filipino people.
Plasencia identified the three castes of the time as the aristocrats, known as maharlica, the
commoners, known as aliping namamahay, and the slaves, known as aliping sa guiguili.
Plasenciaga provides us with an overview of the roles that these different roles play. For example,
Themaharlica are people who travel with the datu (chieftain) at their own expense rather than
paying tax or tribute to him. Married commoners, known as aliping namamahay, give half of their
farmed land to their master, whether or not he is a datu, as per the original agreement. However,
an aliping sa guiguilir are slaves who work for their master in his home and on his land, and they
are subject to sale. Having knowledge of these details leads one to conclude that the life system of
the Filipino people is not notably more restrictive than it was in the past.
2. Plasencia has explained the religious system before. The early Filipinos, according to him,
worshipped a deity called "Badhala." According to them, Badhala is the creator of everything and
all-powerful, and priests, known as catalonan, fight off various evildoers, including mangugauay.
Hocloban, Mancocolam, and other locations. People in the pre-Hispanic era followed their own
traditions. The interment of a deceased person next to this house is among the most notable
examples. In the event that the departed was a chief, his grave would be beneath a small house or
porch that they had constructed specifically for this reason.
3. Since it was accepted as a primary source, "Customs of the Tagalogs" is a standard source of
information about pre-conquest citizens. A reader should be aware that Plasencia's description is
neither exhaustive nor always accurate, as it covers a variety of topics including the establishment
of slavery, marriage, and the priesthood.
