GE 2 - READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

HISTORICAL METHODS

History – the study of past of the mankind (people, places, events, memories, and discoveries).

Note: The ultimate goal of history is reconstruction of the total past of the mankind. However, it is
impossible to reconstruct the total past of the mankind since no man has the best memory to
remember everything that happened in a single event. Only a part of what was observed in the past
was remembered. Only a part of what was remembered was recorded. Only a part of what was
recorded has survived. Only a part of what has survived has come to the historian’s attention. Only a
part of what has come to the historian’s attention is credible.

Two approaches in explaining and writing a historical event:

1. Subjective approach – historians apply their personal experiences or perception of the subject matter
in an attempt to provide a record about an event with limited number of historical evidences.
2. Objective approach – historians become empirical and follow the scientific inquiry through critical
analysis of the available historical sources in an attempt to explain a historical event.

Two goals in writing history:

1. Descriptive - a historian’s goal in attempt to explain the what, who, when, and where context of a
historical event.
2. Interpretive – a historian’s goal in attempt to explain the why and how context of a historical event.

Two approaches in evaluating historical sources or evidences:

1. Internal criticism – evaluating the credibility of a historical data
2. External criticism – evaluating the authenticity of a historical data

Testing internal criticism includes evaluating the following:

1. Ability to tell the truth of the eyewitnesses – testing nearness, competence (degree of expertise,
state of mental and physical health, age, education, memory, narrative skill, etc.), degree of attention,
and egocentrism (one’s willingness to go with a particular condition of investigation).
2. Willingness to tell the truth

Testing external criticism includes the following:

1. Identification of author and determination of the approximate date – anachronistic style of writing
(signature and punctuation marks), letterheads, seal, watermarks.
2. Conducting technical test of the historical object or material.

Two types of historical sources or data:

1. Primary source – firsthand evidence (diaries, coins, speech, replica of Lolong, photographs)
2. Secondary source – secondhand evidence (news articles, magazines, books, documentary films)

Primary sources are NOT original sources. Original sources are synonymous with manuscripts or
archival that do not need to be a firsthand evidence but the earliest possible source of information.

The meaning of original: Fresh and creative, untranslated, unpolished, approved text, earliest possible
source of information.
THE AGE OF EXPLORATION AND MAGELLAN’S EXPEDITION

To the West, for a quite long time, the Philippines and the rest of the world was Tierra Incognita
(Unknown Lands).

Spain and Portugal - the two superpowers that compete in colonizing territories where they can source
out some spices for their people.

Portugal – was the first of all the European countries to send expeditions to the East.

Prince Henry – also called as “The Navigator,” was Portugal’s most famous navigators who discovered
Madeira and the Azores which soon became into Portuguese colonies. Later, he led expeditions to
Western Africa.

Bartholomew Diaz – the Portuguese Navigator who discovered Cope of Good Hope and Calicut India
marking the first time that a European country reached the East by sailing the southernmost tip of
Africa.

Christopher Colombus – the Italian explorer sent by Spain for an expedition to what is now known as
North America. Sailing from Spain, he discovered “North America” in 1492 believing the large mass of
land he discovered was Asia.

Amerigo Vespucci – an Italian navigator sent by Spain to explore what Christopher Colombus had
found. He discovered that the large mass of land was not Asia but a “new world” which geographers
named as “America” after his name.

Pope Alexander VI –the pope who released an edict to divide the world into two. All lands south and
west of the Azores and Cape Verde Islands were to belong to Spain while Portugal would take
possession of the Continent of Africa.

Treaty of Tordesillas – a treaty between Spain and Portugal that aimed to end any conflict between the
two drawing an imaginary line from north to south at a distance of 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde
Islands. Lands to be discovered east of this line would belong to Portugal, and those on the west would
belong to Spain. If Spanish ships discovered lands east of the demarcation line, the said lands should be
turned over to Portugal, and lands discovered by the Portuguese ships west of the line should be
turned over to Spain.

Ferdinand Magellan - A Portuguese explorer in the service of the Spanish crown, was looking for a
westward route to the Maluku Islands (Moluccas or Spice Islands of Indonesia). He was the first
European voyager from Spain who discovered the Philippines.

Don Juan de Aranda – the father-in-law of Magellan and a man occupying a high position in the Spanish
government who helped Magellan to see and meet King Charles I of Spain. Magellan explained the
Moluccas belonged to the Spanish side of the demarcation line according to the Treaty of Tordesillas
and using his visual aids like maps, convinced him that he can reach Moluccas by sailing west. The
youthful King was impressed with him and agreed to send an expedition to the Spice Islands under the
command of Magellan.

The expedition consisted of five ships, namely Trinidad, Concepcion, Victoria, Santiago, and San
Antonio.

Islas de Ladrones – also known as the Islands of Thieves where some of the natives stole one of boats
of Magellan while his men are resting and getting some fresh food and water.
March 17, 1521 – Magellan and his troops first sighted the mountain of Samar marking the coming of the
first Spaniards in the Philippines.

March 18, 1521 – Magellan ordered his men to land at Homonhon islet so the sick men could be taken
care of.

Having rested, Magellan proceeded to the islet of Limasawa, which was at that time ruled by Rajah
Kulambu. The first blood compact between happened between Filipinos and Spaniards through the
blood compact of Rajah Kulambu, Agu, and Magellan.

March 31, 1521 – the first mass in the Philippines was celebrated.

Father Pedro de Valderrama – the priest who initiated the mass near the seashore.

There were contentions about the place where the first mass was celebrated. The contented place
includes Limasawa, Homonhon, Masao, and Mahaba Island.

Magellan stayed only a week in Limasawa because there was not enough food in the islet.
Hearing of a rich island not far away, he ordered his troops to sail for what is now Cebu.

April 08, 1521 – Magellan and his troops entered the harbor of Cebu. They were welcomed by the
chieftain of Cebu – Rajah Humabon.

April 15, 1521 – a mass was celebrated in Cebu. A cross was erected and Magellan persuaded the
Cebuanos to become Christians. Some 800 natives became Christians that day, among them were Rajah
Humabon who was given the name “Don Carlos” in honor of King Charles of Spain, and his wife Hara
Humamay who was given the name “Juana” in honor of King Charles’ mother.

Lapu-Lapu – the one of the chieftains of Mauthan (Mactan) who was responsible for defeating the
head of the Spanish expedition to Southeast Asia in 1521, the Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan.

“There was an island called Mauthan, the king of which was greatly esteemed as a fine man in arts of
war and was more powerful than his neighbors.”
-Juan Sebastian El Cano (1521)

Juan Sebastian El Cano – the Spanish explorer who took command of the carrack Victoria after
Magellan’s death in the Philippines and the first who completed the circumnavigation of the Earth.

Mandawili – the region in Cebu city that Raja Humabon gave to Lapu-Lapu when he asked for a place to
settle. He soon became the chieftain of the region’s people. Today, Mandawili is known as Mandaue
City.

Datu Sula – Another chieftain of Mactan (aside from Lapu-Lapu) who suggested to Magellan to force
Lapu-Lapu to comply with Humabon’s order to embrace Christianity and recognize the King of Spain as
their sovereign. Lapu-lapu disobeyed the order resulting to battle of Mactan.

April 27, 1521 – the date when the Battle of Mactan happened between the troops of
Magellan combined with the troops of Rajah Humabon and Datu Zula versus the troops of
Lapu-Lapu.
5 Expeditions after Magellan’s Expedition:
Loaisa expedition
Cabot expedition
Saavedra expedition
Villalobos expedition
Legazpi expedition

Bernardo dela Torre – the Spanish sailor who gave the name “Las Islas Filipinas” to the Philippines,
primarily the islands of Leyte and Samar during the Villalobos expedition.

Legazpi expedition – the only expedition that was successful in colonizing the Philippines.
The Philippines was colonized for 333 years.

THE SECULARIZATION MOVEMENT, THE CAVITE MUTINY AND THE EXECUTION OF THE
GOMBURZA

Secularization movement – the quest of the Filipino priests to end the ecclesiastical inequality among
them and the regular Spanish priests as well as the transfer of parochial administration from the regular
friars to the secular priests.

2 major group of religious priests that administer the Catholic churches:

1. Regular priest – priests that have religious order (priests that came from Spain). They were priests
ordered by the Spanish government to administer the Catholic churches in the
Philippines.
2. Secular priest – priests that did not belong to any religious order. Most of them were Filipino priests.
They were trained specifically to run the parishes and were under the supervision of the bishops.

The story of conflict between the two (2) groups

The conflict began between the two (2) groups of priests when the secular priests requested to visit
and check the parishes being managed by the regular priests. According to the secular priests, it was
their duty to check how the regular priests manage the parishes (during the Spanish era, one way to
check whether oppression or corruption exists among the Spanish officials and church authorities is by
conducting visits).

However, the regular priests rejected the request of the secular priests arguing that regular priests are
not under the supervision of secular priests. The secular priests felt that they were racially
discriminated by the regular priests. Thus, the movement for secularization started.

The regular priests threatened the secular priests and the Archbishop that time that if the movement
continues, they will abandon their posts.

Archbishop Basilio Santa Justa – the Archbishop that time whom the secular priests reported the
situation. He held his diocese’s authority over the parishes and accepted the resignations of the regular
priests, and assigned secular priests to take their posts.

Most of the regular priests resigned and went back to Spain and reported the situation to the Spanish
government.

Father Pedro Pelaez – the Filipino priest who appealed to Queen Isabella II to end the church inequality
among the regular and secular priests in the Philippines. He died in an earthquake, and the movement
for secularization was passed to the GOMBURZA.
GOMBURZA:
a. Father Mariano Gomez
b. Father Jose Burgos
c. Father Jacinto Zamora

THE CAVITE MUTINY

- About 200 Filipino military personnel of Fort San Felipe Arsenal in Cavite, Philippines, staged a mutiny
or revolt against the Spanish authority because they were denied of the privileges that they usually
enjoy like exemption of tax (tribute) payments and forced labor.

The mutineers were defeated because they were out-numbered and out-armed by the Spaniards, and
some of them were sick that time.

Note: The term mutiny refers to a type of rebellion against the proper authorities, especially by soldiers
or sailors against their officers.

January 20, 1872 - the date when the Cavite Mutiny happened.

Sergeant Fernando La Madrid – The soldier who led the Cavite mutiny.

Governor General Rafael de Izquierdo – the Governor General during the Cavite Mutiny who
dispatched two (2) infantry troops and artillery brigade with four (4) cannons to disperse the mutineers
in the arsenal.

Felipe Ginoves Expinar – the one who led the attack against the mutineers in the arsenal as
commanded by Governor General Rafael de Izquerdo.

The feast of the Lady of Loreto in Sampaloc

- The celebration in Sampaloc Laguna where the participants of the feast usually celebrate it with
fireworks displays that otherwise confused the mutineers about the pre-arranged attack that they
planned against the Spanish officers in arsenal. It was one of the reasons why the mutineers were
defeated in the battle. They thought that it was their pre-arranged signal to attack the Spaniards, but it
was simply a display of fireworks.

The masons who organized the Cavite Mutiny and were exiled to Mariana Island (which is now Guam)
and imposed 10-year imprisonment as punishment:
a. Maximo Inocencio
b. Enrique Paraiso
c. Crisanto de los Reyes

Additional note:
The regular priests and the Spanish authorities linked and accused the GOMBURZA of causing and
leading the Cavite mutiny resulting to their execution in 1882.

Bonifacio Octavo – named Burgos as leader of Cavite Mutiny.

Francisco Zaldua – linked Zamora with the Mutiny by claiming that he delivered letters to him. He was
also executed in the same place and date when the GOMBURZA was executed.
In fact, he was the first that was executed before the GOMBURZA. He thought that the
Spaniards will save him after linking GOMBURZA with the Cavite Mutiny but he was rather betrayed and
executed.
How was the GOMBURZA associated with the Cavity Mutiny?
a. Father Burgos: The name of Burgos was used to convince the Filipinos to join the mutiny. They were
told that they will be protected by God and they were promised to receive incentives after the revolt.
b. Father Gomez: He was accused that he knew the planned revolt of the mutineers because he was
the one whom the mutineers confessed with about their disapproval of the Spaniards.
c. Father Zamora: A letter containing a request of pieces of bullets and gunpowder was found in their
house when it was raid by the Spaniards. Various historians wrote that he is fond of playing cards and
gambling.

February 17, 1872 – the date when the GOMBURZA was executed in Bagumbayan through Garrote.

Garrote – the Spanish method of punishment or torture by strangulation that was used to execute the
GOMBURZA.

Series of Narratives
Additional note:
The execution of GOMBURZA instilled the sense of nationalism of Jose Rizal. In fact, he wrote in his
letter to Mariano Ponce that without the tragic event of 1872, Rizal would have become a Jesuit and
that instead of writing Noli Me Tangere, he would have written the opposite.

Moreover, Rizal, being an 11-year old boy in Calamba that time, felt that there was something wrong
with how the GOMBURZA was trialed and executed. Years later after he had finished his El
Filibusterismo, he wrote a farewell letter to his lifetime friend, Ferdinand Blumentritt looking back, he
said that he will not change and live the same life if he had a chance to start all over again. It was,
according to him, his destiny. God would ask him what he did witnessing the evil and injustice around
him, he assured Blumentritt.