Customs of Tagalog

 

Customs Juan de Plasenciaof the Tagalogs

 

Juan de Plasencia 

Spanish friar of the Franciscan Order

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1520 to 1590  Known to be defender of the native

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In this document, he gave a report of the Tagalog society he encountered during his mission work in 1580

 

Santiago de Vera 

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Chief justice of the Royal Royal Audiencia and 6th Spanish Governor General The reading that follows is the first of the two parts reported repo rted by by juan de plasen plasencia cia and this this particu particular lar section was recognized as the first Civil Code of the Philippines

 

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After receiving your Lordship's letter, I wished to reply immediately; but I postponed my answer in order that I might first thoroughly inform myself in regard to your request, and towho avoid thewhat conflicting reports of the Indians, arediscussing wont to tell suits their purpose. Therefore, to this end, I collected Indians from different district-- old men, and and those of the most capacity, all known to me; and from them I have obtained the simple truth, after weeding out much folishness, in regard to their government, administration administration of justice, inheritances, slaves, and dowries.

 

CUSTOMS OF TAGALOGS 

DATO 

Chief of Barangay  Captains of wars 

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Obeyer Obey er and rever reverence ence

TAGALO TAGAL O A BARANGAY BARANGAY - a tribal tribal gathering gathering

 

3 Castes: 

Maharlica 

Nobles  Free-born  

Doesn't pay taxes Doesn't tribute to the dato

 

3 Castes: (continuation) 

Alipin Ali ping g Nam Namama amahay hay 

Married and servie Married servie their master masterss  They live in their own houses 

Lords of their property and gold

 

3 Castes: (continuation (continuation)) 

Alip Al ipin ing g sa Gu Guig igui uili lirr 

They can be sold  Serve their master in his house and on his cultivated lands

 

Nobles or Maharlicas  

Free-born

They do not pay taxes  Acc Accomp ompany any the dato dato in the war  war 

 

Situation 1 

Those who are maharlicas on both the father’s and mother’s side continue to be so forever, and if it happens that they should become slaves, it is through marriage.

 

Situation 2 

If maharlicas maharlicas had children children among their slaves, the children and their mothers become free.

 

Situation 3 

If maharlicas maharlicas had children children by the slave-woma slave-woman n of another , the slave-woman was compelled when pregnant, to give her master half of a gold tael. In this case, half of the child was free if the father (Maharlica) recognize him. If not, the child will become a whole slave.

 

Situation 4 

If a free woman had children by a slave, they were all free, provided he were not her husband.

 

Situation 5 

If two persons married, of whom one was a maharlica and the the other a slave slave (namam (namamahay ahay or sa guig guiguili uilir), r), the children were divided. 

Odd birth order (1st, 3rd, 5th,…) - belong belonged ed to the father  father 

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Even birth order (2nd, 4th, 6th,…) - belong belonged ed to the mother  mother 

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Only child half free, half slave

 

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Maharlicas could not, after Maharlicas after marriage, move from one one village to another without paying a certain fine in i n gold (ranging from from one to three taels taels and a banquet banquet to the entire barangay) as arranged among them. When one married a woman of another village, the children were afterwards divided equally between the two barangays. Investigations made and sentences passed by the dato must take place in the presence of those of his

barangay.  They had laws by which they condemned to death a man of low birth who insulted the daughter or wife of a chief ; likewise witches, and others of the same class.

 

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As for inheritance, the legitimate children of father and mother inherited equally. When the parents give dowry to their son in order to marry the chief's daughter, the dowry must be greater than the sum given to the other sons.

 

Rules 

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If one had children to two or more legitimate wives: each child receive the inheritance and dowry of their mother. If a man has a child to his slave, the former had no share in the inheritance. Illegitimate child will not inherit the same as legitimate child but only 1/3 on the amount of the inheritance. Adopted children inherit the double of what was paid for their adoption.

 

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DOWRIES 

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Dowries were given by a man to the woman's parents.

DIVORCE 

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If the wife her husband for other allhusband. her dowry andleft equal addition will be fellman, to the If the wife left her husband but there is no other man, the dowry will be returned to her. If the husband left his wife, half of the dowry will stay on him and the other half will be fell to the wife. If there were already children, the whole dowry will be given to them.

 

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Death of Wife 

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Death of Husband 

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The half of dowry will be returned by the parents of the wife to the husband The dowry will be returned to the relatives of the husband

Dowries 

The half of the dowry will be given by the father to the son

 

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Unwillingness to marry 

There will be a heavy fine if the son/daughter of the died parents is unwilling to marry because it had been arranged by the parents of both sides

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If the parents were still alive, the parents will be responsible for paying the fine