KASPIL 2 - A52

Dr. Arleigh Dela Cruz

AMORILLO, Danica M.
11727381

Activity # 5- C: Explain the transformation of the Filipinos’ political, economic, social, and cultural
conditions from the pre- 16th century to the Spanish period? What are the dominant changes
that have happened to the Philippines? Identify 3 major transformations.

The pre-colonial life of the early Filipinos can be described as an advanced civilization of
complex working society with cultural, social, -political ,and economic, even before the coming
of the Spaniards. However, the colonization of the Spaniards for more than 333 years brought
both positive and negative changes to the aforementioned aspects of society which influenced
the life of the Filipinos today.
CULTURAL AND SOCIAL ​- According to Antonio Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas,
the early Filipinos were cultured and civilized. The cultural life of the early Filipinos were mostly
spiritual in nature. They believed that there is a “Bathala” , the highest supreme being and they
also worshipped deities as part of their ceremonies for every life event such as war, farming,
wedding, and etc. Also,the natives perceived rocks, trees, sun, moon, and etc. as animated and
alive. were animistic in their religious beliefs and practices. The concept that there is life after
death is very alive during this period. The natives would bury their deceased loved ones to
burial jar and are kept sacred because it was believed that the soul of the deceased is still
alive. They believed that the body may be dead but the spirit is kept alive. Antonio Morga was
also fascinated that we had Baybayin as our system of writing which meant that the early
Filipinos were literate and civilized because these were evident to our oral and written traditions.
Aside from religion and education, the standard of morality were more open and less judged
because unlike Catholicism, the early Filipinos supported polygamy and the concept of virginity
was not given much importance because fertility is much more valued. Also, sexual freedom
was largely tolerated, seeing as how some of the babaylans were actually men in drag. The
social hierarchy was also prevalent during this era.. During Pre-Hispanic times Filipinos can be
divided according to these classes: The noble class called the Maginoo; the freeman class
called the Timawa; the warrior class called the Maharlika; and the indentured class called the
Aliping Namamahay and Aliping Sagigilid. The status of men and women were regarded as
equal. Some pre-colonial social structures of the Philippines gave equal importance to maternal
and paternal lineage this was evident in a sense that women can keep their last names even
after marriage.
However, the arrival of the Spaniards in the Philippines brought drastic changes to the
life of the early Filipinos. ​The first major transformation that the Spaniards have successfully
imposed was CATHOLICISM​. They have used Catholicism as their cornerstone for them to
speed up their colonization. Religion played a predominant role in their administration of the
Philippines because during this time, the church and state were inseparable. Christianity was
easily assimilated by the Filipinos because they have convinced them that their animistic ways
were satanic. They have also assimilated Catholicism through their practices commonly referred
to as Filipino folk Christianity. The churches were strategically placed in the middle of the city
because it was highly given importance. They employed ​reduccion which is a process that
forced barangays to resettle into cabeceras (or towns) that are organized to be around a newly
built church and the friar residing. As a result, Catholicism became the predominant religion in
Asia. Aside from religion, there was a social hierarchy composed of the principalia ( social and
educated class such as cabeza de barangay and town mayor) illustrados (educated Filipinos in
Spain) Indios or the native Filipinos. However, women were treated as second only to men thus
they have imposed that women must be demure, self-effacing, and powerless as seen in the
character of Maria Clara in Noli Me Tangere. Also, Changes of name of the native Filipinos also
happened when the Spaniards replace their names into the names of common Spanish
surnames. Aside from religion and social class, the establishment of universities also emerged
during this era but they were only available to the people who belong in the upper echelons of
society. During the early years of Spanish colonization, education was mostly religion oriented
and controlled by the Roman Catholic Church. Spanish friars and missionaries educated the
natives through religion with the aim of converting indigenous populations to the Catholic faith.

ECONOMIC- ​The early Filipinos had already established its trade and commerce with
neighboring countries such as China and India through a barter system. According to Chau
Ju-kua’s Chu-fan-chi the trade relations of the Ma-yi or Philippines, was one of the market of
Chinese products. It’s barter system was based on based on trade patterns depending on
monsoon. During Amihan the Chinese will travel to the Philippines and come back to China in
Habagat season. One evidence of this prehistoric trade is in the ancient Chinese jars and
pottery which have been exhumed in the vicinity of Manila. Goods from the Filipinos were:
Beeswax. Cotton, Pearls, Tortoise Shell, Betel nut; while goods from China were Porcelein,
trade, gold, iron pots, glass beads, iron needles. Aside from trade commerce, the early Filipinos
also depended on agriculture as since in their slash and burn farming, cultivation of crops,
domestication of farm animals, boat building, fishing, liquor making, metal crafting, and
weaving.
​The second major transformation that happened during the Spanish period was the
participation of the Philippines in not only in regional but also global trade. ​Trade in the
Philippines centered around the “Manila galleons,” which sailed from Acapulco on the west
coast of Mexico (New Spain) with shipments of silver bullion and minted coin that were
exchanged for return cargoes of Chinese goods, mainly silk textiles and porcelain.The
Spaniards established the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade which was the main source of
income for the colony during its early years which trade lasted for over two hundred years.
Manila became an open port for Asian, European, and North American traders because of its
excellent ports and harbors. However, the natives were forced to work under “polo y servicio”
that required the forced labor of all Filipino males from 16 to 60 years old for 40-day periods
despite hazardous or unhealthy conditions.

POLITICAL- The early Filipinos’ political system was characterized as decentralized similar to
that of a confederation system of government .The unit of government was called “barangay”
which were ruled by chieftains called “datu, rajahs, and sultan” The barangay varied in
population from 30-100 families which are independent of each other. It can be said that there
was no concept of a “nation” during this time because each one governed their own territory.
For mutual protection and cooperation, several barangays formed a confederationThe datus can
pass their power to their male offspring thus creating a political dynasty. Thee datu had its
council of elders who assisted him in his administration. Aside from that, they had their own
judicial system which was through punishment to crimes in the form of penalty or debt peonage
and servitude. Life in pre-colonial Philippines was governed by a set of statutes, both unwritten
and written. Also, women can exercise their right to be a leader during this era.

However, the arrival of the Spaniards also brought changes to our political system. ​The
third major transformation that happened during the Spanish period was the centralization of
government in the Philippines S​ince Spain was far from the country, the Spanish king ruled the
Islands through the viceroy of Mexico, which was then another Spanish colony. power of the
government were actually exercised by the Governor-General who resided in Manila. He was
“Governor-General” “Captain-General”, and “vice-royal patron.” As Governor-General, he had
executive, administrative, legislative and judicial powers. Barangays are formed into pueblos
making a more systemised society having the important institutions in the middle of the pueblos.
Provinces are divided into: Alcaldia, Corregimiento, Ayuntamiento, Pueblo. The church and
state go hand in hand in decision making.
Philippines Table of Contents. During the Spanish colonial period, the Catholic Church was
extensively involved in colonial administration, especially in rural areas.

In summary, the pre colonial life of the early Filipinos was characterized as advanced and
never backward because they possess deep cultural and social practices and beliefs,
prosperous economy through trade and agriculture, and independent decentralized barangays
colonization. The colonization of the Spaniards for more than 333 years brought both positive
and negative changes in terms of religion, economy, and governance.