I. Basic Facts: Filipinos
§ They are unique in the world for they have four intermingled cultures – Latin, European, American and Asian.
§ But basically, they are still Malays.
§ aka Pinoy or Pinay
§ Character traits of Filipinos:
1. Hospitable
2. Close Family Ties
3. Respect for Elders
4. Fatalistic: “Bahala Na”
5. Tardy: “Filipino Time”
6. Indolent
7. Curious: “Uzi”
8. Debt of Gratitude: “Utang na Loob”
IV. Pre-Colonial Philippines
a. Government: BARANGAY
• Came from the word BALANGAY, meaning a boatload of people.
• The unit of government consisting of 30 to 100 families
• Each barangay was independent from one another, thus there was NO central government.
• Ruled by a Chieftain (Datu, Lakan, Sultan, etc.) whose primary duty was to rule and govern his subjects and to promote their welfare and interests. They were advised by the ELDERS.
• The chief exercised all the functions of government – executive, legislative and judicial, sometimes even religious.
• The subjects served their chieftain during wars and voyages and helped him in tilling and sowing of the land and in the construction of his house.
• BUWIS (tributes) were paid to the Chieftain in the form of crops.
• According to the texts of the Chinese Merchants who traded in the Philippines, Pre-Colonial Filipinos were HONEST. They pay their debts even if a year had already passed.
Inter-Baranganic Relations
• Consisted in carrying on commerce between barangays and in agreements concerning friendship and alliance.
• Treaty of Friendship and Alliance was concluded by SANDUGUAN, making the contracting parties “blood-brothers”
• Causes of Wars:
1. A man from one barangays went to another and was murdered without any obvious cause;
2. Kidnapping the wives of men belonging to another barangays;
3. Maltreatment of men of one barangays by men of another barangays.
• Resolution of the conflict was brought about by force.
Laws
• Either Customary or Written.
• Customary laws were handed down ORALLY from generation to generation and constituted the bulk of the laws of the barangays.
• Written laws were those that the chieftain and the elders promulgated from time to time as necessity arose.
• Ex. CODE OF KALANTIYAW
- 1433: Datu Kalantiyaw, third chief of Panay, probably a descendant of Datu
Sumakwel.
