TEJEROS CONVENTION

Basic info to memorize

• Primary source

o Author: Santiago Alvarez.[1]

o Work: Memoirs of a General (account on the Tejeros Convention).[1]

• Secondary source

o Author: Teodoro A. Agoncillo.[1]

o Work: The Revolt of the Masses: The Story of Bonifacio and the Katipunan (chapter “Seeds of
Discontent”).[1]

Primary source events (Alvarez)

Focus: detailed, eyewitness-style narrative of the Tejeros Convention and immediate aftermath. [1]

Key points (in order):

• 25 March 1897, assembly at Tejeros convened by Magdiwang, presided by Jacinto Lumbreras; Bonifacio,
Magdiwang and Magdalo leaders are present. [1]

• Before the session, Ariston Villanueva hears that Daniel Tirona plans to manipulate the assembly; he
quietly alerts General Apoy (Santiago Alvarez) who keeps troops ready. [1]

• Lumbreras opens the meeting to discuss defense of Magdiwang areas; Severino de las Alas insists the
real issue is what kind of government to establish. [1]

• Lumbreras and Bonifacio defend the Katipunan as an existing government; de las Alas argues the flag
does not define the form (democratic or not). [1]

• Antonio Montenegro (Magdalo) says without a proper government they would be like bandits or animals;
General Apoy angrily denounces this and orders Montenegro’s arrest, later suspended after Rizal’s sister
Trinidad and Josephine Bracken intercede.

• Tension nearly causes shooting; assembly is disrupted then resumes.

• Lumbreras yields the chair to Bonifacio as the rightful leader; Bonifacio agrees to creation of a new
overall revolutionary government but stresses respect for majority decisions.

• Elections under “Philippine Republic”:

o President: Emilio Aguinaldo defeats Bonifacio.

o Captain General: General Vibora (Ricarte) over General Apoy, accepts after Apoy vouches for him.

o Other posts (e.g., Secretary of War Emiliano R. de Dios; Secretary of Interior Andres Bonifacio) are
filled, with some positions decided by standing on sides of the hall instead of written ballots.

• Incident: after Bonifacio is elected Secretary of the Interior, Daniel Tirona objects, saying the post should
go to a lawyer (Jose del Rosario) and attacks Bonifacio’s lack of credentials.

• Bonifacio demands an apology, pulls a revolver, but Tirona disappears into the crowd; people disperse;
Bonifacio adjourns the meeting and declares all decisions null and void as Supremo and chair.

• Baldomero Aguinaldo later persuades Magdiwang to plan a reconvened meeting, but Magdalo leaders
do not attend; they instead secretly meet in Tanza parish house.

• On 27 March 1897, Magdalo leaders take their oaths in Tanza before a crucifix and Fr. Cenon Villafranca,
guarded by troops to exclude Magdiwang; Aguinaldo, Mariano Trias, and Ricarte take office, while
Bonifacio, though elected, is not invited.

Emphasis: Alvarez highlights Magdiwang perspective, emotional reactions, near-violence, and the secret oath-
taking that sidelines Bonifacio.[1]

Secondary source events (Agoncillo)

Focus: broader political context, factional conflict, and interpretation of how Tejeros grew out of those
tensions.

Key points (in order):

• After initial rebel victories and Spanish failures, Cavite Katipunan splits into Magdiwang and Magdalo,
each forming its own government and officials.

• Both factions claim credit for victories and refuse to submit to the other; silent rivalry undermines unity
and contributes to later defeats under Polavieja.

• Magdiwang believes it has priority because it initiated the revolution in Cavite; Magdalo believes its
leaders won more victories and should rule.

• Magdiwang invites Bonifacio to Cavite to mediate; he initially refuses because leaders should not
concentrate in one place, but accepts after repeated invitations.

• On arrival (Dec 1896), Bonifacio clashes with Magdalo leaders over his behavior and an attempted arrest
of Vicente Fernandez; he realizes his authority is weak in Magdalo areas.
• He is warmly received by Magdiwang in Noveleta; crowds acclaim him “ruler of the Philippines,” to
which he replies “Long live Philippine Liberty!”

• Factional jealousies and non-cooperation continue, causing military reverses; both sides eventually
agree that a convention is needed to settle leadership and government issues.

• First convention at Imus: Magdalo wants a new revolutionary government to replace Katipunan;
Magdiwang defends Katipunan as already a valid government with constitution and local councils.

• Ariston Villanueva argues Bonifacio should be president without election and appoint ministers;
Magdalo insists on elections; meeting ends without agreement, increasing suspicions.

• A later convention is planned at Tejeros estate-house (Magdiwang territory) while Aguinaldo is fighting
the Spaniards at Salitran on March 22, 1897, his birthday.

• Detailed description of Tejeros estate-house layout and setting, then the assembly: Magdiwang and
Magdalo delegates, many uninvited rebels, etc.

• Jacinto Lumbreras chairs; Severino de las Alas proposes deciding on a new government first; Lumbreras
and Bonifacio defend Katipunan as existing government; de las Alas says the flag does not define the
form of government.

• Montenegro (Magdalo) says without a new government they would be like robbers or animals; Santiago
Alvarez (Magdiwang) angrily retorts, defending Magdiwang control and hinting outsiders should liberate
their own provinces first.

• Pandemonium; Lumbreras calls recess then refuses to resume chair; Bonifacio is acclaimed new chair
as Supremo; he agrees to supplant Katipunan with a new supreme government if majority decisions are
respected.

• Republic of the Philippines is proclaimed; nine positions will be elected.

• Bonifacio reminds voters that whoever is elected must be respected regardless of social status or
education; this principle is approved.

• Elections: Aguinaldo (in absentia) wins Presidency over Bonifacio and Trias; suggestion to give Vice-
Presidency to Bonifacio is ignored; Trias wins Vice-President.

• Ricarte is elected Captain General; he initially refuses but is compelled by acclamations to accept.

• Remaining offices are filled by standing on sides of the hall; Bonifacio is elected Director of the Interior.

• Incident: Tirona protests Bonifacio’s election, saying a non-lawyer should not hold such a high office; he
pushes for lawyer Jose del Rosario.
 • Bonifacio demands retraction, cites the agreed principle to respect majority choice regardless of social
standing; Tirona flees into the crowd; Bonifacio attempts to shoot him but is restrained by Ricarte.

• Bonifacio dissolves the assembly and annuls its acts as Supremo; he later writes bitter letters to
Mariano Alvarez and Emilio Jacinto, denouncing electoral fraud and “false patriots.”

Emphasis: Agoncillo stresses structural factionalism, political motives, Bonifacio’s wounded expectations,
and how Tejeros becomes a turning point in his downfall.

Main differences between the two accounts

Use this as quick-compare material.

Point of view and purpose

• Alvarez: insider, Magdiwang general, giving a personal, participant account with strong Magdiwang
sympathies and focus on immediate events and emotions. [1]

• Agoncillo: historian, providing a retrospective, analytical narrative that situates Tejeros within larger
political, social, and military context of the revolution.

Scope and coverage

• Alvarez focuses mainly on:

o The Tejeros Convention (March 25, 1897) proceedings, conflicts, irregularities, and the secret
oath-taking at Tanza.[1]

• Agoncillo covers:

o Pre-Tejeros factional buildup, Imus assembly, Bonifacio’s arrival and conflicts, Tejeros
Convention, and Bonifacio’s reaction afterward.

Treatment of Bonifacio

• Alvarez: highlights Bonifacio as Supremo whose authority is undermined, emphasizes his declaration of
nullity and exclusion from oath-taking; portrays him as wronged by Magdalo maneuvers.

• Agoncillo: shows Bonifacio as both victim and actor—hurt by not getting presidency, sometimes
behaving imperiously, and becoming increasingly resentful; stresses his expectations and letters
showing personal bitterness.
Details and emphasis

• Alvarez:

o Gives specific names, troop movements, rumors, and the “secret” nature of the Tanza oath-taking
with guards to exclude Magdiwang.

o Mentions Rizal’s sister and widow intervening, and specific orders by General Apoy.

• Agoncillo:

o Gives organizational charts of factional governments, uniform plans, changes of capitals, and
analyses how factionalism led to military defeats.

o Describes physical layout of Tejeros estate-house and uses interpretive comments (e.g., “seed of
discontent” in Bonifacio’s heart).

Sequence framing

• Alvarez: starts from the actual Tejeros assembly and then moves to the following day’s events in Tanza. [1]

• Agoncillo: builds a long prelude (Cavite organization, Bonifacio’s visits, Imus assembly) showing how
Tejeros was the culmination of escalating conflicts.

Reviewer-style bullet list

• Primary source: Santiago Alvarez, Memoirs of a General (eyewitness, Magdiwang perspective on

• Secondary source: Teodoro A. Agoncillo, The Revolt of the Masses: The Story of Bonifacio and the
Katipunan (interpretive historical work).

• Dates mentioned:

o Tejeros Convention: March 25, 1897 (Alvarez). [1]

o Tanza oath-taking: March 27, 1897 (Alvarez).

o Aguinaldo’s battle and birthday during Tejeros: March 22, 1897 (Agoncillo).

• Main places:

o Tejeros estate-house, San Francisco de Malabon, Salinas, Tanza parish house (Alvarez,
Agoncillo).[1]
 • Key personalities and roles:

o Andres Bonifacio – Supremo, chair at Tejeros, elected Director of the Interior, later annuls
convention.

o Emilio Aguinaldo – Magdalo commander, elected President in absentia.

o Mariano Alvarez – Magdiwang president, Bonifacio’s uncle-in-law.[1]

o Baldomero Aguinaldo – Magdalo president, pushes to finish elections and later calls for
reconciliation meeting.[1]

o Severino de las Alas – pushes for new government; proposes Bonifacio as Vice President. [1]

o Daniel Tirona – Magdalo, accused of undermining assembly, insults Bonifacio’s qualifications. [1]

o Artemio Ricarte (Vibora) – elected Captain General; restrains Bonifacio’s armed reaction to Tirona.

o Santiago Alvarez (General Apoy) – Magdiwang commander, reacts strongly against Montenegro,
keeps troops ready.[1]

ANTONIO PIGAFETTA’S “FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD.”

1. Basic Info about the Voyage

• Time period: 1519–1522, during the Age of Discovery.[1][2]

• Original goal: Find a westward route from Spain to the Spice Islands (Maluku/Moluccas). [3][2]

• Sponsor: King Charles I of Spain (later Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor). [3]

• Initial leader: Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese navigator sailing for Spain. [2][3]

• Final leader who completed the circumnavigation: Juan Sebastián Elcano. [4][2]

2. Fleet, Route, and Outcome

• Ships at departure (5): Trinidad (flagship), San Antonio, Concepción, Victoria, Santiago. [5][1]

• Departure point and date: Left Seville region (Sanlúcar de Barrameda) in Spain, 1519 (fleet sailed
downriver from Seville in August, then out of Spain in September). [6][1][4]

• Oceans crossed: Atlantic Ocean → through the strait at the tip of South America (later called Strait of
Magellan) → Pacific Ocean → Indian Ocean → around Cape of Good Hope → Atlantic back to Spain. [7][6][4]

• Return: Only the ship Victoria completed the full circumnavigation, arriving back in Spain in 1522. [4][5][7]

• Survivors: About 18 men out of the roughly 237–270 who originally left Spain.[1][5]
3. Antonio Pigafetta and His Role

• Pigafetta: Italian scholar/nobleman from Venice, joined Magellan’s expedition and kept a detailed
journal.[5][3][1]

• Role:

o Served as a kind of assistant and chronicler.[3][5]

o Recorded daily events, navigational notes, descriptions of lands, peoples, goods, flora and fauna,
and languages.[1][3]

• Importance of his account:

o One of the main primary sources for the first circumnavigation of the globe. [2][1]

o Contains some of the earliest European descriptions of Southeast Asia and the Philippines,
including customs and political structures.[8][3]

4. Major Stages and Events of the Voyage

a. From Spain to South America

• 1519: Fleet leaves Spain, crosses Atlantic, stops on the east coast of South America (e.g., bay of
present-day Rio de Janeiro).[6]

• Wintering in Patagonia:

o Magellan decides to spend winter in San Julián Bay (Patagonia). [6]

o A mutiny by Spanish captains/officers occurs; Magellan suppresses it by force. [6]

o Ship Santiago, sent to explore a nearby area, is wrecked. [5][6]

b. Strait of Magellan and the Pacific

• Discovery of the strait: Fleet finds and passes through the narrow, difficult channel at the southern tip of
South America (later called Strait of Magellan).[7][6]

• Desertion: One ship, San Antonio, turns back to Spain during or after the passage of the strait. [5]

• Crossing the Pacific:

o Magellan names it “Pacific” because of the comparatively calm waters they experience. [4]

o Extremely long crossing, with severe hunger, disease (e.g., scurvy), and deaths. [4][5]
c. Arrival in the Pacific Islands and the Philippines

• Marianas (e.g., Guam): Fleet encounters islands in the Marianas archipelago, noting local practices. [4][5]

• Reaching the Philippines (1521):

o They land in the central Philippines, interact with various local rulers, and perform trade and
missionary activities.[8][3][4]

o Pigafetta documents precolonial Philippine society: social hierarchy, clothing, weapons, religious
practices, and rituals such as alliances sealed by blood compacts. [8][3]

d. Death of Magellan and Aftermath

• Battle of Mactan (27 April 1521):

o Magellan is killed while supporting an allied datu against Lapu-Lapu on Mactan Island in the
Philippines.[8][4]

o Pigafetta gives a detailed eyewitness account of Magellan’s death and the battle. [8][5]

• Leadership changes:

o Several captains are chosen and replaced due to death, illness, or internal conflicts. [5]

o The remaining ships attempt to continue to the Spice Islands. [2][4]

e. To the Spice Islands and Back to Spain

• Ships lost:

o Santiago shipwrecked in South America, San Antonio deserts, Concepción later burned, Trinidad
eventually abandoned or captured.[5]

• Reaching the Moluccas (Spice Islands):

o Surviving ships reach the Moluccas and load valuable spices (especially cloves). [7][2]

• Return via Indian Ocean:

o Victoria, under Juan Sebastián Elcano, sails west across the Indian Ocean, around the Cape of
Good Hope, and returns to Spain in 1522, completing the first circumnavigation. [2][7][4]

5. Key Themes and Significance in Pigafetta’s Account

• Scientific and geographic importance:

o Demonstrated practically that the Earth is round and can be circled by sea. [2][4]
 o Provided new geographic information: detailed routes, positions of islands, winds, currents. [1][7]

• Cultural and ethnographic value:

o Early European record of indigenous cultures in the Marianas, the Philippines, and parts of
Southeast Asia.[3][8][5]

o Descriptions of political alliances, trade systems, religion, and daily life, often from a Eurocentric
viewpoint but still a rich source for historians. [3][8]

• Religious and personal perspective:

o Pigafetta frequently interprets events through a Christian lens, emphasizing conversions and
miracles.[8][5]

o His writing style combines narrative, observation, and moral commentary. [5]

Timeline of Events Related to the Philippines

Key events based mainly on Pigafetta and Albo (as used in Philippine historiography): [16][13][14]

• 16 March 1521 – Land sighted after crossing the Pacific (Yunagan); they approach Suluan and other
islands in Eastern Visayas.[13][14]

• 18 March 1521 – Contact with islanders (Ladrones then Samar area); exchange of food and gifts. [13]

• Homonhon (“Acquada”): Expedition rests, takes in water and wood; welcomed by islanders who bring
food and palm wine.[14][13]

• Arrival in “Mazaua” (Limasawa vs. Butuan debate):

o Pigafetta reports a small island called “Mazaua” where they are well‑received by local rulers.[12][14]

o A cross is planted on a hill; this island becomes central to debates about the site of the first
Mass.[26][27][14]

• March 31, 1521 – Easter Sunday Mass:

o According to Pigafetta, held on “Mazaua”; modern scholars and NHCP identify this with
Limasawa, Southern Leyte, not Butuan.[27][26][14]

• Later in 1521 – Cebu:

o They reach Cebu; Magellan forms alliances with local rulers (Rajah Humabon and others),
baptizes leaders and subjects into Christianity. [28][16][13]

• April 27, 1521 – Battle of Mactan:

o Magellan intervenes in a local conflict to help an ally, attacks Lapu‑Lapu’s forces on Mactan.[29][16]
 o Magellan is killed; Pigafetta gives a detailed narrative of the battle and the circumstances of his
death.[30][29]

Butuan vs. Limasawa: First Mass Debate (Historiography)

Based on your module’s section on interpretation and multiperspectivity, this is a classic example of
conflicting readings of a primary source.[29][14]

• Traditional view (Butuan):

o For centuries, many believed the first Mass was in Butuan, leading to monuments and local
pride.[27][29]

o Based on earlier, less critical readings and local traditions. [26][29]

• Revised view (Limasawa/Mazaua):

o Closer, critical reading of Pigafetta and Albo’s logs (latitudes, sequence of islands, directions)
points to a small island south of Leyte, now identified as Limasawa. [26][29][27]

o The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) reaffirmed Limasawa as the official
site of the first Mass.[27]

Connection to historical method:

• Shows the importance of:

o External criticism: authentication of the texts/logs and maps. [14]

o Internal criticism: analyzing the content (latitudes, routes, place names) and the possible errors or
biases in interpretation.[29][14]

• Illustrates multiperspectivity: different historians (Spanish, Filipino, local communities) interpret the
same text differently based on their context and purposes. [29][13]

Pigafetta’s Description of Pre‑colonial Philippine Society

From the standpoint of “Readings in Philippine History,” Pigafetta is valuable because he documents
pre‑colonial life before full Spanish colonization.[20][13][14]

He records:

• Political structures:

o Presence of local rulers (rajahs, datus) and alliances between chiefs. [20][13]

o Systems of hospitality and gift‑giving as part of diplomacy.[13]

o Use of gold ornaments, active trade in food and local products, use of boats. [28][13]

• Culture and daily life:

o Clothing, tattoos, weapons, housing styles, and food (fish, rice, palm wine, fruits). [20][13]

o Religious practices, rituals, and respect for ancestors, though always filtered through his Christian
viewpoint.[12][20]

Type and Purpose of Their Writings

• Pigafetta:

o Writes a narrative account/testimony intended as a historical and descriptive chronicle for

o Purpose: record events, customs, conversions, battles, miracles, and his personal
impressions.[31][32]

• Albo:

o Keeps a logbook/derrotero, a technical pilot’s record of courses, bearings, distances, and

o Purpose: navigational documentation rather than storytelling or cultural description. [35][31]

Content and Level of Detail

• Pigafetta’s content:

o Very detailed description of islands, people, religion, clothing, food, and political
arrangements.[32][31]

o Narrates events like the first Mass and Magellan’s death with dialogue and scene‑by‑scene
detail.[31]

• Albo’s content:

o Focuses on “where and when”: positions, directions (north, west, etc.), number of days sailed,
and names of islands.[35][31]

o Little or no description of ceremonies, characters, emotions, or extended interactions with

1. Juan de Plasencia and his purpose

• Fray Juan de Plasencia was a 16th-century Franciscan missionary who arrived in the Philippines around
1578.[2]

• He wrote “Relacion de las Costumbres de los Tagalos” (Customs of the Tagalogs) in 1589 to describe
Tagalog society for Spanish authorities and help regulate treatment of natives. [8][1][2]

• The work is descriptive but also biased: he judges practices according to Spanish Christian standards. [8]

2. Social classes and political structure

A. Barangay and political leadership

• Basic political unit: barangay, about 30–100 families, functioning as a small independent
community.[37][38]

• Each barangay was headed by a datu (chieftain) who acted as leader in war, judge, and chief
administrator.[38][37]

• The datu received tribute and services but was expected to protect followers and lead in battle. [37][38]

B. Social hierarchy (semi-caste system)

Plasencia describes three main classes:[36][38][39][37]

1. Maharlica (Maharlika) – nobles

o Freeborn warriors, often related to the datu. [38]

o Obligated to join wars at their own expense and receive shares of war booty (ganima). [38]

o Could not be sold as slaves; their status was hereditary through both parents unless changed by
marriage or debt.[39][38]

2. Aliping Namamahay – “commoner-type” dependents

o Married, lived in their own houses but owed labor or a portion of harvest to their master. [39][38]

o Accompanied the datu on trips (e.g., rowing boats), but had more freedom than household
slaves.[38]

3. Aliping Saguiguilid (Sa guiguilid) – household slaves

o Lived in the master’s house, could be bought or sold. [39][38]

Status and slavery details:

• Children’s status depended on the combination of parents’ classes; there were complex rules dividing
children between masters or granting partial freedom. [38][39]

• Slavery could result from debt, crime, or captivity, not just birth. [41][39]

3. Economic life

• Main livelihood: agriculture (rice, root crops), fishing, hunting, and trade. [6][1]

• They used barter and gold ornaments for exchange; Chinese and other Asian traders visited their ports. [1]

• Debt-bondage existed: people could become alipin due to unpaid debts, war captivity, or
punishment.[3][6]

4. Marriage, family, and inheritance

• Marriages were usually arranged and involved bride-price or dowry (bigay-kaya) from the groom to the
bride’s family.[1][3]

• Parents arranged matches based on status and property, with negotiations between families. [1]

• Divorce or separation was allowed in cases like infidelity; property was divided according to prior
agreements and class.[3]

• Inheritance followed rules based on legitimacy, social status, and contributions made to the family;
children and relatives could inherit land, gold, and slaves. [3][1]

5. Religious beliefs and rituals (Tagalogs)

• Pre-colonial Tagalogs were polytheistic and animistic: they believed in a supreme deity plus many lesser
spirits and deities associated with nature and daily life. [1][3]

• Worship did not use temples or churches; rituals were held in the datu’s house or specific sacred
places.[3]

• They offered food, animals, and other goods in rituals led by local religious specialists
(babaylan/catalonan), with chanting, dancing, and sacrifices. [1][3]

6. Tagalog burial customs (from Plasencia)

• The dead were typically placed in coffins or biers of wood or bamboo, then buried in the ground,
sometimes under or near the house.[3]
 • For important persons, there could be more elaborate wakes and extended mourning with feasting and
drinking.[3]

• For warriors, Plasencia notes a practice where a slave could be tied to the corpse, re-enacting how the
warrior died, and praise songs were sung about his bravery. [3]

• Personal belongings and offerings (food, weapons, ornaments) might be placed with or near the dead,
reflecting belief in an afterlife.[1][3]

7. Aeta burial customs (key differences)

• Plasencia says the Aetas (Itas, Negrillos/Negritos) had a burial practice different from the
Tagalogs.[25][23]

• They dug a deep, perpendicular hole and placed the deceased upright in it.[24][23][25]

• The head or crown was left unburied, and half a coconut shell was placed on top of the head to serve
as a shield.[26][27][23][24][25]

• After that, they went to kill an “Indian” (indio) in retribution for the dead Negrito, wearing tokens around
their necks until someone carried out the killing.[23][24][25][26]

Studies of Agta/Aeta communities describe distinct death and burial practices: [4][7]

• Coffin:

o Tagalog: Wooden/bamboo coffins or biers used; some burials near the house. [3]

o Aeta: No permanent coffin; body may be wrapped in leaves or temporary materials, then buried. [7]

• Grave and grave goods:

o Tagalog: Burial with offerings, sometimes under/near the house and tied to social status. [1][3]

o Aeta: Grave usually in forest/mountain areas; material objects are left on or near the grave to
secure the goodwill of the deceased’s spirit. [4][7]

• Attitude to spirits and grave site:

o Tagalog: Belief in afterlife and spirits, but graves may remain close to settlements, especially for
important people.[1][3]

o Aeta: Strong fear of the spirit of the deceased and other bad spirits that may haunt the grave; after
mourning, the burial site is abandoned and not revisited. [7]

• Ritual emphasis:

o Tagalog: Long wakes, feasting, praising the dead (especially warriors), some forms of ritualized
sacrifice.[3]
 o Aeta: Emphasis on quickly burying the dead, protecting the living from the spirit, keeping distance
from the grave afterward.[4][7]

8. “Priestesses of the Devil” in Spanish-era records

Spanish friars often demonized indigenous religious leaders, especially women, and labeled them
“priestesses of the devil,” brujas, or servants of demons. [5][9]

Common figures they targeted include:

1. Babaylan / Catalonan

o Indigenous priestess or shaman among many lowland groups (including Tagalogs and
Visayans).[9][5]

o Roles: healer, medium, ritual leader, keeper of oral traditions. [5]

o Spanish friars accused them of witchcraft and “devil-worship” because they performed spirit
possession and non-Christian rituals.[9][5]

2. Mambabarang / Mangkukulam-type sorceress

o Sorcerer or witch figure in many regions, believed to cause illness or misfortune through spells,
insects, or cursed objects.[5]

o Spanish records often lumped these figures with babaylan as servants of the devil, even when
communities distinguished between healers and harmful sorcerers. [5]

3. Other regional priestesses (e.g., Visayan babaylan like Estrella)

o Some sources mention specific powerful female shamans whose rituals involved trance and
possession.[9]

o Accounts describe them as being “possessed by demons,” falling to the ground foaming at the
mouth during rituals, while locals saw them as healers and rain-makers.[9]

o Spanish chroniclers characterized these women as “priestesses of the devil” and worked to
suppress or convert them.[5][9]

• “Priestesses of the devil” is not an indigenous self-name; it is a colonial label used by Spaniards to
discredit babaylan/catalonan and related women religious leaders whose power rivaled that of
priests.[9][5]

The three “witches”: Mangagauay, Manyisalat, Hukloban

1. Mangagauay (induced disease)

o Described as a witch who could cause illness and prolonged suffering by using herbs, charms, or
hidden objects.[17]

o Could simulate a long illness by concealing charms, and might end it by removing or neutralizing
those charms.[17]

o In Spanish texts, Mangagauay is clearly presented as an agent of evil spirits or the devil,
reinforcing colonial demonization of indigenous healers/sorcerers. [17]

2. Manyisalat / Manisilat (breaks relationships)

o Identified as a witch who destroys marriages and relationships, causing spouses to separate or
become unfaithful.[17]

o Often described as seducing husbands away from their wives or casting spells that sow discord
and hatred in a couple.[17]

o Her power targets emotional and social bonds, so she is associated with broken homes and
ruined family ties.[17]

3. Hukloban / Hocloban (kills with gestures, shape-shifts)

o Considered “more powerful” than Mangagauay, a witch who can kill without medicine, simply by
greeting, raising a hand, or pointing.[17]

o Said to be able to heal those she herself made sick by using other charms, and to destroy houses
just by willing it.[17]

o Later interpretations present Hukloban as an agent of the underworld figure Sitan, capable of
changing form (shape-shifting) and appearing as a very old “crone” or hag. [16][17]
KARTILYA NG KATIPUNAN
In Philippine history, KKK stands for “Kataas-taasang, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng
Bayan.”[13][14][15][16]

• English meaning: “Supreme and Venerable Association of the Children of the Nation.” [14][16]

It was the secret revolutionary society founded in 1892 by Filipinos (led by Andres Bonifacio) to fight Spanish
colonial rule and gain independence. [16][13]

Core Info about Kartilya ng Katipunan

• Written by Emilio Jacinto in 1892, regarded as the “Utak ng Katipunan.” [12]

• It became the moral and ideological guide of the Katipuneros in their fight for independence. [12]

• Contains 14 “lessons” that serve as a code of conduct on morality and good values. [12]

• Emphasizes patriotism, love of fellowmen, honor, dignity, and virtuous living as marks of a true
Filipino.[12]

Purpose and Emphasis of the Kartilya

• Help Katipuneros develop a sense of responsibility and strive to become virtuous Filipinos. [12]

• Constitute patriotism and nationalism as core attitudes. [12]

• Demonstrate ethical codes, important values, and the oath of Katipuneros. [12]

• Teach honor, dignity, generosity, compassion, respect for women, and love for family. [12]

Emilio Jacinto: Background and Role

• Born December 15, 1875, in Trozo, Manila, to Mariano Jacinto and Josefa Dizon. [12]

• Came from a low-income family; after his father died, he was adopted by his uncle Don Jose Dizon for a
better future.[12]

• At age 19, joined the secret society Katipunan. [12]

• Became Bonifacio’s secretary, closest adviser on fiscal matters, and overseer of Katipunan finances. [12]

• Used the alias “Pingkian” (means “to strike”) and was known as “Utak ng Katipunan.” [12]

• Also used the pen-name “Dimasilaw.”[12]

• Bonifacio and Jacinto both wrote moral codes, but Bonifacio chose Jacinto’s composition (Kartilya) as
the official one.[12]
Dekalogo vs. Kartilya (From the Slides)

• In 1896, Andres Bonifacio wrote “Duties of the Sons of the People” (Decalogue), followed strictly by
members.[12]

• The Decalogue summarized Bonifacio’s beliefs and focused on duties to God, country, neighbor, family,
the Katipunan, and oneself.[12]

• It taught honor, charity, self‑sacrifice, and warned against traitors and disobedience. [12]

• Bonifacio later adopted Jacinto’s Kartilya as the official teaching of the Katipunan and called it the
Dekalogo.[12]

• Difference in the slides:

o Dekalogo: duty-oriented, more direct, very focused on commandments. [12]

o Kartilya: longer, more philosophical, presents virtuous living and self‑reflection.[12]