I’m already done with my octubre Spanish Month articles (it’s already noviembre, for crying out loud!), but I just couldn’t ignore the hispanophobic comments of a certain web surfer who hides by the mouth-watering name Tamsilog (¿Tamaráo, sinañgág, at itlóg?). I’m flattered, though, that he’s an avid follower of my “I’m-proud-to-kiss-the-King-of-Spain’s-ass” articles that I have been posting last month in respect to the Spanish Month celebration (spearheaded by Instituto Cervantes de Manila).
I assume that Tamsilog is from the Igorot tribe which of course deserves the respect of each and every citizen of the world. However, I have already met with and talked to some of these people (I also had an Ybanag comrade, during my activist days, who knew so much about the culture of Northern Luzón people; he was a very good source), and they give me this queer impression that somehow they have a great zeal for the English language instead of Tagalog-based Pilipino (which I have no problem with since Pilipino is but a linguistical aberration), and how they brag that their culture has never been “harassed” nor “ravished” by the more than 300 hundred years of “evil” Spanish colonization. With Tamsilog’s comments to some of my Spanish Month posts, my aforementioned suspicions were somehow confirmed. Would you mind sharing your people’s sentiments regarding my observations, Tamsilog? (And do forgive me if my observations are incorrect.)
Anyway, in one of my posts, Tamsilog asked me what is my context of a Filipino. I’ve been asked of this question several times in the past that in some occasions it already makes me sick. I intended to respond to his question in the comments box, but I noticed that my explanation doesn’t deserve to be written as a mere reply due to its length and relevance. So Tamsilog, my pal, today’s your lucky day (and not mine; my body’s sore due to that Mt. Batuláo climb that I experienced yesterday — but more on that in my next post). Here is just an abridged answer to your significant query…
Many years ago, former Statesman Carlos P. Rómulo made a very controversial remark regarding the Igorotes. He said that the Igorotes, not excluding various mountain people in the Philippines, were not Filipinos. But ”Mr. United Nations” was speaking in a historical perspective, not in the line of nationalities that we now know.
No matter how I dislike Rómulo, I had to agree with him on that remark of his. Let me expound on this further.
Tamsilog, whenever Filipino students are taught Philippine history, the birth of the Filipino nation is never discussed (and I have a strange feeling that this omission was originally deliberate). We are only taught that the capital of the Philippines, which is Manila (from the Chinese mayi-in-ila kung shing-fu, and not from may nilad or may dilà), was founded on 24 June 1571. Today, Manileños celebrate it as Araw ng Maynila or Manila Day. Actually, the whole country SHOULD be celebrating that date.
Why? Simple: why in the world declare a capital city –complete, of course, with a seat of government and laws– without any corresponding state or country to govern?
Plain and simple logic. With the founding of Manila, the Filipino State was also founded and established. May I also add that Adelantado Miguel López de Legazpi did not simply acquire the Philippines in a mere snap of a finger. He issued a challenge to those who oppose his declaration that the Philippines should be under the Spanish crown. Actually, that challenge of his was a medieval way of “asking permission” from the natives to conquer a territory. Oh, and when he issued the challenge, the Spaniards were outnumbered by the natives. And –oh again– nobody dared challenge him, despite his old age at the time.
The Philippines wasn’t a mere colony in the North American context. It was made part of the provincias de ultramar of Spain. Thus, all natives became Spanish citizens. And yes, this “awful” fact was never taught to us, also.
Years later, in 1599, local chieftains from all over the archipelago (including Muslim leaders!), particularly from the lowlands (smile, dude), were invited to a
synod in Manila. They were made (not forced) to choose whether or not they would like to accept the Spanish King as their sovereign ruler. After agreeing to the benefits that they’d receive upon becoming vassals to the King of Spain (Philip III, 14 April 1578 - 31 March 31 1621), an overwhelming majority voted “yes.” Even the Muslims of Manila, Joló, and Mindanáo said “yes” to the Spanish offer — this, therefore, integrated Muslim territories to the newly established Filipino nation (so what Mindanáo secession are you talking about?).
Yes, Tamsilog, all Filipino historians –INCLUDING IMPARTIAL MUSLIM FILIPINO HISTORIANS– can never deny this fact which appears that you’re ignorant of.
To make a long story short, when these local tribal leaders agreed to be subjugated under Spanish rule, they instantly became Spanish citizens (although they still had no representation in the Spanish Cortes).
More importantly, the people who were subjugated under Spain –except the Muslim Filipinos– were baptized under the Christian religion. And during the 333 years of Spanish rule (via Nueva España, which is now Mexico), although all the natives of Las Islas Filipinas were somehow recognized as Spanish citizens, the term Filipino referred only to the Spaniards who were born in the archipelago (also called insulares). The rest, i.e., the natives (Tagalos, Ilocanos, Pampangueños, Bisayas, etc.), were referred to as indios (after the native American Indians of North and South America), especially those who weren’t integrated to the Hispanic culture.
The indios who were able to integrate themselves into the prevailing Hispanic culture of those days, i.e., those who were able to learn the Spanish language, were, naturally, accepted into the Filipino mainstream. Those who did not remained as Tagalos, Ilocanos, etc. A case in point was in Ternate and Cavite City. Those who didn’t speak either Spanish or Chavacano were tagged not only as indios but as de fueras (which means “outsiders”; this term can be likened to today’s derogative tag provinciano, or bumpkin).
But it was actually Luis Rodríguez Varela –also known as El Conde Filipino–, a Creole (pure-blooded Spaniard born and/or living in the Philippines) poet born in the Philippines around the 18th century, who first used the term Filipino in a more endearing and nationalistic connotation. We can also say that he was the first Filipino who wrote patriotic compositions (which can be gleaned from his verse collection, Parnaso Filipino (Philippine Parnassus). With his writings, he was able to instill the first few seeds of nationalism into the then developing Filipino psyche. Yes, he somehow gave a new definition to the word Filipino. Because of Rodríguez Varela’s philosophy, the term Filipino did not belong solely to Spanish Creoles in the Philippines; it also encompassed everyone born in the Philippines, regardless of one’s birth or race. He referred to them as Los Hijos del País — Sons of the Country (this is where the founding fathers of the Katipunan got the idea of the Anák Ng Bayan).
The only people who were UNFORTUNATE of not having shared the blessings of the Western Culture were the highlanders — including your Igorot people, Tamsilog.
Yes, the local highlanders (as well as other isolated tribes) like the igorotes, mañguianes, itas, etc., were not considered as Filipinos. For one, they were not Christianized – the Spanish Crown back then was united with the Church, remember? The authority of the Church and State were in a sense considered as one.
Secondly, they were not (or they did not) integrate into the Hispanic Culture that was already flowering in the Philippines. They weren’t able to learn Spanish nor did they acquire any fragments of Spanish Culture.
So in a sense, they weren’t considered as Filipinos. Culturally (and even in a religious perception), the highlanders weren’t Filipinos, for yet another definition of a Filipino back then was one who pays taxes to the King of Spain (Rey Felipe II or King Philip II). So this is how Rómulo saw the highlanders, particularly the Igorotes, when he remarked years ago that weren’t Filipinos. But politically, especially in today’s judgment (and when talking about nationality, of course), they are, and should be, considered as Filipinos.
Perhaps we can say that Rómulo’s remark had a bit of what we call in Tagalog nowadays as namimilósopo (loosely translated as one who’s trying to be smart-alecky or something to that effect), but I hope you get my point, Tamsilog.
But the bottomline is that the Filipino identity is a grand Spanish creation. Our brothers from Latin America aren’t even ashamed of it. And why the fuck should we, man?
So while you’re up there in your high horse telling everyone how proud your race is that they weren’t “conquered” by the “oppressive” colonizers, think very carefully about it. Or else, you might fall hard on your head.
Avoid cultural stagnation, pare. Your people may have preserved their culture as it has always been for the past hundred years. But do you even think that it is really beneficial for your people’s very existence, or for your people’s future?
Also, I dare ask you this (and PLEASE don’t take this question as an insult; it ain’t): has your people even progressed?
Saludos.
Just me, Pepe.
***
*A source I highly recommend in relation to the information found on this article would be John Leddy Phelan’s “The Hispanization of the Philippines” (particularly p. 25). The book was edited and presented by the late historian Renato Constantino (Filipiniana Reprint Series, Manila, 1985).*
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November 7th, 2006 at 11:46 pm
Well said Pepe!
Excellent reasoning in your blog, using appropriate historical facts and enlightening observations to explain the truth about the Filipino identity.
From reading your message, it seems that most indigenous culture activists in the Philippines are completely brainwashed about the implications of the Spanish colonial period. In fact not just those activists, but I would say a vast majority of Filipinos are completely MISLED about the relevance of the colonial period and its consequences for the development of the Philippine nation.
The yanks have done a good job in totally brainwashing the Philippine conscience upto the point where many Filipinos actually “hate themselves” so to speak, meaning they reject a good chunk of their cultural heritage and identity. Ask any Filipino what they think about the Spanish colonial period, and you’ll probably get “terrible” as the answer in 90% of the cases. And they are actually convinced! Such a fatuous LIE is completely embedded into their conscience!
Well, if you think that these lies are spoonfed to Filipinos since
early childhood, it will not surprise you that they are rooted in
their brains to such an extent. Let us hope that with enlightening messages, articles and blogs such as yours, many of them will soon wake up from such an absurd and mistaken state of mind.
Saludos,
Javier R.
December 22nd, 2006 at 10:44 pm
I wasn’t able to bookmark your page … reason for my very late reply…
First of all, I’m NOT Hispanophobic. It’s just very gross to be overemphasizing the Spanish cultural influence. You seem to have the typical arrogant mentality that exist in most lowlanders… name calling. What is with that, really?).
Overemphasis of this one is very dangerous. It even has resulted to the IMSCF Syndrome(although non-academic - example: http://sibuyas.panalangin.net/?page_id=3). Another danger is how these people tend to think they are “more civilized” than the mountain people. Some Filipinos even think they’re better than other SEAsian nations because they were largely influenced by Westerners compared to let’s say Indonesia and Malaysia.
I assume you are the Pepe Alas at the gov.ph forum. You sound very Americanophobic(as much as I sound Hispanophobic to you). You just have to reread your posts over there. Your posts sounded as if the Spanish were “better” colonizers. None was better than the other. Not even the Japanese who notoriously discouraged the use of English.
Yep, it is not uncommon that Igorots brag about how their were hardly conquered in the past. But this rarely to do with the Spanish Conquest of the “Philippines”. It’s more of countering the discrimination by the lowlanders. How do they view the mountain people? Nakabahag(in a degratory manner), headhunters, barbaric, uncivilized… Just because the “pambansang kasuotan” are barong and baro’t saya, they’ve forgotten that their ancestors wore the same clothings that the Igorots have. This is also due to the fact that despite the Spanish being able to militarily penetrate the highlands(even in Ifugao and Apayao) after 2.5 centuries of failed attempts, hardly were the natives subdued despite the fact too that the Igorots lived in small villages and are not really numerous. Some books even sight that there was a partial decline in the population due to small pox brought about by either the lowlanders or some Spanish officials/clergy. Of course, just as much as the Muslims in the south, it’s a source of pride. The Igorots were not even called indios as opposed to the lowlanders. They were referred to as “independent tribes”.
You seem to be unanimously equating Filipino culture to Spanish culture. I remember your post about pancit. You were even trying to make it appear that it were a “Spanish influence” when it’s clearly Chinese.
December 22nd, 2006 at 10:48 pm
Some books even sight that there was a partial decline in the population due to small pox brought about by either the lowlanders or some Spanish officials/clergy
My bad. Cite, I mean
December 22nd, 2006 at 10:53 pm
“Also, I dare ask you this (and PLEASE don’t take this question as an insult; it ain’t): has your people even progressed?”
Yes. Removing the lowlander and the national government’s oppression. We’re not as barbaric as the Spaniards want you to perceive us. Headhunting in the highlands is not as common as the “chop chop” trend you have in the lowlands particularly in the Manila area.
December 23rd, 2006 at 10:14 pm
Why would people in the highlands be “unfortunate” not to have been “Westernized”? That’s like saying you were “unfortunate” you, for most part, were not Islamized in contrary to those who have embraced Islam in the south or unfortunate to retain much of your indigenous heritage.
Regarding progress, I would like to elaborate. The Igorot homeland may be one of the depressed areas but I’ll tell you why. It’s simply because the maintream Filipino people have “progressed” at our expense. When the Philippines have started to interfere with our culture(through forced assimilation) and ancestral homeland, most have led to disaster. You think those “projects” were beneficial for us? No, it only benefited those from the lowlands. Many were displaced in their own lands when mines and dams were erected. Good thing that the Marcos’ proposed projects along the Chico river(which aimed to generate power to the Cagayan Valley) were put to stop or else, it would have displaced 300,000 people(that’s nearly half of the Igorot population during those times)! But hey, despite us having one of the lowest(even lower than what the ARMM get) “share” in the national income, our poverty rate is lower than that of the Bicol Region, who obviously, get a bigger share. I tell you, even the prominent Ibaloi families in Baguio could not get back their their ancestral lands even they have complete documents to prove that they indeed own the area… what more for those living the rural places? The hegemony(which most likely you inherited from your former “masters“) of the “maintream” Filipinos are the ones pushing the indigenous and non-hispanized people to poverty, not their indigenous culture. (You even stole some of our mummies. When Benguet opened to tourism in the 60’s, 80 mummies in Kabayan were stolen, 40 are still missing up to date).
I don’t think Romulo was simply “namimilosopo”. It’s more of like, he can’t admit that certain indigenous people exist in a land fabled with gold. Of course, the Philippines wouldn’t just “let go” of the Igorot domain because it contains large amounts of mineral deposits. Romulo was in office after the WW2, so most likely the he didn’t mean it culturally or even religiously, but in the whole context - even as citizens. Just look at the “projects” they have done in the Igorot homeland. it doesn’t matter to them even if it is at the expense of the inhabitants of the area.
Discrimination towards the Igorots is still rampant. In schools, when someone is seen wearing the bahag during the “linggo ng wika”, he is teased and being called as “nefut”, “headhunter”. Or in Universities, it’s not common to hear that lowlanders, upon attending Universities in Baguio, are “warned” to be wary of the Igorots because they are “barbaric”. It gets funny when you realize the discrimination happens in the Igorot domain. They must have forgotten that Baguio is very much part of the Igorot homeland. Of course, the Igorot, who wish to counter the discrimination would pride himself as the “unconquered”(just as much as the Muslims in the south, most especially the radical ones, pride themselves as not being the “converts”).
********
But the question is, how many percent of the population were actually integrated and recognized as “Filipinos”? At a large number, the natives were illiterate and more people were concentrated in the rural areas rather than in areas where commerce was active. Thinking again, since there exist a social and political discrimination between the Peninsulares and Insulares, it could be possible that the concept of Filipino was fostered more by political reasons rather than a nationalistic one.
January 10th, 2007 at 12:46 am
Oh ho ho, never had the time to respond until now.
That’s why most of the time, I hate arguments. No matter how overwhelmed your opponent is, they’ll always try to find ways to save their pride.
First of all, I’m NOT overemphasizing the Spanish cultural influence. It’s everywhere, chong, so there’s no need to. It’s just very gross not to admit that you’re not Hispanophobic when it really shows.
TAMSILOG: You seem to have the typical arrogant mentality that exist in most lowlanders… name calling. What is with that, really?).
PEPE: Are you referring to how I made fun of your pseudonym Tamsilog? Well, if that really doesn’t mean a thing, I don’t see any “name-calling” incident here. It just really reminds us “lowlanders” of a favorite pares breakfast, y’know. But if Tamsilog is a native Ifugao name, then I sincerely apologize. There’s no need to ATTACK the lowlanders because I do not represent them the way you imagine yourself representing your people.
TAMSILOG: Overemphasis of this one is very dangerous. It even has resulted to the IMSCF Syndrome(although non-academic - example: http://sibuyas.panalangin.net/?page_id=3). Another danger is how these people tend to think they are “more civilized” than the mountain people. Some Filipinos even think they’re better than other SEAsian nations because they were largely influenced by Westerners compared to let’s say Indonesia and Malaysia.
PEPE: I couldn’t agree less. So what’s your problem, man?
TAMSILOG: I assume you are the Pepe Alas at the gov.ph forum.
PEPE: Yes I am. You got a problem with that, punk?! O, biro lang, chong. Talo ang picón…
TAMSILOG: You sound very Americanophobic(as much as I sound Hispanophobic to you).
PEPE: DON’T YOU ACCUSE ME OF SOUNDING VERY AMERICANOPHOBIC! I DO NOT SOUND LIKE ONE!!! BECAUSE I REALLY AM!!! But seriously, chong, I am solely against their foreign policies, not really with the Northern American people themselves, OK?
TAMSILOG: You just have to reread your posts over there.
PEPE: No way, dude. It’s YOU who would have to reread my posts. And take away your blind hispanophobic rage even for just one hot minute while you’re reading them. PLEASE.
TAMSILOG: Your posts sounded as if the Spanish were “better” colonizers. None was better than the other.
PEPE: Yes, the Spaniards were much better “rulers.” And mind you, the word “colonization” has a different meaning, a different connotation is Spanish compared to your beloved English definition. Unfortunately, you would have to study Spanish to understand what I mean.
TAMSILOG: Not even the Japanese who notoriously discouraged the use of English.
PEPE: The Japanese did discourage the use of English. But, haha, not “notoriously”. Another haha here.
TAMSILOG: Yep, it is not uncommon that Igorots brag about how their were hardly conquered in the past.
PEPE: ?????????????
TAMSILOG: But this rarely to do with the Spanish Conquest of the “Philippines”. It’s more of countering the discrimination by the lowlanders. How do they view the mountain people? Nakabahag(in a degratory manner), headhunters, barbaric, uncivilized…
PEPE: Provided sources, documents, etc. But until then, all I have to do is yawn and scratch my armpits…
TAMSILOG: Just because the “pambansang kasuotan” are barong and baro’t saya, they’ve forgotten that their ancestors wore the same clothings that the Igorots have.
PEPE: “They’ve forgotten.” They’ve forgotten, huh? Of course, you’re referring to “Filipinos” here. No doubt about it, yes, the ”
kind of “Filipinos” taught to you in the classrooms and not the historical “Filipino” as conceptualized by Luis Rodríguez Varela et al. Sigh.
TAMSILOG: This is also due to the fact that despite the Spanish being able to militarily penetrate the highlands(even in Ifugao and Apayao) after 2.5 centuries of failed attempts, hardly were the natives subdued despite the fact too that the Igorots lived in small villages and are not really numerous.
PEPE: Subduing your people then was admittedly a mistake. There’s no need to since the Spanish government taught it extremely difficult to reach out to your people due to the unstrategically high altitude of the Ifugao territory. “Subduing” your people, whatever you meant by that, were left to the responsibility of the friars who still failed to do so. And since the friars came into the picture, obviously, we would have to x out military intrusions here.
TAMSILOG: Some books even sight that there was a partial decline in the population due to small pox brought about by either the lowlanders or some Spanish officials/clergy.
PEPE: So what is exactly the point here? That the Spaniards of yore were bioterrorists? Tsk.
TAMSILOG: Of course, just as much as the Muslims in the south, it’s a source of pride. The Igorots were not even called indios as opposed to the lowlanders. They were referred to as “independent tribes.”
PEPE: Independent tribes or indios or natives or Tribal Fishes (¿nasaán na silá? Naaah, just thinkin’ aloud) or whatever you call them, they are all the same to the Spanish eye — indios.
TAMSILOG: You seem to be unanimously equating Filipino culture to Spanish culture.
PEPE: That’s your opinion. no culture is equal to another. I was just trying to show the influences, the influences, the doggone influences of those bloody Spaniards to our multifarious islandic cultures which the Europeans at that time saw as backward. Which, in cultural standards of decay and improvement and comfortability and ease, were damn true.
TAMSILOG: I remember your post about pancit. You were even trying to make it appear that it were a “Spanish influence” when it’s clearly Chinese.
PEPE: Ay. Ang culít. Paquibasa na nga lang yung palitan namin ng argumento ni caibigang Chris Sundita. Ang culít mo casí, e.
January 10th, 2007 at 12:52 am
TAMSILOG: Removing the lowlander and the national government’s oppression.
PEPE: Don’t feel special, chong. We are all victims here of the national government. And it doesn’t matter whether they’re lowlanders or not. As long as they’re with the neocolonized government, then they should be plainly evil.
TAMSILOG: We’re not as barbaric as the Spaniards want you to perceive us.
PEPE: Dream on. Maciado mo namáng quinacawawa ang lahi mo. Will you please stop this self-pity antics of yours? Ang corny, chong. The Spaniards never taught the lowlanders to perceive the indios as barbaric. I don’t even know what notion of the term “barbaric” you have in mind. Please share it to us “lowlanders” about this “barbarism” you know that we don’t.
TAMSILOG: Headhunting in the highlands is not as common as the “chop chop” trend you have in the lowlands particularly in the Manila area.
PEPE: ¡Uy! ¡Nagmalinís! Para palá cayóng mañgá ángel dian sa Ifugaolandia. Paraiso sa lupa. Grabe. Nacácainguit. Might as well be an Ifugao myself. Hahaha.
January 10th, 2007 at 1:18 am
TAMSILOG: Why would people in the highlands be “unfortunate” not to have been “Westernized”? That’s like saying you were “unfortunate” you, for most part, were not Islamized in contrary to those who have embraced Islam in the south or unfortunate to retain much of your indigenous heritage.
PEPE:
Regarding progress, I would like to elaborate. The Igorot homeland may be one of the depressed areas but I’ll tell you why. It’s simply because the maintream Filipino people have “progressed” at our expense. When the Philippines have started to interfere with our culture(through forced assimilation) and ancestral homeland, most have led to disaster. You think those “projects” were beneficial for us? No, it only benefited those from the lowlands. Many were displaced in their own lands when mines and dams were erected. Good thing that the Marcos’ proposed projects along the Chico river(which aimed to generate power to the Cagayan Valley) were put to stop or else, it would have displaced 300,000 people(that’s nearly half of the Igorot population during those times)! But hey, despite us having one of the lowest(even lower than what the ARMM get) “share” in the national income, our poverty rate is lower than that of the Bicol Region, who obviously, get a bigger share. I tell you, even the prominent Ibaloi families in Baguio could not get back their their ancestral lands even they have complete documents to prove that they indeed own the area… what more for those living the rural places? The hegemony(which most likely you inherited from your former “masters“) of the “maintream” Filipinos are the ones pushing the indigenous and non-hispanized people to poverty, not their indigenous culture. (You even stole some of our mummies. When Benguet opened to tourism in the 60’s, 80 mummies in Kabayan were stolen, 40 are still missing up to date).
PEPE: What the heck had the Spaniards got to do with all this?
TAMSILOG: I don’t think Romulo was simply “namimilosopo”.
PEPE: I think he was.
TAMSILOG: It’s more of like, he can’t admit that certain indigenous people exist in a land fabled with gold.
PEPE: He wasn’t. Nobody, not even himself, was pressuring him to do so.
TAMSILOG: Of course, the Philippines wouldn’t just “let go” of the Igorot domain because it contains large amounts of mineral deposits. Romulo was in office after the WW2, so most likely the he didn’t mean it culturally or even religiously, but in the whole context - even as citizens. Just look at the “projects” they have done in the Igorot homeland. it doesn’t matter to them even if it is at the expense of the inhabitants of the area.
PEPE: Like what I wrote earlier, don’t feel special. All of us are victims here: the Ifugaos, the Tagalos, Bicolanos, Mañguianes, etc… it is purely vile to blame all this evil to a particular culture.
Well, admittedly I’m doing the same thing towards the US. But, look, it’s what the US has been doing since they invaded the Philippines. After colonizing us, they taught our forefathers that time to hate our Spanish past, by using Rizal’s seemingly “anti-Spanish”writing, making an obscure “Lapu-lapu” a national hero, etc. The attack on a certain culture, particularly la cultura española, started from them. I’m just giving them a dose of their own medicine for our posterity’s sake because seemingly no one from my generation is doing it. And it’s heartbreaking.
TAMSILOG: Discrimination towards the Igorots is still rampant. In schools, when someone is seen wearing the bahag during the “linggo ng wika”, he is teased and being called as “nefut”, “headhunter”. Or in Universities, it’s not common to hear that lowlanders, upon attending Universities in Baguio, are “warned” to be wary of the Igorots because they are “barbaric”. It gets funny when you realize the discrimination happens in the Igorot domain. They must have forgotten that Baguio is very much part of the Igorot homeland. Of course, the Igorot, who wish to counter the discrimination would pride himself as the “unconquered”(just as much as the Muslims in the south, most especially the radical ones, pride themselves as not being the “converts”).
PEPE: Discrimination is everywhere, chong. Even some Spanish peninsulars during the Philippines’ glory days couldn’t help but discriminate the Filipinos/Insulars that time. See? I admit that there were evils during the Spanish times. You can never remove them. As long as you’re on this planet, as long as we live here, evil remains. Evil has been here since time immemorial. And it will remain long after we’re gone. The least we can do is to fight it. And the most you can do is to stop pretending that your tribe is pure. Because even though you don’t mention it, that’s the underlying argument that you have. And that’s a bunch of lowland crap if you ask me, chong.
TAMSILOG: But the question is, how many percent of the population were actually integrated and recognized as “Filipinos”?
PEPE: I forgot the exact figures (I’m at the office, my sources are at home, and I don’t have a computer. damn). But mostly, those who were hispanized were, you guessed it, the lowlanders.
TAMSILOG: At a large number, the natives were illiterate and more people were concentrated in the rural areas rather than in areas where commerce was active.
PEPE: The way things were all over the world. One English observer, I think it was Sir John Bowring, even noted that there were more literate people in Manila compared to many European cities he had been to. And yes, many natives at the beginning of Spanish rule didn’t immediately left their rural origins, especially due to a social fear of culture shock. However, during later years, migration to commercially bustling cities became rampant. This was especially true in the province of Batangas. And sadly, the same thing is happening in your place. Many Ifugaos today, hungry for Western literacy and, of course, to escape poverty, would rather move to Metro Manila or to any urbanized/commercialized site than rather stay behind their rural areas. Thus, the Eighth Wonder of the World, the Banaue Rice Terraces, is in danger of being abandoned and naturally destroyed. Is that the kind of progress you have in mind?
TAMSILOG: Thinking again, since there exist a social and political discrimination between the Peninsulares and Insulares, it could be possible that the concept of Filipino was fostered more by political reasons rather than a nationalistic one.
PEPE: One day, I will discuss to you the true concept of a Filipino. Not my concept nor the concept of any scholar nor historian. I will bring to you the concept of a Filipino from one of the first Filipinos himself… EL CONDE FILIPINO. But that would be for another day. Isá pá, gutóm na acó.
Maligayang bagong taón nga palá sa mañgá tagá-Ifugáo.