Social Statusduring

Spanish Colonization

Principalia - nobility class was the social and educated class in the towns of colonial Philippines composed of the Gobernadorcillo (Town Mayor), or the Cabeza de Barangay (Chief of the Barangay) who governed the districts and the awardees of the medal of Civil Merit.

• Exempted from forced labor during the colonial period

• Were allowed to vote, be elected to public office and be addressed by the title: Don or Doña

• Given certain roles in the Church, such as assisting the priest in pastoral and religious activities

Costume of a family belonging to Principalía during the 19th century.

Ilustrados- (Spanish for "erudite," "learned," or "enlightened ones"). constituted the Filipino educated class during the Spanish colonial period in the late 19th century

They were the middle class who were educated in Spanish and exposed to Spanish liberal and European nationalist ideals.

1. Indios - person of pure Austronesian (Malay/Malayo Polynesian) ancestry (natives)

Composed of native-born intellectuals and cut across ethnolinguistic and racial lines

2. Insulares - Spaniards born in Philippines who took important positions in the Spanish government in the Philippines.

3. Mestizos - Filipinos of mixed indigenous Filipino (Austronesian people/Malay/Malayo-Polynesian), or European or Chinese ancestry.

Mestizo de Sangleyperson of mixed Chinese and Malay ancestry

Mestizo de Españolperson of mixed Spanish and Malay ancestry

Tornatrásperson of mixed Spanish, Malay and Chinese ancestry

4. Peninsulares, Spaniards who are born in Spain and took roles in the Philippines

The Chinese natives made up the lower half of the social pyramid

Chinese expulsions were also carried out against the Chinese in 1755 and 1766, because of Spanish suspicion, but they were repealed in 1788 when the Spanish recognized the contributions the Chinese could make to the Philippine economy. 

Many of the Chinese who arrived during the Spanish period were Cantonese, who worked as labourers, but there were also Fujianese, who entered the retail trade. The Chinese resident in the islands were encouraged to intermarry with Filipinos, convert to Roman Catholicism and adopt Hispanic names, surnames and customs.

Social Transformation

Adoption of Hispanic Names

• Based on compiled names of saints, indigenous and Chinese patronymics, flora and fauna, geographical names, and the arts

• Filipinos were obligated to adopt surnames like Rizal, Del Pilar or Luna althugh some ndigenous surnames like Mabini, Malantic, Dandan and Paganiban, were retained

• Catagalogo alfabetico de apellidos contained some derogatory names like “Utut”, “Ung-goy”, and even “Casillas”

Houses

bahay na bato with a wide azotea (batalan in original), retaining the banguerahan and providing an aljibe or a well for water – supply

Foreign Cuisines

Spanish indigenized dishes like adobo, menudo, sarciado, puchero or mechado and the Chinise – derived noodle preparations Filipinized into pancit malabon and pancit luglog

Change in Dressing

• kanggan and bahag to barong tagalog or camisa chino

• putong to hats. • Shoes and slippers as

part of men’s fashion• Baro and saya for

women developed into mestiza dress

• Jewelry and ornaments, gold and tortoise peineta, earrings of different sizes and shapes

Conversion of the Filipinos

• Fiestas honoring the saints

• Fiestas during Holy Week, on Corpus Christi, and the feast day of the patron saint

• Pomp and pageantry of the religious processions

• Exotic Hispanic dances and music

• Religious dramas of the sinakulo and the komedya or moro – moro

• Cofadias and sodalities of the Filipino laymen and laywomen honoring the Virgin Mary

http://tabonwoman.blogspot.com/2009/05/spanish-period.html

http://factoidz.com/the-spanish-era-in-the-philippines/

http://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/28063.html

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