LIFE AND WORKS OF FRAY JUAN DE PLASENCIA
by: Fr. Jose "Long" D. Gutay, OFM
1. BIRTH AND FAMILY FAMILY BACKGROUND BACKGROU ND
Fray Juan was born to the illustrious illustrious family family of the Portocarreros Portocarreros in Plasencia Plasencia in the region region of !tre !trema maura ura,, #$ain #$ain in the the early early %&th %&th centur century y. 'is 'is father father,, Don Pero Pero Portocarrero, was a ca$tain of a #$anish schooner, who ie in (a$les, )taly in %*+. Juan was one in a broo of se-en which inclue inclue D. lfonso Pacheco Portocarrero, Portocarrero, D. Pero Pero Portocarre Portocarrero, ro, D. /origo /origo Pacheco, Pacheco, Do0a Do0a 1eatri2 1eatri2,, Do0a Do0a na, an Do0a )n3s Portocarrero. 'a-ing ha a father who constantly constantly $lie the waters of the %&th century #$anish omai omain n in the Meit Meiterr erran anean ean #ea #ea which which e!ten e!tene e from from the the coast coast of the )beri )berian an Peninsula Peninsula to the $orts of (a$les, some of his biogra$hers biogra$hers belie-e that the young Juan might might ha-e s$ent s$ent his early early chilho chilhoo o in )taly )taly.. )n fact, fact, this this broug brought ht about about some some s$eculations that he coul ha-e $robably e-en 4oine the )talian 5on-entuals in his later teens.
2. FORMATION FORMATION IN THE FRANCISCAN ORDER
Following Following #anta )n3s6 an La Lla-e6s accounts, accounts, the young Juan coul ha-e $ossibly enter entere e the the Fran Francis cisca can n 5on-e 5on-ent ntua uals ls in )taly )taly an an later later on 4oine 4oine the the Obser Obser-a -ant nt Franciscans Franciscans of #antiago #antiago on his return to #$ain. 7he biogra$her biogra$her usebio usebio Platero also su$$orts su$$orts this argument. argument. 'owe-er, 'owe-er, the historian Fray Marcelo e /ibaeneira /ibaeneira maintains the contrary when he im$lie in his 'istoria that Fray Juan coul ha-e not 4oine the )talian 5on-entuals because he was always with the Pro-ince of #antiago, an later on, howe-er, entere the Pro-ince of #an Jos3, also in #$ain. Juan e Plasencia6s Plasencia6s u$bringing u$bringing was s$ent against the bac8ro$ bac8ro$ of of the the s$iritual an religious resurgence effecte by #$ain6s siglo e oro, an the Obser-ant an the $ost9 5isneros 5isneros reforms. reforms. 7his fa-orable fa-orable ambience which ha ta8en ta8en $lace $lace e-en in his own region of !tremaura !tremaura might ha-e ins$ire him to suit u$ the Franciscan Franciscan habit at a -ery young age. 7his is oubtlessly oubtlessly $ro-en $ro-en by the suen u$surge u$surge of the number of those those res$oning to the call of religious life e-en in their youth, most es$ecially if they 8new that they woul be e-entually suiting u$ for the missions. 7he 7he s$ur s$urtt of ene energ rgy y which which hel$ hel$e e mai mainta ntain in the the miss mission ionary ary fer-or fer-or in Juan Juan e Plasencia coul ha-e not been $rouce s$ontaneously. s$ontaneously. )t has, of course, to unergo a long an thorough $rocess which, as in the case of Fray Juan, ha surely ha$$ene contem$ contem$orar orarily ily or coul ha-e began began much earlier. earlier. )n orer to unerstan unerstan well well this $rocess it woul ser-e a lot to go through the -arious historical factors which ha sha$e the 5atholic 5hurch in #$ain, in general, an the Franciscan Orer, in $articular, from the %th century until until the time of Juan e Plasencia. Most certainly certainly,, these factors,
in many concrete ways, influence the missiological $rinci$les, not only of our main $rotagonist, but all the other missionaries who were in-ol-e in the missionary enter$rise at that time, whether in the Orient or in other $arts of the (ew orl.
3. ARRIVAL IN THE PHILIPPINES
Fray Juan e Plasencia came together with the first batch of Franciscan missionaries in the Phili$$ines. )n the list of missionaries boun for the Phili$$ine )slans which was is$atche from the 5asa e la 5ontratacion of #e-ille, ate May ;% %*++, the name Fray Joan e Puerto 5arrero, el con-ento e
from the $ort of ca$ulco ro$$ing anchor only for their muchneee su$$lies near the coast of the Marianas or Larones )slans. fter a brief res$ite they saile for the Phili$$ines. Finally, the shi$ with Fray Juan e Plasencia on boar, arri-e at a $ort in 5a-ite, a few 8ilometers south of Manila on the ;n of July %*+>.
4. VARIOUS ASSIGNMENTS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Only two months after their arri-al in Manila, Fray Juan e Plasencia an another confrere, Fray Diego e Oro$resa, were alreay $reaching aroun Laguna e 1ay area an as far as 7ayabas ?the $resent @ue2on Pro-inceA con-erting souls to the 5atholic fol. )n June %*+B, before lea-ing for the missions in 5hina, the 5ustos Fray Pero lfaro, transfere tem$orarily the aministration of the 5ustoy to Fray Juan, an office he hel until %*>C. 'is untiring wor8 an missionary 2eal $ushe him further in the founation an organi2ation of se-eral towns not only in Laguna an 7ayabas but also in the $resent Pro-inces of 1ulacan an /i2al, an these were: 7ayabas, 5alilaya, Lucban, Mahayhay, (agcarlang, Lilio, Pila, #anta 5ru2, Lumbang, Pangil, #iniloan, Morong, nti$olo, 7aytay, an Meycawayan. s his biogra$hers testify, his life was characteri2e by 2eal, $rayer, an eicate ser-ice. hen he was mo-ing about on foot an -isiting areas where the nati-es well he e-ote himself wholeheartely to their con-ersion. 'is great interest in this enea-or mae him $lunge himself into the laborious stuy of the nati-e language an the founation of numerous towns. 7he friars recogni2e Plasencia6s achie-ement an $ersonal ualities, gi-ing him their -ote of confience by electing him their 5ustos ?i.e. #u$eriorA at their 5ha$ter in
May ;=, %*>. 'e hel this office until the election of Fray Pero 1autista in %*>>. Fray Juan6s new 4ob i not limit him no longer to one area. s a writer, his biogra$hers ascribe to him a series of literary wor8s of miscellaneous character of which some 9 -ery few 9 are still e!isting ?his letters es$eciallyA, while others ha-e been lost, $erha$s, fore-er. fter se-eral eicate years of har wor8, con-erting the nati-es, teaching catechisms, an organi2ing towns an barangays, he finally succumbe to #ister Death. 'e $asse away in Lilio ?LiliwA, in the Pro-ince of Laguna, in the year %*BC. 'is a$ostolic 2eal inee earne him res$ect among the $eo$le to whom he eicate his life, an his confreres with whom he li-e an wor8e. 'is biogra$hers, li8e Juan Francisco e #. ntonio throughout his "
5. NOTABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE MISSION
*.%. Promoter of Language )nculturation )n the area of e-angeli2ation, the 5hurch always fins herself confronte with the $roblem of inculturation. 'istory woul attest to this fact. 7he tas8 of inculturation has always been ifficult, $roblematic, an many times arousing $assions an creating i-isions an $olari2ations. 7he fifteenth century an later Franciscan missionaries i not esca$e this ma4or $roblem with ease. 7he contro-ersies about the i-erse methos a$$lie by the missionaries li8e the Jesuits an the Franciscans in the (ew orl also foun their way in the Far ast, es$. 5hina an Ja$an. 'owe-er, the situation in the Phili$$ines was -ery much ifferent. 'ere the contro-ersy i not e!ist. 7he relationshi$ between the Franciscans an the Jesuits in the %&th century was more, in fact, com$limentary than su$$lementary. 7he a$$roach of the friars an the Fathers ?JesuitsA showe that they were missionaries who $ossesse sincere 8nowlege an goo9wille a$$reciation of the culture of the $eo$le they wante to e-angeli2e. hat the historian /ibaeneira wrote about the friars coul attest to this: "7hose men stro-e to use e-ery means $ossible, unaunte by numerous ifficulties surrouning them, e.g. learning to s$ea8 the ialect of the $articular region assigne to their ministry. 1ecause the wor8 of sal-ation is a i-ine commitment, su$erabunant grace was bestowe on the Franciscan missionaries, who learne the ifferent ialects one by one, laboriously through lac8 of te!ts an teachers, but in the final analysis,
successfully, enough to ama2e the fili$inos who mar-ele to hear those holy men utter the or of Go in their own nati-e tongue." )n those $laces where the friars were assigne, their first tas8 was to learn the language or ialect of the $eo$le. n anonymous friar once wrote, "(othing can be one in the missions if the religious o not learn the language of the nati-es." 7his was inee accom$lishe when the first grou$ of friars arri-e in the Phili$$ines. 7hey wrote a grammar an ictionary of the nati-e language an translate the 5hristian octrine into both 7agalog an 1icolano. 7he same anonymous friar maintains that: "7he first missionaries left many writings in the 7agalog an 1icol languages, the best of which are those left by fathers Fray Juan e Oli-er, Fray Juan e Plasencia, Fray Miguel e 7ala-era, Fray Diego e suncion, an Fray Geronimo Monte. Mention is mae here of the abo-e fathers because they were the first masters of the 7agalog language, an since their writings are so common an well9recei-e by all the orers. 7hey ha-e not been $rinte, because they are -oluminous, an there are no arrangements in this 8ingom for $rinting so much." mong the friars mentione abo-e, Fray Juan e Plasencia clearly stoo out in the front line. )n %*>C the friars hel their first 5ha$ter in the Phili$$ines, a general meeting which ser-e as an e-aluation of their almost two yearsE e!$erience in the country. Of the many resolutions a$$ro-e, one was to a$$oint Fray Juan to the tas8 of com$osing a grammar an a ictionary of the 7agalog language. Fray Juan was not an alien to 7agalog. s soon as he arri-e in Manila, he starte to learn the language through the young Miguel e 7ala-era. 7he latter "who ha come with his $arents on the e!$eition with Legas$i, then uite young, became in a manner of s$ea8ing a isci$le of Plasencia, an while the Father taught him Latin, he in turn taught Plasencia the elements of 7agalog which he ha $ic8e u$." One shoul ta8e notice that es$ite his tutorshi$ uner the young Miguel, Fray Juan still ha to learn a language which was com$letely foreign to him without the hel$ of grammars, ictionaries an other $rinte boo8s, an he manage to learn it in a com$arati-ely short $erio, an e!ce$tionally well too. 7his was atteste by the se-eral wor8s he wrote barely after two years of his arri-al in the Phili$$ines. *.%.%. Linguistic or8s hen the 5ustos of the community, Fray Pero lfaro, turne o-er tem$orarily to Plasencia the aministration of the 5ustoy between %*+B an %*>C it seeme that the latter6s tas8 woul become unsurmountable consiering the fact that the 5ustoy was 4ust in its initial stages. 1ut this i not im$ee him in his wor8 with the nati-e language. For Fray Juan the role of mastering the language of the $eo$le in orer to facilitate e-angeli2ation, religious instructions, an the training of an effecti-e missionary has a more basic role to $lay than his aministrati-e 4ob. )n his letter to the ing of #$ain ate June %>, %*>* he mentione some of his first wor8s:
")n the language more common in these )slans, ) ha-e written some wor8s li8e the "rte e la lengua" an "eclaracion e toa la octrina !tiana," an now ) am writing the "CH an Diccionario tagalog, in %*>C. 1ut since so far at $resent no trace of their original te!ts an contents ha-e been brought out into the o$en e!ce$t this little information from his biogra$hers, nothing about their authenticity an authorshi$ coul be iscusse.
*.;. 7he 5atechist 1asic religious instructions on the funamental tenets of the 5atholic faith is one of the most im$ortant com$onents of missionary e-angeli2ation. -ery minister shoul 8now that the tas8 of s$reaing the Message of 5hrist oes not consist mainly on
aministering the sacraments an counting the number of ba$tisms an those recei-ing communion. 7he minister shoul also e-ote more of his time in teaching the faithful the meaning of the Message as taught by the 5hurch. n this shoul be one in a manner that each one woul be able to com$rehen it clearly an con-incingly. 7he first missionaries in the Phili$$ines, who were ministers themsel-es, were fully aware of this immense tas8 which lay before them, es$ecially after they ha-e reali2e that they woul be teaching a $eo$le who ha-e ne-er hear of 5hrist nor the 5atholic 5hurch before in their li-es. 7hey saw that "the effecti-enes of $reba$tismal instruction e$ene u$on a subseuent inoctrination through the teaching of catechism." 7he Franciscan themsel-es 8new so well this e!igency that among their ecisions in their first 5ha$ter in %*>C was "to translate the 5hristian octrines in 7agalog". -iently, this effort was meant to ma8e the teaching of catechism more com$rehensible to the nati-es. 7he religious instruction of the friars was an integral $art of the whole metho of e-angeli2ation a$$lie by the friars which inclues, among others, the system of reucciones an the escuela e ninos. *.;.%. 5atecismo e la Doctrina 5ristiana ?%*>%A 7he tas8 of translating the 5hristian octrines in 7agalog e-iently fell into the hans of Juan e Plasencia. 7he chronicler #anta )nes referre to that ecision in the cha$ter hel in %*>C, $resie by Plasencia himself in lieu of the 5ustos Pero e lfaro: "7he thir an last thing that was etermine in this cha$ter was that a grammar an a ictionary of the 7agalog language shoul be mae an a translation of the Doctrina 5hristiana com$lete. n since Fr. Juan e Plasencia, the $resient of this same cha$ter, e!celle all in the language, he was gi-en this res$onsibility, an he acce$te it, an immeiately set to wor8. n then after great stuy, much lac8 of slee$ an care, together with fer-ent $rayers an other s$iritual uties, of not little im$ortance in the goo $rofit of such wor8, he reuce the language to a grammar, mae a catechism, a -ery full ictionary, an -arious translations." La Lla-e also mentione that "he com$ose the Doctrina christiana in their language, an the 5atecismo of the faith, which were entitle 7ogsohan ?sicAH an uring the Pro-incial #yno calle by the first bisho$ ?#ala2arA with the $relates of the religious an ministers, it was a$$ro-e. Intil at $resent, it is still being use but alreay with some moifications." )n %*B= a boo8 bearing the title Doctrina 5hristiana en lengua es$anola y tagala... was $rinte !ylogra$hically for the first time in the Phili$$ines. lthough it was not mentione in the $rinte boo8 "historians are now agree that Plasencia was the author of the te!t that a$$ears in this Doctrina." )t was the same catechetical guie a$$ro-e uring the syno of %*>;. s a matter of fact, in that Manila #yno $resie by 1isho$ #ala2ar, the historian Juan e la 5once$cion gi-es an account of what has trans$ire:
"'is e!cellency $resie at the meetings... t this con-ention or iocesan syno it was iscusse whether the )nians were to be ministere to in their nati-e language, or if they woul be oblige to learn #$anish, an it was ecie to instruct them in their nati-e tonue. 7he i-ine office, the Doctrina 5hristiana, which Father Fr. Juan e Plasencia ha translate into the 7agalog language, was a$$ro-e. 'is wor8, the rte y Doctrina 5hristiana $ro-e most useful because of the ease by which it $ermitte an unerstaning an thorough 8nowlege of so foreign a language." 7his Doctrina of %*B= which was taught to the Fili$inos from the time of its $rinting an thereon was uite ogmatic although reuce to its essential minimum. )t inclue the following: a syllabary ?$honeticsA, the Pater (oster, the -e Maria, the 5reo, the #al-e Maria, the rticles of Faith, 7en 5ommanments, 5ommanments of the 'oly 5hurch, the #acraments, #e-en Mortal #ins, Fourteen or8s of 5harity, the ct of 5ontrition an 5atechism consisting of thirty9three uestions an answers, all in #$anish an 7agalog an transliterate into the $re9his$anic Fili$ino #yllabary l$habets. 'ere in a small com$ass is $ros$ecte the sim$lest, most easily learne an most essential tenets of the 5atholic 5hurch. hen the Jesuits too8 o-er the $arish of #ilang, 5a-ite, from the Franciscans in %&C%, they foun out that the teaching of catechism, asie from a establishe school for the chilren ?the escuelaA, ha alreay been introuce by their $reecessors. John Phelan maintains that this Doctrina closely followe the (ahuatl catechisms $re-iously com$ile for the Me!ican )nians. 7his only shows then, as mentione alreay earlier, the metho use by the missionaries in the Phili$$ines was $ractically the same as the one use in the e-angeli2ation of the mericas.
*.;.;. 7he 7ocsohan of Plasencia s Practice )n the $arishes aministere by the Franciscans the Misa Mayor i not only mean the celebration of the community6s #unay ucharist, it is also the festi-e inoctrination integrate in the liturgy. hen the $eo$le gathere for the mass, it was also time to teach them the Doctrina 5hristiana. 7his 8erygmatic $ractice became a4unct to the Misa Mayor, almost as an integral $art of the #unay ?an holy ayA morning liturgical function. 7his catechetical instruction consiste in the ingenous $ractice of the communitarian recitation or singing of the 7ocsohan. 7his wor in 7agalog literally means 6$layful teasing6 or 6teasing game6, in which one $arty as8s a uestion to be answere by the other $arty, the uestioning an answering roles being gi-en re-erse alternately after the correct answer has been gi-en. )t has become a $ractice for the friars to a$$ly some grou$ ynamics li8e this to ma8e the learning $rocess more $leasant an attracti-e to the chilren.
7he em$hasis, howe-er, was hea-ily $lace on learning by rote memory, although unerstaning was also teste by regular uestion $erios. 7he metho is escribe well in the statutos: "7a8ing into account what the 'oly 5ouncil of 7rent is$oses concerning the ays on which the Minister has to $reach to the souls uner his charge, we orer that on #unays an feasts ?of three crossesA, when there woul be no formal $latica, two or four sacristans or ti$les of the escuela who 8now the octrina best, onne in sur$lices, shall go to the center of the church, before the start of the Misa Mayor or at its en 99 whene-er the Minister thin8s there woul be more $eo$le in the church. n they shall recite alou 9 or sing 9 the $rayers of the Doctrina at one time an at another the 7ocsohan to be com$lete, while all those in the church answer. )n this way they shall not forget it. fter the Mass an the recitation or singing of the $rayer, the Minister shall go to the center of the church an shall as8 the )nio about what they $raye in orer to fin out how they unerstan it. 'e shall teach them briefly what they o not unerstan, an without being -ery $rofoun shall e!$lain some $oints towars the unerstaning of the sai octrine."
*.;.=. Other 5atechetical or8s 7he biogra$hers Gome2 Platero an 5assano-a ascribe to Plasencia another wor8 entitle In tomo e sermones -arios en tagalog in which they assigne %*>* as the year Plasencia ha it one. (o other account mae mention of this wor8 although it is $ossible that Fray Juan mae this collection for two reasons: as a su$$lement to the 7ocsohan an a guie for homilies es$ecially for ministers who were still starting to learn 7agalog, an most $robably as a reaing hel$ for the faithful an catechumens who woul want to ee$en more their 8nowlege of the or. On the otherhan, all his biogra$hers, are agree that he com$ose a mystical wor8 which he entitle La #antina in %*>*.Faithful to his lcantarine bac8groun Fray Juan com$ose this o$us on $rayer an contem$lation "$ara ar rre$oso y escanso e las for2osas obligaciones e su oficio." 1ut a$$arently it was not for himself nor e-en for his fellow #$anish missionaries. 7he wor8 was one in the 7agalog language. 7his goes to say, then, that he wrote it for the catechism of the nati-es who i not 8now #$anish so that they may also ha-e a share of the s$irituality of their teachers. )n the later years, the -arious wor8s of Juan e Plasencia, es$ecially his Doctrina, rte y Diccionario were continue an im$ro-e by another linguist, Fray Juan Oli-er, who arri-e with the secon batch of missionaries in the Phili$$ines in %*>C.
*.=. 7he Peagogue: Promo-eor singular e las escuelas )n the eucation of the nati-es, although creit is gi-en to Fray #ebastian e 1ae2a for being the first to $ut u$ a $rimary school in 1antay, )locos #ur, in the -ery same year of their arri-al in the Phili$$ines, it was the well9re$ute Fray Juan e Plasencia who
"too8 the leaing role... in fostering the s$rea of $rimary eucation." )n the 5ha$ter hel in %*>C, as a su$$lement to the establishment of $oblaos or reucciones, he also $ro$ose that an escuela e $rimeras letras be constructe besie the church. -ergisto 1a2aco, a famous historian of the Phili$$ine eucational system, recogni2e the efforts one by this friar by writing some lines about him: "mong the $ro$ositions of Fr. Plasencia for ecclesiastical an go-ernment a$$ro-al was the following one: 6Formar escuelas e $rimeras letras, en one se ensease a los fili$inos no solo la octrina cristiana, a leer y escribir, sino tambien algunas artes y oficios, con el fin e ue fueran es$ues, no solo buenos cristianos, sino tambien utiles ciuaanos.6 7his was a$$ro-e in the conference $resie o-er by the first bisho$ of the Phili$$ines." 7he $eagogy em$loye by Plasencia was many years ahea of his time. 'e is sai to ha-e introuce the Lancaster metho about in the Phili$$ines two an a half centuries before Jose$h Lancaster himself a$$lie it in the mericas. Fray Juan mae use of his creati-ity to su$$lement the eficiency of eucational materials, utili2ing san bo!es as blac8boar, banana lea-es for $a$er, an bamboo stic8s for $en. )n his account on Plasencia,
an saw in them great ocility an $ro$ensity to learn an wor8 har, these schools for boys $ros$ere. )n the ensuing years, the escuelas become the so9calle seminarios built close to the church an the con-entos of the friars where young boys from age eight to twenty were traine in 5hristian -alues, reaing, writing, an also in music.
*. Pastoral Organi2er: Father of the Fili$ino 1arangay 7he $re9his$anic Fili$inos i not $ossess a high le-el of social organi2ation. lthough they li-e in small communities calle the barangays, this i not guarantee an organi2e socio9$olitical an religious networ8 com$arable to uro$ean stanar nor to the 2tecs an )ncas of the mericas. 7hese communities were scattere all o-er the many islans of the archi$elago. n the nati-es were mostly subsistence farmers or fishermen, an occu$ie an area where they coul easily farm, hunt an fish. )n this 8in of circumstances, the friars isco-ere it too ifficult to $ursue a systematic instruction es$ecially for the neo9con-erts. 'owe-er their si! months sto$o-er in Me!ico ga-e this first Franciscans in the Phili$$ines a chance to e!$erience 9not only theoretically but in $ractice, as well9 the methos em$loye by the brothers thereK&> an this $ro-ie them a solution on how to remey this $roblem. 7he solution was the reuccion system, i.e., to "reuce" or "re9settle" the nati-es in central locations.
*..%. 1asic Princi$les behin the /euccion #ystem /euccion was the technical term use in #$anish laws concerning the )nies, referring to the congregating of nati-e inhabitants in $ueblos. 7his $olicy was $art of the #$anish colonial e!$erience in the (ew orl, an it also became the moel for the Phili$$ines, with the ifference that whereas in #$ain6s merican colonies resettlement was carrie out 4ointly by 5hurch an #tate, the system in the Phili$$ines was mainly an $ractically the wor8 of the friars. 7his metho of coloni2ation an christiani2ation a$$lie by the missionaries is base on the anthro$ological -iew of man $re-alent uring the Miles ges. 7he meie-al iea of the unity of Go, the unity of man8in an of society, the conce$t of orer an hierarchy, the -ision of things sub s$ecie aeternitatis, an the humanitarian $reoccu$ation of the e-elo$ing Moern ge, all these ins$ire the #$anish missionaries to is$el the ar8ness of error among the inigenous inhabitants so that they too coul be $art of the one 5atholic 5hurch an sub4ects of their 5atholic so-ereigns of #$ain. ccoring to the mentality of the age, new $eo$le who were to be acce$te into the fol of the one 5hurch must also conform to the new life9style an new moe of thin8ing. 1eing inheritors of the Greco9/oman urbanism, the missionaries instincti-ely then note own that the Fili$inos were not conforming to this form of ci-ili2ation, hence, they are "li-ing without $olity, i.e., sin $ulicia, which is synonymous to barbarism." 7herefore, they shoul be re9settle together in -illages or $ueblos because "man as a social being ought to be in communion with his fellow men, an it was only
through this aily contact with others that he might ho$e to achie-e a measure of his $otentiality." 7hen, the missionaries began to s$ea8 about their tas8 as a s$iritual as well as a tem$oral conuest. Li8e the ci-il conuistaores, they were as 2ealous in $romoting the glory of the ambas ma4estaes, i.e., the glory of Go an the 8ing. 7o reach these ob4ecti-es among the nati-es, again they must be resettle in communities or -illages where they coul li-e as chilren of the 5hurch an -assals of the 5atholic 8ings. *..;. 5arta al /ey ?%*>*A 7hus, it was for the abo-e reasons an $rinci$les that in June %>, %*>*, in Manila, Juan e Plasencia wrote to the #$anish 8ing reuesting him for authori2ation an funing to form "$oblaciones e a mil o seiscientas casas... asi, ni se les $uee ensenar christiania ni $ulicia" ?communities of one thousan or si!ty houses...an in that way, one can teach them 5hristianity an $olityA. )n the First #yno of Manila which was hel three years earlier, this reuccion $olicy initiate by Plasencia was unanimously agree u$on by the ecclesiastical authority an the su$eriors of the religious communities $resent. 5onseuently it also recei-e substantial bac8ing from the ci-il authority. 7he orinance of the then Go-ernor #antiago e
*..=. 1uiling of 1asic 5hristian 5ommunities 1ut this initiati-e of re9settling the nati-es into reucciones was alreay starte by Plasencia himself four years earlier, 4ust shortly after their arri-al an his first assignment in the Laguna e 1ay area. n two years later, uring the first cha$ter of friars, this became the first $ro$osal ecie u$on by the 5ustoy. 7he chronicler #an ntonio escribing the feeling of the friars about the urgency of this measure narrate: "7hey reali2e the great is$ersion in which these nati-es were li-ing, who, not content with li-ing in the corners of the mountains, ha their houses far a$art from each other. 7he religious were neither able to ser-e them nor ta8e care of their instruction an con-ersion without encountering many gra-e ifficulties an angers in mountains, ri-ers, abysses, cry$ts, an most es$ecially the $erils from beasts, -enomous animals, as well as from the (egritos an 5imarrones, who are more bloothirsty than the wil
animals. For this reason the religious unanimously hel that it woul be con-enient... to buil some $ermanent churches where all the nati-es coul be gathere to hear the 5hristian octrine, an $arta8e of the s$iritual foo, an where the religious coul teach, instruct, an aminister the holy ba$tism an other sacraments..." 7he beginning of the re9settlement was signale by the erection of a church in the center of the site. 7hen an o$en atrium or $atio was lai out in front of it, aroun which houses in rectangular street bloc8 were built. small eificio to ser-e as con-ento was also constructe besie the church, an also the escuela closeby. 7he $hysical lay9out of the re9settlement was "ecclesio9centric", i.e., the church in the center, so that the houses were meta$horically locate ba4o la cam$ana. 7he community, then, was i-ie into smaller grou$s accoring to 8inshi$ anor frienshi$ ties, an a cabe2a e barangay ?chiefA was a$$ointe for each grou$. ith the 5hurch, the con-ento, the escuela, sie by sie in the center, an the nati-es6 houses aroun them, the early barangay, then, became the nucleus which e-elo$e into a $ueblo or town in the later years until at $resent.
t first, the nati-es resiste this reuccion $olicy because of $ractical reasons, s$ecially for subsistence farmers who wante to remain close to their rice9fiels n some of them who ha ba e!$eriences li-ing close to the sea coast, i not want anymore to become easy $rey of Moro rais. 1ut es$ite this, through religious an other $ersuasions an enticements, the initiati-e was effecti-e an successful. Only after a brief $erio of time since it was starte, Plasencia an his com$anions were able to foun the following $ueblos of 5alilaya, 7ayabas, Lucban, Mahayhay, (agcarlan, Lilio, Pila, #anta 5ru2, Lumban, Pangil, Paete, #iniloan, Morong, Pililla, nti$olo an Meycauayan. )n the Friars6 5ha$ter of %*>= $resie by Pablo e Jesus, an when Juan e Plasencia was electe as the ne!t 5ustos, other octrinasK> in 1icol foune the $re-ious years were also a$$ro-e. 7his initiati-e of Fray Juan e Plasencia which has sha$e immensurably the $resent an future set9u$ of the Phili$$ine towns an cities, an the society in general earne him among his biogra$hers an historiogra$hers the title "Father of the Fili$ino 1arangay" or Pare e la reuccion.
*.*. 7he thnogra$her )n %*>=, there were some re$orte cases of nati-es6 u$rising against the encomeneros. $$arently the reason was the abuses an maltreatment that the nati-e wor8ers recei-e from these encomeneros who trie to enrich themsel-es by ensla-ing the latter. 7he elay of a go-erment action com$licate more the $roblem. 7his account of D. 7rinia Paro e 7a-era narrates the situation encountere by #antiago e to $resie o-er the new uiencia in Manila: "the state of things in which he foun the country, the in4ustices which were committe on e-ery sie, the -iolent means to which the o$$resse foun themsel-es oblige to resort for self9efense, im$resse him ee$ly 9 abo-e all 9 when in %*>* rebellion was
eclare by the Pam$ango an 7agal )nians. 7hat $ruent magistrate com$rehene that the first thing which he must o in orer to rule with 4ustice was to unerstan the usages an customs of the country which he was commissione to ruleH an it was then that, 8nowing the remar8able abilities of the -irtuos Fray Juan e Plasencia, Dr.
7hat Plasencia res$one $ositi-ely to De
*.*.%. /elacion e las costumbres ue los inios soltan tener en estas islas, hecha $or fray 4oan e Plasencia, e la Oren e #an Francisco, y en-iaa a el octor #antiago e B. 7he olest co$y of this wor8 is foun in the utos e buen gobierno $ro-eos $or la uiencia e Fili$inas, unos e oficio y otros a $eticion el Fiscal ?ese el > e Junio e %*B> al %= Julio e %*BBA.7he /elacion, clearly Plasencia6s most im$ortant wor8, was also oftentimes uote, cite an e-en sometimes co$ie in its entirety, later by the folowing authors: La Lla-e, #an ntonio, Pablo /o4o, Paro e 7a-era, le4anro Paterno, . Morga, 5olon, Loren2o Pere2, 1lair an /obertson, an other contem$orary historians an writers. 7his /elacion, as far as the history of the Phili$$ines is concerne, is uite e!ce$tional, not to mention, as well, with its effects to the early legal system of the country. )t i not only $reser-e to $osterity the formerly unwritten customs, traitions an beliefs of the nati-es, but it also ga-e the Phili$$ines its first 5i-il 5oe, use by the alcales9mayores in their aministration of 4ustice.
7he /elacion treats of the go-ernment of the 7agalog, their aministration of 4ustice, sla-ery, inheritance, social system, an marriages. )t s$ea8s of the barangay, consisting of one hunre houses, as the unit of go-ernment, rule by a atu or maginooH the $eo$le i-ie into three istinct social classes: the maharli8a ?nobility an freemenA, the ali$ing namamahay ?commonersA, an the ali$ing sa guiguili ?the
sla-esAH of the ownershi$ of $ro$ertyH of the chilren 9 natural an ao$te 9H of marriageH an of crimes an $unishment. )t also e!$lains the relation between these social classes an the origin of each. 7hus, it states three ways of how a man may became a sla-eH namely: birth, ebt, an ca$ti-ity in war. )t tells, as well, of the 8ing an of the uties he renere to his sub4ects. 7his "5i-il 5oe", in a way, ga-e the nati-es the o$$ortunity an inis$ensible tool to $rotect an efen themsel-es in legal cases, an for the aministrators of 4ustice, to conuct their uties an obligations accoringly.
*.*.;. nstruccion e las costumbres ue antiguamente tenan los naturales e Pan$anga. )t was the Jesuit, Pablo Pastells, in his eition of the Labor e-angelica of Francisco 5oln, who first ga-e notice of the e!istence of this wor8. 7he ifference of this nstrucion with the other /elacion, is that it oes not ha-e a heaing ca$tion, ate an signature of the author, e!ce$t that it conclues with these wors: "7oo lo icho he $rocurao saber e los mas -ie4os esta $ro-incia y e toos los $riores ellaH si no fuese $uesto $or tan buen estilo como ebia, su$lico a <. #eora, $or mi -olunta, sea $eronao el malo ue lle-a et." Loren2o Pere2 con-incingly attribute this wor8 to Plasencia on the basis of the abo-e an a certain letter written by Pastells confirming the authorshi$ by Plasencia. 7he nstruccion contains ;; $aragra$hs which a$$ear li8e a series of $enal coes. !ce$t for the last, which ser-es as the conclusion, an the first an secon $aragra$hs ?introuction an the legal orerA, the wor8 coul be summari2e as follows: aA On the corres$oning $enalties for each crime bA On marriage, owry an inheritance cA On the eli-ery an istribution of sla-es A On the oath of the constituents in a lawsuit re$ort bearing the title: /elacion e las islas fili$inas is sai to ha-e been foun $reser-e in the Library of the 1ritish Museum, the Lilly Libray of )niana an in the rchi-es of the )nies in #e-illa. 7his /elacion, consiere as the first $rinte news on the Phili$$ines, is a -ery im$ortant ocument since it is totally eicate to the s$reaing of information about the country in the early years of the #$anish coloni2ation. 5ayetano #anche2, ta8ing into account the style, content, an ate, an ob-iously without iscounting other $ossibilities, suggests that Juan e Plasencia coul be its $robable author. Loren2o Pere2, uoting an early chronicler of the Pro-ince of #an Jose, P. Marcos e lcala, note that Plasencia also com$ose another /elacion e las cosas
memorables e Phili$inas, bearing the ate %B June %*>*. 'uerta also mentione the same thing. Infortunately a co$y of the te!t coul not be locate elsewhere.
*.&. Defener of the /ights of the (ati-e Fili$inos One of the -isions of the Franciscans who came to the Phili$$ines is the genuine li-ing out of the e-angelical counsels. s has been note alreay in the $re-ious section of this stuy, the main reason that these iscalce friars branche out from the main Franciscan stream was their esire to li-e es$ecially the -ow of $o-erty more raically an, if not, to the fullest. ll the chroniclers of the Pro-ince an e-en non9 Franciscan writers of the friars6 history in the Phili$$ines woul attest to this fact. 7his was shown not only in their -ery own $oor lifestyle but also in their eication to the care of the $oor, the sic8 an the abuse. 7his o$tion for the $oor among the friars was manifeste in two forms: first, in their $referential care for the sic8 an secon, in their concern for 4ustice an the efense of the rights of the nati-es. hen the Dominican 1isho$, Domingo #ala2ar enounce, among others, the o$$ressi-e collection of ta!es by the encomeneros, some of those religious who rallie behin him were the Franciscan su$eriors. n when the same bisho$ calle a council to aress the issue of the emanci$ation of the Fili$ino sla-es, again the Franciscan su$eriors ?Plasencia was one of them.A were $resent to su$$ort him. 7his was basically the main ob4ecti-e of Plasencia when he com$ose the /elacion e las 5ostumbres an )nstruccion, i.e., to $ut an en to some in4ustices being committe against the nati-es by certain go-ernment officials. 7he chronicler, Francis enemies, an so ) can harly e!$ress the saness ) feel any time the news of such incients reach my ears or ) myself am in-ol-eH howe-er, if one is to choose between enmity an frienshi$ an between $eace an war, ) belie-e enmity is to be $referre. For consiering the 8in of $ersons most of the alcales mayores are nowaays, nothing inicates that frienshi$ with them will hel$ the missions in any way. On the contrary, it will estroy them. 1ecause, as ) ha-e obser-e, you can harly fin one that is not bline an mo-e by greeiness, thus estroying his own soul as well as the li-es an $ossessions of the $oor )nians.6"
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