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MIS Capitol Bataan
The first Spanish who arrived in the province came upon two main races of people living in Bataan – the inhabitants of the mountains and those settled on the plains. The mountain people were the Negritoes or Aetas and the inhabitants of the plains were the natives.
Aside from these two main groups, however, there came the peninsular Spaniards, the Chinese, and the mestizos who were either Spaniards or Chinese born to parents married to native women.
The Aetas
The Negritoes or Aetas, at the time they were written about by Father Vicente Fernandez in 1886, numbered around 1,300 to 1,500 with the population tending to decrease rather than increase. They were described then as a miserable race with kinky hair and dark skin. Their origin, descent and language were not too well known, although others of their kin lived in Malacca, Sumatra, Java, Formosa, New Guinea and in a majority of the Philippine islands. Their language was similar to those in the towns and ranches near the mountains where they lived.
Father Vicente Fernandez reported that until his time, all the efforts to confine the Negritoes to life in community had been fruitless. Both threats and blandishments had been used. Houses had been built for them on sites near the mountains, but they always returned to their mountainous abode the moment they knew they were out of sight or the resources for their upkeep had been used up.
The Candidate
The greatest bulk of the lowlanders were the natives. They belonged to the pure Malay race, were of regular build, oval-faced, and with large eyes. However, although they are of Malay race, one could observe in their physiognomy some resemblances to the people of Ternate, perhaps because they had merged with or intermarried with the Mardicas of the opposite coast.
Most of them spoke Tagalog, but a considerable number of the population, especially in the beginning, spoke Pampango, which is no surprise since Bataan was fomerly a part of Pampanga province.
By the turn of the century, the following style of dress was in vogue. Men wore pantalones, camisa de coco which was either black or blue, a buri hat or salacot and a panuelo around their necks. Women sported short black camisa de coco which was usually de sinamay con rayas, a saya of black or of any other color, a tapiz over the saya, a pair of chinelas on their feet, a panuelo around the neck or head, plus a rosary or scapular hanging from their neck and resting on their breast. Special attires, as those of the Spaniards, were worn by ministers of justice and the principales of the town on special occasions.
To pass their time, men and women played panguingue. Men usually enjoyed monte and sabong. The old folk spent their time chewing tobacco and buyo while conversing on their staircases, windows, stores, plazas or streets. Among the young, carabao races were also popular. And the nights were passed with haranas or serenades.
They especially celebrated town fiestas, attended zarzuelas in which the people of Mabatang were experts and enjoyed the galleras.
The low-landers were easily satisfied. They were content with having just the necessities of life for the present, without care for the future. For cultivation, they preferred swampy farms which were easy to cultivate but were always productive. They had a characteristic aversion to holding public office and paying taxes. And as the angelus tolled the setting of the sun, they ended their days with prayers and a manifestation of respect for the old while closing their windows and locking their doors.
The Peninsular
Peninsular Spaniards were those who came from Spain to live in the Philippines. Those who had stayed long in the Philippines were called camagones at the end of the nineteenth century.
It is noted that in the second half of the last century, the number of peninsular Spaniards in Bataan was strangely small, and all of them were either employees in civil, economic and military administration or parish. Around that period, too, there were nine towns in which the pastors were the pastors were the only Spaniards.
It is likewise of interest that in the entire province, there was not a single peninsular Spaniard or foreigner, aside from the Chinese, who were involved in agriculture, commerce or industry.
The Chinese residents of the province were few in number, compared to those in the other provinces of the archipelago. They were estimated to have been only about 160 to 180, according to the census taken by the Government and Administration in the year 1885.
Almost all engaged in commerce. Some engaged in the alcohol industry and in the drying of fish for shipment to Manila and Pampanga. Only a small number was engaged in agriculture.
There were no rich Chinese. Due to the big number of mestizos who sought to emulate their parents and due to the proximity of the Manila markets to which they themselves brought their products, the Chinese had never been able to control commerce – not even retail stores.
Being thriftier, more active and more industrious, the Chinese of the last century in Bataan were not too well liked by the natives. Occasionally, an aggrieved native took revenge on a Chinese who had done him an injustice. In such occurrences, it difficult to uncover the perpetrators of the crimes for the natives did not volunteer information to investigate the deeds perpetrated on the Chinese.
Some of the Chinese married and settled permanently in the province to live with their families. But the majority were transients who came to try their fortune and traveled on from one province to the next.
The Mestizos
There were two main divisions of mestizos in Bataan --the Spanish-native mestizos and the Chinese-native mestizos.
The Spanish-native mestizos were greater in number than the peninsular Spaniards. However, they were of little influence and importance as majority of them belonged to the poorer class. But they had always tried to preserve their lineage in census lists due to privileges of exemption from tribute and due to the municipal services which they enjoyed as provided for by the law.
The Chinese-native mestizos were also of considerable number. As a matter of fact, their number ranked second to that of the natives. They were actually more than what appeared in parish lists, for the son or daughter of a native father and a Chinese mestiza mother was classified in records as a native. They were, in fact, very careful in having this noted in their baptismal records in order not to pay the higher rate of tribute imposed on Chinese mestizos, according to the ancient laws of the tribute.
This race was astonishingly prolific and it has left permanent traces of its characteristic traits both physical as well as moral. This is especially noticeable in the town of Balanga, where inhabitants strangely have white complexion and slanted eyes. Even most of their family names reflect a Chinese ancestry.
They were generally serious, generous, thrifty, clean and shrewd. They dedicated themselves to agriculture, commerce and industry. They were the truly powerful people in the province. They gave out money advances or loans to natives, with regular interests collectible at harvest time. Their women were usually more active then the men and possessed great talent in managing their business and making it grow. However, they had the vice of gambling, where they risked their fortune many times.
In general, the people of the province were docile, religious and loving to their superiors.
Aside from these two main groups, however, there came the peninsular Spaniards, the Chinese, and the mestizos who were either Spaniards or Chinese born to parents married to native women.
The Aetas
The Negritoes or Aetas, at the time they were written about by Father Vicente Fernandez in 1886, numbered around 1,300 to 1,500 with the population tending to decrease rather than increase. They were described then as a miserable race with kinky hair and dark skin. Their origin, descent and language were not too well known, although others of their kin lived in Malacca, Sumatra, Java, Formosa, New Guinea and in a majority of the Philippine islands. Their language was similar to those in the towns and ranches near the mountains where they lived.
Father Vicente Fernandez reported that until his time, all the efforts to confine the Negritoes to life in community had been fruitless. Both threats and blandishments had been used. Houses had been built for them on sites near the mountains, but they always returned to their mountainous abode the moment they knew they were out of sight or the resources for their upkeep had been used up.
The Candidate
The greatest bulk of the lowlanders were the natives. They belonged to the pure Malay race, were of regular build, oval-faced, and with large eyes. However, although they are of Malay race, one could observe in their physiognomy some resemblances to the people of Ternate, perhaps because they had merged with or intermarried with the Mardicas of the opposite coast.
Most of them spoke Tagalog, but a considerable number of the population, especially in the beginning, spoke Pampango, which is no surprise since Bataan was fomerly a part of Pampanga province.
By the turn of the century, the following style of dress was in vogue. Men wore pantalones, camisa de coco which was either black or blue, a buri hat or salacot and a panuelo around their necks. Women sported short black camisa de coco which was usually de sinamay con rayas, a saya of black or of any other color, a tapiz over the saya, a pair of chinelas on their feet, a panuelo around the neck or head, plus a rosary or scapular hanging from their neck and resting on their breast. Special attires, as those of the Spaniards, were worn by ministers of justice and the principales of the town on special occasions.
To pass their time, men and women played panguingue. Men usually enjoyed monte and sabong. The old folk spent their time chewing tobacco and buyo while conversing on their staircases, windows, stores, plazas or streets. Among the young, carabao races were also popular. And the nights were passed with haranas or serenades.
They especially celebrated town fiestas, attended zarzuelas in which the people of Mabatang were experts and enjoyed the galleras.
The low-landers were easily satisfied. They were content with having just the necessities of life for the present, without care for the future. For cultivation, they preferred swampy farms which were easy to cultivate but were always productive. They had a characteristic aversion to holding public office and paying taxes. And as the angelus tolled the setting of the sun, they ended their days with prayers and a manifestation of respect for the old while closing their windows and locking their doors.
The Peninsular
Peninsular Spaniards were those who came from Spain to live in the Philippines. Those who had stayed long in the Philippines were called camagones at the end of the nineteenth century.
It is noted that in the second half of the last century, the number of peninsular Spaniards in Bataan was strangely small, and all of them were either employees in civil, economic and military administration or parish. Around that period, too, there were nine towns in which the pastors were the pastors were the only Spaniards.
It is likewise of interest that in the entire province, there was not a single peninsular Spaniard or foreigner, aside from the Chinese, who were involved in agriculture, commerce or industry.
The Chinese residents of the province were few in number, compared to those in the other provinces of the archipelago. They were estimated to have been only about 160 to 180, according to the census taken by the Government and Administration in the year 1885.
Almost all engaged in commerce. Some engaged in the alcohol industry and in the drying of fish for shipment to Manila and Pampanga. Only a small number was engaged in agriculture.
There were no rich Chinese. Due to the big number of mestizos who sought to emulate their parents and due to the proximity of the Manila markets to which they themselves brought their products, the Chinese had never been able to control commerce – not even retail stores.
Being thriftier, more active and more industrious, the Chinese of the last century in Bataan were not too well liked by the natives. Occasionally, an aggrieved native took revenge on a Chinese who had done him an injustice. In such occurrences, it difficult to uncover the perpetrators of the crimes for the natives did not volunteer information to investigate the deeds perpetrated on the Chinese.
Some of the Chinese married and settled permanently in the province to live with their families. But the majority were transients who came to try their fortune and traveled on from one province to the next.
The Mestizos
There were two main divisions of mestizos in Bataan --the Spanish-native mestizos and the Chinese-native mestizos.
The Spanish-native mestizos were greater in number than the peninsular Spaniards. However, they were of little influence and importance as majority of them belonged to the poorer class. But they had always tried to preserve their lineage in census lists due to privileges of exemption from tribute and due to the municipal services which they enjoyed as provided for by the law.
The Chinese-native mestizos were also of considerable number. As a matter of fact, their number ranked second to that of the natives. They were actually more than what appeared in parish lists, for the son or daughter of a native father and a Chinese mestiza mother was classified in records as a native. They were, in fact, very careful in having this noted in their baptismal records in order not to pay the higher rate of tribute imposed on Chinese mestizos, according to the ancient laws of the tribute.
This race was astonishingly prolific and it has left permanent traces of its characteristic traits both physical as well as moral. This is especially noticeable in the town of Balanga, where inhabitants strangely have white complexion and slanted eyes. Even most of their family names reflect a Chinese ancestry.
They were generally serious, generous, thrifty, clean and shrewd. They dedicated themselves to agriculture, commerce and industry. They were the truly powerful people in the province. They gave out money advances or loans to natives, with regular interests collectible at harvest time. Their women were usually more active then the men and possessed great talent in managing their business and making it grow. However, they had the vice of gambling, where they risked their fortune many times.
In general, the people of the province were docile, religious and loving to their superiors.
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