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Blood Compact

by Wylrhyss Terrado in History, September 1, 2008

Remember the history of the Philippines.

Bohol is known to be an oval-shaped island where many ancient memorials can be found throughout the island from rock formations to mammal species aged 45 million years; the massive stone watchtowers were built by the Spaniards in the 18th century. Bohol island has 73 other offshore islands and smaller islands, beaches and rustic rivers that attract and offer the tourists to enjoy the fun of swimming,, snorkeling, sailing, collecting shells by the seashores or simply jump in for a dip.

Bohol is known to be an oval-shaped island where many ancient memorials can be found throughout the island from rock formations to mammal species aged 45 million years and the massive stone watchtowers were built by the Spaniards in the 18th century.

One of the most important events ever recorded in Philippine history was the famous Blood Compact between the two different races . During the 16th century, the brown and white races with different nationality, culture,, civilization and religion forged a “Treaty of Friendship” sealed by chieftain Datu Sikatuna of Bohol who swore by his ancestral Bathala and Anito and the Spanish Captain Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, representing the King of Spain who sought New World with the cross and sword. They performed the blood compact on March 16, 1565 aboard a Spanish vessel by collecting a few drops of blood from their own arms and mixed them with wine and drank as sign of their friendship. It is the first international treaty of friendship between Spaniards and Filipinos. The treaty of friendship is commonly known as “Sandugo” which means “one blood” . The blood compact was took place on a coast of Bohol, now a Tagbilaran district..

On April 15, 1565, the Spanish Captain Miguel Lopez de Legaspi took possession of the Bohol Island in the name of the King of Spain. Legaspi moved to Cebu to conquer and attack continuously with bombs to burn about a hundred natives’ houses and claimed Cebu as for Spain.

After the treaty, Spanish rule reigned for some 302 years and people have submitted to Spanish rule. It was a rule bathed with sweat and tears, as native sons worked hard labor in building grand regal churches. The native sons attempted to free the motherland from the chain of Spanish domination that resulted to a more blood shedding

Between the 8th century and the late 16th century, the Philippines were under the rule of Chinese merchants whom had introduced their primary religion of Buddhism.  However, when Ferdinand Magellan arrived in 1521, the Philippines has gone through drastic changes. The Buddhism religion immediately replaced by Roman Catholicism and also Chinese culture was replaced by European cultures during the Spanish rule.

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