BRIDGING THE GAP
Slavery as practiced by the ancient Bisayans
The early Filipinos had slaves or dependents known in various names in the different parts of the country. In the Visayas, they were called ulipon, and they were of three categories. According to the Spanish writer, Miguel de Loarca (Blair & Robertson 1903-1909), they were called ayuey, tumarampok and tumataban.
The ayuey served their master within his house and stayed with the latter's household as long as they remained single. They did everything ordered by their master because refusal was considered taboo. Upon marriage, they were expected to build their own house, but while childless were expected to render the same service in the homes of their masters from one day to two days a week. By this time, they belonged already to the second category of slaves or tumarampok (Quirino referred to these slaves as tuheyes). Upon having children, they had all the reason not to serve their masters anymore.
The third type of Bisayan slave was the tumataban (horo-hanes in Quirino). They were not really slaves in the real sense of the word because they did not serve their masters except when they were needed in fighting the enemy. In the words, on land, they served as warriors and as rowers at sea. They were more of the timawa or freemen class than the ulipon. They were even invited to the home of their masters at certain occasions, like family celebrations, as guests. When they died, their lands were taken over by their masters. It is interesting to note that, as long as they (tumataban) were alive, their offspring were not required to work for their masters. It is only after the fathers were dead that the children had to take place of their fathers and do the same work that the parents had been assigned to during their lifetime.
Bisayans became slaves in various ways. They were: through inheritance, being children of the former ulipon, through captivity, by means of purchase, as a punishment for a wrong done, and failure to pay a debt. The datu or chieftain can also make ulipon out of those who killed somebody in the community or who committed adultery. One can avoid becoming an ulipon by paying a hefty amount in gold or its value.
Some Spanish writers claimed that the early Bisayans were accustomed to selling their children in times of need and hunger, and those sold became slave forever (Quirino). Likewise, one became a slave for being so poor that he had nothing to sustain himself/herself. Thus, he/she can offer himself/herself to anyone who can feed him/her. It had been said that many had become slaves in this manner. It was even said that one can become a slave by just insulting a Datu or by colliding with him because he was not quick enough to get out of the way.
As one can see, the early Bisayans, indeed, practiced some form of slavery. But their ulipon was not really a slave in the real sense of the word. They had certain rights which were respected by their masters, like the right to marry, put up a house and own property. They cannot also be killed or put to death by their masters. Moreover, it was possible for the ulipon to buy back his freedom from the master and become timawa again. Slavery in other parts of the world, especially those that existed in the old Roman Empire and other parts of the Europe, was barbaric than those practiced in the Visayas and the rest of the Philippines.