Cultural Variations and Social Differences (Socioeconomic Class)

Objective
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to define and discuss the different socioeconomic classes that exist in
Philippine society.

 What are the different socioeconomic classes in the Philippines?

 How did these socioeconomic classes change through time?

Find out the answers in this lesson!

Learn about it!

Philippine society can be categorized into various socioeconomic classes. During prehistoric times, our ancestors
developed a society where people were assigned with different social functions. However, as society changed,
differences in societal functions became wider and more diverse.

Socioeconomic Classes during the Pre-Colonial Period

Prior to the coming of the Spaniards, the community was called a barangay. It was headed by a datu or rajah. Our
ancestors were divided into three different groups−maharlika, timawa, and alipin.

Maharlika (Leaders and Royals)

 first social class
 composed of community leaders (datu) and their families
 also called the group of the maginoo, raha, or gat

Timawa (Freemen)
 second or “middle” social class
 composed of all freemen living in the barangay
 consisted of workers, warriors, merchants, and others who were not under debt bondage
 had their own properties such as houses and pieces of land to cultivate

Alipin (Slaves)
 third class
 served another person or family as payment for debt
 became slaves when their families lost to a war with another
 were not bound to their masters for life
 could go back to their previous status as soon as they pay off their debts, or if they marry a maharlika, who
will then pay for their debt
 had two kinds−aliping saguiguilid and aliping namamahay

Aliping Namamahay

 had their own properties such as houses or pieces of land

 often from the timawa class and became slaves because of debt or as punishment for a wrongdoing
 could go back to being part of the timawa class once they pay off their debt

Aliping saguiguilid

 did not have the right to own any property

 often came from a family of slaves or were captives in war
 could also be sold or exchanged for goods or other slaves

Socioeconomic Classes during the Spanish Colonial Period

Upon the coming of the Spaniards, Philippine society changed and a new set of socioeconomic classes was
created. During this period, the people were divided based on their ancestry—peninsulares, insulares, mestizo,
and indio.
Peninsulares
 Spaniards in the Philippines who were born in Spain
 came from the word “peninsula,” which was in direct reference to the Spanish peninsula

Insulares
 Spaniards who were of Spanish descent but were born in the Philippines
 came from the word “insular,” which means "from the islands"

Mestizos
 those of mixed ancestry
 usually children of Spanish and Chinese couples or of Spanish and indio couples
 had economic and political power because of their mixed heritage

Indios
 consisted of the natives
 the lowest class in society
 were stripped of their rights and freedom
 were forced to bow down to Spanish colonizers

This kind of system lasted for hundreds of years, until the time when some insulares and mestizos were able to gain
some form of power. In the 19th century, the so-called “middle class” emerged—the principalia and the ilustrados.

Principalia
 consisted of native leaders in the government and their families
 were often educated and served as gobernadorcillo (town mayor) or cabeza de barangay (barangay leader)

Ilustrados
 the children of the principalia who usually studied in Europe
 consisted mostly of the popular artists and scholars of the period, including Jose Rizal

Modern Socioeconomic Classes

Socioeconomic classes changed when the Philippines gained independence from Spain. The Americans introduced
democracy and did not impose any form of socioeconomic class in the country.

At present, a person’s position in society is based mainly on his or her family’s economic status. Social
stratification or the division of society based on occupation, income, wealth, or power is simpler at present than in
the past.

In 1987, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) divided the population into high-income, middle-
income, and low-income classes.

High-income Class
 people earning an average of PhP 200,000 per month
 the “rich” class that accounts for merely one percent of the country’s total population

Middle-income Class
 people earning an average of PhP 36,000 per month
 consists of professionals and small-scale entrepreneurs

Low-income Class
 people earning less than PhP 10,000 per month
 consists of laborers and minimum wage earners
Social Mobility
Unlike in other societies where persons born into a specific class have no choice but to die as part of the same
class, people in the Philippines usually have the opportunity to transfer from a lower socioeconomic class to a higher
one.
This process, called social mobility, is:
 the movement of people or families within or between different levels in society, and
 the opportunity to transfer from a lower socioeconomic class to a higher one possibly through education or
marriage.

Explore!
Have you ever wondered why young children are often asked what they want to be when they grow up? Most
children choose to be doctors, engineers, lawyers, or any high-earning profession that often comes from long years
of education. In some cases, students will choose their college degrees based solely on their socioeconomic
capabilities.

Try it!
Research more about your community, and compare it to other communities in your city or province. If possible, ask
local leaders for basic information about the budget and spending of your barangay. Compare your data with those
of your classmates'. Note the differences in budget and spending in each barangay. What may have caused the
differences you noted? Where did each barangay focus its spending?

What do you think?

In which socioeconomic class does your family belong? What can you do to help your family climb up the modern
socioeconomic ladder?

Tips
 Knowing about one’s socioeconomic class is not a cause for discrimination. Everyone in the Philippines has
the same set of rights regardless of socioeconomic class.
 If one can move from a lower socioeconomic class to a higher one, it is also possible for the opposite to
occur.

Keypoints
 Anyone can move from one socioeconomic class to another, depending on educational attainment and life
decisions.
 Social mobility is the movement of people or families within or between different levels in society.
 Social stratification is the division of society based on occupation, income, wealth, or power.

 Q1
 What do you call Spaniards who were born in Spain and went to the Philippines?
 Q2
 What is the movement of people or families within or between different levels in the society?
 Q3
 What do you call the pre-colonial social class composed of leaders and their families?
 Q4
 What is the difference between a peninsulares and an insulares?
 Q5
 Which of the following can make social mobility in the Philippines possible?
 Q6
 Bulan belongs to a family of warriors. When his barangay was attacked by a rival clan, his family was captured and was broug
ht to the rival's community.
 In what pre-colonial class will Bulan and his family belong in after their capture?
 Q7
 Jona's father is a teacher who earns PhP 25,000 per month, while her mother is an office clerk who earns PhP 22,000 per mo
nth.
 In which modern socioeconomic class does Jona's family belong?
 Q8
 Pedro was born into a low-income family. Despite their family situation, his parents still sent him to school to have a better cha
nce in life.
 Which among the following applies to Pedro’s social mobility?
 Q9
 Juan’s father is a Spaniard, while his mother is of Chinese ancestry. He married the daughter of a Spanish general to gain polit
ical and economic power.
 In which class will his children belong?
 Q10
 Which among the following statements applies to social mobility at present?