Before the coming of the Spaniards the Filipinos had a civilization of their own. The various aspects of this civilization doubtless came partly from the Malays who settled in the country and partly from a response to the new environment. The customs and traditions, the government and mode of living have, to a great extent, come down to the present and may be found in remote rural areas which have so far succeeded in resisting the impact of modern civilization. For this reason, many of the customs and practices of the pre-colonial Filipinos are still operative in may parts of the country, a circumstance that is, in a sense, advantageous for it offers an observer first-hand materials for the reconstruction of the distant past.

mong the ancient Filipinos, the male attire was composed of the upper and lower parts, the upper, called kanggan, was a black or blue collarless jacket with short sleeves. It seems that the color of the jacket indicated the rank of the wearer, for the chief wore a red jacket, while those below his rank wore either blue or black depending upon their position in society. The lower part of the attire, called bahag, consisted of a strip of cloth wrapped about the waist, passing down between the thighs. Such method of dressing naturally left one’s thighs and legs exposed.

            The woman’s dress, too, was composed of the upper and lower parts. The upper, called baro or camisa, was a jacket with sleeves, while the lower part, called saya by the Tagalogs and patadyong by the Visayans, was loose skirt. A piece of red or white cloth, called tapis, was usually wrapped about the waist.