Ambeth Ocampo: Betrayal by elite a problem since Magellan’s time

This year, the Philippines commemorates the 500th year since Ferdinand Magellan arrived on our shores.

In an episode of “The Howie Severino Podcast,” renowned historian Ambeth Ocampo looked back at the events during the arrival of the Portuguese explorer.

He said according to the readings of Antonio Pigafetta, an Italian scholar who joined Magellan in his expedition, the Portuguese involved himself in local politics and sided with Humabon, an enemy of Lapulapu.

Humabon, in turn, converted to Christianity and paid tribute to Magellan. Lapulapu, meanwhile, refused to side with them.

Ocampo said that looking back, the problems of the nation had always lied with the betrayal of the elite.

“My realization when I read that, it’s not only that Magellan got involved in a petty local problem. The problem of the Philippines has always been the betrayal by the elite,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

“So from Humabon, that’s been the case. Why did we go under Spanish rule? It’s because our elite sided with them.”

The historian said that when the Americans arrived, the local elites became their allies. They also did the same thing with the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, he added.

“Whoever is in power, for their self-interest, they will go to that side. And I think, that’s the whole lesson of 1521. We have to see what was the behavior back then that is still present until now.”

Ocampo also pointed out that instead of just viewing Lapulapu as the “first Filipino to repel European aggression,” it’s important as well to know Humabon’s role in history.

“We should have a deeper perspective and understanding of this story because we can see in the present the behavior of our leaders and the elite,” he said, adding that their “self-preservation and self-interest” were more important to them.

“So if you see it in that way, it frames a lot,” he said.

“It helps us understand many of the things that we see today and many of the things that we see in the last 500 years.”

Ocampo said Magellan came to the country only to look for spices and he “didn’t even have the people to colonize.”

The real colonization of the country, according to Ocampo, started in the arrival of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in 1565.

“I would like to argue that what 2021 should teach us is that we will look at Philippine histories,” he said.

“Because there are many points of view, many different histories, these can’t fit in just one narrative,” he added.

“That alone will revolutionize the way in which we see history. So we will see both sides.” – Kaela Malig/RC, GMA News