WHAT WAS THE COLORUM, REALLY

Joselito Monzon Ramirez Jr.

In the Philippine Revolution, there were five fronts waged by Filipinos - that of the filibusteros with the likes of Rizal, del Pilar, the insurectos of Bonifacio, the Masons, the Moro, and the colorum. Side by side the Moro, the colorum fought the longest starting from 1848 up to 1899, then joined the War of Independence, and resumed the struggle after Aguinaldo. They supplied manpower and substantial financing to Gen. Malvar, and continued on their struggle from 1903 to 1913. in Mindanao, the known battles of this period are those in the volcanic mountains of Jolo-Bud Dajo, Bud Bagsak, and Bud Tumatangis, and Macahambus in Cagayan de Oro. In Surigao, the colorum extended the fight in 1924.

This was not the only uprising in Surigao. Capt Adriano Concepcion, probably a descendant from Leyte or Bohol, with 23 men, and later assisted by harbor hands, in 1903 captured the Provincial Constabulary command, killed the provincial commander, and controlled the town.

The colorum was a derisive call to the Cofradia de San Jose founded by Apolinario de la Cruz in 1831, a Brother of the Hermanos de San Jose, lay workers of the Hospicio de San Juan de Dios where he worked.
When Cofradia teachings evoked Filipino aspirations in their worship, the curate charged them with state and ecclesiastical crimes. The engagement with the military in 1848 killed 800 members and Apolinario. Now , his writings constitute our Filipino religious literature.
The term while a misnomer, intended to refer to the religious-political organizations that eventually became the country’s major revolutionary front starting with the uprisings in 1848,climaxing in 1896. The Colorum Society, as groups in Luzon were called, fought side by side with other fronts in the Philippine Revolution, namely the insurrectos, the Moros, the filibuster, and Masons. In this country, they, and the Moros, carried Philippine War of Independence from 1899 up to 1913. Colorums provided money and manpower to the last Filipino Generals.
The Cofradia of Surigao, rose suddenly in 1924.
“Colorum” is derived from the phrase saecula saeculorum from Latin prayers used in the Mass, the Psalms and the Rosary, translated “forever and ever, ” prayers used fervently by the pious Cofradia in their worship and devotion to the Sagrado Corazon.
Cofradia are confraternities, or associations in parish work. Members attended funerals to wean people away the babaylan, to minister the sick, keep away from too much alcohol. Cofradias also managed the obras pias or funds contributed by rich Spaniards lent out by the religious.
Cofradias proliferated in the whole country and are existent until now, called deboto. Prominent were the Guardia de Honor of Pangasinan and Ilocos charged to escort the Virgin Mary for the Santacruzan, The Cruz na Bituin of Pampanga, the Santa Iglesia of Bulacan and Tarlac.
Eventually, enmities grew between the Cofradia and the very ecclesiastical authorities that organized them. By today’s language, colorum would be the organized masa. These groups were either excommunicated, or were never recognized by government and the curate. Of course. No colonial government recognizes autonomic entities.
Albeit of the same genre, the groups in Western Visayas were called baylan, for their struggle was led by the village spiritual leader.In the hinterlands of Samar-Leyte, the Cazadores, called pulajans due to their red garments, wrought havoc to American forces long after Aguinaldo surrendered. The pulajanes in particular resented the landed lowlanders, who cheated them with highhanded means.
Fanaticism attributed to the – well, colorum, is not cultic in nature, or exclusive to the society. Supernatural powers, healing methods, oils, chants, Rizalism, New Jerusalem, intercession of parted relatives called anito- characteristic of this society - were spiritual practices carried over by Filipino since time immemorial from Asia-n-Malayan ancestors, alongside their newly embraced faith, only changing in form from time to time.



Conclusion: In the Department Order No 93-693 Series of 1992 entitled Fines and Penalties For Violations of Land Transportation Laws issued by the DOTC, in Section “F” subtitled “Prohibited of Illegal Operation of Motor Vehicles, Number 40 - 41” penalizes the Driver and Owner respectively for “Colorum Operation. ”
As explained, there is no rhyme or reason to use the word colorum to denote a criminality. The Order should be revised so as not to denigrate the pious and nationalistic Filipino mass organization that fought our longest wars for freedom.

Glory be to the Father, to the Son and the Holy Spirit:” (GLORIA Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto). As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.” Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen....


Some Sources: Constantino, Ileto, Guerrero. Interact at josef_ramzi@yahoo.com mob 0919 724 2055