A Lost Billion-Dollar Treasure? Unearth the secrets of the Philippines with a deep dive into the legend of Tallano Gold and the mythical Kingdom of Maharlika! This eye-opening journey strips away layers of myths, exploring the intersection of reality and fantasy. Discover the true treasures of Filipino history as we navigate through a maze of fact and fiction. From ancient artifacts to debunked myths, subscribe for a captivating exploration into the narratives that have shaped the Philippines. 🔔 Subscribe: http://goo.gl/yDgQmK 🎥 Be my Patron: https://www.patreon.com/kirbynoodle 📚 My books, ebooks, coloring books, merch etc. - https://www.kirbyaraullo.com/books Related Videos & Playlists: 🇵🇭 Philippine Revolutions & Independence: http://bit.ly/KalayaanPH 📜 Precolonial & Early Philippine History https://bit.ly/EarlyPhilippines 🔥 The Fierce Women of Southeast Asia: https://www.kirbyaraullo.com/seawomen Chapters: 00:00 Intro 01:17 Is the Tallano Gold Legend True? Unveiling the Myth 02:20

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Okay, so what if I told you that there's a treasure out there worth billions that is just waiting to be found?

A treasure belonging to a lost kingdom that would save millions of people from poverty.

Hidden gold that would make the Philippines the wealthiest nation on earth.

This is not just about vast wealth hidden away.

It is a treasure so elusive and captivating that it blurs the lines between fact and fiction,

between fantasy and reality.

But beyond the glittering allure of this treasure lies a deeper question.

Why are we so drawn to these stories?

And what hidden treasures can we really find buried deep in the islands we now call the Philippines?

Today, we'll break down the facts, the myth, and the controversies surrounding the enigmatic Taliano Gold.

You know, we'll be comparing hoax and history about the kingdom of Maharlika.

Mabuhay or in Kapampangan, Luwid kayo!

Welcome to my channel. It's me, Kibir Aralio, your friendly Pinoy historian.

And if you are new to my channel, I make videos about our people's history, culture, and everything in between.

So if you like learning about the Philippines, Southeast Asia, and beyond,

don't forget to subscribe to my channel and hit the bell icon so you don't miss out on any of my upcoming videos.

Now without further ado, let's set sail to the heart of today's epic saga.

Let's unveil the truth about the kingdom of Maharlika and the enigmatic Taliano Gold.

Long before the arrival of the Spaniards,

the diverse indigenous societies of our ancestors in what we now call the Philippines

were indeed very rich in gold.

A fact supported by numerous golden artifacts housed in various museums and private collections today,

both in the Philippines and abroad.

Now for decades, the supposed Taliano Gold has been controversial and divisive.

And thus, unraveling the truth requires us to engage in thorough research,

meticulous analysis, comprehensive investigation, and solid evidence.

You know, it's not enough to simply rely on tickets.

or the fleeting snippets of information online.

So after this video, make sure to check out my list of credible resources

and recommended readings below to deepen your understanding about today's topic.

Because honestly, in this day and age, it is very important for us,

it is crucial for us to know the truth and not forget about our own histories,

regardless of our religion or political affiliations.

Now according to the various versions of these stories about the Taliano Gold,

long before the Spaniards arrived in the Philippines,

they claimed that our archipelago was,

part of a vast, wealthy, and mighty kingdom called Maharlika.

And this vast kingdom supposedly included not just the Philippines,

but also territories like Saba, the islands of Hawaii, Guam, the Spratlys, and many others.

With supposed tributaries that included Da Nang in Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the Kuril Islands.

You know, stretching from Southeast Asia across the Pacific.

And according to these stories, this vast kingdom was ruled by a single royal family,

none other than the Tagiantalianos.

They also claimed that the Tagiantalianos were the only people in the world who had the power to rule the world.

They also claimed that Raja Sulaiman of Maynila and Datu Lapu-Lapu of Mactan

were supposedly the children of King Luisong Tagiantaliano,

who reigned over the kingdom of Maharlika from the 9th to the 15th centuries.

A great king ruling the kingdom for 600 years.

Now despite the Spanish colonization of the Philippines, according to their stories,

the Tagiantaliano family allegedly continued to wield influence.

That they were even among the signatories to the 1898 Treaty of Paris,

when the Philippines officially became a colony of the United States.

And then according to their stories, in the 1930s,

Pope Pius XII allegedly borrowed 640,000 metric tons of gold from the Tagiantaliano family.

They claimed that this gold was loaned to the Vatican through the efforts and mediation

of the Catholic priest Father Jose Antonio Diaz and the skilled young lawyer Ferdinand Edrelin Marcos.

Now according to the same story, after World War II,

they claimed that the Vatican returned this Tagiantaliano gold to the Tagiantaliano family.

And for his crucial role in these transactions,

Ferdinand Marcos Sr. was allegedly paid with gold worth 192,000 metric tons,

or about 30% of the total Tagiantaliano gold.

And this allegedly made Marcos the richest man in the world.

Now many actually use this 30% of the Tagiantaliano gold to explain the wealth of the Marcos family.

They believe that this is the same gold that the Marcoses deposited in the Swiss banks,

while the remaining 70% of the enigmatic Tagiantaliano gold was supposedly deposited

by the Tagiantaliano family in the Central Bank of the Philippines.

But is this story even true?

Is it truly a hidden chapter of history or is it simply an elaborate hoax?

Okay, first and foremost, there has never been a kingdom called Maharlika in any written history

nor in any indigenous oral traditions we inherited from our ancestors.

The territories of the Philippines, Hawaii, Saba, Guam, and the Spratlys were never under a single royal family.

In fact, the Philippine Archipelago itself was never a single royal family.

In fact, the Philippine Archipelago itself was never a single royal family.

In fact, the Philippine Archipelago itself was never a single royal family.

The Philippine Archipelago itself was never a single kingdom nor a single territory before the Spaniards arrived.

Instead, it was composed of various kingdoms, sultanates, and indigenous societies,

with their own distinct cultures, religions, languages, and social systems.

An example of these included the powerful Sultanate of Sulu, the Kingdom of Luzon, the Sultanate of Maguindanao,

the kingdoms of Butuan, Cebu, Cabulohan, and the mountainous regions ruled by the indigenous Ifugao, Aita, Lumad, and many more.

So yes, there were numerous ancient societies,

But wait, does this mean that the word Maharlika is entirely made up?

No, not exactly. And here's why.

Okay, the term Maharlika is very real. It's not fake, it's not made up.

But in the languages of our ancestors, the term Maharlika was never meant to denote a place or imply royalty or nobility.

Instead, the real meaning and the true significance of Maharlika refers to a social class,

specifically people who were once enslaved but were granted freedom.

But unlike the Timawa who enjoyed complete freedom, the Maharlika still had obligations or duties to serve for their datu.

In other words, contrary to what many may have come to believe,

the true meaning of Maharlika does not denote a higher status.

In fact, during the time of our ancestors, the Maharlikas can be considered a lower class compared to the Timawa

because the Timawa were entirely free, while the Maharlika were former slaves who had been granted freedom but with strings attached.

And thus, it is also incorrect to refer to the datu Raja Lakanen Sultan as part of the Maharlika

because they were never part of the Maharlika.

They were part of the esteemed Maginu class in Tagalog.

So, where did Maharlika actually come from?

The term Maharlika in Tagalog or Mardika in Kapampangan originated from the ancient Sanskrit word Mahardika.

And you know, this term found its way into the many languages of Southeast Asia,

where it took on meanings related to freedom and liberation.

And this included Mardika in Kapampangan, Mahardika in Bahasa Sug, Maradeka in Buginese, Mahardika in Javanese,

Maradika for the Mahardika.

and many more.

In fact, it also included the Dutch term Marditsker.

And all of this reflecting variations of freedom.

Indeed, in Bahasa Melayu and Bahasa Indonesia, Mardeka translates to freedom,

underscoring the common theme across our diverse but interwoven cultures.

Therefore, the word Maharlika fundamentally represents the transition from slavery to freedom,

highlighting the complexities of social hierarchy among our ancestors,

rather than implying any inherent royal blood,

or a noble status.

In simple words,

the term Maharlika in Tagalog never meant royalty or nobility,

and it was never the name of a kingdom.

Okay, so if the kingdom of Maharlika is not real,

then who exactly is the great King Luisong Tagayantalyano?

The supposed King Luisong Tagayantalyano,

you know, allegedly, the ancestor of both Lapu-Lapu and Raja Sulaiman,

cannot be found in any historical records,

nor in any legitimate oral traditions.

He was not the father of Lapu-Lapu,

and Raja Sulaiman.

In fact, Lapu-Lapu and Raja Sulaiman were not even related.

Okay, so if we look into the genealogies of my own ancestors,

like Raja Sulaiman of Manila for instance,

his father was the brother of both La Candula of Tondo and Raja Matanda,

who was recorded as the King of Luzon when the Spaniards returned in the 1560s.

They were the sons of Raja Salalila of Luzon and Dayang Ismeria of Brunei and Sulu.

So on their father's side,

they were the grandchildren of one of the most legendary queens of South Africa,

Calangitan of Luzon,

and her husband, Raja Lontok.

Now on their mother's side,

they were also the grandchildren of one of the most powerful kings in the history of Southeast Asia,

Sultan Bolkiya of Brunei,

and his beloved wife, Putri Leyla Menchanay of Sulu,

who was also said to be the favorite granddaughter of Sultan Shariful Hashim,

the founder of the Sultanate of Sulu.

While on the other hand,

Datu Lapu-Lapu of Mactan in the Visayas

was actually already very old

when they defeated Magellan in the Battle of Mactan in 1521.

And thus, you know, if you look at it,

the true contemporary of Lapu-Lapu in 1521

was not Raja Sulaiman of Maynila,

who was born decades later,

but his great-grandfather,

Sultan Bolkiya of Brunei.

And this is not a mystery.

In fact, this can also be seen in the writings of Pigafetta

during the historic Magellan expedition.

And actually, apart from both Lapu-Lapu and Sultan Bolkiya,

the writings of Pigafetta,

also documented Raja Matanda as the young prince of Luzon

that the Spaniards encountered and abducted in 1521.

Now unknown to many, including many Filipinos today,

the genealogies of the royal families of Sulu, Brunei, and even Luzon

are meticulously documented.

In fact, throughout the colonial period,

the Spaniards also recorded the direct descendants of these

ancient Lakans, Rajas, and Sultans.

And you know, in these extensively documented genealogies

of pre-colonial royal families in the Philippines,

and across Southeast Asia,

there has never been a recorded king

named Luisong Tagayantalyano.

In short, the Tagayantalyano family

never owned the Philippines,

let alone Saba or any other islands

from the Spratlys to the Pacific Ocean.

Okay, so if you're telling me that

the Tagayantalyano family were not really

the royal family of the Philippines,

then why exactly were they included

in the 1898 Treaty of Paris?

What were they doing in Paris?

Okay, so another common claim is that

the Tagayantalyano family were among the signatories

of the historic Treaty of Paris in 1898

where Spain sold the Philippines to the United States

for 20 million dollars.

Now, it's true that the Treaty of Paris took place in 1898

and that the United States bought the Philippines

for 20 million dollars.

But not a single Filipino signed this document.

In fact, not a single Filipino was even allowed

to participate in these negotiations.

Not even Felipe Agoncillo,

who was sent to Paris to represent

the first Philippine Republic.

In fact, Agoncillo himself was ignored

by both the Americans and the Spaniards.

In short, no Tagayantalyano

nor any Filipino was involved

in the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1898.

Furthermore, the 20 million dollars

the United States used to buy the Philippines

from the Spaniards was sourced

from the American taxpayers

and not a single dime from the Tagayantalyano family.

Wait lang!

Didn't the Vatican borrowed gold from the Tagayantalyano family?

And you know, wasn't Ferdinand Marquez Sr.

their lawyer back then?

According to their story,

Pope Pius XII supposedly negotiated to borrow gold

from the Tagayantalyano family in 1934.

And this gold was said to be transported

from Cota Kinabalu in Saba to Europe in 1939.

However, there's no historical evidence

to prove that the Vatican actually borrowed gold

from the Tagayantalyano family.

And if this were true,

there would have been records or reports about it long ago.

In fact, the Philippines and the Vatican

had no diplomatic relations in the 1930s.

It was not until June 4, 1951

that the Philippines established an embassy

in the Vatican City.

And you know, claims about Father Jose Antonio Diaz

acting as a mediator in this transaction

is also unfounded.

In fact, the pictures or images often attributed

as Father Jose Antonio Diaz

is actually a picture of Father Gregorio Aglipay,

the revolutionary priest who founded

the Iglesia Filipina Independiente.

And you know, if this loan was true,

if Father Jose Antonio Diaz indeed helped the Vatican

borrow gold from the Tagayantalyano family,

then why isn't there a single record

in the history of the Philippines?

You know, why isn't there a single record

in the extensive Vatican archives?

Now, if you think about it,

if Ferdinand Marcos Sr. really received tons of gold

from this Tagayantalyano loan,

then he would have been known as the world's wealthiest man

in the 1950s.

However, records from that era point to Jean Paul Getty,

an American, as the world's richest man,

not Marcos.

And if Marcos truly had 192,000 metric tons

of Tagayantalyano gold deposited in Switzerland,

then why is it that Switzerland only have

a recorded gold reserve of only 1,040 metric tons?

Taking into account the history and the science

of gold mining,

the figure of 640,000 metric tons of gold

surpasses the bounds of reality.

To this day, only about 187,000 metric tons of gold

have been extracted worldwide.

And you know, the remaining gold reserves

or gold underground that has not yet been mined

is only about 57,000 metric tons.

It is therefore astonishing that the gold supposedly owned

by the Tagayantalyano family is way more than three times

the total amount of gold in the entire planet.

And here's another thing.

They claim that when this gold was returned to the world,

to the Philippines,

it was deposited in the new Central Bank

or Banco Central ng Pilipinas.

And supposedly, there was an agreement

between the Central Bank and the Tagayantalyanos

to convert them into the national gold reserves.

Yet, there is absolutely no evidence

of such a transaction.

Transferring this massive quantity of gold

would require stringent security,

diplomatic protocols, and financial measures.

The absence of any trace, any documentation,

or even a whisper in the media raises questions.

So if this were true,

then why isn't there any mention in the newspapers or on the radio?

Why isn't there any single trace,

not a single piece of legitimate document proving this?

But okay, let's say that, you know, this was done secretly.

If the Banco Central ng Pilipinas

actually received this amount of gold from the Tagayantalyano family,

then the Republic of the Philippines would have been one

of the world's wealthiest nations.

And if this were true,

then the Philippines would not struggle with debt

or need international loans.

The Philippines should not be drowning in massive debt today.

And you know, if they really had that much gold,

then why haven't they used this gold

to pay off the debt of the Philippines since the 70s?

Because the sad reality is that

the Philippines has been drowning in debt for decades

to this very day.

Sadly, as of June 2023,

it was recorded that

the outstanding national debt of the Philippines

had reached 14.62 trillion pesos

or

164.49 billion dollars.

It was also recorded that in 1984 alone,

during the height of the administration of former President

Ferdinand Marcos Sr.,

he borrowed 24 billion dollars

in the name of the Republic of the Philippines,

a debt equivalent to around 73 billion dollars in 2024

that the people of the Philippines are still paying to this day.

Now, according to various research and comprehensive investigations

by experts,

you know, in the Philippines and around the world,

from the 1960s to the 1980s,

the Marcos family have amassed somewhere between approximately

10 billion to 30 billion dollars

squandered from the National Treasury of the Republic of the Philippines

aka from the Filipino people.

And this estimate of 10 to 30 billion dollars in the 1980s

is actually equivalent to 39.8 and 119.6 billion dollars in 2024

or about 2.23 trillion dollars.

But wait,

why would the Marcoses need to steal

if they had received gold from the Taliano family?

As mentioned earlier,

many believe that the wealth of the Marcoses came

from the fabled Taliano gold.

Yet, a closer look reveals a different story.

By carefully analyzing the evidence,

it is undeniable that the wealth of the Marcoses

was extracted at the expense of the Filipino people

and not from any lost ancient treasure.

So,

the Marcoses' wealth

was not from any lost ancient treasure.

And you know, most of these stolen assets

were deposited by the Marcoses in Switzerland

using aliases like William Saunders and Jane Ryan

to hide their true identities.

And that is why in the year 1990,

the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland ruled that

the Marcoses must return their stolen wealth

to the government of the Philippines.

Okay, so how exactly did this story even spread?

And why is it that so many people

still believe

in the Taliano gold?

It's actually hard to pinpoint exactly where

you know, this tale started.

But if we examine the origin of this story

and you know how it spread over the years,

it is undeniable that it has been used

to cover up corruption

and to deceive voters.

For example,

during the recent elections,

it is sad that many people were actually made to believe

that they would receive Taliano gold bars

in exchange for their votes.

And actually,

despite the Marcos family's denial

of their involvement in the Taliano gold,

it is undeniable that the spread of this misinformation

originated from at least their supporters.

But you know, to be honest,

we can't really blame the people

who were swayed to believe

in this enigmatic Taliano gold.

Because the real problem is rooted

in the long-standing crisis of education

and this general lack of knowledge

about the history of our own people.

There has been a crisis in education in the Philippines

for a very long time.

And this is not the fault of the everyday person.

But sadly,

the corrupt and the greedy

exploit this lack of historical knowledge

for their own personal gain.

Sadly,

the spreading of such misinformation

and disinformation,

you know, this twisting of historical truth

to fit their own agenda,

not only obscures the vibrant

and deep history of our islands,

but also deepens the obscurity shrouding

the true legacy of our ancestors.

Our people's history was once dimmed

by centuries of colonialism.

Now, it fades further into oblivion,

obscured by the weaving of false narratives

like the enigmatic Taliano gold.

So if the kingdom of Maharlika

is entirely fabricated,

if it's fake news and entirely a hoax,

then what is the truth about the pre-colonial

and ancient history of the Philippines?

I mean, didn't they find so many golds,

so much golden artifacts across the islands?

Are you telling me that these golden artifacts are fake?

No, not exactly.

And here's why.

Unknown to many,

the pre-colonial islands we now call the Philippines

was indeed naturally very rich in gold,

but it was not owned by a single clan alone.

In fact, gold was widespread

across the different social classes,

from the slaves to the nobility.

Even the remains of many of our ancestors

were actually adorned with gold.

Unknown to many, including Filipinos today,

our islands and our ancestors excelled in goldsmithing,

a meticulous craft that connected our people

with the broader gold-working traditions of Southeast Asia.

But although these ancient societies

had extensive ties across Southeast Asia and the Pacific,

not a single family ever controlled all of these lands.

While it is also true that parts of our history

remain unrecorded or forgotten,

the tales of the Taliano gold

and the so-called Maharlika Kingdom do not hold up.

These tales are notably absent from both historical records

and the indigenous oral traditions

across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

In fact, these fabricated tales and conspiracy theories

only emerged fairly recently.

Now, it is also worth noting that

the Philippines is actually blessed

with numerous scholars dedicated

to researching and uplifting our people's history,

shining a light on narratives

long overshadowed and eclipsed

by colonial perspectives and miseducation.

You know, to be honest,

there's still a lot of work needed to be done

to truly uplift

the stories of our ancestors.

There's still a lot of forgotten chapters

in our people's history

that are still buried

underneath centuries of colonialism and miseducation.

But we must not invent stories

nor deceive people,

especially if it is intended to cover up corruption

and to spread lies.

Let us not distort history

and deny the truth.

We owe it to ourselves

to draw lessons from those who came before us.

And as I've mentioned, you know, many times before,

knowing about our roots does not simply mean

a blind, nostalgic longing

for the glitz and the glamour of the past

while ignoring the conditions of the present.

Embracing our history means

being awakened and immersed

with the realities of today,

armed and empowered with the wisdom of our ancestors.

This is the essence and the true purpose of history,

a beacon guiding us to a brighter future

and empowering us with the knowledge

to forge a better tomorrow

for our motherland and our people.

And that is it for me today.

So let me know what you think about today's topic

in the comments below.

And let me know in the comments below

if you have any suggestions

for future videos in this channel.

And if you want to support me and my channel

and my research,

you know, so more people can learn more

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and everything in between,

please consider joining our growing community

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And don't forget to check out my books,

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about the fascinating history

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and the diaspora.

Maraming maraming salamat po

or in Kapampangan,

dakal pong salamat kay Hongan,

in Maguindanaan,

shukran na banal,

and in Baja Sasug,

magsukul tuwad kay mo.

See you next time

or in Tagalog kita kitsin

in Kapampangan,

Mikitiks,

and in Baja Sasug,

balik kisab!