cedula

noun

1. (Philippines)A community tax certificate, often used as a form of identification in the Philippines.

   “"A certain man," it is said in the Novena of San Vicente (p. 15), "gave his soul to the devil with a certificate (cedula) signed by his own hand, and hearing the Saint preach, implored him to ask that the demon return it.”

   “His short residence in Barcelona was possibly for the purpose of correcting the irregularity in his passport, for in that town it would be easier to obtain a cedula, and with this his way in the national University would be made smoother.”

   “The other, the one who was left to me, was not a coward like his father, so our persecutor was still fearful that he would wreak vengeance on him, and, under the pretext of his not having his cedula, [124] which he had not carried with him just at that time, had him arrested by the Civil Guard, mistreated him, enraged and harassed him with insults until he was driven to suicide!”

   “The justified protests of Columbus found a hearing, and the man who had inflicted a supreme indignity upon him was recalled, Don Nicholas de Ovando being appointed by a royal cedula of September 3, 1501, to succeed him.”

   “--Property tax (7/8 per cent. of assessed value), industrial, cedula (poll tax of 1 peso for each male over 18 years), stamps, court fees, fines, sales of supplies to municipalities, and forestry collection.”

2. A South American promissory note or mortgage bond on lands.