TABACUG, Princess Merry Nor O.

BSN-3 February 18, 2021

1. What can you say about the conditions of the cigarreras in Manila?

Cigarreras sat on the floor and worked on a low table with other cigarreras. Their
workplace was noisy due to the pounding of the leaves, but they seem used to it as they
teased foreigners who cannot bear the loud noise. Their monotonous work were liven
up by these visitors in the factories. Cigarreras can be suspended, expelled, or even
disqualified from working in other factories if they have misdemeanors.

Cigarreras in Manilla endured a lot because they are abused and maltreated by
the maestras inside the factory and the soldiers outside the factory. Soldiers pretending
to find tulisanes enter their homes and then maltreat them, extort them.

2. What do these excerpts reveal about the life in 19th Century Manila

Life in the 19th Century Manila was affected by the changes in the economy. Jobs
were opened with the booming of the Tobacco factories, people from places as far as
Capiz migrated to Manila to work. If you are a Cigarreras, you can start working at a
young age, as early as 12 years old, together with your family. Wage as a Cigarreras is
usually enough for a person to meet life’s basic needs and even leave some for other
expenses. Though prostitution are prevalent, most of the prostitutes are from the
provinces so they probably need to make more money. Safety in homes were very low
due to huge cases of maltreatment by soldiers.

3. How can these excerpts be related to a discussion about the situation of

women in 19th century Manila?

Philippines in the pre-colonial era valued the matriarchal as much as the

patriarchal (e.g. Babaylans) and women enjoyed empowerment and respect from the
old society. When the colonizers came to the country, they introduced and influenced
new concepts and stereotypes which led Filipino women to be subjected to oppression.
The Spaniards successfully established the idea that women should be inferior or
submissive to man. In the 19 th century, with the rise of the economy, new innovations
and the developments in the country, women of the Philippines were given a chance to
have a big role in society. Although, abuses are still prevalent and Filipinas were still
objects of discrimination.
4. Explain the important role of the Chinese mestizos and their ranks within the
changing Philippine economy and society.

The Chinese meztisos or the half-Chinese Filipinos are even more beneficial than the
Chinese immigrants themselves as they played a great role in the revolution and
shaping of the Philippines as a country. Chinese mestizos are given high ranks or
assume important roles in the economic, social, and political life of a nation. They
formed the identity of the Philippines, they started giving opinions on the colonial rule of
the Spaniards with the Philippines. For example, many of the early leaders of the
country such as Jose Laurel, Elpidio Quirino, Ramon Magsaysay, and many more, are
Chinese mestizos. Rizal, our National Hero, is a Chinese mestizo, habing descended
from a pure Chinese ancestry. The industrious race of Chinese mestizos helped the
Philippine economy go up so much that even though the spanish were threatened by
their growing number in the Philippines and they wouldn't follow the Spanish rule as
much as the indios or the filipinos, they still found a way to co-exist with the Chinese.
The Chinese mestizos made way for Filipinos to reach social ranks as high as middle
class.

5. Discuss the interplay of several factors that contributed to the changing

landscape of the Philippine society and economy

Philippine Society during the 19th century is quite different from the past centuries of
occupation of the Spaniards. As the crumbling of the Spanish colonial occupation in the
Philippines begun by the time the galleon ended when the Mexican war of
independence broke out and the arrival of Basco who established the Royal Philippine
Company in 1789 which also establishedthe tradesbetween the Philippines and Spain
along with the other Asian nations. Along with the Asian nations, the industrialization of
the Imperial powers in Europe, which presented an opportunity to the agricultural
capabilities of the Philippines. Due to the increase of demand in for the raw materials.
The Chinese and Chinese mestizos started to emerge due to the a lot of economic
changes to the created by the global events happning that affect the economic stability
brought by the Galleon trade. As the time goes by, Manila which is the center of trade in
the countryopened toworld trade which resulted the occupation of the foreign merchants
and traders in the country. The emergence of the ilustrados also affect changes as they
also propose alot of changes through conducting several propaganda movements which
resulted change not only to the society but also helps the people to notice cultural
differencies which ablaze patriotism to the peoples heart which resulted independence
from foreign controls that all of us experience today.