MODULE 7: NOLI ME TANGERE

Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere

The novel is considered a Filipino masterpiece which he began writing while sojourning in Europe. While
moving from one city and country around Europe., he wrote this novel, considered his greatest
contribution to the Philippines and the world. In this work, his firm conviction that there was a
distinction between the Spanish government and Spanish religious order in the Philippines led to the
suffering of oppressed Filipinos. He completed the work in February 21, 1887 through the aid of Maximo
Viola (the man saved Noli), who shouldered the expenses for its printing (2,000 copies). A copy costs
P300.00. The book came out of press and was published in the middle of March 1887.

The term Noli Me Tangere came from a Latin word which means “Touch me Not”, as inspired from the
Gospel of St. John, Chapter 20, verses 13-17. This was when the Lord said “Touch me not for I am not yet
ascended to my Father and to my God and your God”.

Primary objectives

1. to defend Filipino people from foreign accusations of foolishness and lack of knowledge;

2. to show how the Filipino people lives during Spanish colonial period and the cries and woes of his
countrymen against abusive officials;

3. to discuss what religion and belief can really do to everyday lives; and

4. to expose the cruelties, graft, and corruption of the false government at honestly show the
wrongdoings of Filipinos that led to further failure.

But the real objective of Rizal in writing Noli Me Tangere is

not to free our country, he just wants Philippines to be part of Spain as described in Chapter 2 as
Crisostomo Ibarra says that Spain is his second home.

Noli Me Tangere is considered to be romantic but is more socio-historical because of its nature. Most of
the issues discussed in Noli can still be seen today.

After publication, Noli me Tangere was considered to be one of the instruments that initiated Filipino
nationalism leading to the 1896 Philippine Revolution. The novel did not only awaken sleeping Filipino
awareness, but also established the grounds for aspiring to independence. Noli was originally written in
Spanish, so the likelihood that Spanish authorities would read it first was very high; which is what Rizal
wanted to happen. Copies of books were redirected to churches, many were destroyed, many anti-Noli
writers came into the picture. Catholic leaders in the Philippines at the time regarded the book as
heretical, while Spanish colonial authorities declared it as subversive and
Juan Crisostomo Ibarra- The most important character in the novel manifesting him the Filipino who
acquired European ideas through his education in Europe. In the novel, Ibarra’s personality will result in
the disagreement of liberal idealism in education and conservatism as represented by the Catholic
Church.

Elias- The character that Rizal placed to represent the Filipino masses who suffered from Spanish
brutalities and abuse due to their powerlessness that reflected Philippine political reality during that
time.

Maria Clara- In her, Ibarra has fallen in love as she also mirrored the Filipina woman with religious
upbringing and orientation. Through her love for Ibarra, she represented true fidelity and religiosity of a
woman in real Filipino society.

Don Rafael Ibarra-Known in the plot as a concerned citizen and properly owner who was the father of
Crisostomo Ibarra. Padre Damaso who plays an antagonist role calls him a heretic and rebel due to his
views on liberalism in society.

Dona Victorina-Wife of Don Tiburcio de Espadana known in the novel as a filthy rich Filipina who abhors
anything that is Filipino who clings to Spanish way of life. This kind of character is evident even to many
present-day Filipinos.

Capitan Tiago or Don Anastaciao delos Santos-An illegal opium trader who subsequently became a
landlord. He represents a different view of religion and thus, more a businessman who uses his money
to work for him, even in his religious life and obligation.

Sisa-She represented in the novel the sad plight of Filipina mothers losing sons. In the novel, she lost
both Basilio and Crispin. Sisa lost her sanity in search of her two sons who were accused of stealing.

Pilosopo Tasyo- He portrayed the role of a philosopher who was completely misunderstood in many
aspects. He argues with the beliefs of Catholic church, social changes and other social concerns in the
novel. Rizal made use of Paciano as a model of Pilosopong Tasyo.

The School Master-A teacher at San Diego, his views in the novel represented the weak, obsolete and
useless education in the Philippines. He attributes the problem to the facilities and methods pf learning
that the friars had implemented in the country.

Padre Damaso-An antagonist in character, he represented the Christian works of friars in the Catholic
Church.

Through this novel, Rizal unveiled the real situation in the Philippines.

1. He describe in the novel the condition of Philippine society, the Filipino life, beliefs, hopes and
desires.

2. He stated and laments the grievances of the Filipino people.

 3. He revealed the hypocrisy of the friars, using religion to impoverish and brutalize the Indios.

4. He differentiated the true and false Catholic religion and presented how the friars were using the
church teachings to extract money from the native Indios.

Reactions to Rizal’s Noli

NOLI ME TANGERE as a novel has made a tremendous impact on the societal conditions of the 19th
century Philippines that affected the lives of Filipino society and culture. It was smuggled to the
Philippine by Rizal’s compatriots after its publication in 1887.

Rizal’s paid dearly in expressing himself as a social commentator during the 19th century as it ked to his
execution. The novel catalyzed politics in Asia. Rizal in turn was able to elevate the scale of societal
problems through satire, both subtle and non-violent ways. Needless to say, it heightened the emotions
of Filipinos that eventually triggered the 1896 Philippine revolution.

MODULE 8: EL FILI

THE MAKING OF THE EL FILIBUSTERISMO IN GHENT

• IN EARLY JULY 1891, JOSE RIZAL, TOGETHER WITH JOSE ALEJANDRINO AND EDELBERTO
EVANGELISTA, LEFT BRUSSELS AND MOVED TO GHENT, BELGIUM WHERE PRINTING WAS CHEAPER.
ALEJANDRINO AND EVANGELISTA ALSO ENROLLED AND STUDIED IN THE FAMOUS UNIVERSITY OF
GHENT, TAKING UP COURSES IN THE FIELD OF ENGINEERING.

• RIZAL SUFFERED FINANCIL DIFFICULTIES IN PUBLISHING HIS SECOND NOVEL. JOSE ALEJANDRINO
RECOUNTED THAT RIZAL HAD TO GIVE UP BREAKFAST TO REDUCE RENTS AND LIMITED HIMSELF TO
BISCUITS FOR MORE THAN 10 DAYS. ALEJANDRINO WITNESSED RIZAL’S DISCIPLINE WITH THRIFTNESS.

THROUGH THE FOLLOWING LETTERS OF RIZAL TO JOSE MARIA BASA IN JULY 1891, RIZAL EXPRESSED HIS
FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES

• I HAVE PAWNED ALL I HAVE IN ORDER TO PRINT THIS WORLD AND I WILL CONTINUE PRINTING IT AS
LONG AS I CAN, AND WHEN I NO LONGER HAVE ANYTHONG TO PAWN THEN I WILL STOP AND WILL
RETURN TO YOUR SIDE (HONGKONG).

• I AM TIRED OF BELIEVING IN OUR COUNTRYMEN; THEY ALL SEEM TO HAVE JOINED TOGETHER TO
EMBITER MY LIFE; THEY HAVE BEEN PREVENTING MY RETURN, PROMISING TO SEND ME AN
ALLOWANCE AND AFTER HAVING DONE IT ONE MONTH, THEY HAVE NOT REMEMBERED ME AGAIN.

• ENCLOSED IS THE BILL OF LADING OF THE FOUR BOXES OF BOOKS I AM SENDING; AS I HAVE
ALREADY TOLD TO YOU THE CHARGES ARE PAYABLE THERE. IF ANYTHING SHOULD HAPPEN TO ME, ALL
THOSE BOOKS BECOME YOUR PROPERTY, IN CASE MY FAMILY DOES NOT PAY YOU THE AMOUNT I OWE
YOU. THE BOOK ALONE ARE WORTH 600 PESOS.
VALENTIN VENTURA FUNDS EL FILIBUSTERISMO

• RIZAL WAS ALREADY DESPERATE IN RESUMING THE PRINTING OF EL FILIBUSTERISMO WHEN A

COMPATRIOT FROM PARIS, FRANCE LEARNED ABOUT HIS FINANCIAL PROBLEMS. VALENTIN VENTURA
SAVED EL FILIBUSTERISMO. HIS LETTERS READ:

• AT THIS MOMENT I RECEIVED YOUR LETTER OF YESTERDAY AND WITHOUT LOSING TIME I CAN
ANSWERING IT, SO THAT YOU CAN DO WHAT SEEMS TO YOU BEST, WITHOUT THINKING OF THE
QUESTION OF FUNDS.

• YESTERDAY I SENT YOU TWO HUNDRED FRANCS AND IN THE LETTER I WROTE YOU, I TOLD YOU LET
ME KNOW IF YOU NEEDED MORE, IF YOU NEED IT, WITHOUT HAVING RESORT TO ANYONE. PRECISELY I
AM WELL OFF NOW WITH FUNDS THAT I DO NOT NEED.

• IN THE MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER 1891, RIZAL FINALLY PUBLISHED THE NOVEL EL FILIBUSTERISMO
WHICH HE BEGAN WRITING IN JUNE 1887. HE MENTIONED THIS IN HIS LETTER TO MARIANO PONCE.
THE DRAFT OF THE NOVEL WAS WRITTEN IN DIFFERENT CITIES OF EUROPE SUCH AS IN LONDON, PARIS,
MADRID, BIARRITZ AND BRUSSELS.

• RIZAL DEDICATED THIS WORK TO THE THREE MARTYRED PRIESTS WHO WERE EXECUTED IN THE
GALLOWS IN BAGUMBAYAN (NOW LUENTA). THEY WERE MARIANO GOMEZ (85 YEARS), JOSE BURGOS
(35 YEARS) AND JACINTO ZAMORA (35 YEARS).

• THE NOVEL WAS A SEQUEL TO RIZAL’S NOLI ME TANGERE. EL FILIBUSTERISMO COMBINES

ROMANCE AND REVOLUTION WHICH MADE RIZAL SOMEHOW A RADICAL, SEPARATIST AND
REVOLUTIONARY.

CHARACTERS OF EL FILIBUSTERISMO

• SIMOUN- THE IBARRA OF THE NOLI, HE NOW REPRESENTS NEW IDEAS USING HIS WEALTH AND
INFLUENCE TO DESTROY THE GOVERNMENT BY ENCOURAGING CORRUPTION AND ANOMALOUS ACTS
TO ATTAIN HIS PLAN OF A REVOLUTION THAT LATER FAILED.

• MARIA CLARA- SHE NEVER HAD SIMOUN IN HER LIFE AFTER ALL THE SUFFERINGS AND PAINS SHE
HAD GONE THROUGH FOR 13 YEARS. MARIA CLARA IN THE NOVEL FINALLY DIED IN THE NUNNERY.

• BASILIO- THE SON OF SISA WHO FINISHED HIS MEDICAL STUDIES THROUGH THE FINANCIAL
SUPPORT OF CAPTAIN TIYAGO.

• ISAGANI- KNOWN IN THE NOVEL AS THE POET WHO PLAYED THE ROLE OF A YOUNG STUDENT,
WHOSE IDEALISM FOR THE COUNTRY IS MANIFESTED IN HIS ACTION. HOWEVER, DUE TO HIS LOVE TO
PAULITA, HE ABORTED THE PLAN OF SIMOUN.

• PAULITA GOMEZ- THE LOVE OF ISAGANI IN THE NOVEL WHO REPRESENTED ONE SIDE OF THE
FILIPINA WOMANHOOD IN PHILIPPINE SOCIETY. HER PRESENCE IN THE WEDDING FEAST CHANGED THE
PLANS OF SIMOUN DUE TO THE INTERVENTION OF ISAGANI OF THROWING THE DESTRUCTIVE LAMP
OUTSIDE.

• CABESANG TALES- REPRESENTED THE TENANTS OF CALAMBA AS HE WAS STRIPPED OF HIS LAND BY
THE FRIARS. DISILLUSIONED, HE BECAME AN OUTLAW TO ATTAIN PERSONAL REVENGE. HER DAUGHTER
JULI, THE LOVE OF BASILIO, COMMITTED SUICIDE TO PROTECT HER HONOR AGAINST THE CATHOLIC
PRIEST FR. CAMORA.

• SCHOOL MASTER- HE DISOBEYED THE ORDERS OF THE FRIARS AND TAUGHT SPANISH TO HIS
STUDENTS. HE WAS LATER ON JAILED AND FREED FROM THE INFLUENCE OF SIMOUN TO WHOM HE
WILL GIVE HIS LOYALTY BY SUPPORTING HIS PLANS OF REVOLT.

REACTIONS OF RIZAL’S COMPATRIOTS TO EL FILIBUSTERISMO

• IN A LETTER DATED OCTOBER 2, 1891, GRACIANO LOPEZ JAENA STATED:

• EL FILIBUSTERISMO IS A SUPERIOR NOVEL TO YOUR NOLI ME TANGERE IN ITS EXQUISITE, DELICATE

LITERARY STYLE, ITS EASY AND CORRECT DIALOGUE, ITS CLEAN, VIGOROUS AND ELEGANT
PHRASEOLOGY, AS MUCH AS FOR ITS PROFOUND IDEAS AND SUBLIME THOUGHTS.

• MARIANO PONCE STATED IN HIS LETTER DATED OCTOBER 11, 1891

• IT IS TRULY EXCELLENT; I CANNOT FIND ANY OTHER PRAISE. IT IS VERY WORTHY SISTER OF NOLI.

HONGKONG

AFTER PUBLISHING EL FILIBUSTERISMO, RIZAL WAS DETERMINED TO PROCEED TO HONGKONG IN

ORDER TO BE UNITED WITH HIS FAMILY BEFORE HE FACED HIS ENEMIES IN THE PHILIPPINES. ON
OCTOBER 18, 1891, RIZAL LEFT EUROPE WHERE HE SAID THE FOLLOWING WORDS. “ WELL! WE CLOSE
THE LAST PAGE OF THE BOOK OF EUROPE. SPAIN, FRANCE, ITALY, GERMANY, SWITZERLAND, BELGIUM,
AUSTRIA, ENGLAND, GOODBYE.” HE ALSO LEFT THIS MESSAGE TO HIS COMPATRIOTS IN EUROPE
THROUGH A LETTER:

• IF OUR COUNRTYMEN ARE COUNTING ON US HERE IN EUROPE THEY ARE VERY MUCH MISTAKEN. I
DO NOT WANT TO DECEIVE ANYONE. IF THERE IS NO MONEY, WE CANNOT DO MUCH: WE CAN HELP
THEM WITH OUR LIFE IN OUR COUNTRY. THE GENERAL ERROR THAT WE HELP HERE IN THIS DISTANT
COUNTRY IS VERY, VERY WRONG. MEDICINE SHOULD BE BROUGHT NEAR TO THE PATIENT. IF I DID NOT
ONLY WISH TO SHORTEN MY PARENTS LIVES, I WOULD NOT HAVE LEFT THE PHILIPPINES WHAT EVER
MIGHT HAPPEN.

HONGKONG

• THE BATTLEFIELD IS IN THE PHILIPPINES; THERE IS WHERE WE SHOULD MEET.

THE LETTER OF RIZAL TO HIS COMPATRIOTS SHOWED HIM TO BE

A RADICAL, WHO WAS ADVOCATING ACTIONS THAT BORE THE LINE OF REVOLUTIONIST.
 • THIS NOVEL IS SEQUEL TO THE NOLI. IT HAS LITTLE HUMOR, LESS IDEALISM, AND LESS ROMANCE
THAN NOLI ME TANGERE. IT IS MORE REVOLUTIONARY, MORE TRAGIC THAN THE FIRST NOVEL.

• AS IN THE NOLI THE CHARACTERS IN ELFILIBUSTERISMO WERE DRAWN BY RIZAL FROM REAL LIFE.
FOR INSTANCE, PADRE FLORENTINO WAS FATHER LEONCIO LOPEZ, RIZAL’S FRIEND AND PRIEST OF
CALAMBA: ISAGANI THE POET WAS VICENTE ILUSTRE, BATANGUENO FRIEND OF RIZAL IN MADRID AND
PAULITA GOMEZ, THE GIRL WHO LOVED ISAGANI BUT MARRIED JUANITO PELAEZ, WAS LEONOR RIVERA.

NOLI AND FILI COMPARED

• THE TWO NOVELS OF RIZAL VARY IN MANY RESPECTS, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE WRITTEN BY THE SAME
AUTHOR AND ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DEALING WITH THE SAME STORY AND HAVE THE SAME
CHARACTERS. THE NOLI IS A ROMANTIC NOVEL; IT IS A “WORK” OF THE HEART” A “BOOK OF FEELING”,
IT HAS FRESHNESS, COLOR, HUMOR, LIGHTNESS AND WIT.

• ON THE OTHER HAND, THE FILI IS A POLITICAL NOVEL, IT IS “WORK OF THE HEAD” A “BOOK

OF THE THOUGHT”; IT CONTAINS BITTERNESS, HATRED, PAIN VIOLENCE, AND SORROW.

• THE ORIGINAL INTENTION OF RIZAL WAS TO MAKE THE FILI LONGER THAN THE NOLI. AS PRINTED,
HOWEVER, IT IS SHORTER THAN THE NOLI. IT CONTAINS 38 CHAPTERS AS AGAINST THE NOLI’S 64. RIZAL
HAD TO CUT THE FILI DRASTICALLY OWING TO LACK OF FUNDS.

◦ NOLI AND EL FILI BOTH ARE GOOD NOVELS FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF HISTORY. BOTH DEPICT
THE REALISTIC COLORS THE ACTUAL CONDITIONS OF THE PHILIPPINES AND THE FILIPINOS DURING THE
DECADENT DAYS OF SPANISH RULE; BOTH ARE INSTRUMENTAL IN AWAKENING THE SPIRIT OF FILIPINO
NATIONALISM; AND BOTH ARE RESPONSIBLE IN PAVING THE GROUND FOR THE PHILIPPINE
REVOLUTION THAT BROUGHT ABOUT THE DOWNFALL OF SPAIN.

THE MANUSCRIPT AND THE BOOK

▪ THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT OF EL FILIBUSTERISMO IN RIZAL’S OWN HANDWRITING IS NOW

PRESERVED IN THE FILIPINA DIVISION OF THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES, MANILA. IT HAD BEEN
ACQUIRED BY THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT FROM VALENTIN VENTURA FOR 10,000. IT CONSISTS OF
279 PAGES OF LONG SHEETS OF PAPER.

QUESTION TO BE PONDER

• BASED ON RIZAL’S EL FILIBUSTERISMO, WHAT IS INJUSTICE TO YOU IN THIS MODERN TIME?

MODULE 9: LETTER TO THE WOMEN OF MALOLOS/THE INDOLENCE OF THE FILIPINOS

To the Young Women of Malolos

Jose Rizal’s legacy to Filipino women is embodied in his famous essay entitled, “To the Young Women of
Malolos,” where he addresses all kinds of women – mothers, wives, the unmarried, etc. and expresses
everything that he wishes them to keep in mind.

“To the Women of Malolos” was originally written in Tagalog. Rizal penned this writing when he was in
London, in response to the request of Marcelo H. del Pilar. The salient points contained in this letter are
as follows:

• The rejection of the spiritual authority of the friars – not all of the priests in the country that time
embodied the true spirit of Christ and His Church. Most of them were corrupted by worldly desires and
used worldly methods to effect change and force discipline among the people.

• The defense of private judgment

• Qualities Filipino mothers need to possess – as evidenced by this portion of his letter, Rizal is greatly
concerned of the welfare of the Filipino children and the homes they grow up in.

• Duties and responsibilities of Filipino mothers to their children

• Duties and responsibilities of a wife to her husband – Filipino women are known to be submissive,
tender, and loving. Rizal states in this portion of his letter how Filipino women ought to be as wives, in
order to preserve the identity of the race.

• Counsel to young women on their choice of a lifetime partner

RIZAL’S MESSAGE TO FILIPINO WOMEN

Jose Rizal was greatly impressed by the fighting spirit that the Young
women of Malolos had shown. In his letter, he expresses great joy and satisfaction over the battle they
had fought. In this portion of Rizal’s letter, it is obvious that his ultimate desire was for women to be
offered the same opportunities as those received by men in terms of education. During those days
young girls were not sent to school because of the universal notion that they would soon only be taken
as wives and stay at home with the children. Rizal, however, emphasizes on freedom of thought and the
right to education, which must be granted to both boys and girls alike.

THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF FILIPINO MOTHERS TO THEIR CHILDREN

Rizal stipulates a number of important points in this portion of his letter to the young women of
Malolos. The central idea here, however, is that whatever a mother shows to her children is what the
children will become also. If the mother is always kissing the hand of the friars in submission, then her
children will grow up to be sycophants and mindless fools who do nothing but do as they are told, even
if the very nature of the task would violate their rights as individuals.
QUALITIES MOTHERS HAVE TO POSSESS

Rizal enumerates the qualities Filipino mothers have to possess:

◦ Be a noble wife.

◦ Rear her children in the service of the state – here Rizal gives reference to the women of Sparta
who embody this quality

◦ Set standards of behavior for men around her.

RIZAL’S ADVICE TO UNMARRIED MEN AND WOMEN

Jose Rizal points out to unmarried women that they should not be easily taken by appearances and
looks, because these can be very deceiving. Instead, they should take heed of men’s firmness of
character and lofty ideas. Rizal further adds that there are three things that a young woman must
look for a man she intends to be her husband:

◦ A noble and honored name

◦ A manly heart

◦ A high spirit incapable of being satisfied with engendering slaves.

ANALYSIS

To the Women of Malolos” centers around five salient points (Zaide &Zaide, 1999):

• Filipino mothers should teach their children love of God, country and fellowmen.

• Filipino mothers should be glad and honored, like Spartan mothers, to offer their sons in defense of
their country.

• Filipino women should know how to protect their dignity and honor.

• Filipino women should educate themselves aside from retaining their good racial values.

• Faith is not merely reciting prayers and wearing religious pictures. It is living the real Christian way
with good morals and manners.

In recent times, it seems that these qualities are gradually lost in the way Filipino women conduct
themselves. There are oftentimes moments where mothers forget their roles in rearing their children
because of the overriding idea of having to earn for the family to supplement their husband’s income.
Although there is nothing negative about

working hard for the welfare of the family, there must always be balance in the way people go through
life. Failure in the home cannot be compensated for by any amount of wealth or fame.
There are many points mentioned in this portion of Rizal’s letter, but the central idea is:

“Whatever the mother shows to her children is what the children will also become”

MODULE 10: Jose Rizal and Filipino Nationalism

Topics to be Discuss

•Filipino Nationalism

•Rizal and Filipino Nationalism

•Factors that Contributed to the development of Filipino Nationalism

•The Propaganda Movement

Filipino Nationalism

• Patriotic sentiments and nationalistic ideals in the Philippines in the 19ᵗʰ century.

• A result of more than two centuries of Spanish rule.

• An immediate outcome of the Filipino Propaganda Movement (Mostly in Europe) from 1872 to 1892.

• Served as the backbone of the first nationalist revolution of 1896.

Rizal and Filipino Nationalism

• Rizal is the father of Filipino Nationalism

• Rizal showed interest in, and exerted enough efforts to ignite Filipino interest in history.

• Rizal novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo became the bibles of the Philippine Nationalism.

• Rizal created La Liga Filipina.

Factors that Contributed to the Development of Filipino Nationalism

• The revolution in Europe and in Latin America (opened the Philippines

to international trade).

• The rise of a Middle Class from which came the Illustrado elites that soon became the main agitators
against the Spanish Regime.
• The bureaucratic centralized government established in Manila had

caused widespread discontent in the entire archipelago.

• The execution of the GOMBURZA became a spark among the educated Illustrados.

• The Propaganda Movement (1872-1892) called for the assimilation of

the Philippines as a province of Spain so that the same laws will be applied in the Philippines and that
the inhabitants of the Philippines will experience the same civil liberties and rights as that of a Spanish
citizen.

The Propaganda Movement

The Propaganda Movement and Its Objectives

The Propaganda Movement which began in 1872 was not a radical movement. It was a peaceful
campaign for reforms geared towards changing the political and social order in the country under
Spanish rule.

Reforms sought by the reformists who came from the ranks of Filipino illustrados were:

• Equality of Filipinos and Spaniards before the law;

• Assimilation of the Philippines as a regular province of Spain;

• Restoration of Philippines representation in the Spanish Cortes;

• Filipinization or secularization of Philippine parishes; and

• Individual liberties for the Filipino people, such as freedom of speech.

On the basis of the foregoing platform of the reform movement. Filipino propagandists were envisioning

the total transformation of the country’s political and social order by attacking the civil,

military, and ecclesiastical abuses committed by the Spanish authorities against the Filipino people.

The Filipino Propagandists

• Were patriots who waged their movement by means of pen and tongue to expose the defects of

Spanish rule in the Philippines and the urgency of reforms to remedy them.

• They were scions of good families, highly intelligent, educated, patriotic, and courageous, who
symbolized the flower of Filipino manhood.
Triumvirate of the Propaganda Movement

(Rizal, Lopez-Jaena, Del Pilar)

Dr. Jose Rizal: The Novelist

• Was the most highly educated

among the Filipino propagandists.

• Ate the age of 8, he wrote “Sa

Aking Mga Kabata”.

• Obtained his secondary education

at Ateneo Municipal.

• At the age of 26 he wrote his famous literary works,

namely, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.

• Rizal became an ardent exponent of reform and racial equality, the friars tried him on charges of
treason and sedition, sentenced to death by musketry on December 30, 1896 at Bagumbayan.

Graciano Lopez-Jaena: The Orator

• Born on December 18, 1856 in Jaro, Iloilo.

• Studied at the Seminary of Jaro.

• A keen observer, cognizant of the deplorable conditions of the country and the sad plight of the
Filipino people.

• Wrote Fray Botod, depicting an immoral and ignorant, friar named Botod who enriched himself by
exploiting the masses.

• Secretly left Philippines in order to escape persecution.

• Enrolled in medicine at the University of Valencia in Spain.

• Together with other expatriates in Spain, Jaena founded the La Solidaridad.

• First editor of LA SOL.

• Died of tuberculosis on January 20, 1896 in

Barcelona, Spain.

Marcelo H. Del Pilar

• Born in Bulacan, Bulacan on

August 30, 1850.

• Lawyer, journalist, and a

political analyst.

• Had pre-college education at the Colegio de San Jose.

• Obtained his law degree at the University of Santo Tomas in 1880.

• Made campaigns against the misdeeds and excesses of the Spanish friars and civil officials.

• Went to Europe to escape persecution and joined the Filipino expatriates in their campaign for
reforms.

• Founded the Diariong Tagalog.

• Published articles lambasting the Spanish authorities and the friars and exposed all injustices
committed by the colonial government.

• Died on July 4, 1896.

The La Solidaridad

• LA SOL, a newsletter (not a newspaper) founded on February 15, 1899.

Aims of La Solidaridad:

• To work peacefully for political and social reforms.

• To portray the deplorable conditions of the Philippines and for Spain to remedy them.

• To oppose the evil forces of reaction and medievalism.

• To advocate liberal ideas and progress.

• To champion the legitimate aspirations of the Filipino people to life, democracy, and happiness.

Pennames

Pennames were used to prevent the

Spaniards from discovering the true

identity of the contributors:

Marcelo del Pilar- PLARIDEL

Dr. Jose Rizal- LAON LAAN/ DIMASALANG

Mariano Ponce- KALIPULAKO/TIGBALANG

Antonio Luna- TAGA-ILOG

Jose Ma. Panganiban

JOMAPA

La liga Filipina

• While in Hong Kong, Rizal planned to establish La

Liga in thePhilippines upon his return.

• Drafted the constitution of the league in Hong Kong,

with the assistance of Jose Ma. Basa

• Motto: Unus Instar Omnium (One like All)

Aims and objectives of La liga Filipina:

• The unification of the whole archipelago into a

vigorous, compact body

• Mutual protection in every want and necessity

• Defense against all forms of violence

and injustice

Membership:

1. Applicant should pass certain tests and

unanimous endorsement by the popular council of

the town he hailed from;

2. Members should pay a monthly due of ten

centavos;

3. Duty-bound to give preferential treatment to other

members in all actions;

4. Duty-bound to patronize the stores of the

members;

5. Expected to recruit a member; and

6. Contribute a piece of work or an observation to the

league.

Privileges:

1. Financial and moral assistance from the council and the

organization;

2. An assurance that fellow members would support him

in his business or profession as long as he did the same to

others;

3. Full support from the La Liga in case of trouble or injustice;

4. Financial assistance in any business undertaken

when funds were available.

La Liga Filipina

• Rizal founded the La

Liga on July 3, 1892;

• In Calle Ilaya, Tondo;

• In the house of

Doroteo Ongjunco.