The Town Schools in the Philippines by Rizal, Jose

Summary:
This essay by José Rizal details the poor condition and general uselessness of the Spanish educational system
when applied in rural Philippine towns. Aside from highlighting the common problems of the system, Rizal also
suggests reforms in order to make education both more meaningful and more appealing for the indios.
NOTE: This document is part of Miscellanous Writings of Dr. Jose Rizal which was published by the National
Historical Commission of the Philippines in 1992.
In this essay which is original in Spanish is titled La instrucción, the national hero Rizal evaluates the
elementary instruction given in the town schools established under the provisions of the Educational Decrees
of 1863 and offers proposals for its improvement. He signs it with one of his pseudonyms —Laong Laan.
The Religiosity of the Filipino People by Rizal, Jose
Summary:
A fragmented essay written by José Rizal which deals with the nature, degree and circumstances of the
Filipino's Catholicism.
Idea of Divinity, The Virgin and the Saints, Immortality of the Soul, Idea of Future Life, Virtue and Sin, PRAYERS,
Promises and Offerings, Pilgrimages
NOTE: This document is part of Miscellanous Writings of Dr. Jose Rizal which was published by the National
Historical Commission of the Philippines in 1992.
The Indolence of the Filipino by Rizal, Jose
SUMMARY: Rizal admits that indolence does exist among the Filipinos, but it cannot be attributed to the
troubles and backwardness of the country; rather it is the effect of the backwardness and troubles experienced
by the country. Past writings on indolence revolve only on either denying or affirming, and never studying its
causes in depth. One must study the causes of indolence, Rizal says, before curing it. He therefore enumerates
the causes of indolence and elaborates on the circumstances that have led to it. The hot climate, he points out,
is a reasonable predisposition for indolence. Filipinos cannot be compared to Europeans, who live in cold
countries and who must exert much more effort at work. An hour's work under the Philippine sun, he says, is
equivalent to a day's work in temperate regions.
La Indolencia de los Filipinos, more popularly known in its English version, "The Indolence of the Filipinos," is a
exploratory essay written by Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, to explain the alleged idleness of his people
during the Spanish colonization.
SUMMARY
The Indolence of the Filipinos is a study of the causes why the people did not, as was said, work hard
during the Spanish regime. Rizal pointed out that long before the coming of the Spaniards, the Filipinos were
industrious and hardworking. The Spanish reign brought about a decline in economic activities because of
certain causes:
First, the establishment of the Galleon Trade cut off all previous associations of thePhilippines with
other countries in Asia and the Middle East. As a result, business was only conducted with Spain through