Justin Dominic B.

San Mateo 08/26/22

The Life and Works of Jose Rizal

Metacognitive Reading Report # 1

1. Three (3) Things that I significantly learned from the readings

The reading focuses on the contributions made by Chinese mestizos to the Philippines.
Philippine history is insufficient as a foundation for comprehending contemporary society
except if the efforts of Chinese mestizos to the creation of the Philippines as a state are
taken into consideration. They had a crucial role in the growth of the middle class in the
Philippines.

The Chinese mestizos certainly made a substantial contribution to our economic

success. They were allies in terms of importing and exporting goods. In addition to
owning property and operating the majority of craft companies, they also rose to
prominence and gained influence in business and industry. There was a lot of trade and
customs established during the Spanish colonial era. With their business knowledge, the
middle class in the Philippines expanded. They were characterized as committed to
commerce and trade and much better than Indios.

Furthermore, I think the feeling of Filipino nationalism that was developing at the time
had the greatest influence on Philippine society. Chinese Mestizos ignited and blazed
the minds of Filipinos to oppose colonial abuses and seek broad social reforms through
boosting our political awareness. They increasingly pushed to the fulfillment of the
peerless heritage of national independence, giving Filipinos optimism once and for all.

2. Three (3) Things that are still unclear to me

The connection between Mestizos and Chinese is difficult to comprehend and has
become ambiguous, particularly because Mestizo views toward the Chinese relied on
how proficient they were in Chinese culture. In addition, the idea of cultural animosities
and how they correspond to the ongoing practice of marriage between Indians and
Chinese. The concept of distinct mestizo gremios or municipal organizations is
controversial in the end. What is the primary difference among both mestizo Gremio and
mestizos in general? Legally disparities matched the political divisions caused by
creating different gremios.

3. I used to think that

I had believed that Chinese mestizos living in the Philippines were there purely for
business purposes, connections, and contracts. Our bartering or trade systems have
undergone a renaissance thanks to their trade, commerce, and entrepreneurial
expertise. The majority of us, however, underappreciated the additional enormous
 contributions they made to the Philippines' progress as a nation. They become a
cornerstone for comprehending our contemporary civilization. I used to believe they were
unrelated to our weak national resistance to Spanish control. They also expressed their
complaints to the Indios about the oppressive conditions and colonial wrongdoings
committed by Spain.

4. Three (3) questions that I want to ask about the readings

Why did Chinese mestizo cultures and numbers in Manila, choose to dominate most of
the population of Manila? Why did the Spanish fear the Chinese mestizo groups and
their colleagues more than the Indios? Do they see them as a risk to their regime?
Finally, how did the Chinese seek to establish themselves in different areas of the
Philippines well before the significant surge of Chinese mestizo?