The Philippines in the

19th century as Rizal's

context
Reported By:
Matitu, Prince D-Jay
Dayaday, Shanen Mae
Somera, April Riza Mae
Objectives
At the end of the chapter, the student should be able to:
Illustrate the economic, socio-cultural, and political structures
during the 19th century;
Relate the educational system established in the 19" century
Philippines with that of the present;
Differentiate the significance of the educational system
established in the 19th century Philippines with that of the
present; and
Analyze the economic, socio-cultural and political structures
during the 19th century and its corresponding implications to
the present situation.
The Philippine Condition In The
19th Century As Rizal's Context
The 19th century marked as very dynamic and productive age mainly
in Continents Europe and Asia. The essence of the life of Jose P. Rizal is
an evidence by the circumstances that happened during his generation
in the Philippines and throughout the world. Jose P. Rizal is an existing
epitome that sets forth a human pronouncement that all individuals
without distinction of any kind are born to be free and equal in the
dignity and rights.
Spain and the Philippines
in Rizal's Time
Spanish rule was imposed in the Philippines by
conquest. Miguel Lopez de Legazpi established the first
Spanish settlement in 1565 in Cebu. Before the
conquest, the Filipinos had their own indigenous
culture and their own government, the barangay,
headed by a native chieftain called "datu" independent
of each other and each had its own laws.
PoIitical Condition During the
19th Century: Political System
The King and the other officials issued royal decrees governing the Philippines
through the Ministry of Colonies (Ministro de Ultra Mar) based in Madrid. This
body helped the Spanish monarch manage the affairs of the colonies and govern
the Philippines through the centralized government in Manila exercising executive,
legislative and religious power.

The Governor General, appointed by the Spanish King headed the central
administration. He was the king's representative in the governmental matters and
was the Vice-Royal Patron over religious matters.
The barangay or barrio headed by the
"Cabeza de barangay' whose main ,
responsibility was to collect taxes and
tributes from the families. For his services,
he received two percent (2%) of the tax
proceeds, and four percent (4%) of the
"sanctorum" or the tax paid to the Church
each year to cover the costs of three
fiestas, namely; All Saints day, Holy
Thursday and Corpus Christi.

To ensure that the revenues collected will

be submitted, the Cabeza's
properties were deemed mortgaged to the
state for the entire duration of his term
that ran for three years.
The Supremacy of the Friars
Over the Colonial Government
The different religious orders had the great contribution in the establishment
of Spanish Colonial government in the country. For this reason the monastic
supremacy or frailocracia exist in the country during the Spanish Colonization. They
could influence the Governor General, in effect became the rulers of
municipalities and control the different aspects of' the society like the education,
the trading, the haciendas and the economy.

The regµlar priests (Spanish priest) were able to dominate the control in
different parishes and had the power to get the parishes from the secular (Filipino
priest). The enemy of the church will be considered as the enemy of the government
and this matter is proven in the case of the Gomburza and Jose P. Rizal.
Abuses of the Spanish
Government Officials
The excessive powers and privileges of the govern general made
him weak and undisciplined. His prerogatives often gave him the
opportunity to reward his favorites and relatives and to penalize
those who had displeased him. He oftentimes lacked the moral
strength to resist corruption for material advancement.
 Instability of Colonial
Administration
The political instability in Spain adversely affected Philippine affairs because it
brought about frequent periodic shifts in colonial policies and a periodic
rigodon of colonial officials. For instance, from 1849 to 1898, the Philippines
was ruled by forty-five governor-generals, each serving an average term of
only one year and three months. At one time - from December 1853 to
November 1854 - a period of less than a year, there were four governor
generals.
 Corrupt Spanish
Officials
The colonial officials (governor-general, judges, provincial executives, etc.) sent
by Spain to the Philippines in the 19th century were a far cry from their able
and dedicated predecessors of the 16th,'17th, and 18th centuries. They were
highly corrupt, incompetent and cruel. Apparently, they symbolized the
decadent Spain of the 19" century. General Rafael de Izquierdo (1871-1873), a
boastful and ruthless governor general, aroused the anger of the Filipinos by
executing the innocent Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto
Zamora, the "Martyrs of 1872".
Philippine Representation in
the Spanish Cortes
The first period of Philippine representation in the Spanish Cortes
(1810-1813) was fruitful with the beneficent results for the welfare of
the colony. However, the second period of representation (1820-23)
and the third period (1834-37) were less fruitful in parliamentary
work.
Unfortunately, the representation of the overseas colonies (including
the Philippines) in the Spanish Cortes was abolished in 1837. Since
then, Philippine conditions worsened because there was no means by
which the Filipino people could expose the anomalies perpetrated by
the colonial officials.
Human Rights Denied to
Filipinos
Since the adoption of the Spanish Constitution of 1812 and other constitutions,
the people of Spain enjoyed freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom
of association, and other human rights. The Spanish authorities who cherished
these human rights or constitutional liberties in Spain denied them to the
Filipinos in Asia.
No Equality, Before the
Law
The Spanish missionaries, who introduced Christianity into the
Philippines as early as in the 16th century, taught that all men,
irrespective of color and race, are children of God and as such
they are brothers, equal before God. In practice, the Spanish
colonial authorities, who were Christians, did not implement
Christ's precepts of the brotherhood of all men especially during
the last decades of Hispanic rule. They arrogantly regarded the
brown-skinned Filipinos as inferior beings, not their Christian
brothers to be protected but rather as their subjects to be
exploited.
 Maladministration of
Justice
The courts of justice in the Philippines during Rizal's time were notoriously
corrupt. They were courts of "injustice", as far as the ,brown Filipinos were
concerned. The Spanish judges, fiscals (prosecuting attorneys) and other
court officials were inept, venial, and often times ignorant of law.

Justice was costly, partial, and slow. Poor Filipinos had no access to the
courts because they could not afford the heavy expenses of litigation. To
the Filipino masses, litigation in court was a calamity. The expenses
incurred even in a simple lawsuit often exceeded the value of the
property at issue, so that in many instances the litigants found
themselves impoverished at the end of the long tussle.
Socio-Cultural Condition During the
19th Century: The Social
Stratification/Social Structure
The Spaniards imposed new social stratification which
discriminate the natives in their own land. The highest
class is the Peninsulares, they are the Spanish born in
Spain and live in the Philippines, the Insulares, they
are the Spanish born in the Philippines, third class is
the Creoles, they are the mix blood or the combination
of Spanish and Filipino. In this class the illustrado or
well educated Filipino and the Principalia or the land
owners. And the last class is the Indios or the natives.
 Transformation of the Society
and Culture
The Hispanization of the Filipinos is very evident in the different aspects of the society
and Catholicism has an important role in the transformation of the culture of the
Filipinos. The literature became Theocentric, from epics, it turns to be awit, corrido,
moromoro, komedya and pasyon. All of the form of literature discussed the
importance and triumph of Catholicism.

The alibata was replaced by the Abecedario of the Spaniards. The first book printed in
the country was the Doctrina Christiana en letra y lengua china also centered in the
spread of Catholicism in the country. Painting was also secularized because of the
Synod of Calasiao in 1773 which ordered that the painters should use the concepts of
the church and they are only allowed to have other subjects after 10 years.
 Racial Discrimination
Spaniard or a mestizo, no matter how stupid or Mongol born, he always
enjoyed political and social prestige in the community.

Racial prejudice was prevalent everywhere -— in

government offices, in the courts of justice, in the
armed forces, in the social circles, and even in the
educational institutions and in the ecclesiastical
hierarchy. One of the shining stars of the Filipino clergy,
Father Jose Burgos (1837-1872) complained of the lack of
opportunities for educated young Filipinos to rise in the
service of God and country.
 Frailocracy / Secularization
of Filipino Priests
The Spanish political philosophy of union of Church and State arose a unique form
of government in Hispanic Philippines called "frailocracy" (frailocracia), because it
was a government by friars. The friars (Augustinians, Dominicans, and Franciscans)
controlled the religious and educational life of the Philippines, and later in the 19th
century, they came to acquire tremendous political power, influences and riches.
 Educational System During
the Spanish Regime
The religion is still the center of the educational system imposed by the Spaniards. The
primary education is usually catered by the friars, so the young
Filipinos will learn the Christian doctrine, a1phabet, language, customs and policies. Girls
and boys have separate schools and they also have different curriculums.

The educational system is also used to pacify the Filipinos and train them in Catholicism
and to follow laws imposed by the Spaniards. The Filipino students are not allowed to
speak their own dialect in school, school buildings and other facilities are not enough for
education the population of students. The Department of Education during the Spanish
could not also provide enough books and other instructional materials needed for the
quality education.
 Economic Condition During the
19th Century: The Enconmienda
System
After the establishment of the Spanish government in Manila, the challenge that
Legazpi faced is how he could control the different part of the country in with his
limited armies. To solve the issue of 'governance, he converted the land of the
indios into the enconmienda. Another colonial system that is intimately connected
with the tribute is the encomienda system. The word encomienda comes from the
Spanish encomendar which means "to entrust". The encomienda is a grant of
irihabitants living in particular conquered territory which Spain gave to Spanish
colonizer as a reward for his services (Zaide, 1987).
 Haciendas Owned by the
Friars and Spanish Officials
During Jose Rizal's times, the Spanish friars belonging to different religious orders
were the richest landlords, for they owned the best haciendas (agricultural lands) in
the Philippines. Naturally, they resented the loss of their lands which belonged to
their ancestors since pre-Spanish times; legally, however, the friars were recognized
as legal owners of said lands because they obtained royal titles of ownership from
the Spanish crown. No wonder, these friar haciendas became hotbeds of agrarian
revolts, inasmuch as the Filipino tenants regarded the friar owners revolts was the
agrarian upheaval in 1745-1746.
The Abuses of Guardia Civil, Church
0fficials and PoIitical Leaders
The last hated symbol of Spanish tyranny was the Guardia Civil
(Constabulary) which was created by the Royal Decree of February 12,
1852, as amended by another Royal Decree on March 24, 1888, for the
purpose of maintaining internal peace and order in the Philippines. It
was patterned after the famous and well-disciplined Guardia civil in
Spain.

Jose Rizal actually witnessed the atrocities committed by the Guardia

Civil on the Calamba folks. He himself and his mother had been victims
of the brutalities of lieutenant of the Guardia Civil.
 The Different Socio-Economic
policies imposed by Spaniards
The Effects of Polo y Servicios
1. Reduccion
2. Bandala
3. Forced Labor or Polo y Servicios
4. Taxation
5. The Tribute (Buwis) or Tributo
6. Galleon Trade
a. The decrease in the production in agriculture
because the time for Polo Y
Servicios coincide with the planting and
harvesting period.
b. The decrease in population because there
were a lot of polistas who died because of the
manual work in Polo.
c. The rebellion of the natives.
 The Different Socio-Economic
policies imposed by Spaniards
1. Reduccion The natives are paying different types of taxes
2. Bandala such as follows:
3. Forced Labor or Polo y Servicios
a. Cedula
4. Taxation
b. Sanctorum
5. The Tribute (Buwis) or Tributo
c. Donativo de Zamboanga
6. Galleon Trade
d. Tribute
 The Different Socio-Economic
policies imposed by Spaniards
1. Reduccion
2. Bandala
3. Forced Labor or Polo y Servicios
4. Taxation
5. The Tribute (Buwis) or Tributo
6. Galleon Trade
a. The decrease in the productive of the native
industry because the Alcalde Mayors who were part
of the trading imposed the planting of coconut
and abaca fibers. The farmers who could not meet
the imposed quota will need to pay a heavy fine.
b. The loss of profit of the local industry
c. The intercultural exchanges between the
Philippines and Mexico. The products of Mexico like
cocoa, sayote, tames, etc entered the country while
the mango of the Philippines, rice and textiles were
able to reach Mexico.
"Ganito Kami Noon,
Paano Kayo
Ngayon?"
THANK YOU
ACTIVITY
 IDENTIFICATION.
_______________ 1. He established the first Spanish settlement in Cebu in 1565. Before the
conquest, the Filipinos had their own indigenous cultures and governments, barangays
headed by indigenous chiefs called 'datu', independent of each other, each with their own
laws.
_______________ 2. He was the king`s representative in the governmental matters. He was also
the royal deputy guardian in religious matters.
_______________ 3. He was an arrogant and ruthless governor who angered the Filipinos by
executing the innocent fathers of the "martyrs of 1872" Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and
Jacinto Zamora.
_______________ 4. He complained the lack of opportunity for educated young Filipinos to
advance in service to God and country.
_______________ 5. They are known as the Leader of Reform Movement in Spain.
 ENUMERATION.
6.
7. Give atleast 3 Curriculum for Boys during Spaniards Educational System.
8.
9. Give atleast 3 Curriculum for Girls during Spaniards Educational System.
10.

ESSAY.
11 - 15.
How does "Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?" speak to you?
THANK YOU