RIZAL 100

LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL

Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon

fPRELIMS - Rizal’s other significant literary works:

January 19, 2022 - Essay
RIZAL 100 - Letter
Efejean Claveria - Carreon - Annotation
Quipper Class Code: LTXE8KR - Last poem
- In the last part of this subject, there
PRELIM TOPICS will be Group work. Students will
- Introduction to the study of Rizal’s life, create a vlog about the life of our
works and writings national hero Dr. Jose Rizal
- RA 1425
- The Philippines in the 19th century as
Rizal’s context January 24, 2022
- The 19th century world of INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF RIZAL’S
Jose Rizal LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS
- Spain and the Philippines in - Rizal Law and The Teaching of Rizal
the 19th century Course
- Evils in the colonial rule during the - Rizal, A True Filipino Hero
Spanish colonization - Rizal, Pioneer Asian Nationalist Leader
- The dawn of Filipino - Major Periods in the Life of Rizal
nationalism
Rizal Law: RA 1425
MIDTERM TOPICS - Author: Claro M. Recto
- Rizal’s life: - Sponsored the Bill in the Senate: Jose
- Family P. Laurel
- Childhood - Signed: Juned 12 1956
- Rizal and his childhood years
in Calamba Full name of the Law:
- Rizal’s education in the Philippines: Mandates the teaching of the life,
- Formal schooling at a village works, and writings of Rizal in all schools in
school the country.
- Ateneo Municipal
- UST Rizal Law and the Teaching of Rizal Course
- Rizal’s education and travels abroad - According to Sen. Jose P. Laurel, who
- Rizal in Peninsular Spain sponsored the said law, since Rizal
- Rizal in France and Germany was the founder of Filipino nationality
- Rizal’s exile, trial, execution and death and the architect of the Filipino
nation, there is a need to know and
FINAL TOPICS imbibe the great ideals and principles
- Jose Rizal’s Novels: for which he died.
- The Noli Me Tangere - Moreover, Laurel believed that by
- The El Filibusterismo reading and studying Rizal’s life,
- Significant women in Rizal’s life

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 RIZAL 100
LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
teachings, and writings, Filipino youth
will be able to:
- Gain incorruptible confidence
- Direction
- Courage
- Determination to move
forward in our people’s
journey towards and
abundant life
7425
A
Rizal Law: RA 1425
Objectives of the Law:
1. To rededicate the lives of the youth to
the ideals of freedom and
nationalism, for which our heroes
lived and died;
2. To pay tribute to our national hero for
devoting his life and works in shaping
the Filipino character.
3. To gain an inspiring source of
patriotism through the study of Rizal’s
life, works, and writings.
Teaching of Rizal Course
Goals set by the Board on National Education:
1. To recognize the relevance of Rizal’s
ideals, thoughts, teachings, and life
values to present conditions in the
community;
2. To apply Rizal’s ideals in the solution
of day-to-day situations and problems
in contemporary life;
3. To develop an understanding and
appreciation of the qualities, behavior,
and character of Rizal; and
4. To foster the development of moral
character, personal discipline,
citizenship, and vocational efficiency
among the Filipino youth.
Tendon Agonist 198C si
peat beta t 1964
Rizal, as a true FIlipino Hero
- In many countries in the world, the
leader is almost always chosen.
- Jose Rizal was not a man of war but a
man of peace.
- Among the country’s national heroes,
Jose Rizal stands out. TO many
Filipinos, he is the national hero of the
Philippines.
- Actually, Rizal is only one of the
country’s national heroes who include
ANdres Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto,
Marcelo H. Del Pilar and others more.
- They helped guide in the formation
of the FIlipino national spirit and the
Philippine nation-state.
- All these heroes are examples of all
Filipinos to follow.
- Historian Renato COnstantino (1969)
claimed that it was Americans who
were responsible for endorsing him as
the Philippine national hero.
Rizal, not an American Sponsored Hero
0
- He cited the efforts of the Taft
Rif
Commision in 1901 which picked Rizal
from a group of Heroes, which
included EMilio Aguinaldo, Andres
Bonifacio, and Apolinario Mabini.
- Teodoro Agoncillo (1986)
- Eminent historian
- Writes that Rizal was
acceptable as a national hero
to the American because he
was the symbol of
assimilation, which was their
policy then in the Philippines.
- Rizal never favored revolution but the
slow process of evolution through
education which suited American
am 0
objectives.
getupsn
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 RIZAL 100
LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
Rizal, a true Filipino Hero
Factors which contributed to Rizal’s
acceptability as the official hero of the
Philippines:
● Rizal was already dead at the time the
Americans began their aggression in
the Philippines.
● No embarrassing anti-American
quotations could ever be attributed to
Rizal.
● Rizal’s dramatic martyrdom had
already made him the symbol of
Spanish oppression.
Rizal, the National Hero
- In reality, it is the Filipinos themselves
who chose Rizal as their national
hero.
- This could be seen in tributes to him
during his lifetime and immediately
after his death.
- The Katipuneros considered him the
honorary leader of Katipunan.
- His guidance was sought by its
emissaries when Dr. Pio Valenzuela
visited him in Dapitan in 1892.
- Rizal’s name was one of the
passwords of the secret society which
swore to fight for the country’s
freedom.
- Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo
- Issued a decree on December
20, 1898 ordering that
December 30, the anniversary
of Rizal’s execution at
Bagumbayan, be
commemorated as “a day of
mourning for Rizal and other
victims of the Philippine
Revolution”
- Act No. 345
- The basis of the yearly
celebration of Rizal Day
- The early admiration for Rizal is
Manifested in the erection of the first
monument in his honor.
- December 30, 1898 - a group of
masons erected a simple monument
in Daet, Camarines Norte
- The monument bore the words:
- “A Jose Rizal” (To Jose Rizal)
- “Noli Me Tangere” and “El
Filibusterismo” - the title of
his two important novels
- “Morga” - which refers to the
book “Sucesos de las Islas
Filipinas”
- Annotated by Rizal in
1890 to correct
Spanish
misinterpretations in
the book written by
Antonio Morga during
the 17th century.
- The monument at Daet
antecedentes the better
known monument at Luneta
in Manila.
Admiration For Rizal
- Though the monument in Luneta was
erected during the American Regime,
it is the Filipino people themselves
that helped build the monument
through public subscriptions.
- This was authorized by Act No. 243 of
the Philippine Commission.
- Construction of myriad monuments
in his honor in most cities and towns
in the country.
- Many main streets and avenues in
the various towns and cities are
named after him.
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 RIZAL 100
LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
- One province, Rizal Province, formerly
part of the province of Manila, was
named in his honor by virtue of Act
No. 137 of the Philippine Commission
- Filipino businessmen named their
businesses after Rizal, as a sign of
their admiration and respect.
- Bank (RCBC - Rizal
Commercial Banking Corp.)
- Match (Rizal)
- Universities (Jose Rizal
University and Rizal
Technological University)
- all one peso coin bears his
image
- All of these are outward signs of the
Filipino's adulations for Rizal and his
achievements. He is truly a hero of the
Filipinos.
Rizal, as a Filipino National Hero
Conclusions drawn: (Guerrero, 1998)
1. Since the Filipinos love peace, they
have chosen to magnify a man of
peace above the men of war
2. Because Filipinos are lovers of
freedom and justice, they have given
their worship to a man who gave up
all comforts and pleasures of peace
for their sake.
3. Filipinos prize virtue more than
victory, and sacrifice above success.
● Despite the controversy on Rizal's heroism,
it cannot be denied that he gave form to
the aspiration of the Filipino people,
thereby giving rise to our people's
nationalist struggle.
● Due to Rizal's qualities, he was able to
serve the pressing needs of the people.
Constantino (1969)
- Rizal is a hero in the sense that he was
able to see the problems generated
by historical forces, discern the new
social needs created by historical
development of new social
relationships, and take an active part
in meeting these needs.
Guerrero (1998)
- Rizal was the first Filipino.
- He was the first to work towards the
unification of the Philippine
archipelago into a compact and
homogenous body based on common
interests and mutual protection.
0
Rizal, Pioneer Asian Nationalist Leader
- Rizal was born in the decade when
other nationalist leaders of Asia were
born: Mohandas Gandhi,
Rabindaranath Tagore, and Sun
Yat-Sen
- According to Coates (1968), all the
four challenged the West but Rizal
was the most remarkable because his
ideas matured at an early age.
- At that time that Gandhi was a
schoolboy and Sun Yat-Sen was a
student, Rizal was already articulating
lucidly in his speeches, articles and
letters his views of a completely
different relationship between Asia
and Europe - that the Asians must be
regarded by Europe as equals.
De Ocampo (1969)
- Rizal was the first exponent of Asian
nationalism since he was the source
of inspiration for the outbreak of the
Philippine Revolution of 1896.
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 RIZAL 100
LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
- Although Rizal opposed the revolution
because it was premature and
inadequately organized, the
revolution broke out, which can be
considered the first genuine uprising
by an Asian people against the
Western colonialism.
Fisher (1962)
- Rizal was the Pioneer Exponent of
Liberal Democracy in Asia.
- Even before Gandhi and Sun Yat-Sen
began their career of political
agitation, Rizal through his essays,
letters and novels had already spoken
out with firmness and courage ideas
on liberal democracy.
Rizal, First Asian Nationalist Leader
Fisher (1962)
- Ideas for liberal democracy by Rizal:
- The worth and dignity of the
individual
- The inviolability of human rights
- The innate equality of all men
and races
- The necessity for constitutional
government
- Due process of law
- Popular sovereignty as the basis
of all political authority
- Faith in human reason and
enlightenment
- The rights of the masses to
public education, and
- Belief in social progress through
freedom.
- Rizal was the first Asian leader to
assert that the aforementioned ideas
and principles be established in Asia
for the benefit of the Asians.
- It was through Rizal that the basic
tenets of modern and social
democracy were given a major voice
in Asia for the first time.
- Thus, Rizal deserves to be called the
First Asian Nationalist Leader
Major Periods in the Life of Rizal
- There are four major periods in the
life of Rizal (Celedonio, 1982):
- First Period (1861 - 1872)
- Second Period (1872 - 1882)
- Third Period (1882 - 1892)
- Fourth Period (1892 - 1896)
First Period: 1861-1872
- This was the period when the young
Rizal learned how to read, write and
listen to stories that triggered
imaginative and critical thinking on his
part.
- It was a period when the following
values and virtues were developed in
him:
- industrious instead of
idleness;
- creativeness instead of
unproductiveness;
- rationality instead of blind
acceptance; and
- dignity instead of servility.
Second Period: 1872-1882
- This was the first turning point in the
life of Rizal.
- He was then 11 years and was
enrolled at Ateneo Municipal, despite
the objection of his mother.
- It was the period when Fathers
Gomez, Burgos and Zamora were
unjustly executed by the Spanish
government.
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 RIZAL 100
LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
- The martyrdom of these three priests
led Rizal to be awakened to the
abuses of the regime and at the same
time led him to devote himself in the
future to avenge the victims of
injustices and cruelties of the Spanish
colonizers
- Other significant developments in his
life during this period include the
following:
- Strengthening of his religious
foundation;
- Cultivation of the drive
toward excellence;
- Envisioning the Philippines
receiving light through
education; and
- Perception of the intimate
alliance between religion and
education.
Third Period: 1882-1892
- The year 1882 was the second major
turning point in the life of Rizal.
- It was at this time that Rizal decided
to leave the Philippines to escape
persecution.
- He went to Europe and everywhere
he went, Rizal was always an observer
and a student,learning from
everything he saw, read and heard.
- He urged the Filipino colony in Spain
to prove that Filipinos can compete
with the Europeans in intellect and
talent.
- Through his membership in exclusive
societies of scholars and scientists in
Europe where he presented
monographs and was greatly
appreciated, Rizal provided his
compatriots as an example.
- During this period Rizal took part in
the Propaganda Movement, based in
Europe.
- Through his articles, essays, and
novels, he sought to make truthful
disclosures of the political, social, and
economic conditions in the
Philippines.
Fourth Period: 1892-1896
- The year 1892 can be considered the
last turning point in the life of our
national hero, before his martyrdom
on Dec. 30, 1896.
- Rizal was exiled in Dapitan. It was in
Dapitan, where he demonstrated
what an individual can do and
accomplish within a short period of
time.
- It is here where he detached his
connections with politics and devoted
more of his time in practical service
and usefulness to the community.
Next topic:
- The 19th Century World of Jose Rizal
- Growth and Development of
Nationalism
- Rise and Gradual Spread of
Liberalism and Democracy
- The Industrial Revolution
- The Advance of Science
- The Resurgence of Western
Imperialism
- Optimism and Confidence in
Progress
January 26, 2022
The 19th Century World of Jose Rizal
(To fully comprehend the role Dr. Rizal played
in the shaping of Filipino nationalism, there is
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 RIZAL 100
LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
a need for us to look into the developments in
the 19th century.
This is essential in understanding his ideology
and outlook as an individual.)
- Important developments during the
said century are as follows: (Capino et
al, 1977)
- growth and development of
nationalism
- rise and gradual spread of
liberalism and democracy
- industrial revolution
- the upsurge of western
imperialism
- triumph of science and
technology
- optimism and confidence in
progress
Growth and Development of Nationalism
Nationalism
- sense of loyalty or psychological
attachment members of a nation
share, based on a common language,
history, culture, and desire for
independence (Jackson & Jackson,
2000)
- It is a feeling that drives all people
together as a nation
- It is a love of country expressed in
devotion to and advocacy of national
interest and independence.
Two major revolutions of the earlier century:
1. The American Revolution of 1776
2. The French Revolution of 1789
- Both revolutions gave birth to the idea
that an individual’s loyalty has to be to
his nation not the king.
- The American Revolution gave birth to
the U.S.A 1770
- The French Revolution led to the
overthrow of the absolute rule of the
Bourbon Dynasty and the abolition of
the feudal system. 1789
The Ideology of the French Revolution
● Liberty
● Fraternity
● Equality
- Had influenced subject peoples to
cast off the yoke of colonialism by
means of armed uprising
➔ Owing to the nationalistic spirit, Italy
became a united kingdom under King
Victor Emmanuel II after the Italians
under Guiseppe Garibaldi drove out
the Austrians occupying the northern
part of the country and weakened the
influence of the pope.
➔ The separate kingdoms of Italy united
as one nation.
➔ Ten years later, Germany through the
vigorous campaign by the Prussians
under Otto von Bismarck united the
various kingdoms and dukedoms of
German nation and became one
empire under Emperor William I
Nationalism
- One of the radical ideas in the years
after 1815, which influenced the
modern world tremendously
- Three points that stand out in this
complex ideology (McKay et al, 1995)
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 RIZAL 100
LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
1. Nationalism has evolved from a real
or imagined cultural unity, manifesting
itself in a common language, history
and territory.
2. Nationalists have usually sought to
turn this cultural unity into political
reality so that the territory of each
people coincides with its state
boundaries.
3. Nationalists believed that every
nation has the right to exist in
freedom and develop its character
and spirit.
➢ While nationalism can foster national
unity, progress and independence, it
also has its negative side.
➢ The ideas of national superiority and
national mission can lead to
aggressive crusades and
counter-crusades.
➢ Nationalism can also stress
differences among people
➢ The development of nationalism in
the Philippines, however, was very
slow.
➢ Loyalty to the nation began only after
the unjust execution of Fathers
Gomez, Burgos and Zamora on Feb.
17, 1872.
Rise and gradual spread of Liberalism and
Democracy
➢ The rise and spread of liberalism and
democracy was actually a
consequence of the growth and
development of nationalism. (Black,
1999)
➢ The principal ideas of liberalism
(Black, 1999)
○ liberty and equality
○ were first realized successfully
in the American Revolution
and then achieved in part in
the French Revolution
➔ This political and social philosophy
challenged conservatism in the
European continent.
➔ Liberalism demanded representative
government as opposed to autocratic
monarchy, equality before the law as
opposed to legally separate classes.
➔ The idea of liberty als
➔ o meant specific individual freedoms
○ freedom of the press
○ freedom of speech
○ freedom of assembly;
○ freedom from arbitrary arrest
➔ Democracy became a way of life in
many European countries, like Britain,
Belgium, and Switzerland
➔ Democracy was gradually established
thru the following means:
➢ promulgation of laws that
advance democracy
➢ undertaking of reforms thru
legislation
➢ abolition of slavery
➢ adoption of a liberal
constitution
➔ Democracy was non-existent in the
Philippines in the 19th century
➔ The ecclesiastical and civil authorities
then were not inclined to grant basic
human rights to the Filipinos, as it
would be detrimental to Spain's
colonial administration of the
Philippines.
➔ Democracy was non-existent in the
Philippines in the 19th century
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 RIZAL 100
LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
○ They believed that if the
Filipinos would enjoy basic
human rights and freedom,
they would be motivated to
work for independence and
topple down the Regime.
The Industrial Revolution
- One of the most crucial developments
in the 19th century was the Industrial
Revolution (Stearns et al,1991)
Industrial Revolution
- refers to the transformation of
manufacturing brought about by the
invention and use of machines
- This development started in England
and later on spread into Belgium,
France, Germany and even the United
States.
- The invention of machines and their
use in manufacturing brought about
significant changes in people's lives.
Some of the positive effects brought about by
this development:
● The rise of the factory system;
● Mass production of essential and
non-essential goods;
● Improvement of people's standard of
living;
● Greater urbanization of society;
● Beginnings of specialization or division
of labor
● Invention of labor-saving devices;
● The beginnings of industrial capitalism
● Fostering of liberalism and
nationalism; and
● Encouragement of people's mobility.
● Transportation:
○ Steam boats
○ Steam locomotives
○ Airplanes
○ Automobiles
○ Balloons
● Communication:
○ Telephone
○ Telegraph
○ Wireless telegraphy
○ Cable
○ Postal service
○ Newspapers
On the other hand, there were negative
effects of Industrial Revolution to people:
● Widening of the gap between the rich
and the poor;
● Unending economic warfare between
labor and capital;
● Pollution and other environmental
problems;
● Beginning of child and women labor;
and
● Intensification of imperialistic rivalry
between
and among industrialized countries.
In the Philippines, it caused the
displacement of the farmers from
their land.
To solve the evils created by the industrial
system, different measures were proposed by
concerned sectors of world society (Doreen,
1991)
Liberals
- laissez-faire policy or government's
non- interference in the conduct of
trade and business has to be
sustained for the continuous
expansion of the economy.
Socialists
- The socialists assert that the
government has to control vital
industries and resources. This is
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 RIZAL 100
LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon

necessary in promoting equality of explained by a rational and empirical

opportunity and people's welfare in approach.
society. - This was a result of the Age of
Communists Enlightenment during the 18th
- The communists, on the other hand, century, when blind belief and dogma
suggest that all factors of production were challenged by the principle that
be owned and controlled by the everything could be explained by
government. Equality in society can reason.
be achieved if social classes are - This resulted in the development of
destroyed and dictatorship of the the scientific method, where
proletariat is established. knowledge needs to be proven by a
Catholic Church systematic and rational approach,
- Conversely the Catholic Church calls which in effect, resulted in advances
for humane treatment of workers, in the sciences.
respect for workers' rights, and social - The triumph of science and
justice for the poor. technology had at least three
- It also enjoined the government to significant consequences:
regulate private property and provide 1. Everyday experience and
humane and favorable working innumerable scientists
conditions for the proletariat. impressed the importance of
worker
science on the mind of
The Advance of Science ordinary citizens.
- The rapid expansion of scientific 2. As science became more
knowledge profoundly influenced prominent in popular
Western thought in the 19th century thinking, the philosophical
(Hunt et al, 1995) implications of science spread
- Breakthroughs in industrial to broad sections of the
technology enormously stimulated population.
basic scientific inquiry. - Technical advances
- The result was an explosive growth of led the people to
fundamental scientific discoveries develop optimistic
from 1830S faith in man's
- Onward. capability to achieve
- These theoretical discoveries were progress.
increasingly transformed into material 3. The methods of science
improvements for the population. acquired unrivaled prestige
- The translation of better scientific after 1850.
knowledge into practical benefits was - For many, the union
evident in biology, medical sciences, of careful experiment
physics and chemistry. and abstract theory
- In the 19th century, search for was the only route to
knowledge and truth could be

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 RIZAL 100
RA 1425
LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
MA 345 Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
RA243
truth and objective
reality.
- The effects of the scientific revolution
spilled to the challenging of
traditional beliefs in religion and
politics.
- A belief emerged that the Church is
not the sole source of knowledge but
everyone can be capable of achieving
knowledge and challenging the old
established belief as long as this could
be scientifically explained, replicated
and validated.
- The scientific revolution gained
headway in
- Western European countries like
Germany, France and England, which
became centers of learning in the
19th century.
- Its universities and society became
free marketplaces of ideas,
characterized by a large degree of
intellectual freedom that is
unhampered by religious dogma and
superstition.
- German, French, and English
scientists were at the forefront of this
revolution and abroad, the explorers,
archeologists, and anthropologists
scoured all parts of the world for new
discoveries.
- Unfortunately, however, Spain was at
the backwater of this scientific
upheaval and this was felt by Rizal
himself when he left the Philippines,
feeling that his education in the
colony was inadequate.
- He eventually left Spain for more
advanced studies in Germany and
France to improve his competencies
as a physician.
The Resurgence of Western Imperialism
- In the 19th century, the industrializing
West entered the third and most
dynamic phase of its centuries-old
expansion into non-Western lands.
- In so doing, these Western nations
profitably subordinated those lands to
their economic interests, sent forth
millions of immigrants, and political
influence in Asia and vast political
empires in Africa.
- The reasons for this culminating surge
were many, but the economic thrust
of robust industrial capitalism, an
ever-growing lead in technology, and
the competitive pressures of
European nationalism were
particularly important.
- Western expansion had far-reaching
consequences.
- For the first time in human history,
the world became in many ways a
single unit.
- Moreover, European expansion
diffused ideas and techniques of a
highly developed civilization.
- Yet the West relied on force to
conquer and rule, and treated
non-Western peoples as racial
inferiors.
- Thus, non-Western elites, armed with
G
Western doctrines, gradually
responded to Western challenges.
- They launched a national,
anti-imperialist struggle for dignity,
genuine independence, and
modernization.
- Colonized peoples, therefore, started
to assert their right to
self-determination or the right to
choose the kind of government under
which they would live.
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 RIZAL 100
LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
Optimism and Confidence in Process
- Optimism or faith in society and man's
ability to progress was brought about
by the advancement of science, the
coming of steam-powered industry,
and the spread of liberalism and
socialism (Chodorow et al, 1994).
- The optimism of the century was
summed up by Marquis de Condorcet
in his work, Sketch for a Historical
Picture of the Progress of the Human
Mind.
- He saw that “the strongest reasons for
believing that nature has set no limit
to the realization of our hopes”
- He foresaw the following:
- The abolition of inequality
between nations;
- The progress of equality
between nations;
- The true perfection of
humanity
- Progress was now independent of any
power that might wish to halt it and
will never be reversed.
- Optimism and confidence in progress
can be gleaned from the
achievements of men in the 19th
century.
- Notable among these were the
following (Capino,1977)
- Extension of human rights to
many people;
- Promotion of higher
education for men and
women;
- Education for nationalism in
schools;
- Investment in science to serve
mankind;
- Improvement of public health
thru the establishment of
numerous hospitals; and
- Emergence of realistic
literature, depicting the life of
the time.
To Summarize:
- growth and development of
nationalism
- rise and gradual spread of liberalism
and democracy
- industrial revolution
- the upsurge of western imperialism
- triumph of science and technology
- optimism and confidence in progress
Next Topic:
- Spain and the Philippines in the 19th
Century
- Spain in the 19th Century
- Abandonment of Mercantilism
- The Philippines During Rizal’s
Time
- Administrative Organization
- The Social Structure of Filipino
Society
- Educational System and
Economic Situation
February 2, 2022
SPAIN IN THE PHILIPPINES IN THE 19TH
CENTURY
Evils in the Colonial Rule during the SPanish
Colonization
Spain in the 19th Century
- Political Instability in Spain
- Abandonment of Mercantilism
The Philippines During Rizal’s TIme
- Administrative Organization
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- The Social Structure of Filipino Society
- Educational System
- Economic Situation
- FIlipin Grievances against Spanish Rule
Spain in the 19th Century
Political Instability in Spain
- After the death of Ferdinand VIII,
Spain went through a downward
spiral as a world power.
- By 1830 all of Spain's American
colonies had seceded and became
independent states with the
exemption of Cuba and Puerto Rico.
- A struggle for the throne followed
between the forces loyal to
Ferdinand’s daughter Isabella and his
brother Charles (Carlos).
- The ensuing struggle would be known
as Carlist Wars.
- Isabella defeated the Carlists allowing
her to defy tradition to become the
sole female monarch.
- Under Isabella II, Spain lost a bid to
re-conquer Peru and Chile and under
continued mismanagement by her
favorites.
- There were frequent changes of
governments in Spain which prevailed
even after Isabella’s overthrow in
1868.
- The 19th century was a turbulent
century of politics in Spanish history
- (Zaide, 1994).
- It was a period of political instability
owning to the frequent rise and fall
of ministries and constitutions.
- To save the country from political
disunity, the Spanish crown worked
out the canovite system or rotativism
(Maguigad et al, 2000)
- Under this policy, the liberals and
conservatives in Spain took turns in
administering the affairs of the
country.
- The political instability in Spain
affected the Philippines.
- As a consequence of this condition,
there were frequent changes in the
top colonial administration in the
Philippines.
- Owning to the brief tenure of office of
governor-generals, colonial
administration became very
inefficient and corrupt.
- The Philippines became a dumping
ground for the relatives and favorites
of Spanish politicians in Madrid.
Abandonment of Mercantilism or
Commercialism
- Mercantilism – an economic doctrine
based on the idea that the country’s
wealth and power can be measured in
its stock of gold and silver.
- Trade was dictated by the monarch
and wealth should flow toward the
center of imperial power.
- Galeon Trade between Manila and
Acapulco began in 1565.
- The Philippines was prohibited from
trading with other European
countries.
- By the 18th or 19th century, there was
a shift towards laissez-faire to free
market trade.
- Merchants began trading freely as
profits from international commerce
began to shape official policies.
- There was a demand for Philippine
products such as sugar, coffee, rice,
indigo, and tobacco.
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- The Philippines was officially opened
to foreign trade by 1834.
- Before, only the Spaniards benefited
from the Galleon trade, with free
trade, the growers and traders of
Philippine products gained wealth.
- There was a rising class composed of
merchants who were mestizos, gained
advantage from trade with foreigners.
- Spain’s adoption of the laissez-faire
policy affected the Philippines in
several ways (Capino, 1977).
- The middle class families were
able to send their children to
acquire higher education.
- Increased contact with the
1874 West brought home political
ideas prevailing in Europe.
- These ideas were mainly
enlightenment ideas which
preached equality and
Godgiven rights of men
- Ilustrados or the “enlightened
ones” – members of the
middle class
- imbued with civic courage,
they began questioning the
abuses of the Spanish Regime
and began to clamor for
reforms
The Philippines during Rizal’s Time
- The Filipinos lost their ancestral lands
on account of Spain’s institution of
the encomienda system.
- They were forced by the Spanish
colonizers to accept Spanish culture
and religion.
- This change was evident in the
administrative organization of the
country, social structure and
educational system of the Philippines,
and economic situation in the 19th
century.
Administrative Organization
- The Philippines was governed directly
by the Spanish Crown, through the
Ministry of Colonies in the 19th
century.
- Unitary government – policies
implemented by colonial
administrators from Luzon to
Mindanao emanated from Manila,
the seat of the central government.
➢ Governor-General
- appointed by the Spanish monarch
- the head of the colonial government
in the country
- he represented the Crown in all
governmental matters
- he was the Vice Royal Patron over
religious affairs
- he could nominate priests for
ecclesiastical administration of the
parishes
- the commander in chief of the
colonial army
- the ex-officio president of the Royal
Audiencia or Supreme Court in the
Philippines
- he had his legislative powers to enact
laws which were called actos
acordados (Maguigad, 2000)
- He had the power of cumplase or the
power to decide which law or royal
decree should be implemented or
disregarded in the colony.
Administrative Organization
- Below the national government were
the local government units, namely:
provinces, towns, cities and barrios
(Agoncillo, 1990)
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- The provinces were called alcaldias.
Each province was headed by an
alcalde mayor or provincial governor,
who exercised executive and judicial
functions.
- The provincial government was the
most corrupt unit in local
government then, owing to the
privilege to engage in and monopolize
trade called indulto de commercio.
- The alcaldias or provinces were
divided into towns or pueblos. Each
pueblo was headed by a
gobernadorcillo or town mayor.
- Gobernadorcillo or town mayor
- was elected by all married
males
- was voted by 13 electors,
chaired by the outgoing
gobernadorcillo
- As the town executive, his
principal responsibility was
tax collection.
- To ensure collection and
remittance of these taxes, he
was required to mortgage his
properties to the government
at the beginning of his term of
office.
➢ Each town was divided into barrios or
barangays (Romero et al, 1978).
- As the smallest unit of
government, each barangay
was headed by a cabeza de
barangay.
- His main function was the
maintenance of peace and
order and the collection of
taxes and tributes in the
barangay.
➢ The city government was called
ayuntamiento (Zaide, 1994).
-It is governed by a cabildo or
city council composed of a
city mayor (alcalde en
ordinario), councilors
(regidores), chief constable
(aguacil mayor), and a
secretary (escribano).
➢ A key figure in the local administrative
set-up was the Spanish friar
(Schumacher, 1997).
- This was because of the union
of the church and the state in
the Philippines.
- The friar was the supervising
representative of the Spanish
government for all local
affairs.
- His approval was necessary on
almost all acts of the local
officials (ruler of the town).
➢ Function of the friars:
- Local school inspector,
inspector of the accounts of
the gobernadorcillos and
cabeza de barangays.
- His approval was required in
census lists, tax lists, list of
army conscripts, and register
of births, deaths and
marriages.
- Eventually, the friars became
more powerful and
influential that even civil
authorities feared them.
➢ Frailocracia or frailocracy – “a
government by friars”
- The rise in power and
influence of the friars can be
attributed to frequent
changes in the top colonial
administration in the country
from 1849 to 1895.
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-Spain tightened her control
over the country through the
friars for fear of losing the
Philippines.
- Owing to the fact that they
remained in the colony every
time a governor-general was
removed from office, their
advice on the proper
management of governmental
affairs was sought by every
new governor-general.
- This eventually paved their
way for control and influence
over colonial affairs.
➢ Guardia Civil
- was organized in 1867
- a corps of native police under
the leadership of Spanish
officers for the purpose of
dealing with outlaws and
renegades (Maguigad et al,
2000)
- another institution feared in
the Philippines
Administrative Organization
➢ In 1880, it was the most feared
instrument of summary arrests of
individuals identified by the friars as
filibusteros or enemies of the
government and erehes or enemies
of the Catholic Church.
➢ Judicial power of the government was
vested on the Audiencia Real, the
Supreme Court during those times
and the lower courts (De Leon, 2000).
➢ Below the Audiencia Real were two
territorial audiencias, courts of first
instance and the justice of the peace
courts.
➢ As the highest court, it did not only
adjudicate appeals for civil and
criminal cases. It also served as a
forum for settling important issues
on governance and an auditing
agency of the finances.
➢ There was no legislature in the
Philippines before the country was
taken over by the U.S. in 1898.
➢ Philippine representation in the
Spanish Cortes or lawmaking body
was abolished in 1837 (Schumacher,
1997).
➢ As a consequence, governance of the
Philippines was based on special
laws.
➢ Corollary to this, Las Leyes de Indias
continued to be the basic law but
gradually modified by royal decrees,
which extended various parts of
Spanish peninsular law into the
Philippines.
➢ Spanish colonial administration was
corrupt and inefficient.
➢ Several factors:
○ The Governor-general
exercised absolute powers.
○ He could reward positions in
the bureaucracy to his
favorites who were
unqualified and unfit for
government service.
○ Although the Spanish Crown
had instituted the residencia,
the trial of an outgoing
governor-general to account
for his acts during his tenure
of office and the visitador or
investigating officer to probe
on the complaints against the
governor-general.
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○ Another source of weakness
and abuse of the Spanish
government was the
widespread selling of lower
positions to highest bidders
(Capino, 1977).
○ Many government officials
were appointed not on the
basis of merit but ability to
buy the position.
○ This situation had given rise to
misadministration of
governmental affairs, bribery,
as well as graft and
corruption.
The Social Structure of Filipino Society
- Philippine society then was feudalistic
as a consequence of the encomienda
system imposed by the colonizers
(Romero et al, 1978).
- The Filipinos were treated as slaves
by the Spanish conquerors.
- They imposed and collected all forms
of taxes and tributes from the
Filipinos and even required the
natives to render polo y servicio or
forced labor to the government and
the Catholic Church.
- The social structure implemented by
Spain was pyramidal due to the
colonizers’ adherence to the doctrine
of limpieza de sangre or purity of
blood (Maguigad, 2000).
- At the apex of the social pyramid were
top the peninsulares or the Spaniards
born in Spain.
- Below them were the insulares or
Spaniards born in the Philippines.
- The Spanish and Chinese mestizos,
and the principalia or the ruling class
of native elites composed of the
gobernadorcillo, cabeza de barangay,
landowners, merchants, and wealthy
native families.
- At the bottom of the social pyramid,
however, were the Indios or the
brown skinned natives who
composed the majority of the people.
- Pyramidal Social Structure
- As a consequence of the colonizers’
application of the doctrine of limpieza
de sangre, a social ranking was
created in our society.
- Social tensions were created between
and among the classes, where the
lower classes were victimized by the
upper classes.
- A system of racial discrimination
came to be institutionalized.
- High positions in government were
opened only to the pure blooded
Spaniards.
- Members of the middle class and the
Indios were considered inferior by
the upper classes and unworthy of
education.
Educational System
- Up to the middle of the 19th century,
schools were under the control of
friars.
- Primary education was not given
attention despite the establishment of
parochial schools in many towns.
- Instruction at these schools centered
on the teaching of fear of God and
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obedience to the friars, with
indoctrination as the principal method
of teaching.
- Children in these schools were taught
that they were of inferior intelligence
and were suited only for manual
work.
- With the use of vernacular language,
students’ learning was measured in
terms of how well they can parrot the
contents of a book even without
comprehension.
- As a consequence of this method of
teaching employed by the friars,
Filipino children were not able to
develop self-confidence in their
ability to learn.
- In addition, native children developed
severe inferiority complex.
- The culture of silence came to be
instilled in the minds of the Filipino
learners
- By the end of the 19th century, only
the University of Santo Tomas (UST)
was an existing higher education
institution in the Philippines.
- UST, founded by the Dominicans in
1611, was the only university which
offered courses in medicine,
pharmacy, theology, philosophy, as
well as canon and civil law.
- At the beginning of its operation most
of those seeking admission into its
various programs were Spaniards and
mestizos.
- The Spaniards also opened secondary
schools for boys during this period.
- Notable among these schools were
the Colegio de Santo Tomas and de
San Juan de Letran in Manila, under
the Dominicans, as well as the Ateneo
Municipal, run by the Jesuits
(Schumacher, 1997)
- Secondary education for girls was
provided by the following schools in
Manila (Maguigad, 2000), namely:
Santa Isabel, La Concordia, Santa
Rosa, and Santa Catalina.
- All these schools were subject to the
inspection of the Dominican Rector of
the UST.
- Students seeking admission into the
secondary schools were, therefore,
required to take examinations before
a board appointed by the rector of
UST.
- It wa also in this century when public
education for the natives was begun
(Agoncillo, 1990)
- The Educational Decree of 1863 was
implemented in the colony, which
required the establishment of one
elementary school for boys and one
elementary school for girls in each
town in the Philippines.
- The same decree provided for the
establishment of a normal school for
the training of teachers with mastery
of Spanish language, under the
direction of Jesuits, as Spanish shall
be the medium of instruction in all
schools.
- The friars resisted the teaching of
Spanish language to the Filipinos.
- They opined that knowledge of the
language would lead to the
development of political and social
awareness among the natives, which
in effect could trigger in them the
desire to work for freedom and
independence.
- They pressed on the need to keep all
Filipinos in ignorance and opposed all
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efforts to improve education in this
Spanish colony.
- Spanish was used as the medium of
instruction in Ateneo, Letran, and UST.
- Although the Spanish government
exerted efforts to educate the
Filipinos in the 19th century, the
educational system implemented had
serious weaknesses.
- Notable among these weaknesses
were as follows (Romero et al, 1978):
- Over-emphasis on religion;
- Limited and irrelevant
curriculum;
- Obsolete classroom facilities
- Inadequate instructional
materials
- Racial prejudice against
Filipinos in school.
Economic Situation
- The country was opened for foreign
trade in 1834, which resulted in the
rapid rise of foreign firms in Manila.
- The presence of these foreign traders
stimulated agricultural production
and export of sugar, rice, hemp, and
tobacco.
- The growing prosperity of the
Philippines had significant
consequences (Schumacher, 1997)
- Opportunities for trade, increased
contracts with foreigners and
peninsular Spaniards.
- Moreover, a number of families,
which prospered from foreign
commerce and trade, were able to
send their sons for education in
Europe, further destroying the
isolation of the country from the rest
of the world.
- Filipinos, who were educated abroad,
were able to absorb the intellectual
developments in Europe.
- The awareness of a completely
different type of society prevalent in
Europe made these
European-educated Filipinos
disenchanted with Spain.
Filipino Grievances Against the Spanish Rule:
1. Instability of Colonial Administration
2. Corrupt Colonial Officials
3. No Representation in the Spanish
Cortes
4. Human Rights Denied to Filipinos
5. No Equality Before the Law
6. Maladministration of Justice
7. Racial Discrimination
8. Frailocracy
9. Forced Labor
10. Haciendas Owned by the Friars
11. The Guardia Civil
To Summarize:
- Spain In The 19th Century
- Political Instability in Spain
- Abandonment of
Mercantilism
- The Philippines During Rizal’s Time
- Administrative Organization
- The Social Structure of Filipino
Society
- Educational System
- Economic Situation
- Filipino Grievances Against
Spanish Rule
February 14, 2022
THE DAWN OF FILIPINO NATIONALISM
- Filipino nationalism emerged on 19th
century
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- THE OPENING OF THE PHILIPPINES TO
THE WORLD OF COMMERCE
- THE RISE OF THE CLASE MEDIA
- LIBERAL REGIME OF CARLOS MA.
DELA TORRE
- RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
- SECULARIZATION CONTROVERSY
- CAVITE MUTINY OF 1872
- RIZAL AND THE CAVITE MUTINY OF
1872
- UNIFICATION OF THE PHILIPPINES
UNDER THE SPANISH RULE
- EARLY RESISTANCE TO SPANISH RULE
- THE EMERGENCE OF THE FILIPINO
SENSE OF NATIONHOOD
Unification of the Philippines under the
Spanish Rule
- Spain ruled the Philippines for more
than 300 years. (333 years)
- Prior to her colonization, the
Philippines consisted of independent
and self-governing barangays, and
people of diverse tribes.
- It was Spain that gave the country its
identity (Zaide, 1994) The country
came to be known as the Philippines
due to her three centuries of colonial
administration.
- With the use of the Cross, the natives
were pacified (Agoncillo & Guerrero,
1974). Use of cross symbolizes that
filipinos are under the spanish crown
- The reduccion plan of Fr. Juan de
Plasencia was implemented, which
required the natives to live in the area
near the church.
- As a result, Spanish encomenderos
found it easy to collect taxes from the
native
- It also transformed the Filipinos into
law-abiding citizens under the Spanish
Crown.
- Gradually, the independence of the
barangays were lost as a consequence
of the relocation of the natives under
the influence of the Church.
- With the imposition of Catholicism
and Spanish culture, the Filipinos
were partially transformed into little
brown Spaniards.
- Use of cross symbolizes that filipinos
are under the spanish crown
- Spain's political system was gradually
introduced into the country.
- Government was highly centralized
and for the first time, the people
came to be politically united under
the Spanish Crown.
- Barangays were merged to form
pueblos, pueblos into alcaldias, in
addition to the ayuntamientos
established by the colonizers.
- Despite unification, the people started
to nurture resentment and dislike for
foreign rule.
Early Resistance to Spanish Rule
- The integration of the country into the
Spanish Empire, resulted into the
implementation of taxation without
representation, polo y servicio or
forced labor, galleon trade
(government monopoly), indulto de
comercio and government
monopolies (Agoncillo, 1990).
- Government restrictions and control
made the people experience
hardships and miseries.
- In effect, they started harboring
grievances against the colonial
administrators.
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- They began clamoring for freedom
from foreign control.
- Discontented with Spanish rule was
first expressed in the regional revolts
that broke out in the archipelago from
1574 to 1873 (Zafra, 1976).
- Majority of the early uprisings were
caused by the desire to regain their
lost freedom.
- Examples of revolts under this
particular cause were the following:
- Revolt of Raha Sulayman and
Lakandula (1574);
- Tondo Conspiracy (1587 -
1588); Revolt of Malong
(1660-1661);
- Dagohoy's Revolt
(1744-1829);
- Revolt of Diego Silang
(1762-1763);
- Revolt of Palaris (1762-1764).
- Resistance to Spanish-imposed
institutions was also a major cause of
the early revolts against Spanish rule.
- Some of the revolts due to the
aforementioned factor included the
following:
- Magalat Revolt (1596)
- Revolt of the Irayas (1621)
- Cagayan Revolt (1639)
- Sumuroy Rebellion
(1649-1650) and
- Maniago Revolt (1660)
- Other revolts were caused by agrarian
unrest, brought about by the desire of
the natives to recover the lands
grabbed from them by the friars.
- Agrarian revolts broke out in the
provinces of Batangas, Laguna, Cavite,
Pampanga and Bulacan from 1745 to
1865.
- There were also revolts triggered by
the desire to revert to their native
religion rather than embrace the
religion of the colonizers (Agoncillo,
1990).
- Among the revolts ignited by the
aforementioned cause were the
following:
- Igorot Revolt (1601)
- Tamblot Revolt (1621-1622)
- Revolt of Lanab and Alababan
(1625-1627);
- Revolt of Francisco Rivera
(1718)
- Revolt of Apolinario dela Cruz
(1840-1841) and
- The Moro Resistance in
SOuthern Philippines
(1790-1898)
- The early revolts against Spanish rule
failed for a number of reasons
(Romero et al, 1978).
- Owing to sectional jealousies, lack of
communication in the provinces, and
absence of national leaderships the
revolts against Spanish rule did not
succeed.
- The people were not united in their
struggle against the colonizers owing
to the archipelagic nature of the
country and the lack of
communication facilities.
- Revolts, then, against Spanish rule
were fragmented, disorganized, and
sporadic.
- Disunity was enhanced with Spain's
implementation of the policy of divide
et empera or divide and rule, which
was another factor for the failure of
these revolts.
- As Filipinos were made to fight one
another by the colonial masters, they
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failed to realize that their common
enemy was the Spaniards.
The Emergence of the Filipino Sense of
Nationhood
- The emergence of Filipino sense of
nationhood took place only during the
last years of Spanish rule in the 1890's
(Agoncillo, 1990)
- The development of nationalism in
the 19th century was attributable to
the following factors:
- Opening of the Philippines to
world commerce
- Rise of Clase Media
- Liberal Regime of Carlos Ma.
Dela Torre
- Racial discrimination
- Secularization controversy
and
- The Cavite Mutiny of 1872
The Opening of the Philippines to World
Commerce
- The opening of the country to world
commerce was a consequence of
Spain’s adoption of the laissez-faire
policy.
- With the entry of foreign products
and businessmen, the economic
isolation of the Philippines was
ended.
- A more significant effect of this
development was the influx of liberal
ideas into the country.
- FIlipino intellectuals came to learn of
the revolutionary ideas of John Locke
and Jean Jacques Rousseau.
- From their contract with peninsular
Spaniards, Filipino intellectuals were
able to learn Locke’s Theory of
Revolution and Rousseau's Social
Contract Theory.
- They learned that people could
overthrow a government that is not
working for the good of the governed
(John Locke's Theory of Revolution)
- They also realized that a government
is an agreement between the ruler
and the ruled to govern for the
welfare of the ruled.
- Other liberal ideas that the Filipinos
came to learn during this period
included the following:
- Equality before the law
- Freedom of religion
- Other liberal ideas that the Filipinos
came to learn during this period
included the following:
- Equality before the law
- Freedom of religion
- Freedom of assembly
- Protection of human rights
- Representation in the
legislature and
- Sovereignty of the people
- Consequently, many of the Filipino
intellectuals started to wonder at the
deplorable conditions of the country.
- They began to discuss issues on
politics and started clamoring for
reforms from the government.
The Rise of the Clase Media
- The rise of the new middle class or
clase media, can be traced to the
prosperity of a relatively small class of
mestizos and the principalia or ruling
elite who benefited from the opening
of the country to foreign commerce
and trade.
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- Families, which prospered during this
time, were able to send their sons for
an education in Europe.
- Being educated in Europe, these sons
of prosperous families were able to
see the basic difference of European
and Filipino societies.
- Moreover, being able to witness the
more progressive state of other
countries in the continent, these
European-educated Filipinos became
disillusioned with Spain.
- From their ranks emerged Filipino
propagandists clamoring for change
in the Philippines.
The Liberal Regime of Carlos Ma. Dela Torre
- The fall of Queen Isabela and the
triumph of liberalism in Spain in 1869
resulted in the appointment of Carlos
Ma. Dela Torre as governor-general in
the Philippines in the same year
(Zaide, 1994).
- With his assumption into office as the
chief executive of the country in 1869,
Dela Torre demonstrated his
democratic and liberal philosophy in
governing the country.
- He encouraged the aspirations of the
reformists and abolished the
censorship of the press.
- Reform commissions were set up and
public discussions took place in the
newspapers for the first time.
- To express satisfaction and joy for the
leadership of Dela Torre, some
Filipinos serenaded him on the night
of July 12. 1869 (Liberty Serenade of
1869).
- This development was something the
friars then did not like.
- For the first time the Filipinos were
allowed to talk about freedom and
democracy openly.
- During his term of office, freedom of
speech and of the press, as
guaranteed by the Spanish
Constitution were recognized.
- As a consequence of his liberal policy,
Father Burgos and other Filipino
clergy were motivated to work for
the Filipinization of parishes
throughout the country.
- With the restoration of the Spanish
monarchy in 1870 and the return of
conservatism in Spain, Dela Torre was
removed from office and replaced by
the reactionary Rafael de Izquierdo,
who boasted that he came to the
Philippines with a cross on one hand
and a sword on the other.
Racial Discrimination
- Another factor that contributed to the
development of Filipino sense of
nationhood was racial discrimination.
- The Spaniards considered Filipinos an
inferior race and sarcastically called
them Indios.
- Discrimination of the Filipinos was
prevalent in the universities and
colleges, government offices, church
and court of justice.
- Fray Miguel de Bustamante, in his
pamphlet entitled, "Si Tandang
Basyong Macunat," portrayed the
Filipino as an individual with low
mental ability, incapable of acquiring
European education and fitted only to
work in the field and tend a carabao
(Zaide, 1994).
- This kind of attack against the Filipino
race intensified the enmity between
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LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
the Filipinos and Spaniards, especially
the friars.
- Racial discrimination had led them to
realize that the Spaniards and the
Filipinos were two separate, distinct
peoples.
Secularization Controversy
- Secularization of parishes was the
transfer of the ministries established
by the regular Spanish clergy to the
Filipino seculars (Agoncillo, 1990).
- This issue cropped up when the
Jesuits were expelled from the
country in 1768.
- Parishes vacated by the Jesuits had to
be filled up by Filipino seculars
(Schumacher, 1972).
- The secularization controversy began
as a religious issue on the right of the
regular and secular priests to
administer the parishes.
- This issue later on became a racial
controversy between the friars and
Filipino secular clergy, as the friars
started demanding that the latter
were not qualified to administer the
parishes (Romero, 1978).
- Leading the Filipino seculars in the
struggle was Fr. Pedro Pelaez, an
insular, who rose to the position of
vicar capitular of Manila in 1861
(Anderson, 1969).
- He led the fight against royal decrees
turning secular parishes over to the
friars.
- The controversy became acute when
the Jesuits returned to the
Philippines.
- Parishes under the Filipino priests
were taken over by the friars, which
sparked protests from the former.
- With the return of the Jesuits,
parishes under Filipino regulars in
Manila were turned over to the
Recollects in exchange for the
parishes held by the Recollects in
Mindanao.
- Fr. Pelaez appealed to the Queen
Isabella II for ecclesiastical equality
between the Spanish regulars and
Filipino seculars (Fabella, 1960).
- This was because loss of the Manila
parishes would mean that Filipino
seculars would have no hope of
becoming parish priests again.
- With the death of Fr. Pelaez in 1863
due to the earthquake that occurred
in Manila, the struggle for equality
was temporarily stopped.
- Fr. Burgos continued the struggle
started by his former professor.
- He exerted all efforts to defend the
Filipino clergy from all attacks by the
Spanish regulars.
- He asserted that Filipino priests were
qualified to administer the parishes.
- He defended the move undertaken by
Archbishop Gregorio Meliton
Martinez in training the Filipino
seculars to become good parish
priests.
- He appealed to the Spanish Queen to
give the Filipino priests the chance to
prove that they can equal the
Spanish regulars.
- He argued for secularization in
conformity with the canon law and
the discipline of the church, and the
preferential right of the secular clergy
to the parishes in the Philippines.
- The secularization controversy led to
the unification of the Filipino clergy,
which in effect, strengthen their
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 RIZAL 100
LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
sense of identity (Romero et al, 1978;
Mendez, 1972)
- The former religious conflict took on
racial overtones because the friars
were Spaniards and the seculars were
true blooded Filipinos.
- For the first time, the word Filipino
meant not only the Filipino
Spaniards; now it included the native
clergy.
Cavite Mutiny of 1872
- On the night of January 20, 1872, a
mutiny broke out among Filipino
soldiers in the arsenal of Cavite under
the leadership of Sgt. La Madrid
(Schumacher, 1991).
- This mutiny was brought about by the
abolition of their exemption from
tribute and forced labor by
Governor-General Rafael de
Izquierdo, previously enjoyed by
Filipino soldiers and workers in the
arsenal of Fort San Felipe.
- The Spanish authorities took
advantage of the situation by
arresting liberal-minded Filipinos.
- Nine Filipino priests were deported to
Marianas Islands, together with
thirteen lawyers and businessmen.
- The incident was exaggerated by the
Spaniards, particularly the triars, to
implicate Fathers Jose Burgos,
Mariano Gomes, and Jacinto Zamora,
due to their active involvement in the
campaign for the secularization of
parishes.
- These three Filipino priests were
executed by garrote for alleged
complicity in the rebellion.
- The Filipinos deeply resented the
execution of Gomburza owing to their
innocence of the crime for which they
were tried (Zaide, 1994).
- They hailed the three Filipino priests
as true martyrs of the fatherland.
- Their death made the Filipinos realize
the need for unity to end their
miseries.
- The martyrdom of Gomburza was a
turning point in Philippine history
(Agoncillo, 1990)
- It ushered in an era of peaceful
campaign for reforms to counter the
evils of the Spanish Regime, known in
our history as the Propaganda
Movement.
- Cavite mutiny paved way to year 1898
- 1898 FIlipinos achieved freedom from
Spaniards
Rizal and the Cavite Mutiny of 1872
- Rizal was still very young when the
mutiny broke out.
- Although at his tender age, Rizal was
already cognizant of the deplorable
conditions of the country.
- Originally, his plan was to take up
priesthood and become a Jesuit
father (De Ocampo, 1969).
- When he heard of the martyrdom of
the GomBurZa, he changed his mind
and swore to dedicate his life to
vindicate the victims of Spanish
oppression.
- El Filibusterismo (Rizal’s 2nd novel)
was inspired by GomBurZa
- Rizal at that time was only 11 years
old.
- In his letter to Ponce, dated April 18,
1889 (National Heroes Commission,
1963), he said...
- ...Without 1872 there would
not be now either a Plaridel,
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Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
or Jaena, nor Sanciano, or
would their exist brave and
generous Filipino colonies in
Europe; Without 1872, Rizal
would be a Jesuit now and
instead of writing the Noli Me
Tangere, would have written
the opposite. At the sight of
those injustices and cruelties,
while still a child, my
imagination was awakened
and I swore to devote myself
to avenge one day so many
victims, and with this idea in
mind I have been studying
and this can be read in all my
works and writings. God will
someday give me an
opportunity to carry out my
promise.....
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
MIDTERMS
February 28, 2022
Midterm topics:
1. Rizal’s life
○ Family
○ Childhood
○ Rizal and HIs childhood years
in Calamba
2. Rizal’s Education in the PH
○ Formal Schooling at a Village
School
○ Ateneo Municipal
○ UST
3. Rizal’s Education and Travels abroad
○ Rizal in Peninsular Spain
○ Rizal in France and Germany
4. Rizal’s Exile, Trial, Execution, & Death
RIZAL AND HIS CHILDHOOD YEARS IN
CALAMBA
Calamba at the time of Rizal’s birth
- Calamba is an enchanted town
(Palma,1949) situated, as if enclosed
in a valley, between Laguna de Bay
and Mt. Makiling.
- panoramic with its landscape, as if
nature has lavished this town with all
its tenderest caresses
- Calamba at the time of Rizal’s birth
was an agricultural town (Romero et
al, 1978)
- The town was virtually owned by the
Dominican friars.
- Calamba became a prosperous town
due to its specialization in the
production of sugar.
- Life was filled with hardships on the
part of the people who were just
tenants in the Dominican hacienda.
- Life was far better than in the other
towns in Laguna during those times.
- Nature has been good to the
Calambeños.
- With its fertile soil and favorable
climate, the people were able to raise
and harvest different kinds of crops.
- The picturesque beauty of the town
provided the young Rizal the
inspiration and springboard to hone
his poetic and artistic sensibilities.
- The misfortunes suffered by the
tenants from the hands of the
Guardia Civil and the Dominican friars,
had ingrained in his young mind
hatred of oppression and
exploitation of the weak by the
strong
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Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
Birth of the Young Jose
- Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo
Realonda was born on June 19, 1861
(Zaide & Zaide, 1999)
- his mother nearly died during his
delivery owing to his very big head
- Three days after his birth, Rizal was
baptized by Fr. Rufino Collantes at the
Calamba Catholic Church, with Fr.
Pedro Casañas, as his godfather.
- Rizal was the seventh child in the
family of 11 children of Don Francisco
and Doña Teodora.
- The children of the Rizal family in their
birth order were as follows:
- Saturnina (1850) ; Paciano (1851) ;
Narcisa (1852);
- Olimpia (1855) ; Lucia (1857) ; Maria
(1859) ; Jose (1861) ; Concepcion
(1862) ; Josefa (1865) ; Trinidad (1868)
; and Soledad (1870)
Rizal’s Ancestry
- Rizal came from a mixture of races.
- His great grandfather from his father
side was a Chinese merchant named
Domingo Lamco.
- He married a wealthy Chinese
mestiza, Ines dela Rosa.
- In 1849, Domingo Lamco assumed the
surname Mercado in keeping the
gubernatorial decree of Narciso
Claveria on the use of Spanish
surnames in the Philippines by all
Spanish subjects in the colony and to
free themselves and their children
from the prejudices associated with a
Chinese surname (Craig, 1913).
- From the Parian in Manila, the couple
moved to Biñan, ending up as tenants
in the Dominican hacienda.
- Rizal’s grandfather from his father side
was Juan Mercado who married a
Chinese-Filipino mestiza, Cirila
Alejandro.
- Juan Mercado became a
gobernadorcillo of Biñan.
- Juan and Cirila had 14 children, one of
whom was Rizal’s father, Don
Francisco.
- Rizal’s great grandfather on his
mother’s side was Manuel de
Quintos, a Chinese mestizo from
Lingayen, Pangasinan (Romero et al,
1978)
- Manuel married Regina Ursua, a
woman with Japanese ancestry.
- One of there daughters, Brigida
married Lorenzo Alberto Alonso. The
couple had five siblings. One of them
was Teodora, who became Rizal’s
mother.
Rizal’s Immediate Family
- Rizal was reared in a typical middle
class family in the 19th century
Philippines (Capino et al, 1977)
- He lived a life of comfort and
affluence, considering that his family
belonged to the principalia class or
ruling elite of his town (Guerrero,
1998).
- The affluence of Rizal’s family can
clearly be gleaned from the following:
the family’s predilection for studies;
its stone house of adobe and
hardwood; ownership of carriage and
horses - the symbols of wealth and
respectability during those times;
home library with numerous volumes
of books; presence of personal
servants taking care of the needs of
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LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
the children, and private tutoring of
children in the family.
- The family’s thriving business in rice
and sugar and its ability to send their
children for education in Manila
further indicate their socio-economic
status in Calamba.
- Rizal’s father, Don Francisco Mercado,
was an educated man.
- His father took courses in Latin and
Philosophy in Colegio de San Jose in
Manila.
- Rizal described him a model father
owing to his honesty, frugality and
industry.
- Rizal inherited a profound feeling of
dignity, self-respect, serenity and
poise and seriousness (De Ocampo,
1960)
- Doña Teodora was an educated
woman. She completed her education
at the Colegio de Santa Rosa, a
prestigious college for girls in Manila
then.
- Rizal described her as a disciplinarian,
a woman more than average
education, a woman of culture and
religion, a sacrificing and industrious
housewife.
- From his mother, Rizal learned the
values of warmth and virtue. He also
inherited a practical temperament,
stoicism, selfsacrifice, temperament
of a dreamer and fondness for
poetry. (Villa Abrille, 1969)
Childhood Days and Memories
- Owing to happy and comfortable life
Rizal had, he had good memories of
his childhood days in Calamba.
- He could not forget the times when
the family stayed in the garden to
exchange stories.
- He always treasured the care
demonstrated to him by his parents
due to his poor health. It was in this
garden where he experienced
closeness to nature.
- Another is experience that he was not
able to forget was the daily family
prayer during Angelus, where all the
members of his family gather and pray
together.
- Even the times when his personal
servant narrated to him legends and
fairy tales at the azotea, after the
Angelus, was something Rizal
treasured.
- These imaginary tales narrated to
Rizal by his personal servant aroused
in him an enduring interest in
legends and folklores (Zaide, 1999)
- He grew up a pious Catholic owing to
the training provided him by his
mother. At three years old, he
learned how to pray and even read
the Bible.
- This training he had at home was
strengthened by his frequent visit to
Fr. Leoncio Lopez, the parish priest of
Calamba, who made the young Rizal
the need to develop a sound
philosophy of life. It was also from
him that Rizal learned the value of
scholarship and intellectual honesty.
- At the age of four, Rizal experienced
his first sorrow. This was when his
younger sister Concepcion, whom he
fondly called Concha, died. It was the
first time he cried as a young boy,
since it was from her that Rizal
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Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
learned the importance of sisterly
love.
- As a young boy, he spent many hours
down the shore of Laguna de Bay,
thinking of what was beyond,
dreaming of what might be over on
the other side of the waves (Craig,
1918).
- He even witnessed everyday acts of
violence and excesses committed
against the Calambeños by the
Guardia Civil and the Gobernadorcillo.
- As his young age, he was always
asking himself if these incidents in
Calamba were also happening in the
lands across the Laguna de Bay.
- From the usual activity of Rizal, it can
be noted that he was a good
observer, noting every detail of what
he actually saw.
The Story of the Moth and the Flame
- One of the stories Rizal never forgot,
narrated to him by his mother was the
fable entitled “The Moth and the
Flame” (Jose Rizal Centennial
Commission, 1961)
- This story left a deep impression on
Rizal. For Rizal the moth died a victim
of its illusion in search for the light.
Nevertheless, he came to realize the
sweetness of dying in search for the
light. This story can be considered as
Rizal’s biography.
- Just like the moth that died a victim
of its illusion, Rizal died a martyr in
search of the lights of truth, freedom
and justice.
- From the story, Rizal came to realize
that one has to sacrifice and to suffer
the consequence of one’s action for
the attainment of a goal.
Early Demonstration of Inborn Talent
- As a young boy, there were indications
that Rizal was intellectually gifted (De
Ocampo, 1960)
- He was able to master the alphabet
when he was three years old. At a
very young age, he showed great
interest in reading. He enjoyed
reading the books in their library at
home, with Doña Teodora, as his
reading teacher and critic.
- The young Rizal also showed his knack
in sketching, painting, sculpture and
literature. According to Romero
(1978), the panoramic beauty of
Calamba, and Rizal’s admiration of his
mother led him to hone his skills in
art forms.
- Owing to the constant prodding by
Doña Teodora for Rizal through verses,
Rizal was able to write his first poem,
when he was eight years old. This
poem was entitled Sa Aking Kabata
or To My Fellow Children (Laubach,
1936).
- The above poem clearly reveals that
Rizal, even during his tender years
had a concept of nationalism. Here,
he associated love for the native
language bestowed by God with the
desire for freedom, which according
to him was on mortgage.
- As a young boy, he was already aware
that his people had a language of
their own, This language, just like
other languages, had its own alphabet
and system writing, which according
to Rizal disappeared because they
were swallowed up by tidal waves.
- We can see a young lad describing his
native language or Tagalog as
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 RIZAL 100
LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
comparable to Latin, English and
Spanish.
- Young Jose calling on his fellow
children to love their native tongue.
The First Taste of Injustice
- As a young boy Rizal witnessed how
his town mates were tortured,
treated rudely and brutally by the
Spanish officials and the Guardia
Civil. In fact, he spent a lot of time
thinking way why the people had to
suffer such brutality and unfair
treatment.
- An incident, which opened his eyes to
the injustice of the regime, was the
arrest and incarceration of his
mother in 1871 due to alleged
complicity in the attempted murder of
his uncle’s unfaithful wife.
- This happened right after the arrival
of his uncle, Jose Alberto from
Europe. Upon arriving at Biñan, his
uncle discovered the infidelity of his
wife and decided to divorce her.
Being a devout Catholic and to avoid
public scandal, Doña Teodora advised
and convinced his brother to forgive
his wife and forget what happened
and start anew.
- Jose Alberto was persuaded and the
family break up was averted.
Nonetheless, Jose Alberto’s wife
conspired with the Spanish
Lieutenant of the Guardia Civil by
filing a suit against Doña Teodora for
attempting to poison her.
- Doña Teodora was arrested and made
to walk a distance of 50 km from
Calamba to Santa Cruz, the capital of
Laguna.
- She was jailed for almost two and
one-half years. Attempts were made
by Rizal’s family to absolve her from
the case, to the point of pleading at
the Royal Audiencia. She was freed
later by Gov. General Rafael de
Izquierdo as a result of the request of
the young Soledad, whose graceful
dancing charmed the
governor-general and his guests.
- This incident was something that Rizal
never forgot. The injustice suffered by
her mother created in him hatred of
the Spanish Regime. Moreover, Rizal
lost confidence in friendship and
developed mistrust of his fellowmen.
This was because the men who
arrested Doña Teodora were frequent
visitors in their home.
- An incident that greatly influenced
Rizal’s goal and life work was the
martyrdom of Gomburza (Capino,
1977)
- Rizal was then 11 years when his older
brother Paciano narrated to him the
injustice suffered by the three
Filipino priests for crusading for
justice in the parochial administration
in the Philippines, particularly the
struggle waged by Father Jose Burgos,
his teacher at Colegio de San Jose.
- This particular event was something
that Rizal remembered as a young
boy and inspired him to redeem the
oppressed Filipinos.
- If it were not for the unjust execution
of the three priests, Rizal would have
been a member if the Society of
Jesuits in the Philippines.
- The influence of the aforementioned
event in his dedication of the El
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 RIZAL 100
LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
Filibusterismo to the memory of
Gomburza.
Preparations for Formal Schooling
- Rizal’s first teacher was his mother.
Owing to her patience,
conscientiousness, and
understanding, the young Rizal at the
age of three was able to learn the
alphabet and prayers. Eventually,
Doña Teodora discovered that Rizal
had an aptitude in poetry.
- To develop this talent, Doña Teodora
encouraged him to write verses. Later
on, Rizal’s mother realized that he
needed a private tutor who shall
teach him at home.
- His first private tutor was Maestro
Celestino, followed by Maestro Lucas
Padua (Zaide & Zaide, 1999). The third
tutor, however, was Leon Monroy, a
former classmate of his father. It was
from Leon Monroy where Rizal’s skill
in reading, writing, and the
rudiments of Latin were honed.
- Rizal, just like other children from the
principalia class, was trained to
become a middle-class intellectual or
ilustrado (Guerrero. 1998).
- First, he was subjected to education
under private tutors. Then, he was
sent to a private secondary school
and went to a university for a college
degree and completed studies in
Europe.
- His trainings as an ilustrado could
explain why Rizal did not have any
real social consciousness. As he grew
up detached from the people, he did
not understand their needs and
aspirations at the very start.
March 7, 2022
RIZAL’S EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES
- CALAMBA AND BIÑAN
- ATENEO MUNICIPAL
- UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
JOURNEY TO HIS EARLY EDUCATION
- Maestro Celestino - Rizal’s first tutor
- Maestro Lucas Padua - second tutor
- Leon Monroy - a former classmate of
Rizal’s father, he lived at the Rizal
home and instructed Jose in Spanish
and Latin. Unfortunately, he did not
live long. He died five months later
- June 1869 - at the age of eight, Rizal
needed to leave his family to study in
Biñan.
THE FIRST DAY TO BIÑAN
- Maestro Justiniano Cruz - he had the
reward and punishment as his method
of teaching; he used corporal
punishment to inculcate discipline to
his students.
- Pedro - he was challenged by
Rizal to a fight
- Juancho - Rizal’s teacher in
painting
RETURN TO CALAMBA
- December 1870 - he received a letter
from his sister Saturnina advising him
to ride the steamer Talim that would
bring him back to Calamba.
- December 17, 1870 ; 1:00 in the
afternoon, Saturday - he reached his
home at Calamba
FORMAL SEARCH FOR KNOWLEDGE AT
ATENEO MUNICIPAL
- Rizal entered Ateneo Municipal when
he was 11 years old, four months after
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Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
the execution of Gomburza and Doña
Teodora still In Prison.
- His father decided not to send him at
the Colegio de San Jose because of
the unhappy experience his brother
Paciano had in the said school.
- His father wanted to send Rizal to
Colegio de San Juan de Letran but
later decided to have him enrolled at
Ateneo Municipal formerly known as
Escuela Pia.
ATENEO
- Rizal took the entrance examination at
the Colegio de San Juan de Letran on
June 10, 1872.
- After passing the qualifying
examination, Rizal sought admission
at the Ateneo Municipal.
ENROLLMENT AT ATENEO
- Father Magin Fernando - the college
registrar, was at first very firm in
denying Rizal admission.
- Rizal was refused to be admitted in
this institution for two reasons: late
registrant and frail and undersized for
his age.
- Due to the intervention of Manuel
Burgos, the college registrar finally
admitted the young Jose.
- Jose adopted the surname Rizal at the
Ateneo because their family name
Mercado had come under suspicion of
the Spanish authorities.
- Ateneo was located in Intramuros,
Manila. He boarded in a house on
Caraballo St., 25 mins. walk from the
campus. The boarding house was
owned by Titay, who owed Rizal
family P300. Jose boarded there to
collect part of the debt.
THE ATENEAN SYSTEM OF EDUCATION
- Jesuits trained the character of every
student through rigid discipline and
religious instruction. Students were
required to hear masses in the
morning before the start of the
classes. Classes were usually began
and ended with prayers.
- Atenean teachers enforced a program
of dividing class into two competing
empires: the Romans and the
Carthaginians.
- Roman Empire were the boarding
students at Ateneo and the
Carthaginian Empire were
non-boarding students.
- The class was divided into two groups:
- Carthaginian (non-boarder of
Ateneo)
- Roman (boarder inside
Ateneo)
- The best student: Emperor
- The second best student:
Tribune
- The third best student:
Decurion
- The fourth best student:
Centurion
- The fifth best student:
Standard Bearer
- Within the empire, the
students fought for these
positions by challenging the
ones holding the ranks to
answer questions based on
the day’s lesson.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AT ATENEO
- RIZAL’S FIRST YEAR
- Rizal’s first professor in
Ateneo was Fr. Jose Bech.
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Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
- Rizal was placed at the
bottom of the class since he
was a newcomer and knows
little Spanish.
- He was an externo
(Carthaginian), occupying the
end of the line. But at the end
of the month, he become
emperor of his Empire.
- He was the brightest student
in the whole class, and he was
awarded a prize, a religious
prize.
- Rizal took private lessons in
Santa Isabel College during
noon recess to improve his
Spanish language, paying
three pesos for those extra
lessons.
- Rizal didn’t enjoy his summer
vacation because his mother
was in prison so Neneng
(Saturnina) brought him to
Tanauan.
- But without telling his father,
he went to Santa Cruz to visit
his mother in prison. He told
her of his brilliant grades.
- After summer, he returned to
Manila and now boarded
Intramuros at No. 6
Magallanes St.
- RIZAL’S SECOND YEAR
- At the end of the school year,
Rizal received excellent grades
in all subjects and a gold
medal.
- The Count of Monte Cristo by
ALexander Dumas - the first
favorite novel of Rizal which
made a deep impression on
him.
- Universal History by Cesar
Cantu - Rizal persuaded his
father to buy him this set of
historical work that was a
great aid in his studies.
- RIZAL’S THIRD YEAR
- Rizal grades remained
excellent in all subjects but he
won only one medal - in Latin.
- At the end of the school year,
Rizal returned to Calamba for
the summer vacation. He
himself was not impressed by
his scholastic work.
- RIZAL’S FOURTH YEAR
- June 16, 1875 - Rizal became
an interno in Ateneo.
- Fr. Francisco de Paula
Sanchez - a great educator
and scholar, one of Rizal’s
professors who inspired him
to study harder and to write
poetry.
- Rizal topped all his classmates
in all subjects and won five
medals at the end of the
school term.
- RIZAL’S LAST YEAR
- Rizal - the most brilliant
Atenean of his time, and was
truly the pride of the Jesuits.
- Graduated With Highest
Honor.
- March 23, 1877 - Rizal
received from his Alma Mater,
Ateneo Municipal, the degree
of Bachelor of Arts, with
highest honors.
- Rizal’s academic triumph at Ateneo
can be attributed to three factors,
namely: racial pride, monastic
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Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
discipline and seclusion of school
boarding life.
- He exerted extraordinary efforts to
prove to his Spanish classmates that
the Filipino students can compete
with them academically.
- The monastic discipline of
competition inside the classroom
triggered in him the motivation to
outdo his classmates.
- Owing to the seclusion of his
boarding school life, he was able to
devote more time to his studies.
EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AT ATENEO
- He became a member of and
eventually an officer in religious
confraternities at Ateneo - Sodality of
Our Lady; and Apostleship of Prayer.
- He also joined the Academy of
Spanish Literature and Academy of
Natural Sciences.
- Rizal took painting lessons under
Agustin Saez, and sculpture lessons
under Romualdo de Jesus.
- As a result of the talent he had in fine
arts, Rizal was able to carve the image
of Virgin Mary and the Sacred Heart
of Jesus.
- He also sustained the physical fitness
training started under his Tio Manuel.
LITERARY WORKS AT ATENEO
- The first poem he wrote as a student
was entitled Mi Primera Inspiracion
(My First Inspiration). This poem was
dedicated by Rizal to his mother on
the occasion of the latter’s natal day.
- Un Recuerdo de Mi Pueblo (In
Memory of My Town) - this poem was
his way of paying homage to his
birthplace, Calamba.
- Al Niño Jesus (To the Child Jesus) -
written by Rizal during his student
days, when he was 14 years old. This
poem was his expression of his
devotion to Catholicism.
- Through Education The Country
Receives Light - Rizal compared
education to a lighthouse, considering
that it can guide people in their
behaviors and actions.
- The Intimate Alliance Between
Religion and Good Education - Rizal
stressed the importance of religion to
education. For Rizal, education not
centered on God cannot be
considered true education.
RIZAL’S HIGHER EDUCATION
- UST
- Rizal’s completion of the
Bachiller en Artes at Ateneo
Municipal entitled him for an
admission to higher studies at
a university.
- Although Doña Teodora was
opposed to Rizal’s pursuit of
higher education for fear of
what might happen to him
due to the martyrdom of
Gomburza, Don Francisco
decided to send him to UST.
ENROLLMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SANTO
TOMAS
- At first, Rizal was not certain of what
course to pursue after graduating with
honors at Ateneo. His former Jesuit
mentors were suggesting that Rizal
should take either priesthood or
farming.
- Rizal considered going into literature,
law or medicine.
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- His brother Paciano discouraged him
to pursue law, owing to his belief that
Rizal will not be able to practice the
profession later due to the political
conditions in the country during those
times.
- Uncertain of what course to take up,
the sixteen-year-old Rizal enrolled the
course Philosophy and Letters, during
his freshman year at UST.
- In the first place, the said course was
what his father wanted him to
pursue. Secondly, his decision to
enroll in the said academic program
could also be attributed to his failure
to solicit the advice of Father Ramon
Pablo.
- After his freshman year, Rizal shifted
his course from Philosophy and
Letters to Medicine. This was brought
by these factors:
- He was advised by Father Ramon to
pursue the course. Owing to his
mother’s failing eyesight, Rizal felt
that he should finish medicine so that
he could cure his mother’s physical
ailment.
- His decision was prompted by his
desire to:
- Cure his mother’s failing
eyesight
- Fr. Roman wrote back advising
Jose to take up medicine
- Highly in demand course
- Rizal entered a very different world in
UST as a student
- Rizal spent his time studying. He
returned to Ateneo to take up a land
surveying course which was then a
vocational course.
- He completed the surveyor’s course
and was awarded the title of perito
leonoragrimensor.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AT UST
- Rizal’s academic performance at UST
was not comparable with how he
fared in Ateneo.
- His unhappiness at UST can be traced
to three factors, namely: the hostility
of Dominican professors to Rizal;
racial discrimination against Filipino
students; and obsolete and repressive
method of instruction at UST.
- From Rizal’s scholastic records, it was
obvious that he was not a good
material for a medical course. His
grades in most of his medical subjects
were generally average, indicating
that medicine was not his real
vocation but in the arts.
- Rizal’s unsatisfactory performance can
be attributed to the exciting
distractions of youth he experienced
as a student in Manila. Rizal became
fascinated with women during his
student days at UST.
- At first, he became infatuated with
Segundina / Segunda Katigbak of
Batangas, whom he visited often in
her boarding house frequently.
- In fact, there is a time that he was
courting Leonor “Orang” Valenzuela
and Leonor Rivera. After learning that
Orang was already engaged with
another man, Rizal concentrated his
efforts on Leonor Rivera.
LIBERALISM AND FILIPINO STUDENTS AT UST
- The influx of liberal ideas can be
attributed to the opening of the Suez
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Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
Canal, and the opening of the
Philippines to world trade.
- Filipino students in Manila came to be
affected by the entry of these liberal
ideas in the country.
- They desired to understand and
explain everything (Guerrero,1998).
- This stemmed from their exposure to
three important revolutions of the
19th century in the country:
revolution of the senses against the
other worldliness of monasticism;
revolution of human reason against
the comforting certitudes of the
catechism; and revolution of race and
nation against inequality and
subjection.
- To encourage the production of
literary works in Manila, the Liceo
Artistico Literario de Manila, an
organization of art lovers in the city,
conducted regular competition in
literary writing.
- Rizal joined the contests. His entries,
A La Juventud Filipina (To The Filipino
Youth) and El Consejo de los Dioses
(The Council of the Gods) were
adjudged as the best entry in the said
competition.
IMPORTANT LITERARY WORKS AS A
UNIVERSITY STUDENT
- A LA JUVENTUD FILIPINA (TO THE
FILIPINO YOUTH) - a classic in
Philippine literature for two reasons.
First, it was the great poem in Spanish
written by a Filipino, recognized by
the Spanish authorities. Second, it
was the first expression of the
nationalistic concept that the Filipinos
were the fair hope of the
motherland.
- Another important point that
Rizal stressed in the poem
relates to the role of the
youth in nation building. From
the poem, he called the
youth, The Fair Hope of the
Motherland.
- Rizal challenged the youth of
his day to do three things: to
cultivate their talents in the
arts; to develop their
knowledge of the sciences;
and to look forward and break
their chain of bondage.
- EL CONSEJO DE LOS DIOSES (THE
COUNCIL OF THE GODS) - it was an
allegory in praise of Cervantes as
aco-equal of Homer and Virgil. The
entry was judged the best entry in the
competition that year. The jury,
however, upon discovering that its
author was a Filipino decided to
confer the grand prize to a Spaniard.
- JUNTO AL PASIG (BESIDE THE PASIG) -
it was a play written by Rizal at the
request of the Jesuits and was staged
at Ateneo, inconnection with the
celebration of the Feast Day of
Immaculate Conception.
- A FILIPINAS - a sonnet was written by
Rizal in 1880 not only to praise the
Philippines for its beauty but to
encourage Filipino artists to glorify
the country through their art works.
- Rizal joined the competition to prove
one thing - that the Filipinos can
equal and even surpass the Spaniards
in literary prowess.
STUDENT ACTIVISM AT UST
- In order to show their Spanish
detractors that Filipino students were
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Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
united, Rizal organized a secret society
of Filipino students. Thissociety came
to be called Compañerismo. The
members called themselves
Companions of Jehu. Rizal naturally
became the president of this secret
society, with Galicano Apacible as
secretary.
- He criticized the humiliating
treatment of brown Filipino students,
who were often insulted by their
Dominican mentors.
- He also condemned the archaic/old
method of instruction at UST.
- He described comically the teaching
of Physics devoid of laboratory
experiments. Students could not even
touch the different laboratory
apparatus and equipment.
- Moreover, favoritism and skin color,
not meritocracy and intellectual
brilliance, were the criteria for judging
the actual academic performance of
students.
FIRST TASTE OF SPANISH BRUTALITY
- Rizal had his first taste of Spanish
brutality during his first summer
vacation at Calamba after his
freshman year at UST. While he was
walking in the street, he failed to see
the man passing by owing to the
darkness of the night. Because he
wasn't able to recognize the man,
who happened to be lieutenant of the
Guardia Civil, Rizal did not bother to
salute or greet him Buenas noches.
Since, the lieutenant was expecting
that he be treated with respect, and
courtesy by everybody in the town,
what he did was to whip out his sword
and slashed it at Rizal’s back.
- Rizal was wounded. He sent a written
complaint to Governor-General Primo
de Rivera about the incident. Nothing
positive came out from his complaint,
considering that he was an Indio.
- This incident left a deep impression
on Rizal.
- Cognizant of his dignity, and of his
ability to compete with Spaniard on
equal terms, he found that as an
Indio, he was not accorded equality
2with a Spaniard before the bar
justice.
DECISION TO GO TO EUROPE
- After completing his fourth year in the
medical course, Rizal decided to leave
the country for Europe. While
obviously, Rizal was to leave the
country to complete his medical
course in Barcelona, Spain, this is not
the real reason for his sudden
departure.
- There were hidden purposes for his
voyage to a new world. It can be
inferred from Paciano’s letter to Rizal
that the following ethereal purposes
of Rizal’s voyage to Europe: to make a
name for himself in the realm of
journalism; to observe and study
European society; and to prepare
himself for the task of liberating the
Filipinos from Spanish tyranny.
March 14, 2022
RIZAL’S EDUCATION AND LIFE ABROAD
EDUCATION AND LIFE IN EUROPE
(...)
TRAVEL FOR SPAIN
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LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
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- May 1, 1882 - Rizal began writing
farewell letters to his friends and
family.
- Paciano gave him money for
his allowance
- Saturtina gave him a diamond
ring
- May 3, 1882 - Rizal left on Board the
Spanish steamer Salvadora bound for
Singapore using a passport of Jose
Mercado.
- May 9, 1882 - SS Salvadora docked in
SIngapore and stayed in Hotel dela
Paz for two days.
- In Singapore, Rizal transferred
to another ship, Djemnah, a
French steamer, which left
Singapore for Europe on May
11, 1882.
FROM SINGAPORE TO COLOMBO, SRI LANKA
- May 11, 1882 - From SIngapore, he
bound for Djemnah, a French steamer
bound for Europe.
- May 17, 1882 - Djemnah made its
stop over at the Point Galle.
- Rizal noted, “Point Galle, a
seacoast town which is
picturesque but lonely, quiet
and sad.”
- May 18, 1882 - Djemnah docked at
Colombo
- Rizal said, “COlombo is more
beautiful, smart and elegant
than Singapore, Point Galle
and Manila.”
TRIP THROUGH SUEZ CANAL
- MAy 27, 1882 - He landed at Aden,
Yemen at about 8:30 am. He made an
observation at that time.
- Aden is a city hotter than
Manila. Rizal was amused to
see the camels for the first
time.
- June 2, 1882 - He arrived at the Suez
Canal enroute to Marseilles. Rizal was
impressed by the beautiful moonlight
which reminded him of Calamba and
his family.
- June 11, 1882 - Rizal disembarked and
accompanied by a guide, went around
the City of Naples for one hour. This
was the first European ground he set
foot on.
- Rizal was pleased with this
Italian City because of its
business activity, its lively
people and its panoramic
beauty.
- June 12, 1882 - At 10 o’clock in the
evening, the boat anchored at
Marseilles. He slept on board.
- Rizal visited the famous
Chateau d’if, where Dantes,
hero of the Count of Monte
Cristo was imprisoned.Rizal
stayed two and a half days in
Marseilles.
- June 16, 1882 - at 12:00 pm, Rizal
arrived at Barcelona and boarded in
the Fonda de España. Rizal’s first
impression of Barcelona, the greatest
city of Cataluña and Spain’s second
largest city was unfavorable.
- Later, he came to like
Barcelona due to the
prevalence of freedom and
liberalism in the city and the
good qualities demonstrated
by its residents'
open-heartedness, hospitality,
and courage.
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Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
LIFE IN BARCELONA
- He wrote an essay entitled “Amor
Patrio” (Love of Country)
- His next article was entitled “Los
Viajes”(Travels) and followed by
“Revista de Madrid (Review Of
Madrid) but the latter was returned
because the publication was ceased
because of lack of funds.
- August 20, 1882 – His article “Amor
Patrio” was published in Diariong
Tagalog, a Manila newspaper edited
by Basilio Teodoro. This was his first
article he wrote abroad.
- Amor Patrio (Love of Country) –
nationalistic essay, Rizal’s first article
written on Spain’s soil. Under his
pen-name Laong Laan. It was
published in two texts– Spanish and
Tagalog.
- The Spanish text was the one
originally written by Rizal in
Barcelona, the Tagalog text was a
Tagalog translation made by Marcelo
H. del Pilar.
- Amor Patrio - Rizal’s first nationalistic
essay where he urged the Filipinos to
love their motherland.
- For Rizal, loving one’s country was the
greatest, most heroic sublime or
disinterested sentiment a person
could have.
- For the first time, he used the term
Tierra Extranjera (Foreign Land) in
referring to Spain.
LIFE IN MADRID
- September 2, 1882 - Rizal moved
heading to Madrid in order to
continue his medical studies.
- November 3, 1882 – Rizal enrolled at
the Universidad Central de Madrid in
two courses – Medicine and
Philosophy and Letters
- Academy of Fine Arts of San
Fernando - Rizal studied painting and
sculpture.
- He took lessons in French, German
and English under private instructors
- He practiced fencing and shooting at
the Hall of Arms in Sanz y Carbonell.
- Rizal joined the Circulo-Hispano
Filipino. It is an association formed by
Filipino students in Spain composed of
both Filipinos and Spaniards.
- Mi Piden Versos (They Ask Me for
Verses) – upon the request of the
members of this society, Rizal wrote
this poem which he personally
declaimed during the New Year’s Eve
reception held in the evening of
December 31, 1882.
- March 1883 – He joined the Masonic
Lodge called Acacia. His reason for
was to secure Freemasonry’s aid in his
fight for the Philippines.
- November 1883 – He transferred to
Lodge Solidaridad, where he become
a Master Mason.
- He was overwhelmed by their
progressive ideas on government,
politics, and religion.
- Thus, he joined the Masonry for the
following probable reasons: the
abuses committed by the friars
against the Filipinos; his association
with many mason; and the possible
assistance the masons can extend
him in his struggle against Spanish
tyranny and oppression.
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LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
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- June 1884 – Rizal finished his medical - Dr. Louis de Wecker – the
education. He was conferred the leading French
degree of Licentiate in Medicine. Ophthalmologist during this
- The next year, he passed all his period. He is the leading
subjects leading to Doctors of authority among the oculists
Medicine but was only able to get his of France, who found Rizal
Doctor’s Diploma in 1887 for he such a competent student and
wasn’t able to pay corresponding fees. make him as his clinical
- June 1885 – Rizal was awarded the assistant.
degree of Licentiate in Philosophy - From Dr. de Wecker, Rizal
and Letters by the Universidad learned the following:
Central de Madrid with the rating of - the actual
Excellent (Sobresaliente) performance of eye
- RIZAL’S TOAST TO LUNA AND operation;
HIDALGO - recent studies on the
- While Rizal was in Madrid, a very ailment of the eyes;
heartening news made the Filipino and
expatriates rejoice. - the various
- Juan Luna and Felix R. Hidalgo techniques of eye
emerged winners in the 1884 Madrid operation.
Exposition. - During his free time, he
- Luna was awarded a gold medal for visited his fellow
his painting, the Spoliarium; while countrymen–Pardo de Taveras
Hidalgo, a silver medal for his entry. (Trinidad, Felix and Paz) and
Christian Virgins exposed to the Juan Luna.
Populace. - Rizal posted in Luna’s canvas
- A banquet was tendered in honor of like, “The Blood Compact” in
these two Filipino artists at The Café which he posed as Sikatuna
Ingles on June 25, 1884, with Rizal and Trinidad as Legazpi. He
delivering the keynote speech. also posed for a group picture
- The speech of salute Rizal delivered called “The Death of
during the occasion came to be called Cleopatra” wherein he
Brindis. dressed as an Egyptian priest.
- HEIDELBERG
PARIS TO BERLIN - February 1, 1886 – he left
- Rizal went to Paris and Germany in Paris to Germany and arrived
order to specialize in Ophthalmology on February 3, 1886 in
– Rizal chose this branch of medicine Heidelberg – a historic city in
because he wanted to cure his Germany, famous for its old
mother’s eye ailment. university and romantic
- PARIS surroundings.

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LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
- Dr. Otto Becker –
distinguished German
Ophthalmologist where Rizal
worked–University Eye
Hospital It was at this
university town where Rizal
perfected the techniques of
diagnosing eye ailments,
which he learned under Dr.
Otto Becker.
- BERLIN
- November 1886 – Rizal
arrived in Berlin. He was
enchanted by the scientific
atmosphere and the absence
of racial prejudice in Berlin.
- Rizal met Dr. Feodor Jagor,
great scientist and author of
“Travels in the Philippines”,
one of the books Rizal
admired during his student
days.
- He also met Dr. Rudolf
Virchow known to be the
Father of Modern Pathology.
RIZAL’S REASONS IN STAYING IN STAYING IN
BERLIN:
1. To gain further knowledge in
Opthamology;
2. To improve further his studies of
sciences and languages;
3. To observe the economic and political
conditions of the German nation;
4. To associate with famous German
Scientists And Scholars;
5. To publish his novel, Noli Me Tangere.
BERLIN
- November 1886 – one of Rizal’s
important letters written while he was
in Germany that addressed to his
sister, Trinidad.
- In his letter, Rizal expressed his high
regard and admiration for German
womanhood.
- The German woman, said Rizal to his
sister, is serious, diligent, educated
and friendly. She is not gossipy,
frivolous and quarrelsome.
- The said letter, likewise, shows Rizal’s
concern about the training of his
sisters so that they can be able to
emulate the virtues of German
women.
- Noli Me Tangere (published in Berlin,
1887)
- The bleak winter of 1886 in Berlin was
Rizal's Darkest Winter because no
money arrived from Calamba and he
was flat broke. The diamond ring
which his sister, Saturnina, gave him
was in the pawnshop.
- It was memorable in the life of Rizal
for two reasons: (1) it was a painful
episode for he was hungry, sick and
despondent in a strange city; (2) it
brought him great joy after enduring
so much sufferings, because his first
novel, Noli Me Tangere came off the
press in March, 1887.
- Uncle Toms Cabin by Harriet Beecher
Stowe – inspired Dr. Rizal to prepare a
novel that would depict the miseries
of his people under the lashof Spanish
Tyrants.
- Maximo Viola – friend from Bulacan
arrived in Berlin at the height of Rizal
despondency and learned the needed
funds to publish the novel; savior of
Noli.
- February 21, 1887 – the Noli was
finally finished and ready for printing
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 RIZAL 100
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Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
- Berliner
Buchdruckerei-Action-Gesellschaft –
a printing shop which charged the
lowest rate, that is, 300 pesos for
2,000 copies of the novel.
- March 21, 1887 – the Noli Me Tangere
came off the press.
- The title Noli Me Tangere is a Latin
phrase which means “Touch Me Not.”
It is not originally conceived by Rizal,
for he admitted taking it from the
Bible. (St. John 20: 13 – 17)
GRAND TOUR WITH VIOLA
- DRESDEN
- May 11, 1887 – Rizal and
Viola left Berlin by train going
to Dresden, one of the best
cities in Germany.
- They visited Dr. Adolph B.
Meyer, who was very happy
seeing them and they met Dr.
Feodor Jagor.
- Prometheus Bound – a
painting wherein Rizal was
deeply impressed.
- Teschen (now Decin,
Czechoslovakia) – next stop
over after leaving Dresde
- LEITMERITZ
- At 1:30 pm of May 13, 1887 –
the train, with Rizal and Viola
on board, arrived at the
railroad station of Leitmeritz,
Bohemia for the first time, the
two great scholars – Rizal and
Blumentritt – met in person.
- Professor Ferdinand
Blumentritt – a kind-hearted,
old Austrian professor
- VIENNA
-
May 20, 1887 – Rizal and
Viola arrived in the beautiful
city of Vienna, capital of
Austria – Hungary.
- Vienna was truly the “Queen
of Danube” because of its
beautiful building, religious
images, haunting waltzes and
majestic charm.
- What impressed him most
were the archaic villages on
the riversides, which were
serene and peaceful.
- RHEINFALL
- The Cathedral of Ulm - the
largest and tallest Cathedral in
Germany.
- Rizal and Viola climbed its
many hundred steps.
According to Viola, he rested
twice on the way to the tower
to catch his breath, while Rizal
ascended continuously until
he reached the top.
- From Ulm, they went to
Stuttgart, Baden and then
Rheinfall.
- At Rheinfall, they saw the
waterfall, “the most beautiful
waterfall in Europe.
- CROSSING THE FRONTIER TO
SWITZERLAND
- June 2 to 3, 1887 – stayed at
Schaffhausen, Switzerland
- GENEVA
- The Swiss City is one of the
most beautiful cities in
Europe, visited by world
tourists every year.
- Meanwhile, the two spent
some afternoon on boating at
Leman Lake.
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 RIZAL 100
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- June 19, 1887 – Rizal treated
Viola to a blow-out. It was his
26th birthday. Rizal and Viola
spent fifteen delighted days in
Geneva.
- June 23, 1887 – Viola and
Rizal parted ways – Viola
returned to Barcelona while
Rizal continued the tour to
Italy.
- Viola and Rizal parted ways –
Viola returned to Barcelona
while Rizal continued the
tour to Italy.
- Exposition of the Philippines
in Madrid, Spain – Rizal was
outraged by this degradation
of his fellow countrymen, the
Igorots of Northern Luzon
RIZAL IN ITALY
- June 27, 1887 – Rizal reached Rome,
the “Eternal City” and also called the
“City of the Caesars.” Rizal was
thrilled by the sights and memories of
the Eternal City.
- Describing to Blumentritt, the
“grandeur that was Rome, ” he wrote
on June 27, 1887.
- June 29, 1887 – the Feast Day of St.
Peter and St. Paul, Rizal visited for the
first time the Vatican, the “City of the
Popes” and the capital of
Christendom.
- Every night after sightseeing the
whole day, Rizal returned to his hotel,
very tired. “I am tired as dog, but I
will sleep as a god” he wrote to
Blumentritt.
- After a week of wonderful sojourn in
Rome, Rizal prepared to return to the
Philippines. He had already written to
his father that he was coming home
March 30, 2022
RIZAL’S EXILE, TRIAL AND EXECUTION
RIZAL’S LIFE BEFORE HIS EXILE TO DAPITAN
- Dimasalang was the pen name used
by Rizal when he joined Freemasonry.
- On his first homecoming, he
stayed in the Philippines for
only six months.
- Rizal had to leave the Philippines
because he had already been a
marked man for the friars.
- He was forced to leave the
Philippines for the second
time.
- After he left the Philippines, he went
to Hong Kong, Japan, USA, en route
to Europe for the second time.
- After publishing his sequel to
the Noli, and that is the El
Filibusterismo, Rizal left
Europe for Hong Kong.
- Before proceeding to Hong
Kong, Rizal took time to
inform Marcelo H. del Pilar of
his retirement from the
reform movement to
preserve the unity of his
fellow Filipinos in Spain.
- In Hong Kong, Rizal was
planning of his Borneo
Colonization Project, and laid
down the basis of the La Liga
Filipina or the Philippine
League, which he would
establish in the Philippines
upon his return.
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LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
- He drafted the constitution of
the La Liga Filipina, with the
assistance of Jose Ma. Basa.
- His decision to return to the
country was opposed by his
parents and friends because
of their fear of the negative
consequence it can bring
about for Rizal.
- Despite the advices given to him, Rizal
was determined to be back in the
Philippines. Before leaving Hong Kong,
he celebrated his 31st birthday with
some of his friends and wrote two
letters.
- His first letter was addressed
to his family, and the second,
to his countrymen, with the
instruction that these letters
should be opened and
published after his death.
- Rizal and his sister Lucia arrived in
Manila on June 26, 1892. After going
through the routine inspection of
their luggage, the two were allowed
to land.
- July 3, 1892 - Rizal founded the La Liga
Filipina in the home of Doroteo
Ongjunco.
- Elected president was Ambrosio
Salvador. The other officers were:
Agustin dela Rosa, fiscal; Bonifacio
Arevalo, treasurer; and Deodato
Arellano, secretary.
- Three days after the founding of the
La Liga Filipina, Gov. Gen. Eulogio
Despujol ordered the arrest and
incarceration of Rizal at Fort Santiago.
- July 7, 1892 - Gov. Gen Despujol
released his gubernatorial decree of
1892 ordering the deportation of
Rizal to Dapitan.
- His deportation was based on the
following charges against him (Capino
et al, 1878):
- Publication and introduction
of various anti-monastic
books and handbills;
- Travelling through different
provinces without permit
from the Governor-General;
- Finding in his luggage the
pamphlets Pobres Frailes or
Poor Friars which mocked the
religious orders;
- Dedication of the El
Filibusterismo to the memory
of Gomburza; and
- Rizal’s attempts at
de-Catholicizing and
denationalizing the Filipino
people.
- Without due process, Despujol
rendered his verdict on Rizal.
- Rizal was detained in Fort
Santiago for 9 days
- July 15, 1892 - he left Manila for
Dapitan, where he would be spending
the next four years of his life.
- With his deportation to
Dapitan, the Liga died its
natural death.
- It splits into two branches: the
rightist, which came to be
called Cuerpo de
Compromisarios; and the
leftists, which later on came
to be known as the Katipunan
or KKK (Agoncillo, 1990).
Rizal’s Exile in Dapitan
- July 17, 1892 - Rizal, together with his
guard captain Ricardo Carcinero,
arrived in Dapitan
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 RIZAL 100
LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
- Rizal was given the choice to live in
the house of the parish priest, Father
Antonio Obach or at Carcinero’s house
- He could live in the priest’s quarters
only if:
- He publicly retracted his
Masonic and antichurch
beliefs
- He regularly participate in
church rites
- He conduct himself as a good
Spanish subject and a man of
religion
- Rizal made him a bust and composed
a poem in his honor A Don Ricardo
Carcinero on his birthday on August
26, 1892
Life in Talisay
- Both men betted on the lottery and
won 20,000 pesos
- Lottery Ticket Number : 9736
- He used his money to build an
octagonal house made up of bamboo
and nipa in Talisay
- Rizal built a school and accepted
students with no tuition
- The other part was used for his eye
clinic
- He also built a house for the ladies in
his family who were free to visit him
in Dapitan
- Carciner also wrote a letter to
Governor General to allow his mother
and sisters to join him in Dapitan
May 4 , 1893
- Carcinero was replaced by Captain
Juan Sitges
- He did not want living with a deportee
- He assigned Rizal to live in a house
near the headquarters
- The Jesuits sent its old professor at
the Ateneo, Father Francisco de Paula
Sanches - to entice him back to the
church
- He helped clean up the plaza of
Dapitan and lit up at night with
coconut oil lamps
- Rizal fell in love with the
eighteen-year old Josephine Bracken
- Rizal and Josephine tried to have
themselves married in Catholic rites
but Fr. Obach required that Rizal
retract his beliefs
- Rizal’s relatives and friends looked at
Josephine with suspicion and
condescension
- Pablo Mercado - a spy of the friars
who posed as Rizal’s relative
(Florencio Namaan - his true name)
- Pio Valenzuela - an emissary of
Andres Bonifacio
- He was asking for advice on
how to launch a revolution
- He offered to have the
Katipunan assist him in
escaping from Dapitan
- Rizal objected to the projected Revolution,
the revolutionaries must have enough arms
and weapons
The End of the Dapitan Exile
- When Rizal heard the news that Spain
is need of physicians who could serve
in Cuba, which was then fighting for
its independence, Rizal volunteered in
1895
- Governor General Ramon Blanco - he
approved the request in Rizal on July
31, 1896
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 RIZAL 100
LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
- At the midnight of that day, he left
abroad the streamer España
- The townspeople of Dapitan wept
because they considered Rizal as a
good son and neighbor
- August 6, 1896 - upon arriving in
Manila Bay, Rizal was not able to leave
immediately for Spain since the vessel
Isla de Luzon already left
- He was transferred to Spanish cruiser
Castilla and stayed there for a month
from August 6 to September 2, 1896
- August 19, 1896 - the Katipunan plot
to overthrow the Spanish rule by
means of revolution, it was discovered
by Fr. Mariano Gil after Teodoro
Patino’s disclosure of organization’s
secrets
- At that time, Katipunan was already
discovered and Philippine Revolution
was already raging
- In the afternoon, Governor General
Blanco proclaimed a state of war in
the first eight provinces for arising
arms against Spain
- Manila, Bulacan, Cavite,
Batangas, Laguna, Pampanga,
Neuva Ejica and Tarlac
- Rizal received letters from Governor
General Blanco which absolved him
from all the blame for the raging
revolution
- He transferred to Isla de Panay which
was sailing for Barcelona, Spain
- Don Pedro Roxas advised Rizal to stay
and take advantage of the protection
of British Law
ARREST AND TRIAL
- September 30 - the Isla de Panay had
already sailed past Port Said in Egypt
and was now sailing in the
Mediterranean
- A telegraphic message was received
ordering that Rizal be placed under
arrest
- Bernardino Nozaleda - Archbishop of
Manila who clamored for the arrest of
Rizal who was said to be the spirit of
Philippine Revolution
- October 3 - the Isla de Panay arrived
in Barcelona and Rizal was sent to a
prison-fortress, Montjuich Castle
- Rizal's interview with Despujol he
would be shipped back to Manila
- On the night of the same day, after
the interview, Rizal was taken aboard
the Colon which was loaded with
Spanish troops sailed for Manila
- Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor and Sixto
Lopez - they exerted all their efforts to
find a lawyer in Singapore who could
aid their friend.
- Attorney Hugh Fort - an English
lawyer in Singapore
- Unfortunately, Chief Justice Lionel,
the judge in Singapore, denied the
request.
- November 3, 1896 - the Colon arrived
in Manila Bay and Rizal was taken to
Fort Santiago.
- November 20, 1896 - Rizal was
brought before a Spanish military
tribunal headed by Colonel Francisco
Olive.
- FIfteen documents were used as
evidence against him.
- Oral testimonies were taken and were
used to implicate Rizal in the
Philippine Revolution.
- It was decided that there was prima
facie evidence against RIzal.
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 RIZAL 100
LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
- Governor General appointed Captain
Rafael Dominiquez to institute
charges against Rizal.
- Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade - the lawyer
of Jose Rizal and brother of his former
bodyguard Jose Taviel de Andrade.
- December 13 - the case was
forwarded to Governor General
Camilo de Polavieja - replacement of
Governor Blanco
- Rizal’s actual trial began on December
26, 1896 and it was held at the Hall of
Banners of the Cuartel de España in
Fort Santiago.
- Rizal was charged with three crimes:
rebellion, sedition, and formation of
illegal associations.
- In defending himself, Rizal presented
twelve arguments.
- The court judged RIzal guilty for the
charges and voted for the death
penalty.
- December 28, 1896 - Governor
General Polavieja signed Rizal’s death
warrant ordering him to be shot at
7:00 o’clock in the morning at
Bagumbayan.
- Rizal signed it saying he was innocent.
RIZAL’S FINAL DAYS
● Rizal was transferred to the prison
chapel
● Fr. Miguel Saderra Mata, Rector of
the Ateneo Municipal and Fr. Luis Viza
● Fr. Viza brought the image of the
Sacred Heart of Jesus
● Fr. Antonio Rosell - he ate breakfast
with Rizal
● Lt. Taviel de Andrade - also arrived
and Rizal thanked him for his gallant
services
● Fr. Balaguer - he remained with Rizal
around noon
● At the three o’clock in the afternoon,
Fr. Balaguer returned and tried to
persuade Rizal to retract his Masonic
beliefs but Rizal remained firm
● After he left, Rizal’s mother and sisters
arrived
● Rizal gave an alcohol stove to Trinidad
which was a gift from Pardo de Tavera
and whispered to her in English
“There is something inside"
● He also told her to look inside his
shoes after he is executed
● After his family left, Fathers Vilaclara
and Balaguer again arrived to
convince Rizal to retract
● By eight in the evening, Fr. Balaguer
returned with Fr. Viza and again
talked with Rizal on religious matters.
At this point, they were joined by
Fiscal Gaspar Castaño of the Royal
Audiencia
● At around 10:00, a draft of retraction
arrived from Archbishop Bernandino
Nozaleda
● Another draft of retraction was made
by Fr. Pio Pi- the superior of the Jesuit
Mission in the Philippines
● At 11:30, Rizal signed his retraction
from the Freemasonry and it was
witnessed by Juan del Fresno - the
Chief of the guard detail and the
Adjutant of the Plaza Elroy Moure
● After signing, Rizal had confession
with Fr. Vilaclara and rested
afterwards
● At 5:00 am, Rizal had his last
breakfast, autographed his remaining
books which became his last souvenirs
● Fr. Balaguer - he performed the
marriage rites of Rizal and Josephine
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 RIZAL 100
LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon

● Rizal gave a book to Josephine, his service to the Filipino people. This
Imitacion de Cristo by Thomas kind of leadership that he manifested
Kempis which he autographed can be gleaned from his writings and
● Afterwards, he wrote three farewell personal examples. Here lies his
letters: to Parents, Dr. Blumentritt excellence as an individual, a man
and Paciano with a purpose and conscience
● At around 6:30, Rizal was taken from
cell and the march to Bagumbayan
began –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
● A colonel took Rizal to the site of his FINALS
execution
● Rizal had requested the firing squad to
April 18, 2022
spare his head which was granted
THE SIGNIFICANT WOMEN IN RIZAL'S LIFE
● He also requested to be shot at his
● Jose Rizal’s Sisters (9)
front, but it was denied
○ Saturnina
● Dr. Felipe Ruiz Castillo took Rizal's
○ Narcisa
pulse and found that it was normal
○ Olimpia
● The commanding officer ordered his
○ Lucia
men to aim by means of his saber and
○ Maria
there was a simultaneous crack of
○ Concepcion
gunfire and Jose Rizal made one last
○ Josefa
effort to drop on his back with his face
○ Trinidad
facing the sun
○ Soledad
● The Spanish spectators shouted Viva
● It is the women, much more that the
España!
men, who shaped the character of
● The military band played Marcha de
our national hero.
Cadiz
● He had nine sisters who doted on him
● Rizal's body was secretly buried at
and did her best protect him from the
Paco Cemetery where later it was
nine women that Dr. JoseRizal once
traced by his sister
loved and loved passionately indeed.
● The remains of Rizal's were cleaned in
● Perhaps, the greatest influence on
Higino Mercado's house in Binondo
Rizal was his mother, DoñaTeodora
and were given to Doña Teodora
Alonso y Quintos (1827 - 1913) who
● His remains were laid to rest inside
wasapious, hard-working and
the Rizal monument in Luneta
business-minded lady of culture
● Rizal had died but he lives in the
well-educated in Colegio de Santa
hearts of the people, as a martyr to
Rosa. She was the mentor, counselor,
Filipino freedom (Capino et al. 1977).
critic spiritual adviser of the young
His leadership – being direct,
Jose.
enlightened, liberal, democratic,
● Saturnina (1850 - 1913)
progressive, compassionate and
peaceful – was the crowning glory of

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 RIZAL 100
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Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
○ the eldest child in the family.
She married Timoteo Hidalgo
of Tanauan, Batangas.
○ She was the disciplinarian.
○ She published Pascual
Poblete’s translation in
Tagalog Language of the Noli
Me Tangere in 1909
● Narcisa (1852 - 1939)
○ the third child in the family.
She married Antonio Lopez, a
teacher and musician from
Morong, Rizal
○ She was strict as to the
women Jose had eyes on.
○ Like a doting sister, Narcisa
was very close to Rizal and
could recite all of Rizal’s poem
from memory.
● Olympia (1855 - 1887)
○ the fourth child in the family.
She married Silvestre Ubaldo,
who was a telegraph operator
fromManila.
○ She died at 32, from
childbirth.
○ Her death saddened Rizal
because Olympia was very
close to him.
● Lucia (1857 - 1919)
○ the fifth child in the family.
She married Mariano
Herbosa, who was denied the
Christian burial because he
was the brother in-law of
Rizal.
○ She received the lamp where
the immortal poem Mi Ultimo
Adios was hidden.
○ Lucia ’s daughter, Delfina, was
the first wife of Gen. Salvador
Natividad who helped
Marcela Agoncillo to make the
first Philippine flag in Hong
Kong.
● Maria (1859 - 1945)
○ the sixth child in the family.
She married Daniel Faustino
Cruz of Biñan, Laguna.
○ She is the descendant of
Gemma Cruz Araneta who
was our first Miss
International.
● Concepcion (1862 - 1865)
○ the sixth sister of Rizal.
○ nicknamed: Concha
○ She did not live long to see
Rizal’s martyrdom.
○ She died early at the age of
three.
● Josefa (1865 - 1945)
○ the seventh sister of Rizal.
○ nicknamed: Panggoy
○ Despite suffering from
epilepsy, she joined and was
active member of the
Katipunan,
○ She, like Saturnina and
Narcisa were very protective
of Jose against the many girls
who were the objects of
Rizal’s affection
● Trinidad (1868 - 1951)
○ the eighth sister of Rizal.
○ nicknamed: Trining
○ Josefa and Trinidad were
together living.
○ Like Josefa, Trinidad also
became a member of the
Katipunan.
○ She died a spinster and was
the last to die among the
Mercado.
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 RIZAL 100
LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
○ Rizal’s elegy, Mi Ultimo Adios,
was in the safekeeping of
Trinidad.
● Soledad (1870 - 1929)
○ the youngest child in the
family.
○ nicknamed: Choleng
○ She married Pantaleon
Quintero.
○ She was a teacher and was
considered as the best
educated among the sisters of
Rizal.
THE NINE SIGNIFICANT WOMEN OF RIZAL:
● Women were attracted to Rizal
because of his intelligence, wit, charm
and charisma.
● Segunda Katigbak
○ Puppy love
○ Segunda was a friend to Jose’s
sister Olympia. Through
Olympia, Jose and Segunda
became intimately close
leading Jose to regularly visit
Segunda’s dormitory
○ Sadly, their relationship was
hopeless right from the very
start because Segunda was
already set to marry a
fellow-townsman in Batangas,
Manuel Luz. but that didn't
stop the lovers from seeing
each other. One day, Segunda
gave him an artificial white
rose. In exchange, he handed
the pencil sketch to Segunda
● Leonor Valenzuela
○ Leonor "Orang" Valenzuela.
Rizal's second object of
affection, is literally the
girl-next-door. They met when
Rizal was a sophomore
medical student at the
University of Santo Tomas.
○ During the courtship, Rizal
was said to have sent Leonor
private and secret love letters,
which he wrote using invisible
ink made with water and
salt–he was adept in
chemistry, too. To read the
letters, Orang had to heat the
letter over a candle or a lamp.
● Leonor Rivera - Taimis
○ Leonor Rivera, his sweetheart
for 11 years played the
greatest influence in keeping
him from falling in love with
other women during his
travel.
○ Unfortunately, Leonor's
mother disapproved of her
daughter's relationship with
Rizal. She hid from Leonor all
letters sent to her sweetheart.
Leonor believing that Rizal
had already forgotten her,
sadly consented her to marry
Englishman Henry Kipping,
her mother's choice .
○ Rivera died on August 28,
1893 shortly after giving birth
to her second child with
Kipping
● Consuelo Ortiga
○ Consuelo Ortiga y Rey, the
prettier of Don Pablo Ortiga's
daughters, fell in love with
him.
○ He dedicated to her A la
Senorita C.O. y R., which
became one of his best
poems. The Ortiga’s residence
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 RIZAL 100
LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
in Madrid was frequented by
Rizal and his compatriots.
○ He probably fell in love with
her and Consuelo apparently
asked him for romantic
verses. He suddenly backed
out before the relationship
turned into a serious
romance, because he wanted
to remain loyal to Leonor
Rivera and he did not want to
destroy his friendship with
Eduardo de Lete who was
madly in love with Consuelo.
● Seiko Usui - O Sei-San
○ O Sei San, a Japanese
samurai's daughter taught
Rizal the Japanese art of
painting known as su-mie. She
also helped Rizal improve his
knowledge of Japanese
language.
○ If Rizal was a man without a
patriotic mission, he would
have married this lovely and
intelligent woman and lived a
stable and happy life with her
in Japan because Spanish
legation there offered him a
lucrative job.
● Gertrude Beckett
○ While Rizal was in London, he
boarded in the house of the
Beckett family, within walking
distance of the British
Museum. Gertrude, a
blue-eyed and buxom girl was
the oldest of the three
Beckett daughters. She fell in
love with Rizal, Tottie helped
him in his painting and
sculpture. But Rizal suddenly
left London for Paris to avoid
Gertrude, who was seriously
in love with him Before
leaving London, he was able
to finish the group carving of
the Beckett sisters, He gave
the group carving to Gertrude
as a sign of their brief
relationship.
● Nellie Boustead
○ Rizal having lost Leonor
Rivera, entertained the
thought of courting other
ladies. While a guest of the
Boustead family at their
residence in the resort city of
Blarritz, he had befriended
the two pretty daughters of
his host, Eduardo Boustead.
Rizal used to fence with the
sisters at the studio of Juan
Luna.
○ Antonio Luna, Juan's brother
and also a frequent visitor of
the Bousteads, courted Nellie
but she was deeply infatuated
with Rizal. In a party held by
Filipinos in Madrid, a drunken
Antonio Luna uttered
unsavory remarks against
Nellie Boustead. This
prompted Rizal to challenge
Luna into a duel. Fortunately,
Luna apologized to Rizal, thus
averting tragedy for the
compatriots.
○ Their love affair unfortunately
did not end in marriage. It
failed because Rizal refused to
be converted to the
Protestant faith, as Nellie
demanded and Nellie's
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 RIZAL 100
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Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
mother did not like a
physician without enough
paying clientele to be a
son-in-law. The lovers,
however, parted as good
friends when Rizal left
Europe.
● Suzanne Jacoby
○ In 1890, Rizal moved to
Brussels because of the high
cost of living in Paris. In
Brussels, he lived in the
boarding house of the two
Jacoby sisters. In time, they
fell deeply in love with each
other. Suzanne cried when
Rizal left Brussels and wrote
him when he was in Madrid.
● Josephine Bracken
○ In the last days of February
1895, while still in Dapitan,
Rizal met an 18-year old
petite Irish giri, with bold blue
eyes, brown hair and a happy
disposition. She was
Josephine Bracken, the
adopted daughter of George
Taufer from Hong Kong, who
came to Dapitan to seek Rizal
for eye treatment. Rizal was
physically attracted to her
○ His loneliness and boredom
must have taken the measure
of him and what could be a
better diversion that to fall in
love again. But the Rizal
sisters suspected Josephine as
an agent of the friars and they
considered her as a threat to
Rita's security
○ Rizal asked Josephine to
marry him, but she was not
yet ready to make a decision
due to her responsibility to
the blind Taufer. Since Taufer's
blindness was untreatable, he
left for Hong Kong on March
1895. Josephine stayed with
Rizal's family in Manila. Upon
her return to Dapitan, Rizal
tried to arrange with Father
Antonio Obach for their
marriage. However, the priest
wanted a retraction as a
precondition before marrying
them. Rizal upon the advice of
his family and friends and
with Josephine's consent took
her as his wife even without
the Church blessings.
Josephine later give birth
prematurely to a stillborn
baby, a result of some
incidence, which might have
shocked or frightened her.
April 25, 2022
NOLI ME TANGERE: A DIAGNOSIS OF FILIPINO
SOCIETY & EL FILIBUSTERISMO: A
REVOLUTION THAT FAILED
Objectives:
● Students are able to:
○ Describe the suffering of Dr.
Jose Rizal while writing and
publishing his two novels.
○ Appraise Rizal’s relationship
with other Propagandists
52
 RIZAL 100
LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL
Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
NOLI ME TANGERE: A DIAGNOSIS OF FILIPINO
SOCIETY
A PROPOSAL ON WRITING A NOVEL ABOUT
THE PHILIPPINES
● During the course of Rizal’s stay in
several European cities, he noted that
Filipinos were practically unknown
nation (Guerrero, 1998).
● They were mistaken for Chinese in
Spain and Japanese in Paris. Thus,
during Paris Exposition of 1889, Rizal
encouraged his fellow expatriates to
call themselves Indios Bravos for
them to have a sense of national
identity.
● Realizing the need for the Filipinos
and the country to be known in
Europe, Rizal presented a proposal on
writing a novel about the Philippines
to the Circulo – Hispano Filipino on
January 2, 1884
● The members of the association
unanimously approved this proposal.
Unfortunately, however, the project
did not materialize because those
who were expected to collaborate
with Rizal did not write anything on
the subject.
● In addition to this, many of his fellow
expatriates were indifferent to the
project since they were more
interested to write about women.
● The project died a natural death to
the foregoing reasons.
● One year after, Pedro Paterno
published his novel entitled Ninay,
with its subtitle Costumbres Filipinas
(Philippine Customs).
● Rizal was very happy, considering that
his purpose was partly fulfilled.
● Inasmuch as Paterno’s novel delved
only on one particular aspect of
Filipino culture, Rizal became more
determined to write his own novel
about the Philippines.
IDEAS ON WRITING A NOVEL ABOUT THE
PHILIPPINES
● One of the ideas that provided Rizal
the motivation to write a novel about
the Philippines was Luna’s Spoliarium.
● For Rizal, Luna’s canvass conveyed the
plight of the vanquished and pathetic
suffering of the human race.
● Moreover, the Spoliarium was
perceived by Rizal as a reflection of
the spirit of the social, moral, and
political life of his time because it
clearly showed mankind under severe
ordeal, mankind unredeemed, and
reason and aspiration in an open
struggle with fanatism and injustice.
● This made Rizal write a novel
depicting the country to be redeemed
from bondage and repression.
● The Noli Me Tangere can, therefore,
be considered as Rizal’s Spoliarium.
● Another source of idea for writing a
novel about the Philippines was the
novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet
Beecher Stowe (Zaide & Zaide, 1999).
fect
● This novel portrayed the brutalities
committed by American slaveowners
against their Negro slaves.
● Owing to the beauty and literary style
of this novel, Rizal was able to fully
comprehend the pathetic conditions
of the Negro slaves.
● Just like Luna’s Spoliarium, this novel
provided Rizal the springboard to
write a novel portraying vividly the
53
 RIZAL 100
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Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
miseries of the Filipinos under the
oppressive rule of the Spanish tyrants.
● A third source of idea for a novel, Rizal
was then conceptualizing was the
anti-clerical novel authored by Eugene
Sue –The Wandering Jew (Quirino,
1940).
● This novel made a great impression
on Rizal.
● According to Quirino, the literary form
of the Wandering Jew could had
probably been used by Rizal as his
model to arouse the feeling against
the existing Philippine situation and,
at the same time, communicate to
the Filipinos the ideals he wanted
them to embrace.
THE WRITING OF THE NOLI ME TANGERE
● Rizal started writing the Noli Me
Tangere in 1884, while he was
studying in Europe.
● He completed one half of the novel in
Madrid. One-fourth of the novel was
written when he was at Paris, while
the remaining one-fourth was
completed in Berlin, Germany on
Feb. 21, 1887.
● The novel came off the press on
March 21, 1887, with the financial
assistance of Maximo Viola.
● At the outset, the novel was untitled.
Later on, he decided to call his first
literary masterpiece Noli Me Tangere
(Capino et al, 1977).
● The title can be translated into English
as “Touch Me Not.”
● The aforementioned label to this
novel has a biblical basis, as those
words were the ones uttered by Jesus
Christ to Mary Magdalene when the
latter visited His tomb before sunrise
of Easter Sunday.
● Rizal deemed it appropriate to use the
said title as his novel contained
delicate things nobody wanted to
talk about or touch during his time.
● He, therefore, trod where angels fear
to tread by exposing the evils of the
Church and the State, which were
hazardous to touch.
● It can be drawn from the foregoing
primary sources that Rizal was very
certain as to why he wrote the Noli
Me Tangere.
● Notable among his purposes for
writing this novel were the following:
○ to picture the past and the
realities in the Philippines
○ to reply to insults heaped on
the Filipinos and their country
○ to unmask the hypocrisy that
have impoverished and
brutalized the Filipino people
and
○ to stir the patriotism of the
Filipino people.
THE PLOT OF THE NOVEL
● The novels begins with the return of
Juan Crisostomo Ibarra, a son of an
affluent creole in San Diego, after long
years of study in the European
continent.
● During the entire duration of his
absence in the country, his father Don
Rafael Ibarra got the ire of Father
Damaso and other influential people
in their place.
● Don Rafael was jailed for the
accidental death of Spanish tax
collector in his defense of a young boy
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being brutalized by this illiterate
official.
● He was incarcerated and detained in
prison for various alleged reasons till
he died.
● Father Damaso, the parish priest of
San Diego, denied him Christian burial
and ordered his corpse exhumed from
the cemetery where it had been
buried.
● Father Damaso denied Don Rafael
Ibarra a burial befitting a Christian on
account of his being a freethinker,
who had not even gone to confession
in the church.
● The governor-general then learned
about what the parish-priest did and
demanded that he be punished for
what he did.
● No discipline was imposed on Father
Damaso. Instead, he was just
transferred to another pueblo by his
superior.
● Ibarra, upon arriving in the
Philippines, was totally unaware of
what happened to his father.
● A dinner was tendered for Ibarra by
Don Santiago de los Santos or Capitan
Tiago, the father of Maria Clara.
● At the welcome dinner, Ibarra was
praised and commended by all the
guests for his educational
achievement in Europe, except by
Father Damaso.
● In spite of Ibarra’s courtesy and
refusal to counter the rude treatment
accorded him by the friar, Father
Damaso continued making insulting
statements concerning the time Ibarra
wasted studying abroad.
● Ibarra, instead of getting even with
the friar, just ignored all those insults
through his smile.
● After the dinner, Ibarra left Capitan
Tiago’s home to return to his hotel.
Accidentally, he met Lieutenant
Guevarra on the way and learned
from him the sad story of his father.
● As a loyal Spaniard, the thought of
avenging his father’s death did not
come to his mind. Instead, he
dedicated himself in the pursuit of his
father’s ideals of educating the people
of San Diego.
● Learning of the miserable conditions
of the local school with no building to
speak of, nor books for students; use,
Ibarra secured permission for the
erection of a modern school building,
patterned after the German model.
● The cornerstone of the school building
was laid out during the celebration of
the town fiesta. Ibarra was nearly
killed by the sudden collapse of the
derrick.
● Appearing quickly on the scene, he
was rescued by Elias, a boat pilot who
was saved by Ibarra during an
excursion in the lake.
● The plot to exterminate Ibarra was
planned by Father Damaso and Father
Salvi, the friar who was madly in love
with Maria Clara.
● Later during the day, a banquet held
at Capitan Tiago’s residence.
● Again, Father Damaso started
throwing insulting and offensive
remarks about Ibarra.
● As usual, Ibarra ignored what he
heard. Nonetheless, when Father
Damaso insulted the memories of his
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dead father, Ibarra stood up and
knocked the friar to ground.
● He was about to kill Father Damaso,
when Maria Clara interceded. Ibarra
was excommunicated for laying his
hands on the parish priest.
● Sympathizing with Father Damaso,
Capitan Tiago inhibited Maria Clara
from seeing Ibarra again.
● The excommunication of Ibarra,
however, was soon lifter through
intercession of the liberal-mined
governor general, who visited San
Diego.
● As Father Damaso did not succeed in
having Ibarra excommunicated, a plot
was brewed to destroy the young man
through Father Salvi.
● Father Salvi organized a rebellion
among the poor, discontented people
of San Diego and those who were
victimized by the Guardia Civil.
● They were made to believe that Ibarra
was its leader and financier. Later on,
Father Salvi disclosed the plan to the
Guardia Civil. The rebellion was
crushed.
● An immediate aftermath of the
crushed rebellion was the arrest and
imprisonment of those who offended
the friar and those who espoused
liberal ideas in San Diego.
● Notable among those who were jailed
was Ibarra himself.
● Ibarra was convicted on the basis of
the letter he wrote to Maria Clara
while he was in Europe. Nonetheless,
Ibarra was able to escape through the
assistance extended to him by Elias.
● Meanwhile, before finally leaving San
Diego, Ibarra proceeded to the house
of Capitan Tiago to bid Maria Clara
goodbye.
● Ibarra discovered that the letter
traded by Maria Clara to Father Salvi
for the two letters of Doña Pia, Maria
Clara’s mother, which proved that her
real father was Father Damaso.
● To keep the truth secret to everyone
and to save the reputation of Capitan
Tiago, Maria Clara gave Ibarra’s letter
to Father Salvi without the thought
that the same shall be used against his
fiancée by the authorities.
● After bidding Maria Clara, Elias and
Ibarra proceeded to the banca at Pasig
River toward Laguna de Bay. They
were chased by the Guardia Civil as
their banca reached the lake.
● To distract the attention of the
Guardia Civil, Elias swam for shore
under fire. Meanwhile, Ibarra hid
himself under the zacate and was able
to escape.
● Elias, on the other hand, was shot.
Thinking that they succeeded in killing
Ibarra, the Guardia Civil then returned
to Manila.
● Although seriously wounded, Elias
was able to reach shore. From the
shore, he inched his way into the
woods, where he saw Basilio weeping
over the dead body of his mother,
Sisa.
● Elias instructed Basilio to prepare the
funeral pyre for the burning of his
mother’s dead body and that of Elias.
Basilio complied with the instruction.
● The next day, newspapers reported
the death of Crisostomo Ibarra.
Learning of what happened to his
beloved Ibarra, Maria Clara refused to
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marry Linares. A young Spaniard
chosen for him by Father Damaso.
● Instead, she told Father Damaso of
her intention of entering the nunnery
of Santa Clara, where Father Salvi was
the chaplain.
● The novel ended with Maria Clara on
the roof of the nunnery, praying for
her deliverance.
● From the novel can be noted the
pivoted role, played by Elias, whose
family was a victim of numerous
tragedies for more than three
generations. In the novel, he was
pictured as a bandit or an outlaw.
● In the conversation that he had with
Ibarra, it was Elias who appeared to
be the voice of the revolution who
believed that reforms to obtain justice
were not possible.
● Ibarra convinced him to trust the
government and the need of the light
of education.
● Elias also called for the radical reforms
in the clergy because they were the
oppressors of the people.
● Ibarra responded by telling Elias that
the people owed the friars a debt of
gratitude for giving them the Catholic
faith and for protecting them against
the tyranny of civil authorities.
● Nonetheless, when Ibarra suffered
misfortunes, he changed his mind and
was ready to incite the common
people to revolt.
● To carry out Rizal’s purpose in writing
the novel, numerous episodes were
included in the novel (Schumaster,
1997).
● The episode in the cockpit exposed
sarcastically the demeaning effects of
gambling among Filipinos then.
● The conversation among the tertiary
sisters on buying indulgences during
the All Soul’s Day, reflected Rizal’s
denunciation of superstitious beliefs
and blind fanaticism.
● The homily of Father Damaso during
the celebration of the town fiesta was
employed by Rizal to denounce the
vulgar ignorance, hypocrisy and
religious despotism of the friars.
● The novel clearly identified the
defects of the Spanish colonial system
in the Philippines. Solutions to these
defects can be gleaned from the
exchange of ideas between Elias and
Ibarra.
● Rizal, however, was not very clear on
what to do. He was not certain of
opting for a revolution. On the other
hand, he made it clear and plan the
threat of a possible outbreak of a
revolution, should radical reforms not
be instituted in the colony by the
Spanish government.
THE CHARACTERS IN THE NOLI ME TANGERE
● Although the novel is a work of
fiction, the novel can be considered a
true story of the Philippines during
the last decades of Spanish rule.
● The characters used by Rizal in the
Noli were persons who actually
existed during those times (Zaide &
Zaide, 1999).
● Maria Clara was Leonor Rivera. Tasyo
was his older brother Paciano. Padre
Salvi was Fr. Antonio Piernavieja of
the Augustinian Order.
● Capitan Tiago was Captain Hilario
Sunico of San Nicholas.
● Doña Victorina was Doña Agustina
Medel.
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● Basilio and Crispin were the
Crisostomo brothers of Hagonoy,
Bulacan. Padre Damaso, however,
was the typical abusive friar during
Rizal’s time.
● Through the characters in the Noli,
Rizal depicted the different pictures of
a Filipino society during his time
(Capino et al, 1977).
○ Juan Crisostomo Ibarra – the
main character in the novel,
Ibarra represented the
affluent and liberal European-
educated Filipino.
Civicminded, liberty-minded
and patriotic. He desired the
education of the people. His
plan of establishing the
schoolhouse at San Diego was
opposed by Father Damaso,
representing conservatism in
Filipino society then. This
conflict between liberalism
and conservatism is reflected
in many episodes in the Noli,
which culminated in Ibarra’s
leaving the country and Maria
Clara’ entering the nunnery
○ Elias – represented the
Filipino masses in the novel.
As the symbol of the common
people, Elias did everything to
vindicate them from the
injustices suffered from the
Spaniards. Although Ibarra’s
family had brought
misfortunes to his own family,
he extended help to
Crisostomo in many occasions
in the novel. This might had
been due to his belief that the
redemption of the county
depends on the ilustrados.
Just like Ibarra, he is a
mouthpiece of Rizal’s
contradictory thoughts and
purposes.
○ Maria Clara – the object of
Ibarra’s love and affection.
Rizal represented Filipino
womanhood trained in a
convent and immerses in
education basically religious in
orientation. She symbolizes
the Filipino womanhood in
their fidelity, coyness, and
modesty.
○ Don Rafael Ibarra –
Crisostomo’s father. He was
jailed for helping a young boy
being harmed by an ignorant
Spanish tax collector. Father
Damaso considered him a
heretic and a filibustero owing
to his liberal and independent
views. Rizal used Don Rafael
in the Noli to symbolize an
affluent landlord with a social
conscience.
○ Sisa – the mother of Basilio
and Crispin in the Noli. She
symbolized a lot of things in
Filipino society during Rizal’s
time. In the novel, she lost her
mental balance upon learning
what happened to Basilio and
Crispin, her two sons.
Through her, Rizal was able to
illustrate lack of concern in
facing and resolving problems
confronting Filipino society.
She was also used by Rizal in
the Noli to illustrate the
typical characteristics of
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Filipino mothers – fully
cognizant of the attributes of
their sons and daughters; and
willing to defend them from
all forms of injustice or
accusations.
○ Capitan Tiago – to the people
of San Diego, he was Don
Anastacio delos Santos. Just
like Don Rafael Ibarra, he was
rich landlord. His wealth was
derived from his involvement
in the illegal opium trade. To
the common people, he was
the symbol of the cacique
mentality. Professing to be
religious, never did he pray to
God even in the face of
difficulties. Instead, he let his
money pray for him.
Moreover, Rizal employed
Capitan Tiago in the novel to
represent subservient Filipino
to the authorities to protect
his personal and business
interest.
○ Doña Victorina – a social
climber, she married Don
Tiburcio de Espadaña to
support her claim of being a
Spaniard. She despised
everything Filipino and
imitated what was Spanish.
Thus, Rizal used her in the
novel to symbolize colonial
mentality among some
Filipinos during his time.
○ Doña Patrocinio – the
mistress of the Alferez, she
was noted to be imprudent,
vulgar, cruel and quarrelsome.
As such, she symbolized the
mentality of the Guardia Civil.
Being the only competitor of
Capitan Tiago in godliness,
she did everything to pretend
that she was really religious
by showing off to the public
what she contribute for the
Church.
○ Pilosopo Tasyo – he
represented Rizal’s epitome of
a philosopher. He was
perceived to be sage by the
educated and a weird or
lunatic by those who did not
know him.
○ The School Master of San
Diego – he symbolized
intellectual dissatisfaction in
Filipino society during Rizal’s
time. As an educated
individual, he dreamed of
changing the methods of
teaching to facilitate greater
learning on the part of the
pupils then.
THE FILIPINO SOCIETY AS PICTURED IN THE
NOLI
● The novel uncompromisingly exposes
Spaniards in the Philippines. The
government was administered by
self-seekers, motivated by the desire
to enrich themselves at the expense
of the people. Honest and sincere
officials were quite few.
● Corruption became so rampant, as a
consequence. Banditry became a way
of life for many due to the corruption
and brutality of the Guardia Civil.
● The friars, on the other hand, used
the Catholic Church to amass wealth
and to perpetuate themselves into
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power. Instead of teaching the
Filipinos true Catholicism, they
controlled the government and
opposed all progress.
● While Rizal condemned the Spaniards
for their abuses and insidious
practices, Filipinos were not spared in
his criticism of Filipino society. He
criticized his fellow countrymen for
their blind, religious fanaticism,
corruption, passion for gambling,
subservience of the wealthy Filipinos
towards the friars and government
officials, and their ridiculous efforts to
distance themselves from the
common people.
● To balance Rizal’s portrait of Filipino
society, the virtues and good qualities
of the Filipino people were
highlighted in the novel (Schumaster,
1997).
● Notable among the virtues and values
emphasized by Rizal in the Noli were
the following: the modesty and
devotion of the Filipino woman; the
openhanded hospitality of the Filipino
family; the devotion of the parents to
their children and children to their
parents; and deep sense of gratitude
of the Filipino peasants.
RIZAL’S DIAGNOSIS OF FILIPINO SOCIETY
● An in-depth analysis of the Noli Me
Tangere reveals Rizal’s diagnosis of
Filipino society of his time.
● From his novel, he made it plain and
clear that the friars were the enemies
of reform, progress and justice in the
country (Guerrero, 1998).
● One clear proof was the case of the
school building project, proposed by
Ibarra. While Ibarra believed that the
project was noble considering that the
school can be likened to a book where
the history of nation is to be witness,
Padre Damaso opposed it.
● The latter’s opposition stemmed from
his opinion that it could be a potent
fortress for rebellion.
● Rizal was basically impartial in his
assessment of the situation in the
Philippines then because of the fact
that the misfortunes his family had
prior to the writing and publication of
the Noli were not due to the
misdoings of the friars (Guerrero,
1998).
● There were actually three reasons
why Rizal considered the friars, the
enemy of reforms, progress and
justice in the country.
● The agrarian problem in Calamba
between the tenants and the
Dominicans, while he was in Europe,
can be regarded one of the factors
that made Rizal point to the friars as
the deterrents to progress and
reforms in the country.
● Another factor that could expound
Rizal’s conclusion was the influence of
the Spanish anti-clericalism. A third
explanation to the foregoing was
Rizal’s over-all assessment of the
Philippine political situation in 1886
and in 1872. Thus, for Rizal the need
to expose the abuses of the friars
through ridicule and hatred became
so urgent.
● A question in relation to what were
mentioned above is, was Rizal correct
in his analysis? Seventy years after the
publication of the Noli, the research
undertaken by the Catholics on
Philippine political situation
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confirmed the veracity of Rizal’s
contention (Guerrero, 1998).
● The friars wielded so much powers,
such that they were the real authority
in the different pueblos, throughout
the archipelago, due to the following
roles they played then: parish priest;
tax collector; school inspector;
superintendent of public works by
forced labor; an intelligence officer;
and president of all local boards.
● The people, then, were subjected to
ecclesiastical control more than any
other form of authority in the colony.
● Jaena’s study of the Philippine
institutions as cited by Guerrero
(1998), likewise confirmed the
correctness of Rizal’s evaluation of
Philippine society.
● As pointed out by Jaena, the parish
priest in each town can be described
as a sword of Damocles hanging over
the head of authority – the town
mayor.
● This was because local election was
controlled and manipulated by the
parish priest. Only the candidates
endorsed by and acceptable to the
parish priest were the ones seated
into positions of leadership in the
local government.
● Owing to the friar control of
practically all aspects of Filipino
society, it was impossible then to seek
reform and relief within the colony.
● Rizal and other propagandists felt it
wise to do it outside the Philippines.
Thus, the Propaganda Movement was
undertaken not in the Philippines but
in Spain.
● Spain became the most logical venue
for reform and relief due to the liberal
atmosphere in this country, as well as
the protection offered by the Spanish
Constitution and Cortes.
NOLI ME TANGERE AS A CHARTER OF
FILIPINO NATIONALISM
● The novel can be considered a charter
of Filipino nationalism (Schumaster,
1977).
● It calls on the Filipino to: regain his
self- confidence; appreciate his
selfworth; return to the heritage of his
ancestors; assert himself as a coequal
of the Spaniards.
● It likewise, insists on the need for
education, dedication to the country;
assimilating the aspects of Western
cultures that could enhance native
traditions.
● More so, the novel does not only
expose the social maladies in the
Philippines during Rizal’s time
● It outlines the reforms needed in
Filipino society then. These reforms
include the following: radical reforms
in the armed forces, clergy, and
administration of justice; more
respect for human dignity; greater
security for the individual; less
strength in the constabulary; and less
privileges for organizations prone to
abuses and corruption.
● Rizal, through Elias, mouthed solution
to bring about the needed reforms.
For Elias, revolution was the key when
he said, “it is never a crime to fight for
one’s country.” Ibarra, on the other
hand, believed otherwise.
● Noli Me Tangere presented a problem,
the need for change in the country
under Spanish tutelage. On the
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contrary, it did not offer any solution
to address the same (Guerrero, 1998).
● What should be the reasons behind
this? First, Rizal was not sure as to
which solution to implement. Should
it be a revolution? Should it be
assimilation under the Spanish
Crown? Finally, Rizal was prudent
enough not openly favor
independence and revolution.
● Nonetheless, the novel was a major
turning point in Rizal’s life. As
mentioned by Guerrero (1998), Rizal
had become a prisoner of Noli Me
Tangere’s logic.
● Moreover, through this novel, Rizal
had opted to choose his enemy, the
friars in the Philippines.
FIRST REACTION TO THE NOLI
● Prior to the publication of the Noli Me
Tangere, a number of works by
Filipino writers from 1882 to 1896
were produced. Mention can be said
of the following: Paterno’s novel
Ninay, published in Madrid in 1885;
del Pilar’s La Soberania Monacal and
Graciano Lopez Jaena’s Discursos y
Articulos Varios published in
Barcelona in 1889 and 1891; and
Antonio Luna’s Impresiones, which
came out in Madrid in 1893.
● None of these publications, however,
evoke such favorable and unfavorable
comments from friends and enemies
as did Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere.
● One of those who congratulated Rizal
for writing and publishing the novel
was Antonio Regidor, a Filipino exile
for his alleged complicity in the 1872
Uprising. He said that “the book is
superior” and that “if Don Quijote
has made its author immortal
because he exposed to the world the
sufferings of Spain, your Noli Me
Tangere will bring you equal glory
(National Heroes Commission, 1963)
● Ferdinand Blumentritt, who became
Rizal’s friend thru correspondence,
praised Rizal by saying: “Your work, as
we Germans say, has been written
with blood and heart.. Your work has
exceeded my hopes and I consider
myself fortunate and happy to have
been honored with your friendship.
Not only I but your country, may feel
happy for having you, a patriotic and
loyal son. If you continue so, you will
be to your people one of those great
men who will exercise a determinative
influence over the progress of their
spiritual life (National Centennial
Commission, 1961).
● When Rizal returned to the
Philippines, reactions for and against
the Noli Me Tangere surfaced.
Filipinos became so eager to read the
book, but only very few copies were
available. Their eagerness to take hold
of the Noli can be explained by the
news that it exposed a lot of things
about the country, its people and
government.
● Nonetheless, not only Filipinos took
time to find a copy of the novel and
read its contents. Archbishop Payo
was able to have a copy of the Noli
and sent the same to the rector of
UST for examination on August 18,
1887.
● The rector constituted a three-man
committee to pass judgment on the
novel. The Committee submitted its
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report to the archbishop of Manila on
August 30, 1887.
● It found the book heretical, impious
and scandalous in its religious aspect;
unpatriotic; subversive of public
order; and offensive to the
government of Spain.
● The archbishop forwarded the report
of the Committee to the
Governorgeneral, Emilio Terrero, who
in turn summoned Rizal to
Malacañang Palace
● Terrero, being a liberal-minded
government executive, informed Rizal
of the unfavorable reports about his
novel, alleged to be libelous and
subversive. He even asked Rizal to
provide him a copy of the book since
he became interested to read it. Rizal
later on returned to the governor and
handed him the copy of the novel.
● With no concrete action from
Governor-general Terrero. The
archbishop asked the Permanent
Commission on Censorship to decide
on the fate of the novel.
● A report submitted by Father
Salvador Font, an Augustinian, on
December 29, 1892, recommended
the prohibition of the importation,
reproduction, and circulation of the
pernicious books in the Philippines
(Palma, 1949).
● Nonetheless, the novel was not
banned in the country,
notwithstanding the recommendation
made by the Permanent Commission.
The archbishop and the provincials of
the friar orders were then lobbying for
the banning of the book and the
possible incarceration of Rizal.
● The friars, however, were not able to
secure the seal of the implementation
of the recommendation of the
Permanent Commission on
Censorship from the governor-general
(Schumaster, 1997).
● Rizal was fortunate enough to be
given the protection owing to the
power struggle then existing between
the leaders of the civil government in
Manila and the bishop and friar
orders.
ATTACKS AND DEFENSES OF THE NOLI ME
TANGERE
● The attacks on Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere
were not only confined in the
Philippines but were also staged in
Madrid. (De Ocampo, 1961). There,
Senator Fernando Vida, Deputy Luis
M. de Pando, and Prime Minister
Praxedes Mateo Sagasta were among
those who unjustly lambasted and
criticized Rizal and his Noli in the two
chambers of the Spanish Cortes in
1888 and 1889.
● Among these three senators, it was
Fernando Vida who became very
critical of the Noli (Retana, 1907),
describing Rizal as a native, with the
doctor of medicine degree from the
University of Madrid, an intimate
friend of Bismarck and have obtained
a professional chair in medicine in a
German University.
● The aforementioned Spanish
legislators condemned the novel as
AntiCatholic, Protestant, and Socialist
in orientation and leaning.
● Another attack on the novel came
from Vicente Barrantes, a Spanish
academician, who had spent many
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years in high posts of Philippine
Administration. As a regular
contributor in the newspaper entitled
La España Moderna, he attacked Rizal
in 1889 by describing Rizal as a man of
contradiction, whose criticisms of the
friars and the Spanish Regime were
actually an insult to the Filipinos
themselves.
● The first attack on the Noli Me
Tangere in the Philippines came from
an anonymous letter, signed by a friar.
In this letter, Rizal was labelled an
ungrateful man at the same time he
was challenged to come out into the
open if he had a grievance against the
religious establishment.
● In the Philippines, Fr. Salvador Font,
who issued the official censure of the
Noli, tried to prevent the circulation of
the novel by publishing a few copies
of his report (Schumaster, 1997).
● His report consisted of four parts, as
follows: attacks on the religion of the
State; attacks on the administration,
the government employees and the
courts; attacks on the civil guards; and
attacks on the territorial integrity of
the Spanish Kingdom.
● Nonetheless, Father Font attempted
to refute these attacks resulting into
the highlighting of the points Rizal
wanted to point out in his Noli.
● A direct attack on the Noli was
launched by Father Jose Rodriquez by
issuing a series of pamphlets under
the title Cuestiones de Suno Interes
(Zaide & Zaide, 1999). As pointed out
by Schumaster (1997), Fr. Rodriquez
judged the novel on a doctrinal level,
when he said that it should not be
read by devout Christians.
● Rizal, however, replied to these
attacks by Fr. Rodriquez through the
satirical pamphlet entitled, La Vision
del Fray Rodriquez. In this satirical
work, St. Augustine was made by Rizal
to appear to Fr. Rodriquez, while the
latter was in deep slumber and
scolded him for becoming a butt of all
jokes to all angels in heaven by his
foolish articles. The satire ends with
Fr. Rodriquez condemned writing
garbage articles for him to forever be
a laughingstock to the world.
● In response to Fr. Font’s critique of the
Noli, Rizal wrote a satirical essay,
entitled Por Telefono (Schumaster.
1997). In this essay, he narrated a
longdistance telephone conversation
between Salvador Font, who was
reprimanded by his Superior for
accepting a hacienda for the
Augustinians. Because what Salvador
did, compromised the Augustinian
struggle against the vows of wealth,
pride and lust, the Superior told him
to return to Spain and instructed
never to return to the Philippines.
● While Rizal’s Noli was attacked
severely by the establishment,
particularly the friars, there were
those who tried to prove the merits of
the novel and countered the
arguments of its attackers.
● One of those who defended Noli, was
Fr. Francisco de Paula Sanchez, Rizal’s
teacher in rhetoric at Ateneo
● After reading the pamphlet written by
Fr. Rodriquez, he told Rizal that it was
that pamphlet written with the feet
and not the Noli Me Tangere
(Epistolario Rizalino, Vol. 5).
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● In fact in Rizal’s letter to Blumentritt
upon his return to the Philippines
after the publication of the novel, he
appreciated how Fr. Francisco de
Paula Sanchez praised and defended
the Noli publicly.
● In the conversation that Rizal had with
his teacher, he was told that he could
have written an ideal book if he also
gave a picture of an ideal priest to
highlight the contrast.
● Rizal, however, replied to this
comment by saying that he wrote the
Noli not for the thinking readers but
for the public, which does not think.
● The greatest defense of the Noli came
from a Filipino priest. This priest was
Fr. Vicente Garcia, the translator into
Tagalog of the famous Imitation of
Christ. Writing under the pen name
Desiderio Magalang, Fr. Garcia
refuted Fr. Rodriquez’s condemnation
of the Noli for its alleged blasphemy
and heresy.
● According to this Filipino priest, since
the book was a work of literature, it
should be judged that way and not on
a doctrinal level.
● He further stressed in his defense of
the novel that criticisms are made of
the religious orders for their members
to mend their ways. Using his
knowledge of logic, he said “If reading
the Noli is a mortal sin, then Fr.
Rodriquez had also committed a
mortal sin.”
● On the issue of Rizal’s ignorance, Fr.
Garcia asserted that the former was
not an ignorant man, considering that
he was an alumnus of Spanish
universities and a recipient of
numerous academic honors and
awards.
● Another defender of Rizal’s Noli was
Marcelo H. del Pilar. In answer to Fr.
Rodriquez’ pamphlet entitled Caiingat
Cayo (Beware). Del Pilar wrote the
pamphlet entitle Be Slippery as an
Eel.
● Rizal’s Noli was also defended by his
friend, Ferdinand Blumentritt, in 1889
(Schumaster, 1997). Blumentritt’s
defense stressed his Catholic
orientation. First he praised both the
work of the Jesuits and the friars in
the Philippines. Nonetheless, the
religious orders failed to keep up with
the times. Thus, their perception the
criticisms made by
European-educated Filipinos on the
realities in the Philippines as an
outright treason.
● For Blumentritt, Rizal’s novel was a
patriotic one. It was a truthful and
heartfelt effort to make Spain realize
the need to remedy the social ills
plaguing Filipino society then.
Moreover, Blumentritt stressed the
point that the Spanish nationals have
to accept these criticisms
● Apparently, the attacks on Rizal and
his novel clearly showed the power
and influence of friars who considered
their interest of prime importance
than that of the interest of the state.
Thus, for Rizal, as the novel Noli Me
Tangere has not yet been judged and
cannot be judged rightly as its effects
are still being felt. (Guerrero, 1998).
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EL FILIBUSTERISMO: A REVOLUTION THAT
FAILED
● Rizal completed the revision of El
Filibusterismo while he was in
Brussels. He started writing this novel
while he was in Calamba and
continued working on it in London in
1888.
● Some parts of the novel were written
in Paris and Madrid.
● Nonetheless, the manuscript was
completed on March 29, 1891, while
he was in Biarritz (Jose Rizal National
Centennial Commision, 1961).
● It was the sequel of the Noli Me
Tangere.
RIZAL IN GHENT
● Rizal left Brussels for Ghent on July 5,
1891.
● His decision to move to this University
city of Belgium was prompted by two
reasons (Zaide & Zaide, 1999),
namely:
○ cheaper cost of printing in
Ghent; and
○ the need to evade the
enticing attraction of Petite
Suzanne.
● It was in this city where Rizal met Jose
Alejandro of Pampanga and Edilberto
Evangelista of Manila, who were then
studying engineering at the University
of Ghent.
● With meager financial resources on
hand, Rizal was forced to live a very
cheap boarding house where
Edilberto Evangelista lived.
● With no allowance arriving from his
family in Calamba, Rizal practically
had to economize on whatever little
amount of money he had. Thus, he
led a life of near starvation in the city
of Ghent.
THE PUBLICATION OF EL FILIBUSTERISMO
● After settling in Ghent, Rizal searched
for a printing house, which could offer
him the lowest quotation for the
printing of the Fili.
● Fortunately, he found the F.
Meyer-Van Loo Press willing to
publish his novel on installment basis
(Zaide & Zaide, 1999).
● In order to defray the initial payment
for the printing of the Fili, Rizal had to
pawn his jewels.
● For the printing to continue, he
needed cash. Thus, he became very
desperate thinking that the novel will
not come off the press, as funds he
expected from friends did not arrive.
● He, therefore, decided to suspend its
printing, until his friend Valentin
Ventura in Paris came to the rescue.
● With the financial assistance extended
by Ventura, the publication of the
book was completed on September
1891.
● Rizal shipped to Hong Kong all copies
of the Ghent edition, which were
smuggled into the Philippines, except
those copies sent to his friends in
Spain (Schumaster, 1997).
A COMPARISON OF THE NOLI AND FILI
● These two novels differed in many
aspects.
● While Noli Me Tangere is a romantic
novel, a work of the heart and a book
of feeling; El Filibusterismo is a
political novel, a work of the head,
and a book of thought (Zaide & Zaide,
1999).
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● Another point of difference between
the two novels is in terms of their
dedication. While Rizal dedicated the
Noli to his motherland, the Fili was
dedicated to the memory of
Gomburza.
● In terms of length of the novel, the
Noli is longer since it consists of 64
chapters. On the other hand, the Fili is
shorter as it contains of 38 chapters.
● One common trend in both the
novels, however, is the awakening of
the Filipinos to the idea that they
belong to one nation, to make them
realize they have a motherland to
love, whose welfare should be their
paramount concern (Capino et al,
1978).
● Moreover, both novels are focused
towards the seeking of reforms in our
society during the Spanish Regime.
● Rizal advocated peaceful reforms in
the Noli through Crisostomo Ibarra.
On the other hand, Rizal advocated a
revolution in effecting reforms in
Filipino society in the Fili, through
Simoun.
● As pointed out by Zaide & Zaide
(1999) both the Fili and Noli were
good novels from the point of view of
history.
● One reason was that Noli and Fili
depicted the actual conditions in the
Philippines during the time of Rizal.
Moreover, both novels were
instrumental in awakening the spirit
of Filipino nationalism, which paved
the way for the outbreak of the
Revolution of 1896 and the
disintegration of the Spanish colonial
empire in the Philippines.
Synopsis of El Filibusterismo
● Simoun - rich jeweler; hero of El
Filibusterismo
● Two magnificent obsessions of
Simoun:
○ To rescue Maria Clara from
the nunnery of Santa Clara
○ To foment a revolution against
the hated Spanish masters
● Tabo - clumsy, roundish shaped
steamer
● Passengers of the steamer:
○ Simoun - rich jeweler
○ Doña Victorina - ridiculously
Pro-Spanish native woman
○ Paulita Gomez - beautiful
niece of Doña Victorina
○ Ben Zayb (Anagram of
Ybañez) - Spanish journalist
who writes silly articles about
the Filipinos
○ Padre Sibyla - Vice-Rector of
the University of Santo Tomas
○ Padre Camorra - the Parish
priest of the town of Tiani
○ Don Custodio - Pro-Spanish
Filipino holding a high
position in government
○ Padre Salvi - thin, Franciscan
friar and former cura of San
Diego
○ Padre Irene - a kind friar who
was a friend of Filipino
students
○ Padre Florentino - a retired
scholarly and patriotic Filipino
priest
○ Isagani - a poet-nephew of
Padre Florentino and lover of
Paulita
○ Basilio - son of Sisa and
promising medical student
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whose medical education was
financed by Capitan Tiago
○ Cabesang Tales - dispossessed
of his land in Tiani by the
friars.
○ Juli - daughter of Cabesang
Tales, sweetheart of Basilio,
kills herself rather than be
dishonored by Padre Camorra
○ Macaraig - rich student and
leader of the Filipino students
in their movement to have an
academy where they could
learn Spanish
○ Padre Millon - bigoted
Dominican friar-professor,
teaches physics in the UST
without scientific experiments
○ Placido Penitente - student of
Padre Millon, discontented
with the poor method of
instruction in the university
○ Senor Pasta - old Filipino
laywer, refuses to help the
Filipino students in their
petition to the government
for educational reforms
○ Tandang Selo - grandfather of
Juli and Cabesang Tales’
father
○ Mr American - impressario
who owned the sideshow at
the feria of Quiapo exhibiting
Egyptian mummy
○ Sandoval - Spanish student
who supports the cause of the
Filipino students to propagate
the teaching of Spanish
○ Pecson - one of the Filipino
students who agitates for the
teaching of Spanish
○ Cabesana Andang - mother of
Placido Penitente
○ Pepay - pretty dancer and
mistress of Don Custodio
○ Padre Fernandez - good
Dominican friar and friend of
Isagani
○ Don Timoteo - father of
Juanito Pelaez
○ Tano - son of the Cabesang
Tales and brother of Juli
○ Chichay - silversmith who
made the bridal earrings for
Paulita Gomez
● Note: Basilio was on the belief that
redemption of the country rests not
on political revolution but through
devotion in science.
SUMMARY OF EL FILIBUSTERISMO
● The story begins on the clumsy,
roundish shaped steamer Tabo.
● The passengers are Simoun, Dona
Victorina, Tiburcio de Espadana,
Paulita Gomez, BenZayb, Padre Sibyla,
Padre Camorra, Don Custodio, Padri
Salvi, Padre Irene, Padre Florentino,
Isagani, Basilio.
● He smuggles arms into the country
but his first attempt to begin armed
uprising did not materialized because
he hears a news that Maria Clara died.
● On the wedding of Paulita Gomez and
Juanito Pelaez, Simoun gave a
beautiful lamp as a wedding gift.
● The lamp will explode, destroying the
house where the wedding feast is
going to be held and killing all the
guest, including Governor General,
the Friars and the Government
officials
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● Isagani who has been rejected by
Paulita, is standing outside the house,
watching sorrowfully the merriment
inside. Basilio, his friend, warns him to
go away because the lighted lamp will
soon explode
● Isagani rushes into the house, seizes
the lighted lamp and hurls it into the
river where it explodes
● Simoun was cornered by the soldiers
but he escaped. He was wounded,
carrying his treasure chest, he sought
to refuge in the home of Padre
Florentino.
● Lieutenant Perez of Guardia civil
informs the priest by the letter that he
would come at eight o’clock that night
to arrest Simoun.
● Simoun eluded arrest by taking
poison. He confesses to Padre
Florentino, revealing his true identity,
his plan, his aim to destroy his friends
and enemies.
● Padre Florentino consoles the dying
man
● Padre Florentino watches Simoun die
peacefully with a clear conscience and
at peace with God. He falls upon his
knees and prays for the dead jeweler.
● He takes the treasure chest and
throws it in to the sea.
● THE END
SYMBOLIC INTERPRETATION OF THE FILI
● On the more abstract or philosophical
level, following the thesis that the Fili
is a study in revolution, the more
important characters can be
interpreted symbolically.
● Turned cynical and revolutionary as a
result of past failures and
disappointments, SIMOUN could be
made to represent the portion of
Filipino society which, tired of the
oppressor’s rule wanted that rule to
be overthrown at all cost, but had no
systematic plan for the new society, if
the old one is overthrown.
● MARIA CLARA, who after suffering
from untold physical and spiritual
abuse for at least 13 years, at last
dies, can still be made to symbolize in
the Fili, the friardominated culture,
which is now ripe for revolution. That
there is no eventual union between
Simoun and Maria Clara, not even
meeting between the two since they
parted 13 years ago is significant.
Although Simoun wanted very much
to see and possess her, he was not
permitted to do so. This is indicative,
symbolically speaking, of Rizal’s
refusal to recognize that the
friar-dominated Filipino culture could
still be reinvigorated through the
infusion of new elements into its
anemic bloodstream.
● SEÑOR PASTA. The idealist turned
mercenary, could be made to
represent that portion of Filipino
society who have abandoned their
noble social ideals and have become
thoroughly self-seeking opportunist,
serving only the interest of those who
have hired them.
● ISAGANI, a young student, who is
inspired by high ideals for his country
but at critical moment apparently and
unwittingly forgets those ideals for
selfish reasons, could be made to
symbolize the untested and unreliable
idealism of a segment of the educated
Filipino youths of the time.
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● PAULITA GOMEZ, the hapless object
of Isagani’s affection, a girl who is
more free from the fetters of
convention than Maria Clara, can be
made to represent that portion of
Filipino womanhood – still half breed
like Maria Clara – which is relatively
enlightened but which is itself almost
thoroughly bereft of love of country
and of a desire for the social good.
● BASILIO, the medical student who,
despite the extreme sufferings
undergone by his family as a result of
clerical perfidy and cruelty, refuses to
entertain any revolution though even
in the face of rampant social
injustices, could be made to symbolize
that segment of the educated Filipino
society which has been so brutalized
that it has become insensible to the
social welfare.
● PLACIDO PENITENTE, is another
young man who has been so
disillusioned by the state of affairs he
finds himself in as a student,
entertains the desire to go abroad.
When shown by Simoun some signs of
a possible uprising, he becomes so
frightened that he could not make up
his mind whether to join or not join.
He persuasively could be made to
symbolize those elements of
Philippine society, which had not yet
been infused with a national
sentiment or social conscience.
● DON CUSTODIO, a typical Spanish
official in the country, who occupies
several positions despite the absence
of qualification, believes that any idea
that does not come from him
deserves no consideration. As a
character in the Fili, Rizal portrayed
him as one who finds pleasure in
developing a feeling of inferiority
among the people.
● The pattern of suffering in the El
Filibusterismo is depicted in the story
of Cabesang Tales, Juli and the school
master (Capino et al, 1978;
Schumaster, 1997).
● CABESANG TALES, a victim of land
grabbing by the friars, became
desperate and joined the outlaws for
personal revenge. He died of fever
and found no justice in the courts.
● JULI, innocent-looking and unaffected
daughter of Cabesang Tales and
sweetheart of Basilio, took her own
life because of her love for honor and
chastity rather than surrender her
womanhood to the mundane desire
of Fr. Camorra.
● THE SCHOOL MASTER, rusticated as a
rebel for having experimented
teaching the Spanish language to
young children against the wishes of
the Spanish friars was pardoned due
to the influence wielded by Simoun.
Later on, he became Simoun’s
gunpowder expert.
THE MESSAGE OF THE FILI
● Rizal’s message in El Filibusterismo is
very clear: that the present system of
government in the Philippines
through corrupt officials, dominated
by the friars can lead to the downfall
of Spain.
● Rizal was very certain that because of
the nature and operation of the
government, those who are
intelligent, generous, hard-working,
courageous and loyal citizens were
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driven into opposition, crime and
subversion.
● The Spanish colonial government for
Rizal was arbitrary, cruel, lacking in a
sense of justice and responsibility,
without interest in the people under
its tutelage.
● While Rizal described the government
in a very negative way, his picture of
the friars in the Fili was harsher. In this
novel, Rizal painted them as abusing
their power to satisfy their evil
desires, to preserve their control of
education, to rob of their land, and to
seek their own interests.
● While Rizal lambasted the friars in the
Fili and the Spanish corruption, greed,
exploitation, and injustice, he did not
spare his fellow Filipinos from his
harsh criticism of the regime.
● He condemned them for their greed,
corruption, hypocrisy, and cowardice,
which contributed so much to the
abuses of the civil officials and the
friars.
● Another message communicated by
Rizal was on the course of action
Filipinos should to take should Spain
not listen to his warning. As Filipinos
had desired assimilation for a long
time, Spain should grant it.
● Should Spain not accede to the clamor
for assimilation, the people may
eventually prefer to die rather than
endure the miseries any longer.
Violent means to effect change
would thus become inevitable to
achieve their goal.
THE RELUCTANT REVOLUTIONARY AND HIS
CONCEPT OF INDEPENDENCE
● As already stated, the EL
Filibusterismo is a novel about a
revolution that failed as orchestrated
by Simoun. Thus, in the Fili, he
returned to the Philippines for the
purpose of undermining the Spanish
Regime by encouraging corruption in
the government using his wealth and
influence and by fomenting economic
distress to prod people to take up
arms against the government.
● Simoun attempted twice to carry out
his sinister plan. He planned to seize
control of Manila with the help of the
outlaws and disaffected Filipino
regiment.
● This, nonetheless, failed as Simoun
became anesthetized upon learning
that Maria Clara died at the nunnery
of Sta, Clara.
● The second plan was to blow up the
venue of the wedding feast of Paulita
Gomez and Juanito Pelaez. Through a
lamp prepared by him as a gift by the
Governorgeneral to the new couple.
This again did not materialize owing to
the intervention of Isagani, who
seized the lamp and threw into the
sea.
● Rizal, through Simoun, had come to
realize that independence was the
solution to the miseries of the people
under Spanish rule.
● Through Fr. Florentino, Rizal mouthed
his idea on how independence should
be won. This was at the time of
Simoun’s retreat at the former’s
house near the sea.
● Rizal’s message from the statement of
Fr. Florentino is very lucid: if Filipinos
will not be courageous enough to
protest and proclaim their rights, be
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willing to sacrifice, and shed off their
silence in the face of oppression and
tyranny, then they don’t deserve top
be given freedom.
● The conversation that transpired
between Fr. Florentino and Simoun,
during the dying moment of Simoun
goes to show that Rizal was a
reluctant revolutionary (Guerrero,
1998).
● While he was on the belief that
assimilation is not possible and that
independence was the remedy to
alleviate the sufferings of the Filipinos
under Spanish rule, Rizal hesitates and
backs down.
● To Rizal’s thinking, the Filipinos of his
time were not ready for a revolution
as they were not ready for
independence (Guerrero, 1998).
● They were not ready for
independence as they were still
unworthy to become independent.
They will only be worthy of
independence the moment they had
learned to prioritize social good over
their personal advantage and had
become a nation. For Rizal, God would
provide the means, be it a revolution
or peaceful separation from Spain.
● From the foregoing, Rizal made it
plain and clear that the Filipinos have
to make themselves worthy of
freedom before they can become
independent.
● Deserving freedom, however,
necessitates the need for the
Filipinos to travel the following paths
or roads: education; exemplary lives
and willingness to sacrifice for one’s
convictions.
RIZAL AFTER THE FILI
● After the publication of El
Filibusterismo, Rizal no longer shared
the view of the reforms that reforms
in the country will be granted by the
Spanish government.
● He gave up the idea of gradual and
peaceful emancipation of the country,
which he clearly communicated to
Blumentritt in 1887.
● As stressed by Rizal in the
aforementioned correspondence
“peaceful struggle will just remain a
dream, considering that Spain had not
learned the lesson of her former
colonies in South America” (Guerrero,
1998).
● Believing that reforms would no
longer be granted by Spain, Rizal
became a separatist. As a separatist,
he was quite unique considering that
he left to God the attainment of
independence.
● After the publication of the Fili, Rizal
was bitterly attacked and mocked by
his fellow reformers in Madrid.
● This can be accounted for by the very
radical and subversive tone of the
novel, which renounced the
propaganda campaign for peaceful
reforms and assimilation.
● This made Rizal decide to sever his
connection with the propagandists in
Madrid to avert possible split in their
unity.
● Totally free and detached from the
propagandists in Europe, Rizal opted
to return to the Philippines to share
the misfortunes of his family.
May 2, 2022
ESSAY: PHILIPPINES A CENTURY HENCE
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Prof: Efejean Claveria-Carreon
FIlipinas Dentro De Cien Años
● The Philippines A Century Hence
● This essay, published in La
Solidaridad, starts by analyzing the
various causes of the miseries
suffered by the Filipino people.
● Dr. Jose Rizal wrote this to forecast
the future of the country within a
hundred years.
● Rizal had a prediction, he tried to
respond to the following questions:
○ What would be the situation
of the Philippines within 100
years?
○ Would the Philippines remain
a colony of Spain?
○ Would it become
independent?
○ Would it be a colony of
another nation?
The Philippines A Century Hence
● This essay starts with an analysis of
the causes of the miseries of the
people.
● One of the causes identified in this
article was Spain's implementation of
her military policies.
● A second cause of the misery was
deterioration and disappearance of
FIlipino indigenous culture.
● A third cause of this miserable
condition of the people was their
passivity and submissiveness to the
Spanish colonizers.
● What then had made the people
realize their sad situation under
Spanish rule?
● Could Spain prevent the progress of
the Philippines? If Spain decide to do
so, what could she possibly do:
1. Keep the people ignorant?
2. Keep the people in poverty?
3. Exterminate the Filipino race?
● Keeping the people ignorant failed.
Why?
○ Awakening of national
consciousness among the
people united them.
○ With the spread of
enlightenment, the ilustrado
class arose.
● Recourse to impoverishment also
failed. Why?
○ Keeping the people in poverty
created in the Filipinos the
desire to change things.
● Extermination of the people as an
alternative to hindering progress was
an impossibility according to Rizal.
Why?
○ The people had survived in
spite of the wars they had
engaged in and the epidemics
that had plagued society.
● Can the divide et impera or divide and
rule policy still work to foster enmity
between and among the natives?
○ To Rizal, this would no longer
be effective owing to the ease
of movement in the
archipelago brought about by
improved means of
transportation.
● Therefore, Spain has no way of
blocking reforms and progress of the
Philippines.
● Rizal’s essay centered on the reforms
and political changes needed for the
Philippines to remain under Spanish
rule.
● Nevertheless, he stressed that
reforms have to be initiated by the
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government for them to be peaceful
and effective.
● These reforms were the following:
○ Freedom of the press in the
country;
○ Representation of the
Filipinos in the Spanish
Cortes;
○ Granting of Spanish
citizenship to the people;
○ Filling of government
positions through competitive
examinations; and reforms in
commerce, agriculture and
education; and
○ Greater security for the
individual and other reforms.
● Which colonizing power will replace
Spain?
○ If Spain will not be replaced
by either a European or an
Asian power, which country
then will be interested in
what Spain has to give up? To
Rizal, this country is none
other than the United States
of America.
● What RIzal envisioned in this essay
came true.
● The Americans entered the
Philippines and wrestled from Spain
the control of the Philippines.
LETTER: TO THE YOUNG WOMEN OF
MALOLOS
The Young Women of Malolos
● When the Spaniards came into the
Philippines, they brought with them
their patriarchal values about women
which eventually diffused into
Philippine culture.
● There was an idea that men should be
the provider of the family and
protector of the women.
● Filipinos were familiarized with a
patriarchal system of education which
emphasized the domestic value that
women were the property of men.
● Patriarchal Values
● Man is the head of the family.
● This letter was written in Tagalog,
while Rizal was in London, upon the
request of Marcelo H. del Pilar
● December 12, 1888 - a group of
twenty women of Malolos petitioned
Governor-General Valerio Weyler for
permission to open a night school so
that they may study Spanish under
Teodoro Sandiko.
● Father Felipe Garcia objected,
resulting in the turning down of the
petition by the Governor-General.
● Educational Reform
● The language of politics and science
● But these young women courageously
sustained their agitation for the
establishment of the school.
● They triumphed in the end and were
granted permission to their project on
the condition that Señorita
Guadalupe Reyes should be their
teacher.
● Praising these young women for their
bravery, Marcelo del Pilar requested
Rizal to write a letter commending
them for their extraordinary courage.
● The letter Rizal transmitted to the
young women of Malolos focused on
the following points:
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○ The rejection of the spiritual
authority of the friars;
○ The defense of private
judgment;
○ Qualities Filipino mothers
need to possess;
○ Duties and responsibilities of
a wife to her husband; and
○ Counsel to young women on
their choice of a lifetime
partner.
● Rizal’s ultimate desire was to afford
FIlipino women with the same
opportunities enjoyed by men in
education - and education that will
liberate women.
● He emphasized the need for
maintaining the independence of
mind and reason.
● He urged women to be vigilant over
their rights and not to be docile and
passive in their attitude towards the
many injustices forced upon them.
● Responsibilities of Filipino Mothers to
their Children:
○ It is the mothers who are
responsible for the present
servitude of our compatriots,
owing the unlimited
truthfulness of their loving
hearts, to their ardent desire
to elevate their sons.
○ Whas then was Rizal trying to
put across here?
■ He was trying to tell
the women that
whatever the mother
is, would be her son
becomes.
■ Mothers who can
teach nothing else
kneeling and kissing
the hand of the friars
should expect
children who are not
only stupid but also
exploited slaves.
Rizal’s Message to the Filipino Women
● What then are the duties of the
Filipino Mothers to their Children?
○ To raise children close to the
image if God;
○ To waken and prepare the
mind of the child for every
good and desirable idea; and
○ To teach children to prefer
death with honor than life
with dishonor.
● Rizal stressed the need for Mothers to
educate their children on the
following values:
○ Love for honors;
○ Sincere and firm character;
○ Clear mind;
○ Clear conduct;
○ Noble action; love for one’s
fellow man; and
○ Respect for God
● Qualities Mothers have to possess:
○ The Filipino mother has to be
a noble wife.
○ She has to rear her children in
the service of the state. Rizal
gives reference to the women
of Sparta who embody this
quality.
○ A wife has to set standards of
behavior for men around her
○ Three basic things a wife must
instill in the mind of her
husband:
■ Activity and industry
■ Noble behavior; and
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■ Worthy sentiments
○ Spartan Women:
Independent-minded
○ Empowered Women
○ Strong, Independent Women
○ Rizal gave the following
advices to a married woman:
■ Aid her husband;
■ Share his perils;
■ Refrain from causing
him worry; and
■ Sweeten his moments
of affliction
● Rizal’s advice to unmarried Men and
Women
○ Rizal was directly telling
young men that in choosing
their lifetime partner, they
should not consider physical
beauty nor the sweetness
character of a woman, but
rather give priority to
firmness of character and
excellent ideas.
○ On the other hand, Rizal
counseld young women not to
surrender their womanhood
to a weak and timid heart.
○ There are 3 things that a
young women must look for
a man she is going to marry:
■ A noble and honored
man;
■ A manly-heart; and
■ A high spirit incapable
of being slave.
Rizal’s reminders on equality, self-respect
and true spirit of Religion:
1. The tyranny of some is possible only
through cowardice and negligence on
the part of others.
2. What makes one contemptible is lack
of dignity and object fear of one who
holds one in contempt.
3. Ignorance is servitude, because as a
man thinks, so he is; a man who does
not think for himself and allows
himself to be guided by the thought of
another is like a beast led by a halter.
4. He who loves his independence must
first aid his fellowman, because he
who refuses protection to others will
find himself without it.
5. If the Filipina will not change her
made of being, let her rear no more
children, let her merely give birth to
the,. She must cease to be the
mistress of the home, otherwise she
will unconsciously betray husband,
child, native land and all.
6. All men are born equal, naked,
without bonds. God did not create
man to be slave; nor did he endow
him with intelligence to have him
hoodwinked or adorn him with reason
to have him deceived by others.
7. Consider well what kind of religion
they are teaching. See whether it is
the will of God or according to the
teachings of Christ that the poor be
scoured and those who suffer
alleviated.
Summary:
● 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.
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● Filipino women should educate
themselves aside from retaining their
good racial values.
● Faith is not merely reciting prayers
and wearing religious pictures. Its is
living the real Christian way with good
morals and manners.
May 11, 2022
Rizal's Annotation and Last Poem
● RIZAL’S ANNOTATION OF MORGA’S
SUCESOS DELAS ISLAS FILIPINAS
● RIZAL’S MI ULTIMO ADIOS
RIZAL’S ANNOTATION OF MORGA’S SUCESOS
DELAS ISLAS FILIPINAS
● Antonio Morga’s Sucesos of Historical
Events of the PhilippineIslandswas
published in Mexico in 1605 to
provide European readers
information about the Philippines.
● There were basically 3 purposes for
Rizal’s annotation of the Sucesos
(Guerrero, 1998):
○ 1. To awaken the
consciousness of the Filipinos
of their glorious or dignified
ways of the past;
○ 2. To correct what has been
distorted and falsified about
thePhilippines prior to
Spanish conquest; and
○ 3. To prove that the Filipinos
were civilized, even before
the coming of the Spaniards.
● Prior to his annotation of the Sucesos,
Rizal painstakingly read historical
accounts about the Philippines as
written by Pigafetta, Chirino and
other Spanish chroniclers and
historians.
● He even went to the extent of
searching for historical materials at
the Bibliotheque National in Paris.
● Nonetheless, it was Morga’s Sucesos
that appealed to Rizal since according
to him, it was the best account of the
conquest of the Philippines.
● Moreover, it was unbiased account of
the 16th century culture of the
Filipinos.
● Rizal spent four months for research
and writing and one year to have his
manuscript printed.
● Ferdinand Blumentritt wrote the
preface of the annotation.
● The salient points emphasized by
Blumentritt were the following:
○ That the Spaniards have to
correct their erroneous
conception of the Filipinos as
children of limited
intelligence;
○ That Rizal’s comments on
Spanish government were
unique as they were given
from the point of view of the
victims of colonialism;
○ That there existed three kinds
of Spanish delusions about
the Philippines:
■ 1. that the Filipinos
were an inferior race;
■ 2. that the Filipinos
were not ready for
parliamentary
representation and
other reforms; and
■ 3. that denial of equal
rights can be
compensated by strict
dispensation of
justice.
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● The salient points emphasized by
Blumentritt were the following:
○ That Spain had to learn
Philippine realities from Rizal’s
new edition of Morga’s
Sucesos; and
○ That if Spanish authorities will
not listen to the Filipinos, the
Philippines will be lost
through their own fault.
● Rizal’s annotation consisted of 8
chapters (Guerrero, 1998).
● The first 7 chapters delved on the
events during the time of the first 11
governor-generals in the Philippines,
particularly from Legazpi to Acuña.
The last chapter was focused on
customs and usages of the Filipinos.
○ Miguel López de Legazpi (April
27, 1565 - August 20, 1572)
○ Guido de Lavezaris (August
20, 1572 - August 25, 1575)
○ Francisco de Sande (August
25, 1575 - April 1580)
○ Gonzalo Ronquillo de
Peñalosa (April 1580 - March
10, 1583)
○ Diego Ronquillo (March 10,
1583 - May 16, 1584)
○ Santiago de Vera (May 16,
1584 - May 1590)
○ Gómez Pérez Dasmariñas
(June 1, 1590 - October 25,
1593)
○ Pedro de Rojas (October 1593
- December 3, 1593)
○ Luís Pérez Dasmariñas
(December 3, 1593 - July 14,
1596)
○ Francisco de Tello de Guzmán
(July 14, 1596 - May 1602)
○ Pedro Bravo de Acuña (June
24, 1606 - June 15, 1608)
■ Governor-General of
the Philippines -
Wikipedia
● His notes were of three categories,
namely: anti-clerical; sociological;
and historical. Through his
annotation, Rizal hoped that he could
equal Blumentritt.
● There were three main propositions
in Rizal’s new edition of Morga’s
Sucesos, namely (Guerrero, 1998):
○ 1. That the people of the
Philippines had a culture of
their own before the coming
of the Spaniards;
○ 2. That the Filipinos were
decimated, demoralized,
exploited, andruined by
Spanish colonization;
○ 3. The present state of the
Philippines was not
necessarily superiorof its past.
● With the new edition of Morga’s
Sucesos, Rizal was able to produce
thefirst history book of the
Philippines, written for the Filipinos.
RIZAL’S MI ULTIMO ADIOS
● The longest, untitled poem written by
Rizal on December 29, 1896.
● The poem was originally written in
Spanish and was not given any title.
● Rizal hid the paper containing the
poem in an alcohol stove which was
later given to his sister Narcisa.
● According to Coates (1968), this poem
is remarkable for it achieves four
separate purposes:
○ It is a poem of farewell.
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○ It is an appeal to the Filipinos, considered his childhood

not forget him. friends in the lost paradise.
○ It is Rizal’s last will and ○ He, likewise, bid farewell to
testament. Josephine – his dulce
○ It is Rizal’s autobiography. extranjera, a friend, a wife
● When the poem was presented to and a source of delight.
Jose Ma. Basa and Mariano Ponce in ● The last stanza of the poem
Hong Kong, they concluded that it articulates Rizal’s inspiring faith.
was written by Rizal. ● According to Oasis (1972), Rizal
● The first title used by Ponce for this asserted his Masonic and religious
poem was Mi Ultimo Pensamiento fervor in this portion of Mi Ultimo
(My Last Thought) and it was Adios.
published in the La Independencia, its ○ Rizal clearly indicated here
title was changed to Mi Ultimo Adios that death has no sting.
(Oasis, 1948). ○ Thus, he face death calmly for
● Close reading of the poem reveals he was aware that the spirit is
Rizal’s spirit of fairness and justice, immortal since he was going
as no stanza is given over to to a world where there are no
condemnation. No phrase to slaves where faith does not
recrimination. No word to hatred slay, and where God reigns
despite the oppression and injustice supreme.
he suffered. ● The last line of the poem bequeaths
● The poem was Rizal’s farewell to his Rizal’s philosophy of life: In death
native land, which he described as there is rest.
Dear Fatherland, Clime of the Sun
Caressed, Pearl of the Orient Seas,
Beloved Filipinas and My Fatherland.
● To this venerated and adored land,
Rizal gladly offered his life for the
good of his country.
● From the analysis made by Oasis
(1972), the whole poem depicts Rizal,
the supreme patriot.
● Mi Ultimo Adios is an epic poem
expressive of idealism, morality and
spirituality.
○ Here Rizal bid his parents,
goodbye showing that he was
dying young.
○ He even expressed his grief
leaving his parents, brother,
and sisters, whom he

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