RIZAL Module

POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
College of Social Sciences and Development

DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR

GEED 10013: Life and Works of Rizal
PREPARED BY:
GUIEB, ELISOR C. JR.

MARAYAN, EULA JEAN L.
AGUSTIN, MA. RHODORA O.
CABANILLA, NARCISO L.
CONCILLADO, ALJON I.
MENDEZ, JEFFERSON R.
PERMEJO, JEROME P.
PASCUAL, MC DONALD DOMINGO M.

PINGUL, ARVIN LLOYD B.
TAN, RYAN
UBALDO, ABEL A.
VILLAR, PAULO BENEDICTO C.
COURSE OVERVIEW
GEED 10013: LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL
As mandated by Republic Act 1425, this course covers the lives and works of our heroes
who lived and died for the ideals of freedom and nationalism. A major focus of discussion would be
Jose Rizal’s life, works, and ideas particularly his Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, and his
political essays. This course seeks to develop a sense of moral character, personal discipline, civic
consciousness, and duties of citizenship in the Filipino youth.
Due to the challenges of the COVID-19 Crisis, faculty members of the Department of
History of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines have been tasked with developing modules
to be disseminated to students who do not have a stable internet connection and/or lack the
necessary tools to facilitate online learning. Using this modular approach, the faculty member
designated to teach this course will provide the reading materials that students need to examine,
understand, and evaluate. As discussions were already limited, questions were asked at the end of
each lesson to guide the students to learning.
This module is divided into five (5) units with a total of twelve (12) lessons. It uses a
different set of reference materials as compared to what was indicated in the course syllabus. The
reason for this is that the course instructor considered the difficulty that the students could
encounter in accessing these materials online and in public libraries.
For Unit 1, it will give a better understanding of the RA 1425 and explain the major issues
surrounding the bill and its passage into law, and reflect on the impact and relevance of its
legislation throughout history. In Unit 2, the students will have the opportunity to distinguish the
importance of concept such as Nation, Heroes, and Nationalism by studying the lives and ideas of
selected Filipino heroes. On Unit 3, it will expound on the following economic, political, and social
events of the 19th century: opening of the Suez Canal, opening of ports to world trade, rise of the
export crop economy and monopolies, rise of the Chinese mestizo and the Inquilinos, liberalism,
the Cadiz Constitution, and the history of friar estates in the Philippines. While Unit 4, it focuses on
the family background of Jose Rizal, his life and experiences as a young boy and as a student. And
lastly, Unit 5 shall examine the major writings of Rizal as a contributing factor in the process of
transforming him from a propagandist to a radical. As the previous unit dealt with his life story, this
unit will cover the ideals and principles of Rizal as extracted from his writings.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Course Overview……………………………………………………………………………………… 1
Table of Contents…………………………………………………………………………………….. 2
Course Outcomes……………………………………………………………………………………. 3
Instructional Materials.……………………………………………………………………………… 4
Unit 1: UNDERSTANDING THE RIZAL LAW 5
Republic Act 1425 Mc Donald Domingo M. Pascual……………………………..…… 6
Unit 2: NATION, HEROES AND NATIONALISM 17
Philippine Nationalism: Heroes and their Ideas Jefferson R. Mendez…………..…... 18
Unit 3: THE NINETEENTH CENTURY PHILIPPINES 23
The Philippine’s Economic, Social and Political conditions during the Spanish
Colonization until the 19th century as Rizal’s context Elisor C. Guieb, Jr……..……. 24
The Case of Hacienda de Calamba: In Focus Paulo Benedicto C. Villar……...…… 30

Mid-term Assessment..................................................................................................................... 35
Unit 4: FAMILY, EDUCATION AND MATRYDOM OF RIZAL 36

The Family, Education and Travels of Rizal Abel A. Ubaldo……………………...…. 37
Exile in Dapitan, Trial and Execution Paulo Benedicto C. Villar…………………...… 48
Jose Rizal in the La Solidaridad and his views on the Revolution
Paulo Benedicto C Villar…………………………………………………………………. 52
Unit 5: WORKS AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL 66
Annotation of Antonio de Morga's Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas

Arvin Lloyd B. Pingul……………………………………………………………………… 67
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo Eula Jean L. Marayan…………………....… 70
The Indolence of the Filipinos (Sobre La Indolencia de los Filipinos)
Aljon I. Concillado……………………………………………………………………….. 79
Philippines a Century Hence (Filipinas dentro de cienaños)
Aljon I. Concillado……………………………………………………………………….. 83
Liham sa Mga Kababaihan ng Malolos Ma. Rhodora O. Agustin…….……………. 88
Final Assessment.................................................................................................................. 91
Grading System…………………………………………………………………………………….. 92
References…………………………………………………………………………………………… 93
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COURSE OUTCOMES
At the end of the course, students should be able to:
1. Discuss Jose Rizal’s life within the context of the 19th century Philippines in relation
to international events.
2. Understand the context that produced Rizal and other nationalists.
3. Analyze Rizal’s various works, particularly the novels Noli me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo.
4. Organize Rizal’s ideas into various themes.
5. Demonstrate a critical reading of primary sources from various personages relevant

to the formation of nationalism.
6. Interpret the values that can be derived from studying Rizal and other nationalists’
life and works.
7. Display an appreciation for education and love of country.
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INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
Note: Please do not write anything unnecessary on these instructional materials. Use a clean
sheet of bond paper in answering your activity/assessment either in a type-written or hand-
written format (please see the appendices for the sample template). When doing a hand-written
work, make sure that your penmanship is legible. You have to return these instructional
materials to the university upon completion of all the lessons, reading materials and assigned
tasks. The deadline of submission is on the third week of February 2021 or a week before the
end of the semester via the service courier provided by the university.
Intellectual Property: Please note the compilers do not claim credit for all the information
included in these learning materials. Original author/s of the data used in this material is
properly cited and a portion is specifically allotted for the references. If there is information or
original author/s that is not cited or missed information in the reference sections please inform
the authors to update the material as well as the accuracy of the data.
Data Privacy: Under the Republic Act 10173 or Data Privacy Act of 2012 this Instructional
Materials is not for sale and the authors do not allow reproduction aside to be used by the
Polytechnic University of the Philippines for the modular learning system. Any duplication of the
material without the permission of the compilers shall be penalized under the data privacy act.
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Unit One
UNDERSTANDING THE RIZAL LAW
Overview
Filipino students may be wondering about why they are still obliged to study the life and
works of Jose Rizal as part of their college degree, despite having studied the life and writings of
our national hero in their basic education. Some of them may see it as the repetition of the
discussions they have had and doing it again would just be a waste of time and effort. It is therefore
a great surprise for them that, upon entering college, they will be mandated by a law to study the
life and works of Jose Rizal without any idea on the legislative processes this law underwent so
that a course on the heroes life and works would be incorporated into the Philippine educational
system.
On June 12, 1956, President Ramon Magsaysay signed the bills proposed by Senators
Claro M. Recto and Congressman Jacobo Gonzales. The act of President Magsaysay converted
the bills into a law known as Republic Act 1425 or the Rizal Law. It entrusted the teaching of the
life, works and writings of Jose P. Rizal, in particular his Noli me Tangere (Noli) and El
Filibusterismo (Fili) in the secondary and college levels. This law hoped that the teaching of
Rizal’s life would strengthen the students’ nationalism, patriotism and their sense of appreciation
to the role of national heroes in the historical development of the country. The process through
which this measure was tackled in both houses of Congress was not easy as the Catholic Church
and other groups opposed the bills. Thus, in order to fully appreciate and understand this law, it
is necessary to study the reasons why there was a necessity of it and the context through which
it was discussed in Congress.
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LESSON 1
Republic Act 1425
Learning Objectives
At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:
 Understand the compelling reasons why RA 1425 was enacted into law;
 Examine the differing points-of-view of the pros and the antis, including the Catholic
Church in the passage of RA 1425; and
 Evaluate whether RA 1425 was able to achieve the purposes of its enactment some at
60 years later.
Course Materials
The educated nationalists like Jose P. Laurel and Claro M. Recto wanted that nationalism
and patriotism would flourish among the youth. Thus, they envisioned to educate them about the
ideals of Jose Rizal so that the future generations would be able to independently stand and
govern the country, away from foreign impact. Thus, the idea to teach the unexpurgated versions
of Rizal’s novels—Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo—which were considered as “constant
and inspiring sources of nationalism”.
The two statesmen, including Congressmen Jesus Parades and Arturo Tolentino, believed
in rekindling the kind of life that Rizal led and the visions he had for his country among the youth.
This is because the youth shall serve as the leaders of the future generations. And as leaders of
the future generations, they shall lead the country to its destiny. The lawmakers firmly believed
that the aspirations of Rizal for his country are relevant across all epochs.
This discussion on this lesson was adopted from the PowerPoint presentation of Mc
Donald Domingo M. Pascual titled RA 1425. It is the humble hope of the discussion to present
the process through which the Rizal Law was debated before its enactment into law so that the
study of the course would be more meaningful to the students.
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Figure 1: The diagram of the legislative process from: “The Legislative Branch”. The Official
Gazette, https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/about/gov/the-legislative branch/.
The Controversies Created by the Rizal Bills
According to Sen. Claro M. Recto, the author of the original version of Senate Bill No. 438,
the study of the great works of our foremost national hero is an inherent love for the country. He
said that the reading of Rizal’s novels would strengthen the Filipinism of the youth and foster
patriotism. With this purpose, he pushed for the compulsory study of the life, works and writings
of Jose Rizal among the students of schools, colleges and universities, public or private.
On April 17, 1956, Senator Jose P. Laurel, the sponsor of the bill, tackled SB 438 with the
title An Act to Make Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo Compulsory Reading Matters in All
Public and Private Schools, Colleges and Universities and for Other Purposes. As the chairman
of the Senate Committee on Education, Senator Laurel expressed his reverence to Rizal through
the following words: “The hero’s [Rizal] greatness lies not only in his intense patriotism, exemplary
conduct and behavior as a Filipino, the courage of his conviction and the utter disregard of the
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dangers to his life during those hectic days when he was preaching the gospel truth of justice,
Filipinism, not only in his great acts but also in his great thoughts and ideas which were expressed
and spread over in practically all pages of his novels” (quoted from Rosales, Sinag Vol. 1).
He firmly believed that the greatness of Rizal, as well as his intense love for his country
and people, could only be fully appreciated by the Filipinos if they would have adequate
knowledge about his sufferings and injustices. Rizal’s writings would open the minds of the
Filipinos to the ruthless effects of colonization. And, by exposing the Filipino youth to the ideas of
Rizal, they would be able to learn how to live the Rizal way that is characterized by strong love for
country and strong desire to build a great nation. The Filipino youth must consider it as a sacred
duty to study the great dreams and aspirations of Rizal for his country. The teaching and reading
of the novels of Rizal should be made into a law so that, through their knowledge and
understanding of the hero’s works, they would acquire a light that would guide them when the
country would experience another period of peril or darkness.
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Figure 2: A reproduced copy of RA 1425 from: “Republic Act No. 1425.” Official
Gazette, https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/1956/06jun/19560612-RA-
1425-RM.pdf
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Reactions to the Passage of the Rizal Bills
Soon, the bills became controversial. The Catholic Church began to express its vigorous
objection on the passage of a law that would make Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo
as compulsory reading matters in all schools, colleges and universities in the Philippines. The
Church alleged, in a pastoral letter, that the novels of Rizal do not promote nationalism but more
of criticism against it. It further alleged in that letter the presence of 170 passages from the Noli
and 50 passages from the Fili which intend to diminish its good image.
The Catholic Church strongly opposed due to the following reasons: (1) show open
criticism to the Catholic Church; (2) in the “compulsory” teaching of the unexpurgated versions of
Rizal’s Noli and El Fili, a teacher would have the tendency to discuss—or worse, to criticize—
certain Church doctrines; and, (3) the inevitable criticism of Church doctrines might lead to the
jeopardy of the faith of people.
The Catholic Action of Manila (CAM) was one of the principal organizations that initiated
campaigns against the bills. Its two attempts were to release articles of resistance daily, instead
of weekly, through the Sentinel, its official organ, and to convince the Catholics to write the
senators and the congressmen to junk the bills. Fr. Jesus Cavanna, a speaker on the symposium
organized by CAM, lambasted Rizal’s novels by saying that the Noli and Fili “…belong to the past
and it would be harmful to read them because they presented a false picture of conditions in the
country at that time. Noli Me Tangere is an attack on the clergy and its object was to put to ridicule
the Catholic faith. The novel was not really patriotic because out of 333 pages, only 25 contained
patriotic passages while 120 were devoted to anti-Catholic attack” (quoted from Rosales, Sinag
Vol. 1).
On the other hand, the Catholic Church, though, honored Rizal with these words: “Among
the many illustrious Filipinos who have distinguished themselves in the service of their country,
the highest place of honor belongs to Rizal. And justly so, for Rizal possessed to an eminent
degree those virtues which together make up true patriotism.” In its pastoral letter dated April 21,
1956, the Catholic Church paid homage to Rizal’s greatness by stating that “Rizal loved his
country not in words alone but in his deeds. He devoted his time, his energies and the resources
of his brilliant mind to dispelling the ignorance and apathy of his people and combating the
injustices and inequalities under which they labored. When his salutatory activities fell under the
suspicion of the colonial government and he was condemned to death as a rebel, he generously
offered his blood for the welfare of his country” (quoted from Rosales, Sinag Vol. 1)
From the Rizal Bills to the Rizal Law
As the meddling of the Church was felt by the lawmakers, the members of the Senate and
the House of the Representatives started to engage in heated discussions. It became an
extremely controversial issue that it resulted to the misunderstanding and quarrel of those who
were overwhelmed by their emotions.
One of those who strongly opposed the SB 438 was Senator Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo who
claimed that the reading of the unexpurgated versions of Rizal’s novels as against the conscience
of the Catholics. He believed that nationalism and patriotism are important and must be promoted,
yet promoting them should not be done at the risk of endangering the harmony between the
Church and the state. Senator Rodrigo viewed the measures as unjust and unwise because of
the use of compulsion that might put the Church in an awkward situation since religious issues
have always been considered as “sophisticated matters”. In his vehement opposition against S.B.
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No. 438, Senator Rodrigo told, “…I cannot allow my son who is now 16 to read the Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo lest he lose his faith.”
Another senator who expressed his opposition to the passage of the bill was Senator
Decoroso Rosales. He believed that approval of the bills would lead to the closure of Catholic
schools all throughout the country, and a political party might be inevitably put up by the Catholics
to show their strong resentment to the law.
Defense for Senate Bill 438
Sen. Claro M. Recto, the author of the original version, averred that Catholic schools would
never close since they are the sources of the Church’s income, as well as its religious and political
powers. And if a political party would be set up, it would be divided into two—the political partyto
be headed by either Sen. Rodrigo or Sen. Rosales and the party to be composed of Filipino
Catholics who do not only believe in God and serve Him but also possess a strong love for their
country and believe in serving her.
The debates on the Rizal bill also ensued in the House of the Representatives. House Bill
No. 5561, the identical version of SB No. 438, was filed by Representative Jacobo Gonzales of
the First District of Laguna. In his sponsorship speech, Congressman Gonzales said, “The bill
merely declares Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, in their original edition or in
their unexpurgated English and national language versions as compulsory reading matters in all
public and private schools, colleges and universities. The bill selects the writings of Rizal because
he is the greatest of our national heroes, the staunchest apostle of nationalism, the greatest man
the Malayan race has ever produced and a universal genius and hero of humanity. We have
chosen the Noli and the Fili for in their pages we see our lives as before a mirror—our defectsas
well as our strengths, our virtues as well as our vices. Knowing these, our consciousness as a
people is stirred and we learn to prepare ourselves for painful sacrifices that ultimately lead to
self-reliance, self-respect and freedom. The Noli and Fili mirror Philippine life, true today as it was
during the time of Rizal, only the dates and names have changed” (quoted from Rosales, Sinag
Vol. 1).
Meanwhile, Radio Commentator and Former Cong. Jesus Paredes (of Abra) expressed
opposition to the manner through which the objectives of the bills would be attained. He said that
“the bill [HB 5561] would violate of [sic] Section 927 of the Revised Administrative Code.” He
likewise stated “that [the] Catholics had the right to refuse to read them as it would ‘endanger their
salvation.”
Amendments of the Bills
To resolve the issues, amendments of the bills were respectively proposed in both houses
of Congress. Senator Jose P. Laurel penned the amended version of SB 438. His version was
thus entitled, An Act to Include in the Curricula of All Public and Private Schools, Colleges and
Universities Courses on the Life, Works and Writings of Rizal Particularly His Novels No li Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo, Authorizing the Printing and Distribution Thereof, and for Other
Purposes. In the House of Representatives, the amended version was authored by Congressman
Arturo Tolentino. He appealed to his colleagues with the following statements: “I appeal to the
members of this House, both those who spoke in favor of the Gonzales bill as originally worded
and those who spoke against the bill to agree to reason, to give something of their original
contention, so that we may meet in the middle ground, not for our own sake, not for the pride of
having won in the halls of this Congress but for the sake of our people who must remain united,
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for the leaders of the people must not think of their own personal victory or glory but of the unity
of the people whom they represent. There can be no true nationalism when the people are divided.
It is incumbent upon the leaders of the people to preserve unity among the people, for nationalism
flowers… in the hearts of the people…. I appeal to you. Let us vote unanimously… as an example
to our people. I have every reason to believe that the people listening to us all over the country
will unite as we do when we vote as one in this bill. Let us not think of which side will win; let us
just think that with this bill, the Filipino people will win because they will continue to remain whole
and cohesive. Within these walls, this substitute bill represents the victory of reason and wisdom;
outside these halls, it means the triumph of a united Filipino people” (quoted from Rosales, Sinag
Vol. 1).
Provisions of the Amended Versions as Stipulated in the Official Gazette (pp. 1-3)
Deleted – Penalty to be imposed for any public or private school, college and university and the
head and teachers of the school found guilty of violating, failing to comply with or circumventing
the provision of the law.
Replaced with – Authorization for the appropriation of the amount of P300, 000.00 for the
printing and distribution of the copies of the novels and other writings of Rizal in their English,
Tagalog and principal dialect translations.
Added –Nothing in the Act shall be “construed as amending or repealing section nine hundred
twenty-seven of the Administrative Code (Official Gazette,
Provided – The Board of National Education is hereby authorized and directed to adopt measures
to implement and carry out the provisions of Section 1 of the Act, including the writing and printing
of appropriate primers, readers and textbooks.
Many lawmakers still hoped that the amended versions would not pass but President
Ramon Magsaysay, one of the presidents oftentimes opposed by Recto due to the former’s
policies, signed them into law on June 12, 1956.
Assessment
Instruction: Discuss the item thoroughly. Write the question before each answer. Your
answer should contain at least three (3) paragraphs of not less than four (4)
sentences each. You may write your answers in Filipino. Do not forget to write your
full name in the upper left corner of the paper and your course, year and section
below it while the name of your professors should be indicated in the upper right.
1. Do you think that the passage of the Rizal bills into a law warranted the objectives
that the sponsors conceived in 1956? Explain your answer.
2. Do you think that the objectives were attained thereafter and that their attainment
resonated until the present? Expound your answer.
Note: Please do not write anything unnecessary on this instructional material. Use a clean
sheet of bond paper when answering your activity/ assessment task either in a type-written or
hand-written format (please see the appendices for sample template). When doing a hand-
written work, make sure that your penmanship is legible.
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References
Araneta, Gemma Cruz. Legislating Rizal. http://talkingpointsgca.blogspot.com/2011/01/

legislating-1.html.
Constantino, Renato and Leticia Constantino. The Philippines: A Continuing Past. Quezon City:
Foundation for Nationalist Studies, 1978
Ocampo. Ambeth. The Fight Over Rizal Law.
http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/ 20070504-63978/The-fight-over-
the-Rizal-Law.
Pangalanan, Raul. Passion for Reason: The Intense Debate on the Rizal Law.
http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20101231-311789/The-intense-
debate-on-the-Rizal-Law.
Rosales, Amalia C. Rizal: Walang Hanggang Landas. Manila: Quiapo. Mary Jo Publishing,
1999.
Rosales, Amalia C. “RA 1425 Revisited.” Sinag Vol. I (SY1992-1993).
Office of the President, Republic of the Philippines. “RA 1425.” Official Gazette Vol. 52, No. 6.
Office of the President, 1956.
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Unit Two
NATION, HEROES AND NATIONALISM
Overview
What is a hero? The American social scientist, Arthur Bernstein defines this noble figure
as “an individual of high moral stature and superior ability who pursues his goal indefatigably in
the face of a powerful antagonist. Because of his incomparable devotion to the good will, no matter
the opposition, a hero attains spiritual greatness even if he fails to achieve practical victory.
Jose Rizal and other Filipino histories are important source for capturing our own concept of
heroism. By analyzing the life and ideas of Rizal and other Filipino heroes, we affirm that our
race possesses the spirit necessary to move this country forward. The important thing is to rise
to the moment, selflessly and individually. In that instant, our separate actions are embraced
and broadened into a collective drive for a national interest.
According to Pablo S. Trillana III, Rizal’s unbroken devotion to the goodness led to the
building of our nation out of a colonized race. In word and deed, he lashed at the injustice and
oppression of Spanish authorities. This will fall with Bernstein’s definition of a dying hero is not a
criterion of heroism and is not a static concept, it is more like a spectrum with overlapping degrees
and nuances in between. Rizal’s moral ideals and devotion as well as his narratives of life are still
in the hearts and minds of many people not just Filipinos.
In this unit, students will have the opportunity to distinguish the importance of concept
such as Nation, Heroes, and Nationalism by studying the lives and ideas of selected Filipino
heroes, in particular Jose Rizal. In commemorating and realizing the martyrdom of these heroes,
we are, therefore, essentially asserting that our race possesses the spirit necessary to move this
country forward.
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LESSON 2
Philippine Nationalism: Heroes and their Ideas
Learning Objectives:
 Relate Rizal’s life to the life of the nation.

 Assess what characterizes a hero.
 Analyze the life of various Filipino heroes
There is something unique and fascinating about Philippine nationalism. The concept is
very complex and full of ambiguities that’s why many historians and scholars are still
challenging the notion of Philippine nationalism. Filipinos are always proud in taking pride in the
fact that our nationalistic and revolutionary traditions are the oldest in the region, particularly
from the vantage point of overt systematic efforts designed to expel the colonizers and in
gaining our independence. Therefore, the fact that here has been a resurgence of Philippine
nationalism in the past years in one sense should not have been unexpected in view of its
relatively long history. Beyond the pragmatic and sensible nature of Philippine nationalism is the
perennial reinvention of different set of discourses and traditions that has intrinsic value to
nation-state formation and maintenance. For much of the 20th century, nationalism was the
inherent ideological option among individuals and groups who are against western colonizers,
and somewhat paradoxically the moral cement of the newly established butstill politically
unstable post-colonial states.In this regard, nationalism exemplify evolutions of thoughts and
characteristic ethos that gave birth to revolutions (1896, 1986, etc.) in relation to State and
nation in the Philippines. While state-induced nationalism and associated rituals are inescapably
present, these fail to evoke the essence of belonging to a shared civil world.
The story of Philippine nationalism is more intriguing during the time of the Americans. If
one can recalls the central role portrayed by the global hegemon in the Philippine soil in terms
of its military presence, political interferenceand communication bases. The Philippines is
indeed a complex signifier of a modern nation-state. Because many Filipinos are deeply aware
of their peculiar trajectory in terms of colonial past, as a modern nation-state and its precarious
position, the dominant discourses of “the Philippines”was not an easy task among many
scholars. Filipinos are still problematic in terms of giving definition as well as understanding of
the concept called nationalism. Perhaps, one of the many reasons that we can forward in this
chapter is a close reading of heroism and significant heroes in the past to construct a common
underground to lay an understanding about Philippine nationalism and its roots from the past.
Heroes are critical mechanisms of the identity axis of nationalism. An

individual’sveneration of national heroes enhances the individual’s sense of belonging to the
nationalcollective. By creating a sense of national kinship, heroes facilitate a person’s
internalallegiance to the nation, the awareness of citizenship and belonging to “the people”, an
element of what Benedict Anderson has called the “imagined community” tha tconstitutes
nationalism. To discuss heroism in the Philippines is to offer a long history marked by rebellion,
resistance, idealism, and men and women with a powerful love for our country. It is with the
sacrifices and stories of human struggle that made these names important to instill nationalism
and to further our understanding in our identity as a people. According to Sharon Delmendo’s
The Star-Entangled Banner: One Hundred of America in the Philippines, the Americans played
an important role in the construction of Philippine nationalism. Herdepiction of nationalism with a
similar look from Benedict Anderson, provided an excellent foundation for the concept
ofnationhood. Additionally, Greg Bankoff and Kathleen Weekley in their novel, Post-
ColonialNational Identity in the Philippines, explore the “theoretical and historical relationship
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betweennation and state” and how idea of Filipino identity has developed over time. They saw
an important question about the absence of important Muslim figures from Philippine
nationalistic celebrations as well as in Literature. This analysis creates an opportunity to revisit
our measures and provide answers for the lack of representation of the “non-traditional” such as
Sultan Kudarat, Lapu-lapu, etc. and its impact on creating a general appropriate representation
of nationalism for the whole Philippines. In essence, diversity and many other factors are
attributed to the development of the Philippine’s national identity. One example is the colonial
regimes of both Spain and the United States who triggered many reactions from the local that
resulted to the shaping of Philippine nation. Nevertheless, the narratives and stories from the
past which are being examined and studied by historians and scholars are important for us to
recognize the role heroes play in establishing a national identity and collective aspiration for
citizens of the Philippine nation to recognize as well as relate to. This analysis focuses more on
the roleof individuals in shaping and promoting a sense of pride in the Philippines.
Admiration to saints, politicians, artists, and even vloggers or tiktokers is common thing among
Filipinos. Since the declaration of Philippine Independence, many have been recognized as
Filipino heroes. From the traditional notion of death for the love of our country to invaluable
services rendered by our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) abroad, we were able to locate and
recognized individual who has become so popular or the main character in any particular event
has given the title “hero”. In all honesty, there’s no law declaring Rizal or whoever names in
history as Philippines national hero. We don’t have one single national hero; it’s just by
acclamation. But we do have a long list of names and people whom we called as national
heroes. Filipino heroes all contributed to the freedoms, the rights, and the democracy that we
are somewhat enjoying today and the democracy that we are still fighting to improve. In the
past, the essence of the word “hero” is diminishing and loosing its impact. Today, we find
ourselves questioning the role of heroes in our national collective aspirations towards nation
building, but what does it mean to be a hero? Esteban de Ocampo, a well-known historian,
stated that a hero means a prominent or central figure that plays an admirable part in any
remarkable action or event; a person of distinguished valor or enterprise in danger or fortitude in
suffering; and a man honored by public worship after his death for an exceptional service to
mankind. The true heroes of Philippine history deserve to be called and studies because they
had no idea that one day they would be measured, they just act upon their principles. It was
during the time of the Philippine Commission headed by William Howard Taft when the concept
of honoring heroes came and develop in the Philippines. As one of the major colonial policies
and cultural legacies of American administration in the Philippines, the commission adopted Act
No. 137 combining the districts of Morong and Manila to be named as “Province of Rizal” in
honor of the “Renaissance man” and the “pride of the Malay race”. Since then, heroes have
been celebrated here and there, citing their names in every politician’s speeches, declaring
holidays, naming streets, building monuments, etc. in their honor. Until one day, realizing that so
many names were recognized as heroes, there was a need to assess the situation. During
Marcos’ presidency, he asked the National Heroes Commission to come up with the criteria for
a national hero. On March 28, 1993, by Executive Order No. 75 of the President, the National
Heroes Committee was established, commissioned to study, evaluate and recommend historical
figures to be declared national heroes. The Committee composed of worthy members, with a
series of discussions, has come up with the new criteria.
A series of meetings from June 03, 1993 to November 15, 1995 were done by the Technical Committee
of the National Heroes Committee in order to define, discuss and deliberate upon the merits of the
various definitions and criteria to set. The committee adopted a short list of criteria and was able to give
basis in determining who among the great Filipinos will be officially proclaimed as national heroes:
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Criteria for National Heroes
(Directly adopted from the website of the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts (NCCA), The
work of the Technical Committee of the National Heroes Committee on June 3, 1993,Manila. Members
of the Committee included Drs. Onofre D. Corpuz, Samuel K. Tan, Marcelino Foronda, Alfredo Lagmay,
Bernardita R. Churchill, Serafin D. Quiason, Ambeth Ocampo, then known as Dom Ignacio Maria, Prof.
Minerva Gonzales and Mrs. Carmen Guerrero-Nakpil)
1. Heroes are those who have a concept of nation and thereafter aspire and struggle for the nation’s
freedom. Our own struggle for freedom was begun by Bonifacio and finished by Aguinaldo, the latter
formally declaring the revolution’s success. In reality, however, a revolution has no end. Revolutions are
only the beginning. One cannot aspire to be free only to sink back into bondage.
2. Heroes are those who define and contribute to a system or life of freedom and order for a nation.
Freedom without order will only lead to anarchy. Therefore, heroes are those who make the nation’s
constitution and laws, such as Mabini and Recto. To the latter, constitutions are only the beginning, for
it is the people living under the constitution that truly constitute a nation.
3. Heroes are those who contribute to the quality of life and destiny of a nation. (As defined by Dr.
Onofre D. Corpuz)
Additional Criteria for Heroes

(Adopted by the Technical Committee of the National Heroes Committee on November 15, 1995, Manila)
1. A hero is part of the people’s expression. But the process of a people’s internalization of a hero’s life
and works takes time, with the youth forming a part of the internalization.
2. A hero thinks of the future, especially the future generations.
3. The choice of a hero involves not only the recounting of an episode or events in history, but of the entire
process that made this particular person a hero. (As defined by Dr. Alfredo Lagmay)
Today more than ever, being mindful with the abovementioned criteria is important for all Filipinos. The
criteria for national heroes will not only be checked against historical figures butcan also apply for us to be
vigilant voters against the politicians to whom we will entrust the power to lead or country. We have
different expectations for our public officials but to include these criteria before electing important
government positions will make a huge change towards the maturity and advisability of our generation to
elect the rightful leaders.
Today, it is important to recall their most significant acts of patriotism, which have led to the birth of
generations of free and proud Filipinos. Below are the names of nine (9) historical figures in the
Philippine history selected as national heroes:
Jose Rizal (1861-1896):

Rizal was the author of some of the most important writings about the aristocracy and colonization
of Spain in the Philippines. He was known to many Filipinos and foreigners all over the world and
was considered as one of the forerunners of establishing early Philippine studies in Europe when
he was actively participating in the so-called propaganda movement.
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Andres Bonifacio (1863-1897):
Bonifacio led the Katipunan, a secret revolutionary society that fought against Spanish oppression
and colonial rule in the Philippines. A patriot (notcommunist) who spearheaded various military
campaigns during the Philippine Revolution as acts of rebellion against the ruling of Spanish
colonial government. He also envisioned the establishment of a Tagalog republic in which the
locals will be united and organized through attaining a single vision for the homeland anchored
from our rich values and cultural identity.
Emilio Aguinaldo (1869-1964)

Aguinaldo is one of the most fascinating revolutionaries in the Philippines who were able to witness
the Philippine campaigns for Independence under three eras of colonization from Spain, America,
and Japan. He was considered as a brave general in many revolutions and was recognized as the
First President of the Philippine republic. Aguinaldo was also known forseveral successful
encounters and guerilla movements that he organized to campaign for the independence of the
Philippines.
Juan Luna (1857-1899):

Luna was one of the greatest Filipino artists of all times and considered as genius painter who
advocated for the Philippine reformation in Europe. He was the artist who created the world-famous
magnum opus, Spoliarium, which was awarded a first-class medal in the 1884 Madrid Exposition of
Fine Arts. He was born in Badoc, Ilocos Norte on October 23, 1857 and died in Hongkong on
December 07, 1899.
Marcelo Del Pilar (1850-1896):

Del Pilar was a Political analyst and writer of various issues in the Philippine society during the peak
of Spanish colonization in the country. In 1882, he founded the nationalistic newspaper, Diariong
Tagalogand circulated progressive and patriotic writings in Europe. The newspaper as well as the
thoughts of the writers such as Rizal and other Filipino nationalists became the inspiration behind the
creation of the propaganda movement.
Melchora Aquino (1812-1919):

Aquino is one of the two females among the nine historical figures recommended as heroes. She
was better known as “Tandang Sora”, “Mother of Balintawak”, and “Mother of the Philippine
Revolution”.Born in the city of Kalookan, Aquino’s home became an important location and venue for
several secret meetings of the katipunan. Here, she helped the revolutionaries by feeding and
providing medical attention to the revolutionaries. She also carried many secret tasks such as
recruitment of other members and encouraged them to join the struggle with maternal advice and
prayers.
Apolinario Mabini (1864-1903):

Mabini was one of the foremost of the Philippine revolutionary heroes. He was considered as the
“brains” of the revolution because of his role as the architect of the 1898 Philippine revolutionary
government. Under Aguinaldo’s revolutionary government, he served as the first legal and
constitutional adviserand then as the first Prime Minister of the Philippines upon the establishment of
the First Philippine Republic. Mabini performed his entire revolutionary and governmental activities
despite losing the use of both his legs to polio shortly before the Philippine Revolution of 1896. He
was also the author of a unique draft constitution that labelled the woman asgreat partners in nation
building.
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Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat (1581–1671):
Kudarat was the most powerful Sultan of Maguindanao in the Philippines. He successfully repelled
Spain’s conquest to subdue Mindanao. He was also a hindrance to the Christianization of the
Mindanao Island much like the other Muslim rulers of the Southern Philippines. Mohammad
Dipatuan Kudarat was a direct descendant of Shariff Kabungsuwan, a Malay-Arab missionary who
brought Islam to the Philippines between the 13th and 14th centuries.
Sultan Kudarat also forged an alliance with the Sultanate of Sulu, a neighboring maritime
sultanate, by marrying its sultan’s daughter. The Sultanate of Sulu was one of the most powerful
sultanates in the prehistorical Philippines and situated east of the territories of the Sultanate of
Maguindanao, and its territory stretched to the northern part of Borneo.
Gabriela Silang (1731-1763):

María Josefa Gabriela CariñoSilang was a revolutionary fearless female warrior and a great leader
of the Filipino people to fight for independence from Spain. She took over the revolutionary
movement of her husband Diego Silang after his assassination in 1763 and became a military
general in the resistance who led the longest sustained revolt to counter the colonizers. Her
actions inspired both men and woman to continue in the struggle against western imperialism. She
also mobilized the Indigenous peoples in the north such as the Tingguian community to fight the
Spaniards and resists until they were executed by the colonizers on September 20, 1763.
Despite the recommendations, no action has been taken as result of the possibility of triggering
debates on historical controversies. However, the qualifications of the National Heroes
Commission, historians and researchers reflect the continued quest to remember significant
personalities who have made a difference in Philippine history.
Course Materials:
1. Readings: National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). 2015. Selection and
proclamation of national heroes and laws honoring Filipino historical figures (1995). Online,
http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/selection-and-proclamation-of-national-
heroes-and-laws-honoringfilipinohistorical-figures. 2. Joaquin, Nick. 2005. Anatomy of the anti-
hero. In A question of heroes, 50–64. Mandaluyong City: Anvil. Anderson, Benedict. 2004. 3. The
first Filipino. In Specter of comparisons: Nationalism, Southeast Asia, and the world, 227–34.
Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press. 4. Constantino, Renato. 1966. Our task: To make
Rizal obsolete. In The Filipinos in the Philippines and other essays, 137–52. 5. Lahiri, Smitha.
1999. Writer, hero, myth, and spirit: The changingimage of José Rizal. SEAP Bulletin. Fall bulletin.
Southeast Asia Program, Cornell
University.Online,http://seap.einaudi.cornell.edu/sites/seap.einaudi.cornell.edu/ files/1999f_2.pdf.
Assessment
Instruction: Discuss the item thoroughly. Write the question before each answer. Each answer
should contain at least three (3) paragraphs of not less than four (4) sentences each. You may
write your answers in Filipino. Do not forget to write your full name in the upper left corner of the
paper and your course, year and section below it while the name of your professors should be
indicated in the upper right.
1. Develop your own list of historical figures that you consider to be national heroes. Justify your
chosen list and recommend which historical figures may or may not fall within the criteria set by the
National Heroes Commission.
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Unit Three
THE NINETEENTH CENTURY PHILIPPINES
Overview
In order to have a better understanding of Jose Rizal’s life, we need to uncover the
prevalent conditions of the Philippines in the nineteenth century, where he lived and died as a
martyr. In this unit, we will address the changing landscape of the Philippine economy and politics
and explain how these changes have influenced the society in which Rizal grew up and was
eventually recognized as the counrtry’s leading nationalist and hero. It begins by taking a greater
look at the critical progress made in the late eighteenth century as a result of various historical
events. This module will trace the impacts of these developments by looking at the various local
and global events that have had an enormous impact on the policies of the Spanish regime in the
Philippines as a colony.
The nineteenth century exposed the long-standing problems of landownership and land
grabbing under the encomienda system. It is therefore also important to have a thorough
understanding of how this problem contributed to the condition of the native Filipinos during that
time. The Rizal family rented lands in the Hacienda de Calamba from the Dominican Friar Order.
Lands belonging to religious orders throughout the Philippines have been acquired by various
methods. Some have been mortgaged and eventually bought by the religious orders; some have
been donated by Spaniards hoping for better fates in the afterlife; and some Filipino principales
sold their lands and/or lent it to the church on their deathbed. Despites these various methods,
the majority of our Illustrados believe that these religious orders do not have titles to these lands
and have acquired them through usurpation and other mischievous means. It is worth noting that
the same lands in Laguna were ordered by King Fernando VI in November 7, 1751 to be
investigated upon in his decree entitled “Usurpation of Indian lands by friars” where the
Dominican Friar Order were reprimanded for grabbing the lands from the Filipinos. Marcelo H. del
Pilar eloquently discussed about the predominance of the interests of these religiousorders in lieu
of the welfare of the people and of the government citing various cases in his book Monastic
Supremacy in the Philippines.
Nonetheless, this unit will try to discuss the following economic, political, and social events
of the 19th century: opening of the Suez Canal, opening of ports to world trade, rise of the export
crop economy and monopolies, rise of the Chinese mestizo and the Inquilinos, liberalism, and the
history of friar estates in the Philippines.
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LESSON 3
The Philippine’s Economic, Social and Political conditions during the Spanish
Colonization until the 19th century as Rizal’s context
Learning Objectives
 Locate Rizal’s life in the Philippines within the broader context of thedevelopments
in the nineteenth century.
 Analyze the various social, political, and economic changes that taken place in the
19th century.
Course Materials
Condition of the country before the birth of Jose Rizal
During Spain’s 333-year rule in the Philippines, the colonial territory was enslaved by
policies that domestically abused the Filipino natives. The Spanish colonial policy was
practically designed not only to keep Philippines under control but also to exploit its rich natural
resources. The burdensome of tax system was imposed on natives to collect revenue ideally to
fund public utilities. This policy was promulgated by the Indies Company of the Spanish Crown
as a form of payment in recognition of the Spanish sovereignty over colonial lands. The arbitrary
and unfair forced labor of Polo Y Servicios required all healthy and physically capable 16-60-
year-old male natives to render forty (40) days of work without payment and food allowance.
While the monopolistic galleon trade and strict agricultural policies that limit the Philippines from
doing business and trading to other countries apart from the two nations, China and Mexico, have
led to a one-sided and imbalanced economy. In addition, the Encomienda system has made a
serious contribution to the issue of land grabbing and agrarian disputes between the farmers and
the landowners.
Education in the Philippines was not open to all Filipinos during the Spanish era. There
was absolutely no intention of the Spanish Government to train natives for eventual
independence and self-governance. During this period, some schools were set up exclusively for
the education of the Spanish nationals in the archipelago. They were only open to people
belonging to the upper social and economic classes of the society. The Spaniards blamed the
indolence inherent of the Filipino character, their inability to learn, and their perceived congenital
inferiority of the policies they implemented in the colony.
However, by the end of the 18th century, political and economic changes in Europe had
finally begun to affect Spain and thus, the Philippines. Colonial policies gradually changed and
the overseas territories benefited. Of these changes, one was the abolition of the Manila-Acapulco
Trade in 1815 and the separation of Mexico from Spain, which made it necessary for the Spanish
Government to engage in trade relations with other countries. Manila was re-opened to world
trade making the transaction between Asia and Europe easier. This also brings with it liberal
ideologies that have influenced the middle-class society which the family of Jose Rizal, belongs.
Nonetheless, these economic changes have an impact on the political climate in Spain and
subsequently in the Philippines, as its only colony in Asia, has undergone tremendous changes
in its social condition.
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Historical Background of the 19th century: Philippines and Spain
Jose Rizal’s thought and ways of thinking could be best understood in terms of his time
through the prevalent socio-economic and political conditions of the Spanish system in the
Philippine colony. These changes had motivated him to contribute to the development of a
national identity and become the country’s leading nationalist and hero.
Rizal was born in an era of liberal ideologies, a development in Europe in the seventeenth
and eighteenth centuries when, thoughts concerning God, reason, nature, and humanity were
blended into a perspective that increased wide consent in the West and progressive advancement
in workmanship, theory, and legislative issues. In the Age of Enlightenment, the use of so-called
intellectuals was important. It was the force that made people accepts the world to understand
and strengthen their own situation. The goals of these intellectuals were seen as a source of
knowledge, opportunity, and fulfillment. This period, however, was both a development as well
as a perspective. The term refers to a stage in Europe’s intellectual history, but it also serves to
describe reform initiatives in which strong intellectuals are motivated by a typical confidence in
the prospect of a better future.
Meanwhile, Spain was in big trouble during the last quarter of the eighteenth century,
especially when it was vanquished by France. When the government was re-established in 1814,
Fernando VII returned to absolutism in order to control all important aspects of the government,
such as political and theological principles. At the time of his death, the monarch was forced to
bestow the crown to his new-born child, Isabela, under the rule of her mother, Maria Cristina.
However, a civil war broke out when Don Carlos, the younger brother of the King showed interest
in the seat of power. This resulted to a revolt between the Liberals who had favored Maria
Cristina and the Carlists, the supporters of Don Carlos.
In 1886, when Isabella became the queen, an insurgency took place against her and she
had to give up the crown. Alfonso XII of Spain became the king, who at last brought Spain into a
time of stability and great reform. This was also the time when liberal ideologies began to
influence Spain’s political climate as it gradually adapting the new system of government under
the Cadiz constitution and implementing a number of changes in the colonial policies that
directly affected its overseas territories.
The political changes persisted until the latter part of the 19th century, when its overseas
territories were influenced by the political, social and economic changes in Spain. Two of the
colonies that sought an upheaval for absolute liberation were the Philippines and Cuba. Without
a consistent strategy of advancing the Philippine economy, Spain had to face long local
resistances in order to protect its matriarch from the indigenous people pursuing long-term
reforms.
The Changing Landscape of the Philippine Colony in the Nineteenth Century
Numerous scholars in the field of history think of the nineteenth century in the Philippines
as a period of drastic transition. Change, nonetheless, has its underlying waves in the early
century. The Spanish government has experienced a shift in monarchy from the Habsburgs to
the Bourbons, and under the new government; Spain has to recalibrate colonial strategies that
had seriously impacted its economic and political affairs. In 1778, the new government sent Jose
de Basco y Vargas to serve as its new governor-general. Soon, Basco set up the Royal
Philippine Company in 1785 to fund agricultural projects and negotiate a new exchange between
the Philippines and Spain and the rest of the world. However, these initiatives of General Basco
confronted few protections and adversaries coming from the church and financial specialists who
were all of the same time embracing the old economy of the Galleon exchange.
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A product of liberal ideologies, General Basco has initiated radical economic and political
reforms. He lifted restrictions on the Chinese traders that revitalized domestic exchange; set up
an improvement in cash crop farming; relaxed specific approaches that enabled Manila to
continue opening up its external business; and set up the Tobacco Monopoly to boost the
development of a trade union. These new economic improvements under General Basco helped
the Philippines succeed on the global export economy.
As far as political advancement is concerned, previous governor-generals struggled to

adopt measures that would have advanced the progress of the colony. They have not able to
actualize strong approaches to social and educational progress. Catholicism was more widely
used as an apparatus for the enslavement of the Filipinos, and the friars were too powerful and
abusive to influence the affairs of the colony. The imbalances between the social classes and the
inequalities between Filipinos and Spanish citizens have been widespread and rampant. These
shameful acts and social ills endured by the Filipinos turned into the subject of dissension by the
propaganda movement and the revolutionary group, such as the Katipunan, which soon ignited
the Filipinos on fire to begin the Philippine Revolution in 1895.
Meanwhile, the significance of land-ownership is becoming apparent as the cash crop

economy contributed to the majority of the settlement income. As the colony moved to cash
crops, land ownership and management began to be a major concern of the government that led
to the emergence of new social order. Local farmers were constrained to meet the specific needs
of demand for products, while the hacienderos benefited solely from this development, resulting
in the worst problems of land grabbing. What is more, as the growing concern about better land
management arose in the new arrangement of economy, the Inquilinos or the land trustees
assumed the essential role of local farmers, and made a critical contribution to the social
delineation of the countryside as it widened the wealth inequalities between natives and the
landowners originating from the encomienda system.
The demand for Philippine sugar and abaca grew rapidly, and the amount of exports to
Europe increased even further after the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869. New innovations
such as machinery and other goods which could not be supplied by Spain were also introduced
by the development of this economy. During those days, the Filipino hacienderos of Pampanga,
Batangas and other parts of the Philippines flourished because most of the products exported by
the Filipinos were agricultural..
The growth of commercial agriculture resulted in the emergence of a new class alongside
the land holdings of the Church and the land estates of the pre-Spanish nobles of coffee, hemp,
and sugar haciendas, which were often the property of enterprising Chinese-Filipino mestizos.
Some of these families, which gained prominence in the 19th century, have continued to play an
important role in the economics and political campaigns of the Philippines in the years to come.
The Opening of the Philippines in the World Trade
Following decades of economic decline brought on by the Spanish monopolistic policies,

the opening of the Port of Manila to foreign trade in 1834 led to immense socio-economic
changes in the Philippine colony. Despite economic constraints, the success of numerous
industries and institutions has prompted foreign investors to try their fortune in the Philippines.
The Philippines opening up to international trade has resulted in a strong demand for export
products such as rice and tobacco. This has given enormous profits to Filipino businessmen and
Chinese immigrants in the country.
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When the Royal Company of the Philippines or the Real Compania de Filipinas went
bankrupt due to the mismanagement of the previous officials, the world turned its attention to the
Philippines. In order to change the economic losses incurred by this event, Governor-General
Felix Berenguer de Marquina proposed that the King of Spain open Manila for World trade.
Thus, after the breakdown of the Galleon trade due to Mexico’s independence, the fall of
the Real Compania de Filipinas catapulted the King of Spain to open Manila to the world trade.
The company’s privileges were abolished in a Royal decree issued on September 6, 1834, and
the port of Manila was open to trade. Since Manila was a strategic harbor, it became one of the
best trading cities on its shores, attracting merchants from America, Britain and other from
Europe and Asia. As a result Spain’s economic dominance has lost its position in the region,
while more resources have been acquired by traders like the Chinese mestizos.
Modern production and transport methods, especially sugar mills and steamships, have
opened up economic development in the Philippines. The colony started requesting agricultural
products from the British, French, Dutch, and North American traders, including sugar, cigars,
and abaca. The leading export crop has been sugar. These improvements were made possible
by King Charles III of Spain. His aim was to make the trade goods increasingly more effective
from the Philippines to Spain. And it caused the Spaniards to sell more goods to the other
countries as world trade opened up to the Philippines. They used our money because the
supplies came from the Philippines and did not compensate us because they sold more goods
for their own benefit. The Philippines’ economy has grown rapidly and its local industries have
evolved to meet the increasing demands of Europe that was industrializing.
Liberal administration and Emergence of the Chinese and Chinese Mestizos
Carlos Maria dela Torre was sent to the Philippines to serve as governor-general from
1869-1871 as a consequence of the liberal victory in the Spanish Revolution of 1868. He was
distinct from his predecessors and had initiated changes such as abolishing flagging as a
penalty in the Spanish army for Filipino deserters abolishing press censorship, and encouraging
freedom of speech. In education, a decree was passed in 1863 instructing schools in various
places to be founded and mandating Indios to learn Spanish as the national language.
Eventually the insulares, Chinese mestizos and indios have started to identify themselves as
Filipinos, and this contributed to the creation of a national identity.
Meanwhile, the jorney from Europe to Asia became shorter and faster leading to the
influx of western liberal ideologies to the Philippines. The minds of the Filipinos in the Philippines
have penetrated the ideas of independence, freedom and solidarity that have become the
legacy of the French Revolution and the democratic ideals of the United States of America.
The sectors that benefited incredibly from the evolving economy were the Chinese and
Chinese Mestizos. The natives of the Philippines have had trade ties with the Chinese since pre-
colonial times. It was also during the Galleon trade that the bulk of items being traded were
undermined by the Chinese goods. The flood of Chinese settlements in the Philippines made the
Spaniards doubtful of the true intentions of the Chinese as trade merchants. These prompted
the Spaniards to impose an unjust policy on sangleys, extending from higher cost, limiting the
development and movement of their products in the Parian, to real arrangements for ejection.
The Chinese, however, ended up being a fundamental part of the Philippine economy and
society. Although the Spaniards were careful about the Chinese, they understood the significance
of their contribution to strengthening of the economy. From the products stacked on the vessels
to the improvement of the retail exchange, the Chinese have given life into the economy.
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Manila, transformed into a melting pot of the export economy in the colony, has become a viable
opportunity for individuals seeking a better chance or those who need to get away from the
compounding condition in the farmlands.
Rise of the middle class
A middle class of Asian-Eurasian mestizos has arisen in the Philippine social class as a
result of substantial economic shifts in the lives of the Filipinos. They founded the town of
Principalia, an elite social community consisting of former governors, minor indigenous
bureaucrats, decorated workers and school masters. In particular, the wealth of the principalia,
the inquilinos, came from the income produced by land owned or lease.
The family of Jose Rizal was one of the Inquilinos in the Dominican’s Hacienda de
Calamba. Unfortunately, they were also among the Filipino families who had received unfair
treatment from the abusive friars. By 1883, the family began to see changes in the way the
Dominicans had lease. The dispute reached its heights towards the end of the 1880s, when the
farmers wrote a petition to the government stating their complaints against the Dominicans and,
as a result, the friars retaliated.
An increasing economy dependent on the exporting economy had changed by the

middle of the eighteenth century, and a new economic structure considered to be the Inquilinato
was constantly developed. Under the new scheme for a fixed annual amount, referred to as
canon, an individual leased property over a period of time and it was also expected that the
tenant would provide its owners with personal services. He may face eviction to fulfill these
duties.
Summary
The Philippines, part of the wider Spanish empire underwent changes as the Spanish
Crown adapted a new a constitution that, due to the strong influence of liberal ideologies, limited
the power of the monarch in the eighteenth century. These developments have had a profound
impact on the political and social landscape not only of Spain, but also the overseas colonies like
the Philippines.
In addition, the nineteenth century saw the rise of the Mestizo and Principalia classes,
which would assert their relevance in the society. It is therefore not entirely surprising that men
like Jose Rizal flourished in the nineteenth century. Born in the 1980s, Rizal grew up in a transition
society. By the time he matured, he could reap the benefits of the changes had taken place. As
he was exposed to higher education, he could realize that, just as economic development was a
reality, so was the rising inequality and worsening of conditions for the majority of the population.
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Assessment:
Instruction: Write down the changes and developments felt in the Philippines in the nineteenth
century.
Change and Development
Political
Economic
Socio-cultural
Note: Please do not write anything unnecessary on this instructional material. Use a clean sheet
of bond paper in answering your activity/assessment task either in a type-written or hand-written
format (please see the appendices for the sample template). When doing a hand-written work,
make sure that your penmanship is legible.
References
Abrera, Ma. Bernadette, et. al. Kasaysayan ng Bayan: Sampung Aralin sa Kasaysayang
Pilipino.Pilipinas: ADHIKA ng Pilipinas at National Historical Institute, 2005.
Agoncillo, T.A. History of the Filipino People. Lungsod Quezon: Garotech Publishing, 1990
Constantino, Renato, A Past Revisited (Vol. 1), 1990.
Obias, Rhodalyn W. et al. The Life and Works of Rizal. Quezon City: C & E Publishing, Inc,
2018.
Gripaldo, E.M. et. al. Kasaysayan ng Filipino at mga Institusyong Filipino. Lungsod
Quezon: Sentro ng Wikang Filipino, Unibersidad ng Pilipinas. 2003.
Schumacher, John SJ. The Making of a Nation. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila Pres,1996.
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LESSON 4
The Case of Hacienda de Calamba: In Focus
Learning Objectives
 Analyze the developments in the issue of the Hacienda de Calamba as part of the wider
social turmoil in the developments in the nineteenth century.
 Examine the Hacienda de Calamba issue as an example of agrarian conflicts in
the country.
 Connect what transpired in the Hacienda de Calamba and its effect on the life of Jose
Rizal.
Course Material
Jose Rizal wrote an emphatic petition in January 1888 in compliance to the colonial
government’s demand of a report on the income and production of the lands due to the reason
that they suspected that the Dominican Friar Orders were evading payment of taxes. Rizal’s
petition included a list of grievances against the Dominican Friar Orders who presumably owns
the Hacienda de Calamba.
Rizal was deeply affected by the results of the Issue of the Hacienda de Calamba. The
case was appealed in the Real Audiencia in Manila but was dismissed. They placed another
appeal in the Tribunal Supremo in Madrid but was again dismissed. On August 1890, together
with the other tenants Rizal’s family was evicted from the lands.
Instruction: Read the Petition written by Jose Rizal in January 1888, and then answer the
questions that follow.
Petition of the Town of Calamba written by Jose Rizal in January 1888
On 30 December an order from the government of this province was received in

this tribunal whose content is as follows:
Gobernadorcillo of Calamba: - As soon as you receive this order, jointly with various principales
of that town you will inform this office if the Estate owned by the Dominican fathers situated in that
locality has increased its products or lands during the last three years in compliance with the
wishes of the Central Administration of Direct Taxes communicated in an official letter of the
24th instant. – Santa Cruz, 31st of December 18887 – Emilio Bravo.
After thorough investigation, the following report was drawn up signed by more than fifty
residents, among them tenants and principales.
Mr. Administrator: - The undersigned Gobernadorcillo and principales of the town in compliance
with the preceding order have the honor to submit to you the following information:
The Estate of the reverend Father Dominicans is not situated in this locality but in fact
constitutes the whole town, the Reverend Fathers believing that the boundaries set up by them
these last years should be the limits of the Estate: On the north, the part of the lake until the Island
of Calamba; on the south, until the Bigo Bridge, Olango, Santol, Mount Sungay; on the
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east, until Los Banos in Bacong, comprising almost one half of Mount Maquiling; on the west, until
Cabuyao and Santa Rosa, having an area of at least 700 quinones (a quinon is 2.8 hectares) of
clean cleared lands.
1. From the declaration of the tenants interviewed, it turns out that the products of the Estate
– if by products are to be understood everything that the land produces - have increased
for the Estate sand diminished remarkably for the tenants, not only in former years but
also recently, in the last three, as the enclosed account proves. Such a statement needs
to the explained.
The products increase to the benefit of the Estate:

1. Because the wild forests which are given to the tenants for a low rent at the beginning,
according as the tenants clear and clean them, invest large capital in them, according as
the fortune of the farmer becomes involved in them, the contract is arbitrarily altered by
the Estate, the rent rises enormously, there being a case when 45 pesos became 900 in
a few years through an annual forces imposition.
2. Because some lands pay twice for two harvests of rice, where some bamboo groves are
found, the farmer pays for the land and for each bamboo grove besides, regardless of
whether it is useless or it has been felled. In the lands where huts have been erected for
the workers, one has to pay for the lots and the huts besides.
3. Because the rent of the town lots where houses or warehouses are erected increases
every time an official or servant of the Estate measures them. There seems to exist either
a supernatural power that invisibly extends the land or a natural power that shortens the
measure of the official, who after all is neither an expert nor a surveyor, though he is very
venal indeed. Without this trick, the rent is also raised when the tenant makes improvement
in the lot as when he replaces the bamboo fence with a stone one, or builds a wooden
house, for comfort and public embellishment; therefore, many do not improve their dwelling
even if they have the means to do so. Even lots where public buildings are erected do not
escape this honor: The cockpit for which the most well-to-do tenant is held responsible.
The rent is raised by 16 duros (duro is a silver dollar) that was formerly 100, though it had
not been enlarged nor has any improvement been made in it.
4. Because rice fields that are planted with only 5 or 4 cavanes (a cavan is equal to 75
liters) of seed, pay as if they have a capacity for 9.5 and 14 cavanes, on pain of being
declared vacant and given to others. The Estate, not spending anything for the town’s
welfare, not contributing either to festivals or to schools, or to the development of
agriculture, or to public improvements, has no other expense except a few cavanes of
rice given to the workers during a locust invasion, a few thousand pesos invested in
badly planned dikes and constructed under the direction of a lay-friar of the Estate, and
some losses, like the debts of some unfortunate tenants who are unable to pay the
enormous rentals.
The products for the tenants have decreased considerably, in spite of continuous labor;
not only before but also these last three years as proven by the large number of ruined farmers,
indebted and dispossessed of their property.
1) By the discouragement of the farmers on seeing that the lands they have so laboriously
cultivated and cleared are taken away arbitrarily for futile reasons or without reason, on
seeing that they cannot trust the Estate itself. At times what the lay-friar manager orders,
such as, making the farmer buy machinery, make improvements, and compelling him to
make excessive expenditures, are later destroyed by his successor, who make the farmer
pay for the expenses of demolition.
2) The absence of good faith on the part of the Estate discourages not a little. The land is
looked after and appraised by the servant of the Estate, ignorant like the rest, mindful
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only of flattering his masters. At times he imposes rental without measuring the land and
when the farmer can no longer draw back, because he has invested in it his capital, a
ghost of a measurement is done and excessive conditions are imposed. If this is settle d,
the rental will be raised again the following year, on pain of losing all the land, the toil, and
the capital.
On the other hand, the desperate ones who wish to return a parcel of land that is
unproductive will not be allowed to do so and the face ruin as they will be threatened of
being despoiled of all their other parcels. It arouses suspicion that they do not want to
write in the receipts the amount paid as rental and the total absence of any record,
especially in these last years
3) For the public calamities, like locusts and the fall in the price of sugar. Many, being unable
to pay the rental, were promised a reduction of 15% or a little less, a promise which was
fulfilled in some cases but not in many. On the contrary, the rental of others was raised
exorbitantly, or their sugar crop was confiscated by force and afterwards sold, according
to them, at a price lower than the prevailing one.
4) For the responsibility of the well-to-do tenants to pay the rental lots of the indigents and
for the flood – the waters do not guarantee them against such an obligation.
5) For the increasing shortage of capital, for the people are exhausted, the land that is
opened every year is not all planted and if it is planted it yields no profit. In these last years,
a much less enthusiasm and less activity than ten years ago are noticeable.
In view of this, we avail ourselves of this opportunity to state the following for the
government’s consideration:
”The town of Calamba has given proofs of having been and is one of the most industrious
and farming towns of the province. Proof of this is the cleared forests; the land on the
mountain sloped cleaned in a few years, the machinery and the mills turned by animals
and its extensive rice-fields.
“If, despite all this, agriculture declines, the people is impoverished, the capitalist is ruined,
and education is backward (before there were more than 20 men students and three girls,
now there are no more than three of the first and one of the latter); should we look for the
cause only in the fall of the price of sugar when other sugar towns do not experience the
poverty in which we are found? Several farmers abandon the Estate and go elsewhere
and if they are not followed by all, it is because the others lack capital or they are indebted
and have unvested much in the lands of the Estate. An imminent evil threatens this poor
town, if the government does not stop it. The people who place their cause in its hands
hope either for a serious, formal contract between the Estate and the former, or the sale
of these lands to those who have made them tillable under government auspices and
according to a standard that may be fixed; for all the pretensions and titles the Estate can
claim cannot be more valid before the tribunal of the nation than the remonstrances of an
entire people, always submissive indeed, but already tired of so many injustices. –
Calamba, 8 January 1888.”
As the report was done in the Tribunal and was signed besides by three officials of the
Estate itself, it reached the ears if the lay-friar manager of the Reverend Dominican Fathers. He
took it ill and he threatened several tenants with raising their rentals, if, because of this report, the
Administration of Taxes should collect from the Estate the ten percent real estate taxes
corresponding to the number of tributes. He said to the others that he would like to make the
gobernadorcillo responsible for any pillage or theft that the Estate might henceforth suffer, when
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in this sense he cannot in any way complain against the people in the least. Estate officials
proclaim that for having told the truth in this report, the people would drag chains because the
corporation is rich and proposes to spend ten thousand pesos to win the suit. In short, they have
shown a copy of a letter of the Treasury which threatened the tenants who have testified according
to facts and not according to the wish of the Estate. Such threats, inexplicable and suspicious
though they might appear, have not disturbed the peace of this town, being confident in the justice
of its cause and the rectitude of the government that has provoked the conflict upon asking them
to tell the truth.
But, lately it seems that they want to carry out these threats, for they have tried to
deprive some tenants of their lands, to suspend their work through force and the like.
In the face of these unreasonable pretensions, alarmed, the people appeal to the
Government asking for its prompt and direct intervention in order to prevent incalculable evils.
In this impossibility of living henceforth in peace with the Estate, the people, placed in the
harsh alternative of lying to the Government in order not to die or to be deprived of their land for
complying worthily with their duty, in this very anomalous situation, they ask the separation of its
interests, selling to them or transferring these lands to them who have made them tillable and
have invested in them capital, labor, and toil. This measure is demanded not only by the good
name of the Government, the prestige and dignity of the rulers, and the good relations between
them and their subjects but also it is based on the following considerations:
1. The people, placed in the midst of apparently hostile interests, which are those of the
Estate and those of the Administration of Taxes will surely be morally corrupted if in
this struggle, initiated in the cause of truth demanded by the Government, they see
that, as a result of their truthfulness, they gather hunger, vexations, and misery. This
would not only hurt the people but also the Government, in the opinion of the people
who in their difficulty might make a thousand offensive and sad surmises.
2. The capricious procedure, the leonine contracts of the Estate, the insecurity of the
tenant do not permit the cultivation of other plants, more productive and with a future,
which are coffee, abaca, and others, because before they flourish, the Estate may take
the land away and give it to another.
3. The no less tyrannical conditions of the town lots smother the wellbeing of the people
with regard to the town’s embellishment and urbanization measure.
4. If it is said, and the Government can find out the truth, that the Estate paid real estate
tax only for its irrigated lands, it can be concluded that only these constitute legally its
estate. The dry land for which the people pay excessive rental by law does not belong
to it. In fact, Mr. Asanza, who, they say, ceded this estate to the corporation in payment
of his debt, could not be the owner of the whole town for not having bought it from any
one, nor clean or cleared it.
5. The residents of Calamba in these last years are the ones who, through their efforts,
money, and toil, have made these lands tillable and productive, the Estate having
contributed nothing except in ruining this or that farmer.
6. The people are eager to make improvements and beautify the lands they cultivate if
they had the assurance of being able to bequeath to their children the fruits of their
labor. The present state of things smothers this desire and kills farming in this town,
one of the most industrious of the province, because the Estate discourages and
impoverishes the capitalist and places thousands of obstacles on his path. There are
many considerations besides that the peoples leave to clear intelligence of their rulers,
accustomed to put themselves in the place of their subjects in order to
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understand better their needs. The people have suffered a long time, excessively,
without complaining, without raising their voice. Now, being impoverished, exhausted,
in al long and terrible crisis, and hearing that foreign governments favor agriculture
and commerce of their respective countries at the cost of enormous sacrifices and
heroic measures, appeal also to their own government, enlightened and full of
paternalistic intentions, to a government such as they have dreamed of and desired in
their misery. However, they appeal to it, not to ask either for subsidies or privileges or
sacrifices, but only for light, justice, and equity to which they have a right as member
of a nation known for its sense of justice and noble qualities.
Signed by more than 70 persons.
[Sourced from Monastic Supremacy in the Philippines by Marcelo H. Del Pilar, Appendix
X]
Assessment
Instruction: Discuss the following items thoroughly. Write the question before each answer. Each
answer should contain at least three (3) paragraphs of not less than four (4) sentences each. You
may write your answers in Filipino. Do not forget to write your full name in the upper left corner of
the paper and your course, year and section below it while the name of your professors should
be indicated in the upper right.
1. Who are the personages mentioned and what is their relationship with each other?
2. Why was this document written? Provide evidences from the document.
3. What can you tell about life in the Hacienda de Calamba during the time the
document was written?
4. What are the complaints of the tenants? Enumerate at least three.
5. What was the reaction to the complaint?
6. What were the final demands of the petition?
Reference
Del Pilar, Marcelo H. Monastic Supremacy in the Philippines. 1889. Trans. Encarnacion
Alzona, 1958.
Rizal, Jose. Petition of the Town of Calamba. In Political and Historical Writings.
National Historical Institute, 1888.
Roth, Dennis M. ‘Church Lands in the Agrarian History of Tagalog Region’. In
Philippine Social History: global trade and local transformations, Alfred W. McCoy and
Ed. De Jesus (eds.), 131-153. 1982.
Fernando VI. ‘Usurpation of Indian Lands by Friars’ by The King. In Blair and Robertson (eds.).
The Philippine Islands, 1453-1898 Vol. XLVIII (1674-1683).
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MID-TERM ASSESSMENT
CONGRATULATIONS!
You are halfway through this module and now ready to answer the mid-term assessment!
1. Explain why Jose Rizal became the first apostle and prime mover of Philippine
nationalism? What were his contributions that created indelible effects,
arousing the consciousness of his contemporaries?
2. Choose one issue that you deem relevant that plagues our society today. Write a
petition to the president of the Philippines stating your cause and defending them
by citing your reasons and cases, if there are any.
Note:. Please do not write anything unnecessary on this instructional material. Use a clean
sheet of bond paper in answering your activity/assessment task either in a type-written or hand-
work, make sure that your penmanship is legible.
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Unit Four
FAMILY, EDUCATION AND MATYRDOM OF RIZAL
Overview
A biography explains how over a certain period of time a person has lived. It does not only
portray the life of a person and how he influenced the general public, but also how historical events
shaped his values. Jose Rizal lived in the nineteenth century, a period when improvements in
popular consciousness were realized in the history of the Philippines. Contemplating the
biography of Rizal in this way would contribute to a deeper understanding of how Rizal devoted
his life to shaping the Filipino character.
This unit is about the biography of Jose Rizal. The discussion focuses on the family background
of the Mercado-Rizal; his life and experiences as a young boy and as a student; his journey and
education in Europe; and to the day he faced his death in the hands of the Spanish tyrannical rule
and entered the pedestal of martyrdom. Jose Rizal’s personal background reflects the social,
educational and cultural environment of his time. In order to humanize him, it is important to have
a glimpse of his life and experiences at home that had shaped his human development as well as
his ideals and principles in life.
Nonetheless, Rizal’s execution on December 30, 1896 became an important turning point in the
Philippine history fueling revolutionary fervor leading to the first independent in Asia on June 12,
1898. Thereare topics in this lesson which are surrounded by numerous controversies and
contention, that of Rizal’s participation and eventual separation from the La Solidaridad leading
him to decide to establish the La Liga Filipina and possibly influencing growth ofthe Kataastaasan
Kagalang-galangang na Katipunan nang manga Anak nang Bayan.
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LESSON 5
The Family, Education and Travels of Rizal
Learning Objectives
 Identify watershed moments in the family, education and travels of Jose Rizal.
 Determine the roles played by Rizal’s family and education in the formation of his
ideas and perspectives .
 Connect the experiences of Rizal to the local and global currentsand realities of the
late 19th century
Course Materials
Rizal’s paternal lineage can be traced back to the village of Sionque in Chin-Chew (or
Chang-chow) district of Fujian in southern China, near the prosperous and ancient trading port of
Zaiton. Among his earliest identifiable ancestors were Siang-co and Zun-nio who gave birth to a
son who later acquired the name Lam-co, which in English means, “Lam, Esquire”. Lam-co
immigrated to the Philippines sometime during the late 1600s.
Figure 3: The Genealogy of Jose Rizal both from the Paternal and Maternal side (Illustration by
Abel Ubaldo)
A. Domingo Lam-Co
In 1697 Lam-co was baptized and adopted “Domingo” his baptismal day, as his first name.
He married Ines de la Rosa, a Chinese mestiza resident of the Parian. Through his association
with two Spanish friars, Fr. Francisco Marquez, authority on Chinese grammar, and Fr. Juan
Caballero, he was invited to settle in the Dominican estate of San Isidro Labrador in Biñan,
Laguna.
B. Francisco Mercado
The Lam-co and Ines de la Rosa had a son who they named Francisco. Their son adopted
the surname “Mercado” (Market), a popular family name among Chinese merchants in the
Philippines. Francisco Mercado owned the largest herd of carabaos in Biñan. He was active in
local politics. He was elected as the town’s Capitan del Pueblo around 1783. Popular and good-
natured, he often stood as godfather during baptisms and weddings, as Biñan’s church records
revealed.
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C. Juan Mercado
Francisco's son, Juan Mercado also served as the town’s Capitan del Pueblo in 1808,
1813, and 1823. On many occasions, Juan was also the hermano mayor in religious and social
affairs. His status earned him the privilege of electing the Philippine representative to the Spanish
parliament in 1812.
D. Francisco Rizal Mercado
Juan Mercado and his wife Cirila Alejandra had 13 children. He named one of his son,
Francisco, in honor of his father. Upon reaching adulthood, Francisco moved his family to
Calamba, where he farmed lands leased from the Dominican friars, growing sugar cane, rice and
indigo. He also started a mixed orchard engaged in trade, raised poultry. In time, Franciso’s family
became one of the wealthiest in Calamba. Sometime after 1849, in compliance with Governor-
General Narciso Claveria’s decree ordering Filipinos to adopt Spanish surnames. Francisco
Engracio Mercado added “Rizal” to the family surname, from the Spanish word “ricial”, which
connotes a green field or pasture.
E. Teodora Alonso Realonda
Rizal's mother was the second child of Lorenzo Realonda, a former Capitan del Pueblo in
Biñan and a representative of the Spanish Courts Her mother Brijida de Quintos adopted the
family name "Realonda" in compliance to Narciso Claveria's decree on the adoption of Spanish
surnames. Teodora came from a financially-able family and studied at the Colegio de Santa Rosa
in Manila.
The Mercado Family
Jose was the seventh child of Francisco and Teodora. Because the young Jose was small
and sickly, his mother often monitored his actions. Among his siblings, Jose was particularly close
to Concepcion, whom he fondly called “Concha”. Concepcion however, died in 1865 at the age of
three. Olympia, Lucia and Maria often gave the young Jose advice on love and education while
Josefa and Trinidad were close confidants of Jose until his death in 1896. Perhaps because
Paciano was his only male sibling, the young Jose grew up admiring his olderbrother.
Rizal and his mother
Of all the persons who had the greatest influence on Rizal’s development as a person was
his mother Teodora Alonso. His mother was his first teacher, and from her he learned to read,
and consequently to value reading as a means for learning and spending one’s time meaningfully.
Teodora also imbibed in the young Jose the value of working with one’s hands, of self-reliance
and entrepreneurship. One of the turning points of his life, which had a profound influence on his
becoming a political activist later on, was the unjust arrest of his mother on the charge of
conspiring to poison a relative, despite the lack of evidence against her. She was humiliated and
forced to walk all the way from Calamba to the provincial jail in Santa Cruz, which was 50
kilometers far. There she was imprisoned for two years before gaining her freedom.
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Paciano and Rizal
Another influential figure in the formation of Jose’s ideas was his older brother Paciano.
Due to their parents’ old age, Paciano was tasked to look after the education of his younger
brother. He brought his younger brother to Biñan also to study and later accompanied Pepe to
Manila and had him enrolled at the Ateneo Municipal. Due to his strong connection with Father
Jose Burgos, the friars and the Spanish authorities turned out to be very suspicious of Paciano.
Jose Rizal's biographers Austin Craig and Leon Ma. Guerrero believed that Paciano urged his
brother to change his surname from Mercado to Rizal to prevent the friars in knowing their
affiliation. With Jose’s consent Paciano also tried to translate “Noli me Tangere” into Tagalog but
Paciano’s Tagalog version was lost to posterity.
The Mercado Family and the Dominican Friars
Francisco Mercado was an inquilino in the hacienda owned by Dominican friars in

Calamba. The Mercado family rent approximately 380 hectares of land in the hacienda, making
them one of the largest tenants in Laguna. Fransicso in turn leased these lands to hundreds of
kasama and enjoyed preferential treatment from the Dominicans. As historian Ambeth Ocampo
argued, the Dominicans and the Mercados were initially in good terms. This cordial relationship
benefitted both parties. The Dominicans can always rely on the Mercados in managing the
kasamas, while the Mercados influence in the day-to-day affairs of the hacienda gave them
greater wealth and prestige.
This relationship changed after the colonial government introduced reforms in the late 19th
century. Financial reforms enforced a better and more efficient means in collecting taxes from the
friar estates. The Dominican friars in turn attempted to increase the rent paid by its inquilinos.
Burdened by the sudden increase of the rental fee, Francisco decided not to pay rent and urged
other inquilinos in Calamba to follow his lead. This created tension between the Mercados and
the Dominican friars, a relationship further complicated by Paciano’s connections with Jose
Burgos and Filipino nationalists.
The Education of Rizal
Education in Biñan
Jose’s parents employed different tutors to teach the young boy subjects such as
arithmetic, science, and Spanish. On June 1869, Rizal accompanied by Paciano went to Biñan to
enroll in the class of a Maestro Justiniano. Rizal had a very unfavorable view of the Maestro but
considered him very fluent in both Spanish and Latin. It was also during his stay in Biñan that the
young Jose became acquainted with his cousin Leonor Rivera. The two became romantically
involved by the time Jose was 16 and Leonor was 14.
Rizal in Ateneo
Jose left Biñan to study in the Jesuit-run Ateneo Municipal in 1872. It was during this time,
that Jose began using Rizal as his primary surname. While in Ateneo, Rizal belonged to a class
composed of both Spaniards and mestizos. Despite these, he became a campus leader and
member of the Academy of Spanish Literature and Academy of Natural Sciences. He also took
private lessons in the nearby Colegio de Santa Isabel to improve his Spanish.
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Considered as the pride of the Jesuits, Jose earned excellent marks in subjects like
philosophy, physics, chemistry, and natural history. At this school, he read novels; wrote prize-
winning poetry (including the melodrama “Junto al Pasig”); and practiced drawing, painting, and
clay modeling, all of which remained lifelong interests for him. Rizal received the degree bachelor
of arts with honors on March 13, 1877 (he was 16 years old). He would later return to Ateneo to
complete a course in surveying.
Rizal in UST
After graduating from Ateneo, Rizal enrolled at the Universidad de Sto. Tomas to continue
his studies. He took Philosophy and Letters during his first year term where he studied
Cosmology, Metaphysics and History of Philosophy. By the second term, Rizal decided to shift to
a medical course. His decision was influenced by two reasons. First, he wanted to cure his mother
who was suffering from potential blindness. Second, medicine was the career recommended to
him by Fr. Pablo Ramon, rector of Ateneo.
Rizal studies abroad
Rizal’s study in UST was cut short by his decision to study abroad. Encouraged by
Paciano, Rizal left the Philippines to study in Spain. Rizal will eventually acquire a Licentiate of
Medicine at the Universidad Central de Madrid. He was also awarded a Licentiate in Philosophy
and Letters with excellent rating in the same university. Rizal also specialized in ophthalmology
while in France and Germany where he work at a university eye hospital run by Dr. Otto Bekcer.
First Trip Abroad
Rizal left the Philippines to go to Spain on May 3, 1882. He boarded the steamship
Salvadora bounded to Singapore. His departure to Spain was kept secret from his family, Leonor
Rivera, and the Spanish authorities. To hide his identity, Rizal used the name Jose Mercado.
Below are the countries that Rizal visited during his first travel abroad.
Figure 5: Travel Route of Jose Rizal’s first sojourn to Europe (Illustration by Abel Ubaldo)
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A. Singapore
Rizal had a stopover in Singapore, then a British crown colony, on May 9, 1882. He then
boarded the French steamboat Djemnah to continue his trip to Spain.
B. Sri Lanka (Colombo)
Djemnah anchored in the British occupied city of Colombo on May 18, 1882. Rizal used
the time he had in this stop over to improve his French while on board the ship.
C. Egypt (Suez Canal)
Djemnah passed through the port of Aden in the Ottoman Empire and arrived at the Suez Canal
on June 2, 1882. The canal, located in the British protectorate of Egypt, allowed faster travel
between Asia and Europe.
D. Italy
Rizal entered Europe through the Italian city of Naples on June 11, 1882. He will return to
Italy to visit Rome and the Papal State of Vatican on June 27, 1887. Rizal arrived in the Kingdom
at the height of anarchist movement, something that he will also witness in Spain. Anarchists were
well-known for assassinating political personalities in Europe. Benedict Anderson argued that
anarchist activities probably inspired the bomb plot of Simoun in El Filibusterismo. Italy was also
Rizal’s last stopover in his first sojourn to Europe.
E. France
Rizal arrived in Marseilles in June 12, 1882. He stayed in the French city for three days.
Rizal also spent some time in Paris, France in the summer of 1883. Two years later, he returned
to France and decide to stay in longer to study ophthalmology.
F. Spain
Rizal arrived at his final destination, Spain, on June 16, 1882. He stayed in Barcelona for
several months where he witnessed political demonstrations against the liberal government
headed by Proxedes Sagasta. Barcelona was a hotbed of anarchist activities at the time Rizal
stayed in the city. He moved to Madrid on September 2, 1882 to continue his medical studies in
Universidad Central de Madrid. In general, Rizal compared Spain unfavorably to other major
powers in Europe. He noted the backwardness of Spain and the Spaniards tendency to cling on
to the kingdom’s siglo de oro (golden age) which had long been in the past. His observations do
have basis. Spain was plagued by political turmoil ever since it lost its colonies in the Americas.
A question over the succession to the throne led to a bloody civil (known in Spain as the Carlist
Wars). The government was very unstable, shifting from a constitutional monarchy, to a military
dictatorship, to a republican government and the back to a constitutional monarchy over a period
of 50 years. Germany further added to Spain’s problems as its attempted takeover of the Caroline
Islands lead to diplomatic blunders that hurt the kingdom’s international prestige.
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G. Germany
Rizal went to the German town of Heidelberg on February 3, 1883 to study ophthalmology
under Otto Becker. Over the course of several years, Rizal also visited the cities of Willhemfeld,
Leipzig, and Dresden. It was during this period that Rizal’s first novel, Noli me Tangere, was
published in Berlin through the sponsorship of Maximo Viola. Rizal admired of the discipline and
passion of the Germans. Indeed, Germany in the 1880s was experiencing a period of growth in
the field of culture, arts, science and philosophy.
H. Austria-Hungary and Switzerland
Rizal embarked on a European tour where he accompanied Maximo Viola in Austria-

Hungary, Switzerland as well as France and Italy. While in Austria, Rizal met Ferdinand
Blumentritt, one of the European scholars on Philippine culture and language.
First Homecoming
Rizal decided to return to the Philippines in August 1887. Rizal arrived at Manila boarded
SS. Hayfony after five years of study. Rizal was determined to return to the Philippines to operate
on his mother’s eye, to establish a clinic in his hometown, to inquire on Leonor Rivera and to help
his family over the issues in hacienda Calamba. Because the publication of the Noli me Tangere
and the uproar it caused among the Friars, Rizal was warned by his family and other friends not
to return home.
Tensions in Calamba
On Dec. 30, 1887, the government wanted to check on taxes by asking the Calamba
tenants about rental paid to the Dominican hacienda. A month later, they replied with a petition
drafted by Rizal and signed by the principales of the town challenging the legitimacy of the land
titles supposedly held by the Dominicans. By February 1888, the Calamba tenants had refused to
pay rent. A year later, the Dominicans brought the case to the Justice of the Peace in Calamba
and lost. The Dominicans believed that the justice was paid Paciano Rizal who allegedly dictated
the decision favorable to the tenants.
The Dominicans appealed to the Provincial Court of Santa Cruz and won. The court then
ordered the non-paying tenants to vacate the lands owned by the hacienda. When they refused,
agents of court, with 50 soldiers, affected the order of eviction, which resulted in the burning of
some houses and injury to some tenants. When the evicted tenants began to return to the land,
and to deport 25 individuals to Mindoro was implemented. The 25 included Paciano Rizal and his
brothers-in-law Antonio Lopez and Silvestre Ubaldo. Another brother-in-law, Manuel Hidalgo, was
later exiled to Bohol.
Second Trip Abroad
The conflict over the Calamba estate endangered the life of Rizal. Encouraged by friends
and family and adhering the advice of the governor-general, Rizal once again left the Philippines
en route to Europe. His second sojourn, however, was accompanied by constant surveillance
from Spanish authorities. Despite this, his second trip was a fruitful endeavor as it was over this
period that Rizal wrote and published his annotation of Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas and
El Filibusterismo
42 | P a g e
A. Hong Kong
Rizal arrived in Hong Kong, a British crown colony on February 8, 1888.He stayed at the
house Jose Mana Base for five days. There was a significant number of Filipinos in Hong Kong
served as a safe haven for Filipino nationalist after 1872.
B. Japan
Rizal next stop-over was Japan. He arrived in the country on February 28, 1888 and stayed
there for several weeks to study Japanese language and culture. Rizal was fascinated by the
beauty of the country and the discipline of its people. Rizal stayed in Japan in the midst of rapid
industrialization and westernization brought by the Meiji Restoration. He considered Japan as a
potential role model for Filipinos. Rizal also befriended several Japanese including his interpreter
Seiko Usui (who he referred to as O-sei san) and novelist Suehiro Tettyo. Tettyo’s novels Nanyo
no Daiharan (Storm over the Southern Ocean) and Arashi no Nagori (Remains of the Storm), was
partially inspired by Rizal’s Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo
Figure 6: Travel Route of Jose Rizal’s Second Travel to Europe (Illustration by Abel Ubaldo)
C. United States of America
Rizal arrived at San Francisco, California on April 16, 1888 and boarded at the Palace
Hotel. As with Japan, Rizal went around to observe the city. While he lauded the modernization
he saw, he also noted the rampant racism in the country. Rizal’s stay in San Francisco coincided
with the height of the Jim Crow Laws that denied many certain civil rights to African-Americans
and fears of the “yellow peril” that discriminate Chinese and Japanese workers. Rizal himself was
often mistaken for a Japanese.
D. Great Britain
Rizal‘s stay in Great Britain was his most productive period as a writer and scholar. He
arrived at Liverpool England on May 16, 1888 and then transferred to London where he stayed
43 | P a g e
for almost two years. During his time in London, he published a second edition of Noli me
Tangere and planned to write a novel set in the pre-Hispanic Philippines. He often visited the
British Museum to research but soon realized that he did not have enough knowledge of the
Philippine’s pre-colonial past to write a novel. Instead, he opted to write an annotation of Morga’s
Sucecos de las Islas Filipinas.
E. Belgium
Rizal left Britain for Belgium on February 1890. He arrived at the Belgian capital of
Brussels on February 12, 1890 and worked on El Filibusterismo. Seven months later, Rizal went
to the city of Ghent at the behest of Valentin Ventura to acquire funding for his new novel,
F. France
Rizal returned to France on February 11, 1891 where he finished El Fili. His second will
be published in Belgium the same year.
Third Trip Abroad
Rizal returned to the Philippines in 1891 to help in the struggle of the people of Calamba.
Just after several months, Rizal was back in Europe.
Figure 7: Travel Route of Jose Rizal in his return to the Philippines (Illustration by Abel Ubaldo)
A. France
Rizal arrived in Marseilles on October 17, 1891. This was his third and final trip to
France. Rizal was regular tourist in the country.
44 | P a g e
B. Spain
Rizal went to Madrid to attend a meeting of Filipino propagandists in Madrid. He was

disappointed by the result of the election for the Asociacion Hispano-Filipino and decided to return
to the Philippines 1892.
C. Hong Kong
Rizal has a stopover in Hong Kong before returning the Philippines. It was during his
stay in the city that Rizal conceived his plan of a Filipino colony in North Borneo.
Reform Movement
While Jose Rizal was in Spain, he joined several masonic lodges such lodge Acacia and
lodge Solidaridad. It was through these lodges that Rizal became acquainted with fellow ilustrados
(group of Filipino who studies in Europe). Rizal was eventually involved in the Asociacion Circulo
Hispano-Filipino and later the more political Indios Bravos. Members of these associations
eventually formed the Propaganda movement which campaigned for peaceful reforms from Spain.
Among the members of the movement were Marcelo H. Del Pilar, Graciano Lopez-Jaena,
Eduardo Lete, Juan Luna, Antonio Luna, Jose Ma. Panganiban, Antonio Ma. Regidor,Mariano
Ponce and Jose Alejandrino.
Goals of the Reform Movement
1. Recognition of the Philippines as a province of Spain;

2. Representation of the Philippines in the Cortes Generales, the Spanish parliament;
3. Secularization of Philippine parishes;
4. Legalization of Spanish and Filipino equality;
5. Equal opportunity for Filipinos and Spanish to enter government service;
6. Creation of a public school system independent of the friars;
7. Abolition of the polo and vandala;
8. Guarantee of basic freedoms of speech and association;
9. Recognition of human rights
La Solidaridad
The propagandists demanded reforms by publishing a newspaper called La Solidaridad.

The first issue appeared in Barcelona, Spain on February 15, 1889 edited by Graciano Lopez-
Jaena. Marcelo del Pilar replaced Jaena as editor-in-chief due to the latter’s inaction and lack of
commitment to the paper. Rizal contributed several articles and essays to the newspaper including
Sobre la indolecia de los Filipinos, Filipinas dentro de cien anos, Amor Patria and excerpts from
his annotation of Morga’s Sucecos.
Rizal and Blumentritt
The Propaganda Movement also recruited several European scholars to their cause.
Perhaps the most important of them was Ferdinand Blumentritt. The son of a minor imperial
official, Blumentritt was born on 1852 in Prague, then the capital of Bohemia, a province in Austria
Hungary. Blumentritt's Versuch einer Ethnogrphie der Philippinen was the first systematic
professional treatise of ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines. He befriended Rizal and methim
45 | P a g e
during the latter’s tour in Austria-Hungary. Blumentritt wrote the foreword for El Fili and was a
regular correspondent of Rizal.
Rizal and Del Pilar
The two foremost members of the Propaganda were Marcelo del Pilar and Jose Rizal. Del
Pilar was considered the de facto leader of Filipinos in Madrid as he was among the most senior
members of the movement as well as the editor of La Solidaridad. Rizal on the other hand, was
perceived to be the “moral leader” of the group as the publishing of Noli instantly made him a
celebrity among the Propagandist. The two developed a friendly rivalry that will eventually have
ramifications on the reform movememnt.
Marcelo del Pilar
A native of Bulacan who

studied law in University of
Santo Tomas. While practicing
his profession he came into
conflict with certain friar over
reforms in local government.
He edited a liberal newspaper
in Tagalog and was active in
collecting funds for the
Propaganda Movement.
Mariano Ponce
One of the key members of the

Propaganda movement. Ponce
were among those to tried to
resolve the rivalry between Rizal
and Del Pilar.
Figure 8: El Gran Triumvirato/ Tres
Mosqueteros
Similarities and Differences
Both ilustrados believed that Spain needed to introduce necessary reforms. Both argued
that change in the colony was inevitable. If change was not achieving through reform, then a
violent revolution might occur in the colony. Both initially preferred reform over revolution. The two
however, had different perspectives on the problems of the archipelago.
Assessment
Instruction: Discuss the item thoroughly. Write the question before each answer. Each answer
should contain at least three (3) paragraphs of not less than four (4) sentences each. You may
write your answers in Filipino. Do not forget to write your full name in the upper left corner of the
paper and your course, year and section below it while the name of your professors should be
indicated in the upper right.
46 | P a g e
1. Construct a timeline of reforms implemented by the Spanish colonial government
in the 19th century. Identify important events in the life of Jose Rizal and locate
these events in the timeline you constructed. How did the reforms implemented by
the Spanish colonial regime in the 19 th century relate to the experiences of Rizal
and his family? Attached to the module is a template where you can put your
answers.
Note: This Please do not write anything unnecessary on this instructional material. Use a clean
sheet of bond paper in answering your activity/assessment task either in a type-written or hand-
Reference
Excerpts from El Filibusterismo, letters of Paciano Rizal, and correspondence between Jose
Rizal and Ferdinand Blumentritt. De la Costa, Horacio. “Nascent Philippine
Nationalism”, ed. Roberto Paterno, Selected Readings in Philippine Colonial History.
Manila: Kadena Press Foundation, 2002, pp. 334-352.
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LESSON 6
Exile in Dapitan, Trial, and Execution
Learning Objectives
1) Identify the factors that led to Rizal’s execution

2) Examine last written work he leaves his family
3) Extrapolate from his last work what he envisions for the country
Course Materials
Rizal’s Exile in Dapitan
Rizal arrived in Dapitan on board the steamer Cebu on July 17, 1892. Dapitan was a
remote town in Mindanao which served as a military outpost of the Spaniards. Captain Ricardo
Carnicero, who headed the outpost, allowed Rizal to explore the place and required him to report
once a week in his office.
It was four years, thirteen days, and a few hours based on Rizal’s count of the time he
was in Dapitan. He practiced medicine, pursued scientific studies, and continued his artistic
pursuits in painting, sculpture, sketching, and writing poetry. He promoted community
development projects and established a school for boys. He engaged himself in farming and
commerce and even invented a wooden machine for making bricks.
Having won second prize in a lottery, a portion of his winnings was used to purchase land
approximately one kilometer away from Dapitan in a place known as Talisay. It is here that he
built his house on the seashore as well as a school and a hospital.
He made a big relief map of Mindanao in the plaza and used it to teach geography. This
relief map can still be seen today. With the help of his students, he also constructed a water
system to supply the town with water for drinking and irrigation.
Having heard of Rizal’s fame as an ophthalmologist, George Taufer traveled from Hong
Kong to Dapitan with his adopted daughter Josephine Bracken. They fell in love and lived as
husband and wife despite being denied the sacrament of marriage due to Rizal’s refusal to retract
his statements against the Church.
On June 21, 1896, Pio Valenzuela visited Rizal in Dapitan and informed him about the
forming of the Katipunan and its aims. Rizal cited the need for a well-planned offensive and
rejected the plan due to the insufficiency of arms. He cited the difficulties faced by the Cubans in
their multiple failed revolutions and their difficulty in waging their most recent one. He would
suggest that the Katipunan look for support with the rich individuals in Manila and avail of the
expertise of Antonio Luna.
Rizal sent letters to Governor General Ramon Blanco for a review of his case and if not
granted he would volunteer to serve as surgeon in the Cuban revolution. On July 30, 1896, his
request to go to Cuba was approve. On September 2, 1896, he was transferred to the steamer
Isla de Panay going to Barcelona. Upon arriving, Governor-General Despujol ordered him be
returned to Manila. On November 3, 1896, Rizal arrived back in Manila and was immediately
brought to Fort Santiago.
48 | P a g e
Rizal’s trial and Execution
Investigation on Rizal’s case began on November 20, 1896. He was accused of forming
illegal organizations as one of the main instigators of the revolution and spreading ideas of
rebellion. Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade pleaded Rizal’s case of not guilty. On December 26, 1896,
the trial ended, and the sentence was read. Jose Rizal is found guilty and is sentenced to death
by firing squad on December 30 at 7:00 in the morning.
On his last days, Rizal composed a poem with no tittle which contained his last farewell to
his family and his country. He gave his possessions to his mother and sister on December 29,
1896 and said to his sister Trinidad that “there is something inside” (in English) when he gave her
the gas lamp.
At 6:30am in the morning of December 30, 1896, Rizal wore a black suit with his arms tied
behind his back, walked to Bagumbayan and was shot by a firing squad. With his last breath, he
said “Consummatum est!” (It is finished!”).
"Mi Ultimo Adios" "Pahimakas ni Jose Rizal"

original version by Jose Rizal translation by Andrés Bonifacio
Adiós, Patria adorada, región del sol Pinipintuho kong Bayan ay paalam,
querida, Perla del mar de oriente, nuestro lupang iniirog ñg sikat ñg araw,
perdido Edén! mutiang mahalaga sa dagat Silañgan,
A darte voy alegre la triste mustia vida, kalualhatiang sa ami'y pumanaw.
Y fuera más brillante, más fresca, más florida,
También por ti la diera, la diera por tu bien. Masayang sa iyo'y aking idudulot
ang lanta kong buhay na lubhang malungkot;
En campos de batalla, luchando con delirio, maging mariñgal man at labis alindog
Otros te dan sus vidas sin dudas, sin sa kagaliñgan mo ay akin ding handog.
pesar; El sitio nada importa, ciprés, laurel o
lirio, Cadalso o campo abierto, combate o Sa pakikidigma at pamimiyapis
cruel martirio, ang alay ñg iba'y ang buhay na kipkip,
Lo mismo es si lo piden la patria y el hogar. walang agam-agam, maluag sa dibdib,
matamis sa puso at di ikahapis.
Yo muero cuando veo que el cielo se colora
Y al fin anuncia el día tras lóbrego capuz; si Saan man mautas ay di kailañgan,
grana necesitas para teñir tu aurora, Vierte la cípres ó laurel, lirio ma'y patuñgan
sangre mía, derrámala en buen hora Y pakikipaghamok, at ang bibitayan,
dórela un reflejo de su naciente luz. yaon ay gayon din kung hiling ñg Bayan.
Mis sueños cuando apenas muchacho Ako'y mamatay, ñgayong namamalas

adolescente, na sa silañganan ay namamanaag
Mis sueños cuando joven ya lleno de yaong maligayang araw na sisikat
vigor, Fueron el verte un día, joya del mar sa likod ñg luksang nagtabing na ulap.
de oriente,
Secos los negros ojos, alta la tersa frente, Sin Ang kulay na pula kung kinakailañgan
ceño, sin arrugas, sin manchas de rubor na maitim sa iyong liway-way,
dugo ko'y isabog at siyang ikinang
Ensueño de mi vida, mi ardiente vivo anhelo, ñg kislap ñg iyong maningning na ilaw.
¡Salud te grita el alma que pronto va a partir!
¡Salud! Ah, que es hermoso caer por darte Ang aking adhika sapul magkaisip
49 | P a g e
vuelo, ñg kasalukuyang bata pang maliit,
Morir por darte vida, morir bajo tu cielo, ay ang tanghaling ka at minsan masilip
Y en tu encantada tierra la eternidad dormir. sa dagat Silañgan hiyas na marikit.
Si sobre mi sepulcro vieres brotar un día Natuyo ang luhang sa mata'y nunukal,
Entre la espesa yerba sencilla, humilde flor, taas na ang noo't walang kapootan,
Acércala a tus labios y besa al alma mía, walang bakás kunot ñg kapighatian
Y sienta yo en mi frente bajo la tumba fría, gabahid man duñgis niyong kahihiyan.
De tu ternura el soplo, de tu hálito el calor.
Sa kabuhayang ko ang laging gunita
Deja a la luna verme con luz tranquila y suave, maniñgas na aking ninanasa-nasa ay
Deja que el alba envíe su resplandor fugaz, guminhawa ka ang hiyaw ñg diwa
Deja gemir al viento con su murmullo grave, pag hiñgang papanaw ñgayong biglang-bigla.
Y si desciende y posa sobre mi cruz un ave,
Deja que el ave entone su cántico de paz. Ikaw'y guminhawa laking kagandahang ako'y
malugmok, at ikaw ay matanghal, hiniñga'y
Deja que el sol, ardiendo, las lluvias evapore malagot, mabuhay ka lamang bangkay ko'y
Y al cielo tornen puras, con mi clamor en pos; masilong sa iyong Kalañgitan.
Deja que un ser amigo mi fin temprano llore
Y en las serenas tardes cuando por mí alguien Kung sa libiñgang ko'y tumubong mamalas
ore, sa malagong damo mahinhing bulaklak, sa
¡Ora también, oh Patria, por mi descanso mañga labi mo'y mangyaring ílapat, sa
a Dios! kaluluwa ko halik ay igawad.
Ora por todos cuantos murieron sin At sa aking noo nawa'y iparamdam, sa
ventura, Por cuantos padecieron tormentos lamig ñg lupa ñg aking libiñgan, ang
sin igual, Por nuestras pobres madres que init ñg iyong pag hiñgang dalisay at
gimen su amargura; simoy ñg iyong pag giliw na tunay.
Por huérfanos y viudas, por presos en tortura
Y ora por ti que veas tu redención final. Bayaang ang buwan sa aki'y ititig
ang liwanag niyang lamlám at tahimik,
Y cuando en noche oscura se envuelva liwayway bayaang sa aki'y ihatid
el cementerio magalaw na sinag at hañging hagibis.
Y solos sólo muertos queden velando allí,
No turbes su reposo, no turbes el misterio, Kung sakasakaling bumabang humantong
Tal vez accordes oigas de cítara o salterio, sa cruz ko'y dumapo kahi't isang ibon doon
Soy yo, querida Patria, yo que te canto a ti. ay bayan humuning hinahon at dalitin niya
payapang panahon.
Y cuando ya mi tumba de todos olvidada
No tenga cruz ni piedra que marquen su lugar, Bayaan ang niñgas ñg sikat ñg araw
Deja que la are el hombre, la esparza con la ula'y pasiñgawin noong kainitan,
azada, magbalik sa lañgit ñg boong dalisay
Y mis cenizas, antes que vuelvan a la nada, El kalakip ñg aking pagdaing na hiyaw.
polvo de tu alfombra que vayan a formar.
Bayaang sino man sa katotong giliw
Entonces nada importa me pongas en olvido. tañgisang maagang sa buhay pagkitil:
Tu atmósfera, tu espacio, tus valles cruzaré. kung tungkol sa akin ay may manalañgin
Vibrante y limpia nota seré para tu oído, idalañgin Báyan yaring pagka himbing.
Aroma, luz, colores, rumor, canto, gemido,
Constante repitiendo la esencia de mi fe. Idalañging lahat yaong nañgamatay,
nañgagtiis hirap na walang kapantay;
50 | P a g e
Mi patria idolatrada, dolor de mis dolores, m̃ga iná naming walang kapalaran
Querida Filipinas, oye el postrer adiós. na inahihibik ay kapighatian.
Ahí te dejo todo, mis padres, mis amores.
Voy donde no hay esclavos, verdugos ni Ang m̃ga bao't pinapañgulila,
opresores, ang m̃ga bilangong nagsisipag dusa:
Donde la fe no mata, donde el que reina es dalañginin namang kanilang mákita
Dios. ang kalayaan mong, ikagiginhawa.
Adiós, padres y hermanos, trozos del At kung ang madilim na gabing mapanglaw
alma mía, ay lumaganap na doon sa libiñgan't,
Amigos de la infancia en el perdido hogar, tañging m̃ga patay ang nañgag lalamay,
Dar gracias que descanso del fatigoso día; huwag bagabagin ang katahimikan.
Adiós, dulce extranjera, mi amiga, mi alegría,
Adiós, queridos seres, morir es descansar. Ang kanyang hiwaga'y huwag
gambalain: kaipala'y mariñgig doon ang
taginting, tunog ñg gitara't salterio'y mag
saliw, ako. Báyan, yao't, kita'y aawitin.
Kung ang libiñgan ko'y limót na ñg lahat

at wala ñg kruz at batóng mábakas,
bayang lina~gin ñg taong masipag, lupa'y
asarolin at kanyang ikalat.
At m̃ga buto ko ay bago matunaw

máowi sa wala at kusang maparam,
alabók ñg iyong latag ay bayaang
siya ang babalang doo'y makipisan.
Kung magka gayon na'y aalintanahin

na ako sa limot iyong ihabilin
pagka't himpapawid at ang pañganorin
m̃ga lansañgan mo'y aking lilibutin.
Matining na tunóg ako sa diñgig mo,

ilaw, m̃ga kulay, masamyong pabañgó,
ang úgong at awit, pag hibik sa iyo,
pag asang dalisay ñg pananalig ko.
Báyang iniirog, sákit niyaring hirap,

Katagalugang kong pinakaliliyag,
dingin mo ang aking pagpapahimakas:
diya'y iiwan ko sa iyo ang lahat.
Ako'y patutuñgo sa walang busabos,

walang umiinis at verdugong hayop:
pananalig doo'y di nakasasalot,
si Bathala lamang doo'y haring lubos.
Paalam, magulang at m̃ga kapatid

kapilas ñg aking kaluluwa't dibdib
m̃ga kaibigan bata pang maliit
51 | P a g e
sa aking tahanan di na masisilip.
Pag pasalamatan at napahiñga rin,

paalam estrañgerang kasuyo ko't aliw.
paalam sa inyo m̃ga ginigiliw:
¡mamatay ay siyang pagkagupiling!
Assessment
Direction: Discuss the following items thoroughly. Write the question before each answer. Each
1. Mi Ultimo Adios was not titled by Jose Rizal. His friend, Mariano Ponce, gave the title Mi
Ultimo Pensamiento while a Fr. Dacanay republished the poem and gave the title Mi
Ultimo Adios which we are all familiar with. Based on the context, what were the
reasons did Rizal not place a title for his last work?
2. Based on Mi Ultimo Adios, what are his comments on his last resting place?
3. In your reading of Mi Ultimo Adios, how did Rizal see the future of the country?
Note: Please do not write anything unnecessary on this instructional material. Use a clean
sheet of bond paper in answering your activity/assessment task either in a type-written or
hand-written format (please see the appendices for the sample template). When doing a
hand-written work, make sure that your penmanship is legible.
Reference
Agoncillo, Teodoro A. Revolt of the Masses. University of the Philippines Press, 1956.
_ . Rizal and the Revolution. In Cruz, P. M. & Chua, A, B. (eds.) Himalay: Kalipunan
ng mga Pag-aaral kay Jose Rizal. Cultural Center of the Philippine, 1961.
Coates, A. Rizal: Philippine Nationalist and Martyr. Manila: Solidaridad Publishing
House, 1992
Guerrero, Leon Ma. (1991). The First Filipino. Manila: National Historical Institute.
52 | P a g e
LESSON 7
Jose Rizal in the La Solidaridad and his views on the Revolution
Learning Objectives
1) Utilize some principles that inform our historical awareness in studying

Rizal’s involvements in the La Solidaridad and the Revolution.
2) Analyze Rizal’s views and position in different situations in contrast to interpretations
of his contemporaries and ours.
3) Examine Rizal’s views in the La Solidaridad and of the Revolution locating him in the
social milieu of the 19th century Europe and colonial Philippine society.
4) Understand the processes of change in the 19th century which in turn influenced
Rizal’s changing views and actions in his life.
Course Material
Some Reasons why there are Controversies in Studying the Life, Works, and Ideas of
Jose Rizal
To better analyze the lesson, we must take into consideration some concepts to guide us.
When studying the past, we should be guided by three principles that can provide us with historical
awareness1. These three are the principles of (1) difference, (2) context, and (3) process.
Difference is defined as the recognition of the gap that separates our own age from all the previous
ages. While not taking difference into consideration creates anacronisms which is the unthinking
assumption that people in the past behaved and thought the same as we do today. The second
principle, context, is where we must always situate our subject of inquiry in its setting. Lastly,
process is the relationship between events over time which endows them with more significance
than if they were viewed in isolation.
The preeminent historian Teodoro Agoncillo succinctly summarized what he thinks are
some reasons why there are controversial issues in the study of Philippine history 2. He believes
that historians and historical writers differ in their interpretation of a given event; they also differ in
the sources of information that they use, and they differ in the presentation of facts and in
emphasis as a product of their right to choose which materials to be used. We then must therefore
recognize the limited resources accessible to Filipinos in the past hundred years and even today
affecting how we view the past. This may be in the case of available books, opportunities to enter
archives and view documents (domestic and abroad), and even in the advent of connectivity we
are hindered in the access to sources important for the study of Rizal’s life, works, and ideas.
Despite the century of limited sources, it is worth noting that in recent years there is an increase
of newly discovered sources of information and these contribute to changing how we interpret our
past.
Even if in recent years sources have somewhat steadily been growing in terms of quantity
as well as access, it has been a century of absence or the state of lacking available relevant
sources that has affected how we interpret the past. It can be briefly summarized as majority of
the documents were hauled off to Spain during the revolution while during the Philippine-
American war the new colonizers played a dualistic role of relocating majority of documents to
1Tosh, John. (2015). The Pursuit of History: Aims, Methods and New Directions in the Study of History. (6 th ed.). Routledge.
2Agoncillo, Teodoro A. (1970). Some Controversial Issues in Philippine History. The ANNALS of Philippine Chinese
Historical Association 1(1):1-9.
53 | P a g e
the United States and compiling what can be available for the study of our past. One of the major
sources the Americans published is the (in) famous 55 volumes, The Philippine Islands, 1493-
1898 compiled by Emma Helen Blair and Alexander Robertson 3. Even if there were other
compilations done by the Americans, the Blair and Robertson’s The Philippine Islands has been
the most important source of primary documents about the Spanish colonial period and has been
used by scholars in the past century especially for those who are not well versed in Spanish as
all documents are translated into English. The American’s decision to consciously collect and
select what documents to include and what to exclude deliberately formed inaccuracies about the
Spanish colonial period while providing a convenient justification for American conquest of the
Philippines4. This affected how we differentiate Rizal during the Spanish colonial period as well
as when he received American sponsorship as our national hero. The deliberate selection of what
can be readily used to study the past influenced our interpretation of Rizal. Renato Constantino 5
contextualizes this endorsement of Rizal as the Americans needed a hero that would not go
against their conquest of the Philippines as they needed the Filipinos to focus their hatred towards
the Spaniards, who killed the newly elevated national hero, and to diminish support for those who
were fighting the Americans for our independence. The Americans also highlighted Rizal’s
advocacy of education as the entry point for their conquest of the Filipino hearts and minds 6
coupled with the portrayal that education during the Spanish colonial period was lacking. There
is, in reality, a difference on who is Rizal in his time and a differently emphasized version of Rizal
during the early 20 th century. Hence the effect of American sponsorship and control of sources
greatly influenced how we view Rizal on his pedestal in the past century as an arduous reformist
[emphasis provided by the Americans].
There eventually came contrary views to this version of Rizal as a reformist where some
would argue that he was a revolutionary but fail to capture our admiration to the American version
of Rizal. Replete in this discourse we can examine the arguments put forth by Rafael Palma7 and
Fr. John N. Schumacher8 that Rizal was a separatist. Palma argues that Rizal decided that the
Philippines should separate from Spain evidenced in his writings during the year of 1889 -90 while
Schumacher points to as early as the writing of the Noli me Tangere where Rizal saw no future
under the Spanish banner. Palma questions how we utilize primarily the El Filibusterismo as an
indicator of Rizal’s separatist ideas without considering the events that transpired in his life during
those times Rizal was writing his novels as well as his other writings. He would cite the Philippines
A Century Hence (1889) as a clear sign of Rizal’s decision together with what transpired in the
Case of Hacienda de Calamba (1887-1891) with what happened to his family in the aftermath, his
disagreements and eventual separation with his fellow propagandists in La Solidaridad, and
various conversations with other propagandists such as with Jose Alejandrino and Galicano
Apacible where they purportedly openly entertained discussions of revolution.
3Casambre, Napoloeon J. ‘Ang MgaPagsimula ng Historiyograpiyang Pilipino, 1900-1950’. In Llanes, Ferdinand. (1993).
Pagbabaliksa Bayan: mgalekturasakasaysayan ng historiograpiya ng pagkabansang Pilipino. Rex Book Store.
4Cano, Gloria. (2008). Blair and Robertson’s “the Philippine Islands, 149301898”: Scholarship or Imperialist Propaganda?. Philippine
Studies, Vol. 56, No.1, pp. 3-46. See also Ileto, Reynaldo C. (2017). Knowledge and Pacification: On the U.S. Conquest and the
Writing of Philippine History. Ateneo de Manila University Press; QuibuyenmFloro. (2008). A Nation Aborted: Rizal,
American Hegemony, and Philippine Nationalism. Ateneo de Manila University Press.
5Constantino, Renato. (1977). Insight & Foresight. Foundation for Nationalist Studies. See also: Renato
Constantino (1972) Veneration without understanding, Journal of Contemporary Asia, 1:4, 3-18, DOI: 10.1080/00472337185390141
6Constantino, Renato. (1966). Miseducation of the Filipinos. In The Filipinos in the Philippines and Other Essays. Malaya Books.
7 Palma, Rafael. (1928). Read Rizal’s Novels. In Chua, Apolonio B. and Melendrez-Cruz, Patricia. (eds.) (1991). Himalay: Kalipunan
ng mga Pag-aaral kay Jose Rizal. Maynila: SentrongPangkultura ng Pilipinas.
8 Schumacher, John N. (2008). The Making of a Nation: essays on nineteenth-century Filipino nationalism. Quezon City: Ateneo
de Manila University Press.
54 | P a g e
Schumacher adds by providing three reasons as to why Rizal as a separatist found
little acceptance among writers on Rizal. He enumerates:
1. The failure to distinguish between what Rizal (and other Filipinos who shared his
ideas) were able to say publicly and what they felt privately;
2. The failure to read Rizal’s Noli and his other writings within the context of his
personal correspondence at the time he was publishing; and
3. The failure to see the Noli not simply as an independent work but as part of a well-thought-
out long-range plan (annotated Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, Noli, and El Fili).
The first argument urges us to differentiate what can be said in a speech varies with the
intended audience as well as the form of writing may it be a poem for public readership or a private
letter which may or may not be monitored by authorities. The ability to speak or write freely during
those times differs from what we can express today. We are able to voice out societal change for
the better today while if they state change vocally or in writing they may face time in prison or
even execution. Hence, truth in their statements differs based on intended listener or reader as
well as medium in which they wrote on. The second is in affirmation to Palma’s contention that
Rizal’s ideas and works should be situated in the proper context. The maintaining of the notion of
Rizal as a reformist uproots his ideas and works from the factors that affect his life. It is in the
same manner of believing that only the characters in his novels are capable of changing their
views in their literary life while the author remains unchanging and untouched until the end. The
third argument urges us to consider the entirety of Rizal’s life, works, and writing as part of a
developing process which brings meaning to Rizal’s goal of charting the Filipino future.
Taking into considerations some concepts that can help us understand Rizal’s ideas we
should situate the development of his works based on the unfolding of his life at the time he was
part of La Solidaridad, his La Liga Filipina, and the formation of the Katipunan.
Jose Rizal in the La Solidaridad
The illustrado effort to advocate for societal change that had connections in Manila and in
Europe had its mouthpiece in the periodical La Solidaridad. The inaugural issue appeared on
February 15, 1899 with its program defined in its first article entitled Nuestros propositos reading9:
“…to combat all reaction to impede all retrogression, to applaud and accept every
liberal idea, to defend all progress; in a word: one more propagandist of all the ideals
of democracy, aspiring to make democracy prevail in all the peoples both of the
Peninsula and of overseas provinces.”
To understand and read Rizal’s contributions in La Solidaridad, historians had troubles

performing this task as original copies of the periodical were rare. Jose Victor Torres laments that
there are no complete originals of La Solidaridad in the Philippines10. Copies that were in the
National Library were casualties of the Second World War while some few issues were discovered
in 2011 at the University of Santo Tomas Archives. Complete sets exist abroad at the University
of Michigan, USA and in the Augustinian Archives in Valladolid, Spain. He stated that a translation
project was started by historian Guadalupe Fores-Guanzon in 1966 in which it was completed
only in 1996 with different translators and publishers.
9The Staff. (1889). ‘Our Aims’. In La Solidaridad, Vol. 1: 1889, trans. Guadalupe Fores-Gazon, 168-177.
10Torres, Jose Victor. (2017). “Our Little Newspaper” The La Solidaridad and Philippine Journalism in Spain (1889-1896). Luz y Saber, 11 (2).
55 | P a g e
The La Solidaridad went through two clearly differentiated stages where the first was the
period between 1889 and 1890 is the period of Rizal’s contributions and the second was marked
by his departure which greatly affected the periodical until its discontinuance in 1895 .11Rizal’s
first article in La Solidaridad was published on May 15, 1889, entitled “Los viajes” (“Travels”) using
the pen name of Laong Laan12. He covertly criticizes the Spanish colonial government and stating
that Spain had become outdated and was incapable of instituting the measures needed by a
young country such as the Philippines. In the succeeding issue, using his real name, Rizal wrote
“La verdad para todos” (“Truth for all”) which was a strong and blatant exposition of political life in
the Philippines which was dominated by the religious orders at the expense of the interest of
Filipinos13.During this time the issue of the Hacienda de Calamba reached a level of crisis which
greatly affected the tone and temper of Rizal’s writings 14. There would be other succeeding
articles but the ones that has received attention were “Filipinas dentro de cien anos” (Philippines
a Century Hence)15, “Sobre la indolencia de indio Filipino” (Indolence of the Filipino People)16. In
the former article, Rizal signaled a serious warning aimed at the Spanish authorities that if reforms
sought by the Filipinos were ignored they would lose the Philippine archipelago while in the latter
he blamed the lack of progress and societal problems plaguing Philippine society to Spanish
colonial rule and Friar predominance.
The La Solidaridad initially published bimonthly and eventually into a monthly format due
to financial troubles coupled with other factors17. There was a prohibition in effect on its circulation
in the Philippines which affected the subscriptions leading to shortages in funding. A rift between
Rizal and Del Pilar over the leadership of the reformers reached a climax with the breakaway of
Rizal from the movement and the La Solidaridad. This worsened the newspaper’s circulation since
Rizal had many supporters and readers. After a few years, it ceased its publication due to its utter
failure of its reform campaign.
Despite initially cooperating with the members of La Solidaridad, Rizal adamantly and
frequently argued that the periodical be addressed to the Filipinos not the Spaniards in the same
manner as all his articles does believing that changing Filipino self-esteem was imperative than
changing Spanish attitudes and that the real war of ideas was to be fought in the Philippines not
in Spain18. He also believed in using their real names in their articles would encourage others to
‘lose their fear’ urging ‘more Filipinos to come forward’ and if they [the Spaniards] ‘will take
vengeance’ their [Filipinos] ‘deaths will be an example for others’ having justice and freedom as
cause ‘for the sacred love for our country and for our countrymen’ 19.
11Cano, Gloria. (2011). “La Solidaridad” y el periodismo en Filipinas entiempos de Rizal. In Maria Dolores Elizalde Perez-Grueso (ed.). Entre
España y Filipinas: José Rizal, Escritor.. Biblioteca Nacional. (with English translation)
12Cano, La Solidaridad.
13
Rizal, Jose. (1889). ‘La verdad para todos/Ang katotohanan para salahat’. Mula sa PambansangKomisyon ng IkasandaangTaonni Jose Rizal.
(1961). MgaSinulatni Rizal: mgaakdangpampulitika at pangkasaysayan. Ikapitong tomo.
14Schumacher, John N. (1997). The Propaganda Movement, 1880-1895: the creation of a Filipino consciousness, the making of
the revolution. Ateneo de Manila University Press.
15
Rizal, Jose. (1889). ‘Ang Pilipinas sa loob ng Sandaang Taon’. Mula sa PambansangKomisyon ng IkasandaangTaonni
Jose Rizal. (1961). MgaSinulatni Rizal: mgaakdangpampulitika at pangkasaysayan. Ikapitong tomo.
16
Rizal, Jose. (1890). ‘Tungkol sa Katamaran ng mga Pilipino’. MulasaPambansangKomisyon ng Ikasandaa ng Taon ni Jose Rizal.
(1961). MgaSinulatni Rizal: mgaakdangpampulitika at pangkasaysayan. Ikapitongtomo.
17Torres, “our Little Newspaper” and an updated version entitled “A History of the Philippine Press, 1811-1910” (2018). In Retana,
Wenceslao (2018). El Periodismo Filipino, 1811-1910. Vibal Foundation, Inc.
18Schumacher, The Propaganda Movement.
19Cited in Schumacher, The Propaganda Movement.
56 | P a g e
Rizal’s La Liga Filipina and the Katipunan
When Rizal returned to the Philippines in June 1892, he formed the La Liga Filipina in
the succeeding month. The aims of the La Liga Filipina, as expressed in its constitution were20:
1. To unite the whole archipelago into one compact, vigorous, and homogenous body;
2. Mutual protection in every want and necessity;
3. Defense against all violence and injustice;
4. Encouragement of instruction, agriculture, and commerce; and
5. Study and application of reforms.
It took only three days and Rizal was imprisonment and then exiled to Dapitan. Popular
belief and common knowledge recounts that the Liga continued its efforts to support the La
Solidaridad in Spain. Due to various reasons, the Liga eventually split into two factions namely
the Cuerpo de Compromisarios and the founding of the Kataastaasan Kagalang-galangang na
Katipunan nang manga Anak nang Bayan 21. This common and popular narrative is now
questioned with recent archival evidence sourced from the Archivo General de Madrid which
moves the founding of the Katipunan months earlier to January, even before the return of Rizal in
June 189222. This new development rewrites our understanding of Rizal’s role in the Katipunan
from being the prime mover of change via the establishment of the La Liga Filipina which inevitably
influences the formation of the Katipunan towards a new interpretation that the Katipunan had
already existed before the return of Rizal and the gathering of like-minded individuals sponsored
by Rizal’s Liga became the venue for the Katipunan to spread the call of change. It is important
to note that even if the newly sourced document dates the founding in January 1892, it was only
latter in the year that the Katipunan became fully activated.
With this new information it possibly changes our interpretation, but this does not diminish
the importance of Jose Rizal. We can glean some insights on some of the prevailing notions about
Jose Rizal during those times from Mabini’s opinion of Rizal23:
“Rizal’s banishment to Dapitan eliminated all possibility of his active participation

in the movement, he was found guilty of having been its chief instigator because,
had it not been for the articles he had published in La Solidaridad and for his novels,
the people would never have taken to politics. This judgement was totally
incorrect because political activities in the Philippine antedated Rizal, because
Rizal was only a personality created by the needs of these activities: If Rizal had
not existed, somebody else would have played his role. The movement was by
nature slow and gentle, it had become violent because obstructed. Rizal had not
started the resistance, yet he was condemned to death:were he not innocent, he
would not be a martyr.” [emphasis added]
Mabini considers the role of Rizal as not the prime instigator but a necessary part of the
continuing movement for independence. He was not an innocent martyr but a conscious mover
for societal change. It is worth noting what Mabini observed during his time that very few Spaniards
read Rizal’s novels because they had been written by someone who they believe is a subversive
while not many Filipinos also read them either because their publication and reading
20Agoncillo,
Teodoro A. (1990). History of the Filipino People. GaroTech Books, Inc.
21Agoncillo,
History of the Filipino People. See also: Constantino, Renato. (1975). A History of the Philippines: From the
Spanish Colonization to the Second World War. Monthly Review Pesss.; Abinales, Patricio N. & Amoroso, Donna J. (2005).
State and Society in the Philippines. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
22Richardson, Jim. 2013. The Light of Liberty: Documents and Studies on the Katipunan, 1892-1897. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila
University Press.
23Mabini, Apolinario M. (1903). The Philippine Revolution. Trans. Leon Ma. Guerrero. (1969).
57 | P a g e
in the islands were prohibited by Spanish authorities and the church. Mabini might not be the sum
total of the population at the time but it is worth noting his observations. It was only during the
American colonial period, with their sponsorship, that copies of Rizal’s novels were republished
and disseminated freely and in the implementation of RA 1425 that they were obligated to have
in every school. This differentiation of the political atmosphere during the Spanish colonial period
and the time which the novels of Rizal were proliferated is an important fact in assessing the
impact and relevance of Rizal’s ideas.
Despite being revered by the Katipuneros as an important figure, we commonly hear that
Jose Rizal condemned the revolution for varied reasons. Rizal’s manifesto at the time he was
incarcerated in Fort Santiago in December of 1896, reads 24:
“I was convinced that the idea [of revolution] was in the highest degree absurd,
and what is worse, disastrous for us. I did more. When later on, in spite of my
advice, the outbreak [of the revolution] occurred, I spontaneously offered, not only
my services, but my life, and my name as well, to be used in the manner they ought
best for the purpose of stifling the rebellion; for, convinced of the evils that it was
going to bring upon us, I considered myself fortunate if by means of any sort of
sacrifice I might prevent such useless misfortunes.”
Rizal’s manifesto, and many other versions of it, may be interpreted in two ways.
Agoncillo25 believes that Rizal was not against revolution but one that is not militarily prepared
and the people lacking education that informed them how to use their rights. However, he also
questions the reliability of Rizal in gauging the capacity of the revolution from his brief encounter
with Pio Valenzuela when he visited Rizal in Dapitan. He notes that Rizal was exiled in Dapitan
which is far from the center of politics and would be unable to provide a just assessment of what
has happened. Quibuyen 26on the other hand, argues that Rizal only condemned the present
rebellious movement as premature but wittingly does not profess loyalty to Spain nor reject
independence as something undesirable. Quibuyen cite multiple sources to support Rizal’s
positive view of the revolution such as the contents of Mi Ultimo Adios, Rizal’s wife – Josephine
Bracken – immediately joining the revolutionaries after his execution,to namea few. Both Agoncillo
and Quibuyen cite the recollections of Jose Alejandrino and GalicanoApacible in Rizal’s positive
outlook towards the prospect of revolution. Quibuyen outright places the distortion of Rizal’s views
with the American sponsored version of Rizal together with the endorsed biographies of Rizal in
which he was portrayed as an adamant reformist.
Assessment
Instruction: Read the excerpts from the Memoirs of Pio Valenzuela on his Conference
with Rizal in Dapitan, then answer the questions that follows.
With a roundtrip first class ticket which cost me P60, and under the assumed name of Procopio
Bonifacio, I embarked on the steamship Venus on Monday, June 15, 1896, between 10 and 11
o'clock in the morning, accompanied by Raymundo Mata, a blind man, and Rufino Magos, both
residents of Barrio Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite, who were deck passengers. On the boat as first
class passengers were three women—Josephine Bracken, Narcisa Rizal, and Angelica Lopez—
24Cited from Agoncillo, Teodoro. (1961). Rizal and the Philippine Revolution. In Chua, Apolonio B. and Melendrez-Cruz,
Patricia. (eds.) (1991). Himalay: Kalipunan ng mga Pag-aaral kay Jose Rizal. Maynila: SentrongPangkultura ng Pilipinas
25Agoncillo, Rizal and the Philippine Revolution.
26Quibuyen, Floro. (1997). Rizal and the Revolution. Philippine Studies, Vol. 45, No. 2, pp. 225-257.
58 | P a g e
who were common-law wife, sister, and niece, respectively of Dr. Rizal.
The Venus called at Romblon, Capiz, Iloilo, Cebu, Dumaguete, Dapitan and Sindangan.
Wearrived at Dapitan between 5 and 6 on the afternoon of June 21. The Venus dropped anchor
in Dapitan Bay at a spot about 100 meters from the quay and 500 meters from the house of Dr.
Rizal.
…After supper I expressed to the hero my desire to talk to him in private about a most interesting
affair, and told him that the treatment of the blind man was only secondary to the purpose of my
visit to Dapitan. We went to his hospital, where we left my two companions, and from there we
proceeded to a place between his house and the hospital, which was situated about fifty meters
from the house. We sat on a bench and a dialogue, more or less like the following, passed
between us:
VALENZUELA.—There exists in Manila an association called Katipunan founded on the night of

July 7, 1892, as a result of your arrest on the morning of that date. The object of the association
is to seek the separation of the Philippines from Spain through violent means. In a general
assembly which took place in Pasig on the 1st of last May, in which the principal chiefs of the
association were present, the following resolutions, among others, were passed:
1. Attract to the Katipunan the educated and rich Filipinos;
2. Collect funds for the purpose of buying arms and everything necessary for the revolution;
3. Send-a commission of educated Filipinos to Japan, which will take charge of buying arms and
munitions and soliciting the help and protection of the Japanese government in behalf of the
Filipino revolutionists ;
4. Effect the separation of the Philippines from Spain by force of arms, the only way to secure
the independence of the Philippines under the protection and help of Japan;
5. Submit these resolutions for the approval of Dr. Rizal, for which purpose Dr. Pio Valenzuela is
named to go to Dapitan in order to inform Dr. Rizal of these resolutions and to wait for his answer;
6. In the event that the rich Filipinos refuse to cooperate in this great enterprise, each member
of the Katipunan will contribute weekly all that he can possibly contribute.
RIZAL.—So, the seed grows. The resolutions of the association are very just, patriotic, and above
all, timely because now Spain is weakened by the revolution in Cuba. I approve these resolutions
and I suggest that they be complied with as early as possible in order to take advantage of
opportunity.
VALENZUELA.—But I believe that the revolution will break out prematurely, even without having
arms.
RIZAL.—This I do not approve. A revolution without arms should never be started against an
armed nation. Its consequences will be fatal and disastrous to the country. The Filipinos will
59 | P a g e
necessarily have to lose owing to lack of arms.
The Spaniards, once conquerors, will annihilate the Filipinos who show love 'for their country,
employ all obstacles to prevent the intellectual, moral, and material progress of the conquered
people, who sooner or later will have to start another revolution. Cuba, which coun ts with the help
and protection of the United States, having failed in her first struggle, paid dearly in the second,
and is paying as much in this third struggle now. The Philippines does not reckon yet with the help
of Japan. I hope she helps us, because it will be difficult to stage a second revolution after the first
fails.When I was in Japan, a Japanese Minister put at my disposal three merchant ships with
which to transport arms to the Philippines. I wrote to a rich Filipino 1 in Manila, asking him to lend
me P200,000 for the purpose of buying firearms and munitions, but the rich Filipino refused me
the loan. I returned to my native land so that I could unite myself with my brother Filipinos. Being
united, we could manage to procure all that is necessa ry for our emancipation. I see that all of
this is now being done by the Katipunan, and all of us should sustain, and work for the realization
of the resolutions made in Pasig.
VALENZUELA.—May I know who is this rich Filipino who refused to lend you the money so
necessary for the health of our country?
RIZAL.—Not now, because I hope he, as well as others, will in the end help his countrymen with
his money when he sees them united and ready to strike for the liberty of their country.
VALENZUELA.—Permit me to explain to you the serious situation in which the Katipunan finds
itself and then tell me what is the best solution to the problem.
RIZAL.—You may proceed.
VALENZUELA.—Those who are associated with the Katipunan number over 30,000, but you
have to take into account the fact that many of those affiliated are not yet on our list owing to lack
of time to gather the exact data. So many come to affiliate daily in the provinces, especially in the
province of Manila, that I cannot tell you exactly the number of people affiliated with the Katipunan.
One day last May a brother of ours was arrested and maltreated by a lieutenant of the Civil Guards
in Pasig for being a member of a treacherous society. Since then our brothers in Pasig and
Mandaluyong have been coming incessantly to my house and inquiring for the day and hour set
for the attack against the Spaniards and the friars.
On these occasions I always tried to calm down their inflamed minds. If, for a single brother caught
and maltreated by the enemies, our brothers are ready to fight; what will happen if the Katipunan
is discovered? There will be many arrests, vexations, and martyrdom of all sorts; and probably
those of the Katipunan who will not tolerate such oppression will march to the field before the time
is ripe, even if they are not provided with rifles or cannon.
RIZAL.—You have to use all precautions to prevent the discovery of the association.
VALENZUELA.—And if the precautions fail?
RIZAL.—You, the principal chiefs, must see that the resolutions of the Katipunan are faithfully
complied with; you are dutybound to avail yourselves of all means to prevent the premature
shedding of blood. When the generals do not command, the soldiers stay still.
VALENZUELA.—The case of the Katipunan is different; if the generals do not give orders, the
60 | P a g e
soldiers will order other soldiers. If the Katipunan is discovered, the revolution will inevitably break
out. However, for my part, I will try to follow your advice; I will work so that they will not march to
the field except in case of extreme necessity.
RIZAL.—Does the association count with its membership many persons in high society in Manila
and in the provinces?
VALENZUELA.—Unfortunately, no; in Manila and in the provinces, there are about a hundred
from the middle class; the rest are poor.
RIZAL.—There is no other remedy but to attract to your association all the rich and influential
persons of Manila and the provinces. You may avail yourselves of Antonio Luna, who is a very
intelligent man, and who has free access to the homes of wealthy Filipinos. Luna, at the same
time, can direct the campaign in case hostilities break out.
VALENZUELA.—What shall we do if we fail to attract these aristocratic Filipincs to the Katipunan?
RlZAL. — These Filipinos will be your worst enemies if you commit the imprudence of attacking
the Spaniards without the necessary preparation. When they see you without arms, they will go
over the side of Spain to persecute you; and being Filipinos and rich too, they will win over your
soldiers with their money.
VALENZUELA.—And what are we to do then?
RIZAL.—See to it that these persons are at least neutral—that they help neither the Spaniards
nor the Filipinos.
VALENZUELA.—Neutrals? By what means can we make them neutrals?
RIZAL.—That is difficult to answer now. The means are born of circumstances and events.
VALENZUELA.—Changing the subject of our conversation, I wish to let you know that some
members of the Katipunan, among whom is Candido Tirona, are thinking of taking you out of here
clandestinely on a ship well supplied with coal and conduct you to Japan through the Pacific
Ocean.
RIZAL.—If the ship is small, it will lack coal to reach Japan; in which case it is better to send it to
the nearest foreign port—Hongkong.
VALENZUELA.—It will have sufficient coal to take you to the port where you are to disembark.
The doctor invited me to talk on the beach, and upon arriving at a certain place he pointed to a
spot in the sea where the boat to take him out to a foreign land may drop anchor. Later, we
returned to his house and during the walk the following conversation took place between us:
RIZAL.—Tell our countrymen that, at the same time that we are preparing for a war against Spain,
I desire to see a college established in Japan which will be converted later into a university for
Filipino youths. I shall be greatly pleased to be the director of said college.
VALENZUELA.—I shall bear in mind all what you say and counsel, but I believe you would
61 | P a g e
rather direct the revolution than manage the college.
RIZAL.—I am ready for both.
VALENZUELA.—As soon as we -have arms and munitions we shall try to take you out of Dapitan
before the revolution starts in order that the Spaniards may not get you and shoot you.
RIZAL.—As soon as you obtain arms, start the war against Spain right away; do not bother about
me for I will know how to get out of here by any craft with the help of the Moros. When it comes
to the redemption of the country, you must not look behind for just one man.
VALENZUELA.—If the revolution breaks out before schedule and you are still in Dapitan, the
Spaniards will hold you and have you shot.
RIZAL.—To die and conquer is pleasant; but to die and be conquered is painful.
…Then he turned to national affairs. He said that if the Filipinos did not do anything for their
independence, Japan would intervene in order to obtain it within a quarter of a century at the
latest. He asked me who the principal leaders of the Katipunan were and whether they were real
patriots. I gave him their names and assured him that their patriotism was unquestioned.
He then spoke to me of the letter he had written to the Minister of War of Spain [Marcelo de
Azcarraga], through the Governor General [Ramon Blanco] of the Philippines, wherein he applied
for a post as military doctor in Cuba, which letter, he said, had not yet been answered. I exercised
my objection to his application, telling him that Weyler, the general-in-chief of the Spanish troops
in Cuba, might shoot him, being his enemy because, of the question arising from the Calamba
estate.
To this objection he replied that he also might shoot Weyler first. He said that his intention in
applying for the post of military doctor was to study the war in a practical way; go through the
Cuban soldiery if he thought he would find there solutions which would remedy the bad situation
in the Philippines. If he were admitted as a military doctor in Cuba, he explained, he could return
to the Philippines when the necessity arose.
We returned to his house and while there heasked me to secure a revolver for him which he
needed, I got out my revolver from my trunk and gave it to him. He was pleased with it.
A whistle from the Venus was heard. The doctor arranged for a banca to take us to the ship. He
gave me as a gift the "kamuning" cane which he was using, and a bust of wood carved by him.
We gathered our baggage, bade goodbye and rode in the banca, which took us to the Venus.
We left Dapitan between 12 and 1 in the afternoon. The Venus returned to Manila, stopping at
the same ports previously mentioned. We arrived in Manila between two and three on the
afternoon of Friday, June 26.
I reported the result of my interview with Dr. Rizal to Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Jacinto. They
were the ones charged by the Supreme Council of the Katipunan to carry out the recommendation
of the deportee at Dapitan. Mamerto Natividad took charge of transmitting to Luna, through
Engineer Jose Alejandrino, the recommendations of Dr. Rizal.
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[Sourced from the Memoirs of Dr. Pio Valenzuela in the “Minutes of the Katipunan” as
Appendix A]
A. Based on the excerpt of Pio Valenzuela’s visit to Jose Rizal in Dapitan,
1. What were Rizal’s views on the impending revolution? Explain your answer and
provide evidences from the excerpt.
2. What did Rizal learn from the history of Cuba and his intentions of going there?
3. What were Rizal’s warning in dealing withthe rich and influential Filipinos?
B. Utilizing the principles introduced in the lesson, write an essay thatapplies the idea of
difference, context, and process. There should be at least three paragraphs in which each
paragraph is focused on one principle with supporting evidences from the discussion above.
References
Abinales, Patricio N. & Amoroso, Donna J. State and Society in the Philippines. Rowman &
Littlefield Publishers, Inc, 2005.
Agoncillo, Teodoro. Revolt of the Masses: The Story of Bonifacio and the Katipunan.
Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press, 1956.
.Some Controversial Issues in Philippine History. The ANNALS of Philippine
Chinese Historical Association 1(1):1-9, 1970.
. History of the Filipino People. GaroTech Books, Inc, 1990.
. Rizal and the Philippine Revolution. In Chua, Apolonio B. and Melendrez-Cruz,
Patricia. (eds.) (1991). Himalay: Kalipunan ng mga Pag-aaral kay Jose Rizal. Maynila:
SentrongPangkultura ng Pilipinas, 1961.
Cano, Gloria. Blair and Robertson’s “the Philippine Islands, 149301898”: Scholarship or
Imperialist Propaganda?. Philippine Studies, Vol. 56, No.1, pp. 3-46, 2008
.Filipino Press between two Empires: El Renacimiento, a Newspaper with Too
Much Alma Filipina, Southeast Asian Studies, Vol 49., No. 3., 2011.
. “La Solidaridad” y el periodismoen Filipinas entiempos de Rizal. In Maria
Dolores Elizalde Perez-Grueso (ed.). Entre España y Filipinas: José Rizal, Escritor
Biblioteca Nacional. (with English translation), 2011.
Casambre, Napoloeon J. ‘Ang MgaPagsimula ng Historiyograpiyang Pilipino, 1900-1950’. In

Llanes, Ferdinand. Pagbabaliksa Bayan: mgalekturasakasaysayan ng
historiograpiya ng pagkabansang Pilipino. Rex Book Store, 1993.
Constantino, Renato. Miseducation of the Filipinos. In The Filipinos in the Philippines
and Other Essays. Malaya Books, 1966.
.A History of the Philippines: From the Spanish Colonization to the Second
World War. Monthly Review Pesss, 1975.
.Insight & Foresight. Foundation for Nationalist Studies, 1977.
.Veneration without understanding, Journal of Contemporary Asia, 1:4, 3-18,
DOI: 10.1080/0047233718539014, 1972.
Ileto, Reynaldo C. Knowledge and Pacification: On the U.S. Conquest and the Writing of
Philippine History. Ateneo de Manila University Press, 2017.
Mabini, Apolinario M. The Philippine Revolution. Trans. Leon Ma. Guerrero, 1969)
64 | P a g e
Palma, Rafael. Read Rizal’s Novels. In Chua, Apolonio B. and Melendrez-Cruz, Patricia.
(eds.) (1991). Himalay: Kalipunan ng mga Pag-aaral kay Jose Rizal. Maynila:
SentrongPangkultura ng Pilipinas, 1928.
Quibuyen, Floro. Rizal and the Revolution. Philippine Studies, Vol. 45, No. 2, pp. 225-
257, 1997.
. A Nation Aborted: Rizal, American Hegemony, and Philippine Nationalism.
Ateneo de Manila University Press, 2008.
Richardson, Jim. The Light of Liberty: Documents and Studies on the Katipunan, 1892-
1897. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press, 2013.
Rizal, Jose. ‘La verdad para todos/Ang katotohanan para salahat’.
MulasaPambansangKomisyon ng IkasandaangTaonni Jose Rizal. (1961). MgaSinulatni
Rizal: mgaakdangpampulitika at pangkasaysayan. Ikapitongtomo.
_ _. ‘Ang Pilipinassaloob ng SandaangTaon’. MulasaPambansangKomisyon ng
IkasandaangTaonni Jose Rizal. (1961). MgaSinulatni Rizal: mgaakdangpampulitika at
pangkasaysayan. Ikapitongtomo, 1889
_ _. ‘TungkolsaKatamaran ng mga Pilipino’. MulasaPambansangKomisyon ng
IkasandaangTaonni Jose Rizal. (1961). MgaSinulatni Rizal: mgaakdangpampulitika at
pangkasaysayan. Ikapitongtomo, 1890.
Schumacher, John N. The Making of a Nation: essays on nineteenth-century Filipino
nationalism. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press, 2008.
_ _. The Propaganda Movement, 1880-1895: the creation of a Filipino
consciousness, the making of the revolution. Ateneo de Manila University Press,
1987.
The Staff. ‘Our Aims’. In La Solidaridad, Vol. 1: 1889, trans. Guadalupe Fores-Gazon, 168-
177, 1889.
Tosh, John. The Pursuit of History: Aims, Methods and New Directions in the Study of
History. (6th ed.). Routledge, 2015
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Unit Five
THE WORKS AND NOVELS OF JOSE RIZAL
Overview
This unit examines the major writings of Rizal as a contributing factor in the process of
transforming him from a propagandist to a radical. As the previous unit dealt with his life story,
this unit will cover the ideals and principles of Rizal as extracted from his writings. The selected
writings have also been chosen on the basis of the themes it manifests. Therefore, the discussion
of the writings is not based on a chronological order, but rather a thematic one. In addition, this
kind of presentation aims to enable learners to distinguish Rizal’s writings from one another and
to also extract Rizal’s convictions in his writings through a critical examination of his works.
The first of these writings is Rizal’s monumental annotation of Antonio Morga’s Sucesos
de las Islas Filipinas. The aim of the discussion on this important work is to frame Rizal’s
foundation for the retrieval of Philippine history in a manner that shifts away from the usual
colonialist-point-of-view. In this lesson, the learners will encounter the stereotypes of the
Spaniards against Filipinos that Rizal rejected and reclaimed an appropriate follow-up the
discussion on Rizal’s perpetual masterpieces Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. Here, the
continuity of paradise- paradise-lost-paradise framework of Rizal, recovered, manifest it as these
novels indiscreetly show the negative effects of colonization in the Filipino society. While his
annotation on the Sucesos provided a story of deterioration in the society as Spain began to
advance its colonial pursuits, Noli and El Fili continued to showcase of the consequences of
colonization as it was rooted in the Filipino society.
This succession is sustained by the following discussion on two of Rizal’s notable

contributions to La Solidaridad; The Indolence of the Filipino and Philippines, a century hence.
Rizal’s shift of tone from asking for recognition from Spain to bluntly accusing Spain of the ills of
the archipelago dominates his The Indolence of the Filipino. Here, Rizal underscored colonialism
as the reason why the Filipino society is deteriorating in terms of its values and principles.
Meanwhile, he has shown his predictive self in Philippines a century hence for this part highlights
his forecasts for the Philippines in a century. Lastly, this unit will end with another unique piece
from Rizal, To the Women of Malolos. Here, Rizal has shown his support for equal opportunities
for both genders, a rare act for men like him, considering his milieu. Altogether, this unit will not
only dive into Rizal’s works, but also dig into his thoughts and convictions.
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LESSON 8
Annotation of Antonio de Morga's Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas
Learning Objectives
 Differentiate the bipartite and tripartite view of Philippine history;

 Explain the differences of the views of Antonio de Morga ang Jose Rizal in culture
and history; and
 Analyze the culture present in the work of Antonio Morga that has connection inthe
present culture in the Philippines.
Course Materials
Since the Spaniards insists that there is no civilization in the Philippines when they arrived,
and they continue to say that there are only two periods in the history of the Philippines which
called as bipartite view, many propagandists were eager to study the history and culture of the
Philippines. In the case of Rizal, it was clear for him that the Philippines had its civilization before
the arrival of the Spaniards, one of the evidences of this is the contextualization the classical work
of Antonio de Morga entitled Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas.
The Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas by Antonio de Morga consists of eight chapters. In this
study, we will focus only on the chapter eight which centers on the cultures and beliefs of the
Filipinos written by Morga when the Spaniards came to the Philippines.
 Chapter 8 – “Mga Salaysay tungkol sa Sangkapuluang Pilipinas at sa mga katutubong

mamamayan, unang panahon, mga pag-uugali at pamahalaan, maging sa panahon ng
mga anito hanggang masakop ng mga Kastila at iba’t iba pang mga bagay.” Nasa Mga
pangyayari sa sangkapuluang Pilipinas / by Antonio de Morga, inilathala sa Mehiko noong
taong 1609 at inihayag sa madla at binigyan ng paliwanag ni Jose Rizal, at sinundan ng
pasimulang salita ni Ferdinand Blumentritt.
The work of Morga was annotated by Jose Rizal which is considered an important work
that deals with the Philippines at the advent of Spanish colonization.
Chapter Summary
In the chapter eight of this book, Morga discusses the beliefs and culture of Filipinos. Most
of Morga’s explanations in his work are based on personal opinions; so much of what he says
about Filipinos is opposed by Rizal in his annotation. Morga explained what he saw about the
Filipinos' belief in the Anitos, an example of which is what he wrote about how crocodiles are
worshiped. Moreover, Morga discussed one by one the characteristics, life, and culture of the
people in Luzon and Visayas, and even in some parts of Mindanao. He recorded the livelihood,
women's and men's clothing, hobbies, food, weapons, writing style, social status, marriage,
adoption, adultery, inheritance, trade, law, etc., these concepts and characteristics was his
observation during his stay in the Philippines. The content of Rizal's annotation in this chapter is
the contextualization of a culture or event, or the correction of a foreign point of view. Some of
these are the daily bathing of Filipinos, since the Philippines is a tropical country, Filipinos often
clean their bodies particularly in rivers, and Rizal says this is normal with Filipinos. Another thing
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Morga says is that the Filipinos eat rotten food, which Rizal contextualize that it is not rotten but
a preserved food, such as buro and bagoong. This is how Morga explains the culture of the
Filipinos which can be seen throughout the chapter 8.
Also, to give context to the annotation, you can read some of the articles written on the topic
under discussion.
 Rizal’s Morga and Views of Philippine History by Ambeth

Ocampohttp://philippinestudies.net/ojs/index.php/ps/article/view/662/663
Article Summary
Ocampo began to discuss the article by giving examples of what Morga said and Rizal's
annotations about Filipino food, from which it was explained that in this opinion Rizal had a
response to the writings of the Spaniards not as a novel form but an academic response in
historical writing. This work of Rizal is not much noticed because it focuses more on its two novels
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, but like Noli and Fili, it is also forbidden to spread this
copy in the Philippines during Rizal’s time and you can see an attempt by Rizal to write Filipino
history. Rizal asked his friend Blumentritt to make a history of the Philippines, but he replied that
the Filipinos should write it, and when Rizal went to the Library in London he began to read the
primary sources about the Philippines in early Spanish conquest, and it copied Morga's Sucesos
to annotate. Ocampo explains Morga's biography and the content of Morga's book. Rizal said
Ocampo chose Morga's Sucesos because its discussion was more objective than other chronicler,
particularly the missionary friars. Rizal clarified concepts such as the issue of Filipino writing
before the arrival of the Spaniards and used various sources to clarify the concepts found within
Morga’s work. This is a way to assert to the Spaniards that the Filipinos had a culture even before
it came. It is also explained that Isabelo de los Reyes' exchange of criticism with Rizal for his
method of writing is more dependent on nationalism compared to the scholarly basis. Ultimately,
Ocampo points out that this writing by Rizal is more focused from an internal perspective.
In terms of bipartite view and tripartite view in history, Zeus Salazar's work in 1983 was a
classic work published in Cologne, Germany.
• A Legacy of the Propaganda: Tripartite View of Philippine History by Zeus Salazar

https://bangkanixiao.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/zeus-salazar-tripartite-view-of-phil-
history.pdf
Article Summary
This article by Salazar is a classic work on the historical thought of the Propagandists and
Salazar says it is one of the legacies of their time. Salazar explained the idea of the Spanish
bipartite in history with two periods, the period of darkness and the period of light. During the dark
period, he said, the period before the arrival of the Spaniards was dark because the Filipinos did
not have a civilization which they called paganism or false religion, as well as the culture that the
Spaniards viewed as barbaric. When they arrived, it was said that there was enlightenment
because the people were translated to Christians and they would be taught their culture. The
tripartite view of the propagandists is an ideological response, said Salazar, which shatters foreign
ideas about Filipinos. In this idea, propagandists have been emphasized for three periods,
particularly by Marcelo H. Del Pilar, Graciano Lopez-Jaena, and Jose Rizal. Their idea of history
is not written in one publication but in their various writings on Filipino history.
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Their ideas are divided into Pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial period of the
Philippines. The summary of what Rizal, Jaena and Del Pilar say is below.
Rizal was a very important part of Filipino history, not only because of his heroism, but
also his contribution in building the nation. Also, it is also important to note his ideas on the issue
of identity which is a very important factor in linking the Filipino Culture as archipelago and as
Malayan in its deeper sense. Its annotation in Morga's work is a key for us to recognize our history
which is a very important contribution of Rizal in writing Filipino history.
Assessment
Instruction: Discuss the following items thoroughly. Write the question before each answer.
Each answer should contain at least three (3) paragraphs of not less than four (4) sentences
each. You may write your answers in Filipino. Do not forget to write your full name in the
upper left corner of the paper and your course, year and section below it while the name of
your professors should be indicated in the upper right.
1. Create a Table of Antonio De Morga and Jose Rizal's Perspectives on Filipino culture,
compare the two based on internal and external perspectives.
2. At the end of the table, give an overall analysis of the differences between the twoin
Filipino culture.
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LESSON 9
Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo
 After successful completion of this module, you should be able to:

 Appraise important characters in the novel and what they represent
 Examine the present Philippine situation through the examples mentioned in the Noli
 Value the role of the youth in the development and future of society
Course Materials:
Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo are literary pieces from Rizal that are historical and
political in nature. Rizal's ideals and views about the social, political and economic state of the
country were reflected on his works. The novels discussed the state of religion, the clergy,
authority and government; he exposed the abuses and irregularities that have been brought by
the friars and the Spanish colonizers. The novel was intended to educate, empower the youth and
examine the problems and conditions of the Philippine society. On his Annotation of Morga’s
Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas or Events in the Philippine Islands, he presented the past of the
country and proved the existence of a civilization before the Spanish colonization. In his Noli Me
Tangere, Rizal opened a conversation and identified the problems of the society in the present
and in El Filibusterismo, he presented a different point of view, having Simon and Isagani as his
main characters, and a different idea about the future of the nation was presented through
conflicting views from the characters.
Noli me Tangere was written in Spanish, it is the unmasking of the injustices, corruption and
brutality of Spanish rule in the country. It began when the reformist Ibarra, the hero of the story went
back to San Diego with a hope of a better tomorrow for his countrymen. In Rizal's dedication of Noli
Me Tangere, he explained that in order to cure the social cancer of the country, the disease must be
exposed, and the cruelty of the colonizers must be ended. He described the characters with satire,
and it became the catalyst for the movement for the independence in the country.
The Social Cancer
Rizal’s dedication in Noli Me Tangere was addressed to the Philippines.
“In history of human ailments, a cancer was reported of such malignancy that the least contract
irritates it and awakens in it the sharpest pains. Well, then, as often as I have wished to evoke
you in the midst of modern civilizations, whether to have memories of your accompany me or to
compare you with other countries, your beloved image has appeared to me with a social cancer.”
Rizal didn’t specify who or what is the social cancer on his dedication, however, liberal
ideas and radical views were presented in his novel. Noli Me Tangere was published in 1887
during his first sojourn in Europe; he presented a variation of characters in the novel with a
different background based on the present situation of the country. He opened a conversation
about a malignant tumor that should be taken out carefully to heal the society. In Schumacher’s
The vision of Jose Rizal, he explained that Rizal’s novel was just the opposite of all this – a
scathing, full scale attack on political and religious regime of the Philippines, as well as of native
Filipino
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society. He also discussed that Rizal entitled it Noli Me Tangere (or, Touch Me Not” – the technical
name of a particularly painful type of cancer.) He proposed to probe all the cancers of Filipino
society that everyone else felt too painful to touch.
Important Characters from Noli Me Tangere
 Crisostomo Ibarra – A wealthy young man who returned to San Diego after seven years
abroad. His father Don Rafael Ibarra was imprisoned and was labelled as heretic and
subversive that led to a sentence of his death in prison. Rizal used Ibarra’s character to
voice ideas about the nature of the government. Ibarra tried to work the system with the
friars without having to eliminate the colonial forces in the country. Ibarra was convinced
that though the Catholic friars are corrupt, they provide valuable support to the country.
He was labelled as excommunicado after almost killing Padre Damaso at a dinner party.
Ibarra manages to escape prison with the help of Elias.
 Maria Clara – Ibarra and Maria Clara grew up together and was engaged to be married.
She is well-regarded as her father is a socialite and is an important member of the society.
She found out that her real father is Padre Damaso who impregnated her mother who died
at childbirth. After Ibarra was labelled excommunicado, she was arranged to be a bride to
a Spanish man named Linares. When she received the news that Ibarra’s death, she calls
off her marriage to Linares and entered the convent.
 Padre Damaso – A loudmouth and arrogant Spanish priest living in the Philippines. He is
unafraid of taking on nonreligious citizens who undermine his power. Labelled Don Rafael
as subversive because he supported secular means to empower the citizens.
 Elias – A revolutionary who despised the power of the Catholic Church. After Ibarra saved
his life from a crocodile, he promised to protect him from his enemies. He convinced Ibarra
to join him in the retaliation against the civil guards who are abusing their powers. Ibarra
and Elias have had long political discussions about the state of the society and expressed
different viewpoint on how the country can grow. Elias presented a view that the present
situation will not change if the existing power structure will remain as both the church and
the government are apathetic in the condition of its citizens.
 Don Anastasio – also known as FilosopoTasio, known as being the madman who doesn’t
believe in God with his atheistic worldview because of his education in Philosophy.

In Quibuyen’s A Nation Aborted, he discussed – The orthodoxy frames Rizal and
Philippine nationalism in terms of a set of dichotomies: Ibarra versus Elias; Rizal versus Bonifacio;
ilustrados versus masses, Reform versus Revolution. These dichotomies consist of the following
propositions:
1. In Rizal’s novels, Ibarra represented Rizal, and Elias represented Bonifacio, and the
failure of Bonifacio signified Rizal’s anti-revolutionary stance;
2. Being an ilustrado, with a bourgeois consciousness, Rizal’s goal, in direct contrast to
Bonifacio, was the assimilation of the Philippines into the Spanish nation;
3. The Reform movement only served to delay the inevitable Revolution, which
was betrayed by characteristically opportunistic ilustrados;
4. Rizal became the national hero largely through American sponsorship.
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Ways of Reading Noli me Tangere
To get the context of the novel, reading Noli needs more understanding and analysis than
just merely reading a textbook or a novel; let the imagination take you to the nineteenth century
setting. You can read Noli as a literature piece or a historical document.
1. Do not expect its story or plot to be a head-turner. If you do, you will be bound to be
disappointed.
2. Do not look for psychologically developed characters.
3. Be on alert for social criticism and social commentary. (Social criticism refers to the explicit
criticism of the society; while social commentary refers to the criticism of society implicit in
the way society is portrayed.
4. Pay close attention to discussions of political or social topics. Such discussions occur
between Ibarra and schoolmaster, Ibarra and Filosofo Tasio, Filosofo Tasio and Don
Filipo, Ibarra and Elias.
5. Be on alert for patterns – patterns of events and characters. The pattern reveals themes.
6. Be on alert for passages of costumbrismo – a literary genre popular in Spain and its
colonies in the 19th century, depicting everyday life among ordinary people in ordinary
settings. Exile’s recollection of life in the Philippines and are suffused with nostalgic
affection.
7. If you wish to know exactly what Rizal wanted his readers to take away from the Noli,
then you have to take the dedication and epigraph of the novel seriously.
In this section of the module, we will identify the social commentaries and social
criticisms from a chapter from Noli Me Tangere.
Social Commentaries from Chapter 49: Voice of the Persecuted
“Now then, the country is an organism suffering from a chronic malady, and in order to cure it, the
government sees the necessity of employing such means, harsh and violent if you wish, but useful
and necessary”Ibarra
“He is a bad doctor, sir, who seeks only to destroy or stifle the symptoms without an effort to
examine into the origin of the malady, or, when knowing it, fears to attack it.”Elias
“Has the Philippines forgotten what she owes to those orders? Has she forgotten the immense
debt of gratitude that is due from her to those who snatched her from error to give her the true
faith...”Ibarra
Ibarra and Elias agreed that there is an illness in our society; they have a contrasting
approach to addressing the problem that surrounds them. They were both in favor that the
Philippine society needs a change. In this scene, both characters were passionately debating
about their respective viewpoints. Ibarra insists upon reforming the Philippines from the inside out,
work within existing and established systems, such as making connections with the friars and
Spanish officials and making use of diplomacy and education (his plan to build a home-school). It
looks that Ibarra still has faith in the system and that we can still achieve positive change without
dismantling the entire system. However, Elias has a much radical strategy, he convinces Ibarra
to look at a different angle that nothing productive and true development will come out of Ibarra’s
plan.
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In the context of religion, Elias holds strong Catholic convictions despite his opposition to
the church and its stipulations. He strongly disses the church hierarchy and the influence it holds
with the state government controlling and dominating every aspect in the society and oppressing
Filipino natives. They will punish anyone and label them as “heretic and filibuster” when they
question and resist their civic and religious authority. Elias also mentioned that Ibarra is blinded
to see the truth because he never experienced persecution for himself, and Ibarra is a privileged
and wealthy man living a comfortable life having the capability to study in Europe for seven years.
But as the story progresses, the author exposed Ibarra to the extent of the corruption of the
government and the church that is why he was open-minded with and he listens to the experiences
of his friend Elias, who are less privileged.
Social Criticisms from Chapter 49: Voice of the Persecuted
“Radical reforms in the armed forces, in the priesthood, and in the administration of justice; that
is to say, they ask for paternal treatment from the government.”
“For example, more respect for a man’s dignity, more security for the individual, less force in the
armed forces, fewer privileges for that corps which so easily abuses what it has.”
“These unfortunates ask for more protection against ... their oppressors, Sir.” Elias
The narratives above are all from Elias; he became the voice of the poor and pitiful, and
bravely reveals to Ibarra the brutality and injustices that were brought by the colonizers. These
were some of the radical reforms that Rizal, the Propaganda movement, and La Liga Filipina were
demanding from Spain with their peaceful cry through media publications. Here, the author, Rizal
tries to inform and enlighten the readers what specific changes they want in the colonial
government, Catholic Church, and military force.
“The Civil Guard has only this purpose: the repression of crime by means of terror and force, a
purpose that it does not fulfil or accomplishes only incidentally. “Elias
“Because one has forgotten his cedula he must be manacled and knocked about...” Elias
“To weaken the Civil Guard would be to endanger the security of the towns.”Ibarra
“Meanwhile, believe me that the government needs a corps with strength enough to make it
respected and to enforce its authority.”Ibarra
“...You saw what the people thought about these things; what have they got by repressing their
anger and hoping for human justice? Ah, sir, if that is what you call keeping the peace--”Elias
Spain’s militarized law enforcers or the infamous Civil Guard(s) has an undeniably strong
presence throughout the novel. In the above lines, it is evident that Elias and Ibarra shared
different perspectives about the authoritative power of the Civil Guard. Elias, for his part, wants to
retaliate against the brutal and abusive Civil Guard that oppresses the people they claim to
govern. Also, Elias sees the Civil Guard as a terrorizing force that turns honorable and honest
people into criminals in their own land and instill fear among these “criminals” which prevents
them to repent, giving them no choice than resort to their crimes and continue living as criminals.
Ibarra, on the other hand, believed that this power is essential in promoting order and on keeping
security in the country.
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“...a country that is obedient because it is deceived; a government that commands because it avails
itself of fraud, a government that does not know how to make itself loved or respected for its own
sake? Pardon me, sir, but I believe that our government is stupid and is working its own ruin when
it rejoices that such is the belief...”Elias
Noli me Tangere depicted the chaotic situation in our society especially between the government and
the people they ought to govern. It imposes questions about the colonial state of our country.
El Filibusterismo
Despite of the lack of financial resources, internal strife inside the propaganda movement
and family concerns the sequel of his first novel Noli Me Tangere after several revisions was finally
printed on 1891 in Ghent, Belgium. The multiple updates of the said masterpiece are still baffling
the mind of historians. What could be going through his mind in making several changes, his
correspondence with Blumentritt on March of 1891 concluded that he completed his work but
weeks after on April 29, he expresses the second time the completion of Fili. Another proof of this
revision is his letter to Basa the following month informing him that he is ready for the publication,
after a month that he already expressed to Blumentritt twice that he had done it. Then the following
month when he expresses to Basa that he still has several chapters need to be checked. We can
only speculate on the reason why the publication of his novel was delayed for months. It could be
financial reason, possibly needing to cut down some chapters or compressed some of it to
minimize the page shortening the cost. His first novel was published with help of Maximo Viola
and the second materialized because of Valentin Ventura. Or it could be something else, possibly
he must remove some of his previous thoughts, maybe his thought reflected in his writings change
over time. If that is case, what could have affected his reasoning? Nonetheless, whatever the
reason maybe, the literature that affected the course of Philippine history was published – serving
its purpose.
Jose Rizal’s annotation of Morga’s Sucesos presented its readers the forgotten past of the
Philippines while his Noli Me Tangere narrate and describes the current situation of the country.
El Filibusterismo’s plot (Schumacher, 1998) on the other hand is loose, sometimes serving more
as a framework for philosophical and political discussions on the future of the Philippines. The
end of the 19th century is a critical period for the Philippine independence, and it reflects the
culmination of Filipino struggles and enlightenment. The second novel of Rizal presented the
readers the direction where Filipino should head to in claiming their freedom. It shows the shiftof
Ibarra’s reformist character into Simoun’s radical measures in achieving his goals. It also
highlighted the many characters that represent the position of many individuals towards the
liberation of the country. In the end, Simoun’s dialogue with Father Florentino shows Rizal’s true
intention. The people must be ready in claiming their independence; they should own and be
responsible for it. Revolution should not only about preparedness and not because of hatred but
love the mother country.
Important Characters from El Filibusterismo
 Simoun – A jeweler with unknown origin who came to the Philippines with the governor
general. He constantly wore large dark glasses that hid much of the upper part of his face.
With his almost absolute control over the governor – general's patronage, he was
cultivated by everyone who hoped to profit from his connections, and
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he in turn used his power to amass an ever-greater fortune for himself (Schumacher,
1998).
 Basilio – Sacristan from the Noli Me Tangere whose younger brother had been beaten to
death by the head sacristan of Fray Salvi and whose mother Sisa had been driven to
insanity and death. Since then Basilio had lived as a servant boy and manage by dint of
hard work to get an education, and now he would soon graduate as a Doctor of Medicine
(Schumacher, 1998).
 Isagani – A close friend of Basilio and confident young man. He is supposed to marry
Paulita Gomez but had been passed over for a rich man’s son. Basilio alerts him of
Simoun’s lethal plan and he moved to neutralized it (Dumol and Camposano, 2018).
 Father Florentino – He is the oracle of wisdom who debated with Simoun and explain
why he is wrong (Dumol and Camposano, 2018).
Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo have had different interpretations and eventually
became a way of talking about the societal nature of the Philippines. His ideology and patriotism
eventually made it into a law requiring that his books be taught in every high school, colleges and
universities in the nation. It aims to regain the nationalism in the youth of today's generation and
make them socially conscious.
For El Filibusterismo, Rizal’s dedication reads:
“To the memory of the priests, Don Mariano Gomez (85 years old), Don José Burgos (30 years
old), and Don Jacinto Zamora (35 years old). Executed in Bagumbayan Field on the 28th of
February, 1872.The Church, by refusing to degrade you, has placed in doubt the crime that has
been imputed to you; the Government, by surrounding your trials with mystery and shadows,
causes the belief that there was some error, committed in fatal moments; and all the Philippines,
by worshiping your memory and calling you martyrs, in no sense recognizes your culpability. In
so far, therefore, as your complicity in the Cavite mutiny is not clearly proved, as you may or may
not have been patriots, and as you may or may not have cherished sentiments for justice and for
liberty, I have the right to dedicate my work to you as victims of the evil which I undertake to
combat. And while we wait expectantly upon Spain someday to restore your good name and
cease to be answerable for your death, let these pages serve as a tardy wreath of dried leaves
over your unknown tombs, and let it be understood that everyone who without clear proofs attacks
your memory stains his hands in your blood!
- J. Rizal.”
Ways of Reading El Filibusterismo
1. Pay close attention to the plot – Unlike the Noli in which characters are more important than
plot, plot is fundamental in the Fili. This is because, while the Noli presents us with the problems
of Philippine society, the Fili proposes solutions. It is, therefore, necessary to note the proposed
solutions, how they are pursued, and why they fail.
2. Do not expect Rizal to transform the solutions into detailed narratives – Rizal is not interested
in the solutions as stories. What is more important for Rizal is the theoretical outlines of the
proposed solutions and the reasons they fail. In other words, the solutions proposed aretypes
of solutions, and the reasons they fail are types of reasons for failure.
3. Do immerse yourself, however, in the story of Cabesang Tales and the Story of Simoun’s
second attempt at revolution – While Simoun’s first attempt at revolution and the student’s
Spanish academy address the reader’s head, these two stories address his heart and
subsequently his head. They are directly related to the last chapter of the novel, in which we
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have Rizal’s thoughts on the redemption of the Philippine society and on freedom and
independence.
4. The Fili is a novel of debates and discussions, try your best to follow the argumentative chapters
closely – These are especially Chapters 7 (The debate between Simoun and Basilio, 33 (Simoun’s
long speeches to Basilio and the narrator’s comment on them), and 39 (the discussion between
Simoun and Padre Florentino). Aside from these three, there are as well
Chapters 15 (Isagani’s visit to Señor. Pasta), 27 (the debate between Isagani and Padre
Fernandez) and 31 (the argument between the governor general and the high government
official).
5. Rizal was a poet before he became a novelist – in the Fili, Rizal writes as both novelist and
poet: the novelist for the most part writes literally; the poet, figuratively. One must be aware
that certain passages, characters, and events are intended by Rizal to be understood not only
literally but also figuratively. It is not good to be hunting symbols in the Fili. Let the symbols
detach themselves from their contexts whenever the right moment comes in the reading
experience of individual readers. This right moment will differ from reader to reader, but when
it comes, it will come as a gift in burst of light and with a feeling of vertigo.
In this section of the module, we will identify the social commentaries and social
criticisms from a chapter from El Filibusterismo.
Social Commentaries from Chapter 34: The Wedding
...from a poor student and servant, perhaps the sun would see him [Basilio] transformed into some
one terrible and sinister, standing upon pyramids of corpses, dictating laws to all those who were
passing before his gaze now in magnificent carriages.
Then he thought that had there been no imprisonment, he would have been betrothed, or
a husband, at this time, a licentiate in medicine, living and working in some corner of his province.
The ghost of Juli, crushed in her fall, crossed his mind, and dark flames of hatred lighted his eyes;
again he caressed the butt of the revolver, regretting that the terrible hour had not yet come.
Basilio, being imprisoned and has been experienced almost everything, seems to be
restless for their plan to succeed. As he was caressing his revolver, it appeared that he was
longing and hoping that when the Spanish reign ends, he will be one of the most feared and
respected persons in the town and be the one to make and enforce the law. Moreover, Basilio
thinks about how if notfor his arrest he would be married and practicing medicine in the province.
He thinks of Juli being dead and feels angry. This makes him more eager for the terrible hour to
come.
But the table for the greater gods was not there, being placed yonder in the middle of the
wide azotea within a magnificent kiosk constructed especially for the occasion...On this table were
laid only seven plates. The dishes were of solid silver, the cloth and napkins of the finest linen,
the wines the costliest and exquisite. Don Timoteo had sought the mostrare and expensive in
everything...
Rizal once again portrayed the different worlds between the rich and privileged citizen in
San Diego. In the aforementioned lines, Don Timoteo prepared a more luxurious and expensive
dining area at the azotea for the “greater gods”. He sought the “rarest and expensive” in
everything, from the most exquisite wines to the solid silver dishes and finest cloth and napkins.
It is obvious that there are a distinction and differences in the treatment among the people.
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Social Criticisms from Chapter 34: The Wedding
He was [Don Timoteo], at last, marrying his son to the rich Gomez heiress, and, thanks to
the money Simoun had lent him, he had royally furnished that big house, purchased for half its
value, and was giving in it a splendid fiesta, with the foremost divinities of the Manila Olympus for
his guests, to gild him with the light of their prestige.
In this chapter, Rizal depicted some of many undesirable traits of many Filipinos; and one
of these is to live behind their means. DonTimoteo wanted to have an elite lifestyle and he bought
the house of Capitan Tiago half its price but doesn’t have enough money for it so he went to
Simoun and asked to lend him some money. Don Timoteo wanted to have good impression
among the townspeople for his son, Juanito Pelaez, who is marrying Paulita Gomez who is an
heiress.
With the chromos he ran no risk, as the Filipinos did not make them, they came cheaper,
the effect was the same, if not better, the colors brighter and the execution very fine. Don’t say
that Don Timoteo did not know how to comport himself in the Philippines.
The author implied that people tend to possess a colonial mentality and have a perception
of being inferior in cultural aspects. Here, Don Timoteo, even though Simoun disproved, removed
all the old drawings and pictures of saints that Capitan Tiago owned because he doesn’t want
Filipino crafted paintings so he replaced it with chromos which are Spanish-made for he doesn’t
want to be misconceived that he is patronizing local products.
Assessment
Instruction: Complete the table below by identifying what major character in Noli me Tangere and
El Filibusterismo symbolize in relation to colonial Philippine society.
Character Symbolism
Crisostomo Ibarra
Elias
Basilio
Sisa
Padre Damaso
Note: Plese do not write anything unnecessary on this instructional material. Use a clean sheet of
bond paper in answering your activity/assessment task either in a type-written or hand-written
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References:
Derbyshire, Charles. The Social Cancer. New York: World Book Company. Retrieved 14 July
2010, 1912.
Dumol, PA and Camposano, C. The Nation as Project: Ways of Reading TheNoli. Vibal
Group, 2018.
Quibuyen, Floro. A Nation Aborted: Rereading and Revisioning Philippine Nationalism, 2008.
Schumacher, John (1998). Kasaysayan: The Story of the Filipino People, The Vision of Jose
Rizal, Vol 5. Asia Publishing Company Limited, 1998.
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LESSON 10
The Indolence of the Filipinos
(SOBRE LA INDOLENCIA DE LOS FILIPINOS)
▪ Analyze Rizal’s claims and counter-claimson the prevailing notion that the Filipinos were
indolent.
▪ Examine his points and methods as he draws ideas from earlier accounts of
the Philippines.
▪ Highlight his suggestions which would address the conditions of the Philippines
during his time.
Course Materials
Rizal’s second departure from the Philippines in 1888 led him to a new series of journeys
in which his writings became more aggressive and critical of the Spanish government. Some of
these writings were written in London as part of his productive research at the British Museum.
One of these works is Sobre La Indolencia de los Filipinos (The Indolence of the Filipinos) which
whose main goal is to counter the long-standing notion of Spaniards (and probably other
Europeans) that Filipinos are naturally and inherently lazy. The work can be considered (arguably)
as one of his earliestcritical anthropological analyses dealing with the Filipino past prior to Spanish
colonization.
According to Ambeth Ocampo, Rizal used his notes obtained from the cultural institution
intended to be used for his annotation of Morga’s Sucesos de Las Islas Filipinas (1609) for this
five-part article along with some historical accounts that allowed him to portray the pre-colonial
Philippines.
The five parts of the article can be summarized in this manner 27:
A. First Part: THAT INDOLENCE AMONG FILIPINOS EXISTS.
“Man is not a brute, he is not a machine, his object is not merely to produce…”
Rizal began the first part by citing Gregorio G. Sancianco’s Progreso de Filipinas. He
argued that Sancianco himself claimed that was no indolence among the Filipinos on the
basis of what had left the accounts of the first Spanish rulers of the islands. But despite
this, accusations of indolence from the Spanish authorities, along with the friars, continue
to be echoed in the islands, Rizal continued. For him, indolence must be seen as
something we need investigate. And so, Rizal admits that there is really is indolence in his
current context. But this must be justified as “works and struggles of the Filipinos against
the climate, against nature and against men.”
27This summary was based on the English translation of the article found on a reading from Xiao Chua of DLSU. Michael Charleston
B. Chua “Reading Material: The Indolence of the Filipinos by José Rizal(English), Balanghay Pangkasaysayan WordPress (blog),
https://bangkanixiao.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/rizal-sa-katamaran-ng-mga-pilipino.pdf
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He justified his claim by using the following points:
 Climate differences
Rizal uses geographical differences as a major factor. He believes that climate has
something to do with the indolence of some Filipinos. Working in the conditions
present in the Philippines is not of equal comparison to working in countries with
temperate climates. He even said that “an hour of work in tropical countries is a
day’s work in temperate regions.” Working “violently” in the Philippines is not good
as it is deadly.
 Unequal workloads
Rizal continued to lambast the notion by questioning the comfortable lifestyle and
work habits of Spanish officials who relies on servants to do things for them. It is
them and not the Filipinos whom Rizal find indolent as the latter are known for their
toiling hard despite their conditions. He also cited the Chinese as examples of hard
workers. He ends this part by saying that man is not a machine who is not only
meant to produce.
B. Second Part: INDOLENCE IS A CHRONIC ILLNESS.
Rizal pointed out that if we see indolence as a condition, it must be treated as an illness
which requires attention. A “proper and appropriate treatment” shall be used to address
indolence if it is really seen as a problem. Rizal argues that indolence in the Philippines is
a “chronic malady, but not a hereditary one.”
Prior to the arrival of the Spaniards, early inhabitants of the islands have been trading with
neighboring states. For this part, Rizal cited a lot of historical accounts to strengthen his
claims. Among these are Chau-Ju-Kua’s “Zhu Fan Zhi” (1225) and even Antonio Morga’s
Sucesos de Las Islas Filipinas. He also made use of Pigafetta’s accounts as well as not
those of Chirino, Colin, Argensola, Gaspar de San Agustin. All of these sources were used
in this section where Rizal tried to argue about the values, work habits and attitudes of the
early Filipinos that were taken into account by the chroniclers during the 16 th century.
Altogether, Rizal used these historical notes in order to justify that indolence was not
present among early Filipinos and thus, they are not inherent. But due to Spanish
colonization, indolence has become “prevalent” in many Filipinos given their working
conditions.
C. Third Part: CONSISTENT INSTABILITY CAUSED THIS INDOLENCE
“Man works for an object. Remove the object and you reduce him to inaction.”
Rizal continued to expound his claim that indolence is not inherent among Filipinos in the
third installment of the article. He argues that it was the events of the early Spanish colonial
period that brought havoc to many Filipinos are also the reason why indolence began to
be chronic among the people of the islands. He mentioned that the chaos brought by
invasions, wars and other violent events heavily decimated the native population. He also
cites the demoralization of many natives as well as the continuous activities of the
“Independent Malays of the south” (Moros) contributed to the instability in the islands on
the part of the Christianized subjects.
With an angry mood, Rizal then cited the after-effects of population decline among the
Filipinos. He pointed out the policies on forced labor that separated families from each
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other as well as the unstable conditions that made the Filipinos “give up.” These series of
misfortunes, topping the context of colonization all led to the distrust and lack of eagerness
among Filipinos due to uncertainties of the future as well as the lack of a clear fruit of their
hard labor. Colonization gave birth to indolence.
D. Fourth Part: DEATH OF TRADE AND COMMERCE
For the fourth installment, Rizal claims that it was also the discouraging state of commerce
and trade in the Philippines that contributed to the indolence exhibited by many Filipinos.
He cited the following reasons as also the causes which brought indolence to the islands:
 Unproductive Galleon trade that was only limited to China, Mexico and
few Manila merchants
 Scarce number of work hours’ government officials would render on a daily basis.
 Introduction of gambling as a means of getting a faster change of social status.
 The bad treatment of farmers who cannot gain the fruits of his laborforcing
him to just resort to gambling given his circumstances
 Abuses committed by the encomederos which have caused great
inequality among many subjects of the colonial rule.
 The mishandling of agriculture and commerce as many fertile lands are in
the hands of friar corporations.
But above all, Rizal points out the most compelling reason why many Filipinos are
indolent is because of the poor education system in the colony. The training of an
Indio, argues Rizal, is “anti-human” as he is bound to experience a brutal treatment
from his birth down to his adulthood.
Rizal expounds this by saying:
The Filipino is convinced that to get happiness it is necessary for him tolay aside his dignity
as a rational creatures, to attend mass, to believe what is told him, to pay what is
demanded of him, to pay and forever to pay; to work, suffer, and be silent, without
aspiring anything, without aspiring to know or even to understand Spanish, without separating
himself from his carabao, as the priests shamelessly say, without protesting against any
injustice, against any arbitrary action, against an assault, against an insult; that is, not to have
heart, brain or spirit; a creature with arms and a purse of gold…there’s the ideal native!
Unfortunately, or because the brutalization is not yet complete and because the nature of man
is inherent in his being in spite of his condition, the native protests; he still has aspirations, he
thinks and strives to rise, and there’s the trouble!
E. Fifth part: LACK OF TRAINING, EDUCATION AND MOTIVATION
Rizal begins the last of the five installments by stating that the section shall discuss the
share of the people in the faulty system. While he acknowledges that the government’s
failures were analyzed in the first four installments, he still believes that the people and
the government are complementary and thus must be also discussed.
Rizal enumerated two factors that enable the Filipino himself to become indolent; (1) to
defects of training (2) and lack of national sentiment. He further emphasized these two by
his explanations:
 Stagnation of his aspirations brought by the kind of parenting the young Filipino
experienced.
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 Contentment in being a follower without even thinking ahead of beyond his
status quo.
 Extreme reliance on other’s working for the cause that also affects them.
 Extreme hope for miracles by giving out what they have and disregard for
logic and rationality
 Degrading statements from the elders about not being able to achieve anything.
 Inferiority complex as a product of colonial conditioning
 Immediate acceptance of “government positions” from persons of authority out
of feeling overwhelmed.
Wrapping it up, Rizal pointed out that the best solution for the malady that is indolence is
an effective education that Spain (hopefully) might give without any conditions as learning
and enlightenment must be considered altogether a gift.
Assessment
Instruction: Venn Diagram: Looking back at the points made by Rizal on the article Sobre La
Indolencia de los Filipinos¸ compare and contrast (A) the Shortcomings of the government and
(B) the Cultural problems among Filipinos between Rizal’s time and our current time. Use the
summary of the article to extract Rizal’s points and use your own observations to enumerate our
current conditions.
Copy the diagrams in a clean sheet of paper (allot one page per diagram) and present your
answers in bulleted forms.
A. Government’s shortcomings B. Cultural Problems
of bond paper when answering your activity/ assessment task either in a type-written or hand-
Reference:
Chua, Michael Charleston B. “Reading Material: The Indolence of the Filipinos by José
Rizal(English), Balanghay PangkasaysayanWordPress, (n.d), accessed 11 July
2020, https://bangkanixiao. files.wordpress.com/2012/10/rizal-sa-katamaran-ng-mga-
pilipino.pdf Ocampo, Ambeth R. “The indolence of the Filipino,” Philippine Daily
Inquirer, 15 March 2019, accessed 11 July 2020,
https://opinion.inquirer.net/120136/the-indolence-of-the-filipino (ProjectGutenburg:
USA), accessed 11 2020, http://dev.gutenberg.org/eboo
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LESSON 11
PHILIPPINES A CENTURY HENCE
(Filipinas dentro de cienaños)
Learning Objectives
 Recognize the relevance of Rizal’s writings to the context of the 19 th

century events.
 Explain Rizal’s insights and predictions based on his understanding of his time.
 Analyze his ideas of Philippine nationhood through this socio-political essay.
Course Materials
Rizal had made bold predictions in this essay but this came from an earlier prediction by
the German scholar and traveler, Feodor Jagor who came to the Philippines in the 1860’s. Von F.
Jagor’s prophecy in his work Travels in the Philippines (Reisen in den Philippinen) caught Rizal’s
attention especially this part that spoke of American’s future role in the Philippines:
“In the long run, the Spanish system cannot prevail over the American. While the former exhausts
colonies… America draws to itself the most energetic element from all the lands; and these on
her soil, free from trammels, and restlessly pushing forward…” This is cognitive background, with
Rizal’s prophecy, not to be assumed as an endorsement for federalism.
Not only did Rizal agree to this prediction, he also supplied and supplemented it with his
insights about the neighboring countries of the Philippines as well as his notions of existing
“Spheres of Influence” around the world, comprised of the super powers of his time. As a whole,
Rizal’s Cien de anos is what he thinks is the most possible status of the Philippines in the years
to come.
The essay, being presented as four installments, can be summarized by looking at each
of these parts. We can divide this summary into four parts and present the gist of each part. The
summary was derived from the publicly available translation of Charles Derbyshire who also did
translate other works of Rizal into English.
A. PART ONE
He began the essay by providing a backdrop of the history of the Philippines and Filipino
people. Being consistent with his views of Philippine society through his novels, Rizal
reaffirms what he thinks as the demoralization of the Filipino on the commencement of the
Spanish colonization.
Rizal believed that the islands and its people were in good condition prior to the arrival of
the Spaniards who have ravaged and stripped the Filipinos their glory and identity. He
went further by detailing how the Spaniards took over the mentalities of the Filipino people
to be able to subjugate them and make them far from the earlier inhabitants who were so
eager to fight for their freedom. Here Rizal admits that the Filipinos, after centuries of being
governed by Spain, no longer have that fire to be free as many of those who have tried
faced punishment and death; and that the current majority is already that Filipino who is
willing to follow orders instead.
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B. PART TWO
This is the installment where Rizal would ask the most important question in the entire
work; Will the Philippines remain to be a colony of Spain within a century?
Banking on the premises of the first part, Rizal said answering this question would be
different 300 years ago, when the Spaniards were still starting to conquer the islands.
Answering this question in his current context, Filipinos might have a not so better answer
as he had developed to become pessimistic, all caused by colonization.
Furthermore, asking a liberal and a friar about what the Filipinos had become after
centuries of colonization would yield two opposing answers. For the friar, the Filipinos were
better as they have become obedient and civilized all because of Christianity. But for a
liberal, the Filipino became a savage compared to what he was prior to the arrival of
Spaniards.
After providing his summary of the abuses of colonization for the past centuries, Rizal
made his two predictions for this part; (1) The Filipinos will become independent as it
cannot stay in an abusive relationship with Spain or (2) the Filipinos will be still under
Spain but with conditions far better than what they had in the past.
While Rizal described the Filipinos to be resilient as a response to Spanish colonization,

these sentiments will become collective and eventually be a tool for the Filipinos to topple
down Spain.
But such will not happen if the Filipinos will be given (1) opportunities for change, (2) be
represented in the Spanish Cortes and (3) be treated fairly under the auspices of the law.
For Rizal, one thing is certain; the Philippines will not remain to be under Spain in the most
pitiful way. Change is inevitable at this part.
If these changes through peaceful ways cannot be the way, then, the Filipinos will surely
be resorting to the ONLY and “desperate” solution, a bloody revolution.
C. PART THREE
We answer that the prestige of the nation is not by abetting and concealing
abuses, but by rebuking and punishing them.
For the third part, Rizal elaborated his points and claims made in the second part using
analogies. He also claimed here that the reforms done by the upper class is peaceful and
fruitful and in contrast, reforms led by the masses would probably be violent and fatal.
He also pointed out the lack of coordination and consistency on the part of Spanish officials
and authorities in terms of achieving changes in the islands. He then compares these
changes offered as “meals” only to be prohibited by someone who wants to selfishly
benefit from these changes offered to the larger public.
He also mentioned the two main problems in the Philippines; (1) lack of press freedom
and (2) the non-representation in the Spanish government. For him the consequences of
not having these are the following:
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Lack of Press Freedom
 Rizal points out that a country ruled distantly (Spain governing the Philippines)
must have freedom of press in order to monitor it better. He argued that the
farther the territory is from the Mother land, the freer the press should be as
this is one of the best ways to keep justice prevailing.
 He also pointed out that a history itself has shown that when the government
suppresses the right to information and free speech, people will have more
reasons to revolt and topple down their governments.
Lack of Representation in the Spanish government

 Rizal pushed for the representation of the Philippines in the Spanish Cortes.
He argued that petty reasons stemming from racism shall be not a hindrance
to this essential duty of hearing the woes of the Filipinos.
 Rizal highlighted that among the accusations, smelling bad because of their
color was the most common rumor among Spaniards themselves. He refuted
it by citing how often a Filipino would take a bath within a day as it has become
cultural.
 Another reason for not allowing Filipino representatives was the tendency to
become separatist. Rizal argued that with the number of Spanish legislators
versus the number of Filipinos in it, such notions would not prosper.
 He continued by explaining that instead of blaming the people for the troubles
in the colony, Spain should allow Filipinos to be heard so that their concerns
could be addressed and there would be no more complaints on their part.
 Adding to this, he asserted that while many might use reforms as tools for
abuse, Filipinos “wish” to be loyal to the government and so by being vocal,
they are expressing their intent to be still governed but with better methods.
For him, it is just right and fair that a taxpaying Filipino should have the option
of who should guide him
Rizal ended this part by emphasizing that justice is the foremost virtue of a
civilization. The Filipinos will choose to remain under Spain if their rights and
liberties were granted and respected. Otherwise, it would lead to a forced
acquisition of that freedom. This is due to the fact that Filipinos have become
resilient and silencing them will not prevent them from getting freedom in their
chosen way.
D. PART FOUR
Ending his remarkable work, Rizal manifested his knowledge on global issues on the
last installment by discussing what he believes to be “spheres of influence” during
the 19thcentury and the possible effects of the global super powers to the Philippines
in the next 100 years.
On Filipino Resilience
 Continuing his premise on the resiliency of the Filipino, Rizal stated that despite
being deprived of many liberties and rights (especially education), the Filipino
will still seek enlightenment somewhere else. They will try to get it no matter
what.
o Despite hindrances, National consciousness has still managed to be
awakened.
o Continuous hardships made Filipinos eager and desiring for a better
life
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o That Filipinos, despite being almost exterminated survived all kinds of
havocs, and to kill every Filipino would be fatal to Spain as it would lose
almost all of its soldiers.
On the Future of the Philippines
 He then proceeds to discuss his insights of the Philippines after its inevitable
split from Spain. For him, Spain shall learn a lesson from US and France in
their respective stories of transitioning to democracy. History itself has never
witnessed any lasting colonization and it ends up being stopped by certain
circumstances.
 Rizal did not ignore the possibility of a new colonizer eyeing to get the
Philippines, but this colonizer might do or impart things that Spain never didit
while the Islands were still under its jurisdiction.
 But once free, the Philippines will adopt the freest type of government
become a federal republic.




Figure 9: Spheres of Influence in the 19th Century
Taken from the Gutenburg edition of the Translation of Philippines A Century
Hence
 Rizal mentioned spheres of influences that might affect the Philippines in the
long run. These areas were occupied by European powers along with USA
which might play a role once the Philippines become independent. The areas
are labelled as follows:
o Possessions of Spain (Philippines)
o Possessions of Holland (Present-day Indonesia)
o Possessions of England (Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands)
o Possessions of France
o Possessions of United States
 He then pondered on what these powers might do to the Philippines
o England will not give up India for a poor possession like the Philippines
but will become its active partner in commerce once the latter opens up
its ports
o Germany will not also take the risk of capturing the Philippines
o Holland will probably focus on Mollucas as it gets economic gains
from it.
86 | P a g e
o China will have to deal with foreign powers slicing the nation for their
own respective interests
o Japan might crush the Philippines but it shall find Korea more attractive
due to proximity and must also keep an eye on Russia on its north.
o European powers may no longer put their interest on Asia as their focus
has been shifted to Africa, the “Dark Continent” where opportunities are
greater.
o Thus, it is the United States that has the most reasons to make
Philippines its territory as it doesn’t have any interest in colonizing
Africa and is looking towards the Pacific.
 Rizal did not just predict that a colonizer will probably replace Spain, he also
imagines what would be the response of the Filipino people. And as expected,
they will do their best to protect Philippines with blood and sacrifice. They will
be so eager to see that day that the country will enter the road of progress on
its own.
 He also made a disclaimer that while these predictions might occur, history has
shown that the future is still uncertain and things may change. We should also not
rely on accident as there are ways we can control what mighthappen
 Ending the essay, Rizal called for keeping their hopes and eagerness high in
asking for rights the Filipinos deserve. That we must never get tired in asking
for accountability from Spain for everything that has happened.
Assessment
1. Examine Rizal’s predictions in the entire summary and pick at least three.
2. Provide your insights as to why these predictions HAPPENED or DID NOT HAPPEN
at all and expound your answers.
3. Each answer to each prediction must be at least a paragraph long.
4. Pick another 2 predictions that you wish HAVE HAPPENED and explain why.
Note: Please do not write anything unnecessary. Use a clean sheet of bond paper in answering
your activity/assessment task either in a type-written or hand-written format (please see the
appendices for the sample template). When doing a hand-written work, make sure that your
penmanship is legible.
References
Chua, Michael Charleston B. “Reading Material: The Philippines A Century Hence by
José Rizal” BalanghayPangkasaysayanWordPress, (n.d), accessed 12 July 2020,
https://bangkanixiao.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/rizal-ang-pilipinas-sa-loob-ng-
sandaang-taon-english.pdf
Rizal, Jose. Philippines a Century Hence, trans. Charles E. Derbyshire, Ed. Austin Craig.
(Project Gutenburg: USA), accessed 11 July 2020
http://dev.gutenberg.org/ebooks/6885
Trillana , Pablo III S. “Rizal The Futurist” In National Historical Commission of the Philippines
(18 September 2012) accessed 12 July 2020 from http://nhcp.gov.ph/rizal-the-
futurist
87 | P a g e
LESSON 12
Liham sa Mga Kababaihan ng Malolos
Learning Objectives

▪ Matukoy ang papel ng kababaihan sa panahong kolonyal.
▪ Maipaliwanag ang konsepto ni Rizal tungkol sa kabayanihan at katapangan ayun
sa konteksto ng panahong kinabilangan.
▪ Maipaliwanag ang halaga ng mga sumusunod na panuntunang may kinalaman sa:
- “moralidad”
- “pananampalataya at ang tunay na kabanalan”
- “Pagtataya ng sarili para sa bayan”
- “pagkakamit ng katarungang –panlipunan”
- “pag-ibig”
- “katotohanan” atbp.
 Mailapit sa kasalukuyang panahon ang mga kaganapan at pagpapahalaga

Magawang konkreto ang mga panuntunan para sa pangangailangan ng bayan
Course Materials
Ang papel ng mga kababaihan sa lipunang kolonyal ay nabago bunga ng diskriminasyon hindi
lamang sa lahi kundi maging sa kasarian. Para sa isang lipunan kung saan ay sistemang
patriyarkal ang umiiral sa noong kolonyal na panahon, ang papel ng kababaihan ay hindi
kikilalanin, Ang pananatili sa loob ng tahanan ay katumbas ng kawalan ng karapatan para ng mga
kababaihan, kawalan ng karapatan sa edukasyon, kawalan ng karapatan sa pamamahayag. Sa
madaliang salita, ang mga babae ay walang na puwang sa isang lipunan.
Ang katapangan ng mga dalagang taga Malolos ay naging kalakasan ng mga babae bilang mga
katuwang sa pagbuo ng isang malaya at magaling na bayan. Sa pamamagitan ng kanilang
petisyon na makapag-aral ay, si Rizal mismo ay kanilang napahanga, kung kaya, kaagad na
lumiham si Rizal sa mga dalaga. Kanyang pinuri at binigyang halaga ang tapang ng mga dalagang
taga Malolos.
At kalakip ng paghanga ay ang maraming paalala ni Rizal kung paano pa mas kikilalanin ang
dignidad at halaga ng mga dalaga sa lipunang sinakop.
Noong ika-12 ng Disyembre, 1888 may isang grupo ng dalawampung kababaihan ng Malolos ang
nagpetisyon kay Gobernador Heneral Weyler ukol sa paghingi nila ng permiso upang mabuksan ang
isang pang gabing paaralan na magtuturo sa kanila ng wikang Kastila sa pamamatnubay ni Ginoong
Teodoro Sandiko. Ang petisyon ay tinutulan ni Padre Felipe Garcia, na siyang kura ng Malolos noon
kaya naman hindi na sumang-ayon ang Gobernador Heneral. Taliwas sa inaasahan nila, hindi ito
naging sanhi ng pagkawala ng pag-aasa ng mga kababaihan, sa halip ay ipinagpatuloy pa rin nila ang
pwtisyon, Sa huli ay pinayagan din ang mga dalaga, sa kondisyon na ang magiging guro nila ay isang
gurong pinili ng kura, si Senora Guadalupe Reyes.
Sa liham ni Rizal sa mga kadalagahan ng Malolos (1889), ipinahahayag ni José Rizal ang
kanyang papuri at paggalang sa katapangang ipinamalas ng mga ito sa pagsusulong ng
88 | P a g e
karapatan sa edukasyon – isang di-karaniwang pagtatangka ng maraming kababaihan sa
kanyang panahon. Ayon kay Rizal, ang kababaihang Pilipino ay katuwang sa layunin para sa
ikagagaling ng bayan. Disyembre 12, 1888, isang pangkat ng kababaihan (20 DALAGA MULA
Malolos, Bulacan) ang humiling sa pamahalaang kolonyal na sila ay payagang makapag-aral.
Sa pamamagitan ni Marcel del Pilar, hiniling ng una si Jose Rizal na bigyan ng pagkilala ang
mga kababaihan sa kanilang katapangan na magkaroon ng edukasyon, partikular sa pag-aaral
ng wikang Espanyol. Agad na sumulat si Jose Rizal kung saan naglalaman ang liham ng
pitong habilin o paalala. Ayon kay Rizal, dapat magsilbing panata ng bawat Pilipina ang mga
binabanggit sa liham na habilin.
Ang mga sumusunod ay ang mga habilin ni Rizal sa mga kababaihan, na maaari ding
gawing panuntunan ng mga lalaki, ng lahat ng Pilipino.
1. “Unang-una. Nagiging taksil ang ilan dahil sa kaduwagan at kapabayaan ng iba.”

2. Ikalawa. Ang taong nagpapaalipusta ay kulang ng pagmamahal sa sarili at labis na
nasisilaw sa umaalipusta.”
3. Ikatlo. Ang kamangmangan ay pagkaalipin; sapagkat kung ano ang isip ay ganoon ang
tao: ang taong walang sariling isip ay taong walang pagkatao; ang bulag na tagasunod
sa isip ng iba ay parang hayop na susunod-sunod sa tali.”
4. “Ikaapat. Kapag nagtago ka, para mo na ring hinimok ang ibang magtago rin, dahil kung
pabayaan mo ang iyong kapwa ay pababayaan ka rin naman; madaling baliin ang nag-
iisang tingting, pero mahirap baliin ang isang bigkis na walis.”
5. “Ikalima. Kung hindi magbabago ang babaeng Tagalog, hindi siya dapat magpalaki ng
anak, at sa halip ay gawing paanakan lamang; dapat alisin sa kaniya ang
kapangyarihan sa bahay, sapagkat kung hindi ay walang-malay niyang ipapahamak
ang asawa, anak, bayan, at lahat.”
6. “Ikaanim. Ipinanganak ang tao na pare-parehong hubad at walang tali. ‘Di sila nilikha
ng Diyos upang maalipin, ‘di binigyan ng isip para magpabulag, at ‘di biniyayaan ng
katwiran upang maloko ng iba. Hindi pagmamataas ang hindi pagsamba sa kapwa-tao,
ang pagpapaliwanag ng isip, at pagiging tuwid sa anumang bagay. Ang mapagmataas
ay ang nagpapasamba, ang nambubulag sa iba, at ang ibig panaigin ang kaniyang
gusto sa matuwid at tama.”
7. “Ikapito. Pagnilayan ninyong maigi kung ano ang relihiyong itinuturo sa atin. Tingnan ninyong
mabuti kung iyan ba talaga ang utos ng Diyos o ang pangaral ni Kristong panlunas sa hirap
ng mahirap, pang-aliw sa dusa ng nagdurusa. Alalahanin ninyo ang lahat ng itinuturo sa inyo,
ang pinatutunguhan ng lahat ng sermon, ang nasa kaibuturan ng lahat ng misa, nobena,
kuwintas, eskapularyo, larawan, milagro, kandila, sinturon, at iba’t iba pang iginigiit, inihihiyaw
at idinidiin araw-araw sa inyong loob, tainga, mata. Hanapin ninyo ang puno’t dulo at ihambing
ninyo ang relihiyon sa malinis na relihiyon ni Kristo. At tingnan kung ang inyong pagka-
Kristiyano ay kapareho ng inaalagaang gatasang hayop o kaya ng pinatatabang baboy, na
pinatataba hindi dahil sa pagmamahal sa kaniya, kundi upang maipagbili nang mas mahal at
nang lalong pagkakitaan.”
Kasama sa mga habilin ni Rizal ang kanyang pagpapaala-ala sa mga kadalagahan

tungkol sa mga panuntunang dapat isabuhay para sa kagalingan ng bayan gaya ng:
- Tungkulin ng kababaihan
- Tunay na Kabanalan
- Ang babaing Pilipina bulang huwaran
89 | P a g e
- Egaligad
- Paggamit ng karunungan at isip
- Pag-iingat at pagmamahal sa puri
- Pag-ibig sa Diyos, sa bayan at kapwa
Assessment
Gumawa ng matrix na may paghahambing ng papel ng kababaihan sa lipunan sa konteksto ng

panahong kolonyal at sa kontemporaryong panahon. Ipakita ang magkakatulad at magkakaibang
identidad ng mga kababaihan, kalakip ang kanilang mga naging tungkulin.
Papel repleksyon tungkol sa aktibong papel ng kababaihan sa pagtugon sa kasalukuyang

pangangailangan ng pamilya at bayan.
Reference
Guillermo, Ramon G. Si Rizal at ang Kanyang Konsepto ng Kabayanihan sa kanyang Liham
sa mga Kababaihan ng Malolos. Diliman Review 45(2-3): 26-29, 1997.
90 | P a g e
FINAL ASSESSMENT
CONGRATULATIONS!
1. Explain the relationship between Rizal’s writings, Noli me Tangere, El

Filibusterismo, annotation of Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas and Filipinas Dentro
de Cinaños.
2. What are the major differences between Noli Me Tangere as compared to El

Filibusterismo? Elaborate your answer. How did the two novels affect theFilipino
quests for freedom?
of bond paper in answering your activity/ assessment either in a type-written or hand-written
make sure that your penmanship is legible. You have to return these instructional materials to
the university upon completion of all the lessons, reading materials and assigned tasks. The
deadline of submission is on the first weekof January 2021 or a week before the end of the
semester via the service courier provided by the university.
91 | P a g e
GRADING SYSTEM
In relation to the Memorandum Order of the VPAA Dr. Emmanuel C. De Guzman dated August 3,
2020, grading system shall be modified with the following changes: 70% shall be given for class
standing while 30% shall be for the midterm/final examination. For this course, class standing
shall be limited to the following components: (1) Submission of ALL the assigned assessment
activities – this shall substitute the attendance component; and (2) quizzes/assessments indicated
at the end of each lessons. As previously-mentioned in the Assessment Instruction, there were
three (3) quizzes for the Midterm part. As stipulated in the Memorandum Order from the Office of
the VPAA dated August 3, 2020, attendance, recitation, and oral reports shall NO LONGER BE
PART OF CLASS STANDING
92 | P a g e
REFERENCES
Agoncillo, Teodoro. (2008). History of the Filipino People. Quezon City: Garo Tech Books Inc.
Almario, Virgilio. (2008). Si Rizal: Nobelista. Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.
Blanco, Roberto. (2010). Pedro Pelaez, Leader of the Philippine clergy. Philippine Studies 58(1-
2): 3-43.
Chua, Apolonio B. and Melendrez-Cruz, Patricia. (1991). Himalay: Kalipunan ng mga Pag-aaral
kay Jose Rizal. Maynila: Sentrong Pangkultura ng Pilipinas.
Coates, A. (1992). Rizal: Philippine Nationalist and Martyr. Manila: Solidaridad
Publishing House
Constantino, Renato. (1965). Recto Reader: Excerpts from the speeches of Claro M. Recto.
Manila: Recto Memorial Foundation.
_ _. (1971). The Filipinos in the Philippines and other essays. Malaya Books
_ _. (1987). Bulag na Pagdakila. Salin ni Erlinda Abad. Quezon City: Linangan ng
Kamalayang Makabansa.
_ _. (2000). The Making of a Filipino: a story of Philippine colonial politics. Quezon City.
Malaya Books.
_ _. (2005). The Philippines: A Past Revisited. Manila
_ _. (2006). The Philippines: The Continuing Past. Quezon City: The Foundation for
Nationalist Studies.
Daroy, Petronilo. (1968). Rizal: contrary essays. Quezon City: Guro Books.
Del Pilar, Marcelo H. (1889). Monastic Supremacy in the Philippines. Trans.
Encarnacion Alzona (1958). Manila: R.P. Garcia Publishing House.
Fast, Jonathan and Richardson, Jim. (1987). Roots of Dependency: Political and Economic
Revolution in the 19th Century Philippines. Quezon City: Foundation for Nationalist Studies.
Guerrero, Leon Ma. (1991). The First Filipino. Manila: National Historical Institute.
Guerrero, Milagros. (1998). Pagtanaw sa Kasaysayan, Paghahanda sa Himagsikan: Mga Ideya
ng Katipunan, 1892-1897. Kasarinlan 14(1): 37-52.
Guillermo, Ramon G. (1997). Si Rizal at ang Kanyang Konsepto ng Kabayanihan sa kanyang
Liham sa mga Kababaihan ng Malolos. Diliman Review 45(2-3): 26-29.
Gripaldo, Eden M. et al. (2005). Kasaysayan ng Filipinas at mga Institusyong Filipino. Sentro
ng Wikang Filipino-UP Diliman
Ileto, Reynaldo. (1998). Filipinos and their Revolution: event, discourse, and historiography.
Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press.
Joaquin, Nick. (2005). A Question of Heroes. Mandaluyong City: Anvil.
Laurel Jr., Jose B. (1960). The Trials of the Rizal Bill of 1956. Historical Bulletin 4(2):130-139.
93 | P a g e
Mabini, Apolinario M. (1903). The Philippine Revolution. Trans. Leon Ma. Guererro. (1969).
National Historical Commission.
Majul, Cesar Adib. (1961). ‘On the Concept of National Community’. In Chua, Apolonio B. and
Melendrez-Cruz, Patricia. (eds.) (1991). Himalay: Kalipunan ng mga Pag-aaral kay Jose Rizal.
Maynila: Sentrong Pangkultura ng Pilipinas.
_ _. (1977). “Principales, Ilustrados, Intellectuals and the Original Concept of a Filipino
National Community”, Asian Studies, April – December, 1-20.
National Commission for Culture and the Arts (1995). Selection and Proclamation of
National Heroes and Laws Honoring Filipino Historical Figures.
National Historical Institute. (1961). Mga Akdang Pampulitika at Pangkasaysayan.Maynila:
Pambansang Komisyon ng Ikasandaang Taon ni Jose Rizal.
National Historical Institute. (1977). Reminiscences and Travels of Jose Rizal. Manila:
National Historical Institute.
Nolasco, Ricardo Ma. D. (1997). Pinagmula ng Salitang Bayani. Diliman Review 45(2-3): 14-18.
Ocampo, Ambeth. (1998). Rizal’s Morga and Views of Philippine History. Philippine Studies
46(2): 184-214.
Palma, Rafael. (1928). Read Rizal’s Novels. In Chua, Apolonio B. and Melendrez-Cruz,
Patricia. (eds.) (1991). Himalay: Kalipunan ng mga Pag-aaral kay Jose Rizal. Maynila: Sentrong
Pangkultura ng Pilipinas.
Republic Act 1425. (1956, June 12). ‘An act to include in the curricula of all public and
private schools, colleges, and universities courses on the life, works, and writings of Jose
Rizal, particularly his novels Noli me Tangere and El Filibiusterismo, Authorizing the printing
and distribution thereof, and for other purposes.
Rizal, Jose. (1884). Talumpati ni Dr. Rizal sa piging na parangal sa mga pintor na Pilipino.
Mula sa Pambansang Komisyon ng Ikasandaang Taon ni Jose Rizal. (1961). Mga Sinulat ni
Rizal: mga akdang pampulitika at pangkasaysayan. Ikapitong tomo.
_ _. (1889). ‘La verdad para todos/Ang katotohanan para sa lahat’. Mula sa Pambansang
Komisyon ng Ikasandaang Taon ni Jose Rizal. (1961). Mga Sinulat ni Rizal: mga
akdang pampulitika at pangkasaysayan. Ikapitong tomo.
Page 7 of 8
_ _. (1889). ‘Sa mga kababayang dalaga sa Malolos’. Mula sa Pambansang Komisyon ng
Ikasandaang Taon ni Jose Rizal. (1961). Mga Sinulat ni Rizal: mga akdang pampulitika at
pangkasaysayan. Ikapitong tomo.
_ _ (1889). Los agricultores Filipino/Ang mga Magsasakang Pilipino. Mula sa Pambansang
Komisyon ng Ikasandaang Taon ni Jose Rizal. (1961). Mga Sinulat ni Rizal: mga akdang
pampulitika at pangkasaysayan. Ikapitong tomo.
_ _. (1889). ‘Ang Pilipinas sa loob ng Sandaang Taon’. Mula sa Pambansang Komisyon ng
_ _ (1890). Al Excmo. Senor Vicente Barrantes, Sobre El Noli/Liham ni Rizal kay Vicente
Barrantes tungkol sa “Noli”. Mula sa Pambansang Komisyonng Ikasandaang Taon ni Jose
Rizal. (1961). Mga Sinulat ni Rizal: mga akdang pampulitika at pangkasaysayan. Ikapitong
tomo.
_ _. (1890). ‘Tungkol sa Katamaran ng mga Pilipino’. Mula sa Pambansang Komisyon ng
_ _. (1890). Sucesos de las islas pilipinas por el doctor Antonio de Morga/The Events in the
Philippine Islands by Dr. Antonio de Morga (2011).Manila: National Historical Institute.
_ _. ( ) Noli me Tangere, (translation by Virgilio Almario or Soledad Lacson-Locsin).
_ _. ( ). El Filibusterismo, (translation by Virgilio Almario or Soledad Lacson-Locsin).
94 | P a g e
_ _. La Flores del Heidelberg
_ _. A La Juventud Filipina
_ _. Mi Ultimo Adios
Rizal,Jose. (1961). The Rizal-Blumentiritt Correspondence. Manila: Jose Rizal
National Centennial Commission.
Roth, Dennis M. (1982). ‘Church Lands in the Agrarian History of Tagalog Region’. In
Philippine Social History: global trade and local transformations, Alfred W. McCoy and Ed. De
Jesus (eds.). Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press.
Salazar, Zeus. (2007). ‘A Legacy of the Propaganda: the tripartite view of Philippine history.
In Navarro, Atoy and Lagbao-Bolante, Flordeliza (eds.) Mga Babasahin sa Agham
Panlipunang Pilipino: Sikolohiyang Pilipino, Pilipinolohiya, at Pantayong Pananaw. Quezon
City: C&E Publishing.
Schumacher, John N. (1997). The Propaganda Movement, 1880-1895: the creators of a Filipino
consciousness, the makers of revolution. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press.
_ _. (1999). Father Jose Burgos: a documentary history with Spanish documents and their
translations. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press.
_ _. (2006). The Burgos Manifesto: the authentic text and its genuine author. Philippine
Studies 54(2): 153-304.
_ _. (2008). The Making of a Nation: essays on nineteenth-century Filipino nationalism.
Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press.
_ _. (2011). The Cavite Mutiny Toward a Definite History. Philippine Studies 59(1): 55-81.
_ _. (2011). The Rizal Bill of 1956: Horacio de la Costa and the Bishops. Philippine Studies
59(4): 529-553.
Scott, William Henry. (1982). The Cracks in the Parchment Curtain: and other essays in
Philippine history. Quezon City: New Day Publishers.
The Staff. (1889). ‘Our Aims’. In La Solidaridad, Vol. 1: 1889, trans. Guadalupe Fores-Gazon,
Wickberg, Edgar. (1964). The Chinese Mestizo in Philippine History. Journal of Southeast Asian
History 5(1): 62-100.
_ _. (2000). The Chinese in Philippine Life, 1750-1898. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila
University Press.
95 | P a g e
Appendix A
Surname, Given Name M.I. Course Instructor
Your Course, Year and Section Unit/Chapter Lesson
N.B. Discuss the questions for the exam or activity thoroughly. Write the question before
each answer. Each answer should contain at least three (3) paragraphs of not less than
four (4) sentences. You may write your answers in Filipino.
96 | P a g e
Appendix B
Surname, Given Name M.I. Course Instructor
Your Course, Year and Section Unit/Chapter Lesson
N.B. Discuss the questions for the exam or activity thoroughly. Write the question before
each answer. Each answer should contain at least three (3) paragraphs of not less than
four (4) sentences. You may write your answers in Filipino.
97 | P a g e

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POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

College of Social Sciences and Development

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR

GUIEB, ELISOR C. JR.

PASCUAL, MC DONALD DOMINGO M.

Philippine Nationalism: Heroes and their Ideas Jefferson R. Mendez…………..…... 18

Unit 3: THE NINETEENTH CENTURY PHILIPPINES 23

The Case of Hacienda de Calamba: In Focus Paulo Benedicto C. Villar……...…… 30

Unit 4: FAMILY, EDUCATION AND MATRYDOM OF RIZAL 36

Unit 5: WORKS AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL 66

Annotation of Antonio de Morga's Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas

At the end of the course, students should be able to:

2. Understand the context that produced Rizal and other nationalists.

4. Organize Rizal’s ideas into various themes.

5. Demonstrate a critical reading of primary sources from various personages relevant

7. Display an appreciation for education and love of country.

At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:

The Controversies Created by the Rizal Bills

From the Rizal Bills to the Rizal Law

Defense for Senate Bill 438

Amendments of the Bills

Araneta, Gemma Cruz. Legislating Rizal. http://talkingpointsgca.blogspot.com/2011/01/

At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:

 Relate Rizal’s life to the life of the nation.

Heroes are critical mechanisms of the identity axis of nationalism. An

Additional Criteria for Heroes

2. A hero thinks of the future, especially the future generations.

Jose Rizal (1861-1896):

Emilio Aguinaldo (1869-1964)

Juan Luna (1857-1899):

Marcelo Del Pilar (1850-1896):

Melchora Aquino (1812-1919):

Apolinario Mabini (1864-1903):

Gabriela Silang (1731-1763):

At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:

Condition of the country before the birth of Jose Rizal

The Changing Landscape of the Philippine Colony in the Nineteenth Century

As far as political advancement is concerned, previous governor-generals struggled to

Meanwhile, the significance of land-ownership is becoming apparent as the cash crop

The Opening of the Philippines in the World Trade

Following decades of economic decline brought on by the Spanish monopolistic policies,

Liberal administration and Emergence of the Chinese and Chinese Mestizos

Rise of the middle class

An increasing economy dependent on the exporting economy had changed by the

Change and Development

At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:

Petition of the Town of Calamba written by Jose Rizal in January 1888

On 30 December an order from the government of this province was received in

The products increase to the benefit of the Estate:

Signed by more than 70 persons.

At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:

D. Francisco Rizal Mercado

E. Teodora Alonso Realonda

The Mercado Family

Rizal and his mother

The Mercado Family and the Dominican Friars

Francisco Mercado was an inquilino in the hacienda owned by Dominican friars in

The Education of Rizal

Rizal studies abroad

First Trip Abroad

B. Sri Lanka (Colombo)

C. Egypt (Suez Canal)

H. Austria-Hungary and Switzerland

Rizal embarked on a European tour where he accompanied Maximo Viola in Austria-