Factors which gave

rise to the birth of

Liberalism in the
Philippines
Factors which gave birth
to Liberalism
1. Opening of the Philippines to world
commerce.
2. Rise of the middle class (Clase Media).
3. Liberal regime of Carlos Ma. Dela Torre.
4. The Cavite Mutiny of 1872.
Opening of the Philippines to
world commerce
• It means that the Philippines could sell its
products abroad and other countries could
also sell their products in the Philippines.
• Prior to this, other Western countries are
banned from doing business in the
Philippines. But this policy does not apply
to the Chinese.
• It all started when the Real Companias de
Filipinas went bankrupt.
• Gov. Gen. Felix Berenguer de Marquina
recommended to the King of Spain to
open the Philippines to world trade.
• Thus on September 6, 1834, a royal
decree was issued opening the ports of
the Philippines to other countries.
• Manila and the Philippines garnered great
economic growth at this time.
• As the people prospered, the standard of
living also improved.
• The opening of the Philippines not only
brought economic development, it also
transformed the lives of the Filipinos.
• Along with the arrival of foreign traders
came also western ideas of liberty and
equality.
• The Filipinos came to know of two socio-
political theories:
– Theory of Revolution by John Locke
– Social Contract Theory by Jean Jacques
Rosseau
Rise of the Middle Class
• The Middle Class had three subdivisions:
1. the Spanish mestizos or mestizos de Español
2. the principalia
3. the Chinese mestizos or mestizos de Sangley.

*From the middle class came the Illustrados or the

“Enlightened ones”
Liberal regime of Carlos
Ma. Dela Torre
• He was a Spanish soldier
and politician.
• He served as Governor-
General of the Philippines
from 1869 to 1871, and is
considered to be the most
beloved of the Spanish
Governors-General ever
assigned in the Philippines.
 Dela Torre’s legacy

• He established the Guardia Civil in the

Philippines.
• He introduced the following:
– Freedom of expression
– Freedom of the press
– Freedom to information
– Separation of church and state
 The Cavite Mutiny
• Mutiny- an open rebellion against proper
authorities, especially by soldiers or sailors
against their officers.
• The Cavite Mutiny of 1872 , as a watershed
event in Philippine history, was considered the
birth of Filipino Nationalism.
• It gave Dr. Jose Rizal the inspiration to pursue
reforms. Instead of pursuing priesthood, Rizal
dedicated his life to vindicate the victims of
Spanish oppression.
 The Cavite Mutiny
• It was held at the fort of San Felipe on the night
of January 20, 1872.
• The Mutiny was led by a Sgt. Lamadrid due to
the abolition of the exemption of the native
members of the Guardia Civil from polo y
servicio.
• It was participated by 200 soldiers who believed
they will be joined by other soldiers from Manila.
• The mutiny was eventually crushed the next day.
 The Gomburza
• They were the secular
martyred priests Mariano
Gomez, Jose Burgos and
Jacinto Zamora.
• The Cavite Mutiny of 1872
was used as an incident to
get rid of seculars and liberal
laymen.
• They were executed by
garrote on February 17,
1872.
 Jose Rizal’s
Childhood Years in
Calamba, Laguna
Rizal’s childhood years

• Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo

Realonda was born in Calamba, Laguna
on June 19, 1861.
• He was the seventh child of Don Francisco
Mercado and Doña Teodora Alonzo y
Quintos.
The “Moth and the Flame”