THE PHILIPPINES

A CENTURY HENCE
SHANE TIFFANIE HALILI
CHARLENE GRACE MILLANO
KRISTINE DENISE TAN`
THE PHILIPPINES
A CENTURY HENCE
“The Philippines a Century Hence” is an
essay written by Philippine national hero Jose
Rizal to forecast the future of the country within a
hundred years. Rizal felt that it was time to
remind Spain that the circumstances that ushered
in the French Revolution could have a telling
effect for her in the Philippines.
Chapter I
THE PHILIPPINES
A CENTURY HENCE
Following our usual custom of facing squarely the
most difficult and delicate questions relating to the
Philippines, without weighting the consequences
that our frankness may bring upon us, we shall in
the present article treat of their future.
 Causes of the miseries suffered by
the Filipino people:
Spain’s implementation of her military policies – because of such
laws, the Philippine population decreased dramatically. Poverty
became more rampant than ever, and farmlands were left to
wither. The family as a unit of society was neglected, and overall,
every aspect of the life of the Filipino was retarded.
Deterioration and disappearance of Filipino indigenous culture –
when Spain came with the sword and the cross, it began the gradual
destruction of the native Philippine culture. Because of this, the
Filipinos started losing confidence in their past and their heritage,
became doubtful of their present lifestyle, and eventually lost hope in
the future and the preservation of their race.
Passivity and submissiveness to the Spanish colonizers – one of the
most powerful forces that influenced a culture of silence among the
natives were the Spanish friars. Because of the use of force, the
Filipinos learned to submit themselves to the will of the foreigners.
THE PHILIPPINES
A CENTURY HENCE
The question then arises as to what had
awakened the hearts and opened the minds of
the Filipino people with regards to their
plight. Eventually, the natives realized that such
oppression in their society by foreign colonizers
must no longer be tolerated.
QUESTIONS
Will the Philippine Islands continue to be a
Spanish colony, and if so, what kind of colony?
Will they become a province of Spain, with or
without autonomy?
And to reach this stage, what sacrifices will have to
be made?
Will they be separated from the mother country to
live independently, to fall into the hands of other
nations, or to ally themselves with neighboring
powers?
One question Rizal raises in this essay is whether
or not Spain can indeed prevent the progress of
the Philippines:
Keeping the people uneducated and ignorant had
failed. National consciousness had still awakened, and
great Filipino minds still emerged from the rubble.
Keeping he people impoverished also came to no
avail. On the contrary, living a life of eternal destitution
had allowed the Filipinos to act on the desire for a
change in their way of life. They began to explore other
horizons through which they could move towards
progress.
Exterminating the people as an alternative to hindering
progress did not work either. The Filipino race was able
to survive amidst wars and famine, and became even
more numerous after such catastrophes. To wipe out
the nation altogether would require the sacrifice of
thousands of Spanish soldiers, and this is something
THE PHILIPPINES
A CENTURY HENCE
Spain, therefore, had no means to stop the
progress of the country. What she needs to do is
to change her colonial policies so that they are in
keeping with the needs of the Philippine society
and to the rising nationalism of the people.
Chapter II
A. For those who have strong spirit over the
liberty of he country, independence was
assured.
B. But for those who are discouraged and
disillusioned by sad experiences shall be a
Prison of the colony forever
What will become of the Philippines within a
Century? Will they continue to be a Spanish
Colony?
A. For the Liberal Spaniards: The ethical condition
of the people remained the same
B. For the Friars and their followers: They have
progressed
C. For many Filipino ethics: They have retrograded
The Spanish were able to take hold of the
Philippines for three centuries because the
Filipinos remained faithful during three centuries,
giving up their liberty and their independence,
sometimes dazzled by the hope of the Paradise
Promised, some times cajoled by the friendship
offered them by a noble and generous people like
Spanish
Filipinos see them as protectors but sooner they
realizes that they are exploiters and executers.
Enlightment is spreading and the persecution it
suffers quickens it.
If this state of affair continues , what
will become in the Philippines within
a century?
 People start to awaken and if the government
doesn’t change it’s acts, a revolution will
occur.
What do people like?
1. A Filipino representative for the Cortes and
an authorized to cry out against all kinds of
abuses.
2. To practice their human rights.
 Possible Outcomes
1. The Philippines will remain under Spanish
colonization, but with more law and greater
liberty
2. They will declare themselves independent.
 The following situations explains that rizal just
wanted liberty from Spaniards not total
separation. In his essay we see his urge to put
freedom in our land through peaceful negotiations
with the Spanish Government in Spain.
Chapter III
If the Philippine will remain under the control of
Spain, transformation will eventually happen and
will affect the people. In this case, some
governors have been trying to introduce needed
reforms.
But it produced scanty result for the government
as well as to the country. With this, our country is
most likely reminded to Sancho Panza in
Barataria Island where he took his seat on
appointed table covered with fruits and variety of
food but when Pedro Rezio interposed Sancho
was as hungry as ever.
That he should not eat except according to the
usage and custom of other island.
Sancho Panza = Philippines
Dishes = Reforms
Pedro Rezio= many person interested in not
having the food touched.
The result is the long suffering of Sancho
(Philippines) misses his liberty and ends up
rebelling. In this manner as long as the
Philippines have no liberty of press, all the efforts
of the colonial ministers will meet the fate like the
dishes in Barataria Island.
The minister who wants his reforms be reforms
must begin by declaring the press in the
Philippines free and by instituting Filipino
delegates.
A government that governs in a country may even
dispense with the press, because it is on the
ground, it has eyes and ears, and directly
observes what is rules and administers.
But a government that governs a far requires that
the truth and facts reach its knowledge by every
possible channel that it may weigh and estimate
them better, and this need increases when a
country like Philippines is concerned.
What risk does the government see in them? One
of the three things either that they will prove
unruly, become political trimmers, or act properly.
Supposing that we should yield to the most
absurd pessimism and admit the insult.
Great for the Philippines but still greater for
Spain. Certainly the Spanish people does not
spare its blood were patriotism is concern but
would not a struggle of principles in parliament be
preferable to the exchange of lands.
Because the Spanish parliament especially
abounds in oratorical paladins invisible in debate.
So we see no serious reason why Philippines
may not have representatives. We know that the
lack of enlightenment, the indolence, the egotism
may convert reform into a harmful instrument.
When the laws and the acts of officials are kept
under surveillance the word justice may cease to
be a colonial jest. The things that makes the
English most respected in their possessions is
their strict and speedy justice so that the
inhabitants repose entire confidence in the
judges. Justice is the foremost virtue of the
civilized races.
 We could add other minor reforms touching
commerce, agriculture, security of individual and
of property education and others.
To recapitulate: The Philippines will remains
Spanish if they enter upon the life of law and
civilization, if the rights of their inhabitants are
respected, if the other rights due them are
granted, if the liberal policy of the government is
carried out without false interpretation.
Otherwise, if an attempt is made to see in the
islands a love to be exploited, a resource to
satisfy ambitious, however great may be the
loyalty of Filipinos and it will be impossible to
hinder the operations of the laws of history.
Close indeed are the bonds that unite us to
Spain. Two peoples do not live for three centuries
in continual contract, sharing a same lot, holding
their same belief, worshipping the same GOD but
that ties are formed between them stronger than
those engendered by affection.
We, who today are struggling by the legal and
peaceful means of debate so understand it
without going beyond the pale of the law, but if
violence first silences us we have to misfortune to
fall then we do not know what course will be
taken that will rush in to occupy the places that
we leave vacant.
In contemplating such an unfortunate eventually
we must turn away in horror, and so instead of
closing our eyes we will face what the future may
bring.
Chapter IV
“HISTORY DOES NOT RECORD IN ITS
ANNALS ANY LASTING DOMINATION
EXERCISED BY ONE PEOPLE OVER THE
ANOTHER, OF DIFFERENT RACES, OF
DIVERSE USAGES AND CUSTOMS, OF
OPPOSITE AND DIVERGENT IDEALS. ONE OF
THE TWO HAS TO YIELD AND SUCCUMB.”
“THE EXISTENCE OF A FOREIGN BODY
WITHIN ANOTHER ENDOWED WITH
STRENGTH AND ACTIVITY IS CONTRARY TO
ALL NATURAL AND ETHICAL LAWS. SCIENCE
TEACHES US THAT IT EITHER ASSIMILATED,
DESTROYS THE ORGANISM, IS ELIMINATED
OR BECOMES ENCYSTED.”
“now, applying these considerations to the
Philippines, we must conclude, as a deduction
from all we have said, that:
1. if their population will not assimilate to the
Spanish nation
2. if the dominators do not enter into the spirit of their
inhabitants
3. if equitable laws and free liberal reforms do not
make each forget that they belong to different
races
4. If both peoples be not amalgamated to constitute
one mass, socially and politically, homogeneous ,
that is, not harassed by opposing tendencies and
antagonistic ideas and interests some day the
Philippines will fatally and infallibly declare
Eventually, the natives realized that such
oppression in their society by foreign
colonizers must no longer be tolerated.

Keeping the people uneducated and ignorant

had failed. National consciousness had still
awakened, and great Filipino minds still
emerged from the rubble.
 Keeping he people impoverished also came to no
avail. On the contrary, living a life of eternal
destitution had allowed the Filipinos to act on
the desire for a change in their way of life. They
began to explore other horizons through which
they could move towards progress.
Exterminating the people as an alternative to
hindering progress did not work either. The
Filipino race was able to survive amidst wars
and famine, and became even more numerous
after such catastrophes. To wipe out the nation
altogether would require the sacrifice of
thousands of Spanish soldiers, and this is
something Spain would not allow.
“WE HAVE SAID AND STATISTICS PROVE
THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO EXTERMINATE
THE FILIPINO PEOPLE”
THE PHILIPPINES IS IN DANGER
IN FALLING INTO OTHER HANDS
AGAIN.
WHO ARE THE POSSIBLE COLONIZERS?
ENGLAND
GERMANY
FRANCE
HOLLAND
JAPAN
US
 “Spain, must we
some day tell
Filipinas that thou
hast no ear for her
woes and that of she
wishes to be saved,
she must redeem
 THE PHILIPPINES
A CENTURY HENCE
WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT RIZAL’S
PREDICTION?
 What Rizal had envisioned in his essay came
true. In 1898, the Americans wrestled with Spain
to win the Philippines, and eventually took over
the country. Theirs was a reign of democracy and
liberty. Five decades after Rizal’s death, the
Philippines gained her long-awaited
independence. This was in fulfillment of what he
had written in his essay: “History does not record
in its annals any lasting domination by one people
over another, of different races, of diverse usages
and customs, of opposite and divergent ideas.
One of the two had to yield and succumb.”
 EVIDENCE OF
PERFORMANCE
SAGUTIN ANG ISA SA MGA
SUMUSUNOD NG TANONG.
ISANDAANG TAON MULA NGAYON,
ANO KAYA ANG KAHIHINATNAN NG
PILIPINAS?

DARATING KAYA ANG ARAW KUNG

SAAN MADARAMA NG MGA PILIPINO
NA TUNAY SILANG MALAYA?
 SA IYONG PALAGAY, TAMA BA NA
HINULAAN NI RIZAL ANG HINAHARAP
NG ATIN BANSA?
 SA TINGIN NIYO, TUNAY NA BA
TAYONG MALAYA?

ANO SA TINGIN MO ANG DAPAT

NATING GAWIN UPANG
MARAMDAMAN NATIN ANG
KALAYAANG TINATAMASA NATIN?
REFERENCES
http://thelifeandworksofrizal.blogspot.com/2011/0
8/philippines-century-hence-summary-and.html
The Jose Rizal Life works and writing of a genius,
writer, scientist, and Nationl Hero – Gregorio F.
Zaide & Sona M. Zaide
http://rizalcontraryessays.blogspot.com/2005/03/p
hilippines-century-hence.html