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The Man On A One

Peso Coin

Chelsea M. San Nicolas


Bella G. Ramos
Willard M. Mandigma
Mark Anthony Reyes
Kate G. Flores
Lovely Mae Ventura
Camilla A. Alfonso
Juanito J. Guinto
Mary Jane Dela Cruz
Emma R. Rosales
Richard L. Marco

S erenity
Publishers, Inc.
Copyright © 2019
Chelsea M. San Nicolas
Bella G. Ramos
Willard M. Mandigma
Mark Anthony Reyes
Kate G. Flores
Lovely Mae Ventura
Camilla A. Alfonso
Juanito J. Guinto
Mary Jane Dela Cruz
Emma R. Rosales
Richard L. Marco

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in the
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise - without the prior written
permission of the publisher.

Published and exclusively distributed by


SERENITY Publishing Inc.
Laguna State Polytechnic University
Brgy. Del Remedio
San Pablo City, Laguna 4000

PRINTED IN THE PHILIPPINES


TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface.......................................................................................................................................i
CHAPTER 1: Introduction To The Course: RA 1425................................................................1
Republic Act 1425..............................................................................................................2
Sections Under RA 1425...................................................................................................4
Essential Points of RA 1425..............................................................................................5
RA 1425 and Other Laws...................................................................................................6
Why Study Rizal?...............................................................................................................6
Rizal as an American Sponsored Hero..............................................................................7
Rizal, Pioneer Asian Nationalist Leader............................................................................8
Four Major Phase in the Life of our Hero...........................................................................9
Enrichment Activity 1.......................................................................................................11
CHAPTER 2: The Philippines in the 19th Century as Rizal’s Context....................................12
Social Classes in 19th Century........................................................................................13
Peninsulares.............................................................................................................13
Insulares...................................................................................................................13
Mestizo de Espanol..................................................................................................14
Indios........................................................................................................................15
Church In The 19th Century.............................................................................................16
Anti-Clericalism.........................................................................................................17
Frailocracy................................................................................................................18
The Birth of Nationalism...................................................................................................18
The Opening Of The Philippines To World Trade....................................................19
Spanish Revolution of 1868......................................................................................20
1872 Cavite Mutiny...................................................................................................20
Marytyrdom of Fathers Gomburza............................................................................22
Other Asian Nationalists..................................................................................................23
1. Mahatma Gandhi,.................................................................................................23
2. Sun Yat-sen..........................................................................................................23
3. Hồ Chí Minh..........................................................................................................25
Instability of Colonial Administration................................................................................25
Corrupt Colonial Officials.................................................................................................26
1. Gen. Rafael de Izquierdo......................................................................................26
2. Gen. Fernando Primo de Rivera...........................................................................27
3. Gen. Valeriano Weyler.........................................................................................28
4. Gen. Camilo García de Polavieja.........................................................................29
Philippine Representation in Spanish Cortes..................................................................30
Human Rights Denied to Filipinos...................................................................................31
No Equality before the Law..............................................................................................31
Maladministration of Justice.............................................................................................31
Racial Discrimination.......................................................................................................31
Frailocracy.......................................................................................................................32
Forced Labor....................................................................................................................32
Haciendas Owned by Friars.............................................................................................32
The Guardia Civil.............................................................................................................32
Enrichment Activity 2.......................................................................................................33
CHAPTER 3: Rizal’s Life: Family, Childhood, Early Education..............................................34
Jose Rizal Family.............................................................................................................35
The Mercado - Rizal Family......................................................................................36
Paternal Ancestors...................................................................................................38
Influential Relatives...................................................................................................38
Jose Rizal’s Childhood.....................................................................................................38
Earliest Childhood Memories...........................................................................................39
The Hero’s First Sorrow...................................................................................................40
Devoted Son of Church....................................................................................................40
Jose Rizal’s Early Education............................................................................................42
Early Education in Calamba and Biñan....................................................................42
The Hero’s First Teacher..........................................................................................42
Jose Goes to Biñan..................................................................................................43
First Day in Biñan School.........................................................................................44
First School Brawl.....................................................................................................44
Best Student in School.............................................................................................45
Early Schooling in Biñan...........................................................................................45
Rizal in Ateneo..........................................................................................................48
Enrichment Activity 3.......................................................................................................54
CHAPTER 4: Rizal’s Life: Higher Education and Life Abroad................................................55
Singapore To Colombo....................................................................................................57
Madrid, Spain...................................................................................................................59
First Visit To Paris To Berlin ...........................................................................................61
Leipzig and Dresden........................................................................................................63
Across the Pacific............................................................................................................78
Once Again in London.....................................................................................................81
Dapitan.............................................................................................................................84
Enrichment Activity 4.......................................................................................................90
CHAPTER 5: Rizal’s Exile in Dapitan.....................................................................................91
Rizal-Pastells Debate on Religion...................................................................................92
The Awakening in Dapitan...............................................................................................93
Architectural and Engineering Works.......................................................................94
Physician in Dapitan.................................................................................................95
Inventions & Scientific Works...................................................................................95
A Multilingual Hero....................................................................................................96
Rizal as an Educator in Talisay................................................................................96
Miss B.......................................................................................................................96
Secret Meetings........................................................................................................97
La Trampa de Española...........................................................................................98
Last Travel Abroad...........................................................................................................99
Thrilla in Manila................................................................................................................99
Charges Against Rizal...................................................................................................101
The Rat in the Kangaroo Court......................................................................................101
Last 25 Hours of Rizal....................................................................................................104
Letters Of His Farewell..................................................................................................104
Last Masterpiece............................................................................................................107
Enrichment Activity 5.....................................................................................................110
CHAPTER 6: Annotation of Antonio Morga’s Sucesos de Las Islas Filipinas......................111
Chapters of the Book.....................................................................................................112
The Two Sucesos..........................................................................................................113
Rizal's Annotation..........................................................................................................114
Sucesos De Las Islas Filipinas......................................................................................114
3 Main Propositions in Rizal's New Edition of Morga's Sucesos...................................114
Same Book,Different Perspective..................................................................................115
Enrichment Activity 6.....................................................................................................116
CHAPTER 7: Noli Me Tangere And El Filibusterismo..........................................................117
Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not)..................................................................................118
Characters of Noli Me Tangere..............................................................................118
Synopsis of Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not).......................................................120
El Filibusterismo (Reign of Greed).................................................................................121
Characters of El Filibusterismo...............................................................................121
Synopsis of El Filibusterismo (The Reign of Greed)..............................................123
Historical Timeline of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.......................................125
Impact of Rizal's Book to the Philippines.......................................................................127
Objective of the Two Novels..........................................................................................127
Enrichment Activity 7.....................................................................................................128
CHAPTER 8: The Philippines in the 19th Century as Rizal’s Context..................................129
To The Young Women Of Malolos ...............................................................................130
Three Revolutions in the 19th Century..........................................................................135
Industrial Revolution...............................................................................................135
French Revolution...................................................................................................143
American Revolution...............................................................................................145
Enrichment Activity 8.....................................................................................................146
CHAPTER 9: Jose Rizal and the Philippine Nationalism: Bayan and Kabayanihan............147
The Gates to Heroism: Defining a Hero.........................................................................148
Examples Of Heroic Individuals.....................................................................................149
Modern Day Heroes.......................................................................................................150
How Rizal Became the National Hero of the Philippines  .............................................151
Relevances....................................................................................................................152
Enrichment Activity 9.....................................................................................................154
CHAPTER 10: Philippine Nationalism and National Symbols..............................................155
Philippine Nationalism....................................................................................................156
The Start of Filipino Nationalism....................................................................................157
Economy........................................................................................................................158
Education.......................................................................................................................159
Secularization of Parishes.............................................................................................160
Further Progress of Filipino Nationalism........................................................................161
First Propaganda Movement (1860–1872)....................................................................162
Second Propaganda Movement (1872–1892)...............................................................163
Post-Propaganda Era....................................................................................................164
Philippine Revolution.....................................................................................................164
Independence Declaration and the Philippine-American War.......................................165
Philippine Nationalism is Classified As:.........................................................................167
Opening of Philippines to World Commerce..........................................................167
The Influx of Liberal Ideas......................................................................................167
Secularization Movement.......................................................................................168
Liberal Regime of De La Torre...............................................................................168
Cavite Mutiny..........................................................................................................169
GOMBURZA Execution.................................................................................................169
Executive Order No. 75, 1993 National Heroes
Committee Rizal as a National Hero..............................................................................169
1.1 National Heroes Committee.............................................................................170
1.2 Findings and Recommendations of the National Heroes Committee..............170
1.2.1 Criteria for National Heroes...........................................................................171
Additional Criteria for Heroes ...............................................................................172
Philippines’ National Symbols........................................................................................175
Enrichment Activity 10...................................................................................................181
Glossary................................................................................................................................182
References............................................................................................................................185
Preface

It is not doubt true that we grow towards maturity and independence of


thoughts as we progress through until now, but this growth is not a rule as sharp
and sudden one, nor does the psychology that undergo any great changes
during are tear in secondary. Our methods, general objectives, and certainly, the
fundamental principles that underlie the work of the school remain the same from
year to year.

We are so happy to express our special gratitude to. This time need in
every among of us that bring own growth by making good use of the experiences
and providing new and boarders experiment experiences. You encourage us
desire to tell about Rizal’s Work, Life and Writings naturally and joyfully with full
details. In spite of, if we make him fell that we and the entire group discover a
value in what he was to say, as we think he will wish more and to express himself
well and successfully.

Instead of thinking what actually happen, we stimulate the imaginations


and inspire creative efforts by taking different varieties of the book which
translated to any languages. Therefore taking some sort of ideas in the class. It
has been the aim of the writers to make use of every form of expression that has
been found to be practically and appealing.

Volume or quantities. It has what we may call direction. Rizal’s work, life
and writings is truly cultured storybook, that accept so better because it has been
taught to think clearly and to express itself effectively.

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CHAPTER 1:
Introduction To
The Course: RA
1425
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this chapter, students should be able to:
1. To be more critically aware of the patriotic objectives of the subject
matter as stated in RA 1425; and
2. Evaluate the importance of implementing the Republic Act 1425 and
other laws about Rizal to the students.

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Republic Act 1425
More popularly known as RA 1425. It is
an act of mandating all public and private
institutions including state colleges and
universities to include Dr. Jose P. Rizal’s life,
works, and his novels as a route across
programs. The Rizal Law aims to benefit the
Filipino youth in acquiring certain characteristics
such as courage and determination through
Rizal’s illustration of patriotism as well as
nationalism which can strengthen nation building
and Filipino identity. The Board of National
Education is given the decree to carry out and extort the law. It was then
approved on 12th day of June 1956.

According to Official Gazette, the law was made effective thirty days after
its implementation dated May 12, 1956. As stated above, the date of approval of
the law was also the day of our independence which leads to have a greater
sense of being a Filipino, love for our country and national identity that can stir up
a belief of who we are as a nation. It was this time when the Philippines was
heavily dependent on the American government for support and guidance. Also,
based on the fact that Jose Rizal is honored as the Philippine national hero.
Moreover, a way to commemorate his accomplishments and the writings that
yields an impact to his land of birth, the Philippines.

Senate Bill 438 known as the Rizal Bill which was first authored by
Senator Claro M. Recto which requires the involvement in the curricula of all
private and public schools, colleges and universities the life, works and writings
of Rizal particularly his novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. It was
considered as one of the most controversial bills that has been proposed in the
Philippines. Usually, before the bill was agreed and implemented in all schools

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and was signed into a law known as the RA 1425 when Senator Jose P. Laurel
sponsored the bill in the senate. What it made it more controversial is that the bill
was not just strongly averse by people from Legislative Arm but also by Catholic
Church because according to them, it was a law that prohibits religious dogmas
to the mere fact that it includes humiliating explication to the Catholic Churches
during Spanish colonization. Opposition asserts that the bill would go against
freedom of religion and conscience. In line with this, the law that was violated by
the bill is the Canon Law of 1939 which prohibits books that attacks religious
doctrines and belief. The oppositions argued that among the 333 pages of Noli
Me Tangere, 25 pages were nationalistic and 120 passages are anti-Catholic.
On the other hand, his novel, El Filibusterismo includes 50 passages that are
against Catholic faith.

Two notorious people who proposed the law and fight for it in the Congress
perceived a great recognition of nationalism. In fact, it served as the groundwork
to come up with this republic act. It is specifically a way in order to comprehend
with the ideals and values that Rizal strove to fight for in our country include his
way for us to relinquish from the hands of others and stand up on our own. Thus,
it was clearly conveyed that our national hero really has fiery passion that
highlights the effectiveness of the law. The proponents of this law saw that Rizal
and his works were not given a high priority in the educational systems in our
country prior to the implementation of the law.

The debate over the Rizal Bill was a showdown between the secular
nationalists led by the two senators from Batangas, Claro M. Recto and Jose P.
Laurel and those who felt that Rizal’s writings undermined the Catholic Church,
consisting of Francisco Rodrigo, Mariano J. Cuenco, and Decoroso Rosales.
They argued that the only purpose of the law is to keep our national hero’s
memory alive and revive patriotism. Other oppositions came from the Lower
House namely Congressmen Ramon Durano, Marciano Lim, Manuel Soza,
Godofredo Ramos, Miguel Cuenco, Jose Nuguid, Lucas Paredes, Tecia San

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Andres Ziga, and Congressmen Carmen Consing.

Sections Under RA 1425

SECTION 1. Courses on the life, works and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his
novel Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, shall be included in the curricula of
all schools, colleges and universities, public or private: Provided, That in the
collegiate courses, the original or unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere
and El Filibusterismo or their English translation shall be used as basic texts.

SECTION 2. It shall be obligatory on all schools, colleges and universities to


keep in their libraries an adequate number of copies of the original and
unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as well as of
Rizal’s other works and biography. The said unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo or their translations in English as well as other
writings of Rizal shall be included in the list of approved books for required
reading in all public or private schools, colleges and universities.

SECTION 3. The Board of National Education shall cause the translation of the
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as well as other writings of Jose Rizal
into English, Tagalog and the principal Philippine dialects; cause them to be
printed in cheap, popular editions; and cause them to be distributed, free of
charge, to persons desiring to read them, through the Purok organizations and
Barrio Councils throughout the country.

SECTION 4. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as amendment or repealing


section nine hundred twenty-seven of the Administrative Code, prohibiting the
discussion of religious doctrines by public school teachers and other person
engaged in any public school.

SECTION 5. The sum of three hundred thousand pesos is hereby authorized to


be appropriated out of any fund not otherwise appropriated in the National

4
Treasury to carry out the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Essential Points of RA 1425


There are important points that the author cited in this republic act that is
worth noticing. First, “Whereas, it is more than any other period of our history,
there is a need for a re-dedication to the ideals of freedom and nationalism for
which our heroes lived and died;” Ideals of freedom and nationalism were very
essential during those times since the Philippines was still struggling for
independence, and the country was still gradually developing its national identity
and integrity.

During those times havoc also existed within the Filipinos since there were
numerous uprisings against the Philippine government. Moreover, even though
this document was written decades ago, it is still striking because this clause is
very timely for this present generation when our culture is being overpowered by
foreign influence and Filipino diaspora is widespread.

Another important point from RA 1425 is “Whereas, all educational


institutions are under the supervision of, and subject to regulation by the State,
and all schools are enjoined to develop moral character, personal discipline, civic
conscience, and to teach the duties of citizenship.” It is very important to use our
educational institutions to instill these values to the children who are at their
prime years of growing and learning.

During one’s educational years especially the college level is when


individuals formulate their priorities and career tracks in life, and it is essential
that institutions make students realize that the country should be a part of their
priorities and serving one’s country is an innate and inborn duty for all. Also,
embedding a profound and authentic moral character and a strong sense of

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personal discipline in the youth would yield proficient, genuine, and selfless
Filipinos of the future who would turn the Philippines from an impoverished
country to a globally competitive nation.

Lastly, To provide a specific way to carry out this act is very helpful. It
makes the goal very SMART – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and
Time-bound. It is also important that the effects of this act would be experienced
by all students even those who are financially troubled. It is commendable that in
the context of this act, the poor is well represented and that it is attainable
regardless of ethnicity, social stature, and language barriers.

RA 1425 and Other Laws


Republic Act 1425 states that “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
Filibusterismo, Authorizing the Printing and Distribution Thereof, and for Other
Purposes.”

Other law that has been implemented was RA 229 which states “An act to
prohibit cockfighting, horse racing and jai-alai on the thirtieth day of December of
each year and to create a committee to take charge of the proper celebration of
rizal day in every municipality and chartered city, and for other purposes”

Why Study Rizal?


1. Because it is mandated by the law
The teaching of Jose Rizal’s life, works, and writings is mandated by
Republic Act 1425, otherwise known as the Rizal Law. Senator Jose P. Laurel,
the person who sponsored the said law, said that since Rizal was the founder of
Philippine nationalism and has contributed much to the current standing of this

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nation, it is only right that the youth as well as all the people in the country know
about and learn to imbibe the great ideals for which he died. The Rizal Law,
enacted in 1956, seeks to accomplish the following goals:
 To rededicate the lives of youth to the ideals of freedom and nationalism,
for which our heroes lived and died
 To pay tribute to our national hero for devoting his life and works in
shaping the Filipino character
 To gain an inspiring source of patriotism through the study of Rizal’s life,
works, and writings.

2. Because of the lessons contained within the course.


Aside from those mentioned above, there are other reasons for teaching
the Rizal course in Philippine schools:
 To recognize the importance of Rizal’s ideals and teachings in relation to
present conditions and situations in the society.
 To encourage the application of such ideals in current social and personal
problems and issues.
 To develop an appreciation and deeper understanding of all that Rizal
fought and died for.
 To foster the development of the Filipino youth in all aspects of citizenship.

Rizal as an American Sponsored Hero


In 1901, the Americans (through the American Governor William Howard
Taft) recommended to the Philippine Commission, which was sponsored by the
US, to declare Jose Rizal as a national hero for the Filipinos. The Americans
recommended Rizal because of the fact that he was executed by the Spaniards
and of his peaceful way to achieve liberty. Governor Taft sponsored Rizal as our
National hero because:
 Rizal was already dead by the time the Americans colonized the
Philippines.

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 He did not make any negative or embarrassing remarks of anti-American
quotations.
 Martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal was a symbol of Spanish oppression.
 He urged reform from within by publicity

Rizal, Pioneer Asian Nationalist Leader


During the late 19th century, two great Asian
leaders rose and lead their people in fighting for reforms
—Jose Rizal and Sun-Yat-Sen. Though their means may
be totally opposite–Rizal adhered to diplomacy and
peaceful reforms while Sun resorted to leading and
funding revolutionary movements–both exhibited
paramount love for the countries of their birth and for
their people.

Dr. Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines, also referred to as the
“First Filipino” was born in Calamba Laguna on 19 June 1861. Sun Yat Sen, on
the other hand, was born on 12 November 1866 at Guandong, China. He was a
nationalist and revolutionary and is often referred to as the “Father of Modern
China.” Both received their early education in local schools in their provinces,
and pursued further education abroad. Rizal initially studied in Biñan, Laguna
under the guidance of Maestro Justaniano Aquino-Cruz and went to Manila with
his elder brother to continue his studies at Ateneo de Manila. In 1882, Rizal took
Licenciate in Medicine at the Universidad Central de Madrid and afterwards
specialized in Ophthalmology in France and Germany under Dr. Louis de
Weckert and Dr. Otto Becker.

Sun-Yat-Sen studied in Guangdong province and pursued his higher


educations at the Iolani School and later at Oahu College in Hawaii. He also
studied medicine at the Guanzhou Boji Hospital under the medical missionary

8
John Kerr and earned the license of medical practice as a medical doctor from
the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese in 1892. Both patriots practiced
their profession and established clientele in Hong Kong.

The education of the two patriots were supported financially by their elder
brothers only that Paciano was more supportive to the nationalistic activities of
his brother compared to Sun Mei who showed more apprehensions. While
studying abroad, Rizal wrote the Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo—novels
that spurred nationalistic fervor among the Filipinos who felt the need of
launching an armed struggle to achieve independence. Upon his return to the
Philippines, he founded La Liga Filipina, a socio-civic society that aimed to
demand reforms from the Spanish government and unify the Filipinos in the
entire archipelago.

On the other hand, Sun, initially aligned with early reformists who wanted
to transform China into a constitutional monarchy. China during the time was
under the foreign Qing Dynasty. He wrote a letter that embodied his suggestions
on how to strengthen China, and sent it to the governor-general of Zhili. Unlike
Rizal who was very good in letters, Sun was never trained in the classics and his
opinions were rejected by the courts men on the grounds that he did not belong
to the gentry. When his diplomatic crusade did not work, he shifted to
revolutionary struggles.

Four Major Phase in the Life of our Hero


1. First Phase (1861-1872). The time when Jose Rizal, in his younger
generation, he learned how to read, write, and listen to stories that
triggered imaginative and critical analysis. It was that time when different
values and virtues have developed in him. He became industrious instead
of being idle; show of creativity instead of unproductiveness; rationality
instead of blind acceptance; and dignity instead of servility.

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2. Second Phase (1872-1882). It was the first turning point in the life of
Rizal. He was then 11 years old and enrolled at Ateneo Municipal, despite
the objection of his mother. It was the period when the Spanish
government unjustly executed fathers Gomez, Burgos and Zamora. The
martyrdom of these three priests led Rizal to be awakened to the abuses
of the regime and at the same time led him to devote time to avenge the
victims of injustices and cruelties of Spanish colonizers.

3. Third Phase (1882-1892). The year 1882 was the next great decisive
moment in the life of Rizal. It was this time when Rizal decided to leave
the Philippines to escape persecution. He went to Europe and everywhere
he went, Rizal was always an observer and a student, learning from
everything he saw, read, and heard. Rizal persuaded the Filipinos in Spain
to prove that they can compete with the Europeans in intellect and talent.
Through his membership in exclusive societies of scholars, and scientists
in Europe where he presented monographs were much appreciated. Rizal
provided his compatriots with an example. Throughout this period, Rizal
cooperated with the Propaganda Movement.

4. Fourth Phase (1892-1896). The year 1892 can be regarded as the final
turning point in the life of Jose Rizal, before he suffered to death on
December 30, 1896. Rizal got exiled in Dapitan.

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Enrichment Activity 1

DRAW ME OUT
Objectives:
 To let students realize the importance of studying Rizal; and
 Be able to hone each others creativeness.

After delving into the laws and a glimpse in Rizal’s life, in a one whole
sheet of bond paper, make a poster regarding all the things that you’ve learned
and cultivated in this chapter. Write a brief explanation about the poster that
you’ve drawn and share it to everyone.

You’ll be graded by your classmates accordingly. Please be guided with


the criteria stated below:

Rubrics
50% Content
30% Creativity
20% Overall Impact

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CHAPTER 2:
The Philippines
in the 19th
Century as
Rizal’s Context
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this chapter, students are suspected to be able to:
1. Appraise the link between the individual and society;
2. Analyze the various social, political, economic, and cultural changes
that occurred in the nineteenth century;

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3. Understand Jose Rizal in the context of his times

Social Classes in 19th Century

Peninsulares. They are the highest class in


the Philippines, entrusted with the offices of high
rank. Peninsulares are pure blooded Spaniards born
from Spain and sent to Spanish colonies to govern.
Often times, they are awarded with great favors and
large quantities of land.

During the Spanish times, the Governor General


of the Philippines as well as other powerful offices are
held by peninsulares. The most well known to us most
probably is Miguel Lopez de Legazpi who colonized a huge part of the
Philippines. Another quite prominent figure is Ramon Blanco y Erenas, or the
Governor General during the time of Rizal and the Katipunan. He was too nice to
Filipinos and was accused of being too conciliatory, which led to his removal from
power.
After Rizal's death, which he objected to, he presented his ceremonial
sword and sash of office to the hero's family. Whether it be apology or paying
tribute to Jose Rizal, it is uncommon for a peninsulares to do such.

Insulares. They are a rank below


the peninsulares. The insulares or criollos are of
European descent but born in the colonies of Spain. A
son or daughter of a Spanish couple is an insulares.

13
Eventually, they may have been inter-marrying with Filipinos or other races here
in the country, thus producing the mestizos.  
Traditionally, insulares enjoy various government and church positions but
as economics and power shifted, they changed to capitalist driven entrepreneurs
owning large parcels of lands. A notable insulares goes by the name of Luís
Rodríguez Varela, also known as El Conde Filipino. He was a true European
noble, but championed the rights of the Filipinos. Unfortunately, he was exiled
from the Philippines after accusations of starting rebellion.

Mestizo de Espanol. They are off springs


of Spanish people interbreeding with
Filipinos. Mestizo is a term given to individuals
inheriting foreign ancestry. They may or may not have
European or other racial features despite popular
belief. Originally, the term was used in Latin America
but was later adopted here in the country to children
of racial inter-marriage.

The mestizos fare better than the natives due


to the fact that their ancestry provides leverage and connections, which becomes
a big advantage in a feudal and colonial society. They may have better relations
with the local governors or with the church as they are favored more compared to
the common man. Parents of mestizos may have been an alcalde or another
important position in the goverment or perhaps an insulares wishing to expand
power and territory. In the case of expanding territory, this has been a major
motive for most of the arranged marriages that came about during the era.

A prominent mestizo de espanol is Padre


Pedro Pelaez, a priest and advocate of the
secularization movement in the Philippines. He
became Vicar Capitular de Manila after the

14
Archbishop of Manila died, and took over matters of the Archdiocese.
Secularization was a big deal during his time as Missionary priests
(Dominicans, Jesuits, Augustinians, etc.) protested to being supervised by
Bishops in running parishes, stating they're not under a Bishop's jurisdiction.
True enough, because Missionary priests spread Christianity. So the Church
started training secular priests to manage parishes for the Bishops. Padre Pelaez
sided with the seculars which earned him the disdain of many powerful priests.
Unfortunately, he died in an earthquake that struck Manila and destroyed the
Manila Cathedral in 1863.

Indios

Indios were defined as the native indigenous peoples in all the Spanish
America and Asia possessions. During the Spanish colonial period in the
Mariana Islands (17th through 19th centuries) the Chamorros people were
classified as indios. In the Spanish racial hierarchy, indios were the lowest-
ranked group. The order was peninsulares, criollos, mestizos, Filipinos and
indios.

Originally, native Filipinos were included in the indio category in the


Mariana Islands along with Chamorros, but were later designated as “Filipinos” in
Spanish censuses. The Spaniards first brought Filipinos to the Mariana Islands to
serve in the seccion de guardia civil urbano-rural (Spanish army in the Marianas)
.
Because of expensive Spanish taxes levied on peninsulares (Spanish-
born Spaniards), criollos (Marianas-born Spaniards), and mestizos (part-
Chamorro and part-Spanish individuals), many mestizos with darker skin
complexions would state that they were full-blooded Chamorros – indios – to
avoid paying. Additionally, many Japanese-Chamorros and Chinese-Chamorros
were mistakenly thought to be Chamorros and also classified as indios.

15
Church In The 19th Century
In the 19th Century, we see develop a new, direct relationship between
individual Catholics and the Papacy. The Roman Catholic Church now sought
freedom from the power of the State. It realized that state privileges came with
strings attached that tied its hands. Christian Democracy was now in vogue, and
the Church of Rome would align itself with democracy by the end of the century,
after decades of opposition.

New forms of mass devotion appeared that were associated with the
Sacred Heart, the Virgin Mary, and the Eucharist. Late medieval ideas regained
prominence and the 19th Century was a time of Catholic visions, visitations, and
the ecstasies of mystics. The Madonna made appearances twice in Paris (1830
& 1836), in Savoy (1846), and from 1858 at Lourdes.

The most celebrated religious figures of the age were both sensational:
Jean-Marie Baptiste Vianney and Bernadette. St Theresa of Lisieux (1873-1897)
wrote the marvelous best-selling autobiography The Story of a Soul.

Pope Gregory XVI (1765-1846) was not the man to usher in any sort of
progress for the Church of Rome. He was a crudely superstitious, old-fashioned,
embittered monk. That people had rights was a foreign concept to him.

Gregory flatly refused to support or even to sympathize with the Catholics


of Poland when they rose up against their oppressors of Orthodox Russia and
demanded national and religious freedom.

The Potato Famine hit Ireland in 1845. One million Irish people died and
twice as many immigrated to America. This greatly enlarged the number of
Catholics in the United States. In Boston and New York, the Irish came to
dominate whole sections of the cities.

16
The Catholic presence in America also expanded in the South. New
dioceses were established in Charleston in 1820, Mobile in 1829, Little Rock in
1843, and Galveston in 1847. A multitude of Convents sprang up in America as
well.

Catholic missionaries had achieved their greatest and longest-lasting


success in South America. Even after all its countries won their independence
within a 15 year span, the entire continent remained loyal to the Catholic Faith.
Catholic missionaries ventured into Japan in 1859, for the first time since being
banned by the Japanese 200 years earlier. They were amazed to find more than
200,000 Japanese Christians worshiping in underground churches.

Anti-Clericalism
Anti-clericalism, in Roman Catholicism, opposition to the clergy for its real
or alleged influence in political and social affairs, for its doctrinairism, for its
privileges or property, or for any other reason. Although the term has been used
in Europe since the 12th and 13th centuries, it is associated in more recent
history with the French Revolution and its aftermath.

Three principal forms can be identified. The first, developed during the
18th century, was based on opposition to clerical privilege, often corrupt, as
established by feudalism. The second is associated with the rise of liberalism,
which in general accused the clergy of servility to the monarchy or of ignorance
in terms of scientific thought. The third, endorsed by some totalitarian systems,
considered clerics to be chronically opposed to the “race,” the “nation,” or some
other presumed ideology.

17
Frailocracy
Today, February 7, 1891, Felipe Buencamino, Sr. informs Dr. Jose Rizal
of the status of the dispute with the Dominican over the Calamba state. A
notorious invisible government existed in Spanish Philippines. This government
was called "frailocracy" meaning rule of the friars. During the last decades of the
19th century the Spanish friars were so influential and powerful that they
practically ruled the Philippines. During this period the Filipinos were agonizing
beneath the yoke of Spanish misrule. Dr. Rizal, an eyewitness of their sufferings,
realized that if their grievances would not be heeded by Spain, they would, in
despair, rise in arms and fight for freedom's sake.

Early in 1890, while Rizal was in Brussels, capital of Belgium, he received


letters from home, which worried him. The Calamba agrarian trouble was getting
worse. The management of the Dominican Hacienda continually raised the land
rents until such time that Rizal's father refused to pay his rent. Other tenants
inspired by Don Francisco's courage, also refused to pay their rents. The
Dominican Order filed a suit in court to dispossess the Rizal family of their lands
in Calamba. Meanwhile, the tenants, including the Rizal family, were persecuted
and ejected from their lands. Paciano and the brothers-in-law Antonio Lopez
(husband of Narcisa) and Silvestre Ubaldo (husband of Olympia) were deported
to Mindoro. Another brother-in-law, Manuel T. Hidalgo (husband of Saturnina)
was banished for a second time to Bohol.

The Birth of Nationalism


Filipino nationalism refers to the awakening and support towards a political
identity associated with modern Philippines leading to a wide-ranging campaign
for political, social, and economic freedom in the Philippines. This gradually
emerged out of various political and armed movements throughout most of the
Spanish East Indies—albeit has long been fragmented and inconsistent with

18
contemporary definitions of such nationalism—as a consequence of more than
three centuries of Spanish rule. These movements are characterized by the
upsurge of anti-colonialist sentiments and ideals which peaked in the late 20th
century led mostly by the ilustrado or landed, educated elites, whether
peninsulares, insulares, or native (Indio). This served as the backbone of the first
nationalist revolution in Asia, the Philippine Revolution of 1896. The modern
concept would later be fully actualized upon the inception of a Philippine state
with its contemporary borders after being granted independence by the United
States by the 1946 Treaty of Manila.

The Opening Of The Philippines To World Trade


In Europe, the Industrial Revolution spread from Great Britain during the
period known as the Victorian Age. The industrialization of Europe created great
demands for raw materials from the colonies, bringing with it investment and
wealth, although this was very unevenly distributed. Governor-General Basco
had opened the Philippines to this trade. Previously, the Philippines was seen as
a trading post for international trade but in the nineteenth century it was
developed both as a source of raw materials and as a market for manufactured
goods.

The economy of the Philippines rose rapidly and its local industries
developed to satisfy the rising demands of an industrializing Europe. Its most
marketable products in the European and world markets included sugar from
Negros, Manila hemp or abaca from Eastern Philippines, and tobacco from
Ilocos. A small flow of European immigrants came with the opening of the Suez
Canalwhich cut the travel time between Europe and the Philippines by half. New
ideas about government and society, which the friars and colonial authorities
found dangerous, quickly found their way into the Philippines, notably through the
Freemasons, who along with others, spread the ideals of the American, French
and other revolutions, including Spanish liberalism.

19
Spanish Revolution of 1868
The Glorious Revolution (Spanish: la Gloriosa or la Septembrina) took
place in Spain in 1868, resulting in the deposition of Queen Isabella II. The
success of the revolution marked the beginning of the Sexenio Democrático with
the installment of a provisional government.

In September 1868 naval forces under admiral Juan Bautista Topete


mutinied in Cadiz. This was the same city where a half-century before, Rafael del
Riego had launched his coup against Isabella's father.

When the generals Prim and Francisco Serrano denounced the


government, much of the army defected to the revolutionary generals on their
arrival in Spain. The queen made a brief show of force at the Battle of Alcolea,
where her loyal moderado generals under Manuel Pavia were defeated by
General Serrano.

In 1868 Queen Isabella crossed into France and retired from Spanish
politics. She lived there in exile, at the Palacio Castilla in Paris, until her death in
1904.

1872 Cavite Mutiny


The Cavite mutiny of 1872 was an uprising of Filipino military personnel of
Fort San Felipe, the Spanish arsenal in Cavite,:107 Philippine Islands (then also
known as part of the Spanish East Indies) on January 20, 1872. Around 200
locally recruited colonial troops and laborers rose up in the belief that it would
elevate to a national uprising. The mutiny was unsuccessful, and government
soldiers executed many of the participants and began to crack down on a
burgeoning Philippines nationalist movement. Many scholars believe that the
Cavite Mutiny of 1872 was the beginning of Filipino nationalism that would
eventually lead to the Philippine Revolution of 1896.

20
The primary cause of the mutiny is believed to be an order from Governor-
General Rafael de Izquierdo to subject the soldiers of the Engineering and
Artillery Corps to personal taxes, from which they were previously exempt. The
taxes required them to pay a monetary sum as well as to perform forced labor
called, polo y servicio. The mutiny was sparked on January 20, when the
laborers received their pay and realized the taxes as well as the falla, the fine
one paid to be exempt from forced labor, had been deducted from their salaries.

Their leader was Fernando La Madrid, a mestizo sergeant with his second
in command Jaerel Brent Senior, a moreno. They seized Fort San Felipe and
killed eleven Spanish officers. The mutineers thought that fellow Filipino
indigenous soldiers in Manila would join them in a concerted uprising, the signal
being the firing of rockets from the city walls on that night. Unfortunately, what
they thought to be the signal was actually a burst of fireworks in celebration of
the feast of Our Lady of Loreto, the patron of Sampaloc. The plan was to set fires
in Tondo in order to distract the authorities while the artillery regiment and
infantry in Manila could take control of Fort Santiago and use cannon shots as
signals to Cavite. All Spaniards were to be killed, except for the women. News of
the mutiny reached Manila, supposedly through the lover of a Spanish sergeant,
who then informed his superiors, and the Spanish authorities feared for a
massive Filipino uprising.

The next day, a regiment led by General Felipe Ginovés besieged the fort
until the mutineers surrendered. Ginovés then ordered his troops to fire at those
who surrendered, including La Madrid. The rebels were formed in a line, when
Colonel Sabas asked who would not cry out, "Viva España", and shot the one
man who stepped forward. The rest were imprisoned.

21
Marytyrdom of Fathers Gomburza
Gomburza, alternatively spelled GOMBURZA or
GomBurZa, refers to three Filipino Catholic priests
(Mariano Gomez, José Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora), who
were executed on February 17, 1872 at Bagumbayan,
Philippines by Spanish colonial authorities on charges of
subversion arising from the 1872 Cavite mutiny. The name
is a portmanteau of the priests' surnames.

Their execution had a profound effect on many late 19th-century Filipinos;


José Rizal, later to become the country's national hero, would dedicate his novel
El Filibusterismo to their memory. Mutiny by workers in the Cavite Naval Yard
was the pretext needed by the authorities to redress a perceived humiliation from
the principal objective, José Burgos, who threatened the established order.

During the Spanish colonial period, four social class distinctions were
observed in the islands: Spaniards who were born in Spain, peninsulares;
Spaniards born in the colonies of Spain (Latin America or the Philippines),
insulares or Creoles; Spanish mestizos, Chinese or 'Indios' (natives) dwelling
within or near the city (or town) and the church; and Chinese or Sangley and
rural Indios.

Burgos was a Doctor of Philosophy whose prominence extended even to


Spain, such that when the new Governor and Captain-General Carlos María de
la Torre arrived from Spain to assume his duties, he invited Burgos to sit beside
him in his carriage during the inaugural procession, a place traditionally reserved
for the archbishop and who was a peninsular Spaniard. The arrival of the liberal
de la Torre was opposed by the ruling minority of friars, regular priests who
belonged to an order (Dominicans, Augustinians, Recollects, and Franciscans)
and their aliens in civil government but supported by the secular priests, most of
whom were mestizos and darnas assigned to parishes and farflung communities

22
and believed that the reforms and the equality that they wanted with peninsular
Spaniards were finally coming. In less than two years, de la Torre was replaced
by Rafael de Izquierdo.

Other Asian Nationalists

1. Mahatma Gandhi, by name of


Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, (born October
2, 1869, Porbandar, India—died January 30,
1948, Delhi), Indian lawyer, politician, social
activist, and writer who became the leader of the
nationalist movement against the British rule of
India. As such, he came to be considered the
father of his country. Gandhi is internationally
esteemed for his doctrine of nonviolent protest
(satyagraha) to achieve political and social
progress.

In the eyes of millions of his fellow Indians, Gandhi was the Mahatma
(“Great Soul”). The unthinking adoration of the huge crowds that gathered to see
him all along the route of his tours made them a severe ordeal; he could hardly
work during the day or rest at night. “The woes of the Mahatmas,” he wrote, “are
known only to the Mahatmas.” His fame spread worldwide during his lifetime and
only increased after his death. The name Mahatma Gandhi is now one of the
most universally recognized on earth.

2. Sun Yat-sen, Chinese (Pinyin)


Sun Yixian or (Wade-Giles romanization) Sun I-
hsien, original name Sun Wen, courtesy name
(zi) Deming, literary name (hao) Rixin, later

23
Yixian, also called Sun Zhongshan, (born November 12, 1866, Xiangshan [now
Zhongshan], Guangdong province, China—died March 12, 1925, Beijing), leader
of the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang [Pinyin: Guomindang]), known as
the father of modern China. Influential in overthrowing the Qing (Manchu)
dynasty (1911/12), he served as the first provisional president of the Republic of
China (1911–12) and later as de facto ruler (1923–25).

Early life and influences


Sun was born to a family of poor farmers in Xiangshan, in the South China
province of Guangdong. In 1879 his brother Sun Mei, who had earlier emigrated
to Hawaii as a labourer, brought him to Honolulu, where, as a student at a British
missionary school for three years and at an American school, Oahu College, for
another year, he first came into contact with Western influences. Because his
brother objected to his penchant for Christianity, Sun returned to his native
village in 1883 and went to study at the Diocesan Home in Hong Kong in the fall;
late that year, he was baptized by an American missionary.

In 1884 he transferred to the Government Central School (later known as


Queen’s College) and married Lu Muzhen (1867–1952), who was chosen for him
by his parents. Out of this marriage a son and two daughters were born. After
another trip to Hawaii, he enrolled in the Guangzhou (Canton) Hospital Medical
School in 1886. He transferred later to the College of Medicine for Chinese in
Hong Kong and graduated in 1892.

Although not trained for a political career in the traditional style, Sun was
nevertheless ambitious and was troubled by the way China, which had clung to
its traditional ways under the conservative Qing dynasty, suffered humiliation at
the hands of more technologically advanced nations. Forsaking his medical
practice in Guangzhou, he went north in 1894 to seek political fortunes. In a long
letter to Li Hongzhang, governor-general of Zhili (Chihli, now Hebei) province, he
set forth his ideas of how China could gain strength, but all he received from Li

24
was a perfunctory endorsement of his scheme for an agricultural-sericultural
association. With this scant reference, Sun went to Hawaii in October 1894 and
founded an organization called the Revive China Society (Xingzhonghui), which
became the forerunner of the secret revolutionary groups Sun later headed. As
far as it can be determined, the membership was drawn entirely from natives of
Guangdong and from lower social classes, such as clerks, peasants, and
artisans.

3. Hồ Chí Minh led the Việt


Minh independence movement from 1941
onward, establishing the Communist-ruled
Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North
Vietnam) in 1945 and defeating the French
Union in 1954 at the Battle of Điện Biên Phủ,
ending the First Indo-china War. He was a
key figure in the People's Army of Vietnam
and the Việt Cộng during the Vietnam War,
which lasted from 1955 to 1975. North
Vietnam was victorious and was reunified with
the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) in
1976. Saigon, the former capital of South Vietnam, was renamed Ho Chi Minh
City in his honor. Ho officially stepped down from power in 1965 due to health
problems and died in 1969.

Instability of Colonial Administration

The instability of Spanish politics since the turbulent reign of King


Ferdinand VII (1808-1833) marked the beginning of political chaos in Spain. This
political instability in Spain adversely affected Philippine affairs because it
brought about frequent periodic shifts in colonial policies and periodic rigidon of
colonial officials.

25
In 1835 to 1897: 50 Governor-General served the Philippines. Each
serving has an average terms of only one year and three months.

Corrupt Colonial Officials

1. Gen. Rafael de Izquierdo or Rafael


Gerónimo Cayetano Izquierdo y Gutiérrez
(September 30, 1820 – November 9, 1883) was
a Spanish Military Officer, politician, and
statesman. He served as Governor-General of
the Philippines from April 4, 1871 to January 8,
1873. He was famous for his use of "Iron Fist"
type of government, contradicting the liberal
government of his predecessor, Carlos María
de la Torre y Navacerrada. He was the
Governor-General during the 1872 Cavite mutiny which led to execution of
41 of the mutineers, including the Gomburza martyrs. Izquierdo also acted as
Governor-General of Puerto Rico from March 1862 to April 1862

Replacing General Carlos María de la Torre on April 4, 1871, Rafael


Izquierdo was installed as Governor-General of the Philippines. He is responsible
for the opening of steamship and telegraph lines in the country.

He was also known to have promptly rescinded the liberal measures, thus
implementing harsher laws, which ignited an uprising. The reformation suggested
that the soldiers of the Engineering and Artillery Corps should pay taxes, from
which they were previously exempt. Another drastic change was the requirement
to perform manual labor. These changes eventually led to the 1872 Cavite
mutiny, in which around 200 soldiers of the Engineering and Artillery Corps
revolted and killed their officers. In retaliation, many liberals were implicated in
the involvement of the conspiracy. The Spanish military court condemned the

26
martyred priests, Fathers José Burgos, Mariano Gómez and Jacinto Zamora
(GOMBURZA), to capital punishment by means of the garrote, on February 17,
1872. This uprising led to delays in rebuilding Malacañang Palace, and in turn
almost transferred colonial governance back within the walls of Intramuros for
security purposes. The plan to transfer the colonial government to Intramuros
ended when Izquierdo fell ill and he stepped down from his position on January
8, 1873.
Rafael Izquierdo spent the remaining years of his life in Madrid, Spain,
where he died in 1882.

2. Gen. Fernando Primo de Rivera was


the son of Antonio Hermenegildo Primo de
Rivera y Sobremonte, 22nd Count of
Sobremonte (1787–1833) and his wife Ana
María de Torres Rovellas y Peña Vélez
(1811–1865); he was the son of Miguel de
Torres Rovellas y Peña Vélez, 13th Count of
Torres Rovellas, 8th Marquess of Peña
Vélez (1764–1851). His grandfather was
Bértrand Primo de Rivera (1741–1813), 21st
Count of Sobremonte: he was a Spanish
general under the Spanish Resistance
against Napoleon Bonaparte.

He served in several wars, including the 1848 and 1866 Madrid


insurrections and the second Carlista War. When forces under his command in
the second Carlist War captured Estella, he was named Marquess of Estella. He
was the Spanish Governor-General of the Philippines from 1880 to 1883. In
1897, he again became the Spanish Governor-General of the Philippines. He
temporarily suspended hostilities in the Philippine Revolution through
negotiations with Emilio Aguinaldo in the Pact of Biak-na-Bato and acted briefly

27
as Governor-General of the Philippines. He was a Minister and the 70th Prime
Minister of Spain for one day between 30 and 31 December 1874. He was
created the 1st Marquess of Estella on 25 May 1877, the 1,124th Knight of the
Spanish Order of the Golden Fleece and the 287th Grand Cross of the Royal
Order of Our Lady of the Concepcion of Vila Viçosa of Portugal in 1879.

He was married in Sevilla on 18 June 1857 to María del Pilar Arias-


Quiroga y Escalera (Sevilla, Alcolea del Río, c. 1835 – 10 May 1894), 745th
Dame of the Royal Order of Queen María Luisa, daughter of Juan Arias-Quiroga
y Mejías, 7th Marquess of Arias-Quiroga and his wife María Manuela de Escalera
y Fernández de Peñaranda, daughter of Roberto de Escalera y Fernandez de
Peñarada, 46th Lord of Peñaranda, by whom he had no issue. He was also the
uncle of Miguel Primo de Rivera, the Spanish dictator.

3. Gen. Valeriano Weyler was born in 1838 in


Palma de Mallorca, Spain. His distant paternal
ancestors were originally Prussians and served
in the Spanish army for several generations. He
was educated in his place of birth and in
Granada. Weyler decided to enter the Spanish
army, being influenced by his father, a military
doctor.
He graduated from the Infantry School of
Toledo at the age of 16. At 20, Weyler had achieved
the rank of lieutenant, and he was appointed the rank of captain in 1861. In 1863,
he was transferred to Cuba, and his participation in the campaign of Santo
Domingo earned him the Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand. During the Ten
Years' War that was fought between 1868 and 1878, he served as a colonel
under General Arsenio Martínez Campos, but he returned to Spain before the
end of the war to fight against Carlists in the Third Carlist War in 1873. In 1878,
he was made general.

28
4. Gen. Camilo García de Polavieja y

del Castillo-Negrete, 1st Marquis of


Polavieja (1838–1914) was a Spanish general
born in Madrid on July 13, 1838, in a family of
merchants. He was an able commander, but
considered as brutal as Valeriano Weyler of
Cuba.

He enlisted voluntarily in the Navarro


Regiment in 1855, where he distinguished himself
in Africa. He received the Cross of Isabelle Maria
Lucia for gallantry. He then took part in the Ten
Years' War in Cuba, where Spain sent 70,000 men, and the Third Carlist War. He
was Colonel of the Princess Regiment and promoted to brigadier general in 1876
before being sent to Cuba. In Cuba, he was made Field Marshal and received
the Cross of Military Merit. In 1882, he returned to Spain and was made a
member of the Supreme Council of War and Navy, Captain general of Andalusia,
and Supreme Chief of Infantry Inspection.

The revolution in Cuba led by Antonio Maceo Grajales inspired Philippine


insurgents to revolt as well. Being the last important colony under control of
Spain, the Spanish government tried to contain the Philippine Revolution under
the administration of Ramón Blanco y Erenas. The further spread of the
insurgency in the Philippines led to the turnover of the post of Governor general
to Blanco's second-in-command, Lieutenant General Polavieja. The Filipino
historian Gregorio Zaide notes that Polavieja was installed with the help of
powerful Spanish friars including the Archbishop of Manila during that time.
Polavieja oversaw the court martial and death of Jose Rizal on December 30,

29
1896. Twenty four more people were executed with Rizal.

As of August 1896, there are 500 soldiers in Manila and 700 in the rest of
the archipelago. Native mercenaries numbered around 6,000. By January 1897,
a total of 25,462 officers and men had arrived from Spain. Governor Polavieja
had an available force of over 12,000 men to suppress the rebels in Luzon alone.
On February 13, 1897, he opened his first phase, the Cavite campaign. Polavieja
advanced against the revolutionaries with 16,000 men armed with Spanish M93s,
and one field battery. They were led by General José de Lachambre, and many
of the soldiers he led were from Pampanga, fired during Blanco's administration
He had scarcely reconquered half of Cavite when he resigned, owing to his bad
health. He did, however, dispersed every major rebel contingent in Cavite.
Around 4,000 rebels died in jails of Manila.

Polavieja faced condemnation by his countrymen after his return to Spain.


While visiting Girona, in Catalonia, circulars were distributed among the crowd
bearing Rizal's last verses, his portrait, and the charge that Polavieja was
responsible for the loss of the Philippines to the United States. Ramon Blanco
later presented his sash and sword to the Rizal family as an apology.

Philippine Representation in Spanish Cortes

To win the support of her overseas colonies during Napoleonic invasion,


Spain granted them representation in the Cortes (Spanish parliament).
Accordingly, the Philippines experienced the first period of representation in the
Cortes from 1820 to 1813.
Ventura de los Reyes was the first Philippine delegate who took active
part in the framing of the Constitution 1812.
Another achievement was the abolition of the Galleon Trade.

30
Human Rights Denied to Filipinos

Since the adoption of the Spanish Constitution of 1812 and other


constitution in succeeding years, the people of Spain enjoyed freedom of speech,
freedom of the press, freedom of association, and other human rights (except
freedom of religion).
The Spanish authorities who cherished these human rights in Spain
denied them to the Filipinos in Asia.

No Equality before the Law

Spaniards arrogantly regarded the brown skinned Filipinos as inferior


beings.
Spanish Penal Code - which was enforced In the Philippines, particularly
imposed heavier penalties on Native Filipinos or mestizos and lighter penalties
on white-complexioned Spaniards.

Maladministration of Justice

The courts of justice in the Philippines during Rizal’s time were notoriously
corrupt. Justice was costly, partial and slow. Wealth, social prestige and color of
the skin were preponderant factors in winning a case in court. And the judicial
procedure was so slow and clumsy that it was easy to have justice delayed.

Racial Discrimination

Filipinas as inferior beings who were infinitely unpreserving of the rights


and privileges that the white Spaniards enjoyed.
Spaniards called the browned-skinned and flat-nosed Filipinos “Indios”
(Indian), in retaliation, the Filipinos dubbed their pale-complexioned detractors

31
with the disparaging term “bangus” (milkfish).

Frailocracy

The friars (Augustinians, Dominicans, and Franciscan) controlled the


religious and educational life of the Philippines, and later in the 19 th century they
came to acquire tremendous political power, influence and riches.
Almost every town in archipelago, except in Islamic Mindanao and Sulu
and in Pegan hinterlands, was influenced by a friar curate.

Forced Labor

Forced labor was also known as polo. Compulsory labor was imposed by
the Spanish colonial authorities on adult Filipino males in the construction of
churches, schools, hospitals, building and repair of roads and bridges, building of
ships and other public works.

Haciendas Owned by Friars

During Rizal’s times, the Spanish friars belonging to different religious


orders were the richest landlords, for they owned the best haciendas (agricultural
lands) in the Philippines.

The Guardia Civil

Guardia civil had rendered meritorious services in suppressing the bandits


in the provinces. But later became infamous for their rampaged abuses, such as
maltreating innocent people, looting their carabaos, chicken and valuable
belongings and raping women.

32
Rizal himself witnessed the discrimination of how the guardia civil (either
Filipino or Insulares) treated the Filipinos.

Enrichment Activity 2

Cite 2 things you learn about the following terms and elaborate:

1. Gen. Rafael de Izquierdo


2. Gen. Fernando Primo de Rivera
3. Gen. Valeriano Weyler
4. Gen. Camilo de Polavieja
5. No Equality before the Law
6. Anti-Clericalism
7. Church in the 19th century
8. Peninsulares
9. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
10. Dr. Sun Yat-sen

33
CHAPTER 3:
Rizal’s Life:
Family,
Childhood,
Early Education
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this chapter, students are expected to be able to:
1. Analyze Rizal’s family, childhood, and early education.
2. Evaluate the people and events and their influence on Rizal’s early
life.

34
Jose Rizal Family
The Jose Rizal family was a wealthy family in Calamba, Laguna and
considered one of the largest families in those times. The 13 member of Jose
Rizal family consisted of his father Francisco Mercado II and his mother Teodora
Alonso Realonda. Jose Rizal had nine sisters and one brother. The Jose Rizal
family’s paternal ascendant was Domingo Lam-co, a full-blooded Chinese who
lived in Amoy,China and arrived in the Philippines in the closing years of the 17th
century. Domingo Lam-co was married to a Chinese half-breed named Ines de la
Rosa. The Mercado-Rizal family had also Japanese, Spanish, Malay and Negrito
blood aside from their Chinese blood.

Jose Rizal’s father was the youngest of 13 children of Juan and Cirila
Mercado. He was born in Binan, Laguna, studied in San Jose College of Manila
and died in Manila. The mother of Jose Rizal was a business -minded, religious
and hard working individual who was born in Santa Cruz,Manila on November
14, 1827 and died in Manila in 1913. She studied at the Colegio de Santa Rosa
and was the second child of Brijida de Quintos and Lorenzo Alonso.

Saturnina Rizal was the eldest of the offspring’s of Francisco Mercado


and Teodora Alonso Realonda. She married Manuel Hidalgo who hailed from
Tanauan, Batangas. The only brother of Jose Rizal was Paciano Rizal and was
the second child. Paciano studied at the San Jose College in Manila and worked
as a farmer and later as a general of the Philippine Revolution. The other sisters
of Jose Rizal were Narcisa,Olympia, Lucia, Maria, Concepcion, Josefa, Trinidad
and Soledad. Soledad was the youngest child and later was married to
Pantaleon Quintero.

The parents of Jose Rizal were both farmers who were granted by the
Dominicans with the lease of a hacienda together with a rice farm. The mother of
Jose Rizal, Teodora, had Spanish and Japanese ancestors while the father of
Teodora was a half Spaniard engineer known as Lorenzo Alberto Alonzo.

35
The Rizal surname was obtained by Francisco Mercado as suggested to
him by a provincial governor after the Governor General of the Philippines,
Narciso Claveria, issued a decree in 1849 by which native Filipino and immigrant
families were to adopt Spanish surnames from a list of Spanish family names.
Jose Rizal also obtained the surname Rizal after dropping three other names that
made up his full name. Jose Rizal also retained Protacio as his other family
name. His family never actually recognized his Rizal surname but Jose Rizal was
forced to use it so that he can travel freely and disassociate him from his brother
who was known to be notorious due to Paciano’s links with native priests who
were executed after they were found to be subversives.

The Rizals is considered one of the biggest families during their time.
Domingo Lam-co, the family's paternal ascendant was a full-blooded Chinese
who came to the Philippines from Amoy, China in the closing years of the 17th
century and married a Chinese half-breed by the name of Ines de la Rosa.
Researchers revealed that the Mercado-Rizal family had also traces of
Japanese, Spanish, Malay and Even Negrito blood aside from Chinese. Jose
Rizal came from a 13-member family consisting of his parents, Francisco
Mercado II and Teodora Alonso Realonda, and nine sisters and one brother.

The Mercado - Rizal Family

36
 Francisco Mercado (1818-1898) - Father of Jose Rizal who was the
youngest of 13 offspring’s of Juan and Cirila Mercado. Born in Biñan, Laguna
on April 18, 1818; studied in San Jose College, Manila; and died in Manila.
 Teodora Alonso (1827-1913) - Mother of Jose Rizal who was the second
child of Lorenzo Alonso and Brijida de Quintos. She studied at the Colegio de
Santa Rosa. She was a business-minded woman, courteous, religious, hard-
working and well-read. She was born in Santa Cruz, Manila on November 14,
1827 and died in 1913 in Manila.

1. Saturnina Rizal (1850-1913) Herbosa.


Eldest child of the Rizal-Alonzo 6. Maria Rizal (1859-1945)
marriage. Married Manuel The sixth child. Married Daniel
Timoteo Hidalgo of Tanauan, Faustino Cruz of Biñan, Laguna.
Batangas. 7. Jose Rizal (1861-1896)
2. Paciano Rizal (1851-1930) The second son and the seventh
Only brother of Jose Rizal and the child. He was executed by the
second child. Studied at San Jose Spaniards on December 30,1896.
College in Manila; became a 8. Concepcion Rizal (1862-1865)
farmer and later a general of the The eight child. Died at the age of
Philippine Revolution. three.
3. Narcisa Rizal (1852-1939)  9. Josefa Rizal (1865-1945)
The third child. married Antonio The ninth child. An epileptic, died
Lopez at Morong, Rizal; a teacher a spinster.
and musician. 10. Trinidad Rizal (1868-1951)
4. Olympia Rizal (1855-1887) The tenth child. Died a spinster
The fourth child. Married Silvestre and the last of the family to die.
Ubaldo; died in 1887 from 11. Soledad Rizal (1870-1929)
childbirth. The youngest child married
5. Lucia Rizal (1857-1919) Pantaleon Quintero.
The fifth child. Married Matriano

37
Paternal Ancestors
Domingo Lam-Co, the family root, arrived from Amoy, China in 1660s and
changed his name to Mercado in 1697. He married late in life.
Francisco Mercado y Chinco, the first son of Domingo Lam-co.
Juan Mercado y Monica, youngest son of Francisco Mercado y Chinco, a captain
in the Spanish army
Petrona, Potenciana and Francisco Mercado, Sr., children of Juan
Mercado. The youngest Francisco Mercado, Sr. was the father of Jose Rizal,
Francisco Mercado (Junior).

Influential Relatives
Jose’s relatives who influenced him greatly mostly consisted of his
mother’s brothers: Tio Jose, Tio Manuel, and Tio Gregorio.
Tio Jose - He is the youngest among the siblings of Teodora, and was
schooled in Calcutta, India. He was Jose Rizal’s inspiration as he sketches and
paints. Tio Jose encouraged him to engage in sculpturing.
Tio Manuel - Known to be big and strong, he influenced Jose to visit the
outdoors, do long walks with his pet black dog, Usman, and even go horseback
riding with his horse, castaño.
Tio Gregorio - Through his Tio Gregorio, Jose learned the value of hard
work, careful observation of life, as well as independent thinking. Through him,
Jose likewise became interested in the printed page.

Jose Rizal’s Childhood


Jose Rizal, just like Filipino boys, had many beautiful memories of
childhood. He has a happy home, filled with parental affection, impregnated with
family joys, and sanctified by prayers. In the midst of such peaceful, refined,
God-loving family, he spent the early years of his childhood.

38
Calamba, the Hero’s Town
Calamba was an
hacienda town which belonged
to the Dominican Order. It is a
picturesque town nestling on a
verdant plain covered with
irrigated rice fields and sugar-
lands. A few kilometers to the
south looms is the legendary
Mount Makiling in somnolent
grandeur. Beyond this
mountain is the province of
Batangas. East of the town is the Laguna de Bay. In the middle lake towers is the
storied island of Talim and beyond it towards north is the distant Antipolo, famous
mountain shrine of the miraculous Lady of Peace and Good Voyage.

In 1876 when he was 15 years old and was a student in the Ateneo de
Manila he remembered his beloved town. He wrote a poem Un Recuerdo A Mi
Pueblo (In Memory of My Town).

Earliest Childhood Memories


The first memory of Rizal, in his infancy, was his happy days in the family
garden. Because he was frail, sickly, and undersized child, he was given the
most tender care by his parents. His father built a nipa cottage in the garden for
him to play in the daytime. Another childhood memory was the daily Angelus
prayer. By nightfall, Rizal related, his mother gathered all the children at the
house to pray the Angelus. With nostalgic feeling, he also remembered the
happy moonlit nights at the azotea after the rosary. The aya related stories to
Rizal children many stories about fairies; tales of buried treasure and trees with
blooming diamonds, and other fabulous stories. Sometimes, when he did not like

39
to take his supper, the aya would treaten him that the aswang, the nuno, the
tigbalang, or a terrible bearded Bombay would come to take him away if he
would not eat his supper. • Another memory of his infancy was the nocturnal walk
in the town, especially when there was a moon. Recounting this childhood
experience, Rizal wrote: “Thus my heart fed on sombre and melancholy thoughts
so that even still a child, I already wandered on wings of fantasy in the high
regions of the unknown.

The Hero’s First Sorrow


The Rizal children were bound together by the ties of love and
companionship. Their parents taught them to love one another, to behave
properly in front of elders, to be truthful and religious, and to help one another.
They affectionately called their father Tatay, and mother Nanay.

Jose was jokingly called Ute by his brother and sisters. The people in
Calamba knew him as Pepe or Pepito. Of his sisters, Jose loved most little
Concha (Concepcion). He was one year older than Concha. He played with her,
and from her, he learned the sweetness of brotherly love. Unfortunately, Concha
died of sickness in 1865 when he was 3 years old. Jose, who was very fond of
her, cried bitterly to lose her.

Devoted Son of Church


Young Rizal was a religious boy.
A scion of a Catholic clan, born and
bred in a wholesome atmosphere of
Catholicism, and possessed of an
inborn spirit, Rizal grew up a good
Catholic. At the age of 3, he began to
take part in the family prayers. When

40
he was five years old, he was able to read haltingly the family bible. He loved to
go to church to pray, to take part in novenas, and to join the religious
processions. It is said that he was so seriously devout that he was laughingly
called Manong Jose by the Hermanos and Hermanas Terceras. One of the men
he esteemed and respected in Calamba during his boyhood was the scholarly
Father Leoncio Lopez, the town priest.

Jose Rizal also owned a pony, which his father bought for him, and used it
to have long rides into the surrounding country which was rich in scenery. He
also took long walks together with his big black dog names Usman. He also
loved to play with the doves in his neighborhood. He learned about the myths
and legends in Laguna after sleeping through the nut in a little straw hut used by
Laguna farmers during the harvest season. Rizal was also good in hand tricks
which he perfected to amaze the simple folk and performed magic lantern
exhibitions.

Rather an introvert child, with a skinny physique and sad dark eyes, he
found great joy looking at the blooming flowers, the ripening fruits, the dancing
waves of the lake, and the milky clouds in the sky; and the listening to the songs
of the birds, the chirping of the cicadas, and the murmurings of the breezes.
In his room, he kept many statuettes which he made out of clay and wax.
At one time, his sisters teased him: “Ute, what are you doing with so many
statuettes?” He replied: “Don’t you know that people will erect monument and
statues in my honor for the future?”

Not only was little Jose skilled in brush, chisel, and pen-knife, but also in
pen. He was born poet. His mother encouraged him to write poetry. At an early
age when children usually begin to learn ABC, he was already writing poems.
The first known poem that he wrote was a Tagalog poem entitled Sa Aking Mga
Kabata (To My Fellow Children). Before he was eight years old, he wrote a
Tagalog drama. This drama was stages in Calamba in connection with the town

41
fiesta.

Even in his childhood, Rizal already knew how to respect the rights of
others and requested his elders to reason with him rather than get mad at him for
small offenses. He became a welcome companion for adults even at his young
age since he respected their moods and was never a hindrance to their activities.

Jose Rizal’s Early Education

Early Education in Calamba and Biñan


Rizal had his early education in Calamba and Biñan. It was a typical
schooling that a son of an ilustrado family received during his time, characterized
by the four R’s- reading, writing, arithmetic, and religion. Instruction was rigid and
strict. Knowledge was forced into the minds of the pupils by means of the tedious
memory method aided by the teacher’s whip. Despite the defects of the Spanish
system of elementary education, Rizal was able to acquire the necessary
instruction preparatory for college work in Manila. It may be said that Rizal, who
was born a physical weakling, rose to become an intellectual giant not because
of, but rather in spite of, the outmoded and backward system of instruction
obtaining in the Philippines during the last decades of Spanish regime.

The Hero’s First Teacher


The first teacher of Rizal was his mother, who was a remarkable woman
of good character and fine culture. On her lap, he learned at the age of three the
alphabet and the prayers. "My mother," wrote Rizal in his student memoirs,
"taught me how to read and to say haltingly the humble prayers which I raised
fervently to God."

As tutor, Doña Teodora was patient, conscientious, and understanding. It

42
was she who first discovered that her son had a talent for poetry. Accordingly,
she encouraged him to write poems. To lighten the monotony of memorizing the
ABC’s and to stimulate her son’s imagination, she related many stories.

As Jose grew older, his parents employed private tutors to give him
lessons at home. The first was Maestro Celestino and the second, Maestro
Lucas Padua. Later, an old man named Leon Monroy, a former classmate of
Rizal’s father, became the boy’s tutor. This old teacher lived at the Rizal home
and instructed Jose in Spanish and Latin. Unfortunately, he did not lived long. He
died five months later. After a Monroy’s death, the hero’s parents decided to
send their gifted son to a private school in Biñan.

Jose Goes to Biñan


One Sunday afternoon in June , 1869, Jose, after kissing the hands of his
parents and a tearful parting from his sister, left Calamba for Biñan. He was
accompanied by Paciano , who acted as his second father. The two brothers
rode in a carromata, reaching their destination after one and one-half hours’
drive. They proceeded to their aunt’s house, where Jose was to lodge. It was
almost night when they arrived, and the moon was about to rise.

That same night, Jose, with his cousin named Leandro, went sightseeing
in the town. Instead of enjoying the sights, Jose became depressed because of
homesickness. "In the moonlight," he recounted, "I remembered my home town,
my idolized mother, and my solicitous sisters. Ah, how sweet to me was
Calamba, my own town, in spite of the fact that was not as wealthy as Biñan."

First Day in Biñan School


The next morning (Monday) Paciano brought his younger brother to the
school of Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz. The school was in the house of the

43
teacher, which was a small nipa hut about 30 meters from the home of Jose’s
aunt. Paciano knew the teacher quite well because he had been a pupil under
him before. He introduced Jose to the teacher, after which he departed to return
to Calamba.Immediately, Jose was assigned his seat in the class. The teacher
asked him:
"Do you know Spanish?"
"A little, sir," replied the Calamba lad.
"Do you know Latin?"
"A little, sir."
The boys in the class, especially Pedro, the teacher’s son laughed at
Jose’s answers. The teacher sharply stopped all noises and begun the lessons of
the day.

Jose described his teacher in Biñan as follows: "He was tall, thin, long-
necked, with sharp nose and a body slightly bent forward, and he used to wear a
sinamay shirt, woven by the skilled hands of the women of Batangas. He knew
by the heart the grammars by Nebrija and Gainza. Add to this severity that in my
judgement was exaggerated and you have a picture, perhaps vague, that I have
made of him, but I remember only this."

First School Brawl


In the afternoon of his first day in school, when the teacher was having his
siesta, Jose met the bully, Pedro. He was angry at this bully for making fun of
him during his conversation with the teacher in the morning. Jose challenged
Pedro to a fight. The latter readily accepted, thinking that he could easily beat the
Calamba boy who was smaller and younger.

The two boys wrestled furiously in the classroom, much to the glee of their
classmates. Jose, having learned the art of wrestling from his athletic Tio
Manuel, defeated the bigger boy. For this feat, he became popular among his

44
classmates.

After the class in the afternoon, a classmate named Andres Salandanan


challenged him to an arm-wrestling match. They went to a sidewalk of a house
and wrestled with their arms. Jose, having the weaker arm, lost and nearly
cracked his head on the sidewalk. In succeeding days he had other fights with
the boys of Biñan. He was not quarrelsome by nature, but he never ran away
from a fight.

Best Student in School


In academic studies, Jose beat all Biñan boys. He surpassed them all in
Spanish, Latin, and other subjects. Some of his older classmates were jealous of
his intellectual superiority. They wickedly squealed to the teacher whenever Jose
had a fight outside the school, and even told lies to discredit him before the
teacher’s eyes. Consequently, the teacher had to punish Jose.

Early Schooling in Biñan


Jose had a very vivid imagination and a very keen sense of observation.
At the age of seven he traveled with his father for the first time to Manila and
thence to Antipolo to fulfill the promise of a pilgrimage made by his mother at the
time of his birth. They embarked in a casco, a very ponderous vessel commonly
used in the Philippines. It was the first trip on the lake that Jose could recollect.
As darkness fell he spent the hours by the katig, admiring the grandeur of the
water and the stillness of the night, although he was seized with a superstitious
fear when he saw a water snake entwine itself around the bamboo beams of the
katig. With what joy did he see the sun at the daybreak as its luminous rays
shone upon the glistening surface of the wide lake, producing a brilliant effect!
With what joy did he talk to his father, for he had not uttered a word during the
night!

45
When they proceeded to Antipolo, he experienced the sweetest emotions
upon seeing the gay banks of the Pasig and the towns of Cainta and Taytay. In
Antipolo he prayed, kneeling before the image of the Virgin of Peace and Good
Voyage, of whom he would later sing in elegant verses. Then he saw Manila, the
great metropolis, with its Chinese sores and European bazaars. And visited his
elder sister, Saturnina, in Santa Ana, who was a boarding student in the
Concordia College.

When he was nine years old, his father sent him to Biñan to continue
studying Latin, because his first teacher had died. His brother Paciano took him
to Biñan one Sunday, and Jose bade his parents and sisters good-bye with tears
in his eyes. Oh, how it saddened him to leave for the first time and live far from
his home and his family! But he felt ashamed to cry and had to conceal his tears
and sentiments. "O Shame," he explained, "how many beautiful and pathetic
scenes the world would witness without thee!"

They arrived at Biñan in the evening. His brother took him to the house of
his aunt where he was to stay, and left him after introducing him to the teacher.
At night, in company with his aunt’s grandson named Leandro, Jose took a walk
around the town in the light of the moon. To him the town looked extensive and
rich but sad and ugly.

His teacher in Biñan was a severe disciplinarian. His name was Justiniano
Aquino Cruz. "He was a tall man, lean and long-necked, with a sharp nose and a
body slightly bent forward. He used to wear a sinamay shirt woven by the deft
hands of Batangas women. He knew by memory the grammars of Nebrija and
Gainza. To this add a severity which, in my judgement I have made of him, which
is all I remember."
The boy Jose distinguished himself in class, and succeeded in surpassing
many of his older classmates. Some of these were so wicked that, even without

46
reason, they accused him before the teacher, for which, in spite of his progress,
he received many whippings and strokes from the ferule. Rare was the day when
he was not stretched on the bench for a whipping or punished with five or six
blows on the open palm. Jose’s reaction to all these punishments was one of
intense resentment in order to learn and thus carry out his father’s will.

Jose spent his leisure hours with Justiniano’s father-in-law, a master


painter. From him he took his first two sons, two nephews, and a grandson. His
way life was methodical and well regulated. He heard mass at four if there was
one that early, or studied his lesson at that hour and went to mass afterwards.
Returning home, he might look in the orchard for a mambolo fruit to eat, then he
took his breakfast, consisting generally of a plate of rice and two dried sardines.

After that he would go to class, from which he was dismissed at ten, then
home again. He ate with his aunt and then began at ten, then home again. He
ate with his aunt and then began to study. At half past two he returned to class
and left at five. He might play for a short time with some cousins before returning
home. He studied his lessons, drew for a while, and then prayed and if there was
a moon, his friends would invite him to play in the street in company with other
boys.

Whenever he remembered his town, he thought with tears in his eyes of


his beloved father, his idolized mother, and his solicitous sisters. Ah, how sweet
was his town even though not so opulent as Biñan! He grew sad and thoughtful.

While he was studying in Biñan, he returned to his hometown now and


then. How long the road seemed to him in going and how short in coming! When
from afar he descried the roof of his house, secret joy filled his breast. How he
looked for pretexts to remain longer at home! A day more seemed to him a day
spent in heaven, and how he wept, though silently and secretly, when he saw the
calesa that was flower that him Biñan! Then everything looked sad; a flower that

47
he touched, a stone that attracted his attention he gathered, fearful that he might
not see it again upon his return. It was a sad but delicate and quite pain that
possessed him.

Rizal in Ateneo
The Jesuits were
considered the best
educators of Spain, and
perhaps of Europe, and so,
when they were permitted
to return to the Philippines,
although their power to
administer parishes was
restricted except in the
remote regions of
Mindanao, the privilege of founding colleges, they had to apply to the City of
Manila for subsidies. That is why the college which began to function in the year
1865, was called the Ateneo Municipal. 

To enter the Ateneo a candidate was subjected to an entrance


examination on Christian doctrine, reading, writing, grammar, and elementary
arithmetic. Jose did not take his entrance examinations Jose did not remain in
Manila but returned first to his town to celebrate the fiesta of its patron saint; it
was then that his father changed his mind and decided to send him to the Ateneo
instead.

Since Mercado, the first surname of the family, had come under suspicion
of the authorities because it was the name used by Paciano when he was
studying and working with Father Burgos, in whose house he lived, Jose adopted
the second surname, Rizal.

48
Paciano who accompanied Jose, found him a house in Walled City, but
Intramuros looked gloomy to Jose, and he later found lodging outside, in the
house of a spinster situated on Calle Carballo, district of Santa Cruz. As if
chance would furnish him data for his future campaigns, he became acquainted
in that house with various mestizos, begotten by friars.

The Jesuitical system of instruction was considered more advanced than


that of other colleges in that epoch. Its discipline was rigid and its methods less
mechanical. It introduced physical culture as part of its program as well as the
cultivation of the arts, such as music, drawing, and painting. It also establishes
vocational courses in agriculture, commerce, and mechanics as a religious
institute, its principal purpose was to mold the character and the will of the boys
to comply more easily with the perceptions of the Church. The students heard
mass before the beginning of the class, which was opened and closed with
prayers.

In the first two terms the classes were divided into groups of interns and
externs: the first constituted the Roman Empire and the second, the Carthaginian
Empire. In each empire there were five dignitaries: Emperor, Tribune, Decurion,
Centurion, and Standard-Bearer. These dignities were won by means of
individual competitions in which it was necessary to catch one’s adversary in
error three times. The empires considered themselves in perpetual warfare, and
when an individual of one empire was caught in error by one belonging to the
enemy empire, a point was counted in favor of the latter. At the end of each week
or two, the points in favor of each were added and the empire, which obtained
more point, was declared winner.

There was a fraternity of Mary and Saint Louis Gonzaga, to which only
those who distinguished themselves in the class for their piety and diligence
could belong. This fraternity met on Sundays and after mass held public

49
programs in which poems were recited or debates were held. With all these
inducements it was only natural that should be a spirit of emulation, a striving to
surpass ones colleagues found in the Ateneo.

The first professor Jose had was Fr. Jose Bech, whom he describes as a
man of high stature; lean body, bent forward; quick gait; ascetic physiognomy,
severe and inspired; small, sunken eyes; sharp Grecian nose; thin lips forming
an arch with its sides directed toward the chin." He was somewhat of a lunatic
and of an uneven humor; sometimes he was hard and little tolerant and at other
times he was gay and playful as a child. Among Jose’s classmates were
Peninsulares and sons of Peninsulares; Francisco G. Oliva, very talented but not
very studious; Joaquin Garrido, endowed with a poor memory but with much
talent and industry; and Gonzalo Marzano, who occupied the throne of Emperor.

From the first days Jose learned to systematize his work; he fixed a
program of what he had to do in the twenty-four hours of the day and did not in
the least deviate from it. Thus he disciplined his will and subjected it to the
commands of his reason. 

As a newcomer, Jose was at first put at the tail of the class, but he was
soon promoted and kept on being promoted so that at the end of one month he
had attained to the rank of Emperor. At the end of the term he obtained marks of
excellent in all the subjects and in the examinations. He had reason to feel proud
of his advancement; and so when he went home on vacation that year, he ran
alone to see his mother in the prison and tell her the happy news.

He must have uttered this exclamation on learning from his mother that
they had played her a mean trick. The judge, who was a blind partisan of the
friars having been a domestic of theirs, told her that if she confessed her
culpability, he would release her at once. With the desire to see her children
again, she pleaded guilty; but the judge, instead of releasing her, convicted her.

50
In a few months the judge asked her forgiveness for what he had done because
according to him his conscience hurt him, but the case had no remedy because it
was already on appeal. 

The second year, Jose had the same professor as in the previous year;
but instead of lodging outside the City, he resided at No. 6 Calle Magallanes. At
the end of the term he obtained a medal, and upon returning to his town, he
again visited his mother in jail alone. This was three months before her release.

The rejoicing that her release produced in his spirit had much influence on
the result of his studies in the third year, for he began to win prizes in the
quarterly examinations. 

About that time, he devoted himself to reading novels, and one of those he
enjoyed most was Dumas’ (father) The Count of Monte Cristo. The sufferings of
the hero of the twelve years. He also asked his father to buy him a copy of The
Universal History by Cesar Cantanu, and according to himself he profited much
from its perusal. 

The family, who saw in Jose great aptitude for study, decided to place him
as intern or boarding student in the college the following year. In the corner of the
dormitory facing the sea and the pier Jose passed his two years of internship.

In the fourth year of his course he had Fr. Francisco Sanchez as


professor. Jose describes him as a model of rectitude, a solicitude, and love for
the student, and his studied mathematics, rhetoric, and Greek, and he must have
progressed much, for at the end of the year he-obtained five medals, which
pleased him immensely because with them I could repay my father somewhat for
his sacrifices.

His aptitude for poetry revealed itself early, and from that time on he did

51
not cease to cultivate it. An incident which demonstrates Jose’s independence of
character took place at this time. Fr. Leoncio Lopez, parish priest of the town,
who was a great friend of his father, also liked Jose as a little friend. He was
cultured but at the same time timid and tender. One day Jose’s mother showed
Father Lopez a poem of his young friend and that the latter must have copied it
from a book. Jose, who heard this, answered the priest violently, for which his
mother reprehended him. Afterward Father Lopez came to know from the Jesuits
themselves that Jose was a pupil who excelled in poetry; and, in spite of his age,
made a trip to Manila expressly to apologize to Jose. That gesture of Father
Lopez’ won him Jose’s esteem and they became good friends again, lending
each other the books they had.

In the fifth years Jose had other professors: Frs. Vilaclara and Mineves.
He studied philosophy, physics, chemistry, and natural history, but his devotion
to poetry was such that his professor in philosophy advised him once to leave it,
which made him cry. But in his rest hours he continued cultivating the Muses
under the direction of his old professor, Father Sanchez. Jose had then written a
short story (leyenda), which was only slightly corrected by his professor, and a
dialogue, which was enacted at the end of the course, alluding to the collegians’
farewell. However, philosophy, just and serve, inquiring into the wherefores of
things, interested him as much as poetry; physics, drawing back the veil that
divine drama of nature was enacted, natural history seemed to him somewhat
uninteresting although he much liked the shells and sometimes imagined seeing
a goddess in each shell he was on the shelf.

Jose was considered small of stature and he tried to correct this defect by
applying himself regularly to gymnastics in the college. He also engaged in other
physical exercises, such as fencing. After his baccalaureate, he surprised his
family with his skill in handling the sword when he gave an exhibition bout with
the best swordsman of the town.

52
He also devoted time to painting and sculpture. In drawing and painting he
was under the guidance and direction of the Ateneo professor, the Peninsula
Don Augustin Saez, who honored him with his affection and consideration
because of his progress. In sculpture his instructor was a Filipino, Romualdo de
Jesus, who felt proud in the last years of his life of having had such an excellent
pupil. 
.

Enrichment Activity 3

Rizal Word Hunt


Directions: Hidden in the puzzle below are 10 terms about Rizal’s family,

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childhood and early education. The terms maybe spelled vertically, backwards or
diagonally. Some letters may be used in more than one term.

ATENEO MUNICIPAL DE MANILA JOSE RIZAL


CALAMBA MERCADO
CONCEPCION SATURNINA
DOMINGO LAMCO TEODORA
FRANCISCO USMAN

V J O C S I C N A R F M J I G I V I J K P I I O
A D N P I C J L I R C A R B J G U N Y K O B F C
H L A O I U J D H A B J H M B N G D E F M K G A
N T I A W E W D T Q A A W Q E B M G E M K M Q L
T J N N A D Q H H A W S E A B R J A L A E A T A
U V I S A T U R N I N A T W A E C B C S D R F M
J D T E D M T J Y E E F D E E N D A H A F V Q B
O H S D F T E U H D D E H D K E W K D L F F F A
S I U F R G K D N S E F N R H T A U I O V E R H
E P J G G Y U U L C F T U F Y C S I C G A J B A
R M G H T H H J U A R G W G U A E L O A V O S E
I U T J H Y H U J U P Y P T D L G O E G W L R B
Z E W K Y H T R H J T I K E O A Y Q D A G W I G
A D D O H U G S N H H U C Y M B J A F R H S B H
L G R Y U J D S F N Y J U I I U O T V D I E T T
M Y C O N C E P C I O N N Y N A L E T O I A Y B
T H U Y Y U S A W K Y Q G V G U P O E H G C R K
R U N H H J W E E Y H A W U O D M D G R U G F O
J J U B U D R W E R U S D N L R E O D C W E V A
N I I B J G C D S E J P E N A E F R E W D W Y E
U K O H W F A E W S J K F U M W G A K N P R B A
A U S M A N S D F C Q H T H C V V M H W E V S W
E G U O R T G E U E W N B I O E S A A A D T D D
T H N K T G J F P Q S J Y O B A R A S D W V A G

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CHAPTER 4:
Rizal’s Life:
Higher
Education and
Life Abroad
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this chapter, students should be able to:
1. Analyze Rizal’s higher education and life education; and
2. Evaluate the people and events and their influence on Rizal’s life
abroad.

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Discusion
His studies continued in UST until he was unhappy at the Dominican
institution. After finishing the 4th year of his medical course in UST, Rizal, being
disgusted with the method of instruction in the Dominican-owned University and
the racial prejudice of Dominican professors against Filipino student, decided to
study abroad. He predicted that his decision of studying abroad would not be
favored by his parents; he did not asked their blessing.

And aside from studying in Spain he was on a secret mission. This


mission was to observe keenly the life and culture, languages and customs,
industries and commerce, and government and laws of the European nations in
order to prepare himself in the great task of liberating his oppressed people from
the Spanish tyranny. The course to Spain is the start of Rizal’s travels.

Departure for Spain


Rizal’s departure for Spain was kept secret to avoid detection by the
Spanish authorities and the friars. Even his own parents did not know because
his mother would not allow him to do so. Only his older brother, his uncle, his
sisters Neneng and Lucia, the Valenzuela family, Pedro Paterno, Mateo
Evangelista, the Ateneo Jesuit fathers, and some intimate friends. The Jesuit
priests gave him letters of recommendation to the members of their Society in
Barcelona. He used the name Jose Mercado.
Before his departure he wrote a farewell letters for his beloved parents and
another for his sweetheart Leonor Rivera.

On May 3, 1882, Rizal departed on board the Spanish steamer Salvadora


bound for Singapore. With tears in his eyes and gloom in his head, he gazed the
receding skyline of Manila. He then took his pencil and paper and sketched it as
it vanished in view.

Singapore To Colombo

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(May 3, 1882) During the voyage he carefully observed the people and things
on board the steamer. There were sixteen passengers. He was the only Filipino
and the rest were Spaniards, British, and Indian Negroes. The captain of the
ship, Donato Lecha befriended Rizal. To kill boredom of the voyage, Rizal played
chess with his fellow passengers. He then defeated them many times, for he was
a good chess player.

On May 9, the Salvadora docked at Singapore. He then stayed at Hotel de la


Paz and spent two days on a sightseeing soiree of the city. He saw the famous
Botanical Garden, the beautiful Buddhist templates, the busy shopping district,
and the statue of Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles, who was the founder of
Singapore.

After days of staying in Singapore, Rizal boarded the ship Djemnah, which
was a French steamer and left Singapore for Europe on May 11. It was a larger
and cleaner vessel which carried more passengers. French was spoken on board
and Rizal attempted to converse with his fellow passengers in French, but he
found out that his book French could not be understood, so he spoke a mixed
Spanish-Latin and with the help sketching on paper. By conversing daily with the
French passengers, he then was able to improve his knowledge of the French
language.

On May 17, the Djemnah reached Point Galle, a seacoast town in southern
Ceylon. Rizal was unimpressed by this town. The following day the voyage
resumed towards Colombo, the capital of Ceylon. After a few hours of sailing,
Rizal reached the city. Rizal was amazed by Colombo because of this scenic
beauty and elegant building.

Through Suez Canal From Colombo, the Djemnah continued the voyage
crossing the Indian Ocean to the Cape coast of Africa. Rizal sighted the barren
coast of Africa, for the first time, which he called an ‘inhospitable land but

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famous’.

The next stopover was in Aden. He found the city, hotter than Manila and
was amused to see the camels for it was also his first time seeing them. From
Aden the ship proceeded to the city of Suez, the Red Sea terminal of Suez
Canal. Upon arrival, Rizal disembarked and went sightseeing. What impressed
him most was the beautiful moonlight which reminded him of Calamba and his
family.

The Djemnah took five days to traverse the Suez Canal. Rizal was thrilled
because it was his first trip through this canal which was build by Ferdinand de
Lasseps. At Port Said, Rizal landed in order to see the interesting sights. He was
fascinated to hear multi-racial inhabitants speaking a wide variety of language.

Naples And Marseille


From Port Said, the ship proceeded on its way to Europe. On June 11,
Rizal reached Naples. This city pleased Rizal because of its business activity, its
lively people and its scenic beauty. He was fascinated by the Mouth Vesuvius,
the Castle of ST. Telmo and other historic sights of the city.

The night of June 12, the steamer docked at the French harbor of
Marseilles. Rizal bid farewell to his fellow passengers. He visited the famous
Chateau d’lf where Dantes, was imprisoned. He stayed two and a half days in
Marseilles. Barcelona

On the afternoon of May 15, Rizal left Marseilles to proceed to Spain via
train. He crossed the Pyrenees and stopped for a day at the frontier town of Port
Bou.

After the passport inspection at Port Bou, Rizal continued his trip by rail,
finally reaching Barcelona on June 16, 1882. His first impression of Barcelona

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was unfavorable. He thought of it as an ugly, dirty and its residents are
inhospitable. Later, he changed his impression and liked the city. He found it as a
great city, with an atmosphere of freedom and liberalism. He also found its
people were open-hearted, hospitable, and courageous. He enjoyed
promenading along Las Ramblas which was the famous street in Barcelona.

Filipinos in Barcelona were some of his classmates in Ateneo, welcomed


him. They gave him a party at café Plaza de Cataluña. After toasts, Rizal in turn
gave them the latest news and gossips in the Philippines.

In Barcelona, Rizal wrote a nationalistic essay entitled “Amor Patrio” which


was his first written article on Spain’s soil. He then sent his article to Basilio
Teodoro Moran, publisher of Diariong Tagalog. Basilio was deeply impressed by
the article congratulated Rizal and asked Rizal to publish more articles.

While living in Barcelona, Rizal received bad news about the cholera
outbreak ravaging Manila and the provinces. Many people died and more were
dying daily. Sad news was that his beloved Leonor Rivera was getting thinner
because of the absence of her loved one. Also, Paciano advised Rizal to
continue his medical course in Madrid. Heeding his advice, Rizal left Barcelona in
the fall of 1882 and proceeded to Madrid.

Madrid, Spain
On November 3, 1882, Rizal enrolled in the Universidad Central de
Madrid. He took up took courses—Medicine and Philosophy and Letters. Aside
from the two major courses, he also studied painting and sculpture in the
Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando; he took lessons in French, German, and
English under private instructors; and assiduously practiced fencing and shooting
in the Hall of Arms of Sanz y Carbonell.

Rizal lived a simple life in Madrid and knew that he came to Spain to study

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and prepare himself for the service of his fatherland. He budgets his money and
time and never wasted a peseta for gambling, wine and women. On Saturday
evening, he visits the home of Don Pablo Ortiga y Rey who lived with his son and
daughter. Don Pablo has been city mayor of Manila.

Rizal then had a love affair with Consuelo Ortiga y Perez, the daughter of
Don Pablo. Rizal, being a lonely man in a foreign country and far from his natal
land, was attracted by Consuelo’s beauty and vivacity. Their love did not flourish
because he was still engaged to Leonor Rivera and a friend of Rizal is also in-
love with Consuelo. First Visit to Paris.

On June 1883, Rizal left Madrid to visit Paris. He stayed at the Hotel de
Paris but then moved to a cheaper hotel. Like all tourists, Rizal was charmingly
titillated by the attractive scenery of Paris such as the beautiful boulevards, the
Opera House, the Place de la Concorde, the Arch of Triumph, the Bois de
Boulogne, the Madelaine Church, the Cathedral of Notre Dame, the Column of
Vendome, the Invalides, and the Versailes. Rizal closely observed the French
way of life and spending many hours at the museums.

In Spain, he became close with prominent Spanish liberal and republican


Spaniards, who were mostly Masons. Rizal was impressed by the way the
Spanish Masons openly and freely criticized the government policies and
lambasted the friars. In March 1883, he joined the Masonic lodge called Acacia in
Madrid. His reason for joining was to secure Freemasonry’s aid in his fight
against the friars in the Philippines. Later he was transferred to Lodge
Solidaridad where he became a Master Mason on November 15, 1890. Still later,
he was awarded the diploma as Master Mason by Le Grand Orient de France in
Paris.

After departure for Spain, things turned from bad to worse in Calamba.
Harvests failed on account of drought and locusts. Also the Dominican-owned

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hacienda increased the rentals of the lands cultivated by the Rizal family. Due to
these crises, allowances of Rizal were many times late or sometimes never
arrived, causing too much suffering to him.

And on November 20, 21 and 22, 1884, Rizal was involved in student
demonstrations. They were fighting for Dr. Miguel Morayta who proclaimed that
“the freedom of science and the teacher”. Such liberal view was condemned by
the Catholic bishops of Spain.

On June 21, 1884 Rizal completed his medical course in Spain. He was
conferred the degree of Licentiate in Medicine by the Universidad Central de
Madrid. In the next academic year, he studied and passed all subjects leading to
the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Rizal also finished his studies in Philosophy
and Letters with excellent ratings.

First Visit To Paris To Berlin


After completing his studies in Spain, Rizal went to Paris and Germany for
his specialization in ophthalmology. He chose this course of medicine because
he wanted to cure his mother’s growing eye ailment. He still hasn’t forgotten his
‘secret mission’—to observe the customs and lifestyle of the Europeans so that
someday he will render service to his fatherland.

In 1885, after completing his studies at Central University of Madrid, he


went to Paris in order to acquire more knowledge in ophthalmology. He was 24
then. He stopped over at Barcelona, on his way to Paris, to visit his friend
Maximo Viola who is also a medical student and a member of a rich family in
Bulacan. And on the November of that year, Rizal was living in Paris where he
sojourned for about four months. He worked as an apprentice of Dr. Louis de
Weckert, who is a then, a leading French ophthalmologist. And with his master,
his knowledge in ophthalmology improved. While not working at Dr. Weckert’s
clinic, Rizal visited his friends, such as the family of Pardo de Taveras, Juan

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Luna and Felix Resurreccion, Hidalgo.

Rizal spent many happy hours in the studio of Luna. Luna discussed with
Rizal various problems on art and improved his own painting technique. Rizal
posed to some painting of Luna. He was one of the Egyptian priests in Luna’s
painting “The Death of Cleopatra”. Heidelberg

Rizal left Paris on February 1, 1886, after acquiring enough experience in


the clinic of Dr. Weckert. He was set to go to Germany. He visited Strasbourg
and other German towns.

On February 3, 1886, he arrived in Heidelberg, a historic city in Germany


famous for its old university and romantic surroundings.  He lived in a boarding
house with some German law students. The German students found out that
Rizal was a good chess player and made him a member of the Chess Player’s
Club. After a few days, he was transferred to a boarding house which was near
University of Heidelberg. He worked at the University Eye Hospital under the
direction of Dr. Otto Becker and attended the lectures of Doctor Becker and Prof.
Wilhelm Kuehne at the university.

At weekends he visited the scenic spots around Heidelberg which includes


the Heidelberg Castle, the romantic Neckar Rivera, the theater, and the old
churches. Rizal noticed that the German Catholics and the Protestants practiced
ecumenism wherein they live together in harmony and cordiality.

On April 22, 1886, spring on Heidelberg, he wrote a poem to the beautiful


blooming flowers at the Neckar River. Among those was his favorite flower—the
forget-me-not.

Rizal then spent three-month summer vacation at Wilhelmsfeld, a


mountainous village close to Heidelberg. He stayed at the vicarage of a kind

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Protestant pastor, Dr. Karl Ullmer. He was very delighted in his stay at the
Ullmers.

On July 31, 1886, Rizal wrote his first letter in German to Professor
Ferdinand Blumentritt. Rizal heard that Blumentritt was interested in the
Philippine languages. Along with the letter was a book entitled Aritmetica.
Delighted with Rizal, Blumentritt send gift books to Rizal. This marked the
beginning of their long and frequent correspondence.

Rizal was fortunate to be sojourning in Heidelberg when the famous


University of Heidelberg held its fifth centenary celebration on August 6 of 1886.
It was three days before his departure and he was sad because he had come to
love the land and the beautiful city.

Leipzig and Dresden


On August 9, 1886, three days after the fifth centenary of the University of
the Heidelberg, Rizal left the city. He boarded a train and visited various cities of
Germany until arriving in Leipzig on August 14, 1886. He attended some lectures
in the University of Leipzig and befriended Professor Friedrich Ratzel, a famous
German historian, and Dr. Hans Meyer, German anthropologist.

Rizal translated William Tell from German to Filipino so that Filipinos might
know the story of that champion of Swiss independence. He also translated into
Filipino Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales.

Cost of living in Leipzig is the cheapest in Europe so he stayed there for


two months and a half. During his stay, he corrected some chapters in his
second novel and also had time for exercise. He also worked as a proof-reader in
a publishing firm and earning some money.

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Rizal left Leipzig to set course on Dresden on October 29, 1886. At
Dresden, Rizal met Dr. Adolph Meyer, the director of the Anthropological and
Ethnological Museum. He stayed only two days in the city. He heard the Holy
Mass in a Catholic church which greatly impressed him, for he wrote “Truly I
have never in my life heard a Mass whose music had greater sublimity and
intonation”. Morning of November 1, Rizal left Dresden by train reaching Berlin in
the evening.

Berlin
Rizal liked Berlin because of its atmosphere which was very scientific and
the absence of race prejudice. Also, here he met Dr. Feodor Jagor author of
Travels in the Philippines, a book that Rizal admired because of its keen
observances in the Philippine setting. Dr. Jagor in turn, introduced Rizal to Dr.
Rudolf Virchow, a famous anthropologist and to his son, Dr. Hans Virchow,
professor of Descriptive Anatomy. Rizal worked in the clinic of Dr. Karl Ernest
Schweigger, a famous German ophthalmologist.

Rizal was the first Asian to be accorded with honors for being a member of
the Anthropological Society, the Ethnological Society, and the Geographical
Society of Berlin. Dr. Virchow recognized Rizal’s genius, invited him to give a
lecture before the Ethnographic Society of Berlin. Rizal wrote a scholarly paper
entitled Taglische Verkunst (Tagalog Metrical Art) which elicited favorable
comments from all scientific quarters.

Rizal led a methodological life in Berlin. He worked as an assistant by day,


and attended lectures at night. He kept himself physically fit by daily exercises
and speaking German, French and Italian. Rizal took private lessons in the
French language under Madame Lucie Cerdole in order to master the French
language.

He spends his leisure moments touring the country sides of Berlin and

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observing the culture and life of the people. He also made sketches of the things
he saw. About observing culture, Rizal greatly admired the German Yuletide
custom, wherein Germans would take bushes from a pine tree and dress it up
with lanterns, papers and candies. Another interesting custom in Germany is
that, when a man has nobody to introduce him to the other guests, he bows his
head to the guests and introduces himself to the other guests and shakes hands
of everyone in the room.

Not all the experiences of Rizal in Germany were good, there is this one
winter time wherein he lived in poverty because no money arrived from Calamba
and he was flat broke. During that time, he only eats one meal a day and had to
wash his clothes himself because he could not afford to pay the laundry. On
Calamba, Paciano tried to raise money but crops have failed due to locusts and
the sugar market collapsed. He spends his leisure moments touring the country
sides of Berlin and observing the culture and life of the people. He also made
sketches of the things he saw. About observing culture, Rizal greatly admired the
German Yuletide custom, wherein Germans would take bushes from a pine tree
and dress it up with lanterns, papers and candies. Another interesting custom in
Germany is that, when a man has nobody to introduce him to the other guests,
he bows his head to the guests and introduces himself to the other guests and
shakes hands of everyone in the room.

Not all the experiences of Rizal in Germany were good, there is this one
winter time wherein he lived in poverty because no money arrived from Calamba
and he was flat broke. During that time, he only eats one meal a day and had to
wash his clothes himself because he could not afford to pay the laundry. On
Calamba, Paciano tried to raise money but crops have failed due to locusts and
the sugar market collapsed.

Noli Me Tangere published in Berlin


Noli Me Tangere during Rizal’s stay in Berlin was unable to be published.

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But with the help of Maximo Viola, who gave him the necessary funds to publish
the novel, Noli Me Tangere was published. Viola loaned Rizal money for
publishing and for Rizal’s living expenses. With that, Rizal and Viola happily
celebrated the Christmas of 1886 in Berlin.

During the printing of the Noli, the chief of police Berlin paid a sudden visit
to Rizal’s boarding house. The chief asked for Rizal’s passport, but Rizal couldn’t
show any. The chief told him to secure a passport within four days, otherwise he
would be deported.

Rizal failed in obtaining his passport and presented himself at the German
police office, politely apologizing for his failure. The police then told him that Rizal
was suspected as a French spy because he came fro Paris and knew the
language of the French people so well. Rizal explained in German to the police
that he was not a French spy, but a Filipino physician and scientist. With that, he
was allowed to stay freely in Germany.

On March 21, 1887, the Noli Me Tangere came off the printing press.
Rizal immediately sent copies to his intimate friends, including Blumentritt, Dr.
Antonio Jaena, Mariano Ponce, and Felix R. Hidalgo. As a token of his
appreciation and gratitude, Rizal gave Viola the galley proofs of Noli carefully
rolled around the pen that he used in writing. It also has a dedication “To my dear
friend, Maximo Viola, the first to read and appreciate my work—Jose Rizal.”

Noli Me Tangere was solely dedicated to the Philippines. He described the


Philippines as a patient with cancer that even with the most careful touch; it
awakens in it the sharpest pains.
The friends of Rizal hailed the novel, appreciated its content and deeply
touched and awakened by its fine truth. Of all the congratulatory letters received
by Rizal about Noli, that from Blumentritt was significant. “First of all” wrote
Blumentritt, “accept my cordial congratulations for your beautiful novel about

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customs which interests me extraordinarily. Your work, as we Germans say, has
been written with the blood of the heart, and so the heart also speaks. I continue
reading it with much interest…”

Grand Tour of Europe


After the publication of Noli, Rizal planned to visit the important places in
Europe. Rizal received his money from Paciano worth 1,000 pesos. He
immediately paid viola the sum of 300 pesos from his kind loan.

At dawn of May 11, 1887, Rizal and Viola left Berlin by train. Spring was in
the air and Europe is blooming with flowers. Their destination was Dresden, “One
of the best cities in Germany”.

Dresden
Rizal and Viola spent some time in Dresden. Their visit coincided with the
regional floral exposition. Rizal studied different plants because he was
interested in botany. They visited Dr. Adolph B. Meyer, who was overjoyed to see
them. They also visited the Museum of Art and Rizal was deeply impressed by
the painting of “Prometheus Bound”, a Greek mythological tragedy.

While strolling at the scene of the Floral Exposition, they met Dr. Jagor.
Dr. Jagor advised them to wire Blumentritt of their coming because the old
professor was of a nervous disposition and he might suffer a shock at their
sudden visit. Their next stopover was Teschen. Rizal and Viola sent a wire to
Blumentritt, as suggested by Dr. Jagor.

Rizal and Viola spent some time in Dresden. Their visit coincided with the
regional floral exposition. Rizal studied different plants because he was
interested in botany. They visited Dr. Adolph B. Meyer, who was overjoyed to see
them. They also visited the Museum of Art and Rizal was deeply impressed by

67
the painting of “Prometheus Bound”, a Greek mythological tragedy.

While strolling at the scene of the Floral Exposition, they met Dr. Jagor.
Dr. Jagor advised them to wire Blumentritt of their coming because the old
professor was of a nervous disposition and he might suffer a shock at their
sudden visit.

Their next stopover was Teschen. Rizal and Viola sent a wire to
Blumentritt, as suggested by Dr. Jagor.

Blumentritt and Leitmeritz


At 1:30 p.m. of May 13, 1887, the train with Rizal and Viola on board
arrived at the railroad station of Leitmeritz, Bohemia. Professor Blumentritt waited
for them in the station after he received the wire. He was carrying a pencil sketch
of Rizal which the letter had previously sent him, so that he could identify his
Filipino friend. He warmly welcomed Rizal and Viola.

For the first time, Rizal and Blumentritt met each other. They greeted each
other in fluent German. Upon seeing the talented Rizal, the old professor
immediately took him into heart, loving him as a son.

Rizal had beautiful memories of his visit to Leitmeritz. He enjoyed the


warm hospitality and enjoyed the cooking of the professor’s wife Rosa.
Blumentritt’s children were Dolores, Conrad, and Fritz. Blumentritt showed the
scenic sights and historical spots of Leitmeritz.

One afternoon he invited them to a beer garden where the best beer of
Bohemia was served. At the beer garden, they met the burgomaster or the town
mayor. Blumentritt introduced the two to the burgomaster. Rizal talked in fluent
German, for which the burgomaster and his friends were amazed.
On another afternoon, Rizal and Viola were invited to a meeting o the

68
Tourists’ Club of Leitmeritz, of Blumentritt was secretary. The members of the
society were amazed by the fluency of Rizal in German.

Rizal painted a portrait of the kind professor and gave it to him as a


commemoration of his happy hours at the professor’s home.

Rizal also met another renowned scientist of Europe namely, Dr. Carlos
Czepelak. Rizal had a nice conversation with the Polish scholar. Blumentritt also
introduced Rizal to Professor Robert Klutschak, an eminent naturalist.

On their last night in Leitmeritz, Rizal and Viola, reciprocated Blumentritt’s


hospitality with a banquet. On May 16, at 9:45 A.M., Rizal and Viola left
Leitmeritz by train. Blumentritt and his family were at the railroad station to see
them off, and they all shed tears in parting as the train departed.  Rizal carried
with him all the beautiful memories of his visit to Leitmeritz.

History City of Prague


After their stay at Leitmeritz, Rizal together with Viola visited the city of
Prague. They carried recommendation letters from Blumentritt to Dr. Willkomm, a
professor of natural history in the University of Prague. The kind-hearted
professor together with his wife and daughters welcomed them and showed them
the city’s historic spots.

Rizal and Viola visited the tomb of Copernicus, the museum of natural
history, the bacteriological laboratories, the famous cave where San Juan
Nepomuceno was imprisoned, and the bridge from which the saint was hurled
into the river.

After their stay at the home of the Willkomms, Rizal and Viola left Prague
and went to Brunn.
Queen of the Danube

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On May 20, Rizal and Viola arrived in the beautiful Vienna. Famous in
songs and story, this city very much fascinated Rizal because of its beautiful
buildings, religions images and charm. Rizal and Viola presented a letter of
recommendation, from Blumentritt, to Norfenfals, one of the greatest novelists in
Europe during that time. The great novelist was impressed by Rizal’s genius.
Later he spoke highly of Rizal.

Also in Vienna, Rizal received his lost diamond stickpin. It was found by a
main in Hotel Krebs and was given to Blumentritt who, in turn, forwarded it to
Rizal.
The two stayed at Hotel Metropole. They visited the city’s interesting places,
such as churches, museums, art galleries, theaters and parks.

Lintz
On May 24, Rizal and Viola left Vienna on a river boat to see the beautiful
sights of the Danube Rivera. As they both travel with boat, Rizal observed the
different sights like the barges loaded with products, the flowers and plants
growing along the river banks, the boats with families living on them, and the
quaint villages on the riversides. They also noticed that the passengers were
using paper napkins during meals.

To Rheinfall, To Salzburg, To Munich & Nuremberg


The river voyage ended in Lintz. They traveled overland to Salzburg and
from there to Munich where they sojourned for a short time to savor the famous
Munich beer, reputed to be the best in Germany.

From Munich they went to Nuremberg, an old city of Germany. Among the
sights were the horrible torture machines used by the Inquisition, in which Rizal
examined carefully. Viola and Rizal were greatly impressed by the manufacture
of dolls in Nuremberg.
After Munich, they visited Ulm. The cathedral of this city was the largest

70
and the tallest in all Germany. Viola related that he and Rizal climbed its many
hundred steps. Viola getting dizzy, but Rizal was not.

From Ulm, they went to Stuttgart, Baden and then Rheinfall. At Rheinfall,
they saw the waterfall which was the most beautiful waterfall of Europe.

Switzerland
From Rheinfall, they crossed the frontier to Schaffhausen, Switzerland.
They stayed in this city from June 2 to 3, 1887. They then continued their tour to
Basel, Bern, and Lausanne.

After sightseeing in Lausanne, Rizal and Viola left on a little boat, crossing
the foggy Leman Lake to Geneva.

GenevaRizal and Viola visited Geneva. This Swiss city is one of the most
beautiful cities in Europe which was visited by world tourist every year. The
people of Geneva were linguists, speaking French, German, and Italian. Rizal
conversed with them in these three languages.

Rizal and Viola also went boating on the lake. Rizal showed his rowing
prowess which he acquired during his boyhood days in Calamba.

On June 19, 1887, it was Rizal’s 26th birthday and treated Viola to a blow-
out. Rizal and Viola spent fifteen days in Geneva. On June 23, they parted ways.
Viola decided to return to Barcelona while Rizal continued his tour to Italy.

Madrid Exposition
During his tour in Europe, Rizal received sad news from his friends in
Madrid of the deplorable conditions of primitive Igorots who were exhibited in this
expositions, some of whom died and whose clothing are inappropriate for the
climate of Madrid, and crude weapons were objects of mockery and laughter by

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the Spanish people and press. Rizal being a champion of human dignity was
outrageous.

Italy
Rizal went to Italy. He visited Turin, Milan, Venice and Florence. On June
27, 1887, he reached Rome. He was thrilled by the sights and memories of the
Eternal City—Rome.

On June 29th, Rizal visited for the first time the Vatican, the “City of the
Popes” and the capital Christendom. He was impressed by the magnificent
edifices, particularly of St. Peter’s Church which was also his feast day during
that time.

Every night, after sightseeing the whole day, Rizal returned to his hotel,
very tired. “I am tired as a dog,” he wrote to Blumentritt, “but I will sleep as a
god”.

After a week of staying in Rome, he prepared to return to the Philippines.


He had already written to his father that he was coming home. First Homecoming

From 1882 to 1887, Rizal was in Europe studying. There he was allured,
fascinated and have all the beautiful memories throughout his sojourn. But this
will not make Rizal forget his fatherland and his nationality. After 5 years of
memorable adventure in Europe, he returned to the Philippines in August 1887
and practiced medicine in Calamba.

Although his life is threatened because his Noli Me Tangere caused


uproar especially among the friars, he insists on returning home. He has his
reasons of coming home, one is that he wants to operate his mother’s eyes;
another is that he wants to know how his novel affected the life of the Filipino.

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Rizal left Rome by train for Marseilles and on July 3, 1887 he boarded the
steamer Djemnah which was the same steamer he boarded five years ago. The
steamer was enroute to the Orient via the Suez Canal. Rizal saw this canal for
the second time.

On July 30, he transferred to another steamer in Saigon to steamer


Haiphong which was bound to Manila. On August 2, the steamer left Saigon for
Manila.

Arrival at Manila
On August 5, the Haiphong arrived in Manila and he went ashore with a
happy heart for he was once again in Filipino soil. He stayed in the city for a short
time to visit some friends and observed that Manila was the same five years ago.

Home in Calamba
On August 8, he returned to Calamba. His family welcomed him
affectionately. The rejoicing returns over when his family became worried of his
safety. Paciano did not leave him during the first days because he wants to
protect him from any enemy assault. Even his own father would not let him go
out alone.

In Calamba he established a medical clinic and his first patient was his
mother, who was that time almost blind. The news of a great doctor from
Germany spread far and wide. Patients from Manila and the provinces flocked to
Calamba to have a consultation to Rizal. His fees were reasonable, within a
month he was able to earn about 900 pesos.

He also opened a gymnasium for young folks where he introduced


European sports. He tried to interest his townies in gymnastics, fencing, and
shooting and discourage cockfights and gambling.

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Rizal failed to see Leonor Rivera, his loved one.

A few weeks after his arrival, he received a letter from Governor General
Emilio Terrero requesting him to come to Malacañang Palace. Rizal went to
Manila and appeared before Gov.Gen. Terrero and denied the acquisitions of the
Governor General. He explained that it was merely an exposition of truth, but he
did not advocate rebellious ideas. The governor was pleased by his explanation
and asked for a copy of Noli so that he could read it. Rizal had no copy that time
but promised it to the governor general once he secured a copy of it.

Rizal found a copy in the hands of a friend. He was able to give it to


governor general Terrero. The governor general knew that Rizal’s life was in
jeopardy because the friars were powerful. He then assigned a young Spanish
lieutenant as a bodyguard of Rizal.

Farewell Again
Rizal’s novel caused uproar among the friars. Anonymous threats against
Rizal’s life were received by his parents. Feeling uneasy with the situation, they
advised him to go away for his life was in danger.

Governor General Terrero summoned Rizal and advised him to leave the
Philippines for his own good. He was giving Rizal a change to escape the fury of
the friar’s wrath.

Rizal really needs to go because he could not disobey the governor


general’s orders. Rizal left Calamba in 1888.

Hong Kong
Haunted by enemies and threatened by friars, Rizal was forced to leave
Philippines for the second time. It was February 1888 then. Rizal at 27 was an
embittered victim of human iniquities, a disillusioned dreamer, and a frustrated

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reformer. This was the start of Rizal’s second travel.

On February 3, 1888, after six months of stay in Calamba, Rizal left


Manila for Hong Kong on board the Zafiro. He was sad and sick during the
crossing of the choppy China Sea. He did not get off the ship when it made a
stopover at Amoy, because he was sick, it was raining and the city was dirty. He
arrived in Hong Kong on February 8.

In Hong Kong, Rizal stayed at Victoria Hotel. He was welcomed by the


Filipino community in Hong Kong. During this time, a Spaniard, Jose Varanda,
was shadowing Rizal’s movements in Hong Kong. It is believed that he was
ordered to spy on Rizal. Macao

On February 18, Rizal accompanied by Basa, boarded the ferry steamer


Kiu-Kiang for Macao. He was surprised to see a familiar figure among the
passengers—Sainz de Varanda.

Rizal described Macao as a small, low and gloomy. There are many junks,
sampans, but few steamers, it looks sad and is almost dead-like.

The two stayed in at the home of Don Juan Francisco Lecaros who was
married to a Portuguese lady.

During his two day stay in Macao, he visited the theater, casino, cathedral
and churches, pagodas and botanical gardens and the bazaars. He also saw the
famous Grotto of Camoens.

In the evening of February 19, he witnessed a Catholic procession


wherein the devotees were dressed in blue and purple dresses and were
carrying unlighted candles.

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On February 20, Rizal and Basa returned to Hong Kong on board the ferry
steamer Kiu-Kiang.

A Landmark in Honor of Rizal’s Visit in Hong KongRizal stayed in Hong


Kong for two weeks. There he studied the Chinese way of life, language, drama
and customs.

Rizal noticed some experiences and wrote them in his diary. Some of
them include the noisy celebration of the Chinese New Year which lasted from
February 11th to 13th. There were continuous explosion of firecrackers and he
himself fired many at the window of his hotel. He also observed the boisterous
Chinese theater, the marathon Lauriat party, which was the longest meal in the
world; the Dominican Order was the richest religious order in Hong Kong, and the
cemeteries.

On February 22, 1888, Rizal left Hong Kong on board the Oceanic, an
American steamer and his destination was Japan. Rizal did not like the meals on
board but liked the ship because it was clean and efficiently managed.

Japan
Among the happiest moments of Rizal in his life was his sojourn in the
Land of the Cherry Blossoms. He stayed in Japan for one month and a half from
February 28 to April 13, 1888. He was charmed by the natural beauty of Japan,
the manners of the Japanese people and the picturesque of shrines. He also fell
in love with a Japanese girl, who loveliness infused joy and romance in his
sorrowing heart.

Morning of Tuesday, February 28, 1888, Rizal arrived at Yokohama and


stayed in the Grand Hotel. The following day, he moved to Tokyo and took a
room at the Tokyo Hotel where he stayed from March 2 to 7. He was impressed
by the city of Tokyo.

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After his arrival in Tokyo, Rizal was visited by Juan Perez caballero,
secretary of Spanish Legation. The latter invited him to live at the Spanish
Legation. Rizal knew that this was the Spanish government’s way of monitoring
Rizal but he accepted anyways.

On March 7, he moved out of Tokyo Hotel and lived at the Spanish


Legation. He and Perez Caballero became good friends and described him as a
young, fine and an excellent writer.

During his first day in Tokyo, Rizal could talk the Japanese language. He
had a hard time for shopping for he could not be understood and children
laughed at him. With his situation, Rizal decided to study the Japanese language.
He was able to speak within a few days.

At Japan he studied the Japanese drama, arts, music, and judo. He also
visited museums, libraries, art galleries, and shrines. He visited Meguro, Nikko,
Hakone, Miyanoshita, and the charming villages of Japan.

During one time, Rizal went to the park and heard the Tokyo band playing
a classical work of Strauss. He was impressed by the great performances of the
Western music. He thought to himself how admirable their renditions are and
wondered how they have assimilated the modern European music to the extent
of playing the beautiful masterpieces of the European composers so well. The
band stopped playing and to his surprised they were speaking Tagalog. He
approached them and conversed with them. The musicians were delighted and
also surprised to meet him.

Rizal was greatly impressed by Japan. Among of which are the natural
beauty of the country, the cleanliness and politeness of the people, the
picturesque dress and simple charm of the Japanese women, there were few
thieves in Japan, and beggars were rarely seen in the city streets. However, he

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disliked the rickshaws drawn by men.

Sayonara Japan and Seiko Usui


Rizal met a pretty Japanese girl. Her name was Seiko Usui. Rizal fell in
love with Seiko. He affectionately called her O-Sei-San. Both found happiness in
each other’s company. Affinity of interest in the arts paved the way for their
romance. Rizal saw in lovely O-Sei-San the qualities of his ideal womanhood—
beauty, charm, modesty, and intelligence.

O-Sei-San’s beauty and affection almost tempted Rizal to settle down in


Japan. At the same time, he was offered a good job by the Spanish Legation. But
then, his love for the fatherland and his mission to free his oppressed people
made him think again.

Rizal’s great love for Seiko Usui and Japan will be memories that he will
always cherish, but it was his time to go.

On April 13, 1888, Rizal boarded the Belgic, an English steamer, at


Yokohama, bound for the United States. He left Japan with a heavy heart for he
knew that he will never see this beautiful land again, so as his beloved O-Sei-
San. His sojourn in Japan for 45 days was one of the happiest interludes of his
life.

Across the Pacific


Despite his sorrowing heart, Rizal enjoyed the pleasant trans-Pacific
voyage to the United States. One day one of the children on board the ship
asked Rizal if he knew a man in Manila named “Richal”. Rizal replied that he was
“Richal”. In his amazement, the boy rushed to his mother and informing her that
the famous man is their fellow passenger, the mother felt proud that they were
travelling with a celebrity.

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Another passenger Rizal befriended on board was Tetcho Suehiro, a
Japanese journalist, novelist and a champion of human rights, who was forced by
the Japanese government to leave the country. He was alone at the beginning of
the voyage for he knew that he was only person in the ship who speaks
Japanese. Rizal knew about this and befriended him and acted as his interpreter
during their long trip from Yokohama to San Francisco, across the U.S. to New
York until they reached London, where they parted.

Rizal told Tetcho the story of his life and his mission to emancipate his
oppressed fellowmen from Spanish tyranny. Tetcho was fascinated by Rizal’s
admirable character and influenced him to fortify his own crusade for human
rights in his own country.

On December 1, 1888 after a last handshake of their eight months of


friendship and bidding each other goodbye, Rizal and Tetcho parted ways—
never to meet again.

Visit to the United States


Rizal first saw America on April 28, 1888. His arrival was marred by racial
prejudice for he saw the discriminatory treatment of the Chinese and the Negroes
by the white Americans.

Rizal had good and bad impressions of the United States. The good were
the material progress of the country, the drive and energy of the American
people, the natural beauty of the land, the high standard of living and the
opportunities for better life offered to poor immigrants. On bad impression was
the lack of racial equality. There existed racial prejudice which was inconsistent
with the principles of democracy and freedom of which Americans talk so much
but do not practice.

Rizal’s trip to America started on April 28, 1888 to May 16, 1888.

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San Francisco
The steamer Belgic docked at the San Francisco on Saturday morning,
April 28, 1888. All passengers were not allowed to land. The American health
authorities placed the ship under quarantine on the ground it came from the Far
east where a cholera epidemic was alleged to be raging. Rizal was surprised
because he knew there was no Cholera epidemic at that time. He joined other
passengers protesting the unjustifiable action of the health authorities. Later, the
American consul in Japan had given the ship a clean bill of health.

He soon discovered that the quarantine was motivated by politics because


the ship was carrying 653 Chinese coolies.

On Friday afternoon, May 4, 1888, he was permitted to go ashore and


then he registered for a room at the Palace Hotel. Rizal stayed in San Francisco
for two days from May 4 to 6.

On May 6, Rizal left San Francisco for Oakland, nine miles across San
Francisco Bay by ferry boat. On May 7, he awoke and had a good breakfast at
Reno, Nevada.

On May 8, Rizal was in the state of Utah. From Ogden, they went to
Denver.

On May 9, they were passing through the mountains and rocks along the
river. They woke up at Colorado, which he described as a state with a lot of
trees.

On May 10, they arrived at Nebraska then to Omaha, which was a big city.
They passed the Missouri River and arrived at Illinois.

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On May 11, they arrived at Chicago. He observed that every store in
Chicago are selling cigars and has Indian figures.
May 12 they arrived at Wagner Car which he described as beautiful and
well populated. They arrived at the English territory in the afternoon, and saw the
Niagara Falls. They had a stopover to see some sights and went to the side
below the Niagara Falls.

On May 13, they arrived at Albany which was a big city. The Hudson River
runs along and carries many boats. The sights here were beautiful although more
solitary than those of Pasig.

The grand transcontinental trip ended on Sunday, May 13, at 11:00 A.M.

On Sunday morning, May 13, Rizal arrived at New York, which marks the
end of his trip to America. He stayed three days in this city and visited some
scenic and historic places. He was awed and inspired by the memorial of George
Washington.

On May 16, 1888 he left New York for Liverpool on board the City of
Rome. He was on board in a steamer which was “the second largest ship in the
world”—the Great Eastern. He saw the colossal Statue of Liberty on Bedloe
Island as the ship steamed out of New York.

Once Again in London


Rizal lived in London from May, 1888 to March 1889. He chose this
English city because of three reasons:

1.    To improve his knowledge of the English language,


2.    To Study and annotate Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, which he
heard to be available in the British Museum and

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3.    London was a safe place from the attacks of Spanish tyranny.

Across the Atlantic


The trans-Atlantic voyage was a pleasant one. He won many friends of
different nationalities on board the palatial City of Rome because of his ability as
linguist. Rizal entertained the passengers with his marvelous skill with the yo-yo.
He used it as an offensive weapon instead of a toy.

Rizal arrived at Liverpool, England on May, 1888. He stayed one day in


Liverpool spending the night at Adelphi Hotel. He described it as a big and
beautiful city.

Life in London
On May 25, 1888, Rizal went to London. For a short time, he stayed at the
home of Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor– a lawyer in London. By the end of May he was
a boarder of the Beckett family. His home was located near public parks and
within easy walking distance to the British Museum. He spent most of his time in
the British Museum studying the book of Morga’s Sucesos and other rare
historical books about the Philippines.

Gertrude Beckette, Rizal's Love Interulde in LondonHe spent his Sundays


at the house of Dr. Rost, the librarian of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and an
authority on Malayan languages and customs. Dr. Rost was greatly impressed by
Rizal’s knowledge and character and gladly recommended him to the authorities
of the British Museum. He called Rizal “a pearl of a man”.

For ten months, Rizal was deeply immersed in his historical studies in
London. During that time, his compatriots in Spain were waging the crusade for
Philippine reforms.

Visiting Paris & SpainIn September of 1888, he visited Paris for a week for

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him to search for more historical materials in the Bibliotheque Nationale. He was
entertained by Juan Luna and his wife. After reading over the old books, he
returned to London.

On December 11, 1888, he went to Spain visiting Madrid and Barcelona.


He contacted his compatriots and surveyed the political situation. For the first
time, he met Marcelo H. Del Pilar and Mariano Ponce, the two titans of
Propaganda Movement. He exchanged ideas with these new friends and
promised to cooperate in the fight for reforms.

Christmas in London
Rizal returned to London on December 24 and spent Christmas and New
Year’s Day with the Becketts. Rizal liked Christmas Eves because it reminded
him of many good days of his infancy and also Christ was born. Rizal received
from Mrs. Beckett a book entitled The Life and Adventures of Valentine Vox, the
Ventriloquist.

During his stay at London, he became the honorary president of a patriotic


society cooperating for reforms called Asociacion La Dolidaridad. It was
inaugurated on December 31, 1888. Rizal also wrote his first article in La
Solidaridad, a patriotic newspaper founded by Graciano Lopez Jaena, entitled
Los Agricultores Filipinos which was published on March 25, 1889.

Rizal wrote several works while in London. These writings includes: La


Vision del Fray Rodriguez, Letter to the Young Women of Malolos, and he also
contributed some articles to Dr. Rost’s journal entitled Specimens of Tagal
Folklore and Two Eastern Fables. Rizal also fell in-love with one of the three
Beckett sisters—Gertrude.

On March 19, 1889, Rizal bade goodbye to the Beckett family and left
London for Paris. He was sad as he crossed the English Channel for he

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cherished many beautiful memories in London. Second Homecoming

In May, 1892, Rizal made up his mind to return to Manila. He gave two
letters, which were sealed and inscribed on it “to be opened after my death”, to
his friend Dr. Marques for safekeeping.

At noon of June 26, 1892, Rizal and his sister Lucia arrived in Manila. He
stayed in Hotel de Oriente which was facing the church of Binondo.

On June 27, Rizal boarded a train in Tutuban Station and visited his
friends. And on Wednesday July 6, Rizal went to Malacañang Palace to resume
his series of interviews. The governor general then presented to him some
printed leaflets (Pobres Frailes) which were allegedly found in Lucia’s pillow
cases. Rizal denied having those leaflets because they were thoroughly
searched upon their arrival from Hong Kong and was found clean. Despite his
denial and insistent demand for investigation he was placed under arrest and
escorted to Fort Santiago.

July 15, 1892, Rizal was brought to the steamer Cebu which was sailing
for Dapitan. On the 17th of July, Rizal was handed over to Captain Ricardo
Carnicero, the commandant of Dapitan. His exile in Dapitan lasted until July 31,
1896, a period of four years.

Dapitan
Rizal stayed in Dapitan for a period of four years. He was suppose to live
in the Jesuit Church but insisted on living in the house of Captain Carnicero. The
two became close and befriended each other. Carnicero was impressed with the
fine qualities and personalities of Rizal.

On September 21, 1892, Rizal won the Manila Lottery with a sum of 6,200

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pesos. He shared his winnings to his father and to his friend Basa, and the rest
he invested by purchasing agricultural lands.
During his stay in Dapitan, he had debates with Father Pastells about
religion. They exchanged views and commented on each other. In spite of their
religious differences, Rizal l and Pastells remained good friends.

He was also able to meet again his teacher from Ateneo—Father


Sanchez. Father Sanchez was assigned by Father Pastells to persuade Rizal to
discard his “errors of religion”. Rizal and Father Sanchez had theological
arguments but all efforts of Sanchez were in vain.

Rizal practiced medicine in Dapitan and had many patients. He gave free
medicine to the poor. He was also able to operate his mother’s right eye. Rizal
was also interested in the use of medicinal plants which he used to some of his
poor patients.

Rizal also made a Water System for Dapitan which modern engineers
today found it very marvelous. He also became a teacher and taught to the
young boys of Dapitan. He even made a project to beautify the town plaza.

Rizal was also a farmer. On his farms, he introduced modern methods of


agriculture which he observed in Europe and America. He encourages the
Dapitan farmers to discard their primitive system of tillage and adopt the modern
methods. He imported some agricultural machinery from the United States.

Rizal had a relationship with Josephine Bracken. They first met when
Josephine accompanied his father to the clinic of Rizal. Their relationship lasted
for one month until they decided to marry. The two lived happily in Dapitan. They
had a son, but only lived for three hours.

On July 31, 1896, Rizal’s exile in Dapitan came to an end. Rizal, together,

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with Josephine, Narcisa, Angelica and his three nephews and six pupils boarded
the steamer España. Almost all the Dapitan townies were at the shore and bid
him goodbye.

Last Trip Abroad


August 1, Rizal anchored at Dumaguete. He visited some friends and
former classmates. The España left Dumaguete at about 1:00 p.m. and reached
Cebu the following morning. Rizal was fascinated by the entrance of Cebu.

On August 3, Rizal left Cebu and continued to Iloilo. Then sailed to Capiz
and towards to Romblon until proceeding to Manila.

He missed the ship going to Spain but on the midnight of the same day he
was able to right the Spanish cruiser Castilla.

On September 2, Rizal was transferred to the steamer Isla de Panay


which was sailing for Barcelona, Spain. The next morning the steamer left Manila
Bay.

The steamer arrived at Singapore in the evening of September 7. The


passengers including Rizal went shopping and to see some scenery. Rizal
observed that there were more Chinese merchants and less Indians. He bought
a Chinese gown. Don Pedro and his son stayed at Singapore. He advised Rizal
to stay behind too and take advantage of the protection of the British law. But
Rizal pursued to Spain. The steamer left Singapore on September 8.

On September 25, he saw the steamer Isla de Luzon, leaving the Suez
Canal; it was full of Spanish troops. On September 28, a day after the steamer
Isla de Panay left Port Said, a passenger told Rizal that he would be arrested by
order of Governor General Blanco and would be sent to prison in Cueta.
Shocked by the news, Rizal realized that he was being duped.

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Nothing was official yet about his impending arrest. But on September 30, he
was officially notified by Captain Alemany that he should stay in his cabin until
further orders from Manila. He obeyed orders.

At the same day, the steamer anchored at Malta but he was not able to
land. He saw through a small window.

October 3, the Isla de Panay arrived in Barcelona, with Rizal as prisoner


on board. Rizal was kept under heavy guard in his cabin for 3 days. On October
4, Rizal noticed the city’s celebration of the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi. At
3:00 a.m. of October 6, Rizal was escorted to the prison-fortress named
Monjuich. After his stay at Monjuich, he was transferred to a ship named Colon.
Rizal was aboard the Colon which was full of soldiers and officers. On October 6,
8:00 p.m., the ship left Barcelona.

Last Homecoming
On November 3, the Colon reached Manila, where it was greeted by the
Spaniards and the friars because it bought more soldiers and supplies. Rizal then
was transferred from the ship to Fort Santiago. On November 20, the preliminary
investigation began. He was presented with 15 documentary evidences. On
November 26, Colonel Olive transmitted the records to institute the
corresponding action against Rizal. Rizal was given only the right to choose his
defense counsel. He was given a list of lieutenants in the Spanish Army and one
name struck his fancy. It was Don Luis Taviel de Andrade, which was the brother
of Lt. Jose Taviel de Andrade who became Rizal’s bodyguard in Calamba.
December 13, General Camilo G. de Polavieja became the Governor General of
the Philippines.

On December 15, Rizal wrote a manifesto to his people too stop the
bloodshed and to achieve their liberties by means of education and industry.

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On December 25, 1896, was Christmas. Rizal was alone and depressed
in his prison cell.

Trial and Death


December 26, was the day of trial of Rizal. His trial is a proof of Spanish
injustice and misrule. His case was prejudged, he was considered guilty before
the actual trial. The court did not give him justice, but accused and condemn him.
It accepted all charges and testimonies against him and ignored all arguments
and proofs in his favor.

After a short deliberation, the military court unanimously voted for the
sentence of death. Immediately, Polavieja sought the opinion of the Judge
Advocate. He latter affirmed the death verdict.

On December 28, Polavieja approved the decision of the court-martial and


ordered Rizal to be shot at 7:00 o’clock in the morning of December 30 at
Bagumbayan Field.

December 29, 1896, Rizal was visited by some family members including
his beloved Josephine, some Jesuit priests, a Spanish newspaper
correspondent, and some of his friends. He also finished his last poem and hid it
in an alcohol cooking stove. At the same time he wrote his farewell letter to his
best friend.

The following day, he heard the mass and confessed his sins. Rizal bade
goodbye to Josephine and gave her a last gift which was a religious book entitled
Imitation of Christ in which he autographed.

6:30 A.M., a trumpet sounded at Fort Santiago. The soldiers aligned


formations and moved to their designated place for the execution. Rizal was

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dressed in black suit, a black derby hat, black shoes, white shirt and a black tie.

One of the priests blessed him and offered him a crucifix to kiss. Rizal reverently
bowed his head and kissed it. Then he requested the firing squad commander
that he’d be shot facing the firing squad but his request was denied. Unwillingly,
Rizal turned his back to the firing squad and faced the sea. Rizal was not afraid
to die.

The death ruffles of the drum filled the air. Above the drum-beats, the
sharp command “Fire” was heard, and the guns of the firing squad shoot Rizal. It
was exactly 7:03 in the morning. Rizal fell on the ground and dead with his face
upward facing the morning sun.

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Enrichment Activity 4

Sequencing

Arrange the series of events listed below from A-J.

_____ 1. Rizal met a pretty Japanese girl. Her name was Seiko Usui. Rizal fell in
love with Seiko.
_____ 2. Rizal went to Italy. He visited Turin, Milan, Venice and Florence. On
June 27, 1887,
_____ 3. On May 24, Rizal and Viola left Vienna on a river boat to see the
beautiful sights of the Danube Rivera.
_____4. Rizal and Viola spent some time in Dresden
_____ 5. On March 21, 1887, the Noli Me Tangere came off the printing press.
_____ 6. Rizal went to Paris and Germany for his specialization in ophthalmology
_____ 7. On November 3, 1882, Rizal enrolled in the Universidad Central de
Madrid.
_____ 8. During the printing of the Noli, the chief of police Berlin paid a sudden
visit to Rizal’s boarding house.
_____ 9. After the publication of Noli, Rizal planned to visit the important places
in Europe.
_____ 10. Rizal went to Italy. He visited Turin, Milan, Venice and Florence.

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CHAPTER 5:
Rizal’s Exile in
Dapitan
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this chapter, students are expected to be able to:
1. Enumerate and explain the significance of Rizal’s contributions to

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Dapitan;
2. Analyze the factors and evaluate the charges that led to Rizal’s
execution;
3. Examine the effects of Rizal’s execution on Spanish colonial rule and
the Philippine Revolution; and
4. Dramatize the essential scenes of Rizal’s life in Dapitan.

Rizal-Pastells Debate on Religion

During his exile  in  Dapitan,  Rizal  had  a  long  and scholarly debate
with  Father  Pastells, a Jesuit priest who attempted to persuade Rizal to return
to orthodox Roman Catholic by means of correspondence, which revealed
Rizal’s  anti-Catholic ideas acquired  in  Europe and the embitterment at his
persecution by bad friars.  The debate started when Fr. Pastells sent Rizal a
book by Sarda, with advice that Rizal must not continue his majaderas
(foolishness) in viewing religion from the prism of individual judgement and self
esteem. But Rizal was  bitter against  the  friars who committed certain abuses
under the cloak of religion. As  he  wrote  to  Blumentritt  from  Paris  on  January
20, 1890: “I want to hit the friars, but only friars who utilized religion not only  as 
a  shield,   but  also  as  a  weapon, castle, fortress, armor, etc.; I was forced to 
attack  their false  and  superstitious  religion  in  order  to  fight  the enemy who
hid himself behind it.”

According to Rizal, individual judgment is a gift  from God and everybody


should use  it like a  lantern  to  show the way and that self-esteem, if moderated
by judgment, saves man from  unworthy acts.  He also  argued that the pursuit 

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of   truth  may  lie  in  different  paths, and  thus “religions may vary, but they all
lead to the light.”

Father Pastells tried his best to win back Rizal to the fold of Catholicism.
Divine faith, he told Rizal, supersedes everything, including  reason, self esteem,
and  individual judgment. No matter how  wise  a man is, he argued, his
intelligence  is  limited, hence  he  needs the guidance of God. He refuted 
Rizal’s  attacks  on  Catholic  dogmas as misconceptions of  rationalism  and 
naturalism, errors  of misguided souls.

Rizal could not be convinced by Pastells  arguments so that he lived in


Dapitan beyond the pale of his Mother Church but inspire of their religious
differences   Rizal  and  Pastells  remained  good  friends. Father  Pastells  gave 
Rizal a  copy of  the Imitacion de Cristo (Imitation of Christ),  a  famous  Catholic 
book  by Father Thomas a Kempis. And Rizal in grateful reciprotion gave his
Jesuit  opponent in  debate  a  bust  of  St. Paul which he had made.

Although Rizal did not subscribe to Pastells’ religious  interpretation of


Catholic  dogmas,  he  continued  to  be Catholic. He hears mass at the Catholic
Church of Dapitan and celebrate Christmas and other religious fiestas in the
Catholic way.  His Catholicism, however was the  Catholi- cism that  inquires 
and  enlightens, the  “Catholicism  of Renan and Teilhard de Chardin”. In return,
Rizal gave Pastells a bust of Saint Paul which he had made Rizal continue to
hear mass and celebrate religious events.

The Awakening in Dapitan

During the early part of his exile in Dapitan, Rizal lived at the
commandant’s residence. With his prize from the Manila Lottery and his earnings
as a farmer and a merchant, he bought a piece of land near the shore of Talisay
near Dapitan. On this land, he built three houses- all made of bamboo, wood,

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and nipa. The first house which was square in shape was his home. The second
house was the living quarters of his pupils. And the third house was the barn
where he kept his chickens. The second house had eight sides, while the third
had six sides. In a latter to his friend, Ferdinand Blumentritt, on December 19,
1893, Rizal described his peaceful life in Dapitan.

"I shall tell you how we lived here. I have three houses-one square,
another hexagonal, and the third octagonal. All these houses are made of
bamboo, wood, and nipa. I live in the square house, together with my mother, my
sister, Trinidad, and my nephew. In the octagonal house live some young boys
who are my pupils. The hexagonal house is my barn where I keep my chickens.
From my house, I hear the murmur of a clear brook which comes from the high
rocks. I see the seashore where I keep two boats, which are called barotos here.
I have many fruit trees, such as mangoes, lanzones, guayabanos, baluno,
nangka, etc. I have rabbits, dogs, cats, and other animals. I rise early in the
morning-at five-visit my plants, feed the chickens, awaken my people, and
prepare our breakfast. At half-past seven, we eat our breakfast, which consists of
tea, bread, cheese, sweets, and other things. After breakfast, I treat the poor
patients who come to my house. Then I dress and go to Dapitan in my baroto. I
am busy the whole morning, attending to my patients in town. At noon, I return
home to Talisay for lunch. Then, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., I am busy as a teacher. I
teach the young boys. I spend the rest of the afternoon in farming. My pupils help
me in watering the plants, pruning the fruits, and planting many kinds of trees.
We stop at 6:00 p.m. for the Angelus. I spend the night reading and writing."

Architectural and Engineering Works

Rizal applied his knowledge through the waterworks system he


constructed in Dapitan upon noticing its poor condition. he drained the marshes
of Dapitan to get rid of the malaria-carrying mosquitoes and also to furnish clean
water to the townspeople. He provided an lighting system using a coconut oil

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lamps posted in dark streets in the province out of what he learned from being a
physician. He also beautified Dapitan by remodelling the town plaza, with the aid
of his Jesuit teacher Father Francisco Sanchez and created a relief map of
mindanao (Footnote: using stones, soil and grass) right in front of the church.
Going back to his academic life, Rizal obtained the title of expert suveyor (perito
agrimensor) from the Ateneo Municipal. From his practical knowledge as
agrimensor, he widened his knowledge by reading engineering-realted books. As
a result, despite the inadequacy of tolls at hand, he successfully provided a good
water system in the province.

Physician in Dapitan

Rizal provided free medicine to his patients, most of them were


underprivileged. However, he also had wealthy patients who paid him well
enough for his excellent surgical skill. Among them were Don Ignacio Tumarong
who gave Rizal 3000 pesos for restoring his eyesight, an English Man who gave
him 500 pesos and Aklanon Haciendero , Don Francisco Azcarraga who paid
him a cargo of sugar. His skills was put into test in August 1893 when his mother,
Doña Teodora Alonzo was placed under opthalmic surgery for the third time. The
operation was a success, however, Alonzo ignored her sons instructions and
remove the bandages in her eyes which lead to irritation and infection.

Inventions & Scientific Works

In 1887, during his medical practice in Calamba, he invented a special


type of lighter called Sulpukan. which he sent to Blumentritt as a gift. Its
mechanism is based on principle of compressed air. Another of his invention is
the Wooden brick maker that makes 6000 bricks a day. In terms of his scientific
works, he shared his interest with nature to his students and they explored
jungles and searched for specimens, which are sent to museums in Europe,

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particularly in Dresden Museum.

In return, scientific books and surgical instruments were delivered to him


by European scientists. He also mad researches and studies in fields of
ethnography, archaeology, geology, anthropology, and geography. Rizal also
discovered three species of animals namely Draco rizali, which is a flying dragon;
Apogonia rizali which is a small beetle and lastly, Rhacophorus rizali, which is a
rare frog.

A Multilingual Hero

As a polyglot, Rizal had the habit of switching from one language to


another. His biographers faced difficulty in translating his works because of his
habit of switching languages. He was conversant in 22 languages. Rizal studied
and made comparisons in the Bisayan and Malayan languages, existing in the
region.

Rizal knew 22 languages: Tagalog, Ilocano, Bisayan, Subanun,


Spanish, Latin, Greek, English, French, German, Arabic, Malayan, Hebrew,
Sanskrit, Dutch, Catalan, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Swedish
and Russian.

Rizal as an Educator in Talisay

Rizal established a school with his farm and hospital, 16 boys from
prominent family attended class in Talisay, near Dapitan. And instead of charging
them, he made them do community projects like maintaining his garden of fields.
He taught them how to read, write in English & Spanish, geography, history,
mathematics, technical work, nature study, morals, gymnastics and sports.

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There was no formal rooms like the typical classrooms and the classes
were conducted from 2 to 4 pm with the teacher sitting on a hammock while the
students sat on a long bamboo bench. Rizal wrote a poem in honor of Talisay
entitled Hymno a Talisay, which made the pupils sing.

Miss B

The death of Leonor Rivera left a poignant void in Rizal's heart. In his
loneliness he met Josephine Bracken, a slender, blond, blue eyes, well-dressed
and light countenance 18-year old Irish girl, who came from Hongkong to
Dapitan in February 1895 with his foster father, George Taufer and Manuela
Orlac, mistress of someone in Manila Cathedral. Mr. Taufer became blind and
decided to seek the help of a ophthalmic specialist. And this is how Miss B met
Rizal. He tried to bridge this gap between his relatives and Miss B. On March 14
1895, as letter to Dona Teodora,” Please treat Josephine as a person whom I
esteem and much appreciated, and I would not like to see exposed and
abandoned.” They decided to marry each other and returned to Dapitan to marry
but Fr. Pedro refused to marry them without the consent of Bishop of Cebu.
Having no priests to marry them, they decided to marry themselves before the
eyes of God. To avoid tragedy, Josephine accompanied Mr. Taufer back to
Manila to returned to Hong Kong alone while she stayed in Manila with the
Rizals. They were very with their married life and was expecting for a baby,
however Rizal played a prank on Josephine making her gave birth to a
premature baby boy who lived only for three hours that they named Francisco, in
honor to Rizal's father.

Secret Meetings

Andres Bonifacio seek advice from Rizal in May 2, 1896 - at Bitukang


Manok River in Pasig, a secret meeting happened with Pio Valenzuela as

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representative of the group to be sent to Dapitan. He used the name Procorpio
Bonifacio. Aboard steamship Venus, he arrived at bay in June 21, 1896,
Together with him is Josephine Bracken, Narcissa and Angelica Lopez. Rizal
objected to Bonifacio’s bold project stating that such would be a veritable suicide.
Rizal stressed two reasons:

1. Filipinos were still unprepared for a bloody revolution and;


2. The Katipunan lacked machinery. Arms and funds first be collected before
raising the cry of revolution.

Sensing that the revolutionary leaders were dead set on launching their
audacious project, Rizal instructed Valenzuela that it would be for the best
interests of the Katipunan to get first the support of the rich and influential people
of Manila to strengthen their cause. He further suggested that Antonio Luna with
his knowledge of military science and tactics, be made to direct the military
operations of the Revolution. Valenzuela, on the other hand, told their plan to
save Rizal but he disagreed because of his word of honor. He also warned Rizal
that the Revolution will inevitably break out if the Katipunan would be discovered.

La Trampa de Española

Rizal offered his services as military doctor to the Cuban revolution


informed by Ferdinand Blumentritt, saying yellow fever spread out.

In December 17, 1895, Rizal sent letter to Governor General Ramon


Blanco, about rendering service to Cuba but not until July 30, 1896, when he
received a letter dated July 1, 1896 notifying Rizal about the acceptance of the
offer. The notification came along with an instruction of acquiring the first pass for
Manila from the Politico-Military commander of Dapitan. Rizal’s life can be
compared to the young moth allured by the flame of the oil lamp. His burning
desire to help and leave for Cuba would not mean triumph for the enemies’ doubt

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but actually nails to his coffin. In July 31, 1896, Rizal’s four-year exile suddenly
ended. He left on board the steamer ship España together with Josephine,
Narcissa, Angelica, three nephews, and six students. Later, on August 6, 1896,
he arrived at Manila and was supposedly board the Isla de Luzon to Spain, but it
left ahead of time. Instead, he was transferred to the Spanish cruiser Castilla. At
the end of August 1896, Bonifacio and the Katipuneros stipulated the revolution.
Rizal learned about it and in effect, he was prohibited from leaving the vicinity but
were allowed to have visitors. He fell to the deadly Spanish trap.

Last Travel Abroad

In August 26, 1896, Bonifacio and the Katipunan raised the cry of
revolution in the hills of balintawak after being discovered by Fr. Mariano Gil and
reported it to the Spaniards. They tore their cedulas aggravated the discovery.
On the other hand, as Rizal was on his departure to Spain in August 30, 1896,
eight province of Luzon were put under martial law by Gov. General Blanco.
Rizal received a two letter from him stating the introduction to the minister of war
and minister of colonies. Days later he was transferred to Isla de Panay and met
Capt. Alemany. And was given the best cabin. He wrote a letter for his mother
“everything is in the hands of the Divine Providence” He was given a new cabin,
No. 22, and the boat anchored near Manila. Gov. General Blanco and the
Ministers of War and the colonies stated him as “Dangerous Filipino" He learned
the lies and became object of malicious talks and informed. On the other hand,
San Roque was being bombarded and 600 Filipinos were ordered shot. The
Capt. informed him that he was implicated with the revolution and realized he
was being duped by the Spanish officials. In October 3, 1896, he arrived in
Barcelona and held as prisoner. His warden was the Military Commander of
Barcelona, General Eulogio Despujol. Imprisoned in Montjuich Castle after three
days then on board Colon and left for Manila. He was put behind bars before
reaching port. They handcuffed him and confiscated his Diary.

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Thrilla in Manila

In November 3, 1896, Colon reached Manila. Rizal was transferred under


heavy guard from the ship to Fort Santiago. The rest of Manila had been
frightened by the insurecction and in their fear. Executions were made public to
dishearten patriotism and Governor-General Camilo de Polavieja, an ardent
terrorist, superseded the only man, Blanco, who had dared to remain calm.

After fishing for as much evidence as possible, some of which were


planted and fabricated, on November 20, 1896, the preliminary investigation on
Rizal began. During the five-day investigation, Rizal was informed of the charges
against him before Judge Advocate Colonel Francisco Olive. Rizal was put under
interrogation without the benefit of knowing who testified against him. Presented
before him were to kinds of evidence - documentary and testimonial. There were
a total of fifteen exhibits for the documentary evidence.

Testimonial evidences, on the other hand, were comprised of oral proofs


provided by Martin Constantino, Aguedo del Rosario, Jose Reyes, Moises
Salvador, Jose Dizon, Domingo Franco, Deodato Arellano, Pio Valenzuela,
Antonio Salazar, Francisco Quison, and Timoteo Paez.

These evidences were endorsed by Colonel Olive to Governor Ramon


Blanco who designated Captain Rafael Dominguez as the Judge Advocate
assigned with the task of deciding what corresponding action should be done.
Dominguez, after a brief review, transmitted the records to Don Nicolas de la
Peña, the Judge Advocate General, for an opinion. Peña's recommendations
were as follows:

 Rizal must be immediately sent to trial


 He must be held in prison under necessary security
 His properties must be issued with order of attachment, and as

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indemnity, Rizal had to pay one million pesos
 Instead of a civilian lawyer, only an army officer is allowed to defend
Rizal.
 Although given with “privilege” to choose his own defense counsel,
this was limited to a list of 100 names – both first and second
lieutenants - that the Spanish authorities provided him. Of the list, one
familiar name stood out – Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade. Rizal discovered
that the said lieutenant was the brother of Lt. Jose Taviel de Andrade
who worked as Rizal's personal body guard in Calamba in 1887.

Charges Against Rizal

On the 11th of December 1896, in the presence of his Spanish counsel,


charges against Rizal were read. When asked regarding his sentiments or
reaction on the charges, Rizal replied that:
 He does not question the jurisdiction of the court.
 He has nothing to amend except that during his exile in Dapitan in
1892, he had not dealt in political matters;
 He has nothing to admit on the charges against him
 He had nothing to admit on the declarations of the witnesses, he had
not met nor knew, against him.
Two days after, Rizal's case was endorsed to Blanco's successor,
Governor Camilo de Polavieja, who had the authority to command that the case
be courtmartialed. On December 15, inside his cell at Fort Santiago, Rizal wrote
the controversial Manifesto addressed to his countrymen – a letter denouncing
bloody struggle, and promoting education and industry as the best means to
acquire independence. However, Judge Advocate General Nicolas de la Peña
requested to Gov. Polavieja that the publication of the manifesto be prohibited,
and so, the governor did.

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The Rat in the Kangaroo Court
Accustomed to share the merry season with family, friends and relatives,
the 1896 Christmas was indeed, Rizal's saddest. Confined in a dark, gloomy cell,
Rizal was in despair and had no idea of what his fate may be. Under this
delusion, he wrote a letter to Lt. Taviel de Andrade requesting the latter to visit
him before his trial for there was a very important matter they need to discuss.
Likewise, Rizal greeted the lieutenant a joyous Christmas.

The next day, December 26, about 8 o'clock in the morning, the court-
martial of Rizal commenced. The hearing was actually a kind of moro-moro – a
planned trial wherein Rizal, before hearing his verdict, had already been
prejudged. Unlike other accused, Rizal had not been allowed to know the people
who witnessed against him. The trial took place at Cuartel de España, a military
building, with a court composed of seven military officers headed by Lt. Col. Jose
Togores Arjona. Present at the courtroom were Jose Rizal, the six other officers
in uniform (Capt. Ricardo Muñoz Arias, Capt. Manuel Reguera, Capt. Santiago
Izquierdo Osorio, Capt. Braulio Rodriguez Nuñez, Capt. Manuel Diaz Escribano,
and Capt. Fernando Perez Rodriguez), Lt. Taviel de Andrade, Judge Advocate
Capt. Rafael Dominguez, Lt. Enrique de Alcocer (prosecuting attorney) and a
number of spectators, including Josephine Bracken.

After Judge Advocate Dominguez opened the trial, it was followed by Atty.
Alcocer's reiteration of the charges against Rizal, urging the court that the latter
be punished with death. Accordingly, the three crimes accused to him were
rebellion, sedition and illegal association – the penalty for the first two being life
imprisonment to death, while the last, correctional imprisonment and a charge of
325 to 3,250 pesetas.

Lt. Taviel de Andrade, on the other hand, later took the floor reading his
speech in defense of Rizal. To supplement this, Rizal read his own defense
which he wrote in his cell in Fort Santiago. According to Rizal, there are twelve

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points to prove his innocence:
As testified by Pio Valenzuela, Rizal was against rebellion
1. He had not written a letter addressed to the Katipunan comprising
revolutionary elements
2. Without his knowledge, his name was used by the Katipunan; if he really
was guilty, he could have escaped while he was in Singapore
3. If he was guilty, he should have left the country while in exile; he
shouldn't have built a home, bought a parcel of land or established a
hospital in Dapitan.
4. If he was really the leader of the revolution, the revolutionists should
have consulted him.
5. He did not deny that he wrote the by-laws of the La Liga Filipina, but to
make things clear, the organization was a civic association, not a
revolutionary society.
6. After the first meeting of La Liga, the association banished because of
his exile in Dapitan, thus, did not last long.
7. If the La Liga was reorganized nine months later, he had no idea about it.
8. If the La Liga had a revolutionary purpose, then Katipunan should not
have been organized.
9. If the Spanish authorities found his letters having bitter atmosphere, it
was because in 1890 his family was being persecuted resulting to their
dispossession of properties and deportation of all his brothers-in-law.
10. He lived an exemplary life in Dapitan – the politico-military commanders
and missionary priests in the province could attest to that.
11. If according to witnesses the speech he delivered at Doroteo Ongjunco's
house had inspired the revolution, then he want to confront these
persons. If he really was for the revolution, then why did the Katipunan
sent an unfamiliar emissary to him in Dapitan? It is so because all his
friends were aware that he never advocated violence.

But the military court remained indifferent to the pleads of Rizal. After a

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short deliberation, he was sentenced to be shot in musketry until death at 7
o'clock in the morning of December 30, 1896 at Bagumbayan. The decision was
submitted to Gov. Polavieja who immediately sought the opinion of Nicolas de la
Peña – the latter found the verdict just and final. Two days later, the governor
general signed the court's decision and ordered Rizal's execution.

Last 25 Hours of Rizal

On December 28, Governor-General Polavieja, without any remorse,


therefore signed, ordered, and sealed the execution of Jose Rizal through firing
squad at seven o'clock in the morning of December 30, 1896, at bagumbayan.
Capt. Rafael Dominguez, at six o'clock in the morning on December 29, 1896,
read before him the official notice of his execution, scheduled the next day. Rizal
immediately transferred to the prison chapel where he spent his last hours on
earth.

Letters Of His Farewell

My dear Brother,
When you receive this letter, I shall be dead. Tomorrow at seven,
I shall be shot; but I am innocent of the crime of rebellion.
I am going to die with a tranquil conscience.
Goodbye, my dearest friend, and never think ill of me.
Fort Santiago, December 29, 1896
(Signed) Jose Rizal

To My Family,
I ask you for forgiveness for the pain I cause you, but someday I
shall have to die and it is better that I die now in the plentitude of my
conscience.

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Dear parents, brother, and sisters, give thanks to God that I may
preserve my tranquility before my death. I die resigned, hoping that
with my death you will be left in peace. Ah! it is better to die than to
live suffering. console yourselves.
I enjoin you to forgive one another the little meanness of life and
try to live united in peace and good harmony. That your parents as you
would like to be treated by your children later. Love them very much in
my memory.
Bury me in the ground. Place a stone and a cross over it. My
name, the date of my birth, and of my death. Nothing more. If later you
wish to surround my grave with fence, you can do so. No anniversaries.
I prefer Paang Bundok.
Have pity on Josephine.

My Dear Brother,
It is now four and a half years since we have seen one another,
or have we exchanged letters. This I think is not because of any lack of
love on my part or yours, but because, knowing one another so well,
we do not need to talk in order to be understood by one another.
Now I am about to die, and it is to you that I dedicate my last
line, to tell you how sorry I am to leave you alone in this life, burdened
with the weight of the family and of our old parents. I am thinking how
hard you have worked to give me a career; I have tried not to waste
my time. My brother, if the fruit has been bitter, it is not my fault, but
the fault of circumstances. I know that you have suffered much for me,
and I am sorry.
I assure you, brother, that I die innocent of this crime of
rebellion. That my former writings may have contributed toward it, I
cannot wholly deny but then, I thought I had expiated for the past in
my deportation.
Tell our father that I remember him, and how much! I remember

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his affection, and his love since my earliest childhood. Ask him to
forgive me for the pain I have unwillingly caused him.

(Signed) Jose Rizal

To My Beloved Father,
Pardon me for the pain with which I repay you for sorrows and
sacrifices for my education. I did not want nor did I prefer it.
Goodbye, father, goodbye.

To My Dear Mother,
Sra. Dna. Teodora Alonso
Six o'clock in the morning, December 30, 1896.
Jose Rizal

Last Masterpiece

December 29, 1896 at 4 PM, Teodora Alonso visited him. They were also
accompanied by Narcisa, Lucia, Josefa, Maria and son Mauricio Cruz. Leoncio
Lopez Rizal, Narcisa’s eleven-year-old son, was not allowed to enter the cell.
While leaving for their carriages, an official handed over the alcohol stove to
Narcisa. After their visit, Fathers Vilaclara and Estanislao March returned to the
cell followed by Father Rosell.

Rizal was not allowed to embrace his mother and his sisters. No male
relatives were allowed to enter his cell. But little seven-year-old Mauricio, son of
Maria, was admitted. When Trinidad had come, Rizal gave his real legacy and
said to her: “I want you to have my lamparilla.”

Then Rizal said in English: “There is something inside.” That something


turned out to be a small paper measuring 9.5 by 15 centimeters, written on both

106
sides and folded several times for insertion in the lamp’s fuel tank drained of its
alcohol content. He hid it inside his alcohol stove. The untitled poem was later
known as Mi Ultimo Adios (My Last Farewell). In its second stanza, he already
praised the revolutionaries in the battlefield for giving their lives “without doubt,
without gloom.”

At 8 PM, Rizal’s last supper where he informed Captain Dominguez that


he already forgave those who condemned him. Rizal then was visited by the
fiscal of the Royal Audiencia of Manila, Don Gaspar Cestaño with whom Rizal
offered the best chair of the cell. According to accounts, the fiscal left with “a
good impression of Rizal’s intelligence and noble character.”9 At 5:30 PM, Rizal
took his last meal. According to stories told to Narcisa by Lt. Luis Taviel de
Andrade, Rizal threw some eggs in the corner of a cell for the “poor rats,” “Let
them have their fiesta too.” Rizal also wrote to his family and to his brother. At 5
AM, December 30, 1896, teary-eyed Josephine Bracken and Josefa Rizal came.
According to the testimony of the agent of the Cuerpo de Vigilancia, Josephine
and Rizal were married. Josephine was gifted by Rizal with the classic Thomas á
Kempis book Imitations of Christ in which he inscribed, “To my dear and unhappy
wife, Josephine, December 30th, 1896, Jose Rizal.” They embraced for the last
time.

Death march then begin from Fort Santiago to Bagumbayan begins. 4


soldiers with bayoneted rifles lead the procession followed by Rizal, Taviel de
Andrade, Fathers Vilaclara and March and other soldiers. They passed by the
Intramuros plaza, then turned right to the Postigo gate then left at Malecon, the
bayside road now known as Bonifacio Drive. Rizal, after arriving on the execution
site at the Luneta de Bagumbayan, was checked with his pulse by Dr. Felipe
Ruiz Castillo. It was perfectly normal. Rizal once wrote, “I wish to show those
who deny us patriotism that we know how to die for our duty and our
convictions.”

107
“Preparen.” “Apunten.” Rizal shouted, “Consummatum est.” It is done.
With the captain shouting “Fuego!” Shouts rang out from the guns of eight
indio soldiers. Rizal, Letters being a convicted criminal was not facing the firing
squad. As he was hit, he resists and turns himself to face his executors. He falls
down, and dies facing the sky.
“Viva España! Muerte a los
traidores!”

Rizal's gift to his wife First page of Rizal's


Josephine Bracken poem 'Me Ultimo
Adios'

108
\

Enrichment Activity 5

Act it Out
Group yourselves into four. Make a role playing using the following topics:

 Trials of Rizal
 Rizal-Pastells Debate on Religion
 Rizal as a Polyglot
 Rizal’s last hours

Rubrics:
50% Content

109
20% Clarity of the voice
20% Audience impact
10% Props

110
CHAPTER 6:
Annotation of
Antonio
Morga’s
Sucesos de Las
Islas Filipinas
Learning Outcomes

111
At the end of this chapter, students are expected to be able to:
1. Realize the importance and sacrifice of
those heroes in our society;
2. Apply the values and learning of these
lesson to the life of today to help our
society to be progressive and productive;
3. Influence others to become a better citizen.

Discussion
The value of Antonio de Morga's Sucesos de
las Islas has long been recognized. A first-hand account of the early Spanish
colonial venture into Asia, it was published in Mexico in 1609 and has since been
re-edited on a number of occasions. It attracted the attention of the Hakluyt
Society in 1851, although the edition prepared for the Society by H. E. J. Stanley
was not published until 1868.

Morga's work is based on personal experiences, or on documentation


from eye-witnesses of the events described. Moreover, as he tells us himself,
survivors from Legazpi's expedition were still alive while he was preparing his
book in Manila, and these too he could consult. As a lawyer, it is obvious that he
would hardly fail to seek such evidence.

The Sucesos is the work of an honest observer, himself a major actor in


the drama of his time, a versatile bureaucrat, who knew the workings of the
administration from the inside.It is also the first history of the Spanish Philippines
to be written by a layman, as opposed to the religious chroniclers. Morga's book
was praised, quoted, and plagiarized, by contemporaries or successors.

Filipinos have found it a useful account of the state of their native culture

112
upon the coming of the conquistadors; Spaniards have regarded it as a work to
admire or condemn, according to their views and the context of their times; some
other Europeans, such as Stanley, found it full of lessons and examples.

Chapters of the Book


1. First Chapter – Magellan and Legazpi’s Seminal Expeditions

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2. Second to Seventh Chapter – Chronological Report on Government
Administration Under Governor-Generals (Dr. Francisco de Sande, Don
Gonzalo Ronquillo de Peñalosa, Dr. Santioago de Vera, Gomes Perez
Dasmariñas, Don Francisco Tello, Don Pedro Acuña).
3. Philippine Islands, the natives there, their antiquity, custom and
government.

Who Is Antonio De Morga?

Antonio de Morga Sánchez Garay (November


29, 1559 – July 21, 1636) was a Spanish lawyer and a
high-ranking colonial official for 43 years, in
the Philippines (1594 to 1604), New Spain and Peru,
where he was president of the Audiencia for 20 years.
He was also a historian.

After being reassigned to Mexico, he published


the book Sucesos de las islas Filipinas  in 1609,
considered one of the most important works on the early
history of the Spanish colonization of the Philippines. As Deputy Governor in the
Philippines, he restored the audencia. He took over the function of judge
or oidor. He also took command of Spanish ships in a 1600 naval battle against
Dutch corsairs, but suffered defeat and barely survived.

The Two Sucesos

Morga wrote that the purpose for writing Sucesos was so he could
chronicle:
"the deeds achieved by our Spaniards i the discovery, conquest, and
conversion of the Filipinas Islands - as well as various fortunes that they have
from time to time in the great kingdoms and among the pagan peoples
surrounding the islands. "
Rizal's Annotation

The "SUCESOS" as annotated by Rizal, appeared for the first time in the
Philippines sixty eight years later when a publisher in Manila, published the new
work in 1958, to contribute his bit to the national effort to honor Rizal. The
present work is the sixth volume of the Series of Writings of Jose Rizal which the
Jose Rizal National Centennial Commission has no published in commemoration
of his birth.

In his historical essay, which includes the narration of Philippine colonial


history, punctuated as it was with incidences of agony, tensions, tragedies and
prolonged periods of suffering that many of people had been subjected to. He
correctly observed that as a colony of Spain, "The Philippines was depopulated,
impoverished and retarded, astounded by metaphor sis, with no confidence in
her past, still without faith in her present and without faltering hope in the future."

Sucesos De Las Islas Filipinas


"To foretell the destiny of a nation, it is necessary to open the books that
tell of her past"

3 Main Propositions in Rizal's New Edition of Morga's Sucesos

1. Rizal commits the error of many historians in appraising the events of the
past in the light of present standards.

2. Rizal's attacks on the church were unfair and unjustified because the abuses
of the friars should not be construed to mean the Catholicism is bad.

3. It is then the shade of our ancestor's civilization which the author will call
before you.. If the work serves to awaken in you a consciousness of our
past, and to blot from your memory or to rectify what has been falsified or is
calumny, then I shall not have labored in vain. With this preparation, slight
though it may be, we can all pass to the study of the future.

Same Book,Different Perspective

Here are some of the differences from Morga’s version and Rizal’s
version of Sucesos.

Morga: “The first island conquered and Rizal: “Sugbu, in the dialect of the
colonized by the Spaniards was Cebu. country.”

Morga: “… a strip of colored cloth Rizal: Bahag, a richly dyed cloth,


wrapped about the waist and passed generally edged with gold among the
between the legs, so that it covered the chiefs.”
privacy parts, reaching half-way down
the thigh; these are called bahaques.”

Morga: Winter and summer for the Rizal: “Morga considers the rainy
rains generally last in all these islands season like winter and the rest of the
from June until September. The year is summer. However, this is not
summer from October to the end of very exact, for at Manila, in December,
May, with clear skies and fair winds at January, and February, the
sea. thermometer is lower than in August
and September.”

Morga: “… they prefer to eat salt fish Rizal: “The fish that Morga mentions
which begin to decompose and smell.” does not taste better when it is
beginning to rot; all, on the contrary, it
is bagoong and all those who have
eaten it and tasted it know it is not or
ought not be rotten.”
Enrichment Activity 6

Venn Diagram

In the diagram below, sight the differences and similarities of Antonio Morga’s
Succesos and Rizal’s Annotation on De Las Islas Filipinas
CHAPTER 7:
Noli Me
Tangere And El
Filibusterismo
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this chapter, the students can:
1. Discuss the brief history of the novels;
2. Analyze the ideologies of the different characters that were portrayed
in the two novels;
3. Determine the message of the two novels to the Filipino people;
4. Identify each characters in the two novels based on their respective
role.

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Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not)

Noli Me Tangere is a Latin phrase that means “Touch Me Not.” Rizal, in


his letter to his friend and Czech scientist Ferdinand Blumentritt, admitted that he
obtained the title from the Bible. Rizal took the passage in John 20:17 where
Jesus said to Mary Magdalene "don't touch Me!" when she recognizes him after
his resurrection. The passage, when translated in Latin, is equivalent to noli me
tangere. The plot was inspired to a novel entitled Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet
Beecher Stowe, he had an inspiration to write his own novel with the same
topic–to expose Spanish colonial abuse in print. Beecher Stowe's novel
describes black slavery abuse done by white men. Rizal suggested to his fellow
Filipino friends in Europe, through writing, to have a meeting and plan for writing
a novel similar to that of Beecher Stowe's. The book was set during the 19th
century in the Philippines. Sectors of the society were represented as the novel
progresses. The abusive clergy was represented by Padre Damaso and Padre
Salvi, the wealthy meztizo by the protagonist Crisostomo Ibarra; meanwhile the
wealthy Indio was represented by Capitan Tiago. As such, the novel offers a
straightforward analysis of Philippine society under Spanish rule.

Characters of Noli Me Tangere

Crisóstomo Ibarra - Also known in his full name as Juan Crisóstomo


Ibarra y Magsalin, a Filipino who studied in Europe for 7 years, the love interest
of Maria Clara.  Son of the deceased Don Rafael Ibarra; Crisostomo changed his
surname from Eibarramendia to Ibarra, from his ancestor's surname.
Elías - Ibarra's mysterious friend, a master boater, also a fugitive. He was

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referred to at one point as the pilot. He wants to revolutionize his country. Ibarra's
grandfather condemned his grandfather of burning a warehouse, making Elias
the fugitive he is.
María Clara - María Clara de los Santos, Ibarra's sweetheart; the
illegitimate daughter of Father Dámaso and Pía Alba.
Father Dámaso - Also known in his full name as Dámaso Verdolagas,
Franciscan friar and María Clara's biological father.
Don Filipo - A close relative of Ibarra, and a Filibuster.
Linares - A distant nephew of Don Tiburcio de Espadana, the would-be
fiance of Maria Clara.
Captain General (no specific name) - The most powerful official in the
Philippines, a hater of secular priests and corrupt officials, and a friend of Ibarra.
Captain Pablo - The Leader of the rebels, whose family was destroyed
because of the Spanish.
Tarcilo and Bruno - Brothers, whose father was killed by the Spaniards.
Sisa - The mother of Basilio and Crispín, who went insane after losing her
sons.
Basilio - The elder son of Sisa.Crispín. The younger son of Sisa who died
from the punishment from the soldiers from the false accusation of stealing an
amount of money.
Padre Sibyla - Hernando de la Sibyla, a Filipino friar.  He is described as
short and has fair skin.
Kaptain Tiago - Also known in his fullname as Don Santiago de los
Santos the known father of María Clara but not the real one; lives in Binondo.
Padri Salví - Also known in his full name as Bernardo Salví, a secret
admirer of María Clara.
Pilosopo Tasyo - Also known as Don Anastasio, portrayed in the novel
as a pessimist, cynic, and mad by his neighbors.
The Alférez - Chief of the Guardia Civil ; mortal enemy of the priests for
the power in San Diego.
Don Tiburcio - Spanish husband of Donya Victorina who is limp and

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submissive to his wife; he also pretends to be a doctor.Doña VictorinaVictorina
de los Reyes de De Espadaña, a woman who passes herself off as a Peninsular.
Doña Consolación - Wife of the Alférez, another woman who passes
herself as a Peninsular; best remembered for her abusive treatment of Sisa.
Pedro - Abusive husband of Sisa who loves cockfighting.
Old Tasio - An older man who Ibarra seeks advice from. The town thinks
him mad, but in actuality he is quite wise.

Synopsis of Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not)

The young and idealistic Juan Crisostomo Ibarra returns home after seven
years in Europe. The wealthy mestizo, like his father Don Rafael endeavors for
reform primarily in the area of education in order to eliminate poverty and
improve the lives of his countrymen. Upon learning about his father’s demise and
the denial of a Catholic burial for his father Ibarra was provoked to hit Padre
Damaso which eventually lead to his excommunication. The excommunication
was later rescinded upon the intervention of the Governor General.

Padre Salvi, Ibarra’s mortal enemy accused Ibarra of insurrection. Ibarra’s


letter to his beloved Maria Clara was used against him. Later in the story, Maria
Clara will tell Ibarra that she did not conspire to indict him. She was compelled to
give Ibarra’s letter in exchange for the letters of her mother before she was born.
Maria Clara found out that the letters of her mother were addressed to Padre
Damaso about their unborn child which means that she is the biological daughter
of the priest and not of her father, Capitan Tiago.

Meanwhile, Ibarra was able to escape the prison with Elias, who also
experienced injustice with the authorities. Ibarra was able to speak with Maria
Clara about the letters and thereafter forgave her. Ibarra and Elias flee to the
lake and were chased by the Guardia Civil. One was shot and the other survives.
Upon hearing the news, Maria Clara believed that Ibarra was dead; she entered

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the nunnery instead of marrying Alfonso Linares.

The fatally wounded Elias found the child Basilio and his dead mother
Sisa. The latter was driven to insanity when she learned that her children were
implicated for theft by the sacristan mayor. Elias instructed Basilio to dig for his
and Sisa’s graves and there is a buried treasure which he can use for his
education.

Noli Me Tangere brilliantly described Philippine society with its memorable


characters. The melancholic fate of Maria Clara and the insanity of Sisa
characterized the country’s pitiful state, which was once beautiful, turned
miserable. Reading Noli Me Tangere will open one’s mind about oppression and
tyranny.

El Filibusterismo (Reign of Greed)

El filibusterismo is the second novel written by Philippine national hero


José Rizal. It is the sequel of Noli me tangere and was also written in Spanish. It
was first published in 1891 in Ghent. The novel centers on the Noli-El fili
duology's main character Crisóstomo Ibarra, now returning for vengeance as
"Simoun". El fili’s dark theme departs dramatically from the previous novel's
hopeful and romantic atmosphere, signifying Ibarra's resort to solving his
country's issues through violent means, after his previous attempt at reforming
the country's system have made no effect and seemed impossible with the
corrupt attitude of the Spaniards towards the Filipinos.

Characters of El Filibusterismo

Simoun - A wealthy jeweler and the known protagonist of Noli Me


Tangere, bent on starting a revolution.
Basilio - Sisa’s son and an aspiring doctor.

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Isagani - A poet and Basilio’s best friend. Portrayed as emotional and
reactive. Lover of Paulita Gomez before being dumped for fellow student, Juanito
Pelaez.
Kabesang Tales (Telesoforo Juan de Dios) - A former cabeza de
barangay was the son of the woodcutter, Tandang Selo who resurfaced as the
feared Matanglawin; his father, Old man Selo, dies eventually after his own son
Tano, who became a guardia civil, unknowingly shoots his grandfather
encounter.
Juli (Juliana de Dios) - The girlfriend of Basilio and the youngest
daughter of Kabesang Tales.
Ben Zayb (Abraham Ibanez) - A journalist who thinks he is the only one
thinking in the Philippines.
Placido Penitente - A student of UST who is always miserable and
therefore controls his temper.
Quiroga - A Chinese businessman who dreamed of being a consul of a
“consulate of China” in the Philippines. he did Simoun’s weapons inside the
house.
Old Man Selo - The father of Kabesang Tales. He raised the young and
sick Basilio after his mother Sisa died.
Father Fernandez - The friend of Isagani which is a priest that promised
Isagani that he and the other priests will give the students’ demands.
Attorney Pasta - One of the greatest lawyers of mid-hispanic Manila.
Capitan-General - The powerful highest official of the Philippines.
Paulita Gomez - The girlfriend of Isagani and the niece of Donya
Victorina. In the end, she dumps Isagani, believing that she will have no future if
she marries him, and married Juanito Pelaez.
Father Florentino - Isagani’s godfather and secular priest was engaged
to be married, but chose the priesthood instead, the story hinting at the
ambivalence of his decision as he chooses an assignment to a remote place,
living in solitude near the sea.
Padre Sibyla (Hernando de la Sibyla) - A Filipino friar and now vice-

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rector of the UST.

Synopsis of El Filibusterismo (The Reign of Greed)

Simoun, wealthy and mysterious, is a close friend of the Spanish governor


general. He was nicknamed Brown Cardinal and Black Eminence because of his
influence in Malacañang. By using his political influence and wealth, he
encourages corruption in the government and hastens the moral degradation of
the country so that the people may become desperate and fight. He smuggles
ammunition into the country with the help of a rich Chinese merchant, Quiroga,
who wants very much to be Chinese consul of Manila. Simoun’s initial attempt to
start the uprising did not push through because at the lat hour he heard the sad
news that Maria Clara died in the convent. In his agonizing moment of
bereavement, he did not give the signal for the attack.

After his illness brought about by the death of Maria Clara, Simoun fine-
tunes his plan to overthrow the government. On the occasion of the wedding of
Paulita Gomez and Juanito Pelaez, he gives a wedding gift to them a beautiful
lamp. Only he and his confidential associate, Basilio (Sisa’s son who joined the
revolutionary cause), know that when the wick of his lamp burns lower, the
nitroglycerine hidden in a secret compartment of the lamp will explode. Thus, all
the guests where the wedding feast is being held will be killed, including the
governor-general, the friars, ans the government officials. At the same time,
Simoun’s followers will attack the government buildings in Manila.

As the wedding feast begins, Isagani, who has been rejected by Paulita
because of his liberal ideas, is standing outside the house, sadly watching the
merriment inside. Basilio chances upon Isagani and, warns him to go away
because the lighted lamp will soon explode. Upon learning the secret of the lamp,
Isagani realizes that her former girlfriend, Paulita was in grave danger. He rushes

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into the house to save her life. He steals the lamp and hurls it into the river where
it explodes. The revolutionary plot was thus discovered.

Simoun eluded arrest by taking poison. As he is dying, he confesses to


Padre Florentino, revealing his true identity, his dastardly plan to use his wealth
to avenge himself, and his sinister aim to destroy his friends and enemies.

The confession of the dying Simoun is long and painful. It is already night
when Padre Florentino, wiping the sweat from his wrinkled brow, rises and
begins to meditate. He consoles the dying man saying: “God will forgive you
Señor Simoun. He knows that we are fallible. He has seen that you have
suffered, and in ordaining that the chastisement for your faults should come as
death from the very ones you have instigated to crime, we can see His infinite
mercy. He has frustrated your plans one by one, the best conceived, first by the
death of Maria Clara, then by a lack of preparation, then in some mysterious way.
Let us bow to His will and render Him thanks!”

Watching Simoun die peacefully with a clear conscience and at peace with
God, Padre Florentino falls upon his knees and prays for the dead jeweler. He
takes the treasure chest and throws it into the sea; as the waves close over the
sinking chest.

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Historical Timeline of Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo

January 2, 1884
In a reunion of Filipinos at the house of his friend Pedro A.
Paterno in Madrid, Spain, Rizal proposed the writing of a novel about the
Philippines written by a group of Filipinos which is the approved by Paterno
brothers–Pedro, Maximo, and Antonio; Graciano López-Jaena, Evaristo Aguirre,
Eduardo de Lete, Melecio Figueroa, Valentín Ventura and Julio Llorento.
However, this project did not materialize. The people who agreed to help Rizal
with the novel did not write anything. Initially, the novel was planned to cover and
describe all phases of Filipino life, but almost everybody wanted to write about
women and spend more time gambling and flirting with Spanish women.
Because of this, he pulled out of the plan of co-writing with others and decided to
draft the novel alone.

1884-1885 February 21, 1887


The first half of Noli 1887 While in Germany,
me Tangere was The first edition of Rizal wrote the
written in Madrid, Noli was published second half of Noli
Spain while Dr. José me Tangere from
in Berlin, Germany.
P. Rizal was studying time-to-time.
for medicine.

March 21, 1887 October 1887


Rizal had sent a copy of the novel to his Rizal began writing El Filibusterismo
friend, Blumentritt. while he was in Calamba.
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December 1887
Rizal finished the novel. He was struggling with financial constraints at the time
and thought it would be hard to pursue printing the novel. Financial aid came from a
friend named Máximo Viola; this helped him print the book at Berliner Buchdruckerei-
Aktiengesellschaft in Berlin. Rizal was initially hesitant, but Viola insisted and ended up
lending Rizal Php 300 for 2,000 copies. 

March 29, 1891


August 6, 1891
He finally completed the
Rizal stopped
1888 book in Biarritz, France.
publishing the book
He revised the plot Rizal published El
and decided to just
and some chapters of Filibusterismo under F.
burn it but fortunately,
El Filibusterismo in Meyer Van Loo Press
Valentin Ventura
London. but due to the lack of
helped him in funding
funds, he reduce the
the book.
chapters from 44 to 38
chapters.

September 18, 1891


El Filibusterismo was published in Ghent, Belgium, partially funded by Rizal’s friend
Valentin Ventura.

September 22, 1891


The book was published and was then imparted to the countries Hongkong, London and
Europe.

127
Impact of Rizal's Book to the Philippines

After publication, Noli me Tangere was considered to be one of the


instruments that initiated Filipino nationalism leading to the 1896 Philippine
Revolution. The novel did not only awaken sleeping Filipino awareness, but also
established the grounds for aspiring to independence. Noli was originally written
in Spanish, so the likelihood that Spanish authorities would read it first was very
high;which is what Rizal wanted to happen. Copies of books were redirected to
churches, many were destroyed, many anti-Noli writers came into the picture.
Catholic leaders in the Philippines at the time regarded the book as heretical,
while Spanish colonial authorities declared it as subversive and against the
government. Underground copies were distributed, so Rizal decided to increase
the price, the demand was so high.
The impact also included the expulsion of Rizal's clan in Calamba,
Laguna. Extradition cases were filed against him. This led to his decision to write
the sequel of Noli Me Tangere, the El filibusterismo. Unlike El Fili or Fili, as they
called it, Noli Me Tangere was more delicate and did not invoke rebellion. as El
Fili does. So to ensure revolutionary ideas and patriotic reaction, Rizal redefined
his careful concepts in Noli to aggression in El Fili.

Objective of the Two Novels

In a letter of Rizal to Ferdinand Blumentritt, Rizal described what he


expects when the novel will be in circulation. He pointed out his primary
objective:
 to defend Filipino people from foreign accusations of foolishness and lack
of knowledge;
 to show how the Filipino people lives during Spanish colonial period and
the cries and woes of his countrymen against abusive officials;
 to discuss what religion and belief can really do to everyday lives;
 to expose the cruelties, graft, and corruption of the false government at

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honestly show the wrongdoings of Filipinos that led to further failure.

Enrichment Activity 7

Guess Who?
With the help of jumbled letters, identify the described character in each
passage.
1. DEPAR LBYSAI - A Filipino friar. He is described as short and has fair skin.
He symbolizes the Spanish friars of Rizal's time.
2. UAILPAT MEOZG - The girlfriend of Isagani and the niece of Donya
Victorina. In the end, she dumps Isagani, believing that she will have no
future if she marries him, and married Juanito Pelaez.
3. ÑOAD OCACNSILONO - Wife of the Alférez, another woman who passes
herself as a Peninsular; best remembered for her abusive treatment of Sisa.
4. OCALDPI NENETEIPT - A student of UST who is always miserable and
therefore controls his temper.
5. ATEHFR ROLINNTEOF - Isagani’s godfather and secular priest was
engaged to be married, but chose the priesthood instead, the story hinting at
the ambivalence of his decision as he chooses an assignment to a remote
place, living in solitude near the sea.
6. AXMMIO OLIVA - A friend of Rizal that helped him print the book at
Berliner Buchdruckerei-Aktiengesellschaft in Berlin by lending him Php 300
for 2,000 copies.
7. THEIRRA CEBEHER WESTO - Author of the book entitled Uncle Tom's
Cabin where Rizal was inspired in writing the plot of Noli Me Tangere.
8. NIDARENFD TUMBLERINTT - a friend of Rizal who is a Czech Scientist
where he admitted that he obtained the title from the Bible. Rizal took the
passage in John 20:17 where Jesus said to Mary Magdalene "don't touch
Me!" when she recognizes him after his resurrection.
9. LEANTVIN TUVNERA - The one who funded the publishing of El
Filibusterismo.
10. PRODE ROTAPEN - The owner of the house in Madrid, Spain where Rizal

129
proposed the writing of a novel about the Philippines written by a group of
Filipinos.

CHAPTER 8:
The Philippines
in the 19th
Century as
Rizal’s Context
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this chapter, students should be able to:
1. Evaluate the link between the individual and society;

130
2. Analyze the various political, social, economic, and cultural changes
that occurred in the nineteenth century;
3. Perceive the life of Jose Rizal in the context of his times.

To The Young Women Of Malolos 

       When the Spaniards came into the Philippines, they brought with them their
patriarchal values about women which eventually diffused into Philippine culture.
The women during the Spanish period were tied to the house and their roles
were confined exclusively to housekeeping and child rearing. On the other hand,
there was the chivalrous idea that men should be the provider of the family and
protector of the women. Women were also taught to be compliant to elders and
always submissive to males. They were oriented to remain incorruptible until
marriage and to focus on building skills that would make them good daughters,
housewives, mothers and servants of God. Women were even barred from
participating in political undertakings because it was considered a man’s work.
Filipinos were familiarized to a religious and patriarchal system of education
which emphasized the domestic value that women were the property of men.
This infiltration of Spanish culture into Philippine norms and behavior is an
evidence of feudal social relations. 
 
       In the second half of the nineteenth century, a group of young women in
Malolos, Bulacan participated in a peaceful movement for educational reforms.
This remarkable event showed the aptitude of these women for political and
social reforms. The authorities came up with educational policies that were
discriminatory against women who wanted to pursue higher education. The
women of Malolos struggled to disprove the principle that women are destined to
be homemakers and demonstrate that women are at par with men in other fields
of endeavors. 
 

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        The effort of the Women of Malolos is recognized as one of the most
important events that contributed to the development of feminist movement in the
country. This group of young women personally handed their letter of petition
addressed to Governor-General Valeriano Weyler to allow them to put up a night
school where they can study the Spanish language under Teodoro Sandiko.
Their action received diverse reactions from the pro-friar sectors and the
reformists because it was viewed as protest against the political power of the
friars.  The twenty young women, majority of whom were related to each other by
blood or affinity, were members of the four major-Sangley clans of Malolos: the
Tiongsons, the Tantocos, the Reyeses, and the Santoses. Although these
women were raised by well-to-do families and enjoyed a life of luxury, they opted
to be educated rather than to be contented with what society expected from
them. 
 
       Prior to the education reform of 1863, education was left entirely in the
hands of priests or curates of the parish. Since the responsibility of educating the
natives belonged to the friars, its thrust was more of religious education.
Students were taught to read the alphabet and syllables; and study sacred songs
and music, and basic arithmetic. Education for females was not the same with
males. Education was more of a privilege than a right, daughters of well-to-do
families were taught reading, writing, arithmetic, religion and needlecraft, a
benefit not enjoyed by daughters of Indios. Formal training beyond the primary
grades was generally a male privilege. For the most part of the Spanish period,
the majority of secondary and vocational schools as well as colleges were
exclusively for males.
 
       The Royal Decree of 1863 made primary instruction compulsory to all native
and Chinese children between the ages of seven and twelve. It ordered that
opening of a primary school for boys and another for girls for each town. One
important aim of the decree was to teach Spanish to the populace. Although this
move was to improve the poor state of education in the country, it failed due to

132
the meddling of the friars in the state affairs. Lack of school buildings and
teachers were also pointed as major hindrances for this program to be
successful. There were only few teachers who knew Spanish but they received
only modest salaries. 
 
         The Women of Malolos desired to learn the Spanish language because it
was the language of politics and society. They found an ally in the person of
Teodoro Sandiko who arrived in Malolos in 1888. Sandiko supported the
aspirations of the women and offered to teach them the language but it would be
done secretly. For the friars prohibited the teaching of Spanish to the natives and
to the mestizos as it would lessen their influence. The government
communicated directly with the friars who knew both the Spanish and the native
language.  To the friars, it would be better off the leave the natives and mestizos
ignorant of the Spanish language so that their minds will not be penetrated by the
liberal ideas since most books were written in Spanish. Gaining knowledge would
make them crave for freedom and demand to human rights which were deemed
a threat to Spanish rule and the power of the Church. 
 
         Sandiko by that time was secretly teaching Spanish language to adults but
he wanted to make it legal. He requested to the provincial governor of Bulacan
sometime to grant the opening of night schools without the expense of the
government. However, it was disapproved because Felipe Garcia, the friar curate
of Malolos prepared a report that Sandiko’s proposal would pose a threat to the
government. Although their proposal was rejected, Sandiko and the Women of
Malolos remained positive that their desire to put up a night school would be
approved anytime soon. 
 
        After learning that the highest official of the land would visit Malolos on
December 12, 1888, Sandico prepared a letter in Spanish, and requested the
women to sign and present the letter to Weyler. Twenty of these women affixed

133
their signatures to the letter. The women went to the church and presented the
letter to the governor-general. 
 
       The request of the women did not get the approval of the governor-general
because the parish priest Fray Garcia went up against it. Although disheartened,
the women did not give up. With the support of the reformist Doroteo Cortes and
the Maestra Guadalupe Reyes, the women continued to lobby for the school,
traveling between Malolos and Manila to convince the governor-general to allow
their request. Luckily, these young women triumphed in the end in February 1889
on the conditions that the women would finance their schooling, the teacher
would be Guadalupe Reyes, and, the classes held in the daytime, not at night.
 
        Although they did not get everything they asked for, the women proceeded
to open their school at the house of one of their group, Rufina T. Reyes, first
cousin of Elisea and Juana. The schooling however, was cut short when
Sandico, was accused in late April 1889 by the Church authorities of spreading
teachings against morality and of eating meat on days of abstinence during the
Holy Week of 1889. On May 13, 1889, the Gobernadorcillo Castro and the
Alferez Carlos Peñuelos closed down Sandico’s school of primary and secondary
instruction.  When Sandico left for Spain, the school where the Women of
Malolos were attending had to close because of the pressure from the
authorities. The school operated for only three months. 
 
       The establishment of a school out of the enduring efforts of the women to be
educated in Spanish was commended by several newspapers. Graciano Lopez
Jaena in the column Ecos de Ultramar, praised the women because of their
courage to present themselves to the governor-general, an action considered
bold that time. 
 
       Right after the article of Lopez Jaena was published in La Solidaridad,
Marcelo H. del Pilar wrote from Barcelona to Jose Rizal in Madrid, on February

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17, 1889, requesting Rizal to write them a letter in Tagalog commending the
bravery of the women and with hopes that this valiant struggle against friar
hegemony in the affairs of the Filipinos will enthuse all compatriots. Hence, Rizal
sent del Pilar on February 22, 1889 the letter written in Tagalog for transmittal to
the 20 young women of Malolos.
 
        The message conveyed to the young women of Malolos centered on salient
points such as the denunciation of the abuse of the friars in exercising their
spiritual authority bestowed upon them by the church, traits Filipino mothers must
have; duties and obligations of Filipino mothers to their children, functions and
errands of a wife to her husband, and guidance to young women on their choice
of a lifetime partner. Rizal also expressed his philosophy of freedom and
independence that he believed was the key to the emancipation of humankind
from slavery, and the necessity for education as the fundamental source of
liberation. In the letter, Rizal enunciated his great desire for Filipino women to
enjoy the privileges in education along with men. Moreover, he appealed to
women to be heedful of their rights and not to be docile towards many injustices
forced upon them. Men and women are born equal. God did not create men and
women to be slaves, nor did he embellish them with reason only to be blinded by
others.
  
       The school of the Women of Malolos was closed down in May 1889 but their
aspirations did not end. These women served their countrymen by supporting the
cause of the Revolution against Spain. Some of them became members of the
National Red Cross, while others became founding members of the Malolos
Committee of the Asociacion Feminista de Filipinas in 1906, a national woman’s
organization aimed improving the welfare of women in all classes. It can be said
that the women of Malolos were the forerunners of the feminist movement in the
country for championing the cause of woman’s right to education and equal rights
regardless of gender.

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Three Revolutions in the 19th Century

Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution started in England 17th Century and later spread into
Belgium, France, Germany, and even in United States. This refers to the
transformation of manufacturing brought about by the invention and use of
machines; it also refers to a shift from handwork to machine work and a shift from
the domestic style to the factory system. The invention of machines and their use
in manufacturing brought about significant changes in people’s lives.

Some of the positive effects brought about by this development includes:


1) Rise of factory system
2) Mass production of essential and non-essential goods;
3) Improvement of people’s standard of living
4) Greater urbanization of society
5) Beginnings of specialization or division of labor
6) Invention of labor-saving devices
7) Beginnings of industrial capitalism
8) Fostering of liberalism and democracy
9) Encouragement of people’s mobility

Some of the evils associated with the Industrial Revolution are:

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1) Widening of the gap between the rich (bourgeoisie/capitalist) and the poor
(proletariat/labourer)
2) Unending economic warfare between labor and capital
3) Pollution and other environmental problems
4) Beginning of child and women labor
5) Intensification of imperialistic rivalry between and among the industrialized
revolution.

To solve problems created by the Industrial Revolution, several measures were


proposed by concerned sectors of world society:
1) Liberals. Laissez faire Policy or government’s non-interference in the conduct
of trade and business has to be sustained for the continuous expansion of the
economy
2) Socialists. They assert that the government has to control vital industries and
resources. This is necessary in promoting equality of opportunity and people’s
welfare in society.
3) Communist. They suggest that all factors of production be owned and
controlled by the government. Equality in society can be achieved if social
classes are destroyed and dictatorship of the proletariat is established.
4) Catholic Church. It calls for humane treatment of workers, respect for
worker’s rights and social justice for the poor. It also enjoined the government to
regulate the use of private property and provide humane and favourable working
conditions for the proletariat.

England: Birthplace of the Industrial Revolution

Thanks in part to its damp climate, ideal for raising sheep, Britain had a
long history of producing textiles like wool, linen and cotton. But prior to the
Industrial Revolution, the British textile business was a true “cottage industry,”

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with the work performed in small workshops or even homes by individual
spinners, weavers and dyers.

Starting in the mid-18th century, innovations like the flying shuttle, the
spinning jenny, the water frame and the power loom made weaving cloth and
spinning yarn and thread much easier. Producing cloth became faster and
required less time and far less human labor.
More efficient, mechanized production meant Britain’s new textile factories
could meet the growing demand for cloth both at home and abroad, where the
nation’s many overseas colonies provided a captive market for its goods. In
addition to textiles, the British iron industry also adopted new innovations.

Chief among the new techniques was the smelting of iron ore with coke (a
material made by heating coal) instead of the traditional charcoal. This method
was both cheaper and produced higher-quality material, enabling Britain’s iron
and steel production to expand in response to demand created by the
Napoleonic Wars (1803-15) and the later growth of the railroad industry.

Impact of Steam Power

An icon of the Industrial Revolution broke onto the scene in the early
1700s, when Thomas Newcomen designed the prototype for the first modern
steam engine. Called the “atmospheric steam engine,” Newcomen’s invention
was originally applied to power the machines used to pump water out of mine
shafts.

In the 1760s, Scottish engineer James Watt began tinkering with one of
Newcomen’s models, adding a separate water condenser that made it far more
efficient. Watt later collaborated with Matthew Boulton to invent a steam engine
with a rotary motion, a key innovation that would allow steam power to spread
across British industries, including flour, paper, and cotton mills, iron works,

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distilleries, waterworks and canals.

Just as steam engines needed coal, steam power allowed miners to go


deeper and extract more of this relatively cheap energy source. The demand for
coal skyrocketed throughout the Industrial Revolution and beyond, as it would be
needed to run not only the factories used to produce manufactured goods, but
also the railroads and steamships used for transporting them.

Transportation During the Industrial Revolution

Britain’s road network, which had been relatively primitive prior to


industrialization, soon saw substantial improvements, and more than 2,000 miles
of canals were in use across Britain by 1815.

In the early 1800s, Richard Trevithick debuted a steam-powered


locomotive, and in 1830 similar locomotives started transporting freight (and
passengers) between the industrial hubs of Manchester and Liverpool. By that
time, steam-powered boats and ships were already in wide use, carrying goods
along Britain’s rivers and canals as well as across the Atlantic.

Communication and Banking in the Industrial Revolution

The latter part of the Industrial Revolution also saw key advances in
communication methods, as people increasingly saw the need to communicate
efficiently over long distances. In 1837, British inventors William Cooke and
Charles Wheatstone patented the first commercial telegraphy system, even as
Samuel Morse and other inventors worked on their own versions in the United
States. Cooke and Wheatstone’s system would be used for railroad signaling, as
the speed of the new trains had created a need for more sophisticated means of
communication.

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Banks and industrial financiers rose to new prominent during the period,
as well as a factory system dependent on owners and managers. A stock
exchange was established in London in the 1770s; the New York Stock
Exchange was founded in the early 1790s.

In 1776, Scottish social philosopher Adam Smith (1723-1790), who is


regarded as the founder of modern economics, published The Wealth of Nations.
In it, Smith promoted an economic system based on free enterprise, the private
ownership of means of production, and lack of government interference.

Some inventions created


during the industrial
revolution
1. Flying shuttle or weaving made
easy
This great example was widely
used throughout Lancashire after
1760 and was one of the key
developments of the period. It was
patented in 1733 by John Kay, and its
implementation effectively doubled the
output a weaver could make, thereby
allowing the workforce to effectively be halved.

Prior to this invention, a weaver was required on each side of a broad-


cloth loom, now one weaver alone could do the job of two. Several subsequent
improvements were made to it over the years with an important one in 1747.

Its impact was incredibly significant, effectively allowing the production of


textiles beyond the capacity of the rest of the industry. It arguably prompted
further industrialization throughout the textile and other industries to keep up.

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3. The Spinning Jenny increased
wool mills productivity

The Spinning Jenny was


another example of great inventions
of the Industrial Revolution. It was
developed by James Hargreaves
who patented his idea in 1764.
The Spinning Jenny was
groundbreaking during its time and
one that would help change the world forever. It allowed workers to spin more
wool at any one time. This vastly increased mills productivity and, along with the
Flying Shuttle, helped force further industrialization of the textile industry in the
United Kingdom. It allowed for a massive reduction in the work needed to
produce a piece of cloth and allowed for a worker to work eight or more spools at
a time. With further refinement, this increased to 120 spools over time. It has long
been credited as the main driver for the development of a modern factory
system. By the time of Hargreaves's death in 1778, there were around 20,000
Spinning Jennys across the UK

3. The Watt Steam Engine, the


engine that changed the world
When James Watt created
the first reliable steam engine in
1775 his invention would literally
change the world. His innovation
blew the older less efficient models,
like the Newcomen engine, out of
the water.

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James' innovation of adding a separate condenser significantly improved
steam engine efficiency, especially latent heat losses. His new engine would
prove very popular and would wind up installed in mines and factories across the
world. It was hands down, one of the greatest inventions of the Industrial
Revolution.

His version also integrated a crankshaft and gears and it became the
prototype for all modern steam engines. It would eventually lead to incredible
improvements in almost all industries, including the textile industry, across the
world. Steam engines would also lead to the development of locomotives and
massive leaps forward in ship propulsion.

4. The Cotton Gin: the engine


that made cotton production
boom. Eli Whitney is another
name synonymous with
inventions of the Industrial
Revolution. He invented the
cotton engine, gin for short, in
1794
.
Prior to its introduction
into the textile industry, cotton seeds needed to be removed from fibers by hand.
This was laborious and time-consuming, to say the least. This machine vastly
improved the profitability of cotton for farmers. The Cotton Gin enabled many
more farmers to consider cotton as their main crop. This was especially important
for farmers and plantation owners in the Americas.

With the seeds and fibers separated more efficiently it became much
easier for farmers to use the fibres to make cotton goods like linen. They could
also simultaneously separate seeds for more crop growth or the production of

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cottonseed oil.

5. Telegraph communications,
a pillar of the Industrial
Revolution
Coming in at the tail end of
the Industrial Revolution, the
Telegraph was one another of the
greatest inventions of the
Industrial Revolution. Created in
the early 1800's it would change
communication forever.

Thanks to this technology, near-instant communication became possible


initially across the country and eventually across the globe. This enabled people
to stay in contact and become aware of wider geopolitical events much more
easily.

The first true electrical telegraphs finally superseded optical semaphore


telegraph systems to become the world's first electrical form of
telecommunications. In only a matter of decades, the electrical telegraph became
the de facto means of communication for business and private citizens long
distance.

6. Every great writer's


companion, the Typewriter
It is widely accepted
that in 1829, William Austin
Burt patented the "first
typewriter" which he termed
a "Typographer". There

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were earlier machines similar in purpose, a notable example being Henry Mill's
1714 patent, but it appears to have never been capitalized upon.

The Science Museum in London describes Burt's the machine as "the first
writing mechanism whose invention was documented". Despite its apparent
breaking of new ground, contemporary sources indicated that even when used
by Burt the machine was slower than handwriting.

This was because the typographer needed to use a dial rather than keys
to select each character. This lack of efficiency improvement over handwriting
ultimately sealed Burt's machine's doom. Both he and its promoter John D.
Sheldon never found a buyer for the patent.
The modern typewriter would ultimately be invented in 1867 by Christopher
Sholes.

French Revolution

French Revolution, also called Revolution of 1789, it is a revolutionary


movement that shook France between 1787 and 1799 and reached its first
climax there in 1789—hence the conventional term “Revolution of 17 89,”
denoting the end of the ancient regime in France and serving also to distinguish
that event from the later French revolutions of 1830 and 1848.

Led to the overthrowing of the absolute rule of the Bourbon dynasty and
the abolition of the feudal system; its ideology (liberty, fraternity and equality) had
influenced subject people to cast off the yoke of colonialism by means of armed
uprising. (Source: Bella G. Ramos)

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Origins of the Revolution

The French Revolution had general causes common to all the revolutions
of the West at the end of the 18th century and particular causes that explain why
it was by far the most violent and the most universally significant of these
revolutions. The first of the general causes was the social structure of the West.
The feudal regime had been weakened step-by-step and had already
disappeared in parts of Europe. The increasingly numerous and prosperous elite
of wealthy commoners—merchants, manufacturers, and professionals, often
called the bourgeoisie—aspired to political power in those countries where it did
not already possess it. The peasants, many of whom owned land, had attained
an improved standard of living and education and wanted to get rid of the last
vestiges of feudalism so as to acquire the full rights of landowners and to be free
to increase their holdings. Furthermore, from about 1730, higher standards of
living had reduced the mortality rate among adults considerably. This, together
with other factors, had led to an increase in the population of Europe
unprecedented for several centuries: it doubled between 1715 and 1800. For
France, which with 26 million inhabitants in 1789 was the most populated country
of Europe, the problem was most acute.

A larger population created a greater demand for food and consumer


goods. The discovery of new gold mines in Brazil had led to a general rise in
prices throughout the West from about 1730, indicating a prosperous economic
situation. From about 1770, this trend slackened, and economic crises, provoking
alarm and even revolt, became frequent. Arguments for social reform began to
be advanced. The philosophers—intellectuals whose writings inspired these
arguments—were certainly influenced by 17th-century theorists such as René
Descartes, Benedict de Spinoza and John Locke, but they came to very different
conclusions about political, social, and economic matters. A revolution seemed
necessary to apply the ideas of Montesquieu, Voltaire, or Jean-Jacques
Rousseau. This Enlightenment was spread among the educated classes by the

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many “societies of thought” that were founded at that time: masonic lodges,
agricultural societies, and reading rooms.

It is uncertain, however, whether revolution would have come without the


added presence of a political crisis. Faced with the heavy expenditure that the
wars of the 18th century entailed, the rulers of Europe sought to raise money by
taxing the nobles and clergy, who in most countries had hitherto been exempt,
To justify this, the rulers likewise invoked the arguments of advanced thinkers by
adopting the role of “enlightened despots.” This provoked reaction throughout
Europe from the privileged bodies, diets. and estates. In North America this
backlash caused the American Revolution, which began with the refusal to pay a
tax imposed by the king of Great Britain. Monarchs tried to stop this reaction of
the aristocracy, and both rulers and the privileged classes sought allies among
the non-privileged bourgeois and the peasants.

Although scholarly debate continues about the exact causes of the


Revolution, the following reasons are commonly adduced: (1) the bourgeoisie
resented its exclusion from political power and positions of honour; (2) the
peasants were acutely aware of their situation and were less and less willing to
support the anachronistic and burdensome feudal system; (3) the philosophers
had been read more widely in France than anywhere else; (4) French
participation in the American Revolution had driven the government to the brink
of bankruptcy; (5) France was the most populous country in Europe, and crop
failures in much of the country in 1788, coming on top of a long period of
economic difficulties, compounded existing restlessness; and (6) the French
monarchy, no longer seen as divinely ordained, was unable to adapt to the
political and societal pressures that were being exerted on it.

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American Revolution

American Revolution, also called United States War of Independence or


American Revolutionary War, (1775–83), insurrection by which 13 of Great
Britain’s North American colonies won political independence and went on to
form the United States of America. The war followed more than a decade of
growing estrangement between the British crown and a large and influential
segment of its North American colonies that was caused by British attempts to
assert greater control over colonial affairs after having long adhered to a policy of
salutary neglect. Until early in 1778 the conflict was a civil war within the British
Empire, but afterward it became an international war as France (in 1778) and
Spain (in 1779) joined the colonies against Britain. Meanwhile, the Netherlands,
which provided both official recognition of the United States and financial support
for it, was engaged in its own war against Britain. From the beginning, sea power
was vital in determining the course of the war, lending to British strategy a
flexibility that helped compensate for the comparatively small numbers of troops
sent to America and ultimately enabling the French to help bring about the final
British surrender at Yorktown.

Enrichment Activity 8

Concept Map

Directions: In a one whole sheet of paper, create a concept map about the
reasons/factors that resulted the three great revolutions: Industrial, French and
American Revolution.

Rubrics:
60% Content

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20% Creativity
20% Cleanliness

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CHAPTER 9:
Jose Rizal and
the Philippine
Nationalism:
Bayan and
Kabayanihan
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this chapter, the students can:
1. Know the life of Rizal and his nationalism.
2. Learn from Rizal’s life and his contribution to our country.
3. Teach us what nationalism means.
4. Define the meaning of “Bayani” and “Kabayanihan”

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5. Inspire and enlighten the youths of today to fight what is right for our country.

The Gates to Heroism: Defining a Hero

A hero is a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding


achievements, or noble qualities. A person who, in the opinion of others,
has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or
ideal. Truly heroic leaders have five (5) common qualities:

1. COURAGE, Courage and bravery leap to mind first when we think of


heroism. It's difficult to achieve anything truly heroic unless you're up against
daunting odds.
2. SELFLESSNESS, True leaders always puts others first. Ironically, that
kind of selflessness can often be strategic, because focusing on others' needs
often winds up helping you achieve your own goals. However, a heroic leader
does so without any expectation of payback.
3. HUMILITY, Nothing makes a heroic leader seem a little less heroic
than if he or she seems to want constant credit for his or her actions. True

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heroism can amaze us, but it also often contains a component of modesty.
4. PATIENCE, While heroism often requires quick thinking and
decisiveness, truly heroic leaders often also display an impressive amount of
patience.
5. CARING, Separate from selflessness, heroic leaders display a sense
of concern and kindness for others. This can often manifest itself in strong but
gentle actions intended to improve the lives of others. These are small acts of
heroism that rarely attract any notice.

Examples Of Heroic Individuals

*Dr. Jose Rizal- During the Spanish Colonization opens our eyes to see
nothing but the truth and sacrificed his life for the independence of the
Philippines.
*Andres Bonifacio- a Filipino revolutionary hero, founded the Katipunan, a
secret society which spearheaded the uprising against the Spanish and laid the
groundwork for the first Philippine Republic.
*Emilio Aguinaldo- was a Filipino general who played an important role in the
Philippine Revolution against Spain, and later led Filipino insurgent soldiers
against American forces.
*Apolinario Mabini- was the first prime minister of the Philippines. Known for
his powerful intellect, political savvy, and eloquence, Mabini was called the brains
and conscience of the revolution.
*Lapu Lapu- was a ruler of Mactan in the Visayas. Modern Philippine society
regards him as the first Filipino hero because he was the first native to resist
Imperial Spanish colonization.

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Modern Day Heroes

At present, being a hero is not exactly an act of


offering his/her life for the cause of a country. Some
are just sharing what they have by serving people
such as teaching, helping, feeding etc. A modern
hero is someone who help people and above all, has
made a huge contribution for the community.
A Modern Day Hero is a "good" person where
integrity, honor, honesty, intelligence, wisdom, action,
morality and love work in harmony to balance the
person on their path of higher learning. Best
examples are, 1.) Efren Peñaflorida a Filipino teacher and development worker.
He offers Filipino youth an alternative to street gangs through education,
recreating school settings in unconventional locations such as cemeteries and
trash dumps. 2.) Robin Lim,  a Filipino-American, having been born to a Filipina
mother and spending part of her childhood in the Philippines. She is a midwife
and maternal health advocate best known for her work with Yayasan Bumi Sehat
(Healthy Mother Earth Foundation), an organisation she established in Bali,
Indonesia to help women have a healthy pregnancy and birth. She was awarded
as CNN’s Hero of the Year in 2011. 3.) Cris “Kesz” Valdez, At the age of four,
Kesz ran away from home due to maltreatment and abuse from his family.
Despite his struggles, he found it within himself to help others with his project,
Championing Community Children. He gives street children “Gifts of Hope” —
packages containing clothes, slippers, hygiene products and toys. He also
teaches them basic hygiene practices to promote better health. Kesz was
awarded the 2012 International Children’s Peace Prize for his efforts.

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How Rizal Became the National Hero of the Philippines  

Jose Rizal is, in the annals of


heroism. He was a man of science, a
scholar and writer, and to many young
Filipinos is idealized as a model son
and something of a ladies' man.
Unlike other national heroes, he did
not bear arms or lead an army. He
became the National hero because he
fought from freedom in a silent but
powerful way. He expressed his love for the Philippines through his novels,
essays, articles and poems rather than a force of aggression. He made bunch of
literary works and the most important are his two novels. The Noli Me Tangere
(Touch Me Not), He wrote this novel to make his fellow Filipinos to realize the
abuse that the Spanish do to the country. Here is the summary of the said novel
written in Tagalog.
Because of this novels, we saw
that we are slaves in our own country.
These led to the Philippine Revolution
and eventually to our independence.
Even though Rizal did not physically
involve himself during the planning or
conduct of the Philippine Revolution,
he knew and approved of its goals.

He was executed and shot to death for the crime of rebellion, and the
Philippine Revolution, was said to be inspired by his writings. He wrote his last
work before his execution it is the “Mi Ultimo Adios” or “My Last Farewell”. The
sense of the Filipino’s nationalism enrages by his death. This led the Philippines
its rightful freedom and independence.

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Relevances

Dr. Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Realonda remains very relevant today
in this age of the millennials because the young need a model for total
personality development, an icon for excellence in both science and art, an
example of selfless love for country and people, and an inspiration for struggle,
sacrifice, and hard work despite all the temptations to just enjoy life and take
advantage of all the amenities the modern world offers.

He lived in an era when there was no internet, cellphone, laptop, Grab,


Uber, airplanes, or modern facilities enjoyed by the youth today. He had to walk
miles and miles and had to write hundreds of pages of prose and poetry, gems of
his genius and yet, he accomplished so much in his brief lifetime that ended in
tragedy. Born in 1861 and executed in 1896, he was barely 35 years old when
his accomplished life was cut short by the oppressor’s bullets. Today is the
122nd anniversary of Rizal’s execution, and I still question why Filipinos, have
the propensity to celebrate his death instead of his birth. He was a polymath, a
genius, a multi-talented man whose mind was very much ahead of his time. He
was the contemporary of Gandhi and Jawaharlal Neru, as well as his fellow
literary icon, Rabindranath Tagore.

Rizal learned the alphabet at two years old and could write poems at five.
He was an icon of academic excellence in San Juan de Letran, Ateneo, and the
University of Sto. Tomas. He was always given a grade of “sobresaliente.” He
was an achiever in whatever endeavor he put his mind and heart into. He was a
writer, novelist, poet, dramatist, sculptor, and painter. He was a doctor, eye
surgeon, and community organizer. He was also a fencing expert, a pistol
aficionado, a boxer, a martial arts practitioner, and many more. The youth today
should be awed at the magnitude of his expertise, and at the wide range of his
fields of interest. He was a world traveler at a time when there were no
international flights. He was a lover of women, music, and song.

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He was a man of the world who never hesitated to try anything new. He
was not contented with the status quo. He always ventured outside comfort
zones. He dared to challenge the state of things. He was forward-looking, a
visionary, a strategic thinker and fearless social reformist. His greatest works
“Noli me tangere” and “El Filibusterismo” inspired both Andres Bonifacio and
General Emilio Aguinaldo to fight for freedom for our people. He was criticized for
his lukewarm support of the revolution, but actually, it was his writings that ignited
and fired that revolution. Rizal was actually an advocate for peaceful reforms. He
believed Filipinos were not ready to confront the Spanish forces because they
lacked military strategies and tactics. Besides, we had nothing to counter the
cannons and guns of the oppressors.But Bonifacio and Aguinaldo, inspired by
Rizal’s nationalism, thought that the only way to gain freedom was a bloody
revolution. In Dapitan where he was exiled, Rizal taught the example of
community organization in order to achieve economic development and political
consciousness. He instilled in the people the importance of education and love of
country. He taught the people to make life better by being organized, united, and
working in harmony. With all of today’s comforts and convenience for them, the
young can very well reflect on the life of Rizal and determine for themselves what
they can do to help our country and people.

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Enrichment Activity 9

“My Own Hero”

Directions: In a one whole sheet of paper, list down at least three person/s you
consider as a hero. Explain why that person became a hero to you. What are the
similar characteristics your hero and our national hero have? (Sight five
similarities)
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CHAPTER 10:
Philippine
Nationalism
and National
Symbols
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lesson students should be able:
1. Examine the values highlighted by the various representation of Rizal
as a national symbol.
2. To critic and become familiar with the national symbol and when they
originated and began.
3. To appreciate the value of the Filipino Naatinalist.

157
4. To give respect to the national symbol of the history of the
Philippines.

Philippine Nationalism

In the history of Philippines, the birth of nationalism went rather slowly due
to topography, language problems and colonial policy. Nationalism is not a
product of a sudden outburst of sentiment. It is brought about by certain factors
that gradually develop. It is a belief, creed or political ideology that involves an
individual identifying with, or becoming attached to one’s nation. It can be
compared to a seed nourished by common ideals and aspiration for national
unity.

In the struggle for Filipino freedom, there have been periods when resilient
nationalist feelings afire our people to action and other eras when nationalism
seemed to be misremembered. Not only did nationalism as sentiment had its
peaks and valleys, nationalism as a political thoughts. Also advocated different
subdivisions of humanity. The elite articulated the nationalist goals of the opulent
Filipino’s when they demanded restructurings the system of government, which
would give them participation in political rule and a more significant share in
economic benefits.

Rizal has faith that Filipinos could only foster their wisdom of nationalism
by studying history. Rizal believes that history will deliver the factual thought of
one’s self and drive the homeland to great things. Rizal was the foremost
nationalist symbol of his time that unlike all others had the dream of the future of
the Philippines. Rizal expresses the nationalism as the impression of oneness by
an assemblage of people who shared customs, communal history, a set of goals,
and credence in a specific future. There is a solid proof of identity with the

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beliefs, the heroes and the attribute of a country. This sense of nationalism is
vital to every Filipinos and be reminded of the thoughts of Rizal about the Filipino
youth when he said: “Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan.”

The Start of Filipino Nationalism

The term “Filipino” started from Spanish criollos that settled in the
Philippines. In the 333-year rule of the Philippines, the Spanish leaders referred
to the natives as indios. Indio is being described as nothing someone who does
not exist, neither rights nor privileges to enjoy with. Better are the Spaniards born
in the Philippines because they have an identity, they were known as creoles or
insulares. Spaniards born in mainland but residing in the Philippines were
referred to as peninsulares. Those of mixed ancestry referred to as mestizos.
Filipino nationalism started with an upsurge of patriotic views and wisdom for
nationalistic in the 1800s. The Philippines ready to face the consequences of
Spanish rule for more than three countries.

The Philippine Revolution of 1896 was the backbone of the first nationalist
revolution in Asia. These nationalism arguments have led to a wide-ranging
campaign for social, political and economic liberty in the Philippines. The sense
of national awareness in late 1800 came to the mind of the Filipinos that
eventually led to Philippine democracy. Essential factors that brought significant
change:
1. Economy;
2. Education; and
3. Secularization Issues of Parishes

These factors gave way to the emergence of nationalism in the Philippines.


The Philippines opening to international trade. The influx of liberal ideas and the
rise of bourgeoisie in Europe. The call for reform of the propaganda movement is
the first manifestation of nationalism and the fight was very evident both in the

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Philippines and Spain.

Economy

The Manila-Acapulco trade route started in 1569. However, the decline


of Galleon trade between Manila and Acapulco was caused by the arrival of the
ship Buen Consejo in
1765. The Buen
Consejo took the shorter
route via Cape of Good
Hope, a rocky headland
on the Atlantic coast
controlled by Portugal.
The journey through the
Cape of Good Hope
takes three months from
The Manila-Acapulco trade route started in 1569 and Spanish
treasure fleets (white) and its eastwards rivals, the Portuguese
India Armadas routes of 1498–1640 (blue)
Spain to the Philippines,
whereas the journey of
the galleon trade takes
five months.

The event proved that Portugal was already past its prime in controlling
the route via the Cape of Good Hope, which was already under Dutch control as
early as 1652. Shorter journeys to and from Spain brought faster trade and
quicker spread of ideas from Europe. Also, the growing sense of economic
insecurity in the later years of the 18th century led the Creoles to turn their
attention to agricultural production.

The Creoles gradually changed from a very government-dependent class


into capital-driven entrepreneurs. Their turning of attention towards gilded soil
caused the rise of the large private haciendas. Various government and church

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positions were transferred to the roles of the Peninsulares who were
characterized mostly in the 19th century Philippine history as corrupt
bureaucrats.

During the 1780s, two institutions were


established in order to enhance the economic
capacity of the Philippines. These were
the Economic Societies of Friends of the
Country and the Royal Company of the
Philippines. The former, introduced
by Governor-General Jose Basco in 1780, was
composed of leading men in business,
industry and profession, the society was

Jose Basco, the 44th governor-


tasked to explore and exploit the natural
general of the Philippines under
Spanish colonial rule resources of the archipelago.

It offered local and foreign scholarships, besides training grants in


agriculture and established an academy of design. It was also credited to the
carabao ban of 1782, the formation of the silversmiths and gold beaters guild and
the construction of the first paper mill in the Philippines in 1825. The latter,
created by Carlos III on March 10, 1785, was granted exclusive monopoly of
bringing to Manila; Chinese and Indian goods and shipping them directly to Spain
via the Cape of Good Hope. It was stiffly objected by the Dutch and English who
saw it as a direct attack on their trade of Asian goods. It was also vehemently
opposed by the traders of the Galleon trade who saw it as competition.

Education

During the administration of Governor-General Jose Raon, a royal order


from Spain, which stated that every village or barrio must have a school and a
teacher, was implemented. The implementation of the order expanded the reach

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of basic education during the Spanish era. Also, during the 18th century, modern
agricultural tools made many people leave farming for pursuing academic and
intellectual courses. After the arrival of Buen Consejo, the Philippines had more
direct contact to Europe and the ideas circulating. Thus, the Philippines was
influenced by the principles during the Age of Enlightenment and radical changes
during the French Revolution.

Secularization of Parishes

By royal decree on February 27, 1767,


King Carlos III ordered the Jesuits to be expelled
from Spain, and from all his colonies. The decree
reached the Philippines in early 1768, wherein
Governor-General Raon tried to do the Jesuits a
favor by delaying the implementation of the royal
Portrait of Carlos III of Spain,
1761
order in exchange of bribes. This gave the Jesuit
priests to hide all of their possessions and destroy
documents that could be held against them, which were supposed to be
confiscated. The first batch of Jesuits, numbered 64, left Manila only by May 17,
1768. This event caused Raon to face prosecution from the next Governor-
General, as ordered by the King of Spain. Raon died before the judgment for him
was laid.

The expulsion of Jesuit priests from the country resulted to a shortage of


priests in the parishes. This prompted the current Manila archbishop, Basilio
Sancho de Santa Justa, to launch his favorite project: secularization of Philippine
parishes. Sancho reasoned out that priests were only sent to facilitate missions
to areas that are not yet much Christianized. Native priests must be ordained to
facilitate the parishes since the Philippines was already a Christian country.
Sancho recruited every Indio he got to become priests. There was even a joke at
the time that there were no one to man the galleons anymore, since Sancho had

162
made them all priests. The secularization partly failed because many members of
the newly formed native clergy soiled the parishes with their ignorance, sloth, and
the like. One achievement of Sancho's secularization project was the
establishment of a school for native boys who aspire to become priests.

Further Progress of Filipino Nationalism

At this stage, the Creoles slowly introduced their own reforms. Parishes
began to have native priests at the time of Archbishop Sancho.
The Philippines was given representation in the Spanish Cortes three times (last
time was from 1836–1837). However, on June 1, 1823, a Creole revolt broke out
in Manila led by the Mexican-blood Creole captain Andres Novales. The revolt,
caused by an order from Spain that declared military officers commissioned in
the Peninsula (Spain) should outrank all those appointed in the Colonies,
saw Manila cheering with Novales' cry of "Viva la Independencia" (English: Long
Live Independence). The revolt prompted the government to deport Varela
together with other Creoles [allegedly known as Los Hijos del País (English: The
Children of the Country)], after being associated with the Creole reformists. The
Novales Revolt would soon be followed by another Creole plot of secession
known as the Palmero Conspiracy, which was caused by the replacement of
Creole public officials, especially provincial governors, with Peninsulares.

Economic developments also did


a part in making up the shape of Filipino
Nationalism. Before the opening of
Manila to foreign trade, the Spanish
authorities discouraged foreign
merchants from residing in the colony
and engaging in business. In 1823,
Governor-General Mariano Painting of a
Spanish galleon during Manila-Acapulco
Ricafort promulgated an edict prohibiting Trade

foreign merchants from engaging in retail trade and visiting the

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provinces for purposes of trade. However, by the royal decree of September 6,
1834, the privileges of the Company were abolished and the port of Manila was
opened to trade.

Shortly after opening Manila to world trade, the Spanish merchants began
to lose their commercial supremacy in the Philippines. In 1834, restrictions
against foreign traders were relaxed when Manila became an open port. By the
end of 1859, there were 15 foreign firms in Manila: seven of which were British,
three American, two French, two Swiss and one German. In response
to Sinibaldo de Mas' recommendations, more ports were opened by Spain to
world trade. The ports of Sual, Pangasinan, Iloilo and Zamboanga were opened
in 1855. Cebu was opened in 1860, Legazpi and Tacloban in 1873. 

First Propaganda Movement (1860–1872)

During this period, a secret society of


reformists met in a cistern under a well at the
house of Father Mariano Gómez. The society,
headed by Jose Maria Basa, worked mainly on a
Madrid journal called the Eco de Filipinas. The
journal exposed problems in the Philippines and
pressed on reforms that they seek for the
country. Among the members were Burgos,
Maximo Paterno, Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista,
and Father Agustin Mendoza. It served as a
Carlos María de la Torre y
Nava Cerrada, the 91st precursor to La Solidaridad. However, Burgos
Governor-General of the
Philippines died after the infamous Cavite Mutiny, which was
pinned on Burgos as his attempt to start a Creole
Revolution and make himself president of the Philippines or Rey Indio. The death
of José Burgos, and the other alleged conspirators, Mariano Gómez and Jacinto
Zamora on February 17, 1872, seemingly ended the entire Creole movement.

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Governor-General Rafael de Izquierdo y Gutiérrez unleashed his reign of terror in
order to prevent the spread of the Creole ideology—Filipino nationalism.

Another event in history created an impact on Filipino nationalism during


this period. Before 1869, the route through the Cape of Good Hope proved to be
a shortest available journey to Europe by Indios and Creoles alike. The journey
takes 3 months travel by sea. On November 17, 1869, the Suez Canal opened
after 10 years of construction work. At its advent, the journey from the Philippines
to Spain was further reduced to one month. This allowed a much faster spread of
European ideology and an increase of Filipino presence in Europe itself.
The Propaganda Movement would later benefit from the Suez Canal for the
shorter route it provided.

Second Propaganda Movement (1872–1892)

The events of 1872 however invited the other colored section of


the Ilustrados (intellectually enlightened class), the growing middle-class natives,
to at least do something to preserve the Creole ideals. Seeing the impossibility of
a revolution against Izquierdo and the Governor-General's brutal reign convinced
the Ilustrados to get out of the Philippines and continue propaganda in Europe.
This massive propaganda upheaval from 1872 to 1892 is now known as the
Second Propaganda Movement. Through their writings and orations, Marcelo H.
del Pilar, Graciano López Jaena and José Rizal sounded the trumpets of Filipino
nationalism and brought it to the level of the masses. The propagandists mainly
aimed for representation of the Philippines in the Cortes Generales,
secularization of the clergy, and legalization of Spanish and Filipino equality
among others. Their main work was the newspaper called La
Solidaridad (Solidarity), which was first published at Barcelona on December 13,
1888. Rizal, the foremost figure of the propagandists, created the Noli Me
Tángere (published 1887) and El Filibusterismo (published 1891). It rode the
increasing anti-Spanish (anti-Peninsulares) sentiments in the islands and pushed

165
the people towards revolution, rather than discourage them that a revolution was
not the solution for independence.

Post-Propaganda Era

By July 1892, Rizal returned to the Philippines and established a


progressive organization he called the La Liga Filipina (The Philippine League).
However, the organization collapsed after Rizal's arrest and deportation to
Dapitan on July 7. At the same day, a Philippine revolutionary society was
founded by Ilustrados led by Andrés Bonifacio, Deodato Arellano, Ladislao
Diwa, Teodoro Plata and Valentín Díaz. The main aim of the organization,
named Katipunan, was to win Philippine independence through a revolution and
establish a republic thereafter. The rise of the Katipunan signaled the end of
peaceful propaganda for reforms.

Philippine Revolution

The Katipunan reached an overwhelming membership and attracted


almost the lowly of the Filipino class. In June 1896, Bonifacio sent an emissary to
Dapitan to reach Rizal's support, but the latter refused for an armed revolution.
On August 19, 1896, Katipunan was discovered by a Spanish friar which started
the Philippine Revolution.

The revolution flared up initially into the eight provinces of Central Luzon.
General Emilio Aguinaldo, a member of the Katipunan, spread an armed
resistance through Southern Tagalog region where he liberated Cavite towns
little by little. Leadership conflicts between Bonifacio and Aguinaldo culminated in
the Imus Assembly in December 1896 and Tejeros Convention in March 1897.
Aguinaldo was elected in absentia as President of an insurgent revolutionary
government by the Tejeros convention. Bonifacio, acting as Supremo of the
Katipunan, declared the convention proceedings void and attempted to reassert

166
leadership of the revolution. In late April Aguinaldo fully assumed presidential
office after consolidating his position with revolutionary leaders. Aguinaldo's
government then ordered the arrest of Bonifacio, who stood trial on charges of
sedition and treason against Aguinaldo's government and conspiracy to murder
Aguinaldo, resulting in his conviction and execution

In December 1897, Aguinaldo agreed to the Pact of Biak-na-Bato with the


Spanish colonial government. Aguinaldo and his revolutionary leadership were
exiled to Hong Kong. However, not all of the revolutionary generals complied with
the agreement. One, General Francisco Makabulos, established a Central
Executive Committee to serve as the interim government until a more suitable
one was created.

Independence Declaration and the Philippine-American War

In 1898, as conflicts continued in the


Philippines, the USS Maine, having been
sent to Cuba because of U.S. concerns for
the safety of its citizens during an ongoing
Cuban revolution, exploded and sank
in Havana harbor. This event precipitated

Revolutionaries gather during the the Spanish–American War. After


Malolos congress of the First
Philippine Republic
Commodore George Dewey defeated the
Spanish squadron at Manila,
a German squadron, led by Vice
Admiral Otto von Diederichs, arrived in Manila and engaged in maneuvers which
Dewey, seeing this as obstruction of his blockade, offered war—after which the
Germans backed down.

The U.S. invited Aguinaldo to return to the Philippines in the hope he


would rally Filipinos against the Spanish colonial government. Aguinaldo arrived
on May 19, 1898, via transport provided by Dewey. By the time U.S. land forces

167
had arrived, the Filipinos had taken control of the entire island of Luzon, except
for the walled city of Intramuros. On June 12, 1898, Aguinaldo declared the
independence of the Philippines in Kawit, Cavite, establishing the First Philippine
Republic under Asia's first democratic constitution, the Malolos Constitution, an
insurgency against Spanish rule.

Spain and the United States sent commissioners to Paris to draw up the
terms of the Treaty of Paris which ended the Spanish–American War. In the
treaty, Spain ceded the Philippines, along with Guam and Puerto Rico, to the
United States. Cession of the Philippines involved payment by the U.S.
of US$20,000,000.00. U.S. President McKinley described the acquisition of the
Philippines as "... a gift from the gods", saying that since "they were unfit for self-
government, ... there was nothing left for us to do but to take them all, and to
educate the Filipinos, and uplift and civilize and Christianize them", in spite of the
Philippines having been already Christianized by the Spanish over the course of
several centuries.

Filipino forces under Aguinaldo as President of the insurgent Philippine


Republic resisted the U.S. occupation, resulting in the Philippine–American
War (1899–1913). The poorly-equipped Filipino troops were easily overpowered
by American troops in open combat, but they were formidable opponents in
guerrilla warfare. Malolos, the revolutionary capital, was captured on March 31,
1899. Aguinaldo and his government escaped however, establishing a new
capital at San Isidro, Nueva Ecija. On June 5, 1899, Antonio Luna, Aguinaldo's
most capable military commander, was killed by Aguinaldo's guards in an
apparent assassination while visiting Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija to meet with
Aguinaldo. Aguinaldo dissolved the regular army on November 13 and ordered
the establishment of decentralized guerrilla commands in each of several military
zones. Another key general, Gregorio del Pilar, was killed on December 2, 1899
in the Battle of Tirad Pass—a rear guard action to delay the Americans while
Aguinaldo made good his escape through the mountains.

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Aguinaldo was captured at Palanan, Isabela on March 23, 1901 and was
brought to Manila. Convinced of the futility of further resistance, he swore
allegiance to the United States and issued a proclamation calling on his
compatriots to lay down their arms, officially bringing an end to the war. However,
sporadic insurgent resistance to American rule continued in various parts of the
Philippines, notably insurgencies such as the Irreconcilables and the Moro
Rebellion, until 1913.

Philippine Nationalism is Classified As:

Opening of Philippines to World Commerce

The Philippines have transformed as the center for world trade. Provincial
ports opened to foreign traders – rice, tobacco, sugar, indigo and abaca. The
Philippine economy rose rapidly and its local industries developed. The region
broke the independency on the treasury of Mexico.

1. Rise of The Middle Class


a. Intelligentsia or Ilustrado
b. Compromised of the Spanish and Chinese mestizos

2. Modernization of the Country


a. 1839: Mail Service
b. 1852: First Paper Money (Philippine Bank)
c. 1880: Hotel de Oriente (Binondo)
d. 1846: First Newspaper

The Influx of Liberal Ideas

Due, primarily, to the opening of Philippines to world trade. The possibility

169
of applying Western thoughts as a means to solve existing problems in the
country. The opening of the Suez Canal – November 17, 1869. The intellectuals
of the country gained access to western political thoughts from the books and
newspapers brought by foreign travelers. Ideologies of the French and American
Revolution – Voltaire, Rousseau, Locke, Montesquieu, Jefferson.

Secularization Movement

1. Regular Priests and Secular Priests


a. Regular priests belonged to religious orders. Their main task was to
spread Christianity.
b. Secular priests were trained to run the parishes and were under the
supervision of the bishops.

The conflict began when the bishops insisted on visiting the parishes that
were being run by regular priests. Secular priests must fill in the vacancy left by
the regular clergy. The increase of number in Christian converts proved to be too
much compared to the number of clerics due to lack of personnel. The various
religious orders opened membership to young native Filipinos – 1698: Francisco
Baluyut (first Indio priest).

Liberal Regime of De La Torre

Governor-General of the Philippines. A Carlist army officer, he was sent


from Spain by Francisco Serrano after the ouster of Queen Isabel II as a result of
the La Gloriosa revolution. He was considered a liberal Spaniard who practiced
the liberal and democratic principles for imposing liberal laws. He abolished
flogging, relaxed media censorship and began limited secularization of
education. Developed a close relationship with the ilustrados. The peaceful
settlement of agrarian unrest in Cavite – Guisas de la Torre (Guardia Civil) –

170
police force headed by Camerino, the leader of the revolt. Alpargatas – the
Spanish national footwear for peasants.

Cavite Mutiny

The Cavite Mutiny of 1872 was an uprising of Filipino military personnel of


Port San Felipe, the Spanish arsenal in Cavite, Philippine Islands (then also
known as part of the Spanish East Indies) on January 20, 1872. Around 200
locally recruited colonial troops and laborers rose up in the belief that it would
elevate to a national uprising. The mutiny was unsuccessful and government
soldiers executed many of the participants and began to crack down on a
burgeoning Philippine nationalist movement. Many scholars believe that the
Cavite Mutiny of 1872 was the beginning of the Filipino nationalism that would
eventually lead to the Philippine Revolution of 1896.

GOMBURZA Execution

Gomburza refers to three Filipino Catholic priests (Mariano Gomez, Jose


Burgos and Jacinto Zamora) who were executed on February 17, 1872 at
Bagumbayan, the Philippines by Spanish colonial authorities on charges of
subversion arising from the 1872 Cavite mutiny. The name is a portmanteau of
the priests’ surnames. Their execution had a profound effect on many late 19 th
century Filipinos; Jose Rizal, later to become the country’s national hero, would
dedicate his novel El Filibusterismo to their memory.

Executive Order No. 75, 1993 National Heroes


Committee Rizal as a National Hero

Executive Summary

No law, executive order or proclamation has been enacted or issued


officially proclaiming any Filipino historical figure as a national hero. However,

171
because of their significant roles in the process of nation building and
contributions to history, there were laws enacted and proclamations issued
honoring these heroes.

Even Jose Rizal, considered as the greatest among the Filipino heroes,


was not explicitly proclaimed as a national hero. The position he now holds in
Philippine history is a tribute to the continued veneration or acclamation of the
people in recognition of his contribution to the significant social transformations
that took place in our country. Aside from Rizal, the only other hero given an
implied recognition as a national hero is Andres Bonifacio whose day of birth on
November 30 has been made a national holiday.

Despite the lack of any official declaration explicitly proclaiming them as


national heroes, they remain admired and revered for their roles in Philippine
history. Heroes, according to historians, should not be legislated. Their
appreciation should be better left to academics. Acclamation for heroes, they felt,
would be recognition enough.

1. Selection and Proclamation of National Heroes

1.1 National Heroes Committee

On March 28, 1993, President Fidel V. Ramos issued Executive Order


No.75 entitled “Creating the National Heroes Committee under the Office of the
President”.

The principal duty of the Committee is to study, evaluate and recommend


Filipino national personages/heroes in due recognition of their sterling character
and remarkable achievements for the country.

1.2 Findings and Recommendations of the National Heroes Committee

In compliance with Executive Order No. 75 dated March 28, 1993, the
National Heroes Committee submitted its findings and recommendations.

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1.2.1 Criteria for National Heroes

The Technical Committee of the National Heroes Committee held a series


of meetings on June 3, 1993, August 19, 1993, September 12, 1994 and
November 15, 1995, defining, discussing and deliberating upon the merits of the
various definitions and criteria of a hero. The Committee adopted the following
criteria as basis for historical researchers in determining who among the great
Filipinos will be officially proclaimed as national heroes:

Criteria for National Heroes

(Adopted by 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.

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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.

1.2.2 Historical Figures Recommended as National Heroes

On November 15, 1995, the Technical Committee after deliberation and


careful study based on Dr. Onofre D. Corpuz’ and Dr. Alfredo Lagmay’s criteria
selected the following nine Filipino historical figures to be recommended as
National Heroes:

a. Jose Rizal

b. Andres Bonifacio

c. Emilio Aguinaldo

d. Apolinario Mabini

e. Marcelo H. del Pilar

f. Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat

g. Juan Luna

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h. Melchora Aquino

i. Gabriela Silang

1.2.3 Status of the Report/Recommendations Submitted by the National


Heroes Committee.

Since the submission of the report/recommendations by the National


Heroes Committee to then Secretary Ricardo T. Gloria of the Department of
Education, Culture and Sports on November 22, 1995, no action has been taken.
This was probably because this might trigger a flood of requests for
proclamations. Another possibility is that the proclamations can trigger bitter
debates involving historical controversies about the heroes.

2. Laws Honoring/ Commemorating Filipino Historical Figures

2.1 Heroes

2.1.1 Jose Rizal

2.1.1.1 Decree of December 20, 1898, issued by General Emilio Aguinaldo,


declared December 30 of every year a day of national mourning in honor of Dr.
Jose Rizal and other victims of the Philippine Revolution.

2.1.1.2 Act No. 137, which organized the politico-military district of Morong into
the Province of Rizal, was the first official step taken by the Taft Commission to
honor our greatest hero and martyr.

2.1.2 Andres Bonifacio

2.1.2.1 Act No. 2946, enacted by the Philippine Legislature on February 16,
1921, made November 30 of each year a legal holiday to commemorate the birth
of Andres Bonifacio.

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2.1.2.2 Act No. 2760, issued on February 23, 1918, confirmed and ratified all
steps taken for the creation, maintenance, improvement of national monuments
and particularly for the erection of a monument to the memory of Andres
Bonifacio.

2.1.3 Other Heroes

2.1.3.1 Act No. 3827, enacted by the Philippine Legislature on October 28, 1931,
declared the last Sunday of August of every year as National Heroes Day.

2.1.3.2 Proclamation No. 510, issued by Pres. Fidel V.Ramos on November 30,
1994, declared the year 1996 as the year of Filipino Heroes as a tribute to all
Filipinos who, directly and indirectly, gave meaning and impetus to the cause of
freedom, justice, Philippine independence and nationhood.

2.1.3.3 R.A. No. 9070, April 8, 2001, declaring the eighteenth of December of
every year as a special working public holiday throughout the country to be
known as the Graciano Lopez-Jaena Day.

2.2 Other Historical Figures

2.2.1 R.A. No. 6701, February 10, 1989, declaring September One of every year,
the death anniversary of Gregorio Aglipay y Labayan, as Gregorio L. Aglipay Day
and a special non-working holiday in the Municipality of Batac, Province of Ilocos
Norte

2.2.2 R.A. No. 7285, March 24, 1992, declaring February Nineteen of each year
as Doña Aurora Aragon Quezon Day a special nonworking holiday in the
Province of Aurora in order to commemorate the birth anniversary of Doña
Aurora Aragon Quezon, the first President of the Philippine National Red Cross,

176
and Foundation Day of the Province.

2.2.3 R.A. No. 7805, September 1, 1994, declaring January 28 of every year as
a non-working special public holiday in the City of Cavite to be known as Julian
Felipe Day.
2.2.4 R.A. No. 7950, March 25, 1995, declaring December Eighteen of every
year as “Araw ng Laguna” and a special working day in the Province of Laguna
and the City of San Pablo to commemorate the memory and death of the late
Governor Felicisimo T. San Luis.

2.2.5 R.A. No. 9067, April 8, 2001 , declaring April 15 of every year as President
Manuel A. Roxas Day which shall be observed as a special working public
holiday in the Province of Capiz and the City of Roxas

Philippines’ National Symbols

Symbols represent a wide variety of things. When people see a particular


symbol, they associate it with something meaningful or standard. With this, each
country has their own national symbols to identify themselves from others and to
unite its citizens through nationalism. According to National Commission for
Culture and the Arts (NCCA), official national symbols of the Philippines
represent the country’s traditions and ideals and convey the principles of
Philippine sovereignty and national solidarity. Check out these official national
symbols of the Philippines:

National Flag

The Philippines national flag, as


defined by the National Historical
Commission of the Philippines, is made of
silk, had a white equilateral triangle at the
left containing a sunburst of eight rays at

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the center, a five-pointed star at each angle of the triangle, an upper stripe of
blue and a lower stripe of red. The sun stands for liberty; the sunburst of eight
rays for the first eight provinces to take up arms against Spain; and the three
stars for the three island groups of the Philippines – Luzon, Visayas and
Mindanao. The white triangle signifies Filipino
hope for equality; the upper blue stripe stands
for peace, truth and justice; while the lower
red stripe stands for patriotism and valor.

National Anthem: “Lupang Hinirang”

The Philippine national anthem is


entitled “Lupang Hinirang” and composed
by Julian Felipe. “Lupang Hinirang” was first
played publicly on June 12, 1898 during the proclamation of Philippine
Independence. Its lyrics were adopted from the Spanish poem, Filipinas, which
was written by José Palma.

National Flower: Sampaguita

The Philippine national flower is called


“sampaguita” which is generally known as the
Arabian Jasmine. Its white color
symbolizes purity, simplicity, humility and
strength. Its white flowers has long been
celebrated in song, stories and legends. They
are often made into garlands and its essence
made into perfumes. The tiny flowers display
their purity in the evening when the flower buds begin to open at dusk.

National Tree: Narra

The Philippine national tree is called “narra”


generally known as rosewood. It was made official

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by Gov. Gen. Frank Murphy through Proclamation No. 652 s. 1934. Narra
symbolizes the Filipino people’s indomitable spirit and strength of character. It is
known to adapt quickly to a wide range of soil varieties but grows best in fine-
grained fertile soil set down by overflows coming
from river beds or flood plains.

National Bird: Philippine Eagle

The Philippine national bird is called


“Philippine eagle” scientifically known as
Pithecophaga jefferyi. It was declared the
country’s national bird in 1995 by President Fidel
V. Ramos. It symbolized the nation’s concerted
effort to rebuild and save the remaining rainforests. Although Filipinos are
primarily known for their differences in religion, language and ideologies, they
have always manifested the willingness to unite as one nation if it means working
for the good of all.

National Gem: Philippine Pearl

The Philippine national gem is called


“Philippine Pearl” as declared by Former
President Fidel V. Ramos through Proclamation
No. 905 s. 1996. It is scientifically known as
Pinctada Maxima. In fact, world’s largest pearl
was discovered by a Filipino diver in a giant
Tridacna (mollusk) under the Palawan Sea in
1934.

National Sport: Arnis

Arnis is to the Philippines like Japan’s Karate


and Korea’s Taekwondo. It’s both a martial art and
a sport whose origins are still largely unconfirmed

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because of lack of documentation. It’s known by two other names: Kali and
Eskrima, and makes use of both bladed weapons, batons/sticks, and bare hands.
It became a national symbol in 2009 when then-Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
signed Republic Act 9850 into law.

National Hero: Dr. Jose Rizal

Long recognized in the country’s history books


as our National Hero, Dr. Jose Protacio Rizal
Mercado y Alonzo Realonda’s status as our
national hero has not been the subject of debate
for the common Juan. Scholars, however, still
argue about who should be given the title: Jose
Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Aguinaldo, Apolinario Mabini, Marcelo H. del
Pilar, Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat, Juan Luna, Melchora Aquino, and Gabriela
Silang were listed down by former President Fidel V. Ramos as those worthy of
being given the title of National Hero. This list has not been acted on since being
submitted by the National Heroes Committee on November 22, 1995.

National Leaf: Anahaw

Often referred to as the National Leaf,


the anahaw or round-leaf fountain palm is not part
of the country’s national symbols. Normally seen
in the countryside as a roofing
material, anahaw leaves are seen as decorative
pieces/plants in the metro. Anahaw leaves are
also a widespread symbol in the Philippines that
is often used in awards and medal to represent
high achievement, strength and loyalty.

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National Fruit: Mango

A common sight in Philippine wet and


dry markets, the mango has long been seen
as the National fruit. As popular as it is for
making desserts, there is no law that
proclaims it as a national symbol. With its
golden color that signifies richness and a
heart shape that symbolizes a significant
part like in human anatomy made Manila mango to be national fruit of the
country. Mango has been known as the “Fruit of the Gods.”

National Animal: Carabao

Carabao symbolizes strength, power,


efficiency, perseverance and most of all, hard
work. If common men have dogs as their best
friend, then the carabao or Philippine water
buffalo is the Filipino farmer’s best friend. They’re
beasts of burden, able to do almost everything
that needs to be done on the rice fields, including
carry the farmer and his goods. But, without any laws to recognize them, they’ll
remain an unofficial symbol of the country.

National House: Bahay Kubo

The humble bahay kubo or nipa hut is still seen


in some parts of the country, particularly in the
provinces. While it has long been a symbol of
Filipino homes, it has not been recognized as a
national symbol. It is an architectural and
monumental masterpiece, considered as a
national symbol, a cultural heritage and a token

181
of togetherness. It embodies the character of the rural landscape in the
Philippines and reflects the Filipino identity as well as the heart and soul of
Filipino country life.

National Fish: Bangus

Bony, yet prized for its belly fat, which almost


everyone fights for on the dinner table.
The bangus or milkfish has long been seen as the
country’s national fish, yet without a law, its status will
never be official. Bangus is regarded as national fish
of the Philippines because it is abundant in many
provinces in the country and is widely available in
many regional dishes.

National Dress: Barong Tagalog and


Baro’t Saya
Barong Tagalog is an untucked or loose shirt of
delicate fabric showing Chinese, airy tropical
appearance even Indo-Malayan and for an
elongated effect and of Hindu influences and the
decorative captivity of European men’s clothing. The
barong appears to have preserved its original look
since it was first worn. Almost unnoticeably, through the years, the barong’s
round neck, straight long sleeves and mid-thigh hemline were resourcefully
customized with collar, cuffs and side slits.
Baro’t Saya is a colorless blouse and skirt. From the
original, half-naked style, the bare upper torso was
slowly covered with a short-sleeved, colorless blouse
called “baro.” The whole look has developed into a many
layered collection of the kimona or inner shirt, the baro
outer shirt with its typically delicate materials, exquisite

182
embroidery and full sleeves.

Enrichment Activity 10

Modified Multiple Choice. Choose the correct letter and put it in the blank
provided.

A. Secular Priests B. Cape of Good Hope C. Regular Priests D. Buen Consejo


1. The arrival of this ship causes the decline of Manila-Acapulco trade.
2. A shorter route that only takes three months from Spain to Philippines.
3. Priests that belongs to religious orders that spread Christianity.
4. Priests that run the parishes and were under the supervision of the bishops.

E. Sampaguita F. Governor-General de la Torre G. Carabao H. King Carlos III 


5. A liberal Spaniard who abolished flogging, relaxed media censorship and
began limited secularization of education.
6. He ordered the Jesuits to be expelled from Spain and from all of his colonies.
7. Its white color symbolizes purity, simplicity, humility and strength.
8. It symbolizes strength, power, efficiency, perseverance and most of all hard
work.

I. Narra J. Peninsulares K. Philippine Eagle L. Insulares


9. It symbolizes the nation's concerted effort to rebuild and save the remaining
rainforests.
10. It symbolizes the Filipino people's indomitable spirit and strength of character.
11. Spaniards born in mainland but residing in the Philippines
12. Spaniards born in the Philippines.

M. Noli Me Tangere N. Katipunan O. Alpargatas P. El Filibusterismo


13. The aim of this organization was to win Philippine independence through a
revolution then establish a republic.
14. A novel dedicated to the memory of the Gomburza fathers.

183
15. Spanish national footwear for peasants.

Glossary

American revolution - also called United States War of Independence or


American Revolutionary War, (1775–83), insurrection by which 13 of Great
Britain’s North American colonies won political independence and went on to
form the United States of America.
Annotation - a note added by the way of comment or explanation
Anti-clericalism - opposition to the clergy for its real or alleged influence
in political and social affairs, for its doctrinairism, for its privileges or property, or
for any other reason. Although the term has been used in Europe since the 12th
and 13th centuries, it is associated in more recent history with the French
Revolution and its aftermath.
Brawl - to fight noisily in usually a public place
Chi minh - led the Việt Minh independence movement from 1941 onward,
establishing the Communist-ruled Democratic Republic of Vietnam .
Clericalism - a policy of maintaining or increasing the power of a religious
hierarchy.
Cotton Gin - the engine that made cotton production boom.
Dr. Sun Yat-sen - known as the father of modern China.
El filibusterismo - is the second novel written by Philippine national hero
José Rizal. It is the sequel of Noli me tangere and was also written in Spanish.
Frailocracy - rule of the friars.
French revolution - Led to the overthrowing of the absolute rule of the
Bourbon dynasty and the abolition of the feudal system; its ideology (liberty,
fraternity and equality) had influenced subject people to cast off the yoke of
colonialism by means of armed uprising.
Gen. Fernando Primo de Rivera - was a Spanish general under the
Spanish Resistance against Napoleon Bonaparte.
Sucesos de las Islas - A first-hand account of the early Spanish colonial venture
into Asia,

184
Gen. Rafael de Izquierdo - was famous for his use of "Iron Fist" type of
government, contradicting the liberal government of his predecessor, Carlos
María de la Torre
Indios - were defined as the native indigenous peoples in all the Spanish
America and Asia possessions.
Industrial revolution - refers to the transformation of manufacturing
brought about by the invention and use of machines; it also refers to a shift from
handwork to machine work and a shift from the domestic style to the factory
system.
Insulares - They are a rank below the peninsulares.
The insulares or criollos are of European descent but born in the colonies of
Spain.
Martyrdom - a person who willingly suffers death rather than renounce his
or her religion. a person who is put to death or endures great suffering on behalf
of any belief, principle, or cause.
Mestizo - is a term given to individuals inheriting foreign ancestry. They
may or may not have European or other racial features despite popular belief.
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi - Indian lawyer, politician, social activist,
and writer who became the leader of the nationalist movement against the British
rule of India. As such, he came to be considered the father of his country.
Mutiny - a situation in which a group of people (such as sailors or
soldiers) refuse to obey orders and try to take control away from the person who
commands them.
Nationalism - is a sense of loyalty or psychological attachment that
members of a nation share, based on a common language, history, culture, and
desire for independence. It is a feeling that drives a people together as a nation.
It is love of country expressed in devotion to and advocacy of national interest
and independence.
Noli Me Tangere - is a Latin phrase that means “Touch Me Not.”
Paternal - of or relating to a father; related through the father
Peninsulares - the highest class in the Philippines, entrusted with the

185
offices of high rank. Peninsulares are pure blooded Spaniards born from Spain
and sent to Spanish colonies to govern.
Republic Act No. 1425 - known as the Rizal Law, mandates all
educational institutions in the Philippines to offer courses about José Rizal.
Republic Act No. 229 - prohibits cockfighting, horse racing, and jai-alai
on the Thirtieth Day of December of each year.
Secularization - to transfer to ownership or control of (something) from a
religious organization to the state
Status quo - the current situation : the way things are now
Synopsis - a short description of the most important information about
something : a summary or outline
The spinning jenny - was another example of great inventions of the
Industrial Revolution. It was developed by James Hargreaves who patented his
idea in 1764. It allowed workers to spin more wool at any one time.
Typewriter - Every great writer's companion. The modern typewriter
would ultimately be invented in 1867 by Christopher Sholes.
Typographer -William Austin Burt patented the "first typewriter". There
were earlier machines similar in purpose, a notable example being Henry Mill's
1714 patent, but it appears to have never been capitalized upon.
Watts steam engine - James Watt created the first reliable steam engine
in 1775 his invention would literally change the world. His innovation blew the
older less efficient models, like the Newcomen engine, out of the water.

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186
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