Clint Ashley S.

Villanueva BSIT -602

Why did the Spaniards brand us as indolent?

Filipinos were industrious and hardworking long before the arrival of the

Spaniards. Because of certain factors, the Spanish reign resulted in a downturn in

economic activity. Rizal identifies many factors that may have contributed to the

Filipinos' cultural and economic decline. The communities have been thrown into

disarray due to the constant conflicts, insurgencies, and invasions. There has been

global chaos, and devastation is at an all-time high. Many Filipinos have also been sent

abroad to serve in wars or on expeditions for Spain. As a result, the population has

shrunk. Many men have been sent to shipyards to build vessels because of forced

labor.

Meanwhile, indigenous peoples who have had enough of the violence have fled

to the mountains. As a result, the farms have fallen into disrepair. Filipinos' so-called

indolence stems from deep-seated causes. Furthermore, one of the reasons is

preparation deficiencies; Filipinos receive no training at home or school. Many Filipinos

are uneducated. That is why they appear to mimic what they see and hear. Finally, the

second factor is a lack of a sense of national unity among them. Filipinos conform to

foreign culture and do all they can to emulate it because they believe they are inferior. It

is the reason Spaniards call us indolent.

How did Rizal and the other Filipino scholars defend the Filipinos against this
labeling from Spain? Why?

Rizal recognizes Gregorio Sancianco's prior work and agrees that indolence

exists among Filipinos, but it cannot be due to the country's troubles and backwardness;

instead, it is the product the country's backwardness and troubles. Previous publications

on indolence have focused solely on either denying or affirming its existence, with a bit

of in-depth examination of its causes. According to Rizal, if improper care is offered, an

illness can escalate. The same is valid with laziness. People, on the other hand, should

not give up hope in the war against indolence. Rizal contends that even before the

Spaniards arrived, the early Filipinos were conducting trade within provinces and

neighboring countries; they were also engaged in agriculture and mining, and some

natives also spoke Spanish. As a result, he lists the causes of indolence and elaborates

on the circumstances that contributed to it. He points out that the hot climate is a good

predisposition for indolence. Filipinos cannot be compared to Europeans, who live in

cold countries and must work even more challenging. He claims that an hour's work

under the Philippine sun is equal to a day's work in temperate regions. Filipinos,

according to Rizal, are not to blame for their misfortunes because they are not their

masters. Rizal did everything he can to depend on Filipinos against the Spaniards,

calling us Indolent or Lazy people. With the help of the other scholars, they made a

statement We were active and honest traders, we used our abilities and resources for

the good of our country, we were never corrupt, we were diverse and enthusiastic, we

were sovereign, we valued nature, and we were protective and defensive of our
territory. Spanish is the one to blame because Filipinos at that time do not have control.

They cannot speak for themselves. They are just following orders.

Reference:
the Indolence of the Filipinos: Summary and Analysis. (n.d.). (C) 2011. Retrieved May 18, 2021,
from http://thelifeandworksofrizal.blogspot.com/2011/08/indolence-of-filipinos-summary-
and.html