“Letter to the Young Women of Malolos” by Jose Rizal on Women Empowerment

The message to the young women of Malolos focused on important topics like
denouncing the abuse of the friars' spiritual authority, the qualities that Filipino mothers
must possess, responsibility of a woman as a parent to her children and as a wife to her
husband. Also, Rizal gave advices to women in choosing their other half. He further
emphasized the need of education in achieving freedom from slavery. Rizal stated his
ardent wish for Filipino women to be able to attend school alongside males in the letter. He
also advised women to be aware of their rights and not to remain silent in the face of
numerous injustices, emphasizing that we are all born equal and that God did not create
men and women to be slaves or to be deceived by others.             

                Moreover, Rizal commends the 20 brave ladies of Malolos for their commitment to
educate themselves, which was genuinely freeing at the time. Among these ladies, Rizal
discovered a ray of hope for the restoration of Filipino women's dignity, especially their
worth. He wrote the paper to emphasize the value of Filipino mothers, as their children's
future is in their loving hands, free or enslaved by defining their duties and responsibilities
which maybe inspired by his mother's affection. The letter ends with Rizal's advice to
"open your children's eyes" to dignity, respect, and duty; and filipino women should use
reasoning, learn what it means to be a good mother, and how to be one—instills integrity,
honesty, love of one's fellowman and reverence of God. He was patriotic, but he warned
that illiteracy among children and women would stymie the country's prosperity.

In his letter, Jose Rizal makes numerous references to ignorance, oppression, and
education, all of which were factors that were lacking in women during that historical
period. Some may claim that women's emancipation in Rizal's era is no longer relevant to
today's generation, because what is contained inside the letter is no longer taking place at
this time, which may wrongly influence the minds of the youth of today. Nakpil (2021)
stated that “But to modern readers, the fervor seems disproportionate to the occasion. Only
the surrounding circumstances can explain it.” However, when considered in a broader
context, this letter will serve as a reminder to every Filipino women that our position in
society was fought for a long time and that Rizal not only wrote about freedom,
nationalism, love, but also about women's empowerment—which led me to believe that he
was deserving of the title of our national hero.

In the Philippines, the Magna Carta of Women (RA 9710) is a comprehensive human
rights law for women that aims to eliminate discrimination against them by recognizing
and protecting their rights, as well as fulfilling and promoting the rights of Filipino women,
particularly those from marginalized communities. Despite the existence of this legislation,
as well as other laws supporting women's empowerment and protection, there are still
instances of ignorance, oppression, and education, particularly in remote areas and families
that adhere to the ancient tradition of women being housewives (The Manila Times, 2013).
This only implies that Jose Rizal's "Letter to the Young Women of Malolos" on women's
empowerment is and will always be important. This will serve as a window to look back in
time and see what Jose Rizal wished for Filipino women to possess, even as time passes and
modernity evolves. Thus, his message is not only addressed to the young ladies of Malolos,
but it is also addressed to every Filipino woman that was born or will be born in the future.
Indeed, women's empowerment should not be seen as a fleeting trend, but rather as a habit
that every Filipino should cultivate.

MARC BENEDICT MACASERO

 References

Nakpil, C. G. (2021, March 29). Why Rizal’s letter to the women of Malolos remains relevant to

Filipino feminists of today. ABS-CBN News. https://news.abs-

cbn.com/ancx/culture/spotlight/03/29/21/why-rizals-letter-to-the-women-of-malolos-

remains-relevant-to-filipino-feminists-of-today

The Manila Times (2013, October 19). Modern-day slavery in the Philippines. The Manila

Times. https://www.manilatimes.net/2013/10/19/opinion/editorial/modern-day-slavery-

in-the-philippines/46180