Chapter 9 – The Campaign for Reforms
As Spanish citizens, Filipinos
( 1882 – 1892 )
Significant Developments in the Phils after
GOMBURZA.
1. Campaign for reforms began to evolve
2. The wealthy and educated Filipinos
began to air their complaints through
peaceful means like writings, speeches,
artworks etc
3. When censored, they went to Spain to
campaign for reforms for civil liberties
that will equal to those of Spanish
citizens.
The Reform Movement
1. After the execution of GOMBURZA,
there was peace bec of threats of
persecution for those who oppose and
criticize Spain;
2. There was discontent on the poor and
the rich Filipinos:
a. Poor or masses where discontented
bec they remain poor and burdened
with heavy taxes;
b. The rich and wealthy Filipinos
where discontented bec:
1. The abuses of the Spaniards;
2. They were not free to air their
complaints;
3. They were not allowed to
participate in the administration
of govt
3. As a result , these rich and wealthy
Filipinos went to Spain where they
studied and worked for reforms.
4. Propaganda Movement - the reform
movement of 1882.
Their purpose:
a. To assimilate the Phils as a
province of Spain;
b. The Phils should not be a colony of
Spain;
c. The Phils should be represented in
the Spanish Cortes;
d. The Filipinos would become
Spanish citizens and enjoy all the
rights and privileges of Spanish
citizens;
e.
should not be treated cruelty by the
friars and guardia civil
5. Assimilation – the move to make the
Phils a province of Spain and the
granting of Spanish citizenship to
Filipinos.
- This would allow the indios
to be finally called
“Filipino”
6. Some important Filipino reformist:
- Graciano Lopez Jaena –
great orator
- Jose Rizal – great thinker
and writer
- Marcelo H Del Pilar - great
political analyst and
journalist
 They were called the great
triumvirate.
Other reformist:
Jose Ma Panganiban
Antonio Luna
Mariano Ponce
Eduardo de Lete ,etc
They involved themselves in the
cause of their country.
Graciano Lopez Jaena
1. Born in Jaro , Iloilo Dec 18, 1856
2. He studied in a seminary but later changed
his mind to become a physician instead.
3. He was observant and saw the injustices,
immorality and greed of the friars and
guardia civil.
4. His story Fray Botod is about a greedy
and immoral friar made him flee to Manila
to escape persecution.
5. He continued his studies in Manila but was
harassed by Spanish authorities;
6. He secretly left for Spain to study Medicine
but gave it up and devoted his time and
energy writing articles.
7. He founded La Solidaridad.
8. Aims of La Solodaridad:
a. Fight reaction
b. Stop all efforts to make the Phils a
backward country
c. Extol liberal ideas
 d. To defend progress
9. La Solidaridad became the propaganda arm
of the Filipino reformist. Copies of the
newspaper were secretly shipped to the
Phils and distributed to educated Filipinos.
10. Jaena
a. Wrote articles favorable to the
Filipinos
b. Delivers speeches defending the
filipinos from cruel Spanish writers.
c. Hé praised the Phíls and called it the
Pearl of the Orient
d. He called thé Phílippines a piece of thé
palpitating héart of Spain.
Demands of thé Filipino Reformist
1. Representation in thé Spanish’Cortes
2. Right to vote
3. Freedom of speech’, assembly and of
press
4. Freedom of commerce
5. Removal of friars in théPhílippines
6. Education of thé people
7. Reforms in the jail of our country
8. Abolition of diezmozrediales or the tithe
consisting’of 1/ 10 th ofthéproduce of
the land.
Lopez Jaena died in Barcelona Spain due to
húngér and illness on January 2, 1896.
Jose Rizal
1. The most brilliant.
2. Born June 19, 1861 in CalambaLagúna
3. Hé saw all the’injustices committed
against the’Filipinos and swore to work
for thé freedom of hís country.
4. 1st book Noli Me Tangére or Touch’Me
Not when hé was 26 years old
= He exposed thé defects of Spanish
administration
= thé greed and immorality of the friars
= superstitions of théfilipinos
5. 2nd book El Filibusterismo or thé
Filibuster
- Hé expressed hís political
ideas.
- Hé wanted first of all to
educate thé Filiino people
so that they know hów to
discharge their duties
correctly and faithfully.
6. Hé wrote poems, essays and articles all
for thé love of country , hís patriotism,
love of hís parents , hís háppiness and
sorrows
7. Hé founded LaLigá Filipina- a
patriotic society whích’was suspected of
uniting’and preparing thé people for a
revolution
8. Hé first banished to Dapitan,
Zamboangá , tried by a military court
and that sentenced hím to be shot to
death.
9. He was executed in Bagumbayan ( now
Luneta park ) on Dec 30, 1896
Marcelo H. del Pilar
1. The greatest journalist produced by the
purely Filipino race.
2. He was born in Cupang, Bulacan on
August 30, 1850;
3. He finished law at the UST and also
began his campaign against the abuses
of the friars and the Spanish civil
officials;
4. He founded the Filipino – Spanish
newspaper - Diaryong Tagalog
- It published suggestions on
how to improve the
administration of our
country;
- It also published mild
criticisms bec there was no
freedom of speech and
press;
 5. He secretly left for Spain after receiving
Reports that there was an order to arrest
him;
6. In Spain:
a. He became an editor of La
Solidaridad;
b. Wrote many articles and editorials;
c. Wrote 2 famous books:
1. La Soberania Monacalen
Filipinas ( Monastic
Sovereignty in the Phils )
2. La Frailocracia Filipina
( Frailocracy in the Phils)
7. He wrote in the language of the masses
8. He dies of Tuberculosis due to heavy
work and lack of food.
9. During winter in Spain , he would pick
up cigarette butts and smoke them to
keep him warm;
10. He wanted to come back to the Phils but
unfortunately, he died on July 4, 1896;
Pro Filipino Societies
1. Circulo Hispano – Filipino
- Inorder to propagate
their views the society published the
newspaper “Revista Del Circulo Hispano
Filipino”
- Purpose of newspaper
a. to bring the attention of the Spanish
authorities in Spain the conditions of the
Phils
b. to work for the introduction of
reforms which would benefit the
Filipinos
But this newspaper was short lived. It
lacked financial support and lack of
leadership.
2. Asociacion Hispano – Filipina
- It was composed of
Filipinos and Spaniards who
sympathized with the
Filipino cause
- Aspiration – “to work for
the material and moral
improvement of the Phils”.
- Aims:
a. Abolition of diesmozprediales
b. Compulsory teaching of Spanish in
all schools in the Phils
c. Radical reforms in UST
d. Abolition of flogging as a form of
punishment
e. Establishment of rural banks
f. Tax and other reforms
This society lived longer than circulo
but it never realized its goals bec high
Spanish ranking officials were busy with
State problems to even mind the
problems of the colony .
Freemasonry and its role
1. Filipino reformist in Spain joined
Masonry bec :
a. wanted to make friends among
Spanish Masons
b. Bec of the anti friar character of
Masonry
2. The Friars hated masonry bec it
provided the inspiration to the Filipinos
who were questioning their right to
remain in the Phils
3. Lopez JAENA WAS very active in
Masonry.
He founded Revolucion– this lodge was
exclusively and for Filipinos. This was
dissolved but all its members were later
taken as members of La
Solidaridad .Unity among Filipinos in
Spain was maintained by this masonic
lodge La Solidaridad.
4. Nilad - Masonic lodge founded in
Manila
Aims:
a. Work for freedom and prosperity in
the Phils
b. Work for good govt
 1. Support a member or his son without
c. Representation to the Spanish cortes financial means but with enough ability
and industry;
d. Establish the Phils as a province of
Spain 2. Support the poor against the rich and
powerful

3. Give financial help to any member who

5. Walana– Masonic lodge for women.
suffered losses

4. To open stores ánd shóps which would

The Masons were anti friars and they
sell góods to members at low prices
wanted the friars to be shipped out of the
Phils and back to Spain.
5. Introduce machines inorder tó promote
industry
La Liga Filipina
LaLigá was civic in nature but thé spoanish
1. Founded by Rizal and Andres authórities considered it dangerous.
Bonifacio
1. It was an organization capable of
2. Its constitution was prepared by Rizal uniting the Filipinos for self sufficiency
in HK on his way to Manila from and defence
Europe.
Rizal was ordered arrested and was detained in
3. Aims: Fort Santiagó ending hís deportation to Dapitan.

a. Unite the whole archipelago into 1
whole body;
b. Give mutual protection of all its
members in case of necessity;
As a consequence, La Ligá died a natural death.
Other members tried to revive it but it did not
last long. But this too did not last long.

c. Encourage agriculture, commerce

and education

All thé patriotic society were founded for thé

purpose of working for reforms. They all failed
in their missions .

d. Defend it members against any Whý thé reforms movements failed

violence and injustice;
1. Beneficial laws were passed but were
e. To study and apply reforms not implemented.

4. Government of the La Liga Eg’.

Supreme Council a. Maura Law provides for thé

reorganization of local góvt

Provincial council c. Law on compulsory teachíng óf thé

spanish langúagé

Popular council d. Laws introducing ‘reforms in

The members of the Council were to pay
monthly dues of .10 centavos.
Purposes of the money contributed:
the’Judiciary
2. Spanish hígh ranking officials were too
busy with théir own problems to listen
to thé voice of thé reformist
3. Reformist in Spain and in the
Phílippines does not have thé financial
means to make their campaign effective

4. Reformist themselves where not united.

There were jealousies among
thémselves.

5. Thé friars in the Phílippines have

influential friends and supporters in
Sain.