We heard about our forefathers' history and the events of the 19th century,

when Spain colonized our territory and spread Christianity and influence while

subjecting the Malayan race to racial prejudice and abuse. Because of Spain's

decadence in the Philippines, several nationalist movements arose. Many reasons

contributed to the development of Filipino nationalism, but first, let us clarify what

nationalism is in order to understand its genuine core. Nationalism, according to

Merriam-Webster, is a sense of national consciousness that elevates one nation

above all others and places an emphasis on upholding its culture and interests above

those of other nations or supranational groups. While, Pfaff (1993, p.196)

characterized nationalism as a manifestation of an individual's primal attachments to

a group, with both good and destructive powers, and this is a phenomenon that

existed long before the group to which such strong allegiance was attached formed

the contemporary nation-state. Nationalism, on the other hand, is difficult to

describe clearly and decisively, but we can digest it piece by piece in the context of

our forefathers' period.

When Manila became an open port in 1834, the prohibitions on foreign

traders were loosened. The Spanish traders began to lose their commercial

dominance in the Philippines after the city of Manila was opened to international

commerce. The economy's expansion inspired the late-nineteenth-century

nationalist movement, bringing riches to some of the upper and middle classes of

Filipinos.

Furthermore, as middle and upper-class Filipinos rose from the ashes of the

Spanish traders, a new wave of middle and upper-class Filipinos emerged. They were

able to obtain education at top universities, which opened their eyes to the fact that
they were not simply sub-groups of people, but a people united under one banner,

not just because of a common colonial rule, but because they had a common love

and goal for the motherland.

However, propaganda and the nationalist movement were initially sown in

the 1860s. Fr. Pedro Peláez, Fr. Burgos' mentor, fought for the rights of Filipino

priests, including Creoles, Mestizos, and Indios, as well as the secularization of

Philippine parishes. Peláez wanted an explanation as to why it was permissible to

replace a secular with regulars, despite the fact that it was in violation of the Exponi

nobis. Unfortunately, his campaign was cut short when he died on the feast of

Corpus Christi on June 3, 1863. His protege, Fr. Jose Burgos, inherited his legacy and

ideology.

Despite being a Creole, Burgos persisted Peláez's campaign, transforming the

couple of decades dispute between the Spanish friars and the Filipino secular clergy

from an ecumenical conflict into a direct insinuation of Filipino equal treatment with

the Spanish and demand for justice for all Filipinos, which led to his demise along

with Fr. Jacinto Zamora and Fr. Mariano Gomez, who were his allegedly conspirators

in Cavite Mutiny.

On the other side, some questioned Burgos' nationalist ambitions, citing his

mixed ancestry as an example. However, I believe he was well-suited in that for he

prioritized the advocacy of the great interests of Filipino secular clergy over friars, as

well as passionately pursuing equality and justice for all Filipinos, which is the very

definition of nationalism, as well as Pfaff’s characterization to it.

Apart from the execution of the three martyrs, one of the reasons for the

emergence of nationalism in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era was the
Spaniards' racial prejudice against the native. All men are equal in God's eyes,

according to Spanish missionaries who brought Christianity to our country in the

early 16th century. However, the Spanish authorities, all of whom were Christians,

did not impose this sense of brotherhood before in the eyes of God. Even with the

Leyes de Indias (Laws of the Indies) of the Christian monarchs of Spain, the

legislation that protects the rights and welfare of the indigenous people in Spain's

foreign colonies. However, in the colonizer’s perception, brown Filipinos and white

Spaniards may be equal to God, but not in the eyes of the law. They saw Filipino

converted Christians as inferior beings who were not entitled to the same rights and

advantages as white Spaniards lavishly relished.

As they witnessed the martyrdom of the GomBurZa and the eleven evils of

Spain kindled the ember of nationalism within Jose Rizal and other nationalist and

propagandist, and joined under one banner against the conquerors, upholding the

Creole ideals. Despite this, they recognized that revolt against Izquierdo's cruel

regime was impossible. So, they chose Europe to launch their movement, where

they used their sharp minds and heretical writings to express their ideas of

assimilation.

Nonetheless, it was Rizal's masterpieces, Noli Me Tangere and El

Filibusterismo, that driven the people towards rebellion; the shared experience of

colonial exploitation and the cultural memory of abuse unified the Filipino people

into a nation of Filipinos, allowing for the conceptualization of the patria, or

"homeland," among them.

Now that we have achieved our independence and sovereignty, we can still

prove our nationalist aspirations in a variety of small ways, such as by respecting our
national flag and its history. The Philippine flag is a symbol of our freedom as well as

our national identity as Filipino citizens. Furthermore, we should be dedicated in

servicing our fellow citizens, whether in the public or private sector, because it is

akin to serving the nation. Nonetheless, without the gift of our predecessors, who

battled for our future, none of this would be conceivable.