Rizal’s Life and Works

In order for us to understand and appreciate the life of Rizal, we must know the historical background of
the Philippines during his time.
Filipinos were unfortunate victims of the evils of the unjust, bigoted and deteriorating colonial power.
1. Instability of colonial administration
2. Corrupt officialdom
3. No Philippine representation in the Spanish cortes
4. Human rights denied to Filipino
5. No equality before the law
6. Maladministration of justices
7. Racial discrimination
8. Frailocracy
9. Force labor
10. Haciendas own by friars
11. The  guardia civil

A. You going to choose 4 evils of the unjust colonial power, explain and connect into a
present situation.

The evils of unjust colonial power have heavily impacted numerous people during Rizal's era, and we
cannot deny that those unjustly targeted have suffered because abuse was rampant and colonizers were
corrupt. The following are the four evils of unjust which I chose to talk over because they are still one of
the most pressing issues confronting our country: Corrupt officialdom, No equality before the law,
Racial discrimination, and Maladministration of Justice.

 Corrupt officialdom
During the colonial period, the country had no strong laws, which is why former colony officials had the
audacity to accept bribes and used the gospel message to accumulate wealth and embezzle offerings.
They also compelled themselves on valuable Filipino heiresses to expand their linkages and build a
reputation.
Corruption is currently affecting citizens in the Philippines, not only because of the rumored abuse of
power behind Covid 19, but also because of the upcoming election, which young Filipinos have been
debating for a quite some time on various platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. Authorized people
are vulnerable to electoral fraud, which involves manipulating or illegally interfering with voting
processes, such as vote buying. Personally, I believe that the Philippines’ low rate of economic success
and high rate of corruption is due to government officials who lack transparency among its citizens.

 No equality before the law

Rychel R
Rizal’s Life and Works

The social hierarchy in Rizal's time was also unmanageable, and Spaniards were recognized as the
leading edge since they believe it themselves, which gives Filipinos unjust treatment in courtroom, and
it is even hard to win a court hearing if you live in poverty. Living in the upper class, Spaniards were
able to get away with their crimes because of their social position and skin color, whilst Filipinos, on the
other hand, were subjected to harsh punishment and fines.
We all know that in society, laws enacted in the name of the state must be seen as fair and just in order
to be considered legitimate; if they are seen as unjust, citizens must challenge the country's authority;
however, enforcing a mutually beneficial relationship between rich and poor contradicts this, making
this a troubling figure within the state. This issue must be revisited because it has a substantial impact on
the impartiality of the law. Inequality concerns are certainly not beyond baseless; they emerged from a
real sense of modern poverty ordeals of Filipino people that justice should not be bought by wealthy
people, whether in income divisions, economic system, justice, and so on. On the other hand, social
injustice may be open to misinterpretation rooted in a flawed understanding between upper and lower
class.
 Racial discrimination
Discrimination based on race has become a common concern in Spanish history. Racism interrelates to
‘No equality before the law' because it is also driven by social position. Filipinos were believed to be a
part of the lowest ranking because of their dark color and lack of education, and as a result, they were
treated indifferently and seen as inferior. Jose Rizal also a heinous victim of racism.
Racism is considered as a prevalent issue in today’s scenario especially foreign countries who are
discriminating Asian people including Filipinos. Various factors of racism can lead to harassment, the
right to express opinions about color struggles for freedom, and in the worst case, intimidation resulting
in injury, and suicide. To address racism, we must educate ourselves on the values of acceptance and
understanding. Racism is not solved with harsh deeds and cruel words, but with patience and decency,
something we all should have learned.
 Maladministration of Justice
The inferior treatment of Filipinos has resulted in inadequate justice being served. I read an article on the
Maladministration of Justice during colonial times, it says that justice has often been denied because
delays in the exercise of justice are already considered denied and it is difficult and impossible to control
justice when one is poor because it is a slow and expensive process. Filipinos do not have access to it
because the judges were ignorant and incompetent.
As observed from the past, the Philippines has at least been helped when it comes to access to justice
because now, even if an offender does not have enough money to pay someone to protect him, there is a
public prosecutor who will be of help if the process is done legally and there are no manipulations or
fabrications that would disrupt the process. I can certainly say that justice will be done fairly.

Rychel R