Rizal Module

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Course Overview
Course Number: GE-SS 200-2F
Course Code: 0088/0098/0108/0118/0038/0263/0292/0297/0346/0355
Descriptive Title: Rizal’s Life and Works
Credit Units: 3
School Year/Term: 2021-2022
Mode of Delivery: Blended Instruction (Online-Moodle and Modular)
Name of Enrique E. Balili Jr.

Instructor/Professor: John Lord L. Capilitan
Rezin Reylland M. Lesigon
Course Description: As mandated by Republic Act 1425, this course covers the life and
works of the country’s national hero, Josè Rizal. Among the topics
covered are Rizal’s biography and his writings, particularly the
novels Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, some of his essays,
and various correspondences.
Course Outcomes: After navigating the 4 modules, the students must have:
 Discussed Jose Rizal’s life within the context of 19th

century Philippines.
 Analyzed Rizal’s various works, particularly the novels
Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo
 Organized Rizal’s ideas into various themes
 Demonstrated a critical reading of primary courses
 Interpreted the values that can be derived from studying
Rizal’s Life and works
 Displayed an appreciation for education and love of
country.
SLSU Mission: SLSU will
a. Develop Science, Technology, and Innovation leaders and
professionals;
b. Produce high-impact technologies from research and
innovations;
c. Contribute to sustainable development through
responsive community engagement programs;
d. Generate revenues to be self-sufficient and financially-
viable
SLSU Vision: A high quality corporate University of Science, Technology and
Innovation.
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Student Guide to Navigate the Module:
1. This is a self-pacing module that you can work on at your convenient time within the
term. The lessons are arranged according to the expected outcomes and you are
expected to achieve the task from the first lesson to the last.
2. You are required to answer the Pre-test before going over to the lessons.
3. Perform the activities given before every lesson in each module.
4. The module is given for you to read, learn and enjoy.
5. Learning Tasks are given as part of the lesson as an application or assessment to

evaluate how much you have learned, thus all of it should be answered.
6. Answer the Post Test at the end of all the lessons.
7. Do not hesitate to ask questions through Facebook Messenger (John Lord Capilitan) or
through email (capilitanJL@yahoo.com).
8. The following rubrics will be the standard for the Pre-test, activities and Post-test:
Rubrics:
Excellent Good Satisfactory Poor

Criteria
(20 points) (15 points) (10 points) (5 points)
The student
The student The student
presents The student’s
presents presents original
satisfactory presented ideas
original ideas ideas and
ideas and are unoriginal
Content and manages to manages to
somehow and the prompts
answer the answer the
manages to are answered
prompts prompts
answer the poorly.
thoroughly. satisfactorily.
prompts.
The student The student
The student
presents the presents the The student
presents the
ideas and ideas in a clear presents the
ideas and
Organization supporting data and organized ideas poorly and
supporting data
in a clear and manner but with lacks supporting
in a satisfactory
organized less supporting data.
manner.
manner. data.
The student
provides The student The student The student fails
sufficient provides enough provides some to provide
Arguments and
reliable evidence to the evidence to the evidence to the
Evidences
evidence to the arguments they arguments they arguments they
arguments they use in the paper. use in the paper. use in the paper.
use in the paper.
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Pre-test in Rizal’s Life and Works
Instructions: Write opinion essays (could be informal) on the following topics. Follow the
guide questions for the content of your work.
I. Who becomes a hero?
What is a hero? What makes someone a hero? What do heroes represent?
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II. Why is Jose Rizal celebrated as our national hero?
Who is he? What do you know of his achievements? What makes Jose Rizal a hero?
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INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE
One of the penultimate aims of education is to instill patriotic and nationalistic spirit
among Filipinos, especially, the youth. Thus, the Life and Works of Rizal, as a course, had been
ardently included in the curricula in the tertiary education to provide awakening drive to a
better understanding of the life, time, ideas, and ideals of Jose Rizal.
Acclaimed as one of the greatest Filipino heroes, Rizal may be unparalleled in his works
and achievements worth-emulating. However, this course portrayed Rizal as a man in the
context of history. Rizal and his contemporaries were molded by their environment and
situations which constitute the call of history. They simply responded to this call at the cost of
ignoring their personal welfare and proceeded to put the nation towards its historical path.
To understand Rizal better, it is important to move back from the realm of biography to
the ambit of social history. Students could see a wider picture beyond the personal life of Jose
Rizal and understand why he chose the path that governed his life.
This course contains a brief story of Rizal’s life and an outline of his works. It puts Rizal
in the context of history and what he means to us in the present time. It answers issues
regarding his life and his place in the pantheon of heroes.
Further, this course accolades other Philippine heroes who had in their own endeavors
contributed on the liberation and self-determination of the nation and impacted to the Filipino
citizenry the spirit of nationalism and patriotism. Indeed, everyone who had given their lives
and self to the nation’s sake is beyond worthy of recognition.
This is to awaken the Filipino youth and instill in them the love and sincerity the nation
deserves. This intends to develop positive values based on Rizal’s experiences which, hopefully,
would become part of the character of our students who Rizal called “the fair hope of the
motherland.”
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Life and Works of Rizal
Table of Contents
Module 1: Introduction to Rizal…………………………………….………………………………………………….4
Module 2: Rizal’s Biographical Sketch…………………………………………………………………………….12
Module 3: Rizal’s Annotations of Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas……………………….…16
MIDTERM
Module 4: Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo………………………………………….…....24
Module 5: Rizal’s Mi Ultimo Adios…………………………………………………………………………………..32
Module 6: Other Philippine Heroes…………………………………………………………...……………………38
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Introduction to Rizal
Module 1
PROGRAM OUTCOMES:
 Utilize appropriate various sociocultural and historical materials in explaining
current issues.
 Preserve and promote “Filipino historical and cultural heritage”.
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this module, students are expected to;
• Explain the history of the Rizal law and its important provisions
• Analyze the various social, political, economic and cultural changes that occurred in
the nineteenth century
• Understand Jose Rizal in the context of his time
DISCUSSION
The Criteria for Heroes
In the study of the life of heroes, it is important to put in mind that a hero is a human
being. Heroes are not born, they are made. Heroes, like ordinary human beings, are a product of
their time. Heroes are mare because they responded to the call of the times and their response
to this call had a decisive effects on the lives of their countrymen.
There is no law or proclamation which directly made Rizal a hero. Rizal’s hero status
was made by the acclamation of the Filipino people. This becomes the object of public worship
and accolades are heaped upon him. The test of a person’s heroism becomes stronger if the
person is acclaimed long after his death and by people who are not of his generation. This
means the appreciation of his life and achievements spans beyond his life.
The National Historical Institute (NHI; presently National Historical Commission of the
Philippines), the country’s agency in charge of historical matters, prescribes the passage of 50
years before a person is confirmed as a hero.
According to their definition, a hero is defined as “an admirable leader towering over his
peers, who is serving a noble cause, possessing exceptional talent, distinguished valor and/or
hold enterprise, exercising a determinative influence over the spiritual life of his people in a
particular remarkable event.”
Moreover, criteria specified, “a hero must exercise a determinative influence over the
spiritual life of his people in an event of great significance.” It further says that in order to
qualify for the distinction of a national hero, “one must project himself by his own fortitude,
effort, and sacrifices to be the beacon of his oppressed countrymen to their rightful destiny.”
The Historical Committee of the National Commission came out with the characteristics
of a person to be examined before he could be considered a hero. These are the extent of the
person’s sacrifices for the welfare of the country:
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1. Motives and methods employed in the attainment of the ideal. In the attainment of
the ideal, did the person concerned sacrifice purely and exclusively for the welfare of the
country or were there any selfish motives in the making of such sacrifices?
2. The moral character of the person. Did he do anything immoral to taint his personal
character? If there was any immorality, did it affect his work, society, or ideal?
3. The influence of the person to his age or epoch and the succeeding eras.
More definitions on what a hero is were added in the in the year 1993. A National Hero
Committee, was created through Executive Oder No. 75 by then President Fidel V. Ramos, whose
aim is “to study, evaluate and explicitly recommend Filipino national personages as national
heroes in due recognition to their sterling character and remarkable achievements for the
country.” Hero, as defined therein, “are those who have a concept of nation and thereafter aspire
and struggle for the nation’s freedom.”
Sometimes, politicians were tempted to legislate unilaterally on who should be heroes.

Heroes, according to historians, should not be legislated. The evaluation of their achievements
should be better left to academicians. Acclamation for heroes, they felt, would be recognition
enough. Even with the absence of any official declaration of proclaiming them as national
heroes, persons, like Rizal, Bonifacio, and Aguinaldo remained admired and revered for their
roles in the Philippine history. Proclaiming them will only confirm the public veneration of their
contribution to the country’s history.
Presently, the Philippines has set four days to honor its heroes. Rizal Day is
commemorated every December 30. The origin of this commemoration came from the decree
issued by General Emilio Aguinaldo on December 20, 1898. It declared the 30 th day of December
as a national mourning day in honor of Dr. Hose Rizal and other victims of the Philippine
Revolution. Though Aguinaldo’s decree did not specifically declare Rizal as national hero, it was
a tribute to his heroism.
Another day dedicated to a Filipino hero is Bonifacio Day, celebrated every November
30. The celebration of Bonifacio Day was made possible through the issuance of Act No. 2946 by
the Philippine legislature on February 16, 1921.
The third day set for commemorating Filipino heroes is the National Heroes Day,
celebrated every last Sunday of August. The celebration of this holiday become possible in
accordance to Public Act No. 3827 passed by the Philippine legislature on October 28, 1931.
National Heroes Day honors all heroes of the Philippines including those who are unknown.
The fourth holiday created by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on December 25,

2004, when she signed into law the Republic Act No. 9256, which created Ninoy Aquino Day.
This holiday is commemorated every August 21, the anniversary of the assassination of then-
Senator Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino Jr. Ninoy was the leading symbol of the anti-dictatorship
struggle against then-President Ferdinand E. Marcos.
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As for who should recognize heroes, this should be better left to the people through
their popular acclamation. The people are the final judge to the heroes’ achievements and they
would subscribe to the heroes’ ideals as long as these are relevant and classic. Popular
acclamation should be sustained and should withstand the test of time. In case of Rizal, more
than a hundred years have passed and no we can say that Rizal has passed the test of time and is
a true Filipino hero. Other national heroes include Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, Apolinario
Mabini, Marcelo H. del Pilar, and all those who helped guide the Philippines to being a nation-
state.
The Story of the Rizal Law
In 1956, Senator Claro M. Recto filed a measure, which became the original Rizal Bill,
recognizing the need to instill heroism among the youth at the time when the country was
experiencing social turmoil. It was a time when the country was being ravaged by the
Hukbalahap insurgency. The imperialist presence in the form of American influence was strong
in the country’s economy and political policies. The communist insurgency was fought through
American guidance and material aid. The Philippines became part of the global network to
contain the spread of communism with the conclusion of a mutual defense agreement with the
United States in 1951 and its joining the Southeast Asia Treaty organization (SEATO).
This was the period when Recto submitted his bill, calling for a return patriotic values
enunciated by Filipino heroes like Jose Rizal. Under the bill, it shall be obligatory for college and
university students to study the life and works of Jose Rizal.
The issuance of the bill was not welcomed by various quarters. The Catholic Church
assailed the Rizal Bill as anti-Church because it forces the student’s to read Rizal’s works like the
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo which contain passages that were anti-Church. They
presented fears that the religious belief of the young students would be harmed by reading
Rizal’s works while they were at their formative years. Forcing the students to read Rizal’s
works which have religious overtones would be a violation of the constitutional freedom of
religion and of conscience. The Church made use of the lobbyists as well as priests in opposing
the Rizal Bill.
The Church continued its opposition of the bill by calling all Catholic voters to reject
lawmakers who supported Recto’s Rizal Bill. Pastoral letters were read in masses voicing
opposition. He also rejected Senator’s Rodrigo’s suggestion that the annotated or edited
versions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo should be used.
After a month-long standoff, a compromise bill was filed. It was authored by Senator
Jose Laurel and it was based on the proposals of Senators Roseller Lim and Emmanuel Pelaez.
On June 12, 1956, Republic Act No. 1425, better known as the Rizal Law, came into effect. The
law accommodated the objections of the Catholic Church. This could be seen in the second
paragraph of Section 1, allowing the students to seek exemptions from reading Rizal’s works for
religious reasons. To the authors of the original bill, it was a complete victory but its oppositors
felt satisfied that at least they achieved something. The law however, still requires the reading
of the unexpurgated versions of Rizal’s novels. It also provided the funding of publication of
Rizal’s works and their distribution to the countryside. It was however, a one-time
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appropriation and provisions, for the future publication was not given. The Rizal law is more
than 60 years old now, and it may need revisions to make it more relevant.
SUMMARY
Jose Rizal became a hero to Filipinos not because he was declared as such but because
the people saw in him the hope of a whole nation. Rizal Day is commemorated on the 30 th of
December every year – this originating from General Emilio Aguinaldo’s 1898 declaration of a
national day of mourning for Dr. Rizal and other victims of the revolution. Senator Claro M.
Recto filed a measure in 1956, the original Rizal Bill, at a time when the country was in turmoil,
calling for a return of patriotic values enunciated by Filipino heroes like Dr. Rizal. The bill was
opposed by the Catholic Church as they alleged the works of Rizal as anti-church. The church
called for Catholic voters to reject lawmakers who support the bill. A compromise bill was then
authored by Senator Jose Laurel, based on the proposals of Senators Roseller Lim and
Emmanuel Pelaez. This became Republic Act 1425, better known as the Rizal Law. It came into
effect on June 12, 1956.
For knowledge enrichment:
Xiao Chua. (2020, June 5), Xiao Time: Ang Republic Act 1425 o and Rizal Law (Batas Rizal)
[Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03G1UmDVLKs
ABS-CBN News. (2017, August 27), Who are considered national heroes? [Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsOQzFfSOhA
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ACTIVITY 1. Analysis Paper
Instruction:
Considering the definitions and criteria set by the National Heroes Commission, why do you
think Jose Rizal is qualified to be acclaimed as a hero? Are you in favor of officially declaring Jose
Rizal as the Philippine national hero? Explain.
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The 19th Century and Rizal’s Biographical Sketch
Module 2
PROGRAM OUTCOMES:
• Preserve and promote “Filipino historical and cultural heritage”.
• Utilize appropriate various sociocultural and historical materials in explaining
current issues.
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this module, students are expected to:
• Analyze Rizal’s family, childhood, and early education
• Evaluate the people and events and their influence on Rizal’s early life
• Analyze the factors that led to Rizal’s execution
DISCUSSION
The Conditions of Europe, America and Spain in 19th Century
The 19th century was a century of change. During the last two decades of the previous
century, the age of enlightenment reached at its zenith in France, culminating in the French
Revolution of 1789. In this ages, ideas of freedom, liberty and equality, and the belief in the
sovereignty of the people in determining government thundered all across Europe. The French
Revolution resulted in the toppling of the monarchy of King Louis XVI and the ushering in of the
French Republic.
The struggle for equal rights has spread over the world. Europe went up in revolution
from 1848, with the regimes of the absolute monarchs in France and Austria being toppled by
people seeking more responsible governments. In 1861, the year of Rizal’s birth, Tsar Alexander
II emancipated Russian serfs. That year, the Italians, under Giuseppe Garibaldi, threw out the
Austrians and took over the papal lands. Italian nationalism ended the domination of the Church
and unite the various Italian states as one country. Germany, on the other hand, was in the
process of unification which lasted until 1871. In the United States, President Abraham Lincoln
emancipated the black slabs but also triggered the American Civil War which lasted from 1861
to 1865. At the south of U.S. border, Mexican troops dealt humiliating defeat on the French-
supported regime of Archduke Maximillian. In France, the regime of Napoleon III was crumbling
after the debacle in Mexico. Later, the French overthrew the monarchists and established a
republic. At this time, however, most of Spain’s colonies such as those in South and Central
America, such as Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua El
Salvador, Honduras, and others have won their independence from Spain through revolution.
The Philippines was one of the Spain’ remaining colonies along with Cuba, Puerto Rico and the
Spanish Sahara.
The Need for Reforms: Representation
During Napoleon’s time, Spain was part of France’s alliance against Great Britain in the
Continental System. When this alliance faltered, Napoleon invaded Spain in 1808 and installed
his brother Joseph as king. The Spaniards resisted the French, and Spanish patriots declared
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allegiance to their crown prince Ferdinand and gathered in the city of Cadiz when they crafted a
constitution. The Constitution of Cadiz had a novel feature of allowing colonies to be
represented in the Spanish parliament called the Cortes. The Philippines therefore was given
representation for the very first time, and Ventura de los Reyes, a Spaniard born in the
Philippines, was selected to represent the colony. However, after Napoleon was defeated,
Ferdinand, who had become King Ferdinand VII, abolished the Cortes, saying that the body
encroached on powers he believed belonged solely to him. The decision was unpopular as
Spain’s American colonies began to revolt and sought independence.
Conditions in the Philippines in the 19th Century
Liberal strings from Europe reached the Philippines. In the Ilocos, leading citizens there,
called Kailanes, refused to believe that the Cadiz Constitution was abolished by King Ferdinand
and rose up in revolt. They were crushed by troops from the other provinces. The mutineers
tried to rally Filipinos to gain their support and promised to fight for independence of the
Philippine. The mutiny, however, was crushed and the rebels were executed. The last of the
series of the revolts took place in 1841-1842 when Apolinario de la Cruz refused to disband his
religious organization, the Cofradia de San Jose. The arrival of native reinforcements saved the
Spanish colonizers from certain defeat.
The defeats of native revolts demonstrated that the Philippines was disunited because of
lack of national identity. The Spaniards used this disunity to divide and rule the country. The
colonial order was maintained largely by native local officials such as the governadorcillos, the
councilmen, and the Principalia. Only the officials with the rank of sergeants were Spaniards.
The Spaniards, despite their inferior number, managed to retain the loyalty of the native
officials by giving then certain privileges that kept them separated from the rest of the
population. Though their positions did not pay much, the titles gave them an exalted position in
the native society and were called principales or leading citizens. There were also some material
rewards in serving the Spaniards. A number of the principales descend from the loyal datus who
pledged their loyalty to the colonizers. They were exempt from taxation and community labor
or prestacion personal. They were also entitled to receive portion of their collection from the
people. This explains why Spain controlled the Philippines for more than 300 years. Spain
controlled the natives through these native leaders.
With the conclusion of the Galleon trade, the opening of the Suez Canal paved the way
for the international market. Economic innovations were welcomed as the municipal and
international ports were opened to world trade and demand for exports crops had risen. These
economic changes in the 19th century had profound effects to the Philippines. During the
previous centuries, it was forbidden for the Philippines to trade with other countries because of
Spain’s monopolistic policy, but the colonial officials ignored this instruction and traded with
other nations. By 1834, the mercantilist policy of not allowing the Philippines to trade with
other countries was scrapped with the opening of the Manila to world trade. Other ports in the
colony like Iloilo; Cebu; Pangasinan, and Zamboanga followed. There was a brisk demand for
Philippine products such as sugar, coffee, abaca, tobacco, dyestuff, and rice. This created
economic opportunities as many families began trading these products for the international
market. These families were mostly mestizos consisting of Spanish and Chinese families. They
intermarried with the natives who were farmers that became traders. In the process, they
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become more affluent and formed the nucleus of the middle class. The increased wealth allowed
middle-class families to have better houses and sent their children to colleges and universities
for tertiary education. They obtained higher education degrees which they thought made equal
with the Spaniards. Eventually, they became concerned with the issues of equality including
secularization. By the time of Rizal’s youth, the quest for equality was the cry of the times. It
influenced Rizal throughout his life and it became his lifelong quest.
Aside from the need to secure political, social and economic reforms, there was also the
persisting issue of the secularization of the Philippine Church. This was a matter involving the
Catholic clergy in the Philippines. During the course of Spanish rule, there were demands by the
seculars to implement the royal and papal orders.
During the Spanish colonization, the Spaniards born in the Philippines were called
Filipinos. This issue was between the Spanish regulars versus the Filipino seculars. In the
forefront of this struggle were Filipino priests like Fathers Pedro Pablo Pelaez, Jacinto Zamora,
Mariano Gomez, and Jose Borgus who championed the cause of equal rights with Spaniards and
the reduction of the influence of the Church in politics. Also among the suspects were the
leaders of the Filipino secular clergy who fought for secularization of the Philippine Catholic
Church.
The King of Spain and the Pope himself gave instructions for the secularization of the
country’s parishes, but this was resisted by the orders of friars who contended that the Filipino
seculars were not ready to take over. Under Governor-General Izquierdo’s regime, this right was
suppressed. The Filipinos, on the other hand, struggled to defend their gains under the old
regime. They were already identified by the conservative Spaniards for elimination. The Cavity
Mutiny provided the pretext for the conservatives to eliminate the Filipino liberals. Despite the
protests and insufficient evidence, the three priests were garroted at Bagumbayan on February
17, 1872. The others who were identified as sympathizers of the secularization issue also
underwent trial and were found guilty. They were sentenced with deportation to Guam in the
Marianas and were never allowed to return as long as Spain ruled the Philippines.
Through centuries of Spanish rule, Spanish clergymen performed an important role not
as spreaders of the Christian faith but also as representatives of the colonial government. Very
often, the Spanish religious officials acted as the eyes and ears of the colonial government, and
in many cases, they served or held positions in the government. They also controlled education
in the country’s educational institutions were controlled by religious orders. Given this
condition, the religious officials were deeply entrenched and it was difficult for a new governor-
general to enforce sweeping reforms especially those that threaten the supremacy of the
religious officials. With the cries for reform, especially those concerning secularization, the
religious orders strongly opposed the efforts.
Life of Jose Rizal
Jose Rizal, acclaimed the greatest hero of the Philippines and pride of the Malayan race,
was born on June 19, 1861, in the town of Calamba, Laguna. He was the seventh child in a family
of 11 children. Jose’s father was Francisco Mercado Rizal, and his mother was Teodora Alonzo y
Quintos. Both his parents were educated and belonged to distinguished families. Francisco and
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Teodora’s other children were Saturnina, Paciano, Narcisa, Olympia, Lucia, Maria, Concepcion,
Josefa, Trinidad, and Soledad.
At the age of 3, he learned the alphabet from his mother; at 5, while learning to read and
write, he already showed inclinations to be an artist. He astounded his family and relatives by
his pencil drawings and sketches and by his moldings of clay. At the age 8, he wrote a Tagalog
poem, "Sa Aking Mga Kabata," the theme of which revolves on the love of one’s language. In
1877, at the age of 16, he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree with an average of "excellent"
from the Ateneo Municipal de Manila. In the same year, he enrolled in Philosophy and Letters at
the University of Santo Tomas, while at the same time took courses leading to the degree of
surveyor and expert assessor at the Ateneo. He finished the latter course on March 21, 1877 and
passed the Surveyor’s examination on May 21, 1878; but because of his age, 17, he was not
granted license to practice the profession until December 30, 1881. In 1878, he enrolled in
medicine at the University of Santo Tomas but had to stop in his studies when he felt that the
Filipino students were being discriminated upon by their Dominican tutors. On May 3, 1882, he
sailed for Spain where he continued his studies at the Universidad Central de Madrid. On June
21, 1884, at the age of 23, he was conferred the degree of Licentiate in Medicine and on June
19,1885, at the age of 24, he finished his course in Philosophy and Letters with a grade of
"excellent."
Having traveled extensively in Europe, America and Asia, he mastered 22 languages.

These include Arabic, Catalan, Chinese, English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian,
Japanese, Latin, Malayan, Portuguese, Russian, Sanskrit, Spanish, Tagalog, and other native
dialects. A versatile genius, he was an architect, artists, businessman, cartoonist, educator,
economist, ethnologist, scientific farmer, historian, inventor, journalist, linguist, musician,
mythologist, nationalist, naturalist, novelist, opthalmic surgeon, poet, propagandist,
psychologist, scientist, sculptor, sociologist, and theologian.
There were at least nine women linked with Rizal; namely Segunda Katigbak, Leonor
Valenzuela, Leonor Rivera, Consuelo Ortiga, O-Sei San, Gertrude Beckette, Nelly Boustead,
Suzanne Jacoby and Josephine Bracken. These women might have been beguiled by his
intelligence, charm and wit.
In March 1887, his daring book, NOLI ME TANGERE, a satirical novel exposing the
arrogance and despotism of the Spanish clergy, was published in Berlin; in 1890 he reprinted in
Paris, Morga’s SUCCESSOS DE LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS with his annotations to prove that the
Filipinos had a civilization worthy to be proud of even long before the Spaniards set foot on
Philippine soil; on September 18, 1891, EL FILIBUSTERISMO, his second novel and a sequel to
the NOLI and more revolutionary and tragic than the latter, was printed in Ghent. Because of his
fearless exposures of the injustices committed by the civil and clerical officials, Rizal provoked
the animosity of those in power. This led himself, his relatives and countrymen into trouble with
the Spanish officials of the country. As a consequence, he and those who had contacts with him,
were shadowed; the authorities were not only finding faults but even fabricating charges to pin
him down. Thus, he was imprisoned in Fort Santiago from July 6, 1892 to July 15, 1892 on a
charge that anti-friar pamphlets were found in the luggage of his sister Lucia who arrive with
him from Hong Kong. While a political exile in Dapitan, he engaged in agriculture, fishing and
16
business; he maintained and operated a hospital; he conducted classes- taught his pupils the
English and Spanish languages, the arts.
The sciences, vocational courses including agriculture, surveying, sculpturing, and
painting, as well as the art of self-defense; he did some researches and collected specimens; he
entered into correspondence with renowned men of letters and sciences abroad; and with the
help of his pupils, he constructed water dam and a relief map of Mindanao - both considered
remarkable engineering feats. His sincerity and friendliness won for him the trust and
confidence of even those assigned to guard him; his good manners and warm personality were
found irresistible by women of all races with whom he had personal contacts; his intelligence
and humility gained for him the respect and admiration of prominent men of other nations;
while his undaunted courage and determination to uplift the welfare of his people were feared
by his enemies.
When the Philippine Revolution started on August 26, 1896, his enemies lost no time in
pressing him down. Thus, from November 3, 1986, to the date of his execution, he was again
committed to Fort Santiago. In his prison cell, he wrote an untitled poem, now known as "Ultimo
Adios" which is considered a masterpiece and a living document expressing not only the hero’s
great love of country but also that of all Filipinos. After a mock trial, he was convicted of
rebellion, sedition and of forming illegal association. In the cold morning of December 30, 1896,
Rizal, a man whose 35 years of life had been packed with varied activities which proved that the
Filipino has capacity to equal if not excel even those who treat him as a slave, was shot at
Bagumbayan Field.
SUMMARY
The world witnessed great changes in the 19 th Century. Ideas of freedom, liberty and
equality, and the belief in the sovereignty of the people in determining government thundered
all across Europe. These, in turn, affected colonial authority in the Philippines, though only
minor. The issue of secularization of churches was a main flashpoint in the colony. Even when
the Spanish king and the Pope ordered that Philippine churches be secularized, the colonial
government, due to friar opposition, failed to deliver reforms. This draws in context the control
the friars held in colonial governance. The influence of the friar orders sewed bitter spats
between the Spanish and the Filipinos. While world trade brought economic boons to the
colony, it also widened the gap between the mestizo traders and the peasantry population. As
the middle-class grew, these families were able to send their children to colleges and
universities. Their higher education made them think they were equal with the Spaniards and
eventually, they brought up the issue of equality. By the time of Rizal’s youth, the quest for
equality was the cry of the times.
Jose Rizal was born on June 19, 1861 in Calamba, Laguna. His parents, Francisco
Mercado Rizal and Teodora Alonzy y Quintos were both educated and belonged to distinguished
families. Rizal’s older siblings were Saturnina, Paciano, Narcisa, Olympia, Lucia, Maria,
Concepcion, Josefa, Trinidad and Soledad.
Rizal’s was taught by his mother at an early age. Even then, he showed promise as a
student. He then came under the guidance of several tutors until he proceeded to Ateneo
Municipal. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in the institution in 1877, garnering an
average rating of “excellent”. He then enrolled Philosophy and Letters at the University of Santo
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Tomas. In 1878, he enrolled in medicine at the same university but had to stop when he felt that
Filipino students were being discriminated by the Dominican tutors. Rizal then sailed for Spain
where he continued his studies at the Universidad Central de Madrid. On June 21, 1884, at the
age of 23, he was conferred the degree of Licentiate in Medicine and on June 19, 1885, at the age
of 24, he finished his course in Philosophy and Letters with a grade of "excellent."
Having traveled extensively in Europe, America and Asia, he mastered 22 languages.
These include Arabic, Catalan, Chinese, English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian,
Japanese, Latin, Malayan, Portuguese, Russian, Sanskrit, Spanish, Tagalog, and other native
dialects. A versatile genius, he was an architect, artists, businessman, cartoonist, educator,
economist, ethnologist, scientific farmer, historian, inventor, journalist, linguist, musician,
mythologist, nationalist, naturalist, novelist, opthalmic surgeon, poet, propagandist,
psychologist, scientist, sculptor, sociologist, and theologian.
There were at least nine women linked with Rizal; namely Segunda Katigbak, Leonor
Valenzuela, Leonor Rivera, Consuelo Ortiga, O-Sei San, Gertrude Beckette, Nelly Boustead,
Suzanne Jacoby and Josephine Bracken. These women might have been beguiled by his
intelligence, charm and wit.

Sheena Palaroan. (2020, September 21), Ang Buhay ng Isang Bayani Documentary [Video].
Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALb4ig-8agc
GMA Public Affairs. (2019, September 22), I-Witness: ‘Mga Pahina ng Kasaysayan,’
dokumentaryo ni Sandra Aguinaldo [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=pvUZsb85T9k
GMA News. (2012, March 14), Pluma: Si Rizal, ang dakilang manunulat [Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAq_OjZI-6k
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ACTIVITY 2. Historian at Work
Instruction: Answer the following questions briefly.
1. How did Rizal’s family and education prepare him in becoming a great man? How did his
travels and the various people he met influence and mold his patriotic spirit?
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2. Despite of Rizal’s mishaps and mistakes, is he still worth-emulating? Discuss what are
pros and cons of this fact about Rizal himself as relevant to today’s youth.
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Module 3 Rizal’s Annotations of Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas
PROGRAM OUTCOMES:
current issues.
OBJECTIVES:
• Analyze Rizal’s ideas on how to rewrite the Philippine history
• Compare and contrast Rizal and Morga’s different views about Filipinos and
Philippine culture
DISCUSSION
Rizal’s Annotations
Doctor Rizal came upon a copy of Antonio Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas in the
British Museum at the City of London. He found the book to have presented a wrong image of
the Philippines. To remedy this, he produced his annotation of the said work.
Rizal wrote a letter to Blumentritt from London on 18 August 188 over his plan and Dr.
Regidor’s offer saying, “…I am very busy with Morga. I am planning to copy the entire work and
present a new edition to the public, especially the Filipino public. Dr. Morga Regidor wishes to
be my financier…”
The following are excerpts from Rizal’s annotations:
TO the Filipinos: In Noli Me Tangere I started to sketch the present state of our
native land. But the effect which my effort produced made me realize that, before
attempting to unroll before your eyes the other pictures which were to follow, it was
necessary first to post you on the past. So only can you fairly judge the present and
estimate how much progress has been made during the three centuries (of Spanish
rule).
Like almost all of you, I was born and brought up in ignorance of our country's past
and so, without knowledge or authority to speak of what I neither saw nor have
studied, I deem it necessary to quote the testimony of an illustrious Spaniard who in
the beginning of the new era controlled the destinies of the Philippines and had
personal knowledge of our ancient nationality in its last days.
It is then the shade of our ancestor's civilization which the author will call before you...
If the work serves to awaken in you a consciousness of our past, and to blot from your
memory or to rectify what has been falsified or is calumny, then I shall not have
labored in vain. With this preparation, slight though it be, we can all pass to the study
of the future.
20
JOSE RIZAL, Europe, 1889.
Governor Antonio de Morga was not only the first to write but also the first to publish
a Philippine history. This statement has regard to the concise and concrete form in which our
author has treated the matter. Father Chirino's work, printed at Rome in 1604, is rather a
chronicle of the Missions than a history of the Philippines; still it contains a great deal of
valuable material on usages and customs. The worthy Jesuit in fact admits that he abandoned
writing a political history because Morga had already done so, so one must infer that he had
seen the work in manuscript before leaving the Islands.
 The conversions by the Spaniards were not as general as their historians claim. The
missionaries only succeeded in converting a part of the people of the Philippines.
Still there are Mahometans, the Moros, in the southern islands, and negritos, igorots
and other heathens yet occupy the greater part territorially of the archipelago. Then
the islands which the Spaniards early held but soon lost are non-Christian-Formosa,
Borneo, and the Moluccas. And if there are Christians in the Carolines, that is due to
Protestants, whom neither the Roman Catholics of Morga's day nor many Catholics
in our own day consider Christians.
 It is not the fact that the Filipinos were unprotected before the coming of the
Spaniards. Morga himself says, further on in telling of the pirate raids from the
south, that previous to the Spanish domination the islands had arms and defended
themselves. But after the natives were disarmed the pirates pillaged them with
impunity, coming at times when they were unprotected by the government, which
was the reason for many of the insurrections.
 The civilization of the Pre-Spanish Filipinos in regard to the duties of life for that
age was well advanced, as the Morga history shows in its eighth chapter.
 The islands came under Spanish sovereignty and control through compacts, treaties
of friendship and alliances for reciprocity. By virtue of the last arrangement,
according to some historians, Magellan lost his life on Mactan and the soldiers of
Legaspi fought under the banner of King Tupas of Cebu.
 The term "conquest" is admissible but for a part of the islands and then only in its
broadest sense. Cebu, Panay, Luzon Mindoro and some others cannot be said to
have been conquered.
 Morga shows that the ancient Filipinos had army and navy with artillery and other
implements of warfare. Their prized krises and kampilans for their magnificent
temper are worthy of admiration and some of them are richly damascened. Their
coats of mail and helmets, of which there are specimens in various European
museums, attest their great advancement in this industry.
 Though not mentioned by Morga, the Cebuans aided the Spaniards in their
expedition against Manila, for which reason they were long exempted from tribute.
21
 Legaspi's grandson, Salcedo, called the Hernando Cortez of the Philippines, was the
"conqueror's" intelligent right arm and the hero of the "conquest." His honesty and
fine qualities, talent and personal bravery, all won the admiration of the Filipinos.
Because of him they yielded to their enemies, making peace and friendship with the
Spaniards. He it was who saved Manila from Li Ma-hong. He died at the early age of
twenty-seven and is the only encomendero recorded to have left the great part of
his possessions to the Indians of his encomienda. Vigan was his encomienda and the
Ilokanos there were his heirs.
 The expedition which followed the Chinese corsair Li Ma-hong, after his
unsuccessful attack upon Manila, to Pangasinan province, with the Spaniards of
whom Morga tells, had in it 1,500 friendly Indians from Cebu, Bohol, Leyte and
Panay, besides the many others serving as laborers and crews of the ships. Former
Raja Lakandola, of Tondo, with his sons and his kinsmen went, too, with 200 more
Bisayans and they were joined by other Filipinos in Pangasinan.
 It is notable how strictly the earlier Spanish governors were held to account. Some
stayed in Manila as prisoners, one, Governor Corcuera, passing five years with Fort
Santiago as his prison.
 Captain Gabriel de Rivera, a Spanish commander who had gained fame in a raid on
Borneo and the Malacca coast, was the first envoy from the Philippines to take up
with the King of Spain the needs of the archipelago.
 The artillery cast for the new stone fort in Manila, says Morga, was by the hand of an
ancient Filipino. That is, he knew how to cast cannon even before the coming of the
Spaniards, hence he was distinguished as 4"ancient." In this difficult art of
ironworking, as in so many others, the modern or present-day Filipinos are not so
far advanced as were their ancestors.
 From the earliest Spanish days ships were built in the islands, which might be
considered evidence of native culture. Nowadays this industry is reduced to small
craft, scows and coasters.
 It is worthy of note that China, Japan and Cambodia at this time maintained
relations with the Philippines. But in our day it has been more than a century since
the natives of the latter two countries have come here. The causes which ended the
relationship may be found in the interference by the religious orders with the
institutions of those lands.
 The Spanish historians of the Philippines never overlook any opportunity, be it

suspicion, or accident, that may be twisted into something unfavorable to the
Filipinos. They seem to forget that in almost every case the reason for the rupture
has been some act of those who were pretending to civilize helpless peoples by
force of arms and at the cost of their native land. What would these same writers
have said if the crimes committed by the Spaniards, the Portuguese and the Dutch in
their colonies had been committed by the islanders?
22
 The raid by Datus Sali and Silonga of Mindanao, in 1599 with 50 sailing vessels and
3,000 warriors, against the capital of Panay, is the first act of piracy by the
inhabitants of the South which is recorded in Philippine history. I say "by the
inhabitants of the South" because earlier there had been other acts of piracy, the
earliest being that of Magellan's expedition when it seized the shipping of friendly
islands and even of those whom they did not know, extorting for them heavy
ransoms. It will be remembered that these Moro piracies continued for more than
two centuries, during which the indomitable sons of the South made captives and
carried fire and sword not only in neighbouring islands but into Manila Bay to
Malate, to the very gates of the capital, and not once a year merely but at times
repeating their raids five and six times in a single season. Yet the government was
unable to repel them or to defend the people whom it had disarmed and left without
protection. Estimating that the cost to the islands was but 800 victims a year, still
the total would be more than 200,000 persons sold into slavery or killed, all
sacrificed together with so many other things to the prestige of that empty title,
Spanish sovereignty.
 Still the Spaniards say that the Filipinos have contributed nothing to Mother Spain,
and that it is the islands which owe everything. It may be so, but what about the
enormous sum of gold which was taken from the islands in the early years of
Spanish rule, of the tributes collected by the encomenderos, of the nine million
dollars yearly collected to pay the military, expenses of the employees, diplomatic
agents, corporations and the like, charged to the Philippines, with salaries paid out
of the Philippine treasury not only for those who come to the Philippines but also
for those who leave, to some who never have been and never will be in the islands,
as well as to others who have nothing to do with them. Yet all of this is as nothing in
comparison with so many captives gone, such a great number of soldiers killed in
expeditions, islands depopulated, their inhabitants sold as slaves by the Spaniards
themselves, the death of industry, the demoralization of the Filipinos, and so forth,
and so forth. Enormous indeed would the benefits which that sacred civilization
brought to the archipelago have to be in order to counterbalance so heavy a-cost.
 In Morga's time, the Philippines exported silk to Japan whence now comes the best
quality of that merchandise.
 Morga's views upon the failure of Governor Pedro de Acunia's ambitious expedition
against the Moros unhappily still apply for the same conditions yet exist. For fear of
uprisings and loss of Spain's sovereignty over the islands, the inhabitants were
disarmed, leaving them exposed to the harassing of a powerful and dreaded enemy.
Even now, though the use of steam vessels has put an end to piracy from outside,
the same fatal system still is followed. The peaceful countryfolk are deprived of
arms and thus made unable to defend themselves against the bandits, or tulisanes,
which the government cannot restrain. It is an encouragemnnt to banditry thus to
make easy its getting booty.
 Among the Filipinos who aided the government when the Manila Chinese revolted,
Argensola says there were 4,000 Pampangans "armed after the way of their land,
23
with bows and arrows, short lances, shields, and broad and long daggers." Some
Spanish writers say that the Japanese volunteers and the Filipinos showed
themselves cruel in slaughtering the Chinese refugees. This may very well have
been so, considering the hatred and rancor then existing, but those in command set
the example.
 The chiefs used to wear upper garments, usually of Indian fine gauze according to
Colin, of red color, a shade for which they had the same fondness that the Romans
had. The barbarous tribes in Mindanao still have the same taste.
 The "easy virtue" of the native women that historians note is not solely attributable
to the simplicity with which they obeyed their natural instincts but much more due
to a religious belief of which Father Chirino tells. It was that in the journey after
death to "Kalualhatian," the abode of the spirit, there was a dangerous river to cross
that had no bridge other than a very narrow strip of wood over which a woman
could not pass unless she had a husband or lover to extend a hand to assist her.
Furthermore, the religious annals of the early missions are filled with countless
instances where native maidens chose death rather than sacrifice their chastity to
the threats and violence of encomenderos and Spanish soldiers. As to the
mercenary social evil, that is worldwide and there is no nation that can 'throw the
first stone' at any other. For the rest, today the Philippines has no reason to blush in
comparing its womankind with the women of the most chaste nation in the world.
 Morga's remark that the Filipinos like fish better when it is commencing to turn bad
is another of those prejudices which Spaniards like all other nations, have. In
matters of food, each is nauseated with what he is unaccustomed to or doesn't know
is eatable. The English, for example, find their gorge rising when they see a Spaniard
eating snails, while in turn the Spanish find roastbeef English-style repugnant and
can't understand the relish of other Europeans for beefsteak a la Tartar which to
them is simply raw meat. The Chinaman, who likes shark's meat, cannot bear
Roquefort cheese, and these examples might be indefinitely extended. The Filipinos'
favorite fish dish is the bagong and whoever has tried to eat it knows that it is not
considered improved when tainted. It neither is, nor ought to be, decayed.
 Colin says the ancient Filipinos had minstrels who had memorized songs telling
their genealogies and of the deeds ascribed to their deities. These were chanted on
voyages in cadence with the rowing, or at festivals, or funerals, or wherever there
happened to be any considerable gatherings. It is regretable that these chants have
not been preserved as from them it would have been possible to learn much of the
Filipinos' past and possibly of the history of neighboring islands.
 The cannon foundry mentioned by Morga as in the walled city was probably on the
site of the Tagalog one which was destroyed by fire on the first coming of the
Spaniards. That established in 1584 was in Lamayan, that is, Santa Ana now, and
was transferred to the old site in 1590. It continued to work until 1805. According
to Gaspar San Agustin, the cannon which the pre-Spanish Filipinos cast were "as
great as those of Malaga," Spain's foundry. The Filipino plant was burned with all
24
that was in it save a dozen large cannons and some smaller pieces which the
Spanish invaders took back with them to Panay. The rest of their artillery
equipment had been thrown by the Manilans, then Moros, into the sea when they
recognized their defeat.
 Malate, better Maalat, was where the Tagalog aristocracy lived after they were
dispossessed by the Spaniards of their old homes in what is now the walled city of
Manila. Among the Malate residents were the families of Raja Matanda and Raja
Soliman. The men had various positions in Manila and some were employed in
government work near by. "They were very courteous and well-mannered," says
San Agustin. "The women were very expert in lacemaking, so much so that they
were not at all behind the women of Flanders."
 Morga's statement that there was not a province or town of the Filipinos that
resisted conversion or did not want it may have been true of the civilized natives.
But the contrary was the fact among the mountain tribes. We have the testimony of
several Dominican and Augustinian missionaries that it was impossible to go
anywhere to make conversions without other Filipinos along and a guard of soldiers.
"Otherwise, says Gaspar de San Agustin, there would have been no fruit of the
Evangelic Doctrine gathered, for the infidels wanted to kill the Friars who came to
preach to them." An example of this method of conversion given by the same writer
was a trip to the mountains by two Friars who had a numerous escort of
Pampangans. The escort's leader was Don Agustin Sonson who had a reputation for
daring and carried fire and sword into the country, killing many, including the chief,
Kabadi.
SUMMARY
Jose Rizal’s Annotations on Morga’s account of Philippine society aimed to correct the
prejudiced view the Spanish had on the Filipinos. Rizal took the opportunity to let the
Europeans know of a developed society in the Philippines before the coming of the Spanish – a
point in history seemingly forgotten in the works of Spanish historians. Rizal wanted to express
the Filipinos’ contributions to the Spanish empire, which were widely discounted in earlier
accounts.
25
Labli dc. (2018, December 14), Rizal Vs. Morga: Jose Rizal’s Annotations to Morga’s Sucesos Delas
Islas Filipinas [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diGwdsVP-NI
Nicole Anne De Torres. (2014, September 30), Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas [Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y76p2c1vhBE
26
Instruction:
Rizal’s dedication in preserving the Filipino identity impressed his circles. What is the greatest
significance and relevance of Rizal’s annotation to Morga’s “Sucesos De Las Islas Filipinas”? Has
Rizal helped in preserving Filipino national identity? Or did Rizal help to find a place for the
Filipino in the annals of history?
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Module 4 RIZAL’S “NOLI ME TANGERE” AND “EL FILIBUSTERISMO”
PROGRAM OUTCOMES:
current issues.
OBJECTIVES:
 Appraise important characters in the novels and what they represent
 Examine the present Philippine situation through the examples mentioned in the
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo
 Value the role of the youth in the development and future of society
DISCUSSION
Introduction to Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere
Written in Spanish and published in 1887, José Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere played a crucial
role in the political history of the Philippines. Drawing from experience, the conventions of the
nineteenth-century novel, and the ideals of European liberalism, Rizal offered up a devastating
critique of a society under Spanish colonial rule.
The plot revolves around Crisostomo Ibarra, mixed-race heir of a wealthy clan, returning
home after seven years in Europe and filled with ideas on how to better the lot of his
countrymen. Striving for reforms, he is confronted by an abusive ecclesiastical hierarchy and a
Spanish civil administration by turns indifferent and cruel. The novel suggests, through plot
developments, that meaningful change in this context is exceedingly difficult, if not impossible.
The death of Ibarra’s father, Don Rafael, prior to his homecoming, and the refusal of a
Catholic burial by Padre Damaso, the parish priest, provokes Ibarra into hitting the priest, for
which Ibarra is excommunicated. The decree is rescinded, however, when the governor general
intervenes. The friar and his successor, Padre Salvi, embody the rotten state of the clergy. Their
tangled feelings—one paternal, the other carnal—for Maria Clara, Ibarra’s sweetheart and rich
Capitan Tiago’s beautiful daughter, steel their determination to spoil Ibarra’s plans for a school.
The town philosopher Tasio wryly notes similar past attempts have failed, and his sage
commentary makes clear that all colonial masters fear that an enlightened people will throw off
the yoke of oppression.
Precisely how to accomplish this is the novel’s central question, and one which Ibarra
debates with the mysterious Elias, with whose life his is intertwined. The privileged Ibarra
favors peaceful means, while Elias, who has suffered injustice at the hands of the authorities,
believes violence is the only option.
Ibarra’s enemies, particularly Salvi, implicate him in a fake insurrection, though the
evidence against him is weak. Then Maria Clara betrays him to protect a dark family secret,
29
public exposure of which would be ruinous. Ibarra escapes from prison with Elias’s help and
confronts her. She explains why, Ibarra forgives her, and he and Elias flee to the lake. But chased
by the Guardia Civil, one dies while the other survives. Convinced Ibarra’s dead, Maria Clara
enters the nunnery, refusing a marriage arranged by Padre Damaso. Her unhappy fate and that
of the more memorable Sisa, driven mad by the fate of her sons, symbolize the country’s
condition, at once beautiful and miserable.
Using satire brilliantly, Rizal creates other memorable characters whose lives manifest the
poisonous effects of religious and colonial oppression. Capitan Tiago; the social climber Doñ a
Victorina de Espadañ a and her toothless Spanish husband; the Guardia Civil head and his
harridan of a wife; the sorority of devout women; the disaffected peasants forced to become
outlaws: in sum, a microcosm of Philippine society. In the afflictions that plague them, Rizal
paints a harrowing picture of his beloved but suffering country in a work that speaks eloquently
not just to Filipinos but to all who have endured or witnessed oppression.
Noli Me Tangere Summary
Juan Crisó stomo Ibarra y Magsalin, commonly referred to as Ibarra, has been studying in
Europe for the past seven years, though he is a mestizo Filipino. As he arrives back in the
Philippines, his friend, a prominent man named Captain Tiago, hosts a reunion dinner. Ibarra
had been in Europe for such a long time that he doesn’t know what has been going on in the
country. At dinner, Father Dá maso, who Ibarra thought was friends with his father, treats him
badly, which surprises Ibarra.
As Ibarra is walking home from the dinner, another family friend, Señ or Guevara, follows
him and tells him that Ibarra’s father died in prison after a campaign of slander against him, and
that Father Dá maso had a hand in his death. Father Dámaso had accused the elder Ibarra of not
going to confession, and after Rafael Ibarra inadvertently killed a man who beat a young boy, he
was imprisoned and attacked with accusations of subversion and heresy. Guevara tried to clear
his name, but he died in prison before he could be freed. The younger Ibarra is shocked, but
unsure of what to do. He goes to visit his old lover, Maria Clara, but as Maria mentions Ibarra’s
family, Ibarra is put off.
Instead of seeking revenge, Ibarra tries to follow his father’s footsteps of peace. After
meeting with a schoolmaster who knew his father, he plans on establishing a public school to
help his hometown. Yet the schoolmaster warns him that Father Dá maso meddles in the school
system, preventing students from learning Spanish and demanding that he beat the students.
Ibarra pitches the idea of the school to town officials, pretending that he wants to work with
them on it, and they agree.
Meanwhile, two young boys, Crispín and Basilio, work as sextons to support their
impoverished mother, Sisa, who is abused by their father. When Crispín is falsely accused of
theft, the brothers must work even more. When he protests, Crispín is severely beaten, while
Basilio escapes. He returns the next day to look for his brother, but can't find him. Sisa looks for
both her sons, losing her mind as she wanders the area in search of them.
30
Ibarra goes to his father’s grave, seeking peace. He is shocked to discover that his father’s
corpse was removed and supposedly put into a Chinese cemetery at the order of the town's
curate—Father Dá maso.
During the town's festivities, Ibarra and the officials plan to celebrate the new school,
hoping to bless it after a sermon by Father Dámaso. During the sermon, a mysterious man
named Elías approaches Ibarra, warning him of a plot to kill him. Elías had been the boatman on
an earlier excursion Ibarra took with friends, but after the excursion, Ibarra discovered he was a
wanted fugitive.
That night, Father Dámaso invites himself to a dinner Ibarra is hosting. He insults both
indigenous Filipinos and Ibarra’s father specifically. He punches Father Dá maso, but before he
can kill him, he is stopped by María Clara.
Ibarra is excommunicated, and María Clara falls ill, then is reengaged to a new man after
her spineless father calls off her wedding to Ibarra. Meanwhile, the Captain General, the highest
Spanish official in the novel, manages to lift Ibarra's excommunication, angering the clergy.
Ibarra continues working on the school, and Father Salvi, who is in love with María Clara, plots
with Lucas, the brother of a man killed by the plot intended to kill Ibarra at the festival, to frame
Ibarra for a rebellion, organizing people with grievances against the colonial government and
telling them that Ibarra is leading the revolt. Right before the attack happens, Father Salvi warns
everyone, claiming someone told him about it in confession.
Ibarra is thrown into prison, having been found guilty based on a letter he wrote to María
Clara before leaving for Europe years ago. Again, Elías rescues him, breaking him out of prison
and taking him to María Clara. She explains that she gave Father Salvi the letter that led to
Ibarra being found guilty because he blackmailed her: he knew that her real father is Father
Dámaso, and threatened to reveal this information. She apologizes to Ibarra, profoundly sorry.
Elías and Ibarra row away, but they quickly realize they're being followed by another
boat, which will soon catch up. Elías jumps off the boat to confuse their pursuers, who think he
is Ibarra and try to shoot him while the real Ibarra escapes. They appear to kill him, but they
never see his body.
María Clara tells Father Dámaso that she can't marry Linares, the man she is now engaged
to, and threatens to commit suicide if she is not allowed to enter a convent. Because a
newspaper reported Ibarra is dead, she cannot bear the thought of being married to another
man. Father Dá maso reluctantly agrees.
On Christmas Eve, Basilio wanders away from the cabin where he's been staying with an
adoptive family and looks for Sisa, his mother. He finds her, but she doesn't recognize him and
runs away. Finally, he catches her and faints, and she dies of shock, having finally recognized
him. Elías appears, telling Basilio that he is about to die, and asks Basilio to put his body with
Sisa's on a funeral pyre. "I die without seeing dawn’s light shining on my country…You, who will
see it, welcome it for me…don’t forget those who fell during the nighttime," he says.
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Introduction to Rizal’s El Filibusterismo
The second and last novel completed by José Rizal (though he left behind the unfinished
manuscript of a third one), El Filibusterismo is a sequel to Noli Me Tangere. A dark, brooding, at
times satirical novel of revenge, unfulfilled love, and tragedy, the Fili (as it is popularly referred
to) still has as its protagonist Juan Crisó stomo Ibarra. Thirteen years older, his idealism and
youthful dreams shattered, and taking advantage of the belief that he died at the end of Noli Me
Tangere, he is disguised as Simoun, an enormously wealthy and mysterious jeweler who has
gained the confidence of the colony’s governor-general.
A number of other characters from the Noli reappear, among them: Basilio, whose mother
and younger brother Crispin met tragic ends; Father Salví, the devious former curate of San
Diego responsible for Crispin’s death, and who had lusted after Ibarra’s love, María Clara; the
idealistic schoolmaster from San Diego; Captain Tiago, the wealthy widower and legal father of
María Clara; and Doñ a Victorina de Espadañ a and her Spanish husband, the faux doctor
Tiburcio, now hiding from her with the indio priest Father Florentino at his remote parish on
the Pacific coast.
Where Ibarra had argued eloquently against violence to reform Manila society, Simoun is
eager to foment it in order to get his revenge: against Father Salví, and against the Spanish
colonial state. He hopes to liberate the love of his life, María Clara, from her suffocating life as a
cloistered nun, and the islands from the tyranny of Spain. As confidant to the governor-general,
he advises him in such a manner as to make the state even more oppressive, hoping thereby to
force the masses to revolt. Simoun has a few conspirators, such as the schoolmaster and a
Chinese merchant, Quiroga, who aid him in planning terroristic acts. In sum, Simoun has become
an agent provocateur on a grand scale.
Basilio, now a young man, has risen from poverty to become Captain Tiago’s charge. Close
to acquiring his medical degree, he is pledged to Julí, the beautiful daughter of Cabesang Tales, a
prosperous farmer whose land is taken away from him by the friars. Tales subsequently
murders his oppressors, turns to banditry, and becomes the scourge of the countryside.
In contrast to Simoun’s path of armed revolution, a group of university students—among

them, Isagani, Peláez, and Makaraig—push for the founding of an academy devoted to teaching
Castilian, in line with a decree from Madrid. Opposed even to such a benign reform, the friars
manage to co-opt the plan. Subsequently the students are accused of being behind flyers that
call for rebellion against the state. Most observers see the hand of the friars in this whole affair,
which results in the incarceration of the student leaders, even of Basilio, though he was not
involved, and the break-up between Isagani and the beauteous Paulita Gó mez, who agrees to
marry the wealthy Peláez, much to the delight of Doñ a Victorina, who has favored him all along.
In the meantime, Tiago, addicted to opium, dies of a drug overdose while attended to by
Father Irene. A meager inheritance is all that is given to Basilio and all the incarcerated students
are soon released except for him. Julí approaches Father Camorra to request him to obtain
Basilio’s release. The friar attempts to rape her but she commits suicide rather than submit to
his lustful designs. Released from prison, with Julí dead and his prospects considerably dimmed,
32
Basilio, one of the few who knows who Simoun really is, reluctantly becomes a part of the
latter’s plot.
The lavish wedding celebration is to be held at the former residence of Captain Tiago,
purchased by Don Timoteo Peláez, the bridegroom’s father. Simoun has mined the residence, so
it will blow up once a fancy lamp—packed with nitroglycerin, it is Simoun’s wedding gift—has
its wick lit. The resulting assassination of the social and political elite gathered at the feast will
be the signal for armed uprising. But Isagani, informed by Basilio of what will happen, rushes
into the house, snatches the lamp, and throws it into the river, and in the confusion is able to
escape.
The planned uprising is aborted, and Simoun’s true identity is finally revealed, partly
through a note he leaves for Father Salví at the feast. Wounded, he eludes capture and manages
to seek refuge at Father Florentino’s residence. There, he commits suicide but not before
revealing to the priest what he has wrought. He leaves behind his case of jewels, which the good
father throws into the sea, with the injunction that the precious stones yield themselves only
when the country needs them for a “holy, sublime reason” (p. 328).
Synopsis of the Beginning Chapters of "El Filibusterismo"
The story of El Filibusterismo begins on board the clumsy, roundish shaped steamer Tabo,
so appropriately named. This steamer is sailing upstream the Pasig from Manila to Laguna de
Bay. Among the passengers are Simoun, the rich jeweler; Doñ a Victorina, the ridiculously pro-
Spanish native woman who is going to Laguna in search of her henpecked husband, Tiburcio de
Espadañ a, who has deserted her; Paulita Gomez, her beautiful niece; Ben-Zayb (anagram of
Ibañ ez), a Spanish journalist who writes silly articles about the Filipinos; Padre Sibyla, vice-
rector of the University of Santo Tomas; Padre Camorra, the parish priest of the town of Tiani;
Don Custodio, a pro-spanish Filipino holding a position in the government; Padre Salvi, thin
Franciscan friar and former cura of San Diego; Padre Irene, a kind friar who was a friend of the
Filipino students; Padre Florentino, a retired scholarly and patriotic Filipino priest; Isagani, a
poet-nephew of Padre Florentino and a lover of Paulita; and Basilio, son of Sisa and promising
medical student, whose medical education is financed by his patron, Capitan Tiago.
Simoun, a man of wealth and mystery, is a very close friend and confidante of the Spanish
governor general. Because of his great influence in Malacañ ang, he was called the “Brown
Cardinal” or the “Black Eminence”. By using his wealth and political influence, he encourages
corruption in the government, promotes the oppression of the masses, and hastens the moral
degradation of the country so that the people may become desperate and fight. He smuggles
arms into the country with the help of a rich Chinese merchant, Quiroga, who wants very much
to be Chinese consul of Manila. His first attempt to begin the armed uprising did not materialize
because at the last hour he hears the sad news that Maria Clara died in the nunnery. In his
agonizing moment of bereavement, he did not give the signal for the outbreak of hostilities.
Synopsis of the Middle Chapters of "El Filibusterismo"
After a long time of illness brought about by the bitter loss of Maria Clara, Simoun perfects
his plan to overthrow the government. On the occasion of the wedding of Paulita Gomez and
Juanito Pelaez, he gives a wedding gift to them a beautiful lamp. Only he and his confidential
33
associates, Basilio (Sisa’s son who joined his revolutionary cause), know that when the wick of
his lamp burns lower the nitroglycerine, hidden in its secret compartment, will explode,
destroying the house where the wedding feast is going to be held killing all the guests, including
the governor general, the friars, and the government officials. Simultaneously, all the
government buildings in Manila will be blown by Simoun’s followers.
As the wedding feast begins, the poet Isagani, who has been rejected by Paulita because of
his liberal ideas, is standing outside the house, watching sorrowfully the merriment inside.
Basilio, his friend, warns him to go away because the lightened lamp will soon explode.
Upon hearing the horrible secret of the lamp, Isagani realizes that his beloved Paulita was
in grave danger. To save her life, he rushes into the house, seizes the lightened lamp, and hurls it
into the river, where it explodes.
Synopsis of the Ending Chapters of "El Filibusterismo"
Upon hearing the horrible secret of the lamp, Isagani realizes that his beloved Paulita was
in grave danger. To save her life, he rushes into the house, seizes the lightened lamp, and hurls it
into the river, where it explodes.
The revolutionary plot was thus discovered. Simoun was cornered by the soldiers, but he
escaped. Mortally wounded, and carrying his treasure chest, he sought refuge in the home of
Padre Florentino by the sea.
The Spanish authorities, however, learns of his presence in the house of Padre Florentino.
Lieutenant Perez of the Guardia Civil informs the priest by letter that he would come at eight
o’clock that night to arrest Simoun.
Simoun eluded arrest by taking poison. As he is dying, he confesses to Padre Florentino,

revealing his true identity, his dastardly plan to use his wealth to avenge himself, and his
sinister aim to destroy his friends and enemies.
The confession of the dying Simoun is long and painful. It is already night when Padre
Florentino, wiping the sweat from his wrinkled brow, rises and begins to meditate. He consoles
the dying man saying: “God will forgive you Señ or Simoun. He knows that we are fallible. He has
seen that you have suffered, and in ordaining that the chastisement for your faults should come
as death from the very ones you have instigated to crime, we can see His infinite mercy. He has
frustrated your plans one by one, the best conceived, first by the death of Maria Clara, then by a
lack of preparation, then in some mysterious way. Let us bow to His will and render Him
thanks!”
Watching Simoun die peacefully with a clear conscience and at peace with God. Padre
Florentino falls upon his knees and prays for the dead jeweler. He takes the treasure chest and
throws it into the sea; as the waves close over the sinking chest.
34
SUMMARY
Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and its sequel El Filibusterismo are illustrative of the
Philippines of the 19th Century. The novels tell of an awakening Filipino psyche, representative
of the enlightenment of the illustrados. For centuries the Philippines was under the yoke of
Spain, holding on despite the empire’s dissolution. The characters represent the themes in
Filipino society of the time, the changes they went through, and the revolutionary cries of the
late colonial period. These are best exemplified in the changes to the main character Ibarra.
The two novels show a contrast in that the first shows what happened to the Filipino,
what was happening to the Filipino. The second presents a darker theme, one which exemplifies
the path Rizal himself did not choose for the country – revolution. Another focus is on the role
the youth play in the two novels. Jose Rizal showed through them the hope he had for the future,
his dreams of how they must be able to think for themselves in order to serve the greater good
of the Filipino people.
Marvin Cabañ ero. (2021, April 26). NOLI ME TANGERE (Characters and Summary) [Video].
Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KrXCD9ryl4
Silver Stuff. (2019, July 7). El Filibusterismo: A Quick Summary [Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE39aANHDhE
Shie Var. (2021, June 14). Noli Me Tangere 1992 Full Movie [Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxjL6KczCPg
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Xiao Chua. (2021, March 11). Xiao Interview: My Thoughts and Opinions about Rizal's Noli Me
Tangere [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggt9zLeb5Q8
36
Instruction:
Rizal drew Philippine society under Spain in his novels. He presented characters from
different walks of life with different perspectives on Spanish rule. Do you think Rizal’s novels
deserved the ire of the Spanish colonial authorities? Was Rizal right in telling his stories? What
can you do to emulate this part of Jose Rizal, the one that dared to bare his own truths in light of
the suffering of his people, in today’s modern society?
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38
RIZAL’S “MI ULTIMO ADIOS”
Module 5
PROGRAM OUTCOMES:
 Preserve and promote “Filipino historical and cultural heritage”.
current issues.
OBJECTIVES:
 Understand the impact Rizal’s works had on Philippine independence
 Compare Rizal’s aspiration to the present reality of the Philippines
DISCUSSION
Mi Ultimo Adios
Penned by Doctor Rizal just hours before he was executed, the poem was originally
written in Spanish and was not given any title. Rizal hid the paper containing the poem in an
alcohol stove which was later given to his sister Narcisa. Another possible poem was written in
a piece of paper hidden in Rizal’s shoes but the text became unreadable so its content remains a
mystery.
Mariano Ponce had the poem published in Hong Kong and gave it the title “Mi Ultimo
Pensamiento”. Father Mariano Dacanay, a Filipino priest, gave the poem the title “Ultimo Adios”.
So the poem came to be known as “Mi Ultimo Adios” or “My Last Farewell”. The poem has been
translated many times in a number of languages. One of the most popular translation is the
English version by Charles E. Derbyshire:
Farewell, dear Fatherland, clime of the sun caress’d

Pearl of the Orient seas, our Eden lost!,
Gladly now I go to give thee this faded life’s best,
And were it brighter, fresher, or more blest
Still would I give it thee, nor count the cost.
On the field of battle, ‘mid the frenzy of fight,

Others have given their lives, without doubt or heed;
The place matters not-cypress or laurel or lily white,
Scaffold or open plain, combat or martyrdom’s plight,
‘Tis ever the same, to serve our home and country’s need.
I die just when I see the dawn break,

Through the gloom of night, to herald the day;
And if color is lacking my blood thou shalt take,
Pour’d out at need for thy dear sake
To dye with its crimson the waking ray.
My dreams, when life first opened to me,
39
My dreams, when the hopes of youth beat high,
Were to see thy lov’d face, O gem of the Orient sea
From gloom and grief, from care and sorrow free;
No blush on thy brow, no tear in thine eye.
Dream of my life, my living and burning desire,

All hail ! cries the soul that is now to take flight;
All hail ! And sweet it is for thee to expire ;
To die for thy sake, that thou mayst aspire;
And sleep in thy bosom eternity’s long night.
If over my grave some day thou seest grow,

In the grassy sod, a humble flower,
Draw it to thy lips and kiss my soul so,
While I may feel on my brow in the cold tomb below
The touch of thy tenderness, thy breath’s warm power.
Let the moon beam over me soft and serene,
Let the dawn shed over me its radiant flashes,
Let the wind with sad lament over me keen ;
And if on my cross a bird should be seen,
Let it trill there its hymn of peace to my ashes.
Let the sun draw the vapors up to the sky,

And heavenward in purity bear my tardy protest
Let some kind soul o ‘er my untimely fate sigh,
And in the still evening a prayer be lifted on high
From thee, 0 my country, that in God I may rest.
Pray for all those that hapless have died,

For all who have suffered the unmeasured pain;
For our mothers that bitterly their woes have cried,
For widows and orphans, for captives by torture tried
And then for thyself that redemption thou mayst gain.
And when the dark night wraps the graveyard around

With only the dead in their vigil to see
Break not my repose or the mystery profound
And perchance thou mayst hear a sad hymn resound
‘Tis I, O my country, raising a song unto thee.
And even my grave is remembered no more

Unmark’d by never a cross nor a stone
Let the plow sweep through it, the spade turn it o’er
That my ashes may carpet earthly floor,
Before into nothingness at last they are blown.
Then will oblivion bring to me no care
40
As over thy vales and plains I sweep;
Throbbing and cleansed in thy space and air
With color and light, with song and lament I fare,
Ever repeating the faith that I keep.
My Fatherland ador’d, that sadness to my sorrow lends

Beloved Filipinas, hear now my last good-by!
I give thee all: parents and kindred and friends
For I go where no slave before the oppressor bends,
Where faith can never kill, and God reigns e’er on high!
Farewell to you all, from my soul torn away,

Friends of my childhood in the home dispossessed !
Give thanks that I rest from the wearisome day !
Farewell to thee, too, sweet friend that lightened my way;
Beloved creatures all, farewell! In death there is rest!
Mi Ultimo Adios’ Political Impact
After it was annexed by the United States as a result of the Spanish–American War, the
Philippines was perceived as a community of "barbarians" incapable of self-government. U.S.
Representative Henry A. Cooper, lobbying for management of Philippine affairs, recited the
poem before the United States Congress. Realising the nobility of the piece's author, his fellow
congressmen enacted the Philippine Bill of 1902 enabling self-government (later known as the
Philippine Organic Act of 1902), despite the fact that the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act was still in
effect and African Americans had yet to be granted equal rights as US citizens. It created the
Philippine Assembly, appointed two Filipino delegates to the American Congress, extended the
US Bill of Rights to Filipinos, and laid the foundation for an autonomous government. The colony
was on its way to independence. Although relatively complete autonomy would not be granted
until 4 July 1946 by the Treaty of Manila.
In an article dated December 27, 1952 titled “Rizal in the American Congress”, Vicente
Albano Pacis recounted his conversation with Representative Cooper regarding his reading of
Rizal’s Mi Ultimo Adios in congress:
“Having himself sunk back into his swivel chair, he continued, “I’m always glad to meet
Filipinos. In all modesty, one of the highlights—one of the most thrilling moments—of my long
congressional service was my participation in the drafting and enactment of the first enabling act
for the Philippines. And, sir, President McKinley, Governor Taft, and the rest of us met obstacles on
every side. But do you know who came to our rescue, sir? None other than you great martyr and
hero, Jose Rizal.
I had gone in, glad of the opportunity to meet a history-book name. His reference to Rizal
left me in a state of trembling expectation. What he did next heightened the suspense.
41
He leaned back in his chair, pressed interlaced fingers on his breast and closed his eyes. He
remained thus for some time. I began to wonder if he had gone to sleep as old people often do at
the oddest moments. I was about to call his secretary when he suddenly opened his eyes, sat erect,
gripped the arms of his chair with each hand as if he had just remembered something very
important. His mind had evidently traveled some two decades back, and now he resumed talking.
“Philippine-American relations started very badly, sir!” he recalled. “Those of us who were
trying to formulate what might be a just and wise Philippine policy were harassed on every side.
Do you know, sir, that President McKinley finally had to resort to nightly prayer?”
With a faraway look in his eyes, he related how the president, criticized on all sides and
offered conflicting advice, had finally decided to go on his knees every night in the White House.
And one night there had come to him what appeared to be the ultimate solution of the situation.
Give back the Philippines to Spain? Leave them to another power in the Orient—Germany, Great
Britain, Japan? Abandon the Filipinos? Each of these questions had brought an unsatisfactory
answer. So the president had inescapably reached the decision that the only honorable course left
to America was to take over the Philippines “to civilize, to educate and to train in self-
government.”
The old congressman talked of the Anti-imperialist League, headed by powerful men like Ex-
President Grover Cleveland, Andrew Carnegie, and Justice Joseph Story, which was “spreading fear
and indignation by alleging that the Republican Administration, in taking over the Philippines,
was embarking on a career of imperialism and wrecking America’s constitutional principles.” The
Democratic Party, having promised independence to the Filipinos as early as in the presidential
campaign of 1900, announced itself in favor of giving that independence immediately.
“But sir,” Congressman Cooper pointed out, “the Democrats were less interested in the
Filipinos than in their own skins. Do you know that their official platform declared. “The Filipinos
cannot be citizens without endangering our civilization. . . .’?”
Although by 1902 General Aguinaldo had already been captured in Palana, Isabela, by
Colonel Funston, and the backbone of the insurrection had been broken, Filipino guerrillas were
still active. Americans and Filipinos were still killing each other and the American press continued
to carry lurid and gory tales of alleged Filipino brutalities and atrocities. As a consequence
American public opinion was bitterly anti-Filipino.
“Most Americans, including prominent Republicans and Democrats, believed that your
people were unfit for self-government,” Congressman Cooper went on. “In fact, many of them,
including our leading newspapers and responsible statesmen, were convinced the Filipinos were
barbarians, pirates, and savages.”
Then he recalled the day when, as chairman of the house Committee on Insular Affairs,
which handled Philippine legislation, and as principal author of the Bill of 1902, he made his
sponsorship speech. The date was June 19.
“Soon after I’d started speaking,” he recounted, “gentlemen on both sides of the House stood
up and demanded to be heard. They badgered and interrupted me often. Finally I refused to yield
42
the floor. I made a long speech; I covered every phase of the Philippine problem—economic, social,
political, and Philanthropic. But the strongest argument which I had to demolish was the claim
that the Filipinos were savages unfit for self-government. Therefore, I had to address myself
especially to this particular point; and, just as President McKinley looked upon God for guidance,
so I called upon your Rizal for support. He didn’t fail me.”
The Congressional record for that day chronicles that Congressman Cooper opened his
argument against the detractors of the Philippines as follows?
“Every day we hear men declare that the people of the Philippines are ‘pirate,’ ‘barbarians,’
‘savages,’ ‘incapable of civilization’ . . . newspapers of prominence have repeatedly endorsed this
view.
“Mr. Chairman, I am not here to join in this cry so often hear. . . . Before we say that the
Filipino people are barbarians and savages whose future is hopeless, we should remember the past
and not forget how largely human beings are the products of environment. . . . Think of their
history! For three hundred hopeless years they had seen Spanish officials treat office merely as a
means by which to rob the helpless people. For three hundred years they lived under a government
which deliberately kept the mass of the people in ignorance, which deliberately sought to close to
them every avenue of social and political advancement; a government under which it was well-
nigh useless for a man even to attempt to acquire property, because his accumulations furnished
only so much more of temptation and opportunity for the rapacity of government officials; a
government which punished even the most respectful protest against its infamous executions with
banishment or death. . . .
“What the Filipinos think, what they feel what they do, are only the natural results of what
they have undergone. Yet, sir, despite this environment, this deprivation, this wrong and contumely
and outrage, this unfortunate race has given to the world not a few examples of intellectual and
moral worth—men in the height of mind and power of character.”
Then he talked of Rizal:
“It has been said that if American institutions had done nothing else than furnish to the
world the character of George Washington, ‘that alone would entitle them to the respect of
mankind.’ So, sir, I say to all those who denounce the Filipinos indiscriminately as barbarians and
savages, without possibility of a civilized future, that this despised race proved itself entitled to
their respect and to the respect of mankind when it furnished to the world and character of Jose
Rizal.”
Briefly, he narrated the life of the hero from his birth in Calamba to his sentence to death by
a Spanish court-martial in Manila.
“On the night before his death, he wrote a poem,” Cooper continued. “I will read it, that the
house may know what the last thoughts were of this ‘pirate,’ this barbarian, this ‘savage,’ of a race
‘incapable of civilization’!”
43
With eloquence and feeling, Cooper recited Mi Ultimo Adios as translated into English by
Derbyshire. When the last line, “Farewell, dear ones, farewell! To die is to rest from our labors,”
had faded away, there was a long, deep silence. Then the entire House broke into prolonged
applause.
“Encouraged by the demonstration,” Congressman Cooper continued his narration to me, “I

plunged into my climax. Even now I can remember the words; I fairly thundered them:
“Pirates! Barbarians! Savages! Incapable of civilization.’ How many of the civilized,
Caucasian slanderers of his race could ever be capable of thoughts like these, which on the awful
night, as he sat alone amidst silence unbroken save by the rustling of the black plumes of the death
angel at his side, poured from the soul of the martyred Filipino? Search the long and bloody roll of
the world’s martyred dead, and where—on what soil, under what sky—did Tyranny ever claim a
nobler victim?
“Sir, the future is not without hope for a people which, from the midst of such an
environment, has furnished to the world a character so lofty and so pure as that of Jose Rizal.”
Now visibly tired from his memory and oratorical exertions, he rested. Yet, though faintly
panting, his seamy face wore more than the suggestion of a smile. He was reliving his years of
power and triumph, and he was happy. His next words confirmed what his countenance had
already proclaimed.
“The result was a complete triumph for Rizal, the Filipinos and justice,” he said, “and, I think
I should add in all candor, myself.”
He stopped to savor the thought with relish.
SUMMARY
Rizal’s untitled last poem, now known as the Mi Ultimo Adios, tells of his lingering hopes
for a free Philippines. It tells of the torch of liberty being passed.
Quite interestingly, the poem came to the knowledge of American legislators working to
give the Philippines freedom. This time, from the authority of the Americans. U.S.
Representative Henry A. Cooper, lobbying for management of Philippine affairs, recited the
poem before the United States Congress. Realising the nobility of the piece's author, his fellow
congressmen enacted the Philippine Bill of 1902 enabling self-government (later known as the
Philippine Organic Act of 1902), despite the fact that the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act was still in
effect and African Americans had yet to be granted equal rights as US citizens. It created the
Philippine Assembly, appointed two Filipino delegates to the American Congress, extended the
US Bill of Rights to Filipinos, and laid the foundation for an autonomous government.
44
Ky Liana. (2019, January 9), Documentary: MI ULTIMO ADIOS [Video]. Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NL60-T6AwU
45
Instruction:
Rizal’s Mi Ultimo Adios painted an image of a Filipino whose dreams for his nation had
been vanquished. The poem showed the Filipino as a civilized people capable of art and
principle. Write your own poem for Jose Rizal. Include in it your thoughts about yourself and
your country, about what you want to become, who you aspire to be. Dedicate your work to
Rizal and his hopes for the youth, tell him what has since become of his country and the Filipino.
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46
Other Philippine Heroes
Module 6
PROGRAM OUTCOMES:
current issues.
OBJECTIVES:
 Understand the contributions heroes had on Philippine independence
 Assess the concepts of hero in the context of Philippine society
DISCUSSION
Philippine Heroes
The following is retrieved from a Manila Times article “Nine Philippine Heroes” by Iza Iglesias,
TMT dated August 27, 2016
Based on the “Selection and Proclamation of National Heroes and Laws

Honoring Filipino Historical Figures” of the 2002 Executive Summary Report—
submitted by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) to
Reference and Research Bureau Legislative Research Service of the House of Congress
—no law, executive order or proclamation has been enacted or issued to officially
declare a freedom fighter or patriot a national hero. Instead, because of their
significant roles in the process of nation building and contributions to history,
proclamations had been issued to honor Filipino historical figures as a national hero.
Augusto de Viana, Former Chief of the Research, Publications and Heraldry

Division of then National Historical Institute (NHI), indicated in his article “In Search
of National Heroes” in The Manila Times (August 25, 2002) that even Jose Rizal,
considered the most important among Filipino heroes, was not explicitly proclaimed
as a national hero. Rather, Rizal’s prominence in Philippine history is a tribute to the
continued veneration or acclamation of the people in recognition of his contributions
to the significant social transformations which led the country to independence.
On November 15, 1995, guided by certain criteria, the Technical Committee of

the National Heroes Committee had recommended nine Filipino historical figures
who they believe should be honored for their allegiance and sacrifices for country.
Aside from Jose Rizal, the others named were Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Aguinaldo,
Apolinario Mabini, Marcelo del Pilar, Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat, Juan Luna, Melchora
Aquino and Gabriela Silang.
47
Andres Bonifacio (1863-1897):
Bonifacio founded the Katipunan, a secret society which spearheaded the uprising against
the oppressive Spanish rule. It was the groundwork for the first Philippine Republic. He faced a
trial for acts inimical to the existence of the new government, and was sentenced to death by a
military tribunal.
Tributes and trivia: Besides Rizal, the only other hero given an implied recognition as a
national hero is Bonifacio whose date of birth on November 30 had officially been proclaimed as a
national holiday. Monuments of Bonificio, like Rizal, are common across the nation.
Emilio Aguinaldo (1869-1964):
Aguinaldo is a revolutionary, politician, and military leader who is officially recognized as

the First President of the Philippines. After the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in 1941, he
cooperated with the new forces, and appealed on radio for American and Filipino soldiers to
surrender in Bataan. He was arrested as a collaborator upon the return of the Americans but was
later freed on general amnesty.
Tributes and trivia: In 1931, an American Pre-Code documentary titled Around the World
in 80 Minutes with Douglas Fairbanks, showed host Fairbanks in an interview with former
Philippine president Emilio Aguinaldo.
Juan Luna (1857-1899):
Luna was a painter, sculptor and a political activist of the Philippine Revolution during
the late 19th century. He is also considered a master Philippine artist for paintings, which often
depicted his his sentiments for country.
Tributes and trivia: Luna’s most revered artwork, “The Spoliarium” is held in prominent
display at the National Museum. Of his sought after masterpieces, “¿A Do…Va la Nave?” sold for
P46.8 million at a Makati auction.
Marcelo del Pilar (1850-1896):
Del Pilar was a Philippine revolutionary propagandist and satirist. He tried to marshal the
nationalist sentiment of the Filipino ilustrados or bourgeoisie, against Spanish imperialism. He
founded the newspaper Diariong Tagalog to propagate democratic liberal ideas among farmers
and peasants.
Tributes and trivia: For his 150 essays and 66 editorials, mostly published in La
Solidaridad and various anti-friar pamphlets, del Pilar has long been regarded as the “Father of
Philippine Journalism.”
48
As such, Samahang Plaridel, an organization of veteran journalists and communicators,
was founded in October 2003 to honor his ideals. The group further promotes cooperation and
understanding among Filipino journalists in service of the nation.
Melchora Aquino (1812-1919):
One of two females among the nine historical figures for recommendation as heroes,
Aquino operated a store, which became a refuge for sick and wounded revolutionaries. She fed and
provided medical attention to the revolutionaries, while encouraging them with motherly advice
in pursuing their battles, and offering prayers.
Secret meetings of the Katipuneros were also held in her home, thus earning Aquino the
titles “Woman of Revolution”, “Mother of Balintawak”, “Mother of the Philippine Revolution”, and
more famously “Tandang Sora.”
Tributes and trivia: As a token of gratitude, a district and road expanse in Quezon City had been
named after Tandang Sora. She was also commemorated in the five-centavo coin, which existed
from 1967 to 1992; and is considered the very first Filipina to be featured on Philippine peso
banknote, in this case, a 100-peso bill from the English Series (1951 to 1966).
Further from home, Aquino’s legacy is honored via Tandang Sora Street in San Francisco,
USA.
Apolinario Mabini (1864-1903):
Mabini was the “brains” of the revolution. He served first as a legal and constitutional
adviser to the Revolutionary Government, and then as the first Prime Minister of the Philippines
upon the establishment of the First Philippine Republic. Mabini performed all his revolutionary
and governmental activities despite having lost the use of both his legs to polio shortly before the
Philippine Revolution of 1896.
Tributes and trivia: There are two shrines devoted to Mabini: The house where he died is
located on the grounds of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Santa Mesa,
Manila; while his hometown in Talaga, Tanauan City has long been the site of his burial.
Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat (1581–1671):
Kudarat was a Sultan of Maguindanao in the Philippines. He successfully opposed the

Spaniards who attempted to conquer his land during his reign. He was also a hindrance to the
Christianization of the island of Mindanao much like the other Muslim rulers of the southern
Philippine Archipelago.
Kudarat was a direct descendant of Shariff Kabungsuwan, a Malay-Arab missionary who

brought Islam to the Philippines between the 13th and 14th century.
49
Tributes and trivia: The province of Sultan Kudarat is named after this brave Filipino,
together with the Municipality of Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, where his descendants of datus
and rulers remain to be political leaders.
Gabriela Silang (1731-1763):
Silang was a revolutionary best known as the first female leader of a Filipino movement in
the fight for independence from Spain. She took over the reins of her husband Diego Silang’s
revolutionary movement following his assassination in 1763. During this time, she led the Ilocano
rebel movement until she was captured and executed by the colonial government of the Spanish
East Indies.
Tributes and trivia: The organization and party list Gabriela Women’s Party, which
advocates women’s rights and issues, was founded in April 1984 in Silang’s honor. A statue of this
female hero on horseback was further commissioned and erected by the Zóbel de Ayala family at
the corner of Ayala and Makati Avenues.
The Tangadan Welcome Tunnel in Abra is also the site of the Gabriela Silang Memorial
Park with a monument to the brave Filipina.
The report recommending these nine historical figures as national heroes was likewise
submitted to the Department of Education, Culture and Sports on November 22, 1995. However,
no action was taken by the government agency afterward based on speculations that an official
proclamation by law of national heroes might trigger debates on historical controversies
surrounding a number of them.
Nevertheless, despite the lack of any official declaration explicitly proclaiming the nine
patriots as national heroes, they remain admired and revered for their pivotal roles in
Philippine history.
As writer Quennie Ann Palafox points out in her article, “Reinventing the Filipino Hero”
from the NHCP archives, “Heroes are not born, but they are chosen by the society among men
deserving esteem and emulation.”
She continues, “There must be public acclamation and pronouncement of their

contributions to the society. Otherwise, they will be similar to others who unselfishly helped for
the betterment of others and yet they are unrecognized.”
In recent years, the concept of hero in the Philippines has constantly been redefined in
response to the changes and challenges of our times. Filipinos in general are being regarded as
heroes without having to give up their lives for country, but for their vital contributions to
nation building. These are faceless Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), teachers, policemen and
soldiers, among others, without whom the Philippines cannot hope to grow and reach its full
potential.
With this, one may be able to salvage something good out of the lack of a proper law in the
country to officially declare national heroes. For on this holiday, and every year after, we may
50
also celebrate the selflessness of modern day Filipinos who, albeit not in bloody revolutions,
also sacrifice their lives for a greater Philippines.
SUMMARY
According to their definition, a hero is defined as “an admirable leader towering over his
peers, who is serving a noble cause, possessing exceptional talent, distinguished valor and/or
hold enterprise, exercising a determinative influence over the spiritual life of his people in a
particular remarkable event.”
Moreover, criteria specified, “a hero must exercise a determinative influence over the
spiritual life of his people in an event of great significance.” It further says that in order to
qualify for the distinction of a national hero, “one must project himself by his own fortitude,
effort, and sacrifices to be the beacon of his oppressed countrymen to their rightful destiny.”
Based on the “Selection and Proclamation of National Heroes and Laws Honoring Filipino
Historical Figures” of the 2002 Executive Summary Report—submitted by the National
Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) to Reference and Research Bureau Legislative
Research Service of the House of Congress—no law, executive order or proclamation has been
enacted or issued to officially declare a freedom fighter or patriot a national hero. Instead,
because of their significant roles in the process of nation building and contributions to history,
proclamations had been issued to honor Filipino historical figures as a national hero.
On November 15, 1995, guided by certain criteria, the Technical Committee of the
National Heroes Committee had recommended nine Filipino historical figures who they believe
should be honored for their allegiance and sacrifices for country. Aside from Jose Rizal, the
others named were Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Aguinaldo, Apolinario Mabini, Marcelo del Pilar,
Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat, Juan Luna, Melchora Aquino and Gabriela Silang.
But there are also modern heroes celebrated in the Philippines. These include Benigno
‘Ninoy’ Aquino Jr., Corazon C. Aquino, Manuel L. Quezon and Carlos P. Romulo, to name a few.
Also of note is the late environmental and hero of the masses Ginal Lopez and the numerous
OFWs which we now call modern heroes.
Rappler. (2018, October 11), Basagan ng Trip with Leloy Claudio: Heroism in the Philippines
[Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFZJzgeVfes
51
Instruction:
Inspired by the array of Philippine heroes, who is the ultimate person you adore the most and
why? What is really mean of being a “hero”? And as a student and a youth, what may be your
tribute for the betterment of the nation? What would you do to emulate the acclaimed heroes
and to show your patriotism and nationalism to our motherland, the Philippines?
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52
REFERENCES
1. Required Readings and Other Materials (Primary Sources)

Anderson, Benedict. Why Counting Counts: A Study of Forms of Consciousness and Problems of
Language in Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University
Press, 2008
De Ocampo, Esteban. “Who Made Rizal Our Foremost National Hero, and Why?” in Jose Rizal:
Life, Works and Writings of a Genius, Write, Scientist and National Hero, edited by Gregorio
Zaide. 1984.
Ileto, Reynaldo. “Rizal and the Underside of Philippine History” in Filipinos and their
Revolution: Event, Discourse, and Historiography. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University
Press, 1998, pp. 29-78.
Lahiri, Smitha. “Writer, hero, myth, and spirit: The changing image of Jose Rizal.” Cornell
University papers on Southeast Asia.
http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Tagalog/Modules/PhilippineReligions/article_rizal.htm
Ocampo, Ambeth. “Rizal’s Morga and views of Philippine History” in Philippine Studies vol 46 no
2 (1998). http://www.philippinestudies.net/files/journals/1/articles/2570/public/2570-
2568-1-PB.pdf
Republic of the Philippines, 1956. Republic Act 1425.

http://www.gov.ph/1956/06/12/republic-act-no-1425/
Reyes, Miguel Paolo. “El Filibusterismo and Jose Rizal as ‘Science Fictionist’” in Humanities
Diliman vol. 10 no. 2 (2013).
http://journals.upd.edu.ph/index.php/humanitiesdiliman/article/view/4168/3774
Rizal, Jose. “Memoirs of a Student in Manila”, Appendix Section of Gregorio Zaide’s Jose Rizal:
Life, Works and Writings
Rizal, Jose. “The Philippines a century hence” Can be accesses through:

http://www.archive.org/stream/philippinescentu
00riza/philippinescentu00riza_djvu.txt
Salaza, Zeus.” A Legacy of the Propaganda: The Tripartite view of the Philippine History” ni Atoy
Navarro and Flordeliza Lagbao-Bolante,eds, Mga
Babasahin sa Agham Panlipunanag Pilipino: Sikolohiyang Pilipino, Pilipinolohiya, at Pantayong
Pananaw. QC: C&E Publishing, 2007.
https://bangkanixiao.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/zeus-salazar-tripartite-view-of-phil-
history.pdf
Schumacher, John. The propaganda Movement, 1880-1885: The Creation of a Filipino

Consciousness, the making of a Revolution. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press,
1997.
53
Schumacher, John. “The Rizal Bill of 1956: Horacio de la Costa and the Bishops” Philippine
Studies 59 no.4 (2011): 529-553.
2. Supplementary Readings and Other Materials
Aguilar, Filomeno. 2010. The pacto de sangre in the late nineteenth-century nationalist
emplotment of Philippine history. Philippine Studies 58(1-
2):79-109.
Aguilar, Filomeno. 1998. Cockfights and Engkantos: Gambling on submission and resistance. In
Clash of spirits: The history of power and sugar
planter hegemony on a Visayan island, 32 62. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press.
HD9116 P53 N42
Anderson, Benedict. 2004. Hard to imagine. In Spectre of comparisons: Nationalism, Southeast

Asia, and the world, 235-47 only. Quezon City: Ateneo
de Manila University Press. DS525.7 A53 2004
Anderson, Benedict. 2006. Trials of a novelist. In Under three flags: Anarchism and the
anticolonial imagination, 147-67. Pasig City: Anvil. HX945 A
53 2006
Constantino, Renato. 1966. Our task: To make Rizal obsolete. In the Filipinos in the Philippines
and other essays, 137-52. PS9993 C6 F4a
Ileto, Reynaldo. 1998. Bernardo Carpio: Awit and Revolution. In Filipinos and their revolution:
Event, discourse, and historiography, 2-9 only.
Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press. DS 678 143
Joaquin, Nick.2005. Why was the Rizal hero a creole? In A question of heroes, 65-76.
Mandaluyong City: Anvil. PS9993 J62 A16 2005.
Joaquin, Nick.2005. Anatomy of the anti-hero. In A question of heroes, 50-64. Mandaluyong City:
Anvil. PS9993 J62 A16 2005.
Laurel, Jose B. Jr. 1960. The trials of the Rizal Bill. Historical Bulletin 4(2): 130-39
National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). 2015. Selection and proclamation of
national heroes and laws honoring Filipino historical
figures (1995)
Rafael, Vicente. 1988. Conversion and the ideology of submission. In Contracting colonialism:
Translation and Christian conversion in Tagalog
society under early Spanish rule, 154-66, Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press.
54
Recto, Claro M. 1968. Rizal and Bonifacio. In Rizal: Contrary essays, ed. Petronilo Bn. Daroy and
Dolores Feria, 57-77. Quezon City: Guro Books.
Rizal, Jose. 1961. Rizal to Blumentritt, Dapitan, 15 February 1893. The Rizal-Blumentritt
Correspondence. Manila: Jose Rizal National Centennial
Commission. DS 675.8 R5 A53 1961
Schumacher, John. 2011. The Rizal Bill of 1956: Horacio de la Costa and the bishops. Philippine
Studies 59(4):529-53.
Scott, William Henry. 1982. The creation of a cultural minority. In Cracks in the parchment
curtain and other essays in Philippine history, 28-41.
Quezon City: New Day. DS667.2 S36
Wickberg, Edgar. 1964. The Chinese Mestizo in Philippine History. Journal of Southeast Asian
History 5(1): 62-100.
55

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1

Course Number: GE-SS 200-2F

Course Code: 0088/0098/0108/0118/0038/0263/0292/0297/0346/0355

Descriptive Title: Rizal’s Life and Works

School Year/Term: 2021-2022

Mode of Delivery: Blended Instruction (Online-Moodle and Modular)

Name of Enrique E. Balili Jr.

 Discussed Jose Rizal’s life within the context of 19th

3. Perform the activities given before every lesson in each module.

4. The module is given for you to read, learn and enjoy.

5. Learning Tasks are given as part of the lesson as an application or assessment to

6. Answer the Post Test at the end of all the lessons.

Excellent Good Satisfactory Poor

Module 1: Introduction to Rizal…………………………………….………………………………………………….4

Module 2: Rizal’s Biographical Sketch…………………………………………………………………………….12

Module 3: Rizal’s Annotations of Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas……………………….…16

Module 4: Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo………………………………………….…....24

Module 5: Rizal’s Mi Ultimo Adios…………………………………………………………………………………..32

Module 6: Other Philippine Heroes…………………………………………………………...……………………38

The Criteria for Heroes

Sometimes, politicians were tempted to legislate unilaterally on who should be heroes.

The fourth holiday created by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on December 25,

The Story of the Rizal Law

For knowledge enrichment:

The Conditions of Europe, America and Spain in 19th Century

The Need for Reforms: Representation

Conditions in the Philippines in the 19th Century

Life of Jose Rizal

Having traveled extensively in Europe, America and Asia, he mastered 22 languages.

For knowledge enrichment:

The following are excerpts from Rizal’s annotations:

 The Spanish historians of the Philippines never overlook any opportunity, be it

For knowledge enrichment:

Introduction to Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere

Noli Me Tangere Summary

In contrast to Simoun’s path of armed revolution, a group of university students—among

Synopsis of the Beginning Chapters of "El Filibusterismo"

Synopsis of the Middle Chapters of "El Filibusterismo"

Synopsis of the Ending Chapters of "El Filibusterismo"

Simoun eluded arrest by taking poison. As he is dying, he confesses to Padre Florentino,

For knowledge enrichment:

Farewell, dear Fatherland, clime of the sun caress’d

On the field of battle, ‘mid the frenzy of fight,

I die just when I see the dawn break,

Dream of my life, my living and burning desire,

If over my grave some day thou seest grow,

Let the sun draw the vapors up to the sky,

Pray for all those that hapless have died,

And when the dark night wraps the graveyard around

And even my grave is remembered no more

Then will oblivion bring to me no care

My Fatherland ador’d, that sadness to my sorrow lends

Farewell to you all, from my soul torn away,

Mi Ultimo Adios’ Political Impact

Then he talked of Rizal:

“Encouraged by the demonstration,” Congressman Cooper continued his narration to me, “I

He stopped to savor the thought with relish.

Ky Liana. (2019, January 9), Documentary: MI ULTIMO ADIOS [Video]. Youtube.

Based on the “Selection and Proclamation of National Heroes and Laws

Augusto de Viana, Former Chief of the Research, Publications and Heraldry

On November 15, 1995, guided by certain criteria, the Technical Committee of

Emilio Aguinaldo (1869-1964):

Aguinaldo is a revolutionary, politician, and military leader who is officially recognized as