REVIEWER FOR 2nd LONG QUIZ & FINAL EXAMINATION ⮚ Educational reforms started on 1855.

(GED 103-2ND SEMESTER)

LESSON 8: Rizal and His Thoughts on Education
Education is an important value that we Filipinos
have. While it is practical and enhances a person’s
intellect and give him opportunities to pursue careers and
occupations, it brings a person to a respectable social
status. However, Filipinos at the time of Rizal did not have
the same educational system that we have now. Our
system today, respects academic freedom, allows free
intellectual growth and coupled with good facilities.
The state of education in the Philippines during the
Spanish period: ∙ what was the condition of education
during the 19th century Philippines under Spain?
∙ there was inadequate educational system.
∙ the poor system caused intellectual decadence.
∙ there was no uniform education curricula;
schools impose their own curricula; or the
curricula were limited.
∙ Religion was over-emphasized.
∙ there was inadequate facilities: No classrooms,
No books and materials.
∙ School use obsolete teaching methods.
∙ there was no government supervision of school.
∙ Students did not enjoy academic freedom.
∙ Friars control schools.
∙ Teachers were not qualified.
∙ Overemphasis on religion and obedience to the
friars promoted a society where Filipinos are inferior
to the Spaniards.
∙ Training to memorize and do rote memory exercises and
limiting success to memorizing hampered intellectual
progress.
∙ Filipinos suffered from discrimination in education because
the friars thought that Filipinos were not educable.
⮚ Governor Crespo - organized a commission to study
the condition of the educational system in the Philippines
and find remedial measure to improve elementary
education.
⮚ Commisssion completed work in 1861.
Significant mandates under the Educational Decree of
December 20, 1863
✔ Establishment of two primary school in every town for boys
and girls
✔ Teachers were trained at a normal school for men (starting
1865; this made training available for aspiring secondary school
teacher)
✔ Government finally supervised public schools;
▪ Friars were assigned to implement the educational
reforms, however they did not agree with the teaching of
the Spanish language; they thought that Filipinos would
oppose Spain after learning the language.
▪ They tried to keep the Filipinos in “darkness”; and
controlled the flow of ideas of freedom and
independence.
▪ Books to be read by Filipinos had to be checked
(censored) by government and church authorities.
Significant mandates under the Moret Decree of 1870
Reforms intended: secularization of education in the Philippines,
government control over education
• The decree was not implemented.
• However, the decree inspired students to clamor for
reforms in education.

▪ there were limited number of schools:

1. University of Sto. Tomas (college)
2. Colegio de San Juan de Letran (the only
official secondary school)
3. Ateneo de Manila

Other schools:
1. Santa Isabel
2. La Concordia
3. Santa Rosa
4. Looban
5. Santa Catalina

▪ Seminaries in Manila, Cebu, Jaro, Nueva Caceres, Nueva

Segovia maintained by religious orders.
▪ there were also: Latin schools, schools for boys and
schools for girl’s
▪ there were trainings for Filipinos to become diocesan
priests (non-members of the religious orders)

Did Spain try to improve the condition of educational

system in the Philippines?

⮚ Yes. Spain’s efforts to reform the educational

system consisted of these:

⮚ Two important decrees on education:

1. Education Decree of 1861
2. Moret Decree of 1870

Rizal as a teacher in Dapitan in Zamboanga 1892-1896
Background: Rizal was deported to Dapitan after he
was implicated in the activities of the rebellion. While in
exile in Dapitan, he established a clinic, and a farm to
produce abaca and other crop products. He also
established a school for boys.
What Rizal taught to his students in Dapitan:
▪ Practical skills of self-sufficiency and
resourcefulness among young men ▪ languages:
Spanish and English
▪ Reading, writing, geography, history, arithmetic,
mathematics, industrial arts, natural science, values and
gymnastics.
⮚ One notable student of Rizal was Jose Aseniero
who become Governor of Zamboanga
⮚ another way of educating the people was by
establishing industry as his business and
organizing the farmers into a cooperative.
LESSON 9: RIZAL AS A REFORMIST AND A
REVOLUTIONARY
⮚ the concept of truth, justice, freedom, love, equality
and peace are enshrined in the Philippine Constitution.
The concepts are considered universal principles, so that all
groups of people of different nations, have ways to give them
effect and give their constituents opportunities to enjoy them.
As in our Constitution, substantive civil and political
rights are based on them, legal duties limit their exercise
to promote fairness to all, responsibilities burden all
with equity still on account of these principles.
⮚ Civil and political rights were recognized and
enshrined in international conventions only in recent
time. The convention were not yet in existence during
the time of Rizal.
Civil and Political Rights
❖ “Civil and political rights are a class of rights that
protect individuals' freedom from infringement by
governments, social organizations and private
individuals, and which ensure one's ability to
participate in the civil and political life of the society
and state without discrimination or repression.”
A. Political Rights
▪ these are rights of people to participate in
government and political processes.
▪ Political rights include natural justice (procedural
fairness) in law, such as the rights of the accused,
including the right to a fair trial; due process; the right
to seek redress or a legal remedy; and rights of
participation in civil society and politics such as
freedom of association, the right to assemble, the right
to petition, the right of self-defense, and the right to
vote.
B. Civil Rights
▪ Civil rights include the ensuring of peoples' physical and
mental integrity, life and safety; protection from
discrimination on grounds such as race, gender, national
origin, colour, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, or
disability; and individual rights such as privacy, the
freedoms of thought and conscience, speech and
expression, religion, the press, assembly and movement.
▪ Examples of civil and political rights:
a. right to vote
b. right to a fair trial
c. right to government services
d. right to a public education, and
e. right to use public facilities
f. right to Liberty and Security of the Person
g. right to Equal Protection Before the Law
h. Right to Freedom of Assembly
i. Rights to be Free From Torture
j. Right to Freedom of Expression
k. Freedom from Discrimination
l. Access to the judicial system
m. Participation in Political Life
n. Freedom of Religion
o. Access to Information
p. Right to Private and Family Life
q. Property Rights
r. Freedom of Movement
s. Right to Seek Asylum
⮚ Remember that the rights mentioned are fairly modern
concepts of how the barest civil and political rights of
people must be given by governments. We can only
compare these with how Spain has extended its rule over
the Philippines.
⮚ The Filipinos were deprived of the barest civil and
political rights by the government of Spain in the
Philippines, or at least by the Spanish officials and
administrators, who abused their authorities.
⮚ Thus, the Filipinos clamoured for reforms.
⮚ Two prominent organizations seeking changes
for the Filipinos to gain more freedom were the
Propaganda and the Katipunan.
▪ Dr. Rizal figured well in the Propaganda. He was an
advocate of the organization’s objectives.
Main objectives of the Propaganda:
▪ Representation of the Philippines in the Spanish Cortes
Rights for diocesan clergy to administer parishes
(Secularization)
▪ Equality of Spanish and Filipino and equal
opportunity to enter government service.
▪ Spanish citizenship to Filipinos.
▪ Recognition of the Philippines as a province of Spain
(Assimilation) eventual separation from Spain, the independence of
▪ Abolition of the mandatory polo y servicios and the “Filipinas or Philippines.” Reform was a means to freedom
bandala -recognition for basic freedoms of people in not the destination.
the Philippines.

LESSON 10: RIZAL’S LAST WORK

Although Rizal was not a Katipunero, the Katipunan
was inspired by his ideals.
Main objectives of the Katipunan:
▪ Political – independence or separation of the
Philippines from Spain
▪ Moral – good manners, hygiene, good morals, and
rejection of religious fanaticism and weakness of
character.
▪ Civic – self-help and the defense of the poor and the
oppressed.
❑ Rizal was convinced that he had done his share of
patriotism. He was an example of a man of courage and
conviction willing to sacrifice for his people’s cause.
When Rizal knew of his fate, he did not whine but made
himself useful and took every moment to be still of
service to his land.
⮚ December 26, 1896-the military court tried Jose
Rizal; found guilty of rebellion, sedition, and
conspiracy.

⮚ Reason: according to Spanish authorities, Rizal’s

Reform and Revolution
writings “fatally and necessarily” incited the rebellion.
❑ it is unfortunate that many students are still reared on
the dated Agoncillo-Constantino histories of the 1960s
⮚ December 29 at 6 a.m., -Capt. Rafael Dominguez read
that are ideologically slanted to give preferential option
before Rizal his death sentence. His execution was
for the revolutionary hero of the masses, Andres
scheduled the following day.
Bonifacio, against the reformist and burgis Jose Rizal.
Where did Rizal spend his last hours?
⮚ Renato Constantino, in his landmark 1968 essay ⮚ At around 7 a.m. of December 29, Rizal was
“Veneration without Understanding,” argued that Rizal transferred to his death cell in Fort Santiago.
was against the revolution. Constantino based this view on
a document Rizal issued in December 1896, asking the
Katipuneros to lay down their arms and condemning the
violence that was planned without his knowledge and
consent. Constantino also argued that Rizal was an
American-sponsored hero, citing without any
documentary proof, an alleged Philippine Commission
meeting when the American colonial government chose
Rizal as the foremost national hero because he was non-
violent and reformist, unlike Bonifacio or Aguinaldo.

⮚ Constantino conveniently leaves out are: that Rizal

was considered a hero in his lifetime; that his picture
was displayed during Katipunan meetings; and that his
name was one of the passwords of the Katipunan. Then,
of course, the annual commemoration of Rizal’s death each
year in Dec. 30, was started by Emilio Aguinaldo’s short-lived
First Philippine Republic in 1898 (before the American
colonial period) and continues to our day.

⮚ Rizal is branded a mere “reformist” because they have

not read his letter to Ferdinand Blumentritt from Geneva
on June 19, 1887, his 26th birthday, that reads:
“I assure you that I have no desire to take part in
conspiracies which seem to me very premature and risky. But
if the government drives us to the brink, that is to say, when
no other hope remains but seek our destruction in war, when
the Filipinos would prefer to die rather than endure their
misery any longer, then I will also become a partisan of
violent means. The choice of peace or destruction is in the
hands of Spain, because it is a clear fact, known to all that we Who visited Rizal at his death cell?
are patient, excessively patient and peaceful, mild, unfeeling, Rizal’s visitors:
etc. But everything ends in this life, there is nothing eternal in a) His counsel
the world and that refers also to our patience.” b) Some Spanish officials
c) Several Priests
❖ We do not know the issue or situation that gave rise to d) His former professors
Rizal’s words. But these words are significant if only to
show that Rizal was not averse to revolution or violence
⮚ Archbishop of Manila, Rev. Bernardino Nozaleda, who
if necessary. We also have to realize that when some
claimed that Rizal recanted his statements against the
historians and teachers of history created a gap between Church and returned to the Catholic faith.
reform and revolution, between the campaign for reforms and
assimilation in Spain and the outbreak of the Philippine ⮚ The controversy over Rizal’s retraction has not been
settled. The “original” document of Rizal’s “retraction” was
revolution, they fail to see that Rizal, Marcelo H. del Pilar and
found in the archdiocesan archives in 1935, 39 years after
others saw reform and assimilation only as a first step to
having disappeared the day Rizal was shot. There was no
record of anybody seeing this “original” document in 1896,
except the publishers of La Voz Española, which published
its contents on the day of Rizal’s execution: “We have seen
and read his (Rizal’s) own handwritten retraction which he
sent to our dear and venerable Archbishop….” Most
experts think that the handwriting on the document is
authentic. However, scholars are baffled as to why Rizal,
who courageously faced persecution for most of his life,
and who was finally sentenced to death for his beliefs,
would suddenly balk at the last, futile moment.
⮚What else did Rizal do during the last hours?
⮚ Read the Bible and Thomas à Kempis’s Imitation of
Christ, which he later dedicated to Josephine Bracken.
⮚ He also wrote the poem “Mi Ultimo Adiós,” which he
concealed in an alcohol burner.
⮚ When his family came to see him, he asked pardon from his
mother and talked to his sisters as they entered his cell one by
one.
⮚ He also wrote letters. In his last letter, addressed to
Pacino Rizal, he asked his brother to ask their father for
forgiveness for all the pain he had caused him.
⮚ To his friend Ferdinand Blumentritt, he wrote: “When
you receive this letter, I shall be dead by then…. Tomorrow
at seven, I shall be shot; but I am innocent of the crime of
rebellion…. I am going to die with a tranquil conscience.”
When was Rizal executed?
❖ At 7 a.m. on December 30, 1896 at Luneta, Manila, and
the 35-year-old patriot was shot in the back by a firing
squad. He hesitated, turned halfway around to face his
executioners, and fell on his back to face the Philippine
sun.
What is a retraction?
❑ It is an act of a person to renounce his own
statements thereby reversing what has been
established as fact with the said statement.
❑ In the case of Rizal, the Archbishop of Manila at
the time of his death said, “During that day, In the
case of Rizal, the Archbishop of Manila at the time
of his death said, “During that day, although Rizal
did not reject [the Jesuits], he persisted in his
errors contrary to the Catholic faith.… However, at
the last hour, Rizal abjured, in writing, his religious
errors.” In other words, Rizal, a Mason, was said to
have recanted his statements against the Church
and to have returned to the Catholic faith.”
However, the truthfulness of the retraction was not
resolved.
❑ It is convincing that the culmination of Rizal’s patriotism
was by offering his life. In addition to this, his works were
also part of his legacy from which young men, and the whole
Filipino nation, could learn how to continue the nationalist
ideals he had died for. While Rizal fought for freedom, our
responsibility now is to keep that essence of
independence alive. His mission was consummated
only when the generation after him keeps the ideals of
freedom alive.
LESSON 11: RIZAL’S EXILE, TRIAL AND EXECUTION
What events lead to the trial of Rizal:
▪ Rizal was a leading figure in the Propaganda.
▪ He wrote essays on the conditions of the Philippines.
▪ He wrote the novels Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo, which were censured for being
subversive by Spanish authorities in the Philippines
including the friars. For the statements he was accused of
giving against the government and the church, as well as his
errors in belief, he was exiled in Dapitan. Although Rizal did
not retract his statements, return to the folds of the Church,
Rizal was a productive doctor, teacher, businessman,
community developer and organizer, and scientist.
▪ In 1896, after four years of exile in Dapitan, Rizal
volunteered to become a military surgeon in Cuba
where a revolution against Spain was also happening
at that time. He was granted his request. He travelled
from the Philippines to Spain, and then, to Cuba.
However, he was arrested while enroute to Spain, and
detained in Barcelona. He was returned to the Philippines
to undergo trial for rebellion, sedition and conspiracy to
overthrow the government of Spain, being the
mastermind of the revolution. However, after
preliminary investigation Rizal was tried for rebellion
and illegal association.
Trial; process
▪ Preliminary investigation; November 20, 1896
▪ Rizal’s counsel, Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade
▪ Arraignment: December 11, 1896
▪ For rebellion, illegal association
Actual trial: December 26, 1896

Why do we think that Rizal was deprived of due

process?
1. He was tried by the court martial with a judge advocate of
the court. There were other courts which could have tried
Rizal as the charges were not crimes committed by military
personnel.
2. The court martial assigned him a counsel. He could have
also secured a civilian lawyer.
3. He could have been given the opportunity to confront his
accusers and the witnesses against him. This was to give
Rizal also opportunity to challenge the credibility of their
testimony and the evidence they offered against Rizal.

4. Rizal should have been given the opportunity to ask for

reconsideration of his sentence and appeal his case to a
higher tribunal.

LESSON 12: RIZAL, A NATIONAL HERO

▪ There are different forms of heroism. Some anchor

their heroic deeds on nationalist ideals. Some express
their patriotism, and do sacrifices for it. In this lesson,
we will learn how the status of national hero is
recognized.

▪ Every Filipino can be a hero.

Who is a hero or “bayani”?

▪ He/she is a person who is admired for great or brave
acts or fine qualities or a person who is greatly admired-
(Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

Executive Summary
⮚ No law, executive order or proclamation has been
enacted or issued officially proclaiming any Filipino
historical figure as a national hero. However, because of
their significant roles in the process of nation building and
contributions to history, there were laws enacted and
proclamations issued honoring these heroes.
⮚ Even Jose Rizal, considered as the greatest among the
Filipino heroes, was not explicitly proclaimed as a
national hero. The position he now holds in Philippine history
is a tribute to the continued veneration or acclamation of the
people in recognition of his contribution to the significant social
transformations that took place in our country.
⮚ Aside from Rizal, the only other hero given an implied
recognition as a national hero is Andres Bonifacio
whose day of birth on November 30 has been made a
national holiday.
⮚Despite the lack of any official declaration explicitly
proclaiming them as national heroes, they remain admired and
revered for their roles in Philippine history. Heroes, according
to historians, should not be legislated. Their appreciation
should be better left to academics. Acclamation for
heroes, they felt, would be recognition enough.
⮚Selection and Proclamation of National Heroes
1.1 National Heroes Committee
⮚ On March 28, 1993, President Fidel V. Ramos issued
Executive Order No.75 entitled “Creating the National
Heroes Committee Under the Office of the President”.
⮚ The principal duty of the Committee is to study, evaluate
and recommend Filipino national personages/heroes in due
recognition of their sterling character and remarkable
achievements for the country.
1.2 Findings and Recommendations of the National
Heroes Committee
⮚ In compliance with Executive Order No. 75 dated
March 28, 1993, the National Heroes Committee
submitted its findings and recommendations.
1.2.1 Criteria for National Heroes
▪ The Technical Committee of the National Heroes
Committee held a series of meetings on June 3, 1993,
August 19, 1993, September 12, 1994 and November 15,
1995, defining, discussing and deliberating upon the
merits of the various definitions and criteria of a hero. The
Committee adopted the following criteria as basis for historical
researchers in determining who among the great Filipinos will
be officially proclaimed as national heroes:
The Technical Committee of the National Heroes
Committee adopted the following criteria on June 3, 1993
and November 15, 1995:
1. Heroes are those who have a concept of nation and
thereafter aspire and struggle for the nation’s freedom.
2. Heroes are those who define and contribute to a
system or life of freedom and order for a nation.
3. Heroes are those who contribute to the quality of life and
destiny of a nation.
Additional Criteria for Heroes
(Adopted by the Technical Committee of the
National Heroes Committee on November 15, 1995,
Manila)
4. A hero is part of the people’s expression.
5. A hero thinks of the future, especially the future generation.
6. The choice of a hero involves not only the recounting of
an episode or events in history, but of the entire process
that made this particular person a hero.
1.2.2 Historical Figures Recommended as National
Heroes
The Committee also recommended as national heroes:
A. Jose Rizal
B. Andres Bonifacio
C. Emilio Aguinaldo
D. Apolinario Mabini
E. Marcelo H. del Pilar
F. Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat
G. Juan Luna
H. Melchora Aquino
I. Gabriela Silang
1.2.3 Status of the Report/Recommendations Submitted
by the National Heroes Committee.
▪ Since the submission of the report/recommendations by the
National Heroes Committee to then Secretary Ricardo T.
Gloria of the Department of Education, Culture and
Sports on November 22,1995 , no action has been taken.
This was probably because this might trigger a flood of
requests for proclamations. Another possibility is that the
proclamations can trigger bitter debates involving historical
controversies about the heroes.
2. Laws Honoring/ Commemorating Filipino Historical
Figures
2.1 Heroes
2.1.1 Jose Rizal
2.1.1.1 Decree of December 20, 1898, issued by General
Emilio Aguinaldo, declared December 30 of every year a
day of national mourning in honor of Dr. Jose Rizal and
other victims of the Philippine Revolution.
2.1.1.2 Act No. 137, which organized the politico-military
district of Morong into the Province of Rizal , was the first
official step taken by the Taft Commission to honor our
greatest hero and martyr.
2.1.2 Andres Bonifacio
2.1.2.1 Act No. 2946, enacted by the Philippine Legislature
on February 16, 1921, made November 30 of each year a
legal holiday to commemorate the birth of Andres
Bonifacio.
2.1.2.2 Act No. 2760, issued on February 23, 1918,
confirmed and ratified all steps taken for the creation,
maintenance, improvement of national monuments and
particularly for the erection of a monument to the memory of
Andres Bonifacio.
2.1.3 Other Heroes
2.1.3.1 Act No. 3827, enacted by the Philippine Legislature
on October 28, 1931, declared the last Sunday of August
of every year as National Heroes Day.
2.1.3.2 Proclamation No. 510, issued by Pres. Fidel V.
Ramos on November 30, 1994, declared the year 1996
as the year of Filipino Heroes as a tribute to all Filipinos
who, directly and indirectly, gave meaning and impetus to
the cause of freedom, justice, Philippine independence and
nationhood.
2.1.3.3 R.A. No. 9070, April 8, 2001, declaring the
eighteenth of December of every year as a special
working public holiday throughout the country to be
known as the Graciano Lopez-Jaena Day.
2.2 Other Historical Figures
2.2.1 R.A. No. 6701, February 10, 1989, declaring
September One of every year, the death anniversary of
Gregorio Aglipay y Labayan, as Gregorio L. Aglipay Day
and a special non-working holiday in the Municipality of
Batac, Province of Ilocos Norte.
2.2.2 R.A. No. 7285, March 24, 1992, declaring February
Nineteen of each year as Doña Aurora Aragon Quezon Day
a special nonworking holiday in the Province of Aurora in
order to commemorate the birth anniversary of Doña Aurora
Aragon Quezon, the first President of the Philippine
National Red Cross, and Foundation Day of the Province.
2.2.3 R.A. No. 7805, September 1, 1994, declaring January
28 of every year as a non-working special public holiday in
the City of Cavite to be known as Julian Felipe Day.
2.2.4 R.A. No. 7950, March 25, 1995, declaring December
Eighteen of every year as “Araw ng Laguna” and a special
working day in the Province of Laguna and the City of San
Pablo to commemorate the memory and death of the late
Governor Felicisimo T. San Luis.
2.2.5 R.A. No. 9067, April 8, 2001 , declaring April 15 of
every year as President Manuel A. Roxas Day which shall
be observed as a special working public holiday in the
Province of Capiz and the City of Roxas.
LESSON 13: JOSE RIZAL, AND THE AMERICAN
MADE HERO CONTROVERSY
⮚ Rizal acquired the official title of Philippine National
Hero in 1901 under the country’s first American civil
governor, William Howard Taft.
⮚ We have magnified Rizal’s role to such an extent that we
have lost our sense of proportion and relegated to a
subordinate position our other great men and the historic
events in which they took part. Although Rizal was already
a revered figure and became more so after his
martyrdom, it cannot be denied that his pre- eminence
among our heroes was partly the result of American
sponsorship.
⮚ Governor William Howard Taft who in 1901
suggested that the Philippine Commission that the
Filipinos be given a national hero. The Free Press of
December 28, 1946 gives this account of a meeting of
the Philippine Commission:
⮚ „And now, gentlemen, you must have a national hero.‟ In
these fateful words, addressed by then Civil Governor W.
H. Taft to the Filipino members of the civil commission,
Pardo de Tavera, Legarda, and Luzuriaga,….. „
⮚ In the subsequent discussion in which the rival merits of the
revolutionary heroes were considered, the final choice-now
universally acclaimed as a wise one-was Rizal. And so
was history made.
⮚ Theodore Friend in his book, Between Two Empires,
says that Taft “with other American colonial officials and
some conservative Filipinos, chose him (Rizal) as a
model hero over other contestants – Aguinaldo too
militant, Bonifacio too radical, Mabini unregenerate.”
⮚ This decision to sponsor Rizal was implemented with
the passage of the following Acts of the Philippine
Commission:
⮚ Act No. 137 which organized the politico-military
district of Morong and named it the province of Rizal “in
honor of the most illustrious Filipino.
⮚ Act No.243 which authorized a public subscription
for the erection of a monument in honor of Rizal at
the Luneta, and
⮚ Act No. 346 which set aside the anniversary of his
death as a day of observance.
▪ This early example of American “aid” is
summarized by Governor W. Cameron Forbes
who wrote in his book, The Philippine Islands:
It is eminently proper that Rizal should have
become the acknowledged national hero of the
Philippine people.
▪ The American administration has lent every assistance
to this recognition, setting aside the anniversary of his
death to be a day of observance, placing his picture on
the postage stamp most commonly used in the islands,
and on the currency …. And throughout the islands the
public schools teach the young Filipinos to revere his
memory as the greatest of Filipino patriots.
▪ The reason for the enthusiastic American attitude
becomes clear in the following appraisal of Rizal by
Forbes:
Rizal never advocated independence, nor did he
advocate armed resistance to the government. He urged
reform from within by publicity, by public education, and
appeal to the public conscience. Taft’s appreciation for
Rizal has much the same basis, as evidenced by his
calling Rizal “the greatest Filipino, a physician, a
novelist and a poet because of his struggle for a
betterment of conditions under Spanish rule was
unjustly convicted and shot…. “
▪ The public image that the Americans desired for a
Filipino national hero was quite clear.
-They favored a hero who would not run against the
grain of American colonial policy. We must take these
acts of the Americans in furtherance of a Rizal cult in the
light of their initial policies which required the passage of
the Sedition Law. The heroes who advocated
independence were therefore ignored. For to have
encouraged a movement to revere Bonifacio or Mabini
would not have been consistent with American colonial
policy.
▪ Several factors contributed to Rizal’s acceptability to
the Americans as the official hero of the Filipinos.
▪ In the first place, he was safely dead by the time the
American began their aggression. Rizal’s dramatic
martyrdom had already made him the symbol of Spanish
oppression.
▪ To focus attention on him would serve not only to concentrate
Filipino hatred against the erstwhile oppressors, it would also
blunt their feelings of animosity toward the new conquerors
against whom there was still organized resistance at that time.
The honors bestowed on Rizal were naturally appreciated
by the Filipinos who were proud of him.
▪ The Americans especially emphasized the fact that Rizal
was a reformer not a separatist. He could therefore not be
invoked on the question of Philippine independence. He
could not be a rallying point in the resistance against the
invaders.
▪ A proper understanding of our history is very important
to us because it will serve to demonstrate how our present
has been distorted by a faulty knowledge of our past. By
unraveling the past we become confronted with the
present already as future. Such a re-evaluation may result in
a downgrading of some heroes and even a discarding of
others. It cannot spare even Rizal. The exposure of his
weaknesses and limitations will also mean our liberation, for
he has, to a certain extent become part of the superstructure
that supports present consciousness. That is why a critical
evaluation of Rizal cannot but lead to a revision of our
understanding of history and of the role of the individual in
history.
LESSON 14: JOSE RIZAL, AN ASIAN NATIONALIST
▪ “Nationalism” -defined as describing two
phenomena: the attitude that the members of a
nation possess about their nation’s identity and the
actions that the members of a nation take to achieve
and attain self-determination.
▪ Dr. Jose Rizal, was a nationalist. In 1882, Rizal took
Licentiate in Medicine at the Universidad Central de
Madrid and afterwards specialized in Ophthalmology in
France and Germany under Dr. Louis de Weckert and Dr.
Otto Becker.
▪ For his almost ten years of stay abroad from 1882 to 1892,
Rizal made sure that his time was duly spent in various
efforts in securing better status for the Philippines. He had
proven that distance is not a hindrance in fulfilling one’s
commitment to a noble purpose.
Filipino friars prompted Rizal to hammer away on the
inequities of the church.
✔ He defended Filipino civil rights. When his mother
was jailed for her role in a family dispute, Rizal
systematically exposed the doubled standard of
justice that Filipinos had faced since Magellan.
✔ He discovered the power of the pen. Not only did
Rizal consider pamphleteering important, he was also
an active literacy critic.

▪ When the Philippine Revolution broke out in 1896,

✔ He conceived a form of gradual nationalism. What
Rizal was in Dapitan as an exile. Patriotic leaders
Rizal demanded was an education, a commitment to
attempted to secure Rizal’s approval of the
Filipino culture, and a vision of a bright future.
revolution, but Dr. Pio Valenzuela, Andres Bonifacio’s
emissary, revealed in his 1896 account that Rizal did
Reasons for Modern Philippine Nationalism
not favor it. In his later account, however, Valenzuela
reversed his earlier testimony by saying that the hero was
⮚ The city of Manila and its relationship
not against the revolution, instead, provided advices that
to the Spanish government and the
could be of help to the revolutionaries.
church helped to foment revolution.
▪ Rizal may not be direct participants to the two
⮚ Relationship between the friars and Spanish
phenomenon’s that greatly affected the Philippines, but
his name was evoked by the partakers and will Government was a tenuous and often fragile one. The
always be honored as inspiration and guiding force end result was that they took turns manipulating each
in the success of the said episodes. other, and the controversies they created with the Indios
produced a revolutionary class.
Nationalism- is the idea of oneness by a group of people
who possess common traditions, shared history, a set of ⮚ The Chinese mestizo, who came in as a merchant and
goals and belief in a specific future. There is a strong emerged as a nationalist, was one of the many forces
identification with the values, the heroes, and the traits of that hastened the drive towards defined Filipino
a country. nationalism.

Democracy-comes from the Greek word demos, which
means people. It is a government in which all the power
is shared the democracy by citizens. Democracy is
sometimes known as representative government. Under
this form of government, the people have the right to sit
in a chamber that determines their future.
⮚ Nationalism implies a highly developed form of
government that took place in the Philippines. It
describes Rizal, Calamba nationalism or Bonifacio’s
Katipunan vision for the Philippines.

Imperialism-is the policy of extending a nation control

and authority beyond its territorial boundaries through
the acquisition of new territories.

Rizal’s Concept of Filipino Nationalism

▪ Rizal’s concept of nationalism is parallel with that of

Hans Kohn, who is nationalism is first and foremost a
state of mind an act of consciousness. It is a group
consciousness that strives towards achieving
homogeneity within the group, conformity and like-
mindedness which will lead to and facilitate common
action.

▪ Rizal showed national sentiment throughout his career

even as a youth through his poem “A la Juventud
Filipina”, which was dedicated to the youth. He
admonished the Filipino youth to strive hard because they
are considered the fair hope of the motherland. He nurtured
the same ideals during his manhood as manifested in all his
writings like Noli and Fili. Even in his personal letters, when
he called to all women of the Philippines to poverty, illiteracy
and ignorance. All his efforts were concentrated on
achieving his goal.

Factors in the Early Development of Rizal’s Nationalism

✔ Rizal emphasize the importance of the Tagalog

Language and its impact upon the Philippines. He
realized that a national culture was needed to develop
a sense of nationalism.
✔ He was openly critical of the friars. The injustice in the
Cavite incident, the haughty attitude of many of the
Spanish friars and the increasing liberalism of the