Herdy R.

Dimanlig
BSIT – 2A

I. REFLECTION PAPER

To The Young Woman of Malolos

Women in the time of Spanish Colonial were merely caretakers of the house and their only purpose is to
tend their husbands and rear a child. In today’s time, that thinking is no longer relevant in our society.
Despite that patriarchal system is yet to cease, women today are no longer seen as a child-rearing
machine. They are no longer deprived with the rights to education, to participate in political debates, to
rule, to have equal opportunities and so forth. Philippines even garnered the top 16 country that
narrowed the gap between men and women and is the only Asian country that made it to the top 20 out
of 153 countries, according to the Global Gender Gap Report of 2020 of the World Economic Forum.
Which means Filipino women are no longer exclusive only to housekeeping and raising their child. We
have already gotten this far from the patriarchal values that the Spanish brought into our culture.
Throughout the years, Filipino women have fought for their rights and the young women of Malolos in
the time of Spanish Colonial deserved great recognition for their bravery to protest the discriminatory
educational policies against women that time. One of the key occasions that significantly influenced the
growth of the feminist movement in the Philippines was the effort of the Women of Malolos to raise
education reform. In order to establish a night school where they could study the Spanish language, a
group of 20 young women of Malolos delivered a petition Governor-General Valeriano Weyler. It took
several rejections before the governor-general allowed the request of these young women. The friars or
curators were responsible for the education of the natives and the education was only focused for
religious acts and practices. It was because of the influence of the friars and their meddling that the
request has always been rejected. Their action was perceived as a kind of resistance against the friars'
political influence.

In the beginning of Rizal’s letter, he admitted the influence of patriarchal values in his view in women.
He even questioned whether our nation’s young women exhibited bravery often. He thought that girls
only appeared with pleasant manners, modesty and even ignorance as what the society that time
instilled in the minds of the people. He though accepted and rejoiced when he realized his mistake after
what the young women of Malolos have done to accept their request to establish a school where
Filipino women can study the Spanish language. In his letter, Rizal praised the women’s bravery and
expressed the hope that everyone in his country would be inspired by the young women’s gallant fight
against the dominance of the friars in Filipino affairs. In his letter, Rizal expressed several salient points.
First, he recognized the young women of Malolos as the new face of Filipina that will no longer blindly
submit and cower to the abusive men and friars, neither a polite grin nor any unreasonable command,
or undue complacency, shall be tolerated. He has addressed the despotism of the friars and their
schemes to control and influence the Filipinos. Second, he stated that as Filipina are starting to yearn for
change and fight for their rights, he also presented the qualities a Filipino mother should have. He
believed the mothers have a great influence on the consciousness of their children and how their child
would act and behave as they grow up. He saw the importance of women as mothers when he stated
this in his essay: “The people cannot expect honor nor prosperity so long as they will educate their
children in a wrong way, so long as the woman who guides the child in his steps is slavish and ignorant.
No good water comes from a turbid, bitter spring; no savory fruit comes from acrid seed” Third, he also
reminded the unmarried Filipino women to be careful in choosing a man and that there are things she
should look for. She should look for a man that is noble and has an honorable name, can protect her
weakness, and would not treat her as a slave. Fourth, he stated that Filipina should be like the Spartan
mothers who carry themselves with dignity, is feared and respected, has power over men. Lastly, the
Filipino women should consider what the friars are teaching and if is still according to the will of God and
that she should be the one to raise up her child to the likeness of God.

His letter to the young women of Malolos showed how genuine his desire for Filipinos to have equal
rights. He saw women’s strength and importance in nation-building. The fact that the young women of
Malolos have displayed their tenacious and unbending desire to educate themselves shows that Filipino
women are more than what the Spanish tell them. Rizal realized that; hence he encouraged the Filipino
women to take an active role in the society, and that it is within their hands the future of our country.
“This is our dream; this is the desire we cherish in our hearts; to restore the honor of woman, who is half
of our heart, our companion in the joys and tribulations of life. Let the maiden be the pride of her
country and command respect.

II. MAIN IDEA OF THE POEM

THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF FILIPINO MOTHERS TO THEIR CHILDREN Rizal stipulates

several important points in this portion of his letter to the young women of Malolos. The central
idea here, however, is that whatever a mother shows to her children is what the children will
become also.

III. PURPOSE OF THE POEM

The message conveyed to the young women of Malolos centered on salient points such as the
denunciation of the abuse of the friars in exercising their spiritual authority bestowed upon them
by the church, traits Filipino mothers must have, duties and obligations of Filipino mothers to
their children, functions and errands of a wife to her husband, and guidance to young women on
their choice of a lifetime partner. Rizal also expressed his philosophy of freedom and
independence that he believed was the key to the emancipation of humankind from slavery, and
the necessity for education as the fundamental source of liberation. In the letter, Rizal
enunciated his great desire for Filipino women to enjoy the privileges in education along with
men. Moreover, he appealed to women to be heedful of their rights and not to be docile towards
many injustices forced upon them. Men and women are born equal. God did not create men and
women to be slaves, nor did he embellish them with reason only to be blinded by others.

IV. LEARNINGS
Letter to the women of Malolos demonstrates how his hope for our country grew stronger as a result of
their bravery. He is implying that women are strong and intelligent. They will be of great assistance in
restoring the country's pride and liberty, especially if they are educated and have good manners. If a
woman is good, her children will most likely be raised well, which may result in a positive outcome
because these young people will be the new hope for the next generation. Also, according to Rizal, God
gave everyone a reason and a will of his or her own to distinguish the just from the unjust; all were born
free and without shackles, and no one has the right to subjugate the will and spirit of another's
thoughts. We are all born free; no one has the authority to mistreat or deprive us of that freedom.
Filipino women have the right to fight, to stand up, to speak out, and to demand. The battle that the
Malolos women fought was a victory not only for the ladies, but also for the entire country. Lastly, I'd
like to add that I'm a Filipina, and I'm proud of it.