MODULE 7

EL FILIBUSTERISMO

I. INTRODUCTION

El Filibusterismo (EF) is a sequel of Noli Me Tangere (NMT) in the storyline but it gives
a more powerful prospective to the Filipino youth, the heirs to Jose Rizal’s motherland,
Philippines. The novel’s alternate title in English is The Reign of Greed which has 39
chapters. It is shorter than Noli Me Tangere by 24 chapters. NMT was first published in
1887 in Berlin, followed by EF in 1891 in Ghent, Belgium. Both books are full of painful
realities of our country’s miseries for more than three (3) centuries of Spanish
colonization.

The open ending of Noli Me Tangere gave an intriguing start to the El Filibusterismo.
Chapter 1 started in December which is 13 years after the story of Noli Me Tangere
also ending in December. The EF opening “Bapor Tabo” scene captured so many
angels of the 19th Century Philippine climate. The vivid description of JPR on the
structural design of the steamed ship painted the stage of the EF. It gave an opening
salvo on what we likely to expect in the fictional satire novel such as wider gap of the
rich and the poor; the underdog Indios; the endemic culture of corruption in the
government that is fully supported by the Catholic clergy; the pretense to cover-up the
culprits; and the forward slow motion journey of the ship ostensibly foretelling an
improving socio-economic-political status of our motherland in the near future. The 360
degrees protagonist character shift of Crisostomo Ibarra to Don Simoun is indicative of
Filipino innate characteristic of fighting for what we believe is right at all cost.

The socio-political symbolism of the characters and the episodes of EF project the evil
manifestations of a highly centralized Spanish government in the Philippines. JPR saw
and experienced two kinds of Spanish regimes. The first is the Spanish system of
government in Europe which inspired him to further advance his education, then,
eventually completing his professional trainings while enjoying all his human rights.
These rights include freedom of speech; freedom to assembly and freedom to petition
the government for the grievances of the people. The second Spanish government is
what he left in his home country which had abusive rulers from the top official
governador-heneral down to the cabezza de barangay. Seeing these two divergent
socio-political dimensions made his EF’s Don Simoun character becomes extremely
vindictive. This module will pave the way in understanding JPR’s ideals as reformist
and as separatist. He was accused as instigator of rebellion. Got arrested and
convicted for sedition, a crime he denounced. Still, he died by firing squad. Thus,
barrowing the words of Dr. Ambeth Ocampo, “he was condemned as the living soul of
the rebellion.”

This module will also unveil the philosophical and sociological interpretations of EF.
The mantra of youths’ roles that need to be portrayed to have an improved Filipino
society will be further explored. The outline of activities aims to conscientize the youth
of today to partake actively in the issues besetting our society by steeping forward and
asserting their roles. JPR’s dictum, “The youth is the hope of our motherland” will be
highly accentuated in all the discussions.

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II. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
A. Identify and discuss which among the ten concepts in El Filibusterismo is of great
significance to the group by ranking it 1-10.
B. Analyze the characters, plot, and themes of the Noli Me Tangere and the El
Filibusterismo by comparing it using a graphic organizer.
C. Evaluate the different roles of the youth in the development and future of the Filipino
society using a Venn Diagram.
D. Publish in WIX.COM Book Blog a reflection paper discussing the roles of our youth in
the society as perceived on specific chapters of El Filibusterismo.

III. LESSON PROPER

Preliminary Activities
A. Compare the original book cover design of El Filibusterismo and Noli Me Tangere?

Ferdinand Blumentritt’s Inscription

Guide Questions:
1. How are the cover similar and different in design and theme?
2. Why do you think JPR intentionally design his novels’ cover extremely opposite?
3. What probably is the reason why Ferdinand Blumentritt had an inscription in EF?

B. Watch the scenes from Felipe de Leon's opera, El Filibusterismo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8SiJiNYm6Q

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 Guide Questions:
1. Which scenes in the EF novel is presented in the 22-minute excerpt of the 3 acts
opera El Filibusterismo (Subversion)?
2. Why do you think the music is intensified in some scenes? Give examples of
specific scenes with intensified music.
3. What is the implication of the black and white lightning tone of the stage in relation
to EF theme?

C. Tesorio, J.P. (2020, February 20). Rizal’s translated ‘El Filibusterismo’ finds new
readership in the Netherlands. ABS-CBN News. Retrieved from https://news.abs-
cbn.com/life/02/20/20/rizals-translated-el-filibusterismo-finds-new-readership-in-the-
netherlands

Guide Questions:
1. Based on its translator and publisher Gerard Arp, how will Dutchipinos benefit from
the translated copy of El Filibusterismo’s “De Revolutie: Een Filipijnse Roman”?
2. According to Philippine Ambassador to the Netherlands Jaime Victor Ledda, what
did JPR tell Ferdinand Blumentritt about Netherlands on his correspondence to the
later?
3. What challenged Gerard Arp most when he was translating El Filibusterismo from
Spanish to Dutch Language?

EL FILIBUSTERISMO in a nutshell.
Derbyshire, C. (1912). The Reign of Greed. A Complete English Version of El Filibusterismo
from the Spanish of José Rizal. Manila, Philippine Education Company, 1912, [iv]. Retrieved
from https://www.gutenberg.org/files/10676/10676-h/10676-h.htm

READING MATERIAL No.1

Lifshey, A. (2008). The Literary Alterities of Philippine Nationalism in José Rizal's "El
filibusterismo". PMLA, 123(5), 1434-1447. Retrieved August 13, 2020, from
www.jstor.org/stable/25501945

NOTE: A PDF soft copy is readily available for free.

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READING MATERIAL No.2
Anderson, B. (2006). Forms of Consciousness in "El Filibusterismo". Philippine Studies, 54(3),
315-356. Retrieved August 13, 2020, from www.jstor.org/stable/42633876

Recommended Reading Materials

Almario. V. (2008). Si Rizal: Nobelista. QC: UP Press.

Anderson, B.R. (2008). 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.

Daroy, P. (1968). Rizal Contrary Essays. Quezon City: Guro Books.

Derbyshire, C. (1912). The Reign of Greed. A Complete English Version of El Filibusterismo

from the Spanish of José Rizal. Manila, Philippine Education Company, 1912, [iv]. Retrieved
from https://www.gutenberg.org/files/10676/10676-h/10676-h.htm

Ocampo, A. (2016, December 30). More Dangerous Dead than Alive. Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Retrieved from https://opinion.inquirer.net/100411/dangerous-dead-alive#ixzz6Tg4Y6hWj

IV. ACTIVITIES
Class Activity
A. Choral Recitation (Synchronous) : Read the El Filibusterismo dedication to
GOMBURZA.

Rizal's Dedication of the El Fili to GomBurZa

To the memory of the priests, Don Mariano Gomez (85 years old), Don Jose Burgos
(30 years old), and Don Jacinto Zamora (35 years old). Executed in Bagumbayan
Field on the 28th of February, 1872.

The Church, by refusing to degrade you, has placed in doubt the crime that has been
imputed to you; the Government, by surrounding your trials with mystery and
shadows, causes the belief that there was some error, committed in fatal moments;
and all the Philippines, by worshiping your memory and calling you martyrs, in no
sense recognizes your culpability. In so far, therefore, as your complicity in the Cavite
mutiny is not clearly proved, as you may or may not have been patriots, and as you
may or may not have cherished sentiments for justice and for liberty, I have the right
to dedicate my work to you as victims of the evil which I undertake to combat. And
while we wait expectantly upon Spain some day to restore your good name and cease
to be answerable for your death, let these pages serve as a tardy wreath of dried
leaves over your unknown tombs, and let it be understood that everyone who without
clear proofs attacks your memory stains his hands in your blood!
http://thelifeandworksofrizal.blogspot.com/2011/12/rizals-dedication-of-el-fili-to.html

B. Game: “Charade”
1. Each student will read the assigned chapter of EF based on his class number in
the official class list. After reading the chapter, think of the main idea JPR wishes to
relate to his reader. (Pre-Assigned)
2. Game: “Charade” (Synchronous or pre-recorded)

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 a. Divide the class into 8 teams with 5 members in each group following the class
list numbering accordingly.
b. A maximum of 30seconds is given per student to present the main idea of the
chapter pre-assigned to him/her. (Synchronous: Zoom, Skype, Messenger
Room)
c. In a sequential order, following the students’ official class number, each student
will act-out in a pantomime the word or phrase that represents his/her chapter.
d. Members from the other team will guess the word or phrase acted out.

Group Activity
“Graphic organizer”
1) Complete the Graphic Organizer below.
2) Compare and contrast by showing continuities and/or changes in Rizal’s ideas
expressed in the NMT and EF.
3) Discuss and collate your answers, then, rank 1-10 the significance of these
concepts to your group’s perception. Number 1 being the most significant and 10
being the least important. Present your group’s answer in a scheduled
presentation to the teacher.

IDEAS NOLI ME EL FILIBUSTERISMO RANK

TANGERE(NMT) (EF) (1-10)

Youth

Education

Freedom

Revolution

Discrimination

Feminism

Wealth

Religion

Priest

Government

Officials

V. ASSESSMENT
Individual Evaluation: Choose only one and publish it in WIX.COM using the Book Blog
website template. (80points)
A. Submit a “Reflection Paper” on 5-10 specific instances in EF where JPR’s reformist
and separatist ideals are revealed using 800-1000 words only.

B. Submit a Venn Diagram in a PDF or JPEG format about selected chapters in EF

which discuss the role of youth in society. Identify the chapter number and the role of
the youth specified on these chapters.

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 Youth’s Roles
in the Society

C. Submit an essay discussing how JPR perceives the role of the youth in his EF novel
by citing the specific scenarios and its chapters, then, relate it to your personal role in
this time of CoViD-19 pandemic using 800-1000 words only.

Note: Your output will be used as materials for a 4-page newspaper on Google docs.
This is part of your Mid-term and Final Examination.

Practice:
Tiger Tips. (2019, March 28) Editable Newspaper Template Google Docs - How to Make
a Newspaper on Google Docs Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=P0sAnr2GaY8

VI. SUMMARY
JPR dedicated the EF to the memory of the three Catholic native priests Fr. Gomez, Fr.
Burgos and Fr. Zamora (GomBurZa). Their death in public by way of garrote in
Bagumbayan on Feb. 17, 1872 left an imprint to him and his brother Paciano’s heart and
soul. His primary goal in this sequel of NMT is to empower his fellow Filipinos by bringing
them closer to the truth of the realities. He successfully did this when he emphasized in
EF the loopholes and black marks in the country’s colonial occupation. Hence, Simoun’s
radical change in the novel is duly justified and emulated in real life by the Katipuneros.
The supposedly catastrophic plan of Simoun in killing the Spanish high-ranking officials
at Kapitan Tiyago’s house using a bomb lamp which turned futile in the novel became
unwaveringly successful in the 1896 revolution of the masses. Simoun’s concrete action
of combatting the tyrants through planting a dynamite in the lamp is an unequivocal
display of protest to overthrow the existing status quo. In this remarkable scene, Simoun
projects JPR’s separatist ideals which is an aftermath of his knowledge and experiences
accrued when he resided in Spain and other European countries. These are common
places both to JPR and Simoun.

El Filibusterismo is the culmination of JPR’s plan and the zenith of his rage to end The
Reign of Greed. EF highlights how Simoun promotes the abuse and tyranny of the rich
and famous Creoles. He demonstrates that when people are subjected in too much
oppression and hit rock bottom, they create war. It is notable that the protagonist of EF
desired for the students’ cooperation to execute his plan of instigating a war with the
ruling class. He believes firmly that the educated youth of his time can be viable catalyst
in transforming the deteriorating society. Seemingly in the present time, we invest so
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 much resources in the education of the youths because we adhere to them as our allies
for social transformation.

Educated youth can immensely offer opportunities for socio-economic-political progress

of its people in the largest spectrum. An educated man will not tolerate oppression to
proliferate. Just like JPR and Simoun who led the people to seek for the truth because it
will make them free from bias and ignorance. There is a huge opportunity for the youths
of today to drive the political, social, and economic advancement of our motherland. Why
a Hellenic task is on our youths’ hands? The education they acquire is a valuable
investment. This is their armor in keeping themselves abreast of the current trends and
issues in the global village. This is their loud voice when they wish to question, suggest,
and change the prevailing protocols. Conversely, those less educated people can sit on
the shoulders of giants making our youths as our leaders, the captain of our “Bapor
Tabo”. These efforts of the educated youth in leading the greater majority will create a
ripple effect. This enlightenment of human strength and spirit is a realization of our
potentials that could lead the country to freedom and self-determination from the modern-
day offshore colonizers.

VII. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND REFERENCES

Almario, V. (2008). Si Rizal: Nobelista. QC: UP Press

Anderson, B. (2006). Forms of Consciousness in "El Filibusterismo". Philippine Studies,

54(3), 315-356. Retrieved from www.jstor.org/stable/42633876

Anderson, B. (2008). 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

Daroy, P. (1968). Rizal contrary essays. Quezon City: Guro Books.

Felipe de Leon's opera, El Filibusterismo. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8SiJiNYm6Q

Lifshey, A. (2008). The Literary Alterities of Philippine Nationalism in José Rizal's "El
filibusterismo". PMLA, 123(5), 1434-1447. Retrieved from www.jstor.org/stable/25501945

Malabed, R. (2019, April 15). Tatlong bersiyon ng radikal na Rizal at ang natatanging
hinihingi ng ating panahon. Retrieved from
www.academia.edu/39632211/Tatlong_bersiyon_ng_radikal_na_Rizal_at_ang_natatangi
ng_hinihingi_ng_ating_panahon

Mystery of the Cover. (n.d.) Unveiling Rizal. Retrieved from

www.unveilingrizal.weebly.com/mystery-of-the-cover.html

Ocampo, A. (2016, December 30). More dangerous dead than alive. The Philippine
Daily Inquirer. Retrieved from www.opinion.inquirer.net/100411/dangerous-dead-
alive#ixzz6Tg4Y6hWj

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Rizal's Dedication of the El Fili to GomBurZa. (n.d.) The Life and Works of Rizal.
Retrieved from http://thelifeandworksofrizal.blogspot.com/2011/12/rizals-dedication-of-el-
fili-to.html

Tesorio, J.P. (2020, February 20). Rizal’s Translated ‘El Filibusterismo’ Finds New
Readership in the Netherlands. Retrieved from
https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/02/20/20/rizals-translated-el-filibusterismo-finds-new-
readership-in-the-netherlands

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