UNIT II - 19th century Philippines as Rizal’s context

LEARNING OUTCOME:
1. Discuss Jose Rizal’s life within the context of 19 th century Philippines

Learning Objectives:
1. Explain the political system and organization of Rizal’s time
2. Tell the social background of Jose Rizal and its possible implications
3. Describe the education during Rizal’s time
4. Describe the Judicial system during Rizal’s time and enumerate some of the violations to his
rights

POLITICAL SYSTEM

Structure of Spanish Government in the Philippines

Governor - General

Provinces Corregiementos
Alcaldia (Alcalde-Mayor)
(Corregidores)

City or Municipalities (Gobernadorcillo)

Barangay (Cabeza de Barangay )

The government was indirectly controlled by the King of Spain through the Vice-royalty of Mexico from
1565 until 1821 (Year of independence of Mexico from Spain). In the Philippines, the head was the
Governor-General. For local government, the Philippines was divided into provinces of either Alcaldia
(pacified) headed by the Alcalde-Mayor and Corregiementos (not pacified) by the Corregidores. The
provinces were further divided to cities or municipalities headed by a Gobernadorcillo (a position
available to Indios). The smallest unit was the Barangay, administered by a Cabeza de Barangay.

SPANISH-IMPOSED INSTITUTIONS
Among the Spanish-imposed institutions introduced by the Spaniards are the encomienda, polo, bandala,
galleon, tobacco monopoly, visita, royal audiencia, tribute, among others. A summary of these political
and economic systems are discussed below:

Polo y servicio or the forced labor - is the most hated among the institutions. Men between the ages of
sixteen to sixty were required to serve for forty days each year, reduced to fifteen days only in 1884. This
had a negative effect since the laborers left for Polo during the farming season. With less human labor to
produce crops, there were several famines. (Summarized from The Past Revisited, pages 51-52)

Encomienda - is a land grant given by the Spanish King to loyal servants who helped in the colonization.
Technically, it was not really a land grant because after the third generation, the land reverts back to the
King. The encomendero (one who was granted encomienda) was tasked to look after the welfare of the
inhabitants in the encomienda and in exchange the encomenderos can collect tribute and use the personal
services of the inhabitants. In most cases, the welfare of the inhabitants was neglected. (Summarized from
The Past Revisited, pages 43-49)

Tribute - was burdensome to many. It was collectible from all ages nineteen to sixty with certain
exceptions like the gobernadorcillo, government employees, soldiers, among others. What was
complained about was not the contribution itself but the abuses attached to it like the manner of
collection. (Summarized from The Past Revisited, pages 50-51)

Bandala - was compulsory selling of the products to the government at a low price in an assigned quota.
It became exploitative since it was sometimes confiscatory, and the government seldom paid the
producers. (Summarized from The Past Revisited, page 53)

Residencia and Visita- these were political institutions

imposed by Spain to check abuses in the Philippines. A residencia was
a judial review conducted at the end of the term of an officer. Visita, on
the other hand, was a clandestinely-conducted investigation to
ensure no abuse in the exercise of powers.

Galleon Trade – was practiced for more than two centuries. It

benefitted only a few especially the officials. Seldom did local
producers make their way in the Galleon. Other industries were
also neglected since officials concentrated on the Galleon. What
was positive of this trade was the introduction of influences and
ideas. (History of the Filipino Nation, page 85-87)

Tobacco Monopoly- production of tobacco became in demand. This

was, however, controlled by the government. Some areas became
plantations of tobacco that farmers were forced to plant tobacco
neglecting other food products for sustenance.

OTHER SYSTEMS AND CHARACTERISTICS

Amalgation of church and state - the political and economic powers exercised by the clergy may form a
conclusion of non-separation of church and state. The clergy extends so much influence on officials and
the inhabitants; this is due to the fact that there were frequent changes in positions and officials. The
church extends so much influence also because of their role as landowners.

Reducciones - a policy of resettlement made in order to ease administration of otherwise scattered

residences. In the Philippines, this was not readily accepted by the natives because of impracticality and it
was contrary to their ways and traditions.
Stratification - the effects of political reorganization and economic changes resulted in a stratification of
social classes. The classification was composed of the following in order: Peninsulares (Full-blooded
Spaniard born in Spain); Insulares (Half-blooded or full-blooded Spaniard but born in the Philippines);
Principalia or Mestizo (Spanish-Chinese-Native); native and; Chinese (most discriminated).

Cultural and Social Transformation – among the changes brought by the Spanish colonization of the
Philippines were in language and names, both having been Hispanized. Indigenous clothing transformed
into Barong Tagalog and Mestiza dress. Fiestas were introduced. Baptism and marriage practices were
also adapted from the Spaniards. The baybayin (pre-colonial syllabic writing) was replaced by Latin
alphabet. Schools were introduced for boys and girls. Different inspirations were seen in painting,
literature and other arts.

Not all inhabitants of the Philippines were Hispanized. Some were able to preserve their identity and
uniqueness such as the Infieles and the Moros. During the Spanish times, the people were classified as
Indios, Infieles or Moros. Can you still remember the Moros from the previous unit? If you can’t, review
again :p. The Indios became the Hispanized natives and subjects of Spain. The Infieles resisted
conversion and Hispanization; they went further inland or to the mountains to preserve their heritage.

SOCIAL SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION

The social classes during the Spanish period are ranked as follows:
 Peninsulares – composed of full-blood Spaniards born and raised in Spain
 Insulares – either of half-blood or Spaniard born in the Philippines.
 Mestizo – comprised of natives with Spanish, Chinese blood
 Natives
 Chinese

The Rizal family belonged to the middle class or the Mestizo class. They occupied the Principalia class, a
local aristocracy characterized by wealth, education and privilege. This social background influenced what
Rizal wanted for the country and how to achieve this. Unlike the ordinary “Indios”, Jose Rizal did not
experience much hardship unlike others because Jose Rizal was privileged. He was also wealthy and
educated. His wealth and education made him different from the common masses. Thus, Rizal did not
initially aim for independence, instead he just wanted an assimilation or to be a province of Spain. This is
because hindi niya ramdam. (Hinde niya lang talaga feel ‘te!)

EDUCATION DURING RIZAL’S TIME

“The only other country anyone knew anything about was Spain. Geography, in the few schools in which it
was taught, was Spanish geography. History was the history of Spain and of the early Christian martyrs.
Education was entirely in the hands of church, which saw to it that curricula were confined within the
narrowest bounds, suitable for keeping the people in the state of submissive docility. Censorship of
imported books, also imposed by the Church, ensured that no contrary thoughts entered the islands. The
Philippines when Rizal was a boy apart from the very few who had been abroad or possessed a library-was
a country which had never heard of Luther, Voltaire, or the French Revolution, and did not know where the
United States were. And even in a library men such as Luther and Voltaire would only be found mentioned
in the condemnatory tones of orthodox Spanish Catholic writers, no other books on such subjects being
permitted to circulate.” (Coates, 1992)
It could be said without undue over-simplification that the friars’ aim was to educate, but not too much; to
help the Filipinos to stand up, but not encourage them to rise too high. As, with the coming of outside
influences, the friars moved increasingly into the defensive, so did this tendency become more noticeable.
The most significant shortcoming of the friars (indeed their tragedy in respect of their achievement) is that
far from rejoicing when they had brilliant Filipino students, they were disconcerted by them, did not know
how to deal with them, and eventually took refuge in suspicion. Nothing placed a Filipino in a more
dangerous position than to climb intellectually above others...” (Coates, 1992)