Chapter 4
The Spanish colonizers did
Social, Economic and Cultural Conditions
during the Spanish Rule
Social Conditions in the Philippines
Conversion of the Filipinos to Catholicism.
One of the greatest legacy of Spain to
the Philippines was Catholicism. This was made
possible by the work of the early missionaries
with the help of the Spanish soldiers. Among the
missionaries were the Augustinians (1565),
Franciscans (1577), Jesuits (1581), Dominicans
(1587) and Recollects (1606).
Feudalistic Society.
Philippine society became feudalistic as a result
of the encomienda system. The Filipinos were
treated as slaves. Due to the colonizer's
application of the doctrine of limpieza de sangre,
social ranking was created in our society. At the
top of the social pyramid were the peninsulares
or Spaniards born in Spain. Below them were the
insulares or Spaniards born in the Philippines,
then followed by the Spanish and Chinese
mestizos and the principalia or the ruling class
composed of the gobernadorcillo, cabeza de
barangay, landowners, merchants and wealthy
families. At the lowest part of the social pyramid
were the indios or masses. Because of these
social classes, racial discrimination emerged.
Filipino Surnames. Governor-General Narciso
Claveria issued Gobernatorial Decree of 1849
ordering all Filipino families to adopt Spanish
surnames from a roster sent to all provinces in
the Archipelago. With this change of names,
Filipinos were prevented from unauthorized
movement from one province to another as well
as to check tax evasion and abuses of the
Filipinos.
Bahay na Bato. Unlike during the pre-Spanish
time where bahay kubo was the house of the
early Filipinos, with the coming of the Spaniards,
houses made of stones and bricks were
introduced. The bahay na bato had a wide azotea
or balcony.
Spanish and Chinese Cuisines.
Spanish and Chinese cuisines were mixed with
Filipino dishes. Among the Spanish dishes were
adobo, menudo, mechado and puchero. Chine
noodles included pansit malabon and pansit
luglog.
Mode of Dressing.
Western coat and trousers or Americana were
started to be worn by the Filipino men to replace
the traditional jacket and bahag or G-string.
Filipinos started to wear hats instead of the
putong, slippers and shoes instead of around
barefooted. Likewise, Filipino women started to
use any and camisa replacing the traditional
song. Women also learned to use Manton de
Manila or shawls and handkerchiefs.
Spanish Language.
not deliberately propagate Spanish language to
all the Filipinos. The friars resented to propagate
the languag fr fear that knowledge of the Spanish
language by the lipinos could lead them Filipinos
learned the Spanish language. A number of
Spanish words in our language today are of
Spanish origin such as naranja, silla, mesa,
maestro, sibuyas, pader, pad
Religious Feasts Honoring Patron Saints.
Fiestas were held in honor of the patron saints of
the towns. The day before the feast was called
visperms. To make the festivities very lively,
committees were created by the Capitan with
the consent a the friar curate. These activities
included games with prizes offered to the
winners staging of plays like the store mors,
comedia, zarzuela (lasted 2 to 3 nights) and
religious procession. Even the poorest family
prepared plenty of good food for their guests
and as a result, the poor families became poorer,
Cockfighting was also allowed. Gambling in any
other forms were allowed.
Celebration of a Person's Death. In the Tagalog
region, the 9th night, after the death of a person,
playing cards with or without stakes or the
staging of the duple were done. The duplo was a
kind of debate in verse between a man (bellaco)
and a woman (bellaca) and the loser was made
to sing, or by hitting the palm with a ruler or a
piece of wood. In Pangasinan, the person's death
is also celebrated by singing with the use of
musical instruments such as organ and videoke.
Baptism of a Child and Marriage.
Celebration was done with much pomp because
a Filipino would not like to be called kuripot. The
Filipinos would like to be praised by their
neighbors. The baptismal celebration was
attended by many people so that expenses ran
high.
The Family Life.
Family ties were preserved and even
strengthened during the Spanish time. Parents
loved their children and they worked hard for
their welfare. The children respected their
parents and took care of them in their old age.
Children kissed the hands of their parents and
elders, held family prayers together.
The Filipino Women.
Filipino women continued to be highly respected
in society No woman worked like a beast or
slave. Women were not allowed to mix freely
with men. They did not participate in politics,
sports, and the professions. They were trained to
observe the rigid rules of social conduct. They
were kept at home or sent in convent schools.
They were strictly chaperoned when attending
social affairs, hearing masses or going to trips.
Economic and Cultural Conditions During the
Spanish Rule
Agriculture.
There was a large-scale production of cotton,
silk, cinnamon and indigo. Large tracts of land in
camarines were devoted to the planting of
mulberry trees needed for feeding silkworms.
Economic Society of Friends of the Country.
This Society was organized by Governor Basco in
1781 to assist him in the implementation of his
economic program The Society was composed of
people knowledgeable in agriculture,
manufacturing rural development, education,
and domestic foreign trade. The Society
encouraged increased production by giving
incentives to outstanding producers: free
training was given to those who were interested
in weaving and other crafts. Financial capital was
provided to those who attended the skills
training. Manufacturing was speeded up. This
Society became inactive as Basco's successor did
not support it.
Tobacco Monopoly.
Upon the recommendation of Governor Basco,
Charles III of Spain established the tobacco
monopoly by virtue of the Royal Decree of 1780.
The Spanish government controlled every aspect
of tobacco in the Philippines.
The Spanish government determined the
plantation site, set a quota to be planted and
harvested by the farmers, and the amount to be
paid to them. The farmers could only sell their
tobacco to the government and these were
processed into cigars and cigarettes and sold to
the public at government- dictated prices. About
25,000 Filipinos worked in tobacco factories and
these generated revenues for the government.
Some Spanish officials abused their authority by
cheating the farmers in the pricing and payment
of the products.
As a consequence, the farmers were forced to
cheat also the government by selling the surplus
to the black market. Due to the abuses
associated to this monopoly, Governor-General
Primo de Rivera abolished it in 1882.
Royal Company of the Philippines.
This Company was established to promote direct
trade between the Philippines and Spain and to
develop the country's natural resources. The
Company was required to set aside 4 percent of
its profit for agriculture: in the Philippines.
Products from the Philippines were exported to
Spain tax-free.
But this Company did not last long because of
the incompetence of its officers and
mismanagement which resulted to big monetary
losses.
Foreign Trade.
Governor-General Felix Beringuer de Marquina,
Basco's successor, encouraged foreign
merchants to come and invest in the Philippines.
As a result trade and commerce increased
greatly. The opening of ports in Sual, Pangasinan,
Iloilo, Zamboanga, Cebu, Legazpi and Tacloban
accelerated the economic growth of the country.
An international telegraph communication
system was established in 1888 through an
undersea cable between Zambales and the
British Colony of Hongkong. In 1888, the first
domestic telegraph was introduced and the first
telephone line was opened in 1892.
Banks.
The earliest banks to open in the Philippines
were the Obras Pias which gave loans to
merchants of high interest. The Rodriguez Bank
founded by Francisco Rodriguez in Manila in
1830 was the first Filipino bank. The first
government bank in the country was the Banco
Espanol Filipino founded by Governor-General
Antonio de Urbiztondo.
Agriculture.
The friars taught the Filipino natives horticultural
techniques requiring intensive cultivation of land
through better irrigation and water
management so lessen their dependency on
rainfall.
Religion.
About 92 percent of the Filipinos are Christians
making the Philippine as the third largest
Christian nation. Among the Christians, 83
percent belong t the Roman Catholic Church, 2
percent to the Philippine Independent Church 10
percent to various Protestant denominations.
Some 5 percent of the Filipinos are Muslims.
The Art of Printing.
Printing was introduced to the country to
facilitate the conversion of the Indios to
Catholicism. The first book published in the
country by the Dominicans in 1993 was the
Doctrina Cristiana en la Lengua Espanola y
Tagala. The first grammar book in Tagalog which
was published in 1610 was the Arte y Reglas de
la Lengua Tagala.
Religious Literature.
The Spaniards promoted religious literature to
propagate Catholicism. Most of the reading
materials were novenas, prayer books,
biographies of saints.
Popular among the masses were the Passion
during Lenten season, Aust (heroic poem) and
corridos (legendary religious poems).
Folk Art. Various art forms and crafts were
associated with the celebration of the fiesta.
Images and jewelry prospered as a result of
fiesta celebration. The folk arts that became
observable in celebrating fiestas were the
bamboo arch, decorations, moriones, palaspas,
pastellas, wrappers, etc.
Music and Musical Instruments.
The polka, tango, jota, rigodon and surtido are
the Filipino dances. Fandango, jarabe and
curacha were of Mexican origin. Violin, flute,
piano, harp and guitar were the musical
instruments introduced in the Philippines. Fr.
Geronimo de Aguilar, a Franciscan priest was the
first to teach music to the Filipinos of Bicolandia.
Marcelo Adonay, a great organist was the
foremost Filipino compou of church music and
was hailed as the "Palestrina of the Philippines".
In 1818, Fr. Diego Cerra, a Recollect priest
musician built the famous bamboo organ of Las
Pinas church.
Education.
The first schools established in the Philippines
were church-related schools and the
missionaries were the first teachers. The
children learned the 3-r's (reading, 'riting and
'rithmetic) music, and the various arts and
trades.
Secondary schools were also established to
prepare students for college. The College of San
Ignacio founded by the Jesuits in 1589 was the
first college for boys. The Dominicans founded in
Manila the College of Our Lady of the Rosary in
1611 which became the College of Santo Tomas
in 1616 (became later University of Santo Tomas)
and College of San Juan de Letran. The secondary
curriculum was for five (5) years and the subjects
included were Greek, Latin, Christian doctrine,
Ethics, Geography, Mathematics, Philosophy,
Logic, Rhetoric, Natural Science and Humanities.
After completing the secondary course, a
student was conferred the degree Bachelor of
Arts (AB). Schools for girls were founded for
them to become good housewives. The colegia
(regular schools for girls) and beaterio (school
and nunnery) were established. Some of the
schools for girls were the College of Santa Isabel,
the oldest existing school established in 1632,
College of Santa Potenciana, Beaterio de la
Compania de Jesus (1634), Beaterio de Santa
Catalina (1696), Beaterio de San Sebastian
(1719), College of Santa Rosa (1750), College of
Concordia (1862), and the Assumption Convent
School (1892). The Normal
College for Men was established in Manila in
1865 under the administration of the Jesuits and
the Normal College for Women was established
in Manila in 1871 and in Nueva Caceres in 1875.
Instruction in these schools centered on the
teaching of religion and obedience to the friars.
Students' learnings were measured by rote
memory. Corporal punishment was allowed. At
the beginning of educational system, only
Spaniards and mestizos were admitted in the
schools. Then later, only wealthy Filipinos were
accepted to study in these schools. Pobr Filipinos
were deprived of education.
Chapter 5
Internal and External Uprisings Against the
Spanish Rule
Causes of Filipino Uprisings
Spain's rule over the Philippines for over 333
years was marked by many disturbances, both
internal and external. The more than a hundred
Filipino revolts (both major and minor revolts)
were evidences that the colonial government
can only be characterized by discontentment
and oppressions. The principal causes of Filipino
uprisings were: (1) Filipinos lost their freedom
and wanted to regain it. Lakadula s Revolt; the
Tondo Residents Conspiracy and Ladia's Uprising
were examples of this cause; (2) discontentment
with Spanish rule due to the brutality and
injustice of many Spanish officials in the country.
Examples of the revolts were the Magalat Revolt,
Gaddang Revolt, Dagohoy Revolt, Diego Silang
Revolt in Ilocos and Polaris Revolt in Pangasinan;
and (3) agrarian unrest brought about by the
desire of the Filipinos to recover the lands
grabbed from them by the friars. Examples were
the Agrarian revolts brought out in the provinces
of Batangas, Laguna, Cavite, Pampanga, Bulacan
and Rizal.
The Early Uprisings
tributes. Governor Salcedo intervened and
promised to give him protection and his
relatives.
Magat Salamat's Conspiracy (1582). A secret
society led by its leader Magat Salamat,
Lakandula's son, was formed in Tondo to
overthrow the Spanish government. The secret
society spread as far as Palawan and Borneo. The
society's plan was to make Agustin de Legaspi
the king of the Philippines if the leaders and
members were successful in overthrowing the
Spanish government. Unfortunately, two of its
members reported the plot for the uprising to
the Spanish authorities. Consequently Governor-
General Santiago de Vera ordered the arrest of
Magat Salamat, Agustin de Legaspi and the two
Japanese members. Later, they were executed
for their crimes.
Magalat's Revolt (1596). The Filipinos in
Cagayan led by Magalat rose in arms against the
Spaniards and killed many of them. Governor
Francisco Tello de Gurman instructed Pedro de
Chaves to go to Cagayan and kill Magalat. Since
he could not capture Magalat, he bribed certain
Filipinos to assasinate Magalat and he succeeded
in doing so, and the revolt collapsed.

Lakandula's Revolt (1574). Rajah Lakadula

attacked the Spaniards in Tondo because the
Spanish authorities did not fulfill their promise to
exempt him and his descendants from paying
Sevententh Century Uprisings
Gaddang's Uprising (1621). In Cagayan Valley,
the Gaddangs revolted against the Spanish rule
because of the Spanish abuses. Several Gaddang
villages joined the rebellion. Fr. Pedro de Santo
Tomas tried to pacify them but the Gaddangs
refused to be pacified. After a time, however, he
finally persuaded the Gaddangs to give up their
rebellion.
Bancao's Revolt (1622). In Leyte, Boncao who
had been converted to Catholicism but returned
to the traditional faith of his forefathers incited
the people to fight the Spaniards who did not
follow their old folk beliefs. Because the
Spaniards prohibited the practice of any religion
different from Catholicism, conflict resulted.,
Spanish authorities in Cebu sent loyal Filipinos to
Spain to go to Leyte and restore peace on that
island. As a result Bancao was killed in a battle
and after bitter fighting, his men surrendered to
the Spaniards.
Tamblot's Revolt (1622). Another religious
uprising was that of Tamblot. Tamblos a
Boholano, was a babaylan (local priest) who
incited the Boholano to throw of Catholicism and
return to the old religious beliefs and practices.
Again from Cebu. the Spanish authorities sent
Spaniards and Filipinos to Bohol to restore
peace, Consequently, Tamblot's forces were
defeated in the battle that followed.
The Cagayan Uprisings in 1625, 1627 and 1639.
Once again the Cagayanos anger was aroused by
the Spanish abuses. But because of the help of
other Filipinos, the Spanish authorities were able
to put down all these uprisings.
Ladia's Incitement (1643). Pedro Ladia who
called himself “King of the Tagalogs" and claimed
to be a descendant of Raja Lakandula of Tondo
incited the people to drive the Spaniards out of
the country. But before he could do this plan, the
Spanish authorities arrested Ladia and executed
him.
Sumuroy's Uprising (1649). Juan Sumuroy
resented the order of Governor Diego Fajardo
that workers in Samar and other Visayan
provinces must go to Cavite and work in the
Spanish shipyard. Resenting the governor's
order, the workers led by Sumuroy killed the
Spanish town curate of Palapag, Samar with
some other Spaniards. The rebellion spread to
Zamboanga, Cebu, Mindanao, Masbate, Albay
and Camarines area. Finally, after a year of
fighting, he was eventually captured and
executed.
Maniago's Uprising (1660). Francisco Maniago
of Pampanga appealed to the people of
Pangasinan and Ilocos provinces to help him join
his rebel movement against the Spanish
authorities. They closed the rivers to prevent
food from being transported to Manila. They
resented the cutting down of timber and
building ships because of the meager needs
given to the workers. Juan Macapagal, a pro-
Spanish Filipino persuaded Maniago to lay down
his arms and was promised a large sum of
money, and pardon for all his men. With this
promise, Maniago and his men returned to their
peaceful life.
Malong's Uprising (1660). Andres Malong of
Lingayen, Pangasinan, disillusioned by the
Spanish abuses, rose in arms with the help of
Filipinos in the provinces Zambales, Cagayan,
Pampanga and Ilocos provinces. The revolt of
Malong was successful and in his enthusiasm he
proclaimed himself "King of Pangasinan". The
Spanish forces composed of Spaniards and loyal
Filipino soldiers pursued Malong’s forces and in
the battle, Malong was defeated. He was
executed for being a “traitor” Spain.
Eighteenth Century Uprisings
Dagohoy Uprising (1744). This is the longest
uprising in the Philippine history for it ended in
1828. The rebellion was caused by a Spanish
priest who refused to give a Christian burial to
his brother who had faithfully served the priest.
Francisco Dagohoy of Bohol gathered 20,000
followers and incited them to revolt against the
Spanish authorities. Dagohoy established his
government in the mountains. Many expeditions
were sent against him but they failed to capture
him. But in 1828, Governor Mariano Ricafort
sent strong Filipino forces against Dagohoy and
in the battle Dagohoy was defeated. The
governor pardoned the rebels and allowed them
to settle in the lowlands.
Agrarian Uprisings (1745). The Filipino tenants
rose in rebellion against the administrators of
the friar estates. The Spanish friars became
wealthy and powerful by acquiring large tracts of
land and they leased the land to the Filipino with
high rent. They also prevented the tenants from
gathering wild fruits and firewood from the friar
estates. Because of the Filipinos resentment,
they rose up in arms in the provinces of
Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Pampanga, Bulacan
and Rizal. The Spanish government sent out
troops to quell the uprisings and the uprisings
were put down but the agrarian problem still
remained even after the Spanish regime.
Diego Silang Uprising (1762). Diego Silang, an
Ilocano from Pangasinan, incited the Ilocanos to
rise in arms against the Spaniards. He resented
his having been imprisoned for asking the
Spanish government to abolish the hated
tribute. Silang succeeded in expelling the
Spanish provincial governor and other Spaniards
from Vigan, abolished the tribute and the forced
labor and proclaimed an independent
government with Vigan as capital. In several
fights with the Spanish army, Silang showed his
brilliant leadership. Unable to kill him, an
assassin was hired to kill Silang. His friend Miguel
Vico, a Spanish mestizo, shot Silang in his own
house in Vigan on May 28, 1763. But his death
did not end the revolt. His wife Josefa Gabriela
took over the leadership of the revolt and fought
courageously. Riding in a fast horse, she led her
troops to Vigan. Defeated in the battle of
Cabugao, Ilocos Sur, she fled again to Abra where
she was captured. With her 100 faithful of Filipino soldiers and in the battle of Ilayang
followers, she was executed on September 20, Sabang in 1851, de la Cruz won. Angered at their
1763. defeat, the Spaniards sent a strong Filipino force
in the battle of Alitaw; de la Cruz was defeated.
Palaris Revolt (1764). The people of Pangasinan
He later retreated to Tayabas but was later
revolted against the Spanish authorities under captured and executed.
the leadership of Juan de la Cruz Palaris due to
the abuses of the Spaniards and the collection of The Muslim Wars. The Muslims were the last
excessive tribute. The revolt started in Philippine group to surrender to the Americans.
Binalatongan (San Carlos) and spread to the Till the end of the Spanish regime, the Spaniards
towns of Bayambang, Paniqui (then a part of never completely conquered the Muslim
Pangasinan), Dagupan, Calasiao, Santa Barbara, Filipinos. The Muslims of Southern Philippines
Mangaldan, San Jacinto and Malasiki had been a problem to the Spaniards. Legaspi,
(Malasique). For more than a year Palaris De Goiti, and Salcedo fought them in Cebu,
dominated the province. In 1764, the Spaniards, Mindanao, Camarines, Zamboanga and even in
now rid of Silang and his wife, sent some 3,000 the Visayas. In the Visayas, the Muslims fought
Ilocano troops to Pangasinan to quell the revolt. the Spaniards under the leadership of Tagal.
In the battle that followed, Palaris was defeated They burned down towns, pillaged the churches,
and died in that battle. carried off more than 600 captives and sailed for
Jolo. In the battle of Punta de Flechas near
Nineteenth Century Uprising. Religious Revolt of Zamboanga, Tagal was defeated.
de la Cruz (1840). Apolinario de la Cruz, known
to the people of Tayabas (Quezon) as Hermano
Pule, was a deeply religious man who worked at
the San Juan de Dios Hospital in Manila, founded
the Cofradia de San Jose (Brotherhood of St.
Joseph), a religious society. The Spanish
government did not approve of such society
except those related to Catholicism. Despite of
such prohibition, De la Cruz continued his
religious activities. The government went after
him and fled from one town to another and back
to Tayabas where he proclaimed himself as king
of the Tagalog. Alarmed by the success of de la
Cruz, the Spanish authorities sent a detachment
Reasons for the Failure of the Internal Uprising
1. The leaders and their men, as a whole, lacked
military discipline.
2. Those who revolted against the Spaniards did
not have enough experience in modern warfare.
3. Those who revolted fought the Spaniards
without full assurance of help from other
Filipinos.
4. The Filipino rebels did not fight as Filipinos but
as small ethnic groups, thus there was no unity
among Filipinos to stop the abuses of the
Spanish authorities.
5. Many Filipinos showed more loyalty to
Spanish conquerors than to their Filipino
comrades.
External Uprising
The Chinese Uprisings. To discourage Chinese
from coming into the country, the Spaniards
compelled them to pay special tax for permission
to stay in the country, tax to own a house and
tribute. The Chinese resented these taxes and so
several uprisings were made by the Chinese
people.
In 1662, the Chinese in the Parian (outside
Intramuros) thinking that they were to be killed,
fled to Santa Cruz district across Pasig and began
killing the Filipinos and Spaniards. They were
then pursued by the Spanish and Filipino soldiers
to the mountain until they were surrounded and
slained.
In 1686, some Chinese in Parians rose in arms issued an ultimatum to Legaspi to evacuate Cebu
against the Spaniards and loot the churches, but the Spaniards refused to leave. For two
homes of wealthy people and business months Legazpi and his men suffered under the
establishments. However Spanish soldiers Portuguese blockade but diseases broke out the
arrived and put a stop to such looting and ranks of the Portuguese who then sailed off. But
murder. in the later part of 1570, Pereira returned to
Cebu. He demanded that the Spanish
In 1762, some Chinese in Pampanga and Manila fortification be abolished and the Spaniards
planned to rise in arms on Christmas eve and leave Cebu. Legazpi refused and a battle ensued.
massacre the Filipinos and Spaniards engaged The Spaniards fought desperately beating off the
inthe worship church. The plot was discovered Portuguese attacks. With the Portuguese failure,
by Governor Simon de Anda and put some 6,000 they sailed back to the Moluccas.
Chinese to death. This event is called the “Red
Christmas in Philippine History.”
Limahong’s invasion In 1574. Limahong, a
Chinese adventurer, landed in Paranaque and
subsequently invaded the City of Manila.
However, he was repelled by the Spaniards.
Later, he returned to Manila but was beaten off
by the Spaniards under Juan de Salcedo and
Governor Guedo de Lavezares. Limahong then
withdrew to Pangasinan and established a
colony at the mouth of Agno River. The Spanish
authorities sent a powerful troops to destroy
Limahong's fleet of junks. In the succeeding seige
which lasted four months, Limahong escaped by
digging a canal to Lingayen Gulf leading to the
China Sea.
The Portuguese Attack. On September 30, 1566,
Gonzalo Pereira, a Portuguese naval commander
landed in Cebu harbor. In October, he told
Legazpi that the Spaniards have no right to
colonize the Philippines and that he would force
the Spaniaras ou the country. On October 30, he
The Dutch Attack (1597). During the reign of
Carlos I of Spain, Holland was under the rule of
Spain. It was only after the end of the 30 years
war in 1648 did Spain finally recognize Dutch
independence. However, realizing the
importance of Dutch trade with Portugal, Spain
closed the port of Lisbon to all Dutch merchant
ships. This situation angered the Dutch
government. Because of this situation, several
attacks were made by the Dutch. In 1600, Oliver
Van Nourt was sent to attack the City of Manila.
The naval combat in Mariveles (known as the
First Battle of Mariveles) resulted in Antonio
Morga's victory, who was then the justice of the
Spanish Royal Audiencia
The British Attack (1762). War having been
declared between England and France and Spain
on the other hand, England sent an expedition to
the Philippines to the country. With a fleet of 13
vessels and more than 6,000 British and Indian
soldier the British flotilla entered Manila Bay and
landed in Ermita and Malate on September 24,
1762. The British bombarded the walled city of
Intramuros and later occupied the City of Manila
on February 10, 1763. With the Treaty of Paris
between England on one hand and France and
Spain on the other hand, the war in the
Philippines drew to a close. Soon after, the
British troops sailed away for India and Manila
became a Spanish possession once again.

In 1610, a Spanish squadron under the command

of Governor Juan de Silva met the Dutch fleet in
Mariveles, the second battle of Mariveles was
fought. The Dutch forces lost in the battle and
more than 200 Dutch prisoners were taken. The
Dutch did not give up their hope of conquering
the Philippines. Another fleet under the
command of Admiral Lam appeared at Plaza
Honda off the coast of Zambales on April
13,1617. Another battle ensued and again the
Dutch forces lost. Although beaten several
times, the Dutch continued harassing the
Spaniards. The last attack in the Corregidor
Island was the last serious attempt to gain
foothold on Philippine soil.
CHAPTER 6
The Birth of Filipino Nationalism and the
Propaganda Movement
The Filipino nationalism started in the 19th century.
This phenomenon was attributed to the following
factors
(1) the opening of the Philippines to world mad? (2)
use of the class media;
(3) liberal regime of Carlos Ma. de la Torre;
(4) racial discrimination;
(5) securalization controversy and the
(6) Cavite Mutiny of 1872.
Philippines was ended. Filipino learned John Locke's
Theory of Revolution (people would overthrow the
government that is not working for the good of the
governed) and Jean Jacques Rousseau's Social
Contract Theory (ruler and the ruled agree to put up a
government that takes care of the welfare of the
people).
The Rise of the Class Media (Middle Class).
The country's opening to foreign commerce and trade
benefited a small group of mestizos and the
principalia, or ruling elite. Middle-class families could
send their children to study in Europe. These
educated Filipinos became disillusioned with Spain
because they could see the differences between
Europe and the Philippines. Filipino propagandists
advocated for changes and reforms in the Philippines,
and their works were distributed by Filipinos living
abroad.
Liberal Regime of Carlos Ma. de la Torre.
Every time Carlos Ma. De la Torre's democratic and
liberal governance style was on display when he was
appointed governor general. He backed reformists'
ambitions and ended press censorship. Reform
commissions were formed. The freedoms of speech
and the press were respected during his presidency.
When the Spanish monarchy was restored in 1870,
Rafael de Isquierdo took his place, boasting that he
arrived in the Philippines with a cross in one hand and
a sword in the other.
Rafael de Isquierdo, a Reactionary Governor-
General. Arrogant and ruthless, he undid de la
Torre's liberal work. He imposed strict press
censorship, prohibited all talk of reforms, and halted
the Filipinization of parishes. Despotism returned to
the Philippines. The inferior race is with low in the
field. Mental ability, incapable of European education
Racial Discrimination. The Spaniards considered
the Filipinos to be inferior and referred to them as
"indios." Filipinos were also portrayed as people of
this type. Discrimination against Filipinos had led to
hostility between Filipinos and Spaniards at the age of
19, incapable of European education and suited only
to work in.
Secularization Controversy. The religious orders of
Spanish friars did not only convert Filipinos to
Christianity. They want to become Christians, but they
also have reservations. They refused to leave their
parishes for the seculars because they were friar-
curates. The controversy erupted when Filipino
seculars were denied the right to administer parishes
previously held by regulars. Fr. Pedro Pelaez was the
first separatist leader to advocate for secularization.
He was succeeded by Fr. after his death. Father
Jacinto Zamora and Mariano Gomez, Toribi, followed
Jose A Burgos. Mariano Sevilla, Pedro Dandan, and
Jose Guevara del Pilar.
The Cavite Mutiny The Filipino workers and some
marine detachment soldiers mutinied on the night of
January 20, 1872, led by La Madrid. Some Spanish
soldiers were killed by the mutineers. The mutiny was
sparked by Governor General de Isquierdo's
revocation of Filipino workers' privileges to be exempt
from forced labor and paying tribute. Cavite's
governor called the mutiny "rebellion" in a telegram to
the governor-general in Manila. To put down the
mutiny, the governor general in Manila dispatched an
expedition to Cavite. The Spanish government has
ordered the arrest of Filipinos and mestizos
suspected of being involved in the mutiny. Some of
those detained were sent to Guam, while three
secular priests were imprisoned at Fort Santiago.
During the trial, the Spanish authorities were unable
to establish that the three priests were indeed
involved in the January mutiny. Nonetheless, on
February 17, 1872, they were sentenced to death by
garrote at Bagumbayan Field. The execution of the
GOMBURZA enraged the Filipinos. They considered
three (3) Filipino priests (Gomez, Burgos, and
Zamora) to be martyrs. The martyrdom of
GOMBURZA ushered in the Propaganda Movement,
a peaceful campaign for reform to counter the evils of
Spanish rule.
The Propaganda Movement The Propaganda
Movement, which began in 1872, was a peaceful
(rather than a radical) campaign for reforms aimed at
total transformation of the country's political and social
order by exposing the abuses committed by the
Spanish authorities against the Filipino people.
The majority of propagandists were wealthy and
middle-class people who were sent abroad to study in
Europe. They were concerned about the changes in
the Philippines. Jose P. Rizal, Graciano Lopez Jaena,
and Marcelo H. del Pilar (Propaganda Movement
Triumvirate), Antonio Luna, Juan Luna, Mariano
Ponce, Pedro Paterno, Pedro Serrano Laktaw, Jose
Ma Panganiban, Jose Alejandrino, Isabelo de los
Reyes, and Dominador Gomez.
Jose Rizal: The Novelist. He was the most brilliant
Filipino of his time and the country's national hero. He
composed poems, essays, and numerous articles. He
founded La Liga Filipina and wrote two famous
novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, all of
which show his love of country, patriotism, love of
parents, happiness and sorrow. As a result of his
attacks on Sand grievances. Because of his attacks
on the Spanish authorities, they despised him,
arrested him, exiled him to Dapitan, and executed him
on December 30. held on December 30, 1896 (For
more information on Rizal, read the worktext "Life,
Works, and Writings of Dr. Jose P. Rizal" written by
Mariano M. Ariola and Frank C. Calpo wrote "Tks and
Writings of Dr. Jose P. Rizal."

Graciano Lopez-Jaena: The Orator. He was born in
December." at Jaro, He studied at the Jaro Seminary
to become a priest, but later changed his mind and
wanted to be a physician. He wrote a story called
Fray boto, which spread in Iloilo, and the lloilo friars
despised him for it.
In 1889, he founded and became the histedmom of
the monthly newspaper La Solidaridad.mm delivered
speeches and expressed the demands of Filipino
reformists. He suffered from hunger and died of
tuberculosis on January 20, 1896, in Barcelona,
Spain.
Marcelo H. del Pilar: The Journalist. On August 30,
1850, he was born in Bulakan, Bulakan mon
Bulacan). He was a journalist as well as a political
analyst. He was a lawyer by profession, and he
graduated from UST in 1000. 00! He founded the
Tagalog-Spanish newspaper Diariong Tagalog, which
published anti-Spanish articles. When he was
informed of his arrest, he fled to Spain in secret. He
became the editor of La Solidaridad in Spain. He also
wrote books and articles in Tagalog: Del Pilar
contracted tuberculosis as a result of his heavy work
and lack of proper nutrition and died on July 4, 1896
in Barcelona, Spain.
The Pro-Filipino Societies. Filipinos formed
societies to bring about reforms in the Philippines. In
1982, they established the Circulo Hispano-Filipino. It
died naturally due to a lack of financial and leadership
support. The patriotic society Associacion La
Solidaridad was founded on December 31, 1888, to
work for government reforms in Spain. Rizal was
appointed as honorary president. La Solidaridad, or
the Sun, was the Associacion's organ. It was founded
on February 15, 1899 as the organ of the Propaganda
Movement. It was primarily a newsletter (rather than a
newspaper) that published the reformers'
perspectives on various issues affecting the country
and Filipinos. This newsletter's contributors used
aliases, such as Marcelo del Pilar as Plaridel; Jose
Rizal as Laon Laan and Dimasalang; Mariano Ponce
as Kalipulako and Tigbalang; Antonio Luna as Taga-
Ilog and Jose Ma. Jomapa, Panganiban. Another
society, the Associacion Hispano-Filipina, was
founded in 1889. Its goals included the mandatory
teaching of Spanish in all Philippine schools, radical
reforms at UST, the establishment of agricultural
lands, and tax reforms. Its objectives, however, were
not realized because the Spanish high authorities
were preoccupied with resolving problems in the
Philippines. Many reformists in Spain chose to join the
masonry. Among those who joined the masonry were
Rizal, Lopez Jaena, del Pilar, and Antonio Luna.
Masonry was despised by the friars in the Philippines.
Lopez Jaena founded the Barcelona masonic lodge
Revolucion. Another year saw the establishment of
the masonic lodge La Solidaridad (not the
newspaper). Masons in the Philippines founded the
masonic lodge Nilad in Manila in 1891. Masonry has
grown in popularity in the Philippines. There were
already 35 masonic lodges in the country in 1893, and
women founded their own masonic lodge, Walana.
This lodge included Rizal's sisters Josefa and
Trinidad. Soon after his return to Manila, Rizal and a
group of Filipinos founded on the night of July 3,
1892. The noclely member was required to pay a
month date of ten centavos. When Rica was arrested
for deportation to Dapitan, Zamboanga, this civil
society responded naturally. All patriotle nocletia
discovered for the purpose of working for reforms
failed in their missions.
The L'ropaganda Movement's Failure. The
campaign to introduce reforms by patriotic Filipinos in
Spain and the Philippines failed due to the following
factors: (1) Spunish high officials were too busy with
internal problems in the lippinen and had no time to
consider the colonial problems alred by the
propagandists; (2) Irlars countered all propagandist
attacks through their newspaper "La Politica de
Espana en Filipinas: (5) fermists themselves were not
included due to polly quarrels such as rival.
Bonifacio and the Katipunan. Andres Bonifacio
(The Great Plebeian) was born on November 30, ISA.
Orphaned at a young age, he made cancs and paper
lans to help support himself. Later, he worked as a
clerk messenger. He never graduated from high
school, but he knew Spanish and spoke some linglish.
Monica, who died of leprosy, was his first ruse. He
met his second wife, Gregoria de Jesus of Kalookan,
when he was 29. They married at Binondo Church
and later in Sta. Manila, Cruz
The Founding of the Katipunan. On the night of
July 7, 1892, Bonifacio and some of his friends met in
secret in a house on Laya Street in Tondo, Manila, to
form the KKK - Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galanyang
Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (Highest and Most
Respected Association of the Sons of the Nation).
This society's goals were to unite all Filipinos and
raise awareness of Philippine independence. The
central government of the Katipunan was vested in a
Supreme Council. Diosdado Arellano was the first
president, and he was succeeded by Roman Basa.
After that, Bonifacio took his place. Emilio Jacinto,
dubbed the "Brain of the Katipunan" for his
intelligence and diverse talents, drafted the
Katipunan's Constitution. He joined the Katipunan at
the age of 19. He edited the Katipunan newspaper
Ang Kalayaan.
Recruitment and Membership. At first, new
members were recruited in secret using the triangle
method. In this method, a recruit would ask two
members to join, but the recruits would not know each
other. Because the triangle method was slow in
expanding membership, it was changed, and
membership became open to all. The first test
required the new recruit to be blindfolded and led into
a darkly lit room to answer questions such as "What
hope do the Filipino people have for the future?" The
final test was the blood compact or sandugo, which
required the recruit to make a small cut on his left
forearm with a sharp knife. The Katipunan oath was
then signed in his own blood. He would then choose a
symbolic name for himself.
There were three (3) grades of membership.
The first grade was called KATIPUNAN. The
katipon wore a black hood with a white ribbon triangle
and letters Z, LL., B (Romas letters) corresponding to
A and B. (Anak ng Bayan).
The second grade called KAWAL. Kawal wore a
green hood and a triangle of white lines around his
neck, as well as a green ribbon with the Malaysian
letter K inscribed on it. His password is GOMBURZA.
The third grade (the highest grade) was called
BAYANI. He wore red mask and a sash woth green
borders. The password is RIZAL. The Katipon could
become a Kawal if he had bought several members
into the society and a kawal could become a Bayani if
he get elected as officer of the katipunan.
Kartilya ng Katipunan. The Kartilya ng Katipunan
was written by Emilio Jacinto and served as a code of
ethics for all katipunero. It was made up of 13 tenets
that every katipunero must follow.
"Sa taong may hiya, salita'y panunumpa";
"Ipagtanggol mo ang naaapi; Kabakahin ang umaapi";
"Ang taong matalino'y ang may pag-iingat sa bawat
sasabihin; matutong ipaglihim ang dapat ipaglihim"
are three examples.
The Flags of the Katipunan. The first Katipunan flag
was designed by Benita Rodriguez and Gregoria de
Jesus, Bonifacio's wife; Bonifacio had his own flag, as
did the other members. Some generals developed
their own schemes. Ma designed the Philippines'
current flag. Mrs. Delfina Herbosa and Marcela
Agoncillo in Morrison Hill, Hong Kong, in 1889.
Discovery of the Katipunan. Teodoro Patino and
Apolinario de la Cruz, two Katipuneros, were involved
in a bitter personal feud. To exact revenge, Teodoro
revealed the Katipunan's secrets to his nun sister
Honoria Latino, who then revealed them to Fr.
Mariano Gil, a Spanish Augustinian priest, was born
on August 19, 1896. On the same day, at 6:15 p.m.,
the priest and some Spanish witnesses went to
Diariong Tagalog's printing press and discovered a
lithographic stone used to print the society's receipts.
A locker containing a dagger and classified
documents was seized. Several arrests were made,
including wealthy illustrados. Despite their denial,
many of them were executed.
The Cry of Balintawak. Concerned about the
discovery of the Katipunan, the leaders gathered
about 1000 katipuneros to decide when the armed
uprising would begin. The meeting was held at
Apolinario Samson's house in Kangkong, Balintawak,
but they were unable to resolve the issue. They met
again the next day, August 23, 1896, in Pugadlawin,
Balintawak. Around 500 Katipuneros gathered in the
yard of Juan A. Ramos, the son of Melchora Aquino,
or "Tandang Sora," including Bonifacio (Mother of the
Katipunan). Melchora assisted and comforted the
Katipuneros in this location, and as a result, she was
arrested by Spanish police and deported to Guam a
few days later. She returned to the Philippines after
years of exile after the Americans took over the
country. On March 2, 1919, she died at the age of
107. On August 29, the Katipunan also agreed to
attack Manila. The "Cry of Pugadlawin" is another
name for the "Cry of Balintawak."
Outbreak of the Revolution. The first battle occurred
with the Battle of Pasong Tamo on August 25.
Thinking that their weapons were interior to those of
the civil guards, the rebels proceeded to Balara. From
there, they proceeded to Mariquina (Marikina) and
Hagdang Bato. Then they proceeded to San Mateo
(Rizal) and took the town but was regained three days
later by the Spaniards. On August 30, the Katipuneros
attacked the 100 Spanish soldiers defending the
powder magazine in the Battle of Pinaglabanan at
San Juan del Monte. About 153 Katipuneros were
killed in the battle and more than 200 were taken
prisoners. At about the same time, Katipuneros in
other suburban areas such as Kalookan, San Predro
de Tunasan (Makati City) Pateros and Taguig, rose
up in arms. In the afternoon of the same day, Spanish
Governor-General Camilo de Polaviejas declared
Martial Law in August 30 in Manila and the provinces
of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Bulacan, Pampanga,
Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija (represented by the S rays of
the sun in the Philippine flag). To frighten the Filipinos
into submission, the Spanish authorities used
terrorism, arrest, Imprisonment, torture and execution.
The dungeons of Fort Santiago were filled with
prisoners, many of them died of suffocation.
The Rise of Aguinaldo. Aguinaldo became a
member of the Katipunan in 1521 and died in 1894.
Magdalo was a symbolic name inspired by St.
Magdalene, the patron saint of his hometown Kawit.
He was elected Capitan Municipal (town executive) of
Kawit, a position previously held by his father.
Aguinaldo led the attack in Kawit on August 31, 1896,
one day after Bonifacio attacked San Juan. In single
combat, Aguinaldo defeated the Spanish commander
of the civil guard, enhancing his reputation. On
November 10, 1986, Aguinaldo won the Battle of
Binakayan, the greatest victory of the Filipinos during
the first year of the Revolution. Candida Terona, his
valiant companion, was killed in the battle.
The Execution of Rizal. On December 26, 1896,
Rizal was tried by a Spanish Court Martial on charges
of inciting rebellion and establishing seditious
societies. He was executed on December 20, 1896, at
Bagumbayan Field (now Rizal Park or Luneta.
The Tejeros Convention and the Death of the
Supremo.
As a result of Aguinaldo's victories on the battlefield,
Baldomero Aguinaldo, the founder of the Magdalo
faction, agitated for Gen. Aguinaldo's leadership of
the Katipunan. The misunderstanding between these
two fuctions of the Katipunan was exacerbated when
they stopped assisting each other on the battlefield.
Following the election, Bonifacio lost the presidency
to Emilio Aguinaldo, who was elected president in
absentia. Bonifacio was elected as Interior Director.
Thus, on May 10, 1897, Gen. Mariano Noriel
(President of the Council of War that tried Bonifacio)
directed Gen. Lazaro Makapagal to transport Andres
and Procopio from Maragondon prison. Makapagal
was given a sealed letter with the strict instruction to
read it after reaching Mt. Nagpatong, Maragondon.
The two brothers were then gunned down. The
soldiers dug a shallow grave for the two men with
their bayonets and bolos. The soldiers hurried away
from the Spanish troops who were combing the
Maragondon mountains, covering their bodies with
twigs and weeds.

The Biaknabato Republic. Following Bonifacio's

execution, Aguinaldo was defeated repeatedly by
Spanish forces. Governor General Fernando de
Rivera (who took over for Governor General Camilo
de Polavieja) continued the effort to reclaim rebel
territory. From there, he established a new
government, the Biak-na Bato Republic, and on
November 1, 1897, the Biak-na-Bato Constitution,
which lasted only two years, was approved. Felix
prepared the constitution, which was based on the
Cuban Constitution.
The peace treaty, signed on December 11,
consists of three (3) documents. The first document,
titled "Program would pay the Revolutionists lip
S00.000 in three (3) installments,". The second
document, titled "Act of Agreement," reiterated the
grant of general amnesty to all who laid down their
arms, while the third stated that Spain would pay an
indemnity. Those who were left behind received only
Php 200,000 instead of the remaining Php 400,000.

Although some Filipino generals stayed behind and

did everything they could to help the rebels surrender
their weapons, others were wary of the Spaniards. As
a result, one of the Filipino generals (Gen. Francisco
Makabulos of Tarlac) refused to surrender his
weapons. For their part, some high-ranking Spanish
officials continued to arrest and imprison Filipinos
suspected of rebellion. As a result, rebellion spread to
other provinces. As a result, the Biak-na-Bato Pact
was a flop.