LESSON 1: UNDERSTANDING RIZAL LAW

PRELIM

Bill – a measure which, if passed through the legislative process, becomes a law

Unexpurgated – basically untouched. In the case of the novels of Rizal, unexpurgated versions were

those that were not changed or censored to remove parts that might offend people.

Bicameral – Involving the two chambers of Congress: the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The mandatory teaching of Jose Rizal’s life with the emphasis on his landmark novels is inscribed in

legislation. Republic Act No. 1425, more popularly known as the Rizal Law, was passed in 1956 leaving a

colorful narrative of debate and contestation.

The context of the Rizal Bill

 The postwar period saw a Philippines rife with challenges and problems. With a country torn and
 tired from the stresses of World War II, getting up on their feet was a paramount concern of the
 people and the government.

How a bill becomes a Law: The Legislative Process

The Senate and the house of representatives follow the same legislative procedure. Legislative proposals emanate
from a number of sources.

 They may be authored by the members of the Senate or House as part of their advocacies and agenda;
 Produced through the lobbying from various sectors;
 Or initiated by the executive branch of the government with the President’s legislative agenda.

- Once a legislative proposal, like a bill, is ready, it will go through the steps illustrated in the right.

STEP 1 – Bill is filed in the Senate Office of the Secretary. It is given a number and calendared for first

reading.

STEP 2 – First Reading. The bill’s title, number, and author/s are read on the floor. Afterwards, it is referred to the
appropriate committee.

STEP 3 – Committee Hearings. The bill is discussed within the committee and a period of consultation

held. The committee can approve (approve without revisions, approve with amendments, or

recommend substitution or consolidation with similar bills) or reject. After the committee submits the

committee report, the bill is calendared for second reading.

STEP 4 – Second Reading. The bill is read and discussed on the floor. The author delivers a sponsorship

speech. The other members of the Senate may engage in discussions regarding the bill and a period of

debates will pursue. Amendments may be suggested to the bill.

STEP 5 – Voting on Second Reading. The senators vote on whether to approve or reject the bill. If

approved, the bill is calendared for third reading.

STEP 6 – Voting on Third Reading. Copies of the final versions of the bill are distributed to the members

of the Senate who will vote for its, approval or rejection.

STEP 7 – Consolidation of Version from the House. The similar steps above are followed by the House of

Representatives in coming up with the approved bill. If there are differences between the Senate and

House versions. A BICAMERAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE is called to reconcile the two. After this, both

chambers approve the consolidated version.

STEP 8 – Transmittal of the Final Version to MalacaÑan. The bill is then submitted to the President for

signing. The President can either sign the bill into law or veto and return it to Congress.

As the Philippines grappled with various challenges, particularly the call for nation-building, prominent

individuals who championed nationalism came to action. They pursued government measures to instill

patriotism and love for country in the hearts and minds of the Filipinos.

The passage of the Republic Acti No. 1425 or Rizal law, which was primarily set to address “A NEED FOR ARE-
DEDICATION TO THE IDEALS OF FREEDOM AND NATIONALISM FOR WHICH OUR HEROES LIVED AND

DIED.”

From the Rizal Bill to the Rizal Law

April 3, 1956 – Senate Bill No. 438 was filed by the Senate Committee on Education.

April 17, 1956 – Senate Committee on Education Chair Jose P. Laurel sponsored the bill and began

delivering speeches for the proposed legislation.

The bill became controversial as the powerful Catholic Church began to express opposition against its

passage. As the influence of the Church was felt with members of the Senate voicing their opposition to

the bill, its main author, Claro M. Recto, and his allies in the Senate entered into a fierce battle arguing

for the passage of SB 438. Debates started on April 23, 1956.

The debates on the Rizal Bill also ensued in the House of Representatives. House Bill No. 5561 – an

identical version of SB 438, was filed by Representative Jacobo Z. Gonzales on April 19, 1956.

The House Committee on Education approved the bill without amendments on May 2, 1956 and the

debates commenced on May 9, 1956. A major point of the debates was whether the compulsory reading

of the texts Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo appropriated in the bill was constitutional

- The call to read the unexpurgated versions was also challenged.

- Senator Jose P. Laurel proposed amendments to the bill on May 9, 1956.
 - In particular, he removed the compulsory reading of Rizal’s novels and added the Rizal’s other works must
also be included in the subject. On May 14, 1956, similar amendments were adopted to the House
version.
- May 17, 1956 the Senate and House versions were approved.
- The approved versions were then transmitted to MalacaÑang, and on June 12, 1956, President Magsaysay
- signed the bill into law which became Republic Act No. 1425.

CLARO M. RECTO (February 8, 1890 – October 2, 1960)

The main sponsor and defender of the Rizal Bill was Claro Mayo Recto. He was born in Tiaong, Tayabas

Quezon on February 8, 1890 to Claro Recto, Sr. and Micaela Mayo. Completed his AB degree at the

Ateneo was awarded maxima cum laude in 1909. In 1914, he finished his law degree from the UST. He was
admitted to the bar that same year. His political career started in the House of Representatives in 1919. He later
became House Minority Floor Leader. He moved to the Senate in 1931 when he was elected as senator. In the
Senate, he held key positions such as Minority Floor Leader, Majority Floor Leader and Senate President Pro-
Tempore.

Recto’s career in the Philippine government was not confined to the legislature. In 1935 he became

Associate Justice of the Supreme court. Recto was also instrumental in the drafting of the constitution of the
Philippines in 1934-1935 as he elected president of the assembly. Known as an ardent nationalist. Recto was also
a man of letters. He penned beautiful poetry and prose. On October 2, 1960, he died of a heart attack in Italy. He
was survived by his wife, Aurora Reyes and their five children.

LESSON 2: NATION AND NATIONALISM

Bayan/Banua – Indigenous Filipino concepts of community and territory that may be related to nationalism

Nation – A group of people with a shared language, culture and history.

Nation-building – a project undertaken with the goal of strengthening the bond of the nation.

Nation-state – a state ruling over a nation

Patriotism – a feeling of attachment to one’s homeland

Sovereignty – the authority to govern a polity without external interference/incursions

Nation

 a community of people that are believed to share a link with one another based on cultural

practices, language, religion or belief system, and historical experience, to name a few.

 A group of people that shared a common culture, history,language, and other practices like religion,
affinity to a place.
 State
 a political entity that has sovereignty over a defined territory. State have laws, taxation,government, and
bureaucracy-basically, the means of regulating life within the territory.
 A political entity that wields sovereignty over a defined territory

Nation-State
  Is a fusion of the elements of the nation (people/community) and the state (territory). The development
of nation-states started in Europe during the periods coinciding with the Enlightenment
 A state governing a nation

NATION AND NATIONALISM

One major component of the nation-state is the nation. This concept assumes that there is a bond that connects a
group of people together to form a community. The origin of the nation, and concomitantly nationalism, has been
a subject of debates among social scientist and scholars.

3 Roots of the nation.

Primordialism – it argues that a national identity has always existed and nations have “ethnic cores”. In this
essentialist stance, one may be led to conclude that divisions of “us” and “them” are naturally formed based on
the assumption that there exists an unchanging core in everyone.

Modernity – States that nation, national identity, and nationalism are products of the modern condition and
shaped by modernity. This line of thinking suggests that nationalism and national identity are necessary products
of the social structure and culture brought about by the emergence of capitalism, industrialization, secularization,
urbanization and bureaucratization.

Constructivist approach – to understanding nationalism, this view maintains that nationalism is socially
constructed and imagine by people who identify with a group. Benedict Anderson argues that nations are
“imagined communities” (2003). The nation is seen as imagined because the people who affiliate with that
community have a mental imprint of the affinity which maintains solidarity; they do not necessarily need to see
and know all the members of the group. With this imagined community comes a“deep, horizontal comradeship”
that maintains harmonious co-existence and even fuels the willingness of the people to fight and die for that
nation.

Anderson also puts forward the important role of mass media in the construction of the nation during that time.
He underscores that media:

1. Fostered unified fields of communication which allowed the millions of people within a territory to “know”
each other through printed outputs and become aware that many others identified with the same community

2. Standardized languages that enhanced feelings of nationalism and community

3. Maintained communication through a few languages widely used in the printing press which endured through
time

Nation and Bayan

Many Filipino scholars who endeavored to understand indigenous/local knowledge have identified concepts that
relate to how Filipinos understand the notions of community and, an extent, nation and nation-building. The
indigenous intellectual movements like Sikolohiyang Pilipino and Bagong Kasaysayan introduced the concepts of
kapwa and bayan that can enrich discussions about nationalism in the context of the Philippines.

Kapwa is an important concept in the country’s social relations. (ibang tao and di ibang tao). The kapwa concept
supports the notion of unity and harmony in a community.(pakikipagkapwa, pakikisama, pakikipag-ugnay).

 In the field of history, a major movement in the indigenization campaign led by Bagong Kasaysayan,
founded by Zeus Salazar which advances the perspectiveknown as Pantayong Pananaw. Scholars in this
movement are among the major researchers that nuance the notion of BAYAN OR BANUA.
 Bayan is an important indigenous concept, BAYAN/BANUA which can be traced all the way to the
Austronesian language family, is loosely defined as the territory where the people live or actual
 community they are identifying with. Thus, bayan/banua encompasses both the spatial community as
well as the imagined community.
 The concept of bayan clashed with the European notion of nacion during the Spanish colonialism. The
proponents of Pantayong Pananaw maintain the existence of a great cultural divide that separated the
elite (nacion) and the folk/masses (bayan) as a product of the colonial experience. This issue brings the
project of nation-building to a contested terrain.
 Throughout Philippine history, the challenge of building the Filipino nation has persisted, impacted by
colonialism, violent invasion during World War II, a dictatorship and the perennial struggle for
development.

LESSON 3: REMEMBERING RIZAL

 Rizal’s execution on December 30, 1896 became an important turning point in the history of Philippine
revolution. His death activated the full-scale revolution that resulted in the declaration of Philippine
independence by 1898.
 Under the American colonial government, Rizal was considered as one of the most important Filipino
heroes of the revolution and was even declared as the National Hero by the Taft Commission, also called
the Philippine Commission of 1901.
 A Rizal monument was built in every town and December 30 was declared as a national holiday to
commemorate his death and heroism.
 In some provinces, men-most of whom were professionals-organized and became members of Caballeros
de Rizal, now known as the Knights of Rizal.
 Influenced by both the Roman Catholic Church and the prehispanic spiritual culture, some Filipino masses
likewise founded organizations that recognize Rizal not just as an important hero but also as their savior
from all the social ills that plague the country. These groups are widely known as the Rizalistas.

These organizations believe that Rizal has a Latin name of Jove Rex Al, which literally means “GOD, KING OF ALL”.

Definitions Millenarian groups – socio-political movements who generally believe in the coming of a major social
transformation with the establishment of the Kingdom of God.

Rizalista – a religious movement that believes in the divinity of Jose Rizal

Jove Rex Al – The Latin name of Jose Rizal according to Rizalistas, Jove means God; Rex means King and Al means
All (thus, God, King of All)

Colorum – A term used to refer to secret societies that fought against the colonial government in the Philippines.

Canonization – the act of declaring a dead person as a saint.

RIZAL AS THE TAGALOG CHRIST

 In late 1898 and early 1899, revolutionary newspapers La Independencia and El Heraldo de la Revolucion
reported about Filipinos commemorating Rizal’s death In various towns in the country. In Batangas, people were
said to have gathered “tearfully wailing before a portrait of Rizal (Ileto, 1998). Peasants in Laguna were also
reported to have regarded him as “the lord of a kind of paradise in the Heart of Mount Makiling” (Ileto 1998).

The early decades of 1900s then witnessed the founding of different religious organizations honoring Rizal as the
“Filipino Jesus Christ” (Ocampo, 2011).

In 1907, Spanish writer and philosopher Miguel de Unamuno gave Rizal the title “Tagalog Christ” as religious
organizations venerating him had been formed in different parts of the Philippines (Iya, 2012)

Rizal was not the first to be called as Tagalog Christ

 Apolinario de la Cruz (1815-1841) who founded the religious confraternity Cofradia de San Jose.was also
considered as the “Tagalog Christ”
 Felipe Salvador (1870 – 1912) also known as Apo Ipe who founded the messianic society Santa
Iglesia(Holy Church) was called by his followers as the Filipino Christ and the King of the Philippines
 These socio-religious movements known as the millenarian groups which aim to transform the society are
often symbolized or represented by a hero or prophet.
 Rizalista groups have risen in some parts of the country after Rizal’s dead in 1896. Each group has its own
teachings, practices, and celebrations, but one common belief among them is the veneration of Jose Rizal
as the reincarnation of Jesus Christ.
 These groups likened the travails of Jose Rizal to that of Jesus Christ as narrated in the Pasyon, an epic
poem which became popular among the Tagalogs during the Spanish period (Ileto, 1998). Rizalistas
believe that Rizal, just like Jesus Christ, would eventually return to life and will save mankind.
 Reincarnation in the context of Rizalistas means that both Rizal and Jesus led parallel lives. “Both were
Asians, had brilliant minds and extraordinary talents. Both believed in the Golden Rule, cured the sick,
were rabid reformers, believed in the universal brotherhood of men, were closely associated with a small
group of followers. Both died young (Christ at 33 and Rizal at 35) at the hand of their enemies. Their lives
changed the course of history” (Mercado, 1982, p.38).

THE CANONIZATION OF RIZAL:

 Tracing the Roots of Rizalistas The earliest record about Rizal being declared as a saint is that of his
canonization initiated by the Philippine Independent Church (PIC) or La Iglesia Filipina Independiente.
Founded on August 3, 1902, the PIC became a major religious sect with a number of followers supporting
its anti-friar and anti-imperialist campaigns.
 As a nationalist religious institution, PIC churches displayed Philippine flags in its altars as an expression of
their love of country and recognition of heroes who fought for our independence (Palafox, 2012)
 In 1903, the PIC’s official organ published the “Acta de Canonizacion de los Grandes Martires de la Patria
Dr. Rizal y PP. Burgos, Gomez y Zamora” (Proceedings of the Canonization of the Great Martyrs of the
Country Dr. Rizal and Fathers Burgos, Gomez and Zamora)
 According to the proceedings, the Council of Bishops headed by Gregorio Aglipay met in Manila on
September 24, 1903. On this day, Jose Rizal and the three priests were canonized following the Roman
Catholic rites.
 After Rizal’s canonization, Aglipay ordered that no masses for the dead shall be offered to Rizal and the
three priests. Their birth and death anniversaries will instead be celebrated in honor of their newly
declared sainthood.
 Their statues were revered at the altars; their names were given at baptism; and, in the case of Rizal,
novenas were composed in his honor.
 Aglipay also mentioned that the PIC’s teachings were inspired by Rizal’s ideology and writings. One of the
PIC’s founders, Isabelo de los Reyes said that Rizal’s canonization was an expression of the “intensely
nationalistic phase” of the sect (Foronda, 2001)
 Today Rizal’s pictures or statues can no longer be seen in the altars of PIC. His birthday and dead
anniversary are no longer celebrated. However it did not deter the establishement of other Rizalista
organizations.
 In 1950’s Paulina Carolina Malay wrote her observations of Rizal being revered as a saint (Foronda,2001)
 Many towns of Leyte have religious sects called Banal which venerate Rizal as a God. They have chapels
where they pray on their knees before the hero’s picture or statue.
 Legaspi City has a strange society called Pantay-pantay whose members are called Rizalinos.
 -Colorum sects in Tayabas, Quezon has built a chapel for him at the foot of Bundok San Cristobal, better
known as Mt. Banahaw
 The sect called Rizalina in Barrio Caluluan, Concepcion, Tarlac has a sort of nunnery for its priestesses. The
girls, forbidden to marry during a certain period, are sent to Rizal’s hometown, Calamba for training.

GROUPS VENERATING JOSE RIZAL

Adarnista or the Iglesiang Pilipina

1901, a woman in her thirties, Candila Balantac of Ilocos Norte, was said to have started preaching in Bangar,
La Union. Balantac now known as the founder of Adarnista or the Iglesiang Pilipina, won the hearts of her
followers from La Union, Pangasinan, and Tarlac.

Balantac’s followers believe that she was an engkantada and claimed that a rainbow is formed (like of Ibong
Adarna) around Balantac while she preached, giving her the title Inang Adarna and the organization’s name
Adarnista. Other call Balantac Maestra and Espiritu Santo.

The members of the Adarnista believe in the following (Foronda. 2001)

1. Rizal is a god of the Filipino people.

2. Rizal is true god and a true man.

3. Rizal was not executed as has been mentioned by historians.

4. Man is endowed with a soul; as such, man is capable of good deeds.

5. Heaven and hell exist but are, nevertheless, “within us”

6. The abode of the members of the sect in Bongabon, Nueva Ecija is the New Jerusalem or Paradise.

7. The cave in Bongabon are the dwelling place of Jehovah or God.

8. There are four persons in God: God the Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost and the Mother (VirginMary)

Like the Catholic Church, the Adarnista also conducts sacraments such as baptism, confirmation, marriage,
confession, and rites of the dead.

Masses are held every Wednesday and Sunday at 7:00 in the morning and lasts up to two hours.

Special religious ceremonies are conducted on Rizal’s birthday and his death anniversary which start with the
raising of the Filipino flag.
 A typical Adarnista chapel, one can see images of the Sacred Hearth of Jesus, the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Our Lady of Perpetual Help and in the center is the picture of Rizal. Beside the latter are the pictures of other
Philippine heroes like Luna, Burgos, del Pilar, Mabini, Bonifacio etc. (Foronda, 2001)

The Adarnista has more than 10,000 followers in La Union, Isabela, Pangasinan, Zambales, Nueva Ecija, and
Nueva Vizcaya and some in Baguio City and Manila.

Sambahang Rizal

 “Rizal Church” the Sambahang Rizal was founded by the late Basilio Aromin, a lawyer in Cuyapo
Nueva Ecija in 1918.
 Aromin was able to attract followers with his claim that Sambahang Rizal was established to honor
Rizal who was sent by Bathala to redeem the Filipino race, like Jesus Christ who offered his life to save
mankind (Foronda, 2001).
 Aromin’s group belives that Rizal is the “Son of Bathala” in the same way that Jesus Christ is the “Son
of God” Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo serve as their Bible.
 Similar to the Catholic Church, the Sambahang Rizal conducts sacraments like baptism, confirmation,
marriage, and ceremonies for the dead.
 Its assigns preachers called lalawigan guru, who are expected to preach Rizal's teachings in different
provinces. Aromin the founder held the title Pangulu guru.
 The organization had about 7,000 followers found in Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan (Foronda, 2001)

Iglesia Watawat ng Lahi

 Samahan ng Watawat ng Lahi (Association of the Banner of the Race) is said to have been established
by the Philippine national heroes and Arsenio de Guzman in 1911.
 De Guzman started to preach to the Filipino people that Rizal was the “Christ” and the “Messenger of
God” He claimed that God has chosen the Philippines to replace Israel as his “New Kingdom”. Some
believe that it was the spirit of Rizal which was working with de Guzman telling people to live in
accordance with Christ’s and Rizal’s teachings (Iya, 2012)
 According to stories, sometime in 1936, a banal na tinig (holy voice) instructed Mateo Alcuran and
Alfredo Benedicto to go to Lecheria, Calamba in the province of Laguna to look for Jovito Salgado and
Gaudioso Parabuac. Alcuran and Benedicto followed the banal na tinig informed them that their
guide was the spirit of Jose Rizal which instructed them to organize a movement called the Samahan
ng Watawat ng Lahi (Assiociation of the Banner of the Race), the word samahan was changed to
IGLESIA to avoid suspicion by the Japanese soldiers during WWII (Iya, 2012).

The aims of the organization are as follows (Foronda, 2001)

1. To love God above all things

2. To love one’s fellowman as one loves himself
3. To love the motherland and to respect and venerate the heroes of the race especially the martyr of
Bagumbayan, Dr. Rizal, to follow, to spread, and to support their right teachings; and to serve the
country with one’s whole heart towards its order, progress and peace

Foronda (2011) also enumerated the beliefs of the sect gathered from his interviews in 1960-1961

1. The teaching of the sect are based on the commands of the Holy Moses, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and the
teachings of Dr. Jose Rizal culled from his writings.
2. Christians believe in the Trinity; the power of the Father was given to Moses; the power of the Son, given
to Jesus Christ; and this sects believes that the power of the Holy Ghost was given to Dr. Jose Rizal.
3. Jesus Christ is embodied in Dr. Jose Rizal and hence, Dr. Rizal is once a god and a man.
 4. Rizal is not dead; he is alive and is physically and materially present in the New Jerusalem which presently
hidden in the site extending from Mt. Makiling to Mt. Banahaw.
5. It is the voice of Rizal which commands the officials and the members what to do; this voice heard in the
weekly meetings. However, an invoker in the person of Gaudioso Parabuac is needed to ask Rizal to come
and talk to members.
6. If WWII breaks out, numberless people will be killed by atomic weapons. But after the war, Dr. Rizal will
make an appearance to the new world, and he will lead the army of God.
7. Man has a soul, but a soul that is different from the soul of Dr. Rizal, for Rizal is god. Three days after his
death and if he was holy in life (i.e if he followed the commandments of God). Man will rise again and his
soul will proceed to the New Jerusalem. If he did not fulfill the commandments of God, the soul is not to
be punished in hell (for there is no hell) but will be made to work in a place opposite the New Jerusalem.
8. 8. There is a particular judgment (the soul is judged 3 days after death) and the last judgment (when all
the creatures will be judged)

Iglesia watawat ng Lahi is one of the biggest Rizalista groups with more than 100,000 members found
in different parts of the country.

In 1987 it was divided into 3 factions (Iya, 2012);

1. Watawat ng Lahi also known as the Samahan ng Watawat ng Lahi Presiding Elders (teaches Rizal
is not Christ but only human)
2. The Iglesia Watawat ng Lahi, Inc. (Hold the original teachings and doctrines of the old Iglesia
Watawat ng Lahi-Rizal is God/Christ himself the Jove Rex Al.)
3. Iglesia ng Lipi ni Gat Dr. Jose P. Rizal Inc. (same as no.2)

Supreme de la Iglesia de la Ciudad Mistica de Dios, Inc.

Officially registered as an organization in 1952, Suprema de la Iglesia de la Ciudad Mistica de Dios, Inc. was
founded by Maria Bernarda Balitaan (MBB)

Ciudad Mistica is the biggest Rizalista group located at the foot of Mt. Banahaw in Barangay Sta. Lucia in Dolores,
Quezon with approximately 5,000 members in Sta. Lucia alone. All over Luzon, it has about 100,000 members.

 Ciudad Mistica’s establishment group has always been led by a woman.

 Its leader called suprema
 The members believe that as a result of endless conflicts among countries in West Asia, God decided
to transfer His Kingdom to the Philippines. It explains why there existed holy
 stations/altars locally called PWESTO in Mt. Banahaw which equivalent to the stations of the cross if
Christ un the Pasyon (Ocampo, 2011)
 For Ciudad Mistica, Jesus Christ’s work is still unfinished and it will be continued by Dr. Jose Rizal
and the “twelve lights”(equivalent of Jesus Christ’s 12 apostles) of the Philippines composed of the
nineteenth century Philippine heroes
 Their work will be fulfilled by a woman, in the person of MBB as can be seen in their
hymns(Quibuyen, 1991)The Virgin Maria Bernarda, a Filipino Mother Dr. Jose Rizal, a Filipino father
Once in a mystery, they came together And so, emerged this country, the Phillippines.
 Like the other Rizalista groups the Ciudad Mistica shares many elements with the Catholic Church.
 They hold Masses every Saturday and have prayers and chants.
 They commemorate the birth and death anniversaries of the “12 lights” with Rizal’s deaths (Dec 30) as
the most important celebration.
 Each commemoration starts with the raising of the Philippine flag.
 Lesson 5: THE 19 TH CENTURY PHILIPPINE ECONOMY, SOCIETY AND THE CHINESE MESTIZOS

MIDTERM

The Changing Landscape of Philippine Economy and Society

 During the 19 th Century vast economic, political, and cultural currents were felt. By the late 18 th
century, the monarchy in Spain experienced a dynastic shift from the Habsburgs to the Bourbons. With
the goal of invigorating the profitability of the colonies like the Philippines, Bourbons policies and reforms
were carried out.

 The first governor-general to the Philippines under the Bourbon mandate was Jose de Basco y Vargas who
arrived in the Philippines in 1778.

 By the time Basco arrived, the Galleon Trade, the main economic institution existing in the Philippines,
was already losing enterprise. As many imperial powers in Europe and the west were undergoing
industrialization, an increased demand for raw materials presented an opportunity to look into the
agricultural potential of the Philippines.

 To better facilitate the envisioned reorientation of the economy, Basco established the Royal Philippine
Company in 1785 to finance agricultural projects and manage the new trade being established between
the Philippine and Spain (and Europe) as well as other Asian markets. These changes, however, were met
with lukewarm reception.

 As Basco pushed for the reforms, he lifted a ban on Chinese merchants that reinvigorated internal trade;
initialized the development of cash crop farms.

 Global events continued to affect the Philippines at the beginning of the 19 th century. By 1810 the
Mexican War of Independence rattled the Spanish empire, as it would eventually lead to the loss of the
precious Latin American colonies. With this came the eventual end of the Galleon Trade which became a
concern in the Philippines. As the Philippine economy hung in the balance, policies were recalibrated and
with the eventual closing of the Royal Philippine Company, Manila was opened to world trade by 1834.

 The rapid development of the economy began to flow in the Philippine through cash crops, by the first
half of the 19 th century majority of the exports of the Philippines came from tabacco, sugar, cotton,
indigo, abaca and coffee.

 The importance of land became more evident as cash crops became the major source of revenue in the
colony. As the provinces shifted to cultivating cash crops, land ownership and management began to be a
concern.

 The farmers felt the pressure of the economy while the hacenderos grabbed the opportunity. When a
small landowner needed capital and money, he would engage in a pacto de retroventa, an agreement of
sale guaranteeing that he could buy the land back at the same price.
The Chinese and Chinese Mestizos

 The sectors that greatly benefited from the changing economy were the Chinese and the Chinese
mestizos. Since pre-colonial times, the natives of the Philippines had trade relations with the Chinese. The
influx of Chinese settlements in the Philippines made the Spaniards suspicious of the Chinese.
 These feelings led to stringent state policies towards the sangley raging from higher taxes, the restriction
of movement with the establishment of the Chinese enclave (the Parian) to actual policies of expulsion.
 The Chinese, however proved to be “necessary outsiders” in Philippine colonial economy and society.
Eventually and gradually they became integrated into colonial society, giving rise to intermarriages with
indios that gave birth to Chinese mestizos.

Impact of Life in the Colony

 The economic developments as mentioned precipitated social, political and cultural developments as
well. This demand compelled the issuance of colonial government order in 1836 that required all towns to
set up primary schools to teach the population how to read and write. It eventually led to the passage of
an education decree in 1863 that mandated free primary education.
 Manila became a trading center, it became a viable destination for people seeking better opportunities or
those wanting to escape the worsening conditions in the farmlands.
 The increased rate of internal migration raised several concerns.
1. People flocked the centers of trade like Manila. Overcrowding implied issues in living quarters,
sanitation and public health, and increase in criminality.
2. The continuous movement of people made tax collection extra difficult.

In order to mitigate these concerns, one measure implemented was the 1849 decree of Governor-General Narciso
Claveria that urge people in the colony to adopt surnames. With the catalogo de apellidos, with more policies like
the registration and possession of a cedula personal.

To help carry out policies better, the guardia civil was eventually established.

Renegotiating Social Stratification

The Philippine society felt the impact of the developing economy. As a result, social relations underwent
redefinitions and the changing dynamics brought about a renegotiation of social stratification. With the growing
relevance of the mestizo population new lines were drawn with the following social strata:

 PENINSULAR – Pure-blooded Spaniard born in the Iberian Peninsula i.e. Spain

 INSULAR – Pure-blooded Spaniard born in the Philippines.
 MESTIZO – Born of mixed parentage, a mestizo can be; Spanish mestizo & Chinese mestizo
 PRINCIPALIA – Wealthy pure-blooded native supposedly descended from the kadatoan class
 INDIO – Pure-blooded native of the Philippines
 CHINO INFIEL –Non-catholic pure blooded Chinese

As the Spaniards lost economic power in the 19th century they asserted dominance by virtue of their

race. The renegotiation continued throughout the century as the mestizos and principalia elite eventually
demanded social recognition that the pure-blooded Spaniards had consistently denied them.
 LESSON 6: AGRARIAN DISPUTES

Brief History of Friar Estates in the Philippines

The origin of the friar estates can be traced back to land grants awarded to the early Spanish conquistadores who
arrived in the Philippines during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Approximately 120 Spaniards were given
grants that were often composed of a large tract of land known as sitio de Ganado mayor (1,742 hectares) and
smaller tracts of land known as caballerias (42.5 hectares)

The Spanish hacenderos failed to develop their lands for three reasons.

1. The Spanish population in the Philippines was transient. It was a common practice for Spanish
administrators to return to Spain after having served in the country.

2. The market for livestock products, which haciendas offered, remained relatively small until the latter part
of the Spanish colonial period.

3. The Galleon Trade that was based in Manila offered bigger economic rewards and attracted more
Spaniards. Because Spanish hacenderos lacked the interest and indication to develop their lands, the
religious orders soon took over the task

 Land was acquired by the religious orders through various means. Often, the lands were donated by
Spaniards seeking spiritual benefits. Records reveal reveal that a number of Filipino principals also
contributed to the formation of the friar estates through donations and sales. Religious estates in the
Tagalog region continued to grow that by the 19th century, they constituted approximately 40 percent of
the provinces of Bulacan, Tondo presently Rizal, Cavite and Laguna.
 Agrarian relations in the haciendas developed in the time. In the 16th and 17th centuries the social
structure found in the haciendas was primarily composed of lay brother administrators at the top and
cultivating tenants below.
 Although the lay brother administrators were under the direct authority of the heads of their religious
orders, they were relatively free to make their own decisions on administrative affairs.
 The tenants, on the other hand, were expected to work the land and pay an annual rent, which was
usually a fixed amount of harvest and in later centuries, money.
 In mid-18th century, an expanding economy based on exporting agricultural crops ushered in change and
gradually put into place an inquilinato system. (an individual rented land for a fixed annual amount,
canon)
 The inquilino or lessee was also expected to render personal services to his landlords. If the inquilino
failed to satisfy these requirements, he could face expulsion from the land.
 Usually, the inquilino, in turn would sub-lease the land to a kasama or sharecropper who would then take
on the task of cultivating the soil.
 By leasing the land to an inquilino, the religious hacenderos freed themselves from the social
responsibilities borne from a direct interaction with the sharecroppers since it was now the inquilinos
who dealt directly with the kasama.
 The change in the social structure and land tenure practices would eventually render the haciendas as
sites of contestation among the Spanish religious hacenderos, the inquilinos, and the sharecroppers.
 When the Philippine Revolution broke out in 1896, the abuses in the friar estates were often identified as
one of the main causes that instigated the revolt.

HACIENDA DE CALAMBA CONFLICT

 The Hacienda de Calamba prior to 1759 it was owned by several Spanish laymen. In 1759 a destitute
Spanish layman, Don Manuel Jauregui, donated the lands to the Jesuits on the condition that he would be
allowed to live in the Jesuit monastery for the rest of his life.
 The Jesuits would claim ownership to the land for a mere eight years before they were expelled from the
Philippines through a decree issued by King Charles III on February 27, 1767.
 In 1803.the government sold the property to a Spanish layman, Don Clemente de Azansa, for 44,507
pesos. When he died in 1833, the Hacienda de Calamba was purchased by the Dominicans for 52,000
pesos. By this time, many families from neighboring towns had migrated to the hacienda in search of
economic opportunities. Among the families that arrived at the hacienda were Rizal’s ancestors, who
eventually became one of the principal inquilinos in the hacienda.
 Although the lands in Calamba were leased to several families, it was Rizal’s family that rented one of the
largest leased land, Sugar was a main commodity planted in the hacienda as there was a demand for the
crop in the world market.
 In 1883, Paciano Rizal wrote that the friars were collecting rents without issuing the usual receipts. Two
years later the tenants, failed to pay their rents because the rent had supposedly increased while sugar
prices had remained low. To punish tenants for not paying the rent, the Dominicans declared the lands
vacant and invited residents of other towns to take over the tenancies. Because only few outsiders
responded to the Dominican’s invitation the friars weakened their position.
 The charges against the friars continued with Rizal’s brother in law, Mariano Herboso specifically
complaining about the yearly increase in rentals, faulty irrigation systems, and failure to issue receipts.
Coupled with these problems was the fact that at this time the price of sugar continued to decline in the
world market. The situation became so dire that Paciano, at one point, considered giving back his land to
the friars and clearing land elsewhere.
 Problems continued to escalate when in 1887, the colonial government demanded from the tenants of
the hacienda a report of the income and production of the estate because they suspected that the
Dominicans were evading payment of their taxes. The tenants complied and submitted a report, but they
also attached a petition authored by Jose Rizal.
 The petition presented a list of grievances against the hacienda owners including a complaint on the
increasing amount of rent. To show resistance, some of the tenants began to withhold rents.
 As a form of retaliation, the friars began to evict tenants who refused to pay rent in 1891. Those who
persisted still in resisting the friars were eventually expelled. Among those who were exiled to remote
areas in the country were Rizal’s parents, brother and sisters.
 Although Rizal had worked on reversing the decision of the Philippine courts, his family’s exile would only
be lifted upon the issuance of a decree from another governor general.
 The experience affected Rizal deeply and the increasing despair he felt from the event would be reflectd
in his second novel, El Filibusterismo.
 LESSON 7 EMERGING NATIONALISM

 When Rizal published El Filibusterismo in 1891, he dedicated the book to the three martyred
priests, Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora.
 Rizal was only 10 years old when the three priest were executed, the events of 1872 would
play a decisive role in shaping Rizal’s ideas and decisions.
 This chapter will focus on these events, particularly the Cavite Mutiny and the execution of
the three priests.
CAVITE MUTINY
On January 20, 1872 approximately 250 Filipino soldiers and workers rose in revolt at an arsenal in
Cavite. Eleven Spaniards were killed during the mutiny, but an immediate assault led by government
forces put an end to the uprising after three days.

 An oft-cited reason for the mutiny was a decree released by Governor-General Rafael de
Izquierdo. The decree ordered that the arsenal workers would no longer be exempt from the
tribute and polo, a privilege they had enjoyed in the past. Official accounts, however, argued
that the revolt was part of a larger movement with the aim of overthrowing the Spanish
government and asserting independence.
 Official reports also claimed that the leaders of the mutiny had expected the support of close
to 2,000 men from regiments based both Cavite and in Manila. The plan was to begin the
revolt after in midnight in Manila with rebels setting fires in Tondo to distract the authorities.
A signal way of fireworks would then be sent to the rebels in Cavite who would then lay siege
to the arsenal. In reality, however the mutiny in Cavite began earlier in the evening and many
of those who pledge support defected and vowed loyalty to Spain. The mutiny failed and the
Spanish government used the incident as a means to suppress the increasing calls for a more
liberal administration.
 Among those who clamored for reforms were Filipino secular priest. To understand how the
Filipino secular priest became involved in the Cavity Mutiny of 1872, a brief historical
background on missionary efforts in the Philippines shall be discussed.

SECULARIZATION MOVEMENT
The introduction and the strengthening of the Catholic faith were largely through the efforts of two
types of clergy; the regular priests and the secular priest.

The regular clergy, whose jurisdiction fell on their elected prelates, were better prepared for
missionary work because of their standards of discipline and asceticism. Their job, then, was to
introduce faith, convert the natives, and establish religious communities. In the Philippines, five
religious orders took on this task: Augustinians arrived in 1565, Discalced Franciscans arrived in 1578,
Jesuits arrived in 1581, Dominicans arrived in 1587, and the Augustinian Recollects who arrived in
1606.

The secular clergy, were priest who “live in the world”. They were under the authority of bishops and
not members of a religious order. Their primary task was the management of the religious
communities and ideally, the continuation of the work already laid down by the regular clergy. In
other words, while it was the task of the regular clergy to introduce the faith and establish religious
communities, the management of the parishes themselves was left to the secular priest.
The missionary efforts in the Philippines, however, presented a unique case. In other Spanish
colonies, well-established parishes witnessed the replacement of regular clergy by secular priest in
the management of the religious communities. In the Philippines, the regular clergy remained
administrators of the parishes well into the nineteenth century.

Two issues were particularly contentious among the clergy in the Philippines. The first issue had to do
with episcopal visitations. An omnimoda bull passed by Pope Adrian VI in 1522 allowed the regulars
to administer the sacraments and act as parish priests independent from the authority of the local
bishop. This bull, conflicted with reforms established in the Council of Trent (1545-1563) which
declared that no priest could care for the souls of laymen unless they were subjected to episcopal
authority that often came in the form of visitations. Although King Philip II was granted discretionary
power to enforce the reforms in the Philippines, the regular clergy often thwarted their
implementation.

The regular clergy argued that if they allowed the visitations to occur, the congregation would be
subjected to two sources of authority, the bishop and the provincial superiors, who may, at some
point, issue conflicting orders. By refusing the episcopal visitations, they hoped to avoid the possibility
of violating their vows of obedience to their own superiors. Serious attempts to enforce the
visitations, however, were often countered by the regular clergy who abused their authority by
resigning from their posts and leaving the parishes unattended. This type of situation was especially
disastrous in the early stages of Christianization when the paucity of secular priests often forced the
government to give in to the wishes of the regular clergy.

The second issue had to do with the management of the parishes. Regular priest maintained control
over the parishes in the early stages of Christianization out of necessity because of the scarcity of
secular priest to whom the parishes would be passed on. However, beginning in the late 17th century,
efforts were intensified to produce and train Filipino secular priests that by the 19th century, they
constituted an increasingly significant number. Despite this, the regular clergy usually contested, if
not outright refused, the rights of the secular clergy to the parishes.

One reason provided by the regulars was that the Philippines still remained an active mission, en viva
conquista spiritual, with some groups not yet Christianized. They would, therefore, argue that the
Filipinos were not ready to be turned over to the secular clergy. Another reason was more economic
in nature with the regulars refusing to give up parishes that generated large profits for them.

An overwhelming reason why the regulars refused to give up the parishes had to do with their view
that the Filipino secular clergy were unqualified and incompetent, some viewed the seculars as
potential leaders of any future separatist movement.

The secular clergy would react strongly to these claims. In the mid-19 th century, Fr. Mariano Gomez,
parish priest of Bacoor and Fr. Pedro Pelaez secretary to the archbishop, drew up expositions to the
government on behalf of the secular clergy, but their efforts proved futile. The struggle eventually
took on a different tone towards the 1860s as the issue of secularization was no longer limited to
questions of merit and competence. By 1864 the nature of the issue became one of racial equality as
well. At the forefront of this struggle to gain equality between Spanish and Filipino priest was Fr. Jose
Burgos.
 EXECUTION OF GOMEZ, BURGOS, AND ZAMORA

As a result of the revolt in Cavite, several priest and laymen were arrested on the orders of Governor-
General Izquierdo. Among the priests arrested in the succeeding days were Fathers Jose Burgos,
Jacinto Zamora, Jose Guevara, Mariano Gomez, Feliciano Gomez, Mariano Sevilla, Bartolome Serra,
Miguel de Laza, Justo Guazon, Vicente del Rosario, Pedro Dandan, and Anacleto Desiderio. Among the
layman were lawyers and businessmen: Gervacio Sanchez, Pedro Carillo, Maximo Inocencio, Balbino
Mauricio, Ramon Maurente, Maximo Inocencio, Balbino Mauricio, Ramon Maurente, Maximo
Paterno, and Jose Basa. These Filipinos were sentenced to varying terms of exile in Guam. The three
priest, Burgos, Gomez, and Zamora on the other hand, were condemned to death by garrote on
February 15, 1872. A French writer-journalist named Edmmund Plauchut gave an account of the
execution

LESSON 8: IMAGINING A NATION ( La Solidaridad)

At the end of this chapter, the students should be able to:

1. Discuss the Propaganda Movement

2. Distinguish Rizal’s involvement in the movement, and
3. Explain how propaganda works.

Vocabulary

Cortes – the legislative of lawmaking body of the Spanish government

Creole – a Spaniard born in the Philippines
Propaganda – information used to promote or publicize a particular cause or point of view

Towards the end of the 19th century, economic conditions in the Philippines had improved in such a way that it
was possible for many creole and mestizo families to send their son to school not only in Manila, but also Europe.

19th Century Spain was going through several processes of change. Politically speaking, the Restoration put back
into place the monarchy of Alfonso XII and established a constitutional monarchy with bicameral legislature. The
constitution of 1876 ensured that political stability relied on the rotation of the Liberal and Conservative parties in
the government.

The young Filipino students also observed a difference in the position of the Church in Spain. While the
Constitution of 1876 declared Catholicism as the religion of State, private practice of other religions was
tolerated. More significantly, the Church had little influence on political matters.

The environment where the Filipino immersed themselves, therefore, was one where ideas of progress could be
expressed and exchanged freely. Political and religious institutions could be questioned and attacked without fear
of reprisal. It was an environment that allowed these young Filipino students to think, question, and imagine what
a nation is.

The earliest attempt to unite Filipinos studying in Spain was the formation of the Circulo Hispano-Filipino, an
organization under the leadership of a creole, Juan Atayde. The Circulo published a bi-weekly newspaper titled
Revisa del Circulo Hispano-Filipino in 1882, but the newspaper and the organization lasted only until 1883.
 In 1883, a periodical called Los Dos Mundos came out with the intention of demanding for the overseas Hispanic
colonies equality of rights and equal opportunities for progress. Filipinos such as Graciano Lopez Jaena and Pedro
Govantes y Azcarraga were involved as staff members. Other Filipinos including Rizal and Eduardo de Lete also
contributed articles.

During the time Rizal’s first novel, Noli me Tangere, came out in 1887, another newspaper titled España en
Filipinas began, the newspaper was short-lived. With the end of the newspaper emerged a stronger Filipino
community united in its purpose to continue working for Filipino rights.

In January 1889, the Filipino community in Barcelona began preparations for the publication of a new periodical.
Among the early supporters who help with Finances were Mariano Ponce and Pablo Rianzares. Graciano Lopez
Jaena offered his services as editor. Marcelo H. del Pilar, having arrived from Manila at this time, also joined the
efforts.

The newspaper La Solidaridad, released its first issue of February 15, 1889. In its first article, the staff defined its
program as “to combat all reaction, to impede all retrogression, to applaud and accept every liberal idea, to
defend all progress” Among the reforms the newspaper sought were: Philippine representation in the Cortes,
freedom of the press, and the end of the practice of exiling residents without due process.

La Solidaridad often ran articles dealing with Spanish politics, attacks on friars, and reforms for the Philippines.
Aside from the political and economic content, the periodical gave space for the publication of literary works as
well.

Support for the newspaper gradually increased. Among those who eventually contributed articles were Jose Rizal,
Dominador Gomez, Jose Maria Panganiban, Antonio Luna, and renowned Filipinist scholar Ferdinand Blumentritt.
Other Filipinos who contributed articles did so using assumed names.

Del Pilar gradually took on the active role of running the paper. Lopes Jaena, editor in name, spent most of his
days in cafes and was known to be incapable of sustained work. By the time del Pilar moved to Madrid, the paper
went with him, The first issue printed in Madrid came out on November 15, 1889. A month later, the periodical
announced its change of editorship with del Pilar now taking the plan.

By 1890, two of the most prominent members of the Filipino community in Spain began to increasingly show
differences in stance with regard to Philippine affairs. Rizal always held the opinion that to serve the country
better, on had to bring the issues closer to home. One had to speak to the Filipinos, rather than the Spaniards. Der
Pilar, on the other hand, was a skillful politician who felt that efforts at persuading the Spanish leaders and
officials needed to be continued and that this was the best way to achieve the reforms Filipinos were seeking.

New Year’s Eve in 1891 the Filipinos in Madrid proposed that they elect a leader to unite their community. Rizal
agreed with the proposal while del Pilar expressed initial misgivings. The voting took place under resulting in
three inconclusive ballots on the first day and two more inconclusive ballots the next day. Rizal did eventually win
the position as Filipino leader but only through the manipulations of Mariano Ponce. In the end, Rizal felt his
triumph was shallow and left Madrid a few weeks later. From his point Rizal stopped from contributing articles to
La Solidaridad and focused instead on the writing of his novels.

The periodical continued to publish only until 1895. The final issue released on November 15, 1895. In its final
issue, its editor, Del Pilar written “We are persuaded that no sacrifices are too little to win the rights and the
liberty of a nation that is oppressed by slavery”.