symbolizes

https://www.slideshare.net/imsandra21/rizals-
letter-to-the-women-of-malolos
Indolence of
the Filipinos
• La Indolencia de los Filipinos more popularly
known in its English version, “The Indolence of
the Filipinos”
• An exploratory essay written by Dr. Jose Rizal to
explain the alleged “Laziness” of the Filipinos
during Spanish colonization.
• Published in 5 installments, from July 15 up to
September 15, 1890, in Madrid, Spain (La
Solidaridad).
Rizal’s Purpose
• To serve the country by telling the truth.
• To show how we were discriminated.
• To illustrate how we inherited some of our negative
traits from the Spaniards.
• To let us know how we could rise from oppression.
• To show us that we have been deceived.
• To remind us what we were, are and could be.
Chapter 1: Admitting the existence of Indolence

• Rizal admits that indolence does exist among the

Filipinos, but it cannot be attributed to the troubles
and backwardness of the country; rather it is the
effect of the backwardness and troubles
experienced by the country.
Chapter 1: Admitting the existence of Indolence

• Past writings on indolence revolve only on either

denying or affirming, and never studying its causes
in depth.
• One must study the causes of indolence, Rizal says,
before curing it.
• He therefore enumerates the causes of indolence
and elaborates on the circumstances that have led
to it.
Chapter 2: Indolence of Chronic Illness
• Rizal says than an illness will
worsen if the wrong treatment is
given. The same applies to
indolence. People, however,
should not lose hope in fighting
indolence.
• Even before the Spaniards arrived, Rizal argues,
the early Filipinos were already carrying out trade
within provinces and with other neighboring
countries; they were also engaged in agriculture
and mining; some natives even spoke Spanish.
Chapter 2: Indolence of Chronic Illness

• All this disproves the

notion that Filipinos
are by nature indolent.
Rizal ends by asking
what then would have
caused Filipinos to
forget their past.
Chapter 3: Wars, Insurrections, Expeditions and Invasion

• Rizal enumerates several

reasons that may have
caused the Filipinos’
cultural and economic
decadence. The frequent
wars, insurrections, and
invasions have brought
disorder to the communities.
Chapter 3: Wars, Insurrections, Expeditions and Invasion

• Chaos has been widespread, and

destruction rampant. Meanwhile,
natives who have had enough of
abuse have gone to the
mountains. As a result, the farms
have been neglected. The so-
called indolence of Filipinos has
deeply rooted.
Chapter 4: Death of Trade in the Philippines
• Filipino, according to Rizal, are
not responsible for their
misfortunes, as they are not their
own masters. The Spanish
government has not encouraged
labor and trade, which ceased after
the government treated the
country’s neighboring trade
partners with great suspicion.
Chapter 4: Death of Trade in the Philippines
• Trade has declined, furthermore, because
of pirate (Moro) attacks and the many
restrictions imposed by the government,
which gives no aid for crops and
farmers.
• This and the abuse suffered under
Encomenderos have caused many to
abandon the fields.
• Businesses are monopolized by many
government officials, red tape and
bribery operate on a wide scale, rampant
gambling is tolerated by the government.
Chapter 5: Limited Training and Education
• According to Rizal, all the causes of
indolence can be reduced to two
factors.
• The first factor is limited training
and education Filipino natives
receive. Segregated from Spaniards,
Filipinos do not receive the same
opportunities that are available to the
foreigners. They are taught to be
inferior.
Chapter 5: Limited Training and Education
• The second factor is the lack of a
national sentiment of unity
among them. Because Filipinos
think they are inferior, they submit
to the foreign culture and do
everything to imitate it. The
solution, according to Rizal would
be education and liberty.
• To be fair, nationalism is a 19th
century concept
The Spanish Jesuit priest Pedro Murillo
Velarde was probably the most intellectually
powerful person in the Philippines throughout
the obscure 18th century. He made the 1734
Pedro Murillo Velarde’s map of the
Philippines, a true jewel of world cartography.
What did Pedro Murillo Velarde say about
Filipinos, having spent more than 20 years in
the archipelago, from 1723 to 1748?
Excerpt:

• “…but they don’t lack skillful and clever people..

• They are absolutely outstanding when it comes to material
things.
• …they learn the job really fast.
• They are good at crafting wood, at gilding marble and at
carpentry.
• They are good architects and they do the houses, the churches
and stone buildings
• they understand very well the ship’s compass, even better than
the Chinese…”

“The Spaniards are like fire, and Filipinos are like

water. And at the end, water always defeats fire.”
RESOURCES/ REFERENCE:
• Rizal, Jose. “The Philippines a Century Hence” Can be assessed through:
http://www.archive.org/stream/philippinescentu00riza/philippinescentu00riza_djvu.txt
• Schumacher, John. 1997. Rizal’s break with del Pilar. In The propaganda movement: 1880– 1895; The creators of a
Filipino consciousness, the makers of the revolution, 260–80. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press.
• Schumacher, John. 1997. Renewed activity in Madrid. In The propaganda movement: 1880– 1895; The creators of a
Filipino consciousness, the makers of the revolution, 182–211. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press.
• Schumacher, John. 1997. The Filipino past and education for the future, 1887–1891 In The propaganda movement:
1880– 1895; The creators of a Filipino consciousness, the makers of the revolution, 235–44. Quezon City: Ateneo de
Manila University Press.
• Schumacher, John. 1997. Rizal’s break with del Pilar. In The propaganda movement: 1880– 1895; The creators of a
Filipino consciousness, the makers of the revolution, 245–60. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press
1. What are the common issues about the women that we have
today? Give at least 2 significant issues. Explain.

2. Give your opinion about the role of the women in our society
today. Are they still inferior or they are considered as
revolutionary changing the current trend in every aspect?
Name a woman that will justify your claim.

3. What are the other toxic Filipino culture/attitude that you

think could be attributed from what Rizal had discussed aside
from Indolence? Relate it in today’s society.