COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION

LEARNING MODULES IN GE 7 (LIFE AND WORKS OF JOSE RIZAL)

LESSON 7: INTELLECTUAL LEGACIES OF JOSE RIZAL IN HIS NOVELS

1. Noli Me Tangere
2. El Filibusterismo

A. LEARNING OUTCOMES:
After engaging in each topic, you should be able to:
1. cull out the principles embodied in these novels;
2. explain these intellectual legacies in your own words; and
3. relate the importance of these legacies in our daily living as Filipinos.

B. KEY CONCEPTS:
1. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Born on June 19, 1861, José Rizal was from an upper-class Filipino family. His mother, Teodora Alonso,
a highly educated woman, exerted a powerful influence on his intellectual development. He would grow up to
be a brilliant polymath, doctor, fencer, essayist, and novelist, among other things.
By the late nineteenth century, the Spanish empire was in irreversible decline. Spain had ruled the islands
since 1565, except for a brief hiatus when the British occupied them in 1762. The colonial government was
unresponsive and often cruel, with the religious establishment wielding as much power as the state. Clerical
abuses, European ideas of liberalism, and growing international trade fuelled a burgeoning national
consciousness. For Rizal and his generation, the 1872 Cavite Mutiny, in which three native priests were accused
of treason and publicly executed, provided both inspiration and a cautionary tale.
Educated at the Jesuit-run Ateneo de Manila and the Dominican University of Santo Tomas in Manila,
Rizal left for Spain in 1882, where he studied medicine and the liberal arts, with further studies in Paris and
Heidelberg. The charismatic Rizal quickly became a leading light of the Propaganda Movement—Filipino
expatriates advocating, through its newspaper, La Solidaridad, various reforms such as the integration of the
Philippines as a province of Spain, representation in the Cortes (the Spanish parliament), the Filipinization of the
clergy, and equality of Filipinos and Spaniards before the law. To Rizal, the main impediment to reform lay not
so much with the civil government but with the reactionary and powerful Franciscan, Augustinian, and Dominican
friars, who constituted a state within a state.
In 1887, he published his first novel, Noli Me Tangere, written in Spanish, a searing indictment of friar
abuse as well as of colonial rule’s shortcomings. That same year, he returned to Manila, where the Noli had been
banned and its author now hated intensely by the friars. In 1888, he went to Europe once more, and there wrote
the sequel, El Filibusterismo (The Subversive), published in 1891. In addition, he annotated an edition of Antonio
Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, showing that the Philippines had had a long history before the advent of
the Spaniards. Rizal returned to Manila in 1892 and founded a reform society, La Liga Filipina, before being
exiled to Dapitan, in Mindanao, Southern Philippines. There he devoted himself to scientific research and public
works. Well-known as an ophthalmologist, he was visited by an English patient, accompanied by his ward,
Josephine Bracken, who would be his last and most serious romantic involvement.
In August of 1896, the Katipunan, a nationalist secret society, launched the revolution against Spain. Its
leaders venerated Rizal and tried to persuade him to their cause. He refused, convinced that the time was not
yet ripe for armed struggle. In the meantime he volunteered to serve as a doctor with the Spanish forces fighting
against Cuban revolutionaries. En route, Rizal was arrested and subjected to a mock trial in Manila by the
authorities although he had nothing to do with the revolution. Found guilty, he was, at the age of thirty-five,
shot at dawn on December 30, 1896. On the eve of his execution, Rizal penned Mi Ultimo Adios (“My Last
Farewell”), considered a masterpiece of nineteenth-century Spanish verse.
Rizal’s martyrdom only intensified the ultimately successful fight for independence from Spain. Because
of his role in shaping his country’s destiny, José Rizal is often described as the “First Filipino” and has since
served as an inspiration to countless nationalists and intellectuals.

2. SUMMARY OF THE NOVELS

NOLI ME TANGERE
The first of two canonical 19th-century novels, Noli Me Tangere revolves around Crisostomo Ibarra who,
after a seven-year stay in Europe to study, comes home to his town of San Diego, brimming with the desire to
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contribute to the development of the townspeople. More specifically, as a reformist, he aims to make education
accessible to more people. His idealism, however, cannot bear fruit because of insidious forces bent on
destroying him. Ibarra learns that his father, Don Rafael, had been embroiled in a conflict with Padre Damaso,
who eventually causes his humiliation and death. It is not only political power that the friar wields; he has also
used power to seduce the mother of Maria Clara, Ibarra's sweetheart. Ibarra has another enemy in the person
of Padre Salvi, who lusts after Maria Clara. It is also Padre Salvi who almost causes Ibarra’s death at the ground
breaking ceremonies for the school. Things come to a head when Ibarra is implicated in a failed uprising
instigated by Padre Salvi. The young man is imprisoned but is eventually rescued by Elias, whose life Ibarra has
saved in the past. As the novel ends, the thoroughly disillusioned Ibarra sees a bleak future.

EL FILIBUSTERISMO
The sequel to Noli Me Tangere with its unarguably utopian vision, El Filibusterismo offers a much bleaker
picture of the last decades of the nineteenth century. Crisostomo Ibarra, the reformist hero of the earlier novel,
has come back to the Philippines as the enigmatic stranger named Simoun, a rich jeweller. Driven by hatred
and a fierce desire to avenge his sufferings, and to rescue Maria Clara from the nunnery where she has fled,
Simoun embarks on a crusade the goal of which is to corrupt and thus weaken various institutions that would
eventually lead to a bloody revolution. He schemes and plans systematically and plots with various characters,
including Basilio, to bring about the downfall of the government. The first plot fails, as does the second one.
Simoun, carrying his huge stash of jewelry, flees to the mountain retreat of Padre Florentino, who absolves the
dying man from his sins. The novel ends as the priest throws Simoun's treasures into the sea with the hope
that they could be retrieved and used only for the good of the people.

3. MEANING OF THE CHARACTERS IN THE NOVELS

CHARACTER SYMBOLISM

1. Juan Crisostomo He has a liberal mind. Outspoken and idealistic Patient and serious man. He becomes
Ibarra very violent and impulsive when he provoked. Ibarra as Rizal’s reflection of himself.
He symbolizes the idealism of the privileged youth.
He represented the affluent European-educated Filipino. Civic-minded, liberty-
minded and patriotic, he desired the education of his people.

2. Elias He distrusts human judgment and prefers God’s justice instead. He prefers a
revolution over the reforms. He represents the common Filipino. He is said to be the
personification of Andres Bonifacio.
As a symbol of the common people, he did everything to vindicate them from the
injustices suffered from the Spaniards.

3. Don Rafael Ibarra Crisostomo’s father was jailed for helping a young boy being harmed by an ignorant
Spanish tax collector.
He was used by Rizal in Noli Me Tangere to symbolize an affluent landlord with social
conscience.

4. Kapitan Tiago He is said to be a good Catholic, friend of the Spanish government. He symbolizes
the rich Filipinos who oppress their fellow countrymen.
He is a rich landlord whose wealth was derived from his involvement to illegal opium
trade. He was used by Rizal to represent the subservient Filipino to the authorities
to protect his personal and business interest.

5. Senor Pasta He is an old Filipino lawyer who refuses to help the Filipino students in their clamour
for educational reforms.
He represents the part of the society that is only generous and sympathetic to the
rich and powerful. His self-centeredness overshadows his patriotism.

6. Dona Victorina de An ambitious Filipina. She symbolizes those who have a distorted view of their
los Reyes de identity. She is the wife of Don Tiburcio.
Espadana She is the ridiculously pro-Spanish woman who is going to Laguna in search of her
henpecked husband. Her search for her husband symbolizes her search for the
foreign identity that she did not have.

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 As a social climber, she married Don Tiburcio to support her claim as a Spaniard.
She despised everything Filipino; she was used by Rizal to symbolize colonial
mentality among Filipinos at that time.

7. Dona Consolacion Wife of the Alferez of San Diego Often has violent arguments with her husband
pretends not to know Tagalog and often uses Spanish words even if she does not
know the meaning.
She symbolizes the Filipinos in our society who are ashamed of their own race and
nationality.

8. Paulita Gomez The beautiful niece of Doña Victorina. She rejected Isagani because of his liberal
ideas.
She represents the women who have no sense of nationalism and sympathy towards
others.

9. Maria Clara She portrayed as a faithful sweetheart, a good friend and an obedient daughter. She
had childish simplicity. She gets easily nervous. Her character is related to Rizal’s
childhood sweetheart, Leonor Rivera.
She symbolizes the purity and innocence of a sheltered native woman.

10. Sisa The deranged mother of Basilio and Crispín. She is described as beautiful and young,
although she loves her children very much, she cannot protect them from the
beatings of her husband, Pedro. She personified the suffering of the motherland.

11. Dona Patrocinio As the mistress of the Alfarez, she was noted to be imprudent, vulgar, cruel and
quarrelsome. She symbolized the mentality of the guardia civil.

12. Gobernadorcillo He occupies the second most powerful rank in the colonial government, second only
to the king. He supported Ibarra against Padre Damaso.
He represented the typical Governor Generals of the Philippines who would often
disdain the power that the friars had.

13. Tasio/ Known as “ Pilosopo Tasyo”. He spent most of his money on books and now lives in
Don Anastacio poverty. Rizal can relate to his character as his oldest brother, Paciano Rizal. He
symbolizes the learned Filipinos. He is a pessimist.

14. School teacher He symbolized the intellectual dissatisfaction in Filipino society during Rizal’s time.
As an educated individual, he dreamed of changing the methods of teaching to
facilitate greater learning of pupils.

15. Simoun He is Juan Crisostomo Ibarra of Noli Me Tangere in disguise. He fled to Cuba where
he became rich and consequently befriended many Spanish officials. Outwardly, he
is a friend of Spain, but deep in his heart, he is bitter and ruthless, secretly planning
a revolution against the Spanish authorities.
Unlike Ibarra in Noli, he is now vigilant; he now embodies the Filipinos who had had
enough of the cruelties of the Spaniards.

16. Kabesang Tales Juli's father. The friars dispossessed him of his land; in real life, Rizal's father met
the same fate. He symbolizes the natives and farmers whose lands were seized by
the friars. His story presents the cause of the revolution.

17. Kapitan Pablo The leader of the bandits whose family was destroyed because of the Spaniards. El
hombre amarillo (apparently means "yellowish person", named as Taong Madilaw).
One of Crisostomo Ibarra's would-be assassins. He is not named in the novel, and
only described as such. In the novel, he carved the cornerstone for Ibarra's school.
Instead of killing Ibarra, he was killed by his cornerstone.

18. Basilio He is 10 years old, an acolyte tasked to ring the church bells for the Angelus. He
represented the innocent youth who were wrongly accused of crimes they did not
commit. At first he refuses to join Simoun's plan of overthrowing the Spanish

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 government; in this, he represents the young educated Filipinos who are apathetic
to the needs of the society.
19. Isagani Once a person full of hope and aspirations for his country, he was disheartened and
let go of his ideals in favour of personal gains. He symbolizes the youth who, despite
their being very aggressive and idealistic, cannot be relied on in times of adversity.

20. Placido One of the students who asked for educational reforms. He represents the people
Penitente who have yet to cultivate their nationalistic attitude.

21. Father Bernardo Manipulates people to get what he wants. He is described to be very thin and sickly.
Salvi The Franciscan curate of San Diego, secretly harbouring lust for María Clara. Padre
Salvi represents the clergy during the time who disguise the yearnings of the flesh
under the authority of the Church to get what they want.

22. Father He is a retired scholarly and patriotic Filipino priest. He believes that the Philippines
Florentino will have its freedom, making his character the important portion of hope and peace.
It was also through his character that the author stressed his disapproval of a bloody
revolt. In the last scene with the dying Simoun, the priest says, “I do not mean to
say that our liberty will be secured at the sword’s point, for the sword plays but little
part in modern affairs, but that we must secure it by making ourselves worthy of it,
by exalting the intelligence and the dignity of the individual, by loving justice, right,
and greatness, even to the extent of dying for them,—and when a people reaches
that height God will provide a weapon, the idols will be shattered, the tyranny will
crumble like a house of cards and liberty will shine out like the first dawn.” It became
clear then that Rizal proposed education and greater enlightenment of the Indios as
the solution to the ills of the society.

23. Don Custodio de A famous "journalist" who was asked by the students about his decision for the
Salazar Academia de Castellano. In reality, he is quite an ordinary fellow who married a rich
woman in order to be a member of Manila's high society.
Some of the novel's most scathing criticism is reserved for Custodio, who is
portrayed as an opportunist who married his way into high society, who regularly
criticized favored ideas that did not come from him, but was ultimately, laughably
incompetent in spite of his scruples.

24. Father Damaso Talkative and cruel priest. He raped Doña Pia, Maria Clara’s mother. He continually
Verdolagas antagonizes Ibarra and prevents his marriage to Maria Clara. He symbolizes the
Spanish friars of Rizal’s time.

25. Don Tiburcio Doña Victorina’s husband. He is timid and rarely joins in conversation. Makes living
as a quack doctor. He represented the ignorant Spaniards whose foolishness the
other Spaniards tolerated, often resulting in disastrous consequences for the natives.

4. INTELLECTUAL LEGACIES IN THESE NOVELS

a. On doing work in disgust
Any work that is done in disgust and shame is a plain suffering. A person should never do something out
of shame.
b. On developing self-confidence
A person should have faith in his skills and be confident on his ability to progress. They should feel sure
of their own abilities and self-value to achieve something great.
c. On maintaining human dignity
A man should always protect his dignity as a man; he should maintain his self to be worthy of honour
and respect. A man should lose his pride for the greater good than losing it for something sinister.
d. On enmity
Hatred won’t lead you anywhere and the thought of revenge is not a good thing. Hatred will only push
you to do evil deeds that may darken your soul more.
e. On the prosperity of nations
The actions of the people of a nation are always in proportion to the state of their country. The people’s
prosperity or misery will always be affecting their very own nation.
f. On the classification of mortals

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 Mortals tend to value their selves according to their physical abilities and appearance and social status
that’s why there are the poor and the rich. And people should not be treated based on these
classifications; we should all be treated equal, ragged clothes or shining clothes.
g. On evils
Evils are very powerful and conniving but this doesn’t mean that it can’t be fought off. An evil act does
not correct another evil just like a mistake will not make another mistake correct.
h. On favours to be disinterested
A man should not entertain favours or offer bribes just to claim recognition. A man should not eat the
fruits of a plant he didn’t plant.
i. On self-reliance
Although no man is an island we still need to learn how to do things on our own because we will never
know when will be the time that we will be alone. We do need to rely sometimes to other people especially
at the times that we are vulnerable but there are also things that needed to be handled alone.
j. On dramatic entrance
Patience is a virtue, if a man is a caterpillar today, that doesn’t mean that he can’t be a butterfly someday.
All of us will have our opportunity to shine, some maybe early bloomers and some may late bloomers,
the important things is we can shine someday if we are only hardworking and patient enough for that
time to come.
k. On the power of gold
Money (gold) is the source of evil because with money a person can do many impossible things, both
good and bad; it can influence a person to do evil things as it turns to greed. The power of gold is indeed
very strong but a person must always learn discipline or self-control in using it.
l. On human rights
The right to live comfortably should not be deprived to the people. With the power of the government,
their first priority should be the human rights of their people.
m. On judging our fellowmen
Sometimes, what is right for a person is considered wrong by the other person; sometimes even if an
action done is right as no one is harmed it will look like a mistake because of another person’s judgement.
Every person do have different mind-sets and it is also the reason why a man critics and judge his
fellowmen.
n. On payment for any affair
Every action needs the engagement of money. To get some work done, payment is always a need.
o. On the attitude of the rich
The rich only worries about their wealth; they only worry on how to increase it. They turned blind-eyes
on the unfortunate people because they know they are safe and they have powerful friends.
p. On the real cause of disunity
Men only think of their own well-being, they don’t worry about the others. If the people will only share
one goal which is for the benefit of the majority, then there will be unity.
q. On example and initiative
A person should learn to contribute to the society without being volunteered by somebody. He should do
something without being told in order to inspire the others who are only afraid on taking the first step to
greatness.
r. On lack of personal involvement by the people
People should not be passive about what is happening in the society. They must learn how to engage
their selves on social issues to know how to progress our nation.
s. On man’s redemption
It is okay to be coward sometimes as long as we are willing to change it; there will be times that we will
be at our worst but we must learn to bring the best out of us again. We must be intelligent enough to
redeem or overcome our fears.
t. On the right to life
Everyone has the right to live, it is a gift given from above and no one has the right to take it but God
himself. A life is given to us to fulfil our purpose and nourish it for its greatness.
u. On human rights
A man will only be accused as a criminal based on judging his virtue. Doubting the good results that
comes from the action is only the thing needed.
v. On men of conviction
A man should always learn to say the truth. Man should be confident and positive that what he believes
is true and be brave enough to fight for it.
w. On virtues

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 Morals, good characters and cardinal virtue should not be boasted out loud, a man should not verbally
talk about his morals just to be considered a good man. Virtues are things that are not to be noticed
verbally, instead, it will only be seen by living to it.
x. On consecration to a great idea
A life is useless if it’s bereft of any purpose. To have a meaningful life, we must attain a greater goal
that may change something in the society or even in someone’s life.
y. On the death of society
The death of the society is the fault of its own people. Being ignorant and blind to what is happening to
the society is much worse than being tortured physically.
z. On nationalism
A love of a country is expressed in devotion to and advocacy of national interest and independence. Just
by learning your own language and using it can pave way to independence as it holds your own thoughts.
aa. On liberty
Everyone should have freedom, we should not be inferior or superior to anyone, we are not prisoners
we should protect this liberty. And liberty can only be maintained if we learn how to defend for our
freedom and forget to be submissive to dominators.
bb. On indifference
Racism and indifference should not be practiced; we should all be treated with fairness. We are all equal
to one another, no one is above and no one should be below.
cc. On resignation to faith
A person should not fear what will happen to him and put his faith to God. He should know that we are
made to fulfil a purpose and that God will not give us a battle we won’t win.
On resignation to fate
Being submissive is not always a good thing to do. It is wrong if we submissively welcome tyrants in our
country, there will be no masters if there are no slaves.
dd. On positive leadership
A leadership should not be motivated by self-interest but the willingness to sacrifice oneself for the good
of the majority. It means understanding the desire to respond to what is needed and guide its way
forward.
ee. On the need of correcting the social organization
The government must be corrected to be worthy of the trusts of its people; the people need a government
that can protect them, not harm them. And if the government is depriving the people of their right, then
a reform is needed.
ff. On faithfulness to a trust
When someone gave you their trust you should learn to respect and take care of it. A broken trust is
hard to rebuild and when it does, it is like a broken glass that has been glued again, it will never be the
same.
gg. On the right of the people to protest
People are given the chance to decide on their own, they have the freedom to speak and the right to
take back what is theirs. The rights of an individual to stand on his own opinions about what is right
especially if he is denied for justice and things that are essential to life.
hh. On national progress
A country do not have the power to stop the progress of another country, they may be able to hinder it
and slow it down but not stop it eventually. National progress is not attained through this way; the only
way is to learn how the other countries do their development and cope up with them.

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LESSON 8: INTELLECTUAL LEGACIES OF JOSE RIZAL N HIS SELECTED ESSAYS
1. The Indolence of the Filipino People
2. The Philippines: A Century Hence

A. LEARNING OUTCOMES:
After absorbing these lessons, you should be able to:
1. explicate the meaning of these legacies of Jose Rizal;
2. correctly illuminate how our national hero portrayed or exhibited these legacies when he was alive;
and
3. relate the importance of these legacies in our daily living.

B. KEY CONCEPTS:
INTELLECTUAL LEGACIES OF JOSE RIZAL IN HIS ESSAYS

1. THE INDOLENCE OF THE FILIPINO PEOPLE

La Indolencia de los Filipinos, more popularly known in its English version, "The Indolence of the
Filipinos," is an exploratory essay written by Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, to explain the alleged idleness
of his people during the Spanish colonization.

SUMMARY
This essay is a study of the causes why the Filipino people did not, as was said, work hard during the
Spanish regime. Rizal pointed out that long before the coming of the Spaniards; the Filipinos were industrious
and hardworking. The Spanish reign brought about a decline in economic activities because of certain causes:

First, the establishment of the Galleon Trade cut off all previous associations of the Philippines with other
countries in Asia and the Middle East. As a result, business was only conducted with Spain through
Mexico. Because of this, the small businesses and handicraft industries that flourished during the pre-Spanish
period gradually disappeared.

Second, Spain also extinguished the natives’ love of work because of the implementation of forced
labor. Because of the wars between Spain and other countries in Europe as well as the Muslims in Mindanao,
the Filipinos were compelled to work in shipyards, roads, and other public works, abandoning agriculture,
industry, and commerce.

Third, Spain did not protect the people against foreign invaders and pirates. With no arms to defend
themselves, the natives were killed, their houses burned, and their lands destroyed. As a result of this, the
Filipinos were forced to become nomads, lost interest in cultivating their lands or in rebuilding the industries that
were shut down, and simply became submissive to the mercy of God.

Fourth, there was a crooked system of education, if it was to be considered an education. What were
being taught in the schools were repetitive prayers and other things that could not be used by the students to
lead the country to progress. There were no courses in Agriculture, Industry, etc., which were badly needed by
the Philippines during those times.

Fifth, the Spanish rulers were a bad example to despise manual labor. The officials reported to work at noon
and left early, all the while doing nothing in line with their duties. The women were seen constantly followed
by servants who dressed them and fanned them – personal things which they ought to have done for themselves.

Sixth, gambling was established and widely propagated during those times. Almost every day there were
cockfights, and during feast days, the government officials and friars were the first to engage in all sorts of bets
and gambles.

Seventh, there was a crooked system of religion. The friars taught the naïve Filipinos that it was easier for a
poor man to enter heaven, and so they preferred not to work and remain poor so that they could easily enter
heaven after they died.

Eighth, the taxes were extremely high, so much so that a huge portion of what they earned went to the
government or to the friars. When the object of their labor was removed and they were exploited, they were
reduced to inaction.

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Lastly, Rizal admitted that the Filipinos did not work so hard because they were wise enough to adjust
themselves to the warm, tropical climate. “An hour’s work under that burning sun, in the midst of pernicious
influences springing from nature in activity, is equal to a day’s labor in a temperate climate.”

ANALYSIS
It is important to note that indolence in the Philippines is a chronic malady, but not a hereditary
one. Truth is, before the Spaniards arrived on these lands, the natives were industriously
conducting business with China, Japan, Arabia, Malaysia, and other countries in the Middle East. The reasons
for this said indolence were clearly stated in the essay, and were not based only on presumptions, but were
grounded on fact taken from history.
Another thing that we might add that had caused this indolence, is the lack of unity among the Filipino
people. In the absence of unity and oneness, the people did not have the power to fight the hostile attacks of
the government and of the other forces of society. There would also be no voice, no leader, to sow progress
and to cultivate it, so that it may be reaped in due time. In such a condition, the Philippines remained a country
that was lifeless, dead, simply existing and not living. As Rizal stated in conclusion, “a man in the Philippines is
an individual; he is not merely a citizen of a country.”
It can clearly be deduced from the writing that the cause of the indolence attributed to our race is Spain:
When the Filipinos wanted to study and learn, there were no schools, and if there were any, they lacked sufficient
resources and did not present more useful knowledge; when the Filipinos wanted to establish their businesses,
there wasn’t enough capital nor protection from the government; when the Filipinos tried to cultivate their lands
and establish various industries, they were made to pay enormous taxes and were exploited by the foreign
rulers.
It is not only the Philippines, but also other countries, that may be called indolent, depending on the
criteria upon which such a label is based. Man cannot work without resting, and if in doing so he is considered
lazy, they we could say that all men are indolent. One cannot blame a country that was deprived of its dignity,
to have lost its will to continue building its foundation upon the backs of its people, especially when the fruits of
their labor do not so much as reach their lips. When we spend our entire lives worshipping such a cruel and
inhumane society, forced upon us by aliens who do not even know our motherland, we are destined to tire after
a while. We are not fools, we are not puppets who simply do as we are commanded – we are human beings,
who are motivated by our will towards the accomplishment of our objectives, and who strive for the preservation
of our race. When this fundamental aspect of our existence is denied of us, who can blame us if we turn idle?

2. THE PHILIPPINES: A CENTURY HENCE

“The Philippines a Century Hence” is an essay written by Philippine national hero, Jose Rizal, to forecast
the future of the country within a hundred years. Rizal felt that it was time to remind Spain that the
circumstances that ushered in the French Revolution could have a telling effect for her in the Philippines.

This essay, published in La Solidaridad starts by analysing the various causes of the miseries suffered by
the Filipino people:
1. Spain’s implementation of her military policies – because of such laws, the Philippine population
decreased dramatically. Poverty became more rampant than ever, and farmlands were left to
wither. The family as a unit of society was neglected, and overall, every aspect of the life of the Filipino
was retarded.
2. Deterioration and disappearance of Filipino indigenous culture – when Spain came with the sword and
the cross, it began the gradual destruction of the native Philippine culture. Because of this, the Filipinos
started losing confidence in their past and their heritage, became doubtful of their present lifestyle, and
eventually lost hope in the future and the preservation of their race.
3. Passivity and submissiveness to the Spanish colonizers – one of the most powerful forces that influenced
a culture of silence among the natives were the Spanish friars. Because of the use of force, the Filipinos
learned to submit themselves to the will of the foreigners.

The question then arises as to what had awakened the hearts and opened the minds of the Filipino
people with regards to their plight. Eventually, the natives realized that such oppression in their society by
foreign colonizers must no longer be tolerated.

One question Rizal raises in this essay is whether or not Spain can indeed prevent the progress of the
Philippines:
1. Keeping the people uneducated and ignorant had failed. National consciousness had still awakened, and
great Filipino minds still emerged from the rubble.

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 2. Keeping the people impoverished also came to no avail. On the contrary, living a life of eternal destitution
had allowed the Filipinos to act on the desire for a change in their way of life. They began to explore
other horizons through which they could move towards progress.
3. Exterminating the people as an alternative to hindering progress did not work either. The Filipino race
was able to survive amidst wars and famine, and became even more numerous after such
catastrophes. To wipe out the nation altogether would require the sacrifice of thousands of Spanish
soldiers, and this is something Spain would not allow.

Spain, therefore, had no means to stop the progress of the country. What she needs to do is to change
her colonial policies so that it can keep up with the needs of the Philippine society and to the rising nationalism
of the people.

What Rizal had envisioned in his essay came true. In 1898, the Americans wrestled with Spain to win
the Philippines, and eventually took over the country. Theirs was a reign of democracy and liberty. Five decades
after Rizal’s death, the Philippines gained her long-awaited independence. This was in fulfilment of what he had
written in his essay: “History does not record in its annals any lasting domination by one people over another,
of different races, of diverse usages and customs, of opposite and divergent ideas. One of the two had to yield
and succumb.”

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LESSON 9: IN REMEMBRANCE OF DR. JOSE RIZAL
1. Rizal Park
2. Rizal Province
3. Rizal Day

A. LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. enumerate the ways on how we commemorate Jose Rizal;
2. explain the concept of Rizal Park, Rizal Province and Rizal Day; and
3. give the importance of remembering our national hero.

B. KEY CONCEPTS:
IN REMEMBRANCE OF DR. JOSE RIZAL

1. RIZAL PARK
Rizal Park is located at the northern end of Roxas Boulevard in Manila. It is spread out over 60 hectares
of open lawns, ornamental gardens, paved walks, and wooded areas. It was officially named Rizal Park, after
the name of Dr. Jose Rizal, our national hero, as an honor and tribute to him. It is also called Luneta Park
because the area looks like a crescent (Lunette). It is situated next to Intramuros, which was then a Spanish
fort that served as a buffer during rebellions. Before, the name of the place was Bagumbayan (“new town” in
English). This was the place where Dr. Jose Rizal was executed by the Spanish Colonial Authorities. On
September 28, 1901, the United States Philippine Commission approved Act No. 243, which was to erect a
monument in Luneta to commemorate the memory of Jose Rizal - Philippine patriot, writer, and poet. The
committee formed by the act held an international design competition between 1905-1907 and invited sculptors
from Europe and the United States to submit entries.
After more than twelve years of its approval, the shrine was finally unveiled on December 30, 1913 during
Rizal’s 17th death anniversary. The monument was made of bronze and granite. It does not merely consist of a
statue, but also of a mausoleum to house Rizal’s remains. His poem “Mi Ultimo Adios” (“My Last Farewell”) is
inscribed on the memorial plaque. It serves as the symbolic focal point of the park. Rizal’s monument is the
starting point or Kilometer Zero to all other cities around the country. The place and the monument are still
guarded 24/7 by ceremonial soldiers, also known as Kabalyeros de Rizal (Knights of Rizal).
Luneta has been the site of the most significant moments in Philippine History. The execution of pacifist
Dr. Jose Rizal on December 30, 1896 sparked the fire of the Philippine Revolution against the Spanish colonizers,
thus making him a hero of the Philippine Revolution and the national hero of the country. The Declaration of the
Philippine Independence from American Rule was held on July 4, 1946 at 9:15 am at the front of Rizal’s
monument as authorized by the United States President Harry S. Truman. The Independence Flagpole is the
highest flagpole in the Philippines with the height of 107 metres. Political rallies in 1986 also happened here,
leading to the EDSA Revolution which ended the Marcos Dictatorship.
Rizal Park is one of the major tourist attractions in Manila. The park has been a favorite spot for
unwinding, socializing, relaxing, jogging, strolling, and bonding among families and friends. At dawn, different
groups gather here to practice martial arts. There are also some photographers around the park so if you want
to have some photos beside the monument; they are always prepared to take pictures. The park has an Open-
air Auditorium where long running concerts take place.
The Rizal Park is a big part of our history that is why we must remember all the things that happened,
is happening, and will happen here.

2. RIZAL PROVINCE
Rizal, officially the Province of Rizal, is a province in the Philippines located in the CALABARZON region
in Luzon. Its capital is the city of Antipolo. It is about 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) east of Manila. The province is
named after José Rizal, one of the main national heroes of the Philippines. Rizal is bordered by Metro Manila to
the west, Bulacan to the north, Quezon to the east, and Laguna to the southeast. The province also lies on the
northern shores of Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the country. Rizal is a mountainous province perched on
the western slopes of the southern portion of the Sierra Madre mountain range.
Pasig served as its capital until 1975 when it became a part of the newly-created National Capital Region.
A provincial capitol has been in Antipolo since 2009, making it the administrative center. On June 19, 2020,
President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11475, which designated Antipolo as the capital of Rizal.
After the Filipino-American conflicts in 1900, the new colonial rulers initiated a discussion on whether to
unite the province of Manila with Morong province. On June 5, 1901, 221 delegates attended the historic meeting
at the Pasig Catholic Church to discuss organization of the province of Manila and Morong.

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 In that meeting, Dr. Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera of the Federal Party who accompanied the American
members of the Commission, suggested the unification of both Manila and Morong into one province to be
named "Rizal", in honor of our national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal.
This led to the creation of the province of Rizal.
Thus, on June 11, 1901, under Act No. 137, the Second Philippine Commission, headed by Judge William
Howard Taft, with Luke E. Wright, Henry C. Ide, Bernard Moses and Dean C. Worcester as members, gave birth
officially to Rizal province. It was composed of 19 towns of Manila Province, and 14 municipalities of Morong
Politico-Military District or a total of 33 towns.
Over the years, the territory of Rizal Province would evolve until it comprised 26 towns (excluding the
cities of Caloocan, Quezon and Pasay) namely Las Piñas, Malabon, Makati, Parañaque, Taguig, Pateros, Pasig,
Marikina, Muntinlupa, Mandaluyong, Navotas, San Juan, San Mateo, and Montalban(from the old province of
Manila), and Angono, Baras, Binangonan, Cainta, Antipolo, Cardona, Jalajala, Morong, Pililla, Tanay, Taytay and
Teresa(from the Morong Politico-Military district).
On November 7, 1975, by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 824, the 12 most progressive towns of Rizal
namely: Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Taguig, Parañaque, Pateros, Makati, Mandaluyong, San Juan, Malabon, Navotas,
Pasig and Marikina were incorporated in the newly formed Metro Manila Area. It also included the town of
Valenzuela (formerly of Bulacan), and the four cities of Manila, Quezon, Caloocan and Pasay.
Thus, Rizal Province was left with just 14 towns -- San Mateo, Montalban, Cainta, Taytay, Angono,
Antipolo, Binangonan, Teresa, Morong, Cardona, Tanay, Pililla, Baras, and Jalajala.
Through sustained progressive development since its creation in 1901, Rizal, owing its proximity to
Manila, had become the "premier province" of the Philippines despite its dismemberment in 1975 during the
Marcos regime. This development has made Rizal Province the country's nucleus of burgeoning economic
centers, hub of progressive cities and urbanized communities, and the "cradle of great Filipino leaders".

3. RIZAL DAY
Rizal Day is a Philippine national holiday commemorating the life and works of Jose Rizal, a national hero
of the Philippines. It is celebrated every December 30, the anniversary of Rizal's 1896 execution at Bagumbayan
(present-day Rizal Park) in Manila.
Rizal Day was first instituted with a decree by President Emilio Aguinaldo issued December 20, 1898 and
celebrated December 30, 1898 as a national day of mourning for Rizal in Malolos and all victims of the Spanish
colonial rule of the Philippines. Daet, Camarines Norte was the first town to follow the decree, building a
monument designed by Lt. Col. Antonio Sanz, led by Sanz and Lt. Col. Ildefonso Alegre, and financed by the
townsfolk of Camarines Norte and the rest of the Bicol Region. Finished in February 1899, the three-tiered stone
pylon inscribed Rizal's novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, and Morga, for Antonio de Morga, author
of Sucesos de las islas Filipinas, a book about the early days of the Spanish colonization in the Philippines.
With the victory of the Americans against the Spaniards in the Spanish–American War, the Americans
took control of the Philippines. In an effort to demonstrate that they were more pro-Filipino than the Spaniards,
the American Governor-General William Howard Taft in 1901 named Rizal a Philippine national hero. A year
later, on February 1, 1902, the Philippine Commission enacted Act No. 345, which made December 30 a public
holiday.
To underscore the solemnity of the event, President Elpidio Quirino signed Republic Act No. 229 into law
on June 9, 1948 that prohibits cockfighting, horse racing and jai-alai every December 30. The law also requires
that flags across the country remain at half-staff throughout the day.

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REFERENCES:

A. BOOKS
As-il, E.J. F.2019. Rizal. Saint Andrews Publishing House. Plaridel, Bulacan, Philippines.

Capino, D. G. 2005. Rizal’s Life, Works and Writings: Their Impact on our National Identity. Goodwill
Trading Company, Incorporated. Makati City, Philippines.

Crudo, E.R.P. et. al. 2019. The Life, Works, and Writings of Jose Rizal. Rex Bookstore. Manila,
Philippines.

De Viana, A.V., et al. 2018. Jose Rizal: Social Reformer and Patriot. Rex Bookstore. Manila, Philippines.

Duka, C.D. & Pila, R.A. 2010. Rizal: His Legacy to Philippine Society. Anvil Publishing, Incorporated.
Pasig City, Philippines.

Ocampo, A. 2008. Rizal without the Overcoat. Anvil Publishing, Incorporated. Pasig City, Philippines.

Zaide, G.F. & Zaide, S.M. 2012. Jose Rizal: Life, Works, and Writings of a Genius, Writer, Scientist, and
National Hero. All- Nations Publishing Company, Incorporated. Quezon City, Philippines.

Zulueta, F.M. 2012. Rizal: Life, Works and Ideals. National Book Store. Mandaluyong City, Philippines.

B. ONLINE SOURCES

https://www.kapitbisig.com/philippines/noli-me-tangere-the-social-cancer-by-dr-jose-rizal-book-notes-
summary-in-english-
https://www.kapitbisig.com/philippines/el-filibusterismo-the-reign-of-greed-by-dr-jose-rizal-book-notes-
summary-in-english
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/302595/el-filibusterismo-by-jose-rizal
https://www.vigattintourism.com/tourism/articles/Rizal-Park-The-Site-of-the-Most-Significant-Moments-
in-the-History-of-the-Philippines
http://www.rizalprovince.ph/pages/history2.html
http://thelifeandworksofrizal.blogspot.com/2011/08/indolence-of-filipinos-summary-and.html
http://thelifeandworksofrizal.blogspot.com/2011/08/philippines-century-hence-summary-and.html

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