LESSON 1: INTRO TO THE STUDY OF RIZAL'S LIFE WORKS AND WRITINGS
INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF RIZAL’S LIFE,
WORKS AND WRITINGS
● Term- Rizal Law and The Teaching of Rizal Course
● Rizal, A True Filipino Hero
● Rizal, Pioneer Asian Nationalist Leader
● Major Periods in the Life of Rizal
RIZAL LAW: RA 1425
● Author: Claro M. Recto
● Sponsored the Bill in the Senate: Jose P. Laurel
● Signed: June 12, 1956
● Full name of the law
● Mandates the teaching of the teachings of the life, works, and
writings of Rizal in all schools in the country
OBJECTIVES OF THE LAW:
● To rededicate the lives of the youth to the ideals of freedom and
nationalism, for which our heroes lived and died;
● To pay tribute to our national hero for devoting his life and works
in shaping the Filipino character
● To gain an inspiring source of patriotism through the study of
Rizal's life, works and writings.
RIZAL LAW AND THE TEACHING OF RIZAL COURSE
● According to Sen. Jose P. Laurel, who sponsored the said law,
since Rizal was the founder of Filipino nationality and the architect
of the Filipino nation, there is a need to know and imbibe the great
ideals and principles for which he died.
● Moreover, Laurel believed that by reading and studying Rizal's
life, teachings and writings, Filipino youth will be able to gain
incorruptible confidence, direction , courage, and determination to
move forward in our people's journey towards anabundant life.
TEACHING OF RIZAL COURSE
Goals set by the Board on National Education:
● To recognize the relevance of Rizal's ideals, thoughts, teachings
and life values to present conditions in the community
● To apply Rizal's ideals in the solution of day-to-day situations and
problems in contemporary life
● To develop an understanding and appreciation of the qualities,
behavior and character of Rizal; and
● To foster the development of moral character, personal discipline,
citizenship and vocational efficiency among the Filipino youth
RIZAL, AS TRUE FILIPINO HERO
● In many countries in the world, the leader is almost always
chosen.
● Jose Rizal was not a man of war but a man of peace.
● Among the country's national heroes, Jose Rizal stands out. To
many Filipinos, he is the national hero of the Philippines
● Actually, Rizal is only one of the country's national heroes who
include Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, Marcelo H. del Pilar and
others more
● They helped guide in the formation of the Filipino national spirit
and the Philippine nation-state.
● All these heroes are exemplars of all Filipinos to follow
ACUÑA, AÑANA, BEJARIN, GARCIA, SALARDA, TAN, TRAYA | BSN 3I
RIZAL, NOT AN AMERICAN SPONSORED HERO
● Historian Renato Constantino (1969) claimed that it was the
Americans who were responsible for endorsing him as the
Philippine national hero
● He cited the efforts of the Taft Commission in 1901 which picked
Rizal from a group of heroes, which included Emilio Aguinaldo,
Andres Bonifacio and Apolinario Mabini
● Teodoro Agoncillo (1986) - eminent historian - writes that Rizal
was acceptable as a national hero to the Americans because he
was the symbol of assimilation, which was their policy then in the
Philippines
● Rizal never favored revolution but the slow process of evolution
through education which suited American objectives
RIZAL, A TRUE FILIPINO HERO
● Factors which contributed to Rizal’s acceptability as the official
hero of the Philippines:
1. Rizal was already dead at the time the Americans began
their aggression in the Philippines
2. No embarrassing anti-American quotations could ever be
attributed to Rizal
3. Rizal's dramatic martyrdom had already made him the
symbol of Spanish oppression.
RIZAL, THE NATIONAL HERO
● In reality, it is the Filipinos themselves who chose Rizal as their
national hero
● This could be seen in tributes to him during his lifetime and
immediately after his death
● The Katipuneros considered him the honorary leader of the
Katipunan
● His guidance was sought by its emissaries when Dr. Pio
Valenzuela visited him in Dapitan in 1892.
● Rizal's name was one of the passwords of the secret society
which swore to fight for the country's freedom.
GEN. EMILIO AGUINALDO
● issued a decree on Dec. 20, 1898 ordering that Dec 30, the
anniversary of Rizal's execution at Bagumbayan, be
commemorated as “A day of mourning for Rizal and other victims
of the Philippine Revolution”
ACT NO. 345
● the basis of the yearly celebration of Rizal Day
● The early admiration for Rizal is manifested in the erection of the
first monument in his honor
DECEMBER 30, 1898
● a group of masons erected a simple monument in Daet,
Camarines Norte
● the monument bore the words:
o “A Jose Rizal” (to Jose Rizal)
o “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo” - the title of
his two important novels
o “Morga” - which refers to the book “Sucesos de las Islas
Filipinas”
1
● annotated by Rizal in 1890 to correct Spanish misinterpretations
in the book written by Antonio Morga during the 17th century
● The monument at Daet antecedents the better-known monument
at Luneta in Manila.
ADMIRATION FOR RIZAL
● Though the monument in Luneta was erected during the
American Regime, it is the Filipino people themselves that helped
build the monument through public subscriptions
● This was authorized by Act No. 243 of the Philippine Commission
PROOF:
● Construction of myriad monuments in his honor in most cities and
towns in the country.
● Many main streets and avenues in the various towns and cities
are named after him.
● One province, Rizal Province, formerly part of the province of
Manila, was named in his honor by virtue of Act No. 137 of the
Philippine Commission
● Filipino businessmen named their businesses after Rizal, as a
sign of their admiration and respect.
● Bank (RCBC - Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.)
● Match (Rizal)
● Universities (Jose Rizal University and Rizal Technological
University)
● All one-peso coin bears his image
RIZAL, AS A FILIPINO NATIONAL HERO
● Conclusions drawn by Guerrero (1998):
1. Since the Filipinos love peace, they have chosen to magnify
a man of peace above the men of war.
2. Because Filipinos are lovers of freedom and justice, they
have given their worship to a man who gave up all comforts
and pleasures of peace for their sake.
3. Filipinos prize virtue more than victory, and sacrifice above
success
▪ Despite the controversy on Rizal's heroism, it
cannot be denied that he gave form to the
aspiration of the Filipino people, thereby giving rise
to our people's nationalist struggle
▪ Due to Rizal's qualities, he was able to serve the
pressing needs of the people
CONSTANTINO (1969)
● Rizal is a hero in the sense that he was able to see the problems
generated by historical forces, discern the new social needs
created by historical development of new social relationships, and
take an active part in meeting these needs.
GUERRERO (1998)
● Rizal was the first Filipino.
● This was because it was Rizal who first called the Philippines as
his fatherland.
● It was he who taught his countrymen that they could be
something else, Filipinos who were members of the Filipino
nation.
● He was the first to work towards the unification of the Philippine
archipelago into a compact and homogeneous body based on
common interests and mutual protection
RIZAL, PIONEER ASIAN NATIONALIST LEADER
● Rizal was born in the decade when other nationalist leaders of
Asia were born: Mohandas Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagoreand Sun
Yat-Sen
● According to Coates (1968), all the four challenged the West but
Rizal was the most remarkable because his ideas matured at an
early age
ACUÑA, AÑANA, BEJARIN, GARCIA, SALARDA, TAN, TRAYA | BSN 3I
● At that time that Gandhi was a schoolboy and Sun Yat-Sen was a
student, Rizal was already articulating lucidly in his speeches,
articles and letters his views of a completely different relationship
between Asia and Europe
● That the Asians must be regarded by Europe as equals
DE OCAMPO (1969)
● Rizal was the first exponent of Asian nationalism since he was the
source of inspiration for the outbreak of the PhilippineRevolution
of 1896
● Although Rizal opposed the revolution because it was premature
and inadequately organized, the revolution broke out, which can
be considered the first genuine uprising by an Asian people
against the Western colonialism.
FISHER (1962)
● Rizal was the Pioneer Exponent of Liberal Democracy in Asia.
● Even before Gandhi and Sun Yat-Sen began their career of
political agitation, Rizal through his essays, letters and novels had
already spoken out with firmness and courage ideas on liberal
democracy
RIZAL, FIRST ASIAN NATIONALIST LEADER
PROOF:
● Ideas for liberal democracy by Rizal:
o The worth and dignity of the individual
o The inviolability of human rights
o The innate equality of all men and races
o The necessity for constitutional government
o Due process of law
o Popular sovereignty as the basis of all political authority
o Faith in human reason and enlightenment
o The rights of the masses to public education, and
o Belief in social progress through freedom
● Rizal was the first Asian leader to assert that the aforementioned
ideas and principles be established in Asia for the benefit of the
Asians.
● It was through Rizal that the basic tenets of modern and social
democracy was given a major voice in Asia for the first time.
● Thus, Rizal deserves to be called the First Asian Nationalist
Leader
MAJOR PERIODS IN THE LIFE OF RIZAL
● There are four major periods in the Life of Rizal: (Celedonio,
1982)
FIRST PERIOD: 1861 - 1872
● This was the period when the young Rizal learned how to read,
write and listened to stories that triggered imaginative and critical
thinking on his part
● It was a period when the following values and virtues were
developed in him:
o industrious instead of idleness;
o creativeness instead of unproductiveness;
o rationality instead of blind acceptance; and
o dignity instead of servility
SECOND PERIOD: 1872 - 1882
● This was the first turning point in the life of Rizal.
● He was then 11 years old and was enrolled at Ateneo Municipal,
despite the objection of his mother.
● It was the period when Fathers Gomez, Burgos and Zamora were
unjustly executed by the Spanish government
● The martyrdom of these three priests led Rizal to be awakened to
the abuses of the regime and at the same time led him to devote
himself in the future to avenge the victims of injustices and
cruelties of the Spanish colonizers
2
● Other significant developments in his life during this period o Earl Barles Park, Toronto
include the following: ● Manila, Philippines
o Strengthening of his religious foundation; ● Daet, Camarines Norte - Oldest Rizal Monument
o Cultivation of the drive toward excellence; ● Calamba, Laguna - Tallest Rizal Statue
o Envisioning the Philippines receiving light thru ● Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya - Largest Rizal Shrine
education; and
o Perception of the intimate alliance between religion and
education “There can be no tyrants where there are no slaves.”
- JOSE RIZAL, June 19, 1861 - December 30, 1896
THIRD PERIOD: 1882 - 1892
● The year 1882 was the second major turning point in the life of
Rizal
● It was at this time that Rizal decided to leave the Philippines to REFERENCES
escape persecution.
● He went to Europe and everywhere he went, Rizal was always an Notes from the discussion by
observer and a student, learning from everything he saw, read
and heard. San Pedro College powerpoint presentation: LESSON 1: INTRO TO
● He urged the Filipino colony in Spain to prove that Filipinos can THE STUDY OF RIZAL'S LIFE WORKS AND WRITINGS
compete with the Europeans in intellect and talent.
● Through his membership in exclusive societies of scholars and
scientists in Europe where he presented monographs and was
greatly appreciated, Rizal provided his compatriots as an
example.
● During this period Rizal took part in the Propaganda Movement,
based in Europe.
● Through his articles, essays, and novels, he sought to make
truthful disclosures of the political, social, and economic
conditions in the Philippines

FOURTH PERIOD: 1892 - 1896

● The year 1892 can be considered the last turning point in the life
of our national hero, before his martyrdom on Dec. 30, 1896.
● Rizal was exiled in Dapitan. It was in Dapitan, where he
demonstrated what an individual can do and accomplish within a
short period of time
● It is here where he detached his connections with politics and
devoted more of his time in practical service and usefulness to the
community.

JOSE RIZAL MONUMENTS ALL OVER THE WORLD

● Hongkong, China
● Tokyo, Japan
● Singapore, Singapore
● Sydney, Australia
o Ashfield Park
o Surrey Hills
o Rizal Park, Rooty Hill
● Paris, France
● Heidelberg, Germany
● Madrid, Spain
● Rome, Italy
o Piazzale Manila, Rome
● London, United Kingdom
● New Jersey
o Jersey City, New Jersey
o Cherry Hill, New Jersey
● Chicago, Illinois
● Orlando, Florida
● Houston, Texas
● Carson, California
● Seattle, Washington
● Juneau, Alaska
● Hawaii, USA
o Lihu’e, Hawaii
o Oahu, Honolulu, Hawaii
● Montreal, Quebec
● Ontario, Canada
o Markham, Ontario

ACUÑA, AÑANA, BEJARIN, GARCIA, SALARDA, TAN, TRAYA | BSN 3I 3

 LESSON 2: THE 19TH CENTURY WORLD OF JOSE RIZAL
IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS DURING THE SAID CENTURY ARE AS
FOLLOWS: (CAPINO ET AL, 1977)
● Growth and development of nationalism
● Rise and gradual spread of liberalism and democracy
● The upsurge of western imperialism
● Triumph of science and technology
● Optimism and confidence in progress
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONALISM
NATIONALISM
- Sense of loyalty or psychological attachment members of a
nationshare, based on a common language, history, culture,
and desire for independence (Jackson & Jackson, 2000)
- It is a feeling that drives a people together as a nation
- It is a love of country expressed in devotion to and advocacy
of national interest and independence
- One of the radical ideas in the years after 1815,which
influenced the modern world tremendously.
TWO MAJOR REVOLUTIONS OF THE EARLIER CENTURY:
1. The American Revolution of 1776
- The American Revolution gave birth to the USA
- Independence fromGreat Britain
- American Revolution (1775-1783)
2. The French Revolution of 1789
- The French Revolution led to the overthrowing the
absolute rule of the Bourbon Dynasty And The
Abolition of feudal system.
- Overthrowing of absolutism
- French Revolution (1779-1789)
● Both revolutions gave birth to the idea that an individual's
loyalty has to be to his nation not the king.
THE IDEOLOGY OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION:
● Liberty
● Fraternity
● Equality
- had influenced subject peoples to cast off the yoke of
colonialism by means of armed uprising
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONALISM
● Owing to the nationalistic spirit, Italybecameaunited kingdom
under KingVictor Emmanuel IIafter the Italians under
GuiseppeGaribaldi droveout theAustrians occupying the
northern part of the country and weakened the influence of
the pope.
● The separate kingdoms of Italy united as one nation.
● Ten years later,Germany through the vigorous campaign by
the Prussians under Otto Bismarck united the various
kingdoms and dukedomsofGerman nation and became one
empire under EmperorWilliam I.
THREE POINTS THAT STAND OUT IN THIS COMPLEX IDEOLOGY
(MCKAY ET AL, 1995)
1. Nationalism has evolved from a real or imagined cultural
unity, manifesting itself in a common language, history and
territory.
ACUÑA, AÑANA, BEJARIN, GARCIA, SALARDA, TAN, TRAYA | BSN 3I
2. Nationalists have usually sought to turn this cultural unity into
political reality so that the territory of each people coincides
with state boundaries.
3. Nationalists believed that every nation has the right to exist
in freedom and developitscharacterand spirit.
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONALISM
● While nationalism can foster national unity, progress and
independence, it also has its negative side.
● The ideas of national superiority and national mission can
lead to aggressive crusades and counter-crusades.
● Nationalism can also stress differences among people.
● The development of nationalism in the Philippines, however,
was very slow.
● Loyalty to the nation began only after the unjust execution of
Fathers Gomez, Burgos and Zamoraon on Feb. 17, 1872
RISE AND GRADUAL SPREAD OF LIBERALISM AND
DEMOCRACY
● The rise and spread of liberalism and democracy was
actually a consequence of the growth and development of
nationalism. (Black, 1999)
● The principal ideas of liberalism
*liberty and equality - were first realized successfully in the
American Revolution and then achieved in part in the French
Revolution
● This political and social philosophy challenged conservatism
in the European continent.
● Liberalism demanded representative government as
opposed to autocratic monarchy, equality before the law as
opposed to legally separate classes.
● Democracy became a way of life in many European
countries, like Britain, Belgium, and Switzerland
● Democracy was non-existent in the Philippines in the 19th
century
● They believed that if the Filipinos will enjoy basic human
rights and freedom, they would be motivated to work for
independence and topple down the Regime.
THE IDEA OF LIBERTY ALSO MEANT SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL
FREEDOMS:
● Freedom of the press
● Freedom of speech
● Freedom of assembly
● Freedom from arbitrary arrest
DEMOCRACY WAS GRADUALLY ESTABLISHED THRU THE FOLLOWING
MEANS:
● promulgation of laws that advance democracy
● undertaking of reforms thru legislation
● abolition of slavery
● adoption of a liberal constitution
● providing the citizens the opportunity to propose laws
● adoption of manhood suffrage
● granting of political, economic and social rights to the people
1
RISE AND GRADUAL SPREAD OF LIBERALISM AND ● Intensification of imperalistic rivalry between and among
industrialized countries
DEMOCRACY
● One of the most crucial developments in the 19th century
was the Industrial Revolution (Stearnsetal,1991)

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION LIBERALS

- refers to the transformation of manufacturing brought about ● Laissez-faire policy or government's noninterference in the
by the invention and use of machines conduct of trade and business has to be sustained for the
continuous expansion of the economy
THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
● This development started in England and later on spread into SOCIALISTS
Belgium, France,Germany and even the United States. ● The socialists assert that the government has to control vital
● The invention of machines and their use in manufacturing industries and resources. This is necessary in promoting
brought about significant changes in people's lives. equality of opportunity and people's welfare in society
● In the Philippines, it caused the displacement of the farmers
from their land. COMMUNISTS
● To solve the evils created by the industrial system,different ● On the other hand, suggest that all factors of production be
measures were proposed by concerned sectors of world owned and controlled by the government. Equality in society
society (Doreen, 1991) can be achieved if social classes are destroyed and
● Conversely, the Catholic Church Calls for humane treatment dictatorship of the proletariat is established.
of workers, respect for workers' rights,and social justice for
the poor.
● It also enjoined the government to regulate the use of private THE ADVANCE OF SCIENCE
property and provide humane and favorable working ● The rapid expansion of scientific knowledge profoundly
conditions for theproletariat. influenced Western thought in the 19th century (Hunt et al,
1995)
● Breakthroughs in industrial technology enormously
SOME OF THE POSITIVE EFFECTS BROUGHT ABOUT BY THIS
stimulated basic scientific inquiry.
DEVELOPMENT: ● The result was an explosive growth of fundamental scientific
● The rise of the factory system discoveries from the 1830s onward.
● Mass production of essential and non-essential goods ● These theoretical discoveries were increasinglytransformed
● Improvement of people's standard of living into material improvementsforthepopulation.
● Greater urbanization of society ● The translation of better scientific knowledge into practical
● Beginnings of specialization or division of labor benefits was evident in biology, medical sciences, physics
● Invention of labor-saving devices and chemistry.
● The beginnings of industrial capitalism ● In the 19th century, search for knowledge and truth could be
● Fostering of liberalism and nationalism explained by a rational and empirical approach.
● Encouragement of people's mobility ● This was a result of the Age of Enlightenment During the
18th century, when blind belief and dogma were challenged
BEGAN IN ENGLAND IN 1760 by the principle that everything could be explained by
reason.
● This resulted in the development of the scientific method,
MANUFACTURING where knowledge needs to be proven by a systematic and
● Spinning jenny rational approach, which in effect, resulted in advances in
● Spinning frame the sciences.
● Spinning shuttle ● The effects of the scientific revolution spilled to the
challenging of traditional beliefs in religion and politics.
● Cotton gin
● A belief emerged that the Church Is not the sole source of
● Sewing machine knowledge but everyone can be capable of achieving
knowledge and challenging the old established belief as long
TRANSPORTATION as this could be scientifically explained, replicated and
● Steam boats validated.
● Steam locomotives ● The scientific revolution gained headway in Western
European countries like Germany, France and England,
● Airplanes
which became centers of learning in the 19th century.
● Automobiles ● Its universities and society becamefreemarketplaces of
● Balloons ideas, characterized by a large degree of intellectual
freedom that is unhampered by religious dogma and
COMMUNICATION superstition
● German, French, and English scientists were at the forefront
● Telephone
of this revolution and abroad, the explorers, archaeologists,
● Telegraph and anthropologists scoured all parts of the world for new
● Wireless telegraphy discoveries.
● Cable ● Unfortunately, however, Spain was at the backwater of this
● Postal service scientific upheaval and this wasfeltbyRizalhimself when he
● Newspapers left the Philippines, feeling that his education in the colony
was inadequate.
THERE WERE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION TO
● He eventually left Spain for more advanced studies in
Germany and France to improve his competencies as a
PEOPLE: physician
● Widening of the gap between the rich and the poor
● Unending economic warfare between labor and capital
● Pollution and other environmental problems
● Beginning of child and women labor

ACUÑA, AÑANA, BEJARIN, GARCIA, SALARDA, TAN, TRAYA | BSN 3I 2

THE TRIUMPH OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY HAD AT LEAST THREE
SIGNIFICANT CONSEQUENCES:
1. Everyday experience and innumerable scientists impressed
the importance of science on the mind of ordinary citizens
2. As science became more prominent in popular thinking, the
philosophical implications of science spread to broad
sections of the population. Technical advances led the
people to develop optimistic faith in man's capability to
achieve progress.
3. The methods of science acquired unrivaled prestige after
1850. For many, the union of careful experiment and abstract
theory was the only route to truth and objective reality.
6. Emergence of realistic literature, depicting the life of the time
TO SUMMARIZE:
● Growth and development of nationalism
● Rise and gradual spread of liberalism and democracy
● Industrial revolution
● The upsurge of western imperialism
● Triumph of science and technology
● Optimism and confidence in progress

THE RESURGENCE OF WESTERN IMPERIALISM REFERENCES

● In the 19th century, the industrialized West entered the third
and most dynamic phase of its centuries-old expansion into
Notes from the discussion by
non-Western Lands
● In so doing, these Western nations profitably subordinated
those lands to their economic interests, sent forth millions of San Pedro College powerpoint presentation: LESSON 2: THE 19TH
immigrants, and political influence in Asia and vast political CENTURY WORLD OF JOSE RIZAL
empiresinAfrica
● The reasons for this culminating surge were many, but the
economic thrust of robust industrial capitalism, an
ever-growing lead in technology, and the competitive
pressures of European nationalism were particularly
important
● Western expansion had far-reaching consequences
● For the first time in human history, the world became in many
ways a single unit
● Moreover, European expansion diffusion ideas and
techniques of a highly developed civilization
● Yet the West relied on force to conquer and rule, and treated
non-Western peoples as racial inferiors
● Thus, non-Western elites, armed with Western doctrines,
gradually responded to Western challenge
● They launched a national, anti-imperialist struggle for dignity,
genuine independence and modernization
● Colonized peoples, therefore, started to assert their right to
self-determination or the right to choose the kind of
government under which they would live.

OPTIMISM AND CONFIDENCE IN PROGRESS

● Optimism or faith in society and man's ability to progress was
brought about by the advancement of science, the coming of
steam-powered industry, and the spread of liberalism and
socialism (Chodorow et al, 1994)
● The optimism of the century was summed by Marquis de
Condorcet in his work, Sketch for a Historical Picture of the
Progress of the Human Mind
● He saw that “the strongest reasons for believing that nature has
set no limit to the realization of our hopes”
● Optimism and confidence in progress can be gleaned from the
achievements of men in the 19th century.
●

HE FORESAW THE FOLLOWING:

1. The abolition of inequality between nations
2. The progress of equality between nations
3. The true perfection of humanity

*Progress was now independent of any power that might wish to halt it
and will never be reversed.

NOTABLE AMONG THESE WERE THE FOLLOWING (CAPINO,1977):

1. Extension of human rights to many people
2. Promotion of higher education for men and women;
3. Education for nationalism in schools
4. Investment in science to serve mankind
5. Improvement of public health thru the establishment of
numerous hospitals

ACUÑA, AÑANA, BEJARIN, GARCIA, SALARDA, TAN, TRAYA | BSN 3I 3

 LESSON 3: SPAIN AND THE PHILIPPINES IN THE 19 TH CENTURY
SPAIN IN THE 19TH CENTURY
● Political Instability in Spain
● Abandonment of Mercantilism
POLITICAL INSTABILITY IN SPAIN
● After the death of Ferdinand VII, Spain went through a downward
spiral as a world power.
● By 1830 all of Spain’s American colonies have seceded and
became independent states with the exemption of Cuba and
Puerto Rico.
● A struggle for the thrown followed between the forces loyal to
Ferdinand’s daughter Isabella and his brother Charles (Carlos).
● The ensuing struggle would be known as Carlist Wars.
● Isabella defeated the Carlists allowing her to defy tradition to
become the sole female monarch.
● Under Isabella II, Spain lost a bid to re-conquer Peru and Chile
and under continued mismanagement by her favorites.
● There were frequent changes of governments in Spain which
prevailed event after Isabella’s overthrow in 1868.
● The 19th century was a turbulent century of politics in Spanish
history (Zaide, 1994).
● It was a period of political instability owing to the frequent rise and
fall of ministries and constitutions.
● To save the country from political disunity, the Spanish crown
worked out the canovite system or rotativism(Maguigad et al,
2000)
● Under this policy, the liberals and conservatives in Spain took
turns in administering the affairs of the country.
● The political instability in Spain affected the Philippines.
● As a consequence of this condition, there were frequent changes
in the top colonial administration in the Philippines.
● Owing to the brief tenure of office of governor-generals, colonial
administration became very inefficient and corrupt.
● The Philippines became a dumping ground for the relatives and
favorites of Spanish politicians in Madrid.
ABANDONMENT OF MERCANTILISM OR
COMMERCIALISM
● Mercantilism – an economic doctrine based on the idea that the
country’s wealth and power can be measured in its stock of gold
and silver.
● Trade was dictated by the monarch and wealth should flow toward
the center of imperial power.
● Galeon Trade between Manila and Acapulco began in 1565.
● The Philippines was prohibited from trading with other European
countries.
● By 18th or 19th century, there was a shift towards laissez-faire to
free market trade.
● Merchants began trading freely as profits from international
commerce began to shape official policies.
● There was a demand for Philippine products such as sugar,
coffee, rice, indigo, and tobacco.
● The Philippines was officially opened to foreign trade by 1834.
● Before, only the Spaniards benefited from the Galeon trade, with
free trade, the growers and traders of Philippine products gained
wealth.
● There was a rising class composed of merchants who were
mestizos, gained advantage from trade with foreigners.
ACUÑA, AÑANA, BEJARIN, GARCIA, SALARDA, TAN, TRAYA | BSN 3I
● Spain’s adoption of the laissez-faire policy affected the Philippines
in several ways (Capino, 1977).
o The middle class families were able to send their
children to acquire higher education.
o Increased contact with the West brought home political
ideas prevailing in Europe.
o These ideas were mainly enlightenment ideas which
preached equality and Godgiven rights of men.
o Ilustrados or the “enlightened ones” – members of the
middle class
▪ imbued with civic courage, they began questioning
the abuses of the Spanish Regime and began to
clamor for reforms
THE PHILIPPINES DURING RIZAL’S TIME
● ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION
● THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF FILIPINO SOCIETY
● EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
● ECONOMIC SITUATION
● FILIPINO GRIEVANCES AGAINST SPANISH RULE
● The Filipinos lost their ancestral lands on account of Spain’s
institution of the encomienda system.
● They were forced by the Spanish colonizers to accept Spanish
culture and religion.
● This change was evident in the administrative organization of the
country, social structure and educational system of the
Philippines, and economic situation in the 19th century.
ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION
● The Philippines was governed directly by the Spanish Crown, thru
the Ministry of Colonies in the 19th century.
● Unitary government – policies implemented by colonial
administrators from Luzon to Mindanao emanated from Manila,
the seat of the central government.
● Governor-General
o appointed by the Spanish monarch
o the head of the colonial government in the country
o he represented the Crown in all governmental matters
o he was the Vice Royal Patron over religious affairs
o he could nominate priests for ecclesiastical
administration of the parishes
o the commander in chief of the colonial army
o the ex-officio president of the Royal Audiencia or
Supreme Court in the Philippines
o he had his legislative powers to enact laws which were
called actos acordados (Maguigad, 2000)
o *He had the power of cumplase or the power to decide
which law or royal decree should be implemented or
disregarded in the colony.
● Below the national government were the local government units,
namely: provinces, towns, cities and barrios (Agoncillo, 1990)
● The provinces were called alcaldias. Each province was headed
by an alcalde mayor or provincial governor, who exercised
executive and judicial functions.
1
● The provincial government was the most corrupt unit in local
government then, owing to the privilege to engage in and
monopolize trade called indulto de commercio.
● The alcaldias or provinces were divided into towns or pueblos.
Each pueblo was headed by a gobernadorcillo or town mayor.
● Gobernadorcillo or town mayor
o was elected by all married males
o was voted by 13 electors, chaired by the outgoing
gobernadorcillo
o As the town executive, his principal responsibility was
tax collection.
o *To ensure collection and remittance of these taxes, he
was required to mortgage his properties to the
government at the beginning of his term of office.
● Each town was divided into barrios or barangays (Romero et al,
1978).
o As the smallest unit of government, each barangay was
headed by a cabeza de barangay.
● *His main function was the maintenance of peace and order and
the collection of taxes and tributes in the barangay.
● The city government was called ayuntamiento (Zaide, 1994).
o It is governed by a cabildo or city council composed of
a city mayor (alcalde en ordinario), councilors
(regidores), chief constable (aguacil mayor), and a
secretary (escribano).
● A key figure in the local administrative set-up was the Spanish
friar (Schumacher, 1997).
o This was because of the union of the church and the
state in the Philippines.
o The friar was the supervising representative of the
Spanish government for all local affairs.
o *His approval was necessary on almost all acts of the
local officials (ruler of the town).
● Function of the friars:
o Local school inspector, inspector of the accounts of the
gobernadorcillos and cabeza de barangays.
o His approval was required in census lists, tax lists, list
of army conscripts, and register of births, deaths and
marriages.
o *Eventually, the friars became more powerful and
influential that even civil authorities feared them.
● Frailocracia or frailocracy
o “a government by friars”
o *The rise in power and influence of the friars can be
attributed to frequent changes in the top colonial
administration in the country from 1849 to 1895.
o *Spain tightened her control over the country thru the
friars for fear of losing the Philippines.
o *Owing to the fact that they remained in colony every
time a governor-general was removed from office, their
advice on the proper management of governmental
affairs was sought by every new governorgeneral.
o *This eventually paved their way for control and
influence over colonial affairs.
● Guardia Civil
o was organized in 1867
o a corps of native police under the leadership of Spanish
officers for the purpose of dealing with outlaws and
renegades (Maguigad et al, 2000)
o another institution feared in the Philippines
o *In 1880, it was the most feared instrument of summary
arrests of individuals identified by the friars as
filibusteros or enemies of the government and erehes
or enemies of the Catholic Church.
ACUÑA, AÑANA, BEJARIN, GARCIA, SALARDA, TAN, TRAYA | BSN 3I
● Judicial power of the government was vested on the Audiencia
Real, the Supreme Court during those times and the lower courts
(De Leon, 2000).
● *Below the Audiencia Real were two territorial audiencias, courts
of first instance and the justice of the peace courts.
● *As the highest court, it did not only adjudicate appeals for civil
and criminal cases. It also served as a forum for settling important
issues on governance and an auditing agency of the finances.
● *There was no legislature in the Philippines before the country
was taken over by the U.S. in 1898.
● Philippine representation in the Spanish Cortes or lawmaking
body was abolished in 1837 (Schumacher, 1997).
● *As a consequence, governance of the Philippines was based on
special laws.
● *Corollary to this, Las Leyes de Indias continued to be the basic
law but gradually modified by royal decrees, which extended
various parts of Spanish peninsular law into the Philippines.
● Spanish colonial administration was corrupt and inefficient.
● *Several factors:
o Governor-general exercised absolute powers.
o He could reward positions in the bureaucracy to his
favorites who were unqualified and unfit for government
service.
o Although the Spanish Crown had instituted the
residencia, the trial of an outgoing governor-general to
account for his acts during his tenure of office and the
visitador or investigating officer to probe on the
complaints against the governor-general.
o Another source of weakness and abuse of Spanish
government was the widespread selling of lower
positions to highest bidders (Capino, 1977).
o Many government officials were appointed not on the
basis of merit but ability to buy the position.
o This situation had given rise to misadministration of
governmental affairs, bribery, as well as graft and
corruption.
o
THE SOCIAL STURUCTURE OF FILIPINO SOCIETY
● *Philippine society then was a feudalistic as a consequence of the
encomienda system imposed by the colonizers (Romero et al,
1978).
● The Filipinos were treated as slaves by the Spanish conquerors.
● They imposed and collected all forms of taxes and tributes from
the Filipinos and even required the natives to render polo y
servicio or forced labor to the government and the Catholic
Church.
● *The social structure implemented by Spain was pyramidal due to
the colonizers’ adherence to the doctrine of limpieza de sangre or
purity of blood (Maguigad, 2000).
● At the apex of the social pyramid were the peninsulares or the
Spaniards born in Spain.
● Below them were the insulares or Spaniards born in the
Philippines.
● *The Spanish and Chinese mestizos, and the principalia or the
ruling class of native elites composed of the gobernadorcillo,
cabeza de barangay, landowners, merchants, and wealthy native
families.
● At the bottom of the social pyramid, however, were the Indios or
the brownskinned natives who composed the majority of the
people.
2
● As a consequence of the colonizers’ application of the doctrine of
limpieza de sangre, a social ranking was created in our society.
● Social tensions were created between and among the classes,
where the lower classes were victimized by the upper classes.
● A system of racial discrimination came to be institutionalized.
● High positions in government were opened only to the pure
blooded Spaniards.
● Members of the middle class and the Indios were considered
inferior by the upper classes and unworthy of education.
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
● Up to the middle of the 19th century schools were under the
control of the friars.
● Primary education was not given attention despite the
establishment of parochial schools in many towns.
● Instruction at these schools centered on the teaching of fear of
God and obedience to the friars, with indoctrination as the
principal method of teaching.
● Children in these schools were taught that they were inferior
intelligence and were suited only for manual work.
● With the use of vernacular language, students’ learning was
measured in terms of how well they can parrot the contents of a
book even without comprehension.
● As a consequence of this method of teaching employed by the
friars, Filipino children were not able to develop self-confidence in
their ability to learn.
● In addition, native children developed severe inferiority complex.
● The culture of silence came to be instilled in the minds of the
Filipino learners.
● By the end of the 19th century, only the University of Santo Tomas
(UST) was existing higher education institution in the Philippines.
● UST, founded by the Dominicans in 1611, was the only university
which offered courses in medicine, pharmacy, theology,
philosophy, as well as canon and civil law.
● At the beginning of its operation most of those seeking admission
into its various programs were Spaniards and mestizos.
● The Spaniards also opened secondary schools for boys during
this period.
● Notable among these schools were the Colegio de Santo Tomas
and de San Juan de Letran in Manila, under the Dominicans, as
well as the Ateneo Municipal, run by the Jesuits (Schumacher,
1997).
● Secondary education for girls were provided by the following
schools in Manila (Maguigad, 2000), namely: Santa Isabel, La
Concordia, Santa Rosa and Santa Catalina.
● All these schools were subject to the inspection of the Dominican
Rector of the UST.
● Students seeking admission into the secondary schools were,
therefore, required to take examination before a board appointed
by the rector of UST.
● It was also in this century when public education for the natives
was begun (Agoncillo, 1990)
● The Educational Decree of 1863 was implemented in the colony,
which required the establishment of one elementary school for
boys and one elementary school for girls in each town in the
Philippines.
● The same decree provided for the establishment of a normal
school for the training of teachers with mastery of Spanish
language, under the direction of Jesuits, as Spanish shall be the
medium of instruction in all schools.
● The friars resisted the teaching of Spanish language to the
Filipinos.
● They opined that knowledge of the language would lead to the
development of political and social awareness among the natives,
which in effect could trigger in them the desire to work for freedom
and independence.
● They pressed on the need to keep the Filipinos in ignorance and
opposed all efforts to improve education in this Spanish colony.
● Spanish was used as the medium of instruction in Ateneo, Letran
and UST.
ACUÑA, AÑANA, BEJARIN, GARCIA, SALARDA, TAN, TRAYA | BSN 3I
● Although the Spanish government exerted efforts to educate the
Filipinos in the 19th century, the educational system implemented
had serious weaknesses.
● Notable among these weaknesses were as follows (Romero et al,
1978):
o Over-emphasis on religion;
o Limited and irrelevant curriculum;
o Obsolete classroom facilities
o Inadequate instructional materials
o Racial prejudice against the Filipinos in school.
ECONOMIC SITUATION
● The country was opened for foreign trade in 1834, which resulted
in the rapid rise of foreign firms in Manila.
● The presence of these foreign traders stimulated agricultural
production and export of sugar, rice, hemp, and tobacco.
● The growing prosperity of the Philippines had significant
consequences (Schumacher, 1997)
● Opportunities for trade, increased Filipino contacts with foreigners
and peninsular Spaniards.
● Moreover, a number of families, which prospered from foreign
commerce and trade, were able to send their sons for education
in Europe, further destroying the isolation of the country from the
rest of the world.
● Filipinos, who were educated abroad, were able to absorb the
intellectual developments in Europe.
● The awareness of a completely different type of society prevalent
in Europe made these European-educated Filipinos disenchanted
with Spain.
ECONOMIC SITUATION
● 1. Instability of Colonial Administration
● 2. Corrupt Colonial Officials
● 3. No Representation in the Spanish Cortes
● 4. Human Rights Denied to Filipinos
● 5. No Equality Before the Law
● 6. Maladministration of Justice
● 7. Racial Discrimination
● 8. Frailocracy
● 9. Forced Labor
● 10. Haciendas Owned by the Friars
● 11. The Guardia Civil
TO SUMMARIZE:
SPAIN IN THE 19TH CENTURY
● POLITICAL INSTABILITY IN SPAIN
● ABANDONMENT OF MERCANTILISM
THE PHILIPPINES DURING RIZAL’S TIME
● ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION
● THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF FILIPINO SOCIETY
● EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
● ECONOMIC SITUATION
● FILIPINO GRIEVANCES AGAINST SPANISH RULE
REFERENCES
Notes from the discussion by
San Pedro College powerpoint presentation: LESSON 3: SPAIN
AND THE PHILIPPINES IN THE 19 TH CENTURY
3
 THE DAWN OF FILIPINO NATIONALISM
THE DAWN OF FILIPINO NATIONALISM
• UNIFICATION OF THE PHILIPPINES UNDER THE SPANISH
RULE
• EARLY RESISTANCE TO SPANISH RULE
• THE EMERGENCE OF THE FILIPINO SENSE OF NATIONHOOD
o THE OPENING OF THE PHILIPPINES TO WORLD
COMMERCE
o THE RISE OF THE CLASE MEDIA
o LIBERAL REGIME OF CARLOS MA. DELA TORRE
o RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
o SECULARIZATION CONTROVERSY
o CAVITE MUTINY OF 1872
o RIZAL AND THE CAVITE MUTINY OF 1872
UNIFICATION OF THE PHILIPPINES UNDER
SPANISH RULE
• Spain ruled the Philippines for more than 300 years.
• Prior to her colonization of the Philippines consisted of independent
and self-governing barangays, and people of diverse tribes.
• It was Spain that gave the country its identity (Zaide, 1994)
• The country came to be known as Philippines due to her three
centuries of colonial administration.
• With the use of the Cross, the natives were pacified (Agoncillo &
Guerrero, 1974)
• The reduccion plan of Fr. Juan de Plasencia was implemented,
which required the natives to live in the area near the church.
o As a result, Spanish encomenderos found it easy to collect
taxes from the natives.
o It also transformed the Filipinos into law-abiding citizens
under the Spanish Crown.
o Gradually, the independence of the barangays were lost as a
consequence of the relocation of the natives under the
influence of the Church.
• With the imposition of Catholicism and Spanish culture, the
Filipinos were partially transformed into little brown Spaniards.
• Spain’s political system was gradually introduced into the country
o Government was highly centralized and for the first time, the
people came to be politically united under the Spanish Crown.
o Barangays were merged to form pueblos, pueblos into
alcaldias, in addition to the ayuntamientos established by the
colonizers.
• Despite unification, the people started to nurture resentment and
dislike for foreign rule.
EARLY RESISTANCE TO SPANISH RULE
• The integration of the country into the Spanish Empire, resulted into
the implementation of taxation without representation, polo y
servicio or forced labor, galleon trade, indulto de comercio and
government monopolites (Agoncillo, 1990)
• Government restrictions and control made the people experience
hardships and miseries
• In effect, they started harboring grievances against the
colonial administrators
• They began clamoring for freedom from foreign control.
• Discontented with Spanish rule was first expressed in the
regional revolts that broke out in the archipelago from 1574 to
1873 (Zafra, 1976)
• Majority of the early uprisings were caused by the desire to regain
their lost freedom
ONE DAY, ALL YOUR HARD WORK WILL PAY OFF. 理異種
o Examples of revolts under this particular cause were the
following:
▪ Revolt of Raha Sulayman and Lakandula (1574);
▪ Tondo Conspiracy (1587 – 1588);
▪ Revolt of Malong (1660 – 1661);
▪ Dagohoy’s Revolt (1744 – 1829)
▪ Revolt of Diego Silang (1762 -1763)
▪ Revolt of Palaris (1762 – 1764)
• Resistance to Spanish-imposed institutions was also a major
cause of the early revolts against Spanish rule.
o Some of the revolts due to the aforementioned factor included
the following:
▪ Magalat Revolt (1596)
▪ Revolt of the Irayas (1621)
▪ Cagayan Revolt (1639)
▪ Sumuroy Rebellion (1649-1650) and
▪ Maniago Revolt
• Other revolts were caused by agrarian unrest, brought about by
the desire of the natives to recover the lands grabbed from them
by the friars.
o Agrarian revolts broke out in the provinces of Batangas,
Laguna, Cavite, Pamapanga, and Bulacan from 1745 to
1865.
• There were also revolts triggered by the desire to revert to their
native religion rather than embrace the religion of the
colonizers (Agoncillo, 1990)
o Among the revolts ignited by the aforementioned cause
were the following:
▪ Igorot Revolt (1601)
▪ Tamblot Revolt (1621 – 1622)
▪ Revolt of Lanab and Alababan (1625 – 1627)
▪ Revolt of Francisco Rivera (1718)
▪ Revolt of Apolinario dela Cruz (1840 – 1841) and
▪ The Moro Resistance in Southern Philippines (1590 –
1898)
• The early revolts against Spanish rule failed for a number of
reasons (Romero et al, 1978)
• Owing to sectional jealousies, lack of communication in the
provinces, and absence of national leaderships the revolts
against Spanish rule did not succeed.
• The people were not united in their struggle against the colonizers
owing to the archipelagic nature of the country and the lack of
communication facilities.
• Revolts, then, against Spanish rule were fragmented,
disorganized, and sporadic.
• Disunity was enhanced with Spain’s implementation of the policy
of divide et empera or divide and rule, which was another factor
for the failure of these revolts.
o As Filipinos were made to fight one another by the colonial
masters, they failed to realize that their common enemy
was the Spaniards.
THE EMERGENCE OF THE FILIPINO SENSE OF
NATIONHOOD
• The emergence of Filipinos sense of nationhood took place only
during the last years of Spanish rule in the 1890’s (Agoncillo, 1990)
• The development of nationalism in the 19th century was attributable
to the following factors:
o Opening of the Philippines to world commerce
o Rise of Clase Media
o Liberal Regime of Carlos Ma. Dela Torre
o Racial discrimination
o Secularization controversy and
o The Cavite Mutiny of 1872
1
THE OPENING OF THE PHILIPPINES TO WORLD
COMMERCE
• The opening of the country to world commerce was a
consequence of Spain’s adoption of the laissez-faire policy
• With the entry of foreign products and businessmen, the
economic isolation of the Philippines was ended.
• A more significant effect of this development was the influx of
liberal ideas into the country.
• Filipino intellectuals came to learn of the revolutionary ideas of
John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseaue
o From their contact with peninsular Spaniards, Filipino
intellectuals were able to learn Locke’s Theory of
Revolution and Rosseau’s Social Contract Theory.
o They learned that people could overthrow a government that
is not working for the good of the governed. (John Locke’s
Theory of Revolution).
o They also realized that a government is an agreement
between the ruler and the ruled to govern for the welfare
of the ruled.
• Other liberal ideas that the Filipinos came to learn during this period
included the following:
o Equality before the law
o Freedom of religion
o Freedom of assembly
o Protection of human rights
o Representation in the legislature and
o Sovereignty of the people.
• Consequently, many of the Filipino intellecutals started to wonder
at the deplorable conditions of the country.
• They began to discuss issues on politics and started clamoring for
reforms from the government.
THE RISE OF THE CLASE MEDIA
• The rise of the new middle class or clase media, can be traced
to the prosperity of a relatively small class of mestizos and the
principalia or ruling elite who benefited from the opening of the
country to foreign commerce and trade.
• Families, which prospered during this time, were able to send their
sons for an education in Europe.
• Being educated in Europe, these sons of prosperous families were
able to see the basic difference of European and Filipino societies.
• Moreover, being able to witness the more progressive state other
countries in the continent, these European-educated Filipinos
became disillusioned with Spain.
• From their ranks emerged Filipino propagandists clamoring for
change in the Philippines.
LIBERAL REGIME OF CARLOS MA. DELA TORRE
• The fall of Queen Isabela and the triumph of liberalism in Spain in
1869 resulted into the appointment of Carlos Ma. Dela Torre as
governor – general in the Philippines in the same year (Zaide,
1994)
• With his assumption into office as the chief executive of the country
in 1869, Dela Torre demonstrated his democratic and liberal
philosophy in governing the country.
• He encouraged the aspirations of the reformists and abolished the
censorship of the press.
• Reform commissions were set up and public discussions took
place in the newspapers for the first time.
• To express satisfaction and joy for the leadership of Dela Torre,
some Filipinos serenaded him on the night of July 12, 1869
(Liberty Serenade of 1869)
• This development was something the friars then did not like.
• For the first time the Filipinos were allowed to talk about freedom
and democracy openly.
• During his term of office, freedom of speech and of the press, as
guaranteed by the Spanish Constitution were recognized.
• As a consequence of his liberal policy, Father Burgos and other
Filipino clergy were motivated to work for the Filipinization of
parishes throughout the country.
ONE DAY, ALL YOUR HARD WORK WILL PAY OFF. 理異種
• With the restoration of the Spanish monarchy in 1870 and the
return of conservatism in Spain, Dela Torre was removed from
office and replaced by the reactionary Rafael de Izquierdo, who
boasted that he came to the Philippines with a cross on one hand
and a sword on the other.
RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
• Another factor that contributed to the development of Filipino sense
of nationhood was racial discrimination.
• The Spaniards considered Filipinos an inferior race and
sarcastically called them Indios.
• Discrimination of the Filipinos was prevalent in the universities and
colleges, government offices, church and court of justice.
• Fray Miguel de Bustamante, in his pamphlet entitled, “Si
Tandang Basyong Macunat”, portrayed the Filipino as an
individual with low mental ability, incapable of acquiring European
education and fitted only to work in the field and tend a carabao
(Zaide, 1994).
• This kind of attack against the Filipino race intensified the enmity
between the Filipinos and Spaniards, especially the friars.
• Racial discrimination had led them to realize that the Spaniards and
the Filipinos were two separate, distinct peoples.
SECULARIZATION CONTROVERSY
• Secularization of parishes was the transfer of the ministries
established by the regular Spanish clergy to the Filipino seculars
(Agoncillo, 1990)
• This issue cropped up when the Jesuits were expelled from the
country in 1768.
• Parishes vacated by the Jesuits had to be filled up by Filipino
seculars (Schumacher, 1972)
• The secularization controversy began as a religious issue on the
right of the regular and secular priests to administer the parishes.
o This issue later on became a racial controversy between
the friars and Filipino secular clergy, as the friars started
demanding that the latter were not qualified to administer
the parishes (Romero, 1978).
• Leading the Filipino seculars in the struggle was Fr. Pedro Pelaez,
an insular, who rose to the position of vicar capitular of Manila in
1861(Anderson, 1969).
o He led the fight against royal decrees turning secular over to
the friars.
• The controversy became acute when the Jesuits returned to the
Philippines.
• Parishes under the Filipino priests were taken over by the friars,
which sparked protests from the former.
• With the return of the Jesuits, parishes under Filipino regulars in
Manila were turned over to the Recollects in exchange for the
parishes held by the Recollects in Mindanao.
• Fr. Pelaez appealed to the Queen Isabela II for ecclesiastal
equality between the Spanish regulars and Filipino seculars
(Fabella, 1960).
o This was because loss of the Manila parishes would mean
that Filipino seculars would have no hope of becoming
parish priests again.
• With the death of Fr. Pelaez in 1863 due to the earthquake that
occurred in the Manila, the struggle for equality was temporarily
stopped.
• Fr. Burgos continued the struggle started by his former
professor.
o He exerted all efforts to defend the Filipino clergy from all
attacks by the Spanish regulars.
o He asserted that Filipino priests were qualified to
administer the parishes.
o He defended the move undertaken by Archbishop
Gregorio Meliton Martinez in training the Filipino seculars
to become good parish priests.
o He appealed to the Spanish Queen to give the Filipino
priests the chance to prove that they can equal the Spanish
regulars.
2
 o He argued for secularization in conformity with the canon
law and the discipline of the church, and the preferential
right of the secular clergy to the parishes in the Philippines.
• The secularization controversy led to the unification of the Filipino
clergy, which in effect strengthen their sense of identity (Romero et
al, 1978; Mendez, 1972)
• The former religious conflict took on racial overtones because the
friars were Spaniards and the seculars were true-blooded Filipinos.
• For the first time, the word Filipino meant not only the Filipino
Spaniards; not it included the native clergy.

CAVITE MUTINY OF 1872

• On the night of January 20,1872, a munity broke out among
Filipino soldiers in the arsenal of Cavite under the leadership of
Sgt. La Madrid (Schumacher, 1991).
• This mutiny was brought about by the abolition of their exemption
from tribute and forced labor by Governor-General Izquierdo,
previously enjoyed by Filipino soldiers and workers in the arsenal
of Fort San Felipe.
• The Spanish authorities took advantage off the situation by
arresting liberal-minded Filipinos.
• Nine Filipino priests were deported to Marianas Islands, together
with thirteen lawyers and businessmen.
• The incident was exaggerated by the Spaniards, particularly the
friars, to implicate Fathers Jose Burgos, Mariano Gomez, and
Jacinto Zamora, due to their active involvement in the campaign for
the secularization of parishes.
• These three Filipino priests were executed by garrote for alleged
complicity in the rebellion.
• The Filipinos deeply resented the execution of GOMBURZA
owing to their innocence of the crime for which they were tried
(Zaide, 1994).
• They hailed the three Filipino priests as true martyrs of the
fatherland.
• Their death made the Filipinos realize the need for unity to end their
miseries.
• The martyrdom of GOMBURZA was a turning point in Philippine
history (Agoncillo, 1990)
• It ushered in an era of peaceful campaign for reforms to counter
the evils of the Spanish Regime, known in out history as the
Propaganda Movement.

RIZAL AND THE CAVITE MUTINY OF 1872

• Rizal was still very young when the mutiny broke out.
• Although at his tender age, Rizal was already cognizant of the
deplorable conditions of the country
• Originally, his plan was to take up priesthood and become a Jesuit
father (De Ocampo, 1969)
• When he heard of the martyrdom of the GomBurZa, he changed
his mind and swore to dedicate his life to vindicate the victims of
Spanish oppression.
• Rizal at that time was only 11 years old.
• In his letter to Ponce, dated April 18, 1889 (National Heroes
Commission, 1963), he said…
o … Without 1872 there would not be now either a Plaridel, or
Jaena, nor Sanciano, or would their exist brave and generous
Filipino colonies in Europe; Without 1872, Rizal would be a
Jesuit now and instead of writing the Noli Me Tangere, would
have written the opposite. At the sight of those injustices and
cruelties, while still a child, my imagination was awakened and
I swore to devote myself to avenge one day so many victims,
and with this idea in mind I have been studying and this can
be read in all my works and writings. God will someday give
me an opportunity to carry out my promise…

ONE DAY, ALL YOUR HARD WORK WILL PAY OFF. 理異種 3