Important Thinkers of the Revolutionary

Period
JOSE RIZAL (REFORMIST) (1861–1996)
The most influential figure of the Revolutionary period was Jose Rizal.
It was during his stay in Europe that he penned two of his most important works, which are believed to
have sparked the 1896 Revolution: Noli Me Tangere (1887) and El Filibusterismo (1891). The two are
fictional works which were based on the social issues that Filipinos were experiencing during that period
– inequality, racism, and colonialism, among others.
Rizal claimed that the form of revolution that the Philippines needed to go through is that of intellectual
revolution, such that every Filipino should be educated well on the concepts and exercise of freedom
and it can only be attained by educating the masses of the truth – a truth that is based on science and
rational thinking, and non from the morality-based education provided by the Church.
Andres Bonifacio (1863 – 1897)
Bonifacio is the founder of the revolutionary society, Katipunan. When Spanish authorities discovered it,
the society already had some 30,000 members in a period of approximately six months. Three days
after the founding of La Liga Filipina, Rizal was banished to Dapitan in Mindanao, the southern part of
the Philippines. Bonifacio, a member of the Liga, thought that was the end of the line and founded the
Katipunan (Gripaldo 2013).
According to Bonifacio a man’s worth is not measured by his stations in life neither by the height of his
nose nor the fairness of skin and certainly not by whether he is a priest claiming to be God’s deputy.
Even if he is a tribesman from the hills and speaks only his own tongue, a man is an honorable man if
he possesses good character, is true to his word, has fine perceptions and is loyal to his native land.
Apolinario Mabini (1864 – 1903)
Apolinario Mabini became well known in Philippine history as the “Sublime Paralytic” and the “Brains of the Revolution.”
Mabini was born to an illiterate farmer and market vendor with seven other children in Tanauan, Batangas, Mabini had no initial economic and
social capital that could have secured him a good education. Nevertheless, he was able to receive scholarships and part-time jobs teaching
children, which allowed him to complete a bachelor of Arts degree at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran and a Bachelor of Laws at UST.
Another struggle that he overcame was his paralysis. In 1895, Mabini was struck with polio and lost the capacity of his lower limbs. During
such time, he had started writing his most influential works – El Verdadero Decálogo (The True Decalogue) and Ordenanza de la Revolución
(The Ordinance of the Revolution).
According to Mabini, humans are naturally good. It is from this stand that he argues for the concepts of freedom being a by-product of people’s
exercise of goodness (rationality and being just). Mabini said, “True liberty is only for what is good and never for what is evil; it is always in
accordance with reason and the upright and honest conscience of the individual”. He also distinguished reason as a key element in the
citizens’ participation in political life. It is also the same element that should guide revolutions because without reason, such movement will be
mere futile, if not disastrous for the society. This is clearly synonymous to Rizal’s call of reliance on the “Truth”.
Emilio Jacinto (REVOLUTIONIST) (1875 – 1899)
Emilio Jacinto popularly referred to as the “Brains of the Katipunan” due to significant contributions to the Katipunan, primarily his Kartilya
ng Katipunan (Primer of Katipunan) and his article published in Kalayaan. He became Andres Bonifacio’s advisor and secretary.
While Jacinto died at the young age of 23 due to malaria, he remained as one of the most recognized heroes from the Revolutionary
period due to his literary works that guided the Katipunan.
The Kartilya, which became the source of values of the revolutionaries, exemplified core values like that of charity, piety, honor, and
equality. His concepts of charity were linked with the performance of care for others that is void of self-interest. A person helping another
without expecting anything in return is an example of Jacinto’s ideal charity. Piety, according to Jacinto, is the practice of charity wherein a
true pious individual would extend support to others and conduct himself or herself with fairness. With fairness comes honor, an honorable
person is one who has commitment to his or her word, integrity, and the well-being of his or her countrymen. Finally, Jacinto promoted the
concept of equality in three respects: race, gender, and social status. He argued that any person, whatever his social class, gender or skin
color, should be treated fairly. He highlighted the importance of women in the process of building a strong society, the capacity of the
underprivileged to contribute to social development, and the irrelevance of one’s race in his or her capacity to be a good citizen.
Manual L Quezon (Political Philosopher) (1878 – 1944)
Manuel L. Quezon was elected as the Commonwealth president in 1935, Quezon now buttressed his political ideas with some
educational and social thought. He believed in Social Darwinism—that governments are products of political struggles for survival.
Quezon’s political philosophy consists of two strands: political pragmatism and political preparation for an eventual Philippine
independence. Political pragmatism is the principle, which says that one must fight for a goal, but if obstacles towards that goal
are difficult to surmount, then one must fall back to an alternative that is better than nothing provided it is in the right direction.
He believed in justice for all, a social justice that would allow the working class to receive decent compensation to enjoy culture
and leisure. His social justice program included higher wages, credit facilities that would allow the Filipinos the opportunity to earn
a decent livelihood, and the protection of the rights of women and the poor, among others.
According to Quezon, there can be no progress except under the auspices of peace. Without peace and public order, it will be
impossible to promote education, improve the condition of the masses, protect the poor and ignorant against exploitation and
otherwise ensure the enjoyment of life, liberty and property.
Important Thinkers of the Post-Revolutionary Period

Isabelo De Los Reyes (1864 – 1938)

Isabelo de los Reyes is referred to by many historians as the “Father of Filipino Socialism” due to his
writing on anti-Catholicism and labor unions. He was one of the founders of the Iglesia Filipina
Independiente (Philippine Independent Church) or the Aglipayan Church, which is an independent
Christian Protestant Church.
De los Reyes exhibited immense talent at a young age, having won a silver medal for his work El
folk-lore filipino (Filipino Folklore) at the Exposición in Madrid. He founded the first labor union in the
country – the Unión Obrera Democrática.
Camilo O. Osias (1889 – 1976)
Camilo Osias advocated that the educational system must contribute towards the achievement of the
goals of education by inculcating in the minds and hearts of the youth the value of preserving the
patrimony of the country, promoting the general welfare of the people. He believes that education
must secure for every Filipino the fullest measure of efficiency, freedom, and happiness.
Osia said, that “the school has an important role in the dynamic nationalism and internationalism in
relation to democracy in the education of the youth. High educational institutions should do more to
turn out graduates who can think logically, scientifically and creatively.” And further he said, that "our
education should instill love for work, spirit of tolerance, respect for law, love for peace and practice
thrift".
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabelo_de_los_Reyes
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camilo_Os%C3%ADas
CLARO M. RECTO
Claro M. Recto became known as the “foremost statesman” of his generation due to the various nationalistic writings that he made as a
senator. Recto became known for his advocacy of highlighting Filipino nationalism as opposed to the colonial backdrop that most people were
embracing. He was often heard and read advocating the “Filipino First Policy,” where he claimed that our country’s development will depend on
the extent by which our country and its interest would be prioritized before those of other countries, especially our former colonial “masters.”
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claro_M._Recto9

For Recto, a true free government is that which is capable of making economics and social decisions for its citizens without placing as its
primary consideration the interests of other governments.
Source: DIWA Senior High School Series: Discipline and Ideas in Social Sciences 2016
Virgilio Enriquez (1942 -1994)
Virgilio Enriquez, considered the Father of Sikolohiyang Pilipino (Filipino psychology). Sikolohiyang Pilipino is
the scientific study derived from the experience, ideas, and cultural orientation of the Filipinos (Yacat 2013).
Sikolohiyang Pilipino or Indigenous Filipino Psychology is also known as Kapwa Psychology. Kapwa
Psychology draws from folk practices as much as from modern theory. It perceives no contradiction between
indigenous folk beliefs and modern psychological concepts and scientific norms. It includes in its study the
IKSP of healing from the Babaylan and Albolaryos (native shamans and healers) as well as the religio-political
approaches of the Filipino mystics and folk heroes and other ancestral ways of knowing. Kapwa psychology
implies a call for social action. Scholars and students are encouraged to go to the villages to learn from the
people and in turn, serve them with the gain knowledge.
Core Values or Kapwa (Togetherness)
The concept of kapwa (shared identity) is the core of Sikolohiyang Pilipino and heart of the structure
of Filipino values. Pakikipagkapwa means treating the other person as kapwa or fellow human being.
Two categories of kapwa:
1. Ibang Tao (outsider)
• Pakikitungo: civility
• Pakikisalamuha: act of mixing
• Pakikilahok: act of joining
• Pakikibagay: act of conformity
• Pakikisama: Being united with the group
2. Hindi Ibang Tao (insider/one-of-us)
• Pakikipagpalagayang-loob: Act of mutual trust
• Pakikisangkot: Act of joining others
• Pakikipagkaisa: being one with others
Examples of Filipino Values:
❖ Hospitality - the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or
strangers
❖ Utang na loob – debt of gratitude.
❖ Bahala na – fatalism or determination and being risk taker. Bahala na ang Diyos (God will take
care of us)
Pivotal interpersonal Value
Another significant Filipino value is that of pakikiramdam (shared inner perception) which is
considered as the pivotal interpersonal value. Within this value, Filipinos use their inner perception of
the other’s emotion in order to efficiently interact with them.
Linking Socio-personal Values
Another value that contributes to our practice of pakikipagkapwa is that of kagandahang loob (shared
humanity), in which this value shows an act of charity toward others. The practice of bayanihan or
community-based action entails the participation of the community on a task that is meant to improve
the quality of life and livelihood of the members of the locality. Various terms from different locality
use to refer to bayanihan: pintakasi (Samar), kapanyidungan (Batanes), tiklos (Leyte), and bataresan
(Southern Tagalog).
Accommodative Surface Values
The bayanihan or any form of kagandahang loob is always framed within another set of Filipino
values, which are labeled as accommodative surface values. These values include hiya
(propriety/dignity), utang na loob (debt of gratitude), and pakikisama (esteem/companionship).
Confrontative Surface Values
Confrontative surface values that Filipinos exhibited especially when confronted by difficult situation
these includes bahala na (determination), lakas ng loob (guts/courage), and pakikibaka (resistance).
Societal Values
According to Enriquez, Filipinos also hold societal values which he called pagpapahalagang
panlipunan. These values include karangalan (honor), katarungan (justice), and kalayaan (freedom),
which are essential to the preservation of Filipino societal order and harmony. Moreover, these
values shape a psychological unity among Filipino communities as they build a common perception
of moral obligation to other members of the community who are considered as kapwa.
Zeus A. Salazar (1934 – Present)
Zeus Salazar was one of the Filipino scholars who were trained and whose methods were derived
from the West, and he argued for a shift in perspective. He developed his lifelong crusade for a
nationalist brand of history that became a staple perspective for the next generation of history
students, that is, the pantayong pananaw.
Key Arguments of the Pantayong Pananaw
The primary arguments of the pantayong pananaw is the need of reorienting contemporary historian
on the “right” way of reconstructing the past based on who is talking for whom, with whom, and to
whom. According to Salazar, there are three perspectives by which Philippine history was and is
being written.
Pangkayong Pananaw (from-you-for-us)
This perspective is used by Western historians – who used their own cultural background and their
countries’ politico-economic agenda – in framing the events that transpired in our country. This
perspective is used by foreigners or outsiders in talking about or refencing a particular culture, its
people, and their customs. To illustrate: the British would say, “You Filipinos are different from us in
many aspects.” (Kayong mga Pilipino ay iba sa amin sa maraming bagay)
Pangkaming Pananaw (from-us-for-you)
The pangkaming perspective launched works on the Philippines made by Filipinos for Western
consumption. It is used when a native talk to outsiders or foreigners regarding his or her own society
and culture. Ones’ own language may or may not be used. The main goal of the pangkaming
pananaw is to correct the erroneous Western analysis of the Philippine context.
Pantayong Pananaw (from-us-for-us)
Philippine history should be written and consumed primarily by Filipinos and to achieved this goal a
key element needs to be addressed – the use of the Filipino language in transmitting knowledge.
Salazar states that a community, society, or culture can claim to have pantayong pananaw only if all
its members use concepts and manifest habits and behaviors whose meanings can be understood
by all, like when we say “We Filipinos” (Tayong mga Pilipino), including the relationship between the
meanings. This is made possible with the existence of a language, which is the basis and channel of
understanding and knowledge.
KEY CONCEPTS AND IDEAS OF FILIPINO THINKERS IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES
ROOTED IN FILIPINO LANGUAGE/S AND EXPERIENCES

Local Language for Discourse

According to Salazar, Philippine history should be written in the local language or dialect for two
important reasons: (1) the local terms, when transposed to Western language, lose their actual
meanings and historical significance; and (2) our history should be discussed among ourselves and
not for the others. The use of local language characterizes the pantayong pananaw.
Salazar urged the Filipino nation to have a talastasang bayan that is oriented toward discussion of
Philippine history for the Filipinos and by the Filipinos.