E - S T O R Y A
M A G A Z I N E
J O S É R I Z A L A P R I L
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I S S U E
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INTRODUCING....
PHILIPPINES DURING THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
H I S L I F E A N D W O R K S Thoughts about Rizal based on the writers' point of view G R O U P
6
contents 02
11
14
19TH CENTURY PHILIPPINES
FACTS ABOUT RIZAL
WORKS (POEMS, NOVELS, ESSAYS)
42
47
RENATO CONSTANTINO AND ESTEBAN DE OCAMPO'S THOUGHTS IN THEIR ESSAYS
THOUGHTS ON RIZAL
E-STORYA MAGAZINE | 01
P H I L I P P I N E S I N T H E 1 9 T H C E N T U R Y
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The ni neteenth century the Phi l i ppi ne became a terri tori al part of the Uni ted States. For thi s “ i mperi al i st” domi nati on of another peopl e, the l atter government, bei ng based on the pri nci pl e of popul ar soverei gnty, had to fi nd a j usti fi cati on. I t found reason i n the contenti on that i t was hel pi ng the Fi l i pi no peopl e achi eve thei r i ndependence from the despoti sm of Spani sh rul e; after that, the Uni ted States Government fel t obl i ged to provi de a stabl e government i n the i sl ands i n pl ace of the former col oni al government.
F o r t h e b e n e f i t o f t h e A me r i c a n p e o p l e , mo s t o f w h o m h a d o n l y t h e n h e a r d o f t h e Philippines, scores of articles were written on this Far Eastern country. In l i n e w i t h t h e g o v e r n me n t ' s p o s i t i o n — t h a t of posing as the “ savior ” of an oppressed people—and influenced by the revolutionary propaganda which had characterized the period of struggle for independence, these writers tended to p a i n t a mo r e o r l e s s d a r k p i c t u r e o f t h e Philippine Archipelago as it stood in the last century of Spanish colonization. Wh a t r e a l l y w a s t h e s t a t e o f t h e Philippines in the nineteenth century has r e ma i n e d a q u e s t i o n o f g r e a t i n t e r e s t a n d u n d i mi n i s h e d h i s t o r i c a l i mp o r t a n c e .
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/americas/article/abs/nineteenthcenturyphilippines-and-the-friarproblem/14E0D0624958B5740D8D44F0C1AD1046
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PHILIPPINES IN THE 19TH CENTURY -SOCIAL CULTUREThe Fi l i pi nos i n the 19th century had suffered from feudal i sti c and master sl ave rel ati onshi p by the Spani ards. Thei r soci al structure i s ranked i nto three groups:
HI GHEST CLASS
- the peopl e that bel ong i n thi s cl ass i ncl ude the Spani ards, peni nsul ares and the fri ars. They have the power and authori ty to rul e over the Fi l i pi nos. They enj oyed thei r posi ti ons and do what they want.
SPANISH OFFICIALS
PENINSULARES (Spaniards who were born in Spain) They held the most important government jobs, and made up the smallest number of the population.
FRIARS Members of any of certai n rel i gi ous orders of men, especi al l y the f our mendi cant orders ( August i ni ans, Carmel i t es, Domi ni cans, and Franci scans) .
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MI DDLE CLASS
- the peopl e that bel ongs i nto thi s cl ass i ncl udes the nati ves, mesti zos and the cri ol l os.
NATIVES
MESTIZOS
t he pure Fi l i pi nos
t he Fi l i pi nos of mi xed i ndi genous Fi l i pi no or European or Chi nese ancest ry.
INDIOS
LOWEST CLASS
thi s cl ass i ncl udes the Fi l i pi nos onl y.
Poor people having pure blood Filipino which ruled by the Spaniards
https://dimasalanglaonglaan.wordpress.com/philippines-in-the-19th-century/
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The Spaniards ruled the Filipinos in the 19th century. The Filipinos became the Spaniard’s slave. The Spaniards claimed their taxes and they worked under the power of the Spaniards. Sources of Abuses in the Administrative System:
4. Term of office or term in office is the length of time a person (usually a politician) serves in a particular office is dependent on the desire of the King of the country.
1. There was an appointment of officials with inferior qualifications, without dedication of duty and moral strength to resist corruption for material advancement. Through the power and authority the Spaniards possess, they collected and wasted the money of the Filipinos.
5. Distance of the colony. The Spanish officials traveled to various places and the needs of the Philippines were ignored. . There were inadequate administrative supervisions, they were unable to face and solve the problems regarding to the Philippines. There were also overlapping of powers and privileges of officials which made them competitive.
2. There were too complicated functions to the unions of the church and the state.
6. Personal interest over the welfare of the State
3. Manner of obtaining the position. Through the power that the Spaniards possess, they had the right to appoint the different positions. Source: https://dimasalanglaonglaan.wordpress.com/philippines-in-the-19th-century/
7. They were corrupt during the 19th century and the Alcaldias/Alcalde is considered as the most corrupt over the other corrupts. E-STORYA MAGAZINE | 06
There are lots of criticisms received in the educational system of the Philippines in the late 19th century. Below are the following: 1.Overemphasis on religious matters. The power of religious orders remained one of the great constants, over the centuries, of Spanish colonial rule. The friars of the Augustinian, Dominican, and Franciscan orders conducted many of the executive and control functions of government on
the
local
level.
These
missionaries
emphasized the teachings of the Catholic religion starting from the primary level to the tertiary level of education.
7. Absence of academic freedom. every
level
was
largely
by
Learning in
rote.
Students
memorized and repeated the contents of book which they did not understand. In most cases knowledge was measured in the ability of the students
to
memorize,
largely
hampering
intellectual progress. 8. Prejudice against Filipinos in the schools of higher learning. In entirety, education during the Spanish regime was privileged only to Spanish students. The supposed Philippine education was
2. Obsolete teaching methods Their methods are outdated.
only a means to remain in the Philippines as colonizers. For this reason, the Filipinos became followers to the Spaniards in their own country.
3. Limited curriculum. The students in the primary
6.Primary education was neglected
level
were
taught
the
Christian
Doctrines, the reading of Spanish books and a little of the natives’ language. Science and Mathematics were not very much taught to the students even in the universities. 4. Poor Classroom facilities
9. Friar control over the system. The friars controlled the educational system during the Spanish times. They owned different schools, ranging from the primary level to the tertiary levels of education. The missionaries took charge in teaching, controlling and maintaining the rules and regulations imposed to the students.
5. Absence of teaching materials Source: https://dimasalanglaonglaan.wordpress.com/philippines-in-the-19th-century/
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19TH
CENTURY
E C O N O M I C
D E V E L O P M E N T
A N D
O F
T H E
R I S E
F I L I P I N O
N A T I O N A L I S M
The country was opened to foreign trade at the end of the 18th century which resulted in the rapid rise of foreign firms in Manila. This stimulated agricultural production and export of sugar, rice hemp and tobacco. The number of families which prospered from foreign commerce and trade were able to send their sons for an education in Europe. Filipinos who were educated abroad were able to absorb the intellectual development in Europe.
Factors Contributed to the Development of Filipino Nationalism Opening of the Philippines to International Trade and the Rise of the Middle Class Manila was opened to foreign trade which brought prosperity to the Filipinos and Chinese mestizo resulting to the existence of middle class. Influx of European Liberalism Ideas of the enlightened philosophers like John Locke and Jean Jacques Rosseau, masonry and the French Revolution reached the Philippines.Liberty, religious freedom, democracy, human rights such as suffrage, freedom of speech, press and form associations and assemblies. Source: https://dimasalanglaonglaan.wordpress.com/philippines-in-the-19th-century/
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Opening of the Suez Canal on November 17, 1869 Connects Mediterranean and red sea; shortened distance between Europe and Orient Results: (a) Philippines became closer to Europe and Spain (b) encouraged European travelers to come to our country (c) exodus of literal ideas from Europe to the Philippines (d) more educated and young Filipinos were able to study abroad
Spanish Revolution of 1868 and the Liberal Regime of Carlos Maria Dela Torre(1869-1871) Glorious September Revolution of 1868: Queen Isabela II was overthrown resulting to the rise of liberalism in Spain. Generals Juan Prim and Francisco Serrano appointed dela Torre as the governor-general in the Philippines (true democrat). Most liberal governor-general walked the streets in civilian clothes and dismissed his alabaderos (halberdiers) – the governor’s security guards – and went unescorted.
Accomplishments: (1) abolished censorship of the press and allowed
(6) decreed educational reforms, ordered the
unlimited discussions of political problems and
setting up of medical, pharmacy, and vocational
proclaimed freedom of speech
schools
(2) abolished flogging as a punishment
(7) created the Council of the Philippines on
(3) curtailed abuses particularly the tribute and the
December 4, 1870 which was a consultative body to
polo
study Philippine problems and propose solutions to
(4) allowed secular priests to be assigned to vacant
them.
parishes or seminaries and created an office which would prevent abuses by members of the regular religious orders (5) reformed the Royal Audiencia to bring about speedier administration of justice.
Source: https://dimasalanglaonglaan.wordpress.com/philippines-in-the-19th-century/
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Rafael de Izquierdo (1871-1873), the Cavite Mutiny of 1872 and the Execution of GomBurZa (February 17, 1872) Monarchy was restored in Spain (Prince Amadeo of Savoy, son of Victor Emmanuel I) ascended the throne in 1870. April 4, 1871: Isquierdo became the governor-general; “with crucifix in one hand and a sword in the other” restored press censorship (b) prohibited all talk on political matters and secularization of the parishes (c) disapproved the establishment of arts and trades in Manila (d) dismissed natives and mestizos in the civil and military service.
→Cavite Mutiny (January 20, 1872) About 200 Filipino soldiers and workers in Fort San Felipe mutinied, under the leadership of Sgt La Madrid; caused by Izquierdo’s abolition of the exemption of the Filipino workers from polo and paying tributes; mutineers were able to kill the fort commander and some soldiers; mutiny leaders and participants were arrested and shot to death
→GomBurZa (fought for the Filipinization of parishes and champions of liberalism and humanitarianism)
They were charged of sedition and rebellion due to the false testimony of Francisco Zaldua (former Bicolano soldier and was bribed by the Spanish prosecutors to implicate them as the masterminds of the mutiny). Military Court: three priests guilty and sentenced them to die by garrote.
Originally, Rizal’s plan was to take up priesthood and become a Jesuit father. When he heard of the martyrdom of GomBurZa, he changed his mind and swore to dedicate his life to vindicate the victims of Spanish oppression.
Source: https://dimasalanglaonglaan.wordpress.com/philippines-in-the-19th-century/
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F A C T S
A B O U T
R I Z A L
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Source: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jose-Rizal
Facts about Dr. José Rizal
In 1887 Rizal published his first novel, Noli me tangere
José
Alonso
Philippine reform movement. He published an annotated
Realonda also known as Dr. Jose Rizal was
edition (1890; reprinted 1958) of Antonio Morga’s
born on June 19, 1861 at Calamba, Laguna. He
Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, hoping to show that the
was executed and died in Bagumbayan, now
native people of the Philippines had a long history
called Luneta, in Manila on December 30,
before the coming of the Spaniards. He became the
Protasio
Rizal
Mercado
y
1896. Jose Rizal was a patriot, physician, and man of letters who was an inspiration to the Philippine nationalist movement. The son of a prosperous landowner, Rizal was educated in Manila and at the University of Madrid. A brilliant medical student, he soon committed himself to the reform of Spanish rule in his home country, though he never
(The Social Cancer), a passionate exposure of the evils of Spanish
rule
in
the
Philippines.
A
sequel,
El
filibusterismo (1891; The Reign of Greed), established his reputation as the leading spokesman of the
leader of the Propaganda Movement, contributing numerous articles to its newspaper, La Solidaridad, published
in
Barcelona.
Rizal’s
political
program
included integration of the Philippines as a province of Spain, representation in the Cortes (the Spanish parliament), the replacement of Spanish friars by Filipino priests, freedom of assembly and expression, and equality of Filipinos and Spaniards before the law.
advocated Philippine independence. Most of his writing was done in Europe, where he resided between 1882 and 1892.
Continue reading at next page >
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“Jose Rizal is everywhere yet he is nowhere.”
Facts about Dr. José Rizal
Rizal returned to the Philippines in 1892. He founded a nonviolent-reform society, the Liga Filipina, in Manila, and was deported to Dapitan in northwest Mindanao. He remained in exile for the next four years. In 1896 the Katipunan, a Filipino nationalist secret society, revolted against Spain. Although he had no connections with that organization and he had had no part in the insurrection, Rizal was arrested and tried for sedition by the military. Found guilty, he was publicly executed by a firing squad in Manila. His martyrdom convinced Filipinos that there was no alternative to independence from Spain. On the eve of his execution, while confined in Fort Santiago, Rizal wrote “Último adiós” (“Last Farewell”), a masterpiece of 19th-century Spanish verse.
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H I S
( P O E M S ,
W O R K S
N O V E L S ,
E S S A Y S )
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Works and Writings of Rizal
“The Filipinos forgot their writings, their songs, their poetry, their laws in order to learn by heart other doctrines, which they did not understand.” - JOSE RIZAL
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Messages of his Poems
To My Fellow Youth Dr. Jose Rizal composed the poem, To The
Dr. Jose Rizal shows great pride in the Filipino
Filipino Youth, to the youth of the Philippines. He
youth of his country by calling them the 'Fair
wanted the Filipino youth to use their abilities
hope of my Motherland.' He is saying that he
and skills to excel not only for their own success
believes in the talents of the youth.
but also for the success of the country. Dr. Jose Rizal wanted the Filipino youth to develop their talents and use them to help those who are in
Jose Rizal wrote the poem "My Fellow Children" to inspire the youth to use their talents and be
need.
the best they can be.
Dr. Jose Rizal expresses nationalism in his poem "To My Fellow Children", by encouraging his
He also wrote it to encourage the youth to be
Filipino
their
proud of being who they are and the first step to
language.That by endeavoring this language it
do that is to use their mother tongue or native
would show them the beauty of using it instead of
language in communicating or speaking.
peers
to
adopt
Tagalog
as
other languages.
Reference: prezi.com. 2021. To my fellow children. [online] Available at: <https://prezi.com/iixldjicc0iu/to-myfellow-children/> [Accessed 25 April 2021]. Image source: Knightsofrizal.org. 2021. knightsofrizal.org. [online] Available at: <http://www.knightsofrizal.org/html/rizal.html> [Accessed 25 April 2021].
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The poem “To the Filipino Youth” by Dr. Jose Rizal is a message primarily to tell the importance of the youth and their capability to shape the future of our Motherland.
Dr.
Jose
Rizal
also
expresses his optimism despite the turmoil our country was in during his time
In
the
poem,
Rizal
praised
the
rising
generation. This poem can be considered as Rizal’s first testimony and presentation of
A La Juventud Filipina
his nationalism. In this literary piece, he clearly referred to the Philippines as his home/motherland, where Rizal thought of the youth as they key to nation-building
The message this poem tries to convey, “To the Filipino Youth” is holding a very strong one; strong enough to persuade/induce those who are to be
Dr. Jose Rizal composed the poem “To the
persuaded/induced, the Filipino youth. As one of
Filipino Youth,” dedicating to the youth of
those individuals, I could really feel the nationalistic
the Philippines. He wanted the Filipino
courage within me glow brighter the moment I
youth to use their capabilities, talents and
finished reading the poem. It was telling me that I am
skills to stand out not only for their own
one of the existing hopes of our country and that
praise and success but also for the praise
through my skills, abilities, expertise and knowledge, I
and success of their own motherland, the
am
Philippines. Dr. Jose Rizal wanted the
oppressive forces that may try to oppress its land and
Filipino youth to build up their abilities and
its people. Moreover, it was telling me that I, along
use them to help those who are in need. Also,
with my fellow youth, am responsible for preserving
Dr. Jose Rizal challenged the youth through
the Philippines as a nation for me and the rest of the
this poem to refine and nurture their talents
Filipinos, and not for the foreigners.
capable
of
protecting
its
freedom
against
in the arts, to invigorate and reinforce their knowledge of the sciences, and to look forward
and
continue
their
chain
of
servitude.
Reference: Sites.google.com. 2021. eRuminate - Filipino Youth - Ideal and Ordeal. [online] Available at: <https://sites.google.com/view/eruminate/ideas/filipino-youth-ideal-and-ordeal> [Accessed 30 April 2021]. Image source: Eagle News. 2021. Rizal and the Youth of Today. [online] Available at: <https://www.eaglenews.ph/rizal-and-the-youth-of-today/> [Accessed 30 April 2021].
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My Retreat
In this poem, Rizal describes his exile in Dapitan where, from 1892 to 1896, he lived an unexciting but fruitful life. Even in his exile, Rizal proved that life can still be abundant and full of achievements. He lived as a merchant and a farmer and built three houses made from bamboo, wood
“I shall tell you how we lived here. I have three housesone square, another hexagonal, and the third octagonal.” This is part of his letter to Blumentritt on December 19, 1893 about his peaceful life in Dapitan and the following is his poem.
and nipa. Interestingly, his houses were of varied geometrical shapes. .
Reference: JoseRizal.com. 2021. JoseRizal.com – My Retreat. [online] Available at: <https://www.joserizal.com/my-retreat/> [Accessed 27 April 2021]. Image source: JoseRizal.com. 2021. JoseRizal.com – My Retreat. [online] Available at: <https://www.joserizal.com/my-retreat/> [Accessed 27 April 2021].
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Mi último adiós The most famous of the poems of Rizal. His last one, a masterpiece, written on the eve of his execution. Originally, the poem was without a title and was not signed. The title was given by Father Mario Dacanay, a Filipino priest-patriot.
After being associated with the Katipuneros, Rizal was arrested and later sentenced to death by firing squad for acts of sedition and rebellion. During his final days in Fort Santiago of Manila, Rizal bid farewell to his motherland and countrymen through letters. Mi último
Some historical accounts say he wrote it on the
adiós or My Last Farewell is one of the few last works
eve before his execution, while others claim that
that Rizal wrote.
he wrote the poem a few days before his death in Manila on December 30, 1896. But, because there was no title ascribed to this poem, his good friend and fellow reformist Mariano Ponce came up with the title
Reference: Slideshare.net. 2021. Poems of Rizal. [online] Available at: <https://www.slideshare.net/MeannMolar1993/poems-of-rizal> [Accessed 24 April 2021]. Image source: lifeisacelebration. 2021. #20 DAY TRIP TO SEGOVIA. [online] Available at: <https://lifeisacelebration.blog/20> [Accessed 25 April 2021].
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Concepts of his Novels
Noli Me Tangere “Noli Me Tangere,” the first novel was written by the Philippines ’ national hero Jose Rizal, mirrors its creator’s persistence in attaining freedom from the Spaniards. True enough, as Rizal aimed to redeem the country and its people by exposing the barbarity, greed, cruelty,
and
ignorance
of
the
Spanish
colonizers, his work reflected the struggles of the Tagalogs — being the first to project such a bold account of living in the 1800s in the Philippines. Likewise, as “Noli Me Tangere” portrays the different aspects of gaining independence, Jose Rizal focuses on social climbers, abusive power, family devotion, self sacrifice, and purity and faithfulness.
“None of the most sought-after books in Philippine literature until today, is Rizal’s famous novel titled Noli Me Tángere (Touch Me Not). Driven by his undying love for his country, Rizal wrote the novel to expose the ills of
Philippine
society
during
the
Spanish
colonial era. At the time, the Spaniards prohibited the Filipinos from reading the controversial book because of the unlawful acts depicted in the novel. Yet they were not able to ban it completely and as more Filipinos read the book, it opened their eyes to the truth that they were being manhandled by the friars. In this revolutionary book, you’ll learn the story of Crisostomo Ibarra, how he dealt with Spanish authorities, and how he prepared for his revenge, as told in Rizal’s second book, El Filibusterismo.
Reference: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/philippines/articles/the-8-most-important-literary-works-by-joserizal/ Image source: Google. (n.d.). Noli Me Tangere first edition copy to be auctioned off. Retrieved April25, 2021, from https://www.wikihow.com/Cite-Google-Images
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El Filibusterismo This sequel to "Forms of Consciousness in Noli me
Rizal's second novel, El Filibusterismo (The
tangere" turns to El Filibusterismo. The article shows
Revolution), was published in 1891. The Fili
that Rizal's new conception of Philippine society as a
speculates on the likelihood and outcome of a
racial "pyramid," pitting indios against chinos and
revolution against the Spaniards. Rizal's views
Spaniards, produced an anti-Chinese racism absent in
enraged
the Noli. It also shows Rizal's difficulties in coping with
authorities.
the Philippines' ethnolinguistic variety. A further
confiscated and male members of the family
section considers the reasons for the surprising
were deported to the island of Mindoro, and
poverty of the Fill's political vocabulary. Finally,
Rizal himself was exiled to Dapitan, Mindanao,
attention is focused on Rizal's problems in locating a
from 1892 to 1896. Accused of inciting
linguistic vehicle for effective communication among
Filipinos to revolt in 1896, Rizal was found
his countrymen. The Fili goes beyond the Noli's
guilty of sedition and executed by firing squad
Spanish-Tagalog binary to introduce a hybrid, urban
on December 30, 1896. He was just 35.
the
Spanish His
friars
parents'
and
colonial
property
was
lingua franca.
Reference: https://www.globalasia.org/v6no1/book/on-eurocentrism-and-laziness-the-thought-of-jose-rizal_syed-farid-alatas Slideshare.net.2021.Poems of Rizal. [online] Available at: <https://www.slideshare.net/MeannMolar1993/poems-of-rizal> [Accessed 24 April 2021]. Image
source:
Leah,
C.
2015.
El
Filibusterismo:
In
a
Nutshell
.
Retrive
https://leahcabungcag.wordpress.com/2015/02/08/el-filibusterismo-in-a-nutshell/
April
25,2021,
from
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Ideologies on his Essays
To the Young Women of Malolos Jose Rizal’s legacy to Filipino women is embodied in his famous essay entitled, “To the Young Women of Malolos”, where he discusses all sorts of women – mothers, sisters, single women, etc. – and shares what he wants them to remember. Rizal wrote this while in London in response to a letter from Marcelo H. del Pilar. The below are the main points in this letter: 1. The denial of the friars' divine power – not all priests in the nation at the time reflected the real spirit of Christ and His Church. The majority of them had been influenced by earthly impulses and used worldly tactics to achieve reform and enforce
3. Qualities Filipino mothers should have – As shown by this section of his letter, Rizal is deeply concerned about the health of Filipino children and the homes in which they grow up. 4. Filipino mothers' duties and responsibility to their children. 5. A wife's duties and obligations to her husband – Filipino women are considered to be submissive, gentle, and caring. In this section of his letter, Rizal discusses how Filipino women should behave as wives in order to protect the race's identity. 6. Advice to young people on selecting a lifetime partner MESSAGE FROM RIZAL TO FILIPINO WOMEN Jose Rizal was deeply inspired by the military spirit shown by the young people of Malolos. He shows great joy and satisfaction in his letter about the war they had waged. In this section of Rizal's letter, it is clear that his ultimate goal was for women to be given the same educational opportunities as men. Young girls were not sent to school back then because it was widely assumed that they would soon be taken as wives and remain at home with the children. Rizal, on the other hand, stresses the importance of freedom of speech and the right to an education for both boys and girls. Mother’s responsibilities to their children, in this section of his letter to the young people of Malolos, Rizal makes some important points. However, the central idea here is that whatever a mother teaches her children is what the children will become as well. If the mother is always kissing the friars' hands in submission, her children will grow up to be sycophants and mindless idiots who do nothing but do what they are ordered, even if the duty itself violates their rights as individuals.
order on the people. 2. The Personal Judgement Protection https://kwentongebabuhayrizal.blogspot.com/2013/07/to-young-women-of-malolos-full-copy.html
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In recent years, it seems that these characteristics are steadily fading in the way Filipino women handle themselves. There are occasions when mothers neglect their responsibilities in raising their children because they are preoccupied with earning money for the family to support their husband's income. While there is nothing wrong with working hard for the good of one's family, there must always be a balance in one's life. Failure at home cannot be paid for by money or celebrity.
Indolence of the Filipinos La Indolencia de Los Filipinos, also known as “The Indolence of the Filipinos” in English, is an exploratory essay written by Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal. The Indolence of the Filipinos is a study of the causes why the people did not work hard during the Spanish rule, as was previously said. Rizal said that the Filipinos were industrious and hardworking even before the arrival of the Spaniards. Because of the following factors, the Spanish reign resulted in a downturn in economic activity: First, the foundation of the Galleon Trade severed the Philippines' former relations with other Asian and Middle Eastern countries. As a result, all business with Spain was done via Mexico. As a result, the small enterprises and handicraft industries that thrived during the pre-Spanish era steadily faded away. Second, the introduction of forced labour in Spain extinguished the natives' enjoyment of work.
Because of the wars between Spain and other European countries, as well as the Muslims in Mindanao, Filipinos were forced to work in shipyards, bridges, and other public works projects, abandoning agriculture, manufacturing, and trade. Third, Spain failed to defend its citizens from foreign invaders and pirates. The natives were slaughtered, their homes were burnt, and their territories were ravaged because they lacked the ability to protect themselves. As a result, the Filipinos were forced to become nomads, lost faith in farming their lands or restoring the shut-down factories, and essentially became submissive to God's mercy. Fourth, it was a shady educational scheme, if it should be called that. What was learned in schools is repeated prayers and other items that students should not use to lead the country forward. There were no agricultural, industrial, or other courses, which the Philippines desperately required at the time. Fifth, the Spanish rulers set a poor precedent of their dislike of manual labour. The officials arrived at work at noon and left early, doing little in accordance with their responsibilities. The women were continually accompanied by servants who dressed and fanned them – private tasks that they should have done for themselves. Sixth, gambling was developed and widely spread throughout that time period. There were cockfights almost every day, and on feast days, government officials and friars were the first to get involved in all kinds of bets and gambles. Seventh, there was a corrupt religious culture. The friars advised the naive Filipinos that it was better for a poor man to reach heaven, so they chose not to serve and remained poor in order to comfortably enter heaven after they died. Lastly, expenses were exceedingly high, such that a large part of their earnings went to the government or the friars. They were relegated to inaction as the product of their work was removed and they were abused.
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E-STORYA MAGAZINE | 23
Rizal acknowledged that the Filipinos did not labor as hard because they had learned to adapt to the humid, tropical environment. “An hour's work under the blazing light, in the midst of pernicious forces
springing
from
nature
in
action,
is
Philippines a Century Hence “History does not record in its annals any lasting domination by one
equivalent to a day's labour in a temperate
people over another, of different races, of diverse usages and
climate.” Depending on the definitions used, other
customs, of opposite and divergent ideas. One of the two had to yield and succumb.”
countries could be labeled as indolent as well as
(Rizal, Philippines a Century Hence)
the Philippines. Man cannot work without resting, and if doing so is called lazy, we might conclude that all men are indolent.One cannot blame a country for losing its will to continue building its base on the backs of its citizens, particularly when the fruits of their labor do not even reach their lips. We are doomed to tire after a while if we spend our entire lives worshiping such a barbaric and inhumane society, imposed on us by aliens who do not even know our motherland. We are not idiots, nor are we puppets who merely do what we are told – we are human beings who are driven by our will to achieve our goals and strive for the survival of our race. Who can blame us if we become sedentary when this essential part of our life is denied to us?
The Philippines a Century Ago, also known as Filipinas dentro de cien aos, is an essay written to predict the country's future in a hundred years. It supplements Rizal's two brilliant novels "Noli Me Tangere" and "El Filibusterismo," which were published in Madrid's La Solidaridad from September 30, 1889 to February 1, 1890. Charles E. Derbyshire, who also translated Noli Me Tangere, El Filibusterismo, and Mi Ultimo Adios, was responsible for the English translation. Rizal's motives for writing this article may be many. It may be establishing terror in the new Spanish dictatorship in order for them to flee to another country, expressing sorrow and failure, because even if Spain relinquishes control of the Philippines, other countries around the world will be able to seize it. Rizal was giving the Filipinos optimism that, sooner or later, a great nation would liberate them from Spain's oppressive rule. The essay is divided into four parts, each of which addresses a different topic and dilemma:
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E-STORYA MAGAZINE | 24
Part I
annihilation of Philippine indigenous culture.As a
"In order to read the destiny of a people, it is necessary
result, Filipinos began to lose faith in their history
to open the book of its past."
and tradition, to be skeptical of their current
This is why Rizal conducted a serious study rather
lifestyle, and to lose trust in the future and the
than making a prediction of what will happen in a
survival of their race.
hundred years. Rizal simply studied the current
3.Passivity and submission to Spanish colonizers
and previous state of our beloved Motherland, and
– The Spanish friars were one of the most
then “predicted” our future.
important factors in influencing a tradition of
This part also discusses the impacts of Spanish
secrecy among the natives. The Filipinos learnt to
colonization, which can be divided into three
bow to the will of foreigners as a result of the use
categories:
of aggression.
1. As a result of Spain's military policies – as a
But Rizal said, eventually the Filipinos will start to
result of those laws – poverty became more
realize the oppression of the colonizers. Rizal
widespread than ever before, and farmlands were
presented few questions and what the future holds
left to wither. The family as a social entity was
if ever the Spanish colonizer still have the ties
underestimated, and the Filipino's overall quality
around the necks of the Filipino citizens.
of life was hampered. 2.Degradation
and
extinction
of
Filipino
indigenous culture – when Spain arrived with the sword and the cross, it started the slow
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E-STORYA MAGAZINE | 25
Part II The advent of an enlightened class is also stated by Rizal. For those who saw the Spanish as protectors at first but then learned they were exploiters and executioners, enlightenment would be quickened and distributed. People are beginning to arise, and if the government does not respond, a revolt will take place. Rizal offered a few options and consequences in order to keep the Spanish Authority. The choices are as follows: A. Filipino representative for the Cortes and an authorized to cry out against all kinds of abuses, and B. To be able to exercise their civil rights. With these two options, Rizal assumed that the outcomes of all of this would be the Philippines will remain under Spanish colonial rule, but with more law and freedom, and they will declare independence. But what the Spanish government actually wants is to stop the Philippines from progressing. Rizal, being generous, even raised a few possible consequences if it happens: ·Brutalization of the masses into a governmentdependent caste. ·The country's impoverishment ·Extermination of the population over time The subsequent events demonstrate that Rizal only desired freedom from Spaniards, not complete separation. We can see his desire to bring independence to our country by peaceful talks with the Spanish government in Spain in his essay. Part III In this part, if the Philippines remain under Spanish rule, political change will occur, which will have an effect on the population. In this situation, several governors have attempted to enact necessary legislation. Such changes include the importance of press freedom in order for citizens to express their grievances and ideas for the country's reformation.
This will also allow you to stay in contact with public opinion. However, the Spanish government's explanations for injustice and why they would not risk placing Filipino delegates in the Spanish Cortes were also addressed. They did so because they claim the following about Filipinos: 1. Demonstrate your unruliness 2. Becoming political trimmers OR 3. Inability to behave appropriately. Later in the article, Rizal criticizes various facets of Spanish leadership. Part IV This part is possibly best described by this paragraph: “The existence of a foreign body within another endowed with strength and activity is contrary to all natural and ethical laws. Science teaches us that it is either assimilated, destroys the organism, is eliminated or becomes encysted." He also noted that the accumulation of acts of oppression would gradually change and increase their ethical character, indicating that the plan to keep the people ignorant, starving, and exterminated had failed. It demonstrates that eradicating the Filipino population is futile. Rizal also emphasizes the Philippines being colonized by other foreign countries which America and Japan included. Rizal concluded the essay by addressing a letter to the Spanish people.
E-STORYA MAGAZINE | 26 https://www.slideshare.net/enelrahcOnallim/the-philippines-a-century-hence-powerpoint-presentation
" Spain, must we some day tell Filipinas that thou hast no ear for her woes and that if she wishes to be saved must redeem herself?"
Philippines a Century Hence, as a result, the essay's significance today is that Rizal's vision comes true. In a war with Spain in 1898, the Americans captured the Philippines, and they finally gained control of the area. Theirs was a democratic and libertarian reign. The Philippines finally got their long-awaited independence five decades after Rizal's death.
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H I S
O T H E R
W O R K S
E-STORYA MAGAZINE | 28
Makamisa Makamisa ´ “After Mass” or “after having said Mass” ´ Third unfinished novel of Dr. Jose Rizal written in Tagalog but later continued in Spanish ´ It was acquired from the heirs of Mariano Ponce before the Second World War ´ The National Library mistook the Spanish version to be the manuscript of Rizal’s first novel Noli me Tangere ´ It was thought to be the Borrador(Draft) of Noli me tangere ´ The manuscript was unsigned, untitled, and undated but Rizal’s family confirmed that it was his through his penmanship
Makamisa ´ The novel has only one chapter. It runs for only ten pages and is hand-written in the old
orthographic
written
in
a
ancillary
different
glyphs.
language,
Although its
style,
characterization and setting mirror those of Rizal's two previous novel, which he wrote in Spanish. ´ Rizal wrote the borrador while on the ship Melbourne en route to Hong Kong from Marseilles in October 1891, or in Hong Kong itself in early 1892 ´ Letters to Blumentritt disproves the dating of some Rizal scholars, like Vicente Elio, who believe that Makamisa was written in Dapitan in 1894. ´ He was stung by Marcelo H. del Pilar’s honest opinion of El Filibusterismo, because of the criticism, Rizal vowed to write the third novel.
Reference: https://www.globalasia.org/v6no1/book/on-eurocentrism-and-laziness-the-thought-of-jose-rizal_syedfarid-alatas
Image source:
Amazon.com. 2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.amazon.com/Makamisa-
Search-Rizals-Third-Novel/dp/9712721396> [Accessed 25 April 2021].
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Page 31
Felicitation My First Inspiration
Most likely, “Mi Primera Inspiracion” was the first poem Jose Rizal had written during his stint at
The poem “Felicitation” was written by the hero in 1875 during his schooling in the Ateneo de Municipal. The 14-year old Rizal wrote this poem to congratulate his brotherin-law, Antonio Lopez, husband of his sister Narcisa.
Ateneo. This poem was written in honor of his mother’s birthday as suggested by the terms “perfume of the flowers”, “the songs of the birds”, “feast your day of bloom” and “festive day”. Jose Rizal’s poetic verses show his eternal love and appreciation for his mother. This was somewhat his way of paying tribute to all the efforts for him of her dear mother.
Reference: Slideshare.net. 2021. Poems of Rizal. [online] <https://www.slideshare.net/MeannMolar1993/poems-of-rizal> [Accessed 24 April 2021].
Available
at:
Image source: JoseRizal.com. 2021. JoseRizal.com – Felicitation (English Translation). [online] Available at: <https://www.joserizal.com/felicitation-english-translation/> [Accessed 25 April 2021].
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Education Gives Luster To The Motherland Education Gives Luster To The Motherland (Por
Intimate Alliance Between Religion and Good Education
La Educacion Recibe Lustre La Patria, 1876) Our national hero, despite his young age, had expressed high regard for education. He believed in the significant role education plays in the
Intimate Alliance Between Religion and Good
progress and welfare of a nation as evident in his
Education (Alianza Intima Entre La Religion Y La
poem
Buena Educacion, 1876)
“Education
Gives
Luster
to
the
Motherland”.
Jose Rizal believed that religion and good education go together. Believing that there is a
Rizal believed that education gives knowledge,
strong relationship between academics and faith,
knowledge gives wisdom, and that great wisdom
he wrote the poem “Intimate Alliance between
benefits everyone. Considering that education is
religion and good education” at the age of fifteen
a vehicle for a country’s prosperity and success,
while he was in Ateneo.
he encouraged the Filipinos through the poem to
The poem he wrote to shows the important
acquire education for them to be able to fulfill
relationship between religion and education.
their dreams and to improve their motherland.
During the summer of April 1876, before entering
His high regards for education was manifested in
his fifth year in Ateneo Municipal in June, Jose
his determination to seek the best education
Rizal previous to turning fifteen wrote this poem
possible even across the shores of his country.
along with Por La Educación Recibe Lustre La Patria.
Reference: prezi.com. 2021. To my fellow children. [online] Available at: <https://prezi.com/iixldjicc0iu/to-myfellow-children/> [Accessed 25 April 2021]. Image source: prezi.com. 2021. The Intimate Alliance Between Religion and Good Education. [online] Available at: <https://prezi.com/lfw7xx1jdg_2/the-intimate-alliance-between-religion-and-goodeducation/> [Accessed 25 April 2021].
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The Heroism of Columbus
Columbus and John II (Colon y Juan II)
The Heroism of Columbus (El Heroismo De Colon, 1877) Jose Rizal wrote this epic poem in December 1877 during his academic years in Ateneo Municipal
de
Manila.
This
poem
praises
Columbus, the discoverer of America.
This poem relates how King John II of Portugal missed fame and riches by his failure to finance the projected expedition of Columbus to the new world.
This poem praises Columbus for his adventurous spirit and his success as an explorer. Colon y Juan II “Columbus and John II” This poem relates how the King of Portugal, John II missed fame and riches by his failure to finance the expedition of Columbus to the New World. Gran Consuelo en la Mayor Desdicha “A Farewell Dialogue by the Students” This is a virtual farewell poem of Rizal written during his last days in Ateneo.
Reference: Slideshare.net. 2021. Poems of Rizal. [online] <https://www.slideshare.net/MeannMolar1993/poems-of-rizal> [Accessed 24 April 2021].
Available
at:
Image source: prezi.com. 2021. The Intimate Alliance Between Religion and Good Education. [online] Available at: <https://prezi.com/lfw7xx1jdg_2/the-intimate-alliance-between-religionand-good-education/> [Accessed 25 April 2021].
E-STORYA MAGAZINE | 32
Page 31
Love of Country Rizal wrote his essay when he was already in Spain, June 1882. He wrote his essay when he was 21 years old. His essay appeared
in
the
newspaper
The Embarkation, A Hymn to Ferdinand Magellan’s Fleet
Diariong
Tagalog Manila in August 1882. In it, he talks of “Love of Country” which “is never effaced once it has penetrated the heart because it carries with it a divine stamp;” that it is “the most powerful force behind the most sublime actions” and for that reason, love of country “of all loves…is
Rizal wrote this poem while he was a boarding student at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila. It was believed to have been his first poem that had the honor of being read in a public program held at that school. “Hymn to Magellan’s
fleet”
talked
about
the
departure
of
Ferdinand Magellan, the first man to colonize the Philippines.
the greatest, the most heroic and the most disinterested.” He speaks of the Motherland for whom “some have sacrificed their youth, their pleasures…others their blood; all have died bequeathing to their Motherland…Liberty and glory. Reference: Slideshare.net. 2021. Poems of Rizal. [online] Available <https://www.slideshare.net/MeannMolar1993/poems-of-rizal> [Accessed 24 April 2021]. Image source: Alas, P. and Alas, P., 2021. December 5, 2019 – EL FILIPINISMO. [online] EL FILIPINISMO. Available at: <https://pepealas.wordpress.com/2019/12/05/> [Accessed 25 April 2021].
at:
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Education Gives Luster To The Motherland
In this poem “Education Gives Luster to Motherland”, Jose Rizal extols the citizenry to strive towards education in order to give glory to the country. Jose Rizal loved his Motherland. Even at a very young age, he cultivated an intense affection towards his country and his people. In this English translation of the Spanish original Por La Educación (Recibe Lustre La Patria), Rizal extols the citizenry to strive towards education in order to give glory to the country.
Reference: Slideshare.net. 2021. Poems of Rizal. [online] Available <https://www.slideshare.net/MeannMolar1993/poems-of-rizal> [Accessed 24 April 2021].
at:
Image Source: JoseRizal.com. 2021. JoseRizal.com – Education Gives Luster to Motherland. [online] Available at: <https://www.joserizal.com/education-gives-lusterto-motherland/> [Accessed 25 April 2021].
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To Miss C.O. y R., 1883
Goodbye to Leonor, 1882
Jose Rizal, though not really a handsome man in today’s perspective, attracted ladies easily. Perhaps
Leonor was only 13 years of age when she
his exceptional talents and charisma made him
first met Jose Rizal. Due to the strong
attractive to women. Furthermore, his gift of poetry
disapproval of Leonor’s parents of their love
made him even more likable. He composed a poem
affair, they kept in touch by sending letters
entitled “To Miss C.O. y R” to express his admiration
and photographs to each other. This poem
to Consuelo Ortiga y Perez, the beautiful daughter
was the one Rizal wrote for Leonor as he left
of Don Pablo Ortiga y Rey. Nevertheless, he did not
for Spain in 1882.
pursue his feelings for her due to the fact that he was still engaged to Leonor Rivera then and his friend, Eduardo de Lete, had serious feelings for Consuelo.
Reference: Slideshare.net. 2021. Poems of Rizal. [online] Available <https://www.slideshare.net/MeannMolar1993/poems-of-rizal> [Accessed 24 April 2021].
at:
Image source: Facebook.com. 2021. Dr. José Rizal. [online] Available at: <https://www.facebook.com/101272031813636/posts/goodbye-to-leonor-this-literary-piece-gives-aninsight-into-the-romantic-relatio/101407378466768/> [Accessed 25 April 2021].
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Hymn To Labor
They Ask Me for Verses (Me Piden Versos, October 1882)
Hymn To Labor, 1888 Jose Rizal wrote the poem “Himno Al Trabajo” before he left Calamba in 1888. This poem was in response to the request of his friends from Lipa, Batangas. They wanted a hymn to commemorate the elevation of Lipa from a town to a city in January 1888. Dedicated to the industrious folks of
Lipa,
the
conversations
poem of
men,
consisted wives,
of
lyrical
maidens
and
children. The poem is composed of four conversational verses
as
reflections
of
the
duties
and
responsibilities of the members of the society ranging from the men’s work, wives’ dedication, and maidens’ allure down to the children’s
Me Piden Versos (They Ask Me For Verses)- upon the request of the members of this society, Rizal wrote this poem which he personally declaimed during the New Year’s Eve reception of the Madrid Filipinos held in the evening of December 31, 1882 • In this sad poem, Rizal poured out the cry of his agonizing heart • Rizal economized on his living expenses, and with the money he saved, he purchased books from a secondhand book store owned by a certain Señor Roses • Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin and Eugene Sue’s The Wandering Jew- these two books aroused Rizal’s sympathy for the oppressed and unfortunate people.
eagerness to grow.
Reference: Slideshare.net. 2021. Poems of Rizal. [online] Available at: <https://www.slideshare.net/MeannMolar1993/poems-of-rizal> [Accessed 24 April 2021]. Image source: JoseRizal.com. 2021. JoseRizal.com – Hymn To Labor. [online] Available at: <https://www.joserizal.com/hymn-to-labor/> [Accessed 25 April 2021].
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To the Virgin Mary Al Niño Jesus “To the Virgin Mary” › was
Al Niño Jesus was composed by Dr. Jose Rizal
written during Rizal's academic
during his stay in Ateneo de Municipal in 1875
stay
when he was just 14 years of age. He wrote this
in
Ateneo
Municipal
de
Manila on 3 December.
short poem with eight verses only, influenced by the Spanish standard of poetry. It is also classified
This undated poem was another religious writing Jose Rizal wrote in praise of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ.
as an Octave Real. This poem is known as one of the two religious poems Rizal wrote. When Rizal was a student at the. Ateneo Municipal de Manila showed a predilec¬tion for historical subjects for his poetic compositions. The following was one of them, bearing the date, 5 December 1875. These poems were written through the encouragement of Fr. Sanchez.
Reference: Slideshare.net. 2021. Poems of Rizal. [online] <https://www.slideshare.net/MeannMolar1993/poems-of-rizal> [Accessed 24 April 2021].
Available
at:
Image source: Facebook.com. 2021. Panitikang Pilipino. [online] Available at: <https://www.facebook.com/PanitikanNgPilipinas/posts/1661791123846922/> [Accessed 26 April 2021].
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A Poem That Has No Title
Rizal opens the poem in thanksgiving. The entire
Rizal here says that God allowed him to be born
poem is generally about God and is speaking in the
into an honorable and respectable family, and
second person to God. However, it is important to
into a country that had no limit (which could
observe the order in which these verses are written.
refer to having limitless potential, ability,
That he begins by referring to God as the one who
greatness... or even in the more "physical" sense
soothed him in his great loss and gave him repose in
of the word, having limitless resources, beauty,
his troubles, could very well signify that the life of the
wonder). He closes the verse with the only line
hero was in fact full of pain and difficulty and that it
in the poem that expresses sadness. We see
was in these dark moments that he felt God's
here the burden that the hero continues to
presence the most.
carry in his heart - that of our nation's lack of fortune and prudence - which he, no doubt, was
Here Rizal goes back in time to the days before he was born. With artistic reference to God's power to
still
fighting
for
when
he
wrote
this
composition.
create everything out of nothing and to speak all beings into existence (Genesis), the author pictures his birth as a result of God's command for him to "Live!" He also acknowledges that his soul is "impelled to the good" and we read this with a very obvious yet tenuous sense of gratitude as well.
Reference: Slideshare.net. 2021. Poems of Rizal. [online] Available at: <https://www.slideshare.net/MeannMolar1993/poems-of-rizal> [Accessed 24 April 2021]. Image source: 2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.pexels.com/search/history/> [Accessed 26 April 2021].
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Our Mother Tongue
The Flowers of Heidelberg
Rizal wrote the original version of this poem in Tagalog when he was just eight years old. Rizal’s most famous quote, “Ang hindi magmahal sa sariling wika, daig pa ang hayop at malansang
At some points in his life, Jose Rizal stayed in
isda.” is from this poem.
Heidelberg, a city in the state of Baden-Württemberg in Germany. In 1887, the 25-year old Rizal completed his eye specialization under the renowned Prof. Otto Becker at the University of Heidelberg. In spring, flowers bloom along the banks of the Neckar River. Rizal admired particularly the light blue spring flower “forget-me-not”. These beautiful flowers made him think
of
their
flowers
in
Calamba.
Amid
his
homesickness in the spring of 1886, he came up with this nice poem which expressed prayer for the wellbeing of his native land.
Reference: Slideshare.net. 2021. Poems of Rizal. [online] Available <https://www.slideshare.net/MeannMolar1993/poems-of-rizal> [Accessed 24 April 2021].
at:
Image source: Advocacine's Blog. 2021. Flowers of Heidelberg – Advocacine's Blog. [online] Available at: <https://advocacine.wordpress.com/tag/flowers-of-heidelberg/> [Accessed 26 April 2021].
E-STORYA MAGAZINE | 39
Page 31
To Josephine Song Of Maria Clara The first stanza expresses how wonderful everything is in one’s own Native Land. The hours are sweet, everything is friendly, the breeze is vivifying, love is more tender, and even death is gratifying. In these four lines, Rizal signifies that Maria Clara’s love for her country is so great that it colors everything else
Rizal wrote this poem for Josephine Bracken, an Irish woman who went to Dapitan to have her father George Taufer (Bracken was his adopted daughter) treated for an eye problem. Rizal married her although without the Church’s blessing because Rizal did not agree to the priest’s precondition of retraction. Bracken conceived but had a stillbirth.
that she sees. It is this love that makes everything else, no matter how mundane and ordinary, more beautiful than even the most beautiful wonders elsewhere. Their beauty is not a result of their empirical nature, but of their being rooted in the territory of her country. The poem described how sweet the hours spent in a beautiful country as well as dying for the country.
Reference: Slideshare.net. 2021. Poems of Rizal. [online] Available <https://www.slideshare.net/MeannMolar1993/poems-of-rizal> [Accessed 24 April 2021].
at:
Image source: JoseRizal.com. 2021. JoseRizal.com – To Josephine. [online] Available at: <https://www.joserizal.com/to-josephine/> [Accessed 26 April 2021].
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Memories of My Town
To The Philippines Rizal as our national hero showed unselfish
In “Memories of My Town”, Jose Rizal spoke of his
love for his country by laying his own life in
childhood days in Calamba, Laguna recalling his
martyrdom
happiest memories of the place and the people.
and
awakening
people’s
patriotic fervor so that Philippines would be freed from Spanish tyranny.
In this nostalgic poem, Jose Rizal remembers his childhood days in Calamba, Laguna. Rizal had the happiest and most beautiful memories of the place, the hospitality and friendliness as well as the industry of the people of Calamba. Those memories were influential in molding his character and his values.
Reference: Slideshare.net. 2021. Poems of Rizal. [online] <https://www.slideshare.net/MeannMolar1993/poems-of-rizal> [Accessed 24 April 2021]. Image
source:
JoseRizal.com.
2021.
JoseRizal.com
–
Memories
of
<https://www.joserizal.com/memories-of-my-town/> [Accessed 26 April 2021].
My
Town.
Available
[online]
Available
at: at:
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R E N A T O C O N S T A N T I N O A N D E S T E B A N D E O C A M P O ' S T H O U G H T S I N T H E I R E S S A Y S
E-STORYA MAGAZINE | 42
AN AMERICAN-SPONSORED HERO
PART 5
Constantino
Veneration Without Understanding
also
denounced
the
Americans that lead the initiation of choosing Rizal for being a national hero because it served as a triggering devices that gives birth to different cults that recognizes Rizal as their God. And by this, we almost forget the bravery of all the other heroes of our country.
AN ESSAY WRITTEN BY:
PROF. RENATO CONSTANTINO
Our national hero was not the leader of our Revolution. In fact, he repudiated that Revolution!
AS A FILIPINO, DO WE REALLY NEED TO HONOUR RIZAL AS OUR NATIONAL HERO? Constantino believed that Dr. Jose RENATO CONSTANTINO
Filipino Historian (March 10, 1919 – September 15, 1999)
Rizal is not worthy to be assigned as our national hero because of the
INTRODUCTION In the histories of many nations, the national revolution represents a peak of achievement to which the minds of man return time and again in reverence and for a renewal of faith in freedom. For the national revolution is invariably the one period in a nation's history when the people were most united, most involved, and most decisively active in the fight for freedom. It is not to be wondered at, therefore, that almost always the leader of that revolution becomes the principal hero of his people.
following reasons: 1. He refused to take side to the revolutionary army; 2. He underestimated the power and knowledge of the mass; and 3. He never really promoted true freedom because he believed
Civil Governor W. H. Taft to the Filipino members of the civil commission: "And now gentlemen, you must have a national hero..."
Rizal was chosen by the American people to be considered as the national hero of the Philippines. Because of the following reasons: (1) he is already dead when the Americans has chosen him to be the national hero and he cannot fight back against the American army; (2) he is from the family of the Illustrados, that took side along with the Americans; (3) he was killed by
the
Spaniards
and
not
by
the
Americans; and (4) he is against a bloody revolution.
that it is just for the educated and not a national right. "From the very beginning, when I first had notice of what was being planned, I opposed it, fought it, and demonstrated its absolute impossibility... I have written also (and I repeat my words) that reforms, to be beneficial, must come from above, and those which comes from below are irregularly gained and uncertain... pitying from the bottom of my heart the unwary that have been deceived into taking part in it." - Jose Rizal on his manifesto to the Filipino people of December 15, 1896
DID YOU KNOW? "VENERATION WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING"
WAS PUBLISHED IN THE YEAR 1969
SOURCE: THEFILIPINOMIND.COM
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for it signified the recognition of racial equality between Spaniards and Filipinos.
PART 5
BLIND ADORATION
IT IS NOW TIME FOR US TO VIEW RIZAL WITH MORE RATIONALITY AND WITH MORE HISTORICITY! A proper understanding of our history is very important to us because it will serve to demonstrate how our present has been distorted by a faulty knowledge of our past.
To allow hero-worship to be uncritical and unhistorical is to distort the meaning of the heroic individual's life, and to encourage a cult bereft of historical meaning - a cult of the individual shorn of his historical significance. It is form without content, a fad that can be used for almost anything, because it is really nothing. Heroworship, therefore, must be both historical and critical.
LIMITATIONS OF RIZAL
ROLE OF HEROES
We have magnified Rizal's significance for too long. It is time to examine his limitations and profit from his weaknesses just as we have learned from the strength of his character and his virtues. His weaknesses were the weaknesses of his society. His wavering and his repudiation of mass action should be studied as a product of the society that nurtured him
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 the historical development of new social relationships, and take an active part in meeting these needs. BUT RIZAL IS NOT A HERO in the sense that he could have stopped and altered the course of events. The truth of this statement is demonstrated by the fact that the Revolution broke out despite his refusal to lead it and continued despite his condemnation of it.
History is made by men who confront the problems of social progress and try to solve them in accordance with the historical conditions of their epoch. They set their tasks in conformity with the given conditions of their times. The closer the correspondence between a man's perception of reality and reality itself, the greater the man. The deeper his commitment to the people's cause in his own time as evidence by his life and deeds.
Hence, for a deeper understanding and a more precise evaluation of Rizal as Filipino and as hero, we must examine at some length the period during which Rizal lived.
RIZAL CONTRIBUTED
THE NEGATION OF RIZAL It was a contribution not only in terms of propaganda but in something positive that the present generation of Filipinos will owe to him and for which they will honor him by completing the task which he so nobly began. He may have had a different and limited goal at the time, a goal that for us is already passed, something we take for granted. However, for his time this limited goal was already a big step in the right direction. This contribution was in the realm of Filipino nationhood - the winning of our name as a race, the recognition of our people as one, and the elevation of the Indio into Filipino.
CONCEPT OF NATIONHOOD This was a victory in the realm of consciousness, a victory in a racial sense. However, it was only a partial gain, for Rizal repudiated real de-colonization. Beguiled by the new colonizer, most Filipinos followed the example of Rizal. As a consequence, the development of the concept of national consciousness stopped short of real de-colonization and we have not yet distinguished the true Filipino from the incipient Filipino. Rizal's intellectual excellence paved the way for the winning of the name for the natives of the land. It was an unconscious struggle which led to a conscious recognition of the pejorative meaning of Indio. Thus, the winning of the term Filipino was an anti-colonial victory
Today, we need new heroes who can help us solve our pressing problems. We cannot rely on Rizal alone. We must discard the belief that we are incapable of producing the heroes of our epoch, that heroes are exceptional beings, accidents of history who stand above the masses and apart from them. The true hero is one with the masses: he does not exist above them. In fact, a whole people can be heroes given the proper motivation and articulation of their dreams.
DR. JOSE RIZAL’S IDEOLOGY STILL APPLICABLE IN OUR GENERATION? In Mr. Constantino's belief, Rizal wrote for his generation. According to him, the mission of this generation is to make Rizal’s ideas to obsolete. Some of his ideologies may not be applicable in today's time. For we have new set of problems, thus needing new solutions.
CONCLUSION Mr. Renato Constantino wrote the said article to remind all those people who idolizes Rizal so much without fully understanding his contexts during his time. The essay's purpose is for us to be censorious about Rizal’s concepts and ideas so we can be able to benefit in his extremities. Like us, Rizal is just a person; although he has done a lot of great things, he also has his flaws.
MUCH TO THE GROWTH OF THE NATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS
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WHY IS RIZAL A HERO, NAY, OUR FOREMOST NATIONAL HERO?
PART 5
Who Made Rizal Our Foremost National Hero, and Why?
As a towering figure in the Propaganda Campaign, he took an "admirable part" in that movement which roughly covered the period from 1882-1896.
OBVIOUSLY... HIS WORKS it can be seen in his poems, essays, novels especially ESTEBAN DE OCAMPO
Filipino Historian
Noli
Me
Tangere It is true that Pedro Paterno published his
AN ESSAY WRITTEN BY:
novel, Ninay, in Madrid in 1885; M. H. del
PROF. ESTEBAN DE OCAMPO
GREATEST HERO AND MARTYR OF OUR NATION
Pilar
his
La
Soberania
Monacal
in
Barcelona in 1889, Graciano Lopez Jaena,
WHAT IS MEANT BY A "HERO"?
A HERO:
A PROMINENT OR CENTRAL PERSONAGE TAKING ADMIRABLE PART IN ANY REMARKABLE ACTION OR EVENT; A PERSON OF DISTINGUISHED VALOR OR ENTERPRISE IN DANGER; AND HE IS A MAN "HONORED AFTER DEATH BY PUBLIC WORSHIP, BECAUSE OF EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE TO MANKIND"
(Defined by the Webster’s New International Dictionary of the English Language)
"The doctrines of Rizal are not for one epoch but for all epochs. They are as valid today as they were yesterday. It cannot be said that because the political ideals of Rizal have been achieved, because of the change in the institutions, the wisdom of his counsels or the value of his doctrines have ceased to be opportune. They have not." - Rafael Palma, a writer/ biographer
WHO MADE RIZAL THE FOREMOST NATIONAL HERO?
WHY IS RIZAL OUR GREATEST NATIONAL HERO?
his Discursos y Articulos Varios, also in Barcelona in 1891; & Antonio Luna, his Impresiones in Madrid in 1893, but none of these books had evoked such favorable & unfavorable comments from friends & foes alike as did Rizal’s Noli.
OPINIONS ON NOLI ME TANGERE "The book was superior" and that if "don Quixote has made its author immortal because he exposed to the world the sufferings of Spain, your Noli Me Tangere will bring you equal glory…" - Regidor, a Filipino exile "Your work, as we Germans say, has been written w/ the blood of the heart... Your work has exceeded my hopes & I consider myself happy to have been honored by your friendship. Not only I, but also your country, may feel happy for having in you a patriotic & loyal son. If you continue so, you will be to your people one of those great men who will exercise a determinative influence over the progress of their spiritual life." - Blumentritt
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PART 5
DICTATORS OF RIZAL
DEFENDERS OF RIZAL
The attacks on Rizal’s first novel were not only confined in the Philippines but were also staged in the Spanish capital. There, Sen. Vida, Deputy (& ex-general) Luis de Pando & Premier Praxedes Mateo Sagasta were among those who unjustly lambasted & criticized Rizal & his Noli in the 2 chambers of the Spanish Cortes in 1888 & 1889
However, about 13 years later, Cong. Henry Allen Cooper of Wisconsin delivered an eulogy of Rizal & even recited the martyr’s Ultimo Pensamiento on the floor of the U. S. House of Representatives in order to prove the capacity of the Filipinos for self- government. The result of this appeal was the approval of what is popularly known as the Philippine Bill of 1902.
WHY DID RIZAL, BECOME THE GREATEST FILIPINO HERO?
WHO MADE RIZAL FOREMOST HERO OF PHILIPPINES?
THE THE
NO
OR
SINGLE
PERSON
GROUPS OF PERSONS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING THE GREATEST MALAYAN THE NO. 1 HERO OF HIS PEOPLE.
RIZAL HIMSELF, HIS OWN PEOPLE, AND
THE
FOREIGNERS
ALL
TOGETHER CONTRIBUTED TO MAKE HIM
THE
GREATEST
HERO
AND
MARTYR OF HIS PEOPLE.
"HE IS A MAN HONORED AFTER DEATH BY PUBLIC WORSHIP, BECAUSE OF EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE TO MANKIND". We can say that even before his execution, Rizal was already acclaimed by both Filipinos and foreigners as the foremost leader of his people.
NO FILIPINO HAS YET BEEN BORN WHO COULD EQUAL OR SURPASS RIZAL AS A "PERSON OF DISTINGUISHED VALOR/ENTERPRISE IN DANGER, FORTITUDE IN SUFFERING."
"What is most admirable in Rizal is his complete self-denial, his complete abandonment of his personal interests to think only of those of his country. He could have been whatever he wished to be... But in him, the voice of the species was stronger than the voice of personal progress or of private fortune..." - Rafael Palma
"the most prominent man of his own people" and "the greatest man the Malayan race has produced" - Blumentritt
We have also shown during his lifetime, Rizal was already acclaimed by both Filipinos and foreigners as the foremost leader of his people & that this admiration for him has increased with the passing of time since his dramatic death on the Luneta that fateful morning of December 30, 1896.
Rizal Monument in Rizal Park (Luneta)
DID YOU KNOW? THE REVOLUTIONARY SOCIETY KNOWN AS KATIPUNAN LIKEWISE ACKNOWLEDGED RIZAL’S LEADERSHIP & GREATNESS BY MAKING HIM ITS HONORARY PRESIDENT & BY USING HIS FAMILY NAME RIZAL AS THE PASSWORD FOR THE 3RDDEGREE MEMBERS SOURCE: THELIFEANDWORKSOFRIZAL. BLOGSPOT.COM
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T H O U G H T S A B O U T R I Z A L
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THOUGHTS ON
JOSÉ RIZAL By: Randyl S. Servano and Jamaica Mae L. Pepito Jose Rizal used his awe-inspiring literary ability to inspire an entire country to liberation, and it is because of his selflessness and bravery that he is regarded as a hero. Jose Rizal travelled the globe without forgetting the Philippines; he broadened his experience and abilities in writing and medicine without forgetting the Philippines; he died with the future already on his mind; and he never forgot the Philippines. He got to his destination by knowing where he came from, and it's a conviction he's clearly kept high and tight to his heart his whole life. In my opinion, what makes him a hero is the way he selflessly dedicated himself to the well-being of his people. "Ang taong di marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan hindi makakarating sa paroroonan.” (Jose Rizal). Most Filipinos understand what this quote means, but for those who don't, it's a public declaration of a Filipino's pride in their country, pride in being part of a people brought to freedom by this one guy. He founded Pinoy Pride. I am proud to be a Pinoy because this man has gifts and used them to the best of his capacity selflessly and nonviolently for not just his dream, but for his whole world, and I believe we all have the same potential to inspire an entire country. He is a hero of mine. Jose Rizal has enumerable ideologies that still applies and mirrors the present time. One of his greatest legacies to the Filipinos is Liberalism. Liberalism is associated with Western ideology. This ideology of Rizal promotes the virtue of equality, freedom, and individual uniqueness. For Filipinos, liberalism became part of the political history of the Philippines and has partly shaped our laws, culture, tradition and way of thinking since then. It was Rizal’s liberal ideology that put him to the pantheon of great Filipino heroes. Aside from Liberalism, Rizal is an excellent example of patriotism. He decided to put promoting reforms for Philippine independence ahead of a lucrative career in medicine and personal success. He is both nationalist and a patriot because he is an advocate for great reforms during Spanish era that shows his love for our country, the Philippines. He is an author of books that has shown his principles that up to this day, people are still learning from it. It shows love for our country because he desires unity for his country without any violent actions or any revolution act towards people who are making themselves as a superior to Filipinos but uses his knowledge and virtues by writing novels, poems, and essays.
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THOUGHTS ON
JOSÉ RIZAL By: Cherry N. Tañan and Ivy Love G. Torion
Dr. Jose Rizal was known for his writings especially his two famous novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. Rizal uses his brilliant mind to fight against the Spaniard with the only weapon used his pen, through his writings he reveals the unfair and ill-treatment of the Spaniard to Indio. Through his writings, he awakens the nationalism of each Filipino to stand and fight for their rights to attain freedom and to gain control of the country. Although he was not explicitly proclaimed as our national hero. Despite the lack of any official declaration explicitly proclaiming him as a national hero, it doesn’t make him less like a hero, for all the sacrifices, goodness, and contribution he had done for all the Filipinos he deserves to be admired and revered as a national hero, and for his great roles in Philippine history. Even up to this day Dr. Jose Rizal is everywhere, he is the symbol of patriotism with his monument and shrine in schools, plazas, streets, and even in a peso coin. Even he passed away a century ago his presence and writings remain relevant today.
There is no comparison to the way Jose Rizal is honored as a national hero in the Philippines Shrines and monuments devoted to his figure can be found all over the archipelago, and his name is often associated with the city's main street or plaza. Rizal is a university subject since he has become an icon of Filipino patriotism. As eminent "Rizalistas," some historians have acquired fame and fortune. When I learned in my previous subject that there is a small community of religious believers in Mount Banahaw known as Rizalistas who believe Rizal is the true messiah, I was not surprised at all. Rizal is the most famous of the national heroes, and the best word I can think of to describe Filipinos' feelings for him is devotion. Rizal's transformation into a national hero was a legal and well-intentioned operation carried out a few decades after his cruel execution during the American period, despite the fact that he was already regarded as a top intellectual and writer in both the Philippines and Spain. It is possible that a Filipino reader may not have the patience to read his novels, but this same reader will enjoy reading his private letters or short papers. Filipinos may not be able to access the stylish elegance of his Spanish, but they may be able to engage with his rich arguments, superior critical thinking abilities, and unusual intellectual brilliance. It's a kind of meaningless nationalism and blind devotion to admire Rizal without understanding him. I can't think of a better way to honor him than to read his work and become acquainted with his impressive literature and persuasive ideas. Rizal was already a gifted writer before becoming a hero, and Rizal, like another writer, wanted to be read.
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THOUGHTS ON
JOSÉ RIZAL By: Nouran M. Usman
Dr. José Rizal never left my mind as one of the most significant Filipino heroes who rose up and defended our country against the Spanish colonization. He is indeed a product of his own time. He had valued and showed many characteristics that I found important and useful today. Some of which is to practice our human rights, the training for self-government, the arousing of spirit of discontent over oppression, brutality and inhumanity, and the patriotism as a citizen. Every action that we took even before, big or small, has a significance and an effect that will somehow reflect to our future. Rizal's credibility as a hero will never be underestimated. He may not be alive in today's generation, but his beliefs and ideologies are still present and still has a significance in our own lives. Throughout the centuries, Rizal's impact to the Philippine history is still shared, taught, and acknowledged because of his deep love to our Mother land. As for me, Rizal became my role model as to focus on my goals for the betterment of myself and for the country as well.
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E - S T O R Y A
M A G A Z I N E
“I don't see why I should bow my head when I could hold it high, or place it in the hands of my enemies when I can defeat them.” - José Rizal
“Our liberty will not be secured at the sword's point... We must secure it by making ourselves worthy of it. And when the people reaches that height, God will provide a weapon, the idols will be shattered, tyranny will crumble like a house of cards, and liberty will shine out like the first dawn.” - José Rizal
M E M B E R S : J A M A I C A M A E L . P E P I T O R A N D Y L S . S E R V A N O C H E R R Y N . T A Ñ A N I V Y L O V E G . T O R I O N N O U R A N M . U S M A N
A P R I L
2 0 2 1
I S S U E
N O .
1 0 1 0