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Rizal 1
The Life and Works of Dr. Jose P. Rizal

Welcome to the Life and Works of Jose Rizal. As mandated by

Republic Act 1425, this course covers the life and works of the country’s
national hero. Among the topics covered are the Rizal’s biography and his
writings, particularly the novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo,
some of his essays, and various correspondences.

This is the module that you will use for the subject. Included here are
the discussion of the lesson and activities that you need to comply. Ask
your parents to get a copy from the school and to bring your activity outputs
every week. If the space is not enough for your answer, use another sheet
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of paper. Attached also are the readings that serve as your supplementary
materials.

Module 1
The Rizal Law
This lesson provides a discussion on the contents of the Rizal Law and examines
the ideas and reasons why the legislation was implemented.

At the end of the module, students will be able to;

1. Explain the history of the Rizal Law and its important provisions.
2. Assess critically the effectiveness of the Rizal Course and its relevance to the
Filipinos at present.
3. Discuss the basis on the choice of Rizal as a hero.

Activity 1

Read the full text of the Rizal law and answer each of the items below.

1. What is the purpose of Senator Laurel in sponsoring the bill?

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2. Differentiate nationalism and patriotism?
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3. How would the reading of Rizal’s novels impart patriotism?

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The Rizal Law

Garcia, C. D. & Cruz, C. B. (2005) Rizal and the Development of Filipino Nationalism: A Textbook on
the life, works, and writings of our national hero.

Many Filipino students are curious why they are still required to study the life and
works of Jose Rizal in college despite having studied the biography of Jose Rizal and
his two novels in their high school years. They believe that it might just be a repetition of
the things they have learned and that it would be a waste of their time. Little did they
know that they are mandated by the law to study the life and works of Jose Rizal not
only in high school but also in college and they might not even have an idea what this
law had gone through in order to be passed and approved. On June 12, 1956,
Philippine Independence Day, the Republic Act 1425 (R.A. 1425) also known as the
Rizal Law was passed. It is an act “to include in the Curricula of All Public and Private
Schools, Colleges and Universities courses on the life, works and writings of Jose Rizal,
particularly his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. Authorizing the printing
and distribution thereof, and for other purposes”.
The following are the aims that the law seeks to accomplish;
• To rededicate the lives of the youth to the ideals of freedom and nationalism
• To pay tribute to our national hero for devoting his life and works in shaping the
Filipino characters
• To gain an inspiring source of patriotism

Other Legislation implemented

The Philippine Commission implemented three related legislations during
the enactment of Rizal Law and these were the following;
1. Act No. 137 - organization of a politico – military district and named it as a
province of Rizal
2. Act No. 243 – authorizing a public subscription for the erection of monument
in honor of Rizal at Luneta
3. Act N0. 345 – setting aside the death anniversary of Rizal as a day of
observance

Rizal as the National Hero

There is a question as to whether the Filipinos or the Americans chose Rizal as
the country’s national hero. According to Constantino in 1969, Rizal was chosen by the
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Philippine Commission of 1901, headed by William Howard Taft. He stated that Rizal
was chosen by the Americans because of three reasons;
• He was already dead when the Americans occupied the country.
• He has not written any negative attacks against the Americans.
• He became a symbol of oppression from the Spaniards.
Moreover, Agoncillo (1988) reiterated this by saying that Rizal, for the Americans,
was a symbol of assimilation. However, Guerrero in 1998 believed that Rizal was
chosen by the Filipinos as a symbol of nationalism. Filipinos chose him because he
fought peacefully and never used violence to fight for the Philippines.

Activity 2
1. Read the article written by John Schumacher entitled, The Rizal Bill of 1956: Horacio
de la Costa and the Bishops, “Philippine Studies 59 no. 4 (2011): 529-553.
2. Compare and contrast the views of those in favor and against RA 1425, considering
the context of the 1950s:

a. Comparison
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b. Contrast
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Module 2
The Nineteenth century World of Rizal

At the end of the module, students will be able to;

1. Explain the development of the world in the 19th century

2. Analyze the various social, political, economic, and cultural changes that
occurred in the Philippines in19th century as a result of Spanish colonization
3. Understand Jose Rizal in the context of the time

Activity 1
1. What term would you think when you hear the word,
nationalism? Why?
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2. What would you feel when you see the Philippine Flag?
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3. Cite three ways to show your nationalism

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The World in the 19th Century

Garcia, C. D. & Cruz, C. B. (2005) Rizal and the Development of Filipino Nationalism: A Textbook on
the life, works, and writings of our national hero.

In the 19th century, the world had experienced a lot of developments. Capino
listed six of these developments namely;
a. rise and growth of nationalism;
b. gradual spread of liberalism and democracy;
c. upsurge of western imperialism;
d. advance of science;
e. industrial revolution; and
f. optimism and confidence in progress.

Rise and Growth of nationalism

Nationalism is a modern movement. Throughout history people have been
attached to their native soil, to the traditions of their parents, and to established
territorial authorities, but it was not until the end of the 18th century that nationalism
began to be a generally recognized sentiment molding public and private life and one of
the great, if not the greatest, single determining factors of modern history. Because of
its dynamic vitality and its all-pervading character, nationalism is often thought to be
very old; sometimes it is mistakenly regarded as a permanent factor in political
behavior.
Actually, the American and French revolutions may be regarded as its first
powerful manifestations. After penetrating the new countries of Latin America, it spread
in the early 19th century to central Europe and from there, toward the middle of the
century, to eastern and South-eastern Europe. At the beginning of the 20th century,
nationalism flowered in Asia and Africa. Thus, the 19th century has been called the age
of nationalism in Europe, while the 20th century witnessed the rise and struggle of
powerful national movements throughout Asia and Africa.
The American and French Revolution resulted to the growth of nationalism.
There was a realization that there is a need to show loyalty to the nation and not to its
leaders. The idea that when a country was put to danger, its members will be united to
defend their nation.
Gradual spread of liberalism and democracy
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The growth of nationalism affected the spread of liberalism. The principal ideas –
equality and liberty, have emerged among the nations. Various expressions of freedom
was already enjoyed by the people.

Upsurge of western imperialism

Western countries competed in expanding their territories in Asia and some parts
of Africa. They continued colonizing countries influencing the culture and even
exploiting the natural resources.

Advance of science
Science was unrivalled during this century. It has brought a lot of changes in
technology. People had seen the significance of experiment and careful observation to
solve some problems of the time.
Industrial revolution
This resulted in some positive and negative effects due to the inventions of
machines. Positively, there was a rise in the factory system, improvement in the
people’s standard of living, invention of labor-saving devices, urbanization of the
society, and others.
However, it also had brought a lot of pollution, environmental problems, and it even
widens the gap between the rich and the poor.

Optimism and confidence in progress

This can be gleaned from the achievements of the people in the 19 th century.
Some of these were identified by Capino (1977) as:
 Promotion of higher education for men and women
 Extension of human rights to many people
 Education for nationalism in schools
 Investment in science
 Emergence of literature that depicted the life of the time
 Improvement of public health

(Garcia, Carlito, D, De Viana, Augusto V. & Cruz, Cynthia V. (2015) Rizal and the
Development of Filipino Nationalism: A textbook on the Life, Works, and Writings of our
National Hero. Books Atbp. Publishing Corp., Mandaluyong)

The 19th Century Philippines

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By the late 18th century, political and economic changes in Europe were finally
beginning to affect Spain and, thus, the Philippines. Important as a stimulus
to trade was the gradual elimination of the monopoly enjoyed by the galleon
to Acapulco. The last galleon arrived in Manila in 1815, and by the mid-1830s Manila

Activity 2
Prove or contradict to the following statement.
1. Nationalism was a potent force in the 19th century world of Rizal.
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2. A nationalist always give his or her loyalty to the country and not to the leader.

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was open to foreign merchants almost without restriction. The demand for Philippine
sugar and abaca (hemp) grew apace, and the volume of exports to Europe expanded
even further after the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869.
([Link]

Administrative Organization’ (Political System)

The Philippines was governed directly by the Spanish crown, thru the Minister of
Colonies. The government was unitary as policies implemented by the colonial
administration.
The head of the Spanish colonial government was the Governor-General
(Capitan Heneral, in Spanish term). He was appointed by the Spanish Monarch and
represented the crown in all political matters. .
The governor-general performs dual functions- political and ecclesiastical. His
political powers include being the chief executive head of the colony-managing the
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internal affairs of the state as well as the executor of the laws of the land. He was also
the chief of Real Audiencia or the Spanish Supreme Court in the Philippines where
cases were elevated after the failure of cases in local courts. He was also the
commanding officer of the armed forces particularly the navy and the army. His
ecclesiastical power then was to settle church matters because there was Union of
Church and State. In the 19th century Philippines then the office of the Governor-
General was the most powerful position in the land next to the King of Spain and the
Ministry of the Indies.
In the local set-up then, local government was divided into provinces, cities and
barangays. The provinces were led by the alcalde-mayor who was the executive of the
provinces. Cities were called, Ayuntamiento that were headed by a petty governor
known as the “gobernadodcillo”’. The little towns were called pueblos. During the 19 th
century the barangays were headed by a chief known as the cabeza de barangay and
they served as tax collectors of their constituents.

The Galleon Trade

([Link]

The Manila Galleons were Spanish trading ships which for two and a half
centuries linked the Philippines with Mexico across the Pacific Ocean, making one or
two round-trip voyages per year between the ports of Acapulco and Manila, which were
both part of New Spain. The name of the galleon changed to reflect the city that the ship
sailed [Link] term Manila Galleons is also used to refer to the trade route itself
between Acapulco and Manila, which lasted from 1565 to 1815.
The Manila Galleons were also known in New Spain as "La Nao de la China"
(The China Ship) on their return voyage from the Philippines because they carried
mostly Chinese goods, shipped from Manila.
The Manila Galleon trade route was inaugurated in 1565 after Augustinian friar
and navigator Andrés de Urdaneta discovered the tornaviaje or return route from the
Philippines to Mexico. The first successful round trips were made by Urdaneta and
by Alonso de Arellano that year. The route lasted until 1815 when the Mexican War of
Independence broke out. The Manila galleons sailed the Pacific for 250 years, bringing
to the Americas cargoes of luxury goods such as spices and porcelain, in exchange for
silver. The route also created a cultural exchange that shaped the identities and culture
of the countries involved.

Social Institutions
The social institution which was imposed by Spain in the Philippines was divided
into social strata to wit;
Peninsulares
Insulares
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Spanish
mestizos
Principalia
Chinese
Indios or Natives
The figure above shows the social strata which
puts the principalia (the rich and opulent class) or the peninsulares and insulares at the
apex of the triangle. The lower portion of the apex is composed of mixed races
(Spaniard, Chinese and Austronesian ancestry) including Rizal’s Family and other
propagandists are not presented in the figure. Almost 60% of the population is “indio”
which belongs to the lower class and uneducated Filipinos. Religious impositions were
very strong at that time where Filipinos are subjects under the Spanish friars. Marcelo
H. Del Pilar, known to be one of the main propagandists coined the term, “frailocracy”
which prevailed in the Philippines.
Rizal as a product of his times
Rizal was the product of his times, and he was also one of the eyewitnesses of
the execution of the triumvirate priests, Gomez, Burgos and Zamora who were executed
on February 17,1872 after the Cavity Mutiny on January 20, 1872 which was led by
Sargeant La Madrid. Rizal, being an eyewitness of the execution, reckoned his historical
thoughts in his letters as revealed by his early biographers. On the other hand some
points to be considered, to wit;

1. Divine Intervention
Rizal’s vast knowledge and social consciousness are God’s gifts to
him. As a reformer, he was well-versed in letters and language. It is a fact
that Jose Rizal possessed a lot of talents, and he used his literary and
writing ability to fight the Spanish and he used his literary and writing
ability to fight the Spanish tyranny. He believed that “the pen is mightier
than sword”.

2. Environmental Awareness
The 19th century was the Age of Enlightenment and Rizal was the
product of that of time. His environment might be one of the very reasons
why he fought the Spanish authorities as he was surrounded by several
names who became his advisers and mentors. He witnessed the
execution of the triumvirate priests (GomBurZa) at a young age of 11
which awakened his awareness of the social injustices of the Spanish
authorities. He believed that “tyranny” has no room in a free society which
he envisioned for the country.

3. Educational Factors
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Rizal became a young professional who gained his expertise in

Ateneo (as surveyor), University of Santo Tomas (as a medical student)
and in Universidad Central de Madrid (continuing his medical studies). His
expertise became in demand as a barrio doctor serving his less privileged
compatriots. His literary knowledge and observations in the Philippines
and his travels abroad were his inspirations when he wrote his two novels-
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.

4. Family Orientation
The Mercado family along with other “middle class families” was
Rizal’s first teachers. Belonging to the ilustrado class, Rizal was sent
abroad to continue his medical studies though there were some objections
from his mother. His family was his source of strength in his fight for social
justice from the evil society of that time. Paciano, his brother was his
closest adviser and supporter during his stay in Europe. Rizal’s family has
influenced him a lot in inculcating and developing nationalism in his
consciousness.
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Module 3
The Young Rizal

At the end of the module, students will be able to;

1. Describe Rizal’s ancestry, childhood, and early education
2. Evaluate the people and events and their influence on Rizal’s early life

The Mercado Clan (Family Tree)

Families during those times were big as compared to families nowadays. The
advent of birth control as well as the reproductive health law will consequently control
the population for the sake of the future of the next generation. This is one of the major
priorities of government. Geographically, the Mercado’s house then was located at the
foot of [Link] (known to be an inactive volcano). Their house was simple but
maybe elegant during those times. The house was surrounded by fruit bearing trees or
“punong kahoy” in Tagalog that are almost gone at present where only modern houses
and condominiums are visible. The Mercado family was big, comprises of their parents
and their eleven children
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Rizal’s Roots (Courtesy of Pinterest Files

The Rizal Family Genealogy

(taken from the book, Lolo Jose: An intimate and Illustrated Portrait of Jose Rizal, written by Asuncion
Lopez Bantug in 2008)

The Rizal family was one of the biggest and richest families in Calamba in their
time. They acquired their fortune through the hard work and industry of both Francisco
and Teodora. In all of Calamba, the Rizal’s were the first to erect a stone house or
“bahay na bato” which was a status symbol in 1800s. They traveled using their own
horse-drawn carriage or carruaje and had their own personal library. They had a grand
piano, a pony for each of their children, and servants whom they treated fairly. Also,
they were able to send their children to the best colleges in Manila, and fortunate
enough to purchase another stone house in Biñan. A family of 13 members, the Rizal’s
were also highly esteemed not only because they were one of the wealthiest families in
town, but more importantly for being hospitable and cultivated individuals who
participated in many important events in their community.

The family was a direct paternal descendant of a Chinese immigrant by the name
of Domingo Lam-co (Chinese name Cua Gi Lam)—the great grandfather of Fransisco
Mercado. Lam-Co came from SIonque Village, Quanzhou in Fujian province, China. At
35, he converted to Christianity and settled in Biñan, Laguna where he prospered as a
businessman and Chinese community leader. To liberate his family from the scrutinizing
eyes of the Spanish authorities, Lam-Co changed his surname to Mercado (“market”).
Later, he married the Chinese mestiza Inez de la Rosa who was the daughter of a
wealthy trader from Quanzhou. Both their son and grandson, Francisco and Juan
respectively, married Chinese mestizas and became alcalde mayores of Biñan.
On the maternal side, the Rizal’s were descended from Estanislao Manuel
Ursúa, a Chinese-Spanish-Tagalog mestizo who was a part-owner of Hacienda San
Fransisco de Malabón. His granddaughter Regina Ursúa was a known belle from a
Cavite parian who married Manuel de Quintos, a lawyer from Pangasinan. Their
offspring Brigida would late marry Capt. Lorenzo Alberto Alonso. The Alonso’s raised
five children, one of whom was Teodora. The Alonso adopted the surname Realonda
after the Claveria Decree of 1849.
The children of Francisco and Teodora were;
1. Saturnina, the eldest of the Mercado siblings, married a Batangueño named
Manuel T. Hidalgo, whom Rizal affectionately called maneng. The couple had
five children---Alfredo, Adela, Abelardo, Amelia and Augusto------of whom only
Alfredo carried the “Hidalgo” surname until the present generation.
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2. Paciano, the oldest boy in the family, although not married, had a child from
Severina Decena. The child was a girl named Emiliana.
3. Narcisa, a maestro, was the third child. She married a school teacher from
morong, Rizal named Antonio López, They had nine children--- Emilio, Angelica,
Isabel, Consuelo, Leoncio, Fransisco, Arsenio, Antonio, and Fidela. The secod
generation families carried the surname Abreu-Garcia and Argülles-López, On
the other hand, the Argülles- López family produced three generations of
Consunjis and Bantugs, and two generations of Tans.
4. Olympia, The fourth child, married a telegraph operator from Manila named
Silvestre Ubaldo. They had two children, Cesario and Aristeo. Of the two, only
Aristeo married and carried the family surname.
5. Lucía, the fifth child, married Mariano Herbosa, a fellow Calambeño. The two had
seven children named Paz, Delfina, Virginia, José, Teodocio, Patrocinio, and
Estannislao.
6. Maria, the sixth child, married Daniel Faustino Cruz who was a native of Biñan.
They had five children---- Muaricio, Petrona, Prudencio, Paz and Encarnación, ---
only two of whom married
7. Jose, the seventh child.
8. Concepcion, the eighth child died at the age of three. According to Zaide, she
was the first sorrow of Rizal.
9. Josefa, the ninth child, died at the age of 80.
10. Trinidad, the tenth child who died last. She was entrusted by Rizal with his last
poem inside the alcohol lamp.
11. Soledad, the youngest of the Mercado sibling, produced the largest number of
families. She married Pantaleon Quintero and they had five children--- Trinitario,
Amelia, Luisa, Serafin and Felix.

The Birth of Rizal

On June 19, 1861, José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda was
born in Calamba in the Philippines' Laguna Province. The delivery was difficult
due to Jose’s big head. The baby was baptized three days after by Father
Rufino Collantes with Don Pedro Casañas who stood as the godfather. The
full name of the baby was Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda.
His siblings took turns in watching over him.
Some of the family’s visitors remarked that the young Jose resembled
the picture of a Santo Niño enshrined on the stairway of the Mercado house.
Hearing the remarks, Doña Teodora was very pleased.
His family had influenced Rizal so much. Doña Teodora was Rizal’s first
teacher who taught him how to read and to pray and who had encouraged him
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to write poetry. She also read stories to Rizal. One of the stories that Rizal
never forgot was the fable, The Moth and the Flame (Jose Rizal Centennial
Commission, 1961).

Early Education at Biñan

(taken from: [Link]

When he was nine years old, his father sent him to Biñan to continue studying
Latin, because his first teacher had died. His brother Paciano took him to Biñan one
Sunday, and Jose bade his parents and sisters good-bye with tears in his eyes. Oh,
how it saddened him to leave for the first time and live far from his home and his
family! But he felt ashamed to cry and had to conceal his tears and sentiments. "O
Shame," he explained, "how many beautiful and pathetic scenes
the world would witness without thee!"

They arrived at Biñan in the evening. His brother took him to the house of his
aunt where he was to stay and left him after introducing him to the teacher. At night,
in company with his aunt’s grandson named Leandro, Jose took a walk around the
town in the light of the moon. To him the town looked extensive and rich but sad
and ugly.

His teacher in Biñan was a severe disciplinarian. His name was Justiniano
Aquino Cruz. "He was a tall man, lean and long-necked, with a sharp nose and a
body slightly bent forward. He used to wear a sinamay shirt woven by the deft
hands of Batangas women. He knew by memory the grammars of Nebrija and
Gainza. To this add a severity which, in my judgement I have made of him, which is
all I remember."

The boy Jose distinguished himself in class, and succeeded in surpassing many
of his older classmates. Some of these were so wicked that, even without reason,
they accused him before the teacher, for which, in spite of his progress, he received
many whippings and strokes from the ferule. Rare was the day when he was not
stretched on the bench for a whipping or punished with five or six blows on the
open palm. Jose’s reaction to all these punishments was one of intense resentment
in order to learn and thus carry out his father’s will.

Jose spent his leisure hours with Justiniano’s father-in-law, a master painter.
From him he took his first two sons, two nephews, and a grandson. His way life was
methodical and well regulated. He heard mass at four if there was one that early, or
studied his lesson at that hour and went to mass afterwards. Returning home, he
might look in the orchard for a mambolo fruit to eat, then he took his breakfast,
consisting generally of a plate of rice and two dried sardines.

After that he would go to class, from which he was dismissed at ten, then home
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again. He ate with his aunt and then began at ten, then home again. He ate with his
aunt and then began to study. At half past two he returned to class and left at five.
He might play for a short time with some cousins before returning home. He studied
his lessons, drew for a while, and then prayed and if there was a moon, his friends
would invite him to play in the street in company with other boys.

Whenever he remembered his town, he thought with tears in his eyes of his
beloved father, his idolized mother, and his solicitous sisters. Ah, how sweet was
his town even though not so opulent as Biñan! He grew sad and thoughtful.

While he was studying in Biñan, he returned to his hometown now and then.
How long the road seemed to him in going and how short in coming! When from
afar he descried the roof of his house, secret joy filled his breast. How he looked for
pretexts to remain longer at home! A day more seemed to him a day spent in

Activity 2

Create a timeline of Rizal’s childhood and early education.

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heaven, and how he wept, though silently and secretly, when he saw the calesa
that was flower that him Biñan! Then everything looked sad; a flower that he
touched, a stone that attracted his attention he gathered, fearful that he might not
see it again upon his return. It was a sad but delicate and quite pain that possessed
him.

Module 4
Rizal’s Life:
Higher Education
(taken from: Garcia, Carlito, D, De Viana, Augusto V. & Cruz, Cynthia V. (2015) Rizal
and the Development of Filipino Nationalism: A textbook on the Life, Works, and
Writings of our National Hero. Books Atbp. Publishing Corp., Mandaluyong)

At the end of the module, students will be able to;

1. Explain the principle of assimilation advocated by the Propaganda Movement

2. Appraise Rizal’s relationship with other propagandists
3. Analyze Rizal’s growth as a propagandist and disavowal of assimilation

Rizal at Ateneo

Rizal’s father decided not to send him at the Colegio de San Jose because of the
unhappy experience his brother Paciano had in the school. Moreover, the mere mention
of the institution made Don Fransisco remember the unjust execution of Father Burgos,
Paciano’s mentor. His father wanted to send Rizal to Letran but later on decided him to
have him enrolled at Ateneo Municipal, formerly known as Escuela Pia,. Besides,
Ateneo at that was the most prestigious college for boys owing to its great teachers.
This chapter focuses on Rizal’s formal search for knowledge as a high school student at
Ateneo Municipal.
Enrollment at Ateneo
Rizal took the entrance examination the Colegio de San Juan de Letran on June
10, 1872 (Craig, 1918). Paciano accompanied Rizal, when he took the said exam,
which covered reading, arithmetic, and Catholic doctrines. It is worth mentioning ‘at this
juncture that exams for incoming freshmen in the different colleges for boys were
administered at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran since the Dominicans exercised the
power of the inspection and regulation over Ateneo at that time (Guerrero, 1998).
After passing the qualifying examination, Rizal sought admission at the Ateneo
Municipal. At the outset, Rizal was refused entry into the institution for two reasons.
Aside from being a late registrant, he was very frail and undersized for his age (Zaide &
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Zaide, 1999). Father Magin Fernando, the college registrar, was at first very firm in
denying Rizal admission. Nonetheless, due to the intervention of Manuel Burgos, the
college registrar finally admitted the young Jose.
Jose did not use the surname Mercado when he enrolled at Ateneo. He
registered as Jose Rizal because his original surname had rung a bell to the ears of the
authorities then due to Paciano’s association with one of the leaders of the
secularization movement, Father Burgos.
The Atenean System of Education
Ateneo, at that time, offered a six year program that entitled a student to the
academic title, Bachiller en Artes. This academic program exposed students to five
learning areas, namely: Christian doctrine; Languages –Spanish, Latin, Greek, and
French; History and Geography – World History and Geography History of Spain and
the Philippines; Mathematics and Sciences –Arithmetic, geometry, trigonometry,
mineralogy, chemistry, physics, botany, and zoology; and the Classic disciplines –
poetry, rhetoric, and philosophy. Aside from the regular secondary course offered,
Ateneo offered the following vocational courses: agriculture; commerce; mechanics; and
surveying.
Compared with the other colleges, Ateneo prided itself in offering the best
secondary education for boys. This was because it trained the character of every
student through the rigid discipline and religious instruction. Students were required to
hear masses in the morning before the start of classes. Classes usually began and
ended with prayers.
To simulate the spirit of competition among the students for excellence in
academics, Atenean teachers enforced a program of dividing a class into two competing
empires: the Romans; and Carthaginians. Students who belonged to the Roman Empire
were the boarding students at Ateneo, while those at the Carthaginians Empire were
non-boarding students. Both empires had their ranks and dignitaries, namely: emperor,
the best scholar; followed by a tribune, Decurion, centurion, and the standard bearer
(Guerrero, 1998). These two empires competed as teams through questions and
answers. The hoisting and lowering of their perspective banners indicate victory and
defeat.
Rizal understood the seriousness and severity of his studies. In order to excel, he
made himself follow a daily timetable, which he rigidly observed. At the start, Rizal’s
lagged behind his classmates. But in a month’s time, he emerged as the emperor in his
class, a title given to the brightest in the class.
The method of the instruction Rizal was subjected to at Ateneo was the ratio
studiorum, a system of indoctrination under tight and constant discipline, with every
incentive of compensation and reward (Guerrero, 1998). Essentially, the
aforementioned method of indoctrination combined memory and understanding.
 19

Atenean education at that time pursued one aim –Ad majorem Dei glorian or For
the greater glory of God (Guerrero,1998). Thus, the ultimate task of Jesuit teachers
was to make lifelong Catholics. The climax of secondary course centered on the
philosophy of man as a creature of God. Student’s life was, therefore, centered on the
chapel, with membership in religious confraternities as the highest level of extra-
curricular activities.
 20

Activity 1
Read the poem, Through Education the Country Receives Light. Make a slogan on
the importance of education to help the country fight the corruption.
 21

Academic Performance at Ateneo

Rizal studied at Ateneo from 1872 to 1877. Rizal passed the oral examination on
March 14,1877. He graduated with the degree, Bachiller en Artes, with the highest
academic honors. From the foregoing scholastic records of Rizal, it is evident that he
excelled in his academic studies during the entire duration of his stay at Ateneo.
According Rizal’s academic triumph at Ateneo can be attributed to three factors,
namely: racial pride; monastic discipline; and seclusion of boarding school life.
Owing to racial jealousy, he exerted extraordinary efforts to prove his Spanish
classmates that the Filipino student can compete with them academically. The monastic
discipline of competition inside the classroom triggered in him the motivation to outdo
his classmates in the daily learning activities designed to test student’s memory and
understanding of their lessons in the various curriculum areas. Moreover, owing to the
seclusion of his boarding school life, he was able to devote more time to his studies.
Extra-curricular Activities at Ateneo
Rizal did not only devote his time to academic excellence, but he also became
actively involved in extra-curricular activities. He became a member and eventually an
officer in the religious confraternities at Ateneo –Sodality of Our Lady, and Apostleship
of Prayer. These religious confraternities were open only to students who demonstrated
the highest degree of scholarship and leadership.
He also joined the Academy of Spanish Literature and the Academy of Natural
Sciences. These two academic societies were elite organizations for students who
excelled in literature and the sciences.
In addition to membership in religious confraternities and exclusive academic
societies, Rizal honed his talent in literature. Through the guidance of Father Francisco
Paula de Sanchez, he succeeded in developing his skills in poetry writing. To develop
proficiency in Spanish, Rizal took special lessons at the Convent School of Santa
Isabel. His study of poetry resulted not only in the production of poems on religion,
education, and childhood experiences. It elevated his feelings, patriotic sentiments, and
exquisite sensitivity.
He also took time to sharpen his skills in painting lessons under Agustin Saez
and sculpture lessons under Romualdo de Jesus. As a result of the talent he had in fine
arts, Rizal was able to carve the image of the Virgin Mary and the Sacred Heart of
Jesus.
He also sustained the physical fitness training he started under his Tio Manuel. It was
thru his uncle that Rizal was able to learn gymnastics and fencing, which greatly helped
him develop his weak and frail body.
Rizal was conferred the degree of Bachiller en Artes on March 23, 1867. From
being a boy, Rizal was transformed into a mature individual –an individual basically
 22

Jesuit in form and orientation. For five years, Rizal was able to imbibe the Jesuit values
of fairness, justice, and reason (Capino, 1977). As a consequence his internalization of
the aforementioned values of the Jesuit school, the quest of justice, equality and dignity
became his lifetime work.

Education at UST
Rizal eventually earned a land surveyor’s and assessor’s degree from the Ateneo
Municipal while taking up Philosophy and Letters at the University of Santo Tomas.
Upon learning that his mother was going blind and because of the recommendation of
Fr. Ramon Pablo, the Rector of Ateneo, Rizal opted to study ophthalmology at the UST
Faculty of Medicine and Surgery. He, however, was not able to complete the course
because “he became politically isolated by adversaries among the faculty and clergy
who demanded that he assimilate to their system.”
Activity 2
1. Read Rizal’s Memoirs of a student in Manila, Chapter 1.
2. Compose a 3-stanza poem on Rizal’s experiences at Ateneo and UST.
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Module 5

First Sojourn to Europe

At the end of the chapter, students are able to;

1. Identify the main reasons why Rizal left the Philippines that time and continued
his studies abroad;
2. Explain the relevance of Rizal’s travel in relation to his nationalist fervor; and
3. Describe the travels of Rizal in Europe and how these travels honed his
knowledge towards nationalism.

Activity 1

1. Listen to the song, Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa by Andres Bonifacio.

[Link]
2. Choose a partner, and discuss the message of the song.
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Rizal Continues His Studies Abroad

Jose Rizal went to Europe without informing his parents of his departure. The
decision to leave the country was due to his dissatisfaction in his education at the
University of Santo Tomas and the discrimination that the Filipinos experienced. It was
only a secret arrangement with his brother, Paciano and brother-in-law, Manuel Hidalgo
who arranged Rizal’s departure.
According to Guerrero (1998) and based on Paciano’s letter to Rizal dated May
26, 1882, completing his course in Europe was not the only reason of his departure,
 24

there were other purposes like: to make a name for himself in the realm of journalism;
observe and study European society; and to prepare himself for the task of liberating
the Filipinos from Spanish tyranny.
Rizal in Barcelona
After travelling from Manila to Singapore through the vessel, Salvadora, Rizal
stayed at Singapore and visited some historical spots in the place. After two days, he
boarded the ship Djemnah, and travelled to Marseilles. He was impressed by the
courtesy of the custom police. He took the train for Barcelona.
Rizal was welcomed by his former school mates at Ateneo de Municipal. He
walked around the city with his friends and visited some historical spots of the city. He,
then, wrote letters to his family, relatives, and friends.
Writing of Love of Country
Rizal wrote the essay El Amor Patrio or Love of Country under the pseudonym,
Laong Laan. The article was published in Diariong Tagalog in Manila. After Love of
Country, Rizal stopped writing nationalistic essays due to the opposition of his mother;
the difficulty of recognition in a foreign land, and his desire to finish his studies.

Rizal moves to Madrid

Rizal decided to move to Madrid, the capital city of Spain to continue his studies. He
enrolled Philosophy and Letters and Licentiate in Medicine at the Universidad Central
de Madrid. He also took lessons in languages namely; English, French, and German
(the three languages used in Europe) in Madrid Ateneo, lessons in painting and
sculpture at the Academia de San Fernando; and lessons in fencing at the Schools of
Sanz and Carbonell.
Rizal took and passed the medical examination and was awarded the degree of
Licentiate in Medicine. He continued his doctorate degree in medicine but, due financial
constraint, he was not conferred his Doctor’s diploma due to his failure to pay for his
thesis defense.
While in Madrid, he took time to associate with other Filipino expatriates
especially Marcelo H. del Pilar and Graciano Lopez-Jaena. The three Filipinos were
called the Triumvirate of the Propaganda Movement. He was also asked to contribute
an article to the Circulo Hispano – Filipino, an association that was founded by the
Filipinos led by Juan Atayde (Guerrero,1998 as cited by Garcia, et al ,2015). He
submitted the poem entitled, Mi Piden Versos or They Asked Me for Verses.
A Toast to Luna and Hidalgo
While Rizal was in Madrid, the Filipino expatriates rejoiced for the victory of Juan
Luna and Felix Resurrection – Hidalgo who won in the 1884 Madrid Exposition. Luna
 25

won a gold medal for the Spolarium while Hidalgo won silver medal for his entry,
Christian Virgins Exposed to the Populace.
Rizal was asked to deliver a speech during the banquet tendered to honor the
two Filipinos. He delivered the speech, Brindis. In the speech, he stressed that genius
knows no race.
Rizal in France and Germany
Rizal was a full-fledged surgeon when he moved to Paris. He worked as an eye
assistant at the clinic of Dr. Louis de Wecker for four months. He learned the actual
performance of eye operation; recent studies on the eye ailment; and the various
techniques of eye operation.
While in Paris, Rizal stayed at the studio of Juan Luna and became a model in
two canvasses. He posed as Sikatuna in the Blood Compact and as a priest in the
Death of Cleopatra.
After Paris, Rizal visited Heidelberg in Germany and worked at the eye hospital
of the University of Heidelberg. It was in the said university that he perfected the
techniques of diagnosing eye ailment which he first learned from Dr. Wecker.
Rizal took a three – month vacation at Wlhelmsfeld where he met Dr. Karl Ulmer,
a pastor in a vicarage of the place. He became a friend and stayed in the residence of
Ulmer. He appreciated the hospitality of the Ulmers and the religious tolerance the
people practice in the village.
The vacation at Wilhelmsfeld was enjoyable for him. He returned to Heidelberg
and sent his first correspondence to Ferdinand Blumentritt, the Director of the Ateneo of
Leitmeritz (Zaide & Zaide, 1999). The first letter impressed the director and marked the
beginning of a lasting friendship.
He proceeded to Leipzig and Dresen. In Leipzig, Rizal worked as a proofreader
in a publishing company to earn an extra income. He translated the Fairy Tales of Hans
Christian Andersen to Tagalog for his nieces and nephews in the Philippines.
After staying for two months in Leipzig, he went to Dresden. It was in this place
where he met Dr. Adolph B. Meyer, the Director of the Anthropological and Ethnological
Museum of Dresden. He left Dresden and moved to Berlin.
Rizal in Berlin
He went Berlin due to the reasons enumerated by Rivera et al in 1969 as cited by
Garcia, et al (2015);
1. To further enhance his knowledge of ophthalmology;
2. To supplement his studies of languages and sciences;
 26

3. To study and observe the political and economic conditions of Germany; to

join the circle of famous German scientists and scholars; and to complete and
publish his novel, Noli Me Tangere.
In Berlin, Rizal fortunately met Dr. Feodor Jagor, the author of the book
Travels in the Philippines. Rizal read and admired the book when he was a
student at UST because it predicted the collapse of the Spanish regime in the
Philippines and prophesied the coming of the Americans. He also was
acquainted with famous German intellectuals like DR. Rudolf Vichow, an
anthropologist and Dr. Hans Virchow, a professor in Descriptive Anatomy.
Rizal became a member of some societies in Berlin upon the
recommendation of Dr. Jagor and Dr. Meyer. He was accepted to be a member
of;
1. Anthropological Society
2. Ethnological Society
3. Geographical Society
More importantly, Rizal completed and published his first novel, Noli Me Tangere
in Berlin.
His Travels in Europe with Maximo Viola
(From: Valenzuela and Calayag, Rizal’s Life and Works: Towards Social Awareness and Nationalism
Textbook on Rizal Course for the New General Education Curriculum)

After publishing in Noli Me Tangere with the aid of Maximo Viola, who saved
Rizal by funding the publication of Noli Me Tangere, the two planned to tour
Europe to celebrate their success.

a.) Germany- At the dawn of 1887, Rizal and Viola left Berlin for Dresden, cited
as one of the best cities in Germany. They have attended the “Regional
Flower Exhibition”. They also visited Mater and Jagor.
b.) Lietmerritz- On May 13, 1887, Rizal and Viola planned to visit Ferdinand
Blumentritt. They travelled to Bohemia, the Beergarden where they met the
burgomaster or town mayor. They also met the great naturalist named, Prof.
Robert KLutschak.
c.) Prague- They visited the historic city as well as meet Dr. Willkomm, a
professor of natural history; aside from that they visited the caves, botanical
gardens and the famous tomb of the great astronomer, Nicholas Copernicus.
d.) Vienna- Known to be the “Queen of Danube”. Both Viola and Rizal were
amazed at the historic and magnificent structures in the city. They toured
churches, museums, art galleries, theatres and parks. The two stayed at the
Hotel Metropole.
 27

e.) Lintz- Rizal and Viola went to Lintz. The two sailed from Vienna to Lintz. They
observed different sights as well as the culture like the use of table cloth and
napkins during meals.
f.) Rheinfall, Salzburg, Munich and Nuremberg- In Rheinfall, the two observed
the beautiful waterfall in Europe. From Salzburg they crossed going to
Munich. In Munich they tasted the “Munich Beer” known to be the best tasting
beer at that time. In Numerberg, Rizal observed the different “torturing
machines” that were used in Inquisitions.
g. Switzerland- Geneva, Switzerland had wonderful surroundings which attracted
most of the tourists. Rizal observed that most of the people in Geneva spoke

Activity 2
1. Form a triad ( a group with 3 members).
2. Read and analyse the content of the speech, Brindis.
3. Write your group’s brindis comparing the situation of the Philippines
during the time of Rizal and at the present time.
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 28

Module 6
Second Sojourn to Europe

(from the book of Valenzuela and Calayag, Rizal’s Life and Works: Towards Social Awareness
and Nationalism (Textbook on Rizal Course for the New General Education Curriculum)

At the end of the module, students will be able to;

1. Identify the intentions of Rizal why he proceeded for the next trip to Europe;
2. Trace the places regarding his activities which give relevance to his nationalistic
fervor; and
3. Describe those places as well as his actions towards nationalism.

Activity 1
Make a travel map of Rizal’s trip from the first to the second travel. You can use
drawing papers or any materials. Discuss the map through a video presentation that
you will upload online.

Rizal Traveled the East

After a couple of months spent with his relatives, friends and loved ones, Rizal
left the Philippines for the second time on February 3, 1888. Though it was a heavy
burden to leave in order to continue his fight against the evil Spanish administration.
This time, he sailed to the East, stopping over in Asia then to America and finally back
to Europe again.

Rizal in Hongkong
Rizal went to Hongkong and stayed there for 3 days. He met common paisanos,
Manuel Iriate and Jose Ma. Basa who were exiled due to their involvement in the Cavite
Mutiny of 1872. Rizal also visited some commercial centers there. On February 19,
1888 he boarded the Kiu-Leng and sailed to Macau, the next Chinese city. In Macau, he
visited botanical gardens and he described the place as “The City of Macau is small,
low and marshy”. He then boarded the steamship, Oceanic going to Japan - The Land
of the Rising Sun.
Rizal in Japan
 29

Rizal’s other itinerary in Japan was Yokohama, where he arrived on February 28,
1888. While in Japan, he met Tetcho Suehiro, one of the journalists and champion of
democratic movements in Japan. He met also his Japanese sweetheart, Seiko Usui
known as O Sei San. Though they had a short love affair, Rizal really appreciated the
beauty and charm of the Japanese lady. On April 13, 1888, Rizal boarded the ship SS
Belgic Bound for the United States of America.
Rizal in United States
After a couple of months, Rizal left Japan and sailed to the United States of
America where he arrived in the continent on April 27, 1888. He experienced a few days
of quarantined because of political turmoil in the country. (Perhaps as recounted that
there was an election in San Francisco where 800 Chinese boarded the ship). On May
4, the SS Belgic allowed its passengers to disembark. He stayed in San Francisco for 2
days where he saw the Golden Gate and some of the tourist attractions there. On May
6th, he boarded a ferry going to Oakland then transferred via train to Sacramento and
Nevada where he observed the Indian customs.
Rizal also crossed the Salt Lake City, Utah via train where he observed pines
and tunnels along the way. He also saw the Missouri River and Niagara Falls as well as
Hudson River. He stayed 3 days in New York City where he visited the Statue of
Liberty, one of the tallest tower (or monument) at that time. He noted in his diary that
America is the land par excellence of freedom for the whites. In his essay, The
Philippines: A Century Hence, he predicted that the next colonial master of the
Philippines will be United States citing his observations that America will become the
most powerful nation in the world (cited in Epistolario Rizalino-Rizal Diaries).
Rizal in London
After Rizal’s travels in the United States, he then boarded the ship, City of Rome
that arrived in Liverpool, England on May 25, 1888. On his arrival, he met his old time
friend, Dr. Ferdinand Blumentritt and Dr. Reinhold Rost- the latter gave him access to
the British Museum where Rizal spent time reading and writing. To satisfy his “historical
sense”, he annotated the works of Dr. Antonio de Morga- Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas
(Historical Events of the Philippines Islands). It was written in 1609 and it contained the
historical accounts regarding the early civilization in the Philippines as written by a
Spanish scholar. Based on the study made by Clemente (2011), there are 3 findings of
Rizal in the annotation in Sucesos, which are the following; The early Filipinos had a
Confederation which was similar to the federal government at that time showing that
they knew the art of governance; The laws during those times were drafted according to
their early customs and traditions; and The early Filipinos were engaged in international
trade aside from barter as a way of doing their day to day business.

Rizal as Propagandist
 30

Upon Rizal’s return to Europe, common paisanos organized the society of

propagandists known as the La Solidaridad (The Solidarity), known as SOL to other
members, Rizal was voted as its honorary President. It was founded in Barcelona in
1889 and served as the medium or newspaper in Spain. Rizal contributed the following
articles in La Solidaridad:
1. La Vision del Fray Rodriguez
Published in SOL using the pen name, Dimasalang, Rizal blatantly
attacked the arguments of Friar Rodriguez (attackers of Noli) where St.
Augustine called him stupid and an ignorant friar.

2. Liham sa Mga Dalagang Taga-Malolos

With the special request of M.H. Del Pilar, Rizal wrote his message
praising the young women of Malolos who wanted to establish a school learning
Spanish lessons despite the opposition of Spanish friars. Rizal wrote the essay
on February 22, 1889 where he tackled the role of women as the future builders
of their children as well as the nation.

3. Ma-yi

This article was written by Rizal where he discussed the history of the
Philippines. He wrote the article on December 6, 1888. (Ma-yi is known as the
island of Mindoro according to the modern historians).

Back to Paris
While in Paris, Rizal was cabled from Hong Kong about a sad news in the
Philippines particularly the banning of Noli Me Tangere as well as searching for copies
of the novel in other parts of the country. Rizal also learned that there are troubles in
Kalamba regarding the agrarian problem. Another bad news was the death of Mariano
Herbosa (Rizal’s brother-in-law) who was refused a Christian burial due to his
association with Rizal. Mariano Hidalgo, another brother-in-law of Rizal, was deported
to Bohol due to his resistance in the agrarian unrest.
In Paris, France, Rizal did more activities such as organizing the Kidlat
(Lightning) Club and also the International Association of Filipinologists. Their main
objectives were to write about the real history of the Philippine Islands such as the
Isolated Revolts (Cavite Mutiny of 1872) and Languages in the Philippines. Rizal also
formed the Indios Bravos and the RDLM (Redemption of the Malay Race). These
organizations are mainly for awakening the Filipino’s sense of nationalism. There were
several writings that Rizal contributed to the La Solidaridad like Filipino Grajero, Una
 31

Profanacion, Inconsequencias, Teatro Tagalo, puzzles, verses, sayings, and even short
stories. One of his greatest work was the Filipinas Dentro A Cien Anos (The Philippines;
A Century Hence) wherein he tackled the following;
1. He described the slavery of Filipinos and fate in the hands of the Spanish friars.
He also lambasted the system of the Spanish administration which was ‘divided
and conquer’ where they created divisions among the Filipinos, causing them to
fight each other for their political ambitions;
2. He also discussed the impact of the Spanish administration that destroyed the
indigenous Filipino culture in exchange for the Castillan culture such as
veneration of saints, wrong faith and making religion as a cause for their
oppression; and
3. He discussed the basic problems that were brought about by revolts such as
taxation, land grabbing and political clouts, On one hand, Rizal was hopeful
because he saw the willingness of the Filipinos to fight for the revolution against
Spain.

Back to Madrid and Brussels

Rizal visited Brussels, the capital city of Belgium on January 28, 1890. He was
already thinking about the sequel of the novel, El Filibusterismo. It was a busy time for
Rizal mostly devoted to writing his second novel while continuing to contribute articles to
the La Solidaridad.

Activity 2

Based on the message of Rizal’s letter to the women of Malolos, write a letter to
the young women of today. Cite some of the qualities of women that the country
needs. Share the content of your letter to a woman. Record the sharing.
(Please use another paper for your letter.)
 32

Module 7
Rizal’s Life: Exile, Trial, and Death

At the end of the module,students will be able to:

1. Identify the factors that led to Rizal’s execution

2. Compare and contrast the judicial sytem during the time of Rizal and at present
3. Analyze the effects of Rizal’s execution on Spanish colonial rule and the
Philippine Revolution

Life in Dapitan

Rizal arrived in Dapitan, a northwestern part of Mindanao on 17 July 1892. He

used his time and skills productively to ease his solitude. For four years (1892-1896),
Rizal kept himself busy with various pursuits and occupations: as an educator, doctor,
farmer, artist, architect and engineer, entrepreneur, archaeologist, and naturalist .

Rizal was welcomed by Lt. Ricardo Carnicero, the politico-military Commander of

Dapitan. Because of the conditions given by the Jesuits, Rizal decided to live in the
commandant’s residence. The money that he won the Manila Lottery and from his
earnings as a farmer and a merchant was used to purchase a piece of land near the
shore of Talisay near Dapitan. On this land, he built three houses- all made of bamboo,
wood, and nipa. The first house which was square in shape was his home. The second
house was the living quarters of his pupils. And the third house was the barn where he
kept his chickens. The second house had eight sides, while the third had six sides.

In a letter to his friend, Ferdinand Blumentritt, on December 19, 1893, Rizal

described his peaceful life in Dapitan.

"I shall tell you how we lived here. I have three houses-one square, another
hexagonal, and the third octagonal. All these houses are made of bamboo,
wood, and nipa. I live in the square house, together with my mother, my sister,
Trinidad, and my nephew. In the octagonal house live some young boys who
are my pupils. The hexagonal house is my barn where I keep my chickens.

"From my house, I hear the murmur of a clear brook which comes from the high
rocks. I "At noon, I return home to Talisay for lunch. Then, from 2:00 to 4:00
p.m., I am busy as a teacher. I teach the young boys.

Rizal as a community leader and scientist

(taken from: [Link]

With the Dapitanons’ welfare in mind, Rizal cultivated a 34-hectare farm in

Katipunan, Zamboanga del Norte, some 38 kilometers south of Talisay, Dapitan where
 33

the museum in his honor stands today. Rizal also put up a school and dormitory for
boys in Talisay as well as a clinic where he treated ailments and performed eye surgery.
With engineering and architectural skills, he built a dam and waterworks in Talisay and
set up the town plaza of Dapitan with street lighting.
Rizal’s scientific mind spurred him to conduct archaeological excavations
uncovering pre-colonial artifacts; as a naturalist, he collected biological and botanical
specimens, a few of which were named after him; and as a linguist, he studied Visayan
and Malayan languages.

Affair with Josephine Bracken

After practising his profession in Dapitan, Rizal became a famous
ophthalmologist. Many patients from other places came to the place to consult Rizal
regarding their eye illnesses. One of the patients was Mr. George Tauffer who arrived
together with Josephine Leopoldine Bracken.
Josephine and his uncle, Mr. George Tauffer, travelled all the way from Hong
Kong, with a recommendation from Julio Llorente. Mr. Tauffer was examined by eye
specialists in the British colony but was not cured. For this reason, Bracken’s uncle
wanted to see Rizal at that time to seek help for his eye ailment.
Rizal’s daily activities eventually changed due to the presence of Josephine. He
spent much of his time attending to the needs of Mr. Tauffer and of his foster daughter.
He was enticed by the beauty of young Irish woman and found himself head over heels
in love with Josephine, who in turn, also reciprocated Rizal’s feeling for her. .
Despite the suspicion of Rizal’s sisters, doubting Josephine of being an emissary
of the friars with evil plans, Rizal accepted Josephine, trusting his own intuition and the
promptings of his unhappy heart. Thus, less than a month after Josephine’s arrival,
Rizal asked her to become his lifetime partner.

Literary Works in Dapitan

Rizal continued his literary pursuits while in exile, writing poetry such as Mi
Retiro, which described his place of exile as a tranquil haven from political
persecution, and the song, Himno a Talisay, for his pupils, which paid tribute to
individual excellence and holistic education. Rizal also created sculptures from
clay such as Oyang Dapitana and Mother’s Revenge

(Note: All the remaining details on Rizal’s exile, trial and martyrdom are taken
from: Garcia, Carlito, D, De Viana, Augusto V. & Cruz, Cynthia V. (2015) Rizal and the
Development of Filipino Nationalism: A textbook on the Life, Works, and Writings of our
National Hero. Books Atbp. Publishing Corp., Mandaluyong)
 34

.
Attempts to Win Back Rizal to Catholicism
While in Dapitan, attempts were made by the Catholic Church through the
Jesuits to win back Rizal to the fold of the Church. Efforts exerted by Fr. Antonio Obach,
the parish priest of Dapitan; Fr. Villaclara, the parish priest of Dipolog; and Fr. Francisco
Sanchez, his former teacher at Ateneo, failed. Fr. Pablo Pastells, the Superior of the
Jesuit Order, continued the work of his predecessors. He sent Rizal a series of letters
convincing Rizal of the flaws of his religious views, which led to religious debate
between Rizal and Pastells. In the end Rizal was nor persuaded as the debate ended in
stalemate. Fr. Juan Ricart attributed the failure of the Jesuits could be attributed to
Carnicero, who entertained Rizal’s political and religious views.

Decision to volunteer as a doctor in Cuba

Propagandists and friends of Rizal thought of ways to rescue Rizal out of Dapitan.
They were the following;
1. The members of the Grand Regional Council of Philippine Masonry felt that
Rizal’s presence is a threat to the existence of masonry. They solicited funds to
transport Rizal to Spain.
2. The Propagandists commissioned Paez to find a suitable vessel to rescue Rizal
but, failed to do so.
3. Jose Maria Basa plan was to work on Rizal’s release thru the minister in Madrid
4. Antonio Ma. Regidor ‘s plan was to work for his election as a deputy in the
Spanish Cortes or Del Pilar’s election in the Cortes and Del Pilar worked on
Rizal’s freedom
5. Katipunan commissioned Pio Valenzuela, the emissary to go to Dapitan and
convince Rizal to support the organization. However, Rizal rejected the plan of
revolution due to the unpreparedness of the people and the lack of funds and
weapons.
6. Regidor took last option to free Rizal from Dapitan. He requested Blumentritt to
persuade Rizal to volunteer as a doctor for the Spanish army in Cuba.
As the advice came from his best friend, Rizal acceded to the scheme. Doña
Teodora and Don Francisco did not favor Rizal’s decision, as the latter will be risking his
life since the revolution is ranging on in Cuba that time.
Despite the expressed disapproval of his parents, Rizal applied as a volunteer
doctor to Cuba through Governor Blanco on December 17, 1895. Inasmuch as no reply
from Blanco came, he was no longer expecting that his application would be approved.
 35

Six months after, however, Blanco suddenly acted favorably to his letter. The said
correspondence reached Rizal on July 30, 1896. This letter stated that a safe conduct
pass shall be given to Rizal to come to Manila and upon reaching Spain, shall be given
assignment to the army operations in Cuba.
At first Rizal thought of no longer accepting the appointment. Later he backed
down. This change of decision stemmed from his thinking that if he rejects the
appointment and the revolution of the Katipunan breaks out, he would be suspected of
desiring to stay in the country to spearhead the revolution. In the words of Guerrero
(1998), Rizal opted to run a race with Bonifacio’s revolution.

Adios Dapitan
Rizal left Dapitan on July 31, 1896 on board the steamer España. He arrived in
Manila on August 6, 1896. From the steamer that ferried him from Dapitan, Rizal was
transferred to the cruiser Castilla, where he stayed for almost a month, pending the
availability of a vessel bound for Spain. Although no longer an exile, Rizal was detached
from the rest of the world, as no one allowed to see him except his family, His frequent
visitor, however, was Josephine, the beautiful Irish lady with whom Rizal gave his name
and heart.

(from the book of Garcia, Carlito, D, De Viana, Augusto V. & Cruz, Cynthia V. (2015)
Rizal and
the Development of Filipino Nationalism: A textbook on the Life, Works, and Writings of our
National Hero)

The Trial and Martyrdom of Rizal

The arrival of the steamer Colon in Manila on November 3, 1896, brought too
much jubilation on the part of the friars and the Spaniards, as the leader of the
revolution could now be made to answer for a crime he committed against the Spanish
government. Under heavy guard, Rizal was brought to Fort Santiago pending the
prosecution of his case. He was held incommunicado for almost four weeks in his
detention cell. In the meantime, the Spanish authorities were very much preoccupied
with the gathering and fabrication of evidence to be used against him.

The Preliminary Investigation

Colonel Francisco Olive, the Judge Advocate the Spanish military tribunal,
summoned Rizal to appear before him on November 20, 1896. Desiring to clear his
name from the accusation imputed on him, Rizal appeared before the Judge Advocate.
There were two kinds of evidence presented by the Olive to Rizal during the preliminary
investigation of Rizal (Palma, 1949): documentary; and testimonial. The documentary
 36

evidence were culled from the following: the letters of Antonio Luna, Marcelo del Pilar,
Carlos Oliver, and Rizal himself; poems Kundiman and Hymn to Talisay; and transcript
of speeches of Emilio Jacinto and Jose T. Santiago. On the other hand, the testimonial
evidence against Rizal consisted of oral statements of people who had been associated
with him. Like Jose Dizon, Deodato Arellano, Pio Valenzuela, Timoteo Paez, and Pedro
Laktaw.
After reviewing the brief prepared by Olive, Peña concurred with Olive on his
assessment of the case. As a prima facie case against Rizal for the complex crime of
rebellion and formation of illegal organization, Peña made the following
recommendations to Governor Blanco on December 8, 1896). (Zulueta, 2004); (1) hat
the accused be kept under the custody of law; (2) that the accused be brought to trial:
(3) that an order of attachment be issued against his property; and (4) that the accused
be defended I court by an army officer.
The Trial of Rizal
The trial started with the reading of the charges against the accused by Judge
Advocate Dominguez. This was followed by a detailed presentation of Rizal’s case by
Alcocer, which culminated in his call on the members of the military tribunal render a
decision by imposing death penalty on the accused. Alcocer’s argument rested on
Rizal’s admission of the founding of La Liga, which to his mind had something to do with
Bonifacio’s revolution Thus, Alcocer averred that:
In a crime founded on rousing the passions of the people against
government power’s the main burden of guilt is on the man who awakens
dormant feeling and raises false hopes for the future (Guerrero, 1998).
Taviel de Andrade took the floor to present his defense of Rizal after the
Alcocer’s passionate speech,. Taviel de Andrade’s defense was based on the rule of
evidence and the law applying the Penal Code of Spain in the Philippines. Believing that
prosecution was biased on Rizal, he defended Rizal by saying that penalties can only
be imposed on an accused through any of the following means: ocular inspection;
confession of the accused; credible witnesses; expert opinion; official documents or
conclusive evidences (Guerrero, 1998). As none of these conditions existed. Rizal was
not guilty of the crime charged against him. Moreover, as oral testimonies used against
Rizal were given by those who were interested in ascribing leadership of the revolution
to Rizal, these were biases and should not be used against the accused.
After Taviel de Andrade’s brilliant defense, Rizal was asked by the Judge
advocate whether he had something to add to what his counsel had presented his own
brief, (Zulueta, 2004; Guerrero, 1998)
1. I am not guilty of rebellion as I even advised Dr. Pio Valenzuela in Dapitan not
to rise revolution.
 37

2. The revolutionist used by name without my knowledge. If I were guilty, I could

have escaped from Singapore
3. If I had a hand in the Katipunan revolution, I could have escaped Dapitan and
should have not built a house there.
4. If I were the chief of the revolution, why did they not consult me on their plans?
5. I was not the founder of La Solidaridad and the Associacion Hispano-Filipino.
6. I had nothing to do with the introduction of masonry in the Philippines.
Fransisco Laktaw Serrano, founder of the Lodge Nilad, had a higher degree
than I had. If I were the head, since when does an officer permit himself to be
promoted to a captain general?
7. The La Liga did not live long. It died a natural death after my banishment to
Dapitan.
8. If the La Liga was re-organized nine months later, I was totally unaware of it.
9. It was true that I wrote the statues of the La Liga. The La Liga, however, is a
civic association whose purposes are unity and development of commerce and
industry.
10. While it was true that there were some bitter statements in my letters, it was
because they were written when my family was being prosecuted, being
dispossessed of their houses and lands; and my brother and brother-in-law
were rusticated without due process of law.
11. It was not true that the revolution was inspired in one of my speeches at the
house of Doroteo Onjungco, as alleged by the witnesses whom I would like to
confront. My friends knew very well about my vehement opposition to an
armed rebellion.
12. Why did the Katipunan send an emissary to me in Dapitan, who was a total
stranger to me? Because those who knew me were cognizant that I would
never sanction any violent movement.
13. My life in Dapitan had been exemplary as evidenced by my productive
activities for the welfare of the people. Even the politico-military commanders
and missionary priests could attest to this.

On the same day, the verdict of the military court, signed by Jose Togores, was
submitted to Governor Polavieja, who referred the same to Nicolas de la Peña, the
Judge Advocate General, for comments, De la Peña concurred with the decision made
by the court. He found Rizal guilty beyond reasonable doubt and therefore, should be
condemned to death by firing squad at the place and time to be chosen by the
governor-general. Polavieja approved De la Peña’s recommendations on December 28,
1896.
Manila, December 28,1896

Conformably to the foregoing opinion, I approve the sentence dictated by the Court
Martial in the present case, by virtue of which the death penalty is imposed on accused
 38

Jose Rizal Mercado, which shall be executed by shooting him at 7:00 o’clock in the
morning of the 30th of this month in the field of Bagumbayan.

For compliance and the rest that may correspond, let this be returned to the Judge
Advocate, Captain Don Rafael Dominguez.

The Last Remaining Hours on Earth

The verdict of death sentence was read to Rizal on December 29, 1896 (Romero
eta al , 1978). At the outset, Rizal refused to sign it owing to his innocence and
objection to his being labeled as a Chinese mestizo. Later, realizing that the law
required it, he affixed his signature on the notification of the court’s decision.
With the only twenty fours remaining on earth, Rizal sent a note to his family, as
he wants to see them before his execution. The day proved to be hectic one for him as
visitors come and go: members of his family; journalist; his defense counsel; Jesuits
and other friars who were convincing Rizal to go back to the fold of Catholicism.
While busy attending to his visitors, he took time to write his last letter to his best
friend and confidante, Blumentritt. The letter runs this way (National Centennial
Commission, 1962)
When you receive this letter, I shall be dead. I shall be shot tomorrow at
seven o’clock, but I am innocent of the crime of rebellion. I am going to die
with a clear conscience. Farewell my best, my dearest friend, and never
think ill of me.
Later in the afternoon, his mother, together with Maria, Trinidad, Narcisa, his
niece Angelica and his favorite nephew Mauricio, visited Rizal. First to see him was his
mother. Doña Teodora, who was then crying, approached Rizal to embrace him but the
cell guard separated them. Rizal knelt and kissed his mother’s hand. After a brief
silence between them, Rizal asked Doña Teodora to secure the permission of the
authorities for his family to bury his dead body. She then, left the cell afterwards. As his
mother could not accept Rizal’s fate, she even tried seeking executive clemency for her
son. Nonetheless, her attempt to secure such pardon from the governor general proved
futile.
After his mother, Rizal’s family members came one at a time. As a person who is
about to die, he tried to give each one of them something that would make them
remember him. He gave a wicker chair to Narcisa, while Angelica, his niece, received a
handkerchief from him. To Trinidad Rizal gave an alcohol burner and told her that
something important was inside it. It was inside this alcohol burner where Rizal placed
his last poem, which came to be entitled later as Mi Ultimo Adios or My Last Farewell.
Only Maria, however, was not given a gift by Rizal as nothing was left for her. Josephine
came later for a brief visit. Rizal kissed her before she left. Josephine was in tears,
knowing that Rizal would soon leave her.
 39

The Execution of a Hero

Rizal woke up early in spite of the physical and mental fatigue he had the
previous day. After taking his breakfast at 5:30 in the morning, he took time to write two
letters: one of his family; and the other one for Paciano. His first letter presented below
(National Heroes Commission, 1946)
To my family,
I ask you forgiveness for the pain I cause you, but someday I shall have to
die and it is better that I die now in the plenitude of my conscience.
Dear Parents, brother, and sisters, give thanks to God that I may preserve
my tranquility before my death. I die resigned, hoping that my death you
will be left in peace. Ah! It is better to die than to live suffering. Console
yourselves.
I enjoin you to forgive one another the little meanness of life and try to live
united in peace and good harmony. Treat your old parents, as you would
like to be treated by your children later. Love them very much in my
memory.
Bury me in the ground. Place a stone and a cross over it –my name, the
date of my birth, and of my death. Nothing more. If later you wish to
surround my grave with fence, you can do so. No anniversaries. I prefer
Paang Bundok.
Have pity on poor Josephine.
Rizal’s second letter, which was addressed to Paciano runs as follows (National Heroes
Commission, 1964):
My Dear Brother,
It has been four and a half years that we have not seen each other or
addressed one another in writing or orally. I do not believe this is due to
lack of affection either on my part or yours, but because knowing each
other so well, we had no need of words to understand each other.
Now I am going to die, it is to you I dedicate my last words to tell you how
much I regret to leave you alone in life bearing all the weight of the family
and our old parents.
I think of how you have worked to enable me to have a career. I believe
that I have tried not to waste my time. My brother: If the fruit has been
bitter, it is not my fault, it is the fault of circumstances. I know that you
have suffered much because of me. I am sorry.
 40

I assure, brother, that I die innocent of this crime of rebellion. If my former

writings had been able to contribute towards it, I should not deny
absolutely, but then I believe I expiated my past with my exile.
Tell our father that I remember him, but how? I remember my whole
childhood, his tenderness and his love. Ask him to forgive me for the pain
I cause him unwillingly.
Your Brother
Jose Rizal
Josephine arrived at 5:30 in the morning accompanied by Josefa. With tears in
her eyes, she embraced Rizal. Rizal reciprocated by embracing her and giving her, his
last gift, the book of Thomas Kemphis, entitled Imitation of Christ. After watching
Josephine walk out of his cell, Rizal wrote his last letter to his father. This letter is
presented below (National Heroes Commission, 1964):
My Beloved Father,
Pardon me for the pain I repay you for sorrows and sacrifices for my
education. I did not want or prefer it.
Goodbye, father, goodbye
Jose Rizal
Rizal also prepared a letter for his mother but he was not able to complete it. The
trumpet sounded at 6:30 in the morning, signaling the beginning of Rizal’s death march.
The Death March and Execution of Rizal
The death march began at exactly 6:30 in the morning. Rizal sported a black suit
and vest with a black hat. Although his arms were tied behind his back, he walked
serenely as if nothing would happen to him. Behind him were Lieutenant Taviel de
Andrade, his defender, Father March, and father Villaclara marching behind them, with
pomp and precision, was platoon of Spanish soldiers.
Upon arriving at Bagumbayan Field Rizal bid goodbye to Lieutenant Luis Taviel
de Andrade, the two priest who accompanied him in the march and finally, to Josephine.
Before proceeding to the designated place where Rizal was supposed to stand, Dr.
Felipe Castillo, a military physician, checked his pulse and found it normal. Before the
execution, Rizal requested the commander of the cavalry that he be shot facing his
executioners considering that he was not a traitor. The request, however, was denied as
the Spanish officer had a standing order from higher authorities that Rizal should be
shot at the back.
The trumpet sounded again signaling the commencement of the execution. As
the commander shouted Fuego or Fire, the guns of the firing squad rang out in a row.
 41

Rizal slowly turned his back to the firing squad, faced the sea and fell to the ground.
The military band played the Marcha de Cadiz, Spain’s national hymn. Shouts of Viva
España (Long Live Spain) and Muerte A Los Traidores (Death to the Traitors) could be
heard all over the place at exactly 7:03 in the morning. It was all over. Rizal had been
executed.
Rizal had died but he lives in the hearts of the people, as a martyr to Filipino
freedom (Capino et al, 1977). His leadership –being direct, enlightened, liberal,
democratic, progressive, compassionate and peaceful –was the crowning glory of his
service to the Filipino people. This kind of leadership that he manifested can be gleaned
from his writings and personal examples. Here lies his excellence as an individual, a
man with a purpose and conscience.
 42

Garcia, C. D. & Cruz, C. B. (2005) Rizal and the Development of Filipino Nationalism: A Textbook on

Activity 2

Compose a four – stanza song regarding your reaction to the trial and execution of
Rizal. Include some of your thoughts whether Rizal was given a fair trial or not.
Record the song and post in Microsoft teams. Your classmates will comment on the
lyrics of your song. Write the lyrics below.

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the life, works, and writings of our national hero.

Module 8
Annotation of Antonio Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas

Lesson outcomes:
1. Analyze Rizal’s ideas on how to rewrite Philippine history
 43

2. Compare and contrast Rizal and Morga’s different views about Filipinos and
Philippine culture.

Activity 1
Read the introduction and last chapter Rizal’s annotation of Antonio Morga’s
Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas.
Cite some of the errors that Morga committed and what was Rizal’s
correction. State your agreement or disagreement to Rizal’s annotation.
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Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas

A book written by Antonio Morga, a short-lived Governor General assigned in the

Philippines. It is one of the important works in the history of Spanish Colonization which
was published in Mexico in 1609. The content is about the account of the travels of
 44

Morga in the Philippines. There were some facts that were erroneously written and thus,
Rizal decided to annotate to check some of its errors. According to Rizal in his
dedication

If the book (Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas) succeeds to awaken your

consciousness of our past, already effaced from your memory, and to
rectify what has been falsified and slandered, then I have not worked in
vain, and with this as a basis, however small it may be, we shall be able to
study the future.
-- Dr. Jose Rizal
Europe, 1889

Guerrero (1998) identified three reasons why Rizal annotated Sucesos and they were the
following;

1. To awaken the consciousness of the Filipinos of their glorious or dignified ways of

the past;
2. To correct what has been distorted and falsified about the Philippines prior to
Spanish conquest; and
3. To prove that the Filipinos were civilized, even before the coming of the Spaniards.

When Rizal published his annotation of Antonio de Morga's Sucesos in 1890, he

had already travelled in parts of Spain, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria,
Switzerland, Italy, China, Hong Kong, Japan, the United States and England. He could
converse in Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese and English. He was only 29-
years-old!

In his travels he familiarized himself with each country's history, customs, ways of
life and language. He held the common sense belief that learning a people's
language "will open ... the treasures of a country, that is, the knowledge, the
learning" and "its own way of thinking." Although he was interested in the social and
scientific progress he witnessed abroad and understood the factors that lead to such
advancement, he was even more fascinated by the collage of cultural symbols that
become embraced by a people as their own national identity. A consummate student of
ancient and modern history, Rizal was convinced that the enduring and unifying
strength of all great societies lies in their collective sense of tradition -- a tradition that is
carried forth and becomes that people's cultural history.

By publishing his annotated version of de Morga's Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas

(Events of the Philippine Islands, originally published in 1609), Rizal's intent was not
only to provide the Filipino people their early history, a pre-Spanish history, but to
present to them their own authentic culture and identity. Aware of most of the books
written about the Philippines, he selected the Sucesos because he "considered it
necessary to invoke the testimony of an illustrous Spaniard who governed the destinies
of the Philippines in the beginning of her new era and witnessed the last moments of
our ancient nationality." His annotations included clarifications and amplifications of
 45

details, refutations of statements where necessary, and confirmations when checked

against other sources.

Rizal offered the annotated Sucesos to the Filipinos with the wise counsel
that "to foretell the destiny of a nation, it is necessary to open the books that tell of her
past."

(from: [Link] )

Blumentritt’s Prologue

Rizal requested Ferdinand Blumentritt to write the prologue of the annotation. Some
points that Blumentritt presented wrote the following;

1. The writing in Spanish instead of Morga’s native German language

2. He praised Rizal’s work as scholarly and well-thought out
3. He noted that Morga’s Sucesos was so rare that very few libraries that have guarded it
with the same solicitude as if it were the treasure of the Incas
4. He criticized Rizal’s annotation in two counts;
 First, he observed that Rizal had committed the mistake of many modern
historians who judged events in the past in the context of contemporary ideas
and mores
 He perceived as the overreach of Rizal’s denunciation of Catholicism that Rizal
should confine his critique to the religious orders in the Philippines who spared
not effort to suppress calls for reforms

Link to further readings

[Link]

[Link]
 46

Activity 2
Make a table comparing and contrasting Rizal and Morga’s views on Filipino Culture based
on what are stated in Chapter 8 of Rizal’s annotation of Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas
Filipinas.

Filipino culture Rizal’s views Morga’s views

 47

Module 9
NOLI ME TANGERE

At the end of the module, students will be able to;

1. Appraise important characters in the novel and what they represent

2. Explain why Rizal used a Creole as the hero in the novel
3. Examine the present Philippine situation through the examples mentioned in Noli

Activity 1

 Research the possible reason why Rizal used a Creole

as the hero in the novel, Noli Me Tangere
 Write an essay about it.

Basis of writing Noli Me Tangere

[Link]

The first half of Noli me Tangere was written in Madrid, Spain from 1884-1885
while Dr. José P. Rizal was studying for medicine.
While in Germany, Rizal wrote the second half of Noli me Tangere from time-to-
time starting February 21, 1887. After he read the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet
Beecher Stowe, he had an inspiration to write his own novel with the same topic–to
expose Spanish colonial abuse in print. Beecher Stowe's novel describes black slavery
abuse done by white men. Rizal suggested to his fellow Filipino friends in Europe,
through writing, to have a meeting and plan for writing a novel similar to that of Beecher
Stowe's. (At this moment, Rizal planned not to write the novel himself, but through
collective efforts done by other Filipinos who shared ideals with him.) In 1884, Rizal and
his friends including the Paterno brothers–Pedro, Maximo, and Antonio; Graciano
López-Jaena, Evaristo Aguirre, Eduardo de Lete, Melecio Figueroa, Valentín Ventura
and Julio Llorento; decided to meet at the Paternos' house in Madrid. Each of them
agreed to write a unified novel. Suddenly, when the writing began, most of them wanted
to change the topic from Spanish abuse to somehow related to women. Rizal walked-
out of the hall and decided to write the novel himself.
The title of Noli Me Tangere is not Spanish, nor Tagalog, but Latin. Rizal, in his
letter to his friend and Czech scientist Ferdinand Blumentritt, admitted that he obtained
 48

the title from the Bible. Rizal took the passage in John 20:17 where Jesus said to Mary
Magdalene "Don't touch Me!" when she recognizes him after his resurrection. The
passage, when translated in Latin, is equivalent to noli me tangere.
At the time when the novel is ready for printing, he ran out of fund. He contacted
his friend, Maximo Viola, who agreed to lend him money for publishing. According to
accounts, Rizal is about to throw Noli manuscripts to the fireplace when he received
Viola's telegram agreeing for lending him.
Viola gave him an amount equal to three hundred pesos as preliminary payment
for the first 2,000 copies of Noli. In 1887, the first edition of Noli was published in Berlin,
Germany. To express his gratitude, he gave the original manuscript plus the plume he
used to Viola. Rizal also signed the first print and gave it to Viola with dedication.

Synopsis of Noli Me Tangere

[Link]

Juan Crisostomo Ibarra is a young Filipino who, after studying for seven years in
Europe, returns to his native land to find that his father, a wealthy landowner, has died
in prison as the result of a quarrel with the parish curate, a Franciscan friar named
Padre Damaso. Ibarra is engaged to a beautiful and accomplished girl, Maria Clara, the
supposed daughter and only child of the rich Don Santiago de los Santos, commonly
known as “Capitan Tiago.”

Ibarra resolves to forego all quarrels and to work for the betterment of his people.
To show his good intentions, he seeks to establish, at his own expense, a public school
in his native town. He meets with ostensible support from all, especially Padre
Damaso’s successor, a young and gloomy Franciscan named Padre Salvi, for whom
Maria Clara confesses to an instinctive dread.

At the laying of the cornerstone for the new schoolhouse, a suspicious accident,
apparently aimed at Ibarra’s life, occurs, but the festivities proceed until the dinner,
where Ibarra is grossly and wantonly insulted over the memory of his father by Fray
Damaso. The young man loses control of himself and is about to kill the friar, who is
saved by the intervention of Maria Clara.

Ibarra is excommunicated, and Capitan Tiago, through his fear of the friars, is
forced to break the engagement and agree to the marriage of Maria Clara with a young
and inoffensive Spaniard provided by Padre Damaso. Obedient to her reputed father’s
command and influenced by her mysterious dread of Padre Salvi, Maria Clara consents
to this arrangement, but becomes seriously ill, only to be saved by medicines sent
secretly by Ibarra and clandestinely administered by a girl friend.
 49

Ibarra succeeds in having the excommunication removed, but before he can

explain matters, an uprising against the Civil Guard is secretly brought about through
agents of Padre Salvi, and the leadership is ascribed to Ibarra to ruin him. He is warned
by a mysterious friend, an outlaw called Elias, whose life he had accidentally saved; but
desiring first to see Maria Clara, he refuses to make his escape, and when the outbreak
page occurs, he is arrested as the instigator of it and thrown into prison in Manila.

On the evening when Capitan Tiago gives a ball in his Manila house to celebrate
his supposed daughter’s engagement, Ibarra makes his escape from prison and
succeeds in seeing Maria Clara alone. He begins to reproach her because it is a letter
written to her before he went to Europe which forms the basis of the charge against him,
but she clears herself of treachery to him. The letter had been secured from her by false
representations and in exchange for two others written by her mother just before her
birth, which prove that Padre Damaso is her real father. These letters had been
accidentally discovered in the convento by Padre Salvi, who made use of them to
intimidate the girl and get possession of Ibarra’s letter, from which he forged others to
incriminate the young man. She tells him that she will marry the young Spaniard,
sacrificing herself thus to save her mother’s name and Capitan Tiago’s honour and to
prevent a public scandal, but that she will always remain true to him.

Ibarra’s escape had been effected by Elias, who conveys him in a banka up the
Pasig to the Lake, where they are so closely beset by the Civil Guard that Elias leaps
into the water and draws the pursuers away from the boat, in which Ibarra lies
concealed.

On Christmas Eve, at the tomb of the Ibarras in a gloomy wood, Elias appears,
wounded and dying, to find there a boy named Basilio beside the corpse of his mother,
a poor woman who had been driven to insanity by her husband’s neglect and abuses on
the part of the Civil Guard, her younger son having page disappeared some time before
in the convento, where he was a sacristan. Basilio, who is ignorant of Elias’s identity,
helps him to build a funeral pyre, on which his corpse and the madwoman’s are to be
burned.

Upon learning of the reported death of Ibarra in the chase on the Lake, Maria
Clara becomes disconsolate and begs her supposed godfather, Fray Damaso, to put
her in a nunnery. Unconscious of her knowledge of their true relationship, the friar
breaks down and confesses that all the trouble he has stirred up with the Ibarras has
been to prevent her from marrying a native, which would condemn her and her children
to the oppressed and enslaved class. He finally yields to her entreaties and she enters
the nunnery of St. Clara, to which Padre Salvi is soon assigned in a ministerial capacity.
 50

The Characters in the Noli Me Tangere

( Garcia, Carlito, D, De Viana, Augusto V. & Cruz, Cynthia V. (2015) Rizal and the
Development of Filipino Nationalism: A textbook on the Life, Works, and Writings of our
National Hero. Books Atbp. Publishing Corp., Mandaluyong)

Although the novel is a work of fiction, the novel can be considered a true story of
the Philippines during the last decades of Spanish rule. The characters used by Rizal in
the Noli were persons who actually existed during those times (Zaide & Zaide, 1999).
Maria Clara was Leonor Rivera. Tasyo was his older brother Paciano. Padre Salvi was
Fr. Antonio Piernavieja the Augustinian Order. Capitan Tiago was Capitan Hilario
Sunico of San Nicolas. Doña Victorina was Doña Agustina Medel. Basilio and Crispin
were the Crisistimo brothers of Hagonoy, Bulacan. Padre Damaso, however, was the
typical abusive friar during Rizal’s time.
Through the characters in the Noli, Rizal depicted the different pictures of Filipino
society during his time (Capino et al, 1977).
1. Juan Crisostomo Ibarra. As the main character in the novel, Ibarra represented
the affluent and liberal European-educated Filipino. Civic –minded, liberty-
minded and patriotic, he desired the education of the people. His plan of
establishing the schoolhouse at San Diego was opposed by Father Damaso,
representing conservatism in Filipino society then. This conflict between
liberalism and conservatism is reflected in many episodes in the Noli, which
culminated in Iba’ra's leaving the country and Maria Clara’s entering the nunnery.

2. Elias. Rizal represented the Filipino masses in the novel through Elias. As the
symbol of the common people, Elias did everything to vindicate them from the
injustices suffered from the Spaniards. Although Ibarra’s family had brought
misfortunes to his own family, he extended help to Crisostomo in many
occasions in the novel. This might had been due to his belief that the redemption
of the country depends on the ilustrados. Just like Ibarra, he is a mouthpiece of
Rizal’s contradictory thoughts and purposes.

3. Maria Clara. As the object of Ibarra’s love and affection, Rizal represented
Filipino womanhood trained in a convent and immersed in education basically
religious in orientation. She symbolizes the Filipino womanhood in their fidelity,
coyness, and modesty.

4. Don Rafael Ibarra. In the novel, Don Rafael was Crisostomo’s father. He was
jailed for helping a young boy being harmed by an ignorant Spanish tax collector.
Father Damaso considered him a heretic and a filibuster owing to his liberal and
 51

independent views. Rizal used Don Rafael in the Noli to symbolize an affluent
landlord with a social conscience.

5. Sisa. Sisa was the mother of Basilio and Crispin in the Noli. She symbolized a lot
of things in Filipino society during Rizal’s time. In the novel, she lost her mental
balance upon learning what happened to Basilio and Crispin, her two sons.
Through her, Rizal was able to illustrate lack of concern in facing and resolving
problems confronting Filipino society. She was also used by Rizal in the Noli to
illustrate the typical characteristics of Filipino mothers –fully cognizant of the
attributes of their sons and daughters; and willing to defend them from all forms
of injustice or accusations.

6. Capitan Tiago. To the people of San Diego, he was Don Anastacio delos Santos.
Just like Don Rafael Ibarra, he was a rich landlord. His wealth was derived from
his involvement in the illegal in the illegal opium trade. To the common people,
he was a symbol of the cacique mentality. Professing to be religious, never did
he prayed to God even in the face of difficulties. Instead, he let his money pray
for him. Moreover, Rizal employed Capitan Tiago in the novel to represent the
subservient Filipino to the authorities to protect his personal and business
interest.

7. Doña Victorina. As a social climber, she married Don Tiburcio de Espadaña to

support her claim of being Spaniard. She despised everything Filipino and
imitated what was Spanish. Thus, Rizal used her in the novel to symbolize
colonial mentality among some Filipinos during his time.

8. Doña Patrocinio. As the mistress of the Alfarez, she was noted to be imprudent,
vulgar, cruel, and quarrelsome. As such, she symbolize the mentality of the
Guardia Civil. Being the only competitor of Capitan Tiago in godliness, she did
everything to pretend that she was really religious by showing off to the public
what she could contribute for the Church.

9. Pilosopo Tasyo. He represented Rizal’s epitome of a philosopher. He was

perceived to be a sage by the educated and a weird or lunatic by those who did
not know him.

10. The School Master of San Diego. He symbolized intellectual dissatisfaction in

Filipino society during Rizal’s time. As an educated individual, he dreamed of
changing the methods of teaching to facilitate greater learning on the part of the
pupils then.
 52

Social Impact of the Novel

[Link]
Noli Me Tangere is considered to be romantic but is more socio-historical
because of its nature. Most of the issues discussed in Noli can still be seen today.
After publication, Noli me Tangere was considered to be one of the instruments
that initiated Filipino nationalism leading to the 1896 Philippine Revolution. The novel
did not only awaken sleeping Filipino awareness, but also established the grounds for
aspiring to independence. Noli was originally written in Spanish, so the likelihood that
Spanish authorities would read it first was very high; which is what Rizal wanted to
happen. Copies of books were redirected to churches, many were destroyed, many
anti-Noli writers came into the picture. Catholic leaders in the Philippines at the time
regarded the book as heretical, while Spanish colonial authorities declared it as
subversive and against the government. Underground copies were distributed, so Rizal
decided to increase the price, the demand was so high.
The impact also included the expulsion of Rizal's clan in Calamba, Laguna.
Extradition cases were filed against him. This led to his decision to write the sequel of
Noli Me Tangere, the El filibusterismo. Unlike El Fili or Fili, as they called it, Noli Me
Tangere was more delicate and did not invoke rebellion. as El Fili does. So to ensure
revolutionary ideas and patriotic reaction, Rizal redefined his careful concepts in Noli to
aggression in El Fili.

Activity 2
Write an essay with the aim of answering the following;
1. What is freedom?
2. How is the lack of freedom portrayed in the novel?
3. How is the situation in the novel different from today?

________________________________________________________________________
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 53

Module 10
El Filibusterismo
At the end of the module, students will be able to;
1. Compare and contrast the characters, plot, and theme of the Noli and
the El Fili
2. Value the role of the youth in the development and future of society

The writing of El Filibusterismo

[Link]

‘El Filibusterismo’ is Jose Rizal’s second novel written as the sequel of his ‘Noli
Me Tangere’. Commonly nicknamed ‘El Fili’ or simply ‘Fili’, the novel was written also in
Spanish. Its commonly known English alternative title is ‘The Reign of Greed’.

Rizal started writing El Filibusterismo in October 1887 in Calamba during his first
homecoming. The novel was thus written against the background of threats and
oppressions he and his family suffered because of the Noli and the so-called Calamba
agrarian trouble. He continued working on it, making some revisions, in London in 1888.
Rizal then went on to write the novel in Paris, and then in Brussels where distractions
were less and the cost of living was cheaper. Being able to focus on finishing the book,
Rizal had finally completed it by March 29, 1891 in Biarritz.

Initially, Rizal financed El Fili’s printing by pawning his properties. In a letter to

Jose Basa dated July 9, 1891, he related: “For the past three months I have not
received a single centavo, so I have pawned all that I have in order to publish this book.
I will continue publishing it as long as I can; and when there is nothing to pawn I will
stop …”
Rizal’s next letter to Basa carried the sad news that the printing had to be
suspended for lack of funds, and it was at this point where Valentin Ventura came into
the picture. Having known Rizal’s predicament, Ventura offered him financial help. In
hindsight, we can assume that Ventura was bothered by his conscience, hence his
generous monetary assistance for Rizal’s novel. Remember that Ventura was one of the
Filipinos who promised to co-author Rizal’s proposed first book but ended up
contributing nothing.
But even with Ventura’s help, Rizal found it necessary to fundamentally shorten
the novel, erasing 47 whole pages from the 279-page manuscript to save expenses
(Ocampo, p. 111). Thus, the printed El Fili, which came off the press by the middle of
September, 1891, turned out comprising only 38 chapters compared to the 64 of the
Noli—contrary to his original plan to make a longer sequel.
 54

The Plot of the El Fili

In the events of the previous novel, Crisóstomo Ibarra, a reform-
minded mestizo who tried to establish a modern school in his hometown of San Diego
and marry his childhood sweetheart, was falsely accused of rebellion and presumed
dead after a shootout following his escape from prison. Elías, his friend who was also a
reformer, sacrificed his life to give Crisóstomo a chance to regain his treasure and flee
the country, and hopefully continue their crusade for reforms from abroad. After a
thirteen-year absence from the country, a more revolutionary Crisóstomo has returned,
having taken the identity of Simoun, a corrupt jeweler whose objective is to drive the
government to commit as much abuse as possible in order to drive people into
revolution.
Simoun goes from town to town presumably to sell his jewels. In San Diego, he
goes to the Ibarra mausoleum to retrieve more of his treasure but accidentally runs into
Basilio, who was then also in the mausoleum visiting his mother's grave. In the years
since the death of his mother, Basilio had been serving as Kapitán Tiago's servant in
exchange for being allowed to study. He is now an aspiring doctor on his last year
at university as well as heir to Kapitán Tiago's wealth. When Basilio recognizes Simoun
as Crisóstomo Ibarra, Simoun reveals his motives to Basilio and offers him a place in
his plans. Too secure of his place in the world, Basilio declines.
At Barrio Sagpang in the town of Tiani, Simoun stays at the house of the
village's cabeza de barangay, Tales. Having suffered misfortune after misfortune in
recent years, Kabesang Tales is unable to resist the temptation to steal Simoun's
revolver and join the bandits.
In Los Baños, Simoun joins his friend, the Captain-General, who is then taking a
break from a hunting excursion. In a friendly game of cards with him and his cronies,
Simoun raises the stakes higher and higher and half-jokingly secures blank orders for
deportation, imprisonment, and summary execution from the Captain-General.
In Manila, Simoun meets with Quiroga,[2] a wealthy Chinese businessman and
aspiring consul-general for the Chinese empire. Quiroga is heavily in Simoun's debt, but
Simoun offers him a steep discount if Quiroga does him a favor—to store Simoun's
massive arsenal of rifles in Quiroga's warehouses, to be used presumably for extortion
activities with Manila's elite. Quiroga, who hated guns, reluctantly agrees.
During the Quiapo Fair, a talking heads[3] exhibit[4] ostensibly organized by a
certain Mr. Leeds but secretly commissioned by Simoun is drawing popular acclaim.
Padre Bernardo Salví, now chaplain of the Convent of the Poor Clares, [5] attends one of
the performances. The exhibit is set in Ptolemaic Egypt but features a tale that closely
resembled that of Crisóstomo Ibarra and María Clara, and their fate under Salví. The
show ends with an ominous vow of revenge. Deeply overcome with guilt and fear, Salví
recommends the show be banned, but not before Mr. Leeds sailed for Hong Kong.
Months pass and the night of Simoun's revolution comes. Simoun visits Basilio in
Tiago's house and tries to convince him again to join his revolution. Simoun's plan is for
a cannon volley to be fired, at which point Kabesang Tales, now a bandit who calls
himself Matanglawin, and Simoun who managed to deceive and recruit a sizable rogue
 55

force among the government troops, will lead their forces into the city. The leaders of
the Church, the University, scores of bureaucrats, the Captain-General himself, as well
as the bulk of officers guarding them are all conveniently located in one location, the
theater where a controversial and much-hyped performance of Les Cloches de
Corneville[6] is taking place. While Simoun and Matanglawin direct their forces, Basilio
and several others are to force open the door of the Convent of the Poor Clares and
rescue María Clara.
However, Basilio reports to Simoun that María Clara died just that afternoon,
killed by the travails of monastic life under Salví, who always lusted after her. Simoun,
driven by grief, aborts the attack and becomes crestfallen throughout the night. It will be
reported later on that he suffered an "accident" that night, leaving him confined to his
bed.
The following day posters threatening violence to the leaders of the university
and the government are found at the university doors. A reform-oriented student group
to which Basilio belonged is named the primary suspects; the members are arrested.
They are eventually freed through the intercession of relatives, except for Basilio who is
an orphan and has no means to pay for his freedom. During his imprisonment, he learns
that Capitan Tiago has died, leaving him with nothing (but Tiago's will was actually
forged by Padre Írene, Tiago's spiritual advisor who also supplies him with opium); his
childhood sweetheart has committed suicide to avoid getting raped by the parish priest
when she tried asking for help on Basilio's behalf; and that he has missed his
graduation and will be required to study for another year, but now with no funds to go
by. Released through the intercession of Simoun, a darkened, disillusioned Basilio joins
Simoun's cause wholeheartedly.
Simoun, meanwhile, has been organizing a new revolution, and he reveals his
plans to a now committed Basilio. The wedding of Juanito Peláez and Paulita Gomez
will be used to coordinate the attack upon the city. As the Peláez and Gomez families
are prominent members of the Manila elite, leaders of the church and civil government
are invited to the reception. The Captain-General, who declined to extend his tenure
despite Simoun's urging, is leaving in two days and is the guest of honor.
Simoun will personally deliver a pomegranate-shaped crystal lamp as a wedding
gift. The lamp is to be placed on a plinth at the reception venue and will be bright
enough to illuminate the entire hall, which was also walled with mirrors. After some time
the light will flicker as if to go out. When someone attempts to raise the wick, a
mechanism hidden within the lamp containing fulminated mercury will detonate, igniting
the lamp which is actually filled with nitroglycerin, killing everyone in an enormous blast.
At the sound of the explosion, Simoun's mercenaries will attack, reinforced by
Matanglawin and his bandits who will descend upon the city from the surrounding hills.
Simoun postulates that at the chaos, the masses, already worked to a panic by the
government's heavy-handed response to the poster incident, as well as rumors of
German ships at the bay to lend their firepower to any uprising against the Spanish
government, will step out in desperation to kill or be killed. Basilio and a few others are
to put themselves at their head and lead them to Quiroga's warehouses, where
 56

Simoun's guns are still being kept. The plan thus finalized, Simoun gives Basilio a
loaded revolver and sends him away to await further instructions.
Basilio walks the streets for hours and passes by his old home, Kapitán Tiago's
riverside house on Anloague Street. He discovers that this was to be the reception
venue – Juanito Peláez's father bought Tiago's house as a gift for the newlywed couple.
Sometime later, he sees Simoun enter the house with the lamp, then hastily exit the
house and board his carriage. Basilio begins to move away but sees Isagani, his friend
and Paulita Gomez's former lover, sadly looking at Paulita through the window. Noting
how close they were to the condemned house, Basilio tries to head Isagani off, but
Isagani was too dazed with grief to listen to him. In desperation, Basilio reveals to
Isagani how the house is set to explode at any time then. But when Isagani still refuses
to heed him, Basilio flees, leaving Isagani to his fate.
Seeing Basilio's demeanor, Isagani is temporarily, rather belatedly unnerved by
the revelation. Isagani rushes into the house, seizes the lamp leaving the hall in
darkness, and throws it into the river. With this, Simoun's second revolution fails as well.
In the following days, as the trappings at the reception venue are torn down,
sacks containing gunpowder are discovered hidden under the boards all over the
house. Simoun, who had directed the renovations, is exposed. With his friend, the
Captain-General, having left for Spain, Simoun is left without his protector and is forced
to flee. A manhunt ensues and Simoun is chased as far away as the shores of the
Pacific. He then spends the rest of his days hiding in the ancestral mansion of Padre
Florentino, Isagani's uncle.
One day, the lieutenant of the local Guardia Civil informs Florentino that he
received an order to arrest Simoun that night. In response, Simoun drinks the slow-
acting poison which he always kept in a compartment on his treasure chest. Simoun
then makes his final confession to Florentino, first revealing his true name, to
Florentino's shock. He goes on to narrate how thirteen years before, as Crisóstomo
Ibarra, he lost everything in the Philippines despite his good intentions. Crisóstomo
swore vengeance. Retrieving some of his family's treasure Elias buried in the Ibarra
mausoleum in the forest, Crisóstomo fled to foreign lands and engaged in trade. He
took part in the war in Cuba, aiding first one side and then another, but always profiting.
There Crisóstomo met the Captain-General who was then a major, whose goodwill he
won first by loans of money, and afterwards by covering for his criminal activity.
Crisóstomo bribed his way to secure the major's promotion to Captain-General and his
assignment to the Philippines. Once in the country, Crisóstomo then used him as a blind
tool and incited him to all kinds of injustice, availing himself of the Captain-General's
insatiable lust for gold.
The confession is long and arduous, and night has fallen when Crisóstomo
finished. In the end, Florentino assures the dying man of God's mercy, but explains that
his revolution failed because he has chosen means that God cannot sanction.
Crisóstomo bitterly accepts the explanation and dies.
Realizing that the arresting officers will confiscate Crisóstomo's possessions, Florentino divests
him of his jewels and casts them into the Pacific, proclaiming that God will provide means to
draw them out if they should be needed for righteous causes, God will provide the means to
 57

draw them out and that they will not be used to either distort justice or incite greed.
[Link]

Symbolical Interpretation of the Fili

On the more abstract or philosophical level, following the thesis that the Fili is a study in
revolution, the more important characters can be interpreted symbolically. Turned
cynical an revolutionary as a result of past failures and disappointments, SIMOUN
could be made to represent the portion of Filipino society which, tired of the oppressor’s
rule wanted that rule to be overthrown at all cost, but had no systematic plan for the new
society, if the old one is overthrown.
Maria Clara, who after suffering from untold physical and spiritual abuse for at
least 13 years, at last dies, can still be made to symbolize in the Fili, the friar-
dominated culture, which is now ripe for revolution. That there is no eventual
union between Simoun and Maria Clara, not even meeting between the two since
they parted 13 years ago is significant. Although Simoun wanted very much to
see and possess her, he was not permitted to do so. This is indicative,
symbolically speaking, of Rizal’s refusal to recognize that the friar-dominated
Filipino culture could still be reinvigorated through the infusion of new elements
into its anemic bloodstream.
Señor Pasta, the idealist turned mercenary, could be made to represent that
portion of Filipino society who have abandoned their noble social ideals and have
become thoroughly self-seeking opportunist, serving only the interest of those
who have hired them.
Isagani, a young student, who is inspired by high ideals for his country but at
critical moment apparently and unwittingly forgets those ideals for selfish
reasons, could be made to symbolize the untested and unreliable idealism of a
segment of the educated Filipino youths of the time.
Paulita Gomez, the hapless object of Isagani’s affection, a girl who is more free
from the fetters of convention than Maria Clara, can be made to represent that
portion of Filipino womanhood –still half breed like Maria Clara –which is
relatively enlightened but which is itself almost thoroughly bereft of love of
country and of a desire for the social good.
Basilio, the medical student who, despite the extreme sufferings undergone by
his family as a result of clerical perfidy and cruelty, refuses to entertain any
revolution through even in the face of rampant social injustices, could be made to
 58

symbolize that segment of the educated Filipino society which has been so
brutalized that it has become insensible to the social welfare.
Placido Penitnente, is another young man who has been so disillusioned by the
state of affairs he finds himself in as a students, entertains the desire to go
abroad. When shown by Simoun some signs of a possible uprising, he becomes
so frightened that he could not make up his mind whether to join or not join. He
persuasively could be made to symbolize those elements of Philippine society,
which had not yet been infused with a national sentiment or social conscience.
Don Custodio, a typical Spanish official in the country, who occupies several
positions despite the absence of qualification, believes that any idea that does
not come from him deserves no consideration. As a character in the Fili, Rizal
portrayed him as one who finds pleasure in developing a feeling of inferiority
among the people.
The pattern of suffering in the El Filibusterismo is depicted in the story of
Cabesang Tales, Juli, and the school master (Capino et al, 1978; Schamacher,1977)
Cabesang Tales, a victim of land grabbing by the friars, became desperate and
joined the outlaws for personal revenge. He died of fever and found no justice in
the courts.
Juli, innocent-looking and unaffected daughter of Cabesang Tales and
sweetheart of Basilio, took her own life because of her love for honor and chastity
rather than surrender her womanhood to mundane desire of [Link].
The School Master, rusticated as a rebel for having experimented teaching the
Spanish language to young children against the wishes of the Spanish friars was
pardoned due to the influence wielded by Simoun. Later on, he became
Simoun’s gunpowder expert.
Garcia, et al (2015) Rizal and the Development of Filipino Nationalism: A textbook on the Life, Works,
and Writings of our National Hero. Books Atbp. Publishing Corp., Mandaluyong)

Themes
Indeed a continuation of the Noli, the El Filibusterismo exposes the real picture of
Filipino society at the hands of the Spanish authorities. Socio-political issues mentioned
in the Noli are also dealt with in its sequel: the abuses and hypocrisy of the members of
the Spanish Catholic clergy, superstitions disguising as religious faith, the need for
reform in educational system, the exploitation and corruption of government officials,
and the pretenses of some social-climbing Filipinos and Spaniards.

What makes El Fili essentially different from its prequel is that it offers various
means of attaining social reform and somewhat hinted what the author believed was
ideal. Some dialogues and incidents seem to suggest the apparent improbability of any
 59

radical socio-political change. The main character’s persistence to push through with
the rebellion, on the other hand, seems to suggest that independence is attainable
through revolution. However, the closing chapters rather insinuate that freedom must be
attained without bloodshed as the story ends with the failure of Simoun’s planned
uprising.

The novel’s ending, some scholars explain however, should not be interpreted as
Rizal’s categorical stand against revolution. At best, Rizal can be said to be against
unprepared and disorganized rebellion of an uneducated people which could have slim
chance of victory. It is important to note that Rizal once commented that an upright,
patriotic, and selfless individual like Noli’s Elias would be a viable revolutionary leader.
In fact, Rizal was said to have confessed that he seriously regretted having killed Elias
instead of Ibarra. These seem to prove that Rizal, though practically promoting the
attainment of reforms peacefully, also advocated the idea of armed revolution under
some conditions. Intelligent as he is, what Rizal would never subscribe to is the
“useless spilling of blood,” but not the uprising per se.
[Link]

Activity 2
Use any graphic organizer to compare and contrast, and show continuities
and/or changes in Rizal’s ideas expressed in the Noli and El Fili.
 60

Module 11
The Indolence of the Filipinos

At the end of the module, students will be able to;

1. Assess Rizal’s writings
2. Appraise the value of understanding the past
3. Frame the arguments based on evidence

Activity 1

Define the term, indolence.

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

Describe ‘Juan Tamad’ based on what you learned when you were still young.

____________________________________________________________________________
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____________________________________________________________________________

Who are the present generation Juan?

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 61

Introduction
The essay represents Rizal’s defense of the Filipinos from the charge that they
were inherently lazy or indolent. Indolence, as for Rizal, is defined as inactiveness, little
love for work, or complete disregard for work – Filipinos were not born lazy but had a
predisposition to become lazy. According to Garcia et al (2015), there are factors that
fostered indolence attributable to the Spaniards and to the Filipinos themselves.
Attributable to Spanish colonizers:
1. Wars and Internal Disorders That Followed Spanish Conquest
2. Piratical Attacks on Coastal Towns and Villages By Muslim Pirates
3. Forced Labor in Shipbuilding
4. Government’s Neglect and Apathy to Agriculture, Industry and Commerce
5. Absence of Material and Moral Incentives To Work Harder
6. The Teaching of the Spanish Missionaries That Heaven is for the Poor
7. Too Much Government Restriction and Red Tape In The Approval of
Permit To Transact Business
8. Encouragement And Propagation Of Gambling
9. Ownership of the Big Estate by the Friars
10. Example Set By the Spaniards in Disdaining Manual Labor
11. Deprivation of Human Dignity

Attributable to Filipinos
1. Feeling of Inferiority
2. Placing Hopes on Miracles
3. Lack of Spirit To Pursue Lofty Purposes
4. Lack of National Sentiment

Summary
[Link]

The Indolence of the Filipinos is a study of the causes why the people did not,
as was said, work hard during the Spanish regime. Rizal pointed out that long before
the coming of the Spaniards, the Filipinos were industrious and hardworking. The
Spanish reign brought about a decline in economic activities because of certain causes:
 62

First, the establishment of the Galleon Trade cut off all previous associations of
the Philippines with other countries in Asia and the Middle East. As a
result, business was only conducted with Spain through Mexico. Because of this, the
small businesses and handicraft industries that flourished during the pre-Spanish period
gradually disappeared.
Second, Spain also extinguished the natives’ love of work because of the
implementation of forced labor. Because of the wars between Spain and other
countries in Europe as well as the Muslims in Mindanao, the Filipinos were compelled to
work in shipyards, roads, and other public works, abandoning agriculture, industry, and
commerce.
Third, Spain did not protect the people against foreign invaders and pirates.
With no arms to defend themselves, the natives were killed, their houses burned, and
their lands destroyed. As a result of this, the Filipinos were forced to become nomads,
lost interest in cultivating their lands or in rebuilding the industries that were shut down,
and simply became submissive to the mercy of God.
Fourth, there was a crooked system of education, if it was to be considered
an education. What was being taught in the schools were repetitive prayers and other
things that could not be used by the students to lead the country to progress. There
were no courses in Agriculture, Industry, etc., which were badly needed by
the Philippines during those times.
Fifth, the Spanish rulers were a bad example to despise manual labor. The
officials reported to work at noon and left early, all the while doing nothing in line with
their duties. The women were seen constantly followed by servants who dressed them
and fanned them – personal things which they ought to have done for themselves.
Sixth, gambling was established and widely propagated during those times.
Almost every day there were cockfights, and during feast days, the government officials
and friars were the first to engage in all sorts of bets and gambles.
Seventh, there was a crooked system of religion. The friars taught the naïve
Filipinos that it was easier for a poor man to enter heaven, and so they preferred not to
work and remain poor so that they could easily enter heaven after they died.
Lastly, the taxes were extremely high, so much so that a huge portion of what
they earned went to the government or to the friars. When the object of their labor was
removed and they were exploited, they were reduced to inaction.
Rizal admitted that the Filipinos did not work so hard because they were wise
enough to adjust themselves to the warm, tropical climate. “An hour’s work under that
burning sun, in the midst of pernicious influences springing from nature in activity, is
equal to a day’s labor in a temperate climate.”

Activity 2
 63

Module 12
Jose Rizal and the Philippine Nationalism
At the end of the module, students will be able to;
1. Interpret views and opinions about bayani and kabayanihan in the context of
Philippine history and society
2. Assess the concepts of bayani and kabayanihan in the context of Philippine
society

The concepts of bayani and kabayanihan

In the old times, a bayani is a person who fights with the ‘bayan’ or the
community. The definition changes as a bayani today is a person who sacrifices even
the little things for the good of other.
Examples;
Old notion - Gregorio del Pilar, Andres Bonifacio
Modern Notion - A young man who helped a very old woman
crossing the pedestrian

The word bayani is translated to a hero in English language. The original hero
type of classical epics did such things for the sake of glory and honor. On the other
hand, are post-classical and modern heroes, who perform great deeds or selfless acts
for the common good instead of the classical goal of wealth, pride, and fame
([Link] Merriam-Webster dictionary defined a hero as a
mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great
strength or ability
As a literary device, a hero can be defined as the principal character of a literary
work. The term hero has been applied, not only in the classical sense, but also in
modern literature, as the principal character of a story, play or novel.
Kabayanihan or heroism is defined by the Oxford English dictionary as a
traditional system of mutual assistance in which the members of a community work
together to accomplish a difficult task. In later use also: a spirit of civic unity and
cooperation among Filipinos.
Heroism as a concept according to Michael Xiao Chua, came from the Greeks.
Looking at Hercules as an example, a “hero” can be a strong-willed and supernatural
character who consciously directs his abilities for the good of the people. The Western-
 64

inspired educational system taught us this definition; that is why we see heroes as
larger than life characters with extraordinary strength, extraordinary courage and
extraordinary intellect. José Rizal easily fits the description.
 65

Activity 1

Hudhud ni Aliguyon

Discussing one Philippine epic will help in understanding one’s concept of a

hero. Read the epic below and analyse the qualities of the protagonist of the story.

In a village called Hannanga, a boy named Aliguyon was born. He was the
son of the village's leader, Amtalao, and his wife Dumulao. He was a brilliant and
intelligent young man who was always eager to learn and listen to the stories and
teachings of his father. Indeed, he learned many useful things. He knew how to do
proper combat, and even how to chant a few magic spells.
Aliguyon showed promise and great leadership at an early age, which
earned the awe and amazement of his fellow villagers, even children. During his
teenage years, he decided to go into battle with his father's enemy, Pangaiwan of
the village of Daligdigan. However, his challenge was not personally answered by
Pangaiwan. Instead, he went face-to-face with Pangaiwan's fierce son,
Pumbakhayon. Pumbakhayon was just as skilled in the arts of war and magic as
Aliguyon.
Upon battle, without hesitations, Aliguyon hurled a spear towards
Pumbakhayon. Without blinking an eye, Pumbakhayon moved to avoid the spear,
caught it, and then quickly tossed it back towards Aliguyon's way. In retaliation,
Aliguyon did the same. The two of them continued this battle for a long time, with
Aliguyon and Pumbakhayon just alternately throwing one spear towards each other
in the hopes of ending the life of the other.
In the three years of their non-stop fight, neither of them showed signs of
weariness and defeat, causing Aliguyon and Pumbakhayon to develop respect and
admiration for each other. With their realization came the end of their fight.
Together, Aliguyon and Pumbakhayon developed and drafted a peace treaty
between the towns of Hannanga and Daligdigan, which their people celebrated
and readily agreed to.
As peace slowly settled, the two villages prospered. Aliguyon and
Pumbakhayon forged a strong friendship. Aliguyon ended up marrying Bugan,
Pumbakhayon's younger sister, while Pumbakhayon married Aliguyon's sister,
Aginaya.[5]
(retrieved from: [Link]

1. Discuss the qualities of Aliguyon as a hero.

2. Then, with a partner, select your hero according to your standards and
present it in class.
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Activity 2
Watch the film ‘’Bayaning Third World’’ thru;[Link]

Answer each of the following questions.

1. How does the movie challenge your perception of what a hero is?

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2. In what way did the movie use Rizal as the national hero to illustrate or define
the third world hero?

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3. What are your realizations or reflections after watching the movie?

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Module 13
Philippine Nationalism and the National Symbol

At the end of the module, students will be able to;

1. Examine the values highlighted by the various representations of Rizal as a
national symbol
2. Advocate the values Rizal’s life encapsulates

Activity 1
Create a cluster diagram on the values highlighted by Rizal’s life as a
hero.
 68

National Heroes

[Link]
national-heroes-and-laws-honoring-filipino-historical-figures/

1.1 National Heroes Committee

On March 28, 1993 , President Fidel V. Ramos issued Executive Order No.75 entitled
“Creating the National Heroes Committee Under the Office of the President”.

The principal duty of the Committee is to study, evaluate and recommend Filipino
national personages/heroes in due recognition of their sterling character and
remarkable achievements for the country.

1.2 Findings and Recommendations of the National Heroes Committee

In compliance with Executive Order No. 75 dated March 28, 1993 , the National Heroes
Committee submitted its findings and recommendations.

1.2.1 Criteria for National Heroes

The Technical Committee of the National Heroes Committee held a series of meetings
on June 3, 1993 , August 19,1993 , September 12, 1994 and November 15, 1995 ,
defining, discussing and deliberating upon the merits of the various definitions and
criteria of a hero. The Committee adopted the following criteria as basis for historical
researchers in determining who among the great Filipinos will be officially proclaimed as
national heroes:

Criteria for National Heroes

(Adopted by the Technical Committee of the National Heroes Committee on June 3,

1993 , Manila . Members of the Committee included Drs. Onofre D. Corpuz, Samuel K.
Tan, Marcelino Foronda, Alfredo Lagmay, Bernardita R. Churchill, Serafin D. Quiason,
Ambeth Ocampo, then known as Dom Ignacio Maria, Prof. Minerva Gonzales and Mrs.
Carmen Guerrero-Nakpil)

1. Heroes are those who have a concept of nation and thereafter aspire and struggle for
the nation’s freedom. Our own struggle for freedom was begun by Bonifacio and
finished by Aguinaldo, the latter formally declaring the revolution’s success. In reality,
however, a revolution has no end. Revolutions are only the beginning. One cannot
aspire to be free only to sink back into bondage.

2. Heroes are those who define and contribute to a system or life of freedom and order
for a nation. Freedom without order will only lead to anarchy. Therefore, heroes are
those who make the nation’s constitution and laws, such as Mabini and Recto. To the
 69

latter, constitutions are only the beginning, for it is the people living under the
constitution that truly constitute a nation.

3. Heroes are those who contribute to the quality of life and destiny of a nation. (As
defined by Dr. Onofre D. Corpuz)

Additional Criteria for Heroes

(Adopted by the Technical Committee of the National Heroes Committee on November
15, 1995, Manila)

1. A hero is part of the people’s expression. But the process of a people’s internalization
of a hero’s life and works takes time, with the youth forming a part of the internalization.

2. A hero thinks of the future, especially the future generations.

3. The choice of a hero involves not only the recounting of an episode or events in
history, but of the entire process that made this particular person a hero. (As defined by
Dr. Alfredo Lagmay)

1.2.2 Historical Figures Recommended as National Heroes

On November 15, 1995 , the Technical Committee after deliberation and careful
study based on Dr. Onofre D. Corpuz’ and Dr. Alfredo Lagmay’s criteria selected the
following nine Filipino historical figures to be recommended as National Heroes:

a. Jose Rizal
b. Andres Bonifacio
c. Emilio Aguinaldo
d. Apolinario Mabini
e. Marcelo H. del Pilar
f. Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat
g. Juan Luna
h. Melchora Aquino
i. Gabriela Silang

1.2.3 Status of the Report/Recommendations Submitted by the National Heroes

Committee.

Since the submission of the report/recommendations by the National Heroes

Committee to then Secretary Ricardo T. Gloria of the Department of Education, Culture
and Sports on November 22,1995 , no action has been taken. This was probably
because this might trigger a flood of requests for proclamations. Another possibility is
that the proclamations can trigger bitter debates involving historical controversies about
the heroes.

2. Laws Honoring/ Commemorating Filipino Historical Figures

 70

2.1 Heroes

2.1.1 Jose Rizal

[Link] Decree of December 20, 1898 , issued by General Emilio Aguinaldo, declared
December 30 of every year a day of national mourning in honor of Dr. Jose Rizal and
other victims of the Philippine Revolution.

[Link] Act No. 137, which organized the politico-military district of Morong into the
Province of Rizal , was the first official step taken by the Taft Commission to honor our
greatest hero and martyr.

2.1.2 Andres Bonifacio

[Link] Act No. 2946, enacted by the Philippine Legislature on February 16, 1921 ,
made November 30 of each year a legal holiday to commemorate the birth of Andres
Bonifacio

[Link] Act No. 2760, issued on February 23, 1918 , confirmed and ratified all steps
taken for the creation, maintenance, improvement of national monuments and
particularly for the erection of a monument to the memory of Andres Bonifacio

2.1.3 Other Heroes

[Link] Act No. 3827, enacted by the Philippine Legislature on October 28, 1931 ,
declared the last Sunday of August of every year as National Heroes Day.

[Link] Proclamation No. 510, issued by Pres. Fidel [Link] on November 30, 1994 ,
declared the year 1996 as the year of Filipino Heroes as a tribute to all Filipinos who,
directly and indirectly, gave meaning and impetus to the cause of freedom, justice,
Philippine independence and nationhood.

[Link] R.A. No. 9070, April 8, 2001, declaring the eighteenth of December of every
year as a special working public holiday throughout the country to be known as the
Graciano Lopez-Jaena Day

2.2 Other Historical Figures

2.2.1 R.A. No. 6701, February 10, 1989, declaring September One of every year, the
death anniversary of Gregorio Aglipay y Labayan, as Gregorio L. Aglipay Day and a
special non-working holiday in the Municipality of Batac, Province of Ilocos Norte

2.2.2 R.A. No. 7285, March 24, 1992, declaring February Nineteen of each year as
Doña Aurora Aragon Quezon Day a special nonworking holiday in the Province of
Aurora in order to commemorate the birth anniversary of Doña Aurora Aragon Quezon,
the first President of the Philippine National Red Cross, and Foundation Day of the
 71

Province

2.2.3 R.A. No. 7805, September 1, 1994, declaring January 28 of every year as a non-
working special public holiday in the City of Cavite to be known as Julian Felipe Day

2.2.4 R.A. No. 7950, March 25, 1995, declaring December Eighteen of every year as
“Araw ng Laguna” and a special working day in the Province of Laguna and the City of
San Pablo to commemorate the memory and death of the late Governor Felicisimo T.
San Luis

2.2.5 R.A. No. 9067, April 8, 2001 , declaring April 15 of every year as President
Manuel A. Roxas Day which shall be observed as a special working public holiday in the
Province of Capiz and the City of Roxas

*From the Reference and Research Bureau Legislative Research Service, House of
Congress

Activity 2

Prepare a video or mtv on the role of frontliners as heroes in fighting the COVID
19 Pandemic. Include the standards why they are heroes. Upload the video in the
Microsoft teams.

References:
Blumentritt, Ferdinand, Prologue to Jose Rizal, Annotated Copy of Antonio Morga’s
Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas (Manila: National Centennial Commission, 1962)

Constantino, Renato. ‘Our task to make Rizal Obsolete’ in This Week, Manila Chronicle
(14 June 1959)

Garcia, C. D. & Cruz, C. B. (2005) Rizal and the Development of Filipino Nationalism: A
Textbook on the life, works, and writings of our national hero.
Garcia, Carlito, D, De Viana, Augusto V. & Cruz, Cynthia V. (2015) Rizal and the
Development of Filipino Nationalism: A textbook on the Life, Works, and
Writings of our National Hero. Atbp. Publishing Corp., Mandaluyong

Laurel, Jose P. Jr. ‘’The trials of the Rizal Bill’’, Historical Bulletin vol.4, no.2 (1960):
130-139
Lopez-Bantug, A. (2008) Lolo Jose: An intimate and Illustrated Portrait of Jose Rizal.
Vibal Foundation Inc. & Intramuros Administration, Quezon City.
 72

Rizal, Jose P. Historical Events of the Philippine Islands by Antonio de Morga,

published in Mexico in 1609 and annotated by Jose P. Rizal. Manila, Jose Rizal
National Centennial Commission, 1962.

Schumacher, John, ‘The Rizal Bill of 1956:Horacio de la Costa and the

Bishops,’Philippine Studies 59 no. 4 (2011):529-553

Valenzuela, E. E, and Calayag, E. H. (2019) Rizal’s Life and Works: Towards Social Awareness
and Nationalism (Textbook on Rizal Course for the New General Education Curriculum).
Great Books Trading, Quezon City.

Online sources:

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[Link]
national-heroes-and-laws-honoring-filipino-historical-figures/
[Link]
[Link]
national-heroes-and-laws-honoring-filipino-historical-figures/
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[Link]
http:/[Link]/the-gates-to-heroism-defining-a-filipino-hero/

[Link]