Achieve Great Things, Initiate Changes, Transform from Better to Best, Excel and Remain Humble

Gret-Fisico Bldg., Maharlika Highway, Brgy. Lumingon, Tiaong, Quezon, Philippines

Telefax Number: (042)-545-6547 / Cell No. 0922-8934738

DISCIPLINE AND IDEAS IN THE APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCES

I. UNIT NO. & TITLE: CHAPTER III: INDIGENIZING THE SOCIAL SCIENCES
II. LESSON NO. & TITLE: Lesson 1: Filipino Social Thinker
III. WEEK NUMBER: Week 13&14 (May 03-14,2021)
IV. MODULE NUMBER: Module 12&13
V. OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, students must be able to:

 *Examine the key concepts and ideas of Filipino thinkers in the Social
Sciences rooted in Filipino language/s and experiences: a. 19th Century
(Isabelo delos Reyes, Jose Rizal, others.)

VI. ACTIVITY:
Name the pictures below. Write your idea or description about those people base on your prior
knowledge. Don’t ever use google for their identity.

1.

2.
 3.

4.

VII. DISCUSSION:

FILIPINO SOCIAL THINKERS

(RIZAL, MABINI, DE LOS REYES, and RECTO)
Who is a social thinker? Through time, there are people who stood out and became sources of new social
ideas and inspiration. In the Philippines, there are a number of Filipinos who can be considered as social thinkers.
This lesson will explain the concept of social thinking and how different Filipinos through time became important
social thinkers.
Social thinkers are individuals in society who can be regarded as forefronts and visionaries toward the
improvement of society in a particular time. They can also be regarded as great individuals who have contributed
significantly to development of political and social thoughts and philosophy. They also provided significant
contributions to the advancement of the disciplines of the social sciences. In the Philippines, there are a number of
Filipino social thinkers who contributed toward the advancement and enrichment of social and political thoughts.
JOSE RIZAL AS A SOCIAL THINKER
Jose Rizal José Rizal, the Filipino national hero, can be
considered as one of the greatest Filipino social thinkers during the
nineteenth century. Syed Farid Alatas (2010) considers Rizal as the
first systematic social thinker in Southeast Asia because his writings
can be used as basis of sociological theories and concepts.
Born in Calamba, Laguna on June 19, 1861, Jose Mercado
Rizal finished Bachelor of Arts at Ateneo Municipal de Manila. He
enrolled in Medicine at University of Santo Tomas and left for Spain in
May 1882 to finish his medicine studies at the Universidad Central de
Madrid. Rizal wrote articles to the propaganda publication, the La
Solidaridad. His most outstanding writings in the La Solidaridad
included "Filipinas dentro de cien anos" or "The Philippines: A Century Hence" which was published from September
30, 1889-February 1, 1890 and "Sobre la indolencia de los Filipinos" or "The Indolence of the Filipinos" which came
out in the La Solidaridad in 1890.
Rizal's social ideas focused on the necessity to promote a genuine propaganda campaign that will provide
information about the Philippines and their people, their capabilities and achievements, aspirations and moral rights.
These social ideas were consistently discussed by Rizal in his two novels, namely, the Noli Me Tangere (1887) and
El Filibusterismo (1891), and in his Annotation of Antonio de Morga's Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas (1890). Rizal's
works explained the nature and conditions of Filipino colonial society during the Spanish period. He also provided
alternative ways and requirements so that Filipinos can seek liberation from the yoke of colonial rule. According to
Alatas (2010), Rizalľ's works introduced three broad sociological aspects that included the following:
1. A critique of colonial knowledge of the Philippines
2. A theory of colonial society that explains the nature and conditions of Filipino colonial society
3. Rizal's discourse on the meaning of and requirements for emancipation-
Rizal criticized the corrupt system of the Spanish colonial government including its abusive officials. He
blamed the backwardness of the Philippines and its lack of development as the main cause of the indolence of its
people. In his essay, "The Indolence of the Filipinos," Rizal discussed how the Filipinos, from being an advanced
society before the sixteenth century became a backward country during the Spanish period. He attributed the lack of
progress and backwardness of the Philippines to Spanish colonialism. Rizal also criticized the colonial knowledge of
the Filipinos by looking into the country's history to address the Spanish accusations of Filipino indolence Rizal
asserts that prior to the coming of the Spaniards, the early Filipinos were persevering and industrious people who
have developed a prosperous and vibrant economy and rich culture.
As a product of the nineteenth century liberal traditions, Jose Rizal was also aware of the Orientalist
scholarship that flourished in Europe. This was evident in Rizalľ's Annotation of Antonio de Morga's Sucesos de las
Islas Filipinas or Historical Events of the Philippine Islands. In his annotation of Morga's work, Rizal made significant
clarifications from the original work of Morga. His annotation corrected what Rizal believed to be as untruthful reports
and insulting statements written in most of the Spanish accounts about the Philippines. His annotation of Morga's
work also emphasized the precolonial history of the Filipinos that was deleted from the memory of the Filipinos due to
Spanish colonialism. For Rizal, the existing historical sources about the Philippines were mostly incorrect, prejudicial,
unscientific, baseless, and irrational.
Rizal’s writings also proved a number of things about Philippine social realities during the nineteenth
century. First, he proved that the Filipinos made significant advancements in agriculture and industry during the
precolonial times.
Second, he discussed the colonized people's point of view on various issues such as the lack of progress in the
Philippines and the imposition of Spanish colonial policies. Third, Rizal examined the cruelties committed by the
Spanish colonizers. And lastly, Rizal criticized the hypocrisies and irrationalities of the Spanish colonial government
and the Catholic Church (Alatas 2010).
Rizal was also an advocate of human rights, particularly on women's rights in Philippine colonial society. In
his "Letter to the Young Women of Malolos" (1889), Rizal provided a number of important ideas on the rights of
Women and gender issues in the Philippines during the nineteenth century.
1. Filipinos must be educated.
2. Filipino women must be courageous, strong-willed, and educated.
3. Tyranny happens if people remain coward and negligent.
4. Ignorance is tantamount to servitude.
5. A person who loves his independence must first aid his fellowmen.
6. If the Filipino women will remain ignorant, complacent, weak, and passive, they should not bear children
7. All men are born equal, naked, and without bonds because God did not create man to be a slave nor did He
provide him with intelligence just to deceive him. God did not give man reason to have him deceived by others
8. Rizal also examined the nature of Catholicism in the Philippines during the Spanish period. Rizal said that Filipinos
should examine the kind of religion the friars are teaching them. They should, according to Rizal, "see whether it is
the will of God or according to the teachings of Christ that the poor be succored and those who suffer alleviated"
Rizal advised them to consider what the friars were preaching them. They must examine the "object of the sermon,
what is behind the masses, novenas, rosaries, scapularies, images, miracles, candles, belts...

APOLINARIO MABINI
Apolinario Mabini was born on July 23, 1864 in
Talaga, Tanuan, Batangas. His parents are Inocencio Leon
Mabini and Dionisia Magpantay Maranan. He studied at the
Dominican School of San Juan de Letran and finished law at
the University of Santo Tomas in 1894. He served as the
first prime minister and Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the
First Philippine Republic from January 2, 1899 to May 8,
1899. He also was appointed as the President of the
Supreme Court. Mabini acted as the chief adviser of
President Emilio Aguinaldo in 1898. His influence was evident in the proclamation changing the form of government
of the Philippines from being a Dictatorial Government to a Revolutionary Government. He also provided a simple
structure of government for the Philippines during the Second Phase of the Philippine Revolution. He was the most
constant defender of the Revolution and of Philippine independence. He was also considered as the brain and
conscience of the revolution.
Mabini introduced several social philosophies in his political writings. His major works included "El
Verdadero Decalogo" "Ordenanzas de la Revolucion" and the "Programa constitutional de la republica Filipina." As a
defender of the Philippine independence, Mabini can be considered as one of the brilliant Filipino social thinkers. His
social philosophy included the following:
1. Definition and Role of Citizenship
Like the national hero Jose Rizal, Apolinario Mabini understood the problems of the Filipinos under the
Spanish colonial government. In his article entitled "Mabini: Philospher of Citizenship," Randy David believes that
Mabini wanted Filipinos to assert their rights as free citizens of a republic. In the attainment of their objective, Mabini
saw the need for political freedom geared toward the establishment of self-government institutions.
2. The Need for Radical Changes
According to Mabini, genuine social renewal can only be achieved through radical institutional and personal
changes. Personal change meant an alteration of the way of Filipinos think and live. Mabini believes that an "internal
and external revolution" was necessary in order to "establish a more solid basis for moral education and to foreswear
the vices that we have inherited from the Spaniards" (David 2015)
3. Concept of Man and Society
In his prize-winning biography of Apolinario Mabini, Cesar Adib Majul wrote about Mabini's concept of man
and society. Mabini, according to Majul, calls man as a creation of God who possesses certain inalienable rights
called natural rights. Man, Mabini asserts, "had the right to seek those means necessary to maintain and perpetuate
his life." Men are by nature good and just and have the capacity to unfold his goodness and sense of justice to
others. In this context, freedom can only be understood as doing what is good, just and reasonable. He said that
"true liberty is only for what is good and never for what is evil; it is always in accordance with reason and the upright
and honest conscience of the individual" According to Majul, Mabini defined society as "an organization instituted for
mutual help, so that each could enjoy the highest possible well-being; a situation that can never be arrived at by the
sole efforts of an individual without the aid of others" (Majul 2004, 197).
4. Role of Government
Authority in society constitutes the government. According to Majul, Mabini believes that society "should
have a soul: authority. This authority need an intellect to guide and direct it: the legislative power. It also needsa will
that is active and which shall make it work: the executive. It needs a will that is active and which punishes those who
are bad: the judicial power. These powers should be independent of one another, in the sense that one should not
encroach upon the functions of the other; but the last should be subordinate to the first; in the same manner that both
will and conscience are subordinate to the intellect" (Majul 2004, 199). Mabini believes that all divisions of the
government were responsible to the people. Disruption of harmony happens when there is usurpation of one branch
of the government by another branch. This brings about chaos in the body politic (Majul 2004, 199). Mabini asserts
that government must guarantee to the citizens "the highest degree of personal security, the greatest number of
rights, the maximum satisfaction of economic wants, and the best possible education" In turn, Mabini states that
citizens must be "law-abiding, obedient to authority, virtuous, and eminently patriotic" (Majul 2004, 200).
5. The True Decalogue
Mabini developed a decalogue that is made up of truths communicated by God to men through the use of
reason. The Decalogue of Mabini focused on God, nation, independence, and the love of neighbors. He believed that
once the rules of the Decalogue were reflected upon and understood, people will discover things which have been
hidden from them by the Spaniards, Below are the main points in Mabini's Decalogue:
1. Love of God and one's honor
2. Nation was to be loved as the patrimony of the race.
3. Happiness of the nation was to take precedence over that of the individual.
4 Independence was to be a major aspiration.
5. People must not recognize any person as an authority unless he had been properly elected by them.
6. Love your neighbor not merely as a neighbor but as a fellow member of a community.
ISABELO DE LOS REYES
Isabelo de los Reyes was born on July 7, 1864 in Vigan, llocos
Sur. In June 1880, he went to Manila to study at the San Juan de Letran
College where he finished his Bachelor of Arts degree. He studied law at
the University of Santo Tomas. De los Reyes founded the first vernacular
newspaper in the Philippines, El llocano where he acted as both the editor
and publisher of the newspaper. He also wrote a number of researches on
Philippine history and culture. It included Las lslas Visayas en la Epoca de
la Conquista (1887 and1889); La Expedicion de Li-Mahong contra Filipinas
en 1574 (1888); Prehistoria de Filipinas (1889); El Folklore Filipino (1889);
and Historia de llocos (1890). Like Rizal, de los Reyes also criticized the
friars' ownership of large tracts of haciendas and demanded for agrarian
reform for the Filipino farmers.
During the American occupation of the Philippines, de los Reyes
openly attacked the Americans and defended the First Philippine Republic that was established by Emilio Aguinaldo
in January 1899. He was the founder and editor of two periodicals in Madrid, Spain namely, El Defensor de Filipinas
and Filipinas Ante Europa. He also wrote two books in Spain. These are Independencia y Revolucion and La
Religion de Katipunan. The former called on Filipinos to continue the war against the United States while the latter
explained the KKK's organization and teachings.
De los Reyes was known in Philippine history for organizing the first labor union in the Philippines, the Union
Obrera Democratica on February 2, 1902. De los Reyes was named president while Hermenegildo Cruz served as
secretary of the Union. He also founded the La Redencion del Obrero (The Redemption of the laborer), the first labor
newspaper in the Philippines which rallied for the rights of the ordinary laborers. As the first president of the Union,
de los Reyes also initiated the celebration of the first Labor Day on May 1, 1902. De los Reyes's inspiration to
establish a labor union in the Philippines was based from his readings of the works of European thinkers namely, Karl
Marx, Friedrich Engels, Victor Hugo, Pierre Joseph Proudhon, Mikhail Bakunin, and other European socialists. Their
works inspired delos Reyes to introduce the concept of socialism into the Philippines.

CLARO MAYO RECTO

Claro Mayo Recto was a famous Filipino nationalist. He was
born in Tiaong, Tayabas (Quezon) on February 8, 1890. He finished
his bachelor of arts degree at the Ateneo de Manila and his master of
laws at the University of Santo Tomas. He served as legal adviser to
the Philippine Senate from 1916 to 1919. He was elected as
representative of the third district of Batangas in 1919 and served as
the House minority leader. He was reelected as congressman of
Batangas in 1922 and 1925. Recto was also a member of the
Philippine independence mission. In 1934, he was elected as president
of the Constitutional convention that drafted the 1935 Commonwealth
Constitution. In 1931, he became a Senator of the Republic of the
Philippines where he served as majority floor leader and president pro-
tempore of the Senate.
Jesus G. Barrera (1965, iv) calls Recto lifetime" because of his
brilliance and patriotism. His greatness was not only recognized and
appreciated by a great number of people. Recto's views on
nationalism, economic independence, on foreign affairs, on democracy and civil liberties, on the Constitution and on
politics in the Philippines are rooted on the realities of the postwar Philippines when the country was indirectly
controlled and influenced by the United States as a neocolony.
1. On Nationalism
Recto defines nationalism as the Filipino's dedication and support for Filipino interests, unity and
independence. In his speech on the eve of the 1957 Presidential elections, Recto declared that the salvation of the
country's nationalism can only be achieved if Filipinos will learn to assert the nationalistic virtues practiced by the our
heroes and implement policies on nationalist industrialization. Recto believed that national interests are
nonnegotiable. He argued that the interest of the people should not be sacrificed to any form of negotiation with
foreign countries.
2. On Political Economy
According to Claro M. Recto, the prosperity of a country depends on the country's industry. Industries, Recto
believes must be placed under the complete control of the Filipinos and not in the hands of foreign companies. For
Recto, "as long as foreigners control the production, manufacturing, and distribution of the country's main products,
Filipinos will remain poor and subservient." Recto believes that the country's economy is determined by those who
control the country's purse. If the economy remains in the hands of the foreigners, then the country's economy will
not favor the Filipinos but only the foreigners. Under such condition, Filipinos will just rely on foreign powers in order
to survive. Recto believes that the Filipinos must be responsible for the economic condition of the country. Recto
writes, "a nation's political, economic and cultural life is of its own people's making. Of course there are what we call
forces of history, but it is for the people.. .to channel them toward the realization of national objectives. We must
accept, therefore full responsibility for the backward condition of our economy, our political immaturity, our
predilection for dramatizing minor issues to the neglect of long-rage basic questions, and for our confusions and
indecisions that have delayed for decades the progress of the nation."
3. Economic Independence
Recto believed that for a country to develop, it must pursue industrialization and instill nationalism among its
people. For Recto, industrialization and nationalism are twin goals. Recto said that "nationalism cannot be realized
and brought to full flowering without a thorough-going industrialization of our economy by the Filipinos themselves.
And you cannot have an industrialized Philippine economy controlled and managed by Filipinos without the
propulsive force of a deep and abiding spirit of nationalism."

IX. PRACTICE/APPLICATION/SYNTHESIS:
(See worksheet)

X. ASSESSMENT:
(See worksheet)

XI. REFLECTION:

XII. FEEDBACK: Teacher’s comments or reactions after submission and checking.

Prepared by: Checked and Noted By:

BERNADETH R. RODRIGUEZ LAARNI L. TOLENTINO

Subject Teacher Principal
 Achieve Great Things, Initiate Changes, Transform from Better to Best, Excel and Remain Humble

Gret-Fisico Bldg., Maharlika Highway, Brgy. Lumingon, Tiaong, Quezon, Philippines

Telefax Number: (042)-545-6547 / Cell No. 0922-8934738

WORKSHEET

Name: ___________________________ Date: __________________

Section: __________________________ Teacher: ________________

PRACTICE/APPLICATION/SYNTHESIS:

Answer the following questions in a form of an essay.

1. Why is Jose Rizal considered as a social thinker? What role did he play in the development of Philippine social
thinking?

2. What are the contributions of Apolinario Mabini to the Philippine social thinking and philosophy during the
Philippine Revolution?

3. Why do we consider Isabelo De Los Reyes as a social thinker? What Isabelo De Los Reyes contribute towards the
development of the indigenous social sciences?
4. How did Claro M. Recto explains his concept of economic nationalism as a social philosophy?

ASSESSMENT:
Review of Knowledge and Skills
Complete the data retrieval chart to understand the social philosophies of Jose Rizal, Apolinario Mabini, Isabelo de
los Reyes, and Claro M. Recto.

CRITERIA JOSE RIZAL APOLINARIO ISABELO DE LOS CLARO MAYO

MABINI REYES RECTO

Background of the
social thinker

Social and Political

thoughts by the
social thinker

Major works and/ or

contribution to
Filipino society and
the development of
the indigenous
sciences.
REFLECTION:
Write a short position paper that will explain the significant role of any of the following social thinkers to the
development of Filipino society. Do you agree with their views and perspectives? Explain your answer.
a. Jose Rizal
b. Apolinario Mabini
c. Isabelo de los Reyes
d. Claro M. Recto

Prepared by: Checked and Noted By:

BERNADETH R. RODRIGUEZ LAARNI L. TOLENTINO

Subject Teacher Principal