LIWORIZ L4: VENERATION W/O UNDERSTANDING

RENATO CONSTANTINO

main argument

• “Veneration Without Understanding” challenges the usual way people blindly praise Rizal.

• argues that Filipinos often honor Rizal without really understanding him or his life.

• calls for a more critical and historical look at Rizal

• constantino was a marxist = galit sa mayaman kaya he’s critical of rizal na parang out of touch siya ganun

Rizal’s veneration (regarded with high respect)

• seen as a cult / worship of saints by uncritical attitude

• rizal’s role is magnified = overshadows other great men & historical events, particularly the revolution

Rizal’s stance of the revolution

• In his December 15, 1896 manifesto, he said he had opposed and fought the revolution from the start

• criticized its violent method & denied any involvement. If an ordinary person had spoken against the revolution, they would have been labeled a traitor.

• rizal’s words could be seen as treasonous

• rizal’s refusal made it difficult for filipinos: they can’t reject the revolution because it’s important to their history, but they also can’t criticize Rizal because he’s their hero.

Rizalist’s role & approach

• Rizal’s connection to the Katipunan and the 1896 Revolution is often ignored or downplayed

• Rizal rejected the one action (the Revolution) that truly expressed Filipino nationalism, yet we still treat him as a leader of the nationalist movement.

• it is treated as a “skeleton in his closet” (embarrassing) or “silent treatment” ignored to avoid controversy and protect his image as a supreme symbol of freedom

significance of acknowledging this issue

• bcs ppl ignore or avoid studying Rizal’s rejection of the revolution, our understanding of him is superficial and incomplete.

• to learn about this issue it gives a more accurate view of history = eliminates myth of Rizal as a full revolutionary

• to understand his real ideas, choices, and the limits of his reformist approach

Rizal as a “reformist”

• rizal being part of the ilustrados (educated class) was limited to reformist measures = limited his understanding of the masses

• evident by his novels where principal characters belong to an elite class, while characters from masses are called hazy

• wanted better education, government employees, greater security for people and property BUT within spanish system

• did not want country to fight for independence

• preferred to wait for spain to eventually abandon the PH

american sponsored hero

• rizal became more famous after his martyrdom partly due to american sponsorship: (1) encouraged a rizal cult (2) minimized importance of other heroes

• main reason why americans preferred him: rizal was perfect for bcs he was dead and couldn’t oppose them = a safe hero

other reasons why americans preferred rizal

• rizal was “just enough” = peaceful and moderate

• Rizal came from the “right” social class (ilustrados), the one the americans were promoting for leadership under their rule.

specific sponsorship approaches

1. created the province of Rizal in his honor

2. allowed fundraising to build a monument for him at Luneta.

3. set aside the anniversary of his death as a day of

   observance / holiday

4. placing his picture on the postage stamp most commonly used in the island

5. placing him in the most basic currency

6. public schools teach the young Filipinos to revere his memory

   as the greatest of Filipino patriot

governor william howard taft

• told the Philippine Commission that the Filipinos needed a national hero in 1901

• Free Press, December 28, 1946: And now, gentlemen, you must have a national hero.'

• During discussions about who should be chosen among the revolutionary heroes, Rizal was selected. However, there is no formal declaration of rizal being the national hero.

• basically: rizal became the Philippines’ national hero partly because the Americans suggested it

theodore friend

•  in his book, Between Two Empires, stated that americans chose rizal as a model hero because:

  • Aguinaldo was too militant

  • Bonifacio was too radical

  • Mabini was too unregenerate

rizal was important but its not all about him

• the nationalist movement would have happened even without him. despite his condemnation, he could not stop / alter the event

• Other talented people, like Del Pilar or other propagandists, could have stepped in.

• execution on December 30 just made the story more dramatic.

• constantino argues that history is made by men confronting social progress not by a succession of exploits by gifted ppl

development of the term Filipino

Originally, “Filipino” meant Spanish-born in the Philippines, but later, educated natives and mestizos started using the term to express identity and belonging

España en Filipinas

• a spanish / spanish mestizo publication

• meant to replace an earlier magazine, Revista Circulo Hispano Filipino, founded by creole Juan Atayde

• magazine was loyal to Spanish interests rather than the Filipino cause.

• criticism by lopez-jaena:

  • compared them to the Azcarraga brothers, who were born in the Philippines but supported Spain over locals.

indios bravos

Rizal and other natives in Paris began using the term “indios bravos” (“brave natives”) to turn an insult into a proud identity.

La solidaridad

• Led and edited by indios, not creoles or mestizos

• Leaders included Lopez-Jaena and Marcelo H. del Pilar

• advocated liberalism and democratic reforms for Spanish colonies

Katipunan

• led by Bonifacio

• it was the contrast to the ilustrado approach

• combined revolutionary ideas with action— the people themselves rose up to fight.

• ilustrado’s ideas inspired the masses, even if their own actions were limited.

constantino’s preference of bonifacio

• Rizal had the education and privilege to understand the struggles of the people.

• But he was still limited by his background— he couldn’t fully experience the hardships of ordinary Filipinos.

• Bonifacio lived that reality and led the Katipunan with real, firsthand understanding of the people’s suffering.

• This is why the masses’ revolutionary spirit aligned more naturally with Bonifacio than with Rizal.