RIZAL NOTES

LESSON 1

Context of the Rizal Law

• A decade after the Philippines’ independence in 1946, the US continued to dominate all aspects of Filipino society - economic, political, cultural, and social.

• To forestall the influence, nationalists like Jose P. Laurel and Claro M. Recto spurred the sense of nationalism and patriotism among the youth.

• Sen. Laurel and Recto envisioned to educate the youth with the ideals of Jose Rizal through his life, works, and writings as a source of nationalism.

• According to Sen. Recto, the author of the original version of Senate Bill 438, reading of Rizal’s novels would strengthen the Filipinism of the youth and foster patriotism.

From the Rizal Bills to the Rizal Law

April 3, 1956

• Starting date for the filing of bills on education by committee.

April 17, 1956

• Senator Jose P. Laurel, the Chairman of Committee on Education, sponsored the Senate Bill 438, authored by Sen. Claro M. Recto.

April 19, 1956

• Cong. Jacobo Gonzales introduced House Bill 5561 as a counterpart to Senate Bill 438.

May 12, 1956

• The bill was amended and finally approved on the second reading.

May 17, 1956

• The bill was finally passed by the senate, and it also stated that the Senate Bill number must show up on the enrolled copies.

June 12, 1956

• President Ramon Magsaysay signed the bill into law, which finally became the Republic Act No. 1425.

Reactions to the Passage of the Rizal Bill

Catholic Church

• Opposed the enactment of the Rizal Law and urged its adherents to do the same.

• They opposed it because it showed open criticism to the Catholic Church;

• In the “compulsory” teaching of the unexpurgated versions of Rizal’s Noli and El Fili, a teacher would have the tendency to discuss — or worse, to criticize certain Church doctrines; and,

• The inevitable criticism of Church doctrines might lead to the jeopardy of the faith of the people.

Sen. Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo

• believed that nationalism and patriotism are important and must be promoted, yet promoting them should not be done at the risk of endangering the harmony between the Church and the State.

Sen. Decoroso Rosales

• believed that approval of the bills would lead to the closure of Catholic schools all throughout the country, and a political party might be inevitably put up by the Catholics to show their strong resentment of the law.

Sen. Claro M. Recto

• affirmed that it is important for the youth to read the novels and ideals of Rizal since the problems of his time are still lingering the Filipino society today - waiting for the solution.

Sen. Jose P. Laurel

• believed that the greatness of Rizal, as well as his intense love for his country and people, could only be fully appreciated by the Filipinos if they would have adequate knowledge about his sufferings and injustices.

Cong. Jacobo Gonzales

• comments that knowing Rizal’s work, our consciousness as people is stirred and we learn to prepare ourselves for painful sacrifices that ultimately lead to self-reliance, self-respect, and freedom.

Sen. Domocao Alonto

• attacked Filipinos who proclaimed Rizal as “their national hero but seemed to despise what he had written”, saying that the Indonesians used Rizal’s books as their bible on their independence movement.

Advocate of Bill

• Sen. Jose P. Laurel

• Sen. Claro M. Recto

• Cong. Jacobo Gonzales

• Cong. Arturo Tolentino

Opposition of Bill

• Sen. Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo

• Sen. Decoroso Rosales

• Cong. Jesus Paredes

Content of the Rizal Law

Section 1

Courses on the life, works, and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo shall be included in the curricula of all schools, colleges, and universities, public or private: provided that in the collegiate courses, the original or unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo of their English translations shall be used as basic texts.

Section 2

It shall be obligatory on all schools, colleges, and universities to keep in their libraries an adequate number of copies of the original and unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as well as of Rizal’s other works and biography. The said unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo or their translations in English as well as other writings of Rizal shall be included in the list of approved books for required reading in all public or private schools, colleges, and universities.

Section 3

The Board of National Education shall cause the translation of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as well as other writings of Jose Riza into English, Tagalog, and the principal Philippine dialects; cause them to be printed in cheap, popular editions; and cause them to be distributed, free of charge, to persons desiring to read them. through the Purok organizations and Barrio Councils throughout the country.

Section 4

Nothing in this act shall be construed as amendment or repealing section nine hundred twenty-seven of the Administrative Code, prohibiting the discussion of religious doctrines by public school teachers and other person engaged in any public school.

Section 5

The sum of three hundred thousand pesos is hereby authorized to be appropriated out of any fund not otherwise appropriated in the National Treasury to carry out the purpose of this Act.

Section 6

This act shall take effect upon its approval.

Amendments of the Rizal Bill

• To solve the issues, amendments of the bills were respectively proposed in both houses of Congress; In the Senate, Senator Jose P. Laurel penned the amended version of SB 438. In the house of Representatives, the amended version was authored by Congressman Arturo Tolentino.

• The amended version of the bill was refined to cater the criticism and objection of the oppositions to the bill while retaining its main provision.

LESSON 2

Nation

• Nation is a community of people composed of one or more nationalities and possessing a more or less defined territory and government (MERRIAM-WEBSTER)

• According to Benedict Anderson, nation is a socially-constructed community, imagined by the people who perceive themselves as part of a group.

• But for Edward Shils and Clifford Geertz, nation is fixed, natural, and ancient and is not socially constructed nor changeable.

Nationalism

• Nationalism is an ideology that elevates one nation or nationality above all others and that places primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations, nationalities, or supranational groups.

• If “nationalism” is the loyalty and devotion to a nation, “patriotism” on the other hand is the love for or devotion to one’s country.

• The exclusionary aspect of nationalism is not shared by patriotism.

Primordialism

• Advocated by Edward Shils and Clifford Geertz.

• Nationalism is a reflection of the ancient evolutionary tendency of humans to organize into distinct units based on birth location.

• Nationalism has existed since early human history.

• Nationalism is an expression of the nation.

Modernism

• Subscribed by Ernest Gellner, Benedict Anderson, and Eric Hobsbawm.

• Nations and nationalism are products of modernity and have been created as means to political and economic ends.

• Nationalism invents nation rather than being their expression.

Hero

• As stated by Esteban de Ocampo, a hero means a prominent or central figure that plays an admirable part in any remarkable action or event; a person of distinguished valor or enterprise in danger or fortitude in suffering; and a man honored by public worship after his death for an exceptional service to mankind.

Why is it important?

• Heroes play an important role in establishing a national identity and collective aspiration for citizens of the Philippine nation to recognize as well as relate to.

• Heroes served as the role models to his people who are motivated by his extraordinary feats to aspire and strive collectively for the betterment of their community.

Do we have a national hero by Law?

• There is no law declaring Rizal or whoever names in history as Philippines national hero.

• Honoring of heroes came in the Philippines during the American Occupation under Taft Commision.

• On March 28, 1993, through Executive Order 75, National Heroes Committee was established to study, evaluate, and recommend national heroes.

Criteria for National Heroes

• Heroes are those who have a concept of nation and thereafter aspire and struggle for the nation’s freedom.

• Heroes are those who define and contribute to a system or life of freedom and order for a nation. Heroes are those who make the nation’s constitution and laws.

• Heroes are those who contribute to the quality of life and destiny of a nation.

• 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.

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

• 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.

Bayani

• Came from the Proto-Malayo-Polynesian word baRani - which means hero or war leader.

• The term “bayani” has a lot of cognates and is widespread in the Malayo-Polynesian world.

• Ang bayani ay isang taong nakapagbibigay ng ginhawa sa pamilya at kaginhawaan sa sariling bayan (Salazar, 2017).

Heroes vs Bayani

Zeus Salazar - for him, “bayani” is somebody who’s fearless and thinks about the people and his nation rather than his self-interest. Meanwhile, he describes “heroes” as a western concept of the elite for someone who has distinguished courage and ability though mostly works alone.

Xiao Chua - The term “heroe” points to a strong-willed and supernatural character who consciously directs his abilities for the good of the people. While the “bayani” persona serves others without expecting anything in return, despite being ordinary.

Ambeth Ocampo - While hero is defined as a “person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities”, a bayani could mean a man of extraordinary strength, bravery, ability, usually a warrior; a man who had the qualities of the gods.

PHILIPPINE NATIONAL HERO CANDIDATES

Jose Rizal

• 1861-1896

• The author of some of the most important writings about the aristocracy and colonization of Spain in the Philippines.

• He was known to many Filipinos and foreigners all over the world and was considered as one of the forerunners of establishing early Philippine studies in Europe.

Andres Bonifacio

• 1863-1897

• Led the Katipunan, a secret revolutionary society that fought against Spanish oppression and colonial rule in the Philippines.

• A patriot who spearheaded various military campaigns during the Philippine Revolution as acts of rebellion against the ruling of Spanish colonial government.

Emilio Aguinaldo

• 1869-1964

• One of the most fascinating revolutionaries in the Philippines who were able to witness the Philippine campaigns for independence under three eras of colonization from Spain, America, and Japan.

• He was considered as a brave general in many revolutions and was recognized as the First President of the Philippine republic.

Juan Luna

• 1857-1899

• Was one of the greatest Filipino artists of all times and considered as genius painter who advocated for the Philippine reformation in Europe.

• He was the artist who created the world-famous magnum opus, Spoliarium, which was awarded a first-class medal in the 1884 Madrid Exposition of Fine Arts.

Marcelo H. Del Pilar

• 1850-1896

• Political analyst and writer of various issues in the Philippine society during the peak of Spanish colonization in the country.

• In, 1882, he founded the nationalistic newspaper, Diariong Tagalog and circulated progressive and patriotic writings in Europe.

Melchora Aquino

• 1839-1919

• One of the two females among the nine historical figures recommended as heroes. She was better known as “Tandang Sora”, “Mother of Balintawak”, and Mother of the Philippine Revolution.”

• Born in the city of Kalookan, her home became an important location and venue for several secret meetings of the Katipunan.

Apolinario Mabini

• 1864-1903

• One of the foremost of the Philippine revolutionary heroes. He was considered as the “brains” of the revolution because of his role as the architect of the 1898 Philippine revolutionary government.

• Under his revolutionary government, he served as the first legal and constitutional adviser and then as the first Prime Minister of the Philippines upon the establishment of the First Philippine Republic.

Sultan Kudarat

• 1581-1671

• Kudarat was the most powerful Sultan of Maguindanao in the Philippines. He successfully repelled Spain’s conquest to subdue Mindanao.

• He was also a hindrance to the Cristianization of the Mindanao Island much like the other Muslim rulers of the Southern Philippines.

• He also forged an alliance with the Sultanate of Sulu, a neighboring maritime sultanate, by marrying its sultan’s daughter.

Gabriela Silang

• 1731-1763

• Maria Josefa Gabriela Cariño Silang - full name.

• A great revolutionary fearless female warrior and a great leader of the Filipino people to fight for independence from Spain.

• She took over the revolutionary movement of her husband Diego Silang after his assassination in 1773 and became a military general in the resistance who led the longest sustained revolt to counter the colonizers.

LESSON 3

19th Century

• Can be considered as the most crucial period in the history of colonial Philippines.

• This period witnessed the massive transformations in the Philippine economy, politics, culture, and society.

• The development of colonial Philippines was spurred by the opening of Manila to the world trade and the corresponding influx of modern ideas and technologies from the West.

Economic Development

End of Galleon Trade in 1815 - paved the way for the diversification of trade and commerce in the Philippines.

Mexican Revolution and Trade Liberalization - caused the decline of Galleon Trade.

1778, Gov. Gen. Jose Basco y Vargas - attempted to encourage domestic production and economic autonomy from Spain and Mexico through;

• regulation of commerce

• monopolization of cash crops

• establishment of Royal Philippine Company

Lack of Agriculture and Industrial Development - saves the Filipino from the horror of colonial plantation system and abuses of encomendero.

Encomendero - spanish colonizers who were granted the right to compel indigenous people to work and pay tribute in the encomienda system.

Foreign merchant houses (American, British, and European) - played a major role in the expansion of the Philippine commerce.

Opening of Manila in 1834 - opening to the world had stimulated immense socio-economic changes in the colony.

Wealthy Principalia and Mestizo-middle class - emergence of them were spurred by economic progress.

Political Development

Cadiz Constitution of 1812 - Following the Napoleonic Wars, this was established to deposed the absolute monarchy of Spain.

Constitution affirmed:

• National sovereignty and representation

• Separation of powers

• Freedom of the press

• Free enterprise and other progressive reforms

1812, Spanish Empire - lost its major colonies in the Latin America following a series of war of liberation.

Trauma of Creole-led revolutions in Latin America - prompted the colonial government to replace the Insulares (Creoles) officials of the Peninsulares from Spain.

Revolts led by the Insulares ensued as a consequence of this discriminatory decision by the colonial government such as Novales Revolt (1823) and Palmero Conspiracy (1828).

Glorious Revolution in 1868 - deposed Quees Isabella II.

Gov. Gen. Carlos Maria de la Torre - was sent to the colony after Glorious Revolution, to introduce new and progressive colonial policies.

Opening of Suez Canal in 1869 - resulted in the influx of liberal ideas, arts, culture, and lifestyle to the colony.

Gov. Gen. Rafael Izquierdo, 1872 - replaced de la Torre, he imposed stricted and harsher laws that caused unrest and revolts.

Cavite Mutiny of 1872 - arise from the discontent of the colonial troops and laborers to the oppressive demands of colonial government.

Execution of GomBurZa and Zaldua - was the result of the Cavite Mutiny, while the Filipino reformists were exiled overseas.

Colonial Social Structure

PENINSULARES - Spaniards born in Spain, were at the top of social order.

INSULARES - Spaniards born in the Philippines.

INDIOS/PRINCIPALES - Native Filipinos.

MESTIZO - Mix of Native Filipino and other races.

MESTIZO DE SANGLEYS - Mixed Chinese and Native Filipino.

ESTRANJEROS - Foreigners

TSINOS/INFIELES - Unbaptised Austronesians

Religious Development

Secularization movement - advocated for greater rights for native Filipino Catholic clergymen and had significant implications to Filipino nationalism and the Philippine Revolution of 19th century.

Two Groups among Catholic clergy:

• Seculars (seculares) - Clergymen who are not affiliated with a religious order, mostly native Filipinos.

• Regulars (regulares) - Clergymen who are part of an established order, mostly pure Spanish.

Fr. Pedro Pelaez - he and other Filipino clergymen petitioned for the displacement of the Seculares from their parishes by the Regulares.

Jesuits, 1859 - returned and reclaimed their parishes and estates from the Recollects who in turn took their former parishes from the Seculares leaving them with no jurisdiction to be administered.

Trial of Cavite Mutiny - Friars influenced the court and Izquierdo to implicate the secular priests and the liberal reformists in the unsuccessful revolt to weaken their cause.

Nationalism and Principles of Progress - regular priests inadvertently inculcate this idea to the young Filipinos through their education.

Lack of Academic Freedom - Main complaint of the young students against colonial education.

Slash of Church and Government - Throughout 19th century, colony witnessed this slash over the administration and controlled of the people.

Anti-Friar sentiments - rooted in Propaganda Movement was only limited to the educated elite in Tagalog provinces.

Socio-cultural Development

Significance of Land Ownership - became apparent as the cash crop economy contributed wealth and prestige of the emerging principalia and middle class.

Agrarian Unrest - took place in the majority of the provinces with Friar estates where conflicts between the Church and the people became apparent.

Friar Estates - lands owned by Spanish Priests (Dominicans)

Practice of Banditry and Inception of Different Messianic Movements - increased as a result of oppressive measures and policies.

Other than issue of graft and and corruption, the Spanish colonial government failed to provide the people basic needs such as public works, schools, peace and orders.

Economic development of 19th century - had widened the gap between different classes of people in terms of wealth and power.

Migration towards Manila and its neighboring towns and provinces - escalated as people were attracted of its development.

Overpopulation and Poof Sanitation - had spurred the proliferation of epidemics and other deadly diseases in the vicinity of urban areas.

LESSON 4

Hacienda De Calamba

1759, Don Manuel Jauregui

• a haciendero, entrusted his lands, the haciendas of Calamba and Nagtajan to the Society of Jesus.

1767, King Charles III

• issued a decree expelling the Jesuits from the entire Spanish Empire including the Philippines.

1803, Don Clemente de Azansa

• Government sold the hacienda to the Spanish layman.

Corporacion de Padres Dominicos de Filipinas

• acquired the hacienda upon de Azansa’s death.

The Hacienda Calamba Case

• The reconstructed Rizal house in Calamba should remind us of the agrarian roots of the Rizal story that teaches us of the agrarian roots of Philippine social problems.

• The Mercado family was initially on good terms with the Dominicans who administered the hacienda.

• The conflict started due to the unreasonable increase in rentals, land confiscation, and other Dominican friars’ unprincipled practices.

• This caused hardship to the tenants as economic crises were present during that time and factors such as poor harvests, crops destroyed by unfavorable weather, and pestilence.

Petition of the Town of Calamba

The products of the state increase to the benefits of the Dominicans due to the following:

• tenants already clear and clean the forest and invest large capital in Estate.

• tenants were obliged to pay additional fee for each plant lots and huts that they built within the estate.

• rent of the town loves warehouses and warehouses are erected increased every time and official servant of the state measure them

• the state does not spend anything for the towns welfare either in festivals, schools, or other agricultural development despite their excessive charge to the tenants.

December 30, 1887

• government wanted to check on taxes by asking the Calamba tenants about rent paid to the Dominican hacienda.

January 1888

• they replied with a petition drafted by Rizal and signed by the principles of the town challenging the legitimacy of the land titles supposedly held by the Dominicans.

More than 50 residents among the tenants and principles submitted their report about the hacienda:

• The state of the Dominican Order is not situated in this locality but in fact constitutes the whole town of Calamba.

• In recent years, the products of the tenants have decreased considerably because of the following:

  • tenants are discouraged from working laboriously on their land due to the threat of disposition by the Dominicans.

  • tenants are vigilant and do not have good faith to the state.

  • estate does not provide them assistance during a calamity or disaster.

  • the well-to-do tenants are obliged to pay the rental of lots of the indigence and for the flood without aid from the Estate.

  • the increasing shortage of capital because people are exhausted.

February 1888

• Calamba tenants had refused to pay rent.

• A year later, after trying in vain to collect rent due, the Dominicans brought the case to the Justice of the Peace in Calamba and lost.

• Dominicans appealed to the Provincial Court of Santa Cruz and won.

• Court then ordered non-paying tenants to vacate lands owned by the hacienda.

• After a while, evicted tenants began to return to the land, prompting Gov. Gen Valeriano Wyler in 1891 to order the deportation of 25 individuals to Mindoro.

• Dominicans won the case in a higher court in Manila as well as the Supreme Court in Madrid.

Plan to Establish a Filipino Settlement

Sandakan, Sabah - Rizal thought of forming a Filipino settlement here.

William Burgess Pryer - Rizal encountered this Englishman and his wife in Hong Kong in 1892.

March 7, 1892

• Rizal boarded a ship to Sabah, to talk to British authorities about the possibility of setting up a Filipino colony there.

• BNBC was open to the idea of a Filipino settlement in Borneo and “offered permanent settlement for the emigrants and the sale or lease of 100,000 acres of land for 999 years.”

• BNBC also did not require the settlers to render free labor or serve in the military except if the island was under threat.

  Gov. Gen. Eulogio Despujol - rejected the project proposal as he believes that this is against the interest of Spanish colonial rule.