Kyle Jed N.

Montuano

14-1267

PS104 - Rizal

Midterms Exam

ABSTRACT

This paper focuses on the views on Politics and Ideologies by key ilustrados

members in the Philippines. These men were part of the propaganda concerning

Philippine freedom which led to a massive shift towards existing stereotypes that all

Filipinos were indios or slaves during the Spanish conquest in the 19th century. The

movement led by Ilustrados moves the country to focus on reforms for the common folk

and equality rather than accepting their fate.

A solid source of airing out one’s heartbreaks and complaints against the Spanish

conquistadores were compiled in a newspaper named La solidaridad. The need to revolt

in a quiet manner did not happen certain fellow ilustrados took matters in their own

hands. This paper also points out the different views of claiming Philippine freedom;

either by peaceful talks or by force. The elitist, through the leadership of Spain-based

educated Filipinos such as Rizal, paved the way to a silent reform yet only to get

redirected to a violent revolt from liberalists based in the Philippines.

 Ilustrados sought to return to the motherland and peacefully fight the Spanish and

American troops but that did not end as planned. The fight for the country is the start of

the famous battle cries between the Filipino people. By correcting the wrong thinking that

the Filipinos may be enslaved in their own country, different ideologies sprouted from

these ilustrados – later on, causing their respective deaths.

Introduction

Philippine Political Background in the 19th Century

Affected by the economic and political changes in Europe and Spain, the

Philippines took a massive blow on its fight for equality. Trade laws changed the way

Philippine merchants made a living where monopoly was stopped during the Acapulco

Galleon Trade. It was “one of the most persistent, perilous and profitable commercial

enterprises in European colonial history.” (Lyon, 1990, p. 2)

The stop of Trade Monopoly was based from the no-restrictions imposed on all

merchants which are both local and foreign. One may think that opening doors to the

majority of good and services prompted fair trade. Rather, the ability to sell local goods

prohibited the native Filipinos to earn more. Once an Indio, always an Indio, as colonists

during that era said was based. The “men of cloth” were the ones who monopolized over

the products. They started the terms of consignment by dividing the products through
the use of a fair trade system. Unfortunately, corruption was the apple and greed was the

snake.

The 333 year rule of Spain that led to the demoralization of Filipinos was difficult

to erase. Slavery was the beginning and end of every Indio; and they cannot contest to

any of that. The influence bestowed on Filipino natives through a mandated law on

swearing allegiance to the Monarch of Spain mattered. Hence, the pre-conquest by-laws

initiated by the datus (chieftains of villages) as the only leaders, were demolished.

(Bauzon, 1991). The new framework of living - communal to private ownership - was

imposed on all Filipino natives. Such shift echoed through walls of peaceful governance

to an impending revolt.

The silent cry of the native Filipinos was soon heard several nautical miles away.

Did the Spanish Monarchy concede to their plea? The peaceful and well-read elite

Filipinos did; in the body of Dr. José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda. He,

together with other brave men, bonded with a common goal. The three key players of the

Ilustrados Del Islas Filipinas saw the light to another day. However, the paper shall

conclude the realities on the aftermath of the pact between these brothers.
Chapter 1

Rizal: Disgruntled and Disillusioned, a Filipino Stood Tall

Born in Calamba, Laguna on June 19, 1861 - the seventh child of eleven siblings, a

scholarly, well-mannered, and elite Filipino name Jose Rizal wondered why natives

cannot fulfill their dreams to be a better person. He took formal education from the

Ateneo Municipal de Manila with outstanding and remarkable grades. He then moved

to the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Arts and Letters where he

studied Philosophy and Letters. He latter on shifted to medicine, specializing in

Ophthalmology at the same school but under the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery.

All those years of studying, Rizal felt how difficult a Filipino’s thirst to succeed in

life was disregarded by Spanish friars. Being regarded as second-class citizen even if his

family were first-class citizens, Rizal pursued his dreams elsewhere; to the same country

that looked down on him – Spain.

According to several journals of Rizal, he said that “One only dies once, and if one

does not die well, a good opportunity is lost and will not present itself again.” Such words

prompted him to maximize his stay in Spain by taking up Journalism. He wanted to make

a name in writing and by doing so, Rizal took a pseudo-name Laong-Laan and later on

as Dimasalang to hide his identity. He wanted to move his readers by appreciating the

written material on wrongdoings of the friars, the government, and all ideas against

Spain. In Rizal and the Ilustrados in Spain (Teodoro, 1999), indios were sold as slaves

rather than welcomed as part of the family. These slaves work on their plantations with
the hope of profiting from their hard labor. The men from the clergy often have more

reasons to prohibit change and progress.

Chapter 2

Del Pilar: Abuse of Power Questions One’s faith

Bloodshed through the walls of the Catholic faith irked several Filipinos on the

manner how Spain ruled the Philippines. A lawyer and journalist by profession and

calling, Marcelo H. Del Pilar walked through the streets of Bulacan, Bulacan from the day

he was born on September 30, 1850. When remorse filled the newspapers on wrongdoings

of Spanish friars, Del Pilar was kicked from the University of Santo Tomas when he

questioned absurdly price fees on Catholic rites such as Baptism. An anti-friar movement

came alive through the writings of Del Pilar. This led him to his one year banishment in

the same place he abhorred – Spain.

The propaganda movement, started by Del Pilar, soon caught the attention of

fellow Filipinos who shared his same despise against the Spanish friars. It was through

the newspaper articles that Del Pilar got wind of Jose Rizal’s similar anti-friar complaints.

He initiated the birth of solidarity amongst Filipino men who were flabbergasted at the

inhumane ways of the religious. In the late 18th century, elite Filipino groups were exiled

to the mother country, Spain to pay for their sins which led to the forming of another

anti-Spanish rule newspaper called the La Solidaridad.

 Parish secularization, Spanish friar removal, equality, freedom of speech, freedom

of assembly and representation of Filipinos in Spanish-led assemblies cluttered the pages

of the newspaper. The aim of the newspaper, according to a book entitled History of the

Filipino People was to “work peacefully for political and social reforms “concerning

Filipinos and Spanish governance; to portray the deplorable conditions of the Philippines

so that Spain may remedy them; to oppose the evil forces of reaction and medievalism;

to advocate liberal ideas and progress; and to champion the legitimate aspirations of the

Filipino people to life, democracy, and happiness.” (Agoncillo, 1990)

Such propaganda did not fly unseen by the Spanish majority. The newspaper was

fluently written in Spanish rather than concealed in the Philippine vernacular. This move

was indeed pose as an uncanny threat to the friars. Unfortunately, the two main

contributors of anti-oppression, Rizal and Del Pilar, ran out of funding to continue the

publishing of the La Solidaridad. The newspaper folded stopped circulation but not the

voice of the oppressed Filipinos wanting to be free.

News governing the disbanding of the La Solidaridad even fueled the hearts of

Filipinos to stand on their two feet. It became the fire that ignited different cases of

mutinies where innocent lives were offered for the sake of freedom. It was during the

release of Rizal’s books El Filibusterismo and Noli Me Tangere did Del Pilar utter his last

words when La Solidaridad released its final 160th issue. “We are persuaded that no

sacrifices are too little to win the rights and the liberty of a nation that is oppressed by

slavery.” (Zaide, 1994)

Chapter 3

Antonio Luna: Patriotism ends with the Same Enemy – Themselves

Another Ilustrado who graced the solidarity bond of men was an athlete, a soldier,

a writer, and a chemist by education from the University of Sto. Tomas. Like Rizal, he

spent his childhood education at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila. He also earned a living

as a writer with a pseudo-name Taga-Ilog. In La Solidaridad, he wrote about the

idiosyncrasies of the Spanish customs. He also favored reform than revolution to seek

independence. He was Antonio Luna from Binondo, Manila.

Politics during the Spanish regime did not irk his violent behavior. He was just a

woman’s man who imprisoned the women’s hearts the way his fellow Ilustrado Jose

Rizal was known to be. He took formal education in Spain just like other elite brothers

hence being welcomed to the elite and high-educated band of reformists.

He met his Achilles heel during the American regime where his unleashed his fury

to seek independence the best way he can – violence. Antonio Luna was captain general

in the Philippine Revolutionary Army under the First Philippine Republic. Known for his

battles during the Philippine – American War, he said that “no revolution would succeed

without the necessary preparations.” (Agoncillo, 1990)

Luna’s political views was far different from Rizal and Del Pilar. The former knew of

peaceful strategies such as letters, novels, and essays. The latter, a sharp-shooter –sharp
tongued general, took matters on his hands through revolution over reform. He by-

passed President Aguinaldo’s mandates which later on ended his life.

For Antonio Luna, igniting the fire to fight for independence was through brute

force. He did not adhere to rules that divide the poor from the affluent. The political views

of Luna made him the best Captain General equipped with guerilla warfare tactics. He

knew his way to the finish line however, the mighty sword and deadly bullets reached

him first. (Jose, 1972) Del Pilar, on the other hand, did not die in vain. He contracted

tuberculosis after being exposed to a weather far from the warm and humid Philippines.

He passed away in Spain. He died fighting for his turn to be heard. It awfully only

through the voice of Antonio Luna, a fellow La Solidaridad writer, that the Filipinos.

CONCLUSION

From the key personalities discussed, there are more than three ilustrados who

took part in shaping the country until it claimed its Independence on June 12, 1898. They

are Felix Hidalgo, Graciano Lopez-Jaena, Mariano Ponce, Isabelos de los Reyes,

Dominador Gomez, and Juan Luna.

These men bonded together by love of country and love of self. They would not

be around without the men and women who checked the safety of the Filipino people

during time of distress.

 These gallant men gave their lives in the hope of a better tomorrow. Their deaths

may be in vain but in reality, what these Ilustrados fought for hundreds of years ago, still

have a great impact in today’s society and governance.

The greater part of the country still remains are followers of the Catholic faith. The

Spanish friars may have left a stigma; not only on young women but with the inclusion

of young men. Summing up the plight of the Ilustrados, indios, Peninsulares, and

Insulares, are words from the modern day Rizal – Mr. Nick Joaquin. “The identity of the

Filipino today is of a person asking what his identity is.” The lack of credulity as a person

and the lack of the confidence as a person can come from eras of cross-cultural

brainwashing. Yes, we are from the Philippines but how Filipino are we?
References

Agoncillo, T. (1990). History of the Filipino People.

Bauzon, L. E. (1991). "Influence of the Spanish Culture". (ENCYCLOPEDIA OF

SOUTHEAST ASIA: PHILIPPINES, Kyoto: Dohosha, pp. Pp. 195-196.

Jose, V. R. (1972). The Rise and Fall of Antonio Luna.

Lyon, E. (1990, September ). National Geographic.

Teodoro, N. V. (1999). Rizal and the Ilustrados in Spain.

Zaide, D. S. (1994). The Philippines: A Unique Nation.