Module 3

The World and the Philippines in Rizal’s Time

INTRODUCTION

This module will explain to us, what are the things and events that happened in
the Philippines during the time of Dr. Jose P. Rizal, and also talks about the political,
education, social and also the economic system of the Philippines. It will discuss some
of the important events that has an impact on the life of Jose P. Rizal

OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to;

A. Describe the historical conditions of the world and the Philippines before and
during his time,
B. Identify and analyze the effects of colonialism during the time of Rizal in the
political, economic and educational aspects among the people Rizal included,
and
C. Identify and analyze the effects/manifestations of colonialism among the Filipino
people in contemporary times.
D. Explain the martyrdom of Gom-Bur-Za and injustice to Rizal’s mother affected his
personality

Discussion
To understand and appreciate the life of Dr. Jose P. Rizal, it is necessary to learn
about the historical conditions of the world and the Philippines during his time. After all,
heroes are said to be the products of their particular settings and the conditions of their
times.
Rizal was born and raised in the 19 th century, a period of massive changes in
Europe, Spain, and the Philippines. During this era, the glory and power of Spain had
waned both in her colonies and in the world. Conversely, one cannot fully understand
Rizal’s thoughts without understanding the social and political context of the 19 th
century. Social scientists marked the19th century as the birth of modern life as well as
the birth of many nation-states around the world. The birth of modernity was
precipitated by three great revolutions around the world: the industrial revolution in
England, the French Revolution in France, and the American revolution.
Aside from the three great revolutions, the birth of social sciences such as
sociology, history, and anthropology also had a significant influence on the intellectual
movement called “the Enlightenment”. The Age of Enlightenment is a term used to
describe a time in Western philosophy and cultural life centered upon the 18 th century in
which reason was advocated as the primary source and legitimacy for authority.
THE PHILIPPINES DURING RIZAL’S TIME
These are the relevant events and conditions of the Philippines before, during,
and after Rizal’s time which contributed to the development of Filipino nationalism.

• Social System:

Before the Spanish conquest in 1565, Filipinos had their own indigenous
culture, their government, and also their religion. The Spanish colonizers forced
them to accept the foreign culture and Catholicism that they never completely
understood. They lost their ancestral lands to the colonial masters by way of the
encomienda system. The Spaniards brought with them their doctrine of “Limpieza
de Sangre” (purity of blood) into the Philippines, thereby creating a social ranking
among various groups, namely: Spanish peninsulares, insulares, Spanish
mestizos, the town ruling class: the native elites, the Chinese mestizos, and the
Indios referring to the natives.

Encomienda System was a labor system instituted by the Spanish crown in the
American colonies. In this system, a Spanish encomendero was granted several
native laborers who would pay tributes to him in exchange for his protection.

• Political System:

Spain governed the Philippines through the Ministry of the Colonies

(Ministro de Ultramar) based in Madrid. The ministry helped the Spanish king
manage the affairs of the colonies and administer the Philippines through a
central government in Manila.

The Governor-general headed the central government who was

appointed by the King of Spain. He was the King’s representative in
governmental matters and was the Vice Royal Patron over religious affairs. Next
to the central government was the Alcaldia or Provincial government who was
headed by an alcalde mayor. The Pueblo, composed of the barangays was the
local government unit. The Gobernadorcillo was the chief executive and chief
judge. The smallest political unit was the barangay (barrio) headed by the
Cabeza de barangay. The Guardia civil was a corps of native police led by the
Spanish officers. It was the most feared instrument of summary arrest at any time
of the day or night of persons denounced by the friars as filibusteros. The Royal
Audencia was the highest court headed the judicial system.

• Educational System:

The first schools established were Parochial Schools with the Spanish
missionaries as teachers. Fear of God was emphasized and obedience to the
friars was instilled in the minds of the people. The Indios were constantly
reminded that they had inferior intelligence and that they were fit only for manual
work. The friars decided what to teach to the children. Teacher discrimination
against Filipinos was present in the higher levels of learning.

The majority of the friars assigned to implement the Educational Decree of

1863 were against the teaching of Spanish in the colony. They believed that
knowledge of the language would develop social and political awareness among
the natives and they might be inspired by the liberal ideas about freedom and
independence.
EFFECTS/MANIFESTATIONS OF COLONIALISM AMONG THE FILIPINO PEOPLE
IN CONTEMPORARY TIMES

• Frailrocracia:
The principle of the union of church and state that was practiced by almost
absolute monarchial states spawned in the colony an invincible government
called “frailocracia” meaning the rule of the friars. From 1849 to 1898, 45
governors-general had been assigned to the colony and each one of them
sought the counsel of the friars who had been permanently residing in the
country. They became very influential and so powerful that the Spanish civil
authorities, including the governorgeneral, feared them.

• Opening of the Philippines to World Commerce:

In 1834, Spain, following the economic policy of other European countries,
officially opened manila to world commerce. From 1834 to 1873, more ports were
opened to foreign trading like Sual, Iloilo, Zamboanga, Cebu, and Legaspi. This
stimulated vigorous economic activity in the colony that brought prosperity to
some Filipinos, mostly Spanish and Chinese mestizos. As a result, there
emerged a new class: the Filipino middle class. They did not only acquire
material wealth but also improve their social standing and influence.
Consequently, with the newly found prosperity and growing influence, the middle-
class Filipinos clamored and agitated for social and political equality, and from
their children emerged the initial propagators of the reform movement.

• Opening of the Suez Canal:

Suez Canal was opened to international shipping on November 17, 1860.
This canal, 103 miles long, connects the Mediterranean to the Gulf of Suez and
also to the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. With the opening of this canal. The
distance of travel between Europe and the Philippines was significantly
shortened bringing the country closer to Spain. In previous years, a steamer from
Barcelona had to sail around the Cape of Good Hope and reached manila after a
hazardous voyage of more than three months. With this canal, the trip was
reduced to only 32 days.

The opening of the Suez Canal facilitated the importation of books,

magazines, and newspapers with liberal ideas from Europe and America which
eventually influenced the minds of Jose Rizal and other Filipino reformists. The
shortened route also encouraged the illustrados led by Rizal to pursue higher
studies abroad and learn liberal and scientific ideas in the universities of Europe.
Their social interaction with liberals and scientific ideas in foreign lands
influenced their thinking on politics and nationhood.

• The Secularization Movement:

Since 1565, the religious orders took possession of the parishes for the
conversion of the natives to Catholicism. This was a violation of the decision of
the Council of Trent (1545-1563) that parishes were to be administered by
secular priests. But there were few available secular priests since many of them
were earlier sent to other Spanish colonies in the Americas. By the 19 th century,
many Filipinos had become secular priests, nut the regular priests called friar
curates did not want to relinquish their parishes to the seculars. The movement
gradually became a racial and national conflict with the friar curates on one side
and the Filipino clergy on the other.
• The Democratic Rule of Gov. General Dela Torre:
The first-hand experience of what it is to be liberal came from the role
modeling of the first liberal governor-general in the Philippines- Governor-
General Carlos Maria Dela Torre. The political instability in Spain resulted in
frequent changes of Spanish officials in the Philippines which caused further
confusion and increased social and political discontent in the country. But when
the liberals deposed Queen Isabela II in the 1868 mutiny, a provisional
government was set up and the new government extended to the colonies the
reforms they adopted in Spain. These reforms included the grant of universal
suffrage and the recognition of freedom and conscience, the press, association,
and public assembly. General Dela Torre was appointed by the provisional
government in Spain as Governor-General of the Philippines in 1869.

The rule of the first liberal governor-general became significant in the birth
of national consciousness in the 19 th century. His pro-people governance gave
Rizal and other Filipinos a foretaste of a democratic rule and way of life. He put
into practice his liberal and democratic ways by avoiding luxury and living a
simple life. He recognized the freedom of speech and of the press which are
guaranteed by the Spanish Constitution. His greatest achievement was a
peaceful solution to the land problem in the province of Cavite.

• The Cavite Mutiny and the martyrdom of GOMBURZA:

Two historical events in the late 19 th century that hastened the growth of
nationalism in the minds of Rizal, the reformists, and the Filipino people were the
Cavite mutiny and the martyrdom of Fathers Gomez, Burgos, and Zamora,
popularly known as GOMBURZA. The Cavite mutiny was a failed uprising
against the Spaniards due to miscommunication between Sgt. Lamadrid and the
Filipino soldiers in Manila on January 20, 1872. Many Spanish officers were killed
by the Filipino soldiers and, as revenge, many mutineers were killed, including
Lamadrid. The survivors were subdued taken prisoners and brought to Manila.

This unfortunate incident in Cavite became an opportunity, however, for

the Spaniards to implicate the three Filipino priests who had been campaigning
for Filipino rights, particularly the rights of Filipino priests to become parish
priests-the “Filipinization” of the parishes in the country. They magnified the
event and made it appear as a “revolt” against the government. The three priests
were arrested and charged falsely with treason and mutiny under a military court.
With a farcical trial, a biased court, and a weak defense from their
government=hired lawyer, the three priests were convicted of a crime they did
not commit, Governor Rafael Izquierdo approved their death sentence and at
sunrise of February 17, 1872. Fathers Gomez, Burgos, and Zamora were
escorted under heavy guard to Luneta and were executed by garrote before a
vast crowd of Filipinos and foreigners. The execution of GOMBURZA hastened
not only the downfall of the Spanish government but also the growth of Filipino
nationalism. The Filipino people resented the execution of the three priests. They
knew that they were innocent and were executed because they championed
Filipino rights. Among those in the crowd who resented the execution was
paciano, the older brother of Rizal, who inspired the national hero the cause of
the three priests. Rizal dedicated his novel “El Filibusterismo” to GOMBURZA to
show his appreciation of the latter’s courage, dedication to Filipino rights, and a
sense of nationalism.