(MANUSCRIPT)

THE PHILIPPINES A CENTURY HENCE,

LETTER TO THE WOMEN OF MALOLOS and INDOLENCE OF THE FILIPINOD

Submitted by:
Serrano, Rynier Pole
Jacinto, Jayzen
Reyes, Karl Adrian
Cabansag, Mikyla
Ortiz, Shaena Mae
Hernandez, Ahvie
Mariano, Ashley
Fernandez, Ian

Submitted to:
Ma’am Beverly Anne Caniedo Boac
Introduction

Our national hero, Jose Rizal, loved our country deeply. He had been to free, lovely. prosperous,
and developed nations, yet he always preferred to return to his own. He was about 21 years old when he
first went to Spain in May 1882. While travelling, he recorded in his diary that his motherland was the
seat of all his affection and that he loved it no matter how Europe would be, he would still like assay, love
of country is the purest, most heroic, and most sublime human sentiment. It is gratitude; it is affection for
everything that reminds us of something of the first days of our life, it is the land where our ancestors are
sleeping, it is the temple where we have worshipped God with the candor of babbling childhood, it is the
sound of the church bell which had delighted us since we were children, and are vast fields, the blue lake,
the picturesque banks of the river. Rizal added that love of country was a great emotion that had been
sung for centuries by all men, free or slaves, because it: "... is never effaced once it has penetrated the
hearth, because it carries with it a divine stamp which renders it eternal and imperishable... it has been
said that love has always been the most powerful force behind the most sublime actions. Well then, of all
loves, that of the country is greatest, the most heroic, and disinterested." He also asked the readers to read
history, the annals, and the traditions to fine that because of this love, "Some have sacrificed for her their
youth, their pleasures; other have dedicated to her the splendor of their genius; others shed their blood; all
have die bequeathing to their Mother an immense fortune: liberty and glory."

Rizal wanted to express the love for the country by bringing enlightenment to his countrymen, by
working with them by encouraging them to maintain their virtues, by helping them attain development,
and by devoting himself to the sciences and the study of his country's history and culture. He felt that it is
his duty to work for his fellow Filipinos because the philosophy of his entire life had been that love for
the nation and her moral and material progress. Even if he died for this duty, he would prefer such death
because "We die only once and if we do not die well, we lost a great opportunity which will never come
up again.’’

His love for the country was very evident in his desires to always no back to his country, Europe
was lovely, free, cultured, and a civilized continent: yet he decided to leave it. it was his own land where
he would be more useful. He always thought of his native land. worked for her, cared for her, always
returned to her, and even died for her "that is ow Rizal loves our country which is emphasized in his
essay.

PART ONE: Following our usual custom of facing squarely the most difficult and delicate questions
related to the Philippines, without weighing the consequences that our frankness may bring upon us, we
shall in the present article treat of their future.

Scarcely had they been attached to the Spanish crown than they had sustained with people, and in
these struggles, in that terrible crisis when a people changes its form of the government, its laws, usages,
customs, religion and beliefs: the Philippine was depolluted, impoverished and retarded caught in their
metamorphosis without confidence in their past, in their present and no and who had merely endeavored
to secure the fear and submission of their subjects, habituated by them to servitude, fell like leaves from a
dead tree, and the people, who had no love for them nor knew that liberty was, easily changed masters,
perhaps hoping to gain something by the innovation.

Then began a new era for the Filipinos. They gradually lost their ancient traditions, their
recollections, they forgot their writings, their songs, their poetry, their laws in order to learn by heart other
doctrines, which they did not understand, other ethics, other tastes, different from those inspired in their
race by their climate and their way of thinking. Then there was a falling-off, they were lowered in their
own eyes, they became ashamed of what was distinctively their own, in order to admire and praise that
was foreign and incomprehensible; their spirit was broken and they acquiesced.

Such is an outline of their past. We know their present. Now what will their future be? Will the
Philippine Islands continue to be a Spanish colony, and if so, what kind of colony? Will they become a
province of Spain, with or without autonomy! And reach this stage, what kind of sacrifices will have to be
made? Will they be separated from the mother country to live independently, to fall into the hands of
other nations, or to ally themselves with neighboring powers?

It is impossible to reply to these questions, for all of them both yes and now may be answered,
according to the time desired to be covered. When there is in nature no fixed condition, how much less
must there be in the life of a people, being endowed with mobility and movement! So, it is that in order to
deal with those questions, it is necessary to presume period of time, and in accordance therewith try to
forecast future events.

PART TWO: What will become of the Philippines within a century? Will they continue to he Spanish
colony? Now then, are the Philippines in the same condition they were three centuries ago?

For liberal Spaniards the ethical condition of the people remains the same, that is, the native
Filipinos have not advanced for the friars and their followers the people have been redeemed from
savagery, that is, they have progressed for many Filipinos ethics, spirit and customs have decayed, as
decay all the good qualities of a people that falls into slavery that is, they have retrograded.

Laving aside these considerations, so as not to get away from our subject let us draw the brief
parallel between the political situation the situation at present, in order to see if what was not possible at
that time can be so now, or vice versa.

Let us pass over the loyalty the Filipinos may feel for Spain, let us suppose for a moment, along
with Spanish writers, that there exist only motivates for hatred and jealously between the two races. Let
us admit the assertions flaunted by many three centuries of domination have not awakened in the sensitive
heart of the native single spark affection or gratitude; and we may see whatever or not the Spanish cause
has gained ground in the islands. In short, then, the advancement and ethical progress of the Philippines
are inevitable, are decreed by fate.

The Islands cannot remain in the condition they are without requiring from the sovereign a
country more liberty. Mutatis mutandis. For new men, a new social order. To wish that the alleged child
in its swaddling clothes is risk that it may turn against the nurse and flee, tearing away the rags that bind
it.

The Philippines, then, will remain under Spanish domination, but with more law and greater
liberty or they declare themselves independent after steeping themselves and mother country in blood.

As no one should desire or hope for such an unfortunate rupture, which would be an mil for all
and only the final argument in the most desperate predicament, let us see by what forms of peaceful
evolution the Islands may remain subjected to the Spanish authority, with the very last detriment to the
rights, interest, and dignity of both parties.

PART THREE: If the Philippines must remain under the control of Spain they will necessarily have to be
transformed in a political sense, for the course of their history and the seeds of their inhabitants so
required. This we demonstrate in preceding article.

We also said that this transformation will be violent and fatal if it proceeds from the ranks of the
people, but peaceful and fruitful if it emanates from the upper classes. Some governors have realized this
truth, and impelled by their patriotism, have been trying to introduce needed reforms in order to forestall
events. But notwithstanding all that have been ordered up to the present time, they have produced scanty
results for the government as well as for the country. Even those that promised only a happy issue have at
times caused injury. for simple reason that they have been based upon unstable grounds

We said and once more we repeat, and all will ever assert, that reforms, which have a palliative
character, are not only ineffectual but even prejudicial when the government is confronted with evils that
must be cured radically. And were we not convinced of the honesty and rectitude of some governors, we
would be tempted to say that all the partial reforms are only plasters and slaves of a physician, who, not
knowing how to cure the cancer, not daring to root it out, tries in this way to alleviate the patients
sufferings or to temporize with the cowardice of the timid and ignorant

PART FOUR: History does not record in its annals any lasting domination exercised by one
people over another, of different races, of diverse usages and customs, of opposite and divergent ideals.
One of the two had to yield and succumb. Either the foreigner was driven out, as happened in the
case of Carthaginians, the Moors and the French in Spain, or else these autochthons had to give way and
perish, as was the case with the inhabitants of the New World.

One of the longest dominations was that the Moors in Spain, which lasted seven centuries. But
even though the conquerors lived in the country conquered, even though the Peninsula was broken up into
small states, which gradually emerged like little island in the midst of the great Saracen inundation and
spite of the chivalrous spirit, the gallantry and the religious toleration of the caliphs, they were finally
driven out after bloody and stubborn conflicts, which the Spanish nation and created the Spain of the
fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
 Now applying these considerations to the Philippines, we must conclude, as a deduction from all
we have said, that if their population be not assimilated to the Spanisha nation, if the dominators do not
enter the spirit of their inhabitants, if equitable laws and free and liberal reforms do not make each forget
that they belong to different races, or if bothe peoples be not amalgamated to constitute one mass, socially
and politically, homogeneous, that is not harassed by opposing tendencies and antagonistic ideas and
interest someday the Philippines will fatally and infallibly declare themselves independent. To this law of
density can be opposed neither Spanish patriotism, nor the love of all Filipinos for Spain, is not the
doubtful of dismemberment and internal strife in the Islands themselves. Necessity is the mos powerful
divinity the world knows, and necessity is the resultant of physical forces set in operation by ethical
forces.

Letters to the Young Women of Malolos

This essay was written by Rizal on the 17th of February, 1889 when he was in London. in
response to the request of Marcelo H. Del Pilar. His Legacy to Filipino women is embodied in this essay
where he addresses all kinds of women mothers, wives, the unmarried, etc. and expresses everything that
he wishes them to keep in mind. This essay was originally written in Tagalog

The salient points contained in this letter are as follows:

 The rejection of the spiritual authority of the friar- not all of the priests in the country that time
embodied the true spirit of Christ and His Church. Most of them corrupted by worldly desires and
used wordly methods to effect change force discipline among the people.
 The defense of private judgment
 Qualities Filipino mothers need to posses - as evidence by this portion of his letter. Rizal is greatly
concerned of the Filipino children and the homes they grow up in.
 Duties and responsibilities of Filipino mothers to their children
 Duties and responsibilities of a wife to her husband - Filipino women are known to be submissive,
tender, and loving. Rizal states in this portion of his letter how Filipino women ought to be as wives,
in order to preserve the identity of the race
 Counsel to young women on their choice of a lifetime partner

First of all. That tyranny of some is possible only through cowardice and negligence on the part of others

Second. What makes one contemptible is lack of dignity and abject fear of him who holds one in
contempt.

Third. Ignorance is servitude, because as a man thinks, so he is, a man who does not think for himself and
allowed himself to be guided by the thought of another is like the led by a halter.

Fourth. He who loves his independence must first aid his fellowman, because he who refuses protection
to others will find himself without it, the isolated rib in the buri is easily broken, but not so the broom
made of the ribs of palm bound together.

Fifth. If the Filipina will not change her mode of being, let her rear no more children, let her merely give
birth to them. She must cease to be the mistress of the home, otherwise she will unconsciously betray
husband, child, native land, and all.

Sixth. All men are born equal, naked, without bonds. God did not create man to slave; nor did he endow
him with intelligence to have him hoodwinked, or adom him with reason to have him deceived by others.
It is not fatuous to refuse to worship one's equal, to cultivate one's intellect, and to make use of reason in
all things. Fatuous is he who makes a god of him, who makes brutes of others, and who strives to submit
his whims all that is reasonable and just.
Seventh. Consider well what kind of religion they teaching you. See whether it is the will of God or
according to the teaching of Christ that the poor be succored and those who suffer alleviated. Consider
what they preaching to you, the object of the sermon, what is the behind the, novenas, rosaries, scapulars,
image, miracles, candles, belt, etc, etc; which they daily keep before your minds; ears and eye; jostling,
shouting, and coaxing; investigate whence they came and whiter they go and then compare that religion
of Christ and see whether the pretended observance of the life of Chirst does not remind you of fat milch
cow or the fattened pig, which is encourage to grow fat nor though love the animal, but for grossly
mercenary motives.

Summary

 Addressed to 10 courageous young women of Malolos for their perseverance to pursue the
 establishment of night school where they can study Spaniards.

 "On 12 December 1888, 20 young women from Malolos petitioned Governor-General Weyler for the
establishment of a "night school to study Spanish under Teodoro Sadiko, a professor of Latin.
However, Fr. Felipe Garcia, the Spanish parish priest, objected to the petition, prompting the
governor-g Unperturbed, the young women continued with their clamor (for the of the school) and
eventually received permission to open their school on certain conditions. First, the women were
required to fund the school themselves since the government refused to. Second, their tracher would
be Guadalupe Reyes rather than Sandico who had been blacklisted by the friar-curate of Malolos.
Third, the classes would have to be held in the day not at night, probably due to the association of
night time gatherings with subversive meetings. The school remained open for three months and was
closed down on May 10, 1889.

 Jose Rizal was greatly impressed by the fighting spirit that the young women of Malolos had shown.
In his letter, he expresses great joy and satisfaction over the battle they had fought. In this portion of
Rizal's letter, it is obvious that his ultimate desire was for women to be offered the same
opportunities as those received by men in terms of education. During those days, young girls were
not sent to school because of the universal notion that they would soon only be taken as wives and
stay at home with the children. Rizal, however, emphasizes on freedom of thought and the right to
education, which must be granted to both boys and girls alike.

The Indolence of the Filipinos

La Indolencia de los Filipinos, more popularly known in its English version, "The Indolence of the
Filipinos," is an exploratory essay written by Jose Rizal, to explain the alleged idleness of his people
during the Spanish colonization.

Summary

The Indolence of the Filipinosis study of the causes why the people did work hard during the Spanish
regime Rizal pointed out that long before the coming of Spaniards, the Filipinos were industriom and
hardworking The Spanish wigs about a decline in economic activities because of certain causes.

First, the establishment of the valleon Trade cut off all previous associations of the Philippines with other
countries in Asia and the Middle East. As a result, Business war only conducted with Spain through
Mexico. Because of this the mall business and industries that flourished during the pre-Spanish period
gradually disappeared

Second, Spain also extinguished the natives" love of work because of the implementation of forced labor.
Because of the wars between Spain and other countries in Europe as well as the Muslims in Mindanao,
the Filipinos were compelled to work in shipyards, roads, public works,

Third, Spain did not protect the people against foreign invaders and pirates. With no arms to defend
themselves, the natives were killed, their houses burned, and their lands destroyed. As a result of this, the
Filipinos were forced to become nomads, lost interest in cultivating their lands or in rebuilding the
industries that were shut down, and simply became submissive to the mercy of God.

Fourth, there was crooked system of education, if it was to be considered an education. What was being
taught in the schools were repetitive prayers and other things that could not be used by the students to
lead the country to progress. There were no courses in Agriculture, Industry, etc., which were badly
needed by the Philippines during those times.

Fifth, The Spanish rulers were a bad example to despise manual labor. The officials reported to work at
noon and left early, all the while doing nothing in line with their duties. The women seen constantly
followed by servants who dressed them and famed them-personal things which they ought to have done
for themselves.

Sixth, gambling was established and widely propagated during those times. Almost every day there were
cockfights, and during feast days, the government officials and friars were the first to engage in all sorts
of bets and gambles.

Seventh, there was crooked system of religion. The friars taught the naïve Filipinos that it was easier for a
poor man to enter heaven, and they preferred not to work and remain poor so that they could easily enter
heaven after they died.
Lastly, the taxes were extremely high, so much so that huge portion of what they earned went to the
government or to the friars. When the object of their labor was remove and they were exploited, they
were reduce to inaction.

Analysis

It is important to note that indolence in heredity one. Truth is, before the Spaniard arrived on these lands,
the natives were in the Philippines is a chronic malady, bin min a industriously conducting business with
China, Japan, Arabia, Malaysia, and other countries in the Middle East. The reasons for this said
indolence were clearly stated in the essay, and were not based only on presumptions, but were grounded
on facts taken from history.

Another thing that we might add that had caused this indolence, is lack of unity among the Filipino
people. In the absence of unity and oneness, the people did not have the power to fight the hostile attacks
of the government and of the other forces of society. There would also be no voice, no leader, to sow
progress and to cultivate it, so that it may be reaped in time. In such a simply existing and not living. As
Rizal stated in conclusion "a man in the Philippines is an individual; he is not merely a citizen of a
country."

It can clearly be deduced from the writing that the cause of the indolence attributed to our race is Spain:
When the Filipinos wanted to study and learn, there were no schools, and if there were any, they lacked
sufficient resources and did not present more useful knowledge, when Filipinos wanted to establish their
business, there wasn't enough capital nor protection from the government, when the Filipinos tried to
cultivate their lands and establish various industries, they were made to pay enormous taxes and were
exploited by the foreign rulers.

It is not only the Philippines, but also other countries, that may be called indolent, depending on the
criteria upon which such a label is based. Man cannot work without resting, and if in doing so he is
considered lazy, they we could say that all men are indolent. One cannot blame the country that was
deprived of its dignity, to have lost its will continue building its foundation upon the backs of its people,
especially when the fruits of their labor do not so much as reach their lips. When we spend our entire lives
worshiping such a cruel and inhumane society, forced upon us by aliens who do not even know our
motherland, we are destined to tire after a while. We are not fools, we are not puppets who simply do as
we are commanded we are human beings, who are motivated by our will towards the accomplishment of
our objectives, and who strive for the preservation of our race. When this fundamental aspect of our
existence is denied of us, who can blame us if we turn idle?

Summary and Analysis

This essay starts by analyzing the various causes of the miseries suffered by the Filipino people:

 Spain's implementation of its military policies - because of such laws, the Philippine population
decreased dramatically. Poverty became more rampant than ever, and farmlands were left to wither.
The family as a unit of society was neglected, and overall, every aspect of the life of the Filipinos
was retarded.
 Deterioration and disappearance of the Filipino indigenous culture - when Spain came with the
sword and the cross, it began the gradual destruction of the native Philippines culture. Because of
this, The Filipino started losing confidence in their past and their heritage became doubtful of their
present lifestyle, and eventually lost hope in the future and the preservation of their races.
 Passivity and Submissiveness to the Spanish colonizers - powerful forces that influenced a culture
of silence among the natives were the Spanish friars. Because the use of force, the Filipinos learned
to submit themselves to the will of the foreigners.

The question the arises as to what had awakened the hearts and opened the minds of the filipino
people with regards to their plight. Eventually, the natives realized such oppression in their society by
foreign colonizers must no longer be tolerated.

One question Rizal raises in this easy is whether or not Spain can indeed prevent the progress of
the Philippines

 Keeping the people uneducated and ignorant had failed. National consciousness had still awakened,
and great Filipino minds still emerged from the rubble
 Keeping the people impoverished also came to no avail. On the contrary, living a life of eternal
destitution had allowed the Filipinos to act on the desire for a change in their way of life. They began
 to explore other horizons through which could move towards progress.
 Exterminating the people as an alternative to hindering progress did not work either. The Filipino
race was able to survive a midst wars and famine, and became even more numerous after such
catastrophes. To wipe out the nation altogether would require the sacrifice of thousands of Spanish
soldiers, and this is something Spain would not allow.

Spain, therefore, had no means to stop the progress of the country. What she needs to do is to
change her colonial policies so that they are in keeping with the needs of the Philippine society and the
rising nationalism of the people.

What Rizal had envisioned in his essay came true. In 1898, the Americans wrestled with Spain to
win the Philippines, and eventually took over the country. Theirs was reign of democracy and liberty.
Five decades after Rizal's death, the Philippines gained her long-awaited independence. This was in
fulfillment of what he had written in essay, "History does not record in its annals any lasting domination
by one people over another, of different races, of diverse usages customs, of opposite and divergent ideas.
One of the two had yield and succumb."