Bea, Carlos

Nocom, Bryan
Reyes, John Christian
Suobiron, Kobe
TGE12

CHAPTER 14 - EL FILIBUSTERSIMO: CONTINUING RELEVANCE

One hundred twenty years after Rizal’s execution, his writings remain socially relevant.
The ills that he railed against- inept leadership, corruption, abuse of women, and the influence
of the Catholic Church over political and social affairs- are still persisting in the Philippine
society today. A thorough understanding of the historicity of his novels is important as it serves
as the background of the story. In reading historical novels like El Filibusterismo, one must be
knowledgeable about the social milieu of the period it was written. In this way, history can be
used as a tool for interpreting a literary work like El Fili. (Nuncio, 2014).

As with Noli Me Tangere, Rizal’s main objective in writing El Filibustersimo is to expose

the Philippine situation as he witnessed during his time. In reading this novel, one can see the
nation’s past and present situations which make this literary work enduringly significant.

By going back to the themes that Rizal tackled in El Fili, one can see the importance of
the novel at the present. Themes are the main ideas that flow through the narrative which can
be used to evaluate Rizal’s views and ideas on different social issues.

Revolution as a Means of Social Change

In the Novel, Simoun is the filibustero who encourages the principalia class to abuse the
poor so that the latter would be driven to revolt against the government. His character may be
interpreted as someone who represents the Filipino revolutionaries that supported the idea of a
bloody revolution against the Spanish colonial government. Simoun’s death in the story made
some readers conclude that Rizal was against the idea of a revolution. Simoun’s failed uprisings
in the narrative, were interpreted as Rizal’s abhorrence of violence and bloodshed. They failed
to see that in Rizal, together with other reformists like Marcelo H. Del Pilar, regarded to reform
and assimilation as a first step towards Philippine Independence.

On Leadership and Governance

El Fili’s message is very clear- the inept leaders, corrupt officials, and system of
government in the Philippines could lead to Spain’s downfall. When Simoun said: “What is a
man to do when he is denied justice? Take the law into his own hands or wait for Spain to give
him rights…?” he stressed that if the demands of the people would not be granted, they would
be driven to oppose the system and organize movements to fight for their rights.

Rizal himself was admired as a good leader. His colleagues in the Propaganda
Movement respected him because he showed a kind of leadership that was not motivated by
personal interest. The call for a good leadership could be gleaned from El Fili when he stressed
the importance of national sentiment to guard the society against all kinds of injustices and
oppression.

Rizal condemned the friar-led officials for their greed, corruption and exploitation of the
natives. On the other hand, he also criticized his fellow Filipinos who did not respond to the
challenges under the abusive leadership of the Spaniards. The character of Basilio, for
example, who, despite the extreme sufferings that he and his family experienced, did not
support Simoun’s plan of overthrowing the government. He only joined the revolutionary group
after being arrested and imprisoned, followed by the death of his sweetheart, Juli. There was
also one character, Senor Pasta, who abandoned his noble ideas to serve only the interest of
those who hired him.

While Rizal exposed the injustices done by the colonial government, he also challenged
the Filipinos to guard their rights as one of their main responsibilities. Good leadership and
governance bring about social, economic, and political reforms in the country. All this can be
achieved if the leaders have moral fiber, and are ready to give up their personal interests for the
welfare of their constituents.

On Education and Language

At the time that Simoun was planning to launch the revolution, students including Basilio
were also fighting for the establishment of a school that would allow natives to learn the Spanish
language. Simoun strongly reacted against the project advocated by the students. For him, it
would mean the death of national identity and the institutionalization of tyranny.

Basilio on the other hand, believed that through education, he would be able to alleviate
the lives of his fellow Filipinos. He did not believe that revolution could be an effective means to
achieve freedom. For him, education and science would save the country from its present
situation.

On the Filipino Youth

Rizal saw the youth as the future of the country because this generation would one day
lead the nation. Their actions today would shape the path of tomorrow.

Rizal stressed the important role of the youth in challenging the government as seen in
the efforts of students like Basilio and Isagani to organize themselves and unite to call for
reforms. For Simoun, it was a way of embracing the Hispanization of the country. On the other
hand, it could also be seen as Rizal’s way of showing what the youth could do if they wanted
reforms from the government.

Chapter 15: The Destiny of the Filipino People

Rizal’s work, “The Philippines a Century Hence” was serialized in La Solidaridad in four
installments from September 30, 1889 to January 31, 1890. In this essay, Rizal attempts to
answer the basic question of whether the Philippines will remain a Spanish colony or not.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of this chapter, the students should be able to:
- Summarize in their own words Rizal’s essay, “The Philippines a Century hence”;
- Present Rizal’s arguments on what the Philippines will be like in the future; and
- Construct their own arguments on what the Philippines at present will be like after fifty
years.

VOCABULARY
Spanish Cortes - the government body in charge of drafting laws pertaining to Spain and its
colonies.

Rizal’s essay titled “the Philippines a Century Hence” presents compelling arguments on
what the state of the country will be like in the future. However, in order to be forward-looking,
one must, at first be able to look back at the country’s past. In Rizal’s words, “In order to read
the destiny of a people, it is necessary to open the book of its past.”
The first part of Rizal’s essay does this by illustrating that with the arrival of the
Spaniards, the Filipinos were forced to accept and subject themselves to a new and foreign
culture. Time passed while Spaniards attempted to subjugate the Filipinos completely, but Rizal
argues that the continued oppression only resulted in the gradual awakening of the Filipinos.
By the nineteenth century, economic conditions had become better in the Philippines
and Rizal recognizes this. However, beyond the material prosperity, he points out that the
Filipinos remain brutalized and oppressed. Since advancement or progress is clearly inevitable,
Rizal poses the question on whether the Philippines will remain a colony of Spain despite all the
changes.
To this question, his answer is straightforward. He states that the Philippines will remain
a colony of Spain if the mother country implements reforms such as freedom of the press and
representation in the Cortes. Rizal also concedes that if Spain does not grant these reforms, the
Filipino will likely become independent after a violent and bloody revolution.
The final part of Rizal’s work presents another interesting point of discussion since he
attempts to look into the future of the country. He argues that if the Philippines becomes free in
the future, this independence will be short-lived since the United States of America will probably
acquire and colonize the country as one of their own territories.
In the end, Rizal makes a strong assertion that it is imperative for Spain to grant the
Filipinos reform, for as he eloquently states, “It is better to keep pace with the desire of a people
than to give way before them; the former begets sympathy and love, the latter contempt and
anger.”

SUMMARY
The essay “The Philippines a Century Hence” was Rizal’s attempt to answer the
question of whether or not the Philippines would continue to remain a colony of Spain. By
presenting sounds arguments, Rizal made a compelling case that the Philippines would only
remain a colony of Spain if the Filipinos were granted reforms, particularly the freedom of the
press and representation in the Spanish Cortes. Without these reforms, Rizal foresaw the
eventual the independence of the Philippines resulting from a violent revolution.

Chapter 16: Bibliography in Philippine History

At the turn of the twentieth century, the Philippine history noted that the publication of the
considered first biographics focusing on the life of the missionaries who worked in the
evangelization of the natives. These Spanish-written can be read in religious chronicles and
histories citing the missionaries’ important roles in building churches and even bridges and
fortresses. Filipino biographies can only be found in the accounts of the Spanish priests who
have reported on how they defended the Spain and the Catholic faiths against the Filipino
“enemies”. Early colonial Filipino biographies, therefore, are narratives of Filipino fighters who
seen the “enemies of the State.” These references are still used by historians and researchers
who write the biographies of Filipino heroes such as Palaris, Sultan Kudarat. Tamblot, and
Dagohoy (Romanillos, 2008).

In postwar Philippines, the study on biographies broadened. One monumental work in the
history of life-writing in the country is that of E. Arsenio Manuel in 1955, a four-volume
compilation entitled Dictionary of Philippine Biography. Two years after, D.H. Soriano and Isidro
L. Retizos published The Philippines Who’s who, a book about the lives f 400 Filipinos and their
achievements. The authors mentioned the importance of writing biographies (Romanillos,
2008).

For many years now, there has been an imperative need for a simple and handy guidebook on
notable living Filipinos and prominent residents of the Philippines who are successfully
established in their various professions and callings. Students and scholars, businessmen here
and abroad, organizations and associations everywhere, and the general public have the need
for such a book-- to save both time and effort in gathering consice essential facts about well-
known people in this country.

Following these publications is the National Historical Institute’s first book in its five-volume
project entitled Filipinos in History in 1965. The preface of the book was written b Carlos
Quirino, then Director of the National Library who said: “Scores of men and women have been
buried in the obscurity of the past. Their lives have been resurrected from musty archives and
forgotten volumes and from the memory of the still living few in order that their deeds may serve
as a guide and inspiration to our people.”

Historian and biographer Gregorio Zaide also published his Great Filipinos in History in 1970.
He and his daughter revised the book in 1988 with the title Rizal and Other Great Filipinos,
featuring the biographies of forty heroes, foremost of which is Rizal. The purpose of the revised
book, as summed up by Sonia Zaide was “to inspire the younger generations of Filipinos to love
and serve their country.”
Today, many Filipino biographies have been written. Undoubtedly, Jose Rizal’s life and works
have always been the favorite subject of writers and biographers. Among the most known
biographies of Rizal include the books of Austin Craig (1913); Carlos Quirino (1940); Rafael
Palma (1949); Leon Ma. Guerrero (1963); Gregorio Zaide (1981); and Austin Coats (1992).

Historical biographies, therefore, serve as means or tools to study the life and experiences of
Filipinos, particularly of Philippine heroes from which one can learn and be inspired to serve the
country.

Biography and National History

In history, it is always important to connect the individual’s life story with the historical situation
he/ she was in. Remember that the goal of studying a biography is to “read a society through an
individual’s story” (Ferraroti, 1983). In the case of Jose Rizal, the study if his life proved that by
reading his narratives, some of the national experiences can be reflected and identified.

Understanding Rizal, therefore, means comprehending the context of his time. Rizal’s
biography, for example, is not complete without mentioning the Industrial Revolution and the
American Revolution which happened years before he was born. The social impact of these
events shaped the society in which Rizal had lived. Moreover, Rizal’s life covers the period from
1861 to 1896; therefore, it is inevitable to look into the events in the Philippines during the
nineteenth century. Specific episode in Philippine history, like the rise in the power of the
Catholic Church called by the reformists as frailocracy; the opening of the Suez Canal and the
Philippines to free trade; the liberal rule of Carlos Ma. de la Torre; the Cavite Mutiny of 1872 that
resulted in the execution of GOMBURZA; and the founding of the Propaganda Movement in the
1880s, were all significant in shaping Rizal’s views and ideas. Rizal was born and grew up in a
period of massive changes not just in Europe but also in Spain and the Philippines.

In the field of history and social sciences, biography is best understood with a contextual
backdrop. By looking at the individual and broader historical and social context, one can frame a
biography that is rooted in national history.