CUNTAPAY, Rica Jane B.

GED0102-Sec. 54

THE INDOLENCE OF THE FILIPINOS

How did the following, according to Rizal, contributed to the economic decline of Philippine as a
colony of Spain?

1. Military policies of Spain

In order to protect and maintain the supremacy of Spain, Filipinos, especially native
archers and rowers, were sent in an expedition to fight against Borneo, Moluccas and
Indo-China. There were no records that the natives returned to the Philippines after the
wars. The loss of the Filipinos led to the delineation of the population in the Philippines
and reduction of skillful workers in yielding products that can increase the country’s
economic growth. Moreover, Spain did not allow the trade between the independent
neighboring countries and treated them with great suspicion.
2. Forced labor
Filipino natives were sent to shipyards to construct new and large vessels which caused
the scarcity of timber, the supplementary component of a durable ship. In this case,
natives were coerced to leave their towns and deal with immense and continual labor
resulting to the abandonment of agricultural and commercial industries. Meanwhile,
natives who have had enough of the government’s have gone to the mountains. Also,
many natives were executed and sold into slavery as a payment for their tax.
3. Native revolts and other internal disorders
The piratical attacks of natives from Sulu and Mindanao as well as the Malay revolts
reduced the population of the Filipinos because of their resentment to the Christian
natives who chose to serve the colonizers. They also believed that through diminishing
the number of the foreigners they will be able to defend their independence and drive
the foes away. Chaos has been widespread and rampant destructions caused the
destruction of the natives’ personal and livelihood properties.
4. Wrong teachings of Spanish missionaries
Gambling was tolerated by government officials throughout the islands. They taught
them to hope for sudden fortune and to believe in miracles. The long masses in the
 mornings, novenas in the afternoons and processions and rosaries in the evening kept
the natives’ mind busy rather than creating something out of their abilities to sustain
the economy. The friars also indoctrinated the Filipinos that the poor are easily
accepted in the gates of heaven, so it is better for them to remain impoverished, thus
inducing a wrong attitude towards work.
5. Exorbitant taxation and the feeling of the natives that they can’t enjoy the fruits of their
labor
In accordance with the reading, Rizal stated that when the purpose of a man’s work is
removed, the interest on work is reduced. The econmenderos forced the natives to work
for their benefit and took their goods in exchange of a little amount or nothing at all or
cheated them with their products’ measurement. Besides this, they took advantage of
the natives through collecting unreasonable taxes which is less than what they are
earning. If the Filipinos are unable to pay the imposed taxes, they are exploited or sold
to be slaves.