I.

Nature and Scope

A La Juventud Filipina or in English, “To the Filipino Youth” is a poem that was created
by our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal. Dr. Jose Rizal created the poem when he was still studying
at UST at the age of 18. He submitted the poem for the poetry contest which had been organized
for Filipinos by the Manila Lyceum of Art and Literature, which then won the first prize. In
Rizal's Poem, Rizal speaks of the Filipino youth as the “Fair hope of my Motherland”, and of the
“Indian land” whose “son” is offered “a shining crown”, by the “Spaniard… with wise and
merciful hand”. Still in this poem, Rizal considered Spain as a loving and concerned mother to
her daughter Filipinas. Rizal’s dream to the Filipino youth is to do more likely what he has done
throughout his entire life. What he wanted to instill to the Filipino youth is the means of the
peace process to achieve what we were dreaming for our country like what he did using his pen
making it mightier than the sword, by his own intelligence he fought against Spaniards. He
encouraged the youth to fulfill their responsibilities using their own skills, talents, strengths, and
knowledge for the welfare of our country. As such the meaning of the poem.

The scope of our topic focuses on the social issues that are present in the poem and its
relevance to today’s period or generation rather than focusing on the poem itself. As such, the
study only cover social issues and no further than the poem itself.

II. Research Questions

1. What social issues did Rizal included in his poem to the Filipino youth?
2. How are these social issues presented in the poem still relevant today?

III. Approach

The researchers will use a sociological approach, specially focused on the social issues
that are related to the poem “To The Filipino Youth” or “A La Juventud Filipina” by Jose Rizal.
Sociological approach studies in an economic, cultural and political factors on how a text is
written or received. They chose a sociological approach since the researchers will observe and
explain more about the composition of the poem. Also, the researchers will relate specific lines
that are social issues within the lines of the poem. The researchers will determine whether these
social issues from the poem are still relevant up until today.
IV. Review of Related Literature

Jose Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda was born in Manila on June 19, 1861.
His father was Francisco Mercado Rizal, the owner of a prosperous sugar plantation and trader.
His mother was Teodora Alonso Quintos, a pious, well-educated, and highly cultured native of
Binan. He was raised as a devout Roman Catholic and was first educated in the family home by
his mother. Later on, Rizal was also known as the “Father of the Philippines,” was a polymath
who embodied the struggle against European colonialism in Asia. He was also the visible head of
the Philippine Nationalist Movement at the end of the 19th century. Rizal was an experimental
scientist, a musician, and an artist. He also became a celebrated epistolary writer, playwright,
essayist, poet, and a novelist in both Spanish and Tagalog. Noli me Tangere (1887) and El
Filibusterismo (1891) were Rizal’s best-known works. It became essential manuals for members
of the Philippine Independence Movement. Within hin works, Rizal portrays and then sharply
criticizes the abuses of the Roman Catholic clergy, especially the enormous wealth of the
Spanish religious orders, their monopoly on ministries, their control of the properties, their
abuses of justice, and their mistreatment of the Filipinos in their in their own land. Yet the works
also offer a vision of reform that heralds a bright future for the Malay race and the Philippine
Nation. (Mark DeStephano, S.J., Ph.D, Saint Peter’s University, Jersey City, N.J. 07306 U.S.A.)

Dr. Jose Rizal, even as a young student, is said to have first expressed his sense of being
nationalistic. One proof, it is said, can be found in his writings. In his poem that won a prize
from the literary group entitled “To the Philippine Youth”, which he wrote when he was 18 years
old in the year 1879, Rizal speaks of the Filipino youth as the “Fair hope of my Motherland”, and
of the “Indian land” whose “son” is offered “a shining crown”, by the “Spaniard… with wise
and merciful hand”. Also, in his poem, Rizal considered Spain as a loving and concerned mother
to her daughter, Filipinas. (Ma. Cielito Reyno, 2012 / NHCP)

According to some interpretation, the poem was a message to spread the importance of a
person’s love and appreciation to his dialect or language because it is what connects the
countrymen to each other. In the poem, Rizal expressed his admiration to the rising generation.
This poem can be considered as his first testimony and presentation of nationalism. In his said
work, he very much clearly referred to the Philippines as his motherland. He composed it
dedicated solely to the youth of the Philippines. He wanted the future generations to use their
capabilities, talents, and skills to stand out not only for their success, but also for the success of
their own motherland, the Philippines. Dr. Jose Rizal wanted the Filipino youth to build up their
abilities and use them to help those who are in need. He also challenged the youth through this
poem to refine, practice, and improve their talents in arts, in order to reinforce their knowledge
of the sciences, and to look forward and comminute their chain of servitude.
(https://www.academia.edu/38576379/Rizal_-_To_The_Filipino_Youth)