MENDOZA, SHERALYN MAY S.

CBET-01-401A

1. Concerning the social picture of the 19th century Philippines, what are the following schools
that were established during the Spanish Colonization? How would you describe the quality
of education during the past in connection with the quality of education that we have today?
State your answer briefly.
Before the colonization of Spaniards, the residents in the Philippines were decentralized and
they focused on vocational training rather than academic ones. They were usually taught and
trained by their parents and the tribal tutors. They also had their own way of communicating. The
children were taught how to survive which was the basic knowledge each people should know at
that time since there were no schools at the early times. However, some tribal tutors were willing
to teach the children some knowledge and they used their own system of writing called the
baybayin. The fathers trained their sons on how to be the man at the house and do all the hunting
for food, fighting for self-defense, and building shelters for their family while the mothers taught
their daughters how to cook, clean, and other necessary household chores.
When the Spaniards colonized the Philippines, the system of education had gone through a
huge change. Instead of the tribal tutors, the Spanish Missionaries took charge of teaching the
students. They also started to control and keep up with the rules and regulations given to the
students. The education at that time became religion-based and the friars are the ones who
controlled the educational system. They owned different schools from primary to tertiary levels
of education. The missionaries learned the local language and the baybayin that later on helped
them to communicate better with the locals and helped them to teach the Christian faith. The
education system became formal and focused on Christian doctrines. The system of writing
during the Spanish regime also changed from baybayin to the Latin alphabet. There were also
separate schools made for boys and girls to go to. When the first educational system for students
in the country was established, they provided school institutions for boys and girls in every town.
Before, the schools were exclusive only for the Spaniards. The Filipinos were only able to enter
the schoo1 in the late 19th century.
The first established schools were exclusively for the boys. The Augustinians built and
opened the first school in the Philippines upon arriving in Cebu in 1565. During the Spanish
regime, the college was equivalent to a university. The first college school for the boys was the
“Universidad de San Ignacio” which was established by the Jesuits in Manila in 1590. This
school was closed in 1768 due to the Jesuits being expelled from the country. In the year 1595,
they have also founded the “Universidad de San Carlos”, initially named as “Colegio de San
Idelfonso” in Cebu. This university closed down in 1769 because of the expulsion of the Jesuits
from the Philippines and remained closed until 1783. In 1589, the “Escuela Pia” was entrusted
by the government to the Jesuits. In the year 1611, the “Universidad de Santo Tomas” was
founded by the Dominicans in Manila. It was originally named as “Colegio de Nuestra Señora
del Santisimo Rosario” then later renamed as “Colegio de Santo Tomas”. In 1630, “San Juan de
Letran” opened for the orphaned boys who could not educate themselves.
 The first school and college for women were called the “Colegio de Santa Potenciana” that
opened in the year 1589. This was followed by “Colegio de Santa Isabel” that opened in 1632.
“Santa Catalina”, “Santa Rosa”, and “La Concordia” are some of the other schools that were
made for women only. Religious people also established schools mainly for the orphaned girls
who could not educate themselves like a “Beaterio” which is a combination of school and
nunnery.
After the liberation of the Philippines in 1946, the educational system has changed
completely and move forward at its own. Change is indeed the only constant in life because we
face changes every day. The best example for this is when you planned your summer this year
but then suddenly there’s a pandemic around the world so you end up changing or rescheduling
that plan. Most of the time, change is a good thing to see. Just like how technology made
everything easier and more convenient in every aspect of life including our education.
I can say that our educational system improved as to what we have now. In the past, being
academically educated is not that of a big deal. Nobody will judge you and say that you will have
no future because you're not educated. The Natives focused more on how to live, survive, and
take care of their families. Then when the Spaniards came to conquer, the educational system
changed and they gave focus on religion. The education before was mainly for the Spaniards and
some Filipinos who are rich called ilustrados. There are also separate schools for girls and for
boys. In the past, the church and school work together, all Christian villages had schools that the
students attend to. Those are some of the normal things that were accepted at that time. Today,
the educational system focused on being more academic than vocational. Everyone can be
educated since there are scholarships that are made especially for the ones who need extra help.
There are still some schools made separate for girls and for boys. Although as time change, there
were schools made for everyone regardless of your gender. There are also religious schools that
flourished until today and continued teaching religion which is balanced with academics.
Education became a big deal, especially for the parents. It almost feels like the grades that we get
from school are the measuring tool of how much intelligent you are. Some are quick to judge
especially when you didn't finish college. For some people, it means that there will be no future
for you and it became a toxic Filipino culture. Some of the parents pressure their children to get a
high grade even though they already gave their best. This mindset made some of the students
cheat on exams to get better grades and that leads us to a conclusion of the students do not care
about learning anymore. They just care about passing and keeping up with their parents'
expectations.
In the past, learning is difficult because the resources are limited. The Spanish students and
the ilustrados were the only ones who are privileged to be educated. I can say that the quality of
education somehow improved because of technology. It became easier for us to gain and share
knowledge using the internet. I think it was a good change when we focused on academics more
rather than on religion. The quality of education today is much better than in the past. But as I
have said, people became too obsessed with getting high grades and forgot what learning is all
about.
2. Comparative Study: After studying Rizal’s “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo, which
do you think is the superior novel or the magnum opus of Rizal. Discuss the issues and
controversies of Rizal as a person. Do you think Rizal is against the idea of Revolution in
order to attain freedom and to become the President of the Philippine Republic?
Dr. Jose Protacio Mercado Rizal Alonzo y Realonda or simply “Jose Rizal” is known
as the National Hero of the Filipino people. At an early age, we often encounter his name
being introduced but we do not really know his entire life or how did he become the
national hero. As we get to high school, we slowly learn a little more about him and his
works. We learned that he is not only admired for having great intelligence but also for
taking a stand and resisting the Spanish colonial government through his works. His most
famous novels that ignite the heart and spirit of every Filipino were named Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
The Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not) aimed to expose the mistreatment committed
by the Spanish friars and government officials. This novel is said to be a romantic novel
and for the society since it mainly focused on the livings, habits, and diseases that were
being experienced at that time. The friars in the book were described as arrogant, greedy,
and shows superiority to the Filipinos. This novel was dedicated to the Philippines itself
and it shows a lot more hope and romance. It is a “work of the heart” novel and it
contains freshness, humor, and lightness.
El Filibusterismo (The Reign of Greed), a sequel to Noli Me Tangere, was about
revolution and vengeance. It is a “work of the head” novel and it contains bitterness,
hatred, pain, violence, and sorrow. This is said to be a political novel because the content
talks about how the Spaniards managed the Philippines. It is more revolutionary and
more tragic than the first novel. It is said to be dedicated to the three martyred priests
namely Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora popularly known as
“GOMBURZA”. Rizal believed that the priests were only a victim to the unfair justice
that they have at that time.
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo both aim to enlighten the Filipinos on what is
happening in the country. It serves to move the people and wake them up to fight for our
country and get the freedom that we deserve. Both novels made a huge contribution to
waking the sleeping spirit of the Filipinos but if I were to choose which the superior
novel is, I think it would be the Noli Me Tangere. Noli Me Tangere was made because
Rizal wanted the people to see how badly they are treated at their own motherland. It was
made for those people who were scared to say something at the Spaniards. The intention
was clean and pure that’s why it was called the book of feeling unlike in El Filibusterimo,
which was made because of the urge to form a revolution and fight back. Rizal’s
emotions won in writing El Filibusterismo in which anger and hurt can be seen in some
parts. The content was also dark compared to the first novel and it was called the book of
thought. Although both novels are good, Noli Me Tangere hits different. It showed a
roller coaster ride of emotions while the El Filibusterismo showed pain and sadness. The
first one will always be the better one just like when you watch a movie and then there’s
a part two to it, people will always choose the first part most of the time than the part
two.
 Rizal’s life was interesting to know and to study especially he’s our national hero.
Something intriguing about what he had gone through to become a hero. That’s why
there are some questions and controversies that flourished through studying his life and
works. Debates and arguments aroused as many people tried to unfold the truth and find
answers to their questions. First to be noticed by many is his real name. Rizal’s full name
was long and to be honest, it was hard memorizing it in elementary but since it was
always asked at our test, I slowly got used to his full name. Rizal’s surname was
questioned by some readers because if his father’s surname is Mercado, why did he use
Rizal? Based on my research, the surname Mercado was a hot target for the Spaniards at
that time so he used his middle name Rizal, which also means an ilustrado at that time to
protect his identity and get the benefits just like a Spaniard. Another controversy was
about Rizal’s retraction. This was the greatest and most talked about controversy because
until now, it is still not proven and we never really know if he retracted the writings and
statements that he had made or not. The retraction letter was originally written in Spanish
then later on translated into English. The letter was about Rizal’s declaration about him
being catholic and retracting all the things that he wrote, published, and his words that
contradicted as a son of the Catholic Church. Some say that he did was about to retract
but when he read the draft, he did not sign and rejected it because it was too long and he
did not like it. Josephine Bracken was also involved in Rizal’s controversy. Some people
questioned if they really got married before Rizal was executed. Based on my research,
they married themselves since no priest would marry them because the Bishop of Cebu
was needed before the marriage. In connection with the last controversy, it was also
questioned if they had a child. According to my research, they are expecting a baby but
unfortunately, Rizal played a prank on her which frightened Josephine. She prematurely
gave birth to an eight-month baby boy who lived only for three hours. Rizal’s lost son
was named “Francisco” in honor of his father and was buried in Dapitan.
I don’t think that Rizal is against the idea of Revolution in order to attain freedom and
to become the President of the Philippine Republic. In my opinion, Rizal never really
wanted a bloody revolution to happen. He only wanted to get the people’s attention and
be heard. He wanted to change something that is not right in the system. That’s why
when he learned about Bonifacio’s project, he was not in favor of it. Rizal believed that
the people are not ready for a revolution at that time, and there should be enough
weapons and funds to be collected first before raising the cry of revolution. Rizal’s mind
is preoccupied with what is happening in our country and attaining the freedom that our
motherland deserves, I think being a president is not in his mind at that time. When Rizal
later received the news of the outbreak of the revolution and raging battles around
Manila, he was worried because that would only cause much suffering and terrible loss of
many human lives and property. He was also worried that it would trigger Spanish
vengeance against all Filipino patriots. It is possible that Rizal knew that the Filipinos
would be no match to the Spaniards in that type of war because the Filipinos are not
united at that time and there is a shortage in weapons and people. It is also possible that
he disproved the revolution due to his belief that violence should not prevail that’s why
he used his mind instead of his fists. Rizal proved that the pen is mightier than the sword
because his works Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterimo were the reason why the
Filipinos made a move to end the misery that they were experiencing at that time. The
two novels fueled the burning desire of the revolutionaries and made a permanent
impression on every generation. Rizal left us a piece of him that will be forever
remembered just like how we remember his compassion towards the Filipino people and
the country.
3. Why do we need to study the Life, Works and Writings of Rizal? What events or
circumstances could have contributed to Rizal’s ideologies and principles that led to the
enlightenment of the Filipino people? Considering Rizal’s personal circumstances, does he
really deserve the title of “National Hero” of the Philippines compare to his other
counterparts such as Andres Bonifacio, Lapu-Lapu and Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr?
If there be a replacement, who should it be and why? State your answers briefly.
The teaching of the life, works, and writings of Rizal is mandated by the Republic
Act 1425, or otherwise known as the “Rizal Law”. This law made the Rizal course
available at the tertiary level. It became a necessity to take and study for the students of
both degree and non-degree courses. This law went through some misunderstandings
with the Church before it got approved because the novels Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo mostly portrayed the bad side of religion and they say that it is anti-
church. They do not want to approve of this law because the students might misinterpret
the message and look differently on religion by reading Rizal's works.
We need to study the life, works, and writings of Rizal because it is mandated by the
law and because the lessons are contained within the course itself. Studying the life and
works of Rizal would really inspire many students especially in our generation and it can
answer the question of what did Jose Rizal do to become our National Hero. It makes us
closely acquainted with our National Hero and we could get more important notes on
how our heroes fought to lead us to where we are now. It can awaken our nationalistic
side knowing what they have been through to get the freedom that we deserve. By
studying the life, works, and writings of Rizal, we will sense the nationalism and
patriotism of the Filipinos in Rizal's time. Having nationalism and patriotism is by far the
most crucial thing we should know as of today because some of the students don’t really
know the difference between the two and it feels like we are caring less and less for the
country. By studying the life and works of Rizal, we will know what happened in the past
to connect it to our present. I think that Rizal's life and work are valuable to learn and this
can serve as our tribute to the heroes.
As I have studied the life, works, and writings of Rizal, there were some parts when
we would notice where he got the idea, inspiration, and influence on writing some of his
works. Starting from Rizal’s boyhood, he was influenced by his hereditary, the
environment he grew up, and the aid of Divine Providence. His uncles were the first
people to give influence to Rizal. Tio Jose Alberto who studied for eleven years in a
British school in India and had traveled in Europe was the one who inspired Rizal to
develop his artistic ability. Tio Manuel was described as a husky and athletic man,
encouraged Rizal to develop his frail body through physical exercises. Tio Gregorio was
a book lover who intensified Rizal’s eager reading of a good book. Father Leoncio
Lopez, the old and learned parish priest of Calamba, helped in shaping Rizal’s love for
scholarship and intellectual honesty. Padre Francisco de Paula Sanchez, one of Rizal’s
professors who inspired him to study harder and to write poetry. It was his mother, Doña
Teodora, that first discovered the poetic genius of her son, and she also encouraged him
to write poems. However, it was Padre Sanchez who inspired Rizal to make full use of
his God-given gift in poetry.
 The two famous novels Noli and El Fili were made because of the unfair and unjust
experiences happening at that time. Rizal made Noli Me Tangere to point out and expose
the things that the Spaniards are doing to them. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s
Cabin” depicts the suffering of Negro slaves under the cruelty of the American and Rizal
noticed the similarity of what is happening to them at that time so he was inspired to
prepare a novel that would depict the miseries of his people under the lash of Spanish
tyrants. He later on dedicated his second novel, El Filibusterismo, to GomBurZa (Father
Mariano Gomez, Father Jose Burgos, and Father Jacinto Zamora) which truly inspired
Rizal to fight the evils of Spanish tyranny and redeem his oppressed people. He was so
mad and devastated that the priests had to die because of the unjust treatment that they
are getting that’s why the second novel became dark and tackled about revolution. The
two novels were the ones that fueled the hearts of the Filipinos at that time. They heard
what Rizal wanted to say to everyone. He made the people realize that they are being
treated unfairly and he wanted everyone to take a stand and join him in the fight for our
mother-land which led to the enlightenment of the Filipino people.
I think Rizal deserves the title of “National Hero” of the Philippines because he made
noise doing where he’s great at and that is by writing. He fought for freedom in the most
powerful way by using his intelligence instead of weapons. Rizal’s writings contributed
tremendously to the formation of Filipino nationalism and patriotism. His writings were
passed from one generation to another generation and were always honored by the
Filipinos. Rizal deserves to be the national hero of our country because he fought
differently. He put his citizens first and thought that by having a bloody revolution, there
will be a possibility that more humans of their citizens will die. People made him the
national hero because there’s something about him that always leaves a mark in our
hearts. He taught me that fighting is not always made in an aggressive way. He serves as
a good role model for everyone since his writings made the people realize a lot of things.
As a student, I think that his way of fighting was the one that left a mark in my mind. If
someone wants to be heard, he/she can just write his thoughts because Rizal showed us
that words written are not just words. It has deeper meaning and emotions to it. He has
the excellent qualities to be the national hero of our country.
If there will be a replacement for the national hero, I think Andres Bonifacio is the
right one to replace Rizal. Andres Bonifacio was the leader of the Philippine Revolution.
There are already debates and arguments to who of the two more deserves to be the
national hero. Rizal and Bonifacio aimed for the same goal which is to get the freedom
that we deserve. They both wanted to fight four our country but they had different
method in doing it. Rizal used his mind which gave birth to the novels Noli Me Tangere
and El Filibusterismo while Bonifacio used his fists that gave birth to a bloody
revolution. Bonifacio’s intention was just like Rizal’s and he even admitted that he was
inspired to do what he did because of the writings of Rizal. He is the most suited
replacement if there will be any.