CHAPTER 8

RIZAL’S
CHANGING
VIEW &
SPANISH
RULE
The Indolence
of the Filipinos

- "The Indolence of the Filipinos"

or La Indolencia de los Filipinos
is a study of the causes of the
people's not working hard during
the Spanish regime.
•It is an essay written by Dr. Jose Rizal
published in La Solidaridad in Madrid in
1890.
•It deals with the sociopolitical matters
or setup of the Filipinos in defense of
the accusation that the Indios or Malays
were indolent or lazy people.
 Dr. Jose Rizal in this essay did admit
the presence of indolence among
Filipinos.

 Rizal cited factors that contribute to

Filipino indolence, such as abuses,
discrimination, passive governance,
corruption, red tape, baseless dogma
of the church, and wrong illustration
from some Spaniards.
Rizal believe that to find
cure to indolence one must
admit having such dilemma,
thus, he agreed with the
prior writing of Gregorio
Sanciano, which depicted
indolence among Filipinos
A cure existed when one
studied what caused
indolence in the first place.
Rizal, therefore enumerated
the factors that caused
indolence. First, was the
climate and second,
Filipinos had been
doing trade within the
region and neighbor
countries.
According to Rizal, the decrease in the economic
engagement of the natives was due to the
following reasons:
01
Establishment of the Galleon Trade

02
Forced labor

03
Lack of Government Protection Against Pirates

04
Twisted Educational System
05 Spaniards’ Wrong Idea Toward Work

06 Rampant Gambling

07 Wrong Religious Belief

08 Extremely High Taxes

Rizal argued that the main cause of
indolence was Spain.
 THE
FILIPINO
FARMERS
During the Spanish regime, farming was a
risky occupation.

Farmers back then had to deal with the lack of

laborers caused by forced labors of the
Spaniards.
There was instance when farmers
had to face the wrath of an official
of the court or provincial
government simply for an unjust
reason, like not giving bribes or an
official's personal grudge.
 Filipino farmers or
capitalist were pushed into
embracing bribery to win
their officials & they also
had to deal with tulisanes
or bandits.

The case of a citizen

of the province of La
Laguna who owned of
extensive lands planted to
sugar cane, coffee, and abaca.
 Captain Francisco de
San Juan, declared war in
the name of Spain against
the English in 1762 and was
able to save a large amount
of government money from
falling in the hands of
invaders.

 For this reason he had to

abandon his farms, losing
his abaca crops.
 Many called the attention of the Minister of the
colonies to make effort to confront issues
regarding bandits.

 Those who were on top put the blame on

indios indolence. Higher official washed their
hands of blames having a backwards
government caused by their irresponsibility.
• Bandits and criminal dwelt in the idea that the
government would not run after them since it was too
busy abusing the just citizens of the country.

•The propagandists saw the struggles of farmers,

so they sought reforms regarding the granting of
licenses for the use of arms.

• It should not be granted without unanimity. Such manner

would lessen the wasted effort of farmers, lessen
inconvenience, and save time and energy.
The Ilustrados View of
Climate in the 19 Century
 In the 19th century, the
Philippines was exposed to
chaotic setup.

 Ilustrados like Jose Rizal,

Marcelo del Pilar, Graciano
Lopez Jaena, and Antonio Luna
were prominent Filipino in
Europe.
 El Demonio De Las Comparaciones
 After Rizal published his novel Noli Me Tangere
in 1897, he anticipated numerous events and
situation, which he might encounter on his return
to Manila from Europe.

 Ilustrados who bravely pushed for reforms in

the European location Jose Rizal, as well as Del
Pilar, Lopez Jaena, and Antonio Luna had a
promising political career.
 The ilustrados’ desire for Philippine
reforms began to have color.

 They had feeling of uplifting the Filipinos

by integrating foreign ideas and ways into
the Philippines.
ROMANCING
NATURE IN RIZAL’S
BRINDIS
 The Rizal's speech known as Brindis
earned him the title of filibustero.

 He had interpreted the success of

Hidalgo and Luna, an act of optimism of
what might lie ahead and glance of the past.
 “El Spoliarium”

“Virgenes
Cristianas
Expuestas al
Populacho”
According to Rizal as quoted,

“ genius has no country, genius sprouts

everywhere; genius is like the light and
air, the heritage of everyone- cosmopolitan
“
like space, like life, and like God.
THE RIZAL’S ABANDONMENT
OF ASSIMILATION
 In the 19th century, there are two myths about
Rizal’s standing about the Philippine nationalist
movement.
Rizal was one of the
middleclass men who sought Rizal’s contradiction to
reforms by means of opposing the the ways of the
Revolution in 1986 & had
encouraged the absorption of Katipunero led by
Philippines to Spain. Bonifacio & it was
Hispanization of the Filipino shown in Rizal’s La
was one of Rizal’s desires &
not to set the Philippines free Liga Filipina.
from its colonizers.
The two myths
contribute to
CONFUSION &
DIVIDED BELIEFS in
the young
Filipinos about the
history of the
Philippines.
 The celebration of centennial of the
Bonifacio-led Revolution & Rizal’s martyrdom
demanded clarification of the myths. Hence,
such myths ought to be critically evaluated
through historiographical evidences.
Rizal’s correspondence,
1887-1892, could better
explain the first myth.
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eagerness to attain independence

from the hands of the cruel
Spaniards by means of a peaceful
struggle.
1887- Two letters were
wrote by Rizal to his friend &
mentor, the German scholar
Ferdinand Blumentritt, …,
diminishing the idea of
having the Filipino
assimilated to Spain.
February 21, 1887

-“The Filipinos had long wished for

Hispanization and they were wrong in
aspiring for it. It is Spain and not the
Philippines who ought to wish for the
assimilation of the country”
(Rizal-Bluementritt, 52).
January 26, 1887, he said:

“A peaceful struggle shall always be a dream, for Spain will

never learn the lesson of her South American colonies. Spain
cannot learn what England and the United States have
learned. But, under the present circumstances, we do not
want separation from Spain. All that we ask is greater
attention, better education, better government [officials], one
or two representatives [in parliament], and greater security
for persons and our properties. Spain could always win the
appreciation of Filipinos if she were only reasonable. But
quos vult perdere Jupiter, prius dementat! (Rizal-Blumentritt,
44).
Numerous scholars today under-
mine the value of such letters.
Many have intentionally revised
it, giving favorable consideration
that Rizal truly wanted Philippine
assimilation to Spain and not
Philippine independence.
Ruth Roland (1969:
58-59), an American
author, misquoted
three lines of
Rizal’s letters.
A letter dated January 26, 1887; he cleverly omitted
the first sentence.
“A peaceful struggle will always be a dream, for Spain will
never learn…” – and the crucial word “But” [Aber in the
German original] in ---”But, under the present circumstances
we do not want separation” ---to prove that Rizal was an
assimilationist.
He also omitted the very important Latin line “quos vult perd
ere Jupiter, prius dementat” [whom Jupiter would destroy,
He first makes mad].
Del Pilar made it clear that Jose Rizal did not have any illusions about
the Reform Movement; however, he appreciated its strategic worth.

Rizal's letter to Del Pilar in April 1890

Parliamentary representation will be a burden

on the Philippines for a long time. If our
countrymen felt otherwise than they do, Rizal had been
we should reject any offer of such representation consistent with
but, the way we are, with our countrymen this perspective,
indifferent, representation is good. It is better to judging from his
be tied by the ankles than elbow to elbow. What correspondence
can we do! (Guerrero, 1963:287) from 1887-1892.
April 4, 1890
- Another letter to Del Pilar
which contained Rizal’s abandonment
of the propaganda La
Solidaridad for no longer fit
into Rizal’s desires for the
Philippines. He also cut his
connection with the reformist
in Madrid. Such action was
exposed in his surviving
fragment of a letter, dated
October 1891.
 If our countrymen hope in us here in Europe, they are certainly
mistaken… The help we can give them is our lives in our own country.
The error all make in thinking we can help here, far away is a great
mistake indeed. The medicine must be brought near to the sick man.
Had I not been unwilling to shorten the lives of my parents, I would not
have left the Philippines, no matter what happened. Those five months I
stayed there were a model life, a book even better than the Noli Me
Tangere. [The field of battle Philippines; there is where we should be.]
 Letter to Ferdinand Blementritt

Life in the Philippines has become impossible:

without courtesy, without virtue, without
justice! That is why I think La Solidaridad is no
longer place to give battle; this is a new fight. I
should like to follow your wishes but I believe
that it will be in vain; the fight is no longer in
Madrid. It is all waste of time. (Guerrero’s
translation)
But many historians had disregarded such
letters and relied solely on one document and
that was a document Rizal had written in his
prison cell. Rizal’s so-called December 15,
1896 manifesto, a statement he issued to the
Spanish court which contained his denial as
the mastermind of the revolution.
His denial condemned
Bonifacio’s premature uprising
as an act of ridiculous
barbarism. It also encouraged
the Katipuneros to surrender.
Nevertheless, the military
court rejected Rizal’s
manifesto.
Mi Ultimo Adios was Rizal’s Testament

- it is a literary masterpiece that

contained his in depth views of
the Revolution.

- Poem that made an

impact on the Filipinos
minds because it was
distributed by Bonifacio.
 Second stanza of poem was about intertwined
connection between Rizal's martyrdom & Revolution.

Austin Coates' translation- observing

the translation that took place, Rizal's
phrase in the second line which was
"sin dudas sin please" was translated
by Coates into "without hesitation or
thought for the consequence."
Coates' translation from Nick Joaquin's
Joaquin's translation- shows a
closer similarity to Rizal's Spanish
writing.

"without doubts, without gloom" -- captures the

beauty of the poem and it's essence, as interpreted a
nd read by the revolutionaries.
• This shows the different motive and views of
the writers who interpreted Rizal masterpiece.
• Coates's translation was misleading –
“without hesitation or thought for the
consequence.”
• His translation contains his personal opinion
about Rizal and his ideologies.
• Using his skills stylistic and artistic literary
skill. He was able to deliver a self-made lecture
on Rizal's standpoint on Revolution.
• Coates' action was showcased in a lecture on
Rizal's last poem given during the celebration of
Rizal day.
• Coates made emphasis on Rizal’s ambivalent
attitude to the revolution.
 Using Nick Joaquin’s translation- He leaves
Coates without space to inflict his own ideas.
He would not be able to make the claim that
“Rizal did not entirely agree” with what the
revolutionaries were doing.
Rizal’s Spanish text and Nick Joaquin’s
translation both approved in the Philippine
literature, edited by Bienvenido Lumbrea.
Meanwhile, Austin
Coates’ version
appeared in Rizal:
Philippine Nationalist
and Martyr (1968) &
in his Rizal
Lecture (1977).
Last Poem of Jose Rizal- was distributed to
the revolutionaries by Bonifacio using his
own vernacular translation. It was the first
Tagalog version of the poem. It has a happy
translation that empowers revolutionaries
more.
“Sa pakikidigma at pamimiyapis ang alay ng iba’y
ang buhay na kipkip walang agam- agam, maluwag
sa dibdib matamis sa puso at di ikahapis
[underscoring mine]. Saun man mautas ay di
kailangan cipres o laurel lirio ma’y putungan
pakikipaghamok at ang bibitayan yaon ay gaon
[gayon] din kung hiling ng Bayan.”
Adding more controversy and interest to Bonifacio’s
translation of the last untitled poem of Rizal was his added
phrase “matamis sa puso at di ikahapis” which means joy
of the heart that knows no pain.

- Which appeared in The Writings and Trial of Andres

Bonifacio edited by Teodoro Agoncillo in 1963.
 The Agony of the
Garden sketch was
given to his family

NOT THE ORIGINAL SKETCH

Portfolio Designed

Then he left to Josephine the

Kempi’s La Imitacion del Cristo
The words “Consumatum est!” - Jesus’ last words
were heard from Rizal lips.

The aftermath of Rizal death led to the uprising of his

supporters. Rizal died as a martyr for his countrymen to be
awakened and continue the battle of independence.

A leading intellectual in Aguinaldo’s cabinet

remembered Rizal’s happy face before his death.
 Mabini viewed Rizal as a brave soul who
chose to face by the time he took the bumpy
path of exposing the abuses that the Spaniards
had done to his country.

Unlike GOMBURZA, who died in tears,

Rizal faced a happy death knowing that
he had made an impact on the nation’s
viewpoint and was confident that after
his death, the natives would continue the
battle for liberty.
 He was a martyr who loved his
countrymen; his actions were
enough to fuel revolutionaries to
continue the fight for independence.

Martyrdom is a struggle par

excellence.

MARTYRDOM OF RIZAL MURAL

THE VISCERAL STRANGENESS OF SPAIN

The Illustrados’ extreme and idealistic

desire for the tropics or for a tropical
climate showed their feeling of longing
for their homeland, the tropical
environment where they
were raised during their
younger years.
The visceral experience of
the ilustrados, namely,
Rizal, Luna, & Del Pilar,
gave them an unsatisfactory,
strange, and alienating
feeling toward Spain. It had also
marked the ilustrados’ political
estrangement and disappointment
toward the Spanish life that lowered the
image of Spain and heightened the
ilustradors’ growing desire to set their
homeland free from tyranny and to
spread equality (Livingstone, 2002).
• A hindrance to the ilustrados’
longing for tropical climate
was the possibility of encountering
human suffering because of natural
calamities at home.
• Nevertheless, the wealthy illustrados
did not allow such calamities to
hinder their desire for tropical
climate.
HOMOGENIZED TROPICS,
COSMOPOLITAN CLIMATE
 Ilustrados included in their writings the territoriality of climate and
did not limit their views to the national weather.

 The nineteenth century was loaded with territorial assumption to

acquire vast amounts natural resources.
The ilustrados’ longing for
the tropical lands was a
mark of increased political
perspective, a perspective
to overturn the Spanish
regime from the tropics.
The desires of Rizal for the tropics ceased
when he was faced with the great prejudice
coming from the Spaniards that he exposed
in his writings the Noli Me Tangere.

Rizal had seen that it was the colonial rule

that made the Filipinos indolent or lazy.
In comparison to the climate,
colonialism was viewed by Rizal as
a far greater calamity than that
of a real storm
(Aguilar, 2016).
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