CHAPTER 15

The Visionary Journalist

to Paris and Brussels
By: Ma. Thea Caguimbal
John Catapang
Josiah Cacao
 Synthesizing Historical Materials
About the Philippines
• Rizal realized that numerous materials about the Philippines
and Filipinos, particularly in the libraries and museums in
Acapulco, Sevilla, Madrid, Paris, London and Berlin.
• If we are to understand fully our past, Rizal felt that these
materials have to be collected and synthesized.
• In order to address the problem associated with synthesizing
these historical materials found in the different libraries and
museums in Europe, Rizal conceived of the organization of
an International Association of Philippinologists, with Rost,
Blementritt and himself as organizers.
• Rizal told Blumentritt that the organization of
the international association would coincide
with the Universal Exposition of 1899 in Paris.
• Blumentritt accepted Rizal’s offer but suggested
that independent tribes and regions of the
Philippines bre included in the agenda.
• The plan did not materialize since the French
government limited the number of conferencce
to be held in Paris during exposition of 1899.
 Rizal and the Exposition of 1889
• Rizal founded the Kidlat Club on March 19,1889, upon his arrival in the city.
• The Paris exposition was opened May 6,1889
• Another society that Rizal founded in Paris was the Indios Bravos, which
replaced the Kidlat Club
~The members of this organization vowed to excel in intelectual and physical
prowers in order to gain the admiration of foreigners, especially the Spaniards.
• In addition to the aformentioned society of Filipino patriots, Rizal founded
the Sociedad R.D.L.M (Redencio de los Malayos)
~Its aim as a secret society was the propagation of all useful knowledge
in the Philippines.
~Another aim of this organization based on its acronym was the redemption of
the Malay race.
 Other Activities and Accomplishments in
Paris
• Rizal published his annotation of Morga’s Sucesos, was
in Paris
• It was also in the city where he wrote the satirical
essay, entitled Por Telefono under the pen name Dimas
Alang, in answer to the attacks made by Fr. Font
against his novel Noli Me Tangere
• A project concieved by Rizal while in Paris was the
establishment of a modern college in HongKong
• Rizal continued contributing articles to the La
Solidaridad
Sobre La Indolencia delos Filipinos
• This was the longest essay written by Rizal, which
was published in five installments in the La
Solidaridad, from the July 15 to September 15 1890
(Romero et al, 1978)
• This essay represents his defense of the Filipinos
from the charge that they were inherently lazy or
indolent
• Rizal’s thesis in this essay was simple; That Filipinos
were not born lazy but had predisposition to become
lazy
• Rizal noted that it was the European,
surrounded by servants, who was the paragon
of laziness in the tropics
• People in the tropics are expected to work less
• Hot climate, however, was compensated by
the fertility of the soil. As a consequences, the
peasants did not have to work hard to insure
good crops.
 The factors that fostered indolence
attributable to the spanish colonizers:
1. Wars and internal disorders
that follows Spanish Conquest
2. Piratical Attacks on Coastal
Towns And Villages By
Muslim Pirates.
3 .Forced Labor in
Shipbuilding.
4. Government’s Neglect and
Apathy to Agriculture,
Industry and Commerce.
5. Absence of Material and Moral
Incentives To Work Harder
6. The Teaching of the Spanish
Missionaries That Heaven is for the
Poor
7. Too Much Government
Restriction and Red Tape In The
Approval of Permit To Transact
Business
8. Encouragement And Propagation
9. Ownership of the Big
Estates by the Friars
10. Example Set By the
Spaniards in Disdaining
Manual Labor
11. Deprivation of Human
Dignity
The factors attributable to the Filipinos
themselves:
1. Feeling of Inferiority
2. Placing Hopes on
Miracles
3. Lack of Spirit to
Pursue Lofty Purposes
4. Lack of National
Sentiment
 Rizal concluded his essay by
stressing the need for good
education and liberty as the keys
to achieving progress in the
Philippines and in solving the
problem in indolence
 Filipinas Dentro De Cien Anos
• He wrote Filipinas Dentro De Cien Anos or The Philippines A
Century Hence to forecast the future of the country within a
hundred years.
• The aforementioned essay came out as a series of four
articles in the La Solidaridad from September 30, 1889 to
February 1,1890
• This essay starts with an analysis of the causes of the
misiries of the people
~ One of the causes identified in this article was Spain’s
implementation of her military policies.
~A second cause of this misery was the deterioration and
dissappearance of Filipino indigenous culture.
~A third cause of this miserable condition of the people was
their passivity and submissiveness to the Spanish colonizers.
• One question raised by Rizal in his essay was, could Spain
prevent the progress of the Philippines? Should Spain
decide to do so, what could she possibly do: keep the
people ignorant; keep the people in poverty; or
exterminate the Filipino race?

i. Keeping the people ignorant had failed. This can be

attested by the awakening of national consciousness
among the people, which had united them
ii. Keeping the people in poverty created in the Filipinis the
desire to change things
iii. Extermination of the people as an alternative to
hindering progress was an impossibility according to RIzal
 Can the divide et impera or devide and rule
policy still work to foster emmity between and
among the natives?

• To Rizal, this would no longer be

effective owing to the ease of
movement in the archipelago brought
about by improved means of
transportation.
• This, in effect, can lead them to realize
their common plight which can foster in
them greater unity as a people.
• The third article of Rizal’s essay centered on the
reforms and political changes needed for the
Philippines to remain under the Spanish rule.

• He stressed that reforms have to be initiated by the

government for them to be peaceful and
effective.This was “any change originated by the
masses would definitely be fatal and violent”.

• The last article of this essay delved on the stages

that would lead the Philippines to independence

• Inasmuch as the Filipinos are not ready for

independence, Rizal predicted that Spain would be
deposed or replaced by another power.

• To Rizal, European powers will definitely not be

interested in taking over the Philippines.
• Asian powers would not be interested in gaining control of
the Philippines

• If Spain will not be replaced either by a European or an

Asian power. To Rizal, this country is none other than
United States of America

• What Rizal envisioned in this essay came true

• On May 1, 1898, the Americas entered the Philippines and

wrestled from Spain the control of the Philippines

• Fifty years after Rizal’s death, the independence of the

country was recognized on July 4, 1946
 Rizal in Brussels
• Rizal left Paris for Brussels, Belgium on January
28,1890
• His departure from this city was brought about by
two reasons
 The cost of living in Paris has become exorbitant.
 Rizal could not resist the gay social life in Paris ,
which interfered with the writing of his second
novel, El Filibusterismo
• Rizal transferred to Brussels and resided in a
boarding house on 38 Rue Champagne managed by
Suzanne and Marie Jacoby
• He spent a large bulk of his time writing his second
novel, as well as articles for the La Solidaridad
Articles written for the La Solidaridad
1.A La Defensa (To defense)
2.La Verdad Para Todos (The truth for all)
3.Vicente Barrantes’ Teatro Tagalo
4.Una Profanacion (A Profanation)
5.Verdades Nuevas (New Truths)
6.Crueldad (Cruelty)
7.Diferencias (Difeerences)
8.Inconsequencias (Inconsequences)
9.Llanto y Risas (Tears and Laughters)
10. Ingratitudes (Ingratitude)
• Criticism of Filipino’s Passion For Gambling. While in Brussels,
Rizal was informed by Juan Luna and Valentin Ventura that many of his fellow
expatriates in Madrid had become too much preoccupied with gambling
• Disturbing News from Home. Rizal was disturbed by the news he
received from Calamba, while in Brussels. He came to learn that the agrarian
problem had worsened.
• The Premonition of Rizal. As a consequence of the despair brought
about circumstances, which he was not able to cope with, Rizal experienced
sleepless and restless nights.
• The Plan to Return to the Philippines. Depressed and anxious of
the misfortune suffered by his family in Calamba, Rizal planned to return to the
Philippines.
• A Mi Musa (To My Muse). This poem was witten by Rizal in 1890 as a
result of his disenchantement over the lukewarm attitude of the Filipino
expatriates in Sapin working for reforms from the Spanish Government.
• Rizal’s Affair with Suzanne Jacoby. Being lonely in Belgium, rizal
had an affair with Suzanne, one of the pretty nieces of his landladies. Suzanne
fell in love with him due to his charm and dignified manners, just like the other
women in the lie of Rizal.