Filipino Clergy: Development & Resistance

Factors Impeding Filipino Clergy Development

• The bishops' inability to enforce visitation rights was linked to the Spanish missionaries' discouragement of a native Filipino clergy.
• Before 1698, there were reportedly no native Filipino priests ordained.
• Serious efforts towards developing a Filipino clergy only began in the late 17th century.

Filipino Priests' Resistance

• Fr. Pedro Pelaez initially led the native Filipino priests' resistance, with Fr. Mariano Gomez as his second.
• After Pelaez's death, Gomez took over the leadership until his execution in 1872, which marked a setback for the priests' rights movement.
• The ecclesiastical dispute evolved into a nationalist issue, with the Filipino clergy asserting their equality in the Catholic Church against racial discrimination.

Governor-General De la Torre's Policies

• Governor-General Carlos Maria Dela Torre (1869-1821) initially appeared democratic and formed reform committees.
• He remained suspicious of Filipino liberals, particularly the clergy, and their intentions.
• Filipinos suspected of anti-Spanish sentiments were placed under surveillance.
• De la Torre aimed to implement reforms without endangering Spanish rule.
• University students, led by Felipe Buencamino, who agitated for changes were imprisoned.

Fr. Burgos' Challenge

• Fr. Burgos challenged the religious sector by publishing articles in the republican and anticlerical newspaper, La Discusion, criticizing the friars.
• Fr. Joaquin de Coria defended the friars in response, making unfavorable comparisons to the Filipino clergy.
• Fr. Pedro Bertran criticized Burgos for discussing church matters in the public press
• Filipino liberals in Madrid supported the anticlerical activities of the Filipino clergy.
• They had their own press organ in Madrid, with Manuel Regidor as a key contact.
• El Eco Filipino, a newspaper dedicated to the Philippines, was published in Madrid by Fr. Federico Lerena.

Shift to Repression

• De La Torre's vigilance was replaced by active repression with the new Governor-General, Rafael de Izquierdo (1871-1873).
• Izquierdo's governance was not influenced by liberalism, leading to the abolition of tentative liberalization.
• The Cavite Mutiny occurred on January 20, 1872, with its exact nature remaining unclear.
• The official version claimed the revolt was part of a larger plan involving the army and naval forces, led from Manila.
• The aim was to kill all Spaniards and establish a provisional government under Fr. Burgos.
• Sergeant Lamadrid and Francisco Zaldua were the main organizers in Cavite, connected to a junta led by Burgos, Pardo de Tavera, Regidor, and others.

State of Education in 1880s Europe and Spain

• A large segment of Europe's population was illiterate in the 1880s due to poor education.
• Primary and secondary schools used outdated teaching methods and relied on memorization.
• Many university professors were more focused on politics than teaching.
• From 1867-1875 universities were behind, and few could afford to send their children to school.
• Churches tried to keep irreligious teachings out of schools.
• Churches had significant power, leading to stagnant Spanish universities.

Renewal of Spain's University Life

• University life in Spain began to improve in the late 1880s.
• Filipino students began arriving in Spain and gained knowledge of Spanish customs.
• Spain opened its doors to Filipinos in the 1880s and 1890s.
• Filipino students were able to understand Spain's laws and policies in the Philippines, and ideas flowed freely.
• They openly discussed the abuses of the church and state, and their desire for Philippine independence grew.
• The students rejected numerous church dogmas.

Recognition of Luna and Hidalgo

• In 1884, Filipino artists Juan Luna Y Novicio and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo gained recognition at the Exposicion de Bellas Artes in Madrid.
• Juan Luna Y Novicio's "Spolarium" received a gold medal, and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo's "Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho" received a silver medal.
• Pedro Paterno organized a banquet in their honor.
• El Imparcial, a liberal newspaper, covered their achievements, highlighting the forces at work in the Filipino movement.

The Propaganda Movement

• Filipinos were prompted to revolt against the Spanish government due to the extreme extent of the abuses.
• The public execution of GOMBURZA marked the beginning of the propaganda movement for independence from Spain.
• Marcelo H. Del Pilar, a lawyer, mason, and pamphleteer, was a leader of the reform movement.
• He sought to uplift Filipinos through self-dignity and preaching and was forced to flee to Spain.
• Marcelo H. Del Pilar took over the editorship of La Solidaridad after Graciano Lopez Jaena.
• Graciano Lopez Jaena mocked the friars' corrupt practices in his work, "Fray Batod," which led to his arrest.
• Reformists increased, later joined by Jose Rizal, Felix Resurrection Hidalgo, and others from Spain.
• Antonio Ma. Regidor and Joaquin Pardo de Tavera, who were exiled in Europe, also became part of the reformist movement.

Establishment of La Solidaridad

• The La Solidaridad was established in 1889 with help from Pablo Rianzares and became the newspaper of the reformists in Spain.
• Jose Rizal wrote as Dimas-alang and Laong Laan; Marcelo H. Del Pilar as Plaridel; Antonio Luna as Taga-ilog; and Mariano Ponce as Kalipulako, Naning, and Tikbalang.

Main Demands of the Reformists

• Fairness among Filipinos before the law
• Assimilation of the Philippines as a regular province of Spain
• Restoration of Philippine representation in the Cortes
• Filipinization of Philippine churches
• Granting individual liberties like freedom of speech and the press

La Solidaridad Organization

• In December 1888, "La Solidaridad" was founded, led by Galicano Apacible and Graciano Lopez Jaena.
• Jose Rizal was the honorary president.
• The reform movement was supported by Dr. Miguel Morayta and Ferdinand Blumentritt.

Aims of La Solidaridad Newspaper

• To work peacefully for political and social reforms
• To portray the deplorable conditions of the Philippines and seek remedies from Spain
• To oppose reactionary and medieval forces
• To advocate liberal ideas and progress
• To champion the Filipino people's aspirations for life, democracy, and happiness

Rizal's Novels and Annotations

• Jose Rizal wrote Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo to awaken Filipino nationalism.
• The novels attacked corrupt friars, leading to their banning.
• Rizal annotated Antonio Morga's Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas.

Failure of the Propaganda Movement

• Spain's internal problems made it difficult for propagandists to be heard.
• The parishes blocked the reformists through the newspaper La Politica de España en Filipinas.
• The existence of disunity and a lack of funds.

Achievements of the Propaganda Movement

• The propagandists voiced the suffering of abused Filipinos and used their skills to promote Filipino rights.
• The propagandist's efforts brought unity to Filipinos.
• The reformists were later revolutionaries who sought to overthrow the Spanish regime.
• Followers of the regime, like Andress Bonifacio, Emilio Aguinaldo, Apolinario Mabini, and Emilio Jacinto, were drawn toward revolts to attain reforms.

Marcelo H. Del Pilar's Role

• As a delegate of the Comite de Propaganda de Manila, Marcelo H. del Pilar had two strategies.
• The first strategy was to use legal and peaceful campaigns to get Spain to provide the Philippines a seat in the Cortes to advance their desired reforms for the country.
• Publications and propaganda were made to fuel such plan.
• The second strategy was to awaken the consciousness of Filipinos and encourage them to join the movement.
• The second stage included expelling the friars in the Philippines.

Impact of La Solidaridad

• La Solidaridad was an effective propaganda tool against the friars and influenced Spanish politicians.
• It gained support and delved into the political dealings of the Spanish government that seemed abusive to natives in the Philippines.
• Del Pilar worked to make La Solidaridad more effective in encouraging reforms in the Philippines.
• On April 2 1889, the Masonic lodge "Revolucion" petitioned Miguel Morayta, for affiliation with his federation.

Noli Me Tangere's Impact

• Noli Me Tangere brought Jose Rizal fame and opposition.
• It was influential, especially to reformists.
• It contained Rizal's conviction for patriotism and liberty.
• It was a total impeachment of the Philippine political and religious regime controlled by Spaniards.
• A declaration of Filipino nationalism.
• Rizal exposed the malignance consuming Philippine society.
• Curing the disease of the Philippine society calls for nationalism and educating Filipinos.