Urdaneta City University PRELIM MODULE-RIZAL PDF

URDANETA CITY UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES Owned and operated by the Social Science Department City Government of Urdaneta First Semester...

URDANETA CITY UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES Owned and operated by the Social Science Department City Government of Urdaneta First Semester A.Y. 2024-2025 LESSON 1 INTRODUCTION: REPUBLIC ACT 1425 LEARNING OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:  Recognize the historical background and context of the Rizal Law and its important provisions;  Critically assess the effectiveness and significance of the Rizal Course;  Reflect upon themselves the idea and principles of Rizal in their life;  Compare and contrast the arguments and views of those in favor of and against R.A. 1425, considering the context of the 1950s. THE RIZAL LAW AND ITS IMPORTANCE Republic Act. No. 1425, also known as the Rizal Law has been enacted on June 12, 1956 and was sponsored and authored mainly by the late Senator Jose P. Laurel and Senator Claro M. Recto. Rizal Law is a mandate to include in the course curricula of all public and private schools, colleges and universities the life, works and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. It is important to note that before the enactment of the Rizal Law, Senate Bill No. 438 was submitted to the Senate Committee on Education on April 3, 1956. It is “an Act to Include in the Curricula of All Public and Private Schools, Colleges and Universities courses on the Life Works and Writings of JOSE RIZAL, particularly his novels NOLI ME TANGERE and EL FILIBUSTERISMO, Authorizing the Printing and Distribution Thereof, and for Other Purposes. Sen. Jose P. Laurel On April 17, 1956 the bill was sponsored and presented to the members of the Senate or the Upper House by the late Senator Jose P. Laurel, who was then the Chairman of the Committee. According to the late Senator Jose P. Laurel the dissemination of ideas and ideals of Jose Rizal through the reading of his works, notably the NOLI ME TANGERE AND EL Sen. Claro M. Recto FILIBUSTERISMO is the main purpose of the bill. He stated that “Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo must be read by all Filipinos. They must be taken to heart, for in their pages we see ourselves as a mirror, our defects as well as our strength, our virtues as well as our vices. Only then would we become conscious as a people, and so learn to prepare ourselves for painful sacrifices that ultimately lead to self-reliance, self-respect and freedom (Laurel,Jr.,131). Meanwhile, Congressman Jacobo Z. Gonzales also filed a similar bill called House Bill No. 5561 to the House of Representatives. Unfortunately, akin to Senate Bill No. 438, House Bill No. 5561 had also been opposed contending its constitutionality and religiosity. It was then that a substitute bill has been proposed to include all the works and writings of Jose Rizal, ruling out the exclusivity of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo as the main features of the previous bills. The Life and Works of Rizal 1  Moreover, the late Senator Jose P. Laurel asserted the importance of reading the original and unexpurgated edition of Rizal’s novel because the true purpose of studying these will be defeated if not followed. On May 12, 1956 and May 14, 1956, Senate Bill No. 438 and House Bill No. 5561 were both unanimously approved on the second reading and in the Lower House. On June 12, 1956, the bill was signed into law by President Ramon Magsaysay, giving birth to Republic Act 1425 or the Rizal Law. REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1425 AN ACT TO INCLUDE IN THE CURRICULA OF ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COURSES ON THE LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF JOSE RIZAL, PARTICULARLY HIS NOVELS NOLI ME TANGERE AND EL FILIBUSTERISMO, AUTHORIZING THE PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION THEREOF, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. WHEREAS, today, more than any other period of our history, there is a need for a re-dedication to the ideals of freedom and nationalism for which our heroes lived and died; WHEREAS, it is meet that in honoring them, particularly the national hero and patriot, Jose Rizal, we remember with special fondness and devotion their lives and works that have shaped the national character; WHEREAS, the life, works and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, are a constant and inspiring source of patriotism with which the minds of the youth, especially during their formative and decisive years in school, should be suffused; WHEREAS, all educational institutions are under the supervision of, and subject to regulation by the State, and all schools and enjoined to develop moral character, personal discipline, civic conscience and to teach the duties of citizenship; Now therefore, SECTION 1. Courses on the life, works and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his novel Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, shall be included in the curricula of all schools, colleges and universities, public or private: Provided, That in the collegiate courses, the original or unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo or their English translation shall be used as basic texts. SECTION 2. It shall be obligatory on all schools, colleges and universities to keep in their libraries an adequate number of copies of the original and unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as well as of Rizal’s other works and biography. The said unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo or their translations in English as well as other writings of Rizal shall be included in the list of approved books for required reading in all public or private schools, colleges and universities. SECTION 3. The Board of National Education shall cause the translation of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as well as other writings of Jose Rizal into English, Tagalog and the principal Philippine dialects; cause them to be printed in cheap, popular editions; and cause them to be distributed, free of charge, to persons desiring to read them, through the Purok organizations and Barrio Councils throughout the country. SECTION 4. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as amendment or repealing section nine hundred twenty-seven of the Administrative Code, prohibiting the discussion of religious doctrines by public school teachers and other person engaged in any public school. The Life and Works of Rizal 2  SECTION 5. The sum of three hundred thousand pesos is hereby authorized to be appropriated out of any fund not otherwise appropriated in the National Treasury to carry out the purposes of this Act. SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval. Approved: June 12, 1956 Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 52, No. 6, p. 2971 in June 1956. Think about this again: Why study the life and works of Rizal? It is apparent during Rizal’s time, the Filipino identity is already diminishing - this was the rationale behind the enactment of the Rizal Law, which seeks to accomplish the following objectives: 1) To rededicate the lives of the youth to the ideals of freedom and nationalism, for which our heroes lived and died; 2) To play tribute to our national hero for devoting his life and works for shaping the Filipino character; 3) To gain an inspiring source of patriotism thru the study of Rizal’s life, works and writings. The late Senator Jose P. Laurel, who sponsored the said law emphasized the need to know and imbibe the great ideals and principles for which Rizal died. After all, Rizal was the founder of Filipino nationality and architect of the Filipino nation. It is by reading and studying Rizal’s life, teachings and writings that the young generation of the Philippines will be able to gain incorruptible confidence, direction, courage and determination to move forward in our people;s journey towards an abundant life. The teaching of Rizal Course in higher education institutions in our country today is anchored on the patriotic policy statements of Rizal Law and the patriotic goals set by the then Board on National Education (Capino et, al, 1997). These goals are as follows: 1) To recognize the relevance of Rizal’s ideals, thoughts, teaching, and life values to present conditions in the community; 2) To apply Rizal’s ideas in the solution of day-to-day situations and problems in contemporary life; 3) To develop an understanding and appreciation of the qualities, behavior and character of Rizal; and 4) To foster the development of moral character, personal discipline, citizenship and vocational efficiency among the Filipino youth. Thus, the importance of the study of Rizal’s life, works and writings is to instill in ourselves the idea and ideals of Jose Rizal, and to develop a deeper awareness and understanding of its relevance so that in the long run, we may be able to apply them in our daily lives and become an active participant in nation-building. PROS AND CONS OF RIZAL LAW Constantino, R. (1991). The Rizal Law and the Catholic Hierarchy. In The making of a Filipino: a story of Philippine colonial politics (pp. 244–246). essay. The Cons or disadvantages of R.A 1425 from the The Pros or advantages of R.A 1425 from the excerpts of “The Rizal Law and the Catholic excerpts of “The Rizal Law and the Catholic Hierarchy. In The making of a Filipino: a story of Hierarchy. In The making of a Filipino: A Story of Philippine colonial politics Philippine Colonial Politics Catholic church opposing the R.A 1425 which can These novels is very vital to the enrichment of lead a bad reputation to the Catholic church young Filipino minds, these can re-establish the because they are afraid that the students will be loss of love and support of young Filipinos who is introduce to the wrong doings of the Spanish very distracted to other things around them. priest during Rizal time. The Life and Works of Rizal 3  Laurel, J. P. (1960). The Trials of the Rizal Bill. Historical Bulletin, 4(2), 130–139. The Pros or advantages of R.A 1425 from the The Cons or disadvantages of R.A 1425 excerpts of “The Trials of the Rizal Bill. from the excerpts of “The Trials of the Historical Bulletin Rizal Bill. Historical Bulletin Some lines and pages in this novels are As it says to the reading it was really indeed portraying the bad times that intense especially since many are happened during Rizal’s era especially the opposing the law and furiously denying wrongdoings of some friar are mentioned, the law because many things are at stakes. but Rizal did not intend to write this novel for this purpose, by which he wrote this to revive the will of power of the Filipinos to fight against the Spaniards. Mojares, R. B. (2013). Jose Rizal and the Invention of a National Literature. In Isabelo's archive (pp. 213–221). essay, Anvil. The Pros or advantages of R.A 1425 from The Cons or disadvantages of R.A 1425 the excerpts of “Mojares, R. B. (2013). Jose from the excerpts of “Mojares, R. B. (2013). Rizal and the Invention of a National Jose Rizal and the Invention of a National Literature. In Isabelo's archive Literature. In Isabelo's archive It is true that that the literature of Rizal and For me, this reading has no downside his contemporaries has a vigorously impact because the purpose of Rizal to educate on our kind of literature today. These works Indios is fulfilled and until now we are of Rizal have impacted the lives of our enjoying the results of the works of Rizal. fellow Filipino during his time and until Though this leads the Spaniards to execute now it has a contribution. Which only Rizal. But yet his intentions have been concluded that Rizal Bill is a must mandate achieved. law. Hau, C. S. (2000). Introduction. In Necessary fictions: Philippine literature and the nation, 1946-1980 (pp. 1–14). essay, Ateneo de Manila Univ. Press. The Pros or advantages of R.A 1425 from the The Cons or disadvantages of R.A 1425 excerpts of “Introduction. In Necessary from the excerpts of “Introduction. In fictions: Philippine literature and the nation Necessary fictions: Philippine literature and the nation Those writings, novels as well as national heroes indeed contribute and sacrifice their Though this law’s purpose is to enrich and time and effort even devoted their lives to shape young Filipino minds, the law did the shaping of this country which we enjoy not go according to plan at first. It started as it is now. a conflict with Catholic churches. The Life and Works of Rizal 4  LESSON 2 19 CENTURY PHILIPPINES AS RIZAL’S CONTEXT th LEARNING OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:  Analyze the various social, political, economic, and cultural changes that occurred in the 19th century;  Understand Jose Rizal in the context of his time;  Explain how the interwoven changes in economic, social, political and cultural landscape changed Rizal’s perspectives;  Assess how the events in the past shaped the present condition of the Philippines;  Construct a jigsaw puzzle and determine the people, places, time or events and how these pieces shaped them as a person Introduction: Throughout the years, the Philippines has transformed in many ways. A lot of changes have taken place brought about by the many historical occurrences that have plagued the country. In this lesson, we will discuss the changes in the 19th century, categorizing social, political, economic and cultural changes in the Philippines. The nineteenth century is considered the birth of modern life, more so, the birth of many nation-states all over the world. For us to understand what Dr. Rizal have done during the nineteenth century, let us look the different developments and accomplishments on that period that changed and shaped the landscape of the Philippines’ economy, society and politics. The birth of modernity brought up three revolutions to the world: the Industrial Revolution in England, the French Revolution in France and the American Revolution. During these periods the Spaniards have already been in so much power to some parts of the world. Rizal was born in the 19th century, a time marked by significant changes in the world. These changes played a role in shaping his perspective in life. He grew up amidst the Philippines’ struggle for independence and the shifting social, economic, and political landscape of the time. 19TH CENTURY  “Birth of Modernity”  Part of Age of Revolution  Industrial Revolution Before 19th Century Monarchy Democracy Feudalism Capitalism Passively-Accepting Reform-Minded MONARCHY  political system based upon the undivided sovereignty or rule of a single person. The term applies to states in which supreme authority is vested in the monarch, an individual ruler who functions as the head of state and who achieves his or her position through heredity. Most monarchies allow only male succession, usually from father to son.  a system of government that has a king or queen, or a country that has this system of government The Life and Works of Rizal 5 DEMOCRACY  a system of government in which laws, policies, leadership, and major undertakings of a state or other polity are directly or indirectly decided by the “people,” a group historically constituted by only a minority of the population (e.g., all free adult males in ancient Athens or all sufficiently propertied adult males in 19th-century Britain) but generally understood since the mid-20th century to include all (or nearly all) adult citizens.  a form of government that empowers the people to exercise political control, limits the power of the head of state, provides for the separation of powers between governmental entities, and ensures the protection of natural rights and civil liberties. FEUDALISM  the system of political organization prevailing in Europe from the 9th to about the 15th centuries having as its basis the relation of lord to vassal with all land held in fee and as chief characteristics homage, the service of tenants under arms and in court, wardship and forfeiture  Under feudalism, a landowner would grant fiefs to vassals, who would farm the land and give portion of the yield to the landowner. CAPITALISM  Capitalism is an economic system in which private individuals or businesses own capital goods. At the same time, business owners employ workers who receive only wages; labor doesn't own the means of production but instead uses them on behalf of the owners of capital. PASSIVELY-ACCEPTING  in a way that does not act to influence or change a situation; in a way that allows other people to be in control REFORM-MINDED  Reform-minded refers to an individual, group or ideology that is inclined toward or commits to making changes, improvements, or amendments in certain existing systems, institutions, or structures in order to address problems or bring about a more effective or fair approach. INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION  Period of significant technological and economic change The Life and Works of Rizal 6  in modern history, the process of change from an agrarian and handicraft economy to one dominated by industry and machine manufacturing. These technological changes introduced novel ways of working and living and fundamentally transformed society.  This revolution was considered as one of the most significant developments in the 19th century — from being a country that relied on machines and wage labor, Europe’s economic status totally changed. At this time, traders were fortunate to become the first capitalists. The industrial workers were former farmers who migrated from rural areas and remote provinces of Europe. ECONOMIC CONDITION Trading was apparent among our ancestors even before the Spaniards colonized the Philippines. The Spanish saw an opportunity to profit from the trade.They closed the ports of Manila to all countries except Mexico. Why still open in Mexico? During the 16th Century, Mexico was a colony of Spain, just like the Philippines. As a result, the Manila-Acapulco Trad, also known as the the Galleon Trade,” was introduced and Manila became the center of commerce in the East. From Manila to Mexico: From Mexico to Manila:  tamarind  guava  rice  avocado  Chinese tea  papaya  textiles  pineapple  fireworks  horses  precious stones  cattle  tuba (coconut wine) Spain became a mercantilist superpower. But not forever. Why?  Spain’s trading system and the demand for Asian goods What Is Mercantilism? eventually declined Mercantilism was an economic  Spain heavily dependent on the silver mines of its colonies system of trade that spanned the 16th century to the 18th century. in South America, which slowly dwindled. Mercantilism was based on the principle that the world's wealth  The value of silver also declined due to the increased was static, and consequently, Production of silver in Americas, reducing the profit governments had to regulate trade to build their wealth and national margins of Galleon Trade merchants. power. Many European nations  Revolts, particularly in the War for independence in Mexico attempted to accumulate the largest possible share of that wealth by took place in the New World. Thus, shifting the focus and maximizing their exports and priority of consumers away from trade. limiting their imports via tariffs. With the old system no longer sustainable, the Galleon Trade was ended by decree during the first decade of the century. Because the Galleon Trade ended, the Philippines need a commercial purpose.  The economic oppotunities created by the Industrial Revolution had encouraged Spain in 1834 to open the Philippine economy to the world commerce.  The Philippines became a supplier of raw materials for the industries of the West by utilizing its underutilized land resources to venture into cash crop agriculture The Life and Works of Rizal 7  CASH CROP AGRICULTURE  Type of farming where crops are grown primarily for sale rather than for personal or local consumption Merchants and traders from other countries migrated in Manila and became leaders in finance, who made agricultural cash crop export possible. These traders were mestizos consisting of Spanish and Chinese families and decided to put-up merchant houses (establishments) in Manila. There were ilustrados, who belonged to the landed upper class, were much-respected in their own towns or pueblos but were regarded as filibusteros or rebels by the friars. Because of the fortune that these ilustrados have, they were able to send their children to Spain and Europe to further their studies. There they gained higher education degrees that made them equal with the Spaniards. Note that equality and even secularization were major issues during this time. Hence, quest for equality became Rizal’s lifelong search. In this period, railways and steamships were constructed for safer, faster and comfortable means of transportation and communication. The construction of bridges, most especially, the opening of the Suez Canal provided a shorter route for trades. Built by Ferdinand de Lesseps, a French man, the opening of the Suez Canal for world shipping took place on November 17, 1860. In effect, there had been closer interactions between Philippines and to other countries of the world. Through the cash crops, the Philippine economy began to flourish. Majority of the export income of the Philippines during the nineteenth century came from the cash crops from tobacco, sugar, cotton, indigo, abaca and coffee, making it the major source of revenue in the country. This also concludes the importance of having lands at that time. Consequently, more provinces shifted to growing cash crops so ownership and management of lands became major concerns. Farmers were pressured to produce more harvest while the landowners (hacienderos) take advantage of their position. Then they would engage in a pacto de retroventa – an agreement of sale guaranteeing that the landowner could buy the land back at the same price at which it was sold. However, it was difficult to buy back the land because of the continuously rising demand of the economy and payment for renewals, causing farmers to be in full debt. This further instigated the lost of the farmers’ rights to their land as they were forced to work as tenant farmers, or kasama. There was also a form of land grabbing by acquiring the land forcefully. Because of the growth of the economy, people required better care for lands. As a result, there came the Inquilinos, a laborer indebted to a landlord who allows him to form a farm in parts of his property and who, in exchange, works without pay from the landlord. From this, positive effects took place as the Industrial Revolution contributed many things to the people: 1. The Philippines was opened for world commerce. 2. Foreigners were engaged in manufacturing and agriculture. 3. The Philippine economy became dynamic and balanced. 4. There was rise of new influential and wealthy Filipino middle class. 5. People were encouraged to participate in the trade. 6. Migration and increase in population were encouraged. What does all of this have to do with Jose Rizal?  The fast tempo of economic progress in the Philippines during the 19th century facilitated by Industrial Revolution resulted to the rise to a new breed of rich and influential Filipino middle class  This made the Inquilino class wealthy, which include the Rizal patriarch, the family Mercado The Life and Works of Rizal 8   When Rizal’s Chinese ancestor Domingo Lam-co had come to the Binan hacienda in mid-18th century, the average holding of an Inquilino was 2.9 hectares  After Rizal’s father had moved to Calamba hacienda, the Rizal family in the 1890’s rented from the hacienda over 390 hectares  The family Mercado became one of the most affluent family in Calamba  This enabled the family to live a prosperous and a comfortable life, thus giving the Rizal children more time and focus toward education SOCIAL CONDITON Only few people, usually those with This privileged people belong Spanish blood, have the opportunity to to the highest racial class experience college education In the Mariana Islands, for administrative purposes, the Spanish racial hierarchy was as follows: PENINSULARES Peninsulares (pure-blooded Spaniard born in the Iberian Peninsula such as Spain) INSULARES Insulares (pure-blooded Spaniard born in the Philippines) MESTIZOS Spanish Mestizo (one parent is Spanish, the other is a native or Chinese Mestizo; or one parent is Chinese, the other is a native) PRINCIPALIA Principalia (wealthy pure-blooded native supposedly descended from the kadatoan class) INDIOS Indio (pure-bloodedd native of the Philippines or the Filipinos) The Spanish colonial government’s discrimination against Indios limited their opportunity and social mobility This oppression resulted in the term “Indio” becoming associated with social and economic oppression Spanish blood was highly valued during the Spanish colonial era. Insulares despite being part of the second-highest racial class, were viewed negatively because they were born in the Philippines or the Marianas Those with any trace of Indio blood were never considered the social equals of pure-blooded Spaniards Since the Spaniards viewed Filipinos as inferior, they denied them access to education, associating them with backwardness, primitiveness, and inferiority. As a result, obtaining college education was difficult for those at the bottom of the hierarchy While wealthy families like Rizal were able to send their children to study in prestigious schools. The female children of the Rizals studied at La Concordia The relative prosperity of the period has enabled them to send their other sons to Spain and Europe for higher studies The Life and Works of Rizal 9  There, they were exposed to secular and liberal ideas, thanks to the French Revolution which showed that a democratic world was possible. The exposure of these young Filipinos in Spain and Europe inspired them to form Illustrados ILLUSTRADOS  “erudite”  “learned”  “enlightened ones”  a group of educated natives who sought freedom and independence from Spanish rule  One of their aims was to be in the same level with the proud Spaniards CULTURAL CONDITION It has become commonplace to speak of the role of ideas learned by the European-educated Illustrados in the emergence of the nationalist movement. However, it was not only this handful Filipinos who were important, nor was it only the European intellectual atmosphere that stimulated nationalism. A key factor in the emergence of nationalism in the late 19th century was the cultural development consequent on the rapid spread of education from about 1860. In many aspects, the spread of higher education among middle and middle-middle-class Filipinis, who could not afford to go abroad, was more important for propagating the liberal and progressive ideas written about Europe by Rizal or Del Pilar Educational reforms that happened in the mid-19th century 1. The Industrial revolution necessitated changes in the educational system of the Philippines  Schools need to focus on teaching skilled labor, as that is what the economy needs (NOTE: Before this, schools had total and strict control from the Friars) Children were taught to fear God over basic literacy and obey the friars instead of learning how to count They were instilled with the belief that they were inferior to others and were only capable of doing manual work 2. The Educational Decree of 1863  Provided for the establishment of at least one primary school for boys and girls in each town under the responsibility of the municipal government;  The establishment of a normal school for male teachers under the supervision of the Jesuits.  Primary instruction was free and the teaching of Spanish was compulsory.  This decree marked the beginning of formal education in the Philippines and open new educational opportunities to a wider segment of society, including the middle and lower classes The Life and Works of Rizal 10  3. The return of the Jesuits was a significant event that influenced the educational system in the Philippines  In 1865, Ateneo (which was handled by the Jesuits), transformed into a secondary school that offered a level of instruction beyond the official requirements, more closely resembling today’s college than High school  It was in these secondary schools that the ideas of nationalism began to emerge, even among those who had never traveled to Europe  Although the Spanish Jesuits may not have intended to do so, their teaching broadened the perspectives of their Filipino students, and many of them drew their own conclusions from these principles  These reforms opened up educational opportunities to a wider segment of society, helping to democratize education in the country By 1866: The proportion of literate people in the Philippines was higher than in Spain. The proportion of Filipino children attending school was also above the everage in European standards.  By emphasizing humanistic education and principles of justice and equality, these schools helped to undermine the foundations of the Spanish colonial regime and inspired a growing sense of national identity among filipinos.  This growing sense of nationalism would ultimately pave way for significant political developments, including the pursuit of greater democracy POLITICAL CONDITION During Rizal’s time, there were widespread calls for democracy in the Philippines To understand why, let us look back again to the 16th century  When Spanish missionaries introduced Christianity, they taught that all men are equal before God  Despite the teachings of Christianity, which emphasized equality among all people, the Spanish colonial authorities did not treat brown-skinned Filipinos equally.  Most Filipinos (except the hinterland of Luzon, Visayas and in Mindanao and Sulu) became Christians. And throughout the next three centuries, Spaniards used religion to justify their malicious behaviors  During Rizal’s time, the court of justice in the Philippines was notoriously corrupt.  They were court of “injustice,” as far as the brown Filipinos were concerned  The poor had no access to the courts due to the heavy expenses and litigation while rich and those with white skin color were favored in court The Life and Works of Rizal 11  John Foreman, a British eyewitness of the last years of Spanish sovereignty in the Philippines, said: “It was hard to get the judgment executed as it was to win the case. Even when the questions at issue were supposed to be settled, a defect in the sentence could always be concocted to reopen the whole affair. If the case had been tried and judgment given under the Civil Code, a flaw would be discovered under the laws of the Indies, or the Siete Partidas or the Roman Law, or the Novisima Recopilacion, or the Antigous Fueros, Decrees, Royal Orders, Ordenanzas del Buen Gobiernos, and so forth, by which the case should be reopened.” Racial prejudice was rampant in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period.  The local indigenous population was prohibited from organizing assemblies or political meetings  Merit was not based on one’s capabilities or qualifications but on wealth, race, and connections with influential people.  The Spanish colonial government in the Philippines was highly centralized and authoritarian. It enforced strict social and political hierarchies, denying Filipinos’ basic political rights and freedom. Meanwhile, the colonial government was primarily interested in exploiting the country’s natural resources and labor for the benefit of Spain This system was exploitative and maintained through the use of force, including military forces displayed to quell uprisings and rebellions If you experienced such injustices happening to your fellow Filipinos, wouldn’t you feel hungry?  That’s precisely how Rizal, Illustrados, and other Filipinos who were exposed to liberal ideas felt when they witnessed such injustices  They viewed Spain as regressive, incompatible, and the main reason why the country was not progressing In one of Rizal’s letter, he said: “I wanted to hit the friars since the firars are always making use of religion, not only as a shield but also as a weapon, protection, citadel, fortress, armor, etc. I was therefore forced to attack their false and superstitious religion in order to combat the enemy who hid behind this religion.... God must not serve as shield and protection of abuses, nor must religion.” Those who shared Rizal’s views wondered if other countries could achieve independence, could the Philippines do so? The British colonial masters were overthrown to gain independence and achieve the status of becoming a sovereign nation, a feat that spread across European countries and other parts of the world. The Life and Works of Rizal 12 This motivated people to follow suit. Filipino reformists like Rizal were inspired by the revolution to pursue freedom and independence for the country. Hence, the thirst for reform and nationalism flourished in the liberal atmosphere  The cry for democracy during Rizal’s time were a result of the long standing injustices and corruption of the Spanish colonial authorities who used religion to justify their actions  The call for democracy was a call for equality, justice, and fairness for all Filipinos, regardless of their skin color or social status LESSON 3 THE PARABLE OF THE MOTH LEARNING OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:  Students will discuss the implications of the story’s moral lessons in real life context;  Students will engage in group discussions, sharing their thoughts and insights on the story;  Students will express their personal reflections on the story and its moral STORY OF THE MOTH (Anecdote of Jose Rizal) When I had not yet seen other rivers except the river of my town, crystalline and gay in its winding course, shaded by murmuring bamboo groves; when my world was only circumscribed by the bluish mountains of my province and the white surface of the lake that I discerned from after through some ruins, sparkling like a mirror and filled with graceful sails, I like stories very much and I believed with all my heart everything the books contained, convinced that what was printed must perforce be the truth. And why not, since my parents, who punished me for the smallest lie, emphatically enjoyed me to attend to my books, to read them diligently and understand them. My first remembrance concerning letters goes back to my earliest age. I must be very small yet because when they polished the floor of our house with banana leaves, I would still fall slipping on the shiny surface as did the little skilled skaters on ice. It was still difficult for me to climb up a chair, I went down the stairs step by step, holding on to every baluster, and in our house as in the whole town, petroleum was unknown, or had I seen until that time any quinque, (34) nor had any carriage ever passed through the streets of my town that I believed to be the summum (35) of joy and animation. One night, when everybody at home was already asleep, when all the lights in the globes (36) had already been put out by blowing them off by means of a curved tin tube which seemed to me the most exquisite and wonderful toy in the world, I don’t know why my mother and I had remained watching beside the only light that in all Philippine houses burned all night long, and that went out precisely at dawn waking the people with its cheerful hissing. My mother then was still young. After a bath her hair which she let down to dry, dragged half a handbreadth on the floor, by which reason she knotted its end. She taught me to read in Amigo de los Niños, a very rare book, an old edition, which had lost its cover and which a very industrious The Life and Works of Rizal 13 sister of mine had covered again by pasting on its back a thick blue paper, the remnant of the wrapper of a bolt of cloth. My mother undoubtedly annoyed at hearing me read pitifully, for, as I didn’t understand Spanish, I could not give meaning to the phrases, took away the book from me. After scolding me for the drawings I had made on its pages, with legs and arms extended like a cross, she began to read asking me to follow her example. My mother, when she cold still see, read very well, recited, and knew how to make verses. How many times during Christmas vacation afterwards, she corrected my poems, making very apt observations. I listened to her full of childish admiration. Marveling at the ease with which she made them and at the sonorous phrases that she cold get from some pages that cost me so much effort to read and that I deciphered haltingly. Perhaps my ears soon got tired of hearing sounds that to me meant nothing. Perhaps due to my natural distraction, I gave little attention to the reading and watched more closely the cheerful flame around which some small moths fluttered with playful and uneven flight, perhaps I yawned, be it what it might, the case was that my mother, realizing the little interest that I showed, stopped her reading and said to me: “I’m going to read to you a very pretty story; be attentive.” Upon hearing the word story I opened my eyes expecting a new and wonderful one. I looked at my mother who leafed through the book as if looking for it, and I got ready to listen with impatience and wonder. I didn’t suspect that in that old book that I read without understanding, there could be stories and pretty stories. My mother began to read to me the fable of the young and the old moths, translating it to me piece by piece into Tagalog. At the first verses my attention redoubled in such a way that I looked towards the light and fixed my attention on the moths that fluttered around it. The story could not have been more opportune. My mother emphasized and commented a great deal on the warnings of the old moth and directed them to me as if to tell me that these applied to me. I listened to her and what a rare phenomenon the light seemed to me more beautiful each time, the flame brighter, and I even envied instinctively the fate of those insects that played so cheerfully in its magical exhalation. Those that had succumbed were drowned in the oil; they didn’t frighten me. My mother continued her reading, I listened anxiously, and the fate of the two insects interested me intensely. The light agitated its golden tongue on one side, a singed moth in one of these movements fell into the oil,clapped its wings for sometime and died. That assumed for me that the flame and the moths were moving far away, very far, and that my mother’s voice acquired a strange, sepulchral timbre. My mother finished the fable. I was not listening; all my attention, all my mind and all my thoughts were concentrated on the fate of that moth, young, dead, full of illusions. “You see?” my mother said to me taking me to bed. “Don’t imitate the young moth and don’t be disobedient; you’ll get burned like it.” I don’t know if I replied, promised something, or cried. The only thing I remember is that it took me a long time before I could sleep. That story had revealed to me tings unknown to me until then. To me moths ceased to be insignificant insects; moths talked and knew how to warn and advise as well as my mother did. The light seemed to be more beautiful, dazzling, attractive. I understand why moths fluttered around lights. Advices and warnings resounded feebly in my ears. What preoccupied me most was the death of the imprudent, but at the bottom of my heart, I didn’t blame it. My mother’s solicitude didn’t have all the success that she hoped it would. The Life and Works of Rizal 14 No; many years have elapsed; the child has become a man; has plowed the most famous foreign rivers and meditated besides their copious streams. The steamship has taken him across the seas and all the oceans; he has climbed the region of perpetual snow on mountains very much higher than the Makiling of his province. From experience he has received bitter lessons, oh, infinitely more than the sweet lesson that his mother gave him, and nevertheless the man preserves the heart of a child and he believes that light is the most beautiful thing there is in creation and that it is worthy for a man to sacrifice his life for it. References: https://pdfcoffee.com/pros-and-cons-of-the-readings-about-rizal-law-pdf-free.html https://pdfcoffee.com/the-story-of-the-moth-4-pdf-free.html https://preen.ph/files/2018/06/moth_flame_Rizal.jpg https://www.britannica.com/event/Industrial-Revolution https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/mercantilism.asp https://gardenerdy.com/cash-crop-farming-meaning-advantages-disadvantages https://www.britannica.com/topic/monarchy https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/monarchy https://www.britannica.com/question/What-is-democracy https://www.thoughtco.com/democracy-definition-and-examples-5084624 https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f0/51/74/f051746b10f6fb780d8de436ecd11c0c.jpg https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/capitalism.asp https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/passively https://www.definitions.net/definition/reform-minded#google_vignette Prepared By: Praxedes R. Barles, LPT The Life and Works of Rizal 15 The Life and Works of Rizal 16