Prelim Handout Rizal 101 PDF

Lesson 1 - Rizal's Pen and the Power of Law: The Rizal Law and its Impact on Filipino Identity Historical Background of the RA 1425: Rizal Law After the Second World War, the Philippines experienced the most challenging phase in its history since its in...

Lesson 1 - Rizal's Pen and the Power of Law: The Rizal Law and its Impact on Filipino Identity Historical Background of the RA 1425: Rizal Law After the Second World War, the Philippines experienced the most challenging phase in its history since its independence. The government wants to find ways to recover from these trying times. As the Philippines grappled with various challenges, particularly the call for nation-building, prominent individuals who championed nationalism came to action. They pursued government measures to instill patriotism and love for the country in the hearts and minds of the Filipinos. Republic Act No. 1425 also known as the Rizal Law answered the challenge of the dying patriotism among the Filipino youth. Yet, this law was not easily passed through the scrutiny of those people who will receive the hit from this law. Here is a brief his tory of the Rizal Law. TIMELINE OF THE RIZAL LAW April 3, 1956 Senate Bill No. 438 was filed by the Senate Committee on Education. April 17, Sen. Jose P. Laurel sponsored the bill in the Senate and started 1956 delivering his speeches about the bill. April 19, Rep. Jacobo Z. Gonzales filed House Bill No. 5561, an identical bill of 1956 Senate Bill No. 438, in the House of Representatives. April 23, Debates started with the altercation between the Church who 1956 opposed the bill and Sen. Claro M. Recto as the proponent of the bill. The House Committee on Education approved the bill without May 2, 1956 amendments. Debates in the House of Representatives about the bill commenced. Sen. Jose P. Laurel proposed amendments to the bill. He removed the May 9, 1956 compulsory reading of Rizal’s novels and added that Rizal’s other works must also be included in the subject. The amendments proposed by Sen. Laurel in the Senate were May 14, 1956 adopted in the House version of the bill. Versions of the bill were approved in both houses (Senate and House May 17, 1956 of Representatives). Pres. Ramon Magsaysay signed the bill into law which became June 12, 1956 Republic Act No. 1425. Rizal Law: A Legacy for Today The Rizal Law was not welcomed open-heartedly by many people, especially those who are devoted to the Church. Rizal’s writings particularly his two novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, used themes and characters that represent the Church during t he Spanish period. Rizal represented the Church as an establishment that was marred by corruption and abuse of power. These themes led to the Church opposing the then-Rizal Bill since it would be detrimental to the image of the Church. The Church believes that by passing this bill, they will brainwash the youth into thinking that the Church does bad things to the people. The authors of the law do not intend to cause harm to the image of the Church but rather to reignite the dying patriotism of the youth whose patriotism and nationalism are needed during those times when the country is on the verge of collapse due to the effects of war. Through reconciling the differences between both parties, the Rizal Bill became Rizal Law which represents our commitment to uphold the things that Rizal fought hard for during his time, freedom, justice, and equality for all Filipinos. This became the living legacy of Rizal until the present time. Timeline of Jose Rizal’s Life A lot of things came into our mind as to why Rizal was chosen to be given such honor in our country. Crafting a law just to teach his life and works is a big deal to a country who have many great heroes to begin with. Why not Bonifacio? GomBurZa? Silang? Lapulapu? Why Rizal? These questions will be answered as we dwell deeper into the life and works of Rizal. Here is a brief introduction to the life of Dr. Jose Rizal. Rizal’s parents, Teodora Alonso and Francisco Mercado, married on 1848 June 28th. Jose Rizal was born as the seventh among eleven children of Teodora 1861 and Francisco on June 19th. After three days, Rizal was christened. Rizal, at just nine years of age, begins school under Justiniano Aquino 1870 Cruz. Rizal took his entrance exam at Ateneo Municipal (formerly, Escuela 1872 Pia) on a six-year Bachiller en Artes on June 10th. This is just four months after the execution of GomBurZa. Rizal passed his oral examination at Ateneo Municipal and graduated 1877 with a degree Bachiller en Artes, with the highest honors on March 14th.  Rizal entered the University of Santo Tomas attended the course 1877 Philosophy & Letters. Yet, during his second year, he shifted to Medicine. He took up a vocational course at Ateneo and he was given the title 1881 perito agrimensor (expert surveyor) on November 25th. He decided to go to Europe and continue his studies there and 1882 prepare for the great task of liberating the country from the Spaniards. This was a secret pact between Jose and Paciano. Rizal was awarded with the degree and title of Licentiate in Medicine 1884 after passing the medical examination. He joined the Masonry and became a Master Mason at the Lodge 1890 Solidaridad on November 15th. Noli Me Tangere, Rizal’s first novel, was finished and published on 1886 March 21st with the help of Maximo Viola. 1887 Rizal returned to Calamba on August 8 th after five years in Europe. Rizal left the country for the second time due to the threat he 1888 received from the friars because of his novel. He published several of his works in La Solidaridad such as his 1889-1890 annotation on the Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas of Antonio Morga, Sobre La Indolencia de los Filipinos, and Filipinas Dentro de Cien Años. Rizal finished his second novel, El Filibusterismo, published on 1891 September 18th with the help of Valentin Ventura. Rizal returned to the country for the second time on June 26 th. He established the socio-civic organization La Liga Filipina on July 3rd. 1892 After three days, he was arrested and brought to Fort Santiago. He was sent to Dapitan on July 17th. He was visited by Dr. Pio Valenzuela to inform him about the Katipunan on June 21st. Rizal’s request to volunteer as a surgeon in 1896 Cuba was granted on July 30th. He was brought back to Manila as ordered by Governor-General Despujol on November 3rd. He was sentenced to death by firing squad and died on December 1896 30th.  Lesson 2 - Stirrings of Change: The Philippines on the Eve of Rizal's Birth (1801- 1861) Instability of Colonial Administration The Philippines became a colony of the Spanish Empire in 1565. Though the Philippines is a hundred miles away from its mother country, it still experiences the effects of instability in Spain. In the early nineteenth century, the empire faces a turbulent t ime during the reign of Ferdinand VII (1808-1833). The anti-monarchy wars spread throughout the empire and caused great confusion. After the turbulent reign of Ferdinand VII, Spain had adopted four constitutions, elected, 28 parliaments, and installed no less than 529 ministers with portfolios, followed in subsequent years by party strifes, revolutions, and other political upheavals from 1834 to 1862. Also, Spain lost its richest colonies in Mexico and Latin America, and its empire went down to only three small colonies – the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. These upheavals also caused great confusion in the Philippines. There was an endless change in who occupied the government positions in the colony which affected the smooth governance of the colony. These changes were attributed to major constitutional changes in Spain brought frequent shifts of policy and officials. In the Philippines, a lot of governors-general led the colony with an average term of one year and three months. Due to the political union of Church and State, the Church through the works of the Spanish friars, governed the colony together with Spanish civilian officials or military officers. These officials were not dedicated to properly governing the colony which led to corruption, incompetence, and arrogance due to their position in the government. Other factors that led to the instability were the lack of representation of the Filipinos in the Spanish Cortes, denied Filipinos human rights, no equality before the law, maladministration of justice, racial prejudice, forced labor, and haciendas which were not owned by the Filipinos but rather the bad friars. Secularization of the Church Due to the liberalization of the Philippine economy, the Spanish grip on power in the colony weakened. Economic growth led to domination by British capital, Chinese distribution networks, and Filipino-led export agriculture. Political reforms were undercut by a lack of continuity, uneven tax burdens, and corruption. Socially, the greatest challenge to the state was an impoverished and discontented peasantry and a wealthy but disgruntled elite.  In the 1770s, a royal decree had ordered the secularization of Philippine parishes. This meant the transfer of parish posts from friars of the religious orders (regular clergy) to “secular clergy” of the dioceses (territories under the jurisdiction of bishops, from which the religious orders were autonomous). However, the Spanish missionary orders were given control of the parishes due to a shortage of secular clergy in the colony. Yet, in the late eighteenth century, the diocesan leaders saw an opportunity to transfer the parishes that were left by the Jesuits to secular jurisdiction. Newly opened seminaries welcomed the sons of indio and mestizo families into the secular priesthood, and liberal governors also attacked friar abuses directly. Social Classes in the 19th Century The Philippine society felt the impact of the developing economy. Social classes changed also due to the impact of opening up the Philippine economy to world trade. Social Stratification during the Nineteenth Century Peninsular Pure-blooded Spaniards born in the Iberian Peninsula (Spain). Insular Pure-blooded Spaniards born in the Philippines Born of mixed parentage, a mestizo can be; Mestizo Spanish mestizo – one parent is Spanish, the other is a native; or Chinese mestizo – one parent is Chinese, the other is a native. Wealthy pure-blooded natives supposedly descended from the Principalia kadatoan class Indio A pure-blooded native of the Philippines Chino Infiel Non-Catholic pure-blooded Chinese As the Spaniards lost economic power in the nineteenth century, they asserted dominance under their race. This issue brought complications with the rising principalia and mestizo populations who realized their indispensable position in society as movers and facilitators of the economy.  Lesson 3 - The Prodigy of Calamba: Young Rizal's Intellectual Blossoming (1861- 1871) Rizal’s Family and Ancestry Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda was born on June 19, 1861 in Calamba, Laguna. He was the seventh son out of eleven children of Francisco Rizal Mercado and Teodora Alberto y Alonso Realonda. Both of his parents come from prominent families. ANCESTRY OF JOSE RIZAL Ancestors of Rizal Domingo Lamco – a Chinese immigrant from Fujien. He married Ines de la Rosa, a Chinese Lakan Dula – one of the three Malay Christian girl from a Chinese enclave in Muslim kings of Manila who met Legazpi in Binondo, Manila. He traded goods in the the 16th century Parian, the Chinese market near Intramuros. Francisco Mercado – one of the sons of Lamco moved to Biñan, Laguna to take Eugenio Ursua – He is a Japanese who advantage of the growing coconut industry. married a native named Benigna. He first married Bernarda Vargas Monicha of Biñan, a Chinese-Filipino mestiza. Juan Mercado – one of the sons of Francisco. Married to Cirila Alejandro, a Chinese- Regina Ursua – Married Manuel de Quintos, Filipino mestiza. He became a a Filipino-Chinese lawyer from Pangasinan gobernadorcillo of Biñan. Brigida Alberto y Alonso – Married a Spanish mestizo named Lorenzo Alberto y Alonso, a prominent deputy parliamentary of Biñan. Parents of Rizal Francisco Rizal Mercado (1818-1898)– Teodora Alberto y Alonso Realonda (1926- came from a wealthy Chinese mestizo 1911) – born in Manila but has roots in family from Biñan, Laguna. He studied Biñan. She studied at Colegio de Santa Latin and Philosophy at Letran College, Rosa, Manila. Manila. Siblings of Rizal Saturnina (1850-1913) – oldest child; She married Manuel T. Hidalgo of Batangas Paciano (1851-1930) – the only brother and second father to Rizal. He led the revolutionary army in Laguna. He retired to his farm in the boundary of Bae and Los Baños and died in 1930.  Narcisa (1852-1939) – Married to Antonio Lopez, a school teacher of Morong (Rizal Province) who was a nephew of Fr. Leoncio Lopez, a Filipino parish priest of Calamba. Olimpia (1855-1887) – Married Silvestre Ubaldo, a telegraph operator from Manila. Rizal was the attending physician when she died from childbirth. Lucia (1857-1919) – Married Mariano Herbosa of Calamba. Her husband was denied of Catholic burial due to his connections with Rizal. She helped sew the Philippine flag in Hong Kong together with Marcela Agoncillo. Maria (1859-1945) – Married Daniel Faustini Cruz of Biñan. She lived past the Second World War. Jose Protacio (1861-1896) – He was named after St. Joseph since his mother was a devotee. Protacio was added since Jose is a very common name among Filipinos. Concepcion (1862-1865) – Died of sickness at the age of 3. First sorrow in the life of Rizal. Josefa (1865-1945) – She was unmarried and lived until the age of 80. Trinidad (1868-1951) – She was also unmarried and lived until the age of 83. The last poem of Rizal was entrusted to her. She was the last survivor of Rizal’s immediate family and lived to see the Philippine independence and the Third Republic. Soledad (1870-1929) – Youngest child and married Pantaleon Quintero of Calamba. Childhood and Early Education in Calamba and Biñan Rizal was a frail, sickly boy, and stunted in growth. His parents took special care of him. A kind old woman was employed as an aya (nanny) to look for him. The aya told enchanting stories about fairies, tales of buried treasure, and trees blooming with diamonds. Her imaginary tales aroused Rizal's enduring interest in legends and folklore. Rizal’s parents were firm believers in education therefore all their children received the best education money could buy in those days. They obtained elementary education through private tutors. These tutors were supposed to prepare the young for the private Catholic schools in the cities. The tutorials involved basic reading and writing. Discipline was taught by means of physical punishment or by shaming the student into submission. Knowledge was forced into the minds of the pupils by means of the memory method aided by the physical pain of a teacher’s rattan cane. Rizal’s first teacher is his mother, Teodora. Rizal was taught the Latin alphabet and Catholic prayers at the age of three. When Teodora discovered that her son had a talent for poetry, she encouraged him to write poems. Afterward, his parents paid private tutors to give him lessons at home. His first tutor was Maestro Celestino, and the second, was Maestro Lucas Padua. Later, he was under Leon Monroy, a former classmate of Rizal’s father. After Monroy died, the parents decided to send their son to a private school in Binan run by Justiniano Aquino Cruz. Rizal stayed in his aunt’s house in Binan accompanied by Paciano. Jose spent many free hours at an old painter’s house named Juancho. The old man freely gave him lessons in drawing and painting. As a student, Jose led an almost military Spartan life in Binan. It trained and strengthened him, although it seemed difficult for such a young boy. In academics, Rizal surpassed his classmates in Spanish, Latin, and other subjects. Rizal left Binan before Christmas in 1870. His coming home was not accidental; they wanted him out of the way because his mother’s family problem in Binan had worsened.  Lesson 4 - A Glimpse of Injustice: The GOMBURZA Execution and the Spark of Nationalism in Young Rizal (1871-1872) Injustice to Teodora Alonso Sometime in 1870, a personal tragedy struck the Rizal family. His mother Teodora was suddenly arrested on a malicious charge that she and her brother, Jose Alberto, had tried to poison his unfaithful wife, Teodora Formoso. Jose Alberto was a rich ilustrado who lived in the ancestral Alberto bahay bato in the town center. He had been a deputy representative of the Philippines to the Spanish Cortes in Madrid, which was a great honor. After his trip to Europe one time, he found that his wife had neglected their home and children, and she was living with another man, a Guardia Civil officer. Teodora Alonso tried to persuade his brother to reach an amicable settlement yet it failed. Now, his sister-in-law filed a case against Teodora Alonso and his brother for attempting to poison her. They made up a story that Teodora had put poison on a snack that was given to her. After the arrest of Rizal’s mother, the police lieutenant forced her to walk all the way from Calamba to Santa Cruz which is exceedingly cruel for a middle-aged woman to walk 50 kilometers in the hot tropical sun. She was imprisoned at the provincial jail for two years and a half. Fortunately, the Real Audiencia in Manila acquitted both siblings from the case. It was found out that Teodora Formoso and her lover had just made up the whole story. Rizal cried from this injustice which was served after two and a half years which for him is a great injustice for him and his family. GOMBURZA and the Secularization Movement In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, the Catholic clergy in the Philippines was divided into two groups; the regular clergy (Spanish friars who were members of the religious orders) and secular clergy (mostly Filipinos who were under the supervision of the diocesan bishop). Regular clergy was supposedly tasked to do missionary work while the secular clergy would manage the religious communities and continue the works that were already laid down by the regular clergy. Though the Catholic Church has already issued orders about the issue of the management of the parishes in the Philippines, the regular clergy often thwarted the attempt to implement the reforms. The only reason why the regular clergy still holds the management of the parishes is due to the scarcity of secular priests in the colony. Yet, in the early nineteenth century, the number of secular priests increased significantly. Despite all of this, the secular priests were not still given parishes to manage. Fr. Mariano Gomez (parish priest of Bacoor) and Fr. Pedro Pelaez (secretary to the archbishop) drew up expositions to the government on behalf of the secular clergy but their efforts proved futile. The death of Fr. Pedro Pelaez due to the earthquake that struck Manila did not hinder the continuation of the secularization of the parishes in the colony. Fr. Mariano Gomez, together with Fr. Jose Burgos, a priest from Manila and a professor at the University of Santo Tomas, became at the forefront of the struggle for equality between Spanish and Filipino priests. Cavite Mutiny Before the mutiny, the arsenal workers resented the cancellation of their previous privileges granted under the liberal Governor-General Carlos Maria de la Torre. Due to these, they had to pay tribute and do forced labor again. This injustice was the reaso n why the workers had planned to stage a mutiny against the Spaniards in the Cavite arsenal under the leadership of a native sergeant named Lamadrid. About 200 Filipino workers and soldiers rose in revolt at the Cavite arsenal. Yet, an immediate assault led by the government forces put an end to the uprising after three days. Eleven Spanish soldiers were killed in the mutiny. Rafael de Izquierdo, the governor-general during that time, implicated Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora together with several laymen and businessmen. This implication against the three martyred priests is said to be because of their involvement in secularization which raised the ire of the Spanish friars. Execution of GOMBURZA and its Ripple Effect In the mid-nineteenth century, Fr. Mariano Gomez and Fr. Pedro Pelaez drew up expositions to the government on behalf of the secular clergy about the secularization of the parishes but their efforts proved futile. By 1864, the nature of secularization became one of racial equality. Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora were implicated in the Cavite Mutiny wherein they were sentenced to death by a garrote in 1872. The three priests became martyrs and their death justified the push for social and political change in the colony which inspired other Filipinos to fight against the abusers. Rizal’s brother, Paciano was one of the students of Fr. Jose Burgos. The influence of the three martyred priests particularly Burgos have reverberated in the colony including those students of his in the University of Santo Tomas. Paciano, as a revolutionary leader, was inspired by the great injustice that his former teacher had experienced at the hands of the Spaniards. These also influenced Jose Protacio in his later years. The GomBurZa’s execution started to ignite the nationalism of the Filipinos to fight for their freedom against the Spanish abusers.