The Filipino Social Thinkers PDF

# The Filipino Social Thinkers ## Introduction The Philippines has a very rich and dramatic history. The periods of colonization of our country from the Spaniards to the Japanese had sown the seeds of nationalism among the Filipinos. The chains of subjugation enkindled the flame of nationalism and...

# The Filipino Social Thinkers ## Introduction The Philippines has a very rich and dramatic history. The periods of colonization of our country from the Spaniards to the Japanese had sown the seeds of nationalism among the Filipinos. The chains of subjugation enkindled the flame of nationalism and patriotism in our heroes. They have been influenced by liberal ideas from the various parts of the world to seek justice and freedom from our colonial oppressors. A Filipino social thinker is an individual who uses critical thinking and analysis to examine social issues and propose solutions for the betterment of Philippine society. These thinkers come from various fields such as politics, literature, and diplomacy, among others. They have contributed greatly to shaping the country's culture and identity. In this presentation, we will introduce you to some of the most notable Filipino social thinkers and discuss their lives, works, and ideas. ## Dr. José P. Rizal - **A Filipino National Hero** Jose Rizal, the Filipino national hero, can be considered one of the greatest Filipino social thinkers during the nineteenth century. He has been the epitome of intelligent reformism and unyielding nationalism. *Alatas (2010)* considers Rizal the first systematic social thinker in Southeast Asia because his writings can be used as the basis of sociological theories and concepts. - **Early Life** Born in Calamba, Laguna, on June 19, 1861, Jose Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda, or simply Pepe to his family and close friends, finished a Bachelor of Arts at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila. He enrolled in medicine at the University of Santo Tomas and left for Spain in May 1882 to finish his medicine studies at the Universidad Central de Madrid. - **Literary Works and Writings** Rizal wrote articles for the propaganda publication *La Solidaridad*. His most outstanding writings included "Filipinas dentro de cien anos,” or "The Philippines: A Century Hence," which was published from September 30, 1889, to February 1, 1890, and "Sobre la indolencia de los Filipinos,” or “The Indolence of the Filipinos," which came out in 1890. - **Social Ideas** His social ideas focused on the necessity to promote a genuine propaganda campaign that will provide information about the Philippines and their people, their capabilities and achievements, aspirations, and moral rights. - **Impact of His Writings** Rizal’s two great novels, *Noli Me Tangere* (1887) and *El Filibusterismo* (1891), created an impact in Philippine society during the Spanish colonization, which led to the awakening of Philippine nationalism during the periods of suppression by Spanish authorities. *Noli Me Tangere* enraged the Spanish friars. It was a diagnosis of the problems of Filipino society and a reflection of the problems of exploitation in Filipino colonial society. *El Filibusterismo*, on the other hand, examined the possibilities and consequences of revolution. He provided alternative ways and requirements so that Filipinos could seek liberation from colonial rule. *Alatas (2010)* stated that Rizal's works introduced three broad sociological aspects, which include the following: - A critique of colonial knowledge of the Philippines; - A theory of colonial society that explains the nature and conditions of Filipino colonial society; and - Rizal's discourse on the meaning of and requirements for emancipation. - **Criticisms against Spanish Colonialism** Rizal criticized the corrupt system of the Spanish colonial government, including its abusive officials. He blamed the backwardness of the Philippines and its lack of development as the main cause of the indolence of its people. *The Indolence of the Filipinos* discussed how the Philippines, from being an advanced society before the sixteenth century, became a backward country during the Spanish period. He attributed the lack of progress and backwardness of the Philippines to Spanish colonialism. Rizal also criticized the colonial knowledge of the Filipinos by looking into the country's history to address the Spanish accusations of Filipino indolence. He asserts that prior to the coming of the Spaniards, the early Filipinos were persevering and industrious people who had developed a prosperous and vibrant economy and rich culture. - **Contributions to Philippine Society** Rizal's writings also proved a number of things about Philippine social realities during the nineteenth century. First, he proved that the Filipinos made significant advancements in agriculture and industry during the pre-colonial times. Second, he discussed the colonized people's point of view on various issues, such as the lack of progress in the Philippines and the imposition Spanish colonial policies. Third, Rizal examined the cruelties committed by the Spanish colonizers. And lastly, Rizal criticized the hypocrisies and irrationalities of the Spanish colonial government and the Catholic Church. *Alatas (2010)*. - **Advocate for Human Rights** Rizal was also an advocate of human rights, particularly women's rights in Philippine colonial society. In his “Letter to the Young Women of Malolos" (1889), Rizal provided a number of important ideas on the rights of women and gender issues in the Philippines during the nineteenth century. - **Rizal’s Assignment** - Filipinos must be educated, - Filipino women must be courageous, strong-willed, and educated, - Tyranny happens if people remain coward and negligent, - Ignorance is tantamount to servitude, - A person who loves his independence must first aid his fellowmen, - If Filipino women will remain ignorant, complacent, weak, and passive, they should not bear children, - All men are born equal, naked, and without bonds, because God did not create man to be a slave nor did He provide him with intelligence just to deceive him. God did not give man reason to have him deceived by others. Rizal also examined the nature of Catholicism in the Philippines during the Spanish period. He said that Filipinos should examine the kind of religion the friars are teaching them. They should see whether it is the will of God or according to the teachings of Christ that the poor be succored and those who suffer alleviated. Rizal advised them to consider what the friars were preaching to them. They must examine the object of the sermon: what is behind the masses, novenas, rosaries, scapularies, images, miracles, candles, and belts. ## Apolinario Mabini - **Early Life** Apolinario Mabini was born on July 23, 1864, in Talaga, Tanuan, Batangas. His mind was initially molded by his teacher, Fr. Valerio Malabanan. Mabini studied in San Juan de Letran in 1881 and at the University of Santo Tomas, where he finished and passed the bar exam in 1894. - **Contributions to Philippine Revolution** He served as the first Prime Minister and Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the First Philippine Republic from January 2, 1899, to May 8, 1899. He was also appointed as the President of the Supreme Court. Mabini acted as the Chief Adviser of President Emilio Aguinaldo in 1898. His influence was evident in the proclamation changing the form of government of the Philippines from being a dictatorial government to a revolutionary government. - **The Brain and Conscience of the Revolution** He also provided a simple structure of government for the Philippines during the Second Phase of the Philippine Revolution. He was the most constant defender of the Revolution and of Philippine independence. He was also considered the brain and conscience of the revolution. - **Social Philosophies** He introduced several social philosophies in his political writings. His major works included *El Verdadero Decalogo*, *Ordenanzas de la Revolucion*, and the *Programa Constitutional de la Republica Filipina*. As a defender of Philippine independence, Mabini can be considered one of the brilliant Filipino social thinkers. His social philosophy included the following: ### Definition and Role of Citizenship Mabini understood the problems of the Filipinos under the Spanish colonial government. In his article entitled "Mabini: Philosopher of Citizenship," Randy David believes that Mabini wanted Filipinos to assert their rights as free citizens of a republic. In attainment of their objective, Mabini saw the need for political freedom geared toward the establishment of self-government institutions. ### The Need for Radical Changes According to Mabini, genuine social renewal can only be achieved through radical institutional and personal changes. Personal change meant an alteration of the way Filipinos think and live. Mabini believes that an internal and external revolution was necessary in order to establish a more solid basis for moral education and to foreswear the vices that we have inherited from the Spaniards. *David (2015)*. ### Role of Government The role of government authority in society constitutes the government. Mabini believes that society should have a soul: authority. This authority needs an intellect to guide and direct it: **the legislative power**. It also needs a will that is active and which shall make it work: **the executive power**. It needs a will that is active and which punishes those who are bad: **the judicial power**. These powers should be independent of one another, in the sense that one should not encroach upon the functions of the other, but the last should be subordinate to the first, in the same manner that both will and conscience are subordinate to the intellect. *Majul (2004)*. ### Mabini’s Decalogue Mabini developed a dialect that is made up of truths communicated by God to men through the use of reason. The Decalogue of Mabini focused on God, nation, independence, and the love of neighbors,.He believed that once the rules of the Decalogue were reflected upon and understood, people would discover things that had been hidden from them by the Spaniards. Below are the main points in Mabini’s Decalogue: - Love of God and one’s honor - Nation was to be loved as the patrimony of the race. - Happiness of the nation was to take precedence over that of the individual. - Independence was to be a major aspiration. - People must not recognize any person as an authority unless he had been properly elected by them. - Love your neighbor not merely as a neighbor but as a fellow member of a community. ## Isabelo F. de los Reyes - **Early Life** Isabelo de los Reyes was born on July 7, 1864, in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. In June 1880, he went to Manila to study at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran, where he finished his Bachelor of Arts degree. He studied law at the University of Santo Tomas. De los Reyes founded the first vernacular newspaper in the Philippines, *El Ilocano*, where he acted as both the editor and publisher of the newspaper. - **Literary Works and Writings** He also wrote a number of researches on Philippine history and culture. It included *Las Islas Visayas en la Epoca de la Conquista* (1887 and 1889); *La Expedicion de Li-Mahong contra Filipinas en 1574* (1888); *Prehistoria de Filipinas* (1889); *El Folklore Filipino* (1889); and *Historia de llocos* (1890). Like Rizal, de los Reyes also criticized the friars' ownership of large tracts of haciendas and demanded agrarian reform for the Filipino farmers. - **Career** - Lawyer - Folklorist - Journalist - Crusader - Former Manila City councilor - Former senator of the Republic, - A social thinker - **Contributions to the Philippine Revolution** During the American occupation of the Philippines, de los Reyes openly attacked the Americans and defended the First Philippine Republic that was established by Emilio Aguinaldo in January 1899. He was the founder and editor of two periodicals in Madrid, Spain, namely, *El Defensor Filipinas* and *Filipinas Ante Europa*. - **Books in Spain** He also wrote two books in Spain. These are *Independence and Revolution* and *La Religion de Katipunan*. The former called on Filipinos to continue the war against the United States, while the latter explained the KKK's organization and teachings. - **The First Labor Union** De los Reyes was known in Philippine history for organizing the first labor union in the Philippines, the *Union Óbrera Democratica*, on February 2, 1902. De los Reyes was named president, while Hermenegildo Cruz served as secretary of the Union. He also founded *La Redencion del Obrero* (The Redemption of the Laborer), the first labor newspaper in the Philippines, which rallied for the rights of the ordinary laborers. - **First Labor Day** As the first president of the Union, de los Reyes also initiated the celebration of the first Labor Day on May 1, 1902. De los Reyes’s inspiration to establish a labor union in the Philippines was based on his readings of the works of European thinkers, namely Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Victor Hugo, Pierre Joseph Proudhon, Mikhail Bakunin, and other European socialists. Their works inspired delos Reyes to introduce the concept of socialism into the Philippines. ## Claro M. Recto - **Early Life** Claro Mayo Recto was a famous Filipino nationalist. He was born in Tiaong, Tayabas (Quezon), on February 8, 1890. He finished his bachelor of arts degree at the Ateneo de Manila and his master of laws at the University of Santo Tomas. He served as legal adviser to the Philippine Senate from 1916 to 1919. - **Career** - Elected as representative of the third district of Batangas in 1919 and served as the House minority leader. - Re-elected in 1922 and 1925. - Member of the Philippine independence mission. - Elected as president of the Constitutional Convention that drafted the 1935 Commonwealth Constitution in 1934. - Became a Senator of the Republic of the Philippines in 1931, where he served as majority floor leader and president pro tempore of the Senate. - **A “Living Legend in His Lifetime”** *Barrera (1965)* stated that Recto was a “living legend in his lifetime” because of his brilliance and patriotism. His greatness was not only recognized and appreciated by a great number of people. Recto's views on nationalism, economic independence, foreign affairs, democracy and civil liberties, the Constitution, and politics in the Philippines are rooted in the realities of the post-war Philippines, when the country was indirectly controlled and influenced by the United States as a neocolony. ### On Nationalism Recto defines nationalism as the Filipino’s dedication and support for Filipino interests, unity, and independence. In his speech on the eve of the 1957 presidential elections, Recto declared that the salvation of the country's nationalism can only be achieved if Filipinos will learn to assert the nationalistic virtues practiced by our heroes and implement policies on nationalist industrialization. Recto believed that national interests are negotiable. He argued that the interests of the people should not be sacrificed for any form of negotiation with foreign countries. ### On Political Economy According to Claro M. Recto, the prosperity of a country depends on the country's industry. Industries, Recto believes, must be placed under the complete control of the Filipinos and not in the hands of foreign companies. For Recto, "as long as foreigners control the production, manufacturing, and distribution of the country's main products, Filipinos will remain poor and subservient. Recto believes that the country's economy is determined by those who control the country's purse. If the economy remains in the hands of the foreigners, then the country's economy will not favor the Filipinos but only the foreigners. Under such conditions, Filipinos will just rely on foreign powers in order to survive. ### Economic Independence Recto believed that for a country to develop, it must pursue industrialization and instill nationalism among its people. For him, industrialization and nationalism are twin goals. Recto said that “nationalism cannot be realized and brought to full flowering without a thoroughgoing industrialization of our economy by the Filipinos themselves. And you cannot have an industrialized Philippine economy controlled and managed by Filipinos without the propulsive force of a deep and abiding spirit of nationalism." ## Maraming Salamat Po!