Chapter 9 The Philippines a Century Hence PDF

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The Life and Works of Jose RizalBy: Dr. Imelda C. Nery & Paul John G. SionChapter 9: The Philippines: A Century HenceLEARNING OBJECTIVES:At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to: Assess Rizal’s writings. Evaluate the value of understanding the past. Frame arguments based on evide...

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The Life and Works of Jose Rizal By: Dr. Imelda C. Nery & Paul John G. Sion

Chapter 9: The Philippines: A Century Hence LEARNING OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to: 1. Assess Rizal’s writings. 2. Evaluate the value of understanding the past. 3. Frame arguments based on evidence.

The Philippines: A Century Hence If you are to describe the Philippines a century after Rizal’s time, how will it look like? Make a collage below that would best describe the country 100 years later.

Rizal’s “Filipinas Dentro De Cien Años” (translated as “The Philippines within One Hundred Years” or “The Philippines A Century Hence”) is an essay meant to forecast the future of the country within a hundred years. This essay, published in La Solidaridad of Madrid, reflected Rizal’s sentiments about the glorious past of the Philippines, the deterioration of the Philippine economy, and exposed the foundations of the native Filipinos’ sufferings under the cruel Spanish rule. More importantly, Rizal, in the essay, warned Spain as regards the catastrophic end of its domination – a reminder that it was time that Spain realizes that the circumstances that contributed to the French Revolution could have a powerful effect for her on the Philippine islands. Part of the purpose in writing the essay was to promote a sense of nationalism among the Filipinos – to awaken their minds and hearts so they would fight for their rights.

CAUSES OF MISERIES The essay started by analyzing the various causes of the desolations suffered by the Filipino people (as enumerated in The Philippines a Century Hence: Summary and Analysis, n.d.): 1. Spain’s implementation of her military laws Because of such policies, the Philippine population decreased significantly. Poverty became more widespread, and farmlands were left to wither. The family as a unit of society was neglected, and overall, every aspect of the life of the Filipino was retarded. 2. Deterioration and disappearance of Filipino indigenous culture When Spain came with the sword and the cross, it began the gradual destruction of the native Philippine culture. Because of this, the Filipinos started losing confidence in their past and their heritage, became doubtful of their present lifestyle, and eventually lost hope in the future and the preservation of their race. The natives began forgetting who they were – their valued beliefs, religion, songs, poetry, and other forms of customs and traditions. 3. Passivity and submissiveness to the Spanish colonizers One of the most powerful forces that influenced a culture of silence among the natives were the Spanish friars. Because of the use of force and intimidation, unfairly using God’s name, the Filipinos learned to submit themselves to the will of the foreigners. The question then arises as to what had awakened the hearts and opened the minds of the Filipino people with regards to their plight. Eventually, the natives realized that such oppression in their society by foreign colonizers must no longer be tolerated. One question that Rizal fosters in this essay is whether or not Spain can indeed inhibit the growth and development of the Philippines. Despite the abuses, corruption,

and deterioration brought by the colonizers, Rizal was optimistic that there will still be progress for the motherland eventually. For this, he made the following arguments: 1. Keeping the people uneducated and ignorant had failed. National consciousness had still awakened, and great Filipino minds still emerged from the rubble. 2. Keeping he people impoverished also came to no avail. On the contrary, living a life of eternal destitution had allowed the Filipinos to act on the desire for a change in their way of life. They began to explore other horizons through which they could move towards progress. 3. Exterminating the people as an alternative to hindering progress did not work either. The Filipino race was able to survive amidst wars and famine, and became even more numerous after such catastrophes. To wipe out the nation altogether would require the sacrifice of thousands of Spanish soldiers, and this is something Spain would not allow. Rizal concluded therefore, that Spain, had no means to stop the progress of the country. What needs to be done is to change her colonial policies so that they would suit the Philippine society and to the rising nationalism of the people.

RIZAL’S FORECAST What will become of the Philippines within a century? Will they continue to be a Spanish Colony? Spain was able to colonize the Philippines for 300 years because the Filipinos remained faithful during this time, giving up their liberty and independence, sometimes stunned by the attractive promises or by the friendship offered by the noble and generous people of Spain. Initially, the Filipinos see them as protectors but sooner, they realize that they are exploiters and executers. So if this state of affair continues, what will become of the Philippines within a century? One, the people will start to awaken and if the government of Spain does not change its acts, a revolution will occur. But what exactly is it that the Filipino people like? 1) A Filipino representative in the Spanish Cortes and freedom of expression to cry out against all the abuses; and 2) To practice their human rights. If these happen, the Philippines will remain a colony of Spain, but with more laws and greater liberty. Similarly, the Filipinos will declare themselves ’independent’. Note that Rizal only wanted liberty from Spaniards and not total separation. In his essay, Rizal urges to put freedom in our land through peaceful negotiations with the Spanish Government in Spain. Rizal was confident as he envisioned the awakening of the hearts and opening of the minds of the Filipino people regarding their plight. He ‘prophesied’ that the Philippines will be successful in its revolution against Spain, winning their independence

sooner or later. Though lacking in weapons and combat skills, the natives waged war against the colonizers and in 1898, the Americans wrestled with Spain to win the Philippines. Years after Rizal’s death, the Philippines attained its long-awaited freedom — a completion of what he had written in the essay, “History does not record in its archives any lasting domination by one people over another of different races, of diverse usages and customs, of opposite and divergent ideas. One of the two had to yield and succumb.” Indeed, the essay, The Philippines a Century Hence is as relevant today as it was when it was written over a century ago. Alongside Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, Rizal shares why we must focus on strengthening the most important backbone of the country – our values, mindsets, and all the beliefs that had shaped our sense of national identity. Additionally, the essay serves as a reminder that we, Filipinos, are historically persevering and strong-minded. The lessons learned from those years of colonization were that all those efforts to keep people uneducated and impoverished, had failed. Nationalism eventually thrived and many of the predictions of Rizal came true. The country became independent after three centuries of abusive Spanish rule and five decades under the Americans.

CHALLENGES THAT CONFRONT THE FILIPINOS The question now lies on whether or not we, Filipinos, are truly independent. Are we really free when there is continuing control of our economy by an elite oligarchy, not to mention, the widening gap between the rich and the poor? To quote Rizal in his in El Filibusterismo who said, “Why independence if the slaves today become the tyrants of tomorrow?” is to have second thoughts about the kind of independence that we have at present. In addition, there is failure of the family, the educational system and political leaders in terms of instilling national discipline and love of country. A number of analysts have pointed out some flaws in our national character that hinder our desired visions such as competitiveness. These include mindsets like lack of appreciation of importance of adhering to the rule of law and maintaining high standards of excellence. Prevailing attitudes like “puwede na” or “bahala na” only foster mediocrity in a global setting where attributes of precision and critical thinking are needed. As stated by Braid (2017) in her article, “The creeping autocracy and our inability to exercise full control over our national sovereignty require public awareness, courage, and a strong sense of national identity. But being a people divided and fragmented, a great challenge to governance is being able to help citizens connect with their communities. There are opportunities lost such as using available communication technologies – Internet and mobile technology to connect groups, to inform and educate, to enable all of us citizens to discover the common ties we share. The delays

we have faced in our peace talks are indicators of our lack of resoluteness in taking risks and meeting challenges of establishing a more peaceful and stable social order. The growing social and income gaps are symptoms of our inability to forge a common bond with our brothers and sisters in marginalized communities. How some of us can possibly endure living in a most unequal community befuddles neighbors who live in more egalitarian societies! We have failed to utilize available communication technologies in creating innovations that would improve dialogue and close gaps between our fellow citizens and the world outside. Instead, they have been used to create chaos and spread fake news. If these statements appear to be indictments of the status quo, it is because we wish to help establish a fairer, kinder society by reminding fellow citizens that our hope for survival depends on each of us taking responsibility.” What now, can you do for the country as a Filipino youth?

OTHER RELATED WRITINGS Apart from Rizal’s essay on The Philippines: A Century Hence, he had also penned several other brilliant writings that helped awaken the sense of patriotism among the early Filipinos, which paved the way for Philippine Revolution. Discussed briefly below are the two other timeless writings:

SOBRE LA INDOLENCIA DE LOS FILIPINOS (The Indolence of the Filipinos) This is said to be the longest essay written by Rizal, which was published in five installments in the La Solidaridad, from July 15 to September 15, 1890. The essay was described as a defense against the Spaniards who charged that the Filipinos are inherently lazy or indolent. The Indolence of the Filipinos is said to be a study of the causes why the people did not, as was said, work hard during the Spanish regime. Rizal pointed out that long before the coming of the Spaniards, the Filipinos were industrious and hardworking. The Spanish reign brought about a decline in economic activities because of the following causes: First, the establishment of the Galleon Trade cut-off all previous associations of the Philippines with other countries in Asia and the Middle East. As a result, business was only conducted with Spain through Mexico. Because of this, the small businesses and handicraft industries that flourished during the pre-Spanish period gradually disappeared. Second, Spain also extinguished the natives’ love of work because of the implementation of forced labor. Because of the wars between Spain and other countries in Europe as well as the Muslims in Mindanao, the Filipinos were compelled to work in

shipyards, roads, and other public works, abandoning agriculture, industry, and commerce. Third, Spain did not protect the people against foreign invaders and pirates. With no arms to defend themselves, the natives were killed, their houses burned, and their lands destroyed. As a result of this, the Filipinos were forced to become nomads, lost interest in cultivating their lands or in rebuilding the industries that were shut down, and simply became submissive to the mercy of God. Fourth, there was a crooked system of education, if it was to be considered an education. What was being taught in the schools were repetitive prayers and other things that could not be used by the students to lead the country to progress. There were no courses in Agriculture, Industry, etc., which were badly needed by the Philippines during those times. Fifth, the Spanish rulers were a bad example to despise manual labor. The officials reported to work at noon and left early, all the while doing nothing in line with their duties. The women were seen constantly followed by servants who dressed them and fanned them – personal things which they ought to have done for themselves. Sixth, gambling was established and widely propagated during those times. Almost everyday there were cockfights, and during feast days, the government officials and friars were the first to engage in all sorts of bets and gambles. Seventh, there was a crooked system of religion. The friars taught the naïve Filipinos that it was easier for a poor man to enter heaven, and so they preferred not to work and remain poor so that they could easily enter heaven after they died. Lastly, the taxes were extremely high, so much so that a huge portion of what they earned went to the government or to the friars. When the object of their labor was removed and they were exploited, they were reduced to inaction. Rizal admitted that the Filipinos did not work so hard because they were wise enough to adjust themselves to the warm, tropical climate. “An hour’s work under that burning sun, in the midst of pernicious influences springing from nature in activity, is equal to a day’s labor in a temperate climate.” He explained, “violent work is not a good thing in tropical countries as it would be parallel to death, destruction, annihilation.” It can clearly be deduced from the writing that the cause of the indolence attributed to our race is Spain: When the Filipinos wanted to study and learn, there were no schools, and if there were any, they lacked sufficient resources and did not present more useful knowledge; when the Filipinos wanted to establish their businesses, there was not enough capital nor protection from the government; when the Filipinos tried to cultivate their lands and establish various industries, they were made to pay enormous taxes and were exploited by the foreign rulers. However, it is also important to note that the indolence of the Filipinos did not only stem from the many factors related to the Spanish colonizers. There are, however, other factors attributable to the Filipinos themselves and these are the following:

1. The feeling of inferiority is very much prevalent among the Filipinos. This paralyzes all possibilities for growth and development, giving the Filipinos a tendency to give up without exerting extra effort. 2. With the antiquity of epics and legends in the country, the Filipinos have the propensity to place all hopes on miracles. This is seen among the Filipinos who lead a contemplative and lazy life while giving money to the Church in the hope of miracles and wonderful future ahead. 3. The Filipinos have developed a lack of spirit to pursue lofty purposes. Since we have been conditioned as an inferior race, Filipinos opt to conform to routine activities up to the point that they no longer aspire to become greater individuals. 4. There is lack of national sentiment among many of us. Instead of being proud of what the country has achieved, we sometimes tend to focus more on the negative situations. As Rizal puts its, “A man in the Philippines is only an individual; he is not a member of a nation.” In conclusion to his Essay, Rizal emphasized on the need for good education and liberty as the main solutions to achieving progress in the Philippines, and in solving the problem of indolence.

LETTER TO THE YOUNG WOMEN OF MALOLOS Jose Rizal’s legacy to Filipino women is embodied in his famous essay entitled, “To the Young Women of Malolos,” where he addresses all kinds of women – mothers, wives, the unmarried, etc. and expresses everything that he wishes them to keep in mind. On December 12, 1888, a group of 20 women of Malolos petitioned GovernorGeneral Weyler for permission to open a night school so that they may study Spanish under Teodor Sandiko. Fr. Felipe Garcia, a Spanish parish priest in Malolos objected. But the young women courageously sustained their agitation for the establishment of the school. They then presented a petition to Governor Weyler asking that they should be allowed to open a night school (Capino et al, 1977). In the end, their request was granted on the condition that Señorita Guadalupe Reyes should be their teacher. Praising these young women for their bravery, Marcelo H. del Pilar requested Rizal to write a letter commending them for their extraordinary courage. Originally written in Tagalog, Rizal composed this letter on February 22, 1889 when he was in London, in response to the request of del Pilar. We know for a fact that in the past, young women were uneducated because of the principle that they would soon be wives and their primary career is to take care of the home and their children. In

this letter, Rizal yearns that women should be granted the same opportunities given to men in terms of education. The salient points contained in this letter are as follows: 1. The rejection of the spiritual authority of the friars – not all of the priests in the country that time embodied the true spirit of Christ and His Church. Most of them were corrupted by worldly desires and used worldly methods to effect change and force discipline among the people. 2. The defense of private judgment 3. Qualities Filipino mothers need to possess – as evidenced by this portion of his letter, Rizal is greatly concerned of the welfare of the Filipino children and the homes they grow up in. 4. Duties and responsibilities of Filipino mothers to their children 5. Duties and responsibilities of a wife to her husband - Rizal states in this portion of his letter how Filipino women ought to be as wives, in order to preserve the identity of the race. 6. Counsel to young women on their choice of a lifetime partner

THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF FILIPINO MOTHERS TO THEIR CHILDREN Rizal stipulates a number of important points in this portion of his letter to the young women of Malolos. The central idea here, however, is that whatever a mother shows to her children is what the children will become also. If the mother is always kissing the hand of the friars in submission, then her children will grow up to be minions and mindless fools who do nothing but do as they are told, even if the very nature of the task would violate their rights as individuals.

QUALITIES MOTHERS HAVE TO POSSESS Rizal enumerates the qualities Filipino mothers have to possess: 1. Be a noble wife - that women must be decent and dignified, submissive, tender and loving to their respective husband. 2. Rear her children in the service of the state – here Rizal gives reference to the women of Sparta who embody this quality. Mothers should teach their children to love God, country and fellowmen. 3. Set standards of behavior for men around her - three things that a wife must instill in the mind of her husband: activity and industry; noble behavior; and worthy sentiments. In as much as the wife is the partner of her husband’s heart

and misfortune, Rizal stressed on the following advices to a married woman: aid her husband, share his perils, refrain from causing him worry; and sweeten his moments of affliction.

RIZAL’S ADVICE TO UNMARRIED MEN AND WOMEN Jose Rizal points out to unmarried women that they should not be easily taken by appearances and looks, because these can be very deceiving. Instead, they should take heed of men’s firmness of character and lofty ideas. Rizal further adds that there are three things that a young woman must look for a man she intends to be her husband: 1. A noble and honored name 2. A manly heart 3. A high spirit incapable of being satisfied with engendering slaves.

SUMMARY In summary, Rizal’s letter “To the Young Women of Malolos,” centers around five major points (Zaide &Zaide, 1999): 1. Filipin...