Chapter Ii Lesson 5

CHAPTER II
#RIZAL LIFE
LESSON 5
19TH CENTURY PHILIPPINES
Lesson outcomes:
• At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. discuss important changes in Spain and in the Philippines
2.Enumerate the policies that enabled Filipinos to organize and ask for reforms;
and
3.Relate how the conditions of the 19th century Philippines and Europe affected
the formation of Rizal’s consciousness.
•LESSON INTRODUCTION
The late 18th and the early 19th century marked the beginning of the Industrial Revolution
led by the British. Through the development of steam engines and the integration of
machinery in production, Britain experienced rapid development and urbanization. While
other countries were quick to emulate British industrialization. Spain lagged behind its
neighbors mainly because of its engagements with the Napoleonic and Carlist Wars and
the internal power struggle between liberal and conservative factions in Spain during the
early 19th century. These changes in Spain eventually affected its relations towards its
colonies and the Philippines experienced liberal policies and reform for the first time. This
lesson explores the political and economic situation of the Philippines during the 19th
century to further contextualize the life and times of Dr. Jose Rizal.
LESSON DISCUSSION
Economic and Political Situation of the Philippines
Some historians refer to the 19th century as a long century in Philippine
History because of the numerous change that happened during this period. In
terms of political and economic changes, the brief occupation of Manila by
British forces in 1762-1764 and the rapid development of Economies in
Europe made Spanish administrators in the colony rethink their policies so as
not to get left behind by their neighbors and to prevent another incident such
as the British occupation from happening again in the near future.
• Some of the more notable reforms were the abolition of the Galleon trade
and the opening of the Philippines to world trade in 1830. This enabled not
only the increase in economic activities in the country and the entry of firms
from other European states, but also the entry of foreign ideas mostly
through the form of books and other printed media during that time. In the
case of Rizal, he was able to read various European literatures such as
Alexander Dumas ‘ The Count of Monte Cristo and the Three Musketeers.
• Andres Bonifacio, the leader of Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan
ng mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK), was also able to read literatures on the French
revolution that later on influenced some of the works of both individuals.
• The end of Spain’s wars with the Dutch and the British, as well as
the nullification of the slave raiding activities of the Moro, also led
to the development of agricultural lands and the discovery of the
new frontiers in the Philippines. This eventually created change in
the social and economic class in the country with the pincipalias
and mestizos benefitting from these changes, thus the consequent
emergence of local elites. In Laguna, Jose Rizal’s family was
considered to be one of the local elites in the province since they
were leasing large blocks of lands from friar estates in Calamba.
• These developments however did not help in bridging the gap between
the local elites and the poor and marginalized sectors in the country.
This gap led to different revolts such as the Basi Revolts in Ilocos Sur
and Ilocos Norte during the early 19th century. These revolts showed
the growing gap between the rich and the poor because they were
directed not only against the Spanish authorities but also to the
babaknangs or elites in the two provinces. The implementation of the
Cadiz institution in 1812 also provided a brief legal justification for the
quest for equality since it was stated in the document that all citizens
of Spain, including those in the colonies, were equal under the law.
• In Southern Tagalog Areas, brigandage and tulisanes increased their
robbing and kidnapping and pillaging activities, prompting the
colonial government to create the Guardia Civil in 1868. Some
movements such as the Cofradia de San Jose in Tayabas, Quezon
on the other hand, had more religious overtones that challenges
the dominance of the Catholic Church and the discrimination
between the religious orders and secular priests.
EDUCATION AND THE RISE OF ILUSTRADOS
• But through all these reforms, perhaps the most notable was the
increase of educated Filipinos as the colonial government, under
directives from Spain, also started to reform educational institutions
in the Philippines. Filipino and Chinese-Mestizo elite families who
were able to capitalize on the opening of the Philippine markets to
the world sent their children to school to take professional courses
not only in the Philippines but also in Europe.
• Travelling to Europe during that time was also made
easier with the opening of the Suez Canal in 1859. With
their education and exposure outside the country, these
individuals who later on were referred to as ilustrados,
eventually formed the core of a new emerging
movement that asked the colonial government for much
needed reforms in the Philippines.
• This new movement, called the reform and propaganda movement,
was different from earlier revolts because it had a more nationalistic
and racial dimension fuelled by the sufferings and discriminations
experienced by Filipinos under the Spaniards.
• This was also supplemented by the liberal policies applied by the
liberal administrations of Spain in the Philippines such as the Cadiz
Constitution in 1812. This movement also drew inspiration from the
earlier efforts of the native secular priests such as Padre Jose Burgos
who fought for equal rights among the clergy in the 1860s.
• The secular priest move, along with the student’s involvement from
different higher institutions in the country during that time, to
gain equal rights, however, was interpreted by the Spanish
administrators and friars as an attempt to overthrow the
government leading to massive breakdowns made against students
along with some local elites in the country in 1872. Burgos, along
with fathers Jacinto Zamora and Mariano Gomez, were executed
on February 17, 1872.
• Rizal was born in 1861 amidst all of these political and economic reforms and
turmoils. He belonged to a local elite family who was fortunate enough to
capitalize on the existing conditions at the time. He was sent to school in the
Philippines; and despite the hardships that his family had to go through during
the latter part of the century, he was able to study in Europe. Rizal actively
participated in the propaganda movement while he was studying in Europe.
• Later on, he moved back to the Philippines in 1892 establishing the La Liga
Filipina. Rizal’s involvement in the revolution is still a controversial issue
among the historians today, with some arguing that Rizal was not in favor of
the revolution; while others see Rizal being one of the main influences of the
KKK.
• Two things are for sure, however. First is that Rizal also thought
about revolution as a means of emancipating the Philippines
from Spain based on his letters to fellow propagandists and
friends such as Jose Alejandrino, Antonio Luna, Marcelo H. Del
Pilar and Ferdinand Blumentritt. Second is that the founders of
Katipunan, like Andres Bonifacio and Deodato Arellano, were
members of Rizal’s La Liga Filipina.

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CHAPTER II

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