GEC 9: THE LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL

First Semester S.Y. 2022-2023

LEARNING MATERIALS

LESSON 2: REMEMBERING RIZAL

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

a. Evaluate Rizal’s heroism and importance in the context of Rizalista groups;

b. Discuss the history of selected Rizalista groups; and
c. Compare and contrast the different views of Rizal among the Rizalistas.

Vocabulary:

Millenarian groups – socio-political movements who generally believe in the coming of

a major social transformation with the establishment of the Kingdom of God.
Rizalista – a religious movement that believes in the divinity of Jose Rizal.
Jove Rex Al – the Latin name of Jose Rizal according to Rizalistas: Jove means God; Rex
means King; and Al means All (thus, God, King of All).
Colorum – a term used to refer to secret societies that fought against the colonial
government in the Philippines.
Canonization – the act of declaring a dead person as a saint.

Rizal as the Tagalog Christ

In the late 1898 and early 1899, revolutionary newspapers La Independencia and
El Heraldo de la Revolucion reported about Filipinos commemorating Rizal’s death in
various towns in the country. In Batangas, people were said to have gathere “tearfully
wailing before a portrait of Rizal” while remembering how Christ went through the
same struggles. After Rizal’s execution, peasants in Laguna were also reported to have
regarded him as “the lord of a kind of paradise in the heart of Mount Makiling”. Similar
stories continued to spread after Rizal’s death towards the end of the nineteenth

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century. The early decades of 1900s then witnessed the founding of different religious
organizations honouring Rizal as the “Filipino Jesus Christ”.
In 1907, Spanish writer and philosopher Miguel de Unamuno gave Rizal the title
“Tagalog Christ” as religious organizations venerating him had been formed in different
parts of the Philippines. It is, however, important to mention that Rizal was not the first
to be called as such. In history, Apolinario de la Cruz who founded the religious
confraternity Cofradia de San Jose was also considered as the “Tagalog Christ” by his
followers. Moreover, Filipino revolutionary Felipe Salvador, also known as Apo Ipe, who
founded the messianic society Santa Iglesia was called by his followers as the “Filipino
Christ” and the “King of the Philippines.” The titles given to some earlier Filipino
revolutionary leaders reveal that associating religious beliefs in the social movement is
part of the country’s history. Teachings and traditions of political movements that were
organized to fight the Spanish and American colonial powers were rooted in religious
beliefs and practices. These socio-religious movements known as the millenarian
groups which aim to transform the society are often symbolized or represented by a
hero or prophet.
The same can also be said with the Rizalista groups which, as mentioned, have
risen in some parts of the country after Rizal’s death in 1896. Each group has its own
teachings, practices, and celebrations, but one common belief among them is the
veneration of Jose Rizal as the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. These groups likened the
travails of Jose Rizal to that of Jesus Christ as narrated in the Pasyon. Rizalistas believe
that Rizal, just like Jesus Christ, would eventually return to life and will save mankind.
People saw the parallel between the two lives being sent into the world to fulfil a
purpose.
Reincarnation in the context of Rizalistas means that both Rizal and Jesus Christ
led parallel lives. “Both were Asians, had brilliant minds and extraordinary talents. Both
believed in the Golden rule, cured the sick, were rabid reformers, believed in the
universal brotherhood of men, were closely associated with a small group of followers.
Both died young (Christ at 33 and Rizal at 35) at the hands of their enemies. Their lives
changed the course of history.”

The Canonization of Rizal: Tracing the Roots of Rizalistas

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 The earliest record about Rizal being declared as a saint is that of his
canonization initiated by the Philippine Independent Church (PIC) or La Iglesia Filipina
Independente. Founded on August 3, 1902, the PIC became a major religious sect with a
number of followers supporting its anti-friar and anti-imperialist campaigns. As a
nationalist religious institution, PIC churches displayed Philippine flags in its altars as
an expression of their love of country and recognition of heroes who fought for our
independence.
In 1903, the PIC’s official organ published the “Acta de Canonizacion de los
Grandes Martires de la Patria Dr. Rizal y PP. Burgos, Gomez y Zamora” (Proceedings of
thre Canonization of the Great Martyrs of the Country Dr. Rizal and Father Burgos,
Gomez and Zamora). According to the proceedings, the Council of Bishops headed by
Gregorio Aglipay met in Manila on September 24, 1903. On this day, Jose Rizal and the
three priests were canonized following the Roman Catholic rites.
After Rizal’s canonization, Aglipay ordered that no masses for the dead shall be
offered to Rizal and the three priests. Their birth and death anniversaries will instead be
celebrated in honor of their newly declared sainthood. Their statues were revered at the
altars; their names were given at baptism; and, in the case of Rizal, novenas were
composed in his honor. Aglipay also mentioned that the PIC’s teachings were inspired
by Rizal’s ideology and writings. One of PIC’s founders, Isabelo de los Reyes, said that
Rizal’s canonization was an expression of the “intensely nationalistic phase” of the sect.
Today, Rizal’s pictures or statues can no longer be seen in the altars of PIC. His
birthday and death anniversary are no longer celebrated. However, it did not deter the
establishment of other Rizalista organizations.

GROUPS VENERATING JOSE RIZAL

1. Adarnista or the Iglesia Pilipina

In 1901, a woman in her thirties, Candida Balantac of Ilocos Norte, was said to have started
preching in Bangar, La Union. Balantac, now known as the founder of Adarnista, won the hearts
of her followers from La Union, Pangasinan, and Tarlac. This preaching eventually led her to
establish the organization on Bongabon, Nueva Ecija where she resided until 1960s.

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 Balantac’s followers believe that she was an engkantada (enchanted one) and claimed
that a rainbow is formed (like that of Ibong Adarna) around Balantac while she preached, giving
her the title “Inang Adarna” and the organization’s name, Adarnista. Others call Balantac
Maestra and Espiritu Santo.
The members of the Adarnista believe in the following:
 Rizal is a god of the Filipino people.
 Rizal is true god and a true man.
 Rizal was not executed as has been mentioned by historians.
 Man is endowed with a soul; as such, man is capable of good deeds
 Heaven and hell exist but are, nevertheless, “within us”.
 The abode of the members of the sect in Bongabon, Nueva Ecija is the New
Jerusalem or Paradise.
 The caves in Bongabon are the dwelling place of Jehovah or God.
 There are four persons in God: God the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and the
Mother (Virgin Mary).

Like the Catholic Church, the Adarnista also conducts sacraments. Masses are held every
Wednesday and Sunday. Special religious ceremonies are conducted on Rizal’s birthday and
death which start with the raising of Filipino flag. The Adarnista has more than 10, 000
followers in La Union, Isabela, Pangasinan, Zambales, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, and Nueva Vizcaya,
and some in Baguio City and Manila.

2. Sambahang Rizal
Literally the “Rizal Church,” the Sambahang Rizal was founded by the late Basilio Aromin, a
lawyer in Cuyapo, Neuva Ecija, in 1918. Aromin was able to attract followers with his claim that
Sambahang Rizal was established to honour Rizal who was sent by Bathala to redeem the
Filipino race, like Jesus Christ. Aromin’s group believes that Rizal is the “Son of Bathala” in the
same way that Jesus Christ is the “Son of God.” Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo serve as
their “bible” that shows the doctrines and teaching of Rizal. Their churches have altars
displaying the Philippine flag and a statue of Rizal.
Similar to the Catholic Church, the Sambahang Rizal conducts sacraments. It assigns
preachers, called lalawigan guru, who are expected to preach Rizal’s teachings in different
provinces. Aromin, the founder, held the title Pangulu guru (chief preacher). At the height of its
popularity, the organization had about 7, 000 followers found in Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan.

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 3. Iglesia Watawat ng Lahi
Samahan ng Watawat ng Lahi (Association of the Banner of the Race) is said to have been
established by the Philippine national heroes and Arsenio de Guzman in 1911. It was in this year
that de Guzman started to preach to the Filipino people that Rizal was the “Christ” and the
“Messenger of God”. He claimed that God has chosen the Philippines to replace Israel as his
“New Kingdom.” Some believe that it was the spirit of Rizal which was working with de Guzman
telling people to live in accordance with Christ’s and Rizal’s teachings.
According to stories, sometime in 1936, a banal na tinig (holy voice) instructed Mateo
Alcuran and Alfredo Benedicto to go to Lecheria, Calamba in the province of Laguna to look for
Jovito Salgado and Gaudioso Parabuac. Alcuran and Benedicto followed the banal na tinig and
met with Salgado and Parabuac in Lecheria on December 24, 1936. Every Saturday afternoon
from then on, the four listened to the teachings of the banal na tinig. In 1938, the banal na tinig
informed them that their guide was the spirit of Jose Rizal which instructed them to organize a
movement called the Samahan ng Watawat ng Lahi. However, the word samahan was changed
to iglesia to avoid suspicion by the Japanese soldiers during World War II, making it as the
Iglesia Watawat ng Lahi.
The aims of organization are as follows:
 To love God above all things
 To love one’s fellowman as one loves himself
 To love the motherland and to respect and venerate the heroes of the race
especially the martyr of Bagumbayan. Dr. Rizal, to follow, to spread, and to
support their right teachings; and to serve the country with one’s whole heart
towards its order, progress, and peace.

Iglesia Watawat ng Lahi is one of the biggest Rizalista groups with more than 100, 000
members found in different parts of the country. However, in 1987, it was divided into three
factions: (1) the Watawat ng Lahi, also known as the Samahan ng Watawat ng Lahi Presiding
Elders; (2) the Iglesia Watawat ng Lahi, Inc.; (3) the Iglesia ng Lipi ni Gat Dr. Jose P. Rizal, Inc.
The first group now teaches that Rizal is not Christ but only a human while the last two groups
claim that they hold the original trachings and doctrines of the old Iglesia Watawat ng Lahi –
Rizal is God/Christ himself, the Jove Rex Al.

4. Supreme de la Iglesia de la Ciudad Mistica de Dios, Inc.

Officially registered as an organization in 1952. It was founded by Maria Bernarda Balitaan
(MBB) in the Tagalog region who was said to have started her spiritual missions in the early
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1920s. Today, Ciudad Mistica is the biggest Rizalista group located at the foot of Mt. Banahaw in
Brgy. Sta. Lucia in Dolores, Queszon with approximately 5, 000 mambers in Sta. Lucia alone. All
over the Luzon, it has about 100, 000 members.
In the history of Ciudad Mistica’s establishment, the group has always been led by a
woman. Its leader is called Suprema who assumes the responsibilities of assisting members
seeking advice, resolving conflicts among members and making major decisions in the
organization.
For Ciudad Mistica, Jesus Christ’s work is still unfinished and it will be continued by Dr.
Jose Rizal and the “twelve lights” of the Philippines composed of the 19 th century Philippine
heroes. These “12 lights” are said to be the equivalent of Christ’s 12 apostles. Their work will be
fulfilled by a woman, in the person of MBB, as can be seen in their hymns:
The Virgin Maria Bernarda, a Filipino mother
Dr. Jose Rizal, a Filipino father
Once in a mystery, they came together
And so, emerged this country, the Philippines.

EVALUATION: (See the separate file for Learning Activity)

REFERENCES:

Rhodalyn Wani-Obias et. al., The Life and Works of Jose Rizal. C&E Publishing Inc. (2018)
Eugene Raymond P. Crudo et. al. The Life and Works of Jose Rizal. REX Book Store. (2019)

Prepared by:

John Rey R. Buan

CAS-Instructor

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