LIFE AND WORKS OF JOSE RIZAL

The Development of Filipino

Consciouness and Nationalism

Welcome to the second lesson on the course on the Life and Works of
Jose Rizal. This lesson is about the development of Filipino
nationalism. It discusses the historical context of the development of
Filipino nationalism. It also provides a discussion on the events that
have shaped or influenced it and its repercussion to the Spanish
colonial regime and to the Filipinos

Objectives:
The following are the learning outcomes we are expected to achieve at
the end of the lesson:

Discuss the development of the meaning or connotation of Filipino;

Identify the factors that have led to the evolution of the Filipino
consciousness;
Discuss Filipino nationalism;
Discuss the relevance and significance of the development of
Filipino consciousness at present time
Analyze the factors and reasons which lead to the development of
Filipino consciousness
Examine the role of Jose Rizal and other propagandists in the
development of Filipino consciousness

Activities/Exercises

Accomplish the module execises. Watch a documentary about the

development of Filipino consciousness and nationalism

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I. The concept of Nationalism and Filipino Nationalism

Nationalism in its broadest sense is the love of ones country. It is a
consciousness, a feeling or sentiment of belongingness to a particular
community, group or race as a result of having a common or shared
language, religion, tradition, and history and values system. It could manifest
as the attitude of the members of a nation have when they care about their
national identity and the actions that they take in order to attain or sustain
self-determination or independence.

Filipino nationalism is a product of social, economic and political changes

during the 19th century. Before the 19th century there was no national
consciousness hence, no Filipino nationalism. As historian Teodoro
Agoncillo puts it, Although united as united as one geographical unit called
Las Islas Filipinas during the Spanish colonial rule, the people called
Filipinos applied only to the Spaniards born in the Philippines (insulares),
and the indigents were derogatorily called indios. The indios were not united
in words and in deeds, as the Spanish church and state officials, mainly the
friars, divided and ruled the natives. Thus, the indios, became Filipino
only during the last years of Spanish regime. (Agocillo, 1990)

II. Events that have influenced the emergence/evolution of

Filipino nationalism
Filipino nationalism as many historians would say is a product of Spanish
colonization and the struggle of the Filipinos to create their own identity.
Before the coming and colonization of Spain, the Filipinos despite having a
common Austronesian ancestry, were divided geographically, thus, there was
no concept of a nation nor of Filipino race and identity. The Spaniards took
advantage of this disunity and had successfully pacified them. They named
these islands Filipinas in honor of King Philip of Spain, hence, a country
was formed out of separate and sovereign islands of the archipelago.

It was only at the last century of Spanish rule that Filipino consciousness
emerged. The development of Filipino nationalism was a conglomeration of
social, economic and political phenomena that happened in the world and in
the Philippines.

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1. Opening of the Philippines in the World Trade

The opening of the port of Manila to the international trade in 1834
resulted to tremendous socio-economic changes on the Philippines after
decades of economic stagnation brought about by Spanish monopolistic
policies.
Despite economic restrictions, foreign investors flocked the
Philippines resulting to the booming of different economic establishments
and institutions.
The opening of the Philippines to the world trade generated a great
demand for export goods such as rice, sugar, abaca, tobacco and indigo.
This gave Filipino mestizos and Chinese merchants huge profits.

Transportation and communication system was also improved.

1839 mail service between Cavite and Manila started
1846 the first daily newspaper appeared
1852 the Banco Espaol-Filipino de Isabel II and two British banks
began to issue paper money
1880s the Hotel de Oriente in Binondo, the first hotel in the
Philippines began its operations

2. The Opening of the Suez Canal in 1869

The travel between Europe and Asia (Spain to Philippines) was
shorter, faster and safer which led to the influx of liberal ideas from
Europe to the Philippines. The ideas of liberty, equality and fraternity
that were legacies of the French Revolution and the democratic ideas
from the United States have penetrated the minds of the Filipinos in
the Philippines.

3. Liberal administration and educational reforms

As a result of the victory of the liberals in the Spanish revolution of
1868, Carlos Maria dela Torre was sent to the Philippines to serve as
Governor-general from 1869-1871. He was different from his
predecessors and had implemented reforms such as the abrogation of
flogging as a punishment for Filipino deserters in the Spanish army,
abolished press censorship and encouraged freedom of speech.
In education, a decree was passed in 1863 instructing the
establishment of schools in different places and admitted Indios and
allowing them to learn the Spanish language as the national language.
Eventually, this led to the development of national identity when

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insulares, Chinese mestizos and Indios began to identify their selves as

Filipinos.

4. Rise of the middle class

As a result of great economic transformations in the life of the Filipinos, a
middle class (media clase) of Asian and Eurasian mestizos emerged in the
Philippines social pyramid. They formed the town principalia an elite
social group composed of former gobernadorcillos, minor native
bureaucrats, decorated personel and school masters.
(Agoncillo, 1990)
The wealth of the pricipalia particularly the Inquilinos came from the
profits generated from owned or rented lands (Gripaldo, et., al., 2009).
The Ilustrados (the enlightened) emerged from the principalias or middle
class families and were educated in universities in the Philippines and in
Europe. They rallied for reforms for the Philippines

5. Secularization Movement
Secularization of the parishes was the transfer of ministries established and
run by regular clergy [Spanish friars] to the secular priests [Filipino
priests]. By the midst of 19th century, the secularization movement was
transmuted into a political and separatist movement which exploded in the
Filipinization of the church, and culminated in the separation of the
church from Rome during the Philippine revolution (Agoncillo 1990).
The secularization was organized secretly by Padre Mariano Gomez and
Padre Pedro Pelaez. The conflict between regular and secular priests arose
when the regular priests (friars) attempted to seize the control of parishes
from the secular priest and the rampant abuses and discrimination made by
the friars to the seculars (Gripaldo, et., al., 2009).

6. The Cavite Mutiny in 1872

In January 20, 1872, 200 Filipino soldiers joined by some laborers in the
arsenal of artillery led by Sgt. La Madrid waged a revolt because of unjust
deductions in their wages, high taxes and discrimination of Filipino soldiers
from Spanish soldiers.
The Spanish authorities viewed the event as an overturning of the colonial
rule in the islands, even considering it as part of a greater national
movement to liberate the Philippines from Spain. (Agoncillo, 1990)
It was abruptly abrogated or pacified and all those who participated were
either executed or exiled. After the containment of the mutineers, the

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Spanish authorities initiated a crackdown of those who have connections to

the mutiny which enede up in the implication of the GOMBURZA.
The 1872 Cavite Mutiny is considered as the first workers strike (welga)
in the Philippines and in Asia.

7. The Execution of GOMBURZA

Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora were prominent
figures in the secularization movement. They were implicated as leaders of
the Cavite Mutiny. To instill fear among Filipinos, they were publicly
executed in February 07, 1872 in the Bagumbayan.
Fathers Gomez and Zamora served as spiritual adviser of the soldiers and
workers who joined the mutiny.
Their execution was witnessed by many Filipinos and have left them a
great feeling of indignation and injustice. They considered it as a way of
Spanish authorities to silence the secularization movement. This has also
fueled the hatred of Filipinos for the Spaniards which ignited nationalistic
sentiments of the Filipinos.
The execution of the GOMBURZA had also inspired the Propaganda
movement and the Philippine revolution.

8. The Propaganda Movement (1880- 1892)

Due to abuses of Spanish authorities and clergies and the curtailment of
freedom of expression, Filipinos, specifically the IIustrados campaigned for
the assimilation of the Philippines to Spain by becoming a province of
Spain so that the Filipinos and Spaniards will be equal and Filipinos will
enjoy the liberties enjoyed by the Spaniards.
The Ilustrados organized the Propaganda movement which exposed the
condition of the Philippines under the Spanish rule and campaigned for
reforms that the country needed. They also campaigned for representation
to Spanish Cortes (legislature), freedom of the press, economic
liberalization, secularization and equality before the law of Filipinos and
Spaniards.
The Propaganda movement expressed their campaigns in the La
Solidaridad the official newspaper of the movement. The Propagandists
did not only expose the social conditions of the Philippines and ask for
reforms but they also wrote about Philippine history, culture and identity.

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According to Zeus Salazar, one legacy of the Propaganda movement is the

tripartite view of Philippine history. They propagated the idea that the
Philippines, contrary to the accounts of the Spaniards, had a culture and
civilization before the coming and colonization of Spain.
Reasons for the failure of the Propaganda movement:
Spain was too busy resolving her internal problems and the friars remained
powerful and influential and thus no tangible reforms were implemented.
The Propaganda movement also suffered financial problems to continue its
publication.
Internal conflicts arose among the members of the Propaganda movement
caused by petty jealousies (e.i. Rizal del Pilar conflict).
Most of the members. of the Propaganda movement were
conservative and lacked the courage and the vigorous hope necessary
to continue an unequal struggle. (Agoncillo, 1990)

Despite the failure of the Propaganda movement, it was successful in exposing

the abuses and incompetence of Spanish authorities. It also served an eye-opener
for the Filipinos common experience and struggle which became a catalyst for
the emergence of Filipino consciousness and nationalism.
The disbandment of Jose Rizals La Liga Filipina marked the end of the
Propaganda movement. An unintentional effect of the failure of the Propaganda
movement was founding of the Katipunan which aimed for freedom and
independence through an armed struggle.

III. Implications of Filipino Nationalism

The development of Filipino consciousness and nationalism has
fuelled the struggle of Filipinos for freedom and emancipation from Spain.
Because of it Philippines became the first Asian country to wage a revolution
and won its freedom from a European power. It has also shaped our national
identity and our history as a nation.

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Re f e re nc es
Abrera, Ma. Bernadette, et. al. 2005. Kasaysayan ng Bayan: Sampung Aralin
sa Kasaysayang Pilipino.Pilipinas: ADHIKA ng Pilipinas at National
Historical Institute
Agoncillo, T.A. (1990) History of the Filipino People . Lungsod Quezon:
Garotech Publishing.
Constantino, Renato, A Past Revisited ( Vol. 1).
Gripaldo, E.M. et. al. (2003) Kasaysayan ng Filipino at mga Institusyong
Filipino. Lungsod Quezon: Sentro ng Wikang Filipino, Unibersidad ng
Pilipinas.
Schumacher, John SJ. 1996. The Making of a Nation. Quezon City: Ateneo de
Manila Press
Salzar, Zeus A. 1983. A Legacy of the Propaganda: The Tripartite View of
Philippine History. in Z. A. Salazar (Eds.) The Ethnic Dimension: Papers on
Philippine Culture, History and Psychology. Cologne: Caritas Counselling
Center for Filipinos, 1983, pp. 107-126

Internet sources:
http://nhcp.gov.ph/the-two-faces-of-the-1872-cavite-mutiny/
xiachua.net

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