Period of Enlightenment in the Philippines (1872-1898) Sample

Historical Background – The Filipino Spirit was reawakened when the three priests, Gomez, Burgos, and Zamora, were guillotined without sufficient grounds of guilt. This was buttressed by the spirit of liberalism when the Philippines opened its doors to universal trade and with the coming of a broad leader in the individual of Governor Carlos Maria de la Torre.

Propaganda Movement – This motion was spearheaded largely by the rational middle class, including Jose Rizal, Marcelo Del Pilar, Graciano Lopez Jaena, Antonio Luna, Mariano Ponce, Jose Ma. Panganiban, and Pedro Paterno. The aims of this motion were to seek reforms and alterations like the following:

1. To acquire equal treatment for the Filipinos and the Spaniards under the law.
2. To make the Philippines a settlement of Spain.
3. To reconstruct Filipino representation in the Spanish Cortes.
4. To Filipinize the parishes.
5. To give the Filipinos freedom of speech, of the press, assembly, and for damages of grievances.

Dr. Jose P. Rizal – Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado Alonzo Y Realonda was born on June 19, 1861, in Calamba, Laguna. His first teacher was his mother, Teodora Alonzo. He studied at the Ateneo de Manila, started studying medicine at UST, and finished at the Universidad Central of Madrid.

He also studied at the University of Berlin, Leipzig, and Heidelberg. He died on December 30, 1896. His pen-names were Laong Laan and Dimasalang. His books and writings include:

1. NOLI ME TANGERE – This was the novel that gave spirit to the propaganda motion and paved the way for the revolution against Spain. The NOLI gave the Filipino literature immortal characters, such as Maria Clara, Juan Crisostomo Ibarra, Elias, Sisa, Pilosopong Tasio, Dona Victorina, Kapitana Maria, Basilio, and Crispin.
2. EL FILIBUSTERISMO – This is the sequel to the NOLI. While the NOLI exposed the immorality in society, the FILI exposed those in the government and the church.
3. MI ULTIMO ADIOS (My Last Farewell) – This is the poem by Rizal while he was incarcerated at Fort Santiago and is one that can compare favorably with the best in the world.
4. SOBRE LA INDOCIA DE LOS FILIPINOS (On The Indolence of the Filipinos) – An essay on the alleged Filipino Indolence and the evaluation of the ground on such allegations.
5. FILIPINAS DENTRO DE CIEN ANOS (The Philippines within a Century) – An essay foretelling the increasing influence of the US in the Philippines and the decreasing interest of Europe here.
6. A LA JUVENTUD FILIPINA (To the Filipino Youth) — A poem Rizal dedicated to the Filipino youth studying at UST.
7. EL CONSEJO DE LOS DIOSES (The Council of the Gods) — An allegorical play attesting to respect for Cervantes.
8. JUNTO AL PASIG (Beside the Pasig River) — Written by Rizal when he was 14 years of age.
9. “Me Piden Versos” (“You Asked Me for Verses”): 1882 and “A Las Flores de Heidelberg” (“To the Flowers of Heidelberg”) – Two poems showcasing Rizal’s unusual depth of emotion.
10. “Notas a la Obra Sucesos de las Filipinas por el Dr. Antonio de Morga” (“Notes on Filipino Events by Dr. Antonio de Morga”): 1889.
11. “P. Jacinto: Memorias de un Estudiante de Manila” (“P. Jacinto: Memoirs of a Student of Manila”): 1882.
12. “Diario de Viaje de Norte América” (“Diary of a Voyage to North America”).

Marcelo H. del Pilar – Popularly known by his pen name Plaridel, Pupdoh, Shrieking Dilat, and Dolores Manapat. He started schooling at the school of Mr. Flores and then transferred to that of San Jose before studying Law at UST.

He is the founder of the Diariong Tagalog in 1882. He was assisted by Fr. Serrano Laktaw in printing a different Catechism and Passion Book wherein they made fun of the priests. He died of TB in Spain. His last words were for his wife and children, apologizing for not being able to bid them goodbye, asking them to tell others about the fate of their countrymen, and to continue helping the country.

His works include:

1. PAGIBIG SA TINUBUANG LUPA (LOVE OF COUNTRY): Translated from Rizal’s Spanish work AMOR PATRIA, published on August 20, 1882, in Diariong Tagalog.
2. KAIINGAT KAYO (BE CAREFUL): A humorous and sarcastic reply to Fr. Jose Rodriguez in Rizal’s novel NOLI ME TANGHERE.
3. DASALAN AT TOCSOHAN (PRAYERS AND JOKES): Similar to a catechism but satirically aimed at the parish priests. Del Pilar was called a “Filibuster” because of this work. It is written in an admirable tone of invocation and uses Tagalog effectively.
4. ANG CADAQUILAAN NG DIOS (GOD’S GOODNESS): Like a catechism, it is satirically aimed at the parish priests, but it also contains a doctrine of the power and intelligence of God, and an appreciation for and love of nature.
5. SAGOT SA ESPANYA SA HIBIK NG PILIPINAS (ANSWER TO SPAIN ON THE PLEA OF THE FILIPINOS): A poem that pleads for change from Spain but also asserts that Spain is already too old and weak to provide any help to the Philippines.
6. DUPLUHAN…DALIT…MGA BUGTONG (A POETICAL CONTEST IN NARRATIVE SEQUENCE, PSALMS, RIDDLES): A collection of poems on the subjugation by the priests in the Philippines.
7. LA SOBERANIA EN PILIPINAS (SOVEREIGNTY IN THE PHILIPPINES): This work shows the injustices of the mendicants to the Filipinos.
8. POR TELEFONO (BY TELEPHONE)
9. PASIONG DAPAT IPAG-ALAB NG PUSO NG TAONG BABASA (PASSION THAT SHOULD AROUSE THE HEARTS OF THE READERS): Graciano Lopez Jaena (1856-1896) was born on December 18, 1856. His pen name is Diego Laura. He is the most noteworthy hero and intellectual of the Philippines, the pride of Jaro, Iloilo. He is a well-known speaker and author in the Philippines. He wrote 100 speeches published by Remigio Garcia. He left the Philippines in 1887 to escape persecution from his enemies and arrived in Valencia. He moved to Barcelona where he established the first magazine LA SOLIDARIDAD. He returned to the Philippines to ask for contributions to start a new government called EL LATIGO NACIONAL or PAMBANSANG LATIGO. He died in a charity hospital in Barcelona on January 20, 1896, 11 months before his best friend Rizal was executed.

The Works of Graciano Lopez Jaena are:

1. “ANG FRAY BOTOD” (Friar Botod) – one of his plays written in Jaro, Iloilo in 1876, six years after the Cavite Revolt which attacked the mendicants in the Philippines.
2. “LA HIJA DEL FRAIL” (The Friar’s Daughter) and “EVERYTHING IS HAMBUG” (Everything is Mere Show) – explain the tragedy of marrying Spaniards.
3. “SA MGA PILIPINO…” (To the Filipinos…) written in 1891, is a speech aimed at improving the status of Filipinos to become free and progressive.
4. “TALUMPATING PAGUNITA KAY KOLUMBUS” (An Oration to Commemorate Columbus) – a speech he delivered in Madrid on the 39th anniversary of the discovery of America.
5. “EN HONOR DEL PRESIDENTE MORAYTA DE LA ASOCIACION HISPANO FILIPINO 1884” (In Honor of President Morayta of the Hispanic-Filipino Association 1884) – in which he praised Gen. Morayta for his equal treatment of Filipinos.
6. “EN HONOR DE LOS ARTISTAS LUNA Y RESURRECCION HIDALGO 1884” (In Honor of the Artists Luna and Resurreccion Hidalgo 1884) – a sincere expression of congratulations for the paintings of Hidalgo on the status of the Filipinos under Spaniards.
7. “AMOR A ESPANA O A LAS JOVENES DE MALOLOS” (Love for Spain or To the Youth of Malolos) – the subject is about how girls were taught Spanish in schools, and whose teachers were the governors-general of the place.
8. “EL BANDOLERISMO EN PILIPINAS” (Banditry in the Philippines) – he refuted the existence of banditry in the Philippines and how there should be laws on robbery and other reforms.
9. “HONOR EN PILIPINAS” (Honor in the Philippines) – the proud exposition of Luna, Resurreccion, and Pardo de Tavera of the thesis that intellect or knowledge gives honor to the Philippines.
10. “PAG-ALIS SA BUWIS SA PILIPINAS” (Abolition of Taxes in the Philippines)
11. “INSTITUCION NG PILIPINAS” (Sufferings of the Philippines) – refers here to the wrong direction of education in the Philippines in 1887.

Antonio Luna was a pharmacist who was banished by the Spaniards to Spain. He joined the Propaganda Movement and contributed his writings to “La Solidaridad.” His pen name was “Tagailog.” He died at the age of 33 in June 1899. He was put to death by the soldiers of Aguinaldo.

Some of his works were: “NOCHE BUENA” (Christmas Eve): it depicted true Filipino life. “SE DEVIERTEN” (How They Diverted Themselves): a depiction of a dance of the Spaniards where the people were very crowded. “LA TERTULIA FILIPINA” (A Filipino Conference or Feast): depicted a Filipino custom which he believed was much better than Spanish.

“POR MADRID” (For Madrid): a denunciation of Spaniards who claim that the Philippines is a colony of Spain but who think of Filipinos as aliens when it comes to collecting taxes for casts. “LA CASA DE HUESPEDES” (The Landlady’s House): depicted a landlady who looks for lodgers not for money but in order to find a husband for her child.

MARIANO PONCE (March 23, 1863 – May 23, 1918) was born in Baliwag, Bulacan where he completed his primary education. He later enrolled at the Colegio de San Jose de Letran and took up medicine at the University of Santo Tomas.

In 1881, Ponce became an active member of the Propaganda Movement, working shoulder to shoulder with outstanding Filipino nationalists like Jose Rizal and Marcelo H. del Pilar. He was, in fact, a close friend of Jose Rizal. He helped Graciano Lopez Jaena found La Solidaridad.

In 1896, he was arrested and imprisoned in Barcelona on suspicion of being somehow involved in the rebellion. He became an editor-in-chief, biographer, and researcher of the Propaganda Movement and used Tikbalang, Kalipulako, and Naning as pseudonyms. He also wrote about how the Filipinos were oppressed by the foreigners and the problems of his countrymen.

Among his Hagiographas were:

1. MGA ALAMAT NG BULACAN (Legends of Bulacan) – contains fables and folklore of his native town.
2. PAGPUGOT KAY LONGINOS (The Beheading of Longinus) – a play shown at the place of Malolos, Bulacan. The theme of the drama was about the bitterness of the Filipinos in the hands of the Spaniards.
3. SOBRE FILIPINOS (About the Filipinos)
4. ANG MGA PILIPINO SA INDO-TSINA (The Filipinos in Indochina)

PEDRO PATERNO (February 17, 1857 – April 26, 1911) – Pedro Alejandro Paterno y de Vera Ignacio was a Filipino politician who has been called “the greatest deserter in Philippine history.” He finished Bachiller en Artes at Ateneo de Manila and continued his studies at the University of Salamanca.

Here he took courses in Philosophy and Theology, then he moved to the Central University of Madrid where he also graduated expertise in law in 1880. Paterno was a scholar, playwright, researcher, and novelist of the Propaganda Movement.

He also joined the Confraternity of Masons and the Asociacion Hispano-Pilipino to foster the purposes of the Movement. He was the first Filipino author who escaped censorship of the press during the last days of the Spanish colonization. His writings:

1. NINAY – the first novel authored by a native Filipino. This novel marked the beginning of the awakening of national consciousness among the Ilustrados.
2. A MI MADRE (To My Mother) – shows the importance of a mother.
3. SAMPAGUITA Y POESIAS VARIAS (Sampaguitas and Varied Poems) – a collection of his poems.

This book of poetry had five consecutive editions. The book contains poems that are spiritual, filial, and about love. The lead poem was La Cruz, meaning “The Cross.” JOSE MA PANGANIBAN (February 1, 1863 – August 19, 1890) – Jose Ma. Panganiban Y Enverga was a Bicolano propagandist, linguist, and litterateur.

He is one of the main writers and contributors for La Solidaridad, writing under the pen names “Jormapa” and “J.M.P.” He was also known for having a photographic memory. He was a member of numerous movements for the country such as the Asociacion Hispano-Filipina and La Solidaridad because he believed in establishing reforms in the Philippines.

Being one of the writers of La Solidaridad, he called the attention of the Spaniards on the freedom of the press and criticized the educational system in the Philippines.