Rizal

• The Spanish friars came to acquire tremendous political power, influence and riches


  19th century
• The Philippines


  Ruled through a façade of civil government, with the colonial authorities under the control of the friars
• Almost every town in the archipelago, except in unpacified Islamic Mindanao and Sulu and in pagan hinterlands, was ruled by a friar curate
• Haciendas


  Agricultural lands owned by the Spanish friars
• During Rizal's time the Spanish friars belonging to different religious orders were the richest landlords, for they owned the best haciendas in the Philippines
• The rural folks, who had been living in these haciendas and cultivating them generation after generation became tenants
• The friars were recognized as legal owners of said lands because they obtained royal titles of ownership from the Spanish crown
• Polo y servicio


  Compulsory labor imposed by the Spanish colonial authorities on adult Filipino males
• Filipino males from 16 to 60 years old were obliged to render forced labor for 40 days a year
• Wealthy ones were able to evade forced labor by paying falla, a sum of money
• Spaniards were not drafted to forced labor, contrary to law, while the Filipino polistas received only a part of two pesetas (50 centavos) or worse nothing at all
• Forced labor disturbed the Indios' work in the farm and shops and separate them from their families
• Guardia Civil


  Created by Royal Decree to maintain internal peace and order in the Philippines
• The Guardia Civil in the Philippines had rendered meritorious service in suppressing the bandits in the provinces, they later became infamous for their rampant abuses, such as maltreating innocent people, looting their carabaos, chickens, and valuable belongings, and raping helpless women
• Jose Protacio Mercado Rizal Alonso Y Realonda


  National hero of the Philippines
• Rizal's date of birth


  June 19, 1861
• Rizal was born in the lakeshore town of Calamba, Laguna Province, Philippines
• Rizal's mother almost died during his delivery because of his big head
• Rizal's baptism


  June 22, 1861
• Rizal's name "Jose"


  Chosen by his mother who was a devotee of the Christian saint San Jose
• During the christening ceremony, the parish priest Father Collantes was impressed by Rizal's big head and told the family he would become a great man
• Rizal's father, Don Francisco Mercado


  • Born in Binan, Laguna on May 11, 1818
  • Studied Latin and Philosophy at the College of San Jose in Manila
  • Descendant of a Chinaman named Domingo Lam-co
  • Hardy and independent-minded man, who talked less and worked more, and was strong in body and valiant in spirit
  • Died in Manila on January 5, 1898, at the age of 80
• Rizal's mother, Dona Teodora Alonso


  • Born in Manila on November 8, 1826
  • Educated at the College of Santa Rosa, a well-known college for girls in the city
  • Descendant of Lakan Dula, the last Malayan king of Tondo and Eugenio Ursua who was a Japanese blood
  • Remarkable woman, possessing refined culture, literary talent, business ability, and the fortitude of Spartan women
  • Died in Manila on August 16, 1911 at the age of 85
• Don Francisco and Dona Teodora were married and settled down in Calamba


  June 28, 1848
• Rizal's siblings


  • Saturnina (eldest, nicknamed Neneng, married to Manuel T. Hidalgo)
  • Paciano (older brother and confidant of Rizal, stood as the second father of Rizal)
  • Narcisa (nicknamed Sisa, married to Antonio Lopez)
  • Olimpia (nicknamed Ypia, married Silvestre Ubaldo)
  • Lucia (married to Mariano Herbosa)
  • Maria (nicknamed Biang, married Daniel Faustino Cruz)
  • Jose (nicknamed Pepe)
  • Concepcion (nicknamed Concha, died of sickness at age 3, first sorrow of Rizal)
  • Josefa (nicknamed Panggoy, died old maid)
  • Trinidad (nicknamed Trining, died old maid)
  • Soledad (youngest, nicknamed Choleng, married Pantaleon Quintero)
• Despite having many children, Rizal's parents were able to raise them well, sending them to college and teaching them to be obedient, respectful and God-loving individuals
• Rizal family surname


  Mercado, adopted in 1731 by Domingo Lam-co who was a full blooded Chinese
• Second surname Rizal

  Given by the Spanish alcalde mayor of Laguna, who was a family friend
• Rizal family


  • Belonged to the principalia, a town aristocracy in Spanish Philippines
  • One of the distinguished families in Calamba
  • Had farms which they rented from the Dominican friars
  • Dona Teodora managed a general goods store and operated a small flour-mill and homemade ham press
  • Had a large stone house
  • Owned a carriage, which was a status symbol of the ilustrados
  • Had a private library
• During the times of Rizal, the sinister shadows of Spain's decadence darkened Philippine skies
• The Filipino people agonized beneath the yoke of Spanish misrule, for they were unfortunate victims of the evils of unjust, bigoted, and deteriorating colonial power
• Instability of colonial Administration

  • The instability of Spanish politics since the turbulent reign of King Ferdinand VII (1803-1833) marked the beginning of political chaos in Spain
  • The Spanish government underwent frequent changes owing to bitter struggles between the forces of despotism and liberalism and explosions of the Carlist Wars
  • The political instability in Spain adversely affected Philippine affair because it brought about frequent periódic shifts in colonial political and a periodic rigodon of colonial officials
  • From 1835 to 1897, the Philippines was ruled by 50 governors general, each serving an average term of only one year and three months
  • At one time- from December 1853 to November 1854-a period of less than a year, there were only four governors-general
• The frequent change of colonial officials hampered the political and economic development of the Philippines
• Corrupt colonial officials


  • The colonial officials sent by Spain to the Philippines in the 19th century were a far cry from their able and dedicated predecessors of 16th, 17th, and 18th century were either highly corrupt, incompetent, cruel and venal
  • General Rafael de Izquierdo - a boastful and ruthless governor general, aroused the anger if the Filipinos by executing the innocent Father Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora, the Martyrs of 1872
  • Admiral Jose Malcampo - was a good Moro fighter, but was inept and weak administrator
  • General Fernando Primo de Rivera - enriched himself by accepting bribes from gambling casinos in Manila which scandalously permitted to operate
  • General Valeriano Weyler - a cruel and corrupt governor-general of Hispanic-German ancestry, arrived in Manila a poor man and returned to Spain a millionaire, received huge bribes and gifts of diamonds for his wife from wealthy Chinese who evaded the anti-Chinese law, the Filipinos scomfully called him "tyrant" because of his brutal persecution of the Calamba tenants, particularly the family of Rizal, the Cubans cursed him a "The Butcher" because of his ruthless re-concentration policy during his brief governorship in Cuba, causing the death of thousands of Cubans
  • General Camilo de Polavieja - an able militarist but heartless governor general, was widely detested by the Filipino people for executing Jose Rizal
• Philippine Representation in Spanish Cortes

  To win the support of the overseas colonies during Napoleonic invasion, Spain granted them representation in Cortes (Spanish parliament)
• First Philippine delegate, Ventura de los Reyes


  • Took active part in framing of constitution of 1812, Spain's first democratic constitution
  • Was one of its 184 signers
  • Achieved the abolition of the galleon trade
• The first period of the Philippine representation in the Spanish Cortes (1810-1813) was fruitful with beneficent results for the welfare of the colony
• The second period of representation (1820-23) and third period (1834-37) were less fruitful because the Philippine delegates were not as energetic and devoted in parliamentary work as de los Reyes
• The representation of the overseas colonies (including the Philippines) in the Spanish Cortes was abolished in 1837
• Since the Philippine conditions worsened because there was no means by which the Filipino people could expose the anomalies perpetrated by the colonial officials