Xavier University- Ateneo de Cagayan

In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements of

Filipino

CRITICAL THOUGHT PAPER:

“Rizal and the Underside of the Philippine history & Rizal’s Morga

and view of the Philippine history”

Submitted by:

Ashley Jane C. Macapayad

Submitted to:

Sr. Roel Absin

March 18, 2020

 RIZAL AND THE UNDERSIDE OF THE PHILIPPINE HISTORY

The paper is all about Rizal and the other stories representing the

Philippine History. It has been carefully elaborated and explained by the

author in which it has also been tackled about how the Filipinos lived

before. On John Phelan’s book “The Hispanization of the Philippines”, it

has been said that Filipinos were no longer deemed passive recipients of

Spanish cultural stimuli. The result of their blind imitation of things

foreign and incomprehensible was that “they lost all confidence in their

past, all faith in their present, and all hope for the future.”

I realized how alarming this statement could be in which it gives off

a hopeless chance to have a better and brighter future. Tradition might be

forgotten due to the imitation of things foreign. This could be applied until

now, in which Filipino people tend to buy more foreign products than our

own. Even for myself, I admit I am a huge fan of Adidas or Nike shoes

than our own products. Different labels of Gucci bags and even clothing

lines of H & M that comes from other countries always impresses me in

which it gives me the sense of wanting to buy it impulsively. This

mentality gives the impact of which culture or tradition might be

endangered or even forgotten due to the new demands in our society.

The problem also with the Filipinos before is also emphasized in the

text on which the Filipinos tend to think of somewhat like a static

dreamworld like children initially fascinated and eventually enslaved by

the cosmology introduced by the colonizers. This phenomenon is still

happening nowadays, not just among ourselves but also affecting the

whole country. One major example for this is the constant globalization

occurring most especially on ASEAN countries. It cannot be denied that

this may strengthen the bonds of our nation but also, the different

proposals and inventions introduced to us may seem very much appealing

thus giving off what we have just to attain them. Additionally, one

example would be the the act of Barter from our ancestors. Due to

ignorance and over friendliness of our ancestors, they were shunned with

the different gifts of wine and foods in exchange of lands that we own.

Thus, this gives off an impact of being enslaved by the colonizers later on.

In order to move on, one must be aware of its past, knowledgeable

of its culture and history as colonized people in order for the betterment

and progress of the future. This is what Rizal is trying to enculcate to the

minds of the readers. Rizal’s construction of a usable past was also

mentioned in the article, giving emphasis on the effect of privileged status

of the Ilustrados or the so-called pobres y ignorantes, the liberal-

educated elite on which Dr. Jose Rizal himself belong to. This leads to the

further notion whether Jose Rizal is considered an idealist or a realist.

There are further confusions among all his writings upon whether what his

true intentions are. The fall in Ilustrados consciousness solely lies whether

the impact of introduction of Christianity may be as the indios salvation or

a proof of alienation. This may be given further emphasis whether the

Christianity may be as a symbol of unity and faith or whether it was used

as a tool or weapon for facilitating the political means and economic

status of the naïve.

Personally, I, myself as a Catholic is thankful for my religion and is

proud of my chosen path and faith with God. However, as I look back on

the past and have noticed how Christianity gravely affects people. The

priests or prayles acted as if they were to be respected in order for them

not to do any bad doings to you. They even were suspected to rape

women at times. I may be a strong-willed woman with my faith beside me

but I still have a lot of doubts when it comes to the past. The priests were

considered to be very scary before instead of acting as a father to

everyone proclaiming the name of the Lord. They also force people to join

masses

and give huge amounts of offerings for the priests. They even lash out

their anger on little kids, just like as what is depicted on the famous

writing of Jose Rizal in Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo of Crispin

and Basilio.

Bernardo Carpio was also mentioned in the text wherein Jose Rizal

is very familiar with. Bernardo Carpio was also being compared with

Andres Bonifacio or familiar to be the Father of the Philippine Revolution.

Both of them fought for our Mother Land but was not able to free

theirselves.

Additionally, Dr. Jose Rizal was considered to be The First Filipino.

At first, I had very much confusion on what it meant but later on

understood why he was considered to be. Dr Jose Rizal did not just

sparked the revolution through his writings but because he rise to

dominance of the principalia class. Also, it is mentioned how the Catholic

churches were no doubt dotting the Philippine landscape in which I think

up until now, it’s beauty never fails. One major example of this would be

the most famous historical churches in Bohol Philippines. No matter what

disaster may come such as the terrible earthquake and floods that arose,

they still stood as strong depicting our history, culture and story.

Different plays also contributed to the preservation of culture and

history of the Philippines such as the Sinakulo and Pasyon. It was also

further elaborated the trials and sufferings of Jose Rizal when he was still

imprisoned. He cannot do anything but plead that he doesn’t have

anything to do with the alleged political affairs and rebellion. It is known

that the face of the KKK or the Kataas-taasang Kagalang-galangang

Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan made the face of the revolution as the

face of Jose Rizal. He refused to any of this allegation but was still

condemned to death.

Refusing to the costumed execution site on a military wagon, Jose

Rizal preferred the walk almost seeming like the Christs passion or the

lakaran. I have always believed that the twisting of Jose Rizal when he

was shot in oder to turn and face the shooters or enemies will always be

considered the most heroic and true example of bravery. This text written

by Reynaldo C. Ileto made me appreciate much of the true importance of

the history and culture of our Philippines. The contributions and doings

also of Dr. Jose Rizal also gave an impact especially to us, youth on which
should be followed in order to enculcate the true characteristics of a true

hero and learn more of what nationalism is and what it should be.

Let’s not forget the true essence of our culture and help not forget

the history and be ignorant of our own. If there would be people who

would know better from the Philippine culture, it would be us, Filipinos

and must give value and nurture it. Additionally, we must also give

additional help in order to preserve culture.

 RIZALS MORGA AND VIEW OF THE PHILIPPINE HISTORY

This text focuses first on Antonio de Morgga, a lieutenant governor

focusing history on the 16th century. It talks about what Morga’s text is all

about and why it was chosen among the other scholarly articles. Rizal

associated himself on the Sucesos De las Filipinas on which it was one of

the most important works on the early history of the Spanish colonization

of the Philippines published in Mexico in 1609 by the lieutenant himself in

which it was the one annotated by Jose Rizal with a prologue.

Antonio de Morga’s biography is further elaborated on which he is

not just the author of the said Sucesos De las Filipinas but also a

doctorate in canon law and civil law. I think his writings also solely

reflects his own life in which he has a daughter who fell in love with a

poor commoner. He and his wife discouraged their daughter by beating

her up, shaving her hair and locking her up. I think, this representation of
Morga of the author gives a somewhat confusing state wherein he himself

became brutal to his own daughter. I admit, I was taken aback with his

role as a father and how he handled the situation. I don’t think my father

would ever do that to me and if he loved his daughter, he would’ve tried

to understand her side and if he can really prove that the man is not

worth it, then maybe they could talk it out however, what he did what

quite the opposite wherein he tried to manipulate his daughter’s feelings

and even did horrible things to her. It was even mentioned that his

daughter threatened him by doing suicide but still, its as if his heart is as

hard as a rock on which he resolved it by not speaking to her ever again.

He even got into a way bigger mess when he was being

investigated for corruption and was even found guilty. It is a saddening

fact that he only wrote or began working on Sucesos de las islas filipinas

in order to save himself from the disaster with the Dutch invaders in

Manila. His work consists of 8 different chapters.

It is also emphasized wherein why among all the other Spanish

chronicles he chose Morga’s. This is a very good way in order to also fully

understand its importance and why it caught the attention of Jose Rizal. I

have come to realize that Rizal is not just simply our hero but was a

seeker of truth and in which this has marked him as an historian. He had
a burning desire to know exactly the condition of the Philippines wherein

the Spaniards came from the shore of our country and the book provided

him with that. I also think that he even believed that the conquest of the

Spaniards contributed in part to the decline of the Philippines rich

tradition and culture.

Thus, he then decided to undertake the annotation of Antonio De

Morga’s Sucesos De Las Filipinas in which his personal friendship with

Ferdinand Blumentritt provided the inspiration for doing a new edition of

Morga’s Sucesos. There are 3 Main Propositions in Rizal's New Edition of

Morga's Sucesos.

In his historical essay, which includes the narration of Philippine

colonial history, punctuated as it was with incidences of agony, tensions,

tragedies and prolonged periods of suffering that many of people had

been subjected to. He correctly observed that as a colony of Spain, "The

Philippines was depopulated, impoverished and retarded, astounded by

metaphorsis, with no confidence in her past, still without faith in her

present and without faltering hope in the future." This could mean in

which when we were enslaved by the Spaniards, we cannot do things on

our own. At those times, our future was engravely jeopardized due to our

lack of freedom and knowledge.

 Jose Rizal came to know all these in which it served as his basis on

his writings. The Spanish colonization was even being further blamed on

for the loss of pre-Hispanic syballery and even the extinction of written

literature. When Morga was officially banned in the Philippines, Rizal was

actually not surprised. Additionally, Rizal’s work was critiqued by

Blumentritt. Ferdinand Blumentritt’s praised Rizal’s works as a scholarly

and well thought but was criticized on two counts in which he first

observed that Rizal has committed the mistake of many historians and

Rizal’s denunciation of Catholicism. Despite his intense feelings, Jose Rizal

remained calm. Rizal even had an argument with De los Reyes. It was

indicated that Rizal was so irritated that he responded by attacking de 10s

Reyes in the 31 October 1890 issue of La Solidaridad, using the sarcasm

he normally reserved for racist Spaniards and friars.

But I also believe that Rizal commits the error of many historians in

appraising the events of the past in the light of present standards. He

always serves. The past as the basis of everything. Although this may

hold be liable in terms of not forgetting the past, culture and history but

the present should also be included in order to set things right on the

present basis. It’s like choosing the perfect fit for the shoe.
 Also, Rizal's attacks on the church were unfair and unjustified

because the abuses of the friars should not be construed to mean the

Catholicism is bad. Personally, I am a Catholic with pure faith in God. I

know there were injustices being speculated with the doings of the friars

before or even using Catholicism as a tool for propaganda or even being

elite class in which the more you offer, would be the more holy you are

but it does not signify that Catholicism is bad. In my generation today,

Catholicism is indeed a religion filled with teachings of pure hope and

salvation. The priests are being respected simply because they respect

also in return and acts as a good priest or father. It solely depends on the

person and the manner of teaching.

There are 3 Main Propositions in Rizal's New Edition of Morga’s s

Sucesos. First is that the people of the Philippines had a culture on their

own, before the coming of the Spaniard’s in which I strongly agree to that

in which we must never forget the true essence of being a Filipino.

Filipinos were decimated, demoralized, exploited and ruined by the

Spanish colonization. During those times, we were chained towards their

mind and in their hearts wherein they think they can control ug for being

mere tribal. Lastly, the present state of the Philippines was not

necessarily superior to its past.

 Getting ideas or knowledge from the start is nowhere near wrong

and I realized, how painful it was. As what Dr. Jose Rizal said: “To foretell

the destiny of a nation, it is necessary to open the books and be open

always. “There may be heaps of mistakes but we should enculcate in our

minds that we are a team or we don’t have do things impulsively. Bigger

things create the best-est team there ever is.