To the Young Women of Malolos: Summary and Analysis
Jose Rizal’s legacy to Filipino women is embodied in his famous essay entitled, “To the Young Women of
Malolos,” where he addresses all kinds of women – mothers, wives, the unmarried, etc. and expresses
everything that he wishes them to keep in mind.
SUMMARY
“To the Women of Malolos” was originally written in Tagalog. Rizal penned this writing when he was in
London, in response to the request of Marcelo H. del Pilar. The salient points contained in this letter are as
follows:
The rejection of the spiritual authority of the friars – not all of the priests in the country that time
embodied the true spirit of Christ and His Church. Most of them were corrupted by worldly desires
and used worldly methods to effect change and force discipline among the people.
The defense of private judgment
Qualities Filipino mothers need to possess – as evidenced by this portion of his letter, Rizal is
greatly concerned of the welfare of the Filipino children and the homes they grow up in.
Duties and responsibilities of Filipino mothers to their children
Duties and responsibilities of a wife to her husband – Filipino women are known to be submissive,
tender, and loving. Rizal states in this portion of his letter how Filipino women ought to be as
wives, in order to preserve the identity of the race.
Counsel to young women on their choice of a lifetime partner.
The Indolence of the Filipinos: Summary and Analysis
La Indolencia de los Filipinos, more popularly known in its English version, "The Indolence of the Filipinos,"
is a exploratory essay written by Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, to explain the alleged idleness of
his people during the Spanish colonization.
SUMMARY
The Indolence of the Filipinos is a study of the causes why the people did not, as was said, work
hard during the Spanish regime. Rizal pointed out that long before the coming of the Spaniards, the
Filipinos were industrious and hardworking. The Spanish reign brought about a decline in economic
activities because of certain causes:
First, the establishment of the Galleon Trade cut off all previous associations of the Philippines with
other countries in Asia and the Middle East. As a result, business was only conducted with Spain through
Mexico. Because of this, the small businesses and handicraft industries that flourished during the pre-
Spanish period gradually disappeared.
Second, Spain also extinguished the natives’ love of work because of the implementation of forced
labor. Because of the wars between Spain and other countries in Europe as well as the Muslims in
Mindanao, the Filipinos were compelled to work in shipyards, roads, and other public works, abandoning
agriculture, industry, and commerce.
Third, Spain did not protect the people against foreign invaders and pirates. With no arms to
defend themselves, the natives were killed, their houses burned, and their lands destroyed. As a result of
this, the Filipinos were forced to become nomads, lost interest in cultivating their lands or in rebuilding the
industries that were shut down, and simply became submissive to the mercy of God.
Fourth, there was a crooked system of education, if it was to be considered an education. What
was being taught in the schools were repetitive prayers and other things that could not be used by the
students to lead the country to progress. There were no courses in Agriculture, Industry, etc., which were
badly needed by the Philippines during those times.
Fifth, the Spanish rulers were a bad example to despise manual labor. The officials reported to
work at noon and left early, all the while doing nothing in line with their duties. The women were seen
constantly followed by servants who dressed them and fanned them – personal things which they ought to
have done for themselves.
Sixth, gambling was established and widely propagated during those times. Almost everyday there
were cockfights, and during feast days, the government officials and friars were the first to engange in all
sorts of bets and gambles.
Seventh, there was a crooked system of religion. The friars taught the naïve Filipinos that it was
easier for a poor man to enter heaven, and so they preferred not to work and remain poor so that they
could easily enter heaven after they died.
Lastly, the taxes were extremely high, so much so that a huge portion of what they earned went to
the government or to the friars. When the object of their labor was removed and they were exploited, they
were reduced to inaction.
Rizal admitted that the Filipinos did not work so hard because they were wise enough to adjust
themselves to the warm, tropical climate. “An hour’s work under that burning sun, in the midst of pernicious
influences springing from nature in activity, is equal to a day’s labor in a temperate climate.”
To the Filipino Youth
When he was studying in UST, he submitted a poem entitled “To the Filipino Youth” for the poetry contest
which had been organized for Filipinos by the Manila Lyceum of Art and Literature, and though he was but
eighteen years of age (1879), he won the first prize, a silver pen. This poem, one of his most famous and
most difficult to translate, was dedicated to the Filipino Youth.
To the Filipino Youth
Raise your unruffled brow
On this day, Filipino youth!
Resplendent shines
Your courage rich,
Handsome hope of my motherland!
Fly, grand genius
And infuse them with noble sentiment
That vigorously rushes,
More rapid than the wind,
Its virgin mind to the glorious goal.
Descend to the arena
With the pleasant light of arts and sciences,
And unbind, Youth,
The heavy chain
That fetters your poetic genius.
See that in the bright zone
With pious and learned hand,
Offers the son of this native land
Resplendent crown.
You who ascend
On wings of your rich fantasy,
Seeking from Olympus in the clouds
Tenderest poetry,
Sweeter than nectar and ambrosia;
You of the celestial accent,
Melodious rival of the nightingale,
Who with varied melodies
Dissipate the mortal’s bitter pain
In the night serene;
You who animate the hand rock
With the impulse of your mind,
And with prepotent hand makes eternal
The pure memory
Of the refulgent genius;
And you, who with magic brushes
Are wont to transfer to simple canvas
The varied enchantment of Phoebus, beloved of
Apollo divine,
And the mantle of nature.
Run! For the sacred flame
Of the genius awaits to be crowned with laurels,
Spreading fame
With trumpet proclaiming
O’er the wide sphere the mortal’s name.
Day, oh happy day,
Philippines genteel, for your soil!
Bless the Almighty,
Who with loving desire
Sends you fortune and consolation.
To My Fellow Children
translated by Fank C. Laubach
Whenever eople of a country truly love
The language which by heav’n they were taught to use
That country also surely liberty pursue
As does the bird which soars to freer space above.
For language is the final judge and referee
Upon the people in the land where it holds sway;
In truth our human race resembles in this way
The other living beings born in liberty.
Whoever knows not how to love his native tongue
Is worse than any best or evil smelling fish.
To make our language richer ought to be our wish
The same as any mother loves to feed her young.
Tagalog and the Latin language are the same
And English and Castilian and the angels’ tongue;
And God, whose watchful care o’er all is flung,
Has given us His blessing in the speech we claim,
Our mother tongue, like all the highest that we know
Had alphabet and letters of its very own;
But these were lost — by furious waves were overthrown
Like bancas in the stormy sea, long years ago.
