RIZAL MODULE NO.

THE WRITINGS
OF RIZAL
GEED 10013: LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL
ALJON I. CONCILLADO | PUP DEPARTMENT OF
HISTORY
WORKS TO BE ANALYZED
ANNOTATION OF MORGA’S SUCCESSOS DE LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS

NOLI ME TANGERE & EL FILIBUSTERISMO

SOBRE LA INDOLENCIA DE LOS FILIPINOS

PHILIPPINES A CENTURY HENCE

A LETTER TO THE WOMEN OF MALOLOS

WHY THESE WORKS ONLY?

§ These works of Rizal are among the most studied and most explored Rizalian
writings.
§ These articles shows his progression towards becoming a Radical
§ These pieces show his political color boldly aside from the two novels
§ These pieces show Rizal’s versatility as an author. His political essays were realistic
and written in direct tone while his novels were carefully crafted under a
fictitious plot to mask its socio-political undertones.

All these works will be presented in a “succeeding” manner which helps in showing Rizal’s
transformation towards becoming a radical from being a propagandist.
RIZAL HAD BEEN A SUCCESSFUL WRITER OF
MANY FORMS OF PROSE AND POETRY

¡ Our late hero was able to show his mastery of writing as a skill even as a young
student. Not only did he write many poems in the Spanish Language, he also
authored many plays and essays when he was in Ateneo. Such love for writing have
further manifested when he first took Arts and Letters in UST and eventually in
Universidad de Central de Madrid.
¡ This very talent of his will also cause his death at the hands of the Spaniards as he
will venture on writing political matters on his last years of existence.
ANNOTATION OF ANTONIO
DE MORGA’S
SUCESOS DE LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS

DIFFERENTIATE THE BIPARTITE AND TRIPARTITE VIEW OF

PHILIPPINE HISTORY;

EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCES OF THE VIEWS OF ANTONIO DE MORGA

AND JOSE RIZAL IN CULTURE AND HISTORY

ANALYZE THE CULTURE PRESENT IN THE WORK OF

ANTONIO MORGA THAT HAS CONNECTION IN THE PRESENT
CULTURE OF THE PHILIPPINES.
FILIPINOS HAD HAD MINSTRELS WHO HAD
MEMORIZED SONGS TELLING THEIR
GENEALOGIES AND OF THE DEEDS ASCRIBED
TO THEIR DEITIES. THESE WERE CHANTED ON
VOYAGES IN CADENCE WITH THE ROWING,
OR AT FESTIVALS, OR FUNERALS, OR
WHEREVER THERE HAPPENED TO BE ANY
CONSIDERABLE GATHERINGS. IT IS
REGRETTABLE THAT THESE CHANTS HAVE
NOT BEEN PRESERVED AS FROM THEM IT
WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE TO LEARN
MUCH OF THE FILIPINOS’ PAST AND POSSIBLY
OF THE HISTORY OF NEIGHBORING ISLANDS.” JOSE RIZAL
Annotation of Morga’s Sucesos, 1890
ABOUT SUCCESOS

¡ Published by Antonio De Morga in Mexico 1609, this is one of the most significant, earliest works about the
Philippines being Spain’s colony.
¡ Explains the political, social and economical aspects of a colonizer and the colonized country.
¡ The book is entirely based on the point of view of Antonio de Morga.

¡ It was later annotated by Jose Rizalwith a prologue by Dr. Ferdinand Blumentritt. Rizal wrote the annotation
while he was in London. He acquired a copy from the British Museum.
THE WORK CONSISTS OF 8 CHAPTERS

1. Of the first discoveries of the Eastern islands.

2. Of the government of Dr. Francisco de Sande.
3. Of the government of don Gonzalo Ronquillo de Peñalosa.
4. Of the government of Dr. Santiago de Vera.
5. Of the government of Gomes Perez Dasmariñas.
6. Of the government of don Francisco Tello.
7. Of the government of don Pedro de Acuña.
8. An account of the Philippine Islands.
ABOUT MORGA

§ Spanish lawyer and a government official during the 17th

Century
§ Historical Anthropologist
§ Author of Sucesos De Las Islas Filipinas
§ Has a doctorate in Canon and Civil Law
§ He wrote the book to tell all the “achievements” of Spain
in colonizing the Philippines
WHY DID RIZAL ANNOTATE MORGA?
§ He was in the phase of trying to assert that everything the Spaniards
told us about who we are as a people were mostly lies of manipulaGon.
§ He was influenced by Ferdinand BlumentriK, who that Gme is a known
Filipinologist.
§ Rizal had consideraGons in choosing to annotate Morga’s Sucesos.
§ Morga is perceived as more “objecGve” eyewitness
§ Sucesos is the “only Philippine civil and poli2cal history” wri6en by a
Spaniard.
§ This makes the work more secular, and thus more “factual”
§ The work is also more sympathe2c to na2ve Filipinos
§ Morga is undeniably a reliable primary source.
§ This annotaGon of Rizal will become one of the FIRST HISTORICAL
WORK ON THE PHILIPPINES WRITTEN BY A FILIPINO
MAIN POINTS: CHAPTER 8

MORGA SAYS: RIZAL SAYS:

Filipinos have “strange” set of cultural practices, Filipinos have a unique sense of culture that
beliefs and world-views they own.
He commented on the food, bathing practices, That Filipinos have already a thriving culture and
worship of anitos and many more practices prior to Spain’s arrival.
Despite trying to be objective in describing the Rizal counters the idea that Spain “brought”
cultures of the native inhabitants, Morga implied civilization to the Philippines. For him, it’s the
that Spain brought “civilization” to the opposite. There was already a civilized life in the
Philippines. islands, Spain came and brought darkness. The
challenge for Filipinos is to gain independence.
TRIPARTITE
VIEW
OF
HISTORY
MAIN POINTS: CHAPTER 8

The idea of Rizal’s annotation is to dispel any

But his work did not fully impress Blumentritt
erroneous views the Spaniards held about the
as the scholar noticed Rizal’s lack of objectivity
Philippines.
in writing the piece.

He did not intend to attack Morga himself but

Blumentritt added that Rizal’s nationalistic
the views he had of the Filipinos back then
tendencies have overshadowed parts where he
could’ve delivered sound arguments
His target audience would most likely be
Europeans (Spaniards, specifically) as he tried to
Nevertheless, he still wrote the prologue of the
negate all stereotypes and unfair ways Spaniards
annotation.
have portrayed Filipinos
NOLI ME
APPRAISE IMPORTANT
CHARACTERS IN THE NOVEL
TANGERE
&
AND WHAT THEY REPRESENT
EXAMINE THE PRESENT
PHILIPPINE SITUATION
THROUGH THE EXAMPLES

EL
MENTIONED IN THE NOLI
VALUE THE ROLE OF THE
YOUTH IN THE DEVELOPMENT

FILIBUSTERISMO
AND FUTURE OF SOCIETY
”ANG PAGDATING NG BAGYO ANG TANGI KONG
PAG-ASA SAPAGKAT’T ITO ANG
MAGDADALA NG MGA LINTIK NA
SIYANG PAPATAY SA MGA TAO AT
SUSUNOG SA MGA KABAHAYAN. SANA
MAGKAROON DIN NG DELUBYO SAPAGKAT
MAY SAMPUNG TAON NA NGAYON,
ISINUWESTIYON KO SA BAWAT KAPITAN ANG
PAGBILI NILA NG TAGAHULI NG KIDLAT O
PARARAYOS NGUNIT AKO’Y PINAGTAWANAN
LAMANG NG LAHAT.”

P I L O S O P O TA S YO
Noli Me Tangere
ABOUT NOLI ME TANGERE

¡ This is Rizal’s first novel, in which he likened the problems faced by the Philippines to a Cancer.
¡ Rizal had already been facing financial constraints during this time and thanks to Maximo Viola, he was able to
publish it.
¡ This is his major output after a few years of studying in Spain and being exposed to liberal ideas.
¡ He made characters that represent realities about social groups in the Philippines and placed them in context
similar to the social issues of that time.
¡ However, Fr. Schumacher’s explained that Rizal’s novel was a scathing, full scale attack on political and religious
regime of the Philippines, as well as of native Filipino society.
¡ He also discussed that Rizal entitled it Noli Me Tangere (or, Touch Me Not” – the technical name of a particularly
painful type of cancer.) He proposed to probe all the cancers of Filipino society that everyone else felt too painful
to touch.
READING NOLI
¡ Do not expect its story or plot to be a head-turner. If you do, you will be bound to be
disappointed.
¡ Do not look for psychologically developed characters.
¡ Be on alert for social criticism and social commentary. (Social criticism refers to the
explicit criticism of the society; while social commentary refers to the criticism of society
implicit in the way society is portrayed.
¡ Pay close attention to discussions of political or social topics. Such discussions occur
between Ibarra and schoolmaster, Ibarra and Filosofo Tasio, Filosofo Tasio and Don Filipo,
Ibarra and Elias.
¡ Be on alert for patterns – patterns of events and characters. The pattern reveals themes.
¡ Be on alert for passages of costumbrismo – a literary genre popular in Spain and its
colonies in the 19th century, depicting everyday life among ordinary people in ordinary
settings. Exile’s recollection of life in the Philippines and are suffused with nostalgic
affection.
¡ If you wish to know exactly what Rizal wanted his readers to take away from the Noli,
then you have to take the dedication and epigraph of the novel seriously.
QUIBUYEN’S LIST OF DICHOTOMIES BASED
ON INCORRECT INTERPRETATIONS

¡ In Rizal’s novels, Ibarra represented Rizal, and Elias represented

Bonifacio, and the failure of Bonifacio signified Rizal’s anti-revolutionary
stance;
¡ Being an ilustrado, with a bourgeois consciousness, Rizal’s goal, in direct
contrast to Bonifacio, was the assimilation of the Philippines into the
Spanish nation;
¡ The Reform movement only served to delay the inevitable Revolution,
which was betrayed by characteristically opportunistic ilustrados;
¡ Rizal became the national hero largely through American sponsorship.
NOTABLE PARTS

Chapter 49: Voice of the Persecuted

¡ Ibarra and Elias’ debate on “curing” the “social ¡ Rizal vs Bonifacio

cancer.”
¡ Elias vs Ibarra
¡ Their contrasting approach seem to fit the
¡ The background of the two characters, upbringings
dichotomizing views held by earlier interpretation of
and how grounded they are in the fight for
Rizal and Bonifacio.
independence and social justice
ABOUT EL FILIBUSTERISMO

¡ Rizal faced a lot of problems concerning the finances involved in the production of El Fili due to the Calamba Case
¡ Several revisions were made and he had to delay the publication due to lack of funds, all thanks to Valentin Ventura, the first
copy was finally published in Belgium.
¡ El Filibusterismo’s plot (Schumacher, 1998) on the other hand is loose, sometimes serving more as a framework for
philosophical and political discussions on the future of the Philippines.
¡ The second novel of Rizal presented the readers the direction where Filipino should head to in claiming their freedom.
¡ shows the shift of Ibarra’s reformist character into Simoun’s radical measures in achieving his goals. It also highlighted the
many characters that represent the position of many individuals towards the liberation of the country.
¡ In the end, Simoun’s dialogue with Father Florentino shows Rizal’s true intention. The people must be ready in claiming their
independence; they should own and be responsible for it. Revolution should not only about preparedness and not because of
hatred but love the mother country.
READING EL FILI
¡ Pay close attention to the plot for it is fundamental Fili. This is because, while
the Noli presents us with the problems of Philippine society, the Fili proposes
solutions. It is, therefore, necessary to note the proposed solutions, how they
are pursued, and why they fail.
¡ Do not expect Rizal to transform the solutions into detailed narratives – Rizal
is not interested in the solutions as stories. What is more important for Rizal
is the theoretical outlines of the proposed solutions and the reasons they fail.
In other words, the solutions proposed are types of solutions, and the reasons
they fail are types of reasons for failure.
¡ Do immerse yourself, however, in the story of Cabesang Tales and the Story of
Simoun’s second attempt at revolution – While Simoun’s first attempt at
revolution and the student’s Spanish academy address the reader’s head, these
two stories address his heart and subsequently his head. They are directly
related to the last chapter of the novel, in which we have Rizal’s thoughts on
the redemption of the Philippine society and on freedom and independence.
READING EL FILI

¡ The Fili is a novel of debates and discussions, try your best to follow the
argumentative chapters closely – These are especially Chapters 7 (The debate
between Simoun and Basilio, 33 (Simoun’s long speeches to Basilio and the
narrator’s comment on them), and 39 (the discussion between Simoun and Padre
Florentino). Aside from these three, there are as well Chapters 15 (Isagani’s visit to
Señor. Pasta), 27 (the debate between Isagani and Padre Fernandez) and 31 (the
argument between the governor general and the high government official).
¡ Rizal was a poet before he became a novelist – in the Fili, Rizal writes as both
novelist and poet: the novelist for the most part writes literally; the poet,
figuratively. One must be aware that certain passages, characters, and events are
intended by Rizal to be understood not only literally but also figuratively. It is not
good to be hunting symbols in the Fili. Let the symbols detach themselves from their
contexts whenever the right moment comes in the reading experience of individual
readers. This right moment will differ from reader to reader, but when it comes, it
will come as a gift in burst of light and with a feeling of vertigo.
NOTABLE PARTS

Chapter 34: The Wedding

¡ Transformation of Basilio out all of his experiences ¡ Critique of the practices of the elite, and even the
culture of many Filipinos
¡ Rich and Poor divide, the struggle of the poor in the
midst of oppression. ¡ Critiqued the unjust spending habits of Filipinos
despite not being able to sustain it
¡ Colonial mentality, inferior view of self.
THE INDOLENCE
OF THE
FILIPINOS
(SOBRE LA
INDOLENCIA DE
LOS FILIPINOS)
(1890)
Analyze Rizal’s claims and counter-claims on the prevailing
notion that the Filipinos were indolent.

Examine his points and methods as he draws ideas from

earlier accounts of
the Philippines.

Highlight his suggestions which would address the

conditions of the Philippines during his time.
WHAT CAUSES OPERATED TO AWAKE THIS TERRIBLE
PREDISPOSITION FROM ITS LETHARGY? HOW
IS IT THAT THE FILIPINO PEOPLE, SO FOND OF
ITS CUSTOMS AS TO BORDER ON ROUTINE,
HAS GIVEN UP ITS ANCIENT HABITS OF
WORK, OF TRADE, OF NAVIGATION, ETC.,
EVEN TO THE EXTENT OF COMPLETELY
FORGETTING ITS PAST?

JOSE RIZAL
The Indolence of the Filipinos (1890)
THE INDOLENCE OF
THE FILIPINOS
(SOBRE LA INDOLENCIA
DE LOS FILIPINOS) (1890)
¡ BASIC INFORMATION:
¡ socio-political essay published in La
solidaridad in Madrid in 1890.
¡ It has 5 installments (chapters)
¡ From July 15 to September 15 , 1890
¡ five consecutive issues on July (15 and
31), August (1 and 31) and September 1,
1890.
¡ Mainly contains the exploratory and
argumentative claims of Rizal against the
Spanish notion of the Indio “Indolence”
¡ Syed Hussein Alatas, to build on Rizal’s
essay and publish “The Myth of the
Lazy Native” (1977),
WHAT WERE THE MAIN POINTS?

A. THAT INDOLENCE EXISTS.

1. But one must know why does it exist in order to CURE
it.
2. The Philippine climate is hostile compared to other
regions.
3. Man can work on any climate if he is capable of adapting
to it

B. INDOLENCE IS A CHRONIC ILLNESS.

1. A proper and appropriate treatment shall be used to
address indolence
2. Early Filipinos have been engaged with the
neighboring communities long before, thus dispelling
the notion that they are indolent.
WHAT WERE THE MAIN POINTS?
C. CONSISTENT INSTABILITY CAUSED THIS INDOLENCE
1. That the Filipinos experiences of violence and maltreatment in
the hands of the Spaniards contributed a lot to this problem
2. Constant wars, expeditions and invasions made Filipinos less
trusting
3. Separation fro families due to forced labor also is a factor
4. Introduction of Gambling

D. DEATH OF TRADE AND COMMERCE

1. Monopoly of business by a few Spaniards
2. Discrimination towards the natives
3. Abusive practices of encomenderos
4. Lack of support and motivation from the government
THEREFORE, INDOLENCE IS A PRODUCT
OF:

E. ABSENCE OF TRAINING AND EDUCATION

1. The Filipino natives lack proper education and training to
become skilled like the Spaniards
2. Such conditions also prohibit a sense of unity amongst
people.
It is the Spaniard who is lazy, argued Rizal, as they detest
manual labor and live surrounded by Filipino servants who
“not only exist to take off their shoes for them but even to
fan them!” His analysis as a physician and historian led to
primary sources that proved Filipinos in pre-Spanish times
were not so: “Indolence in the Philippines is a chronic
malady, but not a hereditary one. The Filipinos have not
always been what they are.”* (Ocampo, 2019)

*Read more: https://opinion.inquirer.net/120136/the-

indolence-of-the-filipino#ixzz6RQS7fNrr
LET US ANALYZE
https://esielcabrera.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/localtourists_eandacay_02.jpg?w=659
https://www.freewebs.com/philippineamericanwar/Filipino%20soldier%20wounded%20on%20
cart%20with%20Americans.JPG
PHILIPPINES, A
CENTURY HENCE
(FILIPINAS DENTRO DE
CIEN AÑOS)
(1889-1890)

¡ Recognize the relevance of Rizal’s writings

to the context of the 19th century events.
¡ Explain Rizal’s insights and predictions based
on his understanding of his time.
¡ Analyze his ideas of Philippine nationhood
through this socio-political essay.
A GOVERNMENT THAT RULES A COUNTRY FROM A GREAT
DISTANCE IS THE ONE THAT HAS THE MOST NEED FOR A FREE
PRESS, MORE SO EVEN THAN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE HOME
COUNTRY, IF IT WISHES TO RULE RIGHTLY AND FITLY. THE
GOVERNMENT THAT GOVERNS IN A COUNTRY MAY EVEN
DISPENSE WITH THE PRESS (IF IT CAN), BECAUSE IT IS ON THE
GROUND, BECAUSE IT HAS EYES AND EARS, AND BECAUSE IT
DIRECTLY OBSERVES WHAT IT RULES AND ADMINISTERS. BUT THE
GOVERNMENT THAT GOVERNS FROM AFAR ABSOLUTELY
REQUIRES THAT THE TRUTH AND THE FACTS REACH ITS
KNOWLEDGE BY EVERY POSSIBLE CHANNEL, SO THAT IT MAY
WEIGH AND ESTIMATE THEM BETTER, AND THIS NEED INCREASES
WHEN A COUNTRY LIKE THE PHILIPPINES IS CONCERNED,
WHERE THE INHABITANTS SPEAK AND COMPLAIN IN A
LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO THE AUTHORITIES.

JOSE RIZAL
PHILIPPINES A CENTURY HENCE
(1889)
PHILIPPINES, A CENTURY HENCE (FILIPINAS
DENTRO DE CIEN AÑOS)
(1889-1890)

¡ BASIC FACTS:
¡ Socio political essay written in four parts (1889-1890) in the
magazine La solidaridad by José Rizal
¡ Significant political work of the Propaganda Movement

¡ A Prediction, Assumption, Assertion of the Future of the

Philippine Political Status in the next 100 years.
¡ Published between September 30, 1889 and February 1, 1890
starts by analyzing the various causes of the miseries suffered
by the Filipino people
Then began a new era for the Filipinos; little by little they lost their old
traditions, the mementos of their past; they gave up their writing, their
songs, their poems, their laws in order to learn by rote mother doctrines
which they did not understand, another morality, another aesthetics
different from those inspired by their climate and their manner of
thinking. Then they declined, degrading themselves in their own eyes;
they became ashamed of was their own; they began to admire and
praise whatever was foreign and incomprehensible; their spirit was
dismayed and it surrendered.”
And lastly that we
will be colonized by
another country

RIZAL’S THREE MAIN

PREDICTIONS

That the Philippines That the Philippines will try

will remain to be a to cut the ties of our
colony of Spain but Motherland from it’s captors
through violent means
will be in good terms
with it’s captors
PHILIPPINES, A CENTURY HENCE
(Filipinas dentro de cien años)
(1889-1890)
(FILIPINAS DENTRO DE CIEN AÑOS):
EFFECTS OF COLONIZATION

1. Spain’s military policies retarded the Filipino family life as a

whole
2. Spain deteriorated indigenous culture
3. Filipinos became passive and submissive to Spaniards
(FILIPINAS DENTRO DE CIEN AÑOS):
RESPONSES OF THE NATIVES

1. Despite educational discrimination, the Filipino minds still

managed to learn
2. By keeping the Filipinos suffering, they have been pushed to
usher change
3. Killing many Filipinos did not help as many have become
more resilient
1. Abuse of human rights
2. Lack of freedom of speech
3. Lack of representation in the Spanish Cortes
(FILIPINAS DENTRO DE CIEN AÑOS):
PREDICTIONS

1. possible political intervention of Western colonial powers Great Britain,

France and even the United States should the Philippines declare itself
independent from Spain.
2. bloodshed once a new colonizer tries to subjugate Filipinos once more and
they’d sacrifice their lives for it
3. Philippines will go back to its maritime roots once again.
4. The great American Republic with interests in the Pacificic…may one day
think of acquiring possessions beyond the seas”
5. “Japan will swallow us”; five, “[once liberated] the Philippines will, perhaps,
establish a federal republic”;
6. and six, “[the Philippines] will, perhaps, enter openly the wide road of
progress and will work jointly to strengthen the Mother Country at home,
as well as abroad
LET US ANALYZE.

AMONG THOSE PREDICTED

BY RIZAL, WHAT DID HAPPEN
WITHIN A CENTURY?
INDOLENCE: THE FILIPINO IS NEVER INNATELY
LAZY. IT WAS A RESPONSE TO COLONIALISM
TAKEAWAYS
WOMEN: THE FILIPINO WOMEN SHALL ENJOY
THE SAME LIBERTIES OF MEN IN TERMS OF
EDUCATION AND DECISION-MAKING

A CENTURY: THE PHILIPPINES SHALL BECOME

A NATION OF ITS OWN. SPAIN CAN NEVER
STOP IT.
¡ Matukoy ang papel ng kababaihan sa panahong kolonyal.
Maipaliwanag ang konsepto ni Rizal tungkol sa
kabayanihan at katapangan ayun
¡ sa konteksto ng panahong kinabilangan.

A LETTER TO THE Maipaliwanag ang halaga ng mga sumusunod na

panuntunang may kinalaman sa:

WOMEN OF ¡
¡
- “moralidad”
- “pananampalataya at ang tunay na kabanalan”
MALOLOS ¡ - “Pagtataya ng sarili para sa bayan”
¡ - “pagkakamit ng katarungang –panlipunan”
¡ - “pag-ibig”
¡ - “katotohanan” atbp.
SIXTH. ALL MEN ARE BORN EQUAL, NAKED,
WITHOUT BONDS. GOD DID NOT
CREATE MAN TO BE A SLAVE; NOR DID HE
ENDOW HIM WITH INTELLIGENCE TO
HAVE HIM HOODWINKED, OR ADORN
HIM WITH REASON TO HAVE HIM
DECEIVED BY OTHERS. IT IS NOT
FATUOUS TO REFUSE TO WORSHIP ONE'S
EQUAL, TO CULTIVATE ONE'S INTELLECT,
AND TO MAKE USE OF REASON IN ALL
THINGS. FATUOUS IS HE WHO MAKES A
GOD OF HIM, WHO MAKES BRUTES OF
OTHERS, AND WHO STRIVES TO SUBMIT
TO HIS WHIMS ALL THAT IS REASONABLE JOSE RIZAL
AND JUST.
A LETTER TO THE WOMEN OF
MALOLOS (1889)
¡ BASIC FACTS:
¡ Was written in 1889 to specific group of 20
A LETTER TO THE women of Malolos, Bulacan who have asked
for permission to establish a local night
WOMEN OF school where they can study Spanish

MALOLOS ¡ This famous letter was written by Rizal in

Tagalog, while he was residing in London,
upon the request of M. H. del Pilar.
PATRIARCHY AND RELIGION CREATED MARIA CLARA:
• chivalrous idea that men should be the provider of the family and protector
of the women.
• Women were also taught to be compliant to elders and always
submissive to males.
• They were oriented to remain incorruptible until marriage and to focus on
building skills that would make them good daughters, housewives,
mothers and servants of God.
• barred from participating in political undertakings because it
• Education was more of a privilege than a right,
• daughters of well-to-do families were taught reading, writing,
arithmetic, religion and needlecraft, a benefit not enjoyed by
daughters of Indios.
WHAT WERE • Formal training beyond the primary grades was generally a male privilege.
THE FILIPINAS • For the most part of the Spanish period, the majority of schools as well as
colleges were exclusively for males.
LIKE BACK
THEN?
WHY WAS On December 12, 1888, a group of twenty young
IT women of Malolos petitioned Governor-General
WRITTEN? Weyler for permission to open a “night school” so that
they might study Spanish under Teodoro Sandiko.
Fr. Felipe Garcia of the town objected to it,
causing Weyler to turn it down
A LETTER TO THE
WOMEN OF The women made continuous petitions until
MALOLOS (1889) they were allowed to given that Senora
Guadalupe Reyes would be their mentor

It cause huge waves of discussions way back and

Rizal, although busy in London annotating Morga’s book
penned this famous letter and sent it to Del Pilar on
February 22, 1889 for transmittal to Malolos
A LETTER TO THE WOMEN OF MALOLOS: MAIN POINTS

The rejection of the spiritual

authority of the friars – not all of the
Qualities Filipino mothers need to
priests in the country that time possess – as evidenced by this portion
embodied the true spirit of Christ and
His Church. Most of them were The defense of private judgment of his letter, Rizal is greatly concerned of
the welfare of the Filipino children and
corrupted by worldly desires and used
the homes they grow up in.
worldly methods to effect change and
force discipline among the people.

Duties and responsibilities of a wife

to her husband – Filipino women are
known to be submissive, tender, and
Duties and responsibilities of loving. Rizal states in this portion of his Counsel to young women on their
Filipino mothers to their children choice of a lifetime partner
letter how Filipino women ought to be
as wives, in order to preserve the
identity of the race.
a) A. RIZAL’S MESSAGE TO FILIPINO WOMEN
¡ desire was for women to be offered the same opportunities as
those received by men in terms of education.
¡ emphasizes on freedom of thought and the right to education,
which must be granted to both boys and girls alike.

A LETTER TO b) THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF FILIPINO MOTHERS TO

THEIR CHILDREN
THE WOMEN a) Whoever the mother shall be her child

OF MALOLOS: b) Be a noble wife.

c) Rear her children in the service of the state – here Rizal gives
MAIN POINTS reference to the women of Sparta who embody this quality
d) Set standards of behavior for men around her.
4. RIZAL’S ADVICE TO UNMARRIED MEN AND WOMEN SUMMING IT UP:
• A noble and honored name The letter is meant to:
• A manly heart
• Congratulate the women for
• A high spirit incapable of being satisfied with engendering slaves. their success
• Never be deceived by looks.
• Reiterate their important roles in
• Consider Men’s ideas and principles. the society
• Strengthen their confidence and
pride

A LETTER TO THE WOMEN OF MALOLOS: MAIN POINTS

SOURCES:

Tiongson, Nicanor. The Women of Malolos. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila

Unibersity Press, 2004
Women’s Role in Philippine History: Selected Essays Second Edition. Quezon
City: University Center for Women’s Studies University of the Philippines, 2001
http://nhcp.gov.ph/girl-power-the-women-of-malolos/

THANK YOU. https://bangkanixiao.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/rizal-liham-sa-kababaihan-ng-

malolos.pdf
From Gregorio F. Zaide and Sonia M. Zaide, José Rizal: Life, Works and Writings of
a Genius,
Writer, Scientist and Naional Hero (Manila: National Book Store), 323:

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2016/12/29/rizals-felicitous-vision-of-our-future-as-
a-nation/