Name: Lou Nila C.

Enojardo Date Submitted: June 08, 2021

Grade & Sec.: BSEN 1C-M ABM Student Number: TUPM-20-4769

Readings in Philippine History

The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 — Volume 5 of 55 eBook
“ On the Indolence of the Filipinos “
FINAL EXAM
Instructions:
Please answer the following:
1. In his defense of Filipinos against accusations of indolence, Rizal lays bare the evils of
colonialism which according to him leads to the indolence of the indios. What factors and
circumstances does he identify and what are the general effects of these causes on the
people's attitude and way of life?

Before the Spaniards came to the view in the Philippines, Filipinos cultivate their own land,
they do trading with other countries in Asia or even in the middle east, they also have
small businesses and handicrafts industry which makes them busy and their source of
income for their family.

According to Rizal, these are the factors of why Filipinos became indolence which affects
their attitude and way of life.
 First, the establishment of the Manila Acapulco Galleon Trade disrupts the previous
trading association of the Philippines from other countries which resulted in small
businesses disappearing.
 Second, due to the implementation of forced labors (polo y Servicio) by Spaniards they
made the Filipinos lost interest in working, they are compelled to work at the shipyard,
roads, and other public works which makes them abandon agriculture, industry, and
commerce, as well as their families, and farms( with no salary).
 Third, they make Filipinos their soldiers for their expedition around neighboring countries
that make Filipinos leave their family, lands, and work. They also make some of Indios to
be soldiers for the country without firearms, help, and support from them which causes the
death of the Indios.
 Fourth, they did not protect the Filipinos from piracy, and foreign invaders that resulted in
native houses to burned and destroyed while some of them were killed.
 Fifth, there was a crooked system of education, they taught students things that could not
be used to lead the country to progress.
 Sixth, Spanish rulers were a bad example to Filipinos that makes them despise manual
labor, the officials work at noon and left early even though they did not do something
productive in their work(they practice siesta, their work are only selective).
 Seventh, gambling is widely propagated during those times through fiesta and
celebrations, Spaniards corrupt Filipinos minds that instead, their money should go to their
family and use in essential things, they tend to use it in gambling.
 Eighth, the taxes were extremely high and the huge portion went only to the government
or the friars.
 Ninth, there was a dishonest system of religion, the friars taught the native Filipinos that it
was easier for poor people to go to heaven, that's why Filipinos came to prefer not to work
and remain poor so that they could easily go to heaven after they die.

2. How does Rizal describe the kind of education dispensed in the coutry?

Rizal described what kind of education the Filipinos has during Spanish colonialism that
contributed to their indolence. Education at that time has said to be brutalizing, depressive,
and antihuman. Students who read the books who have chosen by the priest are not
enough for them to learn some things even from their professors. They are only doing
preaching the whole time they're educating, which not makes them knowledgeable
enough to at least capable of leading a country. Spaniards made them like animals,
deprive their dignity and their moral strength which can be useful for others. They used
education, not for progressive means of Filipinos but to actually subjugate them. There
were no courses for agriculture or industry whic are essential for a developing country

3. Why did Rizal say that there is lack of national sentiment among Filipinos? What role does
it have in achieving liberty and progress?

Rizal state that during Spanish colonialism, there is a lack of national sentiment among
Filipinos, it is because of Filipinos at that time felt inferiority against the Spanish which
they compelled humble submission, and they tend to imitate their foreign culture. There is
a scarcity of opposition to the measures done by Spaniards that are prejudicial to them,
lack of initiative to rebound their welfares. It resulted in the Filipinos to felt the evilness of
these actions. The culture of silence is present at this time where they were afraid of
injuries and punishments they could get if they talk ill or voice out their concerns against
Spanish. They were deprived of the right of association, which resulted in them being
weak and unmotivated to work. Having our voice will not only make progress in the state
we currently have but can also make us achieve the liberty we are all wanting, like for the
Filipinos before, their initiative and strength to say what they need and really want to say
might contribute to the progress happened in their situations. If they use their number as
a people as a group as a nation who against the leadership of the Spanish, Filipinos might
achieve liberty as early as possible. They will not still be experiencing injuries and
hardships from them. Our voice is a key in having a free nation, our opposition, opinions,
and perceptions will contribute to the decisions will make for the better of all people. As
you can see, we have now the power to say what we want as long as it's not harming
people, it's our freedom of speech which if the Filipinos used before they should not suffer
more years from the hand of evil Spaniards that led the country.

4. Was Rizal fair in critizing both the Spanish colonial government and the Filipinos
themselves? What solutions does he propose?

As for me, Rizal has been fair in his judgment between the Spanish colonial government
and the Filipinos at that time. He gives facts and pieces of evidence of his arguments that
show all his stated words are true and not only based on Him being a Flipino. First, in his
statement, he defined indolence and how it's being misused by some people specifically
the Spanish people. He states his position on the argument and gives pieces of evidence
about it that show how Filipinos are not really indolence like what they have said. For
example, at the part where he said that climate inside the country contributes to the
performances of the workers in their jobs. For people living in the cold area (Spanish
people), their one hour of job is equivalent to the whole day job of Filipinos working here
in the Philippines which is a tropical country. Another Rizal states that "Indolence in the
Philippines is a chronic malady, but not a hereditary one." which means that before the
Spanish came to the island, Filipinos are very hardworking, they do trading with other
nations like countries in Asia, they just learned how to indolent when Spaniards came to
the view, being the factors that influence their attitudes towards working, lack of
motivations and from the injuries they get from the Spaniards. From the different factors
Rizal said in Chapter 4 of his statements, he comes up with the solution that he said to be
the one who can save Filipinos in this situation, and that is having liberty and proper
education. A day where people find their enlightenment as a gift and not as conquered
plunder. Policies that are frank, consistent, highly civilizing, without sordid reservations,
distrust, fear, or jealousy, wishing the good for the sake o the good, civilization for the sake
of civilization, and better policies for the benefit of all Filipinos. Build roads, and highways,
encourage the freedom of trade, let it send out intelligent employees to foster industry; just
judges, all well paid, so that they do not become greedy and lay aside all religious pretext.

5. Taking inspiration from Rizal's essay, write about the present predicaments of our society
and think of general solutions that may remedy these problems.

Through the years, many changes happened here in the Philippines which most
of them are still not resolved due to different factors and reasons. The first one, the issue
in the West Philippine Sea, where we are fighting against China about its ownership and
scope. I know that the Philippines already won in this issue because of the pieces of
evidence we show that proves that the West Philippine Sea is ours even from the past,
but China is very hard and persistent in owning this territory even they didn't let Filipino
fishermen go in there to do fishing, which it's clearly stated that some part of the Sea is a
portion of our EEZ or Exclusive economic zone of the Philippines. Second, lack of public
services for everyone, mostly the people who are in need. The government collects and
has a budget for doing projects and services for the benefit of the people but it seems that
they are not using it properly. They should invest more in arranging problems in public
transportation because it only produces another problem of the society, the excessive
traffic which resulted in workers experiencing hardships that affects their performances in
their jobs. Another, endless corruption in the officials of government, a growing rate of
people experiencing poverty, spreading of crab, and colonial mentality to the people,
increase in the unemployment rate, extrajudicial killings and the latest from the year 2020,
the Covid-19 pandemic.
To resolve these social issues, the government or the officials should be effective
leaders for the nation. They are proving to the people their worth, role, and what they
promised from the beginning. They do their best to perform their responsibilities well and
appropriately that can cause people to trust them and bring their hopes again for a better
nation we all possess to have. Use the money of the society in activities and projects that
not only benefit the rich people but also accessible to the poorer ones. Equality should be
in all aspects for all kinds of people, no gender, no age, and no status of life that can
dictate what you can have and you can't have. Aside from the government, people also or
the members of the society should also exert efforts to make the nations, a better and
peaceful place. Helps each other, have unity, and don't degrade and criticize each one of
us without knowing their whole personality.
“Love our country and the resources we have here, make it grow, and be proud of it.”