KATRIN ICE S.

LAO / 2011120105
RIZAL10 - Midterm Examination
1. Compare and contrast (give me three) the differences between the Jesuits and Dominican education
of Rizal in Manila (20 points)
Jesuits were greatly recognized as the best educators in Spain, and perhaps in Europe. So they imposed an
educational institution called the Ateneo de Municipal in order to spread their teachings .The method of Jesuitical
system was advanced. Their methods were less mechanical and rigid in discipline. Jesuits introduced physical
culture as well as art cultivation, such as music, drawing, and painting. Agriculture, commerce, and mechanics were
part of their vocational courses. Being a religious institution, Ateneos principal purpose was to encourage good
values and character.

During his second year in Ateneo he had the same professor as in the previous year. At the end of the term, he
received excellent grades in all his subjects and was awarded a gold medal. Rizal also devoted most of his time to
reading. He particularly admired Alexander Dumas The Count of Monte Cristo, The Universal History by Cesar
Cantanu, and Travels in the Philippinesby Dr. Feodor Jagor. Rizal also read a lot of romantic novels that helped him
in enriching his creative views in writing.

During his third year in Ateneo, his year opened with a surprise visit from her mother telling him that she was
already released from prison. As a result, he became more motivated to study and in result, remained at the top of
his class. Having a small built, he tried to cope by attending his gymnastics class regularly in the college. He also
engaged himself to physical exercises, such as fencing. He also devoted time to painting and sculpture. His drawing
and painting instructor was Don Augustin Saez. In sculpture, his instructor was a Filipino, Romualdo de Jesus. Rizal
was also hailed emperor of his class, of which resulted from his continuous academic excellence and great
socialization. He graduated with the highest recognition in Ateneo.

It is safe to concur that Rizal was able to gain proper knowledge from the Jesuits advanced teachings, he had
close relationships with the professors and he was a very congenial student to his fellow peers. Rizal had one of the
greatest moments in the duration of his life in Ateneo.

After graduating, he continued his education at the University of Santo Tomas. He finished a year in Philosophy
and Letters, then decided to shift to a medical course. During the year of his studies in University of Sto.

Tomas which was under the Dominicans, rival of the Jesuits in education, he remained loyal to Ateneo regardless. He
continued to participate in extracurricular activities in Ateneo and he completed a course in surveying there as well.
As a Thomasian, he won more literary laurels, had more romances with girls, and had more fights with Spanish
students. Don Francisco and Paciano both agreed that Rizal should pursue a higher learning but on the
contrary, Dona Teodora did not want him to study further. She warned them with a premonition that too much
knowledge would endanger Rizal's life. She advised her husband to not send their son because if he stepped closer
and closer to truth, his life would only be placed in danger, but despite his mother's plea, this never stopped Rizal
from continuing his goal for greater knowledge. Rizal then enrolled in University of Sto. Tomas, taking up Philosophy
and Letters. He enrolled in this course for two reasons, first, his father wanted him to take the course, and second, he
was still uncertain as to which career he would pursue. He asked for Fr. Pablo Ramon's advice about his career by
sending him a letter. It was only then later that he decided to shift to Medicinal studies instead. Rizal had two main
reasons why he studied medicine. First, he wanted to be a physician so that he could cure his mothers failing
eyesight. And second, Fr. Pablo Ramon, the Father Rector of Ateneo whom he consulted for a choice of career,
finally answered his letter, and recommended medicine.In the following year, he had took his Pre-Medical Course
which were Advanced course in Physics, Chemistry and Natural History.

Rizal was not happy with his stay in UST, however. The Dominicans were nothing but discriminating/racist to
Filipino students. Their method of instruction was backwards and they restricted their span of teaching to nothing
close to as advanced that were given by the Jesuits. He was gravely mistreated by Spanish authorities as well. With
regards to peers, Rizal was always participating in street brawls with Spanish students, albeit he was a hailed as
champion by his fellow Filipino classmates. With his fourth year, he pursued practical training in medicine at the
Hospital de San Juan de Dios in Intramuros. During his last year at the University, Rizal had obtained the global
grade of Notable in all of his subjects, and he was the second best student in a decimated class of seven who
passed the medicine course. Afterwards, Rizal decided to pursue his studies to Spain, despite knowing the
impending heavy discouragement from his mother. He set sail to Europe without the permission of his parents, and
only his brother knew of his departure.
2. Discuss the relevance of the Cavity Mutiny to Philippine nationalism. (20 points)
Two historical events in the late 19th century that hastened the growth of nationalism in the great minds of
people such as Rizal, reformists and the Filipino people/mass is the Cavite Mutiny incident and the martyrdom of
Father Gomez, Burgos and Zamora, who are now most popularly recognized with the name as GOMBURZA. The
Cavite Mutiny incident was a failed rebellious uprising and batlle against Spanish authorities or Spaniards, as a result

from miscommunication amongst members of local rebels. It took place on the cold night of January 20, 1872 where
a battalion of two hundred soldiers and labor workers led by Lamadrid, who was then a sergeant, marched up and
pursued to take over the Cavite arsenal and guarded forts by force. But even before this, there was already an
agreement between Lamadrid and his men and other groups of soldiers in Manila that they would join each others
forces to stage a revolt against the Spanish authorities guarding the forts, with firing rockets from the city walls of
Manila on the night as the signal of the impending uprising. Unfortunately, suburbs of Manila celebrated its fiesta on
the very night with a display of fireworks.
The people who were behind the Cavite plan, thinking that the battle has already started by Manila soldiers,
killed their Spanish officers and already immediately took control of the fort. By the following morning, government
troops rushed to the Cavite arsenal and slaughtered numerous Filipino soldiers including their leader, Lamadrid. The
survivors were subdued, forced to slavery and delivered to Manila.
The unfortunate tragedy in Cavite transformed to an opportunity, however, for the Spanish authorities to put
blame or impose on the three Filipino friars who had been encouraging the rights of Filipinos, particularly the right of
Filipino priest to become parish friars or a localizing of the existing parishes or churches in the colony. The three
priests, one especially named Father Jose Burgos, was the youngest and most intellectual, encouraged the rights of
the locals who were priests and was greatly critical of the Spanish policies.
The Spanish government then wanted them to be imprisoned behind bars or beheaded. In order to make this
possible, the authorities took advantage of this and made it appear as a revolt against the government. Thus, after
the Cavite rebels were sent to jail, Father Mariano Gomez, Father Jose Burgos and Father Jacinto Zamora, or shortly
GOMBURZA, were brought to prison and charged with mutiny and treason falsely under the military court. To
implicate them, the government bribed Fransico Zaldua, a former soldier, as the starring witness for the case. With a
fraud trial, a biased court judgement, and zero to nothing defense from the authorities hired lawyers for the three,
they were convicted of a crime they did not even do. Governor Izquierdo approved their execution sentence and
Father Gomez, Father Burgoz and Father Zamore were escorted under heavy guard of Spanish to Luneta and were
killed by being sent to the gallons before a large crowd of locals and other foreigners.
The execution of the three priests only served to hasten the impending downfall of the Spanish governments
hold over the land but also the birth and growth of the new cry for freedom from the colony, the Philippine
nationalism. The locals gravely resented the killing of the three priests because they knew that these men were
innocent and were killed for fighting for what they believed what was only right. Among those in the crowd who also
criticized the executions were Paciano, the older brother of Jose Rizal, who inspired the national hero to follow the

cause for what the three priests have always preached for the great locality. In return, Jose Rizal wrote his novel, Noli
Me Tangere in dedication and memory of the three priests, GOMBURZA, in order to present and expand his
appreciation and great respect for their courage. This was now the birth of the Filipino rights and the sense of
nationalism.

3. Discuss the economic, cultural, political, and religious developments in the 19 th century and how
these developments influenced the development of Rizal nationalism. (20 points)
In order to understand the thoughts of Rizal, we will begin the early ages of the events in Europe, on of which
was the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution is basically an economic revolution which started with the
invention of steam engine and resulted to the use of machinery in the manufacturing sector in the cities of Europe.
The Industrial Revolution that started in Europe had repercussions to the Philippine economy. A radical
transformation of the economy took place between the middle of the eighteenth century and the middle of the
nineteenth; something that might almost be called an agricultural revolution, with a concomitant development of
agricultural industries and domestic as well as foreign trade. The economic opportunities created by the Industrial
Revolution had encouraged Spain to open the Philippine economy to world commerce. As a result, new cities and
ports were built. Foreign firms increased rapidly. Foreigners were allowed to engage in manufacturing and
agriculture. Merchant banks and financial institutions were also established. The presence of these foreign traders
stimulated agricultural production, particularly sugar, rice, hemp, andonce the government monopoly was removed
in 1882tobacco. Indeed, the abolition of restrictions on foreign trade has produced a balanced and dynamic
economy of the Philippines during the 19th century.
Furthermore, the fast tempo of economic progress in the Philippines during the 19th century facilitated by Industrial
Revolution resulted to the rise to a new breed of rich and influential Filipino middle class. Non-existent in previous
centuries, this class, composed of Spanish and Chinese mestizosrose to a position of power in the Filipino
community and eventually became leaders in finance and education. This class included the ilustrados who belonged
to the landed gentry and who were highly respected in their respective pueblos or towns, though regarded as
filibusteros or rebels by the friars. The relative prosperity of the period has enabled them to send their sons to Spain
and Europe for higher studies. One of these families who were lucky was Jose Rizals, which gave him opportunity to
which people of lower class could not obtain.
If the Industrial Revolution changed the economic landscape of Europe and of the Philippines, another great
Revolution changed their political tone of the periodthe French Revolution. The French revolution started a political

revolution in Europe and in some parts of the world. This revolution is a period of political and social upheaval and
radical change in the history of France during which the French governmental structure was transformed from
absolute monarchy with feudal privileges for the rich and clergy to a more democratic government form based on the
principles of citizenship and inalienable rights. With the overthrow of monarchical rule, democratic principles of
Liberty, Equality and Fraternity--the battle cry of the French Revolution--started to spread in Europe and around the
world.
Not all democratic principles were spread as a result of the French Revolution. The anarchy or political
disturbance caused by the revolution had reached not only in neighbouring countries of France, it has also reached
Spain in the 19th century. Spain experienced a turbulent century of political disturbances during this era which
included numerous changes in parliaments and constitutions, the Peninsular War, the loss of Spanish America, and
the struggle between liberals and conservatives. Moreover, radical shifts in government structure were introduced by
liberals in the motherland. All these political changes in Spain had their repercussions in the Philippines, cracking the
fabric of the old colonial system and introducing through cracks perilous possibilities of reform, of equality and even
emancipation.
Because of this political turmoil in the motherland, the global power of the Spain in the sixteenth century as
the mistress of the world with extensive territories had waned abroad in the nineteenth century. Her colonies had
gained momentum for independence owing to the cracks in political leadership in the motherland.
Finally, the American Revolution, though not directly affecting the local economy and politics of the Philippines
in the nineteenth century, had important repercussions to democratic aspirations of the Filipino reformist led by Rizal
during this period. In this period the colonies first rejected the authority British Parliament to govern without
representation, and formed self-governing independent states. The American revolution had given the world in the
19thcentury the idea that colonized people can gain their independence from their colonizers. Filipino reformists like
Rizal to aspire for freedom and independence. When the Philippines was opened by Spain to world trade in the 19th
century, liberal ideas from America borne by ships and men from foreign ports began to reach the country and
influenced the ilustrados and mainly, Jose Rizals perspective about the Spanish government.
Aside from the three great revolutions in Europe, the birth of social sciences such as sociology, history and
anthropology, also had a significant influence to the intellectual tradition of the 19th century. The reliance on human
reason and science rather on dogmas of the Catholic Church has its roots in the intellectual movement called The
Enlightenment. The Age of Enlightenment or simply The Enlightenment is a term used to describe a time in Western
philosophy and cultural life centered upon the eighteenth century, in which reason was advocated as the primary

source and legitimacy for authority. The reliance on human reason rather on faith and religion has paved the way to
the birth of social sciences in the 19th century to study scientifically the changes and conditions of Europe during this
period. The massive changes in society brought about by the three great revolutions has resulted to dissatisfaction.
In addition to the three great revolutions, the weakening of the grip of the Catholic Church of the growing
secularized society of Europe and Spain has implications to the Philippines. The declining influence of the Catholic
Church in Europe and Spain has little effect, however, to the control and power of the local Church in the Philippines.
Despite the anti-clericalism in Spain, the power of the friars in the Philippines in the 19thcentury did not decline;
instead, it became consolidated after the weakening of civil authority owing to constant change in political leadership.
This means that Filipinos turned more and more to the friars for moral and political guidance as Spanish civil officials
in the colony became more corrupt and immoral. The union of the Church and State continued during this period. In
the last decades of the 19th century, the Spanish friars were so influential and powerful that they practically ruled the
whole archipelago.
One of the aims of Dr. Rizal and the propagandists in order to prepare the Filipino people for revolution and
independence was to discredit the friars. Exposing the abuses and immoralities of the friars is one way to downplay
their power and influence among the people and thus can shift the allegiance of the Indiosfrom the friars to the
Filipino reformists and leaders. The strengthening power of the friars in the 19th century has encouraged the
nationalists to double their efforts to win the people to their side.

4. Discuss the roles of education in (a) justifying and in (b) resistance against colonial domination. (20
points)
Philippine Education has gone through an evolution year after year as product of the challenges and
circumstances that we are faced with. From the philosophy that education should make us civilized so we can
actually lead our own government during the American to Commonwealth Period, our leaders have seen the
importance of education in nation building, liberating our countrymen from poverty and in promoting social justice.
They too have recognized that education is everyones right and thus, it should be provided by the government.
Our history has been a witness to the continuous pursuit of our country to improve the system of our education in
order to address the demands of the time, and yet, again and again, we have seen the failure of the several reforms
caused by budget constraints, political sabotage, corruption and moral degradation of the people handling
educational institutions and agencies.

When we look deeper, the answer to these problems is education itself. When a good education is provided
to the Filipino youth, we can produce future morally upright leaders who do not entertain corruption and who can
manage our resources well and thus, gain respect of the people and fellow leaders...
Education should develop the innate potentials of a Filipino youth. God has given us respective talents and
potentials which should be further developed through education. As what Existentialism promotes, an individual gives
meaning to the world. A student who discovers that he/she is good say in arts would better appreciate arts subject
and its meaning. Because it is not only through lecture that he/she learns about the subject matter, but it is through
making of outputs like painting, dancing, singing, acting, and the likes.
Education should unite the nation and bridge the disparity of the social classes. In relevance with Socialism, a
man lives with his/her community and thus, education should provide an avenue for a learner/student to impact
change to the community he/she belongs. This is very evident now with the Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS) in
college. But I guess, social consciousness should start again in grade school where students should be taught about
their roles in the community.
Education plays a big role in molding the ideals of our youth. It is the first door these students open to a path of
greater knowledge. It injects the common truths, facts and sciences that the world so far has discovered through
printed textbooks provided by the school. Education should empower a Filipino youth by nationalism.
Textbooks emphasize what our colonizers, especially the Americans have done for us. They have long lists of
what we learned from them. Shouldnt the youth be told of the fierce and heroic resistance of our past ancestors?
Should they not be told of the tortures and massacres imposed by their American conquerors? Instead, our textbook
asks: what would have happened to us if the foreigners had not come? A mind so shaped will not question present
foreign intervention in our affairs, political and economic. Philippine history, properly taught, will be a potential tool for
developing nationalism. Perhaps this is why our whole history is being left out in the dark.
Since educational policy and the direction and content of education are tied- up with the economic
development program, the educational system will not change completely until we Filipinos establish fundamental
changes in economic and political policies. A truly nationalist government authorizing all. But this does not mean that
we can do nothing meanwhile. Filipinos can take an active part in opposing certain policies, as so many have done
regarding the national Service Law. While officially following prescribed subjects, school administrations, parents and
teachers can cooperate in finding ways of making the actual educational process serve the cause of nationalist
transformation. Administrators, parents and teachers could evaluate the various textbooks available. If we opt for no

textbook, there is the problem of finding adequate material at the proper level for each class. Parents can help
teachers obtain useful material with a nationalist perspective but frequently such material is too complex and difficult
for the lower grades. It would take a creative, diligent super-teacher to rewrite the stuffwhich comes in mindwhy
dont nationalists write nationalist textbooks instead?
Clearly, our best hope for a nationalist education at the present time lies with the teacher. But the quality of
education the teacher transmits depends on the quality of their own education. The education of the educator is
therefore of significant importance in hastening a nationalist drive youth.

5. Discuss why Rizal is considered a limited Filipino and how his class played a role in the
development of his nationalism. (20 points)
Rizal became an American sponsored hero when Governor William Howard Taft suggested that the country be
given a national hero that the mass would be able to look up to. A free press was held on December 28, 1946, and
amongst of which there was a panel of choices for the American colonial officials to choose from, enabling them to
further their total conquer of the Filipino nationality. Aguinaldo was labelled too militant, Bonifacio too radical, Mabini
unregenerate, leaving Rizal the perfect candidate for the position. A Philippine commission act was immediately
passed afterwards, and several changes to portions of the country were made to immortalize Rizals name, this
includes: renaming the province of Morong to Rizal, construct of a monument of Rizal in Luneta Park and a special
holiday dedicated for the anniversary of his death. But Renato Constantino argued this to be nothing but another step
to progress their colonizing of the Philippines.
A national hero would usually be a leader of a revolution, but with Rizal, this was not the case. He rejected the
idea of revolution, a total change to political hierarchy in the government, and encouraged the ideals of reform. It is
common knowledge to know that Rizal was from an Illustrado class, and with this in mind, it was a fact that it was a
barrier to his principles of being Filipino. Yes, he was nationalistic in many aspects, but he chose to protect the
minority of men and women of his class, and chose the idea of subtly subjecting still to the benefit of Spain and did
not all out protected and fought for the rights of his country. This is what makes him a limited Filipino.
On the other hand, what made Rizal to what he is known today was from the family background he had
possessed back then. If it werent the case then, the Jose Rizal we study in textbooks or writings or essays today
would not have been the same otherwise. Rizal grew up nurtured by a closely-knit Catholic family, was educated in

the foremost Catholic schools of the period in the elementary, secondary and college levels; logically, he should have
been a propagator of strictly Catholic traditions.
However, in later life, he developed a life philosophy of a different nature, a philosophy of a different Catholic
practice intermingled with the use of Truth and Reason. Why? It was because he was more enabled to access other
philosophies outside of his country. His familys ilustrado class gave more ways than one for him to gain opportunity
to further expand his knowledge outside and inside of the colony. With his trip to Europe, Rizal was able to harness
western philosophies of liberalism, independence and other ideals that the Spaniards forced to restrict from entering
the archipelago. From then, realization hit Rizal, he started to criticize the Catholic dogma that salvation was only for
Catholics and that outside Christianity salvation was not possible even if Catholics composed only a small minority of
the worlds religious groups. Nor did he believe in the Catholic observation of fasting as a sacrifice, nor in the sale of
such religious items as the cross, medals, rosaries and the like in order to propagate the Faith and raise church
funds. He also lambasted the superstitious beliefs propagated by the priests in the church and in the schools. All of
these

and

lot

more

are

evidences

of

Rizals

religious

philosophy.

Rizals political philosophy proved to be the study and application of reforms, the extension of human rights,
the training for self government and the arousing of spirit of discontent over oppression, brutality, inhumanity,
sensitiveness and self love.
The study of human behavior as to whether it is good or bad or whether it is right or wrong is that science
upon which Rizals ethical philosophy was based. The fact that the Philippines was under Spanish domination during
Rizals time led him to subordinate his philosophy to moral problems. This trend was much more needed at that time
because the Spaniards and the Filipinos had different and sometimes conflicting morals. The moral status of the
Philippines during this period was one with a lack of freedom, one with predominance of foreign masters, one with an
imposition of foreign religious worship, devotion, homage and racial habits. This led to moral confusion among the
people, what with justice being stifled, limited or curtailed and the people not enjoying any individual rights.
To bolster his ethical philosophy, Rizal had recognized not only the forces of good and evil, but also the
tendencies towards good and evil. As a result, he made use of the practical method of appealing to the better nature
of the conquerors and of offering useful methods of solving the moral problems of the conquered.
A master in 22 languages, Rizal used his intellectual and writing talents to write about the Spanish Colonial
elite and the atrocities committed towards the natives by the Friars in the name of the Church. He translated and

published his writings in many languages. However, this meant Rizal faced strong public opposition from elites in
many countries who wanted to protect their interests in colonialism.
Rizal based on several writings about him; he is the one who opened the Filipinos mind about the Spaniards
autocracy. Rizal is a man with great passion on writing, a man with high education, and a man wanting to have
equality on our native land.
Rizal opened up the minds of the Filipinos through his writing such as El Filibusterismo and Noli Me Tangere
which lead the Filipinos to revolt against Spaniards unequal treatment. But this action made Rizal disappointed. He
did all his writings not to start a bloody-revolution but to open up the minds of the Spaniards in giving the Filipinos
equal rights as they are enjoying.
Rizal did so much for our country. Although we knew that he was only given the right as our national hero
because of the Americans. But if we try to figure it out, between all our heroes, he emerges differently. Unlike others,
he didnt join any bloody act or any actions that resulted to death, but he fought through his passion which is writing
to open not only the mind of the Filipinos but also the minds of the Spaniards specially friars.