The Philippines a Century Hence

Lj Zaphan Lamboloto

Lj Zaphan Lamboloto

“The Philippines a Century Hence”

An article written by Jose Rizal on La Solidaridad

To forecast the future of our country by looking on the past and our contemporary times (Rizal’s era)

Lj Zaphan Lamboloto

Analyzing the various causes of the miseries suffered by the Filipino people.

Spain’s implementation of her military

policies

Deterioration and

disappearance of Filipino indigenous

culture

Passivity and submissiveness to the Spanish

colonizers

Lj Zaphan Lamboloto

Over-dependability to the Spanish crown

• We will collapse if the government collapsed (The Spanish government)

-because we have become so dependent on its whims • The Philippines will suffer due to its revolution (if a revolution

sparked) because we are not trained to take charge. -We are decapitated of our own wills

Lj Zaphan Lamboloto

New Era for Filipinos

•We used to practice our past traditions, cultures, sing songs of our own emotions but all these things are gone.

Lj Zaphan Lamboloto

Amaya’s decent is not so Filipino-ish though….

She is more legit

Lj Zaphan Lamboloto

Lj Zaphan Lamboloto

In effect, we are accustomed to what’s imposed to the point where we are ashamed of what is our own.

• So that we can admire and praise that was foreign and incomprehensible

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Colonization through Culture • Our identities were taken away from us • And in return, we are given another set of culture for us to

forget the past or our former traditional ways. • This idea is not new anymore because Rome were the first

to do it. • The deadliest weapon of all is when our wills and minds

are taken away from us…. • “Strengthen the body, take the mind.”

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• “An effort was made when they had become disheartened and disgusted with themselves, an effort was made to add the final stroke for reducing so many dormant wills and intellects to nothingness, in order to make of the individual a sort of toiler, a brute, a beast of burden and to develop a race without mind or heart.”

Lj Zaphan Lamboloto

• We were insulted• Writers and priests are suppressing us not only for the

capacity of virtue but of vice • Our protests and complaints are automatically regarded

as a wrong. • Protests often leads to Death Penalty (GomBurZa)

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The Spirit of the Filipino people will not be quenched

• The abuse of the Spanish government will only fuel the people into their glorious battle-cry

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If the Philippines would still be under Spain what would it be like?

If we were to be independent or be a province of Spain (having a presence on the Spanish Cortez….What would be sacrificed?

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What will become of the Philippines within a century if they continue to be a Spanish Colony?

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Rizal’s claim:

• The advancement & ethical progress of the Philippines is inevitable & declared by fate.

But this future has its conditions or steps. Knowing this….Rizal laid the problems on the table. The seeming main goal of Spain is to diminish the spirit of the people and with such following reasons Spain attempted to accomplish their sordid goals.

Lj Zaphan Lamboloto

Filipinos could have progressed• But we still have to go through a battle-cry over the abuses

of the Spanish Crown • We could have overthrown them by uniting ourselves… • “To a spirit enthusiastic over the liberty of the country, to

those unconquerable Kagayanes who nourished within themselves the spirit of Magalats, to the descendants of the heroic Gat Pulintang and Gat Salakab of the Province of Batanggas, independence was assured, it was merely a question of getting together and making a determination.”

Lj Zaphan Lamboloto

Spanish Domination established attachment to the people

• With the change of culture of the Filipino people, it wasn’t that difficult for Spain to control us not only culturally but politically and also economically

• The Church It has changed our religion, it appealed to our emotion. Its promises has solaced us during the “dark times”

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• The Penal Code The injustices of the justice system. “What is the use of all these when an accusation of a traitor is stronger than call that cries for justice.” The country wouldn’t move forward without an assurance of living in a just and free society.

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• The representation of the Philippines in the Spanish Cortez.

Without the Philippines being represented in the Spanish Cortez abuse will be continued on our part.

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The Rise of the Enlightened class • “Enlightenment is spreading and the

persecution it suffers quickens it.” The rise of the free-thinkers, writers, doctors, and etc. Although, people that are better-offs are addicted to peace & order but poverty inspires adventurous ideas.

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But will poverty or death arrest our development?

• Exterminating the people as an alternative to hindering progress did not work either. The Filipino race was able to survive amidst wars and famine, and became even more numerous after such catastrophes. To wipe out the nation altogether would require the sacrifice of thousands of Spanish soldiers, and this is something Spain would not allow.

Lj Zaphan Lamboloto

• In addition, Spain’s domination is better-off when we are well-off because people are generally addicted to peace.

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The Advancement and ethical progress of the Philippines is inevitable & declared by fate.

• He mentioned the problem of internecine feuds among provinces are only possible in the past because of the lack of communication.

• Telegram, ships, and etc are all available to connect with other provinces and such and so as a result:

-Less spirit of distrust -The exchange of impressions naturally increase

Lj Zaphan Lamboloto

If the Philippines were to remain under Spain, it will require greater liberty or they will declare themselves independent

after steeping themselves and their mother country in blood.

Lj Zaphan Lamboloto

Be transformed in a political sense

• The course of history • The needs of the inhabitants

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A fruitful and a peaceful transformation or reformation would only occur if it starts with the upper classes

If the masses were to start the reformation, it would be violent.

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• Although, attempts had been made by the upper class over the period of Spain’s domination but it eventually failed because of the lack of understanding of how the problem should be fixed.

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The need for a free press and the representation in the Spanish Cortez • If Spain were to retain their ruler-ship of the Philippines,

it has to give the press the liberty to really reflect the current state of the country and the situation of the people.

• “The free press is needed by the government, the government which still dreams of the prestige which it builds upon mined grounds.”

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Filipino Representatives

• Rizal tried to peek into the motives of the Spanish colonizers of why Filipino representatives are not given the spot on the Spanish Cortez

They said that the Filipinos are indolent and peaceful then what is the fear of the Spanish government? (If justice really prevails, then what is the fear of the Spanish rule?)

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• In 1898, the Americans wrestled with Spain to win the Philippines, and eventually took over the country. Theirs was a reign of democracy and liberty.

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“History does not record in its annals any lasting domination by one people over another, of different races, of diverse usages and customs, of opposite and divergent ideas. One of the two had to yield and succumb.”