The Philippines a Century Hence

The Philippines a Century Hence: Summary and Analysis “The Philippines a Century Hence” is an essay written by Philippine national hero Jose Rizal to forecast the future of the country within a hundred years. Rizal felt that it was time to remind Spain that the circumstances that ushered in the French Revolution could have a telling effect for her in the Philippines. This essay, published in La Solidaridad starts by analyzing the various causes of the miseries suffered by the Filipino people: 1. Spain’s implementation of her military policies – because of such laws, the Philippine population decreased dramatically. Poverty became more rampant than ever, and farmlands were left to wither. The family as a unit of society was neglected, and overall, every aspect of the life of the Filipino was retarded. 2. Deterioration and disappearance of Filipino indigenous culture – when Spain came with the sword and the cross, it began the gradual destruction of the native Philippine culture. Because of this, the Filipinos started losing confidence in their past and their heritage, became doubtful of their present lifestyle, and eventually lost hope in the future and the preservation of their race. 3. Passivity and submissiveness to the Spanish colonizers – one of the most powerful forces that influenced a culture of silence among the natives were the Spanish friars. Because of the use of force, the Filipinos learned to submit themselves to the will of the foreigners. The question then arises as to what had awakened the hearts and opened the minds of the Filipino people with regards to their plight. Eventually, the natives realized that such oppression in their society by foreign colonizers must no longer be tolerated. One question Rizal raises in this essay is whether or not Spain can indeed prevent the progress of the Philippines: 1. Keeping the people uneducated and ignorant had failed. National consciousness had still awakened, and great Filipino minds still emerged from the rubble. 2. Keeping he people impoverished also came to no avail. On the contrary, living a life of eternal destitution had allowed the Filipinos to act on the desire for a change in their way of life. They began to explore other horizons through which they could move towards progress. 3. 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.

Spain, therefore, had no means to stop the progress of the country. What she needs to do is to change her colonial policies so that they are in keeping with the needs of the Philippine society and to the rising nationalism of the people. What Rizal had envisioned in his essay came true. 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. Five decades after Rizal’s death, the Philippines gained her long-awaited independence. This was in fulfillment of what he had written in his essay: “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.”

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1. THE PHILIPPINES A CENTURY HENCE 2.  This article he wrote in La Solidaridad was pondering: Is this true? Is this the article that, predicted the future of the Philippines from time? Is this Rizal’s precious intellect, to be our national hero, more of a human being that he was. 3.  The heavy title summarizes what may the whole thing is all about. The article is less excitement but more on historical sense. The sentence of what he wrote that “in order to read the destiny of a people, it is necessary to open the book of it’s past”. It was a strong argument, and needed a logical point of view. As much was said, the Philippines was a battleground of the clash of cultures, of blending of races and of pitiful bloodshed. Rizal in his own words painted the picture of our past clearly; the depth of his writings was proof of much grief and much work. 4.  He could have overreacted in telling his stories, but the next generation Filipinos understood the hardships of their forefathers. It can be considered that the people had enough war, that they longed peace, and that they never stopped hoping for happiness and the right to live in their own contentment. 5.  What supplied Rizal of the heart for passion for his country became his primary mission to save from the terror and tyranny of the cruel Spaniards. His allusion of the past Philippines and reading gave the spark of idea to Rizal that he is not actually prophesying; instead, he was telling in his article was but an analysis. 6.  Something which was not commonly done in his time, for the patterns he used were commonly for science experiments, where intelligent guesses were made from observation. He just carefully observed the present and past situation of our dear Motherland, and from then “predicted” our future. He fearlessly told the public of the plans of domination of other countries. These expositions were Rizal’s own expression of three things: 7.  installing fear on the current regime of Spanish tyranny for them to fly away from the country; expressing sadness and failure, that even if Spain let loose hold of the Philippines, there will be other countries in the world that are ready to take hold of our country; or maybe

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Rizal was even giving a hint of hope to the Filipinos that sooner or later, a great nation will save their country from the oppressive rule of Spain. 8. Submitted by: Janice Sinsay Mercy DiazSubmitted to: Professor Julie Salcedo 9. Part II 10. In PART 2 Of the essay, he answered the questi0n, whatwill become of the phil. Within a century? Will theycontinue to be a spanish colony?He discuss first the hist0ry of malayan filipinos.He state that, the phil. Peoples have remained faithfulduring 3 centuries, giving up their liberty and theirindependence, sometimes dazzled by the h0pe of theparadise promised, sometimes cajoled by the friendshipoffered them by a noble and generous people like thespanish, sometimes also compelled by superiority of armsof which ignorant and which timid spirits invested with amysterious character, or sometimes bec. The invadingforeigner took advantage of internecine feuds to step in asthe peacemaker in discord and thus after to dominate bothparties and subject them to his authority. 11. -because of that rizal expose the several issues thatconcern our country.1. The abuse of human rights.2. The lack of freedom of the press.He said that, the philippines will remain under spanishdominati0n, but with more law and greater liberty, orthey will declare themselves independent aftersteeping themselves and the mother country in blood.That statement, rizal juzt wanted liberty from spainnot total seperation.In his essay we see his urge to put freedom in our landthrough peaceful negotations with the spanish gov. inspain. 12. Submitted by: Archie Reziel T. Esto Francia Borais IV-BPWSubmitted to: Mrs. Julie Salcedo 13. Part 3 14.  If the Philippine will remain under the control of Spain, transformation will eventually happen and will affect the people. In this case some governors have been trying to introduce needed reforms. But it produced scanty result for the government as well as to the country. with this, our country is most likely reminded to Sancho Panza in Barataria island where he took his seat on appointed table covered with fruits and variety of food but when Pedro Rezio interposed Sancho was as hungry as ever. 15.  That he should not eat except according to the usage and custom of other island. Philippines is like Sancho reforms are the dishes, Rezio are those persons interested in not having the dishes touched. The result is the long suffering of Sancho(Philippines) misses his liberty and ends up rebelling. In this manner as long as the Philippines have no liberty of press all the efforts of the colonial ministers will meet the fake like the dishes in Barataria Island. 16.  The minister who wants his reforms be reforms must begin by declaring the press in the Philippines free and by instituting Filipino delegates. A government that governs in a country may even dispense with the press because it is on the ground has eyes and ears, and directly observes what is rules and administers. 17.  But a government that governs a far requires that the truth and facts reach its knowledge by every possible channel that it may weigh and estimate them better, and this need increases when a country like Philippines is concerned. A risk does the government

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see in them? One of the three things either that they will prove unruly, become political trimmers, or act properly. 18.  Supposing that we should yield to the most absurd pessimism and admit the insult. Great for the Philippines but still greater for Spain, certainly the Spanish people does not spare its blood were patriotism is concern but would not a struggle of principles in parliament be preferable to the exchange of lands. 19.  Because the Spanish parliament especially abounds in oratorical paladins invisible in debate. So we see no serious reason why Philippines may not have representatives. We know that the lack of enlightenment, the indolence, the egotism may convert reform into a harmful instrument. 20.  When the laws and the acts of officials are kept under surveillance the word justice may cease to be a colonial just the things that makes the English must respected in their possessions is their strict and speedy justice so that the inhabitants repose entire confidence in the judges justice is the foremost. 21.  Virtue of the civilized races we could add other minor reforms touching commerce, agriculture, security of individual and of property education and others. To recapitulate: The Philippines will remains Spanish if they enter upon the life of law and civilization, if the rights of their inhabitants are respected, if the other rights due them are granted, if the liberal policy of the government is carried out without false interpretation. 22.  Otherwise, if an attempt is made to see in the islands a love to be exploited, a resource to satisfy ambitious, however great may be the loyalty of Filipinos and it will be impossible to hinder the operations of the laws of history. Close indeed are the bonds that unite us to Spain. Two peoples do not live for three centuries in continual contract, sharing a same lot, holding their same belief, worshipping the same GOD but that ties are formed between them stronger than those engendered by affection. 23.  We who today are struggling by the legal and peaceful means of debate so understand it without going beyond the pale of the law, but if violence first silences us we have to misfortune to fall then we do not know what course will be taken that will rush in to occupy the places that we leave vacant. In contemplating such an unfortunate eventually we must turn away in horror, and so instead of closing our eyes we will face what the future may bring. 24. MARKRON M. TEANDRELYN C. BACABAC IV - BPW 25. Part IV 26. "The existence of a foreign body within another endowed with strength and activity is contrary to all natural and ethical laws. Science teaches us that it is either assimilated, destroys the organism, is eliminated or becomes encysted." 27. The "foreign body" is Spain.The "within another" is Filipinas (Philippines). 28. 1) The assimilation of Filipinas into Espanya (become a province of Spain with Filipinos having full rights and privileges as accorded Peninsulares Spaniards or Spaniards born on the Iberian Peninsula in Europe);2) The destruction of Filipinas;

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29. 3) The elimination of Spain (the foreign body) from Filipinas. Dr. Jose Rizal then discusses the likelihood of each option in the Philippines and of course the last seems to be the most likely. 30. The question then arises as to what had awakened the hearts and opened the minds of the Filipino people with regards to their plight. Eventually, the natives realized that such oppression in their society by foreign colonizers must no longer be tolerated. 31. One question Rizal raises in this essay is whether or not Spain can indeed prevent the progress of the Philippines:1. Keeping the people uneducated and ignorant had failed. National consciousness had still awakened, and great Filipino minds still emerged from the rubble. 32. 2. Keeping the people impoverished also came to no avail. On the contrary, living a life of eternal destitution had allowed the Filipinos to act on the desire for a change in their way of life. They began to explore other horizons through which they could move towards progress. 33. 3. 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. 34. Spain, therefore, had no means to stopthe progress of the country. What itneeds to do is to change its colonialpolicies so that they are in keeping withthe needs of the Philippine society and tothe rising nationalism of the people. 35. What Rizal had envisioned in hisessay came true. In 1898, theAmericans wrestled with Spain towin the Philippines, and eventuallytook over the country. Theirs was areign of democracy and liberty. 36. “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.” 37. Submitted by: Wilfredo A. Baldoza IV-BPWSubmitted to: Prof. Julie Salcedo