Department of Business Administration

COURSE CODE: GE 9
Semester of A.Y. 2020-2021
Name: Von Ryan B. Jimenez
Section: E

1. What are the aims of the newspaper, La Solidaridad?

The aims of La Solidaridad are defined: to gather, to collect liberal ideas which are daily exposed
in the camp of politics, in the fields of science, arts, letters, commerce, agriculture, and industry.
The organization aimed to increase Spanish awareness of the needs of its colony, the Philippines,
and to propagate a closed relationship between the colony and Spain.

2. What are the ill effects of “theocracy” and “conservatism”?

The ill effects of theocracy can be detrimental to the people who do not align with the state's
official beliefs. It can be used as a tool or excuse to exterminate or oppress a minority religion.
Conservatism on the other hand suppresses innovation making it harder to progress forward for a
country adopting this kind of ideology.

3. What does the article tell you about nineteenth century Philippines?
The 19th Century gave birth to the middle class, the lands became the primary source of wealth
because of the cash-crops, and being able to afford constructions; it gave rise to technological
interconnections among the separated islands of the Philippines.

4. What is a propagandist?
A propagandist is a person who tries to persuade people to support a particular idea or group,
often by giving inaccurate information. Someone who produces or spreads propaganda : a person
who spreads ideas, facts, or allegations deliberately.

5. Based on the article, what are the propagandist’ view of progress?

To advocate liberal ideas and progress
To oppose the evil forces of reaction and medievalism
To portray the deplorable conditions of the Philippines so that Spain may remedy them
To champion the legitimate aspirations of the Filipino people to life, democracy and happiness
To work peacefully for political and social reforms
 Department of Business Administration
COURSE CODE: GE 9
Semester of A.Y. 2020-2021
Name: Von Ryan B. Jimenez
Section: E

Title: NOLI ME TANGERE (CONTENT AND RELEVANCE)

I. Noli and colonial society

Complete the table below by identifying what the major characteristics in Noli Me Tangere
symbolize in relation to colonial Philippine society.
Character Symbolism
Crisostomo -Patriotic, Educated Filipino
Ibarra -Rizal’s vision for the youth
Maria Clara -Purity and Innocence of Filipino Women
Religious
Capitan -Rich Filipinos who oppress their fellow
Tiago countrymen
-Political representatives who are greedy and
selfish
-Only concerned about their personal and
business interests
Padre -Spanish Friars of Rizal’s Time
Damaso -Represents the Spanish Government
Sisa -Personified the suffering of the motherland and illustrate the typical
characteristics of Filipino mothers.
Pilosopo -Represented Rizal's epitome of a philosopher. -As perceived to be a sage by
Tasio the educated and a weird or lunatic 
Doña -Symbolizes those who have a distorted view of their identity. Everything that
Victorina is indigenous is inferior and everything foreign as superior. It is the comedic
form of ''colonial mentality''.
Basilio -He represents the young educated Filipinos who
are apathetic to the needs of the society.

II. Imagine that you are writing a letter to Jose Rizal. Try to explain to him the differences and
similarities you can point out. In your letter, tell Rizal your thoughts about the following questions:

1. What are the three most salient problems that Philippine society is facing today?
The Philippines right now is suffering from many problems, for me the three most salient
problems that the Philippines is facing are corruption, poverty and deforestation.
2. What factors contribute to the persistence of these problems?

Corruption - Main factors that contribute to corruption are according to the studies
(1) the size and structure of governments, (2) the democracy and the political
system, (3) the quality of institutions, (4) economic freedom/ openness of economy,
(5) salaries of civil service, (6) press freedom and judiciary, (7) cultural
determinants.
Poverty- The main causes of poverty in the country include the following: low to
moderate economic growth for the past 40 years; low growth elasticity of poverty
reduction; recurrent shocks and exposure to risks such as economic crisis, conflicts,
natural disasters,and "environmental poverty.
Deforestation- Aside from logging (whether legal or illegal), other causes of
deforestation in the Philippines are forest fires, “kaingin” farming (slash-and-burn
agriculture), and mining operations. Volcanic eruptions have also devastated some
of the country's tropical rainforests.

3. What should be done to address these problems?

We can help our country by not being a burden to it, especially immorally or illegally.
There is such a thing as being a good citizen, following reasonable rules, and minding
one’s own business rather than being a useless member of society and /or being an all-
out rebel with a vendetta.
If we can ‘change’ ourselves for the better, we are on our way to ensuring TRUE
LASTING CHANGE in our country. The country and its people are, in a way, one.
Department of Business Administration

COURSE CODE: GE 9
Semester of A.Y. 2020-2021
Name: Von Ryan B. Jimenez
Section: E

Title: LOOKING AT THE FILIPINO PAST

Critical Reading
Read the following excerpts from Rizal’s annotations of Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas
Filipinas. Answer the questions that follow.

Excerpt 1

Morga:

Their regular daily food is rice… together with boiled fish of which there is an
abundance, and pork or venison, likewise meat of wild buffalo or carabao. They prefer meat and
fish, saltfish which begin to decompose and smell.

Rizal’s annotation:
This is another preoccupation of the Spaniards who, like any other nation, in the matter
of food, loathe that to which they are accustomed or is unknown to them. The English, for
example, is horrified on seeing a Spaniard eating snails; to the Spaniard beef steak is repugnant
and he can’t understand how raw beefsaek can be eaten; the Chinese who eat tahuri and shark
cannot stand Roquefort cheese etc., etc. The fish that Morga mentions does not taste better when
it is beginning to rot; all on the contrary: it is bagoong and all those who have eaten it and
tasted it know that it is not or ought not to rotten. 

Excerpt 2

Morga: 
In the rivers and streams there are very large and small scorpions and great number of
very fierce and cruel crocodiles which frequently get the natives from their bancas on which they
ride….However much the people may trap, catch and kill them, these reptiles hardly seem to
diminish in number. For this reason, the natives build on the border of their rivers and streams
in their settlements where they bathe, traps and fences with thick enclosures and bars of bamboo
and timber within which they do their bathing and washing, secure from these monsters which
they fear and respect to the degree of veneration, as if they were somehow superior to them.

Rizal’s annotation:
Perhaps for the same reason, other nations have great esteem for the lion and bear,
putting them on their shields and giving them honourable epithets. The mysterious life of the
crocodile, the enormous size that it sometimes reaches, its fatidical aspect, without counting
anymore its voraciousness, must have influenced greatly the imagination of the Malayan
Filipinos.

Questions
1. In Excerpt 1, what impression of the Filipinos do you get from reading Morga’s
description of the type of food natives eat? Which particular phrase gives you this
impression?
 
A part of this excerpt is “They prefer meat and fish, saltfish which begin to decompose and
smell” which, to any reader would depict that the type of food natives eat, such as meat and fish
are rotten. It gives the reader an interpretation that the food that Filipinos eat before are already
spoiled, which can give the Filipinos an impression of disgust.

2. What is Rizal’s purpose in writing an annotation about the food preferences of the
English, Spaniards, and Chinese?
 
The reason why Rizal, in his annotation, used other countries’ rare food preferences, is to show
that just like them, Filipinos too have their own food or dish that is unfamiliar to foreigners. This
only shows that, each country has their own culture, where in such case, can be seen in the food,
its natives eat.

3. In Excerpt 2, how did Morga portray the Filipinos?

 
In this excerpt, De Morga, showed how Filipinos are scared of these animals, and would put
barriers so as for them not to be reached, but he was also trying to imply that by putting these
barriers, show a fine line between the superiority of Filipinos to the animals, and that they should
be given respect.

4. In Rizal’s subsequent annotation, what does he mean when he says, “Perhaps for the
same reason, other nations have great esteem for the lion and bear, putting them on their
shields and giving them honourable epithets”?
 
Filipinos worship and protect crocodiles, like how other nations treat lions and bears, because it
represents the culture of the Filipinos. Rizal sees crocodiles as the embodiment of our ancestors
therefore these should be respected and honored. Also, the crocodiles back then symbolized
physical power. What Rizal wanted to say was that the crocodiles are linked to the Filipino
culture and identity, and that the crocodiles somehow reflect the Filipinos during that time. The
crocodiles bring us pride so they should be protected and honored.

5. In general, what is Rizal’s motive in writing his annotations of Morga’s work? How does
this fit into the aims of other propagandists working for reforms during this time?
Rizal wanted to correct Morga's claims about the Philippines so the Philippines will not be
wronged by the foreigners who have read Morga's. Also, Rizal wanted to point out that before
Morga's arrival, before the Spaniards came to the Philippines, we had our own life. For Rizal, it
is important for the propagandists to be aware of the history of the Philippines before the arrival
of Spaniards so they know what to aim for, what to look for reform. Because back when
Spaniards weren't present, the Philippines already had freedom, the natives had identity. What
Rizal wanted for propagandists was to ask for reform which will bring back what we were when
Spaniards weren't here.
 Department of Business Administration
COURSE CODE: GE 9
Semester of A.Y. 2020-2021
Name: Von Ryan B. Jimenez
Section: E

Title: INDOLENCE OR INDUSTRY

Reflecting on the Indolence of the Filipinos

Write an essay reflecting on the ideas Rizal presented in his work, “On the
Indolence of the Filipinos.” Do you believe that indolence is an inherent trait among the
Filipinos? Do you agree or disagree with the reasons Rizal presented? Why or why not? Write
here your statement.

As what I read, Rizal described the people in the tropical and non-tropical countries. In tropical
areas, the people there do not work a lot when it’s hot especially at noon time. It is because they
have to rest because of the sun’s heat. For instance, we students, whenever the air or the weather
is warm, the tendency for this thing is we want to sleep. On the other hand, countries with four
seasons have to work much during spring and fall. It is because they cannot easily work in
summer (because of excessive heat) and in winter. Thus, the total work all in all is almost the
same! We as human beings must adopt to our environment whatever its conditions. Therefore,
being “indolent (as they say)” during hot conditions is reasonable.
 
I can prove without the text in the book that Filipinos in those days (Spaniard’s and pre-colonial
period) were NOT indolent. This can be verified through Banaue’s Rice Terraces, Filipinos at the
dawn (before the sunrise) are ready to start planting and keeping their vegetables and harvests.
At the coming of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, he noticed the people have enough supply of food,
very generous, energetic and industrious.
 
When the Spaniards came to our lands, they burned many houses, eradicated some goods and
resources, killed many Filipinos, and stopped our economic and commercial cycle. They
controlled almost all farms and villages. Many areas have become unpopulated. Almost two
thirds of the population declined. Many boys, especially the teenagers were asked to do the Polo
y Servicios. Farms were left uncultivated and encomienda were implemented. Only the friars and
Spanish officials could benefit- from high taxes to church offerings. To be able to start a business
and work, the permissions from the administrators were required, and not all were granted. For
that, many Filipinos gave up their work, lands, and even their life. They viewed their life
hopeless and they thought themselves as inferiors. Gambling grew up because all of their
sacrifices and works were not enough. They trusted fortune to make their status quite good.
Some of these are “sabongs” or cock fighting and even today exists! Another obnoxious friar
told the people: “THE RICH MAN WILL NOT GO TO HEAVEN.” What kind of deception is
that! They corrupted and controlled the minds of the innocent people. Also, aside from this,
education for all was not granted. The reforms, programs the government should take into action
were only a dream. How bad or worst are these.