Department of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences
Visayas State University
Lesson 2.4: Historical Source during the
Period of Reforms and Propaganda
Lesson Summary This lesson will be focused on the events that took place during the reforms and propaganda period, during the last twenty years of Spanish dominion in the Philippines. The selected texts included in this study are some works made by Marcelo H. del Pilar – one of the great Filipino propagandists.
Learning Outcomes At the end of this lesson, you are expected to: 1. Describe the condition of the Philippines during the period of propaganda and reform movement. 2. Dissect and analyze works of Marcelo H. del Pilar. 3. Recognize the importance of the works of the propagandists in the formation of the concept of nationhood and the fight for freedom and independence.
Motivation Question
Have you ever heard the saying “the pen is mightier than a sword”? Does it hold to the present time? Would you believe that once upon a time in Philippine history, people were fighting for their beliefs using words and their writings? How well do you know the reform and propaganda movement?
Discussion The propaganda period (circa 1880-1895) is known to be the awakening era during Spanish colonial rule. Because of the opening of Canal Suez in 1869, Filipinos learned more about the world at large. International trade in the Philippines became profitable which made some Filipino families richer. More and more could afford to study locally and in Europe. Hence, during this time, those who were educated gained the desire for freedom and improvement in ScSc12n – Readings in Philippine History Department of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences Visayas State University
their lives. More importantly, the unjust execution of GomBurZa in 1872 due to the secularization movement became the turning point for reforms. The lack of representation in the Spanish Cortes made Filipinos cry for justice and demand human rights. People became discontented because they remained poor and burdened with heavy taxes. Together with liberal Spaniards, the propagandists raised their demands for assimilation, good governance, and representation in the Cortés. The newspaper La Solidaridad and the formation of masonic organizations were the platforms of their reforms waged by the ilustrados. These propagandists/reformists were composed of young Filipino students and graduates who belonged to the Filipino intelligentsia. The most notable among them were Dr. Jose P. Rizal, Marcelo H. del Pilar, and Graciano Lopez-Jaena, among others. They preferred to stay in the foreign lands for they could freely express their sentiments. In their campaign for reforms, the ilustrados persevered to rectify the racist images claimed by Spanish writers about the Philippines and its people (Teodora, 1999). Interestingly, the propagandists, governors-general, monarchy, bishops, and indios had the same common enemy—the friars. Those Spanish officers who complained to the King of Spain regarding friars’ slavery of indios and power in the Philippines over them were either assassinated or imprisoned, e.g., Gov.-gen. Diego de Salcedo, Gov.-gen. Fernando Manuel de Bustamante, etc. Meanwhile, Dr. Rizal even referred the friars “as myopic pygmies who, assured of the present, to fail to project their vision into the future.” With all their power and religious influence, the friars in the Philippines controlled the Filipinos and Spanish officials ensuring their importance in the archipelago. Hence, the condition during his time has no sense of nationalism due to a chaotic society. However, the reformers/propagandists believed in the power of words and not the swords in achieving their purpose. A good example of anti-friar writing was the work of Marcelo H. del Pilar, reprinted as Monastic Supremacy in the Philippines (1958). This pamphlet condemned the friars for their corrupt teachings which had resulted in a life of poverty and misery of the Filipinos. To conceal his real identity from the Spaniards, he wrote under the pen name— Plaridel. His work was hailed by Spanish liberals and former Spanish administrators such as governor-general Emilio Terrero (1885-1888), director- general of the Civil Administration, Benigno Quiroga, scholars like Miguel Morayta and Ferdinand Blumentritt, and Dr. Jose Rizal. The latter called del Pilar's work as one that had “no chaff; it is all grain.” Marcelo H. del Pilar is considered as the greatest journalist of the propaganda movement. He was born in Barrio Kupang, Bulacan on August 30, 1850. He studied at the College of San Jose and later at the University of Santo Tomas where he finished law degree in 1850. Marcelo also founded the short- lived Diariong Tagalog. He tried to arouse the consciousness of the Filipinos to act as a unified people. Unlike Dr. Rizal, he used the Tagalog language in fighting against abusive Spaniards. When they ordered his arrest, he left the country for Spain in October 1888. He became the editor of La Solidaridad. ScSc12n – Readings in Philippine History Department of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences Visayas State University
Monastic Supremacy in the Philippines
The Catholic Church in the Philippines has two types of priests; secular and regular priests. The secular priests did not belong to any religious order. They were Filipinos who were just trained to run parishes under the supervision of the bishops. On the other hand, regular priests belong to religious orders such as Franciscans, Jesuits, etc. Their main task is to spread Christianity. However, the friars believed that they answer to no one; not to the bishop, and even not to the King of Spain who ruled in the Philippines. This means that friars transgressed against the highest political and religious authorities of the archipelago. According to del Pilar: “Monasticism is cosmopolitan; it has no country; it is not Spanish; and to support its ascendancy at the expense of the popular element would be to subject to a very severe test the endurance of the Filipino people.” Nonetheless, Filipinos’ loyalty always belonged to the Spanish flag, e.g., Dutch threats, British threats, Chinese uprising. To refresh the fraternity between Spain and the Philippines, Juan Luna painted the blood compact between Legazpi and Sicatuna in1886. But of all these efforts and proofs of loyalty, Spain had surrendered her sovereignty to the monastic orders. As a result, the friars imposed their dominance on the government with their excuse of eliminating the treachery of the Filipino people for over three centuries.
Prayers and Mockeries
MH del Pilar has greatly detested the friars who were taking the reins of the country. In 1888, he published “Dasalan at Tocsohan” (Prayers and Mockeries). It is a sarcastic and satirical presentation of the prayers taught by the friars to the catholic Filipinos. Two of these include Amain Namin, a parody of Ama Namin (Our Father), and Aba Guinoong Baria, a parody of Aba Guinoong Maria (Hail Mary).
Amain Namin Amain naming sumasaconvento ka, sumpain ang ngalan mo, malayo sa amin ang kasakiman mo, quitlin ang liig mo dito sa lupa para nang sa langit. Saulan mo cami ngayon nang aming kaning iyong inaraoarao at patauanin mo cami sa iyong pagungal para nang pag papataua mo kung cami'y nacucualtahan; at huag mo kaming ipahintulot sa iyong manunukso at iadya mo cami sa masama mong dila. Amen.
Aba Guinoong Baria
Aba guinoong Baria nakapupuno ka nang alcancia ang Fraile'I sumasainyo ScSc12n – Readings in Philippine History Department of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences Visayas State University
bukod ka niyang pinagpala't pina higuit sa lahat,
pinagpala naman ang kaban mong mapasok. Santa Baria Ina nang Deretsos, ipanalangin mo caming huag anitan ngayon at cami ipapatay. Siya naua.
Death and Legacy
Del Pilar's difficulties increased when the money to support the
newspaper was exhausted and still, there was no sign of any immediate response from the Spanish ruling class. He skipped many meals that made him disillusioned. Before he died from Tuberculosis, he rejected the assimilationist stand and began planning for an armed revolt. He vigorously affirmed: “Insurrection is the last remedy, especially when the people have acquired the belief that peaceful means to secure the remedies for evils prove futile.” This idea inspired Andres Bonifacio's Katipunan, a secret revolutionary organization after Dr. Rizal was arrested in 1892.
