Indolence of the Filipino People

Indolence does exist among the Filipinos, Rizal admitted, but it cannot be attributed to the troubles and backwardness of the country; rather it is the effect of the backwardness and troubles experienced by the country. One must study the causes of indolence, Rizal says, before curing it. Past writings on indolence revolve only on either denying or affirming, and never studying its causes in depth. The hot climate, he points out, is a reasonable predisposition for indolence. He therefore enumerates the causes of indolence and elaborates on the circumstances that have led to it. Filipinos cannot be compared to Europeans, who live in cold countries and who must exert much more effort at work. An hour’s work under the Philippine sun, he says, is equivalent to a day’s work in temperate regions.

-Paredes. Jose Victor

To the Young Women of Malolos

According to Rizal, women in Malolos must be reasonable and open their eyes because they are the first to influence the consciousness of man. Always put in their mind that it is better to die with honor than living with dishonor that nobody has the right to subjugate one another. And the friars can no longer assert that they alone are responsible for their unjust order; because god gave us reason and will of our own to distinguish the just from unjust. Rizal wants that the women in Malolos should be the one to open the eyes of their children so that they may guard their honor, love to their fellowmen, and they native land.

-Paredes, Jose Victor

THe Philippines Within a Century

The Philippines a Century presents a prediction of Rizal of how the Philippines would be through the century. Rizal presented an idea of how our Motherland will end up centuries later proposing that our country will end up in either of the three ways;(1) that the Philippines will remain to be a colony of Spain but will be in good terms with its captors;(2) that the Philippines will try to cut the ties of our Motherland from its captors through violent means;(3) and lastly that we will be colonized by another country.
The thoughts of Rizal were not only based on his mere imagination, he tried to read in between the lines of the History of the many nations to come up with his recommendations of how the Philippines would look like. Rizal saw how the uprising in different nations started and thought that if Spain continuous to ignore the cries of its inhabitants, there will come a time that the oppressed will come into arms to recapture their lost freedom. In his essay, Rizal exposed the several issues that concern our country. The abuse of human rights, the lack of freedom of the press and the lack of representation in the Spanish Cortes are the key points discussed in the lengthy essay of Rizal. According to Rizal, the Filipinos must enjoy liberty of the press so that they can voice out their cries against the cruelty of the Spaniards. In addition, they must also have a representative in the Spanish Cortes to make known to the government and to the nation whether or not their decrees have been duly obeyed. Lastly, Filipinos are also seeking for justice and for human rights. Learning to live together and prospering as a nation will help build a strong foundation or our motherland.

- Paredes, Jose Victor

The Indolence of the Filipinos

The Indolence of the Filipinos shows the reasons why the Filipinos gradually became lazy as the Spaniards stated. Some of the reasons were the introduction and wrong education of religion, the introduction of gambling, and coastal trade was banned.

The introduction of religion may have been a good thing that was given to the Philippines. However, the friars taught that the rich would not go to heaven, therefore making the poor not want to get rich, hence them not working.

The introduction of gambling gave the thought of "easy money". Since one can get rich through gambling, there would be no use of work. Because although winning in gambling was rare, once winning, one receives more than the labor's fee.

Banning coastal trade costs the Filipinos a lot of work force. The coastal trade and relation between the Philippines and other countries was good. Many of the Filipinos at the time were making a living from coastal trade, enjoyed it, and made it a way of life. Removing trade made many seek other jobs that they did not enjoy therefore they may not perform their best.

The indolence of the Filipinos in the Spanish period shows its effects even in the present period. We even have the term ningas kugon as the term to do things later rather than now. Even in our language, it shows that the Filipinos are indolent.

----Joyce Sia

The Philippines Within A Century

According to Jose Rizal's article he predicted on what will happen to the Philippines within 100 years. First, Philippines will remain as Spain's colony but will have good relation and in good terms. This means that a colonizer must do their responsibility to their colony and if not the colonized can make reforms. Second, the Philippines will have their freedom from Spain with the means of violence like revolts. He also stated that if the Philippines indeed will have their freedom, a strong country will colonized us. Rizal was right after all, because USA did colonized us. During that time, many Filipinos to some of Spain's culture and little did they know that they already forgot our Filipino culture.


- Bedonia, Alfonso Eumir III

Indolence of the Filipino People

Rizal agreed to the Spaniards that we are lazy but in a different reason. Rizal stated in his article three main points on why the Filipinos are lazy. First, hot climate because as the Spaniards noticed that our farmers that time are mostly waking up at around 9am and they thought that we enjoyed sleeping. Little did they know that our farmers are really waking up early like 3 or 4 in the morning and go to the fields to work and them go back home like 6 or 7 in the morning to take their sleep for the work they had done. The reason for this is because of the heat, who would ever want to work on the field with so much heat anyway? With this climate, the Filipino farmers who had this idead which is a good one took the chance to work in the morning. Second, blaming Spain for the indolence of the Filipinos. Most Filipinos that time couldn't work for their families because Spain was doing forced labor on the Filipinos which caused some of them to work in different places to build infrastructures like churches. Also, Spain didn't allowed the Filipinos to use weapons which lead to Filipinos getting killed by the pirates from the south. Last is blaming Filipinos for being indolent. In the first place if a person doesn't want to be a lazy then he can but if a person lacks determination then he/she be lazy. Being responsible must first came from us and Filipinos must not let other people control us. Of course Filipinos want their freedom but who must do the work to get that freedom, the Filipinos do.


- Bedonia, Alfonso Eumir III

To the Young Women of Malolos

Rizal wrote these two years after he made the Noli Me Tangere to the 20 young women of Malolos who are members of the Chinese Mestizos family. This serves as an open attack to the abuse of the Friars and to encourage the Filipino women to have an education. According to Rizal, Spaniards must respect the Filipino women and treat them accordingly. The Filipino women must have their education to know the reality that Spaniards are abusing them. This is like a wake-up call to the women to fight for what is right. Rizal also wrote this for a reason that if Filipino women doesn’t have a proper education then it's like teaching their children to be the same as them. This will make the Philippines have no progress in the future. In the end, the Filipino women did have their education.


- Bedonia, Alfonso Eumir III

To the Young Women of Malolos

Ito ay nagawa ni Jose Rizal dalawang taon makalipas na magawa niya ang nobelang “Noli Me Tangere.” Tulad ng pagkakalarawan niya sa nobela ay tulad rin dito na ang mga babae noon ay tunay na mali ang pagtrato ng mga Espanyol at hindi lamang sa mga babae pati na rin sa lahat ng mga Pilino. Ito ay inilaan niya sa dalawampung babae ng Malolos na animo ay nilalarawan na dapat ay hindi lamang basta ganoon ang pagtrato sa kanila sapagkat nararapat sa kanila ang mas maayos at mas magandang pagtrato.

-Reyes, Samuel Kim S.

Philippines Within A Century

Sa pagbabasa ng sinulat ni Jose Rizal na ‘Philippines Within a Century’, masasabi kong hindi lamang siya isang bayani na pagkakakilala sa kanya ngunit isa na ring ‘historian’ o mananalaysay. Ang kanyang gawa na ito ay nagpapakita ng hula niya sa mga bagay-bagay na maaaring mangyari sa loob ng isang daang taon. Ipinakita ni Jose Rizal dito ng maayos ang tatlong bagay na maaring mangyari sa ating bansang Pilipinas pagkatapos ng maraming taong nakalipas. Una, nasabi niyang ang Pilipinas ay mananatili sa ilalim ng pamamahala ng mga Espanyol ngunit nasa mabuting kalagayan na naman. Pangawala ay ang Pilipinas ay handang gumawa ng madugong rebolusyon para makamtan ang kalayaan at ang panghuli ay masakop muli ng isa pang makapangyarihang bansa.

Ang mga batayan ni Jose Rizal ay hindi lamang batay sa mga imahinasyon niya ngunit batay na rin mismo sa mga naobserbahan niya sa ibang lugar na pinagsama-sama niya kaya siya nakabuo ng isang kongklusyon tungkol sa ating bansa. Naisip niya na pag-aralan ang mga nangyayari sa ibang bansa at mga nangyari na at naihalintulad niya ito sa ating bansang Pilipinas. At ayon sa kanyang gawa, nasaaad niya na dapat makamtan ng mga Pilipino ang kalayaan lalong lalo na ang kalayaan sa ‘press’ para naman malayang masabi ng mga Pilipino ang mga nais nilang iparating sa mga namamahala.

-Reyes, Samuel Kim S.

Indolence of the Filipino People

Sa unang bahagi ay inamin ni Jose Rizal ang katamaran talaga na namamalagi sa mga Pilipino ngunit hindi ito maaaring maikonekta sa masamang kalagayan at kahinaan ng bansa datapwat ito ay maii-konekta sa mga kahinaan at masamang kalagayan na nararanasan ng bansa. Upang maunawan ng husto ang ginawa na ito ni Jose Rizal ay dapat muna mapag-aralan ang mga dahilan ng katamaran ng isang tao at ang kailalimang dahilan nito parang maintindihan ito. Sunod naman ay binanggit niya na ang katamaran ng mga Pilipino ay lalong lumalala dahil sa maling pagtrato dito. Ngunit sinabi niyang hindi naman dapat mawalan ng pag-asa na gamutin itong sinasabing ‘katamaran’ na ito. Inihalintulad niya ito sa sakit na lalong lumalala kapag mali ang paggamot dito. At isa pa ay nasasaad dito na ang katamaran ng Pilipino ay maaari dahil sa kakulangan ng pag-aaral.

-Reyes, Samuel Kim S.

The Philippines within a century

The Philippines within a century is a pice used by Rizal to predict the future of the Philippines after 100 years, hence century. He utilized both the country's past and present in order to see what possibilities the future could bring to the country.

The past that Rizal used was not only the past before the Spaniards, but also the past when there was friendship with the Spaniards. These qualities helped him realize that the Philippines could have a better relationship with the Spaniards rather than just being colonizers and colonized, which is one of the possible futures predicted by Rizal.

The other two possible futures stemmed fro the hatred and anger of the Pilippines toward the Spaniards. One was that the Philippines would be free, but would not have a stable government because the Philippines past only show that the Philippines, as a country, is not yet united. Another was that although the Philippines would be free of the Spaniards, another country would come and colonize the Philippines.

What happened was that the last two possibilities happened, though not all within a century. The Philippines became a colony of the America after the Spaniards, and Japan after the Americans. After Japan, the Philippines gained its independence, although, as Rizal stated, the Philippines does not have a stable government.

These insight of Rizal, for me, is simply amazing. To be able to look at the past and present and to give possible future scenarios can be done by any person. However, to see the attitude of the people in those times and see the possible advancements and ways of thinking of the people to predict their actions is a skill not many have.

----Joyce Sia

Sa Mga Kababayang Dalaga sa Malolos

Ukol kay Rizal, isinaad niyang hindi dapat minamaliit ng mga espanyol ang mga kababaihan sa Pilipinas dahil may sariling kultura ang Pilipinas at kung hindi man kaaya aya ang mga ugali o panunuot ng mga Pilipina sa mga mata ng espanyol, dapat nila itong irespeto. Gustong sabihin ni Rizal na dapat magising ang mga dalaga at huwag magpaapi sa mga espanyol at tumayo sa sarili nilang mga paa na hindi umaasa sa iba. Dahil dito naisipan ni Rizal na gawin ang karakter na si Maria Clara na kung saan dapat gayahin ng mga ibang kababaihan ng Pilipinas.

-Nikko Andre Jimenez

Katamaran ng mga Pilipino

Ang katamaran ay isang salita na bukang bibig ng mga Pilipino, ngunit bakit nga ba? Ito ay marahil na sila nga ay tamad o nasasabi lang nila ito upang kanilang maging dahilan. Sa pananaw ni Rizal, maaring sinabi niya na tamad ang mga Pilipino pero sa tingin ko, hindi sila tamad dahil masasabi kong naimpluwensyahan lang sila at dahil na rin ito sa mga kagagawan ng mga kastila na kung saan pinababa o kumabaga binawasan ang mga sahod ng Pilipino. Dahil dito naudyok silang tamarin sa kaalaman na dinadaya sila ng mga kastila. Maaaring matawag ba talagang tamad ang mga Pilipino? Ang mga kastila na kung saan ay may siesta at kanilang isinasagawa parin hangang ngayon ay matuturing na katamaran dahil sinabi ng mga kastila na tamad ang mga pilipino dahil sa paggising nga maaga upang magtrabaho gaya ng mga magsasaka, at magpapahinga pagkatapos. Ngunit katamaran nga ba ito? Maaring katamaran ito sa kanila dahil iba ang proseso nila pero masasabi kong hindi dahil kahit man sa dami ng mga masasamang bahay na nangyari sa Pilipinas, pinilipit paring tumayo ng mga Pilipino at hindi ito magagawa ng isang tamad na tao.

-Nikko Andre Jimenez

ilipino at Ang Pilipinas sa Loob ng Sandaang Taon

Ukol sa artikulong ito, itinatalakay dito ang pagbabago ng Pilipinas sa loob ng Isang daang taon. Nakasaad dito na sinabi ni Rizal na walang ipagbabago ang Pilipinas sa loob ng taong ito na kung saan magdudusa parin ang Pilinas sa kahirapan. Sa artikulong ito, isinaad na ang kahirapan ang pinakamatinding kalaban ng Pilipinas at tama nga si Rizal sa puntong iyon dahil ang kahirapan ang siyang nagdudulot o bumubunga sa mga masasamang gawain ng mga pilipino gaya ng pagnanakaw upang mabuhay. Isinaag din sa artikulo na ang katumbas ng mga lumang bayani ng Pilipinas, gaya nina Rizal ay naikukumpara sa mga OFW sa ngayon o ang tinatawag na mga Oversees Filipino Worker, dahil gaya nina Rizal, ang mga OFW ay nagtrabaho at tumungo rin sa ibang bansa ngunit sila nga ba ay pumunta sa ibang bansa upang pagsilbihan ang Pilipinas. Maaaring oo at maaring hindi dahil iba iba ang intensyon ng mga OFW ngunit ang mga OFW kumpara kina Rizal, ay tumungo sa ibang bansa upang magkaroon ng pera na kung saan ay kabaliktaran nina Rizal na sadiyang nagutom at naghirap habang gingawa niya ang kanyang mga nobelo. Naisaad sa nasabing artikulo kung gaano kalayo ang mga bagong bayani kumpara sa mga lumang bayani ng Pilipinas, at sino sino nga ba ang nag udyok upang tumungo ng ibang bansa sina Rizal pati narin ang mga OFW? Isa lang ang maaring sagot diyan at ito ay dahil sa paghihirap dahil hindi naman tutungo sa ibang bansa sina Rizal at ang mga OFW kung masagana ang buhay sa Pilipinas.

-Nikko Andre Jimenez

the Philippines within a Century

Bago pa man dumating ang mga Kastila dito sa Pilipinas, ang bansa ay nasa estado na ng pag-unlad. Ang mga Pilipino ay nakikipagpalitan na ng mga produkto. Nang dumating ang mga Kastila, ninais nila na gawing sibilisado ang bansa. Ginawa nila ang lahat upang kunin ang loob ng mga Pilipino. Unti-unting nawala ang sariling tradisyon ng mga Pilipino. Naniwala sila sa mga magagandang pangako ng mga Kastila. Sa paglipas ng panahon, unti-unting nabago ang tingin ng mga Pilipino sa mga Kastila nang dahil na rin sa mga pang-aabuso at kasakimang ginagawa ng mga Kastila sa mga Pilipino, katulad ng pagtataas ng buwis na binabayaran ng mga Pilipino ngunit walang pagbabago sa kanilang kalayaang maging bahagi ng pamahalaan, at ang paglala ng ekonomiya ng bansa.

Ayon kay Rizal, ang pagbabago ng Pilipinas at ang kagustuhan nitong makamit ang kalayaan ay hindi maiiwasan. Sa loob ng sandaang taon, ang Pilipinas ay mananatiling sakop ng bansang Espanya ngunit magkakaroon ng kalayaan o kaya naman ay ipaglalaban ang kasarinlan ng bansa sa pamamagitan ng rebolusyon. At kung maging malaya ang Pilipinas, may iba pang makapangyarihang bansa ang magiging interesadong sakupin ang ating bansa. Ito nga ay naganap nang ang Estados Unidos ang sumakop sa atin taong 1898.

- Orcena, Ma. Amelia

Tamad nga ba ang mga Pilipino?

Sa sanaysay na isinulat ni Rizal tungkol sa katamaran ng mga Pilipino, sinabi niya na ito ay akusasyon ng mga Kastila sa Pilipino nang dahil na rin sa ating lahi at kulay ng balat kung kaya mababa ang tingin sa atin ng mga Kastila.

Isa sa mga dahilan ng pagiging tamad ng mga Pilipino na nabanggit ni Rizal ay ang mainit na klima. Nakakatamad nga naming kumilos at magtrabaho kapag mainit ang panahon. Ang mainit na klima raw ang dahilan ng katamaran ng mga Pilipino.

Sino nga ba ang mas tamad? Ang isang mahirap na empleyado na pumapasok ng alas-otso ng umaga at umuuwi na ng hapon upang magtrabaho para sa kanyang amo o ang kanyang amo na pumapasok ng alas-diyes ng umaga at umaalis na bago mag-tanghali na walang ginawa kundi ang magbasa ng diyaryo habang nakataas pa ang mga paa sa mesa? Ang isang katulong na nagsisilbi sa kanyang amo sa buong araw o ang amo niya na tatanggalin na lang ang sapatos ay ipag-uutos pa sa kanyang katulong?

Ayon kay Rizal, ang mga mananakop na rin daw ang mas nagbigay ng pagkakataong maging tamad ang mga Pilipino. Hindi pinapayagan ng mga Kastila na magtrabaho ang mga Pilipino o gawin ang anumang gawain dahil sa Polo y Servicio o sapilitang paggawa. Isa pa ay ang pagsusugal tulad ng pagsasabong. Ang mga Pilipino ay nahilig sa pagsusugal kaya naman sa halip na magtrabaho ay umaasa na lang sila sa suwerte nila sa sugal.

Sa tingin ko, sa panahon natin ngayon, hindi naman talaga tamad ang mga Pilipino. May ilan na kahit hirap na sa buhay ay nagsusumikap pa ring maghanap ng trabaho matutustusan lamang ang kanilang pangangailangan. Marami ang walang trabaho, hindi dahil tamad sila, kundi walang sapat na oportunidad para sa kanila.

- Orcena, Ma. Amelia

Letter to the young women of Malolos

Rizal wrote this letter in the year 1889, two years after he made the Noli Me Tangere. He wrote this letter to the 20 young women of Malolos who were descendants of Chinese Mestizos family (Reyes, Tantoco, Tiongson, Tantiangco and Uitangcoy). The letter seems to be an open attack to the abuses of the Spaniards to the Philippines. In the letter, Rizal pointed out that if the Filipino woman will not change, she should not be entrusted with the education of her children. Rizal is encouraging the young women to have greater desire to learn, be reasonable and open their eyes on how the Spaniards treat the Filipino women. Like in his novel, Noli, he showed different characters of women. He made the character of Maria Clara as a conservative and meek woman and Sisa as a weak woman who got crazy because her son’s death.

- Orcena, Ma. Amelia

To the young women of malolos

The way Jose Rizal wrote this letter was at first, praising the women who stood against the rule of the Spaniards. Then afterwards was an attack on both the Spanish government and the Filipino people.

Rizal was very detailed on how he saw the country and he knew where it stemmed from. From people allowing dominion and those children taught by parents to follow the colonizers orders. Rizal also placed in the letter seven points which should be taken into consideration by the Filipinos in order to remove the colonial mentality drilled into them by the Spaniards.

This letter of Rizal was enlightening to read. It gave a glimpse of life during those times. Not only showing the Filipinos conceding to the will of the Spaniards, but also taking note that there are some in those times who oppose the Spaniards' colonization of the Philippines.

---Joyce Sia