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UNIT 3 – TOPIC A: Philippines in the 19th Century
Social Structure The Filipinos in the 19th century had suffered from feudalistic and master slave relationship by the Spaniards. Their social structure is ranked into three groups: Highest class – the people that belong in this class include the Spaniards, peninsulares and the friars. They have the power and authority to rule over the Filipinos. They enjoyed their positions and do what they want. →The Spanish officials →The Peninsulares (Spaniards who were born in Spain). They held the most important government jobs, and made up the smallest number of the population. →The Friars are members of any of certain religious orders of men, especially the four mendicant orders (Augustinians, Carmelites, Dominicans, and Franciscans).
Middle Class – the people that belongs into this class includes the natives, mestizos and the criollos. → Natives – the pure Filipinos →The Mestizos are the Filipinos of mixed indigenous Filipino or European or Chinese ancestry. Lowest class – this class includes the Filipinos only. →The Indios are the poor people having pure blood Filipino which ruled by the Spaniards.
Educational System There are lots of criticisms received in the educational system of the Philippines in the late 19th century. Below are the following:
- Overemphasis on religious matters The power of religious orders remained one of the great constants, over the centuries, of Spanish colonial rule. The friars of the Augustinian, Dominican, and Franciscan orders conducted many of the executive and control functions of government on the local level. They were responsible for education and health measures. These missionaries emphasized the teachings of the Catholic religion starting from the primary level to the tertiary level of education.
- Obsolete teaching methods Their methods are outdated.
- Limited curriculum The students in the primary level were taught the Christian Doctrines, the reading of Spanish books and a little of the natives’ language. Science and Mathematics were not very much taught to the students even in the universities. Aside from the Christian Doctrines taught, Latin was also taught to the students instead of Spanish.
- Poor classroom facilities
- Absence of teaching materials
- Primary education was neglected
- Absence of academic freedom The absence of academic freedom in Spain’s educational system was extended to the schools that Spaniards established in the Philippines. Learning in every level was largely by rote. Students memorized and repeated the contents of book which they did not understand. In most cases knowledge was measured in the ability of the students to memorize, largely hampering intellectual progress.
- Prejudice against Filipinos in the schools of higher learning In entirety, education during the Spanish regime was privileged only to Spanish students. The supposed Philippine education was only a means to remain in the Philippines as colonizers. For this reason, the Filipinos became followers to the Spaniards in their own country. Even auspicious Filipinos became cronies, to the extent that even their life styles were patterned from the Spaniards.
- Friar control over the system The friars controlled the educational system during the Spanish times. They owned different schools, ranging from the primary level to the tertiary levels of education. The missionaries took charge in teaching, controlling and maintaining the rules and regulations imposed to the students. Economic Development and the Rise of Filipino Nationalism
The country was opened to foreign trade at the end of the 18th century which resulted in the rapid rise of foreign firms in Manila. This stimulated agricultural production and export of sugar, rice hemp and tobacco. The number of families which prospered from foreign commerce and trade were able to send their sons for an education in Europe. Filipinos who were educated abroad were able to absorb the intellectual development in Europe. Factors Contributed to the Development of Filipino Nationalism: Opening of the Philippines to International Trade and the Rise of the Middle Class Manila was opened to foreign trade which brought prosperity to the Filipinos and Chinese mestizo resulting to the existence of middle class. Influx of European Liberalism Ideas of the enlightened philosophers like John Locke and Jean Jacques Rosseau, masonry and the French Revolution reached the Philippines. Liberty, religious freedom, democracy, human rights such as suffrage, freedom of speech, press and form associations and assemblies. Opening of the Suez Canal on November 17, 1869 Connects Mediterranean and red sea; shortened distance between Europe and Orient Results: (a) Philippines became closer to Europe and Spain (b) encouraged European travelers to come to our country (c) exodus of literal ideas from Europe to the Philippines (d) more educated and young Filipinos were able to study abroad Spanish Revolution of 1868 and the Liberal Regime of Carlos Maria Dela Torre(1869-1871)
About 200 Filipino soldiers and workers in Fort San Felipe mutinied, under the leadership of Sgt La Madrid; caused by Izquierdo’s abolition of the exemption of the Filipino workers from polo and paying tributes; mutineers were able to kill the fort commander and some soldiers; mutiny leaders and participants were arrested and shot to death →GomBurZa (fought for the Filipinization of parishes and champions of liberalism and humanitarianism) They were charged of sedition and rebellion due to the false testimony of Francisco Zaldua (former Bicolano soldier and was bribed by the Spanish prosecutors to implicate them as the masterminds of the mutiny). Military Court: three priests guilty and sentenced them to die by garrote. Originally, Rizal’s plan was to take up priesthood and become a Jesuit father. When he heard of the martyrdom of GomBurZa, he changed his mind and swore to dedicate his life to vindicate the victims of Spanish oppression.
