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."
"Filipinas Dentro de Cien Aos" - presents a forecast about the future of the Philippines.
Rizal presented a number of possibilities:
(1) Spain will introduce reforms & the Philippines will remain a colony
(2) the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution
(3) the Philippines will be colonized by another country
"Sobre la Indolencia de los Filipinos" - Rizal presents a study of the causes as to why the Filipinos appeared to be lazy
under the Spanish colonial government but they were hardworking during the pre-Hispanic era .
He cites a number of reasons:
1. Establishment of the Galleon Trade cut off all previous associations of the Philippines with other countries in Asia
and the Middle East. .........business was only conducted with Spain through Mexico. Because of this, the small
businesses and handicraft industries that flourished during the pre-Spanish period gradually disappeared.
2. The Spanish policy of Polos y Servicios (forced labor) - Because of the wars between Spain and other countries
in Europe as well as the Muslims in Mindanao, the Filipinos were compelled to work in shipyards, roads, and other
public works, abandoning agriculture, industry, and commerce.
3. Spain did not protect the people against foreign invaders and pirates. With no arms to defend themselves, the
natives were killed, their houses burned, and their lands destroyed. As a result of this, the Filipinos were forced to
become nomads, lost interest in cultivating their lands or in rebuilding the industries that were shut down, and simply
became submissive to the mercy of God.
4. Defective system of education -- repetitive prayers and other lessons could not be used by the students to lead
the country to progress ....... no courses in Agriculture, Industry, etc., which were badly needed
5. Spaniards failed to set the example ....they hated manual labor ....... The officials reported to work at noon and left
early, all the while doing nothing in line with their duties...........The women were seen constantly followed byservants
who dressed them and fanned them personal things which they ought to have done for themselves.
6. the proliferation of gambling .......almost everyday there were cockfights, and during fiesta, the government
officials and friars were the first to engage in all sorts of bets and gambles
7. too much religion made the natives ignorant & lazy......distorted understanding of the scriptures..."It is easier for a
carabao to enter the gates of heaven than for a rich man to do so...therefore, "why work hard when you will only
jeopardize your chance of going to heaven?"
8. Oppressive economic practices like burdensome taxes where the natives lost the motivation to work hard......
Filipinos did not work so hard because they were wise enough to adjust themselves to the warm, tropical climate.
An hours work under that burning sun, in the midst of pernicious influences springing from nature in activity, is
equal to a days labor in a temperate climate.

El Filibusterismo......The theme revolves around the issue of Spanish colonialism and the Spanish "civilizing mission" as its
justification. It raises the question,.."Does a civilizing mission justify the permanent domination of one nation under the rule of
another? or...Do we have to be colonized in order to be civilized?" "Should we aim for assimilation or independence?"....If we
are assimilated, we will lost our national identity because we will become a province of Spain...We will become "a nation
without a soul. Everything in us will be borrowed, including our mistakes." On the other hand, if we aim for independence, we
will have to fight for it through an armed revolution....If we win, are we certain that we have the desired level of political
maturity to govern ourselves? If not, "the slaves of today shall become the tyrants of tomorrow." In one of the novel's subplot, the student activists (Makaraig, Sandoval, Pecson, Isagani, etc.) have submitted a petition for a Castillan Academy.
Simoun believes that this will cause us the lost of our national identity. The incompetent government officials (governorgeneral included) during a meeting, while they are on an excursion & hunting expedition in Los Baos, have decided to
assign the decion-making on the petition to another very incompetent official, Don Custodio. The students tried to get the
help of Mr. Pasta, a Filipino lawyer & adviser of Don Custodio...by sending over Isagani to him. Mr. Pasta owes Fr. Florentino
(Isagani's uncle), a Filipino secular priest, a favor. But Pasta refuses to help the students by persuading Custodio to decide in
favor of the petition because he is afraid of losing his job since it will be a very unpopular decision. So, the students end up
trying to seduce Custodio by using Pepay whom he desires very much, by paying her to go on a date with the Spaniard.
While Custodio & Pepay are watching a performance, together with other colonial officials & friars, they are not aware that
the revolution will take place. The rebels have surrounded the theatre, waiting for Simoun's order....but he disappears after
learning of Maria Clara's death....so the planned revolution is postponed. Another plan will be prepared...scheduled on the
wedding banquet of Paulita Gomez & Juanito Pelaez....But it will fail because Isagani, who was desperately in love with
Paulita, snatches the "lamp" and Simoun's identity is discovered. The revolution is compromised. The rebels failed. Old Selo
& Cabesang Tales got killed during their attack. The bleeding Simoun escapes & runs to the house of Fr. Florentino, where
he makes a confession & commits suicide by taking poison.
- While the Noli begins with a dinner party at the house of Tiago, the Fili begins with a journey on board the
steamship Tabo, whose lower & upper decks are comparable to the social stratification of the Philippines. They trip begins in
Manila & is destined for La Laguna.
- The term, Filibusterismo means subversion.....The story revolves around the Phil. Revolution...and revolution is a
form of subversion. But our lack of political maturity has caused the failure of the revolution in the novel. All the participants in
the revolution are motivated by a selfish desire.... vengeance....and therefore, they are doomed to fail. Rizal believed that
political maturity, acquired through proper education, is necessary ...and that, the national interests must be placed above
anything, most especially, personal interests. There is a character in the Fili , the "High Official".....who represents the idea
that not all Spaniards are corrupt.....He is a man of integrity

Characters
Simoun - Crisostomo Ibarra in disguise, left for dead at the end of Noli Me Tangere, has resurfaced as the wealthy jeweler,
Simoun, sporting a beard, blue-tinted glasses, and a revolver. Fueled by his mistreatment at the hands of the
Spaniards and his fury at Maria Clara's fate, he has since shed his pacifist image and become the titular "filibustero",
pretending to side with the upper class and encouraging them to enslave the masses, while in reality siding with the
masses and urging them to revolt against the oppressive Spanish regime. This time, he does not attempt to fight the
authorities with knowledge, but by force. He plots to set off a bomb disguised as a beautiful lamp at a wedding
where important members of civil society and the church hierarchy are in attendance. Unfortunately for him, his plan
fails and he commits suicide by taking poison.
Basilio - Son of Sisa, Medical Student ....boyfriend of Juli
Isagani - friend of Basilio, ex-BF of Paulita Gomez....He stole the lamp and foiled Simoun's plans
Kabesang Tales - Cabeza Telesforo Juan de Dios, a former cabeza de barangay (barangay head) of Sagpang, a barangay
in San Diego's neighboring town Tiani, who resurfaced as the feared Luzn bandit Matanglawin...The friars took his
land from him, and he and his family became miserable...He represents the Calamba Agrarian Problem during
Rizal's time.
Paulita Gomez - The girlfriend of Isagani and the niece of Doa Victorina, the old Indio who passes herself off as a
Peninsular, who is the wife of the quack doctor Tiburcio de Espadaa. In the end, she and Juanito Pelez are wed,
and she dumps Isagani, believing that she will have no future if she marries him.
Macaraig - One of Isagani's classmates at the University of Santo Tomas. He is a rich student and serves as the leader of
the student activists who are yearning to build the Academia de Castellano (Castillan Academy)

Father Florentino - Isagani's godfather, and a secular priest; was engaged to be married, but chose to be a priest after
being pressured by his mother, the story hinting at the ambivalence of his decision as he chooses an assignment to
a remote place, living in solitude near the sea.
Juli or Juliana de Dios - the girlfriend of Basilio, and the youngest daughter of Kabesang Tales. To claim her father from the
bandits, she had to work as a maid under the supervision of Hermana Penchang. Eventually, she was freed but
committed suicide after Father Camorra attempted to rape her.
Juanito Pelaez is an undesirable student who only goes to school for his attendance....sounds familiar? He loves to kiss the
teachers' behind in order to gain favors. He merries Paulita
Doa Victorina delos Reyes de Espadaa, known in Noli Me Tangere as Tiburcio de Espadaa's cruel wife. She is the aunt
of Paulita Gomez, and favors Juanito Pelaez than Isagani
Father Camorra - The parish priest of Tiani, San Diego's adjacent town. He has been desiring young women ever since. He
nearly raped Juli causing the latter to commit suicide.
Ben-Zayb - The pseudonym of Abraham Ibaez, a journalist who believes he is the "only" one thinking in the Philippines.
Ben-Zayb is an anagram of Ybanez, an alternate spelling of his name.
Placido Penitente - A student of the University of Santo Tomas who was very intelligent and wise but did not want, if not only
by his mother's plea, to pursue his studies. He also controls his temper against Padre Millon, his physics teacher.
Hermana Penchang - Sagpang's rich pusakal (gambler). She offers Huli to be her maid so the latter can obtain money to
free Kabesang Tales. Disbelieving of Huli and her close friends, she considers herself as an ally of the friars.
Tiburcio de Espadaa - Don Tiburcio is Victorina de Espadaa's lame husband. He is currently on hiding with Father
Florentino.
Father rene - Captain Tiago's spiritual adviser. Although reluctant, he helped the students to establish the Academia de
Castellano after being convinced by giving him a chestnut. The only witness to Captain Tiago's death, he forged the
last will and testament of the latter so Basilio will obtain nothing from the inheritance.
Quiroga - A Chinese businessman who dreamed of being a consul for his country in the Philippines. He hid Simoun's
weapons inside his house.
Don Timoteo Pelaez - Juanito's father. He is a rich businessmen and arranges a wedding for his son and Paulita. He and
Simoun became business partners.
Tandang Selo - Father of Kabesang Tales. He raised the sick and young Basilio after he left their house in Noli me Tangere.
He died in an encounter on the mountains with his son Tales.
Father Fernndez - The priest-friend of Isagani. He promised to Isagani that he and the other priests will give in to the
students' demands.
Sandoval - The vice-leader of Macaraig's gang. A Spanish classmate of Isagani, he coerces his classmates to lead
alongside him the opening of the Spanish language academy.
Hermana Bli - Another gambler in Tiani. She became Huli's mother-figure and counselor; helped to release Kabesang Tales
from the hands of bandits.
Father Millon - The Physics teacher of the University of Santo Tomas. He always becomes vindictive with Placido and
always taunts him during class.
Tadeo - Macaraig's classmate. He, along with the other three members of their gang, supposedly posted the posters that
"thanked" Don Custodio and Father Irene for the opening of the Academia de Castellano.
Leeds - An American who holds stage plays starring decapitated heads; he is good friends with Simoun.
Tano - Kabesang Tales's elder son after his older sister, Lucia died in childhood. He is currently one of the Guardia Civil. He
then returned under the name Carolino after his exile in Caroline Islands.
Pepay - Don Custodio's supposed "girlfriend". A dancer, she is always agitated of her "boyfriend"'s plans. She seems to be a
close friend of Macaraig.
Gobernador General - The highest-ranking official in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period, this unnamed
character pretends that what he is doing is for the good of the Indios, the local citizens of the country, but in reality,
he prioritizes the needs of his fellow Spaniards living in the country.
Pecson - Basilio's classmate who had no idea on the happenings occurring around him. He suggested that they
held the mock celebration at the panciteria.
Father Hernando de la Sibyla- A Dominican friar introduced in Noli Me Tangere, now the vice-rector of theUniversity of
Santo Tomas.
Father Bernardo Salvi- Former parish priest of San Diego, now the director and chaplain of the Santa Clara convent.
Captain Tiago - Santiago delos Santos, although making a cameo appearance, Captain Tiago is Maria Clara's stepfather
and the foster-father to Basilio. His health disintegrates gradually & eventually dies because of the opium he was forced to
smoke given to him by Father Irene.

SOME IMPORTANT EVENTS:

December 13, 1888 La Solidaridad is established in Spain. Filipino expatriates in Spain, among them Jose Rizal, Marcelo
del Pilar, Antonio Luna, and Mariano Ponce, establish the organization La Solidaridad. The group aimed to foster
closer relationships with Spain and the Philippines.
January 12, 1889 La Asociacion Hispano-Filipino is inaugurated. The reformist organization composed of Filipinos and some
peninsulares is led by Miguel Morayta. Its aim was to influence public opinion to initiate reforms in the Philippines.
February 15, 1889 The first issue of "La Solidaridad" is published. The newspaper published news and current affairs, as
well as essays on the Philippines.
March 28, 1891 Rizal finishes writing "El Filibusterismo." The sequel to "Noli Me Tangere" was completed in Biarritz, France.
September 18, 1891, El Filibusterismo was printed in Ghent, Belgium.
June 26, 1892 Rizal arrives in the Philippines via Hong Kong. While still in HK, Rizal and Jose Ma. Basa had been
thoroughly studying the future of the Philippines and the possibility of an armed revolution. Liga Filipina was
supposed to be a preparation, in the event that a revolution was inevitable.
July 3, 1892 La Liga Filipina is established. Rizal establishes the La Liga Filipina, advocating for reforms in the Philippines.
July 7, 1892 Spanish authorities arrest Rizal for organizing La Liga Filipina.
July 7, 1892 The Katipunan is established after they learned of Rizal's arrest.
July 17, 1892 Rizal is exiled to Dapitan
April 16, 1893 Grand Lodge of Philippine Masonry is founded
June 8, 1894 A Royal decree stops the issuance of passports to Filipinos
February 24, 1895 Cuba revolts against Spain.
May 25, 1895 Governor-General Ramon Blanco orders the deportation of prominent citizens of Malolos, Bulacan.
November 15, 1895 "La Solidaridad" ceases publication due to lack of funds
July 1896 Rizal receives a telegram from Governor-General Ramon Blanco requiring his services as a physician for the
Spanish army in Cuba
July 4, 1896 Marcelo H. del Pilar dies. The Filipino propagandist dies of tuberculosis in Barcelona, Spain. His remains were
eventually repatriated in 1920.
August 6, 1896 Rizal returns to Manila. He is supposed to go to Cuba....BUT.........something happens .
......................PREMATURE DISCOVERY OF THE KKK...Rizal gets arrested while on his way to Cuba
August 19, 1896 The Katipunan is betrayed and discovered by Spanish authorities. Teodoro Patio betrays the Katipunan to
an Augustinian priest, Fr. Mariano Gil. Mass arrests follow, but many Katipuneros evade arrest and flee to the hills of
Balintawak.
August 30, 1896 Governor-General Blanco proclaims a state of war in eight rebel provinces. The provinces of Manila,
Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Pampanga, Bulacan, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija are placed under martial law.
October 3, 1896 Rizal arrives in Barcelona.
October 4, 1896 Rizal is incarcerated in Castell de Montjuic.
He was on his way to Cuba on a volunteer medical mission when he is imprisoned, under orders of Capt. Gen.
Despujol.
October 6, 1896 On orders from Madrid, Rizal is sent back to Manila as a prisoner.
October 31, 1896 The Magdalo faction of the Katipunan is formed. A new group of the Katipunan is formed in Cavite, under
the leadership of General Emilio Aguinaldo.
November 3, 1896 Rizal is imprisoned in Fort Santiago
November 30, 1896 Julio Nakpil composes "Marangal na Madalit ng Katagalugan," meant to be the National Anthem of the
Philippines.
December 13, 1896 General Camilo de Polavieja replaces Ramon Blanco as Governor-General
December 30, 1896 Rizal is executed at daybreak in Bagumbayan June 12, 1898 ..... Aguinaldo declares Phil.
Independence

-- different topic / not connected to before

--Ocampo's essay on the rivalry between Rizal & del Pilar "Textbook history is riddled with cardboard characters to
hide the complexity of human nature that some teachers find difficult to explain. With the exception of the rivalry between the
two Cavite factions of the Katipunan (Magdalo vs. Magdiwang), or the overblown but poorly explained conflict between Emilio
Aguinaldo and Andres Bonifacio, or between Aguinaldo and Antonio Luna, all the characters in the story of the nation are
selfless and only thought of the countrys interests. In order to make sense of the way we in the present deal with elections
local or nationalwe have to go back and confront the ghosts of the past.
Before the Philippine Revolution against Spain and the Philippine-American War that brought out the best and worst in our
heroes, we must look farther back to the expatriate Filipinos in Spain in the 1880s who struggled with the question of how
best to achieve reforms in the Philippines. Some were content with mere reforms, others saw reform as a stopover toward
separation from Spain and the emergence of a nation. It is curious that our textbooks leave out the rivalry between Jose Rizal
and Marcelo H. del Pilar that led to the expatriates split between the Rizalistas and Pilaristas. An election proved that
Rizals real or imagined preeminence among the expatriates in Spain was far from unanimous. To cut a long story short, Rizal
won the election but walked out on the group.
Del Pilar, in a letter to Deodato Arellano, gives us his version of what happened (translated from the original Spanish
by Leon Ma. Guerrero):
When the discussion of the regulations was finished, we went on to the election of the leader, but the majority
required was not secured. Rizal and I were the candidates. The balloting was repeated three times with the same result, and
Rizal and I parted with the greatest cordiality, so much so that he told me that, since the balloting would be resumed the next
day, it would be advisable for us to join in voting for a third person so as to avoid the formation of factions, to which I agreed.
The balloting again took place in the afternoon of the following day; I had to go out and could not be present, so I authorized
Naning (Mariano Ponce) to vote and make any agreements for me. On my return home I found the following news: that on
the first balloting a majority had once again been lacking; that in view of this Naning conferred secretly with Rizal, proposing
a coalition third candidate recommended by the two opposing parties; that Rizal, without accepting or rejecting the proposal,
replied that he was going abroad to work by himself because there was no unity possible where there were two Filipinos
present; that the balloting took place a second time, and again failed to produce a decision; that in view of this Rizal counted
the votes in his favor in everyones presence and said: Well, I see that I have 19 friends in the colony; goodbye, gentlemen, I
am going to pack my bags, see you later, and, seizing his hat, went off.
Since Naning had instructions from me to prevent my election, he conferred with those whom he knew were voting
for me and asked them for the sake of harmony to make the sacrifice of changing their votes to favor Rizal. Dominador
Gomez, once this agreement had been made, took the floor and announced that his party desired harmony in the colony and
were ready to sacrifice their votes in favor of Rizals candidature. The balloting was then repeated and Rizal was elected.
From afar Rizal believed himself the moral leader of the group. This was also the sentiment of those in Manila who followed
the events in Spain. Friends wrote Rizal to come to Madrid, but they did not reckon with Del Pilar, the de facto leader of the
Madrid group who did not want to yield his position as well as editorial control of La Solidaridad to the newcomer. Come
election day both men ran, resulting in three inconclusive ballots. Next day, after two more inconclusive ballots, the Pilaristas
delivered their votes in favor of Rizal, only for Rizal to refuse on the grounds that he demanded unanimity.
Del Pilar claimed he did not want to be elected, but he did not withdraw and did not deliver his votes to his opponent. Rizal
kept threatening to leave Spain to complete projects like El Filibusterismo, but neither did he withdraw nor deliver his votes
to his opponent. This is a clear case of mixed signals and the Filipino trait of saying something but meaning another (jele jele
bago quiere), of making an outward show of humility to fish for a compliment or support, of saying he wants to leave when he
wants to be asked to stay.
---In 1897 during the Tejeros Convention, Andres Bonifacio set himself up for a major disappointment and a tragic
end. Bonifacio presided over a meeting that was called to unite the Magdalo and Magdiwang factions of the Katipunan; it
turned into a snap election for a revolutionary government that would replace the Katipunan. Bonifacio agreed and saw
Aguinaldo, who was not even present, elected president. When Bonifacios election as secretary of the interior was
challenged, he walked out.
--There is more to this episode left out of textbook history that fails to teach us about elections and human naturea
flaw that led Rizal to remark in disgust, Where there are two Filipinos, unity is not possible.
--Rizal conceived the idea of building a Filipino colony in Borneo by migrating landless Filipino families to Sandakan
(Sabah) in North Borneo, and call it "New Calamba."
--In April 1892, Rizal went to Borneo and successfully negotiated with the British authorities. He planned to settle at
Bengkoka River in Maradu River. The British government was willing to give the Filipino colonist 100,000 acres of land free of
all charges for 999 years....The project failed because of the refusal of the Spanish government in manila to allow the
Filipinos to leave for Borneo.