Assignment #1

1. Read the works about the writing of the reformists and make a list of
their pen names. Why did they use pen names instead of their real
names?

Dr. Jos Rizal (Laong Laan at Dimasalang)

Marcelo H. del Pilar (Plaridel)

Graciano Lopez Jaena (Fray Botod/Diego Laura)

Antonio Luna (Taga-Ilog)

Mariano Ponce (Tikbalang,Kalipulako,Naning)

Jose Maria Panganiban (Jomapa)

It was practical and useful for the Filipino ilustrados in Spain to use pen
names in order to protect their families and relatives in the Philippines
from reprisals that could be launched by those in power, who were the
objects of criticism in La solidaridad.
2. Research on Juan Luna and Felix Resureccion Hidalgo. Who were they
and what works did they contribute to help the propaganda
movement?
Philippine paintings took a new course with the art of Juan Luna
and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo. Living in Europe, these artists
had firsthand experience of academy education and style were
affected by the artistic trends of the Continent. Motivated by a
desire to prove themselves the equal of European artists, they
worked within the conventions of European academism.
Regarded for work done in the manner of the Spanish,
Italian and French academies of his time, Luna painted literary
and historical scenes, some with an underscore of political
commentary. His allegorical works were inspired with classical
balance, and often showed figures in theatrical poses. He had
proudly lauded this momentous achievement of Juan Luna
alongside with Felix Hidalgo, during an exclusive gathering of
expatriates which were incidentally, all Filipinos. With this
magnificent painting, Rizal was happy to know that at long last,
there were Filipino artists who had bluntly fought the tyrannical
regime of the Spaniards through a simple; but, meaningful work
of art.
Felix acknowledged as one of the great Filipino painters of
the late 19th century, and is significant in Philippine history for
having been an acquaintance and inspiration for members of the

Philippine reform movement which included Jos Rizal, Marcelo

del Pilar, Mariano Ponce and Graciano Lpez Jaena, although he
neither involved himself directly in that movement, nor later
associate himself with the First Philippine Republic under Emilio
Aguinaldo.

Assignment # 2
1. Describe the conditions in the Philippines before the out the
revolution. In your opinion, which of the causes of the struggle
oppressed the Filipinos the most. Why?
Before the start of the Philippine Revolution, the Filipino society
was subdivided into social classifications that were based on the
economic status of a person. There were two main classes in this
system. The highest people on the social scale were members of
the principalia, and the other class was the masses. The
principalia included landlords, teachers, local officials and exofficials. The members of this class constituted the social
aristocracy of a town.
The Spanish people belonged to the principalia class, and
they were further subdivided into two classes: the peninsulares
and the creoles. The peninsulares were people who were
Spanish-born, but lived in the Philippines. The creoles, or criollo
people, were Spaniards who were born in the colonies. Although
the peninsulares and the creoles enjoyed the same social power,
as they both belonged to the principalia, the peninsulares
considered themselves as socially superior to the creoles.
The lowest of the two classes was the masses, or Indios.
This class included all poor commoners, peasants and laborers.
Unlike the principalia class, where the members enjoyed high
public offices and recommendations from the King of Spain, the
masses only enjoyed a few civil rights and privileges. The highest
political office that they could possibly hold was the
gobernadorcillo, or the town executive. The members of
Katipunan, the secret organization that would trigger the
revolution, mainly consisted of the masses.
Material prosperity at the start of 19th century produced
an enlightened middle class in the Philippines, consisting of wellto-do farmers, teachers, lawyers, physicians, writers, and
government employees. Many of them were able to buy and read
books originally withheld from the lowly Filipino class. They
discussed political problems and sought government reforms,

and eventually, they were able to send their children to colleges

and universities in Manila and abroad, particularly to Madrid. The
material progress was primarily due to the opening of the Manila
ports to world trade.
The leading intellectuals of the country came from the
enlightened middle class. They later called themselves the
Ilustrados, which means "erudite ones". They also considered
themselves to be the intelligentsia branch of the Filipino society.
From the Ilustrados rose the prominent members of the
Propaganda Movement, who stirred the very first flames of the
revolution.
In my opinion, the biggest struggle of the Filipinos during that
time was the injustice and unfair treatment of the Spaniards to
them in our own country. They felt that they would never be their
equals, that they are always sublevel to them no matter how
much they had tried.
2. Why and how the Katipunan was discovered?
On August 19, 1896, the Katipunan was found out. Father
Mariano Gil, the Augustinian parish priest of Tondo, learned about
it from Teodoro Patino, an unhappy member of the Katipunan.
The Spanish police moved quickly to stop the revolution. Many
Filipinos were arrested, jailed, and shot. Andres and Gregoria
went into hiding.
The Katipunan was discovered before the rebels were ready for a
fully armed struggle. But Bonifacio knew that the die had been
cast. There was no turning back. The time had come for the
Filipino people to engage the enemy in battle.
Bonifacio met with other Katipunan leaders in a place called
Pugadlawin, on August 23, 1896. They tore up their cedulas
(residence tax papers) and cried "Long Live the Philippines!"
They vowed to fight the Spaniards down to the last man.

Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%A9lix_Hidalgo
http://driftwoodjourneys.com/the-historical-triumph-and-socialrelevance-juan-lunas-spoliarium/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Luna
http://masternoel.tripod.com/compdev/page34.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_Revolution