DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY DASMARINAS

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND COMMUNICATIONS

SOCIAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT

CRITIQUE PAPER ON GENERAL ARTEMIO RICARTE:

SA MGA KABATAANG FILIPINO

SUBMITTED TO: SIR ROMMEL MAZO

SUBMITTED BY: MARINELA MILCA J. DIMOG

PSC41
INTRODUCTION

The Philippine-American War (1899-1902) is referred to as the second phase

of the Philippine Revolution (Churchill, 2015). It is a revolt that may be seen as a

continuation of the Philippine Revolution against Spanish rule.The Treaty of Paris

in 1898 had transferred Philippine sovereignty from Spain to the United States

but the Filipino leaders did not recognized it. At that time, the troops of the Filipino

leaders were in actual control of the entire archipelago except the capital city of

Manila. According to an article written by Professor Bernardita Reyes Churchill,

the Philippine-American War actually began after Aguinaldo returned to the

Philippines from Hong Kong on may 19, 1898, on board an American cutter from

the fleet of Admiral George Dewey, who on May 1, 1898, had defeated the

Spanish forces in the Battle of Manila Bay. The United States had declared war

on Spain (over Cuba) in April 1898 and Dewey was sent to Manila to destroy the

Spanish navy. The initial enthusiasm for American support of the Revolution

against Spain turned increasingly sour as the Filipino revolutionaries became

convinced that the United States was preparing to take over sovereignty over the

Philippines from Spain. To pre-empt American designs on the Philippines,

Aguinaldo declared independence from Spain and raised the Philippine flag on

June 12, 1898, at Kawit, Cavite; then he proceeded to organize his revolutionary

government (by Decree of June 23, 1898), while pressing on the Spaniards in

Manila to surrender to the Filipino revolutionaries. He also sent his men to

organize resistance throughout Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

GENERAL ARTEMIO RICARTE

Introducing the glimpse of Philippine-American War, this paper is not about

the heroic deeds of the famous General Emilio Aguinaldo. However, this paper

tackles about the political thoughts of General Artemio Ricarte. He was a Filipino

general during the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine–American War. He is

considered to be the only soldier with an unstained record, as he was described

by Dr. Dominador Gomez. On the other hand, to the American rulers and their

Filipino supporters, Ricarte’s intransigence—his consistent refusal to take an

oath of allegiance to the United States and his undeniable link to various plots

which ostensibly was for the purpose of rekindling the flame of revolt—was the

big stumbling block in the pacification campaign which the United States

government wanted to terminate as soon as possible.

In comparison with Aguinaldo, Ricarte is considered to be more nationalist

and firm in his political stance. As have mentioned before, Ricarte refused to take

and oath of allegiance to the United States while Aguinaldo swore allegiance to

the United States in 1901 following his capture. Isn’t this a form of betrayal

against the nation? According to an article written by Satoshi Ara, strangely,

although there was much skepticism about Aguinaldo’s “wholehearted

collaboration” with the United States, very few Filipino publicly question his

stance. It is probably because those Filipinos are not knowledgeable enough

about this issue. However, Ricarte questioned his stance privately. In the

beginning, Ricarte and Aguinaldo were on good terms as both were favorably

inclined in Japan, which they considered as “the Messiah” for the oppressed
races in Asia that were under the control of “White Races” (Kokuryukai, 1966).

But they eventually parted ways. For Ricarte, Aguinaldo’s political stance was

opportunistic and inconsistent with the Philippine independence movement as

well as the allegiances the latter claimed to have. Many issues have arised

because of Aguinaldo’s compromised stance. Nevertheless, Ricarte only wanted

the Filipino people not to remain indifferent to his condemnation to Aguinaldo for

he did not wish anyone to risk the nation’s dignity.

In relation to everything that has been said, this paper wants to focus tot the

letter of General Artemio Ricarte for the Filipino youths. During the

Philippine-American War, out of his uncompromised political stance, Ricarte

wanted to rekindle the flame of revolt through the Filipino youth. What is the letter

all about? Is it still applicable in our contemporary society?

SA MGA KABATAANG FILIPINO

Americans have invaded the Philippines for more than forty years. The

Filipinos’ defeat in battles was not because of their lack of courage and bravery

but because of insufficient weapons. Despite of this reason, Ricarte did not lose

heart in fighting for independence. Though he was exiled to Guam and Hong

Kong, his political stance remained uncompromised. Just as Dr. Jose Rizal’s

belief, for Ricarte, youth is the hope of the nation. In his letter he stated that:

Kabataan ang pag-asa ng inang bayan, gaya ng sinabi ni Rizal, kayo ay

magsipaghikahos sa ilalim ng mapangaliping kuko ng mga Amerikano sa

ating sariling lupain.

 It is definitely true that the youth is the hope of the nation. The youths are

expected to be more courageous, intelligent, and strategic. Ricarte also added

that the Americans have deceived the Filipinos and mislead the development of

the Philippines. He called it Yanquismo wherein, their policy, through materialism,

is to defraud the Filipinos. In his letter he justified:

Mabilis na nadaya ang bayang Pilipino nang kawalang pagtatapat ng mga

Amerikano. Ang mga Amerikano ay nagpatayo ng maraming malalaking

gusali, magagandang daan at mga tulay, nakapagtay ng maraming

paaralan, at bilang bunga nito ay isang malaking kuwaring kaunlaran at

kunwari’y napalago ang makabagong kabuhayan na maka-amerikanong

palakad na hindi bagay sa ating mga Pilipino.

The Americans have fed the Filipinos of things that are aligned to them and

not to the Filipinos. Leaving the latter with empty dreams to pursue while

romanticizing the forged development of the Philippines. However, Ricarte

believed that the Americans have never captured the heart of the Filipinos,

especially, the heart of the Filipino youths. Thus, he entrusted the establishment

of the Philippines to the Filipino youths. In his letter he said that:

Kayo ang tinatawag sa pagtatayo ng hinaharap na hanggahan ng

kaunlaran at kasaganahan. Kayo, mga kabataan, ang pag-asa at liwanag

ng bayan. Aking nababanaagan sa inyong mga mukha at pag-uugali ng

saligang tunay na Silanganin, ang palatandaan ng ating mga dakilang

ninuno at ang pag-asa ng ating mga magulang.

 In addition to that, he gave instructions to fulfill those he said. In his letter he

gave seven instructions:

(1) Katapatan at pag-ibig sa malinis na gawa; (2) paunlarin ang

pagakakaisa; (3) iwaksi ang pagtatangi sa mga puti; (4) igalang ang

Bathala, matatanda, at mga guro, tulungan ang mga kaibigan, rangalan

ang mga bayani at martir ng bayan; (5) karaniwang ugali at kaakit-akit na

pakikipagkapwa; (6) itanim ang diwa ng pagpapasakit at sariling pagtitiis

sa kapakanan ng bayan; at (7) paglilingkod sa kabutihan ng iba at lalo na

sa mga kababayan.

To sum it all, Ricarte is implying that the Filipino youths should do things with

love and with all truthfulness in their hearts. In other words, their actions must be

done in integrity. Regardless of the accusations of the Americans that Filipinos

are indolent, the youths must recognize that it is only a tactic from the Americans

in order to mislead the Filipinos. Ricarte also promotes unity among Filipinos. He

reiterated that:

Idinadalangin ko pa rin na iwawaksi ninyo ang lahat ng ugaling masakim

at mapangapi at gawin ninyo ang tuntuning Asiatiko na pauunlarin ang

mga kabataan sa palatandaan ng “pagkakaisa.” Upang maipagtagumpay

ang diwang ito ay kinakailangan ang isang dakilang samasamang

pagmamalasakit ang pagkakaisa sapagka’t ang tatlo ay higit at malakas

sa dalawa at ang dalawa ay higit at malakas sa isa.

Thus, he then conclude that the head of the family and the teachers has the

big role in molding the mind of the Filipino youths. Just like what Americans did,
they have thought the Filipinos their culture, history, their heores, their presidents,

replacing the teachings of the Filipino people which lead to compromise of

nationalism. Ricarte further added:

Sa katotohanan ay tinuruan ng Amerika ang ating mga kabataan ng mga

nagpapagunita ukol sa buhay nina Lincoln at Washington upang

malimutan natin sa ating mga puso ang maningning na nagawa ng mga

dakilang bayani ng ating bayan sa Silanganan. Naniniwala ang mga

Amerikano na kailan pa man tayo ay nakapagsasalitang mabuti ng Ingles,

isa ng sapat na katibayan ng ating kamulatan at mabuting kaugalian, ay

naiuugit sa ating ang maling palaisipan ang kahusayan ng lahing puti.

On the other hand, Ricarte also emphasized the misleading teachings of the

Americans. According to him, those teachings lead to disunity among the Filipino

people. Different teachings lead to different beliefs and principles— which lead to

diversity of people— which resulted to compromised virtue—resulted to other

complications. It was like a disease that produces more and more disease. One

complication is the selfish perspective of the Filipinos. Filipinos are more willing to

sacrifice for their family than for the country. They are willing to compromise their

dignity and integrity as a Filipino just to satisfy their needs as an individual or for

their family. That is why Ricarte also stated in his letter that:

Ang pagmamalasakit ukol sa kabutihang panglahat ay siyang

mahalagang saligan ng maligayang buhay. Ang pagpapasakit sa sarili ay

isang mahirap na gawa ngunit kinakailangan natin iyan. Sa maraming

taon ay nakilala na natin ang salitang “lingkod” na ang kahulugan ay

 paggawa ukol sa iba, na hiwalay sa lahat ng kilos at gawang hindi

nagpapalaki sa kaniyang sariling pagkatao. Sa ating buhay ay gagawa

tayo ng ukol sa kapakanan ng lahat at hindi sa kapakanan ng ilan lamang.

CONCLUSION

Ricarte’s view on American’s education to the Philippines is almost the same

with Constantino’s. Filipinos were miseducated by using English as the medium

of instruction. According to Constantino, English became the wedge that

separated the Filipinos from their past and later to separate educated Filipinos

from the masses of their countrymen. In that manner, English has removed their

sense of nationalism little by little as they patronize the education introduced by

the Americans. English introduced the Filipinos to a strange, new world using

American textbooks. With that, Filipinos started learning not only a new language

but also the way of life of the Americans that have alienated them from their

traditions and culture. As a result, it became the beginning of their miseducation,

for they learned no longer as Filipinos but as colonials. Likewise to what Ricarte

said in his letter that the Americans have thought the Filipinos their culture,

history, their heroes, their presidents, replacing the teachings of the Filipino

people which lead to compromise of nationalism. Moreover, Ricarte’s letter to the

Filipino youth is still applicable until this point of time. For the reason that Filipino

youths are still miseducated. The effect of miseducation of the Americans is still

evident even to the contemporary lives of the Filipinos. They may not have

colonized the country but they have colonized the minds, although not the heart

as Ricarte believed. Filipinos have unlearned their nationalist virtues, forgot the
past of their liberalization, but learned the lives of American heroes, sang

American songs, dreamt of snow, and dreamt the life living in America. What’s

worse is, even the Philippine constitution is patterned to the America’s

constitution. The evident manifestation of miseducation of the Americans is hard

to determine because it targeted the minds of the Filipinos and only rational

people can realize it; only Filipinos who can go beyond their thinking.

Furthermore, according to Constantino, Americans used education as an

instrument of colonial policy. Education served to attract the people to the new

masters and at the same time to dilute their nationalism which had just

succeeded in overthrowing a foreign power. Thus, the introduced American

education defeated the Filipinos’ sense of nationalism. Moreover, Constantino

also said that given the economic and political purposes of American occupation,

education had to be consistent with these broad purposes of American colonial

policy. Politics through diplomacy is important to empower the economic relation

of two countries. Thus, economic emancipation is anchored to political

independence. Because a country's economy is dependent to other country and

therefore, that two countries must have good political relations. Moreover, as

have mentioned before, even the Philippine constitution is patterned to their

constitution. Considering that it is the supreme law of the land. Education has

also influenced Filipino’s cultural development by introducing American culture to

Filipinos through education. The effect of it is diluted culture of Filipino people

which also affects the solidarity of nationalism. Nevertheless, it is clear that the

Filipinos were trained as citizens of an American colony. According to

Constantino, The Americans were confronted with the dilemma of transplanting

their political institutions and yet luring the Filipinos into a state of captivity. It was

understandable for American authorities to think that democracy can only mean

the American type of democracy, and thus they foisted on the Filipinos the

institutions that were valid for their own people. Indigenous institutions which

could have led to the evolution of native democratic ideas and institutions were

disregarded. It only means that, Americans have influenced the democracy of the

Philippines before it evolved and fully matured. The result of this is that, the

American democracy became the rudiment of Philippine democracy. It is clear

that from the very start, Philippine democracy is already infected by American

democracy and thus, it became a barrier in establishing the Philippine

democracy.

The misleading concept of democracy lead to disunity of the Filipinos.

According to the letter of Ricarte to the Filipino youths:

Alinsunod sa tinatawag na demokrasya na may maling pakahulugan,

ang mga guro ay mga kinatawari lamang na tagapagturo sa ating mga

kabataan, isang paniniwalang mali at maligoy. Isipin lamang ninyo ang

isang halimbawana kayo ay binigyan ng inyong ama ng isang buto at ang

inyong guro ay laman naman. Kinkailangan ang masinop na

pagtutulungan ng bawat isa. Kung ang iyong paiiralin ay ang paniniwala

at mga turo ng mga Amerikano ang ang hinaharap lamang ay ang

kapakanan ng bawat isa ay hindi tayo makapagtatayo ng isang matibay at

masaganang nagkakaisang bayan.

REFERENCES

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http://www.academia.edu/24655757/Emilio_Aguinaldo_under_American_and_Jap

anese_Rule_Submission_for_Independence

Churchill, B. R. (2015, April 16). The Philippine-American War (1899-1902). Retrieved

November 1, 2017, from

http://ncca.gov.ph/subcommissions/subcommission-on-cultural-heritagesch/histori

cal-research/the-philippine-american-war-1899-1902/

Ricarte, A. (n.d.). Sa mga kabataang Filipino. Retrieved October 30, 2017, from

https://quod.lib.umich.edu/p/philamer/ASH9042.0001.001?rgn=main;view=fulltext;

q1=Political socialization

Roces, A. R. (1963). Memoirs of General Artemio Ricarte. Manila: National Heroes

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T. (n.d.). Philippine-American War. Retrieved October 30, 2017, from

https://www.britannica.com/event/Philippine-American-War