The Philippine a Century Hence: Summary and Analysis

By: J.R. Lim

“The Philippine 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 to remind Spain
that the Circumstances that ushered in the French Revolution could have a telling effect for him
in the Philippines.

This essay, published in La Solidaridad starts by analyzing the various causes of the miseries
suffered by the Filipino people.
1. Spain’s implementation of here military policies – because such laws, the Philippines
population decreased dramatically. Poverty became more rampant than ever, and
farmlands were left to wither. The Family as a unit of society was neglected and, overall,
every aspects of the life of the Filipino were retarded.
2. Deterioration and disappearance of Filipino indigenous culture – when Spain came with
the sword and the cross, it began the gradual destruction of the native Philippine culture.
Because of this, the Filipinos started losing confidence their past and their heritage,
became doubtful of their present lifestyle, and eventually lose hope in the future, and the
preservation of their race.
3. Passivity and submissiveness to the Spanish colonizers – one of the most powerful forces
that influenced a culture of silence among the native were the Spanish friars. Because of
the use of force, the Filipinos learned to submit themselves to the will of the foreigners.

The question then arises to what had what had awakened the hearts and opened the minds of the
Filipino people with regards to their plight. Eventually, the natives realized that such oppression
in their society by foreign colonizers must no longer be tolerated.

One question Rizal raised in this essay whether or not Spain can indeed prevent the progress of
the Philippines.
1. Keeping the people uneducated and ignorant had failed. National Consciousness had still
awakened, and great Filipino still emerge from the rubble.
2. Keeping the people impoverished also came to no avail. On the contrary, living a life of
eternal destitution had allowed the Filipinos to act on the desire for a change in their way
of life. They began to explore other horizons through which they could move towards
progress.
3. Extermination the people as an alternative to hindering progress did not work either. The
Filipino race was able to survive amidst of wars and famine, and became even more
numerous after such catastrophes. To wipe out the nation altogether would require the
sacrifice and to the rising nationalism of the people

Spain had no means to stop the progress of the country. What she needs to do a change for he
colonial policies so that they are in keeping with the needs of the Philippine Society and to the
raising nationalism of the people.

What Rizal envisioned in his essay came true. In 1898, the Americans wrestled with Spain to win
the Philippines, and eventually took over the country. Theirs was a reign of democracy and
liberty. Five decade after Rizal’s death, the Philippines gained her long-awaited independence.
This was in fulfillment of what he had written in this essay. “History awaited independence. This
was in fulfillment of what he had written in his essay. History does not record in its annals by
last domination and by one people over another, of different races, of diverge usages and
customs, of opposite and divergent ideas.

The Destiny of the Filipino People

Pgs. 162-163 of Life and Works of Jose Rizal by Obias et.,al.

Rizal’s essay titled “The Philippines a Century Hence” presents compelling argument on what
state of the country will be like in the future/ However, in order to be forward-looking, one must,
at first be able to look back at the country’s past. In Rizal’s words, “In order to read the destiny
of the people, it is necessary to open the book of its past.”

The part of the Rizal’s essay does this by illustrating that with the arrival of the Spaniards, the
Filipinos were forced to accept and subject themselves to new and foreign culture. Time passes
while Spaniards attempted to subjugate the Filipinos completely, but Rizal argues that the
continued oppression only resulted in the gradual awakening of the Filipinos.

By the 19th Century, economic condition had become better in the Philippines and Rizal
recognized this. However, beyond the material prosperity, he points out that the Filipinos remain
brutalized and oppressed. Since advancement or progress is clearly inevitable, Rizal poses the
question on whether the Philippines will remain a colony of Spain despite all the changes.

To this question, his answer is straightforward. He stated the Philippines will remain a colony of
Spain if the mother country implements reforms such as freedom of the press and does not grant
these reforms, the Filipino will likely become independent after a violent and bloody revolution.

The final part of Rizal’s work presents another interesting point of discussion since he attempts
to look into the future of the country. He argues that if the Philippines become free in the future,
this independence will be short-lived since the United States of America will probably acquire
and colonize the county as one of their own territories.

In the end, Rizal makes a strong assert that it is imperative for Spain to grant the Filipinos
reform, for as he eloquently states, “It is better to keep pace with the desire of a people than to
give way before them; the former begets sympathy and love, that latter contempt and anger.”
 ACTIVITY
Read Rizal’s Essay, “The Philippines a Century Hence.” Then, make a worksheet like the one
below and fill it out. Copy one quotation from the essay that has caught you attention under the
Quotation heading. Under the Comments section take into consideration the following
questions: (a) What does the quotation remind you of? (b) Do you agree or disagree and why? (c)
How does the quotation related to the class discussions? (d) What are reflections on the
qoutation? Under Questions, write down the questions that come to you mind while reading the
quotation from Rizal’s essay

Quotation Comments Questions