GEd 103:

The Life and Works of Rizal

RIZAL’S CULTURAL
ROOTS
Lesson 2
A.Y. 2019-2020, Midterm Class
“Culture is the name for what people are
interested in, their thoughts, their models,
the books they read and the speeches they
hear”
Walter Lippmann.
Philippine history is not complete as basis for
understanding contemporary society unless it includes the
contributions of the Chinese mestizo to the development of
the Philippines as nation. They played a significant role in the
formation of the Filipino middle class, in the call for reforms,
in the 1898 revolution, and in the formation of Filipino
nationalism.
 The Ascendance of the Chinese Mestizo

CHINESE HISTORY IN THE PHILIPPINES

In 1594, the Spanish Governor Luiz Perez Dasmariñas created
Binondo as a permanent settlement for Chinese mestizos who
converted to Catholicism. In this part of Manila, Chinese
merchants and traders were free to do their business. Binondo
also became the place of intermarriages between Chinese
immigrants and Filipino natives, thus the emergence of
Chinese mestizos.
 The Ascendance of the Chinese Mestizo

CHINESE HISTORY IN THE PHILIPPINES

Chinese mestizo communities, aside from Binondo, emerged in
many other parts of the archipelago. In Manila, notable
communities were Sta. Cruz and Tondo. In the early 17th
century, more than 100 Chinese individuals were married to
native Filipinos in Iloilo, Pampanga and Cebu. In Northern
Luzon, Chinese mestizos could be found in Pangasinan,
Benguet, and Mountain Province.
 The Ascendance of the Chinese Mestizo

CHINESE HISTORY IN THE PHILIPPINES

From the beginning of the Spanish Colonial period until 1740,
the inhabitants of the Philippines were classified into three:
Spaniards, Indios, and Chinese. As the Chinese mestizo
population grew, questions regarding their legal status as
inhabitants of the country arose. It was only 1741 that their legal
status was officially established when the whole population of
the Philippine was reclassified into four according to tax
payment or tribute.
 The Ascendance of the Chinese Mestizo

CHINESE HISTORY IN THE PHILIPPINES

These classes are the (1) Spaniards and Spanish mestizos, (2)
Indios, (3) Chinese and (4) Chinese mestizos. Spaniards and
Spanish mestizos were not required to pay taxes depending on
their income.
 The Ascendance of the Chinese Mestizo

CHINESE HISTORY IN THE PHILIPPINES

A Chinese mestizo then was:
 Any person born of a Chinese father and indio mother;
 A Spanish mestiza and a Chinese mestizo,
 A child of a Spanish mestiza and a Chinese mestizo

However, a Chinese mestiza and an indio were listed as Indios.

 The Ascendance of the Chinese Mestizo

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CHINESE MESTIZO

Chinese mestizos became prominent and influential figures in
the areas of industry, commerce, and business during the
Spanish colonial period. They carried on a lucrative by
collecting goods from the north and selling them to Manila and
nearby provinces. They monopolized the internal trading in the
Philippines while the Spanish mestizos were concerned with
foreign trade.
 The Ascendance of the Chinese Mestizo

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CHINESE MESTIZO

The entrepreneurial power of the Chinese mestizos gave way
to the emergence of the Philippine middle class described as
“more active and enterprising, more prudent and pioneering,
more oriented to trade and commerce than the Indios”
(Bowring, 1963).
 The Ascendance of the Chinese Mestizo

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CHINESE MESTIZO

Another significant role that Chinese mestizos played in the
Philippine society was the formation of the Filipino identity. This
was evident during the latter part of the 19th century when they
became clearly influential in the economy of the Philippines as
a Spanish colony. This caused the Spaniards to be concerned
with the ability of the Chinese mestizos to cause discord in
society.
 The Ascendance of the Chinese Mestizo

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CHINESE MESTIZO

By 1800s, Chinese mestizos in the provinces began to form
opinions regarding the Spanish colonial rule. It was also
difficult to separate the Indios from Chinese mestizos since
they identified themselves with each other socially and
culturally. Chinese mestizos shared grievances with the Indios
about the harsh conditions under the Spanish rule. Spaniards
feared that the independent mindset and liberalism of Chinese
mestizos might influence the political consciousness of Indios.
 The Ascendance of the Chinese Mestizo

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CHINESE MESTIZO

The most vivid manifestation of the budding sense of Filipino
nationalism appeared in the late 1870s in the writings of Pedro
Paterno and Gregorio Sanciano, who were both Chinese
mestizos.

Their writings were nurtured by Jose Rizal,

a known pride of the Malay race but also a
chinese mestizo.
 The Ascendance of the Chinese Mestizo

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CHINESE MESTIZO

The significant role of Chinese mestizos in the making of the
nation was highly evident as the turn of the century. Their
involvement in the armed revolt against the colonizers showed
that they recognized Spain as the enemy-the oppressor. The
Philippine Revolution of 1869 to 1898 was the act of
determination on the part of Filipinos-Indios and Chinese
mestizos alike-to claim for themselves and for the future
generations the incomparable birthright of nationhood.
 The Ascendance of the Chinese Mestizo

RIZAL AND THE CHINESE MESTIZOS

Rizal is a fifth generation Chinese mestizo. However, he and his
father were considered as Indios. Some documents and
scholarly papers noted that Rizal dislike being called Chinese
mestizo or Tsinoy (in the modern sense), and disassociated
himself from any Chinese relations.
 The Ascendance of the Chinese Mestizo

RIZAL AND THE CHINESE MESTIZOS

Through his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo,
Rizal exposed the abuses and corruption of the Spanish
authorities, condemned the oppression of the people by the
colonizers, and ridiculed the hypocrisy and overbearing
attitude of the Spanish friars. He also depicted the bloody
revolution that sparked people’s fury and eventually lead them
to revolt. At the same time, as a sign of his contempt towards
Chinese immigrants in the Philippines, his novels brimmed
with insults and scorn for them.
 The Ascendance of the Chinese Mestizo

RIZAL AND THE CHINESE MESTIZOS

Rizal clearly manifested his anti-Christian feelings win his
writings, as well as his correspondence with family and
friends. By virtue of his lineage, Rizal could have had a special
connection with the Chinese but such was not the case.

The concern on whether Rizal’s disdain over his Chinese

lineage made him less of a hero is not something to argue
about. Chinese mestizo or not, Rizal is a nationalist and a
Filipino.
FAMILY
Jose Rizal was born to a wealthy family in Calamba, Laguna. He
was the 7th among the 11 children of Francisco Mercado Rizal
and Teodora Alonzo Realonda. Paciano, the second to the
eldest child in the family, was the only brother of Jose. His
other siblings were Saturnina, Narcisa, Olimpia, Lucia, Maria,
Concepcion, Josefa, Trinidad, and Soledad. Jose had a Chinese
ancestors from his father’s side, Domingo Lam-Co who
married a Chinese mestiza, Ines de la Rosa. Aside from his
Chinese ancestry, he also had a Japanese, Spanish, and Malay
blood.
Family, Childhood, and Early Education of Rizal
EDUCATION
By three years old, Jose was already able to recite the alphabet
because of his mother's guidance. In his journals, he wrote, "My
mother taught me how to read and to say haltingly the humble
prayers which I raised fervently to God." Aside from his mother,
Jose also had a private tutor, Leon Monroy, who taught him the
rudiments of Latin. Aside from Monroy, Jose was also taught by
his Uncle Manuel Alberto and Uncle Gregorio. The former was
concerned with the physical development of Jose and instilled
in him the love for nature while the latter taught him the value
of education.
Family, Childhood, and Early Education of Rizal
EDUCATION
Jose had his early education in Calamba and Bifian. His
education was focused on reading, writing, arithmetic, and
religion. Instruction was imposed very rigidly and strictly.
Teachers made use of whips to force knowledge into the minds
of the students. However, despite the shortcomings of the
Spanish system of basic education, Rizal was able to acquire
the necessary skills to prepare him for higher education in
Manila.

Family, Childhood, and Early Education of Rizal

EDUCATION
Jose's first teacher in Bifian was Maestro Justiniano Aquino
Cruz who he described as tall, thin, long-necked, sharp-nosed,
and with a body slightly bent forward. In Bifian, Jose regularly
attended mass, went to the orchard, went to class at 10:00 a.m.
and ate lunch, arrived home at 5:00 p.m., and consistently
studied and drew. He also prayed daily before going to bed

Family, Childhood, and Early Education of Rizal

EDUCATION
In terms of academics, Jose was the most outstanding among
all his classmates. He surpassed them all in Spanish, Latin, and
other subjects. This made his older classmates jealous of him.
They told lies about Jose to teachers just to discredit him.
Although he was not quarrelsome,
Jose never ever backed out from a fight.

Family, Childhood, and Early Education of Rizal

RIZAL'S INFLUENCES
Jose Rizal grew up surrounded by influences that have
contributed to the development of his nationalist sensibilities.
From his father, Francisco, Rizal learned the value of self-
respect, love for work, and independent thinking. His greatest
influence was his mother, Teodora. It was from her that Jose
got his religiosity, a high sense of self-sacrifice, and love for
the arts. His love for freedom and justice was inculcated in him
by Paciano while his sisters taught him to be respectful and
kind to women.

Family, Childhood, and Early Education of Rizal

RIZAL'S INFLUENCES
He got his love for books and his being hardworking from his
Uncle Gregorio. His Uncle Jose encouraged him to develop his
skills in painting, sketching, and sculpting.

An equally important influence on the character of Rizal was

the environment he grew up in. As mentioned, he spent his
childhood in Calamba, in a family that nurtured his mind and
soul. The Rizal family had a beautiful garden which helped Rizal
appreciate nature. These things stimulated the young hero's
innate artistic and literary talents.
Family, Childhood, and Early Education of Rizal
 HISTORY OF THE FRIAR LANDS
The existence of friar lands in the Philippines can be traced
back to the early Spanish colonial period when Spanish
conquistadors were awarded lands in the form of haciendas for
their loyalty to the Spanish crown. Approximately 120
Spaniards were granted either large tracts of land called sitio
de ganado mayor or smaller tracts called caballerias.

Agrarian Relations And The Friar Lands

 HISTORY OF THE FRIAR LANDS
However, the hacienderos, those who owned the haciendas,
failed to develop their lands. One reason is that the Spaniards
were not expected to permanently stay in the Philippines. Many
of them returned to Spain once they were done serving in the
country. Also, the livestock market during this time was still
small. Thus the Galleon Trade based in Manila, appealed more
to the Spaniards because it offered better economic
opportunities.

Agrarian Relations And The Friar Lands

 HISTORY OF THE FRIAR LANDS
When the export of agricultural crops started to blossom in the
18th century, the inquilinato system was put into place. In this
system, one who rented land for a fixed annual amount, an
inquilino, was expected to give personal services to the
landlords. If he or she failed to do so, he or she would be
expelled from the land.

Agrarian Relations And The Friar Lands

 HISTORY OF THE FRIAR LANDS
The inquilinos could also lease the land they were renting from
the landlord to a kasama or sharecropper who would then be
responsible for cultivating the land. The inquilinato system
functioned as a three-layered system with the landlords on
top, the inquilinos in the middle, and the kasamas at the bottom.

Agrarian Relations And The Friar Lands

 HACIENDA DE CALAMBA DISPUTE
The Hacienda de Calamba was originally owned by a Spaniard
who donated the land to Jesuit friars to allow him to
permanently stay in the Jesuit monastery. However, since the
Jesuits were expelled from the Philippines, the hacienda went
to the possession of the Spanish colonial government. In 1803,
the land was sold to Don Clemente de Azansa.

After his death, it was eventually sold to the Dominicans who

claimed ownership of the hacienda until late 19th century.

Agrarian Relations And The Friar Lands

 HACIENDA DE CALAMBA DISPUTE
The Hacienda de Calamba was originally owned by a Spaniard
who donated the land to Jesuit friars to allow him to
permanently stay in the Jesuit monastery. However, since the
Jesuits were expelled from the Philippines, the hacienda went
to the possession of the Spanish colonial government. In 1803,
the land was sold to Don Clemente de Azansa.

Agrarian Relations And The Friar Lands

 HACIENDA DE CALAMBA DISPUTE
Rizal's family became one of the principal inquilinos of the
hacienda. They rented one of the largest leased parcel of land
measuring approximately 380 hectares. The main crop was
sugarcane since it was the most in-demand in the world
market then. The Rizal family got their income mainly from the
land they rented. However, when conflicts on land ownership in
the hacienda arose in 1883, the family evidently suffered.

Agrarian Relations And The Friar Lands

 GEd 103:
The Life and Works of Rizal

RIZAL’S CULTURAL
ROOTS
Lesson 2
A.Y. 2019-2020, Midterm Class