The Propaganda Movement

and La Solidaridad
Learning Objectives:

At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

• Explain the concept of assimilation as the main
thrust of the propaganda movement;
• Analyze the various works of Rizal as a
propagandist and their significance to the
development of national consciousness and the
clamor for assimilation; and
• Evaluate the involvement of Rizal in the reform
movement.
 Propaganda movement(1882-1892)
• To assimilate the philippines as a province of Spain
• As such, and not as a colony of spain, the Philippines would
be represented in the spanish law making called cortez.
• The Filipinos would become spanish citizens who would enjoy
all the right and privileges of spanish citizens.
• Obliged to discharge their duties as spanish citizens
• Could not be treated cruelly by friars and the
spanish civil authorities
• This moved to make the philippines a province
of spain and granting a citizenship to the
filipinos was called assimilation.
 Demands of Filipino Reformists
1. Representation of Spanish cortes
2. The right to vote
3. Freedom of speech, of assembly, and of press.
4. Freedom of commerce
5. The removal of friars
6. Education of the people
7. Reforms in the jails of the country
8. The abolition of the Diezmos Prediales
 Graciano Lopez Jaena(1856-1896)
• Born in Jaro now (Ilo-Ilo city) on Dec 18,1856
• Studied at he seminar of Jaro to become a
priest but changed his mind to become a
physician instead
• He was observant of the injustices, immorality
and greed of the friars and officials
• Wrote about “Fray Botod”
Early Filipino Student Activities in Spain, 1880 - 1882
• After the event of 1872, The burgos had been executed and the other filipino priests who had
been prominent in the controversy over the parishes returned from their exile. Archbishop
Meliton Martinez resigned because he wanted to limit the role of the friars in the parish and
the following year was replaced by Archbishop Pedro Payo
• The creoles proclaim to identify themselves with the peninsular spaniard while the chinese
mestizo identified himself as indio but, all those born in the philippines has a gut feeling that
they are not yet clearly defined of being Filipinos.
• Antonio Canovas del Castillo or the architect of the restoration was a great admirer of the
british parliamentary system and formed a spanish parliamentary system in that image. On
the accession of Alfonso XII to the throne in 1875, a group known as conservatives were
formed under the alfonsist branch of the bourbons. But, bitter protests rose from the vatican
and the spanish bishops for it proclaimed Catholicism as the religion of the spanish nation.
• On the left side of Canova's party, Praxedes Mateo Sagasta or known as the liberal party,
rallying those monarchists who still held to the constitution of 1869 but supported Alfonso XII.
• After the addition, the two parties from left and right suddenly associated and known to be as
Fussionist party.
• Canovas realistic compromise between the demands of advocates of separation of
church and state as proclaimed in the constituion of 1869.
• Ecclesiastical nominations were made by the government.
• State of education 1880's
• On the other hand, they were saddened to learn that their idol had feet of clay when
they saw how far more progressive the other countries of europe were.
Pedro Paterno

• Only active Filipino nationalists know with certainty

to have been in spain before 1880 together with
Gregorio Sancianco.
• His home was reuniones artisticas
• Retanas sarcastic comments on Paterno owing his
fame more to his receptions than to his literary merit.
Gregorio Sanciangco

• He had already earned his doctorate in law by 1880

• He began to contribute articles to the newspaper El
Democrata on reforms needed in the philippines.
• Proposed the abolition of various indirect taxes and
customs duties.
• This principle of assimilation that all FIlipinos were
Spanic citizend and therfore should have the same
rights and duties as peninsular spaniards. However,
Sancianco's first concern is the economic
• Jose Rizal was impressed by it.
• But in he aftermath, a number of prominent Filipinos
were imprisoned, among them Sancianco.
Eventually they were released, but there is no trace
of any further activity on Sancianco's part before his
death a few years later.
The Filipino Colony

• The first sign of collective activity on the part of the small Filipino
colony in Madrid appeared during the publication of Sanciancos book.
• Given honor of Fernando de Leon y Castillo.
• Graciano Lopez Jaena delivered a speech in florid and rehtorical style
then was admired by Spain.
• A revolutionary by temperament, he would be a radicalizing force
among the Filpinos
• The Circulo found a bi-weekly newspaper called Revista del Circulo
Hispano-Filipino whose firs number apperead on October 29 1882
• Rizas
Jose Rizal
arrival brought vague purposes of the Filipinos more sharply into focus
and to galvanize their unformed sentiments into nationalist fervor in the years
to come.
• Rizal came from a family that embraces education his older brother Paciano
studied at Colegio de San Jose and has been a close friend of Father Jose
Burgos.
• His connection to burgos greatly influenced Rizal and said “Had it not been
for 1872, rizal would now be a Jesuit and instead of writing the Noli me
tangere would have written the opposite
• He is a deep and religous boy
• He renewed contact once more during his exile in Dapitan and in the last
hours of his execution, he was accompanied by Jesuits from the Ateneo
Municipal.
• His childhood environment must have fostered manifested itself in his
writings.
• Rizal apparently had words with one of the professors
who treated the poorer students unfairly.
• He left without informing his parents, whose disapproval
he apparently feared and secretly assisted by an uncle
and by his brother.
• After his arrival in Barcelona, Diariong Tagalog was
published and is the first newspaper to appear in Spanish
and tagalog. This was chiefly the work of Filipinos, Basilio
Teodor Moran and Marcelo H. Del Pilar.
Journalism and Politics, 1883-
1886
The Campaign in Los Dos Mundos
On January 8, 1886 a periodical called Los Dos Mundos made its first appearance
with Jesus Pando y Valle as editor

Though it wasn’t sure if Los Dos Mundos was a Filipino project a lot of its members
were Filipino like Graciano Lopez Jaena and Govantes y Azcarraga

The first issue was an article by Tomas del Rosario, exemplified the cautious
attitude of Filipino students in their writings whether from fear or conviction
In March Lopez Jaena made his first appearance with an article protesting against
Valentin Gonzalez’s article

In Lopez Jaena’s protest, he was protecting the indios saying it is the peninsular’s
failure to provide adequate education and sufficient incentive

And for the mestizos, the only reason for their disaffection was because of the abuse
of the peninsular’s of the island and instead of guiding them into progress they kept
them ignorant to exploit them

But Lopez Jaena added at the end that not all is to be blamed on the Spaniards
An article by Pedro De Govantes on the New Commercial Code and he urged for its
submission to the Cortes for its extension to the Philippines

He concluded that the present constitutional regime should not be more fearful than
the old absolute

Though his article was written in the point of view of a Spaniard, he and Lopez
Jaena were seeking on the same goal
Articles of June and July of 1883 Lopez Jaena attacked the tribute and compulsory
labor as being symbols of the vassalage of the Filipinos

He called for their for their immediate abolition and replacement by system of direct
taxation which would the stigma between peninsulars, Spanish Mestizo, Chinese
Mestizo, and native

The following month Govantes wrote an article concerned more on economic and
administrative matters

In the end Lopez Jaena and Govantes had their differences in attitude and led to a
major split on the Filipino reform movement
New Directions
In 1886, criticism on Spain’s handling of Philippine affairs became more open

More Filipinos were active in making speeches and writings in newspapers

A series of articles begun in Nov 1883 by Lopez Jaena’s analization on the defects
of the Philippine local institutions

In 1884 it suddenly becomes an attack against the friar parish priest’s power over
the local government
However in provincial capitals friars are in good terms with the authorities

During this time Filipinos established closer relations with the republicans, out of
disgust with the failure of the Liberal Fusionists governments to fulfill their
promises

Both Rizal and Jaena began to write for the El Progreso which attacked the
government so fiercely that it was continuously harassed by the Canovas ministry
An article of Lopez Jaena’s “La logica en Fiipinas” presented a full-scale indictment
of the regime in the Philippines: the lack of modern codes of law: the constant
changing of functionaries

In April of 1884 there were disturbances in Samar due to religious fanaticism, in

which a number of people were killed by government forces

When rumors reached in Madrid all reports were denied by La Epoca. But El Liberal
gave further details and El Epoca was forced to admit the facts
At this point, Lopez Jaena led the Filipino colony and signed a protest, calling on the
government to clarify matters. And for each of the protests twenty were content
with government of General Jovellar

Though Lopez Jaena pointed out in El Progreso that no charges had been made
against Jovellar, but in the reply of La Epoca showing the terms in which the
Filipinos demands for reforms were already conceived

During July and August a similar situation happened in Pangasinan due to the
oppression of local officials by higher authorities because the local officials were
behind in the payment of their tribute
The Manila government caught in a hysterical state of alarm since a lot were
arrested both in Manila and provinces

Govantes in El Liberal denounced the arrests, based on the false denunciations as in

the aftermath of the mutiny of 1872 and emphasized the need for parliamentary
representation.

Lopez Jaena again carried on an extensive polemic with La Epoca and La

Correspondencia de Espana, which attempted to justify the procedures followed and
to minimize the importance of the measures taken by the government
He then wrote the El Porvernir, another organ of the Progressive republicans of
Manuel Ruiz Zorrilla

Rizal then entered with an article “El filibusterismo en Filipinas” Referring to the
disturbances of recent months, and saying instead of investigating the government
would attribute everything to filibustersimo and blame it innocent men to cover up
guilty parties

And Rizal adds the only reason why there are filibusteros in the Philippines is
because they are given the name from fear or malice and he concluded by saying if
you want to remove the danger of Filibusterismo on the Philippines they must
correct the abuse that exists there
In 1884 an incident caused Rizal’s resentment to burn at white heat because his
longtime friend died because the Dominican father Villafranca came to take charge
of the church but the funds in the box were locked and the key which was given to
Rizal’s father

At this time Rizal gave up on Catholic practices, not only because of his friend’s
death but was also from the anti-friar novel that was yet to come .
Banquet for Luna and Hidalgo
In 1884 two Filipinos won an award for their paintings

Juan Luna y Novicio received a gold medal first class for his spoliarium

Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo received a medal for second class for his Virgines
cristianas espuestas al populacho

Pedro Paterno held the banquet to honor them both and to make the Philippines
known among the politicians and journalists of Madrid
A toast was offered by Rafael M. Labra, a representative of the Cuban autonomists,

Among the Filipinos Rizal and Lopez made notable speeches

In Lopez’s speech he openly was attacking the friars and the administration in the
Philippines
Literary Activity, 1884-1886
Govantes was the most active for reforms during this time. His writings was a
conference held at the Ateneo de Madrid and published in Los Dos Mundos

These reforms include the abolition of censorship and establishment of at least a

limited parliamentary representation

His writings were clearly reformist rather than properly nationalist

Lopez Jaena was not only passionate in defending the filipinos but in his open
attacks on the friars and peninsular officials
In October he had published a biography on Juan Luna

At this Los Dos Mundos was being seized at customs by the philippine authorities
and its circulation prevented

Rizal begun his first political novel at this time and autumn of 1885 he left Spain for
Paris, and late Germany

In 1885 a novel of Pedro Paterno titled Ninay: Costumbres Filipinas and was
worthless and had no effect on Spaniard or Filipinos in Spain or at home
Political Contacts
Miguel Morayta played an influential role Sagrario a close associate of Castelar, held
high positions in Masonry and a professor of world history

In 1884-1885 Morayta delivered an inaugural lecture at the university

Morayta then became a symbol of the anticlerical and freethinking forces and a hero
of the students after the police raid

Rizal then showed his interests in the events and was arrested in the riot and in his
letter to his family it showed that he sided with Morayta saying that he would never
take his doctor degree in the university
Afterwards Rizal was invited by Morayta to take part in a program to honor
Giordano Bruno but it was uncertain if Rizal participated

Rizal then was introduced by Morayta to Eusebio Corominas the owner of La

publicidad

Rizal also made a close friendship with Francisco pi y Margall, a short lived
president of Republic 1873 and leader of the federal republicans
Situation in 1886
In early 1887 the Filipino colony made its own newspaper Espana en Filipinas while
Rizal would publish Noli me tangere in Germany

Rizal’s Noli me Tangere made him the head of the active Filipino nationalists at the
same time carried the struggle to the Philippines, and unite it with the growing
semi-clandestine activity there
❖ Mariano Ponce

Del Pilar’s influence, Mariano Ponce, became active in the nationalist movement
Undertook some journalistic activity, on behalf of the philippines
Publish articles on January 1888 titled “Cartas de Filipinas”
Wrote letters dealing with Del Pilar’s activities in the philippines
Responsible for sending copies of Noli Me Tangere back to the Philippines
Difficulties involved in the question of editor
of Espana en Filipinas

Rizal - was in Germany and hesitated to accept due to his desire to further his studies on
the history of the philippines(to prepare to write about the country’s problem)
Llorente- close friend of Rizal
Lete- many members opposed him of being editor as it would only cause schism in the
colony
The filipino Colony of Barcelona
A new organization called “La Soliridad” was founded, with Galicano Apacible as president,
Lopez Jaena vice-president, Manuel Santa Maria as secretary, Ponce as treasurer, and Jose Ma.
Panganiban as auditor. Rizal was elected honorary president. Rizal’s letter accepting the latter
distinction shows that the purposes of the society were fairly general, but designed to
promote Filipino nationalist interests.
Lead to the formation of a group of FIlipinos from Madrid to form the
Association Hispano-FIlipina to advocate reforms in the Philippines
Ponce and Lopez were the organizers of a banquet
Speeches of Lopez in particular in which he says “For three hundred years
been oppressed, degraded, condemned and tormented”. Let the friars be
expelled totally from the islands, and the philippines will become “The
paradise of humanity on earth”
La Voz de la Patria commented sarcastically about it, declaring the
authorities in the Philippines, who instead of aiding patriotic work of the
religeous orders, apparently propose to assist the the rapidly increasing
number of filibusteros there to plunge the precious jewels of Spain into a
disastrous civil war.
Facts

• Newspaper named after an organization of Filipino exiled liberals and

Filipino students attending European universities
• It served as a venue to express the desire of the Propaganda
Movement for assimilation.
• Edited by Graciano Lopez Jaena and later by Marcelo H. Del Pilar
• First issue was on February 15, 1889
• Published fortnightly (every two weeks)
• It published articles and essays about the economic, cultural, political
and social conditions of Philippines. Also published current news, both
local and foreign, and speeches of prominent Spanish leaders about
Philippines.
Aims of the Newspaper

• To share the agonies of the struggle and anguish of the battle

being fought by Filipinos to achieve political and social reforms
• To expose the deplorable conditions of the Philippines
• To oppose the evil forces of reaction and medievalism
• To advocate liberal ideas and progress
• To champion the legitimate aspirations of the Filipinos to life,
democracy and happiness
 Del Pilar as Delegate in
Barcelona of “The propaganda”
• This was to include propaganda for the Philippines and to prepare the
minds of the people for the second stage
• La solidaridad was proven as an effective way of propaganda
• Del Pilar's pamphlet entitled La frailocracia filipina
• The pamphlet of blumentritt is named Consideraciones acerca de la
actual situacion politica de filipinas.
• Spain's final counsel is to endure in hope of a future edliverance.
• Del Pilar printed the official church schedule of stole fees to be
offered for baptisms, weddings, funerals, etc., together with a
tagalog translation.
• Del Pilar and Ponce were sending copies of his famous pamphlets as
well as of Rial's La vision de Fray Rodriguez to the Philippines,
singapore and in Hongkong.
Political activity
• Del Pilar plunged into political activity and as the delegate of the
propaganda, he was called on to study the Spanish political situation
on the spot to seek recognition of filipino aspirations by some party.
• Del pilar did not even consider the conservative party and all thos of
the right because they will never support any anticlerical program.
• Established close contacts with morayta from the time of the latters
visit to Barcelona in April 1889 and remained closed with Quiroga
• An incident that occurred at about this time, Jose Basa's brother,
Matias and a pensular spaniard named Abello, both agents of JOse
Basa in Manila were arrested when a search of their houses yielded
packages of anti friar broadsides.
• Shortly after, Serrano wrote to Del Pillar telling him to desregard
Basa's exaggerations.
• Del Pilar is seen as activist in high gear.
• He labeled the Spanish politics a little harsh in general and felt that
“we should bless, yes bess God eternally, for having saved our race
from adopting the customs of our colonizer”
• He owed his hope to the masonic connections which the filipinos of
Barcelona formed at about this time wherein, it leads to a movement
which would become a source of division among the Filipinos.
Towards Secularization of Philippine Society
• On April 2, 1889 The masonic lodge “Revolucion” had petitioned
Morayta for affiliation of their lodge with his federation.
• Serrano proposed the reprinting of another pamphlet “Los Frailes en
Filipinas as part of the antifriar literature.
• The author Lallave was a former dominican who does not support
Filipino and Spanish but his true desire is to bring down the friars
• Del Pilar used Lallave in his campaign to destroy the friars in the
Philippines and would ally himself with him.
• When Becerra became an overseas minister, he proposed for the
Philippines was the removal of the Jesuits from having any part in the
normal education given there.
• In Del pilar's Spanish Pamphlets, he always insisted that he was
attacking only the friars, not the jesuits
• In a letter to Bluementritt in 1890, Rizal related how trinidad Pardo
de Tavera had defended Rizal's NOli before the jesuits in Manila by
saying that Rizal was attacking not religion itself but the friars.