SUMMARY OF Indolence of the Filipinos

Indolence of the Filipinos (“La Indolencia de los Filipinos”)

The essay itself originally appeared in the Filipino forthrightly review, La Solidaridad, of Madrid, in
five installments, running from July 15 to September 15, 1890. It was a continuation of Rizal's
campaign of education in which he sought by blunt truths to awaken his countrymen to their own
faults at the same time that he was arousing the Spaniards to the defects in Spain's colonial system
that caused and continued such shortcomings. (Craig, 1913)

PART 1
 indolence – misused in the sense of little love for work and lack of energy
 indolence does exist among the Filipinos
 examine the causes based on facts before proposing a remedy
 climate – factor for being indolent
o “A hot, climate requires of the individual quiet and rest, just as cold incites to labor and action.”
o “A man can live in any climate, if he will only adapt himself to its requirements and conditions.”
 Working hours of Filipinos (tenants) vs. Spanish Official and Landlords
 Tendency to indolence is very natural
 Effect of misgovernment

PART 2
 analogy of physician( friars, Spanish government) , patient(Philippines), illness (indolence)
 indolence as a chronic illness
o “Indolence in the Philippines is a chronic malady, but not a hereditary one”

Before the arrival of Spaniards, Malayan Filipinos raised on an active trade, not only
among themselves but also with other neighboring countries (evidence that Filipinos were not
indolent)
 an illness will worsen if the wrong treatment is given
 “How is it that the Filipino people, so fond of its customs as to border on routine, has given up its
ancient habits of work, of trade, of navigation, etc., even to the extent of completely forgetting its
past?”

PART 3
 enumerates several reasons that may have caused the Filipinos cultural and economic corruption
 wars: conflict among Spaniards, natives and Moros
 invasion of Pirates
o Results: diminished number of native Filipinos
 forced labor : Filipinos were sent abroad to fight for Spain or shipyards to construct vessels
 Some Filipinos hide in the forest and mountains and abandoned their farm lands (because of fear)
 “Still they struggled a long time against indolence, yes: but their enemies were so numerous that at
last they gave up!

PART 4
Cut-off of trading
 Monopoly
 Abuse of land lords (ecnomenderos)
o Permission to labor (KASAMA System)
 Absence of encouragement from the government
o no aid for poor crops
o does not seek market for its products
 Wrong teaching:
o Why work? If the rich man will not go to heaven.
o False teaching of church
o Gambling – promise of sudden wealth
 Discrimination on education
 Spaniards insisted to Filipinos:
o “The Filipino is convinced that to get happiness it is necessary for him to lay aside his dignity as a
rational creature, to attend mass, to believe what is told him, to pay what is demanded of him, to
pay and forever to pay; to work, suffer and be silent, without aspiring to anything, without aspiring
to know or even to understand Spanish,without separating himself from his carabao, as the priests
shamelessly say, without protesting against any injustice, against any arbitrary action, against an
assault, against an insult; that is, not to have heart, brain or spirit: a creature with arms and a purse
full of gold ............ there's the ideal native!”
 Yet Filipinos still have inspirations, he thinks and strive to rise

PART 5
 causes of indolence can be reduced to two factors(emerged from the people)
o limited training and education of Filipino native
 developed inferiority
o lack of a national sentiment of unity among them
 “A man in the Philippines is only an individual; he is not a member of a nation.”
 education and liberty is the key to solve this issue

The Indolence of the Filipinos: Summary and

SUMMARY

The Indolence of the Filipinos is a study of the causes why the people did not, as was said, work
hard during the Spanish regime. Rizal pointed out that long before the coming of the Spaniards, the
Filipinos were industrious and hardworking. The Spanish reign brought about a decline in economic
activities because of certain causes:

First, the establishment of the Galleon Trade cut off all previous associations of
the Philippines with other countries in Asia and the Middle East. As a result, business was only
conducted with Spain through Mexico. Because of this, the small businesses and handicraft industries
that flourished during the pre-Spanish period gradually disappeared.

Second, Spain also extinguished the natives’ love of work because of the implementation of
forced labor. Because of the wars between Spain and other countries in Europe as well as the Muslims
in Mindanao, the Filipinos were compelled to work in shipyards, roads, and other public works,
abandoning agriculture, industry, and commerce.

Third, Spain did not protect the people against foreign invaders and pirates. With no arms to
defend themselves, the natives were killed, their houses burned, and their lands destroyed. As a result of
this, the Filipinos were forced to become nomads, lost interest in cultivating their lands or in rebuilding the
industries that were shut down, and simply became submissive to the mercy of God.

Fourth, there was a crooked system of education, if it was to be considered an education. What
was being taught in the schools were repetitive prayers and other things that could not be used by the
students to lead the country to progress. There were no courses in Agriculture, Industry, etc., which were
badly needed by the Philippines during those times.

Fifth, the Spanish rulers were a bad example to despise manual labor. The officials reported to
work at noon and left early, all the while doing nothing in line with their duties. The women were seen
constantly followed by servants who dressed them and fanned them – personal things which they ought
to have done for themselves.

Sixth, gambling was established and widely propagated during those times. Almost everyday
there were cockfights, and during feast days, the government officials and friars were the first to engange
in all sorts of bets and gambles.

Seventh, there was a crooked system of religion. The friars taught the naïve Filipinos that it was
easier for a poor man to enter heaven, and so they preferred not to work and remain poor so that they
could easily enter heaven after they died.

Lastly, the taxes were extremely high, so much so that a huge portion of what they earned went to
the government or to the friars. When the object of their labor was removed and they were exploited,
they were reduced to inaction.

Rizal admitted that the Filipinos did not work so hard because they were wise enough to adjust
themselves to the warm, tropical climate. “An hour’s work under that burning sun, in the midst of
pernicious influences springing from nature in activity, is equal to a day’s labor in a temperate climate.”

ANALYSIS

It is important to note that indolence in the Philippines is a chronic malady, but not a hereditary
one. Truth is, before the Spaniards arrived on these lands, the natives were industriously
conducting business with China, Japan, Arabia, Malaysia, and other countries in the Middle East. The
reasons for this said indolence were clearly stated in the essay, and were not based only on
presumptions, but were grounded on fact taken from history.

Another thing that we might add that had caused this indolence, is the lack of unity among the Filipino
people. In the absence of unity and oneness, the people did not have the power to fight the hostile
attacks of the government and of the other forces of society. There would also be no voice, no leader, to
sow progress and to cultivate it, so that it may be reaped in due time. In such a condition,
the Philippines remained a country that was lifeless, dead, simply existing and not living. As Rizal stated
in conclusion, “a man in the Philippines is an individual; he is not merely a citizen of a country.”

It can clearly be deduced from the writing that the cause of the indolence attributed to our race is Spain:
When the Filipinos wanted to study and learn, there were no schools, and if there were any, they lacked
sufficient resources and did not present more useful knowledge; when the Filipinos wanted to establish
their businesses, there wasn’t enough capital nor protection from the government; when the Filipinos tried
to cultivate their lands and establish various industries, they were made to pay enormous taxes and were
exploited by the foreign rulers.

It is not only the Philippines, but also other countries, that may be called indolent, depending on the
criteria upon which such a label is based. Man cannot work without resting, and if in doing so he is
considered lazy, they we could say that all men are indolent. One cannot blame a country that was
deprived of its dignity, to have lost its will to continue building its foundation upon the backs of its people,
especially when the fruits of their labor do not so much as reach their lips. When we spend our entire
lives worshipping such a cruel and inhumane society, forced upon us by aliens who do not even know our
motherland, we are destined to tire after a while. We are not fools, we are not puppets who simply do as
we are commanded – we are human beings, who are motivated by our will towards the accomplishment
of our objectives, and who strive for the preservation of our race. When this fundamental aspect of our
existence is denied of us, who can blame us if we turn idle?

INDOLENCE OF THE FILIPINOS

By Jose Rizal

• Indolence
o sa Tagalog ang ibig sabihin ay katamaran; walang silbi; ayaw gumawa.
o sa Ingles naman ay dislike of work; laziness, idleness
o or disposition to be idle, the lack of inclination to work.

• Ito ay isang sanaysay na sinulat ni Rizal bilang depensa para sa mga Indio na kung saan tinawag na
tamad ang mga Pilipino ng mga kolonyal na Espanyol.
• Ipinakita dito ni Rizal ang madaming katwiran at halimbawa upang ihayag ang sinasabing indolence ay
isang epekto lamang ng dehumanizing conditions na kung saan ang mga Indio ay sapilitang mabuhay.
• Dinagdagan ni Rizal ang kahulugan ng indolence. Ito ay “the inclination to live off the labor of others”.
• Inamin ni Rizal na tamad ang mga Pilipino. Pero ito ay dahil sa init ng klima sa ating bansa.
• Lubhang nakapagpapapawis at nakapanghihina ang init at madalas silang “sumilong sa lilim”.
• Ang init ay nakapagpapalusog sa lupa, kaya ang mga pananim ay hindi kailangang lagging alagaan.
• Sinabi ni Rizal na hindi mana o likas ang katamaran sa mga Pilipino noong panahon ng Kastila. Ang
totoo, bago dumating ang mga Kastila, ang mga Pilipino ay may masiglang pakikipagkalakalan sa mga
Instik, Hapon, Arabe at Malay.
• Naging laganap lamang ang katamaran ng mga Pilipino noong panahon ng mga Kastila.
• Dahil sa masasamang palakad ng pamahalaan, tiwaling pagtuturo ng relihiyon at dahil sa ugali na rin
ng mga Kastila.
• Bago pa man dumating sa Pilipinas ang mga Kastila ay nakikipagkalakalan na tayo sa ibang bansang
Asyano at Gitnang Silangan. Ngunit ito ay naputol ng monopolya ng Galleon Trade. Sa Espanya lamang
via Mehiko maaaring makipagkalakalan ang mga Pilipino. Dahil dito ay natigil ang mga mumunting
industriya at mga gawaing kamay. Kaya sinira ng mga Kastila ang kasipagan at pagkukusa ng mga
Pilipino.
• Kinitil din ng mga Kastila ang pagmamahal ng mga Pilipino sa paggawa dahil sa tinatawag na “forced
labor”. Dahil sa pakikidigma ng Espanya laban sa ibang bansang Europeo at sa mga Muslim sa Mindanao,
ang mga Pilipino ay pilit na pinagawa sa paggawa ng barko, pagpuputol ng mga kahoy at paggawa ng
mga kuta. Sinabi nga ni Morga na nalimutan ng mga Pilipino ang kaalaman sa pagsasaka,
pagmamanukan at paghahayupan at pagtatanim at pag-aalaga ng bulak, gayon din ang paghabi ng damit
pagkaraan ng 320 taon.
• Kung meron mang edukasyon ay tiwali ang sistema nito. Ang itinuturo noon ay puros dasal at ibang
karunungang hindi magagamit ng nagsisipag-aral. Walang kursong pang-agrikultura, pang-industriya at
iba pa, na lalong kailangan noon ng Pilipinas.
• Hindi tama ang ipinakikita ng mga namumunong Kastila. Tanghali na kung pumasok sa opisina at
maaga kung umalis, gayong wala namang nagagawa kundi magbasa ng dyaryo at pumirma ang mga
opisyal. Ang mga babae ay sinusundan ng mga alila at pati ang pagbibihis at pagpaypay ay ang mga ito
pa ang gumagawa.
• Hinayaang lumaganap ang sugal. Halos araw-araw ay may sabong at kung pista, ang mga pinunong-
bayan at mga prayle ang nagpapasimuno ng kung anu-anong sugal.
• Mali ang pagtuturo ng relihiyon. Itinuro ng mga prayle sa mga mangmang na Pilipino na “ang mga
dukha ay makararating sa langit” at ang mga mayayaman ay matutungo sa impiyerno.
• Mataas ang buwis na ipinapataw sa mga Pilipino. Sa pamahalaan o sa mga prayle napupunta ang
kalakhan ng bahagi ng kanilang inaani.
• Ayon kay Rizal, ang kawalan ng diwa ng pagkakaisa ay sanhi ng katamaran ng mga Pilipino. Dahil kung
walang pagkakaisa ang mga mamamayan, wala silang lakas na hadlangan ang mapaminsalang hakbang
ng pamahalaan at iba pang puwersa ng lipunan. Wala ring pagsusumigasig upang maisagawa ang mga
bagay na makapagpapaunlad sa nakararami. Ang lahat kung gayon ay hindi kikilos, parang isang baying
patay. Kaya sa konklusyon ay sinabi ni Rizal, “ang tao sa Pilipinas ay isang indibidwal; hindi siya
mamamayan ng isang bansa.”
• Kung titingnan ay ang mga Kastila ang may sala sa pagiging tamad ng mga Pilipino.
• Kung tutuusin ay gustong mag-aral ng mga Pilipino subalit walang paaralan o kung mayroon man ay
kulang sa gamit at tamang salalayan ng karunungan. Gusto ding magnegosyo ngunit walang perang
pangpuhunan at kawalan ng proteksiyon mula sa pamahalaan. Gusto ding magbungkal ng lupa at
magtayo ng industriya subalit mataas naman ang buwis at nagsasamantala pa ang mga namumuno.
• Maaaring magkaisa ang mga Pilipino subalit pinagkaisa na ito ng mga Kastila bilang isang kolonya at
bilang isang komunidad na Kristiyano.
• Ganoon din malamang ay hahadlangan ng mga Kastila ang iba pang uri ng pagkakaisa, para sa
ikakaayos ng mamamayan.
• Sinabi ni Rizal na ang indolent o ang tamad ay ang mga Kastila hindi ang mga Indio dahil ang
Peninsulares ay ninais ang magandang buhay ng walang paghihirap o pagtratrabaho.