The Period of

Enlightenment
 Historical Background

After 300 years of passivity under Spanish rule, the Filipino spirit
reawakened when the 3 priests Gomez, Burgos and Zamora were
guillotined without sufficient evidence of guilt. This occurred on the 17th of
February. This was buttressed with the spirit of liberalism when the
Philippines opened its doors to world trade and with the coming of a
liberal leader in the person of Governor Carlos Maria de la Torre.

The Spaniards were unable to suppress the tide of rebellion among

the Filipinos. The once religious spirit transformed itself into one of
nationalism and the Filipinos demanded changes in the government and
in the church.
A. The Propaganda Movement
This movement was spearheaded mostly by the
intellectual middle-class like Jose Rizal, Marcelo del Pilar,
Graciano Lopez Jaena, Antonio Luna, Mariano Ponce, Jose
Ma. Panganiban, and Pedro Paterno. The objectives of this
movement were to seek reforms and changes like the
following:
1. To get equal treatment for the Filipinos and the
Spaniards under the law.
2. To make the Philippines a colony of Spain.
3. To restore Filipino representation in the Spanish Cortes.
4. To Filipinize the parishes
5. To give the Filipinos freedom of speech, of the press,
assembly and for redress of grievances.
B. Highlights of the Propaganda Movement

There were three principal leaders of the

Propaganda movement. They were Jose P. Rizal,
Marcelo H. del Pilar and Graciano Lopez Jaena.
Here are highlights about them and what they have
done for our country:
DR. JOSE P. RIZAL
Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado Alonzo y Realonda was
born on June 19, 1861 at Calamba, Laguna. His first teacher
was his mother Teodora Alonzo. He studied at the Ateneo
de Manila, started medicine at UST and finished at the
Universidad Central of Madrid.
He also studied at the University of Berlin, Leipzig and
Heidelberg. He died by musketry in the hands of the
Spaniards on December 30, 1896 on charges of sedition
and rebellion against the Spaniards. His pen-name was
Laong Laan and Dimasalang.
 His books and writings:
1. NOLI ME TANGERE: This was the novel that gave spirit to the
propaganda movement and paved the way to the revolution against
Spain.

In this book, he courageously exposed the evils in the Spanish-run

government in the Philippines. The Spaniards prohibited the reading of this
novel but a lot of translations were able to enter stealthily in the country
even if it meant death to those caught in possession of them.

The NOLI gave Philippine literature the immortal characters Maria

Clara, Juan Crisostomo Ibarra, Elias, Sisa, Pilospong Tasyo, Doña Victorina,
Kapitana Maria, Basilio and Crispin, Rizal had a powerful pen in the
delineation of these characters.
2 EL FILIBUSTERISMO: This is a sequel to the NOLI. While the
NOLI exposed the evils in society, the FILI exposed those in
the government and in the church. However, the NOLI has
been dubbed the novel of society while that of FILI is that of
politics.
3. MI ULTIMO ADIOS (My Last Farewell): This was a poem by
Rizal while he was incarcerated at Fort Santiago and is one
that can compare favorably with the best in the world. It
was only after his death when his name was affixed to the
poem.
4. SOBRE LA INDOLENCIA DE LOS FILIPINOS (On the
Indolence of the Filipinos): An essay on the so-called Filipino
indolence and an evaluation of the reasons for such
allegations.
5. FILIPINAS DENTRO DE CIEN AÑOS (The Philippines within a
Century): An essay predicting the increasing influence of
the US in the Philippines and the decreasing interest of
Europe here. Rizal predicted that if there is any other
colonizer of the Philippines in the future, it would be the US.
6. A LA JUVENTUD FILIPINA (To the Filipino Youth): A poem
Rizal dedicated to the Filipino youth studying at UST.
7. EL CONSEJO DE LOS DIOSES (The Council of the Gods): An
allegorical play manifesting admiration for Cervantes.
8. JUNTO AL PASIG (Beside the Pasig River): written by Rizal
when he was 14 years of age.
9. ME PIDEN VERSOS (You asked Me for Verses): 1882 and A
LAS FLORES DE HEIDELBERG (To the Flowers of Heidelberg) -
two poems manifesting Rizal's unusual depth of emotion.
10. NOTAS A LA OBRA SUCESOS DE LAS FILIPINAS FOR EL DR.
ANTONIO DE MORGA
(Notes on Philippine Events by Dr. Antonio de Morga): 1889

11. P. JACINTO: MEMORIAS DE UN ESTUDIANTE DE MANILA

(P. Jacinto: Memoirs of a Student of Manila) 1882.

12. DIARIO DE VIAJE DE NORTE AMERICA

(Diary of a Voyage to North America)
MARCELO H. DEL PILAR
• Marcelo H. del Pilar is popularly known for his pen name
Plaridel, Pupdoh, Piping Dilat, and Dolores Manapat. He
was born Cupang, San Nicolas, Bulacan on August 30,
1850.
• He established the Diariong Tagalog
• Editor of the La Solidaridad
Writings of Marcelo H. Del Pilar
1. PAG-IBIG SA TINUBUANG LUPA: ( Love of Country): Translated
from the Spanish AMOR PATRIA of Rizal, published on August
20, 1882, in Diariong Tagalog.
2. KAIINGAT KAYO (Be Careful): A humorous and sarcastic dig
in answer to Fr. Jose Rodriguez in the Novel of Rizal, published
in Barcelona in 1888. He used Dolores Manapat as pen-name
here.
3. DASALAN AT TOCSOHAN (Prayers and Jokes): Similar to a
catechism but sarcastically done against the parish priests,
punlished in Barcelona in 1888. Because of this, del Pilar was
called “filibuster.” Done in admirable tone of supplication
and excellent use of Tagalog.
4. ANG CADAQUILAAN NG DIOS (God’s Goodness):
Published in Barcelona, it was also like a catechism
sarcastically aimed against the parish priests but also
contains a philosophy of the power and intelligence of God
and appreciation for love and for nature.
5. SAGOT SA ESPANYA SA HIBIK NG PILIPINAS (Answer to
Spain on the Plea of the Filipinos): A poem pleading for
change from Spain but that Spain is already old and weak
to grant any aid to the Philippines. This poem is in the
answer to that Hermenigildo Flores’ Hibik sa Pilipinas (A plea
from the Philippines).
GRACIANO LOPEZ JAENA (1856-1896).

A most notable hero and genius of the Philippines,

Graciano Lopez Jaena was born on December 18, 1856
and died on January 20, 1896.
The pride of Jaro, Iloilo, he won the admiration of the
Spaniards and Europeans. He is a known writer and orator in
the Philippines. He wrote 100 speeches which were
published by Remigio Garcia, former bookstore owner in
Manila Filatica and which are still read up to no by modern
Filipinos.
GRACIANO LOPEZ JAENA (1856-1896).
He established the Diariong Tagalog in
1883 where he exposed the evils of the Spanish
government in the Philippines and in order to avoid
the false accusations hurried at him by the priests. To
avoid banishment, he was forced to travel to Spain
in 1888.
 He was assisted by Fr. Serrano Laktaw in publishing a different
Cathecism and Passion Book wherein they made fun of the priests.
They also made the DASALAN AT TOCSOHAN and KAIINGAT
KAYO taken from the word IGAT, a kind of snake fish caught in
politics.
Upon his arrival in Spain, he replaced Graciano Lopez Jaena as
editor of LA SOLIDARIDAD, a paper which became the vehicle thru
which reforms in the government could be worked out. This did not
last long for he got sick and even to reach Hong Kong from where he
could arouse his countrymen. He died of tuberculosis in Spain but
before he died, he asked his companions to tell his wife and children
that he was sorry he wasn’t able to bid them goodbye; to tell others
about the fate of our countrymen and to continue helping the
country.
 The Works of Graciano Lopez Jaena
1.ANG FRAY BOTOD (Friar Botod). One of his works written in Jaro, Iloilo in
1876, six years after the Cavite Revolt attacking the friars in the Philippines.
He exposed how some of the friars were greedy, ambitious and immoral.

2. LA HIJA DEL FRAILE (The Child of the Friar) and EVERYTING IS HAMBUG
(Everything is mere show). Here Jaena explains the tragedy of marrying a
Spaniard.

3.SA MGA PILIPINO. A speech which aimed to improve the condition of the
Filipinos to become free and progressive.

4.TALUMPATING PAGUNITA KAY KOLUMBUS (An Oration to Commemorate

Columbus). A speech he delivered in Madrid on the 39 th anniversary of the
discovery of America.
5. EN HONOR DEL PRESIDENTE MORAYTA DE LA ASSOCIACION HISPANO FILIPINO 1884. Here he
praised Gen. Morayta for his equal treatment of the Filipinos.

6.EN HONOR DE LOS ARTISTAS LUNA Y RESURRECCION HIDALGO. A sincere expression of praise
for the paintings of Hidalgo on the condition of the Filipinos under the Spaniards.

7.AMOR A ESPAÑA O A LAS JOVENES DE MALOLOS (Love for Spain or To the Youth of
Malolos). The theme is about how girls were taught Spanish in schools and whose teachers
were the governors-general of the place.

8.EL BANDOLERISMO EN PILIPINAS (Banditry in the Philippines). Jaena refuted the existence of
banditry in the Philippines and of how there should be laws on robbery and other reforms.

9. HONOR EN PILIPINAS (Honor in the Philippines). The triumphant exposition of Luna,

Resurrecion and Pardo de Tavera of the thesis that intellect or knowledge gives honor to the
Philippines.

10. PAG-ALIS SA BUWIS SA PILIPINAS (Abolition of Taxes in the Philippines)

Other Propagandists
ANTONIO LUNA
• Antonio Luna was a pharmacist who was banished by the
Spaniards to Spain. He joined the Propaganda Movement
and contributed his writings to LA SOLIDARIDAD. Most of his
works dealt with Filipino customs and others were
accusations about how the Spaniards ran the
government.
• His pen was Tagailog.
• He died at the age of 33 in June 1899. He was to put
death by the soldiers of Aguinaldo because of his instant
rise to fame which became a threat to Aguinaldo.
Some of his works were:
1. NOCHE BUENA ( Christmas Eve): it pictured true Filipino life.
2. SE DEVIERTEN ( How They Diverted Themselves): A dig at a dance
of the Spaniards where the people were very crowded.
3. LA TERTULIA FILIPINA ( A Filipino conference or Feast): Depicts a
Filipino custom which he believed was much better than Spanish.
4. POR MADRID ( For Madrid): A denouncement of Spaniards who
claimed that the Philippines is a colony of Spain but who think of
Filipinos as foreigners when it comes to collecting taxes.
5. LA CASA DE HUESPEDES ( The Landlady’s House ): Depicts a
landlady who looks for boarders not for money but in order to get
a husband for children.
MARIANO PONCE
Mariano Ponce became an editor-in-chief,
biographer, and researcher of the Propaganda Movement.

He used Tikbalang, Kalipulako, and Naning as

pennames.
The common themes of his work were values of
education. He also wrote about how the Filipinos were
oppressed by the foreigners and of the problems of his
countrymen.
Among his works were:
1. MGA ALAMAT NG BULACAN (Legend of Bulacan):
Contains legends, and folklores of his native town.
2. PAGPUGOT KAY LONGINOS (The Beheading of Longinus):
A play shown at the plaza of Malolos, Bulacan.
3. SOBRE FILIPINOS (About the Filipinos)
4. ANG MGA PILIPINO SA INDO-TSINA (The Filipinos in Indo-
China)
PEDRO PATERNO

Pedro Paterno was a scholar, dramatic, researcher

and novelist of the Propaganda Movement. He also joined
the Confraternity of Masons and the Asociación Hispano-
Pilipino in order to further the aims of the Movement. He
was the first Filipino writer who escaped censorship of the
press during the last day of the Spanish colonization.
The following were a few of his writings:

1. NINAY: the first social novel in Spanish by a Filipino.

2. A MI MADRE (To My Mother): shows the importance of a
mother especially in the home.
3. SAMPAGUITA Y POESIAS VARIAS (Sampaguitas and
Varied Poems): a collection of his poems.
JOSE MA. PANGANIBAN

Jose Ma. Panganiban hid his identity behind his penname

JOMAPA. He was also known for having a photographic
mind. He was a member of a number of movements for the
country.
Some of his writings were:

1. ANG LUPANG TINUBUAN (My Native Land)

2. ANG AKING BUHAY (My Life)
3. SU PLANO DE ESTUDIO (Your Study Plan) 4, EL
PENSAMIENTO (The Thinking)
C. Period of
Active Revolution
(1896-1898)
Historical Background

• The Filipinos did not get the reforms demanded by the propagandists. The
government turned deaf ears to these petitions; oppression continued and
the church and the government became even more oppressive to the
Filipinos. The good intentions of Spain were reversed by the friars who were
lording it over in the Philippines.

• Because of this, not a few of the Filipinos affiliated with the La Liga Filipina
(a civic organization suspected of being revolutionary and which
triggered Rizal's banishment to Dapitan). Like Andres Bonifacio, Emilio
Jacinto, Apolinario Mabini, Jose Palma, and Pio Valenzuela decided that
there was no other way except to revolt.

• The gist of literature contained mostly accusations against the government

and were meant to arouse the people to unite and to prepare for
independence.
D. Highlights of the Active Revolution

The noted leaders of this period were Andres Bonifacio,

Emilio Jacinto and Apolinario Mabini. These are their
contributions to our country.
ANDRES BONIFACIO

Andres Bonifacio is best known as the Father of Filipino

Democracy, but more than others, as the Father of the
Katipunan because he led in establishing the Kataas-
taasan, Kagalang-galangan Katipunan ng mga Anak ng
Bayan (KKK).
Among his works were:

1. ANG DAPAT MABATID NG MGA TAGALOG (What

theTagalogs Should Know)
2. KATUNGKULANG GAGAWIN NG MGA ANAK NG BAYAN
(Obligatios of Our Countrymen) - This is an outline of
obligations just like the 10 commandments of God.
3. PAG-IBIG SA TINUBUANG LUPA (Love of One's Native
Land): A poem with a title similar to that of Marcelo H.
delPilar.
4. HULING PAALAM (Last Farewell): A translation of Mi
Ultimo Adios of Rizal in Tagalog.
EMILIO JACINTO

Emilio Jacinto was the intelligent assistant of Andres

Bonifacio in the establishment of the Katipunan. He is called
the Brains of the Katipunan. He edited Kalayaan (Freedom)
a Katipunan newspaper. Bonifacio withdrew his writing of
the Kartilya in deference to Jacinto's work as secretary of
the Katipunan.
His Kartilya was the one followed by the members of
the organization. Here are few of his writings:1. Kartilya ng
Katipunan ( A primer book on the Katipunan)
Among his works were:
1. Kartilya ng Katipunan ( A primer book of the Katipunan).
2. Liwanag at Dilim (Light and Darkness): A collection of
essays on different subjects like freedom, work, faith,
government, love of country.
3. A Mi MADRE( To my Mother): A touching ode his mother.
4. A LA PATRIA (To my Country ): His masterpiece.
APOLINARIO MABINI
Apolinario Mabini is known in literature and history as the
Sublime Paralytic and the Brains of the Revolution. He was born
in Talaga, Tanauan, Batangas on July 22, 1864. Because he was
born of a poor family he had to work in order to study.
He became known to his professors and classmates at
Letran and the UST because of his sharp memory and the simple
clothes he used to wear throughout his schooling,He became
the right-hand of Emilio Aguinaldo when the latter founded his
Republic in Malolos.
His contributions to literature were writings on government,
society, philosophy and politics.
Here are some of his works:1
1. EL VERDADERO DECALOGO (The True Decalogue or Ten
Commandments): This was his masterpiece and his aim
here was to propagate the spirit of nationalism.
2. EL DESAROLLO Y CAIDA DE LA REPUBLICAPILIPINA (The
Rise and Fall of the Philippine Republic) SA BAYANG
PILIPINO (To the Filipino Nation)Pahayag (News)
OTHER REVOLUTIONIST
JOSE PALMA
Jose Palma became popular because of his Himno
Nacional Filipino (The Philippine National Anthem) which
was set to music by Julian Felipe.He was born in Tondo,
Manila on June 6, 1876. His brother Rafael Palma became
the president of the UP.4
He joined the revolution against the Americans
together with Gregorio del Pilar, the youngest Filipino
general who died during the revolution. Aside from the
National Anthem.
Here are his works
1.MELANCOLIAS (Melancholies) a collection of his poems.
2. DE MI JARDIN (In My Garden): a poem expressing
one'slongings for his sweetheart.
E. NEWSPAPERS DURING THE REVOLUTION

In the effort of the Revolutionists to spread to the world

their longings for their country, many newspapers were put up
during the Revolutionary period. They were:

1. HERALDO DE LA REVOLUCION: printed the decrees of the

Revolutionary Government, news and works in Tagalog that
aroused nationalism.
2. LA INDEPENDENCIA (Independence): edited by Antonio Luna
and whose aim was for Philippine Independence.
3. LA REPUBLICA PILIPINA (The Phil. Republic):established by
Pedro Paterno in 1898.4. LA LIBERTAD (Liberty): edited by
Clemente Zulueta