At the end of this module, you are

expected to;

• Share the contribution of the outstanding Filipino

writers during the Spanish era;
• Present the summary of the assigned literary piece.
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 occured 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.
THE PROPAGANDA MOVEMENT (1872-1896)

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:
Highlights of the Propaganda Movement
There were three principal leaders of the
Proganda 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 RIZAL
• Jose protacio Rizal Mercaso
Alonzo y Realonda was born on
June 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 courageous exposed the evils in the
Spanish-run government in the Philippines.
2. EL FILIBUSTIRISMO - this is the 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
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 LES DIOSES (The Council of t he
Gods). An allergorical 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 the
Philippine Events by Dr. Antonio de Margo): 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 of Plaridel,
Pupdoh, Piping Dilat
and Dolores Manapat.
He was born at Cupang,
San Nicolas, Bulacan
on August 30, 1850.
 His parents were Julian H. del Pilar, noted Filipino
writer and Biaya Gatmaita. His brother was the priest Fr.
Toribio del Pilar who was banished to Marianas in 1872.
Because there were many children in the family, Marcelo
gave up his share of his inheritance for his other brothers
and sisters.
Marcelo started schooling at the school of Mr. Flores
and then transferred to that of San Jose before UST. His
last year in law school was interrupted for 8 years after be
had quarrel with the parish priest during a baptism at San
Miguel, Manila in 1880.
• 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.
 Plaridel has truly earned a niche in the history of our
nation. Even today, countless streets have been named
after him. The former Kingwa has been named Plaridel,
the Malolos High School is now Marcelo H. de1 Pilar High
School and above all, his patriotism and bravery will remain
alive in our memories.
 Writings of Marcelo H. del Pilar
1. PAGIBIG SA TINUBUANG LUPA. (Love of Country).
Translated from the Spanish AMOR PATRIA of Rizal,
published on August 20, 1882.

2. KAIINGAT KAYO (Be Careful). A humorous and

sarcastic dig in answer to Fr jose Rodriguez in the novel
NOLI of Rizal, published in Barcel in 1888. He used
Dolores Manapat as pen-named here.
3. DASALAN AT TOCSOHAN. (Prayers and jokes)
Similar to a cathecism but sarcastically done agains the
parish priests published in Barcelona in 1888. Because of
this, del Pilar was called “filibuster.” Done in admirable tone
of supplication and excellent use of Tagaloge intell.

4. ANG CADAQUILAAN NG DIOS (God's Goodness).

Published in Barcelona, it was also like a cathecism
sarcastically aimed against the parish priests but also
contains a philosophy of the power and intelligence of God
and an appreciation for 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 but that
Spain is already old and weak to grant any aid to the
Philippines. This poem is in answer to that of Hermeingildo
Flores' Hibik sa Pilipinas (A Plea from the Philippines).

6. DUPLUHAN. . . DALIT . . . MGA BUGTONG (a poetical

contest in narrative sequence, psalms, riddles). A
compilation of poems on the oppression by the priests in
the Philippines.
7. LA SOBERANIA EN PILIPINAS (Sovereignty in the
Philippines). This shows the injustices of the friars to the
Pilipinos.
8. POR TELEFONO (By Telephone)
9. PASIONG DAPAT IPAG-ALAB NG PUSO NG TAONG
BABASA (Passion that should arouse the hearts of the
readers)
 GRACIANO LOPEZ JAENA

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 t he
Spaniards and Europeans. He is a known writer and orator
in the Philippines. He wrote 100 speeches which are still
read to no by modern Filipinos.
Lopez Jaena left the Philippines in 1887 with the help
of Don Claudio Lopez, a rich uncle, in order to escape
punishment from his enemies and arrived at Valencia, the
center of the Republican movement of the Spaniards. He
gained the acquaintances of the high officials like Piy
Margall, Morayta, Moret, Castelar, and Salmeron
 From Valencia, he moved to Barcelona where he
established the first magazine LA SOLIDARIDAD. This later
became the official voice of the Association Hispano de
Filipinas (a Filipino-Spanish Association) composed of
Filipinos and Spaniards who worked for reforms in the
Philippines. Because of this, Jaena successfully showed
the Spaniards and the people of the world how a
newspaperman can introduce changes in law and reforms
towards a better life and progress.
 Jaena, although he didnt become a professor, was
also a teacher in a sense to his friends and relatives in the
Philippines.
He stood for the separation of church and state for free
education, better government and schools, freedom of
worship and for an independent and free university.
He sided with Rizal in the controversy between Rizal in
the controversy between Rizal and del Pilar over who
should head the Association Hispano de Filipinas in Madrid.
 He turned to the Philippines to ask for donations to
continue a new government called El Latigo Nacional or
Pambansang Latigo. He sold the rights of La Solidaridad to
del Pilar who had become a lawyer and had brought in
money from his sojourn in Spain.
Graciano Lopez died in a charity hospital in Barcelona
on January 20, 1896, eleven months before his best friend
Rizal was shot at the Luneta on December 30, 1896.
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 theCavite 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
EVERYTHING IS HAMBUG (Everything is mere show).
here Jaena explains the tragedy of marrying a Spaniard.
3. SA MGA PILIPINO. . . 1891. . . 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 39th anniversary of the discovery
of America.
5. EN HONOR DEL PRESIDENTE MORANYA DE LUNA Y
RESURRECCION HIDALGO. A sincere expression of
praise for the paintings of Hidalgo on the condition of the
Filipinos under the Spaniards.
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 JOVENS DE MALOSLOS
(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 BANDOL EN PILIPINAS (Banditry in the Philippines).
Jaena refuted the existed 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)
11. INSTITUCION NG PILIPINAS (Sufferings of the
Pheilippines). Jaena refers here to the wrong management
of education in the Philippines 1887.
B. OTHERPROPAGANDISTS:

• ANTONIO LUNA
He was a pharmacist who
was banished by the
Spaniards to Spain. He
joined the Propaganda
movement and contributed
his works dealt with Filipino
customs and others were
accusationsabout how the
Spaniards ran the
government.
 His pen name was Tagailog. He died at the age of 33
in June 1899. he was put to death by the soldiers of
Aguinaldo because of his instant rise to fame which
became a threat to Aguinaldo.
Some of his works are:
1. NOCHE BUENA (Christmas Eve)
2. SE DEVIERTEN (How They Diverted Themselves)
3. LA TERTULIA FILIPINA (A Filipino Conference or Feast)
4. POR MADRID (The Landlady's house)
5. LA CASA DE HUEPEDES (The Landlady's House)
 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
works were the values of
education.
 He also wrote aout how the Filipinos were oppressed
by the foreigners and of the problems of his countrymen.
Among his writings were:
1.Mga Alamat ng Bulacan (Legend of Bulacan)
2. PAGPUGOT KAY LONGINOS (The Beheading of
Longinos)
3. SOBRE FILIPINOS (About the Filipinos)
4. ANG MGA PILIPINO SA INDO-TSINA (The Filipinos in
Indo-China)
 PEDRO PATERNO
• Pedro Paterno was a
scholr, dramatic,
reseacher and novelist of
the Propaganda
movement.
• He also joined the
Confraternity of Masons
and the Asociasion
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 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

hisdentity behind his
penname JORMAPA. He
was also known for having
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)