CHAPTER 13
EL FILIBUSTERISMO: CONTEXT AND CONTENT
Rizal's second novel, El Filibusterismo, is a story set in twilight years of the Spanish colonial government
in the Philippines. It was first translated into English by Charles Derbyshire in 1912 under the title, The
Reign of Greed. The book according to the translator "represents Rizal's more mature judgment on
political and social conditions in the islands, and in its graver and less hopeful tone reflects the
disappointments and discouragements which he had encountered in his efforts to lead the way to
reform."
This chapter will narrate how Rizal was able to write and publish his second novel despite threats from
the Spanish colonial government that regarded his first book, Noli Me Tangere, as subversive. A brief
synopsis of his novel will also be presented for discussion and analysis.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of this chapter, the students should be able to:




trace the meaning of the term filibustero across time;
explain the historical context in which El Filibusterismo was written;
examine current events through the eyes of the characters; and
evaluate Rizal as a novelist.
VOCABULARY
filibustero (nineteenth century context) - translated as "subversive"; a patriot who was usually associated
with revolutionary activities
guardia civil - police/military force assigned by the colonial government to maintain peace and order
cabeza de barangay - head of the barangay
Filibustero: History and Context
Rizal started writing El Filibusterismo as a sequel to the Noli Me Tangere after he returned to Europe on
February 1888 (Lacson-Locsin, 2004). The novel, therefore, was written in the midst of threats and
oppressions he and his family were experiencing because of the Noli and the Calamba incident.
Rizal continued working on his novel and made some revisions while he was in London in 1888. He was
able to complete the novel after three years when he was in Biarritz, France on March 29, 1891. However,
because of financial constraints, it was not until September of the same year that the book was published
with the help of his friend, Valentin Ventura.
In March 1887, after reading the Noli Me Tangere, Blumentritt asked Rizal the meaning of the word
"filibustero" which he did not find in the Spanish language (Aguilar, 2011). To recall, Rizal replied:
The word filibustero is still very little known in the Philippines; the common people as yet do not
know it. I heard it for the first time in 1872 when the tragic executions took place. I still remember
the terror it aroused. Our father forbade us ever to utter it, as well as the words Cavite, Burgos,
etc. The Manila newspapers and the Spaniards apply this word to one whom they want to render
suspect of revolutionary activities. The educated fear the reach of the word. It does not have the
meaning of freebooter; it rather means a dangerous patriot who will soon be hanged, or a
presumptuous fellow.
In 1890, Wenceslao Retana wrote about the "filibustero" and described the term as "the one who, eager
for the independence of the country, resorts to various extralegal proceedings in order to reach the
objective that he pursues" (Aguilar, 2011). By the end of the nineteenth century, the Spanish colonial
government defined "filibuster" as "someone who works for the separation of our overseas provinces."
With these definitions, one will have an idea about the plot of Rizal's second novel. It deals with
subversion. It pictures the lives of people under an oppressive regime. It narrates the struggles of every
Filipino in fighting for independence.
El Fili is dedicated to Gomburza, the three priests who were accused of being filibusters in 1872. In his
dedication, Rizal expressed his high regard for the priests who became victims of "the evil that I am trying
to fight."
To the Memory of the priests:
Don Mariano Gomez (85 years old)
Don Jose Burgos (30 years old)
and Don Jacinto Zamora (35 years old)
Executed on the scaffold at Bagumbayan on February 28, 1872
The Church, in refusing to degrade you, has placed in doubt the crime imputed to you; the
Government, in shrouding your cause with mystery and obscurities, creates belief in some error
committed in critical moments, and the whole Philippines, in venerating your memory and calling
you martyrs, in no way acknowledges your guilt.
As long therefore as your participation in the Cavite uprising is not clearly shown, whether or not
you were patriots, whether or not you nourished sentiments of justice and liberty, I have the right
to dedicate my work t to you, as to victims of the evil that I am trying to fight. And while we wait
for Spain to reinstate you and make herself jointly culpable for your death, let these pages serve
as belated wreath of dried leaves laid on your unknown graves; and may your blood be upon the
hands of those who, without sufficient proof, assail your memory!
Rizal, however, made mistakes in indicating the age of the three priests and the date they were executed.
The Gomburza were publicly executed by garrote on the early morning of February 17, 1872. Gomez was
then 73, Burgos was 35, and Zamora was 37.
In her translation of the novel, Soledad Lacson-Locsin described the book based on the themes that can
be seen in the story: "El Fili begins where the Noli leaves off, where love, romance, heroism, idealism and
tragedy turn to hate, bitterness, anger, disillusionment and vengeance" (Lacson-Locsin, 2004). Unlike Noli,
El Fili burns with passion and ideology. Rizal's biographers opined that El Fili showed his maturity as a
novelist.
Synopsis
The story of El Filibusterismo revolved around the main character, Simoun, who was a rich jeweler. Simoun
was actually Crisostomo Ibarra of the Noli whom everyone thought was killed by the guardia civil at the
Laguna de Bay thirteen years ago. He was able to escape and fled to Cuba. He became wealthy and was
able to establish connections with prominent Spanish officials. Upon his return to the Philippines, Simoun
became very influential being the consultant of the governor-general.
Simoun came back with his grand plan to exact revenge on Spanish officials and to rescue Maria Clara who
entered the convent after learning the news of Ibarra's death. He planned to launch a revolution which
he started by smuggling arms and recruiting followers, mainly from the exploited and abused natives. One
of his recruits was Basilio, the son of Sisa. With the help of Capitan Tiago, Basilio was able to study
medicine in Manila. Simoun also began to establish an alliance with Kabesang Tales and his revolutionary
group. Kabesang Tales was a former cabeza de barangay who was maltreated by the friars. Using his
position, Simoun encouraged corruption and more oppressive government policies to enrage the people
and thus, provoke them to revolt.
Simoun's plans of revolution failed twice. In his first attempt, he decided not to give the signal for the
outbreak of the uprising upon hearing the news of Maria Clara's death. Basilio and other students were
then arrested for allegedly forming a seditious organization. Simoun arranged the release of Basilio who
became bitter and vengeful. However, he was very grateful to Simoun and offered his full support for the
revolution. The second attempt at starting a revolution entailed the planting of a bomb at the wedding
reception of Paulita Gomez and Juanito Pelaez. Illustrious guests at the mansion (formerly the house of
Capitan Tiago) included Padre Salvi and the governor-general. In Simoun's plan, the revolution would be
triggered by his gift to the couple-a kerosene lamp with an explosive. When the lamp starts flickering and
someone turns the wick, there would be an explosion, signaling the revolutionaries to attack all
government buildings in Manila.
As planned, Simoun gave the lamp during the reception. Before leaving the venue, he left a note with a
message: "You will die tonight," signed by Crisostomo Ibarra.
Meanwhile, when Basilio saw all the people at the venue, his conscience bothered him. He saw his friend.
Isagani, who was secretly watching his love, Paulita, celebrating her wedding. Basilio told Isagani about
the explosive and asked him to leave the place.
When Padre Salvi confirmed Ibarra's handwriting, the guests began to panic. The lamp flickered and Padre
Irene tried to turn the wick. But Isagani, wanting to save Paulita, ran into the house, grabbed the lamp,
and threw it into the river where it exploded.
Simoun took refuge in the house of a kind Filipino priest, Padre Florentino. The guardias civiles, however,
learned about the whereabouts of the fugitive, and informed the priest that they would come in the
evening to arrest Simoun.
Instead of surrendering to the authorities, Simoun poisoned himself. As the poison started to take effect
on his body, he confessed to Padre Florentino his true identity and his plans for revenge. After the long
and tedious confession, the priest told Simoun that his plans might have failed because of the unjust
means that were used. He assured Simoun that there was still hope for the freedom of the country.
The story ended with Padre Florentino throwing Simoun's jewels into the sea so that they would not be
used by the greedy. He also prayed that when the right time comes, the treasure would be recovered and
used for a noble purpose.
CHAPTER 14
EL FILIBUSTERISMO:
CONTINUING RELEVANCE
After tracing the historical background of Rizal's El Filibusterismo in the previous chapter, it is now time
to look into its content and review its social significance as a novel. Rizal clearly stated that he wrote the
novel to describe the Philippine society and expose the injustices that he and his fellow Filipinos were
experiencing. The novel may be written more than a hundred years ago, but it cannot be denied that the
social ills that Rizal depicted in his novel are still present today.
This chapter will focus on the important themes tackled by Rizal in his second novel. Through these
themes, the national hero's views and ideas about the different aspects of society can be examined.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of this chapter, the students should be able to:



discuss the summary and the Important themes in El Filibusterismo;
explain why a knowledge of history is important in reading a historical novel; and
examine the conditions of the Philippine society through Rizal's El Filibusterismo.
VOCABULARY
reform - improvement or change to a better state (social, economic, and political institutions)
revolution - a violent attempt to overthrow a government
principalia class - the ruling and usually educated upper class in the nineteenth century Philippines
One hundred twenty years after Rizal's execution, his writings remain socially relevant. The ills that he
rallied against- inept leadership, corruption, abuse of women, and the influence of the Catholic Church
over political and social affairs-are still persisting in the Philippine society today. A thorough
understanding of the historicity of his novels is important as it serves as the background of the story. In
reading historical novels like El Filibusterismo, one must be knowledgeable about the social milieu of the
period when it was written. In this way, history can be used as a tool for interpreting a literary work like
El Fili (Nuncio, 2014).
As with Noli Me Tangere, Rizal's main objective in writing El Filibusterismo is to expose the Philippine
situation as he witnessed during his time. In reading this novel, one can see the nation's past and present
situations which make this literary work enduringly significant. Renato Constantino (1971, p. 137) wrote
about the relevance of Rizal's teachings where he said:
The importance of Rizal's ideas for our generation bas a twofold basis-first, the applicability to
present day problems, and second, their inspirational value. Rigat holds a mirror to our faces and
we see ourselves, ONE vices, our defects, our meanness, Because the conditions he describes are
the very conditions we see around us and the characters he portrays are people we continue to
meet, we readily respond to his earnest desire for basic changes in our society and in ourselves.
One hand holds a mirror to shame us and the other points the way to our regeneration. Yet, the
truth is that the mirror was not meant to reveal our image, but the image of the people and the
society of Rizal's time.
By going back to the themes that Rizal tackled in El Fili, one can see the importance of the novel
at present. Themes are the main ideas that flow through the narrative which can be used to
evaluate Rizal's views and ideas on different social issues.
Revolution as a Means of Social Change
In the novel, Simoun is the filibustero who encourages the principalia class to abuse the poor so that the
latter would be driven to revolt against the government. His character may be interpreted as someone
who represents the Filipino revolutionaries that supported the idea of a bloody revolution against the
Spanish colonial government. Simoun's death in the story made some readers conclude that Rizal was
against the idea of a revolution. Simoun's failed uprisings in the narrative, were interpreted as Rizal's
abhorrence of violence and bloodshed. They failed to see that Rizal, together with other reformists like
Marcelo H. del Pilar, regarded reform and assimilation as a first step towards Philippine independence. In
his letter to Blumentritt on June 19, 1887, he said:
"I assure you that I have no desire to take part in conspiracies which seem to me very premature
and risky. But if the government drives us to the brink, that is to say when no other hope remains
but seek our destruction in war, when the Filipinos would prefer to die rather than endure their
misery any longer, then I will also become a partisan of violent means. The choice of peace or
destruction is in the hands of Spain, because it is a clear fact, known to all, that we are patient and
peaceful, mild, unfeeling, etc. But everything ends in this life, there is nothing eternal in the world
and that refers also to our patience" (Ocampo, 2012).
Rizal's words in the aforementioned letter are significant because they proved that he was not against the
idea of violence if necessary. Historian Ambeth Ocampo (2012) wrote: "Simoun failed-not because Rizal
was against the revolution, but because he reflected on the anger and bitterness in his heart following the
agrarian dispute in Calamba, and realized that one must start with a good intention to succeed."
On Leadership and Governance
El Fili's message is very clear-the inept leaders, corrupt officials, and system of government in the
Philippines could lead to Spain's downfall. When Simoun said: "What is a man to do when he is denied
justice? Take the law into his own hands or wait for Spain to give him rights...?" he stressed that if the
demands of the people would not be granted, they would be driven to oppose the system and organize
movements to fight for their rights.
Rizal himself was admired as a good leader. His colleagues in the Propaganda Movement respected him
because he showed a kind of leadership that was not motivated by personal interest. The call for a good
leadership could be gleaned from El Fili when he stressed the importance of national sentiment to guard
the society against all kinds of injustices and oppression.
Rizal condemned the friar-led officials for their greed, corruption, and exploitation of the natives. On the
other hand, he also criticized his fellow Filipinos who did not respond to the challenges under the abusive
leadership of the Spaniards. The character of Basilio, for example, who, despite the extreme sufferings
that he and his family experienced, did not support Simoun's plan of overthrowing the government. He
only joined the revolutionary group after being arrested and imprisoned, followed by the death of his
sweetheart, Juli. There was also one character, Señor Pasta, who abandoned his noble ideas to serve only
the interest of those who hired him.
While Rizal exposed the injustices done by the colonial government, he also challenged the Filipinos to
guard their rights as one of their main responsibilities. Good leadership and governance bring about social,
economic, and political reforms in the country. All this can be achieved if the leaders have moral fiber,
and are ready to give up their personal interests for the welfare of their constituents.
On Education and Language
At the time that Simoun was planning to launch the revolution, students including Basilio were also
fighting for the establishment of a school that would allow natives to learn the Spanish language. Simoun
strongly reacted against the project advocated by the students. For him, it would mean the death of
national identity and the institutionalization of tyranny. In Chapters 6 (Basilio) and 7 (Simoun), Simoun
expressed his disapproval of the students' program, convincing Basilio to join him in his plan of revolution
instead. He questioned the students' advocacy and said:
What will you be in the future? A people without character, a nation without liberty. Everything in
you will be borrowed, even your very defects. You are asking to be Hispanized and you do not
blanch with shame when it is denied you! Even if it is conceded, what would you want? What
would you gain? At best, to become a country of pronouncements, a country of civil wars, a
republic of the rapacious and the discontented, like some republics of South America. Why do you
now come with your teaching of Spanish, a pretension that would be ridiculous were it not for its
deplorable consequences? Do you wish to add another idiom to the more than forty already
spoken in the islands so that you may understand each other, each time, less...?
Still about the language issue, Simoun added:
You allow yourselves to be misled by big words and you never get to the bottom of things to
examine the effects in their ultimate manifestations. Spanish will never be the common language
in the country; the people will never speak it because for the ideas of its mind and the sentiments
of its heart there are no words in that idiom. Each country has its own, as it has its manner of
feeling. What will you gain with Spanish? The few who speak it? To stamp out your originality,
subordinate your thoughts to other minds and instead of making yourselves free, make yourselves
truly slaves! Nine out of ten of those among you who presume to be enlightened, are renegades
to your motherland. Those among you who speak that language are indifferent to their own
tongue, so much so that they neither write nor understand it. How many have I seen who pretend
not to know a single word of it!
Basilio, on the other hand, believed that through education, he would be able to alleviate the lives of his
fellow Filipinos. He did not believe that revolution could be an effective means to achieve freedom. For
him, education and science would save the country from its present situation.
On the Filipino Youth
Where are the youth who will consecrate their golden hours, their illusions, and their enthusiasm
for the welfare of their country? Where are they who would generously shed their blood to wash
away so much shame, so much crime, so much abomination? Pure and spotless the victim has to
be for the holocaust to be acceptable!... Where are you, youth who will incarnate in yourselves the
vigor of life that has fled from our veins, the purity of ideas that have been soiled in our minds, and
the fire of enthusiasm that has been extinguished in our hearts?... We wait for you, O youth! Come,
for we await you!
Such were the words of Jose Rizal through the character of Padre Florentino, a patriotic Filipino priest in
El Fili. Rizal saw the youth as the future of the country because this generation would one day lead the
nation. Their actions today would shape the path of tomorrow.
Rizal stressed the important role of the youth in challenging the government as seen in the efforts of
students like Basilio and Isagani to organize themselves and unite to call for reforms. For Simoun, it was a
way of embracing the Hispanization of the country. On the other hand, it could also be seen as Rizal's way
of showing what the youth could do if they wanted reforms from the government.
CHAPTER 15
THE DESTINY OF THE FILIPINO PEOPLE
Rizal's work, "The Philippines a Century Hence" was serialized in La Solidaridad in four installments from
September 30, 1889 to January 31, 1890. In this essay, Rizal attempts to answer the basic question of
whether the Philippines will remain a Spanish colony or not.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of this chapter, the students should be able to:



summarize in their own words Rizal's essay, "The Philippines a Century Hence";
present Rizal's arguments on what the Philippines will be like in the future; and
construct their own arguments on what the Philippines at present will be like after fifty years.
VOCABULARY
Spanish Cortes - the government body in charge of drafting laws pertaining to Spain and its colonies
Rizal's essay titled "The Philippines a Century Hence" presents compelling arguments on what the state
of the country will be like in the future. However, in order to be forward- looking, one must, at first be
able to look back at the country's past. In Rizal's words, "In order to read the destiny of a people, it is
necessary to open the book of its past."
The first part of Rizal's essay does this by illustrating that with the arrival of the Spaniards, the Filipinos
were forced to accept and subject themselves to a new and foreign culture. Time passed while Spaniards
attempted to subjugate the Filipinos completely, but Rizal argues that the continued oppression only
resulted in the gradual awakening of the Filipinos.
By the nineteenth century, economic conditions had become better in the Philippines and Rizal recognizes
this. However, beyond the material prosperity, he points out that the Filipinos remain brutalized and
oppressed. Since advancement or progress is clearly inevitable, Rizal poses the question on whether the
Philippines will remain a colony of Spain despite all the changes.
To this question, his answer is straightforward. He states that the Philippines will remain a colony of Spain
if the mother country implements reforms such as freedom of the press and representation in the Cortes.
Rizal also concedes that if Spain does not grant these reforms, the Filipino will likely become independent
after a violent and bloody revolution.
The final part of Rizal's work presents another interesting point of discussion since he attempts to look
into the future of the country. He argues that if the Philippines becomes free in the future, this
independence will be short-lived since the United States of America will probably acquire and colonize
the country as one of their own territories.
In the end, Rizal makes a strong assertion that it is imperative for Spain to grant the Filipinos reform, for
as he eloquently states, "It is better to keep pace with the desire of a people than to give way before
them; the former begets sympathy and love, the latter contempt and anger."
CHAPTER 16
BIOGRAPHY AND NATIONAL HISTORY
In the previous chapters, you have seen how Rizal's biography has been incorporated in the context of
Philippine history and society. You have learned that the story of an individual is best understood within
a historical setting which can help you chart the major turning points of his/her life. Rizal, as a product of
his time, cannot be fully understood without looking at the period in which he lived. Such factors are
important in the study of his life and works.
This final chapter will focus on the significance of biographical studies and its impact on national history,
specifically in the case of Rizal and Philippine history.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of this chapter, the students should be able to:


explain the history of biographical writing in the Philippines; and
appraise the importance of biography and national history.
VOCABULARY
biography - the story of one's life written by someone else
national history - the study of a nation's past events
social context - physical and social setting in which people live
Biography in Philippine History
At the turn of the twentieth century, the Philippine history noted the publication of the considered first
biographies focusing on the life of the missionaries who worked in the evangelization of the natives. These
Spanish-written narratives can be read in religious chronicles and histories citing the missionaries'
important roles in building churches or even bridges and fortresses. Filipino biographies can only be found
in the accounts of the Spanish priests who reported on how they defended the Spain and the Catholic
faith against the Filipino "enemies." Early colonial Filipino biographies, therefore, are narratives of Filipino
fighters who were seen as "enemies of the State." These references are still used by historians and
researchers who write the biographies of Filipino heroes such as Palaris, Sultan Kudarat, Tamblot, and
Dagohoy (Romanillos, 2008).
In postwar Philippines, the study on biographies broadened. One monumental work in the history of lifewriting in the country is that of E. Arsenio Manuel in 1955, a four-volume compilation entitled Dictionary
of Philippine Biography. Two years after, D. H. Soriano and Isidro L. Retizos published The Philippines
Who's Who, a book about the lives of 400 Filipinos and their achievements. The authors mentioned the
importance of writing biographies (Romanillos, 2008):
For many years now, there has been an imperative need for a simple and handy guidebook on
notable living Filipinos and prominent residents of the Philippines who are successfully established
in their various professions and callings. Students and scholars, businessmen here and abroad,
organizations and associations everywhere, and the general public have the need for such a bookto save both time and effort in gathering concise essential facts about well-known people in this
country.
Following these publications is the National Historical Institute's first book in its five-volume project
entitled Filipinos in History in 1965. The preface of the book was written by Carlos Quirino, then Director
of the National Library, who said:
Scores of men and women have been buried in the obscurity of the past. Their lives have been
resurrected from musty archives and forgotten volumes and from the memory of the still living
few in order that their deeds may serve as a guide and inspiration to our people.
Historian and biographer Gregorio Zaide also published his Great Filipinos in History in 1970. He and his
daughter revised the book in 1988 with the title Rizal and Other Great Filipinos, featuring the biographies
of forty heroes, foremost of which is Rizal. The purpose of the revised book, as summed up by Sonia Zaide
was "to inspire the younger generations of Filipinos to love and serve their country."
Today, many Filipino biographies have been written. Undoubtedly, José Rizal's life and works have always
been the favorite subject of writers and biographers. Among the most known biographies of Rizal include
the books of Austin Craig (1913); Carlos Quirino (1940); Rafael Palma (1949); Leon Ma. Guerrero (1963);
Gregorio Zaide (1981); and Austin Coates (1992).
Historical biographies, therefore, serve as means or tools to study the lives and experiences of Filipinos,
particularly of Philippine heroes from which one can learn and be inspired to serve the country.
Biography and National History
In history, it is always important to connect the individual's that the goal of studying a biography is to
"read a society life 7 with the historical situation he/she was in. Remember story through an individual's
story" (Ferraroti, 1983). In the case of José Rizal, the study of his life proved that by reading his narratives,
some of the national experiences can be reflected and identified.
Understanding Rizal, therefore, means comprehending the context of his time. Rizal's biography, for
example, is not complete without mentioning the Industrial Revolution and the American Revolution
which happened years before he was born. The social impact of these events shaped the society in which
Rizal had lived. Moreover, Rizal's life covers the period from 1861 to 1896; therefore, it is inevitable to
look into the events in the Philippines during the nineteenth century. Specific episodes in Philippine
history, like the rise in power of the Catholic Church called by the reformists as frailocracy; the opening of
the Suez Canal and the Philippines to free trade; the liberal rule of Carlos Ma. de la Torre; the Cavite
Mutiny of 1872 that resulted in the execution of Gomburza; and the founding of the Propaganda
Movement in the 1880s, were all significant in shaping Rizal's views and ideas. Rizal was born and grew
up in a period of massive changes not just in Europe but also in Spain and the Philippines.
In the field of history and social sciences, biography is best understood with a contextual backdrop. By
looking at the individual and broader historical and social context, one can frame a biography that is
rooted in national history.