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Module 6
Awakening of Filipino Nationalism
Description
Chapter 6 of this module looks into the various factors that ignited the spirit of nationalism
and opened their eyes to the reality that the Filipinos became slaves in their own land for
more than three centuries of Spanish colonial rule. It presents the different actions used
by both Filipino elites and masses in order to attain the freedom they were dreaming for
the longest time.
It also discusses here the conflicting views in the Philippine History with regards to Cavite
Mutiny.
Objectives
At the end of this module, students should be able to:
1. Organize the events and trends that led to the birth of Philippine Nationalism.
2. Identify the leaders, specific cause and result of each revolt and as well as the reasons
why none of these were successful.
3. To understand and explain the conflicting views reading Cavite Mutiny.
MAIN POINTS AND HIGHLIGHTS
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Opening of Suez Canal
Liberalism in the Philippines during Gov. Gen. Carlos Ma. Dela Torre
Martyrdom of GOMBURZA
Cavite Mutiny
Filipino Nationalism
Spirit of Nationalism
The spirit of nationalism was developed in Manila, other provinces perhaps started
during the revolts against tribute, even in Spain and in other parts of the world particularly
in Europe. The concept of nationalism was also introduced when the Spain decided to
open our country to the world trade. Another contributory factor was the opening of the
Suez Canal.
In this chapter, it discusses the short term of Carlos Ma. de la Torre being the
Governor General who brought liberalism in the country. It also states here how the
Martyrdom of GOMBURZA affect the relationship of the Filipino people and the Spaniards
under the leadership of Gov. General Rafael Izquierdo.
Liberalism arrived in the Philippines
Suez Canal was made in 1859 and finished within the year 1869; a synthetic water
way with a sea level located in Egypt from Mediterranean connecting to the Red Sea, and
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was officially opened on November 17,1869. It was considered to be the shortest and
important link between the east and the west owing to its unique geographic location. It
helped the propagation of world trade. These also became an avenue for the Filipinos to
access the west and got influenced through their books, leaflets and other reading
materials to enter in the Philippines Archipelago. More Filipinos had the chance to go to
Europe to study.
As travel time from the Philippines to Spain and the other way around was
shortened to 30 days from quite two months, this helped to the expansion of agricultural
exports, which brought economic prosperity to native indios.
This development also paved the way for Filipinos "ilustrados" to send their
children to universities in Europe. The rise of the “illustrados” was inevitable and they
became the new patrons of the arts that led to the secularization of arts in the 19th
century.
Ilustrados – the Filipino educated class during the Spanish colonial period in the late
19th century.
Aside from the positive effects brought by the opening of Suez Canal, liberalism
was also brought here in the Philippines when the Spanish Revolution happened on
September 1868. It was the time when the Spaniards established the Republic of Spain
and for the first time, since Spanish occupation in the country, Filipinos enjoyed their
rights and freedom.
One of the major effects of the founding of the Spanish Republic was the
appointment of Carlos Ma. de la Torre as the governor-general of the Philippines. As an
advocate of liberal ideas, he promised the Filipinos several reforms in the country. For his
two-year term, he abolished the censorship of the press and encourage the people to
express their ideas about politics without hesitations.
However, it was unfortunate that liberalism during the term of La Torre ended
shortly when a conservative monarch was enthroned in Spain. This event lead to the
replacement of La Torre by the conservative Governor General Rafael Izquierdo. He
restored the traditional way of governing the colony. One of the systems that reestablished was the ban on the secularization or the Filipinization of the parishes.
One of the most critical events in the country was the uprising of that happened in
Cavite as well as the martyrdom of Gomburza.
Cavite Mutiny happened on January 20, 1872, there had been approximately 200
Filipino soldiers from Manila and Cavite who revolted against the Spanish government. A
Filipino Sergeant named La Madrid led the revolt. The signal of the attack by the group
from Cavite was the fireworks to be made by the group from Manila. However, on the
night of the attacked, a celebration was held. When the fireworks display done in the
celebration, the soldiers from Cavite mistook it as signal for the attack. The soldiers
invaded the Spanish arsenal and killed some Spanish soldiers.
The uprising became an opportunity to the Spanish government to blame and
accuse the Filipino priests and leaders who were fighting for independence. All accused,
together with the Filipino priests, Father Mariano Gomez, Father Jose Burgos, Father
Jacinto Zamora, were tried in a military court and were charged of sedition and rebellion.
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Governor Izquierdo approved the death sentence of the 41 members of the
uprising and others were banished to Guam and Marianas. It was believed that the trial
of GOMBURZA was a hoax.
GOMBURZA Awakens the Filipinos National Consciousness
The execution of the GOMBURZA was considered as one of the biggest mistakes
of the Spaniards. The Catholic Church did not support the Spanish Colonial Government
in the decision to execute the rebels. The Filipinos were disappointed with the turn of
events. The death of the martyrs triggered the nationalistic feeling of the Filipinos and
aimed at overthrowing the Spanish sovereignty in the Philippines.
Filipino Nationalism
a. Early Revolts and Resistance
Filipinos chose to revolt against the regime. Among the earliest revolts were those
by Lakandula in Manila. Revolts became an indispensable response of early Filipinos to
Spanish Rule. Revolts became an indispensable response of early Filipinos to Spanish
rule. In the 1600’s nativistic revolts characterized the reactions of the people towards the
Spanish rule. More complicated revolts continued up to the 1700’s. the earlier revolts
could be generalized as revolts from ordinary natives. These revolts could be generalized
as revolts from ordinary natives. These revolts include Tamblot, Bankaw, Tapar,
Dagohoy, Sumuroy, Dabao, and others. Since many of the leaders of these revolts were
babaylanes, or traditional priests, one of important underlying objective was to go back to
old native religion (nativistic). As such leaders emerge as self-proclaimed messiahs
saving the people from evil effects of colonization.
The second group of revolts were those initiated by local chiefs, or the princiipales,
whose type of leadership are already complicated by Spanish ways. This type of revolt
manifested class interest where the mass revolts were taken advantage of in the desire
to seize power for themselves. Therefore many of these were open to compromises.
Examples of this type of revolt are the revolts of Maniago, Malong, Gumapos, Palaris,
Silang, and others. Both types of revolts, however, contained the desire to improve the
hardship brought about by the colonial rule. Economic grievance remained the primary
reason why people supported groups and leaders versus Spaniards.
b. The Igorot Resistance to Spanish Interests and the Price of Igorot Independence
The Igorots, together with the Muslims in Mindanao were the biggest group that
were not colonized by the Spaniards. During the entire 300 plus years of Spanish rule,
these groups remained independent. This work shall consider only the Igorot resistance.
A note on the word Igorot should be made. Historically speaking, the groups that
were referred by Spanish documents as Igorots were the inhabitants of Benguet and
Bontoc. Other groups in the Cordillera region were called distint names such as
Mandayas for the Apayao, Itneg for the upper Abra area, Ifugao for Ifugaos. This would
explain the reluctance of many people outside Benguet and Bontoc to be considered as
Igorots. Etymologically, Igorot was coined with the use of two old Austronesian words as
“gorot”, meaning mountain, and “I” referring to the source/place or from where one
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belongs. It is etymological sense that this work adopts the word Igorot to refer to all people
in the Cordillera as Igorots or “from the mountains.”
The Spaniards entered the Cordillera for many reasons, but gold was initially the
primary aim. As soon as the colonizers learned of Igorot gold in the region, expeditions
were immediately sent to secure it. In the 1600, several attempts like those of Aldana,
Carino, and Quirante. They have taken samples of ores and were brought to Manila for
tests. The attempt at reducing the Igorots to Christianity was another motivation for the
Spaniards. The Augustinians entered the mountain from the Ilocos areas while the
Dominicans penetrated Ifugao in the east. Another reason for Spanish intrusion into the
Cordillera was simply to extend the conquered territories or to protect the conquered
areas of the lowlands.
Still other motivations were the punitive expeditions, which were meant to punish
the Igorots for the resistance they have been showing. However, it was the sabotage of
the tobacco monopoly that really angered the Spaniards to sponsor succeeding punitive
expeditions against the Igorots. The most successful of these
expeditions were the Galvey expedition. Guillermo Galvey led a 10-year campaign
against the Igorots from 1829-1839, burning tobacco plantations and communities, and
crushing Igorot opposition. It was the Galvey expeditions that finally opened the region to
Spanish conquest. By the later part of 1840’s up to the 1950’s, the Spaniards were able
to set up military posts in key areas in the Cordillera. These posts were called
Commandancia Politico-Militares, which were manned by military people and intended
for collection of taxes.
Confronted by the instrusions, the Igorots responded in different ways but almost
always resisting all the plans of the intruders. In many instances, Igorots simply
abandoned their communities when they learn of Spanish arrival. They would retreat into
deeper parts of the mountain and wait until the Spaniards are gone. If the Igorots were
ready, though, they would engage the Spanish troops with their traditional weapons as
spears, head axes, and bolos. Although the Igorot weapons were of inferior kind, they
relied heavily on ambushes utilizing the mountainous landscape to their advantages. In
some recorded instances, the Igorots used the weaknesses of the Spanish weapons they
came to learn and won over the more supposedly
superior weapons.
In the Christianization efforts, the Spaniards were able to convert some Igorots into
Christianity. Most of these converts have been relocated in the lowland areas of Ilocos,
La Union and Nueva Viscaya. Overall, though, the Igorots remained pagans.
Whereabout of their gold have also been denied to Spaniards
and other foreigners.
These responses have been largely successful so that at the end of the Spanish
colonial rule, the Igorots remained independent.
A discussion of the Igorot resistance is incomplete without considering the price
that the Igorots had to pay for their freedom.
One is the periodic destruction of homes. Most often than not, the Spaniards
burned villages along their route. These were reconstructed by the Igorots only to be
destructed with the next Spanish expedition.
Another is the estrangement between the lowlanders and the Igorots. Before Spanish
colonization, it has been the case that the two were partners in trade. The lowlanders
brought up salt, animals, threads, and fish to the highlands. Igorots brought down gold,
beeswax, and other forest products. With the colonization of the lowlands and the
resistance of Igorots, the friendly relation soured. This is basically because lowlanders
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were colonized while the Igorots remained independent. Specifically, the lowlanders were
used by the Spaniards in their attempts at subjugating the Igorots. The lowlanders usually
accompanied the colonizers as guides and soldiers. One can add the long period of time
that the Spaniards have portrayed negative images of Igorots to lowlanders painting them
as “headhunters”, “pagans”, and “savages”.
After the period of colonization, it became ironic that the Filipinos who resisted
colonialism were indifferently treated by later Philippine government. They have often
been understood as the others or the “minority”. As minority, the state has ignored them
for a long time and has used their territories only as sources of raw materials. In the
1970’s the Marcos government ignored the please of Igorot of Bontoc and Kalinga not to
build the dams along the Chico River. It was only stopped when resistance included
international groups and the local resistance became violent.
c. Campaign for Reforms
The unjust execution of the three Filipino priests Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos,
and Jacinto Zamora was a turning point in Philippine history, for it ushered in a new era
– the reform movement. Realizing the danger of fighting for their cause on the home front,
the sons of the wealthy and the well-to-do Filipino families migrated to Europe to breath
the free atmosphere of the Old World. There they initiated a sustained campaign for
reforms in the Spanish administration of the Philippines. In the homeland, meanwhile, the
Filipino intellectuals secretly collaborated with those in Spain and founded nationalistic
societies.
The dissatisfaction of the Filipino men of wealth and intellect was centered on the
abuses of the Spanish authorities, civil as well as clerical. The middle class denounced
Spanish abuses and asked Spain to make the Philippines one of its provinces. There was
no clamor for independence, for the reformists believed that the Filipinos would be better
off if they were to become Spanish citizens, enjoying the rights and privileges of the latter.
Such a program constituted what has been known as assimilation.
For more than a decade the Filipino propagandists waged their war against the
Spanish authorities and friars, but they failed to awaken the Government of the Peninsula
to the demoralizing realities of colonial administration. The reform movement was a failure
for it did not achieve its goals. In another sense, however, it was a success, for its failure
led to the founding of the Katipunan with separatist aims (Agoncillo, 1990).
d. The Katipunan
The Kataastaasan Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan,
otherwise known as KKK or simply Katipunan, was a secret society that was established
by Andres Bonifacio and some of his comrades on July 7, 1892. This was a significant
event for the Filipinos because it marked the end of the peaceful campaign for reforms
and the beginning of a movement which aimed to end Spanish oppression by uniting the
Filipinos and achieve independence by means of a revolution.
To increase the number of members of the organization, and to stop suspicion on
the part of the family members, the Katipunan accepted women members. The women
were least suspected by the Spanish authorities, so they were able to keep important
documents of the society. They also served as messengers and front for the secret
meetings of the organization (Vivar et al., 1999)
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The Katipunan became especially popular in the suburbs of Manila and in the
provinces of Central Luzon. But as the number of its affiliates increased, the Spanish
authorities began to suspect its underground character. The friars began to denounce the
nightly meeting held by Katipuneros and on August 19, 1896, a certain Patino, a
Katipunan member, exposed the society to Fr. Mariano Gil. With the discovery of the
Katipunan, Bonifacio had no alternative than to take the field and on August 23, at
pugadlawin, he and his men declared their intention to fight to the bitter end. The
revolution spread to the other provinces. In Cavite, meanwhile, the two factions of the
society were at loggerheads and Bonifacio was invited to mediate between them. At
Tejeros, it was agreed to change the society with a government responsive to the
demands of the times, and in the election that followed, Bonifacio was chosen Director of
the Interior. Unfortunately, his election was questioned by Daniel Irona. Bonifacio hurt by
insult, declared the results of the lection null and void. In April, he was ordered arrested,
tried and executed. The Filipinos were at that time losing battle after battle. Aguinaldo
retreated to Biak-na-Bato, where the Republic was founded. Later in, December, the
Truce of Biak-na-Bato was concluded between the rebels and the Spanish Government.
The truce, however, was a failure (Agoncillo, 1990).
REFERENCE:
Palado, D., De Silva, A., Reyes, C., et. al., (2018) Readings in Philippine History,
Muntinlupa City. Panday-Lahi Publishing House, Inc. (50-52)
Ligan, V., Espino, L., Andrada, J., et. al. (2018) Readings in the Philippine History,
Malabon City. Mutya Publishing House, Inc. (66-76) Alcantara, V., (2009).
Philippine History: Past and Present (Social Studies for First Year), Quezon City. CJS
Publishing. (159-164)