During the time Rizal was born in 1861, the Philippines was still under Spanish colonial rule. The Spanish controlled politics, the church, and education. Filipinos faced racial discrimination, denial of human rights, and abusive practices like the polo forced labor system. Rizal witnessed the cruelty of Spanish authorities firsthand when his mother was unjustly imprisoned. He would go on to criticize the corruption and abuses of the Spanish colonial government through his writings.
During the time Rizal was born in 1861, the Philippines was still under Spanish colonial rule. The Spanish controlled politics, the church, and education. Filipinos faced racial discrimination, denial of human rights, and abusive practices like the polo forced labor system. Rizal witnessed the cruelty of Spanish authorities firsthand when his mother was unjustly imprisoned. He would go on to criticize the corruption and abuses of the Spanish colonial government through his writings.
During the time Rizal was born in 1861, the Philippines was still under Spanish colonial rule. The Spanish controlled politics, the church, and education. Filipinos faced racial discrimination, denial of human rights, and abusive practices like the polo forced labor system. Rizal witnessed the cruelty of Spanish authorities firsthand when his mother was unjustly imprisoned. He would go on to criticize the corruption and abuses of the Spanish colonial government through his writings.
In the time that Rizal was born, the entire Philippines was still under the Spanish colonization, all the uprising of Filipinos against the oppression of the Spaniards dos not prosper due to the advantage of Spanish weaponry at that time. In 1861, a great crisis occurred in the church when archbishop of Manila died and succeeded by a Spanish mestizo, Father Pedro Pelaez who risen the position of vicar capitulars. In January 20, 1872 in Cavite, a mutiny of Filipino soldiers peasantry leaded by a Mestizo Sgt. named Fernando la Madrid took place at Fort San Felipe. The cause of this military uprising is believed to be the order of Governors-General Rafael Izquierdo to subject soldiers to personal taxes, from which they were previously exempted. Izquierdo also added all liable to this treat to security of the Spanish colony should be punished by death. In the midst of the situation, Rizal also witnessed the cruelty and injustice of the Spanish authority, when his mother became a victim of legal vengeance. His mother, Doña Teodora Alberto de Alonzo was accused of attempted murder when she allegedly tried to kill her sister –in-law by poison. A corrupt court lead her to incarceration of almost 2 and half years. In Rizal’s time, Spaniards are not only in the control of politics, the church but the education as a whole. At first, the schools were only exclusive for Spanish born citizen, not until start of 19th century tat it was open for Filipinos of provided that you came from a wealthy and known family of the society. The Spanish government did not expect tat educating Filipinos would mean danger on their part. Filipinos who bear the seals of Spanish “Coligeos” are referred to as “illustrados”. August 25, 1885 (German Warship)- German flag hoisted and proclaimed the Caroline's and Palau's archipelagoes as colonies of Germany. Strangely, the Spanish governor of the Caroline’s (Don Enrique Capriles) with two Spanish ships moored at its arbor, but due to cowardice or other reasons, he did not offer resistance to the German aggression “Carolina”. Holy father issued is decision on October 22, 1885 favoring Spain, recognizing Spain sovereignty over the Caroline’s and Palau’s. Two granting concessions to Germany: 1. The right to trade in the disputed archipelagoes and 2. The right to establish a coaling station in Yap for the German navy. Spain stagnating as a world power. One with the winds of time was the dalliance of the imperial glory of her vanished Siglo de Oro “Golden Age”. Evidently, Spain never learned a lesson from their loss of these colonies fro se continued a despotic rule in her remaining overseas colonies, including Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines. During the times of Rizal, the sinister shadows of Spain decadence darkened Philippine skies. The Filipino people agonized beneath the yoke of Spanish misrule for they were unfortunate victims of the evils of an unjust, bigoted and deteriorating colonial powers. Instability ofcolonial Administration The reign of the King Ferdinand VII (1808-1833) marked the beginning of political chaos in Spain From 1834 to 1862, Spain ad adopted 4 constitutions, elected 28 parliaments and installed no less than 529 minister with portfolios The political instability in Spain adversely affected Philippine affairs because it brought about frequent periodic shifts in colonial policies and a periodic rigodon of colonial officials. From 1835 to 1897, the Philippines was ruled by 50 governors generals, each serving an average term of one year and three months. At one time for a period of less than a year, there were four governors-general. Corrupt Colonial Officials With few exceptions, the colonial official sent by Spain were either highly corrupt, incompetent, cruel, or venal they symbolized the decadent Spain of the 19th century – not Spain of the Siglo de Oro General Rafael de Izquierdo (1871-73), a boastful and ruthless governor general, aroused the anger of the Filipinos by executing the innocent Father Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora, the “Martyrs of 1872”. His successor, Admiral Jose Malcampo (1874-77), was a good Moro fighter, but was an inept and weak administrator General Camilo de Polaveja (1896-97), an able militarist out heartless governor general, was widely detested by the Filipino people for executing Dr. Rizal.
They became rich by illegal means or by marrying
the heiress of rich Filipino families. Philippine Representation in Spanish Cortes The Philippine experience her first period of representation in the Cortes (Spanish Parliament) from 1810-1813. Ventura Delos Reyes, first Philippine delegate, took active part in the framing of the constitution of 1812 and also abolished the galleon trade. Unfortunately, the representation of the overseas colonies including Philippines in the Spanish Cortes was abolished in 1837. Since then, the Philippine condition worsened because there was no means by which the Filipino people could exposed the anomalies perpetrated by the colonial officials. Human Rights Denied to Filipinos Since the adoption of the Spanish constitution of 1812 and other constitutions in succeeding years, the people of Spain enjoyed freedom of speech , freedom of the press, freedom of association and other human rights (except freedom of religion). Strangely enough, the Spanish authorities who cherished these human rights or constitutional liberties in Spain denied them to the Filipinos in Asia. No Equality Before the Law Christianity was introduced by Spanish Missionaries as early as 16th century. Sates that all men was created by God equally. On the other hand, Spanish Colonial Authorities did not implement Christ precept of brotherhood. They considered Filipinos as the subject to be exploited and not to protect them. Leynes de Indias (law of indies) were promulgated by Christian monarchs of Spain. Maladministration of Justice Court of justice in the Philippines during Rizal’s time was CORRUPT. Verily a courts of INJUSTICE. The Spanish judges, fiscals and other court official were inept, venal, and ignorant law. Wealth, social prestige, and color of skin were preponderant factors of winning a case in courts. Racial Discrimination Spain introduced Christianity into the Philippines with the concept of brotherhood. They considered Filipinos not as brother but as inferior beings which is not deserving of rights and privileges that Spaniards enjoyed. During that time Filipinos were called “indios” because of flat nosed and brown skin. In retaliation Filipinos dubbed their complexioned detractions with the term “bangus”(milkfish). Frailocracy Spanish political philosophy of union of church and state. Arose a unique form of government in Hispanic Philippines called “frailocracy” (a government by Friars). Friars controlled religious and educational life of the Philippines. At 19th century they came to acquire political power, influence and riches. Forced Labor Polo - it was the compulsory labor imposed by the Spanish colonial authorities on adults Filipino males. The Royal Decree of July 12, 1883, implemented by the New Regulations promulgated by the Council of State of February 3, 1885, increased the minimum age of the polistas from 16 to 18 and reduced the days of labor from 40 to 15. The same royal decree provided that not only native Filipinos, but also all male Spanish residents from 18 years old to 60 must render forced labor, but this particular provision was never implemented in the Philippines for obvious reasons. The well-to-do among them were able to escape this manual labor by paying the falla. Haciendas Owned by the Friars During Rizal’s times the Spanish friars belonging to different religious orders were the richest landlords, for they owned the best haciendas in the Philippines. Te rural folks, who ad been living in these haciendas and cultivating tem generation after generation became tenants. One of these bloody agrarian revolts was the agrarian upheaval in 1745-1746. As early as in 1768 Governor Anda, realizing the danger of the friar-owned haciendas to Filipino-Spanish relations, strongly recommended to the Madrid government the sale of the friar estates. Rizal, whose family and relatives were tenants of the Dominican Estate of Calamba, tried to initiate agrarian reforms in 1887, but in vain. His advocacy of agrarian reforms ignited the wrath of the Dominican friars, who retaliated by raising the rentals of the lands leased by is family and other Calamba tenants. The Guardia Civil The last hated symbol of Spanish tyranny was the Guardia Civil (Constabulary) which was created by the Royal Decree of February 12, 1852, as amended by the Royal Decree of Marc 24,1888, for the purpose of maintaining internal peace and order in the Philippines.
While it is true that the Guardia Civil in the Philippines
had rendered meritorious services in suppressing the bandits in the provinces, they later became infamous for their rampant abuses. Rizal directed is stinging satire against the hated Guarded Civil. Through Elias in Noli Me Tangre, e exposed the Guardia Civil as a bunch of ruthless ruffians good only “for disturbing the peace” and “persecuting honest men”. Rizal and his fellow Illustrados established organizations and publication which criticizes the Spanish way of governing the Philippines. This also led to a nationwide uprising of the Filipinos to achieve independence leaded by Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Aguinaldo.