The Propaganda movement
Introduction
The unjust execution of the three Filipino priests Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora was a turning point in the Philippine History, History, for it ushered a new era, the reform movement. movement. The Propaganda Movement was Movement was a cultural organization formed in 1872 by Filipino expatriates in Europe. Composed of the Filipino elite called "ilustrados", exiled liberals and students attending Europe's universities gravitated to the movement.
Introduction
The unjust execution of the three Filipino priests Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora was a turning point in the Philippine History, History, for it ushered a new era, the reform movement. movement. The Propaganda Movement was Movement was a cultural organization formed in 1872 by Filipino expatriates in Europe. Composed of the Filipino elite called "ilustrados", exiled liberals and students attending Europe's universities gravitated to the movement.
Introduction
The Propaganda Movement was aimed at the Spanish who were then the rulers of the Philippines. It was was meant to encourage the Spanish to be more aware of the problems and needs of the Philippines and to propagate (which is where the name comes from) a better relationship between the colony and the "mother country." In existence for 25 years (1872-1896), the Propaganda Movement began with the death of the GomBurZa martyrs and ended with the execution of Rizal.
The Propagandists
The Members
Graciano Lopez Jaena José P. Rizal - author of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, wrote for La Solidaridad under the name "Laon Laan“ Marcelo H. del Pilar - the editor and co-publisher of the La Solidaridad and wrote under the name "Plaridel “ Antonio Luna - wrote for La Solidaridad under the name "Taga-Ilog“ Mariano Ponce - wrote for La Solidaridad under the name "Tikbalang “ Jose Maria Panganiban - wrote for La Solidaridad under the name "Jomapa“ Graciano López Jaena - publisher of La Solidaridad Juan Luna - painter and sculptor Pedro Paterno Anastacio Carpio Eduardo de Lete Miguel Moran Antonio Maria Regidor Isabelo delos Reyes José Alejandrino
Aims of the movement
Representation of the Philippines in the Cortes Generales, the Spanish parliament; Secularization of the clergy; Legalization of Spanish and Filipino equality; Creation of public school system independent of Catholic friars; Abolition of the polo y servicios (labor service) and vandala (forced sale of local products to the government); Guarantee of basic freedoms; Equal opportunity for Filipinos and Spanish to enter government service;
THE NATURE OF THE PROPAGANDA MOVEMENT
To make the Philippines a Province of Spain.
There was no desire for independence.
Believed that it would be better for Filipinos to become Spanish and enjoy all the rights and privileges equally. Sought for a slot for a representative in the Spanish Cortes. Absolutely for Assimilation.
WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE LEAD THE PROPAGANDA MOVEMENT
They are Filipino men of wealth and intellect.
They are situated in Spain.
Considered reformists, not revolutionists.
Resorted to peaceful means to convince the authorities in Spain to introduce beneficent reforms in the administration of the Philippines.
GREAT REFORMISTS
Not all of the wealthy Filipinos who went to Spain in the second half of the nineteenth century were in the propaganda movement. Only a few of them were connected with the movement. They were serious-minded young men whose faith in their country was boundless, whose idealism in a corrupt age made them think of the welfare of their country first and their personal welfare last.
GREAT REFORMISTS
To this group of young Filipinos belonged Graciano Lopez Jaena, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Jose Rizal, Antonio Luna, Mariano Ponce, Jose M. Panganiban, Eduardo Lete, and a few others whose role in the reform movement was more or less passive.
GRACIANO LOPEZ JAENA
Born in Jaro, Iloilo, on December 17, 1856.
Son of Placido Lopez and Maria Jacobo Jaena.
Studied at the seminary of Jaro operated by the Paulists, but it seemed that his study of religion and the atmosphere of the seminary did not in the least affect his inborn qualities as a rebel. Wrote a tale entitled “Fray Botod ”. The Friars were badly affected by the insults in this tale and wanted Jaena punished for this. Because of the situation, he secretly left for spain.
GRACIANO LOPEZ JAENA
Enrolled in medicine at the university of Valencia. He later transferred to Madrid, because of the feel and atmosphere of the environment there. He was a great orator in the social and political clubs, his pieces however, are mostly about the sad condition of the Philippines. He stood against Fr. Ramon Martinez Vigil, in an oratorical occasion, where in the later is delivering his speech about how “benevolent” the Friars are in the Philippines.
MARCELO H. DEL PILAR
He is the political analyst of the Filipino colony in Spain. Was born in barrio Kupang, Bulakan Bulakan, on August 30, 1850. Son of Julian H. del Pilar and Blasa Gatmaitan. His father was a poet and Marcelo inherited his love for arts from him. Studied at the College of San Jose and later in the University of Santo Tomas, where he finished his law course in 1880.
MARCELO H. DEL PILAR
In 1878, he married his first cousin, Mariciana del Pilar. He had several children with only Anita and Sofia surviving. He began as his country’s evangelist in 1880. Made plazas and the cockpits his platform for preaching the gospel of work, self-respect, and dignity. He wanted to bring the masses to consciousness by making them unified.
MARCELO H. DEL PILAR
In 1882, he founded the nationalistic newspaper Diariong Tagalog. He wrote of patriotism and sad state of the country. The year 1888 was significant to del Pilar, for it was in that year that he gave his life wholly to the propagation of uncommon, at lest in the Philippines, ideas. He wrote pamphlets ridiculing friar sovereignty and exposing injustices committed almost daily against Filipinos.
MARCELO H. DEL PILAR
He also wrote “dalasan at toksohan” a parody of the prayer book. He also wrote “amain namin” a parody of our Father. He also Parodied the Ten commandments to ridicule the Friars. Because of his works, the Spanish authorities ordered his arrest. Marcelo, thus, Skipped the country and left for Spain in October 1888. In December 1889, he took over the editorship of the Sol and became the moving spirit behind the reform movement.
JOSE RIZAL
The most cultured reformist.
Was born in Kalamba, Laguna, on June 19, 1861.
Son of Francisco Mercado and Teodora Alonzo.
Was alleged to have written a tagalog poem at the age of eight entitled “sa aking mga kabata”. Secured his preliminary education under a private tutor in Binyang, Rizal was sen to Manila to continue his studies. Enrolled at AteneoMunicipal, operated by the Jesuits.
JOSE RIZAL
His mother became a victim of gross injustice and was imprisoned. This sad event deeply affected Rizal, he determined to work for the welfare of his country. When he was eighteen, his “a la juventud filipina” won first place in a literary contest. His “el consejo de los dioses” later was adjudged as the best entry in a contest, but not awarded as first prize simply because he was a Filipino.
JOSE RIZAL
He studied for a time at University of Santo Tomas. Later in 1882, he left for Spain, at the age of twenty one. He finished one of his famous work, the “noli me tangere”, which means “do not touch me.” at the age of twenty six. In 1891, he finished his second novel, “el filibusterismo”, which was published in the same year with the help of Valentin Ventura, who lent money to publish the book.
JOSE RIZAL
Rizal returned to the Philippines for the second time –the first was in 1887- early in 1892 and was promptly arrested and thrown into Fort Santiago. On July 7, 1892, his banishment to Dapitan was announced officially. He remained in Dapitan for four years, where he helped his less fortunate countrymen, and did other things like beautifying the Plaza.
JOSE RIZAL
He asked permission from the governor-general to go to Cuba to enlist as a military doctor. His request was granted and soon he was on a ship to Manila. It was a critical moment that the revolution flared up. Rizal not wanting to be involved in the revolt, stayed on the ship to await the arrival of the next steamer for Spain. Before the ship could dock at Barcelona, he was placed under arrest and returned to the Philippines. Charged with treason and complicity in the revolution, he was sentenced to die by musketry on the early morning of December 30, 1896.
LA SOLIDARIDAD
On February 15, 1889, the first number of La Solidaridad came out in Barcelona. The paper was a fortnightly dedicated to the exposition of conditions in the Philippines. The defense of the Filipinos to the malicious and slanderous attacks of the friars, and the publication of studies about the Philippines and the Filipinos. Its first editor was Lopez Jaena, but he turned over its management to del Pilar in December 1889. The news of the birth of the Sol reached Philippines within two months and by then, the nationalists started contributing.
LA SOLIDARIDAD
In writing in the Sol, the Filipino reformists used pen names for obvious reasons. Rizal used Dimas Alang and Laong Laan. Mariano Ponce used Tikbalang, Naning, and Kalipulako. Antonio Luna used Taga-Ilog .
Marcelo H. del Pilar used Plaridel .
Jose Ma. Panganiban used Jo-Mapa.
LA SOLIDARIDAD
Having played its role creditably, the newspaper bowed out of existence in Madrid with its last number dated November 15, 1895.
THE HISPANO-FILIPINO ASSOCIATION
Concieved as early as july 1888, was inaugurated on January 12, 1889 in Madrid. It was composed of Spaniards and Filipinos who favored the granting of reforms in the colony. Prominent among the spanish members were Miguel Morayta, profesor of history at the Universidad central de Madrid, and Felipe de la Corte, author of several works on the Philippines. Morayta was elected as president of the society.
THE HISPANO-FILIPINO ASSOCIATION
To make the propaganda work effective, the society was divided into three sections: the political section under Marcelo H. del Pilar; the literay section under Mariano Ponce; and the sports section under Tomas Arejola. It was this society which urged no less than fiftytwo spanish towns to petition the cortes to favor parliamentary representation of the philippines. The patition was presented to the Cortes by representative Emilio Junoy on February 21, 1895, but nothing came out of it.
THE ROLE OF MASONRY
Disgusted with the role of the friars in the Philippines, the Filipino propagandists in Spain affiliated with Masonic lodges in Spain. Lopez Jaena thought of bringin all Filipino Masons into one lodge. Consequently he established the lodge Revolucion in Barcelona, which was exclusively by and for the Filipinos. A year later lodge La Solidaridad was founded in Madrid. They established lodge Nilad in the Philippines on January 6, 1891. Pedro Serrano Laktaw and Antonio Luna carried this out. In march 10, 1892, a year later, it was recognized by the gran oriente español.
THE ROLE OF MASONRY
Their platform presented how they wanted a good government, how they wanted to be represented in the cortes, how they wanted reforms. At the outbreak of revolution, masonry was already deeply entrenched in the Philippines. Though not directly responsible for revolution Andres Bonifacio, however, was a Mason- it served as a pattern for the methods and organization of the radical Katipunan.
LA LIGA FILIPINA
Almost simultaneously with the introduction of Masonry in the Philippines, a Civic society called La Propaganda was Established. Its members, composed mostly, if not exclusively, of the middle class. They contributed money to defray the expenses of the Filipino reformers in Spain who were waging a campaign to obtain political concessions from the Mother country. The funds collected were forwarded to HispanoFilipino Association. Sometimes their collections were malversed and the la Propaganda passed out of existence.
LA LIGA FILIPINA
Rizal then stepped into the picture and proposed the founding of another civic society. He prepared a constitution for this society while at Hongkong and now he thought that the time had come for concrete action. On the night of July 3, 1892, at the house in Tondo, Rizal founded and inaugurated La Liga Filipina. The aims of the Liga were to be carried out through the creation of a governing body composed of the supreme council, the provincial council, and the popular council. The members were each to pay ten centavos as monthly dues.
LA LIGA FILIPINA
Innocent as the society was, the Sapnish authorities considered it dangerous and on the night of July 6, 1892, Rizal was secretly arrested. The Liga languished for a while, but some members continued to support it. The aims remained the same, but it was agreed that all should contribute toward the support of La Solidaridad in Spain. The Liga was First active, but later on its members tired of paying their dues, alleging that Spanish government did not heed La Solidaridad.
LA LIGA FILIPINA
The society lasted only a few months.
Its death led to a conflict among its members.
The middle-class members of the society believed that something could still be done by La Solidaridad in its campaign reforms. The poor members led by Andres Bonifacio thought that there was no hope of reforms. This conflict led to the formation of cuerpo de compromisarios by the middle class. It later died after a few months for its mambers were too passive and too conservative to make the society an effective medium for propaganda. Bonifacio, however, has already founded his
Result of the propaganda movement
It achieved only minor reforms during its time such as the abolition of the tobacco monopoly; the replacement of the tribute with the cedula tax; and the reduction of forced labor from 40 days to 15 days in a year. However, the propagandists failed to convince the Spanish hierarchy to carry out major reforms in the Philippines. Instead, the members of the movement were arrested, prompting them to flee the country and escape persecution. Meanwhile, the Filipinos were prohibited from reading Rizal's two novels, as well as the published essays or articles written by other reformists. The curtailment of the freedom press and assembly were also strictly enforced.
FAILURE OF THE REFORM MOVEMENT
The intensive campaign of La Solidaridad for reforms did not yield any tangible result in the form of changes on the administration of the Philippines. It is true that is brought to the attention of the peninsular Spaniards the so-called Philippine problem, but the mother country was too preoccupied with its own internal problems. Also, the friars were too powerful even in Spain to be sidetracked by the Spanish authorities. The societies established in the Philippines whose purpose was to campaign for reforms did not have sufficient means with which to carry out their aims.
FAILURE OF THE REFORM MOVEMENT
There was a difficulty in collecting funds for the continued production of the sol. The propagandists were divided against themselves by petty jealousies. The result was the weakening of the ties that bond them together.
Reasons for the Failure The Propaganda Movement was a FAILURE because of various reasons.
First and foremost, the leaders were ambitious and somewhat greedy. They did do some reforms but those reforms were only for their own interest. Another reason was the lack of fund to support the movement. Internal Conflicts was also present between propagandists Rizal and del Pillar which led to del Pillar's backing out from the movement.
