Sobre la indolencia de los filipinos ("On the Indolence of the Filipinos"

in Spanish)
is
a
socio-political
essay
published
in La
solidaridad in Madrid in 1890. It was written by Jos Rizal as a response to
the accusation of Indio or Malay indolence. He admits the existence of
indolence among the Filipinos, but it could be attributed to a number of
reasons. He traces its causes to factors such as the climate and social
disorders. He defends the Filipinos by saying that they are by nature not
indolent, because in fact, even before the arrival of Spaniards, Filipinos
have been engaged in economic activities such as agriculture and trade.
Indolence therefore has more deeply rooted causes such as abuse and
discrimination, inaction of the government, rampant corruption and red tape,
wrong doctrines of the church and wrong examples from some Spaniards who lead
lives of indolence which ultimately led to the deterioration of Filipinos
values. In the end, Rizal sums up the main causes of indolence to the limited
training and education Filipino natives receive and to the lack of national
sentiment and unity among them. Education and liberty, according to Rizal,
would be the cure to Filipino indolence.
The Indolence of the Filipinos
Jose Rizal published Sobra la Indolencia de los Filipinos on July 15 to
September 15, 1890 in five installments through the La Solidaridad, the
official newspaper of the Philippine ilustrados(enlightened ones) those
who hoped to have a representation of the Filipinos in the Spanish Courts.
This essay is also the longest among his essays.
Through Rizals deep insights of social anthropology, he was able to analyze
the factors causing the Filipinos indolence. According to him, that was not
due to the climate or the absence of stimuli to work but due to the hardships
or barriers out of the political and social systems during those times.

Summary[edit]
Chapter 1[edit]
Rizal acknowledges the prior work of Gregorio Sancianco and admits that
indolence does exist among the Filipinos, but it cannot be attributed to the
troubles and backwardness of the country; rather it is the effect of the
backwardness and troubles experienced by the country. Past writings on
indolence revolve only on either denying or affirming, and never studying its
causes in depth. One must study the causes of indolence, Rizal says, before
curing it. He therefore enumerates the causes of indolence and elaborates on
the circumstances that have led to it. The hot climate, he points out, is a
reasonable predisposition for indolence. Filipinos cannot be compared to
Europeans, who live in cold countries and who must exert much more effort at
work. An hour's work under the Philippine sun, he says, is equivalent to a
day's work in temperate regions.
Chapter 2[edit]
Rizal says that an illness will worsen if the wrong treatment is given. The
same applies to indolence. People, however, should not lose hope in fighting
indolence. Even before the Spaniards arrived, Rizal argues, the early
Filipinos were already carrying out trade within provinces and with other
neighboring countries; they were also engaged in agriculture and mining; some
natives even spoke Spanish. All this disproves the notion that Filipinos are
by nature indolent. Rizal ends by asking what then would have caused Filipinos
to forget their past.

Chapter 3[edit]
Rizal enumerates several reasons that may have caused the Filipinos' cultural
and economic decadence. The frequent wars, insurrections, and invasions have
brought disorder to the communities. Chaos has been widespread, and
destruction rampant. Many Filipinos have also been sent abroad to fight wars
for Spain or for expeditions. Thus, the population has decreased in number.
Due to forced labor, many men have been sent to shipyards to construct
vessels. Meanwhile, natives who have had enough of abuse have gone to the
mountains. As a result, the farms have been neglected. The so-called indolence
of Filipinos definitely has deeply rooted causes.
Chapter 4[edit]
Filipinos, according to Rizal, are not responsible for their misfortunes, as
they are not their own masters. The Spanish government has not encouraged
labor and trade, which ceased after the government treated the country's
neighboring trade partners with great suspicion. Trade has declined,
furthermore, because of pirate attacks and the many restrictions imposed by
the government, which gives no aid for crops and farmers. This and the abuse
suffered under encomenderos have caused many to abandon the fields. Businesses
are monopolized by many government officials, red tape and bribery operate on
a wide scale, rampant gambling is tolerated by the government. This situation
is compounded by the Church's wrong doctrine which holds that the rich will
not go to heaven, thus engendering a wrong attitude toward work. There has
also been discrimination in education against natives. These are some of the
main reasons that Rizal cites as causing the deterioration of values among the
Filipinos.
Chapter 5[edit]
According to Rizal, all the causes of indolence can be reduced to two factors.
The first factor is the limited training and education Filipino natives
receive. Segregated from Spaniards, Filipinos do not receive the same
opportunities that are available to the foreigners. They are taught to be
inferior. The second factor is the lack of a national sentiment of unity among
them. Because Filipinos think they are inferior, they submit to the foreign
culture and do everything to imitate it. The solution, according to Rizal,
would be education and liberty.
The Indolence of the Filipinos: Summary and Analysis
La Indolencia de los Filipinos, more popularly known in its English version,
"The Indolence of the Filipinos," is a exploratory essay written by Philippine
national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, to explain the alleged idleness of his people
during the Spanish colonization.
SUMMARY
The Indolence of the Filipinos is a study of the causes why the
people did not, as was said, work hard during the Spanish regime.
Rizal
pointed out that long before the coming of the Spaniards, the Filipinos were
industrious and hardworking. The Spanish reign brought about a decline in
economic activities because of certain causes:
First, the establishment of the Galleon Trade cut off all previous
associations of thePhilippines with other countries in Asia and the Middle
East. As a result, business was only conducted with Spain through Mexico.
Because of this, the small businesses and handicraft industries that
flourished during the pre-Spanish period gradually disappeared.
Second, Spain also extinguished the natives love of work because
of the implementation of forced labor. Because of the wars between Spain and
other countries in Europe as well as the Muslims in Mindanao, the Filipinos
were compelled to work in shipyards, roads, and other public works, abandoning
agriculture, industry, and commerce.

Third, Spain did not protect the people against foreign invaders
and pirates. With no arms to defend themselves, the natives were killed,
their houses burned, and their lands destroyed. As a result of this, the
Filipinos were forced to become nomads, lost interest in cultivating their
lands or in rebuilding the industries that were shut down, and simply became
submissive to the mercy of God.
Fourth, there was a crooked system of education, if it was to be
considered aneducation. What was being taught in the schools were repetitive
prayers and other things that could not be used by the students to lead the
country to progress. There were no courses in Agriculture, Industry, etc.,
which were badly needed by the Philippines during those times.
Fifth, the Spanish rulers were a bad example to despise manual
labor. The officials reported to work at noon and left early, all the while
doing nothing in line with their duties.
The women were seen constantly
followed by servants who dressed them and fanned them personal things which
they ought to have done for themselves.
Sixth, gambling was established and widely propagated during those
times. Almost everyday there were cockfights, and during feast days, the
government officials and friars were the first to engange in all sorts of bets
and gambles.
Seventh, there was a crooked system of religion.
The friars
taught the nave Filipinos that it was easier for a poor man to enter heaven,
and so they preferred not to work and remain poor so that they could easily
enter heaven after they died.
Lastly, the taxes were extremely high, so much so that a huge
portion of what they earned went to the government or to the friars. When the
object of their labor was removed and they were exploited, they were reduced
to inaction.
Rizal admitted that the Filipinos did not work so hard because
they were wise enough to adjust themselves to the warm, tropical climate. An
hours work under that burning sun, in the midst of pernicious influences
springing from nature in activity, is equal to a days labor in a temperate
climate.
ANALYSIS
It is important to note that indolence in the Philippines is a chronic malady,
but not a hereditary one. Truth is, before the Spaniards arrived on these
lands, the natives were industriously conducting business with China, Japan,
Arabia, Malaysia, and other countries in the Middle East. The reasons for
this said indolence were clearly stated in the essay, and were not based only
on presumptions, but were grounded on fact taken from history.
Another thing that we might add that had caused this indolence, is the lack of
unity among the Filipino people. In the absence of unity and oneness, the
people did not have the power to fight the hostile attacks of the government
and of the other forces of society. There would also be no voice, no leader,
to sow progress and to cultivate it, so that it may be reaped in due time. In
such a condition, the Philippines remained a country that was lifeless, dead,
simply existing and not living. As Rizal stated in conclusion, a man in
the Philippines is an individual; he is not merely a citizen of a country.
It can clearly be deduced from the writing that the cause of the indolence
attributed to our race is Spain: When the Filipinos wanted to study and learn,
there were no schools, and if there were any, they lacked sufficient resources
and did not present more useful knowledge; when the Filipinos wanted to
establish their businesses, there wasnt enough capital nor protection from
the government; when the Filipinos tried to cultivate their lands and
establish various industries, they were made to pay enormous taxes and were
exploited by the foreign rulers.

It is not only the Philippines, but also other countries, that may be called
indolent, depending on the criteria upon which such a label is based. Man
cannot work without resting, and if in doing so he is considered lazy, they we
could say that all men are indolent. One cannot blame a country that was
deprived of its dignity, to have lost its will to continue building its
foundation upon the backs of its people, especially when the fruits of their
labor do not so much as reach their lips. When we spend our entire lives
worshipping such a cruel and inhumane society, forced upon us by aliens who do
not even know our motherland, we are destined to tire after a while. We are
not fools, we are not puppets who simply do as we are commanded we are human
beings, who are motivated by our will towards the accomplishment of our
objectives, and who strive for the preservation of our race.
When this
fundamental aspect of our existence is denied of us, who can blame us if we
turn idle?
Chapter 1: Admitting the Indolence of the Filipinos
The author admits that indolence indeed takes place in the Filipinos lives.
However, this cannot be due to the backwardness and troubles of the nation;
rather, this is brought by those troubles underwent by the country. Previous
researches on this topic involve only affirming or denying, hence never
focusing on its causes. One must focus on studying indolence, stressed Rizal,
before it can be cured. He then specifies those causes of indolence together
with the circumstances leading to them. According to him, the hot climate in
the country can indeed be reasonable in causing indolence. Europeans have a
different case, since because of the cold climate, they need to work harder.
He equates an hour of work in the Philippines sun with a day of work in
temperate regions.
Chapter 2: Indolence of Chronic Illness
Rizal states that a disease will get worse with inappropriate treatment. This
also goes true with indolence. Yet, people should not turn hopeless when
dealing with this issue. He argues that even before the Spaniards came to the
Philippines, the early Filipino settlers were already trading with other
provinces and nearby countries. They were also dealing with mining and
agriculture, and even some native Filipinos were able to speak in Spanish.
These arguments indeed proved that the Filipinos are not indolent. He ends
this chapter by posing a question: What may have been the cause of Filipinos
forgetting their past?
Chapter 3: Wars, Insurrections, Expeditions and Invasion
Rizal then itemizes the reasons which may have brought the Filipinos economic
and cultural turpitude. The frequently occurring invasions, wars and
insurrections caused havoc to communities. There was wide destruction and
chaos. A lot of Filipinos were also sent to various countries to support Spain
in its wars and expeditions. Thus, the number of Filipinos decreased. Several
men were also forced to construct vessels on shipyards. On the other hand,
natives who felt too much abuse went to the mountains to retreat. With this,

farms were abandoned. Hence, this termed indolence of Filipinos was brought by
such deep factors.
Chapter 4: Death of Trade in the Philippines
According to Rizal, Filipinos are not the reasons for their own misfortunes,
since they are not held responsible for their lives. The Spanish conquerors
did not push for trade and labor, stopping these when they became suspicious
of their trade partners. With this, trade started to decline, together with
the restrictions, pirate attacks, and unavailable aid for farmers and their
crops. Such events as well as the abuses of encomenderos led farmers to leave
the fields. Government officials monopolized businesses, as much as bribery,
red tape, and gambling pervaded society. This situation was aggravated by the
churchs teachings saying that the rich will not go to Gods kingdom, hence
bringing such wrong perspective on work. Likewise, there was rampant
discrimination of the natives when it comes to education. These, among others,
were some of the reasons why Filipino values have deteriorated.
Chapter 5: Limited Training and Education
As stated by Rizal, these causes of the Filipinos indolence can be contained
into two factors. The first of these include the limited forms of educating
and training Filipino natives. Separated from Spaniards and other high-class
men of society, they do not have similar experiences with the latter. They are
brainwashed to become inferior. The next factor is the absence of a unity
among the Filipinos as fellow countrymen. Due to their inferior thoughts, they
tend to regard foreign culture as their model and then emulate it. Among all
these, he thus proposes liberty and education finally, to solve such
dilemma.

THE PHILIPPINES A CENTURY HENCE

(Ang Pilipinas sa loob ng Sandaang Taon)
)
The Philippines, A Century Hence Philippines Title: Filipinas dentro de cien
aos
(The Philippines,
A Century Hence)
Author:
Jose
Rizal
Date
of
publication: September 30, 1889 - February 1, 1890 Place of publication:
Madrid *First published in La Solidaridad
Filipinas detro de cien anos (lit."The Philippines a century hence") is a
socio-political essay written in four parts by Jos Rizal. It is one of the
most significant political works of the Filipino Reform movement in Spain,
Rizal tracing the circumstances that brought about the awakening of the
Filipino and consequently the birth of the Filipino spirit of a nation. He
underscores the need to establish a new kind of political relationship between
Spain and the Philippines if the former does not wish a total break-up with
the latter. Spain is being given a sort of ultimatum: reform or independence.
But more than a warning, the article is a sensible request of an affectionate
son who sincerely wishes to avoid a bloody separation between Spain and the
Philippines. He ends his article with a prediction on the possible political

intervention of European or neighboring powers or even that of the United

States of America should the Philippines declare itself independent from
Spain. He dismisses that possibility, given the existence of other more
enticing economic prospects. Due to his idealistic and over-trusting nature he
fails to see through the greed and ambitions of the United States of
America and Japan, who under the pretext of the Manifest Destiny and CoProsperity Sphere crushed the Philippines within a century, respectively in
1899 and in 1941.
The Philippines a Century Hence is an essay written by Philippine national
hero Jose Rizal to forecast the future of the country within a hundred years.
Rizal felt that it was time to remind Spain that the circumstances that
ushered in the French Revolution could have a telling effect for her in the
Philippines.
This essay, published in La Solidaridad starts by analyzing the various causes
of the miseries suffered by the Filipino people:
1.
Spains implementation of her military policies because of such laws,
the Philippine population decreased dramatically. Poverty became more rampant
than ever, and farmlands were left to wither. The family as a unit of society
was neglected, and overall, every aspect of the life of the Filipino was
retarded.
2.
Deterioration and disappearance of Filipino indigenous culture when
Spain came with the sword and the cross, it began the gradual destruction of
the native Philippine culture. Because of this, the Filipinos started losing
confidence in their past and their heritage, became doubtful of their present
lifestyle, and eventually lost hope in the future and the preservation of
their race.
3.
Passivity and submissiveness to the Spanish colonizers one of the most
powerful forces that influenced a culture of silence among the natives were
the Spanish friars. Because of the use of force, the Filipinos learned to
submit themselves to the will of the foreigners.
The question then arises as to what had awakened the hearts and opened the
minds of the Filipino people with regards to their plight. Eventually, the
natives realized that such oppression in their society by foreign colonizers
must no longer be tolerated.
One question Rizal raises in this essay is whether or not Spain can indeed
prevent the progress of the Philippines:
1.
Keeping the people uneducated and ignorant had failed.
National
consciousness had still awakened, and great Filipino minds still emerged from
the rubble.
2.
Keeping the people impoverished also came to no avail. On the contrary,
living a life of eternal destitution had allowed the Filipinos to act on the
desire for a change in their way of life.
They began to explore other
horizons through which they could move towards progress.
3.
Exterminating the people as an alternative to hindering progress did not
work either. The Filipino race was able to survive amidst wars and famine,
and became even more numerous after such catastrophes. To wipe out the nation
altogether would require the sacrifice of thousands of Spanish soldiers, and
this is something Spain would not allow.
Spain, therefore, had no means to stop the progress of the country. What she
needs to do is to change her colonial policies so that they are in keeping
with the needs of the Philippine society and to the rising nationalism of the
people.

What Rizal had envisioned in his essay came true. In 1898, the Americans
wrestled with Spain to win the Philippines, and eventually took over the
country. Theirs was a reign of democracy and liberty. Five decades after
Rizals death, the Philippines gained her long-awaited independence. This was
in fulfillment of what he had written in his essay: History does not record
in its annals any lasting domination by one people over another, of different
races, of diverse usages and customs, of opposite and divergent ideas. One of
the two had to yield and succumb.
JOSE Rizal's prediction for the country, which he wrote in his famous 1889
essay, "The Philippines A Century Hence," is basically a bullish one. .
There are only two alternative futures this country faces, he
says. One is that it remains a Spanish colony but is treated with respect.
There is good reason to believe that is possible. The liberal elements in
Spain have become strong, and the voices calling for reforms in the
Philippines, from both the civil authorities and the local intelligentsia,
even stronger. "The Philippines will remain Spanish if she enters the path of
rightful and civilized life, if the rights of her people are respected, if the
liberal policy of the government is carried out without shackles and meanness,
without
subterfuges
or
false
interpretations."
.
Two is that the country cuts off its umbilical cord with Spain
through violent means. There is even more reason to believe that is possible.
How did the Filipinos get to where they are in the first place? Rizal asks at
the
beginning
of
his
article.
.
He answers: For centuries under Spanish rule, the Filipinos
demeaned themselves. "Little by little, they lost their old traditions, the
mementos of their past; they gave up their writing, their songs, their poems,
their laws, in order to learn by rote other doctrines that they did not
understand, another morality, another aesthetics different from those inspired
by their climate and their manner of thinking. They declined, degrading
themselves in their own eyes; they became ashamed of what was their own, they
began to admire and praise whatever was foreign and incomprehensible." .
But in the end, the Spaniard made a mistake. While the Filipino
was down, the Spaniard kicked him and insulted him. The mortal blow turned out
to be the reviving slap. The "indio" [native] discovered his pride in the
abuse. Thrown to a rage, he recovered his honor and sense of purpose. .
Even as he writes, Rizal says, the Filipino is in a state of
rebellion against Spain, one that cannot be stopped or contained.
On February 22, 1889, national hero Dr. Jose Rizalwrote a letter to a group of
young women of Malolos supporting their plan of putting up a night school.
The so-called Women of Malolos comprised of 20 women from prominent ChineseFilipino families in Malolos, Bulacan who signed and presented a letter to
Governor- General Valeriano Weyler on December 12, 1888, requesting permission
to open a night school where they could be taught the Spanish language.
The Spanish parish priest, Fr. Felipe Garcia, objected so that the GovernorGeneral turned down the petition. However, the young women, in defiance of the
friar's wrath, bravely continued their agitation for establishment of the
school, a thing unheard of in the Philippines in those times.
They finally succeeded in obtaining government approval for their project on
condition that Seorita Guadalupe Reyes should be their teacher, and that the
classes be held in the day-time and not at night. The incident caused a great
stir in the Philippines and in far-away Spain. Marcelo H. Del Pilar, writing
in Barcelona on February 17, 1889, requested Dr. Rizal to send a letter in
Tagalog to the brave women of Malolos.

Although busy in London annotating Morga's book, penned his famous very long
letter and sent it to Del Pilar on February 22, 1889 for transmittal to
Malolos.
Part of this letter reads:
I do not expect to be believed simply because it is I who am saying this;
there are many people who do not listen to reason, but will listen only to
those who wear the cassock or have gray hair or no teeth; but while it is true
that the aged should be venerated, because of their travails and experience,
yet the life I have lived, consecrated to the happiness of the people, adds
some years, though not many, to my age. I do not pretend to be looked upon as
an idol or fetish and to be believed and listened to with the eyes closed, the
head bowed, and the arms crossed over the breast; what I ask of all is to
reflect on what I tell them, think it over and sift it carefully through the
sieve of reason.
First of all. That the tyranny of some is possible only through
cowardice and negligence on the part of others.
Second. What makes one contemptible is lack of dignity and object fear
of him who holds one in contempt.
Third. Ignorance is servitude, because as a man thinks, so he is; a man
who does not think for himself lacks personality; the blind man who
allows himself to be guided by the thought of another is like the beast
led by a halter.
Fourth. He who loves his independence must first aid his fellow man,
because he who refuses protection to others will find himself without
it; the isolated rib of the buri palm is easily broken, but not so the
broom made of the ribs of the palm bound together.
Fifth. If the Filipino will not change her mode of being, let her rear
no more children, let her merely give birth to them. She must cease to
be the mistress of the home, otherwise she will unconsciously betray
husband, child, native land, and all.
Sixth. All men are born equal, naked, without bonds. God did not create
man to be a slave; nor did he endow him with intelligence to have him
hoodwinked, or adorn him with reason to have him deceived by others. It
is not fatuous to refuse to worship one's equal, to cultivate one's
intellect, and to make use of reason in all things. Fatuous is he who
makes a god of him who makes brutes of others, and who strives to submit
to his whims all that is reasonable and just.
Seventh. Consider well what kind of religion they are teaching you. See
whether it is the will of God or according to the teachings of Christ
that the poor be succored and those who suffer alleviated. Consider what
they are preaching to you, the object of the sermon, what is behind the
masses, novenas, rosaries, scapularies, images, miracles, candles,
belts, etc., etc., which they daily keep before your minds, ears, and
eyes, jostling, shouting, and waxing; investigate whence they came and
whither they go, and then compare that religion with the pure religion
of Christ and see whether that pretended observance of the life of
Christ does not remind you of the fat milk cow or the fattened pig,
which is encouraged to grow fat not through love of the animal, but for
grossly mercenary motives.
Let us therefore reflect; let us consider our situation and see how we stand.
May these poorly written lines aid you in your good purpose and help you to
pursue the plan you have initiated. "My profit will be greater than the
capital invested"; and I shall gladly accept the usual reward of all who dare
tell our people the truth. May your desire to educate yourself be crowned with
success; may you in the garden of learning gather not bitter, but choice

fruit, looking well before you eat, because on the surface of the globe all is
deceit and often the enemy sows weeds in your seeding-plot.
To the Young Women of Malolos: Summary and Analysis
Jose Rizals legacy to Filipino women is embodied in his famous essay
entitled, To the Young Women of Malolos, where he addresses all kinds of
women mothers, wives, the unmarried, etc. and expresses everything that he
wishes them to keep in mind.
SUMMARY
To the Women of Malolos was originally written in Tagalog. Rizal penned
this writing when he was in London, in response to the request of Marcelo H.
del Pilar. The salient points contained in this letter are as follows:
1.
The rejection of the spiritual authority of the friars not all of the
priests in the country that time embodied the true spirit of Christ and His
Church.
Most of them were corrupted by worldly desires and used worldly
methods to effect change and force discipline among the people.
2.
The defense of private judgment
3.
Qualities Filipino mothers need to possess as evidenced by this
portion of his letter, Rizal is greatly concerned of the welfare of the
Filipino children and the homes they grow up in.
4.
Duties and responsibilities of Filipino mothers to their children
5.
Duties and responsibilities of a wife to her husband Filipino women
are known to be submissive, tender, and loving. Rizal states in this portion
of his letter how Filipino women ought to be as wives, in order to preserve
the identity of the race.
6.
Counsel to young women on their choice of a lifetime partner
RIZALS MESSAGE TO FILIPINO WOMEN
Jose Rizal was greatly impressed by the fighting spirit that the young women
of Malolos had shown. In his letter, he expresses great joy and satisfaction
over the battle they had fought. In this portion of Rizals letter, it is
obvious that his ultimate desire was for women to be offered the same
opportunities as those received by men in terms of education. During those
days young girls were not sent to school because of the universal notion that
they would soon only be taken as wives and stay at home with the children.
Rizal, however, emphasizes on freedom of thought and the right to education,
which must be granted to both boys and girls alike.
THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF FILIPINO MOTHERS TO THEIR CHILDREN
Rizal stipulates a number of important points in this portion of his letter to
the young women of Malolos. The central idea here, however, is that whatever
a mother shows to her children is what the children will become also. If the
mother is always kissing the hand of the friars in submission, then her
children will grow up to be sycophants and mindless fools who do nothing but
do as they are told, even if the very nature of the task would violate their
rights as individuals.
QUALITIES MOTHERS HAVE TO POSSESS
Rizal enumerates the qualities Filipino mothers have to possess:
1.
Be a noble wife.
2.
Rear her children in the service of the state here Rizal gives
reference to the women of Sparta who embody this quality
3.
Set standards of behavior for men around her.
RIZALS ADVICE TO UNMARRIED MEN AND WOMEN

Jose Rizal points out to unmarried women that they should not be easily taken
by appearances and looks, because these can be very deceiving. Instead, they
should take heed of mens firmness of character and lofty ideas.
Rizal
further adds that there are three things that a young woman must look for a
man she intends to be her husband:
1.
A noble and honored name
2.
A manly heart
3.
A high spirit incapable of being satisfied with engendering slaves.
ANALYSIS
To the Women of Malolos centers around five salient points (Zaide &Zaide,
1999):
1.
Filipino mothers should teach their children love of God, country and
fellowmen.
2.
Filipino mothers should be glad and honored, like Spartan mothers, to
offer their sons in defense of their country.
3.
Filipino women should know how to protect their dignity and honor.
4.
Filipino women should educate themselves aside from retaining their good
racial values.
5.
Faith is not merely reciting prayers and wearing religious pictures. It
is living the real Christian way with good morals and manners.
In recent times, it seems that these qualities are gradually lost in the way
Filipino women conduct themselves. There are oftentimes moments where mothers
forget their roles in rearing their children because of the overriding idea of
having to earn for the family to supplement their husbands income. Although
there is nothing negative about working hard for the welfare of the family,
there must always be balance in the way people go through life. Failure in
the home cannot be compensated for by any amount of wealth or fame.
GIRL POWER: THE WOMEN OF MALOLOS
By: Quennie Ann J. Palafox
When the Spaniards came into the Philippines, they brought with them
their patriarchal values about women which eventually diffused into Philippine
culture. The women during the Spanish period were tied to the house and their
roles were confined exclusively to housekeeping and child rearing. On the
other hand, there was the chivalrous idea that men should be the provider of
the family and protector of the women. Women were also taught to be compliant
to elders and always submissive to males. They were oriented to remain
incorruptible until marriage and to focus on building skills that would make
them good daughters, housewives, mothers and servants of God. Women were even
barred from participating in political undertakings because it was considered
a mans work. Filipinos were familiarized to a religious and patriarchal
system of education which emphasized the domestic value that women were the
property of men. This infiltration of Spanish culture into Philippine norms
and behavior is an evidence of feudal social relations.
In the second half of the nineteenth century, a group of young women in
Malolos, Bulacan participated in a peaceful movement for educational reforms.
This remarkable event showed the aptitude of these women for political and
social reforms. The authorities came up with educational policies that were
discriminatory against women who wanted to pursue higher education. The women
of Malolos struggled to disprove the principle that women are destined to be
homemakers and demonstrate that women are at par with men in other fields of
endeavors.

The effort of the Women of Malolos is recognized as one of the most

important events that contributed to the development of feminist movement in
the country. This group of young women personally handed their letter of
petition addressed to Governor-General Valeriano Weyler to allow them to put
up a night school where they can study the Spanish language under Teodoro
Sandiko. Their action received diverse reactions from the pro-friar sectors
and the reformists because it was viewed as protest against the political
power of the friars. The twenty young women, majority of whom were related to
each other by blood or affinity, were members of the four major-Sangley clans
of Malolos: the Tiongsons, the Tantocos, the Reyeses, and the Santoses.
Although these women were raised by well-to-do families and enjoyed a life of
luxury, they opted to be educated rather than to be contented with what
society expected from them.
Prior to the education reform of 1863, education was left entirely in
the hands of priests or curates of the parish. Since the responsibility of
educating the natives belonged to the friars, its thrust was more of religious
education. Students were taught to read the alphabet and syllables; and study
sacred songs and music, and basic arithmetic. Education for females was not
the same with males. Education was more of a privilege than a right, daughters
of well-to-do families were taught reading, writing, arithmetic, religion and
needlecraft, a benefit not enjoyed by daughters of Indios. Formal training
beyond the primary grades was generally a male privilege. For the most part of
the Spanish period, the majority of secondary and vocational schools as well
as colleges were exclusively for males.
The Royal Decree of 1863 made primary instruction compulsory to all
native and Chinese children between the ages of seven and twelve. It ordered
that opening of a primary school for boys and another for girls for each town.
One important aim of the decree was to teach Spanish to the populace. Although
this move was to improve the poor state of education in the country, it failed
due to the meddling of the friars in the state affairs. Lack of school
buildings and teachers were also pointed as major hindrances for this program
to be successful. There were only few teachers who knew Spanish but they
received only modest salaries.
The Women of Malolos desired to learn the Spanish language because it
was the language of politics and society. They found an ally in the person of
Teodoro Sandiko who arrived in Malolos in 1888. Sandiko supported the
aspirations of the women and offered to teach them the language but it would
be done secretly. For the friars prohibited the teaching of Spanish to the
natives and to the mestizos as it would lessen their influence. The government
communicated directly with the friars who knew both the Spanish and the native
language. To the friars, it would be better off the leave the natives and
mestizos ignorant of the Spanish language so that their minds will not be
penetrated by the liberal ideas since most books were written in Spanish.
Gaining knowledge would make them crave for freedom and demand to human rights
which were deemed a threat to Spanish rule and the power of the Church.
Sandiko by that time was secretly teaching Spanish language to adults
but he wanted to make it legal. He requested to the provincial governor of
Bulacan sometime to grant the opening of night schools without the expense of
the government. However, it was disapproved because Felipe Garcia, the friar
curate of Malolos prepared a report that Sandikos proposal would pose a
threat to the government. Although their proposal was rejected, Sandiko and
the Women of Malolos remained positive that their desire to put up a night
school would be approved anytime soon.

After learning that the highest official of the land would visit
Malolos on December 12, 1888, Sandico prepared a letter in Spanish, and
requested the women to sign and present the letter to Weyler. Twenty of these
women affixed their signatures to the letter. The women went to the church and
presented the letter to the governor-general.
The request of the women did not get the approval of the governorgeneral because the parish priest Fray Garcia went up against it. Although
disheartened, the women did not give up. With the support of the reformist
Doroteo Cortes and the Maestra Guadalupe Reyes, the women continued to lobby
for the school, traveling between Malolos and Manila to convince the governorgeneral to allow their request. Luckily, these young women triumphed in the
end in February 1889 on the conditions that the women would finance their
schooling, the teacher would be Guadalupe Reyes, and, the classes held in the
daytime, not at night.
Although they did not get everything they asked for, the women
proceeded to open their school at the house of one of their group, Rufina T.
Reyes, first cousin of Elisea and Juana. The schooling however, was cut short
when Sandico, was accused in late April 1889 by the Church authorities of
spreading teachings against morality and of eating meat on days of abstinence
during the Holy Week of 1889. On May 13, 1889, the Gobernadorcillo Castro and
the Alferez Carlos Peuelos closed down Sandicos school of primary and
secondary instruction.
When Sandico left for Spain, the school where the
Women of Malolos were attending had to close because of the pressure from the
authorities. The school operated for only three months.
The establishment of a school out of the enduring efforts of the women
to be educated in Spanish was commended by several newspapers. Graciano Lopez
Jaena in the column Ecos de Ultramar, praised the women because of their
courage to present themselves to the governor-general, an action considered
bold that time.
Right after the article of Lopez Jaena was published in La Solidaridad,
Marcelo H. del Pilar wrote from Barcelona to Jose Rizal in Madrid, on February
17, 1889, requesting Rizal to write them a letter in Tagalog commending the
bravery of the women and with hopes that this valiant struggle against friar
hegemony in the affairs of the Filipinos will enthuse all compatriots. Hence,
Rizal sent del Pilar on February 22, 1889 the letter written in Tagalog for
transmittal to the 20 young women of Malolos.
The message conveyed to the young women of Malolos centered on salient
points such as the denunciation of the abuse of the friars in exercising their
spiritual authority bestowed upon them by the church, traits Filipino mothers
must have; duties and obligations of Filipino mothers to their children,
functions and errands of a wife to her husband, and guidance to young women on
their choice of a lifetime partner. Rizal also expressed his philosophy of
freedom and independence that he believed was the key to the emancipation of
humankind from slavery, and the necessity for education as the fundamental
source of liberation. In the letter, Rizal enunciated his great desire for
Filipino women to enjoy the privileges in education along with men. Moreover,
he appealed to women to be heedful of their rights and not to be docile
towards many injustices forced upon them. Men and women are born equal. God
did not create men and women to be slaves, nor did he embellish them with
reason only to be blinded by others.

Perhaps having experienced firsthand the warmth of his mothers love,

he defined in his letter the obligations and roles of the Filipino mothers to
their children. For Rizal, the youth is a flower-bed that is to bear fruit and
must accumulate wealth for its descendants. The mother must raise her children
according to the image of God and orient the mind towards pleasant ideas. A
mother must teach her children to prefer death with honor to life with
dishonor. Mothers should inculcate the following values to their children:
love of honor; sincere and firm character; clear mind; clear conduct; noble
action; love for ones fellowmen; and respect for God. Ever patriotic in his
views, he warned that the country will never be free and flourishing as long
as the children and the women remain ignorant. With this, the education of the
children should not be limited to religious activities. He stressed obedience
and reason as the highest virtues that one must possess.
The school of the Women of Malolos was closed down in May 1889 but
their aspirations did not end. These women served their countrymen by
supporting the cause of the Revolution against Spain. Some of them became
members of the National Red Cross, while others became founding members of the
Malolos Committee of the Asociacion Feminista de Filipinas in 1906, a national
womens organization aimed improving the welfare of women in all classes. It
can be said that the women of Malolos were the forerunners of the feminist
movement in the country for championing the cause of womens right to
education and equal rights regardless of gender.
Jose Rizals legacy to Filipino women is embodied in his famous essay
entitled, To the Young Women of Malolos, where he addresses all kinds of
women mothers, wives, the unmarried, etc. and expresses everything that he
wishes them to keep in mind.

Rizal wrote this famous letter in Tagalog, while he was residing in London,
upon the request of M. H. del Pilar. The story behind this letter is this: On

December 12, 1888, a group of twenty young women of Malolos petitioned

Governor-General Weyler for permission to open a night school so that they
might study Spanish under Teodoro Sandiko. Fr. Felipe Garcia, the Spanish
parish priest, objected to the proposal. Therefore the governor-general
turned down the petition. However, the young women, in defiance of the
friars wrath, bravely continued their agitation for the school a thing
unheard of in the Philippines in those times. They finally succeeded in
obtaining government approval to their project on the condition that Seora
Guadalupe Reyes should be their teacher. The incident caused a great stir in
the Philippines and in far-away Spain. Del Pilar, writing in Barcelona on
February 17, 1889, requested Rizal to send a letter in Tagalog to the brave
women of Malolos. Accordingly, Rizal, although busy in London annotating
Morgas book penned this famous letter and sent it to Del Pilar on February
22, 1889 for transmittal to Malolos.
NOTE: This document was taken from Jos
Rizal: Life, Works and Writings of a Genius, Writer, Scientist and Naional
Hero by Gregorio F. Zaide and Sonia M. Zaide (Manila: National Book Store).
SUMMARY
To the Women of Malolos was originally written in Tagalog. Rizal penned
this writing when he was in London, in response to the request of Marcelo H.
del Pilar. The salient points contained in this letter are as follows:
The rejection of the spiritual authority of the friars not all of the
priests in the country that time embodied the true spirit of Christ and His
Church.
Most of them were corrupted by worldly desires and used worldly
methods to effect change and force discipline among the people.
The defense of private judgment
Qualities Filipino mothers need to possess as evidenced by this portion of
his letter, Rizal is greatly concerned of the welfare of the Filipino children
and the homes they grow up in.
Duties and responsibilities of Filipino mothers to their children
Duties and responsibilities of a wife to her husband Filipino women are
known to be submissive, tender, and loving. Rizal states in this portion of
his letter how Filipino women ought to be as wives, in order to preserve the
identity of the race.
Counsel to young women on their choice of a lifetime partner
RIZALS MESSAGE TO FILIPINO WOMEN
Jose Rizal was greatly impressed by the fighting spirit that the young women
of Malolos had shown. In his letter, he expresses great joy and satisfaction
over the battle they had fought. In this portion of Rizals letter, it is
obvious that his ultimate desire was for women to be offered the same
opportunities as those received by men in terms of education. During those
days young girls were not sent to school because of the universal notion that
they would soon only be taken as wives and stay at home with the children.
Rizal, however, emphasizes on freedom of thought and the right to education,
which must be granted to both boys and girls alike.
THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF FILIPINO MOTHERS TO THEIR CHILDREN
Rizal stipulates a number of important points in this portion of his letter to
the young women of Malolos. The central idea here, however, is that whatever
a mother shows to her children is what the children will become also. If the
mother is always kissing the hand of the friars in submission, then her
children will grow up to be sycophants and mindless fools who do nothing but
do as they are told, even if the very nature of the task would violate their
rights as individuals.
QUALITIES MOTHERS HAVE TO POSSESS
Rizal enumerates the qualities Filipino mothers have to possess:
Be a noble wife.
Rear her children in the service of the state here Rizal gives reference to
the women of Sparta who embody this quality

Set standards of behavior for men around her.

RIZALS ADVICE TO UNMARRIED MEN AND WOMEN
Jose Rizal points out to unmarried women that they should not be easily taken
by appearances and looks, because these can be very deceiving. Instead, they
should take heed of mens firmness of character and lofty ideas.
Rizal
further adds that there are three things that a young woman must look for a
man she intends to be her husband:
A noble and honored name
A manly heart
A high spirit incapable of being satisfied with engendering slaves.
ANALYSIS
To the Women of Malolos centers around five salient points (Zaide &Zaide,
1999):
Filipino mothers should teach their children love of God, country and
fellowmen.
Filipino mothers should be glad and honored, like Spartan mothers, to offer
their sons in defense of their country.
Filipino women should know how to protect their dignity and honor.
Filipino women should educate themselves aside from retaining their good
racial values.
Faith is not merely reciting prayers and wearing religious pictures. It is
living the real Christian way with good morals and manners.
In recent times, it seems that these qualities are gradually lost in the way
Filipino women conduct themselves. There are oftentimes moments where mothers
forget their roles in rearing their children because of the overriding idea of
having to earn for the family to supplement their husbands income. Although
there is nothing negative about working hard for the welfare of the family,
there must always be balance in the way people go through life. Failure in
the home cannot be compensated for by any amount of wealth or fame.
The Women of Malolos were 20 women from prominent Chinese-Filipino families
in Malolos, Bulacan who
signed
and
presented
a
letter
to
GovernorGeneral Valeriano Weyler on December 12, 1888 requesting permission to open a
night school where they could be taught Spanish. The womens daring action,
which defied the authority of the towns Augustinian friar curate, was lauded
by reformists such as Jose Rizal, Graciano Lopez Jaena, and Marcelo H. del
Pilar.
Contents
[hide]
1 Historical background
2 The presentation of the letter
3 The outcome of the letter
4 The Women
5 Reactions
6 Socio-historic implications
7 External link
8 References
Historical background
During the Spanish colonization of the Philippines, education was for the most
part in a deplorable state, especially for women. The friars, who exerted
power over both Filipinos and the Spanish government in the Philippines,
considered the education of the natives a threat to the Church, as scientific
knowledge and thinking could cause them to abandon the blind faith and
obedience that the Church preached. Schools for girls particularly focused on
turning out graduates who were pious, chaste, modest, and industrious. The

principal aim of these schools was to form their students into meek wives and
mothers.
The teaching of the Spanish language was especially lacking, not just for
women but Filipinos in general. Friars feared that proficiency in the Spanish
language would give the natives the ability to communicate directly with
Spanish government officials and would expose them to liberal and progressive
ideas then emerging in Europe. As the friar curates spent many years with the
natives, they were able to learn their language while government officials
were assigned to the Philippines for a mere 4 years and did not have enough
time to learn the language. The friars then served as the bridge between the
natives and the Spanish officials, and were thus able to exert a strong
influence on both. The friars contended that teaching the Filipinos Spanish
would encourage subversion among them, as it would enable them to understand
political matters. The friars were accorded the responsibility to supervise
education in the Philippines by an 1863 decree which ironically also ordered
that the Spanish language be taught in the islands. Thus education was never
properly administered. Often the recommended number of schools was not built.
This was the case in the prosperous town of Malolos, Bulacan. Thus a number of
the foremost residents of the town took their own initiative to build private
schools. In 1886, Teodoro Sandico, a graduate of the University of Sto. Tomas,
opened a private school in Malolos with the help of members of the towns
prominent clans, such as Rufina Tanjosoy-Santos. Consisting of primary and
secondary levels, the school took after the Ateneo Municipal de Manila in
their curriculum.
Sandico also clandestinely gave private Spanish lessons to adults, including
the Women of Malolos. While Sandico sought to legitimize this arrangement in
1888, the provincial government turned down his proposal to open private night
schools for men and for women on the grounds that it might be a threat to
Spanish rule.
The presentation of the letter
Governor-General Weyler, who began his term in the Philippines on June 5,
1888, was known to have liberal leanings. He took an interest in education in
the Philippines, uplifting the state of teachers and opening 106 schools
before his term ended in 1891. He personally inspected schools as well as
government buildings in most parts of the country. Sandico and the Women of
Malolos decided to appeal to him when he visited Malolos on December 12, 1888.
During his visit to Malolos, Weyler set aside time to hold an audience with
the townsfolk. Upon getting word of this, Sandico wrote a letter in Spanish
and asked the women he had been teaching to sign the letter. The letter was
signed by 20 women, who went to the convent to present the letter to Weyler in
the afternoon. One of their leaders, Alberta Uitangcoy, handed him the letter.
The women then waited around for a response, compelling the governor-general
to read it on the spot. The friars in the convent relentlessly questioned the
women as to what was in the letter, but the women refused to reveal its
contents and spoke and behaved to the friars in such a way that showed Weyler
that the friars were no longer revered by the people of Malolos. Weyler
promised that he would soon reply to the letter, then left.
The outcome of the letter
The governor-general initially denied the womens request but the women
continued to appeal for the school, with the help of reformist Doreteo Cortes
and schoolteacher Guadalupe Reyes. Rufina Tanjosoy-Santos and others helped
pay for the womens expenses when they traveled to Manila to follow up on
their request. In sympathy with the women, the Spanish Minister of
Colonies Manuel Becerra, a friend of Del Pilars, sent Weyler a letter of
instruction on January 29, 1889 which reminded Weyler that he must strictly
enforce the teaching of Spanish in all Philippine schools.

On February 20, 1889, the women finally received permission to open their
school on certain conditions. First, the women were required to fund the
school themselves since the government refused to. Second, their teacher would
be Guadalupe Reyes rather than Sandico, who had been blacklisted by the friarcurate of Malolos. Third, the classes would have to be held in the day and not
at night, probably due to the association of nighttime gatherings with
subversive meetings.
The school was immediately opened in the home of one of the women, Rufina T.
Reyes. Tanjosoy-Santos took care of most of the expenses.
Some of the women had already learned to read, write and speak Spanish in a
colegio in Manila: Alberta Uitangcoy, Eugenia and Aurea Tanchangco, and
Basilia Tantoco. Nevertheless, they took interest in the classes because
discussions included political issues that concerned them. While in the
school, the women read the 1st issue of La Solidaridad, where they were
significantly featured, and the letter of Rizal which was sent to them in
March 1889.
But in April 1889, Sandico was accused by the Church officials of immoral
teaching and of eating meat on days of abstinence. Sandico went into hiding
then left the country under an assumed name on May 17, 1889, a week after
authorities ordered his school to be closed down. The school for the Women of
Malolos was closed down with it.
The Women
The Women of Malolos consisted of 20 women from the principal mestizo-sangley
clans of the town: The Tanchanco, Reyes, Santos, Tantoco, and Tiongson
families of combined native, Chinese, and Spanish ancestry. A few of them had
received education at a college like Colegio de la Concordia. They all lived
in the Chinese neighborhood of Malolos, Pariancillo. They were all were
related by either blood or affinity and were friends as well.
During the Philippine Revolution against Spain, many of them aided the
revolutionaries. Later, many of them were involved in womens socio-civic
organizations. For most, their main commitment was to family. All of them were
accomplished at keeping house; in fact they specifically requested for a night
school as they were all busy with household tasks during the day, although
none of them were married at the time. Whether married or not, throughout
their lives most of the women ran organized households, whether for their own
family or for parents or siblings. A number of them were involved in business
as well. The individual women are described briefly below by family.

Elisea Tantoco Reyes Known by the nickname Seang, she was 15 at the
time the women approached Weyler. Though she did not go on to higher
education, she spoke Spanish well. Her father was a reformist who was
persecuted by the Spanish government during his term as gobernadorcillo.
Along with her family, she aided the revolutionary army by providing
supplies. She joined the National Red Cross formed in 1899 by Emilio
Aguinaldos wife during the Philippine-American War. In 1906, she became a
member of the Pariancillo chapter of the Asociacion Femenista de Filipinas
(AFF) which was formed by the sisters of Rizal, which later became the
Club de Mujeres. She married Gregorio Galang at the age of 31 and had 1
child. She remained in her familys home in Malolos for most of her life.
She died in 1969 at the age of 96.

Juana Tantoco Reyes The younger sister of Elisea, she was called
Anang and was 14 at the time. Along with her family, she aided the
revolutionary army by providing supplies. She did not have higher
education and she later married her 4th cousin, Mariano Tiongson Buendia.
Sadly, she died 2 months after giving birth to their daughter in 1900.

Leoncia Santos Reyes The 1st cousin of Elisea and Juanas father, she
was 24 at the time. She was a fluent speaker of Spanish and at merely 17

was noted as a property owner. She married her firsst cousin Graciano T.
Reyes, a reformist and a friend of Sandicos, in 1889. They had 13
children and she ran a store while her husband attended to a business of
his own. She was widowed around 1930. She died in 1948 at the age of 84.
Olympia San Agustin Reyes The half-sister of Leoncia, she was 12 years
younger. She was the youngest of the women to sign the letter, being only
12 at the time. She eventually married Vicente T. Reyes, the brother of
Elisea and Juana. The couple had 9 children but Olympia died after giving
birth to twins at the age of 34.
Rufina T. Reyes Though she did not sign her family name, it is certain
that Rufina was one of the women as the classes were eventually held in
her house. At that time, she was 19. She was a first cousin of Elisea and
Juana and, like them, a niece of Graciano T. Reyes. Along with her family,
she aided the Katipunan. She joined the Red Cross and was a founding
member of the Pariancillo, Malolos committee of the AFF. She died at the
age of 40.
Eugenia Mendoza Tanchangco - Nicknamed Genia, she was then 17. Her
father was the great Capitan Tomas Tanchanco gobernadorcillo 1879 and the
justice of peace of Malolos from 1887-1889. She studied at Colegio de la
Concordia in Manila. It is recorded that she met Rizal at a baptismal
party in Malolos in 1888, prior to the encounter with Weyler. When she was
19 she married Ramon Vicente Reyes, who became a municipal official, and
they had 11 children. She was widowed in 1935 and died in 1969 at the age
of 98.
Aurea Mendoza Tanchangco Eugenias younger sister, she was 16 during
the encounter with Weyler. Like her sister, she was sent to La Concordia,
living with relatives in Binondo while finishing her education. She was
known to be excellent in reading, writing, and speaking Spanish and was
considered the brightest student in the womens school. With her family,
she gave aid to the revolutionary army. In 1898, she married a former
Spanish Army doctor, who began courting her in her textile shop. Her
husband, Eugenio Hernando, later became an officer in the Philippine Army
under Aguinaldo and Director of the Bureau of Public Health under Manuel
L. Quezon. They had 14 children and Aurea became a member of the Club de
Mujeres. She died of stomach cancer within 4 months of her husbands death
in 1958. She was 86 years old.
Basilia Villario Tantoco Called Ilyang, she was 23 at the time. She
was Eugenia and Aureas second cousin. She studied with private tutors and
in a college in a Manila and was known to be a devout Catholic. In the
early 1880s, she resisted the sexual advances of the friar curate of
Malolos. She was one of those chosen to lead the group in presenting the
letter to Weyler. During the Philippine Revolution, her uncle, father and
5 brothers were active in the Katipunan. She acted as a courier for the
Katipunan, hiding messages in her clothing. During the establishment of
the republic in Malolos, she and her brother Juan donated their houses to
the government. Connected by a bridge, they were used to house the office
of the Secretaria de Hacienda. A founding member of the Red Cross, she was
on its board of directors and headed the 3rd commission. She was a member
of the AFF in Malolos as well. In 1917, she set up the Escuela Catolica de
Malolos, a pre-school and grade school which closed in 1922. As the
firstborn as well as the only daughter in her family, she managed her
familys extensive properties after the death of her parents until she
died in 1925 at the age of 60.
Teresa Tiongson Tantoco A 1st cousin of Basilias and, like her,
second cousin to Eugenia and Aurea, Esang was 21 at the time of the
encounter with Weyler. She was the eldest in her family. She also joined

the Red Cross and the AFF. In the AFF, she was treasurer of the 1st
Pariancillo committee. She had a daughter out of wedlock in 1897 and she
married Julian Reyes in 1912, when she was 45. She was over 74 when she
died in 1942.
Maria Tiongson Tantoco Teresas younger sister, she was then 19. She
married Lino Santos Reyes, who was the cabeza de barangay. The Secretaria
de Exterior of the Republic of Malolos was housed in their home. She
became a member of the AFF. She had a dozen children and died at the age
of 44 after an operation.
Anastacia Maclang Tiongson She was 1st cousin to Teresa and Maria
Tantoco and second cousin to Eugenia and Aurea Tanchangco and to Basilia
Tantoco. Nicknamed Taci, she was 14 at the time. She and her family
aided the revolutionaries by providing supplies. She later joined the Red
Cross. In 1899, she fled the American invasion of Malolos with her family.
They resettled in Dagupan, where she opened the firsst movie house in the
province. A shrewd businesswoman, she was also the firsst and sole
distributor of San Miguel Beer in Dagupan, and the first to distribute it
in Pangasinan. She also sold ice as a companion business and became a
large landowner. At the age of 36, she married Vicente Torres and had 1
surviving daughter. She died of appendicitis in 1940, when she was 66.
Basilia Reyes Tiongson She is known to be a personal acquaintance of
Marcelo del Pilar, based on his letters. A firsst cousin of Anastacia
Tiongson and Maria Tantoco, she was called Ylia and was then 28.
Paz Reyes Tiongson One of those who signed the letter with only her
first name, she was the younger sister of Basilia and like her known to
have been acquainted with Del Pilar. She was 24 at the time of the
encounter with Weyler. Unfortunately, she was unable to attend the
official classes, due to illness. She died early in 1889, probably of a
heart ailment.
Aleja Reyes Tiongson The younger sister of Basilia and Paz, Ejang
was 23 at the time. She also signed only her first name on the letter.
Mercedes Reyes Tiongson Known as Merced for short, she was the
younger sister of Basilia, Paz, and Aleja. She was then 18 and was the one
who organized the group to open a school for learning Spanish. During the
Philippine Revolution, she aided the Katipunan by sending supplies. She
took over the management of the family property after the deaths of her
father and older siblings, overseeing the lands on horseback. In 1903, she
married Sandico, who became governor and senator for 2 terms each. The
couples 2 sons died when they were barely out of infancy, so they adopted
her goddaughter. Mercedes was one of the founding members of the Red
Cross. On the national board of directors of the Red Cross, she headed its
2nd commission. She was a founding member of the AFF. She died in 1928 of
a heart attack following an asthmatic attack, at the age of 58
Agapita Reyes Tiongson The youngest sister of Basilia, Paz, Aleja, and
Mercedes Tiongson, she was 16 at the time. Pitang, as she was known, was
especially close to Mercedes, and like her aided the revolutionary army.
She studied at Colegio de Santa Isabel. She married Francisco Batungbakal
when she was 42. The couple had no children, so she raised her
goddaughter. In 1937, when she was 65, she died from a diabetic coma. Much
of her property was willed for the construction of a hospital, which was
never built.
Filomena Oliveros Tiongson Known as Mena, she was 3rd cousin to the
Reyes- Tiongson sisters, Anastacia Tiongson, Leoncia Reyes, and the
Tantoco sisters. She was around 23 when the letter to Weyler was
presented. It is recorded that while the new friar-curate was calling on
her sisters in 1889, she heard about it while in her uncles house across

the street from her home. She immediately took a knife and went home to
participate in the conversation with the friar, all the while pretending
to clean her nails with the knife. With her sister Cecilia, she wittily
parried the friars accusations regarding such matters as their rare
visits to the church, infrequency of confession, and gossip that they had
eaten meat on Holy Thursday. She married Eladio Adriano in 1892. The
couple had 3 surviving children. Filomena aided the Katipunan and the
Malolos Republic, and joined her husband and sisters in petitioning
Governor-General Polavieja for clemency for Rizal in 1896. She maintained
a close friendship with the Rizal sisters and became a founding member of
the AFF of Malolos. She helped with family business undertakings and the
management of their landholdings. Blinded late in life, she died suddenly
in 1930, when she was about 65.

Cecilia Oliveros Tiongson One of the women who did not sign her last
name, she was around 21 during the encounter with Weyler. Called Ylia,
she was the younger sister of Filomena. She was known for her audacious
responses in dealing with the friar-curate who was appointed to Malolos in
1889. When the friar-curate sent the gobernadorcillo to invite Cecilia and
her sisters to the convent, Cecilia told him off by saying she could not
believe the gobernadorcillo would solicit women for the priest. When the
friar-curate visited her and her sisters, she was joined by her sister
Filomena in parrying the friars accusations, boldly pointing out among
other things that they would have less time to do good deeds and to earn
money if they went to church too frequently, that the church only required
confession once a year, and that women who visited the friar at the
convent in Malolos were considered to have lost their virtue. She joined
Filomena and other relatives in pleading for clemency for Rizal and
remained a friend of the Rizal sisters. With the rest of her family, she
helped the Katipunan by sending them supplies. She later became a member
of the Red Cross. At age 63, following the death of Filomena, Cecilia
married her brother-in-law, Eladio Adriano. She died 4 years later at the
age of 67.

Feliciana Oliveros Tiongson Known as Cianang, she was the younger

sister of Filomena and Cecilia. She was 19 at the time the letter was
presented. She witnessed the exchange between her older sisters and the
friar. She was also with her sisters when they went on their knees to
plead for clemency for Rizal and like them maintained a friendship with
the Rizal sisters. Along with her family, she aided the Katipunan by
sending them supplies. She became a member of the AFF. She helped her
sister Filomena raise her children and grandchildren. Highly religious,
she taught the children prayers in Spanish and gave them lessons in
catechism as well as the rudiments of reading and arithmetic. She died in
1938 at the age of 70.

Alberta Santos Uitangcoy Called Iding, she was the firsst cousin of
Leoncia Reyes. She received higher education at La Concordia. With her
strong will, she was chosen along with Basilia Tantoco as the leader of
the group in presenting the letter to Weyler. At that time she was 23. It
was she who personally handed the letter to Weyler. She married Paulino
Santos, then cabeza de barangay, the following year. The couple had 9
children. Still, Uitangcoy found time for social involvement, becoming a
founding member of the Red Cross and the AFF. After she was widowed in
1927, she took over the administration of the family properties. She died
in 1953 at the age of 88, after a long period of debilitation.
Reactions
The friars were naturally threatened by the school. But the progressives and
reformists were delighted by it. The newspaper La Opinion and other newspapers

as well as individuals from Madrid, France, England, Austria, and elsewhere,

sent La Solidaridad messages congratulating the women. Jaena, La Solidaridads
founding editor, was especially effusive in his praise of the women, lauding
them for their noble courage and beautiful tenacity and fairness.
In a letter to Rizal, Del Pilar observed that the womens triumph had fanned
the flames of the anti-friar movement: Because of the propaganda of these
ladies who preach by word and by actions, the idea is now spreading in the
provinces that it is dishonorable for a man and for a woman to associate with
the friar, and this is producing great results.
Rizal then wrote his famous letter to the Women of Malolos, in which he said
that the womens action made him see Filipino women in a new light. He
confessed that he used to think most Filipino women were servile to the friars
and was pleased to find that there were women who understood that true
religiousness was more about actions, intentions and judgments guided by
reason, which is a gift from God. He encouraged them in their desire to be
educated, that they may raise their children to act honorably and fight for
their rights. In addition to this letter, Rizal probably alluded to the
womens action in writing about students agitating for a school in his
novel El Filibusterismo.
Another of Del Pilars good friends, reformist Fernando Canon, wrote a sonnet
in praise of the women. Del Pilars own reactions to the incident were
recorded in a personal letter that he sent to his niece Josefa Gatmaytan on
March 13, 1889. In this letter, he addressed not only his niece but all the
women of Bulacan. First, he extolled the womens proposal as an example for
the women of his native Bulacan. Then, like Rizal, he noted the influence of
women over their children, and often on the rest of their family as well. Thus
it was important to educate women, for cultivating intelligence was necessary
to achieve true virtue. He underscored the importance of learning Spanish as
well.
Socio-historic implications
The actions of the Women of Malolos played an important role in the struggle
to uplift the state of women, particularly when it came to education. The
women won respect by demonstrating initiative, firmness of purpose, and a
desire for education that was unexpected for Filipino women of their time.
Though the success of their petition was short-lived, it was proof of the
capacity of women to actively participate in social change, which no doubt
encouraged them and others as well in working towards reform in the
Philippines under Spain and thereafter.