21-w/, 22-w/, 23-w/, 24-w/, 25-w/, 26-w/, 27-w/, 28-w/, 29-w/, 30-w/ January 29, 2020

Group 3-LF105 (5 points each)

1. Explain in 2-3 statements the significances of Rizal’s writings Amor Patrio (Barcelona) and
Me Piden Versos (Madrid).
Rizal wrote El Amor Patrio (Love of Country) under the pen name Laong- Laan when he was 21-
years-old in Barcelona, Spain during his first trip to Europe. The significance of this writing was that
it was Rizal’s very first nationalistic essay written outside the Philippines; this essay also urged
his compatriots to love their fatherland, the Philippines. Rizal sent the article to Basilio Teodoro
Moran, the publisher of Diariong Tagalog and appeared in print on August 10, 1882. Basilio
Teodoro Moran was so impressed by the essay that he asked Rizal to write more articles.

Me Piden Versos (They Ask Me for Verses) was written by Rizal upon the request of the members
of Circulo Hispano-Filipino; this poem was personally declaimed by him at the New Year’s
Eve reception of the Madrid Filipinos in 1882. The significance of this poem was that it showed
Rizal’s agonizing heart and not being able to write at all because of the despair he feels upon
leaving his native land. This poem also served as an awakening to all the Filipinos in Spain.
Rizal expressed that his countrymen in Europe should take action in freeing the Filipinos from
their oppressors by showing nationalism, patriotism, and love for their country.

2. Why didn’t he pursue his wooing with Consuelo Ortiga y Perez?

Consuelo Ortiga y Rey is the daughter of Don Pablo Ortiga y Rey, a Spanish liberal and former
mayor of Manila who later became vice-president of the Council of the Philippines in the
Ministry of Colonies. A lot of Filipinos admired Consuela; among the men who vied for her attention
were Eduardo de Lete, and brothers Maximino and Antonio Paterno. Rizal was smitten with
Consuelo but eventually gave up pursuing her because of 2 main reasons: (1) he was engaged
and was committed to Leonor Rivera and (2) his friend and colleague from the Propaganda
Movement, Eduardo de Lete was in love with Consuela Ortiga y Rey, so for the sake of their
friendship Rizal stopped seeing her.

4. What is the significance of his membership in Masonry?

Rizal's prime encounter with Freemasonry occurred when he was in Spain, where he made the
acquaintance of some liberal and republican Spaniards who were mostly Masons. He
admired the way these Masons scrutinized the methods of the government and criticized the
arrogant friars, a freedom which could not be practiced in the Philippines. Eventually, in 1883,
Rizal joined the Masonic lodge in Madrid which was called Acacia. The significance of Rizal
joining the society was to secure the aid of the Freemasons in his battle against the abusive
friars in the Philippines. Since the friars used the might of Catholicism to oppress and persecute
the country's patriots, Rizal intended to fight them back with Freemasonry.

6. What is the implication of Rizal’s involvement in student demonstration in Central University,

Madrid 1884?
It implies that values of freedom and justice were always imprinted on Jose Rizal. For all the
varying views on how he practiced and lived his patriotism, there is one thing certain about the man,
he believed that to fight in defense of justice and against all forms of injustice was a duty.
The student protests at the Central University of Madrid in 1884 took place because Dr. Miguel
Morayta, a professor at the university, was excommunicated by the Bishop due to his speech
about the freedom of science and teachers. Rizal, as a scholastic with a strong heart for
academic freedom, stood with the student protestors. Though he was not necessarily a participant,
he was an objective bystander who supported the cause and criticized the excommunication.