Contribution of Spanish Missionary in the Philippines

Contribution of Spanish Missionary in the Philippines

Religion

Spain colonized the Philippines from 1565 to 1898. The Spaniards ruled the Filipinos for 333 years. Spanish influence on the Philippines and the Filipino inhabitants was immediately visible following the imposition of Castilian colonial sovereignty. The Spaniards transplanted their social, economic, and political institutions halfway across the world to the Philippine archipelago. The colonial masters required the native Filipinos to swear allegiance to the Spanish monarch, where before they only had village chieftains called "datus;" to worship a new God, where before they worshipped a whole pantheon of supernatural deities and divinities; to speak a new language, where before they had (and still have) a Babel of tongues; and to alter their work habits, where before they worked within the framework of a subsistence economy. The Spanish landholding system based on private ownership of land replaced the Filipino system of communal landownership. Thus, when the Spanish rule ended, the Filipinos found many aspects of their way of life bearing the indelible imprint of Hispanization.

To administer the Philippines, the Spaniards extended their royal government to the Filipinos. This highly centralized governmental system was theocratic. There was a union of Church and State. The Roman Catholic Church was equal to and coterminous with the State. Therefore, the cross as well as the scepter held sway over the archipelago. While the State took care of temporal matters, the Church took care of spiritual matters and hence preoccupied itself with the evangelization and the conversion of the Filipino inhabitants from their primal religion to Roman Catholicism. The Spanish friars wanted the Philippines to become the "arsenal of the Faith" in Asia. In the process, the Spanish Catholic missionaries helped in the implantation of Castilian culture and civilization on Philippine soil. This is because Spanishness was equated with Catholicism. The two terms were virtually synonymous with one another. One was not a genuine Spaniard if he was not a faithful Roman Catholic believer.

The imposition of the Roman Catholic faith upon the Filipino population permanently influenced the culture and society of the Philippines. This is due to the fact that the Spanish friars who undertook the immense task of evangelizing the Filipino natives looked at their missionary work and endeavor as involving more than simple conversion. By Christianizing the Filipinos, the Spanish Catholic missionaries were in effect remodelling Filipino culture and society according to the Hispanic standard. They would be Hispanizing the Filipinos, teaching them the trades, manners, customs, language and habits of the Spanish people. This influence is evident even in the way we tell time ("alas singko y media"), in the way we count ("uno, dos, tres"), and in the family names we carry ( De la Cruz, Reyes, Santos, etcetera).

The Filipino populace embraced Spanish Roman Catholic Christianity almost unquestioningly. The Spanish authorities congregated the scattered Filipino population into clustered village settlements, where they could more easily be instructed and Christianized under a friar’s eye. This policy paved the way for the emergence of the present system of politico-territorial organization of villages, towns, and provinces. At the same time, the compact villages which were literally under the bells of the Roman Catholic Church permitted the regular clergy to wake up the villagers each day, summon them to mass, and subject them to religious indoctrination or cathechismal instruction. This process enabled the Church to play a central role in the lives of the people because it touched every aspect of their existence from birth to growth to marriage to adulthood to death. Whether the natives clearly understood the tenets and dogmas of the Roman Catholic Church is of course another matter. Some scholars claim that the Spaniards only superficially Christianized the Filipinos, most of whom learned to recite the prayers and chants by rote, without any idea as to their meaning. Some native inhabitants became only nominal Christians. At any rate, there is no denying the fact that many Filipinos defended the Catholic faith devotedly.

Agriculture

Through the Church and its zealous missionaries, the Filipinos learned new techniques and procedures involving the cultivation of agricultural crops introduced from Mexico, one of Spain’s colonies in the New World. For example, prior to the imposition of Castilian rule, the Filipinos practiced swiddening or slash-and-burn agriculture. This farming technique involved clearing a hillside or a patch of land, cutting down the trees, burning the trunks, the branches and the leaves, removing the rocks, and then planting through the use of a pointed stick to create a hole on the ground into which seeds were thrown. Then the farmer simply waited for harvest time to arrive. This situation changed when the missionaries taught the Filipino natives horticultural techniques requiring intensive cultivation of land through better irrigation and water management so as to lessen their dependency on rainfall. In addition to teaching the Filipinos new farming methods and introducing to them new crops such as maize, avocado, tomato, and cacao, from which the nutritious drink of chocolate was derived, the Spanish friars taught the rudiments of reading and writing to the natives, not to mention useful trades such as painting, baking and locksmithing.

Architecture

In the course of Spanish colonization in the Philippines, the friars constructed opulent Baroque-style church edifices. These structures are still found today everywhere across the country and they symbolize the cultural influence of Spain in Filipino life. The opulence of these edifices was clearly visible in the ornate facades, paintings, and sculpture, as well as in the behavioral patterns of the people and in the intricate rituals associated with Roman Catholic churches. While it is true that the Spaniards exploited labor in the construction of the imposing Baroque-style sanctuaries for Roman Catholic worship, it is also true that these same edifices became the means by which Filipino artistic talents and inclinations were expressed. The carpenters, masons, craftsmen, and artisans were mainly Filipinos. In this way, the Roman Catholic Church and religion influenced Filipino architectural and building style, even as the rituals and festivities of the Church influenced Filipino dances, songs, paintings, and literary writings.

Feasts

Through these influences, the Church afforded the Filipinos abundant opportunities for both solemn rites and joyous festivities and celebrations known as "fiestas." The services inside the Catholic churches often spilled out into the thoroughfare in the form of colorful and pageant-filled religious processions in which the rich and the poor participated. Dining, drinking, and merrymaking often followed or accompanied such religious activities. During these feasts, Spanish culinary specialties like "paella" (a dish consisting of a mixture of rice, chicken and shellfish), "arroz valenciana" (glutinous rice and chicken cooked in coconut milk), and "lengua" (sauteed ox-tongue usually with mushroom sauce) became part of the local table fare. The rites and feasts served to provide relief from the drudgery of humdrum village existence, to release pent-up social and economic frustrations, or to foster community spirit and unity.

Language

Finally, it is worth mentioning that the Spaniards enriched the Filipino languages through lexicographic studies produced by the friars. Many Spanish words found their way into the Tagalog and Visayan languages. The Spanish words somehow fitted into the phonetic patterns of the Filipino languages. These Spanish words like "mesa" (table), "adobo" (marinated cooked food), and others are commonly used today in the daily practical transactions of the Filipinos with each other. Ironically, the friars came up with excellent studies on Filipino culture and languages even as they sought to overthrow this same culture through their implantation of Spanish civilization.

The influences from Spain have become permanently embedded in Filipino culture. The Filipino people themselves have internalized them. They cannot be undone anymore. For good or bad, they have catapulted the Filipinos into the world of Spanish culture, into the world of Spanish civilization and its products. Nevertheless, it must be said that the Filipinos did not receive the cultural influences from Spain sitting down. They responded in a way that demonstrated their capacity to master the new and to balance the new against the old, in a way that called for their capacity to bring values and principles to bear with a critical and informed judgment, and in a way that called for them to be able to sift what is essential from what is trivial. Thus they responded selectively to the novelties the Spaniards brought with them to the Philippine Islands. The Filipinos accepted only those that fitted their temperament, such as the "fiesta" that has become one of the most endearing aspects of life in these islands, and made them blend with their indigenous lifestyle to produce a precious Philippine cultural heritage.

laser on spanish colonial government in the philippines

Spanish Colonial Government

Spain reigned over the Philippines for 333 years, from 1565 to 1898. since Spain was far from the country, the Spanish king ruled the Islands through the viceroy of Mexico, which was then another Spanish colony. When Mexico regained its freedom in 1821, the Spanish king ruled the Philippines through a governor general. A special government body that oversaw matters, pertaining to the colonies assisted the king in this respect. This body became known by many names. Council of the Indies (1565-1837), Overseas Council (1837-1863), and Ministry of the Colonies (1863–1898). It is implemented the decrees and legal codes Spain promulgated although many of its provisions could not apply to condition in the colonies. It also exercised legislative and judicial powers.

The Political Structure
Spain established a centralized colonial government in the Philippines that was composed of a national government and the local governments that administered provinces, cities, towns and municipalities. With the cooperation of the local governments the national government maintained peace and order, collected taxes and built schools and other public works.

The Governor General
As the King's representative and the highest-ranking official in the Philippines, the governor general saw to it that royal decrees and laws emanating from Spain were implemented in the Philippines. He had the power to appoint and dismiss public officials, except those personally chosen by the King. He also supervised all government offices and the collection of taxes.
The governor general exercised certain legislative powers, as well. He issued proclamations to facilitate the implementation of laws.

The Residencia
This was a special judicial court that investigates the performance of a governor general who was about to be replaced. The residencia, of which the incoming governor general was usually a member, submitted a report of its findings to the King.

The Visita
The Council of the Indies in Spain sent a government official called the Vistador General to observe conditions in the colony. The Visitador General reported his findings directly to the King.

The Royal Audiencia
Apart from its judicial functions, the Royal Audiencia served as an advisory body to the Governor General and had the power to check and a report on his abuses. The Audiencia also audited the expenditures of the colonial government and sent a yearly report to Spain. The Archbishop and other government officials could also report the abuses of the colonial government to be Spanish king. Despite all these checks, however, an abusive governor general often managed to escape stiff fines, suspension, or dismissal by simply bribing the Visitador and other investigators.

The Provincial Government
The Spaniards created local government units to facilitate the country’s administration. There were two types of local government units – the alcadia and the corregimiento. The alcadia, led by the alcalde mayor, governed the provinces that had been fully subjugated: the corregimiento, headed by corregidor, governed the provinces that were not yet entirely under Spanish control. The alcalde mayors represented the Spanish king and the governor general in their respective provinces. They managed the day-to-day operations of the provincial government, implemented laws and supervised the collection of taxes. Through they were paid a small salary, they enjoyed privileges such as the indulto de comercio, or the right to participate in the galleon trade.

The Municipal Government
Each province was divided into several towns or pueblos headed by Gobernadordcillos, whose main concerns were efficient governance and tax collection. Four lieutenants aided the Governardorcillo: the Teniente Mayor (chief lieutenant), the Teniente de Policia (police lieutenant), the Teniente de Sementeras (lieutenant of the fields) and the Teniente de Ganados (lieutenant of the livestock).

The Encomienda System
Spain owed the colonization of the Philippines to Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, who valiantly and loyally served the Spanish crown. To hasten the subjugation of the country, King Philip II instructed Legazpi to divide the Philippines into large territories called encomiendas, to be left to the management of designated encomenderos.
 

To show his gratitude to his conquistadors, the King made them the first encomenderos in the colony. As the King’s representatives in their respective encomiendas, the encomenderos had the right to collect taxes. However, the encomiendas were not there to own. The encomenderos were only territorial overseers who had the duty to: 1) protect the people in the encomienda; (2) maintain peace and order; (3) promote education and health programs; and (4) help the missionaries propagate Christianity.

Economic System Under the Spanish Colonial Government

During most of the colonial period, the Philippine economy depended on the Galleon Trade which was inaugurated in 1565 between Manilaand Acapulco, Mexico. Trade between Spain and the Philippines was via the Pacific Ocean to Mexico (Manila to Acapulco), and then across the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean to Spain (Veracruz to Cádiz). Manila became the most important center of trade in Asia between the 17th and 18th centuries. All sorts of products from China, Japan, Brunei, the Moluccas and even India were sent to Manila to be sold for silver 8-Real coins which came aboard the galleons from Acapulco. These goods, including silk, porcelain, spices, lacquerware and textile products were then sent to Acapulco and from there to other parts of New Spain, Peru and Europe.

The European population in the archipelago steadily grew although natives remained the majority. They depended on the Galleon Trade for a living. In the later years of the 18th century, Governor-General Basco introduced economic reforms that gave the colony its first significant internal source income from the production of tobacco and other agricultural exports. In this later period, agriculture was finally opened to the European population, which before was reserved only for the natives.

During Spain’s 333 year rule in the Philippines, the colonists had to fight off the Chinese pirates (who lay siege to Manila, the most famous of which was Limahong in 1574), Dutch forces, Portuguese forces, and indigenous revolts. Moros from western Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago also raided the coastal Christian areas of Luzon and the Visayas and occasionally captured men and women to be sold as slaves.

The “encomienda” system created hindrances for the economic development of the masses. This making the elite richer and making the economic situation of the majority under developed. Although the “encomienda” system is designed for governance, its implementation gives negative effects to the people from which the “encomienderos” abuse their power against the people, to whom they are bound to govern. A lot of them use the “encomienda” for their own interest. They tend to abuse their power, collecting taxes more than the real tax value. The “encomiendero’s” abuse their powers which sometimes made people revolts against them.

laser on islam and christianity

Teachings and Practices of Islam Faith

Muslims around the world mark the ninth month as the holiest month of the Islamic calendar as they begin the fast of Ramadan. It was during Ramadan that the prophet Muhammad received the first of what are believed to be his revelations from God, later written down in the Koran. The Islamic holy book calls on the faithful to fast for the entire month to learn self-restraint, and to gain spiritual guidance.

Muslims will be expected to abstain from all food, drink, and conjugal relations from the first light of dawn until sundown. Those who are sick, elderly, pregnant or at war, however, may fast at another time. At the close of each day, families and friends gather to break the fast together with water and dates and a special dinner.

Ramadan is also traditionally a time to extend forgiveness and to reach out with charitable acts. The good gained from fasting can be lost, though, if one engages in such acts as lying or slander. The month will with communal prayers and one of the two cherished Islamic holidays - the feast of Eid al-Fitr.

Fasting is one of the "five pillars" of Islam, the special obligations expected of all Muslims.

The Five Pillars

In Islam, practice is of greater importance than doctrine, and the "five pillars" represent the framework for a responsible and good life.

1. The declaration of faith - the shahada: "There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God." One becomes a Muslim by formally making this declaration, which represents the belief that the purpose of life is to serve and obey the one God, and that it is achieved through the teachings and practices of Muhammad.

2. Prayer (salat). Muslims are to perform formal prayers five times a day, involving verses in Arabic from the Koran, thus structuring their lives around God. Congregational prayer is traditionally on Friday. Personal prayers are offered at any time.

3. Almsgiving (zakat). A principle of Islam is that everything belongs to God, and wealth is held by people in trust. Muslims also have a responsibility to care for the less fortunate. The zakat calls for annual giving of 2.5 percent of a Muslim's capital, calculated by the individual.

4. Fasting during Ramadan.

5. Pilgrimage (the hajj). The pilgimage to Mecca is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for every Muslim able to do so. During 10 days of rites, pilgrims from around the world don simple garments to remove distinctions of class and culture, showing that all stand equal before God. The close of the hajj is marked by the other major festival celebrated by all Muslims, Eid al-Adha.

Five articles of faith

Islamic teachings include five foundational beliefs:

1. One unique, infinite, all-powerful and merciful God (Allah) is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. Everything is contingent upon God, including all of nature. Yet there is nothing like Him - an unqualified difference exists between the divine and the human. Man is God's creature, created out of clay, and orthodox Muslims have criticized Islamic mystics for affirming their experiences of oneness with God. The Koran gives 99 names for God, but His essence is unknowable.

2. The angels of God play an active part in human life. Muhammad received the revelations in the Koran through the angel Gabriel.

3. God's revelations have been sent to humankind through prophets and messengers. He has spoken through prophets to all peoples in history, but messengers - such as Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad - have universal significance. Jesus is revered as the greatest of all before Muhammad, but he is not the son of God. Muhammad did not preach a unique faith, but summed up all previous revelations, and is thus the Last Prophet for all humanity.

4. God has spoken His eternal message through holy books, to Jews and Christians as well as Muslims. Jews and Christians have special status in the Koran as "people of the book." The truths in those books included some distortions, however, and the revelation had to be sent one last time in the Koran.

5. With the Day of Resurrection and Judgment, God will hold every individual accountable for his or her actions. Bodies will be resurrected, and individuals will receive their "book of deeds." If put into the right hand, the reward will be the gardens of paradise; if put into the left, the eternal fires of punishment.

Other Islamic teachings

According to the Koran, man was created to be God's viceregent on earth and has been given free will and great potential. His mission is to create a moral and egalitarian social order.

Human experience is a test in which each individual is constantly called upon to choose between right and wrong.

There is no original sin, but Satan attempts to seduce human beings from the straight path. Yet God is with every individual who makes the necessary effort (jihad), and salvation lies in keeping to the right path.

The family is foundational to Islamic society and is seen as essential for its members' spiritual growth. Marriage is a legal agreement, not a sacrament, and either partner may include conditions.

Muslims are taught to value many kinds of knowledge, and to travel "even to China" to seek it, but its use must always be tempered with moral perception.

As Islam is a way of life, the Koran provides guidance on what constitutes a just society and places particlar emphasis on equitable economic relationships.

When Muhammad and his followers fled persecution in Mecca for Medina in 622, he became the political as well as religious leader for the first Muslim community (umma), which serves as a model for Muslims. Some Muslim scholars, for example, point out that women participated fully in the life of that community.

Islamic law (sharia)

Within a century of the prophet's death in 632, Islam had spread through conquest and conversion into Asia and Africa, and as far west as Spain. The need for a unified system of law became apparent. The sharia developed out of the work of religious scholars and judges on the basis of the Koran, the other words and practices of the Prophet (the sunnah), analogical deduction, and community consensus. It was originally an attempt to counter what had become the aristocratic and sometimes corrupt rule of the caliphs.

Since the end of the Ottoman Empire after World War I and colonization by the West, various movements have developed for a return to Islamic law as the basis for society in the Muslim world. There are strict schools of interpretation and others seeking to reinterpret Islamic law to meet the needs of the 21st century.

Islamic community (umma)

A prime aim of the Koran is the establishment of a just, ethically based social order on earth, and Muslims are to strive to bring this about. A high value is thus placed on the community of the faithful and on propagating the faith (da'wa). Some political and religious groups active in many countries are working to bring nonobservant Muslims back to active practice and to make conversions. Other Muslims see da'wa as their responsibility simply to lead moral and exemplary lives.

Religious pluralism

On the various religious communities, the Koran says, "If God had so willed, He would have made all of you one community, but [He has not done so] that He may test you in what He has given you; so compete in goodness. To God shall you all return and He will tell you [the Truth] about what you have been disputing."

Pluralism is a challenging issue within Islam today. In some historical periods, people of other faiths lived harmoniously under Islamic rule, but today the status of religious minorities is threatened in some countries. Some Muslims preach a strict division between "believers," and "nonbelievers" while others are actively involved in interfaith relations.

Comparison of Christianity and Islam Faith

Christianity and Islam are the two largest religions in the world and they have many points of contact. Both inherited from Judaism a belief in one God who created the world and cares about the behavior and beliefs of human beings.

The Prophet Muhammad knew Christians in his lifetime and respected them along with Jews as "People of the Book." Because of their monotheism and roots in the revealed Jewish Bible, the Prophet and his successors extended conquered Christians (and Jews) more freedoms than conquered pagans.

In the approximately 1,300 years of history since the life of the Prophet, the relationship between Christianity and Islam has rarely been harmonious. As it spread, the Muslim Empire quickly conquered much of the Judeo-Christian Holy Land and the Christian Byzantine Empire. The Christian Crusades of the 11th through 13th centuries, waged in large part against Muslims, served only to widen the divide between the two faiths. Constantinople, the "New Rome" and the center of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, fell to the Turks in 1453 and has lived under Islamic rule ever since.

In recent centuries, mutual distrust between Christians and Muslims has continued to grow. On the other hand, some have pointed out that the conflict has more to do with political tensions and divergent cultural worldviews than with religion, and efforts have been made by both Christians and Muslims to find common ground and engage in respectful dialogue.

To illustrate the similarities and differences between the two largest religions of the world, the following chart compares the origins, beliefs and practices of Christianity and Islam. Please note that numbers are estimates and beliefs and practices are oversimplified for brevity's sake.

History & Stats

Christianity                                                           Islam

date founded                        c. 30 AD                                                 622 CE

place founded                      Palestine                                               Arabian Peninsula

founders & early leaders   Jesus, Peter, Paul                                   Muhammad

original languages              Aramaic and Greek                                  Arabic

major location today           Europe, North and South America               Middle East, Southeast Asia

current size rank              largest in the world                                  second largest in the world

major branches                   Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant                    Sunni, Shiite

Religious Authority

Christianity                                                           Islam

sacred text                     Bible = Old Testament (Jewish Bible)            Qur'an (Koran)

+ New Testament

religious law                   canon law (Catholics)                              Sharia

Beliefs & Doctrine

Christianity                                                           Islam

ultimate reality                      one creator God                                     one creator God

nature of God                  Trinity - one substance, three persons       unity - one substance, one person

other spiritual beings         angels and demons                                angels, demons, jinn

revered humans              saints, church fathers                              imams (especially in Shia Islam)

identity of Jesus              Son of God, God incarnate,                               true prophet of God

savior of the world                                               whose message has been

corrupted

birth of Jesus                  virgin birth                                              virgin birth

death of Jesus                death by crucifixion                                  did not die, but ascended bodily into

heaven (a disciple died in his place)

resurrection of Jesus       affirmed                                                denied, since he did not die

second coming of Jesus   affirmed                                                affirmed

mode of divine revelation   through Prophets and Jesus                           through Muhammad

(as God Himself), recorded in Bible               recorded in Qur'an

human nature                 "original sin" inherited from Adam –               equal ability to do good or evil

equal ability to do good or evil                          tendency towards evil

means of salvation             correct belief, faith, good deeds,                      correct belief, good deeds,

sacraments (some Protestants                       Five Pillars

emphasize faith alone)

God's role in salvation        predestination, various forms of grace        predestination

good afterlife                  eternal heaven                                        eternal paradise

bad afterlife                    eternal hell,                                                           eternal hell

temporary purgatory (Catholicism)

view of the other religion   Islam is respected as a fellow                         Christians are respected

monotheistic religion, but Muhammad           as "People of the Book,"

is not seen as a true prophet                            but they have mistaken beliefs

and only partial revelation

Rituals & Practices

Christianity                                                           Islam

house of worship            church, chapel, cathedral,                                  mosque

basilica, meeting hall

day of worship                      Sunday                                                 Friday

religious leaders                 priest, bishop, archbishop, patriarch,             imams

pope, pastor, minister, preacher, deacon

major sacred rituals         baptism, communion (Eucharist)               Five Pillars: prayer, pilgrimage,

charity, fasting, confession of faith

central religious holy days Lent, Holy Week, Easter                           Eid-al-Fitr, Eid-al-Adha,

month of Ramadan

other holidays                      Christmas, saints days                            Mawlid, Ashura

major symbols                     cross, crucifix, dove, anchor, fish,                    crescent, name of Allah in Arabic

alpha and omega, chi rho, halo

laser on rizal

José Rizal is a 1998 award winning Filipino film biopic directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya. It was GMA Films' entry to the 1998 Metro Manila Film Festival. It is touted as one of the biggest films ever made in the history of Philippine cinema with a record-breaking P80-million budget despite the fact that historical films are often notorious flops during that time. GMA's faith was rewarded. Released on Christmas Day, the movie packed theaters and swept awards ceremonies.

Summary

The movie depicts the life of the Philippine national hero José Rizal, who was played byCesar Montano.

Accused of treason, Dr. José Rizal (Cesar Montano) awaits trial and meets with his government-appointed counsel, Luis Taviel de Andrade (Jaime Fabregas).

The two build the case and arguments for the defense as significant events in the central figure's life prior to his incarceration unfold. Upon hearing his life story, Taviel begins to realize that the accused is not only innocent but exhibits in fact all the qualities of an ordinary man. When the mock trial unreels, Taviel is all set to act as the prime advocate for his client as Rizal himself is about to give an earth-moving speech to defend his honor and address his countrymen.

Meanwhile, the Spanish authorities have worked out the vast political machinery to ensure a guilty verdict. A revolution awaits in the wings. Blood is shed when the Katipunan, founded by Andres Bonifacio (Gardo Versoza), attacks the Spaniards.

Cast and Characters:

§         Cesar Montano as Jose Rizal

§         Joel Torre as Crisostomo Ibarra / Simoun

§         Jaime Fabregas as Luis Taviel de Andrade

§         Gloria Diaz as Teodora Alonzo

§         Gardo Versoza as Andres Bonifacio

§         Monique Wilson as Maria Clara

§         Chin Chin Gutierrez as Josephine Bracken

§         Mickey Ferriols as Leonor Rivera

§         Pen Medina as Paciano

§         Peque Gallaga as Archbishop Bernardo Nozaleda, OP

§         Bon Vibar as Ramon Blanco

§         Subas Herrero as Alcocer

§         Tony Mabesa as Camilo de Polavieja

§         Alexis Santaren as Olive

§         Chiqui Xerxes-Burgos as Father Villaclara, SJ

§         Archie Adamos as Olive's Aid

§         Fritz Ynfante as Anatomy Class Professor

§         Jhong Hilario as Prisoner Servant

§         Gina Alajar as Saturnina Rizal

§         Tanya Gomez as Narcisa Rizal

§         Tess Dumpit as Maria Rizal

§         Irma Adlawan as Lucia Rizal (as Irma Adlawan-Marasigan)

§         Angie Castrence as Josefa Rizal

§         Rowena Basco as Trinidad

§         Kaye Marie June Congmon as Soledad

§         Ronnie Lazaro as Don Francisco Mercado

§         Dominic Guinto as Young Rizal

§         Ping Medina as Young Paciano

§         Dennis Marasigan as Marcelo H. del Pilar

§         Gregg de Guzman as Propagandist

§         Mon Confiado as Propagandist

§         Eddie Aquino as Propagandist

§         Manolo Barrientos as Propagandist

§         Rolando T. Inocencio as Propagandist (as Roli Inocencio)

§         Gilbert Onida as Propagandist

§         Jim Pebanco as Propagandist

§         Troy Martino as Propagandist

§         Kokoy Palma as Propagandist

§         Richard Merck as Propagandist

§         Jess Evardon as Propagandist (as Jesusito 'Jess' Evardone)

§         Marco Sison as Pio Valenzuela

§         Joel Lamangan as Gobernadocillo

§         Tony Carreon

§         Noni Buencamino as Elias

§         Roeder as Basilio

§         Richard Quan as Isagani

§         Cristobal Gomez as Pader Damaso

§         Nanding Josef as Antonio Rivera

§         Ryan Eigenmann as Fernando

§         Jon Achaval as Fraile 1

§         Cloyd Robinson as Fraile 2

§         Marco Zabaleta as Fraile 3

§         Ogie Juliano as Padre Rodriguez

§         Minco Fabregas as Padre Sanchez

§         Shelby Payne as Fr. March

§         Pocholo Montes as Maestro Justiniano

§         Jesus Diaz as Madrid Instructor

§         Karl Meyer as Belgian Printer

§         L.J. Moreno as Companion of Josephine Bracken

§         Bey Vito as Don Dorolco Onjunco (as Bhey Vito)

§         Kidlat Tahimik as La Liga Filipina Guest

Historical Significance

A commercial success during its initial public screening in 1998, this film also reaped major awards in the country and even in international film festivals. The people behind the production of this film succeeded in capitalizing on the renewed interest of the public on historical themes since the country was celebrating the centennial anniversary of the declaration of Independence from colonial rule. 

The contribution of this movie to the ailing film industry was spectacular. It proved for one that actors and actresses do not have to strip off their clothes for the movie to earn money or that serious themes such as history can generate huge profit as well. It immediately showed that the Filipino public will patronize a local movie over foreign films if they are to be provided with a good movie. 

The film assured the celebrity status of Cesar Montano as an actor and the sophistication of Marilou Diaz-Abaya as a director. Abaya’s Rizal was actually the first of her three successive films (Muro-Ami and Bagong Buwan) which provided the public with a movie to talk about and applaud. Through her string of successes as a director, and in no small part also due to lack of great filmmakers in the country, Abaya was to occupy a respectable position in the country’s popular culture and film industry that was once occupied by Ishmael Bernal and Lino Brocka.

The choice of making a film out of Rizal’s life was sound and logical from the very start. A producer wishing to balance his aim between earning money and to make a memorable film has only to extend the big Rizal cult into a movie fantasy. No person has come to symbolize the struggle for independence other than Rizal. His life story has pervaded the public consciousness in a manner that any enterprising film producer could not resist noticing. A film about Rizal is an expected box office hit since the market will be assured by the burgeoning educational establishment. That Abaya’s Rizal would be a big success was hardly surprising at all. 

Perhaps the greatness of Abaya’s Rizal was the superb balance between frank storytelling and delicate use of cinema illusion. By making the trial of Rizal as the focus of the story, viewers were allowed an easy and smooth transition between Rizal’s early life and the events surrounding during and after the trial. Research was obviously well-done as the movie progressed. Abaya and the scriptwriters relied heavily on the seminal work of Austin Coates for much of the details about Rizal and his endeavors. A student familiar with Rizal’s biography, especially that written by Coates, would be amused to watch the minutest detail about Rizal skillfully and sincerely portrayed on screen. The effect on the chilling re-enactment of Rizal’s last moments before his execution is a haunting climax of a fine movie. 

Nevertheless, despite the many outstanding qualities of this film in narration, research and cinematography, the film failed to circumvent the conventional portrayal of Rizal as the perfect human being devoid of any potential weaknesses. After all, doing a movie about Rizal’s life has its risks. How can you even portray a life so complex and enigmatic such as Rizal’s into two hours alone? It risks simplifying Rizal and the ideas he has espoused throughout his life.

Social Relevance of the Film to Our Present Society

The film nevertheless make us Filipinos proud of ourselves and we could proudly say “I am a Filipino.”  It makes me feel energize and want to pursue my studies so as to help my country.  The film surely awakens the nationalism and patriotism of every Filipinos and makes them realize what our hero has gone through for the sake of our freedom.  We could do many things to help our country and we should do it now.

Personal Documentation