Rizal: Reformist or Revolutionist?

Everyone has their own opinion whether Rizal was a reformist or revolutionist. The great Filipino writers of our history, Constantino, and Agoncillo, would agree that he was a reformist. Tell that to Sir Esguerra and he would give you a 5.

By chance we met on the hallways of PGH. I was on my way to school and apparently he was too. At first sight of me he said, "Mr. Espiritu, tamang-tama naandito ka. Bukas yung midterms niyo dapat e diba wala ka. Kunin mo na yung test ngayon." For the second time this week I was caught off-guard by my professor. Last Saturday he made me report impromptu, now he wants me to take my midterms. "Wag kang mamobrelema, open books, open lectures, open notes, pwede mo ngang sagutin sa library. You have three questions to choose from and you only have to answer one. Yun nga lang, limited ang sagot mo sa 5 sentences," he said. "So... ano na?" he asked. I just nodded to say okay. Do I have any choice? "I have a PI class at 2:30. Just go there at GAB 107 and I would give you your exam." he added after that.

I can remember the time when I was still under his Histo 1 class. He entered the room and began to talk about a certain guy in his PI class who wrote as an answer in his blue book that Rizal was a reformist. He gave him a failing grade. Rizal, my professor lecturing us said, is not a reformist. We never got to ask him why but I wish I did. I have this gut feeling that one of his test questions would deal with Rizal being a reformist or a revolutionist.

After my Histo II class I borrowed books about Rizal in the library. My SocSci II class will give me enough time to review and search for the answer as to why Rizal was not really a reformist. It turned out, based on my readings, that Rizal was both reformist and a revolutionist. He was at first in favor of the assimilation of Philippines to Spain thereby a reformist. But this was out of his naivete. Later on he got to experience the ills that is happening in the society and his views profoundly changed. His revolutionary ideas were soon to be immortalized in his novels and revealed by the characters like Elias and Simoun.

Gab 107. I felt like a stranger amongst Esguerra's PI students. If it weren't for this exam, I wouldn't be sitting in their class. Esguerra wasn't there yet so I spent the time composing my thoughts amidst the cacophony in the classroom. When he finally arrived the class settled. He approached me with a blue book in his hand. The students around me sat silent for a while wondering what I was doing there. They don't know me, and I don't know them. I thought I would take the exam with them but it turned out that they were through with the midterms and I was just there to sit in while I answered the test. He said that I should pick one of the questions.

This is the question that I chose:

Rizal's El Fili is a separatist novel. La Liga Filipina is a progressive organization. Why is it then that Rizal denied the 1896 Revolution?

This is my answer, or at least what I thought was the answer:

Rizal denied the existence of the 1896 Revolution because he didn't want his conscience to be marred by the blood of his countrymen who will inevitably suffer because of their unpreparedness for a full-scale revolution. Although Rizal had revolutionary ideas, he was not for armed revolution per se. He was more for the gradual and peaceful one. One that is catalyzed by the education of the people. He reasoned out that when subject people are educated, intelligent, and have become aware of their human rights, they would have self-determination and they would strive to be free from their mother country. When this revolution happens, drastic changes will occur in the political, economical, social, religious, and intelligence sphere of a society paving the way for it's independence someday.

I hope that answered the question. As to whether Rizal was either a reformist or a revolutionist. I remain agnostic about it.

This entry was posted on January 28, 2005 at 6:50 PM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.