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    REQUIREMENTS

    IN

    HISTORY 100

    (RIZALS LIFE, WORKS, AND WRITINGS)

    RESEARCH PAPER

    SUBMITTED TO:

    PROF. OSCAR COVARRUBIAS

    SUBMITTED BY:

    MARICAR T. REPOLLO

    GENERAL ENGINEERING 2-D

    MARCH 26, 2011

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    EL FILIBUSTERISMO

    I. INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................p.3II. ABOUT THE AUTHOR (DR. JOSE P. RIZAL)..........................................p.4

    III. ABOUT THE BOOK....................................................................................p.6IV. THE CHARACTERS IN THE NOVEL........................................................p.10V. SUMMARY...................................................................................................p.15

    VI. CONCLUSION..............................................................................................p.20References...................................................................................p.23

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    Chapter I

    Introduction

    El Filibusterismo, the second of Jos Rizals novels of Philippine life, is a story of

    the last days of the Spanish rgime in the Philippines. Under the name ofTheReignof

    Greed it is for the first time translated into English. Written some four or five years after

    Noli Me Tangere, the book represents Rizals more mature judgment on political and

    social conditions in the islands, and in its graver and less hopeful tone reflects the

    disappointments and discouragements which he had encountered in his efforts to lead the

    way to reform. Rizals dedication to the first edition is of special interest, as the writing

    of it was one of the grounds of accusation against him when he was condemned to death

    in 1896.

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    Chapter II

    About the Author

    DR. JOSE P. RIZAL

    In full, JOS PROTACIORIZAL MERCADO YALONSOREALONDA (born 19

    June 1861, Calamba, Philippines- died 30 December 1896, Manila, Philippines), patriot,

    physician and man of letters whose life and literary works were an inspiration to the

    Philippine nationalist movement.

    Rizal was the son of a prosperous landowner and sugar planter of Chinese-

    Filipino descent on the island of Luzon. His mother, Teodora Alonso, one of the most

    highly educated women in the Philippines at that time, exerted a powerful influence on

    his intellectual development.

    He was educated at the Ateneo de Manila and the University of Santo Tomas in

    Manila. In 1882, he went to study medicine and liberal arts at the University of Madrid.

    A brilliant student, he soon became the leader of the small community of Filipino

    students in Spain and committed himself to the reform of Spanish rule in his home

    country, though he never advocated Philippine independence. The chief enemy of reform,

    in his eyes, was not Spain, which was going through a profound revolution, but the

    Franciscan, Augustinian and Dominican friars who held the country in political and

    economic paralysis.

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    Rizal continued his medical studies in Paris and Heidelberg. In 1886, he published

    his first novel in Spanish, Noli Me Tangere, a passionate exposure of the evils of the

    friars rule, comparable in its effect to Harriet BeecherStowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. A

    sequel,El Filibusterismo, 1891, established his reputation as the leading spokesman of

    the Philippine reform movement. He annotated an edition in 1890 on Antonio

    Morga's Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, which showed that the native people of the

    Philippines had a long history before the coming of the Spaniards. He became the leader

    of the Propaganda Movement, contributing numerous articles to its newspaper, La

    Solidaridad, published in Barcelona. Rizal's political program, as expressed in the

    newspaper, included integration of the Philippines as a province of Spain, representation

    in the Cortes (the Spanish parliament), and the replacement of the Spanish friars by the

    Filipino priests, freedom of assembly and expression, and equality of Filipinos and

    Spaniards before the law. Against the advice of his parents and friends, Rizal returned to

    the Philippines in 1892. He found a nonviolent reform society, La Liga Filipina, in

    Manila, and was deported to Dapitan, in northwest Mindanao, an island south of the

    Philippines. He remained in exile for four years, doing scientific research and founding a

    school and hospital. In 1896, the Katipunan, a nationalist secret society, launched a revolt

    against Spain. Although he had no connections with that organization or any part in the

    insurrection, Rizal was arrested and tried for sedition by the military. Found guilty, he

    was publicly executed by a firing squad in Manila. His martyrdom convinced Filipinos

    that there was no alternative to independence from Spain. On the eve of his execution,

    while confined in Fort Santiago, Rizal wroteMi UltimoAdios ("My Last Farewell"), a

    masterpiece of 19th-century Spanish verse.

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    Chapter III

    About the Book

    EL FILIBUSTERISMO

    The word "filibustero" wrote Rizal to his friend, Ferdinand Blumentritt, is very

    little known in the Philippines.

    The masses do not know it yet. Jose Alejandro, one of the new Filipinos who had

    been quite intimate with Rizal, said, "In writing the Noli Rizal signed his own death

    warrant." Subsequent events, after the fate of the Noli was sealed by the Spanish

    authorities, prompted Rizal to write the continuation of his first novel.

    He confessed, however, that regretted very much having killed Elias instead of

    Ibarra, reasoning that when he published the Noli his health was very much broken, and

    was very unsure of being able to write the continuation and speak of a revolution.

    Explaining to Marcelo H. del Pilar his inability to contribute articles to the La

    Solidaridad, Rizal said that he was haunted by certain sad presentiments, and that he had

    been dreaming almost every night of dead relatives and friends a few days before his 29th

    birthday, that is why he wanted to finish the second part of the Noli at all costs.

    Consequently, as expected of a determined character, Rizal apparently went in writing,

    for to his friend, Blumentritt, he wrote on March 29, 1891: "I have finished my book. Ah!

    Ive not written it with any idea of vengeance against my enemies, but only for the good

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    of those who suffer and for the rights of Tagalog humanity, although brown and not

    good-looking."

    To a Filipino friend in Hong Kong, Jose Basa, Rizal likewise eagerly announced

    the completion of his second novel. Having moved to Ghent to have the book published

    at cheaper cost, Rizal once more wrote his friend, Basa, in Hongkong on July 9, 1891: "I

    am not sailing at once, because I am now printing the second part of the Noli here, as you

    may see from the enclosed pages. I prefer to publish it in some other way before leaving

    Europe, for it seemed to me a pity not to do so. For the past three months I have not

    received a single centavo, so I have pawned all that I have in order to publish this book. I

    will continue publishing it as long as I can; and when there is nothing to pawn I will stop

    and return to be at your side."

    Inevitably, Rizals next letter to Basa contained the tragic news of the suspension

    of the printing of the sequel to his first novel due to lack of funds, forcing him to stop and

    leave the book half-way. "It is a pity," he wrote Basa, "because it seems to me that this

    second part is more important than the first, and if I do not finish it here, it will never be

    finished."

    Fortunately, Rizal was not to remain in despair for long. A compatriot, Valentin

    Ventura, learned of Rizals predicament. He offered him financial assistance. Even then

    Rizals was forced to shorten the novel quite drastically, leaving only thirty-eight

    chapters compared to the sixty-four chapters of the first novel.

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    Rizal moved to Ghent, and writes Jose Alejandro. The sequel to Rizals Noli

    came off the press by the middle of September, 1891.On the 18th he sent Basa two

    copies, and Valentin Ventura the original manuscript and an autographed printed copy.

    Inspired by what the word filibustero connoted in relation to the circumstances

    obtaining in his time, and his spirits dampened by the tragic execution of the three

    martyred priests, Rizal aptly titled the second part of the Noli Me Tangere, El

    Filibusterismo. In veneration of the three priests, he dedicated the book to them.

    "To the memory of the priests, Don Mariano Gomez (85 years old), Don Jose

    Burgos (30 years old), and Don Jacinto Zamora (35 years old). Executed in the

    Bagumbayan Field on the 28th of February, 1872."

    "The church, by refusing to degrade you, has placed in doubt the crime that has

    been imputed to you; the Government, by surrounding your trials with mystery and

    shadows causes the belief that there was some error, committed in fatal moments; and all

    the Philippines, by worshipping your memory and calling you martyrs, in no sense

    recognizes your culpability. In so far, therefore, as your complicity in the Cavite Mutiny

    is not clearly proved, as you may or may not have been patriots, and as you may or may

    not cherished sentiments for justice and for liberty, I have the right to dedicate my work

    to you as victims of the evil which I undertake to combat. And while we wait expectantly

    upon Spain some day to restore your good name and cease to be answerable for your

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    death, let these pages serve as a tardy wreath of dried leaves over one whom without

    clear proofs attacks your memory stains his hands in your blood."

    Rizals memory seemed to have failed him, though, for Father Gomez was then

    73 not 85, Father Burgos 35 not 30 Father Zamora 37 not 35; and the date of execution

    17th not 28th.

    The FOREWORD of the Fili was addressed to his beloved countrymen, thus:

    "TO THE FILIPINO PEOPLE AND THEIR GOVERNMENT".

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    Chapter IV

    THE CHARACTERS IN THE NOVEL

    Simoun - Crisstomo Ibarra disguised as a wealthy jeweler, bent on starting arevolution to get revenge on the people who had accused him wrongly. Disguised as

    the top adviser of the Captain-General.

    Basilio - The eldest of Sisa's two sons, now an aspiring doctor whose medicaleducation was being financed by Capitan Tiago. He is now at the point of graduation

    during the events in the novel.

    Isagani - Poet and Basilio's best friend; portrayed as emotional and reactive; PaulitaGmez' boyfriend before being dumped for fellow student Juanito Pelez

    Kabesang Tales - Telesforo Juan de Dios, a formercabeza debarangay(barangay head) of Sagpang, a barangay in San Diego's neighboring town

    Tiani, who resurfaced as the feared Luzn bandit Matanglawin (Tagalog for

    "Hawkeye");

    Don Custodio - Custodio de Salazar y Snchez de Monteredondo, a famous"journalist" who was asked by the students about his decision for the Academia de

    Castellano. In reality, he is quite an ordinary fellow who married a rich woman in

    order to be a member of Manila's high society.

    Paulita Gomez - The girlfriend of Isagani and the niece of Doa Victorina, theoldIndio who passes herself off as aPeninsular, who is the wife of the quack doctor

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    Tiburcio de Espadaa. In the end, she and Juanito Pelez are wed, and she dumps

    Isagani, believing that she will have no future if she marries him.

    Macaraig - One of Isagani's classmates at the University of Santo Tomas. He is arich student and serves as the leader of the students yearning to build the Academia

    de Castellano.

    Father Florentino - Isagani's godfather, and a secular priest; was engaged to bemarried, but chose to be a priest after being pressured by his mother, the story hinting

    at the ambivalence of his decision as he chooses an assignment to a remote place,

    living in solitude near the sea.

    Juli - Juliana de Dios, the girlfriend of Basilio, and the youngest daughter ofKabesang Tales. To claim her father from the bandits, she had to work as a maid

    under the supervision of Hermana Penchang. Eventually, she was freed but

    committed suicide after Father Camorra attempted to rape her.

    Juanito Pelaez - The son of Don Timoteo Pelaez, a Spanish businessman, he is alsoone of the members of Macaraig's gang who wish to have the Academia de

    Castellano built. He is considered by Isagani as his rival to Paulita Gomez, the

    woman whom he fell in love and wed in the end. Placido Penitente considers him as a

    "good for nothing" classmate.

    Doa Victorina - Victorina delos Reyes de Espadaa, known inNoli MeTangere as

    Tiburcio de Espadaa's cruel wife. She is the aunt of Paulita Gomez, and favors

    Juanito Pelaez than Isagani. Although of Indio ideology, she considers herself as one

    of thePeninsular.

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    Father Camorra - The parish priest of Tiani, San Diego's adjacent town. He has been desiring young women ever since. He nearly raped Juli causing the latter to

    commit suicide.

    Ben-Zayb - The pseudonym of Abraham Ibaez, a journalist who believes he is the"only" one thinking in the Philippines. (Ben-Zayb is an anagram of Ybanez, an

    alternate spelling of his name.)

    Placido Penitente - A student of the University of Santo Tomas who was veryintelligent and wise but did not want, if not only by his mother's plea, to pursue his

    studies. He also controls his temper against Padre Millon, his physics teacher.

    Hermana Penchang - Sagpang's richpusakal(gambler). She offers Huli to be hermaid so the latter can obtain money to free Kabesang Tales. Disbelieving of Huli and

    her close friends, she considers herself as an ally of the friars.

    Tiburcio de Espadaa - Don Tiburcio is Victorina de Espadaa's lame husband. Heis currently on hiding with Father Florentino.

    Father ren - Captain Tiago's spiritual adviser. Although reluctant, he helped thestudents to establish the Academia de Castellano after being convinced by giving him

    a chestnut. The only witness to Captain Tiago's death, he forged the last will and

    testament of the latter so Basilio will obtain nothing from the inheritance.

    Quiroga - A Chinese businessman who dreamed of being a consul for his country inthe Philippines. He hid Simoun's weapons inside his house.

    Don Timoteo Pelaez - Juanito's father. He is rich businessmen and arranges awedding for his son and Paulita. He and Simoun became business partners.

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    Tandang Selo - Father of Kabesang Tales. He raised the sick and young Basilio afterhe left their house in Noli me Tangere. He died in an encounter on the mountains with

    his son Tales.

    Father Fernndez - The priest-friend of Isagani. He promised to Isagani that he andthe other priests will give in to the students' demands.

    Sandoval - The vice-leader of Macaraig's gang. A Spanish classmate of Isagani, hecoerces his fellow classmates to lead alongside him the opening of the Spanish

    language academy.

    Hermana Bli - Another gambler in Tiani. She became Huli's mother-figure andcounselor; helped to release Kabesang Tales from the hands of bandits.

    Pasta - One of the great lawyers of mid-Hispanic Manila, opposed the students'demands for a Spanish language academy

    Father Millon - The Physics teacher of the University of Santo Tomas. He alwaysbecomes vindictive with Placido and always taunts him during class.

    Tadeo - Macaraig's classmate. He, along with the other three members of their gang,supposedly posted the posters that "thanked" Don Custodio and Father Irene for the

    opening of the Academia de Castellano.

    Leeds - An American who holds stage plays starring decapitated heads; he is in goodfriends with Simoun.

    Tano - Kabesang Tales's elder son after his older sister, Lucia died in childhood. Heis currently one of the GuardiaCivil. He then returned under the name Carolino after

    his exile in Caroline Islands.

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    Pepay - Don Custodio's supposed "girlfriend". A dancer, she is always agitated of her"boyfriend"'s plans. She seems to be a close friend of Macaraig.

    Gobernador General - The highest-ranking official in the Philippines during theSpanish colonial period, this unnamed character pretends that what he is doing is for

    the good of the Indios, the local citizens of the country, but in reality, he prioritizes

    the needs of his fellow Spaniards living in the country.

    Pecson - Basilio's classmate who had no idea on the happenings occurring aroundhim. He suggested that they held the mock celebration at the panciteria.

    Father Hernando de la Sibyla- A Dominican friar introduced in Noli Me Tangere,now the vice-rector of the University of Santo Tomas.

    Father Bernardo Salvi- Former parish priest of San Diego, now the director andchaplain of the Santa Clara convent.

    Captain Tiago - Santiago delos Santos, although making a cameo appearance,Captain Tiago is Maria Clara's father and the foster-father to Basilio. His health

    disintegrates gradually because of the opium he was forced to smoke given to him by

    Father Irene.

    Maria Clara - Introduced in Dr. Rizal's first novel "Noli Me Tangere". She was oncethe girlfriend of Crisostomo Ibarra but chose to become a nun despite Father

    Damaso's arguments. She eventually passed away, as witnessed by Basilio when he

    visited the convent of Santa Clara; this propelled Simoun to expedite his plans for

    revolution.

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    Chapter V

    SUMMARY

    Thirteen years after he left the Philippines, Crisostomo Ibarra (the main character

    fromNoli MeTangere) returns as Simoun, a rich jeweler sporting a beard and blue-tinted

    glasses, and a confidant of the Governor-General of the Philippines, the Captain-General.

    Abandoning his idealism, he becomes a cynical saboteur, the titularfilibustero, seeking

    revenge against the Spanish Philippines system responsible for his misfortunes by

    plotting a revolution. Simoun insinuates himself into Manila high society and influences

    every decision of the Captain-General to mismanage the countrys affairs so that a

    revolution will break out. He cynically sides with the upper classes, encouraging them to

    commit abuses against the masses so that the latter would be encouraged to revolt against

    the oppressive Spanish colonial regime. This time, he does not attempt to fight the

    authorities through legal means, but through violent revolution using the masses. Simoun

    has reasons for instigating a revolution. First is to rescue Mara Clara from the convent

    and second, to get rid of ills and evils of Philippine society. His true identity is discovered

    by a now grown-up Basilio while visiting the grave of his mother, Sisa, as Simoun was

    digging near the grave site for his buried treasures. Simoun spares Basilios life and asks

    him to join in his planned revolution against the government, egging him on by bringing

    up the tragic misfortunes of the latter's family. Basilio declines the offer as he still hopes

    that the countrys condition will improve.

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    Basilio, at this point, is a graduating student of medicine at the Ateneo Municipal

    de Manila. After the death of his mother, Sisa, and the disappearance of his younger

    brother, Crispn, Basilio heeded the advice of the dying boatman, Elas, and travelled to

    Manila to study. Basilio was adopted by Captain Tiago after Mara Clara entered the

    convent. With Captain Tiagos help, Basilio was able to go to Colegio de San Juan de

    Letrn where, at first, he is frowned upon by his peers and teachers not only because of

    the color of his skin but also because of his shabby appearance which he also experiences

    at Ateneo. Captain Tiagos confessor, Father Irene is making Captain Tiagos health

    worse by giving him opium even as Basilio tries hard to prevent Captain Tiago from

    smoking it. He and other students want to establish a Spanish language academy so that

    they can learn to speak and write Spanish despite the opposition from the Dominican

    friars of the Universidad de Santo Toms. With the help of a reluctant Father Irene as

    their mediator and Don Custodios decision, the academy is established; however they

    will only serve as caretakers of the school not as the teachers. Dejected and defeated, they

    hold a mock celebration at apancitera while a spy for the friars witnesses the

    proceedings.

    Simoun, for his part, keeps in close contact with the bandit group of Kabesang

    Tales, a formercabezade barangay who suffered misfortunes at the hands of the friars.

    Once a farmer owning a prosperous sugarcane plantation and a cabeza de

    barangay (barangay head), he was forced to give everything to the greedy and

    unscrupulous Spanish friars. His son, Tano, who became a civil guard, was captured by

    bandits; his daughter Hul had to work as a maid to get enough ransom money for his

    freedom; and his father, Tandang Selo, suffered a stroke and became mute. Before

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    joining the bandits, Tales took Simouns revolver while Simoun was staying at his house

    for the night. As payment, Tales leaves a locket that once belonged to Mara Clara. To

    further strengthen the revolution, Simoun has Quiroga, a Chinese man hoping to be

    appointed consul to the Philippines, smuggle weapons into the country using Quirogas

    bazaar as a front. Simoun wishes to attack during a stage play with all of his enemies in

    attendance. He, however, abruptly aborts the attack when he learns from Basilio that

    Mara Clara had died earlier that day in the convent.

    A few days after the mock celebration by the students, the people are agitated

    when disturbing posters are found displayed around the city. The authorities accuse the

    students present at thepancitera of agitation and disturbing peace and have them

    arrested. Basilio, although not present at the mock celebration, is also arrested. Captain

    Tiago dies after learning of the incident and as stated in his willforged by Irene, all his

    possessions are given to the Church, leaving nothing for Basilio. Basilio is left in prison

    as the other students are released. A high official tries to intervene for the release of

    Basilio but the Captain-General, bearing grudges against the high official, coerces him to

    tender his resignation. Jul, Basilios girlfriend and the daughter of Kabesang Tales, tries

    to ask Father Camorras help upon the advice of an elder woman. Instead of helping Jul,

    however, the priest tries to rape her as he has long-hidden desires for Jul. Jul, rather than

    submit to the will of the friar, jumps over the balcony to her death.

    Basilio is soon released with the help of Simoun. Basilio, now a changed man and

    after hearing about Jul's suicide, finally joins Simouns revolution. Simoun then tells

    Basilio his plan at the wedding of Paulita Gmez and Juanito, Basilios hunch-backed

    classmate. His plan was to conceal an explosive inside a pomegranate-styled Kerosene

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    lamp that Simoun will give to the newlyweds as a gift during the wedding reception. The

    reception will take place at the former home of the late Captain Tiago, which was now

    filled with explosives planted by Simoun. According to Simoun, the lamp will stay

    lighted for only 20 minutes before it flickers; if someone attempts to turn the wick, it will

    explode and kill everyoneimportant members of civil society and

    the Church hierarchyinside the house. Basilio has a change of heart and attempts to

    warn Isagani, his friend and the former boyfriend of Paulita. Simoun leaves the reception

    early as planned and leaves a note behind.

    Initially thinking that it was simply a bad joke, Father Salv recognizes the

    handwriting and confirms that it was indeed Ibarras. As people begin to panic, the lamp

    flickers. Father Irene tries to turn the wick up when Isagani, due to his undying love for

    Paulita, bursts in the room and throws the lamp into the river, sabotaging Simoun's plans.

    He escapes by diving into the river as guards chase after him. He later regrets his

    impulsive action because he had contradicted his own belief that he loved his nation more

    than Paulita and that the explosion and revolution could have fulfilled his ideals for

    Filipino society.

    Simoun, now unmasked as the perpetrator of the attempted arson and failed

    revolution, becomes a fugitive. Wounded and exhausted after he was shot by the pursuing

    Guardia Civil, he seeks shelter at the home of Father Florentino, Isaganis uncle, and

    comes under the care of Doctor Tiburcio de Espadaa, Doa Victorina's husband, who

    was also hiding at the house. Simoun takes poison in order for him not to be captured

    alive. Before he dies, he reveals his real identity to Florentino while they exchange

    thoughts about the failure of his revolution and why God forsook him. Florentino opines

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    that God did not forsake him and that his plans were not for the greater good but for

    personal gain. Simoun, finally accepting Florentinos explanation, squeezes his hand and

    dies. Florentino then takes Simouns remaining jewels and throws them into the Pacific

    Ocean with the corals hoping that they would not be used by the greedy and that when

    the time came that it would be used for the greater good, when the nation would be

    finally deserving liberty for them, the sea would reveal the treasures.

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    Chapter VI

    CONCLUSION

    The novel El Filibusterismo, written by the countrys national hero, Jose Rizal,

    various criticisms were set forth establishing a connection between the cancer that had

    been plaguing the country and the institution, which the countrymen greatly revered and

    followed. If one would analyze, the situation of the Philippines back then is as much as

    the same as now. Two personas still exist in the continuing story of the Filipino people;

    after all, a story wouldnt be completed without someone who is abused and someone

    who abuses. Currently, one may directly say, based on observations that those who are

    abused are still the marginalized poor. As much as one is sorry for this fact, this holds

    to be something that is constant and clear due to their lack of resources. Indeed there is

    still the Kabesang Tales, whose land is forcibly taken, there is still the Juli who is forced

    to work to save her father from lifes miseries, and there are still the youth, the pag-asa

    ng bayan as the national hero puts it; the youth who, like Basilio and his colleagues, are

    still filled with ideas for the supposed betterment of the country. These characters are a

    mainstay in the story of the Filipino people, a testament to the continuing significance of

    the novel El Filibusterismo. We see these characters in the persona of the Sumilao

    farmers who walked for miles and miles besides working day and night just to save and

    to claim the land that is rightfully theirs. We also see these characters in the persona of

    our mga bagong bayani, the OFWs, who opt to leave the comfort of their homes and

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    the love of their family just so that they can have hope for a brighter future. And lastly

    of course, student rallies never fail to make it in the news. However, where is the Padre

    Damaso and Padre Irene? Where are our villains in long brown robes? One may say that

    currently, it is not this institution anymore that is the villain. A twist in the story already

    transpired. However, one can attest that probably this twist is still the one that can hold

    true to the significance of the El Fili to our present times. One may say that, somehow,

    the Catholic Church, in particular, already has changed. From the institution there are

    only now certain individuals who give in to their human frailties.

    In a way, the novel El Filibusterismo holds significance to our religious beliefs by

    reminding us that those who propagate these beliefs are also human, and these individuals

    can also commit mistakes. It is up to us to be our own Imuthis and remind them and

    also our selves that we control our own lives, although being guided by divine

    principles. As citizens, particularly Catholics, it is up to us to be ghosts and haunt

    those institutions that steal from the public, covering up their real motives in holiness and

    remind them that we offer to help and to give and not to store wealth and be greedy.

    Furthermore, when it comes to the significance of El Filibusterismo to our religion, it also

    holds true the event that religion will always be a part or at least will have an influence in

    the affairs of our government. We see this as politicians line up to attend the anniversary

    of El Shadai.

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    And so in conclusion, one may say that the novel may not have been able to

    totally remove the veil that Catholicism has placed over the country, but it was successful

    in unraveling the its flaw, which is quite understandable given the saying that only God

    is perfect. Furthermore, if there is one thing that continues to this day, it is the

    dependence of most Filipinos to on their belief. Regarding this, one thinks that this was

    actually tackled in Rizals other novel, which is Noli Me Tangere. One may see that this

    is the attitude that continues to link our beliefs to the miseries that the people are

    experiencing. In relation to this, as what El Filibusterismo also wants to say, we should

    act, we should not wait for the vulture to be poisoned by the corps it is eating. Action

    should be made, for we wont survive in belief alone.

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    References:

    http://www.joserizal.ph/fi01.html (El Filibusterismo )

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_filibusterismo

    http://www.univie.ac.at/voelkerkunde/apsis/aufi/jorizal.htm