Influence and Ideologies

People who influenced Rizal

Teodora Alonso

His mother, Teodora, had the biggest impact on his personal development. She cultivated his curiosity for learning and taught him to read and write. Rizal's future academic accomplishments and his dedication to learning were made possible by this early education.

Francisco Rizal Mercado

Rizal looked up to his father, Francisco, as an inspiration. He served as a role model of the value of diligence, perseverance, and commitment to one's beliefs. In his letters and works, Rizal frequently refers to his father's influence, demonstrating his adoration for him.

Manuel de Quintos Alonzo

Rizal was encouraged to participate in physical activities including swimming, fencing, and horseback riding by his sports-loving uncle. In addition to helping him become more physically fit, this emphasis on character development gave Rizal the discipline and well-roundedness he needed for his various roles as a nationalist, writer, and doctor.

Jose de Quintos Alonzo

Uncle José was fluent in the languages, customs, and ideals of Europe after visiting it multiple times. Through his experiences and knowledge, he was able to extend Rizal's perspective and ignite his interest in international issues, which in turn inspired his reformist ideals and writings.

Gregorio de Quintos Alonzo

Rizal learned the value of critical thinking and challenging the status quo from Gregorio. Rizal's later works, which question social norms and push for reform, are clear examples of how he taught him to think for himself and establish his own beliefs.

Paciano Mercado

In the reformist movement opposing Spanish colonial control, Paciano took a leading role. He provided Rizal with an overview of Philippine politics, which was very helpful in making him aware of the social and economic injustices in the country and the need for reform. With "Noli Me Tangere" and "El Filibusterismo," Rizal exposes the oppressive practices of Spanish colonization and reveals a political consciousness.

Conception Mercado

Concha, Rizal's sister, was his closest playmate when he was young. Her illness took her life at the age of three. His masterpieces "Noli Me Tangere" and "El Filibusterismo," address love, grief, and the difficult situations his fellow Filipinos suffered during Spanish control, showing his sensitivity to injustice and loss.

Fr. Jose Villafranca

Fr. Jose Villafranca was among the earliest mentors to acknowledge Rizal's outstanding academic excellence. He encouraged and supported Rizal to pursue studies in philosophy and the natural sciences.

Father Jose Burgos

GomBurZa's execution had a significant effect on Rizal and the intellectual elite in the Philippines. The unlawful killing of these priests brought attention to the wrongdoings of the Spanish colonial government as they fought for the rights of the Filipino clergy. Rizal was motivated to strive for justice and change in the Philippines by this incident.

Father Leoncio Lopez

While condemning the wrongdoings of the Spanish friars, Rizal made a distinction between deceitful clergy and those who benefited their communities, such as Fr. Lopez. In his works, he depicts both the good and bad parts of religious leaders, reflecting his broad perspective on the church.

Justiano Aquino Cruz

Rizal was given a classical education under Cruz's guidance, which included studying Latin and other traditional topics. Through this education, Rizal gained a wide range of knowledge and critical thinking abilities that shaped his future writings and studies.

Fr. Francisco de Paula Sanchez

Father Sánchez nurtured Rizal's passion for writing and his literary skills. He may have sparked Rizal's interest in language and literature, which helped him later in his career when he wrote books and articles against colonial oppression and promoting Filipino identity.

Hendrik Kern

A pioneer in the study of Austronesian languages, which include the languages of the Philippines, was Hendrik Kern. His studies laid the foundation for appreciating the Philippines' linguistic and cultural legacy. Being a passionate student of Philippine languages, history, and culture, Rizal was probably aware of Kern's work and took inspiration from it for his linguistic research.

Ferdinand Blumentritt

Blumentritt and Rizal exchanged numerous letters discussing Philippine history, culture, politics, and linguistics. This exchange of ideas helped to deepen his understanding of his country's issues. Being among the initial European academics who took Rizal's writings seriously, he reinforced Rizal's conviction in his mission to promote Philippine independence. He helped in the publication and circulation of Rizal's books "Noli Me Tangere" and "El Filibusterismo" among intellectuals in Europe. This publicity was essential for drawing support from powerful people internationally and drawing attention to the Philippine cause globally.

A.B Meyer

Meyer played a role in promoting Rizal's scientific work. Through Meyer, Rizal's intellectual network grew by being introduced to other prominent European scholars and scientists. These relationships enabled Rizal to establish a strong network of people who shared his interests and could provide further support and opportunities for collaboration.

Wilhelm Joest

Scholars like Joest promoted the wider cultural interchange between Germany and the Philippines during Rizal's lifetime, which gave him a more global perspective. Rizal's support for reforms and his idea of a contemporary, progressive Philippines are clear examples of his global perspective.

Feodor Jagor

Jagor wrote a thorough account of his observations from his trip to the Philippines in his book "Travels in the Philippines" (1873). During his time as a student, Rizal read this book, which had an influential effect on him. Rizal was deeply moved by Jagor's empathetic yet critical depiction of the Spanish colonial government and Filipino society, which encouraged him to reflect carefully on the social and political problems facing his own country.

Rudolf Virchow

Through his association with Feodor Jagor, Rizal was able to meet Virchow in Berlin. Virchow supported and mentored Rizal, showing an interest in his writing. With the help of this connection, Rizal was able to successfully navigate the academic and economic landscape of Europe and gain access to invaluable networks and resources.

Philosophies

As late as three centuries after his conquest in Spain, the Philippines had appalling social conditions, with the country's commerce, education, agriculture, and communications all in severely depressed states. Social ills including shyness, timidity, false pride, and inferiority complex spread over the country as a result of this social disease, which also played a role in the decline of social life. This inspired and influenced Rizal's philosophy of life, which aimed to limit, if not eradicate these social evils.

Educational Philosophy

He was determined that education was the path to national development and pushed for the opening of institutions that would develop students' minds and give them a feeling of belonging as Filipinos. Rizal aimed to empower his fellow citizens through education because he recognized the power of knowledge in overthrowing repressive systems.

"The youth is the hope of the motherland," is one of Rizal's well-known quotations that captures his belief in the transformational potential of education. He understood that by fostering young people's minds via education, they might become change agents and lead the nation toward a brighter future. Beyond the classroom, self-education was important to Rizal, who also pushed the Filipino people to pursue information and develop critical thinking abilities.

Religious Philosophy

Rizal attended the best Catholic institutions in the area for his elementary, secondary, and college education and was raised in a close-knit family, it stands to reason that he would have promoted only Catholic customs. But as time went on, he created a distinct kind of life philosophy—one based on a particular kind of Catholicism mixed with the application of Reason and Truth.

Being a sharp observer, a deep thinker, and a passionate reformer, Rizal disagreed with the conventional Christian spread of the Faith by fire and sword. This could have been the outcome of modern interaction, companionship, observation, investigation, and the possession of an independent spirit. His Annotation of Morga's Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas illustrates this.

Even though Catholics made up a very small percentage of all religious organizations worldwide, Rizal was opposed to the Catholic doctrine that salvation was exclusively available to Catholics and that salvation was impossible outside of Christianity. Additionally, he disapproved of the Catholic practice of fasting as a kind of sacrifice as well as the selling of religious souvenirs like crosses, medals, rosaries, and the like to promote the faith and generate money for the church. Additionally, he attacked the superstitious ideas that the priests in the church and schools were promoting. These and many more things are proof of Rizal's religious ideology.

Political Philosophy

A conquered nation like the Philippines should not be exploited, but rather nurtured, cultured, educated, and schooled in the art of self-government, according to Rizal's political philosophy.

He publicly attacked and criticized the Spanish ruler's somewhat antiquated approach to leading the nation, which produced the following outcomes:

1. The vanquished people's servitude and bondage.

2. The obligation by the Spanish government that the aboriginal people serve in the military and do force labor.

3. The misuse of authority by exploitation.

4. The government's decision that it was illegal to file a complaint against the authorities; and

5. Discourage the development of a sense of national identity by making the populace uninformed, impoverished, and fanatical.

Studying and implementing reforms, extending human rights, preparing people for self-government, and igniting a sense of discontent over injustice, violence, inhumanity, sensitivity, and self-love proven to be the foundations of Rizal's political thought.

Ethical Philosophy

The study Rizal's ethical theory examined human behavior to determine if it was good or terrible, right or wrong. During Rizal's lifetime, the Philippines was ruled by the Spanish, which caused him to prioritize moral issues over philosophical ideas. The moral differences and occasionally clashing beliefs between the Filipinos and Spaniards made this trend much more necessary back then.During this time, the Philippines' moral situation was characterized by a lack of freedom, the dominance of foreign rulers, the imposition of foreign religious devotion, worship, and tribute, as well as racial customs. People became morally confused as a result of justice being suppressed, restricted, or curtailed and people not being able to exercise their individual rights. In order to support his moral theory, Dr. Rizal acknowledged both the forces of good and evil as well as human dispositions in that direction.

Social Philosophy

Social philosophy is a body of knowledge about society that includes the wisdom that man has learned from his experiences in society. The facts discussed are not specific societal issues, but rather concepts related to nation-building. This social philosophy addresses the issues facing the entire race, offering a unique answer to each issue to increase people's social awareness.

The social theory of Rizal addressed;

1. A man in the community

2. Important elements influencing human life;

3. Racial issues

4. Societal constant

5. Fairness in society;

6. Social ideal

7. Wealth and Poverty;

8. Changes;

9. Youth and Magnificence;

10. Past and Present;

11. Philippines in the future.

The aforementioned discussed the evolution of man and his surroundings, clarifying human behavior and capacities such as his will to live, his desire for happiness, the transformation of his mentality, the role of moral women in the company of great men, the necessity of elevating and inspiring mission, the obligations and moral precepts of man, his need for practicing gratitude, the need of consulting trustworthy individuals, his need for experience, his capacity for denial, the significance of deliberate action, the voluntary offering of man's abilities and possibilities, and the ability to think, aspire, and strive for elevation, all of which work together to highlight the subtleties, beauty, and moral principles of human nature. Rizal used everything mentioned above as a guide for his never-ending quest to transform his beloved Philippines.

In addition, the pursuit of nonviolent measures to bring about social and political improvements is emphasized in Rizal's ideology. He was a proponent of scholarly conversation, the author of renowned treatises, and the promotion of systemic changes. As an advocate of nonviolent resistance, Rizal favored using peaceful methods as an alternative to using force to bring about change. Future generations of Filipino revolutionaries would follow his example of action and carry on the fight for independence.

Intellectuals, activists, and revolutionaries in the Philippines are still motivated by the ideology and goals of Rizal today. His dedication to critical thinking and education set the groundwork for the Philippines' thriving intellectual legacy, which has been carried on by successive generations of academics. People who want to live in a decent and progressive society can relate to Rizal's views on nationalism, social justice, and nonviolent resistance.

Advocacies

Although Dr. Jose Rizal did not support an armed rebellion against Spain, he became a symbol of the Philippine revolution and was executed on December 30, 1896. As we commemorate his death, it is fitting to also remember his primary advocacy for the advancement of Filipinos: education.

More than a century after his passing, the country is experiencing an educational crisis, exacerbated by two years of pandemic lockdowns and a mandatory transition to distance learning. Two assessments of the abilities of the nation's 15-year-old students have placed Filipinos in the lowest 10 among their peers from around 80 countries and economies that participated in the Program for International Student Assessment.

Rizal must be rolling in his grave. During his time, the ophthalmologist was part of the ilustrado class and had the opportunity to receive formal education both in the Philippines and overseas. He believed that education was the key to his fellow Filipinos' liberation, while also advocating for Philippine autonomy.

Rizal’s Advocacy for Reforms

Rizal dedicated himself to advocating for social and political reforms in the Philippines, significantly contributing to the advancement of Philippine nationalism. As a patriot, doctor, and writer, he emerged as a key figure in the late 19th-century Philippine nationalist movement. Rizal strongly advocated for the Philippines to be integrated as a province of Spain, viewing this as a pathway to implementing substantial reforms and enhancing the welfare of his compatriots.

Through his writings and speeches, Rizal unveiled the injustices and corruption prevalent during Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines. His novels, "Noli me Tangere" and "El filibusterismo," emerged as potent instruments in the Philippine reform movement, vividly portraying the harsh realities of Filipino society, the oppression by the ruling elite, and the challenges confronted by ordinary citizens. Rizal's words deeply connected with the Filipino populace, igniting their aspirations for transformation.

Contributions

Exposed the injustices and corruption of Spanish colonial rule through writings
Established the Liga Filipina with the aim of bringing together Filipinos in their quest for social and political reforms.
Continued to make contributions to Dapitan's society through educational initiatives and community development efforts.
Sacrificed his life for the cause of Philippine independence

Impact on Society

Encouraged Filipinos to participate in the reform movement and advocate for their rights.
Galvanized the populace and led to the formation of other nationalist organizations
Empowered local communities and promoted social welfare initiatives
"Became an emblem of bravery, strength, and the continuous fight for national freedom."

Rizal's dedication to the Philippines and his steadfast advocacy for social and political transformation profoundly influenced Philippine society. His life and contributions remain a poignant testament to the enduring pursuit of justice, freedom, and national dignity. Rizal's legacy remains a timeless source of inspiration for Filipinos, urging them to persist in advancing their nation and uplifting their fellow countrymen.

Rizal's Advocacy on Nationalism

Rizal firmly held that national unity and identity were crucial. He urged Filipinos to embrace their heritage, culture, and history with pride. In his writings, Rizal exposed the injustices Filipinos endured under Spanish colonial rule and called for their unity in the fight for independence.

Rizal's Advocacy on Education

VALUES OF EDUCATION ACCORDING TO RIZAL

Educate our minds and hearts to live worthily. The education of my people is my supreme aspiration.

In developing the mind and education heart, Rizal stressed the importance of seriousness in study
Rizal firmly believed that if knowledge is the heritage of mankind, only the brave inherit it.
Rizal thinks that our backwardness and ignorance stem from the absence of educational opportunities.

Education

Has always been intentionally aimed at acquiring knowledge and liberating oneself from ignorance.
During Rizal's time, education was essential for people to change their perspectives and create a better society.
Rizal being an example, education opens all aspects of opportunities for one to assert himself.

The right to education is a fundamental human right. Rizal insists on education as crucial for social progress.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms the importance of every individual and their entitlement to education that fosters the full development of their creative abilities, benefiting all and contributing to overall progress.
Education shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious group.
He considered education as a cornerstone of the reforms the country so urgently needed at the time.
He was to show the people that education stands as the foundation off the society
Lack of education causes backwardness and ignorance

Rizal's Advocacy on Equality and Social Justice

In his writings, Rizal criticized societal injustices and promoted equal rights and opportunities for people of all races, social statuses, and genders. He emphasized the significance of justice, fairness, and the eradication of prevalent social injustices in his era.

Rizal's Advocacy on Human rights

Rizal strongly supported human rights, particularly freedom of speech, expression, and religion. He denounced abuses and violations by Spanish authorities, emphasizing the need to protect and uphold the rights of all individuals.

Rizal's Advocacy on Peaceful Resistance

Rizal promoted peaceful methods of resistance against oppression and injustice, advocating for intellectual discourse, non-violent protests, and legal avenues to challenge oppressive systems instead of turning to violence.

Rizal's advocacies had a profound impact on the Filipino nationalist movement and remain a source of inspiration today. His beliefs and principles serve as a constant reminder of the significance of pursuing national unity, education, equality, social justice, human rights, and peaceful protest.

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