Kababaihan at Gender ayon kay Rizal (Enguillo, Lagarnia, Navasca, and Ramirez)

ENGUILLO ROSEL CHARINA | LAGARNIA LOUIELA MAY |
NAVASCA ROD MARC | RAMIREZ JAEMEE LOUISE
at
ayon kay
VOL.UME 4CPL

WRITERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
ENGUILLO ROSEL CHARINA
LAGARNIA LOUIELA MAY
NAVASCA ROD MARC
RAMIREZ JAEMEE LOUISE

by Louiela Lagarnia Tuesday, 31 January 2023
The changes brought by the Spanish
colonizers transcended different areas,
whether in education, economics, or politics.
The most documented Filipinas in the 19th
century were members of the new elite in
Manila who were focused on home
management. A few were educated through
formal attendance at educational
institutions or informal means such as
reading books or joining intelligent
conversations (Owen, 2000). In the field of
education, women were given fewer
opportunities to join. Good education and
the opportunity to attend prestigious
schools were for men, although some
women could attend vocational schools
(Saldua, 2012). However, the education for
women focused on new virtues such as
purity, modesty, and seclusion to form their
worth inclined to be a wife, mother, or even
participate in the religious community
(Camacho, 2007).
Credits: Christian Polong Alviar
The Catholic church and the government viewed women in their domestic roles as inferior to men.
However, the Women of Malolos fought for a peaceful movement to allow women to pursue higher
education and establish a night school to learn Spanish. They debunked the principle of women
simply being homemakers and that they are also capable of learning like men were. With that, Jose
Rizal wrote a letter to the Women of Malolos to express his admiration on the plight of these women
and acknowledge the influence of women in their cause to fight for the country.

by Louiela Lagarnia Tuesday, 31 January 2023
Despite downplaying the role of women, they were
not simply mothers and daughters staying at
home doing household chores. They were part of
the workforce dominating and fighting for better
labor conditions. Maria Luisa Camagay, a
historian, wrote the Working Women of Manila in
the 19th century, which pivoted the traditional
narration about women during Spanish rule. In
her book, she mentioned the women working in
tobacco factories (cigarreras), vendors and
storekeepers (tenderas,) seamstresses
(costureras) and embroiders (bodadoras),
domestic helpers (criadas), teachers, midwives,
and prostitutes (mujeres públicas) (Arinto, 1998).
These women were at the forefront of demanding
better working conditions or higher wages against
exploitative employers. For instance, Camagay
stated that cigarreras were paramount in
executing labor strikes in 1816. Moreover, there is
also considerable evidence of entrepreneurship,
especially among female traders, and some
evidence of what might be seen as “everyday
resistance” to exploitation (Owen, 2000). Despite
the existence of female workers, working women
remained a minority due to the limitations of the
recorded number and deduction of factories
established.
Credits: John Towell

by Louiela Lagarnia Tuesday, 31 January 2023
The hardships experienced by women can closely be
linked to politics, and they, too, have courageously
taken part in this sector. Women were part of the
underground resistance movement, the Katipunan, in
the fight against the Spaniards. Some women served
on the battlefields, such as Ageda Kahabagan and
Teresa Magbanua, who were generals in the
revolutionary army and led troops in battle (Doran,
2016). Others risked their lives in delivering and
protecting secret documents like Gregorio De Jesus.
Patrocinio Gamboa also gathered information and
delivered messages to Filipino commanders, and she
was in charge of smuggling the Filipino flag. They also
contributed to the literature wherein Rosa Alvero and
Florentina Arellano wrote for La Independencia and La
Republica, newspapers that promoted the revolution.
An elite woman, Gliceria Marella used her wealth and
connections to procure armaments and equipment.
Aguinaldo appointed Trinidad Tecson as
commissariat, which included handling logistics and
food among troops. Most women worked as nurses
among wounded soldiers, served food, and provided
refuge, which Melchora Aquino, known as Tandang
Sora, was part of. Thus, women were integral in the
Philippine revolution against the Spanish colonizers.
Credits: Lakbay ng Lakan
Among the past literature, historians did not often mention women; however, Jose Rizal
was ahead of his time and included women in the narrative. In Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo, it can be observed that Rizal identified different traits and qualities found in
the characters of Maria Clara, Ibarra, Sisa, and Simoun. His female characters appear to be
stereotypes such as Maria Clara viewed as pure, innocent, and pious while Sisa was fragile
and poor—both led to ill fates. As for Ibarra and Simoun, they were elites that were at the
forefront in the revolution. Despite the formation of his characters, he expressed in his other
works the need to uphold women’s rights and abolish gender stereotypes, promote equality
in education, and instill patriotism in every Filipino to alleviate the conditions of women.
Thus, it can be observed that Rizal is worthy of being part of the national heroes.

by Jaemee Ramirez
Tuesday, 31 January 2023
Rizal also expressed his view on gender through its
manifestations in his two most prominent novels:
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. In this paper,
the researchers would like to introduce the
characters of Maria Clara, Ibarra, Sisa, and
Simoun, to provide a comprehensive discussion on
how Rizal clothe the gender stereotypes through
these four characters. With the first character,
Maria Clara, Rizal introduced this character by
creating the Filipino image of an ideal woman and
until this very day, Filipinos would always argue
that every Filipino woman should possess the
characteristics of Maria Clara. In the novel, Noli Me
Tangere, Rizal introduced Maria Clara as a
character that everyone loves and a woman who is
very modest. In Rizal’s words, as translated by
Pascual H. Poblete: “Lumakí si María Clarang
pinacaiirog n~g lahát, sa guitnâ n~g m~ga n~giti
at pagsinta. Naalalala sa canyang malagô at culót
na buhóc ang m~ga sampaga at m~ga azucena,
may dalawang maliliit na pacpac na pilac at
guintóng nacacabit sa licuran n~g canyang
pananamít, at sacâ siya'y totoong masaya, may
m~ga pananalitang musmós na calugodlugod”
Credits: ArtStation
However, due to the reality that women are not given the same opportunities as men back then,
Maria Clara’s character also shows how the roles of women back then were just limited to the
traditional roles of women staying at home, waiting for their significant others. For instance, this is
evident through Maria Clara’s lines to Ibarra in Noli Me Tangere, translated by Pascual H. Poblete, in
their first encounter after Ibarra went to Europe: “Hindî acó naglacbáy-bayang gaya mo, walâ
acóng nakikita cung dî ang iyóng bayan, ang Maynila't Antipolo–n~guni't mulâ n~g sabihin co sa
iyóng ¡paalam! pumasoc acó sa beaterio, láguì nang naaalaala catá at hindî co icáw nilimot.” This
just shows how Rizal stated in his novel that women, like Maria Clara, are boxed to a gender
stereotype which showed how people view women to belong in the society just to stay in their
homes, with no opportunities to fulfill their own dreams, but to only follow and wait on their
significant others.

by Jaemee Ramirez
Tuesday, 31 January 2023
With the second character, Crisostomo
Ibarra, Rizal introduced this character as the
protagonist in the novel, Noli Me Tangere, an
educated man with hopes and dreams of
promoting the significance of education in his
country. It is also stated in the novel that he is
the significant other of Maria Clara, however,
gender stereotypes also manifests through
his character. As mentioned in their
conversation above, Maria Clara was asking
Ibarra for assurance if he did not forget her
but on Ibarra’s end, he was providing
assurance but he associates this by sharing
his experiences on his journey in Europe.
In his words to Maria Clara, as translated by Pascual
H. Poblete: “Mangyayari bagáng limutin co icáw?
Laguing casamasama co ang pag-aalaala co sa
iyo; iniligtás acó sa m~ga pan~ganib n~g
paglalacad maguíng caaliwan co sa pag-iisá n~g
aking cálolowa sa m~ga ibáng lupain; Sa Italia,
ang magandáng lan~git n~g Italia, sa canyáng
cadalisaya't cataasa'y nagsasálitâ sa akin n~g
iyong m~ga matá; ang canyáng masayáng
pánoorin ay nagsasaysay sa akin n~g iyong
n~gitî.” This just shows how Ibarra’s life as a man
was not limited to his role as Maria Clara’s
significant other
Credits: ArtStation

by Jaemee Ramirez
Tuesday, 31 January 2023
With the third character, Sisa, Rizal
introduced this character as a loving mother
who lost her sanity because of the injustices
that happened to her children; and she was
helpless because her husband did nothing to
help her. This also shows how Rizal gave
emphasis on the role of women as mothers
and how heavy their roles are most especially
when society expects them to be limited to
the role of a homemaker who are always the
ones responsible to take care of their children.
In Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere, translated by
Pascual H. Poblete, he introduced Sisa
through these lines “Doon sa maláyò sa
bayan, sa isáng láyong may isáng horas,
nátitira ang iná ni Basilio at ni Crispín, asáwa
n~g isáng laláking waláng puso, at
samantalang ang babae nagpipilit mabúhay
at n~g macapag-arugà sa m~ga anác,
nagpapagalâgala at nagsasabong namán
ang lalaki."
Credits: ArtStation
These lines from the novel explains how Sisa,
as a mother, is one who takes all the
responsibility to care for their children, while
the man or the father, has all the freedom to
do anything he wants because Rizal
mentioned here that Sisa’s God is her
husband, and her angels are her children.
This setup is the same for most women who
became mothers whose roles are only limited
to serve their husbands and take care of their
children.
"SA GANÁNG CANYÁ'Y ANG
CANYÁNG ASAWA ANG
SIYÁNG DIOS NIYÁ, ANG
M~GA ANÁC NIYÁ'Y SIYÁNG
CANYANG M~GA ÁNGEL.”
> Rizal, Noli Me Tangere

by Jaemee Ramirez
Tuesday, 31 January 2023
Credits: ArtStation
With the fourth character, Simoun, Rizal introduced this character through the novel
El Filibusterismo, the sequel to Noli Me Tangere, by stating how men are capable of
fighting for justice because of their opportunities to acquire power. Simoun and
Ibarra are actually the same person since Ibarra disguised himself as an influential
and wealthy jeweler due to his hunger for vengeance and justice. The stereotypes
and gender inequalities also manifests in Simoun’s character as this can be
compared to the character of Sisa and Maria Clara, who are both helpless and
powerless after experiencing injustices. Moreover, Rizal shows how men are
perceived to have an opportunity to fight for themselves and to acquire the justice
that they deserve; while the women can only do so much since the opportunities
presented to them are unequal and unjust.

by Jaemee Ramirez
Tuesday, 31 January 2023
Credits: Renee Karunungan
“WISE EDUCATION,
VITAL BREATH
INSPIRES AN
ENCHANTING VIRTUE;
SHE PUTS THE
COUNTRY IN THE LOFTY
SEAT.” - EDUCATION
GIVES LUSTER TO
MOTHERLAND
Rizal also expressed his intention to promote equality in education
specifically through stating the necessity to allow women to have the
same rights to education that men are able to enjoy. At the time, there had
been an education reform which resulted in leaving the discipline under
the control of priests and friars. The responsibility to educate Filipinos
belonged to the religious sector and it has been evident that the education
for women was different from men and majority of educational institutions
were exclusive for men only, which is why, Rizal expressed in his letter that
education should not be a privilege and that all must have equal access to
education, because it is a right that must be given to every Filipino,
regardless of gender. To strengthen Rizal’s claim on the significance of
education, this poem states how education can make a country thrive and
in Rizal’s terms “puts the country in the lofty seat”. It is evident in the poem
and from Rizal’s standpoint that education plays a vital role in one’s
society and that a country would be able to stand on its own with the
power of education. Thus, it is also connected with Rizal’s emphasis on
Women’s education and promoting equal opportunities since he holds the
value of education to be one of the country’s main lines of defense in times
of oppression.

by Jaemee Ramirez
Tuesday, 31 January 2023
“IT IS COWARDICE AND ERROR TO BELIEVE THAT
SAINTLINESS CONSISTS IN BLIND OBEDIENCE AND
THAT PRUDENCE AND THE HABIT OF THINKING ARE
PRESUMPTIONS. IGNORANCE HAS ALWAYS BEEN
IGNORANCE, AND NEVER PRUDENCE AND HONOR.” -
RIZAL’S LETTER TO THE WOMEN OF MALOLOS
Rizal’s patriotic views also led him to express how the Philippines will
never be progressive and free if there would be Filipinos who would remain
ignorant. Prior to the inaccessible education for Women, it is also the same
cause for children whose education was perceived to be limited through
religious activities. With the lapses in education and unequal benefits,
Rizal expressed his sentiment that the country will only flourish through
educating all Filipinos and giving them the same benefits, regardless of
gender and social class as well. Above all things, Rizal believed that reason
and obedience must be the highest virtues that every person should have.
It raises the question: how can one truly obtain reason if one is not given
an access to education?
“NO LONGER DOES THE
FILIPINO STAND WITH HER
HEAD BOWED NOR DOES
SHE SPEND HER TIME ON
HER KNEES, BECAUSE
NOW SHE IS QUICKENED
BY HOPE IN THE FUTURE.”
- RIZAL’S LETTER TO THE
WOMEN OF MALOLOS

by Rod Navasca
Tuesday, 31 January 2023
Credits: Istock images
Growing up in a society adorned with patriarchal values; surrounded by
institutions that indoctrinate the youth of who they are and what they can be
based on their gender, Rizal’s inclination to be an advocate for gender
equality, freedom and independence is a noteworthy aberration. Today, this
sort of aberration became the norm as women’s rights have painstakingly
been pursued by the pioneers of the feminist movement in the Philippine
archipelago — the women of Malolos and by those who they passed the torch
to. In his letter to the women of Malolos, Rizal appealed to all Filipino women
to be heedful of their rights and not to be docile towards many injustices
forced upon them (Palafox, 2012). Having these rights, right to education in
specificity being legislated before his eyes, we concurred that Rizal couldn’t
help but be moved because we are a step closer to his idea of freedom and
independence.

by Rod Navasca
Tuesday, 31 January 2023
Rizal will surely find the fissures
and faults of the flimsy structure
where the Philippine
contemporary society is built in.
Like what he did during his time,
Rizal would still unfortunately
have to ask for the same thing in
the subject of women: gender
equality. At first glance, the ever
sought gender equality has
finally been affixed in the
Philippine soil, but if one would
look beyond the grand scheme of
things, one would realize that we
have yet to attain the true sense
of gender equality. Hidden within
a veil of legislated laws, a
plethora of issues such as
discrimination and violence
against women remain to be a
stumbling block for the
enshrinement of gender equality
in the Philippine contemporary
society. From a short bliss he
found in the legislation of
women’s rights in the Philippine
constitution, Rizal would once
again find the same issues which
the women of his time have
struggled from.

by Rod Navasca
Tuesday, 31 January 2023
Credits: Nell Campos
While being an advocate for gender
equality, the influence of his upbringing
within the patriarchal society of his time
seem to still seep through the ideals of
Rizal. In his letter to the women of
Malolos, Palafox (2012) contended that
perhaps having experienced firsthand
the warmth of his mother’s love, Rizal
defined in his letter the obligations and
roles of the Filipino mothers to their
children. Although this view of Filipino
women as mothers is still prevalent in
the Philippine contemporary society, it
would be imprudent of us to not
consider that times have changed since
then. In reference to his letter to the
women of Malolos, the Filipino family
requires the mother to bear the
responsibility of a child’s upbringing
while the father provides for them.
Nowadays, that’s not always the case.
For some Filipino families, the mother
provides for the family while the father
bears the responsibility of a child’s
upbringing; other Filipino families on
the other hand, have a remarkable
person who serves as both the “ilaw at
haligi ng tahanan.” Circling back to
Rizal, perhaps he’d feel unaccustomed
to the blurring of gender roles in today’s
Filipino families since such a thing was
unimaginable and unheard of during
his time. Would he despise it, we think
not so long as we finally break free from
the shackles of our colonial history.

Jose Rizal
By Rosel Charina P. Enguillo
Marcelo Del Pilar

By Rosel Charina P. Enguillo
Women long seek to be accepted,
they hunger for learning, and
they are stigmatized to work on
their houses and focus on
homeroom roles; but being part
of the socio-political or
economical arena doesn't make
her less of a woman, nor a
person; instead, her willingness
and perseverance should be
praised. Rizal pointed out that all
men are born equal, and it is a
grievous sin to oppose giving
someone knowledge and
learning. Rizal urged the Women
of Malolos to continue
promoting and advocating for
education and for Filipino
women to enjoy their rights, so as
to pass to others enlightenment.
Gregoria de Jesus
This action, later on, bared fruit: schools started to
accept women and their knowledge was not limited to
cooking and sewing but they found their part in society,
hence, this extends to the role of different women in the
revolution such as Gregoria de Jesus who served as the
secretary of the Katipunan and kept all the records,
Melchora Aquino who aided the wounded and injured
Katipuneros; it doesn’t end there; many female figure
became an icon the different worldly innovations

Moreover, when Rizal crafted his famous novels’ characters, the
characteristics he clothed them are in line with different personas and
attitudes which signifies every Filipino. Until today, we can hear a common
connotation of “Maria Clara”, which entails that a female should act modest,
religious, and demure at all times as inspired by the famous protagonist of
Noli Me Tangere. Ironically, this term limits a woman to what she can be,
most people only took Rizal’s concept into its base form without realizing
that Rizal might want to portray Maria Clara as a strong lady who endured
and won her battles against all hardships, a representation of womanhood,
especially those who experienced abuse by the opposite gender.
PGOTO: BLACKWHITEDJ
By Rosel Charina P. Enguillo
Another one would be the connotation regarding Sisa’s character, for she
embodies every mother in a Filipino home who would go above and beyond for
their children, she is a representation of those who suffer from mental illness and
those who continue to show that love lingers in every Filipinas’ heart. Moreover,
Crisostomo Ibbara is a representation of every dreamer who aspires and those
who crave for knowledge, not only for themselves but for the motherland. Lastly,
Simoun, he is a representation of a burning desire to end oppression by those
who are on top, to fight for rights and liberty, he might be a character which
creeped us out when we were younger but today, we share the same aspirations as
him. Beyond all of these characters, there is one thing in common: their genders
never hinders them to win their battles. We should view Rizal’s characters in
deep analysis and not box them with descriptions patterned on great stigma that
one’s sexual orientation can define what they can become.

By Rosel Charina P. Enguillo
Rizal’s letter served as a backbone towards uplifting
womanhood in Philippine society, it removed the
patriarchal barrier present and gave acknowledgment to
girl power and the equal rights of every person despite
one’s gender orientation. Rizal was one of the first of
many who started to give importance to women’s
strength, love, devotion, and service; hence Rizal was
one of those who opened the door for womanhood, he
was one of those who broke the barrier, and because of
this, many civil society organizations, like Gabriela was
PGOTO: KULTURA FILIPINO
founded, not only that,
the role of females in
Church, Politics, and
many organizations
were acknowledged,
and because of it,
many Filipinas led the
way to promote the
country, encourage
nationalism, has been
a role model, and
became strong figures
of independence,
beauty, and
intelligence paved way
for Filipinos to
prosper.

Also, we can see modernized artworks nowadays with a
Maria Clara holding a rifle which signifies one thing: we
are overcoming the Gender Stigma and we’re finally
associating ourselves with boxed and close minded
concepts. Rizal’s writing is one of the first foundations in
establishing the important role every Filipina plays in the
society, it is one of the few who broke the barriers
regarding Gender Stigma, and now, we are reaping the
fruits of what he saw: Gender Equality and Feminism. In
the end, equal rights, especially education, the opportunity
to serve our motherland, and every other responsibility
have no gender, everyone should enjoy the exact same
rights. The battle was towards acceptance and the victory
would be achieved if we start to accept that strengths,
abilities, and roles have no gender.
By Rosel Charina P. Enguillo

Sanggunian
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