Republic of the Philippines

POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

Sta. Mesa, Manila
College of Architecture, Design, and the Built Environment
Department of Architecture

LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL

GEED 10013

A Reflection Paper on
“Letter to the Women of Malolos” by Jose Rizal
(February 22, 1889)

Moriones, Justine Ann A.

Bs Architecture 3-1

June 27, 2022

 Women of Malolos: Early Feminist Movement in the Philippines
Rizal’s views on women in nation-building and how Rizal instigated the women of Malolos to rise
and take an active role in society

“Well-behaved women rarely make history.”

- Eleanor Roosevelt

Women in the time of Spanish Colonial were merely caretakers of the

house and their only purpose is to tend their husbands and rear a child. In
today’s time, that thinking is no longer relevant in our society. Despite that
patriarchal system is yet to cease, women today are no longer seen as a child-
rearing machine. They are no longer deprived with the rights to education, to
participate in political debates, to rule, to have equal opportunities and so forth.
Philippines even garnered the top 16 country that narrowed the gap
between men and women and is the only Asian country that made it to the top 20
out of 153 countries, according to the Global Gender Gap Report of 2020 of the
World Economic Forum. Which means Filipino women are no longer exclusive
only to housekeeping and raising their child. We have already gotten this far from
the patriarchal values that the Spanish brought into our culture. Throughout the
years, Filipino women have fought for their rights and the young women of
Malolos in the time of Spanish Colonial deserved great recognition for their
bravery to protest the discriminatory educational policies against women that
time.
One of the key occasions that significantly influenced the growth of the
feminist movement in the Philippines was the effort of the Women of Malolos to
raise education reform. In order to establish a night school where they could
study the Spanish language, a group of 20 young women of Malolos delivered a
petition Governor-General Valeriano Weyler. It took several rejections before the
governor-general allowed the request of these young women. The friars or
curators were responsible for the education of the natives and the education was
only focused for religious acts and practices. It was because of the influence of
the friars and their meddling that the request has always been rejected. Their
action was perceived as a kind of resistance against the friars' political influence.
 In the beginning of Rizal’s letter, he admitted the influence of patriarchal
values in his view in women. He even questioned whether our nation’s young
women exhibited bravery often. He thought that girls only appeared with pleasant
manners, modesty and even ignorance as what the society that time instilled in
the minds of the people. He though accepted and rejoiced when he realized his
mistake after what the young women of Malolos have done to accept their
request to establish a school where Filipino women can study the Spanish
language. In his letter, Rizal praised the women's bravery and expressed the
hope that everyone in his country would be inspired by the young women’s
gallant fight against the dominance of the friars in Filipino affairs.
In his letter, Rizal expressed several salient points. First, he recognized
the young women of Malolos as the new face of Filipina that will no longer blindly
submit and cower to the abusive men and friars, neither a polite grin nor any
unreasonable command, or undue complacency, shall be tolerated. He has
addressed the despotism of the friars and their schemes to control and influence
the Filipinos. Second, he stated that as Filipina are starting to yearn for change
and fight for their rights, he also presented the qualities a Filipino mother should
have. He believed the mothers have a great influence on the consciousness of
their children and how their child would act and behave as they grow up. He saw
the importance of women as mothers when he stated this in his essay:

“The people cannot expect honor nor prosperity so long as they will
educate their children in a wrong way, so long as the woman who guides the
child in his steps is slavish and ignorant. No good water comes from a turbid,
bitter spring; no savory fruit comes from acrid seed”

Third, he also reminded the unmarried Filipino women to be careful in

choosing a man and that there are things she should look for. She should look for
a man that is noble and has an honorable name, can protect her weakness, and
would not treat her as a slave. Fourth, he stated that Filipina should be like the
Spartan mothers who carry themselves with dignity, is feared and respected, has
power over men. Lastly, the Filipino women should consider what the friars are
teaching and if is still according to the will of God and that she should be the one
to raise up her child to the likeness of God.
 His letter to the young women of Malolos showed how genuine his desire
for Filipinos to have equal rights. He saw women’s strength and importance in
nation-building. The fact that the young women of Malolos have displayed their
tenacious and unbending desire to educate themselves shows that Filipino
women are more than what the Spanish tell them. Rizal realized that; hence he
encouraged the Filipino women to take an active role in the society, and that it is
within their hands the future of our country.

“This is our dream; this is the desire we cherish in our hearts; to restore
the honor of woman, who is half of our heart, our companion in the joys and
tribulations of life. Let the maiden be the pride of her country and command
respect…”

References:

The Life and Works of Rizal. (nd). To the Young Women of Malolos: Summary
and Analysis. Retrieved from
http://thelifeandworksofrizal.blogspot.com/2011/08/philippines-century-
hence-summary-and.html

Palafox, Q. (2012). Girl Power: The Women of Malolos. Retrieved from

https://nhcp.gov.ph/girl-power-the-women-of-malolos/

Rizal, J., (1889). To the Young Women of Malolos. Retrieved from

https://kwentongebabuhayrizal.blogspot.com/2013/07/to-young-women-
of-malolos-full-copy.html

Philippines Commission on Women. (2019). Philippines drops 8 paces in gender

equality, remains top in Asia. Retrieved from
https://pcw.gov.ph/philippines-drops-8-places-in-gender-equality-remains-top-
in-
asia/#:~:text=The%20Philippines%20remains%20the%20top,799%20in%202019
).