C. El Filibusterismo

C.
Relate the material (El Filibusterismo) to the present Philippine society and politics
Philippine politics and society are defined in the novel in various ways:
In the first chapter of the story, a steamer called “Tabo” which takes boatload of
passengers to the province of La Laguna was used to show the hierarchy existing in El
Filibusterismo. “Brown faces and black heads congregate below decks, indios, Chinese and
mestizos crammed among parcels and trunks. While up there above decks, under a canopy
that protects them from the sun and seated in comfortable armchairs, are several passengers
dressed European-style, friars and bureaucrats smoking fat cigars and contemplating the
countryside, taking no notice, it seems, of the captain and crew’s effort to navigate the river
shoals.” The sections of Tabo’s deck shows continuous division of people and their value
based on their status in the society. Additionally, the justice system was not strong enough to
remove itself from the claws of big time organization or influential people that when the
court starts to roll the case, it always points to the weak one either leaving it with injustice or
admitting it inside the cold metals of prison unfairly. The prejudice in the steamer Tabo is
still streaming in every part of our society
“In this province there is a bridge, El Puente de Caprichos. It was built by one of our
brothers, but it was never completed because these men of science condemned it based solely
on their theories. They said it was unsound and safe, but look at it, it’s the one bridge that
withstands every flood and earthquake.” This conversation between Ben Zayb, the writer, and
a Franciscan exposed the rejection of people to the theories and concepts science people were
presenting as their focus is on their personal interest even before. Not until the pandemic did
the government of Philippines realize the importance of giving enough funds to the science
and health sectors of the country. Funding the health care of Filipinos is critical as it can be
seen as a human capital investment. Enhanced productivity may equate to high wages or
salaries and these wages or salaries contribute to the economic system in the form of taxes
and therefore, social system as these labourers played their functions and responsibilities well
in the society.
“So tear them down.... Don’t pay anything. Use prisoners and convicts.... Well, if
there aren’t enough, then go to all the villages and get old men, young men, and boys to
work. Instead of the mandatory fifteen days, make it three or four and five months for the
state. And you can even make them supply their own meals and tools.” The words of Simoun
resonates the current situation of the labour force in the Philippines. Although Filipinos
receive salary from their works, they are not compensated enough with the level of the
service they are doing for their employees. In return, they work overtime for how many years
with not so much difference in financial status from when they first started working. College
students are honed to be slaves of the biggest companies handled by foreign investors who
see Philippines as a mining site suitable for filling up their pockets. Not only would these
foreigners gain from such scheme but also those Filipinos who are on their side. These
politicians, like Donya Victorina, only see their fellow Filipinos as means to their end.
The political and social system El Filibusterismo exhibits is not much different from
the system we have today. Injustice, poverty, corruption, and poor health funding can still be
seen while those who are on top are enjoying the power and the privileges they stole from the
blood, sweat, and tears of the innocent citizens of the Philippines.
The synthetic justice system seen in the novel seems to be animated by the Duterte
administration by its partisan decisions.
One of his subordinate is still in the seat of power even though he committed a crime
of not following the health protocols during this pandemic without regards to what the
Filipinos would think. This may seem shallow but a government without its citizens’ trust
will not be able to function properly towards the desired goal. In this case, it is to lessen if not
totally eradicate the COVID-19 cases in the Philippines.
He also abused his power like a friar, violated human rights, and ordered that “war on
drugs” campaign not minding the heeds of the victims’ families and the Commission on
Human Rights. These people from Philippine National Police who executed the said
campaign are the modern-day guardia civil who fearlessly kill innocent people with the
facade of maintaining peace and order. They also do not just tried to shut the flow of public
information but also spread fake news to divert the attention of the people like what the
Spanish tried to do.
But one important thing that relates the current Philippine society and politics to the
novel “El Filibusterismo” is the role of the youth to the social and political system of a
nation.

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