Why do we remember Rizal's death?

Rizal's execution sums up the very nature of governance the Filipinos experienced during the Spanish regime. His execution, widely believed and accepted as unjustified, was similar with other executions of the time--politically motivated to frustrate calls for independence. The message was clear--death was Spain's answer to calls for Filipinos to enjoy more civil rights.

Andres Bonifacio knew this all along. That explains why he never advocated for assimilation because for him, the Spaniards already negated it through a series of executions the authorities made since 1872. The so-called Mutiny of 1872 was a very clear indication that Spain does not want the Filipinos to enjoy the same rights as Spanish citizens. It was an issue of race. Those born in the colonies do not deserve equality before the eyes of Spanish law.

The Revolution of 1896 was spurred by the very act of Spain. Since Spain does not want to recognize its sons and daughters born here, then, the only option was to separate from the Spanish regime. It was a Creole or Mestizo inspired revolution, similar with that of Cuba.

To be accurate about it, the Revolution of 1896 was not just political but economic. The Katipuneros broke into a revolt because Spaniards and their collaborators, the Chinese mestizos were amassing wealth more than Filipinos or those born here in the Philippines. These two races control the economy. When trade with Mexico and the United States increased, Spanish authorities and Chinese businessmen benefitted from it, leaving Filipinos in the lurch. Trade was never free for all. Filipinos, or those born in the Philippines were left to fend for themselves as part of the professional classes. They filled clerical jobs. They were the middle managers, the supervisors of plants and the small and medium sized entrepreneurs.

The Filipinos were producers and small time middle men but the big part of the game was reserved only for pure-blooded Spaniards and their trade collaborators, the Chinese. Profits from the galleon trade lined the pockets of local authorities and a big part went straight to the monarchy's coffers. Even then, corruption and funds misappropriation were evident.

This left the Philippines as an underdeveloped colony since funds for development were limited. The country was left underdeveloped because it served only as a source of resources traded with Mexico and North America. And since galleon profits were never used and plurked back into the economy, poverty incidence increased exponentially as the population rose. Filipinos were relegated to menial and agricultural jobs, while Mestizos who were outside or far from the Center of Power, contented themselves with filling professional jobs.

What Filipinos aspired for was more freedom in terms of trade. We were made to believe that it was all political, when in fact, the very reason why Filipinos at that time appealed for more civil liberties was they expect that with it, trade liberties will likewise follow. This never happened.

Meaning, the call for more civil liberties was the first step, to be followed by calls for more participation in the lucrative inter-country trade. As we now know, it never happened because the colonial power and the Chinese did not ease their control over the economy. They remained dominant even now.

Rizal was a Mestizo of Chinese origins. Bonifacio, meanwhile, was also a Mestizo, of Castillian blood. Aguinaldo, who eventually betrayed Bonifacio, was also a Chinese mestizo. Check the roster of Katipuneros and you"ll discover that majority were Mestizos. There were pure blooded Spaniards who took part in the revolution, and they were mostly members of the Spanish army. It is correct to say that the Revolution of 1896 was a Filipino revolution because every race, pure blooded or mestizo, took part in it because of their immense love to the land that they call home.