Philippine E-Journals

Hidden Narratives: Turn-of-the-Century Spanish Press and the Philippine Revolution

Cornelio R. Bascara

Discipline: Humanities, Philippine Literature

 

Abstract:

Filipino students and scholars of the Filipino-Spanish War have drawn varied conclusions as far as the cause and effect of the revolution are concerned. One such conclusion, already perceived as "the truth," was reached by fiery dedicated core of nationalists who had searched for the "unique Filipino identity." In this view, the revolution was indeed the signal of the Filipinos' awakening to a world that was shaped by meanings set by the Spanish-centric world. It was only through a revolution that they could "commensurate" with and liberate themselves from the hierarchizing binary logic of colonizer/colonized. The Spanish, meanwhile, reacted against the revolution as a natural and logical response against the Filipino challenge which threatened the colonial integrity of the establishment that perhaps at the time only willed to survive. Veiled beneath the claims of the inherent right of the Spanish State to protect itself from threats are stories hiding in the sanctuary of texts. These stories or narratives are nor readily perceived since words are camouflaged by emotions, rhetoric and ideologies.