A Nation

Book Review: Floro C. Quibuyen, “A Nation Aborted: Rizal, American Hegemony and Philippine Nationalism” (1999)

Dr. Floro Quibuyen, an Associate Professor in Philippine Studies at the Asian Centre of the University of the Philippines, obtained his PhD in Political Science at the University of Hawaii. He is currently living and working in Australia. This book was based on his PhD dissertation entitled: “Imagining the Nation: Rizal, American Hegemony and Philippine Nationalism” (1996).

Dr. Quibuyen’s purpose with this book is to reexamine the role the patriot Jose Rizal played in the history of the Philippines. He is determined to rediscover ‘Rizal’s (moral) vision of the nation’, for he feels that Philippine historiography - and certain scholars in particular - have not been fair to him. Certain assumptions created by these scholars have obscured the full dimension of the role Rizal played in carving a path for the independence of this country from Spain.

The main issue Dr. Quibuyen finds with the portrayal of Rizal in modern Philippine historiography is how they tend to use his image as the antithesis of the aspirations of the masses. In his opinion, leftist scholars assume and perpetuate the idea that Rizal was against the revolution and ultimate freedom of the Philippines. Moreover, Dr. Quibuyen claims these scholars use Rizal’s image to embody that part of the Ilustrado class which had no regard for the masses nor their aspirations for independence.

However, Dr. Quibuyen refutes these assumptions by stating that if Rizal’s contributions to the cause for independence were so unimportant or even counterproductive, then why was he so revered by the Katipunan during the revolution. Moreover, if his present day cult-hero image stems from the work of Americans driven by imperialism, then why are Filipinos so fond of him even until today (e.g. Rizalistas)?

In short, Dr. Quibuyen asserts that the misrepresentations of leftist scholars are the result of a gross...