The Houses of Rizal’s Women of Malolos

Abstract

The Letter of Jose Rizal to the young women of Malolos written in England in February 1889 has made a huge impact in Philippine history. The contents of the letter have created interest to a number of scholars, but it is apparent that the twenty young women of Malolos is seldom the subject of their study. This thesis will elaborate on why Rizal wrote the famous historical letter, who these women are, and what role they played during the revolution. These women belonged to the elite and prominent families of the Chinese mestizo sangleys who settled at the Pariancillo in Malolos, Bulacan. They were known to be exceptionally brave and courageous for having fought for their rights to education. These privileged ladies lived in stone houses or bahay na bato; a number of which can still be seen. However, they have undergone several renovations. This study will use the bahay na bato as a vehicle to know more about these women, in particular the three women whose houses still stand today. These bahay na bato hold a lot of tales and drama which await to be told. Since these stories are yet to be unfolded, the need to create awareness was seen and this thesis is a response to this call. This thesis will cover both the form of these bahay na bato structures as well as sociopolitical and cultural factors which made a significant difference in these structures.