Final answer:
In Noli Me Tangere, the character Ibarra suggests that Spanish colonization brought civility, religious education, and governance, although historical records reveal significant indigenous mistreatment.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Noli Me Tangere, a novel by Filipino nationalist and writer José Rizal, the character Ibarra is portrayed as believing that Spanish colonization brought the benefits of heightened civility, religious instruction, and institutional governance to the Philippines. Advocates for colonization, such as Christopher Columbus and later reformers like Richard Hakluyt, argued that it provided advantages such as religious conversion, economic enrichment, and social structure to the colonized regions. However, historical records like those of Bartolomé de las Casas and the subsequent introduction of the New Laws for the Good TreAatment and Preservation of Indians highlighted that the reality of colonization often involved significant mistreatment and exploitation of indigenous populations, despite the supposed benefits touted by colonizers.