Jean Matthew S.

Puntero

BS Airtransportation

RZAL 311 – 6C

Prelim Project: Reaction Paper

1. In the opening statement of Dr. Jose Rizal in the movie, he mentioned that the
Philippines is suffering from a kind of cancer. What kind of cancer does the country is
suffering from as referred to by Rizal? In the present time, do you still see that our
country is still suffering from this illness?

Rizal mentioned a social cancer that is so malignant that inflicted and caused
agonizing pains to our ancient people. The cancer that made our country suffer as
referred to by Rizal is the friar rule and maladministration of the Spanish regime, in their
errors and injustices committed unto us. In the present time I can see, smell, and feel
this illness, on how bad and mishandled our government system by corrupt political
leaders. Our country’s physical, economical, ethical, political, and almost every cal you
can find in the dictionary are dying and falling down. From the Malacañang palace to
Congress, from city hall down to barangays and to our streets, from schools and
churches, from mass media to entertainment, there is a collapse of order and values.
This situation is hopeless because the only people who can make this everything right
are also the number one cause we are going down. Let’s keep it in the name local
GOVERNMENT who does not fulfill their very purpose of existence and make the things
only and even worst. Crimes exists and those who have a position carries it out because
they also benefit from it. Some of the Friar rule illness can still be seen, the last report I
saw was a priest from Marikina City tried to sexually abuse a 13-year old girl in a motel.
The priest were arrested violating Republic Act 9208 or Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.
Source: Zhander Cayabyab. July 29, 2017. ABS-CBN News.
2. What political, psychological and historical issues had been discussed in the film?
Where they clearly portrayed in the film? Justify your answer by providing (2) Examples
or specific situations each.

One of the issues in the film is (1) discrimination and racism. They justified their
territorial aggression by reasoning that the people (us) they conquered were
inferior. “We who are sent by God and the King are better than you.” The
Spaniards also called the natives “indio” in 23:02 of Jose Rizal full movie upon
re-watching the film, Spaniard friars said that “indio should never be allowed to
become priests because they cause nothing but headaches.” This is how
Spaniards look at us during their colonization. We are nothing to them, we were
treated like an animal. We enjoy little privileges from our own land compared to
them who make use almost everything of our resources. They even make us pay
and work for them in our own land that’s how brutal they were.

(2) The practice of corruption. Corruption is as old as history itself. During the
Spanish colonization everything in our own country was treated as property of
the their king. He can dispose anything as he liked. Government positions were
awarded based on patronage (those natives whose interests were best served by
allying themselves with the Spanish colonizers which belonged to the
“principalia” only a member of the principalia or auctioned off to highest bidder
can be a “gobernadorcillo” (town mayor) could be addressed by the title “Don”.
Aside from this corruption is the claiming of taxes from us while working for them.
3. Make a stand, should Rizal be the national hero of the Philippines? Why or Why not?
Provide (5) five evidences that will support your reflection.

Rizal should be the national hero of the Philippines because:

1. Jose Rizal fought for our freedom in silent but a powerful way. He does not use iron
hand or brute force with a gun or a sword instead he used a paper and a pen. He
expressed his love for out country using his novels, essays, and articles that was a
great enemy of the Spaniards and was a great eye-opener to our own people during
that time that we also learning from up to our present time.
2. Being a national hero you will be look up by all the people in your country and
expressing your love to your nation peacefully and not an aggressive way on winning
a fight or war is truly a role model like Jose Rizal.
3. Not only us Filipinos wants to proclaim Jose Rizal as our country’s national hero
even other country especially Americans. They proclaimed Rizal as the national hero
so we will see him as a model. Not just to win a fight or competition but to develop
one’s talent and skills.
4. Jose Rizal was a brave person and maximize his resources during his time to fight
for our country and not to be allied with them. Other rich person during those time will
use their family’s credential and wealth just to be one with the Spaniards during that
time and he didn’t.
5. Jose Rizal faced his execution without a fear, with a smile, and proudly walked (like
he was walking on a red carpet and “lakad varsity”). He knew that time he made
something impeccable for his country. That is why Jose Rizal is my hero!