The Philippines’ Last Highest

General to Capitulate
General Malvar

Remollena, Denzel Iverzon D.

25BA
 The Philippines’ Last Highest General to Capitulate

General Malvar

Our generation today seems to have lack of appreciation towards the heroes of
yesterday, as knowledge about them is inadequate, making their minds filled with foreign
personalities rather than native ones. With this, people who fought for our freedom should be
valued and remembered with honor, as without the sacrifices they gave, our country wouldn’t
be what it is like now. Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio and so on, are those courageous beings who
stood up but let’s now focus on those generals who tend to be one of those individuals that
have lead the revolt against other race, Philippine-American War, particularly on General
Miguel Malvar’s journey.

Seeking to shine a light during the war is the general’s aim according to his
grandson, Jose Malvar Villegas Jr., for he indeed showed bravery, as he is the last general who
surrendered for independence against the United States. Enabling the fire (love) in the heart of
the Filipinos in their country, Philippines, to continuously become intense via his act of hope
and expertise in his field evident on the promotions he got in March 1897. Wherein he was
appointed as the Lieutenant General of the Philippine Army led by Emilio Aguinaldo and later
on as the Main Philippine General in March 1901, after the capture of the President Aguinaldo,
with this destined positions of him, his battle versus others isn’t the only one that begun,
instead, his battle on himself should also be considered, as huge amount of fighting spirit have
been lend in order to achieve the kind of bravery that he served.

What a heart touching information that I got, for I honestly admit that me, as a
student, knows no General Malvar at all until this opportunity came, and I must say, he, as a
General implicated dignity into its finest, by unfolding how it is like to be an ideal warrior. As
surrendering wouldn’t be an answer and that would be the choice that shouldn’t be picked in
the path towards justice, freedom and principles correlated to the aim of giving Philippines its
peace against colonizers. Undeniably, this General’s perspective is in its most optimistic way,
for he seems to find the silver lining in the trials in his life.

In regards to his life, talks about the upcoming film regarding him have arise,
specially when Senator Manny Pacquiao was announced as the actor to be Malvar, well, issues
in connection with politics were been stated according to one of those articles that I’ve read,
with that, some supported and some defended the genuine purpose of the said film. But me, as
an individual who has the right to think, analyze and decide, is into that one person, a relative
of him, who said that General Malvar’s wholly honor in this country wouldn’t be erased nor
lessen just by the actor who will act as him, since the story would circulate on his deeds as
himself, and not as the person who is performing those, that’s why folks shouldn’t think that
way, as us, people are unique and special on our own, so we should all learn how to separate
one person from the other, to obtain the characteristic that is truly grateful of what he, or
should I say, they, our national heroes, did to shape our country the way it is now. For Filipinos
should know how to look back and move forward at the same time.

Thus, this little information about General Miguel Malvar thought me how to be
grateful, and it’s just sad how I’ve been also enlightened to the fact, that the youth’s knowledge
today wouldn’t be enough, if they would remain close to the past. That’s why I’m encouraging
my co-students to be open into this kind of stuffs, as this would fill the gap in their identity as a
Filipino, for identity is defined as the combination of the past (traditional) and present
(modernity). C’mon and be brave to discover the history beyond our independence, never
surrender!