SONZA, KYLA LYN R.

BSBA1 - RIZAL

1. In Excerpt 1, what impression of the Filipinos do you get from reading Morga's
description of the type of food the natives eat? Which particular phrase gives you this
impression?
According to Morga’s statement, “They prefer meat and fish, saltfish which began to
decompose and smell” Philippine’s local food is being implied as rotten or spoiled. It makes us
Filipinos feel disrespected at some point and it gives us Filipinos the impression that the food
that our ancestors have been eating during the early periods were spoiled and unpleasant.

2. What is Rizal's purpose in writing an annotation about the food preferences of the
English, Spaniards, and Chinese?
Rizal's purpose in writing an annotation about the food preferences of the English,
Spaniards, and Chinese is that he showcases how the Philippines has its own dish and cuisine
and that we differ from the other countries. Every country have a variety of cultures and regional
foods that foreign visitors are unfamiliar with.

3. In Excerpt 2, how did Morga portray the Filipinos?

Antionio Morga tells that Filipinos are frightened of scorpions and crocodiles, therefore
they construct barriers to prevent them from approaching them. Although he claimed that the
construction of barricades demonstrates a narrow line between the Filipinos' dominance over
animals and should be given respect.

4. In Rizal's subsequent annotation, what does he mean when he says, "Perhaps for the
same reason, other nations have great esteem for the lion and bear, putting them on their
shields and giving them honorable epithets
Reptiles reflect Filipino culture. Filipinos appreciate and defend them in the same manner
that other nations respect and protect lions and bears. Crocodiles, according to Rizal, are the
embodiment of our ancestors, therefore they must be treasured and honored. Crocodiles also
represented physical strength during the period. Rizal was attempting to convey the idea that
crocodiles are related with Filipino culture and identity, and that they reflect the Filipinos of the
period. Crocodiles are something we are proud of, thus they must be safeguarded and honored.

5. In general, what is Rizal's motive in writing his annotations of Morga's work? How
does this fit into the aims of other propagandists working for reforms during this time?
According to Rizal, it is important for propagandists to understand the history of the
Philippines before to the arrival of the Spaniards, so that they know what to fight for and what
improvements they pursue. Because there was already independence in the Philippines before the
SONZA, KYLA LYN R.
BSBA1 - RIZAL

Spanish arrived, and the natives had a sense of individuality. For the propagandists, Rizal desired
a reform that would return us to our previous state before the Spanish arrived. Before Morga
arrived, as well as the Spaniards arrived in the Philippines, we had our own existence, as Rizal
wanted to emphasize. Rizal wanted to clarify Morga's allegations about the Philippines so that
foreigners that have read Morga's book would not gain false knowledge about the country,
Philippines.