Process Questions

1. What is the significance of having an official military uniform? What did Antonio Luna want to
achieve in prescribing a uniform for the Filipino freedom fighters?

 The purpose of the military uniform is to convey to Americans the respectability of

Filipino soldiers. To represent the solidarity of the movement against the American
occupation, Antonio Luna created a military uniform in the same style.

2. What social problem was identified in the first dialogue between Joven Hernando

and Antonio Luna?

Luna: “Malaking trabaho ang ipagkaisa ang bansang watak-watak,Joven”.

Luna: “Mas madali pang pagkasunduin ang langit at lupa kaysa dalawang Pilipino

tungkol sa kahit na anong bagay.”

 The lack of solidarity among Filipinos is the societal issue that is being displayed here.
"Malaking trabaho ang ipagkaisa ang bansang watak-watak," "Mas madali pang
pagkasunduin ang langit at lupa kaysa dalawang Pilipino tungkol sa kahit na anong
bagay," and "Mas madali pang pagkasunduin ang langit at lupa kaysa da A dispute
breaks out during a routine conversation due to opposing viewpoints. Because everyone
wants to be heard but no one wants to listen, there are chaotic conversations and noisy
arguments, and because of conflicting opinions, a simple conversation turns into an
argument.

3. In the first scenes depicting the violence of American occupation, a voice over

can be heard in the background. It is an old speech about Manifest Destiny.

What is the Manifest Destiny? Why is it related to American imperialism? What

was the effect of the juxtaposition of the speech and the scenes?

America is destined for better deeds.

It is our unparalleled glory that we have no reminiscences of battlefields

but in the defense of humanity of the oppressed of all nations, of rights of conscience,

the rights of personal enfranchisement.

Our annals describe no scenes of horrid carnage, where men were led on by hundreds

of thousands to slay one another. Nor have the American people ever suffered

themselves to be led on by wicked ambition to spread desolation far and wide that a

human being might be placed on a seat of supremacy.

We must onward to the fulfillment of our mission: freedom of conscience, freedom of

trade and business pursuits, universality of freedom and equality.

We are the nation of human progress and who will, what can, set limits to our onward

march? It is surely the Manifest Destiny of the United States to lead in the attempt to

make this spirit prevail.

 Manifest Destiny is a cultural belief in the United States that they are predestined by
God to spread their dominion, democracy, and capitalism across the entire North
American continent; it is related to American Imperialism in that both refer to the
expansion of American political, economic, cultural, and media influence. The effect
of the juxtaposition of the speech and the scenes is that it shows and makes a
comparison between two things.
Process Activity
1. Make a 300 words reflection paper about the film Heneral Luna, your reflection
must contains leanings, realizations and insights.

Liberty, betrayal, and love are the three exact words that came across my mind upon watching
this epic and historical film. A kind of art that depicts the history of our late heroes who
sacrificed their lives for our freedom, a film that commemorates the greatness of people that
chose to battle over life, and most especially an opus of historical preservation.

Filipinos, particularly Heneral Antonio Luna is mad for liberty. He wanted the Philippines to
surpass the hegemony of the Americans, only hoping for the nation’s sovereignty and
dominance in our mainland at that time. I realized that even if life is getting harder and harder
each day, there is still a chance of having hope and ways to achieve ultimate goals. This movie
tells us when to fight for love, and when to dissipate feelings toward each other or simply, we
do have bigger emotions for the war rather than our feelings. And let us not keep on turning a
blind eye to the truth, as it will prevail soon. It tells us that we do not have time for the things
that we stand for and no one is and should be above the law.

In light of finding autonomy from the conquerors, Luna mindlessly was so caught in a betrayal
that later on I realized it is relevant among people on his side that the enemy is an enemy and a
friend is also an enemy too which only means that friends we consider is capable of killing us
soon before we know it. This movie let me realize further that truth will never be an insult, that
we are our greatest enemy all the time, and that we must stand for truth, and if we are going to
be a nation, we need radical change.

2. List down 5 remarkable scenarios/lines in the film that made an impact to you
as a student of history and as a Filipino. Make a 2-3 explanation on that specific

scenarios/lines.

1. “Walang umiiral ng mag isa, Joven. Lahat ng mga nauna sa atin ay inialay nila ang
kanilang buhay para sa Kalayaan”

 Heneral Luna is saying here that the early Filipinos who became heroes joined
forces to achieve freedom, even though the truth is that the price of this fight is
the sacrifice of their lives.

 It is also said that whatever was started by the previous heroes fighting against
the foreigners should be continued by the Filipino soldiers so that the freedom
that we have longed for can be restored to our country.

2. “Hindi nakakamit ang Kalayaan sap ag-aaruga sa kanilang mga mahal sa buhay,
kailangan nila mag bayad at ang kabayaran na ito ay dugo at pawis”

 It says that freedom of thought is not achieved without fighting so as not to hurt
their families

 rather, freedom is fought for with blood and sweat and even if its replacement is
life.

3.  “Handang magtapon ng dugo ang totoong makabayan. Hindi pagdurusa ang pagdaan
sa napakatinding pasakit. Para kang tumanggap ng basbas, parang pag-ibig.”
  The true love of the country is willing to sacrifice one's life just to gain freedom.

 A true patriot will not think that fighting for the country is just a torture but it is
an honor and should be proud because of the love you have for the country

4. “May mas malaki tayong kalaban sa mga Amerikano–ang ating sarili.”

 Sometimes the real enemy is not in front of us but inside us.

 Filipinos have their own interests, they are willing to put aside everything even
the freedom of the country and fight against their own countrymen just to fulfill
this own interest

5.  “Kalaban ang kalaban. Kalaban ang kakampi, nakakapagod.”

 It's true that it's hard to fight against what we consider our enemies, but it's
even harder to fight against what we think is our ally.

3. Make your own movie poster for Heneral Luna. Write a short essay at the
back to explain its elements and characteristics.