Modyul 2 - Integration Paper

Jose Rizal’s works such as Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo was his own way of
fighting during the colonization of the Spaniards in the Philippines. It can be observed that Jose
Rizal did not think that violence was the answer to free the Filipinos from Spanish rule. In El
Filibusterismo, one of the characters named Simoun wanted to start a revolution but in the story,
he was not successful, and he died in the end. During the discussion of the lessons, I learned that
one of the reasons why Jose Rizal let Simoun fail in his revolution was because his motivation
and goal was not right. In the story, Simoun was angry, and he wanted to take revenge wherein
he just wanted to start a revolution for his own purposes and not for the betterment of the
Filipinos or their country. Another reason was the fact that it was simply not the right time for a
revolution. With this, one of the characteristics of a Filipino nationalist is selflessness. A Filipino
nationalist must not only think about himself but also thinks about the welfare of his fellow
Filipinos. Unlike Simoun, Jose Rizal did not want to take revenge to the friars for the injustices
and discrimination he and other Filipinos experienced. Jose Rizal wanted to improve the life of
all Filipinos during his time through reform and not bloodshed.
A Filipino nationalist should also have the desire to protect the rights of all Filipinos. This
includes wanting all Filipinos to be free from injustices, oppression, discrimination, and
suffering. Several events in Jose Rizal’s life and the Filipinos during his time shows that the
Filipinos were being oppressed and subjected to injustices. One such event is the Gomburza
Execution wherein Filipino priests were falsely accused of an uprising in Cavite and was
sentenced to death. Father Burgos wanted equality among the priests, but the friars did not like
the idea. This showed how the friars were abusing their power and the Filipinos were suffering
because of it. When Jose Rizal was studying in UST, he learned that Filipinos were being treated
poorly by the friars and experienced discrimination. There are several more events that shows the
state of the country during Jose Rizal’s time, but it is through the Filipinos desire to change their
country for the good of all Filipinos that they were able to free the Philippines from Colonial rule
and eventually declare independence.
A Filipino nationalist for me in the individual level is someone who is proud of his/her
own race and achievements. This involves the preservation and appreciation of our own culture
and traditions. Naturally, a Filipino nationalist wants what is best for the country and supports its
interests. The Filipinos under Spanish rule experienced many hardships, and it was probably
what led people such as Jose Rizal to want to change the state of the country.
In the family and community level, a Filipino nationalist just like Jose Rizal and his
contemporaries are selfless and thinks of the welfare of all Filipinos. As a member of a family or
community, we should take care of each other and fight for what is right and just. This includes
helping each other in times of need and supporting each other.

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 From Jose Rizal’s work, we were able to learn that violence is not the answer and that a
revolution is not something that should be done for selfish reasons. In addition, it is possible to
change the country by reform. In my opinion, a Filipino nationalist is someone who cares for the
welfare of all Filipinos and everything that is ours whether it be in politics, economy,
environment, territory, and our culture.
In my opinion, just like how the Filipinos in the past gathered and fought for their
freedom, we could do the same today especially to the injustices that is happening in the country.
To solve the political and societal problems in the Philippines, in my opinion, the best way is to
improve the government and stop corruption. As the 2022 elections gets closer, it is also the duty
of all Filipinos to choose the officials and persons who we think will make our country better. To
protect the welfare of all Filipinos, we must all vote wisely and learn more about the people who
will be running in the elections. As the elections could affect our nation for better or for worse, it
is up us to ensure the welfare of the country as well as its people. Compared to how the state of
the Philippines in Jose Rizal’s time to today, we should be thankful that we do not need a
revolution to change the country. In my opinion, how the Philippines is today is probably how
Jose Rizal wanted it to be with regards to how it is more possible now to change the country
peacefully and have bloodless reforms. As a Filipino nationalist, we should vote for the
candidates that will bring change in the country for the betterment of all.
When it comes to the problems regarding the economy specifically economy recession
and unemployment, as Filipino nationalists we could assist by supporting our local products and
businesses. By doing so, the local economy should improve and as the businesses continue to
grow, it should also create business opportunities that could bring in demand for workers which
could potentially assist in reducing unemployment.

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