CHAPTER I

Sa Kubyerta (On Deck)

A REFLECTION PAPER

In partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

In the Subject GE1804

Rizal’s Life and Works

To be Submitted to

Ma’am Anne Hershey Arata

Submitted by

Romel A. Eronico

Date of submission: December 17, 2022

 ABSTRACT

One morning in December the Boat Tabo is sailing along the Pasig River going to Laguna. The
boat is divided to two-part there’s a second floor where only rich people can enter to it and on the first floor
that’s the place for the normal people because they cannot afford the first class. On the deck were powerful
people like Don Custodio, Donya Victorina, Captain General, Father Salvi, Father Irene, Ben Zayb, Donya
Victorina, and Simoun. Simoun gets along with the rich because they know him as an influential jeweler.
He is known throughout Manila because he is influenced by the Captain General.

To relieve the impatience of the long and slow journey, they discussed the deepening of the Pasig
River. Simoun said that it is necessary to build a straight canal that will connect the Laguna Lake and
Manila. Simoun suggested digging up until the end of Pasig River and the soil will be used to cover the
former river but instead Don Custodio suggested raising a duck. Don Custodio and some friars got heated
for a while because of their different suggestions and aspirations to implement. Donya Victorina doesn't
want to be able to raise ducks in their area because she says there are too many ducks that she hates.

On Deck

This is a great beginning because this ii.

chapter compared a lot of things in the world just The Boat Tabo is traveling to Laguna one

like the boat or the Bapor tabo. It is like the morning in December as it travels along the Pasig

government in the Philippines led by the friars at River. The boat is divided into two sections: the

the time of Jose Rizal; they are looking only at the first floor is reserved for regular people because

status of the people; they are not fair. And it is not they cannot afford first class, and the second floor

fast; it means there is a slow development. Bapor is solely accessible to wealthy individuals.

tabo also has a loud engine which means they Powerful individuals including Don Custodio,

only say words, but they are not putting it into Donya Victorina, Captain General, Fathers Salvi

action. The boat has many more hidden and Irene, Ben Zayb, Donya Victorina, and

messages. Simoun were there on the deck. Simoun gets

Chapter 1: On Deck along with the wealthy since they are aware of his

i. reputation as a powerful jeweler. He is well-

Don Custodio known across Manila as a result of the Captain

Donya Victorina General's influence.

Captain General

Father Salvi They talked about the deepening of the

Father Irene Pasig River to ease the irritation of the protracted

Ben Zayb and tedious travel. A straight canal must be built

Donya Victorina to connect Manila with Laguna Lake, according

Simoun to Simoun. Simoun recommended digging all the

way to the end of the Pasig River and covering it government traitors and given the death penalty

with soil, but Don Custodio advised rearing a by the Spaniards. Additionally, this book was the

duck instead. Due to their disparate ideas and Noli Mi Tangere's sequel. Noli, however, focuses

desire to put them into action, Don Custodio and on romance and love, whereas El Filibusterismo

a few friars engaged into a heated argument for a discusses politics and societal difficulties in our

while. Donya Victorina claims that there are too nation. It indirectly criticizes the Spanish

many ducks in their region, and she does not want government. In this chapter many things also get

to be able to nurture them. exposed just like the rough manners of Donya

iii. Victorina. we can also see that not everyone has

In our current society most people a bad interest and not everyone want the other

believe what Dr. Jose Rizal wants to say. Because Filipinos to experience the difficulty in working

of what happened in his novel, many priests get just like Don Custodio he chooses to raise a duck

angry with it because it is all against to catholic instead of giving the work to the poor Filipinos.

church. Today in the present time a lot of changes in this chapter when I am searching for the

happen. People no longer look at priests as a bad additional information is see that Dr. Rizal makes

person just like what is in the novel of Dr. Rizal. this chapter to point out the bad things that

In this chapter Dr. Rizal wants to imply many government have during his time. When first time

things he uses the bapor tabo as the meeting point of reading it, it doesn’t enter to my mind that there

in the story and it symbolized the government. is another meaning of the things happen in

This boat is emitting dark smoke and it means it chapter 1 especially the settings of the event.

spread the wrong doings of the government.

Another is it is separated into two portions, and it COMPARISON WITH NOLI ME

means government are not looking equally to the TANGERE

people. i.

PERSONAL REFLECTION Noli, focuses on romance and love,

By reading the two great novel of our whereas El Filibusterismo discusses politics and

national heroes Dr. Jose Rizal we can say that he societal difficulties in our nation. It indirectly

is great. If you didn’t read the two novels, you can criticizes the Spanish government it is shown in

have a misunderstanding about what Dr. Rizal many chapters.

want us to say. The rule of greed, or "The ii.

Filibusterism." This was Rizal's second book, Noli Me Tangere is more than just a

which he dedicated to his nation and to the three critique of Spanish colonialism. It is a

martyred friars Gomez, Burgos, and Zamora. The nationality by charter. It exhorts the Filipino to

three priests were found guilty of being regain his self-assurance, recognize his own
value, return to his forefathers' legacy, and REFERENCE

declare himself as the equal of the Spaniard.
Even though it describes the miseries of the
Filipino people under Spanish control, it is a
romantic novel, a book of feelings, a work of the
heart, and it is filled with freshness, color,
humor, lightness, and wit.
Pilipinong FILIPINO. (2021, June 4). EL
FILIBUSTERISMO | KABANATA 1: Sa
Ibabaw ng Kubyerta | Pilipinong
FILIPINO. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCZ
9x2zyQUo
Kabanata 1: Sa Ibabaw Ng Kubyerta (Buod).
(2020, July 8). Panitikan.com.ph.
https://www.panitikan.com.ph/kabanata-
1-sa-ibabaw-ng-kubyerta-el-
filibusterismo-buod

El Filibusterismo is made to honor the

three priests, Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and

Jacinto Zamora, also known as GOMBURZA. It

is a political novel, a book of ideas, a cerebral

creation, and it is filled with resentment, anger,

suffering, and violence. El Fili, like Noli Me

Tangere, seeks to educate society and bring

Filipinos closer to the truth. In this book, society

is pushed to face truth and revolt against the

oppressive and abusive actions of the Spanish

government.
2.

a.

El Filibusterismo shows us how cruel and how purely evil the Spaniards was. Nevertheless, it also

tackles the bravery of the Filipino community. It shows the unimagined bravery of our countrymen on

fighting the greediness and cruelty of the Spaniards. It changes a lot especially to the government nowadays

being a corrupt in a government is not treated but the way that the government look has changed, the

officials or those who have powers in the government change they look fair to the normal people.

b.

Yes, because this novel brings us the knowledge about politics and things that can bring

nationalism. Also, it gives the national heroes a strong conviction that the government is too cruel that

people should fight.

c.

I believe that radicalism can change our society especially to our country. It is because it focuses

more on revolution which gives us an idea about the voice of the people who were driven by and

experienced the past. We can aldo consider the equality or the fairness that is very important

d.

I think in the part he retracts or in the retraction of Dr. Jose Rizal when he wants to marry his wife

there is the time, he changes his thoughts a little bit. He changes a little, but he didn’t change completely.

There is a part in him that always wanted to help other and to be freed from the oppression of foreigners.