“Why we need to study the life and works of Rizal” (Oct.

15, 2020)
I think that as Filipinos, it is important that we should have enough knowledge about our
very own "Pambansang Bayani". This is due to the fact that he and his works had paved a lot of
things for our country. His literary masterpieces like "El Filibusterismo" and "Noli Me Tangere"
were just some of his novels that manifested as his expression for fighting for the freedom of
Filipinos against the foreign colonizers.
The intellectuality of Rizal contributed the freedom of speech and expression that we
currently are enjoying. His political writings were bold and clear-cut that he was executed by
Spaniards. Aside from that, Jose Rizal has the qualities of the embodiment of how we should be
as Filipinos: transformational, open-minded, resilient and brave.

“Think of a recent novel/story that you’ve read. How did you learn from that story? Apply
this experience to Rizal’s writings? How did Rizal’s novel impart patriotism?”

The story that I want to share is a film by Bong Joon-Ho's "Parasite". That film was so
well-crafted that it lingered in my mind for days. It showed the story of the status quo of the class
divide (between the rich and poor). Parasite depicts the marginalization of the poor, the capitalist
system exploiting the working class, and other deep social issues. This has truly reminded me of
Rizal's writings.

Rizal's artistry was one-of-a-kind, he had this intellectuality of expressing and fighting for
the oppressed. Just like the film, Rizal wasn't afraid to showcase the reality that we have today.
There are issues of oppression--in the film, the poor wallowed in sorrow after viciously committing
a scam while the rich just fled to another house. In our case, Rizal expressed what was happening
during his time, Filipinos are being led captives, being abused and being manipulated of our own
homeland while the colonizers are unjustly ruling here.

The director, Bong Joon Ho, encouraged the viewers to think critically of his film, to dissect
every sequence, make people more analytical of the film’s political message and to keep them
from expecting too much of the message’s implications on society. Similarly, Rizal was doing the
same with his novels, making the Filipinos be aware of what was at stake. Reading Rizal's novels
impart patriotism as it teaches us to be bold just like him, fight for what's right and fight for the
oppressed.
“Ganito Kami Noon... Paano kayo ngayon?”
Reflection

“Ganito Kami Noon… Paano Kayo Ngayon?” isn’t just another movie about nationalism,
it’s a masterpiece filled with lessons we should get a grip of. The film’s comedic approach was a
plus factor for me as it balanced the gist of the story: the constant exploration for our own identity.
As what I’ve seen, Kulas was exposed to the harsh reality ever since he was born, his naiveté in
the land he is exploring was taken advantage of and had made him learn things the hard way. The
message of the film that resonated to me was about this evaluation of our own sense of identity
and context as who we are as Filipinos. Just like multiple times in the film, we see Kulas asking
who he is as a Filipino. This is a reminder to me in a way that being a Filipino isn’t just about the
ground we’re on, it’s about how we preserve it. Despite the number of years we’ve gone through
colonization, we should imprint in our hearts and minds what it is and how it is to be a Filipino. I
adore how in the end, he didn’t choose the life of comfort rather, he chose to fight for independence
which wasn’t an easy thing to do. He knew that he had a responsibility attached to him now that
he grew wiser as a man. We’ve seen his character development, how he was vulnerable and naïve
at the start of the film to how he grew and became wiser. In the film, we could also see that the
identity crisis we had as Filipinos weren’t just because of the colonization, it was also because of
how fragmented we are as a nation. There is an evident distinction of the social class, our
upbringing as natives were different like we had many languages all over the country. Despite our
differences living in this archipelago, we should have one thing in mind: as Filipinos, we should
remain dignified to fight for our country. Just like Jose Rizal’s writings, this film teaches us to
assess ourselves, what are the things you could do for your country? For how long could you fight
for the oppressed? Who we are as Filipinos couldn’t be defined just merely on the blood and
documents/papers, it is how protect our own motherland, love for our countrymen, and preserving
these traditions/ cultures handed to us by previous generations.

Reaction
“Ganito Kami Noon… Paano Kayo Ngayon?” is a timeless movie that should be watched
by every Filipino as it tackles a lot of socio-economic issues that are highly relevant until today.
My initial reaction as I watched the film was that I was glad that the director, Eddie Romero,
wanted to depict the story in a humorous way, that it somehow made me feel less concerned
because it’s really not that heavy to watch, or so I thought. I also liked the flow of the whole film,
how Romero chose to incorporate a light atmosphere from the start. One thing that caught my
attention however was the cinematography of that film, it was poorly executed. The story itself
was already meaningful, Romero should’ve focus on giving more sophistication on the camera
works as it will surely compliment the sequence of the film. Like yes, I get that some scenes
conveyed were explicit in the dialogues, but it could’ve been enhanced more especially that it adds
another layer of connection to the viewers. Also, I wish I understood more of the dialogues that
were in Spanish, but maybe subtitles weren’t really a thing back then so I’ll sweep that off under
the rug. For the production sets, I’d give it a thumbs up as they executed it well and they made it
seem realistic for the viewers. Also, the musical score was quirky which was only appropriate for
the overall tone of the film.
Now, let me talk about some other aspects of the film, particularly on the actors’
performances. I was impressed especially by Kulas (Christopher de Leon) because he really
portrayed a young, curious Filipino who wanted to know more about his own sense of nationality.
He wanted to explore, not just his own identity but also of his motherland. De Leon was effective
in portraying his emotions, he captivated the viewers especially with his seemingly profound
growing affection for Diding. Gloria Diaz, who played Diding, gave lackluster performance for
me. I didn’t know she was that beautiful though, her comedic version of a dalagang Pilipina which
was sophisticated and flirty was what really memorable for me. She was giving subtle motives to
Kulas but you could also see that she had an underlying cause for her actions. The other actors,
from the Spaniards, to the Chinese merchant and other complementary actors were doing a great
job in presenting their roles.

What I also really appreciate was that the film effectively managed to show to the viewers
the smooth transition of colonization setting. That comedic approach was just blended because
surely the reality of being colonized is a bitter situation. There’s too much violence and harassment
in our history already that I’m glad that the film didn’t bother showcasing any of these extremes.
I think it also did a great job in imparting to the viewers the ethical lessons it represented. There’s
a lot to peel in there, as it tackled the various hardships of Kulas, how he overcame this and that,
how the social class affects one’s privilege, how an individual approaches his conflict within him
or with other people, there’s a lot of things to talk about.
Quiz: Within Ormoc City Question
To see the reality that we have today based on Rizal's point of view alone can't be easily
translated because of the sharpness of his mind but I'll just have to stand on a viewpoint mirrored
on his writings.
Deciphering the works of Rizal from "Noli Me Tangere" and "El Filibusterismo", he
explicitly narrated a story of fighting for the oppressed and marginalized Filipinos against
colonizers. And today, we are living in a democratic third-world country freed and ungoverned by
other imperialist countries but are still highly influenced by them. The laws established today
comprises that we are being protected by the Constitution, or so we thought. It is highly evident
that mostly of the politicians here in the Philippines have other intentions other than serving for
the countrymen. These corrupt officials and rotten system of political dynasties are the parasite of
our society that perpetually capitalize the ignorance of the citizens. Some of them even have the
audacity to be onion-skinned when in fact the criticisms are valid.
If Jose Rizal, an infamous activist, were alive today and wrote some of his works, he'd be
surely red tagged as a "terrorist" and would be called, dare I say, a "dilawan". This ideology of
some people that just because you are simply calling out/ voicing out your political sentiments,
you would be simply be tagged as a member of terrorist-related political parties is highly absurd
and stupid! If Jose Rizal would be pointing out some criticisms against the government, he'd be
told "edi ikaw nalang mag-Presidente!"

Rizal's manner of fighting for his countrymen wasn't just about optimism, good vibes~ or
"sumunod nalang sa batas" because he had clearly seen that there was inequality and injustice.
Even when he already he accomplished so much, he never settled for comfort as he still seen the
plight and suffering of most Filipinos. The only difference in our realities back then was that
Filipinos were being held captives by the colonizers but now, we are being oppressed by our own
countrymen specifically by these politicians.

So as youths, it would be great to hold on to the message of writings of Rizal, to serve the
country. "Looking at the bright side" is the lamest defense of a fool. It is important that we should
engage, take action and be critical of what is happening around us. Because at the end of the day,
if we just become blind supporters of some self-serving politicians with bent intentions, we are
still at the receiving end of these consequences. Stand your ground and make a choice, either you
become a tool for change or a tool for fascism.
Activity: (Walay Uyab) “Explain about Rizal as Propagandist.”
Jose Rizal is an icon of national movement that called for the equal treatment of Filipinos
and campaigned for social and political freedom. Through his wise leadership, he was able to
become a mouthpiece in advocating propagandist reforms for the Filipinos.
Rizal didn't stomach the idea of Filipinos just being inferior to the Spaniard colonizers, he
knew that we were more than just "indios". With this, Rizal motivated himself and thus invested
in his education. From the experiences that he learned inside and outside Philippines, he never
forgot to serve and fight for his country. With the might of his pen, he expressed his thoughts
sharply that he was seen as a threat by colonizers.
I also learned about the reform movement Rizal founded, the Propaganda movement
wherein he made it as a venue to connect with other Filipinos who also had the same objectives as
him. Aside from Propaganda movement, he also founded Liga Filipina. Through Rizal's works
like Noli Me Tangere, he made a great impact on the Filipinos to be awakened from the abuses of
Spanish colonizers. This has made Filipinos realize the situation that sparked the 1896 Philippine
Revolution.
Rizal's grit had influenced other national heroes like Andres Bonifacio to become fully
aware of the situation that time. Surely, Rizal played a big role for them to take the first steps in
achieving their objectives. Thus, the notable existence of Jose Rizal and his contributions shaped
the state of our country's freedom today. Rizal didn't really promote violence but for the sake of
our country, the Katipuneros knew that it was impossible for a revolution without violence.

Quiz: Transcript of the video call about Rizal as Propagandist

Si Jose Rizal ang usa si giila sa atoang nasod na may dakong ambag sa kalayaan sa mga
Pilipino. Kini tungod kay si Jose Rizal ang nagpasiugda aning Propaganda movement nga
nagtawag para sa patas nga pag-trato para sa mga Pilipino ug nangampanya para sa kalayaan sa
atong katilingban. Tungod sa iyang pagka-maayo dili lang sa aspeto sa pakipag-negosasyon,
tungod pud sa iyang pagka edukado iya nabuhat para makamit ni iyang pangandoy para sa
Pilipinas.

Gigamit ni Rizal tanan niyang nakat-unan sa skwelahan diri sa Pilipinas ug ngadto sa uban
nasod, iya gi sigurado na bisag layo na siyag naabtan sa kinabuhi, di niya makaya ang magpabaya
sa iya kaugalingong nasod. Iyang gigamit iyaha pagka edukado sa pag himog grupo na Propaganda
Movement ug pagsuwat sa mga kaagi sa mga Pilipino niadtong panahon nila. Tungod niini, nakita
siya silbi sa mga Espanyol na kalaban ug hulga kanila. Dakong ambag pod ang mga kasulatan ni
Rizal aron mahimatngon ang mga Pilipino sa tinuod na kaagi nila. Sa pila ka tuig nilang pag-antos
sa gobyerno sa mga Espanyol, ilabg nakita na dili patas ang pag trato ara sa mga Pilipino.
 Pamaagi sa iyang mga kasulatan, nahimo kining inspirasyon para sa mga Pilipino para
mulaban sa ilang mga katungod ug pagkuha sa hustisya na dugay ra nilang gipangandoy. Usa sa
mga natandog sa mga kasulatan ni Rizal kay si Andres Bonifacio, mao iya gipadayon ang La Liga
Filipina ug gipahibalo niya sa ubang mga higala ang tinuod na kaagi nila.

Activity: (Kamao Muluto Question) Sitwasyon ng Pilipinas sa panahon ni Rizal na makikita

parin sa panahon ngayon.
Naging biktima ang mga Pilipino sa maabusong pamamahala ng mga Espanyol, ngunit
ngayong may sarili na tayong demokrasya, may mga isyu mula noon na hanggang ngayon makikita
parin.
Unang-una dito ay ang Korupt na Kolonyal na Opisyales. Di na bago sa ating kaalaman
ang pagkukurakot ng ating mga politiko. Mula't noon palang, ang mga nakaupong taga-pamahala
magmula sa Presidente hanggang sa pinaka mababang pwesto tulad ng pagka Kapitan o Konsehal.
Halimbawa nito ay ang nararanasan at nasasaksihan nating korupsyon sa PhilHealth Insurance, sa
kalagitnaan pa talaga ng isang pandemya/krisis. Marami sa kanila, nakakaranas pa ng mga
pribilehiyo, tulad kay Bong Revilla na sangkot sa Pork Barrel scam ngunit tumakbo at nanalong
parin sa pagka-Senador.
Pangalawa, Nawalan ng Karapatan ang mga Pilipino. Dahil nga sa mapang-abuso na
pamamahala ng mga mapagsamantalang politiko, inaabuso nila ang kanilang kapangyarihan.
Halimbawa nito ay ang EJK na kung saan hindi sinusunod ang due process, may mga isyu rin
ditong nauugnay na nag tatanim-bala o nagtatanim ng mga ebidensya para lang makamit ang kanila
quota. Mga mahihirap rin ang kadalasang "target" nila. Makikita rin na kung may oposisyon sa
mga Politiko, ay agad itong ni reredtag bilang isang terorista. Pinipilit ng gobyernong ito na
mapatahimik ang anumang bumabatikos sa kanila.
Pangatlo, walang hustisya sa mga korte. Pag mahirap ka, mahirap mo ring matatamasa ang
hustisya. Ika nga, "Our laws favor the rich and punishes the poor". Nakikita natin na mabagal ang
proseso sa mga makatarungang laban. May iba pang binabayaran nalang ang mga tao upang
mapatahimik o kaya'y pinapatay. Dahil rin nito'y sangkot ang mga makapangyarihang politiko o
mga mayayaman, mas pabor sa kanila ang batas. Halimbawa nito, si Imelda Marcos, napatunayan
ng Sandiganbayan Fifth Division na "guilty of seven counts of graft" at "ill-gotten wealth" na $5 -
$10 Billion, ngunit sa nakikita parin natin ngayon hindi parin siya nakukulong.
Propaganda Plan
In this time where our country is experiencing a lot of crisis and mismanagement due to
the negligence of the state, it is urgently imperative for the youth to take a stand and be a part of
the empowerment among Filipinos. The Filipino youth should inculcate a sense of
responsibility in building the nation by objectively fighting the upfront issues in the aspect
of education, politics, media, environment, the field of science and healthcare. Everyday, a
new form of challenge takes shape in our country. To give a brief enlightenment about some of
the problems that we are facing today, this paper will give emphasis on such issues and provide
possible solutions to further empower the youth and the mass.

To specify the major problems in this country that needs to be addressed, it is important to elaborate
these as of follows:

• Educational System - The basic education system of the Philippines is being restructured
through the K-12 Program in hopes of producing globally competitive graduates. This
implementation of the program by Dep-Ed is highly crucial as this aims to improve the
quality of education in the country. However, it is evident that many pupils and students
including the teachers are becoming exhausted of this educational approach due to the fact
that there’s too much workload. If the objective of this program is to really enhance the
quality of education, why is this curriculum becoming ineffective towards many students?
Now that we’re in the middle of pandemic where we are forced to adapt to the new normal
of “remote learning” through online classes or answering of modules, many students are
not enrolled and the Department of Education (DepEd) and Commission on Higher
Education (CHED) would refuse to listen to the plea of the people so that no one student
gets left behind. This particular failure to exercise appropriate solutions in addressing the
problem is resulting a heavy burden on the Filipino students. We can hear cases like some
individuals taking their own life because of their incapacity to answer the learning modules.
And it is a sad notion that this educational system does not inspire us to maximize the skills
that we have just because of some limited resources and negligence of these agencies. If
we aren’t going to invest in the education of the youth, then the people in power (especially
politicians) would only take advantage on the ignorance of the people which brings me to
my second point, about the political climate in the country

• Corrupt Politicians – it is a common fact the Philippines is a ground infested with corrupt
politicians. These politicians who are obviously self-serving and taking the job for their
own interests is one of the major factor of this rotten system. We are so used to being
blinded by these sugar-coated campaigns of these politicians that during the election, we
give them the power to abuse the citizens even more. Most of the time, when the
 administration is being scrutinized for their actions, they would also have the audacity to
become sensitive when they suck at the process of doing their job! Not only are these
corrupt politicians the only ones who are problematic, it is also the people who are in power
(i.e. Imperialists, state forces). Abuse of power by the authorities who would take
advantage of the ordinary citizen is highly rampant, power-tripping their way to get a hold
of their own interests and favors. These good-for-nothing politicians do not even bother to
fight for the national sovereignty of our country. They would only make false promises
(like ending drugs in 6 months), making unnecessary policies that would only harm the
constituents, and neglect the minorities and people suffering from poverty. Example of a
law that is becoming a burden especially to the poor is the TRAIN Law, most families earn
a minimum wage only and there is an inflation rate of some of the basic necessities/
products which some of Filipinos families couldn’t afford. While this tax reform policy
empowered those of the big business out there, it is also hurting millions of Filipino
families. Moreover, the current electoral system in our country involves electoral frauds
and violence by manipulation of the voting’s results.

• Media – In this digital era where people are attached and dependent to the use of media as
it is an integral part of the society, people may encounter false and misleading information.
Social media is a public platform in which almost anyone could post anything they desire.
Many people/ organization are also taking advantage of this medium to propagate their
propagandas, unverified claims and problematic views. There is also a spread of “fake
news” in which there could be false information that could be harmful especially that some
people are gullible and do not give enough time to verify if the said information is factual.
We could see that some government officials are peddlers of fake news! They continue to
assert their political agenda like spending funds for trolls, bots and fake accounts. One
evident case there is the recent news wherein Facebook took down fake accounts that
supported President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s policies. The company said that it had taken
down two networks one based in China and one in the Philippines, that used fake accounts
to post information about a variety of subjects, including Philippine politics. There are also
content creators who create videos about conspiracy theories that obviously aim for
historical revisionism, stating hasty generalizations and feeding of false information across
social media platforms. In this case, it is highly alarming and could potentially harm the
thinking of our countrymen as this does not promote critical thinking and analysis of the
information consumed virtually. The spread of mis- and disinformation can especially be
dangerous for deliberative democracy as it undermines an authentic and deliberative
political discussion.(Balod et al., 2019)

• Environment – Philippines as an archipelago, is vulnerable to disasters and calamities

such as typhoon, earthquakes, landslides and so much more. The problem that we face each
year when we get affected by the typhoons, is that it seems the government takes poor
 actions in preparation and coping it. The local government unit is almost exhausted because
of their efforts but it seems that the national government is taking these issues lightly. The
misplaced priorities by our national government is shown through their short-sighted
solutions or as we call it their “band-aid solutions” in approaching these issues. One prime
example is the Dolomite Sand they placed in Manila Bay, instead of providing a sustainable
alternative, they are spending billions of money that seems to be only a waste of taxpayers’
money. In the recent typhoons like the typhoon Rolly and typhoon Ullyses where many
people were affected, it has only exposed how our fellow Filipinos weren’t ready for that
devastating occurrence. To add, these typhoons are only worsened because of the
deforestation of the illegal logging of big corporations that led to the areas become more
vulnerable to the wrath of these typhoons. Disasters like these are the manifestation of
years of incompetence by the government, it is a known fact how they are slashing calamity
funds and defunding Project Noah.

• Healthcare – Now that we’re in the middle of pandemic, we are forced now to adjust to
the new normal. This involves wearing of face masks, wearing face shield, social
distancing and not attending any mass gathering. These protocols are heavy mandated by
our government yet they are also the ones who are violating the laws, like General Sinas
who was known for the ma ñanita issue, is promoted to a higher position by the president.
Also, the case of the alleged Phil Health Insurance where whistleblowers exposed the long-
term corruption by this agency amid this pandemic. The poor COVID response that led to
the rising cases and casualties among citizens is also a factor of the government’s
negligence. We’ve seen it all, from how they undermined this virus, refused to ban flights
from China despite the public’s clamor, and the mismanagement of the “Emergency
Powers.”. Also, we’ve seen how this administration has become inhumane by not
providing the Proper Protective Equipments (PPE) for the frontliners and depending only
to the private sectors, compensating healthcare workers through their hazard pay of a mere
P500.00, they also prevented healthcare professionals from fleeing this country.

Now that these issues are laid out, it is high time for us, Filipino citizens, to take action on the
things that we could do.

• Education - we should be capable of giving empathy to our fellow students who can’t
afford to adjust to this new way of learning since we need to survive day-by-day. Let us
continue to call to unite by addressing our concerns through mediums like social media for
these government agencies to do their jobs efficiently. Although we shouldn’t protest for
#AcademicFreeze rather, we should demand for #LigtasnaBalikEskwela since many
people could lose their jobs. It is important that we call out the lapses of these agencies for
them to give consideration given the current situation of our countrymen suffering from
this pandemic.
• Corrupt politicians – We need to pressure these politicians to do their job. We should
demand them to hold accountability because most of them only want to maintain power,
and the power class interest. It is not a valid reason that just because we’re critical of this
administration, we are automatically against them. We don’t want this government to fail,
we want it work. We should also voice out as much as we can, to amplify the message of
the oppressed and marginalized because they are not voiceless, they are not just heard.
Most of these politicians who are misogynistic, has fragile ego, and masochist are too
dramatic/ emotional to hold such positions. That is why as youths, let us not be shaken of
these vile politicians’ threat to silence us. Give credit where credit is due, but let us not
forget that we do know owe any of them anything. It is their job and we should raise our
standards when choosing the right leaders and not applaud them for just doing the bare
minimum.

• Media – Given that most Filipinos are active users of social media, let us be critical of
what we see online. If we see any articles/links that are suspicious, then fact-check. If you
also happen to come across trolls or fake accounts, then block and report them. Do not
engage to any of these trolls. It is also helpful to share only the reliable sources of news or
information to our feed. There will be instances also where you’ll encounter arguments
with strangers especially in a public platform, make sure to present cold hard facts only, be
logical and not rational. This is because some of them may resort to logical fallacies like
ad hominem and red-tag you as terrorist. Important note also to have your accounts secured
so that no data may be breached.

• Environment – Our planet does not need to be saved, it is us humans. The world will still
evolve naturally and eventually but it is us, the humans who’ll suffer the consequences of
our negligence. It is farming, fishing, livestock and other necessities that are the reasons
why we managed to live. What would be the sense of a booming and thriving economy
when the environment we are in is deteriorating? After all, commerce can’t save us. Also,
enough of the narrative about the resiliency of Filipinos. This has just become the stupid
excuse of these politicians to give us the bare minimum of the services that we deserve.
The solution that we demand to these leaders are for us to have a systematic readiness
against disasters and in order to do that, we should establish actions following
Preparedness, Rescue, Relief and Rehabilitation. Fund interdisciplinary research on
disaster risk reduction. With this, we should entrust appointing officials who are competent
enough to do their job. One who does not require emergency powers just to extend a
helping hand and doing their duty to the nation.

• Healthcare – Looking how we are affected by this pandemic, we should demand those in
power to listen to our scientists, let the experts handle the situation of a pandemic crisis
(Epidemiologists, Microbiologists) and demand so that these public services may be
 utilized. Our healthcare workers are not just helping to fight this virus but they’re also
risking their lives. So it is high time for us to give them all our support on that matter. Let
us be the generation who would stand on fact-based information, done by proper research.

In conclusion, it is now more than ever that the Filipino youth or “Kabataan” is needed to
actively participate in political discourse and civic issues. Talking about socio-economic issues
like politics does not require complete expertise as it only needs moral judgment. Us, citizens
should force the government to take the well-being of the constituents seriously. Likewise,
effective leadership cannot be achieved if it lacks a well-oiled public service system that can
deliver. Let us not just settle on these basic privileges when in fact, citizens of this country continue
to pay high taxes and still remain as a third-world country. The fight against this rotten system
isn’t easy as there are a lot of challenges to face, because if we do not do what is right, we are still
on the receiving end of these consequences.

Reaction Statement on the Film Rizal in Dapitan

Rizal in Dapitan (1997) is film directed by Tikoy Aguiluz about the four-year exile of
Filipino propagandist and patriot Jose Rizal in Dapitan, starring Albert Martinez as Rizal and
Amanda Page as Josephine Bracken. The film had a slow-burn pace but I admit it was not my cup
of tea.

In my opinion, the film was really bland. Although I could see that the objective of the film
was just to show how Jose Rizal lived the last years of his life, it showed how relevant he was back
then. Even though he was antagonized by the priests, the colonizers, Rizal still had the heart to
serve for his country. It was a known fact that Rizal did his best to help his countrymen through
the best that he could.
The acting on the other hand by Albert Martinez was so-so, it wasn’t that impressive for
me but anyhow, maybe he was really just trying to embody the keen and sharp Rizal who was
more on the meticulous side. Also, some supporting actors showed a mediocre performance just
like Jose Rizal’s mother. Overall, I think the film was just trying to give the audience
enlightenment about how Rizal showed integrity and loyalty to his country even during many
adversaries and challenges.
And if there’s any takeaway on that film is that I should assess myself on how I could give
back to my community just like how Rizal showed his compassion towards our fellow Filipinos,
even though the odds are not in my favor.
Rizal in Dapitan Questionnaire

I. Multiple Choice.
1. When was Jose Rizal exiled in Dapitan?
a.) 1892
b.) 1997
c.) 1982
2. Who was Jose Rizal and Josephine Bracken’s stillborn son?
a.) Fernando
b.) Franco
c.) Francisco
3. Which of the following was Rizal’s nickname?
a.) Pipo
b.) Peppa
c.) Pepe
4. These are just some of the known talents/skills of Jose Rizal except being
a.) Poet
b.) Swimmer
c.) Sculptor
5. Where is Dapitan located?
a.) Zamboanga
b.) Luneta
c.) Pampanga

II. Identification.
1. What did Jose Rizal’s students call him?
2. He was the priest who was against the union of Jose Rizal and Josephine Bracken.
3. The place where Rizal was exiled.
4. When was the film “Rizal in Dapitan” released?
5. Jose Rizal’s birthday.

III. True of False.

1. Rizal helped the constituents in the town he was in.
2. Father Superior Pastells said that Rizal could live in the convent with no conditions.
3. Julietta Bracken was the name of Rizal’s fiancée.
4. Rizal never kept in touch with any of his immediate family.
5. Jose Rizal was the eye surgeon of his mother.

IV. Essay.
1. Give some conditions proposed by Father Superior Pastells to allow Jose Rizal to live
in the convent.
2. How did Jose Rizal and Josephine Bracken meet?
3. What made Rizal’s stay in Dapitan eventful?
4. In your opinion, was Jose Rizal’s choice to fight a silent revolution a good choice?
Explain.
5. In your own explanation, would you also fight for your country during Rizal’s time?

Answers

I. Multiple Choice
1. a.
2. c.
3. c.
4. b.
5. a.

II. Identification.
1. Maestro
2. Father Obach
3. Dapitan, Zamboanga
4. 1997
5. June 19, 1861

III. True/False
1. True
2. False
3. False
4. False
5. True

IV. Essay
1. Some of the conditions Father Superior informed Father Obach was that
Rizal should perform the church rites and make general confession of his
past life and that Rizal must retract his errors concerning religion, and make
statements that were clearly pro-Spanish and against revolution.
2. Jose Rizal and Josephine Bracken met when Josephine Bracken brought his
stepfather to Jose Rizal because of his eye concerns. This was also the
chance of Jose and Josephine to bloom their relationship.
3. What made Jose Rizal’s stay in Dapitan eventful was how he spent his last
years in helping his community, he emphasized the importance of education
by teaching the children there, he also practiced being a doctor there.
4. Yes, because he knew that his pen was mightier than the sword and he knew
that forming a revolution that entails violence against the colonizers was
nearly impossible and would only hurt many Filipinos.
5. If I were Rizal during his time, I don’t think I will have the same guts and
courage as him because he was also a man who had wisdom and knowledge
on things. He was an exemplar for the Filipinos to give importance on
education as it may become your weapon to attain things that could help the
country. I also don’t think I could handle that much pressure of being
antagonized by a whole branch of government and being subjected to
execution.
v
Summary Analysis
In this subject, I have ascertained a lot of things about our National Hero. It has also
broadened the scope of my knowledge about who Jose Rizal is, his childhood, education,
affiliations, works and contributions for our beloved country. His literary masterpieces like "El
Filibusterismo" and "Noli Me Tangere" were just some of his novels that manifested as his
expression for fighting for the freedom of Filipinos against the foreign colonizers. The character
that Jose Rizal has should also be the embodiment of how we should be as Filipinos:
transformational, open-minded, resilient and brave.

While we also dipped our toes about the history of his momentous life, as students, we’ve
managed to assess ourselves also about the identity that we have as Filipinos and connect Rizal’s
works in our main reality. Aside from these things, we consider this as an opportunity also to
appreciate stories of history by watching the films like “Ganito Kami Noon… Paano Kayo
Ngayon?” and Rizal in Dapitan that has surely piqued our interest in their storyline.
We’ve also known Jose Rizal as a propagandist, one of our tasks like creating a Propaganda
Plan wherein I had to exhaustively think of objectives to make a change in the rotten system in our
country, was also challenging. Mapping the plan about such propagandas truly require a lot of
brainstorming and it made me wonder how the likes of Jose Rizal had to execute their plans even
when the odds weren’t in his favor. One of the key points in my Propaganda Plan was “The
Filipino youth should inculcate a sense of responsibility in building the nation by objectively
fighting the upfront issues in the aspect of education, politics, media, environment, the field
of science and healthcare.” This was a reminder for me to be aware what is happening in my
country just Jose Rizal was during his time.

Hence, Reading Rizal's novels impart patriotism as it teaches us to be bold just like him,
fight for what's right and fight for the oppressed. The dedication that he had should serve as an
inspiration towards many Filipinos and empower the youths as the catalysts of change for our
country.