NAME: MELANIE A.

GALLEGO
SECTION&YEAR: BEED 3A

GANITO KAMI NOON, PAANO KAYO NGAYON? (1976)

Reflection Paper

Imagine having the privileges they never even had, all the access we have today, and
the democracy they fought for then that we now enjoy. Being a student today is difficult, but
loving someone during that time was even more difficult. The silent struggle they were going
through at the time pales in comparison to what we, as millennial, are going through now.

The iconic movie Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon, starring Christopher De
Leon as Nicolas Ocampo, upholds our nationalism. After his mother's passing, Kulas, a young
man, enjoys his newly acquired horse in exchange for his land property as he travels aimlessly.
His misadventures represent the search for an elusive Filipino identity at a time when, after a
brief period of Philippine independence, the United States replaced Spain as the colonizer. An
incredible historical tale that chronicles the country's battles to define its cultural identity from
the revolt against Spain through the Philippine American War as seen through the eyes of a
provincial young man.

Our passion for our country is shown in the movie. During the time of Spanish
colonialism, which is when the movie is set, the rich Filipinos who supported the Friars and the
Spaniards’ seizure of the country are depicted as being slaves in their own country.

It’s awful how young people these days handle their own struggles; they simply give up
without even considering other options. I am aware that our sensitivity is different, but the
reason why Filipinos in that era survived was because they sacrifice their lives so that we might
enjoy a better country. We can’t deny a fact that the majority of today’s youth want to
immigrate in the near future in search of the better lives they’re hoping for, unlike the
protagonist in that movie who displays a love for his own country. For me, Kulas was a good
example of how, no matter how difficult the circumstances, there are still ways to succeed in
life for millennial like me. In the movie, Kulas was so naive, he doesn’t know anything because
he didn’t study, but his love for his country is nothing compared to those rich Filipinos who
look down on other Filipinos and want to be with the side of Friars. Don’t think that way; even
when we don’t know what else to do and suicide seems like the only option, our lives matter
and/or our families need us. Keep in mind that there are people fighting diseases like leukemia
and cancer who still want to live because I really think that as long as you are alive, there is still
a chance for us to succeed in our fight.