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Instructions: In a short essay, imagine what the life of your ancestors would
have been like during the Philippine Revolution. Create an educated guess, do
you think he/she would have been a Spaniard, a Chinese, or a Filipino? Would
he/ she have been from the upper class or the lower class? Imagine his/her life
during that time.
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Sketchy!

Instructions: Map your family tree. Try to find out who your relatives are as
far back as your great-great-grandfather, if possible. Draw your family tree
Let’s see if it it is possible to trace your ancestors from the time of Rizal before
1898. (Use the space provided for this activity.)

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LESSON PROPER (WEEK 3): THE DEATH OF A HERO

How well do you know our National Hero?

Describe him and his achievements and contributions in the Philippine
Society. Write words/ phrases as many as you can.

VocABuLARY Words

 Shivering- to break into many small pieces

 Observatory- a special building for studying stars, planets, weather,
etc.
 Collide- to hit something or each other with strong force
 Purgatory- a place or state of suffering
 Sting- to feel a quick sharp pain
 Mauser- a firearm; repeating rifle
 Shimmering- to shine with a light that seems to move slightly.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 Danton Remoto was born March 25, 1963

 A Filipino writer, essayist, reporter, editor,

columnist, and professor.

 Remoto was a first prize recipient at the ASEAN.

Letter-Writing Contest for Young People.

 Father Federico Faura, the founder of the Manila Observatory, was born
December 30, 1840, in Artes (Barcelona), Spain, entered the Society of Jesus on
October 16, 1859, and died on January 23, 1897 in Manila. He belonged to the
Spanish Province of Aragon and was assigned to the Philippines.
 José Rizal or José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda, (born June 19,
1861, Calamba, Philippines—died December 30, 1896, Manila), patriot,
physician, and
man of letters who was an inspiration to the Philippine nationalist movement.

The poem that you are about to read is an imagined narrative by a priest of the Ateneo, Padre Faura, on how
he feels about his old student, Jose Rizal.

Padre Faura Witnesses the Execution of Rizal by Danton Remoto

1. I stand on the roof

2. Of the Ateneo Municipal,
3. Shivering
4. On this December morning.

5. Months ago,
6. Pepe came to me
7. In the Observatory
8. I thought we would talk

9. About the stars

10.That do not collide
11.In the sky:
12.Instead, he asked me about purgatory.
13.(His cheeks still ruddy
14.From the sudden sun
15.After the bitter winters
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16.In Europe.)
17.And on this day
18.With the year beginning to turn,
19.Salt stings my eyes.
20.I see Pepe,
21.A blur
22.Between the soldiers
23.With their Mausers raised
24.And the early morning's

25.Star:
26.Still shimmering
27.Even if millions of miles away,
28.The star itself

29. Is already dead.

Questions:

1. Who is Pepe? Explain.

2. Why does Pepe ask the persona about the purgatory?

3. The poem talks about the nature of stars. Can you explain what he means, in
terms of science?

4. This discussion of a star is also a metaphor. What is it a metaphor for? Explain.

5. Why was Rizal executed? How is his similar to the idea of a star? Relate this to
Philippine History?

6. What do you think the persona felt for Rizal? Give textual evidence.

7. Do you feel the same way? Why or why not?

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Mi Ultimo Adios (My Last Farewel)l

This is a poem by Dr. Jose Rizal, penned just hours before he was executed on
December 30, 1896. . The poem was originally written in Spanish and was not given
any title. Rizal hid the paper containing the poem in an alcohol stove which was later
given to his sister Narcisa. Another possible poem was written in a piece of paper
hidden in Rizal’s shoes but the text became unreadable so its content remains a
mystery.

Take Interestingly enough his original writing was said to have no title, the title
Note! Mi Ultimo Adios was given by Mariano Ponce.

My Last Farewell

Farewell, dear Fatherland, clime of the sun

caress’d Pearl of the Orient seas, our Eden lost!,
Gladly now I go to give thee this faded life’s
best, And were it brighter, fresher, or more blest
Still would I give it thee, nor count the cost.

On the field of battle, ‘mid the frenzy of fight,

Others have given their lives, without doubt or
heed; The place matters not-cypress or laurel or
lily white, Scaffold or open plain, combat or
martyrdom’s plight,
‘Tis ever the same, to serve our home and country’s need.

I die just when I see the dawn break,

Through the gloom of night, to herald the
day; And if color is lacking my blood thou
shalt take,
Pour’d out at need for thy dear
sake To dye with its crimson the
waking ray.

My dreams, when life first opened to me,

My dreams, when the hopes of youth beat high,
Were to see thy lov’d face, O gem of the Orient
sea From gloom and grief, from care and sorrow
free; No blush on thy brow, no tear in thine eye.

Dream of my life, my living and burning

desire, All hail ! cries the soul that is now to
take flight; All hail ! And sweet it is for thee to
expire ;
To die for thy sake, that thou mayst aspire;
And sleep in thy bosom eternity’s long night

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If over my grave some day thou seest
grow, In the grassy sod, a humble
flower, Draw it to thy lips and kiss my
soul so,
While I may feel on my brow in the cold tomb
below The touch of thy tenderness, thy breath’s
warm power.

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Let the moon beam over me soft and

serene, Let the dawn shed over me its
radiant flashes, Let the wind with sad
lament over me keen ; And if on my cross
a bird should be seen,
Let it trill there its hymn of peace to my ashes.

Let the sun draw the vapors up to the sky,

And heavenward in purity bear my tardy
protest
Let some kind soul o ‘er my untimely fate
sigh, And in the still evening a prayer be lifted
on high From thee, 0 my country, that in God
I may rest.

Pray for all those that hapless have died,

For all who have suffered the unmeasured pain;
For our mothers that bitterly their woes have
cried,
For widows and orphans, for captives by torture
tried And then for thyself that redemption thou
mayst gain.

And when the dark night wraps the graveyard around

With only the dead in their vigil to see
Break not my repose or the mystery profound
And perchance thou mayst hear a sad hymn
resound
‘Tis I, O my country, raising a song unto thee.

And even my grave is remembered no more

Unmark’d by never a cross nor a stone
Let the plow sweep through it, the spade turn it o’er
That my ashes may carpet earthly floor,
Before into nothingness at last they are
blown.

Then will oblivion bring to me no

care As over thy vales and plains I
sweep;
Throbbing and cleansed in thy space and air
With color and light, with song and lament I
fare, Ever repeating the faith that I keep.

My Fatherland ador’d, that sadness to my sorrow

lends Beloved Filipinas, hear now my last
good-by!
I give thee all: parents and kindred and friends
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For I go where no slave before the oppressor
bends,
Where faith can never kill, and God reigns e’er on high!

Farewell to you all, from my soul torn away,

Friends of my childhood in the home
dispossessed !
Give thanks that I rest from the wearisome day !
Farewell to thee, too, sweet friend that lightened my way;
Beloved creatures all, farewell! In death there is rest!

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ACTIVITIES/ASSIGNMENTS/PROJECTS: THE DEATH OF A HERO

Instructions: Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences.

1. What would you say was Rizal’s greatest contribution to Philippine Society?
2. If you were in Rizal’s place, would you have supported the Katipunan?
Why or why not?
3. Who do you consider as our national hero? Jose Rizal or Andres Bonifacio?

Let’s PRActice
Instructions: Complete the table below by writing the accomplishments of these
Philippine heroes

JOSE RIZAL ANDRES BONIFACIO

 
 
 
 
 


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Instructions: Upon reading the poem “Mi Ultimo Adios” or “My Last Farewell” written by

Dr. Jose Rizal, what insights have you gained? Share your views by creating a letter
addressed to Dr. Jose Rizal indicating the importance of his writings in the attainment
of nation’s freedom and in the development of Philippine literature. Use the template
to do the task. (20 pts)

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LESSON PROPER (WEEK 4): AUTHORITARIANISM

1. What do you know about Martial Law?

2. As a new generation of Filipinos, what can we learn from this period in our history?

Pre- Reading
Interview
In order to appreciate the poem about martial law and former President
Marcos, try to find out what older people think or feel about martial law.
Interview two people and ask them the following questions and write what
you’ve gathered in the space provided below.

1. What do you
remember about
FLAShBAck…
Ferdinand Marcos?
What about
Martial Law?
2. Do you think
martial law was a
good or a bad time
in the Philippine
history? Why do
you say so?
3. Why should we
study this period in
our history?

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Martial law began in September 21, 1972 under Proclamation No. 1081, and the
Marcos babies (those who were born from1964 to 1986) are only beginning to write
about this segment of the past.
When martial law began, there was not much resistance to it, as people believed that it
would curb the insurgency of various rebel groups at the time. Although it did lessen
crimes in the country, anyone who went against President Marcos was jailed, and in
many cases, disappeared without a trace.

Philippine Daily Express was the only newspaper allowed to circulate upon the
declaration of martial law.

The following poem explores the experience of martial law and what came after it. It is
written using a child’s point of view and is complicated by his relationship with his
father.

APO ON THE WALL

By Bj Patino

1 There’s this man’s photo on the wall

2 of my father’s office at home, you
3 know, where father brings his work,
4 where he doesn’t look strange
5 still wearing his green uniform
6 and colored breast plates, where,
7 to prove that he works hard, he
8 also brought a photo of his boss
9 whom he calls Apo, so Apo could
10 you know, hang around on the wall
11 behind him and look over his shoulders
12 to make sure he’s snappy and all.
13 Father snapped at me once, caught me
14 sneaking around his office at home
15 looking at the stuff on his wall- handguns,
16 plaques, a sword, medals a rifle-
17 told me that was no place for a boy
18 only men, when he didn’t really
19 have to tell me because, you know,
20 that photo of Apo on the wall was already
21 looking at me around,

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22 his eyes following me like he was

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23 that scary Jesus in the hallway, saying

24 I know what you’re doing.

Guide Questions:

1. How would describe the persona and the persona’s father?

How would you describe their relationship? Would you say
that your relationship with your father is similar or
different? Explain.

2. Who is Apo on the poem? Cite you evidence to support your answer.

3. How would you describe the relationship between the

persona’s father and Apo? What does this tell us about the
father’s perspective about martial law?

4. What kind of values does the persona’s father want to teach

his child, specifically about what it means to be a man? Do
you agree with these values? Why or why not?

5. Why is Apo compared to the “scary” Jesus in the hallway?

What do they seem to have in common?

6. What do the father, Apo, and the “scary” Jesus have in common?

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