Jose Rizal

           

            The nation lately celebrated the death anniversary of  Jose Rizal. From all indication, he embodies  all the best that  is truly in a Filipino – tough holding on what is good, insatiable desire to learn hungering for more knowledge resulting to genius and linguist, social scientist using his keen and  methodical mind like scalpel looking into the very  deep recesses of  cancer ailing the country eating up the moral fiber of its people writing those many  excellent treatises as social commentary of society, sport enthusiast excelling in fencing and chess. As one of the original OFW too, (why not he was one of the pioneering brave soul exploring European countries anyway) he set the tone of  being productive and progressive writer and student wherever he went from Spain to Germany, Belgium to Brussels and all that consolidating propagandist forces the likes of Marcelo H. del Pilar, Antonio Luna, Graciano Lopez Jaena all continuing and joining  the saga in liberating the country through  La Soledaridad, and its counterpart in Tagalog publication, Ang Kalayaan aimed in liberating the country from the clutches of bondage of oppressive Spanish government.  .

Back home, his  zest for freedom finds its way among equally great nationalists Isabelo de los Reyes, Gregorio Aglipay and other firebrand separatists leading to Philippine Revolution of 1898  inspiring  the succeeding generation working towards authentic  emancipation from the bondage of slavery. Aglipay himself was emboldened drawing  the line with the imprimatur of Jose Rizal  establishing Philippines Independent Church (IFI) which symbolically and historically  severed its ties from Catholicism introduced by Spain in March of 1521. But Rizal didn’t saw the light of independence as he became a sacrificial lamb in the altar of tyranny perpetrated by ruthless Spanish Government. His death by musketry at then Bagong Bayan now Luneta shows the greatest sacrifice ever made by man in the tradition of  Jesus Christ’ crucifixion on the cross at Golgotha which metamorphosed into  the gruesome and senseless still unsolved  Ninoy Aquino’s  assassination in Tarmac in August of 1983 catching many Filipinos with yellow fever ending Marcos’ dictatorship  in 1984 through Peoples’ Power in EDSA in 1986 ushering in the presidency of Noynoy Aquino last election. Such event clothed him with mystique that some fanatics all over the country didn’t help but relate and acknowledge him not only as  great hero but  influential spiritual leader as well.

True we did have our Independence proclaimed in Kawit, Cavite after the Philippine Revolution by Gen.Emilio Aguinaldo ending more than three centuries of Spanish rule but only to wake up facing a new Master under Uncle Sam when Spain ceded the country for measly  $20 Million  in Treaty of Paris in December of 1898, a fact repudiated by Edilberto Tiempo in his To Be Free novel claiming among others that there was no consensus conducted among Filipino people. An illustrious columnist later would corroborate that biting criticism claiming that such deal was tainted with corruption as the lion’s share from the deal went directly to the pocket of the middle men who brokered the deal.  Of course we were briefly under the Japanese for roughly years during World War II as they propagated their East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere, a euphemism to US Benevolent Assimilation which led to the control of many countries in the world as they sponsored assassination of Presidents and leaders they don’t like their faces or just wanting to influence political development that cater to their interest. An independent study conducted how far US has instigated political development all throughout the globe from Caribbean countries in Panama to Cuba, Latin countries, Asia specially Philippines reveals how Uncle Sam  dipped his fingers  influencing events  at the expense of these countries. Thus said, we have lived more than three centuries in a convent, six rugged years under Japanese and 48 years in Hollywood and still counting left Juan reeling and culture sandwiched. Here Rizal’s continuing search of  national identity serves best as inspiration.

As student of literature who can’t afford reading his two great classic masterpieces in  Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterism. It was forbidden reading these two books in his time that Filipinos would even read them in Comfort Room passing on to others later. They’re such best work of a genius worth retelling to the world  that a publisher have them retreated and re-written  improving grammar for easy reading so the rest of the world would know that there exist masterpieces at par with the world’s best in literature from this country.

Gone was Rizal but not his ideals and spirit. Such was his great legacy providing inspiration to all that nothing is impossible when one has passion going for it. Horacio dela Costa, SJ  so with many others Summa Cum Laude graduates broke already Rizal’s exemplary academic feat  in Ateneo. Even Manny Pacquiao could be considered another Rizal in the making 100 years from now because of the similarity of the exploits they respectively carved a niche in their lives with Jose Rizal representing the middle class and Manny, the masses and winning as many as eight  weight divisions in boxing.

Don’t fret then if ever you have not done your share yet for the country.  By all means, you have all the time.  What you need is to start it right and pursue all the way with all passion and zest what you’d like to become just like Rizal.